A/N: Butorphanol is a pain medication that is used in labor to take the edge off of pain. Again: These lovely characters are not mine, nor are the universes I play in.
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Myfanwy flew overhead as the Doctor cleaned his hands for the last time of the day. "Jack, where does she go at night, anyway?"
"I'm not sure. We hear reports of missing sheep occasionally from the countryside. We quietly pay them off. Why?"
"Just curious. It's not often you see a pterodactyl anymore, is it?"
"No, guess not. What's the word on the manipulator?" Jack had been kept busy all day with weevil hunts. He knew that the Doctor was close to a breakthrough, but how close, he didn't know.
"I'm almost done. I just have to close the access panel and connect it to the TARDIS. I should be able to try in a few hours. Jack…"
"Save it."
"Jack, I just want to than….."
"Save it. Save it until she is back here with you, OK?"
The Doctor gave Jack his warmest smile. "OK. I'll let you know when I leave." With that the friends went back to work, the Doctor to finish his connections and Jack to his neglected paperwork. Jack stayed within earshot and when the time came to say goodbye, he was ready.
Their goodbye was silent, but still heartfelt. There was still the possibility that this would fail and the Doctor and the TARDIS would be lost forever. Both men refused to publicly acknowledge the fact and as the Doctor entered the TARDIS, Jack whispered, "Godspeed, Doctor. Bring her home."
The Rift Manipulator held a fixed point open on one side of the Void while the TARDIS was a mobile point. The calculations took months of solid work for the Doctor before he even called Jack. He was confident that it would work, but if he couldn't be reunited, final death would not be unwelcome. He didn't want to die; he just didn't see the point of living anymore without the wife he loved and missed so much. He finally let out a breath when the final switch was thrown and the TARDIS was hurled into the Void. The trip through was short and incredibly bumpy. At one point, the Doctor ended up falling backwards onto his backside. Suddenly, it was quiet. The TARDIS lights were still bright. Her background hum was still there.
He scrambled up to his feet and checked the monitors; the Time Vortex was configured differently so he didn't know when he was but the monitor showed zeppelins in the skies. He made it! The TARDIS was alive and OK! He made it!
The Doctor left his ship and, once orienting himself, set off for the Tyler mansion. He stopped only once to look at a paper at a newsagent's stand to check the date. For Rose it had been seven months since Bad Wolf Bay, almost ten since their separation. Ten solid months since the last time they made love. Something brushed his mind with a crushing fear. He couldn't place the who but he knew he had to get there. Dropping the paper he was holding, he broke into a run. He didn't stop until he reached the gate of the Tyler house.
There was a guard at the gate, and armed guards walking around the gardens inside. The Doctor told the guard, "I need to see Rose Tyler. It's important."
"No one goes in, sir. By orders of Mr. Tyler, himself."
"Please call him for me. I think that he will let me in. Please." His words were calmer than he felt.
"What is your name, sir?" There was something about this man in the pin-stripes that made him want to break the orders that Mr. Tyler had given him to let no one disturb the family for any reason.
"I'm the Doctor."
"Doctor, who, sir?"
"Just the Doctor. Please call Pete." He felt another wave of fear, this one very close this time.
A few moments later, the guard motioned him inside and the Doctor ran to the door. Pete himself let him in and quickly ushered him to the family room where he felt the source of fear and saw one of the most gorgeous sights he had ever seen. His wife. She was sweaty and yelling in pain, but she was in labor with his child and she was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen. He was right; she had been pregnant when she crossed, though neither of them knew it at the time. He went to her side and gently nudged Jackie out of the way and took his rightful place at Rose's side. "Oh, Rose. PUSH!!" To the physician, he said, "Do you have any butorphanol?"
Rose looked at him in alarm, shaking her head.
"It's alright, love, it won't hurt you or the baby. Just take the edge off."
As the drug entered her system and she relaxed she looked at him, not quite believing what she was seeing. "You're here. You are really here. OHHHHHH!!" as another contraction hit.
"Push, Rose, you're almost there!"
"I can't do this. Too tired, but you're here, you came."
"I wouldn't have missed this for anything, if I could. Just one more push, love, for our child."
"For our son. AHHHHHHHHHH!"
As their son was born, the fear the Doctor had sensed was replaced by confusion and cold as the little boy struggled to comprehend what was going on. He settled for crying instead as Mark and Eleana cleaned him off and placed him on his mother's chest. Through his tears, the Doctor stroked his son's head and kissed the infant's mother. "I love you, Rose, I love you."
"I love you, too, Doctor. OH!"
"Sorry, Rose. One more push and we're all done here." She had forgotten that they weren't alone. Dr. Harper, Mark, Eleana and her Mum and Dad were still in the room. As the medical team made sure everything was OK, the little family bonded. The baby's cold and confusion gave way to contentment as he rooted at his mother's breast and as he sensed his father's awe at the scene.
"Doctor, how? You said it was impossible."
"Later, Rose. Rest now, we'll talk later." He took the baby – their son - from her so she could rest. As his wife fell asleep from pure exhaustion, he scanned mother and son with the sonic screwdriver. Healthy, both of them. His family was healthy. He put a nappy on their son and swaddled him in a small warm blanket. He thought that it was amazing the things that you don't forget. Then he went to the other side of the room to introduce their son to his grandparents and he needed to face his in-laws.