A/N: Sorry it took so long to write this, my computer is in the process of being repaired. This is the first part of the final chapter. Thanks to everyone who subscribed and reviewed. Also, apologies that this chapter is so short, it's late and everyone is in bed. =(

The panic was fully realized as the Doctor was caught by Rory and Jack before reaching the floor. The crew of the Scythe gathered around and even the King and Queen rose from their seats.

"Summon the physician!" The Queen called out, and a servant ran to obey her.

"It's fine your majesties," Rory assured them, while gripping a few fingers around the Doctor's wrist for a pulse, "We'll take him onto his ship, it has all the necessary medicines he needs." The Roman soldier bowed his head with deference, "If your Highness will allow us leave?"

The king nodded solemnly, "Granted. Please extend our wishes for The Doctor's recovery." He nodded to Alex next, "And...do take care of that child."

Amy's and Rory's mouth turned upwards, a gleam of excitement passing on their features. "Of course. Thank you, your majesties. Farewell." All of them bowed, before Rory's medical training took over, "River, get his feet, Jack, get his shoulders. Get him into the TARDIS!"

"What's wrong with him?" Amy asked, sweeping Alex into his arms and following them into the ship.

"Where's the infirm-" Jack began, then stopped suddenly as they took in the TARDIS' new interior. The time rotor was now bathing the control panel in an ethereal green, while the upper half had three clockwork tiers with Gallifrayen runes etched on each of them. On either side of the main console were two have moon shaped ones that looked like something out of Star Trek.

"Wonder what made her change the settings to this," Jack asked off-handedly, while looking around. "Where's the infirmary, Old Girl?" A set of lights, not unlike those in a movie theater, lighting a set of steps. "Thanks, Girl." The Time Agent grinned.

"Amy, I think Alex should go have his nap now, it's been a long day for him. For you too, I think." Rory implied gently. "River, can you get the TARDIS to take off?"

His fiery-haired wife bristled, "I'll go put Alex down, but I'm not gonna go to sleep till I know how the Doctor is!"

River nodded, "Where to?"

"Home." Rory said simply. He took her spot and helped Jack carry The Doctor down to the medical suite.

It took River only a few seconds to initiate the Time Rotor as the TARDIS wheezed to life. She looked up for a moment, and saw her mother fuming, eyes narrowed and distant.

"What's wrong, mum?" The archaeologist asked quietly, returning her attention to the controls.

"I don't know why Rory won't let me help with the Doctor, it's not like I've ever seen him injured before." She seethed.

"He probably just didn't want to see the Doctor in so much pain. " River consoled. She tried to smile as she looked down at Alex. "By the way, have you told Alex that he is officially your son?"

"Oh! In all the hullabaloo, I forgot to speak to him." Amy laughed. She knelt by the boy and signed, Alex, you are our son, now. We love you.

The child ran into Amy's arms with a little sob, while she gently stroked his hair. River tapped his shoulder, and signed, I am your big sister when he turned his head to look at her. A smile overtook his features, then ran into her arms.

Nearly an hour later, Rory re-appeared in the TARDIS control room. Amy had occupied herself with feeding, bathing and settling her new son down for a nap. When she pushed open the phone box door, she found Rory, Jack and River talking around the console.

"How is The Doctor, Rory?" Amy inquired with some worry evident in her tone.

Her husband tried to smile, "He's fine, well, sleeping right now. The Doctor managed to tear both the internal and external stitches. We repaired both and gave him a pint of his own blood that the TARDIS luckily had an extra bag of hidden away, as well as antibiotics to stave off an infection. We'll keep an eye on him in the meantime." He ran his hand through his hair. "How is Alex?"

"Fine, put him down for a nap." They saw her expression change to a frown.

"What's wrong, Amy?" River asked at her mother's look of concern.

"Rory, how are we goin' explain Alex's sudden appearance to our parents?" she rasped.

Rory went and put his hands on her shoulders and just shrugged, "We'll just tell them we've planned to adopt for a while and the paperwork finally came through. It was to be a surprise."

Her face didn't change, "What about school? Or if he asks about his real parents?-"

Rory put a hand up to stop her, "Amy, don't worry about it okay? We'll ask The Doctor when he wakes up."

"In the meantime," Jack interrupted, pulling a wallet from his pants pocket, and removing a credit card, "this is a congratulatory gift from me. Working for Torchwood for over one hundred years made me some serious cash." He chuckled, "Buy whatever you need for your son."

"Thank you Jack," Rory replied, "but we couldn't possibly-"

"I insist," The Time agent countered with a wink.

"Can't say no to that, huh Rory?" Amy laughed.

That entire afternoon, Jack told the complete story of how he knew The Doctor, while Rory took breaks in between checking in on the Time Lord.

"I have to admit, I was surprised to see him in this new body. Though it's not an unattractive one to say the least. The fringe grows on you." He joked, then his features hardened. "Last time I saw him, he had spiky brown hair and a long trenchcoat. I was a bar when he introduced me to Alfonso with a note. I think that was his way of saying goodbye before he regenerated. Martha Jones-that was another companion of his, said that he saved her and her husband's lives during the heat of battle with a Sontoran, and then left without saying a word. 'Suppose it was too hard for him to say anything to the people he cared about." Jack tried to smile, "This Doctor is some fun, huh?"

"Well," Rory rolled his eyes, "If what you describe always being in dangerous situations and and always having to run fun."

"Actually," Amy added as she came in with cups of tea, "At first I couldn't stand being away from the adventures the Doctor gave us." Then in a quieter tone, followed it with, "But once he gave us this house, we settled down, got real jobs. Honestly? We're finding it harder to tear ourselves away to go with him." She chuckled, while a tear ran down her cheek. "It's funny isn't it? All of time and space, and I chose to live in the 21st century with my husband. We were thinking of stopping, and now that we have Alex..."

Jack nodded knowingly, "That's the thing about traveling with him, it matures you. Not many companions...well to be fair, some wanted to leave from the get-go. Anyway, he snatches people from their ordinary lives, show them all of time and space, and it's hard to go back to, really. Not many want to."

Amy glanced down at the dregs of her tea cup. "Something happened, I got pregnant, I was kidnapped and gave birth on Demon's Run. River...is my daughter from that birth. She was taken from me and was raised to kill The Doctor. Whatever the Silence had done, I was unable to get pregnant again. We traveled with him to escape our problems, but really it was causing even more. Alex coming into our lives has been the best thing for us as much as it was for him. Even if it means we can't travel with the Doctor anymore. " She paused, and looking up at Jack said, ""I worry about him being alone. He looses his willingness to listen to reason."

"I'm sure he'll find another stray to bring along with him," Jack chuckled at her puzzled expression, he laughed heartily, "It's what the TARDIS calls his companions."

The Doctor slept for the next three days without any signs of waking. Amy and Rory in the mean time, shopped for items to convert their spare bedroom into one for Alex.

On one of these days, Jack announced that needed to return to Torchwood, and River agreed that she would take the TARDIS.

"I have an idea," Amy said as she stood next to the Doctor in the infirmary, who lay in a pair of pajamas, and now free of the machines that had been attached to him days before. She whisked into the house, and after a few minutes, returned with a beaming expression.

"Rory, if you help me lift him, we can put him on the couch in the lounge."

Jack and Rory were the ones that carried him and Amy covered him in linens, while his head rested on several pillows at the arm it.

When he was comfortably placed there, Jack patted his shoulder, "Get better soon, Doctor. " Then he turned to Amy and Rory. "Thank you for all you've done for him."

"We should say the same to you, Jack. I hope we'll see you again," Rory returned congenially.

After bidding one another farewell, the TARDIS wheezed to life, then disappeared.

TBC...