DISCLAIMER: DOCTOR WHO BELONGS TO THE BBC.
A/N: WOW ! I CAN'T BELIEVE THE RESPONSE TO THIS STORY! I WOULD LIKE TO THANK EVERYONE WHO HAVE ALERTED/REVEIWED/FAVED. YOU HAVE NO IDE HOW HAPPY YOU MAKE ME !
The Doctors hearts thundered against his chest in a wild panic of joy and angst. He was a father again ! Uh oh he was a father again. His hearts ached and felt like two heavy rocks weighing the rest of him down telling him he wants to be a dad and his brain is screaming no absolutely no way in hell could he be a father to this baby. He had lost his family back on Gallifrey in fire and bloodshed and he'd lost Jenny because she sacrificed herself for him. In other words he was a rubbish father and he hadn't been able to protect his children back then , so how could he protect a life this young and delicate now ?
" Doctor did you say son? " Amy gasped in shock.
"Yup. " The Doctor replied though he didn't look up from his son who was by now falling fast asleep in his arms . " Your grandson ponds. " He whispered as to not wake the baby.
" Wait grandson but that means … " Rory trailed off and went wide eyed as he realised that the so called ' scum' as he had called the person who had abandoned the baby was in fact his daughter.
" River yes I know. " The Doctor uttered huskily.
" But why would River leave him on our doorstep? " Amy asked puzzled at the out of character behaviour of her daughter.
The Doctors eyes roared with fire and suddenly all his years were present in them turning his boyish looks into the ancient old man he really was simmering underneath his skin. Rory and Amy took a step back in fear and stared in shock at the outraged man that stood before them. This wasn't The Doctor they knew, The Doctor they knew was kind , compassionate and understanding but all that had slipped away from him revealing his true identity. The Oncoming storm , destroyer of all worlds, the dark lord. The Doctor was shaking violently and he quickly passed the baby into Rory's arms before his anger got the better to him and he did something he regretted. " I don't know but I intend to find out. " He grinded his teeth and began to walk franticly towards the front door , eager to find River and get to the bottom of the situation as quickly as possible.
" Doctor! " Amy called after him.
The Doctor span round in frustration. " What Pond? " He growled.
" Please just don't hurt her. " Amy pleaded.
The Doctors face softened and he looked at Amy and Rory with sorrowful eyes. " As if I would … I never could. " He shook his head and brushed a hand through his hair in an attempt to calm his thoughts and the anger that boiled in the pit of his stomach. " I just have to know why. " He mumbled.
" Ye I know. Just go easy on her yeh. Couldn't of been easy for her to do it. " Amy smiled weakly at The Doctor.
" Rory , Amy look after him. " He snapped his fingers.
" What are we supposed to do with a baby? " Rory asked.
"It's hardly rocket science Rory , besides he's asleep. " The Doctor rolled his eyes and turned around. Moving stealthily like a sly fox down the ponds corridor he felt apprehension flood through his body. Even if he found the right version of her what was he to say to her? Erm excuse me but do you know that's our son you abandoned in the freezing cold and snow? No that sounded far too harsh. Taking a deep breath he reached for the door knob and slowly let it twist. Stepping out into the blindingly white world outside he slammed the door behind him.
Inside the ponds house The Doctors son woke up abruptly and started crying non stop , the days events finally taking a toll on him. " So much for being asleep. " Rory sighed and exchanged a look of bewilderment with his equally dumbfounded wife.
The Doctor closed his eyes and let a tear slide down his face . This time it wasn't a happy tear , it was a tear of pain and grief for all the family and friends he had killed on the dreadful day when only he could stop the endless warfare and pointless deaths and for the future losses that he might have to face . He already knew that he was going to lose River to the library. curse his tenth incarnation for being such a coward and not saving her , though in a way he supposed he had saved her but for him when she left to go to the library expedition River would be dead and gone . To top that off he now had a son who he could very well lose as well and being a child of The Doctor and the infamous River Song his son would be on the wanted list of all the alien races he had angered and with over nine hundred years of travelling in the TARDIS there would be a hell of a lot of them. His son would never be able to live out a normal life , he'd always be in constant danger and he'd never get one second of peace and it was all his fault , well his future self's fault. He hadn't to his knowledge done any humany wumany stuff with River yet which meant that despite his feelings about being a father again now he must get used to the idea or … his sons birth was a fixed point in time . He clasped a hand over his mouth as the familiar tingling in the back of his head telling him that this was a fixed point in time buzzed stronger than he had ever felt it do so in his whole entire lifetime. Of course if he didn't go and do humany wumany stuff with her to try and stop his son being born then there would be catastrophic results. Time would start to unravel thread by thread before disintegrating into nothingness.
He shivered and pulled his tweed jacket around him tighter as a cold bout of air chilled him to the very core . Right can't have that can we The Doctor thought and rubbed his hands together nervously as he realised what he was about to do but there was no other way so he brushed his thoughts aside and began forcing his way through the fast falling snow to get to his beloved blue box.
Suddenly out of the corner of his eye , through the fog and the blizzard he saw a figure of a woman in a thick fur coat and with curly golden locks writhing in the snow in distress. " River. " The word slipped from his mouth with familiarity . It took a while for The Doctor to realise what was going on and even longer for his useless legs to move. He raced through the snow with legs that just wanted to buckle underneath him. All previous anger had left him only to be replaced by the pure love he felt for his mad , Completely bonkers , bespoked psychopath. All he could focus on was her thrashing body , how much agony she was in, how her pain was most likely down to him. Again. Any pain River had experienced during her life had been down to him so he very much doubted this time would be any different.
River was powerless as unexplained pain ripped through her torso and she flailed to the ground. The last clear thing in her mind was at least her son was safe now , she had completed the mission she had set out to do. She heard someone running towards her , the snow crunching louder and louder as they closed in on her but she closed her eyes and ignored them and descended into what was most likely death. Whoever it was it wasn't the person she wanted to see , this was the one time The Doctor hadn't caught her. She grimaced as her body was taken over by strong convulsions and she was beginning to go numb all over from the icy cold temperature. As she slipped into the inky blackness she feels warm hands touch her all over and the smoothest of lips ghost over her own.
" Oh River. " The Doctor gasps in a pained strangle as he takes in his horrifyingly blue tinged wife. He kneels down beside her and touches her with his finger tips and pulls back almost immediately at her frightfully cold skin though despite how cool she feels she's soaked in layers of sweat. The snow around her is slowly turning into a crimson colour and her usual beautiful face is contorted. This isn't the River he'd expected to find , this is only a shadow of the flirtatious , excitable , confident woman that his hearts are besotted with. He's all fingers and thumbs as he moves his hands awkwardly along her body to try and determine a pulse of life within her. He finally settled his hands where her two beating hearts should be and felt his throat close up as he was met with an empty void. He was too late , she was gone. His eyes stung with hot , salty tears threatening to pour out. He screamed as the grief for his wife became unbearable and he started shaking her body vigorously like a toy rag doll. Wait ! She can't die here because if she does then I never meet her in my tenth body and… The Doctor let out a crazed laugh that only a madman could produce and placed River gently back onto the ground. The Doctor ran a hand through her hair and smiled and wished for the impossible ; River song had always been the one for impossible. Oh how he loved that wild , gorgeous , untamed hair of hers and how it just ran through his hands like golden silk. Slowly moving in on her he cupped her chin affectionately and closed his eyes. Hoping for a miracle he caressed her lips and breathed his life force into her returning the favour she had given him back in Germany.
Golden light poured from The Doctors very soul ; His life was pouring into her drip by drip but compared to her life his life was worthless so it didn't matter. " It's taking too long. " The Doctor sobbed but at that very moment River spluttered into life and her ash grey eyes flickered open to meet his.
River let out a relieved laugh as an image of her beloved husband swam in front of her. How ironic that now she was dead she finally got to be with him after all the lonely months she had awaited him in Stormcage.
" I don't really see what's so funny Song . " The Doctor panted.
River opened her mouth agape as she noticed the residual energy seething from The Doctors skin. So she wasn't dead after all " Oh you haven't ! You impossible , idiotic man. How could you do this to yourself. " She cried out scornfully.
" Shhhh. " He placed a finger on her lips and steadily lifted her underneath his arms and scrambled to his feet. " you're safe now River. " He whispered in her ear sending a shiver along her spine. It had been such a long time since she'd seen The Doctor that she had almost forgotten the effect he had on her. She clutched onto his chest and inhaled his familiar musky aroma. It was him , it was really him.
" River … "
" Hmmmm" She replied.
" When were you going to tell me about our son? " He asked tentatively.
That one little sentence shattered her bubble of bliss that had surrounded her that came so naturally whenever she was with him. She didn't answer back , she just buried her face further into his jacket. " River please tell me? " He begged.
" You're too young sweetie. " She murmured but still stayed hidden, ashamed of her actions.
" Please it's important." He nuzzled her head slightly in encouragement.
" Because you didn't come. " She trembled in his arms.
" What? You mean I left you for your whole pregnancy! " He spat out in anger at his future self. She nodded into his chest as silent sobs began to wrack through her ribcage.
" I'm sorry River. I don't know why I would of done that. " Why indeed he pondered to himself. Why wouldn't his future self be there for River when she needed him the most?
She finally plucked up the courage to look up at him. " I'm sure you had your reasons sweetie. " She smiled weakly.
He beamed back ; He knew that was her way of saying I forgive you. " We'll be ok won't we ?" He asked as he looked deep into her eyes.
" Oh my love I should think so. We've been in far worse situations. " She looked at him knowingly and he nodded in agreement.
" But a baby River. " He blurted out in disbelief.
She bit her lip. " I was only trying to protect him you know. " Her voice wavered.
" I know. " He placed a warm kiss on top of her head. " We'll get through this River , one step at a time. .. Starting with facing your parents. " He chuckled slightly as her face dropped and rang the ponds doorbell.
The door swung open revealing a rather dishevelled Amy holding the baby who was wailing at the top of his lungs. " Doctor…River. " She gasped as she took in the couple. The Doctor looked dead on his feet , he had fast fading tear tracks on his cheeks and was covered in tiny shards of snow. In his arms he held a shaking River , her usual bouncy hair stuck to her face with beads of sweat and she looked almost defeated.
" Can we come in? " The Doctor grunted.
" Of course you can you big idiot. " She gestured them in out of the cold.
The Doctor plodded into the ponds lounge and plopped River down onto the sofa and then casually turned around to Amy who had followed him with outstretched arms for his son . He couldn't stand to watch children cry , never mind his own child. The corners of his mouth curled into a smile as Amy wordlessly placed his son in his arms. Wow his son ! That could take some getting used to. He sat himself down next to River, he was glad to see her returning to her normal healthy peach colour. His son wriggled contently in his arms , melting his hearts like butter. He had only known him for a couple of hours but in that time he had become almost as besotted with him as he was with his beautiful mother.
" Are either of you going to tell me what's going on! " Amy demanded.
" Maybe later Mother dear. " Rivers voice dripped with fatigue. " Where's daddy? "
" Just gone to get some baby supplies. " Amy eyed her daughter warily. " Would you like some coffee ? You both look deadbeat."
" Just tea for me thanks mother. " River replied sleepily.
Amy looked at The Doctor who's eyes were still fixed solely on his son and his wife. " Not for me Pond. " I don't think I'll ever sleep another wink after how today's events nearly played out anyway he thought to himself as Amy walked out the room to make Rivers tea.
However when Amy returned The Doctor and River were curled up together fast asleep with her grandson resting on The Doctors chest who had a protective arm around him insuring he wouldn't fall. That little boys going to bring so much joy to this family Amy envisaged the future as she quietly slipped away to leave the three of them in peace.
NEXT CHAPTER INVOLVES PAST ROMANCES BETWEEN THE DOCTOR/ RIVER .. OR I SUPPOSE IN THE DOCTORS CASE PRESENT ROMANCE AND RIVER AND THE DOCTOR NAME THEIR SON.
HAVE ANY OF YOU GOT SUGGESTIONS FOR NAMES? PREFERABLY NAMES WITH REALLY AWESOME MEANINGS. I WAS GOING TO CALL HIM DJ AS IN DOCTOR JUNIOR BUT I THINK THAT'S A BIT CHEESY ANYWAYS LET ME KNOW WHAT YOU THINK.
I WOULD BE GRATEFUL IF YOU TOOK A COUPLE OF MINUTES TO LEAVE A REVIEW.
AND IF YOU HAVE TIME , WHY NOT HAVE A LOOK AT SOME OF MY OTHER FICLETS.
INVISIBLEBLADE XXX