As the haze of sleep began to dissipate from Vastra's mind she became acutely aware of a small clapping sound coming from somewhere not too far away. For a moment she had no idea what it was that was making the sound. Rolling over groggily the Silurian reached out her arm and wrapped it around Jenny's waist, pulling the girl closer and burying her face in her long dark hair. She was sure that whatever was causing the racket would stop eventually; she just wished that it would hurry up. It wasn't until Jenny too began to stir that it occurred to Vastra where the noise was coming from.

"Your turn Vastra" the Silurian hissed softly in response. It hadn't occurred to her while Jenny had been pregnant that being a mother meant losing so much sleep but as each hour of the night passed she was finding that her rest was being interrupted more and more by the child who didn't seem to like sleeping as much as her parents did. Vastra took a mental note to learn how to deal with the lack of sleep, she had a feeling that most of her nights were going to go like this now that she and Jenny had resolved their differences and she was allowed to share the girl's bed once more.

"I distinctly remember getting up not ten minutes ago when she was getting restless."

"That was three hours ago an' I've been up an' down five times since then. I aint goin' again! It's your turn."

"Oh, Jenny please!" Nuzzling at the girl's neck Vastra hoped that her darling girl would give in. It wasn't that she didn't want to look after her daughter, it was just that the Silurian got terribly grumpy when she didn't get enough sleep and quite frankly she wanted to be able to enjoy her time with the baby when she was awake. Jenny, however, did not seem to be planning on moving from their bed if she could help it. The girl tried to pry Vastra's hands from around her but the older woman was much stronger than she was and wouldn't relinquish her hold no matter how hard Jenny pulled at her hands.

"Vastra, come on! She's your daughter too. Don't you want to bond with 'er?!"

"Of course, I would just prefer to do so at a more reasonable hour."

"Yeah, well, babies don't tend to care about the time as much as you. Now go!" Finally Jenny managed to wriggle out of the other woman's grip and, quickly, she slid away so that Vastra was left alone on her side of the bed with the cool, early morning air seeping in through the sheets. Sighing to herself the Silurian dragged herself out of the bed and slowly began to make her way over to the baby's crib. Once or twice Vastra was forced to pause in her seemingly endless journey to steady herself as she had still not entirely woken up but eventually she found herself leant over the crib and looking down at the little girl in it.

The baby was not a peaceful sleeper by the looks of it. As Vastra peered down at her through squinting eyes she couldn't help but notice how her blanket had been kicked down to the bottom of the cot and her nightdress was bunched up around her stomach. The baby smiled as Vastra reached down to pick her up and she started wriggling excitably. It wasn't until Vastra had the little one held firmly in her arms that the baby stopped wriggling and the Silurian kissed her daughter's forehead lightly.

"What on earth is the matter than cannot wait until morning my love?" She whispered as she began to carry the baby back to the bed but no sooner had the question passed her lips than she stumbled over something on the floor and had to catch herself quickly on the edge of the bed. The baby began to giggle in her arms and, frowning, Vastra scanned the floor in search of whatever it was that she had tripped on. On the floor only a few steps from the edge of the bed Vastra's gaze fell on a crumpled object that she was sure had not been there when she and Jenny had gone to bed. She leant down to get a closer look and, as she reached out to pick it up, she realised that it was the soft toy that the Doctor had given to the baby as a present that was shaped like a monkey. "You did that on purpose you little madam! Honestly, if you were any older I would..."

"Please don't threaten the baby Vastra!" Jenny rolled over to face the Silurian and she opened her eyes, unable to sleep with all of the fuss and noise, "What'd she do on purpose?"

"She tried to make me break my neck!"

"Don't exaggerate love" The baby was giggling uncontrollably as Vastra handed the toy back to her and the Silurian rolled her eyes. Clearly Jenny still had a lot to learn about Silurian offspring – the poor girl was still suffering under the delusion that their child was a perfect little angel.

"I am not exaggerating Jenny; Silurian children are known for being badly behaved. Listen to her giggling away as though the thought of me hurting myself is the funniest thing in the world. I hate to have to tell you this, my love, but our daughter seems to have inherited her personality from me as well." Having given up all hope of sleep Jenny propped her pillows up behind her and sat holding her arms out towards Vastra expectantly. She had painted a look of mock-annoyance on her features and as the Silurian handed the baby over to her she pulled the child to her chest protectively.

"'ow dare you" The girl pouted as she rubbed the baby's back, "Aria is nothin' short o' angelic." Vastra was about to argue back when all of a sudden her words seemed to fail her. Had Jenny just said what she thought she had said? Surely Vastra must have been hearing things. She had been certain that, with the child looking as human as she did, Jenny would have insisted on going with the human name that she had picked out.

"Aria?"

"Well that was the name you chose wasn't it?"

"Yes, but I thought..."

"That I would 'ave wanted to call 'er Sophie?" Jenny smiled and shook her head. Aria's giggling died down as she listened to her mothers talking and she looked from one to the other as each of them spoke. "You were right about 'er love – she's special an' a normal 'uman name wouldn't be right on 'er. Besides, I may call 'er my little angel but do you really think I 'aven't noticed 'ow naughty she can be? She may look 'uman but inside she's got more o' your traits than mine."

As the conversation died out Jenny allowed herself to lie back against her pillows and Aria snuggled into her mother's chest. Sat on her own side of the bed Vastra tilted her head to the side slightly as she watched them. It was the first time she had really seen her two girls together and it warmed her heart to witness it. Jenny's fingers traced little patterns on the baby's back and as she began to sing softly Aria's eyelids started to droop a little. There was something so peaceful about the scene before her, her perfect Jenny singing their lovely little baby to sleep, and although the Silurian wanted to be a part of it something in her heart was telling her to leave them to their moment. It almost felt as though her inclusion would disrupt the beauty of it. However, Aria didn't seem to agree. With her eyes half closed she reached out her chubby little hand towards Vastra and, smiling slightly, the Silurian crawled over to the two of them. She settled herself by Jenny's side and pulled the girl over so that she was resting against Vastra's body as opposed to the pillows while the Silurian slipped her fingers into her daughter's hand which was still stretched towards her. It was in that moment that Vastra realised that, for the first time since she had gone into hibernation all those years ago, she had a family again. Of course, it was a different kind of family, but still she had two beautiful girls in her life to protect and call her own and the thought brought a smile to her face.

"Jenny?"

"Yes my darlin'?"

"Can we stay like this forever?"

~.~.~.~.~.~

Light flooded the room as the sound of curtains being ripped open filled the air and Vastra and Jenny both stirred groggily. There was the sound of quick footsteps and then, all of a sudden, the mattress lurched beneath them and Jenny yelped in surprise, clinging onto Aria who had nearly slipped from her chest.

"Come on you lot, wakey wakey." As Vastra opened her eyes she immediately turned her gaze on the cause of the disturbance and she growled as the Doctor grinned back at her. He didn't seem to be even remotely aware of why the Silurian was glaring at him or what was so wrong with how he had woken them all. If she had been given half the chance she would have skinned him alive then and there given the lack of sleep she was already getting without his interference but as she felt Jenny's warm hand rubbing her upper arm firmly Vastra forced herself to take a deep breath.

"Doctor, what the 'ell's goin' on?" With Aria propped up in one arm and the other hand occupied in restraining and calming Vastra Jenny was the perfect depiction of a woman who knew how to control everything going on around her. If it hadn't been for the sheer exhaustion in her eyes one could possibly have described her as the perfect woman; however, as he looked closer, the Doctor began to realise that perhaps he should have been a little gentler with his friends so early in the morning.

"I... well, I was sort of thinking I could take you all somewhere to celebrate all of this new family stuff. All very exciting of course but where's the point if you're not going to break said family in with a trip to wherever you want – or whenever!" The time lord's eyes were big and round as he looked from Jenny to Vastra and back again (much like their daughter had been doing as they conversed in the early hours of the morning) and he was acting like an excitable puppy. In fact, Jenny could have sworn that she had had a dog as a child that used to give her the very same look that the Doctor was giving her in that moment – so eager to please and yet so very needy.

"Doctor...!" Vastra practically had her teeth bared and Jenny was forced to tighten her grip on the woman's upper arm in an attempt to hold her back. She had known that Vastra would be difficult to deal with now that they had a baby waking them up at all hours but Jenny had never imagined that the Doctor would make the situation even worse for her as he had done that morning. The Silurian really didn't cope well when she hadn't slept properly.

"Vastra breathe, 'e's tryin' to be nice." The girl gave the Silurian a stern look as Vastra turned to glare at her and the older woman immediately cast her eyes down. Vastra knew that there was no point in trying to argue with Jenny, she was right even if Vastra did still want to kill the Doctor for being such a ridiculously ignorant moron. "Listen, Doctor, that's a lovely idea an' all, really it is... it's just..."

"Not now. I understand. I'll give you a few hours?"

"No, Doctor we 'aven't really got the energy to go gallivantin' through time an' space right now. You know, with Aria keepin' us up all night an' all the pressure o' bein' new mothers an'..."

"Oh, for heavens' sake Jenny stop trying to be so nice to him. Doctor, it was lovely seeing you but we do not require your assistance any longer and we would appreciate it if you would give us some space to adapt to our new situation."

A rather uncomfortable silence fell over the group as Vastra's words died away on the air and for a moment the Doctor simply continued to look from one to the other of the women. He looked a little hurt as his eyes passed over Vastra and Jenny couldn't help but notice how he avoided the woman's eyes in a way that he did not avoid her own. Sighing, she shook her head lightly and handed Aria over to Vastra before crawling down to the edge of the bed until she was by the Doctor's side. She wasn't entirely sure how to comfort him. The only male she had ever comforted before was her little brother when the other boys used to tease him and something told her that comforting one's brother was very different to how one should comfort a friend. Hesitantly the girl reached out a hand and placed it on the Doctor's shoulder, squeezing it lightly to reassure him.

"'ey now, don't listen to 'er, she's just tired – like I said, we aint slept much..." He dropped his eye line to Jenny's hand squeezing his shoulder for a moment and a small part of Jenny began to second guess herself. Was she being too forward? She had assumed that an advanced man such as the Doctor would be more open to a woman comforting him in a physical way where as the contemporary man would accept nothing of the sort – perhaps she had been mistaken. It wasn't until the Doctor practically threw himself into her arms, however, that she realised that those thoughts couldn't have been further from the truth.

"I'm sorry," he muttered, holding Jenny's tiny form tightly to him and talking into her neck as he hugged her, "Vastra's right. Of course she's right. You've just had a baby, it'll be hard for you to adapt. I'm probably just getting in the way. I just... I guess I was so happy that you two sorted things out... I just wanted to give you something special to celebrate. You're my friends, I can't help but care." A small smile tugged at the corners of Jenny's mouth and she hugged the Doctor back, albeit a little awkwardly. He could be a pain in the arse sometimes but he really did care about them and that meant a lot to her.

"I know. Maybe another time though, when Aria's a bit older an' can enjoy it more?"

"Absolutely."

"You can let go of her now..." Vastra was regarding the pair of them with a raised eyebrow as she cradled her daughter in her arms and, knowing when it was best not to argue, the Doctor immediately released Jenny. He smiled at the Silurian a little sheepishly and slipped from the bed before walking over to her.

"I would hug you too but I have a feeling you may bite me if I try to..."

"Why don't you give it a go and see...?" The lopsided smile on the Silurian's face was enough to warn the Doctor that to even attempt a hug was not a good idea so he settled for merely patting Vastra on the shoulder before leaning down to Aria who was looking up at him inquisitively.

"As for you young lady, I want you to take care of your mummies for me, okay?" Aria gurgled slightly and the Doctor chuckled. "Well, yes, I do know they have a tendency to make it very difficult, particularly the green one, although really you shouldn't differentiate using colour Aria." Vastra scowled and the Doctor held his hands up in surrender. "She said it, not me!"

"Doctor, what the 'ell are you talkin' about? She can't..."

"He speaks baby." Jenny's mouth dropped open slightly for a second and she crossed her arms over her chest.

"I don't believe you." Aria gurgled again and the Doctor looked at Jenny a little more closely.

"I suppose so, yes. She is rather pretty when she's being stubborn." The deep shade of red that flushed Jenny's cheeks was enough to make the Doctor realise that it really was time he left. He had a feeling that Vastra wouldn't react well if he hung around any longer and so, kissing Aria on the head he slipped from the room with the agility of a cat. Jenny's eyes wandered over to Vastra as the door clicked shut behind the Doctor and for a moment the two just sat looking at each other.

"Mornin'" Jenny's voice was soft and she allowed a small smile to tug at the corners of her mouth as she watched Aria wriggle in the Silurian's arms.

"I wish it was not."

"Oh don't be such a grumpy lizard," the girl giggled and Vastra rolled her eyes, "I know you're tired but that don't mean you can't smile!" Despite herself Vastra could feel herself fighting the urge to laugh at Jenny's teasing. She didn't understand how the girl did it but Jenny had a talent for cheering her up even when she was in the worst mood possible.

The corners of Vastra's mouth twitched slightly and Jenny couldn't help but notice despite the Silurian's attempts to hide it. The girl grinned wickedly as she knelt up at the bottom of the bed and, slowly leaning forwards, she made a point of crawling towards Vastra as seductively as she possibly could. Vastra's eyes widened slightly at the sight of the girl crawling towards her and she quickly put a hand over Aria's eyes as she began to laugh lightly.

"Jenny! Not in front of the baby!"

"Oh, come on! It aint like she understands what's goin' on." Aria was wriggling in Vastra's arms and her little hands tugged at her mother's fingers as she attempted to pull them away from her eyes. The Silurian wouldn't let her hand budge. It wasn't until Jenny had slid the baby out of her grip that Vastra's hand finally slipped away and Aria could see again.

"I think she understands more than you know she does my love."

"Don't be silly Vastra, I know she's smarter than the average baby but she aint that much smarter." Gently Jenny lowered the baby into her crib and kissed her head softly.

"Jenny, I..." Before the Silurian could finish her sentence Jenny had thrown herself into the other woman's lap and was kissing her deeply. Vastra didn't know what to do. On the one hand she wanted nothing more than to kiss her back and let the girl have her way but something about Aria's presence in the room was making her uncomfortable. "Darling..."

"Shhh, no talkin'. Just kiss me." Jenny's hands seemed to be everywhere and Vastra was finding it hard to think straight. It had been so long since the two of them had properly had the chance to be together and without realising what she was doing the Silurian found herself pulling Jenny down on top of her as she kissed her hard.

"Do you always get like this when you are over tired?"

"Sometimes, but who says that this is because I'm tired, hm? 'aven't you thought that maybe I've just missed you?" Vastra laughed and tucked a stray strand of hair behind her darling girl's ear. Her fingers caressed the porcelain skin on Jenny's cheek as she looked up at the girl lying atop her. Jenny was so unbelievably beautiful. It didn't matter how many times Vastra woke up next to her or spent hours studying every inch of her, it still amazed the Silurian just how beautiful her sweet little human girl was.

"I have missed you too my darling," the Silurian whispered, "but we cannot do this with Aria here." With a small snort Jenny began to giggle and she buried her face in Vastra's chest for a moment. As she finally managed to calm herself down the girl lifted her eyes to meet with Vastra's and she leant in to kiss her softly.

"You daft lizard, do you really think I'd be comfortable with our child bein' in the room while we fuck?" The girl shook her head and grinned as she noticed the stunned look on her love's face.

"Jenny you were all over me not five seconds ago."

"Yeah, an' it cheered you up didn't it?!" Vastra certainly couldn't argue with that. The Silurian laughed as Jenny rolled off of her and cuddled into her side, and she wrapped her arms around the girl tightly. "We'll get daddy to look after 'er for us one day, it'd be nice to 'ave some time to ourselves."

"Is that a promise?"

"Yes, now, you need to get some more sleep. I aint 'avin' you bein' grumpy for the rest of the day."

"Yes ma'am" Vastra mocked and she kissed Jenny's head before snuggling up with the girl and slowly drifting back off to sleep.