**Two And a Half Months Later**

"Anthony you need to stop running!" Amy called after her overly energetic four year old. She had been unsuccessfully trying to get him into his Halloween costume for nearly an hour. "Get back here right now!" She howled, her Scottish accent becoming increasingly obvious.

"Anthony!" River called to her brother from her location in the kitchen. She had been in there all day preparing food for the Halloween party that Amy and Rory were hosting that evening.

Anthony, hoping his sister was calling him to taste something, ran directly into her trap. As soon as he was through the door Amy grabbed onto him.

"Gotcha!" Amy exclaimed. "Now you need to tell me what you're going to be for Halloween."

"No!" Anthony replied immediately as he squirmed against his mother's arms.

"Alright then you're going as a pumpkin." Amy replied as she released her son so he could once again return to his running around the apartment.

River smirked at her mother as she set a pan of mini quiches on the counter.

"Don't get too happy, you're going to be in this situation soon enough." She teased her daughter as she washed her hands so she could begin to help River with food preparation.

River let her hand rest gently on her slightly raised abdomen. "Yeah." She said quietly.

"Hey." Amy interrupted her thoughts. "Are you feeling alright?"

River nodded with a smile. "The baby's just moving around a lot. It's a bit disconcerting, realizing it's a real, moving baby in there." She admitted quietly.

"Is the baby kicking yet?" Amy asked with interest as she leaned against the counter.

River nodded once again, this time her smile huge. "The Doctor felt the baby kick for the first time this morning."

"So that's why he's been in such a good mood." Amy said with her eyebrows raised.

River shrugged. "That may have had something to do with it. There may also have been a small celebration afterwards." River teased with raised eyebrows.

"You two are honestly the worst." Amy replied as she rolled her eyes.

"If I remember correctly you and Rory weren't particularly subtle about your…" River began to retort when Rory came into the kitchen.

"What are you two talking about?" He asked with interest as he grabbed one of the mini quiche from the tray on the counter.

"Nothing." The two of them replied in unison.

Rory raised his eyebrows but didn't question them. "The Doctor's on his way down. He's made excellent progress on the TARDIS today." He informed them as he picked up another quiche.

"Rory stop eating the food!" Amy admonished him. "Your daughter has been in here all day working on food for your work party."

"Your friends are coming too." Rory pointed out.

River rolled her eyes as her parent's argument. She honestly didn't mind cooking for their parties. It gave her something to focus on other than the water retention in her ankles and how sore her breasts were.

"River tell Rory you aren't our housekeeper." Amy insisted, they had been arguing for quite some time, and River had tuned them out until she heard her name.

"Mum." River replied with a smirk. "I'm not about to take sides."

"You can take my side." A teasing voice offered as The Doctor entered the kitchen.

"Mmmmm." River hummed quietly as she continued to work on the food preparations.

The Doctor moved over so he was behind her and he wrapped his arms around her waist. "What are you making?"

"Currently caramel for the caramel apples." River replied as she continued to mix the sweet liquid in the pan.

"Oh I love caramel apples!" The Doctor exclaimed as he grabbed a spoon from the drawer next to the stove and stuck it into the caramel.

River gently whacked his hand. "And that's why I'm making them, so there are actually some left when I'm done."

"I just want to taste." He pouted quietly.

River smiled as she took the caramel off the stove and set the pan on a cloth on the kitchen table. "Help me dip these and then you can have one." She instructed as she grabbed the tray of apples, already on skewers, ready to dip into the hot caramel.

The Doctor helped her with her task, eying her and noting her increasing discomfort as they continued on. "Are you sure you're feeling alright River?" He asked her as they finished dipping the apples.

River sighed. "I'm just… You know how I'm overly self-aware?" She said as she sat down on the chair The Doctor pulled out for her.

"Of course. Kovarian made you that way so that you would feel exactly how powerful you are." The Doctor summarized a conversation they had had many times. River often felt self-conscious due to just how aware of everything that was going on in her body she was. Every movement, pain, and emotion she experienced seemed to affect her ten times more than they should. However, she managed to keep it all hidden. All part of her training.

"I'm just so very aware of the pregnancy symptoms." She admitted quietly as she gently rubbed circles on her stomach.

"How's the little one doing in there?" The Doctor asked her with a genuine smile.

"Very active." She replied as she looked down at her abdomen seriously. "It just feels very strange, I can tell there's another person in there, and it's taking an awful lot of my energy."

The Doctor kissed her gently in response. River smiled against his lips. "You're wonderful River." The Doctor said honestly as he gently put his hand over hers on her stomach. "Can I do anything for you?"

River smiled but shook her head. "Just don't stop being as wonderful as you have been." She replied as he kissed her on the forehead.

"You two are disgusting." Amy teased as she walked into the kitchen with Rory behind her.

River laughed. "There is nothing wrong with loving my husband." She replied with a smirk.

Amy was about to reply when Anthony came running in, entirely naked except for his pants. "Anthony!" Amy exclaimed as she picked up her son. "Where are your orange sweats? I finished sewing the pumpkin face on it for you!"

"I dunno." Anthony shrugged.

"Well then why are you running around in your pants?" Amy asked him, trying to contain her laughter.

"I dunno." Anthony repeated, this time clinging onto his mother's neck in embarrassment.

"Awwww." River said sympathetically as she carefully got up from her chair and moved to gently rub Anthony's back. "It's okay Anthony." She comforted him quietly.

Anthony and River's relationship had always been a special one. The two of them had almost instantly bonded, and they found instant comfort in each other.

"I want River." Anthony whimpered quietly.

"Come here you." River said as she gently took her little brother from their mother. "What's the matter?" She asked him seriously.

"River you shouldn't be lifting…" The Doctor started before seeing the glare his wife had shooting at him.

"I'm fine." She stopped him as she pressed her lips into her brother's soft brown hair. "Let's go find your pumpkin costume." She said as she secured her brother on her hip and walked out of the kitchen.

"I'll go help them." Amy dismissed herself, leaving Rory and The Doctor in the kitchen.

Rory was still smiling from the last interaction between River and The Doctor.

"What?" The Doctor asked, rather defensively.

"You just seem so perturbed by River's reaction." He pointed out.

The Doctor rolled his eyes. "You really don't have to use such a grand vocabulary Rory."

"You honestly thought she was just going to put Anthony down?" Rory questioned.

The Doctor sighed. "Of course not." He replied angrily.

"Don't pout Doctor." Amy said as she came back into the kitchen. "It's really not your style."

"Are you all just ganging up on me?" The Doctor asked with a smile.

"Definitely." River answered him as she brought Anthony, now decked in his Halloween costume, into the kitchen.

The Doctor stuck his tongue out at her as she set Anthony down on the floor.

"Behave yourself." River insisted immediately.

Doctor pouted for a moment before getting up and gently kissing her.

"Ewwww." Anthony stuck out his tongue.

River widened her eyes. "You behave yourself too." She teased.

"No." Anthony replied.

River sighed as she relaxed when The Doctor wrapped his arms gently around her. "Do you want to get ready?" He asked her quietly, obviously referring to if she wanted to get into their costumes.

River groaned. "Do we have to?"

"Yes." Amy replied for him. "We're going trick-or-treating with Anthony in an hour.

River sighed before taking The Doctor's hands in hers. "Well I guess now's better than never."

"That's the spirit." He teased as he pressed his lips to her cheek.

"Shut up."

Trick-or-Treating had been extremely successful, and tiring. Anthony had fallen asleep the moment his head hit his pillow, and River felt like doing the same. However River was required to change out of her very untactful alien costume, The Doctor's suggestion of course, into a more suitable outfit for the party.

"Whoever thought of Halloween is officially my least favorite person." River whined as she looked through her cupboard for something comfortable.

"Actually River, Halloween originates from Old Hallow's Eve…" The Doctor began to explain before he saw her glaring.

"If you want to sleep in our bed tonight, you're going to stop talking right now." River informed him as she pulled out a dress from the cupboard. "Now help me out of this stupid suit."

He quickly moved behind her and unzipped the suit she was wearing allowing her to slip out of the green dress and leggings. "Do you need help with your dress?" He asked cautiously as she began to pull on a burnt orange dress, one of the only dresses that seemed to fit over her small bump.

River sighed. "If you would zip me I would be forever appreciative." She admitted after a moment.

"Of course." He replied as he immediately moved behind her and pulled on the zipper, he made it about a fourth of the way up her back before the zipper stopped gliding. "Uh… River…" He said cautiously.

"Damn." She swore before turning around and allowing The Doctor to wrap his arms around her. He held her gently for several minutes before they heard an unexpected knock at the door.

"River?" Amy's voice called through the door.

River sighed. "Come in." She replied as she leaned on The Doctor's chest.

Amy quickly slipped into the room. "We have a problem." She said immediately.

"What kind of a problem?" The Doctor asked, detaching himself from River as he focused on Amy entirely.

"The Farnsworth's are here." Amy replied nervously.

"I thought they were out of town?" The Doctor questioned her as River noted, "They're almost an hour early."

"I know, they just got back in town and were dropping by to let us know they were back. Of course we invited them to stay…" Amy explained awkwardly.

River groaned. "I have nothing I can wear. And if there are already people here I can't go to the TARDIS and get something." She thought aloud as she sat down carefully on the bed, placing one palm where the baby had been kicking for the past few minutes.

"I can go…" The Doctor began to offer before Amy cut him off, knowing exactly what River was thinking.

"You can't just pop out of the apartment and go to the roof and come back with a dress." She pointed out. "Besides The TARDIS needs River's measurements to make her a dress."

"Can I just sleep?" River asked tiredly from the bed.

Amy's eyebrow's raised as she considered her question.

"Come on River." The Doctor began to whine before Amy stopped him.

"That's probably the best option." Amy admitted. "River's tired, and everyone knows that you're expecting. They won't question her needing rest. She also won't need a perception filter, or a new dress."

The Doctor pouted slightly. "You mean I have to endure these people by myself?"

"Of course not. You've got Rory and I." Amy said before moving back toward the door. "Be out in a few minutes Doctor.

"Fine." The Doctor pouted slightly as she closed the door behind herself.

River firmly pressed both of her fists into the mattress as she stood up. "Doctor can you bring me something to eat later?" She asked him sweetly as she changed into a simple cotton nightgown.

"Maybe." He teased her quietly.

River rolled her eyes. "Please?" She asked him as she placed both hands onto her stomach, knowing the guilt trip would work.

"Of course." He replied with a smile as he gently kissed her. "I'll bring you in some food in a bit."

"Thank you."

The Doctor was beyond bored. How Amy and Rory managed to live normal human lives was beyond him. He had only been at the party for twenty minutes, and it already felt like an eternity. He decided to get a plate of food and take it back to River.

After filling the plate he quietly slipped into the hallway before going into their bedroom. When he opened the door he was surprised that River wasn't in the bed. He set the plate down on the dresser before moving to the closed bathroom door and knocking on it gently.

"Doctor." River's voice could be heard faintly through the door after a moment of silence.

"Do you want me to wait or come in?" He asked after another moment of silence.

"Doctor I need you." He heard her pleading anxiously.

He immediately opened the door and saw River in the bathtub, her face showing obvious pain. "River?" He asked nervously as he moved so she could grip his hand in hers.

"I started feeling cramps and I thought a hot bath would make them go away." River began to explain before she winced and gripped onto his hand even tighter. "But they're just getting worse." She said, fear etched into her features.

The Doctor gently kissed her on the forehead. "I'm going to help you get into bed and then go get your father." He said quietly, waiting for her to nod in approval before standing up and getting River's bathrobe.

Gently he helped her out of the bath and helped her into her robe. They stopped a couple of times on their way to the bed for River to grab onto him in pain. He whispered quietly into her ear that they would be fine, no matter what happened.

As soon as he had River in bed he kissed her gently on the cheek before running back to get help, praying that they would in fact, be fine.

Author's Note: I really want to thank everyone for all the supportive messages I got after my last post. It does mean a lot to me that people are willing to support me even though I'm sick. In other news, this may be the only update this week. I'm moving into my dorm next Monday so I've got a lot of work I have to do. I'm going to try to update as soon as possible though! Please review!