Washington, D.C.

The city was cloaked in the chilly air of the early morning as Hally and River arrived in Washington, D.C. They found themselves in a small apartment, 'borrowed' by River. Just over two months in and Hally was starting to flag. It was becoming hard. She was tired. River, somehow barely seemed fatigued, but Hally could feel it, the pervasive, endless threat of the unknown creatures hung over her. She was tired. She wanted to go home and she wanted The Master.

River's gaze flicked briefly over towards the other woman in the room, sitting back on the worn-out couch, her gaze distant as she stared mindlessly at the opposite wall. "Hally, talk." River pressed gently.

A breath fell from Hally. "I'm fine."

"The blank expression on your face says differently." River rebutted immediately.

Hally rolled her jaw.

River could see irritation prickle across the young woman as she resisted voicing whatever was running through her mind.

"Alright, pick a subject." River clipped moving around to step into Hally's line of sight, making herself unavoidable. "Is it under the category of any of the following? Baby. Husband. Guilt. Parents. Current invasion. Harkness."

Hally's face scrunched. "I fucking hate you."

River chuckled lowly. "Bingo. Which?"

"Why is 'Harkness' an option?" Hally's gaze met hers as she scowled up at her. "I mean it's a constant mixture, but currently it's mainly the guilt." The words fell from her as though she simply wanted to be rid of them, before she sneered distastefully at her own admission.

"Ah. The murder of thousands of people?" The way River said it, as though it was merely a footnote.

Hally sighed. "That's the one…"

River nodded, as though expected. "It's catching up to you."

"Can you stop talking like everything I say you've already heard?" Hally snapped. "It's really annoying."

River cocked her an eyebrow and the pair settled into a heavy silence.

River moved, settling herself down in the space next to Hally.

"It's like my whole life is just mapped out in front of me and I have no control over where I'm going or where I've been. Like it's fixed." Her face scrunched. "That's what they always say, isn't it? That it's a fixed point… my life. The place it's leading to. It's 'fixed'." River turned to her, noting the deep dark scowl that had settled on her face.

"The rules of time," Hally sneered, frustration evident in her voice. "I'm imprisoned by them. Where is the free will when everything is pre-determined? And you… you're just a slap in the face of a reminder of that. Waltzing around with all your 'spoilers' and knowing glances."

River leant back into the sofa, offering an empathetic him. "I'm sorry. But Hally, it's the choices we make within those rules that define us. It's not about the constraints but how you navigate them."

Hally rolled her eyes. "How unbearably unhelpful, Dumbledore."

River snorted. "Your life and your choices aren't fixed, Hally. Yes, your existence and your ascension to the throne of An Gàrradh might be, but how you get there… that's all you. The person you become… it's all you."

Hally sank back further against the sofa, sinking into her own thoughts.

River waited patiently, her eyes not leaving her face as she let her words hang in the room. The Time Lady's expression shifted, her eyes glittering with something deeper. A sadness shrouded around her and River noticed the way her exhale trembled in her chest.

The words came out in a breathless whisper. "I didn't mean to kill them."

"We know." Came River's reply, assured and certain.

A light crease appeared between Hally's eyebrows at River's specific phrasing but she took in a slow breath and continued. "It's like I tune out. Like, it's not really me. The killing. I know it's wrong. It's not something I want to do but… in the moment, in those moments, I get so lost. So scared. And it's the easiest option. To just… tune out… and let the chaos win." Tension pulled at the features of her face. "It's there all the time. Pulling at me. Burning me from the inside. Screaming to be let free. So sometimes… I just let it go. Because I know… I know it'll always protect me, it'll always do whatever I need it to do."

River kept her eyes on her, offering a low hum of thought. "It's going to be hard, and it'll get harder for a while. But you're stronger than you think. You can choose to not go down that path..." She kept her voice low, hoping the woman sat opposite her would acknowledge the sincerity with which she spoke. "Letting the chaos free is easy… but protecting the universe from the force inside you… that's the harder path. It's the path you need to strive for."

Still Washington DC

She was cornered.

The knowledge was certain and yet the stimulus unknown.

Unseen.

She looked down at her hand, noting with a deep concern the numerous black tally marks up her arm.

Creatures.

Many.

She could hear River in the distance.

They'd been separated.

She couldn't remember how.

She was out of breath.

Running.

Hally turned and let out a sharp scream of surprise.

It was right in front of her.

Just one.

So close to her face. She took a step back.

Cornered.

It took a slow, threatening step towards her, taking in a deep, rasping breath.

"Archangel…" The sound creaked from it, its mouth stretching open wide.

Fear shot through her.

Hally's hearts beat hard in her chest. She held her hand out in a defensive warning. The Doctor had instructed them not to kill the creatures unless it was life or death. She didn't want to let it take another step closer.

"How long have you been here?" Hally demanded. She brought the black marker clenched in her other hand up to her arm. Maybe if it answered her, she could write it down. It hadn't moved to attack her.

With a chilling whisper, the creature seemed to straighten up, looming over her. "He will choose them, over and over."

"What is it that you want?!"

"The Doctor will always abandon you."

"You don't know anything!"

A singular gunshot rang out and the creature fell.

Dead.

The sound of River's feet hitting the floor as she raced over to her side. "Are you alright?!" The woman took her by the shoulders, turning her away from the creature as she checked over her.

Hally's hearts were still pounding.

Fear and dread lingered deep in her chest.

Although, she couldn't remember why.

Philadelphia

River had stolen a car.

It was fun.

Hally had to admit.

The woman was fun.

She found it strange that somehow she was so entangled with The Doctor. The pair seemed so unlikely. The Doctor, and his rigid rules and moral plains. River was the polar opposite. Unapologetically chaotic. Ruefully questionable.

The unnerving thought that she and her father really weren't so different at all had her grimacing.

With determination, she pushed the thought aside. Music blasted through the sound system as the wind whipped at her skin through the lowered windows. Oh, so free. Yes, they were on the run, but for a moment or two, Hally could pretend. She could forget. She could forget her past, the deep hole of loss in her heart, and the dread that came with the thing growing inside her. She could simply be a woman, sitting next to another woman in a bright red 1965 Mustang, singing "California Dreamin'" at the top of her lungs, driving down the highway at speeds that definitely weren't within the speed limit.

Bold, geometric patterns adorned the walls of the apartment in Philadelphia, while the furniture showcased the sleek lines and vibrant colours of the 1960s. A sunburst clock hung prominently in the living room, and low-slung sofas in shades of avocado and burnt orange made Hally feel as though she'd stepped into a cartoon. The large windows framed a panoramic view of the city skyline, letting in a soft, golden light that played off the chrome and glass accents scattered throughout the room. River had outdone herself this time.

Speaking of River, Hally could feel her gaze on her. She almost felt bad—disappointing the babysitter. Hally did wish she could stop. Stop with the self-loathing. Internal spiralling. But it just kept happening. Then she'd feel bad about that, and it'd spiral even further.

And then there was the baby.

The parasite.

She hated it with an intensity that scared her.

And that in itself would spark a new wave of guilt.

The growing life inside her felt like a cruel joke, a burden she was ill-equipped to bear. Every kick, every flutter was a stark reminder of the future she hadn't asked for and wasn't ready to face, forcing her own complicated feelings towards her parents to the surface. She'd promised herself, quite early on after learning she was pregnant that she was never going to let her daughter feel the way she had. She wasn't going to leave her. She'd be right there. Through all of it. She had to be.

She just… couldn't bring herself to want to be.

For whatever reason, Hally had noted that River felt somewhat responsible for her. Which was kind of annoying. She hadn't asked her to be. Hally was far older than her and although she might currently not seem it, was more than capable of dealing with this pregnancy herself.

That's what she kept telling herself, anyway.

She was more than happy to just pretend like she hadn't had a panic attack in a gas station off the I-95.

River kept trying to remind Hally of how 'strong' she was. She didn't feel strong. She felt breakable. Snappable. Walking a tightrope, precariously balanced, either side falling into complete madness.

She didn't want to do this alone.

She didn't want to do this at all.

But then again, she had to.

It had happened.

She was pregnant.

And she couldn't bring herself to make herself not pregnant.

That she'd come to terms with.

She had resolutely agreed with herself that she was going to do this. Alone or not. It was going to happen. She was going to have a baby. A daughter.

An actual, living being.

The hairs on the back of her neck stood on end.

River didn't say anything. She didn't mention what had happened earlier, or try to force her to talk. The pair remained in mainly comfortable silence for the rest of the evening. Although, the woman's attention never really dropped from her. She could feel it.

Getting ready for bed, finally, Hally sighed, offering her a look.

"I'm fine, River."

River hummed her disbelief. "You are not alone… you know."

Princeton

It had taken a good few days, but Hally had finally agreed.

The Time Lady begrudgingly laid back on the queen-sized bed, as River hummed in approval. The apartment wasn't as nice as their previous one, but still certainly a step up from Washington. "It's not quite a New York penthouse, but it'll do." River quipped, the pair sharing a knowing look.

Hally rolled her eyes. "Just get on with it." She snipped.

River ignored the petulant tone, knowing she was only snapping because she was uncomfortable. She brought out her scanner, hovering it across the reclined woman's pregnant stomach until it gave a cheerful beep. The curve of her stomach was far beyond unmistakable now and the pair had landed upon the subject of timescale, both quickly coming to the realisation that they had no idea how long this pregnancy was expected to last. Hally had hardly been a fountain of information, noting that she vaguely remembered Time Lord pregnancies could last anywhere between one to three human years, which had prompted a new freak out from the Time Lady. So River had suggested she take a few measurements, do scans, and see if the pair of them could work out a possible pregnancy window based on foetal growth.

So here they were.

Hally's arms were crossed across her chest as she stared over to the left, out the window as River held the device above her swollen abdomen. River made some notes, letting the device do the calculations for them. Hally kept her arms up out of the way, something River certainly took note of. She had noticed that the other woman barely looked at herself these days. Not that that was completely abnormal, she had noticed that Time Lord's in general had little care for vanity. But, it was almost as though she was avoiding looking at herself. Not that all pregnant people endlessly caressed their stomachs, but River hadn't seen her touch the area once.

The machine whirred as it took its measurements. Once completed River took a step back from the bedside, Hally taking the space as an invitation to immediately sit up and get off the bed. "Well?"

"Give it a minute…"

Hally huffed, more with irritation than impatience.

"It's estimated a pregnancy duration between 330-412 days…"

Hally's face scrunched. "That's quite a large range."

River sighed softly, offering an empathetic look towards the evidently ruffled woman. "Well, it's not that conclusive a test… and it's hardly been documented before." The meaningful look River landed her with was clear.

Hally pouted and huffed. "Wonderful."

"Well, the good news is everything appears to be progressing normally. She's perfectly healthy."

Something flickered across Hally's face, but she didn't quip back.

River gave pause, before she cautiously tried, "Have you… thought of a name yet…?"

"I don't want to talk about it, River." Was the clipped reply as Hally crossed across the room to the bathroom. River shifted onto the bed, resting back against the headboard. When Hally re-emerged from the bathroom, more than twenty minutes later, River didn't mention it, going about her own business, getting ready for sleep.

Although nicely furnished, the apartment had only one bed, not that either woman minded particularly. The pair had spent enough time together to be comfortably familiar with each other. River shifted back into the bed, noting how Hally had immediately sunk under the duvet and turned away from her, pretending to be instantly asleep.

Tiptoeing around her was tiring.

And it really, really wasn't River's style.

But she did feel semi-responsible. Well, not responsible, just, she felt like she should help. It would be better for everyone, the universe, if she helped. But the woman was so damn defensive. River let out a frustrated huff, clicking the bedside lamp off, and turning away from Hally's 'sleeping' form.

Hally heard the noise.

"What?"

"Nothing." River clipped back.

Hally shifted in the bed, the sheets rustling irritably as she turned onto her back to look over at River. "No… you sighed. What?"

River sighed again, shifting around to catch her gaze. "This would be a lot easier if you were just honest with me. Hell, honest with yourself."

"Easier." The word curved with an immediately defensive sneer.

River clicked.

"I didn't ask you to be here, River? I didn't ask you to babysit me. You are welcome to trot back to fawning over my father."

"Oh, I'm sure you would like that, honey. Because then, you could go back to blissfully ignoring whatever is going on with you."

"What's going on with me, is that I'm pregnant and I don't want to be." The words hissed from her, sharp against the darkness of the room.

"No. But you are. And you've decided to remain so, so at some point you're going to have to deal with that." River's voice was flat and commanding with just a hint of a frustrated edge.

"I am dealing with it. I'm so sorry that I'm not quite progressing on your timescale. I've got a lot of parental issues to unpack along the way. Really sorry if that's causing you some inconvenience." Venom crackled behind her words.

River let out a long exhale of contempt. "That's not what I meant."

"And what exactly was it that you meant?" Hally snapped, sitting up in the bed. River huffed and clicked on the light, shifting up to rest back against the headboard again, gaze meeting hers.

River considered her, her frown easing. "Look… it came out wrong. I'm sorry."

Hally cocked an unimpressed eyebrow her way.

"I'm not a patient person and I'm certainly not one to walk around on eggshells." She continued. She was certainly irritated, but taking it out on the already fragile Time Lady wasn't going to help either of them.

Hally stared at her, her face falling into a deep contemplative frown. "So don't. At no point have I asked you to be nice to me River. If you have something to say. You can say it."

River watched her for a moment, before she pulled herself out of the bed. She paused, catching Hally's gaze and began to pace. "It is really quite hard to talk to you, you know. You're unbearably defensive. Unbalanced. Sort of terrifying really considering the cosmic power you possess." River shook her head. "I am fully aware that you don't want this. But spending all day trapping yourself in your own thoughts isn't going to help you. You're not going to find the answers in there. Yes, you're pregnant and yes, you don't want to be. That's not going to change by thinking about it. Your husband isn't here. You're still going to be pregnant. Your mother isn't here either. It doesn't change anything, Hally. It's not about you anymore." She raised her hands up, emphasizing her point. "It's not fair. It isn't. You've barely worked out who you are on your own and now there's this. But stop thinking about it and just do it. You're having her. Your daughter. She's going to exist and you need to decide, what kind of parent you're going to be." River finished, her hands planted firmly on her hips as she fixed Hally with a stern look.

Something heavy and unavoidable sank into Hally's stomach, and she swallowed hard. Water stung her eyes as she blinked, letting the tears roll down her cheeks, leaving wet trails on her skin.

A few moments of silence passed before she spoke, her voice laden with emotion, fighting through the lump in her throat. "I know what kind of parent I want to be. I want to be honest and kind. Empathetic and patient. I want to be involved. I want to protect her. I want to surround her with people who love her. Family. Friends. I want her to explore. To be safe. I just want her to know, to always know, that I'm there. That I'm here. No matter what." Tears welled up, but there was a fierce determination in her eyes.

River nodded slowly, a small smile curving her mouth. "Good. Focus on that. Forget the past… focus on the future. Her future."

Hally bit her lip and nodded. The significance of the moment hung between them for a few, long silent moments before River moved back onto the bed. She leant forward to gently wipe a tear from Hally's face. Hally cleared her throat and brushed the remaining wetness away.

Then, as though nothing much had happened, the pair settled back onto the mattress, River flicking the light off and plunging them back into darkness.

A few moments passed in the quiet before Hally's voice broke the silence.

"I have been thinking about some names…"

New York City

They'd slowed down.

Canton was catching up with them.

As was the plan.

Their time gathering intel was running out and River had gradually become more insistent that Hally start to 'sit out' of their reconnaissance activities. Hally had initially argued, but had slowly come to agree. She was tired. And noticeably heavier. Carrying around a tiny Time Lord was a lot of effort.

"You're not supposed to be lying on your back." River clipped disapprovingly as she returned back to their hotel room, noting with a light hum Hally, lying star-fished on the bed.

Hally rolled her eyes and begrudgingly shifted onto her side, propping herself up on some pillows so she could watch as River expertly and lazily removed her weaponry from her person. She wiped at her brow, although there was nothing there to begin with. The woman was somehow still so put together. Hally had to wonder how she never seemed to get injured, or tired, or out of sorts in any way. She was sturdier than she appeared, which led Hally to assume that she couldn't be a 21st-century human, at least.

"Who actually are you?" Hally pressed, not hopeful for any kind of straight answer.

River offered her a smirk. "Do you think that if you keep asking, you'll get a different answer?"

Hally shot her a tired grin. "Mmhmm. Worth a try."

River shot her one of her scandalous smirks.

Hally shifted, moving to lie her head on her arm. "It is weird though, that he trusts you."

"Who says he trusts me?" River bounced back immediately.

"He trusts you enough to leave me with you."

"Or, he trusts you enough, to leave me with you." River clipped back, eyes twinkling with amusement.

Hally rolled her eyes. "Can't I have a clue? Anything? The suspense is killing me." She shot the other woman a childish pout.

River laughed, the sound light and mischievous. "I'm not risking temporal collapse just because you want to meddle."

Hally tutted, murmuring under her breath. "I mean if you're screwing my Dad I think you owe me at least one straight answer."

River snorted, but innocently pretended that she hadn't heard her.

Hally tried something else. "How old are you?"

"Well, that isn't a polite question." River clipped, settling down onto the sofa that was pushed up against the wall on the other side of the room.

"I'm just saying… isn't he a bit old for you?" Hally's face scrunched in genuine disdain, fishing unashamedly for information.

"You can talk." River curved an eyebrow her way, crossing one leg over the other, a picture of ease while Hally struggled to find a comfortable position.

Hally pulled a face. "No, no, no… that is completely different. We're the same species at least." Unfortunately, Hally had fallen immediately into River's distraction trap.

"Are you though…?" River noted, her eyes flashing as her mouth curved with a sly smirk.

Hally huffed. "You know what I mean. We're both pretty damn old, the age gap isn't weird."

"Mmm…" River gave her an amused hum. "He's over double your age."

Hally waved a hand. "Trust me, there were plenty of married Time Lords with much larger age gaps."

"He's also your Dad's childhood best friend…"

Hally groaned outwardly. "Yes, alright. It's unconventional. I try not to think about it."

River's smirk widened into a smile as amusement vibrated in her chest. "I think you like it."

Hally shifted, it took her a few difficult seconds but she manoeuvred herself to a seated position on the bed so she could send River a cocked eyebrow. "Excuse me?"

River tipped her head back and laughed, eyes sparkling. "Oh, come on. The older man… authority figure. Best friend turned enemy. It's deeply inappropriate and the pair of you love it."

"…Well… when you put it like that."

Night had fallen long ago over the familiar city. New York. Around fifty years from now, she'd be living there with him. The sharp click of River's heels against the pavement echoed through the cool night air, bringing her back to the imminent danger that followed them. River looked undeniably sexy in her elegant dress, moving with confidence and ease as they moved further and further away from the safety of the Charity Gala Ball. Hally, on the other hand, felt out of place and uncomfortable. Moments like this made her ache for The Master's presence even more. She wished he was with her all the time, but especially now. Selfishly, she yearned for his comforting presence—he'd understand her unease, offer her his arm, pull her close, and tell her she was beautiful.

It was stupid, but she just really needed a hug.

They moved quickly through the empty streets, aware that Canton and his men were on their tail. River let out a soft breath, her pace steady but urgent. She glanced over her shoulder, her expression falling into something serious, eyes flashing with sincere urgency.

"There might come a time… when The Doctor needs you more than ever." She breathed, her voice low and intense.

Hally cocked an eyebrow, unsure where her words had come from. "The Doctor doesn't need me, River."

River smiled, a knowing glint in her eyes. "I know you think that. But he does. And there might come a time… where you're presented with a choice… an impossible choice, and I just want you to know that he does need you."

A frown creased Hally's face as she tried to process River's words. Suddenly, the commotion behind them grew louder—Canton and his men had found them. River's face split into a grin.

"Time to run." She declared, her eyes sparkling with excitement.

Hally pulled a face and planted her feet firmly on the ground, halting. "Oh… no way."

River looked back at her, seeing the men advancing on them. "You're surrounded!" Canton shouted.

River pouted playfully. "Oh, come on, let's at least give them a good chase."

Hally snorted. "I am not running anywhere like this. You are more than welcome to run, but I shall gladly stand here and die quietly."

River laughed and shot her a wild grin. "Suit yourself."

"See you later!" Hally called after the woman as River dashed away, her laughter catching manically on the night air.

Uniformed, armed men surrounded her within seconds, forming a tight circle. Canton stepped forward, his gun trained steadily on her. "Smart girl." He remarked, his face a mask.

Hally pouted. "I'd just like the record to note… that usually, this isn't so easy."

Canton approached, a syringe in hand. "Oh, you're not going to shoot me? How kind." She quipped, her voice laced with sarcasm.

Canton offered her a cold smirk before jabbing the syringe into her arm. She hissed at the sharp pain, before her vision clouded over and she fell into unconsciousness.

The world came back into focus with a dull ache blossoming on the outside of her upper arm. Hally's eyes flickered open, adjusting to the dim light. The unmistakable face of The Doctor hovered above her, framed by a long scraggly beard and seriously unkempt hair. Amy, Rory, and Canton stood nearby, their faces tense with concern. Hally let out a soft groan as she awoke, realising she was lying on a gurney, the metal cold and hard against her skin. The Doctor extended his hand, helping her to her feet. As she stood, she took in their surroundings: a small, windowless, doorless box. A cell. The only light came from the few lightboxes that had been placed on the floor along the walls of the cell. They were totally cut off from the outside world, all part of The Doctor's plan.

"Sorry about that." Canton offered, a small, apologetic smile crossing his face.

The Doctor pulled out his sonic screwdriver, scanning across her as he hummed to himself in approval at whatever he saw.

"No… it was the best sleep I've had in weeks." She shot him a small smile. "Where's River?"

The Doctor looked to Canton, whose face scrunched. "She dove off a rooftop."

The Doctor's face split with understanding, clicking his fingers, the TARDIS shimmered back into existence within the cell and the doors swung open. "Don't worry. She does that. Amy, Rory, open all the doors to the swimming pool."

A few minutes later, after her dive into the TARDIS in her gown, River appeared in more comfortable clothes, towelling her hair dry as she moved into the console room where the others were waiting. Hally rolls her eyes. "So, unnecessarily dramatic."

"Thank you, sweetie."

Now all back together, Amy took the opportunity to finally voice the very obvious change in Hally. "You're pregnant…"

Hally turned to her, she had anticipated this, but it didn't prevent a slight frown from forming on her face.

Talk about stating the obvious. "Uh, yeah."

"Right…" Amy swivelled to catch The Doctor in a disapproving look. "Didn't you think to mention that?"

The Doctor shrugged her off, moving around the console. "Well, you know now. Anyway. Busy." He clapped his hands together. "So, we know they're everywhere. Not just a landing party, an occupying force, and they have been here a very, very long time. But nobody knows that, because no one can remember them." The Doctor began, starting on the creatures.

"So, what are they up to?" Canton asked, looking between those of them who had been gone for three months.

The Doctor landed the TARDIS, bounding out along the walkway to the door. "No idea. But the good news is, we've got a secret weapon." He flung open the doors for them to see where he'd landed. Hally moved, as did the others until they could see what lay beyond the TARDIS doors. A large, grassy plain sprawled out ahead of them and in the centre, a giant waiting rocket balanced like a needle on its launch pad.

"Apollo 11's your secret weapon?" River crossed her arms over her chest, the question heavy in her tone.

The Doctor scoffed. "No, no. It's not Apollo 11. That would be silly. It's Neil Armstrong's foot." With no further explanation, The Doctor ushered them back into the TARDIS, dematerialising swiftly. Hally took the opportunity to change her clothes while The Doctor bounded away to shower and 'fix his face', having been kept a prisoner for the last three months.

It was a strange feeling, being back in her bedroom. The TARDIS might have changed with The Doctor's new face but it had still kept her room almost exactly the same. The décor was slightly different, in line with the new console room but the layout was the same. The same photographs still sat on her bedside table from all that time ago. How long had it been since she'd slept in this room? Before Harold Saxon. Before Utopia? Back with Martha. It felt like a lifetime ago. And yet here she was again.

As she picked up one of the photographs, a wry smile tugged at the corners of her mouth. Rose had dragged the three of them into the photobooth, her infectious excitement leaving no room for objections. It was way back—back before any of them had known.

The photo strip, printed as a set of four, captured the evolution of that brief moment. In the first frame, The Doctor looked bewildered, his brow furrowed as he tried to understand the sudden flurry of activity. In the second, Rose's wide, playful grin had started to spread to him. By the third, his confusion had softened, giving way to a reluctant smile. And in the final frame, he was laughing, his eyes crinkled with genuine amusement as he gazed down at her. His smile was wide and infectious, a rare glimpse of unguarded joy.

Hally hadn't seen the photo in so long. It struck her then, with a bittersweet pang, that this was, unknowingly, probably the closest thing to a family photo she had.

She traced her finger over the image, memories flooding back. Memories she'd perhaps chosen to forget, too engrossed in her own turbulence. Wasn't this what was important? Family. To create a world where everyone she loved could exist in harmony, for their daughter.

A knock sounded on her bedroom door. "It's open!" She called. The door opened slowly, revealing The Doctor, freshly shaved and groomed.

"You look better." She quipped, amusement twinkled in her eyes.

He grinned at her. "Why thank you."

His eyes fell on what she was holding. "Oh… I remember this." His eyes twinkled with reminiscent nostalgia as he gently took her hand, raising it to properly look at the photograph.

"The TARDIS kept my room?"

"Of course she did," The Doctor replied, his words matter of fact. "Wherever I go, there will always be a room for you." His gaze drifted back to the photograph. "God, we look so young!" He laughed, the sound filled with fondness. "This was that wedding she dragged us to, wasn't it? Sherry… Shareen! That was it…" His eyes softened as he recalled the memory, a touch of vulnerability passing over his face. "Long time ago…"

Hally nodded slowly, the weight of everything unsaid hanging in the air between them.

Without another word, The Doctor pulled her into a hug. The embrace was firm, filled with unspoken emotion. "Tell me, you're alright…?" His words were muffled against the side of her head, but she nodded.

"I'm ok." The words were simple but heavy with complexity. He gave her a light squeeze before releasing her.

They stood there for a moment, the silence filled with echoes of the past, before The Doctor, offering her a smile and his hand, moved them on and led them back to the console room.

All back in the console room, the air thrummed with the hum of the TARDIS. The Doctor picked up a handheld device and, without warning, injected something into Canton's palm.

"Ow!" Canton yelped, his face contorting in surprise and pain.

"Ha. So, three months. What have we found out?" The Doctor asked, his tone brisk and business-like.

Rory stepped forward, rubbing his palm. "Well, they are everywhere. Every state in America. Ahh." He flinched as The Doctor administered his injection.

"Not just America, the entire world," The Doctor continued, his expression serious as he moved toward River.

"There's a greater concentration here, though," River added, watching The Doctor closely.

The Doctor moved over to Amy. "Ow!" She exclaimed, wincing as the needle pierced her skin.

He hovered near her, their heads close together as they spoke in hushed tones. Hally turned to River, shooting her a questioning eyebrow, but River merely offered a nonchalant shrug and turned away.

Hally's curiosity was piqued. She looked back at The Doctor and then at the back of River's head. That was interesting. River wasn't one to shrug off intrigue so easily.

Canton broke the momentary silence. "So you've seen them, but you don't remember them."

River nodded. "You've seen them, too. That night at the warehouse, remember? While you were pretending to hunt us down, we saw hundreds of those things. We still don't know what they look like."

Hally interjected, her voice thoughtful. "They're somehow editing themselves out of our memory the second we look away. You can't remember anything about them."

"Sometimes you feel a bit sick, though, but not always." Amy added, offering Canton an insight.

Hally chuckled, motioning down to herself with a wry smile. "Or, you're just pregnant as fuck."

Amy's face curved into a frown, and Hally didn't miss the way River shot her a subconscious glare. Weird, Hally thought, filing the reaction away in the back of her mind.

"So that's why you marked your skin," Canton remarked.

Amy nodded, leaning against the console. "Only way we'd know if we'd had an encounter."

"How long have they been here?" Canton asked.

"That's what we've spent the last three months trying to find out." The ginger let out a slow exhale, Rory moving to her side as he offered her a small smile.

"Not easy, if you can't remember anything you discover."

"How long do you think?" Canton persisted.

The Doctor's voice hummed low. "As long as there's been something in the corner of your eye, or creaking in your house, or breathing under your bed, or voices through a wall. They've been running your lives for a very long time now, so keep this straight in your head. We are not fighting an alien invasion, we're leading a revolution. And today, the battle begins."

"How?" Canton inquired.

"Like this…" The Doctor spun, swiftly injecting River's hand.

"Ow!" River exclaimed, shooting The Doctor a fierce glare as she nursed the back of her hand.

The Doctor laughed. "Nanorecorder. Fuses with the cartilage in your hand." He then injected himself. "Ow. And it tunes itself directly to the speech centres in your brain. It'll pick up your voice, no matter what. Telepathic connection." He moved over to Hally, offering her the device. Taking it with a look of silent thanks on her face she injected herself, hissing as she winced. The Doctor continued, "So, the moment you see one of the creatures, you activate it and describe aloud exactly what you're seeing."

He held up his hand, demonstrating for them, pressing his fingers into the place on his palm where the nanorecorder lay. As he finished speaking he released it and the recorder played back to them what he'd just said.

Taking their stares as confirmation of understanding, he continued. "Because the moment you break contact, you're going to forget it happened. The light will flash if you've left yourself a message. You keep checking your hand if you've had an encounter. That's the first you'll know about it."

"Why didn't you tell me this before we started?" Canton raised an eyebrow.

"I did, but even information about these creatures erases itself over time. I couldn't refresh it because I couldn't talk to you." The Doctor explained quickly.

The Doctor pressed a button on the console, and a hologram of one of the creatures sprang up behind Canton. The man turned and spotted it. "My God, how did it get in here?" Canton exclaimed, his voice panicked.

"Keep eye contact with the creature and, when I say, turn back, and when you do, straighten my bow tie." The Doctor instructed calmly.

Canton looked away, then turned back and adjusted The Doctor's bow tie just as he'd instructed. Then, he seemed to notice that they were all looking at him and his face scrunched with confusion. "What? What are you staring at?"

"Look at your hand." River pressed.

Canton raised his hand, his face paling when he noticed the red flashing dot through his skin. "Why is it doing that?"

"What does it mean if the light's flashing? What did I just tell you?" The Doctor prompted.

"I haven't—" Canton began.

"Play it," The Doctor interrupted.

Canton pressed into his palm and his voice played back to them. "My God, how did it get in here?"

"Keep eye contact with the creature and, when I say, turn back, and when you do, straighten my bow tie," The Doctor's voice echoed.

"What? What are you staring at?" Canton's recorded voice asked.

"Look at your hand," River's voice added.

Finally, Canton turned back around, again spotting the creature, standing completely still on the other side of the TARDIS. "It's a hologram, extrapolated from the photo on Amy's phone. Take a good, long look." The Doctor moved behind the console, flicking a switch, removing the image. "You just saw an image of one of the creatures we're fighting. Describe it to me."

"I can't." Canton admitted, his gaze rising to meet The Doctor's in deep concern.

"No. Neither can I. Hal?" The Doctor's voice lilted with curiosity, turning to her.

"Nope." Hally confirmed, shaking her head.

The Doctor turned back to Canton. "You straightened my bow tie because I planted the idea in your head while you were looking at the creature."

"So they could do that to people. You could be doing stuff and not really knowing why you're doing it." Amy mused, her expression thoughtful.

"Like posthypnotic suggestion," Rory added, frowning slightly.

"Ruling the world with posthypnotic suggestion? It is quite brilliant…" Hally chimed in, a hint of admiration in her voice.

The Doctor tutted. "You would think so."

"Judgy." Hally retorted.

"Reasonably disapproving." He clipped back, before turning back to address the others. "Now then, a little girl in a spacesuit. They got the suit from NASA, but where did they get the girl?" The Doctor's eyes narrowed as he considered.

"It could be anywhere." Canton suggested, the enormity of the task evident in his tone.

"Except they'd probably stay close to that warehouse, because why bother doing anything else? And they'd take her from somewhere that would cause the least amount of attention. But you'll have to find her. I'm off to NASA." The Doctor concluded swiftly, his fingers deftly meddling with the TARDIS controls.

"Find her? Where do we look?" Canton asked, concern creasing his brow.

"Children's homes." The Doctor replied, decisively, guiding the TARDIS back to 1969, dropping both Canton and Amy off at the first home, they would make their own way from there.

As the pair prepared to leave, Hally moved away from the console room into the corridor beyond, her mind set. It took a little while, the layout of the TARDIS slightly different to what she remembered, although it seemed the TARDIS herself was helping her on her chosen task. When she found The Doctor's old lab, she moved over towards the desk, left in chaos, and she riffled through it, searching the drawers until she found what she'd been looking for. With a sense of certainty, she returned back to the now less busy console room. River and Rory waiting while The Doctor flew them to their destination.

"NASA." He grinned at her. "Coming?"

She nodded, moving further into the room. "Can I borrow your screwdriver quickly?"

He paused, her question also seemed to have captured River's attention and sensing a shift in the room, Rory's.

"Yeah…" The Doctor removed it from his pocket and handed it to her. "Everything alright?" His eyes flicked down to her stomach and she offered him a small smile. "Everything's fine. I just figured…" She pulled one of her father's old prototypes out of her back pocket and laid it out on the console, feeling as The Doctor's eyes landed on it. "If they're capable of making us do whatever they want and not remembering why…" The sonic screwdriver buzzed as she activated it. "Better safe than sorry." She concluded, her eyes flicking down to the screwdriver. Reading through the default settings of the prototype The Doctor had been creating, her mouth curved into a darkly amused smirk.

"This thing is so vanilla compared to what he turned it into." She muttered, shooting The Doctor a semi-amused look. Flicking the dial on the screwdriver, she adjusted the settings on the prototype, but not by much. Then, she picked up the muted silver band. It was thicker than the one The Master had stolen. Far less sleek, not a continuous band but rather multiple bands joined together with links. The Master had evidently taken his prototype and made it 'sexier'.

"He turned it into something it was never meant to be…" The Doctor clocked her with a look. She offered him a small smile, a twinkling of forgiveness in her eyes.

"I know. I need your fingerprint…"

Her father frowned. "You can seal it yourself. Then it'll unseal when you want it to." He noted, wanting to offer her complete control over its use.

Hally nodded. "No, I know. But then it's far too easy for those creatures to get me to remove it… if it needs both of us, it makes it a little bit harder."

His eyes twinkled with something akin to pride and he nodded in understanding, moving to help her. He lifted it from the console and she turned, moving her hair out of the way so he could place it around her neck. The chill of the metal bit against her skin momentarily before it warmed to her. She placed her fingertips across the front, while he imprinted his at the back and it sealed into place.

A shiver spread from the device over her skin as she turned back to him. His eyes were on her, concern pooling within them. It was totally unlike the biodampener The Master had placed on her. Barely anything changed. Unlike, The Master's, which had completely obstructed her, she could still feel the power within her, it still sizzled just underneath the surface of her skin. She could still heal, still reach out and touch The Doctor's mind if she wanted to. She was still completely her. The power was simply muted. A barrier. Locking in within.

Safe.

She offered him a nod of confirmation.

Ready.