DOCTOR WHO: Arising -- A Nova Sue Prequel (Part 1.5)

Chapter 5: Once was a Joy; Twice is a Privilege

"Oh, Doctor. Fooling you once was a joy. But fooling you twice the same way? It's a privilege." -- Madame Kovarian ("A Good Man Goes to War")

River goes back to visit her parents only for the unexpected to happen, the 'unexpected' thing being something the Doctor would be damned to ever happen again, only for it to happen again anyway, which turns him down a dark path.

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A few hours later, and after much persuasion, River returned to her parents' house, anxious to tell them about their Deviant granddaughter. Of course, the Doctor was against the idea of River leaving the TARDIS after this reveal, but River wasn't interested in arguing about it further and practically forced him to agree to let her go for at least the same amount of time as the last time she visited.

"Mels!" her mother exclaimed happily once she answered the door to her heavily pregnant daughter. "You're back so soon! You were just here, like, a week ago!"

"Wow! Has it really been a week since the last time I visited?" she chuckled with surprise as she hugged her mother. "It doesn't feel like it's only been a week. I've been gone much longer than that." It had been six months since she'd last seen her parents, maybe longer.

"I can tell," Amy nodded as she observed her daughter's perfectly round and very prominent bump. "I have to say you're looking like you're ready to pop any second."

"A lot has happened since the last time I was here," River shrugged. "I don't even know where to start. Don't worry; it's all totally spoiler-free."

"In that case, you'll have to tell me everything. Anyway, come on in; make yourself comfortable." Amy beckoned for her daughter to enter the house, and she obliged, immediately going into the Living Room. "I'll make us some tea," Amy offered as she entered the kitchen.

"That would be lovely, thank you," River replied as she settled on the sofa again, being mindful of her bloated belly by placing pillows around it as if that would make the baby more comfortable.

"How long have you got left?" Amy asked her daughter a few minutes later as she returned to the Living Room with cups of freshly brewed tea, handing one carefully to River.

"About a month-and-a-half left, the Doctor reckons," River replied as she blew on her tea to cool it, "and based on how I'm feeling now, I have to agree." At this, she rubbed her belly in seeming pain, feeling a little uncomfortable when she felt a rough kick from the baby. While attempting to ignore the pain, she looked around and frowned. "Where's my dear old father? Upstairs napping, I assume." To her, the house seemed a bit too quiet without Rory.

"Actually, he's at work," Amy sighed sadly as she settled in Rory's La-Z-Boy recliner. "He was called in to aid for an emergency surgery a few hours ago, so he won't be home for a while, sadly. Very unfortunate to be working on his supposed day off, but you know him; saving one's life is much more important than lazing about the house, doing Sudoku puzzles all day long."

"Yup, that's my father, alright," River chuckled in response as she took a sip of her tea. "That is very unfortunate. I was looking forward to seeing the look on his face when I tell him he'll soon have a granddaughter. Guess I'll have to wait another time. Bless."

Amy was surprised at this. "Oh, you're having a girl? That's so amazing, Mels! I'm so happy for you!"

"Yes, we're having a girl," River smiled back. "The Doctor is very excited about that, as am I. We just found out the child's gender not too long ago." She paused, thinking about sharing the story of her husband's slip-up in New York about the baby's gender, but she decided against it, thinking it would be too big of a spoiler for her mother, since it occurred not long after her and Rory's death when they were snatched by the Weeping Angels. Instead, she said, "Granted, we also found out something highly unusual with our daughter's DNA."