Our Timelord (A Doctor Who Fanfic)

Chapter 4 - The Happy Announcement

The Doctor didn't want to leave the TARDIS. He was gripping tightly to the console while River was trying to pull him off.

"But he's your dad River! Your dad with a pointy sword! He's also a Roman centurion and I'm supposed to walk in there and tell him that you're pregnant! It would be suicide! Worse than the weeping angels, cybermen and daleks put together!" he shouted, his knuckles white where he gripped onto the console. He thrashed and kicked for all he was worth but his wife had always been stronger than him, she managed to pull him off by his ankles and sent him faceplanting to the floor. River picked him up and lead her husband from the TARDIS, holding his hand firmly.

"I'm going to need you here for this." she hissed at him as she rang the doorbell. The Doctor bit his nails, his other hand still firmly in his wife's grip. A few seconds later, Amy's face appeared around the door.

"Ohmygod! You finally visited!" She exclaimed. She grinned excitedly at them and pulled them both inside enthusiastically.

She steered them into the sitting room as Rory rushed in wearing an old floral print apron of Amy's that was covered in odd blobs of tomato puree. He grinned and made a beeline for River, who gave him a hug at arm's length. trying not to get covered in tomato.

"It's so good to see you both!" he beamed, before putting on a more serious face a turning to his wife. "Amy, I might have just had a bit of an accident with the tomato puree."

Amy sighed and sat back down as Rory rushed from the room to waft tea-towels at the fire alarm, which was now bleeping frantically, accompanied by the smell of burning onions.

"He likes to try and make the dinner," Amy explained, "But he's hopeless really."

River chuckled and watched her mother leave the room to rescue the damsel in distress. Left alone with The Doctor she had time to think about the situation. She was now getting very nervous, she had no idea how to break the news.

The Doctor recognised the panic on her face. It was always hard to detect but he had a knack for sensing when something was wrong, however much she hid it. He reached out a comforting hand and gripped hers reassuringly. She relaxed a little when she realised that she wasn't on her own in this and leant her head on his shoulder, cuddling into him.

"I saved the day!" Amy grinned, walking back into the room and throwing her hands up in a sort of 'Don't congratulate me, I know I'm amazing' sort of gesture. River and the Doctor laughed at her.

"I heard that!" Rory shouted from the kitchen with a sulky tone, causing the others to giggle like schoolchildren.

Small talk dominated the conversation until dinner, which was spaghetti bolognese.

"Would you like a glass of wine Melody?" Rory asked her, when they were all sitting at the table.

"No thanks, I'll just have water please." she replied as casually as she could. She knew it would seem off, she always had wine and complained bitterly when there was none.

Amy gave her a suspicious look, her mother's instinct giving her the first indications that something might be wrong. She wondered for the first time that evening whether there could be an ulterior motive for their visit.

River was acting strange throughout the whole meal. She just sat there, white as a sheet. She shuffled uncomfortably in her seat and didn't talk with her usual enthusiasm. Amy noticed that she didn't eat anything, just pushed it around her plate until it got cold and she had finally had enough. River wasn't acting like River at all and she wanted to know why.

"What's the matter Melody?" she said gently. "You're not eating."

"I'm fine mother, honestly. I must just be coming down with something, I don't really feel hungry." She protested.

"I know that face Melody. Something's wrong. You've been acting strange the whole time and I want to know why." Amy said, more forcefully than she had originally intended.

"I'm fine I promise. You worry about me too much." River replied, as reassuringly as she could.

"Don't lie to me Melody. I'm your mother." She said with a frown. Her steely glare unsettled River and she knew she was going to have to tell her parents, no matter how scared she was.

River could take it anymore, the hormones took control of her and she felt a small tear stream down her cheek. She'd only ever cried in front of her parents twice before. This was unfamiliar territory for her parents. River looked over at her husband's anxious face and burst into tears, unable to hold it back any longer. Amy immediately looked guilty and upset at the situation she had caused and The Doctor enveloped her in his arms without hesitation.

"Shh." He told her comfortingly, stroking her curls and rocking her like a baby. "You can tell them. Don't be scared. They'll be fine."

Rory gave his wife an angry glare and rushed to River's defence. He crouched down by River's seat and took both her hands in his. He asked her very gently,

"Melody, please tell me what's going on. I can tell it's upsetting you but just tell me, I want to help you."

River recovered and pushed the tears back. Taking a deep breath, she said calmly. "Mum. Dad. I'm pregnant."

Amy squealed with delight. "That's wonderful news! You didn't need to be so scared of telling us!"

River laughed and breathed a huge sigh of relief. Rory was grinning at her and pulled her into a big hug.

He suddenly let go of her, a frown on his face.

"What is it dad?" She asked him.

"River. Is it The Doctor's baby?" He asked.

"Of course!" She said with a grin.

Rory stood up and nodded at her before walking round to The Doctor and punching him hard in the nose.

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The Doctor woke up on the Ponds' living room sofa. Amy had her arms around River in an attempt to relax her as she looked down nervously at The Doctor. Rory was standing at the end of the sofa, his arms were folded defiantly and he had a contemptuous look resolutely plastered on his face that he had not dropped since punching the Doctor and rendering him unconscious. River saw the Doctor's chest heave as he sighed; his eyelids fluttered open. She was immediately by his side, her hands cupping his face. He smiled at her weekly. River laughed at his confused expression and gave him a gentle kiss on the lips. Rory's expression softened when he saw this. It dawned on him then how much his daughter really loved the Doctor.

"Hello Sweetie." River murmured as she pulled away from the kiss, her eyes still slightly puffy from crying.

"What happened?" The Doctor asked blearily, his eyes darting around the room.

"Well, My father got a bit overprotective after we made our happy announcement." she replied softly with chuckle.

"Sorry." Said Rory sheepishly.

"It's fine!" The Doctor told him cheerfully, sitting up. "I have to admit, it was impressive."

"You're lucky I didn't get out my sword." He laughed.

"I think we should probably go now." said River, smiling at her parents, her cheery demeanour restored. "You know how it is, Sontarans to shoot, planets to save."

"Not that she'll be doing any of it, of course." The Doctor said, raising his eyebrows at her disapprovingly. He draped an arm around her shoulders. "I'll take good care of her. I promise. No sontaran shooting for you Melody Pond." He bopped her on the nose affectionately.

They said their goodbyes and River and the Doctor walked out of the front door towards the TARDIS. Amy shouted out after them.

"Come back soon! We're really pleased for you! Aren't we Rory."

"Yeah, yeah we are." mumbled Rory, but only after Amy had given him a sharp jab in the ribs with her elbow.

"Goodbye!" She called, waving frantically. She shut their TARDIS blue front door after watching the real TARDIS dematerialise into nothing, leaving only the litter and leaves on the road drifting about in its wake.