Wow. It has been many moons since I updated this story. My apologies. Here's another short chapter, to try and get myself back on track, possible ooc-ness, I can never really tell. Reviews are appreciated!

The Doctor had never felt so tired. His hearts were like stones in his chest. Centuries. Centuries he had waited to see Rose again. Never sure he ever could, but always carrying that hope, like a secret not even he knrew. Gwyn had been more than he'd ever hoped from the universe. He'd been so happy… he should have known it couldn't last. It never did.

"How's it end than?" Amy's voice was gentle and restrained for the first time it seemed since this whole thing had began.

He sighed gustily, running a hand down his face,ignoring the wetness of his eyes.

"The… Failed God rose from the ashes of his creation, he called to his side a…" he squeezed his eyes closed trying to find the right translation. "Vortex… Person." There was another disheartened mumble about the inadiquacies of 21st century english."Who had suffered at the Soldier's hands." The awareness was gone from the Doctor's eyes as he rubbed his fingers, no inflection left in his voice. "Using the Might of the Weak they resurrected the Beast from her slumber and formed a cage around her. They trapped the Soldier and his Child. And forced into creation… a gate. To keep the universe safe The Beast and her Child jumped through the gate and were… obliterated, from the universe."

A heavy silence fell over the Tardis, every eye watching Gwyn as she played Cat's Cradle with Rory's laces.

"Time can be rewritten."

"River." There's no censure in his voice, just exhaustion.

"No. Time is in flux, it was one of the first lessons you ever taught me."

"Me too." Rose interjected and the hope in her voice hurt like a physical blow.

"Rose…" his own voice is utterly broken.

"It doesn't have to be this way Doctor." River pressed, coming to lay her hands on his face. "We can change it."

"We can't-"

"It's just a bedtime story right? Thats what you said. So it might not even be a real thing." Amy's voice was excited as she came to stand behind her daughter.

"Gallifreyan stories aren't just… they're predictions-you can't just!"

"Da-da!"

His hearts seized in his chest and his eyes moved to her unerringly. Behind him the whole room seemed to suck in the breath he was missing. Gwyn beamed at him, holding her hands out to him, cupped around the knot she had made in Rory's ties. As he watched she closed her eyes in concentration, golden light swirling up from her fingers to surround the tangle. When she opened them and the light receded her hands cradled a tiny white butterfly. With a squealing giggle Gwyn toddled to him, he fell to his knees in front of her, taking the insect from her palms. They watched together as it gave its wings an experimental flutter and took off around the Tardis console accompanied by more of the tiny child's laughter. The Doctor watched the life his daughter had created on a childish whim float around the center of his time ship and bowed his head in surrender.

"Okay." He might not be able to change the future. But he would die trying.

If there are any questions, just let me know.