Disclaimer: Doctor Who does not belong to me, neither do the characters, as they belong well and truly in the hands of the BBC and Steven Moffat. But I figure they won't miss them this once.

Chapter One

"I just don't get it, he's been pushing us away for weeks now. It's almost like he doesn't want us in his adventures anymore. He always sends us in the wrong direction, away from danger whereas before he used to pull us along." Amy was exasperated. She hadn't confessed her feelings to anyone not Rory, not The Doctor, not even herself. But despite knowing who she was, Amy felt herself able to talk freely with River Song.

"You have to understand Amy, he's seen so many people around him die. It's only natural that he's trying to keep you at arms length from danger. Admittedly he has a terrible way of dealing with it."

Amy and River were sat under the console of the TARDIS usually The Doctors favourite hidey hole, but he'd long retired in a bit of a huff and Rory was trying to cook in one of the kitchens. River had noticed her mother's despondency and asked the outright question.

"But we've done so much together; I mean for God's sake we caused the second Big Bang, I don't understand why he's being like this now." They were sat in the hammocks usually reserved for tinkering with wires but made amazingly good seats. Each were cradling a glass of wine. Admittedly not their first, but River knew she couldn't good wine in the Stormcage facility and her TARDIS always provided, so she figured why waste good wine?

"You have to understand Amy, knowing who you are now, it's changed things. You're a mother and to him that makes you more delicate. He no doubt, in that crazy little brain of his, thinks he's helping. He'll come around." River Song smiled at her mother knowingly. Of course she always knew what happened, time between her and The Doctor moved parallel, although often in the wrong direction which meant her knowledge of events led to her having an advantage in most situations, however this often caused conflict between her and her favourite man.

"I hope you're right because at the minute it feels like he's pushing us away." Amy stared into her glass of wine. "You know this is our third glass of wine and Rory still hasn't finished cooking!"

No wonder I'm feeling tipsy. River thought. "You know what?" She jumped gracefully from the hammock, suddenly renewed with vigour. "I'll go talk to him. I'm sure I can get him to stop being so... him. You had probably better deal with Rory because I have an inkling he has no idea what he's doing." Amy smiled, jumped down beside her daughter and nodded in agreement.

"Yeah you're probably right. I'm not really all that hungry now anyway. But listen, River," she started as the blonde began to make for the stairs "Don't make him think we don't want to be here... you know he gets when we question him. He'll get angry and emotional and... yeah well. You know him best so, just make sure he doesn't overreact ok?" Her eyes were pleading. The time her and Rory had spent with the doctor were the best she'd ever experienced and he had given them so much, she had no intention of letting him push them away.

"I'll try my best Amy. You mind if I take this? It truly is my favourite." Amy nodded collecting up her shoes and River turned away smiling, picked up the bottle of wine and headed towards the one place she could guarantee he would be, if he was truly in a mood.