River's eyes were closed, but she was awake. It seemed like she'd been awake all night, what with Freya crying every five minutes. She thought a baby would be exhausted from all the excitement of being born, but it wasn't so. Freya cried constantly.

River rolled over in bed and buried her face in her pillow, muffling her groans. She'd barely been a mother for twelve hours and already she was exhausted, not to mention in pain. The Doctor had healed her with regeneration energy, but only to the point where she was spared from death. Her whole abdomen was sore as hell due to the gruesome complications she had.

"Sweetie…" River muffled into the pillow, groping her arm around the bed in search of her husband. He was exceptionally good at quieting their little one; she didn't know what she would do without him.

"Sweetie…gahhhh." She blinked her eyes heavily as she lifted her head. The other side of the bed was empty. Where was he?

She rolled over and winced in pain as she lifted herself into a sitting position and swung her legs over the bed. Freya's cot was right next to the edge of the mattress, so all River had to do was lean over in order to pick her daughter up.

"Shhhhh sweetie." She sighed as she cradled the mewling babe in her arms. River shifted her body up against the headboard and smiled weakly. Despite the pain she was in, she couldn't help but be happy when she held Freya in her arms.

"What do you need, my love?" she asked the child.

Freya whimpered and cuddled against her chest.

"Hungry, are we?" River cooed. "Alright then." She pulled down the strap on her nightgown and offered a breast to her, which thankfully, she took.

River rolled her head back against the headboard and sighed, closing her eyes. Hopefully Freya would remain quiet for enough time after this for her to get some sleep. Most likely not.

River heard footsteps approaching, and she opened her eyes just in time to see the Doctor enter the room, carrying a tray.

"Ahhh good you're up!" He said, smiling brightly.

"Mmmm barely." River said, rubbing her tired eyes with her free hand.

"Well, occupational hazard of being a parent, I suppose." The Doctor mused, placing the tray down over his wife's lap.

"There we are." He said with a flourish.

"And what's this?" River said, peering down.

"Breakfast." The Doctor smiled. "I made you an omelet, chocolate chip pancakes, there's some fruit, a cuppa, oh and some jammie dodgers. I love jammie dodgers…" He said, staring longingly at the plate.

"Go on then." River sighed and the Doctor took a cookie off the plate. He smiled at her oafishly, his mouth filled with shortbread and jam.

She laughed at him. Her husband was such a child sometimes.

"Oh hewre…" The Doctor said through the crumbs. He clambered onto the bed and settled in next to his wife. He grasped the utensils, cut a piece of omelet, and brought it to his wife's lips. "There we go…how is it?"

River chewed delicately and swallowed. "Amazing." She purred.

"Yeah, well." The Doctor said with no lack of false modesty.

"Come here." River said, beckoning him with her eyes. The Doctor leaned in and kissed his wife on the lips.

"Mmmm thank you." River whispered.

The Doctor lifted his fingers and pushed away some flyaway curls from his wife's face. "Oh, River," He said, smiling. "My beautiful River…"

Their infant daughter stirred in her arms.

"All done are we?" River cooed. "Alright then…" she adjusted Freya to over her shoulder and patted her on the back. "Sweetie, could you get me that cloth over there?" She said, pointing to the night stand, and the Doctor handed it to her just in time to clean up the spit up from their daughter's soft burp.

"There we are, Freya." River said. "Good girl." And she kissed her sidelong on the head. The baby snuggled in to the crook of her mother's neck, her tiny balled fists resting against her skin.

The Doctor's hearts ached with happiness as he looked upon his family. He hadn't felt this much emotion in quite a long time. And he loved it…it made him feel almost human.

"Hello there." He whispered, leaning over to bring his face parallel to his daughter's. A giant smile was plastered on his face as he interacted with his baby, giggling and booping her nose affectionately.

River couldn't turn her head enough to see her daughter's reaction. "What's she doing?" She asked her husband.

"Smiling." She heard his voice respond, slightly strained.

River rotated her body to look at her husband's face.

"Sweetie, are you…are you crying?" She asked softly.

"What? I…" The Doctor felt tears trickling down his face. He wiped them away with his fingers and stared at his hands in amazement. "Why, yes I suppose I am."

"Sweetie, why are you crying?" She said, placing a comforting hand on his cheek.

He met his wife's gaze, a smile growing on his face. "Because I'm happy."

River's lip quivered. "Oh, stop it you nostalgic idiot or I'm going to start crying too."

"Never." He whispered as he leaned in towards his wife and wrapped his arms lightly around her and the baby. He had seen Amy and Rory do it years ago, crying and kissing while holding a baby, and he hadn't understood it then. Oh, but he did now.

"Can I hold her?" The Doctor said, pulling back from his pathetically wonderful display of affection.

"Of course you can." River said, smiling as she gently passed her husband the baby. "Mind her head."

The Doctor made baby noises and giggled with happiness as he lightly bounced his daughter in his arms.

"This is so cool." He exclaimed, a bit choked up with emotion.

River chuckled softly and smiled at the love her husband showed for their child.

"Oh, my little one, you don't know how long I've waited for you." He whispered, and kissed her downy head.

Freya waved her little arms and cried softly in response.

"Oh hush now, hush. Shhh." He said quietly, and the babe's fussing ceased. "There we are. Yes. You're alright."

The Doctor smiled and looked up at River, only to find her asleep; her head resting against the headboard.