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Prologue

The edits and revisions are slow but they're here... and I'm slowly getting the urge to write again so there's also that. The changes aren't huge but hopefully the quality of writing is.

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The loss of Amy and Rory taking a massive toll on the Time Lords was a little bit of an understatement. It was painful and heartbreaking. The pair went from helping the Universe to suddenly ignoring it at every turn. No one could convince them otherwise, not even Jenny when she came to stay for a week with them after making sure UNIT would be fine in 2012 without them.

Neither of the Time Lords seemed interested in hearing what Jenny or Vastra and the rest of the Paternoster gang had got up to after it became a permanent resident atop a cloud in the Victorian era. The only thing that seemed to keep them interested in the Universe was the soon arrival of their young Time Tot.

The Doctor and the Stone still didn't have a name picked for their child. Ten months quickly passed by since the passing of the Ponds and their newfound home in Victorian London, it all seemed to go by too quickly for the Time Lady with far too much still to be done before the arrival of their new child.

They still didn't know what they were getting, they didn't care so long as they were healthy and loved.

The Stone was quickly pulled out of her nostalgic thoughts when the baby for the one-hundredth time that morning decided to give another painfully hard kick. It was starting to cause deep frustration for the Time Lady as she groaned, cradling her stomach while tilting her head over her shoulder to look at the Doctor, lying behind her, his arms wrapped around her body as they lay in bed. "Sweetheart, they're kicking again."

"I know dear." He murmured hugging tightly for a moment. He tried to rub soothing circles over her stomach. "Any day now our beautiful baby will be born." He smiled.

"And we still need to decide on names." She groaned. "The list of ideas inside my head is still massive."

"That's what you get for not wanting to find out their gender." He muttered under his breath, tickling the small hairs on her neck.

"What was that?" She asked over her shoulder.

"Nothing dear!" He replied far too quickly. She knew he was only joking and could very much hear what was muttered as she chuckled at him.

"That's what I thought." She hummed before rolling over to face him. "Now come on we please decide on names. It isn't long at all now."

"Of course." He smiled bringing out a small book.

"What's that?" The Time Lady blinked, eyeing the brown-covered, slightly worn book as the Doctor started to flick through the pages.

"A book I was writing names in." He shrugged casually.

"You-" she stared at him for a moment before chuckling again, wiping her eye as a tear escaped. "All this time I thought you were wrapped up in your own emotions and yet you came up with a list full." She raised a brow. "A list in a book that looks extremely old."

"Surprise." He whispered.

"You adorable idiot." She murmured kissing him.

The Time Lord licked his finger and turned the page. "Alice?"

"I don't think it would suit the baby."

"Samantha." He suggested.

"I don't like it that much and what if they want to be a boy?"

"Sam then?"

"No." She sighed shaking her head. "How about something different perhaps?" She suggested.

"Vastra?"

"That's the Silurian Doctor." She shook her head. "And no."

"Well, I don't know." He huffed. "Why do I have to think of it."

"You have the book sweetheart, keep reading the names out. We will find one eventually."

The Doctor pouted for a moment and continued to scan the page and flicked through a few more until his eyes lit up. "I think I got it." He smiled and showed her the book, pointing to the name, eagerly tapping it with his forefinger.

"Araya..." she read aloud. "Rae" she hummed. "I love it. We can think of a middle name when the baby is born, I do have a few ideas."

"Oh?" He questioned

"Secrets." She smirked.

×××

Two days later on the 3rd of July, the Stone gave birth to her child, hers and the Doctor's daughter. They had managed to contact Martha Jones, or rather Martha Smith since she and Mickey were now married. The woman delivered the Time Lady's child as smoothly as possible which was quite hard when she went through almost twenty-one hours of labour. They decided not to do it in the TARDIS and used a hospital close to UNIT where UNIT doctors and soldiers could monitor the Time Lady and her child without them worrying about humans getting lost in the ship. It wasn't their first choice but it was the best option for a safe worry free delivery.

The Time Lady was currently trying not to fall asleep, something the Doctor really couldn't blame her for when she had just gone through so much pain trying to get the small life out of her. She had only been out of her mother for more than a couple of minutes but baby Araya was already kicking up a fuss with the universe, making sure everyone understood where she stood in it. "Araya." The Doctor murmured reaching out to try to calm the baby after Martha gave her a quick check over and handed her to the Stone.

"Our little Araya." The Stone tried to hush her daughter lightly rocking her in her arms. "Hey, hey, hey." She whispered gently, "It's okay my darling." She tried to reassure the baby who didn't want to partially stay quiet. Even in her mother's arms which was one of the most important places when a Time Tot was born. They desperately needed to be connected to their mothers physically and mentally, especially when they were no longer attached after birth. They were exposed to any telepathic creatures invading their minds. They needed that protection from their parents, most importantly their mother. It was the one thing the Time Lords knew they had to do. Everything else was completely foreign to them, they would just have to learn on the way. "We won't let anyone hurt you." She promised gently stroking the baby's head, reassuring the baby through telepathic waves, as she wrapped a mental barrier about her child, allowing the Doctor in as well when he reached out for them and made a protective barrier around the mother and child.

"Mhm." The Stone hummed into his mind, feeling the warmth of him surrounding her and Araya. "I agree we do need to decide on her middle name." She murmured sensing what he was about to ask her.

"You said that you had some ideas the other day." He replied aloud.

"Yes." She smiled. "I have one." The Doctor raised a brow at her questioningly. "I was thinking, Rose."

"Rose?" He blinked "As in?"

"Yes." She nodded cutting him off. "As in Rose after, Rose Tyler."

"But-"

"Our friendship ended with us being mutual with each other, more so friends more than people who disliked each other. She was the first person who I felt I could trust when I first met you. She helped me get where I am today. Sure there was Martha and Donna and everyone else who helped but without Rose Tyler I may not be here with you, at all.

The Doctor stayed silent for a moment watching the mother and daughter. It was completely true and he hadn't really thought about it before but, he could be in the TARDIS all by himself mourning the loss of Amy and Rory all alone. "You want to thank her." He whispered in understanding.

"Yes. What better way to thank her than this?"

"Araya-Rose." The Doctor whispered looking down at his daughter who yawned. "I love it."

The Stone yawned not soon after and allowed the baby to nuzzle into her neck as she laid her face down on the Stone and under the blanket the Doctor placed on top of them allowing them to keep warm.

The Time Lord smiled warmly at his wife and his new daughter. How was he so lucky to have his three girls in his life? A light knock on the door to their private hospital room erupted his thoughts. The UNIT guards were outside guarding the door (he honestly didn't think it was necessary) as the head which belonged to his other daughter, Jenny popped in, spotting the bundle on the Stone's chest, her face brightened and she stepped into the room, closing the door behind her. "Jenny." The Doctor said, smiling while gesturing her to move over to them as she stood awkwardly in the doorway. "Meet Araya Rose, your little sister." He nodded down at the baby.

Jenny's smile grew to an impossible size when she had a proper look at the newborn Time Tot. "Hello, Araya." She whispered holding a finger out after stepping beside the Time Lady's bed. The baby happily moved her slightly chubby arm from under the Stone and wrapped her fingers around the blonde, gurgling slightly. It wasn't unsurprising to the Doctor, who smiled softly. Araya already was getting a good grasp on her motor skills and coordination which wasn't at all shocking considering she was a Time Tot and not a human baby.

"Yes, she is your older sister Rae." The Stone chuckled sleepily only just able to understand what the baby was saying, she was still learning the language after all. It was hard when your private tutor for such thing was your husband who insisted on flirting more than actually teaching. "And yes I am tired, you would be too if you spent twenty hours of the day lying in a bed feeling as if you might explode at any moment."

"I think you should give her a little bit of a break poppet." The Doctor chuckled taking Araya from the Time Lady for a moment. She still didn't regain all the energy she had from before the birth. "She worked hard to get you where you are now. She did it all on her own."

"Yes." She gave the baby a look. "And I'll remember it for a very long time so when you say you're too tired you won't have an excuse.

The baby looked slightly frightened if that was possible at her young, innocent age making the Doctor laugh a little at her. "Oh if that scares you then just wait until she wakes up with no tea." He whispered to Araya, "Trust me it isn't a pretty sight."

"What was that sweetheart?" The Stone mumbled tiredly.

The Doctor winced making Jenny giggle and even Araya gurgled at her father. "Nothing dear." He replied before looking down at his newborn. "The Daleks have nothing on your mother, but that's for another time." He handed her back to his wife so they could peacefully sleep.

×××

The Time Lady slept while the Doctor sat right next to her hospital bed in a rocking chair that he had made in eleven of the hours they waited for Araya to arrive. He rocked gently back and forth with his child in his arms and smiled. "Your mother and I love you so much poppet." He murmured looking at the tiny baby that was wrapped in blankets after a warm wash.

Yawning Araya nuzzled closer to the Time Lord who softly smiled. "We do with both of our hearts..." Tears pricked his eyes at the sudden realisation that this was happening. He was a father again and would get to share Araya's firsts with the Stone. He loved Jenny but they never shared many firsts with her, her first word and her first step were one of many they never truly got. It broke his hearts but he wouldn't have the blonde any other way. He chuckled slightly when Rae twitched her nose that resembled much like the Stones, just like her chin, the baby's eyes, however, were the opposite to either Time Lord, a dark brown instead of a lighter colour, they would most likely change in the next few weeks and potentially brighten as she got older, he remembered when the Stones did all them years ago when they were in the academy. Not that he would admit to her of looking so closely at her eyes.

"Is it okay-" The faint voice of Martha came from the doorway. The Doctor smiled and nodded allowing her to enter. "It's weird." She smiled looking at him. "You're so different."

"At least you understand." He replied looking across to the sleeping Stone for a moment remembering when she regenerated for the first time in forever. "You know why we changed and trust us."

"I would always trust you two. If you ever need anything from me I'm always here Doctor."

"Thank you." He nodded and watched his daughter fall asleep again.

×××

A day later after making sure Araya was as healthy as possible, the Doctor was straight back in the TARDIS. The ship had been doing final touches on Araya's bedroom the minute the Doctor stepped back inside.

The Stone walked in with the baby in her arms softly smiling. Her daughter was meeting the TARDIS for the first time. Hers, the Doctors and sometimes Jenny's home; now they were sharing it with Araya as well.

"This is your home." The Stone said in a quiet feather-like voice as she moved towards the console that had been redesigned while they were in the hospital, looking more metallic than anything, not as warm as the orange console room, they couldn't look at that one again, not without the two of them feeling sick to their stomachs as they remembered the Ponds. "You're going to like it a lot here Rae, the TARDIS will always look after you."

The baby gurgled and the Doctor smiled before he was pulling a lever and dematerialising the TARDIS. It was safe for them to take a break for a while, only until they got into the swing of looking after Araya, living a top of a cloud and staying in the TARDIS, only going out if they needed to or wanted a small stroll with their baby.

This had to work, they couldn't keep looking after the Universe anymore. The Universe wasn't fair and they were not about to lose their newborn daughter because of it.

×××

Not a week after Araya was on the TARDIS, sleeping in her small cot River Song found the three and was cooing over her niece. "She looks just like you two." River smiled at the Time Lords.

The Doctor smirked happily and wrapped an arm around the Stone. "She is beautiful." He murmured watching his daughter stare up at the curly-haired blonde in wonder, whether it was due to her mad hair or just because she wasn't one of her parents they weren't sure.

×××

After some time River looked between them. "What are you two going to do?" She asked handing Araya back to the Doctor after the two Time Lords and River had taken a short walk to the console room.

"We're going to stay up here for a while, look after Rae and give her all the attention she deserves."

"And Earth?"

"Jenny decided to join UNIT full time." He informed. It wasn't the best idea in the world but she could handle herself. Their first adventure with Jenny was evidence of that.

River gave the Doctor a pointed look, she had heard of UNIT and didn't like them that much, possibly worse than the rumours she heard of Torchwood, but she wasn't that sure. "If you're pushing one daughter out to let another in-"

"She made that decision on her account." He cut her off. "And I would never do that to either of my daughters. Just like their mother, they're the most important girls in my life."

"So you two are going to stay up here, on a cloud while Jenny's down there?" She asked and they confirmed with a nod of their heads.

"I'll make sure to keep an eye out." She smiled. "I might have to find the two of you sometime soon anyway, I keep thinking about going to the towers of Dorillium but you both keep holding it off."

The Time Lords tensed but River didn't notice, already disappearing with her Vortex manipulator on his wrist. "Your auntie." The Stone shook her head heading to Araya's bedroom to put her to sleep. "She definitely is a handful."

×××

Several Months later...

In London in the time of Queen Victoria, there were many tales of a remarkable personage known as the Great Detective. I refer, of course, to Madame Vastra, the lizard woman of Paternoster Row and her extraordinary adventures, her beautiful assistant, Jenny Flint, and their mysterious henchman, Strax, whose countenance was too abominable to be photographed. There are also accounts of fourth and fifth members of the Paternoster Gang, two shadowy figures whose assistance was only sought in the direst emergencies.

The Doctor and the Stone stood side by side in Victorian London, the Doctor wore what would be seen to be quite rich Victorian clothes with a Victorian top hat while the Stone was dressed in her Victorian-styled clothes, a dark green dress much to her annoyance, Araya-Rose held in her arms now seven months old and wrapped up in bundles of warm clothes to keep her from getting a cold they watched the Paternoster gang from the shadows until Strax noticed them and alarted Vastra who turned to greet them. "I'm so glad you both came. We have news, I think, of particular interest to you both. There was a meteor shower in the southwest, with unexpected timing and density. I've calculated there is a thirty-four percent chance it is the result of alien intervention." Neither of them replied. "Twenty-four percent." Yet again there was silence, the Time Lords stared at them. "Well, they could just be meteors but it is worth looking into. There is a very pleasant tea room in the area."

"Also, there's a Professor Arasmus Pink who's claiming he's going to split the world open with a giant drill through the thinnest part of the Earth's crust." Jenny cut in. "I think we should investigate. I mean, he doesn't actually have a giant drill, and he's not really a professor, and he was a bit drunk at the time and singing a bit, but you know it is never too early to investigate a drill."

The Stone sighed slightly. "I declared war on the moon!" Strax exclaimed.

"Do be quiet, Strax," Vastra whispered.

"Too long the moon has hung unmonitored and unsuspected in the sky. It has gained an enormous tactical advantage."

"There's no one living there," Jenny muttered.

"Then it is clearly time to act. They won't suspect a thing."

"Who won't suspect a thing?" She asked.

"Moonites."

The Doctor stepped forward and shook his head, the Stone passed him Araya when the baby reached out with her hands trying to grab her father. Why do you keep doing this?" He asked. "What is the point? We have told you. We keep telling you that we don't do this any more."

"We have retired." The Stone slowly shook her head. It was the best, they had to think about their daughter in the long run. She would be forever hiding from her parent's greatest enemies, they hurt too much after both their companions disappeared due to the weeping angels. Neither of them could do it anymore.

"There's a man on Praed Street with an invisible wife." Jenny tried to convince them. "Maybe he just doesn't have a wife."

"You're wasting my time." The Doctor shook his head. "Let's go poppet." He murmured kissing his daughter's forehead as she cooed at him. "Dear?" He held his free arm That wasn't holdout his daughter. The Stone linked her arm thr his and they walked off, disappearing after a carriage went past.

×××

The three lived on a cloud in peace for many years, the young girl didn't understand why her mother and father looked sad a lot of the time. They would deny it and force a smile whenever she asked, it was better than their other option of telling her what was wrong.

But avoiding and denying the subject only made them look sadder.

She guessed that it was because she was only ninty-four years old and didn't understand. although she had been living on the cloud with her parents for her whole 96 years of life in reality she looked only six in human years and most definitely a child to her parents, she probably wouldn't understand their sadness. She didn't know Amy and Rory, her parents never spoke about them only her aunt River Song spoke about the humans, Araya never questioned who they were though, Auntie River already made that one very clear.

When overhearing her parents one day Araya discovered the Paternoster gang. She sensed that the TARDIS was warning her not to get involved but of course, the young Time Lady, just like her father knew better and went off to find out who this 'gang' was, she never adventured off the cloud but she was almost one hundred, she was practically a big girl now.

It wasn't long until Araya found Vastra, Jenny Flint and Strax in Victorian London, at first they were concerned that a girl who looked around seven years old had knowledge far beyond any child they had met before. Of course, after a worrying phone call from the Doctor, everything was clear.

That was how Araya found herself in the console room being lectured by the Time Lords for going outside without them, not that they ever went outside. "Araya please listen to me." The Stone pleaded as she knelt even though the young girl was looking at her. "It is dangerous to go downstairs."

"But I really don't understand." She crossed her arms and pouted at her mother. "Nothing looks dangerous down there and I am careful."

"But careful isn't careful enough." She pinched the bridge of her nose with a sigh. They knew it would happen eventually. They couldn't keep her locked up like Rapunzel forever. They didn't want to, Araya was far too smart and curious like both her parents to stay locked in the TARDIS.

"Please mummy." She begged fluttering her eyelashes at the Stone. "I will take extra care."

She sighed and waved away the young Time Lady. "Ask your father."

"Yes." She fist-pumped the air as if she already knew the answer she was going to get.

"That wasn't a yes Rae." She warned not wanting to get the girl's hopes up just in case the Doctor did shock them both and say no.

×××

The Doctor walked through the snow-covered Victorian street with his daughter. It has been seven years since she first asked about 'downstairs' and wanted to explore and now it was a regular thing she found herself doing, especially in the winter months when it would snow.

Araya loved the snow.

They walked past an inn and a yard as a woman stepped out into the cold night, her dress swishing around her. She nodded at the snowman beside the inn's door. "Did either of you make this snowman?" She asked.

"No." The Doctor replied and walked off with Rae beside him, his hand tightly holding hers as he dragged her along behind him.

"Well, who did? Because it wasn't there a second ago." She said. "It just appeared, from nowhere."

The Doctor stopped when his little girl tugged at his hand. "Please." She begged using the telepathic communication she had been practising and getting much better at.

The Doctor sighed slightly and turned around walking back to the woman who was standing beside the snowman. "Maybe it's snow that fell before." He rubbed some between his fingers. "Maybe it remembers how to make snowmen."

"What, snow that can remember?" She scoffed. "That's silly."

Rae frowned at her, the small girl's lip turning into a pout before she questioned her: "What's wrong with silly?"

"Nothing." She replied with a wink a moment later. "Still talking to your dad, ain't I?"

The Doctor smiled slightly. "What's your name?"

"Clara."

"Nice name. Clara." He took Rae's hand again. "You should definitely keep it. Goodbye!" He turned and left, gently pulling Araya with him.

"Oi!" She shouted at them. "Where are you going? I thought we were just getting acquainted."

The Doctor smiled slightly muttering to himself. "Those were the days."

Araya looked up at her father with a confused frown. "What are those days daddy?"

The Doctor chuckled slightly looking down at the little girl. "The days your mother and I would save the day."

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