It looked the same as it did when they left. The TARDIS blue door, the flower bed, even the door knocker that the Doctor had modified. The only difference was the car in the yard.

River shifted Brooke on her hip and walked to the door, the Doctor on her heels. They were uncharacteristically silent, and Brooke's gurgling was the only voice heard.

The Doctor knocked on the door.

It was a moment before anyone answered, but eventually the door opened, and a man stepped out. He had black hair and smiling green eyes, which widened as soon as he recognized them. 

"Oh. My. God." He stuttered, leaning on the door frame. "You're- you're- Oh my God." He repeated. "Come inside, come in." He immediately backed up and motioned.

"It's yours anyway."

River smiled her thanks and walked in. "Not really. It was Mum and Dad's. He just gave it to them."

"I meant yours." Anthony said quietly, shutting the door behind them. River quirked an eyebrow, but nevertheless walked into the lounge and sat. The Doctor followed, placing Brooke on the floor next to a toy of hers that was still set up in the corner from the year before. Anthony, he noticed, hadn't taken it down. She batted at the small rattle hanging down and Anthony sat across from them, taking a deep breath.

He was quiet for a long moment, and River was about to ask if she could go make tea or something when he finally spoke.

"They- they told me all about you." He admitted. "Every night they'd tell me a story with you in it. They always considered you a part of the family, even if they didn't show it as much. Dad-" He chuckled at that. "Dad would always talk about the amazing things you did. Mum did a lot more, obviously, but it was a big deal with Dad because he never did that with anyone else, not really. Mum used to tell me about how she met you when she was little. That was my favorite story." He smiled. "And then they'd say how they were proud to know you, how they wished I'd have met you.  How you were one of the best people in the universe, even if you didn't always believe it.

"And Dad used to say that you were one of the fastest eaters he'd ever known. I guess that surprised me a bit. He was...." Anthony paused. "He wished he could have told you goodbye. At least Mum did, but he was just gone. Straight to the early 20th century from the early 21st.

"One of the... stories, I guess, they told me about you was how they went to some planet with you, and how that queen wanted to marry you, but you said no because you were married. I always thought that was good on you.

"And they said," He began, biting his lip, "they said that they couldn't be more happy to have had you, and that they don't regret a thing. That even though they didn't get to raise you, you were their daughter. And that if I ever met you, they said to-" He reached over and got River's hand. "they said to tell you they loved you."

Her eyes widened in surprise, and she reached up to brush at her eyes. "I'm guessing you know who I am, then." She tried, a watery laugh coming out.

Anthony smiled. "Of course I do. Melody Pond. My sister."

"I go by River now."

He shook his head and squeezed her hand. "Nah. I think I'd rather call you Mels, if that's alright."

-----------

"Okay, here you go." Anthony said, setting two cups in front of them. "One with more sugar than tea, and one with half as much sugar as tea."

River got hers and grinned. "I'm guessing Mum also told you about my sweet tooth."

"That she did." He took a sip of his Coke. "And about your hair. I never did understand the way she described it. 'Kind of like a lion's hair, except really curly and soft and smells like petrichor.' I do get that now."

The Doctor snorted and buried his own face in her hair. "I think it's more like.... like a Ratofian's tail." She shot him a glare. "Hey, a clean Ratofian's tail. That smells like petrichor."

"Idiot." She chided, but nonetheless sipped her tea. "So, Anthony. You've got an American accent. Southern, if I'm not mistaken."

He nodded. "Yep. New York was too expensive to live in, so Mum said we should move to Louisiana. We did, and everything turned out great."

"Ah. Got yourself a girl or anything?" The Doctor questioned. Anthony's face brightened. "Yeah, actually. A wife. She's amazing. And should be home soon." He checked his watch. "She moved over here with me from Louisiana. Not very happy about the gun regulations or taxes, but hey. And she was the only one that didn't think I was crazy back home."

River grinned. "Runs in the family, I suppose. People thinking you're crazy."

He snorted. "Tell me about it. Mum because of him, Dad because he was so in love with Mum, you because you're-" He gestured, "You, and my brother-in-law because he's-" He gestured again, "him."

"Oi! River doesn't think I'm crazy!"

"Well...."

"River!" He admonished. "I'm mostly sane!"

She swatted his chest. "Says the one who told my mother he was mad the night she ran away with him."

"That was a joke.

 "You tell yourself that, sweetie." She pressed a kiss to his lips. "You tell yourself that."

The Doctor grumbled but still slipped an arm around her waist. "Insufferable woman."

"And you still love me." She reminded. "Just because you're a great kisser." He teased. "You won't be sleeping in the same bed as the 'great kisser' if you don't shut up." River warned.

"As if you could resist me that long."

"It's the other way around, honey." 

"We could always test that."

"Or we could call it a truce and say neither of us can resist the other."

"Fine, as long as you add 'when you're shirtless'." She replied with a smirk.

"Okay, okay, okay!" Anthony said from the side, face slightly twisted. "You really do flirt all the time, now I know."

The Doctor tilted his head to the side. "That we do."

They talked for a few more minutes, mostly sharing embarrassing stories about Amy and Rory, when a car pulled up into the yard. The Doctor glanced outside to watch the tall ginger (ginger!) woman get out of the car and walk up to the door.

Keys jingled in the lock, and they heard footsteps. "Anthony! I've got some-" She stopped in her tracks when she saw them. "Oh. My. God." She immediately put down her bag of groceries and rushed over. "You're- you're his sister." She said, pointing to River. "Yes."

"And you're his mum and dad's best friend." She pointed to the Doctor. "Yes."

"Well, I'm not crazy for believing their stories." She said. "That's a relief."

The rest of the evening went quite smoothly. Brooke woke up, to the delight of her uncle and aunt, and they played with her until she fell asleep with exhaustion at the end of the day.

Georgia, his wife, picked her up off the small pallet on the floor and soothingly patted her back. "I can lay her down in that cot." She offered. "We didn't moved it, since we knew you'd been here."

"That'd be great, thanks." The Doctor said.

She did, and then came back into the room with a bottle of wine and three glasses. She sat them down on the table, poured the liquid into the glasses, and handed one to River and Anthony.

"Where's miine?" The Doctor asked.

Georgia smiled. "I heard all about you spitting out alcohol, too. You ain't getting a chance to ruin our new rug."

The Doctor grumbled under his breath. "Fine then."

They all giggled and toasted to Brooke, with the Doctor as an exception.

"You'll be spending the night here, right?" Georgia questioned at about 11 PM.

"If it isn't too much trouble." The Doctor said.

"Of course not! Besides, it's really River's in the first place."

"So long as," Anthony said, taking a sip of wine, "you keep it PG in your room. I'd like to sleep all night."

The Doctor blushed and River laughed. "Hey, tell that to him!"

"Me?!" The Doctor asked indignately. "You're the one that can't keep her hands to herself!"

"I can name off at least 20 times that prove otherwise."

Face still red, the Doctor turned back to Anthony.

"It'll be G rated." He promised.

February 25, 2013. 11:39 PM. Amy and Rory's house.

Anthony's a good bloke. I can see little habits he picked up from Amy and Rory all over the place. He's got a precision that reminds me of his dad, and he's got quick reflexes. (I know that because I knocked down a vase and he somehow caught it). His choice in a woman..... come on. They always say to get a wife like your mother, I know, and he did that well. She's different, of course, since she doesn't have a Scottish temper or a problem with drinking (she only drank three glasses, whereas Amy would have consumed at least six). But still, I can see it a little. It's so very human.

River really enjoyed the night. I think hearing about Amy and Rory's feelings toward her helped. She's just a little bit brighter than she was this morning. Unfortunately, her and Georgia are very dangerous together. They were both slightly tipsy (River had at least one bottle), and jabbed at my clothing choices all night. Not only that, they were happily comparing revolvers.

Brooke was amazing. She really likes her aunt and uncle. I think we'll be spending a lot more time with these people over the years.

Well, I say amazing... she's screaming about how hungry she is at the moment, and River's punching my thigh. Which is painful.

Anyway, got to get my daughter.

[A/N. Yay!! An update! I stayed up late for this, so be happy! What did you think about Anthony and Georgia? The thought occured to me about him being married, so I gave it a shot. Whadya think?

Now I'm going to tell you how awesome votes and comments are: they're super awesome. I like them so much that when I get them, I do an entire jumping jack!! I'm exercising, people! Keep me exercising, because I won't do it otherwise! :D ]