songofsong | baby meme } for live

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baby meme } for live_growstronger

Over the many times River had come to see Methos, she never thought she'd one day be doing so like this. Normally, she crashes into his carefully-built life, sometimes quite literally, sweeping him up into adventure, or into bed, or sometimes both. That was their relationship, it was how it had been, in his case, for hundreds of years. But today, her arrival will have significantly more impact than it'll ever have.

She takes care in tracking Methos down, she chooses her time and place, to make sure he's known her long enough, that their relationship is strong enough. That's all she can hope for, as she makes her way into his house, as she often does, where she'll wait for him to return home. She's not familiar with this house, so she takes her time to study it, pick up clues about the new life he's made for himself. She takes note of the books on the shelves, pictures on the wall, trying to form a picture of the Methos she'll meet today.

She only hopes it's one who'll be ready for this bombshell - because River Song is pregnant.

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River arches an eyebrow slightly when he tells her how long it's been. Perhaps she could've come a little earlier, but she'd waited and chosen this specific moment, found him in a life that was best equipped to handle this news - if she ever got round to telling him.

"Well, I was in the right century, give or take a decade," she says, playfully flippant, setting her chin in her hand. "Didn't want you to go without seeing me for too long, did I?" She gets to her feet then, falling more and more into this pretence, that it's almost easier to forget why she's really here.

"Not a bad time, is it?" she asks him, coming closer, her hands going to rest against his forearms.

He knew she was working her way up to something, but he'd really no idea what it could be. Something to get him into trouble no doubt. Hopefully, it wasn't another heist.

Really, if she wanted something stolen, she'd do better asking Amanda. And, oh lord, heaven help the galaxy if the two ever did meet. Perhaps it was better he never introduced them.

"No, it's not a bad time at all. Was just getting back from work, was thinking I might fix myself some dinner. Or order in." Methos moving to touch her too, hands going to her waist, "Is there something wrong?"

River was an uncommonly brave person. She'd faced things that would send others running in the opposite direction. Yet now, she can't bring herself to say the words that have been plaguing her mind since her discovery. She needs time to build herself up to it, that's what she tells herself at least.

The truth is, she's scared, and she's aware that after all these years, this could drive her and Methos apart. She doesn't want that at all.

"No, nothing's wrong at all," she says, lying easily, though of course, there isn't necessarily anything wrong. It's just.. complicated.

"Ooh, ordering in sounds good. I might join you there."

Something simple, a normal evening, by Earth standards. She could do with normal tonight.

"I was thinking Chinese? Unless you had any preference for something else." he was going into his pocket to fish out his cell phone. He knew full well she needed to tell him something and the fact that she seemed to reluctant to tell him had him worried.

And envisioning all of the worst scenarios possible.

"That sounds perfect," she says, with a warm smile, that's almost a little too sincere, something desperately trying to convey her affection for him. She fears her news might uproot a relationship that's been a constant over thousands of years; because how can an immortal man ever consider having a child, something that would pass in a blink of an eye, the pain of a life so fleeting compared to his own. She fears bringing that to him, and fears him rejecting it to protect himself.

"Alright... I go place the order then." he said, heading toward his phone. There was definitely something up. Methos knew her well enough by now to read such things. Still, he'd play along for the moment. Whatever it was, it must be important. He gestured to the couches in his living room, "It will probably take them at least 40 minutes, if you want to sit down? I'll get you something to drink? A beer?"

River's gaze follows after him, hoping that she's keeping the uncertainty from her eyes. She is a very good actress, but those closer to her can read the emotions she wears on her sleeve. Going to sit on the couch again, she hesitates only briefly at his question, to quickly formulate a response that would hopefully not draw attention.

"I had one earlier, I'm good for now," she says, with practised ease. She's a good liar. Too good sometimes.

Methos gaze was on her. He'd known her for a very long time, so those emotions were visible, but he'd really no idea what they might mean. The refusal of the beer also seemed to have some meaning, perhaps. Or maybe Methos was simply being paranoid, reading signs that weren't there. Although his high levels of paranoia had served him well.

"I'll be right back, then." he put in the call in the other room and then came back with a beer for himself in his hand as he moved to sit beside her. Methos took a sip and set the bottle aside. Well, he might as well just be blunt. "I could just sit here and ponder all the possibilities as to why you're here and what's wrong. And I am. And my imagination is running away with me and I'm fearing the worst. Perhaps you could just... tell me?"

Watching him go, River allows the momentary solitude to take a breather, closing her eyes and trying to work out where the hell she could go from here. She'd put this off for long enough, any longer, and there'd be no hiding her condition.

But when he returns, it seems there's no hiding much else, and she looks towards him with a surprised lift of her eyebrows. Caught out, she hesitates, then trying to laugh slightly to cover up. She knows she needs to tell him, share this with him, but she fears the rejection. It's not that she doubts how much he cares about her, but this isn't what they are. They're not locked into one place at one moment, they're everywhere and everytime. A child changes that.

"I come to see you and you immediately think something's wrong? Are my visits normally that bad?" she jokes, biding her time, still not quite answering his question.

He looked at her, smiling back at her joke. Methos shook his head, "No. They aren't usually bad. But usually they are for a reason. Not that I don't enjoy seeing you, River." Reaching out his fingers grazed her cheek.

"Just tell me you didn't come from witnessing my death." Because out of all the possibilities that was the one that had come to him first and the thing he had worked so hard to avoid.

When she realises just what he's thinking, she frowns, quickly shaking her head and dispelling that concern. "No! Not at all," she tells him, not wanting him to think anything of the sort. Her news might be a bombshell, but it certainly wasn't that kind. She hates that he's been worrying, and she sits a little close to him, resting her hand gently upon his chest.

"Ok, look. You're right. There is something I need to tell you. It's not.. bad, exactly. But, well, this is new to me."

That was a relief, at least. Still whatever she meant to tell him was important, or she would have just said it already. But for the life of him he couldn't figure out what it could be.

"Okay." he managed, resting her hand over top the one she'd rested on his chest, "Then tell me. Take your time." If it was truly that important.

There's a hint of a laugh when he tells her to take her time, looking down for a moment. "I have," she admits with a wry smile. "I've been putting this off. I saw you not too long ago. Didn't tell you then. Or the time before that." He'd been a little younger each of those times, and she decided to go further along his time stream, in hopes that she'd reach a life of his that is more settled and content.

She feels like she's found that now, but it's not making it as easier as she hoped it would. It's hard to say, knowing how much it'll change their relationship in a matter of seconds. For better or worse, she doesn't know, and that's the fear. She doesn't want to change what they have, the constant he's become, the risk of losing that is very real, and she can no longer go on lying.

"Ok. I suppose I'd better just come out with it. I'm pregnant, Methos."

Of all the things she could have said, that was certainly the last thing that had come to mind. He stared at her, to her belly to her face.

"And... you came to me?" he clearly didn't understand. Was it the Doctor's? Someone else's? "Surely you're not suggesting it's mine?" That was so outside the realm of possibility, he looked flabbergasted. Perhaps this was the reaction she'd feared? But it was just so impossible.

"I'm sterile, River. No Immortal has ever had children."

She's not surprised to see the shock on his face, but that doesn't mean it doesn't frighten her a bit. She watches him closely, reading his expression, the look in his eye, all things which speak to her as much as his words do. When he reminds her he can't have children, she chuckles under her breath, glancing aside and shaking her head.

"I know," she tells him, looking to him again. She remembers this conversation being had before, and she's well aware of how impossible this is, but then, impossible is what she's good at.

"No Immortal has ever had children.. with another human." She looks at him pointedly, because she's also told him that she's part Time Lord before, and her genetic make-up allows for a lot of advantages.

He felt his breath catch, eyes locked on hers. The fact that she wasn't human had caused this? He'd never slept with anyone but her who wasn't completely human or another Immortal, that much was true.

Methos just stood there, mouth drying. It had been a long time since the 5000+ year old Immortal had been struck dumb. Nothing surprised him all that much anymore. But this?

"I-" he started, but then really had no idea how to answer. Him? Having a child? And of course, he realized the implication, he might have to watch his son or daughter die.

River falls silent then, not knowing what to say, because she's said everything. He's the one that needs to find the words now, and she sits watching him, trying to read his expression. The shock she understands, she expected it, but it's what remains when the shock dissipates that concerns her now.

After a few moments of silence, she carefully speaks again. "This is a lot for you to take in, I know that. If you need me to go for a while, give it a few days, or weeks, I can." After all, with her vortex manipulator, a few seconds for her could be a few years for Methos - she can give him the time he needs without much passing for her at all.

"Don't you dare." he said all of a sudden, eyes snapping up to look at her, gaze sharp, near desperate at the idea of her disappearing right then. His eyes darted all over her, resting on her stomach for a moment as he moved closer. "Don't you go anywhere..."

He reached out to touch her, hand going to her cheek. "How far along are you?"

How long would it be before they had this impossible child?

River is stilled by that look in his eye, that roots her right there on the sofa. She slowly nods her assurance, silenced by both her surprise and relief. “I won’t, I’m not,” she says softly, reassuring him. When his hand comes to her cheek, she slowly smiles, that relief hitting her all the more now, and she blinks back the beginnings of tears.

“Well, I think I’m just past the two months mark now, but.. it’s difficult to say. It’s not like there’s much of a precedence,” she breathes out a small laugh, because this really is impossible. This baby will be the first of its kind, with the combined DNA of human, Time Lord and Immortal - it could defy many pregnancy norms, and many others besides.

He was still in a state of shock and that wasn't likely to leave him any time soon, perhaps not even for a century. But he wasn't about to send her away or to deny such a miracle into his life, despite whatever the consequences and the pain it might lead to.

A child. It was something he'd never dared hope for. "All Immortals were foundlings... I've no idea what a pregnancy would be like for a comparison." He managed, moving to slowly take her into his arms, holding onto her firmly as if afraid she might disappear or that this was some sort of cruel dream.

She moves towards him without question, reassured by his closeness and easily sinking against him. Setting her head to his shoulder, her eyes close for a moment, taking comfort in the fact he hadn't wanted her to leave. She wouldn't have blamed him if he had, it would've been a matter of fear, than lack of love, but it would've hurt all the same.

"Me neither," she admits softly. "It could be very different to the human pregnancy." For all her concerns about telling Methos, she's anxious too about how this pregnancy might develop, if a cross-species child would create any difficulties. Immortals weren't born, and Time Lord pregnancies were a rarity due to the longevity of their kind. Throw human complications into the mix, and she's really in unknown territory.

"But.. somehow we've created something impossible." She looks up at him, smiling gently. "I don't know how, or why, but something happened. Eventually, there's going to be a baby in our lives and.." She hesitates because this is still so beyond their expectations. "Well.. it's going to change things."

Methos was afraid of a lot of things and this was no different, but it wasn't a fear he would run away from. Immortals could never have children and as such the thought that he might be able to have one while scary wasn't something he was going to run from. A child.

His child. How remarkable.

"Yes, it will change everything." he agreed. It would mean time lost in seeing her in the future. Methos held her a bit closer, "How long have you stayed, River, in one place?"

She always seemed to be moving, it was hard to picture her settling down for any long stretch of time.

"Since I left Earth?" she asks rhetorically, because she'd spent nearly twenty years living in Leadworth til she finally found the Doctor. She glances aside as she thinks, even while knowing the answer. Not long enough. Nowhere near long enough to bring up a child. She doesn't know how to settle down, to stop moving. Her life has only ever been about running.

"Well, there was that time I got trapped in a time capsule for a year, that was ever so annoying. Spent a year trying to get out, found out five minutes had passed!" Her eyes crinkle as she tries to make light of it, but it quickly dim when she knows she must face the truth of that, of who she is.

"But.. no longer than a month. It's.. not what I do, Methos."

"Will it be now?" he asked tentatively. Methos wasn't completely against the idea of raising the child while she went off on adventures... but surely she'd want to be around for it. And she would have to at least have to settle down as the pregnancy progressed. "Have you decided what you plan to do?"

"No, not yet," she answers honestly, frowning a little. She knows she should settle, to let Methos and the child be together. She wants that, but she fears giving up the life she knows. She doesn't know long she could stay before wanderlust would take hold.

"I didn't know what would happen once I told you.. I didn't want to think too far ahead in case.." In case he wanted nothing to do with it, and her life of running became her only choice.

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