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Anna’s dazed, milk-drunk expression made the Doctor chuckle quietly as he snapped her onesie closed. “You think milk’s good, just wait’ll you try bananas.” He lifted her carefully from the changing table, his large hand covering her back. She wriggled against the soft blanket he'd thrown over the shoulder of his jumper. “Need another burp, love?” He immediately began to rub her back gently as Anna tried to settle in.
“Beautiful,” Rose murmured from the doorway.
“Mummy’s supposed to be asleep,” the Doctor whispered.
“I can't resist watching you with her. Beautiful.”
“Anna is beautiful,” he agreed.
“You both are. Fatherhood looks good on you, Doctor.”
“You're just as beautiful,” the Doctor commented.
“For a human?”
“For anyone ever. I was daft to ever tell you that.”
“You were head over heels, just tryin’ to hide it when you said that,” Rose said with a mischievous smile.
“Oh, really, now?” He answered, eyebrow raised.
“You gonna argue with me over it?” Rose got her answer when she saw him grinning broadly at their drowsy daughter. His smile faded, though, a few seconds later.
“Hey, now, what brought on the frown?” Rose asked, although she reckoned she knew the answer. He’d suffered bouts of insecurity all through her pregnancy, and in the four days since Anna’s birth, she still saw the anxiety in his blue eyes.
“Same old, same old. Hopin’ I can be the dad she deserves,” he murmured.
“Well, I believe in you,” Rose assured him.
“I always believe in you,” he answered, leaning down so he could capture her lips in a gentle kiss. “Got the better end of the deal, me.”
“Now, stop it. You know how I feel about it when you put yourself down. You're fantastic. The only man I could ever imagine doing this with.”
Anna wiggled again and finally let out a loud burp. The Doctor and Rose burst out in quiet laughter.
“Anna doesn't like it when you do that, either,” Rose laughed.
“That's my girl. Belches like a Pandoverian spice trader on planet leave. Compliments to the chef,” he announced with a wink, making Rose laugh harder.
Anna’s eyes were heavy, and she nuzzled her cheek against the Doctor’s shoulder. He closed his eyes, savoring the feel of her warm little body snuggling against his shoulder. When he opened them again, Rose was looking up at him, tears welling in her eyes.
“I can't imagine that someone who just did that could have any doubt, at all, that he’s the father this little girl deserves. I love you, my Doctor, and I love how you love Anna.”
“I love you both,” he smiled.But I thought the point of me not needin’ to sleep as much as you was so you could get some rest in between feedin’ her.”
“Told ya I couldn't resist watchin’ you with her. I'm okay,” Rose argued, then immediately undermined her argument by wincing in pain.
“That was the other reason,” the Doctor pointed out. “Let’s go, off to bed with you, Rose Tyler. You rest and she'll sleep a while longer.”
“You come too,” Rose demanded tiredly.
And that was how the new parents found themselves in their bed, not asleep, but watching Anna dozing in the bassinet next to them.
They watched Anna’s ever changing facial expressions as she slept. Anna pursed her lips and wrinkled her little forehead, then grimaced. She followed that up with a gummy smile that prompted the Doctor to coo, “aww”, which amused Rose.
“What?” he demanded, looking back at Rose, whose tongue poked out in a cheeky smile.
“This is more entertaining than telly,” Rose remarked. “You're adorable.”
“M’not adorable,” he groused. “She is.”
“She gets half of it from you,” Rose returned with a smirk.
“Won't claim half with you as her mum. And you're right. S’ better than telly. Particularly some of that rubbish your mother watches.” Rose chuckled and hit his arm lightly. He cuddled her closer. Rose yawned. Her eyes closed as she basked in his embrace.
Just then Anna became more animated, and her little lips pursed and smacked. She began to make noises of discontent and hunger. Rose began to chuckle.
“Told ya you should've slept,” the Doctor reminded Rose, who rolled her eyes and gingerly sat up. And the cycle began again.
Eventually both of the Doctor’s girls slept, and he lay there with his wife, content to watch over them in their rest.