Disclaimer: As much as I would like to I don't own Doctor Who.

"I'm so sorry."

"It's not your fault." Mickey wrapped his arms around his shivering wife, her cries soaking his shoulder. "It could happen to anyone."

"-But it didn't, it happened to me." Tears dribbled down her cheeks and slowly she rocked back and forth in Mickey's arms "I wanted, I really wanted… I really wanted to be a mum…" The results of the fertility test were scrunched in her palm.

"There's other ways Martha" As he held her his hand clasped her and silently he peeled the paper out of her palm and twisted it between his fingers.

"I'm so sorry." It was all she kept repeating, all she would say as they sat alone nestled on a sofa in their perfect family home. It was all Mickey could do to stop himself from screaming and from wrenching the words out of her mouth and banishing them forever. Why wouldn't she stop? Why couldn't she see this wasn't her fault? He wanted to cry but he couldn't, he wasn't weak like Doctor always presumed, he was trying hard to stay strong for Martha, not to let her see how much pain he was in. It seemed like some cruel trick, that Martha, his beautiful, caring wife couldn't have children, when all their other friends were always presenting baby scans, videos of their toddler's first steps, or invites to christenings. It was so cruel. Neither of them wanted to speak the words out loud that haunted their thoughts, that Martha's brilliant few years of adventures were reason for their misfortune. The effect of the hardship caused by the year that never was, or some radiation from some faraway planets had prevented her from ever having children. It was such a cruel trick. It was so unfair.

-x-

The woman on the desk at the adoption agency didn't even look at them as she filed in their names and told them to wait. Her platinum straw hair and ludicrous pink nails were enough to make Martha begin to reconsider. The fact the woman was humming along to her iPod and that her eyes glued to a screen made Martha begin to turn and walk out the door. Mickey caught her arm, pulling her back to behind the desk. He didn't speak but his eyes said it all let's just give it a try, we don't have to do anything if you don't want to. He led her to a seat and waited with her until it was their turn. The other childless couples in the room watched them leave; each had a face like their own, worn with worry and soft from tears.

He led her to a chair; his hand firmly wrapped round hers and introduced them both to a looming blonde woman would perched behind the desk

"Hello Mr and Mrs Smith-Jones, I'm Cathy Leah, adoption consultant." Cathy reached over the desks to shake their hands, greeting them with a fixed smile and breathe of fresh mint. "I'm here to guide you through the process of adoption, helping you to arrange meetings with a social worker and to help you fill in all the forms. Originally what we like to begin with is some meeting with other people considering adoption. If you would like to look here, this is a list of the meetings currently with available spaces." With that Cathy passed them a sheet of paper, which they scanned briefly mentally calculating the days they could and not do. "I have your forms you filled in here." Cathy reshuffled a pile of papers between her fingers. "Thank you for filling these in, they're very useful for the interview process. Now where shall I begin?" Cathy turned to face Martha, placing her head in her hand to emphasize her interest "It says you're a doctor, working for is it UNIT?" She asked strained, pen poised

-x-

Tired but assured by Cathy they would make great parents, Martha and Mickey returned home. It would a month before they joined their first meeting and five months before they received their official application form.

"Do you think I can put the Doctor down as a referee?" Martha asked sucking her pen in concentration.

"I'm not sure what they would think when they look at occupation and you've written 'Timelord' or a date of birth when you've written some un-imaginary old date!" Mickey laughed sliding a cup of coffee into her grasp. "Why not put some people from work? They know us both. What about Tish?" She nodded in agreement furiously scribbling down names.

The agency approved their application relatively quickly, and soon Martha and Mickey found themselves in nervous anticipation waiting for a match with a child.

-x-

"Her name's Melody-" The social worker pushed a small dark girl towards the nervously awaiting Martha and Mickey. "-say hello Melody." Stubbornly Melody raised her hand and stared hard into Martha's eyes.

"Hello Melody." Martha bent down and grasped the child's hand in hers "I'm Martha and this is Mickey." She was young, estimated to be only three, the poor thing, Martha remembered from reading her records. She was found alone earlier this year and had been in a bundle of foster homes. They didn't know her real name for sure. The child called herself Melody, but once had been heard to point at herself and proclaim Pond. It was mystery for the social services and hard to uncover considering the child barely spoke a word, but she let a small smile when Martha greeted her, the first one anyone could remember. That was the moment Martha and Mickey fell in love with Melody Pond.

Thanks for reading, I'm really sorry if I've messed up the adoption process, I've have no experience with it, although I did check out the government adoption page for help, most of it was made up of my own imagination. Please review and suggest anything you would like to happen, I'm up to any suggestions