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“Can I buy you a drink?”
The Doctor looked round at the young man standing at his elbow but continued to play with his wedding band. “What would be the point in that? Do I look thirsty?”
Instead of getting offended, as he’d hoped, the man sat down at the bar beside him. “No, you look miserable, and I’ve heard it on good authority that misery loves company.”
“That’s rubbish. Who told you that? Never mind, I don’t care!” He waved the question aside and rubbed his hand over his thick, greying hair. It still felt strange not to have a fringe flopping into his eyes, and the eyebrows—definitely overcompensated there! “It doesn’t matter anyway.” He was here to brood since the TARDIS had kicked him out for brooding. That and the fact that he’d slammed one switch too many. Old Sexy could be so sensitive sometimes.
“What’s the problem, mate?” The quiet sympathy in the stranger’s voice had the Doctor glancing over again.
He noted the young human’s kind eyes. As their species went, this specimen was rather homely, with long black hair, a long nose, and a wide mouth, but there was good humor and intelligence there as well. “Today is my anniversary.” He continued to turn his ring with his thumb, it was fast becoming a habit.
“Anniversary of what?” The young man signaled the barman. “I’ll have a pint, and what will you have?” The last was directed at the Doctor. “Wine perhaps?”
“Wine!” He pulled a face. “Wine is rubbish too. No, I don’t like wine in this or any other lifetime.”
“Well let’s figure out what you do like and you can tell me more about your anniversary.”
Since it didn’t matter to him one way or another, the Doctor shrugged and the man had a quick word with the barkeep which resulted in a glass of Scottish whiskey being placed before him in short order.
He lifted the liquid to his nose, almost dipping the tip into it—still hadn’t adjusted to the size of his new features—and grimaced. “I might sound Scottish, but I don’t think my tastebuds are.”
“Oh, go on, give it a try!” cajoled the young man who’d anted up the coin for it.
Despite a momentary hesitation, the Doctor lifted the glass. What was the worst that could happen? He threw it back as if it were a particularly vile medicine. Gasping, he wheezed and lost all feeling in his mouth. “Don’t like it,” he mouthed, provoking gales of laughter from everyone who was watching his struggle. His eyes were watering so much he could hardly see more than the blurry outlines of grinning faces all around him.
“Well, man, that wasn’t a shot whiskey. That was a sipping whiskey! What did you expect would happen?” The barman was laughing too at the Doctor’s expense.
The Doctor wiped at his tongue with the napkin that had been under his glass. Nope, still numb. “I dunno what I expected, but it wasn’t that!” He coughed, thankful for his excellent respiratory system. It would expel the fumes from the whiskey in a twinkling so he’d soon be able to breathe properly again.
“Well, we’ll just keep trying then. Set up another glass, Ted!” The young man wasn’t discouraged by the setback, and when he smiled, as he was now, it almost made the Doctor want to smile too.
The next hour was a whirlwind as the barman and the Doctor’s new friend, Freddie, tried to find something he did like. Beer was definitely out. The smell alone was as bad as the inside of a Sontaran’s battle armor—after it’d been slept in and left out in the sun with the Sontaran in it. Most of the fruit liqueurs were out—too fruity. Why would he drink Earth fruit when he could ask the TARDIS to take him to an orchard on Deva Loka where they grew the best fruit in the universe? The coffee and cream liqueurs were too...something, he couldn’t quite put his finger on it, but no, just no. The herbal liqueurs were out of the question as were the nut-flavored ones. I mean, really. Why would humans want a nut-flavored beverage? It took all the fun out of the whole food inside a shell thing! One of the liqueurs came close to being palatable since it reminded the doctor of Rose, in fact it was called “Crème de Rose” which was why he’d tried it in the first place.
Even after all these centuries, he hadn’t forgotten his Rose. Never would, but he liked to imagine she’d had a happy life with the meta-crisis version of his old self. The hope of that was the only thing that eased the familiar ache of her absence.
So many aches for his hearts to carry, so many lifetimes of regret, but he’d never expected to live this long. He’d never expected the Council on Gallifrey to give him a new regeneration cycle. They hated him! Yet, there it was. They’d given him another whack at it. Clara must’ve said something to bring them round. It was the only explanation that fit the facts, and his bossy little friend was well suited to cajolery. He’d bet on his Impossible Girl against anyone, even the politicians and the powerful whozits of Gallifrey.
Anyway, maybe this time he’d get things right in this new life. It could happen. He was old enough to not be the same bumbling fool he’d been for so many centuries. What was he? About 2000 or so, give or take a few decades. He’d kind-of lost count on Christmas. In his defense, he hadn’t expected it would matter since he’d been dying and all. He’d just have to guess. It wasn’t important really. He was a new man again, a better man... a man who wanted to fix his mistakes, or at least give easing them a shot. A man who remembered his anniversary and his years of running with one of the few of his wives that had ever counted.
Freddie had given up trying to match the Doctor drink for drink around the fifth round. “I don’t know how you’re still conscious! You’ve tried almost everything Ted has behind the counter. It must be that Scott blood in you, eh?”
Freddie’s friend, Brian, who had joined them in their drinking, laughed and saluted with his lager. “Face it, he either has an iron stomach or he’s not human!”
“You don’t know the half of it.” The Doctor reached up to tweak his bow-tie as he preened, but remembered he didn’t have one now, so he settled for primping the velvet collar on his jacket.
Their bar tab would have been incredible but Freddie had stood for the first few rounds, then Brian, and somewhere around the tenth shot of liqueur complete strangers had begun to ante up. Men and women had appeared, vying to buy the Doctor another drink, several pressing him to try their personal favorites.
The Doctor had lost count of the mixed drinks he’d sampled. Some had been pretty, and he was rather fond of the little umbrellas, but really... why did humans drink this twaddle? Most of it tasted worse than it smelled.
“Another one for you, Doctor!” Teddy arrived with a new drink—no umbrella, unfortunately.
“What’s this?” The Doctor sniffed it. He’d learned from the first sample that some things were better kept away from too close a proximity to his mouth. He made a humming sound of pleasure at the aroma, and glanced up with a big grin. “It smells like spiced apples. I like that.” He held the tiny tumbler up to eye level. It was as pretty a red and gold as the sky of Gallifrey.
“Just drink it.” Ted grinned and leaned his elbow on the bar near Freddie. “Something tells me it’s going to be your new favorite.”
Brian snorted. “Keep dreaming! The Doctor isn’t going to be satisfied by anything, or he would’ve chosen the Guinness I stood him earlier on.” Brian was a good sort, though his taste in beverages was sadly lacking. The Doctor wouldn’t hold it against him though, mostly because Brian had hair that was as mad and curling as River’s had been.
The Doctor glared at the dark substance in Brian’s glass. “It tasted like tar!”
His curly-headed friend rolled his eyes at the Doctor’s opinion, and raised his glass of the liquid in question in a mocking salute. It nearly made the Time Lord shudder to watch him guzzling such sludge.
His other friend reminded him of his own beverage. “Well, go on then. Have a taste. It’s not for sniffing.” Freddie tapped his pint against the Doctor’s glass. “Cheers.”
“Never understood that one. Shouldn’t you cheer after I’m done? What’s the point in doing it beforehand when you don’t know if I’m going to be magnificent or not.”
“Drink, you madman!” Brian cajoled with a grin.
Grunting his disapproval, the Doctor leaned over and stuck out his tongue, letting the tip touch the merest hint of the liquid in the glass. He sat bolt upright in surprise and blinked at Ted. “I don’t believe it!”
“What?” Freddie and Brian both asked. Several of the other bar patrons that had been observing or buying drinks for the Doctor all leaned in to see what had left him so gobsmacked.
“It’s delicious. Absolutely fantastic!” The Doctor shoved his hand through his short hair as his new friends all shouted hurrahs. “It is my new favorite, assuming I had an old favorite. No, forget the old; this can be my forever favorite. I like that. Never had a forever favorite before.”
Freddie clapped him on the back and said, “Another round for me and my friends, Ted.”
“Now that’s reason to cheer!” Brian laughed and dragged a bowl of pretzels his way. “Freddie’s buying.”
“Only this round. You can get the next.” Freddie’s grin was wide enough to lighten the darkest of days.
“So what do you call this, Ted, in case I’m ever someplace and I have a sudden craving for my forever favorite.” For some reason, the Doctor felt giddy, but he had always loved new things so that had to be it. Picking up his tumbler, he drank half of it down in a long swallow. He followed it up with a good cough because his forever favorite had a bit of heat behind it. Sneaky thing. It had started out so sweet and just when he thought he was safe, along came the spice to kick him in the backside.
Ted finished pulling new pints for Brian and Freddie and grabbed another cup to build the Doctor’s drink of choice. “She called it a River Sunset.”
The Doctor had been finishing his drink in anticipation of his next, but he coughed out his mouthful all over Ted, Freddie, and Brian instead. “Sorry! Sorry. What did you say it was?” Maybe he’d misunderstood. It was rather loud in here. The band up on the stage wasn’t that good since there was too much disco fever for his taste. That was the biggest problem with the 1970s, disco was all the rage.
“The woman who bought it for you. She said it was called River Sunset. Taught me how to make it. I think she invented it, actually.” Ted carefully poured a mixture of two red liquids onto the liquid gold he’d already slopped into the glass. “Pretty.”
“The drink or the girl?” Brian asked with more interest.
Ted grinned broadly and slid the refill in front of the Doctor. “Both. Definitely both.”
The Doctor levered himself up, using the edge of the bar to give him some extra height. He didn’t see any woman with mad space-hair nearby and there wasn’t anyone who came close to sporting River’s curves. It was just coincidence, though he didn’t believe in such a thing. Most likely it had more to do with the day than the drink’s name. Today was his anniversary.
He must’ve spoken aloud because Freddie said, “Yeah, you told us that, but what kind of anniversary is it and why does it make you so miserable?”
“It’s my wedding anniversary, actually.” He had to swallow the knot that had arisen in his throat, so he washed it down with some of his drink. Memories of the centuries with his favorite wife rose in his hearts and head to plague him. River Song, Melody Pond, the woman who killed, married, and saved the Doctor. His bespoke psychopath. He wondered what she had thought of his new look. Now he was the one who was all mature. Had she liked it, or had she secretly pined for his old face as Clara had? He'd been too busy with their usual shenanigans and then with savoring their night together on Darillium to follow up on discovering her opinion of his newest regeneration. His River really knew how to keep things interesting. He had loved, would love, did love, and forever loved that about her.
“Why aren’t you with her then?” Brian asked.
When tears rose in the Doctor’s eyes and he finished off his next drink in haste, Freddie put a gentle hand on his shoulder to give him a soft shake. “She’s gone?”
The Doctor nodded and played with his empty glass. It was perfect for holding his new little umbrella collection. “And forever.”
“Pardon?” Brian paused with his own drink half-way to his mouth.
“Gone and forever. She is of my yesterdays, tomorrows, and forever.” The Doctor felt a wee bit nostalgic as he thought of the centuries he’d had with River.
Ever since his last regeneration had started to take her to Darillium, he’d known his adventures with his wife were coming to an end. Yeah, he'd dragged it out as long as possible, squeezing in centuries of adventures with each regeneration that knew her. Yes, he'd finally accepted the inevitable on their latest adventure with the whole cyborg head she'd gone off and married.
So then had come their years on Darillium, and hadn't that been their best of times. They'd lived them to the full despite the hearts-ache of both of them knowing it was the end.
Yes, he could still run off and have fun with ever younger versions of her, but then she wouldn’t be his wife, she’d just be the magnificent and slightly terrifying River Song. The whole notion had been too painful to entertain the notion for long. Oh, his River, his best of wives and Song of songs. How he missed her.
Freddie smiled again, but with sympathy, not mirth. “Love like that should last forever.”
Brian set his drink down, untasted and glowered into it. “Because when love doesn’t last, then what’s the point of forever?”
“Exactly!” The Doctor took the replacement beverage Ted offered and enthusiastically drank some more. His ears had begun to warm and his tongue tripped over itself in his excited rush to explain. “Who really wants to live forever? I’ll tell you, lads, for one sweet moment, we had our dreams, our adventures, and it felt as if it would last forever, but then you remember that all things must die, even love, and it slips away. The memory never fades though.” How could it. Infinite space up there in his head and yet a part of him wanted more. The greedy part. The part that had tasted the sweetness of real love and didn't want to part with it. Oh, the ache. It never faded, like the love.
Freddie glanced over the Doctor’s head at Brian. His dark eyes gleamed in the reflected lights of the nearby dance floor. “At least you had a love like that, a forever kind-of love. Most of us have only today’s love, and even when the moment is sweet, there’s no chance for more because it’s more dream than reality.”
“Yeah,” Brian sighed the words into his pint and took a long draft as if he might find comfort at the bottom of the glass. When he came up for air, he sounded mournful. “They touch your world, and for a time it’s beautiful and joyous, but then you realize it wasn’t real and you’re left with tears and heartache. Why can’t it be forever, Doctor? Why don’t we have a chance for that?”
The Doctor slung an arm around Freddie’s shoulder and then Brian’s, nearly spilling his drink on the latter chappie. Thankfully, he’d all-but emptied his last glass, so got lucky there, really. The entire conversation had turned maudlin, and he had the sneaking suspicion his new mates were a bit tippled. “It’s all decided for us, lads, from the first meeting. But while it lasts, it feels as if you can have forever, love forever, and that’s worth waiting for. Were I to have multiple lifetimes,” and he chortled to himself, “I would still take the risk because the price, be it ever so high, is worth it.” He had his memories, and they were worth the agony revisiting them carried. She was worth any price, his River, his best bad girl.
“You’re a lucky bastard,” Brian said lifting his glass. “To your wife.”
“Yeah, what he said,” Freddie agreed, also lifting his pint.
The Doctor unwound from the others to find something to drink. Oh, good. Ted had made him another. A fresh drink to toast his bride. “To River Song, the most amazing wife I’ve ever had. Cross my hearts and hope to... well, not die. Regenerate! That’s it. Cross my hearts and hope to regenerate.”
A general chorus of laughter, cheers, and shouts of River’s name ran down the bar and through those standing nearby. Everyone seemed happy to celebrate the Doctor’s anniversary with him. That was nice.
“You’re up next, lads,” Ted informed Brian and Freddie. “Good luck to you.”
“Next? Luck for what? What’s going on?” The Doctor looked at his new best friends as Brian downed his drink in huge swallows while Freddie appeared to be gargling with his. Odd ducks indeed.
“We’re doing a set,” Brian explained after he’d wiped his mouth with the back of his hand.
“A set? That’s exciting!” The Doctor flipped the front flaps of his Crombie coat, revealing the dashing red liner and stuck his hands in his trouser pockets. His head felt a bit light so he might need to loosen his collar. “I’ll have you know I’m quite gifted at tennis and badminton if you need a relief player.”
Freddie choked on his gargle, and now it was his turn to blow his drink all over everyone. He’d started laughing, as if the Doctor had made a particularly fine joke. Definitely the worse for drink. “A set as in a gig, a job...” When the Doctor’s brow furrowed, he jerked a thumb in the direction of the stage. “We’re performing. Record label scout is here. Tonight’s important for us too, Doc.”
The Doctor pulled a face at the nickname, but he’d had worse. Several River had given him just to be mean. She was funny that way. “Oh, well toddle off then. There’s a good lad. I’ll just hang out with Ted here and have a few more drinks in honor of the day.”
“I think not,” said a familiar and thrilling voice at his elbow.
All of the blokes turned to gaze at the Doctor’s little woman so he joined in. And though a part of him feared that he was either dreaming or hallucinating, who was he to complain! She was a treat for his old eyes. River was wearing a black evening gown that had diamonds scattered across the fabric and a neckline that plunged to dangerous depths. Yowzah!--as he'd used to say. Only now, he didn't think the word did her justice. She stole his breath and left him speechless.
“So you’re Mrs. Doctor?” Brian asked, blinking his eyes which didn’t seem to want to focus.
Though he knew he should be asking how it was possible or even what brought her to this time and place. Since it usually involved guns and varying degrees of catastrophe--which was great fun--his hearts should be quaking, but the Doctor ignored all that and smiled lazily at her. “Hullo, dear. Fancy meeting you here.” How had he ever gotten so lucky? His wife hadn’t batted an eyelash at finding him here looking like this. That meant she'd seen him looking like this before. It meant it was after their first meeting in this incarnation. She was post-Darillium which shouldn't be possible, but River had a knack for the impossible. And maybe, if he'd been a particularly good little time lord, then, maybe, just maybe he’d been the one to suggest she come here tonight? That would be nice, wouldn’t it? Arranging a date for himself, like an anniversary present.
He couldn't remember mentioning it to her in their years on Darillium. So did that mean he'd had other run-ins with her after that time? He'd have to think on that one when his head wasn't filled and fogged with thoughts and the reality of her. His River. His heart's melody.
“What sort of time do you call this?” She swirled his drink, ruining the pretty separation of the red and gold layers.
“A good time, actually. Meet my new mates, Freddie and Brian. They were helping me celebrate.” The Doctor clapped the lads on the backs.
“I thought you said she was gone?” Brian's brow was furrowed as if he were trying very hard to think.
“I’m funny that way,” River retorted. She sniffed the glass she’d confiscated. “Ah, my old favorite. You know how this drink affects you, sweetie.” How was anyone to resist her when she arched an eyebrow at him like that. She was delicious.
“I’m celebrating our anniversary, River! I’m allowed!” The Doctor reached out a hand, feeling the old familiar, yet precious, thrill when she took his hand instead of returning his drink. He preferred her hand in his, even over his new favorite drink.
Something flickered in River’s eyes, a secret knowledge that hinted at inner excitement, but a pleased smile soon drowned it out. “Spoilers, my love.”
“Oops!” and the Doctor pressed a shushing finger to his mouth, but it was too late. Wait... had he given a spoiler? Or was River saying she couldn't comment because of spoilers? His hearts raced as they played their old and never-could-be-boring game. The smile he wasn't free with in this incarnation began to tug at his lips.
River chuckled in that throaty way that was guaranteed to drive him mad. “Don’t you boys have a show to do?” She’d barely spared the lads so much as a glance, but she was quick to shuffle them along. The way she held his eyes, it was equal parts challenge and promise.
Freddie glanced towards the stage. “Yeah. Roger is giving us the signal. See you later, Doc.”
Brian smiled at River and his blood-shot eyes lingered on her glorious face after a quick dip to check out that killer dress. “I was going to say he’s a lucky man, but I think you’re both pretty damned lucky.”
“Oh, we are,” River purred. After she’d tossed back the last of his drink, she reached out and snagged the Doctor’s lapel. “Come along, dear. If it is our anniversary, we should celebrate some of it together.”
“I think I’m going to need some luck as well, lads.” Several people laughed at that, and the Doctor smiled down at his wife as his friends jogged off towards the stage. River's slender hand moved from his lapel and came to rest over his hearts, but her index finger slid in to tease his skin, making him tremble.
“I just can’t leave you alone anywhere. Look at the trouble you get into.” River deposited a bit of cash she’d pulled from her fascinating cleavage onto the bar for Ted to swipe up, and led him away.
“Trouble? What trouble?” He stumbled over his feet a bit, but then, he’d been watching the sway of River’s hips. It was more mesmerizing than usual in this dress. It had absolutely nothing to do with the hours he’d spent trying to figure out the perfect drink to toast his gorgeous wife with. Regardless of what River said, Earth alcohol didn’t affect him in the slightest.
“Do you even know who you were talking to?” River shot him a sly glance over her shoulder. She was impossibly irresistible when she had that knowing look on her face. It made her the only mystery worth solving.
His palms started to itch with the need to touch her, to dig his fingers into that glorious hair and to kiss her breathless. “Sure I do. I told you, I was with my new friends, Freddie and Brian.”
River rolled her eyes, which wasn’t sexy, but it was intriguing. “Daft old man. That was Brian May and Freddie Bulsara, soon to be Freddie Mercury. Whatever were you talking about with them?”
“About you, actually, as well as love, life, and forever. Everyday boring meaning of life stuff, actually And who are Brian May and Freddie Bulsara Mercury? Should I know them?” They’d almost reached the door when Freddie dedicated his first song to the lucky couple celebrating their anniversary together. Then, he and his gang started playing. The Doctor had slowed, forcing River to stop as they listened together. Thank goodness it wasn't disco. “Quite a set of pipes on him, my friend, Freddie.” He grinned with pride. Such clever, talented friends he had!
“Yes, dear. This is just the beginning for him and his band. They’ll be considered one of the most famous and influential bands in the world before they are through.” River leaned into him when he slipped an arm around her waist. She grabbed his hand when it started to wander. “Later. You should at least buy me dinner first.” The smirk on her face was full of promise and challenge that it was neigh on irresistible, but that was River Song for you. Challenge and temptation wrapped up in a stunning package.
“River! You know I don’t have any money.” He nuzzled her ear, enjoying the flirt of her hair across his skin. Speaking of skin, hers was even silkier than he remembered. It definitely required further investigation on his part. Maybe his latest body would notice or divine other new discoveries about her. After all, twenty-four years, a night on Darillium, was less than a blink of an eye to a Time Lord. More. There was always more ahead until there wasn't. But while you had time, you had to grab hold with two hands and two hearts and live it to the fullest.
His wife reacted with her best Cheshire cat smile.
She might’ve been the inspiration for that particular expression, actually, given the shenanigans he and River had gotten up to with old Lewis Carroll—or Charlie Dodgson if you were going by his proper name. Charlie had taken to scribbling things into a diary in blatant imitation of River after the odd duck had stolen a peek at her bluer-than-blue book. He had been smashingly good at croquet though, you had to give the man that, and he’d proved good company during their afternoon tea, at least until a rabbit-like creature from Caerdroia burst in, scattering the tea things while screaming about time, and how the Doctor had to hurry or he’d be too late to save their people from a Zygon invasion. It’d been a blur of activity then, with riddle-games against a hookah-smoking Zygon, and River showing off how fast she could run in her sexiest red heels. Old Chuck had saved the day using a croquet mallet and a tricky shot that’d knocked out the Zygon general so River could steal a gun while the Doctor called off the invasion. Ah, good times.
“If I’m buying, then I get to pick the place.” River swayed in time with Freddie’s singing.
“But it’s my turn!” The Doctor wasn’t averse to dancing, though he preferred a bit more room to squire his partner about. Still, River... in that dress, he welcomed being forced in against her by the crowd.
“Rule number one, the Doctor always lies, and this is no exception.” River’s smiling profile was gloating, no other word for it, but he could overlook that since it was their anniversary and all.
“Am not, but I’ll compromise in honor of the day. You choose the planet and I’ll choose the restaurant.” My, he did love how his hand rested so perfectly in the dip of her waist where it flared out again to her hip. Most humans were all angular or short or thick-witted, but not his bad-girl. She was all space-hair, sexy-curves, and brilliant mind. You had to love that about her, that and the fact that she knew more ways to kill him than anyone in the universe. Only a fool or a madman would turn his back on such a woman. Good thing he was smart enough to have married her instead.
“And they say hope springs eternal in the young.” She cast him a look and a half smile. “What’s your excuse?”
He gave her a squeeze. “Hush now, wife. Let’s go. We have dinner and celebrating to do.”
River chuckled. “I do love it when you’ve tossed back a few Sunsets. So take charge and frisky.”
His cheeks burned but the Doctor snagged his Song and headed for the back door. If he was lucky—and wasn’t he always amazingly lucky?—then he’d soon get the chance to show River Song how frisky and take charge he could be. Preferably before dinner, during dinner, and after dinner. Time Lords didn’t need to rest, after all, courtesy of their two hearts. And his hearts beat in tandem with his indefatigable, incorrigible, irreverent, and irreplaceable wife.
Much, much later while he was holding her close as she slept, he spoke into the crown of her curls. “I know you think I’m just a madman in a blue box, River, and undoubtedly, I am that, but I realized something tonight while I was talking to Freddie and his lot. Life and the universe are empty without you. You told me not to change things, ‘Not one line,’ you said, but when have I ever meekly submitted to fate? What’s the point of having a time machine if I can’t right the wrongs in the universe? And nothing in the universe was more wrong than you sacrificing yourself. My brave bad-girl. You saved all those people, but it should have been me in that chair, not you, so I’ve decided I’m going to change it.”
When she stirred in reaction to his urgent tone of voice, he soothed her with sweet nothings until she’d settled again. His wife was lying safe in his arms, but he had already taken her to Darillium and somewhere out there, she was dying in the Library. So this was little more than an echo of his beloved, bespoke psychopath that he held to his hearts. “It’s not a fixed point. It can be changed; I just have to figure out how to do it. I think I have an idea. It’s mad, clever, and more than a trifle dangerous. You would definitely approve, if it wasn’t for the fact that you didn’t want me to touch your timeline. Well, tough. I tried. I’ve tried for over nine-hundred years, and I don’t want to try anymore. So I’m giving up. I’m going to save you. It may take some time, so you’ll have to be patient—not your strong suit, I know—but we’ll get there.” He pressed a long kiss to her forehead this time as his eyes pricked with tears. “We’ll get there... together. Eh, River? You and me, time and space, and we’ll run. We’ll run forever.”
She sighed in her sleep, a happy, somnolent sound that drew him down until their lips met in a sweet kiss that bore his promise as well as his love. River--roused in more way than one--smiled as it ended. “Sweetie?”
His jaw worked for a second as he held back the spoilers that would wreak havoc with her timeline, thereby making his rescue that much more difficult. River Song had to go to the Library because that was where their adventures together began. Some things he would never change simply because he loved their life together too much. He loved her too much, and that was why he was going to fix it. He was going to save his wife, one way or another.
Tilting her chin up, he said, “Since it’s our anniversary, I thought we could pop off to see Jim the Fish and ask him to officiate at another ceremony for us. This would be his fifth, but good old Jim is always happy to help out a friend.”
Her smile was slow and full of mischief. “Are you asking me to marry you, my love?”
The Doctor smoothed his thumb along the curve of her jaw. “Yes, wife, it appears I am, though if we’re getting technical about it, it is supposed to be your turn to ask me. But we’ll let that slide this once.” He squeezed her to cut her off before she could terrorize or decapitate him with her lethal wit. Using his legs, he boosted them to their feet and danced away from River to the console. They hadn’t made it beyond the control room in their rush because his bad girl had been just as eager as he’d been. “So, a quick hop and Bob’s your uncle, we’ll be married again.”
River appropriated his new coat and slid her arms into it with a smile. The sight of her, so sexy and disheveled stole his breath. “How many times will that make it?”
“Dunno." He did, but he lied anyway. If he said it out loud it could become a fixed point, couldn't it? He wasn't so foolish to put a cap on any of his experiences with River. He tweaked a curl behind her ear as he danced around her to the other side of the console to flick several buttons. “Lost count. You like to get remarried occasionally, don’t know why!”
One corner of her smiling mouth tilted up and her eyes sparkled wickedly. “Oh, that one’s easy. Then we get to have another wedding night.”
“Night!” he scoffed. “Last time it was a month and you hardly let me step one foot outside of our room. I had to confiscate your guns to escape!”
She rolled her eyes, but in a fond sort-of way, and reset several of the switches he’d already arranged. “Somehow, I doubt you were too bored.”
He shouted a loud “Ha!” and wrapped his arms around her waist. Since she was busy with the TARDIS controls, he rested his chin on her shoulder so he could speak into her ear. River had a way of shivering when he did that—it was guaranteed to drive a Time Lord mad! “Bored? When River Song is about? Never gonna happen! But we have universes to explore yet, and adventures to be had. Can’t do that from our bed... Well, not really. Though you did think of several things that could possibly reshape the universe and defeat the Cybermen using the Atraxi on our last honeymoon. I haven't checked to see if you’ve put them into practice yet.”
That sexy jolt traveled down River’s spine, and she laughed breathily. “Spoilers!” He loved it when she dropped their flirty, ambiguous, promise or warning or safe-word.
“That’s what I intend to do, wife! I am going to spoil you for centuries yet!” He dropped a kiss onto her cheek and danced away to throw the TARDIS into action.
River laughed. “Daft old dear. How about some music?” She punched a few buttons and a song poured from the TARDIS’s console.
“Who’s this then?” The Doctor rushed around to grab his wife for a twirl. Music and River went together like fish fingers and custard.
“Your new friends, Freddie and Brian. TARDIS, dear, could you play the ninth song on their greatest hits?” River slowed him to a stop, forcing him to listen. “This one was because of you, sweetie. I always wondered, but now I know.”
His hearts were in his throat as he listened to the words sung against the haunting melody. The pain it provoked reinforced his plans. “Do you want to live forever, River Song?” It emerged as a plea moments after the words were sung.
“Forever, no? Even Time Lords cannot live forever, but our love?” A wistful shadow that was equal parts fear and acceptance crossed her eyes. They'd had Darillium so tonight was a stolen moment. “Yes, I want that to last forever, but even if it ended tomorrow, it would be enough for me.” Her tender gaze swept over his face like a benediction as the song played out their tragedy.
The Doctor didn’t realize he was crying until River touched his tears as they slid down his cheeks. “Silly old Doctor.” He tried to brush off his reaction. “Don’t know why I’m crying. Too many Sunsets, I suppose.” He was lying again, of course. He’d revealed so much to Freddie and Brian—too much, really. It was crippling to hear his agony echoed and amplified by two gifted musicians, but it was cathartic too. There was a reason he'd declined to tell River that Darillium was their denouement. He'd dodged with the ambiguous "Spoilers", because once spoken it would've been reality. He would've ended them with a word, which was why he never said goodbye to her, to this woman. The one woman he'd carried with him even when he knew she was lost. Lost because he'd been too slow and too weak to save her. Lost in the library like a book that was irreplaceable and misplaced. Oh, the ache of it. To be a Time Lord was to see all moments, to feel them, the endings even as you began. River was ended, ending, and here in his arms.
River stood on tiptoes to kiss his tears away and he let her tend him, but when Freddie sang, “Who waits forever anyway?” he broke down completely and captured River’s lips in a bittersweet kiss.
He pulled himself together when River whispered the promise they’d made to one another so many centuries ago against his lips. “You are forgiven. Always and completely forgiven.” It broke his hearts all over again. He didn’t deserve forgiveness, never had. It must’ve showed on his face though because she added. “Forgiveness isn’t penance, sweetie. It is a gift, like love, freely given. You don’t have to earn it to deserve it.”
He’d left River Song like a book on a shelf, stuck for forever in the Library, un-aging, undying, and imprisoned. It’d been cruel to make her wait forever, he knew that. He’d known it then too, but he’d been unable to let her go completely. He’d excused himself with the notion that he’d been buying time for himself, but here it was centuries later and he’d yet to free her from his trap. Abruptly furious with himself he let slip the words his heart was aching to say. “No matter what, I will come for you. All I’m asking is that you trust me, River. Can you do that? Can you trust me to come for you?”
River’s confusion faded back to serenity and her smile was glorious. “Always.” She started to slip away to flip the levers to disengage the brakes for landing, but he couldn't let go and the TARDIS wheezed to a stop on her own.
He dragged his wife in by the lapels on his jacket and growled against her soft lips. “I promise. I will come.”
She dared to laugh, interrupting his high drama. “I could say something completely naughty, but I’ll save it for our wedding night tonight.”
That provoked a wry snort of laughter and a blush. Maddening creature. Wonderful and perfect for him. “Go pick out one of your wedding dresses, dear, so we can drop in on Jim the fish. You wouldn’t want to keep your groom waiting. I might get cold feet.”
“Need I remind you I have a gun?” Her arch smile was spoiled by her laughter. “I always get my man, Doctor. So don’t think to run. I’d be ever so strict with you if you try.”
He laughed giddily and bounced on his toes. His wife. She knew how to thrill him. “We’ll save that for our next anniversary.”
River left laughing so he was alone with Sexy again. “Hear that, old girl?” Laughter faded once she was out of sight into determination.
The TARDIS hummed, and the Doctor busied himself finding his trousers and shoes. He thought he had a spare jacket hanging downstairs under the console from the last time he’d been fiddling about.
“I’ll need your help, if we’re going to save her.” The lights of the control room flickered to near blinding luminosity and the time-rotor bobbled like an exclamation point. He understood. The TARDIS was in. She wanted to save her child as much as he wanted to save his wife. “As soon as we drop River off then, eh? We’ll get started.” He finished buttoning up and skipped barefooted downstairs to fetch his jacket and second shoe. He was almost sure one of them had bounced off the wall and fallen to the lower level when he and River had been disrobing.
By the time he came back upstairs, shod and shrugging into his jacket the console monitor had lit up with plans for the Library along with schematics of the Doctor Moon.
“Yes, that’s what I was thinking! The Moon would have access to Cal’s programming so he can keep her sorted. That’s the best entry point. We just have to hope that the teleport log still has the digital signature of her body. If not, then we’ll have to take the hard way.”
“The hard way?” River asked, reappearing in the hall opposite him.
The TARDIS blanked the screens as the Doctor stepped around to hold out his hand to his wife.
“Melody Pond, River Song, you never cease to amaze me.” She was stunning. I mean, River was always lovely, compelling, and sexy, but her latest wedding dress was the one to beat them all. She was radiant without being demure, sexy without being risqué. But most of all, she was utterly and completely herself.
She smiled and smoothed his lapels. He’d opted for a fancier dress coat the TARDIS had left out for him in place of his usual attire. His old Sexy knew River liked him to appear just so. “You don’t look too bad yourself.”
He lifted her hand to his lips and kissed her knuckles. “Ready?”
Someone pounded at the doors, and a familiar voice called out, “Doctor? Are you here for another wedding? Doctor?”
She grinned. Gone was the teasing, tormenting, and tantalizing River Song. This was Melody Pond, the daughter of his two best friends, as eager and lovely as her mother, and as open-hearted and loving as her dad. “I’m ready.”
“Then let’s be at it!” He tucked her hand through the crook of his arm and led her towards the door. Throwing it open, he prepared to pledge himself again to the woman he loved, but this time, he thought he’d ask her to use her birth name. He wanted to marry every version of her so they were tied together in this and every other lifetime. He’d made a promise and it was time to start keeping it.