Elevator buttons and morning air. Strangers’ silence makes me want to take the stairs.
As River Song looked out at grey wall, trough the bars of her prison cell, she wished she was in an elevator. She wished she was anywhere else, actually. Anywhere other than here, sitting on her cot, bored to tears while she and her guards stared at each other awkwardly. She sighed. “Where is he?” She thought to herself, “He said he’d be here.”
If you were here we’d laugh about their vacant stares, but right now my time is theirs.
Just as she had that thought and threw her book down in frustration, the wailing sound of ancient, tortured engines filled the air. She looked up; her face filled the delight and excitement that ran through her. As a blue wooden police box materialized, the guards went for their guns. River ran over to the TARDIS and the opened just enough for a tweed covered arm to reach out and pull River in. As she stood there in the ship, she grinned from ear to ear as a man wearing a pinkish, violet, and white threaded s***, covered by dark brown tweed jacket and a violet bow tie stared back at her, sliming coyly. “You’re late,” River said, doing her best to sound annoyed.
“Sorry about that,” The Doctor replied, “Had a little trouble on Gelfite, promise to make it up to you.” Then he ran back over to the consul with his wife right behind him. They took off just before a hail of bullets hit the TARDIS.

Seems like there’s always someone who disapproves. They’ll judge it like they know about me and you.
And the verdict comes from those with nothing else to do. The jury’s out, but my choice is you.
River kissed the Doctor and then started to walk around the consul. “So,” She said, “Where are we going this time?”
“I’m not telling you,” The Doctor said, looking up at River from his work at the consul, “It’s a surprise.”
“Um,” River responded, “You just broke me out of the most impenetrable prison in the galaxy, and you won’t even tell me why.”
“You know why,” The Doctor said, “Because it’s the only way I get to be with you, and you were innocent of the crime you were convicted of so you deserve a day out every once and a while.”
Ah yes,” River said, walking back over to the Doctor and playing with a lock of his hair, “’Cause rumors of your death have been greatly exaggerated and we need to keep if that way or I’m gonna end up a widow.”
“River,” The Doctor whispered.
“Yes?” River whispered back playfully.
“This is a little too couplely for me right now.”
River rolled her eyes and started to walk around the consul again. “Doctor, if you didn’t want to act like a couple you shouldn’t have married me. When two people get married they are then referred to as a married couple so like it or not we are now a couple.”
“Don’t worry sweetheart, the moment we get to where we’re going I’ll let you be as couplely as you want.”
“And how long will it be until we get where we’re going?”
“About five more seconds.”
Just as the Doctor said that the whirl of ancient tortured engines filled their ears as the TARDIS parked. The Doctor walked over to the ramp and River fallowed him, once again grinning from ear to ear like an excited school girl. And then the Doctor did something unexpected, to say the least: he extended his hand to River.
“And what do you want me to do with that?” River asked, staring blackly down at the hand.
“Take my hand.” The Doctor said, somewhat casually.
“You’re serious?” River asked.
“Yeah, as serious as the plague,” The Doctor answered, “You’re one who wanted us to act like a couple, so, take my hand.”
River smiled and took the Doctor’s hand and the two hurried down the ramp and ran out the door together.
So don’t you worry your pretty little mind.
People throw rocks at things that shine, and life makes love look hard.
The stakes are high, the water’s rough,
But this love is ours.
Their feet hit dry brown dirt, as they stepped out into a bustling open-air market. “Ah, Xi Charria,” River beamed, looking around and then looking back at the Doctor, “I can’t believe you remembered.” River had told the Doctor on a recent visit-visits he tried to make as frequently as possible-that she had been reading about Xi Charria, and would love to see one of their market places.
“Well, now you can cross it off your bucket list,” The Doctor said, looking around, “Found the biggest one on the planet, in the capital city of a un massace e dovuto, which roughly translates into “A massacre is due.” Sounds like real cheery place. Gotta tell you, River, you sure know how to pick a place.”
“Don’t worry, the planet mellowed out centuries ago, they just didn’t want to rename everything.”River retorted, then took a hold of the Doctor’s wrist and said, “Now let’s go have some fun.” Then she whisked the Doctor off into the crowd.
For a while they enjoyed themselves unhindered. They looked through several of the stands, took in the Xi Charrian articteccure, little houses where walls slid open to become doors, one room divided two, and outsides doors that opened to create a porch, as well as grand crystal towers, River bought a pot of rosy cheeck blusher that the Doctor insisted she didn’t need, for she was lovely just as she was, but she applied it then and there anyway, they listened to a traditional Xi Charrian band, which due to their webbed hands and stubby fingers consisted of bongos, a tambourine, several tinkling bells and a rain stick, the Doctor bought some creamy fuchsia flowers shaped like bells from a poor orphan girl in a tattered green shawl. And then it happened. While the Doctor was off talking to some locals, and River was examing a lien periwinkle blanket, remembering she had missed Mother’s Day, a London accented voice from behind her said, “Excuse me.”
You never know what people have up their sleeves.
Ghost from your past gonna jump out at me.
She turned around to see a young, tin girl with blonde hair and large brown eyes staring back at her, holding a piece of a lien evergreen dress in her hand. “I’m sorry,” She said, “But I just wanted to ask someone and you’re the only one around, do you mind?”
“Oh, not at all,” River reassured her, “Come on, let’s see it.” As the girl held up the dress to herself, River added, “I’m River, by the way.”
“Nice to meet you, River,” Her new friend replied, “I’m Rose.”
“Nice to meet you, Rose,” River said, as she looked at the dress. The dress was sleeveless, but covered all her body except for her thin arms and her feet. Her pale skin looked stunning against the deep evergreen fabric. “It’s beautiful on you.” River decided.
“Oh, thank you,” Rose said, then put the dress down. “So, River,” She began, “Are you here with anyone, or are you just here by yourself?”
“I’m here with my husband,” River answered, pointing out the Doctor, “That’s him over there.”
Rose looked over to where River was pointing. “He’s cute.” She noted.
That worried River a bit. It must have shown in her body language because Rose added, quickly, apologthicly and very embarrassed, “I didn’t mean that like it sounded! I mean I’m not looking to wreck any homes, really! I mean…” She trailed off then after a minute said “I’m with someone too!” Rose quickly pointed to the right, at a guy with dark brown hair in a light brown pinstriped suit. “That’s my friend, the Doctor, he’s called the Doctor.”
Now River was worried again mixed in with a great deal of shock. The Doctor had told him that he had feelings for a girl named Rose a few years back, and a regeneration ago-he always made a point to empathize that point and assure River that he felt nothing for the girl now when the subject came up, which wasn’t that often- but she never expected to run into her. River looked over at her Doctor thinking, “Does he see her over here? Does he know? What’s he thinking?” Then a terrifying thought crossed her mind, “Was he telling me the truth when he said he felt nothing for her now?” She knew this was a ridiculous notion. She knew the Doctor only had eyes for her, but still, there was something about running into someone who was essential his ex-girlfriend, especially since it was technically before the ex had been added, that made her wonder…
“Are you alright, River?” Rose asked, “You look like you’re about to be sick.”
Before River answer she felt an arm wrap around her, and heard her Doctor saying, “We need to be going, River. I’m sorry, she’s slightly hyperglycemic, we just need to get some food in her, she’ll be fine in a jiff.”
“Alright,” Rose said, somewhat awkwardly as the Doctor and River walked away, “I hope you feel better, River.”
When they were far enough away the Doctor whispered in River’s ear, “I’m so sorry, I completely forgot I went here with her once, you have to believe me. I am so, so sorry.”
“That’s okay,” River said, feeling somewhat better about the whole situation, “If you forgot then you forgot.”
Lurking in the shadows with their lip gloss smiles,
But I don’t care, ‘cause right now you’re mine.
“Although,” River said, looking down in embarrassment as they continued to walk away, “There is one thing… Doctor, you don’t still have feelings for her, do you?”
“What?!” The Doctor cried in surprised,” No, I don’t. Like I told, when I regenerated all my feeling for people in my past life evaporated, that’s why I prefer not to make contact with them.”
“You’re right,” River replied, “I’m sorry, I know I’m being silly.”
“No, no, no,” The Doctor reassured her, “You’re not being silly at all.” And then he kissed her temple, and then said, “This is one of the things I love about you.”
And you’ll say,
Don’t you worry your pretty little mind,
People throw rocks at things that shine,
And life makes love look hard.
The stakes are high, the water’s rough,
But this love is ours.
After that they spent the day walking around, talking to people, looking at stands and buildings, buying pies filled with pork and raisins from a street vendor for dinner, and doing couplely things as well. Then as they kiss on the paving stone sidewalk River noticed people giving shocked, disgusted, even horrified looks. “Doctor, what’s up with all these people staring at us?” She asked, looking around, “I didn’t see anything about them having anything particular against PDA.”
“No, but they don’t look kindly on May-December relationships.” The Doctor said soberly.
“What do you mean, May-December?”
“River, I’m over a thousand years old, and you’re in your mid-twenties.”
“And it looks the other way around,” River said sadly, “You look to be in your mid-twenties while I look over a thousand years old.”
“No,” The Doctor said, taking River in his arms and talking into her hairline, “Not over a thousand years, just latter twenties than you really are, that’s all, and I wouldn’t want it any other way.” Then he lifted her head out of his chest and kissed her again. “Who cares what they think, eh?”
“Yeah,” River said smiling, “Who cares?”
Then she slipped his hand into hers, and then together they walked on.
And it’s not theirs to speculate,
If it’s wrong and,
Your hands are tough,
But they are where mine belong and
I’ll fight their doubt and give you faith
With this song for you.
They decided to end their day by sitting downs and watching the sun set. They found a secluded spot behind an abandoned building and sat down. It was a beautiful sunset, with golden yellows, faded reds, and deep purples, dusty oraganes, and soft lavenders, and took over an hour and a half. When it was over they sat there, quietly for a minute in the cool deep blue of the night lit only by stars. At last the Doctor said, “I better be getting you back.”
“Yeah,” River said solemnly.
As the Doctor stood up River noticed what looked like a bright red tentacle sticking out from his shirt collar. “Doctor,” River asked, intrigued, “What’s that on your neck?”
The Doctor covered the visible part of the tattoo with his hand and said, “Nothing. There’s nothing on my neck. Why would there be anything on my neck?”
River smiled mischievously, “Liar.” Then she lugged up at the Doctor, and despite his protest of,” Hey, hey, stop that! Stop it!” tackled him to the grown and pulled to down his collar to revel a tattoo of red squid outlined with black, with cream fangs sticking out of his mouth. River laughed as she said, “What the Hell is that?!”
“It’s a tattoo of a Pantoran squid!” The Doctor cried, defeated and embarrassed, “I was on Pantora about a month ago, stopped at a café, and got some tea, but someone apparently drugged it, things started getting dizzy than I blacked out and woke up in a back alley with this! “
“Why would someone do that you?”
“The kids on Pantora do it all the time for kicks. Probly some teenagers who were board and had access to the tea did it!” The Doctor threw his head back in shame.
River laughed again. “What am I going to do with you?”
The Doctor smiled knowingly, “Oh, so many things.”
River cocked her head quizzically and asked, “What’s that suppose to mean?”
“I can’t tell you yet,” The Doctor answered, “Spoilers.”
“Where do you get that from?”
“You’ll see.”
Then River leaned in and kissed him again.
‘Cause I love the gap between your teeth.
And I love the riddles that you speak.
And any snide remarks from my father
About your tattoos will be ignored.
‘Cause my heart is yours.
After they got back to the TARDIS, and set off, they were quiet for a while. Then out of the blue, the Doctor asked, “River, do ever regret doing it?”
River looked up, “Doing what?”
“You know, falling in love with me, looking for me,” The Doctor paused a minute then finally adding, “Marrying me?”
River was genuinely surprised and let it show as she said, “No. Sweetie, why would you think that?”
“River where are we going right now?” The Doctor challenged.
“That probly would’ve happened anyway,” River assured, “But I’d rather have it the way it is now.” She walked up to she was just inches away from the Doctor and started playing with a lock of his hair. “I wouldn’t have it any other way.”
After a moment of silence the Doctor said, “We’re here.”
They walked down the ramp together, then when they go to the bottom, right in front of the door they faced each other. “Well,” River said, almost mournfully, “ The moment I get out the guard are going to storm in, so I guess we better say goodbye now.”
“Yeah,” The Doctor said, “I guess we do.”
They both leaned in and kissed. “Goodbye, Sweetie,” River said, as she leaned back, “ I love you.”
“Love you too,” The Doctor said, smiling the small smile he tended to favor.
Then he pushed the door open, prepared to leave the second River out, and River jumped out only to find, no one was there. The Doctor stepped out and they both looked around in confusion. “They must all be out looking for you,” The Doctor declared.
“But surly someone would be posted out here just in case,” River said.
“They probly didn’t count on you coming back. Besides,” The Doctor smiled, “You’re a girl worth looking for.”
“Thanks,” River said, then her eyes lit up as she got the big picture in her head, “Doctor, do you know what this means?”
“That I can stay a little longer,” The Doctor answered.
“Do you want to?” River asked.
The Doctor walked up to River, wrapped his arm around her and said, “What do you think?”
So don’t you worry your pretty little mind.
People throw rocks at things that shine.
And life makes love look hard.
Don’t you worry your pretty little mind.
People throw rocks at things that shine,
But they can’t take what’s ours.
They can’t take what’s ours.
The Doctor and River laid on the floor of the cell , just looking at each other lovingly, not saying a word. After hours of silence, River stretched out her hand, crested the Doctor’s face, and said,
The stakes are high, the water’s rough,
But this love it ours.