The Unexpected Night

by SpaceHair

This is a Doctor Who fanfiction in which the Eleventh Doctor addresses River Song's reckless behavior. This story takes place aboard the Tardis on the night that the mini-episode "The Last Night" occurred. This story begins with the same scene, but follows an alternative sequence of events.

"River? Are you okay? Talk to me," the Doctor pleaded as he carefully laid his unconscious wife on the floor of the Tardis. He shook her gently but he felt frantic as he attempted to rouse her. "Breathe. Breathe! Come on, you've got to keep breathing," he urged her. The panic within him subsided as he realized that she was playing him. "River, you are holding your breath," he accused.

The eyes of River Song popped open as she flirted, "You're a fine one to talk about holding. How many hands do you have?"

The Doctor was exasperated with her. "Get up," he growled, "what are you doing? Who's shooting at you?"

River shrugged off his irritation. "Oh, just a few Sontarans," she explained, "they chased me halfway across the galaxy. I probably shouldn't have asked them if they were on a hen night."

"River, you can't do things like that!" the Doctor, with his hands on his hips, admonished her.

"Or what?" she countered, "You already had me banged up in jail for five years. What else are you going to do, spank me?" There was undeniable inuendo in her tone, but her words challenged him.

He thought to himself that a good spanking would do her some good. She was capable and bold, but she was far too reckless. She behaved as if she were immortal. She seemed to believe that she was immune to the consequences that her actions would bring. She did not take him seriously. The thought of losing River frightened him more than anything he could imagine, though he had seen innumerable horrors in his very long life.

The Doctor's face grew dark as he contemplated this. Noticing the change in him, River suddenly had butterflies in her stomach. "River," he began slowly, "go and get changed for bed. Wait for me in our room." She began to speak, but he silenced her with a raised index finger. "You're in for a spanking," he said with authority. When she hesitated, he turned her in the direction of the bedroom and said softly in her ear, "do as you're told. I'll be in shortly."

River didn't know if she should be aroused, excited, or nervous. She hadn't seen this side of the Doctor. He was clumsy and adorable. He was quirky and brilliant. This was the first time that he had been dominant or assertive with her. He'd gone all strict- not that she minded. The thought of being spanked by her husband made River feel vulnerable, which was not something that she had felt often. River entered the bedroom and slipped out of her red high heels. She approached her dresser and wondered to herself which drawer to choose. Should she wear something provocative, or something more demure? She selected a modest cotton nightgown that fell to her knees. She put the black lace negligee back into its drawer. She didn't want to seduce him right away. She wanted to let this play out to see if he would really act on his threat to spank her. River sat on the edge of the bed, staring at her painted toes. She felt nervous anticipation as she waited for her husband.

…

The Doctor paced the control room of the Tardis and tried to focus on anything but the idea of taking River across his knee. He thought that he should not be feeling as excited as he was. This was not supposed to be a sexy game. He intended this to truly punish her so that she would stop to consider her actions and be more cautious in the future. His hands shook slightly and his mouth felt dry. He scolded himself for being ridiculous. He was nearly 1,000 years old. He had travelled the universe and saved entire species. He was no pushover. This should hardly shake his resolve. He ran a hand over his face and started in the direction his wife had gone.

River distractedly toyed with a curl of her hair as she heard the Doctor approaching. She raised her eyes searchingly to his. He gave her a sheepish grin, and freed his bow tie from his shirt collar. He dropped the tie onto the dresser and absentmindedly rolled his sleeves to his elbows. She watched him move around the room. He came to rest on the bed beside her. He moved her to stand in front of him and took her hands in his.

"River," he said thoughtfully, "I love you, and I couldn't bear it if your reckless behavior were to get you hurt and I hadn't done anything to stop you doing it."

"You sentimental idiot," she chided with a quiet smile, squeezing his hands.

"You are too bold sometimes. Your disregard for caution is dangerous, Dear, and you do it for the thrill. I want you to really think," he said as he searched her eyes. He saw no concern or remorse, and his resolve was restored. "It's better to get it over and done with, then," he told her.

With that, he moved her to bend over his knee and lay across the bed. He lifted the hem of her nightgown to find nothing but her beneath it. He raised his hand and let it fall with a sharp and stinging smack to her bottom. The sound in the air cracked and River froze absolutely still. She was stunned by the feel of it. The initial sting settled into a low burn until the second smack made contact, followed by the third. She let out an unintentional yelp and stiffened. The Doctor tightened his hold on her waist and landed a steady barrage of spanks harder and harder as he became more confident about it. His wife's yelps, gasps, and wiggling only inspired him further. She fought against his hold. To have this sort of control over her was a heady thing, and his own reaction surprised him. He liked the way that it made him feel possessive of her. She was his. Her flesh was red and angry under his hand. Still, her spanking did not stop.

"I hate you!" River cried out from between gritted teeth. She struggled against his restraining arm.

"No you don't," He replied warmly, as he stilled her kicking legs.

The Doctor stopped spanking his wife when he heard her release a choked sob. He suddenly questioned whether he was being too harsh. He raised her to sit on his lap and encircled her in his arms. She curled into him and cried quietly into his neck. "I'm sorry for scaring you," she said to him.

"There, there, now," he soothed, rubbing her back, "it's over and done. There's nothing to be sorry for." He smoothed a piece of her wild hair away from her face and wiped her tears, which were starting to subside. He kissed her lips softly and chastely, and their corners turned up in a shy smile.

"When I suggested that you…," she trailed off, suddenly embarrassed to say the word spanking. "I never imagined that you would do it...not that I mind," she shrugged. They giggled together at her uncharacteristic chagrin.

"Yes, and let that be a lesson to you, wife!" he teased her lightheartedly, "I won't hesitate to take you in hand again, should you step out of line."

"Oh, the mind races, does it not?" she marveled. She kissed him again, deepening their kiss as they lay back onto their bed together. River wondered if perhaps she should have worn the black lace, afterall. The feeling of his hand traveling across her very sore backside returned her thoughts to him as he pressed himself to her. She echoed his urgency and arched against him. "Please," she urged.

"Yes, Dear," he answered her. The Doctor moved to take River's mind off of her punishment.