Fields of Blue
Not mine. BBC's and Moffat's.
Spoilers through entirety of River's story arc, Sweetie.
A/N- I really would like to see 12 and River together- but in a way that doesn't spoil what a great character she is, and also to just tie up the last loose end of her story. Please forgive my characterisation of 12. Hard to judge yet how he'll be, so I'll claim poetic licence on this. It'll probably turn out be completely different- but until October I shall go with this. That's what fan fic is for anyway isn't it? Also I can't write Clara to save my life. Sorry.
He sat and talked to her, high above the Library, in a straight backed chair sitting in the doorway of the TARDIS, gazing down at her resting place.
He'd come for her diary. He'd never brought himself to get it before now. Knowing it was safely hidden in plain sight, not on the computers database, a weak perception filter surrounding it. But years after the Vashta Nerada had died off, lack of food leading to their downfall, there had been word that the Library was being recatalogued, all books rescanned, information relocated and reprocessed. That meant the diary would be available for public consumption and given the work he'd done to delete himself from the universe, her stories of him were, as always, spoilers.
He still dreaded it. That book represented so much to him, he knew that the pain of the actually holding it in his hands would physically hurt. Let alone reading her words on its pages.
"I'm not looking forward to this, Dear," he sighed and then rose and placed the chair back next to the door. He smoothed his long jacket and moved to the console, moving levers and adjusting dials with a sense of composure his previous incarnation hadn't possessed. He scratched his greying hair as he carefully checked the scanners and read the relevant information about the planet.
Straightening his jacket again as they landed, he pulled open the doors, careful to check the lock behind him, and began his journey to the back corner of the archeology wing where he had hidden her greatest publication.
Shelves and shelves of old dusty books stretched out in every direction around him and he was careful not to look at any of the information nodes for fear of seeing her face, hearing her voice. The jarring experience of seeing Donna's trapped inside the stone still haunted him, even now, and he didn't want to have to remember River that way either.
He scanned the spines with a careful eye, methodical in his process, looking for the familiar blue, and then there is was. Tucked between "The Bog People, Iron Age Man Preserved" by Peter Vilhelm Glob and the "Concise Zygon Guide to Archeology, 89th Edition." Gently, he removed it, meticulously brushed the dust from it's cover, fingers running around its grooves and finally clutching it against his chest.
As he wondered back along the aisle, he took his time to straighten the shelf with her works on it. "The Missing Ruins of Gallifrey," The Aplan Temples of Alfava Metraxis and Other Wonders of The Dundra System", "The Sontarian Industrial Devolution," "Earth's Golden Age," the titles stretched on and on. He may have had her nights, but she used her days in Storm Cage well. He smiled at the memories before brushing his fingers across her gold embossed name on "Hidden Secrets of a Bubble Universe", lifting his chin and marching back to the TARDIS.
Clara greeted him with a smile as he entered and didn't question his movement into the corridors with only a nod in her direction. This Doctor was quieter, more serene than the Doctor who had answered her phone call all those months ago, but she didn't mind the changes. He'd said he would drop her off when he was finished with his errand as she was only on board to use the TARDIS to fix Angie's iPad anyway. She glanced away and looked down at the doors.
"Oh Doctor? You dropped something!" She called, bouncing down the ramp to pick it up. She peered at the object between her fingers. A pressed flower. A deep blue flower, a bit like a pansy, but with long delicate tendrils of white cascading out of its centre. The Doctor came up beside her, taking it from her.
"Oh. My. That's rare indeed. Such flowers only grow on one planet. Hepbar 9. A stunning planet filled with plains and plains of wild flowers. None I've ever seen of that shade of blue though. Hmmm." He twirled it between his fingers.
"TARDIS blue, Doctor, same as that book."
"Indeed. But that doesn't make sense. No sense at all. I never went there with River Song."
Clara's eyebrows shot up. "River Song? Your wife? River Song?"
"Yes. My wife. Clara. There's something I need to do. And I need to do it alone. I'll collect you again next Wednesday."
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She burst through the doors before the sound of the brake alarm had even died out.
"Sweetie!" Upon seeing him she stopped suddenly, smiled brightly up at him and caressed the side of his face. He smiled in return, his eyes crinkling in surprise. This was the first time anyone had touched him in this body and he'd felt comfortable. He still struggled when Clara hugged him. "Ah! First time seeing me in this incarnation I'm guessing?" She dropped a kiss on his cheek before taking his hand and leading him to the pilot seat.
"Very much so," his eyes raked over her, fingers tracing the skin on the back of her hands still entwined in his, feeling her for the first time with his new hands. The sensations were different, but the reactions they elicited were the same as they ever were. He grinned brightly at her. Then darkened. "River...I..."
"This face," she said in loving tones, reaching up to brush his cheek again "May not garner the same looks of disapproval my association with its predecessor did, which is a blessing, never entirely enjoyed the cougar reputation, but I also know it struggles with too much physical contact. You'll get there though, I know." A naughty smile. "With me at least."
He smiled at her again, oh how he missed her. How she just knew.
"So what brings you here Doctor? Fancied a stroll among the Tentacular Bloomisitor?"
"It's a lovely day for it." He replied, a tentative finger reaching to touch a curl. Oh, they felt as they always did, his hand automatically sliding to the back of her neck so he could kiss her gently on her forehead and she beamed in response.
"See? You're getting the hang of it already!" She pulled him, slid her arm through his and allowed him to guide her down the ramp, stopping only to hold the doors open for her. She squeezed his arm against her face. "Ah, my gentleman Doctor, I always feel like royalty when I'm with you. So proper."
"Is that a bad thing?"
"Sweetie, never. Honestly I enjoy being a grown up with you, gives me a break from all the flailing and unnecessary dashing about."
"Seems somewhat boring."
She laughed. "BORING?! Ha! You're still you, Sweetie, we still get shot at! Don't you worry about that. You and me, we'll never stop running."
He stopped and turned to her, face clasped between his hands. "And I never want to River Song. I never want to."
"Me either Doctor." She accepted a light kiss on her lips and looked up at coughed awkwardly in response."Come on, I want to make it to the blues before moon rise. They're my favourite." She hooked her elbow back through his and followed the path around the fields of scarlet, yellow, cyan and green flowers. Finally they reached the field of blue and stretching out on her stomach among the light blue blooms, she looked up at him. Gingerly he lay down beside her, held her hand and waited.
Soon the cool breeze blew across the fields of colour, the trumpet call for the moon rise, rippled across them awakening of the flowers and their tendrils took on a life of their own. Caressing their skin soothing aches and stiff joints in the universe's natural massage parlour.
As darkness fell, the breeze returned, the tendrils retreated and the Doctor opened his eyes, rolled over and stared at the blanket of stars above him.
"Where are we, River?"
She smiled at him, head resting on her arm. "Sorry, I forgot, it's so much easier for me when you're this far along, I know you know all there is to know. All the important things anyway. I've just done the Bone Meadows. You hinted last time I was still fairly young, but I have been pardoned. I'm thinking of applying for my professorship."
"A fine idea, Doctor Song." He watched her as she smiled brightly at him. "You'd make a splendid professor."
She flushed at his compliment and hid her face. "Oh, Doctor."
"So, I take it you've seen this incarnation more than once?"
She grinned, regaining her composure. "Sweetie! Spoilers!"
He grinned back. It had been a while since he'd heard that word. The older he got the less she needed to use it. "I'll take that as a yes then."
River's laugh rang out over the fields and he delighted in it, knowing he'd see her again after today.
"What brought you here Doctor Song?" At his slight tug of her hand she wiggled closer, rolling over to her side, arm tucked under her head, looking at him.
"Well, I was on a dig and I accidentally offended some Judoon. You know how it is." She smiled indulgently at him and he shook his head in resignation. "Apparently they took umbrage at my penchant for bending laws. Whatever. My tea was going cold and I needed a scone, I didn't have time to cross at the lights."
He chuckled her name and shook his head again in amusement. "Will you never learn?"
"Never." She vowed solemnly making him chuckle again. "Anyway, so they cornered me in the cafe spreading the jam on my scone so I was briefly imprisoned."
He looked at her shocked. "River! Why didn't you just use your manipulator before they caught you?"
"Because Sweetie," she said patiently, "I hadn't finished my scone and tea and the vortex does terrible things to marmalade. You know that." He rolled his eyes. "Anyway, so I was hanging out in the cell, vaguely annoyed as by this time my tea had steeped far too long, when it occurred to me I hate being trapped. So I popped out to the biggest area I knew of that also had remedial massage because I fancied a little pampering. Voila!" She gestured around her. "And just as I appeared so did Sexy. So good day all round."
He reached out and slid a finger down the length of her nose. "You utterly mad woman."
"You love it." Her eyes sparkled in response.
"I do."
She grinned again and let him watch her for long moments, considering her words. Then he frowned slightly. "River, what did you mean you hate being trapped?"
She arched an eyebrow at him in response alerting him to the fact the answer was somewhat obvious but explained anyway. "I spent so long trapped by the Silence, in a space suit, waiting in Leadworth, in Storm Cage." He opened his mouth to speak but she shooshed him. "And I'd do it again, to get you, so don't go all guilt trip on me. But I think that is why I never wanted to stay with you in the TARDIS permanently. Why we never run linear for long. I need freedom. I need to do my own thing, to be in charge of my own life for the first time in it. And you give me that, my love. I love being with you, and in many ways I still live for the days when I see you, but I also have a life of my own. Where I choose where I am and who I am and what I do. And, " she smiled and traced a finger down his face, "who I spend time with. Which will always and forever include you." She leant up and pecked a kiss on his lips.
He looked at her, this magnificent woman who had his hearts, and pulled her closer, wrapping his arms around her. He sighed. "Melody Pond. Mels Zucker. River Song...Mrs Doctor" the last eliciting a huff of laughter from the woman beside him, "Never to be trapped again, eh?" "Never," she agreed, resting her head on his chest. His eyes found the stars once more and he hugged her close.
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As they walked back the next morning, hand in hand, his eyes scoured the fields for the flower he knew would be there, and plucked it triumphantly when it appeared. He presented it to her grandly and she hugged him close in gratitude. As they stood outside the TARDIS doors, he knew better than to ask her inside today, and instead pulled her close, her head on his shoulder, still marvelling at how this body forgot it's awkwardness around her. "My wife, you are splendid."
She pulled back slightly to look at him, "As are you, my love." She kissed him briefly and pulled away completely, smiling and twisting the flower between her fingers. "I'll see you soon Sweetie,"
"Til the next time Doctor Song."
He stood, watching the spot she departed from for a long time after she had vanished, contemplating her words. Trapped. He'd unintentionally trapped her in that library. Oh she wouldn't blame him. She'd know he wouldn't have known yet. Last night's conversation was all in the past for her by the time she got to the library. She'd known going in that he would let her out. That he'd set her free eventually. He found comfort in that. He pushed open the doors of his ship and walked with purpose to the console and began methodically setting coordinates for the library.
It wasn't going to be easy, but he would set his wife free once more.
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Best thing about writing this fic: finding out there is actually a book called "The Bog People:Iron Age Man Preserved" by Peter Vilhelm Glob.