Saving River Song
Chapter 1
Saying Goodbye
"Doctor?" River asked suspiciously.
"Yes, River" the Doctor answered, aware of her eyes on him.
"You pick me up, knowing I've been pardoned, and you won't tell me where we are going...What are you not telling me?" She inquired.
The Doctor stopped fiddling with the controls of the TARDIS and turned to look at her, trying to not to let her see the despair on his face.
"River, you're my wife, you're out of prison, I was thinking we celebrate. Just you and me." he told her. The Doctor pulled River in his arms, and pressed his lips on her forehead.
"You're hiding something, sweetie."
She caressed the Doctor's face."but you don't have to tell me...Unless you're having an affair. Are you having an affair?"
He took her hand, kissed it, and chuckled." River, you are the only woman for me."
"Good. Can you please tell me where we're going?"
"Darillium. To see the singing towers." He whispered into her hand.
" Have I told you I like your hair?" She said, laughing, trying to lighten the mood."and your suit?" His hair was the same, but a little shorter, and his suit was a sky blue jacket with a white button shirt and black pants, his bow-tie a deep purple.
The Doctor pulled away and did a spin. "You like it! The suit I picked up in the 42nd century from president of the Samooratons . " he said clapping his hands together." Had good sense of style in the bow-tie department. And the hair, well, I thought- hey, my hair could use a trim before I pick up the Mrs." He smiled at her and went back to flying the TARDIS.
A few seconds later, they landed in an open field.
The doctor took River by the hand and led her to the open door. What she saw through the open door, made her gasp.
She had never seen anything like it.
The sky was a rainbow. Reds blended down into oranges, oranges to yellows, and every color blended together down into a deep blue that melted into the long golden grass that swayed in the breeze. Thirteen grey, blocks stood in a row. River was instantly drawn to them, reaching her hand out and running it along the fifteen feet, stone towers.
"They have tiny holes in them. That's so strange." She said to herself. She felt the Doctor behind her.
"The winds blow through them and create sound. As if the towers were singing." He said putting his hand on the small of her back.
Suddenly the winds began to blow and beautiful sounds began to play from the towers. Different notes swirled together to create melodious songs.
"It's like they rehearse." she said, smiling up at him.
"They never play the same song twice." He said. The doctor took her hand again, pulling her towards the blanket he had spread out. They laid there together, talking and laughing. When she smiled, he felt a pain in his hearts. He tried to push away the pain and enjoy this time with her.
"Why are crying, my love?" She asked,concerned
The Doctor shrugged not having realized that he was crying
" The voices of the Towers. So beautiful." He told her as he stroked her cheek.
River knew he was lying, though she didn't press him further.
After a while longer, they packed up and headed slowly to the TARDIS, hand in hand, the Doctor relishing the last moments with his wife and dreading the pain of saying goodbye.
"Sweetie?" She asked, once they were back in the TARDIS.
"Yes, my dear, Sweet River?"
"I need you to take me to the Lux Corporation in the 51st century. I've... been asked to lead an expedition into the library."
He paused for a moment.
"Yeah... Of course... Anything you want." He answered pulling a lever and pushing a button. The Doctor avoided looking at her, but he could feel River's eyes on his face, trying to figure out why he had become quiet all of a sudden, withdrawn. The TARDIS landed in a flowerbed outside an all glass, one story building. River opened the door to leave.
"River!" The Doctor called chasing her to the TARDIS door. "I want you to take this." He said pulling out his sonic screwdriver. He had modified to save her, like a flash-drive, so she could be downloaded by his younger regeneration into the library computer. He handed it to her. "Please...Be careful."
"Always am." She said.
If he gave anything away about what her future held, he didn't care at the moment. He grabbed her by the hand as she turned away and pulled her into him. He bent down and kissed her. He didn't want to let her go. He wanted to tell her that if she went, she would die. He wanted to keep her safe, keep her here with him in the TARDIS with him. Have adventures together. Love, laugh. Live together for the rest of time. But he knew better. She had to go to save him. So he could know her. Something River and he had said when he first met her popped into his head.
'Time can be rewritten' he had yelled.
'Not those times. Not one line. Don't you dare.' she had said back to him.
He pulled away, trying not to cry
"What was that for?" She asked bewildered.
"For luck."
" I promise. I'll be alright, sweetie. And when I get back, I'm all your's." River told him with a smile. She turned to go, and closed the door behind her.
The Doctor slowly walked back to the console. He leaned on it. Trying to steady himself.
" she's gone. Only a little left and then she's gone. Forever. Oh, what do I do." He started crying. Shaking as waves of pain hit him. he stopped long enough to set the coordinates for Clara's. He needed a friend. Some one to tell him everything was going to be okay.
The TARDIS landed in the middle of Clara's small bedroom.
"There you are, Doctor. Thought you had forgotten all about me." She said coming through the door. She started walking towards the Doctor, who had his back to her." Where are we- Doctor? Doctor, what's wrong?" She asked as the Doctor turned, his eyes red and cheeks damp from crying. She wrapped her arms around him, and they sank to the floor.
"She's gone. It was the last time I'll ever see her." He sobbed into her black jacket.