River Song was standing at the TARDIS console lost in thought; her hands running absentmindedly over the controls. She gazed off into space, her thoughts drifting back to an earlier time.
"Found it!" The Doctor yelled triumphantly, running into the control room, holding a tattered, time-worn journal that he had "accidentally" misplaced in the TARDIS Library.
"Alrighty then, River. Where…" His words trailed off once he saw his wife, near-tears at the console.
"…are we. River? What's wrong?"
She snapped out of her current state, irritably rubbing at the tears that had gathered in her eyes.
"N-Nothing, Sweetie."
"River…" He grabbed her by the hands, gently compelling her to look him in the face.
"Please tell me."
She shook her head slowly, her curls swinging. But at the same time; she gave in.
"Doctor, you and I are moving at opposite ends of the Time Stream. Does that ever occur to you?"
He gave her a puzzled look.
"Yes River, I know that. I met you before you even knew me, and you met me before I ever knew you-"
"-So why are we here, then?" She sighed, almost wishing she hadn't said anything in the first place and instead just flashed out with her Vortex manipulator. But it was too late for that now.
She fumbled, trying to make sense of what she'd just said.
"I mean…I-I mean…I just don't want it to end." She finally said, her voice cracking.
The Doctor looked at her.
"Don't want what to end?"
River shot him a look. For a 900-something year old Time Lord, he could be wonderfully clueless sometimes…
"Us, Doctor! One day, I'll wake up and…and you won't have the faintest clue who I am." She said, her blue-grey eyes sparkling with unshed tears. She took a shaky breath, her heart pounding.
She thought about this every day, every time she was with him. For a minute she might forget, but whatever joy that had made her forget would only be replaced by the nagging, aching reminder of what was to come. She couldn't let herself fall in love with him, she kept telling herself that. But somewhere along the way she forgot…
The Doctor sighed, taking her hands and looking down at her.
"But that's not now, River. Now's now. And right now I still remember you."
"But will you remember the next time I see you? That's the thing Doctor, I-I'll never know if this is it!" She sniffed, fighting back an onslaught of fresh tears.
He took her hands again, pulling her into an embrace.
"River, I can't tell you the exact day our timelines will stop crossing. But I can tell you this," He looked her in the eyes, his dark brown eyes reassuring her blue-grey ones.
"Tomorrow, yesterday, they're gone. I know, we can sometimes go back to them but…that's not the point."
He pressed his forehead against hers, closing his eyes.
"The point is, River, that none of those days matter. Sometimes, when you have the whole of Time and Space at your hands you can forget to just live one day at a time. Your future, my future, it doesn't matter. We have to treasure each day like it was our last, and when we wake up tomorrow, we'll find out."
She looked up at him doubtfully, feeling a pang of resentment for her parents. They got to live their entire lives together, never having to worry if the other was to be out of their reach the next day. But, she had to remind herself, that even they'd had their share of trials and tribulations. Those were only a part of life.
"Doctor, I love you." She held her breath and waited, knowing that she wouldn't get a reply. He loved her though, she knew it; even if he'd never say it to her.
The Doctor looked at her, determined to finally say it. He'd never gotten a chance to say it to Rose, or Donna, or Amy…He had to say it.
"River, you are the most brilliant, clever, wonderful woman I have ever met…"
You're stalling…say it, already!
"…And…I…I love you, too."
River's eyes widened in surprise and she broke into a smile.
"Oh, come here you." She laughed through her tears, pulling him into a kiss.
When they pulled apart, the Doctor grinned.
"I should say that more often."
"Oh, shut up."
"Make me."