Dating across time and space was never an easy task. With each meeting it became increasing clear that the more River got to know the Doctor, the less he seemed to know her. They were traveling in opposite directions and eventually a day would come when she looked into her sweetie's eyes and he wouldn't have any idea who she was. The thought was almost too much to bear.
River found solace in the fact that she could still have adventures with his other selves in the meantime. One and Seven had been fun, but River still had many more Doctors to meet and UNIT files were helpful in that regard. Of course, it was also handy that the time traveller in question happened to be on staff.
At the end of his second incarnation, the Doctor had been found guilty of violating the Time Lords' policy of non-interference. As punishment for his crime, he was banished to the Earth and was stranded there during the 1970s. Or perhaps it was the 1980s. Pinpointing the exact date of events during that period of his life was quite controversial at times.
At any rate, it was while he was in exile that the Doctor was recruited by Brigadier Alistair Gordon Lethbridge-Stewart to serve as UNIT's scientific advisor, remaining in their service even after his exile had ended.
In addition to his exile, the Doctor was also cut off from his TARDIS, with all knowledge of how to operate the machine being blocked and the dematerialisation codes changed. And if either of those things weren't punishment enough, the Time Lord tribunal forced the Doctor's regeneration into his third incarnation.
Not that River minded. Three was by far one of her favourite versions of the Doctor. Sometimes River wondered how many people knew that her love went through a James Bond phase. She thought Bond, but his clothes look more like Austin Powers. Or rather a dandy. The Dandy Doctor. She'd call him that when he wasn't around.
Still, she liked what she saw when she looked at him. He cut a rather dashing figure. Tall and debonair, all velvet and frills. And that hair! He had hair like a lion that she wouldn't mind getting lost in.
Three was a great conversationalist as well. They always had plenty to talk about. He was also an amazing gourmand and this version, unlike her sweetie, still enjoyed wine. It was a welcomed change and it also lent a hand in slipping him one of those handy retcon pills she had nicked from Torchwood.
When River found him, Three was between companions. Josephine Grant had only just departed his company to explore the Amazon with her soon to be husband Cliff Jones. The Doctor respected her choice, but he was understandable sad. He never was a fan of goodbyes.
Unbeknownst to him, however, in just a short amount of time, the Brigadier would implore him to investigate the disappearance of several missing scientists and put him on the path that would lead to him meeting Sarah Jane Smith, one of his oldest and closest friends and one of only a handful of people to meet multiple versions of the Doctor.
"It's rather curious," River commented as they shared a bottle of 1945 Mouton-Rothschild. She was currently posing a member of UNIT and potential new assistant, in order to engage her sweetie in conversation. She enjoyed being able to openly discuss who and what he was with one of his younger selves for once.
"Hmm?" Three refilled his glass and moved to top hers off as well. She waved off the offer and nursed her wine slowly. It would take a lot more than just a few glasses to inebriate either of them, but she needed to make sure there was enough wine left for when she needed to erase his memories of their meeting.
"The Brigadier says that part of your agreement to accept the post of scientific advisor was the contingent upon being allowed access to UNIT facilities to repair your TARDIS."
"It was," Three confirmed with a nod. Crossing one leg over the other, he sat across from her at a small table in the TARDIS drawing room where they had retired following a light dinner.
"And yet here you are with a fully functioning TARDIS, but you still remain on with UNIT."
"Yes, well I could hardly expect the Brigadier to carry on without me with his shoot first ask questions later approach to diplomacy, now could I?"
"Oh, he's not so bad," River retorted with a wide grin. "I'd even go as far as saying that he may very well be your best mate."
"Ridiculous."
The statement was true, but of course the Doctor wouldn't admit to that. At least not at this stage. River knew for a fact that Sir Alastair's funeral was attended by all the Doctor's incarnations.
"We all have someone important to us," River insisted.
"And you also well, Dr Song?" Three questioned. "Do you have someone important to you?"
River's smile nearly reached her ears at the question. "As a matter of fact I do."
"Anyone I know?"
"Oh, you know him better than anyone."
"Does he have a name?" Three pressed.
"Spoilers!" River sang back before taking a long sip from her glass.
"What an infuriating word," Three said with quiet indignation.
"I reckon it will grow on you in time," River replied.
"You certainly fascinate me, Dr Song, but I'm not sure if I have the patience to endure your riddles long-term."
"You'd be surprised how convincing I can be, sweetie."
"Spoken like some with experience driving people straight to disaster," Three quipped.
River smirked. "Takes one to know one, dear."
Three regarded her with newfound interest. "I'm not sure if you speak this way in order to confuse me or irritate me," he said. "But I do know there is a lot more to you than meets the eye and I'm tempted to get to the bottom of this mystery."
"You're quite tenacious, so I'm sure that you will in all due time," River replied as she reached for the wine. She filled her own glass before standing up and furtively slipping the retcon pill into the bottle. "In the meantime, let's just enjoy the wine…" she suggested as she topped off his glass. "And we'll toast to new discoveries both professionally and interpersonally."
Once his glass was full, she swapped the bottle for her own glass. Three still eyed River suspiciously, but he clinked glasses with her and resumed drinking. By the time the bottle was finished, so was Three and River quickly took her leave.
She'd visit him off and on a few more times before his first meeting with Sarah Jane. Deception was a lot easier without an investigative reporter on the scene and, as it were, Sarah Jane was a bit harder to trick. The same couldn't be said for Sir Alistair, whom River had incapacitated more than once with retcon laced brandy.