River and Romana Don't Get Along
"Alright, River, where and when do you want to go?" Asked the Doctor. It was he and River's 5th wedding anniversary. Or was it their 10th? Time travel, you could never keep it straight.
The Doctor had picked River up from Stormcage Prison, again. (They really needed to upgrade their security system). River had insisted that her guards wouldn't miss her. "They're getting so used to me breaking out and then in again," she had said, "that they really don't bother with giving me guards. Occasionally they'll give me one or two, just so I can amuse myself." Here she had grinned mischievously, and changed the subject, so the Doctor hadn't known what, exactly, she had done with them.
He hated it when she did that. River always kept secrets from him, when he told her all about himself. The Doctor understood about the "spoilers" that she couldn't tell him. In fact, he was rather grateful that she didn't tell him those things. If she had told him, he would've felt trapped, because he'd know that someday, he would have to do those things. But it would've been nice to know what River did sometimes.
"Oh, I don't know," said River in answer to the Doctor's question. "I heard of a planet called Midnight. It's supposed to be made of diamonds! Of course, its sunlight will vaporize you in about six seconds, but they've build a leisure palace there, so we should have some protection."
At the mention of "Midnight', the Doctor had grown still. "I take it I haven't told you that story yet," he said after a few seconds of silence.
"Oh," said River a little disappointed. "So you've already been there?"
"Yes," answered the Doctor, "with Donna Noble."
"I'm sorry," said River, laying a hand on his shoulder. Now she understood, and was no longer disappointed.
The Doctor lowered his head for a moment, thinking of his former companion, and then said quickly, "But, never mind about that! Let's see, I know a beautiful little beach where we can go and relax. It's usually empty, so we'll have the whole place to ourselves!"
He flicked a switch, and suddenly there was a blinding flash, and the TARDIS started shaking. "Let me guess," said River, holding on tightly, "this isn't supposed to be happening." The Doctor grinned at her.
Suddenly, there was a jolt, and the TARDIS became still. "I think we've landed," said the Doctor. He took River by the hand, and ran to the door. He opened it and stepped outside. They had landed on a windy beach, littered here and there with tents and chairs.
"Ah," said the Doctor, letting go of River's hand, and spreading his arms wide. "It looks like I've landed in the right place!" River looked around, still skeptical, and stopped in her tracks. The Doctor was still smiling happily and breathing in big breaths of fresh sea air.
"Doctor," said River. "Doctor, look at this." The Doctor stopped swinging his arms, and turned to look at what River was pointing at.
Right next to where he had parked the TARDIS, sat another Police Box. "It can't be!" Exclaimed the Doctor, eyes wide.
"What?" Asked River. The Doctor opened his mouth to reply, when he heard someone scream, "K-9!"
The Doctor smiled at River, and said, "We can get back in the TARDIS right now, take off, and save the universe from exploding, or we can have an adventure. Which one do you want?" River grinned back at him, and said, "Which do you think I want?" The Doctor took her hand again, and together they ran off down the beach to where the scream had come from.
When they arrived at the scene, a young woman was carrying a metal dog out of the water, and a man sitting in a chair close by was saying, "Don't worry, Romana, he'll be fine."
The man had long legs, wore a large floppy fedora, and a ridiculously long, multi-colored scarf. River stared at him. She was sure she knew that scarf! She had seen it so many times in the TARDIS' wardrobe. A thought crossed her mind, but she quickly pushed it aside. That idea was much too dangerous, and the Doctor knew better.
The Doctor, seeing the girl struggle with the robot dog, rushed into the water to aid her. "Don't worry," he said kindly, taking the dog from her, "I've got him." He set the robot on the ground, and River got her first good look at it.
It had a metal box-ish shape for its body, and another metal box for its head. There was a red light strip for its eyes, and "K-9" was written on one side of his back. He had no legs, but must have traveled around on wheels.
Now that River had a good look at him, she recognized the metal dog, apparently named K-9. The Doctor had told her stories of his earlier adventures with the robot. Those adventures had been with his past regenerations. Things started to click into place in River's mind; the Doctor saying, "It can't be", the familiar scarf, and K-9, could mean only one thing...
The girl in the water said, "Oh... Thanks," in an uncertain tone. The Doctor smiled at her. The Doctor's grin was so friendly, that she smiled back.
She had golden hair, bright, intelligent eyes, and slightly protruding teeth. "I'm Romana," she gestured to the dog on the beach, "this is K-9," then she pointed to the man sitting in the chair, "and that's the Doctor."
"Hello!" said the man, standing and offering his hand to the Doctor. He was tall, had curly hair that was slightly less curly than River's, and he had a terrible sense of style. "Really Doctor?" Thought River. "Argyle socks with knee length shorts?"
Her Doctor looked at the hand of the other Doctor and said, "I wouldn't shake my hand, if I were you."
The other Doctor looked at River's Doctor and said, with eyes bulging, "Why not?" He didn't sound angry or offended, just interested.
River's Doctor ignored the question, and instead turned his attention to K-9. "Don't worry about him, he'll be fine. He just looks a little waterlogged. I'd just empty him out, soak up the water from around his main wire plug-ins, hook him up to a power source, and he's good to go! Course, he'll smoke a bit, but that's just the excess water vaporizing because of the heat he'll be generating, but he'll be fine."
The other Doctor looked at him with his staring blue eyes, and said, "You talk as if you understand advanced technology, Mister..."
"Doctor," said River's Doctor, smiling. "And yes, I do understand advanced technology."
"Doctor?" Said the other Doctor, forehead wrinkled. "Doctor who?" He looked down the beach, the way River and her Doctor had come, and he saw the TARDIS, (or rather, the two TARDISes). Then he smiled in understanding. "Romana," he said to the girl, "I'd like you to meet..." He paused for affect, "Me!" He jutted his hands and arms out toward River's Doctor, as if presenting him to an audience.
He waited for Romana to look impressed or confused, but instead she said, "Yes, of course Doctor. I started piecing it together, ever since he proved he understood K-9's workings. Very few people know about those kind of things. Then there was the fact that he was so friendly to me, and I felt I could trust him. I also looked down the beach and saw the two Police Boxes. There were several explanations, but this one made the most sense. This man is a future Doctor. "
"Ah," said the other Doctor, ignoring Romana. "So that's why you wouldn't shake my hand. There could be an explosion, who knows how big!"
River's Doctor smiled, and said, "Exactly!"
River, not wanting to be left out of the conversation, said, "Actually, an explosion is only a possible outcome. There is more than one outcome of course, like the Time Vortex could sort itself out, a parallel universe could be created, or, I don't know, the universe could cease to exist?"
Her Doctor, who had been caught up in the moment, seemed to shake himself back to the present. "Oh yes! Doctor, Romana, this is-"
"I can introduce myself, thank you," said River in the Doctor's ear. Her Doctor looked crestfallen as she strode up to Romana and offered the girl her hand. "Professor River Song," said River, a little icily. Romana was giving her a look that said she wasn't impressed. "Yes, you're Romana," added River as the younger woman opened her mouth to introduce herself, "That's an unusual name."
"Actually, it's short for Romanadvoratrelundar," said Romana, feeling slightly triumphant. She didn't like the way this woman had treated the Doctor, even if it was a future Doctor, and Professor Song seemed a little too proud for Romana's liking. It felt good to have something impressive, when the other woman didn't.
"Ah," said River, "a Time Lady."
"How did you know that?" Asked Romana, a little shaken.
"Well," said River, a bit too pridefully, "A long name usually symbolizes that the owner of that name is alien. You understand how K-9 works, you figured out that he," she pointed at her Doctor, "was a future Doctor. Plus, my Doctor has told me a little about you."
"Really?" said Romana, trying to smile and not glare icily at her. She couldn't stand smugness, (except if it was either her or the Doctor being smug).
"I see you two are getting along just fine!" Said Romana's Doctor brightly.
"Yes, I knew they would!" Agreed River's Doctor. River and Romana rolled their eyes.
"Well, it's been lovely meeting you," said Romana's Doctor, "but we should really start sorting this out. We don't want the universe to cease to exist!" He grinned at River, and she smiled back.
"Hang on," she said, suddenly frowning. "What's there to sort out? All we really need to do is take off, and everything should be right as rain."
"No, it's not that easy," said her Doctor. "You see, I have met past regenerations before, but usually, there were other Time Lords around to organize the situation. Since there are no Time Lords to help this time, things are a bit more complicated. I've met my fifth regeneration when I was in my Tenth, but our TARDISes had merged, therefore making it somewhat easier for us to pull away from each other. This is a different problem, for, as you can see, our TARDISes have not merged, I have simply crossed my own time-stream."
"Really? You've met a future me, er, a past you?" Asked the other Doctor.
"Oh," said River's Doctor, "that's right, it hasn't happened for you, yet. Anyway, I can't just dematerialize out of here, because, well, I don't remember this happening. This beach, Romana, K-9, and me, these are all fixed points. Fixed points by themselves. Alone. No one is to come here who isn't supposed to come here."
"So, what are we going to do about it?" Asked Romana.
"You and Miss Song," ("That's Mrs," thought River,) "will head back to my TARDIS," said the other Doctor. "Me and Myself need to work in future me's TARDIS so we can figure this out."
"What? You just want us to sit around and wait?" Asked River, and when her Doctor nodded, she exclaimed, "But I can help you, you know I can! Besides," she added, smiling mischievously, "you're not good enough. Without me, you'll be lost!" She didn't notice the downcast look come over his face.
"Thanks for the vote of confidence," he thought. To River, he said, "Please, I'm asking you to wait in the TARDIS."
`"No," said River, crossing her arms. "River, listen to me," pleaded her Doctor, "I'm asking you to go for your own safety. With two Doctors in the same TARDIS, there could be a major explosion. I don't want you to get killed. Please."
"Oh alright," said River, still a little disappointed, but more touched that her Doctor wanted to keep her safe.
"Now Romana," said the other Doctor, putting his arm around her shoulders, "I want you to stay in the TARDIS, and don't come out for any reason."
"But-" Romana started to say, but her Doctor cut her off.
"No 'but's, Romana. I mean it! If anything happens to either of us, er, either of me, time could start to collapse. If it does, I'll need you to operate the TARDIS, and go get help from the Time Lords."
"Is the situation that bad?" Asked Romana. Her Doctor looked at her gravely, and nodded.
Romana took a deep breath, and said, "Right. Well, come on Professor Song. Let's get to the TARDIS." River wanted to object, to say that she wouldn't be bossed around, but she saw the look on her Doctor's face, and decided not to argue.
When they reached Romana's Doctor's TARDIS, River strode strait up, and tried to push open the doors, but they wouldn't budge. She realized that this TARDIS didn't know her yet, and wouldn't let her in. Embarrassed, she stepped back, and let Romana open the doors.
With an air of satisfaction, Romana opened the doors and stepped into the TARDIS. River followed, and for the first time, saw the interior of a different TARDIS, (but the same, if you know what I mean.)
It was white and clean, with circular panels on the walls, through which light glowed faintly. The console was neater, less crowded, and there were no wires getting tangled around the central column. The column, too, was different. It was not connected to the ceiling, (which was lower than the other TARDIS') and appeared to be able to move up and down, instead of just its insides.
River smiled at the sight of the console, and, as if smiling back, the TARDIS made the familiar groaning, windy sound.
"Welcome to the TARDIS," said Romana, not sounding very welcoming. River smiled icily at her, and walked up to the console.
It was very different than the TARDIS River knew, and not just looks wise. The controls were less complicated, but were too different for River to understand how to work them. Knowing that there wasn't much she could do, she sat down on a chair that had been placed next to the console. Romana, wanting to do something other than wait, decided to operate the scanner, to keep an eye on the other TARDIS. She flipped a switch, and a screen cover on the wall slid upwards, revealing a nice view of the other Police Box, and the beach surrounding it.
River sighed as she stared at the screen. "I hope the Doctors are safe in there, and they don't end the universe, or anything."
Romana eyed her, not sure what to make of this woman. "So," she said, "You seem to be pretty worried about the Doctor. And you seem to be a little more than another companion."
"Actually, I'm his wife," said River. "This was supposed to be our 10th wedding anniversary. Or is it our 5th?" She tried to remember, and then gave up. Giving another sigh, she said, "I wish he would've let me help. I want to keep him safe. He'll get himself into all sorts of trouble without me."
"Show a little faith!' Exclaimed Romana. Then she asked quietly, "Do you love him? I mean really love him?"
"Yes!" Said River. "Then why don't you show him that?" Said Romana fiercely. River looked taken aback, so Romana clarified. "You don't exactly support him, or have any faith in him. Didn't you notice his face when you didn't let him introduce you, or when you argued with him? He wouldn't have looked like that if it had been the first time. It's obvious that, knowingly or not, you've hurt him before."
"Are you sure?" Asked River, not convinced.
"Think of all the times the Doctor has been silent after you've said something," said Romana. River did, and tried to picture his face at those times, too. Romana was right, the Doctor had looked a little crestfallen.
"Well," said River, edgily. "What do you suggest I do about it?" Romana looked surprised that River was asking her for advice. Thinking carefully, she said, "Be there for him. Stand behind his decisions. Be... wife-y?" She finished, not sure how to describe it. River smiled and chuckled, and Romana laughed lightly.
"Alright," said River,. "I'll try to be wife-y." Just then, the TARDIS doors opened, and the Doctors walked in, smiling.
"So?" Said Romana, "Did you figure out what to do?"
"Indeed we did," said her Doctor.
"We decided to rewind time!" Said River's Doctor.
"'Rewind time'?" Asked Romana and River,simultaneously.
"Yes," said the Doctor with the scarf. "You see, future me's TARDIS has a switch, it's such a brilliant invention..."
"...That enables me to rewind time to the moment I want," finished the other Doctor. "That means I will back up out of my own time stream, meaning I will never have been here, meaning that I will not have damaged this fixed point."
"But that means," said River, "they won't remember us."
"I'm afraid not," said Romana's Doctor. "But we don't want to mess with fixed points."
"Well, we'd better be off," said River's Doctor. "River, let's say our goodbyes. So long," he said to his past self.
"It was a pleasure meeting you!" Said the Doctor in the scarf.
"Oh, and by the way," said the Doctor in the bow tie, "In your future, my past, you will unravel that scarf. Please be sure to have it knitted again."
"But I won't remember to have it knitted again," pointed out the scarf Doctor. "It'll sink into your subconscious," assured the bow tie Doctor. "Goodbye," he said, turning to Romana.
"Goodbye," she said, smiling and shaking his hand.
"So long, Professor Song," said the other Doctor, smiling.
"Goodbye," said River.
Then she turned to Romana, and said, "Goodbye, Romana. Thank you for- everything."
Romana smiled, and said, "Farewell, and I'm glad I could help."
"Help?" Asked the bow tie Doctor. "Help with what?"
"Nothing," said the girls together. Both Doctors frowned quizzically, then the bow tie Doctor said, "Well, it's time to go."
"So River," said the Doctor. "Where do you want to go?" They were back in their own TARDIS, and the Doctor was rewinding time with a rusty looking crank. Outside the open TARDIS doors, they could just hear, "Don't worry, Romana, he'll be fine...", before the doors closed, and they went into the Vortex.
"Oh, I don't know," said River, in answer to the Doctor's question. "Where ever you want." She took his hand, and smiled.
"O-okay," said the Doctor, not knowing what to make of this. "I was thinking of Paris, maybe."
"Sounds great!" Said River. She changed into a long, deep red dress,that went perfectly with her outrageously curly blond hair. In the wardrobe, she decided to try being "wife-y".
When they had landed, the Doctor took her hand, and together, they stepped out of the TARDIS, and into the city of love.
Fin