After such a long time of writing nothing fanfiction related... This happened. Set directly after "Journey's End". I'd like to think 10 met River one other time.
When he leaves Wilfred, he runs.
He runs across stars, galaxies, and moons. As soon as the TARDIS lands, he's off again, running from the truth. In some places he stays for seconds. Others, weeks. Distractions were never easy for him.
When he runs, he feels complete. He can almost feel her beside him, that flash of red hair, the sheer normality that came with her presence. She was his conscience, the voice of common sense through the rush of stupid ideas. He always did have a lot of stupid ideas.
Soon, the TARDIS has had enough and lands firmly on the doorstep of a ghost. She refuses to take off. Instead, he is forced outside to find a small house in the middle of nowhere with too green grass and too few trees.
A rock pathway leads him to the door. He doesn't knock, only turns the handle and pushes.
She is sitting comfortably in a wooden rocking chair, golden hair reflecting the light from the nearby window. He startled her; her eyes are wide, face flushed, staring at him like she can't quite believe that he's here.
He peers at her through the layers of dirt and grime on his face.
She peers back, setting her book on the table in front of her.
He licks his lips and croaks, "Donna's gone."
She stands and rushes to his side, catching him as he collapses on the ground. He hasn't slept in a very long time.
She cradles him and runs her hand through his filthy hair as he cries. She rocks him back and forth, singing the Gallifreyan lullabies he taught her so long ago and so far ahead.
He makes her promise to never speak of this ever again. She agrees, on the condition that he stays with her, just this one time, so that she can help him in the many ways that he once helped her. "Stay," she begs.
So he stays.