This is the English translation of my German story "Spoiler".
Lots of thanks to my Sithlady ;-) for beta-reading. It's my first translation and I hope you'll enjoy ;-)
xxx
Mel
1. Prologue
„Happy Christmas!"
With a gently smile on his face, the Doctor gave River a present.
„Really? I don't think you've ever given me a present before", River smiled back faintly.
The Doctor shrugged his shoulders bashfully. River opened the present and her eyes were filled with joy.
„Oh, it's a sonic screwdriver! How lovely!"
„When I saw the sonic trowel - well it's just embarassing!", the Doctor splutterd nervously and grabbed the small silver stick. „But look!"
He pressed a button and held the flashing pin under River's nose. Blue sonic spilled over the laughing River and tickled her gently from head to toe.
„Oh, thank you!", she breathed and pressed a kiss on the right and left of the Twelves Doctor's cheek.
They separated embarassed and looked at each other. River, who had first met the Doctor in his twelfth regeneration, and the Doctor who had known his River since birth.
„You look, eh, amazing", the Doctor praised Rivers glamorous appearance on this special Christmas evening.
„Doctor, you have no idea, wether i look amazing or not", River grinned, and following him the festively lighted passage.
„But I've thought you moved your hair above, haven't you?!"
„Well done!", River sparkled and strolled on. „It's very sweet of you to try!"
„Fine", said the Doctor relieved.
He put the package with the sonic screwdriver on the dining table, which he had reserved for himself and River that evening. For a long time he had pushed this visit to Darillium before him, but today it was time.
He was here.
They were both here.
„So what do you think?", with a welcoming gesture he pushed River to the balcony, which offered them a breathtaking view of the sunset.
„The singing towers!", whispered the Doctor and River stepped closer to the balcony.
„The music", she breathed reverently, marveling at the two steeply rising towers, behind which the sun glowed brightly.
„Listen to it", River looked ecstatic at the Doctor and stared. Her face darkened as she saw him blinking with tears in his eyes.
„Are you crying?", she whispered, staring at her Doctor.
„No, it's just the wind!", he smiled and River felt, that the man she loved, belted her.
„Nothing's ever just the wind."
„No?", the Doctor swallowed nervously and quickly turned his gaze away from her. „It blows though the cave system, and harmonises the crystal-layer."
„Why are you sad?", River asked.
„Why are you sad?", the Doctor gave the question back to her.
„I told you, my diary is nearly full", River looked at him urgently. „I worry."
„Please don't", answered the Doctor, placing all confidence in his voice, which he could muster.
River swallowed and stared at the towers that produced a magical melody.
„There are stories about us, you know -"
„Oh, I dread to think", Doctor Who sighed in her word.
„I've looked them up sometimes", River said stiffly.
„You really shouldn't do that."
„Some of them suggest that", River said in a trembling voice, „the very last night, we spend together, is at the singing towers of Darillium. That wouldn't ... be true, would it?"
The Doctor stared into the distance; he could not look at his wife. For a while he said nothing, seemed to consider whether he could find a suitable answer to this question.
„Spoilers."
River gathered and tried to ignore the awful feeling that traversed every fiber of her body. The tears wished to break out, but she quickly began to speak: „That would explain, why you kept cancelling coming here! Do you remember that time, when there were two of you?"
„River, stop. Please, just stop", the Doctor bid sadly, but River was still excited.
„Because I want you to know, that if this is the last night, I expect you to find a way round it!"
„Not everything can be avoided", the Doctor said gravely, and looked into her eyes with broken hearts. „Not forever."
„But you are you", she defiantly pressed her lips together. „There is always a loop-hole. You wait until the last minute and then you sprick it on me.."
„Every last night is the last night for something, every Christmas is last Christmas, River!"
„But you will", Helplessness swung in her voice. „You wait until I'll given up hope, all will be lost. Then you'll do that smut little smile and then you'll save the day - you always do!"
„No, I don't. Not always", the Doctor sighed and Rivers face lost the last spark of hope. „Times end, River, because they have to. Because there's no such thing as ‚Happy-ever-after'. It's just a lie we tell us selfs, because the truth is so hard."
„No, Doctor", she replied stiffly, and continued full of bitterness: „You're wrong. ‚Happy-ever-after' doesn't mean forever. It just means ... time ... little time ...But that's not the sort of thing you could ever understand, is it?"
„Hm", with a smile, the Doctor reproached and nodded to the monumental rock elevations. „What do you think of the towers?"
„I love them", Rivers voice scraped at these words and she did not let her gaze drop from her husband.
„Why are you ignoring them?", the Doctor looked at her and promptly received Rivers snippy reply.
„They're ignoring me. But then... you can't expected monoliths to love you back."
„No, you can't", the Doctor seemed to be amused by her answer. „They've been here for millions of years, through storms, floods, wars and ... time. No one do really understands where the music comes from. It's probably something to do with it's precise position, the distance between both towers. Even the locals are unsure. What ever I want to tell you is.. when the wind stands fair, and the night is perfect...when you least expect it... but always... and you need it the most... there is a song."
River swallowed and let this love affair work. The helpless feeling that kept her being captured dissolved with love, and a timid smile played around her mouth.
„So", she was looking for words, „assuming tonight is all we have left -"
„-I didn't say that!", he interjected.
„How long is a night on Darillium?"
The Doctor's expression took a mischievous smile.
„Twentyfour years", he smiled finally lovingly and River gasped in surprise. She shook her straightened curls without a word, sobbed with relief, and looked at her husband with love.
„I hate you!"
„No, you don't", the Doctor whispered, bending his head down to her. River clung to him and gave free rein to the over-the-top feeling.
And they lived happily-ever-after...
...and they lived happy...
...until:
„Merry Christmas, sweeties!"
River Song and the Doctor were startled by the cradle. The baby was sleeping peacefully and snoring softly, just like babies can do. Five years had passed, but the night on Darillium would continue for a long time.
„You have become parents, but it has also been slow time!", with jagged steps and flickering heels, Missy stalked at the two. She glanced at the little something in the cradle, but the Doctor pushed himself between Missy and his baby.
„What do you want here?", he hissed furiously and clenched his hands in fists.
„Oh, please, Doctor", Missy rolled her eyes. „Give my family a Christmas visit! Is this so unusual?"
„In your case, yes!", the Doctor said furiously, and River laid his hand gently on his shoulder.
„You do not belong to my family", the Doctor rumbled, and Missy's eyes shone with madness.
„Surprise!", she laughed and threw confetti into the air, which she took from the robe pocket.
River frowned and clawed in Doctor's arm.
"Get out of here", she snapped, looking into Missy's fixed smile.
"Not, dear", Missy smiled smugly. "I am always there ... in every fiber of your being ..."
"How can you do that?" River hissed, reaping a chuckle.
"Oh, I have the perfect Christmas present for you!" Missy rubbed the gnarled hands.
"We do not take it!", the Doctor took a step toward Missy, which caused her to play with the collar of his jacket.
„Oh, say something nice, Doctor", Missy's smile was unbroken and her eyes were always on River Song. "I hope he's kind to you, my sweetie!"
„I am not your sweetie!"
„You're more than that", Missy took a step back as if she were suddenly frightened by a realization. She looked back and forth between River and the Doctor, obviously struggling for words.
"Am I that?", River etched, wiping the wild curls from her face.
"Oh yes", Missy's grin spread from one ear to the other. "You are my triumph."
The Doctor's eyes were lost in splendor, and he looked into the dark aftermath of Darillium, with billions of stars glittering.
From one moment to the next, Missy collapsed. As if she had come to a sad realization. She began to sob and tears ran down her cheeks unstoppably.
"You are my triumph! About the man who loves you and never loved me", Missy clawed herself in her dress, and in the next moment she embraced her trembling body. "I wanted to humiliate him and defeat him, but in the end I became myself."
"She's mad", River whispered to the Doctor's ear. "Let her stay away from Luna Novabel!"
"Is that her name?", Missy looked over at the cradle. Her face took on almost gentle features, and the Doctor and River exchanged confused looks.
"What do you want, Missy?", the Doctor asked urgently, taking River in a protective way.
"Tell a Christmas story", Missy glanced at the singing towers, whose song filled the air. "A story about love. About a project that ended in a disaster. About my beat, my rhythm ..."
Missy glanced at River.
"... about my song ... about my Melody."
"What do you mean?", River asked, frightened.
Missy smiled diabolically and winked at her.
„Spoilers!"
Next Chapter is in progress... hold on for a very very long story, full of adventure, romance, little Master-smut and a mind-blowing ending ;-)