I've been sitting on this fic since I've seen TwoRS. Then I was cleaning out my folders and ran across it again. I had just watched all of Moll Flanders, so I was in a very Alex Kingston mood. So there you go. The title is a quote from A River Runs Though It.
You can love without fully understanding
"You"
The Doctor never understood why River chose to love him. Or even, why she chose to be near him. Eventually, he asked her, only to receive nothing but a simple "Because you're you." For a long time, he wasn't satisfied with that answer – what was so special about him? He was sure that the only reason his Companions were so enthralled to him was because he could offer them all of Time and space. But she's already been there and done that. What else was there to him? Maybe she's come to her senses, sooner or later, and realize the same thing.
"Can"
Can? What did it mean? Was it a choice, an action? Certainly not a necessity. There was something uncertain about it. A possibility, then? A maybe. River liked maybes – they were unsure, an element of surprise in life. Maybes were always subject to change. They took away the order and rules.
Yes, River loved maybes.
"Love"
Love? River was even less sure what that was. Was it a whirlwind of epic love-at-first-sights and extravagant proposals, the way books and movies portrayed it? She wasn't so sure she could fit in with that world. But...What she and the Doctor had was different. On the outside at least. When had they ever been conventional about their relationship? Yet it was still no less strong – they were no less strong – because of it.
What did that mean?
"Without"
The Doctor had said, once, that one of the first things he noticed about River was her obvious lack of fear. It had been strange at first, but then again, it was rather nice. He'd found it quite refreshing – no screaming, gawking or avoidance of any kind. Nor did she fawn over him like a love-sick foal. River was different. This, whatever this was, was easy, like breathing. Underneath all the flirting – and there was a lot of flirting – there was just quiet smiles, hand holding and small footprints through Time.
"Fully"
Glass half empty, glass half full. The Doctor viewed it as...well, neither. Or at least he used to. It had been simply there. It wasn't half empty or half full, it was only a glass with something in it. That "something" being what his life had become. But when River came into his life, it was as if she took a fresh pitcher of water and it refilled it. Albeit not completely full, but at the very least, it was enough to quench his thirst.
"Understanding"
They understood now.
The answers had come, at last.
Only to find that...
They had always known.
~fin~
I love the Doctor/River, no matter what face he has, though 11/River is my favorite. I will ship them till I die (though I unashamedly cheat and ship River with Jack and...others as well). But I digress. Well, no, I don't digress. That's it. The end. Review. Or not. More importantly, have a fantastic day/night and be amazing. Geronimo!