I still don't own any of the amazing characters in Doctor Who. They belong to the BBC :(
It was an unsually quiet night on the TARDIS. The Ponds and even River were asleep after a long day of defeating the Slitheen on Raxacoricofallapatorious.
The Doctor was just sat in the hammock under the TARDIS console, adding some new features to it when a piercing scream rang throughout the room, causing him to look up.
At first he thought it was Amy, but then he noticed the scream came from another direction from where the Pond's bedroom was. Getting up from the hammock, The Doctor started to walk up the stairs when he heard someone shout his name.
"DOCTOR! NO!" The voice cried, sounding in pain. The Doctor realised with heavy hearts who was screaming. It was his wife, River.
"River! Hang on, I'm coming!" The Doctor bellowed, running back down the stairs, tripping over the last step in his haste to run along the corridor to their bedroom.
As soon as he got to the room he and River shared, what The Doctor saw broke his hearts. River was thrashing around on the bed, her face contorting in anger as she fought off an invisible force she was fighting in her dreams.
"YOU LEAVE HIM ALONE, YOU BITCH! I WON'T LET YOU TAKE HIM AWAY FROM ME!" River continued to struggle for a few minutes before she started to whimper, her hand punching the pillow weakly.
The Doctor couldn't stand to see River like this. She was usually so fiesty and mysterious, which was some of the qualities he loved most about her. He wasn't used to seeing her so scared and vulnerable. So he decided to stop it.
Sitting down on the side of the bed, The Doctor reached out a hand and gently shook River's shoulder. "River? River, wake up! Please wake up." After a few more attempts of trying to get her out of her nightmare, River woke up with a start, tears streaming down her face.
When she realised The Doctor was with her, she quickly rubbed a hand across her eyes and plastered on a fake smile.
"Sweetie? What are you doing in here? Is everything all right?" River said her voice cracking as she spoke, even though she tried her best to cover it.
The Doctor glanced at her, seeing right through her facade. "I'm fine and dandy, River. As always. Are you all right?"
River continued to wipe her eyes, her arm shaking a little as she did. "Oh you know me, honey. Always OK and up for anything."
She gave a small chuckle, which The Doctor didn't return. "Don't lie to me, River. I know you are anything but fine. The only reason I came here is because you were screaming my name in your sleep. I thought you were in trouble."
The Doctor moved closer to River on the bed and began to stroke his fingers absent mindedly through her wild mane of hair. She gave a small moan and leaned into his touch.
"Do you want to talk about it?" The Doctor whispered, tucking a lock of River's hair behind her ear. River sighed and shook her head.
"Sweetie, there's nothing to talk about. I'm fine. Trust me." The Doctor lifted River's head up untill her eye's were meeting his. He put a finger on her cheek and started to trace the tear tracks on there that were still visible.
"River, you wouldn't cry if you were all right. You only cry if you're scared or helpless or so very alone. Believe me, I know."
The Doctor continued to look at River, and he could see her resolve start to crumble. He put an arm around her and put his mouth close to her ear.
"What happened?" he whispered, rubbing her back in a circular motion. "Tell me."
River sniffed, tears falling down her face again. She wiped them away roughly before beginning to speak.
"Me and you were having a picnic on a beach on The Broken Star of Mancross. You were being your usual self and showing off, as normal. We were having a lovely time when suddenly Madam Kovarian came out of nowhere."
The Doctor growled under his breath at the mention of that woman's name before listening to River again.
"She started to walk towards us and she got her new henchmen to restrain you and me. She said to me to say goodbye to you as I wasn't going to see you anymore."
River started to shake with fear and The Doctor pulled her tightly to him, twirling a curl of her hair around his index finger.
"I started to struggle to try and get to you but no matter how hard I tried, I couldn't get free. The henchman holding you held a gun to your head and you looked me in the eyes and whispered that you loved me. He pulled the trigger twice and you just fell to the ground, no life left in you."
River started to sob again as she recalled the rest of the dream.
"I managed to get free and run to you, but you were already gone. The blows to your head had suspended your capacity to regenerate. I ran at Kovarian, asking her why the hell she had done it. She just smirked and said 'To finish what you never started.' She started to laugh and laugh when she realised I had lost you forever. I went back to you and cradled you in my arms, whispering for you to come back. Then I woke up."
River tried to stop crying as she stared up at her husband, who had tears shining in his own eyes.
"I really thought you had died again." River said softly, reaching a hand up and pushing The Doctor's hair off his forehead. "It was such a relief when I discovered it was just a dream. I couldn't bear it if I really lost you. I really couldn't."
The Doctor closed his eyes and pulled River into an even bigger hug than before.
"Oh, my River. You'll never lose me. Ever. I'll always be there to protect you from danger and catch you when you fall. I'll always come when you call me whenever you're in trouble. I'll always be there to watch over you even when you're in Stormcage and I'm here. And I'll make sure no one hurts you like you've been before. Because if they do, they'll have me to answer to."
The Doctor pressed a light kiss to River's head and he felt her smile into his chest.
"Would you like me to stay with you?" he asked, sitting her up and wiping off the fresh tears with the cuff of his own sleeve.
River nodded and snuggled back under the duvet, pulling The Doctor next to her.
"Yes please, my love." she said, sighing as she felt The Doctor's arms fold around her waist under the covers.
The Doctor sat in silence for a moment, just listening to the comforting sound of her breathing before he heard River say something.
"Doctor, I love you." she whispered, her hands curling around his before letting herself fall into the land of nod.
The Doctor sighed happily, kissing the back of River's neck and nuzzling it with his nose.
"I love you too, River Song." he said quietly, closing his eyes and letting sleep consume him too. The Doctor knew that as long as he had River by his side, they would both never feel alone again.
I hope everyone enjoyed this fanfic and leaves a review :) x