Hartnell
The hour was late, the lights dimmed to a low hue, the gilded control room a dirty bronze. In the center, the flight indicator was steady, dials turning lazily as the TARDIS hovered in the vast emptiness of space. All was quiet, the mood peaceful. The doors stood open, a large red beanbag chair set between them. On the chair, the Doctor and River Song sat staring at a spiraling galaxy of blue stars rotating lazily in the abyss.
"That was some swim," River crooned nestling her wet head against the Doctor's chest.
"Is that what you call it?" the Doctor asked, equally wet.
River closed her eyes, smiling when his lips touched the top of her head. "I know how easily you blush, my love." She looked out at the heavenly display and sighed. "I could sit here forever."
The Doctor glanced at the command console and gave River a squeeze. "Yes, well, we should probably get you back. Your parents will be getting up soon."
River chuckled. "Oh you are absolutely adorable. Although, I don't suppose it would do to get caught by…"
"Get caught by whom?"
The Doctor and River's eyes widened, River ducking down slightly. The Doctor slowly turned, craning his neck and finding Amy Pond standing at the top of the steps leading to the command console. Wearing a robe and nightdress she had an eyebrow arched, her arms crossed over her chest; foot tapped against the floor. The Doctor smiled weakly.
The fiery ginger's eyebrow arched ever higher. "I said, 'get caught by whom' Raggedy Man?" The Doctor moved to speak but she silenced him with a finger. "And, get caught doing what exactly?"
"Stargazing?" offered the Doctor weakly.
"Stargazing?" Amy considered. "Yeah, I'm not buying that." She rolled her eyes. "Melody Pond front and center."
River stood making sure to adjust her blue robe before turning. "Hello mother."
"Don't you 'hello mother' me," chastised Amy. "We'll get to your coming onto the TARDIS and not greeting me or your father. First you are going to answer my previous question."
River shrugged. "Caught doing what it is that married couples do."
"River!"
She turned and smiled at the Doctor. "Sweetie, believe me she understands."
The Doctor withered under Amy's glare. "Yes, I can see that." He stood, adjusting his own robe."
Amy stifled a laugh. "Matching robes? You're that kind of couple?"
River rolled her eyes. "He won't let me pick one of my own."
Amy continued suppressing her mirth, "Matching robes." She paused, her eyes narrowing. "What do you have on under that robe Doctor?"
Inching toward the stairs, the Doctor stopped in his tracks rubbing his fingers against his thumbs, "My swimsuit."
River gave him a mischievous smile. "Is that what you call it?"
Turning to River, he said, "You're not helping."
"No point now," River said biting her lower lip.
Amy pointed. "He's blushing."
"Am not," the Doctor protested.
"Totally blushing," Amy said.
"Time Lords don't blush," the Doctor declared jumping up the stairs and around Amy.
"They so do," Amy countered. She looked to her daughter. "Don't they?"
River put her hands in the pockets of her robe. "I can make him blush everywhere."
The Doctor paused at the console, "Still not helping."
"In any case," Amy said, ending the discussion. "You get dressed Mister. That goes double for you Melody. The last thing we need is for your father to…"
"To what?" asked Rory arriving at the top of the steps leading to the rest of the ship. Also dressed for bed he carried a mug full of tea and scratched at his sleep-inspired hair. He taking a sip he sighed, "That's good. Oh, hey River." He looked at the faces of everyone else and frowned. "What'd I miss?"
"Okay now this is awkward," River said.
Outside there was a flash of light. The doors slammed shut, the TARDIS pitching violently, launching itself into flight. The occupants were hurled to the floor. Alarms sounded. Steam rushed from vents, sparks flying from the console.
The Doctor pulled himself up and ran around the controls, flipping switches and pulling levers. He grabbed the viewing screen pulling it to where he could see. Reading the data, he stabilized the TARDIS with a few more flips and pulls. His jaw dropped, a look of shock and confusion streaking across his face.
"Doctor what happened?" River asked as she got to her feet.
"Rory!" called Amy.
"I'm fine. I just spilled my tea."
"Doctor!"
The Doctor turned the dial on the screen. "It's gone. It's just gone." He looked down at the console and slapped at several buttons before staring back at the screen. An image of the spiral galaxy appeared. There was a streak of light followed by an expanding darkness which consumed every single star before shrinking back to nothing. The Doctor replayed the sequence again.
"Doctor?" said River beside him. She put a hand on his arm. "Sweetie what is it?"
"I need to see something." the Doctor put the TARDIS in flight again, moving around the console like a robed madman. Making a complete turn, he rushed to the doors and threw them open. Outside, the galaxy was back where it belonged.
River appeared alongside him. "Doctor, what is happening?" She gasped as he turned on her and grabbed her arms.
"What is this?" he demanded.
River shook her head. "I don't…"
"No!" the Doctor spat. "No games. No lies. No spoilers. What… is… this?"
"Sweetie, you're hurting me," River said quietly.
The Doctor released her with a snarl and sprinted up the steps, bypassing the console and disappearing down another short flight of stairs and into a hallway; leaving River rubbing at the sore spots on her arms. Amy moved to her placing a hand on her shoulder.
"Are you all right?" she asked.
River nodded looking after the Doctor concerned. "He's afraid. I've never seen him this afraid."
"Does anyone want to tell me what the hell is going on?" Rory asked.
"I caught the Doctor and River having a date, something happened and now we're doing this." Amy said quickly. To River she asked. "Where did he go?"
River started off, "Probably to our bedroom." Amy waited a moment and then followed.
Rory looked out the doors at the spiral galaxy. He suddenly turned. "Wait a minute, 'our' bedroom'?"
In the aforementioned boudoir, the Doctor stood at a dressing table frantically flipping through both his and River's diaries, reading entry after entry searching for answers. He skipped over Easter Island and Jimmy the Fish, passed by times spent riding shooting stars in the Surrelian Galaxy and sliding down the side of the Grassy Mountain of Nordock during the warm summer rains. Their last dalliance was dinner atop the Ephesian Spires listening to romantic music played by a centuries-old band. Tonight's fun had yet to be written. He flipped two more pages and stopped. His hands touched the paper in the diary; blank paper.
He'd had every intention of break his own rules. He was going to look into his own future. River was his future. She was always one step ahead, always. But the diaries were the same. They were completely in sync. He looked up contemplating what that meant.
"Oi, rude!"
The Doctor turned River rushing over and pushing him aside. She picked up her diary and held it away from him. His mouth fighting a sad and shameful grimace he placed a gentle hand on her shoulder. "I'm sorry."
"You should be. It's inconsiderate to read a girl's diary."
The Doctor shook his head. "No for before." He touched her arms. "I shouldn't have done that." He hugged her, rubbing her back. "You didn't deserve it and I should never, ever have done that."
Amy appeared in the doorway. She threw her eyes around the room. It was dome-shaped and done in TARDIS blue with splashes of purple and red. There were doors leading elsewhere and a large circular bed in the center. She noted that it did not look used. She found the Doctor and River embracing.
The Doctor planted a kiss on River's forehead. "As for your diary. Under no circumstances are you to ever…ever let me do that again." He kissed her nose. "I need to get you back to Stormcage."
River caressed his cheek. "If it's that bad, let me help you."
The Doctor shook his head, "Only if I need you."
River smiled, "And you will."
"Then I will come for you," the Doctor said.
"You had better," River countered.
"We really should get dressed," the Doctor starting to smile.
River rushed to the door. "It's all right, mother, reconciliation is a beautiful thing. I'll explain in a minute." She shut the doors.
Amy stood outside, confused.
"So that's their bedroom?" Rory asked from the end of the hall.
Amy turned and rushed past him, taking his hand. "Come on, Stupid Face, whatever's happening we should probably get dressed."
