So, here we are…22nd October 2011. Three weeks since the Wedding… But, in fact, six months since they really got married. I just wanted to write something to celebrate it.

This one is dedicated to my friend Elodie… Bonne fête ma puce !

And, for once, it's not a sad one! I was too tired to think about sad things. Enjoy!

Disclaimer : of course, I own none of the characters… I just used them to write some crazy things I think about.

Happy Non Birthday

River took her eyes off the maps she was working on as she heard the sound of the time traveling blue box echoing in the hallway. She stood up, and looked after her diary. Whatever he came from, whenever he would take her, she needed it by her side. She finally saw it, lying on her cot, and she turned around just in time to see the door of the TARDIS opening.

"Happy Birthday my love!"

The Doctor ran out, wearing a brand-new suit and holding a bouquet of blue roses in his hands. She had not expected that. In fact, she had never expected anything from him; she was too young, too soon in her timeline, and she believed that even when she would be older and would know him very well, he would still make things she would not expect. She thought it would be a feeling she would get used to. Or, secretly, she hoped she would never do, so she would always have something new to find about him, something new to love.

"It's not my birthday.
-Of course it's not. I'm not talking about your birthday.
-Is it yours?"

She found it very weird that he wished her a happy birthday if it was his own, but it was the only thing she thought about at that moment. He laughed, as if it was the funniest thing he had never heard.

"No, it is surely not.
-So, what birthday is it?
-But… it's ours.
-Ours?"

He raised an eyebrow, looking at her as if she had said something very wrong. She could also see that he was surprised, perhaps a little bit afraid. He looked around him and put one hand on the bars of her cell (the other one was still holding the bouquet, and she wondered if he would ever give it to her). She did not know if his next words were for her, or if he was only thinking aloud.

"You know, you should know. You are here. It can't be too soon. You must know.
-Doctor, what am I supposed to know?
-River, we've already done it yet? You do remember?
-It would be easier for me to remember if you tell me what you are exactly talking about."

She took his hand, trying to comfort him and calm him down and, actually she could feel the tense in his muscles getting down as their skin met. When he spoke again, his voice was hesitant, as if his words would break the world around them (in fact, Stormcage was not a real world and none of them would care if it was destroy, but they didn't want to be in when it would happen).

"April, 22nd?"

She closed her eyes as she heard that, some flashes of memories suddenly filled up her mind. She could remember everything about that day, and she was sure she would never forger any details. Never.

At that moment, she also knew why she could not understand what he was trying to say to her, and she could not but she laugh.

"Doctor, my stupid Doctor, of course. Our wedding."

He sighed, and she could see all his fear leaving his face. He smiled, and took his screwdriver of his pocket to open her cell - at last...

"Wonderful, I was afraid…
-Because it's not our birthday!
-I know, six months are not really a birthday, but I could not wait a whole year."

As he said, he entered her cell, gave her the flowers and put a kiss on her smiling lips.

"But, my love, it's not even a month for me."

He looked at her, his eyes full of surprise, as he realized he did not come the right day. He had tried, he was absolutely sure that he had chosen the right moment, but he had failed. Once gain.

"Oh… But, when exactly are you?
-Three weeks. To be more precise, twenty days, five hours, nineteen minutes and… thirty-two seconds.
-That's not so bad. Almost in time."

She laughed as he pressed his lips on hers again. His hands found a way around her waist so he could press her against his own body.

"Maybe I should go and come back when it is the good day for you.
-Don't you dare. Now you're here, I won't let you go without me.
-Don't you mind if we celebrate it? Even if it's not really a real birthday… neither for you nor for me?
-No, I don't.
-Perfect. So let's celebrate it. Do you know what I'm thinking about? If we keep meeting in the wrong order, we should never celebrate our wedding anniversary at the right day.
-We should celebrate it when it's the right day and when it's not.
-All right, as you want. We should celebrate it every time we meet. Every time you want. Every day. Twice a day. What do you think?
-That sounds absolutely perfect."

They kissed again, passionately, as the young lovers they were, excited by the thought of a whole life dedicated to the celebration and the blessing of their endless engagement. Her bouquet dropped down at their feet as she freed her hands to put them around him. She needed him, the whole him, close to her and, the way he was currently holding up made her think that he felt the same. They totally forgot the world around them for a while, until a deep voice broke up their kiss.

"Hey, what the hell is that? How did it get in here? And… You, who are you?"

A guard was standing halfway between the TARDIS and River's cell, looking at both of them with incredulous eyes. He came up to them, watched the open door and their bodies tightly entwined. The Doctor smiled, as he suddenly realized what he had missed.

"I knew that something was missing… No guard, no camera, not even an alarm when I opened your door… Stormcage was better protected in the future. You'll have to improve your security if you want to keep her in and me out there…
-Move away from the prisoner! And raise your hands. Like that. All right... So, tell me, who are you, and how did you get in?
-I'm the D…"

He couldn't tell another word. River's fist quickly passed front of his eyes and punched the guard's face. The Doctor winced as he fell on the ground.

River took her diary, put it in her pack (it was always ready, because she never knew when he was about to come and take her out) and collected her flowers, while he kneed next to the unconscious body on the ground.

"Don't worry, I've just knocked it out, he is not dead.
-River, was it absolutely necessary?
-Do you want to find yourself imprisoned?
-But maybe there was another way…
-…to leave front of his eyes without him noticing and trying to stop us?
-There would have been, if you had let me the time to give you your gift."

She stopped walking, halfway between her cell and the TARDIS, and stared at him, her eyes filled up with curiosity. He came up to her, a hand looking for something in his pocket. Finally, he took something out and gave it to her.

"A lipstick?"

She opened it and was about to try it but he quickly stopped her movement.

"Wow, be careful with it. I would like to be able to kiss you more than once tonight.
-Is it an other killing make-up?
-No, not at all. It's a hallucinogenic lipstick.
-Hallucinogenic?
-You just have to kiss someone and his mind instantaneously leaves the conscious world
-Interesting… I may be useful.
-Believe me, it will be.
-Thank you Sweetie."

She put the top back on the stick and slipped it into her pocket. Then she kissed her husband to thank him, but pulled back before it became too passionate.

"I think that maybe we shall leave. I think he won't be sleeping much longer now… and I don't won't to be interrupted another time.
-Right, you're right."

He slapped his fingers and the door of the TARDIS opened. She looked at him with surprise, and he was pleased that, this time, he was to one to amaze.

"Next stop, everywhere! So, Wife, where do you want to go for our first non birthday?
-As you…
-Don't. I know you were thinking about something."

She bit her lips. She was not as good at lying as he was. Not yet.

"Perhaps... I am… I am working on some maps of the Daedalus Labyrinth and… It would be great if I could… you know… Correct the mistakes… Fill up the blanks…
-Dedalus Labyrinth, eh?
-Yes.
-The one with the Minotaur?
-Nobody never proved it had ever existed… Maybe if I…
-It might be a little dangerous…
-Well, maybe. A bit.
-Earth's antiquity, labyrinth full of monsters, so you could… what? Doing lectures and write a new book? "Get married to an archeologist" he said…
-Is that a way to say yes?
-Yes. Of course. I can't refuse anything to you!
-Thank you, thank you very much. I just have some things to take and…"

She threw her pack in the TARDIS and gave him her bouquet, so her hands would be free to go to her cell. She stepped over the guard, took all the maps she was working on, her working notebook, and came back to him. He looked at her, so young and so excited by the adventure to come, and he thought he would never regret his choice, whenever he met her.

"Ready?
-Ready.
-Allons-y !"

He took her hand and, together, they ran to their future.

THE END

Thank you for reading!