DOCTOR WHO:
HOW YOU REMIND ME
WRITTEN BY ZARIUS
On the thirteenth year of the Derelium evening, plans were afoot for the latest in a long line of celebratory toasts for the blissful couple of the time lord known as The Doctor and River Song.
River popped open the bottle of vintage Klom beverage and poured into one of the two glasses on the dining table.
She stared at for it several minutes, tapping her fingers lightly across the table.
''Late'' she thought.
The doors of the grand dining hall opened and a blonde woman stepped through, carrying another bottle of the beverage with her. She poured it into The Doctor's glass.
''Excuse me, whatever do you think you're doing?'' River asked of the woman.
''Oh, do forgive me, it took me ages to realize it, but that brand of Klom is but an evening or two out of date'' she said, grabbing River's glass and pouring the contents into a nearby disposal unit. She then poured the contents of the new bottle into River's glass.
''There, sparkling don't you think?'' she said.
''Are you one of the waitresses? I don't think I've noticed you before'' River asked
''Oh you know the way this system works...as each night passes, a whole new generation takes over from the last. Just started today, might finish tomorrow'' the woman said.
''Yes, well, most people can barely keep up with the demands of this service, unless you're me and my husband, we're not most people''
''From all the stories I've heard, you're more forces of nature than people'' the woman responded in compliment.
''I'm the force, he's something all the stranger to nature''
''An enigma?'' the woman asked
''You catch on quick dear'' River remarked.
''Everyone loves a good mystery'' the woman replied.
''None more than I, but enigmas like to be wrapped up in riddles'' River replied.
''Does the enigma have time for anything else?'' the woman probed.
River stared out at the window, awash with delicate and glittering stars, and sighed.
''He was a riddle to me once, a long time ago...I couldn't quite wrap my head around him when we first met, he knew things about me from experiences I hadn't had yet...then, gradually, as our lives crossed repeatedly in a very non linear manner, I became a riddle to him. It was fun at first, until you realize someone knowing you less and less each day is like dealing with an Alzheimer's patient...''
River was tempted to take a sip of the sparkling Klom beverage before her, but opted to wait until her husband came back.
''Do you think, when the night turns to dawn, you'll see him again in your lifetime?'' the woman replied, ''Will he still be able to find you?''
''He's a man who walks through eternity, barring accidents'' said River, ''He's had many face too, I don't know if I have the stamina to keep up with all of them. At least I can look upon the one I have now and I can be assured he's happy for as long as these moments in time exist ...but I must be prepared for what comes after''
''And what steps have you taken?'' the woman replied.
''I'll get someone to look after him, to kick his arse when he's too far up it, and I've left a spare TARDIS key on his doorstep...well, his adopted doorstep, its somewhere on Earth locked in a hyperlink transmat monolith. If he ever sends me a time/space text letting me know he needs it for anything, I just send it to him from an app installed on my pager''
''Very thoughtful...speaking of which, I ought to be paging someone myself. It was nice meeting you...and if it helps, I don't think your enigma will ever be left shaken by the loss of any force of nature he comes across, he has way too much curiosity for that''
''I'd like to think so too''
''He'd also be most proud to be even half the woman that you are'' the woman remarked.
River smiled, the woman took her leave.
As she did so, she almost bumped into The Doctor as he finally made it back
''Sorry for the absence, I needed to pick up Nardole at the repair shop to make up for a missing member of my darts team''
''What did I tell you about spending too much time in the pub?'' River replied.
Her pager went off, a text had been received, she looked at it and groaned.
''When were you going to tell me this?'' River said, pointing to the text
''Locked myself out''
''I did text myself, but it was to remind me at some point in time to always carry a spare bottle of Klom beverage in the TARDIS in case the one I brought up earlier was out of...''
Before he could finish his sentence, he looked into River's alluring and trustful eyes as they widened at a revelation that floored her
''Anything the matter?'' The Doctor asked
''No...no, I was just wondering how long these space/time telegrams take for you?''
''Oh I think it's my response times that I have more difficulty with'' The Doctor replied.
River raised a toast
''To making up for lost time'' she said.