A/N: I decided to call this story 'River's Run' because that is what 'Forest of the Dead' was initially going to be called before Steven Moffat changed it and because my story is mainly about River and it is also my version of 'Forest of the Dead.'
This story is set between chapters 3 and 4 of 'Apologies' so if you would like to read that story first then it is advised.
I thought of this story when I was writing 'Apologies' and it came to me when the Doctor was blaming himself for River's misfortunes and he started to wonder what her life would be like if she forgot about him, if the Doctor made her forget ever meeting him. So, here is my portrayal of what would've happened in the Library if River forgot the Doctor.
Professor River Song was just an ordinary 51st century Professor going on an expedition to a not so ordinary place- The Library...
The Library, a planet with every book ever written stored on the shelves. It was always a very popular place to go and read, the sights were breathtaking and the buildings were so elegantly decorated. The Library was teaming with many races looking for a good book until something happened. Exactly one hundred years ago people started going missing 4,022 people to be precise and the Library had fallen silent ever since- an emergency evacuation had saved many other people.
Keen archaeologists had been investigating the disappearances of all of the people and all the data records state is: '4,022 people saved. No survivors.' It doesn't make sense and as soon as River Song got involved, the perfect expedition had been planned to further analyse the disappearances.
Her colleagues coming along with her are: Anita- her loyal best friend, Proper Dave- the obedient pilot, Other Dave- the light-hearted theorist, Miss Evangelista- the underestimated assistant and Mr Lux- the hot-headed expedition leader. River's students always looked up to her; the four of them saw her as a role model- fearless, determined and talented. Mr Lux was proud to work alongside her on various expeditions.
As the ship neared the Library, all of the archaeologists waited with held breath. This was the biggest assignment that the students have embarked on.
Proper Dave removed his hands from the console of the ship and turned to his fellow explorers with a smile on his face. River returned the smile and she rose from her seat and reached for the door. As her hand reached the handle Miss Evangelista rose from her chair.
"Wait!" she called out to River. "...Environment checks." Were the words that came from her bright red lips.
"Newbies... Gotta' love 'em!" Proper Dave smirked to Anita. She smiled in agreement,
River rolled her eyes at the typical precautious Miss Evangelista. Other Dave typed in some details on the computer. "Air is breathable and non-toxic. Time is late afternoon." He read off the screen with a sigh at the end.
"So it's definitely safe?" Anita clarified as she paced slowly to the door. She didn't fancy suffocating today...
"Yes..." Other Dave replied and he stood and walked over to the door with the others.
River opened the door and she led the others outside the ship. The Library was silent, eerie and ever so creepy. "Do you know what, Professor Song, I sometimes wonder why I am in charge here when you just take over and make your own rules anyway!" Mr Lux's voice echoed and disturbed the perfectly preserved silence of the Library. Mr Lux always had to find something to complain about even if it was totally irrelevant.
River spun around and grinned. She took a step closer to Mr Lux "Well... some have it." She said and flicked her curly pony-tail behind her shoulder. "And others... don't." She cheekily added. Anita smirked behind Mr Lux and followed River to the main foyer of the Biographies section.
"Oi, this expedition was my idea so I should get to lead it!" he snapped back.
"Well then, lead the way..." River smiled as she stepped aside.
"No one's stopping you." Anita added siding with her best friend.
"Um... this way team." Mr Lux pointed his finger down one corridor. Miss Evangelista and the Daves started to head in the direction in which Mr Lux was indicating.
"...You sure about that?" River asked, sounding rather smug. She raised her eyebrows in a confident manner. The three other archaeologists froze at River's remark, listening to what she had to say.
"Of course I am Professor Song!" Mr Lux stood in the middle of the dark corridor, his white suit made him more visible in the shadowy halls. He was lying to make himself still seem in charge.
"Do you doubt Mr Lux, Professor Song?" Miss Evangelista decided to get involved.
The others just blanked her for a moment.
"Where does that way lead anyway?" Anita asked River.
"The Shop... then the exit." River grinned. "...See? I bothered to study the floor plans of the Library before we came, so don't you think I should lead?" River questioned.
Mr Lux sighed; he knew that the floor plans for an entire planet of buildings would've taken a lot of time to study! He stood aside reluctantly and let River take charge.
"Thank you..." River patted Mr Lux's shoulder. "Now then, if we go this way..." River pointed in the opposite direction to Mr Lux's directions. "We will end up at the entrance foyer and reception area to the Biographies. We go there and find out what's what. I'll brief you when we get there..." River started walking down the quiet, dingy corridor. The others followed like a herd of sheep, unsure who should really be in charge.
River pushed open a set of double wooden doors at the end of the corridor and entered a large hall that had various bookshelves, tables and chairs and a computer. The late afternoon sunlight shone through the glass ceiling and lit up the centre of the hall. Proper Dave hunted out a flashlight and held it up to scan the rest of the dark room.
Anita started looking down the rows of bookshelves to see if she could spot anything. Meanwhile, Miss Evangelista stood by Mr Lux and she was taking some notes on a clip board.
Other Dave walked over to one of the computers and he began typing on the dusty keyboard. "Hey guys, come and check this out..." he said over his shoulder.
The others all approached with curiosity growing. "Look at this. It says that there are billions of other life forms on this planet, so many that the system crashes." He explained as the numbers kept rising in the billions until it came up with 'System Error.'
"Check for other humans..." Mr Lux suggested.
"But why would there be other humans here? They were all evacuated." Anita pointed out.
"You never know... they could've avoided evacuation, or they could be other explorers." Mr Lux replied. "Continue, Other Dave..."
Other Dave obeyed and ordered the computer to search for humans. "5.5 humans present."
"But that's impossible. How can there only be 0.5 of a human?" Proper Dave asked.
"I don't know... Let's scan the registrations." Other Dave was too puzzled by this discovery.
And as Other Dave began the scan one by one the pictures of each human present came up. Other Dave: 100% human, Proper Dave: 100% human, Miss Evangelista: 100% human, Anita: 100% human, Mr Lux: 100% human and River Song: 50% human 50%... The system crashes again. 'Failure to register classification.' The computer screen read.
"What? But... how is that possible, how can I only be half human?" River questioned, worried and angered. She always looked human and always felt human, this news made her feel different and ill she didn't feel 'normal' anymore. River must be part of a metacrisis but, what could the other 50% of her DNA be?
A/N: With a little thought, I'm sure you'll figure it out, before I post it! ;)
