River heard the Scottish accent. River ignored the Scottish accent. It wasn't someone she knew but it stood out from the crowd she was in. Not because it was Scottish but because it was warm and kind and so familiar.
She stood up out of barstool she had been sitting on. It was getting late, almost twelve.
"Goodbye, Captain Harkness"
"Cya round, Professor" Jack smiled and saluted her with a playful grin. He always gave her that inviting smile and she always ignored it.
She left the crowded bar and stepped out into the darkened street. It wasn't busy out here and she liked that. She began to walk home.
The Scottish accent had made its excuses and left the bar too. The man to whom the accent belonged followed River at a distance and, he hoped, unseen.
She knew he was there of course. River Song wasn't someone you could follow without being noticed.
She had her gun concealed in a bigger-on-the-inside pocket inside her jacket and her hallucinagenic lipstick on already. If he came any closer he would feel the pain of either one of these. Most likely the gun as River didn't go around kissing random men without good reason.
By the time she had reached the corner of her street it was darker, colder and the man hadn't got any closer (or any further away for that matter).
Her hand and the gun moved quickly and she spun in what was, she had to admit, a well practiced movement to face him. He flinched and his hand instantly moved to his pocket.
"I wouldn't if I were you." she warned him.
"River.." the 'R' in her name rolled over his tongue as he spoke.
"You know me then?"
"Course I know you! Dont you know me? I thought you'd know me.." he looked sad.
She recognised the sadness..not just any sadness, The same sadness...She almost dropped the gun.
"I didn't know..." her voice was quiet.
He ran a hand through his grey hair almost nervously.
"How could you? Only Clara knew."
"When did it happen?" she stepped closer as she took in every detail of this new face. He watched her cautiously.
"A while back...long story. Tell you later I suppose."
She kept walking til she was almost touching him. He felt taller. He felt different. She tilted her head up to look at him.
"Everything changes..."
The corners of his lips turned up just a fraction.
"Oh, not /everything/"
"No?"
"Course not."
"What stays the same?" she asked, smiling sadly. Smiling worriedly.
"Memories stay the same"
She nodded, her fingers reaching out for his by force of habit.
"My hearts stay the same..."
"No they don't, different body rememb-" he cut her off.
"Not really what I meant."
"What did you mean?"
"This." And suddenly his lips were on hers. It felt new. For him because his senses were still unfinished and for her, because this was a new face. A new mouth.
It was different. It wasn't bad and she didn't pull away.
Her hands reached for his face, the new face, and her fingers traced lines over his new jaw.
His hands tangled into her curls. That was something he'd wanted to do since he regenerated, feel those curls with new hands. It felt good.
By the time they pulled out of the kiss, she was pressed closer. She looked up at him curiously and he matched her expression.
"Kissing changes" he attempted to lighten the mood a bit. She laughed shortly.
"True...May I?" she reached a hand forward to his now grey hair. He nodded and leaned his head forward so she could run her fingers through his hair.
She spent a good while running her fingertips over him curiously. He just stood and let her, he didn't mind. In fact, it was sort of interesting.
After a while she reached for his bowtie only to find it wasn't there and her face fell.
"Not my Doctor.."
"Always your Doctor" he said with all honesty.
Suddenly she giggled, which was, she had to admit, not something she usually did. He frowned.
"What? What did I miss?"
"I've got hallucinogenic lipstick on, sweetie."
His eyes widened and suddenly he felt dizzy. "Oh"
"Yes, oh. Lets get you home, eh?" she laughed and wrapped an arm around his middle.