DISCLAIMER: All of the characters in this fic are not mine. They are the property of BBC. Hope you enjoy! Comments welcomed! :-)
Author's Note: Warning! The Doctor Being In Love with River ahead! If this offends you press the back button now!
This story may also contain spoilers as it will mention a few things from the audio stories Doom Coalition 4 and Quinnis. But you really don't have listen to them before reading. (Also, Quinnis went a slightly different way due to how I've changed it).
At the Beginning
By SpaceRanger
When she was pulled into the Matrix by the Sonomancer, the knowledge she gained showed her that this was a one way trip for her.
With Darillium behind her - her last night with her Doctor as the stories go - River went into every adventure expecting her death even as she fought for a way out. Despite her search, she knew the best she could hope for was to switch places with someone, but she could sense no one within range that she was willing to sacrifice in the timespan she had left.
That was alright with her, as long as she could save her damsel. She worked quickly, nudging the Doctor forward as they spoke. Once the Doctor fully exited to their TARDIS through the window she created, River - for the lack of a better word - let go. As the Vortex closed around her, she braced herself for the pain that might follow.
What she got instead was the feeling of being enveloped by a protective parental embrace before being shoved out of the Vortex. The next thing she knew, she was standing in front of a wooden kiosk humming with familiar artron energy. The TARDIS seemed to be thanking whatever it was that saved her and the protective energy left River, responding to the thanks with a wrap around the kiosk that she could sense as a "you're welcome" before vanishing.
River blinked and raised her eyebrow, which seems to signal to the world she had been placed on to drench her in a sudden downpour of rain. With a sigh and an impatient mental nudge from the TARDIS, she checked herself over and pulled out her key. Patting the kiosk gently as she unlocked the door, she thanked the TARDIS for helping save her as well.
The console room that greeted her caused her to draw to a stop at the secondary doorway. The room was unfamiliar to her, all very... white and sterile. It was as if she'd walked straight into a lab.
"Well." River said, looking around her. "This is unexpected."
The TARDIS giggled at her surprise even as she passed on her knowledge of the controls. River shook her head.
What are you up to, Mother?
The TARDIS projected only happiness in response. Resigned in not getting any answers from her, River chose to head to her room first. Whatever is happening could wait until after she's had time to get clean up and changed. Thankfully, the TARDIS agreed, waiting until she left her room before prodding her towards the door that hadn't been across the hall prior to her shower.
Before she could even touch it, the door opened on its own accord and her eyes were immediately drawn to the only occupant in the room: a teenager tucked into one of the chairs with her back to River, a big fluffy white towel around her neck and covering the top of her head - wisps of her short cropped dark hair to sticking out from underneath. There's an open book in her lap, propped up by her having both feet crossed and over one arm. River's other senses went into cataloging other things in the unfamiliar study: the warm hearth, a few desks with books and paper scattered (some of which seemed vaguely familiar), and several comfy chairs. When she realized her inner thoughts just used her floppy hair husband's ridiculous vernacular she mentally swore at him.
"Hello, Grandmother, using the front door today?" The teenager teased. "Not that I'm not glad to have you back, but it has barely been even one of Earth's rotations since we'd last seen you. Are you winding up Grandfather again?"
"Grandmother?" River asked, confused. The young woman tilted her head backwards to look at her, her brown eyes revealing nothing more than the innocence of youth, causing the towel to slip from her head and settle to her neck with the rest of it. What River didn't see was a change in expression on the younger woman's face and that spoke volumes. She knows her and she called her Grandmother. Within the very depths of her that she tried to push away, an emotion she couldn't quite put a name on stirred.
"Younger version? Where are you?" The teenager twisted around so she could sit on the seat properly and the young woman verbally plowed forward, preventing her from responding. "Oh, please tell me you've done the Cloisters! Grandfather is still complaining about his brandy going missing. I know he's blaming me for that because he's always glaring at me when he complains. I told you he'd know!"
"Spoilers?" River said, the beats of her hearts picking up along with her apprehension as she tapped a finger to her lips. "How... do you know me?"
The incredulous look on the young woman's face matches the deadpan tone she took as she said, "Well, when a Grandmother loves a Grandfather very much, she gives birth to a child. And when that child - "
"We're related?" River interrupted, her hearts speeding up even more as she is gaping at the teenager in shock. "We're actually" she gestures between them as she finishes weakly, "related?"
Setting the still open book to the floor, the young woman frowned at her, brow furled in confusion. "You're welcomed to take a blood sample to check, but yes. Stars knows Grandfather complains about it often enough."
The teenager's eyes widened in realization and horror. "Grandfather! Oh no, how could I lose track of time like that?! He's been gone far longer than he said he would!"
She leaped up and rushed out the door.
River stared after her in astonishment for a few seconds before following her.
Her mother, as always, anticipated her needs. Instead of having to search for the anxious young woman, the TARDIS had shifted its hallways into a short walk that lead her back into the main control room where the teenager was dashing about the console, flipping switches and pressing buttons.
"Oh, dash it all, Grandfather must have broken it when he tried to repair the console this morning!" The teenager was almost in tears.
"What are you trying to do?" River asked.
"Get the scanners working! This would be so much easier if you two would let me connect to Great-Grandmother like you can."
River frowned as she set to work, flipping controls and turning dials. Something about the fact that the console is a lot simpler than she was used to was nagging at her, but it was overridden when she realized that she recognized the new changes - a style distinct only to one man. She lifted her eyes from the controls and stared at the young woman in astonishment as her mind fought against the hope rising in her from the possibly blatant spoilers that she had just been given.
"Why can't you?"
"Grandfather says it's because I should learn to maintain the TARDIS without being handed the answers. But you told me it's because we're hiding from the Time Lords, and that they'll find us as soon as either Grandfather or I link ourselves to Great-Grandmother. You're the only one they aren't able track."
River shook her head as she forced herself to refocus on the task. "I see what's wrong now. There are a few wires he didn't connect in Section Three Dot Omicron. Keep an eye on the monitor above my head." River ducked down under the console and removed the panel at the leg of it.
However, before she could start her repairs, the TARDIS doors opened and the young woman cried out in relief already running towards the entryway. "Grandfather! You're alright! I was so worried!"
River straighten as she returned to her feet and froze in shock at the sight of the young-old form of the Doctor at the secondary doorway - the first in the line of his regenerations, the original.
What the hell! There are rules! This one is much too young! She mentally hissed at the TARDIS who only sent an amused feeling back at her.
"Ah, Susan, my child, you worry too much. Your only responsibility right now is to learn and play. It is not your job to take care of me, understood?" Susan shook her head causing the Doctor to sigh. "I do hope you cleaned up instead of just drying off. You don't know what's in the water or if those weeds left some strange residue behind."
"Yes, Grandfather."
"Now - " The Doctor stopped talking as soon as his eyes met River's. He immediately pivoted and stalked up to the older woman with a scowl. She braced herself for the demanding questions of who she was, how did she get on the ship, and the inevitable "get out". Instead, she's thrown for a loop for the tenth time that day.
"Wife! Your granddaughter is a menace! Honestly, running away by diving off a cliff on Quinnis?!" Despite the Doctor's words and the annoyed tone of voice he took as he addressed her, River could see pride and love in his eyes as he smirked. "She's lucky the TARDIS was actually cooperating today instead of sending me to Stars knows where!"
Susan glared at his back, displaying the exasperation of one who'd had this argument before.
"I would've been fine, Grandfather! There was a lake at the bottom of the cliff!"
The Doctor turned back to Susan, his scowl back on his face and scoffed. "Lake? It barely even qualified as a pond, Susan! Do you not recall that the town was in a drought and we were forced to make rain there?"
"It still would've worked." Susan grumbled. The Doctor sighed once more.
"None of that now. What's done is done." He untucked one of his arms from underneath his cloak, revealing a glass box with a fish inside. "Here, child."
Susan stared in surprise and awe at the gift he handed her. "Dried air fish! Thank you, Grandfather!"
The Doctor then turned back towards River "And here, Professor Song, souvenir from Quinnis." He hands River the cannon tucked in his other arm. "Built the thing myself and it's only been fired twice. Would've been only once but the local vegetation decided to be impertinent."
"Okay, stop - stop - stop." River said, setting the cannon down on the console. "You - Both of you - know who I am."
The Doctor gives her an incredulous look that in any other circumstances would've made her laugh at how much he and Susan looked a like. But all she could feel right now was terrified. A part of her was aware of the TARDIS trying to calm her down but her mind had already been overpowered by the memory of those haunting words spoken at Lake Silencio.
Time can be rewritten!
Don't you dare!
Her mental hallucination soon lifted, and control of her own body was returned to her, allowing her to become aware that two heartbeats had passed since she last spoke. She didn't take the breath of one starving for oxygen when dissociative reactions like this happened to her before, but her mask must have slipped as the Doctor suddenly looked worried. "What's wrong with your face? And why are your eyes doing that thing? Did I forget an anniversary?"
"Younger Version, Grandfather." Susan called worriedly as she seated herself on the chair nearest to the console, gripping her glass box tightly.
"Yes, I realized that, Susan. Hmm. And where are we this time, Professor River Song?"
"Nowhere!" River could hear the nearly hysterical tremor in her voice. "As far as I'm concerned, we haven't met, and we won't until many of your regenerations later! And we haven't even talked about having children at all and now I have a granddaughter?!"
Her chest heaved like she had just ran a marathon, causing the sound of her breathing to ring loud in the silence that followed from her outburst. Susan looked heartbroken but the Doctor appeared unruffled. She allowed herself to draw strength from his stillness and her breathing started to slow.
The Doctor may have been waiting for that for he chose that moment to make a noncommittal hum and tilt his head. "The TARDIS recognizes you, so you are our River Song."
He slowly stepped closer to her, every move deliberately projecting his calm and intent, as if he recognized her fight against the dangerous instinct just under the weight of her fear. When she finally got her emotions under control, he was within her personal space, his hands on her upper arms as he searched her face. She felt herself relax and nearly closed her eyes at the gentle caress from his mind through their link, soothing her, loving her. "Hmm. Yes, you're most certainly younger than I've ever seen you."
Her breath caught when he started sharing his memories of his time with her and River wasn't sure if she wanted to laugh, cry, or slap him. His future self must have given him spoilers, not all of them, but enough to where she had her husband back.
"You're telling me, all this is going to happen for me in the future? That I'll just meet you - this you - and for you, we've been married since long before you left Gallifrey?" One of his hands slid down her arm, took her hand, and kissed the back of it.
"Spoilers, dear." There is a teasing twinkle in his eyes that matches his smug little smile as he nodded towards Susan who only grinned back at them in relief though the rest of her still displayed her worry for River. "And here's another spoiler for you: yes, we did talk about having children."
Tears came to her eyes and River laughed, the dual contrast of the heavy weight and light-hearted delight she felt back on Darillium, settling in her as it did in her past, when his future self whispered his answer of twenty-four years. Her impossible husband had found another loophole for them. Why had she ever worried that he wouldn't want children with her?
She closed the remaining distance between them as she hugged him, and as she felt her husband return her embrace, she choked out through her sobs.
"I hate you."
"No you don't."
A/N: Many many many thanks to Kurisutori618 for so many things: all the ideas, putting up with my spamming/whinging, the constant re-reading of the same story, editing, and random posts at odd hours.
A/N2: Answers To Questions You Didn't Even Know You Wanted To Ask:
Title is from the song sung by Donna Lewis and Richard Marx on the Anastasia soundtrack and doesn't belong to me. Thanks to Kurisutori618 for finding this when I was in my "I can't think of a Title" stage.