She slid her fingers down her thigh, pushing her nylons as she locked eyes with the Doctor. The left corner of her mouth curled upwards as the Doctor straightened his bow tie. "Problem, Sweetie?"

"River, now's not exactly the time," the Doctor lifted his hands towards her shoulders.

River pressed into his palms and leaned forward. Her hot breath cascaded against his neck and goosebumps poked their heads up to her heat. His elbows gave way and her chest pressed against his. She wrapped her arm around his waist and placed her right hand on his chest. "Shall we?" River arched her left eyebrow.

With a huff, the Doctor grabbed hold of her waist and moved her to the side, "I suppose."

River crossed the TARDIS to the chair and took a seat. She stared at her husband with the same amazement and wonder as the first time she met him. Lying on the ground, dying. She knelt beside him and kissed him deeply. In that instant she knew. Of all of time and space, he was the one who made her whole, who made her excited at just the thought of a whirring engine.

She smiled widely at the Doctor. She loved his dark hair dropping in front of his face usually, but this hair cut brought out his cheek bones beautifully. She couldn't help but admire him tonight. Pressed and shimmering new, his suit was nipped in at all the right parts. Her eyes lingered a little too long on his… pants.

"Problem, Sweetie?" He smirked.

"Never," she smiled. "Love the new suit, darling. Whats the occasion?"

He grimaced slightly, but River feigned not to notice. "The Singing Towers?"

A gasp slipped past her lips. Caramel creeped towards her eyes as her vibrant teeth glistened.

"Ah, maybe some other time," he sauntered towards her as the TARDIS wheezed into the undiscovered world outside its doors. "My lady," he ushered her through the open door.

Mountains of purple cut into the horizon. Azure clouds floated along the pale blue sky. "Where are we?" Awe was plastered on her face.

"Does it matter?"

"Of course not," her fingers interlocked with his.

"It's something of a sister planet. Sort of a knock-off if you will. Dystonis. The planet of the Purple People Eaters."

"Seriously?"

"No! Honestly, River," the Doctor held onto her hand and pulled her put of the TARDIS.

River's stiletto heel sank into the lavish greens beneath her. Her eyes bounced around, off the towering trees and the hushed whispers of the inhabitants surrounding the two of them.

The Doctor led River to a riverbank and waiting for them was a spread out blanket and wicker basket. He raised his eyebrows up and down a few times and sat down.

She sat next to him and they slowly ate their way through the basket of goodies. She couldn't help but notice the store-bought quality of it all. He looked over at her through his hair. She looked more beautiful than he ever thought she could. The way the moonlight bounced off her cheeks and illuminated her golden curls. His right fingers brushed a curl behind her ear.

River pushed the few crumbs off of her dress and leaned in the Doctor. It was a beautiful night and she didn't want to waste a second of it. The Doctor lifted his arm and wrapped it around her, pulling her closer to him. Cinnamon and star anise, River smelled of an expensive mulled wine. He breathed her in deep. Closing his eyes he went back to the day he first met her.

Those golden curls pulled tightly into a ponytail, her spacesuit voiding her of the luxurious shape she had hidden underneath. Though, he had no idea who she was. Her quips and flirts had failed to rouse feelings in him. Though now, the twinkle of lust or love in her eye, the way she said his name, or her name for him anyway. The way she commanded the room. The sexy way she held the screwdriver…

Both his hearts began to race.

River's body tensed to the sudden change in the air. She lifted her head towards the Doctor and pressed her lips to his Adam's apple. She could feel his hearts beat harder in his chest. "How about a swim?" River stood and slipped off her shoes.

"What, in there! If you want to remove everything including your skin, then sure!" He pursed his lips and furrowed his brow.

"Well, I think there's a place nearby that has a safe pool…" her voice trailed off as she gazed at the TARDIS.

"Sure, but does the other have this view!" His arms flailed towards the diamond coated river that reflected the lavender mountains.

"No, you're right. It has a better one," she grabbed his hand and picked up her shoes with the other.

They made their way through the labyrinth of floors and rooms inside the TARDIS. Chlorine hung heavy in the air. As they got closer, River slowly pulled down her zipper. Purest blue she's ever seen, River slid her dress off her body. She looked at the Doctor and winked. She lifted her hands and unclasped her bra. She slipped out of her panties and sank into the perfectly tempered water.

Flushed pink, the Doctor shrugged out of his jacket and folded it in half. He rested it gently on the railing of the ramp towards the pool. River never took her eyes off of him. He watched her watching him, and he unbuttoned his shirt. His pale chest exposed to the air and his nipples harden. His face floods crimson again. River moved her hands around in the warm water in front of her, waiting impatiently.

The Doctor looked down at his wife, glistening in the water, and swallowed hard. 'I should have worn my better pants,' he thought to himself. He unzipped his slacks and rested them atop the jacket. The bright yellow ducks stuck out from the deep green of his boxers and he lifted his eyes to meet River's gaze.

As soon as their eyes met, the laughter in her belly couldn't contain it's self any more. "The duckies add a sense of danger," she smirked.

"They were a gift!" And this wasn't a lie. Her face flashed into his mind, the golden paper folded ever-so precisely over the small box. Silver string tied into a bow on top, it was the perfect wrapping job that made him know Rory had done it.

"Merry Christmas, Doctor," Amy touched his shoulder. Her perfect teeth gleamed in the light of the multi-colored Christmas lights on their tree.

He looked at Rory then back to Amy. Just like a kid on this notable morning, he quickly unwrapped the box and looked up at her. He shook his head. He looked once more at Rory, then lowered his voice, "Amy, I thought…" his voice trailed off.

"Oy," she punched his shoulder, "it's not something for me to ever see again, it's just a gift!"

"I told you he wouldn't get it," Rory piped in from the couch, mouthful of chips, some cheerful holiday special blaring on the television.

The Doctor kept his puzzled look, "thank you, I suppose."

"You're welcome," Amy beamed.

"Doctor?" River stared at the anguish on his face.

He remained in his duck-clad boxers and slipped into the pool. He stood silent and still in the water. River inched closer to him. He could hear the desire pulsing through her body, he wanted to touch her, taste her, savor every second and every drop of her beauty, but didn't want to ruin the beauty of this moment. He closed his eyes and River put her hand on his hip. "Do you really need these?" She asked to him, his eyes still closed.

The last time he was in here, felt like a life time. And it truly was. Her lifetime. His lifetime. River hadn't even been born yet, though technically she had been a major player in his life for years. He had fallen into the perfectly temped pool as the TARDIS began crashing into Earth. The first face he saw. This was the last time the Doctor stepped foot in this warm water. A true rebirth and here he was again. It had been centuries and plenty of his own incarnations since he touched another woman.

But River wasn't just another woman. The daughter of two powerful humans, powerful mates of his, River was the creation of pure love amid the stars. She was the closest thing he had to a semblance of home. He opened his eyes and lifted his hand from the water. He placed it on her cheek and pulled her closer to him. "River," he whispered as his mouth moved closer to hers.

Their lips touched. The water boiled and surged with the heat from their bodies. The Doctor's body stiffened, everywhere, and he pressed into her. He touched almost every inch of her naked body. Smooth and soft, even in the chlorine drenched water he knew she would smell of the star anise that perfumed her hair. River's hand held tight to his hip and the other found her way to his hair, her fingers clenched tightly around the strands. She plunged her tongue deep inside his mouth and in him she found everything she had been searching for.

It had been years since she killed then saved the Doctor and now she was feeling those emotions all over again. Her heart beat feverishly inside her chest, which was pressed tightly to his. She wanted more of this. More of the heat emanating from the Doctor's body. More of his lips on hers. His body pressed against hers. The way she could feel how much he was enjoying it. Every second she wanted to be filled with the rush the Doctor's body provided.

He grabbed her waist and pressed into her a bit more. A moan escaped River's lips and passed into his. One of her legs lifted around his waist and urged for more. Her body was craving him, and had been for years, and she wasn't going to let him change his mind tonight. She positioned her weight towards him to lead him to the edge of the pool. As his back touched the cool edge the Doctor's eye jutted open.

As suddenly as the kiss began, the Doctor pushed her off of him. "I can't… Not yet, River," the irises of his eyes widened.

River stepped back in amazement, "I don't understand."

He sighed and rested his forehead on her shoulder. He couldn't tell her that while he was kissing her he couldn't think of anything but her parents. It had been years for him, but he can't even begin to ask how long it had been for her. He wasn't over the loss of the Ponds and being with River did nothing but remind him of that. He couldn't tell her that right now all he wanted was to be held by her. To be comforted in the most innocent of ways. He knew what she wanted and needed right now, but he couldn't. Images of the four of them together flooded his mind. He pressed his eyes shut tighter, trying to force back the pictures.

She dropped her hands to her side and they slowly sank into the water. Her heart pounding in her chest subsided and she looked up at the ceiling. She shook her head and pushed the Doctor's shoulders away from her. She walked out of the water, water dripping from her with each step. He noticed the beautiful way she shimmered in the subtle light of the TARDIS. He mentally slapped himself for letting her out of the water. She moved towards her dress and slipped it back on. "Well, Sweetie, the night's still young."

He raised an eyebrow and smiled, "where?"

"Wherever you want, darling."