The TARDIS
"Welcome to Haln!" The Doctor said throwing the doors open over a view of a sprawling metropolis. Air cars whizzed by and a blast of noise nearly knocked them back into the control room, but the Doctor grinned from ear to ear flexing his bow tie.
"That's…wow…what is it?" River asked looking around.
"It's a commerce planet." The Doctor explained.
"A commerce planet?" River asked with raised eyebrows. "You took me to a commerce planet for our Honeymoon?"
"Oh come on River!" He chastised. "Everything you could possibly want is right here, right now, on this planet. You can shop for anything, buy anything, the gleaming jewels of Geminus 7, the pearls of Pertubia, you can swim in the Rexicorn reefs," He said the last wrapping an arm around her and gesturing around looking over the city.
"Oh fine," She said sarcastically rolling her eyes, "you've convinced me."
"That's my girl," he pinched her nose before maneuvering out of the TARDIS and onto the platform.
"Wife," She corrected. He turned back to her, and she winked at him, "sweetie."
He jutted his jaw out, as she sauntered down the steps, "shopping mall this way?" She asked.
He nodded, and off she went.
The Doctor looked around the skyline taking in the sights, seeing the the ads, the neon bill boards, advertising almost everything from diet supplements to new private adventure ships for sale. The news of the day was dull, and it was a balmy 34. But his head snapped back around, what was the date? Did I see that? Finally he saw the report scrolling across the screen, August 4th local…hmm.
He turned back to the TARDIS and the doors closed on him. "Oh no, not now, why can't I just have one day to enjoy myself?"
The TARDIS trilled at him, a sharp brief sound.
"Oh fine," he snapped his fingers and pointed at the box, "but next planet we go to we are taking a vacation."
The TARDIS hummed at him.
"We'll see about that!" He turned on his deals dashing off after River, running down the flight of stairs to one of the avenue corners.
He found himself lost in a sea of people, River had rushed off ahead, and he was alone. Feeling very out of place with his purple long coat, bow tie, and expertly groomed black hair. Well maybe not that expertly, he felt running his hand through it. But that wouldn't help him with River.
"Doctor, over here!" She shouted.
He spun around, saw her waving at her, straightened his bow tie, and continued over to her.
"I could get used to this." She remarked proudly. "Maybe this wasn't such a bad idea after all."
He came in step with her as they took in the shop windows, dozens of people looking out over hundreds of customers roaming the streets. The whole planet in some ways was like one giant market.
"It's certainly different then your normal faire."
He shot her a look.
She laughed, "On the day of my birth you led an army of races from across time and space to rescue me and my mother. You failed because they made a flesh double of me. Then they trained me to become an assassin so I was going to assassinate you, the first time I failed and ended up saving your life and the second time I ripped a hole in time and space to rescue you."
She took a breath and leaned on him, "you then married me in a parallel timeline I created where time was happening all at once, a time line that never happened because we kissed. It just doesen't seem…as fun."
"Well, we can always go back to the TARDIS if you want." The Doctor smirked.
"Nah," She snorted, "this is fun, quiet, I can find a new dress. Won't they be just surprised when we get back to the Storm Cage?"
"Well just wait I'm sure something will happen," He muttered.
"What was that?"
"Oh nothing." He replied, she looked as though she didn't believe him, "oh look a nice jewelry shop. Come on."
They entered and the place was nearly empty of any jewelry, the shelves were bare except for a few boxes scattered here and there. A few of the shelves had cobwebs tucked away neatly in the corner. Someone was clearly doing their job, but hoping no one would notice the mess.
And it was dusty, a thin coating of dust danced in the air before them the Doctor stuck his tongue out, licked it, and made a face.
"Oh you know how to pick them don't you?" River teased. "I thought I saw a nice sports car place with gleaming metal, but no, we had to go into the dust factory."
He was too busy looking around to pay much attention, but was interrupted when a perky blond bounced out in front of him.
"Hi! Welcome to Sheffield's the greatest emporium of Jewelry in the lower C district! I am Sandy and I would be happy to help you out!" She smiled big and blinked at them gesturing her arms about.
The Doctor took her in, carefully sizing her up in a few seconds. She was thin and athletic around 5'4", could probably use to put on a few pounds. But she was flushed, her skin looked pale, her body looked drain, and her eyes were sagging. Oh no.
"Not much of a selection here." River commented.
"Yeah, sorry, we just got a shipment in but there was a run on the registers." She wrapped her arms around her and shrank before them.
"Oh no, its ok, plenty of jelwery stores on the planet." The Doctor smiled.
"But none as good as ours!" She replied smiling brightly.
They finished their shopping and ducked back out into the street in a gap in the traffic.
"Doctor, what's wrong?" River asked as she fell in behind him.
"Who said anything is wrong?" He replied.
"Your face?"
"My face speaks?"
"You have that look?"
"What look?"
"The look that says something is wrong look!"
He whirled on her leaning on a closed store front pinning her back, "River, you have been married to me how long and you know my looks?"
"I'm a quick study."
Some of the crowd glanced at them as they passed.
"Right, and not sure if anything is wrong. Well actually nothing is happening yhet, been on this planet five minutes and nothing has exploded, maybe we can have a nice honeymoon after all."
"Right." She sounded unconvinced but walked off anyways.
He followed her.