It wasn't supposed to explode. Well, not really. There might have been a fire, and the internal computer would have blown up, but only a little. This, though. This was massive. This was a proper explosion. But where's River? That was the one thought on the Doctor's mind as he raced out of the Grand Hall, a building that was only going to exist for about 35 more seconds. He got out just in time, praying that River had found her way back to the TARDIS. Please, River. Just be in the TARDIS. Please.

But just before he got back to his ship, he saw a mass of golden curls. The curls were on a head. And the head was attached to a body, which was on the ground, bleeding.

He ran. And he knelt next to her. "River. River." She didn't respond. He picked her up, and carried her back to the TARDIS. He snapped his fingers, and the door swung open.

"Amy! Rory!"

"Doctor?" Amy appeared almost immediately in the console room, with Rory right behind her. The Doctor pushed past them.

"Follow me." Rory followed him, silently obedient. Amy followed him, obedient.

"Doctor, what happened?"

"The Grand Hall exploded."

"What? How?"

"It's complicated, and we haven't got the time," said the Doctor, arriving in the TARDIS sickbay.

"Well, what happened to River?"

"She was in the Grand Hall."

"What? When it exploded?"

"Yes. Rory, turn on that monitor, will you?" Rory did as he was told, and Amy just stood off to the side, dumbfounded. The Doctor worked swiftly and silently, examining River, touching things on the monitor, and mumbling quiet instructions to Rory, who obeyed. Suddenly the Doctor turned around, surprising Amy, who looked up from the floor.

"Right then. Cuts and abrasions on arms and legs, nothing a Rasiphax Hummingbird cream can't fix. She landed on her knee, that's going to be a bit sore, hit her head, probable concussion. But other than that, she'll be okay." His voice lowered. "She has to be okay."

Amy stepped closer to River. "So, if she's okay, or going to be, then why isn't she waking up?"

"Well, that means the sedative is working."

"What? You knocked her out?"

The doctor nodded. "It's easier to treat her this way. God knows what kind of trouble we'd all be in if she were awake right now. She doesn't like being taken care of, protected. It's all right, though. She should be well enough by tomorrow that we can wake her up. She just needs rest. She heals faster than a normal person, beacause of her biology."

Amy nodded. "So I'm clearly not needed in here, but is anyone else starving? I'm going to go find something to eat. Doctor, kitchen?"

"Down the hall to your right, two lefts, first door on the….right."

"Thanks. Back in a bit with some sandwiches."

The Next Day

Amy woke up and Rory was already gone. She made her way into the sickbay, and found Rory sitting quietly on the bed closest to River, looking anxious. The Doctor was pacing, checking the monitor attached to River's bed, pacing, sonicing it, looking at the sonic, pacing some more, and so on.

Amy raised an eyebrow at Rory, then looked back at the Doctor. "So. What's going on? Why isn't she up yet?"

The Doctor paused his acting busy to answer her. "Well, we took the sedative off about…" he looked at his watch. "one hour, three minutes, and fifty-seven seconds ago. Roughly. After being on those meds, it should take someone about an hour to wake up."

"So this is normal, yeah? I mean she should be awake any minute."

"Hopefully, yes."

Rory spoke up. "So we wait here. Like we've been doing for an hour."

You could have woken me up, you know."

"Oh, but you're so cute when you're sleeping."

"Yeah, shut up." Suddenly River stirred. It wasn't much, she just turned her head over from one side to the other, but it was enough to make everyone stand up, and the Doctor stumble loudly into one of the beds, which is probably what made River finally open her eyes. She smiled, looking slightly dazed. "Hello, Sweetie."

"Oh, River!" The Doctor lifted up the top half of her body, and enveloped her in a tight hug.

Well that's nice dear. Any particular reason for the warm welcome?" She turned to Amy with a questioning look.

"Well, he did almost blow you up, and then knocked you out for twelve hours."

River turned to the doctor, and held him in a cold stare. "You sedated me?"

"Because I knew you wouldn't let me take care of you!"

"I don't need to be taken care of!"

"I know that, River!" He took her hands in his. "But I need to be able of take care of you. You were hurt, and it was my fault. I almost blew you up!"

"Oh, I'm still feeling sparks." She leaned in to kiss him, and right as their lips met-

"Ahem. There are other people in this room too. Nice to meet you, I'm Amy, in case you've forgotten."

The Doctor and River both turned to face her with a smug smile on her face. The Doctor looked only slightly embarrassed this time, more annoyed, really. "Oh, you're so Scottish."

Amy ignored him, and walked over to River. "I'm glad you're awake," she saud with a grin.

"Thanks. And thank you too, Dad." Rory looked up.

"Huh?"

River smiled. "Oh, I'm sure you were a valuable nurse." The Doctor sat down next to Rory.

"That he was. And Amy made us sandwiches. They were great sandwiches."

"They were excellent sandwiches, really," said Rory in agreement.

The Doctor stood up. "That reminds me," he said, walking out of the sick bay, toward the console room. "I've been meaning to take you two, and River, if she wants to stay out of jail for one more day, to Raroossim Benjam, which literally translates to 'Sandwich Planet.' Fancy a trip?"