Some time/space later... or earlier...
River inhaled the fragrant steam as she made a note in her diary. She flipped back a few pages to check a reference and stirred her tea absently. The TARDIS kitchen was quiet and heard herself sigh she started to piece together the bigger picture.
"Oh, hello. I didn't know you were here." Rory stopped short at the doorway in surprise. He leaned down to give her a kiss on the check. "Did you and the Doctor go on one of your secret midnight adventures?"
"Hi, Dad," she smiled. "Actually, we stayed in tonight. And I'm afraid I rather wore him out – he's finally sleeping."
Rory struggled for an appropriate response. "Um, ok, yeah. Didn't really need to know that."
"The water is still hot," River said with a smile. "Sit down and I'll make you a cup."
Rory managed to squeak out "And some biscuits, please?"
The two sat in companionable silence for a while, enjoying their midnight snack. Rory watched River maneuver her biscuit in the tea, dipping and eating each of the four corners. He chuckled fondly as she discarded the remaining diamond on the saucer.
"That's exactly how Mels used to do it," he observed. "Do you still claim that the calories are only in the middle of the biscuit?"
River smiled at the memory of the many times they had sat together like this. "I'm so glad we had those years. I know it's not what you or Amy would ever have planned, but those times are so precious to me now."
"To us too," Rory responded. "Even if we seemed to spend half of it bailing you out and then apologizing all through town."
"I did manage to stir up quite a bit of trouble, didn't I? And a few broken hearts along the way, too," she admitted.
"I remember a few late night chats like this when it was your heart that was broken, or at least bruised." he ventured.
"Well, you created a safe space to share those feelings. I could discuss other boys freely with you, since you only had eyes for Amy."
"Oh thank god" Rory thought. "So, what kind of trouble do you have in that blue book?"
"How did you know?"
"I always know." he smiled fondly
River flipped through a few pages. "He's trying to get something out of me, something big. A Spoiler."
"I thought the "No Spoilers!' rule was his?"
"Yes, but he's fishing around, asking me different questions at different times. The way our timelines crisscross he's been spacing it out years apart for me, but they've all been recent in his timeline. He's trying to figure something out – something he's not supposed to know yet."
"Would it really do much harm if he did know?" Rory asked. "I mean, besides that whole jeopardizing the fabric of space and time part...?"
"Yes." she said she stared intently into her father's eyes. "If he knew, he would do everything he could to stop it. He won't be able to see that there's only one way for it to end. There's no way he will accept it."
"Why don't you try me. I might surprise you." said a familiar voice from the doorway.
… to be continued...