Beep-beep... beep-beep... beep-beep... beep-beep...
The Doctor woke, but his eyes were still closed. His first instinct was to panic, but common sense ruled that it wasn't the best plan, so he didn't. He allowed his other senses to explore the environment before he made it clear he was conscious.
He didn't know where he was, but an orangey glow through his eyelids told him that the place was brightly lit, and when he breathed he smelled chemicals. A lab? he thought, jumping to worse-case scenario, then dismissed the idea. Wherever it was, it was soft and warm, not consistent with most alien laboratories. He could feel that several hours had passed since the last moment he remembered. Someone was holding his right hand.
He opened his eyes. The lids were heavy and resisted his will, and the light was brighter than he had anticipated, so he shut them again.
"Doctor?"
He knew that voice, but for some reason his brain was taking longer than normal to process it. He squinted slightly to allow his eyes time to adjust to the white fluorescent lighting. A blurry figure with bushy hair stood over him. He blinked, and relaxed slightly. River.
As his vision cleared, he looked at his surroundings. It was a small room, lit from above with white lamps. The chemical smell was strong, and still there was that steady double-beeping noise. He appeared to be lying in a bed, covered with white sheets, and he was wearing clean, white pajamas. A... hospital ward? The beeping noise seemed to be coming from a monitor which faced away from him at the bedside.
Further down the bed past River was Clara, with a look of immense concern. The Doctor's gaze returned to his wife, who shared Clara's concerned look, both of whom were directing it at himself.
"Hello, sweetie."
River had spoken again. It was not in her customary flirty and joking tone. Her voice was full of worry, and care. The Doctor opened his mouth to answer, but the words came out groggily and slow.
"W-what happened?"
Clara bit her lip, and River blinked, releasing his hand.
"What?" he repeated, feeling his mind, body and speech speed back up.
It was then that a third woman entered the room. She wore a pure white robe, and a head cover of the same color, and the Doctor recognized her face as the same one to whom he had delivered River after she killed him and brought him back. Now he knew where he was: the abbey of the Sisters of the Infinite Schism, the greatest hospital in the universe. A hospital. The Doctor sat up in bed.
"Good, he's awake," said the Sister, entering swiftly. She began to examine the Doctor, who didn't like it one bit.
"Oi, what are you-"
"Hush, boy," she shushed him, and he opened his mouth again, but River placed her finger in the way. The Doctor slumped back, annoyed. He sometimes forgot how young he really looked.
The Sister peered critically at his eyes, felt for his breathing speed, and bent his wrist to check his pulse, and all the while the Doctor was squirmy and insubordinate.
"Everything normal," the Sister told him.
"I'd be more reassured if I knew what went wrong in the first place," he said, indignantly. River shifted nervously at his side, and he looked at her curiously.
The Sister thoroughly ignored him. Instead, she picked up a clipboard which had been lying on the bedside table. She took out a pen as she brought it up to read. The Doctor guessed that it was a patient file.
"Name," the Sister said, more of an order than a question.
"The Doctor," he said, looking resigned.
"Doctor who?"
He rolled his eyes, and River gave him a little pat on the shoulder. "Just the Doctor," he said.
"Species," said the Sister, looking equally exasperated.
"Time Lord."
"Planet of origin."
"Gallifrey."
"Current planet of residence."
"None."
She glared at him. He sighed, thinking.
"Earth."
"Age, and units."
"Twelve hundred, Earth years."
At that, the Sister looked at him in scrutiny, obviously not quite believing him, but she moved on.
"Marital status."
"Married," said River for him, smiling very slightly.
"Spouse name?" the Sister inquired of River.
"River Song."
"Extended family?" The Sister had turned back to the Doctor, but River answered again.
"Yes."
"Names and relationships."
"Amelia Jessica Williams and Rory Brian Williams, mother and father-in-law."
The Doctor became very interested in his hands.
"Other family?"
River looked at the Doctor, and answered again.
"None living."
The Sister appeared unfazed as she went on, "Existing medical conditions?"
"No." The Doctor frowned. Never once in his 1200 years had he been asked that, and he wanted to know why. "What happened?" he repeated finally.
The Sister looked at him matter-of-factly. "You had a heart attack."