Author of chapter: rosexknight Chapter two - Regenerations
River hit the metal floor with a THUD!
"Ow..." she groaned, sitting up, holding her head where it hit. No blood. Good sign. She sighed. "Now then...where did he send me?"
She looked around to see a familiar sight. The console. The engine, glowing blue. It was the TARDIS. But different. It wasn't her TARDIS. It was younger. She stood up and went to the console. Something was wrong. The TARDIS wasn't humming it was almost...moaning.
"What's wrong old girl?" River asked. "What happened to you?"
The TARDIS groaned again. Well, at least it knew her. Then again, of course it did. The TARDIS knew everything.
"River!" the Doctor's voice came. Well, she assumed it was the Doctor. It was a different voice. She turned in the direction the voice came. Different body too.
The Doctor wore a suit and tie, a brown overcoat around his shoulders, and his hair sticking up in front. He leaned against the wall of the TARDIS, holding his side. He stumbled to the console. River frowned. She knew that look. She had seen it before. River ran to him, bracing him up.
"Doctor, are you okay?" she asked. "Tea! Let me make you a cup of tea!"
"No, River. I don't need tea." he said, pulling her into his arms, leaning slightly on her so he wouldn't fall over. It hurt...but it was good to see her again.
Even his voice sounded like he was in pain. "Yes you do." River insisted. "I know. It'll ease the pain, Doctor. Cup of tea and you'll be right as rain."
The Doctor shook his head, walking to the console to lean on it. "There's nothing you can do...my song is ending."
River frowned. "But...then you're regenerating?"
The Doctor nodded. "Yes. Every cell is my body is dieing. In a bit I won't be me anymore."
River's heart broke for him. She had never seen this regeneration before, but he had obviously met her. No wonder it hurt her to see him like that. She stepped towards him, placing a hand on his cheek. His eyes were younger than the Doctor she had just been running with.
"Please, Doctor." she begged. "Let me make you some tea. Please. It will at least stop it from hurting."
"It's fine River. It won't be much longer now. I'm just on my way to visit one more companion before I go. I'm glad I got to see you again too."
"You've met me before, then?"
"Just once. You saved my life." he said. He wasn't lieing. She had. But he wasn't telling her the rest.
River smiled. "Well then it's good to know I keep doing that. This is the last time I'll see you then. Well, not you but YOU. This face."
"Yes." he winced as the pain stung him. "Howd you come here anyway?"
River blinked. She had seen this Doctor and completely forgotten about going home. She held up her hand with the Time-Vortex Manipulator on her wrist. "You sent me here."
"Really?" the Doctor looked at her. "Why?"
River grinned. "Spoilers."
The Doctor chuckled, but it hurt to do so. "Of course."
River leaned forward and kissed his lips softly, then pulled away to examine his face. "Shame..." she said. "I like this face..."
The Doctor couldn't move for a moment, then looked at her with such a sorrowful apology. "Sorry. I'm so sorry." he said, pulling her into his arms.
River didn't understand why he was sorry, but supposed she would find out.
"You should get home." he said, letting her go.
River took a step back. "Yeah..." she walked around the console, looking around the TARDIS. "It was a good look on both of you." she said, touching the console.
Suddenly, the TARDIS opened. River gasped, stepping back. But it was too late for her to look away from the heart.
"River!" the Doctor exclaimed, jolting upright, and stumbling towards her. "River you have to look away!"
But she couldn't. River was hypnotized. The heart of the TARDIS...it was beautiful...
The golden time particles flowed up from the heart. They swirreled upwards and surrounded the bracelet that her Doctor had given her before they left. It glowed for a moment as the particles disappeared and the TARDIS closed.
"Take care of him." River heard in her head before coming back to her sences.
River blinked, looking over at the Doctor, who's expression was shocked. He grabbed her wrist with the glowing bracelet.
"Where did you get this?" he demanded. "Tell me. Where EXACTLY did you get this bracelet?"
River blinked, bringing herself back to reality. "I...I got it from you. You gave it to me."
He gazed at the bracelet in disbelief, then smiled at her.
"Oh I am brilliant." he muttered, then pulled River forward and kissed her forehead. Pain surged through his body. He let out a small gasp. "Good to see you again, River. You should get back home now."
"Yeah...you're probably worrying yourself to death. Or another regeneration." she laughed, starting to set the coordinates on her Time-Vortex Manipulator. Once done, she smiled at him and the TARDIS. "Goodbye, Doctor. I'll miss you."
The Doctor smiled. "No need. You'll always have me, just not with this face."
River gave him a small smile. He was right. She looked back at the console. "See you in a bit, old girl." she said. "Goodbye, pretty boy."
With that, she pushed the button, and was gone.