Author's Note: For reference, I have polyvored the wardrobes for Clara and River.
Clara: claras_day_out/set?id=84068059
River: claras_day_out/set?id=84149277
"Professor Song, what a surprise! You look…"
River watched the petite woman choke on her words. Running across the TARDIS had been a stroke of luck. She had knocked on the door hoping to find her parents. It was the fall of 2013. They should be in their late 20's now and, River hoped, still traveling with the Doctor. However, the appearance of this young woman meant that a chance meeting with The Ponds was not in the cards for this adventure.
River struck a sassy pose in the door way as the girl looked her over from head to toe. "Delicious, I know." As usual, River Song was dressed for an adventure. A wide, low hanging, black belt topped a pair of skintight burgundy leather pants that disappeared into knee high brown boots crisscrossed with straps and buckles. A double-breasted, oatmeal colored waistcoat barely contained her upper assets. Her only accessories were the vortex manipulator wrapped around her left wrist, a pair of tortoiseshell cat eye sunglasses perched upon her nose, and the ever-present holster for her sonic blaster strapped to her right thigh.
"Actually,…"
River shushed her with a finger to her lips and a saucy grin. "Spoilers." She pushed her sunglasses up and settled them into the bounty of her curly tresses. "Not a Professor yet. Never liked the 9 to 5. It ties you down and not in the fun way, mind you."
River advanced up the companionway. While reminiscent of the past, the desktop of the TARDIS was very different. The console room was much smaller in circumference but larger in height. The warm orange glow had been replaced with blues and greens. The TARDIS console herself was quite imposing with large orbiting dials at the ceiling and additional control panels along the side railing.
River produced a small blue book out of nowhere. "Though apparently, I do get one of those pesky jobs in the future. River will suffice, for now," she mumbled as she flipped through the pages of a diary that was just beginning to show the wear and tear of time and usage. The girl looked vaguely familiar, but River could not place her.
"If I'm correct, you won't find a sketch of the TARDIS desktop or me in that book. We've met before, just recently in fact. Well, recent for me, but you acted like you didn't know me."
A frown twitched at the corners of River's lips as the girl rambled on. The dossiers in the diary were meant to help orient her to the Doctor's time stream. If she did not know this girl yet the girl knew her, then she had jumped far, far ahead. She snapped the book closed with a grumble. She enjoyed the days when she knew more than the Doctor. Today was not going to be one of those days.
As she hid the diary once again, River eyed the new companion. She looked young and inexperienced from the pile of brown braids decorating her head to the well-worn ankle boots on her feet. Was she new? She had to be new. "I trust you are aware that travelling with the Doctor has rules."
The girl nodded. "Rule number one: The Doctor lies."
"And so do I, dear girl. Terrible habit. Picked it up from him. It is useful, however. Reduces paradoxes. While I always love a proper adventure, it makes him quite cross." River gave an affectionate touch to the central pillar. "Hello, darling. Loving the new togs. Reminds me of your younger days. Less whimsy suits you."
She listened to the TARDIS with the barest hint of a smile on her lips. Her eyes alighted on the Gallifreyan symbols swirling above her. She easily picked out her name and that of her parents. "Yes, I missed you too." Turning back to the new companion, River propped a hip against the TARDIS. "The first rule leads us directly to the second rule of time travel."
The brunette circled the console a little wary of the easy report between River and the TARDIS. "Never tell a time traveler their future. It creates a fixed point, and whatever you told them must then happen. That's why you keep the diary, to sync your time with the Doctor's. Your lives," she waved her hands back and forth in opposite directions, "it's all back to front."
"Been studying, I see" River sauntered over to the petite woman for a closer look. She made a slow circle around the girl in the blue and white striped dress. Covered as she was from neck to toe in a pinafore and bright blue tights, River could see that her youth and sincerity had not yet tarnished in the Doctor's presence. A large, white oval medallion decorated in blue butterflies dangled from her neck. Yes, the Doctor did rather like his companions on the youthful side, and this one was rather educated on her relationship with the Doctor. "Just who, exactly, are you?"
"Clara Oswald." She stuck out her hand for a shake. "Nanny. Time traveler. The Doctor's companion." She looked at River with a sense of surety. "And friend to River Song."
River wagged her finger. "First impressions are so important to setting up a life long acquaintance."
"Ah, but we've already met." Clara dropped her hand but added cheekily, "I've just said it, so it must happen now."
River weighed the other woman's words. Usually, she was the know-it-all in the room. Having the odds against you may not be fun, but at least, it made things more interesting. She took a deep breath wishing any hint of trepidation out of her voice. Jumping so far ahead was jumping into the unknown. She had done this before. Turning to her, she asked, "Ok, Clara Oswald, what is the Doctor wearing these days?"
"Purple frock coat, grey waistcoat, black denim, and boots."
Shock crossed the green eyes of River Song. Had she jumped so far ahead that the Doctor had regenerated? No tweed coat? No bowtie? River turned back to the scanner and pulled up a recent image of the Doctor. Floppy hair, face of a 12 year old, gangly limbs, and a bowtie...he was still HER Doctor. "Purple frock coat, indeed. He was wearing tweed and braces the last time that I saw him. This look is much more mature." The end of her sentence came out in a purr.
"And when was that? The last time you saw the Doctor."
"Aren't you a clever girl?" River dismissed the images of the Doctor. His dashing smile was one distraction too many. She peeked around the scanner. "Trying to place me in my time stream."
"I'd hate to give you too much information and ruin your adventures." Clara crossed her arms and leaned back against the railing. River could feel her eyes assessing her. Her gaze lingered over the vortex manipulator. Clearly, that was a significant clue to Clara.
Clever, clever girl. She knew just what to say. "I would give you three guesses, but something tells me that you know a lot more about me than I would like." River cut to the chase. "The Stormcage is a little damp this time of year so I decided to take a little holiday. My hair does tend to frizz in all that humidity."
Clara absent-mindedly chewed on the side of her thumb. "Were you hoping to find your parents aboard?"
River walked around the console familiarizing herself with the new knobs and buttons that controlled the TARDIS. She could give a flippant answer, or she could give the truth. "Yes."
"I'm sorry. They," Clara paused to find the right words, "left some time ago."
River chose to inject some flippancy into her answer despite the ache in her heart. Her parents had so enjoyed their travels with the Doctor. She did not want to know how or when their time with him had come to an end. "Another rule to remember when you travel with the Doctor. Companions come, and companions go. Nothing is forever."
"Sometimes." Clara's shoulders quivered for a second. A flash of pain briefly crossed her eyes. Maybe Clara wasn't as new to the TARDIS as she first suspected.
"The Doctor doesn't like to talk about the past. It is nigh impossible for you to know so much."
"Impossible Girl. That's me." At River's disgruntled expression, she added, "Spoilers. If it's any consolation, you find out when he does." Clara paced around the console to avoid River's intense gaze.
"Until then, did it drive him mad?"
"Bonkers!" Clara answered with a grin.
"Excellent, that's my indoors." River liked this new companion more and more. "What do you say, Clara Oswald. How about a quick spot of adventure while the Doctor leisurely sleeps away the day?"