I don't own Doctor Who.

Chapter 4

River Song stood in the shower. Allowing the hot water to cleanse her body; washing away all the blood and the tears and smoothing out her taunt muscles and sore limbs. She'd washed her hair and was about to turn the water off when she felt that familiar presence behind her, flinching when he touched her shoulder tenderly. She turned round to look at his face and noticed he was in dire need of a shave. He'd neglected himself this past week, the usual prim and proper Time Lord now resembled more of his namesake; 'raggedy Doctor'

They didn't utter a single word to each other. River, still wary about what happened the night before, for it had been the most physically violent he'd ever been to her, picked up the wash cloth slowly and motioned for her to wash him. He nodded briefly and she lathered up the cloth with soap and began to wash his chest, moving up in circular motions over his shoulders then down his back. They stayed like that for some time; the Doctor stood under the running water whilst his wife cleansed him and washed his hair, her nails grazing over his scalp soothingly and the Doctor hummed with contentment.

When all the bubbles had washed away, he turned back around and started to nuzzle her neck, moving upwards purposefully from shoulder to ear. He was just about to take her ear lobe into his mouth when he felt her push his arms away, he looked at her confused and saw that she couldn't even meet his eyes; instead opting to stare at the towel rail blankly, she didn't even look as though she had been enjoying it - unusual…

Before he had the opportunity to act, she'd stepped out of the shower carefully and was currently wrapping a white fluffy towel around herself. Still avoiding eye contact, she swept into their bedroom to dress leaving a bemused and rather disappointed Doctor alone in the bathroom.

What did he expect? He'd abused her and called her every name under the sun, or suns (in both English and Gallifreyan); ranging from a liar to a cheat, an adulteress, bitch, a whore, slut and so on… She didn't want to remember what he had thought of her and he had made it very clear that she wasn't to see 'that worthless scum' ever again.

Pulling on some jeans and a loose fitting shirt (to avoid any friction and unnecessary pain to her rib area) she heard a string of swear words come from the bathroom and immediately went to see what was wrong. Apparently, due to the length he'd allowed his facial hair to grow, it had snagged on the razor and caused him to cut himself – quiet deeply to judging by the trail of blood that had already started to trickle down his jaw.

Deciding to take pity on him, she walked over and picked up the razor from where he had thrown it, in the sink, motioned for him to sit on the toilet lid and offered to shave his face for him.

''Here'' she lifted his chin up to wipe away the blood before proceeding to press the razor to his skin, bringing it down slowly and leaving a smooth line in its wake. He watched her silently, her eyes only ever leaving his face to dip the razor blade in the soapy water. ''whatever am I going to do with you eh?'' she sighed, making another smooth line round the curve of his jaw.

When she'd finished and dried his face with a towel, the Doctor dropped his head forward onto her stomach, hands clutching tightly on her shirt at her waist, ''I love you River'' he breathed quietly and she had to bite back a chuckle,

''I know sweetie, you just have a funny way of showing it sometimes''

''I don't mean what I do to you, what I said to you. I never mean it, it's just-,''

''Don't,'' River shushed him ''we all do stupid things – admittedly you more than others-,'' she stopped when he squeezed her hips a little too forcefully and she heard him take a sharp intake of breath,

''Please, I need you now, more than ever…''

River sighed. They hadn't been intimate in that way for almost two weeks, which was quite a long time for those two and she wasn't sure she wanted to now.

''Doctor, I don't think-,''

''Please River…'' he pleaded, standing up and she wondered when his hands had sneakily found their way under her shirt, scratching the skin above her waistband. She could already feel herself getting lost in his touch and didn't want to give up so easily, it was only when she felt his teeth scrape her neck did she pull away, ''…not like this''

''What?'' he demanded, ''what's the matter?''

''No, nothings the matter. I just don't-,''

''Oh c'mon'' he tried again, pulling her closer and wrapping an arm round her back so she was pressed into him, ''it's what married people do – what we do'' he trailed open mouth kisses up to her jaw and smiled in immense satisfaction when her neck arched at his touch.

She pulled him closer by his neck and parted her lips for him – open invitation. For that brief moment, she responded, allowing him to take control and forgetting everything that wasn't here and now – before reality kicked in and she pulled away, ''no Doctor, I cant. Not now, not today''

''Jesus River! Make up your bloody mind! You haven't let me touch you in weeks!''

She laughed loudly, she just had to – was he serious?

''Stop it. You know what I meant; I'm your husband for crying out loud! Why won't you just sl-,''

''Oh, you know why'' she snarled

''Come on, you're not still mad about that are you? I thought I explained?'' he said in a low voice, once again bringing his lips to hers but she pushed him away, with more force this time,

''I said no. I'm not having sex with you,'' she then looked him up and down, taking note of the bulge in his trousers that she had felt press into her whilst he had tried to kiss her ''you'll have to make do with a cold shower instead''

He was baffled. That was the second time this morning she'd refused sex, not usual River behavior at all. Normally she'd be up for it; shower, kitchen, swimming pool, console room – even Amy and Rory's garden shed one time – wherever. Maybe she was having an affair with the man from the restaurant and therefore didn't need him anymore – no, he'd made her swear never to see him again, so there would be no further shenanigans (if there even was any to begin with) This was most worrying…

He'd been pondering for so long that he never noticed River leave the bathroom. He'd try again later, but first things first – cold shower indeed.

Hope you liked :)