Hello, I'm BACK! Sorry about not updating since last week, I was on holiday and I didn't have access to a computer. So, to make it up to you guys, I wrote a rather long chapter (for me anyways). This time, River and the Doctor head to Azure, which was only mentioned once in the old series of Doctor Who. It was simply introduced as a blue planet that the Doctor can see from the TARDIS, and he tells his companions that it's called 'Azure'. So, I decided to introduce it as a planet where the dominating color is blue :3 Even though this chapter is long, I don't think I wrote it that well, so just ignore the lack of flow in the writing XD. Enjoy!


"How about Azure?" River asked the TARDIS questioningly. "I've never been there before, and, according to the Doctor, it's been about 500 years since he's seen it too."

The TARDIS hummed her approval.

"Azure it is, then!" River set the coordinates, and the TARDIS shook violently as they began to make their way there.

The movement subsided soon after, the TARDIS' familiar 'vworp, vworp' sound echoing throughout the halls as she landed.

"Sweetie!" River shouted. "We're here!"

"I'm coming!" He hollered back from somewhere within the TARDIS.

Over the past few days, he had started to open up a bit more, but grief still clung to him like a cloak, and it didn't take much for him to lapse back into depressed silence. River had been careful, trying to steer away from any emotion-provoking topics, but she didn't always manage to succeed. So, she had finally found another planet for the two of them to visit.

Finally, the Doctor hopped into the control-room, trying to pull on his right shoe as he made his way over to River. He finally got it on with a relieved sigh, then turned his attention to his wife.

"So. Where are we going?" He said curiously.

"Spoilers." She said with a grin. Seeing his disappointed expression, she laughed. "Kidding, sweetie. You'll see."

She walked over to the TARDIS' doors, and waited for the Doctor to follow her before opening the door.

The Doctor's eyebrows shot upwards as he took in the view before him. "Well, well. It's been a long time since I've visited Azure! I didn't even have companions at the time…"

His voice trailed off, and River felt a spike of panic.

Did she always have to find ways to upset him? She told herself morosely.

"…But." He said thoughtfully, mustering a smile. "I'd forgotten that it was quite this… Blue."

And blue it was. The dominating colors were varying shades of dark blue, light blue, aqua, air force blue, baby blue, ball blue, beau blue, bleu de France, blizzard blue, blue grey, blue sapphire, blue green, blueberry blue, bluebonnet blue, bondi blue, cerulean, Brandeis blue, turquoise, cadet blue, Cambridge blue, Capri, Carolina blue, ceil, celadon blue, Celeste, celestial blue, cerulean frost, cobalt, Columbian blue, cornflower blue, cyan, electric blue, imperial blue, pastel blue, sky blue, slate blue, denim, dodger blue, diamond blue, duke blue, Egyptian blue, ultramarine, French blue, fresh air blue, glaucous blue, han blue, Honolulu blue, iceberg blue, international Klein blue, Italian sky blue, lapis lazuli, little boy blue, majorelle blue, Maya blue, Persian blue, midnight blue, moonstone blue, and, of course, azure, the color which the planet shared the same name with.

"Yes, sweetie, but it is called the blue planet for a reason." River said, rolling her eyes.

The Doctor let out a thoughtful 'hmmphr', and walked out of the TARDIS, closely followed by River. The blue grass he stepped on was covered in dew, making his shoes wet as he strolled forward.

This particular part of Azure was still wild, untouched by the Azurians except for a few cottages on the rolling hills and forests that lay before them, low-lying dark blue mountains far away in the distance. The lightest of blue glows came from behind the mountains, but the dark sky above them was still littered with stars and not-so-far-away planets.

Strange noises filled the air, but the Doctor knew that it was simply the local animals that lived in these parts, which were completely harmless.

"You know, there's a good spot down there, in the forest, with a pond. It's the only place on this entire planet that it isn't blue, instead reflecting the colors of the rainbow. The locals are always telling me to go, so… Shall we?" He told River, offering her his arm.

River grinned, and took it. "Of course, sweetie."

They made their way down the tree-dotted hill the TARDIS had landed on, the soft grass springing back into shape once they took another step. Soon, they were at the foot of it, the blue-leafed trees casting shadows only a shade darker than the lightening sky as they walked into the sparse forest.

River glanced at the Doctor, her arm still in his. "So, I've never actually been to Azure before. What are the natives like?"

"Oh, they're like four-legged swans with bat wings." He said, grinning. "And they have a fetish for gemstones."

River raised an eyebrow. "Well, good thing I didn't bring any jewelry. It's impractical if you're trying to get out of a death situation alive."

"True, true." The Doctor remarked. "But I thought this was a sort of vacation."

River smirked. "Now, now, what's a good vacation without any running away from crazy aliens trying to kill us?"

The Doctor cocked his head and pursed his lips. "Um, a good one?"

River laughed. "Oh, Doctor, since when have your attempts at vacations been good, then? Admit it, you love the running away part."

"Well, sort of." He admitted, his smile just a little bit wider than before.

River grinned back at him, her heart just a little bit lighter. He seemed better than he had been in days, a healthy flush in his cheeks and she could just see the beginnings of a sparkle in his eyes.

"What is it?" The Doctor said, stirring River from her thoughts.

"Oh, nothing." She said airily.

The Doctor raised an eyebrow, but said nothing, leaving the two of them to walk in silence. After a few more minutes, River remarked, "Well, we haven't been attacked by any dangerous aliens yet. I'd say that's progress."

The Doctor let out a snort of laughter. Just as he was about to reply with a quip of his own, a chattering sound reached their ears.

They both stopped at the same time, glancing at each other.

"What was that?" River asked curiously.

"Eh, probably just some local animals." The Doctor shrugged his shoulders.

"Yes, we-" River started to reply, but the same chattering noise started again, eventually turning into a high-pitched squeal of rage.

The Doctor let out a sudden yelp as something small, furry, and obviously blue, hurtled towards him from a tree.

"Get it off, get it off!" He howled, pawing at his clothes as the blue ball of fur clambered all over him.

"Hold still, then!" River snapped, slightly shocked as she tried to grab the… Thing.

It let out a stream of chatter, still evading the Doctor and River's hands before leaping off the Doctor and landing on the blue earth they were standing on.

It stood still on four legs, finally letting the pair to get a good look at it. It sort of resembled a ferret, except it was the color of forget-me-nots and had a pair of bird wings sprouting out of its back, not to mention the stubby horns growing out of its forehead.

"Doctor, what in the universe is it?" River said, glancing at her husband.

"Err, I don't know. One of the local animals I was talking to you about, I guess." The Doctor said, glaring at the ferret hybrid.

It chattered at them, ending with a condensing sniff.

"I did not!" The Doctor said, his voice reproaching.

The ferret thing let out a squeak.

"Well, it's not my fault you decided to put your favorite twig on what was clearly a path!" The Doctor retorted.

The animal let out a low hiss of annoyance.

"Are you really going to spend the rest of the day arguing with a ferret?" River said, rolling her eyes, getting over her surprise.

She dropped down on one knee and held her hand out to the ferret. "Now, I'm sure we can all get along."

The ferret/bird looked at her warily, before creeping forwards slowly, wings and tail twitching in agitation. It eventually got close enough to sniff her hand, its breath warming her fingers.

It cocked its head, dark blue black eyes curious, before letting out a small clucking sound.

"It likes you." The Doctor said, partially annoyed, partially impressed.

"Well, obviously. I'm obviously the more trustworthy one. And I didn't step on its twig." River said, trying to keep a straight face during the last remark.

"Trustworthy? You?" The Doctor's eyebrow lifted.

River let out a laugh, startling the strange creature. It leaped back, its fur and feathers bristling.

River stood up, casting a meaningful look at the ferret. "Fine, if that's the way you want to play it. Come along, Sweetie."

She grabbed the Doctor's arm and pulled him after her. "So, where's that pond you were talking about?"


Finally, after much contemplating and changing directions, they finally made it to the small pool of water.

Kneeling down, River peered into the water, her own face reflected back at her in its stillness. The Doctor's image appeared behind her.

"You were right." She remarked. "It is beautiful."

And it was. Unlike the rest of the planet, the water was like oil, shimmering with every other color. Red, purple, green, yellow. It gave her an almost ethereal feeling as she stared into its depths.

"Well, I'm always right, aren't I?" The Doctor said quietly, a wan smile tugging at his lips.

River's gaze turned to him, as she reached for his hand. He was sad again. She felt it, like an ache in her own heart.

"What are you thinking about?" She asked gently.

"Oh, just things." The Doctor said in an attempt at nonchalance.

He was thinking about Amy and Rory. Her parents. Too late, she realized something she should have noticed earlier. Pond. Amy and Rory Pond. It was just a word, but its relevance to their names must have been enough to bring back his pain.

River lifted her free hand to his face, resting it on his cheek gently. "I'm sorry, love."

The Doctor smiled at her bravely. "I'm fine."

"No, you're not." River said.

The Doctor sighed. It was heavy, and pained, and so, so sad.

"It'll take time, you know that. But I'll be better."

"You'd better be." River retorted, a flirtatious lilt in her voice as she coaxed him back into the present. "I don't want a moping husband."

The Doctor simply smiled at her words.

"You know," River said thoughtfully.

"What?" The Doctor asked, his hazel eyes searching hers.

She smiled again, this time with just pure kindness instead of the usual teasing. "I've just noticed that it's been quite a while since I've done this."

"Done wh-" The Doctor started to reply, only to be cut off by her lips against his.

Caught off guard, his arms flailed around a bit in their usual habit, but he managed to regain enough control to wrap his arms around her waist, pulling her closer to him as he responded to her kiss. It was sweet, but drawn out, the both of them losing themselves in each other's presence, calm and love sweeping over them like a tidal wave to wash their worries away.

When River finally pulled away to get some air, the both of them were flushed and breathing hard.

"W-well," The Doctor stammered, suddenly feeling awkward and embarrassed. "I-I think w-we should get back to the TARDIS…"

River laughed. "Oh, how I enjoy making you squirm."

The Doctor managed a pout. "You know I can't think straight when you kiss me!"

"I wonder why." River said mockingly, a teasing smile sliding across her face. "I mean, it's not as if you enjoyed it or anything.

The Doctor sputtered, blushing again.

River stood and offered him her hand. "Come on then, sweetie."

The Doctor took it, a rueful smile on his face as he stood as well.

"Thank you." He told her quietly as they started to head back towards the TARDIS.

She gave his hand, which she was still holding, a quick squeeze and smiled gently at him. "I'm always here for you."

But not for much longer. He thought, not sure whether he was talking about her inevitable death at the Library, or her leaving him so he could find a new companion. Both thoughts made his hearts constrict in his chest, but he pushed them away.

What mattered was that he was here, now, with River.

That she was here.

The thought steadied him, and made the ache in his chest go away for the moment.

Yes. She was all that mattered.


I don't know how long it will take until I finish the next chapter, but be assured it will be up in three days max.

~Shift

P.S. Please, please, pretty please leave a review? They make me so happy, and they inspire me to write :D