Once Upon A Time
Chapter Six: So Much For My Happy Ending
Disclaimer: I really don't own any of it. Sorry about that.
Author's Note: Well hello, I hope y'all haven't forgotten about me. I feel amazingly guilty about how long it's been but uni work & pregnancy & illness… It all adds up. Anyways, I hope you enjoy this latest chapter…
"Urm… Hello?" River spluttered as she found herself being swung around by one of the many men that now surrounded her. Faceless, numerous and all moving in synch as she fell over her feet in an attempt to keep up.
"Hello." He replied sombrely. He didn't sound like the Doctor but then, for all she knew, she might not sound like River to him. She didn't know much any more and it was making her head hurt. All she wanted was to get out of this damn place and back to something that resembled normality.
"I don't suppose you could tell me what exactly I'm supposed to be doing here, could you?" River asked as politely as she could as the man spun her around vigorously.
"It's simple. You have one choice. You have to decide which one is the one for you." He explained simply.
"Are we supposed to have some specific question, some code word I've forgotten?" River snapped as she felt herself be pulled around once again and tried her best not to trip. Following had never been her strong point.
"No. There is no trick to this, you will either know or you will not."
"God, everyone here's so useful." River scowled. "Well I can tell it's not you so that's something." She quickly flung the man away from her and he spun into the arms of another woman as all the dancers rotated around her, giving the sensation that she was at the centre of some kind of bizarre dancing universe.
"Sweetie?" She asked cautiously as she eyed the man who had just placed his hands on her waist and began to waltz her once again.
"I could be your sweetie, if you wanted." He murmured sleazily as River shuddered and recoiled quickly.
"No." River replied bluntly as she pushed him away. "Just no."
The second he left her arms River felt another man begin to steer her around the dance floor. She shut her eyes and let out a long sigh, trying to make herself calm enough to talk to the next clone. The next man who would be awfully flirtatious or deliberately obscure. The next man who wouldn't be him.
"Hello?" She asked in a dull tone as she gazed into his eyes, trying to find that spark that would set him apart from all the others.
"Well hello princess." He growled and River groaned.
"Next!" She shouted as she pushed him away and received her next dance partner, then the next, and the next. Each one was dismissed promptly with a roll of her eyes and a sinking heart because she didn't know what it was she was looking for exactly but she knew, within seconds, that none of them had it. The line of men kept coming, spinning her faster and faster until she felt like she was going to throw up.
"STOP!" She shouted as she pulled herself out of the embrace of the nameless, faceless man who stood next to her. "Everyone just stop!" Her breath was ragged as she glanced around the room at all the pairs who mimicked her and her partner. Confusion flooded their identical faces as they froze mid-dance and watched her intently, unsure what to do in this situation. This was not how it was supposed to happen.
River breathed deeply as she steadied herself. She knew if only she could think, just think for one second, she'd be able to work out how to get out of this. There must be some sign, some difference that she'd recognise even here. As she walked slowly through the crowded room every man inclined his head at the same angle and tightened his grip on the woman in front of him as if afraid River would launch herself at them. Even now, when they all remained motionless in front of her, she felt enclosed and trapped by their very number. She was just about to give up, to sit down and shout until someone did something to make this nightmare go away, when she saw a slight movement in the corner. It was nothing specific, she couldn't even tell who it was, but in this sea of symmetry any independent movement meant only one thing: hope.
"Out of my way." River whispered harshly as she pushed herself towards the far corner, through the crowds of dancers. As she reached the final couple she felt her breath catch in her chest. There, almost hidden from view, was a man. He was dressed just like every other man she'd met tonight, every man she'd pushed away and despaired at, but instead of being entwined with some faceless girl in a pale pink dress he was crouched down talking quietly to a child who was crying and clutching a grazed knee. River grinned to herself as she stepped boldly forward. It had to be him.
"Sweetie?" She breathed as she drew level with him. His face turned up towards her and broke into a broad grin- the first real smile she'd seen since finding herself in this awful place.
"And what sort of time do you call this?" He laughed gently and River fell to her knees beside him and threw her arms clumsily around his shoulders, hugging him close to her.
"Oh thank God." She whispered as he kissed the side of her face. As soon as he did River felt the ground beneath her begin to rock, to dissolve, she felt like she was falling and she tried to cling onto the man she'd just found but her hands clutched at thin air. She tried to call out, to scream at the injustice of it all, but she could only gulp noiselessly as she swirled forever downwards until eventually she landed flat on her back.
"River?" She heard a voice sniff beside her as she pulled herself upright, eyes darting about and ready to fight whatever had just done that to her.
"Where am? What's going… Mum?" River finished quickly as she looked down and saw the alarming image of her mother huddle by the side of the bed she'd landed on, hands clasped together as if in prayer and tears streaming down her face.
"River? Are you really… I mean, are you okay?" Amy asked shakily as she reached out to touch her daughter's arm, to reassure herself she was here.
"Am I back? Is this real again?" River asked shakily as she looked to her father who stood stonily at the end of the bed, grasping onto the frame for support.
"Yes, yes." He nodded quickly. "This is real. You're really back."
"You were gone for days River, we thought-" Amy mumbled before River cut her off.
"And the Doctor, where is he?" She smiled slightly as she thought of finally being reunited with her husband who she'd searched so long to find.
"He's… Well… He's gone." Amy mumbled quietly, not daring to meet the older woman's eyes.
"What do you mean he's gone?" River asked darkly.
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