A/N: Well, here it is, my lovelies! I hope you enjoy!

The long sleeves of her coat weren't enough. Alex shivered as she ran a brush through her untamable curls and sighed. Glancing down, she noticed that the varnish on her nails was chipping and she made a mental note to re-polish them as soon as possible. She couldn't have Matt noticing that something was off about her nails, though she did have to admit that the tinge of blue was a bit unsettling, even to her.

"Alex, are you almost ready?"

She applied her lipstick as quickly as her shaking hands would allow and fixed a smile on her face. Stepping out of the bathroom, she was greeted with a truly breathtaking sight. Matt stood before her in a suit, complete with his now-signature bowtie, and she nodded in approval. Her eyes travelled up and down his body and when he noticed her looking, he couldn't stop the light blush that crept into his cheeks.

"Do I pass inspection?" he asked, his voice a bit breathless.

"Definitely," she murmured in a low voice that momentarily caused his mind to stop, "Top marks."

He stepped away from her, holding her at arm's length to look at her. He gently pushed her long coat from her shoulders to admire the dress clinging to her body. She'd chosen it very carefully, a rich purple colour that in some lights looked nearly indigo, and that accentuated her green eyes beautifully. A slight beading on the top of the dress drew the eye, and the tight fit made her feel sexy. Matt's eyes roamed over her body shamelessly and she smiled.

"Do you approve?"

He nodded, pulling her close to him, his lips gazing her throat.

"Very much so. Even so, I can't wait to get this off of you. It will look much better that way."

Alex smirked and stepped back.

"This was your idea, sweetie. We can always stay in."

Matt shook his head vehemently.

"Not a chance, Kingston. It's your birthday. We're celebrating."

Alex smiled at his enthusiasm, but it didn't reach her eyes. Matt frowned, taking her hand in his.

"What's wrong?"

"It's just…I'm forty-nine, Matt. I'll be fifty next year."

"And? You don't look it. You look like you're my age. I don't think anyone is going to think otherwise, especially not in that dress. You're beautiful. You are the sexiest woman I've ever seen, Alex."

He leaned down to kiss her lightly, and tapped her nose.

"Now, come along, Kingston! I believe I owe you dinner."

Alex shook her head, smiling.

"I'd rather skip the main course and go to dessert."

Matt didn't reply. He handed her the coat he had dropped to the floor and pushed her gently to the door. That woman….he shook his head to clear it. He was very tempted to take her up on her offer right then. When she spoke in that low voice….damn it, her voice did things to him that shouldn't be possible.

She was uncomfortable. He could see it in the way she was looking around and in the way her hands moved. Not that he could blame her. They'd been recognised as soon as they'd entered and while most of the other diners had kept their distance, Matt couldn't ignore the way their waiter had been staring at Alex all night.

"Is there anything else I can get for you?"

Alex mutely shook her head, but Matt was growing increasingly agitated.

"No," he answered shortly, "No, thank you."

Alex glanced over at him worriedly, but wisely waited until they were alone before speaking.

"What's wrong?"

"He keeps staring at you."

Alex frowned, her eyes puzzled.

"Who does?"

Matt gestured in the direction that their waiter had gone.

"That waiter. He's been watching you all night."

Alex laughed lightly and then it was Matt's turn to frown. What was so funny?

"I hadn't noticed."

"Then…what's wrong, love? You're nervous about something."

Alex watched him for a moment. She didn't answer him in words, but when she reached across the table to grab a piece of bread, she looked pointedly at her own arm. Matt followed her gaze and noticed the red cuts on her arm, the colour standing out brilliantly against the white of her skin. She placed the bread on her plate, but he knew that she'd never planned to eat it. It had simply been a way to show him without anyone else noticing. Very clever, his Alex.

"Right. I didn't think. I'm sorry, love."

She shook her head, waving away his apology.

"Do you want to leave?"

She didn't answer, but she didn't need to. He could see the answer in her eyes, and as much as he didn't want to deal with the man again, Matt signaled their waiter to bring their check. Alex began to protest, saying urgently that she didn't want to ruin his beautiful birthday plans, but he smiled at her reassuringly.

"You're not ruining anything, love. We can always come back if you want."

After they had paid, Matt helped her from her chair and they made their way to the door. Out of the corner of her eye, Alex could see their waiter watching them, and before they reached the exit, she stopped walking. Matt turned at her lack of movement and she pulled him to her. His hands automatically found her hips and when she kissed him, one of them wound into her hair. They broke apart, and Matt placed his lips at her ear.

"What are you doing? I thought you didn't want anyone to know."

Alex smiled up at him and kissed him again, threading her fingers through his hair. When he was looking into her eyes again, she glanced in the direction of their former table. Again, he followed her gaze and noticed the man who had waited on them staring with an expression that crossed between hatred and jealousy. Matt smirked and pulled her to the door.

"You are evil, Alex Kingston," he whispered.

She laughed and threw one last glance over her shoulder, waving at their former waiter. Matt followed her outside, shaking his head and laughing. She never ceased to amaze him. His mad impossible Alex. He just hoped she wouldn't regret her decision.

The ringing of his phone startled him awake, but he refused to answer it. He was too comfortable, too wrapped up, literally and figuratively, in Alex and his bedsheets, and he just simply didn't want to move. It finally stopped ringing, and Alex turned in his arms to face him. It was at times like these, in the early hours of the morning sun, with her hair a mess and makeup free, that she looked absolutely breathtaking. He smiled slightly before closing his eyes again, burying his head into her shoulder.

"You probably should have answered that," she mumbled, still half asleep.

He shrugged in response and pulled her closer. She rested her chin on top of his head and let sleep reclaim her again. It was a short lived sleep for them both as his phone began ringing minutes later. Matt groaned and rolled over on his back, glaring at the device on the nightstand. When it became clear that he wasn't going to answer it, Alex leaned over him and grabbed it.

"Hello?"

She was lying half on top of him, and he ran his fingertips lightly over her back and he half-listened to her side of the conversation. When she swatted his hands away and sat up suddenly, he was very aware of the lack of body heat and his eyes snapped open.

"You're sure?" her voice was soft, almost as if she didn't have the strength to speak louder.

Matt watched her worriedly as she bolted from the bed, grabbing her silk bathrobe from the floor. She flew into the living room, switching on the television, flipping through the channels quickly. Matt followed as fast as he could, fully awake now, and took the phone from her hand.

"Hello?"

"Matt! Where have you been? Have you seen the news? Is Alex okay?"

Karen's voice was frantic, and he had to stop her so that he could process all of her questions. Alex was staring at the screen, transfixed, and when she saw what she was waiting for, she grabbed Matt's arm tightly, pointing.

"Some of you Doctor Who fans will find this interesting. Twenty-nine-year-old star Matt Smith was seen sharing a not-so-secret kiss with his co-star, Alex Kingston. Not that this is much of a surprise, given their chemistry on-screen. The real surprise comes from these disturbing marks seen here on Kingston's arm."

As they watched, the camera showed a clear shot of the kiss they had shared in the restaurant the previous night, and both Matt and Alex were horrified to discover that the fresh scars on her arm were indeed clearly visible. Alex placed her head in her hands, but when the announcer began speaking again, she forced herself to watch.

"There has been speculation on the state of Kingston's health in recent months due to her rapid weight loss, and now this. Obviously, there are a number of reasons that this could have happened, but unfortunately none of them are good. Neither Smith nor Kingston have chosen to comment, but we can only hope that this is a result of some sort of accident."

Matt could hear Karen on the line, but he couldn't get his vocal chords to work. Without really meaning to, he hung up the phone and sat next to Alex, placing his hand on her shoulder.

"Alex?"

"What are we going to do, Matt?"

Her voice was a whisper, and when he looked down, he could see the fear radiating from her entire body. He wrapped his arm around her shoulders and kissed her temple gently.

"We'll figure this out. At least people know about us now."

He knew that she didn't really care about their relationship being public, but he was trying to think of anything possible to distract her from her rapidly growing panic.

"What if I lose my job, Matt?"

Matt shook his head.

"Not going to happen. They'd never fire River Song."

Alex sighed, running her fingers through her hair slowly. Matt placed another kiss on her temple and when Alex's own phone rang, they both jumped.

"Hello?"

"Alex, it's Steven."

Alex's heart sank. She knew that this would happen. She blindly reached for Matt, and when her fingers found his, he thought she was going to cut off the circulation in his hand.

"I just saw the news segment."

Alex sighed in defeat, knowing that her time had come to an end. Still, she supposed it'd been a good run.

"Are you okay? Is there anything we can do to help you?"

"W-what?"

"Everyone is very worried about you. Is there any way we can help?"

"You mean…you're not sacking me?"

Steven laughed on the other end of the line, and Alex loosened her deathlike grip on Matt's hand. She'd never heard such a beautiful sound as his laugh right then.

"Of course not. We just want to help. Please. Let us know if there's a way. Oh, and congratulations to you and Matt."

Thanking him profusely, Alex barely managed to get off the phone without dissolving into tears. Matt gathered her in his arms and when she began sobbing in earnest, he gently wiped her tears away with his fingers.

"It'll be okay, love. We'll get through this. I promise."

She nodded, tears still falling at a rapid pace. Matt stood, pulling her with him, and led her back to the bedroom. Now that they knew what had been so important, it was time to sleep again. He didn't know about Alex, but he definitely needed to sleep this off. Things would look better once they woke again.

When Matt opened his eyes, he was surprised by the pain in his chest. He frowned, attempting to move and it was only then that he was able to place what was causing him so much pain. Alex, wrapped in his arms, was sleeping soundly, but her shoulder was resting uncomfortably against his chest. He shifted slightly, and when his hands made contact with Alex's shoulder, his frown deepened.

How had he not noticed this? How could he have not seen the sharp angles of her body, the way her skin had tightened even more around her bones? He knew she hadn't eaten much last night, but he hadn't wanted to press her on her birthday. On impulse, he pulled the sheet back, examining her body carefully. He could clearly see the outline of her ribcage, and her hipbones were like twin toy hatchets. She was very cold to the touch, and thoroughly alarmed now, he shook her lightly in an attempt to wake her.

"Matt, what's wrong?"

"Alex…"

He couldn't do it. He couldn't make his voice form any words other than her name. She looked at him dazedly, sitting up slowly. He continued to stare at her, his eyes filling with tears and she moved closer.

"What's wrong?"

"Oh God, Alex…."

His voice broke on her name, and he closed his eyes, unable to look at her any longer. She placed a cold hand on his shoulder and he moved to kneel in front of her, grasping her hands in a desperate attempt to warm them. She was beyond confused, and he willed himself to find the words to speak.

"What do I have to do? How can I get you to eat? I'll make you anything. I know I'm not the best cook in the world, but I'll learn. Your favourite thing. Anything you want. Please, Alex. Please."

Alex was silent, wanting to reassure him that she was perfectly fine, but not knowing how. She hated seeing him so upset, but she didn't have the faintest idea of how to help him.

"Matt, I—"

"How did I not see it? I should have done something before it got this bad. This is my fault. I'm so sorry, Alex. I failed you."

She stood slowly, pulling on her clothes as she went, and sat next to him. She didn't know when he'd dressed, but she didn't want to be the only one without clothing. Besides that, she was absolutely freezing.

"You haven't done anything wrong."

"Yes, I have."

She'd never heard him sound so broken, and she reached out to run her fingers through his hair. Alex's phone rang, and before she stood to answer it, she gave him a soft kiss and a warm smile. He didn't return the smile.

"Hello?"

"Hi, Mummy."

"Hello, darling. How are you? I miss you so much."

"I'm okay. I miss you, too. When can I come see you? Daddy says I have to wait until school is over, but I don't want to."

Alex laughed at the petulant tone of her daughter's voice.

"I know, but you have to listen to your daddy."

She could practically see her pouting and fought down another wave of laughter.

"Mummy, are you sick?"

"No," Alex frowned, "Why would you think that, darling?"

"You were on the news. Daddy told Grandmummy that you looked like you were sick. He said he was going to call you and make sure, but I wanted to talk to you first."

"Okay, well…I'm fine. Salome, put your Daddy on. I want to talk to him."

"Okay. I love you, Mummy. And I miss you."

Alex felt the tears that had been building in her eyes spill over at the words. She missed her so much.

"I love and miss you too, Salome."

There was a slight pause and then Alex was greeted by the voice of her ex-husband.

"Something is wrong with you, Alex."

It wasn't a question, and she frowned. Who did he think he was to tell her how she felt? True, she'd been much colder than usual lately, but that was because it was March. She was so caught up in her indignation that she didn't even realise that Florian had begun speaking again.

"Sorry?"

"I said, so you're with Smith now?"

"Yes."

"I hope he makes you happy. But, please take care of yourself. You can deny it all you want, but there's something wrong."

"Florian, I have to go."

Without waiting for his reply, she hung up, her phone dropping out of her hand. Matt was no longer in the room, and she stood quickly, hoping to find him nearby. When she entered the hallway, she could hear him in the living room, and called his name softly. He didn't answer, and she continued walking, pointedly ignoring the black shadows swirling in her vision.

There was a tightening in her chest, and she paused just outside the living room to catch her breath. Matt still hadn't looked her way, and she doubted if he even realised she was standing there. She took a hesitant step and the feeling in her chest became almost unbearable. She forced her eyes open and found Matt was almost to the kitchen now. Unable to speak, she lifted her hand and pushed the small candle on the table in front of her to the floor.

"Matt…"

He turned at the sound and when he took in her white face and laboured breathing, he ran to her. He wasn't quick enough, however, and the last thing her eyes saw was Matt's form leaning over her, calling her name desperately as she hit the floor.

Matt wasn't normally one to sit still, but he found that he just simply couldn't move. He'd been in the waiting area for hours now, and had hardly moved at all, save to make the few phone calls he'd needed. A light hand on his shoulder caused him to look up, and when he saw Karen and Arthur standing next to him, he stood, wrapping his arms around the redhead.

"Matt, what happened?"

"She…she had a heart attack. She's dying, Kaz. I don't know what to do. She won't let me help her, and now…"

"She'll make it, mate. Alex isn't a quitter. She's strong."

Matt turned to Arthur, smiling weakly.

"I...I can't lose her. I love her. She's all I have."

"Mr. Smith?"

Matt turned at the sound of his name, and found Alex's doctor standing next to him.

"Yes?"

"She's awake, and asking to see you. There's something you should know, however. If she doesn't make every effort to recover, she will die."

Matt paled.

"How long?"

"Two weeks. Maybe."

"Can we see her?" Arthur asked softly.

The doctor nodded.

"Normally, we only allow two visitors in the room at one time, but in this case, we'll make an exception."

Matt didn't wait to be told twice. He took off in the direction of Alex's room, not even bothering to spare a glance for the people he had left behind.

Her eyes never changed. They still lit up every time she saw him, and they still followed his every move. So much about her physical form had changed, but her eyes remained constant. Today was no different.

"Matt, I need—"

He placed his finger on her lips and when he was sure she wasn't going to interrupt, he moved.

"Alex, please. You've got to do something. If you don't, you're going to die."

"I'm not going to die, I—"

"Two weeks!" he shouted, not caring if anyone heard, "That's how much time they're giving you. Two weeks, unless you really try to get better."

Alex's eyes widened and he could see that she was trying to comprehend what he'd said. He took her hand in his, and stroked the back with his thumb. He could see every vein in her thin hand, and he rubbed it between his own to try to warm it.

"Two weeks?" she whispered finally.

"Yes."

"I—I can't die. I never meant for it to go this far. I can't."

He never let go of her hand, but he saw out of the corner of his eye when Karen and Arthur entered.

"You can do this, love. I know you can. I'm not going to give up on you."

She buried her head in his chest, her thin fingers grasping the fabric of his shirt as tightly as she could.

"Matt, I'm so scared," she sobbed.

He kissed her hair gently.

"I know."

Standing by the door, Karen and Arthur exchanged a glance. They wanted to be there for their friends, but they didn't want to intrude on this private moment. Matt gestured for them to approach and when he gently pulled away from Alex, he smiled at her.

"Hey, Kaz and Arthur came to see you."

Alex smiled weakly at them and turned to Arthur, her expression unreadable.

"I'm so sorry, Arthur. I should have listened to you."

He smiled, leaning down to kiss her forehead.

"Just hurry up and get better. Someone needs to keep Matt's arse in line."

Alex laughed, nodding slowly. When Karen leaned down to wrap her in her arms, she leaned close, whispering in Alex's ear. Whatever she'd said had made Alex tear up, but she smiled as she settled back against her pillows. Matt watched her carefully, studying her eyes.

"Matt, we're going to go. Alex, we'll be back soon."

They both nodded in unison, and once the doors closed behind Karen and Arthur, Matt brought his lips to hers in a gentle kiss.

"You can do this, love."

She nodded through her tears, her eyes never leaving his. He kissed her again, harder this time, and when they broke apart, he held her head against his chest tightly.

"I love you," he whispered.

"I love you, too."

When the nurse looked in on them hours later, both were sleeping soundly, Matt's head resting gently on the side of the bed, and Alex's fingers resting in his hair.

Hours later or days later, Alex never knew which, she found herself being released from hospital, clinging to Matt's arm like a lifeline. As soon as they had made it to his car, he swept her into his arms and kissed her like his life depended on it. It had been so long since he'd been able to kiss her properly, and he hadn't realised how much he'd missed it.

"You have no idea how much I've missed you," he said softly.

Alex weakly reached up to brush his hair from his face and smiled. Even the smallest movement seemed to exhaust her, and she sighed.

"I've missed you, too."

He placed her gently on the seat of the car, and bolted around to the other side, not wanting to leave her alone for too long. When he threw himself onto the seat next to her, she laughed gently.

"In a hurry, sweetie?"

He nodded, kissing her hand. Though he was driving, he occasionally snuck a glance over at her, noting how quiet she was being. He knew that she was scared, hell he was terrified himself, but he wanted her to at least speak to him. Her eyes lit up at the sight of his flat, and he smiled. He had debated on taking her to her own flat, but he didn't think that she would want to be alone. When they finally made it through his front door, he placed her gently on the couch and knelt in front of her, seeking out her eyes.

"Would you like something to eat? Or tea? I can make you some tea."

She was silent for a moment.

"A sandwich, maybe?"

He knew how big of a step it was for her to ask for a sandwich, considering how complicated they seemed to be for her. He kissed her before standing and walking to the kitchen, looking back every few steps. He didn't want to let her out of his sight, not even for a moment. He'd come so close to losing her, and they still weren't out of the woods yet.

It occurred to him that he hadn't asked her what type of sandwich she wanted, but when he looked around, he saw that it didn't matter. There was only a bit of sliced turkey in the refrigerator, and he sighed. He really did need to go shopping. He finished the sandwich, leaving it plain, and made his way slowly to the living room. Alex looked up when he entered, and smiled weakly.

"I'm sorry. All I have is turkey. I didn't put anything else on it, because I didn't want to overwhelm you, but if you want cheese, or—"

"Matt," Alex interrupted him gently, "it's fine. This is perfectly fine. Thank you."

He nodded and handed her the plate. He could see the fear in her eyes, and he sat down next to her, placing a hand on her shoulder.

"Do you want me to leave?"

She shook her head before lifting her hand to pick up the sandwich. She pulled the bread apart, putting a thin slice of turkey between her fingers, holding it as if it were made of glass. She finally raised it to her lips and Matt watched her with bated breath. She ate slowly, as seemed to be her pattern, but somewhat faster than usual. She stopped halfway through, however, and looked at him with tear filled eyes.

"I can't do it, Matt."

He took her hand gently, kissing her fingers.

"Yes, you can. I'm right here, you're not alone. You can do this, Alex. I know you can. Show that bitch of an eating disorder that you're stronger than it is."

Her head shook, and the tears began slipping down her face. He wiped them away with his fingertips and when she finally calmed down, he kissed her cheek.

"Come on, love. You're almost finished. You can do this."

She sighed and nodded determinedly. As she began to eat again, Matt knew that he had never been, nor would he ever be, more proud of her than he was in that moment. Alex finally finished her sandwich, and as soon as she set the plate aside, Matt leaned forward, kissing her properly.

"What was that for?"

"I'm so proud of you."

Alex frowned.

"Why?"

"Because…you've come so far. You're doing really well. Pretty soon, you'll be back to being the amazing woman that I love."

"Are you saying I'm not now?"

Matt quickly backpedaled, not noticing the slight smile on her face or the teasing tone in her voice.

"Of course you are, but I just meant—"

Alex silenced his protests with her lips and when she pulled back, she smacked his arm lightly.

"I'm only kidding, sweetie."

Matt visibly relaxed, and watched her for a moment before speaking.

"Do you…do you feel okay?"

Alex was quiet for a long minute, and his eyes never left her. The attending physician had told him that the first few months of recovery were critical, and he was terrified that her body wouldn't be able to handle it.

"I think so."

She shook her head slowly, and when she opened her eyes, they were desperate.

"Matt, I think I'm going to be sick."

Without waiting for her to continue, Matt swept her into his arms, bolting for his hall bathroom. He had only just placed her on the floor before she was violently sick. Miraculously, her aim was perfect, and Matt pulled her hair behind her, pretending he didn't notice when pieces of it broke off in his hand.

"I'm sorry," Alex whispered, her voice raspy.

"It's okay. You have nothing to apologise for, Alex."

He reached up and handed her a cup of mouth rinse, and when she fell back against his chest, he noticed that she was shaking. He kissed the top of her hair lightly, and carried her bridal style to their bedroom.

"Alex?"

"Hmm?"

"I've been thinking…and you don't have to answer now, but…would you like to live here? With me?"

He was busy looking for the blanket that he knew was somewhere in the room, and so he missed the bright smile that crossed Alex's face at his question.

"Do you mean it?"

"Of course," he called from the closet, "I've never been more serious."

"I'd love to."

He may not have been looking at her, but there was no mistaking the smile in her voice. A few minutes later, he had recovered the blanket and held it out to her, smiling the most adorable smile she'd ever seen.

"Thank you."

"For what?" she asked as he leaned down to kiss her.

"Everything," he answered simply.

A/N: Ta-da! Reviews are love.