River lay back in the soft grass, letting the sunlight warm her body. It was a perfect day. Warm but not hot, and a gentle breeze carried the scent of flowers.

"I think I spotted it! Look, River!" the Doctor's voice called.

Sitting up, River picked up the binoculars and zeroed in on the dark shape he was pointing at. "That's a log, Sweetie."

His excitement faded and he resumed his watch from the edge of the cliff.

They were on Draconis VIII, a planet that was deserted except for a massive creature that was said to inhabit the large ocean. Out of the many visitors only ten had actually seen it. The Doctor was determined that they were to be the eleventh and twelfth.

"You know, there's a reason why it's called the rarest creature in the galaxy." She walked over and sat next to him, her legs dangling off the cliff. Looking down, she saw deep churning water.

"Yes, but all of the sightings have been in the summer. That's why we're here now."

"I know." He had gleefully explained it to her in the TARDIS.

It was another of their adventures that had been happening more often. She didn't travel with him regularly, but now they were up to an average of twice a week.

It had to mean something and she hoped she knew what it was.

"Doctor, do you trust me?" she asked, not looking at him. In the past he freely admitted to not trusting her. That had been before he knew who she was. She hoped things had changed.

"What? Of course I do." He answered dismissively, still scanning the water.

River wasn't sure she completely believed him. She had done so much to him, and once he had told her he didn't. "Then will you answer a question?"

He suddenly stood, eagerly looking out at the water. She saw a dark shape in the distance. He sat back down, disappointed. "I'll try to answer. Unless it is a spoiler, of course."

She took her time before asking. This question could end their relationship. She had to know though.

Picking up a large rock, she dusted it off and turned it in her hands. "Will you tell me your name?"

"I'm the Doctor," he replied. His tone had gone colder.

She fought the urge to flinch. "I mean your real name."

"You know I don't tell that to anyone."

She finally looked at him. He was watching her. Gone was the earlier enthusiasm and wonder. In its place was a coldness that could easily change to anger.

"I'm not anyone." When he didn't reply, she continued, "You know my real name. You know—or will know—all my secrets. I don't want to know all of yours, just this."

"No." He looked back at the water and set the binoculars to his eyes. His forehead wrinkled and he frowned. "It's gone…"

River no longer cared about the creature. She tossed the rock over the side of the cliff and tried to decide what to do.

He had just shown that he didn't really, truly trust her. She understood that his name was a touchy subject, but—

Her thoughts were interrupted when something grabbed her leg. It was thick and wet and rubbery. River tried to pull away but it wrapped itself around the leg and pulled.

She slid down the side of the cliff. She hit her head and then slammed into a thick branch. Grabbing onto it, she held on with both arms. The creature tugged on her leg and she whimpered.

"River!" the Doctor yelled. She could see him looking over the cliff.

"I'm here!"

She made the mistake of looking down. The water was roughly churning. Long tentacles were emerging from it, and in the middle of was some kind of large mouth with sharp teeth.

Carefully, she shifted her weight and reached one hand down to her waist. Pulling out a knife, she thrust it into the tentacle that was holding her leg.

Instead of letting go she felt barbs dig into her flesh and the tentacle tightened. She instinctively tried to pull out of its grasp, and couldn't hold in the scream as her leg snapped several times.

"River!"

Suddenly the creature let go and sank back into the water. River tightened her hold on the branch.

"Hold on, I'll go get-" he started.

"No!" She stared down at the water, shaking. It could come back.

A few minutes later she felt something brush her hair. It was a rope. Grabbing onto it, she used her good foot and hand to help him as he pulled her up.

Relieved, she collapsed onto the ground. Immediately she tried to scramble away from the edge when a stab of fear went through her.

"River, River, it's not coming back." He held up her blaster sadly.

She nodded and was dismayed to find herself shaking and her breath shallow and quick.

He knelt and focused on her leg, the agony of which made her clench her teeth. She looked down and saw a mess of blood and torn flesh. He aimed his sonic at her, frowned, and then placed his hand over the worst of the injury. Knowing what he was about to do, she tried to pull away.

"Don't you dare!" she cried.

He looked at her. "I'm sorry."

"It's not your fault—" She trailed off as he touched her forehead and she felt sleepiness that she couldn't fight.

When River awoke she felt momentary panic. There was a weight over her body and she struggled against it. Not again!

"It's okay. River, you're okay." She felt a hand on her and pulled back.

A light came on, and she saw that it was the Doctor next to her. Embarrassed, she took a deep breath. She was tucked into her bed in the TARDIS not at the bottom of a lake.

"You put me out," she accused.

"Well, yes. It was the only way-" he began.

"Don't ever do that again," she told him, her voice serious. "The last time somebody did that to me I ended up in an astronaut suit waiting to kill you"

"Right. Sorry."

She sat up and realized that her leg didn't hurt. Throwing back the blankets, she saw that it was completely healed. Faint circular scars were shinier than the rest of her skin, but that was it.

"You used your regeneration energy, didn't you?"

He sat next to her. "You were too injured to move. Your leg was broken in four places, and you were bleeding out. It was only enough for me to safely get you to the medical bay."

River shook her head. That energy was too precious. "You shouldn't have. I'm not worth it."

He gave her a look that was sincere. "You're my wife. You are worth it. Besides, you healed me."

She swung her legs around to sit on the edge of the bed. "That was different. What happened was my fault."

"This was mine. Waiting at its feeding ground was probably a bad idea. I didn't think it could reach up a 30 meter cliff."

"Maybe next time you'll listen to me."

He huffed.

"I'm sorry our day was spoiled. Let me get changed and we can do something else." She paused. "Something where no creatures have tentacles."

He brightened and stood. "I know exactly what we can do. Dress warmly." He seemed to consider something and leaned down. She expected him to kiss her, but he placed his mouth by her ear.

When he spoke the words were quiet. Lyrical. She could almost feel their age, and it made her shiver.

When he straightened, all she could do was stare at him in shock.

Without looking at her, he left the room.

River sat there and tried to come to terms with the fact that she now knew the Doctor's true name.

o.O.o

"He told you his name?" Jack asked. "The name he was born with? The name he has never told anyone?"

"Yes."

"River! And you still think he doesn't love you?"

"He doesn't. That had nothing to do with love."