The Doctor woke with a start, temporarily forgetting where he was. He remembered as he glanced around the room, he was sat in the Thatchit hospital, in an uncomfortable chair, by River's bed.

He closed his eyes again, he had seen the clock, he had not been asleep for long.

The Doctor couldn't believe that it had only been a few hours since they had been at the warehouse.

It had taken him and Jack almost thirty minutes to get River back to the TARDIS, they had had to open the main gates. The Doctor had then immediately brought them to the hospital, but by the time they had got River onto a hospital bed the anaesthetic had worn off.

River had instantly started to fight back once again, seemingly not bothered by her injuries, the doctors had sedated her again, for both their safety and hers.

They had then forced Jack and the Doctor out of the room while they treated her. The Doctor had hated waiting outside, it wasn't that he didn't trust the doctors and nurses, he just wanted to, needed to be with her. He spent the entire time staring through the small glass window of the door, not allowing River to leave his sight.

A doctor had finally emerged after an hour, he explained that they had treated all her physical injuries, and that she should be okay, physically at least. However they were worried about her mental state, there wasn't enough information at the moment, he had said, they would have to wait until River woke up.

The Doctor had quickly pushed his way into her room, and since then had not left her side.

The Doctor opened his eyes, River was still asleep, the sedative still in her system, the Doctor still felt useless, he wanted to be doing something, but he wouldn't leave her, not again.

He sat up, leaning towards River, and delicately brushed some of her hair out of her eyes.

'Please be alright.' He whispered, kissed her forehead and then sat back in the chair, keeping his eyes fixed on her.

The Doctor couldn't exactly pinpoint when River became such an important part of his life, he had always known she would be something special, ever since she had whispered his name in his ear. But now looking back, he couldn't remember when it hit him, when he realised he loved her now, not just knowing someday he would.

As he sat there he thought about all the wonderful things they had done together; some adventures on distant planets, and others simple things, like when he learned her favourite food.

They had been sat in the TARDIS, he was only wearing his briefs and she his shirt. They had been cooking breakfast together, often distracting each other with chaste kisses and touches, eventually the Doctor managed to actually cook something, omelettes, and she had explained that ever since she could remember omelettes had been her favourite food.

He had quickly insisted that all they would ever eat, from that moment on, would be omelettes. River had shaken her head, and said in a meaningful voice, that the best things in life were worth waiting for, enjoyed all the more if they weren't expected.

They hadn't left the kitchen for hours, and the Doctor could distinctly remember them losing the sparse clothing they were wearing to begin with.


The Doctor didn't notice drifting off again, but when he woke for the second time River was also awake. She was sat cross legged in the centre of her bed, a strip of material in her hands. He quickly realised it was his bow tie, he had taken it off before he had originally gone to sleep, in an attempt to be more comfortable.

The Doctor also noticed that she didn't know he was awake, he was unsure what to do, she seemed calm enough now, but she had reacted so badly before.

He gently cleared his throat, and River quickly turned her head, but she didn't run or shout, the Doctor felt like this was a good sign.

'How are you feeling?' He asked, his voice low.

'Where are my clothes?' River questioned, completely ignoring his inquiry.

'Your clothes?' The Doctor was confused, he sat up straighter in the chair, trying to shake some sleep away, perhaps he had misheard her.

'I want my clothes.' River repeated, her eyes back on his bow tie as she twisted it around in her hands.

'River, your clothes were ruined, do you want me to get you some new ones?'

River nodded, still not looking at him.

The Doctor slowly stood. 'Okay. I'll be right back.'

He kept glancing back as he made his way to the door, but River didn't move.

As soon as he was in the corridor the Doctor almost collapsed against the wall, he didn't know what to think. She was talking, and not screaming which was good, but she seemed so, so distant.

He pushed himself away from the wall, and started towards the TARDIS, all he could do for now, was get River some clothes, at least he was doing something.

It wasn't until he reached his ship that he realised that River never left any normal clothes on the TARDIS. There was an outfit for any era, and every special occasion, but nothing 'ordinary'. He grabbed one of his old t shirts and a pair of khaki shorts, they'd have to do, he also picked up a pair of boxers, hoping River would be okay with them.

As the Doctor reached the console room, Jack appeared from the other corridor, he had stayed in the TARDIS overnight.

'How is she Doctor?' He asked, as he walked towards him.

'I'm not sure.' The Doctor admitted. 'She was awake, but not really, there, you know?'

'It will take time, be patient.' Jack said, clapping a hand on the Doctor's shoulder. 'I'll come back in with you, grab some food.'

When they got back to River's room there was a nurse standing outside, and the Doctor could here raised voices from inside.

'Are you the Doctor?' The nurse asked.

The Doctor nodded quickly.

'Thank god.' The nurse said. 'She's refusing to let anyone near her, she's just asking for 'her Doctor'. You'd better go straight in.'

The second the Doctor entered the room, River leapt off the bed, running to him and throwing her arms around him.

'Don't let them touch me.' River said, tears running down her cheeks. 'I don't want them to touch me.'

'They're just trying to help honey.' The Doctor said calmly, he had automatically wrapped his arms around her, and was now gently stroking her hair. 'I've brought you some clothes, after you let them check you over you can put them on.'

River didn't say anything, but nodded into the Doctor's shoulder, and allowed him to lead her back over to the bed.

'I won't leave again, I promise.' The Doctor said, as he helped her sit down.

After some convincing, River lay down again calmly enough, until the Doctor went to pull his hand from hers, at which point she shot back up, pleading him not to leave her. In end the Doctor was perched on the side of River's bed as she lay there, reluctantly letting the doctors do their job.

After they had finished the Doctor helped her change, he was still surprised by how comfortable she now was in his presence, not even perturbed by her own nudity, but then River Song never had been, maybe it was a trait she had remembered, or retained.

A few moments passed before the Doctor noticed someone motioning for him to come outside, it was River's doctor.

'River, I'm going to have to go outside, just for a minute.' He said sweetly, but she immediately started shaking. 'I know, I've got a really good friend waiting outside, how about I get him to sit with you.' River looked up at him, she looked so innocent, swamped in his t shirt, with unshed tears filling her eyes. 'His name's Jack, I trust him completely.' Eventually she nodded, the Doctor pressed a kiss to her forehead and slowly walked away.

'Jack.' The Doctor said after opening the door. 'Can you sit with River please?'

'Of course, about time I met your missus.'

'So Dr Song.' River's doctor started, the Doctor smiled slightly, he may have used the psychic paper when they first came to the hospital. 'Your wife is fine, physically, but psychologically the picture is not so clear, you said she was tortured?' The Doctor nodded solemnly. 'We think she is repressing the memory of the incident, which is obviously causing her confusion, which is leading to the behaviour she is currently exhibiting.' He paused allowing the Doctor to take it all in. 'We'd like her to talk to someone about it, but as she is refusing to talk to anyone but you, we were wondering, what sort of doctor are you?'

'Coincidentally, psychology.' The Doctor lied.

'Perfect.' River's doctor smiled. 'And you wouldn't mind dealing with this, it's a bit unorthodox I know, but considering the circumstances...'

'Of course.' The Doctor quickly replied, it would be best if River spoke to him, and if it didn't work they could go somewhere else, he would take her anywhere in the Universe, just to make her happy again. He shook the doctor's hand and returned to River's room.

The second the Doctor was within arm's reach of River, she grabbed his hand and pulled him closer to her, until he was once again sat on the bed with her, one arm hugging her to him.

'River we need to talk about what happened.' The Doctor said quietly, watching as Jack left the room.

River shook her head, burrowing into the Doctor's side.

'River.' He pleaded. 'Please talk to me.'

She continued to ignore him, still hiding her head against his shoulder, the Doctor kept talking to her. After a while he stop trying to convince her to talk, and instead told her stories, some about them, some about other companions.

It didn't take long, with his soft voice in her ear, for River to fall asleep.


Author's Note: Hi all, hope you are still enjoying this fanfic, it's almost over I'm afraid... Don't forget to review :)

Disclaimer: If I owned Doctor Who there would never have been 16 year hiatus!