River sat alone in her room on the edge of the bed, gazing with misty eyes at the photo in her hand: the photo of the gravestone, with the names "Rory Arthur Williams" and "Amelia Williams" engraved on its cold, stone face.
"My mum and dad…" she murmured, blinking as tears rose in her eyes. She then shook her head and sat up straighter. There was no time for tears now. Right now, she needed to be ready to fight. Madam Kovarian had returned her gun, and she grabbed it strapped it around her waist. It was time for revenge. Suddenly, a wheezing, groaning sound filled the air. A strong gust of air blew right in River's face, and she took a step back in surprise as the Tardis materialized in the middle of the room. The Doctor popped out of the door and glanced around the room, pausing briefly as soon as caught sight of River. He took a deep breath and swallowed before speaking to her.
"River… I've come to take you with me. I know it sounds mad, since you don't know who I am, but please, River, trust me. Your life depends on it. Seriously, Madam Kovarian only wants to kill you. I want to help you."
River looked at the Doctor with suspicion, and took another step back towards the direction of her bed.
"I have a question for you, Doctor." She picked up the photograph of Amy and Rory's gravestone and held it up. "Why did you let them die?" Her voice trembled when she spoke, and her face was the picture of intense emotion.
The Doctor was lost for words. He stared numbly at the photo of the gravestone and was instantly struck by an enormous amount of guilt. That moment in the cemetery when he saw Rory's name on the tombstone, and right after when he begged Amy to stay… it all came rushing back, as clear as day, to his mind. Amy's tearful farewell, River's hand upon his shoulder as he wept in anguish…
The Ponds… how did I let it happen?
"River, I… I'm so sorry."
River shook her head and took a step toward the Doctor. He could tell that she was angry with him, and that hurt. Kovarian had replaced every feeling of love that she had ever had towards him with feelings of hatred and bitterness. But what hurt him more than anything was the realization that Kovarian wasn't far from the truth about Amy and Rory.
It's my fault that Amy couldn't be a proper mother and raised her own child. It's my fault that they're dead. And it's my fault that River's been hurt like this.
"You're… sorry? Is that all you can say? My mum and dad are dead, and you're looking at a photo of their grave, and all you can say is sorry?" River was almost shouting at him by this point. The Doctor couldn't stem his tears any longer. He could see the hatred and loathing mixed with anguish in River's eyes.
"You disgust me, Doctor. And why do they even call you that? A Doctor is a healer, not a heartless killer."
"They die, they always die, and I try to stop it, River, but I just can't! They always leave me: Susan, Ian, Barbara, Jamie, Jo, Sarah Jane, Tegan, Ace, Rose, Martha, Donna… and so many more. I hate endings so-"
"Doctor, shut up." The Doctor looked up to see River, aiming her gun straight for his head. Her lip trembled, and a teardrop rolled down her cheek.
"I should kill you now, after what you've done to me." The Doctor shook his head, and held out his hands pleadingly.
"Please, River, put down the gun and come with me! I can make you well again! Kovarian's hurt you more than you know. Please, come with me, into the Tardis!" As soon as the words came out it struck the Doctor just how similar his words had been to Amy, right before she touched the weeping angel in the cemetery in Manhattan. That was right before her name had appeared right below Rory's on their gravestone.
No. No matter what happens I will not let Kovarian hurt my River Song again.
"River, please, just come with me!"
"Doctor, get out. Get out now, or I won't wait to kill you."