The Doctor's smile slowly slipped from his face. He turned to Rose worriedly. He knew the TARDIS said she would be fine, but words were never enough for the Doctor. The Doctor wouldn't believe she was out of the woods until he saw it. He knelt down before Rose and lightly brushed his knuckles against her sallow cheek. Rose's eyes fluttered open. She smiled weakly at him.

"Everything's going to be okay." He whispered.

Despite her exhaustion, Rose found the ability to look amused. "Doctor, tha' trick doesn' work on children, wha' makes you think it'd work on me?"

The Doctor dropped his head, a smile on his face. "Blind hope." Rose couldn't find the energy to roll her eyes jokingly.

The TARDIS sauntered back into the room and tossed the Doctor a top hat. "Wear that." The Doctor raised it close to his face, examining it. "Oh put it on, you looked lovely in it that one time. It was a sad event but… will be a sad event?" The TARDIS paused and frowned.

Rose smiled. "Good to see some things never change." The TARDIS smiled at her indulgently.

The Doctor twirled the top hat around and plopped it on his head. "Alright, I'll go grab a suit for this." He pointed at Rose. "Think forties."

Rose frowned. "I've been shot." The last thing she wanted was to put on a dress.

"Yes and I've been poisoned. Haven't got long, hurry up now."

The TARDIS shot the Doctor a glare before helping Rose up and guiding her further into the wardrobe room. "Don't worry dear," she whispered to her Wolf, "I can seal the gunshot wounds. It won't stop you from dying, but it will stop the blood."

Five minutes later, the Doctor was finishing off his bowtie. He picked up his sonic cane with a flare and whipped it about the room as he tested out its weight. The sonic dropped from his hand when Rose walked back into the room. Her hair was up in a loose, low bun. Curls fell gently to frame her still pale face. She wore a glittering pale gold dress with a deep gold band across her waist. Little buttons dotted their way up to her throat on the shear fabric of the short sleeved gown. It hung gently over the heart shaped cut of the second piece beneath, like two gowns coming together to form the one.

The Doctor didn't dare blink, afraid the image before him would flicker away.

The TARDIS smiled at the two of them. She guided Rose back to her comfy chair and settled her down. The Doctor noticed her lack of shoes. He raised an eyebrow at her.

Rose smiled meekly. "They hurt."

The Doctor grinned, all teeth. "Well I can't let you go barefoot alone." He sunk to the floor and pulled his shoes and socks off eagerly.

The TARDIS rolled her eyes at him. She turned her attention to Rose. "It's my time to go now. I'll be seeing you. And remember, too much movement and the small patchwork I've done won't hold up, the bleeding will start up again." The TARDIS put one of Rose's curls back into place. She sighed. "It won't be long now. I promise." Rose nodded, a sad smile on her face.

The Doctor stood and stared longingly at his TARDIS. "You're leaving?"

The TARDIS turned to him. She touched his cheek. "I'm working on borrowed time as it is. I've got a bit left, but it'd be better used elsewhere, don't you think?"

The Doctor pulled the TARDIS into a tight hug. He rested his chin on her shoulder as he bent, enabling him to gather the woman into his arms. He sighed. "Goodbye TARDIS," he whispered, "it was so very good to meet you."

The TARDIS smiled and stepped back. "And you, my beautiful idiot." The corner of the Doctor's mouth quirked up. The TARDIS turned back around to face Rose. She knelt before the dying woman. "Back into my box."

Rose shook her head. "I'm never allowed to do this again, am I?"

The TARDIS smirked. "Well I wouldn't say never…" The Doctor and Rose smiled at that. "But I wouldn't advise making this a regular occurrence." Rose nodded. "Now, let's get you fit for that party, shall we?" Before Rose could comment, the TADIS leaned forward and kissed her lightly on the lips. They're forms glowed gold with the energy of the Time Vortex and swirled through the TARDIS and into Rose. The TARDIS' form lit up and and turned into a twinkling golden sand that slowly blew away. The Doctor stepped back, shocked at the resemblance the image depicted to the one in his memory of the Daleks that were turned to ash on Satellite Five.

Rose gasped. Her eyes widened, the golden glow of the Time Vortex slowly receded from her eyes. She breathed out and a golden tendril of the faerie-like dust and smiled. She stood up easily. The Doctor smiled. "Better?"

Rose shrugged lightly. "For the time bein'. Let's go round up the kids, shall we?" The Doctor extended his arm gentlemanly-like, which Rose graciously excepted. He picked his cane back up and the two headed back towards the TARDIS console room, barefoot and dressed for a 1940's ball.

"Melody."

The newly regenerated woman turned at the sound of her name. She was dressed up in various pieces of clothing, stolen from the dinner guests she'd robbed. The restaurant was empty, save for the soon to be River Song, and the once and forever Captain Jack Harkness.

"Captain." River replied with a flirtatious smile. Jack was not in the mood for flirtations.

"We've met before." Jack said without preamble.

River sashayed her way across the restaurant, drawn to those bright blue eyes as much now as she had been before. "I'm touched you remembered."

Jack raised an eyebrow. "How could I forget? A night to last a lifetime, isn't that what you said?" River smiled coyly. "You never said who you were." He raised an eyebrow and gave her a look. "Or rather you lied about who you were."

River laughed shortly. "Would you have even known who Amy and Rory were if I'd said I was their child?" River watched him closely as he thought over it. The time they'd shared together, no matter how briefly, had been a moment of solace for River. She suspected the same for Jack. He'd seemed so broken and now that River was studying him, so much younger. River herself had been in her last body, a few years prior to this moment now. "I didn't think so."

Jack's eyes hardened. "Why did you do it?"

River raised an eyebrow delicately. "We did much that night, love, to what are you referring?"

Jack didn't rise to the bait. "Why did you kill the Doctor?"

River rolled her eyes and sauntered away. She was more inclined to reminisce with Jack then to discuss work. She posed in front of a mirror and assessed her clothing. "It was simply business. I did what I was meant to do." She picked up a soldier's jacket and threw it on, striking another pose. Her eyes watched Jack through the mirror intently as she did so. His hands were balled into fists, thinly concealed rage in his eyes. Why did the Doctor mean so much to him?

Jack stormed forward a few paces before stopping abruptly. His anger was trying to find a way out, but it seemed to be having difficulties in doing that. "Did you ever stop to consider not to do that?"

River paused and thought for a moment. She shrugged. "No." She was a psychopath, she couldn't think of everything.

Jack laughed harshly and shook his head. "You're just a puppet." River's eyes flared. "And here I was thinking you were so much more." River's teeth grit. She turned slowly to face the Captain.

"I am so much more."

"Oh?" Jack looked mildly amused. He took another step towards her. His face grew tense. He'd tried to save her before, but she'd played them all. She needed to redeem herself, and before the teselecta got there. Otherwise they'd put a stop to her, and there'd be very little any of them could do. "Prove it."

The door to the restaurant was thrown open and Amy walked in. She paused at the bottom of the steps leading into the sunken in level. "You killed the Doctor." She said robotically. Jack swore under his breath. The teselecta was here, and if it had taken the form of Amy, then both the Ponds were inside there somewhere.

River rolled her eyes at whom she presumed to be her mother. "Oh yes, I know, dear. I hope you're not going to keep on about it." She sent a pretentious glare at Jack. "The Captain has been doing that enough for everyone, I feel."

Jack didn't spare the curly haired woman beside him a glance. He moved towards the teselecta. "Please don't do this. She wasn't in control, it isn't her fault."

The teselecta stared past him at River Song. "You killed the Doctor on the orders of the movement known as the Silence and Academy of the Question. You accept and know this to be true?"

River eyed Jack and Amy. There was something weird, something wrong with her mother. She took a step back. "Quite honestly, I don't really remember. It was all a bit of jumble."

Amy's mouth opened and a bright light shot out of the teselecta's mouth. Jack jumped between the beam and River. It his him in the chest and and he gasped as the energy fixed on his nervous system.

River jumped forward and grabbed Jack's shoulders. "No! Stop it! Get off of him!" Jack cried out, he raised an arm to keep River back and out of the beam's path. "Let him go! He hasn't done anything!" She spat at the robot.

"Sorry," a voice cut in, "did you say she killed the Doctor?" The bright light disappeared and the teselecta turned around to face the Doctor and Rose Tyler. They stood calmly by the TARDIS, both barefoot and in fancy dress. The Doctor tipped up his top hat with his sonic cane. "The Doctor?"

Rose smirked at him. "Doctor Who?" The Doctor smiled back.

River stared incredulously at the pair of them. "You're dying — you're both dying — and you stopped to change?" Jack smiled. Oh he had a plan, he thought, the Doctor had to have a plan.

The Doctor shrugged and swaggered down the few steps to where River, Jack and the Amy robot stood. He stopped and held a hand out for Rose. The blonde took it graciously and she followed him down to their friends. "Oh, you should always waste time when you don't have any." The Doctor explained nonchalantly. "Time is not the boss of you." He said this pointedly to River.

Rose nodded and added helpfully. "Rule four hundred and eight."

The Doctor spun around and scanned Amy with his sonic cane. "Amelia Pond, judgment death machine. Why am I not surprised?" He turned to River and Jack's confused faces and held up his cane. "Sonic cane."

River's eyes widened even further. "Are you serious?"

Rose snorted in amusement. The Doctor glared at her before turning back to the teselecta and looking deep into it's robotic stare. "Never knowingly. Never knowingly be serious."

Rose nudged River. "Rule twenty seven." She supplied before sighing. "You might want to write these down. Took me ages to remember them all."

The Doctor gasped happily. "It's a robot!" He exclaimed. River and Rose's brows rose. The Doctor pointed at Jack accusingly. "You knew!"

Jack shrugged. "I was a Time Agent, Doctor."

"And a conman, but I try to look beyond your past transgressions." Jack rolled his eyes at the Doctor's saintly reply. The Doctor turned back to the robot and scanned it. "It's got four hundred and twenty three life signs inside. A robot worked by tiny people. Love it. But how do you all get in there, though?"

"Basic miniaturization sustained by a compression field." Jack explained for the Time Lord.

The Doctor gasped happily. "Oh! That's just brilliant." He leaned in towards the robot's face. "Amy, if you and Rory are okay, signal me." The cane in his hand lit up. "Thanking you."

River looked between the robot and the Doctor. "But what is it? What's it called?"

Jack nodded towards it. "It's the teselecta, its—" He was interrupted by the Doctor's sudden gasp of pain.

The Time Lord leaned heavily on his cane as his leg spasmed. "So sorry. Leg went to sleep. Just had a quick left leg power nap. I forgot I had one scheduled."

Jack raced forward and wrapped an arm around his waist. "It's alright, I got you." He guided him over to the steps to sit down.

The Doctor nodded. "Oh. Yes. Good idea, Captain, better sit down. I think I heard the right one yawning."

Seeing her opening, River raced in the opposite direction, hoping to escape. The teselecta turned sharply in her direction. It's mouth opened up and the beam shot out. Rose jumped between River and the beam. She screamed as the light burned her skin.

The Doctor ripped himself out of Jack's grasp. "NO! LET HER GO!" The beam disappeared. The Doctor glared at the Amy-bot with the full force of the Oncoming Storm, the Destroyer of Worlds, and every other title he'd earned in his long life. "Don't you dare touch either of them."

River turned back and raced to Rose's side. She propped the woman's head up into her lap. "You keep doing that. It's going to get you killed." River sounded admiring. Rose was just a girl. A young woman who'd run away with the Doctor, and yet she had the courage of a thousand universes.

Rose's body shook and she held her side where blood had begun to seep from her freshly opened wound. "It'd be worth it." She responded deliberately.

"Oh?" River looked sadly amused at the blonde's response. "I'm worth your life?"

Rose shook her head softly. "Not yet. But one day, River." River's brows furrowed. They'd mentioned a River before, but her name was Melody. "One day you'll save the stars. You'll save the Doctor." River's eyes widened. She looked up at the Doctor, arguing angrily with the teselecta. She was going to save him? Wasn't she meant to kill him? Hadn't she already? River looked back down at Rose, not quite believing the dying blonde's words.

"How? I'm all alone."

Rose froze. This was it, she realized. The River from the museum had been so angry that Rose had only just appeared. She'd thought that Rose would be with her every step of the way. This was where that lie would be created. Circular paradoxes, Rose grumbled inwardly. "You won't be." Rose lied, her voice shaking. "I'll be there."

River shook her head. The woman was clearly delusional, she was dying, she wouldn't be there. Rose took River's hand. "Trust me. This is your path, River."

River's eyes watered. She wanted to believe the young companion. All River wanted in life was Rose to be right. What River would give to be a hero, and not a killer.

"I didn't choose this path." River whispered.

Rose's eyes darkened. River did choose this path. She had stopped both the Doctor and Rose herself from changing this. But that was River Song. This was Melody Pond. New and young, with no clue about her future and who she would soon become. Rose hadn't told the Doctor, but she knew. Without this woman, there was a high possibility they wouldn't get where they needed to be. Dark days were coming, and River Song would play an important part in their future.

But Melody didn't know that. Melody Pond was a scared young girl. She hadn't decided to be this murderer, this terrifying creature that she was. One day she would, she would sacrifice her childhood and do this, so she could become the hero the universe needed.

Melody Pond didn't choose this path. "But you can make the best of it." You can become River Song, Rose thought desperately.

"There isn't much foreknowledge left." The Doctor muttered bitterly at the teselecta. He'd asked for information about himself, but it seemed he was going to get any.

River looked up at the Doctor, still sitting on the staircase uncomfortably. His eyes were glued to Rose worriedly. River gently picked her up, the blonde gasped in pain. River winced and gently brought the young woman over to Jack. He took her from River's arms and placed her next to the Doctor. Rose was barely conscious.

"She's dying." River whispered. Jack wrapped an arm around her and pulled her back. "She saved my life, again." She looked up at Jack, eyes watery. "You all keep doing that. Why?"

"I told you Melody. You are so much more. You can still prove that." He pushed a curl out of her face. "It isn't too late."

"Records available." Everyone turned to the teselecta.

The Doctor pulled himself up into more of a sitting position. "Question. I'm dying. Who wants me dead?"

"The Silence."

"What is the Silence? Why is it called that? What does it mean?"

"The Silence is not a species. It is a religious order, or movement. Their core belief is that silence will fall when the question is asked."

"What question?"

"The first question. The oldest question in the universe, hidden in plain sight." The room held their breath.

"What is the question?"

A moment of silence. "Unknown."

The Doctor rolled his eyes. "Oh. Well, fat lot of use that is, you big ginge. Call yourself a Records—" The Doctor gasped in pain. He clutched his side. "Argh! Kidneys are always the first to quit. I've had better, you know." He said the last part to Rose who'd awoken at the sound of her Doctor's cries. She reached forward with a bloodied hand. Her dress was soaked with it.

A bright light erupted from the teselecta's mouth once again. Jack moved in front of it as he crushed River against his chest. He cried out out as the ray struck his nervous system and sent a feeling like electricity through his body.

"No!" River shouted. "You'll kill him!"

The beam disappeared. "Move out of the way, Time Agent." The teselecta ordered.

Jack glared over his shoulder at the robot. "Never." He growled. The beam shot forward again and Jack screamed. His hold on River tightened as he fell to his knees. River fell with him, she clutched at his chest as tightly as he was clutching her.

"River!" Rose gasped. River searched for the blonde across the room. Their eyes met and River saw the sorrow in the other woman's eyes. "Stop them. Please!"

"How?" She cried over Jack's screams. River looked between Rose and the Doctor. Jack needed them. But they were both dying, and it was her fault. "Doctor!" She called. "Doctor please! What do I do?" The Doctor's mouth opened weakly, he whispered something, but it was lost across the room. Jack's screams died to gasps of pain. River looked around desperately for something, somehow. Her eyes landed on the Amy-bot. "Mum!" She cried. "Mum please!"

"Melody!" The Amy-bot cried. "Melody it's me! I'm here!"

"Stop them!" River pleaded. "Please! Make them stop!" The white beam surrounding Jack turned a dark red and Jack's screams returned. River clutched his chest, wishing with all her being that it would just stop.

"How?" Amy asked her daughter. "How? How?"

"Please! MUM!"

What was only moments, but felt like hours later, the beam disappeared. Jack collapsed to the ground. River touched the burning flesh of his face. He was unconscious but alive. River sighed a breath of relief. She looked up when she heard another gasp of pain. The Doctor was attempting to crawl up the steps.

"Doctor?" She whispered tentatively.

"Please." He pleaded. At first River couldn't figure out who he was pleading to, then she realized it was her. "Now we have to save your parents." River looked down at the sleeping Captain before her. She pushed stroked back his hair. He'd almost died for her. Her parents had saved the day. All she'd done was create all the problems surrounding them.

River Song stood up.

She couldn't save Rose. The Doctor was as good as dead. But maybe, just maybe, she could save her parents. River raced forward and up the steps to the TARDIS. Within seconds the TARDIS dematerialized.

The Doctor sighed and collapsed against the stairs. He turned to Rose beside him. Her eyes fluttered weakly. "Rose?" He whispered. She hummed in response. "Don't go." He reached across and pulled her into his arms. They both gasped in pain. His suit was covered in her blood. The steps were stained in it. "Stay with me."

"'octer…" Rose mumbled weakly. "'ll be fine… TARDIS…" The TARDIS said she'd come back.

"I know." The Doctor whispered back. He wasn't sure if he was too weak to speak louder, or if he would simply break down if he tried. "But now isn't a good time to prove her wrong. So you better come back." Rose golden eyes blinked slowly. "Did you hear… me? Rose Tyler… You come back to me. Come… back…" The Doctor sighed as his last breath left him.

Silence.

The room was still. The only breathing occupant left was Jack, lying unconscious and unaware that his best friends were dead. The light from outside streamed through the windows and across the blood strewn floor. Death and destruction had left its mark on the restaurant. No one moved.

Rose gasped awake. She sat bolt upright on the steps. The Time Vortex glowed brightly in her eyes. She surveyed the room quickly. Jack was unconscious but alive. She turned to the Doctor. "Oh no…" She pushed the Time Lord so he was fully on his back. She touched his face. He was still warm. "Doctor?" Rose shook her head. "No." She said stubbornly, tears burning her eyes. "You aren't allowed to die."

Her hands glowed gold, wispy strands of the Time Vortex floated away from her burning finger tips. She gently placed both hands on his chest, one over each heart. "Come on, Time Lord." Rose whispered. Without further hesitation Rose pushed a jolt of the Time Vortex into the Doctor's lifeless body.

The Doctor gasped awake. He sat up, copying Rose only moments ago. His eyes glowed gold and bits of knowledge slipped into his mind as the remnants of Rose's power left him. The Doctor and Rose Tyler smiled at each other. "Hello." He greeted.

"Hello." Rose replied tearily. She smacked his arm.

"Ow!" The Doctor cried and gently rubbed his arm.

Rose stuck a finger in his face. "Don't you ever do tha' again." Then she promptly threw herself into his arms.

The Doctor held her tightly. He pinched her side. She gasped sharply. "The same goes for you, dear." Rose pulled back and smiled happily at her Doctor. She kissed his forehead before pulling away. The Doctor took her outstretched hand and the two of them made their way over to Jack. Rose knelt beside him. She checked him over. He would be fine in time, but… Rose touched two fingers to her lips. The Doctor grabbed her wrist worriedly. "Don't you think you've used enough of that?"

Rose rolled her eyes. "It'll be fine Doctor. Trust me, yeah?" The Doctor stared long into her bright golden eyes. Rose could already tell what he was thinking. They'd put off studying her powers long enough. She could have died — for good — and the Doctor would never have forgiven himself if that had happened. They were going to figure out her powers, before it got them into anymore trouble. The Doctor let go of her wrist and nodded once. Rose smiled. She touched her finger's, surrounded by the glow of the Time Vortex against Jack's lips.

Jack gasped and sat up. Rose smirked, the action clearly seemed to be going around. Jack shook his head. He looked down at his hands. "I feel younger."

Rose winked. "You're welcome." The Doctor rolled his eyes at her. Of course she'd help his vanity. They helped their friend up, all smiling. Jack picked Rose up in a big hug and swung her around. "'s good to see you too, Jack." Jack smiled and plopped a kiss on her forehead.

The trio were interrupted by the grinding of the TARDIS. They turned towards her, each on baited breath. The door opened and each of the Ponds ran out, all three of them. They paused when they saw Rose, Jack and the Doctor, all fine and healthy.

Rory pointed at them. "Did we miss something?"

River shook her head. "But you were dying."

The Doctor shrugged and smiled. "And now I'm not! Love it when that happens."

Jack scratched his jaw. "And it does tend to happen often."

"You're tellin' me." Rose grumbled as she crossed her arms.

River shook her head. "I don't understand. What happens now?" They turned to her. River played with her fingers. "I tried to kill you Doctor." She sucked in a shaky breath. "I'm so sorry."

The Doctor walked towards the young woman. He took her hands in his own. "I know. But look at me. I'm fine." He smiled. "You have the opportunity to do something beautiful with your life. Don't squander it."

River frowned. "You're leaving me?"

Jack laughed. "In the middle of World War Two? Not likely." He and Rose walked towards the others. Jack raised a hand and rubbed soothing circles onto River's back. "But we're from your future…"

River looked at Jack, finally catching on. "River. I'm her." Jack nodded. "How?"

"By being amazing. That's how." Jack looked at Amy and Rory. They didn't want to leave their daughter, they'd just found her. "We'll take you someplace safe. You can live your life, and one day you'll find us again."

Amy frowned angrily. "Someplace safe?" She didn't like it. She just got Melody back, she didn't ever want to let her go.

"Okay." River agreed easily. Amy shot her a look, River shook her head at her mother. "I need to do this. I need to become the woman you all know. I need to make a new path, and choose a life. Not take the one the Silence handed me." River turned and smiled at Rose. "I'm going to save the stars." Rose smiled, she ignored the pain in her heart. River was only going along with it because she thought Rose would be there to help. Her smile slowly slipped away.

The TARDIS dematerialized with a great groaning sound. They'd dropped River off into the 50th century at The Lunar University upon her own request. She was on her way to becoming Professor River Song. The Doctor had left her a little care package, a TARDIS blue journal — brand new.

They were flying through the time vortex now.

Amy shook her head as she paced. "I still don't like it."

Jack looked up from his position on the jump seat. "She'll be fine Amy. I've stumbled upon River quite a few times. A number of them while she was at university."

Rory glared at Jack. "That's not a comforting thought, Harkness." Rose and the Doctor raised their eyebrows at Rory. He almost sounded like the Doctor, now that was a troubling thought. The Rose and the Doctor glanced at each other worriedly.

Jack rolled his eyes. "Trust me. She'll be fine."

Amy frowned angrily. "But she's our daughter. She's River Song, and she's our daughter." Who knew what sort of mischief she would get up to. The danger she would stumble upon. How could they not worry about her?

Rose stared at the console screen with the Doctor. The teselecta's biography of himself was on it — the date and time he would die. "Amy, I know." The Doctor was saying. "But we have to let her make her own way now. We have too much foreknowledge." Rose stared hard at the console screen. Jack worriedly rubbed his jaw, reading the information along with the other two. "Dangerous thing, foreknowledge." Rose and Jack couldn't agree more.

Amy came around near them. "What's that?" Amy questioned sharply. She turned to see the screen better, but the Doctor quickly shut it off.

"Nothing." The Doctor paused then quickly explained, "Just some data I downloaded from the Teselecta. Very boring."

Rory came around the console to stand with the others. "Doctor, River was brainwashed to kill you, right?"

Rose nodded and responded for the Doctor. "Yes, and she did kill him. Then when I came back to life, I brought the Doctor back."

Amy's mouth opened to form a small 'o'. "So that's how you came back. Why didn't you say?"

"Because I first meet River in tha' museum." Rose explained. "And she didn't know I was connected to the Time Vortex, or that I was anything but a companion. I couldn't ruin tha' illusion."

Rory waved his hands in the air, trying to get everyone's attention again. "Yes. But that stuff that they put in her head, is that gone now? The River that we know in the future, she is in prison for murder."

Amy crossed her arms. "Whose murder? Will we see her again?"

The Doctor smiled. "Oh, she'll come looking for us." Rose grinned at him.

"Yeah, but how? How do people even look for you?"

Jack laughed. "You haven't figured it out yet?" At Amy's scowl he raised his hands in surrender.

"History, Amy." Rose supplied kindly. "River's going to become quite the expert in history."

The Doctor nodded in agreement. "An archaeologist to be exact."

Rory's brows drew together. "You hate archaeologists."

The Doctor nodded matter of fact. Rose grinned and touched Rory's shoulder as she whispered conspiratorially. "True, but don't tell River tha', yeah?"

Rory was still frowning, but he nodded. He turned to his wife. "I'm tired, and starved. Dinner?" Amy nodded and took his hand. They paused at the top of the glass stairs. Rory looked over his shoulder. "You comin'?"

Jack nodded at them. "Yup! Just give us a minute." Amy and Rory nodded before heading into the TARDIS to find the kitchen. No doubt she'd changed all the rooms in a fit when she'd been shot. Jack turned to Rose and the Doctor. "You're going to die?" Jack questioned sternly.

The Doctor rolled his eyes. "Everyone dies, Harkness." He fiddled with the console to avoid the Captains dark glare. The Doctor sighed. "Amy mentioned it before. When she thought I was just Flesh."

Jack looked past the Doctor to Rose. He raised his eyebrows. "You knew?"

The Doctor huffed. "Bit hard to keep secrets from an all knowing being." Rose flicked the Doctor's arm. He frowned at her before turning back to Jack. "Yes. She knew. I needed someone to work out the particulars with. But…" The Doctor sighed. "It's growing closer. Whatever it is that does it."

"Do you have any idea?"

The Doctor ran his hands through his hair, something Rose hadn't seen him do much in this new body. "I've got lots of ideas about it. But I have no way of knowing what it will really be… yet." He glanced over his shoulder. "We can't go searching for answers with the Ponds on board. Not during the day at least."

Jack nodded. "Alright. Night time investigations it is. We'll figure this out Doc, you're too young to die." The Doctor gave Jack a look. Jack clapped a hand on his old friend's back. "But we won't start tonight. I need to eat and sleep. I'll see you two in the morning." Rose and the Doctor said their goodnights to the Captain as he departed to find the kitchen.

Rose sighed. She watched the emotions flicker across her Doctor's face. "Don't go." She pleaded. "Doctor, please, jus' leave it."

The Doctor shook his head. His knuckles were white where he was grasping the edge of the console. "I can't Rose. I have to say something. This can't keep happening."

Rose stepped forward tentatively. She rested her hand softly on the Doctor's shoulder. "You're angry. Just give yourself time to heal and then go. If ya do this now—"

"If I do this now she'll understand the pain she's caused!" The Doctor thundered.

Rose tightened her grip on his suit jacket. They hadn't had time to change. She still wore her bloody dress, the Doctor in his black, white, and now red suit. "Doctor." Rose whispered.

The Doctor shook his head. He turned to her and touched her face gently, despite the anger in his eyes. "You should sleep. You've had a long day."

"So have you." The Doctor brushed his fingers across her cheek.

"I won't be long."

Rose sighed again, resigned this time. "I'll be in the library." The Doctor nodded. He watched her slowly ascend the stairs and head further into the TARDIS. The Doctor turned back to the console. Grimly, he set the coordinates and piloted the TARDIS through the Time Vortex.

He waited a full minute before leaving. A part of him wondered if Rose was right, she usually was. No — she had to know.

The Doctor closed the door behind him and walked towards the prison cell of none other than one Professor River Song.

River was waiting for him by the bars to her cell. She'd heard the TARDIS appear and had patiently awaited her visitor. She smiled. "Doctor, to what do I owe the pleasure?" The Doctor stepped closer, into the circle of light created for River's quarters. River gasped as she took in the bloody suit and the Doctor's hard eyes. "Doctor?"

"You lied." The Doctor ground out.

River opened her mouth, still shocked. She swallowed. "I lie about many things, dear." She replied flippantly, deciding to take the oblivious approach. "Refresh my memory."

The Doctor seethed. "You said I saved you."

River nodded. She recognized the suit. He'd just come from Germany. That was Rose's blood. River wasn't surprised he was here. In the years following those events, River studied the Doctor and had learned of his rage and the things he would do when angry. She couldn't understand how she had gotten off so lightly. River realized now, she hadn't. The rage simply wasn't for an unsuspecting bystander. It was for her. "Yes," River finally agreed, "I figured your god complex was the only was to get you to not go after me. You still did. Thankfully the old girl's always been on my side."

The Doctor shook his head. "I don't understand it. We could have saved you, River. What about this life is so wonderful? You could have been happy."

"I am." River pressed herself against the bars of her cell, trying to find some way to express that she was in fact, happy.

"Your parents could be happy." The Doctor pressed. "They could have raised you. You're messing with Time, but you're not a Time Lord. You're playing with things you don't understand." And it'll get you killed. The Library. River was leading herself down a path of pain and sadness. She didn't realize it, but she was setting herself up to die.

River shook her head. "No, Doctor. There are things you don't understand." Her mind wandered to Trenzalore. So far in the future for them both, but it was there. On the horizon of their life. "I know I could have been happy, that Amy and Rory could have as well. But what you don't see is that we are happy. It may not be the happiness you want for us, but it's still there. The truth of the matter is, Doctor, that if these events don't play out like this, future events will not be to your advantage." River had to be there for the Doctor in the years leading up to Trenzalore. She had been warned, the Doctor would not make it without her.

The Doctor slammed his hand against the bars of her cell. River jumped back. "Don't. Don't use that lie on me. You used it once on Rose already. I will not be fooled." Did she think him an idiot?

"But now I'm not lying."

"And how would anyone know the difference?" He spat at her.

River fought the erg to flinch at his words. Her mouth pinched into a hard line. "If you had gone into this knowing what I was going to do and why, you never would have approved."

"Then stop!" The Doctor shouted.

River shook her head. She moved towards the bars again. The Doctor stepped back warily. "But there's more at stake here Doctor." She tried to reason with him. "More than just an ordinary childhood. More than your guilty conscience. There is an entire world, and billions of lives. You need me as I am, now, for the battles ahead. And I am willing to sacrifice everything I have to be what you'll need." She wouldn't be there for Trenzalore, for that she'd been warned as well. But it was her mission now, to make sure that he made it there, then.

The Doctor watched River sadly. Everything. She was willing to sacrifice everything. Whatever was coming, whatever she knew… "Even your life?" River would die. Die for this stupid cause she'd set her life to. She'd sacrificed her childhood for him to complete a mission he knew nothing of. One day she would sacrifice her future for it all too.

"Yes." River replied empathetically.

The Doctor had taken a shower and changed his clothes. He'd spent a long time processing his conversation with River. He was still furious with her. Or himself. It was hard to tell which by that point. He found Rose dosing in the library. He smiled as he crouched down beside her. She'd showered and changed into a pair of fluffy pink pyjama pants and a men's undershirt that looked suspiciously like one of his own. He sat and leaned against the couch as he stared into the fireplace. Rose's soft breathing comforted him.

River had alluded to something huge, something that was coming. Despite what the Doctor hoped, he doubted it had anything to do with his impending doom on Lake Silencio. It was nice to know that he had a future beyond that. He'd find a way around the Silence's trap there. But further than that? Who knew what was in store that an innocent child's life was sacrifice.

"How'd it go?" The Doctor turned at the soft sound of Rose's voice. Her eyes glittered dangerously with the reflection of the firelight.

The Doctor raised his arm onto the couch, his finger's found hers. "As badly as you'd expect." Rose winced in sympathy. "She said some things… Spoilers I think." Rose sat up, intrigued. The Doctor moved from the ground to sit beside her on the couch. "There's something coming, Rose. I don't know what it is, but River's willing to sacrifice her life to see that we succeed."

"I know."

The Doctor looked at her, he shook his head and let out a huff. "I don't know why I'm still surprised by that. What do you know?"

"Not much, jus' tha' we need River. She's important. She won't fail." Rose took his hand and grasped it tightly. "River won't die in vain. She already hasn't."

"No, she hasn't has she?" River saved the thousands trapped in the Library. Rose stifled a yawn. "How long has it been since you've slept?"

Rose shrugged. "I've napped here and there since I've been back. Usually here."

The Doctor grinned. "Yes, well, you definitely need sleep tonight. Off to bed with you then. Doctor's orders."

Rose rolled her eyes and grinned. "Well if the Doctor says." They laughed and the Doctor pulled Rose to her feet. They walked hand in hand through the darkened halls of the TARDIS, currently in sleep mode for the humans onboard. Eventually they reached the end of a hall with an oak wood door that swung open gently for them. Rose smiled. "Looks like the TARDIS has some ideas." It was a brand new room, and clearly meant for the both of them.

The Doctor blushed. "Yes, quite." He scratched his head nervously. "I'll just leave you to…" He turned and but stopped when Rose grabbed his hand. He turned back to her. "Yes?"

"I haven't forgotten." She said simply.

"Oh?" The Doctor swallowed nervously. He'd been so terrified. Rose had been shot twice, she was dying in his arms, Mels was regenerating, everything had been falling apart. It had just slipped out. He'd paused, swallowed, then said it again. The Doctor could still see the tear of joy that had slipped down Rose's cheek in his minds eye.

Rose smiled. "'s not something 'm likely to forget any time soon." Him either.

The Doctor couldn't stop the smile that spread across his face. "Yeah?"

Rose nodded. "Yeah." She stepped towards him. "Been waitin' to hear that for a long time now." The Doctor's smile faltered. Perhaps he'd waited too long. Rose touched her fingers to his chin. She dragged his gaze to meet her own. "Hey, better late than never."

Rose leaned forward and gently pressed her lips against the Doctor's. The Doctor's hearts pounded furiously, he could feel it in his head, in his hands. His fingers traced their way lightly around her torso until they met at her back, where he held her tenderly. Rose sighed against his lips and opened up her mind against his. She pushed against him telepathically on instinct, as she used to with her human Doctor in the other world.

The Doctor gasped and pulled back, his eyes wide. When had Rose become a telepath?

Rose frowned in confusion at the Doctor for a moment before what happened finally clicked. "Oh, Doctor!" Rose gasped. She threw her arms around his neck and held him tightly.

"H-how? When?" The Doctor stuttered.

Rose shook her head, mentally berating herself. "In the other universe. I'm so sorry Doctor, I should have said sooner. I completely forgot." She pulled back and brushed his hair out of his face. "I know how much telepathy means to you, I — I am so sorry." Her lip trembled, thinking of how lonely his mind was. She could have eased that pain weeks ago.

The Doctor blinked. He shook his head. "No — no, it's okay." He rubbed one hand in circles along her back, the other came up and tangled in her hair. "I just wasn't expecting it." He shook his head again. He laughed.

Rose stared at him worriedly. "Doctor?"

The Doctor smiled joyously. "Can we?" He licked his lips and his gaze dropped down to hers. "Can we do that again?"

Rose smiled, a weight around her heart lifting. "Yes." She nodded. "'course we can."

The Doctor dipped his head and lightly brushed his lips against Rose's. They were as soft as he remembered them. His last body had committed the feel of them to memory, but the memory really didn't do Rose justice. That was Cassandra. Rose though… she was so much better.

The Doctor eagerly touched his mind to hers and Rose opened her own up welcomingly. Her warmth enveloped him in a bright golden starburst of love. The Doctor moaned. Oh this was brilliant, he thought. Rose smiled, feeling the stream of his thoughts alongside her own. She pulled back and the Doctor leaned forward, kissing her once, twice, three more times before finally pulling back. He lasted no longer than .346 seconds and quickly began to kiss her neck. Rose laughed. "Well this is a problem." The Doctor hummed questioningly against her neck. "I was told bed, Doctor's order's."

The Doctor pulled back and smiled salaciously. Rose's breath caught. Dangerous on this Doctor? No. Flirtatious? Sometimes. Salacious? How one earth did he manage to carry it off so handsomely? "You know, you're right." The Doctor pressed Rose against him with his hand on her back. He gently guided them into the bedroom the TARDIS had set up for them. "To bed with you. Now."

Rose smiled suggestively. She turned and sashayed towards the bed. She stripped the Doctor's shirt from her body and dropped it to the floor. She smirked over her shoulder at him. "Coming?"

The door closed silently behind them.

HAPPY NEW YEARS!

Oh and the kiss. To be honest, they weren't going to kiss for awhile longer, but you guys were getting impatient. So this happened... and it went a little further than I expected. But whatever, they were married. I hope you enjoyed it.

Also, yes. You don't get to hear the Doctor say it. Sorry (I'm not actually). I like the idea of never hearing the Doctor say it. We all know what IT is, and I feel that should be enough. Rose got to hear it too this time, the person who needs to hear it most.

Anyways! Thanks for reading!

ps. I was going to do God Complex but that has been switched out for another original episode. Sorry for those of you who were looking forward to that.