Author's Note: (Feel free to skip this note if you deem it necessary; it's very long.)

In response to the comments I received in reply to the last chapter, I offer a brief explanation of the events betold in chapter 11:

The Doctor used his mind capacity and the TARDIS's data capability as a sort of (for lack of a better word) "bridge" for the seven to cross over from the computer to reality. They are not trapped within his mind, but they simply "passed through" his brain as well as the TARDIS's datacore on their way to becoming three-dimensional. Again, the operative word here is "bridge," as they are were simply passengers in the way that they were in The Doctor's brain. It is basically the parallel of when River used her own brain capacity to restore the 4,022 (4,023 if you count Donna Noble) from the computer, although she was killed in the process despite the massive capabilities of her own mind.

I'm sorry for muddying the details in the last chapter so much! I thought we could all use a drop of clarity such as this to make sense of the mess I got us into.

Thank you; I hope that cleared some things up for you. Again, truly sorry for the confusion!

Still have questions? PM me. Would love to help.

~Le Indigo


Oh, you mindless man! You senseless, impulsive fool… River looks down at her brilliant husband, shaking her head. While the others stretch their limbs and blink their eyes, walking about the maintenance room, she kneels down to look at The Doctor's still face. Worry fills her to the brim despite her deprecating thoughts. She touches his neck, just below his jaw, checking his pulse. His skin is warm, and the four-beated thrumming of his hearts seems strong enough…

But she can't shake the feeling of dread that has fallen over her. She presses an ear to the left and right side of his chest in turn, seeing that each heart is working properly. His steady, quadruple heartbeat calms her own. She inhales deeply.

He is sprawled across the floor of the maintenance room with one leg still propped up in his sling. He lies with thick cables plugged together stretched across his chest, unconscious. Seeing the wiring and the black crown (she is so painfully familiar with it) that had oddly managed to cling to his head, River knows immediately what's happened.

Even brilliant men such as The Doctor can't withstand that kind of intense mental stress. It's a miracle that both of his hearts appear to be in working order.

His tweed jacket and favourite pair of trousers are rumpled, askew from the toss he's had. She smoothes his white button-up shirt, bends over his still body to straighten his ever-present bowtie. She kisses his jaw, his lips quickly, and looks fondly down at him.

"He looks different now," a small voice makes itself known. River turns to see Charlotte standing just to her left.

"He's regenerated since you've seen him last, dear," River says gently. She stretches out an arm, inviting the girl into her embrace.

"Does that mean he died?" Charlotte steps closer.

"Oh, yes. But he's not dead at this moment, dear. It's been hundreds of years since we've seen him. For him, it has, at least..." River's voice trails, becoming far away. Charlotte sits on the floor next to River, folding in her legs. River drapes an arm across her shoulders. "He's asleep, as he should be. He's a brilliant man, but he's done something very trying just now." River touches his face.

It's not long before Anita, the Daves, and Miss Evangelista are all gathered around The Doctor's body as well. Anita marks the sign of the cross across her front.

"Oh, for God's sake, he's not dead just now, Anita!" Proper Dave whispers, nudging her with his elbow.

She looks to River. "Not dead? But didn't he just do the very thing that killed you? The entire reason you were saved into that infernal database… It doesn't seem to be humanly possible at this point."

River smiles at her. "It's not. Time Lord, dear," she reminds them all. "Looks as if he's had the TARDIS on his side as well."

"Time Lord? That explains the change of face," Other Dave chimes in.

"His taste in clothes has changed as well," Miss Evangelista says quietly with a small laugh, eyeing his braces and bow-tie.

"If he's just fine, then what're we all doing squatting here lookin' sad, then?" Other Dave looks at the group. "Can't we move him somewhere more comfortable? 'Til he wakes up?"

River nods, taking his arms, and gestures for another to grab hold of his legs. "Follow me." Proper Dave takes up his legs, and River leads the way to the TARDIS medical bay, the other four trailing behind.

"Where are we, Song?" Anita asks gazing around in wonder as they climb the stairs to the console room.

The Doctor's toolbox lies open next to the console. River smiles at it as they make for one of the hallways that lead to the medical bay. "The TARDIS," she says simply. "The Doctor's spaceship."

"Oh, but it's massive!" Other Dave exclaims. "I thought the maintenance room was impressive, but if this is the control room, then…"

"I've seen the TARDIS before," says Charlotte, who is walking near to River. "It was in my library. A long time ago. It's blue. But it's much bigger on the inside, isn't it?"

River laughs. "You could say that, dear."

"Professor?" River looks up from The Doctor to see Miss Evangelista's wide eyes looking at her. "How big, exactly?"

River readjusts The Doctor's arms. "Well. He," she nods at her husband, "would tell you that it's infinite. But really, it's only as big as you want it to be. It's a living thing that can grow and shrink, but it's also a ship. A machine"

"Ah. And that was the… maintenance room we were just in?" Miss Evangelista seems dissatisfied.

"Yes, one of his favourite places. He goes there when he wants to impress people or fix things that aren't broken. Sometimes he just sits in that silly sling of his, tinkering away, wearing enormous glasses that are much too big for his face. He does a lot of thinking down there."

"Men and their cars, eh?" Other Dave says.

They all chuckle as they encounter the end of a hallway with an iron door at the end.

Anita steps forward and holds open the heavy door for the others to haul The Doctor through.

As he is being heaved through the doorway, The Doctor lets out a sudden, startled gasp. His eyes snap open, as does his mouth, and he begins to flail about, causing Proper Dave and River to lose their grip. They lay him on the tile floor quickly, and his body goes rigid, straight as a board. He breathes heavily, his chest heaving.

The group gathers around The Doctor once again as he lies gasping on the floor, eyes wide, thin lips agape. They look on in alarm as River presses an ear to his chest again, checks his left and right hearts individually. They beat at a wild pace, but even that is better than not at all.

His eyes see nothing, she knows, and they stare blankly with a panic buried deep within them.

River kneels beside his head. Despite his frantic condition, she has a feeling that he can hear, if only her alone. "Doctor." She says it aloud (as well as in her head, hoping he can hear her telepathically if nothing else) as she puts a hand to his face. "Doctor, look at me." she commands.

His head turns, his eyes finally seeing hers, and he starts to calm. Although he still looks quite stricken, his breathing begins to stabilise. He sees her eyes, her face, her angelic hair. He inhales deeply through his nose, exhales through his mouth. He reaches a hand for her, touches hers, which is still laid upon his cheek.

Peaceful once again—though still wordless—The Doctor sighs, sitting up. He stretches his long legs and looks around at the group. He leans back on his palms, elbows pointed outward.

He holds up an index finger. "Now wait just a moment." He pauses, tilting his thin mouth down at one corner. "Either something has gone very, very wrong and I've killed you all as well as myself, or something's gone brilliantly right and you lot've been dragging me around my TARDIS just now." He looks expectantly at each of them in turn, raising his (nearly nonexistent) eyebrows. "Hm?"

River, despite being in the presence of five people that look to her as a leader, takes The Doctor's face in her hands and kisses him forcefully.

The Doctor is taken by surprise, and he sort of waves his hands about, batting at the air for a few moments.

River pulls back suddenly. The Doctor takes the chance to get a word in. "Now dear, this is hardly the behaviour we should be exhibiting around guests, don't you think?"

She ignores him, slapping him squarely across the face, and shouts, "You stupid man!" She presses a kiss to his lips again.

Miss Evangelista covers her mouth with a hand, having never seen the Lux Corporation's leader act so impulsively. The whole group is surprised at Professor Song's rashness.

The Doctor sits utterly dumbstruck, surprise written plainly on his features.

River turns to her companions, smiling. "I believe our rescuer has returned to us," she says happily. She glances back to The Doctor. "You bloody stupid man," she mutters. Then to the others: "Come on! Up, now, here we go, off to wherever we're going. I'm driving, mind you, but there are places that we've all got to be. Yes, up you go!" She leaps to her feet and drags The Doctor to his own. She starts off at a brisk pace to the console room, Raggedy Man in tow, and the five are left but to follow them blindly into the ever-changing labyrinth of the TARDIS.