Chapter 13

River watched the two disappear into the TARDIS. Donna sat beside her, watching her carefully. The events of the past few minutes were catching up to her, and she was beginning to understand what was happening.

"What are you going to do?" she asked her quietly.

"When did you find Rose?" River asked in return, never taking her eyes off the TARDIS.

"I told you, about a week ago. We'd stopped to visit my Gramps." Donna said. River looked at her solemnly.

"A week ago is when it started, my memories started changing and Rose began appearing in them. Memories that she had never been in before." she said. "Rose is why my memories are changing Donna." Donna nodded once, glancing up to Jack at the computer. He was watching them looking concerned.

"What are you going to do about it?" she asked again. River pressed her lips together.

"Is it cruel that I want to change it?" River noted her disappointed face.

"Depends on who you're asking." Donna replied. "In your timeline, the original one, is he happy?" she turned fully to her friend and asked her earnestly. River raised an eyebrow.

"Well, yeah..." she replied, thinking about it. "I mean as much as he usually is."

"Is he at peace?" Donna asked seriously. River frowned not knowing how to reply.

"Is he ever, really?" the moment the words left her mouth, she recalled him earlier that day, when he had introduced her to Rose. He had looked so young and carefree. Donna nodded, River's face betraying her thoughts.

"Just promise me, he'll be alright. He has enough to plague him." River swallowed.

"And if I can't?"

"Then think about what you're doing." Donna sat back and turned away from her. "Fixing your timeline will cost them theirs." River's brow furrowed and she looked down at her hands, not knowing what to do. Her happiness would come at the cost of the one she loved.

The Doctor and Rose stepped out of the TARDIS, the two of them pretending to look cheery, for themselves as much as for Jack. Donna looked back at River.

"You will always have something to look back on, but know that you're taking away the only future he ever really wanted." she stood and walked up to the Doctor as he resettled back at the computer. Rose walked to River, a small device in her palm, her face painfully devoid of emotion.

"It's me." she said, sucking a breath. "but we've both figured that out." she handed her the device in her hand. "It's a jumper, for jumping between worlds. That half activates the beam that will shoot me back to the parallel world." Rose's voice was flat. "You'll find the coordinates inside the TARDIS by the screen. It's your timeline River, it's your choice."

River stared at the black device in her hand, the metal shockingly cool against her fingers. Red lights were a sharp contrast to the darkness, and gave the jumper a foreboding look.

"It's sleek." she commented quietly. Rose smiled proudly.

"Mickey designed for me, he was the one who helped discover the technology." she replied. River nodded and looked up at her.

"So you have someone there then?" she asked hesitantly. Rose didn't respond, looking away quickly. River thought she saw tears swelling in her eyes. After a moment she looked back at her, her eyes reddening.

"I won't have known about all of this. I'll think it's just a glitch in the system." She said, her voice becoming raspy. "I won't stop looking for him." River nodded, understanding. Rose looked back at the Doctor, whose back was turned to them. "Don't let me see him," she lowered her voice to a whisper. "Get me out of there before I see him. Please." she pleaded. River nodded again and Rose turned abruptly, leaving her for the scanners. She watched her walk back up and Jack caught her eye. She turned on her heel and walked into the TARDIS, a knot quickly forming in her throat.