The Doctor and River stood hand in hand in front of the console. Neither would say a word, but both were beginning to realize what was about to happen.

For the Doctor, it was the one thing keeping him from spending forever with her. The Library had always been the end in his mind. He had spent every moment dreading that event, but now, they had both made it past. He had been so excited and ready to face the unknown with her, unafraid of some life altering event looming over his head...and now he wasn't sure he was ready for another one so soon. It was as if he could already feel that foreseeing the second time would hurt far worse.

For her, it felt like a death sentence. She was feeling things she'd never thought she would feel. Even in the library her death was a choice, something that had to happen, and everything had happened so fast...but now she would have a time limit in the back of her mind, forever holding her back from living life fully. She would know when it was coming and she would know how.

"Doctor..."

"River?"

She paused, unsure of how to tell him she wasn't ready to die.

"River..."

"Doctor?"

He let his mouth lock shut, not able to find the words that said he wasn't ready to let her go.

He looked sideways at her. The look on her face, the way she chewed her bottom lip, the tears in her eyes. She was scared, too.

At almost the same moment, they turned to each other, neither speaking for another moment.

River broke the silence.

"Doctor, I don't want to know."

He looked relieved. "you don't?"

"no. I don't. No one should know when they're going to...what I mean is...I want to spend the rest of my life living. I don't want to wake up every day a little more dead. I want to wake up and be alive."

The Doctor stared at her, a grin creeping up his cheeks.

"Good." he said, unable to form a complete sentence.

River laughed, "Well let's hear how you really feel, you idiot." she teased, pecking him on the cheek and straitening his bow tie.

"I really love you..." he said, "and to prove it-" he covered her eyes and guided her around the console, stopping in front of a large green button. "i meant to ask you earlier how you were feeling."

"i feel fine, dear. Now what-is-" She struggled to peak from between his fingers to no avail, finally giving up and relaxing.

He laughed and guided her hand to just above the button before letting his other hand fall away from her eyes.

"you do it." he said, simply.

River gasped.

"I get to push the randomiser? Oh, sweetie..."

She turned to him, unable to keep the smile off her face.

"You're the best."

Without another word. She turned and slammed her hand down on it.

The TARDIS shook and groaned for only a moment before the Doctor had taken off the brakes and turned on the stableizers.

"Take us somewhere good, old girl. Let's see what you can do."