Reminder that this story is AU. This episode reveals the difference in River's past, which will explained in more detail further on in the story but isn't too hard to work out.
The man in black shot a glance at River. "Miss Song, let her go. They can't try anything."
River hesitated for a moment before unwrapping her arm from around Aliya, who tried to make a swipe for the gun but was rewarded only with a brutal knee to the ribs before being shoved back towards the Doctor. The blonde woman stood by the Doctor after wincing and clutching her abdomen for a few moments.
"River…why are you doing this? Who put you up to this?" The Doctor asked urgently, trying to ignore the pain that was ripping through his hearts seeing River like this.
"Let's put it this way, there's a group that wants you dead, and they handpicked me and put me in a training academy so that I could be the one to put you down," River explained, glaring.
"But why? What has he ever done to be assassinated?" Aliya demanded.
"What hasn't he done?" River retorted before her gaze moved back to the Doctor. "They've told me about you. Killer of your own kind, mass genocidist several times over, kidnapper, and notorious time meddler. You're hardly innocent, Doctor." Her eyes were accusing and it was clear to both Time Lords how much she truly believed what she was saying.
The Doctor tried not to let her words get to him. All were true. Though, to be fair, all his kidnappings had been accidental. "Yes, River, I am all of those things. But there is so much more to it than that, River, there was a Time War, a war that was destroying all of creation, a war between the Daleks and the Time Lords. And I was the only one who could stop it. I didn't kill them by choice, but by necessity! I never did anything that wasn't for the greater good, that wasn't the last resort and completely necessary."
River's eyes held slight surprise for a moment before combing over with disbelief. "I somehow doubt that." But her eyes flicked towards her commander, who was glaring at the Doctor.
"You can claim innocence all you like, but we know the truth. You're so dangerous, they spent years searching all of time and space for the person most suited to be trained by us to kill you," the man said.
"Who are they?"
The man sneered. "People you will never live to meet, and wouldn't want to."
Something occurred to the Doctor. This was River Song, and no matter how strong he had no doubt she had been from the start, she hadn't had any personal contact with him yet, she was still young, and therefore her mind was probably just vulnerable enough for his forming plan to work.
Aliya, not knowing that he had a plan, took it upon herself to try and convince River of the Doctor's worth. "River, he-"
"Stop calling me River!" The young assassin shouted, moving the gun to point at the other woman. "How do you know my name? I only just chose it for myself!"
"Because in your personal future and my past, I've met you before," Aliya said slowly. "River, we're friends. Good friends." Her voice began to build, losing its shaky tone. "The Doctor is a good man, who has been forced to make terrible decisions because no one else in the universe would. And he's a Time Lord, he has more right than anyone else in the universe to meddle with time if he chooses to do so. He has saved the universe more times than you've ever taken a breath. Does that sound like someone who deserves to die?"
Again, something passed through River's eyes, this time something stronger. But still, it disappeared and her eyes narrowed.
"Don't listen to their pathetic stories. Shoot both of them, now," the man told her, and she nodded, though the Doctor wondered if it was masked hysteria he could see behind her eyes.
The gun was lifted and aimed quickly, and just before the shot rang out, a shout of defiance rang through the air first. River fired the gun and watched the bullet whirl towards the Doctor's left heart.
The mison-core bullet never hit home. It instead buried itself in the side of the blonde woman who had launched herself in front of the Doctor in the few last seconds before it hit. Her groan of pain was heard by all three bystanders before she collapsed on the floor at the Doctor's feet. Every fibre of his mind was telling him to kneel and help her, but he knew that if he didn't act now, he would be dead in seconds.
He gathered up all his mental strength and reached out to River's mind, pushing flashes of memories through. Mental connections over distance, especially with humans, took a substantial amount of energy, so he only had a few seconds if that, but he tried to show her things that mattered. Her kissing him, her calling him sweetie, the two of them laughing with Aliya, and running for their lives with Amy and Rory.
The connection broke when he became to weak to sustain it and River blinked, staring ahead blankly for a few seconds. Her commander eyed her warily.
"Miss Song!" He barked, and her eyes refocused as the cruel smirk reappeared on her face. She kept her gun aimed at the Doctor intently as she moved closer to the commander, showing that her allegiance still lay with him. The Doctor felt defeat run through him as he realised that his plan had not worked, and for the first time allowed himself to look down, where Aliya lay at his feet, clutching her side in a weak attempt to stop the blood coming from the wound, gasping and coughing. The sight made him sick to the stomach. He bent down towards her only to hear River shout a command at him to stand up straight, which he reluctantly obeyed.
"You see, Mr Bennett," she told the man, who was looking satisfied as the Doctor finally began to look worried, "You've seriously underestimated what I'm capable off. Because once I'm done with this, I'll go on to do bigger and better things."
Bennett looked pleased and turned his triumphant gaze to the Doctor. "She's our greatest prodigy, Doctor, our bespoke psychopath, and-" His words were cut off as River suddenly whipped her hand out and knocked his gun out of his hands, taking him by complete surprise. Before he could even react, a gunshot fired and his limp body dropped to the floor with a thud.
"My bespoke psychopath. Even now," the Doctor said quietly, and River shot him a shaky smile as she and the Doctor both dropped to the floor beside the injured woman. The Doctor pressed his hands down firmly on her wound and met her eyes. "Now, Aliya, hold on, if we can get you to the infirmary in time you should be okay. River, put your hands here and stay with her, I'll be right back." He leapt up the stairs to retrieve the TARDIS and then he and River carried Aliya's barely conscious form inside and up the stairs into the infirmary.
"It really is bigger on the inside," River breathed as she was momentarily distracted. "It said on the records, but…well."
"Later, River," The Doctor reminded her, and they proceeded into the infirmary where they lay their companion down on the bed gently. "Go to her head, talk to her. You may not know it yet, but you're her friend, your voice will soothe her." When River hesitated, he frowned. "River, do as I say! I need her to be calm for this to work, and it has to work!"
She hurried to do as he said, and let her hand rest on the back of Aliya's head while the Doctor quickly injected Aliya with a powerful painkiller. "I'm, well, I'm here. Aliya. That's your name, isn't it?"
"Yes, that's my name," Aliya murmured, giving her a small smile, "It's nice to meet you, River Song."
River gave her a hesitant smile back. "Are you sure it is? I shot you."
"Well, it's you, I suppose I shouldn't have expected anything else," the Time Lady replied wryly, before wincing, "That would have been too boring. Though possibly more pleasant."
The Doctor, meanwhile, made a triumphant noise as he pulled out an item that resembled a petri dish, only it was flat and somewhat bendy. The flat circle had various befuddling mechanics protruding from it, but River tried not to think about it too much as she focused on the woman who would apparently be her good friend in the future.
"Are you okay?" River asked unsurely, and Aliya nodded weakly, her eyelids fluttering half closed. River bit her lip, feeling the guilt tug at her. "I'm so sorry, I didn't know, they told me-"
"It's okay, River, I know," Aliya replied quietly, reaching her hand out to touch River's in an attempt to reassure her, but it dropped after a second when she lost the energy to keep it up.
"Excuse me, River," the Doctor muttered, pushing past her so that he could pull the bottom of Aliya's blouse out of where it was tucked into her shirt and roll it up until it was bunched just below the bottom of her breasts, baring the bleeding bullet wound that marred the skin of her abdomen.
Aliya, in an attempt to not be so aware of his hands on her skin - which was very difficult at least partially due to the fact that his hands felt burning hot in comparison to her unnaturally icy body temperature - kept her focus on River's face, which was coloured with concern.
"You're cute when you're worried," she told the human, who flushed a little.
"And you're getting delirious from the pain killers, I think," the Doctor told his best friend, shaking his head at her.
"Don't be so sure, Doctor," she replied, chuckling. "I'm fairly sure I'm not imagining it."
"So 'the Doctor' is really your name?" River asked him curiously. "It isn't just something you hide from public knowledge?"
"Yes, it's my name just as much as River is yours, the names we choose are the ones that count the most," the Doctor said firmly. He applied the medical device to Aliya's wound. His patient let out a gasp of pain and closed her eyes with a groan as it set to work.
He and River found themselves watching the machine work on the injury (it would extract the bullet and repair the damage done to the tissue) before he realised that her breathing had slowed considerably, and her eyes had still not opened.
"Aliya? Aliya!" He shouted, and she didn't respond. The Doctor moved to stand by her head, holding it in his hands and insistently talking to the women who could not hear him. "Don't you dare die on me, Aliya, I forbid it!"
There was a large silence, where both he and River simply stared, waiting and growing more and more anxious as the seconds passed. Then, like a miracle, Aliya stirred slightly, absently swatting hair out of her face.
"Aliya," he breathed with relief, grinning at River in his moment of triumph.
Aliya kept her eyes closed as she settled herself on the infirmary bed. "You give me orders again, and I will be sure to burn every bowtie that you own," she murmured without opening them. He reflexively grabbed his bowtie for security, then relaxed.
"Yep, she's fine," he said with a cheeky smile. "Let me help you up." He put his arm around her shoulders as she swung her legs off the bed. When she was standing upright, however, a grimace hit her face as her hands flew to her chest. "What is it?"
"My rib…the bullet must have cracked it," she groaned. He helped her back on the bed before beginning to pull River towards the door. "Where are you going?"
"You're going to need rest!" He told her firmly, shooting a ridiculously protective look at her, "I'm going to lay down the timey wimey and spoiler-ish rules for River before dropping her off…well, wherever she likes, I suppose. What do you think?" He turned to River with the last sentence.
"I can't say I'm looking forward to these rules, but I'll try anything once," River replied with a smirk, and he smiled.
"That's what I thought. Be good, Aliya, stay in bed and rest that rib until I'm back," he instructed before leaving with the human. Aliya huffed and lay back on the pillow, still finding it strange that she was there because River shot her.
Then again, given that it was River Song, it wasn't really strange at all.
The Doctor leaned back against the console while River casually sat on the jump seat as she awaited his 'rules'.
"Alright, now, I can only tell you so much, but there is some things which you will definitely need to know. As you may have realised, Aliya and I have already met you, due to the fact that we travel in time, which you know already," the Doctor began, and River nodded.
"I understand that, but could you possibly try and explain it in more detail? Because that would make our timelines non-linear, am I correct?" River guessed, and the Doctor grinned proudly.
"Ha! River Song, brilliant before she even knew me, of course you are," he said, clapping his hands with satisfaction.
River shrugged. "You get given the task of assassinating a time traveller, you have to do your research."
The Doctor nodded. "So, yes, we have a non-linear relationship, we keep meeting in the wrong order, but that's okay, frankly, it's more fun this way, far more interesting. But that means that whenever you meet me, you can never talk about anything you've done with me, because there's always going to be a chance that I haven't done it yet."
"I'm good at keeping secrets," River said with a smile, and he smirked.
"Good? River Song, you are more than good, you are brilliant, almost as good as me," he complimented seriously, and she looked pleased.
"So…I'm going to know you very well, then? We're going to be friends?" She asked. He nodded and smiled at her. "Or, rather, more than friends. You showed me what I'm assuming was a collection of memories, and that was one hell of a kiss that was in there."
He went just a little bit pink. "Well, yeah. Spoilers. You'll see." She just grinned. "Now, where do you want to be dropped off?"
River fell silent, deep in thought. "I've been training for so long, I don't really have a home anymore. But I was from the 51st century, how about there?"
"51st century London coming up!" He repeated grandly before running around the console manically. "You can start again, River, build a life, make friends, study something, and in between all of that, come along with me and see everything the universe has to offer." Then he stopped dead. "Oh. I've never even thought. River, do you have any family? Parents?"
The question made her entire body tense up. "Uh, I suppose I sort of have family, but it's complicated. I never really knew my mum, and my dad...died." There was something in her guarded expression that told the Doctor there was definitely more to that than she was saying.
"I'm sorry to hear that," he said honestly, "Still, fresh start now. And I know for a fact that you are going to be amazing."
River's cheeks filled with colour at the comment, which made him giggle with delight before dashing to run his hands over the controls, piloting the box to the time period she had indicated. But he couldn't help but notice that she looked like she was wrestling with something.
"What is it? Did you want to ask me something?" He inquired slowly, and she frowned.
"I was just wondering…what species is Aliya?" Her question stopped him in his tracks, and he searched his head for a quick reply, anything that wasn't the truth. A word found its way to his mouth.
"Traken."
"What?"
"She's descended from the last survivor of the planet Traken, the only one to live when it was destroyed centuries ago, who, incidentally, also travelled with me," he rambled, feeling pleased that he had come up with an explanation that would legitimately make sense. He still felt uneasy lying, to River of all people, but the truth of another Time Lord's survival was still one he had no will or intention to spread amongst anyone who wasn't clustered on Earth fighting aliens in some way.
"Traken," River murmured with a vague look, "It rings a bell." She shrugged with a cheeky smile. "I'll have to look it up."
The TARDIS landed with an only mild jolt, and River shot a somewhat excited look at the doors.
"Now, River, two things," the Doctor said, looking up at her with a newly solemn expression. She raised an eyebrow. "That man, your commander - the one you...killed."
"Are you going to tell me off for killing him?" She looked almost amused.
"More or less," he replied, "Because, River, killing him wasn't necessary, we could have found a way to wipe his mind, or something, anything, that did not involve killing him."
"It was the most effective way, and he wanted to kill you!" River defended, but the Doctor smiled darkly at her.
"So did you." She quickly fell silent and directed her eyes at the floor. "And what you are going to have to realise if you're going to travel with me, River, is that there is always another way. A way that isn't death. There's always a choice." He gave her a small smile without letting the solemnity leave his eyes. "Make sure you choose right."
River nodded dumbly, knowing that it would take a while for her to get used to that with violence being so second-nature to her. But she felt a need to impress, a need to not disappoint.
"The thing I wanted to ask was...your commander mentioned people who requested me to be killed. Who?"
She frowned. "I'm sorry, I don't know. All I know is that they said you had to die. Something about...a war being prevented before it started." River shrugged apologetically. "Sorry, that's all I can remember."
"No, that's very...helpful. Thank you." He smiled. "So…are you ready?"
"It's the 51st century out there," River said, glancing at the door, and smiled when the Doctor nodded.
"You've travelled in time before, how is that surprising?" He asked with a small frown which caused her to smile again.
"Yes, but somehow it seems far more interesting when done in a dimensionally transcendentally blue box," she told him with a strange look of realisation. "And don't tell anyone that I ever that."
"It always is…now, the next time that you see me and Aliya, it is much further back on our time-stream, so don't ask too many questions, just wait until you see a later version of me. Then you can ask away." His instructions were met with a solemn nod. "Now, go and get them."
The Doctor smiled at her with a trust and confidence that filled her with hope and self-opinion that made her heart well, but she also felt guilt hit her too over how she had woken up that day with the intention to kill him.
"I'll see you soon," River said as she opened the door, resisting the urge to peek out of it, keeping her eyes locked on his.
"I remember it well," he answered, and smiled fondly. "Goodbye, River." He spoke her name with such a reverence that it shocked her, leading her to speculate on just how well he knew her. The idea was hardly an unpleasant one, and her grin was wider and more suggestive than she intended it to be.
"Goodbye, Doctor," she replied before stepping out the door with renewed confidence.
The Doctor watched her go with a strange sense of nostalgia; his River Song was stepping out into the world. He smiled before turning away from the door and heading for the infirmary, because now there was a different blonde who needed his attention.
The Doctor entered the infirmary, and stood at the door and watched his companion for a minute or so. She looked so peaceful lying back with her eyes closed. It was a nice contrast from the usually snarky and sarcastic demeanour she had while conscious. Not that she wasn't kind, or willing to do anything for him. She had proved that far too willingly, something he couldn't bring himself to be comfortable with. He was not worth anyone dying for him, and the thought that she had come close to doing so made him angry at himself, and furious with her. If she had died…he tried to imagine having to back to that never ending silence in his head, and found the product too terrible.
He was awoken from the terrible thoughts by a somewhat irritated voice.
"Are you just going to stand there or what? Broken rib, remember?" He jumped in surprise and found her looking at him with a raised eyebrow, her confused expression causing him to cough and make his way to her side.
"Sorry," he apologised with an almost shy smile, "Got lost in my thoughts."
"They wouldn't happen to be about an ex-assassin future archaeologist to be, would they?" Aliya teased, and he chuckled, acting as though her words were true, it was an easy cover. He could confront her about what she had done later.
"Let's just fix this rib before we talk, shall we?" He suggested, and she nodded as he got to work.
A few minutes later, he broke his own rule.
"Actually, there is something I should probably mention," the Doctor said almost guiltily, and she eyed him with suspicion, eyebrow raised. "I may have told her - in a moment of panic - that you are a descendant of the last survivor of Traken."
"You told her that I was descended from Nyssa?" She repeated in distasteful surprise, staring at him while he looked nervous.
"Not in so many words," he defended lamely, and ducked his head, looking back at her injury instead of her face, "But basically, yeah."
"May I ask why?" She inquired incredulously, utterly confused.
"She asked where you were from - it was the first thing that popped into my mind," He said, "I thought that you should probably know just in case she mentions it."
"I suppose," Aliya admitted unsurely, "And I suppose I could do a lot worse than Traken. Even if I'm not exactly 'nice' enough to be from there."
"You're a descendant, not a citizen."
"Oh, well that makes it alright, then."
He ignored her sarcasm.
There wasn't much to be done for a broken rib, he merely used a device to magnetise the two parts of the rib together, so that it would heal much faster.
"So now what? I've never had a broken rib before." Aliya curiously eyed her upper abdomen, where his hands were deftly examining the break.
"There isn't much to do, we have to wait for it to heal. You've got to lie down and take it easy, movement will disrupt the healing process and will also be very painful," he explained as he gently pulled her shirt back down.
"So I just have to sit around and do nothing?" She said for clarification, not looking pleased at the thought.
"Nah, I'll put you in the movie room, and give you a huge pile of books. You'll be fine," he assured her. "Now, if you'll allow me, I'll carry you there now and then get you a blanket and pillow."
"Okay," she said grudgingly, "But you better actually watch some of the movies with me…"
"Of course," he replied as he scooped her up and began walking her down the corridors, and seeing her wince, he muttered a 'sorry'. He laid her on the luxurious couch that was set in front of a large television screen attached to the wall.
The Doctor went off to fetch pillows and a blanket for her while she used the remote to scroll through the built-in archive of movies that the TV contained. With thousands of options, she had no idea where to start. She was still staring at the screen with a furrowed brow when he returned.
"See anything you like?" He asked as he helped her slot the pillow behind her and tucked the blanket around her body.
"I didn't even know where to start," she replied simply, eyeing him as he sat at the other end of the couch. "But um, thanks for all of this. It must be annoying having to look after me. You don't have to, you know."
"Of course I have to!" He insisted, looking surprised and horrified at the thought of not doing so. "You're in my care and I'm responsible for you, and if it weren't for me, you wouldn't have been shot in the first place."
Aliya sighed, but knew she never had a chance in a million of deterring him. "None of that your fault."
"Every bit of that was my fault," the Doctor replied sharply, his expression dark.
"You were hardly supposed to expect that your girlfriend was going to try and kill you."
"No, but her reasons for trying were correct, Aliya, and those things were my fault, every single one of them. I'm not a good man, Aliya."
His eyes were focused on the blanket, pointedly not looking at her while she frowned at him.
"Please don't start with that again, Doctor, what happened happened, just leave it," Aliya said quietly, not wanting to let herself or him get too worked up over it. But he didn't let it go, he turned to look at her with anger burning in his eyes.
"I didn't ask you to die for me!" He shouted sharply, "You had no right to do that."
Aliya didn't know whether to be disbelieving that he was acting the way he was or whether to wonder why she hadn't expected it. Overprotective fool. Her lip curled and her different coloured eyes narrowed so as to prove that there was no way he was going to just tell her off like she was a child.
"Oh, I'm sorry," she said, indignant fury rising inside of her as she crossed her arms, "Just let me apologize for saving your life, shall I?"
"Don't try and act like the noble hero, Aliya," the Doctor said, looking distinctly unimpressed and irritated, "Putting your life on the line for the sake of saving me isn't noble, it's selfish."
"How in the name of Rassilon is it selfish?" Aliya shot him a glare. She was not pleased by his ridiculous attempt at a lecture. "I didn't die, so why does it matter? A broken rib is manageable."
"Because one day, you're going to take a bullet for me that will kill you." His voice had become deathly quiet, only just audible for her ears, but the power, authority and certainty in his voice didn't waver.
"I'm willing to take that risk," she answered without hesitation, the challenge in her voice eminent and strong.
"Well I'm not!" He bellowed, and despite her resilience, she flinched briefly. "No one should die for me, not anyone, especially not River, and especially not you!"
"River already has," she said coolly, "And I believe it's my choice. And why did you make out that I had priority over River?"
"I never said that you had priority over River," he retorted, but ground his teeth while avoiding her gaze.
"Perhaps not in so many words, but it was implied. Care to explain?" She waited.
Eventually he took a deep breath and did his best to do as she'd asked. "River means…so much to me, Aliya, more than you know. And I know that the more times I meet her, the worse that is going to get. I can only imagine how it's going to feel when I - when I see her for the last time."
He paused for a long time, and she raised an eyebrow.
"But…?" She offered, ducking her head to try and see his face only for him to suddenly look up.
"But…the Time Lords left a hole in my head, a huge gaping hole of black…nothingness. And it hurts. You're the only thing that can begin to fill that hole. Without you, that hole is going to eat me, all I'm going to have is an empty, hollow mind," he whispered, and she bit her lip, her mind reeling with hundreds of different thought tracks.
"But without River, you are going to have broken hearts that won't stop burning," she reminded him solemnly, and again he looked away from her.
"There isn't anything I can do about that," the Doctor's voice was suddenly forced, choked by some kind of grief. "Your life is still in flux, I can keep you safe."
"I can keep myself safe, I am a grown woman, Theta," Aliya reminded him, her voice calmer as she decided in her own head that the heated part of the argument was over. She was wrong.
"I don't care, from now on, you have to start recognizing my authority on this ship, and do as I say, no matter where we are, or what it is, do you understand, Aliya?" His eyes rose to lock onto hers, and she made sure that hers gave away nothing.
"Perfectly," she said with mildness that caused him to look surprised, "You want to tell me what to do, to have me become one of those little humans who obeys your every command and runs errands and lets you rescue them whenever they run into trouble." He sensed her sarcasm and waited for the response he knew he was going to get. "And I don't think I even need to say how I feel about that."
"That was not a request, Aliya, that, was an order," the Doctor felt the anger swelling again, the need to both yell at her and protect her colliding.
"Well I can tell you where you can shove your orders-" She retorted hotly, not letting herself be intimidated by him. His face twisted in anger and before she knew it, he was out of the seat, standing away from her, livid.
"Need I remind you, Aliyanadevoralundar, that this is my TARDIS," he said, glaring at her, "Not your TARDIS, or our TARDIS, my TARDIS! You are a guest here, as much as any companion has been, and I am at perfect liberty to make you leave whenever I choose to do so! Don't think your physiology makes you some sort of...exception." He shot her a look before storming out of the room, and she called after him, annoyed at her inability to follow.
"Where are you going?"
"To find River." His voice was harsh and not that far away, "She'll be hanging around this galaxy or the next somewhere, because even she is not so…" He seemed to not be able to find a word that could describe her as he wanted to, because he walked away.
Aliya lay back on her pillow, her mind truly processing what had just happened. She groaned, biting her lip as it crashed over her in an almost suffocating wave. She had taken it too far, the way she always did, he was right, she forgot that she was disposable if he decided she was, she had become too sure of her position here.
"You idiot," she murmured, but was unsure if she was talking about him or herself. Probably both. She was lucky to have the broken rib and couldn't be moved, if she hadn't, he may have even evicted her then and there.
Glumly, she picked the remote and chose a random movie, one classified under 'James Bond', and started watching it, doing her best to concentrate on the movie and not listen out for the footsteps of the Doctor return, which did not come.
At least, not for three hours.
The Doctor stormed out of the TARDIS doors and into the corridor outside River Song's Stormcage holding cell. She looked up from her diary expectantly and gave him his favourite sultry smile.
"Hello Sweetie," she said calmly, and was only mildly surprised when instead of going to release her, he merely sonicked the door open before sitting on the end of her bed, expression dark. "What's wrong?" She was genuinely concerned, putting the diary to the side so that she could scoot closer to him.
"You just met us for the first time. Aliya took a bullet for me. We got into an arg- no, argument is too much of an understatement – we got into a fight, and let me tell you, River, she is ridiculously stubborn and resilient for a woman with a broken rib," he said seriously, looking at her with a solemn expression.
"What were you fighting about?" She asked, covering his hand with hers, lacing their fingers together, and his eyes fell to their joined hands.
"About the fact that she is so willing to die for me," he said, feeling the words leave a sour taste in his mouth.
River nodded knowingly. "Oh, yes, I was wondering when the two of you had that conversation." He looked at her, a slight question in his eyes. "Sweetie, her and I talked about this once…she's never just going to stand by and watch you die, and the sooner you accept that and move on to trying to keep yourself out of harm's way, for her sake if not for anyone else's, the happier we'll all be."
He was silent for about ten seconds, internalizing the situation over and over while she patiently waited. Eventually, and reluctantly, he said, "Perhaps you're right."
"Of course I'm right," she said, and he looked up and smiled. "Now, are we going to go anywhere, or are we just going to sit around in this cell all night? Though, frankly, either is fine by me." She waggled her eyebrows at her own suggestion, and he smirked before kissing her passionately, twining his fingers through the incredible hair he loved so much.
When he pulled away, he grinned at her as he tugged on her hand, leading her out of the cell and into the blue box.
"Now, Doctor Song, where would you like to go?" He offered with a large grin as he raced around the console.
"Everywhere," she said with a grin, before casting a look to the stairs. "Is Aliya in here?"
"Yeah, somewhere, but she's not going anywhere…tonight, River, it's about us and the entire universe that's at our fingertips."
Five minutes later, they were racing out of the TARDIS, ready to explore the planet they had just landed on, and relish the other's company as they ran and flirted their way through another adventure.
Aliya had just finished her second James Bond movie when she heard the unmistakable footsteps of the Doctor approaching. She gulped and snuggled further into her blanket, waiting. He appeared from around the couch, an unsure smile on his face.
"Hello again," he said awkwardly.
"Hi."
"Look, about before, how I acted…I'm sorry," the Doctor said slowly, and she sighed in relief.
"I'm sorry too," She said quietly. "I just…You can't expect me to just stand by and let you die."
"No, but-" He swallowed before looking up again. "Here's a deal. I'll try to look after myself more, and in return, you think of and use all alternatives before attempting anything that puts you in danger."
Aliya nodded. "Alright."
He smiled. "Good, now, what movies have you been watching?" He asked curiously, and she shrugged.
"These two about a guy called James Bond, filled with more explosions and car chases than necessary," she commented dryly, and he nodded excitedly.
"Ha! Those are classics. Now, I was thinking we could watch the Back to the Future series…" He grabbed the remote and tauntingly smiled when she shot him an inquisitive eyebrow. "You'll like them, they're about time travel and wounds in time…"
"Earth movie about time travel," Aliya replied slowly, a smug grin settling on her face, "I could use some comic relief."
"Now, Aliya, be nice," he warned, but couldn't stop smiling. She poked out her tongue as the movie started and he leaned back against the couch.
The atmosphere in the TARDIS was calm again. The question was how long it would stay that way.
River turned over blearily as she woke up on her cell bed, curling in a ball while pulling the blanket around her tighter. She tried to ignore the irritating chant that wouldn't leave her ears alone, and when she finally opened her eyes and sat up, she saw a blonde woman leaning against a large blue box in the corridor.
"River…River….oh, what do you know, she's awake," Aliya said with a grin, cutting off from the chants of the archaeologist's name to return to normal speech. Weeks had passed for her and the Doctor since meeting the earliest version of River, and her rib was half-healed, enough so that she could walk without too much difficulty.
"Early morning calls now?" River asked with glinting eyes, excitement already building within her.
"Please, like he doesn't sometimes come and steal you away in the middle of the night when I'm asleep," Aliya said knowingly, despite the fact that she didn't sleep often.
River winked and swung out of bed as Aliya held out her sonic, the door swinging open so that the prisoner could exit.
"Not going to change?" Aliya inquired as she eyed River's nightie and robe dubiously, and River's eyes twinkled with cheeky amusement as the two of them crossed to the blue box.
"Now, where would I get my fun if I didn't render him speechless and embarrassed on a regular basis?" River's comment got an approving laugh from her friend as the two of them entered the TARDIS. When she was met with the sight of an empty console room, she raised an eyebrow. "Where is the man of the hour, anyway?"
"Planning something," Aliya replied flatly as the two of them went up the small set of stairs to stand on the console platform, "And I don't really want to ask."
Before River could reply a voice they knew too well beat her to it.
"So little faith in me, Aliya," the Doctor said as he descended the stairs with a large grin, "Perhaps I should be offended."
"Don't bother," Aliya retorted, and he smirked before wrapping River in an enthusiastic hug.
"Hello, River," he said, beaming, and Aliya got a glimpse of his elated expression.
Wow, she thought, he is so far gone for her.
With that thought came the next thing that had been ebbing in her mind lately, and she knew that today was the day to do it, the day when both of them were so happy to see each other. But before she could say anything, the Doctor let go of River only to grin at both blondes.
"Well, I've got my girls, let's go!" He announced, and Aliya raised an eyebrow.
"Sorry, your girls? She's-" Aliya gestured to River, "-your girl, I'm currently unspoken for, thanks."
He shrugged nonchalantly. "However you want it," he said, going to turn away from her, "Now, are you two ready for what I have planned?" Aliya coughed and he turned to look at her expectantly. "What?"
"I'm going to sit this one out, Doctor," she said slowly, and confusion flooded his features.
"What do you mean? Why?" He did his job of closely studying her face while wearing an intense frown, but she placed her palms on his chest and pushed him away lightly.
"Doctor, as all three of us are aware, I am a gooseberry here. You two deserve some time away from the annoying tag-along friend. So, drop me off somewhere, and come back once you've made the most of your alone time," Aliya said simply, and the Doctor and River exchanged a look.
"As much as I like the sound of that, Aliya, don't feel like you have to do that," River began, but the other woman held up a hand and shut her up.
"Maybe, maybe not, but it is the polite thing to do, and frankly, after all the Doctor has told me about Midnight, a planet made of diamond that also has a leisure spa, how is a girl like me supposed to resist?" Aliya shrugged, and River nodded, understanding.
"True," she said, "Sometimes I escape Stormcage just to find a decent spa…"
"Well, okay, if that's how you want it," the Doctor said, not adverse to the idea, but merely a little taken aback.
"Yes." She nodded and the three of them set to work piloting the TARDIS together, and because of the extra number of pilots, the flight path was much smoother than the usual rickety ride they would have to endure. When it was finished materializing, the three of them went to the door.
"27th century, Midnight," The Doctor told her as he opened it to reveal a beautiful, polished interior of the Leisure Palace. "Knock yourself out." Aliya nodded happily as she stepped out of the box and into the magnificent room.
"I plan to…now, don't hurry back, take as long as you like," she instructed firmly as she looked between both of them. "Remember, it's going to be the same length of time for me, no matter how long you are away, so make the most of it!"
"Oh, we will," River said suggestively, looking between the Doctor and Aliya, the former who looked mortified, the latter who just smirked. The Doctor pulled out a small silver stick and put it in Aliya's hand.
"Credits," he explained under her quizzical look, "To pay for the spa treatments." She thanked him and stepped back. "I'll see you soon."
She nodded and watched as the box disappeared before turning around and trying to locate the reception.
Aliya reclined on one of the chairs, enjoying the small but intricate sensation of the Midnight sun coming through the ultra-thick wall of glass. She couldn't remember when she had last felt so relaxed.
"Excuse me, can I sit here?" Aliya turned to see a woman in her late thirties with red hair indicating to the recliner next to her.
"Sure, go ahead," Aliya said brightly, thinking that it may be nice to have company, even one of a complete stranger. As the woman – dressed in a fluffy white robe that was identical to her own – sat down, she looked at Aliya with an almost amused expression.
"You know what? I'm shocking when it comes to silence, I go mad if I can't go on about something to someone, so how about introductions?"
Aliya laughed at her honesty. "Sure, I'll chat to anyone." The redhead seemed pleased and relieved and didn't hesitate to hold out her hand.
"I'm Donna, Donna Noble."