I received several prompts from dar40mn. I decided to combine a few of them into one story. Here, River Song is saved from the Library, given extra regenerations and has to get to know the Twelfth Doctor, who wants to talk to her about his early meetings with her.

He had had plenty of years to think about River Song in the Library. He believed that he had saved her life by adding those features to the sonic screwdriver so she could be uploaded to the Library. However, after spending 900 years in Trenzalore and being given a whole new set of regenerations, he realised that saving her like that was not what River would have wanted. He and River were kindred spirits; always moving and unable to stay in one place for too long. An idea was forming in his mind but first, he needed to make sure there would be no paradox if he carried his plan out. There was no room for mistakes; he would have to be more meticulous than he had ever been. Timing and precision were everything here.

He set the Tardis to take him to the core of the Library. Having searched his memories, he realised that he only had a few seconds to rescue River. He knew he could do it and was fairly confident that his previous self would have no idea that he was also there in the Library. He stuck to the shadows, that fortunately for him weren't infested with Vashta Nerada, and watched quietly as River wired herself up to the computer while having her last conversation with the Doctor who was currently handcuffed, trying to swap places and reach out for the sonic screwdrivers.

"Hush, now. Spoilers," River whispered.

That's my cue, the hidden Doctor thought.

He remembered that when he was the one chained up, he had tried to keep his eyes on River but the light coming from her was too bright even for Timelord eyes. As soon as his other self scrunched his eyes, he stepped out from the shadows and headed towards his wife. The Doctor placed his hands on her temple. He felt the glow before he saw it as he used some of his regeneration energy to bring River back to life. She groaned slightly as the Doctor worked her quickly out of the chair. It had always bugged him that there was nothing left of River after she had connected herself to the mainframe and now he knew why that was the case. Swiftly, he picked River up and headed back to his Tardis. He placed River gently on the jump seat as he checked that the outer shield was still invisible and the engine was running on silent. He danced around the console as he concentrated on getting them silently away from the Library and into the vortex.

River stirred in the jump seat. She opened her eyes groggily and couldn't quite work out where she was. She felt that she shouldn't be here. Heaven? She queried silently. Her slightly addled brain had somehow come to the conclusion that of course her idea of heaven would be the Tardis. But, surely, if she was dead, she wouldn't be able to feel her heart palpitating and her head pounding. So, she concluded that somehow she was actually on the Tardis. But, this Tardis desktop was not familiar to her. She tried to sit up to better study her surroundings but was softly restrained by a pair of strong arms.

"No, no. Don't get up."

She heard a Scottish burr and blinked a couple of times to focus on the face in front of her. He smiled at her, a smile full of love and relief. She hadn't seen him before but knew without a doubt who this man was.

"Doctor?"

"Hi, honey. You're home."

River beamed at his words. The Doctor shifted his arms so that he could pick her up.

"Hey!" River protested weakly as he carried her out of the console room.

"I'm just taking you to bed."

River was tempted to make a saucy comment. She knew that the bowtie and tweed wearing Doctor would have blushed furiously at the comment, while the one with sandshoes, pinstripes and spiky hair would have given an equally flirty comeback. But she was tentative here. She was unsure how this new Doctor would react so she remained quiet. The bedroom door opened automatically and she was gently placed on the bed. She looked at the Doctor with questions in her eyes.

"Doctor-"

"Shhhh."

"What happened?"

"Shhhh," the Doctor repeated. "You need to sleep. We'll talk later. Promise."

He placed a kiss on River's forehead and waited patiently as her eyes drooped and she fell unconscious. He watched her chest rise and fall a couple of times then finally succumbed to his own exhaustion. He lay down next to River and within minutes, he was asleep.

It was pitch black in the room when River stirred a couple of hours later. She noticed a silhouette on the bed next to her. Everything was still hazy. She edged closer to the silhouette and wrapped her arms around it before nodding off once more. When she awoke again later, that side of the bed was empty and she had almost convinced herself she'd been dreaming when the bedroom door opened. The Doctor entered, carrying two mugs. He perched on the edge of the bed and offered River a mug.

"Black coffee, one sugar?" He queried as though he was being tested and his answer meant he either passed or failed.

River took a sip and smiled. "Mmm, perfect."

The Doctor looked slightly smug.

"Shut up," River teased.

"I didn't say anything."

River gave a knowing look at the Doctor. Same software, different face, she noted with amusement. All at once, she sobered. The Doctor noticed her change in mood and reached out for her hand. She looked at their intertwined hands and felt slightly perturbed. He hardly ever initiated the touching apart from the odd boop on the nose. She looked back up and found she was eye-to-eye with his grey-blue eyes.

"River, I am so sorry," he said quietly yet earnestly.

She studied him and realised that he was apologising for more than today.

"Our timelines are completely in-sync now," he said. "We have now both experienced everything that we are supposed to. And I am so sorry for how I treated you in the early days, well early days for me." He could sense River wanted to say something and quickly headed her off. "Please, let me finish. This is hard enough for me as it is. You will get your chance to speak soon, my dear. I met you out of order and when I was younger, I kept my distance from you. I knew what would happen to you and every time I saw you, I was filled with guilt. I was also scared and terrified of you. You knew my name and I was scared of what this meant for us, the implications you knowing my name had. As I told you when I first met you, or I suppose you could say as I have just told you, there was only one time I could tell someone my name. And then there was the fact that you knew more than me about all of this and I really don't like not knowing. But the main reason I kept my distance is the fear of losing you. I barely knew you and yet I knew I would lose you. I lose everyone eventually. I just didn't expect to lose you so soon when I'd only just met you."

"You didn't lose me. I'm right here."

"I did lose you, River. It's been centuries for me since The Library. I had to save you."

"Ever the Doctor. How did you manage to save me? We were both certain it would kill me."

"Well, River, I have had years to think of something. And if I say so myself, it was a particularly brilliant something." He couldn't help the hint of smugness that entered his voice. His tone then became serious as he continued. "I only had a window of a few seconds to save you; I had to be quick. I landed the Tardis near to you and as soon the countdown hit zero, I was at your side. You were already dead so I gave you some of my regenerations to revive you."

River's arm lifted as though she was going to slap him. She slowly dropped it as she took in his words. "But you were out of regenerations."

"And yet I have a new body."

"I figured that, for some reason, the Metacrisis one didn't actually count so you were allowed to regenerate one more time."

The Doctor looked impressed. "You'll know the whole story eventually. But for now, I'll just tell you that on Trenzalore, the Timelords granted me a whole new cycle of regenerations."

"While I appreciate the sentiment, Doctor, it was still a reckless thing to do."

The Doctor acquiesced and turned his cheek towards River. She looked at him questioningly.

"Just making it easier for you to slap me, dear."

"I hate you," River was shaking her head slightly.

"Wish I could say the same, love."

River gave an amused exhale and the Doctor smirked at her.

They had been sitting in companionable silence for a little while when River asked, "So what happens now?"

"Same as before. Only now, there's no need for spoilers," the Doctor paused. "Or you could stay here?"

"I told you before, sweetie, that I will travel whenever and wherever with you but not all the time. I still want to be able to have my career."

"Yeah, knew that would be your answer. Worth a shot though." The Doctor smiled as he realised that it was the first time River had said 'sweetie' to this face. "There is one thing though."

"Yeah?" River said, slightly guardedly.

"I'll drop you off back at Luna University. But you have to stay here a little longer until I am completely satisfied that you are recovered."

River began to protest and the Doctor briefly placed a finger over her mouth.

"Doctor's orders."

"You've been dying to say that for ages, haven't you?"

The Doctor's eyes twinkled mischieviously as he kissed River on the cheek. River put her hand to her cheek in wonder. The Doctor was older and wiser now and although it would take a short while for River to get used to it, she was looking forward to all this bonus time she would get to spend with her husband, the Doctor.