Notes; This story is based on a friend (RiversOfMars) one-shot that I could not help myself but expand on.
The first chapter is not mine but as had a little editing to fit the overall story the original can be found at h /works/24354178/chapters/73717110#workskin
Quick hint; River is set post-Manhattan pre-Darillium, she hasn't met 13 and doesn't recognise her
"What are you doing in here?"
The Doctor jumped when a voice cut through the silence at Luna University Library. It was late, very late, in fact. 2am was fast approaching and the library had been empty apart from her. She had chosen the time deliberately, she had banked on people being asleep or off partying for fresher's week.
"Oh! Sorry, I didn't realise anyone was…" She looked around anxiously to see a figure approaching along the rows of shelves.
"You know this area is restricted, right?" A woman came into view, wild curly hair, silky blouse and a keen sparkle in her eyes. There as a sort of amusement in her voice and she tilted her head as she looked her up and down. The Doctor got the sense she wouldn't tell on her, at least not yet.
"Yeah, well, uhh… my archive request was denied so I thought…" She didn't really know what to say. She knew access to this section of the Library was restricted but she had come a long way for it and when her request was denied by the Academy of Time Travel, she had decided to go about it another way.
"You thought you would sneak in here instead?" The woman concluded with a smirk.
"Well, they didn't really give an explanation so…" The Doctor scratched the back of her head. She was anxious about having been caught but so far, the other woman didn't seem to mind too much. Perhaps she had snuck in here as well.
"Oh there was this incident, quite a long time ago now, a student snuck into the Academy's archives and took an ancient vortex manipulator to have a sneak peak at her future essay papers… I mean, you can't plagiarise yourself so they could hardly expel her but they did get a lot pickier with admitting people to their archives." The woman explained pleasantly.
"Well, firstly, that's very clever of the student and secondly, very unreasonable to restrict everyone else's access to the archives when some of us have actual research to do." The Doctor huffed, somewhere between admiration and annoyance. "Surely the student in question has long graduated…"
"And is a professor now. Professor River Song." River extended her hand to her with a smirk and the Doctor's face fell.
"Oh, uhh… you're a professor? You work here, I…I shouldn't be here…" She stammered, realising her mistake. This woman was staff! And she had caught her red handed.
"No, you shouldn't be and yet you are." River observed sounding surprisingly unbothered about it which sort of made sense if she had been the student in question. The Doctor wasn't sure whether to be impressed or worried. "What are you doing?" River asked curiously and looked to the books the Doctor had gathered on a desk.
"Uh… just some research…" The Doctor answered nervously.
"What are you studying?" River picked up a book that she knew well. It was one of the more comprehensive guides on supposed Timelord meddling through time.
"Well, not technically a student…" The Doctor admitted. She wasn't sure what to say. This woman was thoroughly confusing. She was a professor here but also seemed to have an affinity for bending the rules. Could she trust her not to rat her out?
"So you didn't just sneak into the Academy's library section but into the university in general?" River sounded impressed.
"No, I mean, I'm not a student, I'm a doctor, visiting lecturer… Luna University is meant to have the greatest collection of Timelord artefacts so…" The Doctor felt the need to set the record straight.
"A doctor, huh? Are you sure you're old enough?" River smirked and the Doctor found herself blushing under her appraising gaze. Was she flirting with her?
"You don't exactly strike me as a stuffy old professor either." She retorted before she could think better of it.
"Touché." River laughed lightly and looked back at the collection of books, scriptures and star charts. "Why the interest in the Timelords? Most people don't even believe them to be real." She observed picking up another book to read the back of it.
"I don't know, I just… personal interest, I guess. Something about them just intrigues me." The Doctor replied, growing more self conscious. She felt a little silly. A lot of academics looked down on those paddling theories that the Timelords actually existed. Most people believed them to be the stuff of legends. While time travel was certainly real, the idea of almost celestial beings able to live forever seemed too fantastical to be true. While there was certainly something the legends were based on, there was no way of knowing which bits were fact and which were fiction.
"What's your field?" River asked curiously, putting the book down.
"Astrophysics." The Doctor answered slowly. "Yours?"
"Archeology." River replied in amusement. "I'm much more likely to take an interest in this sort of thing than you, how do the Timelords relate to your research?" It was a fair question.
"Star charts… Well, that's where I started. Everything else doesn't really relate. I'm just… curious, they're fascinating." The Doctor admitted, sticking her hands in the pockets of her coat before shrugging.
"Well, the stuff of legends always is." River chuckled.
"Unfortunately, I'm not likely to get any answers here." The Doctor sighed, feeling a little bit more comfortable now. It didn't look like this woman would tell on her but it seemed to have been a wasted trip regardless.
"Answers to what?" River asked and the Doctor shrugged again, with a little laugh this time:
"You know, I don't even know… I can't really explain it… never mind." She waved it off. "I can't read it anyway, whatever this language is, I don't understand it." She opened one of the books and held it out to River, pointing out the circular writing.
"It's High Gallifreyan." River answered as she took the book off her. "The language of the Timelords, that's what it's called." Her eyes skimmed the page.
"You make it sound like they actually existed." The Doctor chuckled. "Is that your field of archeology? Mystical civilisations?"
"Perhaps." River winked. "Would you like some help?" She handed the book back over with a smile.
"You can… you can read this?" The Doctor exclaimed in shock, surprise and delight all at once.
"Don't tell anyone." River chuckled and looked around to check no-one had heard her.
"How?!" The Doctor didn't know what to say. "How do you know how to read this? It's not like you can just take language classes in this, can you?" She was in awe.
"My husband taught me." River revealed with a sly sort of smile.
"Your husband?" The Doctor's face fell, she didn't even know why she felt disappointed but she did. She had only just met this woman.
"Is that disappointment I hear in your voice?" River had picked up on it right away and the Doctor blushed scarlet.
"What? No, I mean…" She stuttered. "Uhm, your husband… does that mean, are you telling me you're married to a… Timelord?" The Doctor tried to deflect.
"If you presume that to be his one defining feature, I suppose so." River shrugged.
"So they are real? Timelords are actually…" The Doctor didn't know what to say.
"He is also the last Timelord. Or was… I'm not actually sure where he is these days, we haven't seen each other in a while." River sighed with another shrug.
"But you just said he's your husband." The Doctor frowned, she wasn't making a whole lot of sense.
"He's not the type to allow himself to be held too tightly." River smiled though the Doctor was sure there was a sadness behind her eyes. "We… things are complicated, when you're married to a time traveller. For all I know I might never see him again."
"And you're just fine with that?" The Doctor asked softly.
"Like you say, if he's really a Timelord, he's the stuff of legends. An ageless god. You don't expect the sunset to admire you back." River retorted, returning her attention to the books on the table, she ran her fingers over one of the ancient star charts absentmindedly.
"That sounds painful." The Doctor mused sharing in her sadness.
"Makes you appreciate the shared times all the more." River grinned as her wistfulness passed and the Doctor smiled and nodded, she understood. "To be honest, I don't like being tied down either so we suit each other very well." River smirked, gaining her swagger back.
"I see." The Doctor chuckled.
"That means if you would like to get a drink sometime, or if you would like some help translating these, I'm available." River elaborated when her initial statement didn't have the desired effect of flustering the blonde. She looked up from the star charts to the Doctor waiting for the penny to drop. Her explanation did the trick as the Doctor went red in the face again.
"Really? I mean… you're not… he's not gonna…" She stammered.
"Every time could be the last time, every Christmas could be last Christmas, that's the thing about time, something you learn as a time traveller, you have to learn to live in the present." River winked and reached out and ran her fingers along the yellow braces the Doctor was wearing. "You do remind me a lot of him, you know, I don't know… probably just my imagination. Or the fact that I'm really very attracted to you." She smirked.
"You're uhh… very forward…" The Doctor swallowed nervously.
"Sorry, I don't mean to make you uncomfortable." River's confidence faltered for a moment, genuine concern came over her. "If I misread the situation, I…"
"No, no, it's fine, I mean… I'd like a drink. With you." The Doctor burst out quickly, she didn't want her to change her mind. "I'd like to go for a drink with you and spend some time together…"
"Good. I mean, great!" River grinned, relieved. "There is this nice little bar across campus… You don't need these books, I can tell you everything you could possibly want to know."
"Lead the way, Professor." The Doctor nodded, a grin spreading across her face.
"I don't think you ever told me your name, what do I call you, Doctor?" River asked, mirroring her expression.
"Maybe just that. I know it probably doesn't make a whole lot of sense but I never really… felt comfortable with my name… Jane Smith… just doesn't mean anything to me. Most people just call me Doctor." The Doctor shrugged with an apologetic smile. She wasn't sure if River would understand but she thought it best to be honest.
"Is that so…" River gave her a smile, her expression incredibly hard to read. "It's a funny old universe, isn't it." She held out her hand to the Doctor. "You never know what the future holds, you just live it."