Disclaimer: I do not own Doctor Who.
Big thanks to Chakoteya transcripts and BBC iPlayer.
Forest of the Dead
We we're trapped between the stacks, the shadows cutting off all light on one side, with Vashta-Dave still repeating "Hey, who turned out the lights?" As he advanced towards us from the opposite side, no apparent way of escape clear.
River then decided to prove me wrong by using her squareness gun once again, cutting a hole through the side of the stacks for us to make our escape, calling out "This way, quickly. Move!"
It's official. I really need to get one.
River or the gun.
Either one will do.
We made our way through the newly created hole, running from the Vashta Nerada through the stacks until we reached another section of wall, River once again using her gun to make another square hole in it, stepping through to reveal a large round room, overcast in dim red light, announcing "OK, we've got a clear spot. In, in, in! Right in the centre. In the middle of the light, quickly. Don't let your shadows cross." We all made our way to stand in the centre where light shone down from the skylight above. "Doctor."
"I'm doing it." He called back from where he'd crouched on the floor a little away from us, already scanning the surrounding shadows with his sonic screwdriver.
"There's no lights here." River continued peering up at the sun overhead. "Sunset's coming. We can't stay long." She concluded, still a bit breathless from running, turning back to the Doctor to ask "Have you found a live one?"
"Maybe. It's getting harder to tell." He sounded out frustrated before smacking his screwdriver against the palm of his hand shouting at it "What's wrong with you?"
"What's happening?" I asked coming up behind him.
He turned, lifting his screwdriver slightly for me to see as he attempted to use it again. "Something's interfering with the signal. It keeps cutting out."
"We're going to need a chicken leg." River muttered, calling out to the others "Who's got a chicken leg?" Other Dave handed her a foil wrapped leg, her accepting it with a "Thanks, Dave."
Hurriedly unwrapping it before stepping beside the Doctor and I to throw the leg through the patch of shadows we were trying to scan, it then being stripped down to the bone clattering as it hits the ground. "Okay." She backed away from the edge, shuffling backwards towards the others, crouching down beside them. "Okay, we've got a hot one. Watch your feet."
"They won't attack until there's enough of them." The Doctor stated seriously, sprinting shortly to the peer into the darkness on the other side as well, warning "But they've got our scent now. They're coming."
I moved back to where the others had huddled together as other Dave asked River "Oh, yeah, who is he? You haven't even told us. You just expect us to trust him?"
"He's the Doctor." She stated as if that explained everything.
Lux pressed "And who is the Doctor?"
"The only story you'll ever tell, if you survive him." River replied bluntly, still breathless.
"You say he's your friend, but he doesn't even know who you are." Anita spoke hushed but pointedly.
River snapped her head towards Anita, speaking quietly defensive "Listen, all you need to know is this. I'd trust that man to the end of the universe. And actually, we've been."
"He doesn't act like he trusts you." Anita shot back quietly as the Doctor moved to scan another section.
"Yeah, there's a tiny problem. He hasn't met me yet." River responded agitated as she stood.
"I trust you." The group looked over at me, seeming to have forgotten I was there. Except for River who shot me a grateful smile, gesturing for me to follow as she made her way over to where the Doctor was still scanning the shadows.
"What's wrong with it?" She asked as the Doctor was no longer scanning the shadows, holding the sonic next to his ear instead.
"There's a signal coming from somewhere, interfering with it."
"Then use the red settings." She stated as if it were the obvious choice of action, removing her gloves.
He looked at her incredulous "It doesn't have a red setting."
"Well, use the dampers."
"It doesn't have dampers." He argued.
River held up her own screwdriver "It will do one day."
The Doctor takes River's screwdriver from her outstretched hand, peering at it as he stated disbelieving "So, sometime in the future, I just give you my screwdriver."
"Yeah." She nodded smiling.
"Why would I do that?"
River responded to his unspoken accusation "I didn't pluck it from your cold dead hands, if that's what you're worried about."
"And I know that because?" I thumped him in his arm at these harsh words, him shooting me a slightly betrayed look as I took River's side, hand coming up to rub his arm where struck it as River spoke her smile finally dropping.
"Listen to me. You've lost your friend. You're angry. I understand. But you need to be less emotional, Doctor, right now."
The Doctor cut in quickly, defensive "Less emotional? I'm not emotional."
I snorted as his absolutely non-convincing rebuttal as River snapped at him "There are six people in this room still alive. Focus on that. Dear God, you are hard work young."
"Young?" He repeated before shouting at her "Who are you?!"
"Oh, for heaven's sake!" Lux stood frustrated, raising his voice to gain their attention "Look at the pair of you. We're all going to die right here, and you're just squabbling like an old married couple."
River turned back to the Doctor with a defeated expression, speaking lowly "Doctor, one day I'm going to be someone that you trust completely, but I can't wait for you to find that out. So, I'm going to prove it to you. And I'm sorry." Her voice shuddered a bit as she reached out to grasp my hand tightly, still looking at the Doctor "I'm really very sorry." She then stood on her toes, reaching up to whisper something in the Doctor's ear, pulling back as he looked stunned from whatever she had said.
"Are we good?" She asked, voice subdued, as his eyes flicked to me, she asked once again "Doctor, are we good?"
His lips moved forming the word "Yeah" though no sound escaped. He cleared his throat slightly, flicking his eyes down to River and I's still joined hands as he stated audibly "Yeah, we're good."
"Good." She replied, voice barely a whisper, giving my hand a final squeeze before letting go to retrieve her screwdriver from the Doctor's hand, walking away from us back towards the others.
The Doctor gave me a last indescribable look before completely changing his tone, striding back to the others as well, calling out "Know what's interesting about my screwdriver? Very hard to interfere with. Practically nothing's strong enough. Well," He tilted his head slightly, continuing to pace around as he admitted "some hairdryers, but I'm working on that. So, there is a very strong signal coming from somewhere, and it wasn't there before. So, what's new? What's changed?" He paused waiting for our responses, shouting out as we took too long for his liking.
"Come on! What's new? What's different?"
"I don't know. Nothing." Other Dave mumbled out, hesitantly adding "It's getting dark?"
The Doctor paused in his pacing "It's a screwdriver. It works in the dark." He told Dave condescendingly before looking up to the skylight considering. "Moon rise. Tell me about the moon. What's there?" He directed towards Lux.
"It's not real. It was built as part of the library. It's just a Doctor Moon." He answered.
"What's a Doctor Moon?" The Doctor inquired.
"A virus checker." Lux explained "It supports and maintains the main computer at the core of the planet."
He scanned with the sonic again "Well, still active. It's signalling. Look. Someone somewhere in this library is alive and communicating with the moon. Or, possibly alive and drying their hair." He moved it up to his ear once again fiddling with it a bit "No, the signal is definitely coming from the moon. I'm blocking it, but it's trying to break through." A hologram-like image of Donna appeared, beaming from the screwdriver.
"Doctor!" River and I called out, making him turn to see the hologram, him calling out "Donna!" rushing towards the hologram as it disappeared.
"That was her. That was your friend!" River called out as he passed her "Can you get her back? What was that?"
"Hold on, hold on, hold on. I'm trying to find the wavelength." He called back messing with his screwdriver again before crying out frustrated "Argh, I'm being blocked."
Anita called out in a shaky voice "Professor?" I looked over at her to see her looking at the ground, following her gaze to see her two shadows.
I inhaled sharply looking at Anita with sympathy as River responded quietly "Just a moment."
"It's important." She tried again, as I watched tears begin to trail themselves down her face. "I have two shadows."
The rest of the group finally turned to face Anita, seeing her stood at the back, two shadows splaying out behind her. River quickly ordering "Okay. Helmets on, everyone. Anita, I'll get yours."
"It didn't do Proper Dave any good." Anita contradicted, voice hiccupping slightly.
I shot River an 'are you serious?' look as she told Anita gently "Just keep it together, okay?"
"Keeping it together. I'm only crying. I'm about to die. It's not an overreaction." Anita protested weakly as River reattached her helmet onto her suit for her, stepping away after clicking it into place.
"Hang on." The Doctor moved his screwdriver over her visor, tinting it to black.
"Oh God, they've got inside." River said in horror.
I shook my head in denial as the Doctor explained "No, no, no. I just tinted her visor. Maybe they'll think they're already in there, leave her alone."
"You think they can be fooled like that?" River leaned in to inquire, a bit of hope in her voice.
"Maybe. I don't know." He admitted "It's a swarm. It's not like we chat."
I quickly moved to add "It's worth a shot at least. We won't know unless we try."
Other Dave approached slowly, calling out to Anita "Can you still see in there?"
"Just about." She called back.
"Just, just, just stay back." The Doctor stated waving for Dave to back up to his previous position. "Professor, a quick word, please."
"What?"
"Down here." He crouched down, River joining him, as I remained standing beside them.
"What is it?" She asked.
"Look, you said there are six people still alive in this room." I turned to look at the other occupants, now realising what it was the Doctor was beginning to point out. Spotting the extra suit looming menacingly behind where the others stood.
"Yeah, so?" River asked uncomprehending.
"So, why are there seven?" Stating this the Doctor swivelled on his foot to look at Vashta-Dave, River quickly moving to follow as the others also turned, seeing that the Vashta Nerada had now caught up to us without our notice.
"Hey, who turned out the lights?" It spoke, repeating once again.
The Doctor shouted "Run!" Us all following after him as he led the way out of the doors, the suit pursuing slowly as we ran through the corridors, eventually coming out onto one of the high-levelled walkways that linked one skyscraper to another.
The Doctor coming to a stop, gesturing for us to continue going past "Professor, Lina, go ahead. Find a safe spot."
"It's a carnivorous swarm in a suit. You can't reason with it." River protested.
He held up his hand in response "Five minutes."
I stepped towards him "I'll stay with you then."
"No." He denied firmly shaking his head. "You go with the others, I trust you to keep them safe, best you can."
River stopped Other Dave as he finally came through last "Other Dave, stay with him. Pull him out when he's too stupid to live." She turned to the Doctor stating "Two minutes, Doctor." Grabbing my hand to pull me after the others as Vashta-Dave burst through a door.
Night had now fallen, River, I, and the remaining expedition members were now in another of the round reading rooms that seem to make up a good percentage of the library. I crouched beside River as she continued checking the shadows around us with her screwdriver, checking the results before speaking almost absentmindedly "You know, it's funny, I keep wishing the Doctor was here."
"The Doctor is here, isn't he?" Anita asked confused, both River and I standing to look at her "He is coming back, right?"
River inhaled a breath, before attempting to explain what she meant "You know when you see a photograph of someone you know, but it's from years before you knew them. and it's like they're not quite finished. They're not done yet. Well, yes, the Doctor's here. He came when I called, just like he always does. But not my Doctor."
She inhaled another sharp breath, continuing "Now my Doctor, I've seen whole armies turn and run away. And he'd just swagger off back to his Tardis and open the doors with a snap of his fingers. The Doctor in the Tardis." At this she turned to me, smiling slightly "With his Lina. Next stop, everywhere."
"Spoilers." We all turned to face the voice that had spoken, seeing the Doctor stood at the top of one of the staircases encircling the room, making his way down, hopping off as he continued "Nobody can open a Tardis by snapping their fingers. It doesn't work like that."
"It does for the Doctor." River called after him as he brushed past her when she approached.
He turned back to state with a blunt frustration "I am the Doctor."
"Yeah." She agreed, looking down "Someday."
He turned away from her, striding over to stand in front of Anita to ask "How are you doing?"
"Where's Other Dave?" River asked, looking around as I moved to stand beside her.
"Not coming." He answered not looking back "Sorry." I placed my hand on River's shoulder in an attempt to comfort as she sank to her knees at losing another member of her team.
"Well, if they've taken him, why haven't they gotten me yet?" Anita questioned reasonably.
"I don't know." He peered down at the floor to see her two shadows were still present "Maybe tinting your visor's making a difference."
Or maybe, they're lulling us into a false sense of security. I thought to myself, watching Anita's shadows as she responded "It's making a difference all right. No one's ever going to see my face again."
"Can I get you anything?" The Doctor offered, trying.
"An old age would be nice." She answered, huffing out a short laugh "Anything you can do?"
"I'm all over it." He promised, beginning to turn away only to stop as Anita called out to him "Doctor. When we first met you, you didn't trust Professor Song. And then she whispered a word in your ear, and you did. My life so far. I could do with a word like that. What did she say?" There was a moment of silence as he didn't respond, Anita huffing a little "Give a dead girl a break. Your secrets are safe with me."
"Safe." He repeated quietly.
"What?"
"Safe. You don't say saved. Nobody says saved. You say safe." The Doctor continued, shouting as he turned to Lux "The data fragment! What did it say?"
"Four thousand and twenty-two people saved. No survivors."
River took my hand, using it to stand as she looked at him questioning "Doctor?"
He looked at her briefly before beginning to pace and rant "Nobody says saved. Nutters say saved. You say safe. You see, it didn't mean safe. It meant, it literally meant, saved!" He hopped on the spot before sprinting over to one of the nearby computer points, River, Lux and I quickly following after him as he brought up one of the library's archive files.
He pointed to the information on the screen "See, there it is, right there. A hundred years ago, massive power surge. All the teleports going at once. Soon as the Vashta Nerada hit their hatching cycle, they attack. Someone hits the alarm. The computer tries to teleport everyone out."
"It tried to teleport four thousand twenty-two people?" River asked, still looking at the monitor.
"It succeeded." He corrected. "Pulled them all out, but then what? Nowhere to send them. Nowhere safe in the whole library. Vashta Nerada growing in every shadow. Four thousand and twenty-two people all beamed up and nowhere to go. They're stuck in the system, waiting to be sent, like emails. So, what's a computer to do?" He looked around at us "What does a computer always do?"
River and I shared a grin as she answered "It saved them."
The Doctor walked over to one of the tables dotted about the room, pulling out a market to draw on it as he spoke "The library. A whole world of books, and right at the core, the biggest hard drive in history. The index to everything ever written, backup copies of every single book. The computer saved four thousand and twenty-two people the only way a computer can. It saved them to the hard drive." He finished triumphantly.
A loud alarm began to ring throughout the library, red lights flashing, as Lux asked "What is it? What's wrong?"
The Doctor sprinted back over to the computer, us following behind him to see the screen read 'Autodestruct Enabled.' The computer also announcing out loud as it began the countdown.
Autodestruct enabled in twenty minutes.
"What's maximum erasure?" River asked the Doctor, reading the details on the screen.
"In twenty minutes, this planet's going to crack like an egg."
"No. No, it's all right. The Doctor Moon will stop it. It's programmed to protect Cal." As if to contradict Lux's words the terminal screen then decided to go black, the Doctor hitting it as he yelled "No, no, no, no, no, no, no!" Jumping up onto the table beside it to try and sonic it from the top, as the overhead speakers made an announcement.
All library systems are permanently offline. Sorry for any inconvenience. Shortly- Cutting out as the voice glitched, powering down.
Lux began to shout "We need to stop this. We've got to save CAL."
The Doctor looked up from what he was doing "What is it? What is CAL?"
Lux had a defeated look on his face as he replied "We need to get to the main computer. I'll show you."
"It's at the core of the planet."
"Well, then." River cut in, the Doctor turning to face her. "Let's go." I followed after her as she strode the short distance to stand before the library logo on the floor, pointing her screwdriver at it, causing it to open up, a pillar of light emerging from within. "Gravity platform."
"I bet I like you." The Doctor said as he approached, putting his own screwdriver back into his blazer.
"Oh, you do." She replied smug, shooting me a wink as she added "Lina definitely does."
The five of us step on and descend down on the platform until we reach the base, running through the halls searching for the room holding the data core, the computer making another announcement as we ran.
Autodestruct in fifteen minutes.
(The Doctor looks up to see a globe with swirling energy in it.)
The Doctor paused "The data core." I followed his gaze upwards to see a globe with swirling energy in it through a section of missing panel. "Over four thousand living minds trapped inside it."
"Yeah, well, they won't be living much longer. We're running out of time." River shot back, us now resuming our run until we get to a room with an access terminal, the Doctor immediately stepping towards it to begin working.
"Help me. Please, help me." A child's voice called out to us, pleading from somewhere in the room.
Anita called out "What's that?"
River following up to ask "Was that a child?"
"The computer is in sleep mode. I can't wake it up. I'm trying." The Doctor stated as he continued to tap on the keyboard, bringing up another set of readings from the computer. I came up beside him to peer at the screen over his shoulder.
River accessed the information on a conjoined terminal, baffled "Doctor, these readings."
"I know." He replied confirming her unspoken assessment. "You'd think it was dreaming."
Lux's voice cut in "It is dreaming, of a normal life, and a lovely Dad, and of every book ever written." He moved over to open a cabinet full of breaker switches.
"Computers don't dream." Anita denied.
"Help me. Please help me." The child's voice continued to call out to us.
"No, but little girls do." Lux then pulled a switch, causing a door on the other side of the room to open, us moving to jog through to see another node statue turn to face us, revealing the distressed face of the girl from the TV crying out quietly. "Please help me. Please help me."
River spoke in shock "Oh, my God."
"It's the little girl. The girl we saw in the computer." Anita pointed out.
"She's not in the computer." Lux corrected quietly "In a way, she is the computer. The main command node. This is CAL."
"CAL is a child?" The Doctor began to rant angry at this information. "A child hooked up to a mainframe? Why didn't you tell me this? I needed to know this!"
"Because she's family!" Lux burst out defensively "CAL. Charlotte Abigail Lux. My grandfather's youngest daughter. She was dying, so he built her a library and put her living mind inside, with a moon to watch over her, and all of human history to pass the time. Any era to live in, any book to read. She loved books more than anything, and he gave her them all." He continued, a tear beginning to make its way down his face "He asked only that she be left in peace. A secret, not a freak show."
"So, you weren't protecting a patent, you were protecting her." The Doctor replied quietly in comprehension. I stared at Lux, now seeing him in a different light.
"This is only half a life, of course. But it's forever." He murmured sadly, reaching out to touch the node's face gently.
The Doctor's expression darkened slightly as he stated "And then the shadows came."
CAL cried out, reacting to the Doctor's words "The shadows. I have to. I have to save. Have to save."
"And she saved them." He looked at CAL with a gentle respect shining through his eyes "She saved everyone in the library. Folded them into her dreams and kept them safe."
"A clever little girl." I commented softly looking over at where Lux stood gazing at CAL reaching out to give his arm a gentle squeeze. "A very kind little girl." Receiving a small, teary smile in return.
"Then why didn't she tell us?" Anita asked.
"Because she's forgotten." The Doctor explained "She's got over four thousand living minds chatting away inside her head. It must be like being, well, me."
River and I shared a look, rolling our eyes at his last statement as she asked "So, what do we do?" The computer announcing,
Autodestruct in ten minutes.
"Easy!" He shouted running back into the other room as we followed. "We beam all the people out of the data core. The computer will reset and stop the countdown. Difficult. Charlotte doesn't have enough memory space left to make the transfer. Easy!" He sprinted over to a panel in the wall ripping it open to pull out some cables "I'll hook myself up to the computer. She can borrow my memory space."
"Difficult." River ran over shouting at him "It'll kill you stone dead."
"Yeah, it's easy to criticise." He shot back, beginning to sonic the cables
She ignored his words, arguing "It'll burn out both your hearts and don't think you'll regenerate."
"If it's that dangerous to you, there is another option." I cut in.
The Doctor shot me a look to be quiet before promising as he continued his work "I'll try my hardest not to die. Honestly, it's my main thing."
"Doctor!" River scolded.
I raised my voice "If anyone should do it, it should be me! You can't deny I'm a lot more durable." Raising my hand as they moved to retort I continued "Face it, I have a better chance of surviving than either of you."
"And I'm not willing to risk you! Now shut up." He snapped at me. "I'm right, this works. In fact, both of you, shut up. Now listen. You two and Luxy boy, back up to the main library. Prime any data cells you can find for maximum download, and before you say anything else," He cut off as River opened her mouth "Professor, can I just mention in passing as you're here, shut up."
"Oh! I hate you sometimes." She replied bitterly.
"I know!" He called back non-caring, dropping the cables for a moment, moving back over to the terminal to continue setting up the transfer.
"Mister Lux, with me. Anita, if he dies, I'll kill him! Lina, come on." River called out.
I waved her off. "I'll catch up in a bit." She paused, briefly making eye contact then giving a quick nod, as she turned to escort Lux back upstairs. I crossed my arms, turning back to watch with some caution as 'Anita' spoke to the Doctor.
"What about the Vashta Nerada?"
"These are their forests." He replied, rushing around between different points in the room to set up various things "I'm going to seal Charlotte inside her little world, take everybody else away. The shadows can swarm to their hearts' content."
"So, you think they're just going to let us go?"
He answered bluntly "Best offer they're going to get."
"You're going to make 'em an offer?"
"They'd better take it, because right now, I'm finding it very hard to make any kind of offer at all." He snapped, finally pausing as he turned to look at 'Anita' "You know what? I really liked Anita. She was brave, even when she was crying. And she never gave in. And you ate her." He buzzed the sonic at her visor, clearing it to reveal Anita's bare skull. "But I'm going to let that pass, just as long as you let them pass."
"How long have you known?" They asked.
"I counted the shadows. You only have one now." He stated, approaching the suit "She's nearly gone. Be kind."
"These are our forests. We are not kind." The Vashta Nerada replied bluntly.
"I'm giving you back your forests, but you are giving me them." The Doctor stated firmly walking away "You are letting them go."
"These are our forests. They are our meat." They reached their arm out as they spoke, shadows beginning to stretch out across the floor from Anita's suit, reaching towards the Doctor.
I stepped up quickly beside him, glaring at the suit, failing to hold back an animalistic snarl that caused the shadows to hesitate, before the Doctor grabbed my shoulder, gently squeezing it, pulling me back as he spoke angrily to the Vashta Nerada "Don't play games with me. You just killed someone I liked. That is not a safe place to stand. I'm the Doctor, and you're in the biggest library in the universe. Look me up."
The shadows continued to hesitate for a moment before withdrawing back towards the suit, having obviously now realised who exactly it was they were threatening. "You have one day." They warned, the suit then collapsing to the ground as the Vashta Nerada left.
"Oh, Anita." River lamented seeing the collapsed spacesuit upon re-entering, reaching down to caress the helmet in grief.
"I'm sorry. She's been dead a while now." The Doctor apologized, from his place in front of the terminal, then scolded "I told you to go! Both of you!"
"Lux can manage without us, but you can't." She stated bluntly before swinging around to punch him full force, knocking him out, the Doctor slumping to the ground.
"Well," I raised an eyebrow, following as she dragged the Doctor's limp body over to some of the piping, proceeding to then handcuff him to it. "You knocked him out. Do really think you can do the same to me?"
"Of course, not" She smiled coyly, slinking slowly towards me, her face coming to a stop close to mine, barely an inch away. "But I can do this." She lowered her lips to mine, hands coming up to grip my hair, kissing me desperately. Suffice to say I was somewhat distracted and so didn't really notice as I began to kiss back reflexively, that when she began to back me up, she was pushing me further towards another part of the piping, her hands gradually sliding from my hair to encircle my wrists, before she broke the kiss, quickly stepping back and out of reach as the cuffs she had put on me, snapped shut.
I looked behind me at my now cuffed wrists, clicking my tongue before stating "Touché." Turning back towards River, watching as she moved to search the Doctor, taking his screwdriver and setting it along with hers on top of her diary on the floor out of our reach. "You do know I can break these right?" I asked.
She didn't bother looking away from her tasks as she replied "Oh can you? Give it a go."
Taking this as the challenge it was, I brought my hands together behind me gripping the chain before giving a harsh tug, expecting the handcuffs to break immediately, only to be surprised when all that occurred was a groan of metal. I tilted my head the best I could to look at my hands behind me, seeing the cuffs were completely intact, only the piping that I was cuffed to taking any sort of damage, denting slightly. I tutted before commenting. "Interesting cuffs these."
She shot me a smile from where she was still working. "Oh, they should be, they were made just for you."
"Why would you have cuffs specifically for me on you?"
"Spoilers." Was the reply I got, along with a suggestive wink.
"You know," I pondered loudly "I think you've used that distraction before."
She smirked, not turning away from the wires now in her hands. "Oh, quite, very, possibly."
I let out a hum of acknowledgement, opening my mouth to respond, being cut off as the Doctor came to letting out a groan. The computer announcing
Autodestruct in two minutes.
River twisted some wires together as the Doctor fully woke up, taking in the fact River was getting ready to take his place and that I too was now immobilised before focusing back to River shouting "Oh, no, no, no, no. Come on, what are you doing? That's my job."
"Oh, and I'm not allowed to have a career, I suppose?" She retorted mockingly.
"Why am I handcuffed? Why is Lina handcuffed? Why do you even have handcuffs?"
"Like I told Lina, Spoilers." She replied, wiggling her brows.
"This is not a joke." He shot back irate, shouting "Stop this now. This is going to kill you! I'd have a chance, you don't have any."
"You wouldn't have a chance," She corrected shouting back, also admitting "and neither do I. I'm timing it for the end of the countdown. There'll be a blip in the command flow. That way it should improve our chances of a clean download."
I cut in "As the one who actually does have a chance. Why not let me do it?"
"No!" They responded shouting in unison, looking at me as if it was a stupid idea.
"Why not?" I shouted back offended.
They both ignored me, River turning back to the wires and the Doctor turning to her to plead "River, please. No."
River continued preparing for the transfer, voice becoming distraught as she spoke. "Funny thing is, this means you've both always known how I was going to die. All the time we've been together, you knew I was coming here. The last time I saw you both, the real you's, the future you's, I mean, you turned up on my doorstep, you with a new haircut and a suit, Lina wearing this stunning dress. You took me to Darillium to see the Singing Towers. What a night that was. The Towers sang, and you both cried."
Autodestruct in one minute.
"You wouldn't tell me why, but I suppose you knew it was time. My time. Time to come to the library. Doctor, you even gave me your screwdriver. That should have been a clue." The Doctor lunged for the screwdrivers on the floor, completely out of his reach, River telling him "There's nothing you can do."
The Doctor shouted at her "You can let me do this."
"Or me." I said loudly, earning a sharp "No." from the Doctor.
She shook her head sadly, looking between us "If either of you die here, it'll mean I've never met you."
"Time can be rewritten." He argued.
"Not those times." She denied fiercely, tears brimming "Not one line. Don't you dare. It's okay. It's okay. It's not over for the both of you. You'll see me again. You've got all of that to come. You both and me, time and space. You watch us run."
"River, you know my name." He shouted in desperation as she placed a device on her head.
The computer began the count down. Ten.
"You whispered my name in my ear."
Nine
Eight
Seven
"There's only one reason I would ever tell anyone my name. There's only one time I could." He flicked his eyes to me.
Six
Five
"You know what I am, River." Hearing the Doctor come clean I began pleading too, tears now welling in my eyes. "You know about her!"
"Hush, now." She shushed us gently swallowing back her own tears.
Four
Three
She took a deep breath, reading herself for the upload, stating a watery "Spoilers."
Two
As the computer hit One River connected the two power cables she was holding together, a blinding light emerging from the power surge, blocking River from view, until finally it died down to reveal an empty seat, River now gone. All that was left of her, her diary and screwdriver lying only a few feet away, still out of reach.
Leaving both of us still handcuffed to the pipes on opposite sides of the room, staring sadly at where she used to be.
Lux eventually made his way back down to us as the people who were saved started to reappear, re-entering the room, taking note of River being missing, Anita's fallen suit and our miserable expressions before quickly handing the Doctor his screwdriver when asked so he could uncuff us. Moving quickly to make his way back upstairs ahead of us, leaving us alone after giving an awkward nod of thanks.
We made our way back up to the shop, stopping briefly to retrieve River's diary and the screwdrivers as we passed, being greeted by the sheer amount of people River had brought back with her sacrifice. All being guided to make their way to the teleports by the computer and Lux. Checking in with Donna once we found her, to see that she was searching the system to see if she could find her cyberspace husband, the Doctor asking "Any luck?" as she made her way back to us.
She shook her head dismally "There wasn't even anyone called Lee in the library that day. I suppose he could have had a different name out here, but let's be honest, he wasn't real, was he?"
"Maybe not." He admitted.
Donna let out a sigh "I made up the perfect man. Gorgeous, adores me, and hardly able to speak a word. What's that say about me?"
"Everything." I smacked his arm lightly with the back of my hand, him quickly moving to correct himself realising what he'd said "Sorry, did I say everything? I meant to say nothing. I was aiming for nothing. I accidentally said everything."
She gave me a look of thanks before looking between both of us to ask "What about you? Are you both alright?"
I gave her a tight watery smile as the Doctor answered "I'm always alright."
She gave me a sympathetic smile back, turning to the Doctor to ask "Is alright special Time Lord code for really not all right at all?
"Why?"
"Because I'm alright, too."
I reached my hands to hold theirs, gently squeezing as I smiled at them with a few tears still shining in my eyes "Me too."
"Come on." The Doctor squeezed my hand back as he replied, giving it a tug in the direction of the stairs. Donna giving my other hand another squeeze before letting go as she followed us to walk away from the teleportation area and down the staircase to stand before the railing of one of the balconies., placing River's diary down on top of it.
"Your friend, Professor Song." Donna began hesitantly "She knew you in the future, but she didn't know me. What happens to me? Because when she heard my name, the way she looked at me-"
The Doctor cut her off "Donna, this is her diary." He drummed his fingers against the cover. "My future. I could look you up. What do you think? Shall we peek at the end?"
She took a moment to consider before answering "Spoilers, right?"
"Right." He agreed with a smile reaching forwards to place River's screwdriver on top of the diary, taking a moment to stare down at it before stating "Come on. The next chapter's this way." He led us back up the steps before pausing as we made it part way back in thought, quickly turning to run back down to the rail, reaching out for River's screwdriver as he began questioning "Why? Why would I give her my screwdriver? Why would I do that?"
He continued flipping the screwdriver over in his hands "Thing is, future me had years to think about it, all those years to think of a way to save her, and what he did was give her a screwdriver. Why would I do that?" He clicked the side panel off of the screwdriver revealing that it contained a neural relay, similar to the ones on the spacesuits, still lit up with 2 green bars.
The Doctor looking up as we beamed at each other him stating "Oh! Oh! Oh, look at that. I'm very good!"
"Yes, yes you are!" I reached forward grabbing him by his lapels to pull him to me in a brief hard kiss, feeling his respond, before I pulled back continuing a little breathlessly. "Go. Do your thing."
He grinned at me, adjusting his grip on the screwdriver to grasp it more firmly, before turning as he began to run.
Donna looked between us a bit confused before calling after the Doctor "What have you done?"
"Saved her!" Was shouted over his retreating shoulder, him not pausing once in his fast pace.
Donna turned back to me as he disappeared from view, asking "What does he mean saved her?"
I replied still staring in the direction he ran, grin still spread across my face "There was a neural relay inside of her screwdriver, stronger than the ones in their suits." I turned to face her directly "He saved her consciousness, and now he's running to upload her into the system. She's being sent to the world you were in. She'll live again, just in a different way."
Donna paused for a moment taking in my words, as a smile began to bloom across her face, reaching to pull me into a delighted hug, which I happily returned as we laughed together.
Donna led me back to the reception where the TARDIS was waiting, using her key to let us in, before closing the door behind us as we entered the control room to wait for the Doctor to return.
I braced myself, grasping the rail as we entered, ready to begin feeling dizzy at any moment signalling it was time for me to jump again, Donna walking on ahead before stopping to look back at me when I failed to follow, asking "What are you doing?"
Having still not felt any light headedness I blinked a bit in confusion as I looked back at her "Nothing, I was just expecting to jump. Thought it happened every time I made contact with the TARDIS."
"Oh. Oh!" She gained a look of realisation shaking her head "Nah it's just random as far as I know. You pop in and out all the time but there's never any rhyme or reason to it." She explains before adding "I'll tell you what, you wait here for him to come back and I'll go pop the kettle on and make us all a nice cuppa." She gave me a pat on the shoulder as she passed before exiting through one of the corridors.
I let out a hum of acknowledgement as I stepped further in, now finally being able to take in my surroundings. Bigger on the inside. I smirked a little. Somehow, I expected that. I was now stood beside Donna in front of the main console, reaching out to brush my hand along the metal, feeling a hum resonate through it as it made contact.
Looking down at where my hand lay in curiosity before roving my eyes to look up at the pillar in the centre glowing with light. Taking in the feeling pulsing under my hand that responded to my touch as if sentient, I directed my thoughts towards the TARDIS. Are you alive? Receiving a stronger pulse in return. Ah. I smiled at the console, looking around the room once more. Hello. Another hum answered me, seeming happy at my greeting. Well, aren't you just lovely?
I gave the console an appreciative stroke, the ship humming again in return, as the doors rattled behind me. I turned to face the doors that had now flung wide open, peering through to see the Doctor standing a little bit away from the entrance, hand outstretched in a clicking position, a smile spreading across his face.
I raised a brow, smiling back at him as he jogged into the TARDIS, stopping in front of me before raising his hand to click again, the doors swinging shut behind him. Flicking my eyes to the doors before peering up at his pleasantly smug expression I asked "You've been wanting to try that since she said it, haven't you?"
"Oh, yes." He responded wiggling his brows at me, before looking around the room. "Where's Donna?"
"She said she was going to go put the kettle on." I answered, receiving a drawn out "Ah." In response. I peered at him, before turning on my heel to stride over to the jump seat, lowering myself casually down on it, crossing my legs as I made eye contact with the Doctor, patting the seat beside me. "Come sit. We've barely had a chance to properly speak, don't you think?"
The Doctor blew out his lips, shoving his hands in his pockets as he made his way over to take a seat himself, leaving a gap in between us. He looked back at me widening his eyes innocently as he asked "What is it you'd like to talk about?"
I turned in my seat to fully face him, leaning one elbow against the top of the backrest so I could rest my head against my fist as I considered the man in front of me. "Well for starters I'd like to know exactly what our relationship is. What with how protective you are, the hand holding and general touchiness, not to mention the fact that we kissed-"
"You kissed me." He protested weakly.
"You kissed back." I challenged with a smirk.
He paused briefly before nodding in acceptance of my words, tilting his head as if to say 'fair enough' commenting as if calling me out "I thought this was only your second time meeting me."
"It is." His response was a minor goldfish impression, seeming to want to say something but not being able to find the words. I continued with a coy smile "Doesn't mean I'm blind. The way you look at me when you think I can't see, doesn't really shout friend. Not to mention how jealous you got when I flirted with River. Tell me, we been together long?"
He stared down at me before huffing out a laugh. "Can never hide anything from you, can I?" turning to shake his head lightly, before looking back to me with a soft smile on his face. "It's been a few years now. We started off as companions, which quickly turned to friends, and not long after that…" He, now turned in his seat to fully face me, raised his hand to lightly brush some of my curls behind my ear, hand lingering as he finished "Lovers."
I let out a hum as his hand moved from playing with my curls, to cup my cheek, the thumb gently caressing the apple as the Doctor looked at me with a restrained longing, slowly withdrawing his hand completely, to lean back in his seat. He looked up at me cautiously before hesitantly asking "Is that alright?"
I blinked at him in confusion, not understanding what he was trying to ask exactly "Is what alright?"
"Us being together? Are you ok with me looking at you that way?"
"Oh that?" I waved him off. "Yeah, just treat me like you would the future me. No fuss."
He looked at me dumbfounded, standing to protest "What do you mean no fuss? You can't just be okay with someone you barely know treating you like that."
"Why not?" I asked innocently, mock pouting up at him. "After all, if we've been together for years on your end then future me has already found you worthy of my attention, so I don't see what the big deal is."
He stared at me in disbelief before huffing out a laugh, shaking his head "Honestly, I should've expected this from you. You're the type to go straight for something if you want it, no hesitation."
"Well, now that's sorted," I stood, slowly moving to stand in front the Doctor, biting my lip "I know something fun we could do together."
"And what's that?" He replied distractedly, looking down at my lips.
I moved till I was mere inches away from his lips before stating "You can give me a tour." Pulling away abruptly, clapping my hands together as I made my way towards a corridor, pausing in the entry to look back where the Doctor was stood, gaping after me.
I grinned "Shall we start?"
And that's this chapter finished! I know River unfortunately didn't survive, which was decided pretty much as soon as my number generator popped out these two episodes to be this early in the story. Gotta say though, I think River and Lina bounce off each other quite well, which I will be looking forward to in future episodes…speaking of…
Next up: The Impossible Astronaut
Also, slow burn? Who's she? I don't know her.