A knock came to the Doctor's door and he took a deep breath before getting up to answer it. He wasn't looking forward to the conversation he was about to have with Missy and wasn't really sure if it was a good idea to invite her over to his place, but he knew he couldn't end things with her over the phone. He wasn't sure how she would take it because they had never really been serious, but regardless rejection was rejection and it never felt good. Perhaps if he had met her during a different point in his life it would have worked, but it wasn't fair to her that he really wasn't over Clara and he couldn't be with anyone until he sorted that out.

"Hi," he said as he opened the door.

"Hello," Missy replied as he stepped in and kissed the Doctor on the lips.

The Doctor made sure the kiss was brief as he closed the door and then walked towards the living room.

"How have you been?" He asked.

"Better now that I'm seeing you. Although I have a feeling this isn't a pleasure call."

Missy took a seat on the couch and the Doctor sat next to her, but leaving space between them. Of course she would know that something was up, he had been avoiding her for just over a week now.

"You're a smart woman."

"Yes, well it's been very clear you haven't wanted to see me since the party."

"It's not that I haven't wanted to see you, I'm just not sure how to have this conversation."

"It's okay, John. This was never a relationship that was going somewhere. I think we both knew that."

"I know, but it felt like maybe it could have."

"Sure if you weren't still in love with someone else."

"That obvious, eh?"

"I think to everyone, but the two of you."

"I'm really sorry Missy."

"No need to apologise. It was fun." She smiled at the Doctor. "So what are you going to do now?"

"I don't know. Clara's not talking to me at the moment and James has decided to tell her he's in love with her."

"I heard."

The Doctor quirked an eyebrow at her. How did she know about all of that?

"River told me about it," she replied as if she had read his mind.

"Ahh." The Doctor had briefly forgot about her connection with James' business partner and now wondered just how much she knew. "What exactly did she tell you?"

Missy eyed him for a moment before she answered him. "Just that she was on her way here to try and talk some sense into James."

"About what?" The Doctor knew what, but wanted to see if Missy knew.

Again Missy stared at him, as if she were trying to read him. The doctor was really starting to feel that Missy knew more than she was letting on, but obviously both of them

weren't going to say what they knew.

"I'm not entirely sure."

The Doctor knew she was lying. They may not have been together long, but he could tell by her hesitation and the way her eyes shifted that she wasn't being honest.

"I know she has been in love with James for a long time," Missy added before the Doctor could push her more. "So I'm sure hearing he's in love with someone else made her fly off the rails."

The Doctor was surprised to hear this because James had made their relationship sound very platonic.

"She told you this?" The Doctor asked.

"She didn't have to. It's been very obvious to me for a long time how she's felt about him."

"So James doesn't know?"

"I would imagine he doesn't. Men are pretty clueless when it comes to recognising when a woman is interested."

"And you're sure this is how River feels?"

"I would bet my life on it."

This wasn't good. If River was indeed in love with James, she would be incredibly upset about him wanting out of their business. And even more upset that he had fallen in love with Clara.

"When is she arriving?" The Doctor asked.

"I don't know. She had some meetings in New York before she could get here. All I know is that she wanted to talk to James in person."

The Doctor nodded his head, but didn't exactly know what to say. It was clear Missy felt the same way.

"Uh, well. I should likely go," Missy said as she stood up.

"I'm really sorry about everything," the Doctor said as he followed Missy to the door. "I never wanted to lead you on."

"And you didn't. I just hope you can find some resolution to all of this."

"Me too." The Doctor smiled.

He closed the door after saying their goodbyes. He didn't know what any of this meant but he knew he should likely tell James what he found out. He was going to have a hard-enough time trying to separate himself from the drug dealing that he didn't need to be blindsided by River declaring her love.

It had been nearly a week since James had last talked to Clara and he was trying really hard to not let it bother him. He knew she needed her space and he really did want to show her that he respected that, but he wanted nothing more than to be able to take her into his arms and show her properly how he felt. He was spending most of his time at his office, throwing himself into his work in an effort to not think about all of this, which had proved useful. He decided to open another shop in London and expand his brand with more ice cream flavours and different products. The only thing he needed to sort out was River. She was refusing to sign the papers until she could get to London and talk to him, which after speaking with John he now understood why she was so desperate. Not in a million years did he think River was interested in him, and to be honest he wasn't sure he believed it. How could he not see it? Not that it would have mattered because he never saw her that way. He was just reading through some paperwork when his office door opened and the woman, he was just thinking about walked in.

"River," he said as he looked up.

"Hello Sweetie." A term of endearment she had always used and James had never thought anything of it, until now. "Have you come to your senses?"

River closed the door and walked over towards his desk.

"I'm not changing my mind, so you should have just stayed in New York and signed the papers," James said as he laid his papers down, but didn't move.

"James, you clearly aren't thinking straight," River said as she sat in the chair across from his desk.

"I think I'm thinking the straightest I have ever thought. Please River, just sign the papers and let me move on."

"I can't do that."

"And why the hell not?"

"Because then I'm going to lose you and I can't. Not after all these years."

James sighed, not knowing what he could do to convince her to change her mind.

"So you'd rather hold me hostage in all of this than let me be free?"

"I'd rather we keep things the way they've been."

"I can't do that. I want out of it, River. I never wanted this life and for the first time I can see a way out."

"Because of Clara?" River's tone changed.

"This has nothing to do with her. I've told you that, so please leave her out of it."

"It has everything to do with her. You never once voiced your need to turn straight until she walked into your life."

"I may not have talked to you about it, but I've felt it my whole life. I never wanted this life River. I was forced into when I landed in New York and then just thought this was it for me. But now I know I want more."

"What more could you possibly want? You have everything."

"Not everything. I want my family back. I don't want to be alone."

"You have me," River replied.

"I need more than what we have."

"I could give you what you need."

"River," James sighed her name, knowing where this was likely going.

"I mean it, James. We both have needs and we both find a way to satisfy those needs with other people. We could be that for each other." She got out of her chair and walked

around his desk to perch on the edge near his chair.

James narrowed his eyes at her. "What are you saying?"

"I'm saying that I could pleasure you in ways that no woman has ever been able to do." She leaned forward and grabbed the knot of his tie, pulling it loose.

"River," James said as he pulled back and moved her hands away from him. "I could never do that with you."

"Oh come on, James." She stood up again and moved closer to him, now standing in front of him. "I've known you long enough to know what you like."

"River, will you please just sit down and we can talk about this." James was now pushed back as far as he could go in his office chair.

"Gladly," she replied as she sat in his lap.

"I meant in a chair." He kept his hands gripped the arms of his chair, so not to touch her.

"Why won't you give in? If you just did, then I can show you that I can be everything you need. I can be the woman you love."

"I said no, River," James said firmly. "I'm in love with Clara and I will never love another woman. Regardless of how she feels about me."

"God James," she said as she finally stood up and moved away. "Don't you see that that little tart has been using you. It's your brother she wants, not you!"

"That's not true."

River rolled her eyes at him.

"It's not," he reiterated. "Sure I get that she was likely attracted to me because I look like him, but she knows me for me and wants me, not him. Besides you know nothing about my relationship with her."

"I know enough," River answered smugly.

"How?"

"I have my ways. You didn't think I would leave you here without knowing what you were doing? My eyes are everywhere. Which is why you're not getting out of this, James."

"Damn it, River! Why can't you just let me go? Take over your dad's business and run it the way you want. You could make more money and have the power I know you always

wanted."

"Because that's not what I want!" She finally lost her cool and yelled back at him. "I want you! I've always wanted you, but you were too busy fucking any young thing that batted an eye at you. I stood by and watched you seduce and make arrangements with women, hoping that one day you would tire of all that and finally see me for who I am. The woman who stood by your side through everything! How do you think it feels to hear you say that that has finally happened, but it's not me that you want a life with, it's Clara!"

James had never seen River lose her calm like this before. She was always very together and never appeared to let anything bother her. Sure they had fought, but she was always authoritative and in control. He needed to tread carefully with her.

"River, I had no idea that you felt that way," he answered.

"Well I do! I have from the moment I first laid eyes on you when I was in high school! I just thought you wouldn't let anything happen between us because of my father, but after he died you still didn't look at me that way." She began pacing back and forth. "I continued waiting, trying to justify it as you didn't want to mix business and pleasure, but then the second you come here and lay eyes on Clara, you throw that rule out the window. You've been willing to throw everything away for her and she can't possibly love you the way I do!"

"River, please sit down and we can talk about this." He was starting to worry about how erratic she was getting.

"No! You know what, I'm done talking and I'm done waiting. We belong together James and I just need to make you see that." River moved towards his office door.

"Where are you going?"

"To make this right."

"River, wait!" James yelled as she opened his door, but she didn't respond and instead just kept walking.

James had no idea what she was going to do, but he didn't have a good feeling about this at all. He ran out of his office, but by the time he got to the lift the doors were closing and there was no sign of River. He went back in and grabbed his mobile off his desk to call Clara.

"Pick up, pick up," he said as he ran back to the lift and frantically hit the down button.