Chapter 2 - Save Tonight

It ain't easy to say goodbye
Darling please don't start to cry
'Cause girl you know I've got to go
And Lord I wish it wasn't so
Save tonight
And fight the break of dawn
Come tomorrow
Tomorrow I'll be gone

- Save Tonight – Eagle Eye Cherry -

Shadow materialized on the porch of the Royal Suite in Dubai. Everything inside was dark, so she assumed that River wasn't home.

Making her way inside, she first went to the kitchen and put the kettle on, then grabbed a mug from the cupboard and dropped a teabag into it. Whilst the water boiled, she hung up her coat and booted up the computer in her study.

When the water had boiled she poured it into her mug and then patiently waited three minutes. Throwing the tea bag away, she debated whether she wanted River to come home tonight or not.

Shadow put down the mug on her desk and pulled the data drive from her pocket.

It wasn't compatible with the hardware of that time, but she had her ways. She connected her scanner with the computer and then put the drive on the scanner. It could read the stored data and convert it into a compatible format.

Shadow sat down on the chair and, clasping her mug, watched as the conversion progressed.

She put down the half empty mug when the conversion had finished, heaved a sigh and grasped the mouse to start the video. "Here we go."

The video started and she was impressed by the quality, although there were two screens on one monitor. Nevertheless, she had a job to do.

What she saw was the Doctor arguing with someone or something in a space suit. It stretched out its arm and the shadows around it started to extend. The Doctor turned around and glared at the thing. The shadows stopped for a moment and then retreated. After that the person just collapsed.

Enter River. She crouched down next to the person. The Doctor seemed bothered that she was there.

Shadow's rudimentary lip-reading skills came in handy now because River got up after the Doctor had turned around again saying "But you can't." and then proceeded to knock his lights out.

The next few minutes River spend with relieving the Doctor of his screwdriver, cuffing him to a pipe and placing his screwdriver and another screwdriver on her diary and putting her gun next to it. All set up just out of reach for him.

Then she began rigging up something at the computer banks. When she sat down on a throne like thing and pulled the cables to her, rigging them up to a head piece, Shadow feared the worst.

Then the Doctor woke up. He was not pleased at all.

River explained what she was about to do. It was easy to read from River's lips. She spoke clearly in the direction of the camera. At least one of them. "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."

Shadow was still a bit stumped on why River was rigging herself up. All was clear from the Doctor's and her arguing was that she was going to die. Definitely die. But what was she planning? What was this about a "clean download"?

Then River explained to the Doctor that it was funny that he always knew how she was going to die. And what he did on their last 'date'. Darillium. The Singing Towers. Shadow found it very interesting that he gave her a screwdriver, his screwdriver. Why did he do that?

Anyway, then she went on to tell him that he shouldn't even try to rewrite time. He would see her again. And then to end it used a very interesting phrase. "You and me. Time and space. You watch us run."

The Doctor was saying something about his name. The angle on him wasn't the best. Shadow could only get pieces of what he said. There was apparently only one time he would or could disclose his name. But River quickly shushed him. "Spoilers."

And then came the very disturbing part. River put the plugs together and a bright light was emitting from her. Blinding white. Then the video cut off.

Shadow closed the video and sat in her chair wondering what that was all about.

Grabbing her mug and making a face when she took a sip because it was stone cold, she decided to make a new cup and then ponder the facts and see if she could come up with something.

When Shadow returned to her study, she started to pace the floor in front of her desk. What did she know?

The Library went silent for about a hundred years and the only message was '4022 saved. No survivors.' Then the fact that going back in history, Shadow found out that the Library was originally founded by some guy that was also called Lux. Coincidence? Shadow didn't think so.

But then, where was the link between what River did and the 4,022 rescued people from the Library? Shadow assumed that the '4022 saved.' from the message and the 4,022 people that were rescued were one and the same. But then, where had they been all this time? Hmm…tricky one.

Shadow flopped into a chair next to a bookcase, staring at her desk. What was she missing?

Then she had an errant thought. "I really should have put it on a big diagram and saved it." Her gaze focused on her computer. Shadow stared at it and blinked several times. And then it dawned on her what she was missing.

The computer. Saved. The people were literally saved. To the hard drive of the Library. But those were too many minds to process in the short time they would have to be processed in for a download that would also cancel out the self-destruct system.

Shadow got up to pace again. Oh, River, the sacrifice you made. She hooked herself up to the computer to boost its processing capacities. Only it would have burned out her mind. The Doctor was clever but that was something that he also wouldn't have survived.

That was a start. She went back to her desk chair. Now for saving River there were only a handful of options. Actually, there was only one. But that was a wild shot in the dark.

Shadow got up again and went over to one of her bookcases. She was looking for a specific book. Namely her book on Time Lord Physiology and Medicine. She had a vague inclination that she had read something in there a long time ago that could be helpful in this case.

Taking it back to the desk she opened the index and started skimming it. What caught her mind was something called "Soul Catching". That was ringing a bell. She turned to the corresponding page and started to read. Basically, it was something that could transfer one Time Lord mind into another's mind before or whilst dying. This was used in the Time War to make it possible to transfer as many consciousnesses as possible into the Matrix. All Time Lord's had their consciousness uploaded into the Matrix after their death. Shadow had had learned the technique in her medical training in the War, but naturally buried it very deeply in her mind because after the War she didn't need it anymore.

But that just fixed one problem. With that only River's consciousness would be saved. But her body wouldn't be.

Technically speaking, her body would be able to regenerate but River hadn't had any regenerations left. That was a problem.

Ask and ye shall receive. The Bad Wolf was speaking up in her mind.

What?! Shadow didn't really understand it.

Ask for help when you need it and you shall be granted it.

I know what it means, I just don't get what you mean. Shadow was a bit cold with it. But this was not the time for cryptic talk.

If you should need my help in your current conundrum, I will certainly be of assistance. Shadow furrowed her brow at that, trying to decipher what it meant. Bloody all-powerful entities and their love for riddles. But hang on a second…all-powerful entity.

You mean you could grant River another regeneration?

I could do that.

But why would you do something like that?

Because River Song has sacrificed a lot in her life to get to where she is now and she deserves another chance. And also because I could not stand by and watch you crumble under the strain that would be caused by her death.

Could it be that you are compassionate?

Compassion, as well as all other emotions, are not a flaw if directed correctly. And with that it went back into the dark corners of Shadow's being.

Wonderful. But she had to admit that she didn't mean it in a sarcastic way. It was truly wonderful. That meant that it was possible that River could survive her trip to the Library and also die there at the same time.

It would preserve the timelines and would give River another chance to get it right.

Shadow sighed.

The only things she had to do in order to save River would be to remember the technique of Soul Catching, be at the Library at the moment of River's death, whilst being there not get eaten by the Vashta Nerada or be noticed by the Doctor and recover River's body. Yep…just another other day.

How good that she was very well off in the business of impossible.

She buried her head in her arms. Why did it have to be so hard? But then she suddenly remembered something that the Wolf had told her a very long time ago at the beginning of her relationship with River.

"Your time will come when your lives will end but not your story."

Shadow gasped. That would mean that she, too, had to die in order to save River. But she immediately decided if that was what it took to save River, she'd do it.

Just then the door to her office, which she had left ajar, opened and River poked her head in.

"Hey. You busy?"

"No no. Come in." Shadow smiled. River fully entered the room and sat on the desk next to Shadow.

Shadow turned and laid her hands on River's thigh, smiling up at her. "Where do you hail from?"

River heaved a sigh. "The Doctor. He… We finally got around to seeing Darillium." River pulled out the screwdriver and laid it on the desk. "He gave me this. And then told me that after our night on Darillium, I'll die. So, now when the morning broke, I decided to come here and also ask you, if you knew something about this."

Shadow knew that a night on Darillium was 24 Earth years. So, at least, River had had a good time in her remaining years.

Shadow looked at the screwdriver and recognized it as the same from the surveillance footage of the Library. It broke her heart. But there wasn't much she could do about it anymore. The universe had decided. Sadness clouded Shadow's face.

"From your expression, I think you do know something."

Shadow closed her eyes and exhaled slowly. Looking onto her desk she said "Indeed, I do. But I can't tell you more about it. I'm sorry."

"How?"

"How what?"

"How will I die?"

"I can't tell you. And you know that. That you know is almost too much knowledge for you already." Shadow looked up at River, pleading with her to not push the matter.

River sighed. "Fine. But I guess there is something you need me for."

"What? How do you...?" Shadow was confused.

"You called me, remember?"

Shadow hesitated a moment. "Right. I did." River naturally picked up on Shadow's uncertainty.

"When we met on the Harmony and Redemption. I said, you should call me. You vanished slightly before the ship went down and a decade later you called me. Might be another time span for you actually."

Shadow combed through her memories. "Ah, right, I did. Sorry. It has been a weird week for me. I called you shortly at the end of last week. You were kinda brushing me off."

"I was with the Doctor. I was just protecting you. Sorry. It was a hell of a risk for you to be on the ship when he was there, too."

"I was there on surveillance. Scratch. From the Shoal of the Winter Harmony. There was suspicious activity. They kinda bought out the whole ship at the same date and well... seeing the price for tickets and the reputation of the ship... Of course I was there. What I didn't expect was you showing up. Also him. Though you didn't realize who he was at the time."

"How did you get aboard?"

"Let's just say it wasn't easy and the prosthetics on my face took a very long time. How did you recognize it was me?"

"I'd recognize you anywhere in any shape or form." River smiled. "But back to business. What is that mission you got for me?"

"You shall lead an expedition to the Library. It had suddenly fallen silent and has remained so for a hundred years. And now this Strackman Lux wants to find out the reason why."

"I guess you have a few theories."

"No. But something like this can't just fall silent. I suggest you call the Doctor in on that one." Shadow was carefully setting it up.

"Alright." River frowned slightly. "When am I supposed to leave?"

"Tomorrow."

"Tomorrow?!" River exclaimed.

"Yes. Sorry. But well I honestly expected you sooner." Shadow tried to defend it.

River suspiciously narrowed her eyes. "There is something you're not telling me."

Shadow looked straight into River's eyes, holding the contact.

"There is. But I can't tell you. Let us just enjoy the evening. Please."

River drew a breath and slowly nodded, exhaling. "Alright."

They had relocated into the kitchen. Shadow had offered to cook something. And because they were both in need of some comfort food, and since she was only able to cook that, she cooked Spaghetti with a tomato sauce.

Whilst they waited for the water to boil, River went and got changed into something more comfortable. Shadow got some wine from the fridge and poured it into two glasses.

River returned and spotted the wine. "What's the occasion?" She took the offered glass and leaned next to Shadow on the counter. Shadow put her head on her shoulder.

"I just wanted to make tonight special."

River hummed acquiescingly. "Alright, dear."

When the water finally boiled Shadow stepped into action. River loved to watch her cook. She always kind of danced around the kitchen; especially when she made the sauce.

Stirring the contents together, Shadow even hummed a little tune.

Shadow tasted the sauce a last time and found it perfect, then turned around, clapped her hands and sauntered over to River. Shadow put her hands on River's hips and leaned in for a short kiss and then whispered "Food's ready. Seat thyself at the table, Milady."

River smiled. "As you wish, Milady." And went to sit at the table.

Shadow pulled out two plates from the cupboard and put the food on them. Carrying them over to the table and fetching the wine, too.

After dinner they sat at the table opposite each other, sipping their wine. Shadow softly gazed at River. River got a bit unsettled by her gaze and tried to divert the attention by speaking up.

"So, what do you know about the Library?"

"It's a library." Shadow deadpanned.

River had to chuckle because that was such a Shadow thing to do. "I gathered as much. But beyond that, anything?"

"Not much. It was commissioned by Felman Lux and built in the 50th century. One moon."

"I knew that. I studied archaeology, remember? The Library might have come up one or a thousand times. But all that was said on it was that it was closed and quarantined because of some virus or so. No one really knew anything substantial or true for that matter."

"Well, I guess you're going to find out what actually caused the quarantine. And it's a shame that it's closed. It was actually the biggest library in the universe and contained every book ever written up until then in paper and digital form."

"Now that has to be a very big hard drive. And a giant processor. You are sure that it was really built in the 50th century?"

"I am sure. I pulled the records on it right after I granted them your valuable time. And it is all very hush-hush. They somehow managed to build a lot of things under the radar. So, I suggest you be careful."

"Tried careful...ever so dull." River joked.

Shadow looked into her wine glass as if it were to contain the answers to all the mysteries of the universe.

"Hey." River spoke up quietly and reached across the table. "What is it?" River grew worried because Shadow was very introvert.

"Nothing." Shadow sighed sadly. "I just thought it would get easier with time."

River was confused. Everybody was acting crazy today. But maybe this would get her to the bottom of this. "What would get easier, dear?"

"Saying goodbye."

"Oh." River replied. "You know, I still hope there is a loophole somehow and I will get out alive."

Shadow forced a laugh. "There isn't." She jumped up from the table. "I should get done with the dishes."

River looked at Shadow. She sensed the discomfort of the other woman and knew that Shadow was lying. She had to do something. "Shad?"

Shadow was flustering around, not paying attention.

"Shadow?"

River blew out a frustrated sigh. Shadow was being stubborn on this one. She got up and stood right behind Shadow. "Shadow!?"

"What?!" Shadow's anger was rising and she threw her arms up in the air.

"What are you not telling me?" River's tone demanded an answer.

"Nothing. It's nothing." Shadow pushed past River and made for the living room.

River let her head drop. This was more complicated than she had expected. She was furiously trying to piece together the behavior of Shadow. What did it all mean?

River eyed the bottle of wine on the table and contemplated downing it and then going to bed and forgetting everything. But that wasn't a solution she could be happy with. So she went after Shadow and leant on the door frame to the living area. Shadow stood at the open door to the patio; looking out, clearly distressed. River walked over and laid a comforting hand on Shadow's shoulder. "My dear, what is so bad that you can't tell me?" She whispered.

Shadow exhaled forcefully, then looked at River, tears glistening in her eyes. "That's the point. I can't tell you. I mustn't tell you." Looking back out over the dunes she continued. "And believe me...how I wish it were different." She walked out and sat down on the steps at the end of the patio; letting her head fall into her hands.

River sat down next to Shadow. "I'm sorry. I just…" She sighed. "You know?"

"Yeah." Shadow made a face. "I just thought that I would be ready for it when the time comes."

"Life rarely asks if we're ready. All we can do is cope with things to the best of our abilities and not ask why."

"How philosophical of you." Shadow smirked a little. River was relieved that she was able to lift the other woman's spirits a little.

They looked out over the landscape together in silence.

After a while, Shadow let her head drop onto River's shoulder. "Let's just pretend that nothing bad is going to come and everything will be fine. The universe is at peace and everyone is happy. Just for tonight."