River and the Doctor stepped out onto a messy street littered with loud, drunk, and brawling people. For this outing, River had decided to humor her husband and put on a perception filter.
Her eyes lit up when she saw the excitement in the streets, "Where should we go first?"
"Um..." He looked around at the buildings, half of which seemed to be bars and none of which he deemed safe for them. "Birthday girl's choice."
"Well, if I'm not wrong, there should be a fantastic party down the street with a familiar face." She took his hand, pulling him along.
He hoped she wasn't talking about Jack who was probably most likely to be at a party like this. Nonetheless, he followed protectively.
River had been referring to Jack and, of course. He was the first person they ran into once stepping inside of a dark, but raging party.
"Well look who it is!" Jack was clearly a bit tipsy, or maybe a bit more than tipsy as he swayed a bit and sloppily pointed at her belly. "Where'd the love muffin go?"
"It's hidden away for the night." River purred, "It looks like you're having a good time."
"The best!" He laughed, pint clutched in his hand. Jack not only had a very high tolerance for alcohol but was also very quick at processing the drink so he'd have to pretty much be constantly consuming alcohol to keep up this buzz. "Hey, I saw a really cute guy over there." He slurred. "Ya want me to help you out?"
"I'd love to help." She smiled, turning to her husband, "Go have fun, I'll meet back up with you in a bit."
"Bu-"
Jack whisked her off before the Doctor could make out a full protest. He stayed close enough to keep an eye on her, though, none of the other festivities interesting him.
Jack, on the other hand, felt like a kid in a candy shop. "Your pick o' the lot, River. Any humanoid you want. Or whatever else you may prefer."
River's eyes scanned the crowd, falling on a young man sitting alone, "How about that one?"
Jack slung his arm around her shoulders. "That's a good eye. I'd start a bar fight over him if you would let me win."
She laughed, "So what's the plan exactly?"
"I'mmuna introduce myself and- no, we'll both introduce ourselves and then he can pi -hic- pick which one of us he wants."
"Oh, I didn't realize we were competing." She teased.
"You're the one who picked the cute guy. If you don't want me competing then pick someone I don't think is cute."
"You think everyone is cute. And if you really want to compete, I think we can both do better than him." She scanned the crowd.
"I cu' do better than this whole planet." He declared. "I vote you close your eyes and point and random."
"Alright then." She closed her eyes, spinning and pointing.
Jack started giggling uncontrollably. "I knew you had a thing for old guys!"
She looked at the man she had pointed to, "Well, you can't say he's not handsome."
Jack gave a very obvious look over of the man. "What kinda guy dresses like a magician to Dundenbar?"
"Maybe he knows magic." She smiled, "Come on now."
"Oh, oh he's looking at us." Jack nudged her with his elbow.
"What, are you scared?" She grabbed his hand, pulling him over to the man. "Hello there, you look lonely." She purred.
The man didn't seem at all phased by her. "What does lonely look like?"
She was a tad surprised at his Scottish accent. "Well, you're sitting by yourself at one of the most exciting parties in the universe."
"Sounds like you've seen very little of the universe then if this is what's exciting." He teased.
She raised an eyebrow, "Excuse me?"
"I was only joking. You've probably seen more than all these people combined." He said knowingly.
"And what makes you think that?" She crossed her arms.
He shrugged. "Just a guess. So what brings you to a place like this?"
"It's my birthday." She pulled Jack closer, "And my friend and I are looking to have some fun."
"Happy birthday." He looked at Jack. "Looks like he's already got the fun part squared off the list. No alcohol for you?"
"Unfortunately not tonight." She smiled, "What brings you to an "unexciting" party like this?"
"Complicated question." He murmured. "I guess I was just looking for a good conversation."
"And have you found one?"
"I believe it found me." His smile was so quick that one would miss it if they weren't looking.
She was still acting seductive, but her questions were genuine interest. "Now, I'm curious to know why you would come here of all places for a good conversation."
"You know how sometimes you've got a little voice in the back of your head that helps out with logic? Well, mine has been on vacation for a long time." He joked.
She took the seat next to him, "You remind me of someone..."
"I get that a lot." He peered over her shoulder. "And just a thought, you might want to keep your friend from any more drinks."
Jack was in the seat next to River, passed out over the table. River looked back at Jack, rolling her eyes, "It might be best if I just get him home."
"Let him sleep a bit. Can I get you anything, a seltzer maybe?"
"A seltzer would be nice." She smiled, "I don't think I caught your name."
He took a moment to answer. "Call me Basil. You?"
"River, it's a pleasure to meet you, Basil." She looked around the room, trying to spot her floppy-haired Doctor.
"It's mutual."
The Doctor wasn't too far away, glaring a jealous hole into the older man's head.
Basil bought River a seltzer, paying no notice to the man in the bow tie. "Tell me about yourself."
She was roped into telling a believable story about herself, a task she was adequate at, in turn asking him about his life. His tale also wasn't the most sincere, though he admitted that he had lovely children at home.
"Children?" River raised an eyebrow, "Do they come with a wife as well?"
"Yes." Basil nodded. "Actually, it's her birthday today, too."
"Is she here with you?"
"She's about somewhere."
"Shouldn't you be spending time with her instead of sitting here flirting with another woman?"
"Who says I'm flirting?" He raised a strong eyebrow.
"Were you not flirting?" She raised a penciled eyebrow right back.
"Alright, maybe a bit." He admitted. "And what does that say about a married woman?"
"I never said I was married."
He looked amused. "You left the ring on and the husband lurking."
"Well, it's not his birthday now, is it. Besides a little flirting never killed anyone."
"I suppose not. I used to be jealous when I was younger."
She glanced over at the Doctor, "Were you now?"
"It's funny looking back on it now, but you know what they say about age."
She nodded, a bit distracted now, "Well, my husband looks like he's about ready to come over and hit you with a shoe, so I'd better get back. I'll come collect him in a bit." She nodded towards Jack.
"Let me take care of him. You go enjoy your birthday. Oh, and River?"
"Hmm?"
He put something in her hand and wrapped her fingers around it. "I hope it's a good one."
"Thank you." She breathed, not looking at what was in her hand until she was back with her Doctor. It was a small pink stone with a smooth surface and an etching of a peony in it.
"Who was that?"
"No one." She murmured as she stared down at the stone. "Come on, let's go out and walk around."
The Doctor looked relieved at that and gladly took her hand.
She let him lead, stopping in the doorway to press a hand to her side. He looked back at her. "River..."
"I'm fine. She's just kicking." She lied.
He nodded, though wasn't convinced. "Where to now?"
"We should head to the market." She suggested, which was probably one of the most dangerous areas, "It's always so exciting there."
"That's a word for it." He agreed. It was birthday girl's choice after all. She pulled him along, dragging them into the danger of the market.
The black market might have been a more accurate term for the place. The vendors here sold things that were illegal pretty much everywhere else. If it wasn't illegal, it was profane or a weapon. Naturally, the place attracted a very unfriendly crowd, at least half of whom had a beef with one or the both of the couple.
Only a short while after they arrived, a fight broke out between several vendors. It escalated very quickly, shouts and punches being hurled, knocking people over and separating River from the Doctor.
The Doctor was not at all pleased with this, trying hard to spot his wife over the crowd gathering and trying to push in what was hopefully her direction.
"Doctor!" River called, looking around, trying to find him.
One of the men involved in the fight was pushed back, knocking into her, the unexpected bump causing her to fall. No one seemed to pay much notice to her, stepping over, around, and even on her like she wasn't there at all. This type of behavior was not at all abnormal for the planet, and though she struggled, River managed to make it back on her feet and away from the fight.
Suddenly, someone grabbed her collar and yanked her back. "Hey, you!"
She stumbled back, turning to twist the hand off of her. A large and cross looking alien was glaring down at her, catching hold of both her wrists and holding tightly. "You're the dame who stole from my shop a few months ago!"
"I did no such thing!" She snapped back at him, though, she probably had or will have, "Get your hands off of me!"
He refused, practically snarling. "You better cough up the money right now or you're gonna pay with your blood!"
"I refuse to pay for something I didn't do." She hissed, yanking her wrists, trying to get away. She didn't actually have any money on her.
"Blood it is." He let go of one of her wrists and swung a fist at her.
She ducked, trying to yank her other wrist out of his vice grip. It managed to slip painfully out just as the vendor swung again. She didn't get the chance to duck this time. He hit her square in the jaw, pulling out a knife.
River fell at the hit, seeing stars. She needed a moment to recover, not seeing what he was doing. He moved to lunge at her but was suddenly knocked down by a mass of tweed coat. River sat up, holding her jaw.
The Doctor was now attempting to defend River, not the best fighter, but every bit as protective of his wife. River stumbled to her feet, pulling out her blaster, aiming it directly at her attacker.
"River, don't kill him," The Doctor said.
"Why?" She growled, "He wanted to kill me."
"Because it'll only get us into more trouble."
People around them were starting to notice, one man stepping up and grabbing River around the waist.
"Hey, get away from her!"
Her perception filter worked on visual information only, not touch. River tried to wriggle away from him, dropping her blaster in the process. The man was too set on hurting River to notice that the sight to touch ratio of her waist wasn't right.
The Doctor dodged around the first vendor to run and aid her, trying to get the other man off with a hard kick to his back, The man was much larger and not so easily fazed as the first. Though the kick made him stumble, he held his grasp on the Timelady.
The first vendor approached. "I told ya, no one steals from me. I don't care if she's the Queen of Pyrac, she's in for it now."
River swung her legs out to kick the first man, trying to throw herself out of the second man's arms. While the kick was effective, the second man still had a grip on her and Terra was starting to get quite scared.
River was still trying to wrestle the other man off of her, though her efforts were halted when she felt a strong pain in her abdomen.
Finally, after the Doctor jumped on his back, River was released. She fell forward, clutching her middle, breathing deeply.
"River, run!"
She grabbed her gun, "Not without you."
He was still clinging to the second man's back like a monkey as he tried to shake the Doctor off.
"Let's g-ah!" Another pain in her middle.
"River!" The Doctor let go and rushed to her, but they didn't have time to wait. The angry vendors were charging right at them and that had to run.
River recovered fast enough to grab her husband's hand and run deeper into the market, trying to lose the vendors. It was a difficult task since the place was crowded and at every corner, there seemed to be a new person trying to get them. They ran as fast as River's body would allow, eventually darting into an abandoned looking store.
