River's enthusiasm was plentiful. Her first night was everything the Doctor had planned, and more. He needn't have worried about pushing her too far – as usual, she was several steps ahead of him and had obviously spent a lot of time thinking about it. They shared the joy of discovery and rediscovery until even the TARDIS' gift of lowered gravity and increased oxygen was no longer enough for another round.
They lounged in bed and stared at the ceiling as the Doctor explained the meaning behind the symbols the TARDIS had chosen.
"So that one there," she pointed, "Is it Truth, or Clarity?" Her knowledge of Gallifreyan was impressive, but she lacked the benefit of being raised in the culture.
"Actually both," he replied. "The closest translation is something like 'through Truth comes Clarity.' It is to remind us that the pursuit of Truth isn't an end unto itself, it's a beginning that leads us to greater Clarity of our roles."
She propped herself up on her elbow and began tracing the symbol over his hearts. "So, what are our roles – how do we make this work?" she asked. "With our messy timelines we're never at the same point in the relationship. Do we just pop in and out of each other's lives for midnight sightseeing and booty calls?"
"Well, fortunately, it turns out we both really like a bit of that," he teased, before turning earnest. "But there is so much more to it, much more to being us. Even when I didn't know who you were, I somehow knew. When we were apart in time and space, I couldn't shake the thought of you. I was always waiting for you; holding my breath until the next time I saw you. And you, you were so patient with me, I mean you will be. You let me find you on my own terms and at my own speed. But it was always clear that we were more than we appeared to be. I knew it, I just had to get there."
"I knew it too," she replied. "That's why the brainwashing didn't stick. The connection to you was already there – through my parents, or through the TARDIS, or through you already knowing the older me. There was no way for them to break that bond, no matter how much they trained me. We were already together."
"Clarity through Truth." the Doctor weaved his fingers through her curls.
"So, Doctor, do I usually stay for breakfast?" River asked.
"Well, it depends. I know your parents would be thrilled to see you. However, you are currently giving off an unmistakable glow, and you haven't stopped grinning for the past hour or so. It might be better if we save that little reunion until this part of the relationship is a little less, well, new. The last time they caught us, Rory started counting backwards in Latin, and your mother developed a new nervous tick. I know they are glad that we're together and they make all kinds of supportive "son-in-law" comments and such, but I think that facing the reality of what we've been doing makes them a bit squicky.
"Hmmm, so you're going to sneak me past the parent's room and out the door before they wake up." River summarized. "It's starting to sound a lot like a booty call."
"And fortunately, you really like a bit of that." he replied.
The Doctor watched as his beautiful wife slipped out of the TARDIS doors in her silky green dress. He paused to embrace the image of her older self on the way to the Singing Towers. This was the First Night, and the Last Night, and there were so many nights to treasure in between. Through Truth comes Clarity.