"Who?" The Doctor reached for a button. River swatted his hand away and he gaped at her. "It's my TARDIS!"
"Yeah, and not half an hour ago you were this close to a suicidal mission into a time lock." River held up her thumb and pointer finger. "I'm driving."
"Where are we going?" The Doctor folded his arms across his chest. The new clothes were slung over his arm; he hadn't changed yet. But he'd cleaned up a bit, washed up and slung on a long black coat. He had so little hair that it almost made her smile.
"Oh, you look good now." River winked cheerfully, "But you'll look better in those." His eyes narrowed at her. "Okay, alright. Southampton, 1912." Under her breath she muttered, "You old impatient man."
She left the breaks on for the comfort of the noise. The Doctor's eyelids closed, soaking in the sound. They fluttered open and he glanced at her intensely as he understood what she'd said. "The Titanic? You want me to prevent the Titanic sinking?"
River shook her head. "Not the whole Titanic...we can't change time like that. Just one family. One more family that gets to live. Think of that."
The Doctor's face changed. He flushed and turned on her. "Just one? Just one family? You expect me to choose? Play god? We don't get to decide who lives and dies, that's not fair! We don't do that!" He paused, "Or at least I don't. Not me. Not anymore."
River sighed and landed the TARDIS. "Just go outside."
"But how do I choose?" he roared.
For the first time, she raised her voice at him. "How do you ever choose?" The Doctor stared at her with an open mouth. She didn't break the gaze but let her tone quiet. "My love, in 900 years, you've made that choice so many times. In the future, so many more. You are hurting, I know. But you cannot save everyone."
Rubbing his face with his hands, the Doctor's eyelids closed darkly. "I killed them all."
River laid her hand on his shoulder, pressing her lips into a line. "I know."
When he opened his eyes again, the emotion was gone. Swallowed. He nodded at River and walked toward door. Down the ramp, he turned back. "River, who are you?"
River smiled. "You'll be asking that for a while, sweetie."
"Oh, that's fantastic," the Doctor replied. He dropped the clothes and slipped out the TARDIS door. River followed, stopping in the doorway. She watched the Doctor survey his new surroundings. The air smelled salty, and from the door of the TARDIS, she could see the water lapping up against the land. The sight of the ships in the harbor took her breath away; steam billowed into the air from the decks.
People milled about in suits and dresses, many with newspapers bearing large print headlines about the Titanic's departure. She smiled to herself, pleased that she could get the landing right down to the day.
But the Doctor had already moved on. He was talking to a little boy who was asking about the blue box. He gestured behind him as he bent down on the boy's level and the tiniest of smiles crossed his lips. River stepped out of the TARDIS and closed the door, able to hear now.
"It really does though," the Doctor argued. The boy tugged down on his large gray hat and shook his head vigorously.
"No, sir," he replied, "I know all about the eight planets from my professors at school. No one lives on them."
"But there are more than eight, you just can't see them." He looked over his shoulder and shook his head at River. "Wait until Pluto," he said.
A young girl ran up in a large white coat all buttoned down the front. She pushed her curls behind her ears under her hat, grabbing the little boy's hand. "James, what are you doing talking to strangers? Mama is looking for you."
"But, Mary, look!" James pointed to the blue box excitedly. "That man says it comes from a different planet." The Doctor rose to his feet and River stepped next to him. She admitted that he looked very in place for once, with his clothes reflecting his surroundings. She watched as the girl's eyes slid over the TARDIS…she was old enough that the perception filter did its job.
"There's nothing special there. Now come on!"
"Mr. Doctor," James appealed, "may I please, please see inside?" He bounced a little, forgetting his upbringing like a normal little boy. The Doctor opened his mouth with a glance at River, but they were all interrupted by a strong gust of wind. Mary clasped her hat before it got away, but James' blew off. He jumped for it, too late, and started to run after it.
"James!" Mary screamed.
River's eyes widened. She grabbed the girl before she could chase her brother, lunging for his hat that floated in midair at the pier's edge. The Doctor stared at them, his eyes growing in panic. Like he had forgotten what to do.
Or like he was afraid to do it.
"Doctor!" River cried. The little boy made one last lunge for the hat, his shoes leaving the wooden board at the edge of the water. A gust created a hand of a wave that reached out of the water to grab at James' ankles. He tumbled forward with terror closing onto his features. "Doctor, you have to," River met his eyes desperately, feeling his apprehension but not letting it into her voice. "Please."
The Doctor turned on his heel and ran. He flung off his coat, kicked off his shoes, and dove straight into the freezing water. River's breath caught and she held it, watching the waves. She wrapped her arms around Mary, the girl's face frightened, and they both waited.
He had to come up. For the boy's sake, he couldn't stay down there. The winds on the water made it choppy. River stared anxiously. Every second under the water was a second too long. He couldn't…. He wouldn't….
A tiny hand breached the surface and James' face after it. He collapsed onto the edge of the pier, dripping. Mary broke from River's arms and sprinted to pull her brother out. The drenched little boy panted as Mary pulled him up onto solid ground. River gave a tiny exhale, but her eyes tightened. The Doctor was still in the water.
A head broke through the waves and the Doctor gasped, coughing the water out of his lungs. A spasm overtook his body and his face contorted in pain. "River!" he gasped. "Still…. Regenerating!" He groaned and tensed, disappearing underneath the water. Instantly, River threw off her shoes and the vortex manipulator. She shook out her arms and plunged into the ocean.
Knives of cold stabbed her chest and stole her breath instantly. She forced her eyes open, treading water. Where was he? The icy water disoriented her quickly. She forced herself to spin in a circle before she caught sight of his hand, glowing soft gold and sinking quickly. River cut through the water to the surface and drew in a deep breath. With terror she realized the waves her pushing them farther from the pier. The little girl—Mary—waved her arms frantically. She was shouting. River ducked underwater again.
Her arms pumped downwards with all her strength as her lungs burned and feet went numb. She could see the Doctor, almost reach him, radiating light. First twelve hours, she realized. They were lucky. With a final push, River reached him and wrapped her hand around his. He responded, still semi-conscious, gripping her hand. Her vision clouded at little at the edges, and unable to help herself, she opened her lips to take a breath. Instead, salt water flooded her mouth.
River fixed her eyes on the surface. Her muscles strained to get her there with the extra weight dragging her down. Help me, Doctor, she begged. She glanced back over her shoulder and he opened his eyes, just barely. It was all she needed. She broke through the water, and rather than swimming, rough hands grabbed her shoulders and yanked her upwards. Her fingers slipped away from the Doctor's and she tried to yell, but ended up doubling over coughing in a large white rowboat.
The boat rocked as new weight fell into the bottom next to River. She rolled onto her stomach and reached for the Doctor. More hands shoved her back and wrapped a blanket around her, forcing her dizzyingly upright. The Doctor started to cough in great heaves and she caved into a fatigued smile. They were all alive. She hadn't completely ruined all of space and time.
The Doctor sat up, blinking at River and grasping the edges of the boat. He smiled slightly, full of gratitude. "Mr. Daniels," a man with an oar nodded over at the Doctor and the other men in the boat, especially the one standing at the boat's edge, looked over at him. The standing man left his position and sat down next to the Doctor, resting his hand on the Doctor's shoulder. "Good sir," he said, "You just saved my son's life."
