Hi! I don't own Doctor Who.
The Doctor pulled open the door slowly, never ready for the empty feeling that always enveloped him when he went inside his-their-room. He hadn't shaved in days. His hair was matted and unwashed, as was his face, the only clean part being the streaks where his tears had cut a pathway from his eyes to the unkempt whiskers on his sunken cheeks. Taking the room in, he sighed, relieved that it was the same as she had left it. Careful not to disturb anything, he made his way to the shelf in the corner, looking for something special. There. The dark green box was no bigger than his hand, but to him, it was all he had. It held every ounce of her he had left. She'd been gone for months now. He'd lost track of the days and weeks, slipping into a sort of personal time warp, not ready or willing to accept that she wasn't going to waltz in the TARDIS doors at any moment with a "hello sweetie" and a peck on the cheek. Taking the box off the shelf, he unfolded the note attached to the top, remembering the day she'd given it to him.
For the Doctor,
Time and space can't hold us back. You'll see. My every kiss is for you. I love you forever.
All my love,
River
He'd opened it that Christmas morning without reading the note. Finding the box to be empty, he had been confused and a bit cross with her for wasting a good box to give it to him empty. When he approached her about it, she had nearly cried at first. He hadn't read the note. He didn't understand. She'd left him standing there with the box and unread note, unwilling to deal with his mood. Eventually he had calmed down, remembered there was a note and read it. Ashamed for his actions and heart broken for how he must have hurt her, he had searched for hours looking for her. Then he realized she had left for a dig and wouldn't be back for a day or two. That wait had been the longest of his life. He clutched the box to his chest, never letting go until she walked through the doors. He had run to her, hugging her close and apologizing for hours for being such a prick, promising to always, always cherish it.
And he had, every time she wasn't there and he was missing her, he would take out the box and open it, letting her scent pour over him as he'd take out a kiss from her. He had her, even when she was gone. And no matter how much he missed her, she would always be with him.