Told you I already wrote another chapter! Here is the edit! Hope you like it!

Chapter 2: Vworp... vworp... vworp...

I groaned and buried my face into my pillow. Oh, god. Not now.

He bounded out of the TARDIS. I heard his bouncy footsteps. "River, wake up! Let's go see the North Northern Lights!"

I turned over to face him. He'd somehow gotten hold of another fez and looked ridiculous As usual. "The what?"

"North Northern Lights! Like the Northern Lights, but on New Earth. They're twice as bright."

Right now, even the colors he wore and the waving of his hands was making me dizzy and sick. "How about you come back later when I've slept. I just got back from you, and you're quite tiring."

He frowned. "Why are you pink and white?"

I closed my eyes. God, he was childish sometimes. "What do you mean, love?"

"Your cheeks are all pinkish, and the rest of you is all white with a bit of yellowish coloring. You look like a candy cane but not all stripey."

"The covers are warm," I lied.

He bounded forward and rested a hand on my face. It felt like ice, and I flinched from his touch with a shiver. He frowned in concentration. "River, you're sick. Why are you sick?"

"I'm not. Like I said, the covers are warm. You're probably just feeling that."

He frowned in concern. "Are you sure, River? Because, I think you're lying."

I closed my eyes. "Sweetie, I'm tired. Let me rest."

Sleep was beginning to envelope me again when he said, "You're sick. Tell me why you're sick."

"Spoilers," I murmured, giving in only because I knew he wouldn't leave now. Maybe if I told him, he'd let me rest?

"Well let's get you into the med bay. We need to see what's wrong with you."

"I know what's wrong with me. I just need rest, and you're disturbing it." My voice was starting to break. I cleared it, but that was the last thing my irritated throat wanted. I ended up coughing, sending my body into further shuddering.

He helped me to sit up, but I was already finished by then, and all he did was give my head another reason to spin and bounce.

"River, you're really hot."

"Thank you."

He glared at me. "I'm serious. Melody, I don't want to leave you here. You're burning up."

I laid back down though and curled up into a little ball. It was only when my legs swam through what felt like a lake of silk that I remembered I was still wearing yesterday's dress. In fact, I hadn't taken off my makeup or let down my hair either. I must look like a mess right now.

"River, tell me what it is at least."

"A flu, basically, but not widely known to humans in this time."

"So how'd you get it?"

"Like I said, Spoilers." Also, even talking was starting to hurt. I closed my eyes to fend off the swirling feeling between my ears.

Then his hand wrapped around my arm, and I was being dragged off the bed.

I immediately tried to yank my arm away, but I wasn't strong enough and ended up struggling to stay upright. When he started pulling me to the ship, I hadn't yet steadied myself and ended up stumbling into him. I held tightly to his hand as I tried to regain my balance. "Wait. Stop."

He did. Worry laced along his features, but I closed my eyes to try and right myself.

"Where are we going?"

"TARDIS. I told you."

I would have shaken my head, since I was too tired to speak again, but I couldn't. I didn't have the balance for it. God, this was worse than I thought it was. "I'm fine, Sweetie. I just need to sleep it off."

"No. I'm not letting you be sick and alone in prison."

"Fine."

He continued tugging me into his bigger-on-the-inside ship, and I opened my eyes in time to see a terrified Ethan outside my cell. I gave him a weak smile and put my pointer finger to my lips before The Doctor pulled me inside and shut the door behind him.

The Doctor let me go and ran to the console to start flying. I braced myself against the railing, knowing it was going to be a bumpy takeoff.

As soon as the TARDIS was in flight, even with her help, my stomach flipped in ways I didn't know were possible. She hummed attempted comfort into my mind. Though I appreciated the gesture, it only gave me a further headache.

She sensed this and stopped.

"River?"

I realized I was sitting down. When had I sat down? My head was leaning against a rail, and I was sitting sidesaddle on the floor. "Sorry," I muttered, pulling myself up. He rushed over to help.

"No problem. Are you okay?"

And, to my horror, he pulled on the sonic. "No!"

He looked up, taken aback. "What?"

I calmed my voice. I'd sounded frantic. "Please don't use the sonic. Like I said, I know what I have. I know what I need." And it wasn't a loud buzzing noise.

He nodded and stuck it back into his pocket. "Let's get you to the med bay."

"I don't need the med bay. I know what I have." All I needed right then was to sit back down. My legs felt wobbly, and the room swayed dangerously... or was that me?

"River?"

"Sorry," I said, looking back up at him, "What?"

"Are you okay?" He'd placed a hand on my elbow to support me, but I realized I was likely getting him sick and pulled my arm from his grasp. "No. I shouldn't even be here. I should go."

His face contorted. "What do you mean?"

I almost told him what I'd realized, but then I remembered him telling me he couldn't get it. He'd gotten it before. I still didn't want to be here with him though. He shouldn't be seeing me like this.

"Honestly, dear. I just need rest. You'll only be a distraction." I had to look away as I said that last part.

He came closer to me and put a hand on each cheek, forcing me to look up at him. "You're so hot, River."

I managed a slight smile. "Thank you, sweetie."

"River, stop that. I can't let you stay there. Your fever is too high. Please, let me take you to the med bay or at least scan you with the sonic."

His hands felt cold, and it was nice enough that I gave in, closing my eyes and leaning against them. My lids felt warm. I tried not to breath warm air on his hand, but I could feel it even against my own lips.

"Honey," he said, "Let's get you to the med bay."

I sighed and pulled my face from his hands. "Alright then. If you insist."

I let him help me there, despite not wanting to, because I honestly did feel quite bad. I focused much of my attention on my feet and trying to get them to work correctly.

"Sweetie, where are my shoes?"

He paused only a moment. "Must have left them in Storm cage You don't own any practical shoes anyway, and you're in no condition to be wearing heels."

I rolled my eyes, though I knew that was a bad idea. "I could wear them if I wanted to."

"I'm helping you walk down a hallway."

"I like it when you hold me."

He didn't argue further. By this point in his time line, he knew I'd win.

We got to the med bay relatively quickly considering the circumstances, but the act of getting onto the cot was a surprisingly difficult endeavor. I'm not short or anything, but the cot was set up like a doctor's table, and therefor was level with my bellybutton. Under normal circumstances, I would have hoisted myself up with ease, but today, I was too tired to attempt it.

"Doctor?" I murmured He was still supporting a good half of my weight.

He lifted me onto the table without my asking, and I pressed my hand against the mattress to steady myself. As he set up the tests, I stayed there like that and watched.

"Lay down," he said.

"I'm fine."

"River."

I laid back onto the pillow and curled up into a ball, happy to finally be allowed some rest. I suppose I'd been allowed the rest all along, and it was I who deprived myself. Either away, the pillow felt heavenly.

The Doctor's hand brushed against my arm, making me shiver. "What are you doing?:

"I need to take some blood."

I yanked away the arm, looking up at him. "Why?"

"I need to see what's wrong with you!"

"I told you what's wrong with me."

He sighed. "I just want to make sure you're okay. It's better to be safe than sorry."

We stared at each other. Both of us were extremely stubborn, but I was in no mood to attempt an argument. I gripped my bottom lip with my teeth and let him take my arm.

He took the blood quickly, and went to the computer to test it. As he did, I laid my head back against the pillow and let myself drift off a bit. The med bay was freezing, but there wasn't a better option at the moment, unless I wanted to walk to the bedroom. And I didn't want to move.

The TARDIS lulled me. Her engines purred. Soothing songs were playing in the back of my mind. I was so tired by this point that the headache I'd had earlier was trumped by heaviness, and I barely felt it.

"River?" The Doctor said. I forced my eyes open.

"Mmm?"

He brushed a curl away from my face. "It says that you have Suoigatnoc. A flu."

"I told you," I muttered and buried my face into the pillow. I tried to continue with, "I'll be fine soon," but the sentence was muffled by the fluff.

"Sorry?" he said.

"I'll be fine soon," I repeated, lifting my head. It lurched and I laid back down.

He let me lay there a moment, and I began to drift off again.

His wonderful thinking powers kicked in as my dream started, though. He interrupted with an overly perky, "You'll be needing a soft bed. Yeah? Let's go!"

I groaned, and he tugged at my arm again.

"C'mon! You'll feel better in bed. I'll stay with you and everything! C'mon, River!" He managed to pull me off the bed and into a standing position. At that point, I yanked my wrist out of his grip.

It took a moment to balance, but when I had, I turned on him with a glare. "Doctor, I'm going to tell you this once more. You. Are. Not. Helping. I know what's wrong with me. I know what I need. Let me alone."

The Doctor's face fell, and I almost felt bad. Almost.

"So you don't want to lay in bed."

I slumped back against the hospital bed. "Dear, you got me up. Now I've got no choice but to take advantage."

He smiled. "Great!"

And off he tugged me.

At least the bedroom wouldn't smell of antiseptic.

Can't help but feel bad for River, but at the same time, this story is fun to write... :P

Reviews are appreciated! Constructive criticism is super helpful!