Rose couldn't stand it any longer. They had been locked in the TARDIS for days and she kept finding Eleven and River in some more then awkward positions. The Master kept manipulating the TARDIS to make Rose walk in on them or see them but have chance to get away before to much was seen. All for his own amusement. She walked into the console room and found Ten and Eleven under the console and River on the jump seat reading a book.
"What are you doing down there?" Rose asked the Doctors. "Trying to get us out of here." Eleven shouted up at her. "But won't bring that woman back. Madame . . . whatever her name was?" She asked "I've given them permission. If she comes back, I guess I will just have to face my demons." River interjected looking up from her book. "Are you sure?" Rose asked "No. But we have to get out of here and stop the Master before he takes over the universe. If he succeeded because I couldn't face Kovarian, I couldn't live with myself." River replied. "I don't think I could ever be that strong. Or that brave." Rose admired "Braveness isn't how tough or strong you are. It's knowing what's going to happen but having the courage the do it anyway. I'm just accepting the inevitable." River said.
"I don't think I could even do that. You know what River, I have to admit I didn't like you at first but I think in some strange way I'm starting to like you." Rose admitted. River took this as a compliment. "Thank you sweetie." She said. Suddenly the lights snapped shut and the Masters voice came crashing through the TARDIS. "I warned you about trying to escape" he shouted "now I'm going to have to punish you."
The centre column of the TARDIS started to move and the metallic thrum of the TARDIS filled the air. After about a minute it stopped. "Madame Kovarian is the other side of those doors everybody, and she's a-coming. I don't think I need to explain what she's gonna do. Enjoy!" He laughed and his voice left the room once more.
After a minute of two of silence, the TARDIS door started to creek open and a chilling voice filled the air. "Did you miss me Melody Pond?" The Doctors came up from under the console, Eleven ran over to River and wrapped his arms around her for support and protection and Ten and Rose just stood there staring at the silhouetted figure standing in the doorway. "Kovarian" River breathed.
"Melody Pond. I see you've overcame your conditioning. For now" Kovarian smiled "What do you mean for now?" River asked "What's that word you use? Spoilers." Kovarian spat the last word. "What do you want Kovarian?" Eleven whispered as he held River tighter. "What I've always wanted." She started "You to die. And this time I don't even need to be here to do it."
"What do you mean?" Roses voice quivered. "I mean that the Silence have developed a way to take over your pretty little wife's head Doctor. And this time she will bring you down, because she won't have a say in the matter. Goodbye darlings, for the last time." Kovarian smiled smugly, turned on her heel and strutted out the TARDIS.
They all stared at the closed door for a few minutes, before River screamed. "River, River are you ok?" Eleven fretted "Whatever she meant, I think it's starting. My head, it hurts so much and my thoughts. There changing." River was terrified. "Changing how?" Ten spoke slowly. "It's like. . . It's like I'm becoming Melody again. All the bad thoughts about you, every dark day, every bad decision. . . every loss. You have to run. Please my love just this once, just this one time. Run." River begged. "No way River. I'm going nowhere." Eleven said stubbornly "If you don't I'll kill you." River shouted "And if I do I'm as good as dead without you." Eleven shot back "I'm staying put River and we are going to find a way to stop this happening to you." River smiled, his words wove such comfort in her now dark soul.
Suddenly she pulled away from him and fell to the ground. Eleven made to follow her but Rose held him back "Don't. I think something's happening to her." At that moment Rivers head snapped up and her eyes were glowing gold. She slowly made her way to her feet. "Hello sweetie." She smiled but not like River smiled and looked down at herself. "Oh dear, if I kill you then I'm going to get this lovely outfit ruined. Oh well needs must." She looked up and stared at Eleven. "River?" He breathed "No. River Song is dead. I'm Melody Pond, the woman who kills the Doctor. And not even you are going to stand in my way." She unholstered her gun and raised it so it was in point blank range of Eleven. She couldn't miss.
"No but that's not going to stop me trying." Eleven smiled "You have to remember River. Everything, everything me and you've ever done together. Every planet, every madman, every monster, every me. Every version of the man you saved. Not killed. Saved. Because that's who you are. Not Melody Pond . . . River Song. My beautiful, brilliant, mad, clever wife. The woman who saved the Doctor. And you know what, I love her. To me River Song is the night and the day and the moon and the stars. She is everything I could ever want or need. I probably don't tell her that enough. Well there's no probably about it because I can never tell her enough. I am the luckiest man in the history of the universe because I know that she loves me, and I really don't deserve that love, in fact I probably deserve to be shot through both my hearts for everything I've done. But she makes my life so much better when she's around. So much brighter. And I can never repay her for that, I can only try to be the man she deserves. Plus I have a father-in-law with a sword that would probably use it if I didn't at least try. But that trying is not a chore because I love her too much for it to be. The truth is I need her. I need River Song and I know she is strong enough to beat this."
"Doctor" For a fraction of a second Rivers eyes went back to normal as cried out for her husband. "River" Eleven gleamed. "No . . . your wife is lost Doctor. No amount of your speeches can change that." Melody's finger hovered on the trigger. "Ok then. Maybe this will." In one swift movement Eleven moved the scanner to face River. A video with a beautiful backing track played. It was their wedding day, the one in this universe. The video show them saying vows and walking up the aisle together. It showed Rory making his best man/father of the bride speech and River throwing her bouquet. Not to mention Amy's terrible drunk dance moves.
Melody felt something on her cheek and lifted her hand to wipe it away. As soon as she looked down at the tear stain on her hand, it all came flooding back. Every wonderful memory with the man she loved and her parents. Her eyes went back to normal and the pain in her head receded. She dropped her gun, pushed the scanner away and collapsed into the open arms of her husband. "Hi honey, I'm home" she smiled "And what sort of time do you call do you call this" Eleven lent down and kissed his wife deeply.
When they broke apart River asked "Did you really mean all that?" "Do you really have to ask?" Eleven replied smiling. "No I don't but I want to hear you say it." River coaxed. "I meant every word dear, and I will feel that way till the day I die." He threw his arms around River, picked her up and spun her around. He put her down and bopped her on the nose. "Right then we have work to do." He proclaimed as he ran to the console and started working the controls. "What do you mean?" Rose asked. All those words. She saved me, I love her, I need her, all stab wounds to her soul. She wanted to burst with tears and storm to her room but she knew there was work to be done so she didn't let herself give in to the urge.
"Trust me that woman never gives up and now we've lifted that spell of River something bad is probably going to happen" Eleven briefly explained "Ok then, what do we do?" Ten asked "I don't actually know. I guess we just sit tight until she reveals her new plan, but for now bedtime. It's amazing how staring down the barrel of a gun makes you tired." With that comment River smacked his arm. "Oi I wasn't in control and if you keep going on I'll set my father on you." River joked. Eleven grimaced at the thought and they all made off to their bedrooms to get a good nights sleep.