Chapter 2: The Beginning of the End

The inside of the Phoenix's T.A.R.D.I.S. was filled with gold and red tapestries. The walls were lined with light fixtures in a pattern designed that seemed to stretch on forever. There were three levels in the main console room. From those levels different staircases and rooms seemed to extend on forever. All the colours seemed in a mixture of a time long since past. The massive insides were a mixture of past a present combined into something not of the same time. The console room was filled with small gadgets and gizmos that surrounded a central tower system. It looked as if blown glass was in the tower. The Phoenix walked into her familiar home and the T.A.R.D.I.S. caressed her mind happily. It was like seeing a long lost family member. Tears welled in her eyes as the T.A.R.D.I.S. made happy noises and sounded bells throughout her interior. The Doctor walked up to her and smiled,

"You missed him..."

The Phoenix nodded in agreement. It had been years since she had last saw the T.A.R.D.I.S.

She danced around the console room in a giddy stupor.

"So my friend, Are you male or female?"

The T.A.R.D.I.S. replied that he was a male and has been for many years. Phoenix laughed at his sarcasm. She flipped all the controls and watched the engine begin to move. The silence of the ride comforted her. The glass blown insides moved up and down as the engine whirled her into the Time Vortex.

The Phoenix shook her head and turned around to look him. His face was solemn. River was busy talking to Amy and Rory.

"So Doctor, what brings you to my humble abode?"

The Doctor grimaced in sadness and looked toward the three chatty friends.

"If we could talk in private?"

The Phoenix nodded while the Doctor told his friends they would be back. They both walked towards the other end of the T.A.R.D.I.S. the massive amount of hallways and paths could confuse anyone so there was no chance anyone would hear them or see them. They entered a room that was furnished and coloured with blue and purple furniture. The bed was a king sized with a few pillows on it covered by a blue comforter. The night stand by the bed was a purple and the desk next to her was blue. The drapes that covered the fake window were both purple and blue. She sat down on the chair next to the desk. The Doctors eyes were misted over. This wasn't something he could do with anyone else in the room. She was family to him. The last of the Time Lords sat there together. It seemed like time was frozen with the tears in his eyes. This Doctor, she could tell, was not one who would show emotion and yet here he was, in front of her, about to break down. She let out a smile of reassurance.

"What happened?"

The Doctor fell down to his knees as a silent sobbed wracked his body. His hands automatically went to his face and he curled up on the floor. The Phoenix rushed over to him and held him as he silently cried. Tears began to stream down her face as images of what had happened to him streamed through her head. Time Lords had the ability to telepathically see the thought of other Time Lords. Phoenix and made small cooing noises in order to comfort him. She sang a song from long since past.

Don't fear the darkness,

There is always light,

Don't forget your hearts

It is a form of bliss.

Oh young Lord

Time is all yours

Be your own being

Try not being on your own

A companion to hold and keep

A true form of love to beat

Don't fear yourself

You can get through

Learn how to be alone

She softly hummed the rest of the tune. The Doctor hummed along with her stopping the sobs that had previously flooded his body.

"Oh Phoenix, I ... I must send River to her death..."

This very lonely Time Lord lying on her lap, someone who should not have fallen in love, did. This would be the third time this had happened to the Doctor: first, with his wife, next with Rose and now, River. She gently stroked his hair.

"Oh Doctor, you fell in love, and came to find me to help. You know I can't stop the time lines. It is impossible. Fate and destiny have their parts to play, just like ours."

She tried to comfort him as best as he could; all those long years and no one to share them with. Her heart went out to him. She held him close.

"Maybe I can..."

Phoenix shook her head.

"Doctor... If you destroy the timeline, there will be a paradox and you will mess up the timelines."

The Doctor nodded into her shoulder and went back to crying. He clung onto her like a small child would a parent. She held him close to her. Phoenix had an idea of what he felt. She knew it from her own horrors. Through sobs the Doctor began to speak.

"Please...Phoenix... We are the only ones left of our kind...Don't leave me to face the fate of...The Time Lords alone...I've been alone too long...I feel as if I am going to... die... please..."

Images of her past and his past mixed and mashed inside her mind.

All of the companions who she had brought along...They all had left now. The T.A.R.D.I.S. nudged her mind in order to cheer her up. It was all too much; she was alone, so very alone.

The Doctors memories of Donna, Rose, and his family, raced through her. She cried along with him; both sitting in each other's arms. Holding each other tightly, crying for lost ones. It seemed so long since she had let go.

"Doctor...I won't leave...I don't want to be alone anymore either..."

The both of them were filled with an understanding of the future, of each other. They shared a bond unknown to most people of the universe. The Doctor all of a sudden jumped up surprising Phoenix.

"Come! There's another pressing matter!"

He held out his hand for her and she smiled and gladly took it. They both ran into the secondary console room on the other side of the hall.

"Gallifrey has long since past... And there are no others beside us. So, the time lines are our responsibility, but here's the thing."

The Doctor pulled up a scanner from the console. An image of Amy's internal systems popped up. The scanner flashed positive and negative for pregnancy.

"What in the name of Gallifrey?"

Phoenix was very confused. That wasn't possible unless there was a deciding factor that had yet come to pass.

"This is the second problem I'm faced with."

Phoenix stared at the screen in puzzlement and wonder. She automatically started running around the console room trying to figure out what had happened. A scream was heard throughout the .D.I.S.

"DOCTOR!"

The Phoenix and the Doctor ran towards the main console room. That scream was from River. There in the console room was something that should never have happened. There stood two Rivers. Phoenix's jaw dropped in surprise by the fact that she had transported inside her T.A.R.D.I.S.

"Um...What?"

The older River said in confusion. There a younger River stood with a vortex manipulator on her arm. She looked just as shocked as the rest of us.

"Oh my... I messed up."

The younger River said. The Doctor walked up to her.

"What are you doing here, River?"

The younger River smiled.

"Oh, Sweetie, I was looking for you...but it seemed that I might have miscalculated the jump...by a lot..."

The Doctor hit his head.

"You must have because, this is not my T.A.R.D.I.S. How on earth did you get in here?"

The older River was in a stunned silence, vaguely recalling this moment in her own mind. She smiled to herself. It was almost time then. She knew it. The younger River looked around, a bit confused and horrified at her mistake, which could have coast the universe. She could have created a paradox.

"What do you mean?"

The Phoenix smiled and walked forward to the younger River.

"Hello...River..."

The younger River looked at me and a sad looked crossed her face.

"It is time then...It is time... Oh god..."

The Doctor and the Phoenix nodded.

"The next we meet... River...will be that time..."

The younger River nodded at her.

"Then, I must take my leave. Good bye sweetie..."

The younger River leaned in and gave the Doctor a kiss then whispered something in his ear. The Doctor slowly placed his hand on his lips in an effort not to cry in front of Amy and Rory. The old River stood there, in silence. Amy walked up to the Phoenix.

"What did she mean 'It is that time...'?"

Amy asked the Phoenix. The Phoenix grabbed Rory's and Amy's hand and led them down the corridor into the kitchen. It was a fully stocked light coloured kitchen. The kitchen was at one of the furthest ends from the console room. The Phoenix knew the Doctor had to be alone with River. Her heart strings were pulled as she fought the tears that threatened to fall from her eyes. River was his love. It would be the hardest thing he would have to do. She brought out the supplies for some tea.

"Amy, Rory, would you care for some tea?"

She asked in a hesitant voice. She wanted to try and avoid the conversation that was bond to come up soon. The Phoenix made quick work of the tea as she boiled water and got cups out. She placed the hot water on the table.

"What did the other River mean?"

Amy asked the Phoenix again. The Phoenix grimaced at the question. She knew it would be hard on the two of them. She quietly poured the tea and took a deep breath.

"River is going to die."

The Phoenix said. A look of confusion passed over the couples face. Rory stood up out of his chair, the loud noise from that was startling to the Phoenix.

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN SHE'S GOING TO DIE? SHE'S OUR FRIEND, WE WON'T LET THAT..."

The phoenix held up her hand at Rory's yelling. She cringed at the noise a bit, but Rory did quiet down. She looked through the Doctor's memories again sighing sadly and motioning for him to sit down. The cups of tea were steaming in front of her.

"The Doctor must send River Song to the library, in order to save himself and Donna from the Vashta Nerada."

Amy looked at the Phoenix in horror.

"Who's Donna? And what is the Vashta Nerada?"

The Phoenix sighed as she began to tell his story.

"During the Doctor's tenth life, before he regenerated to the face and personality he had now, him and his companion, Donna went to this library. The library itself was one giant planet. He met River the first time at this library. They were on an expedition to find out why the library had shut down. Unfortunately, River died so he wouldn't have to. In order to save the Library and the people who were in it."

Amy and Rory sat looking into their cup of tea sadly. The Phoenix took a sip of her tea.

"He is very lonely..."

Amy said. The Phoenix sighed and nodded.