I do not own Doctor Who.

This fic was written for Shannon because she was my beta...and I am sorry for any mistakes there are. I was incredibly sick while writing the majority of this. I hope you like it okay bye (:

The Doctor hadn't said anything since his initial reaction to the Lazimi. He paced back and forth across the stage, muttering absolute nonsense as River stood where he had left her, sleeve still pulled back. She didn't know what to think or how to react. She had absolutely no clue what was happening.

"Doctor? What's going on? What is this?" she asked finally, running her fingers along the marks. He stopped pacing and grabbed her hand, pulling her toward the classroom door and the TARDIS. She resisted.

"You tell me right now, Doctor, or I swear I'll blow that fez right off your head and that bow tie will be next." she threatened seriously, sick of not getting a strait answer.

He swallowed and then let go of her.

"I think maybe we had better do diaries first."

She nodded, realizing the wisdom in it. As they talked, she realized this Doctor was fresh from Area 51. It had only been a week or two. River cried a little inside. She was glad he at least knew who she really was, but he wasn't her Doctor quite yet.

"When did you first notice that?" he asked, gesturing to her wrist where her fingers subconsciously danced.

"Just after you dropped me off last time I saw you, in your future. What is it?"

"Lazimi, River. The mark. You've got the mark which can only mean I- Oh my God...Last time you saw me. What happened? Where did we go?" his face was pale as he spoke and something told her it was important for her to tell him exactly what they'd done.

"Well, you came to get me from my cell and we went to the Singing Towers. You said-" She stopped. A tear had escaped and rolled down his cheek. "Sweetie?"

He said nothing. Just stared at her for a moment before pulling her into his arms and hugging her to him as tightly as he could.

"I love you, River." he said, kissing her head.

"I love you, too, you know that, but I still don't understand...What is going on?"

"I don't know yet. I need to think." he said, pulling away and pacing again.

She sat down heavily, not feeling at all like herself, and pressed a finger to each temple. Something was definitely off lately. She couldn't focus on anything.

She was startled as she felt a hand slide across her back and she looked up into his eyes.

"Are you alright?"

She sighed and brushed off the headache that was starting in the back of her head. "Yes. I'm fine. Have you got it worked out?"

He led her to her feet and held her again.

"I'm afraid we're going to have to have a serious discussion. There's only one way you could have the mark, and that is if I gave it to you, and there's only one reason why I would do that."

She pulled back and looked at him, surprised.

"You gave it to me? What does that mean? Why would you give it to me?"

"Probably to give myself a proper warning, should I see a version of you with it. I never know which you I'm going to get when I come, so it would make sense. That's the only reason why I can think of..."

It was making a bit more sense now that he put it that way. But why was it a warning? What was there to be warned about?

"Alright, I'm starting to see now. But what is it a mark of? What is it supposed to warn you about? Why do I need a mark?"

His face grew sad and his eyes fought tears as he spoke.

"It's a warning to tell me that you're...that I...Its the mark of the dying." he said sadly. "It's to warn me that I'm running out of time."