Another Time John Reese Wished River Song Hadn't Shown Up, By Haiza Tyri
Not quite the last time River met John
Scotland, 2000
"For this mission, you'll be paired with a member of British intelligence," John's superior officer told him.
Good soldier that he was, John acknowledged and did not reveal his distaste. Of course it was to be expected, in a mission on British soil with joint American-British objectives, but he never liked working with people outside his own special force, let alone people of different nationalities, let alone people who weren't even military. There were just too many variables in motivation and understanding. There was always internal conflict, which he'd never found to be at all useful in fulfilling the mission.
"She's operating under the workname of Melody Pond," his colonel continued. "Yours will be John Carter. Bates and Hitch will be your backup."
She? the man now known as John Carter said to himself. Yet another variable. He'd never worked with a woman on a mission. Women didn't do special ops missions in the American military. Maybe they did in British intelligence, but he wasn't sure he wanted that many layers of unknown.
"I know what you're thinking, Sergeant, but it's not my call," the colonel said. "Hitch and Bates will have your back. Just thought I'd give you the heads-up. Full briefing at 1400. Pond has just arrived; you'll want to meet her and work out any misgivings you have as soon as possible."
John went out to meet his new partner and stopped cold. The figure coming toward him was far too familiar. Voluminous blond curls, a perfectly neat suit that still managed to look seductive despite being overwhelmingly decent, and a deeply curving red smile. He stood still and stared at her.
"Hello, John," River said. "How nice to meet you."
He hated the way she always seemed to have a deep and mischievous knowledge of him and to show up for the specific purpose of getting him embroiled in something. Of course some part of him he wouldn't acknowledge enjoyed it, but he'd never yet learned to trust his own mischievous side.
"You're British intelligence now?" he muttered at her as they walked down the corridor to the briefing. "They let convicts do that?"
"I'm good at escaping."
"Melody Pond? What kind of a workname is that?"
"What kind of a workname is John Carter?"
"What's wrong with it?"
"Honestly, don't you read? Anyway, I thought it was clever—Melody Pond—River Song. Now, how long has it been since we last met, John?"
"Two years, as you know very well."
"Oh, yes, right, of course."
They went into the briefing, and he had no time to ask her why she looked so vague, and afterward he never remembered to, because as usual she turned the simple sneak-into-a-Scottish-castle-and-rescue-a-British-celebrity-and-an-American-businessman-from-Libyan-terrorists mission into a jewelry heist, and he had to carry her out after she got shot.
"I should have known you weren't really intelligence," he muttered, putting pressure on her wound while the castle burned behind them. "Why do you need an old Scottish brooch, anyway? Are you going to fence it?"
She looked shocked. "Of course not. This is my brooch. It was given to me by a Scottish chieftain after I saved his life."
"Sure it was, Melody Pond. And I'm secretly a CIA agent from Mars."
"You never know. You might be, John Carter," she grinned. "Now, if you'll let me up, I'll just be on my way. They're expecting me back in my cell by sunrise."
"Right. And I'm supposed to tell my colonel what?"
"I died in the explosion, of course. Have you no imagination? You can blame it all on me, of course."
"Well, it was your fault."
"At least you rescued the hostages."
"My team rescued the hostages. I'll be lucky if I don't get sent back to Kansas desk duty after this."
But of course he let her go, because River Song was a force of nature and he had no control over her. He'd had a sister like that once and learned his lesson long ago. Maybe that was why no matter how much River infuriated him, he couldn't help remembering her with amused affection.