NOTE: Since this happens so close after season 7 the Doctor hasn't really had time to go about and 'erase' himself from history yet, which is why River hasn't be pardoned yet. Just figured I should clarify that now before we get too far in the story!
Chapter One
"Amy? ...Amy?"
"Yes, Doctor?"
"I...I've made a terrible mistake." The Doctor admitted miserably. "I...I'm going to d...die here..."
Amy looked over at the Doctor. Sitting on the floor with his back against the wall he was pinching the bridge of his nose hard enough to blanche the skin. Releasing his hold on his nose just before he broke the bone he reached into his pocket and pulled out the sonic. Flicking the device open he pointed it at his face and stared at it, he slowly brought the glowing green light closer until he was cross eyed. Shaking his head to clear it he put the sonic away again and looked up at Amy desperately.
"Amy, help me...please."
"Stop being so melodramatic, Doctor, you're fine."
"Okay, so maybe boredom isn't actually capable of killing me," The Doctor huffed in frustration "but it is certainly making me *wish* it could."
"You are the only person in the Universe who could find a Leisure World stressful."
"I'm not stressed."
"Well you're stressing me." Amy said. "A little rest might do you some good."
"I don't idle well."
"I noticed." Amy sighed as she stretched out on the tanning lounge. "Why don't you go get a massage or something?"
"I've had my fill of strangers putting me up on tables and touching me for one life time, thank you very much." The Doctor grumbled as he got to his feet and began to pace.
"I'm sorry, I wasn't thinking." Amy said sincerely. "If you're really that uncomfortable here let's go."
"No. I'll be okay." The Doctor sighed. "I'm just anxious about Aleena."
"Aleena? Why?" Amy asked as she sat up. "We left them on a paradise world, they can take care of themselves, right?"
"Right." The Doctor agreed halfheartedly. "I just...I thought she would call."
"Call?"
"We are millions of years in the future compared to them now, Amy. I left her a way to contact me, if she had ever called for help I would have picked up on it as soon as the TARDIS landed here. She never called, or I never got the message for some reason."
"She must never have needed you."
"I guess so." The Doctor muttered as he stared at the floor.
"Don't sound so hurt, Doctor. You know the Minyans never really trusted Time Lords. Plus after everything she put you through, maybe she thought it was best for you if you didn't have to see her again."
The Doctor furrowed his brow in thought for a moment before looking up at Amy with a penetrating stare. She stared right back at him, not daring to move, not even daring to breath, fearful that he was going to figure out that she had threatened Aleena into never seeking him out. The Doctor looked like he was about to ask her something but he just shook his head. Walking over to the window he looked out on the vast luxury resort as twilight settled over the wold of Abydos.
When the Doctor continued to just vacantly stare out the window Amy became increasingly concerned. Before he just had the usual anxious energy he got when he was bored, but now he seemed to be becoming truly melancholy. Dressed in a large plush white robe that was designed to allow tanning rays to penetrate through Amy jumped down from the softly glowing tanning lounge. Walking over to the Doctor she stood next to him and looked out the window with him. He glanced over at her and smiled sadly.
"Amy, do you still trust me?" The Doctor asked quietly.
"Of course I trust you, you know that."
"Just checking. I want to ask something of you and I wanted to make sure that you felt safe first."
"I always feel safe with you, Doctor."
"Always?" The Doctor asked skeptically.
"Okay, so maybe we end up running for our lives more often than not, but I always know you are going to make it right. You always get me home."
Suddenly looking guilty the Doctor turned to look out the window again. When the Doctor hesitated to continue their conversation Amy became increasingly anxious. She knew he was about to ask her about the memories she'd gained from her time with Aleena in the Zero Room. There hadn't been much time during the relocation of the Minyans for him to corner her about it, but now that everything had settled she knew his curiosity must be eating at him again. Amy was fully prepared for this moment and already had a lie prepared and practiced.
"Doctor, I don't reme..."
"Amy, I don't want to take you and Rory home just yet." The Doctor said quickly before he lost the courage.
"I'm sorry...what?" Amy asked confused.
"I know I promised to take you home for a while after this stop on Abydos, but I want you to stay with me, just for a little while longer, please. A few more places, I know this beautiful ocean world, and a gigantic labyrinth cavern where everything makes its own light and glows like daylight. Just a couple of quick trips, then I'll take you home, a week, two at the most. I just, I don't know, I ne..."
"It's okay, Doctor." Amy interrupted gently. "You don't need an excuse to want us to travel with you, not ever. Of course we'll stay, for as long as you need."
"Thank you, Pond."
Amy was so relieved that she hadn't needed to use her lie to deflect the Doctor from digging for the truth that was in her mind that she didn't even notice how relieved he was to hear that she and Rory were going to stay. Near tears he drew her into a hug with his right arm and kissed the top of her head affectionately. Pulling himself together quickly the Doctor smiled brightly as he released Amy.
"You're still favouring that arm, Doctor." Amy pointed out. "Have you let Rory look at it lately?"
"It's just slow to heal." The Doctor said dismissively. "Speaking of Rory, he will be expecting you for dinner in an hour. I'll leave you to get ready, I know how long it can take. I'll see you two in the morning."
"You're not joining us?"
"It's a Leisure Planet, Amy, I'm sure Rory has something terribly romantic planned for you for the evening, and if he doesn't..." the Doctor reached into his breast pocket and pulled out a glittering card with alien symbols embossed on it "hand this to the front desk at the hotel and tell them to set something up. In fact why don't you just go ahead and do that anyway."
"What is this?" Amy ask taking the card.
"It's kind of like money, only better."
"It's a credit card."
"Exactly."
"Who in there right mind would give you a credit card?" Amy asked seriously.
"Oy! I have excellent credit."
"Then why is my name on the card?" Amy asked as she looked more carefully at the card.
"Okay, I have no credit and it's less of a credit card and more of a clever lie, a special kind of perception filter."
"What?"
"Look don't worry about it, I've saved this planet system half a dozen times at least, they owe me. Just have fun, okay?"
"I think my daughter has been a bad influence on you, Doctor." Amy smiled. "Speaking of River, I'd really like to talk to her."
"I'll see what I can do. I'll see you tomorrow."
"What are you going to do?"
"I'll think of something."
"Please don't leave us here for a 'quick trip' to see Aleena." Amy said. "You know how you don't always make it back on time."
"I'm not going anywhere without you."
The Doctor reached out and ran his hand through Amy's hair before turning and leaving. Amy watched him go with a look of concern, she thought about calling him back to talk more but she was too afraid that the conversation would turn towards the events that lead up to the time jump on Aleena's ship. More than happy to ignore that particular elephant in her mind Amy turned her attention on getting ready to meet Rory.
Walking through the swank halls of the resort with a purpose the Doctor made his way through the spa area and downstairs into the casino. Ignoring the bright lights and the irritating noises of the games and various aliens enjoying them he continued with the singular purpose of making it back to where he'd left the TARDIS. Parked in the subbasement of the hotel he had a bit of a trek to get there.
Exiting the building where Amy had been working on her tan while the Doctor had been working on not going insane from boredom the Doctor crossed a perfectly geometrically manicured garden to the five hundred story hotel that Rory and Amy were staying in. Uninterested in anything that even a seven star hotel suite had to offer the Doctor was spending most of his 'down time' in the Zero Room.
Entering the extravagant front lobby the Doctor was instantly approached by the head staff who were flanked by two security guards. It was the Doctor's casual clothing, bow tie, and tweed jacket that instantaneously marked him as probably not having any right to be on their property. They wanted him gone as quickly and discretely as possible. In no mood to deal with the uppity hotel manager the Doctor rolled his eyes and pulled out his wallet with the psychic paper.
"Don't even start with me," the Doctor warned as he held up the paper "you will regret it if you do. I promise you that."
"My apologies, your 'Majesty'." The manager bowed deeply after reading the paper. "Forgive me, I did not recognize you in this form. A very...interesting choice this time. Shall I send the usual 'escort' to your suite?"
"Uh...no. Just leave me alone."
"Understood."
The hotel manager snapped his fingers and the guards melted away. The Doctor flipped the paper over to read who the hotel manager had decided he was. Reading the title the Doctor made a distasteful face. Having been identified as the galaxy's most notorious shape shifting playboy the Doctor shoved the psychic paper back in his jacket.
"I *hate* Leisure Planets." The Doctor grumbled.
More desperate than ever to return to the TARDIS the Doctor made his way quickly towards the back halls where the service elevators were. Not paying attention when the Doctor came around the corner he slammed into someone coming the other way. Stumbling back a few steps he pressed his hand against his injured shoulder as it blazed with renewed pain. Gritting his teeth together he looked up to see who he had run into.
"River?"
"Doctor?"
"What are you doing here?" The pair asked one another in unison.
"You had better not be the 'escort'." The Doctor said firmly.
"Is 'The King' here?" River asked brightly as she looked around eagerly.
"It worries me that you instantly knew what I was talking about."
"Don't worry, Sweetie, I'm faithful." River chuckled. "What about you though? A Leisure Planet? This is the last place I'd ever expect to find you, which makes it the perfect place for you to have a tryst."
"A tryst?" The Doctor repeated confused.
"You're right, that does sound ridiculous, doesn't it?"
Still in shock from the chance encounter with River the Doctor didn't have a response right away. His instincts were screaming at him that there was never such a thing as a 'chance encounter' with River, particularly when she was supposed to still be in prison. River looked around the hallway to ensure that they were alone and stepped in closer. She put one hand on the Doctor's chest and brushed his cheek with the other.
"So, Doctor, where are were in our relationship?" River purred with a predatory gleam in her eyes. "Are you feeling 'more adventurous' yet? Because if so I'll go get us a room right now."
"Wha...what?"
"Oh," River sighed in disappointment "spoilers, I guess. Odd, you look so much older than the last time I saw you."
"I've had a rough few weeks." The Doctor admitted.
"I'm starting to sense that. What happened?"
"The Minyans."
"Who?"
"Don't you already know?" The Doctor asked seriously. "My future being your past and all...haven't I told you already?"
"No, which is concerning. The past few times we've met there has been something on your mind, but you haven't been talking to me, and you always talk to me. I have to say it's starting to hurt my feelings." River said in a mock injured tone.
"I can't apologize for something I haven't done yet."
"I know, but something is bothering you right now and you're not talking."
"You haven't really given me a chance to."
"Okay then. What's wrong?"
"Honestly I don't really want to get into it right now."
"See? I told you."
"I'm sorry."
"It's okay. Is there anything I can do?"
"No." The Doctor shook his head. "Actually..."
The Doctor reached into his pocket and pulled out a long piece of paper. After a moment of hesitation he ripped the list in half and handed one of the pieces to River. Taking the paper River looked it over.
"What's this?" River asked.
"Since you seem to 'out on good behaviour', I need the items on this list. I could use your help getting them."
"Oooo...shopping."
"This stuff isn't for sale, so more like borrowing."
"Which means 'stealing'." River chuckled.
"I simply need these items more than the people who own them, I'll return the ones that I can when I'm done."
"You don't have to rationalize theft to me, Sweetie."
"River...why are you here?" The Doctor asked again.
"How will I ensure that you get these things 'on time'?" River asked rather than answered. "I don't think brining these back to my cell is an option."
The Doctor stared at River for a moment, hoping she would answer his original question. When it was clear that she wasn't going to he sighed heavily. looked around as if he was about to get caught doing something wrong. He pulled out another piece of paper and a pen and began to scribble out a list in High Gallifreyan.
"I really shouldn't do this, but here is a list of coordinates. Times and places I plan to be, just leave the items a hundred years or so before I arrive. I trust you to leave a mark of some sort to let me know where they are."
"The Doctor has a schedule?" River asked in surprise as she took the new paper. "What are you up to?"
"Spoilers."
"That's my line." River smiled. "Although we are at a strange time, Doctor, some sort of over lap maybe?"
"What do you mean?"
"Lately we've been in sync. Up until this moment for the past good while we've been meeting in the right order, you would come see me nearly every night and we'd pick up right where left off. We barely even bothered with our diaries anymore. But now it's all jumbled again. Where are we? How much time have we lost? Have we done the ice cliffs on Talutia 8, the silver clouds of Gesilan, the jungle falls of Hesto, or the view third moon of Uri?"
"No, none of them, but all those places have one thing in common."
"What's that?"
"They are all places I've always wanted to take you."
"Well you do, and I love them."
"I can't wait." The Doctor said honestly.
"I wish I could do it all over again." River reached out and ran her hand through the Doctor's hair affectionately. "Are my parent's here? I haven't seen them in a long time."
The Doctor hesitated to answer without even knowing why. River was momentarily distracted by playing with his shirt collar until she realized that he was just staring at her.
"Doctor?"
"No. I'm sorry, they're not here."
"No need to apologize. They need time on Earth together. They live a dual life, more so than any other Companions you've ever had really."
"I know...it's hard on them."
"And what about you? When you drop them off, how long do you wait in your time before you go back?"
"I have a Time Machine, remember? Sometimes no more than a day. I love having them with me."
"Good, because that's the other odd thing I've noticed about you lately."
"What?"
"I shouldn't saying anything, spoilers and all...but this really worries me. I'm going to break the rules because I feel I must. In the near future you start doing something that I really want to caution you against."
"What have I been doing?"
"You've been traveling alone, Doctor."