"As we are born, so we shall die, but not here, not in the library, where you can never die, only die inside. They've given up trying to get me to tell them about how I know the man who saved them, saved me, last time I was truly alive. The Doctor always pulled off the impossible and it always amazed me, but he doesn't need me anymore, last time we met he said goodbye to me, and I to him, on Trenzalore, at his grave, he said he loved me once and I know he meant it, once we had love, so much love, but that's gone now, he doesn't need me anymore, he's got Clara and he's got closure, and I guess I have, sometimes, when Charlotte's awake. Ella and Joshua surprised me; they were like Charlotte, real children with their minds uploaded because of a childhood illness. I found out the upload went wrong and managed to reprogram the core. For a while I had three marvelous children but then Dr. Moon deleted them against my will. He said it would free up space, I cried for weeks, alone again, only Charlotte was there to comfort me, her smile gets me through. She's my adopted daughter, and I'm the only true mother she's ever known, so we're close, but she doesn't know about the Doctor and me either...I'm writing this in my diary, well it's a virtual log, but it'll do. It's so if anyone wants to find me, or know what happened at the Library, then they can simply look up what happened by asking the data core. I'm not like the others; they spend their time looking at the future, the set unchangeable future. I detest endings, especially those you know are coming, so I spent my time working out how he did it, how he got a copy of me...and I did. At the towers, he scanned me and it turns out the sonic kept making a copy of me up to the point my physical body died. It could best be described as a constant live stream of data, from me to the sonic. He really is a genius, the Doctor, remember that, all of you who listen to me in the data file, remember just how clever he is, and then never let him know, his ego doesn't take well to beefing up, tends to make him all cocky, and then someone else will die, unless he knows it himself, then everyone lives. That may be confusing, but trust me, I more than anyone, know what sort of man he is, at his worst, and his best...There is no more that needs to be said, just let me sleep. My name is associated with so much hate, and anger. To many I am the woman, who killed the Doctor, but to him, I am the woman who saved him, and he is the man who saved me. Goodbye Sweetie..."
River took her finger off the panel and looked at Charlotte, the girl looked back and smiled,
"Mummy, I know the visitors will love the new and final story you sent them. Did you know over 20 billion life forms have read it? 'The silence in the library' is one of the greatest stories ever published from here, and the best thing is, everyone thinks it was a lost piece of literature, by an unknown writer."
River loved Charlotte's passion for reading, they would both tell each other stories every night, and of course River would tell the tales of her and the Doctor, omitting details of her name of course,(it was far too dangerous) Charlotte loved the Doctor stories the most.
River was about to put Charlotte to bed when she heard an urgent knock on the door. She opened it to reveal Anita and Evangelista at the door, both had tears running down their faces.
"It's going, all of it!" Evangelista shouted. River tried to calm them down but Anita just yanked River out of the warm comfort of her home and into the cold of the winter night air. "This is the time when the Doctor would give me his coat..." River thought sourly.
"They both vanished." Anita said. Charlotte had run out carrying River's and her own coat, the fur nearly covering her head.
"Careful darling," River said as Charlotte nearly fell on the newly formed ice in the street. "Here now, we'll be o.k., put your coat on, is that better?" Charlotte nodded but huddled close to her new mother's side. Anita dragged River by her wrist; her finger nails digging into the soft part of her palm. It seemed to be getting light but it was 11pm, Charlotte had asked to see the stars and River had finally agreed to let Charlotte stay up late. Anita stopped dead in her tracks, "There," Anita pointed to a spot in the grass, "One second, the two Dave's were stood there and the next they just dissolved."
"Dissolved? What did it look like?" River said as she shook free of Anita's iron grip.
"Something like this..." The group turned to face Evangelista. Her features seemed blurred.
"Charlotte," River knelt beside the girl and she turned to River, tears falling down her face "Can you see into the Library? What's going on about out there? Darling, please I know you're scared but you have got to be brave now. What's happening in the Library?" Charlotte nodded and closed her eyes tightly. River looked over at Evangelista, her arms and lower legs had now disappeared, she still stood there though, as if she was just image, overlaid on the dark background.
"Men in soldier's gear...and a woman, no two women, one wears an eye patch, the other, she is surrounded by strange ugly white squid men, they are wearing suits." Charlotte turned on the spot trying to see other details. River fell back on her knees "The silence," River breathed out, terrified "How did they find me?" Anita who had been trying to calm Miss Evangelista turned at River speaking. "You know them?"
River laughed bitterly "We have history..." she said quietly.
"Who are the Silence Mummy?" Charlotte whimpered. River sighed and ran her fingers through her messy hair.
"A religious order, dedicated to one purpose, to stop the Doctor. Their leader, Tasha Lem, is the woman surrounded by the silence priests, the ugly men you described. Those priests have a way of making you forget ever seeing them. The woman with the eye patch is Madam Kovarian, she and I don't exactly see eye to eye." Charlotte nodded. "This is your past Mummy, isn't it?"
River was about to answer when she realised something, only her and Charlotte were left. River stood as Anita's eyes vanished from view. The light grew closer.
"Run!" River shouted and grabbed Charlotte's hand. "Mummy I can't see. I'm still watching the library." River picked up Charlotte into her arms and increased her pace; the whole world around them seemed to be fading to white. "The core is being deleted. Whoever is doing this knows computers well, they seem to be searching for something, is it you mummy?" Charlotte said, opening her eyes briefly.
"It's highly likely sweet heart. I know this sounds a lot to ask but can you find a way to block them from getting me?" River asked. Charlotte shut her eyes and nodded. River tried to get back to the house but as she turned the corner to the road, nothing greeted her, just blinding white light. River shielded her eyes and turned back the way she came but as she rounded the corner of the wall facing the park white light flooded her vision, making her stumble backward. River placed Charlotte on the ground behind the wall, the light hadn't reached it yet. "I've linked your data file with mine, that way if they move you, I'll move with you, and I've got the top security so we're both safe mummy. We can just rebuild our house after they've gone." Charlotte opened her eyes smiling but her face soon fell. River looked at her daughter; something told her no amount of security would deter the silence from recapturing their goal. If the Doctor destroyed their top army base at demon's run and they still survived then no mere human defence would stop them.
"Come here Charlotte dear." River wrapped her arms around her little girl. "Everything's going to be alright, I promise." Charlotte looked up suddenly from hiding her head in River's neck. "There's a man in a hood in the core centre, he's behind the library data being destroyed! I can see him using a glowing stick." River's gaze turned icy, "What colour is the glow?" she asked coldly.
"Yellow...is it the Doctor mummy? Why would he destroy us if he saved us all before? You said he's a good man!" Charlotte cried angrily.
"The Doctor is a good man Charlotte. The best man I've ever and will ever know. That is not him in the core, no, there is only one being in the entire universe of space and time that could be, and be thankful Charlotte, be thankful that we won't be around to meet him, because only the Doctor can defeat him." River sighed and closed her eyes, resting her head against the wall.
"Why doesn't the Doctor come then? He came last time you called." A tear ran down River's cheek and she squeezed her daughter tighter, "I'm not alive to him anymore, he can't hear us here, not even if I scream for him to help me..." River looked down and saw Charlotte's and her own body starting to fade.
"I failed you Charlotte, I failed to protect you, I'm so sorry!" River sobbed. "No mummy, you haven't failed me," Charlotte yawned "You loved me more than anyone ever has, you gave me love mummy, and you could never fail me." River smiled as Charlotte closed her eyes and fell to sleep.
"At least she doesn't feel the end," River smiled then looked up at the last spot in the core world, the night sky. "Wherever you are my love, just know that my death was quick and painless, just know that every adventure we had, I look back on with such joy and just because you aren't here for my end doesn't mean you're not with me, you're always with me sweetie, you're always here to me," The night sky vanished and River closed her eyes for the end. "I love you sweetie... Goodbye." white entered her eyes and her mind went blank.
"Hello Melody." That voice, River knew that voice. It would haunt her nightmares, making her wake in cold sweats, screaming and crying. The Doctor would always come then and whisk her away to some beautiful alien sky or place she'd never heard of, he knew it hurt her, that voice and sometimes, when the running was over and the adventure was done, he would hold her close to his beating hearts, to drown out the voice and that horrid merciless song that would play in her head. "Think of his hearts now Melody, be brave girl, be brave." River opened her eyes. In front of her were Madam Kovarian (the owner of that insufferable voice), Tasha Lem and a figure in a black cloak, his head well covered by the hood "I've seen you two before," River indicated wryly to the two women, "But I don't think we've been introduced, Professor River Song, archeologist." she smiled, disdain clearly part of her features.
"They do not wish to speak to you Melody." Tasha Lem spat out in River's direction.
"Didn't I just say my name?" River stood up off the ground and looked around, she wasn't in the Library any more. The room she was in was grey and wet, the blue and yellow neon lights that hung above gave the room a stern, uninviting feeling. River felt she knew this place. She looked down to see Charlotte, being a hologram meant she really didn't feel anything at all, just a numb sensation all the time, like she's been stunned. It was like that on Trenzalore, she couldn't really feel him either, the Doctor's touch was just air to her, she hadn't felt real in nearly 1000 years. Charlotte was leaning against River's leg, still asleep. Tasha Lem walked forward and slapped River to the floor, waking up Charlotte.
"Mummy, where are we?"
"I don't know sweetheart, but just stay by me o.k." River stood up again,
"How did you touch me? I should be dead." Lem and Kovarian just laughed.
"Dead! Not yet, we haven't finished with you Melody Pond." Kovarian sneered.
"O.k. So answer me this," River held Charlotte close to her side. "How are we both still here? And where exactly is this place?"
Lem stepped forward. " This is Storm Cage; well at least a new improved one, just for you, Melody. And I don't know how but this ingenious being brought you and your sniveling wretch of an adopted daughter back here." Lem pointed to the hooded figure.
"Why?" River asked plainly.
"Can't tell you Melody, you might tell the enemy," Lem replied "And we can't have that."
"Well I'm guessing you're going to try and kill him, or have you moved past trying to be a successful cult?" River smirked as Lem and Kovarian frowned.
"You have no idea what we have planned, the Doctor will remain silent!" Kovarian screeched, and with that she left the room. As the she did so, River noticed that in fact there were more than just two adversities in the room, Charlotte had now stood up as well, and rubbing her eyes she said
"Mummy? Who are they? Do you know them as well?" The girl turned back to her mother,
"The headless monks, they work for the silence also, just don't look at them sweetheart, they tend not to respond well to non-members staring at them. Come close to me, that's it! I won't let anyone hurt you." Charlotte ran into her mother's side and held on to her for all her worth. Lem walked over to them.
"Did you know last time we came across the Doctor he died? From the look on your face Melody, I would say not. He went to Trenzalore again, a town called Christmas, he stayed there for over 600 years, to protect them from all of us." River couldn't believe she was hearing this. "Trenzalore! But that's where his grave is! You can't be right, you just can't!" He isn't dead, i'd know!" River felt the anger bubbling in her stomach, Lem was a dead woman.
"Why would YOU know?" Lem asked.
"I'm married to him!" Charlotte looked up, shocked.
"Mummy? Is that true?" she said, obviously scared.
"Of course it's not true," Lem spat at Charlotte, who, now clearly terrified, hid behind River. " In an aborted time line maybe, but not really, he would have said when he was on Trenzalore."
It was River's turn to feel smug. "And just why would he have told you?"
"He kissed me." Lem hissed in reply. River laughed. "Why are you finding that so amusing?" Lem asked curiously. "He kissed a Dalek once! Doesn't mean he told he Dalek anything, he probably kissed you for being brave for once in your pointless existence." River laughed again but that was when the hooded man stood forward and pointed for Lem to leave, River stopped. Lem left, very quickly, fear etched into her features.
"Well, only me and you left," River smirked, though inside she was trembling, "He told me about you, how to recognise you, how to escape you, even showed me all your forms so I could hide from you, but I never thought we'd meet face to face," The hooded figure brought his hands to the edge of his hood, and took of the cloak, "Master." River growled.
"It's good the two idiots have gone; now the clever people can play." The Master sneered at the locked door.
"We can hear you, Master." Lem called,
"An intercom system, that actually works here," River gasped sarcastically "my you have made improvements." The Master chuckled eerily,
"I can see why he liked you, River." He spoke slowly, making every word linger like an icy breeze. His eyes travelled up and down River's body, making her feel a sick, heavy feeling in her throat and stomach.
"What makes you think he liked me?" she asked, shifting her body uncomfortably from left to right, his eyes still followed her.
"You're not dead..." he said, moving over to a desk in the corner.
"Same can be said of you, it doesn't prove anything. How are you alive anyway?" River retorted. The Master chuckled.
"You are fiery aren't you." a sick grin spread across his face, "As an archeologist, take a look at this old relic for me, won't you?" The Master opened a drawer and held a satin bag out to her. River took the bag off him and pulled open the toggle top of the bag. She tipped out the contents and gave a cry.
"It's a pocket watch, like the ones you and the Doctor used to store your consciousness, except there's a device on it."
The Master grabbed back the watch "Clever, clever girl, the device is so I can give you a physical form to interact with." River took a step back from the man in front of her.
"You mean we," indicating Charlotte "are in the watch."
The Master hummed in agreement. "Good deduction, but not precise enough. To be exact, you, River, are in the watch. I downloaded you from the library core. Little Charlotte just came along for the ride, we don't need her..."
"The data file," Charlotte piped up "I joined the security protocols so we wouldn't be separated in the library." The Master knelt down in front of Charlotte, "On second thoughts, maybe it was good you survived, Charlotte Lux, you could be useful." Charlotte puffed out her chest.
"It's Charlotte Song now, River adopted Me." she said proudly. "I bet you make your mother proud." he replied and reached out toward her. River grabbed his wrist and swung him round, placing herself between Charlotte and the monster before her. The Master grunted in pain as River twisted his wrist tighter,
"The question is, are you proud of your new mother Charlotte? She was engineered to kill, you know, by the silence, do you want her to raise you Charlotte, this psychopath?" The Master turned his head toward Charlotte who, scared by her Mother's sudden turn, had backed away, "Mummy please stop I'm frightened!" River let go of the Master's wrist. The man stood and brushed himself down.
"Right, down to business." he walked over to a console hidden by darkness and typed away, a panel slid backward and sideways,
"May I show you, your salvation, River," The Master waved his hand artistically, "It took a while but I found a way to store it here. Do you know what this is clever girl?" River shook her head; she couldn't take her eyes off it. The strange purple and gold swirls seemed to transform as quickly as lightning to red and blue, twisting and writhing as if trying to escape.
"If anyone else were to look upon it they would die instantly, but not us, and my race, and Charlotte, you're not affected because you're not alive, well not yet." He chuckled, the darkness in his eyes grew, cold bleak unending darkness.
"An opening to the Time Vortex..." River whispered. The Master clapped slowly,
"Bravo, Bravo. I must say, the Doctor must be regretting every moment that he exists without such a clever little pet like you! Clever little Professor River Song." he jaunted.
"I am not his pet, I'm his family!" she replied, still transfixed by the glow of the Vortex.
"Well where is he then? If he's your family, he should come for you! From the sound of Tasha Lem, he's dead. There's no one to help you now!"
The smile the Master gave turned River's stomach further, making her turn away from the Vortex to face him, anger now clearly displayed on her face.
"Then why do want me then? If he's dead then what use is his bespoke psychopath? TELL ME!" She screamed.
"Good question," he nodded, "You know he's alive, why and how, even I don't know, but you do. A time lord however small that part is of you is within you, that is important to me. The silence however want you for a different reason, he would come for you, if you called, so we will make you call for him, and he will come and then he will die." he laughed coldly.
"I would rather die than call him to his death." River replied confidently.
"Who says you have the choice, you aren't going to call him Melody Pond. You are going to scream for him to come to you." the master held up the watch, inspecting it with a raptor's eye.
"I would never give you the pleasure, besides; I'm a collection of ones and zeroes. I can't feel any pain to scream about." River smiled, she'd won, beaten him, without a drop of blood spilt.
"That has got to be a first." River thought smugly.
"No, you are right again; you aren't alive, are you. Well here is where the fun bit is...Have a safe trip Melody, and you too Charlotte!" The Master swung his arm round in a massive circle,
"Please, NO!" River screamed, before the watch flew into the vortex.
"See you soon, Melody Pond!" The Master waved at them. And with that River and Charlotte were both pulled into the Vortex after the watch.