Firstly appologies to those waiting, I started Uni so I've been busy settling in...
Secondly, i've decided to post all remaining chapters, partly because I want to write other things and also because I'm not sure exactly when I will next have time to post such an amount.
Finally, I would love to know what you all thought, so any reviews of any sort are much appriciated and any suggestions for stories or one-shots or even possibly a sequel...but let's not get hasty...I loved writing this, I hope you guys enjoyed reading it! xxx
She was beautiful, everyone agreed. The two Time Lords were telling a story about a fountain they had dragged out of the TARDIS basement for decoration in the gazebo from some past adventure they claimed they had rescued the entirety of New New Las Vegas from of a fleet of aliens who believed any form of enjoyment and leisure activity was immoral and wrong. Both stared at their wife-to-be for the longest time. Raggedy's mouth had fallen to rock bottom and his eyes popped out of his head. The Doctor remained motionless, as if any such movement would cause River to disappear again. She was wearing a flowing white dress that made her seem to float across the room toward the Doctors from the TARDIS doors. The corset was fairly tight and had a low back, the skirt itself then followed River's form fairly accurately till it gently stopped at her ankles where a pair of delicate heels met it. As Clara gained a better view of the dress, she noticed golden stitching resembling that of Gallifreyan text was sewn precisely into the skirt. River stopped short of the grooms and bowed her head gently. Her hair, that the Doctors both raved about so often, tumbled down her shoulders in long smooth ringlets and shimmered slightly. Both men bowed far too quickly, giving away the nerves that lay underneath their former bubbly and confident personae. She took a small, almost shy step toward the Doctors, who now stood upright and took one of her arms each. They whispered to each other, then the Doctor announced that food was available and took his younger self and River to one side. Clara noticed River looked sad about something but the Time Lords both comforted her and walked her over to her parents whom she embraced and wiped tears off Rory's face. The Time Lords themselves went off to converse with other companions and River soon followed suit. Clara heard her tummy growl "Food!" she turned toward the buffet tables and smiled. "Fish fingers and custard...River's gonna kill him!" she thought.
After three hours of drinking, speeches, one bad conga line, an amazing rendition of 'Every breath you take' by Rory, 'the self-proclaimed karaoke king' and a not so sober version of 'I will always love you' by John, and a surprising win for Madame Vastra for limbo , though Clara thought she heard the Raggedy murmur something about River being able to trounce Vastra's score and the Doctor whispering how River was ever so supple, gaining both a smack on the arm from the subject of their comments who said the only reason she didn't partake was due to the dress taking her, Amy and the TARDIS far too long to make for it to be ruined by one false limbo step, Clara found herself in a rather odd situation. Not that the company wasn't pleasant, but she felt a little uncomfortable under the admiring eyes of Captain Jack Harkness, who had consumed way too much alcohol. "Hey, you like making soufflés right?" he slurred. "Yes?" Clara replied, though she wasn't really sure where the American was going with his line of drunken questions. "Well you're baking my night wearing such a pretty dress." he smiled a crooked smile and Clara winced. "Did you just hit on me?" she asked. Jack's eyes glazed over for a few seconds before shaking his head. "Is this where the food is?" he stumbled off in search of his next victim; unfortunately, Clara noticed this was River, who was currently talking with Charlotte, Ella and Joshua. The latter two, the Doctor and Raggedy had managed to rescue through some complicated process of going through the 'dustbin' of the computer data base, as he had called it along with River's team by reverse transcribing their data code into a human form. Clara only really understood they were all human again and everyone was 'hunky dory' which was a quote of the younger doctor this time. Clara knew this wasn't going to end well. This was the Doctor's wedding and the drunk best man was trying to flirt with the bride. River caught Clara's eyes just as Jack lumbered over. River rolled her eyes but smiled kindly at the captain none the less. Clara edged closer to hear the conversation.
"Hey you must be an angel 'cos you're the most beautiful being I've seen here all night. How about you and I find our own piece of heaven somewhere more private?" the same grin finished yet another corny pick up line. River looked away for a second then answered in an equally flirtatious fashion "Though that would be lovely, I think you might want a word with these two gentlemen, I believe they asked first..." she smiled sweetly and Jack turned to reveal two rather angry looking Doctors wearing their wedding attire. Jack stumbled backward in fear and River started to laugh. "Hiya, fellas! Just er... erm... warming her up for you. Excuse me miss, erm I mean Professor...I mean er... There's the food table! Bye!" he saluted and scarpered off, River was still laughing and the Doctors smiled in triumph. Clara waited politely till the trio had finished talking then smiled and accepted River's invitation for her to join them.
"Hey, I think Jack's going to regret that in the morning..." River laughed. "I think John and Rory might need to watch themselves as well." Clara replied lightly but the response she got from the others was far from light. The trio smiled in agreement but something was playing on their minds. "I think I need to make a speech." The Doctor sighed and River planted a kiss on his cheek, gaining her a sad smile.
The Doctor walked up the microphone that now stood empty as couples danced slowly, Clara suddenly realised she had yet to see the elder Doctor dance with River and when Raggedy did dance with her they both seemed sad rather than the blissful look of love newly married couples had when they dance on their wedding night. Then it stuck her, River and the Doctor weren't married yet. In fact they had spent the majority of evening with other people particularly those who were brought out of their appropriate timelines.
"I wanted this night to be special, to go on for ever..." the Doctor started, "But the truth is...I know at some point River and I will marry and some of you, those of you who came from the end of our timelines will go back there, I can't stop that, no one can, the vortex will not allow it. I just want you all to be happy, and for some of you I don't know if you are, some of you I know have never found true happiness..." the Doctor's big sad eyes found Donna's. Donna looked down, "You mean Shawn...he and I don't work out?" she whispered. The Doctor nodded sadly. Clara looked across at River who was talking quietly to her children. The quartet all nodded and Ella walked up her older father "Daddy?" she asked and tugged at his jacket. "Yes sweetheart?" he masked his pain. "Me, Josh, Charlotte and Mummy need to do something, can we be excused for about," she looked to River who held up a hand "five seconds?" Ella smiled. The Doctor looked his fiancée with confusion but nodded and Ella re-joined her siblings and mother. River pulled out the Vortex manipulator from her bag and her children all held onto her. "Be right back! We promise!" River smiled then the four vanished in a lightning flash. Five seconds later they were back. The Time Lords both narrowed their eyes, "What did you do?" Raggedy asked suspiciously.
"Spoilers!" River and the children all answered.