It took three days, two planets and trip to space Florida before the time travelling pair were back on speaking terms. River burst into the Tardis sporting a pair of overly large sunglasses, an open pink Hawaiian shirt, white vest top, 'the shortest shorts she'd ever wear' and luminous green pool shoes.
"Sweetie, hurry up!" she called casually beginning work on the settings for the next trip, "Sweetie!"
"Alright!" the Doctor's voice yelled, "Why don't you try walking in these" a minute or two later he waddled into view of the doorway wearing large pink flippers, his green flowery shirt flapped in the breeze that was flowing into the Tardis. He dragged the waistband of his extra large Bermuda shorts up... yet again, "... here..." he announced before wedging himself between the doorframes. River sighed in exasperation,
"Take the duck off...first!" she cried. He looked down at the duck themed rubber ring tightly around his middle.
"Oh..." he exclaimed, "I forgot about that... I wonder if that child wants it ba..."
"Doctor! ... Off! ... Now!" He dropped the rubber ring down to his ankles and hurriedly wiggled out of the pink flippers. After shoving them roughly outside with his foot he shut the door.
He strode straight past the waiting River Song completely misinterpreting her fond gaze, "I'm changing... don't worry," he insisted waving his hands around.
He returned finally, tucking his screwdriver safely into his jacket pocket, "Now... I need to find out what is making the Tardis... rattle"
"Ohh!" River groaned in frustration, "You've been complaining about that 'rattle' for days now! I can't hear anything!"
"What would you know?"
"You taught me how to pilot this thing! I know every inch of that console! I know every shake, rattle and roll of this damn machine! It's not making a noise!"
"It's making a noise..." he said in a tone which cut any further conversation dead, "something fell from the console to the floor..." he lay flat against the floor and tilted his head up to examine underneath the console. Using his screwdriver to demonstrate to River, "The gravity within the Tardis gravitates to the floor... except... if it crash lands... but it's not doing that right now... I don't think... So assuming it came from inside... whatever it is... should be here... on the floor" He got up onto his knees looking around hopelessly.
"Have you checked down there?" she asked pointing down beneath the glass floor to the complicated workings at the heart of the time machine. He lay once more flat to the floor, nose pressed firmly against the glass.
"No...," he replied, "... good eye Song," he sprung up to his feet.
"I don't understand Doctor..."
"You aren't supposed to understand River," he replied making his way below the console floor, "It's a... there's an earth phrase... it's... a... a man thing. Machines and... Stuff... I'll handle it"
River was completely despairing of this man right now. She pulled a frustrated face at him and made gestures as if strangling him before taking off to get out of the beachwear she was sporting. She tied up her curly hair as she went. The Doctor watched her until she was out of sight, before sternly ducking below the floor. His eyes swept the area as he crouched low to move around, holding onto any bar or group of wires to steady himself. Had he known exactly what he was looking for things would have seemed a lot easier. When he finally laid eyes on what had clearly caused all the rattling his hearts nearly stopped. Crouching lower he reached further underneath the complicated mechanisms, his fingers curled around the familiar looking object. He gripped it tightly before turning it over and over in his hands, not quite believing what he was seeing. It had been swallowed up by the Tardis console, rattled and shook and exposed to all sorts of power surges during their flights, and here it was, repaired and exactly how he remembered it. The screwdriver he'd given to River to use in the library. He sat down to save himself from falling down in shock; he continued to turn it over in his hands.
"Impossible..." he murmured pushing his hair back, "Ooh," he seemed to recall a section in which River's neural relay was embedded into the screwdriver. He removed the tiny hatch only to reveal an empty space waiting to be filled, "ah... don't do all the work will you..." he grumbled replacing it and looking up at the console in annoyance. It was better than nothing he supposed returning to his crouching position; he tucked the reformed device into his pocket.
"Is everything alright down there sweetie?" River's voice called. He jumped from his thoughts hitting his head hard as he stood up too soon.
"Ah... ouch... yes!" he cried, "Just ... Great!" River lent on the rail of the platform grinning at his clumsiness. She closed her eyes for a minute feeling like a little school girl. She couldn't believe she was here, finally, flying the Tardis, exploring worlds, with him, her Doctor, all hers. Who knew... one day he may just return the favour for all the looking out for him she did. He may even go as far as to save her life. River shook her head,
"Don't be silly," she told herself quietly.