"Where to today Pond? The festival in Orpond is absolutely spectacular... but no... that wouldn't work. There's a very angry woman there I was hoping to avo-"
Rory was glad the Doctor was cut off. He may have been a genius but when he started, there was no end to it. He had learnt a long time ago that the best thing to do was tune it out.
"Well that's not meant to happen..." he began, flying through the control room. When that didn't work, he began tapping at the screen as if that would stop the static from filling it.
Amy exchanged a quick glance with her husband and hurried to his side. She opened her mouth but the words were snuffed like a flame when a familiar face appeared before them. Automatically, the couple took a step forward at the sight of their daughter.
"Oh hello sweetie. Any chance of a lift?"
He still didn't quite know how to act. Even though her parents, his best friends, were out of the room, he couldn't help but feel as if they were still watching him. All he knew was that there was something, some stirring in his chest when she smiled at him. That when he had seen her so pale, so vulnerable in that hospital bed after she had saved him, he had wanted to keep her with him at all times. But River Song wasn't a woman who needed protecting. She was so strong. She didn't need anybody.
Subconsciously, he straightened his bow tie. Why did she make him so nervous? He was the Doctor for god's sake! He barely broke a sweat when he saved the world –quite a few times actually- but she was his biggest challenge. The one thing he didn't understand.
A sharp knocking could be heard and he jumped to his feet, eager to be doing something, anything. He wouldn't have thought anybody would have found the Tardis here. That was why he'd chosen this spot. Amy and Rory could go and explore this planet while he and River talked. At least, that was the plan.
His confusion only doubled when he saw the man behind the door. Tall and muscular, there was a hardness in his eyes that could only mean one thing: he was a soldier. His hair was mussed and his eyes ringed as if sleep had eluded him for some time. A soldier off duty.
"I need to speak to River Song. Urgently."
The Doctor was taken aback by his curt tone, the hint of pain within it. He could sense her behind him and stood slightly to the side, making sure to carefully shield her body with his own. After all, there was nothing as dangerous as a man who looked as desperate as this.
"River Song? I have a message from Aurora." He heard the sharp intake of breath but he didn't understand it. Who was Aurora? And why did River look so worried? He asked, his eyes never leaving the face of the man in front of him.
"Old friend." She murmured before beckoning the man inside. The Doctor almost protested but thought better of it when he saw the look on her face. He had never seen River look so serious and so...scared.
The soldier slowly unfurled his clenched palm to reveal a small circular piece of metal. The design was vaguely familiar to the Doctor - it may have been from Abydos. All eyes followed the man as he carefully placed it on the floor and took a step back. The machine was illuminated by small rings of light which flickered briefly before taking the form of a young woman. She was of medium height but toned, as if she too spend her days fighting. Her hair was a rather unusual shade of golden blonde, threaded with natural highlights, her eyes blue. Even in holographic form, it was clear she was beautiful. She looked like an ideal artist's subject rather than a soldier. Until you looked at her defiant stance. Then you knew. She was definitely more than a pretty face.
" Hey, it's me. I know it's been a while but... I needed to talk to you. I don't know how to tell you this. You always told me to keep fighting and I tried, I really tried, " River was on her feet now, mere inches from the girl, the hologram. " But I think this it. My luck has run out. The end. I don't see how I can get my way out of this one. I messed up. Like really messed up."
The Doctor's head whipped round at a choked sob. It was the soldier. He looked distraught, a look mirrored on River's face. He wracked his brain for answers, but for once, there was none.
" So I guess I just wanted to say I'm sorry and... I needed," the voice stopped, drawing in a long shaky breath, "I needed to say goodbye."
It cut out unexpectedly, the machine nothing more than a piece of metal once more. River turned to face the stranger, tears threatening to fall. The Doctor suddenly felt like an outsider, an intruder.
" Had you seen this before?" The soldier shook his head, clearly fighting with everything he had to remain composed. Even though he had never met this Aurora woman, the Doctor couldn't shake the sadness he felt. This was a woman on the brink of death, a woman who had given up.
She may have thought her death was inevitable but he was the Doctor, and if there was one rule he liked to break it was the impossible.
A/N: What do you think? Please review and let me know!
For those of you who found this after reading my HP fics and think they are going to be abandoned, relax. They're not. I've just been unbelievably busy lately with a new college, a new job and all the work A Levels involve. Fun.