Authors Notes: This is chapter 2 called 'Nightmares', very much inspired by the song by Chameleon Circuit (Which, if you haven't listened to them, I highly recommend it…They sing about all things Doctor Who). Once again, I must thank The-Doctors-Song, this time for writing a companion piece to the first chapter of this story. It's called 'The Gamma Forest' and it is BRILLIANT! Please go check it out hehe . Thanks for the reviews so far! And here you are, chapter 2- Nightmares! Enjoy!

Nightmares

The Doctor was running as fast as his legs would carry him, his sonic screwdriver aimed out in front of him, the green glow cutting through the darkness. It was everywhere around him, threatening to close in on him, to choke him. His hearts were thudding wildly in his chest and the floor seemed to shake beneath his feet, books flying from the shelves around him. They hurtled towards him at dangerous speeds, their leather bindings bending as they crashed to the ground. Voices whispered from above and below him, in front of him and behind, calling his name, taunting him.

"Save her, Doctor. Save her! How much does she mean to you? Ask yourself that!"

He tried to ignore them, trying to focus on her and her alone but the voices were invading his thoughts, confusing him. He couldn't escape them. His vision was growing watery, like he was underwater and hands were grabbing at his arms, trying to pull him into the darkness that followed him everywhere he went. The Doctor pushed them off him, reaching up with one hand to clear his vision and it came back, wet with tears. He swallowed and blinked hard, willing himself to go on. He had to get to her before it was too late. He realised then that it wasn't his screwdriver in her hand, lighting the way, guiding him…it was hers.

"Does she mean more to you than we did? All of us?" The voices hissed, faces appearing from the darkness, so many faces; Amy, Donna, Martha, Rose, Sarah-Jane, Romana, Tegan…all of his friends from over the years, staring coldly at him, judging him. "We all trusted you, Doctor. We cared for you, and yet you hurt us, abandoned us! Why should she be any different? You failed us!"

"River!" He cried, dropping her screwdriver. The light turned out, leaving the darkness to creep towards him. The faces of his friends moved in on him, forcing him down, surrounding him. A dim light appeared somewhere behind them, causing the shadows to part with a vicious hiss and an astronaut suit stepped forwards, the face concealed behind glass. He didn't need to see behind the glass though, because he knew who it was. The gloved hand moved slowly, pushing the visor up and a dim blue light inside the helmet illuminated the child's face; the face of little Melody Pond.

"You failed me, Doctor," She said softly. "I begged for you to help me, but you didn't. You never helped any of your friends, only condemned them to the worst. You ruined them sweetie," she disappeared but her voice was still there, calling him forward. His body moved involuntarily towards the sound of her voice, the shadows following him. He could feel them at his back, their cold eyes watching him. "You ruined them, and you ruined me."

River was in front him this time, attaching herself to CAL while she watched him sadly.

"I am doing this for you, you know. I'm sacrificing myself, like all the others did for you because we loved you. Did you ever love us back?"

"River, please don't do this again. I love you too much to see you like this again, please."

She ignored him and he tried to lunge for her but he couldn't move, handcuffs holding him back. She looked at him, tears pricking her eyes as the countdown ticked slowly to what would be her death again.

"I love you, you impossible man."

The countdown hit zero and immediately the Doctor found himself sitting upright in his bed, the TARDIS humming around him. It was a dream; it was all just a dream. But was it really? His face was wet with tears, his chest constricting with each silent sob that racked his body and his hands were shaking as he pushed himself out of bed, hastily throwing on clothes that were draped across a chair.

He and River had been married a month now, he remembered as he ventured into the control room, slipping clumsily on the glass floor. He had visited her every night, whisking her away to some fantastical planet to share the night with each other, lost in each other and he had been having the best time of his life. And yet here he was, waking up from another nightmare.

He touched the console but it seemed she knew where he needed to go. But of course she did; she was his sexy. The Doctor leant against the console and took a deep breath, trying to calm his body but the images of his nightmares were haunting him. River's lifeless burnt body sat in the chair in the library, her eyes watching him with the fixed expression of sadness and disappointment because he couldn't save her. What he needed was his wife, to see her alive, smiling and laughing and teasing him jovially. He needed her to fill the hole of hurt in his heart because he knew that one day in his future, she would go to the Library and die for him, because she loved him. He set his jaw hard, scrubbing his hand over his face roughly, the tears rolling down his cheeks and neck, wetting the collar of his shirt.

"Pull yourself together," he murmured to himself, taking a shaky breath as the TARDIS slowed, preparing to land at their destination. The Doctor quickly pulled the brake leaver, the first time ever in his life using it but he didn't mind; he would do anything for River. They materialised and he clambered through the doors towards her cell as quietly as he could. He slipped out of his shoes, deciding that they would make too much noise and he produced his sonic from the jacket of his coat, absent-mindedly pulling a strand of tweed fabric from it. There was a soft click as he opened the cell and he paused for a second, watching her prone form on the bed. She didn't stir and silently, he closed the cell door and he started towards her, carefully slipping onto the mattress beside her. As soon as he felt her warm body against his, the tears began freeing themselves from his eyes, arms hugging her tight to him. He never wanted to let her go; if he held her forever, and never let go, she wouldn't be able to go to the Library and save him, and therefore she would never die.

She felt him as soon as he lay down, his chest shaking against her back and her heart clenched with possessiveness over him, and anger at the person who could make him cry like this. It was the first time she had seen him really cry, and though part of her was surprised, the majority just wanted to comfort and hold him, to soothe his fears. River rolled over, her soft pink lips pressing gently against his forehead and she shifted on the lumpy mattress, letting the sound of thunder outside roll over them.

She didn't ask him what was wrong. There was no need. If he wanted or needed to talk, she would listen and offer advice, beat the person up for causing her lovers pain but for now she would kiss away his tears and hold him until he fell asleep.

River cradled him for what could have been hours until his breath evened out, and with his face buried in her chest, he descended into the dream world. With a soft smile, she reached over him, her fingers brushing the cold concrete floor until she found her discarded coat and pulled it over them for extra warmth. Prison blankets didn't do much in the way of warmth and the coat she tucked under him had kept her warm enough at her parents wedding the night before. She planted a kiss to his wild hair and continued rubbing his back until sleep finally claimed her. Her nightmares were no longer now that he was there and the same went for his, both unconsciously comforting each other through their presence alone. Both Time Travellers slept dreamlessly well through the night.