A/N This takes place a bit after the last piece, though the next piece will beging just where this one leaves off. Also, I don't have a beta, so any mistakes are my own. Hope you enjoy the story! Xx

The Doctor remained true to his word and returned to River only two weeks after finding her in the library. He continued to show up around her, usually on campus and always when she was alone. They would talk for hours, though a good amount of that could be more accurately described as verbal sparring. He would answer her personal questions as honestly as was posisble without revealing too much foreknowledge. She would tell him about her studies, but skillfully skirt anything having to do with her past.

The Doctor had come and gone five time (spending the night on her bedroom floor each stay) before the topic of River's nightmares was broached again. He was hesitant to push her before she was ready, and River was not the sort to trust easily. It took a great deal of concerned courage for The Doctor to bring himself to raise the subject with River. He was considerably nervous about asking her, but he knew she had hardly been sleeping, and the exhaustion was wearing her down. He had always known River to be vivacious and sparkling, and it was painful for him to see her so diminished by the severe fatigue. It was getting to the point that he feared she may never become the River Song he married unless she were able to move on from the nightmares that haunted her nightly.

Five in the afternoon found The Doctor in River's kitchen and River just returning from her day of classes. She let herself in, hung up her coat and dropped her bag by the door, unaware that The Doctor was "home." However, the appearance of solitude was shattered shortly; a moment after she walked through the door, The Doctor popped around the corner, grinning madly. River stopped dead in her tracks at the sight that met her: The Doctor in his usual shirt, pants, and bow tie, his jacket replaced by a pale pink, excessively frilly apron that River was sure she didn't own. Perched on his head was a tall white chef hat, which he swept off in a grand bow. For a long minute, River could only stare.

"Sweetie," she began slowly, "what are you wearing?" she asked with what she saw as an impressive show of patience. Through her exasperated amusement, River felt the familiar sense of gratification at using that particular endearment for The Doctor. After he had told her that only River Song gets to call him that, each time she did use that name for him without, rebuke, felt like his acceptance of her as "his River." As for The Doctor himself, he felt hopeful upon hearing her question his attire rather than his unexpected presence in her home.

"I got them from the TARDIS. What do you think?" he prompted brightly, twirling around with a flourish to show off his cooking garb. Instead of lying to appease his ego or being honest and dashing his rather endearing excitement, River chose to smile.

"Come on through, come, come," he went on, ushering her into the kitchen. "I'm making you dinner," he announced proudly.

"You? Cooking? I fear for my kitchen," River returned smoothly, slipping easily into their standard form of communication, which consisted of teasing banter, evasive answers, and sly innuendoes. The Doctor scowled at her with mock vexation.

"Oi! Rude!" he cried indignantly. River's resolve crumbled - she through her head back and roared with laughter.

"I'm sorry, Sweetie," she managed through her hysterics, gasping for breath. "But I can't take you seriously in that!" She wiped away tears of mirth, snorting fondly as she gazed at The Doctor. He harrumphed with no real annoyance; seeing River laugh with such abandon was the most marvelous thing he could imagine.

It was some time before River could calm herself down enough to hear anything The Doctor said, so he patiently waited her out. He flitted around the kitchen, pulling out spices, chopping vegetables, peering in the oven and generally making a great show of cooking, all to the sounds of River's hearty amusement. Eventually, he was able to convince her to go put her things away and clean up for dinner. As soon as she had disappeared into her bedroom, The Doctor hurried back to the TARDIS (which was parked in the living room) and retrieved the dinner he'd had the Ponds help him make.

As they neared the end of their dinner (which River had declared delicious, albeit suspiciously), The Doctor prepared himself to ask about the nightmares.

"River," he started carefully, "you know I care about you and I'll be there when you need me, right?"

"Of course I do, Sweetie. What brought this on?" she asked, looking at him with concern.

"And you know I worry about you." This time it wasn't a question. "Do you trust me?" He remembered with sudden clarity the first time he had met her, in The Library. Oh, how she had trusted him then.

"Yes." She thought for a moment that she had seen the briefest flash of pain in his kind eyes, but it was gone so quickly that she wondered if she had imagined it.

"Will you let me help with your nightmares?" River hesitated, unsure of what that would entail and afraid of what he might find in her dreams. "Please, River. I cannot stand to see you suffer."

"Yes," she repeated a moment later. There was no doubting his sincerity, and seeing him plead with her was more than she could bear.

"Thank you," he told her earnestly, aware of how much she was trusting him with. "All right, we'll start after dinner, then. We're going to need time, somewhere comfortable and safe where we won't be interrupted by anything, and because of the connection we're going to forge, I think it's best to do this in the TARDIS. Her telepathic field will amplify the connection, which'll be helpful for our first go."

"Connection? Telepathic field? First go? As in, we're going to be doing this again?" River questioned.

"Er, yes. Time Lords have the ability to connect on a mental and emotional level, although it isn't something one shares with anyone. It's highly personal, and not always used the way we're about to. We are going to use it to allow me to enter the part of your mind that's supplying the nightmares - most likely, it'll be memories, traumas, and whatever is left over from the people who...trained you.

"As for the telepathic field, d'you remember when the TARDIS showed you how to fly her in Berlin? The TARDIS gets in your head when you board her, and well, she recognized you. She exists throughout all of space and time - she knows all that has ever happened or ever will. The moment you walked through her doors, she understood who you were and who you would become. She trusted you. She showed you how to save you parents, who she's also quite fond of, although for some reason she thinks Rory is the pretty one," The Doctor explained, smiling a bit at the end. He remained quiet while River worked though what she had just learned.

"All right," she nodded several minutes later. "What about the third question?" The Doctor mentally rewound their conversation, and surprised River by blushing when he remembered.

"Ah," he started awkwardly. "That. Yes, well, like I said, this connection is used for more than working through nightmares. It's, ah, a profoundly intimate element traditionally incorporated into other Time Lord...traditions." The Doctor sighed, knowing that was a rubbish answer. He was walking a very fine line between wanting to be honest with River so that she would trust him, and not giving away too much foreknowledge. Older, married-to-him River probably wouldn't be overly thrilled about him telling anyone - even her young self - about their sex life. Thankfully, River was a very clever woman and was able to make sense of his confused rambling, and understanding settled in the lines of her face.

"Don't tell me any more about our future," she warned, holding up a hand to forestall any further explanations. That's my River, The Doctor thought proudly. "So, to be clear: you're going to take me into the TARDIS, engage me in a 'highly person and profoundly intimate mental and emotional connection' that allows you access to my innermost thoughts and memories," River clarified bluntly. The Doctor flushed under her direct gaze, but he refused to falter. Not when he believed he could alleviate her pain. She had suffered enough because of him.

"Yes," he said carefully, "to help you, River."

"My mind isn't a very pretty place, Sweetie," she warned, trying to come off as nonchalant, but her voice quavered.

"Melody Pond. River Song. I will care for you, whatever it takes. You don't have to hide yourself from me. I'll always forgive you. All I can ask of you is to let me help you." The Doctor started out speaking seriously, but the desperation he felt leaked through at the end.

"But why?" River asked, both demanding and beseeching. "Why do you care?"

"Because you're brilliant. You are absolutely the most incredible person I have ever known. And I know you haven't gotten there yet, but I have spent centuries getting to know you, and everything I find simply amazes me. It's not just about the good you've done - will do - or all that you accomplish in your time, it's all the things you have to overcome. Me, for one, and your conditioning, years and years of it...River, no one should be able to do what you did, but you beat it. You decided to save the man you were programmed, trained and raised to kill. You made a choice. And you never stop being astounding, River, never ever."

"I had to find out," River said quietly, as if that explained everything. At The Doctor's puzzled expression, she added, "After you told me to find 'River' and give her a message, Amy told the Tesselecta to show us 'River Song.' And then it became me, and I had to know. I had to discover why you would ever have cause to love me, how you could ever forgive me. I had to find River Song."

"I owe you more than you could ever imagine. So much more. And it's my fault, what happened to you. I wasn't able to keep them from taking you, and I didn't find you in time. You're a coalescence of the absolute best things in the Universe - the Ponds, the TARDIS, time itself! You matter. To the Universe, you matter. And to me. There's never been anything to forgive." When The Doctor finished speaking, silence hung between them for an immeasurable amount of time.

"Well, best get on with it, then," River replied at last, speaking through her suppressed tears.

"Yes, yes," The Doctor agreed, smiling. "Here, I'll clear this up. Go and reacquaint yourself with the TARDIS. I'll join you in a moment; make yourself at home." River nodded gratefully, rose, and went off to the living room while The Doctor began clearing up their dishes from dinner.

River stood before the blue police box, arms folded across her chest as she eyed it warily. Her eyes scanned over the sign on the front door. Pull to open. Though she rather doubted anything with The Doctor was quite that straightforward, she nevertheless stepped forward, grabbed the door handle, twisted and pulled. To her surprise, it opened effortlessly to reveal the TARDIS' dimly lit interior. She entered somewhat hesitantly, smiling when she heard the contented hum of the TARDIS in the back of her mind.

"Hello," she said softly, wandering further inside and leaving the door open behind her. The only response from the TARDIS was a brightening of lights and a warm breeze in the otherwise cool, still air. River walked around to the far side of the console, remembering the last time she had been in here, when the TARDIS had taught her how to fly her. Not doubting that someday she would be at the controls again, for now River bypassed the console. The first room off the seemingly endless hallway didn't have a door, so she didn't feel all that guilty about stepping into it. She looked around with interest; it seemed to be some kind of living room. There were several plush chairs, and a rather luxurious sofa. It didn't look terribly lived in, but neither was it perfectly neat and unused. It appeared rather like it was used rarely, but recently. There were a few books strewn across the coffee table, the coaster were out, and a blanket was heaped on one side of the couch, along with several articles of clothing. Curious, River approached the couch and snagged the closest piece of clothing. She raised an eyebrow - a woman's blouse with a good number of the buttons missing. Hmm. She picked up the next item. This time she discovered an elegant, lacy black bra. At that moment, River sensed The Doctor's present behind her. She wasn't entirely sure how she knew he was there, but she rather suspected it had something to do with the TARDIS.

"Sweetie?" she prompted as she turned to face him, her smile saccharine. He blushed deeply when he saw the unhooked bra and ravished blouse that she held up, one in each hand.

"Oh," he said brilliantly. "I- Ah- This room shouldn't even be on this floor. I can't imagine why the TARDIS would...I'm so sorry. I haven't gotten 'round to tidying up yet." River couldn't help but chuckle at his apologetic, flustered explanation. Confusion replaced his embarrassment when she cocked her head as if she were listening to something only she could hear.

"Oh, I understand," River sighed after a minute, a genuine smile returning to her face.

"Care to enlighten me?" The Doctor questioned hopefully.

"She - the TARDIS - wanted to show me that it's safe here. That I'm always welcome, that I'll be loved. Apparently with quite a bit of enthusiasm, if this is anything to go by," she relayed, adding the last sentence in a throaty, suggestive purr, her viridescent eyes glittering with amusement. Still, the gentle curve of her lips spoke volumes about her gratitude.

"She told you all that?!" The Doctor asked incredulously.

"Yes, why? Worried about 'spoilers?'"

"Well, yes, a bit. But this-" he waved his hand vaguely "-is fine. You should know that with us - the TARDIS and me - you're safe, wanted, and deeply cared for. But, she told you that? As in, spoke to you?"

"Erm," River frowned, biting her lip. "Yes? It was a mixture of words and images, feelings, but the message was abundantly clear."

"That's marvelous! Really and truly brilliant! She never communicates with visitors directly. But then, you're not just a visitor, are you? She knows your parents, of course, but it's more than that. You're her- She views you as her..." The Doctor struggled for the right word, attempting to translate the impressions the TARDIS had left in his mind.

"Daughter," River finished for him, her voice soft. The Doctor's face broke into a broad grin.

"Yes," he agreed.

"So, I take it these are mine? Or will be?" River queried, dangling the bra and blouse tantalizingly as she sauntered over to where he stood framed in the doorway.

"Er, y-yes," he answered, making a grab for them, but River danced out of his reach with a laugh.

"How did you not notice future-me leaving with neither blouse nor bra?" she asked, grinning cheekily.

"You have clothes here, River," he sighed, his eyes still on the brassier.

"I do? Well if these are anything to go by, they must be fabulous. And judging by the state of the blouse, easily replaceable too, I'd imagine," she reasoned thoughtfully, her eyes flickering between the clothes in her hands and The Doctor's face.

"Yes, River, you have an endless closet. Now may we please start what we're actually here to do?" he responded impatiently. River laughed, both in delight and at his child-like impatience.

"Yes, dear. Now, lead on," she obliged, tossing the clothes at him, easily side-stepping him to return to the hallway. The Doctor huffed in frustration, removing the bra from his head with a strangled groan. Wife-River's seductive, subtly floral scent still clung to the fabric, which was warm from where young-River had been gripping it moments before. Jasmine, he thought vaguely. Smells like jasmine. Abruptly overwhelmed with the desire to find out if this River smelled of the same intoxicating, sweet flower, he grabbed her hand and tugged her into an adjacent room.

With one hand still clutching River's blouse and bra and the other holding her hand, The Doctor somehow managed to close the door behind them.

"All right, so I figured this would be the best place for it, he said, gesturing broadly at the room they had just entered. River took in her surroundings, wondering with trepidation what they were going to be doing that would require so much padding.

"Why the cushions?" she asked, pointing to the center of the room, which was taken by a circular depression in the floor two feet deep. The floor within in the circle appeared to be one large mattress, and the perimeter was ringed with pillows, all varying in size and color. She snorted in amusement - it looked a bit like a child's playroom.

"Don't worry, they're only meant to help you relax. This can take rather a long time, and it's going to wear you out. I just wanted you to be comfortable," The Doctor assured her, a new hint of shyness creeping into his tone. Not having the words to express how much his thoughtfulness meant to her, River stretched up to place a gentle kiss on his cheek. However, she slightly underestimated how tall he was in relation to her, and her lips actually landed landed on his jaw, parting slightly in surprise. His hand clenched around hers and the breath whooshed out of his lungs when the tip of her tongue brushed against his smooth skin. River gripped his arms to steady herself as she pulled back, and rested her forehead against his shoulder, slowly releasing a shaky breath. Finally tossing aside the blouse and piece of lingerie, The Doctor traced soothing circles on her upper back.

"It's going to be all right," he murmured after a few minutes. "You're going to be fine, I promise."

"The thing is, I do know that," River sighed, her overwhelming exhaustion seeping into her tone. "I just can't see how to get there from here." The Doctor turned his head, burying his face in her wild, soft curls and pressing a kiss to her temple.

"I'm sorry," he whispered, so quietly that she almost didn't hear him. River allowed herself to relax into his embrace. As her mind strayed to his reaction to her kiss, she realized for the first time how incredibly difficult this must be on his end. For him to look at her and see the woman she loved - however misplaced she believed his love to be - and for her to look back at him without the reciprocating trust and care he must be used to. With renewed determination, River kissed his throat in thanks before extricating herself from his arms. This time, the unhurried movement of her lips against his warm skin was deliberately sensual, and there was a hint of smugness in her smile when she looked at him.

"Show me how to get there, Sweetie," she requested, squeezing his hand.

"Your wish is my command," he grinned, bowing exaggeratedly and tipping an imaginary hat, his response marginally delayed as he recovered from the feel of her smiling lips against his neck. She does smell like jasmine, he thought distractedly, inordinately pleased. River rolled her eyes, and let him pull her over to the circular depression. He hopped down, then gallantly extended his hand to help her down. She ignored the offer, and elegantly stepped into the depression on her own.

"So, I said this takes time. That's because you have to be asleep for this to work properly. Also, the connection is facilitated through skin contact..." The Doctor began, sitting on the rim of the circle.

"So I'll have to undress." It wasn't really a question, more a frank statement of understanding.

"Not completely, but a bit, yes." River was quiet. Oh, she hardly gave a second thought about being in her underclothes around The Doctor, but her abdominal muscles fluttered anxiously at the prospect of falling asleep...and of The Doctor finally seeing her nightmares. The very worst of her, which she tried so hard to keep form him...The crippling guilt and residual anger, and the memories buried in her subconscious, of her being hurt and hurting others in equal measure. Above all else, River feared that The Doctor would find the tiny but persistent part of her that she loathed the most: the part of her that blamed him.

Sensing her nerves and partly guessing the reasons behind them, The Doctor cautiously rested a soothing hand on River's waist, gently tugging her forward. He could think of nothing more to tell her to make this easier for her, so he simply gazed up at her, and lowered the careful barriers he kept up whenever he was around a younger River. His ancient green eyes held such love, trust, and open adoration for her that River's own eyes stung with un-shed tears.

"Just sleep, and let me take care of the rest," he said quietly, his fingers lightly stroking her hip. She nodded. The Doctor got to his feet, and River allowed him to unbutton her shirt. His nimble fingers worked efficiently but with unexpected care, his hands not straying anywhere they shouldn't. He pushed the shirt over her shoulders, leaving her bra untouched. She quickly slipped out of her trousers, setting them with her other clothes, present getting all mixed up with future. The Doctor started unbuttoning his own shirt, but to his surprise, River stilled his hands and took over the job. Next, he unfastened his belt and added his trousers to the growing pile of clothing. Now, River was left in only her knickers and brassier, and The Doctor in his boxer shorts. She smiled, took his hand and pulled him down to lay beside her. They curled around each other as if they had been doing it their whole lives; River's head resting on The Doctor's chest, pressed up against his side, his arms wrapped loosely around her. His fingers running comfortingly through her hair until he felt her breathing even out, and he knew she was asleep. Closing his own eyes, The Doctor cupped the nape of her neck with his hand and allowed his mind to seek out River's dreaming consciousness.