It wasn't a quiet planet - it bubbled and seethed with underhand dealings and interstellar criminality - but, at the moment, that was just what the Doctor needed. It he was going to run from what had happened on Mars and the fact that Ood Sigma had tried to summon him, he had to keep running. If he paused for too long, the reality of what he'd done - of the line that he'd finally crossed - would come flooding back.
There seemed to be some sort of commotion at an open air bar around the corner from the spot where he'd parked the TARDIS. Naturally, the Doctor headed straight for the source to see what was going on. Something about an angry assassin and a deal that had gone wrong.
And a name. A name that he knew very well, even if they'd only met once.
"River Song," he repeated, too softly to be overheard. He slipped into the shadows, away from the crowd and in search of the woman he didn't yet know but felt compelled to help.
And then she heard the commotion again. They were running. And from the way it sounded, they were getting closer. They must have realized that she’d given them the slip and were doubling back to try to find her. “Bloody hell,” she whispered and inched her way back up to standing again.
It was dark. Pitch black really. And there was a slight fog settling in. For a moment, she felt like she was back home in London. Not that any planet was really home, but she had a soft spot for Earth. Just like he did. Reaching up, she ran a hand through her hair as she tried to think. She heard the noises coming from her left, so she inched around the wall to her right, sneaking around a corner.
If she knew the line he’d crossed, she would be worried. Very worried. Thing was, she didn’t know what he’d done. This River has never met the Doctor before. Not his face anyway . She was earlier in the timeline now. So when she bumped into this Doctor, she felt a bit worried
( ... )
"The second road on the left, then turn right at the square with the fountain," he replied in a low murmur, "But you're going to need a different route. There are soldiers everywhere."
As a heavily armed pair passed only a few metres away, the Doctor grabbed River's arm to drag her deeper into the shadows. The alley narrowed away from the main street and, as he pushed her up against the wall, their bodies were briefly flush.
"You've been making some interesting enemies, Professor Song," he remarked, when it was safe to step back and to speak again.
River looked left and right. This man was correct. She was trapped, not sure where to go like an animal in a cage. If she was ever going to get out of here, she would have to think up something clever. Something he would think of. “Well, I
( ... )
"But you don't know me," he repeated, surprised by the lack of recognition on her face. When he'd met her for the first time, he'd been the one to wear that sort of expression. (It had persisted for a lot longer in the library, too. She seemed to put the pieces together and work out what was going on very quickly.) "This version of me."
Still, she had to be glad to see him, didn't she? No matter how non plussed she attempted to look. He was the Doctor!
"I don't like knowing what comes next," he pointed out, "I like to make it up as I go along."
Which was his way of saying that he didn't want to know what the next adventure was and that he didn't have a plan.
She was good. She had learned from the best. Not that she would ever tell him that. Still, she had and she knew a Doctor face when she saw one. Seeing that pouty look on his face, she broke into a smile.
“Yes. I know you, but not this you. Wibbly wobbly. As your time lines move forward, mine go back. Every you sees an earlier me. Or so it’s been so far. It’s complicated.”
Yes, she was glad to see him. Reaching out, she took his hand in hers, threading their fingers together and giving it a squeeze. She doubted she’d get a snog though. This was the Doctor. She was lucky to get a hug.
She grinned at him. This was what she liked, the not knowing. “Spoilers,” she teased. She gave his hand another squeeze. “Does this mean we run now?”
"Not that complicated," he said, with the typical nonchalance of a Time Lord and time traveller. The Doctor was convinced that he'd experienced - and would experience and was experiencing, depending on the tense selected by people who lived in a single dimension - stranger things.
Despite the fact that it was only their second meeting, the Doctor didn't pull his hand away. He was used to holding hands with his companions, after all. Even if River Song wasn't exactly an ordinary companion.
"No, not yet."
He peered around the corner, looking for a clear escape route and instead finding a growing group of soldiers who started forward when they sighted River.
“Oh, it’s always complicated,” she purred. She always found his nonchalance quite arousing. He was so sure of himself. As many things as he had seen already, there was always room for surprises. Even for him. He needed to learn that, but not today. Maybe another day
( ... )
He moved quickly, but something told him that River would be able to keep up with him. When it came to running, she probably had as much experience as he did.
"No guns," he shouted, turning a corner. The TARDIS was parked at the far end of the busy street. Fortunately, the soldiers hadn't reached it yet. Maybe they didn't realise what it was or what it was capable of. "When we reach the TARDIS, we won't need cover."
River shook her head. She knew no guns, but she couldn't help it. She liked guns. She never harmed anyone unless they were trying to harm her. That should count for something. Doctors, she thought to herself.
"I won't fire at them. Just above them. So they fall back and you can open the door. Infuriating man!"
She ran after him, almost tempted to take out her key as well. "Well, hurry up?"
As the Doctor sprinted for the ship, he pulled his key from his pocket without actually bothering to look at his hands. It was instinctive action, performed more times than he could possibly count. Even the motion of ducking the bullets that sprayed after them was second nature.
"I am, I am!" he protested, opening the door as quickly as he could.
River glared at the Doctor and turned around, letting go of his hand to do so. Raising her arms, she fired her gun up high, high enough that it would go completely over their heads. She grinned as she did so, watching the men chasing them immediately duck and search for cover. She hoped that doing so would buy him enough time that they needed. And really, she wasn’t firing at them. So it was okay, wasn’t it?
When he had the door open, she stepped back and almost pushed him inside, following him and slamming the door closed behind her. “Hello girl,” she purred as she bent over and tried to catch her breath. She could hear them outside. They would start firing on the TARDIS soon. She didn’t feel too worried about it. They were safe now. At least for a little while.
Moving up to the console, she reached out and gently stroked it with her fingers. “Hello sweetie. It’s good to see you again. Though this desktop theme is new to me.” The lights inside the TARDIS flickered. She hoped that was a good flicker.
The Doctor still wasn't keen on her use of the gun, but he wasn't in a position to argue at the moment. And he would have been happy to throw himself into the argument in different circumstances. (Something told him that his future relationship with River was built on arguments. And on making up afterwards, of course.)
As soon as the pair stumbled in to the ship and closed the door behind them, the Doctor made his way over to the console room. Not that they'd be able to get through the shields. Not with the weapons they had.
"Away from here," he answered, pulling handles and pressing buttons as he moved in a frenetic dance around the console.
River grinned and moved around the console, getting out of the Doctor's way. Inching around the side, she moved to a chair by the wall and sat down. As much as she would love to help him drive, she thought he wouldn't be comfortable with that.
The truth was she just didn't know anything about this incarnation yet. He had to be from the future, because she didn't know his face. She would have to wait until he was done and they were out of there before she could pull out her TARDIS journal and sync up with him. She was so curious about him. Watching him work, she noted how bloody skinny he was. She'd have to feed him, she thought with a giggle.
"Away is good," she purred. Crossing her legs, she held onto the seat and smirked at him. Her gun was now properly shoved in it's holster and dangling to her side. Reaching up, she ran a hand through her long, curly hair. He may have had trouble with the bumpy ride, but she made it appear as if she was a natural at the TARDIS. "If I can do anything," she teased him gently.
The TARDIS - his beloved ship - was his oldest and most trusted companion. The Doctor didn't know River well enough to let her get close to the console. It was only the heat of the moment and the fact that they'd been running from men with guns that had encouraged him to let her inside. He hadn't had chance to invite her.
"You can't," he said, firmly, coming to a halt as the ship made the roaring leap into the safety - relative safety - of the time vortex. He stopped, leaning back against the central console to regard River.
"Touchy." She muttered the words, holding on loosely to the railing as he led the TARDIS away from the planet. She may have rolled her eyes as she watched him work. Of course he would be suspicious of her. She wasn't sure why, though. He must know her if he is a future self. And he couldn't be a past self because he knew her name. Could he?
"They wanted me. I was doing a black market deal and it sort of went sour. Not the deal itself, but the fact I was flirting with the seller. His partner didn't like that." She shrugged her shoulders. She had just been bantering. That was it. Or was it?
"Going to boot me out into the black now," she teased.
There seemed to be some sort of commotion at an open air bar around the corner from the spot where he'd parked the TARDIS. Naturally, the Doctor headed straight for the source to see what was going on. Something about an angry assassin and a deal that had gone wrong.
And a name. A name that he knew very well, even if they'd only met once.
"River Song," he repeated, too softly to be overheard. He slipped into the shadows, away from the crowd and in search of the woman he didn't yet know but felt compelled to help.
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It was dark. Pitch black really. And there was a slight fog settling in. For a moment, she felt like she was back home in London. Not that any planet was really home, but she had a soft spot for Earth. Just like he did. Reaching up, she ran a hand through her hair as she tried to think. She heard the noises coming from her left, so she inched around the wall to her right, sneaking around a corner.
If she knew the line he’d crossed, she would be worried. Very worried. Thing was, she didn’t know what he’d done. This River has never met the Doctor before. Not his face anyway . She was earlier in the timeline now. So when she bumped into this Doctor, she felt a bit worried ( ... )
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As a heavily armed pair passed only a few metres away, the Doctor grabbed River's arm to drag her deeper into the shadows. The alley narrowed away from the main street and, as he pushed her up against the wall, their bodies were briefly flush.
"You've been making some interesting enemies, Professor Song," he remarked, when it was safe to step back and to speak again.
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River looked left and right. This man was correct. She was trapped, not sure where to go like an animal in a cage. If she was ever going to get out of here, she would have to think up something clever. Something he would think of. “Well, I ( ... )
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Still, she had to be glad to see him, didn't she? No matter how non plussed she attempted to look. He was the Doctor!
"I don't like knowing what comes next," he pointed out, "I like to make it up as I go along."
Which was his way of saying that he didn't want to know what the next adventure was and that he didn't have a plan.
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“Yes. I know you, but not this you. Wibbly wobbly. As your time lines move forward, mine go back. Every you sees an earlier me. Or so it’s been so far. It’s complicated.”
Yes, she was glad to see him. Reaching out, she took his hand in hers, threading their fingers together and giving it a squeeze. She doubted she’d get a snog though. This was the Doctor. She was lucky to get a hug.
She grinned at him. This was what she liked, the not knowing. “Spoilers,” she teased. She gave his hand another squeeze. “Does this mean we run now?”
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Despite the fact that it was only their second meeting, the Doctor didn't pull his hand away. He was used to holding hands with his companions, after all. Even if River Song wasn't exactly an ordinary companion.
"No, not yet."
He peered around the corner, looking for a clear escape route and instead finding a growing group of soldiers who started forward when they sighted River.
"Now we run."
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"No guns," he shouted, turning a corner. The TARDIS was parked at the far end of the busy street. Fortunately, the soldiers hadn't reached it yet. Maybe they didn't realise what it was or what it was capable of. "When we reach the TARDIS, we won't need cover."
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"I won't fire at them. Just above them. So they fall back and you can open the door. Infuriating man!"
She ran after him, almost tempted to take out her key as well. "Well, hurry up?"
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"I am, I am!" he protested, opening the door as quickly as he could.
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When he had the door open, she stepped back and almost pushed him inside, following him and slamming the door closed behind her. “Hello girl,” she purred as she bent over and tried to catch her breath. She could hear them outside. They would start firing on the TARDIS soon. She didn’t feel too worried about it. They were safe now. At least for a little while.
Moving up to the console, she reached out and gently stroked it with her fingers. “Hello sweetie. It’s good to see you again. Though this desktop theme is new to me.” The lights inside the TARDIS flickered. She hoped that was a good flicker.
“Well, now where Doc?”
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As soon as the pair stumbled in to the ship and closed the door behind them, the Doctor made his way over to the console room. Not that they'd be able to get through the shields. Not with the weapons they had.
"Away from here," he answered, pulling handles and pressing buttons as he moved in a frenetic dance around the console.
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The truth was she just didn't know anything about this incarnation yet. He had to be from the future, because she didn't know his face. She would have to wait until he was done and they were out of there before she could pull out her TARDIS journal and sync up with him. She was so curious about him. Watching him work, she noted how bloody skinny he was. She'd have to feed him, she thought with a giggle.
"Away is good," she purred. Crossing her legs, she held onto the seat and smirked at him. Her gun was now properly shoved in it's holster and dangling to her side. Reaching up, she ran a hand through her long, curly hair. He may have had trouble with the bumpy ride, but she made it appear as if she was a natural at the TARDIS. "If I can do anything," she teased him gently.
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"You can't," he said, firmly, coming to a halt as the ship made the roaring leap into the safety - relative safety - of the time vortex. He stopped, leaning back against the central console to regard River.
"Who were those men? What did they want?"
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"They wanted me. I was doing a black market deal and it sort of went sour. Not the deal itself, but the fact I was flirting with the seller. His partner didn't like that." She shrugged her shoulders. She had just been bantering. That was it. Or was it?
"Going to boot me out into the black now," she teased.
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