He was sitting in the TARDIS control room. Donna left weeks ago and he was travelling alone now. He was thoughtful and deep in memories when the TARDIS started to behave odd. He stood up to give a glance on the scanner. He was in the Time Vortex: how in goodness could anything happen here without willing?! Well, he remembered well when a ship called Titanic crashed into his TARDIS while flying in the vortex, but it was different - he thought. It was stupidity to lower the shields.
Actually it was really different. The scanner showed nothing. It was only her voice which changed. He did not recognize this voice. Damn, he'd driven this ship for almost seven hundred years but it never made this noise. What caused her behave so odd?
He started to push buttons which he thought would help the situation but it seemed it just got worse. He got angry. He got angry a lot of times recently. He let out an annoyed cry and collapsed on the floor. He held his head in his hands and wondered what would be the right act in a situation like this. And as he wondered the noise turned in a calm humming which he new quite well. He raised his head and looked around. What caused this sharp change?
And he froze. No. It was impossible. He got to his feet though his limbs shook at the sight.
'Hello Sweetie' he heard a quite-known voice. He looked at the misappearence and started to stammer.
'How... how are you here?... How... how is that possible?' He looked frightened.
'A simple 'hello' would make it for know.' the dazzler said. He just gawped but no voice came from his troath. She stepped closer so he could examine her. His eyes narrowed as he frowned. He asked a simple question.
'What about the Library?'
'You mean the Library? Wasn't there before but once I'll visit. Great place for an archeologist.
'Archeologist...' He murmured.
'Don't have to say, you hate archeologists. So - ' she began 'when are we?' She pulled the little blue book out from her pocket and started to page it - from quite of the beginning.
'I know it's your younger face, so we can't be over the Byzantium. Can we?' She narrowed her eyes. He nodded 'no' although he remembered her asking the same when they met first - well, when he met her first.
'Right then. I think we did Asgard. Did we Asgard?'
He nodded 'no' again. She frowned and looked at him. As she saw the unknown in his eyes she got frightened.
'Doctor tell me you know who I am.' She said askingly. He remembered the angst in her eyes when she asked the same in the Library. He grinned at her.
'Well... I can't say know, but we've met already, yes.' He walked back to the consol. 'How did you do that? Jumpin' in my TARDIS?' He looked back over her shoulder equiringly but suspiciously.
'Oh, clever, isn't it? Got a vortex manipulator, locked on the sign of the TARDIS... It wasn't really difficult.'
'So it wasn't?' He asked rather suspiciously than excited.
'No, it wasn't.' She took a look around the control room and smiled. 'You know I liked when she was so simple.' She started to go around and examine all corners. He said nothing but followed her with his eyes. She took some more steps and then turned to him. Her face was rather sad now. She sighed.
'I know where we are. And I'm sorry.'
'Sorry for what?' He asked frowned.
'For Donna. And Astrid.'
His face darkened. The women. Always the women who broke his hearts. This one especially.
'You told me about them. Well, you will. One time. And I'm sorry.' She smiled at him sadly but with some kind of love he couldn't understand yet. He took a deep breath and turned his back to her. He started to push buttons on the consol while asking.
'So why are you here Professor Song?'
She smiled sadly. She began to pace towards him but held the space.
'I know you don't like it in the shadows...' She touched the stone-like columns. He stopped what he was doing.
'What do you mean?' He asked her.
'You don't like to be in the shadows. Now you travel alone and no one is beside you - so you can't change it. And you won't. I can tell you won't change it till it will change you.' She give a worried glimps towards him but looked away immediately. It was definitely a spoiler. She could just hope he did not realize what she said now. So she continued.
'I know you don't like it. And still nobody is here to help you: let me help. Let me shine a light.' She looked at him with a sad smile which he couldn't pass. He smiled back as well. He stepped in front of her with his hands in his pocket.
'How do you mean 'shine a light'? Don't say you can turn on lights with a slip of your fingers.'
She let out a small laugh.
'No. I won't say it.' Her face got serious. 'But let me wash away your troubles. Maybe a small part of them.'
He sighed. How? How could she wash away any troubles of him? He felt she would one time. But not now. It was too early for him to think about her like that. So he turned away as his face darkened. He went back to the consol and with slow steps he started to go around it and push random buttons. She watched him and inside she burned with pain for him. But she stayed calm. After a minuit he started a speak.
'You now I could do so many things. See galaxies, stars born and die, save planets and races form extinction. But no. Nno, I can't. I'm not allowed. Guess where I was last time.' He looked up her and pulled his eyebrows. As he saw the knowing in her eyes he continued. 'Oh yes. I see you know. Maybe I will speak about it to you. The Mars Colony. I shouldn't be there. Play of doom I was still - or call what you want it. I should've let them die. But no. I was there to save them. And what I caused? Self-murder.' He stopped on walking. He looked up to see her glance. She stood still and looked into the distans. He looked away and took one more step - now towards her.
'Tell me, River Song, professor of University Luna: who are you?' He looked at her frowned and hard. She did not answer him, just bowed her head.
'If we don't talk about the future, then should I just follow you into the dark?' She did not answer him just lifted her head and fixed her eyes in the far away.
'Yeah...' he continued 'Does your silence keep you cold?' He said it sharp. She swallowed hard and shook her head.
'You know you better let somebody to love you...' She said weakly.
'Or I find myself on my own? Look around!' He cried and throw his arm wide. His voice was tired.
'I've seen you turn your back from some fine friends.' She said silently. She thought about Jack and Vastra and tried to hide the cracks which formed on her hearts. Maybe she knew really too much for this version of him. He sat down and took his head in his hands. He sighed hardly.
'I know. And I am sorry. I am so sorry.' He rubbed his temple. She sighed and sat down beside him.
'It's just all the best laid plans fall aparts in my hands.' He said with a sigh. She looked at him with sorry. He looked in the distans.
'Tell me: what holds you next to me?' He asked seriously and bowed his head. She laughed a bit and looked with love.
'That my good intensions never end.' She said with a smile. He looked at her and laughed a bit. He reached out and grabbed her hand. She surprised. He was so young... but he already knows what made her hearts rise.
'Would I ever get to know you Professor River Song?' He asked with a sad smile. She smiled at him.
'More than you think.' She said and laughed lightly. He stood up and helped her up - not letting go her hand.
'So - where now?' He asked her.
'The whole universe is waiting for you.' She smiled. 'Just go and explore it.'
She let his hand go and stepped one back from him. He smiled weakly.
'So that's for now?' He asked.
'That's for now.' She smiled. 'But keep in mind: we'll see each other soon. See you next time, Doctor.' And with a lightning she disappeared. He stood there for a while and looked into the distans with hands in his pockets.
'See you, Professor Song.' He whispered and stepped back to the consol and made his slow circles around it.