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The alarm came from the console. In an instant the Doctor was dancing around the console. The Khan family and the fam watched her. „What´s going on?“ Yaz asked - thinking that the timing couldn’t be much worse. „The TARDIS picked up a distress signal.“ the Doctor answered still pushing buttons and pulling leavers when suddenly the TARDIS took off without her pilots permission. As usual the humans hold on to the nearest thing they could grab while the Doctor argued with the TARDIS. „Stop. What are you doing? I can’t go there. You know that.“ The Doctor had read one of the screens and identified the source of the distress signal and their destination. As a reply the TARDIS hummed in a tone that seemed to say „I don’t care.“
The landing was rough and yanked them all to the floor. „What was that?“ Nadja asked as she straightened herself up. „The TARDIS took us to the planet that is the source of the distress call.“ the Doctor explained. She pushed a few buttons and pulled a few leavers before she sighed and explained „And she isn’t going to leave.“ „She?“ Sonya asked while her dad asked „Can´t you fly this thing?“ „Yes. The TARDIS is a she. Don´t call her a thing and yes I normally can but sometimes she has a mind of her own.“ The fam worked very hard to conceal their laughs because they knew how bad a pilot the Doctor sometimes was. But Graham said „You really shouldn’t call her a thing.“ he shuddered „Cold showers for a week. Didn´t want that again.“
„Since we can’t leave shouldn’t we find out where the signal came from?“ Ryan suggested. The Doctor hesitated before she led the others to the door. „Fam you know the rules but for the others: Don´t touch anything. Don´t wander off. And don’t interfere.“ She opened the door and they walked into a great hall full of book shelves. „This place looks like a library.“ Yaz stated. „That´s because it is.“ the Doctor replied with a look other face that expressed worry and sadness at the same time.
They walked through the corridors until Ryan saw something or better someone lying on the floor a few meters away in front of them. „River.“ the Doctor whispered. She ran towards her and kneeled beside the unconscious woman. „River. Can you hear me?“ She scanned her with her sonic. The readings must have been good because she relaxed visibly. „Help me to get her up and to the med bay.“ she instructed Graham and Ryan who obliged. In the med bay they laid River on one of the beds and the Doctor ran a few scans. The results were all in Galifreyan so that only she could read them but her companions relaxed because the worried expression had disappeared from the Doctors face. They decided to give the Doctor and her wife some space and returned to the console room together with Yazs family.
In the console room Nadja asked her daughter what was going on. „I don’t know.“ Yaz replied. „The Doctor will explain later.“ „Anyone fancy a game of cards?“ Ryan asked. So they all sat down and played cards while they waited for the Doctor to return.
In the med bay the Doctor had seated herself next to her unconscious wife. She waited for her to wake up. When she did the Doctor jumped from her chair. „River. Can you hear me? Everything is going to be alright.“ „Where am I?“ River sat up, holding her head. She was pretty confused. Her head was dizzy. „River you should take it slow and lie down. You are in the TARDIS med bay. What is the last thing you remember?“ „Doctor?“ River said like she just recognized her. „How do I got here? How do you got here? What happened?“ „The TARDIS picked up a distress signal from the library and when we arrived we found you.“ the Doctor explained. „I don´t understand. How am I alive? I was in the computer and now I’m here.“ „You don´t remember how you left the databank?“ „No.“ River looked scared. „Is this real?“ she asked. „Oh, yes sweetie.“ the Doctor cupped her face „It is. I am here. We are here together.“ The Doctor couldn’t help the tears that ran down her face. She pulled River closer and kissed her. River responded immediately. It was like they never spent a day apart. When they both came up for air they smiled at each other happily. „You should get some rest. I must talk to the fam.“ The Doctor helped River from the bed and let her to their bedroom. „Promise you will be there when I wake up.“ River said sounding afraid. „Promise. I will never leave you. I love you, River. Always.“ the Doctor kissed her wifes head and tucked her in then she left for the console room. She knew the upcoming conversation wouldn’t be easy.
When she entered the room every eyes were fixed on her. Yaz was the first to break the silence. „How is she?“ „She is getting some rest.“ the Doctor replied. „Is it really her?“ Yaz asked. „It is.“ the Doctor answered truthfully. „How is that even possible?“ „I don´t know. And she doesn’t remember either.“ Yaz could see the Doctor loved her wife and she didn’t want to be the one separating them so she stepped forwards and took the Doctors hands in hers. „I am happy for you.“ She smiled sadly. „Yaz.“ the Doctor looked up at her. Sensing that this moment was private Graham and Ryan decided to give the couple some space so they guided Yazs family towards the kitchen.
Left alone the two lovers sat down on the stairs of the console. Neither of them said a word not knowing how to start the conversation. This time the Doctor was the first to speak. „I love you, Yaz. I don’t want to lose you.“ „But you love her, too.“ „Yes. I do.“ „I get it. She is your wife.“ Yaz said trying to ignore the lump that was forming in her throat. „No, you don’t.“ the Doctor replied, placing a finger under Yazs chin and forcing her to look her in the eyes. „I don´t want to, I can’t choose between you two. I want to be with both of you.“ Yaz was overwhelmed by the amount of grief and love she saw in the Doctors eyes. She closed the gap between them and kissed her girlfriend. She knew that her relationship was going to change and become more complicated but she couldn’t imagine her life without the Doctor. She was the love of her life.