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The Doctor smiles. He had just walked into the library and spotted River asleep on one of the armchairs. She was obviously exhausted. She had arrived in the TARDIS looking decidedly singed. She had collapsed pretty much straight away. He had helped her up and got her a glass of water.
The Doctor had tried to keep her near him so he could keep and eye on her but she had wondered off when he wasn't looking. He had searched the TARDIS for almost an hour. He crouches down next to her.
There is a long burn up one side of her face and. where her skirt has slipped slightly to the side there is an ugly wound in her thigh. The Doctor explores her body with his eyes first ten his gentle fingers, looking for other injuries.
He finds a bump on the back of her head and her wrist is clearly dislocated. He sighs. "What have you done now" he whispers, carefully scooping her up, mindful of the gash in her leg. River groans softly and screws her eyes up.
"Hey" the Doctor whispers. River opens one eye a crack. The Doctor smiles at her. "What happened?" He asks. "I have the worst headache" River says, ignoring the question. The Doctor puts her down on the examining table in sickbay.
"River. What happened?" The Doctor asks again. River scowls. The Doctor turns the lights almost off and prompts her to open her eyes. River cracks her eyes open and blinks at him. "Hello sweetie" she says. The Doctor smiles.
"Is it just your wrist, leg, the bump on your head and the burn?" He asks. River scowls. " it sounds worse than it is but I think I've broken a few ribs. The Doctor presses gently on her side and River sucks in a breath through clenched teeth.
"Yep, definitely broken" she says, hissing with pain. The Doctor sighs. "You'll have to have surgery" he says. River pales slightly. "No, Doctor please. You know I hate not being in control" she says. The Doctor takes her uninjured hand in both of his. "Not my choice. How about I get Rory to look at them?" He asks.
River scowls. "Where are we anyway? Have we done '69 yet?" She asks. The Doctor smirks. "Yep. Do Amy and Rory know who you are?" He asks. River nods then groans. "Yeah. Just done that" she says. The Doctor smiles.
"Good. I'm taking you to the Ponds" he says. River sighs. "Fine. But at least patch up the leg first? And the cheek?" She asks. The Doctor smiles. "Compromise" he says. River closes her eyes again. The Doctor steps back and programs the medbot.
River cracks her eyes open when her hand is picked up carefully by the Doctor. "What are you doing?" She asks. The Doctor glances at her. Do you want me to do the wrist? It's only dislocated" he asks. River grits her teeth. "Yeah sure" she says.
The Doctor pops her wrist back in place and River yelps in pain. The Doctor wraps his warm hands around it and massages it gently. He glances at River who has tears running down her cheeks. He brushes them away with his free hand and River's breathing starts to slow down.
The Doctor brushes his lips against her wrist then places it carefully onto the bed. River gasps as the medbot injects her leg with a local anaesthetic. The Doctor smiles. "Try to get some rest" he says. River nods. Her eyes are already drifting closed, heavy with sleep, when the Doctor slips out a few minutes later.
He reappears a few hours later holding an armful of clothes. He dumps them on the floor by the bed and sits back down by River. "River?" Time to get up" he whispers. River blinks and the Doctor smiles at her. "Hey there" he says. River scowls at him. "How long was I out?" She asks, sitting up and examining her thigh.
"Be careful" the Doctor chides. "A few hours. I brought you some clothes" he adds pointing to the messy heap on the floor. River snorts. "Oh Doctor. What am I going to do with you. Get lost while I change" she says. The Doctor slips out of the room blushing slightly.
River appears in the control room almost half an hour later. "Finally. How long does it take to get changed" he teases, starting to program the control panel. River walks after him, flipping switches and pressing buttons. "I can fly my own ship" the Doctor says when he spots her.
River rolls her eyes. "Or we could actually go to Amy and Rory's" she says with just a hint of venom. The Doctor wisely stops bugging her and instead inspects her outfit. "Nice dress" he says. River rolls her eyes. "This old thing" she says. It is the Doctor's turn to roll his eyes.
"You might need shoes though" the Doctor says thoughtfully. River rolls her eyes again. "Well I would but I didn't like any of the pairs you brought me" River says indignantly. The Doctor is having trouble keeping his eyes off her and only just catches this.
"Well you can pick your own" he says sulkily. River laughs. She stumbles slightly and grabs the control panel. The Doctor is at her side in an instant and has his arm around her. River rests her forehead against his shoulder. "What's up?" He asks.
"It's fine. I'll be fine" she says. The Doctor touches her chin and examines her eyes. "I think-" he starts and touches the back of her head gently. The lump in still there. "Yeah I think you've got a concussion" he says. River scowls then screws her eyes shut. "I know that idiot. It's fairly obvious" she says.
The Doctor helps her to sit down in the jump seat then slowly pushes down the lever to land the TARDIS. He hears an excited squeal from outside the doors and smiles in spite of himself. "Wait here" he says to River, then bounds down the stairs and throws the doors open.
Amy is racing down the lawn and throws herself at him when he appears out the doors. He hugs her tightly. "Hello Ponds!" He says, Rory has just appears in the doorway. Amy releases him then tries to peel into the TARDIS. "Is my daughter here?" She asks. The Doctor nods. "Yep. She's here, she's injured though" he says.
He sees Amy pale and is annoyed with himself for his choice of words. "She'll be fine. She just need Rory to take a look at her" he says. Rory has just appeared at the Doctor's elbow and he hugs Rory too. "Rory the Roman!" He says excitedly. Rory smiles in spite of himself.
"What was that about River being hurt? " he asks. "Ah yes! Come see her" the Doctor says. Amy has already slipped into the TARDIS. The Doctor and Rory follow her. River snorts at Amy's worried look. "I'm fine mother. Well, almost fine" she says. The Doctor smirks at her.
River lets her parents pate over her for almost five minutes then she stands up. The Doctor eyes her but she seems to have regained her usual grace. "What do you need me for?" Rory asks. "The ribs mostly, but there is a rather annoying bump on the back of my head that is giving me an rather painful headache" River says. T
Rory follows River to sickbay, Am an drags the Doctor off to the kitchen. "Tea?" The Doctor asks. "Sure. What happened my daughter?" She asks. The Doctor winces. He faces the kettle for a few seconds then to face her.
"Um, I don't know. She won't tell me. She was obviously in a firefight. She had a few... Other injuries. Burns. A cut on her leg" he says. Amy looks worried. The Doctor hugs her again. "Hey. River's a fighter. She'll be fine. She just need to rest" he says. "That's not going to be fun" he mutters. Amy laighs.
"You could stay at ours?" She suggests. "Good idea. Might want to check with your husband though" he adds. Amy rolls her eyes. "We've both missed you. Both of you" she says. The Doctor smiles. "Or... Maybe you could come and stay on the TARDIS for a bit?" He sounds hopeful and Amy squeezes him.
"Why not. We'll come and stay on here for a few days then you two can come and stay at ours for a few days" she says. The Doctor smiles, a huge smile that stretches from ear to ear. Amy releases him then grabs his hand and tows him out of the TARDIS and into the house.
The Doctor looks around. "You've done it up" he comments. Amy rolls her eyes. The Doctor drags away from her and vanishes up the stairs. Amy grabs a backpack and stuffs it with random things her and Rory might need or want that wouldn't be on the TARDIS.
The Doctor reappears. "You don't need to bring the whole house Pond. Your bedroom is still there and the wardrobes as messy as ever" he says. Amy smirks. The Doctor follows her back to the TARDIS. He slams the doors behind them and drags her over to the control panel. "Now. Can you remember how to fly her?" He asks.
Amy rolls her eyes at the old joke between them. "River taught me. I can fly her just fine" she teases. The Doctor squeezed her shoulder. "Brilliant. I'll leave you to it" he says. Amy looks alarmed and the Doctor laughs. "Don't panic, Pond" he says.
Amy rolls her eyes and bats the Doctor away when he starts breathing down her neck. "Stop it. Go and make a cup of tea" she says finally, when the TARDIS is inside the vortex. The Doctor drags her down to the kitchen and hands her a mug of tea. "Drink!" He says.
Amy giggles and collapses into an armchair. "Well I wasn't expecting to be here this time yesterday" she says. "Ah. Yes. Sorry for dropping in on you like that" the Doctor says. "That's okay Doctor-" she yawns. "How long will they be?" She adds. The Doctor shrugs. "Don't know. Maybe a few hours" he says.
Amy yawns again and stretches. "I am exhausted. Did you mean to land at almost eleven o'clock at nigh?" She asks. The Doctor looks sheepish. "I wasn't really concentrating" he says. " I was more... Worried about River than anything else" he adds. Amy smiles. "That's okay Doctor" she says.
The Doctor sits down in an armchair next to her. "Want to get some rest? I can, what's that expression you use? 'Hold the fort?'" The Doctor teases. Amy yawns again. "Nah. It's ok"
Almost three hours later, Amy is fast asleep and the Doctor has watched there entire stock of Battlestar Galactica and even most of the jammy Dodgers the TARDIS owns. Rory appears in the doorway looking absolutely exhausted. The Doctor jumps up.
"How is she?" He asks. "Asleep. She'll be fine in a few days" Rory says taking the Doctor's recently vacated seat. "Can I see her?" The Doctor asks. Rory nods. "Sure. I have no idea where her room is. She'll be asleep for another six hours. I had to put her right under" he says. The Doctor claps him on the shoulder.
"Thank you Rory" he says. Rory smiles. "Oh, you and Amy are staying here for a few days. Her idea" the Doctor says. Rory rolls his eyes. "Fine. Do we still have a bedroom?" He asks. The Doctor nods enthusiastically. "Yep. Same place as before" he says and disappears towards sickbay.
He pushes the door open softly and slips in. River is curled up on her side under the thin hospital blanket. She looks small and tired. The Doctor brushes her hair back and gently picks her up. She stirs slightly and curls up to his chest.
The Doctor smiles. He pushes open a door and slides in. He hasn't been inside River's room for a long time and it looks almost identical to the last time. He nudges the duvet out of the way and places River in the centre of the bed. She sighs softly and he pulls the covers over her.
"Sleep well" he whispers. He slips out and closes the door.