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“Are you sure you gonna be okay?” Amy asked him for the thousandth time while carrying her travel case to Rory’s car outside of the house.
“Relax, Pond, I’ll be just fine.” He answered the same thing he had all the thousand times before. “It’s just a few days, right? Nothing will happen, there’s no need to worry.”
“Well…” She seemed a little doubting. “Please, behave. Don’t try to fix anything in the house, or improve it, nothing here needs improvement. Don’t make weird experiments with the neighbors’ cats. Don’t paint my walls blue because ‘it’s prettier’. And, I beg, you don’t wreck the house with an alien invasion. It was a gift of yours, you don’t want to destroy something you gave to your best friends, am I right?”
“Amy, Amy, Amy…” He singsang, rising from her sofa. “Everything will be alright, stop worrying so much. Go visit your parents, give them my best wishes, the house will be here when you come back. I’ll take care of everything! Don’t you trust me? I can be responsible!”
“Okay, I’ll trust you this time…” But she seemed a little concerned anyway.
“Great!” He pushed Amy outside, where Rory was closing the trunk already. “Go and enjoy yourselves!”
“Amy probably told you already, but Doctor, please, don’t destroy our home. We like it just the way it is, you don’t need to upgrade our blender or washing machine… Just watch the cubes in silence and peace.” Rory gave him the last instructions while getting inside the car, where Amy was waiting for him.
“Noted, centurion sir!” he gave him a little playful salute. “Bye Ponds!”
“And don’t try to cook, you would explode my oven!” Amy yelled, but the door was already closed. “Should I start searching for another place for us to live?” She asked Rory.
“Maybe in another country. Just in case.” He signed.
Back in the Pond’s house, first the Doctor thought it would be cool. Now he was the ruler of the house! There was nobody to tell him to take his shoes of the sofa or the stop eating fish fingers. ‘It’s not healthy!’ they said, but guess who was over than one thousand years, and who was only in her thirties! Exactly!
But when he closed the door and sat back on the sofa… Well, there was nobody. He felt lonely.
“What we should do next, little cube?” He looked at the plain black object for some seconds. “Well, of course, you will not answer me, you’re a thing. You have no mouth. Although once I had a dog which was also a robot, so he had no mouth as well, and yet he used to answer. I miss K9, he was a good dog. You’re just a rude cube.”
He stood up, flexing his arms in the top of his head. Maybe he could watch some tv? Or play a little of Wii? Perhaps read a book?
He would be alone anyway, and he was tired of feeling that way. After Donna, he had traveled alone for a long time, running away from his own death (because last himself was freaking selfish and vain), and even nowadays, he was most of the time traveling alone. But he didn’t like it, he enjoyed being with people and sharing stuff with them. Places, stories, memories, he wasn’t made to be by himself.
Looking at the blank ceiling, he wanted someone to be there with him, even just to sit by his side and hold his hand through the afternoon, quietly drinking cups of tea with too much sugar. In other words, he wanted River to share these moments.
And about it, he could do something.
Jumping from his seat, he rushed himself into the backyard, where his wonderful TARDIS was waiting for him. Entering her and pressing a couple of buttons, he traveled through the vortex, parking outside River’s cell in Stormcage.
And she was there, reading some book while cuddling in bed, her fluffy blanket wrapping her body. He couldn’t help smiling.
“Fancy a little trip, honey?” He asked, using his screwdriver to sonic the lock before she could answer.
“Well, why not?” She closed her book, hiding it under her pillow, and smoothing down her clothes before his arms encircled her into a hug. “Hello sweetie, how are you?” She kissed him briefly.
“Better now.” He gave her the most cliché answer ever, but she smiled anyway, going inside the TARDIS, who hummed warmly to her.
“And where are we going?” River enquired while her husband started to press the wrong buttons and her to correct every one of them.
“Actually, we are going to your parents’ house…” He scratched the back of his head and avoided her look. “I have to… Well, watch some cubes. I’ll explain it.”
“We have time right now, since we are, apparently, doing nothing.” She replied, signing. The TARDIS was once more landed on the Pond’s backyard, and both of them emerged from the time machine.
“There are these little black cubes, and they just appeared all over the world one day. We think it’s something alien, and although they seem harmless, we are monitoring them anyhow.” He opened the door, and as the gentleman he actually was, gave her space to enter into the kitchen. “I’m spending some time here, with your parents, but the traveled this weekend to visit her parents, and left me alone here to…”
“It’s very brave of them, letting you alone on their house, I must admit.” River interrupted him, getting a grimace in return.
“You don’t interrupt me, please, especially to make fun of me. I am very responsible!” He pouted.
“Okay, I’ll pretend I believe it. You truly are the most responsible person in the room, sweetie. Please, continue.” She sat on the sofa, pushing him with her to sit by her side.
“Anyway, they left me alone here to watch the cubes.” The Doctor manned his head to the coffee table, where one of the blocks was resting on the top of a book. “But I didn’t want to be alone, being alone sucks. So I thought ‘why don’t I call my lovely wife? She can make some company to me.’ And here we are.”
“Well, you didn’t exactly call me, yes? It was more ‘show up on her doorstep’.”
“I tried, you didn’t pick up your phone.” He shrugged.
“I most certainly leant it with someone.” She rolled her eyes; although she was sure nobody tried to call her this afternoon.
“What are you implying?” He would raise an eyebrow if he had any.
“Absolutely nothing, my love.” She gave him a bright smile, and he got distracted. “So what do we do now?”
“Hm… May I offer you a cup of tea? I could do it, a cup of tea.” The Doctor held her hand between his, squeezing softly. “I suppose be indoors for a while will not hurt us. Actually, it can be nice, don’t you think? Let’s play domestic for a couple of days.”
“Yeah, I think it is okay, let’s try. And I’ll accept your tea.”
“Great!” He hurried back into the kitchen, opening some cabinets in a search for cups and bags of tea. “Can you check if there is milk in the fridge, please River?”
He found some lovely cups, with flowers and birds drawn, and a kettle with the same pattern. “River will like it,” he thought, and he was, more than anything, trying to please her. It’s what a good husband would do.
“Ops, there is none. Amy probably thought you wouldn’t need it since you too often forget to eat.” She closed the door of the fridge with a sign “Do you want me to go buy more? Or it’s okay to drink our tea without milk?”
“No, let’s go buy more. I’ll go with you, it’ll be quick.” He turned off the heat, the water still lukewarm, and followed her to the front door. “We can get more English Breakfast as well… They basically only have mint tea here, and even though I actually like mint, it isn’t English Breakfast, right? The Queen drinks it!”
“And since when do you care about what the Queen drinks?” She wondered, opening the door to see that, suddenly, it was very chill outside, and she had no coat.
“Who do you think introduced her into that wonderful tea? She said I look a bit like her husband, but I disagree… I am charmer than him.” He looked outside as well, and seeing it was cold, took off his coat and placed it on her shoulders.
“It isn’t needed, my love.” She started taking it off, although she appreciated the act.
“Keep it, please.” He put one hand on her shoulder, with warm eyes and a soft voice. “I’ll be okay, and I don’t want you to catch a cold.”
“Okay.” She gave him a little smile full of significance, holding his hand tight with gratitude.
They walked down the street to the little market on the corner. The street and the market itself were strangely empty as if the whole city had traveled on a normal Friday afternoon when everybody should be working or studying… Well, maybe it explains things as well.
It was drizzling, and the raindrops in River’s hair were making the Doctor a little absent-minded because it was so much important to think about how those tiny droplets got the light and made her hair look more wonderful and glossy if it was possible. Lost in thought, he may have stumbled a thousand times, never falling because River was always there to hold him.
Somehow (quite frankly, because of River), they managed to make it alive. The inside of the shop was warm and dry, but River kept his coat anyway. It made her feel better, and he didn’t discuss it: River keeping it made him feel good too as if there was a low heat on his hearts.
“Perhaps is a good idea to get some food as well?” River suggested when they found the milk in a refrigerator at the back of the market. “You may not eat, but I do, you know? I bet you didn’t think about it when you invited me.”
“Oi! I do eat!... Whenever the mood strikes... And of course I thought! We are at your parents’ house, they eat too, and there is food there. There isn’t milk, yes, but it’s a different thing.”
“Why is it different?” She linked their arms while searching for something to eat.
“Milk is demanded thing, people need it to make their tea, and tea is really important. Carrots and cabbage are dispensable: you don’t need it to survive or so. That’s why the milk always runs out first.”
“Are you saying that drink tea is more important than feed yourself?” She couldn’t help but laugh.
“Exactly! Did you know that a human being can live almost a week without food, but without water, it’s just a day or two? So tea is more important than food! Ha!”
“I’ve never denied or discussed, sweetie. We are just talking.” She said, trying to decide what kind of pasta was better, tagliatelle or fusilli.
“I like to be right, that’s all.” He took the package off of her hand. “And it doesn’t look like the fish fingers we will eat tonight.”
“We most certainly won’t, sweetie. Only you can manage to eat it.” River took the pasta back, looking incredulous at him.
“Your parents did eat once!” He tried to defend himself. “It was not that bad!”
“They must have been crazy, that’s the only explanation. But calm down,” she patted his hand “you will have your fish fingers and your custard. Breath.”
“Fine.” The Doctor huffed. “But we are going to buy Jammie Dodgers too.”
“As you wish, my love.”
In the end, she didn’t buy the pasta, but some eggs, under the argument that “was harder for him destroy the kitchen with just eggs, so her parents’ house would get by”. Since Jammie Dodgers didn’t need cooking, she let him buy it too.
“River, I swear, I can make the best of the omelets, you’ll see. I had classes with the best people on the omelet business; I am the most qualified person around.” He said when they were leaving the market, only to see that it was raining a lot.
“It seems like we are stuck here.” She signed, thinking about what that much of humidity will do with her hair.
“Of course we are not.” He said, grabbing her hand. “Fancy a run?”
“Isn’t it what we always do?” She smiled.
“I suppose it is… Are you complaining, miss?” He raised an eyebrow at her, or tried to.
“Not at all. It helps me to be always fit.”
“I thought it was another thing that we do quite frequently that helps you.” There was a little smug smile on his face.
“Well, that too. It’s mainly that, don’t worry.” She winked and his smile grew bigger.
“So there is no time to lose!” He shouted, dragging her running into the rain.
When they finally got into the Pond’s home, they were both soaked, but with big smiles on their faces. He was kind of enjoying it, being domestic for a while, despite his previous belief that it would be boring even if River was there. Gladly, he was wrong, and, of course, he was: nothing with River Song on it would be boring; the woman was the entertainment in person, to begin with.
And… he was in love with her, madly and deeply in love. He couldn’t judge anything less that amazing with her by his side, because everything got a special light when she was there and everything, actually, looked a little bit pale by comparison. River was always the most beautiful thing his eyes could lay on and, at the same time, the universe was more alluring if she was with him.
Sometimes, he was sure that he had been looking at her like a little puppy, marveled by her presence and aura, mostly because he marveled for real.
She was gone for a bath while he was storing the few things they had bought. It was a blessing for him that River was occupied, because, while running, he had broken one or two eggs and she probably would call him names if she saw it. Names as careless, clumsy and idiot, and he knew he was nothing of this (okay, maybe a little clumsy, he couldn’t deny).
But, anyway, he took care of the mess and, when she was back, everything seemed in place: fresh milk in the refrigerator, Jammie Dodgers laying neatly on the plate and eggs already becoming a delicious omelet.
“It smells so good, sweetie.” She looked over his shoulder at the fridge. “It seems small, though. Are you sure you are using all the eggs we bought?”
“Pretty sure, my dear.” He gave her a nervous smile, praying to her not go to the outside where some of her eggs were in the trash.
“Well…” She nicked one of his biscuits, sitting at the kitchen’s table. “What do we do now?”
“I’ve just painted the fence, but if you are really that bored…” He turned 180 degrees, spinning on his heels in a motion too fluid for someone who could trip on his own limbs. Indeed too fluid, because the omelet went everywhere, except for her plate. “Ops!”
“And here goes my dinner…” She sighed almost sadly, but it was expected: of course he would manage to stumble with her food, salt it or, didn’t matter how, ruin it. “But if it makes you happy, it looked really good, although a little wee.”
“Er… It was little because… Well…” His eyes went to the ceiling in order to not face her anger. “I broke some while running…” His voice was so low that it was barely a whisper.
“You what?!” She listened anyway. “I knew I couldn’t trust you the eggs! I hope that, at least, you hadn’t done a mess.”
“Oh no, everything is fine. I tied it up and put it outside, on the trash.” He huffed. “Well, do you want me to go outside and buy some more eggs? I could go if you want.”
“Don’t worry, sweetie.” She sighed. “I’m not really that hungry. I’ll be fine. Why don’t you go and take a quick shower, so we can spend some time together after it?”
“And why don’t you go with me?” He asked with a little smug smile, encircling her waist and resting his chin on her shoulder.
“Because, as you can see, I’ve just taken one.” She turned inside his embrace, facing him and deliberately kissing his jaw, what made him shiver.
“Damn.” He chuckled. “I’ll be right back!” And he left the room winking at her and almost tripping over his own feet.
While her husband was off, River seized the chance to cook something without his daffy attempts. She made the tea, putting just the amount of sugar she knew the Doctor enjoyed, and made some popcorn as well. Maybe they could snuggle on the sofa and watch a movie… I seemed so… Normal. Nice. It was nice.
A warm feeling spread on River’s chest and she couldn’t help smiling fondly: the shower was running upstairs and the Doctor was humming a silly song, and she couldn’t love this man more. Her husband. And he loved her back. A version of his husband who knew her and some alone time to just enjoy each other… Oh, she must be dreaming. This only could be a dream.
Just in case, she pinched her forearm, and it hurt. Well, seemed like it was the reality. And she smiled more.
“I’m back!” Her joyful husband exclaimed a few moments after, with his sleeves rolled up and not wearing his suspenders anymore. “Oh, you made popcorn!” He picked a handful of them, dropping some on the floor. “Are we watching something?”
“Yes, you can choose something on the telly. And stop soiling the kitchen!” She slapped softly his hand since he was sneaking again some popcorn.
“Pity. I thought we were doing something else. I even wore fewer clothes, you know, in order to easy your job.”
“Seems like the kitchen is not the only filthy thing this night…” She raised an eyebrow at him, playfully.
“It’s your influence, Doctor Song.” And then he looked her from top to bottom, with a smirk. “And nice legs. Really nice legs.”
“Oh man, give me some time. Go pick a movie to us to watch.” But she was smiling, and he smiled too.
“Your wish is my order, ma’am!” He rushed into the living room, while she cleaned the mess he had made.
And then they had a lovely night, watching half a movie (the Doctor had already watched this one and couldn’t stop giving her spoilers about the end) and then getting into the greatest popcorn war in the history. And after that, cleaning up everything.
Later that night, while they were holding each other in the guest’s room after the best part of the night (according to the Doctor), he found a popcorn entangled in her hair, and he couldn’t stop laughing. And couldn’t be happier.