The TARDIS Makes A Choice

After that awkward conversation, the Doctor sat in the TARDIS, pondering. He had many things to ponder, after all. He was going to be a father? He'd been a father of sorts before... A lifetime ago. She'd been sweet… and too much like him. It hurt his hearts to remember her and the violence that had befallen her.

He sighed and laced his fingers, resting his chin on them. Could he possibly deal with another child? It wasn't too late to change history… was it? His brow furrowed. To go and change something that could become monumental to his timestream… It could easily rip a hole in the universe. Furthermore… Could he do that to River? She'd seemed so happy. She truly wanted this child… He didn't think he could find it in himself to take that from her. Even if it hurt him.

Slowly the ancient man stood up and looked at his console. Leaning against the various switches, he gazed gently toward the center where he knew her soul lay.

"What do you think, old girl? We've never had a child aboard before… Could be fun. Could mess everything up. I'll leave it up to you. You know what needs to happen." He waited a moment, then sighed and turned away. Nothing. He wasn't a father. He'd just go on and travel space and time again, he supposed… eleven hundred and fifteen years old and he was still running away…

Suddenly the room grew a little warmer, a small air conditioned breeze drifting past his cheek. Almost as if caressing it. He flushed and turned just in time to see a knob turn on its own. The main switch flipped, signaling the signature noise. The Doctor grinned. She had made her choice, so now he would make his. Spinning around the different controls, he sent her back five weeks before.



River wasn't in her cell when he arrived. She must be off with him somewhen and somewhere, doing something spectacular.  He waited nervously. He wasn't sure what he expected to do. Well, he knew how it worked, of course, but still. A flush came to his face.

River Song came gliding in, humming an operatic aria and holding a pair of Victorian-era opera glasses. A smile was spread on her lips and she untucked her springy hair from the net casing it.

"A beautiful opera, my love… I do so enjoy a good show." She closed her cell door and replaced the lock, then turned and gasped.

"Doctor!" She blinked and turned, looking around, "But I just- Oh, why do I bother asking, you appear when you will." She smiled and embraced him. The Doctor hesitatingly returned the gesture. River cocked her head and looked at him.

"Now what has a bee in your bonnet? You haven't been so shy with me before." The Doctor flushed deeper and hooked his thumbs through his suspenders, rocking back on his feet. River frowned a little. "What is it? Something is wrong, tell me…"

The Doctor sat on the cell cot and looked at his wife. The Doctor's Wife. Married in a timeline that no longer existed. That had never existed. The woman who would apparently bear his child. He gulped. But that was in the future, now wasn't it?

"River…" She sat beside him, staring at him curiously with those round grey-green eyes of hers, fringed with dark lashes. It only made him more flustered to look into those eyes. To hide it, he pulled her close and held her to his chest.

"Do you want to have children with me?" River blushed. She couldn't see his face, and he couldn't see her eyes tear up as she embraced him gently and buried her face against his neck. There was no way he could know that she'd wanted children for a while, but that knowing the Doctor made that possibility almost impossible. She wasn't sure what he was asking of her, but she smiled.

"Yes, Doctor. I do want to have children with you." She pulled back to look at him, but the Doctor panicked and kissed her, forcing her down against the bed. River flushed. Then things got complicated. Both anomalies fought for domination, River's fierceness combated by the Doctor's determination. Limbs locked, and the pair rolled off of the small cot with a shared yelp.

"This is a bad idea here." River looked down at him. The Doctor blushed. There was another place, but… It really wasn't a good idea to create the child there. But before he could protest, River had pulled him up by the ends of his bow tie and half dragged him to the TARDIS. She reached into his pocket and pulled out the little key, opened the doors, and pushed him inside, following close behind and kicking the doors shut. They stumbled up the stairs toward one of the many bedrooms and collapsed there. All hell broke loose.



River lay in her cot once more, gently sleeping. The Doctor pulled on his tweed coat and turnd to leave.

"Goodbye, Doctor…" He flinched and turned back. She was staring at him again. He felt bad about leaving…

"River…"

"No, it's alright, I understand… Just come see me again soon, alright, my love?" He nodded, and watched River roll over.

"You really shouldn't stay here anymore… Even if you believe you deserve it… I can't let you stay here." Then he went back to his TARDIS and left until the next time, a new worry on his mind.