Yowzah Oneshot Collection (1)

77(G)

He wiped the tears from his cheek, took a deep breath to calm himself, and felt a smile cross his face. He of all people acting all humany-wumany. It had been so long since he had felt this way—allowed himself to feel this way. But it was time. It had been too long since he enjoyed being around those he loved, and even better, those who loved him back. He shook his head slightly at the thought. Spinning on his heels, his tongue was about to let loose a quip about the dinner's menu when his eyes fell on her. The deep breath he'd just taken immediately vacated his lungs in a single word.

"River," he breathed.

"Hello, Sweetie," she answered with a grin. "Merry Christmas."

"You have no idea." He knew he was grinning like an idiot at the sight of her, but he didn't care. She looked radiant in a long, cream, v-neck jumper and black leggings, but then again she looked radiant in anything. Or nothing.

If just a moment ago he was ready to shed a few tears of joy, having her here was enough to make him possibly weep. But he shook off the exuberant excess emotion with a flick of his head.

"When are you?" she asked, out of reflex he assumed.

"With regards to you, it's been a while. About six months since the regatta on Molbus Prime."

She smiled at the memory. "I told you not to feed the ducks near the dock. As did a number of signs we passed."

He felt his chest puff out and chin rise in indignation. "It's not my fault that they were hungry, I had food, they followed us around all day, and that particular species has amplified sonic quacking."

She raised an eyebrow in argument.

"Well, most of that is not my fault anyway," he muttered. "What about you?"

"Four months since the Byzantium crashed."

"You told your parents I was still alive?"

"I did."

"Why?"

"Because you were too big of a coward to come do it yourself."

The comment made him take a sudden interest in his shoes. "I'm sorry," he said softly.

"For what?" she asked, stepping forward to reach for his cheek and stroke it gently.

He raised his right hand to cover her left. "I lied again. I told Madge that I didn't have a family, even though I knew full well that you all would be here. Be expecting me. Be waiting for me to turn up after all this time. I was selfish. I ran away and hid from you all because I thought that was best. I was wrong."

"Oh, sweetie, you were just trying to protect us. We know that."

He felt the tears threaten again, and couldn't control the few that slipped out.

He moved his hand into her curls and pulled her in for a kiss. It had been too long since he'd seen her, felt her. He missed it, this connection that ran so very deep. Somewhere in his brain, the small part that wasn't focused on the taste and smell of River Song, he heard measured and familiar footsteps coming their way before he heard Rory speaking in pained tones.

"Oh, kissing and crying. Right. I'll just come back later."

River pulled away with a smirk. "Oh, shut up, Dad."

"If you two can keep your hands and mouths to yourselves, dinner is ready," Rory announced before turning to head up the stairs. "River, show him to the dining room, please. I'll be back in a sec."

The Doctor reached out his hand to intertwine his fingers with hers, not quite ready to break all physical contact when a ruckus of noise erupted from the second story of the Pond home. Instinctively, his free hand moved to his inside his tweed to grab his sonic when River's laughter made him stop.