Yowzah Oneshot Collection (1)

151(M)

       Yet still I love thee without art

        mygalfriday (BrinneyFriday)

“Are you sure you’ll be alright?”

Standing in the doorway of the TARDIS, a little cottage at her back that represents freedom for her and the beginning of the last chapter for him, River looks up at him with concern in her green eyes. “I could stay a bit longer, you know. No rush in a time machine.”

He shakes his head; thumb tenderly tracing the line of her jaw. Truthfully, he’s afraid the longer she stays, the more difficult it’s going to be to let her leave. And this version of her is so close to the end that sometimes it’s all he can do to look her in the eye. “Got to be on my own sometime.” He offers her a smile. “The wife won’t always be around to babysit.”

Smirking, she walks her fingers up his chest and toys with his bowtie, fingers sliding fondly over silk fabric. “Is that what you call it?”

“Well… there is a lot of sitting.” He flushes. “And laying.”

Her eyes sparkle and her grin widens. “Lots of laying,” she murmurs, and yanks him down by the bowtie for a kiss. “And standing and leaning and -”

Chuckling, the Doctor cuts her off with another kiss before she begins to name every position they’ve ever found themselves in. Considering her timeline, it would be quite an extensive list. She melts into him with a sigh, fingers curling around the lapels of his jacket as she sways toward him.

“Promise me,” she breathes when they finally part.

He kisses her nose; mesmerized by the way her eyelids flutter, like delicate butterfly wings. “Anything.”

“Promise me you won’t travel alone.” When he stiffens, she opens her eyes fully, her gaze narrowed and all playfulness gone now. “I know you think you don’t, but you need someone, Doctor. I can’t leave unless I know you’re going to go find someone else to tag along.”

“Tag along?” He huffs. “I don’t go on field trips, River.”

She frowns at him, tapping her foot.

Sighing, he nods once. “Fine. I’ll find someone.”

“Promise?”

He smiles and looks her right in the eye as he lies, “I promise.”

Seemingly satisfied, she takes a step back from the TARDIS and into her garden with a sad smile. “See you soon, sweetie.”

Shutting the door and leaving her behind leaves a heavy ache in his chest and once the TARDIS is spinning through the vortex once more, the Doctor feels the absence of his wife like a weight on his shoulders. With River near, it is so much easier to pretend he is okay, that eventually the loss of the Ponds will stop hurting and there will be hope for the future. With River, he almost believes his own act.