Yowzah Oneshot Collection (2)

52(G)

I'll Show You The Way (The Way I'm Going)

                         hihoplastic

The Doctor spins toward the door as the TARDIS lands, lips curving up despite himself. “Doctor Song! Excellent timing.”

River closes the door behind her. “You picked me up, dear.”

He waves her off. “Yes, well we’re both excellent, then - at lots of things - dancing and Vetivian Skiing and solving timey whimey monster crises.”

“There’s a problem?”

He throws the TARDIS into flight and turns to face her. “Dracnoids in London.”

River nods, amending his flight patterns absently. “I met a Dracnoid once. Grabby fellow.”

The Doctor frowns, flustered, and shakes his head. “There’ll be none of that,” he says, with just enough jealousy to make her smile. “Got a call from UNIT--”

“You answered your phone?”

The Doctor hesitates, scratching the back of his neck awkwardly. “Well, no, not exactly.”

River arches an eyebrow and waits, letting him dance around the console aimlessly. He’s fidgety, more so than usual, and she can guess the reason why. Finally he sighs and leans across her, pressing the button on the answer phone. A smooth, familiar voice filters through, and River’s eyes widen.

“Is that Martha Jones?”

“You’ve met?”

“No.” She shakes her head. “Always wanted to,” she enthuses, half-listening to the message. “There’s a section of my thesis on her. She’s brilliant.”

“Yes, she is. Saved the whole world.”

“I know.”

The Doctor halts, frowning. “You remember that?”

River hesitates. “Sort of. Not as well as you, I’m sure.” She watches his face carefully, and when he flinches away she drops the subject, returning his attention to the problem at hand. “So. Dracnoids?”

“Yes, big Dracnoids, apparently. There’s a nest in Bexley and UNIT refuses to negotiate on the basis of not speaking Dracnoi - which is just ridiculous, really, because I speak everything.”

“Except baby.”

“Including baby,” he stresses. “You should know.” River rolls her eyes fondly. “There’s bound to be danger and running and explosions and things, so I thought you might enjoy it.”

“I don’t want to interfere,” she says carefully, “I know you don’t get to see much of her anymore.”

The Doctor scoffs. “Of course you aren’t interfering, don’t be ridiculous. It’s just your type of adventure! You might even get to shoot stuff.”

He sounds excited, his voice brimming with anticipation, but he looks away from her as he speaks, concentrating intently on the blank scanner, his shoulders pressed tightly together. He risks a glance at her every so often, but never holds her gaze, and River lowers her voice.

“You don’t want to face her alone,” she guesses gently.

The Doctor straightens, eyes narrowing. “I never said that.”

River shakes her head. “You didn’t have to, sweetie.”

There’s a long silence, and she doesn’t press. Doesn’t ask. When the pause drags and he looks away, she excuses herself to change, giving him time alone, time to process what he does and doesn’t want to tell her. She’d old enough to know, now - which burdens he’ll let her share.