Yowzah Oneshot Collection (2)

132(G)

   i get the joy of rediscovering you

melodypond_thewomanwhomarriedme

She sank to her knees in the living room and cried.

She cries for her parents, for the Doctor, for her marriage and for herself because oh, River why couldn’t you just suck it up? She cries over the things she’d said because she knows just how totally accurate they were. She cries because she’s a bloody obligation and the Doctor hadn’t even tried to correct her. She cries because there used to be three people in the universe she’d die for and all three have left her. She cries because her parents spent the rest of their lives loving each other – and she can’t ever have that. Not with the person she wants.

She buries her face in her hands and cries and cries and cries until she can’t manage it. There’s no tear left to squeeze out. She pushes her tear soaked hair out of the way and lifts her head to inspect the space around her. Thank God she never allowed the Doctor to set foot in this place because she doesn’t think she can deal with anything that reminds her of him now.

Pushing herself up on unsteady knees, she makes her way to the bathroom to change. She might as well try to catch up on some sleep while she’s here. She moves on autopilot – half-conscious of her actions – and when she puts baby oil in her hair instead of conditioner, she decides to call it a day.

She sinks down on the edge of the bed and is about to get comfortable when her eye catches the empty hook behind the bedroom door where their bow tie used to hang, and she stands abruptly –

His eyes are cold and uncaring as he holds their bow tie out of the Tardis doors, the wind outside making the thin fabric fly every which way. He holds it between two fingers, as if even touching the fabric makes him disgusted. He holds it as if it’s just that – a bow tie, of no significance to him, who has so many.

She has just the one.

She doesn’t move a muscle, doesn’t even dare to open her mouth because he’s holding that bow tie like it’s a piece of garbage to be disposed of instead of their wedding ring. He’s holding it like it isn’t one of her most treasured possessions – even though he knows damn well what that piece of cloth means to her, and if he dares to –

He lets go of it. Of her.

“Don’t bother coming back.”

“Don’t bother waiting for me.”

– and heads to the liquor cabinet.

*

She remembers suddenly.

It’s two days later, and she’s in the middle of planning various lessons when suddenly she recalls –

“Professor River Song!”

She twirls around, a sharp scolding on her tongue when suddenly her tongue is quite occupied. She stills for a moment, her reflexes still alert when she realises just who had decided it was a good idea to make out with her while she’s in the middle of a lecture. Suddenly aware of all the students staring wide-eyed at the sight of their Professor snogging a stranger in the middle of class, she eases apart from the Doctor and wipes a trace of lipstick she left at the corner of his mouth.

She turns to her class, smirking as the Doctor turns red with embarrassment when he realises where they are. She raises an eyebrow at him and says dryly, “Sorry, everyone. My husband has yet to learn how to keep his hands off me.”

The tension in the room breaks instantly as the students start murmuring to each other, no doubt gossiping about their Professor being married when she didn’t even wear a ring. A student in the front row mutters loudly, “Lucky git.” and the Doctor nods wholeheartedly, gazing at River like she’s the sun. She smiles, blushing slightly.