Yowzah Oneshot Collection (1)

122(M)

               Until the day break and the shadows flee away, turn, my beloved

                       leiascully

He shows up on her doorstep, lounging against the wall with his hands in his pockets.

"Doctor," she says guardedly. She's never sure when she's meeting him. He looks old enough, but she's been wrong before. Last time she saw him, he barely knew her. "Is that a new suit?"

"You like it?" he asks, and that smirk lets her know it's her Doctor, the right time and place. "It's micro-tailored or some nonsense. What marvels of technology you have in the fifty-first century."

"What, Gallifrey wasn't chock-a-block with instant microtailors on every corner?" she asks him, setting her hip against the door frame.

"Nah," he says, sauntering across the hallway and slipping an arm around her waist. She tips her face up for his kiss, and oh, isn't he a welcome change from all her books? He feels good against her and he smells good and the low rumble of his voice as he murmurs that he's glad to see her is like Old High Gallifreyan to her ears.

"Cheeky," she tells him. "You come round to my gaff, taking liberties with my person, just expecting to be invited in after I haven't seen you for ages."

"No," he says, and there's something in his smile she can't quite place.

"No?"

"I don't expect to be invited in," he tells her, stroking her back as if he's not even paying attention to where his hands are wandering. She loves this thing between them, the easy familiarity with which he touches her. Lately in her timeline she's been spending all her time pining after him while he stands in the same room and peers at her from under his hair, not sure what to make of her.

"Well, that makes a change," she says. "Usually you can't wait to come inside."

"Ah, but tonight, my River," he says, tapping her on the nose with one finger, "we are going out."

"Out where?"

"You can change in the TARDIS, if you like," he says, ignoring her question. "I think she's whipped up something for you in the wardrobe. The old girl's been missing you. Wouldn't let up, kept bleeping at me. 'Date with River' practically burned into the monitors. She wouldn't let me put in any coordinates but yours. Kept telling her she was a time machine, there was no way I was going to be late."

"She likes the way I handle her," River murmurs. "All right then, Mister Mysterious Doctor. Lead on." She locks the door behind her without bothering to grab anything. The TARDIS will provide. She always has. The Doctor actually holds her hand as they walk to the beautiful blue box, sitting there innocently anachronistic on the corner of the road.

"Is this going to be a special night, then?" River asks him.

"Oh, sweetie," he says, "one neither of us will ever forget." He snaps his finger and the door of the TARDIS swings open. "Tsch, and now look, you've got me using your silly endearments."

"Well, now I know it's a special night," she teases him. "Have you cut your hair?"

He jerks his chin at her, smiling. "Go on then."

She steps over the threshold into the warm homey light of the TARDIS. "Where is the wardrobe at the moment?"

He's already fiddling with the control panel, bless. "Ask her," his voice floats over to her. "She'll show you where to go."

River concentrates on the wardrobe and just like that, the TARDIS puts the map in her mind. "Oh, it's next to the swimming pool now, is it?" she murmurs. "You're a clever one." She trails her fingers along the side of the corridor, a little caress for a venerable old lady. She loves this ship, just about about much as she loves the man who flies it. They've all been in this together a long time now.