Yowzah Oneshot Collection (1)

130(G)

         Dark Days as Black as Night

TheDoctorAndRiversArmyOfPeppers

It was the end of the Doctor and River's first week on Darillium. They had a little cottage with a view of the Singing Towers and a little garden and were surprisingly happy.

But something about the Doctor had been worrying River. At the very beginning, she'd tried to not let it bother her much. But he was still avoiding certain questions and sometimes he'd cry silently when he thought she wasn't looking. And when they went to bed, he didn't fall asleep. He'd wait until she was out or he would sneak out to sleep in the TARDIS for an hour. She didn't know what was wrong and she wasn't sure how to ask him. But she knew she had to ask anyway. So she decided to dive straight in.

She found him in the kitchen, glaring at the kettle as if the shear force of his gaze could make the water boil faster. Maybe it could.

She went over to stand next to him and smiled, hoping she didn't look as nervous as she felt.

"Sweetie, what happened to you?"

"A lot of things have happened to me over the millennia. You'll have to be a bit more specific, dear," the Doctor said as he poured the now boiled water into the tea cups.

"I keep asking you things and you go all distant or start crying. And you won't fall asleep with me. Whatever caused that, that's what I'd like to know about."

The Doctor's face fell.

"I don't know if I..." he stopped talking and took in a deep breath.

"In your own time, my love. I won't rush you."

He stared at the work surface for a long second, trying to summon up the courage to tell her about his life since he last saw her. He knew from the first sleeptime on Darillium that he'd have to tell her sooner or later. He'd just hoped it wouldn't be this soon.

"Okay. Okay," he carried the cups of tea to the kitchen table and set them down before taking a seat. "I'll... I'll try."

River sat opposite him and he began his story.

He told her about Trensalore and how he got his new face. He told her what happened to Clara and about Trap Street. He told her what the Time Lords did to him in his confession dial and what happened on Gallifrey. And he told her about the nightmares that followed.

Then she understood. Then they both cried.

River snuck off to the TARDIS a couple of hours later. She ran her hand over the console and the ship hummed in a way she assumed was meant to be comforting. Because the old girl always knew when her watery one was upset.

"Were there ever any good days?" River asked the timeship. "Because he was so sad when he told me about it all. It can't all have been bad, can it? Was he ever happy?"

The ship bleeped cheerfully, which River took as a yes. She smiled briefly before thinking of another question.

"They weren't in his confession dial, were they? Those good days?"

The TARDISes lights dimmed until River could hardly see. No, not in there. There were never any good days in there.

The Doctor found River in the TARDIS control room a few minutes later.

"Are you alright?" he asked when he saw her depressed-looking face.