Yowzah Oneshot Collection (3)

175(G)

                            Capture

                             sullacat

There were many rooms tucked away in the TARDIS, hallways and closets and guest rooms, anything that was needed at the time. Down the hallway, behind the swimming pool stood the library. On the far side of the long room, by the fireplace, was a dark green sofa, large and wide and puffy. "I don't recall seeing this before," River sighed as she stretched out on it, kicking her feet up. "Nice addition."

The Doctor glanced over at the books on his shelves, looking over his shoulder at the sofa before turning back to search again, quite intently. "Donna," he said, fingers trailing the spines of several books. "Donna picked that up on Lapua, said the sofa in here before was lumpy." He took a small breath. "Why are these not in order, I know I had them in order..."

Even now, still hurting... "She was right." Even in the dim light of this room, River could read the sadness on his face when he said her name, the way something in his eyes died. "The last one in here was dreadful."

"Hmmm," all the response she got. Then he stopped, turning to look at her, book in hand. "When were you in here last?"

But River only put a finger to her lips, shaking her head. "Come here," she said, patting the seat next to her. "I want to draw you."

"Pardon?" he asked, the corners of his mouth turning up. He had the deepest laugh lines, this young body with the old eyes. They held every sadness, the pain of losing each one of his beloved companions, tucked away amidst the mirth.

She wanted to keep that look with her. "I want to draw you. Take off your jacket." Arching an eyebrow at her, the Doctor shrugged it off, dropping it across one of the chairs. "Now take off that ridiculous tie."

He sat down beside her, sulky. "You always mock my tie. Its a good tie."

"It makes your neck wrinkle up." She tugged at it until it opened, maroon strings against his shirt. "Better." Reaching for her small blue book, River found the next clean page and a pencil. Tucking her feet underneath her, she leaned back, and began sketching the large circle of his face.

"Let me see."

"I've only just started." Just like him to be impatient. Then again, River hadn't thought that he'd just sit still like this, but there he was, long legs stretched out in front of him. She'd thought that being observed like this would bother him, that sort of deep introspection that he constantly avoided. But no, he just sat there and watched her sketch, as if daring her to pull his real face out of the current one.

Daring her to find the real Doctor. As if she didn't know the real Doctor, better than he knew himself.

A few minutes passed before he spoke again. "Why are you doing this?"

To keep you with me forever. "I love this face the best."

Ah, now that got his attention. "How many times does my face change while I know you?" he asked, leaning forward, eyes sparking.

Another slight shake of the head, her curls spilling over her shoulders as she pushed him back. "Spoilers..."

"You and your spoilers."

"It was your rule, to be fair."

He rolled his eyes, the prat. "Well, yes, but right now I don't particularly care about that." It was starting, the fidgeting of his hands, the cracking of his ankle. That incessant need of his to move. "Let me see it."

"In a moment." It wasn't even particularly good, but it captured what she wanted. That look, his long angles, the way his chin jutted out proudly. And those eyes, damn them, it had been them that drawn her in when they first met, a lifetime ago. Or a lifetime from now. It was hard to explain. "There," she said, finishing with a hint of shading to that wild hair of his, covering his forehead. "Now, I can look at this and remember you, always." A piece of him to keep inside her, to take with her wherever she went.

"You could just stay with us for a bit."

She looked up, the words unexpected, at least, at this time. "But I can't," she told him lightly, a tight smile as they looked at each other.

"What is – why, River?" His hand reached for her leg, resting on her knee. His voice dropped to a near whisper. "What is out there that takes you away from me, that makes you go, just when things are getting interesting." But she didn't answer, just looked away, batting back the moisture. "You don't have to run off, not all the time. Stay. Even if just for one night, just... stay with me."

It was so tempting... his face moved close to hers and she felt his warm breath on her cheek. Then she felt her book pulled out of her hands, as grabby hands stole it from her. "Why you-"

"Oi!" The Doctor's face exaggeratedly crumbled looking down at the image in her book. "What rubbish," he grinned, "that looks nothing like me."

Prat. "Oh, but it does, my love."

"Hardly. Look at the nose on that poor bird." He touched his own. "Surely not."

Pulling him down on top of her, River let the book slip to the floor. They wrapped their arms around each other, no other worries, not now. "Oh my love," she kissed his neck, pleased at the feel of his hands on her. "Perhaps its time for you to put a mirror somewhere 'round here."