Warning

He could have warned her, River thought, rolling her eyes as she saw this man, this new man that she knew was her Doctor. The last time she'd seen him, at the Singing Towers of Darillium, he had been completely different. Regeneration did that to a person. Of course she had her spotters guide; pictures of all the Doctor's faces in her diary, but still, it was polite to warn her. To tell her that the next time she would see him his tweed jacket and bowtie would be swapped for converse and a blue pinstriped suit. But she smirked; this new body was rather nice, a bit prettier than before. She would forgive him. She always did.

River Song stepped forward and he stared at her, of course he couldn't see her properly, not while she had her helmet and full space suit on. So when she was close enough, she reached a hand up, pressing a button on the back of her helmet, and the soft blue lights turned on, lighting up her face. She smiled at him fondly, "Hello Sweetie,"

River wasn't sure what she'd expected, after all this was a different man, though still of course, her Doctor. He could be so different though, and all she knew of this form was his love of bananas, hatred of pears, and absence of ginger hair. What she did not expect, however, was for him to just stare at her blankly at her and abruptly skip over 'hellos' to go straight to a sharp "Get out." His voice was rather harsh she thought, and that, mixed with the dark, dangerous eyes that lacked any twinkle of recognition, hurt.

His companion, whoever she was murmured his name in soft confusion but he ignored her and instead walked past River to speak to her entire team, "All of you turn around, get back in your rocket and fly away!" he called pointing up to the sky, "Tell your grandchildren you came to The Library and lived, they won't believe you,"

River ignored him, "Pop your helmets everyone, we've got breathers,"

She couldn't believe him when he had to ask her profession, or, after she introduced herself, he complimented her like he'd never heard the name before. It wasn't until later when she was pulling her diary and thanking him for showing up that she said it. Words of pure denial.

She had hoped… the last time she saw him, this young him, at the crash of the Byzantium, he'd seemed to know her, know her enough at least. But this him… He was young.

"You're doing a very good job, acting like you don't know me; I'm assuming there's a reason."

"A fairly good one actually,"

She knew, had known from the second his cold eyes found hers, but still she pointlessly asked if he'd done the Byzantium, and Asgard, adventures she knew were in his future and when he confirmed her fears she caressed his cheek, trying not to cry, and she told him how impossibly young he was.

A memory, from America, it was strange and distant, she knew she'd been there, in Florida, underground in deep and completely secret tunnels, with her father, with Rory, but the memories were blurred. She'd been unlocking a door, and talking about the Doctor.

"The day is coming, when I'll look into that man's eyes, and he won't have the faintest idea who I am."

It seemed that day was today. And she knew in that moment, as she whispered a soft plea and his soft brown eyes searched her face, she knew she had been right. He murmured three little words that broke her hearts more than any last she'd ever experienced before. This was going to kill her.

END