Chapter 9
River, Sweet River

There had to be a way. The Doctor couldn't just come this far and lose her. But what could he do? He had run out of ideas. Sane ones at least.

"Doctor?" Anita asked, bending down beside him.

"What?" he sobbed. "WHAT DO YOU WANT!"

"Is there anything we can do?"

"NO!" He buried his face in the mess of blonde curls. "Please. Just...leave me alone." The Doctor lifted his head to look at the people in his TARDIS. His eyes were filled with sorrow and pleaded for solitude.

Clara led the crew deeper into the TARDIS. She had faith that he would come up with a plan. It would only take some time for him to realize he had one.

"River? Sweetie? What do I do? What do I do?" He sobbed. He traced her jaw bone, her cheeks, down her neck. "I've run out of ideas. No way to save you...I couldn't ever tell you this, but when you hit, I was sort of turned on." He chuckled to himself. "And the hand cuffs! Oh the handcuffs! You would wear them, then I would wear them. I never could tell you this either, but the second time I saw you pull out the handcuffs, I nearly cried. Because the first time, they kept me from saving you. They made me watch you die. They made-" He looked up at the door, a look of deep thought on his face.

Could he? No, he couldn't. If it worked, River would never forgive him. And if it didn't, they would both be dead. Either way, he had an idea and whether or not they lived or died, he was going to try.

"Clara!" He yelled. Footsteps echoed down the hallways as she emerged from deep within the TARDIS.

"What?" she answered, running down the stairs.

"I have an idea. PROPER DAVE OR OTHER DAVE!" The Doctor stood up with River's body in his arms. Both Daves came into the console room. "One of you, take her body and go to the closet. Clara, change her. I want her out of that white suit and into something more comfortable. Do it quick." He handed her over to Proper Dave and watched as they disappeared to the closet.

"Okay. I need... the computer, lots and lots of wires, the tube, and an electro-magnetic crown." The Doctor said to himself. He ran down the stairs to the underside of the console. He opened a panel and began pulling wires out. He pulled out a metal circle with tines on the top.

"This could be my crown." he looped his arm through it and pulled out a couple more wires. He connected the ends until they became a single wire, running back up the stairs and plugged one end of the wire into the TARDIS.

He snapped his fingers and the double doors opened. The fire had been put out, but it still smelled like smoke. He ran his fingers over the computer, stopping to plug up the other end.

He ran back inside, snapping his fingers one last time. The Doctor went back down the stairs under the console. He grabbed a couple more wires out and connected one to the crown, running back up the stairs and connecting it to the TARDIS.

It was four thousand and twenty-two minds that passed through hers that burnt her mind out. But with help of the TARDIS and with just one mind, maybe it wouldn't burn his out.

He connected the tube to his wrist right above his right hand, careful not to draw blood. River's mind would pass through wires connected to the computer, to the TARDIS, through his head, and down into her own body.

"Please let this work." he said out loud. Proper Dave came down the stairs. They head dressed River in a golden silk gown that had no back in it and thin, braided straps. It was one of her favorites.

He laid her down in front of the Doctor who stuck the tube in the same spot his was.

"Doctor?" Clara asked. "What are you doing?"

"He's recreating what River did." Anita answered, horrified. "You can't do it, Doctor. It will kill you."

"A lot of things have almost killed me. But look, I'm still standing here! Well, technically sitting, but I'm alive." he countered. "Look, I'm doing this whether you like it or not. This is my wife and I have to save her."

He looked at his friends. " One of you will have to put this on my head."

No one spoke up to help him except Clara.

"I'll do it." she took the metal crown from him, holding it out from her like it was a snake ready to bite. The Doctor settled down criss-cross-apple-sauce style beside River's body.

"Clara. On the count of three, place that crown on my head and get back as fast as you can."

"One." He closed his eyes and took a deep breath.

"Two." everyone took a step back from the two on the ground.

"Three." Clara placed the grey circular crown on his head and jumped backwards into Proper Dave. The two went sprawling on the ground.

At first nothing happened. Then, the Doctor began to jolt, up and down, side to side, until he was screaming in pain.

Clara reached for the wires to stop the electrocution of the Doctor.

"DON'T YOU DARE! KEEP GOING!" He yelled. The tube that connected River and The Doctor began to glow a TARDIS blue. A liquid the same color began draining down into her.

The Doctor screamed out in pain one final time. He slumped to the ground beside River, his entire body smoking from the shock he had taken. A few seconds later, he passed out.

"Doctor?" a faint voice of a women echoed in his head."Doctor, open your eyes." The voice softly commanded. "Come on, Doctor, look at me."

Slowly his eyes began to open. The person in front of him made his hearts flutter.

"River?" he whispered.

"Hello sweetie." she whispered back.

Could this be a dream? A wonderful dream in which his stupid idea actually worked?

"You're...alive." he stated, still laying on the ground.

"Yes, I am. Can you stand?" she asked, a slight smile on her lips.

"I don't know. Help me up."

Proper Dave and Other Dave helped the Doctor to his feet. They let go so the alien could stand on his own.

"River, I-" The Doctor was cut off as River pulled him into a kiss. A long passionate kiss. He pulled her body closer to his, her arms wrapped around his neck, totally oblivious to the people gawking at them.

She pulled away. She swung her hand across the side of his face with a loud SMACK.

"OW!" He yelled, rubbing his red cheek. "What was that for?"

"For putting your life in danger." she told him, heatedly.

"I wasn't just going to let you sit in that computer!"

"Well, you should have!"

"Well, I wasn't!"

"You know I hate it when you try to save me and almost kill yourself! What would have happened if you'd died right then? You would make me wake up to you with your brains fried?" She yelled at him. The audience slowly receded in the TARDIS, leaving the squabbling couple to their selves.

You made me! I watched you die while I was hand cuffed to a pipe! I've had to live with that! For over four hundred years. Falling more in love with you every time I see you. But knowing that you die in front of me, it kills me." His voice becomes a whisper. The Doctor takes a step towards his wife, taking her hands in his." But now, you're here. With me. On linear time lines now. You can stay with me." His eyes lock with hers, pleading for her to come away with him."and Clara." he adds. "But she's only here on certain days, so mainly, just you and me. In the TARDIS. Forever."

River sighed. She'd wanted that for as long as she can remember. Just to live with her husband and have adventures with him. Yell at him when does something stupid and reckless. For him to hold her, kiss her. For him to tell her he loves her.

"Please, River. I love you." The Doctor whispered.

"Forever?" she whispered, teasingly.

"Forever."

We've finally reached the story's end.

I thank my readers from the bottom of my butt(I would say heart, but my butt is biggerXD) for staying with me through the end.

A special thanks to Anne-Lillian for getting me started and hooked on this website, and SaveTheDaleks for some criticism that has helped me not only in this story, but in my other story.

Thank you all so very much!