Just a Minor Rewrite

by Sylva Dax

A/N: I couldn't help myself. I just had to try my hand at a Doctor Who fic. And, of course, it features River and Eleven. I won't ask you to be kind; just honest and constructive and, most importantly, not silent (R&R). Scene from FOTD in italics.

Disclaimer: As we all know, I own nothing within the Doctor Who universe outside of my little What If below. The BBC holds that privilege.

"Time can be rewritten," he reasoned desperately.

"Not those times. Not one line. Don't you dare!" River Song told the Doctor who barely knew her. "It's okay; it's okay. It's not over for you," she reassured him gently. "You'll see me again. You've got all of that to come. You and me; time and space: you watch us run."

"River, you know my name. You whispered my name in my ear," the Doctor said urgently against the countdown of the computer. "There's only one reason I would ever tell anyone my name. There's only one time I could…"

"Shhhush now." A lone tear belied the smile that trembled on her lips as she said, "Spoilers," and connected the two cables.

A primal scream tore from her lips as every cell of her body was set ablaze. She was falling and there would be no TARDIS swimming pool to break her fall this time. The black abyss swallowed her whole.

Was it all a lie? She'd risked an entire universe to defy a destiny that demanded she kill the man she loved. Yet, he'd professed his love and devotion to her knowing full well that one day soon she'd make this fateful trip to the Library. Had he warned her; begged her not to go? No. He'd loved her passionately and oh so sweetly as the Singing Towers serenaded them through the night, unexplained tears streaking down his cheeks. And he'd left her at her door with a lie on his lips and only that damn screwdriver as a parting gift.

She stopped suddenly, finding herself balancing precariously on a flickering platform of green light. Where was she? There was something so familiar about the green lights. Oh no, she was ghosting! How was that even possible? The bio scanner of her suit should have been fried. Not that it mattered in the long run. She could already tell that her narrow ledge was getting shorter. To her surprise, River found herself backing away from the swiftly approaching edge. She couldn't help laughing at the irony. She'd picked a fine time to worry about her health.

Dangling hopelessly from the last purchase of green light, River suddenly found herself whisked away. As the blackness gave way to bright sunlight and an expanse of green, strong arms seized her and plunged her back into the darkness. She fought to get free.

"Stop it, River. Stop fighting me, " the Doctor pleaded.

She stilled in his arms. "Doctor?"

"Yes, River, it's me," the Doctor, her Doctor, nearly sobbed with relief. "Hold onto me, love. Sexy's got to get us out of here."

"Doctor, you can't be here," River declared, even as her arms wrapped around his neck. "What have you done, you foolish, impossible man? I'm dead. There's nothing left of me. I'm merely ghosting. You've got to let me go."

"No, I won't let you go." Even as he said it, the Doctor could feel River being pulled back. CAL was desperately determined to save her as he had originally intended. Realizing that River had released her hold on him, he barked, "Don't you dare let go!"

"I won't take you with me," she cried, struggling to be free.

"River, do you trust me?" he asked, fighting to maintain his grip on her as CAL's pull increased.

"I did. With my life," she sobbed, ruefully.

"Then trust me now," he cried. "SEXY, GET US OUT OF HERE!"

(to be continued)