the hourglass (doctor who fan fiction)

Forest of the Dead

River used the squareness gun on the wall. "This way, quickly. Move!" she yelled. We quickly ran through.

"Hey, who turned out the lights."

The large moon hung high in the orange sky. River cut a square in the wall with her gun and enters. "OK, we've got a clear spot. In, in, in!" River ran though, we followed quickly behind. "Right in the centre. In the middle of the light, quickly. Don't let your shadows cross." We stood in the center of a light beam. "Doctor."

"I'm doing it." he scanned the shadows around us. "There's no lights here. Sunset's coming. We can't stay long. Have you found a live one?" River asked. "Maybe. It's getting harder to tell. What's wrong with you?" he hit his sonic. "We're going to need a chicken leg. Who's got a chicken leg?" Dave held up a wrapped chicken leg. "Thanks, Dave." River took the chicken and threw the meat into the shadow, and once again became just bone before it hit the ground. "Okay. Okay, we've got a hot one. Watch your feet." River huddled with the rest of us in the light. "They won't attack until there's enough of them. But they've got our scent now. They're coming."

"Oh, yeah, who is he? You haven't even told us. You just expect us to trust him?" Other Dave questioned. "He's the Doctor." River answered. "And who is the Doctor?" Lux asked. "The only story you'll ever tell, if you survive him." I responded. "You say he's your friend, but he doesn't even know who you are." Anita said to River. "Listen, all you need to know is this. I'd trust that man to the end of the universe. And actually, we've been." River explained.

"He doesn't act like he trusts you."

"Yeah, there's a tiny problem. He hasn't met me yet." She went over to where the Doctor was scanning shadows. "What's wrong with it?" River asked. "There's a signal coming from somewhere, interfering with it."

"Then use the red settings."

"It doesn't have a red setting."

"Well, use the dampers."

"It doesn't have dampers."

"It will one day." River said taking her sonic out. The Doctor took her sonic screwdriver. "So, some time in the future, I just give you my screwdriver."

"Yeah." River responded.

"Why would I do that?" he questioned. "I didn't pluck it from your cold dead hands, if that's what you're worried about." River said. "And I know that because?" he trailed. "Listen to me. You've lost your friend. You're angry. I understand. But you need to be less emotional, Doctor, right now."
"Less emotional? I'm not emotional."

"There are six people in this room still alive. Focus on that. Dear God, you're hard work young."

"Young? Who are you?"

"Oh, for heaven's sake! Look at the pair of you. We're all going to die right here, and you're just squabbling like an old married couple." Lux said. They looked at each other and I let out a giggle.

"Doctor, one day I'm going to be someone that you trust completely, but I can't wait for you to find that out. So I'm going to prove it to you. And I'm sorry. I'm really very sorry." River whispered in the Doctor's ear, and he looks stunned. "Are we good?" River asked. He stared at her. "Doctor, are we good?" she asked again. "Yeah, we're good." he nodded.

"Good." River took her screwdriver and left him. "Know what's interesting about my screwdriver? Very hard to interfere with. Practically nothing's strong enough. Well, some hairdryers, but I'm working on that. So there is a very strong signal coming from somewhere, and it wasn't there before. So what's new? What's changed?" The Doctor paced around the room. "Come on! What's new? What's different?" he yelled. "I don't know. Nothing. It's getting dark?" Dave questioned. "It's a screwdriver. It works in the dark." The Doctor looked up. "Moon rise. Tell me about the moon. What's there?" he turned to Lux. "It's not real. It was built as part of the Library. It's just a Doctor Moon."