Waiting On A Rival

Chapter 28

'Dave' approached us, echoing the real Dave's last sentence. River used the squareness gun on the wall and shouted, "This way, quickly. Move!"

We were in a relatively safe place when we checked Donna's signal. The node said that she was saved and that she left the Library, but her signal came from a large moon orbiting around us. "Are you sure the signal's coming from there?" I asked.

"Yes, the signal's definitely coming from the moon," he rambled into the screwdriver, "I'm blocking it, but it's trying to break through. Donna!" The group decided to get to a safer place so River used the squareness gun again on the wall. "OK, we've got a clear spot. In, in, in! Right in the centre. In the middle of the light, quickly," she instructed, "Don't let your shadows cross." The Doctor and I were still trying to get a live Vashta Nerada. "Doctor. Celeste."

He dismissed, "We're doing it."

"There's no lights here. Sunset's coming," River stated, "We can't stay long. Have you found a live one?" We stayed silent so she took another chicken leg and threw it in the shadow. It was just bone when it hit the ground. "Okay. Okay, we've got a hot one. Watch your feet."

I reassured, "They won't attack until there's enough of them. But they've got our scent now. They're coming." We continued to scan the shadows as the rest of the group whispered about us, most likely.

They never completely trusted me, but respected that River trusted me. Then, another mysterious person that River seemingly trusted hijacked the expedition.

Obviously annoyed with the group, River walked over to us and asked, "What's wrong with it?"

"There's a signal coming from somewhere, interfering with it."

"Then use the red settings," she dismissed. I looked curiously at my sonic. Its tip glowed red, but I doubted that's what River meant.

"It doesn't have a red setting," he stated.

"Well, use the dampers."

"It doesn't have dampers."

"It will do one day," River promised. Her smirk made me think of the first time I met her. After the encounter with the Silence, the memory of it was mangled.

"I don't know. She's someone in my future. I met her in my past regeneration."

River's voice rose, interrupting the memory, "I didn't pluck it from your cold dead hands, if that's what you're worried about!"

"And I know that because?" He retorted.

"Listen to me. You've lost your friend. You're angry. I understand," she stated, "But you need to be less emotional, Doctor, right now. Same goes for you, Celeste."

"Less emotional?" I repeated, "I'm not emotional."

"Sure you aren't. There are five people in this room still alive. Focus on that," River sighed, "Dear God, you're both hard work young. Forever and always."

"Young? Who are you?"

"Oh, for heaven's sake! Look at the pair of you," Lux cried, "We're all going to die right here, and you're just squabbling like an old married couple."

She looked at the Doctor and me, obviously unsure with what she was about to do. "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 something that I couldn't hear in his ear. Whatever it was, the effect occurred instantly. The Doctor looked from me to River, opened his mouth, but closed it again. "Are we good?" He didn't answer. "Doctor, are we good?"