supernova: gravity (11th doctor)

The Rebel Flesh (pt 3) / Trial (pt 2)

I felt someone lightly slapping my face around. "Hey, are you good now?"

My eyes had been open before, but I couldn't concentrate on anything with the pain-- all I saw and remembered was a blur. 

I shut them tight again as the pain subsided before re-opening them, like a reset.

I sat on the floor, backed up against the wall of the Area 51 closet I usually transported from, River kneeling in front of me, poking my face. 

"River--"

"Oh, thank god," She sighed of relief, sitting back and mumbling to herself.

"River." I tried again.

"Goodness, I mean it hurts, but, that really does take a toll on you doesn't it?"

"River!"

"What!" She asked, offended.

I looked at her bewildered, finally standing up and gesturing to the entire room around us, my hands flying around like a crazy person. "What the hell!"

"What do you mean, what the hell?" She stood up also.

"What is that thing, and how do you have it!" I pointed at her ring, frantic.

"This? Aren't you supposed to be a genius? It's from your locket. You told me I had to show it to you." River explained.

"Why would I do that? Also, I'm pretty sure when I said show, I meant like, physically let me see it-- not actually use it!"

River crossed her arms. "Believe me, I didn't want to show you either. But you know the future and we're best friends, so I have to listen. To you. You do realize this is you, right? Don't be mad at me!"

"Why?" I asked pointedly.

"What do you mean, why? Because you told me to do it, I'm just listening to you!"

"No, I mean, why didn't you want to show me?" I asked.

"I can't tell you that." She smiled.

Although it was a simple phrase, it was something I never expected to hear from River, and that meant something dangerous.

I groaned in frustration. "That's not what you're supposed to say."

"Well, I'm not gonna say the truth..."

"No. You're supposed to say, spoilers!"

"Okay, sorry!" River exaggerated, holding her hands up. "Spoilers!"

"Oh, god, no." I held River by her arms and took a deep breath. When I looked into her eyes, I knew they were different. "You're not even a hundred yet, are you?"

River scoffed, pulling back from me. "I'm not a hundred! Goodness, I knew this body was older, but not that old!"

"That's not what I meant!" I put my hands on my head in frustration, screwing my eyes shut. "Oh, you're so young, you're too young."

"Alright, I think this tight closet is stressing you out," River opened the door to the closet and walked out of it briskly.

I scrambled out behind her quickly. "River, no, you have no idea how dangerous this place is! We have to go back, now!"

"Oh, please, I've been to this universe before." She flipped her hair back at me and kept moving.

"Okay--" I was shocked by the information, but I wasn't giving up. "But you haven't been to Area 51, and Area 51 is really, extremely dangerous."