The Darkest Timeline Meme

[mellowrushmeme]

 

The Darkest Timeline. 

Pick a point in your character's timeline.  What choice did they make? What choice did others make that would have changed their world?  Decide that choice, change it and go from there.  Tag others to join in on the fun.  The darker the new timeline, the better!

 

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[riverborntorun]

"This time it's not your plan that's in motion," she replied, moving to take a step towards him. Unfortunately the TARDIS lurched and came to a sudden halt, and instead she stumbled forward into him.

"Looks like I'm not the only stubborn woman you've got here," she joked. "She doesn't like my plan either."

[madman_inabox]

Mr. Clever caught her despite his better judgement. He was, after all, supposed to be the Doctor.

"No, you're not. Maybe you should listen to her."

[riverborntorun]

"I can't do that, sweetie." She looked up at him and shook her head. "I've made my choice, now I've got to go through with it. Unless he accepts my terms and gives you back."

[madman_inabox]

"I lost River."

And the Doctor lies, sure. He thought, when everything was going on, that he was doing that then too. But in the end, the Cyberplanner took him at his word.

"I'm sorry."

[riverborntorun]

"Don't talk like that."

She shook her head vehemently once more. "No, I can't - I won't accept that!" She let tears fall freely down her cheeks, her arms instinctively wrapping around him. He sounded, felt, and smelled like her Doctor - wasn't that enough?

"What good is a universe without you? What...what good am I?" And there it was - the weakness River Song tried so hard to hide behind her flirtations and big hair and gun - her own vulnerability and self-doubt.

[madman_inabox]

And almost as quickly as Mr. Clever decided to allow the Doctor to talk to his wife, he was just gone, the Cyberplanner back in his place. His tone was unbearably mocking, "Face it, Dear. Your Sweetie's not coming back. He's right. He lost."

He wasn't going to get into the Doctor's feelings about this woman or the fact that he could feel how upset the time lord was about seeing her tears.

[riverborntorun]

"Shut up! Shut up and give him back!" River screamed and raised her hand to slap him. She drew close to hitting him, but then stopped. She let her hand, now clenched in a fist, fall to her side.

"Then take me, instead," she whispered, staring at the bow-tie he wore. She couldn't bring herself to look up at him. Out of shame for herself and her weakness.

[madman_inabox]

"And why exactly would I want you?" He bit the words out.

He couldn't fathom why he'd want her. Thanks to the Doctor's mind, he knew she was human plus, but it wasn't anywhere near what the Doctor was.

[riverborntorun]

"I don't mean...." River faltered for a moment, her heart sinking. "I don't mean take my body over his...I don't hold that sort of value. I'm well aware of that. But that body you're using is precious to me, and you're the first of your kind, Mr Clever. A Time Lord cyberplanner - Advanced software in a complicated casing. If you aren't careful, you can still be....deleted."

She let the word drip from her lips with disdain. But was it for him or herself?

"You could use a bodyguard."

[madman_inabox]

Well, she did have a point. It was possible for him to still be killed, so he thought. Time Lords had that little trick to cheat death, but neither he nor the Doctor were sure if he would survive that.

"That, might not be a bad idea."

[riverborntorun]

River raised her eyes to look at him, the distressed sounds of the TARDIS having faded as if to focus upon their exchange.

"Perhaps we can come to an...arrangement, then."

[madman_inabox]

He leaned against the console and crossed his feet at the ankle before folding his arms across his chest, "What sort of arrangement?"

[riverborntorun]

"One that gives you an accomplished bodyguard and one that leaves me with my brain attached to the rest of me," she said, crossing her own arms. "I'm a better asset as I am than as one of your cyber drones. Those memories you've got access to should tell you as much."

[madman_inabox]

The Cyberplanner thought about it for a minute it wasn't a bad idea, and the Doctor's memories were clear on one thing, River Song was good with a gun, among other things.

"And what's going to keep you from deleting me?"

[riverborntorun]

"You're all that's left of the Doctor in this universe," River replied, stepping up to meet him.

"I'd rather be by his side in hell than be an angel in a world without him."

[madman_inabox]

Mr. Clever let his eyes sweep over River, very slowly. He knew how much she loved the Doctor, but what concerned him was what she did the last time he was in trouble. Tearing time and space apart was no small feat. He supposed it was a good offer though, as good as he was going to get. He would just have to keep an eye on her.

"Alright, then."

[riverborntorun]

"Then we've got a deal."

And that had been it. The day River Song signed her soul over to Mr. Clever and the Cyberiad.

People do crazy things for love.