Burning Land

The Doctor grasped River's hand in his.
"Ready?" he asked, his face stretching into a slight smile.
"As I'll ever be." she said shakily.
The floor beneath their feet began to rumble and shake, and River screamed as the floor opened, revealing the raging inferno beneath them.
"Geronimo!" the Doctor yelled, grinning, as they plunged down into the fire, River flailing her free arm around.

The air rushed past River and the Doctor as they dropped like stones into the burning heat which was coming closer and closer towards them. River was still screaming, a continuous sound of fear. She had stopped flailing her arm around, but the look on her face was one of utter shock. She held tight on to the Doctor's hand as he laughed as they fell. River stopped screaming. The fire became a risk, and the heat started to hurt River. She closed her eyes and waited for the pain of burning, when a strange buzzing noise surrounded her, accompanied by a chilling sensation. She opened her eyes, and saw she was surrounded by a blue light, interlaced with white specks. She noticed they were no longer falling. She looked at the Doctor, and he had gone.
"Doctor?" she asked, panicked.
"I'm here!" he called, his voice muffled.
He stepped in front of the blue light surrounding her and waved, grinning like a fool. He was waving with his sonic screwdriver, which was beeping quietly. River held up her hand and pressed her palm against the light, surprising herself when he hand passed through it. She stepped out of the light and took in her surroundings.

She was stood in a silver-walled room with a red light filling the room with a blood-coloured glow. She could see the Doctor pointing his screwdriver at a console, which he proceeded to glare at. River took a hesitant step forward and cocked her head, considering the circular markings on the wall. She recognised them immediately as Gallifreyan markings, with High Gallifreyan writing underneath, which she examined closely. It seemed to say 'Medical Bay' , or something along those lines. She only knew basic High Gallifreyan. She glanced over at the Doctor, and he was stood conversing with a tall man in red robes, with red shoulder pads and strange red helmet-like thing. He had black hair and a kind face, which was stretched into a tight grimace. He was replying to the Doctor stiffly and he seemed shocked that the Doctor was here. River walked to his side and slid her hand into his.
"Who's this?" she asked him.
"Doctor River Song, this is Patrick. An Elder on the High Council of Time Lords." he explained.
River sucked in a shocked gasp.
"What? Time Lords! Really?" she exlaimed.
The Doctor bent closer to River.
"They haven't died yet, River. This is before the Time War began." he explained, his voice quiet.
"Okay..." she whispered back.
The Time Lord, Patrick, cleared his throat and put his hands behind his back, waiting expectantly.
"Let's be off then!" the Doctor exclaimed.
"Where?" River asked.
"To see the Council." Patrick replied, his voice deep and raspy.

River gulped as she took in the might of the full High Council of Time Lords. There were literally hundreds of them, lining the walls of the cavern that River and the Doctor stood in. He was practially exploding with excitement, whereas she was terrifed. What would they do to her? She almost forgot how to breathe when she remebered the Doctor's tales of Time Lord torture.
"Doctor River Song!" a loud voice rang through the cavern.
"Y-yes, uh, sir?" River replied nervously, not sure who was talking.
"You are part Time Lord, correct?" the voice asked.
"Uh, yes, sir." she replied.
She heard the Doctor's shocked intake of breath next to her. She'd explain later. If later existed for her.
"Then, you are allowed free. Be warned, the man who's hand you hold is dangerous." the voice stated.
"I love him! What's he ever done to you?" she shouted back.
The hand she was holding squeezed her's lightly, and she smiled.
"Doctor! Bear witness to your crimes!" the voice said loudly.
The Doctor stepped forward, letting River's hand fall. She watched him walk away from her with regret. Would they kill him? Or would he go free too?
"What crimes?" the Doctor replied.
River knew he would be grinning as he adressed his fellow Gallifreyans.
"You know exactly what crimes!" the voice exclaimed.
"Fellow Time Lords, why must we punish this innocent man for basis crimes, which I presume we all committed at one point in our long lives?" a Time Lord exclaimed, standing up from his seat, adressing the other Elders.
At this, most of the other Time Lords rose from their seats, and left the cavern. River grinned and walked over to the Doctor. Only about twenty Time Lords remained. River grabbed the Doctor's hand again and led him to the door they'd entered through. She pulled him thorough, ignoring the booming protests of the mysterious voice.

River flicked the dusty page over, struggling to decipher the High Gallifreyan on the worn pages. She was sat on a bed in a room which she and the Doctor were assigned to.
"Why are you making me read this?" she complained to the Doctor.
"Because you need to know everything. And so do I." he said.
"But you...oh. About me?" she asked him.
"Yes." he said simply, watching her, waiting.
"I can't tell you yet. You'll find out soon enough. But not yet." she said slowly.
The Doctor frowned and pouted like a small child denied sweets. He crossed his arms over his chest and sulked melodramatically. River raised her eyebrow and continued to read. She flicked thorugh page after page of confusing letters and symbols. Her head was starting to spin from deciphering so much High Gallifreyan. She blinked a few times to clear her slightly fuzzy vision. She pressed a finger to her temple to attempt to ease the headache. She felt the book slide from under her fingers, and she fell back onto the soft pillows. She turned onto her side and found herself looking into the face of the Doctor, who was curled up next to her on the bed. She sighed and stared into his eyes, thinking about...everything. He stroked her cheek once, with his soft fingers, then dropped his hand and closed his eyes. Within a few moments, he began to snore softly. River laughed quietly to herself, leaned forward and kissed his forehead. He mumbled something in his sleep, and his mouth lolled open. River smiled and lay back down, staring at the ceiling. Her eyes slowly closed, and she drifted into a peaceful sleep.

When River awoke, she found her hand clasped around the Doctor's, who was still asleep, his chest rising and falling softly, his knees brought up to his chest, curled up like a baby. She smiled and released his hand slowly. He stirred in his sleep and his eyes fluttered open. He gave a tired smile to River and sat up.
"Doctor, why are we here?" River asked him.
"I brought us here because we need to..." he paused and yawned. "Find the Tardis. I told you she'd been taken, and this is where the readings led to."
"Okay. So any ideas where she is, and what crimes were the Council talking about?" River asked.
"The crime they talked of was me stealing the Tardis." he explained.
River didn't say anything and lay back down, her head sinking into the soft pillows. The Doctor did the same, sliding down till he was lying flat. He turned on his side and stroked River's cheek. She held his hand there with hers and he smiled softly. River dropped her hand, and his soon followed. They just lay there, thinking. River shuffled herself closer to the Doctor until their heads were almost touching. He smiled and kissed her forehead, much like she had the night before. She grinned back at him and relaxed, utterly in her happy place.

Patrick cleared his throat loudly and River broke her lips away from the Doctor's. He kept hold of her hand though. River grinned at Patrick, receiving a bored grimace in return. The Doctor raised an eyebrow at Patrick's cold demeanour.
"Can we help you, Patrick?" he asked cockily, his hand squeezing River's tightly.
"Yes. We have found the source of your crime, and you will not be getting it back." Patrick said flatly.
"My...Tardis? You won't give her back? Why?" the Doctor asked, his voice growing faint with worry.
"Her?" Patrick asked.
"Yes, her." the Doctor said slowly, as though this Time Lord was stupid.
"Hmm, well, it...I mean, she, is being kept away from you as punishment." Patrick told him.
"Why? It's his Tardis now. He chose her, and she chose him." River said to Patrick.
"She chose him? Not hardly." he replied.
"She was the only one unlocked, so yes, she chose me." the Doctor said, nodding happily.
"Hmm..." Patrick muttered. "I will speak to the Lord President, but I doubt he will give you back your Tardis, Doctor."