Visit in Venice // Siren

There were many particular things running through River's head as she had encoded the coordinates into her vortex manipulator. She was about to talk to someone the Doctor had been far more fond of in a much longer amount of time, and although this inhibited a bit of jealousy in her, she knew it was best, what she was about to do. She had to talk to Siren, to deliver a message, despite the fact that the girl had tried to avoid River for some time, for whatever reason. Then again, it was so clear. Why else would the Doctor's ex lover avoid his wife?

The two had agreed to meet in Venice to enjoy some wine and have a nice dinner, to talk things over as civilly as possible. River had helped Demory in the past, when she was regaining her memory the first time. This girl had regenerated twice already, for being so young, although River couldn't really talk, since her first regeneration was as a little girl. Still, she knew Demory's past incarnation well, and was always helping her to gain her memories and become the Time Lady she was meant to be.

She sat herself down at the restaurant, waiting for the young lady to meet with her, as she had filled her glass with the bottle of wine she had ordered, waiting to actually order off the menu for when Siren had come. She had lots to tell her. The fact that she was even here was a miracle to her. An unknown person had come to "download" her consciousness back into her body they were able to revive.

Siren had been avoiding this day for so long, and she wasn't quite sure how to handle meeting the Doctor's wife. She had been such a help to her in the past, but that was before she had gotten feelings for him and things wouldn't have been awkward. Her TARDIS materialized in an alleyway near the restaurant and she quickly shuffled her way to the place, entering as discreetly as possible.

When she saw River sitting at one of the tables, she slowly approached them and sat down across from her, nodding with the smallest of smiles. "Hello," she murmured to her. She still didn't know exactly how to talk to this woman. The two were both very sassy and incredibly independent. There wasn't much that was different about them except for their actual race and their appearances.

"What did you want to talk to me about?" she finally spoke. She poured herself a glass of wine and started to sip at it occasionally, taking a deep breath to hear whatever it was that River might throw at her. She was expecting an I don't want you to talk to my Doctor, in some sort of way.

"It's nice to see you again, Demory," River smiled genuinely as she went to give a 'cheer's with their wine glasses. "It's been a while since I've last seen you. Your face has changed. What happened? Before we get into the details, I'd like to catch up for a bit. It wasn't too long ago, you were still a confused ginger who was trying to figure out why someone called 'The Doctor' had approached you," she chuckled.

When the waiter had came to ask what they had wanted to eat, she ordered a veal tenderloin with a side of rosemary potatoes and vegetables. She was in the mood for something fancy. "You can get whatever you want, Demory. I'm paying." she nodded.

She observed how Demory looked, eyeing her up and down. She was a bit smaller than before, much more petite. Her hair was dark, as well as her eyes. She had a look of innocence washed over her, yet she could see heartbreak in her eyes. Something happened. "You're no longer speaking with the Doctor are you?" she looked sorrowful for her. "I can see it in your eyes..."

Siren smiled when River had called her by her real name, moving her wine glass in to meet with hers. "It is nice to see you, too," she spoke in relief that River wasn't acting outraged with her for whatever reason. When she had then asked how her face had changed, the waiter had came over to ask what they wanted. When River said she would pay, she insisted otherwise, but to no use. "I'll have the Shrimp Scampi," she nodded.

Before she could then talk of why she had regenerated, River suddenly added a heart wrenching comment. She bit her lip for a moment, looking up at River, shaking her head. "While I was traveling with him a few decades ago, we came into a run in with more cybermen." She found it quite ironic that both times she had regenerated, cybermen were involved.

"The Doctor blasted a pillar to try and crush them, but it landed on me instead. In his panic... he tried to erase my memories again, despite the fact that I didn't want him to. Regaining them after my first regeneration was hard enough. I was broken by the fact that he wanted to erase all of my wonderful memories, including the ones with him away."

She paused for a moment, feeling a knot in her stomach fill with irritation and frustration. As sad as she was over it, it had molded her into a very cold, solitary person. "I fled from the scene and hid for twenty years, getting by on mercenary work and getting him off of my tail. He didn't regenerate long after I had."

"He doesn't like endings," River mumbled as she heard the end of Siren's story. She shook her head, a bit of irritation flowing through her. Why would the Doctor do such a thing to this poor girl? Did he realize how many hearts he has broken before? "It sounds just like him to do something like that though," she sighed.

She almost felt bad for having Siren deliver a message to him. She could not see him herself personally, not yet anyways. It was still in fear of paradoxes, since she had to work out the time streams and whether the Doctor she'd run into would be from after Trenzalore or not. "I'm so sorry, Demory. I did not know."

She thought for a moment about what she was planning to say, and sighed. "Given the circumstances, from what you've told me, you are avoiding him? I am as well... if you are not up to taking this task, I can find other people to do so," she gave an understanding nod. "Heartbreak is like a deep and dark December. Cold and it is only in the light for a few moments before the sun sets once more."

Of course, the Doctor did not like endings. This was a fact. Listening to River's apology, she gave a faint smile, nodding. "It's okay. It's taught me a lot about that man, and why I should stay away," her voice had shook a bit when she spoke. She sipped at her wine again, taking a deep breath to avoid getting too emotional over the matter. It had been decades. She had let go by now, or so she hoped.

When River had then said she could go to others when it came to the task, Siren then knew what this was about. "You want me to give a message to the Doctor, don't you?" she nodded. "With all due respect, he is your husband, isn't he? You could see him youself, right? Otherwise... I will still do the task. It'll be painful, but I'll manage."

"This is true, he is my husband, but seeing him would be a bad idea. Right now, my vortex manipulator is having a hard time getting the kink of things, and I cannot risk running into the Doctor who has yet to visit Trenzalore," she nodded. "And... I need to let go," she sighed.

It was something she had come to terms with. She and the Doctor could not possible be together. Despite her time lord characteristics, she was still human, and aged like a human, while the Doctor's face was timeless. "I cannot be with him anymore. I would love to have a run in once in a while... but I cannot stay with him."

She got quiet for a moment, taking a sip of her wine as she closed her eyes. "I died at the Library. Someone downloaded my consciousness back into my revived body. I still have no explanation as to why I'm still alive," she nodded. "Which brings me back to why I am coming to you. I need you to tell the Doctor that my parents are still alive and they are here, in present time. That's not all, though."

"Let go?" Siren narrowed her eyes. "You're... you're letting go of the love of your life?" she just couldn't believe what she was hearing. "He's your husband!" she shook her head. She couldn't judge, and she was sure River had her reasons, but it was still unbelievable to hear from her.

She took a moment to think about all of this and then listened to what River had to say about the message. Her parents were back. Those were Amy and Rory, right? She had a drink with Rory before, when she was in her past incarnation, just out of a chance meeting at the bar. He talked of his wife who was away, and of River and the Doctor, which is why they had gotten along well.

"What else is there that you need me to tell him?" she nodded. She was surprised that this was happening all so quickly. She never would have thought that River would be the one to let go. It was always the Doctor usually... then again, it was she as well who let go of him, too.

"I have no choice, Demory. I had to let go," she sighed. "I continue to grow older as he timelessly never changes. I gave all my regeneration power to him to save him, and I have done everything I can further him in his travels. My song has ended with him. It is time for me to live normally, and travel the world on my own account, as my own person."

When Demory was then asking of what else to tell, she nodded. "Tell him Amy and Rory are alive, and give him this," she got out her blue journal, that very much resembled a TARDIS. "He left this at the Library, for all eyes to see. Luckily no one has touched it. I wrote one last page in it, describing how I manged to save my parents, and it has their addresses."

She put the book in front of Siren, nodding. "It has all of my journeys with the Doctor in there. You're welcome to look in it. By this time, there are no more spoilers. As I said before, my song has ended with him. I have no other choices but to move on." she nodded. "It will get easier."

Siren took the book into her hands, glancing at it for a moment, noticing how many notes were taken on every page. No space within it was wasted. It was very heartwarming, reading the time they spent together. Absolutely beautiful, honestly. She smiled lightly.

"I will give it to him... the next time I have a run in with him. I'm not sure when that will be, but I will give it to him," she nodded. She looked around for a moment before their food had arrived. She then smiled at River. "I'm so glad that there aren't any hard feelings between us. I was afraid you would be angry with me, oddly enough."

River smiled at her honesty, and took a deep breath, looking around. Despite the pain she felt, she never stopped smiling. "I know he loves you still. Please do me a favor and comfort him in my absence, will you?" she asked. "I know that he has hurt you deeply. He has spoken of it many, many times... which is why I know he still loves you."

She looked out the window, noticing the sun setting in the distance, and then looked back at Siren. "If you are able to look past your differences, please, go seek him out, comfort him, and show him how loved he really is. You are a timeless beauty, my dear. Gallifreyans are meant to be with other Gallifreyans."

She had a feeling that Siren was going to give her a look of disbelief. She understood how much Siren detested the Doctor at this point, and she herself had become a monster, in her own words. Still, River saw innocence, heartbreak, and goodness inside the time lady. She had faith that she would go back to him very soon. "Everyone has been ripped from him so quickly, I can understand his sorrow. Show him that you are still there for him."

Siren couldn't believe what she was hearing for a moment. Was River really saying what she thought she was. "River... he's moved on. I've been gone for almost a hundred years. He's sure to have forgotten me by now..." she sighed. "Besides... after what he did I doubt I'll be able to forgive him... it was incredibly selfish and terrible of him. He tried to rip away my fondest moments."

Perhaps it was true that time ladies and lords belonged together, but she felt it was not true for her and the Doctor. "You've seen the lovers he's had. I'm sure he'll find another soon. I honestly believe he no longer cares for me, and if you really are true in saying you are not going back, he's going to move on from that too... he's the doctor. What do you expect?" she gave a painful frown.