Day Off

What do the Doctor and River do on their day off, when there's no world to save and no monsters to chase?


River whistled and cheered, she clapped her hands.

The Doctor preened and flourished his weapon. The crowds were loud and boisterous, and the Doctor had the hugest grin on his face.

River loved him like this, relaxed, concentrated, focused, intent, and smiling. The Alpha Centurian beside her clicked all six claws in approval and swiveled its one large eye toward her as River bounced and yelled encouragement.

"The slender, two-armed one is your mate?" it asked.

River grinned at the sweet voice. "Oh yes!" She cupped her hands around her mouth. "Keep going, honey! You've got him on the run!"

The crowd cheered and gasped and clacked and hooted as the Doctor ducked, dodged, stretched, reached, his arms whirling in every direction, ammunition firing at incredible rates, his hair flopping and sweat staining the back of his shirt between his suspenders. He was grinning fiercely.

"He is very good," the cephalopod remarked, as River sat back down from her cheering, she took a drink from her slurpee, then jumped right back up again.

"Go! Go! Go! Go!" she yelled. She turned to the cephalopod, "Oh you have no idea," she was grinning as fiercely as the Doctor, her hair bouncing wild around her face, flushed and excited.

Below them on the arena floor the Doctor's six armed opponent started to slow, the crowd stood up as they sensed the end approaching.

With one last smash from the Doctor, it was over.

River screamed and threw her slurpee in the air, the Ogron on her other side ducked as blueberry slush arced over him.

River pelted down the stairs, yelling her head off. The sound lost in the general hubbub of screaming aliens.

"You did it, Sweetie!" She flung herself into the sweating Doctor's arms, he swung her in a circle and grinned as she peppered his face with kisses.

A delegation of Cephalopods, Ogrons, Draconians, and Foamasi converged on the scene.

The leader, a gray-green cephalopod, raised a huge ornate cup over his head, his unexpectedly deep voice boomed out over the speakers.

"And the winner is, the Doctor! Grand Champion of the Sixth Annual Intergalactic Ping Pong Contest!"