calufrax

eve11 posting in

Oh, I owe you guys two today as I missed yesterday? Okay then, First up is:

Story: The Space Race
Author: nostalgia
Rating: Adult
Word Count: 3261
Author's Summary: Stuck on Earth with River Song, the Doctor has to cope with domesticity and marriage. It goes about as well as you'd expect.
Characters/Pairings: Eleven/River Song
Warnings: None
Recced because: I love "stranded" stories that reveal a shade of the Doctor's vulnerable side when he loses the TARDIS (or misplaces her, or has her very nicely carjacked, or stolen by weeping angels, etc). In this one, Eleven and River end up in 1950's Britain. The Doctor is determined and resourceful, and the loss of connection to the TARDIS only comes though in brief snapshots. He's definitely more at a loss on the domesticity front. River is just as frustrated as the Doctor at their predicament, and at the gender politics of the era, and at the outset she just sees the part where they have to play at being married as one hell of an opportunity. But the Doctor's not the only one whose vulnerabilities peek through at the edges of this story, and maybe they both need each other more than they let on.

Anyway, go read it; it's sweet, funny, and a bit naughty, with witty dialogue, a happy ending and a bit of world-saving on the side.

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"I need you to make a cake. The girls from work are getting together at the weekend. I think I'm expected to bake something." She shuddered.

"Can't you just buy one?" he asked.

"They'd know. They have some sort of radar where home-baking is concerned."

"Fine," he sighed, "I'll make you a cake."

River smiled. "I'll make a good little housewife of you yet," she said with a wink.

It was the Doctor's turn to shudder, and he made a face to her back as she disappeared back into the sitting-room. He scratched lightly at the ring on his left hand and wondered if he actually was allergic to marriage.