For a Smile They Can Share the Night
The Doctor ran through the streets. "Oh, this is perfect! Set her up and then I lose her, just perfect!" He blasted past the restaurant, scanning the nearby roads. He skidded to a halt. A tan pegasus with blue-green eyes and a river as her cutie mark landed beside him. Her lipsticked mouth spread into a smile.
"Hello, sweetie", she said.
The Doctor spun to face her. "Oh, good, River. Did you find them?" he asked anxiously, blue eyes widening.
River Song rolled her eyes. "What do you think? Of course I found them, sweetie. What's so special about this filly, anyway? That's right, I said filly. She's just a girl, Doctor."
"She's not just any girl", the brown pony responded. "She's special. I need her, River. You wouldn't understand." The Doctor fell silent.
River arched an eyebrow. "Try me", she said simply.
The Doctor stared River right in the eye. He said one word. "Rose."
River Song's eyes widened. "Oh God", she breathed. "She-Are you sure?"
"Yes, I'm sure", the Doctor told her. "Now, River, take me to her. Please. This is important."
River nodded. "It is, isn't it? Alright then! Follow me." She paused and winked. "If you think you can keep up, sweetie." The pegasus took off, staying low enough that the Doctor could still see her, but not too low as to be suspicious.
Dawn cried. She took one look at Indigo Moon and cried.
Indy jerked his head up, concern written on his face. "Wh-what's wrong? I didn't mean to hurt you."
Dawn gave a smile that was clouded by tears. "Nothing's wrong. I'm just...happy. I've never been so happy before. I'm s-sorry, I just..." She gave up trying to talk and just smiled at him.
The blue unicorn stepped closer to Dawn's Glow. "And why are you so happy?" he asked gently.
Dawn gazed into his eyes. "You."
The Doctor breathed a sigh of relief. He had been scared for a moment, when the tears had come. But everything was okay now. "Thank you, River."
River shrugged one shoulder. "Leave it to me, sweetie." She trotted off.
The Doctor returned his gaze to the smiling couple by the river. He closed his eyes and exhaled deeply. Now came the hard part.
The two unicorns walked side by side until the moon was quite high in the sky. Dawn looked up at it and sighed. "It's getting late", she said.
Indigo frowned. "I suppose we should find a hotel, but we still have no money."
"No problem", a new voice rang out.
Indigo Moon and Dawn's Glow turned to look at the speaker. A tan pegasus with arched eyebrows was looking expectantly at them. "E-Excuse me?" Dawn finally managed to ask.
"You're excused", the pegasus laughed. "But really, sweetie, I meant it. I'm having a promotion right now. Two rooms for the price of one."
Indigo Moon sighed. "That's very nice, ma'am, but we don't have anything. At all."
The tan pegasus leaned forwards. "Oh, don't you, now?" She settled back. "Well, then. I guess I'll just have to let you stay for free. Ah yes, the catch. One room."
Dawn blushed furiously. "Oh, no, I couldn't. Really."
The pegasus sighed. "Well, in that case. Two rooms. But only for one night, mind." She turned to go inside.
"Wait!" Dawn said. "Who are you?"
The pegasus stopped. She turned to face Dawn's Glow. "I'm River. River Song. Now come along." She smiled slowly at them as they stepped into the hotel.