> Title: Digging Up Dirt.
> Author: box_in_the_box.
> Rating: G/PG.
> Characters: Professor River Song & Sarah Jane Smith.
> Spoilers: Doctor Who Season 4, “Silence in the Library†& “Forest of the Dead;†The Sarah Jane Adventures Season 1, “Eye of the Gorgon.â€Â
> Summary: Who says River Song originally came from the 51st century, since she’s known at least one time-traveler? And who says that the Doctor was the first time-traveler she ever met? Yes, I’m sure this fanon will be Jossed by the show eventually, but until then, this is my canon and I’m sticking to it.
>
>
> Sarah Jane Smith answered the doorbell to find herself facing a taller, younger woman – an athletic early 40s, by the look of her, with angular but attractive facial architecture, startlingly alert green eyes and a cascade of messy golden curls for hair – who greeted her with a broad, toothy smile.
>
> “Sarah Jane Smith?†the stranger checked tentatively, seeming suddenly unsure of herself.
>
> “Yes?†Sarah Jane volunteered cautiously, trained by years of experience to be suspicious of uninvited guests.
>
> “You look so much younger than I expected,†the other woman muttered, almost to herself, before noticing Sarah Jane’s guarded expression and defensive posture. “I’m not a nutter, I swear,†she raised her hands, “but you wrote a very moving memorial piece on Bea Nelson-Stanley … widow of Edgar, the archeologist?â€Â
>
> Sarah Jane’s eyes widened in recognition, and her grip on the door relaxed. “Oh, yes! But … you’re not family –â€Â
>
> “No,†the stranger agreed sadly, “which was why I’d lost track of her, until I saw your piece about her passing in the paper, but … well, when I was younger, she was as close as family. I’m sorry,†she shook her head, “I’ve been babbling on your doorstep and I haven’t even introduced myself. Professor River Song,†she extended her hand.
>
> “Professor Song,†Sarah Jane nodded and shook River’s hand firmly, as she swung the door the rest of the way open, “you look like a woman who could use a cuppa and a chat.â€Â
>
> After they’d settled onto opposite ends of Sarah Jane’s sofa, each with steaming mugs in hand, Sarah Jane the journalist began her interview in earnest.
>
> “So, how did you come to know Bea?†Sarah Jane inquired casually.
>
> “I was a teenager,†River reminisced with a grin, “and my family had just moved in across the way from Bea’s place. She lived in this big old house, filled with books and artifacts and memorabilia,†she cocked her head to one side, studying her surroundings, “actually, a lot like this … anyway, I thought she was this glam older woman, and by then, her Edgar had long since passed, so she needed someone, to … well, to help her, I suppose you could say.â€Â
>
> “To help her,†Sarah Jane repeated River’s awkward equivocation, realizing that, for just a moment, this grown woman had sounded like nothing so much as Maria Jackson, whenever she struggled to explain away one of her adventures with Sarah Jane to another adult. Oh, God, Sarah Jane thought, am I staring at Maria’s future, in this woman?
>
> She decided to test her theory. “Did Bea ever talk to you about … Sontarans?†Sarah Jane ventured.
>
> River laughed fondly. “Sontarans, Gorgons, Osirans … she had as many stories about aliens and monsters and … well, everything in between, as she did about her Edgar’s archeological digs. Those stories were what inspired me to become an archeologist myself. Speaking of which,†she gently took Sarah Jane’s hand into her own, “I wanted to thank you for that.â€Â
>
> Sarah Jane blinked in surprise. “For what?â€Â
>
> “For playing fair,†River squeezed Sarah Jane’s hand. “For being kind. For doing all the things that people in the press don’t exactly have a reputation for,†she chuckled ruefully. “With Bea’s … unconventional beliefs, it would have been very easy to make her out to be nothing more than a silly old biddy with crackpot notions, especially with her Alzheimer’s at the end, but your story treated her with respect. In fact,†River squinted sidelong at Sarah Jane, “if I didn’t know better, I might think that you were as … open-minded, to the possibilities of Bea’s stories, as I was.â€Â
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> “And what makes you say that, Professor Song?†Sarah Jane challenged playfully, appreciating the chance to match wits with a woman whose mind seemed as curious, quick and insightful as her own.
>
> “Reporters aren’t the only ones who live and die by their research,†River smirked. “I did a little reading up on you, Sarah Jane Smith. To date, you’re the only civilian journalist who’s ever been embedded with UNIT, which, even now, automatically makes your military security clearance higher than a lot of serving officers.†Sarah Jane leaned forward with impressed interest, as River ticked off her points on her fingers. “It’s all but assumed that you’ve written several articles, under various pseudonyms, for publications like the Fortean Times. And then, there was that short series of sci-fi romance novels –â€Â
>
> “Oh, God!†Sarah Jane burst into a brief fit of giggles. “Don’t remind me!â€Â
>
> “I happened to like those!†River objected. “What was it … the immortal time-traveling scholar from the stars, whose face and personality changed like masks, and his plucky little Lois Lane sidekick from Earth, who secretly nursed a crush on him? So what if the reviewers thought the books were rubbish? You wouldn’t even need to be a pretty young thing like her, to take a shine to a Promethean, shape-shifting trickster figure like him. The way you wrote him, making him as much myth as he was man, he reminded me of a culture hero from ancient legends … like Coyote in Native American folklore. That being said, I still wanted to smack him one, for just … dumping her back home, the way he did.â€Â
>
> “If you liked that, then you’ll love this,†Sarah Jane could barely believe she was opening herself up so much, to someone she’d just met. “A couple of years ago, I actually toyed with the idea of a sequel … he would have met her again, years later, and they would have had another adventure, of course, but more importantly … they finally would have parted on proper terms, not just as friends, but as … equals, I suppose.â€Â
>
> “Throw in a scene where the not-quite-as-young but still-very-pretty reporter shares her sexy ageless alien toy-boy with a gorgeous archeologist, and you’ve got yourself at least one guaranteed sale,†River raised her mug in a toast.
>
> River’s remark caught Sarah Jane in mid-sip, and she nearly spilled her drink. “And what would your intentions be, toward my fictional paramour?†Sarah Jane teased, feeling slightly shocked, but nonetheless amused and intrigued, by River’s boldly libidinous innuendo.
>
> “For an archeologist, having a time-traveler for a boyfriend would be better than sex,†River responded almost reflexively, before qualifying, “well, almost.â€Â
>
> Sarah Jane clinked her mug against River’s to complete the toast. “Professor Song, I think you’ll find that the future is full of possibilities.â€Â
>
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> Cross-posted to dw_goddessfen, dwfiction, my_sarah_jane, professor_song, sarahjane_fic, sjadventures and who_otp.
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