The Doctor barely had time to react before Ankh had wrapped his hand around the Time Lord's throat. Startled, the Doctor's body went rigid, his arms coming up, one hand still clutching the sonic screwdriver, his other palm open. Quickly, with a subtle movement of his thumb, he turned the screwdriver off. The whirring sound ceased and the light faded, leaving nothing but the lingering silence in the air.
Turning his head a fraction, he made an attempt to look at River. "Hello there!" he said with a big smile. Quickly, he looked back to Ankh, his smile disappearing instantly. "I said they were pretty powerless!" he replied, his voice quick with panic. "Well, they did something! Now we know!" he added with an awkward shrug and a smile. Realising he had just said hello to River, he paused and turned his attention back to River, his body facing the same way, hands still up.
"Actually... I take that 'hello' back. Why are you here?" he asked, turning impatient. His emotions switched from one extreme to the next so quickly! Glancing to the Doctor and then Ankh, he tried again. "Why is she here? She's not supposed to be here! And before you go saying it, she's not who you think she is. She's not the one on the TARDIS and we're certainly not married!" he rambled. "Don't trust a word she says!" he said, pointing at her with his free hand, managing to keep his hand in exactly the same place it had been since they arrived. Up in the air.