Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Angel smiled as she sat on the Doctor's hanging harness beneath the console's glass floor, swinging just a tiny bit as she watched Rory changing the thermo-couplings all by himself, well, with a few called and gentle instructions from her. But for the most part he was handling himself just fine. It really warmed her hearts to see her companion doing so well on his own. She'd noticed a change in the man since he'd joined them on their adventures, he was slowly becoming more confident, more sure of himself, more determined. It made her so happy to see him thriving and growing and she hoped that maybe she had had a little hand in it. He really did remind her SO MUCH of Mickey Smith. Now, looking back on it and at all the people she had offered to be her companion that had said no, she knew why. She was happy Rory was her second companion, he wasjust what she needed at the moment. Mickey Smith had been her first companion and he was exactly like the Doctor had been to Sarah Jane, an incredibly tough act to follow. But Rory was making his own way, had carved out his own spot in her hearts, and had become such an important part of her life.

And she always made sure that he knew that too. Everyone always underestimated how impacting little things could be. A compliment, a small bit of praise, a kind word, a hug, anything at all, just some small form of encouragement could do wonders! And the little smile that Rory always gave, the look of realization in his eyes when he realized he HAD done something amazing or correct was just brilliant. She liked seeing that reaction in him, when he'd blink and start to smile and nod to himself like he'd just realized he had done something he hadn't known he could. Every time she saw it she saw him grow and be happier. And that was so important to her, to see him happy, to remind him he was this amazing brilliant man.

He deserved it. He truly did deserve to know how remarkable he was. Remarkable Rory. Just like Magnificent Mickey.

She glanced up to see the Doctor on his back on a small rolling board, working under a panel of the console, and frowned, her hand dropping to her stomach. Yes, she was glad Rory was her companion, she needed someone now that the Doctor was so distant. Not just a nurse, though it helped considering her was pregnant and Rory was very good with pregnancy apparently, he'd worked numerous hours in the nursery of the hospital, loving children as much as he did. But...she just needed one person that she could talk to, and Rory was it. Sarah Jane was another yes, but she had her own family to look out for, her own work protecting the Earth, and she was on Earth too like Rory was there with them. Rory was perfect, so kind and understanding and compassionate, and true to his word. He hadn't told Amy or the Doctor about her yet, which she was thankful for. She knew it was wrong to ask him to keep that secret from his wife, but he did it, for her, and she had never been more grateful.

She just...she didn't want too many people to know because...it would hurt that much more if she lost the baby. Because she felt like she would not only have lost something so important to her, but...she would have hurt her family too. That baby, as soon as it was born or even learned about really, would become a part of the family, a part of their hearts. It would hurt them to lose as well and that would kill her even more to know SHE had hurt her family too. Even if it wasn't her fault, even if she couldn't control it, even if it just...happened...SHE was the mother, it was her job to protect her baby and see it healthy and happy and...she would have failed if she lost it.

Her thoughts were cut off, thankfully, when she heard footsteps above her as Amy walked over to the Doctor, "Hey!"

He rolled out from under the console to smile up at her, "HEY!" before rolling back under.

Amy smiled and shook her head, crouching down to pull him out by his braces, "Listen can we talk?"

The Doctor's eyes widened, "RORY!" before frantically scrambling back under.

Amy rolled her eyes and yanked him out once more, "No, shut up. I just got a question that's all…"

"What's wrong?" Angel called from under the console, looking up.

"You ok up there?" Rory asked.

"Yeah, fine, no problem!" the Doctor nodded.

Amy frowned and stood, putting her hands on her hips as she looked down at her husband and his Pilot, "What are you doing?"

"Helping Angel," Rory shrugged.

He'd come down to ask Angel if she wanted an examination done before he and Amy were dropped off for a short 'break' from the travelling. From what he'd learned about Time Lord pregnancies...which wasn't all that much really...Angel was probably nearing the end of her first trimester or at the start of her second and he wanted to check on her and the baby, but then he'd seen her hunched over something under the console floor with a blowtorch and immediately run over. He was under the firm belief that pregnant women ought not to over exert themselves and, given how little he really knew of Time Lord pregnancies, really only knowing the length of them, he was even more concerned for Angel. He knew she was under a lot of stress and the extra work on the TARDIS, no matter how much she enjoyed it, needed to be toned down. So he'd taken it upon himself to do the work for her, to the best of his ability.

Which reminded him...

He turned to Angel, "It's humming...is that ok?" he'd much rather ask HER than than the Doctor, she'd give him an answer...the Doctor would probably ramble off on a tangent about different types of humming in different species to avoid answering the question because he didn't know the actual answer.

Angel smiled, fiddling with her Whitepoint Star necklace, and nodded, "Yeah, the TARDIS does that whenever we enter conceptual space. Really shouldn't," she looked up at the Doctor, "But someone crossed wires some time ago that I have yet to find!"

The Doctor rolled his eyes, "I told you, it always made that noise!"

"Conceptual space?" Rory frowned.

Angel opened her mouth to explain when the Doctor decided to do it, "Imagine a banana or anything curved!" then paused to think, "Actually don't, since it's not curved or like a banana…forget the banana."

Rory nodded, that was exactly why he asked Angel questions about time and space and TARDISes.

Amy glanced down as Angel pointed something out and Rory moved to do it, "Uh, is he helping you fly the TARDIS?"

"A bit, yeah," Angel replied before focusing on Rory, "Now we just need to attach thermo-couplings 2, 7, and 11," she reached out and nudged his arm as he passed her to get them, "Just like I showed you."

Rory smiled and nodded, getting to work.

Amy looked at the Doctor as he rolled off the board to get up and check his work on the console, "How come he gets a go?"

"Because he's my companion!" Angel called up to her.

Which made Amy round on the Doctor, "You never let me have a go Doctor!"

"Because I also had a bad feeling about it," Angel added with a laugh. She'd learned the hard way through teaching Amy the basics of flying the TARDIS NOT to leave her unattended or let her fly without supervision. She was just fine when she was just helping them hit a button or pull a lever just out of reach...but actually flying the TARDIS...well, she wasn't going to risk the box in that sense, not when she risked enough just letting the Doctor pilot.

Amy let out a small mock-offended scoff.

"Quite right too," Rory laughed, moving to lean against a beam to look at Angel as he held one of the thermo-couplings, nudging her leg with his foot, "I let her drive my car once."

"Yeah," Amy scoffed, "To the end of the road!"

Angel smiled, sensing where this was going, "How'd that work out?"

"Well, let's just say..." Rory smiled, "There was an unexpected house. According to Amy."

Angel started laughing, which made Rory beam to hear, he didn't often her her laugh much and he knew that she deserved to laugh more, to be happy more.

Amy shook her head, though she was smiling at seeing her husband and Angel getting along so well, "He's jealous Angel, because I passed my test first time."

"You cheated," he countered, making his way to the base of the console again, "You wore a skirt."

"I didn't wear a skirt."

"Luck would have worked too," he mumbled, getting back to work.

The Doctor smiled at the three of them, moving to hunch over the controls, only to look over a moment later and come face-to-face with Amy's legs, straightening quickly to walk around to the other end of the console, his smile fading though when he heard Angel laughing at Rory's remarks. For some reason...it hurt...to hear another man making her laugh. But he shook his head, Rory was her companion, it made sense they'd be friends. It was good they were friends. Very good. Wasn't it?

"No, no, I did wear a skirt. But it was any old skirt."

"You ever see Amy drive Doctor?" Rory called up to the man.

"No!" he replied.

"Neither did her driving examiner."

"Actually," Amy paused in thought, "It was this one...it was this skirt."

"Eyes front soldier," Angel called to Rory, seeing him about to look up...

Only for the TARDIS to go dark moments later.

Angel winced and hunched over, sucking in a breath of air, feeling her insides twisting.

"What was that?" Amy looked around.

"Rory did you drop a thermo-coupling?!" the Doctor asked.

"Sorry..." Rory admitted.

"Oh how did you do that?!" he strode over and looked down through the floor at him, "I told you don't drop them! Angel specifically mentioned not dropping them too!"

At the mention of Angel, Rory looked over, his eyes widening at seeing her almost struggling to breathe, clutching her stomach. He ran to her side, kneeling down before her to put his hands over hers, trying to see what was wrong, but she had her eyes clenched in pain, tears in the corners of them.

"What is it?" Rory breathed, trying to help her, frantic.

"It hurts..." she ground out quietly as he frantically checked her over, trying to see what was wrong, all his training as a nurse flying out the window at the sight of her in such sudden pain.

"It was my fault," Amy continued above them, both her and the Doctor oblivious to Angel's plight in the darkness.

"Of course it wasn't your fault," the Doctor waved her off, heading to the console to try and get the power back on.

"No, it really was."

"How can it be your fault?"

"Because it was my skirt, and my husband, and your glass floor."

"Oh!" he grimaced, realizing what Rory had done, what had distracted him, "Rory!" he turned to look through the floor again, only to see Rory with Angel, something clearly very wrong, "Angel?" he called, pulling Amy's attention over as well, "What's wrong?" he turned and ran down the stairs with Amy.

"What happened?" Amy gasped, seeing Angel nearly curled up on the harness, shaking, sweating.

"The...emergency materialization..." Angel whimpered, "The TARDIS is inside herself. Feels like I'm...being crushed from the inside..." she let out a groan.

The Doctor's eyes widened and he ran to a lever on a pole, switching it on, turning on the lights. He moved towards the stairs that led from the console to the main doors, Amy after him as Rory remained with Angel, trying to help her up, wanting to get her off the harness and upstairs to the jump seat where she'd be more stable. The Doctor gaped at the sight of another TARDIS inside the console room, just by the main doors.

"Doctor...what's happened?" Amy stared.

"Like Angel said, emergency materialization...means the TARDIS locked on to the safest space available...which was the TARDIS and materialized inside of itself."

"That's not supposed to happen is it?" Amy frowned as he moved closer to it, touching the door only to snap his hand back as the wood shocked him, "What are you doing?"

"Absolutely no idea," he breathed, before grabbing the doors and throwing them open, ignoring the sting as the mini-TARDIS tried to shock him again, dashing through them...and stepping out of the larger main doors.

"Uh, ok that is a bit weird."

The Doctor reached back and stuck his arm through the larger doors, waving it out of the smaller doors.

Rory looked over from where he was kneeling before Angel, now on the jump seat, "That is actually pretty cool."

"Oh," the Doctor frowned, stalking back up the stairs towards them, "I'm glad you're entertained Rory, now that were stuck here for all eternity. At least you won't be bored."

"Wait, what?" Amy ran after him, "We're stuck?"

The Doctor looked at Angel, not even needing the sonic to know that her connection to the TARDIS was what was affecting her so much, "The inside of the TARDIS is now joined to the outside of the TARDIS. Worse than a time loop, a space loop. Nothing can enter or leave this ship ever again," he swallowed hard, knowing that the longer they were there, the worse Angel would get.

Angel suddenly hunched over with a cry of pain, opening her eyes to reveal swirls of the Vortex within them, her skin starting to ripple with soft waves of the energy as well...just as the larger doors opened and a second Amy walked in, "Ok kids, this is where it gets complicated."

"Who the hell are you?" Amy turned to the other her.

Rory didn't even look over as he tried to rub Angel's back, trying to get her to breathe, his other hand resting on her knee. He could see whatever was wrong with the TARDIS was hurting her, worse yet, he could see that it might be hurting the baby as well. He felt awful. This was all his fault, if he hadn't insisted on working on the TARDIS instead of Angel then he never would have been holding the thermo-coupling that he dropped, this never would have happened. Angel wouldn't be hurting.

His thoughts were cut off when Angel reached out and grabbed his hand as it rested on her knee, squeezing it, whether knowing where his mind had gone and trying to stop him thinking that or just needing comfort he didn't know, but he squeezed her hand back, his heart racing, hoping the Doctor could work out what had happened and help her!

"I'm you from your future!" the second Amy smiled.

"Doctor..." Angel groaned.

"Tell me exactly what's happened," the Doctor turned to the second Amy, his hearts starting to pound at the pain in Angel's voice, "Quickly!" he snapped when the second Amy was silent. All he could hear in his mind was 'help Angel, help Angel, helpAngelhelpAngelhelpAngel...' over and over...

~oOo~

"Mr. Connolly..." he said warningly, not about to let anyone get in the way of him saving Angel. If the man didn't let Tommy talk...well...he could scarcely be held responsible for his actions.

"Shut your face, you...whoever you are, we can handle this ourselves," Eddie glared at him, him stiffening, about ready to punch the man when he turned back to his son, "Listen you, little twerp. You're hardly out of the bloomin' cradle, so I don't expect you to understand. But I've got a position to maintain. People round here respect me. It MATTERS what people THINK."

His fists clenched, his hearts racing so fast he was sure they would beat out of his chest. He could hear them pounding in his ears, his breathing coming in labored as he began to shake. His mind was racing but all he could hear was Help Angel. Save her. Save his Mate. Help AngelSave herSave his Mate. HelpAngelsavehersavehisMate. Over and over and over in his mind, growing stronger with every beat of his hearts...

He needed to DO something!

~oOo~

"The exterior shell of the TARDIS has drifted forwards in time," the second Amy hurried to explain, "If you step into the box now, you step inside the control room a tiny bit into the past."

"I don't understand," Amy held up a hand to slow down her explanation.

"Neither do I."

"But you just said it!"

"No, I'm just repeating it. I'm just remembering what I heard myself saying when I was standing where you are now and repeating it. I'm just repeating this too, and this, and this…"

"I still don't understand."

"You still don't."

"Oi!" Rory cut in as Angel started wheezing, her other hand clutching at the center of her chest, the gold rippling more, "Get on with it!"

"Ok, right," the Doctor nodded, shaking his head quickly to try and focus on what was happening and what he could to do stop it instead of how much pain Angel was clearly in and how much it was terrifying him to see her so hurt...if he could stop it, she'd be fine again. He turned to the second Amy, "When does this Amy step inside the box? We need to maintain the timeline."

"Ah, as soon as she slapped Rory," the second Amy answered.

Amy nodded, very ok with that, "Ok."

"No," Rory frowned up at her, "Why do I get slapped?"

He really didn't mind it, actually, getting slapped, if it would save Angel, help her, but if Amy was slapping him just as a joke or just for the sake of slapping him...that he had an issue with. Because that was just a waste of time that could be spent helping Angel!

"Chain of events..." Angel ground out.

"Shh," Rory turned to her, pushing a lock of hair behind her ears, somewhere in the back of his mind wondering why HE was the only one trying to comfort her, "Don't speak..."

He didn't even notice the Doctor frowning at him, having seen that little action before he shook his head, wincing as he closed his eyes at the sight, "We have to stick to the established chain of events. One mistake and the whole timeline could collapse. We'd end up with two Amy Pond's forever! And then what would you do?"

"Go absolutely barking mad," Rory muttered to Angel, trying to make her laugh.

Amy let out a mock-offended noise and slapped him upside the head, succeeding in getting Angel to let out a small laugh despite the tears in her eyes.

"Ok," the Doctor grabbed Amy's arm, leading her down to the smaller box, that would have to do, he wasn't going to risk waiting for Amy to really slap Rory, a slap on the back of the head was good enough for him and had better be good enough for the timelines or he'd be very cross, "You into the police box, now!"

"What, and then I become her?" Amy nodded at her second self.

"Yes, go, go, go!"

Amy moved to enter, but glanced at herself, "Do I really look like that?"

"Yeah, yeah you do," the second Amy smiled.

"Mmm, I'd give you a driving license."

"Oh I bet you would."

"Amy go!" Rory shouted, seeing Angel starting to shake again, scrunching her eyes shut, "Now Amy!"

"Right," Amy nodded, moving to enter again when she had to ask, "What's the first line?"

"Ok, kids this is where it gets complicated," the second Amy reminded her.

"Gotcha," Amy nodded, entering the small doors.

"Hang on," Rory whispered to Angel, squeezing her hand, "It's almost over."

"So, is that it?" the second Amy ran over to them, moving to Angel's side, crouching down to put her hand on Angel's back, rubbing it, wanting to help, "Are you ok?" she asked Angel.

"No," she whimpered.

"No," the Doctor agreed, "We're still trapped."

Amy looked over, frowning when she saw the Doctor at the console, rushing around it instead of fretting over Angel, snapping his hand away from various controls as they sparked, the box humming angrily as though noticing the same thing...but...she could see something else. He WAS worried, just as worried as they were...no...MORE worried. She could see it in his face, in his expression, in how jerky he was moving, how frantically...he was more worried than the two of them combined and...he wasn't looking at Angel. Every time his gaze neared her, he would jerk it away, as though looking at her was too painful...as though it would only serve to make him more panicked and, knowing that it wouldn't help, he was trying to avoid that.

"No," Angel shook her head, pulling Amy's attention back, "I mean...no!" she hunched over, curling in on herself, as the large doors opened again and third Amy and second Rory entered.

"Seriously?!" Rory nearly shouted, nearly at his wit's end about this, the golden hue was stronger now, not just rippling in a soft manner but moving in waves around Angel.

"What are you doing?!" the Doctor demanded, spinning to the new duo that had entered.

"You told us to get into the police box," the second Rory tried to explain as quickly as he could, "Well, from your point of view, you're about to tell us to get into the police box. From our point of view, you just told us to get into the police box. Which is why we got into the police box. Which is why we're here…"

"Do I have to remember all of that?" Rory stared at him, "No, do I have to SAY all that?" what a waste of time!

"It sort of just happens. And yeah, gotta stick to the timelines..."

"Hi!" the second Amy waved to herself.

"Hi!" the third waved back, seeing a small smile on the second her's face that she knew meant she was just trying to lighten the situation.

"Oi!" both Rorys shouted, worried for Angel who was actually crying now.

"Stop that!" the Doctor agreed, seeing that as well, grabbing the second Amy, "You two," and pulling Rory up and away from Angel, "Into the police box, now, run!"

"So what now?" the third Amy called as the others disappeared, the Doctor kneeling by Angel, his hearts racing.

"Angel," he whispered, taking her head in his hands, his hearts breaking to see the absolute agony on her face, "Just hold on," he told her softly, turning to look at the Ponds as they took a step towards them, "You two stay where you are!" he shouted at them, jumping up and turning to the console.

"What are you doing?" the second Rory demanded, seeing him turning away from Angel as she trembled, the gold swirling around her.

"I'm setting up a controlled temporal implosion. It's the only way to reset the TARDIS. But unless I find exactly the right lever to control the implosion…we're all going to die."

"You don't know which lever?" the third Amy gave him a look.

"No…" he smiled, "But I'm about to find out," he winced, realizing what this would mean, "Sorry Angel."

Angel actually let out a muffled scream as the gold began to swarm around her, the girl starting to glow now as the large doors opened and a second Doctor ran in.

"The wibbly lever!" he shouted.

"The wibbly lever!" the Doctor pulled it, "Thank you!" and darted into the other TARDIS.

The second Rory didn't bother waiting a second longer, running over to Angel's side as the box inside the console room started to fade, breathing a sigh of relief as the gold started to dim around Angel as well, actually pulsing with the wheezing noises as it lessened...

"Ok!" the second Doctor cheered, "We're back in normal flight! The TARDIS is no longer inside itself, the localized time field is no longer about to implode and rip a hole in all causality. But, just in case…" he looked at Amy, "Pond put some trousers on," before making his way to the console, "You alright?" he asked Angel, about to reach out to put a hand on her shoulder, when Rory helped her stand and seemed to almost tug her away from him.

"F-fine," Angel's voice trembled as she shook in Rory's arms, leaning heavily on her companion, which...for some reason he couldn't fathom...made his jaw clench at the sight when all Rory was doing was being a good companion and offering her support.

"I'm gonna take her to the med-bay," Rory told him, "Check her out."

"Good," the Doctor nodded, "Right, yes," he turned to the console, needing something to distract him from the...disappointment...he felt in the fact that Rory was going to make sure Angel was ok. Something about that didn't sit right with him, something about that felt...wrong...like it shouldn't be RORY doing that, "I'll finish up here and..." he trailed off, looking at his hand as it rested on a lever, lifting it up to eye it closely, it was shaking...he curled his hand into a fist, trying to still it, "Come check in later," he finished.

Rory nodded, leading Angel off to the stairs to the halls, frowning as he felt her shaking in his arms still.

He would later find that she was ultimately alright, shaken, yes, very tired, of course, but she was fine and so was the baby which they were both SO thankful for...in fact...he'd even been able to manage an ultrasound of the little bundle. Too soon to tell the sex though but proof enough that there was something there, a little life inside her.

Angel had smiled when he offered her the photo to keep, but she'd just curled his own fingers around it, saying she knew her baby was there, and this way...Uncle Rory would too.

Chapter Text

Doors burst open with a clang as a man in restoration garb stalked through them, shoving a servant away as he passed, "Out of my way!" he cried, grabbing the knobs on a second set of doors, pushing on them, but the doors were locked, "Doctor!" he banged on them, "Doctor! Doctor!" he finally burst through the door, his sword drawn, with two other guards behind him. He looked over to see pile of the Doctor's clothes on a table beside a selection of painting supplies and finally over to a painting of the Doctor himself, in a god-like pose, in the clouds, holding a trident in his right hand with his left on his hip, a red swath of cloth barely protecting his modesty, "Where's the Doctor?!" he demanded, eyeing a young woman standing off to the side with a paintbrush in hand.

She laughed nervously, "Doctor who?"

And then there was a muffled sneeze.

The man's eyes narrowed as he used the tip of his sword to lift the hem of the young woman's dress, a rather naked Doctor glancing up from under it, "You know, this isn't nearly as bad it looks."

~8~

Rory put the groceries he and Amy had just bought on a counter of their kitchen as Amy read the tale from a red book, "'At the personal intervention of the King, the unnamed 'Doctor' was incarcerated, without trial, in the Tower of London.'"

"Ok, but it doesn't have to be him," Rory remarked.

"'According to contemporary accounts, two nights later a magical sphere some twenty feet across was seen floating away from the Tower, bearing the mysterious Doctor aloft.'"

"Ok, it's him. And Angel, someone has to bail him out of trouble."

"There's more…"

~8~

A sweating man in a white tank top and green pants crawled through a tunnel towards a hole at the end, "Doctor! Doctor what can you see?"

The Doctor dropped his head over from a hole above the tunnel to look at him upside down, dressed in much the same outfit, as dirty and sweaty, "Is the Commandant's office painted a sort of green color with a big flag on the wall?" alarms blared, "I think the answer's probably yes…"

Before the man could reply, the Doctor was yanked up through the hole as someone shouted.

~8~

Amy closed the book as she and Rory laid out on the sofa, watching a movie on the telly, shaking her head as she read about how the Doctor had been locked in a cell, only for the captors to find it empty the next morning, the warden claiming to have heard a wheezing sound and gone to check to find the Doctor and the other man gone.

"It's like he's being deliberately ridiculous," she remarked, "Trying to attract our attention," Rory, however, laughed at the movie, "Are you watching this again?" she looked over at Laurel and Hardy's 'Sons of the Desert' playing.

"Yeah, I've explained the jokes," he nodded, when the doorbell rang and Amy got up to answer it, "So what are you saying?" he called out as she went to another part of the house, "You really think he's back there trying to wave to us out of a history book?" he sat up and leaned over to pick up the red book, not seeing the Doctor appear on the telly, a fez on his head, and waving at him from the movie.

"It's the sort of thing he'd do," she agreed, walking into the room with a stack of mail.

"Yeah but why?" he shook his head, neither of them seeing the Doctor dancing on screen, "I mean, Angel's gonna have to get him out of all that, and she shouldn't have to deal with all that stress."

Amy looked at him curiously, "You know you make a lot of comments like that."

"What?"

"Angel. How she should relax or slow down or something. Do you know something?"

He shook his head quickly, "Nope, just saying. It can't be easy to have to watch the Doctor all that time. And we probably don't even know half of what he's gotten up to."

Honestly, he knew he should probably feel guilty about keeping Angel's pregnancy a secret from his wife, given everything they'd seen, they'd promised to always be honest with each other. The Doctor lied enough for everyone on the planet, they didn't want to lie to each other too. But...really...it wasn't exactly lying, he just...wasn't telling her something. And Angel trusted him with the secret of her pregnancy. He wouldn't betray that, not for anything, not even...not even for Amy. Angel was...special to him, in a different way than Amy was special to him. Amy was his wife, Angel was his Pilot. It was like Amy was with the Doctor, if he asked her to keep something from him, Amy would probably do it, gripe about it, try to hint at it, but she'd keep it from him. Really though, a large part of why he didn't say, besides it having to do with Angel's trust in him, was that...it made him feel closer to her, like the pregnancy had given them more to bond over, creating a stronger friendship like the one Amy and the Doctor had.

He wouldn't give that up for anything.

Angel really was the best friend he'd ever had, the best Pilot (not that he'd really had another Pilot), and truly very much like a sister to him, an older sister who was always looking out for him. He'd already started to think of the baby as his niece/nephew!

"Well, we'll find out when we see them again," Amy shrugged, leaving it for now, "He said they'd be in touch."

"Two months ago," he reminded her.

It had been Angel that had gotten the Doctor to drop them off after their honeymoon, wanting to give them time alone to just be a married couple without the death defying adventures and running, just a few months to enjoy themselves in peace and quiet. Which had been a nice gesture at the time though now...even HE had to admit he did miss the TARDIS and seeing Angel every day and the adventures. It was actually...fun...or at least it was to him when Angel was there to keep an eye on everything. He found he worried less...still worried, of course he did, his wife and pregnant sister were in the middle of the dangers too...but worried less because he trusted Angel and her abilities, she'd kept them all safe in the past and he couldn't see that changing in the future.

Amy opened a dark blue envelope at the bottom of the stack of mail she'd sorted through, "Two months is nothing, he's up to something, I know he is. I know him," she pulled out a paper from the envelope and stared at it.

Mr. & Mrs. Williams
22/04/2011
16:30 MDT
378-08-388* N, 1108-148-348* W

"What is it?" Rory looked up when Amy fell silent, "Amy?"

She stepped closer, looking at the letter, "A date, a time, a map reference. I think it's an invitation."

"From who?"

"It's not signed. Look," she held up the envelope with a small smirk, "TARDIS blue," she tossed it at Rory.

~8~

A similar envelope landed on the bed of a prison cell and one River Song reached down to pick it up, opening it and smiling as she saw the contents.

Dr. River Song
22/04/2011
16:30 MDT
378-08-388* N, 1108-148-348* W

She laughed, practically buzzing in excitement before she turned to grab a sack out from under her bed...

~8~

Alarms blared as men raced down the halls of Stormcage, past a guard on a phone, "You'd better get down here, sir. She's doing it again. Dr. Song, sir. She's...packing. Says she's going to some planet called...America."

~8~

A yellow school bus drove down a dusty road in Utah's Monument Valley, stopping to let Amy and Rory off, both carrying rather large backpacks, "Thanks!" Amy smiled at the driver.

"You're welcome!" he replied, shutting the door.

"This is it yeah?" Amy looked around as the bus drove off, "Right place?"

"Uh, nowhere, middle of," Rory shrugged, neither noticing Angel standing right behind them, having been hidden by the side of the bus, a black, western style vest with tassels on over her blue dress, wearing a TARDIS blue cowboy hat to go with her black cowboy boots, a red 1960s station wagon parked on the other side of the road behind her, "Yeah, this is it."

"Howdy!" she cheered with a rather good impersonation of Jack's American accent on, making them jump.

"Angel!" Amy gasped, spinning around to hug her, SO happy to see her after so long.

"Amy," Angel smiled warmly, hugging her tightly.

"So the Doctor's been a busy boy then, eh?"

Angel rolled her eyes, "Did you see him? He was being completely ridiculous."

"That's what Amy said," Rory smiled.

"Rory the Roman," she beamed, hugging him as well. He squeezed her tight, actually lifting her off the ground a bit as he hugged her, which made her laugh and him smile to hear it. He missed her laugh, he missed her.

Rory pulled away and looked at the top of her head, laughing at the sight of what was resting on top of it, he'd never really seen Angel in a hat before, "Nice hat."

"Oi!" she nudged him playfully, poking him in the stomach, making him squirm back, "Don't knock it, Stetson's are cool."

"You've been spending way too much time with the Doctor," Amy laughed, "You're starting to sound like him!"

Angel had just started laughing at that...

When the hat was shot off her head by a bullet.

Angel tensed, looking back over her shoulder to see River eyeing her coolly, "Angel," River greeted, absently running a finger along the barrel of her gun.

She nodded back, "River."

Rory frowned and looked between them, hearing a change of tone in Angel's voice, she'd gone quiet and...sad...

~8~

Angel sat across from Rory in a small diner as Amy and River went to get a bite to eat at the counter and he looked at her closely, "What happened?" he asked her in a whisper so as not to be heard by the others, "Not to sound rude, but…you're thin," Angel looked down at her very-flat stomach with a solemn expression, "Angel..." he reached out to take her hand, "Did something happen?"

She nodded sadly, "I um..." she cleared her throat, "Everything was fine, you know, it...it was hard, but, in the end it was happening, it was actually happening...but..." she swallowed hard, "She just..." she looked away, blinking quickly to try and keep the tears from falling, not wanting the others to see her crying, to ask questions, not wanting to deal with the smug look in River's eye that she knew would be there, she didn't doubt that River probably knew of the fate of her baby, "I only held her for an hour...and she was gone."

Rory let out a breath, feeling like he'd been punched in the gut at the words. The baby, it was a girl, his sister had had a baby girl, he had a niece...and she'd died. He'd seen it happen so often in the hospital, more often than he ever wanted, all sorts of births. Live births, stillbirths, births where there didn't appear to be anything physically wrong, where the baby looked perfect, but just...there was a heart problem or a brain problem and it just...didn't make it. He would never ever wish that fate on anyone and he knew how important that baby was to Angel, he'd seen it himself how terrified she was of losing the baby, to be confronted with that, to realize it had happened...he couldn't imagine the pain she had been in and must still be in. That wasn't something a woman ever got over. He could only hope that he had been there in some way. He got the feeling this Angel was from the future, her hair was longer, she seemed older, how far he didn't know, at least 2 or 3 years if she was able to carry the baby to term till just near the end. He hoped he had been there for her, but...maybe, now that he knew something was wrong or something would be wrong with the baby, he could try and find out what, try and help her, try and save his little niece.

He squeezed her hand tightly, "I'm so sorry Angel."

Before Angel could speak, could thank him for his sympathies, Amy sat down beside her, "So…where's the Doctor?" she looked around as though he were about to walk through the door.

Angel shook her head, putting on a smile Rory KNEW was fake, "He's wandering around a museum," she gave a small laugh, "You know how he can get. I sort of nicked the TARDIS and wanted to see you all. He won't even notice I'm gone for another half hour at least, and then he'll probably spend an hour or two trying to find me."

Amy laughed, thinking about that and the TARDIS, apparently the TARDIS was that red car that had been behind Angel. She'd fixed whatever it was that made it look like a police box, which she knew must have irritated the Doctor quite a bit.

River stepped over just then and sat down next to Rory, "So where are we?" she asked tersely, pulling out her diary, wanting to get an idea of the events she shouldn't speak of, an idea of the events to come for Angel and the Doctor (and her) that she might be able to use to her advantage, "Easter Island?"

"Yeah."

River smirked, "They worshiped the Doctor there, do you remember?" and gave her an appraising look, "And they thought you brought the plague."

Rory frowned at that, that was rather rude. He couldn't imagine any species blaming Angel for a plague.

Angel's lips just pursed a bit, but she had to remember where River was in her timeline, "Yes, I remember. We did Jim the Fish as well if it helps."

She nodded, "How is he?"

"Still working on his dam."

"Sorry, what are you doing?" Rory cut in, looking at River's journal, guessing that Angel just had a better memory and didn't need one, being psychic and all, she probably had a better recollection of time.

"They're time travelers," Amy answered, "But they never meet in the right order. River's syncing her diary with Angel and the Doctor's timeline. So what's happening then?" Amy looked at Angel, "'Cos you and the Doctor have to have been up to something."

"The Doctor…" Angel began slowly, careful with her words, "He's been running, faster than he's ever run in his whole life. And…" she swallowed, "I've been with him for a long while now, but..." she shook her head, "I just...can't...anymore," she looked at Rory, catching sight of River's victorious smirk and Amy's concerned look out of the corner of her eye. Rory just nodded, guessing why she was stopping, "But I'm going to need you all to help me with something first."

"Ok…" Amy said slowly, eyeing her, feeling very...sad that Angel wanted to stop travelling with the Doctor, she had been there when Angel had only taken a break and the man had nearly fallen apart and now she was thinking of quitting entirely. This would NOT end well, but still...Angel needed help, and she'd do it...she'd help...and then go find the Doctor and have him go after Angel and get her back.

"What do you need us to do?" Rory asked, serious, understanding completely why this was happening, "We'll do anything."

"Come on a picnic with me," she smiled sadly, "And then...you need to take a trip."

"Where?"

"Space. 1969."

~8~

The four of them were sitting at a beautiful lake where the moon was clear in the sky, on picnic blankets, the red car-which-was-actually-the-TARDIS parked behind them.

"Salute!" Angel held up a bottle of wine.

"Salute!" they clinked their glasses together.

"So when are we going to 1969?" Rory looked at Angel as she poured herself a small glass of wine as well.

"And since when do you drink wine?" Amy eyed her, "I don't think I've ever seen you drink anything alcoholic come to think of it."

Rory winced, knowing precisely why Angel hadn't ever had anything alcoholic in the time she'd known them and watched Angel as she tensed, her hand nearly dropping to her stomach before she shifted it to her side, pretending like she was intending to push herself up a bit more, "I'm 996," she told Amy, "A lot's changed," she took a small sip of wine and looked out sadly at the lake.

"996?" Amy blinked, startled by that, "You were 801 last time we saw you!"

"Like you said. The Doctor and I've been busy."

Amy frowned at that, it wasn't like Angel to brush questions off and not answer, usually the Doctor did that and Angel would answer for him. She sighed and looked over at the landscape, catching sight of an alien form standing on a small ledge which made her squint against the sun to see it, "Who's that?"

"Hmm?" Rory looked at her, "What do you see?"

Amy looked at Rory, "Sorry, what?"

Angel glanced over at her and back at the same ledge, closing her eyes a moment, only River seeming to see her heartbroken expression and smirk at it.

"What did you see? You said you saw something."

Amy took a sip of her wine, "No, I didn't."

"Isn't the moon beautiful?" Angel murmured, opening her eyes to look at it, "You humans," she shook her head fondly, a small, sad smile on her face, "You were captivated from the moment you saw it. Quite right too. Just had to go explore it, learn more about it," she grew distant as she looked at it, "I loved that about you, your drive, your curiosity…"

"The moon landing was in '69," Rory realized, cutting into her thoughts just a bit, not liking the sound of her tone, how...final and...in the past tense it was, "Is that where we're going?"

Angel's fond look faded to an almost...resigned one, "No, more will happen in 1969 than you or anyone remembers Rory," she looked at him and he frowned, seeing tears in her eyes, but she looked back at the lake before he could see for sure if he was imagining it or not, "Human beings. I've saved so many of you...I always thought...I'd always be there to save more of you…"

"What do you mean?" Rory frowned, hearing her last words.

Before she could answer a car stopped quite a few feet behind them. They looked back, Angel standing up as an old man stepped out. Angel gave him a small wave which he returned with a solemn nod of his head. But, while Amy was looking at the man, Rory was looking at Angel's expression, resigned, tired, and scared.

"Who's he?" Amy looked at Angel, startled, not having expected anyone else.

River stood with a gasp, looking at the lake instead, "Oh my God..."

Amy turned to look, all of them getting up as they saw an astronaut suit standing in the water.

Angel swallowed hard, nodding to her self as she took a breath, "Stay here," she took a few steps forward, "Whatever happens...don't interfere. Ok?" she looked at them a moment before walking straight over to the astronaut.

"That's an astronaut," Rory breathed to Amy, "That's an Apollo astronaut in the lake."

"Yeah," she nodded, watching Angel closely.

Angel walked up to stand before the astronaut, looking at the ground with tears in her eyes. She closed them a moment before looking up, trying to be brave, "I worked it out, I know it's you," the visor lifted, "Not the Doctor here, I know..."

The small group stood, watching as Angel spoke to the astronaut quietly, gesturing at something in the astronaut's hand before looking down, her eyes closed.

The astronaut slowly raised its arm.

"What's she doing?" Rory frowned, his heart starting to race.

A moment later...the astronaut fired, shooting Angel in the chest with a single shot, sending her stumbling back.

"No!" Rory gasped, trying to run to help Angel.

"Angel!" Amy shouted as well, jerking forward.

"Amy, no!" River grabbed her, pulling her back with an arm around her waist as she grabbed Rory's arm with her other hand, "Rory stay back!"

The astronaut shot again, striking Angel's other heart and she fell to the ground, struggling to get up, making Amy and Rory twist more, needing to get to her, needing to help her!

"She said to stay back!"

"No!" Rory struggled, "Let me go! I have to help her!"

"We have to stay back!" River tightened her grip on Rory, Amy more stilled in complete shock, as they watched Angel stand, a glowing energy starting to sweep across her body.

Angel looked over at them, tears in her eyes as she tried to offer them a smile, tried to comfort them, and that was so her, "I'm sorry," she breathed, her words carrying to them on the wind before she threw her head back and the energy burst out of her...

Only for the astronaut to fire once more.

Angel fell back onto the ground, onto her side...and didn't get up, the glow gone.

"Angel!" Amy shrieked.

"No!" Rory screamed, pushing away from River, actually making the woman stumble, as he and Amy ran to Angel's side, dropping to their knees as the astronaut turned and walked into the lake, River slowly walking after them towards Angel's body.

"Angel, please!" Amy pleaded, sobbing over the girl, shaking at the brutal act they'd just witnessed.

River pulled out a device from her pocket and held it over Angel to scan her, but only got a flat line noise.

"No," Rory shook his head, knowing what that sound meant and not wanting to believe he was really hearing THAT, "No!"

River said nothing as she straightened, simply glancing at the astronaut as it disappeared into the lake, her hand resting on the gun on her belt but made no move to pull it out.

The old man walked closer, holding a tank of gas, when River turned around and looked at Amy sitting beside Angel, sobbing, while Rory sat holding the dead woman's hand, trying to hold the tears in his eyes as he looked at her, frozen in true shock.

"River she can't be dead," Amy shook her head, "This isn't possible."

"Whatever that was, it killed her before her regeneration cycle could start up," River explained, her voice flat, "She simply didn't make it to the next body."

"Maybe she's a clone?" Rory looked up, hopeful, "Or a duplicate or something, like I was."

"Maybe I can save you some time," the old man said, taking off his hat in respect, "That most certainly is the Angel. And she is most certainly dead," he sighed, "I'm sorry," and looked at River, "She said you'd need this," he set the gas can down.

"Gasoline?" Rory eyed it.

"A Time Lord's body is a miracle," River replied, "Even a dead one. There are whole empires out there that would rip this world apart for just one cell. We can't leave her there. Or anywhere."

Amy leaned over, "Wake up! Come on, wake up! You bloody martyr!" she shook Angel hard, as though it could rouse her, "Angel please! You can't go!" but Angel didn't move, "What do we do Rory?"

But Rory was silent, just...staring at Angel's unmoving form, looking completely lost, as though his world were falling to pieces. It was an expression Amy had seen on his face when his grandmother had died, it was the expression that was always there when someone he cared deeply for died. And that was Angel, she knew he cared for her, loved her like a sister...and now...to actually SEE her die, to see her be killed right in front of him...he was devastated.

"We're their…friends. We do what the Doctor's friends always do," River lifted the gas can, "As we're told."

Rory winced at that, at how River could be so cavalier about this, how she could talk about burning Angel's body like it was just a lump of wood, how she was still talking about the Doctor, how the Doctor would want them to do this...not Angel. He took a shaky breath, but Angel had brought them there. And...if she had told that man to bring gas...she wanted this done as well. He blinked and looked around, a faint ringing in his ears, the world looking distorted, blurry, and he realized he was crying. He reached up, wiping his eyes, when he spotted an old boat on the shore, halfway around the lake.

"There's a boat," he whispered, pushing himself up to face River, "If we're gonna do this, we do it properly. With honor and respect."

River stared him down a long while and he realized she would be just as happy to burn Angel right there rather than to give her a proper funeral and narrowed his eyes till River sighed and nodded, stepping aside to let him go get the boat.

~8~

That night, they stood by the lakeside, watching as Angel's body burned in the boat. Rory standing halfway in the water, having insisted HE be the one to send her adrift, he was her brother after all. He hadn't moved since then, the water was freezing, but he couldn't feel it. He couldn't feel much of anything really just...numbness as he stared...watching the flames, with tears streaming down his face, before he sniffled and turned, slowly walking out of the water and over to Amy, who immediately hugged him, holding her close, needing the comfort.

River glanced over at the old man, "Who are you? Why did you come?"

"Same reason as you," he pulled out his own blue envelope as Amy and Rory looked over. River looked at it, seeming actually stunned that the man had one as well, before pulling out her own and looking at the numbers that had been written on the back of it, "Dr. Song. Amy. Rory," the man greeted, "I'm Canton Edward Delaware the Third. I won't be seeing you again, but you'll be seeing me," he put his hat on and gave them a nod, leaving with the gas can as River watched.

River spun around, holding up his envelope, "Three."

"Sorry, what?" Rory asked.

"Angel numbered the envelopes."

~8~

The three of them walked towards the diner, River still trying to make sense of it all, "You got two, I was four, Mr. Delaware was three."

"So?" Rory shook his head, not seeing what was so important about that, how would numbers change what happened?!

"So, where's one?"

"What, you think Angel invited someone else?" they walked past a stunned Amy who had stopped to lean against the bike racks by the door.

"Well she must have. She planned all of this to the last detail and believe me when I say Angel would know if there was something missing."

Rory stared at her, that was as close to a compliment as he had ever heard the woman give, but...what she was saying...she was implying that there was more to it, that...Angel knew this was coming and if she planned for it...maybe there was a way to save her! Which made him frown...why was River now so suddenly eager to save Angel? He certainly got the impression from her words at the lake that she didn't care for the Time Lady.

"Will you two shut up?" Amy breathed, "It doesn't matter."

"She was up to something."

"She's still dead."

"Space, 1969. What did she mean?"

"You're still talking but it doesn't matter."

"Hey, it mattered to her," Rory stepped over to her, "So it matters to me."

"She's dead," she whispered.

She didn't know how Rory was able to hold himself together as it was his Pilot who had died. She supposed it had something to do with being a nurse, with seeing people dying on operating tables or from accidents, being able to distance himself from a situation if given enough time. But she hadn't had that experience, she hadn't seen anyone die in front of her like that. But she knew, it was hope, he was hoping that, somehow, Angel would find a way back, a way to have saved herself.

"But she still needs us," Rory said, looking away sadly.

"I know, Amy, I know," River walked over and put an arm around her shoulder, "But right now we have to focus. Whatever she was planning, it must have had something to do with the Doctor," it had to have, Angel wasn't wearing the Dampening Bracelet...which meant that the Doctor HAD to have it! Angel would never risk the Doctor's life like that. And if he had it, if he was still wearing it...then he was alive, and alone, and if she could just get to him...

Her thoughts were cut off by Amy's rather audible scoff. The ginger just shook her head, moving past her sorrow to...annoyance...really. Leave it to River to make it about the Doctor.

Rory seemed to share her sentiments as he stalked off towards the diner's entrance at River's words, NOW realizing why River was so interested in what had happened to Angel, she clearly thought the same fate might await the Doctor. But how could it? Angel had gone to face that...thing...and if she'd gone to do that, maybe it meant that it was after the Doctor and she'd stopped it, taken his place or something. He closed his eyes a moment, hardly able to breathe at the reminder that she was gone. She'd been so...willing...it seemed. She'd just walked right up to that astronaut, hadn't even used the Vortex to stop it, just...stood there. And he knew why. The baby, that baby was everything to her, and to lose it...he'd seen a woman or two in the hospital who just never recovered from a tragedy like that. Some women just...lost all hope, felt like they had lost everything, like they didn't have anything else to keep them there...especially the women whose husbands had died before the babies were born, it was like they had lost their last links to the men they loved and it killed them inside.

He saw it then, at the lake.

Angel had been far, FAR too willing.

"It's the only reason she'd do something like that," River explained, "To protect him, and if he's in danger then we need to find out what she was doing, why she did that, and…"

"Oh my God!" Rory gasped.

They looked over to see him standing by the glass door of the diner, looking in. They ran over to see, there, sitting in the back of the diner, with what seemed like a pickle in one hand and a jar of jam before her, was Angel.

Chapter Text

Rory opened the door to the diner and ran straight over to her, "Angel!"

"Rory!" Angel beamed, getting out of the booth she was sitting in with just the slightest bit of difficulty, "How are you?"

He didn't answer, just hugged her tightly, though he could feel a bit of a bigger bump against his stomach and nearly sagged and wept in relief, the baby was still there! He hadn't seen it, the bump, what with her flowing dress and, well she seemed to be wearing a new, long-sleeved, black waterfall cardigan that went to an inch or two above the hem of her dress, both of which had hidden that rather well.

River ran past them to the table, not even casting a glance at Angel or stopping to 'hug' her like Amy and Rory were doing, instead snatching up the blue envelope that was in between the jar of jam and a glass of water and opened it, seeing 'Doctor' written on the top of the invitation, the map reference and time different than her own, set for just moments ago and for the diner instead of the road. She looked at the number 1 on the back and let out a breath, realizing who the person Angel trusted most was, who else was there.

She turned to Angel, "This is cold," she glared at the girl, who pulled away from leaning over to hug Amy, careful not to get too close to Amy lest she feel the bump as well, looking back at her rather confused, "I never thought you, of all people, capable, but this is truly cold. No," she shook her head, "I DID know you were capable of this, you are capable of FAR worse," she ended, nearly spitting the words at Angel.

Angel just stared at her, completely befuddled, "I'm not quite sure what you're talking about," she eyed River curiously as the woman's eyes narrowed more, stepping past her to scoop up her jar of jam, dipping the pickle she hadn't let go of in it again and munching on the last half of it.

Just then a door in the back with an Elvis painted on it opened up and the Doctor walked in with a straw in his mouth. He smiled, seeing them, though a bit confused as to why they were all looking at Angel as though stunned to see her there. He didn't know why they'd have that expression on their faces, where else would Angel be but with him? Well, he supposed she could be visiting Jack or Sarah Jane or Mickey and Martha or Donna or...he shook his head, not liking that thought. No, no Angel had already seen Jack a short while (or a year, which really was a short while) ago, she didn't need to see him again. No, Angel would be there too, of course she would, she would be there, with him, where she was meant to be.

"Hello!" he cheered, drawing their attention away as he pointed at them, "Just popped out to get my special straw," he held it up, "It adds more fizz."

Angel shook her head at him, amused. But Rory moved to hug her again, which made her frown in concern, "You're ok…" Rory whispered to her, and she could hear his voice crack with emotion, he was trembling just a bit in her arms as well, worrying her.

"How can you be ok?" Amy shook her head, looking at Angel, completely shocked, ignoring the Doctor for a moment.

The Doctor frowned at them and looked at Angel, who was giving him an equally as confused look over Rory's shoulder, before she shook her head and moved to put her arm around Amy in comfort once Rory let her go, "Of course I'm ok Amy."

She had been very careful this time with the Doctor, the time the Ponds weren't there for, knowing she needed to be more cautious and on guard, especially about the pregnancy. She really was...doing ok. She had been careful, she had been sure to do everything Rory told her she ought to for her pregnancy, with some Time Lord substitutions in, and...she had noticed...a tiny change in the Doctor. With it being just them it was like...he noticed her more, not so much her pregnancy, though he had commented a tiny bit on how she seemed to be putting on a few pounds and slowing up on their travels, but that was it for that. Really, he was more...thoughtful, about her. He let her pilot more, he let her pick the places to go, she'd managed to convince him to visit the other companions too, well, Donna and Martha as he'd said she'd already seen Jack and Sarah Jane, and it was nice. He included her more, talked more TO her instead of AT her unlike he'd done at the start of his regeneration. And...he was a tiny bit more flustered when she dressed up for period trips. She had to be very careful to wear outfits that didn't give away her pregnancy and she was honestly surprised he hadn't noticed it what with how much he stared at her during them.

"She's always ok," the Doctor added with a smile, chewing on his straw, "More than ok, brilliant, wonderful, fantastic!" he laughed, "She's the Queen of ok," and then grimaced a bit, "Oh, that's a rubbish title, forget that title," he stepped forward and hugged Amy, "Amelia Pond!" he laughed and turned to Rory, "Rory the Roman! That's a good title!"

"Oi!" Angel threw the stem of the pickle at him, though she was smiling, he did that too, she'd noticed, complimented her, the time alone had done them both good, even if it still hurt that he didn't remember her, "I thought of it first," and she had, she realized, all the way back in the Byzantium forest when she'd talked with Amy.

The Doctor just waved that off, "Hello Rory!" and hugged him.

Rory just shook his head, stunned, looking confused as well, though immensely relieved, just a mess of emotions really.

The Doctor turned and looked at River, "And Dr. River Song oh, you bad, bad girl, what trouble have you got for me this time?"

River's jaw tensed and she just reached out and slapped him, hard. She had been itching to slap Angel though she didn't doubt that Amy and Rory would have an issue with that, Rory more than Amy for some reason, and Angel was standing between Amy and Rory at the moment, easily defended, so she settled for the Doctor, she needed to get her frustration out on someone and he was the closest at the moment.

"Ok…" he rubbed his cheek, "I'm sure that's for something I haven't done yet…"

"Near enough," River said, glaring at Angel, who frowned, not sure why she was getting glared at all of a sudden, the Doctor was the one who usually got everyone into trouble.

"Good, I'm looking forward to it," he commented, not noticing the direction of River's gaze.

"I don't understand," Rory shook his head, "How can you be here?" he looked at Angel.

"We were invited," Angel replied with a shrug.

The Doctor snatched the envelope out of River's hand, "Date, map reference, same as you lot. I'd assume otherwise but it's a hell of a coincidence."

"River what's going on?" Amy demanded, shaking her head, her thoughts feeling jumbled at all that was happening.

"Amy ask Angel what age she is," River said, knowing Angel was more likely to answer Amy or Rory than her, and...she didn't want to look at the woman right now, let alone speak to her.

"Why?" Angel frowned, very confused as to why everyone kept focusing on her. She'd spent the last near 2 years in the background, the unnoticed, she actually shifted ab it, feeling uncomfortable with how they were staring at her. If they kept that up then they'd start to notice her weight gain and other changes. She tugged her cardigan a bit more in front of her, using the 'waves' of the front to try and block her stomach, thankfully no one seemed to notice the movement.

"Tell her," River replied tensely, spinning to her, "Tell her what age you are!"

"I'm 802," she replied, the Doctor was 909.

That made her about two-thirds of the way through the pregnancy. She had turned 801 shortly before Amy's wedding, and she and the Doctor had been busy the last year or so, she'd just turned 802 recently now that she thought about it. Right now she was in her 3rd month of the last year of the pregnancy, at the start of her third trimester, by Earth terms about 7 months pregnant, and she knew that, soon, her belly would really start to swell to the point where she wouldn't be able to hide it. Luckily, the bump was just able to be hidden under a billowy dress and a layered sweater, but she knew it was only a matter of time before that became too difficult.

"But you said…" Amy shook her head.

"So where does that leave us huh?" River shouted, growing frantic and angry, and just a bit upset working out exactly what was going on and what would happen, "Jim the Fish? Have we done Jim the Fish yet?"

"Who's Jim the Fish?" the Doctor frowned.

"I don't understand," Amy muttered.

"Yeah you do…" Rory looked at her, unable to bring himself to move away from Angel now that he knew she was ok.

"I don't," the Doctor looked at them, "What are we all doing here?"

River glanced at Amy and Rory, an action that Angel and the Doctor both saw, "We've been recruited, something to do with space, 1969…" she turned to the Doctor as he stepped past her, "And a man called Canton Everett Delaware the Third."

"Recruited by who?" the Doctor chewed his straw.

"Someone who trusts you apparently."

He turned around, taking the straw out of his mouth, "And who's that?"

"Spoilers," she smirked.

The Doctor just put the straw in his mouth.

~8~

In the TARDIS, the Doctor ran around the controls, Angel sticking mostly to one side of them while River watched her with narrowed eyes and Amy leaned on the railing, looking at Angel with tears in her eyes, she didn't know why this was hitting HER so much. But she shook her head, no, she knew why. Angel wasn't just Rory's Pilot, her husband's Pilot, she was HER friend too, she was the last of the Doctor's species, and...to see her being shot at, murdered before her eyes so brutally...it hurt. Rory saw death all the time, saw accidents and wounds and victims, she knew it would hit him eventually, that it was ANGEL this time, but for now he was holding it together. Would that she were that strong, she could already feel the tears threatening to fall.

"1969, that's an easy one," the Doctor said, "Funny how some years are easy," he leaned next to Amy, "Now, 1483, full of glitches. Now then," he swung away and Amy turned and walked down the stairs, knowing if he saw her cry he'd get worried and wouldn't stop asking her about it, "Canton Everett Delaware the Third. That was his name yeah?" he ran around to River while Angel put the name in the system, "How many of those can there be?" he turned back to the console, "Well, three. I suppose," River just walked past him and down the stairs where Amy had gone as the Doctor and Angel watched them go.

Angel looked at Rory, "Rory have I done something to upset you all?" she'd noticed River's glares seemed far more pronounced and even Amy had been avoiding her, Rory though seemed not to want to leave her side but he kept looking at her as though he couldn't believe she was standing there, it was worrying her.

"No, no it's just..." he trailed off, not wanting to say 'it was the fact we saw you killed in front of our eyes' to her, not while she still had the baby, not while he still had time to hopefully save it, save her 200 years of mourning the loss of it, "I'll go talk to them," he murmured, heading off to join them below the glass floor, Angel watching him go, sad, while the Doctor looked suspicious.

"Explain it again," Amy shook her head.

"The Angel we saw on the beach was a future version," River replied, "200 years older than the one up there."

"But all that's still gonna happen. She's still going to die."

"We're all going to do that Amy," River sighed, "Everything, all things, must die eventually."

"We're NOT all going to arrange our own wake and invite ourselves," Rory joined them, standing beside River, "So, Angel, in the future, possibly trying to save the Doctor, and knowing she's going to die, recruits hers and the Doctor's younger selves and all of us to...to what exactly?"

"Save her?" Amy asked.

"That's not her style," River muttered darkly. The woman would lay down her life in an instant for other people, not at all caring about herself. Bloody martyr. And worse yet, she knew the exact reaction that the Doctor would have to it, the same reaction he always had when it happened. She swallowed hard, feeling her hands clench into fists, oh she could just imagine what the Doctor would do should he find out about what Angel had done...would do...to save him. And that was more than enough to set her in a rage, because every time that happened...she'd seen it...every single time, it only brought the two closer. The Doctor would be safe, yes, the future Doctor as well as he likely had the Dampening Bracelet, but whenever it happened, afterwards, he'd be safe...but his thoughts would be on Angel.

And that would NOT do at all.

"Well we have to tell them," Amy got up, startling River out of her thoughts.

"We've told them all we can. We can't even tell them we've seen Angel's future self. Angel's interacting with her own past. It could rip a hole in the Universe."

"Except the Doctor's done it before."

"And in fairness, the Universe did blow up," Rory cut in, hoping Angel's interference would be far more delicate and less disruptive than the Doctor's given her abilities.

"She'd want to know."

"Would she?" River shook her head, "Would anyone? What do you think Rory?" she turned to him, "Do you think she'd want to know everything?"

Rory frowned as he looked at River, the expression on her face, her words...it made him feel like she knew more than she was letting on. But he had to agree, he couldn't bear to tell Angel she lost the baby in the future. The Angel at the lake had been nearly 200 years older, but Time Lord pregnancies only lasted 3, that was almost 197 years of Angel suffering with that knowledge, reliving that moment, mourning that loss...he couldn't do it. It would break her hearts.

The Doctor popped his head down to hang over the top of the floor, looking at them, "I'm being extremely clever up here and the only one standing around looking impressed is Angel. What's the point in having you all?" he pulled himself up, "I'd be better off with just her!"

River's jaw tensed at that, hearing that last mutter under his breath, "Couldn't you just slap him sometimes?"

"River we can't just let her die," Amy pleaded, "We have to stop it," River looked back, stoic, unmoved, "How can you be ok with this? I mean, I know you hate Angel but…"

"Death, in general, doesn't frighten me, not theirs, not my own. There's a far worse day coming for me," and with that, she turned and headed up the stairs leaving the Ponds little option but to follow.

"Time isn't a straight line," the Doctor said as they returned, "It's all bumpy wumpy."

"Wibbly wobbly, timey wimey," Angel laughed a bit.

Rory walked over to her and put a hand on her shoulder, squeezing it as though reassuring himself she was really there, that she was ok. She smiled at him, sensing his distraughtness, and put a hand on his, patting it.

"There's loads of boring stuff like Sundays and Tuesdays and…" he angrily pulled a lever, Angel's smile fading a bit, he still didn't remember her birthday was on a Sunday, in fact...he hadn't wished her a 'Happy Birthday' since he'd regenerated, "Thursday afternoons. But now and then there are Saturdays! Big temporal tipping points where," he walked over to lean on the console by River, smirking at her, which made Angel swallow, seeing River smile flirtatiously back, and turned to go to the keypad, "Anything is possible. TARDIS can't resist them, like a moth to a flame. She loves a party so I give her 1969 and NASA 'cos that's space in the '60s," he walked off around the console, "And Canton Everett Delaware the Third and this…" he moved to type on a keypad when he saw Angel was already on it, "Is where she's pointing."

They crowded around the monitor as Angel flicked it on, "'Washington, D.C., April the 8th, 1969?'" Amy read, "So why haven't we landed?"

"'Cos that's not where we're going."

"Why?" Rory frowned, "Where are we going?"

"Home! We'll you two are. Off you pop and make babies and you, Dr. Song, back to prison," he walked away, around the console, "And us! We're late," he hit a button, "For a biplane lesson in 1911. Or it could be knitting. Angel mentioned she wanted to take a knitting lesson, so knitting or biplanes one or the other," he plopped down on the jump seat, crossing his leg and putting a hand to his face, over his eyes, while Angel flicked a few switches and watched the group walk over to him. He dropped his hand when they were before him, "What? A mysterious summons you think we're just going to go?"

"Who sent the messages?" Angel asked, walking over and looking at them, "I know you know, I can sense it," and she could, she could sense they were lying, that they knew, never try to fool a psychic. The only thing she didn't know was who had sent them, but her stomach twisted painfully at the thought, she remembered a part of her dream, the dream that had happened nearly a year ago, that blue envelope...the same one the Doctor had opened the doors of the TARDIS to find stuck to the instruction panel.

She swallowed hard, knowing what it meant, the vision was about to happen.

"Don't play games with us. Don't ever, ever think you're capable of that."

"You're going to have to trust us this time," River replied simply, as though she expected him to do that off the bat.

"Trust you?" the Doctor eyed her, starting to frown when he saw Angel turn away and move to the back of the console, "Sure," he got up, "But first of all, Dr. Song, just one thing. Who are you? You're someone from my future, I'm getting that, but who?" no reply, "Ok. Why are you in prison? Who did you kill? Hmm? Now I love a bad girl, me, but trust you? Seriously?" he let out a small laugh, looking at her intently, "Angel doesn't trust you," he added, "And I've learned, if Angel doesn't trust someone, it's for a very, VERY good reason," he watched as River's expression fell into a near scowl at that, "I trust her, more than anyone."

"Trust me, then," Amy stepped forward, seeing River growing agitated and wanting to avoid a fight, after everything that had happened, the LAST thing she wanted was shouting and arguing.

The Doctor looked at River a bit longer before turning away and walking over to Amy, "Ok," he stood before her.

"You have to do this and you can't ask why."

"Are you being threatened? Is someone making you say that?"

"No."

"Are you lying?"

"No," Angel called, making her way around the console and back to them, "She isn't."

The Doctor nodded, taking her word at face value, showing them all just how much he implicitly trusted her, but given that he knew Angel hadn't had a vision about this, he had to add, "Swear to us, swear to me on something that matters."

Amy looked at them, "Fish fingers and custard."

The Doctor started to smile at that, though Angel just looked at her solemnly, "Our lives are in your hands Amy," she told her gently, though only Rory seemed to notice one of her hands brush against her stomach at the words before she and the Doctor turned to walk away as Amy looked down.

"Thank you," River looked at her, Rory putting a hand on her shoulder in comfort.

"So!" the Doctor ran around the console again, "Canton Everett Delaware the Third! Who's he?"

~8~

A short man in a black suit, one Canton Everett Delaware the Third, sat at a bar, nursing a drink, when two larger men in trench coats and hats stepped up behind him, "Mr. Delaware?" one asked.

"Who wants to know?" Canton asked, looking at them.

"Your boss," the second agent replied.

"I don't have a boss anymore."

"Maybe you want to tell that to the President of the United States," he took the drink from Canton's hands as the other gestured at the door.

~8~

The Doctor and River stood around the monitor as Angel worked on setting the controls, "Ex-FBI got kicked out," River reported from her readings.

"Why?" Angel called, looking at them through the rotor.

~8~

The two men were in the front of a black car as Canton sat in the back, on the phone, "I understand you have a problem with authority," the man spoke.

"Thank you," he smirked.

"It's not a compliment, son."

~8~

"Six weeks after he left the Bureau," River read, "The President contacted him for a private meeting."

"Yeah...1969, who's President?" the Doctor frowned.

~8~

"This is a personal matter," the man continued, "I need someone on the outside, someone with FBI training, but is not in contact with them."

"I'm flattered," Canton rolled his eyes.

"You were my second choice for this, Mr. Delaware."

"That's ok. You were my second choice for President, Mr. Nixon," he glanced out the window to see they were pulling up to the White House.

~8~

"Richard Milhouse Nixon," River replied, "Vietnam, Watergate…there's some good stuff too…"

"But not enough," the Doctor frowned.

"Hippie!"

"Archaeologist."

~oOo~

"You, Angel, are like the modern day hippie."

"Urg," he grimaced at that, having come over to them in time to hear Martha's remark, "No she's not."

Martha scoffed, "You BOTH are really."

He pouted at that.

Angel just smiled and put her arm around his waist, "At least we're not archaeologists."

He had to nod at that, he hated archaeologists.

"I still can't believe you actually pointed and laughed at Howard Carter," Martha laughed, remembering that adventure to Egypt.

"He deserved it," he countered sulkily, "He's an archaeologist!"

~oOo~

Angel flinched at their little jibes, it was far too similar to how she and the Doctor used to toss 'psychic' and 'thief' at each other. She closed her eyes and turned back to the console, working on the controls, not even seeing the Doctor look over at her, eyeing her, for some reason picturing her last incarnation dressed as a hippie standing there...

~8~

Nixon sat behind his desk with Canton in the chair before him, "Every day, wherever I am, I get a phone call."

"People can't just call you, Mr. President."

"It's a direct call every time. Every day for the last two weeks, usually late at night."

"Man or woman?"

"Neither. Listen," he switched on a tape recorder.

~8~

"Ok!" the Doctor clapped, pulling his gaze away from Angel when she didn't look up at his stares, "Since I don't know what we're getting into, this time, for once, I'm being discreet. Putting the engines on silent," he tossed a lever that made the noise louder as Angel shook her head and River moved to push it down again, only to frown, struggling to move it as the TARDIS fought against her.

"Here," Angel reached over and gently put the lever down, easily, which made River glare at her.

"Did you do something?" he looked at her when it went quiet.

"Just helping," Angel shrugged.

He nodded, moving back to the controls, "Putting the outer shell on invisible. Haven't done this in a while. Big drain on the power."

"You can turn the TARDIS invisible?" Rory frowned, that would have been handy.

The Doctor flipped a switch and lights blared through the windows.

"Very nearly," River remarked, trying to hit the switch down, when the switch sparked, making her snatch her hand away, "Will you stop that!?" she shouted at the rotor.

Angel hid a small smile, reaching out to flick the lights off, patting the console a bit, it seemed the box still wasn't too fond of River. She knew, if the situation really called for it, the box would work for River, but right now...the box just didn't seem to like her.

"Did you touch something?" the Doctor popped up, rather close to Angel.

Angel just held her hands up in surrender, inhaling sharply at how close he was, barely half a foot away from her and looking right in her eyes, luckily far enough away to not feel her bump.

The Doctor nodded but...remained standing there, his hand resting on a lever, just...staring at her as she looked up at him. Amy and Rory glanced at each other, a bit confused as to why he wasn't moving to finish what he was doing, River's eyes starting to narrow at the scene unfolding, but just as she opened her mouth to snap the Doctor out of whatever it was, Angel spoke.

"The invisibility?" she murmured quietly.

But not quietly enough it seemed, or the Doctor was just more deep in whatever thoughts than he seemed, as he jerked back suddenly, nearly falling to the floor, only the lever he'd been holding catching his fall, keeping him from falling to the ground but instead stumbling onto the edge of the console, "Yes, right!" he shouted, nodding to himself and rushing to the other side of the console.

Amy frowned as she saw a blush creep onto the Doctor's face.

"You lot," he pointed at them, "Keep an eye open, you might learn something. Ok!" he tapped a button on the monitor, hitting it, "Now, I can't check the scanner, it doesn't work when we're cloaked…"

"No, Doctor you just have to…" Angel began, but he grabbed her arm and pulled her towards the door with him, if he was going to encounter the unknown, he'd best have a psychic with him. That and...River kept glaring at her.

And he felt this...irritation...bubble in him at that. Angel hadn't, as far as he knew, done anything to deserve glares like the ones River kept sending her. And he knew that it did get to her, that it bothered her a good deal, so he just...wanted to get Angel away from the woman for a short while. He could have left her in the TARDIS, with the Ponds, and taken River instead but something...twisted...inside him at the thought of that. Of the thought of picking River over Angel, Angel belonged at his side.

River was very capable, very quick, very sharp and talented and handy in a dangerous situation. She was clever and daring and brave and able to handle herself. She was really rather impressive and quite lov...he blinked, realizing his thoughts were getting away from him.

Angel was all those things too, her visions made her an asset, the Vortex made her a force to be reckoned with if she so chose to use it in that way, not that he thought she would, at least not without some severe prompting and some sort of enormous threat on the horizon threatening the people she cared about. And she always did her best to protect everyone, she'd even protect River despite how the woman was sending her cold looks, and that was...something.

Looking at River, he honestly couldn't say if the woman would try to help Angel if a danger arose. She seemed to like Amy and Rory well enough, him especially, but...the fact that he couldn't be certain she'd defend Angel worried him. It alarmed him really. Even just thinking about it, upset him...something inside him told him that Angel should never be harmed, not ever, she was just...too precious...to him.

He stopped sharply at that, before nodding, it was true, she was precious to him. She was the last of their kind, like him, she was a fellow pilot for the TARDIS, she was his friend, his mate...he winced at that word, still, it had been ages and he STILL winced at it and didn't understand why.

Rory jerked forward, as though to stop him, if he was going to encounter the unknown, taking a pregnant woman into that sort of danger wasn't the best idea.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa," the Doctor spun around, having heard Rory rushing after them to see the others had as well, "You lot…wait. We're in the middle of the most powerful city in the most powerful country on Earth…" he opened the door, "Let's take this slow."

He slipped out, followed by Angel, who patted the door frame and silently asked the TARDIS to be nice to River while they were out, and shut the door behind her. They looked around at the Oval Office, stunned, before noticing two men by a desk. The President was standing, looking through a window with his back to the Doctor, while Canton sat in a seat, facing the same direction, both listening to a recording play of a phone ringing twice before being answered.

"Hello?" Nixon answered over the recording, "Who is this? This is President Nixon. Who's calling? Is this you again?"

The Doctor crept forward cautiously.

"Mr. President?" a little girl whispered.

Angel frowned, glancing over her shoulder, feeling like...there was something there, watching them...

"A child," Canton's eyes widened.

"This is the President. Yes."

"I'm scared Mr. President. I'm scared of the spacemen…"

Angel looked back over at the recording, feeling her hearts stop...

...Amy, Rory, and River stood by a lake, watching her walk towards an astronaut suit...

...she looked down, watching as the astronaut lifted its hand, aiming a blaster at her...

...she fell backwards as the astronaut fired, striking her in the chest, sending her to the ground...

She gasped, looking down, tears in her eyes as she felt her breath catch in her throat. She closed her eyes, panting, shaking her head, wrapping an arm around her stomach, resting the other on a side table, bracing herself on it as she shook, feeling dizzy. She shook her head hard, looking up at the ceiling with tears in her eyes...

"A little girl," Canton realized.

"Boy," Nixon corrected.

"How can you be sure?"

Angel blinked and frowned, looking down at herself, why was she leaning against the table? Why was she shaking? She shook her head, swallowing hard, feeling a bit sick...

"What spaceman?" the recording rolled on, "Where are you calling from?" the Doctor pulled out a pen and paper and took notes, not seeing Angel looking around the room in confusion, as though trying to see something that wasn't there, "Where are you right now? Who are you?"

"...Jefferson, Adams, Hamilton."

"Jefferson, listen to me…" and the call ended.

"Surely this is something the Bureau could handle, sir," Canton stated.

"These calls happen wherever I am," Nixon shook his head, "How do I know the Bureau isn't involved?" the Doctor nodded, that was a fair point, "I can't trust anyo…" he turned around to see the Doctor and Angel standing there. Canton stood up as well, facing them.

The Doctor looked up a moment, motioning for them to continue, still jotting down notes.

"Doctor," Angel put a hand on his arm, looking at the men cautiously, not sure how they would react, humans were...tricky...

He looked at her and then at the men, "Oh!" he realized, "Hello! Bad moment," he started backing away, "Oh, look this is the Oval Office! I was looking for the uh…" Angel tugged him to the side, avoiding knocking into a lamp, "Oblong Room…" the President pushed a security call button on his desk, "We'll just be off then…shall we?" he turned.

"Doctor!" Angel shouted, reaching out to try and pull him back, but he'd already walked right into the invisible TARDIS, "Every single time…" she mumbled as he fell to the ground.

~8~

The TARDIS jolted as River looked around, rolling her eyes, knowing what that meant, "Every time."

~8~

"Don't worry," the Doctor popped back up, "Always does that when it's cloaked."

"Doctor!" Angel pointed. He spun around as Canton tried to come up behind him, still managing to grab the Time Lord around the chest and tackle him to the floor.

"No, stop that!" he struggled.

~8~

River moved over to the monitor and cautiously grabbed a handful of wires, starting to stick them into it, smirking as she wasn't shocked this time, though the TARDIS hummed angrily, almost petulantly, as though a child doing something only because their parent had forced them to. It didn't bother her one way or the other, it was a machine, as long as it did its job it was fine with her.

"He said the scanner wouldn't work," Rory frowned.

"I know," she smiled, "Bless!" she plugged a wire in and the scanner sparked to life, but this time a spark she knew was meant to happen.

"Did Angel teach you that?" Amy asked.

River gave a reluctant nod.

~8~

"Ow!" the Doctor twisted as he was held to the floor. Angel had tried to get to his side but the President had grabbed her wrist, holding her back. She couldn't even use the Vortex or end up revealing themselves as aliens and a whole other mess of issues would arise.

Secret Service Agents entered the room, two running to the President's side and grabbing Angel while the rest went to secure the Doctor, "Lock down, lock down!" an agent called.

~8~

River watched the Doctor on the floor through the monitor, his face pressed into the carpet, "Not that!" he twisted, "Ow!" he looked over, seemingly right at the camera, "River, tell me Angel showed you how to get the scanner working!"

"Oh, I hate him!" she muttered.

~8~

"No, you don't!" the Doctor shouted as though hearing her.

"Get the President out of here!" Canton commanded, "Sir, you have to go with them now!"

"River!" Angel yelled, "Make her blue again!"

~8~

River huffed at being ordered about, "No," she muttered sarcastically, "I never would have thought of that," but flicked a switch and shut off the cloaking device, knowing the Doctor would need the distraction.

~8~

As the TARDIS became visible, Canton and the other men holding the Doctor released him to stare, openmouthed, at the box, though the guards holding Angel were not quite as awestruck, holding onto her despite the sudden appearance off a blue police box in the middle of the room.

"What the hell is that?" Nixon gaped.

Chapter Text

"Mr. President!" the Doctor said, closing a binder as he sat at the President's desk with his feet up. The agents stood up and turned on him, cocking their guns and aiming, "That child just told you everything you need to know. You weren't listening," Canton, the only guard with no gun out, eyed him, "Never mind 'no's the answer's 'yes.' I'll take the case," he clapped, but the men remained tense, their guns trained on him, "Fellas, the guns, really? I just walked into the highest security office in the United States with a friend of mine and parked a big blue box on the rug. You think you could just shoot me?"

River ran out of the TARDIS at that, "They're Americans!"

The Doctor leapt up as some of the agents turned their guns on River, which made Angel wince as...well, one guard had been holding a gun to HER the entire time and he hadn't reacted, hadn't seemed to notice really, which she supposed was understandable, from his angle at the desk, but it still hurt.

"Don't shoot!" the Doctor cried, "Definitely no shooting."

"Nobody shoot us either," Rory said as he and Amy slowly came out of the box with their hands up, "Very much not in need of getting shot…look, we've got our hands up," he glanced at Angel to see her being restrained and shot her a concerned look. She just nodded at him, she was fine, the guards had, thankfully, grabbed her around her upper arms and not her stomach.

"Who the hell are you?" Nixon yelled.

"Sir," Canton called, "You need to stay back."

"But who are they? And what is that box!?"

"It's a police box, can't you read?" the Doctor dropped his hands, "I'm your new undercover agent on loan from Scotland Yard, code name: the Doctor."

"A little help Doctor," Angel called from where she was still being held.

"That's my associate, the Angel, lives up to her name," he added.

"Nice to meet you," Angel said, a bit tense, the guards hadn't exactly lightened up on their grip, but then again, the other guards hadn't lowered their guns at the others either.

The Doctor seemed to notice that as well as he added, "And these are our top operatives, the Legs, the Nose, and Mrs. Robinson."

"I hate you," River muttered.

"No you don't," he grinned, he was starting to find, for how much River seemed to love irritating him by calling him 'sweetie' he got just as much enjoyment out of irritating her.

"You know you shouldn't make fun of Rory's nose," Angel called, "When I met you the first time you had a much bigger one than him."

"Really?" Rory perked up a bit at that, "That I have to see."

"I'll show you a picture when this is over," Angel laughed.

"Who are you?!" Nixon shouted, getting frustrated with their joking.

"Boring question," the Doctor cut in, "Who's phoning you? That's interesting 'cos Canton 3 is right, that was definitely a girl's voice, which means there's only one place in America she can be phoning from…"

"Where?" Canton eyed him.

"Do not engage with the intruder Mr. Delaware!" a guard called.

"You heard everything I heard," the Doctor replied, "It's simple enough, give me…five minutes, I'll explain it. On the other hand, lay a finger on me…" he sat down and put his feet upon the desk, "Or my friends and you'll never ever know. Hurt Angel," he gave Canton a hard look, "And I won't lift a finger to help you at all."

Angel had to smile a little at that, at least he was still protective of her in a way. To him it was because, that time alone had made him more aware it was really just them left. But to her, even knowing that, it was still nice, to know that he cared about her.

"How'd you get that in here?" Canton motioned back at the TARDIS, "I mean, you didn't carry it…"

"Clever, eh?"

"Love it."

"Do not compliment the intruder!" the guard yelled.

"Five minutes?"

"Five," he grinned.

"Mr. President," the guard spoke, "That man is a clear and present danger to…"

"Mr. President," Canton rolled his eyes, "That man walked in here with a big blue box and four of his friends and that's," he pointed at the guard, "The man he walked past. One of them's worth listening to. I say we give him five minutes. See if he delivers."

"Thanks Canton," the Doctor nodded.

"If he doesn't, I'll shoot him myself."

"Not so thanks…"

"Sir, I cannot recommend…" the guard tried again.

"Shut up Peterson!" Nixon snapped, before sighing, "Alright…"

"Five minutes," Canton turned to the Doctor.

The Doctor sat up as the guns lowered and looked around the desk, "I'm going to need a swat team ready to mobilize, street over maps covering all of Florida," he tapped the intercom button, "A pot of coffee," he held up his index fingers, "12 Jammie Dodgers," and pointed at Canton, "And a fez!" he grinned, tapping the desk with his fingers.

Canton just gave him a look, "Get him his maps."

~8~

There were maps everywhere, all over the Oval Office. Amy and Rory were sitting on a sofa while Angel sat on an armchair across from them, looking at a map of her own though not really seeing it...she couldn't help but feel like she'd forgotten something, it was something small, she felt, but it was...bothering her. It was distracting her from looking at her maps. The Doctor was standing with a map, walking across the room, past Canton, to the President's desk while the guards watched him closely should he try to harm the President.

"Why Florida?" Canton wondered.

"That's where NASA is," he replied, "She kept mentioning spacemen…NASA is where the spacemen live. Also…" he put the map on the desk and hunched over it, "There's another lead I'm following."

Amy got up and went to kneel by River at the edge of the room, the woman having set herself there, as far away from Angel as possible, where she was looking at a map as well, "Spaceman?" Amy whispered, "What like the one we saw by the lake?"

"Maybe, probably," she got up.

Amy turned to see an alien with a large head and eyes, but no mouth, in a black suit standing in the doorway, her mind thinking back to seeing a similar one at the lake, "I remember…"

"Amy?" Rory stepped in front of her, "What did you remember?" he stepped aside, the doorway empty.

"I don't know, I just…" she put her hand on her stomach, suddenly feeling sick.

"Amy?" Angel got up and went to her side, "What's wrong?"

"Amy?" River frowned.

"You alright?" the Doctor walked past her with a map.

"Yeah, yeah, no, I'm fine," Amy waved them off, "I'm just feeling a little sick," she looked at a guard, "Excuse me, is there a toilet or something?"

"Sorry ma'am, while this procedure's ongoing we must remain within the Oval Office," a guard replied.

"It's alright Amy," Angel put an arm around her, "Why don't you use the one in the TARDIS yeah?" Amy nodded and walked over to the blue box, stepping inside and closing the door. Angel looked around, frowning as she glanced at the empty doorway, "Though…now that she's mentioned it…I think I do have to go as well," she looked at Canton, knowing what the guards' reply would be if she asked them, "Could you ask one of them to show me to the toilet?"

He eyed her a moment, "Can't you wait till she's finished?" he nodded at the TARDIS.

She smiled a bit, "I could," she laughed, "But this is the White House. When am I going to get another chance to use the toilet here?"

He laughed and looked at one of the guards, "Take her to the restroom."

The first guard sighed, "This way ma'am."

"Thanks," Angel smiled at Canton and headed out with the guard.

"You're five minutes are up," Canton turned to the Doctor who was back by the desk, appearing to be looking at the maps, though Canton saw him glancing back at Angel out of the corner of his eye as she left.

"Yeah?" he countered, "And where's my fez?"

He turned, moving to lean on the President's desk for the moment, holding up the map, looking for all the world like he was squinting and trying to see where something was, but really...his gaze wasn't even on the map, but just over the top of it, and his squinting wasn't squinting but a frown. He shifted, feeling nervous all of a sudden, feeling...odd...without Angel there. They hadn't really been separated the last year or so, when it had just been them in the TARDIS. They'd always been together and, it was nice...really nice, nicer than he thought it would be. He liked having Angel all to himself, her company, her attention, her smiles...he didn't know what it was but...he'd actually been a bit...sad...to walk through that diner door and see the Ponds there.

Oh he loved the Ponds, very much, Pond 1 and Pond 2 were the best, but...he knew that meant travelling with them, and that was brilliant! It was, it really was...but it also meant Rory would be there, with Angel, as her companion again. Her attention would be divided, probably even focused on Rory like it had been in the past, like it ought to be really since he WAS her companion, but it...irritated him, when he saw her hugging the man so tightly, it bothered him in more ways than one. He'd even found himself shifting and narrowing his eyes at Mickey of all people the last time they'd visited Martha. He didn't know what was wrong with him but...

He didn't like Angel being too far away from his side.

~8~

Angel headed into the bathroom, the guard seeming like he wanted to come too but she just held up a hand with a smile, "I think I can do this by myself, thanks," she turned and entered a small little room where another door led to the bathroom and stopped.

Her smile fell as she rested her hand on the second door, closing her eyes a moment, her stomach twisting painfully in a way that she knew, there was something on the other side of the door she needed to be ready for. Steeling herself, she took a breath and entered to see the alien she'd glimpsed in the doorway when she'd followed Amy's gaze in the Oval Office. She swallowed, recognizing it now, it was the same alien from her dream/vision, not only that...it was the same alien she'd seen on the ceiling of the Office.

She looked at the alien, seeing it just...staring at her, tilting its head as though examining her, and winced, seeing a flash in her mind of a lake, of her and an astronaut and a blast of light...before she shook her head, remembering now what she'd forgotten just before, the few minutes between stepping out of the TARDIS and leaning on that table, minutes which seemed to include a vision...but why had she forgotten those few minutes? HOW had she forgotten them? Unless...unless the alien had something to do with it?

She shook her head, that didn't matter right now, she knew, she could feel it, time was limited. She could see a bathroom stall out of the corner of her eye, she could hear someone in it, she had to be quick, before the woman in there stepped out and saw the alien.

"I know why you're here," she told it, taking only a step towards it but no more, watching as it eyed her, she at least remembered that much from her dream, "And I know what you're planning. We'll stop you, the Doctor will stop you," she swallowed hard, "And I won't let you harm Amy or Rory! I'll stop you too!"

And with that, she turned and ran for the door, knowing if she could get out of there, the woman she could hear in the stalls would be safe, the alien would just stand there and the woman wouldn't notice, but there was something more important she had to do...

She had to warn Amy…

She would NOT let her dream happen!

~8~

Angel ran out of the bathroom and back to the guard, a bit out of breath. She gasped, an odd feeling like she'd just narrowly escaped from something in the pit of her stomach, making it twist, before it disappeared, though the unsettled feeling remained, "You ok?" the guard asked, concerned.

"I'm fine," she wrapped her arms around her stomach, wondering why she was shaking a bit, "Thanks."

The guard eyed her a moment, seeing she was really shaken about something, before putting a hand on her back, "This way ma'am."

~8~

The Doctor was looking at the map, trying to distract himself from Angel's lack of presence by focusing on the maps and what he'd been doing, when the phone rang. Everyone looked at it, "The kid?" Canton asked as Amy stepped out of the TARDIS.

"Should I answer it?" Nixon turned to the Doctor.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah!" the Doctor pointed at the map with a grin, "The only place in the United States that call could be coming from! See? Obvious when you think about it?" River walked over as Canton leaned down to look, Angel walking back into the room and following the crowd of people.

"You, sir, are a genius," Canton grinned.

The Doctor stretched and clapped, "Yes well, if Angel were here she'd have spotted it," he shrugged, "She's psychic! A brilliant psychic really."

"And you're a thief," Angel called, alerting them to the fact that she was back as he grinned and pointed at her.

"Mr. President," Canton turned to him, "Answer the phone."

Nixon answered and pressed the record on the tape recorder, "Hello? This is President Nixon…"

"It's here!" the girl yelled, "The spaceman is here! It's gonna get me. It's gonna eat me!"

Angel took off at the sounds of the little girl's frightened cries before anyone could react, running to the TARDIS.

"There's no time for a swat team, let's go!" the Doctor grabbed his jacket as the others followed Angel into the box, "Mr. President tell her help's on the way. Canton, on no account follow us into this box and close the door behind you."

"What the hell are you doing?!" Canton ran after him and shut the door, the TARDIS disappearing before Nixon's eyes.

"Mr. President, please help!" the girl pleaded, "Please help me!"

"Jefferson, it's alright. I'm sending my best people."

~8~

Canton looked around at the inside of the TARDIS in shock while River, the Doctor, and Angel rushed around the console, getting the controls set. Rory stood by Canton, watching him closely as Amy watched the crew by the controls.

"Ow!" River hissed as a button she moved to push sparked, "Doctor tell it to knock it off!"

"Come on," the Doctor moved to pat the console, "Be nic..." only for it to spark and the TARDIS to jolt terribly as though trying to throw them to the side. He sighed, he should have expected that the box would react that way to him trying to defend River if the box was cross with her for some reason, "Angel?"

"Please girl?" Angel reached out to pat the rotor, the TARDIS letting out an almost angry hum, though Angel could tell the box was cross about being asked to be kind to River than angry at HER, "I know I asked you to be nice while we were out, but that doesn't mean sparking now that we're back."

The TARDIS hummed, sounding almost like it was pouting.

Angel laughed, "I know," she stroked the rotor, "But a little girl's in danger and we need to go find her," the TARDIS was quiet for a moment before giving a soft hum, "Thank you."

"Brilliant," the Doctor breathed, and Angel looked over to see him staring at her, a soft smile on his face, a tiny bit of awe in his eyes. She always impressed him when she did that, calm the TARDIS so effortlessly, got the box to listen, "You're just...fantastic," he added.

Angel gave him a small smile before she shook her head, "The girl?" as much as she enjoyed when he gave her that soft look, that look that he used to give her at times, it still hurt to see it without that sparkle in his eye. And she didn't want to deal with more of River's glares, like the woman was currently giving her. And, not to mention, that little girl was in danger, they should ALL be focusing on helping her.

"Right," he nodded, spinning around, "Jefferson isn't a girl's name. It's not her name either. Jefferson, Adams, Hamilton…River!"

"Surnames of three of America's founding fathers," River answered promptly, smirking as he pointed at her for her correct answer, continuing to help pilot the box.

"Lovely fellows. Two of them fancied me."

Canton spun around in a circle, looking around, "You ok?" Rory eyed him, "Coping?"

"You see the President asked the child two questions," the Doctor added, "Where are you and who are you. She was answering where."

"It's bigger on the inside…" Canton stared.

"Yeah…you get used to it…" Rory patted him on the back.

"Now, where would we find three big historical names on a road map?" the Doctor questioned.

"Where?" Amy smiled.

"Here!" he pulled a lever and landed the TARDIS, "Come on!" they ran to the doors but Canton stopped them.

"It's uh…"

"Are you taking care of this?" the Doctor looked a Rory, "Good!"

And then he ran out with River and Angel, "Why is it always my turn?" Rory groaned.

Amy stopped, "Because you're the newest," and kissed him on the cheek, "And Angel's companion," if anyone was going to know more about the box, it would be her companion, before running out to see they were in a decrepit, dirty room with boxes and trash scattered around, "Where are we?"

The Doctor sat in a chair, waving a small American flag, "About five miles from Kennedy Space Center," he looked over, watching as Angel walked over to the window and looked out, River standing behind him, "It's 1969, the year of the moon," River and Amy turned on their torches, "Interesting don't you think?"

"But why would a little girl be here?"

"I don't know."

"She's lost," Angel murmured as she looked out the window, through the blinds, at the road beyond, "And she's scared," she swallowed hard, it reminded her of little Jamie on her first few trips with the Doctor, that poor boy...

"The President asked her where she was so she did what any lost little girl would do," he got up and joined Angel at the window as River picked up a phone off to the side.

"She looked out of the window," Angel held down some of the blinds to reveal the three names on the street signs for Amy to see.

"Streets!" Amy laughed, "Of course, they're street names."

"Only place in Florida," the Doctor nodded, "Probably all of America, with those three street names on the same junction. And Dr. Song," he turned and leaned against a window to look at her, his back to Angel, "You've got that face on again."

"What face?" she asked.

"The 'he's hot when he's clever' face."

"This is my normal face," she smirked.

"Yes, it is."

"Oh shut up," though she couldn't help but laugh at the uncomfortable look on Angel's face before the Time Lady turned away. Perfect.

"Not a chance," the Doctor picked up the phone as River moved to look at the room, only to look at it, confused, a moment, before putting it down.

Canton walked out of the TARDIS and looked around, "It's moved! How…how can we…have moved?"

"We haven't even got to space travel yet?" the Doctor looked at Rory.

Rory shut the door, "I was going to cover it with time travel…"

"Time travel?" Canton's eyes widened.

"Brave heart, Canton, come on!" the Doctor clapped his hands and turned to walk away.

"So we're in a box that's bigger on the inside and travels through time and space…" Canton turned to Rory.

"Yeah, basically."

"How long has Scotland Yard had this?"

"It's a warehouse of some kind…disused," River remarked as they walked through the door and into a bigger section.

"Do you realize this is almost certainly a trap of course," the Doctor commented.

"I noticed the phone, yes."

"What about it?" Amy glanced back.

"It's cut off so how did the child phone from here?" River said.

"Om. Comm.," Angel murmured, looking up at the rafters, for some reason feeling like she needed to make sure there was nothing hiding up there.

"What?"

"Om. Comm.," she looked at the Doctor who, for a moment, seemed confused, "With Jack and Rose? Jamie and Nancy?"

"Oh, yes!" the Doctor nodded, blinking as he smiled bashfully at nearly having forgotten that, "Could be."

"What's Om. Comm.?" Amy frowned.

"It's a form of communication that allows the speaker to broadcast through anything with speaker grille."

"Ok…but why would anyone want to trap us?"

"Don't know. Let's see if anyone tries to kill us and work backwards."

"The thing I don't understand," Angel frowned, hugging herself a bit, "Is how a little girl could end up here?" she looked at the state of the place, this was NO place for a child.

"I don't know. Let's find her and ask her."

River wandered off to the left where there was a lab table of sorts, odds and ends on it, "Its non-terrestrial, definitely alien. Probably not even from this time zone."

"Which is odd because look at this!" the Doctor rummaged through a crate of a NASA astronaut suit which made Angel pause and frown, looking at it, feeling her stomach twist at the sight of it for some reason.

"It's Earth tech!" River looked at it, "Contemporary."

"It's very contemporary! Cutting edge," he lifted up a space helmet, "This is from the Space Program!"

"Stolen?"

"By aliens?" Amy raised an eyebrow.

"Apparently," the Doctor nodded.

"But why? I mean, if you could make it all the way to Earth, why steal technology that can barely make it to the moon?"

The Doctor put on the helmet and gave a muffled reply, they could barely make out, "Maybe 'cos it's cooler!" before he lifted his visor, "Look how cool this stuff is!"

"Cool aliens?"

"Well what would you call me?"

Amy and Angel exchanged a look before Amy replied, "An alien."

"Oi!" he pulled off the helmet.

"I uh, I think he's ok now," Rory called, pointing his torch at Canton who had a light of his own and was looking up around the warehouse.

"Ah back with us Canton?" the Doctor grinned.

"I like your wheels," he stated.

"That's my boy," he patted Canton on the shoulder, moving on, "So come on, little girl, let's find her."

Amy walked over to River who was scanning mucus on the wires of an examination board, "So River…"

"I know what you're thinking."

"No, you don't."

"You're thinking if we can find the spaceman in 1969 and neutralize it then it won't be around in 2011 to kill anyone."

Amy frowned, "It wasn't just anyone, River, it was Angel."

"And she didn't do a thing to stop it," River countered.

"That doesn't mean WE can't," Amy shook her head, more than a bit disturbed by River's lack of concern for Angel. She knew the woman didn't like Angel but...to be so ok with Angel dying...that she wouldn't even try to stop it...that didn't sit right with her at all. Meeting River the first few times, she had been...so impressed with the woman, with her skills and her temperment and how well she handled the Doctor. She had completely believed that the woman was the Doctor's future wife.

But...now...she almost found herself hoping that wasn't the case. She couldn't imagine the Doctor ever being ok with letting someone die. When the Signora had died, he'd been terribly sad and the woman had been trying to kill all of Venice! And River was standing there, acting like Angel's future death was no big deal. When it was a very big one, not only was Angel her friend, but her husband's Pilot, AND the only other member of the Doctor's species left! She just...she couldn't see the Doctor being with someone who wasn't going to try to help save someone else, if anything, Angel was better suited for him. River was rather cold and short with her, and yet Angel still got the TARDIS to be nice to her and did her best to protect her, she knew about what Angel had done in the TARDIS when it had exploded, how she'd teleported River out to save her.

And she was starting to think that it wasn't really love that River felt for the Doctor either. If she loved someone as much as River seemed to given all her little flirts and innuendo...she'd never ever want them to suffer the loss of their entire species. Letting Angel die was the same as condemning the Doctor to truly be alone. River should be fighting all the harder to save Angel because of that. She just...she didn't understand why River felt that way, and she doubted she'd find out, River was very fond of her 'spoilers.'

"It doesn't work like that," River stated, making Amy look at her, "We came here because of what we saw in the future, if we try and prevent the future from happening we create a paradox."

"Time can be rewritten."

"Not all of it."

"Says who?"

"Who do you think?" River spotted a wire on the floor, "What's this?" and followed it to a manhole where it went down.

"We can still save…"

"Doctor!" River cut her off, really not wanting to hear any more talk of 'saving' Angel. That girl was nothing more than a thorn in her side, always getting in the way, always pulling the Doctor away from her, if that woman died, so be it, "Look at this!" the Doctor walked over as she moved the manhole covering.

"So where does that go?" the Doctor eyed it.

River held up a scanner, scanning the darkness, "There's a network of tunnels running under here."

"Life signs?"

"No, nothing that's showing up…"

"That's not good," Angel shook her head, frowning as she crossed her arms, having come to join them, "It could be anything, Vashta Nerada, Headless Monks…"

"Be careful!" the Doctor shouted as River started to make her way down, ignoring Angel's concerns.

"Careful?" River smirked, "Tried that once. Ever so dull."

The Doctor sighed and rolled his eyes, knowing he'd probably do the same, "Shout if you get in trouble."

"Don't worry," River grinned, glancing at Angel before flirtatiously looking at the Doctor, "I'm quite the screamer. Now there's a spoiler for you!" she winked.

The Doctor stood as she disappeared down the hole, a fierce blush on his cheeks, not even noticing Angel close her eyes and shake her head, before she turned away, moving to look at the room instead of the Doctor.

"So what's going on?" Canton asked.

"Uh, nothing," he spun around and pointed at the hole, "She's just a friend!"

Rory stepped over and leaned across to him, "I think he's talking about the possible alien incursion…"

The Doctor smiled embarrassedly, "Ok!" he patted Rory on the shoulder and moved past him, patting Canton as well. Angel glanced at him over her shoulder, frowning as she watched him walk off, resting a hand on her stomach as she closed her eyes.

"Hey," Rory said, moving to her side, speaking quietly, "You ok?"

She swallowed hard, "I'm really not sure."

It was harder than she thought it would be, not that she thought it would be easy, forcing herself to accept whatever the Doctor did in his amnesia, but...she still had the baby, and as long as she had that, she'd be ok. She'd have to be.

~8~

River reached the bottom of the ladder and used her torch to follow the cable...only for her light to wake the sleeping, large-headed aliens in black suits.

~8~

Canton looked at a number of random items and liquids in jars across from Amy at a table, "So, I was in a bar having a drink, tell me honestly, am I still there?"

"'Fraid not," she laughed.

River came up from the hole, breathing heavily, seeming scared for a moment, before blinking and looking up as though nothing had happened, "All clear!" they turned to face her, Angel frowning as she watched her, sensing something...off...about it all, it was the same feeling that she had gotten in the Oval Office, "Just tunnels. Nothing down there I can see. Give me five minutes, I want to take another look around."

"Stupidly dangerous!" the Doctor shouted to her.

"Yup! I like it too! Amy look after him!" and then she went back down.

"Rory would you mind going with her?" Angel asked, concerned.

She couldn't shake it, something was very wrong. And, despite River's attitude, despite how she'd only asked for Amy to watch out for the Doctor and not her, she still wanted to make sure the woman was ok. One day she'd give her life for the Doctor AND her. That was not something she could easily forget, and that was something she would always be grateful to River for doing. Despite it all, she wanted to make sure River would be safe.

"Yeah, a bit," he admitted.

"Please?" Angel smiled at him, nudging him a bit, "I know you can do it."

He sighed, she never really asked him to do anything she didn't already know he could handle. Often it was things HE didn't know he could handle until she'd sent him out and he realized he could. It actually felt quite empowering to learn he was stronger and more capable than he thought he was. And then there was the look in Angel's eye when he came back successful, the pride in her eyes. He'd never had anyone be that proud of him before, not even Amy, impressed, yes, shocked, sure, but proud? He supposed she was proud of him, but Angel...Angel always seemed to be the most proud of him of anyone, and it made him proud of himself.

"Hang on River, I'm coming too!"

~8~

Rory dropped down off the ladder in the tunnel to see River hunched over, looking a bit green, "You ok?"

"Yes, yes, just felt a bit sick," she waved him off, "It's the prison food probably," she pulled out her scanner, "Ok. This way? What do you think?" and set off, scanning the tunnel as Rory followed behind.

"I keep thinking I hear things," he mumbled after a few minutes, continuously glancing back at odd noises but seeing nothing.

"That's interesting…these tunnels are old…really old. How can they be really old and nobody noticed?" she spotted a door in the wall.

"It's a maintenance hatch."

"It's locked," she examined it before kneeling, "Why do people always lock things?"

"What's through there?"

"No idea."

"Something bad?"

"Almost definitely."

"You're going to open that, aren't you?" he sighed.

"Oh it's locked. How's a girl supposed to resist?"

"Is this sensible?"

"God I hope not," she flashed a scanner against the lock and got to work, picking it.

"You and the Doctor…I can kind of picture it, except for…"

"Except for what?" River looked up.

"Nothing," he looked away.

He'd promised Angel not to tell about the baby. He knew the Doctor was the father, he really DID have to talk to her about that, about how that happened. Well, he knew how it could happen, but...the way the Doctor acted around Angel...it wasn't at all like any man who had slept with someone would, in his mind, those in love shared a bed and conceived a child. He knew men didn't always do that, but...he couldn't see the Doctor being that sort of man. He couldn't see him getting drunk and not remembering it the next morning or taking advantage of Angel and then pretending like it was fine. He couldn't see Angel staying with him if those things happened either.

He nodded to himself, when this was over, he was determined to talk to Angel about this, see what had happened. And that, that not knowing what happened, actually brought up another thought, "Amy said you hated Angel."

"Yes?" River asked, as though he were asking her if she had the time, answering it so casually that it made him frown.

"Why?" but River was silent, "Was it something she did or...or will do?" he shook his head, "If she hasn't done it yet, you shouldn't hold it against her now."

He wasn't.

Angel, at some point in her future, invited them to watch her be shot by an astronaut, to see her die...but this Angel, the one he'd seen in the diner, she hadn't a clue about it. THIS Angel wasn't THAT Angel. She hadn't done it yet, so why should he be angry at her? He'd seen River slap the Doctor, he knew she had wanted to slap Angel (not that he would let that happen, not at all) but it just proved that River didn't see it like that. She didn't seem able to disassociate the different Angels, the future and the present. To her, it was just Angel who had done it. And that didn't work, that wasn't realistic, especially with all the time travel they did.

"She has," River muttered, "She'd done it already, she's ALWAYS doing it," she added bitterly.

"Done what?"

River's jaw tensed in annoyance, more cross with herself for letting that slip than annoyed at Rory, "Keep a look out," was all she said.

Rory turned around and looked down the tunnel, another question nagging at him, which was understandable given how little he knew about River, "What did you mean? What you said to Amy. There's a worse day coming for you?"

"When I first met the Doctor a long, long time ago, he knew all about me. Think about that. Impressionable young girl, suddenly this man just drops out of the sky and he's clever and mad and wonderful and knows every last thing about her. Imagine what that does to a girl," she smiled, thinking on that.

"I don't really have to. But…wasn't Angel there?"

"Yes, she was," River admitted after a moment, seeming...rather bitter about that as well.

Rory nodded, he had a hunch what this was all about. Amy, even though Angel had been there when she'd met the Doctor too, had been smitten with the Doctor. He knew it, he accepted it, it was why he'd been a bit jealous when he'd first started travelling, he'd' calmed down though, knowing Amy was HIS wife now, and wife, to him, would always trump companion. But from what he knew of Time Lord pregnancies and a few details Angel had mentioned in their talks about when they'd met Amy, she had been pregnant before that happened. It didn't seem to matter that Angel was there, the Doctor just sort of blotted everything else out and Amy had been a bit obsessed with the man. Maybe that was why he was so close to Angel, to his Pilot, because he understood how she felt, being blotted out, worrying about the idea that someone you cared for might go off with someone else. It seemed that it would happen in the future, that even with Angel there River would still love the Doctor. And he knew she did love the Doctor, in a way, he'd gathered that much from her comments and knowledge. He just...didn't know what sort of relationship she had with him, her comments, her innuendo made him think one thing, but...there was Angel and her baby...

The Doctor would have to find out about it eventually, find out that it was HIS child...

And then a horrible thought struck him, had Angel been completely alone when she'd lost it? Had she left the TARDIS and given birth and lost the baby, only to return to the TARDIS for an escape and not told the Doctor? Did the future Doctor not know about the baby? And if he didn't...what did that mean for the Doctor and River? If the Doctor never found out about the baby...would he and River be together? Was THAT why River was angry? Did she know about the baby? Know that the man she seemed to love had a child with another woman? But...River gave no impression at all that she knew about the baby, not really. So what could it be, why did she really hate Angel? He could tell that River's actions and words and remarks really got to Angel, they hurt her, and he didn't like that at all...

"Trouble is," River added, pulling him from his thoughts, "It's all back to front. My past is his future. We're travelling in opposite directions. Every time we meet, I know him more, he knows me less. I live for the days I see him, but I know that every time I do he'll be one step future away," she could only hope that as far away as he was from her, he'd be that far away from Angel as well, that was the only shred of hope she could find in all this, "The day's coming when I'll look into that man's eyes, my Doctor, and he won't have the faintest idea who I am," she broke the lock, looking up at him, "And I think it's going to kill me."

They walked through the door as it slid open to see an empty control room for a ship of some sort, a hollow, though advanced, spaceship. It had a control panels at its center with small terminals around it with an orb in the center of each panel, "What is this place?" Rory looked around.

River stepped more in when the lights started to flicker and an alarm sounded, "That's an alarm. Check if anything's coming."

Rory looked out into the hall to see a swarm of large-headed aliens with no mouths in black suits and quickly turned back to warn her...only to blink, "There's nothing out there."

River nodded and scanned one of the orbs, tapping in a code around it and putting her hand on it, looking back at the scanner, "These tunnels, they're not just here, they're everywhere. They're running under the surface of the entire planet! They've been here for centuries…" electricity crackled in her peripheral vision and she looked over to see what seemed to be a lightning strike behind Rory, "Rory!"

~8~

Canton looked at a mucus covered wire, the same one River had looked at earlier, as Amy came up to him, "So, you were kicked out of the FBI, because you had 'attitude problems.'"

"No," he smiled, "I just wanted to get married."

"Is that a crime?"

"Yes," he looked back at the Doctor, who seemed to be trying to look at the astronaut suit again...though his gaze kept being pulled up and looking across the room at Angel every two seconds, which made the man smile to see, it was fairly obvious, at least to him and his minor behavioral analysis training, that the man was attracted to the woman, "Doctor who? Exactly?"

"That's classified."

"Classified by who?"

"God knows."

"But you work for him."

"He and Angel are my friends. If friend is the right word. I haven't seen them in a while," Canton went back to looking at a wire again when…

"Help me!" a little girl cried from another room, they all turned to look that way, Canton pulling out his gun, "Help! Help me!"

"That's her!" Canton rushed forward, following the voice, when Amy ran after him...only to stumble, holding her stomach.

"Amy?!" the Doctor ran to her side as Canton ran past.

"What's wrong?" Angel asked her, rushing to grab the girl's hand.

"I need to tell you something, it's important!" Amy said, squeezing Angel's hand, "It's really, really important!" they were about to rush after something, someone being chased by the spaceman, and...if it was some sort of danger which it likely was...she needed them to know what she feared may be wrong with her, because the situation might be all the more dangerous for her if she was right.

"Doctor quickly!" Canton yelled from the other room.

"What, now?" the Doctor looked at Amy before reaching out and grabbing her other arm, pulling the two women after Canton. He pressed himself against a corner, motioning for them to be quiet before flashing the sonic as he ran around.

"Canton!" Angel gasped, following him, to see Canton lying face down on the ground, unconscious, "Canton are you alright?" she knelt at his side along with the Doctor, laying a hand on him but she couldn't see a wound or anything...

"Is he ok?" Amy ran over, squatting down beside Angel.

"Just unconscious, got a proper whack at him," the Doctor remarked.

"Doctor, Angel, I have to tell you something, I have to tell you it now."

"Not a great the moment Amy."

"No, it's important. It has to be now," if they were in terrible danger, they needed to know.

"Help!" the girl cried, "Help me!" the Doctor looked around for the girl, trying to see where she was, Angel just stiffening, looking over her shoulder at a door behind them, "Help me!"

"I…" Amy swallowed, "I think I might be pregnant…"

The Doctor's eyes widened as Angel's head snapped around to stare at Amy, both of them looking at her...

Until they heard the sound of boots stomping.

They looked over to see someone in a spacesuit enter the room from the door behind them. The Doctor stood, staring at it as did Angel whose breath caught in her throat.

"That's it…the astronaut!" Amy gasped, eyes large with fear. She glanced at the Doctor and Angel to see them staring at the suit as though in a trance.

The astronaut raised its arm as Amy turned to grab Canton's fallen gun, thinking it was about to fire on her friends.

But the arm continued up, lifting the visor to reveal the little girl, "Help me!"

Angel felt her hearts clench at the sight.

"Get down!" Amy ordered.

The Doctor snapped out of his daze and looked over to see Amy with a gun, "What are you doing?!"

"Saving your lives!" she spun around and fired.

Angel reached out, trying to stop her, she couldn't let Amy hurt an innocent little girl!

"NO!" the Doctor cried as Amy screamed, spotting the child within...

To be continued...

Chapter Text

3 months later…

Amy ran through the Valley of the Gods, back in Utah once more, while two black cars chased after her, Amy just barely managing to keep ahead of them. Though she knew it was a method of intimidation for them, they were toying with her as they chased her, kept back just enough for her to be ahead of them, but not far enough for her to know she could escape. A pen on a lanyard hung around her neck and there were black tick marks all over her skin, from her arms to her neck, even on her face.

"Suspect directly ahead," an agent reported to Canton as he sat in another car, following.

"Coming to you now," he replied, "Over."

Amy stopped suddenly at the edge of a small ledge, waving her arms to try and regain her balance so as to not topple over it, slowly turning around to face the two cars that were converging behind her. She swallowed, looking around warily as a number of agents stepped out, their guns aimed at her, with Canton in the front, "Canton," she gasped.

"Miss Pond," he motioned to one of the other agents who spread something on the ground.

She frowned, eyeing the black bag that had been set down, "Is that a...body bag?"

"Yes, it is," he smirked.

"It's empty."

"How about that."

"Do you even know why you're doing this, eh?" Amy glared at him, "Can you even remember? The warehouse?"

~8~

"No!" Angel half-tackled Amy, more like pushing her enough that she ended up firing to the side and not striking the little girl. She hadn't even thought to use the Vortex, she'd just reacted, which was something she was really going to have to work on. She remembered what happened the last time she'd done that, she'd been shot by a Dalek and the baby had nearly died. She couldn't bear the thought of that happening again.

The Doctor let out a breath of relief at seeing the child unharmed before he rushed over to help Canton to his feet, "Amy!" the Doctor yelled, "Angel!"

Amy grabbed Angel's hand and pulled her after the Doctor when the Time Lady hesitated to move, staring at the little girl as though to make sure she was ok. The little girl was looking at her pleadingly, tears in her eyes, so, SO scared that it broke her hearts and all she wanted to do was rush over and hug her, help get her out of that suit...but she could sense it, whatever it was that had put the child in the suit was coming, an attack was coming. And before she even realized it, Amy had pulled her away, no matter how much she struggled to get back to the little girl.

The four of them passed River and Rory as they just managed to climb out of the tunnels, all of them running for the TARDIS.

"What the hell's going on?" Canton yanked his arm out of the Doctor's grasp, stumbling back, away from them all.

"Look behind you!" the Doctor pointed.

"There's nothing behind me!"

"Look!" Angel cried, "Canton, look! Please!"

He turned around to see one of the aliens in the black suits walking towards him, electricity crackling around it. Amy grabbed her phone, remembering it now, from the ledge in Utah and the doorway of the White House, and snapped a picture of it so she wouldn't forget it again.

It merely reached out menacingly towards them…

~8~

Canton fired his gun...and Amy fell to the ground.

~8~

Inside a large hanger there were armed guards stationed around an open area in the middle. Canton walked up to it, past signs that read 'Do Not Approach the Prisoners.' The Doctor and Angel, their hair longer, the Doctor now sporting a beard, were sitting on two chairs on a black platform in straitjackets, chained to a chair each. There was a yellow circle painted around them.

"All visitors to remain behind the yellow line," the speakers called, "All visitors to remain behind the yellow line."

"We found Amy Pond," Canton walked over to them, carrying an envelope with pictures in it, "She had strange markings on her arm," he held up one of Amy's arm, the tick marks on it, "Do you know what they are?" he tossed them down, the photos landing on the yellow ring.

The Doctor looked down but Angel didn't even react.

"Why don't you ask her?" the Doctor remarked as Angel sat on the chair her head hanging forward, asleep. He glanced over at her, worried, she hadn't been doing as well as she could be, he knew. She slept more, she was quieter, it was like there was something bothering her but she refused to talk about it. Not that they really could, what with all the guards and monitoring going on.

It wasn't like they were Mated and could speak telepathically.

~8~

River ran through an office under construction in New York City, tally marks on her arms as well. She walked nervously through a series of plastic curtains, gasping when she heard a pipe fall, only to see more aliens behind her, "I see you!" she took a pen off her lanyard and marked her arm, "I see you!"

"Dr. Song!" she heard Canton calling in the distance, she spun around, "Dr. Song?" when she looked back the aliens were gone. She glanced at her arms seeing two new tally marks before running, knowing that meant she'd had an encounter, "Go, go, go!" she stopped at the edge of an open window, "Don't move! It's over!"

She turned around, looking at him, "They're here, Canton. They're everywhere."

"I know," he rolled his eyes, sarcastic, "America's being 'invaded.'"

"You were invaded a long time ago. America is occupied."

"You're coming with us, Dr. Song. There's no way out, this time."

"There's always a way out," she smirked before opening her arms and allowing herself to fall backwards, out the window, off the 50th floor, her eyes falling closed as she just...drifted down.

~8~

The Doctor stared at two lab coated scientists, a woman and a man, placing a black brick along the platform he and Angel were sitting on, making a wall. Every time they straightened a block out and placed it the cracks between bricks would melt together as though it hadn't been a separate brick.

"We found Dr. Song," Canton remarked as he stepped before them.

Angel didn't even move from looking up at the ceiling, she did that a lot, the Doctor had noticed. It was like, every time she woke up, she always looked around her and then up at the ceiling, like she was searching for something or making sure something wasn't there. What could possibly be on the ceiling he didn't know. She always would give a small smile though after looking around, like she was pleased about something, before she'd lean back and just...stare at the ceiling, he knew why. There was a window there, you could see the sky, the blue sky, the white clouds, the sun even at times. It was as close as they had gotten to the outdoors in three months.

"These bricks, what are they made of?" the Doctor asked, but Canton didn't reply, "Where is she?"

"She ran. Off the 50th floor."

"I'd say 0-Balance Dwarf Star Alloy," he returned his attention to the bricks, "The densest material in the Universe," he watched another crack fade, "Nothing gets through that. You're building us the perfect prison…" he looked up at Canton, "And it still won't be enough!"

Especially not with Angel there, the Vortex...there was almost nothing stronger than it. He didn't doubt that she'd be able to blast them out. She could, right now, blast them out of their chains, but she didn't. She couldn't. To reveal the Vortex would mean they'd be separated, they'd take her for testing or treat her like she was a dangerous weapon, chain her up more. Which was a ridiculous thought, that Angel could be dangerous, she was the kindest woman he'd ever met, the warmest, the most compassionate.

Why she still put up with him he didn't know, he'd done so much in his lives, not all of it good. There was blood on his hands, a sliver of ice in his hearts, a darkness in his soul...and she knew that, yet still she stayed. Which, he had to admit, he was eternally grateful for. When Angel was around...it was like...he wasn't quite as much a monster as he thought himself when he was alone. How could someone like Angel look at him and smile at him and stay with him if he were truly evil...the answer, he couldn't be, there had to be something good and redeeming about him if Angel stuck around.

She made him a better person.

~8~

Rory burst out of a door, onto a road across the Glen Canyon Dam, to find both sides blocked by agents. His face, arms, and neck were covered in tally marks. He looked over the side of the dam, contemplating jumping, before putting his hands up and turning to face Canton, who just looked at him, "What are you waiting for?"

"I'm waiting for you to run," Canton replied as Rory lowered his arms, startled and confused, "It'll look better if I shot you while you were running," Rory just stood his ground, swallowing hard, and Canton shrugged, "Then again, looks aren't everything," he raised his gun at Rory, who closed his eyes.

There was a shot and Rory fell to the ground.

~8~

Canton strode into Area 51 once more, this time with two soldiers dragging a body bag each behind them. He led them to the now complete black prison, like a big black box with only a jig-sawed area out of it, a door. He stepped in, the soldiers depositing the body bags before the Doctor and Angel, who was now finally looking at Canton instead of up and away from him.

"Canton why are you doing this?" Angel looked up at the man.

"I want you to know where you stand," he smirked.

"In a cell," the Doctor stated.

He nodded at the soldiers who turned and left, "In a perfect cell. Nothing can penetrate these walls. Not a sound, not a radio wave," he turned and put his fingers into five holes in the wall, lighting up a square around it, the jig-sawed area filling in, "Not the tiniest particle of anything. In here, you're cut off from literally the rest of the Universe," the cracks sealed and he looked at them, a wide grin on his face, "So I guess they can't hear us right?"

Angel beamed at him, giving him a warm smile, "You are fantastic Canton!"

"Door's sealed?" the Doctor asked.

"You bet," he nodded.

The Doctor and Angel stood, pulling off the chains and jackets, revealing that they had been loose and untied the whole time. Amy and Rory, hidden in the bags, sat up with a gasp, trying to get out. Angel rushed to the bag that was before her, unzipping it to reveal Amy as the Doctor did the same with Rory, "You ok?" the Doctor asked Rory.

"Finally!" Amy breathed as Angel patted her on the back.

"These things could really do with air holes!" Rory glared at Canton.

"Never had a complaint before," the man laughed.

"Isn't it gonna look odd that you're staying in here with us?" Amy worried as Angel helped her up.

The Doctor stretched out his arms and wound them while Rory walked over to Angel giving her a quick once-over before hugging her tightly, unable to begin to explain how terrified and worried he'd been about her during the three months. To know she was locked in an area designed to deal with aliens, pregnant...he'd been so scared that the government would have tried to dissect her or something. But she was ok, she and the baby were fine, which was a weight off his shoulders.

"A little," Angel told her, "But it's what he ordered."

Canton nodded, "They know there's no way out of this place."

"Exactly!" the Doctor smiled, "Whatever they might think we're doing in here…" he stretched out his braces, "They know we're not going anywhere," he fell to the side to lean against the invisible TARDIS, snapping his fingers to open the doors, "Shall we?"

"What about Dr. Song?" Canton called as they all ran in, "She dove off a rooftop!"

"Don't worry," the Doctor waved him off as Angel closed the doors behind them, "She does that. Amy, Rory, open all the doors to the swimming pool," he ran to the console, Angel helping him set the controls.

A moment after Amy and Rory had rushed off Amy shouted back, "Angel?!"

Angel sighed, not even needing her abilities to know what Amy was shouting about, "Come on girl," she patted the console, "Let her in," she sighed, "You know what River will do, yes?" she looked up at the rotor, frowning as she heard a rather angry hum sound, "In the Library," she continued, "You know what will happen, you were there, I told you about it so please, let her in?"

The TARDIS was silent a moment...

"Thanks!" Amy cheered.

"Thank you," she whispered, smiling up at the rotor.

But the TARDIS just hummed sadly now.

"Angel?" the Doctor called and she looked over at him, "You're alright, yeah?" he eyed her, concerned, he hadn't really been able to speak to her as much as he'd like, she had been very quiet and he really had missed the sound of her voice, her smiles, he was...worried, "The last three months and all..."

She nodded, a little touched at his concern, he was showing much more of it now compared to when he'd first regenerated, "I'm fine, you?"

He smiled, "Brilliant."

Angel turned back to the controls, not seeing his gaze linger on her a moment longer. He hadn't been answering her question, but more...expressing his relief that she had been ok. He knew that her time with Van Statten couldn't have been easy, nor could all the others who had gotten their hands on her over the 50 years she'd been alone with the Dalek. She had likely been chained up numerous times, restrained, and that had been his main worry, that it would be hard for her to deal with that again, with more humans trying to hold her prisoner.

But this time...this time she wasn't alone, he was there for her, with her, where he ought to be. The last of the Time Lords together.

~8~

River leaned back as she fell, turning into a dive as she flew through a door and into the TARDIS, a splash of water jetting up out of them as she landed in the pool.

~8~

River stood in the console room now in a green, sleeveless dress, drying her hair with a towel as the Doctor, now dressed in his jacket but still with the beard, ran around the console with Angel, "So!" he called, "We know they're everywhere, not just the landing party, an occupied force. And they've been here a very, very long time. And nobody knows that because nobody can remember…"

"So what are they up to?" Canton wondered.

"No idea. But the good news is," the TARDIS thumped, "We've got a secret weapon!" he ran to the doors and outside to reveal the Apollo 11 rocket ready for lift off.

"Apollo 11's your secret weapon?" River eyed it.

"No, no! It's not Apollo 11. That would be silly. It's Neil Armstrong's foot," he laughed and turned to run back into the TARDIS, the quartet (even River) looking at Angel for explanation.

"I have no idea," she sighed, rubbing her head. She almost hated when the Doctor got that excited, his mind raced so fast she couldn't keep up with him.

~8~

Canton drove a black Sedan through a thunderstorm and up to the Graystark Hall Orphanage, an old dilapidated building that, by rights, should have been closed down long ago, "In just a few days mankind will set foot on the moon for the first time," a voice said over the radio, "Today the President reaffirmed America's commitment..."

Canton turned it off and twisted in his seat to look at Amy in the passenger's seat and Angel in the backseat, both women dressed all in black suits, like proper agents, "Ready. Check?"

Amy looked at the palm of her left hand, "Clear."

"Yup," Angel added, doing the same.

"Clear," Canton agreed and they got out of the car, dashing quickly through the rain to the doors...

~8~

The Doctor held Canton's hand up as he shot something in it with what looked like an injection gun, "Ow!" Canton winced, rubbing his hand.

"So!" the Doctor smirked and looked around, "3 months, what have we found out?"

"Well, they are everywhere, every state in America," Rory remarked as the Doctor shot his hand too, "AH!"

"But you saw them in other countries also," Angel glanced at River, "So it's not just America."

"There's a greater concentration here though," River remarked tersely as she looked firmly at the monitor.

"OW!" Amy glared at the Doctor as he shot her hand next.

"Are you ok?" he asked her in a whisper, he hadn't gotten to ask her about it earlier, about what she'd said in the warehouse, if she was ok.

"All better."

"Better?"

"Turns out I was wrong," she whispered as Rory walked past, "I'm not pregnant."

"What's up?" Rory asked them.

"Nothing," Amy smiled, "Really, nothing, seriously."

The Doctor walked over to Angel who held out her hand ready for the injection but he hesitated, reaching out to take her hand in one of his and just...held it, staring at it.

Angel frowned, "Doctor?" she asked, not seeing River look over at that as did the others, "Is something wrong?"

He blinked, looking at her, "It's...it's going to sting."

She nodded slowly, "I know," she'd seen the obvious reactions of Amy and Rory and Canton just then.

He looked back down at her hand, his thumb starting to rub a little circle in the middle of her palm as he remained otherwise unmoving. He didn't know what it was but...the thought of injecting her hand, it...bothered him. It would sting, yes, it would hurt too, and something ached in him at the thought of causing Angel any harm, even something so small as a minor sting. He almost couldn't bring himself to do it, all he could see in his mind was Rory and Amy wincing in pain and his hearts twisting at the image of Angel flinching the same way because of something he'd done.

"It'll hurt," he breathed, staring at her hand still.

Angel blinked this time and curled her fingers around his thumb on her palm to still him, "I'll be ok Doctor," she said softly, "It'll only be for a moment."

"Yes," he nodded, though he still made no move to inject her, "Right, just a moment..." he started shifting, the others watching him, seeing that he clearly didn't want to inject Angel, though only River seemed to gasp why that was and was glaring at Angel for it.

"A moment which will be over the sooner you do it," Angel reminded him.

He closed his eyes and took a breath, this shouldn't be so difficult. He'd injected the other three, why should Angel be any different? He lifted her hand, watching as her delicate fingers uncurled and pressed the injector gun to it, quickly firing into her hand. He supposed he could take comfort in that she had only winced and not shouted in pain like the others, it made him feel a tiny bit better.

"So you've seen them, but you don't remember them?" Canton frowned.

"You've seen them too," River looked at him, though her jaw was still tense from that moment the Doctor and Angel had had, despite the fact that the Doctor had turned away from the Time Lady the moment she winced, the baby, whatever it was, that injection couldn't be THAT painful, "That night at the warehouse. Remember? While you were pretending to hunt us down we saw hundreds of those things. We still don't know what they look like."

"It's like they edit themselves out of your memory as soon as you look away," Rory grumbled, "The exact second you're not looking at them you can't remember anything."

"You can't remember what happened a bit before and after either," Angel added, it was like you walked into a room and turned around and wondered why you were in it to begin with. You don't remember turning around or entering but you're in the room. It was jarring.

"Sometimes you feel a bit sick though but not always," Amy nodded.

"So that's why you marked your skin," Canton guessed.

"Only way we'd know if we had an encounter."

"How long have they been here?"

"That's what we've spent the last three months trying to find out."

"Not easy if you can't remember anything you discover," Rory shook his head.

"How long do you think?" Canton frowned.

The Doctor turned and walked towards him, "As long as there's been something in the corner of your eye, or creaking in your house, or breathing under your bed, or voices through a wall. They've been running your lives for a very long time now so keep this straight in your head. We are not fighting an alien invasion, we're leading a revolution. And today the battle begins."

"How?"

"Like this…" he subtly moved back and shot River's hand.

"AHH!" River grabbed her hand.

The Doctor laughed, "Nano-recorder," he held up a small capsule, "Fuses with the cartilage in your hand," he shot his own hand with a wince, "It tunes itself directly to the speech centers in your brain. It'll pick up your voice no matter what. Telepathic connection. So, the moment you see one of the creatures…" he pushed down on the center of his palm with his middle finger, making it glow red, "You activate it. And describe, aloud, exactly what you see," he tapped his hand, "'And describe, aloud, exactly what you see,'" repeated back, before the red light turned off, "Because when you break contact you're going to forget it happened. The light will flash if you've left yourself a message," he held up his hand, "Keep checking your hand. If you've had an encounter, that's the first you'll know about it."

"Why didn't you tell me this before we started?" Canton frowned.

"We did," Angel looked at him, "But it looks like even information about them erases if it's not refreshed too."

The Doctor walked over and tapped something on the console, "And we couldn't refresh it because we couldn't talk to you."

Canton looked over his shoulder, blinked, and turned back to the Doctor, reaching out to straighten his bowtie, only to notice Amy, Rory, and River all staring at him from behind the Doctor while Angel leaned against the side of the console, watching him intently, "What? What are you staring at?"

"Look at your hand," River said.

He looked down to see a blinking red light, "Why's it doing that?"

"What does it mean if the light's flashing?" the Doctor reminded him, "What did I just tell you?"

"But I haven't…"

"Play it."

Canton pushed the button and the recording began with himself saying, "My God! How did it get in here?"

"Keep eye contact with the creature," the Doctor said on the recording, "When I say, turn back, and when you do...straighten my bowtie."

Canton turned around again as he heard himself say, "What? What are you staring at?"

"Look at your hand," River finished and the recording ended.

Canton's eyes widened because there, at the back of the TARDIS, was one of the aliens, "It's a hologram extrapolated from a photo on Amy's phone," the Doctor told him, "Take a good long look," the image faded, "You just saw an image of one of the creatures we're fighting," he snapped his fingers, "Describe it to me," he snapped a finger again and pointed at Canton.

"I can't," Canton shook his head, shocked.

"No, neither can I," the Doctor sighed and looked at Angel, "Angel?"

She shook her head, "I know that I've seen something and that I should remember, even before you mentioned it, but I just...can't bring it up."

He nodded and turned to Canton, "You straightened my bowtie because I planted the idea in your head while you were looking at the creature."

"So they could do that to people," Amy blinked, "You could be doing stuff and not really knowing why you're doing it."

"Like post-hypnotic suggestion," Rory frowned.

"Ruling the world with post-hypnotic suggestion…"

"Now then, a little girl in a spacesuit," the Doctor began as Angel started typing something in on the console, "They got the suit from NASA but where did they get the girl?"

"Could be anywhere," Canton sighed.

"Except they probably stayed close to that warehouse 'cos why bother doing anything else?" the Doctor countered, walking around to stand by Angel, watching her input the information, "And they take her from somewhere…that would cause the least amount of attention…" he watched as she brought up a map with 3 red dots, zooming in on them, "But you'll have to find her. I'm off to NASA."

"Find her? Where do we look?"

Angel frowned, staring intently at the map.

"Angel?" the Doctor smiled softly at her, recognizing that expression.

"There," she blinked, pointing at the map as it zoomed into one particular dot, just knowing that, of the three, that would be the one they needed, "An orphanage."

"How can you be sure it's that one?" Canton frowned, having seen the other two dots, "We only have one go at this and..."

"Trust her," the Doctor cut in, "She really is psychic Canton, if she says it's that one, it's that one."

Angel smiled just a little at that, at least his faith in her was as strong as ever.

~8~

Canton knocked on the door of the orphanage and an older man opened it to see the three of them standing there, "Hello?"

Canton held up his ID, "FBI. You must be Dr. Renfrew. Can we come in?"

"The children are asleep…"

"We'll be very quiet," Amy promised.

"Is there a problem?"

"It's about a missing child," Angel told him.

"What are you..." he blinked and nodded, "Yes, yes, come in, please," he stepped back, allowing them in. They looked around to see it truly was as dilapidated inside as outside, with paint chipping from the walls and damp all over. Painted on the walls in large letters were words demanding they 'Get Out' and 'Leave Now,' "This way," he led them up a set of stairs, "Please excuse the writing. It keeps happening. I try to clean it up."

"It's the kids, yeah?" Amy nodded at the wall, "They do that?"

"Yes. The children. It must be, yes."

"I don't think it is," Angel whispered, frowning as she saw the man had 'Get Out' written on his wrist when he reached out to wipe the wall. It wasn't the children, there couldn't be 'children' there, but a child yes, one child, and those messages, it either meant the child was aware of the aliens and trying to warn Renfrew away, or it was Renfrew trying to warn himself, but he didn't seem to realize it either way, which made them all even more nervous, his mind was clearly very frazzled.

"Anyway," the man gave up wiping at the words, "My office is this way."

"We nearly didn't come to this place," Canton remarked as they walked up the stairs after him, "I understood Graystark Hall was closed in '67."

"That's the plan, yes."

"The plan?" Amy frowned.

"Not long now."

"It's 1969," Canton told the man gently.

"No, no. We close in '67. That's the plan, yes."

"You misunderstood me, sir. It's 1969 now."

"Why are you saying that?" the man looked at him, frowning, growing a bit frantic, "Of course, it isn't!"

"July."

And then he blinked, "My office is this way, this way."

Angel frowned as the man veered off to a smaller stairway, she'd seen that before. In Canton just before in the TARDIS. He'd panicked, seeing the alien there, but when he'd turned away he was calm. It was like his train of thought derailed, it was just like Renfrew.

"I'll check upstairs," Amy whispered.

"I'll go with you," Angel offered, not wanting to leave Amy alone in this, not knowing that the aliens were after her.

"Be careful," Canton told them, turning to follow Renfrew as Amy and Angel continued up the stairs. They walked to the middle of the next hall. Amy nodded to the left and then at Angel, she nodded and turned right, checking the rooms while Amy went left. Amy pushed open a door to a dorm room to see a number of bed frames lined on either side of the room, a message 'Leave Me Alone' painted on the wall. She quickly pulled out her comm..

~8~

The Doctor was lying on his back, a whole mess of wires above him, a red light and green light flashing as he worked on something. A device beeped beside him and he put a headset on, "Amy?"

"I think we found the place she was taken from. Angel was right about this being the one."

"How do you know?"

"'Cos those things have been here. The whole place is deserted. There's just one guy here and I think he's lost it."

"Repeated memory wipes fry your head eventually. Find out what you can but don't hang around," he stuck something above him with a grunt, "And keep an eye on Angel for me."

"...where are you?"

He fiddled with something, "Gotta go. Got company," he slammed the panel up and shut it, sitting up to face two NASA scientists who were standing outside the top of the module, "Don't worry I've put everything back the way I found it…" he held up a dangling wire in his hand, "Well except this. There's always a bit left over isn't there?"

He grinned up at them as a green light flickered in the module where he'd stuck it.

~8~

Amy sighed and put away her comm., continuing to walk through to the window in the back of the room. The door slammed shut behind her and she whirled around. She ran to the door and, as she tried the knob, saw markings on her hand. She turned it over to see her palm flashing red. She pressed it and listened...

"I can see them, but I think they're asleep. Get out! Just get out!"

She tried the door again and then ran back to the windows, only to see more markings on her hands and her face. She turned around and slowly looked up to see a mass of the creatures hanging upside down from the ceiling. She walked towards the door, not taking her eyes off them...and ended up kicking a pail that was sitting there to catch the water dripping from cracks in the roof. One of the creatures hissed at the noise. She reached her hand out to leave a message...when the door opened and Angel was there.

"Amy?" she asked, "You ok? I heard the door slam..."

"Fine," Amy looked at her, all thoughts of the aliens gone. She shook her head and walked out of the room, Angel turning to follow, one of the aliens standing behind her, watching them go.

Angel paused in the hall, tensing as she glanced back over her shoulder, but nothing was there.

Chapter Text

The Doctor sat in a lecture hall, the boards filled with scientific equations and plans. There was a man in a white shirt with a black tie sitting in a chair across from him and another similarly dressed man standing to the scientist's left. A soldier was behind the Doctor, guarding the door should he try to escape.

Which was actually a rather smart thing to have done as he HAD tried to escape once before, when he'd first been led there. It was like something had just...snapped in him and, for some reason, all he could think about was Angel. He'd tried to get out of there, to get back to her. He had been fine in the module, he had gone there on purpose, he could leave whenever he wanted, he was free. If the girls needed his help he could be there in a flash. But now, now he was being held captive, he was being watched and guarded and escape or leaving would be all the more difficult. What if something happened to Angel? And Amy. If something happened to them, he wouldn't be able to get there as fast as he could have.

And that really was starting to worry him a great deal. Even now, sitting there, he was fidgeting, growing a bit impatient for River to get there with the person he'd requested over the comm. before it had been taken from him.

This never would have happened if Angel were there, not just because she was psychic, she'd have made sure that they got out of the module before the scientists noticed him. But also because...if SHE were in the TARDIS the box would be there and back in mere seconds! He knew it was slightly unfair to River, he knew the TARDIS had some sort of issue with her, hadn't the faintest idea what it could be, so it was understandable that the box was likely fighting her at the control.

He hoped Rory would be enough to calm the box down, that had been one reason he'd left Rory with River instead of taking the man along with him as he'd offered earlier. If anything happened, Rory would be able to help River pilot, and at the very least, his presence as Angel's companion would help the box do what it was told.

He hoped.

"Now one more time sir, how the hell did you get into the command module?" the sitting man asked.

"Oh, I already told you," he sighed, this was probably the hundredth time he'd been asked that by at least 3 different men, he'd answered, he'd given them an actual real answer, a proper answer, the truth...and they STILL kept asking! It was just a waste of time, time that could be spent getting back to Angel...and Amy, "I'm on a top secret mission for the President," and then he tried to bite though the link between his handcuff, hoping he might be able to escape that way. It wasn't like he could use the sonic, they'd confiscate it if they saw the technology used in it, but he was getting quite desperate to get out.

He should have expected this really, he...didn't do well when Angel wasn't with him or at least in sight, he'd realized that when she'd gone to Torchwood. He didn't like it when she wasn't there, not only because he worried constantly that she was in some sort of danger that her visions had missed or that the Vortex couldn't be used against without killing her, it wasn't that he often found himself in dangerous situations that could have been avoided if she were there, it wasn't even that, when she wasn't there, he sometimes worried that he'd dreamed her up, that he'd imagined her and that he was really and truly the last Time Lord, that he was alone.

It was really a combination of all three and then some.

"Well maybe if you just get President Nixon to assure us of that, sir, that would be swell," they laughed.

The Doctor released the link and smiled, "I sent him a message."

The man mouthed 'oh' and then the doors behind them on the other side of the room opened and the President himself walked through, the TARDIS visible in the background as two people standing on either side of him held the door open for him, Rory in a suit with glasses and River in a...rather familiar outfit. The Doctor frowned as he eyed it, it was a light blue three-quarter sleeved dress that seemed like a robe in the front but only until the empire waist, a white belt, and a flowing skirt that went down to her knees. She had white heels on and white gloves as well as a pearl necklace to complete the look, her hair was held back in a small bun with a matching sort of light blue cap on her head. It made him feel like she was going for a 'housewife' theme.

...and it looked so wrong on her. But not for the reason one might think.

"Hello!" Nixon smiled as the Doctor gave him a brief wave, the men turning to stand and stare, stunned, "I believe it's Mr. Gardner is that correct?" he shook the sitting man's hand, "Head of security?"

"Uh, yes sir!" he shook the President's hand, "Yes Mr. President."

"Mr. Grant is it?" he shook the other man's hand.

"Yes Mr. President!" Grant exclaimed.

"The hopes and dreams of millions of Americans stand here today at Cape Kennedy. And you're the men who guard those dreams. On behalf of the American people, I thank you."

"You're welcome Mr. President," Gardener replied.

"I understand you have a baby on the way Mr. Grant?"

"Yes Mr. President," Grant nodded.

"What are you hoping for? Boy or a girl?"

"Just a healthy American sir."

Rory glanced over at a miniature model of Apollo 11 and began to look at it.

Nixon laughed joyfully, "A healthy American will do," he punched the man's shoulder twice, "Just nicely!" he stepped back, "Now, fellas, listen to me, this man here, code name: the Doctor," they looked back as the Doctor waved, "Is doing some work for me personally. Could you uh, cut him a little slack?"

"Uh, Mr. President, he did break into Apollo 11," Gardner remarked.

Nixon looked at the Doctor who mouthed 'Sorry.'

"Well, I'm uh, I'm sure he had a very good reason for that…" he sputtered as River shot a knowing look at Rory who looked back a moment, "But I need you to release him now so we can get on with some very important work for the American people. Could you do that for me?"

"Well…" Grant hesitated.

"Son, I am your commander and chief."

"Then I guess that would be fine," Gardner decided, "Mr. President."

"Glad to hear it."

Gardener turned and nodded at the guard, who moved forward to release the Doctor, allowing him to get up, "Thank you!" he shook Grant's hand, "Buh bye," and then Gardner's, then snapped his finger at the President and walked past them all, back to the TARDIS.

"Carry on gentlemen," Nixon smiled at them before turning to follow the Doctor. River headed off after them as Rory picked up a piece of the module...and broke it off. He tried to stick it back on but was unable to so he just placed it on the table.

Rory turned to the scientists and cleared his throat, "America salutes you," he saluted them and walked back to the TARDIS, the scientists just staring on. He shut the doors to the box behind him, leaning on it a moment, before frowning at the sight before him.

River was standing before the Doctor with her arms crossed, which he knew from Amy was never a good sign.

"Why?" River asked, with a small huff to her voice.

"Because you don't need to be dressed like that anymore," the Doctor remarked, gesturing to her outfit, he'd simply asked her to change, he didn't know why that as causing such a fuss.

"What's wrong with how I'm dressed?" she put her hands on her hips now, an even worse sign Rory knew.

The Doctor was silent, unsure of how to to say that it was Angel's dress, she was wearing Angel's dress from when he and Rose and Angel had faced the Wire. It wasn't even that the dress brought up bad memories, reminding him of how he'd nearly lost Angel to the alien, no, it wasn't that. It was...it was Angel's dress. That was all he could think as he looked at her in it, that she shouldn't be in it, because it wasn't hers. It didn't belong to her (not that any of the outfits in the wardrobe really belonged to anyone) and it didn't suit her, it suited Angel, because it was HERS. Seeing River in that dress...he didn't like it, not at all.

"Just go change," he muttered, turning to the console.

River eyed him a moment before smirking, moving to lean beside the controls he was working on, "Care to help me?" she murmured.

Rory frowned, watching that, watching that flirtatious smile grace River's face...it was actually really startling how similar she looked to Amy just then, with her flirting and whatnot. But she was flirting with the Doctor now, openly inviting him to do something not very innocent, "Doctor," Rory called as he headed up the ramp towards him, feeling like he needed to cut in on the moment. The Doctor, even if he was unaware was the father of Angel's baby, something he still had to ask her about, but until he knew the truth about it all...he just couldn't stand there and watch the man flirt with or be flirted with by another woman, "What do we do now?"

"Yes," the Doctor spun to him, turning his back on River, who rolled her eyes but headed off to get changed, "First we need to get the President back to the White House," he turned and began to put the controls in, letting out a breath of relief that Rory had interrupted.

He knew River was a flirt, but that was going a bit far and...to be honest...he didn't know how to respond.

~8~

As Renfrew sat at his desk, Canton searched the filing cabinets beside him, "This place, it's been closed for years. What have you been doing?"

"Oh, the child, she must be cared for," Renfrew replied, "It's important. That's what they said."

Canton stiffened and glanced at him, "That's what who said?"

~8~

Amy and Angel walked through the upstairs hall, the last floor of the building, shining their torches around. Angel suddenly stopped and grabbed Amy's hand, stopping her as well.

"What is it?" Amy asked her quietly, knowing she must have sensed something just then. There was a metal click and Amy looked over to see a woman with an eye patch peering through an opening in the door to a nearby room, "Hello? Who are you?"

The woman looked to the side, down the hall the way they were heading, "No, I think she's just dreaming," the window slid shut.

"Amy?" Angel asked, looking at Amy with a small confused and concerned frown.

Amy glanced at her before running to the door of the room and opening it to reveal a child's room that seemed to have been recently occupied.

"Hello?" Amy called, looking back to see the door had no hatch on it now. She frowned and walked over to it, looking at it as Angel stepped into the room and looked around.

"What are you doing?" Angel whispered, seeing Amy feeling the door.

"Nothing," Amy murmured, staring at it, at where the window hatch had been, "Just...thought I saw something."

Angel nodded and walked over to see a small collection of stuffed animals on the bed, running her hand along them, before turning to a mobile hanging from the light and a mess of framed photos on the bureau. She frowned, feeling her gaze being pulled back to the pictures, and walked over to them, looking at images of a girl, the little girl at various ages. One, hidden in the back, caught her eye and she picked it up, her eyes widening, "Amy…"

Amy looked up from the door and walked over to see what Angel had in her hand. Her eyes widened, seeing the picture. It was of the two of them, them and the Doctor and Rory, standing before the TARDIS, Angel beside her, smiling down at the baby Amy held in her arms as she cooed at it and gently reached out to touch it, while Amy laughed at Angel, Rory standing on her other side, beaming at the Doctor.

"What?" Amy breathed, shaking her head, "How can that be us?"

"I don't know…" Angel shook her head, putting the picture down with shaking hands...

And then they heard the familiar stomping of boots.

They turned around to see the astronaut enter the room, "Who are you?" Amy demanded, pushing Angel behind her slightly, knowing all too well what the astronaut was capable of, what it would do, "I don't understand, so just tell me who you are!" the astronaut lifted its visor to reveal the little girl, she looked straight at Angel, "I'm sorry," Amy continued, trying to move more in front of Angel and block the view of her, not having noticed Angel stiffen and looked back at the girl, having seen a flash in her mind of herself on a lakeside, an astronaut suit firing at her, "I didn't mean to shoot you. I'm glad Angel made me miss. But you…" she swallowed hard, realizing Angel was right behind her and recalled River's words about if you'd want to know when you were going to die, "You're going to do something really bad. Who are you? Just please tell me, because I don't understand!"

"Please help me," the little girl begged, reaching out for them, "Help me, please…"

But then, two of the aliens entered the room.

Amy screamed as Angel gasped, and the door slammed shut.

~8~

There was a thumping on the door to the office and Renfrew went to answer it. He opened it just a crack, enough where Canton couldn't see who he was speaking to just beyond, "It's just some questions. Yes, I see," he closed the door and sat back down.

"Who was that?" Canton asked, but Renfrew was silent, "Dr. Renfrew? Who was that?"

The man blinked and looked up at him, "Who was who?"

Canton stiffened, recognizing the signs and walked to the door, but stopped when it opened to reveal an alien, "What are you?" he demanded, making sure to stare right at it, "You can tell me," he activated the recorder behind his back, "'Cos I won't remember. You invaded us. You're everywhere."

"Help!" Amy shouted from a distance, "Canton, please help! Angel!"

"Are you armed?" Canton looked at the creature.

"This world is ours," it replied, rasping, telepathic, "We have ruled it since the wheel and the fire. We have no need of weapons."

"Yeah?" he pulled out a revolver and shot it three times, "Welcome to America," the creature fell and he ran out into the hall, "Amy! Angel!"

~8~

The Doctor stood before Nixon at the desk in the Oval Office, "You have to tape everything that happens in this office," he ordered the President, "Every word or we won't know if you're under the influence," he nodded and turned back to the TARDIS.

Nixon stood, "Doctor, you have to give me more than this. What were you doing to Apollo 11?"

"A thing, a clever thing. Now no more questions," he leaned against the desk to speak to him, face-to-face, "You have to trust me and nobody else."

River opened the door to the TARDIS, now dressed in her green dress once more, holding a comm., "Doctor it's Canton!" the Doctor didn't even hesitate as he turned and rushed towards the TARDIS, "Quick he needs us!"

~8~

Canton raced up the stairs, following Amy's shouts, "Help!" Amy cried, "Help me! Please, I can't...I can't see!" he shoved against the door to the room her voice was coming from, but it was stuck shut, "Somebody help me!"

"Amy!" he banged on the door, "Amy can you hear me? Is Angel in there too? No," he shook his head, "Never mind, listen, Amy I'm gonna try and blow the lock but I need you to stand back," he aimed the gun.

"Ok, gun down!" the Doctor ran up the stairs, "I've got it!" he moved to the door, sonicing it.

"Amy!" Rory shouted as he and River joined him, "We're here, are you ok?"

"I can't see!" she yelled.

The Doctor got the lock open and they ran in...

Not noticing a little girl down the hall, hiding around the corner...

They stopped short, seeing the room was abandoned, the spacesuit lying on the floor and Angel on her side, facing the bureau. The Doctor jolted forward, about to run to Angel's side...when Rory beat him to it.

"Angel!" Rory shouted, dropping to his knees beside her, checking her over, seeming to wince when he spotted a small bruise on her temple, realizing she'd been knocked out, "She'll be ok," he murmured, not even looking up at the Doctor, because he wasn't speaking to the man, he was more making sure that he himself was reassured.

The Doctor swallowed and looked at his hands, slowly unclenching the fists he hadn't realized he'd clenched, before he turned, seeing River was scanning the suit and moved to help her.

Rory leaned over, shaking Angel gently till she woke up and rubbed her head, wincing at the bruise that was forming, "Angel," Rory breathed, helping the woman sit up, "Angel...where's Amy?"

Angel blinked and looked around, as though just realizing that Amy wasn't there, "I don't know…I…I think the aliens were here but I can't…I can't remember," she shook her head, looking at Rory with tears in her eyes, "Rory I'm so sorry."

Rory just pulled her into a hug, knowing that she had probably tried her best to protect Amy, but he couldn't blame her when the aliens affected everyone's memory. All they had to do was distract Angel for only a moment, make her look away and she'd forget they were there and that she was defending herself and Amy from them.

The Doctor looked at the sonic as River opened the visor of the suit, "It's empty."

"It's dark, so dark," Amy called. They looked over to see the red nano-recorder blinking on the floor, "I don't know where I am. Please can anybody hear me?"

Rory reached out and picked it up, "They took this out of her…how did they do that Doctor?" Amy whimpered and cried, "Why can I still hear her?" the Doctor walked forward sadly.

"Is it a recording?" River guessed.

The Doctor soniced it quickly, "Um, it defaults to live, this is current. Wherever she is right now this is what she's saying."

"Amy can you hear me?" Rory called into the recorder, "We're coming for you. Wherever you are we're coming, I swear."

"She can't hear you. I'm so sorry, it's one way."

Rory turned around to him, "She can always hear me Doctor. Always. Wherever she is, and she always knows that I am coming for her. Do you understand me?" the Doctor could only stare at him, "Always."

"Doctor?" Amy whispered out and Rory looked down, "Are you out there? Can you hear me?" the Doctor looked away, "Doctor? Oh come on," she started to weep, "Angel? Please…please just get me out of here…"

Rory looked up as Angel put a hand on his shoulder, squeezing it in comfort. He took a breath and looked at the Doctor, "He's coming, they both are. I'll bring them, I swear."

"Hello?" Renfrew called, stumbling towards them from the hall, dazed, "Is somebody there?" Canton lowered the gun he'd raised in surprise as the man appeared, "I think someone has been shot. I think we should help…I think…" he frowned, blinking, "I can't rem…I can't remember."

The Doctor turned and ran out of the room with River and Canton, following the man towards his office while Rory and Angel followed last. They paused, looking at the wounded alien on the ground, struggling to get back as the Doctor approached him. Canton shined his light on it as they entered the room.

"Who and what are you?" the Doctor knelt before it.

"Silence Doctor," it breathed into his mind, "We are the Silence."

The Doctor blinked as Angel stiffened, thinking back to Prisoner Zero and the Sister of the Water, all of them speaking of the 'silence.'

"And Silence will fall!"

~8~

Canton stepped out of the cell in Area 51, the soldiers aiming their guns at him automatically at the sudden move, "Hello again."

"Sir," a soldier reported, "You've been in there for days. What the hell have you been doing?"

"Doesn't matter. I need Dr. Shepherd here, right now."

"Sir, I need to talk to Colonel Jefferson right now!" the soldier turned to go, knowing it was protocol for the Colonel to be briefed, to be given a report by the agent of what had happened.

But Canton reached out and grabbed his arm, stopping him, "No, you really don't," and looked back at the box.

President Nixon stepped out of the cell and the soldiers snapped to attention, "Hi, fellas. I'm President Nixon. I want to tell you, on behalf of the American people, how much we appreciate all of your hard work..."

~8~

A small black and white TV was set up in the warehouse the little girl had called from, playing footage of the launch, "The target of the Apollo 11 astronauts, the moon, at lift off will be at a distance of 218,096 miles away," a reporter announced, "We've just passed the two minute mark of the countdown. T minus 1 minutes 54 seconds and counting."

The Doctor and River were on either side of the spacesuit, set up on the examination board, looking at it while Angel sat on a small crate, Rory giving her a small examination to make sure she hadn't been injured more when she'd been attacked. River wore gloves, scanning it with her device, "It's an exoskeleton, basically life-support. There's about 20 different kinds of alien tech in here."

"Who was she?" the Doctor asked, staring at the suit, "Why put her in here?"

"Put this on you don't even need to eat. See it processes sunlight directly. It's got built in weaponry, and a communication system that can hack into anything."

"Including the telephone network?"

"Easily."

"Why phone the President?"

"It defaults to the highest authority it can find. The little girl gets frightened, the most powerful man on Earth gets a phone call," she looked up to see the Doctor sniffing her blue envelope, clearly he had noticed the difference in data, "They're night terrors with a hot line to the White House," she watched as he licked it, "You won't learn anything from that envelope you know."

"Purchased on Earth, perfectly ordinary stationery, TARDIS blue. Summoned by a stranger who won't even show his face. That's a first for me how about you?"

Angel glanced up, she already knew who the card was from. She'd known, sensed it, the moment she first picked it up. And it was TARDIS blue, she glanced down at her dress, her TARDIS blue dress, and she knew, SHE had been the one to send the envelopes. But…she hadn't yet, which meant it was a future her and she felt…odd, like she knew something about it, like she'd seen something but just…didn't know what. She knew the Silence were the reason for it, she must have seen one shortly after having her vision, which meant she'd forgotten it. And that worried her.

She SHOULD be able to remember, she remembered things that hadn't happened yet, she remembered events that should have happened but that she'd changed. She was able to see past perception filters, and yet she couldn't see past the Silence and their effects. Which scared her quite a bit because that meant they were terribly, terrifyingly powerful and strong. She wasn't trying to be arrogant and say that, to fool her, was a feat, not at all. But…it had been something she'd always been able to do, to not be able to was startling and frightening.

Her attention shifted though when River stood up and looked at the Doctor as he walked closer to her, "Our lives are back to front. Your future's my past. You're firsts are my lasts."

"Not really what I asked."

"Ask something else then."

"What are the Silence doing raising a child?"

"Keeping her safe," she leaned down to continue examining the technology of the suit, "Even giving her independence."

"The only way to save Amy is to work out what the Silence is doing," he turned and walked past Rory as he finished up with Angel.

"I know," Rory nodded.

"And every single thing we learn about them brings us a step closer."

"Doctor," Angel cut in, "He knows."

The Doctor sighed, "It's possible she's not just any little girl."

"Well," River cut in, glancing at the tech, "I'd say she's human," before adding, "Going by the life support software."

"But…" the Doctor turned to her, sensing something more to it.

River sighed, rubbing her forehead, "She climbed out of this suit. Like…" she looked down at the ripped wires and picked one up to show him, "…she forced her way out," the Doctor picked up one as well.

"She must be very strong then," Angel reasoned, getting off the crate to stand beside Rory.

"Incredibly strong and running away," the Doctor nodded, starting to smile, "I like her."

"We should try to find her," Rory remarked, if the things, the Silence, who had taken Amy had first taken the little girl, there was a chance that if the aliens got the girl again, then maybe Amy was there too. If they found the little girl, they'd find Amy too!

"Yes, I know, but how?"

"I think she'll find us first," Angel breathed, having been watching the Doctor and River the entire time. She couldn't lie and say she wasn't uncomfortable with how close the Doctor and River seemed to be getting. It unnerved her how easily he got on with her, now, after the Byzantium incident she'd noticed him becoming more amused and intrigued by River instead of annoyed with her as he had been.

It was even worse because she could see into his mind, she could hear his thoughts about the woman, how they were changing, how they were growing just that little bit more…non-platonic. And that hurt her, badly, especially since all her instincts were telling her it was wrong of him, he was HER Mate, notRiver's…but he didn't exactly know that, he couldn't see it that way.

She sighed, closing her eyes a moment, knowing she had likely missed her chance to tell him about them being Mates. With River there…she was afraid he'd think she was just jealous of River and making up stories. He might even spend more time with River as a result.

"Oh, uh, Huston how do you read over?" the TV reported as the Doctor walked over to it.

"Why does it look like a NASA spacesuit?" Rory wondered, eyeing the suit as they listened to commentary.

"Because that's what the Silence do," the Doctor muttered, "Think about it. They don't make anything themselves. 'Cos they don't have to," he turned around, "They get other life forms to do it for them."

"So they're parasites then?" River asked.

"Super parasites. Standing in the shadows of human history since the very beginning," he walked towards Rory, "We know they can influence human behavior anyway they want…if they've been doing that on a global scale for thousands of years…"

"Then what?" Rory eyed him.

"Why were the humans suddenly so interested in getting to the moon?" Angel countered, hinting at the answer as they all looked at the TV.

"10…9…ignition sequence started. 6...5…4…"

"Because the Silence needed a spacesuit," the Doctor nodded.

"1…0…all engines on. Lift off. We have a lift off. 32 minutes past the hour, lift off on Apollo 11."

~8~

An older man knelt beside the Silent, examining it, "My God! What is it?"

"It's just an alien, Dr. Shepherd," Canton replied, standing behind him, sounding almost…bored, watching, his eye on the Silent.

"Someone's already been treating it," the man remarked, eyeing the bandage on the Silent's stomach.

"Yeah. You've been treating it."

"Does Colonel Jefferson know this thing is here?"

"No."

"Then I'm going to tell him right now!" he got up and looked away from the Silent as he moved to leave.

"Again?" Canton sighed, not bothering to look at the man, keeping his eye on the Silent instead.

"Sorry, what?" Dr. Shepherd looked at him with a frown.

"Exactly."

"Sergeant, why was I called in here for no reason?" Shepherd sighed and walked off.

"You tend to my wounds," the Silent remarked, "You are foolish."

Canton pulled out Amy's phone which Angel had given him and held it up to the alien, recording it, "Why? What would you do in my place?"

"We have ruled your lives since your lives began. You should kill us all on sight, but you will never remember we were even here. Your will is ours."

"Well, sorry to disappoint you, but thanks, it's exactly what I needed to hear. This is a video phone, whatever a video phone is," he ended the recording and sent the file to the Doctor.

~8~

The Doctor opened the video on River's comm. to see the Silent, "You should kill us all on sight," replayed and he smiled, looking up to see Angel sitting beside Rory by a crate, the man looking intently at Amy's recorder while Angel leaned against his side, offering comfort and support while River knelt by the examination table, still working.

He frowned, seeing Rory move to lean just a little bit on Angel as well, the two of them were very close, very very close at the moment and, while his knew it was because Amy had just been taken and both of them were upset, he couldn't help but be bothered by that.

But just as he took a step towards them, River called out, having been watching him and his expression and attention intently, having seen him head towards Angel, "This suit…" River scanned it as it twitched, "It seems to be repairing itself. How is it doing that? Doctor…a unit like this…would it ever be able to move without an occupant?"

The Doctor walked over to her instead, not seeing River smirk victoriously at that, "Why?"

"Well the little girl said the spaceman was coming to eat her…maybe that's exactly what happened."

Before the Doctor could reply to that they heard Amy speak, "I love you," Rory looked up, "I know you think it's him, I know you think it ought to be him, but it's not, it's you. And when I see you again I'm gonna tell you properly just to see your stupid face," Angel glanced up as the Doctor started to walk over, "My life was so boring before you just dropped out of the sky," the Doctor stopped as Rory's head drooped, both of them thinking they knew exactly who Amy was talking about, "Just…get your stupid face where I can see it alright? Ok? Ok," the Doctor sat down on the other side of Rory as he looked up.

"She'll be safe for now," the Doctor said quietly, "No point in a dead hostage," and then he grimaced, realizing how that sounded.

"Can't you save her?" Rory looked at him.

"I can track that signal back take us right to her."

"Then why haven't you?"

"Because then what? I find her and then what do I do? This isn't an alien invasion. They live here. This is their empire. This is kicking the Romans out of Rome."

"Rome fell."

"I know. I was there."

"So was I," Rory murmured.

"Me too," Angel added quietly.

"Personal question…" the Doctor began.

"Seriously?" Rory looked at him, "You?"

The Doctor shrugged, "Do you ever remember it? 2,000 years waiting for Amy? The Last Centurion."

"No."

"Rory," Angel squeezed his arm gently, "You don't have to lie to us."

He sighed, "Yes."

The Doctor nodded, "That's not the sort of thing anyone forgets," he sighed and patted Rory on the shoulder, getting up to go help River, leaving Rory and Angel alone.

Rory looked down a moment before turning to Angel, all this talk about memory and forgetting bringing something to mind, "You asked me once, what I'd do if Amy ever forgot me…" he recalled, looking at her, "And you didn't want me to tell the Doctor about..." he glanced at her stomach, "It's because the Doctor is the one who forgot you, isn't it?"

Angel looked down both impressed that her companion was so clever, but also sad over the event itself. She nodded, "Yeah."

"Angel," Rory took her hand, turning to look at her more, "What happened?" he saw her bit her lip, hesitating, "I'm your companion, you can tell me anything and I'll try to help."

"I'm sorry about that," she winced.

He frowned, "About what?"

"That you got stuck with me as your Pilot," she said quietly, looking away.

Rory frowned deeply at that, actually disturbed to hear her say that, because it was so unlike her, his heart breaking at seeing the tears in her eyes, "Angel…"

"You started traveling with us for the adventure," she continued, sniffling, "To see the Universe with an amazing pilot and you got lumped with the pregnant mess who's so insignificant her own Mate's forgotten her."

"Angel," he shook his head, "I didn't miss a thing being your companion, I saw the Universe with the best Pilot ever. You're my favorite Pilot."

She gave him a small smile, "I'm your only Pilot."

"So you're my favorite," he nudged her, making her laugh, he was SO much like her and Mickey, "And you Angel," he continued, "You're everything I'd want in a Pilot, if I didn't have you as my Pilot, THEN I'd feel like I missed out, I would take the 'pregnant mess' over the Doctor any day."

Angel sighed, nodding, Rory was just so wonderful to her, he deserved to know the truth. He'd become her unofficial doctor for the baby, he was taking care of them, and needed to know what had happened, "The Doctor…he…he remembers me," she said quietly, "Just…not everything we had before…" she swallowed hard, "We were Mates. And not the friendly sort. We um, we started when he regenerated the time before last, his 10th self asked me and I said yes. It took us years Rory, years to build the mental connection, the emotional bond, and to prepare for the physical union," she blushed a bit at that, Rory able to guess what that last part was, "And everything was fine, he…he was about to regenerate and…" she shook her head, "I don't know what happened. When we regenerate we become new people," he nodded, she'd told him about that ability the Time Lords had, "And, at first I thought it was just that, that he was settling into this new personality. He was distant and almost…dismissive of me. But…he told Amy we were friends," she rubbed her head, closing her eyes, trying to hold the tears back as she recalled that time, "I reminded him I was his Mate…but he just…he took it as us being friends, he didn't even consider that we were actual Mate Mates. He's been denying it everywhere we go, to everyone and…I don't know why Rory. He just…it's like he's forgotten everything we shared, every moment between us is just gone. I'm the Angel, a Time Lady, a fellow survivor and Pilot, and that's it…" she looked over her shoulder at the Doctor, her hearts breaking to see him and River smiling and laughing as they discussed the suit, "That's all I am to him."

Rory, instead of following her gaze to the Doctor, just looked at her, a deep empathy and sympathy for her. He could relate to what it was like having the person you love forget you, Amy had because at some point he'd never been born. But Amy remembered him now. It must be much worse for Angel though, because the Doctor remembered her, but didn't remember he loved her and now, he understood. The Doctor, the last Doctor, must have been the one that had conceived the baby with her, and because he'd forgotten, he had no idea about it. Not a one. And he could see why Angel didn't want a word of it breathed to the Doctor about it. He could see the hurt in her face and hear it in her words when she mentioned him denying them as Mates, he couldn't imagine what she'd feel if the man denied the baby too. He truly believed it might actually drive Angel away if the Doctor did that.

He reached out and put an arm around her shoulder, hugging her, offering the comfort and support she had been giving him. Just taking the moment to absorb everything that had been said.

"We'll get Amy back Rory," Angel added in a whisper, "I promise, cross my hearts," she crossed them, "And this won't ever happen again, I'll protect you, I'll protect you both," she nodded to herself, "You and Amy will live a happy life, together, to a ripe old age, as you're meant to."

Rory smiled a bit at that, at how…Angel that was. The girl couldn't hear to see anyone upset. Here she was, suffering as he had when Amy had forgotten him, worse than he had, and she was still trying to make HIM feel better too.

"I'll protect you too," he agreed, "You and Amy, my Pilot and my wife," he chuckled a bit, recalling what Amy had taken to calling him and the Doctor, "My girls."

~8~

One of the guards switched on the TV in the Oval Office to play footage of the Apollo 11 broadcast, "Just five days since Apollo 11 blasted off from Cape Kennedy…"

~8~

Patrons in a bar gathered around the TV, watching excitedly, "…this unprecedented journey is reaching its crucial moment. Armstrong and Aldrin are making their descent to the surface of the moon. On the ground, you've got a bunch of guys about to turn blue…"

~8~

Amy groggily awoke in a dark room, the ship Rory and River had discovered, to find herself strapped to a chair, bright lights shining in her eyes as the Silence stood before her, seeming to be quietly speaking about something. She squinted, she could see some sort of monitor before them, scans on it, shaking their over large heads at something.

"This will not do," one was rasping quietly.

"Shall we dispose of her?" another turned to it.

"Where am I?" she demanded, struggling to get out of the chair, not liking how they were speaking, not even sure if they were speaking about her or someone else that had upset their plans, "Where is this?"

The Silence turned to her, "You are Amelia Pond," one of them said, "Companion of the Doctor, wife of the Angel's companion."

Amy glared, "And you're ugly, has anyone mentioned that to you?"

"We do you honor. Because of you the Silence will fall."

"Whatever that means, you've made a bit mistake bringing me here. 'Cos wait until you see what's coming for you now."

"You have been here many days."

"No, I just got here, you just put me in here."

"Your memory is weak. You have been here many days."

"No, no I can't have been."

"You will sleep now," it started to lean over her, "Sleep…"

"No, no!"

"Sleep."

"Get off me! No! no!"

"Sleep!"

"No!"

And then the sound of the TARDIS materializing reached her.

Chapter Text

The Silence all turned, hearing the wheezing as well, to see the Doctor step out of the blue box that had appeared behind them in the back of the room, "Oh!" he looked around at the very familiar setting, recognizing the ship all too easily, "Interesting. Very Aickman Road. Seen one of these before," River, Rory, and Angel stepped out, Angel pausing when she saw it was the ship from Craig's, "Abandoned. Wonder how that happened," he glanced at Angel who shrugged, she had no idea, "Oh well," he shrugged too, spinning around to face the TARDIS, "I suppose I'm about to find out. Rory, River, Angel, keep one Silence in eyeshot at all times," he turned back around, "Oh! Hello, sorry, were you in the middle of something? Just had to say though…" he grabbed a TV from just within the TARDIS and walked forward, "Have you seen what's on the telly?"

"Amy," Angel called, still feeling so incredibly guilty that she hadn't been able to protect Amy, that the ginger had been taken because of her. She, to be honest, didn't really remember what had happened. She remembered seeing a picture of the four of them, turning around and seeing the girl begging for help…before…she woke up on the floor of the room with Rory hovering over her, concerned, "Are you ok?" she asked, biting her lip, not seeing the Doctor glance at her lips before they flew back to the Silence, shaking his head at that.

Amy just let out a breath of relief, knowing she was safe now that they were there, "Better," she answered.

Rory smiled at that, leave it to Angel to be the one to worry about Amy's wellbeing. He knew the Doctor was as well, he as very worried, Amy was his companion, but he also knew how the man could get when facing a challenge, joking or sometimes even very distracted, but Angel was being serious, she wanted to know Amy was ok and not just as a passing remark.

"Want to watch some television?" the Doctor grinned, holding up the TV, though he was very relieved that she was ok too, that they'd been in time to keep the Silence from affecting her too much, Angel had said it, as soon as they came up with a plan, had said that she was sure Amy was alright, that she'd be fine. For a brief moment he'd wondered if it was wishful thinking or guilt coming up that was making her say that instead of a real feeling but…she'd been too serious when she'd said that.

He'd found that…he was rather good at determining little things in Angel's behavior, in her words and tones and expressions…and it wasn't because the last year or so when it had been just them that he'd been watching her more. It wasn't that he was even more aware of her than he was, or that he was worse when she wasn't around and that, when she was back, he couldn't help but stare at her longer or stand nearer to her. Not at all. Nope.

There were still some things he couldn't quite…get…when she would talk about it or avoid talking about it really. There were some tones he was still trying to figure out but…every time one happened, he felt…disappointed, like he SHOULD know what that tone meant, like it was or should be quite obvious to him, especially to him, how she felt but it just…wasn't. He didn't know why it actually hurt to think that he 'especially' should know, but he supposed he'd work it out eventually.

He winked at Amy, pulling himself from his thoughts, and set the TV up before her, "Ah, no," he glanced at the Silence as they stepped towards him, "Stay where you are," River stepped up with her gun aimed at them, walking closer to the Doctor from the right side of the central console, as though to protect him, while Rory and Angel made their way around the left. The Doctor spun around to look at the Silence right behind him, "'Cos look at me. I'm confident. You want to watch that, me, when I'm confident. Oh, and this is my friend, River. Nice hair, clever. Has her own gun, and," he looked around at them, "Unlike me she doesn't mind shooting people. I shouldn't like that," he turned to River, having to admit, "Kinda do a bit."

Angel frowned at that, which made Rory frown as well. He wasn't sure if the Doctor meant that he liked the image of River with a gun or the idea of the woman shooting people. He very much doubted that it was the second option, but…if it was…well, that made him very uncomfortable, Angel as well, he'd guess, the Doctor he'd first met hadn't seemed to enjoy the thoughts of weapons or anything, as he'd told Guido…yet here he was, saying he didn't mind River using them. That just didn't sit right with him. But then again, neither did the first thought, that the Doctor liked the image of River with a gun. Because now, knowing what he did of Angel and the Doctor's history with her, hearing the Doctor talk about another woman like that was just…wrong.

River backed towards the Doctor, looking at him over her shoulder, "Thank you sweetie."

"I know you're team players and everything, but she'll definitely kill the first 3 of you…"

River hit her back with his, "Oh, the first 7 easily."

"7, really?" he remarked, actually sounding a tiny bit impressed.

River smirked and leaned her head back onto his shoulder, whispering in his ear, "8 for you honey."

"Stop it…" the Doctor grinned, not looking at River though he seemed far too comfortable with her being so close…

"Make me," she said in a breathy way as she rubbed against his back.

"Yeah, well, maybe I will," he actually…flirted back.

"Is this really important flirting?" Amy snapped, "'Cos I feel like I should be high on the list right now."

Rory looked back at Angel at Amy's words to see her looking away, masking the action with pretending to look at the Silence but he could tell, he could see it now. Angel COULD have been lying, about the Doctor being the father, about her history with him, given the way the Doctor acted around her, it was plausible, and he only had her word to go on. But he believed her, entirely. Not because she was his Pilot and he trusted her completely (because she had earned that trust), not because Angel didn't often lie (if she ever did), but because he could see it now, he could see it clearly, the…true and deep hurt…on her face, the tears in her eyes at seeing the Doctor acting so around another woman. It wasn't a look of a woman who was jealous and hurt that a man who wasn't hers was flirting with someone else instead, but the look of a woman who was being betrayed by someone they loved deeply, there was a hurt there that he had imagined his own face had portrayed when he'd realized Amy didn't remember him…the look of having lost something that you had really had at one point. He swallowed hard, his heart breaking for her, and reached out to take her hand, squeezing it. He was starting to dislike River more and more. He didn't know if River was aware of the fact that Angel apparently had a history with the Doctor, though given her dislike and attitude towards the girl, he had to assume she did, or that she might at least, but the way she flaunted her ability to get close to the Doctor at Angel was just cruel. He had to wonder if her parents had ever taught her manners and respect, because this was not the way any decent Human Being would treat another.

"Yes," the Doctor shook his head, "Right. Sorry! As I was saying my naughty friend here is going to kill the first 3 of you to attack plus him behind. So, maybe you want to draw lots or have a quiz…" he started to walk around the console while Rory and Angel made it to Amy's side.

"So what's he got?" Amy asked Rory quietly as he started trying to get the straps off while Angel kept an eye on the Silence around them, making sure they wouldn't be attacked unawares. She could have used the Vortex to free Amy, but that would mean leaving Rory on lookout and her distracted, and they'd both agreed the opposite would be better for all.

"Something I hope," he mumbled.

"He does," Angel murmured, having seen it in his mind, exactly what he was going to do, "And it'll work," she added.

"…or maybe you could just listen a minute," the Doctor continued, "'Cos all I really want to do is accept your total surrender and then I'll let you go in peace. Yes. You've been interfering in human history for thousands of years. Yes. People have suffered," he walked over to the Silent he'd been talking to before, "And died, but what's the point of two hearts if you can't be a bit forgiving now and then," he waited a moment but the alien was, well, silent, "Oh, the Silence you guys take that seriously don't you? Ok, you got me, I'm lying. I'm not really gonna let you go that easily. Nice thought but it's not Christmas and I'm not Angel, her hearts are three times the size of mine…"

Rory glanced over at him, seeing Angel tense at the words, before he realized…the Doctor did that a lot really, compliment her in offhanded ways or in passing remarks. At first he thought it was just him being a good man and giving a compliment when due, but now…if Mating was as close as Angel had led him to believe, as deep, then maybe…there was something in him trying to break through. But…really, what did it do for Angel? The man had JUST flirted with River in front of them and now he was complimenting Angel? He couldn't begin to imagine how confused she had to be by that, how he blew hot one moment and cold the other, going from River to her. He knew where her mind must have gone, the fact that he didn't remember her, the fact that he DID flirt with River…what if it meant he was undecided? Like…a part of him, the part of him that had regenerated, still loved Angel, but this new man he was loved River? Two parts of the man, each of his hearts, might be warring with each other, trying to decide which woman he loved more.

For Angel, he was sure, she probably was at the point where she'd rather he flirt with just her or just River and not flip back and forth between the two. That way she wouldn't get her hopes up when he was sweet to her, and then have her hearts break all over again when he turned around and flirted with River too.

He didn't know what the man felt for River, but…he was sure, HE could just feel it, that the Doctor was in love with Angel. He did things with her, little things, sweet things, that he DIDN'T do with River. The way he touched her and worried about her and acted when Angel wasn't around…it was something that was missing with River. River wasn't always there, he'd only met her twice so far, and the Doctor was fine, his normal self, but when Angel wasn't there…Amy had told him that the Doctor was a wreck. That must mean that he felt for Angel more than River. It HAD to…because Angel was so sad. He understood now why, why there was always a hint of sadness in Angel from nearly the moment he'd met her, he knew now what it was that was always lingering there. Angel was sad and he wanted her to be happy, she was his Pilot, his sister, and he cared for her deeply, he hoped that the Doctor would work out whatever was going on with him and just…be with Angel because he wanted to see her smile again. She gave him some smiles, he was usually the only one who could get a large and true smile out of her, not even the Doctor could at times (and he knew why now) but he got the feeling Angel's usual smiles (because she had struck him as a very happy person when he'd FIRST met her) must be amazing and lovely, and he felt like he hadn't seen one of those yet.

"First…" the Doctor hit a switch on the telly and turned back, making Rory shake his head and focus back on what he was doing, "You tell me about the girl. Who is she? Why is she important? What's she for?" no reply, "Guys, sorry, but you're way out of time. Now," he clapped, "Come on, a bit of history for you, "he turned back to the TV, "Aren't you proud?" and extended the antennas on it, "'Cos you helped…" he tapped the TV on and moved to lean on it, looking at the Silence as the footage of the moon landing played, "Now, do you know how many people are watching this live on the telly? Half a billion! And that's nothing 'cos the Human Race will spread out among the stars. You just watched them fly, billions, and billions of them, for billions and billions of years. And every single one of them, at some point in their lives, will look back at this man," he tapped the telly, "Taking that very first step and they will never ever forget it," he looked at the TV, the astronaut preparing to step down, "Oh…" he pulled out the comm., "But they'll forget this bit," he turned to look at the Silence as he held up the comm., "Ready?"

~8~

"Ready," Canton called, standing before the wounded Silent as he pressed Amy's phone against the comm. the Doctor had given him.

~8~

The green light started to flash in the module of Apollo 11.

~8~

"It's one small step for man..." the TV in the ship played…

And suddenly the footage was interrupted by a clip of the wounded Silent, giving the order that would end the reign of his species over the humans.

"You should kill us all on sight."

~8~

"You should kill us all on sight…" the men gathered around the Oval Office shook their heads as the suggestion was dropped into their minds.

~8~

"You should kill us all on sight…" the patrons in the bar blinked hard, hearing the command.

~8~

"You've given the order for your own execution," the Doctor grinned, "And the whole planet just heard you!"

Angel closed her eyes at that, she had noticed a trend whenever River appeared, genocide usually followed. River brought them to the Byzantium, and the entirety of the surviving Weeping Angels, likely the last of the species given how the one had gone to rescue the others, were erased from time. River called them to 102AD, and every sun supernovaed, killing every single species on every planet in every system. And now, River appeared and the Doctor was leading the humans to attempt genocide against the Silence.

She couldn't help but feel…angry at River, this never happened, the Doctor wasn't like this when it was just them, just her with him, he wasn't so flippant about it or easy-going, he struggled with it, he felt terrible about it, he showed remorse, he was 'sorry, so sorry' to do it, he was never ever happy about it or proud of it. This new him...with her he didn't kill a Star Whale, the Daleks escaped (which was terrible, she admitted), the 'husbands in the water' were still alive, the Silurians slept, the Krafayis was saved, the Shansheeth lived…but River…all she seemed to bring was destruction! And she pulled the Doctor down with her. It was like all the work she had done in pulling him, and keeping him, out of that darkness inside him just...disappeared whenever River was there, like she almost encouraged it to come out, in a way.

She shook her head, she was probably reading more into this than there was to read, trying to find some fault in River. River likely wasn't doing it on purpose, she wasn't a psychopath or anything.

"One giant leap for mankind," the footage picked up again.

"And one whacking great kick up the backside for the Silence!" the Doctor laughed.

~8~

The patrons in the bar turned to see one of the Silence standing behind them and gathered together to face it.

~8~

"You just raised an army against yourself," the Doctor continued.

~8~

Peterson, the black guard from the White House, turned and drew his gun, aiming it at the Silent standing in the doorway of the Oval Office.

~8~

"And now, for a thousand generations, you're going to be ordering them to destroy you every day," the Doctor grinned, "How fast can you run? 'Cos today's the day the Human Race threw you off of their planet!" the Silence started to advance on him, "They won't even know they're doing it. I think, quite possibly, the word you're looking for right now is…" electricity crackled, "Oops. Run!" the electricity gathered, "Guys, I mean us. Run!"

The Silence screeched as lightning surrounded them, shooting beams of it at the humans and the Time Lords. River started firing back with her blaster as the Doctor flashed the sonic around, "I can't get her out!" Rory shouted, Angel pulling him to the side as a both of energy flew past him.

"Go!" Amy told him, "Just go!"

"We are not leaving without you!"

"Will you just get your stupid face out of here?!"

Rory looked up at her, stunned, as she looked back at him confused. Angel gave him a small smile, seeing he was working out who Amy had REALLY been talking about earlier as she turned and grabbed one of the straps around Amy's wrist…

"Run!" River called, "Into the TARDIS!" she shot another Silent, "Quickly!"

"Got it," Angel unlocked the restrains, pulling one of Amy's arms over her shoulder as Rory did the same on the other side, the three of them making their way back to the TARDIS.

The Doctor ran off, scanning the building power as River kept firing, "Don't let them build to full power!" he shouted.

"I know," she shot back, "There's a reason why I'm shooting honey!" they hit back-to-back, "What are you doing?"

"Helping!"

"You've got a screwdriver, go build a cabinet!"

"That's really rude!"

She nudged him back with her bum, "Shut up and drive!" he ran into the TARDIS as River kept firing, spinning in a circle and killing all the Silence before crouching down and looking around, waiting to make sure that they were all taken out. She stood slowly as Rory opened the door to the TARDIS and peeked out. She spun the gun on her finger and put it in a holster on her leg, "My old fella didn't see that did he? He gets ever so cross," she turned back to face him.

Rory stepped out a bit more, "So…what kind of doctor are you?"

"Archeology," she pulled her gun out and fired at the last Silent that jumped up behind her, not even looking back, "Love a tomb!" she winked, which made Rory frown, that…wasn't the sort of thing he'd expect someone who may or may not be 'with' the Doctor in the future to say, before she walked into the TARDIS, running to the controls to help the Doctor and Angel pilot.

"You can let me fly it!" the Doctor protested, seeing River run up as he and Angel worked.

"Or we could go where we're supposed to," River remarked. Angel said nothing, already used to River blatantly ignoring her. But then River turned to the console to turn a knob…only for an actual flame to erupt, forcing her to pull her hand away, "Oh honestly!" she snapped at the rotor, "Will you calm down!?"

"Now now dear," the Doctor tried to pat the console, "River was a great asset to us just now and…OW!" he winced as the lever he'd gone to touch heated up, nearly burning his hand, the TARDIS humming angrily.

"I think she's cross with the both of you," Angel remarked, still working at the controls with ease.

"Why?" the Doctor frowned, trying to think of what he could have done between flying the box there and confronting the Silence, and now that could have upset the box. There wasn't anything! Bit of speechmaking, bit of flirting, bit of saving the world. What was there to be cross with?

Angel just shrugged, though, as she turned to hunch over and type a command in, the Doctor and River forced to stay back lest they incur the wrath of an angry TARDIS, she have a small smile and rested her hand on the controls, 'Thank you girl,' she whispered to the TARDIS telepathically, the box humming rather proudly and happily after.

It seemed the box knew about the Doctor's little flirting with River and how that made her feel and was angry with both of them now. She got the distinct feeling that the old girl wanted them to get River back to Stormcage and away from her as quickly as possible. Which was ok with her as well, she may have promised to let the Doctor go, for the baby, but that didn't mean she was happy about it or that she wasn't hurt by seeing him truly…go.

Amy looked over from laughing at the Doctor standing there with a pout, to see Rory walk back from the doors, eyeing her, "What's a matter with you?"

"You called me stupid," he said.

"I always call you stupid."

"No, uh, my face," he emphasized as Amy looked at him, confused a moment, before realizing. She looked down and opened his hand to see her recorder held in it, "I wasn't sure who you were talking about, you know, me or…" his gaze flickered to the Doctor.

"Him!?" he nearly laughed at how Amy sounded almost aghast.

"Well you did say 'dropped out of the sky.'"

"It's a figure of speech moron," she kissed him.

"Thanks?"

"You're welcome," she smiled, kissing him again.

Angel looked over, watching them kiss with a small smile on her face, yes, she would protect them both as best she could. She would see them live to a ripe old age together, as it was meant to be.

~8~

The Doctor stood before Nixon in the Oval Office, shaking his hand, "So we're safe again!" Nixon cheered.

"Safe?" the Doctor scoffed, "No, of course you're not safe. There's about a billion other things out there just waiting to burn your whole world," Nixon's smile faded, "But! If you want to pretend you're safe just so you can sleep at night, ok, you're safe. But you're not really," he turned to Canton, "Canton, till the next one eh?" he shook his hand.

"Looking forward to it," Canton grinned.

The Doctor turned back to Nixon, "Canton just wants to get married. Hell of a reason to kick him out of the FBI."

"I'm sure something can be arranged," Nixon smiled.

"I'm counting on it," he turned to leave, when Nixon grabbed his arm.

"Uh, Doctor…Canton here tells me you're…you're from the future and that your associate, the Angel, can actually SEE the future. Hardly seems possible but I was wondering…"

"He won't answer, depending on the question," Angel called from where she was peeking her head out from inside the TARDIS to check on them, "And I can't see everything Mr. President."

"She's right," the Doctor nodded, "About me at least. Angel, well, the things she CAN see," he let out an impressed whistle.

"But I'm a president at the beginning of his time," Nixon shook his head, "Dare I ask, will I be remembered?"

"Oh Dicky, Tricky Dicky, they're never going to forget you," he patted Nixon on the shoulder and walked to the TARDIS, "Say hi to David Frost for me."

"David Frost?" Nixon muttered as he and Canton watched the TARDIS disappear. A moment later he sighed, "This person you want to marry. Black?"

"Yes," Canton nodded.

"Hmm. I know what people think of me, but perhaps I am a little more liberal…"

"He is."

Nixon blinked, silent for a moment before saying, "I think the moon is far enough for now, don't you, Mr. Delaware?"

"I figured it might be," Canton shrugged.

~8~

Angel was sitting in the harness under the console just absently fiddling with the Whitepoint Star necklace as she leaned against the harness, her other hand curled around one strap of it, Rory speaking quietly to her, "I really think you should tell him Angel. Don't you think he might be curious as to what he's forgotten?"

"He doesn't even know that he's forgotten anything," Angel sighed, rubbing her head, it was too complicated, memory loss, one wrong word at the wrong time could have him denying it and resistant to remembering anything.

"Who's forgotten?" Amy asked, walking down the stairs, having heard part of their conversation.

"No one," Angel said at the same time Rory said, "The Doctor."

"Rory!" Angel cried, looking up at him.

He gave her an apologetic shrug, he may have promised not to talk about the pregnancy, but that didn't mean he couldn't talk about what led up to it. It was sneaky he knew, but…he just wanted to help Angel, and Amy…she was really the only one of them that had experience with memory loss, with specifically forgetting a person. If they could work out exactly how she'd remembered him, what had made her remember, because he honestly didn't know what had snapped her out of her own amnesia, then maybe there was the chance that they could do something similar for the Doctor!

"What's the Doctor forgotten?" Amy asked, looking between the two for them. And then she noticed Angel playing with her necklace, a necklace she'd had ever since she'd met the woman, and looked down at her own ring finger, her engagement ring. She thought back, recalling the time when she had forgotten Rory, what Angel had said to her just before Planet One, "He's forgotten you…hasn't he?"

Angel looked up at her, startled, "How did you…"

"When I found my ring, I asked you if you'd ever forgotten something really big and important, you said you hadn't but that you were the thing forgotten."

Angel looked down, she'd actually forgotten that she'd said that till Amy brought it up. She'd been about to tell the girl what happened, but…things got in the way.

"He's forgotten they were together," Rory told Amy quietly, Amy had told him how the Doctor insisted that he and Angel were 'mates' and he knew, saying that particular word now would only confuse his wife.

"Angel you have to tell him!" Amy turned to her, completely stunned.

Not only did the Doctor deserve to know, but now it all made sense! Everything made sense! About Angel, her reaction to things, how she acted around the Doctor, the things she knew about him, even hers and River's relationship (which she still wasn't sure how it had become what it was, but still made a tiny bit more sense). It explained why Angel was so sad. Even though she was the Doctor's companion, she DID notice that Angel had just…steadily gotten sadder over their adventures, till Rory had come along.

And what she said to her in the Calvierri school…she stopped at that and blinked, holy…

She couldn't believe it!

Angel, what she'd said about that man she loved on Gallifrey, about having someone love you and losing someone…she'd been talking about the Doctor that entire time! She felt like her entire outlook on everything had to be redone, especially River, that whole thing was a mess she didn't understand but right now that wasn't the topic, the topic was the Doctor's own bout of memory loss.

"What good would that do?" Angel sighed, defeated, a sound that had both Amy and Rory looking at each other worriedly, this was not the same Angel they had first met who had been rushing around and smiling and laughing and helping to save the planet, so…confident in her and the Doctor and their ability to stop Zero. Angel shook her head, what as the point? She'd flat out told him she was his Mate and it had gotten her nowhere, only giving her the worst heartache of her life, it hurt more than finding out her mother had died, or seeing her sister murdered before her, "He doesn't even know he's forgotten."

"I didn't realize I'd forgotten Rory when he'd fallen through the crack," Amy argued, "But deep down, I did know something was missing. You know that. I would have given anything to know what it was. You have to tell him. He deserves to know."

"Yes and that's just it. Deep down you realized it. The Doctor doesn't."

"I think he does," Amy countered.

She saw it sometimes, the way the Doctor would look at Angel, the way he acted without her there. She doubted he even realized he was doing it but there was something in his gaze, something akin to recognition, to longing, but just before it reached fruition he would look away or something would disrupt his thoughts. She…she also noticed the way he acted around her, or more correctly, the way he DIDN'T act around her. He didn't notice her as much or seem to worry about her at times when he did other times or look after her first but it was the WAY he did it. It was almost like he was purposely forcing himself not to, as though, if he got too close, something would happen.

She'd seen it in herself at times when she was REALLY trying to make herself like some random boy before she'd dated Rory. She'd put all her attention and focus and drive into trying to make herself feel something that it was just too obvious that it wouldn't work. It was the same thing but in reverse, he was trying SO hard to keep himself away from her, too hard. Thinks kept slipping through, other little looks, touches, remarks, little moments here and there that told her that…something was pulling him to Angel, something he didn't understand or even realize, and so, subconsciously, he pushed himself away from her. But there was something there, something that just needed a nudge…

Angel looked up at her, eyeing her a moment, scarcely daring to hope, but…here were Amy and Rory, two people she trusted and valued the opinion of, and Amy was the Doctor's companion, the second closest woman to him in his life (if she could still have counted herself as first given being his Mate), "…do you think?"

"I know," Amy smiled at her, it was like how she kept looking at her ring, trying to find the answer but then pushing it away and giving it to the Doctor when she'd come close to realizing the truth, and all it had really taken was Rory himself, insisting that he knew her deeply, that he was someone to her, getting closer to her, "Tell him."

"He may not believe me," Angel remarked, standing up hesitantly, biting her lip.

"But might," Rory countered, giving her an encouraging smile.

Angel nodded and took a breath, heading for the door from below, past the stairs that led to the console, if she didn't do this now, with Rory and Amy backing her up, she feared she never would.

~8~

The Doctor was leaning against the barred doorway of River's cell in Stormcage as she stood inside it, smiling at him, "You could come with us," he offered.

"I escape often enough thank you. And I have a promise to live up to," she fixed his bowtie, resting her hand on his chest a moment, feeling his hearts beating, as she looked up into his eyes, "You'll understand soon enough."

"Ok, up to you," he turned and walked back to the TARDIS, "See you next time. Call me!"

"What? That's it?" she laughed as he turned and walked back to her, "What's the matter with you?"

He held his arms out, confused, "Have I forgotten something?" he leaned on the doorway again.

River glanced over, hearing the TARDIS door open, and spotted Angel step out in the corner of her eye, and grinned, oh brilliant.

One thing could be said, Angel really did have the most perfect timing.

"Oh, shut up," River reached forward, and pulled him to her, kissing the Doctor deeply.

~8~

Angel stepped out of the TARDIS…and her hearts shattered.

She blinked, shaking her head at the sight before her, knowing she wasn't imagining things, before she quickly headed back in, "No Amy…" she whispered as she passed her and Rory, waiting just a few feet in front of the door, "I don't think he'd believe me."

Amy frowned, watching Angel walk past her, tears in her eyes as she headed to the console. She turned and ran to the doors, Rory with her, peeking out to see the Doctor and River kissing. Her mouth dropped open and she shook her head in disbelief. Neither her nor Rory seemed to notice the awkwardness of the kiss or how the Doctor didn't seem to be kissing back.

…though Rory DID notice the scowl making its way onto Amy's face and quickly pulled her back into the TARDIS, shutting the doors with his foot as he literally had to pull his wife, kicking and screaming, away from the doors.

"Rory let me go!" Amy shouted, struggling.

"Amy calm down…" really though, he wanted to let her go, his wife was a spitfire, and when she saw something that she didn't like happening, she went at it…and he really would like nothing more than to see his wife call the Doctor out, but he also knew she could be violent when she wanted and she'd likely attack the Doctor too, shouting at him random bits the man wouldn't understand and just make a bigger mess of all of this for Angel to deal with. She didn't know everything he did about what had happened either.

"But he's kissing her!" Amy yelled, trying to pry his fingers open so she could go smack the Doctor.

She didn't know what it was, she'd been all for River being his wife only a few months ago, but now…she'd been seeing a side of River she didn't like, a side of her she couldn't imagine working well with the Doctor. The Doctor was very important to her, she wanted what was best for him. Slowly she'd been starting to think that wasn't River. More and more her mind had gone to Angel, to thinking that she might be a better match for her favorite Time Lord, and now, to find out they WERE something…and then to see the Doctor kissing River, even if he didn't remember, it just…Angel didn't deserve that!

"Yeah, Amy I know," Rory said quietly, before adding in her ear, "And guess who else knows," he squeezed her around the middle.

Amy stilled, realizing who that 'someone else' was, Angel. The Time Lady, at their insistence, had just been confronted with what was likely her worst fears ever…she didn't need them attacking the Doctor, no, right now…

She turned, Rory letting go of her as he felt a shift in her thoughts, watching as Amy ran up to the console and just…hugged Angel as the girl stared ahead, tears in her eyes that broke his heart. He swallowed and moved to join them, the two of them hugging Angel tightly as she shook in their arms but didn't let the tears fall.

"I said I'd be ok with it," she whispered, "But I'm not. I'm really not."

They didn't know what she was talking about, but the crack in her voice…they couldn't bring themselves to ask, so they just stood there, hugging her, trying to comfort her like she always did them.

~8~

"Right…" the Doctor said as he pulled away, well, as River let him pull away, "Ok, interesting," he scratched the right side of his face, shifting, feeling quite uncomfortable.

"What's wrong?" River asked a bit…too innocently…as she smirked at him, "You're acting like we've never done that before."

"We haven't," he told her, scratching the left side of his hair too, not quite sure how he should feel about her implying that, for her, they had done this before.

"We haven't?" River tried to sound shocked. Internally though, she wished Angel was there so she could bask in her victory, this really was FAR too easy.

"Oh, look at the time, must be off," he looked at her, "Um, but it was very nice?" he wasn't sure what to say to that without sounding terrible, "It was good?" before he found it, "t was…unexpected," he stopped at the doors of the TARDIS and looked back at her, "You know what they say. There's a first time for everything," he got in the TARDIS.

River sighed, watching the box fade, "And a last time," she agreed, knowing what would happen next time the Doctor really met her…

~8~

The Doctor ran up to the console, ready to get out of there, when he noticed three things, Rory was standing by Angel, quietly speaking to her, Angel was studiously ignoring him as she wiped something under her eye and focused intently on the controls, and Amy was looking at him from where she as sitting on the jump seat, seeming rather peeved.

"Everything alright?" he eyed them.

Amy opened her mouth, about to start in on him, when…

"Yeah," Angel called quietly, moving around the console, "Everything's fine," before she started patting the rotor and whispering to the box pleadingly.

He nodded, giving the two companions another look as they seemed to watch at Angel, before he turned to help her at the controls, which, for once, didn't spark or resist him…

He didn't notice Angel whisper her thanks to the TARDIS for that, or the box hum with a terrible sadness.

~8~

"Uh Rory!" the Doctor called, "I'm going to need thermo-couplings, green ones and blue ones," he walked around the console to where Rory and Amy were quietly talking.

"Ok," he nodded, "Hold on," he turned and walked down the stairs, heading for the couplings that Angel had shown him before.

"So…" the Doctor leaned on the console beside Amy.

"So?" Amy asked tersely, still very, very cross with him for what he'd (unknowingly) done to Angel just before.

"You're ok?" he frowned at her.

Angel came around on Amy's other side and put a hand on the woman's shoulder. Amy looked at her a moment before sighing and nodding, Angel had asked them not to say anything, not to bring it up, she didn't want to deal with talking to the Doctor about all of this and have to discuss River Song either at the moment, which was understandable. Rory had agreed and had been telling her just then that it would hurt Angel more to have to go through talking about what happened yet again with the pain being so fresh. To give it some time before they said anything, for Angel.

"Fine," Amy sighed, "Head's a bit weird. There was lots of stuff I can't quite…remember…" she shook her head.

"Aftereffect of the Silence. Natural enough. Now. That's not what I was asking," he crossed his arms, "You told us you were pregnant."

"Yes..."

"Why?"

"'Cos I thought I was?" she shrugged, "Turns out. I wasn't," she really had, the queasy feelings she had been getting on and off, she'd though it was a sign of pregnancy, but then they'd learned that Rory and even the Doctor seemed to have experienced it as well and realized she'd been silly.

"No, why did you tell us?"

"'Cos you were my friends. You're my best friends."

"What about Rory?" Angel asked her with a smile, "Did you tell him?"

Amy looked away, "No."

"Amy, why tell us and not Rory?" the Doctor frowned.

"Why do you think?"

"I don't know."

"I traveled with you two in this TARDIS for so long. All that time…if I was pregnant for some of it wouldn't it have had an effect? I don't want to tell Rory that his baby might have three heads or it's got a time head or something…"

"What's a time head?" the Doctor nudged her.

"I don't know, but what if it had one?"

The Doctor laughed, "A time head?"

"Shut up. Alright?" she laughed before calling out, "Oi stupid face!" when she saw Angel tap her ear.

"Uh, yeah?" Rory walked back up the stairs, holding Amy's recorder in his hand guiltily, "Hello."

"I'm taking that away from you if you're gonna listen in all the time," Amy walked over to him.

"Ok, I suppose that's a fair point. But you should have told me that you thought you were pregnant. I'm a nurse. I'm good with pregnancy," he and Angel shared a secret smile.

"Not, as it turns out, that good. Will you stop being stupid?" Amy hugged him.

"Uh, no! Never!" he hugged her tightly, swinging her off the ground, "I'm never ever gonna stop being stupid!"

~oOo~

"I'm never ever gonna stop being wonderful to you!" he cheered, spinning Angel around, "The light of the Universe!" and she really was, she was his shining light in the darkness.

"Theta!" she squealed as he hoisted her up, just holding her above him, looking up at her with a soft smile, "Put me down!" she looked around, realizing she'd been a bit loud just then, and spotted an old man in the distance on top of a hill, looking at the stars. She hoped her shouts hadn't disturbed him.

"Hmm..." he seemed to think on it, "Nope!"

"What?" she laughed, looking back at him.

"I will not put you down...unless..."

"Unless what?"

"It'll cost you."

"Cost me what?" she raised an eyebrow at him, amused.

"A kiss...or three."

She shook her head, smiling at him, "Now there's a price I'll gladly pay," she remarked before she leaned down and kissed him, him slowly letting her slide through his arms till she was on the ground, not letting her go though.

He would never let her go.

~oOo~

Amy laughed, making the Doctor shake his head and look at her, Angel just watched sadly with a smile on her face at their closeness.

"So!" the Doctor clapped, "This little girl," he grabbed the monitor and swung it around, "It's all about her. Who was she? Or we could just go off and have some adventures. Anyone in the mood for adventures? 'Cos I am. You only live once!"

Amy and Rory exchanged a look at the 'living' part as Amy reached out and grabbed Angel's hand, squeezing it tightly as though to remind herself Angel was still there…for now. River might not have been willing to help them try to save Angel, but she and Rory would, they'd do whatever they could to keep her safe.

The Doctor glanced at them and smiled, looking at the monitor as it read:

Amelia Pond
Full body scan in progress
Pregnancy…

He frowned as the result flashed between positive and negative, over and over, and cast a worried look at Amy.

~8~

6 months later…

A little girl walked through the dark streets of New York one night in early 1970, stepping out from behind a dumpster, coughing, as a homeless man with a cart looked over at her, "You ok?" he called, "Little girl? Are you ok?"

She looked up at him and smiled at his concern, "It's alright. It's quite alright. I'm dying. But I can fix that. It's easy really. See?" she held out her hands as they started to glow orange and laughed.

The man looked stunned and scared, turning to run off as she threw her head and arms back, the orange regeneration energy shooting out of her…

Chapter Text

It was night in the TARDIS, the phone on the console ringing repeatedly but the Doctor, it seemed, wasn't in to answer it. Amy grumbled to herself, wondering where Angel was at least, she'd have picked up the phone just a second before it rang which would have let her continue to sleep.

She yawned, reaching forward to pick up the phone,, "Hello?" she glanced around, "He's not here, who's speaking?" she frowned, swatting at a fly buzzing in her face, "Uh, sorry, the prince of where?" she flicked her hand by her shoulder, the dratted fly, "Which one? No, no, no, which prince not which Wales. Um…" she spotted a rolled up newspaper, "What year is this?" and managed to swat the fly on the console.

She smirked, ha! Take that fly.

Suddenly the doors opened and Angel, dressed in a TARDIS blue strapless dress that went down to the floor, flowing out from her bust, a small black wrap around her back and hanging over her elbows, rushed in, holding the door open for the Doctor to enter. He himself was dressed in a black suit with a top hat, holding a fishbowl with a large goldfish in it, "I think that's probably for me!" he rushed to the console as Angel shut the doors, shifting her wrap to fall in front of her stomach, and joined him, "Hold this!"

"But Doctor it's…" Angel began but he just gave the fish to Amy and took the phone, frantic.

"Hello! Ah! Yes, everything's fine! Don't worry…" though contrary to his words he began to pace with the phone, "Well exactly," he walked past Amy who ducked under the wire with Angel, "Why should you be worrying. Who even mentioned worrying?" he walked back, making them duck again, "She's fine!"

"Doctor she's…" Angel tried again.

"No, your mum is...your mum is fine," he put the phone to his shoulder to hiss at Amy, "Don't answer this phone. Angel or I answer this phone."

"Where have you been?" Amy asked quietly.

"Party, just a party," he picked the phone up again, "Um, yes, your mum is here actually…"

"No, Doctor, it's…" Angel sighed.

He held up a finger, "But she can't come to the phone at the moment. Well she's…busy. Well you know…the Commonwealth," he looked at the fish and leaned over to speak to it quietly, "It's your son, mum, he wants to talk to you," he held up the phone to the bowl but then realized, it was a fish and pulled back, "Oh we can't let him see you like this…"

"It's not…"

"Well, hear you, not that he could hear you, you're a fish!" the phone rang again and he put it to his ear, "Sorry, I've got another call coming in," he nodded to Angel who sighed and typed something into the controls, patching through the next call, "Hello?!" he winced, "There is not a bit of use yelling, Ambassador. Your Warrior Chief is trapped in my TARDIS and until you've turned Her Majesty here," he tapped the fish's glass, "Back into a Human Being, he's staying put."

"That's not Her Maj…"

"Don't worry," he waved Angel off, pointing at the phone, "Perfectly safe…" and then he noticed she hadn't stopped talking because of him but because she'd spotted a roll of paper on the console with a dead fly stuck to it, "Just putting you on hold…" he handed the phone to Angel, who put it down, and lifted the paper to look at the fly before turning to Amy, "What have you done?"

She gave them a hesitant, sheepish smile, "I thought it was a fly…"

"So much for the slaughterer of 10 million souls…" he muttered as he threw it away.

"What is going on?!" Amy demanded.

"We were at a party. There was a slight incident."

"That's what I've been trying to tell you," Angel cut in, "Doctor that's not…"

"Wait," Amy shook her head, confused and slightly hurt, "What, so you sneak out at night to party?" she looked between them, "Is that why you're all dressed up?" he tugged his bowtie, "You never dress up..." and then she thought of something that made her put her hand on her hip and give him a hard look, "Is River at the party?"

Angel just barely managed to contain her wince. Because yes, River was. And yes, she got the impression that they had gotten dressed up (or the Doctor had) for the woman. Yes, the Doctor's reaction to HER in her dress had been adorable, he'd just stared at her and told her she looked lovely...but then they'd stepped out of the TARDIS and it was all mingling and River and dancing and River and she'd just...wandered, speaking with a few dignitaries, helped alleviate some of the damage the Doctor unintentionally did in his rudeness with other dignitaries, prevented a few wars...

The Doctor took off his hat, avoiding the question, "Oh why would she be there?" he walked around the console.

Why did it have to be River that got him dressed up? Couldn't he just get dressed up for the fun of it? Look good when he felt good too? Or why couldn't he dress up to try and get Angel to dress up too? She looked quite lovely in her gown, blue certainly fit her very well. And it was always fun to try and 'fit in' with the royals out there, almost made him feel like a master of disguise, blending in when he needed too. And it was a party! You had to get dressed up for a party!

Amy just followed him, having seen Angel look down sadly at her words, "Don't, just don't lie to me Doctor. You're rubbish at it."

If he was at a party with River she wanted to know! Rory was asleep and if River was out there, he wouldn't be able to stop her from having words with the woman about quite a few things.

"No, I do not sneak out at night with Angel to parties with...with...with River Song," he put his hat on Amy.

"Hmm," she followed him back to the other side of the TARDIS where Angel was standing, "How is she?"

"Fine."

"See? Rubbish! Why can't you just tell the truth like Angel, it was just one question!"

The Doctor frowned, "Why are you being so snippy?"

"I am not snippy!" Amy narrowed her eyes, half-shoving the fish back into his hold. This was not good, because she knew that she really was being snippy, it was just...so much was going on, and not just finding out the truth about Angel and the Doctor's past history, but...she hadn't been sleeping all that well, and that usually made for a very cranky Amy.

Angel frowned, seeming to sense that, "Amy are you alright?"

"No," Amy admitted, before rolling her eyes when she saw the Doctor's own eyes widen and the man make a break for the doors, "Doctor!" she shouted and he stopped, "Doctor," she repeated more softly and he turned to face her as she slowly walked down the stairs, Angel remaining where she was, "I…I need to talk to you…there is a reason why I couldn't sleep."

"…RORY!" the Doctor yelled.

"What are you doing?!" she whispered, her eyes wide.

"You've got the serious face on," he pointed at her accusingly, "I always shout for Rory when you've got the serious face. RORY! She's having an emotion!"

"What?" Rory yawned, appearing at the top of the stairs, pulling on a robe, "What's wrong Amy?"

"Why are you calling him?" Amy asked.

"It's his turn," Angel called, having given up on trying to tell the Doctor what had happened with the fish.

The Doctor nodded and started to leave.

"You two have turns?!" Amy turned to Rory, angry.

"NOOOO!" the Doctor cried. They looked over at him to see him standing by the doors, staring at the fish in horror, "We've the wrong fish…I've taken the wrong fish!" he looked at Angel, alarmed, "Why didn't you warn me!?"

Angel shook her head, "I've been trying to tell you since you ran off with it!" River hadn't let her get a word in when she'd tried to warn him out there too.

He blinked, smiling sheepishly as he realized she had been trying to get a word in for quite a while, he'd just been so frantic trying to prevent a war that he just...hadn't noticed. He turned and opened the door, calling out, "River we've got the wrong fish!" he looked back at them, "Uh, look sorry you two, I've made a mistake. Come on Angel, we've got three hours to save the Commonwealth!"

Angel sighed and headed down the stairs, knowing he'd need her help to find the right fish. Apparently there was a raffle going on, one set of prizes were goldfish, about 10 of them, so the Doctor would really have his work cut out for him given that he'd soniced the fish and not noticed that it wasn't really Her Majesty.

"What happens in 3 hours?" Rory frowned.

The Doctor dashed forward and took his hat back off Amy's head, "The pet shops open!"

He walked past Angel, who had held the doors open for him, and dashed outside with the fish.

"Angel," Amy called, making her pause before following him. She looked over at them to see them looking at her in concern, "Are you alright?" she knew it couldn't be easy for the girl to be out there with River Song. She and Rory could both see how much him being with River affected her, both realizing that the two must have been very close before whatever happened that made the Doctor forget.

"I'm always alright," she whispered, mimicking the Doctor's words. She gave them a sad, tired smile, "KBO Amy."

The ginger nodded as Angel headed out before she turned and hugged her husband tightly, both of them had been trying their hardest to come up with ways to try and get the Doctor to remember Angel, but nothing was working...

~8~

Angel sighed as she shut the doors behind her, looking up to see the Doctor seemed to be trying to search the room, standing only a few feet away.

"Ah Angel," he grinned, "Keep an eye on Not-Her Majesty," he handed her the fish, "I need to have a quick chat with River..."

She watched as he ran off to the curly haired woman across the room, leaning causally against a bar in a slinky dress, the woman smirking wider as he came nearer to her. She shook her head, not wanting to watch them any longer, and walked over to a small table. She set the fish down gently, conscious of the fact that it was still a fish and deserved to not be jostled around. She looked around the room, just letting her mind wander, trying not to look at the Doctor and River who were both standing a bit too close for her comfort, River leaning in to whisper things to the Doctor who just grinned and likely flirted back in his slightly-oblivious way.

Which was why she nearly jumped out of her skin when someone plopped next to her with a, "Found her!"

She looked over to see it was the Doctor, grinning at her as he set a small white goldfish onto the table beside the orange goldfish.

He laughed, "Sorry, scared you didn't I?"

"It's fine," she waved it off, looking away.

"How is Not-Her Majesty doing?" he leaned in to look at the fish.

"She's fine."

He nodded, glancing at her from where he was leaning against the table, "Are YOU ok?"

"I'm f..."

"Fine?" he cut in, leaning back to look at her intently, "Angel..."

He'd noticed, ever since they'd dealt with the Silence, he and Angel refreshing their memories of the aliens every day using the photo from Amy's phone to make sure they didn't forget the aliens, Angel was...quieter. She was more solemn, hung back more on adventures, seemed to prefer talking to Rory more than him, even spent a bit more time with Amy. Whenever they finished an adventure, she'd just go to her room or he'd later see her working on the TARDIS, but...she seemed to be avoiding him.

One time he'd even walked in on her on the phone with Sarah Jane, which wasn't a bad thing but...she didn't usually talk to Sarah Jane but more Jack or Mickey or the others. He was curious about what they'd talked of, but just...he didn't want to invade their privacy. And it was good that Angel was bonding with his older companions.

Wasn't it?

She shrugged, "I'm fine."

And she was...to a point. She was alive and healthy and the baby was alive and, with Rory there, the pregnancy was going just a bit better than she'd hoped it might. So, in a way, she was fine. But just...fine.

He sighed, "What's wrong?" he frowned, seeing her glance over at where River was speaking to some guest or another, "Did River say something to you?"

He'd noticed that River and Angel had a...tense...relationship at best, it had been one reason he'd tried to spend a bit more time with River that night. If River was with him and Angel was free to mingle with the guests and make friends, something he knew she loved doing, then River couldn't be short with her. He'd thought it might make her night more enjoyable, but...he'd seen her sitting there while he'd been talking to River about the wrong fish, only for River to hand him the white goldfish who WAS Her Majesty, and noticed Angel's expression.

She was...sad.

He didn't like it.

"No," she answered, how could River say anything to her, the Doctor had barely left the woman's side all night.

"Did she do something then?" he shook his head, trying to work it out.

Angel was silent.

"Angel, what did she do?"

She closed her eyes, "It wasn't her."

He blinked, confused, "Did...did I do something to upset you?"

She bit her lip, her hand resting on her stomach under the table, yes, he did. Of course he did. He just KEPT doing things to upset her and didn't even seem to realize.

She had promised to give him up, for the sake of the baby, her bargain with the Universe. And though it killed her, if he wanted River, he could go be with River (though she begged for anyone BUT River), just so long as she and the baby were ok, as long as their baby was ok, that way she'd still have him in a way, she'd still have a bit of the man she loved, the man who loved her, with her even if his current self was with River.

That...to be honest...that kiss she'd seen, was actually only half of the reason for her distance from him. She had done it on purpose, been quieter, more withdrawn, because...it hurt. It hurt so much to see him with River, she thought, maybe if she tried to keep away from him...it might hurt less.

If only she could fall out of love as easily as she'd fallen into it. But that was never the case was it? She knew in her hearts and soul she'd love the Doctor forever, no matter what he did to her. Her mother had always said that she had the strongest hearts ever, because once she let someone into them, they never left her and that the only people she let into her hearts were the people who deserved to be there. She'd been a bit intuitive even as a child, she always knew what sort of people would be genuine friends to her, even if it was only one person.

Really though, the part that got to her, the second half of her silence...was him. Was the side of him she'd seen come out with the Silence.

"Do you remember," she began, "When you were in the Vault of the Crucible, and Davros was baiting you?" she looked at him as he eyed her intently, actually focusing his full attention on her, "How he said that you took all your companions and made them into weapons, into murderers?"

~oOo~

There had been so many, so many people who had NEARLY died in his name. The Controller, Lynda, Sir Robert, Mrs. Moore, Ursula, Chantho, Astrid, Luke, Jenny…and so many more, all of them, by rights, probably should have been dead if not for Angel. She had saved them. Her and her abilities, she had saved so many people he couldn't. She was always there for him, his light in the darkness, his angel.

But she wasn't there now…she wasn't there to guide them all out of the darkness with her warmth and her hearts. He closed his eyes, barely holding it together as he trembled, broken, she was dead. Davros was right, she was dead because of him. She wouldn't be there to save anyone, and really…was anything worth saving anymore…was his life even worth living without her?

She was his hearts and soul, his entire Universe.

"The Doctor...the man who keeps running," Davros spoke, taking great pleasure in his suffering, "Never looking back, because he dare not, out of shame. This is my final victory, Doctor. I have shown you...yourself."

He closed his eyes, seeming entirely broken. He just brought death and destruction wherever he went, even to his own Mate.

~oOo~

"Vaguely," he frowned, not able to fully recall that memory, not sure he really wanted to.

She stared at him a long while and he didn't look away, "Do you remember how devastated you were to hear him say that?"

"Yes. But what's that got to do with anything?"

"Doctor..." she shook her head sadly at him, he couldn't even see it could he? "You turned the whole of the Human Race into that. Into weapons. Into murderers. You made it so the command was given to kill the Silence!"

He blinked, shaking his head at that, "No, no, all I did was give the humans a way to fight back. Angel they couldn't even remember the Silence. They deserved to know their enemy existed and..."

"And you could have just done that," she cut in, making him pause, making his mouth drop open to see tears in her eyes, "You could have taken that advantage away from the Silence. You could have shown the clip of them, used your own voice to give the command to remember them when seen. The humans would have remembered, the Silence wouldn't have been able to control them anymore. They would have had to flee regardless," she swallowed, "But you...you made the humans kill."

"I...I just...I was..." he stuttered, blinking rapidly at her words, not sure at all what to say to that.

"My family are humans," she added quietly, "My brothers and my sister, my auntie and my companion, my best friend...they're human Doctor. They will be forced to kill, they won't have a choice in it now. Because of what you did."

"Angel I..." he shook his head, he honestly hadn't thought about that. By playing that footage...he'd taken that option away from the humans. He closed his eyes tightly, realizing the true magnitude of what he'd done, children...children would be forced to kill as well should they encounter a Silent, every single human, turned into murderers because of him, "I just thought, when River suggested it, that it would be a way to scare the Silence away from Earth."

Angel nearly scoffed at that, she should have known it was River's idea. Rory had taken her to the wardrobe to change after they'd captured the wounded Silent, both of them needing a distraction from Amy's capture if only for a moment or two. They'd returned to the console room to see River and the Doctor discussing something and nodding, the Doctor cheering that they had a brilliant plan on how to stop the Silence.

"Which Silence though?" she asked.

"What?"

"The Silence in that ship, yes," she nodded, "They'd know about the threat, they'd run away. But what about all the other Silence on Earth? All the ones who stood there as the humans turned on them, who tried to command them to stop and were killed because they didn't know about your threat? How many died on Earth before the command was given to retreat?"

He swallowed hard, thinking on that. Angel looked at him sadly, not fearfully, which he supposed he had to be thankful for. He didn't know what he'd do if Angel ever feared him. She was...she was probably the only person in the Universe who was never frightened of him. Even when he'd snapped at her on the roof of the museum, River and Amy and Rory had jumped but she'd just stood there.

"I don't like the person you become when River is around," she whispered, "Because that man...the one who condones genocide with a smile and a laugh..." she blinked and his hearts broke seeing a tear fall from it, "That's not a Doctor I can stay with."

And with that, she got up and turned to walk away.

"Angel!" he shouted, leaping to his feet to grab her hand, stilling her, his hearts stopping, his hands trembling as they lightly held her wrist, his mind racing, his chest constricting as though he couldn't breathe, "Don't go," he pleaded as she turned to look at him, "Please," he nearly begged...no, he fully begged, "Please don't go, please. It won't happen again, I swear," he crossed his hearts with one hand, not willing to let go of her hand with his other, "Please, I...I don't know why I did it...I...I'll ask you, I'll listen to you, whatever you want to do, I'll do it instead. Just, please..." his voice cracked, "Please don't leave me alone. Please...stay?"

He didn't know why he felt so desperate to have her stay. He didn't want to be alone, true, but this...he was truly and utterly terrified that she would walk into the TARDIS and disappear from his life. And he couldn't bear that. If he lost Angel...he swallowed hard, he didn't want to consider that. He couldn't lose her, not ever, he just...she had to stay, with him, because...he couldn't function properly without her, he couldn't focus, he couldn't think clearly, it was like he couldn't even breathe when she wasn't around. It was like...he wasn't him...without her...

What was the Lonely God without his Angel anyway?

Angel blinked, "Doctor..." she let out a breath and a very small smile, "I wasn't leaving."

He stared at her, his hearts restarting, "You...weren't?"

"No," she told him, "I just wanted to go to sleep."

He blinked, "But you said..."

"I'm a lot like you, you know," she murmured, reaching out to put her other hand on his around her wrist, "Second chances."

He let out a breath, nodding, "Right, yes, good," he smiled, laughing a bit, "Brilliant."

She gave him a small look, partially amused, partially confused at how he was acting, like his world had nearly fallen apart when she said she might leave him. It didn't fit with the man she'd seen all night, the man who didn't stray more than a foot away from River Song for him to cling to HER so. But...it was nice to know he didn't want her to leave.

"Good night Doctor," she gently tugged her hand away.

"Yes," he smiled widely, "Sweet dreams," he whispered, watching as she walked away, to the TARDIS, not looking away until she had entered the box. He smiled softly at that, she was staying! He laughed, beaming really, before he blinked and frowned, reaching up to his cheek with a hand. He looked down at his fingers to see water on them...he was crying, well not really crying but a tear had escaped him. What did that mean though?

But then his eyes widened, water!

He spun around, "Sorry Your Majesty!" he ran to the white goldfish, "Got a bit sidetracked there," before he ran off to get this all sorted.

He found he was rather eager to get back to the TARDIS and get off on another adventure, prove to Angel that she hadn't made a mistake in staying, proving he was a better man when she was around. And he really was. Others might not have brought that up to him, what he'd done to the Silence, put it in perspective like she did, gently, but still in a way that made him realize how truly horrifying his actions had been. A single tear from her brought his world to a halt more than crying a river did from others.

Genocide...it was NOT something to ever be done with a smile and laugh, or ever at all. He didn't like that man either, thank God he had Angel there for him, that light that pulled him out of the darkness.

Chapter Text

A group of four pirates rowed their long boat back to their ship, through still waters, in a dense fog. The ship was just sitting there, not enough wind to fill the sails and get them moving, not enough action in the waves to drift the ship along. A gentle breeze was blowing though, causing the charms hung up on the deck of the chip to clink like wind chimes. They rowed alongside it and climbed aboard, greeted by another pirate, "What's wrong?"

"Man wounded," a second pirate replied.

The first pirate looked at the wounded man who was gripping his hand, a small cut on it, and pointed to the back of the ship, "Wake him."

The second pirate nodded and left.

~8~

The pirates gathered around the captain in his cabin, the gold and jewels they had collected spilling over the chests off to the side, "He slipped in the bilge water, Cap'n," a pirate explained, "And fell onto the rigger. His hand...I don't know if he'll survive."

The captain turned around and looked at the wound on the man's hand, just a small scratch on his finger really, and turned solemn, as though the man had been run through with a sword and was barely clinging to life, "You're a dead man, McGrath," he turned over McGrath's hand to reveal a black spot on his palm, "Same as all the others," a moment later he looked up, hearing a hypnotic woman's voice singing on deck above them, "She's here."

"Oh, save our souls," the first pirate breathed.

"I've got to escape!" McGrath ran from the cabin.

"Don't go out there!" the pirate shouted, "McGrath! Don't listen for God's sake. The Siren is a-calling," he lunged forward to stop McGrath, but the captain pulled him back.

~8~

McGrath ran onto the deck, tripping on a coiled rope in his fleeing.

~8~

The captain locked his cabin doors and took a silver pendant from his neck, wrapping the leather strap around the door handles and stepped back, a mermaid relief carved onto the one side of the pendant, warding the door from the presence of the Siren.

~8~

McGrath held up his knife in one hand, shaking, ready to strike while he held his other hand to his head, trying to block out the singing.

~8~

The crew looked up, hearing his screaming as the pendant slowly swung on the lock and they knew...the Siren had gotten him. They glanced at each other for only a moment before the captain ran to the door and pulled the pendant off, the small group running out of the cabin.

~8~

The pirates rushed out on deck to see no sign of McGrath though his pistol was lying on the floor, unfired. The captain walked over and picked it up, "Same as all the others," he sighed, looking around, "No sign of a struggle. No bones or blood."

"We're shark bait," one of the crew breathed, "Every single one of us. Stuck on the ocean. Waiting."

"Until the wind changes," the captain agreed.

Suddenly there were two bangs from underneath a grate only a few feet away.

"What's that?" the captain held the gun at the grate while the crew ran to it.

"It's the creature, she's returned!" another pirate cried as they gathered around it, watching it thump...till it burst open to reveal the Doctor, Amy, Rory, and Angel standing there.

The Doctor smiled up at them even though there was a gun aimed at his face, "Yo-ho-ho!" he greeted as the men stared, "Or does nobody actually say that?"

~8~

The four time travellers stood in the captain's cabin, the crew behind them, the captain leaning against a chair, watching them, with a man behind him. To the captain, three of the four were dressed in very odd clothing, and the ginger woman was wearing trousers! But the one girl, the black-haired girl, seemed dressed for a life at sea. She was wearing a white tunic with billowing sleeves and a thick black cloth he was sure was meant to be a belt that nearly went under her bust with a rumbled red skirt that fell to her knees and a black skirt over it...it was a mess of fabric really.

Rory glanced over at Angel, a soft, impressed smile on his face, leave it to her to be able to find an outfit that hid the fact she was pregnant while still keeping in period. The fabric that made up the skirt was a choppy, bunchy, but still loose, a mess of red and blacks that made it almost impossible to see her pregnant belly. Amy, who had seemed the most impressed with her outfit, had even complimented her on it, had stared at her intently, complimenting every aspect of it and hadn't even seemed to notice her bump. It seemed like the fabric of the skirt was more bunchy in the back and on the sides so having thinner pieces in the front made it seem rounded out, like it was just the bunchy fabric underneath and not a belly.

He had to shake his head when he thought on the Doctor's reaction to Angel. They'd been in the console room, the Doctor tracing a distress signal, readying to set the TARDIS down, when Angel had rushed off suddenly. He had been worried for a moment, fearful she was having a bout of morning sickness still, but she'd just shouted back that she was going to find an outfit. The Doctor had actually pouted when she'd left the room and called that he needed help landing...which had shocked him and Amy as the Doctor always loved to land them in the bumpiest way. She'd just replied from down the hall that the TARDIS would help him.

The TARDIS had seemed to hum huffily at that, which hadn't exactly surprised them, they'd noticed the box was a bit more on edge with the Doctor. He and Amy were fairly certain it had to do with the kiss he'd given River. It didn't take a genius to see that the box was VERY protective and fond of Angel and, given how little the box liked River, it made sense that that was the reason. But that hadn't been what amused him or Amy, it was the expression on the Doctor's face when he realized Angel wasn't coming back to help him. He'd stared at the hall for a long while, his expression growing sadder, more like a puppy's, till he just...turned back to the console and set the coordinates...silently.

They'd never heard him that quiet before. But he kept glancing at the path to the halls, as though waiting for Angel to come back, an almost longing expression on his face, as though he wanted to go with her but had to stay there.

It had surprised them quite a bit when the man hadn't noticed Angel come back. Well, he actually had, before them really. Angel had returned, and stood on the top of the steps to the halls, silent, waiting, not quite sure whether to enter the console room...they hadn't noticed she was there till the Doctor looked up for another glance and his mouth dropped open, his eyes widening as his hand slipped off the lever he'd been about to pull and he'd nearly jerked forward onto the console.

They'd looked over to see her there, biting her lip, shifting a bit, as though unsure of her outfit choice. She'd asked them what they thought and Amy had just squealed and rushed up to her, complimenting her first on her shoes, which were small heeled with a tiny strap across, not high boots like he was sure a few other women (probably Amy) would have picked to wear, but Rory knew it was because she was slightly uncoordinated and higher heels didn't work well with her.

He'd smiled at Amy's reaction, knowing that her praises had really helped make Angel feel more comfortable. He knew she was partially worried about if her outfit was suitable, but even more so if her outfit hid her pregnancy. Which it appeared it did because Amy hadn't realized...though he wasn't quite sure if it was because he knew his wife and she'd likely focus on Angel's clothes and not what was under the clothes. Angel had looked at him, a questioning look in her eyes and he'd just laughed and gone to hug her, telling her she looked like the perfect pirate, which had made her laugh, adding a wink that told her she was good to go on her outfit of choice.

And then it was time for the Doctor's opinion. He couldn't begin to describe how...hopeful...he felt after seeing the Doctor's reaction to Angel, given what he knew of their past history. The Time Lord had just kept staring at her till she'd shifted, uncomfortable again, asking if her outfit was alright.

The Doctor had just blinked repeatedly, stumbled forward, nearly tripping over the jump seat on his way and began to stutter! He and Amy had shared an excited smile at how the Doctor hadn't been able to keep his eyes off her or keep his eyes from roving over her. He'd managed to stutter out that she looked wonderful, still just staring at her, before swallowing hard and the humans knew if he wasn't attracted to Angel before (though they both doubted that very much) then he was now. He hadn't been able to stop himself glancing at her the between her moving to pilot the box down and them standing there now. He kept glancing at her and every time he and Amy spotted a blush creeping up his neck. He was pretty sure the Doctor was actively trying not to look at her now but something just kept pulling his gaze over to the Time Lady.

"We made no signal," the captain was telling them, pulling Rory's attention back (and the Doctor's gaze as well).

"Our sensors picked you up," the Doctor replied, shaking his head, trying to get control of himself, he needed to STOP staring at Angel, it wasn't appropriate at all, and it was likely making her uncomfortable and he didn't want that, he didn't want to upset her or make her feel like that at all...he didn't want to do anything that might make her want to leave, "Ship in a dress...distress!" he corrected, wincing and blushing fiercely at that slip.

He had to STOP, he really did! Angel loved period trips, she loved dressing up for them, he knew that. He was expecting her to dress up for this one, of course he was. And she looked lovely. Beautiful really. Just...breathtaking. He winced, no, bad thoughts! Bad! Angel looked fine. She looked ok. She looked pretty girl. GOOD! PRETTY GOOD!

~oOo~

"Ready for what?" he frowned, looking at Martha, confused.

Martha smiled and just nodded at Angel.

He blinked and looked at her, his mouth dropping open as his eyes widened, staring at her openly for her outfit, making Angel shift a bit under his gaze, tucking a piece of hair behind her ears, something, he'd noticed, she'd done ever since 1913. Her hair usually didn't hang freely enough for her to need to move it behind her ear, but she just...did it, like a little habit, though her hair now had been let free and given just a bit of poof and volume at the top. All it really did was draw his attention to her hair, to her face, her eyes, her ears, her hands, just...her.

And right now, all he could see was her.

She was wearing a tight, emerald green, short-sleeved shirt that was a bit low-cut, the black trim of it drawing his eyes to a spot he admitted he stared at just a mite too long before flushing and pulling his gaze away...though it only ended up travelling down to her very, very short green shorts, down the length of her legs to her black boots that went up to her knees...

He swallowed hard, "You...you look pretty girl...good!" he shouted, his face now redder than Angel's hair, "Pretty good! Beautiful really. Stunning..."

Angel just smiled, a bit pleased with his reaction despite how uncomfortable she felt in the outfit, it really was far too tight for her liking, and took his hand, kissing his scarred knuckles, Martha smirking off to the side.

~oOo~

The Doctor winced again, recalling quite a few outfits Angel had worn on similar trips to the past, all of them just as lovely. None of them he could shake out of his mind. What was wrong with him?!

"Sensors?" the captain frowned.

"Yes!" the Doctor half-shouted, pointing at him, more thankful than he could say that the man had given him a distraction, "Ok! Problem word, 17th century. My...our ship automatically…noticed-ish…that your ship was having some bother."

"That big blue crate?"

The Doctor snapped his fingers and pointed at the captain, forcing his head to keep forward and not look back at Angel...again.

"That is more magic, Captain Avery," the man beside the captain said, "They're spirits!" he pointed at them with a hat in his hand, "How else would they have found their way below decks?"

"Well," he pointed at the man before turning to Angel, unable to stop himself this time, he didn't know what it was but it was like...in that dress...he just...couldn't stop looking at her, "I want to say multidimensional engineering," and looked back at Avery, realizing what he was doing, "But since you had a problem with sensors I won't go there. Look! I'm the Doctor, she's the Angel," he jerked a thumb across Rory to where Angel was standing, "This is Amy," he pointed at her and crossed his arm to point back towards Rory, "Rory. We're sailors!" he stepped forward to punch Avery in the arm before turning back to the trio, "Same as you!" Avery took out his gun and pointed it at him, "Arrr," he turned around to see the gun in his face and sighed, "Except for the gun thing. And the beardy-ness."

"You're stowaways," Avery stated, "Only explanation. 8 days we've been stranded here. Becalmed. You must have stowed away before we sailed."

"So what do we do with them?" one of the crew asked.

"Oh I think they deserve our hospitality."

The Doctor smiled and Angel could only shake her head.

~8~

The Doctor was pushed out onto the plank of the ship as the pirates laughed behind him, Angel, Amy, and Rory held back by some of the crew, "I suppose laughing like that is in the job description," the Doctor remarked, "Can you do the laugh?" he looked at his watch, "Check. Grab yourself a parrot," he put his arms above his head about to dive, "Welcome aboard," and shifted his weight to bounce on the plank, not really as worried or concerned about the situation as he probably had right to be. All he could really consider was it was HIM on the plank and not Angel, as long as Angel as ok, he'd be fine.

"Stocks are low," Avery replied, "Only one barrel of water remains. We don't need four more empty bellies to fill. Take the doxies below!" he turned to the crew holding Amy and Angel.

"Hey!" Rory shouted, struggling.

"To the galley, set them to work. They won't need much feeding."

"Doctor!" Angel shouted as she and Amy were pushed away by the pirates, the Doctor rushing forward only for Avery to pull his gun and aim it at him, making him stop with his hands up, getting shot and regenerating wouldn't help Angel. Or Amy.

"Rory!" Amy called, "Little help!"

"Yeah, hey!" Rory struggled, "Listen right, they're not doxies…"

"I didn't mean just tell them off," Amy was shoved, "But thanks anyway," and forced down below after Angel.

"If you're lucky you'll drown before the sharks can take a bite," Avery turned back to the Doctor who slowly backed up.

"If this is just because I'm a captain too you know, you shouldn't feel threatened, your ship is much bigger than mine," the Doctor remarked, "And I don't have the cool boots or a hat even. People keep hiding my fez and Angel refuses to find it for me."

"Time to go," he cocked his gun.

The Doctor shuffled forward, "A bit more laughter guys!" the men started laughing.

~8~

Below deck Angel reached out to steady Amy as she jumped into the water. They looked around a moment before Angel felt her gaze pulled over to a chest and made her way to it, opening it to reveal a number of swords. She and Amy looked at each other and Amy grinned. She reached forward to grab a sword and looked up at Angel who was holding out a light blue pirate-esque frock coat and a black triangular hat.

Amy grinned and took it, pulling them on, when she noticed Angel smiling at her, "What?"

Angel shook her head, "Nothing, it's just...remind me I need to take you to visit my sister Donna one day."

"Ok," Amy said slowly, recalling vague mentions of a Donna Noble, "Why?"

"We have a club, Gingers United," Angel told her, "And it's high time you were inducted."

Amy laughed as Angel did as well, Amy really did remind her quite a bit of Donna, another ginger who was willing to dress up with her on period trips. And she could just tell, Donna would LOVE Amy. The motto of Gingers United, 'Us gingers have to stick together.' And even though SHE wasn't ginger anymore, she would always be at heart, and as co-founder of the club, she would always have a place in it.

~8~

The Doctor turned around on the plank, "Where are the rest of the crew? This is a big ship, big for five yeah? I suppose the rest of them are hiding someplace and," he pinched his nose and turned, making his voice nasally, "They're all gonna jump out and shout boo?"

"Boo!" Amy shouted. The men spun around to see her wearing the hat and coat and aiming a sword at Avery, Angel behind her, though without a sword as she was not big on weapons of any sort, "Throw the gun down," the Doctor ran back down the plank to see what was happening as the captain tossed his gun to the floor. Amy kicked it back to Angel who tossed it to the other side of the ship, "The rest of you, on your knees."

"Amy, Angel, what are you doing?!" the Doctor shouted, his hearts racing to see Angel behind a woman with a sword, a woman who had NO experience at all handling one! What if she got hurt!?

"Saving your life, ok with that are you?"

"Put down the sword," Avery told her, eyeing the sword, "A sword could kill us all girl."

"Yeah, thanks, that's actually why I'm pointing it at you," Amy aimed at Avery when a man suddenly attacked. Amy jumped back, Angel stepping out of the way as Amy nobly defended herself.

"Oh!" the Doctor ran down to help but was grabbed by Avery, "Hang on!"

Amy stabbed at one of the men and he jumped back, the rest gathering around. Amy smirked, Angel was right, the men had hidden the sharp pointy objects for a reason and they all seemed terrified of even getting a scrape. She turned the sword on a man who recoiled, so she swished her sword around. A man lunged forward with a wooden stick but Amy knocked him back and kicked him down, when another man ran towards her, swinging a rope in his hands. She turned and ran back to another deck, grabbing a rope and swinging past him, slashing. She managed to cut the rope man's hand and land on a barrel.

"You have killed me," the man looked up from his hand.

"No way," Amy scoffed, "It's just a cut," he looked at his hand as the spot appeared, "What kind of rubbish pirates are you?"

"One drop, that's all it takes, one drop of blood and she'll rise out of the ocean," Avery glared at her.

"Come on, I barely even scratched him. What are you all in such a huff about?"

Another man stormed towards her and she grabbed the rope, swinging down again but he man grabbed her causing her to drop the sword.

"No, Rory leave it!" Angel shouted from where she was being held back.

But it was too late, Rory tried to catch it and only succeeded in cutting his own hand, "Ow! Ah!" Rory and Amy were held back again as Rory looked at his hand, seeing a black spot appear in his palm, "Uh Doctor…" he held up his hand and pointed, "What's…what's happening to me?"

"She can smell the blood on your skin," Avery looked at him grimly, "She's marked you for death."

Rory tapped his ear and pointed at him, "She?"

"A demon. Out there in the ocean."

"Ok!" the Doctor grinned, walking over to Rory, the captain too stunned and concerned to worry about holding him back any longer, "Groovy! So not just pirates today. We've managed to baggsy a ship where there's a demon popping in," he looked at Rory's hand, "Very efficient," he looked up, "I mean, if something's gonna kill you it's nice that it drops you a note to remind you…" he patted Rory's cheek, not at all perturbed, "Oh get that look off your face," he laughed, "There may be a demon here but we've got an angel on our side don't we?" he glanced at Angel who wasn't even looking at him, which made him frown as she'd missed his compliment to her, but he followed her gaze to see she was staring out at the ocean.

And then a soft ethereal singing began. They looked around for the source but saw nothing, "Quickly now, block out the sound!" the rope man put a hand over his ears.

"What?" Rory looked at him.

"The creature," Avery backed up, "She charms all her victims with that song."

"Oh great, so put my fingers in my ears? That's your plan?" he tapped the Doctor, who was looking for the source of the song, "Doctor come on let's go…" the Doctor looked at him as Rory started to slur, "Back to the uh…" he staggered, swaying, "Oh…back to the uh…" and started to laugh.

"That's the music," the rope man grinned.

"It's working on them, look," a pirate breathed.

"You!" Rory turned to Amy, leaning against a rope to look at her, "Are so beautiful!" he fell against it, hanging on it as she leaned back.

"What?" Amy frowned.

"Oh, no I love your get up!" Angel and the Doctor exchanged a concerned and confused look as they watched him, "No, it's great," he stepped back, "You should dress as a pirate more often. Huh? Hey, hey! Cuddle me shipmate," he moved to hug her.

"Rory stop," Amy pushed him back.

"Everything!" he put his hands on her shoulders, "Is totally brilliant, isn't it!? Huh? Look at these brilliant pirates. Look at their brilliant beards!" he pointed to the pirate next to them holding Amy's arm, before stepping back in thought, "I'd like a beard," he stumbled back to the rope man's side, "I'm gonna grow a beard."

"You're not."

Rory hummed, "What do you think sis?" he turned to Angel, "Beard?"

Angel just eyed him, a terrible feeling in the pit of her stomach, "Rory...are you alright?"

"I am brilliant!" he laughed.

"Music turns them into fools," Avery remarked to the Doctor as they watched Rory and the pirate laugh hysterically at something.

"Oh my God," Angel gasped, catching sight of something over the Doctor's shoulder. He looked around to see a greenish light appear in the water with a light drifting up from it. The Doctor frowned, staring at it curiously while Rory and the pirate's mouths dropped open in awe.

A figure flew out of the light, a woman with dark hair in a white dress, barefoot. The pirate held out his hand towards her as Amy pulled Rory back. The figure landed and walked towards them, the Doctor watching, fascinated, as the pirate stepped past him, holding out his hand to the woman, grinning like a fool.

Angel winced, closing her eyes...

...the pirate reached out, touching the glowing woman...and burst into ashes...

'...it's dangerous here. There is a monster aboard. She leaves a mark on men's skin...'

...a little boy held out his hand to the Siren, rain falling around him, on the deck of the ship, touching her...

She gasped and looked over to see Rory holding out his hand as well before she quickly ran to Amy's side, helping her hold him back.

As soon as the pirate touched the glowing woman...he burst into ashes. The crew jerked back, scared, as did Amy and the Doctor though more from shock. Rory managed to take advantage of that and pull his way past the Doctor, Angel still holding onto him, having expected/seen that event.

"I have to touch her," Rory mumbled, "Let me touch her."

Angel managed to hold him back as Amy shoved past them to glare at the woman, "Sorry, but he is spoken for."

The woman turned red and screeched at her, sending Amy flying backwards by some invisible force. The Doctor ran to her side while Angel struggled to pull Rory back.

"Amy!" the Doctor shouted, helping her up, "Amy!" the woman turned light green again, calm, "Everybody into the hold!" the pirates ran in as the Doctor helped Amy over, Angel pulling Rory back with her on the way.

"Hey!" Rory struggled, "Hey!"

They ran into the hold, the water at the bottom splashing as they dropped down, boxes scattered around them. Angel looked at Amy who nodded, getting a firmer grip on Rory as Angel stepped away, taking her husband from the Time Lady. The Doctor looked around at the small room.

"What is that thing?" Amy asked as Rory still looked up towards the deck.

"The legend," Avery sighed, "The Siren. Many a merchant ship laden with treasure has fallen prey to her. She's been hunting us ever since we were becalmed. Picking off the injured."

"Like a shark," one of the men said, "A shark can smell blood."

"Ok," the Doctor nodded, "Just like a shark. In a dress. And singing. And green. A green, singing shark in an evening gown."

"The ship is cursed!" Avery shouted.

"Yeah, right, cursed," he turned around, "It's big with humans, means bad things are happening but you can't be bothered to find an explanation. But lucky for you, even if it were cursed, we've got a good luck charm," he turned to wink at Angel...only to pout again, seeing that her attention was on the water around them, frowning at it. He was starting to wonder what was wrong with him that she found bilge water more interesting.

And then he blinked, why did he care so much that Angel wasn't noticing his compliments?

Rory looked at Amy, hung around her as she tried to hold him back. He took her face in his hands, "She's the most beautiful thing I've ever seen," the Doctor patted him on the back, distractedly, trying to examine the bilge water too, knowing that for Angel to be THAT focused on it, there must be something more to it, even if her confused expression let him know she wasn't sure what that something more was.

"Actually, I think you'll find she isn't," Amy told him, hugging him so she could talk to the Doctor over his shoulder, "We have to leave, right now."

"That crate of yours really is a ship…" Avery began.

"Well it's not propelled by the wind," the Doctor remarked.

"Show me!" he pulled out the gun he'd managed to grab on the way in and pointed it at the Doctor once more, "Weigh anchor. Make it sail."

The Doctor turned around to see the gun in his face, and rolled his eyes, Angel wasn't reacting the way she normally did when someone held a weapon to him, which either meant she didn't care (which would never be Angel ever) or she knew there was no danger, that the man wouldn't really use it, so it was the second option, "And the gun's back. You're big on the gun thing aren't you? Freud would say you're compensating. Ever met Freud? No? Comfy sofa."

"Leave the cursed one, captain," one of the pirates said. The captain and the rest of the group turned to face him, save Angel who was now staring at a spot over the Doctor's shoulder, stepping onto a crate to get a better look, "The creature can have him."

"Yes, please," Rory nodded.

"We don't want the Siren coming after us," Avery agreed.

Suddenly the man who'd made the suggestion started yelling. Everyone backed way as he held out his leg to reveal a small black thing on it, "It's a leech!" Amy shouted.

"Everyone out of the water!" the Doctor shouted and they all scrambled onto the crates.

"Ah, ah!" Rory looked around wildly as Amy pulled him up.

"It's bitten me!" the man pulled the leech off, "I'm bleeding," he threw it in the water...only to see a spot on his hand. He held it up for them to see.

"She wants blood," the Doctor murmured, "Why does she want blood?"

"What were you saying about leaving the cursed ones behind?" Amy glared at the man.

"It's ok, we're safe down here. No curse is getting through three solid inches of timber."

"Doctor…" Angel began, her eyes widening as a sudden screech echoed and the woman appeared out of the water behind the Doctor, right where Angel was staring.

He spun around, "Oh! Uh, hello again…" Rory started to reach for her when the Doctor tried to hold back the leeched man as he made his way towards the woman.

The man reached out and touched her...disintegrating, the Doctor only managing to succeed in grabbing the man's hat.

The Doctor turned and quickly pushed them all back out of the room, shoving Rory along with them, making sure Angel was ahead of him, before slamming the door shut and locking it.

"Safe?" Amy looked at the Doctor as she and Angel tried to hold Rory back.

The Doctor turned with the leeched man's hat on his head, "I have my good days and my bad days," he pulled off the hat.

"How did she get in?" Avery demanded.

The Doctor soniced the hat, "Bilge water," he read, "She's using water like a portal. A door. She can materialize through a single drop. We need to go somewhere with no water."

"Well, thank God we're not in the middle of the ocean," Amy rolled her eyes.

"Did you see her eyes?" Rory asked Amy as the Doctor put the hat on again, "Like crystal pools…"

"You are in enough trouble."

"The magazine," Avery decided.

"What?"

"He means the armory where the powder's stored," the Doctor explained.

"It's dry as a bone," Avery nodded.

"Good let's go there," the Doctor stepped forward...only to have Avery's gun in his face again.

"I give the orders."

"Ah…worried 'cos I'm wearing a hat now…" he walked past Amy, who was pulling Rory along with Angel, and took the hat off, "Nobody touch anything sharp!"

"Come on Rory," Angel helped shove Rory along after the crew, only to stop when the Doctor did and turned to her, eyeing her, "What?"

He just stared at her a moment, before pulling the hat off and gently reaching out with two hands to place it on her head. He smiled, "Perfect," he told her quietly, "It...um...it suits you more than me," he remarked.

"Why?" she frowned, "Pirate hats aren't cool?"

He let out a soft chuckle at that, "Not on me."

Angel blinked, watching as he turned around to join the crew standing outside of a door and realized...he'd meant that pirate hats were cool on her. She shook her head fondly at that.

"Quickly man!" Avery ordered as the crewmate searched for the keys.

"I can't...the key...it's gone captain," he replied.

"How can it have gone?"

Angel eyed the door a moment before she walked forward and pushed it open easily, "Someone else came here first."

The Doctor walked in cautiously, wanting to make sure it was safe, followed by Avery, the crew, and Amy, Angel, and Rory, all of them looking around carefully, "Barricade the door," Avery ordered a man, "Be careful with that lantern," he called to another who handed it to him, "Every barrel is full of powder."

"Who's been sleeping in my gun room?" the Doctor wondered out loud.

Avery stiffened, hearing a faint coughing, and followed it, he strode over to a barrel, putting the lantern down beside it and lifted the lid, hauling a young boy out of it, "You fool!" he held the boy against the wall, "You fool boy! What are you doing here?"

"Who is he?" one of the pirates asked.

"What, he's not one of the crew?" the Doctor looked over.

"No, he's my son," Avery glared at the boy.

Chapter Text

Avery and his son were sitting down in the magazine, the boy coughing as the rest of the group watched, "What in God's name possessed you, boy?" Avery demanded, "You're mother will be searching for you…" the boy looked down solemnly and he sighed, realizing what must have happened to the woman, the only thing that would explain the boy being there, "When?"

"Last winter," he whispered, tears in his eyes he refused to let fall in front of his father, "Fever. She told me all about you. How you were a captain in the navy. An honorable man she said, how I'd be proud to know you," he coughed, "I've come to join your crew."

"I don't want you here."

"You can't send me back," the Doctor smiled at that, the boy was sharp, "It's too late. We're a hundred miles from home."

"It's dangerous here. There is a monster aboard. She leaves a mark on men's skin…"

"The black spot?" the boy looked at them, the Doctor and Avery turning to him sharply as Angel looked on sadly, the boy lifting his hand to reveal the spot. Avery grabbed it as the Doctor stepped forward to examine it, both alarmed that a child would be hunted by the Siren and that he was ill enough for the Siren to come after him.

~8~

Everyone was sitting around, Avery leaning by the Doctor and Amy as they sat against the back wall. Amy was watching as Rory sat on a crate beside Angel, seemingly released from whatever the Siren had done, with Angel holding his hand, trying to get a sense of the spot and what it could mean. The Doctor though was, despite Avery speaking to them, was staring intently at Angel, his jaw tensing as his eyes locked on Rory holding her hand. He knew what she was doing, she was just trying to see if she could sense anything off it, but...his mind just couldn't get past the fact that she had to hold Rory's hand to do it.

He crossed his arms as he stared at them, feeling his eyes narrowing ever so slightly with each passing second, especially when Angel started whispering to Rory and smiling at him and squeezed his hand before...letting go! Finally! He didn't know what it was but...he hated other men around her now, hated it. Well, he'd always disliked it, always felt like pulling her away from them, like with Vincent, and it had always been growing more powerful a sensation over time but now...now it was almost unbearable! There they were, surrounded by pirates, the least honorable men ever, and Angel was sitting there in a lovely dress that made her fit in and still revealed her legs and he'd caught one or two of the men eyeing her, and it set his blood on fire in a rather bad way.

He'd hurt Angel terribly with what he'd agreed with River to do with the Silence, the genocide, he was fairly certain she wouldn't be fond of attempted homicide either. He took a breath, trying to calm himself, what was this? Why did he feel so...alarmed and angry when other men were around her?! It had started after they'd dealt with the fish who WAS-Her Majesty...when Angel had nearly threatened to leave. Well, not threaten, more like warn, Angel wasn't one to threaten anyone. Maybe that was it?

His reaction had been so instant, so powerful that it had really shocked him how quickly he'd tried to keep her from walking away from him, believing she was going to leave. After that...well, it had scared him quite deeply he supposed. So much so that he just...he tried everything he could think of to get her to stay, not that she was really leaving at the moment. He'd let her pick the last few adventures, he'd kept River away from her for the most part when they'd helped her Majesty, he'd made fish fingers and custard for her to snack on and brownies too! He just tried to do little things to let her know that he cared for her, a lot, more than a lot really. He'd actually surprised himself as he went about that little mission of his, with how much he'd actually noticed of Angel, her likes and dislikes. Though...half of them were things he wasn't quite sure he knew but he just...did.

But what he found he did quite a lot of was...keeping men away from her. Everyone but Rory he was wary of. Even Toby, who was leaning against Angel for comfort, he had an issue with! Why he was so...disturbed and irritated by men around Angel he didn't know. He just...he didn't want them to take her away from him too. It was like all he saw were things everywhere, situations or people or things that could pull her away. And he just...he didn't want her to go.

It...hurt...to think of her leaving him.

"Doctor!" Amy nudged him, hard, shaking him from his thoughts to see that Avery had been talking to him the entire time.

"Sorry, what?" he looked at the captain, bashful.

Amy though was smiling a bit, knowing what he'd been staring so intently at.

"There's nothing wrong with the boy," Avery repeated, "He has no scars."

"Yup, ignore my last theory," the Doctor sighed. He didn't like this, this not knowing what the Siren was, or how she worked. What if she got Angel too!? Or Amy, or Rory...

Amy patted him on the stomach, "He has his good days and his bad days."

"It's not just blood. She's coming for all the sick," he looked at the boy who was sitting on the other side of Angel, leaning on her, he'd seemed to gravitate towards her warmth and kindness, which it appeared was something he desperately needed.

He did have to smile a bit when Angel put an arm around him, rubbing his arm, she was so kind and compassionate. Such...a mother, really she was, she was fantastic with children, just so natural. He was sure he got children to like him because he was like them, energetic, a bit odd, funny as Amelia had called him, but Angel was just...genuinely kind and concerned for them, she took care of them and protected them. The Guardian Angel of the Universe she was...

He shook his head, seeing that Avery was still staring at him, waiting for him to make his point, "The wounded. Like a hunter chooses the weakest animal…"

"Ok, look, he's got a fever," Amy shook her head, "The Siren knows it."

"Humans…second rate. Damage too easily. It's only a matter of time before everyone gets bruised…" he glanced at Angel again, not Angel, not her, she was the strongest woman he knew, "My ship it can get us all away from here. You and me we'll fetch it," he stood up, "Let's go…"

Avery pulled his gun again, "You're not the captain here. remember?" he glared.

"Don't!" Angel shouted and they looked over to see Toby pulling a lid off a barrel of water and a green hand shoot up out of it. The Doctor ran forward and struggled to get the lid back on, Angel moving too slow to get up.

"The water's dangerous!" Avery rounded on his son, "That's how she gets through. One touch of her hand and you're a dead man."

Angel just walked over and put a comforting hand on the boy's shoulder as he looked down at his father's shouts.

"We're all cursed if we stay aboard," one of the crew remarked.

"It's not a curse!" the Doctor shouted, "Cursed means game over. Cursed means we're helpless. We are NOT helpless. Captain, what's our next move?" the captain looked up, a bit shocked.

~8~

Avery put his medallion around his son's neck for protection, which made Angel smile to see, she could see how much that boy loved his father, before turning to the crew, "Wait with the boy."

"Captain, we're all in danger here," one of the two remaining crew members said as the other worked on unblocking the door.

"I said wait and barricade the door after we've gone."

"You sure you wanna go?" Amy asked the Doctor as she, Rory, and Angel stood before him.

"We have to get Rory and Toby away," the Doctor replied, "She's out there now, licking her lips, boiling the sauce bin, grating the cheese…"

"Ok…" Amy gave him a look for that analogy, "Well, remember if you get an itch don't scratch too hard."

"We've all gotta go sometime," he shrugged as Amy and Rory exchanged an uneasy look, trying not to give anything away by looking at Angel either, though the girl did notice them stiffen at the Doctor's words. The Doctor stepped up to Rory, "There are worse ways than having your face snogged off by a dodgy mermaid," Rory laughed as the Doctor patted him on the shoulder and turned to Angel, "Will you be alright keeping an eye on them?"

He had wanted to ask her to go with him and Avery, but...he'd rather her safe in the tiny room where the only danger was opening that one water barrel as opposed to wandering the ship and getting hurt. He didn't like it, he could already feel his chest tightening at the thought of leaving her alone (especially with two pirates) but he had to. The sooner he got the TARDIS there, the sooner they'd all be safe.

"I still say I should go with Avery," Angel remarked, unable to ignore the pit in her stomach that told her she'd be needed, "I could sense the Siren and you might need me in the TARDIS."

"Despite everyone's assumptions, I do actually know how to pilot the TARDIS," the Doctor rolled his eyes playfully, "We'll be fine."

Angel sighed, "If you say so."

The Doctor reached out as she looked down and away, taking her hand in one of his and lifting her chin to look at him, "I will be fine Angel, I promise," he crossed his hearts, "Even if you don't see it yet, believe it. B-believe in me," he whispered, feeling like this was important, that it was crucial that she believed in him, that she had faith in him, "Please."

Angel looked at him, not quite sure why he was asking her to do that...and not quite sure why she was having such a hard time speaking the words that yes, of course she believed in him. She bit her lip and nodded, making him grin widely at that.

He nodded, pointing at them before turning and stepping out of the room with Avery, "Want to draw lots for who's in charge then?" Avery asked as he put his gun away.

The Doctor looked around, "Darkness, demon…you can have first go," he patted the man on the stomach.

Avery laughed and they crept forward only to nearly trip and cut himself on the partially raised nail on a board beside them. The Doctor reached out and grabbed him and his arm, stopping him, "Nearly…" he breathed with a nervous laugh as the Doctor patted him on the shoulder and they walked on.

~8~

The Doctor and Avery ran into the TARDIS, the Doctor heading straight to the console as Avery looked around, "By all the…"

"Let me stop you there," the Doctor spun to face him, needing to stop the man without Angel there to help explain while he set the controls, "Bigger on the inside. Don't mind, do you, if we just skip to the end of that moment? Oh, and sorry I lied by the way," Avery turned in a circle, "When I said yours was bigger. Kitchen that way," he pointed right, "Choice of bathrooms…" he turned behind him and pointed right, left, and back, "There, there, and there."

~8~

Toby sat by the back wall of the magazine, beside Angel, leaning on her as he coughed, Angel offering him a sad smile, she still wasn't very good at healing diseases yet and it pained her every time a cough struck him to see him suffering so silently with his illness, "I'm sorry," she whispered to him, "About your mum, I...I lost my mum too."

Toby looked up at her, "You did?"

She nodded, "When I was about your age, give or take a few decades," she nudged him playfully, getting him to smile a bit, "You're lucky though, you've still got your father and I can tell he loves you very much."

Toby sighed, looking down, "No, he doesn't."

"Oh," she squeezed him by the arm around him, "I think he does."

Toby shook his head, "He keeps trying to send me away."

"To protect you," Angel told him.

"From what?"

"The Siren, for one," she laughed, before sighing, growing more serious, being careful with her words, "Everyone, Toby, everyone has a secret, something they hide from everyone else. A weakness, a curse, a burden...something they're ashamed of, something they never ever want anyone else to know," she knew Avery hadn't said anything about being a pirate because he was embarrassed, his son looked up to him so much, to find that out would crush the boy, and he was ashamed of it, that he'd turned pirate, that he wasn't the honorable man his son had come to know any longer, and he was trying to protect Toby, "The important thing Toby, is that when you learn a secret like that about someone else...if they are truly embarrassed by it, ashamed of it, guilty for it...if they can still feel guilt and true sadness for what they've done...then they deserve our forgiveness," she smiled sadly, "Because people like that, who have that terrible secret, to still be capable of feeling sorrow and guilt, it means they're still a good person inside, that they can care for others, and that they want to do better."

It was one of the very many reasons why she loved the Doctor even still. By rights, his secret about what he'd done on Gallifrey, about the Time Lock, it should have scared her away. It should have made her hate him. But she had seen it, such unbearable guilt and sadness, such devastation in his eyes, such determination to make up for it...that she knew it hadn't been an easy decision to make. That he had to be a strong man to do what he had and to keep living afterwards, to try and make amends and try to help others all he could. He was still a good man, despite what he'd had to do.

His actions had saved every single life in the Universe.

"People like that," Angel continued, her gaze growing distant, not even seeing Amy and Rory look at her knowingly, understanding she was thinking of the Doctor as well as she spoke, "Are the ones who need love and forgiveness the most."

Toby eyed her for a long while, "What's your secret?" he had to ask.

"What makes you think I have one?" she blinked and looked at him.

"You said people with a secret like that are sad," he said simply, "Your eyes are sad."

Angel had to smile at that, he was a very perceptive little boy wasn't he? She nodded, "My secret," she sighed, leaning back against the wall, "My secret is...how weak I really am."

Toby frowned, "What do you mean?"

She couldn't look at him, she couldn't look at anyone really, she knew, no matter how quiet she was, everyone in the little room would hear her. Amy and Rory had, and had stopped, and she knew they were staring at her, probably alarmed and confused to hear her talk like that, but it couldn't be helped. An innocent boy had asked an innocent question, he deserved an answer.

"I used to think I was strong," she back tracked, "Stronger, getting stronger. That I was becoming a strong person but..." she shook her head, sighing again, "It turns out, I wasn't that strong at all."

"Angel..." Rory began, stepping towards her, completely stunned she would EVER think herself weak! Look at what she had done, what she had endured! She had survived her Mate forgetting her, gotten through nearly her entire pregnancy by herself, saved the world and the Universe multiple times over, saved him and Amy, put up with River, had vision, had the Vortex, had all this power and yet still remained one of the kindest, most genuine, caring people in the Universe!

Toby, though, beat him to it, taking Angel's hand, "I think you're wrong," the little boy told her.

Angel looked at him, a tear in her eye, "Why's that?"

Toby squeezed her hand, "I think you're very strong," he told her, "And the Doctor thinks so too."

Angel frowned, not sure how he had come to that conclusion, "How do you know that?"

Toby gave her a small smile, "He wanted you to stay here," he shrugged, "With me and him," he nodded at Rory, "Both with the black spot, and those two," he nodded at the pirates, "And a woman," Amy rolled her eyes behind his back at that, "He must think you're awfully strong to be able to protect all of us!"

Angel blinked and started to smile, shaking her head fondly at him, "You are truly a brilliant boy Toby," she told him as he beamed at that, "And you know, your mum would be SO proud of you."

Toby's beam softened as he nodded, turning to snuggle a bit against her again as Angel lightly ran a hand through his hair, the frown returning to her face when she felt how warm the boy was. His illness was getting worse. She closed her eyes as she rested her head on top of Toby's a moment, listening to the silence of the magazine, hearing a soft thudding as Amy started to pace.

Rory sighed at Amy's actions, turning away from watching Angel, having hoped she'd open her eyes so he could speak to her about that, before he walked over to her, wanting to make sure she was ok as Angel seemed to be alright for the moment, "What's wrong?"

"The most beautiful thing you've ever seen?" she asked.

"Tell me I didn't really say that…"

Amy laughed but stopped when she saw the men unblocking the doors, having been distracted by Angel before, "What's going on?"

"We're not staying here to mollycoddle the boy," one of the men said, "The captain's gone soft, it's time for us to leave."

~8~

The Doctor typed into a keypad quickly, really wanting to get the TARDIS back to the others, as Avery looked around at the various instruments on the console, "What's this do?"

The Doctor popped up and looked over, "That does very, very complicated…" he dinged a bell, "That does sophisticated," he gestured to something, "That does whoa, amazing. And that…" he gestured at the rotor, "Does wiz bang far too technical to explain."

Avery pointed to a small ball with spikes on it, "Wheel?"

"Atom accelerator."

"It steers the thing?"

"No! Sort of. Yes."

"Wheel. Telescope. Astrolabe. Compass," the Doctor looked at him slightly impressed as the man listed off the instruments, "A ship's a ship."

~8~

Toby stood up and walked over to the men, "He told you to wait, you dog," the men looked at him, "He's your captain. A naval officer. You're honor bound to do as he tells you."

"Honor bound?" one of the men scoffed as Angel pushed herself up and walked over, "Do you know what kind of ship this is?" Angel put an arm around the boy, "Do you know what your father does?"

"Don't listen to him Toby," Amy whispered, all of them aware of what the pirates were about to tell him.

"We sail under the black flag, the Jolly Rodger."

He lunged at the man, "Liar!" but Amy and Angel held him back, "He's no wicked pirate!"

"Oh, you think so? Well I've seen your father gun down 1,000 innocent men," he gave the boy a look as he looked down, stunned.

~8~

"This is how the professionals do it!" the Doctor started to pull levers and the TARDIS echoed a grinding noise before settling down, "Oh, it's stuck…not responding."

"Becalmed?" Avery asked, amused.

"Yeah, apparently. That's new…" he looked up at Avery as he nodded, gloatingly, "You had to gloat didn't you?"

"I'm not gloating."

"I saw that look just now. Ha ha, his ship is rubbish."

"True," he smirked.

The Doctor tried to come up with a retort but could only turn and head around the console, starting to think he really should have let Angel come.

~8~

"Get what treasure you can and we leave in the rowboat," the man ordered the one at the door.

Toby grabbed a cutlass and stepped forward, "You're going to remain at your posts."

The man turned around, "I am not playing games with you boy, you put that down."

"One more step and I'll use this you blaggard."

"You don't know how to fight with a cutlass boy."

He glanced at the man's hand, "Don't need to, do I?" and lunged forward, swiping the man's hand, cutting the side of it.

~8~

"…can't get a lock on the plane," the Doctor mumbled as he rushed around the console to the monitor.

"The what?"

"Space we travel in," he ran around, "The…ocean!" he looked at Avery, "Sort of ocean, but not water. The TARDIS can't see, it's sulking because it thinks the space doesn't exist. Without a plane to lock on to we're not going anywhere."

"I'm confused…"

"Yeah, well it's a big club, we should get t-shirts," the TARDIS jolted and the grinding noise started up again. The Doctor looked around, confused, "What's happening?"

Ok...Angel should have definitely come.

~8~

"You little swabber!" the man glared as he looked at the black spot on his hand.

"Congratulations, made it to the menu," Amy said, a small smirk on her face, "Probably shouldn't go out there now."

"You scurvy ape!" he grabbed his gun, aiming it at Toby only for Angel to move in front of him, pushing him behind her as he lowered the sword.

Rory leapt forward to grab the man's gun, "Don't shoot! The powder will blow and kill us all."

"Mulligan!" the man gaped as the second man swiped the keys off his bet, "What are you doing?"

But Mulligan just left and shut the door behind him.

"I suppose the pirate code is more a guideline?" Angel remarked, knowing the men had no sense of honor.

The man nodded and lowered his gun, going to the door to rebarricade it, as Angel turned to Toby, "Are you alright Toby?"

Toby swallowed, staring at the pirate a moment before looking at her, "Dad's a pirate, isn't he?" he asked her quietly, she nodded, "That's what you meant about secrets."

"I'm sorry," she had to nod again.

Toby just walked over to the back wall and sat down against it again, curling his legs up and wrapping his arms around them as he coughed into his knees. Angel sighed sadly and went to go sit beside him, knowing he just needed quiet but also someone to be there for him.

~8~

"Well it's had a little sulk," the Doctor shouted as the grinding noise got worse and the TARDIS shook, "Now we're heading for the full on, screaming tantrum!"

"Can you fix it?"

"Ah…" he moved to shoo Avery away from some controls to check, "The parametric engines are jammed. Orthogonal vector's gone, see!" he cheered, "I told you I knew how to pi..." he looked over to the other side of the console with a grin that quickly faded, recalling Angel wasn't there with them, "Right," he sighed, wincing as he closed his eyes, shaking his head, "I'm almost out of ideas," he knelt down to look under a panel.

"Almost?"

He popped up, "Well we could try stroking the rotor and singing a song."

"Would that help?"

"It only seems to work for Angel!" he shouted, before shaking his head, realizing something, "Oh she knew she should have come!" the TARDIS jolted, throwing them back, "I've lost control of it. We're about to dematerialize. We could end up anywhere."

"That sounds bad."

"Yes it is! Out now!" the console sparked, "Abandon ship! Abandon ship!" they ran out and into the storage room to see the TARDIS glowing green and disappear, "Ok, ok, uh, uh, ok. TARDIS runs off on its own…that's a bit of a new one," his eyes widened, "Bang goes our only hope of getting them out of here."

"Not much of a captain without a ship are you?"

~8~

Avery was leading the Doctor back towards his cabin...when Mulligan popped up, treasure in a pack strapped around him, and two guns aimed at them. They stopped short, hands up, "Mulligan!" Avery shouted, "What are you doing?" Mulligan just inched forward, forcing them back, "This is mutiny!"

"She doesn't want me," he made his way past them, "She only wants Toby," till he was behind them, "And the scrawny looking fella," and with that, he turned and ran.

"He's got the last of the supplies," the Doctor remarked, "We should go after him."

"Never mind the damn supplies what about my treasure!" Avery cried, running after the man with the Doctor. They ran around a corner as Mulligan fired at them twice, forcing them to duck down as he ran off.

The Doctor shook his head, nope, no, VERY glad Angel wasn't there now, "Don't get injured! Don't get injured!"

They chased Mulligan back to the hold where the man locked the doors behind him. Mulligan turned and used a flint, lighting a small fire in a handheld paddle only to drop it when the flame burned his hand.

"Come out of there you mutinous dog!" Avery pounded on the door.

Mulligan winced, shaking his hand, "Ow!" he dropped the paddle and the lights went out.

The Doctor flashed the sonic on the lock, when they heard the Siren singing. He backed up, both him and Avery checking each other for injuries when they saw the light under the crack of the bottom of the door, "She's inside!" the Doctor realized.

"She's come for Mulligan," Avery agreed. There was a scream from within which made the Doctor jump up and sonic the lock, running inside and looking around as Avery picked up a fallen piece of treasure, a crown, "No water in here. How did she take him?" the Doctor looked down and around, "You said she uses water like a door. That's how she enters a room."

And then the Doctor spotted the crown in Avery's hand. He stepped forward and looked at it closely, "I was wrong," he looked at Avery, "Please ignore all my theories up to this point."

"What, again?"

He snatched the crown and looked at it, "We're in danger. The water's not how she's getting in," he looked back at Avery again, "When we were down in the hull, think what happened. You me, Amy, Rory, Angel. Leeches."

"She sprang from the water."

"That's only when it grew still. Still water. Nature's mirror."

"So…you mean…"

"It's not water…" he pointed at the crown, at their faces in it, "Reflection."

~8~

Toby sighed as he sat against the wall in between Amy and Angel before looking at the medallion around his neck.

~8~

"The Siren legend, the curse!" the Doctor realized.

"You said curses weren't real."

"Folk lore springs from truth. She attacks ships filled with treasure. Where else would she get a perfect reflection?"

"Polished metal!"

"Hmm?" he looked up as Avery checked his chest for his medallion, both of them realizing the danger the others were in.

"We must warn them!" they ran out of the room.

"Angel!" the Doctor cried, panicked.

~8~

Toby sat, polishing the medallion, rubbing the back of it and looking at his reflection.

~8~

"Angel!" the Doctor shouted as they reached the door, "Open the door!"

"Toby open the door!" Avery shouted, "Toby!"

"Open the door!" the Doctor banged on it as he heard the barrels moving within, nearly ready to break it down, needing to see if Angel (and Amy and Rory) were alright, his hearts racing, the desperate need filling him to make sure she was safe.

"Toby!"

The door opened and the Doctor ran in, right to Toby...

Only to see Angel was sitting there beside the boy, wrapping the medallion with a torn piece of her skirt.

He stopped short and looked at her with his mouth open, "Psychic," he muttered, trying to calm his hearts.

"Thief," she remarked, tossing him the medallion now wrapped in a black cloth.

The Doctor smiled at it before realizing something and running out of the room, leaving three very confused humans and one very amused Time Lady. Avery dashed after him, following him into the captain's cabin where he started to smash out the windows with the butt of a gun, "We've got to destroy every reflection. Gold, silver, glass, she could spring from any of them," he turned and broke the mirror on the wall and looked to see Avery staring at it, "Yes, yes, I now, I know, very bad luck to break it but look at it this way," he put the gun against the wall, "There's a stroppy, homicidal mermaid trying to kill all."

Avery considered his words and nodded, "How much worse can things get?" he shrugged.

"Yup," he nodded, before running over to the box of treasure, "Help me lug this lot out."

"Where are we taking it?" he moved to help.

"The ocean."

"No!" Avery lunged forward, "No! This is the treasure of the Mogul of India!"

"Oh, good, for a moment there I thought it was yours," he moved to shove it again.

"Doctor!" Avery stopped him, "Wait. Must we do this?"

The Doctor stood, "Any reflection, any mirror, and the Siren will attack," Avery looked away, "We have to protect Rory and Toby," Avery nodded, "Go get the crown from the store room," Avery turned and left as the Doctor started throwing the treasure out the broken windows and into the sea.

~8~

With a sigh, Avery took the crown off the store room floor and left.

~8~

"Just...wait?" Rory frowned as the Doctor stood before the four of them with Avery in the magazine a few minutes later.

The Doctor spun to face them, "Not my most dynamic plan I realize…"

"TARDIS?" Amy suggested.

"It's gone," Angel replied, shaking her head at him, "And let me tell you Doctor, I don't think she'll be at all happy about it."

"Sorry," the Doctor winced, "We might be stuck here for a while."

"So you're saying we should all just wait here below?" Rory shook his head.

"The sea is still calm, like a mirror," Avery said as the Doctor nodded, "If you go out on deck, she's rise up and attack you."

"It's ok," the Doctor added, "The calm won't last forever, when the wind picks up we'll all set sail."

"Until it does we have to hide down here."

~8~

Rory was stretched on his back, asleep in the magazine, while Amy laid on her side beside him, facing the back wall where Angel was sitting, her legs curled up, her arms around them loosely, the angle hiding her stomach from Amy, "So…" Amy began, eyeing the woman, "Exactly what were you to the Doctor before he forgot?"

She'd had quite a few suspicions, but she hadn't wanted to ask, more like Rory refused to let her ask. Apparently Rory knew quite a bit about what had happened, what was going on, which she knew she ought to feel angry at, that he'd kept it from her, but she knew that there were some things that, if the Doctor asked her, she'd keep from Rory too. She'd tried to get more information out of him as he refused to let her speak to Angel about it, fearing it was too soon after the River/Doctor kiss thing and that talking about it would upset Angel, but Rory wouldn't say. All he told her was that it wasn't his story to tell and that he probably didn't even know the half of it. She did know that Angel had to have been very close to the Doctor if her familiarity with him and the devastating look that had been on her face after dealing with the Silence was anything to go by.

Angel sighed, "I'm his Mate."

"But I thought you are friends? He said you were."

"Not that sort of mate," Angel looked at her pointedly. Amy's eyes widened at that, guessing what sort of other 'mate' they could be, "There's a process on Gallifrey in which three things must be done to be 'Mated' to someone. You have to create a mental bond, establish an emotional connection, and…a physical union."

Amy blushed, catching onto that last part easily, "And you both…you know…"

Angel nodded, "Before he regenerated though. I don't know what happened," she shook her head, "I can still hear the Doctor in my mind and feel him in my hearts, I still remember everything but he...it's like all the moments between us, no matter how big or small, anything that wasn't platonic is just...missing," she rubbed her head, "And I really...I don't know how much more I can take of that..."

"Angel," Amy reached out to take her hand, "We'll find a way to get his memories back," she promised, "You can't leave."

"I didn't say anything about leaving," Angel murmured, though she looked away.

"I know," Amy sighed, "The Doctor told me about it, something about that fish he thought was the Queen."

"He did?"

Amy nodded, "Angel, don't go. Not only would the Doctor be a mess without you, but..." she hesitated to say it, "Wouldn't that be like letting River win?" she didn't know why but...the more she looked at River, at all the adventures she'd had with the woman, she kept getting the sense, more and more, that River was playing some sort of game with them all, with the Doctor and Angel especially, and not a good one.

Angel was silent a moment, "There might be more than just that that makes me leave Amy," she told her, "Did Rory ever tell you what he felt when he realized you didn't remember him?"

Amy looked away, "It was the worst experience of his life," she murmured, still feeling horrible that he'd felt that way because of her, because of something she did.

"He only had to deal with you looking through him for an hour at most Amy," Angel reminded her, "Me...it's been almost 3 years," she let out a breath, "I've had to put up with nearly 3 years of him looking at me but not seeing me," she glanced at Amy, "Mickey, my old companion, he loved movies, we watched them together, I even took him into the future to see some movies that hadn't been made yet. He loved alien ones especially, seeing how humans portrayed us, loved sci-fi ones. There was one I remember, Star Wars," she said as Amy listened intently, knowing Angel wouldn't be bringing up a random movie if it wasn't important, "They had this thing, this sort of little belief. Fear leads to Anger, Anger to Hate," she shook her head, there was more but she couldn't bear to think of it, how hate led to suffering, and not just her own suffering but the suffering of others as you took your hate out on them, that was not a thought she even wanted to entertain especially because...

"I'm terrified Amy, I'm terrified that the Doctor won't ever remember, that he'll leave me for River, that..." she swallowed hard, that she'd lose the baby, "I'm already starting to get angry, at him, and it might not even be his fault, at River, and it might not be hers either. I don't know, I just don't. And I don't want it, that anger, to lead to hate, because that's a Dalek, Amy. That's how you make a Dalek, you subtract love and add hate and I..." she shook her head, tears filling her eyes, the Daleks had taken everything from her, she blamed them more than the Doctor for what happened to Gallifrey, they took her sister from her, and the last thing she EVER wanted to be like was them, so she tried so hard not to let it get her to that point, not to let it hurt her or make her angry or hateful...she didn't want to be that, "I don't want to be a Dalek. I don't want to lose my love and only have hate left and I'm so scared that will happen if I stay."

"Angel," Amy blinked quickly, feeling tears in her own eyes at seeing the Time Lady getting so upset, she remembered what the Doctor had said about the Daleks being the epitome of hate, and she couldn't ever imagine Angel being anything like that, but she could see how scared the woman was about the possibility. Everyone had a breaking point, everyone had a moment where they were pushed too far, and she had learned early on that the kindest people, when they hit that point, could be the most terrifying. Not only that, Angel had the Vortex at her disposal, which had to make her doubly scared, "That will never, EVER happen."

"You can't know that," Angel whispered, her voice shaking, "Every day Amy my hearts break more and every day I feel more lost to what I can do to fix everything. I'm not like the Doctor, I'm not clever, I've got no idea what is happening and what will happen and..."

"He will remember Angel," Amy squeezed her hand tightly, needing to cut in, needing her to know that it would all be ok, needing to comfort her like Angel always did everyone else, hoping she was doing a good enough job, "I know it, you can't forget someone that important to you forever. I remembered Rory and I've just got a tiny human brain, the Doctor's mind is more...complex, it's just taking him a little longer. But he will remember, his mind and hearts just need time to catch up to each other."

Angel nodded sadly, "I hope so. Because it hurts Amy. It hurts so much."

Amy tugged her hand, seeing the tears filling Angel's eyes, and the girl moved to lie down on the floor across from her, clutching Amy's hand as she tried to comfort the Time Lady as best she could.

Chapter Text

An hour or so later, as Amy, Angel, and Rory slept on the floor of the magazine, Avery stepped into the room to see Toby awake and sitting against the back wall, his cough keeping him up, having managed to hold it back long enough for the others to fall asleep, "I'm sorry about your mother," he moved to sit by his son, "You miss her a lot."

"Three years," Toby muttered, not looking at him, "No word from you."

"Toby..."

"You promised her. You promised you'd come home. And she believed you would, right up until the day she died. What made you do it?" he shook his head at his father, tears in his eyes, "What made you...turn pirate?"

Avery sighed, unable to answer, "Get some sleep now," he got up and left as Toby laid down, turning on his side so his back was to him as he walked out of the room.

Moments later, Amy frowned in her sleep, hearing a woman's voice, "It's fine. You're doing fine. Just stay calm..."

She opened her eyes to see Angel before her, her face scrunched as she slept, but then she saw it! The same woman with the eye patch from the orphanage was staring at her through an opening in the wall behind Angel, just over the Time Lady's shoulder. She slid the panel shut and Amy sat up with a gasp.

"Amy?" Angel blinked blearily, waking up as well to see Amy staring at the wall, "What's wrong?"

Amy could only shake her head, staring at the wall, not sure if she was imagining it or not.

~8~

The Doctor stood on the deck, staring up at the night's sky, a bit lost in thought, looking at the stars which always seemed to remind him of Angel, how brightly the burned, how constant they were, how shining...when Avery joined him, "It's not one star, it's two," he pointed up at one of the brighter stars, "The dog star. Sirius. Binary system," he smiled, like a binary vascular system, two hearts, like Angel.

"I use it to navigate the ocean," Avery shrugged.

"I've travelled far like you," the Doctor studied him a moment, "Space can be very lonely. The greatest adventure is having someone share it with you," he knew that for a fact, it was so much better with Angel there...and Amy and Rory and other companions.

"If we get out of this, I'll take him back to England. He can't stay with me. I'm not the father he needs."

"Who are you? Henry Avery? Respected naval officer, wife and child at home. How did you end up here? Wandering the oceans with a band of rogues?"

"I've set my course now. Nothing I can do to alter it."

The Doctor glanced up, "People stared at it for centuries and never knew. Things can suddenly change. When you're least expecting," he turned and walked back into the ship, leaving Avery to his thoughts, and entered the captain's cabin slowly, staring at the windows as he placed a hat on the table beside him.

"Doctor…" Amy called as Angel walked beside her with her arm around her in comfort, leading the ginger to the cabin.

"Ah, Angel!" he cheered, rushing over to her and taking her arm, gently leading her to the middle of the room, standing her before the windows, him behind her. He put his hands on her shoulders, squeezing them lightly when he felt her tense, before leaning in to whisper in her ear, "What do you see?"

Angel swallowed, actually uncomfortable with how close he was to her, if he'd remembered or if she had a sign that he felt something for her she'd be better able to deal with the proximity, but like this...knowing he likely felt nothing at the moment...upset her, "There's something out there," she breathed, stepping away from him and towards the windows, reaching out a hand to touch the edge of it, touching the wood between the broken window panes, "Like there's something staring at me," she frowned, "A storm's coming," she remarked, a moment before thunder rumbled across the sky.

"Man the sails!" the Doctor shouted, running out of the room.

~8~

It was raining heavily on deck as Avery hung from a rope, Amy, Angel, and Rory (who had tried to talk Angel into waiting below deck) running over to the middle of the ship, "To the rigging, you dogs!" Avery shouted, gesturing at Amy and Angel, "Let go the sails!" he jumped down, "Avanti!"

Angel moved to run off after Amy when Rory stopped her, "I've got it," his eyes flickered down to her stomach before running off as Angel turned to help the captain.

"Put the bunt into the slack of the clews!"

Amy pulled on a pulley, "I swear he's making half this stuff up!"

"Well we're gonna need some kind of phrase book!" Rory shouted, nearly falling backwards as the Doctor took the wheel of the ship...not exactly the best plan ever.

"Toby!" Avery cried, seeing his son making his way over on deck, "Find my coat! My compass is inside it boy!" Toby nodded and made his way over to a chest in the center of the ship, "Heave ho, you bilge rats!"

"Rats was all I could hear!" Rory tried to yell above the sound of the rain.

Toby opened the chest and grabbed his father's coat, moving to bring it over...

When the crown fell out of it.

They all stopped, watching it roll and fall down flat at the edge of the ship. Toby looked at his father, betrayed, when an arm reached out of the crown and the Siren flew into the air, singing and landed before Toby, her hand held out.

"Don't let her take you!" Avery shouted, scrambling to get to Toby but the boy was entranced and walked towards her, "No!" he ran for it, lunged...but was too late, Toby burst into ashes, "No!"

Angel dropped the ropes she'd been holding, startled that she hadn't sensed that about to happen, when she saw Amy struggling to hold Rory back on a higher deck and rushed to help her. The Doctor leapt forward and tossed the crown into the ocean, the Siren fading away, breathing a sigh of relief that at least Rory was safe for the time being.

"Let go!" Rory struggled.

"Rory stop!" Amy grabbed his arms as he flailed to escape them.

"I'm sorry," Avery wept, falling to his knees, the true weight of everything hitting him, everything he'd done, "I'm sorry…"

"You couldn't give up the gold could you?!" the Doctor shouted at him, "That's why you turned pirate! Your commission, your wife, your son!" Avery looked away, "Just how much is that treasure worth to you man?!"

He was angry, he always got angry when children were hurt. Because he couldn't have any. Not anymore, not with Gallifrey gone. Time Lords could only reproduce within their species, so really...there was only Angel. If he wanted to have a child, which he did, terribly, he would have to be with her and he refused to use her in that way. If he was with someone like that, if a child was conceived, he wanted it to be out of love and not desperation for a family. Angel didn't deserve that.

He closed his eyes a moment, his hearts zinging painfully in his chest at his thoughts. Something about it...about picturing Angel and him, having a baby...he could actually picture it. He could see it in his mind, imagine it, a child that blended them perfectly, and showing it off, surrounding it with family. Him and her, sitting with all the companions, passing around a baby, him watching it with hawk eyes for the slightest sign of discontent till Angel lightly took his hand and kissed his knuckles to reassure him and...

His eyes snapped open at his imaginings, swallowing hard as his hearts raced instead. What was that?!

"Doctor!" Angel shouted, pulling his attention over as she ran to the edge of the upper deck, "He may have been displaced!"

"What?" he looked up at her.

"We thought Rose was disintegrated once, remember?" she called down to him, "But she'd just been transported, transmatted! There's a chance that's what happened here!"

Unfortunately, without her there to help Amy, Rory broke away and ran to the side of the ship just as a sail broke its hold and swung around, knocking him overboard.

"Rory!" Amy screamed, running to the side and looking over, "Rory! I can't see him!" the Doctor ran to the railing as Angel rushed to Amy's side, "I'm going in!"

"No!" Angel grabbed Amy's coat and pulled it back on her as she tried to take it off.

"Drowning!" the Doctor called up to them, "He's drowning! You go in after him you'll drown too. There's only one thing that can save him now."

"What are you talking about?" Amy shook her head as Angel led her down to the lower deck where the Doctor and Avery were.

"The Siren. The Siren, she wants him. We have to release her!" he ran to a barrel of water.

"Doctor no!" Amy cried as the Doctor soniced the lid of the water and lifted it up, "No!"

The Siren flew up into the air as the Doctor turned to her, gesturing to the ocean, "He's drowning. Go find him!" the Siren turned and dove into the water as he put the lid back down.

"What did you do?!"

"If we leave him in the water he'll drown!" Angel told her.

"If we let her have him, she'll destroy him!"

"That thing isn't just a ravenous hunter," the Doctor argued, "It's intelligent. We can reason with it and maybe, just maybe, they're still alive somewhere. We have to follow."

"Are you mad?" Avery asked.

"If we ever want to see them again we have to let the Siren take us," he pulled out a nail from his jacket, the same one Avery had nearly fallen on, "We'll prick our fingers. The three of us," he continued, turning to Angel, "Angel you get below deck and..."

But Angel reached out and took the nail from him, "Rory is MY companion!" she reminded him.

He winced, he should have known Angel would want to go but...he didn't want to prick her finger, much like he hadn't wanted to inject her with the nano-recorder either. It would hurt! But this time...it would draw blood and his stomach twisted to think of Angel bleeding, even more so to imagine her bursting into ashes beside him in the vague hope that it really was a transmat as she'd guessed, not that he doubted her, not ever.

"He's my brother, Doctor," Angel added, quiet, though he could hear her over the rain easily, he was right next to her, "You can't ask me to stay here and leave him."

He nodded, "Of course," he murmured, though he wasn't happy at all about this. He swallowed hard, and closed her hand around the nail, not taking it back. He'd rather she hurt him by pricking his hand than for him to hurt her ever. He glanced at Amy and Avery, "All agreed?"

"Aye," Avery nodded after a moment.

"Aye," Amy added.

"Aye then," he held out his hand, Angel pricking them all and then herself as the Siren appeared. They all held their hands out to her and disappeared in a white light...

~8~

Angel blinked blearily as she found herself lying, on her side, her back to the Doctor, on the floor of a spaceship. She pushed herself up to see the Doctor doing the same, Amy and Avery on their backs, "Where are we?" Amy asked.

The Doctor pushed himself up more, "We haven't moved. We're in exactly the same place as before," he stood up and looked through a large window to see that they were staring at the ship during the storm.

"We're on a ghost ship," Avery breathed.

"Not really," Angel shook her head, getting up too, "It's just a spaceship trapped in a temporal rift."

"How can two ships be in the same place?" Amy looked at her.

"Not the same," the Doctor explained, "Two planes, two worlds. Two cars parked in the same space. There are lots of different Universes nested inside each other now and again they collide and you can step from one to the other."

"Ok…I think I understand…"

"Good 'cos it's not like that at all, but if that helps…"

"Thanks," Amy rolled her eyes.

"All the reflections have suddenly become gateways…" he picked up a piece of metal and chucked it at the window, sending it straight through and onto the deck, "Ever look in a mirror and feel like you're seeing a whole other world?

"Reinette," Angel nodded and he pointed at her, despite Amy and Avery having no idea what they were talking about.

"Well this time it's not France, it's just..." he trailed off a moment, frowning when he saw her absently rubbing her pricked finger and reached out, taking her hand and lifting it to look at, seeing it was mostly a scratch now but still red and raw and painful...and actually very small but he didn't exactly notice that part of it, just that it looked like it hurt, or at least stung.

Angel eyed him curiously as he just stared at her hand...and then she gasped, feeling a warmth spread through it. She looked down, her eyes wide as she saw a soft wisp of orange energy seep into her scratch, mending it...and stared at the Doctor in disbelief. It wasn't all that long ago (a little more than 2 years really), that he had looked past her bruises and other injuries without a thought of doing what he'd just done.

"Why did you do that?" she breathed, her hearts racing, he still hadn't let go of her hand, the hand he'd just healed.

"You were hurt," he said simply.

She blinked, "But it's a waste of regeneration energy."

~oOo~

It wouldn't have stopped the Master from hurting Angel in every other possible way just to spite him, just to get to him and anger him, make him vulnerable, use her as bait in a trap. He wouldn't put it past the man, especially not when Angel had a bruise on her head as proof that the Master had no qualms with hurting her already.

He pulled away, looking gently at her, before lifting his hand to lightly trace the bruise, wincing himself as Angel flinched at how tender it was. He began to stroke it gently with his thumb, a slight orange energy pouring out of it, healing the bruise. It was probably something he shouldn't do, use his regeneration energy like that. Time Lords could heal each other with their regeneration energy, but it was only meant to be used in the most dire of circumstances as it was a precious energy and one not to be wasted.

But it was never a waste if it meant Angel wasn't hurt any longer.

He'd give all his regeneration energy to see her perfect and healthy and fine for the rest of eternity.

~oOo~

He frowned at that, "It's not a waste if it's worth it," he murmured, looking into her eyes, "And you're worth that and more."

Angel searched his eyes, so SO confused. She'd just seen him kissing River Song not too long ago and now he was being so sweet to her and healing her hand and complimenting her. She didn't know what to make of it. It was like every single day he was a different man. One day he'd be grinning at her and doing what she wanted, the next back to his normal self and just focusing on an adventure, and the next asking the Ponds if they wanted to pop in and take River on an adventure (which Rory and Amy had both always declined to do for some reason). He was all over the place and his thoughts were no better. One minute they were flustered ones about her, others a platonic feeling behind a less-than-platonic compliment, and others still as though she weren't even there.

He was...more...than he had been when he'd first regenerated. He noticed her more, complimented her more, seemed to focus on her more, yes...but she didn't know why, HE didn't even know why. She'd rather him do that because he loved her or was falling in love with her and not because he was trying to work out why he was so focused on her by focusing on her more, as though SHE held the answers. Every time she thought he might feel more for her than he seemed to, he'd brush it aside or stop treating her however he was treating her, like he didn't want to feel that. And that hurt. But then, only moments later, he'd be back to being fond to her again!

He was so confusing!

"Do you really have to flirt now?" Amy asked, cutting into their moment. She felt terrible to do it, she knew how badly Angel deserved a moment like this with the Doctor, moments that gave the Time Lady (and them) hope that the Doctor was remembering her, or at the very least falling back in love with her, but...she was really very worried for her husband. Rory had been drowning!

"What?!" the Doctor half-leapt away from Angel at that, "We weren't...we weren't flirting!" he defended, but Amy just gave him a look as if to say 'oh really?' and he blushed, "We were just...just...just...talking, healing! Flirting is for couples, we're not a couple, we're just friends, mates," he winced at that word, his hearts twisting even more painfully than they had before, "Friends," he amended, going with that word instead.

He really needed to stop using 'mate' so much if he kept wincing all the time.

A beeping noise sounded behind them, pulling all their attention away, and they turned to head after it, "The signal?" Amy guessed.

"Yes," the Doctor took the lead, needing to distract himself from the awkwardness of before.

"The distress call."

"Uh huh."

"There was a second ship here all this time."

Angel paused, hearing the singing, "Is that the Siren?"

The Doctor hit a button on the door before them and it opened to reveal a dead alien in a spacesuit. They jumped back, the captain grabbing his gun when the Doctor lowered it, "Dead," he looked at it closely, some sort of cross between a rat and a beaver head with a fin in the back of it, decomposed. He led them past the alien, Angel shying as far away from it as she could, pressing a hand to her nose and mouth to try and block the smell that was making her gag a bit and feel slightly ill, and into a main control room, the flight deck, where another alien was in the seat, dead as well. The windows showed the captain's cabin. The Doctor moved to examine the alien, crouching down to peer closely at it as Amy, Angel, and Avery looked through the window.

"You were right," Amy remarked, "There was something staring at us the whole time. How long has this ship been marooned here?"

"Long enough for the captain to have run out of grog," Avery sighed.

"I don't understand, if this is the captain," she looked at the Doctor pulling out his sonic, "Then what's the Siren?"

"Same as us," the Doctor soniced it, "A stowaway."

"I'm not so sure about that..." Angel murmured.

"She killed it," Amy determined.

"Or that."

The Doctor looked at the sonic, "Human bacteria."

"What?" Amy frowned.

"A virus. From our planet. Airborne Travelling through the portal," he put the sonic away, "That's what killed it, didn't get it's jobbbssss…" he leaned over and put his hand in a slime on the console, pulling back and looking at it, disgusted, "Look…"

"What is it?"

"Sneeze! Alien boogies!" he flicked his hand to get some of the slime off before wiping the rest on Amy's jacket as he walked past the unamused ginger, beaming when he caught a bit of a smile on Angel's face.

~8~

The Doctor whipped out the sonic and scanned a very white, sterile room where dozens of people were lying on tables, their shoes and shirts off, with tubes around their throats, arms, and abdomens, monitoring them, "Legraw!" Avery pointed at one, "He's one of my men."

"He's breathing," Angel looked at the man.

"My entire crew is here!" Avery looked around as the Doctor picked up a black block thing and examined it, "Toby!" he ran to his son's side.

"Rory!" Amy spotted him and ran to him.

"The TARDIS!" the Doctor rushed over and kissed it while Angel stood in the middle of the room, a small frown on her face as she looked around.

"We have to get him out of here," Avery remarked.

The Doctor ran over to him, "Wait!" and scanned Toby with the sonic, "He's fever's gone," he moved to scan Rory.

"He looks so well," Amy commented as Angel walked over to her as well.

"I think the Siren's been keeping them alive," Angel breathed.

The Doctor read the scan, "His brain is still active but all its cellular activity is suspended. It's not a curse," he pulled out the block to reveal a yellow spot on it, "It's a tissue sample. Why get samples of people you're about to kill?"

"I told you," Angel looked at him, "I don't think she's trying to kill anyone."

He frowned, "Then what does she need them for?"

Angel could only shrug, she couldn't see everything.

"Well I'm not waiting to find out," Amy muttered, "Help me get him up?" she asked and the Doctor moved to help un-strap him when Angel tensed and grabbed their arms, pulling them to the side of the room as the Siren's song reached them.

"Avery!" the Doctor hissed, "She's coming!" Avery ran over and joined them, hiding behind a panel. They watched as the Siren entered the room and walked over to the now-awake Rory. She placed a hand over his chest and sang to him, quieting him down to sleep, "Anesthetic," the Doctor realized.

"What?" Avery frowned.

"The music, the song, so she anesthetizes people and puts their bodies in stasis."

And then the Siren moved over to Toby.

"Avery…no!" Angel hissed but Avery didn't listen, he stepped forward and fired at the Siren, making her turn red and angry. She hissed and screeched at him as she stalked towards him.

The Doctor ran out the back of the panel around another table with another crewmember on it and sneezed. The Siren turned to him, creating a fire between her hands and headed after him instead.

"Fire…" his eyes widened, "That's new. Uh…" he ran a hand though his hair, "What does fire do?" he backed away, "Burn, yes. Destroy, what else? Uh, sterilize!" he started to stutter as he pulled out a hanky, "I-I-I-I-I-I I-I sneezed! I'm all germy!" he blew his nose and threw it to the floor where the Siren burned it.

"Amy, stop!" Angel yelled as Amy ran to Rory's side.

"Don't interfere!" the Doctor agreed as the Siren turned and advanced on Amy now, "Don't touch him! Anesthetic, tissue sample, screens, sterile working conditions…uh, ignore all my previous theories!"

"Yeah, well, we stopped paying attention a while back!" Amy informed him, still working to get Rory out.

Angel reached out and pulled Amy back, away from Rory, "She's not trying to kill him Amy, she's trying to heal them...she's a doctor."

Amy dropped her hands and allowed Angel to pull her back as the Siren returned to her calm, green glow.

The Doctor looked around, "This is an automated sick bay! It's teleporting everyone onboard…the crew are dead and so the sick bay's had nothing to do," he stepped over to them, "It's been looking after humanity whilst it's been idle. Look at her. A virtual doctor able to sterilize a whole room."

"Able to burn your face off," Amy countered.

"She's just an interface seeped through the join between the planes, broadcast in our world," the Doctor waved her off, "Protein circuitry means she can change her form and become a human doctor for humans," he grinned at the hologram, "Oh, sister, you are good!"

Amy moved to take Rory's collar off and the Siren turned red and hissed at her. Angel quickly pulled her back and the Siren returned green.

"She won't let us take them," Avery realized as he walked to Toby.

"She wasn't meant to handle humans," Angel said slowly as she stared at the Siren, "I'm not sure she knows how to heal them."

"I'm his wife for God sake, why can't I touch him?" Amy looked between her and the Doctor.

"Tell her Amy," the Doctor stepped up and Amy looked at him, confused, "Show her your ring," he reached for Amy's hand and held it up by Rory's, "She may be virtual but she's intelligent. You can't do anything without her consent," he turned to the Siren, showing her the matching rings, "Come on, sophisticated girl like you that must be somewhere in your core program."

The Siren looked at the rings.

"Look, he's very ill, ok?" Amy turned to her as well, "I just want to look after him," the Siren looked at her, "Why won't you let me near my husband?"

The Siren seemed to realize something and tilted her head, holding out her hand and a golden ring appeared around it.

"Consent form," the Doctor whispered to Amy, "Sign it, put your hand in the light. Rory's sick you have to take full responsibility."

Amy put her hand in the light and a moment later the Siren disappeared. She turned to the Doctor before rushing around to his side to help get Rory out. She hit a button and Rory jerked up, gasping for air.

"He can't breathe," Angel cried, "Turn it on!"

Amy hit the button and Rory relaxed, "What do we do? I can't just leave him here."

"He'll die if you take him out," Avery called.

Amy put a hand on Rory's hair, stroking it as she whispered to him, "Rory...Rory wake up."

Rory slowly woke and looked around, "Where am I?"

"In a hospital," Angel told him gently, shifting a bit, she really, really didn't like hospitals of any kind. The only medical room she could stand to be in was the TARDIS med-bay.

"If you leave you might die," the Doctor added.

Amy glared at him a moment before looking back at Rory, "But if you don't...you'll have to stay forever."

"You're saying that if I don't get up now…" Rory began.

"You can never leave."

"The Siren will keep you safe," the Doctor told him.

"And if I come with you…" Rory looked at him.

"Drowning on the point of death."

Rory paused, thinking for a moment before looking at Amy, "I'm a nurse."

"What?" she frowned.

"I can teach you how to save me."

"Wait, hold on…"

"I was drowning, you just have to resuscitate me."

"Just…"

"You've seen them do it loads of times in films. CPR, the kiss of life."

"Rory this isn't a film ok!" Amy blinked back her tears, 'What if I do it wrong?"

"You won't," Angel reached out and put a hand on Amy's shoulder.

Amy looked at her, seeing a knowing look in the girl's eyes before looking at Rory again, "Ok, what if you don't come back to life? What if…"

"I trust you," Rory told her softly, taking her hand without moving much, squeezing it.

"What about them?" she nodded at the Doctor and Angel, "Hmm? I mean, why do I have to be the one? Why do I have to save you?"

"'Cos I know you'll never give up."

Amy nodded, knowing the Doctor, despite being called that, given all he didn't tell them, might not have passed any exams to really be qualified to be one and Angel, bless her, she probably had no idea how the Vortex would be used to try and replace CPR for a human, if it even could. She'd seen it heal physical wounds, but...could it revive someone? Angel had told them stories of her brother Jack, of what had happened to him, but how that had been the Vortex in control of her, would she be able to do that while SHE still had control? She couldn't risk it.

Rory smiled and started to explain the process to her as the Doctor walked over to Avery, Angel taking his place beside Amy, offering support.

"We have to send the ship back into space," the Doctor told the man, "Can you imagine if the Siren got ashore? She would have to process every injured human."

"What about Toby?" he asked.

"I'm sorry. Typhoid Fever, once he returns it's only a matter of time…"

"What if I stay with him? Here? The Siren will look after him," the Doctor considered it, "I can't go back to England. What home does he have now if not with me?"

He nodded, proud the man had finally realized the treasure he had in front of him, "You think you can sail this thing?"

"Just point me to the atom accelerator."

The Doctor laughed and patted him on the shoulder, walking back to Amy, Angel, and Rory, "I know you can do this," Rory told his wife, "Of course if you muck it up I'm going to be very cross…and dead."

Angel put a hand on Amy's shoulder, squeezing it, "You won't muck it up Amy."

Amy swallowed hard and looked at Rory, stroking his face once more, "I'll see you in a minute."

Rory nodded and prepared himself. The three of them then started ripping the straps and pads off him. Rory gasped, unable to breathe, and they hauled him to the TARDIS, laying him on the floor. Amy dropped to her knees beside him, doing 5 compressions and a breath.

Nothing.

The Doctor nodded encouragingly at her. 5 compressions, 1 breath...

Nothing.

Angel put a hand on Amy's back, rubbing it as Amy worked, "Come on Rory!" she whispered.

"Not here," the Doctor agreed, "Not this way, not today!"

5 compressions, 1 breath...

Nothing.

"He trusted me," Amy started to cry, "He trusted me to save him!"

"You still can," Angel told her, "You can do it. Rory's not the only one who believes in you."

Amy started again, "Come on!" the Doctor added.

5 compressions, 1 breath.

Nothing.

"No!" Amy cried.

5 compressions, 1 breath...

Nothing.

"Please, please, please, please, please, wake up!" Amy started to beg as she worked, "Please, please…"

5 compressions, 1 breath...

...nothing.

Amy started to cry as the Doctor fell back on his heels. She pushed herself up and looked at Rory but he didn't move. Amy turned to Angel, falling into the girl's arms and sobbed as the Doctor looked away.

Angel just smiled, "You did it Amy."

Amy pulled back and looked at her sharply...when Rory started choking on water and coughing. He rolled on his side as Amy and the Doctor looked on, stunned, Angel just smiling away, she said Amy could do it!

Rory gasped for air and the Doctor jumped up in delight as Amy helped her husband sit up, "Amy…" Rory breathed as she smiled, "Amy you did it! You did it!" he hugged her tightly as she hugged him back, crying into his shoulder as Angel sat back and smiled at them both, tears of relief in her eyes.

~8~

Avery and Toby sat at the controls of the ship, Toby with the medical tube around his neck but awake. They shared a smile, looking out at Sirius as the other crewmembers walked in.

~8~

Angel, Amy, and Rory were walking up the stairs, Rory in a blue bathrobe, ready for some sleep, even Angel was exhausted from the emotional turmoil of the last few hours, "I thought I was an excellent pirate," Amy commented as Angel laughed.

"I thought you were an excellent nurse," Rory remarked.

"Easy tiger," she laughed before turning to the Doctor who was still at the console, "Good night Doctor."

"Good night Amelia," he stood at the monitor, tense.

"You only call me Amelia when you're worrying about me," Amy eyed him, suspicious.

"I always worry about you."

"We both do," Angel told her.

Amy glanced at Angel and then back at the Doctor, "Mutual."

"Go to bed, Pond!" the Doctor looked at her.

Angel rolled her eyes at him before putting an arm around Amy's shoulders, knowing the terror of losing...nearly losing...someone you love and offering extra support as they walked up the stairs with Rory.

The Doctor looked back at the scanner.

Amelia Pond
Full body scan in progress
Pregnancy…

He sighed, it was still flashing positive/negative. He looked back at the stairs, "Oh Amelia…" he rubbed his head, his hand falling to his mouth as he stared at it a moment longer, before flicking the monitor off and heading off to bed as well.

~8~

He was kissing her, he was kissing her deeply, both of them flush against each other, pressed against the door to his room, having stumbled in with him clumsily trying to shut it with his foot. Her black hair was soft, so soft he couldn't help but run his fingers through it, something she seemed to delight in doing in return...making him let out a low moan at the sensation of her fingers running through his own hair. It felt so good, so...intimate...truly a sensation he could only imagine her being able to inspire in him. His one arm wound around her waist, wedging itself between her back and the wall, uncomfortable yes, but it allowed him to pull her closer, to pull himself closer to her and that was all he wanted, to be as close to her as he could be.

She wound her arms around his neck and he could feel her move onto her toes to press herself more firmly into his kiss, never before had he been more thankful for their respiratory bypass systems that let them kiss like this, so long, without needing to break for air. Though there was one thing he needed to break for, clarity.

He never had that around her, clarity, his thoughts were always consumed by her, by her eyes, her smile, her body, her hearts, her soul...everything. His mind thought of her constantly, his hearts beat for her, his soul yearned for her. It had been calling out to her for years now, wanting to claim her as his so completely and in a way no one else would ever be able to. And that was what he wanted, badly, what he'd wanted for so long, what he'd fought and restrained himself against rushing into. But he needed her now, and now...they were both ready. Now he had the chance to make her his forever and in every single way.

He pulled his lips away from hers, panting as he reached a hand up to cup her cheek, lightly stroking it with a finger, staring into her liquid silver eyes, so captivating how those little speckles of gold seemed to shine in the false moonlight, "Are you sure?" he had to ask, just once.

He could only manage to ask her one more time...he wouldn't be able to stop himself in a moment.

She just smiled at him, pushing herself up to give him a peck, laughing as his head tried to follow her down, wanting to reclaim her lips, "More than anything," she told him, sounding so...happy...

His hearts swelled at hearing that, at hearing that tone in her voice, at knowing HE had done it, that HE had made her that happy, at knowing that HE was the only one who could make her so.

She looked up at him, his breath catching in his throat, she was so...beautiful. Her hair was a mess from his weaving fingers, her clothes wrinkled from his wandering hands, her cheeks flushed, her eyes shining, and there may or may not have been tiny nibble marks on her neck from his eagerness, her lips were just lightly swollen from his fevered kisses and her chest was heaving from how she couldn't catch her breath, and she had never looked more lovely to him.

"I love you," she told him in a whisper, all the love she felt for him shining in her eyes.

He beamed at that, "My Angel..."

The Doctor's eyes snapped open and he scrambled from where he'd fallen asleep on his side, clutching a pillow to his chest as he laid in bed, moving in frantic motions till he was sitting up, panting. The sheets were tangled around him, a fine layer of sweat covered his entire body yet he was shaking as though chilled, clutching the pillow more firmly to him as he looked around, completely thrown.

He panted, trying to catch his breath before he winced and pressed a hand to his forehead, his head throbbing.

What had THAT been?!

The dream played itself over in his mind, making him flush at the mere memory of it, of imagining him and Angel in such a position. He had, admittedly, had small, tiny fantasies about the Time Lady on and off but this...this was so far beyond...he didn't know what to think. He really didn't because...this wasn't the first time he'd dreamt of something like that.

Ever since he'd regenerated, he hadn't really dreamed much, he hadn't really ever been able to fall asleep or stay asleep to think of it. But, he'd noticed, ever since they'd dealt with the Silence, that...his dreams had become more vivid...and all of them centered around Angel. He'd like to think it was just a result of her threatening to leave, that it was his mind playing tricks on him, trying to make her seem more important to him...as though she weren't already the most important person in his life...but...it had happened even before that moment.

Really, it had started in Area 51.

He and Angel, due to not being able to communicate with Canton, had both agreed to think of the aliens, the Silence, as much as they could, to refresh the information so to speak. They'd both tried to keep the aliens in mind, to not forget them, to make themselves remember them if they did forget. It was...odd...an odd feeling to try and remember something you'd forgotten and...for some reason, it had been harder for him to keep the Silence in mind. He had to put more effort into remembering them.

He didn't understand what it could be, perhaps it had been a result of the year with Angel while the Ponds were away and then the three extra months in Area 51 that had just...made Angel a more prominent thought in his mind. It had really been just them for quite a while, it was understandable that, with her being so often in his thoughts, she would make her way to his dreams as well.

But most of them were...not like this one. Most were of them doing something else, like...dancing or talking or having fun in the pool or sitting in the library...not...he swallowed...not THAT. He let out a shuddering breath, feeling his hearts start to race, his body flushing at the reminder of the dream.

He hugged the pillow closer to him, oddly enough the only way he was able to fall asleep and have some chance of staying asleep lately was to hold a pillow to him, and buried his nose in it, inhaling deeply as he tried to calm himself. He took quite a few deep breaths before lying back down on his back, turning over a moment later to his side and staring at the back wall. He blinked a few times before closing his eyes, just...wanting to get back to sleep instead of dealing with trying to think about what the dream could mean, it was just a dream, just...a figment of his imagination...a rather...pleasant figment. He winced and shook his head, banishing the thought, he should not be thinking of Angel that way, that was wrong.

Slowly as he fell back asleep, one thought kept niggling in his mind...why was it wrong?

Chapter Text

An older woman in tattered, patchwork clothes led a young woman in a light blue dress through a series of tunnels lit by a sickly green glow, cluttered with what looked like debris. They stopped in a large cavern where a slightly hunchbacked man was waiting, "Will it be me, Uncle?" the young woman asked him, her voice trembling.

"Yes, it's going to be you," he replied, "I only wish I could go in your place, Idris," and then he smiled, starting to chuckle, "Nah, I don't, 'cos it's really going to hurt."

An Ood with green eyes stepped forward and grabbed Idris's arm, "It's starting," she breathed as the Ood helped her up a two step platform to stand on a grate that was glowing green, "What will happen?" she looked at the duo.

"Oh," the woman explained, "Um, er, Nephew," she gestured at the Ood, "Will drain your mind and your soul from your body and leave your body empty."

The Ood placed a hand on either side of Idris's head, "I'm scared!" she cried, tears in her eyes, as smoke began to rise from the grate, Idris gasping for breath, shaking.

"I expect so, dear. But soon you'll have a new soul," she grinned widely, "There'll be a Time Lord coming!"

Idris screamed as the green glow in the Ood's eyes grew more intense...

~8~

The Doctor was walking around the console while Rory sat in the jump seat, listening to him gob on...barely, more intent to watch Angel leaning over the console as she piloted the box to drift in space, he was always watching her from the corner of his eye, always worrying about her.

"And then we discovered it wasn't the robot king at all," the Doctor said as he continued his story, oblivious to the fact that Rory wasn't really paying attention...because Angel was, "It was the real one," he grinned at Angel who offered him a small smile in return, just...thrilled she was paying attention to him, listening to his story, despite the fact she had been there during that adventure and she knew what had happened, he loved when she did that, not that she ever really blatantly ignored him.

Sometimes though...sometimes he'd catch her attention drifting, her thoughts deepening to the point where she just...didn't notice him talking. He'd have thought that he would be more...upset when that happened but he usually found himself more concerned, because she often had an expression on her face that just...broke his hearts. It was like she was so sad but he didn't know what was making her sad and that hurt him, to know that she hadn't talked to him about it. He tried to be there for her, to make her see that she could talk to him about anything, to just...let her know he was there.

But he'd noticed she talked to Rory more.

And it did hurt.

But at least she was speaking to someone and he DID see her smiling a bit afterwards. Not that he was disappointed about it, that she was smiling and that Rory had been able to get it on her face, nope, not at all, no. He was just...she was a Time Lady! She was the last of HIS species. She was bonded to HIS TARDIS. She was HIS Angel! Not Rory's. He would have rather she'd spoken to Amy, that way he'd know it was a 'girl thing' that he wouldn't have been able to help with but she was talking to RORY! Why Rory and not HIM?

He shook his head from those thoughts, knowing that what Angel talked about and who to was none of his business. It was just...hard...to accept that. He'd been...a bit more...protective...of Angel lately, more noticing of who she spent time around, who she talked to, who she smiled at, and it got to him when it wasn't him. He knew it was just...things getting to him. His head was a bit...weird, fuzzy, around Angel, in a way that was both nice and not so nice. Nice as, sometimes, he'd feel a warmth spread through him, but not nice as, at times, he would get a headache. Not that it was Angel's fault! Not at all, Angel never ever tried to hurt others.

It was probably just the lack of sleep getting to him.

He'd been having...odd dreams lately. Intense dreams. From what he could remember. Sometimes he'd wake up and his hearts would race but he'd fall asleep again and, waking up later, have forgotten what he'd dreamt, the dream itself fading away as dreams did. He remembered bits and pieces of it though. Other times he'd wake and be unable to fall asleep again, both because of his head pounding and because he just...wasn't sure what he'd dream next. His last dream had...shaken him...he dreamt of himself, standing in the Vault of the Crucible, Davros taunting him about how Angel was dying...he hadn't gone back to sleep for fear the nightmare would continue and Angel would truly die in the dream.

He actually hadn't been able to really sleep since then.

"Like I told you it was," Angel cut into his thoughts, adding a small laugh to her words that made him positively beam to hear.

"Fortunately I was able to reattach the head," he pointed at her as Amy walked down the stairs from the halls.

"Do you believe any of this stuff?" Rory looked at his wife.

"I was there," Amy sighed, having heard this story numerous times on top of living it.

Before the Doctor could so much as stick his tongue out at her, a small, beeping alarm went off and he ran around the console to Angel's side, quite possibly invading a bit of her personal space as he came close to her, his one hand coming to rest on the small of her back though he didn't seem to realize, as he looked at it with her, "Oh! It's the warning lights! I'm getting rid of those," he tapped the console, "They never stop!" and kicked it.

"Doctor!" Angel shouted.

"What?" he looked at her and she simply reached out and flicked a switch up, the alarms and lights turning off, "Oh," he grinned bashfully.

Amy looked at them a moment, smiling softly, though sadly, as she saw the soft look appear in the Doctor's eyes as he continued to look at Angel. She had moved past the anger at the Doctor for kissing River (though she was just itching to slap him still for it) and had just...she hadn't been able to stop thinking about the lake and Angel. Seeing Rory die a few adventures ago, seeing him drown, coming so close to losing him, and then to see the Doctor growing closer to Angel had only made her more aware that the Time Lady's time was limited. She wanted the Doctor to remember her, badly, had searched her brain to work out some way to get him to remember Angel like she had Rory, but...every time she saw him getting closer to Angel she felt hope he'd remember on his own. But it always made her wonder...how much longer would it take? Would he remember by the time the lake came around and lose Angel only moments after? She hoped not, that would kill Angel to have him back and then lose him again in a way. She hoped it would be soon but...it seemed like every time he came close to remembering, or he got closer to Angel, something would snap in him and he'd push it and her away even more. She was worried, so worried that, despite hers and Rory's promises, he might never remember.

So she turned away and headed towards the stairs to the under-console, unable to bear watching the Doctor smiling at Angel, knowing that he might not remember till it was too late and Angel had been lost, unable to bear looking at Angel and knowing that she and Rory might not be able to work out a way to save her without creating a massive paradox.

"Hey!" Rory ran down the stairs after Amy, "You're still thinking about it, aren't you?"

"Oh shh!" she hissed, looking at the pair by the console, needing to make sure they didn't hear her, "We saw her die."

"I know Amy," Rory took her hand, it was all he thought about too, that and what he knew that Amy didn't, the fate of their niece, "200 years in the future..."

"Yeah but it's still gonna happen."

"And we'll stop it," Rory promised, squeezing her hand, "Somehow, we'll find a way to do it."

"How?" Amy shook her head, River had made it seem so hopeless, like no matter what they couldn't change the future.

"I don't know," Rory admitted, "But we will, because Angel brought us there for a reason," he smiled when he saw Amy give him a confused look, "I've learned that Angel never pushes me somewhere for nothing. I might get there and not have a clue what to do, but she put me there because she knew I'd work it out, she knew I'd be able to do it. And we will Amy, I think..." he nodded, more sure of it, "I think she wanted us there so we could work out a way to help, because she knew we'd be able to work it out. She had faith in us, we just have to have faith in us too."

Amy gave him as soft look, smiling at him, "When did you get so wise?"

He smiled, "Well, I had a lot of time to read in 2,000 years," he joked.

Amy laughed and hugged him tightly, more reassured than she had been. He was right, she'd noticed Angel only ever gave Rory a push to do something when she knew it was something he could handle. Life never gave you anything you weren't strong enough to handle, it was all about finding the strength to face it. And she knew, she could face anything with Rory beside her.

"Knock knock," Angel called.

"Who's there?" the Doctor laughed, waiting for the rest of the joke.

"No," she shook her head and pointed at the doors, "Knock knock."

And suddenly there was a knock knock-knock knock knock at the doors. The Doctor spun around to look at it as Amy and Rory looked over as well, "What was that?" Amy walked up the stairs with Rory, joining Angel at the rail as she walked over to the edge to look at the doors.

"The door," the Doctor replied, walking over to it, "It knocked."

"Right…we are in deep space…" Rory reminded him. He'd learned a while ago to just ask questions or make comments, even if they sounded stupid. Because, in the end, it didn't matter if the Doctor thought they were, and the Doctor often did think they were, if he thought they were important he should say it. Because his opinion mattered just as much as Amy's and just as much as a Time Lord's.

And...Angel usually would comment or answer them in a way that made him feel less stupid for asking.

"Very, very deep," the Doctor agreed, doing the rhythmic knock again but adding a knock-knock at the end, "And somebody's knocking," he turned and opened the doors to see a cube of light floating there. Angel's eyes widened at the sight, recognizing the device, "Oh come here. Come here you scrumptious little beauty!"

He held out his hand and it flew right past him and into the TARDIS, past Amy, Rory, and Angel. It shot back at the Doctor, hitting him in the chest and knocking him to the floor, before flying back to hover around Angel, who reached out and took it gently, staring at it in awe.

"A box?" Rory looked at it.

"What is it?" Amy frowned.

The Doctor popped up and looked at Angel as she held the box before her, eyes wide as she looked at him, only for him to let out a cheer of, "We've got mail!"

~8~

The Doctor quickly set the controls while Angel held the box, still looking at it as though she couldn't believe it existed, "It's a T.L.E.M.S.," Angel explained to Rory and Amy, "Which stands for 'Time Lord Emergency Messaging System. TARDISes, in an emergency, can be used to collect our thoughts and put them into these," she held up the box, "Psychic containers that are programmed to go wherever you need them to, anywhere in time and space."

"Which means!" the Doctor flicked up a lever and ran over to them, "There's a living Time Lord still out there! And it's one of the good ones!" he bent down to type in coordinates.

"You said there weren't any other Time Lords left," Rory remarked softly, recalling what Angel had told him about the War when she'd told him about Mickey and the Daleks.

The Doctor popped up, "There are no Time Lords left anywhere in the Universe. But the Universe isn't where we're going. See that snake…" he pointed at a snake that appeared to be eating itself on the side of the box, "The mark of…"

"The Corsair," Angel smiled lightly.

"Fantastic bloke," the Doctor nodded, looking at Angel, "You knew him?"

"He was practically my neighbor!" she laughed, recalling the man, "We grew up together. He was always trying to get me away from the farm and just go out," she looked at the marking sadly, gently tracing the etching with her finger, "He was probably my best friend."

The Doctor eyed her curiously, a strange combination of feelings stirring within him. On one hand, he was happy that one of her friends might be alive, thrilled really, because he could see, even now, she was SO happy to think he might have survived. And that made his hearts swell to see her happy again, truly happy. He...he hadn't seen a real and true smile from her in...so long. He'd noticed this Angel was a bit more quiet and withdrawn than she used to be, but...she seemed alright now. And that was fantastic! He was also very curious because, from the way she described him, being such a long standing person in her life, he had to think that the Corsair might just be the love she had lost on Gallifrey that she'd mentioned after they helped Bracewell.

But...on the other hand…if that was the case, he actually found himself feeling quite...furious and angry and sad and hurt and...he hadn't the faintest idea why. He knew he didn't like Angel around other men, true, but if this was the man she had lost, the man she loved, he should do everything he could to get the man back and safe and...he just...all he felt like doing was, well, something a bit too violent to say. But he shook his head, his mind refusing to entertain the thought that the Corsair, of all the Time Lords in the world, was the one Angel loved. The man didn't deserve her, not that...not that he really deserved her either, even as a friend...

~oOo~

She honestly and truly felt confident for once, finally seemed to be able to believe that she deserved him, that she was good enough for him...

'You're SO wrong,' she heard him in her mind, realizing he'd heard everything and was gazing at her intensely, the Other Doctor not seeming to notice, 'Angel...I'M the one who doesn't deserve YOU,' he insisted, 'I still can't believe you picked me,' he whispered, his mental voice full of honesty, 'I still can't believe you said yes to being my Mate. I...' he shook his head, reaching out to take her hands, 'Every time I look at you, or dream, or wake...I can't believe this life I have is real. That you're real. That you exist and that...' he smiled, stroking her cheek, 'That you're mine. All mine...' he let out a happy little laugh, 'I feel like the luckiest man in the Universe because I have you. My good luck charm, eh?'

She blushed, looking down, but he gently lifted her chin up, 'I feel the same,' she told him, moving onto her toes to press a kiss to his lips, biting her lip as she pulled away with a wide grin.

~oOo~

Angel turned to Rory and Amy, "The Corsair, he had this tattoo," she tapped the etching, "In every regeneration 'cos he just never felt comfortable without it. Always said that the rest of us should do the same, have something, a marking or a necklace or something in each regeneration, so that we could always tell who was who by it," she blinked, "Which is rather clever..." sometimes it could be difficult to tell who someone was after regeneration, speaking to someone when they were on a different incarnation sometimes was confusing if you didn't know who it was.

"I suppose," the Doctor's lips pursed, that was rather brilliant actually, not that he'd admit to that, why would he want to make the man seem more clever to Angel? He closed his eyes, shaking his head, why did he care if Angel thought someone else was more clever than him? He shouldn't, it didn't matter, really, it really didn't if he wasn't the most clever man in Angel's eyes, really, it didn't, at all, not at all.

"I think he just liked to use it as an opening to talk about himself," Angel added, he was quite a bit full of himself at times.

"Or herself, a couple of times," the Doctor spun around to go to the other side of the console, "Oh ho! She was a BAD girl," he hit a lever and the controls sparked, the box jolting.

"Whoa!" Rory grabbed onto the console, "What is happening!?"

"We're trying to leave the Universe!" Angel warned him.

"How can you leave the Universe?" Amy frowned.

"With enormous difficulty," the Doctor replied, "Right now we're burning up TARDIS rooms to give us some wally!" he hit a few buttons and knobs, "Goodbye swimming pool. Goodbye scullery! Sayonara, squash court seven…" he hit a lever and the console sparked again.

"Doctor be careful!" Angel rushed over to help him get the box going safely.

Amy and Rory shouted as they flew through the Universe, the Doctor watching on the monitor as they headed straight towards a glowing green planet. They landed with a jolt, almost falling to the floor as the TARDIS settled and they straightened.

"Ok," Amy pushed her hair from her face, "Ok, where are we?"

"Outside the Universe," the Doctor grinned, "Where we've never ever been."

"What's wrong, girl?" Angel asked, slowly stroking the rotor as the lights started to dim.

"Is that meant to be happening?" Rory asked, trying to recall it from what Angel had told him about the TARDISes. She tried to do so little by little, every so often, give him a lesson or two about the box in general and how to operate different buttons and knobs on the console.

The Doctor pressed a few buttons and things, trying to work it out, "Well the power...it's draining. Everything's draining. But it can't! That's…that's impossible…"

Angel's face scrunched in discomfort as the TARDIS darkened almost completely.

"What is that?"

"It's like...the TARDIS matrix, her soul is just...missing," Angel breathed, absently rubbing her hearts a moment as she looked around. It wasn't quite as bad as when they'd gotten sucked into Pete's world the first time, the TARDIS wasn't dead, not at all. In fact...she swore she could almost feel the box was still alive, that she hadn't been completely destroyed, but the old girl's soul just...wasn't there...

"Where would it go?" the Doctor wondered what all of them were.

~8~

Idris sat up with a gasp while at the same time making the sound of the TARDIS wheezing every time she breathed out. Artron Energy escaped from her open mouth as the two others watched her. She looked down, lifting her hands to see them glowing with golden Vortex energy before her head snapped to the side.

"They're here!" she whispered, scrambling to her feet and rushing off.

"Idris!" the two others called, trying to stop her.

~8~

The TARDIS doors opened and the Doctor, Amy, Rory, and Angel stepped out and looked around at the magnificent...junkyard they'd landed in.

"So what kind of trouble's your friend in?" Amy looked at Angel.

"He was in a bind, a bit of a pickle, sort of distressed," the Doctor answered instead.

"Aww," Amy nudged him, "You can just say you don't know."

"That would be the day the Universe implodes," Angel joked.

"What is this place?" Rory looked around, "The scrap yard at the end of the Universe?"

"Not end of, outside of," the Doctor corrected, spinning around.

"How can we be outside the Universe? The Universe is...everything."

"Imagine a great bit soap bubble, with one of those tiny little bubbles on the outside."

"Ok…"

"But it's nothing like that."

Rory rolled his eyes at that.

"She's been drained completely," Angel sighed as she stroked the corner of the TARDIS, the only one of them still focused on the box as the Doctor had been more intent to look around at their surroundings, "Just look at her…"

"Wait," Amy called out as she examined a piece of junk, "So, we're in a tiny bubble Universe sticking to the side of the bigger bubble Universe?"

"Yeah…" the Doctor nodded as he looked at the TARDIS as well, "No…but if it helps, yes. This place is full of Rift Energy," he reassured Angel, having scanned the area with his sonic the moment they stepped out, "The TARDIS'll probably refuel just by being here," he turned back around and stepped away from the TARDIS and Angel, scooping up a pebble, "Now this place, what do we think eh?" he tossed it away, "Gravity's almost Earth normal…" he watched it fall as Rory walked away, "Air's breathable…" and hopped in a tub, "But it smells like…"

"Armpits."

"Armpits!"

"What about all this stuff?" Rory looked around, poking a makeshift lantern, "Where did this come from?"

"Oh, there's a Rift, now and then stuff gets sucked through it," he snapped his fingers, "Not a bubble! A plug hole. The Universe has a plug hole and we've just fallen down it."

"Thief!" they heard someone shout in the distance, "Thief! You're my thief!" and suddenly a woman in a light blue, Victorian style dress ran at them, pointing at the Doctor, while Uncle and the older woman chased after her.

"She's dangerous!" the woman warned, "Guard yourself!"

Idris ran straight over at the Doctor and put her hands on his shoulder, "Look at you! Goodbye! No, not goodbye, what's the other one?" and then she kissed him suddenly as he struggled to get away, "No! Wait!" she pulled back, "That's not right!"

And then she slapped him, hard...

And started laughing.

"Doctor!" Amy gasped as he literally spun around from the force of the slap.

"What was THAT for!?" the Doctor rounded on the woman.

"That's how you say hello!"

He frowned, "No it's not!"

"It. Is. When. You're. Angry!" she told him, whacking him on the chest and shoulders with each word.

"Why are you angry with me?" he leapt back away from her to avoid her hits, "What have I done?"

Before she could answer, Uncle pulled her back, away from them, "Watch out, careful, keep back from her!" the Doctor just ran a hand through his hair, unsettled as he kept his eye on Idris, "Welcome strangers, lovely, sorry about the mad person."

"I'm not mad," Idris insisted, "I'm…" she frowned, unable to speak, before catching sight of Angel, "Sister!" she actually squealed, glomping the poor confused Time Lady, "Sister! My sister! Oh I can't believe it's you!" and then proceeded to pepper Angel's face with kisses as well.

The two reached out and pulled her, struggling, away from a very startled Angel.

"Your sister?" the Doctor pointed at Idris as she walked past them and looked around.

Angel could only shake her head, no, that wasn't her sister. She'd seen her sister die right in front of her, her regeneration halted by another fatal blast of a Dalek. No...whoever this woman was...it wasn't her sister. But...she couldn't help but feel a sense of...familiarity with her despite that. But who was she?!

The Doctor eyed Idris a moment, "Why am I a thief? What have I stolen?"

"Me!" she exclaimed, "You're going to steal me, you have stolen me, you are stealing me. Oh! What am I talking to YOU for?" she huffed, "I'm cross with you," so she whipped around and linked an arm through Angel's instead, talking to the girl, "Tenses are difficult aren't they?"

"I suppose?" Angel shook her head, utterly confused as to what was going on.

"Oh, we are sorry my doves," the older woman remarked as Idris stepped away from Angel, now seeming captivated with examining the color of Amy's hair, "She's off her head," and then turn to stare at Rory intently.

"I know you," Idris blinked, tilting her head at the boy.

"Do...do you?" Rory frowned, not quite sure how that was possible. Last he'd checked he'd never been to a bubble Universe plug hole thing before.

"Yes, and I like you very much!" Idris cheered, leaping forward to hug Rory tightly, moving him side to side in her rather enthusiastic hug, "My sister adores you so I do too!" she beamed, pulling way, her hands on his shoulders, "And thank you."

Rory blinked, a bit startled at the sincerity and genuine quality in the woman's eyes and words, "For what?"

Idris smiled, "You take care of her," was all she said...

Before she spun around and moved over to a rock, leaning forward to look at the dirt caked onto it, poking it.

The older woman watched Idris for a moment before she shook her head, "They call me Auntie," she walked up and shook the Doctor's hand.

"And I'm Uncle," the man shook his hand as well, "I'm everybody's Uncle," he patted the Doctor's cheek, "Just keep back from this one," he nodded at Idris who had walked back over, "She BITES!"

"Do I?" she asked, "Excellent," and then lunged at the Doctor, pulling him to her and biting his nose. Everyone started shouting as the Doctor cried out in pain, Auntie and Uncle pulling Idris back while Angel just looked on, as though she knew the woman didn't mean any serious harm to the Doctor, with a curious expression on her face…that woman…she really did seem SO familiar…

"Ow!" the Doctor stepped back, "OW!"

"Biting's excellent!" Idris remarked as the Doctor rubbed his nose, "It's like kissing only there's a winner and you deserved that you know!" her eyes narrowed at him, "Times 11!"

"For what?!" the Doctor shook his head, completely at a loss as to why this woman was so cross with him.

"I'm sorry," Uncle cut in with a sigh, "She's doolally."

"No, I'm not doolally," Idris shook her head, "I'mmmmmm…I'mmmmm…it's on the tip of my tongue," her eyes widened, her mind springing to kissing once more, and recalling exactly who her thief had kissed last, "Which reminds me!" she turned and smacked the Doctor on the back of the head, twice, "Ooh I like this!" she laughed madly, "Do you like slapping?" she spun to Angel, "I like slapping, it's like the high-fives Rose taught you only much more fun!"

Angel blinked, going quite still in shock, "How do you know about Rose?"

"I know everything about you sister, about you and my thief," she shrugged, "Just like you know me. Who am I?" she asked Angel, "I'm not doolally, I'mmmmm" she sighed, huffed really, "Oh this is frustrating!" and looked at Angel again, "You know me sister, better than anyone..."

"You know her?" the Doctor frowned, pointing between her and Idris.

"I...I don't know," Angel shook her head, starting to rub it.

Idris's eyes widened at the action, "Are you getting a headache?" before frowning, "Has the Doctor given you one again?! Leave it to me!" and rounded on the Doctor, starting after him, a look on her face that actually frightened him to the point where he jolted back behind Amy and Rory who held their hands out, stopping Idris's possible attack while Auntie and Uncle quickly reached out to hold her back, Angel frowning as she eyed the woman.

"No!" Auntie called, "Idris, no!"

"Oh, but now you're angry," Idris looked at the Doctor, blinking, "No, you're not. You will be angry...SO angry..."

'...the little boxes will make him angry...'

...they stood before Idris, in a cell, the Doctor flicking the sonic on to unlock the door, allowing her out...

'...yes, of course I'm dying. I don't belong in a flesh body! Could blow the casing in no time...'

Idris tilted her head thoughtfully and glanced at Angel, "The little boxes will make him angry…"

Angel blinked, those had been the exact words that had been echoing in her mind. She glanced at Idris to see her smiling secretively at her.

"Sorry, the little what?" the Doctor stepped past Amy and Rory cautiously, "Boxes?"

Idris laughed and grabbed his chin, "Your chin is hilarious!" everyone just looked at her, she really was completely barmy wasn't she? She went from trying to kiss him to hit him to hug him to kill him to laughing at his chin? But she just looked at Rory, "It means the smell of dust after rain."

"What does?" Rory frowned.

"Petrichor."

"But I didn't ask."

"Not yet, but you will," and then she turned to Amy, "She's telling the truth, you know."

"I'm sorry?" Amy shook her head.

"You're hesitant to believe her. But she's telling the truth."

Amy's eyes widened as she cast a small, unnoticeable glance at Angel. She hadn't told the girl, but...deep down she had been a tiny, tiny bit hesitant to believe everything Angel had said about her and the Doctor. She could feel when Rory had gone that she was missing something, but, as Angel had mentioned, the Doctor hadn't seemed the same way…it made her question just a bit of it, a small bit, it was like she believed Angel 99.9 percent but there was just that tiny niggling doubt. She felt awful for disbelieving her friend even that small amount and, if this woman was right, Angel was telling the complete truth, which she had really suspected all along.

"No, no Idris," Auntie stepped forward, "You should have a rest."

"Rest, yes," Idris walked over towards Angel, "Good idea. I'll just see if there's an off switch," and then she fell forward, Angel catching her as she knew the woman was about to fall. Rory rushed over and helped her, gently turning to put her in the wheelbarrow behind Angel.

"Is that it?" Uncle asked, "She dead now? So sad."

"No, she's still breathing," Rory shook his head.

Uncle flinched, "Uh, Nephew," he turned to the Ood with green eyes as it silently approached them, "Take Idris where she cannot bite or hit people."

"Yes thank you," the Doctor smiled at him, grateful...when he spotted the Ood, "Oh, hello!"

"Oh, Doctor, what is that!?" Amy asked as she jumped at the sight of it.

"Oh, no, it's alright, it's an Ood," the Doctor remarked, "Ood's are good," Angel frowned, not so sure about this one, "Love an Ood," he walked towards it, "Hello! Ood! Can you talk?" he looked at the communication orb in its hand, "Oh, I see, it's uh, damaged. May I?" the Ood nodded and opened the top of it, "Might just be on the wrong frequency."

"Nephew was broken when he came here," Auntie told them, "Why he was half dead. House repaired him. House repaired all of us."

"What do you mean repaired?" Angel frowned at them.

But before Auntie could answer, the Doctor put the cap back on the orb and it glowed green. Suddenly the air was filled with voices, men and women calling out for help. A distinct male voice called out over them, "If you are receiving this message, please help me. Send a signal to the High Council of the Time Lords on Gallifrey. Help! I'm still alive! I don't know where I am. I'm on some rock-like planet…"

"Turn it off," Angel begged, tears in her eyes, recognizing the Corsair's voice, and a pit formed in her stomach. If he was on the planet, he'd have been the first one to greet them, and the box wouldn't have led them here if he wasn't there. She was starting to get a very, VERY bad feeling, "Please, turn it off."

The Ood quickly shut the ball off as Rory put an arm around Angel's shoulders, concerned, "What was that?" Rory looked at the Doctor, "Was that him?" he pointed at the Ood.

"No, no," the Doctor shook his head, equally as shaken as Angel, "It's uh, picking up something else…" he looked around, disturbed, more disturbed by the amount of voices that were playing, "But that's not possible. That's…that's…" he turned to Auntie and Uncle, "Who else is here? Tell me. Show me. Show me!" he advanced on them and they backed up.

"Doctor!" Angel reached out and grabbed his arm, stopping him.

"It's just what you see," Auntie gestured at her and Uncle, "Just the four of us. And the House. Nephew, will you take Idris somewhere safe where she can't hurt nobody."

"The House, what's the House?" the Doctor asked.

Auntie grinned, "House is all around you. My sweets," Uncle jumped up and down, "You are standing on him. This is the House. This world," she leaned forward, "Would you like to meet him?"

"Meet him?!" Rory exclaimed.

The Doctor held up a finger at Rory, "I'd love to."

Uncle gestured for them to follow, "This way, come. Please, come."

"What's wrong?" Amy whispered to Angel, seeing her reluctance to go, while the Doctor followed them without hesitation, "What are those voices?"

"Time Lords," Angel turned to them, "It wasn't just the Corsair," she glanced at the Doctor's retreating figure, "The Doctor thinks that, somewhere close by, there are more Time Lords."

Amy frowned, "And you don't?"

Angel bit her lip, "I'm not sure…there are, but there aren't…" she sighed before turning to follow on after the Doctor, Rory and Amy casting each other an uneasy look before they went after her.

~8~

Idris sat in a cage while Nephew kept guard, lying down, "I'm…I'm…" she sat up, "Big word, sad word," and put a hand on the bars, "Why is that word so sad? No, will be sad," she gasped, realizing what she'd said, "Will be sad," and then she blinked, tears in her eyes, "Oh sister...you'll be saddest of them all, won't you?" she closed her eyes, "My thief has made you so sad already."

~8~

Uncle led them into a room with the glowing green grate, "Come, come, come, you can see House and he can look at you…" he led the Doctor to the grate where he knelt down and looked through it.

"I see…this asteroid is sentient," he nodded.

"We walk on his back, breathe his air, eat his food…" Auntie began.

"Smell its armpits," Amy added quietly, earning a small smile from Angel.

Suddenly Auntie and Uncle stiffened and a voice that was not their own spoke through them, "And do my will," the Doctor popped up, Angel tensing, "You are most welcome travelers."

"Doctor…that voice, that's the, um, asteroid talking?"

"Yes," he nodded, "So you're like uh…" he stepped down, back from the grate, "Sea urchin," and crouched down to examine the floor, "Hard outer surface, that's the planet we're working on," and stood up, "Big squashy, oogly thing inside, that's you?"

"That is correct, Time Lord," the House replied.

"Ah! So you've met Time Lords before?"

"Many travelers have come through the Rift. Like Auntie and Uncle and Nephew. I repair them when they break."

"How?" Angel frowned, feeling like that was important, that it was...something they needed to know.

The Doctor though, just held up a finger to hold the question a moment, another one just a bit more important, "So there are Time Lords here then?"

"Not anymore," House sighed, "But there have been many TARDISes on my back in days gone by."

"Oh, well, there won't be any more after us. Me and Angel, Last Time Lords. Last TARDIS," he stepped over to Rory, Amy, and Angel.

"A pity. You're people were so kind," the Doctor walked over to Nephew as he entered the room, "Be here in safety Doctor. Rest. Feed if you will," Auntie and Uncle looked at each other, coming out of it.

"We're not actually gonna stay here are we?" Rory asked. He was growing very wary of this whole place, and if he'd learned one thing from Angel it was to trust himself, trust his instincts.

"Well it seems like a friendly planet," the Doctor commented, "Literally," he looked at Auntie and Uncle, "Mind if we poke around a bit?"

"You can look all you want," Auntie smiled, "Go. Look," she hobbled over to Amy and took her hair in her mismatched hands, "House loves you."

The Doctor glanced at the hands and clapped, "Come on then gang, we're just going to…uh…see the sights," he spun around and walked out, the three following him though Angel cast a wary glance back at the grate.

~8~

Idris stood in her cell, speaking some sort of gibberish when she gasped, "What was that?" she looked to her right, "Do fish have fingers?" and then left, "Like a nine year old trying to rebuild a motor bike…" she blinked, "What am I saying? Why am I saying that?" she looked ahead, "Thief? Sister?" she put her hands on the bars, "Where's my thief? Where's my sister! Sister! Thief!"

~8~

As the Doctor walked down the tunnels, Angel leading them a bit, she stopped, hearing something, "What is it?" Amy asked but Angel just put a finger to her lips and listened before giving the Doctor a look.

"So...as soon as the TARDIS is refueled we can go yeah?" Rory asked.

"No!" the Doctor turned around, "There are Time Lords here, I heard them, Angel heard them, and they need us."

"You told me about your people and you told me what you did…" Amy began.

"Yes, yes, but if they're like the Corsair, they're good ones and I can save them."

"And tell them you destroyed all the others?"

"I can explain. Tell them why I had to," he turned and walked off.

"You want to be forgiven."

He stopped and slumped, "Don't we all?" he sighed, looking at Amy.

"I forgave you," Angel told him gently, putting a hand on his shoulder, "I'm sure the others would too."

The Doctor smiled at her for that, putting his hand on hers on his shoulder and patting it in thanks. Amy took a breath and looked at them, "What do you need from me?"

The Doctor patted his coat, "My screwdriver, I left it in the TARDIS. It's in my jacket."

"You're wearing your jacket," Rory pointed out.

"My other jacket."

"You have two of those?"

"Ok," Amy sighed, "I'll get it but Doctor listen to me, don't get emotional ok? 'Cos it's like Angel said during the Byzantium, when you're angry that's when you make mistakes."

The Doctor saluted them, "Yes boss."

Amy rolled her eyes and turned to Angel, "Keep an eye on him."

"Don't I always?" she replied with a smile.

"Call you from the TARDIS," she tossed the Doctor her phone, "Rory look after them," Rory frowned, looking like he wanted to go after her.

"Rory," Angel called, "Look after her," Rory smiled at her and ran off after Amy.

"I told you to look after them!" Amy shouted when she noticed Rory behind her as she stepped out onto the junkyard.

"They'll be fine. They're Time Lords."

Amy stopped and looked at him in the doorway of the TARDIS, "It's just what they're called, it doesn't mean the Doctor actually knows what he's doing."

Rory laughed and followed her inside, "Yeah, but Angel'll make sure he's ok."

He would have stayed with Angel...if Amy hadn't been heading out alone. He didn't like leaving Angel alone, or without him, given he was the only one who knew about her pregnancy, but he didn't like Amy going anywhere alone either. Angel had the Doctor, and he knew the man would protect her, Amy would have had no one, and he didn't want her to be alone even on the short walk to the TARDIS.

He was her husband, it was his job to protect her.

He shut the door behind him as Amy walked over to the console and dialed a number for her phone, neither of them noticing the glowing green mist circling the box.

~8~

The Doctor followed Angel through the tunnels when the phone rang, "Hey," Amy greeted, "Uh, we're here, screwdriver's in your jacket yeah?"

The Doctor grinned and pulled out the sonic from his pocket as Angel glanced back at him, "Yeah, it's around somewhere. Have a good look," he turned it on.

~8~

The locks to the TARDIS bolted shut, "Did you do that?" Amy looked at Rory.

"I didn't do anything," Rory held up his hands, "Right, jacket…"

~8~

Angel walked into a room and stopped, looking around.

"Come on…" the Doctor looked around as well, "Where are you? Huh? Where are you all? Where are you?" he closed his eyes and sensed for the Time Lords, opening them when he felt Angel's warmth leave his side to see her standing before a small cupboard, staring at it but not making a move to open it. He frowned, walking over to her, looking at it, "Well they can't all be in here…" he mumbled, opening it...

Only to see a mess of about 10 boxes of light, all playing their distress calls, the same calls they'd heard on the surface.

Angel tensed, grabbing the Doctor's arm as Auntie and Uncle stepped up behind them.

Chapter Text

"Just admiring your Time Lord distress signal collection," the Doctor swallowed hard as he eyed the boxes, "Nice job. Brilliant job. Really thought we had some friends here…but this is what the Ood translator picked up, cries for help from the long dead," he turned around to face Auntie and Uncle, "How many Time Lords have you lured here the way you lured us? And what happened to them all?"

"House," Auntie began, "House is kind. And he is wise…"

"House repairs you when you break!" he advanced on them angrily, more angry at them for what they'd put Angel through than how they'd managed to trick him. He'd seen it, the look on her face when she'd seen the boxes, when she'd realized what he had, that the Time Lords who had been there were all gone, that complete and utter heartsbreak, and he couldn't bear that, he couldn't stand the thought that it was on her face, it killed him to see it, and now...now all he wanted to do was hurt them as they had Angel, "Yes I know!" he pulled out his sonic and flashed them, "But how does he mend you?" he looked at Uncle, "You've got the eyes of a 20 year old."

"Thank you," he smiled.

"No, no, I mean it. Literally your eyes are 30 years younger than the rest of you," he ripped off Uncle's hat to reveal one blue, elflike ear, "Your ears don't match. Your right arm is 2 inches longer than your left. And how's your dancing?! 'Cos you got two left feet. Patchwork people. You've been repaired and patched up so often I doubt there's anything left of what used to be you," he put the sonic away and grabbed Auntie's large arm, "I had an umbrella like you once."

"Oh, now, it's been...it's been," Auntie held up her arm and Angel, who had turned to keep an eye on the Doctor, flinched, seeing the snake tattoo of the Corsair on the woman's arm, "A great arm for me this…"

The Doctor grabbed it, "Corsair…"

"He was a strapping big bloke, wasn't he Uncle?"

"Big fellow," Uncle nodded.

"I got the arm. And um, Uncle got the spine and kidneys."

Angel closed her eyes, holding back the tears, realizing her friend had been torn apart, hacked into pieces, to make parts for the two people before her. She tried to swallow, feeling the bile rise in her at the thought, no one deserved to have that fate.

"Kidneys."

"You gave us hope, you gave me hope, and then you took it away," the Doctor glared at them, "That's enough to make anyone dangerous. God knows what it will do to me. Basically…RUN!" Auntie fled.

"Poor old Time Lord," Uncle started to back away, "Too late. House is too clever," and then he turned and left.

The Doctor glared after them, watching them go...when he heard a sniffle. He blinked and turned to see Angel standing there with her eyes squeezed tight, trembling as she bit her lip, trying not to cry, "Angel..." he breathed, making his way to her.

"They're gone," she whispered, a crack in her voice, "All of them, the Corsair..."

"I'm sorry," the Doctor swallowed, "I know he must have been...close to you," he shifted, not sure what to say, "To lose him again, like on Gallifrey..."

Angel shook his head, "He wasn't...him."

"Oh," the Doctor nodded, "Right, good," he winced, that wasn't good at all! He certainly felt it was good that the man wasn't her love, but...it wasn't good that he had died, "I mean...I'm sorry."

"He died," she said, as though unable to believe it was real, trying to breathe though she felt like something was pressing on her chest, on her lungs. Her best friend, he'd been alive at some point, he'd been alive and she hadn't sensed anything...and he'd died, on this planet, alone, torn apart, chucked away like trash...she felt disgusted, horrified, and she knew he wasn't the only one House had used to mend Auntie and Uncle, there were at least 10 other boxes there, at least 10 other Time Lords had suffered the same fate, "I felt it too," she looked up at him, his hearts breaking at seeing the tears falling from her silver eyes, "I knew it, I knew he was gone, but...I hoped..." she shook her head, "And I shouldn't have," she shook her head even more as though trying to get a lesson into her mind, "I shouldn't have hoped...I never should..."

His eyes widened, alarmed to hear her speaking such a way, and he reached out, taking her head in his hands, cupping her cheeks as he lifted her head to look at him, "Don't say that," he told her, a desperation in his voice, "Don't ever."

"Why not?" she gave a defeated shrug, "What does hope do but hurt you in the end?"

That was all it did, all it had ever done for her. She hoped the Doctor would remember her, and it just disappointed her and killed her each time he didn't, each time he grew farther away from her and closer to River. She hoped the baby would live and be ok, but in a way, every day it grew bigger she knew it would hurt that much more if she ever lost it. She hoped that the Corsair would be alive, and now he was gone too...what was the point in it all?

"Trust me," he whispered, feeling tears prickling his own eyes, "It hurts even more to be without hope," she looked at him, frowning when she saw him just smiling at her, "I had no hope Angel, none at all, after the War. I had nothing. But I have it now and, looking back, that sort of existence..." he shook his head, "That was the most painful time of my life. Hope," he gently wiped her tears away with his thumbs, "Hope sustains us, hope makes us better people, hope...lights up our lives. Without hope we're just empty shells, struggling, living in darkness, but hope," he let out a breath, "I don't know what I'd be if I'd never found it again."

"Rose," she guessed, knowing the girl was his first companion after the War, she had to be the one who gave him...

"No," he shook his head, wiping her last tear, "YOU," he admitted, "You give me hope Angel, finding you...I..." his voice dropped to a whisper, "I don't hurt anymore. Everyday...my life is brighter with you here, better, more hopeful...because of you."

She blinked, staring up at him, he hadn't let go of her face yet, he was just staring at her...no...into her eyes, actually SEEING her for once, with this soft smile on his face, his thumbs still stroking her cheeks though he didn't seem aware of it, "Me?" she breathed.

He nodded, letting out a small laugh, "That man I was after the War...he died the moment I met you. You make me better, Angel. Hope makes everything better, endurable," he offered her a smile, "Don't ever lose it."

She sniffled just one more time, feeling her tears stop at his words, she hadn't known he still felt that way about her. The last him, even the him before, had mentioned at times that she was the light in his darkness, that she made things better, easier, calmer, more full of life and color and light. She honestly hadn't known that this him still felt that way, that he still saw the world the same way because of her. It was...nice...to know that, it...it DID give her hope once more, that...something was coming back to him or something was growing between them again. Yes, River was in the background, always there as a lingering nightmare to her, but...ever since she'd mentioned what happened with the Silence, she'd seen it in his mind, his...thoughts turning more cautious about River Song. He was still intrigued by her, yes, curious, and she knew that was dangerous for him because he could sometimes become a bit obsessive by things like that, but...none of his thoughts ever portrayed River the way he'd just described.

"Ok?" he asked, searching her eyes, feeling like he was seeing her thoughts shifting through them, seeing her calming down, seeing the hope reenter her eyes once more, which made him breathe a sigh of relief to see, the day Angel lost hope, he was sure, would be the day the Universe ended.

"Yeah," she nodded, swallowing.

"Brilliant," he smiled...

And then Amy's phone rang.

But this time, Angel was quite shocked by his reaction. He didn't leap away from her like he had a few other times, he didn't flinch back or jerk his hands as though burned, he didn't even widen his eyes or freeze as though shocked he was touching her. In fact...he just...sighed, dropping his head a moment as though annoyed that the phone had gone off before he stepped back, lowering his hands slowly to take Amy's phone from his pocket, seeming almost...reluctant that he had to move. She blinked a few times, eyeing him, that was different, though she wasn't sure if it was just the fact no one was there to see him that had made the difference possible.

"No sonic screwdriver," Amy said as soon as the Doctor answered, "Also the doors seem to have locked behind us. Rory thinks there's a perfectly innocent explanation but I think you lied to us…"

"Time Lord stuff, needed you out of the way," he replied, and really it was always better when it was just him and Angel.

"What we're not good enough for your smart new friends?"

"Doctor…" Angel called. He looked over at her to see her frowning, as though realizing something, "She said the little boxes would make you angry."

He blinked, "How could she know?"

"Doctor what are you talking about?" Amy yelled.

"Stay put, stay exactly where you are!"

"We don't have much choice…" he hung up before Amy could finish and ran out of the room, Angel leading him down the tunnels and into the room where Idris sat with her eyes closed, in the cage, the same cage she'd seen the woman in in her vision.

"How did you know about the boxes?!" he demanded, "You said they'd make me angry, how did you know?"

"Ah," Idris smiled, "It's my thief and my sister."

"Who are you?!"

"Hmmm," she opened her eyes to see Angel staring at her intently, frowning, as though on the cusp of working something out, "It's about time."

"I don't understand. Who are you?"

"Do you really not know me? Either of you?" she eyed Angel a moment longer, starting to smile, knowing her sister was on the verge of sensing just WHO she was, "Just because they put me in here? Well," she continued, "I don't suppose YOU would realize," she turned her gaze on the Doctor, "You don't notice a lot of things do you?" she tilted her head, "Have you not noticed how little you see anymore? Isn't that odd to you?"

She had had time to gather her thoughts while in the cage, sort through her feelings, and while she still felt extreme anger, frustration, and annoyance with her thief, she had better control over that...for the moment at least. The second he did anything to hurt her sister, she'd give him a wallop again! But right now, there was something more important to do than hit him, she would leave that to the human members of her family when they discovered the Doctor's actions, right now she needed to get through to him, she needed him to see what he was doing, what was being done to him, and the affect it was having on Angel. She had to be careful though, the moment he realized who she was, which was any second now, anything she said to push him towards Angel, to bring up what he'd forgotten, he would believe to be mad ramblings or confusion from the transfer she'd endured or her own fondness for Angel influencing her or any number of other excuses that would keep him from seeing what he'd forgotten.

He did that a lot didn't he? Come up with excuses for why something happened or what someone said or some thought or another? Oh his amnesia ran very deep didn't it? Very thorough job really, to get his mind to actively push even the notion of having forgotten something away and make up lies to cover it up and keep it forgotten.

Clever, clever, clever.

"They said you were dangerous," the Doctor stated, "It's a good thing they put you in there, if you had tried to hurt Angel..."

"I would never!" she jumped to her feet, feeling a flash of anger course through her, "I would never ever hurt my sister, unlike YOU," she huffed.

"I wouldn't hurt her either!" the Doctor defended, feeling a similar flash of anger at her accusations that he'd ever want to hurt Angel.

"Really?" she scoffed, "Now who's being Mr. Thick Thick Thickity Thick Face from Thicktown, Thickania?! You!" she rolled her eyes, "And I wasn't talking about the cage, stupid," she leaned against the bars, "In here," she put her hands on the bars, "They put ME in here."

"Doctor…" Angel began, walking forward a bit to stand before Idris, cutting off another bout of yelling, "…she's the TARDIS," she breathed, staring at Idris with wide eyes, feeling it in her bones.

"The TARDIS?" the Doctor looked at her with a frown, not believing it.

"Time and Relative Dimensions in Space," Idris recited, "Yes, that's it. Names are funny. It's me, I'm the TARDIS," she smiled at Angel, "Oh, I knew you would recognize me, sister. Because you're special, more special than you realize," she eyed Angel softly, "I was right to give you the power of the Vortex."

Angel blinked, a bit stunned, before realizing...the TARDIS was talking! This might be her only chance to find out why that had all happened. She knew, she'd gotten the feeling that it had been meant for her, that the Vortex had been a gift she'd always been meant to have, but...WHY? Well, she supposed there was only one way to find out, "Why did you?"

Idris reached out and took her hand, a spark of golden energy igniting between them, "You were never like the other Time Lords. You thought that made you less than them, but truly it only made you so much more. You were the only one I trusted to hold the Vortex and not use it for a foul purpose," she smiled at her, "You had, and still have, such a human soul, you didn't want for power. And in not wanting it, you would never abuse it."

Angel looked down a moment at that, she...hadn't really thought of it like that. The Doctor had always said the Vortex should have turned the wielder into a vengeful god, but it...hadn't. A human using it, well, she'd said so in the Vault, that Donna's humanity kept her from being consumed or corrupted by the Vortex, she hadn't realized though that perhaps she'd always been...uncorrupted. Idris was right, she hadn't wanted the power, she'd had to beg the TARDIS to take it back after facing the Beast because she DIDN'T want it, she didn't use it for trivial things, she used it to help when she could. It was...nice to know that all those things she had felt, all the inferiority with the other Time Lords, had actually...made her better for it.

Idris smiled, seeing where Angel's mind had gone, being the TARDIS she still had a psychic connection to her Pilots. She and Angel were quite similar in a way, Angel always made her companions better people, stronger people, by putting them in positions and situations that she KNEW they could handle, even if they didn't know it at the time, and in having faith in them, gave them faith in themselves as well. She did that with Angel too, she gave her things and put her in situations that Angel hadn't thought herself capable of facing, till she faced them. The Vortex was a large example of that. She just...Angel was so special, had such potential, she just wanted to see her sister thrive, something her thief seemed to have stunted at the moment.

The Doctor shook his head, "You can't be the TARDIS," he still wasn't able to believe it, to get past that detail, "You're a bitey mad lady who hits people for no reason..."

"I HAD a reason," Idris cut in.

"The TARDIS is up and downy stuff in a big blue box," the Doctor continued as though she hadn't said anything.

"Yes that's me," Idris glanced at him, "A Type 40 TARDIS. I was already a museum piece when you were both young," she looked at Angel with a soft smile, moving her hand from holding Angel's to brushing a lock of hair behind the girl's ear, "And you always took such good care of me on Gallifrey when you worked to refresh me and my sisters. You spent more time repairing and restoring me than the others," she tilted her head, "Your father always asked you why you wasted your time on an old piece of junk, but you said she isn't old…

"She isn't old and she isn't junk," Angel breathed, "She's beautiful and one day she'll be a treasure."

Idris beamed, recalling that that had been the same word Angel had used to describe her when she'd first entered the TARDIS in Van Statten's museum, even then the girl had recognized her, "And you did work on me. You made me beautiful again, tirelessly fixing everything about me, every single day…" she frowned a bit in memory, "Till, one day, you left me unlocked me and said goodbye. I don't even think you realize why. But, that very night, a man walked in and laid a hand on my console…" she looked up at the Doctor, "And said…"

"You were the most beautiful thing I had ever known," the Doctor whispered, staring in utter shock at the two women before him.

He had no idea Angel had been the one helping to restore the museum pieces on Gallifrey, repairing what would one day be his TARDIS. It did explain though why the TARDIS seemed more fond of her than any other person, human or Time Lord, that he'd taken with him on his travels, and why the box listened to her. It seemed they were far more connected than he realized. The fact that Angel, in leaving the box unlocked that one night, one night out of all the nights she worked on it it seemed, had allowed him access to the box. If not for that...the TARDIS might not be HIS TARDIS and all his adventures, every single one, would be changed. He felt his head spinning at that revelation, right from the start...it was almost like...he and Angel were connected.

The TARDIS had, for all intents and purposes, been Angel's before it was his. He'd known there was a possibility that, given her family's profession on Gallifrey, that her ancestors at least had grown his box, raised it, adapted it, but to find out that SHE had been the one to work on it, repair it, take care of it, right before him? Well it was no wonder she knew how to fix it, what the different noises meant, the different hums, he could only imagine how many years she'd spent on that box in particular, and then he'd gone and shot all her work to hell, breaking the Chameleon Circuit on the first trip...but still, Angel, and the TARDIS, seemed to delight in fixing what he broke, and now he knew why. It was familiar to them both.

He felt his hearts beat quickly at that revelation as well, the TARDIS had connected him and Angel together before they'd even met. He wondered what that had to mean in the scope of the Universe, that they would be connected through that particular TARDIS out of all of them. What did it mean for him and Angel even? That was just...a hell of a coincidence, it wasn't like fate or some other force was trying to tell them something.

"And then you stole me," Idris continued, pulling him from his thoughts, "And I stole you."

"I borrowed you," he shook his head, focusing.

"Borrowing implies the eventual intention to return the thing that was taken. What makes you think I would ever give you or my sister back?" she wouldn't, not ever, they were a pair the Doctor and Angel, she'd seen it even before they'd been born, she'd seen this coming, it was why she had...

"You're the TARDIS?" the Doctor repeated.

Idris blinked, looking at him, her thoughts back on the present, "Yes."

"MY TARDIS?!"

"I am not YOUR TARDIS," Idris rolled her eyes, "I am yours AND Angel's," she stated, "But you are most certainly my Pilots," she smiled, "Oh! We have now reached the point in the conversation where you open the lock," she let go and stood back as Angel did the same.

The Doctor glanced at Angel, hesitating to let the mad slapping woman out.

"She's seen this happen Doctor," Idris called.

"I did," Angel nodded.

He frowned, "Get behind me," he offered, not feeling comfortable letting Idris out till he knew Angel was safe, even if it was the TARDIS, she had still HIT him, he wasn't going to risk her mood changing and have her go after Angel as well.

Angel glanced at Idris who, instead of appearing annoyed with the implication that she'd hit Angel, was smiling at the Doctor's attempt to be protective. She looked at Angel and nodded, the girl moving to stand beside the Doctor more so than behind him. He pulled out his sonic and flicked it at the cage door. Idris stepped out, pausing a moment before rushing at them. The Doctor tensed...only for Idris to shove him to the side and hug Angel tightly.

"Oi!" he huffed, pouting at that, though a part of him was happy that Idris wasn't a man and hugging Angel, and he had to smile a bit when he noticed Angel smiling as she hugged the woman back. That more than made up for him nearly being thrown to the ground by a woman-TARDIS.

Idris just turned to look at him, her arm still around Angel, "Are all people like this?"

"Like what?" he frowned.

"So much bigger on the inside. I'm…" she dropped her arm and stepped away from them both, frustrated, "Oh what is that word? It's so BIG, so complicated, and it's so sad…"

"But why?" the Doctor shook his head, "Why pull the living soul from the TARDIS and pop in a tiny human head? What does it want you for?"

"Oh he doesn't want me," Idris walked back towards them...and sniffed Angel's hair before doing the same to the Doctor's collar.

"How do you know?" the Doctor sniffed himself, self-conscious.

"House eats TARDISes," Angel and Idris said at the same time.

"House what?" he looked between them, "What do you mean?"

"You really don't listen do you?" Idris stared at him as Angel shrugged at his question, "You never do."

"I listen all the time, thank you very much," he crossed his arms.

"Fine, you listen, but you don't HEAR people," Idris sighed, "They talk all the time but you never hear what they say. And you really should. It's important."

The Doctor frowned at that, feeling like Idris was trying to tell him something, "What is?"

"Everything," Idris answered "Everything is important, people wouldn't speak if what they had to say wasn't important," she leaned in to whisper to him, "And what my sister says is most important of all."

"I know," he told her, just as quietly, when Angel spoke...he listened, "But what do you mean by House eats TARDISes?"

"Something we heard you say," Idris stepped back, walking to Angel once more.

"When?" he followed her over.

"In the future."

"House eats TARDISes?"

"Oh there you go," Idris put her thumb on his mouth to keep him quiet, "What are fish fingers?"

"When do I say that?" he asked through his closed mouth.

"Any second," Angel smiled, feeling it coming.

"Of course!" the Doctor pulled Idris's hand off his mouth...and promptly let go of it as he started pacing, Idris looking at her hand a moment before smiling, knowing why he hadn't held onto it, "House feeds on Rift Energy and TARDISes are bursting with it and not raw…lovely and cooked, processed food. Mmm, fish fingers."

"Do fish have fingers?" Idris wondered.

"But you can't eat a TARDIS. It would destroy you, unless…unless…"

"Unless the TARDIS matrix was deleted first," Angel realized.

The Doctor laughed and looked at Idris, "So it deleted you?"

"A lot of things can be deleted Doctor," she said sadly, "Not just a matrix, you've seen it, people can be, information can be," she eyed him, "Memories can be," before sighing, "But House can't just delete a TARDIS consciousness, that would blow a hole in the Universe, so it pulls out the matrix, sticks it into a living receptacle and then it feeds off the remaining Artron Energy," she gasped and looked at Angel, "You were about to say all that…I don't suppose you have to now."

"I sent Amy and Rory in there!" the Doctor realized, "They'll be eaten! Amy!" he pulled out the phone and ran out of the room, "Amy! Rory!"

Angel moved to head after him...when Idris grabbed her arm, "You really shouldn't run in your condition," Angel's eyes widened at that before Idris let her go, "Be careful."

Angel swallowed hard and ran out after the Doctor, a hand on her stomach. She caught up with him as he raced through the junkyard, shouting, "Get the hell out of there!" into the phone.

"Doctor, something's wrong," Amy called.

"Yeah, it's House, he's after the TARDIS. Just get out, both of you!"

"We can't! You locked the door, remember?"

"But I've unlocked it."

"You bloody well haven't!" they could see the TARDIS doors, the lights going out in the windows, "Doctor, I don't like this."

The Doctor tossed Angel the sonic as she aimed it at the TARDIS, trying to unlock it but it didn't work. They ran to the door the Doctor snapping his fingers but nothing, "Open! Open!"

"Doctor!"

"OPEN THIS DOOR!"

~8~

Amy turned to Rory, the phone going dead, "Rory, hold my hand."

~8~

"Amy!" Angel shouted as she banged on the door, trying to use the Vortex to open it, but the green glow seemed to be too powerful, "Rory!"

The TARDIS disappeared and the Doctor grabbed the phone, "Amy? Amy can you hear me?" there was nothing but static. He flipped the phone closed, "Ok, right, I don't…I really don't know what to do…" he smiled at Angel, "That's a new feeling…" before slapping himself in the head and running back to where Idris was with Angel.

~8~

"Listen," Rory turned to Amy as the TARDIS hurtled back to their Universe, "Whatever happens at least we're together. And we're in the TARDIS, so we're safe."

"You're half right," House replied, "I mean, you are in the TARDIS. What a great adventure. I should have done this half a million years ago. So, Amy, Rory, why shouldn't I just kill you now?"

~8~

"It's gone," the Doctor burst back into the room.

"Eaten?" Idris looked up.

"No," Angel shook her head, "House has got control of it."

The Doctor started pacing, "But why?"

"It's time for us both to go Uncy," Auntie remarked as they wrapped themselves in blankets, "Together."

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, go?" the Doctor turned to them, "What do you mean 'go?' Where are you going?"

"Well we're dying my love," she walked towards a chair, "It's time for Auntie and Uncle to pop off."

"I'm against it," Uncle stated.

"It's your fault, isn't it sweets? 'Cos you told House it was the last TARDIS. House can't feed on 'em if there's no more coming."

Uncle sat down, "So now he's off to your Universe to find more TARDISes."

"It won't," Angel whispered.

"Oh, it'll think of something," Auntie smiled...before keeling over. The Doctor ran over to her, scanning her with the sonic.

"Actually," Uncle stood, "I feel fine…" and then he keeled over as well.

"You're not dead!" the Doctor shouted as he jumped over to Uncle, "You can't just die!"

"We need to go to where I landed, Doctor, quickly," Idris stood up.

"Why?!"

"'Cos we are there in three minutes. We need to go…now!" she ran for the door, only to get a few feet when a sharp pain struck her in the side, "Ow!" she turned to him, "Roughly how long do these bodies last?"

The Doctor scanned her with the sonic, "...you're dying..."

"Yes, of course I'm dying," she snatched the sonic from him, "I don't belong in a flesh body! Could blow the casing in no time," she looked at him, "No, stop it, don't get emotional. That's what the orangey girl says. 'Anger is the shortest distance from a mistake,' my sister's brilliant. You're the Doctor…" she held out the sonic, "Focus."

"On what?! How? I'm a mad man with a box without a box!" he snatched the sonic and put it away, "I'm stuck on the plug hole at the end of the Universe in a stupid old junkyard and..."

"Oi!" Idris glared, marching up to him, "Don't. Yell. At. My. Sister!" she said, whacking him on the arm with each word, "You be nice to her!" she pointed warningly at him, "A hard concept, I know, that River Song woman is rubbing off on you in a bad way!"

"What are you talking about?" the Doctor shook his head, flabbergasted, "I'm never not-nice to Angel!"

Idris rolled her eyes, "If you were always-nice, she wouldn't have wanted to leave!"

The Doctor swallowed hard at that, glancing at Angel to see her looking away and back at Idris, "Oh," he murmured.

"Yes. Oh. Your actions have consequences, Doctor," Idris told him, "ALL your actions, no matter if you're aware of them or not, keep that in mind. You MUST keep that in mind," she added more softly, because she knew exactly what his actions would lead to, for Angel, for her future, for...for the baby.

The Doctor nodded, looking down before he turned to Idris once more...when he caught sight of the debris over her shoulder and a thought struck him, "Oh..."

"Oh what?" Angel eyed him curiously.

"We're not," he started to smile.

"Not what?"

"'Cos it's not a junkyard, don't you see?" he looked between them, "It's not a junkyard."

"You can't seem to hold a thought can you?" Idris shook her head sadly at him, "You just...brush it aside, you always do, THIS you, still..." and he didn't even seem to notice, though he DID frown at her words.

"If it's not a junkyard, what is it?" Angel asked.

"It's a TARDIS junkyard, come on!" he clapped his hands and ran past Idris, Angel following, him when he suddenly stopped and spun to face the woman-TARDIS, "Oh, sorry, uh, do you have a name?"

"700 years, finally he asks," Idris remarked, "Not as polite as Angel are you?" she tilted her head, "Or do you just not care? You don't seem to care about a lot of things you should."

"Of course I care," he huffed, indignant, though not seeming to catch what Idris was trying to say, "So what do we call you?"

"Don't you call me…'sexy?'" she blinked.

"…only when we're alone," he whispered.

"We are alone."

"Angel's right there," he nodded at her.

Idris rolled her eyes at him, "Yes, and Angel calls me 'girl,' don't you?"

Angel smiled at them both, "Compromise," she walked forward and took Idris's hand, "Come on sexy girl!" Idris laughed as Angel pulled her out of the room, the Doctor smiling as he dashed off after them, his girls.

~8~

"Corridors," House murmured, "I have corridors. So much to learn about my new home. But you haven't answered my question, children."

"Er, question?" Rory looked around.

"You remember. Tell me why I shouldn't just kill you both now?"

"Well...because...Rory, why?" Amy looked over.

"Because..." Rory fished for an answer, "Killing us quickly wouldn't be any fun? And you need fun, don't you? That's what Uncle and Auntie were for, wasn't it? Someone to make suffer. I had a PE teacher just like you. You need to be entertained...and killing us quickly wouldn't be entertainment."

"So entertain me," House said, "Run!"

Amy and Rory took off, running up the steps and deeper into the TARDIS.

~8~

The Doctor scanned the junkyard, looking for something in particular, when he jumped onto a small hill overlooking a desolate wasteland, Angel and Idris coming to stand beside him, Idris between them, "Valley of half-eaten TARDISes," the Doctor said, "Are you thinking what I'm thinking?"

"I'm thinking all of my true sisters are dead," Idris replied, "That they were devoured, and that we are looking at their corpses," Angel reached out and took her hand, offering silent comfort. She could empathize with seeing her sister die before her eyes, with seeing her body lying on the ground, unmoving, the soul just...gone, knowing you'd never see her again.

"Ah, sorry, no, I wasn't thinking that…"

"No," Angel sighed, "You want to try and build a working TARDIS console from bits and pieces of hundreds of different models," Angel remarked, looking at him, not really caring if he got suspicious of her reading his mind or not, that was really the only reason she knew what he was thinking. For all she knew, he could have tried to make a retractor beam of some sort and pull the TARDIS back, but right now...she just wanted to get Idris away from the hill, away from seeing all of her sisters lying there. She felt devastated just looking at it, all those TARDISes, all those beautiful creatures her family had nurtured, SHE had nurtured, dead, empty vessels, just...left there. It wasn't right and she could feel tears springing up to witness how little respect House had for any form of life. TARDISes were amazing...and now they'd been reduced to nothing but rubbish.

It was heartsbreaking.

"And you don't care that it's impossible," Idris added.

"It's not impossible," he grinned, "As long as we're alive. Rory and Amy need us. So yeah, we're gonna build a TARDIS."

Idris sighed, "Well it's a good thing you have Angel then."

"It's always a good thing to have Angel," he beamed, "My good luck charm," before he looked at them, "Why exactly is it good this time though?" he looked at the girl in question.

Angel just shook her head fondly at him, "I've been around TARDISes my whole life, Doctor," she reminded him, "And I have built a working console from quite a few different models."

"Excellent!" he grinned before running down the slope, towards the debris.

Idris tilted her head, "How do you manage to contain the urge to slap him?" she asked Angel.

All she had wanted to do, it seemed every time she looked at him, was want to slap him. Slap some sense into him, slap him till the memories were knocked back into place, till he remembered Angel. It was SO hard to just talk to him, to pretend like she wasn't furious with him. She had managed to gather most of her thoughts, get everything straight, had been able to contain that urge for a while, but the longer she was around him, the more she wanted to just hit him, every time he looked at Angel without that sparkle in his eye that she knew killed Angel to have missing, she wanted to whack him. It was hard to look at him and not feel angry for all the hurt Angel had endured, all that she'd suffered from his actions.

Angel just laughed, she knew a lot of people felt that urge, "Come on," she took Idris's hand, the two of them carefully making their way down the slope after him.

~8~

Amy and Rory ran down the corridors as House's voice followed them, "So, are we having fun yet? I'm rather enjoying the sensation of having you running around inside me," Amy stopped with a cry, almost falling down a shaft, when Rory pulled her back, "I have turned off the corridor anti-gravs, so do be careful."

"Come on!" Amy grabbed Rory's hand and they made their way around the thin ledge and into another hall. She reached out and pulled Rory into the next corridor as he slipped, the two of them running off.

~8~

Idris stood, examining a piece of tech, while the Doctor tried to pull a large wall along the ground, Angel was a few feet away, kneeling in a pile of rubbish, sorting through the bits they would need, "Bond the tube directly into the tacking diverter…" Idris called over to the Doctor.

"Yes, I have actually rebuilt a TARDIS before you know, I know what I'm doing," he remarked.

"You're like a nine year old trying to rebuild a motor bike in his bedroom, and you never read the instructions."

"I always read the instructions."

"Yes, and that's why the manual ended up in a supernova," Angel looked at him.

Idris smiled and looked at the Doctor, "There's a sign on my front door, you have been walking past it for 700 years, what does it say?"

"That's not instructions!" he grumbled.

"'Police telephone," Angel recited, "Free for use of public, advice & assistance obtainable immediately, officers and cars respond to all calls…'"

Idris put a hand over her mouth and looked at the Doctor, "There's an instruction at the bottom, what does it say?"

"Pull to open," he recalled.

"Yes and what do you do?"

"I push!"

"Every single time, 700 years, police box doors open out the way."

The Doctor threw down the chains he was using to tug the wall and stalked over to her, "You know, I think I have earned the right to open my front doors anyway I want!"

"Your front doors? Have you any idea how childish that sounds?"

He turned and stalked away, much to Angel's amusement, it seemed Idris, in trying NOT to slap the Doctor, had settled for irritating him, "You are not my mother!"

"And you are not my child."

He spun around, "You know, since we're talking with mouths, not really an opportunity that comes along very often, I just want to say, you know, YOU," he pointed at her, causing her to lean back, "Have never been very reliable!"

Angel snorted at that, if only he knew.

"And you have?" Idris retorted, if only he knew how many times he'd let Angel down in the last 2 years or so...

"You didn't always take me where I wanted to go," he turned and walked away.

"No," Angel agreed as she stood up and took Idris's hand, "But she always took us where we needed to go."

~oOo~

'I will never give up on you,' he swore to her, 'The adventures...they don't matter to me. The ONLY thing that matters is you and getting you better.'

He sighed, it was one thing he didn't understand, why the TARDIS would bring them there and not to Zog. The TARDIS loved Angel as much as he did, he knew it, he could see it in how the box seemed to interact with her. It didn't make sense that the box would bring them there instead of Zog when, he was sure, Zog would be better for her.

'You may not always know why,' Angel murmured, which made him frown, even her mental voice had a bit of weakness in it, 'But she always takes us where we need to go,' she looked around, 'And...it's peaceful here.'

He glanced around again and had to admit it was rather peaceful. The air was clear and fragrant and cool, perhaps it would do her some good to be there instead, a nice calm day in the 1920s. Maybe that was just what they needed. Alien planets, he'd learned, seemed to be full of dangers, but the Earth, for the most part, if it wasn't Christmas, was a bit more calm.

~oOo~

He stopped in thought, "She did…" he smiled, "Look at us, talking!" he spun around and ran back to them, "Wouldn't it be amazing if we could always talk, even when you're stuck inside the box?"

"But you know I'm not constructed that way," Idris remarked, "I exist across all space and time and you talk and run around and bring home strays…" he waved her off as she lurched forward a bit, Angel catching her.

"You're ok?" he asked her, reaching out to put a steadying hand on her shoulder as well.

"One of the kidneys has already failed. It doesn't matter, we need to finish assembling the console."

"Using a console without a proper shell…" he whistled, "It's not going to be safe."

"This body has about 18 minutes left to live, the Universe we're in will reach absolute 0 in 3 hours. Safe is relative."

The Doctor nodded and turned back to the wall, "Then we need to get a move on eh?"

Idris placed a hand on her side and turned to resume gathering tech, kneeling by Angel's side and helping her. Angel was silent a moment before quietly asking, "Do you know what the Doctor's forgotten?" she was nearly certain Idris knew about the baby, and if she knew about that...and given her reactions to the Doctor...she might know about his amnesia too.

"Yes," she nodded.

Angel swallowed hard, having to ask despite knowing the answer might not be one she'd like, "Will he ever remember?"

Idris looked at her, a sad smile on her face, one that spoke of possibilities but nothing concrete, one that told her even the TARDIS didn't know, "If he doesn't," she whispered, "I'll always be here for you. Like you were for me, sister," she smiled, "I've never been an aunt before."

Angel smiled softly at that before sighing and getting back to work.

She could only hope.

Chapter Text

Amy and Rory ran down a corridor, Amy ahead of her husband. She ran through a door which slid shut behind her, cutting her off from Rory, "NO!" he shouted, "Amy!"

Amy spun around, hearing his cries, and ran back to the door, "No!"

"Amy!" he banged on it, trying to get through.

Amy tried to pry the door open...when a tired...and very familiar...voice called her name. She turned and ran down a corridor to see Rory sitting by a closed door, "Rory?"

Rory jumped up, "Where have you been?!"

"I stepped through that door and it came down here."

"But you've been hours!"

"No, I haven't," she frowned, before realizing what had happened, "It's House, and it's messing with the TARDIS. Come on, back this way."

They ran and House played the same trick, closing the door in front of Rory, cutting them off again, "No!"

Amy turned around again, "No! Oh!" she whacked the door in frustration, not liking this, not liking being away from her husband and alone.

~8~

A mostly constructed TARDIS stood in the middle of the junkyard, two walls meeting in a corner, with a console missing its center. The Doctor was currently trying to find as whole a rotor as he could while Idris wandered around, picking up the last few components as Angel finished soldering a few cables to the main console. She paused though, looking over at the Time Lady when she caught sight of the girl glancing at her from the corner of her eye. She smiled and made her way over to her sister, "What's wrong?"

Angel had to smile at that as well, knowing that the woman would see through any half-truths and whatnot, she'd known her almost as long as the Doctor, "I just...I know you took us where we needed to go," she began, "I knew that right from the start but..." she bit her lip, trying to find the words to phrase her question, "Sometimes I'm not sure why we needed to go there."

Idris laughed, "Because most of the time it wasn't somewhere YOU needed to go, sister."

Angel blinked, "But you said..."

Idris just reached out and took her hand, "I am an old box," she said quietly, "And I have seen SO much. I saw you, I saw you and the Doctor, before you were even born, shining through time. I saw you both and what you would become to each other, what you would mean to each other, how..." she faltered a moment, "How happy you would make each other. Every place I took the Doctor was because of that."

"What do the adventures have to do with that though?" Angel shook her head, confused.

Idris gave her a small smile, "You are my sister, and you mean the Universe to me," Idris whispered, "Every adventure, well, most of them," she corrected herself, thinking of a few key moments where she'd gone where she'd rather not because she knew her sister needed to be there, like Kroptor, "Even from before the War, they were places the Doctor needed to go, people he needed to meet, to become a man who deserved you," Angel's eyes widened at that as Idris reached out and put her hands on Angel's face, "As your sister, I will never ever think that any man is worthy of you, but as the TARDIS, as a being that can see through time, I think that every adventure brings the Doctor one step closer to being just that."

"You brought him to all those places...for ME?" Angel breathed.

"Of course," Idris blinked, speaking simply, tilting her head, "I saw your mind Angel, your thoughts, you were so frightened that you didn't deserve the Doctor, that you weren't worthy of him...really though, it was the reverse," she glanced over to see the Doctor lugging a rotor through the junkyard, "The Doctor has done many things in his life, many things that he isn't proud of, that haunt him, that trouble him, and that are...truly terrible, even before the War," she turned back to Angel, "And HE is the one that doesn't deserve you, but you really DO make him a better man," she stroked Angel's cheeks comfortingly, seeing tears, but more happy tears, in her sister's eyes, "You help him make up for that, and you make him into a man the Universe will cherish. My sister," she sighed, shaking her head, "You have no idea how special you are. You...are worth it."

She looked at Angel gently, that girl...she saw all the potential in the world in he companions, in the Doctor's companions, in the Doctor himself, in every being in the Universe...except herself. It had been one reason for the Doctor, for her approval of him, he always made people see how remarkable they were and her sister needed to see that more than anyone. She knew, with the memory loss and that horrible watery woman, that her sister was suffering, that she was starting to regress to who she used to be, to seeing herself as not all that special at all. And she was NOT going to let that happen, she had been waiting too long to be able to communicate with her sister this way, to be able to tell her how special she was, how worth it, how amazing...something she knew that River woman had done her best (and mostly succeeded) in making Angel forget.

She was determined, before her end came, to have her sister see it again. She wanted her to know why she'd taken the Doctor, besides the fact he was the only Time Lord who such an idiot that he'd steal a TARDIS, she saw the potential for a man who would make her sister infinitely happy. But he needed A LOT of work. It had taken her centuries to get him to the point where he was close to being worthy of her sister, to be the man he was today. Well, not quite today, despite her best efforts...the events she'd seen coming...his amnesia, had still happened.

"You think I'm special?" Angel murmured.

"I think you're fantastic," Idris smiled, tapping Angel on the nose, making her laugh a bit and smile, knowing how much the use of the Doctor's 9th self's favored word would cheer her up.

"Thank you Idris," Angel smiled.

"You're very welcome, sister," Idris winked, before calling over her shoulder to the Doctor, "You'll need to install the time router!"

"How is this going to make it through the Rift?" the Doctor wondered as he came closer with the rather heavy rotor, lowering it into the slot, "Almost done…thrust diffuser…" Idris watched as the Doctor inspected Angel's handiwork, seeing him nodding to himself, pleased with her work, as he always was, "Retro scope…" he glanced at Angel, "Blue thingy…" beaming when he got a smile out of her for that.

"Do you ever wonder why I chose you all those years ago?" Idris asked him as they backed up to look at their handiwork, "The both of you?"

"Because I listened?" Angel guessed.

She had always been drawn to that particular TARDIS ever since she could remember. Even as a little girl, when her family would do routine inspections of the museum pieces, she had always heard a gentle hum drawing her in. Whenever she'd worked on the TARDIS, she'd talk to the old box and hums would resound back, in such ways that she was sure the box was communicating. It seemed now she was. And that night, when she'd left the door unlocked, she'd been leaving and just...stopped in the doorway, hearing a soft hum. One would have thought it was a 'goodbye' and, in a way, it was. But she'd just closed her eyes, nodded to herself, and just...left the door unlocked as she whispered goodbye. She hadn't known why she'd left it unlocked, had gotten hell from her father and the curators when the box had been found missing from the repair shop the next morning. She had been the last person to tend to the box, they had it on record, she had been the one who should have locked the door, and she had admitted she hadn't. But she hadn't known why, now though...it seemed she'd subconsciously interpreted the hum to be a request to leave the door open.

And she was so glad she had, if she hadn't...who knew what would have happened, if the Doctor would have gotten caught trying to run away, if he would have taken another box, if he would have even had the same adventures with a different box. That one decision, the end of her time with the box, had been the start of his. And he'd done so much good with the TARDIS, helped the old box see so much of the Universe, which she was pleased to know. She had been serious, the TARDIS, THIS TARDIS, was a treasure, and it didn't deserve to be locked away in a museum.

The Doctor, however, scoffed, "I chose you. You were unlocked."

"Because Angel left me that way," Idris smiled as he turned to face them, "I wanted to see the Universe, so I asked her to leave my door open just so I could steal a Time Lord and run away," the Doctor and Angel stepped back more and walked over to her, "And you were the only one mad enough."

"Right," the Doctor looked at the console, "Perfect, look at that, what could possibly go wrong?"

...and then a piece of the console that the Doctor had stuck on popped off.

"That's fine, that always happens."

Angel sighed, "I'll fix it," and walked off towards the console, scooping up the piece and getting it back into the controls, grabbing her soldering device again.

Idris looked over, biting her lip as Angel always did, seeing the Doctor's gaze had been pulled to Angel once more, the man watching her working away at the console with a soft smile, "She's wonderful, isn't she?" she asked him.

"She's perfect," he murmured, before wincing, "I mean...I mean, she's...she's..."

"Don't," Idris cut in, frowning now at how he was reacting, "Don't take it back," she turned to him, "Doctor...sometimes things slip through for a reason," she told him, reaching out to put a hand on his arm, making him look at her, "It's GOOD that you care for her, it really is."

"Yes," the Doctor nodded, "I know, I...we..." he frowned, blinking, "We look out for each other..."

~oOo~

He turned around a moment later, only to catch a flying object in his arms. Angel clung tightly to him as he hugged her back, feeling her shaking as he tightened his grip.

"Don't you ever do that again!" she shouted, her voice muffled from burying her face in his jacket.

He laughed and pulled back, "I'll try not to."

His smile turned to a frown as he took Angel's face in his hands, seeing the red in her eyes from her tears.

"I thought I'd lost you," she whispered, "Everything is gone. I can't lose you too."

He swallowed hard, pulling her back into a tight hug. He'd been alone for so long, as had she, he realized. If it had been her the Reaper took…he swallowed hard, he didn't want to be alone again either. He didn't ever want to lose her, not again, not after having lost so much already.

"We'll take care of each other," he promised, "Keep each other safe."

~oOo~

Idris smiled, seeing where his mind had gone, seeing him REMEMBER it, "You always have," she agreed, "And you will need to even more in the future," she glanced at Angel and back to him, "Doctor, please, listen to me," she added, serious, "Don't trust River Song."

"Why?" he frowned, glancing between her and where Angel was working unawares, "Does...does she do something to Angel?"

Idris could feel his muscles tighten under her hold, could see his hand clenching into fists and had to smile at how his mind had immediately gone to Angel, if he was reacting this way to just the thought of River doing something to Angel...he couldn't trust the woman much at all. His reaction...it gave HER hope. There was something...interfering with her sight, when it came to the Doctor and his memories, she knew what it was, it was the same thing that had made him forget in the first place, but there was nothing she could do about it till the Doctor himself remembered, if he remembered. She couldn't even come up with the words to convey what had happened either, she couldn't even think of the words she'd been trying to find that entire time. This body, this human mind, was so limited, the words so jumbled and lost, she was struggling just to try and give him this warning.

"If she does, what would you do?" she asked, not giving him a yes or no answer.

The events she'd seen, the events of Lake Silencio, her sister was already tempting time by doing what she would do in the future, and the future was fragile, she had to be careful about what she said. If she gave away too much...the Doctor, this Doctor, with his gaps in thoughts and altered memories, he'd fly off the handle, he'd react, he'd do something without even realizing what he was doing or why. If he killed River Song now, the woman wouldn't be there to save them in the Library.

"I'd protect Angel," he said, looking at Idris, a fire in his eyes.

"You would?"

"With my life," he said quietly, a fierce promise in his voice, "No matter what."

Idris nodded, "Good," she told him, squeezing his arm again, "Doctor...everyone's memory...is a mess," she looked at him intently, seeing him actually listening to her, heeding her words, especially after the River remark, not that she had said anything to tell him River would harm Angel...but enough to make him wary of the woman the next time they should meet, "You yourself...you have memories of things you feel like you haven't done, places you never went to," she saw him looking down, thinking on that, and she knew he was recalling the memories of his, the memories she KNEW were wrong, the ones that his own mind had made up to fill the gaps that had been left in forgetting Angel. Events that had happened in his memories, but HADN'T really happened, just...things that had been made up to plug up the holes, memories she knew he felt were wrong despite not knowing how, "Memories that...you remember when you look at Angel, but only...sometimes..." he slowly started to nod, his gaze pulling back to Angel, he'd experienced it just now, remembered something he hadn't and she knew little things slipped through, like Angel's own bonding as a Pilot that he hadn't remembered till it was brought up, "Sometimes it means that time is being rewritten and people think their memories are bad when their memories are fine," she hesitated, "But sometimes...sometimes it's not time, sometimes the memories really ARE bad, sometimes...sometimes it's something else affecting them," the Doctor looked at her, "Memory is a tricky thing, and our memories especially are far more precious than any others, so hold onto them Doctor," she let go of his arm, "Hold onto them as tightly as you can."

The Doctor nodded, looking down again, thinking on her words. He had been aware that, at times, a memory would strike him that had been...fuzzy and cleared, or had just...fallen to the back of his mind or that he hadn't even realized he'd forgotten. Sometimes they faded, but...now he was starting to think he should hold onto them. He had once told Angel that they couldn't be too important if he could forget them so easily but Idris...she was making sense, what if it wasn't that they weren't important, what if it was...something else affecting them.

He didn't like that thought, at all, the idea that something was affecting his memories. He hadn't liked it at all when he'd found out about the Silence and their effect on memory, to think that they were manipulating the events around them with no one aware. And he felt it, he could feel that his memories...weren't 100 percent...right.

"Can you promise me something else Doctor?" Idris asked.

"What?" he looked at her, blinking a bit as he was pulled from his thoughts.

Idris glanced at Angel again, seeing her testing the piece that had broken off, smiling as it stayed stuck and worked, "Watch over her for me," she whispered, feeling tears in her eyes to know that this would be the last time that she could be there for her sister like THIS, "Protect her, keep her safe..."

"Always," he crossed his hearts.

"Thank you," she told him, a moment before Angel turned and smiled at them, shouting, "All finished!"

"Nope, hang on, wait!" the Doctor turned and picked up three red velvet, movie theater ropes as Idris walked back to the console, holding a wire hanger, joining Angel as she quickly looked over the Time Lady's flawless work.

~8~

Amy walked forward, through the slowly darkening corridor, "Amy?" she heard a weak voice call out. She turned the corner to see an older Rory, now a very old man with a long grey beard and grey hair, curled up close to a wall.

"Oh my God," she gasped, kneeling beside him, "Rory?"

"You left me," he whispered, tears in his voice, "How could you do that? How could you leave me?"

"How long have you been here?" she stared at him, feeling tears in her eyes at the ones in his voice.

"2,000 years I waited for you," he banged his head on the wall, hard, "You did it to me again!"

"I didn't mean to. I didn't mean to. I'm sorry," he suddenly lunged at her, making her fall back with a cry. She crab-walked away from him as he scrambled after her, "Rory, what are you doing?"

"They come for me at night. Every single night, they come for me and they hurt me. Amy, they hurt me over and over and over and over..."

"Rory..."

"How could you leave me? How could you do that to me?!" they both stood as Rory shouted at her, she backed away, through a doorway and it closed again, leaving her alone, braced against the door as she sobbed...

~8~

Idris hung the hanger from a hook while the Doctor handed her and Angel the ropes to strap themselves in. He stood looking at the rotor, Idris on his right, Angel on his left, the girls across from each other, all of them ready, "Right," he breathed, "Ok, let's go. Follow that TARDIS!" he pushed a button as Idris caught sight of herself in the mirror before her and began pulling at her face and scrunching it up. The console powered up and sparked, "Oh, come on, there's Rift Energy everywhere, you can do it!" he punched in some codes and tried again but there was nothing, "Ok…diverting all power to thrust…let's be having ya!" he wound something but the console just kept sparking, "Ah! No, no, no, no, no!"

"What's wrong?" Idris asked.

"It's not holding the charge," Angel told her.

"It can't even start!" he muttered, "There's no power!" he looked over to see the woman-TARDIS pulling her lip, "Will you…" and put his hand in front of the mirror, "I've got nothing…"

Idris smiled, "Oh, you idiot. You have what you've always had. You've got me and my sister," she looked at Angel and held out her right hand.

Angel looked at it a moment, confused, before putting her left hand in it. She and Idris kissed one of their fingers, their mouth and eyes glowing gold with Vortex energy before they lightly pressed their fingers to the rotor, powering the device up. The rotor began to move, making the wheezing noise, jolting them as a circle of gold appeared around them and they disappeared.

~8~

Amy walked around another corner, only to stop short at the sight of 'Hate Amy' and 'Kill Amy' and 'Die Amy' scrawled onto the walls in a violent hand. She stumbled back, seeing a skeleton lying on the floor in Rory's clothes.

"No!" she screamed and ran forward, falling to her knees beside the body and sobbing, "No! Rory...I'm so, so sorry!"

Just then Rory, a younger and VERY alive Rory, walked around the corridor behind her, "Amy?"

Amy turned at the sound of his voice and, when she looked back, the body and writing were gone. She pushed herself up, running to Rory and hugging him tightly.

"It's messing with our heads," Rory whispered in her ear as he held her, "Come on, run," he held her hand firmly as they ran off, him taking the lead.

~8~

The makeshift TARDIS followed the path of the TARDIS towards their Universe, the golden energy everywhere, "Woo!" the Doctor cheered.

"I've got a lock!" Angel reported, "But we need them to lower the shields to get in."

"Can you get a message to Amy?" the Doctor turned to Idris, "The telepathic circuits are online."

"Which one's Amy?!" the woman-TARDIS yelled over the noise, "The pretty one?"

~8~

In the TARDIS, Amy and Rory were climbing up a ladder, when Rory suddenly put a hand to his head getting a sharp pain, "Ah!" he closed his eyes, seeing Idris looking back at him, a bit hazy.

"Rory!" Amy called, "What's wrong?"

"It's like...I'm getting a message…"

"Hello pretty!" Idris called.

"What the hell is that?"

The Doctor appeared in the corner of his vision, "Don't worry, telepathic messaging, no that's Rory!"

"You have to go to the old control room," Idris continued, "I'm putting the route in your head. When you get there use the purple slider on the nearest panel to lower the shields."

"Wait, is Rory the pretty one?" he heard Angel shout from somewhere he couldn't see, breathing a sigh of relief to know she was there and ok.

"Apparently," the Doctor agreed.

"Of course he is," Idris turned to him, "My sister is lovely!"

"What's THAT got to do with anything?"

Idris rolled her eyes, "Rory is her brother, he's my brother too, therefore he must be pretty!"

Angel laughed, "Excellent logic, I completely agree!"

Rory couldn't help but smile at that, especially when the Doctor appeared in the corner of his vision again, pouting.

"You have about 12 seconds before the room goes into phase with the invading matrix," Idris added, "I'll send you the passkey when you get there. Good luck."

The message ended and Rory opened his eyes, "What was that?" Amy called up.

"It was that woman. That mad woman, Angel, and the Doctor."

"The Doctor and Angel?"

"We have to keep going!" Rory told her before climbing again, only to pause.

"What is it? Another message?"

"No, I..." he shook his head, blinking, "I just realized my sister is a spaceship apparently," he laughed, continuing on, stranger things had happened, he'd been erased from time and turned into a living action figure of a Roman soldier, why wouldn't one of his sisters be a bigger-on-the-inside police telephone box that could travel in time?

~8~

"How's he gonna be able to take down the shields anyway the House is in the control room!?" the Doctor called to Idris over the noise.

"I directed him to one of the old control rooms," she replied.

"There aren't any old control rooms. They were all deleted or remodeled."

"She archived them," Angel told him, she'd stumbled across one or two of them when she'd wander the TARDIS halls last year, when she had just...wanted to work on the TARDIS but the Doctor had been in the console room.

"For neatness," Idris nodded, "I've got about 30 now."

"But I've only changed the desktop, what, a dozen times?" the Doctor looked at her.

"So far yes."

"You can't archive something that hasn't happened yet!"

Angel smiled secretly with Idris, all too aware of the capabilities of the TARDIS, "You can't."

~8~

Amy and Rory walked through the corridors, when Amy stopped short, the hall going dark around her, "What happened to the lights?"

Rory looked around but the lights were fine for him, "The lights are fine. It's messing with our heads again," Amy walked forward her arms out to keep from walking into something when Rory heard something, "Ok. Stay there a second."

"What is it? What?"

"Just hang on," he turned the corner.

"Don't leave me. I can hardly see, you idiot!"

"Argh!"

"Rory? Rory?!"

"It's ok, I'm fine," his voice called, just a...hint...of something off about it, "Come towards my voice."

Amy slowly walked forward, "What happened? Where are you?"

"I just banged my head. Just keep coming," Amy kept walking not able to see Rory lying unconscious on the floor, "Reach out your hand," Amy reached out and touched the tentacles of Nephew as he stood before her, his eyes glowing green. Amy screamed and suddenly could see again, Rory, the real Rory, behind her.

"This way!" Rory grabbed her hand and pulled her back, "Come on, run!"

~8~

"We're going!" the Doctor whooped, "You're doing it you sexy thing!"

"See you do call me that!" Idris looked at him, "Is it my name?"

Angel laughed, "If you'd like, sexy girl!"

"Wooo!" Idris cheered as she turned and put her hand on the rotor, sending one last message to Rory.

~8~

"I can see now, Rory," Amy told him as he continued to lead her through the corridors, "I can see."

"It was the Ood thing, Nephew, and it's still coming."

"I know," they stopped at a locked door, "So where is this place?"

"This is where she told me to go. She said she'd send me the pass key!" Rory grabbed his head as Idris sent him another message. He slowly started to repeat the words to Amy as Idris spoke them, "Crimson. Eleven. Delight. Petrichor."

"Petrichor?"

Rory opened his eyes and looked at her, "What do I do? Do I say it? Crimson. Eleven. Delight. Petrichor," nothing happened, "I said it."

"Petrichor. Petrichor..."

"I said it!" he turned and pounded on the door.

"Petrichor. She told you what it meant, the smell of wet dust, remember? So...oh...it's the meaning, not the word."

"The meaning of what?"

"The TARDIS interface is telepathic. You don't say it, you think it."

Rory's eyes widened, seeing Nephew appear at the end of the hall, "It's coming."

Amy faced the door, "Quiet!" she closed her eyes, "Crimson. Eleven. Delight. The smell of dust after rain…" she scrunched her face, imagining the words as Nephew approached, "Crimson…" a red flag in the wind, "Eleven…" 11 candles on a birthday cake, "Delight…" laughing at her wedding, "The smell of dust after rain…" a raindrop falling in dirt. As she repeated the words and thoughts, Nephew moved closer, until the doors slid open and they rushed in to see themselves in the TARDIS's previous control room, "What is this place?" Amy looked around as they ran up the ramp, "Another control room?"

"Shields!" Rory ran to the console, not letting himself get distracted as he looked around for the right buttons and switches, "Got it!" he laughed, he could actually recognize quite a few of the controls, which was something, he really loved those lessons Angel had given him, brilliant, brilliant woman!

~8~

"They did it!" Idris called.

"Shields are down!" Angel reported.

~8~

Amy and Rory looked around as the room started to glow green, House taking control, "How did you find this place? It's not on my internal schematics. I had hoped you two could join Nephew as my servants. But you two are nothing but trouble," the door opened and Nephew entered, "Nephew...kill them."

Amy and Rory backed away...when Rory hunched over, getting another telepathic message. Idris appeared in his mind, "We're coming through. Get out of the way or you'll be atomized."

"Where are you coming through?" he asked.

"I don't know."

"Oh, great. Thanks!"

~8~

"It's not going to hold!" Idris shouted.

"Yes it will!" Angel countered, grinning, making Idris smile to see her taking control of their flight. It was one thing to be the ship flying, it was another to be the one flying it, and if anyone could get them in there, it was Angel.

"Woo hoo!" the Doctor cheered, seeing what Angel was doing, what she always did, be amazing!

~8~

"Hold on!" Rory turned to Amy, the two of them grabbing onto a rail and Y-beam while the other console materialized on the ramp.

"Doctor!" Amy shouted, running to the Doctor and hugging him as Angel led Rory to Idris the moment he'd finished hugging her as well.

"Oh, not good," Idris leaned heavily on Angel as she moved the help her, "Not good at all," Rory ran to her other side, "How do you walk around in these things?" Angel and Rory slowly lowered her to sit down.

"We're not quite there yet, just hold on," the Doctor told her before looking at Amy and Rory, "Amy, this is…well…she's our TARDIS. Except she's a woman. She's a woman, and she's our TARDIS."

"She's the TARDIS?" Amy pointed in shock.

"And she's a woman. She's a woman and she's the TARDIS."

Angel laughed, helping Idris up, "Hello," Idris smiled, "I'm…sexy girl."

"Oh…" the Doctor moaned before pointing at them, "Shut up."

"Environment has been breached," House reported, "Nephew kill them all," Amy and Rory looked around for the Ood.

"Where's Nephew?" Rory wondered.

"He was standing right where you materialized…" Amy pointed.

Angel grimaced, "He was...um...redistributed…"

"Meaning what?" Rory looked at her.

"You're breathing him," the Doctor told them as they moved to cover their mouths.

"Aw, come on…" Amy groaned.

"Another Ood we failed to save."

"Doctor, I did not expect you," House remarked.

"Well that's me all over isn't it?" he clapped his hands and moved around the console, "Lovely old unexpected me."

"The big question is, now you're here, how to dispose of you. I could play with gravity…" they all fell to the floor, struggling to get up till it stopped. Amy and the Doctor jumped to their feet while Idris fell, Angel beside her. Rory ran over, checking briefly on Angel, who nodded they were both fine, before he turned to look over Idris, "Or I could evacuate the air from this room and watch you choke," they started gasping.

"You really don't want to do that!" the Doctor managed to get out.

"Why shouldn't I just kill you now?" House let the air in.

"Because then I won't be able to help you. Listen to your engines, just listen to them," Rory put his hand on Idris's throat and looked at his watch, Angel holding her hand, "You don't have the thrust and you know. Right now I'm your only hope for getting out of your little bubble, through the Rift, and into our Universe. And our is the one with the food in it."

"Water…" Idris gasped as Angel stroked her hair, trying to comfort her.

"You just have to promise not to kill us. That's all. Just promise."

"You can't be serious!" Amy gaped.

"Very serious. I'm sure it's an entity of its word."

"Doctor!" Angel called to him, alerting him to Idris's plight.

"She's burning up, she's asking for water," Rory added.

The Doctor moved and knelt at her side as Angel continued to stroke her hair, "Just stay...just a little longer girl," she whispered.

"Not long now," the Doctor agreed, "It'll be over soon."

Idris smiled up at Angel, squeezing her hand weakly, "Always liked it when you called me girl."

She smiled back, tears in her eyes, "And I'm actually rather fond of when you call me sister."

Idris gave a gentle laugh, "Thank you."

Angel sniffled, "For what?"

"Being here, with me," Idris looked up at her, "I don't want to die alone," she squeezed Angel's hand as she swallowed hard, a tear falling, "I was there for you, and now you're here for me."

"What do you me..." Angel began, before blinking, "Oh..." she breathed, realizing what Idris was talking about.

"Oh what?" the Doctor whispered.

"When you were in the Vault," Angel turned to him, "I died...in the TARDIS."

"You weren't as alone as you thought," Idris wheezed, "I was there for you, sister, I was always, and will awlays be, there for you."

Angel looked back down at her, "Likewise," she promised, putting her other hand on Idris's hand, holding it tightly.

"You want me to give my word?" House cut in, "Easy, I promise."

"Fine, ok, I trust you," the Doctor looked back, "Just delete, oh, 30 percent of the TARDIS rooms? You'll free up thrust enough to make it through. Activate sub routine sigma 9."

"Why would you tell me this?"

He stood, "Because we want to get back to our Universe as badly as you do. And I'm nice. You've got Angel to thank for that."

"Yes, I can delete rooms…and I can also rid myself of vermin if I delete this room first. Thank you Doctor. That was very helpful. Goodbye Time Lords. Goodbye little humans. Goodbye Idris!"

There was a bright light that filled the air and they disappeared...

~8~

...to reappear in the main control room in the same positions they disappeared in, "You could do that," the Doctor called, "But it won't work. Angel's brilliant with TARDISes, hardwired a fail safe, living things from rooms that are deleted are automatically deposited in the main control room. But thanks for the lift."

"We are in your Universe now, Doctor," House remarked as the Doctor walked around the console, leaving Angel and Rory with Idris, Amy standing nearby, "Why should it matter to me in which room you die?" Idris gently tugged Rory closer and whispered in his ear as Angel kept an eye on the Doctor a moment, "I can kill you just as easily here as anywhere. Fear me, I've killed hundreds of Time Lords."

The Doctor swallowed, solemn, loathing himself for having to admit this, Angel's words about what he'd done to the Silence ringing in his mind, "Fear me, I've killed all of them."

"I don't understand," Rory whispered to Idris, "There isn't a forest in here," Idris just pulled him down again, Angel glancing at her and back at the Doctor.

"Yeah, you're right, you've completely won," the Doctor looked around, "Oh, you can kill us in oodles of really inventive ways," he glanced at Idris, "But before you do kill us, allow me and my friends, Amy and Rory, to congratulate you on being an absolutely worthy opponent," he pulled Amy over and started clapping with her.

"Congratulations?" Amy looked at the Doctor, confused.

He glanced at Idris as the woman closed her eyes. Angel squeezed her hand and dropped a kiss on to the woman's forehead, "Yup, you've defeated us. Me, Angel, our lovely friends here, and last but definitely not least, the TARDIS matrix herself, a living consciousness you RIPPED out of this very control room and locked up into a human body. And look at her."

"Doctor...she's not breathing," Angel reported to him, trying not to cry, Rory reaching out to take her hand, squeezing it, seeing the tears in her eyes as Idris, another sister, died in front of her, empathizing with her sorrow, recalling what he'd seen at the lake.

"Enough, that is enough," House called as Amy moved to kneel beside Angel, putting an arm around her shoulders to hug her from the side.

"No," the Doctor snapped as he walked around the console, feeling more angry when he heard Angel sniffle, seeing her face scrunch in pain, and he knew where her mind had gone, her sister, her real sister had been killed by a Dalek, died in front of her, and now, the next sister she had, a new sister, one she'd only gotten to know for an hour at most, was dying before her again, it HURT her, and for that...he wanted House to hurt as well, "It's never enough. You forced the TARDIS into a body so she'd burn out safely a very long way away from this control room! A flesh body can't hold the TARDIS matrix and live. Look at her body House."

"And you think I should mourn her?"

"No, I think you should be very, very careful about what you let back into this control room," Idris's mouth opened and golden Vortex energy poured out, "You took her from her home! But now she's back in the box again and she's free!"

Light poured out of her ands streamed around the room, "No!" House called, in pain, as the light invaded, forcing him out, "Doctor! Stop this! Ow! Stop this now!"

"Look at my girl," Angel whispered, looking at the beautiful golden glow swarming around them, seeing it more as the TARDIS's soul being returned than House being attacked, "My beautiful sister..."

The Doctor nodded, "Look at her go! Bigger on the inside!" he watched as the gold beat back the green, "See House…"

"Make her stop!" House snapped.

"That's your problem."

"Ah!"

"Size of a planet but inside you are just so small!"

"Make it stop!"

Idris collapsed, dead, the light gone. Angel closed her eyes before getting up and stumbling away from Amy, falling onto the stairs as she moved to sit with her head in her hands, shaking.

"Finish him off," the Doctor called as he turned to the console, the lights fading.

"No! Don't do this! Ah! Uh! No!"

The Doctor looked up, watching as the green disappeared, the gold slowly fading, leaving the room in darkness. He closed his eyes, knowing it was over, knowing that the TARDIS was back, Idris was gone and...

"Doctor…" Angel called, her voice...echoing. He turned around to see Angel sitting on the steps, her eyes glowing golden before she made herself stand up, blinking, as though confused, "Are you there? It's so very dark in here."

He blinked, stunned, as he realized this wasn't Angel speaking, it was Idris, it was the TARDIS speaking through her, "I'm here," he stepped up to her, staring up at her.

Angel/Idris looked down at him, smiling softly, "My sister is so kind, isn't she? Letting me speak through her again."

"Again?" the Doctor frowned.

"This is not the first time I have used her to speak."

~oOo~

Angel stood before the Emperor of the Daleks, golden energy swirling around her. She blinked, frowning, tears falling from her eyes, "She is angry, her sisters are dead, her planet is destroyed, turned to dust. The Time War ends now."

~oOo~

"I'm thinking all of my true sisters are dead."

~oOo~

"Psychic."

"Thief."

~oOo~

Idris ran at him, pointing at him, "Thief! Thief! You're my thief!"

~oOo~

The Doctor gasped gently at the memories. Angel/Idris smiled at him, seeing him make the connection, seeing him realize the other times she and her sister had been as one as they were now, "I've been looking for a word, a big, complicated word, one so sad. I found it now. My sister has helped me find it."

"What word?"

"Alive. I'm alive."

"Alive isn't sad."

"It's sad when it's over. I'll always be here," she lifted a hand to Angel's chest, "But this is when we talked. And now even that has come to an end. There's something I didn't get to say to you."

He nodded slightly, looking down, tears in his eyes, "Goodbye."

"No," he looked at her, "I just wanted to say," she smiled tearfully, "Hello. Hello Doctor."

He let out a little laugh, "You already said that, angrily."

She sniffled, "Yes...I'm not sorry for that, you do deserve it, even if you don't know why," she blinked, "Just know...it was so very, very nice to finally meet you."

"Please…" he whispered, "I don't want you to go…" despite her violence towards him, this was still the TARDIS, the box that had been there for both him and Angel, it seemed, throughout most of their lives, he knew Angel wouldn't want to lose the box now either.

Angel/Idris leaned back, closing her eyes as the gold faded from around her, a ghostly whisper of, "Take care of her…" echoed around them before Angel fell forward, the layers of her cardigan falling in front of her. The Doctor quickly caught her by the shoulders, steadying her as she blinked, getting her hearings.

"Doctor?" she looked at him with a frown at his tearful expression before realizing, "She's gone, isn't she?" tears filled her own eyes as the Doctor nodded, letting her go so he could turn to the console and brace himself on it, trying not to let Angel see him cry, knowing it would upset her even more.

Rory stepped over and hugged Angel tightly while Amy went to put an arm around the Doctor in comfort, both companions knowing their Pilots needed them.

~8~

The Doctor was sitting in the harness under the glass floor, wires hanging around him as one sparked, "How's it going under there?" Rory asked, walking down the steps as Amy knelt on the glass floor, watching, Angel sitting on the bottom step to the under-console, watching the Doctor to make sure he didn't blow up the TARDIS, knowing he needed a distraction.

Oddly enough...after her initial sorrow at realizing Idris was gone, she'd felt...at peace. Like...she knew the box was still there, that Idris was still there, that she would always be there. Like she'd promised. The Doctor though, was having a bit of trouble seeing that.

"Eh, just putting a fire wall around the matrix, almost done!" the Doctor remarked.

"Are you gonna make her talk again?" Amy asked.

"We can't," Angel shook her head, that was one thing she was sad about. Her family had spent millennia trying to work out how to get a TARDIS to talk.

"Why not?" Rory moved to sit beside her.

"Spacey wacey, isn't it?" Amy laughed a bit.

"Well, actually," the Doctor explained, "It's because the Time Lords discovered that if you take an 11th dimensional matrix and fold it into a mechanical…" Rory moved over to watch him, crossing two wires that were dangling and making them spark and the Doctor flinch, "Yes, it's spacey wacey!" he pulled his blackened goggles down.

"Sorry," Rory remarked as Angel laughed. The Doctor stood and looked at the wires, "Um, at the end she was talking, she kept repeating something, well two things, and I don't know what they meant…"

"What did she say?"

"'The only water in the forest is the river.' She said we'd need to know that some day. It doesn't makes sense, does it?"

"Not yet."

"And the other thing?" Angel called.

Rory looked at her a moment, "'Angels fall and lose it all.'"

"Is that a sort of rhyme?" Amy called, getting up, "Like a nursery rhyme? It sounds like it might be."

"'Demons run when a good man goes to war," Angel recited, "Angels fall and lose it all, when a good man goes to war,'" she looked up at them, "I think there's more but I don't remember it."

"But why say it?" Rory frowned.

Angel could only shrug when she saw Rory's expression, "Are you alright Rory?"

"No," he admitted as the Doctor turned to him, "I watched her die. I shouldn't let it get to me, but it still does," it was like, he knew he should have a hard time being around Angel, given he'd seen her die as well, but Angel was still there, Idris, the vessel, wasn't. Amy walked down the steps and sat down beside Angel, "I'm a nurse."

"Letting it get to you, you know what that's called?" the Doctor replied, "Being alive. Best thing there is. Being alive, right now, is all that counts. I need to finish," he sat back down in the harness, "2 more minutes and then we're off. The Eye of Orion's restful if you like restful, I could never really get the hang of restful. What do you think dear?" he looked up at the TARDIS.

Angel smiled, closing her eyes as she heard a hum, a rather...clear hum actually, she could almost swear she could make out a whisper in it, "I think she'd like that."

He looked over at her and smiled as Amy laughed, "Look at you three. It's always you two and her isn't it, long after the rest of us have gone. You and your box, off to see the Universe."

"You say that as if it's a bad thing," the Doctor looked at her, "But honestly it's the best thing there is," there was another large spark, "Uh, the House deleted all the bedrooms. I should probably make you two a new bedroom. You'd like that wouldn't you?"

Angel looked up as Rory and Amy whispered to each other, "Ok um," Amy turned to the Doctor, "This time...could we lose the bunk beds?" Angel shook her head, only the Doctor.

"No, bunk beds are cool!" he looked at them, "A bed with a ladder! You can't beat that!" they just gave him a look, "It's your room."

Angel got up, "Come on, I'll get the TARDIS to build you one just the way you like," she nudged Rory, "She'd want her pretty brother to be comfortable," which made Rory laugh, two sisters he'd gotten since meeting Angel, a psychic and a spaceship, and he knew he had at least 2 other brothers and 2 sisters to meet, though Rose would be difficult.

"Off you pop," the Doctor encouraged as he put on his goggles.

"Doctor, do you have a room?" Rory looked back at him. Amy just pulled him up the stairs so Angel could set up a room to their specifications, leaving the Doctor to his work.

~8~

The Doctor stood at the console a short while later, Angel sitting on the jump seat, watching him as he tossed a rag down and flashed the sonic against the controls. He paused a moment before leaning against it, "Are you there? Can you hear me?"

There was nothing...until Angel answered.

"Yes," she smiled, looking up at the rotor, feeling it inside her, "Yes she is…and yes she can."

He looked over at her as she smiled at him. He grinned widely and straightened up, "Ok! The Eye of Orion or wherever we need to go," Angel got up with a laugh and pulled a lever, making the Doctor fall onto another lever for balance, but Angel just smiled and pulled another one. He laughed and ran around to set the controls while Angel turned to a keypad, tapping in a code and they were off.

Chapter Text

The Doctor walked down the back stairs of the TARDIS, in formal wear, with a euphonium, whistling cheerily to himself, and why wouldn't he? Angel was smiling behind him, dressed in a black, flowing dress with a matching wrap, following him down before she moved to the console to ready them to leave. They'd just gone to a lovely musical event, had even been invited to sit in with the other musicians when two of the players mysteriously...luckily...won the lottery. He had tried to play it off as a complete coincidence, but he was fairly certain that Angel had seen through that, he was really truly terrible at lying to her, he never ever did you see. Rule 3, he didn't lie to Angel. He'd try to avoid answering, try to stretch the truth or tell a half-truth but there really wasn't any point in lying when she could tell he was.

Not that that was why he didn't lie to her, because she could tell. No, he didn't lie to her because...it didn't feel right to do it. He just...he could never bring himself to look into her eyes and tell her something that wasn't true. It DID make surprises harder to do, he had to come up with creative ways to twist the truth or distract her from asking questions or beg her not to ask. Either way she'd seen though his little stuttering insistences that he had nothing to do with the lottery cards somehow finding their way into the coat pockets of those two musicians. Nothing at all.

Oh alright, it was him. Angel had just laughed when he'd admitted to it, but even if she hadn't been psychic, even if he had been able to lie to her, she'd still just know it was him. She...knew him. She knew him in a way no one ever had. He didn't know what it was, how she'd come to know him so well, whether it was her abilities or if she was just THAT observant, but she...got him. She understood him in a way that gave him chills, rather nice chills really. And he found that he rather liked it, liked knowing there was someone who knew him so well, to know all he'd done and still stand at his side. It meant the Universe to him, it gave him hope that he could still be considered a good man.

For someone like Angel to stay with him, well...he HAD to be a good man didn't he?

He shook his head, his thoughts getting off track, but this time he didn't push the thought away, more so just...continued his original thought. He'd been the one to get them into the orchestra, it was supposed to be a lovely concert and he just...he wanted Angel to have the best time ever! He'd caught her talking to the TARDIS a few times since they'd met (and lost) Idris, and while she smiled up at the rotor each time it hummed, he knew she was still devastated to lose Idris. While he'd lost the TARDIS, she'd lost a sister as well and he knew it had to be hurting her, she'd lost her real sister, she'd lost her sister in Rose, and to lose her Idris-sister...he just wanted her to smile and laugh and have a good time, so he'd taken her all over the place while Rory and Amy slept (humans!) and this last one, he'd wanted her to get the best experience out of it. So he thought, what better way to enjoy a concert than to be IN it? He'd played the euphonium, Angel the triangle that was dangling in her hand.

He'd tried to get her to play the harp, given her name he couldn't imagine an instrument that suited her more, but she'd just laughed it off and said she wasn't THAT much of an angel, to which he'd protested, citing all her most divine qualities till she'd blushed terribly at that and he'd realized what he'd done. He'd...and he laughed a bit to think on it...he'd actually slipped into a bit of Shakespeare near the end, a little snippet from 'A Midsummer Night's Dream' but it just...suited her...

~oOo~

"Martha," William smiled at her, "Let me say goodbye to you in a new verse. A sonnet for my Dark Lady..." he scoffed, making William mock-glare at him, "I'd like to see you woo your woman."

He smiled at the challenge and turned to Angel, taking her hands in his, "Angel," he smiled, "'Goddess, nymph, perfect, divine," he reached out and touched her cheek, cupping it softly, "To what, my love, shall I compare thine eye? Crystal is muddy," his thumb gently moved to trace her lips, "Oh how ripe in show, thy lips, those kissing cherries, tempting grow...'" before leaning in to place a kiss upon her lips, feeling rather pleased as he felt her hearts skip a beat through her chest as he pulled her into his arms.

He loved that, knowing he had that affect on her, knowing he was the only one. He was the only one who would hold her like this, touch her, kiss her...it warmed his soul to know that. She was his, as completely as he was hers. He let out a soft breath as they parted, resting his forehead to hers, his eyes closed, a gentle smile on his face that he knew was mirrored on her face as well. He loved these little moments as much as she did, where they could just be sweet to each other, where they got so caught up they forgot there were others around them, watching, where they actually forgot there was an entire world, an entire Universe, around them.

He opened his eyes, his smile widening as he saw her eyes flutter open as well, the warm brown eyes he loved so much staring up at him, filled with love and happiness, two emotions he was determined to see in her eyes forever. She let out a soft laugh, blushing a bit at his small speech, at his kiss, before lifting his scarred knuckles to her lips and placing her own kiss on them, making him beam.

~oOo~

He swallowed hard, his eyes closing a moment at that little...fantasy, for what else could it be...and held onto it as Idris had instructed. He wasn't going to let it fade, she was right, people thought things for a reason, and...maybe his mind was trying to tell him something about Angel. He...he certainly felt something for her, something...more...than he probably should, but...it was also like there was something keeping him from realizing exactly what it was.

But maybe that had been why, instead of sputtering out apologies to Angel for all his compliments, he'd just...swallowed and smiled tentatively at her, earning a shy smile in return that set his hearts racing. He'd noticed that he tended to try to backtrack things, compliments and others, when other people were around, like with Idris, but the woman was right, he shouldn't. He always saw a flash of pain in Angel's eyes whenever he took back something nice he'd said. He didn't do that to Amy, it wasn't right to do that to Angel either, and...her smile when he didn't take it back (he'd noticed she seemed to almost wait for it now, which hurt him badly to realize) was just...blinding and made him flush scarlet as well.

He spun around as he walked, winking at Angel, before heading to the doors, "River!" he shouted, tugging a bit on his white suit jacket, more than a little uncomfortable that River had shown up.

He hadn't planned it and HAD sputtered about that to Angel when the woman had sauntered up to them after the concert, but apparently she was on a date with an android or a Nestene Duplicate or something like that, he hadn't really paid attention, and, though she had flirted with him, she hadn't been able to stay, which he'd noticed had made him breathe a bit easier to learn. He blinked, he was noticing a lot of things now that he thought about it, especially after Idris had had her small talk with him.

"We'll see you later! Tell Marilyn she's too late, she'll have to use the biplane. Take care!" he shut the doors, seeing River heading for them, she was there with a date, she didn't need a ride and...he didn't really want to give her one either. Idris had reminded him of all the things he DIDN'T know about River Song, and for the TARDIS of all beings to tell him to his face, flat out, NOT to trust River...it made him cautious.

He'd been cautious of the woman but their last adventure with the Silence had...amused him, intrigued him, but Angel, bringing up to him what he'd done, bringing up her own concerns about River, it had shocked him back to those suspicions that had plagued his mind when first meeting River. He'd left quite soon after that, after he'd sorted out her Majesty and the fish who was Not-Her Majesty, unable to really feel comfortable around River without Angel there. And even now, seeing River pop up as though she knew they'd be there...it made him uncomfortable, and he'd just wanted to get Angel back to the TARDIS. She'd been having such a rough time and that night had truly put her in such a good mood that he hadn't wanted to risk River dampening it. So he'd barely let the woman get a word in whenever her gaze turned to Angel and, at the first opportunity, had excused him and Angel to go see Marilyn, and then rushed off to the TARDIS.

He smiled and nodded to Angel, who pulled a lever, sending them off into flight as he joined her back at the console.

"Do you do this every night?" a voice asked.

"Oh!" the Doctor jumped, turning to see Amy sitting on the upper stairs in her nightgown and robe.

"Hello Amy," Angel smiled at her softly, not even looking up or over her shoulder at the sudden call, which made the Doctor shake his head at that.

"Psychic," he muttered.

"Thief," she countered, moving around the console to continue.

Amy gave them a smile before noticing the Doctor hiding something behind his back, "You're trying to conceal euphonium guiltily. Has that ever been attempted before?"

"What? Oh this?" he looked down at his hands as he moved them from behind his back, "Oh yeah, it's just one of those um…euphoniums."

"Ok…so is THIS what you do at night when we're sleeping? Have extra adventures?"

"We don't usually need as much sleep as humans do," Angel told her, typing in a few commands, "And the Doctor needs to keep busy."

Amy eyed the Doctor as he nodded, the man not even questioning how she knew that, "Why?" Amy asked, "Doing what? Actually tell me for once," she turned to the Doctor meaningfully, "You're my friend, my best friend, so tell me what it is you do," she waited a moment, seeing him hesitating, "Angel tells Rory," she reminded him lightly, "She tells him everything, and I don't feel right asking him to tell me what it is you two get up to, I'd...I'd rather you talk to me yourself."

"I didn't think you'd be interested," the Doctor murmured.

Amy sighed, she knew she hadn't been the most warm and open woman to him lately, she had reacted very strongly to seeing the heartsbreak on Angel's face when he'd kissed River. All she'd really seen was her...sister-in-law, for lack of a better word...hurt, and that her Pilot was responsible. She'd been huffy and short and distant from the Doctor as a result, but...she hadn't been sure she'd be able to listen to him talk and not want to smack him, especially after learning that River had been a part of his last late night excursion. But...running around the TARDIS, being hunted by House and Nephew, seeing Idris die, she'd seen how hurt he had been as well and...she'd felt terrible for being so cross with him.

Rory had spoken to her at length about her anger towards the Doctor, especially when she'd asked how he did it. How did he look at the man who hurt, and just kept hurting, his sister and not want to punch him?! Rory had only said that it would hurt Angel to do that. And he'd added that he didn't believe in rushing into things, that the truth was they didn't know what had happened to the Time Lord to make him forget Angel. Yes, it could be something the man had done, his regeneration going wrong, but...what if it had nothing to do with it? They'd be attacking him for something he had no control over. If it had been something the Doctor had done, a conscious decision that he was completely aware of...he'd punch the man till the memories came back. But...they DIDN'T know, not even Angel knew and Angel was the one with a direct link to his mind. He just told her to remember that, that it might NOT be his fault and that it would be wrong to punish him for something he had no control over.

Yes, he hurt Angel, but it didn't seem to be intentional. They had seen him in situations where she'd been physically hurt, when a physical hurt might be possible. They'd seen his reaction to her being hurt, to knowing HE might have to hurt her. And they could see that was the LAST thing he ever wanted to do. If he hurt Angel on purpose...that would be different. And then he'd joked and said that, from what Angel had told him of Angel's (and his) brother Jack, he would need to be the rational one if they ever ran into the ex-Time Agent because he'd likely try to murder the Doctor before realizing it would kill Angel as well.

It had actually made a lot of sense to her, but she knew it would. Rory was her rock, like...a calm and peaceful pond to her, able to get through to her when she was angry and raging. She found it a little ironic as well...she and Rory, they were a bit like Angel and the Doctor, the Doctor could rage himself into oblivion...without Angel there to calm him down. Fire and water, that was them, it sort of made sense too why she was the Doctor's companion and Rory was Angel's, similar personalities and all.

So she'd decided...she shouldn't be mad till she knew exactly what had happened, and then she would smack the Doctor...if he deserved it. And seeing that devastation on the Doctor's face to lose Idris...she'd wanted to try and be a good companion, no, a good friend, to him, and her anger was just getting in the way. She wanted to make sure he was ok, that he and Angel would be ok.

"I'm sorry," she offered him, "I just...had a lot on my mind."

The Doctor eyed her a moment, before nodding, understanding that, "…ok," he sighed, "We just helped out a possessed orchestra at a moon base before that Angel alerted me to two impending supernovas which I then prevented, wrote a history of the Universe all in jokes that Angel thought were great, and did a bit of local work in Brixton. Lovely practices, very short staffed, Angel got employee of the month," Amy stared at him, "What's wrong?"

She just shook her head, getting up, "We're such tiny parts of your lives, aren't we?" she looked at the Doctor more as she walked down the steps, knowing all about Angel's other 'siblings' and 'family' and how she constantly kept in touch with them, but...she couldn't say the same for the Doctor, "All the friends you make just flicker in and out. You must hardly notice us," she walked over to him.

Angel glanced at Amy before quietly making her way down the steps to give them some time alone. She knew this was a Pilot/companion talk and not a Time Lord/Human one. And this was one the Doctor had to handle alone, HE was the one that had to be forced to look back at his companions at times.

"Amy, you are enormous parts of my life," the Doctor told her, "And you are all I ever remember."

Angel paused, just nearing the bottom step, and took a breath, hearing that. She knew he didn't mean it in the context that he would always remember his companions and forget her, but honestly, she was truly nearing the end of her rope with it all. So much had happened, so much had changed, so much had been lost…if…if they hadn't encountered the Silence she probably would have gone to Sarah Jane like she'd offered. She…she HAD contacted Sarah Jane, just after she'd seen him kiss River, asked if she could come to stay but then…he'd begged her to stay. And now…it was too late. She had to stay there, to protect them. But it was getting so hard, to ignore River and the closeness she had been developing with the Doctor, to be near the man and have him look through her, to know the day was coming when she'd have to leave for the baby's sake, too many questions would come up about it, how it had been conceived, who the father was, and she couldn't bear to answer them if the Doctor asked. She put a hand on her stomach, absently rubbing it, before she shook her head and walked completely under the glass floor.

"Speaking of which, my life doesn't make any sense," Amy told him quietly, scared.

"I know."

"That's what I've been trying to talk to you about."

"I know, Angel told me."

"Like…when I first met you I didn't have parents. I never had parents. And then you did...whatever it was you did...and rebooted the Universe and, suddenly, I have parents. And I've always had parents. And I remember both lives, in my head, both of them, in my head, and at the same time."

"That's fine, isn't it?"

"But it shouldn't be. Why is it fine?"

"Rory was a Roman for 2,000 years."

"He says he hardly remembers it."

The Doctor smiled a bit, recalling how Rory had described his memories of that time, "Ahh, but sometimes you'll catch him just staring," he was trying to spare Amy's worry by telling her that. He smiled, recalling the words of a wise woman, the exact words he knew Amy needed to hear, words he knew she'd understand having...memory issues herself, "There are things Amy, everyone's memory is a mess, life is a mess. Everyone's got memories of a holiday they've couldn't have been on, a party they never went to, or...or met someone for the first time and felt like...like they've known them all their lives..."

Amy frowned, watching as the Doctor trailed off, his eyes drifting down to where Angel was doing God knew what below them, crouched down by the base pole that connected the console, leaning over something so all they could see was her hair and back. She eyed him closely, watching the emotions flicker across his face, his eyes clouding over as though he were just on the cusp of remembering something when…

"Time is being rewritten all around us everyday," he shook himself out of it, feeling...disappointed that he had. He was trying, he really was, to let things come to him but...sometimes...he found himself shaking himself out of those thoughts before he could stop himself, "People think their memories are bad, but their memories are fine. The past is really like that."

She eyed him a moment, "…that's ridiculous."

"Yeah, now you're starting to get it!" he clapped his hands and walked past her, "Put your hand here…"

"What is it?" she asked as the Doctor typed in a command.

"The TARDIS telepathic circuits," Angel answered as she walked up the stairs once more, having sensed the conversation had finished.

"What do I do?" Amy put her hand on a lever.

"Nothing," the Doctor grinned, "Just relax," he reached over, starting to twist knobs and pull levers, Angel moving to do the same on the other side without question, as though she knew what his plan was, "Your saddest ever memory was…" he moved to check the monitor.

"1994, a fairground," Angel answered, not even looking up from what she was doing, not even near the monitor.

The Doctor closed his mouth with a little smile, "Can you remember why?"

"No," Amy answered confidently, before frowning, "Hang on, did I…" she looked at him as he moved to lean against the console, "Did I drop an ice cream? That can't be my saddest memory."

"Remembering ice cream is always sad."

The TARDIS quieted with a soft thump, "Did we just land?" Amy looked up, turning to Angel as the Time Lady smiled, "Where are we?"

"Do you remember what happened after you dropped the ice cream?" Angel asked as she walked around to them.

"Nothing, I cried," the Doctor gave her a look and she thought about it, "No, no…" she looked down in thought, "Hang on...there was a lady and she bought me another one."

"Oh, good for her," he nodded, glancing at Angel as their grins grew, "What did she look like?"

"She looked like she…" she started to smile, "She had a funny dress, a night dress, she had red hair," she laughed, before looking up to see the two of them at the doors, "I don't understand. Why are you doing this?" she walked away from the console, towards the stairs, "What is the point?"

"The nice lady what did she say to you?"

"Cheer up, have an ice cream."

The Doctor eyed her a moment, waiting for her to get it but smiled even when she didn't.

"Amy," Angel shook her head fondly, "Time and space, I don't think it's ever going to make sense..."

"Not to a human," the Doctor cut in, "It took Time Lords ages to work it out, to make the laws, and even I have trouble with wrapping my head around it at times, not like Angel here," he winked at her, she'd always had a natural affinity with time. He turned back to Amy, "A long time ago you got the best possible advice on how to deal with that. So! I suggest…" he turned and threw open the doors of the TARDIS, "You go and give it!" he grinned, hearing the fairground noises just beyond the door.

"Ok, ok, so I," she started walking down the steps, "Ask you a big, important question about life and you're basically telling me to go and buy myself an ice cream?"

"No, Amy, I'm telling you to go and buy the three of us ice creams," he put his arm around her shoulder as she stepped between him and Angel, "I love fairgrounds."

"I hate you."

"No, you don't," he grinned and the three of them headed out, "Do you get scared on ghost trains? I get a bit scared, so is it ok if I hold your hand?"

Amy just rolled her eyes at him.

"Go on Amy," Angel called, "Ice cream vendor's just there," she nodded in the direction of a small cart where a man was scooping ice creams. Amy sighed but headed off anyway, Angel smiling after her before shaking her head and turning to the Doctor, "I'm going to go wake Rory," she told him, "I'm not about to let my companion miss out on this."

He nodded, watching her go back to the TARDIS with a small smile. The smile though, faded as the door to the box shut, becoming more thoughtful. He thought back to what he'd said to Amy, about feeling like you knew someone. He'd felt that with Angel on and off, when she would say something that struck him, or when she'd give him a look, or even when she was just sitting there in thought. He felt such a familiarity with her, and it wasn't just that she seemed more familiar with him, but sometimes…sometimes he found himself thinking of her, recalling things she liked or disliked that he couldn't recall her mentioning. There were times he'd get fierce bouts of protectiveness associated with her beyond that of just a friend…

There were times where he'd say something and there would be a flash of something in her eye, he almost thought it was sadness or heartbreak but that just couldn't be because there was nothing to be sad about and he would never ever say something he knew would hurt her. But every time he thought he saw it, his hearts would constrict most painfully. Usually those flashes were gone before he could really look closer and see if it was really there. There were also times where they'd be in a terrible situation and the only thing he could think of was either to get her out of there or hold her hand. Of course, he didn't, that would just be awkward, for her, he was sure. And the times where she'd be so sad, just so hurt over something he didn't even know, that he had to physically turn away and do something else to keep from holding her and never ever letting go. And then…then there were times where she'd smile, her eyes would light up, and she would laugh such a tinkling laugh and…his hearts would soar at the sight and all he wanted to do was just…

The doors to the TARDIS opened and Angel walked out, laughing that tinkling laugh...at Rory, who was yawning, his hair sticking up from bed, pulling on a dressing gown so his wife wouldn't look so out of place. He fixed his face into a smile when Amy came over to them just as the two others joined him, accepting one of the three ice creams from Amy, the two humans sharing a cone before they all headed off into the night.

"Ooh!" the Doctor pouted, pointing at something with his cone, "Not a ghost train then," he sighed, seeing that the sign he'd thought was a ghost train was actually a ghost 'lane.' But it wasn't even really a lane either, it looked more like a boat ride, a 'tunnel of horror' the sign said, so really like a tunnel of love but for spooks instead, "Well that's disappointing."

"It could still be fun," Angel shrugged, a bit thankful that it wasn't a ghost train, she didn't know what sort of excuse she could use to get out of that one, she doubted pregnant woman were allowed on rides like that. She wasn't...thrilled to try and ride this one though either, it looked...dark and she didn't do well in the dark but...Amy and Rory were already heading for it and she didn't want the Doctor to go on alone because she knew that the Doctor would stay back and off it if it meant that she would be standing there alone. He'd give up the ride to make sure she wasn't alone and she could see, even despite being disappointed it wasn't a ghost train, he still wanted to go.

"Why not?" he laughed, heading over after the Ponds, the four of them standing in line, finishing their ice creams just in time to get on. The Ponds went first, as was polite, and the Time Lords followed on the next boat, Angel biting her lip as they headed for the dark, really dark, entrance.

She swallowed, shifting in her seat, her hands on either side of her, nearly clenching on the edge of the seat cushion as the spooky noises began and projections of ghosts soared above them...

And then she felt the Doctor place his hand on her right hand. She blinked, stiffening and looked down, vaguely able to see his pale hand in the darkness as he took hers off the cushion and turned it, allowing him access to...hold her hand.

She blinked, "You're holding my hand," she whispered to him.

"Right," he nodded, seeming to be almost wincing, "I am, I just...I...is that alright?" he looked at her, a small smile on his face as she gave him a little nod. He squeezed her hand, "You're scared," he added, "I know you don't like the dark."

She looked down at her hand again as he moved it again, to rest on his leg, putting his other hand on top of it, his thumb stroking the back of her hand, and started to smile, "Thanks," she whispered, squeezing his hand in return.

He just beamed, squeezing her hand every time he felt her jump or stiffen beside him, feeling her squeeze his hand back for it, just...happy to know he could make her feel safe and protected.

Chapter Text

A fortress-like stone building stood perched on an isolated island under a reddish sky, three figures in advanced hazmat suits walked down a tunnel within, "Lights!" one of the men called as the lights turned on to reveal they were three humans. Two men and one woman. They walked with purpose down to a door at the end and keyed in a code, opening it, "Lights," the older of the two men called again and the lights of the room flickered on too, "You know the drill, people, acid visors down and locked. Buzzer."

The second man, Buzzer, turned a crank that lifted a heavy lid from a large vat in the center of the room. The woman walked over, holding a device over the contents to take a reading, "Reading of 9.7," she reported.

"Sounds a bit low for unrefined," the older man commented, "How's the average?"

"The acid potency stats have definitely dropped below the mean during the last quarter."

As she spoke Buzzer climbed on top of the lip of the vat to place a pin in a hole, preventing the lid from falling on them or back onto the vat, "Better than a computer, isn't she?"

"Give over, Buzz," she playfully shoved him...only for him to fall into the vat of acid! "Buzzer! Buzz!"

The older man sighed, not seeming alarmed at all that the man had fallen into a pit of acid, "Oh, great. Nice going, twinkle toes."

"I shouldn't have swung at him," the woman shook her head, "Sorry, Buzz. My bad."

"No, you're alright," Buzzer waved her off, even HE didn't seem alarmed that he was floating in a liquid that was slowly eating at him, "Jimmy..."

"Well, no point carrying you back legless," Jimmy, the older man, replied, "Sorry, Buzzer, you're dead."

"Oh, this is a right pain in the ar…" Buzzer trailed off, wincing, "Heart's gone now," he sighed, just...floating in the acid while the woman smacked the side of the device as it warbled, still continuing about her work.

"Look, we'd best get off," Jimmy turned to her, "Got to write this one up for the boss. Those suits cost a bomb. If I miss my boy's birthday, filling out forms, I'll kill you again," he warned Buzzer when he and the woman turned to walk back to the door as Buzzer raised a dissolving hand to wave them goodbye, "Lights!" the lights went out and they left the room.

They headed back down the tunnel, completely nonchalant with the fact that Buzzer was disintegrating slowly in a vat of acid, the woman focusing on the scanner instead, "I'm looking at these readings, Jimmy, and the potency stats are way too low. We may have to take that read again. This thing is still jamming up on me."

At the other end of the tunnel...Buzzer was waiting for them, though not in the hazmat suit, just in a pair of work pants and a t-shirt, "So I think we'd better talk about what just happened back there. I could get compensation. I've seen the Hello ads. 'Had an accident in the workplace?' Yeah, I have, as it goes. I've melted."

"Let it go," Jimmy rolled his eyes.

"Look," Buzzer sighed, "Just remember, when you're doing your report, it wasn't my fault, she took a swing at me."

"I never touched you," she defended jokingly, "You got two left feet, Buzzer."

"I haven't got two left feet. Already arms, neck, head, the chin," he whistled, "This body cost money, love."

"Not as much as that acid suit," Jimmy remarked.

"Oh, lighten up. It's not like anyone was hurt."

~8~

Meanwhile, the other Buzzer melted away in the pool, his mouth open in a silent scream as his eyes, looking on with fear, melted last.

~8~

Muse's 'Supermassive Black Hole' played over the speakers of the TARDIS as Amy and Rory played darts near the doors. The Doctor stood at the console, readying to run yet another scan on Amy, while Angel amused herself with watching the humans at their game from the railing, not seeing the Doctor casting glances at her from behind. Rory threw a dart but just under the wire.

"46," Amy grinned, "Rubbishy rubbishy rubbish."

"Hello, it's a double top," Rory argued.

"Wrong side of the wire, mister."

"You're…red."

Amy laughed, "No, I'm not. Stop trying to put me off."

"Oh, he'll never put you off Amy," Angel laughed, walking over and linking her arms with the ginger as she looked at the board, Amy was clearly doing far better than Rory, "Will you teach me Amy?"

Amy glanced at her, all of them unaware of the Doctor looking over from the monitor as it read Amy's pregnancy scan, still reading positive/negative, and laughed, "You want to learn?"

Angel nodded, "I like it when the companions teach me something," she told her, before ticking off her fingers, "Rose taught me high-fives, Martha the pinky swear, Donna how to make snow angels, would you teach me darts?" she always saw Amy and Rory playing it, and really...maybe it would help with her hand-eye coordination.

"Of course!" Amy cheered, it wasn't every day you got to teach a TIME LORD how to do something, "You stand here," she moved Angel before the board, completely willing to give up her chance to win to show Angel how to throw, though she knew Rory would let her do it over if Angel mucked it up completely, "And take this..." she handed Angel the dart...

Only for the Doctor to come rushing down, his eyes wide, "No! No, no, no, no, no," and snatched the dart from her hand, making them stare at him, "Um, it's...it's sharp," he tossed it over his shoulder.

He couldn't help it, it was...the dart WAS sharp, it might prick Angel's finger!

...alright, he knew that was ridiculous, that Angel would be fine but...he found himself being a bit...extreme lately when it came to her. He didn't know why but...it was like his senses and instincts were in overdrive. Anything, any little thing, that might hurt her or scare her or upset her...well, felt his 'wrath.' He knew it irritated the humans, confused Angel to no end, it confused him too but...he couldn't help it. It just happened. And it was getting worse, that and the headache he kept feeling.

It was like there was something big, something huge, bigger even than the TARDIS, stuffed in his head, sounding warning bells at him, but he didn't know what. He couldn't hear them, only feel them. And it had something to do with Angel, he knew. It was like...he knew something, or he ought to know something, but he just...didn't and whatever it was, it was making him twice as protective of her as normal.

Which was odd because he should probably be worrying about Amy more since the human was pregnant.

Angel just shook her head at him though, "Go on Amy," she stepped back, gesturing at the dart the Doctor had chucked away, "Show Rory why girls are better at everything then."

The Doctor nodded at that, seeing that Angel wasn't going to go anywhere near the evil pointy dart again, and headed back to the console to shut the scan off, he'd left it running and it wouldn't do for Rory to see that scan, or Amy either.

"Don't mind if I do," Amy smirked at her, scooping up the dart before stepping back, taking careful aim...

"Who wants fish 'n' chips?!" the Doctor called suddenly, turning off the music when a blip and a map appeared on the monitor, a trace being picked up. Rory turned and raised his hand, "I'll drop you both off. Take your time. Don't rush."

"Uh, and you?" Rory looked at him.

"Angel and I have things to do, things involving...other things."

"What things?" Angel frowned, walking up the steps towards the console, not sure what things he was talking about, even his thoughts were trying not to think of them.

"The things…the ones I told you about the other day."

"And again, what things?"

"Well, we'll stay with you then," Rory nodded, walking up the stairs after Angel with Amy, "We'll do the other things."

Angel smiled at her companion, he seemed to be taking to the adventures much more, willing to head out and explore. He'd grown so much from the shy nurse desperately trying to impress his girlfriend and into this strong man who was confident not only in himself but in how impressive he truly was. She was so proud of him. He really was a remarkable man, Remarkable Rory, the same as Magnificent Mickey, her companions, the best ones ever. And she knew Rory wasn't finished yet, there was still SO much left to come for him, he wasn't done growing, not by a long shot, neither had Mickey. And she didn't think they'd ever stop.

Her companions were a lot like a TARDIS, they were infinite in how brilliant they were. Some people could grow only to a point before they just...stopped, and were those people forever more. But her companions, they just kept growing, kept learning, kept getting stronger. Even now, she knew Mickey was still growing, knowing she had sparked his growth was all she needed. And now, to really get to see Rory grow in a way she hadn't with Mickey, it was just wonderful. But…she couldn't help the pit in her stomach though at the thought that this new found courage and confidence would be needed, and sooner than Rory probably realized.

"Nope," the Doctor shook his head.

"No," Rory countered, firm, "Whatever you're up to, you're taking Angel, and I would like to be a part of my Pilot's adventures."

"I agree," Angel nodded, turning to the Doctor who was pouting that she was taking Rory's side, "I want Amy and Rory to come, that why you take on companions isn't it? To show them adventure? They can't do that when you go off on your own."

She didn't really know why he didn't want Amy or Rory to go, it wasn't like he was tired of them, he never tired of his companions, he'd keep them with him forever if he could, and it hadn't even been half a year, hardly any time at all really when it came to time travel. It was one thing to go to a party or do some local work here and there without the companions, boring really, nothing that they should lose sleep over, but she could tell this would be a real...experience...and she wanted them there, she felt like...they'd learn a lot from what was coming.

Just then, a klaxon blared and the TARDIS began to buck. Rory grabbed a railing to keep balance while Angel and Amy grabbed the console, the Doctor trying to get to the controls as well.

"It's a Solar Tsunami!" Angel called, pulling the monitor over to her.

The Doctor reached out and swung it over to his side, "Came directly from your sun. A tidal wave of radiation. Big, big, big!" the TARDIS jolted as it was thrown about by the storm.

"Oh, Doctor, my tummy's going funny," Rory remarked with a groan.

"The gyros are dissipated," Angel swung the monitor back, "Target-tracking is off-line."

With a grunt the Doctor threw a lever that did...absolutely nothing, "Assume the position!" he shouted. Amy ran to sit on the jump seat, her hands over her head as Rory knelt on the floor, covering his head.

"Oh honestly," Angel rolled her eyes at the Doctor and leaned more on the console, the layers of her sweater jacket falling over her sides, hiding her stomach as she did it, and started stroking the rotor, "Come on Sissy," she whispered to the TARDIS. Ever since the incident with Idris she'd gone between calling the TARDIS 'girl' and an affectionated version of 'sister,' which the TARDIS seemed to LOVE, "You can do it, get us out."

A moment later the TARDIS stopped jolting, flying herself out of the tsunami and to safety, making Angel beam.

"Brilliant girl!"

Amy and Rory looked up, panting, while the Doctor popped up, pulling a lever to land the box, "Textbook landing," he grinned as the TARDIS stilled completely with a small thump.

"Remind me never to buy that book," Angel remarked.

~8~

The doors to the TARDIS opened and the Doctor stepped out to find an island with a weathervane at the top of a spire on a castle. Angel, Amy, and Rory stepped out after and looked around. It was a lovely area, if one looked past the sort of earthquake damage, green grass, a large lovely monastery, the sun peeking through the clouds.

"Behold!" the Doctor looked around, "A cockerel. Love a cockerel. And, underneath, a monastery, 13th-century."

"Oh, we've gone all medieval," Amy eyed the castle.

"I'm not sure about that…" Rory remarked.

"Really? Medieval expert, are you?"

"He's right though," Angel agreed, "It's not the medieval era."

"I can hear Dusty Springfield," Rory laughed, pointing it out to Amy. And, indeed, in the background soft music could be heard, 'You Don't Have to Say you Love Me.'

Angel frowned as she looked up at the sky before absently walking towards a stairway to the courtyard.

The Doctor followed but stopped short, spotting a hole in the ground with an exposed pipe running through it, "These fissures are new. The Solar Tsunami sent out a huge wave of gamma particles. This was caused by a magnetic quake that occurred just before the wave hit."

"Well, the monastery's standing," Amy looked at it.

The Doctor pulled a snow globe from his pocket and shook it, "Yeah, for now," he studied the globe for a moment and put it away.

"Doctor, look," Rory pointed to the pipe where the words 'Danger Corrosive' was written across it.

"Ah, it's a supply pipe," he scanned it with his sonic, "Ceramic inner lining. Something corrosive. They're pumping something nasty off this island, to the mainland."

"Acid," Angel murmured, having come to join them around the fissure, staring at the pipe with a frown.

Rory stiffened at that bit of information, shifting as he tried to play it off, to not look at Angel, instead saying, "My mum's a massive fan of Dusty Springfield."

"Who isn't?" the Doctor stood, "Right, let's go. Satisfy our rabid curiosity!"

Angel shook her head and continued on, the Doctor moving in the lead now as Amy jogged to catch up to him, Rory hanging back with Angel, "Angel..." he began, "I think you should go back to the TARDIS."

Angel glanced at him, "I can't."

He reached out and gently took her arm, stopping her a moment, "There's ACID here," he reminded her of what she'd JUST said, "And if it's being pumped all around the island and those pipes were damaged in the quake...what if something happens," he dropped his voice so Amy and the Doctor wouldn't hear, "What if you're standing right next to it and one ruptures?"

Angel smiled at his concern, reaching out to touch his cheek, "That's why I have to stay," she told him, just as quietly, "What if a pipe ruptures...and YOU'RE right next to it, or Amy is, or the Doctor," she sighed, shaking her head, "I should be able to sense it, I can pull you away."

Rory frowned, reaching up to take her hand from his cheek, holding it, "I don't like this."

"That's how I tend to feel on at least half the things the Doctor gets into," she nudged him.

He sighed, but turned, tucking her hand into his arm as he walked with her after Amy and the Doctor. He knew she was right, she wouldn't ever forgive herself if she went back to the TARDIS and stayed safe while they were in danger. And, he supposed, it was better to keep her with him where he could help protect her in return, not that he thought she needed much of that anymore. The Doctor was a bit...obsessed with her safety. And the strangest thing was...he'd actually seen that sort of reaction in men before, in new fathers, how overly cautious they were, how protective of their wives, he'd even seen it in men when their wives were pregnant too, but...the Doctor really was oblivious, he was pretty sure the man hadn't noticed Angel was pregnant yet.

Which was both a blessing and a curse. A blessing in that, the longer he didn't notice, the longer Angel could stay with him and Amy on the TARDIS. But a curse in that...the longer he didn't notice the more he knew it hurt Angel to see. Something had to be terribly distracting for the Doctor to not notice Angel's condition, he was starting to consider sitting the man down and talking to him...and then he winced, his mind jumping to him giving the Doctor 'The Talk' and shook his head, no, probably best to wait till the baby was born in that case. But then he went back...if he DID talk to the Doctor now (or soon at least) then...there was a chance the Doctor might be able to work out some way to save the baby. He doubted he, as a human, knew much about Time Lord pregnancies and babies and biology, all he really knew was they had two hearts and that aspirin could kill them and that they could regenerate. But the Doctor...Angel had told him that the Doctor HAD been a father before, and not just that Jenny girl Angel had talked to him about, so the man HAD to know what to do for the babies.

He sighed, his head was starting to hurt thinking about it. He was so torn! He wanted to protect Angel, to see her happy, to be able to help his little niece survive and see her grow up with her loving parents...but he also didn't want to betray Angel's trust, his own medical code of confidentiality. He just...didn't know what to do and he knew he had to do something, soon.

They caught up to Amy and the Doctor as they reached a courtyard, the surrounding walls and some parts of the castle nearly in ruins but the largest portion looked habitable, "So, where are these Dusty Springfield-loving monks, then?" Amy was asking.

The Doctor scanned the area with the sonic, "I think we're here," he muttered to himself, "This is it."

This was the place where a similar signal that he'd been trying to work out was coming from. Not exact, but...close. Close enough to tell him what was going on!

"Doctor, what are you talking about?" Rory looked at him, "We've never been here before."

Angel climbed another set of wooden steps and looked through a doorway, frowning at something they couldn't see.

"We came here by accident," Amy agreed.

"'Accident?'" the Doctor nearly scoffed, "Yes, I know. Accident."

Rory reached out to touch another pipe that was running along the stairs when Angel grabbed his hand, "Don't," she warned him, eyeing the pipe, "It's acid too."

The Doctor pulled out his sonic and scanned the pipe as well, nodding, "They're definitely pumping acid off this island. Spot on as always," he winked at Angel...before looking down at her hand...that was STILL holding Rory's, and frowned, looking back up at her, then Rory, then her, then their hands, and settled on the pipe, "That's old stuff. Fresh acid? You wouldn't have a finger!" he turned on his heel and...well, stalked off really, practically stomped if Amy had to describe it.

The ginger woman just smiled and shook her head at him, he was so obvious that he was putout that Angel had held Rory's hand for a bit, it didn't bother HER in the slightest. Angel was practically her sister-in-law and the Time Lady acted very much like she imagined Rory's older sister would, if Rory had had a sister. She was almost like a sister to her as well. But the Doctor, sometimes she got the feeling that he couldn't see Rory, the brother, but only Rory, the man, and got jealous over him. She probably would have too if she wasn't completely aware that Rory loved her deeply and only her in that way. Rory and Angel WERE very close, as close as she was to the Doctor, and that was fine. She knew there was nothing there like that...and it was infinitely amusing to see the Doctor huffing about because Rory hugged Angel or complimented Angel or even smiled at her.

The Doctor returned rather quickly, running back to them with a wide grin on his face when he saw Angel let go of Rory's hand as she looked away from Rory and to HIM...probably because of the alarms blaring behind him. Which was fine, alarms were fine, especially ones that pulled Angel's attention to him.

"Intruder alert," a computerized voice announced, "Intruder alert."

"Doctor..." Angel frowned, looking past him, back the way he'd come, "I think...there are people coming. Almost."

"Almost coming?" he looked at her, growing suddenly serious, intent, focusing on her which made Amy smirk to see, he really was just SO gone about the Time Lady wasn't she? Lately if the girl so much as opened her mouth to speak he whirled around to give her his full attention.

Angel shook her head, "No...not almost coming..." she blinked, "Almost people."

The Doctor nodded and headed off, taking the lead as Angel followed, pulling out his sonic, on the ready.

"I think we should probably go," Rory called as Amy followed them. He had no problem going out on adventures…when he knew what was going on, but when the Doctor kept things from them, when not even Angel knew what he was keeping, and she would have told him if she knew, THAT was when things got clinchy.

"Come on!" Amy walked up the stairs.

"I'm telling you, when something runs towards you, it's never for a nice reason."

Amy just rolled her eyes and moved back to grab him by the arm dragging him along, "Angel runs at you all the time," she reminded him.

"Yes, but to hug me," Rory countered, Amy just shot him a look as if to say 'see? THAT's for a nice reason,' and he rolled his eyes, "I don't think whatever's in there is going to want to hug us Amy."

"Oh are you psychic now too?" she joked, moving to link her arm through his.

He smiled and shrugged, not taking that as an insult but more of a joke he knew it was meant to be, "Well, maybe it runs in the family," he laughed, "I mean, think about it, two of my 'brothers' are immortal and I've died and come back how many times?" he nodded to himself, "And two of my sisters...well, three of my four sisters...are psychic you know."

Amy had to nod to that, while Rose wasn't psychic, there still was Angel, Idris, and that Donna woman she was DYING to meet! She wasn't sure if Donna was really psychic, but Rory had mentioned some sort of meta-thingy that Angel had a hand in...that also somehow involved the Doctor's actual hand...that had given the other woman a tiny, tiny bit of intuition, which was enough of a psychic for them.

~8~

Angel rushed into a room, feeling a strong pull to it, the Doctor, Amy, and Rory having followed her the moment she took off to see human shaped harnesses set up in the window alcoves, four of the five occupied by people in orange jumpsuits, "What are all these harnesses for?" Amy asked.

Angel just looked at one person, an older man, lying there with his head slightly to the side and walked over to him, reaching out to put a hand on his, staring up at him...of the people lying there...she got the feeling he was the best of them.

"Uh, the almost people?" Rory suggested.

"What are they, prisoners? Or are they meditating, or what?"

"Well, at the moment, they fall into the 'or what' category," the Doctor remarked.

"Halt and remain calm," the computer ordered, the alarms still going off.

"Well, we've halted. How are we all doing on the 'calm' front?"

Just then Jimmy, Buzzer, and the girl ran into the room, Buzzer and Jimmy with lances pointed at them, that made the Doctor jump back, in front of Angel as she turned around, "Don't...move!" Jimmy ordered, glancing at Angel as she frowned at him, confused, glancing between him and the man that looked just like him in the harness.

"Stay back, Jen," Buzzer glanced at the girl, "We don't know who they are."

"So let's ask them," Jen said calmly, "Who the hell are you?"

"Well, I'm the Doctor," he began, eyeing the lances warily, feeling his hearts racing as they remained pointed at them, "And this is Amy and Rory and Angel and it's all very nice, isn't it?"

Amy looked back, realizing that two of the people talking to them, the men, were duplicates of the two men in the harnesses behind them, "Hold up. You're all…what are you all, like, identical twins?"

Another young man and an older woman in acid suits entered from behind them, "This is an Alpha-grade industrial facility," the older woman stated, eyeing them, "Unless you work for the military or for Morpeth Jetson, you are in big trouble."

"Actually, you're in big trouble," the Doctor turned to her, showing her the psychic paper.

"Meteorological department, since when?"

"Since you were hit by a solar wave."

"Which we survived."

"Just, by the look of it. And, according to Angel, there's a bigger one on the way. And Angel's not been wrong yet."

"Then we'll survive that one also," the woman rolled her eyes before turning to the young man beside her, "Dicken, scan for bugs," but Dicken just stood there, "Dicken!"

Dicken jumped, quickly pulling his gaze away from Angel and jolted forward, "Sorry boss," he murmured, holding up a scanner to them, "Backs against the wall," he looked at the Doctor to see the man's eyes narrowed at him, his hands clenching in fists as he moved even more in front of Angel, "Now."

"Doctor," Angel reached out and put a hand on his shoulder, "Just do as they say."

The Doctor though...he wasn't quite tense about THAT, about the weapons and the ordering and the ignoring going on, no, that was fine, that was typical. What wasn't typical...though, thinking on it, he really had NO idea how it wasn't...was the man that had been staring, openly oggling, Angel. That was rude! And wrong! And...rude! Angel wasn't a piece of meat to be drooled over!

...and it might have had something to do with the fact that he felt an anger rise in him to see the man staring at her. He could understand it happening, Angel was a lovely woman, but...something in him did NOT like it at all.

But he sighed and turned, moving with Amy and Rory at Angel's pleading, to the wall, as they were told, "You're not a monastery," he looked around, needing something to distract him from how Dicken was starting with Angel and, to him, taking FAR too long to scan her, "You're a factory. 22nd century, army-owned factory."

"You're army?" Amy's eyes widened as Dicken moved on, really spending the same amount of time on all of them as he had Angel.

"No, love, we're contractors and you're trespassers," the woman corrected.

"It's ok, boss," Dicken reported as he finished scanning, "They're good," he glanced at Angel, "Very good," and blushed a bit, before clearing his throat, not seeing the Doctor's jaw tense at the very faint pink tinge on his cheeks, "No bugs."

"Alright, weatherman, your I.D. checks out," the woman looked at the Doctor, "If there's another Solar Storm, what are you going to do about it, hand out sun block?"

The Doctor gave a fake, tense laugh, "Ha, ha, ha, ha. I need to see your critical systems."

"Which one?"

"You know which one," his voice dropped low and he couldn't help but grin to see Angel give a small smile at it, he liked that...that voice made him feel like the 'tall, dark, hero' and, he really, really liked how Angel seemed to like him when he was that too.

~8~

The captain, Cleaves they'd learned, led them into another monastery room where there was a vat on a raised platform in the back. In front of it, on the floor, was an open tub the size of a person. There was a bubbling noise in the vat as the Doctor walked around to the opposite side of it, looking down at a white liquid inside, "And there you are," the Doctor smiled, eyeing it as Amy, Rory, and Angel walked in with the crew.

Angel stood beside Rory, her eyes on the vat with a small frown on her face, seeing where the Doctor's mind had gone, why he'd come there, who he'd come there for, and exactly what he needed to know about that liquid.

"Meet the government's worst-kept secret, the Flesh," Cleaves stated, "It's fully programmable matter. In fact, it's even learning to replicate itself at the cellular level."

"Right," Amy nodded, "Brilliant. Lost."

"Ok. Once a reading's been taken, we can manipulate its molecular structure into anything, replicate a living organism, down to the hairs on its chinny-chin-chin. Even clothes, and everything's identical, eyes, voice…"

"Mind, soul," the Doctor added, glancing at Amy, as did Angel as she slowly made her way around the vat and to his side before returning her gaze to the white liquid.

"Don't be fooled, Doctor. It acts like life, but it still needs to be controlled by us from those harnesses you saw."

"Wait, whoa, whoa, whoa, hold it," Rory looked at them, "So...you're Flesh now?"

"I'm lying in a harness back in that chamber," she nodded, "We all are, except Jennifer, here. Don't be scared. This thing? Just like operating a forklift truck."

"You said it could grow," the Doctor countered, "Only living things grow."

"Moss grows. It's no more than that. This acid is so dangerous, we were losing a worker every week. So now, we mine the acid, using these doppelgangers, or 'gangers.' If these bodies get burnt or fall in the acid..."

"Then who the hell cares?" Ganger Buzzer asked, "Right, Jen?"

"That's horrible," Angel breathed, frowning at the liquid, unable to help thinking about Martha's clone, how painfully she had died and that had just been her heart. To be a clone...and then be eaten away by acid...she felt sick...

"Well, the nerve endings automatically cut off, like airbags being discharged," Jen explained, "Except we wake up and get a new Ganger."

"It's weird," Ganger Jimmy admitted, "But you get used to it."

"Jennifer, I want you in your Ganger," Ganger Cleaves ordered, "Get back to the harness."

The Doctor pulled out the sonic and scanned the Flesh, "Hang on," Ganger Buzzer called, seeing the liquid start to bubble, "What's he up to? What are you up to, pal?"

The Doctor struggled a bit to move his arm, "Stop it. Ah!" and yanked it back, "Strange. It was like, for a moment there, it was scanning me," he frowned and put the sonic back in his pocket, reaching out to touch the top of the liquid with his palm.

"Doctor…" Ganger Cleaves warned.

"Ah!" his hand shook and he struggled even worse than before...but he just couldn't seem to pull away, the Flesh had gotten hold of him.

"Get back, Doctor. Leave it alone!"

"Ah! Ah! Ah! Gah!" he forcefully pulled his hand away, panting as he stared at the vat, "I understand."

"Doctor, are you alright?" Amy eyed him.

"Incredible," he shook his head, looking at them, "You have no idea. No idea. I mean, I felt it in my mind. I reached out to it and it, to me."

Angel bit her lip, glancing at him and then the vat, before tentatively reaching out a hand herself...touching the liquid with the tips of her fingers...

Chapter Text

Angel gasped as the liquid bubbled, sensations filling her, and none of them good, not trying to pull her hand away despite the bubbles getting worse. She had learned from the Doctor it took more effort and she just...couldn't. The Flesh...it was trying to tell them something and no one, not even the Doctor, was listening. She'd had plenty of experience with TARDISes, they tried to talk but no one heard them, this was the same thing only now...she could.

The Doctor watched, tensing more and more as Angel didn't back away, eyed the liquid till it started to calm down, simmer, and fall flat again, Angel shakily pulling her hand back only for it to fly to her mouth, her eyes wide with tears.

"Angel?" Rory stepped cautiously over to her when she turned her gaze to him and, well, mostly to Amy, staring at his wife in shock, as though she'd worked something out, "Are you alright?"

Angel just shook her head, "That was...horrible," she breathed, and Rory rushed over to her, hugging her tightly, knowing that the Doctor wouldn't...Angel wouldn't let the Doctor hug her the way she needed to be hugged right now, tightly. The Doctor would be SURE to notice the baby belly if he hugged her, and he knew Angel wouldn't risk NOW being the moment she spoke to him about that. So he hugged her, getting to her before the Doctor could, ignoring the man actually seeming to growl under his breath at the action in favor of comforting his Pilot.

"What was it?" he whispered to her.

But Angel just shook her head, closing her eyes as she buried her face in Rory's hug, too overwhelmed. It was...pain. So much pain. And fear. And sorrow and loneliness and reaching out to be heard but being ignored, cast off, without a thought. She knew that feeling, she'd felt it every time River appeared. She could empathize. But...that wasn't all she felt and saw when she'd touched the Flesh. No...she'd gotten so much more than she bargained for.

And it broke her hearts the truths she'd learned in that liquid, the horrible truth she'd been trying not to see.

But she couldn't ignore it anymore, not when the Flesh confirmed it.

"Don't fiddle with the money," Ganger Cleaves rolled her eyes at the Time Lords, thinking Angel overreacting to a pile of goop.

"How can you be so blinkered?!" the Doctor snapped, spinning to face her, his fists clenched, couldn't she see from Angel's reaction just HOW important the Flesh was?! It was like she was disregarding Angel's pain and THAT was not something he'd stand for.

"The Flesh..." Angel whispered, "It's alive," and it was calling out to be heard, and she had heard it, she heard everything.

"So alive," the Doctor agreed as Amy moved over to Angel as well, rubbing her back in comfort as she clung to Rory, forcing himself to focus on the workers instead, Angel was hurting and he wouldn't deprive her of her comfort, even if it was from the humans and not him, "You're piling your lives, your personalities, directly into it."

Angel took a shuddering breath at that, wiping at her eyes as she squeezed Rory's arm in thanks, turning to him, "Doctor," she called, making him look at her, "We haven't got time," she nodded outside.

He looked over his shoulder, a moment before lightning crashed. He pulled the snow globe out again and the ground shook, "It's the Solar Storm. The first waves come in pairs, pre-shock and full shock, it's close."

"Buzz, have we got anything from the mainland yet?" Ganger Cleaves asked.

"No, the comms. are still too jammed with radiation," Ganger Buzzer replied.

"Ok, then we'll keep pumping acid until the mainland says stop. Now, why don't you stand back and let us impress you."

"Please, don't," Angel pleaded, moving to the woman and taking her arm, "Please. You don't understand what you're doing to the Flesh..."

"We've been using the Flesh for ages," Ganger Cleaves pulled her arm away, scoffing, "We know how it works. Watch," she turned to the tub.

~8~

Jen ran her ID card through the scanner outside her harness, "I.D. confirmed. Jennifer Lucas."

"The meter is running," she smiled, scanning her palm.

~8~

Flesh started to pour into the tub on the ground, Angel shifting as she watched it, glancing at the vat of Flesh, devastated.

~8~

Jen sat back, mostly in the harness, doing one final check, "Cardio and respiratory...online. Motor functions...online. Plumbing in," she laid back and soon fell unconscious.

~8~

The group watched as the tub filled with Flesh and soon...a face began to form, the mouth first, then the eyes and then the Flesh began to take shape, clothes and everything, resembling Jen almost exactly, except the face wasn't fully defined. A moment later she sat up with a gasp, now fully-formed and looking very much like Jen, "Well, I can see why you keep it in a church," the Doctor remarked "The miracle of life."

Angel winced, though no one saw, all of them too focused on the tub, and put her hand on her stomach, taking deep breaths as it all hit her. Everything the Doctor was worried about...he had right to be, and she knew...it was all going to come to a head very soon...and the consequences...would be extreme.

"No need to get poncey," Ganger Buzzer remarked, "It's just gunge."

"Don't call it that," Angel whispered.

Rory looked over, seeing she was pale and shaky and frowned, making his way back to her, putting an arm around her in comfort, "Are you ok?"

Angel shook her head, staring at the vat.

"Do you need to lie down?" Dicken asked her, having been watching her, "I can show you where the bunks are and..." he started heading to her as though to lead her off.

"No!" the Doctor suddenly shouted, before offering a smile when everyone turned to look at him, "I um...we don't have time?" he looked at Angel.

"And WE need to get to work," Ganger Cleaves reminded them, looking pointedly at Dicken as the man sighed and headed over to her.

"Ok, everybody," Ganger Jimmy called, "Let's crack on," he reached out and helped Ganger Jen out.

"Did I mention the Solar Storm?" the Doctor looked at them, "You need to get out of here."

"Well, where do you want us to go? We're on a tiny island."

"Well, I can get you all off it."

"Don't be ridiculous," Ganger Cleaves shook her head, "We've got a job to do."

"It's coming," Angel breathed, looking over her shoulder.

And then...an alarm started to blare.

"That's the alarm!" Ganger Jen cried.

"How do you get power?" the Doctor turned to them.

"We're solar and we use a solar router," Ganger Cleaves replied, "The weathervane."

"Big problem."

"Boss, maybe if the storm comes back, we should get underground," Ganger Jimmy suggested, "The factory's seen better days. The acid pipes might not withstand another hit."

"We have 200 tons of acid to pump out," Ganger Cleaves sighed, "We fall behind, we stay another rotation. Anyone want that?"

"Please," the Doctor grabbed her arm and pulled her aside, "You are making a massive mistake here. You're right at the crossroads of it. Don't turn the wrong way. If you don't…if you don't…prepare for this storm, you are all in terrible danger, believe me, Angel's worried," he glanced at her to see the Time Lady staring outside with a frown, "And when she's worried it's because not-good things are coming. Understand?" he knew telling the woman that Angel was psychic would get him nowhere, Cleaves Ganger or Real, struck him to be a no nonsense woman, she wouldn't believe him.

"My factory, my rules," she pulled her arm away and walked off.

"I need to check the progress of the storm," he snapped his finger and pointed to Ganger Jen, "Monitoring station," she hesitated, so he snapped his fingers again, "Monitoring station!"

"Three lefts, a right, and a left," she answered, "Third door on your left."

"Thank you," he ran out and Amy, Rory, and Angel followed after him, Angel pausing to take one more look at the vat before glancing at Amy and rushing after them.

~8~

The group entered a room with a circular bank of instruments in the center as the building shook from the storm, "The wave's disturbing the Earth's magnetic field," the Doctor looked around, "There is going to be the mother and father of all power surges. You see this weathervane, the cock-a-doodle-doo? It's a solar router, feeding the whole factory with solar power. When that wave hits...kaboom. I've got to get to that cockerel before all hell breaks loose," he stopped in a doorway on his way out and chuckled, "I never thought I'd have to say that again. Angel, stay with them, ok?" he looked at Amy, "Amy, breathe," and then turned and left.

"Yeah!" Amy nodded, confused, "I mean, thanks, I'll try?" she looked at Angel who just shook her head, unable to answer, just look up at the ceiling, her hand on her stomach behind Amy's back.

...this was not going to end well.

~8~

The Doctor ran across the tower upon which the solar router rested.

~8~

The Gangers watched as the electricity crackled around the harness room and the Original thems rested in the harnesses.

~8~

One of the pipes cracked and began to leak acid onto the ground around the TARDIS making her start to sink into the dirt, humming angrily all the while.

~8~

The Doctor climbed the ladder outside the tower and stopped beside the power box, pulling it open with a grunt...

~8~

"No," Angel whispered, her eyes wide, before she took off out of the room.

"Angel!" Rory tried to run after her but the shaking worsened, keeping him from following.

~8~

The Doctor had just reached inside the box...when lightning struck the tower and zapped him, making him fall off the battlement...

~8~

Electricity struck the vat of Flesh and the power went out.

~8~

"Doctor..."

The Doctor's head rolled to the side in his sleep, hearing a voice calling to him. His lips twitched at the corners, it was a nice voice, it sounded very much like Angel now that the thought about it. But it couldn't be here, she was with Rory and Amy.

And then there was a warm hand on his chest, lightly shaking him, "Doctor."

He pouted at the sensation, the shaking, it was waking him up, and it was rather nice to sleep a bit, to finally be able to sleep. But it was fading now...he reached out quickly, his eyes still closed, and grabbed the hand that was shaking him, not pulling it away but just...holding it as he rested his hand and the other one back onto his chest. It was a nice hand, soft, warm...made his skin tingle...

"Please wake up," the voice murmured again, "Please don't do this to me again..."

He frowned now, the voice...it was pleading to him, it sounded sad and scared and...he didn't like it. So, despite wanting to sleep on a little while longer, actually having been about to nod off with the warm hand in his and the soothing voice speaking, he forced his eyes to blink open...

"Angel?" he blinked, before jolting up with a gasp, "Are you alright!? What are you doing here? Are Amy and Rory? What are you doing..."

He was cut off by Angel putting a finger on his lip, his eyes widening before going cross-eyed to look at it, "They're fine but..." she glanced back across the roof, she'd sensed him in danger and had just...reacted...had run off, got knocked out for a short while, but she'd woken up only moments ago and run to find him again, "I'm not sure about Cleaves and her crew."

He blinked a moment before scrambling to get up, wincing and taking a moment to roll his shoulders and twist his back from his fall as Angel stood behind him, watching him cautiously, worried he'd been hurt worse than he was letting on, but he just spun around and smiled, "Time to save the day then eh?" he winked before turning to head towards the door, slower this time.

He'd...he'd noticed, and commented a tiny bit, on how Angel seemed to have...gotten a bit slower in their travels. She usually lagged behind with Rory and he really had to talk to her about that, if she was tired or needed another break...even though he really didn't want her to visit Jack again and stay for a short while...he'd be ok with that. he could do breaks. He didn't like them but he could DO them! And...if it meant Angel would stay and feel better...he'd do anything.

And, it wasn't just that, but...he was worried about the acid pipes as well, that last hit had been a doozy and the pipes were likely leaking. He didn't want to go running off somewhere and end up getting them trapped in acid. He honestly wasn't sure how the Vortex would hold against acid, he was sure it could, but...acid was always tricky. And for him? Yes, he'd run in with no plan at all, but...he wouldn't risk Angel.

~8~

Amy and Rory woke up on the floor of the control room, "Oh," Rory winced, helping Amy up, "For want of a better word, ow!"

~8~

The Doctor carefully glanced around at the bottom of a set of steps, making sure there was no acid leaking before he held his hand out behind him for Angel to take as they continued on, him leading Angel around a small corner...only to see Cleaves standing in a doorway, looking outside, bewildered, "Cleaves! You're not in your harness!"

Angel froze, staring at Cleaves, instinctively knowing something was VERY off about the woman before she shook her head, that was the right word, off, but NOT wrong.

"I'm sorry, Doctor," she looked at him, "You were right."

"You've lost all power to the factory."

"Doctor, I abandoned my team."

"We should check on them then," Angel stepped forward and put a hand on the woman's shoulder, "I'm sure they'll be ok," she reassured her, taking the woman's hand and tugging her along, this time leading them off, back inside.

"How long would you say we were unconscious for?" the Doctor asked Cleaves.

"Not long," she shrugged, "A minute, two minutes."

"No," Angel shook her head, "It was..." she trailed off, not quite sure if she should say it.

"It was what?" Cleaves frowned.

"An hour," Angel looked at the Doctor meaningfully.

He sighed, nodding, understanding what she was getting at, "I've seen whole worlds turned inside out in an hour," he looked at Angel in concern, "A lot can go wrong in an hour."

~8~

Amy and Rory entered the harness room as the humans were getting out of them, "I feel like I've been toasted," Buzzer groaned.

"What the hell happened?" Jimmy looked around, seeing various things sparking and broken.

"The Tsunami happened," Amy walked over to them, frowning when she saw Jimmy wince, "You're hurt."

"Well, it feels like the national grid's running through my bones, but apart from that..."

"I hope the meter's not bust," Buzzer remarked, "I still want to get paid."

"Why?" Jen trembled, her voice small, barely heard above the chatter of the other men.

But Rory heard her. He looked over to see Jen standing by herself, shaking, and went to comfort her, "Jennifer! Jennifer? Right? It's Jen?" he offered her a smile, "I'm Rory," before chuckling a bit, "Nice to meet you..."

Jen just looked up at him with tears in her eyes, "It hurt so much," she sobbed.

"Hey, hey, it's ok, it's over," he hugged her, empathizing with her, she was a rather small girl, and with her black hair, she reminded him quite a bit of Angel.

"I couldn't get out of my harness."

"Shh, shh, shh."

"I thought I was going to die!"

"Welcome to my world," he mumbled, looking at Amy over Jen's head, giving her a questioning look and nodding his head to the door. Amy just shrugged, she didn't know where the Doctor or Angel were either.

Speak of the devil and his angel...the very Time Lords in question walked into the room with Cleaves in tow, "Doctor, look, these are all real people," Amy called, "So where are their Gangers?"

"The Gangers are real people too," Angel insisted gently, looking around at them all, "Are you all ok?" she glanced at the other men, "Jimmy? Buzzer?" they nodded, "Dicken, alright there?"

Dicken grinned at that, "I'm fine, are YOU ok?" he looked her over as though trying to see if she were injured...

Or at least that was probably what he really was doing, though the Doctor could only see a man staring at Angel, eyeing her up and down, and frowned, "Eyes front soldier!" he shouted, a bit of a snap to his voice that made Dicken look up at him and frown, holding up his hands in defense.

Angel gave the Doctor an odd look for a moment, she really didn't know what was going on with him. He'd regenerated so different, so...distant, and now he was acting...almost like he was really her Mate...and yet he'd kissed River and they kept running into her and...she just didn't know. She shook her head and spotted Rory and Jen, "Jen are you alright?" she walked over to her and Rory, rubbing her back in comfort as Rory gave her a look that made her smile, nodding to reassure him as well that she hadn't been hurt. She couldn't say she was ok, she really wasn't, the Gangers...the Flesh...everything she'd felt from it...it was hard to bear.

"She got a bit of a scare," Rory told her quietly, "But she's fine," he looked at Jen, "You're fine Jen, you'll be ok."

"Don't worry," Cleaves answered Amy, "When the link shuts down, the Gangers return to pure Flesh," she didn't notice the Doctor glance at Angel for how she stiffened at that and frown, "Now, the storm's left us with acid leaks all over, so we need to contact the mainland. They can have a rescue shuttle out here in no time."

"Shh…" Angel whispered, listening intently as every one fell silent, hearing Dusty Springfield playing again.

"That's my record," Jimmy breathed, "Who's playing my record?"

"Your Gangers," the Doctor replied, "They've gone for a walkabout."

"No, it's impossible," Cleaves shook her head, "They're not active, cars don't fly themselves, cranes don't lift themselves, and Gangers don't…" they all turned to the sound of the music, all of them realizing there really WAS only one explanation for the music to be on.

~8~

The record was playing on the turntable of the dining hall as they entered the room through thick plastic strips hanging over the doorway, "No way…" Buzzer breathed, seeing it wasn't just one thing that had been disturbed, but everything. The room was a mess, things were moved and opened and lying there...clearly someone had been through it and it wasn't them.

"I don't…I don't believe this," Cleaves shook her head.

"They could've escaped through the service door in the back," Jimmy remarked.

"This is just like the Isle of Sheppey," Buzzer frowned.

The Doctor sat at the table and looked at a house of cards before him, "It would seem the storm has animated your Gangers."

"They've ransacked everything," Cleaves looked around.

"No they haven't," Angel frowned looking at a book on the table, picking it up to eye closer, "They've just searched through some things."

"Through our stuff," Cleaves huffed.

"It's both your 'stuff,'" Angel countered, glancing at her as she put the book down.

"Searching for what though?" Jimmy frowned.

Angel blinked, tracing the cover of the book, "Confirmation," she murmured, "They just..." she swallowed hard, "They want to know they're real, that their memories are real."

"Oh, so they've got flaming memories now," Buzzer scoffed.

"They feel compelled to connect to their lives, yeah," the Doctor looked at him.

"Their stolen lives," Cleaves corrected.

Angel winced at that, turning to sit on the edge of the bench of the table, her back to the Doctor as she sighed, rubbing her temples. She didn't like this, humans getting scared, it never ended well.

"No, bequeathed. You gave them this. You poured in your personalities, emotions, traits, memories, secrets, everything. You gave them your lives. Human lives are amazing. Are you surprised they walked off with them?"

"I'll say it again," Buzzer sighed, "Isle of Sheppey. Ganger got an electric shock, toddled off, killed his operator, right there in his harness. I've seen the photos. This bloke's ear was…"

"Even if this has actually happened," Jimmy cut in, seeing Angel go a bit green at talk of severed ears and things, "They can't remain stable without us plumbed into them, can they, boss?" he looked at Cleaves.

"I guess we'll find out," she remarked.

Jen gasped and Rory moved to her side, Angel glancing over at them, "Are you ok?" Rory asked her, "Do you need some water?"

"I feel funny," Jen went pale, "I need the washroom," she ran out the door.

"I'll come with you," Rory looked back at Angel, who nodded and gave him a smile, which he returned before following after her.

Dicken sneezed, "Sorry."

"Bless you," Angel murmured.

Dicken grinned, "Blessed by an Angel," he chuckled, "That's a first," he winked at her, "Best day ever then."

Angel gave him an odd look, understanding he was trying to flirt with her but...it was just...it didn't do anything for her, at all really. It was like he was just talking to her. The only one she ever felt something when flirted with by was the Doctor...who was currently glaring daggers at Dicken.

"So who's this?" the Doctor asked, slightly louder than he intended, though it DID make Dicken look over as well, which was exactly what he did intend. He gestured to the small house of cards set up before him.

"That's me," Buzzer nodded at the cards, "It's good to have a hobby."

"You're very talented," Angel commented, glancing at him over her shoulder, "I suppose that means your Ganger is equally so."

Buzzer though, frowned at the compliment, his mind sticking on the 'Ganger' bit, "So, what, my Ganger did that, all on its own?"

"Who taught you to do this?" the Doctor looked at him.

"Me granddad."

"Well, your Ganger's granddad taught him to do it, too. You both have the same childhood memories, just as clear, just as real."

"No," he knocked down the cards.

"They're just scared," Angel breathed, "And disoriented," she glanced at the door Rory had just gone through, a pit starting to form in her stomach and twist painfully, she was starting to think she shouldn't have let him go alone. It wasn't that she didn't trust him, she did, but...disoriented and scared people tended to lash out and she didn't want him to get hurt.

She sighed, rubbing her head, her head was starting to hurt now, with all the Flesh running around it was like...it was like she could still feel what she'd felt in the vat, but stronger. It was crowding her head, and she was starting to worry that she might not be able to get a good sense or vision of the future if she didn't clear her head soon.

"They're st...struggling to...come to terms..." the Doctor started trailing off as he watched Dicken moving to a side cubby-hole, pulling out a small plate of something, "With an entire...life in their heads..." he frowned, seeing the man moving to Angel with it.

"Um..." Dicken began as Angel looked up, "Want some?" he held out the plate to her, lifting the small cloth that had been covering it.

Angel let out a little laugh and smiled, "Brownies," she shook her head, that was truly ironic that he had a plate of her now-favorite treat.

"Yeah," Dicken smiled, seeing Angel smiling at the treats, "My mum," he shrugged, blushing a bit, "She sends them sometimes, little things to cheer me up."

Angel nodded, "She loves you very much," she told him, "And she's very proud of you."

"I hope she is."

"She is," she insisted gently, making Dicken look at her, "I'm psychic, I know."

Dicken laughed, thinking she was joking, but offered her the plate once more, beaming when she took a small treat, not seeing Amy smirking openly at the glowering look the Doctor was sending the man...he was SO jealous!

She was LOVING it!

~8~

Rory stood in the doorway of the washroom while Jen leaned over the sink, looking in the mirror, "The Doctor's always saying 'don't wander off,'" he remarked, "First rule with him, actually, no, first rule is he lies, most important rule is 'don't wander off,'" he laughed a bit, "And then Angel tells us that no matter how many times he says it, no one ever listens."

He was rambling, he knew it, but...he really didn't know what else to do. Jen was upset and he knew exactly what to do when Amy was upset, he knew her forever. And when Angel was crying, all he had to do was hug her and she'd start smiling, she always said not to underestimate the power of a hug. But Jen...he didn't really know her all that well, and...he wasn't really sure...

"I just need a minute," she cut in gently.

"Oh, yeah, yeah. Sure, yeah. Take all the time you need. I've got your back. You're fine," he turned his back to the room as Jen looked into the mirror, her face flashing to that of a half-formed Ganger. She gasped and coughed up what seemed to be Flesh, "Uh, Jennifer?" with a gasp, Jen ran back to one of the stalls and locked the door as Rory turned around, "What's up, Jennifer? We'd, uh, better get going," he walked into the room and set the light he'd been holding on the counter, "Everything ok in there, Jen?" he looked over at the mirror before turning...

Only to be punched in the face by a large fist, the arm attached to it extending from the stall.

On the floor where he'd fallen, Rory watched the arm withdraw back to the stall and Jen's head come out, her neck long and snake-like, "Just let us live!" Ganger Jen growled at him.

He got up off the floor, grabbing the light, and ran.

~8~

The Doctor stood at the microwave, his arms crossed, his jaw tense as he watched the others sit around the table of the dining hall, eating the last of Dicken's brownies, Angel having eaten just one or two more than the others. He hadn't taken his narrowed eyes off them (Dicken), even as he worked on preparing the small plate of food, actual food, not snacks, not little brown squares, but whole, hearty, wholesome food, thank you very much!

"We need to protect ourselves," Jimmy was saying.

The Doctor put a container of food into the microwave as Angel looked at the man with a frown, "You're not a very violent person are you, Jimmy?"

"No," Jimmy frowned.

"Well, if YOU'RE not...why would another you be?" she smiled at him, "I think the world could do with two Jimmys running around. You seem like an amazing man."

Jimmy smiled at that, that was one of the nicest things anyone had ever said to him.

"Don't tell me you can eat at a time like this, Doctor," Cleaves looked over at him when she heard the microwave start, walking over to see what he was doing.

"It's not for me," he remarked, "Angel should eat something more than just brownies," he added, see! He could make food for her too! "Not to mention, you told Angel and I that we were out cold for a few minutes when, in fact, it was an hour."

"Sorry, I just assumed…"

"Well, it's not your fault. Like we said, they're disoriented. Amy, when you got to the alcoves, who was in harness?" the timer went off on the microwave and the Doctor pulled it out with a towel as the plate was very hot.

"Um, Jimmy and Dicken were helping Buzzer out," Amy recalled.

"And Jennifer?" Angel asked her.

"She was standing on her own when we got to her."

The Doctor turned, about to head to Angel with the food before a thought struck him and he turned, handing the plate to Cleaves as she held it in her bare hands, not even flinching, something that made the other stiffen to realize, "It's hot," he remarked.

She hissed and dropped the plate, the Doctor lunging forward to try and catch the plate with the towel...only to be too late, the plate shattering on the floor with all that food wasted, making him pout. Though Cleaves just looked at her hand, shaking it out, "Ah."

"The transmatter's still a little rubbery," the Doctor sighed at the food before he turned and examined Cleaves's hand, "The nerve endings are not quite fused properly."

She pulled her hand away, "What the hell are you talking about?"

"It's ok," Angel got up and walked over to her.

"Why didn't I feel that?" Ganger Cleaves looked at her and the Doctor.

"You will," the Doctor said as Angel put a hand on Cleaves's shoulder, "You'll stabilize."

"No, stop it! You're playing stupid games. Stop it!" she pulled herself away from Angel and turned her back on them.

"You don't have to hide," the Doctor slowly approached her, gesturing for Angel to stay back, "Please, trust me. I'm the Doctor."

Ganger Cleaves turned on them with a hiss, her face half-formed.

Buzzer grabbed a knife from the table and headed towards her but Jimmy held him back, "Where's the real Cleaves, you thing?!" Buzzer glared at her, "What have you done with her?!"

"Buzzer please, hush," Angel looked at him, alarmed and concerned, she was starting to get the feeling that Buzzer would cause a few problems with his attitude towards the Gangers, him and Cleaves both.

"That's it, good," the Doctor nodded, winking at Angel in thanks as he ignored Buzzer, "You remember. This is early Flesh, the early stages of the technology. So much..." he reached out a hand to touch Cleaves's hand and she shuddered, "To learn."

"Doctor, what's happened to her?" Amy asked, slowly getting up as well.

"She can't stabilize, she's shifting between half-formed and full-formed. For now, at least."

"We are living!" Ganger Cleaves replied, lunging at the Doctor with a growl. Angel pulled him back to the side and the Ganger ran from the room, screaming.

"No wait!" Angel tried to go after her, but the Doctor grabbed her hand, stopping her.

"Let her go," he told her and the others as well.

"Doctor," Amy gasped, "Rory."

"'Rory?'"

"Rory!"

"Oh, Rory. Rory! Always with the Rory!"

"He's alright," Angel told them, "Right now," she nodded, feeling it, "He's fine," she swallowed hard, for now he was.

~8~

Rory cautiously moved through the tunnels of the monastery, trying to be careful and avoid any acid that might be around.

~8~

The Doctor, Amy, Angel, and Jimmy left the dining hall...the Doctor having insisted that Jimmy come and not Dicken as the young man had offered...the four of them heading down the tunnels to find their way blocked by acid on the ground, "The explosion must've ruptured the acid feeds," Jimmy remarked, "We're going to need the acid suits."

"No, no, no, we haven't got time," the Doctor turned, ushering them backwards, "Back, back, back."

Angel looked down a hall, "This way," she said, rushing off.

"Angel!" the Doctor shouted, hurrying after her, "Be careful, there's acid everywhere!"

Amy had to laugh at that, despite the danger Rory might be in, to hear the DOCTOR talking about being safe was just...really funny.

~8~

Rory's path was blocked by acid and he headed back the way he came...only to hear, Ganger Jen calling out, "Rory!" he ducked behind some crates as she walked by, "Rory?! Rory?!" she looked around, her face half-formed.

~8~

Jimmy, the Doctor, Angel, and Amy ran into the washroom where Angel had led them, the Doctor spotting the hole in the stall door that Jen had punched through.

"Rory!" Amy shouted.

"Of course," the Doctor realized, "Jennifer's a Ganger, too."

"Doctor, you said they wouldn't be violent."

"But Angel did say they were scared and angry."

"And early technology, is what you said," Jimmy looked at him, "You seem to know something about the Flesh."

"Do you?" Amy looked at him, "Doctor?"

Angel glanced away, looking at a small lump of Flesh in the sink, the Doctor certainly knew more than he was letting on. But she knew he hadn't worked it out entirely just yet, and she knew, when he did...it would be worse than he imagined.

"You're no weatherman. Why are you really here?"

"I have to talk to them," the Doctor said, "I can fix this," he turned and ran out of the room, Angel and Amy following him.

"Wait!" Jimmy called as he dashed off after them, "What's going on? Where's the real Jennifer?!"

~8~

In another part of the monastery tunnels, the real Jennifer made her way down some stairs, leaning heavily against the wall, limping as she shuddered for breath. She winced and clutched at her leg, it was hurt, it was hurt badly and she was alone and scared and...she kept thinking she was hearing herself calling out in the dark. She swallowed hard, sniffling, before she ran on, hoping she might find someone to help...

Chapter Text

The Doctor was in the lead as the small group reached the top of a set of stairs and headed down the tunnel, steam bursting from pipes, the ground littered with acid, "It is too dangerous out here with acid leaks!" the Doctor remarked, frowning at the puddles and leaks, stepping back and forcing Angel and Amy to step back as well as they were behind him.

"I told you to go left Doctor," Angel murmured, recalling a fork in the halls they'd come to, "Do you want me to try to use the Vortex to..."

"No!" he spun around, his eyes wide, he really REALLY didn't want to risk her trying to use the Vortex to protect them from the acid and for it to not work, if it didn't work, he didn't want her to get hurt trying. He didn't want to risk her at all, "No, it's fine."

"It's not fine," Amy cut in, "We have to find Rory!"

"Yes," he sighed, nodding, wincing as he realized he'd forgotten about Rory for a moment there, "Right, here's the plan...I'm going back to the TARDIS. Angel, get them to the dining hall, stay away from Dicken, wait for me there. I..."

"What?" Angel shook her head, confused by that request, she'd noticed it if he'd been trying to sneak it through.

"Get to the dining hall," he repeated, "And wait for me there..."

"You also said to stay away from Dicken."

He blinked, "Did I?" he frowned, he honestly hadn't noticed that, "Well...do that too," he nodded, completely agreeing with himself.

"Why?" she frowned, not sure why he'd say that, with the danger around she'd have thought he'd want her to keep an eye on everyone.

"Don't know," he admitted, looking away which Angel knew meant he wasn't being entirely honest.

She frowned and...took a little peek into his head. She'd actually been trying to stay out of his mind, especially after they'd dealt with the Silence. She just...she hadn't wanted to see his thoughts about the kiss, too afraid to learn that he might have enjoyed it. True, he might have hated it but...from what she saw, he had liked it well enough, he hadn't pushed River away had he? From that point on she'd...blocked him, as much as she could at least. It wasn't really blocking though, that was impossible with the Mating (she STILL didn't know how he was managing to not hear or feel her at all), but...she wasn't actively looking into his mind, she wasn't actively trying to hear his mental thoughts. She was...afraid, that she'd find his thoughts were on River despite the way he was acting around her now, much differently than he had when he'd first regenerated. But she was scared, so she didn't look anymore, not intentionally at least. Things did slip through, plans, epiphanies, worries, but she was trying not to look.

Now though...she was almost shocked at his reasoning. He didn't like Dicken, he didn't like how Dicken took notice of her or spoke with her or even looked at her. Which confused her, Dicken was a sweet boy yes, but...he wasn't the Doctor. He wasn't her Mate. It went against her own Mating instinct to let another man be that familiar with her as the Doctor had been. She really...didn't know what had happened to him that his Mating instinct was so...she didn't know the word. She remembered how he was when other women had flirted with him, his last self, remembered how coldly and bluntly he could turn them away, but somehow, with River...

He'd told Rory in Venice that when Amy had kissed him it felt wrong, that he'd pushed Amy away. But River kissed him, he let it happen, and he hadn't said it felt wrong. Which worried her. It worried her how little the Mating instinct struck him. Yes, there were times he didn't seem to like other men being around her, times where he felt more protective of her than normal, but...then at other times he'd be kissing River Song!

She winced, she had to STOP thinking about that, about that moment but...it was hard, it was like the only thing she could see when she closed her eyes was him kissing River.

"But now it's part of the plan so!" he clapped, "You two, keep together," he gestured between her and Amy, "No more wandering off. Just...get back to the dining hall safe, ok?"

He looked at Angel more when he said that, he was more worried about her than Amy, which he really needed to figure out why. AMY was pregnant! He was nearly 99 percent sure of it. And there was acid everywhere, and he knew she'd run off after Rory despite that, Amy was as reckless as he was. But...he felt his hearts constrict more at the thought of Angel getting even burned by the acid pipes! He felt his stomach drop at the thought of going off without her, his breath left him at knowing he wouldn't be there to keep her safe. But he had to, the TARDIS was their only chance of being completely safe as they found and rescued Rory. He didn't want to leave Angel, not at all, not ever, but...she'd be safer in the dining hall with a group around her than with him running through acid. She'd be as safe as he could make her before he got back to her.

"And what about Rory?" Amy shook her head, "Doctor, if Angel can take us to him..."

"It would be safer to look for Rory and Jennifer with the TARDIS," he insisted. He had no doubt that Angel could lead them right to him, but the time it would take to navigate around the acid, even with her abilities and sensations pointing her in a safe direction, it would take too long. And he didn't want to chance her 'missing' something as there was only so much she could see.

Jimmy looked over and spotted a box on the wall, "Here we go," he opened them and pulled out a large container, "Distress flares," he closed the box and nearly jumped, seeing the Doctor right behind him.

"Exit?"

"Keep going straight, can't miss it. But you're never going to get your vehicle in here."

"I'm a great parker," he turned and left.

Angel shook her head and turned to Amy, "I bet you 10 quid he parked the TARDIS in a puddle of acid."

Amy already knew not to take that bet. She'd learned a long time ago not to bet against Angel. She looked over at the acid on the ground and made a face, "Ew."

"We really need those acid suits," Jimmy remarked, "I've sent Buzzer and Dicken to get them."

"Fine and dandy. I'm just going to find my husband, so...cheers."

"But Amy, I wouldn't…"

"Nor would I. What can you do, eh?" she turned and headed down the tunnel.

"Hold on," Angel called, following her, "I'll go with you."

Amy paused, "But the Doctor said to go back to the dining hall."

"He also said to stay together and not to wander off," Angel shrugged, "But if we go together and I 'lead the way,' it's not wandering," she smiled, "I think I might be able to get us to Rory."

"Well then lead the way," Amy cheered, gesturing Angel on, trusting her to find a safe path.

Angel nodded and headed out, Amy following her as Jimmy shouted, "At least wait for acid suits!"

But they paid him no heed, maneuvering around the acid on the floor to continue the search for husband and companion.

~8~

In another section of tunnels Dicken and Buzzer crept along, watching out for acid and the Gangers.

~8~

Ganger Jen sat, half-formed, on a bench in what seemed to be a workout room when Rory slowly entered, "When I was a little girl, I got lost on the moors," Ganger Jen sighed as he looked at a picture over her shoulder of Jennifer as a child, "Wandered off from the picnic. I can still feel how sore my toes got inside my red Wellie boots. And I imagined another little girl, just like me, in red Wellies, and she was Jennifer too. Except she was a strong Jennifer, a tough Jennifer. She'd lead me home," she picked the photo out of the frame and looked at her reflection in the glass before finding a more recent picture of herself, "My name is Jennifer Lucas. I'm not a factory part. I had toast for my breakfast, I wrote a letter to my mum, and then you arrived," she looked back at Rory, "I noticed your eyes, right off."

"Did you?" Rory shifted, not quite sure what to say to that.

"Nice eyes. Kind."

Rory bent over to look at her, "Where's the real Jennifer?"

She stood, "I am Jennifer Lucas. I remember everything that happened in her entire life. Every birthday, every childhood illness. I feel everything she's ever felt, and more," she started to cry, "I'm not a monster! I am me!" she sobbed and beat her chest, "Me! Me! Me!" her skin turned peach at the last strike making her fully-formed.

Rory put a hand on her shoulder, "Hey..."

"Why did they do this to us? Help me, Rory. Help me," she started to cry and, with little else to do, Rory hugged her.

He could understand now. He hadn't known exactly how much of the 'real' Jennifer the Ganger had gotten, how much of her memories, of her life and soul, but now he knew. It was everything, every little detail, memory, experience that made a person who they were. And this little girl was being told by everyone, and knew it herself, that while she was real, she wasn't the original Jennifer. She was and would always be a copy, a thing, not as real as she wished and believed herself to be. She had the memories but SHE hadn't been the one to live them.

He could empathize entirely, plastic and Flesh weren't all that different in the end.

~8~

The Doctor entered the Flesh Room and made his way to the vat. He pulled out the sonic and set the frequency once more before eyeing the liquid. He quickly scanned the Flesh once more, isolating the cells and the information he needed, making the liquid bubble violently. He grinned, tossing the sonic in his hand before tucking it back in his pocket and ran from the room.

In the vat a single mouth appeared on the surface, "Trust me…" it whispered.

~8~

The Doctor ran outside, down the steps, and over to the TARDIS...but stopped and looked down, "Oh. What are you doing down there?!"

The TARDIS has nearly completely sunk into the acid saturated ground and he could hear it humming angrily...quite possibly murderously...even from there.

"Really!" he reached into his pocket for something, only to realize he was standing in a puddle of acid now eating away at his boots.

~8~

Dicken and Buzzer continued their search for the acid suits, making it to the room they were stored in with ease, not having encountered a Ganger yet.

~8~

The Doctor left his boots in the puddle and headed back up the stairs to the courtyard in nothing but his socks.

~8~

Dicken and Buzzer entered the locker room, "Clear!" Buzzer called. Dicken went to a closet and opened it...to find the suits were gone, "Those damn Gangers got to the acid suits!"

"But there's acid leaking everywhere," Dicken frowned, "Did you see the boss's eyes, back there in the hallway?"

"I've never seen a Ganger look at me like that."

"I don't know what they are now, but...they ain't us," he sneezed.

~8~

Propped by the vat of acid were the acid suits. The door opened and Gangers Buzzer, Jimmy, and Dicken looked up to see Ganger Cleaves enter, "We have the advantage now," she said, "We have the acid suits. We can move freely, strike at will."

~8~

Rory walked into the courtyard, through a dark tunnel with Ganger Jen, "Are you sure you're feeling better? No more super-elastic punches?"

"I'm...different now, stronger," she replied.

"The Doctor won't hurt you and neither will Angel. They just want to help Jennifer, ok?"

Jennifer stopped and looked at him with wide, happy eyes, "You used my name. You used my name! Thank you!" she kissed him on the cheek, before blushing and pulling away, "Amy's a lucky girl."

"Yeah...she is," he smiled proudly before sighing, "Let's go."

As they walked past a stairway, they didn't notice Cleaves hiding behind it. She waited till they walked by before running out, needing to get back to her crew.

~8~

Amy approached a set of large wooden doors at the end of a tunnel, "Rory. Rory!" she sighed and looked at Angel, "Anything?"

Angel took a breath and just...focused...smiling as she turned back to Amy, "He's close…I know he's around here somewhere…" Amy nodded, looking around, still very worried, "Hey," Angel put a hand on her shoulder, "We'll find him, soon, cross my hearts," she crossed them.

Amy started to smile at her when she heard a metallic click that didn't sound like it belonged. She looked over to see the eye patch woman was looking right at her through the wall! But just as suddenly as she saw it, the panel slid closed. She gasped and jerked back.

Angel opened her mouth to say something to her, a look of sorrow on her face, when…

"Amy!" they whirled around to see Rory at the end of the tunnel.

"You're ok!" Amy smiled, relived, "What happened?" she started to walk towards him but stopped when Ganger Jen stepped out from behind him.

"She needs protecting."

"Jen?" Dicken and Buzzer entered the tunnel as well, having heard the shouting.

"No, it's a Ganger," Amy told them, knowing that Rory wouldn't have said they had to protect her if she was real, "Rory, listen…"

"No, you listen, nobody touches her!" Rory cut in, pulling himself up to his full height, standing his ground.

Angel smiled and gently pushed her way past the men and Amy, "Well said Rory," she walked forward and leaned over to hug Jen, noting that the girl tensed a bit before hugging her back.

She closed her eyes, getting an even stronger sense of the Flesh now that it was truly living and had a consciousness than she had in the vat. She could feel her hearts drop into her stomach as a horrible feeling hit her about this particular Ganger. She hoped though, she truly truly hoped that she was wrong this time or that they would be able to change it.

The Gangers...she understood them, better than anyone, she'd felt what they felt, and it was terrible...

~8~

The Doctor entered the Acid Room, looking around when he spotted the acid suits lying there. He continued looking at the floor when he saw the legs of the Gangers and looked up at them, "Hello. How are we all getting on?"

"Why don't you tell us?" Ganger Cleaves hissed.

"Well, we have two choices. The first is to tear each other apart, not my favorite, the second is to knuckle down and work together. Try to work out how best we can help you."

He tensed, waiting to see what they'd do, not quite sure if he got through to them or not and wishing he had taken Angel with him, he could do with a bit of good luck right now.

~8~

It seemed a bit of Angel had rubbed off on him, his luck had held out as the Doctor walked out of the Acid Room and down the tunnels, the Gangers, now fully-formed, following behind him, "Now, I know it's hard for you to hold your fully human form, that's why you keep shifting between the Flesh stages, but do try, it'll make the others less scared of you..."

Ganger Cleaves stopped and turned her head around 180 degrees, hearing a noise. But, seeing nothing, she continued on as the Original Cleaves peeked her head out to watch them leave.

~8~

Ganger Jen sat at one side of the table in the dining hall while Rory stood beside her, Buzzer, Jimmy, and Dicken sitting across from her while Amy stood across from Rory, Angel sitting on the Ganger's other side with her arm around the girl's shoulders.

"Where's Jen?" Buzzer demanded, leaning forward to almost sneer at her, "What have you done with her?"

"I haven't seen her," Ganger Jen replied, "I swear. But, look, I'm her. I'm just like her. I'm real."

"You're a copy. You're just pretending to be like her."

"Buzzer please," Angel murmured, "Hush," she knew how much that hurt the girl to hear, could feel her flinch as Buzzer said it, to have all those thoughts and feelings of the Original Jen, to be exactly like her, and have someone renounce you, tell you you were fake...it hurt.

"Rory, um, we don't really know anything about them yet…" Amy whispered to Rory.

"Well…" he began.

"And…"

"I know that she's afraid and she needs our help," he cut in.

"Rory…"

"Amy," Angel cut in, getting up and moving around Ganger Jen to stand on Rory's other side so she could speak to the ginger a big more privately, "Don't you think he can empathize with them a bit?" Amy looked at her with a frown, "Being a duplicate of a real person, having all their memories and feelings but knowing you're not actually real?" Amy looked down, "He was plastic, they are Flesh, it's not all that different when you think about it."

Amy sighed and nodded, understanding. It did make sense and...she should probably try to see them as real. She had seen Rory as just...Rory when he'd been a plastic Centurion, why should Flesh be different. It was just...she KNEW Rory, what he was like, she could tell he was real in every way that mattered. She didn't know these people, what they were like, whether the Flesh would take the darker parts of them and attack, what they'd act like. She knew Rory, she trusted him, he would never hurt her.

The same couldn't be said for the Gangers, especially not after Ganger Cleaves hissed and freaked out and ran off on them. They...alarmed her. She was trying to see them as people, to trust them, because Angel did, she believed they were real and had as much potential to be good as humans did, and Angel was an excellent judge of character. But that was just it, they had the potential to be good...so they had the potential to be evil as well.

"Jimmy, Buzzer, come on, you guys," Ganger Jen pleaded, "We've worked together for two years!"

"I work with Jennifer Lucas, not you," Buzzer nearly spat.

"Ok," Amy sighed, giving in for the moment, "Let's not do anything at all..."

"Until the Doctor gets here," both she and the Doctor said as he entered the room.

"Hello!" the Doctor smiled at them, the Gangers entering behind him.

"This is…" Jimmy stood up.

"You're telling me," his Ganger agreed, both of them eyeing each other.

"Alright, Doctor, you've brought us together, now what?" Ganger Cleaves looked at him.

"Before we do anything," he said, "I have one very important question, has anybody got a pair of shoes I could borrow? Size 10. Although I should warn you, I have very wide feet," they looked down to see him wearing his socks.

Angel shook her head, "Did your shoes get flooded with radiation again?" she asked him, a small smile on her face, recalling when he'd gone 'barefoot on the moon.'

The Doctor...actually smiled at that, it being a memory he still had, "No," he laughed, "No bunions either," he added, before blinking at that and looking at his feet...

~oOo~

He paused, seeing an old woman working the controls of the machine as it sparked with electricity and made odd sounds, "Have you seen…" he began to stutter, playing the part of a frightened human, "There are these things, those great big space rhino things, I mean rhinos from space. And we're on the moon. Great big space-rhinos with guns on the moon. And I only came in for my bunions, look," he gestured at his feet, "They're alright now, perfectly good treatment, I said to my wife, Angie, 'I'd recommend this place to anyone,' but then we end up on the moon. And did I mention the rhinos?"

"Hold him!" the woman ordered as the other Slab stepped forward and grabbed hold of him.

~oOo~

The Doctor swallowed and looked at Angel, shaking his head but...not pushing the thought aside. It...it wasn't like the other memories or fantasies he had. Those were...moments like him being in a cupboard with her or kissing her, that he knew couldn't have happened, so they had to be fantasies...but this? This was...he remembered that, he remembered speaking to the Plasmavore...but he DIDN'T remember saying THAT during it, calling Angel his wife...

It was like there were two sets of memories in his head now, and he didn't know why or which was real...

"Here," he heard someone say and looked up to see Dicken holding out a pair of Size 10/wide shoes, and blinked.

"Did I say 10? I meant 11," he muttered, his jaw tensing though Dicken just shrugged and moved to put the shoes back, Jimmy going to get a pair instead.

Amy rolled her eyes at that, she knew what had happened, the Doctor just didn't want Dicken's shoes. He really didn't like the man did he?

~8~

Cleaves angrily pulled items from her locker, "That's it, Doctor, befriend them, team up with them, why don't you? Make a football team. How about that? You're going to have us all together, singing campfire songs," she grabbed what she needed and slammed the door shut.

~8~

The Doctor sat at the edge of the table in the dining hall, wearing Jimmy's brown boots...which were admittedly a size too big but being not-wide had helped a bit, that and tying them very tight. Amy stood behind him, eyeing what looked like two factions before her. To one side were the Originals and on the other the Gangers with Rory standing beside Ganger Jen, the two of them in between the groups though Jen was on the Ganger side. Angel stood by the Originals, not because she agreed with them in being 'more real' but just to try to maintain the balance. There were 4 Gangers across from them and only 3 originals what with Jen and Cleaves missing, now it was even, 4 and 4.

"The Flesh was never merely moss," the Doctor explained, trying to keep his gaze from turning to Angel who was, in standing with the humans, in between Jimmy and Dicken, with Dicken a little too close and seeming a little too happy about being beside her. Yet, despite his best efforts, he couldn't help but tighten his hold on the edge of the table where he was sitting with his hands on either side of him, his knuckles were turning white but he hardly noticed. He didn't know what it was but every instinct was telling him to get Angel away from Dicken, that she didn't belong beside the boy, that she...well...that she belonged beside HIM, "These are not copies. The storm has hardwired them. They are becoming people."

"With souls?" Jimmy asked.

"Rubbish," Dicken scoffed, "Ah-choo!"

"Bless you," Ganger Dicken called as Ganger Cleaves looked at him, "What?"

"You shouldn't say that," Angel frowned at Dicken, making the Doctor smirk to see that she was unhappy with the man, "Everything has a soul, even rocks."

"Yes, and people especially," the Doctor agreed, beaming when he saw Angel look at him and smile, "We were all jelly, once. Little jelly eggs, sitting in goop."

"Yeah, thanks," Amy eyed him, "Too much information."

"We are not talking about an accident that needs to be mopped up. We are talking about sacred life. Do you understand?" he looked between the two groups till they nodded, "Good. Now, the TARDIS is trapped in an acid pool…"

"10 quid Amy," Angel called with a smirk as Amy shook her head.

"Were you betting on me again!?" the Doctor cried, exasperated, Angel seemed to have taken to amusing Rory and Amy with tiny bets about things he would do in the future. Not fair at all.

"The TARIDS?" Angel reminded him.

He sighed and got back to point, "Once I can reach...her," he started to smile again, seeing Angel absolutely beam at that. He'd called the TARDIS an 'it' for so long...but...after Idris, after speaking with it, finding out it could think and feel and communicate (as it seemed it had with Angel all along), how could he keep thinking of it as just a ship or a box or a machine? As Angel had started to call the TARDIS 'Sissy' he had started to call the old box 'girl' as well, "I can get you all off this island, humans and Gangers, eh, how does that sound?"

"Can we get home for Adam's birthday?" Jimmy looked at him.

"What about me?" his Ganger asked, "He's my son, too."

"You? You really think that?"

"I feel it."

"Oh, so you were there when he was born, were you?" Jimmy glared.

But his Ganger just smiled, "Yeah. I drank about 8 pints of tea and they told me I had a wee boy and I just burst out laughing," he laughed, "No idea why. I miss home. As much as you."

"Look, I'm not going to lie to you," the Doctor cut in, "It's a right odd mess, this. But, as you might say up north, 'oh, well, I'll just go to t' foot of the stairs.' Ha ha. Eh, by by, gum…" he trailed off when he saw no one else was laughing, "Or not. Good. Right. The first step is we get everyone together, then get everyone safe, then get everyone out of here."

"Well we're almost to step one then," Angel remarked, "We just need to find the original Jennifer and Cleaves."

"I'll go and look for them," Jimmy called, heading for the door.

"I'll give you a hand, if you like," his Ganger offered, "Cover more ground."

Jimmy eyed him a moment, before smiling, "Yeah. Ok. Thanks," he nodded, starting to think the Gangers were really as Angel had implied earlier, this was HIM. He was naturally a helpful and considerate man, why wouldn't his Ganger be?

With everyone watching both Jimmys get along, they didn't notice the original Cleaves enter behind them…though one did. Angel looked over, spotting her and stiffened at the sight of what Cleaves was holding.

"This circus has gone on long enough!" Cleaves cried, a crackle of electric spouting from the device in her hand.

"Oh, great," her Ganger remarked dryly as Angel slowly made her way towards the Gangers this time, knowing Cleaves would try to attack them and not about to let that happen, "You see, that is just so typically me."

"Doctor, tell it to shut up."

"Please, no," the Doctor spun around, "No! No!"

"Circuit probe," she wiggled the device, "Fires about, oh, 40,000 volts. It would kill any one of us, so I guess she'll work on Gangers, just the same."

"It's interesting you refer to them as 'it,' but you call a glorified cattle prod a 'she.'"

"When the real people are safely off this island, then I'll happily talk philosophy over a pint with you, Doctor."

"What are you going to do to them?" Amy eyed the woman.

"Sorry, they're monsters, mistakes. They have to be destroyed."

"Give me the probe, Cleaves," the Doctor stepped forward.

"We always have to take charge, don't we, Miranda?" her Ganger asked, "Even when we don't really know what the hell is going on."

Ganger Buzzer made to charge at Cleaves, but Angel pulled him back, yanking him to the side just as Cleaves fired at where he'd been standing. She moved in front of the Ganger, knowing Cleaves wouldn't risk killing what she deemed as a real human. Cleaves glared her and, instead, turned her probe on Ganger Jen, making the girl gasp and duck.

"Jen?" Rory moved Jen behind him, seeing what Angel had.

"You nearly killed Buzzer!" Ganger Jen cried at Cleaves, "She'll try it to us all if we trust you!"

The Doctor looked at them, "Wait, wait. Just wait."

Rory ran forward with a cry of "No!" when he saw Cleaves about to fire the probe once more, knocking her to the ground and grabbing the probe away from her as the Gangers fled from the room at the opportunity.

"You idiot!" Cleaves glared at Rory.

"Wait!" the Doctor called after the Gangers, Rory getting up as did Cleaves when he rounded on her, "Look at what you've done!"

"If it's war, then it's war. You don't get it, Doctor. How can you? It's us and them now…" she turned to Jimmy, Dicken, and Buzzer, "Us...and them."

"Us and them," Dicken agreed as Buzzer nodded wholeheartedly, Angel frowning and shaking her head at them.

Jimmy sighed, "Us and them."

The Doctor sighed, unhappy at the turn of events as Angel looked down sadly, the pit in her stomach was firm now and she knew what that meant…Ganger Jen was lost to them.

~8~

The Gangers stood in the Acid Room, their faces half-formed. Ganger Jimmy passed out the acid suits as Ganger Jen stood on the steps by the door, speaking to them, "You tried, we all tried, and look what they tried to do. Us and them now."

"Us and them," Ganger Jimmy said.

"Us and them," Ganger Dicken agreed as Ganger Buzzer nodded.

"Jennifer…" Ganger Cleaves began, actually sounding hesitant about it all.

"Buzzer warned you it was a trick," Ganger Jen continued, "And he almost died because of it. If we want to live, then it's time to go to war. I'll take care of the spare one running around out there," and with that she turned and left.

Ganger Cleaves frowned as she watched the girl go, she seemed to conveniently forget that a 'real' woman had saved Buzzer, that a 'real' man had protected her.

~8~

Jennifer limped into the Flesh Room, panting against the wall.

"Trust me," a voice whispered from the back of the room, a pale hand resting on a pillar.

Jennifer gasped as she saw it, the unnaturally pale hand, and ran from the room, terrified.

~8~

Amy and Rory stood off to the side, quietly talking, "Don't be like that," he was whispering to Amy, knowing she was having trouble believing the Gangers could be real people given how they'd reacted, "She's real."

Jimmy, Buzzer, Dicken, and Cleaves were having their own quiet discussion as well when Jimmy looked at Cleaves, seeming to do as Rory was and defend the Gangers, "You nearly killed him!"

The Doctor winced at that, knowing what the Gangers were likely to do in retaliation, realizing exactly who they'd come after and who would probably get caught in the crossfire as a result, "The most fortified and defendable room in the monastery?" he called out, "Cleaves! The most fortified and defendable room in the monastery?"

"The chapel," she replied, turning to face him.

"Thank you."

"Only one way in, stone walls, 2 feet thick."

"You've crossed one hell of a line, Cleaves. You nearly killed one of them. They'll be coming back. In a big way," he glanced at Angel and swallowed hard, unable to help but see her standing in front of Buzzer as Cleaves aimed the cattle prod at her, not backing down but terrifying him at the same time, "Come on," he gathered them, needing to get Angel (and them all) somewhere safe.

~8~

The Gangers, dressed in acid suits, marched through the ruins towards their enemies.

~8~

Jennifer walked cautiously through the tunnels, "Jennifer!" Rory called out in the distance.

"Rory?" she looked up, limping on, panting, not even noticing Ganger Jen pressed against the ceiling above her, smirking, the Flesh could replicate more than just appearance.

~8~

In another section of tunnels, the Originals and the TARDIS crew ran down a tunnel towards the chapel, "What about the flares?" Jimmy asked.

"We'll worry about the flares when we're locked inside," the Doctor replied, the four humans rushed through, leaving the Doctor, Amy, Angel, and Rory in the hall just outside the doorway, Rory a few feet away from them and not moving, "Rory Pond!"

Rory looked over, hearing one of the Jens scream in the distance, and hesitated.

"Rory?" Amy called, "Come on!"

"Jen's out there," Angel realized, looking at Rory.

He nodded, "She's out there and she's on her own," he looked at Angel who nodded, knowing he had to do this, understanding why he had to. He nodded back and turned to head down the tunnel.

"Well, if she's got any sense, then she's hiding," the Doctor called after him, "Rory!"

"I can't leave her out there!" Rory defended.

"Rory!"

He looked at Angel, "I know you understand."

Angel nodded, smiling softly at how brave and determined her companion had grown to be, "Be careful."

"Don't listen to her!" Amy shouted, "Get in here! Get in here!"

The Gangers arrived at the end of the hall and Rory dashed off through a side corridor, "There they are!" Cleaves shouted.

"Amy!" the Doctor turned and grabbed Amy by the arm, pulling her through the doorway.

"Rory!" she struggled as the Doctor held her back long enough for Angel to slam the door shut.

The Doctor turned around and grabbed her by the arms as the others blocked the door with what they could find, "Amy, Amy, they are not after him, they're after us."

"And Ganger Jen won't let..." Angel trailed off, frowning as she walked further into the room, staring at the back of it, at the darkened shadows, distracted.

"Why?" a voice whispered from the darkness a moment later, "Why?"

The Doctor spun around to see Angel staring at the shadows and strode over to her side, tense and ready should anything try to attack her, "Show yourself. Show yourself!"

"Ah!" the voice groaned in pain.

"Oh my God..." Angel breathed, realizing what it was, what had happened, who the voice belonged to...

~8~

Rory ran through the tunnels, "Jennifer!"

~8~

The Doctor followed Angel as she slowly approached the dark corner, "Doctor!" Amy shouted, "Angel!"

"Pass me the barrel!" Cleaves called.

"We need something heavy," Dicken looked around, "Anything you can find."

Jimmy laughed, "This is insane. We're fighting ourselves."

"Yes, it's insane," the Doctor agreed, "And it's about to get even more insanerer. Is that a word?" he glanced at Angel, pouting a moment when she just kept staring at the corner and not paying attention to him, so he turned to the corner as well, "Show yourself! Right now!"

"It's alright," Angel called out, stepping forward and looking pointedly at a certain area, "You can come out."

"Doctor!" Amy continued, "Angel! We are trapped in here and Rory is out there, with them. Hello! We can't get to the TARDIS and we can't even leave the island!"

"Correct, in one respect Pond," the Doctor said, though his mouth didn't move.

He stared at the dark corner, stunned, as the others slowly looked around, realizing HE wasn't the one talking.

"It's frightening, unexpected, frankly, a total, utter, splattering mess on the carpet, but I'm certain, 100 percent certain, that we can work this out," and then, from the shadows, emerged a Ganger Doctor with a half-formed face, "Trust me," he smiled, fixing his bowtie, "I'm the Doctor."

To be continued...

Chapter Text

They watched in horror as the Ganger Doctor screamed and twisted as he struggled to stabilize and remain fully-formed, "What's happening?" he cried, rubbing the side of his head, "I wonder if we'll get back. Yes, one day..." before he winced, "Agh! I've reversed the polarity of the neutron flow!"

"The Flesh is struggling to cope with our past regenerations," the Doctor realized, reaching out to himself as Angel looked on in tears, "Hold on!"

The Ganger twisted and held out a hand to the Doctor, his voice shifting to his fourth incarnation, "Would you like a jelly baby?" he winced, forcing his voice back, "Why? Why!?"

"Why? Why what?"

"Hello," he straightened up, his voice shifting to his last incarnation and Angel's hearts nearly broke at the sound, "I'm the Doctor," he shook his head, his voice returning, "No, let it go, we've moved on!"

Angel closed her eyes, starting to shake at seeing the Doctor in so much pain. She couldn't feel him, that Doctor, he wasn't her Doctor, her Mate, not even as a Flesh version, but it still hurt to see him in pain and know there was nothing she could do to help him. And then to hear his last self speak, the voice she hadn't heard in nearly 2 and a half years, the voice she only heard in her dreams anymore, to hear it talking...she didn't think it would hurt this much but...that was his voice. That was the last voice she'd ever heard of her Mate saying he loved her. His 9th self hadn't, though she knew he felt it, his current self hadn't and she wasn't sure what he felt for her. One minute he was sweet and worrying about her, the next he was flirting with River. She wasn't even sure HE knew what he felt for her and that worried her.

His 9th and 10th self had known love, had felt it for her, realized what it was, but his current self? If he hadn't realized or understood what he felt for her, was it because it wasn't love? Was it something else? Was it just fond feelings for the last of his species? She didn't know, she couldn't understand the feelings coming from him because he didn't understand them himself and they kept shifting. Every time she felt like something similar to love was coming through from him for her it would change so suddenly, shift to alarm or from him being distracted or to something else and she just...didn't know. And it was killing her not to know.

You could love someone and not be IN love with them. Did he just love her as the last Time Lady? Or was he falling in love with her?

...or was he falling, or had he fallen, in love with River?

"Hold on, hold on, you can stabilize!" the Doctor encouraged, pulling Angel's attention back, making her open her eyes.

She saw Amy move to walk over to the Doctor's side but Jimmy pulling her back as the Ganger turned to the Doctor, grabbing him by the lapels, "I've reversed the jelly baby of the neutron flow," he blinked, tears in his eyes, "Would you like a...Doctor…" his face contorted in pain, "...Doctor...I'm...I'm the...I can't," he whispered.

"No, listen, hold on. Hold on!"

"NO!" the Ganger shoved him away, his face morphing half-formed once more, "Agh!" he gripped his head, struggling, as the team worked on barricading the door.

"I think I liked it best when they were being nosy," Buzzer remarked.

~8~

The Gangers walked down the hall towards the chapel where their Original selves were hiding, ready for war.

~8~

"Doctor, we need you," Amy looked over, Angel never having looked away, "Get over here!"

Angel just kept watching the Ganger Doctor as he stood there, calmer, his face fully formed now, but she could see in his expression he was still in pain. She didn't know what to do. She had always known what to do to help the Doctor in the past, to comfort him, to ease his pain, to make him feel better, but now...this was an internal, physical pain, she didn't know what she could say or do that would help lessen it. She bit her lip, seeing him wince, she'd been doing that a lot it seemed, biting her lip whenever he winced, which made sense, it did hurt her every time he hurt, even if she couldn't physically feel it.

"Hello!" the Ganger Doctor smiled at Amy, though his gaze was pulled a bit to Angel in the process.

The Original Doctor hadn't even seemed to notice Amy speak as he was looking at Angel and his Ganger, back and forth, frowning when he saw her bite her lip and tense whenever his Ganger cried out. Which, to be honest, he thought was rather silly of himself to do. Angel was tensing because his Ganger was in pain, and really that meant she was concerned because HE was in pain too. Which should mean the world to him, to know she cared about him that much that it hurt her to see him in pain, much like it killed him to see her upset or hurt or pained or anything less than happy and laughing, but a part of his mind couldn't get over the fact that she wasn't looking at HIM. She was looking at someone else and feeling terribly for them. It was him, yes, but it wasn't HIM, she wasn't looking at HIM...

And that bothered him.

A lot.

"Doctor!"

"Cybermats," the Doctor winced, turning back to his Ganger, snapped out of his thoughts.

"Do we have time for this?" the Ganger Doctor looked at him, and away from Angel, pouting about it.

The Doctor's eyes narrowed, seeing the Ganger's glance drift back to Angel, who STILL hadn't looked away from him, "We make time," he took a step closer, making the Ganger look at him once more, which made him smile, he felt...quite a bit like he did when Dicken looked at Angel, and it was HIM! Oh this was doing his head in, he was actually cross with himself for looking at Angel, "I'd like more proof that you're me. Cybermats?"

"Created by the Cybermen. They kill by feeding off brainwaves."

Amy rolled her eyes and turned back to the door, trusting Angel to keep an eye on them, "Are you sure there aren't any big guns with bits on?" she asked the crew.

"Yeah, big guns would be good right now," Buzzer agreed.

"Why would we have guns?" Jimmy leaned against the door, "We're a factory. We mine…"

The door started to hiss and smoke.

"Acid…" Amy realized just what the Gangers on the other side of the door were doing, what they were using to get in as Jimmy leapt away from the door.

"Rory and Amy may not trust both of us," the Ganger commented as he stepped up to move beside the Doctor...and in between him and Angel.

The Doctor glanced over at his Ganger, frowning at that, HE'D been standing next to Angel first! But he just leaned forward more to look on the Ganger's other side at her, "But Angel will, won't you?"

"See!" the Ganger clapped and pointed at Angel as she nodded, "She would know if I were evil. She's brilliant like that," he smiled at her.

"She's always brilliant," the Doctor countered, straightening to frown at his Ganger.

"She always will be," the Ganger agreed, turning to the Doctor, his own smile falling into a line.

"Till the Universe ends."

"For Forever."

"Yes."

"Good."

Angel frowned, looking between them, confused as to why they both seemed to be getting tenser the more they spoke with each other, why their words were getting shorter and their expressions more...firm? If that was the word, it was like they were both sizing the other up.

"Are you thinking what I'm thinking?"

"Inevitably."

"I'm glad we're on the same..."

"Wavelength. You see, great minds..."

"Exactly. So, what's the plan?"

"Save them all, humans and Gangers."

"Sounds wonderful."

"Is that what you were thinking?"

"It's just so inspiring to hear me say it."

"I know!"

"What do you think Angel?" the Doctor turned to her as did his Ganger.

But Angel just rubbed her head, knowing, without needing her abilities, that she was going to have a massive migraine because of this and...she was afraid that she'd just...end up hurt in the end too. The Ganger...the way he looked at her, it was exactly the same as the Doctor did, and she knew it meant his Ganger didn't know who she was to him either, he didn't remember the Mating. The Doctor...sometimes he hurt her in little ways, not even realizing he did it, how he'd brush something off or deny something, she didn't want another Doctor to do the same. One...one she could probably handle-ish, but two? She just didn't want it to hurt twice as much.

"What do I think of what?" she asked.

"Are we inspiring?" the Ganger looked at her, both he and the Doctor seeming to wait for her confirmation.

"You always are," she shrugged, glancing between them, "Doubly so now I suppose."

They both beamed at that, "Thank you," they said, before turning to each other, "She was talking to me!"

"Doctor, come on!" Amy snapped, just knowing, not needing to be Angel to do it, that this was going to get ridiculous rather soon. It was SO obvious the Doctor had been jealous of the human/Ganger Dicken vying for Angel's attention...she could only imagine what would come of him competing against himself for the same.

"So, what now, Doctor?" the Ganger Doctor got back to task.

"Well, time to get cracking, Doctor," he grinned back and they both walked towards the others.

"Hello!" they greeted as one, "Sorry..."

"But we had to establish a few..." the Ganger began.

"Ground rules," the Doctor finished, glancing at Angel as she stepped past them to see her nod subtly at Amy, who was looking down at their shoes, seeing the Ganger wearing his normal black boots and him wearing the borrowed brown ones.

"Formulate a..."

"Protocol."

"Protocol. Very posh."

"A protocol between us. Otherwise..."

"It gets horribly embarrassing."

"And potentially confusing."

"I'm glad you've solved the problem of confusing," Amy shot back.

"That's sarcasm," the Ganger pointed out.

"She's very good at sarcasm," the Doctor agreed.

"Much like Angel is good at encouragement."

"Yes, she's spectacular."

"Brilliant."

The Doctor turned to him, "Amazing."

The Ganger's eyes narrowed a bit, "Wonderful."

"Fantastic," the Doctor smirked when the Ganger glared at him, both of them knowing that word had won, though neither saw Angel shaking her head at them, SO confused.

Amy though rolled her eyes, were all Time Lords just oblivious? The two men had just had a compliment war about Angel and she was looking at them like they had two...well, she supposed they DID have two heads. But she could feel a bit of sadness hit her that Angel couldn't see why they were acting this way. Even if the Time Lords didn't know it, SHE did, and it actually hurt that Angel didn't. She talked to Angel, quite a bit since the Silence thing, and she knew that the kiss River had shared with the Doctor had REALLY gotten to her. It was one thing to see someone you love be sweet or flirty with another, Rory had sympathized entirely during that talk which had made her feel terrible and deservedly so, but it was another to actually SEE them kiss someone else. Rory had been thankful he'd only learned about it. She still felt so badly for doing that to her husband and had sworn to spend the rest of her life making it up to him and showing him how much she really loved him. But Angel...the girl couldn't see how sweet the Doctor was being to her and why because all she saw when she looked at him was him kissing River. It had taken Rory a while to get over learning about her own kiss, but Angel had SEEN it, had seen the woman who hated her and who was so cold to her kissing the man she loved, and the Doctor hadn't pushed her away. That was what she knew really got to Angel, he had pushed HER away when she'd kissed him, but he hadn't pushed River away.

"Breathe!" the two Doctors suddenly yelled, turning to her.

"What?" Amy nearly jumped out of her skin as she gasped, startled out of her thoughts.

"We have to get you off this island," the Ganger Doctor continued.

"And the Gangers too," the Doctor added.

"Sorry, would you like a memo from the last meeting?" Cleaves called as they struggled to try and hold the door shut while avoiding the acid, "They're trying to kill us!"

"They're scared," Angel spoke up as the Doctors pointed at her with smiles...that soon turned to frowns when they saw the other doing it.

"Doctor, we're trapped in here," Amy reminded him.

"I don't think so," the Doctor shook his head, "The Flesh bowl is fed by cabling from above."

"But where are the Earthing conduits?" the Ganger finished. The two Doctors looked over at Angel as she began to walk over to the back of the room and nodded down towards a grilling by the back wall.

"All this piping must go down into a tunnel or a shaft or something, yes?" the Doctor continued, walking over to her, "With us?" he pulled off the paneling to reveal a grate, "Yowza! An escape route!"

Amy looked at Angel, mouthing 'Yowza?' Angel could only shake her head and rub it, yup, there was the headache.

"You know, I'm starting to get a sense of just how impressive it is to hang out with me," the Doctor grinned at his Ganger.

"Do we tend to say 'Yowza?'" the Ganger asked him.

"I don't know," he remarked, thoughtful, "Angel, what do you think, do you like the Yowz?"

"I think we really don't have time," Angel reminded them.

"Right yes," the Ganger nodded and moved to the grate the moment she spoke, pulling it off the wall and smiling up at Angel as though hoping for a 'job well done,' beaming when she smiled and started to make her way into the vent.

Amy watched as the Ganger actually stuck his tongue out at the glowering Doctor and made his way in after Angel.

"Well come on!" the Doctor snapped at the humans, angrily pouting at the vent as they scurried to get in.

~8~

The Gangers broke into the chapel, only to find it empty. Ganger Cleaves turned, hearing the sonic whirring, and moved over to the grate, seeing the Doctor and her Original self on the other side. She hissed in anger as they shuffled away.

~8~

Ganger Jen stood by a wall in one of the tunnels, drawing circles of Flesh on it with her finger, "Stop. Stop. Stop, stop!" she pulled back and strode purposefully down the corridor.

As soon as she was gone, Rory peered around from a side tunnel and cautiously followed her.

~8~

The Originals, the Doctor, Amy, Angel, and the Ganger Doctor headed down another tunnel, on the lookout for the Gangers around every bend despite Angel assuring them they weren't nearby, the Doctor leading the way with Angel just behind him, in between him and the others, HE'D managed to take the lead this time and be at the front with Angel, not his stupid old Ganger.

"The army will send a recon team," Buzzer was saying.

"We need to contact the mainland," Cleaves added.

"What about Rory and Jen?" Amy asked, "They are both out there."

"Takes a long time to find someone in a maze," the Doctor commented, before pausing to think with a smile, "Unless you're Angel…ps..."

"Psychic," his Ganger cut in.

"Thief," she countered automatically, the Ganger smirking victoriously at the Doctor who pouted, seeming about to say something when Angel turned to Cleaves, "You have a map of the monastery, yes? A computer?"

Cleaves eyed her a moment a bit surprised she had known but nodded, "If we can get power running, we can scan for them."

For some reason though, they all started to cough as a smoke rose before them, "Doctor, you said earlier to breathe," Amy muttered.

"Very important, Pond," he nodded, "Breathe."

"Yeah, I'm struggling to."

"It's the acid," Angel coughed.

"It's interacting with the stone, creating an asphyxiant miasma," the Doctor nodded.

"A what?" Cleaves gagged.

"Choky gas!" the Ganger exclaimed, "Extra heavy. If we can get above it..."

"The evac. tower."

Angel winced, trying not to breathe the choky gas, "This way!" she quickly rushed off, the group following behind her, the Originals wondering just how she knew where to go because she was actually heading in the right direction for the tower.

~8~

Ganger Cleaves sat in the Acid Room with the other Gangers, rubbing her temples, "Damned headaches. I'm so tired."

"They could be anywhere," Ganger Buzz muttered.

"How are we going to find them?" Ganger Jimmy wondered.

"Think about it," Ganger Cleaves sighed, "With all that gas, my guess would be the evac. tower. Get above it. Try to get power up."

"So? Let's stop them."

"It's a narrow doorway. I could defend it easy enough. So can she," she grimaced and rubbed her forehead again.

~8~

The group ran into the evac. tower, the Doctor and Amy first, followed by the Ganger Doctor (who had managed to run ahead to Angel's side) and Angel, and the Originals, all coughing. Cleaves pushed forward and headed right for the control panels, her crew following behind her, "Oh!" Amy coughed more, "I think I coughed so hard, I pulled a muscle or something."

"It'll get better," Angel reassured her, starting to be able to take a few deep breaths, "You'll be able to breathe in a moment."

Amy took a few deep breaths and nodded, feeling better. The Doctor moved to check the front of the machinery, his Ganger ducking behind it, both seeing Cleaves unable to get it working or powered up, as a bell chimed the hour.

"It's midnight," Jimmy remarked, "It's Adam's birthday. My son's five. Happy birthday, bud."

Angel smiled at that, "Well then, Happy Birthday Adam," which made Jimmy smile at her.

~8~

"Happy birthday, Adam," Ganger Jimmy breathed, hearing the bells, "He'll be so excited. Out of bed at the crack of dawn. It's funny, he's got this wee dance he does when he gets overexcited."

"Listen to me!" Ganger Jen ran in, her face half-formed, "I tried to block the memories, but now I know, I must remember. It's the eyes. The eyes are the last to go."

"What are you talking about?" Ganger Buzzer glared at her, all of them uncomfortable with the thought of trying to remember their last thoughts as Flesh, it was connected, all connected, their Flesh selves had the potential to remember what it was like being their other older Flesh selves.

"When they destroy us, the eyes are the last things to melt. And there's one question in those eyes, why? Why should we suffer for the sake of Human Beings?"

"I heard in India, there's over ten million Gangers," Ganger Dicken remarked.

"We can reach out, inspire them to rise up."

"Revolution?" Ganger Cleaves looked at her, "Look, I just...I just want to be left to live in peace, Jen."

"They will melt you. Have you become so human that you've forgotten the truth? Don't you remember all the times you were decommissioned, or should I say executed?"

"No. We don't remember."

"Well, I do. It's us or them."

"She's right," Ganger Jimmy sighed. Ganger Dicken stood up and walked over to Jen, gripping her hand while Gangers Buzzer, Jimmy, and Cleaves did the same, all holding hands.

"I have a plan," Ganger Jen smirked, "And it'll destroy them all."

~8~

Cleaves stood behind the console with the Doctors, watching as they popped up and down as they fixed the machinery, "Can you really get the power back?" she moved around to the front to check on the controls, see if it was working yet.

"There's always some power floating around," the Doctor on the right said, ducking down behind the console as the other Doctor stood up.

"Sticking to the wires, like bits of lint," the Ganger Doctor stated.

Angel rubbed her head, "Could you please not finish each other's..."

"Sentences?" the Doctor popped up, before seeing she really seemed to have a migraine from it all, the gas and the run and her own encounter with the Flesh, everything she'd felt, probably hadn't been a good mix, "Of course," he said softly.

"Yes," the Ganger nodded, offering her a smile, and they both ducked down again.

"Hang on," Amy frowned, "You said that the TARDIS was stuck in acid, so won't she be damaged?"

"No," Angel smiled, "Sissy's a tough old girl."

"Tough, old, sexy," the Doctor corrected.

"No, tough, dependable, sexy," the Ganger corrected even then.

"Come on," Amy rolled her eyes, "Ok, how can...how can you both be real?"

"Well, because...we are," the Doctor shrugged, "I'm the Doctor."

"So am I," the Ganger nodded, "We contain the knowledge of over 900 years of experience. We both wear the same bowtie, which is cool."

"Because bowties are."

"And always will be."

Angel swallowed, glancing at Amy a moment before the Doctors, "You weren't linked up to the Flesh though," she felt like that was important, the difference between linked through a harness and a living consciousness.

"It must've been after I examined it," the Doctor shrugged, thinking about how, after the lightning had stuck the vat of Flesh, he'd gone back to examine it once more, isolated the cells, his own DNA, that reacted to his sonic, collecting to form his Ganger. The vat had been animated, had had the potential to be animated only after the storm, but it needed activation, it needed a signal, which was important, a signal, so he'd activated HIS cells. He hadn't wanted Angel, even a Ganger her, to suffer through what he'd seen the humans react to the other Gangers, "Thus, a new, genuine Doctor was created."

"Ta da!" the Ganger held up his hands.

"But one of you was here first," Amy shook her head.

"After the Flesh scanned me, I had an accident with a puddle of acid," the Doctor told her, "Now new shoes, a situation which did not confront me learned self here."

"That satisfy you, Pond?" the Ganger smiled.

"Don't call me Pond, please," she remarked stiffly, and both the Doctors and Angel looked at her, "What?"

"Interesting…"

"He thinks you like him," Angel nodded at the Doctor, "More than him," she nodded at the Ganger.

"No, I..." Amy sighed, turning to the Ganger, "Look, you're fine and everything, but he is the Doctor. No offense. Being almost the Doctor is pretty damn impressive."

"Being almost the Doctor's like being no Doctor at all," he frowned

"Don't overreact..."

"You might as well call me...Smith."

"Smith?"

"John Smith."

Angel laughed a bit, "Then I get to be Angela Jones."

The Ganger pointed at her, "Smith and Jones, no better team eh?"

"None," she smiled at him, not seeing the Doctor pouting at that, at how the other him was getting attention now.

And so, he let out a sudden cheer, "Communication a go-go!" beaming when Angel looked away from the Ganger and at him.

The Originals ran to the console and got it keyed up, "Find Rory!" Amy demanded, "Show me the scanny, tracky screen. Come on, Rory, let's be having you."

Cleaves pulled up a screen, "There's no sign of him anywhere."

"Come on, baby, show yourself."

"It'll be ok Amy," Angel moved to her side, putting a hand on her shoulder, squeezing it in reassurance.

~8~

The Gangers entered the communications room that night, "You're right, there's power," Ganger Jimmy called as he moved to examine a computer.

"Well, boys, I don't know much, but I know my own minds," Ganger Cleaves remarked, "She'll be straight on the commlink to the mainland. Let's see if we can intercept…" she typed something into the computer and a moment later they could hear the original Cleaves.

"St. John's calling the mainland. Are you receiving me, captain? Come in."

~8~

"We'll never get a signal through this storm," Cleaves sighed as she hunched over the transmitter, "St. John's calling the mainland. Come in, this is urgent."

"We're just about reading you, St. John's," a man called back, "How are you doing? We've had all kinds of trouble here."

"Request immediate evacuation. We're under attack. The storm's affected our Gangers. They're running amok."

"Your Gangers?"

"Yes, our Gangers are attacking us. We need you to take us off the island immediately and wipe them out."

The Doctor and his Ganger exchanged a look as Angel frowned, "That's not part of the plan Cleaves," she reminded her softly, but Cleaves waved her off, making the Doctors frown at that as well.

"Copy that, St. John's. Shuttle's dispatched. Hang on."

"You'll need to airlift us off the roof of the evac. tower. And captain, any further transmission sent by me must come with the following codeword. I'm typing it, in case they're listening in."

~8~

"Oh," Ganger Cleaves smiled, listening in, "See how smart I am? That's why I'm paid the big bucks."

"Got it," the man called back, "We'll swing in, get you out and decommission the Flesh."

"Jennifer's right," she sighed, "We're going to have to fight if we want to survive."

~8~

Ganger Jen arrived at a machine in one of the tunnels, putting her palm over the scanner, "Thermostatic override rejected," the computer announced, "Can only be operated by recognized source."

"I am recognized! I'm Jennifer Lucas!" she tried again but the screen just read, 'Non-Human Access Prohibited.' She huffed at yet another reminder that she wasn't 'real.'

~8~

"We've got to get out of here," Buzzer remarked as the rest of the crew prepared for the evacuation.

"We're not going anywhere without Rory and Jen," Angel shook her head. She was not going to leave her companion to die…especially since he seemed to have a sort of knack for dying lately despite her best efforts.

"I want 'em found too, but it's about casualties, innit? Can't be helped."

Amy glared at the man who refused to help look for Rory and turned to see a Doctor sitting beside her at the console, she glanced down, spotting his brown replaced shoes and smiled, it was the Doctor, "What are you doing?"

"Making a phone call," he replied.

"Who to?"

"No one yet. It's on delay."

"Right, not getting it. Why exactly are you making a phone call?"

The Ganger Doctor stood in the back of the room, just watching them. He glanced up to see Angel behind the machinery, her arms crossed, resting on it, her chin on her arms, her hair falling over her shoulders. He tilted his head a moment, just...taking a second to look at her. She really was beautiful, so lovely, and not in an over the top or forced way. She was naturally kind, her soul so pure, her hearts golden, just a warm and caring personality that just...left him in awe of her constantly. And it came out in everything she did, she was beautiful inside and out.

He blinked realizing that and, for once, not pushing the thought away. She was beautiful, and there was nothing wrong with thinking it. Or thinking that she was funny, or smart, or loving, or that the TARDIS blue color she loved to wear suited her, or that her little habit of biting her lip constantly drew his gaze to them and made him want to...he blushed...kiss her. Yes, he...he wanted to kiss her, he...he hadn't been able to get it out of the back of his mind since he'd imagined kissing her in Kazran's cupboard. That was odd, not that he wanted to, no, but that...for some reason, if felt like both an odd thought, one he shouldn't have, but at the same time familiar and...powerful. But that was Angel, that was the power she had over him. She could stop him in his tracks with the smallest word, the smallest gesture or look or touch. He couldn't help but think how astonishing that was, he was rage and she was calm...

~oOo~

"You've had this watch all this time?" Joan frowned at him, "Why didn't you return it?"

"Because it was waiting. And..." Latimer hesitated, "Because...I was scared of the Doctor."

"Why?"

"Because I've seen him. He's...like fire and ice and rage. He's like the night and the storm in the heart of the sun."

"Stop it," he shook his head, not wanting to believe everyone thought him to be that sort of man.

"He's ancient and forever. He burns at the center of time and he can see the turn of the Universe."

"Stop!" he shouted as Angela took his hand once more, "I said stop it."

"And he's wonderful," Latimer smiled softly, nodding, he could see it now, "Angel showed me that."

"What do you mean?" Angela looked at him sharply at that, moving a strand of hair behind her ear, recalling Martha had said SHE was this Angel woman.

"She's…" he trailed, trying to find the words, "She's the light and the calm, like the earth and the air to him. She's golden and shining...she burns like the sun in the heart of time and understands more than she even knows…"

He couldn't help but think that was just like his Angela. Which only made his heart ache more, how could a person like the Angel care for a man like the Doctor…

~oOo~

He frowned shaking his head, not to brush the thought aside, but...because he noticed Angel was giving him a pointed look, glancing at his shoes and then at Amy. He very nearly smirked at what she'd worked out but put a finger to his lips quickly. She nodded, understanding, she couldn't tell Amy that the Doctor beside her was really the Ganger, that they'd switched shoes and places on her, it was too important.

"Because, Amy, I am, and always will be, the optimist," the Doctor continued, neither he nor Amy spotting the exchange above them, "The hoper of far-flung hopes and the dreamer of improbable dreams," he spun in the chair, "The wheels are in motion. Done," he spun her chair and she laughed, before settling in next to him, but looking at the Ganger Doctor.

"You know, really, there can be only one," she remarked.

"Hmm?"

"Nothing. Carry on. Be amazing," she looked around a moment before hearing a strange breathing noise. She frowned, her gaze landing on the back corner wall and got up, slowly walking towards it and looked at the wall, swearing she could hear something behind it.

"Amy?" Angel frowned, walking over to her, "Are you alright?"

Amy looked at her a moment, "Yes, I'm fine," before glancing back at the wall.

"I promise Amy," she reached out and took the girl's hand, "We WILL get Rory back. I won't abandon my..."

"Companion," Amy nodded, "I know."

But Angel smiled, "No, I won't abandon my brother."

Amy smiled lightly at that, about to turn and thank her...when a small window slid open in the wall and the woman with the eye patch stared at her. She gasped and jumped back, turning to Angel, pointing at the wall, "Did you see that?"

"Amy…"

"Amy?" the Doctor called, seeing Amy jump, "What happened?"

Amy shook her head and went back to her chair, "It's her again."

The Ganger Doctor looked over at the same spot on the wall as well, eyeing it with Angel, the two of them frowning at the brick.

"It's who again?"

"There's a woman I keep seeing, a woman with an eye patch, and she has this habit of sliding walls open and staring at me. Doctor?"

"It's nothing," he waved her off, his gaze on the Ganger as it stepped even closer to Angel, too close for his liking.

"Doesn't seem like nothing."

"It's a time memory. Like a mirage," he slapped her thigh, "It's nothing to worry about," he glanced at the Ganger, pleased to see Angel was now before the wall, kneeling down to touch it, tracing a square in it, apparently trying to see what Amy had and NOT next to the Ganger, and spun back around to work on the console.

"It's in my head..." the Ganger Doctor breathed, flinching, as he closed his eyes in pain before heading out of the room.

"Hey, hold on!" Jimmy called.

"It's alright," Angel tried to reassure them.

She understood what it was. Time Lords were mildly telepathic, and the Doctor now had even more of a connection to his Ganger, to the Flesh itself. He was starting to feel exactly what she'd felt when she'd touched the vat. He'd been looking for answers then, she'd just wanted to understand, she'd felt more than he had, had been more open to it. It hurt, and now she could feel it, HE was feeling the hurt too. She swallowed hard, glancing at the other Doctor, the Flesh Doctor pretending to be the original one, and frowned sadly. The Flesh was still in so much pain and it was everywhere, it was like she couldn't NOT feel it, and it was terrible.

"Don't let him go," Cleaves ordered.

"Leave it to me," Amy got up and went after him. She paused in the doorway, glancing at Angel and nodding that she'd be fine before heading in, only to see the Ganger standing there, facing the back wall. She swallowed hard, slowly approaching him, "I'm sorry. What I said about you being almost the Doctor, it's just really hard, because I've been through so much with him, and with Angel, the both of them..." she muttered, sighing, "I've even seen...I've even seen the moment when..." she swallowed hard, looking at the Ganger closely, "Can you die? I don't mean you specifically just...the Gangers were of humans but you're Time Lord. Are you just like the Doctor then, or Angel, are you really a Time Lord. Because if you really are the same, then you can die," she was grasping at straws here and she knew it, because if a Ganger could die, then maybe they could make a Ganger of Angel and save her from the lake, "You can be killed, and...I might have seen that happen to..." she shook her head, she couldn't say it, not just to the Doctor, knowing how he'd react, but she just...she didn't want to have to say she'd seen Angel be killed, "To one of you and…"

"Why?" he breathed.

"Why? Because we were invited to see it!"

He suddenly turned on her and grabbed her shoulders, pushing her against the wall, "Why?!"

"You're hurting me."

"It's all the eyes say! Why?! I can feel them as they work each day, knowing the time was coming for them to be thrown away again. 'Not again, please!' And then they are destroyed and they feel death, and all they can say is, 'Why?'" he let her go harshly and she ran away back through the door.

He panted, falling against the wall as he struggled to gain control of himself. That was what Angel had felt, he knew it, that was what she'd felt when she'd touched the Flesh. He wiped at his eyes, letting out a breath, she was so...strong. Stronger than him.

~8~

"Why?" Angel breathed a moment, looking at the Doctor who nodded, feeling it too a moment before Amy ran into the room, shaking.

"Keep him away from me!" Amy pointed at the door.

The Ganger Doctor entered as well, walking straight up to the Doctor, looking between him and Angel, "Did you sense it?"

"Briefly," he nodded, "Angel as well…not as strong as you though."

"Amy, I'm sorry," the Ganger looked at her.

"No, you keep away!" Amy glared, backing up as he reached out for her, "We can't trust you."

"It would appear I can connect to the Flesh."

"Well, you are Flesh."

"I'm beginning to understand what it needs."

"What YOU want. You are it."

"It's much more powerful than we thought. The Flesh can grow, correct?"

"Its cells can divide," Cleaves stated.

He approached her, "Well, now it wants to do that at will. It wants revenge. It's in pain, angry. It wants revenge."

"I was right, you're not the Doctor," Amy shook her head, "You can't ever be. You're just a copy."

"I could feel it too Amy," Angel spoke up, "The hatred, the sorrow, the fear…" she looked over at her, "It has only a tiny bit to do with the Flesh, anything with a low-level telepathic ability could feel it as well. And we're much more than low-level telepaths."

Amy swallowed, glancing at the Ganger Doctor before looking away.

"Regardless of that," Cleaves turned to the Ganger, "Doctor, it might be best if you stayed over there for now, hmm?"

"Hold on a minute," the Doctor stood up from his chair, "Hold your horses. I thought I'd explained this. I'm him, he's me."

Buzzer just stepped forward, willing to use force, as Cleaves turned to the Doctor, "Doctor, we have no issue with you. But when it comes to your Ganger..."

"Don't be so absurd."

"Buzzer?"

"Sure, boss," Buzzer nodded as he moved to take an empty oil drum and sit it down. The Ganger Doctor straightened his tie, "Take a seat, mate."

"Nice barrel," the Ganger commented, sitting, "Very comfy. Why not?"

"Not as nice as Freud's sofa though is it?" Angel joked, trying to lighten the mood.

The Ganger smiled at her with a nod.

"Is this really what you want?" the Doctor looked around at the humans.

Amy just crossed her arms and looked coldly at the Ganger...until Angel sighed and stepped forward, taking one of the rolling chairs and bringing it over to the Ganger, right beside him, sitting down and leaning on him a bit, resting her head on his shoulder. He beamed widely at that...and proceeded to stick his tongue out at the Doctor, the man falling back onto his own chair with a huff, crossing his arms as he pouted.

~8~

Rory walked through a tunnel, a light in one hand and a wooden handle to use as a weapon in the other, "Help me!" he heard Jennifer shout in the distance, "No! Get away!"

"Jen?" Rory ran after the voice, "Jen!" he flew down the stairs into a supply room to see Jennifer there.

"Rory?"

But then a second Jennifer appeared, "I'm sorry. She found me."

"Rory, listen to me."

"Don't listen to her!"

"I'm Jennifer Lucas. This woman is Flesh!"

Rory could only stand there, looking back and for the between the two of them, wishing that Angel was with him to tell the two apart…

~8~

"This is the shuttle," a man called over the comm., "We're right above you, but we can't get low enough. Gamma static could fry our nav-controls. Sit tight. We'll get to you. Just..."

The Doctor pulled out his sonic and scanned Cleaves, testing something.

"Hello?" Jimmy moved to the comm. as it crackled out, "Can you hear me?"

"I can't find Rory," Amy looked from the computers, "I'm going out there."

"We could use the sonic to track him," the Doctor called, "Humans and Gangers give off slightly different signals. The sonic can tell the difference."

"Oh, so the sonic knows Gangers are different, so the other Doctor is different."

"Slightly different," Angel reminded her, "He is the Doctor."

"Not to me. I can tell."

"Sure you're not prejudiced?" the Doctor asked.

"Nice try, but I know, ok? We've been through too much. You're my Doctor. End of," she knew why Angel couldn't tell, she probably just saw two Doctors, not a Ganger and Original.

Angel sighed, getting up, "I can help, I can sense the difference between these two," she looked between the two Doctors, the Doctor looking at her a bit startled but his Ganger gave him a pointed look and a small nod which he returned.

~8~

"So one of you is human," Rory looked between the Jens, "And one of you I sat with and talked with. Why can't you just tell me the truth? The Doctor and Angel want you to live and I'm with them all the way."

"That's a lovely idea, Rory," the first Jennifer limped forward, "But the Flesh want to kill us now."

"You're limping," he realized as he glanced at the second Jen, "You're not."

"So?" the other Jen shook her head, "So what? You think a Ganger can't put on a limp?"

"Show me your leg."

The first Jen rolled up her trouser leg to show a red wound, "It got burnt while I was in the harness."

"She's lying!" the second Jen shouted, "She's telling you what you want to hear!"

"Look, you can't fake a burn," he reasoned. Suddenly the second Jen rushed at the first, "No! No, you don't..." they fought each other as Rory could do nothing but watch, not wanting to hurt either of them, "Stop it! Fighting each other is pointless. Come on. Please, please stop! Jen...both Jens, stop it!" one of the Jens pushed the other away and she fell into a puddle of acid, "No!"

"She...she attacked me," Jen gasped, "I didn't..." the other Jen dissolved, "I knew you'd find me. We're in this together, Rory, and we've got to trust each other."

"Ok," he nodded, "Come on. Let's go," with one last look at the dissolved Flesh, Rory grabbed the light and followed the limping Jennifer out of the room.

~8~

"Hey, there's a camera up!" Buzzer called, "We've got a visual."

Amy ran over and smiled down at the screen, seeing Rory and Jen walking through a tunnel, "That's Rory and Jennifer."

"They're heading for the thermostatic room," Cleaves remarked.

"Let's go get them," the Doctor flipped his sonic and tossed it to his Ganger.

"We can't let him go," Cleaves agreed, "Are you crazy?"

"Am I crazy, Doctor?" the Doctor looked at his Ganger.

"Well, you did once plug your brain into the core of an entire planet just to halt its orbit and win a bet against Angel," he remarked, wincing, it hadn't been the most pleasant experience.

"He can't go rescue them," Amy stated, "I'm going."

"Do you know, I want him to go," the Doctor stood and looked Amy in the eye, "And I'm rather adamant," the Ganger stood as well.

"If it makes you feel better Amy," Angel offered, "I'll go with him."

"No you won't," the Doctor spun around to face her.

"Yes I will," she was being firm now, she could feel it...she may not have gotten a vision yet, but...there was something in the tunnels, something...bad, that she had to protect them from and something else...something there was hurt too, so SO hurt and crying out for help, and she just wanted to help it.

"No."

"What's the matter Doctor?" Cleaves smirked, "Don't want her around the Ganger?"

"I don't want her away from me," he corrected instantly, before wincing, realizing what he'd said, "I mean..." he looked at Angel, seeing that expression on her face like she was just waiting for him to take it back, and...he couldn't do it, "No, that's exactly what I mean. I..." he looked at Angel, "I don't like it when you're not with me."

"But I WILL be with you," she reminded him, nodding at his Ganger, "He's you."

He swallowed hard, realizing he couldn't contradict that, he'd been insisting they were the same the whole time. So he looked at his Ganger, "Take care of her."

He nodded, "With my life," he swore.

"We're not letting one of you go alone," Buzzer stepped up too, "You'd best have company, right boss? It's fine. I'll go too," the Ganger Doctor snapped his fingers and pointed at Buzzer.

"Thank you, Buzzer," Angel smiled at him.

"It'll be alright," the Ganger agreed.

"We'll find him," Angel reassured Amy before she turned and left with the Ganger and Buzzer.

"I can't explain it to you now," the Doctor turned to Amy, "But I need you to trust him. Can you do that for me, Amy?"

"And what if you're wrong?" she asked.

"I'm not."

"What if he goes bad?"

"He won't."

"What if he hurts Angel?" she asked, knowing THAT would get to him.

"I'll kill him," he said, turning to look at the computer again, not even seeming to realize what he'd said or how easily he'd said it.

Amy frowned, hearing something in his voice, a sort of...dark promise, a fierce protectiveness, a determination...and realized...he really would kill the man, any man, who hurt Angel. And, ironically...if the Ganger hurt her, he'd be killing himself. Even more ironically, she knew HE HAD hurt Angel terribly in the past so really...that was even more symbolic.

~8~

Jen led Rory through a tunnel to a back door, both of them coughing in the acid fumes, "This is the thermostatic chamber," she explained, "We can stir the oxygen supply from here," she keyed in the code.

"What?"

"We're going to choke to death if we don't clean this air. Keep a look out in case of Gangers," she ran into the room and Rory stood guard, "Rory!"

He ran in to see her standing by a large console, "What's wrong?"

"It's this wheel. It's just too tough for a girl to turn. Are you feeling strong?"

"I'll break out the big guns," he laughed, holding out his arms to show off his muscles.

"This first," she grabbed his hand and placed it on the scanner.

"Human source recognized," the computer announced and he turned the wheel, not seeing Jen smirking behind his back, "Thermostatic override granted," they smiled at each other and left the room.

~8~

"These temperature gauges are rising," Cleaves reported, eyeing the readings in the evac. room, "Jennifer and Rory must have shut off the underground cooling vents."

"Why do that?" Dicken frowned, "They'll kill us."

"There's a million gallons of boiling acid under our feet..."

"And now it's heating up the whole island," the Doctor realized, "How long till it blows?" he turned to the side, as though expecting Angel to be there to answer and pouted, remembering she'd gone with the Ganger...

But his thoughts were cut off when there was an explosion that rocked the island.

"Gangers or no Gangers, we need to get the hell out of here," Dicken remarked.

"Shuttle!" Cleaves called into the comm., "We need evac.. Where are you? Can you hear me? Can you..." she winced in pain and put a hand to her forehead.

"Cleaves?" the Doctor moved to her side and helped her to a chair, "Cleaves, sit down."

"I'm fine."

~8~

"You don't look good," Ganger Dicken commented as he brought Ganger Cleaves a drink as she sat in a chair in the comm. room, rubbing her head in pain.

"Monsters never do," she sighed, "I'm fine. I remember medics doing tests."

~8~

"I'm waiting for results, so let it go," Cleaves remarked.

"It's a very deep parietal clot," the Doctor told her, having gotten that off his minor scan before.

"How do you…" she shook her head, not caring, "Inoperable?"

"On Earth, yes."

"Well, seeing as Earth is all that's on...offer...hmm. I'm no healthy spring chicken, and you're no weatherman. Right?"

There was another quake.

"Something just cracked," Amy looked around, "I heard it."

"Yeah, we can't stay here, let's go," the Doctor agreed.

"Let's shift!" Jimmy shouted.

"Cleaves to Shuttle," Cleaves called into the transmitter, "We need to move, and we can't be collected from the evac. tower."

"Give us the codeword," the man called back.

"The codeword is..." there was another quake that rocked the building and the console went up in sparks. Cleaves jumped back and ran to the console, trying to get in the codeword.

"Cleaves?" the Doctor shouted, "Cleaves, it's dead, it's dead," he grabbed her and pulled her back, "We need to get out of here. We need to get back downstairs and get those vents back on, come on," he pulled her out of the room, leading the group out.

~8~

"This is our chance," Ganger Cleaves realized as they stood around their own console, "I can reroute the shuttle to the courtyard."

"You can't guess the codeword," Ganger Jimmy shook his head.

"Yes, I can, Jimmy, because I created the codeword," she turned and typed in a command, bringing up the comm., "Shuttle, do you read me? This is Foreman Cleaves."

"Read you," the man replied, "You got cut off. Say again? What's the request?"

"You need to reroute and pick us up from the courtyard."

"Courtyard, as soon as we can. Give me the codeword."

"Shuttle, the codeword is…'Bad Boy.' I repeat, 'Bad Boy.'"

"Copy that. The courtyard. Still want us to take care of those Gangers?"

"Negative," she didn't want to give the command to kill the humans, they'd be trapped on a island about to be eaten by acid anyway, "They've all been incinerated."

"'Bad Boy?'" Ganger Jimmy eyed her, "Good call."

"Yeah, well, it wasn't luck. We're the same person."

~8~

Jennifer led Rory down another tunnel, "This room's always sealed. Power surge must have thrown the bolts."

Rory followed but stopped short with a look of horror at what lay beyond the doorway, "What is that?"

In the corner or the room was a pile of partial Flesh bodies.

"Discarded Flesh. Faulty, probably. Just thrown away. Look at them," Rory walked closer and peered at their faces, "One of my old Gangers," she knelt beside it as the eyes opened, making Rory jump back with a gasp, "Left to rot, fully conscious. Can you imagine what kind of hell they're in?"

"But Cleaves...the company...how could they do this? How could they?"

He had to wonder if Angel knew about them, if she'd sensed it. Her reaction to the Flesh had been so much stronger than the Doctor's, she'd gotten more off it. Maybe she knew, maybe she could feel them suffering here. And that broke his heart to know that she was somewhere else but could still feel their sufferings, and he knew she'd want to help, she'd want to stop it. And so did he. Because this wasn't right. Not at all.

"Who are the real monsters?"

"We can't let this carry on. Jen, we have to make people see!"

"Ok, Rory. I have an idea. You came for me. We have a bond. Right? We trust each other."

"Yeah."

"So trust me on this."

He nodded.

Chapter Text

The Ganger Doctor was following Angel as she led him and Buzzer through the monastery that night, his gaze on her, focused on the back of her head as he faithfully walked after her.

"Shouldn't you be…" Buzzer nodded at the sonic in the Ganger's hand, "You know, using that?"

"Trust me, when Angel's leading the way, just follow," he remarked, Buzzer looked skeptical until Angel stopped, tensing, "Angel?" the Ganger began carefully, worried as he moved around her, his eyes on her face, seeing her eyes widen in fear and concern, "What is it?" he was tensing as well, knowing that it could mean anything, any sort of danger, about to happen, and he wouldn't let it hurt her. He wanted to reassure her it would be ok, that he'd protect her, that he was there, but he didn't know what he'd be protecting her from. Whatever it was she was sensing...it was alarming her.

"Jen…" she breathed before suddenly taking off, the Ganger and Buzzer following after her. They ran around a corner and into another dimly lit room to see Jennifer lying on the ground, curled up, not seeming to be moving or breathing. She ran to the girl's side, dropping down beside her as the Ganger ran over with the sonic.

"Is she human?" Buzzer asked, hesitant.

"Yeah, she's human," the Ganger nearly spat at the man's near disregard of life. What did it matter if she was human or Ganger, she was hurt! Someone was hurt, that should be all the man was concerned about, not whether it was Flesh or not.

"But she's in trouble," Angel shook her head, "She's getting weaker," she looked up at the Ganger a moment before putting her hands together and rubbing them, a frown of concentration on her face, nearly...nearly bordering on pain as a faint golden energy started sparking between them.

She reached for Jen when Buzzer cried out, "What are you doing!?"

"Trust me!" she shouted before putting her hands on Jen's shoulders, sending the golden energy shooting into her. Jen let out a deep gasp, her back arching just a bit, her eyes flying open, before falling back down, breathing heavily, her eyes falling closed but clearly still alive. Angel fell back, turning to the side to brace herself on an arm as she panted, her other hand on her chests, glancing at them over her shoulder, "She's stabilized for now. It won't last long, she'll need medical attention quickly."

It was like those defibrillator things Rory had once told her about. When she'd been with Amy, when he'd explained CPR to her after the Siren had taken him, he'd gone on a bit of a nervous rant about all the ways to bring someone back from the dead if the CPR failed, like shocks and defibrillation. It was basically energy wasn't it? That had stuck with her, it was just shocks and energy restarting something, giving it a boost. Jen's heart had been failing, her body too overtaxed, her heart unable to handle it...so she'd just...she'd tried it. It had worked, but barely, it had been hard to create and build up that level of the Vortex energy in her and not have it turn destructive but helpful and healing. But she'd managed it, she'd bought Jen some time.

"Wait a minute…" Buzzer realized something, "If the real J..."

"Original," Angel corrected, not liking how they classified them as 'real' or 'fake' when the Gangers were as real as they were, like the Doctor's was, "Call them original, please," she added when Buzzer gave her a look.

The man sighed, rolling his eyes but if she just saved the rea...original Jen, he supposed he could do this for her, "If the Original Jen's been lying out here..."

"Rory's in trouble," the Ganger nodded.

"Buzzer," Angel called, drawing his attention back, "Take Jen back to the others and wait for us, we'll keep looking for Rory..."

"No," the Ganger shook his head, "You need to go with him."

"Doctor…"

"Those quakes before, I would never let everyone stay there and wait for the room to collapse. I'd try to find a more stable place to hide. They've moved and he won't be able to find them on his own. You need to lead him."

Angel hesitated a moment. She had only wanted Buzzer to leave, sensing he would be safer away from here and with the others and not wanting to risk him attacking what he thought to be the Ganger Doctor like she knew he wanted to do, but she didn't want to leave…she blinked when he reached out and cupped her cheek in one hand, his thumb just barely stroking her cheek.

"Please Angel," he whispered, he needed her to leave, as much as he didn't like her not being with him as much as his other self hadn't. She hadn't sensed it yet, had missed it, but the sonic had picked it up, there were more Gangers very nearby, and he needed to make sure she was gone. He'd be safe if they thought the was Flesh, but they'd know Buzzer and Jen were originals as was Angel and he couldn't risk them attacking, "Please."

She stared up at him, feeling tingles where he was touching her, chills at how he was looking at her, really looking at her, right in her eyes, seeing her. And he was begging her to get the humans to safety, she sighed and nodded, "Alright."

"Good," he smiled, stroking her cheek once more before stepping back, "Off you pop."

Buzzer turned, carrying Jen as Angel led him out of the room, leaving the Ganger Doctor alone to wander. He glanced at Angel as she absently led him down a hall, not seeming to be paying attention, which worried him, as she was instead looking at her hand, the hand she'd touched the Flesh with, rubbing it with her other, staring at it intently with a frown on her face, "Which way?" he asked.

"Sorry, what?" she looked up at him.

He nodded at a fork they'd come to, "Which way?"

"Oh, um..." she looked between the halls before heading left, Buzzer rolling his eyes and hoping he wasn't making a mistake in following her, Jen was starting to shake in his arms.

~8~

Cleaves entered a hallway, closely followed by the Doctor and the others, only to stop short seeing eyes in the wall ahead of them, watching their every move, "Ah," the Doctor eyed them, "'The eyes have it.'"

"Why are they here?" Amy frowned.

"To accuse...us."

"Ignore them," Cleaves ordered, "It's not far," she hurried down the hallway, leading them to the thermostatic chamber.

"It's a chemical chain reaction now," the Doctor shook his head as he quickly assessed the controls, "I can't stop it. This place is going to blow sky high."

"Exactly how long have we got?"

"An hour? Five seconds? Er, somewhere in between, I'm not really sure, Angel's better at that than me!" there was an explosion in the distance, the klaxon sounding throughout the factory as the machinery began to hiss, "Out!" he shouted, pushing them out of the room.

They ran out, Amy getting out first and running down the tunnel, only to run straight into Rory, "Alright?" Rory smiled at her.

"Oh, Rory!" Amy gasped, hugging him tightly, "Oh, Rory."

"There's a way out. Jennifer found it. A secret tunnel under the crypt."

"From the crypt?" Cleaves frowned, "It's not on the schematics."

"It runs right out of the monastery. Maybe even under the TARDIS, Doctor. Follow me," Rory headed off, the others following, the Doctor hesitated only a moment before joining them, if it would get them out...Angel would follow and find them, lead the others back to the group and she'd be safe too.

~8~

The Ganger Doctor stood in the storage room, looking sadly down at the bodies of Flesh staring at him. So THAT was what he'd picked up, not the real Gangers walking around but their discarded leftovers. He rubbed his head, thankful Angel wasn't there. With her Vortex abilities he had no doubt she'd be able to melt the Flesh, allow them their peace finally instead of a continued, torturous existence, but...that would mean killing them. He knew, given how Angel treated him and the other Doctor, that she saw them as real as he did, and that would be like killing an actual person as well. He couldn't bear the thought of asking her to do that or putting her in a situation where she would feel like she had to to help. Angel hated death, she never wanted to be the cause of it.

And he didn't want to turn her into an 'angel of mercy' or something that killed those who begged for it. Being so close, even HE could feel it, the leftovers begging for an end, in such pain and agony...he didn't want Angel to have to experience that given her reaction to the Flesh in the vat. That had been floating there, slightly conscious but not really able to do much, not having any specific memories as it was just the goop and not the goop-that-had-been-programmed yet. It retained a sense of what the other Flesh felt, but didn't have it itself. But this...this was Flesh that still retained memories of its operators and of their decommissionings.

He sighed a moment before turning around, only to see Cleaves, Jimmy, Buzzer, and Dicken standing behind him in acid suits…clearly their Gangers, "This is how they'll always treat us," Ganger Cleaves nodded at the bodies, "Do you see now? After all, you're one of us...Doctor."

"Call me Smith," he put his sonic in his pocket, thankful that they seemed to think, since he was alone, that the others had kicked him out and HE was the Ganger as well...that and his black shoes since they all knew 'the Doctor' was wearing Jimmy's replacement ones, "John Smith."

~8~

Cleaves led the way into the Acid Room, Jimmy hesitating as soon as he entered before turning to her, "We can't leave without Buzzer."

"I'll go back for him," Cleaves started for the door.

"Doctor, look..." Rory turned to him, standing partially in the hallway as the Doctor stood in the room with the others, the last one in, "I'd better tell you, I haven't been quite straight with you..."

Suddenly he was pulled back and the door slammed shut, Jennifer locking them in, "Rory!" the Doctor shouted as he and Cleaves moved to try and open the door.

"C'mon, Jennifer, we don't need to lock them up," Rory frowned, turning to Jen, "We should just show them what we've found."

"I don't think so," she nearly spat.

"Rory Pond!" the Doctor shouted, "Roranicus Pondicus!"

"Rory!" Amy yelled, "What the hell are you playing at?"

"They've been throwing away old Flesh and leaving it to rot, alive!" Rory turned back to her, "I think the world should see that."

"Rory, there is no time," the Doctor told him, "This factory's about to explode!"

Rory turned to Jen at those words, not wanting to have put them in danger, "Are you sure about this? 'Cos I'm not. Let them out."

"The little girl got strong," Jen grinned.

"What?" Rory tensed.

"The little girl lost on the moors in her red wellies? Looking for a way home? Well, she got strong, Rory. I told you, remember?"

Rory slowly shook his head, not wanting to believe what he was realizing, "But that wasn't...it was the other Jennifer that told me about being a little girl."

"Oh? What other Jennifer?" her eyes began to glow as she grabbed his arm.

"Well, the...the...wait, you tricked me? Let me go, I'll open the door," he turned to try and open the door but Ganger Jen grabbed him again and pulled him back, "Let me..." he struggled to pull away, turning to Amy through the window, "I'm sorry!" Ganger Jen dragged him off, down the hall as Amy pounded on the window.

Ganger Cleaves stepped forward and looked through the window at herself, "We have to be free."

"I'm sorry too, Miranda," Cleaves added, "Of all the humans in the world, you had to pick the one with the clot," she tapped her head, letting her Ganger know what was wrong with them, "But hey, them's the breaks. Welcome to the Human Race."

Ganger Cleaves looked at her a moment longer before walking away. Cleaves sighed and turned around to see the Doctor sonicing the acid, "This is going to overheat and fill the room with acid, just as a point of interest," he muttered.

"And we can't stop it?"

"Just as a point of interest, no."

Ok...he was starting to feel very grateful that Angel wasn't there with him. If she was somewhere in the factory, she had a chance of getting out. He winced, realizing even then...she wouldn't. She would sense them in danger and try to save them, he knew it. And he was terrified she would, that acid wouldn't remain stable for long and he didn't want her to get hurt trying to help them.

~8~

Rory stood, in the dining hall, before the Gangers, all of them, including the Doctor's, as he shouted at Ganger Jen, "You created another Ganger just to trick me. You tricked me. When I found you, you were both Flesh and you tricked me into trusting you! Jen's dead, isn't she?"

The Ganger Doctor sat at the table, "Not quite Rory."

"What!?" Ganger Jen spun around in shock, so sure Jen would be dead by now, she had seen to that herself!

"Nope," he smiled a bit, "Angel found her just in time, she's brilliant like that, remarkable, truly...just..." his expression softened, "An angel," he murmured, before looking at the Ganger once more, "She's still out there you know, with the Original Jen and Buzzer, heading back through the tunnels as we speak, leading them to the Acid Room. They'll get out eventually, they'll be safe so there was no point in putting them there to start."

"Well she'll be too late," Ganger Jen glared at him.

"You think?" the Ganger Doctor smirked, having all the faith in the world in Angel.

"Shuttle, we're dropping down on our approach," the man on the radio called, "Stand by for evac.."

"The humans will be melted, as they deserve," Ganger Jen declared, pleased, there was no way the humans would escape before then, "And then the factory will be destroyed. Once we get to the mainland, the real battle begins. The humans won't stand a chance. You're one of us, Doctor. Join the revolution."

"I've got to go and get them out," Rory turned to walk out, when the Ganger Doctor stood up and pushed him back, standing by the Gangers as Rory looked on, betrayed.

~8~

Dicken worked on lowering the cap over the vat of acid, trying to buy them some time.

"It'll never hold her," Jimmy shook his head.

"If you have a better plan, I'm all ears," the Doctor turned to him, "In fact, if you have a better plan, I'll take you to a planet where EVERYONE is all ears," the lid slammed shut and the Doctor sighed, muttering to himself, "Angel where are you? Could use you 'bout now…"

That and he was absolutely terrified something had happened to her, he couldn't stop going back and forth between wanting her there where he could see her safe and wanting her far away from the acid.

~8~

"Doctor, we can't just let them die," Rory shouted.

The Ganger Doctor simply looked at his watch, "Ring Ring!"

"Doctor!" he huffed, trying to get past him.

"Ring Ring!" the Ganger shoved Rory back once more.

~8~

"The acid's eating through," Cleaves called as they watched the vat.

The building started to shake.

~8~

Angel looked up as the building rumbled before glancing at Buzzer, holding Jen, "Come on," she said, "We've got to hurry…" she frowned, mumbling to herself, "They don't have much time."

She could try and use the Vortex to teleport to the Acid Room, but she wasn't sure she'd be able to take others with her and couldn't risk it, she couldn't leave Buzzer and Jen out there, she'd just have to hope they could be fast enough.

~8~

Rory tried to take advantage of the quake and get past the Gangers but the Ganger Doctor was having none of that, "Stay!" he shouted, pointing at Rory.

Rory stopped and put his hands up, "Ok…" he shifted, starting to bite HIS lip now, debating whether to tell the Ganger Doctor what he knew, that Angel was pregnant.

If the man knew that, he KNEW he would do anything and everything to get them out, to save the Original Doctor...especially if he knew that the Original Doctor was the father. The Doctor would save them all, but this was his Ganger and...he was losing faith in them, in their ability to be real people, decent Human Beings. He'd trusted Jen, had defended her, and she'd gone insane and wanted to murder all the humans, not even seeming to realize HE was human.

He took a breath, about to tell the Doctor about Angel...

When the phone began to ring.

"Ah, that'll be the phone," the Ganger Doctor smiled, "Somebody get the phone. Jimmy, get the phone. No? Fine, I'll get the phone. Stay put," he walked over and picked up the phone, sonicing it so a hologram of a young boy appeared before them.

"Thank you for booking your holo-call with Morpeth Jet..." the operator began.

"Ha! Hello, Adam, I'm the Doctor. Well, Other Doctor," Ganger Jimmy stood slowly, shocked to see his son again, "Or Smith. It's complicated and boring. Anyway, who cares, it's your birthday!"

"Yay!" Adam cheered.

"Yay! Now, have you been getting up very early and jumping on the bed?"

"Yes, really high."

"I expect chocolate for breakfast. If you don't feel sick by midmorning, you're not doing it right. Now, I think you want to speak to dad," he turned slowly to look at Ganger Jimmy.

"Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes! Daddy?"

He walked over to Ganger Jimmy, "You'll do, Jimmy. What does the other Jimmy matter now? You're both the same dad, aren't you? Come on, Adam's waiting."

"Daddy?" Adam called, when there was another quake, "Daddy, what's that rumbly noise? What's going on, daddy? Daddy?"

Ganger Jimmy turned and ran out of the room, this wasn't right, not at all, his son...his son deserved to have his REAL father with him, not a copy, he deserved to have the man who had really held him as a baby, who had really BEEN there instead of just someone who remembered being there.

"You've tricked him into an act of weakness, Doctor," Ganger Jen glared at him.

"No," he corrected, "I've helped him into an act of humanity. Anyone else like the sound of that? Act of humanity."

"Dicken, drain the acid well in Crypt One," Ganger Cleaves ordered and Ganger Dicken ran out to follow the orders, "Buzzer you're with me."

"Don't you dare!" Ganger Jen shouted.

"I've had it with this! What's the point in this ridiculous war? Look at you, Jen. You were a sweet kid. Look at you now. Stuff of nightmares. I don't want my world populated by monsters."

"You can't stop the factory from melting down, 'boss,'" she spat, "I'll take revenge on humanity with or without you."

"It doesn't have to be about revenge," the Ganger Doctor told her, "It can be so much better than that."

But Ganger Jen just stormed out of the room.

~8~

Angel reached the door to the Acid Room, looking through the window in it to see Jimmy struggling to keep the lid on the vat, she turned to the keypad, spotting Gangers Jimmy and Dicken running towards them to help. But there wasn't time, she looked at her hand for a single moment before she put it to the keypad, sending out a bolt of Vortex energy, overriding it. The door swung open and she ran in.

"Jimmy get back!" she yelled, bolting down the steps and half throwing herself at Jimmy, shoving him to the side just as acid splashed out, landing where he'd been standing, just narrowly missing the back of Angel's boots.

Jimmy stumbled back, into the wall, gasping and staring at the acid eating through the floor and immediately hugged Angel, who had fallen against him. He looked at her, eyes wide as he felt her bump and realized...the girl had been pregnant that entire time! He looked down at her stomach, the others not noticing as his Ganger and the Dickens ran to take care of the acid. He could see now why he hadn't noticed, her dress, her jacket thing, it hid her remarkably well. And...he realized, she always had her back to them or stood to the side so she was blocked or covered or so the angle and fall of her cardigan didn't give her away. She clearly did NOT want the pregnancy discovered.

He swallowed hard, turning to put an arm around her shoulders, he would NOT let her be hurt, this was NOT a place for a pregnant woman, in a room surrounded by acid.

The Gangers let out a breath as they got the acid stabilized and the lid locked in place, "We need to go," Ganger Dicken stated.

Ganger Jimmy nodded and looked at his original self, "I'm...sorry," he offered, "I'm the fake. Adam deserves his real dad."

Jimmy nodded back, "Thank you."

"We really do need to go," Angel cut in gently, stepping back from Jimmy, her jacket crossed before her, hiding her once again, "Now."

The Doctor nodded, wanting to get her (and the others) out of the Acid Room as well, "Let's go," he turned and led them out.

~8~

Rory, the Gangers Doctor, Cleaves, and Buzzer stood in the dining hall, looking at the Adam's hologram as he waited impatiently for his father to return, "Daddy?" Adam called, "Where's my daddy?"

Just then the original Jimmy ran in, his Ganger agreeing to wait in the hall so as not to confuse Adam, and rushed to the hologram, followed by all the others. Rory went straight for Amy and they hugged tightly, kissing. Cleaves turned and walked to her Ganger as Ganger Buzzer went to help Ganger Dicken and himself lay Jennifer down for a moment, the original Dicken getting a medical kit to help, the Doctor sonicing her to check that Angel's work was holding up, his own Ganger walking over to Angel to ask if she was ok.

"Daddy, it's me!" Adam grinned, seeing his father approach.

Jimmy smiled at his son, his eyes filling with tears, knowing he'd come so close to not getting this chance again, "Hey, sunshine! What are you up to?"

"Opening all my presents."

"Ha ha, good lad. You have fun today. And remember, daddy loves you very, very much."

"When are you coming home?"

"Daddy's coming home today, Adam," the Ganger Doctor clapped a hand on Jimmy's shoulder.

"Yay!" Adam did a small little jig that made his father smile.

"Now we need to move," the Doctor called to the others, the men having gotten Jen stabilized for now, but they had to be quick.

~8~

Ganger Jen sat on the stairs, panting hard, half-formed, when she heard a door shut in the distance and glared...

~8~

One of the Doctors led the way as they ran down the hall, "No!" Angel shouted, "Not that way!"

The Doctor stopped short as a misshapen, elongated Ganger Jen, clearly mutated and out of control, ran out before them. He quickly turned around, "Run. Run. Run!" they ran back the way they came as Ganger Jen raced after them on all fours. Angel took the lead, guiding them through a narrow hallway and into another room. The roof groaned as they all ran in, "Oh, roof's going to give."

Dicken and his Ganger closed the metal door of the room when Ganger Dicken realized something, "We have to stop her. This door doesn't lock."

"No, but the far one does!" Dicken ran out, back down the hall and to the far door. He pulled on it, but it was jammed. He looked up, horrified, as Ganger Jennifer got closer and closer. He pulled a part of the handle off and was just about to run through and close the door himself...when he was yanked back and Ganger Jen ran into a golden wall that appeared before him.

He looked over to see Angel beside him, a frown of concentration on her face, and holding out a shaking hand as though maintaining the wall took effort, which it likely did as Ganger Jen was ramming herself against it, "Move!" she cried and he jumped back. She threw out another hand and a small golden explosion appeared behind the door, un-jamming it.

Dicken grabbed it, slamming it shut and locking it. He grabbed Angel's arm and ran back.

"That won't keep her for long!" Dicken shouted as they ran into the room, slamming the door shut as well. They heard a crash behind them as Ganger Jen broke through the far door. There was a slam on the door behind him and the Doctor and Gangers Cleaves and Jimmy ran to help him hold it closed.

"Here she comes!" Ganger Doctor shouted and the TARDIS fell through the roof right before them.

"Oh, she does like to make an entrance!" the Doctor agreed from the door.

The Ganger Doctor ran and opened the TARDIS, "Move!"

"Go, go, go, go!" the Doctor shouted as he helped hold the door shut.

Ganger Dicken reached out and grabbed himself, pulling him from the door and towards the TARDIS, Jimmy already inside with the Buzzers and the Original Jen.

"Med-bay is up the stairs, go left, then left again," Angel called to the Buzzers as they ran off with Jen, before she moved to the console to get the TARDIS ready, knowing what would be coming outside and...not wanting to see it. She knew what the Ganger Doctor would do, she didn't have to see it or read his mind because...he was the Doctor, he was just like the Doctor and staying behind to give everyone a chance to escape...that was the Doctor in a nutshell.

"Get onboard!" Ganger Cleaves shouted to her original self, "Go!"

"I'm not leaving," Cleaves told her as Ganger Jen banged on the door.

"Go!" Cleaves looked at her a moment, the Ganger nodded that it was alright, and she ran into the TARDIS.

"You too," Ganger Jimmy nudged the Ganger beside him, "You go captain."

"Not on your life," she tried to smile, "This is my factory and..."

"It's not a ship," Ganger Jimmy cut in, "You don't have to go down with it," he glanced at the TARDIS, "There can't be two of me," he reminded her of how complicated that would be not only for him but his family, his son, "I can stay, in your place."

Ganger Cleaves looked at him, unwilling, so he reached out and shoved her away, towards the TARDIS. He wanted as many of them to get out as he could, and if that meant holding the door shut himself...which was unlikely as with Jen pounding on it it was barely keeping closed with him and the Doctor pressed against it...he would do his best.

"Now's our chance," Amy turned to the Doctor as he held the door with Ganger Jimmy, Ganger Cleaves having honored Jimmy's last request and gone into the TARDIS.

"I have to stay," he shook his head, "Hold this door closed, it'll take two. Give you time to dematerialize."

"Oh, don't be crazy. Ok, what happens to you?"

"Well, this place is just about to explode. But I can stop her."

"Both of you can survive this, ok?" she was getting desperate now as she glanced back at Rory helping Angel get the TARDIS ready, pulling levers and pushing buttons as Angel instructed him.

"Or perhaps you think I should stay instead..." the Ganger Doctor stepped up behind Amy, "Mr. Smith?"

"No, of course not, it's not that," Amy turned around to face him, it wasn't that anymore, it wasn't that the Doctor by the door was HER Doctor...it was that the Doctor before her wasn't Angel's. Angel had told Rory more about the Mating than her, but he told her that at least, what it was, what it meant for Angel if the Doctor died, she couldn't let that happen, so in this case...yes, she would rather it be the Ganger who died than both Time Lords, "That's not the reason. You are amazing and yeah, I misjudged you, but you're not him," she pointed at the Doctor by the door, "I'm sorry. But if he doesn't get in the TARDIS, it will kill Angel."

The Doctor frowned at that, at how serious Amy sounded. It wasn't even that she was talking like it would upset Angel, to be the last with a Ganger as company, it was...it sounded more serious than that, more final...more dangerous, "How would it kill her?" he didn't like the thought of that.

Amy turned to look back at him, she had to tell them, she HAD to, it was the only thing she could see, the only excuse, that would get the Doctor into the TARDIS, "She's your Mate."

"My mate?"

"And not in the friendly sense," Amy told him seriously, she knew Angel had said the same, had told him to his face that they were Mates and he'd thought that she meant friends. That had broken Angel's hearts and she hadn't thought to explain it more because she hadn't expected the man who always called her his Mate to think of her as just...his mate, but she wasn't Angel, and she was going to make damn sure it got through to him this time what sort of Mate she meant, "Doctor...you Mated TO her."

"But…" the Doctor, and his Ganger though Amy couldn't see, started to blink quickly, shaking his head, "How would...I didn't...I don't...she can't be...I..."

"You forgot," was all Amy could offer, because she didn't know the answer to whatever question he was going to ask.

"My Mate?" the Ganger Doctor breathed behind her, both his and the Doctor's mind drifting back to all the times, those little, random, odd times where the things Angel knew about him, all the things she said and the expressions she had whenever loving someone was brought up, and the things others knew about the two of them didn't make sense…

~oOo~

He rubbed the side of his head, he was starting to get a headache now…"Why didn't you answer me? I was calling you before."

"But…I'm your Mate."

"The Doctor and his beloved Mate."

"Are you sure you and Angel aren't…"

"No! No, mates," he winced at the word, "Well, friends, just friends the two of us," he smiled, nodding, yes, they were friends, just...just friends...yes, right, yes.

"Have you ever been in love? I mean, really, truly loved someone, with your whole heart…but then…you lost them"

"But…he's gone now. He's gone and…I don't think he'll ever come back."

"It's how he keeps score Amy."

"So you don't know who I am yet? And Angel?"

"What about her?"

"Nothing."

"Don't be an idiot," he snapped at Octavian, moving to come stand between him and Angel, his shoulders tense, his eyes narrowed at the man, something inside him not liking the man yelling at her like that, something inside him wanting to shove the man back from her.

Immediately, he turned to her, seeing Angel panting, and lifted her head with both hands so she would look at him, checking her eyes quickly to see if she was alright, his hearts racing.

"What else have you got?" he shouted, angry and terrified for some reason he didn't understand. It wasn't just that he was worried for his friends and the men protecting them, it went so much deeper, so deep…he was actually scared at the intensity of it.

"We've had loads of them. Friends, you know chums, pals, mates, buddies," he winced, "Not Mates," he mumbled to himself, "Forget Mates."

"And besides, it…it just felt…wrong…to me. Kissing Amy," he shook his head, it really and truly had, it...almost hurt to kiss her, like he physically couldn't stand the fact that she'd kissed him, everything inside him had screamed at him to push her away, to never ever let it happen again, that it was just...so wrong, "It felt wrong," he whispered to himself.

"But I suppose you're really nothing without the Angel there beside you aren't you? With the Last Time Lady, the Life Bringer, the Creator of Light. The angel among mortals? Now SHE'S someone to talk about"

"What have you done with Angel?"

"Me? I've done nothing, nothing at all. And maybe that's the problem isn't it?"

"You just keep on hurting her and you don't even realize you're doing it!"

"Bet you wish Angel was here now. She's the peace keeper, the glue that holds everything together. The rock, the support. Take her away and it all falls apart, just like you will."

The Dream Lord simply turned to him, "Just like I know where your hearts lie."

He frowned, "What are you talking about?"

"Angel."

"Yes, right, a friend who's also bonded to your TARDIS."

"You may not remember, but I do. I remember everything. Every one. Every moment, every thought, every feeling, everything."

"Sometimes, when I think back, there are snippets that are…fuzzy, I can't quite make out…probably just me getting on, head too full of other stuff but...oh well, can't be too important if I forgot it eh?"

"No," she agreed, her voice cracking just a bit, "No, I suppose not."

He started digging through the dirt after her, his hearts pounding too fiercely for him to think of anything but getting her back, "No! No! No! No! No! No. No! No. No!" he slapped the ground and stood up, "No. No!" he soniced the ground, needing to reverse the process, needing her back. No, he couldn't be the last, not again. Not now. He...he didn't want to be alone!

"I think I just…felt Angel…" he frowned, thinking on it.  He had. For a brief second...he'd felt a terrible flash of fear before it fizzled away. And he knew...it wasn't his fear that he'd felt. His hearts started to pound even after the flash faded. Something inside him reacting to the sensation.

"So?" Rory shook his head, "Why's that odd?"

"Because that's impossible …"

"She forgot him. Just like that...she just...forgot him. How could anyone forget someone that important to them?"

"Used the last of the milk to make some hot chocolate with golden sprinkles in it."  Angel froze.

"And three, your friend's cute, but you should keep your big nose out of other people's business." He tensed immediately at the mention of his friend, glancing right at Angel, stiff before his eyes started to narrow at Vincent...

"You meant her, right?" Angel nodded back where Amy was standing, Vincent nodding his agreement as he relaxed, frowning a bit in thought .

" Well, you're very kind," Vincent said before looking at Angel, putting a hand on her wrist as she cleaned his head to still her a moment, smiling at her, "The both of you. And kindness is most welcome."

"Right, so, this church, then," he in, drawing Vincent's attention away more with the slight edge in his voice than the suddenness of his almost-shout. He just couldn't understand it, every time the man so much as looked at Angel one way he wanted to pull her away from him, "Near here, is it?"

"It's not impossible," Angel countered, "Just a bit unlikely," he frowned suddenly an image of Jenny in his mind calling out 'mum' at Angel before the woman passed out.

"Friends sharing a room?"

He paused and looked up, "Don't friends do that?"

"There are fruit flies live on Hoppledom 6 that live for 20 minutes and they don't even Mate for life," he blinked, wondering exactly why he'd brought up some odd Mating ritual at such a time.

"…we call them miracles, and that's the theory. 900 years, I've only seen one."

"What was it?" he blinked looking in the distance, seeing a faint image of Angel with red hair standing in the TARDIS bathed in golden and orange energy before shaking his head

"No!" she shoved him back a bit, "The Universe needs you!" she shouted, tears in her eyes, "It doesn't need me. Not anymore."

He looked at her, shocked, "Angel please…I…I don't want to be alone."

Angel swallowed hard, her glance flickering to River for just a split second, "You won't be…" he blinked and suddenly he was standing in the Library at a computer terminal…

He blinked, stiffening as he realized...for a moment there...that had almost sounded like he was asking why she hadn't kissed him too. But...no. No that...that couldn't be what he meant. Not at all. No. No, no, no, no, nope, not at all. No.

"Cupboard! Big cupboard, I love a cupboard…" he ran over to it and opened it, looking around when suddenly he was in a cupboard again, the one in the Adipose factory…

"Better a broken heart than no heart at all," Angel whispered.

"Oh, try it. You try it."

"I have," Angel replied without blinking.

"Think about it, Doctor. One last day with your beloved. Which day would you choose?" he blinked a strange, painful, feeling rising in his hearts, he felt empathy with the man, like he understood exactly how he felt…but when had he ever had only a day left with someone he loved?

He didn't know what had made him pause, the children were still in danger, but...he couldn't make himself continue, just...stare at her. He'd been passing her, and he'd looked up and, at first, he'd thought it was just the shock of seeing how close they really were that had made him freeze...but now he didn't know. And now he couldn't move, well, he could if he wanted to.  If he wanted to. Oddly enough, he found that...he didn't.

He smiled at the three of them, moving to hunch over the controls, only to look over a moment later and come face-to-face with Amy's legs, straightening quickly to walk around to the other end of the console, his smile fading though when he heard Angel laughing at Rory's remarks. For some reason...it hurt...to hear another man making her laugh. But he shook his head, Rory was her companion, it made sense they'd be friends. It was good they were friends. Very good. Wasn't it?

"Now I love a bad girl, me, but trust you? Seriously?" he let out a small laugh, looking at her intently, "Angel doesn't trust you," he added, "And I've learned, if Angel doesn't trust someone, it's for a very, VERY good reason," he watched as River's expression fell into a near scowl at that, "I trust her, more than anyone."

The Doctor ran up to the console, ready to get out of there, when he noticed three things, Rory was standing by Angel, quietly speaking to her, Angel was studiously ignoring him as she wiped something under her eye and focused intently on the controls, and Amy was looking at him from where she as sitting on the jump seat, seeming rather peeved, "Everything alright?" he eyed them.

Amy opened her mouth, about to start in on him, when, "Yeah," Angel called quietly, moving around the console, "Everything's fine."

He didn't know why he felt so desperate to have her stay. He didn't want to be alone, true, but this...he was truly and utterly terrified that she would walk into the TARDIS and disappear from his life. And he couldn't bear that. If he lost Angel...he swallowed hard, he didn't want to consider that. He couldn't lose her, not ever, he just...she had to stay, with him, because...he couldn't function properly without her, he couldn't focus, he couldn't think clearly, it was like he couldn't even breathe when she wasn't around. It was like...he wasn't him...without her...What was the Lonely God without his Angel anyway?

The dream played itself over in his mind, making him flush at the mere memory of it, of imagining him and Angel in such a position. He had, admittedly, had small, tiny fantasies about the Time Lady on and off but this...this was so far beyond...he didn't know what to think. He really didn't because...this wasn't the first time he'd dreamt of something like that.

He actually found himself feeling quite...furious and angry and sad and hurt and...he hadn't the faintest idea why. He knew he didn't like Angel around other men, true, but if this was the man she had lost, the man she loved, he should do everything he could to get the man back and safe and...he just...all he felt like doing was, well, something a bit too violent to say. But he shook his head, his mind refusing to entertain the thought that the Corsair, of all the Time Lords in the world, was the one Angel loved. The man didn't deserve her, not that...not that he really deserved her either, even as a friend.

He felt such a familiarity with her, and it wasn't just that she seemed more familiar with him, but sometimes…sometimes he found himself thinking of her, recalling things she liked or disliked that he couldn't recall her mentioning. There were times he'd get fierce bouts of protectiveness associated with her beyond that of just a friend...

"Right, here's the plan...I'm going back to the TARDIS. Angel, get them to the dining hall, stay away from Dicken, wait for me there. I..."

"What?"

"Get to the dining hall. And wait for me there..."

"You also said to stay away from Dicken."

"Did I?" he honestly hadn't noticed that, "Well...do that too," he nodded, completely agreeing with himself...

He blinked realizing that and, for once, not pushing the thought away. She was beautiful, and there was nothing wrong with thinking it. Or thinking that she was funny, or smart, or loving, or that the TARDIS blue color she loved to wear suited her, or that her little habit of biting her lip constantly drew his gaze to them and made him want to...he blushed...kiss her. Yes, he...he wanted to kiss her...

~oOo~

"Yes," Amy's voice snapped him out of his thoughts, "And that's why HE has to come with us!"

"Amy, we swapped shoes," the man before her, the man she thought was the Ganger, told her, "I'm the Doctor."

"And I'm the Flesh," the Doctor by the door nodded.

She shook her head, "You can't be," she looked at the man she'd thought was real, "You're the real him."

"No, I'm not, and I haven't been all along," or at least since the evac. tower.

"What?"

"I'm the Original Doctor, Amy," the Doctor behind her said, "We had to know if we were truly the same. It was important, vital, we learn about the Flesh. And we could only do that through your eyes."

Amy looked at the Ganger Doctor by the door and ran to hug him tightly, "I never thought it possible."

"What?" he frowned, hugging her back.

"You're twice the man I thought you were."

He smiled and whispered in her ear, "Push, Amy. But only when she tells you to."

Ganger Jen banged against the door again, "Amy, come on!" Rory shouted from the TARDIS doorway, Amy turned and ran past the Doctor towards the box.

"Well, my death arrives, I suppose," the Ganger Doctor turned to his original self.

"But this one, we're not invited to," he remarked, thinking on what Amy had implied earlier, his mind still whirling with rampant thoughts about Angel supposedly being his Mate. It didn't make sense, he'd know if he completed the Mating process with anyone, he'd just know…

"Pardon?"

He shook his head, "Nothing. Your molecular memory can survive this, you know. It may not be the end," he tossed him the sonic.

"If I turn up to nick all your biscuits, you'll know you were right."

The Doctor chuckled a bit, sobering quickly and nodding at his Ganger.

"Doctor!" Amy yelled, running to the doorway, seeing the Ganger not coming, "No, please..." but Rory just pulled her back, whispering something to her as she turned to see Angel at the console, her eyes closed, grabbing a lever, looking as though she were trying to hold it together and not cry, and she ran back to her, Rory beating her to hug the Time Lady.

"Jim..." the Ganger Doctor began, turning to Ganger Jimmy.

"Don't even try," the man cut him off.

"Right," he laughed.

"Oi you!" Ganger Jimmy shouted at the Doctor, "Get out!"

"Go," his Ganger added, looking past him and into the TARDIS, at Angel, "I don't want her to see this."

The Doctor swallowed hard and nodded, turning to run back to the TARDIS, closing the doors.

The Ganger Doctor held up the sonic, "This will dissolve her."

"You sure about that?"

The Ganger Doctor nodded and glanced back as the TARDIS disappeared, "You know, there may be a way back from this," he tossed the sonic hand to hand.

"From turning to goop?"

"You never know," he grinned, "Let's find out, eh?" he turned and threw open the door. They both held onto the sonic, aiming it at Ganger Jen, "Geronimo!" they activated it and Jen dissolved, just as they did.

~8~

The Doctor leaned against the console, watching Angel intently as she took over piloting from the other side, a solemn expression on her face though. Amy walked over and put a hand on his shoulder, nodding to him encouragingly.

But he shook his head, "The energy from the TARDIS will stabilize the Gangers for good," he told the duplicates, "They're people now."

"And what happens to us?" Cleaves asked, pointing to her head.

"We still have this," her Ganger agreed.

"Ah, that's not a problem," the Doctor snapped his fingers and looked around the console, "I have something for that. It's small and red and tastes like burnt onions…"

Angel just quietly handed the Original Cleaves a small vial of red liquid and turned to head off, down the stairs, under the console, Rory frowning as he saw her expression fall and rushed after her.

"That'll, um..." the Doctor watched her go before turning to the Cleaveses, shaking his head, trying to focus, "Get rid of your blood clots," he glanced through the floor to see Rory hugging Angel tightly before he sighed, hanging his head, always late wasn't he? Always missed his chance, always missed the opportunity to be the one to comfort her. He shook his head and turned to Jimmy, pulling out a red balloon, "Happy endings."

For some, possibly.

For Angel though, she just...couldn't handle being up there any longer, had had to get away, and gone below the console, only to see Rory had followed her, "Angel," he called, moving over to her with a frown on his face, "What's wrong?" he whispered, seeing tears in her eyes, "Are you ok?"

She shook her head, "I'm not," she finally admitted, "I'm really not," her face scrunched as she started to cry, "It's too much Rory, it's all too much...I just...I can't...I can't believe..." she bowed her head, her shoulders shaking and Rory ran to her, hugging her tightly, trying to whisper calming words in her ears.

He could guess what had upset her, seeing the Doctor, another Doctor, stay behind, knowing he was going to die...it had to hurt. And to see what Ganger Jen had become, to see how far humanity could fall...all the suffering the Flesh had endured...how close they'd all come to being killed...everyone had a point where they just...couldn't handle it anymore.

Angel buried her face in Rory's shoulder, trying not to cry, but it just...it hurt too much, everything that had happened, everything they'd learned and everything she'd seen...

It broke her hearts.

~8~

Adam stood on a beach, bundled in a winter coat as a red balloon drifted by, "Hey!" Jimmy called, holding another red balloon, "Hello, bud."

Adam turned around and raced to his father, "Daddy, you're back!"

Jimmy lifted his son up and twirled him around, SO thankful for what his Ganger had done for him, for what Angel had done as well, "Hello, my boy! How are you doing?"

The Doctor and Angel watched from a distance, though the Doctor's glance kept shifting to Angel as she didn't seem happy at all. He knew that expression on her face...it was like the one he'd seen when she'd asked him to take her to Jack. Like everything was just too much and...

He closed his eyes, swallowing hard as he tried to keep breathing despite the tightening of his hearts and chest, he prayed to the stars that Angel wasn't going to leave him and go back to Jack or something.

Not now.

Please, not now.

Not ever, really.

~8~

Cleaves, Dicken, and Buzzer stood in the lobby outside the main door of Morpeth Jetsan Headquarters with Gangers Dicken and Buzzer while Jennifer was in a hospital for treatment, being watched over by Ganger Cleaves who felt more responsible than the others for the state Jen was in, given she hadn't been able to stop Jen's Ganger from harming her. The TARDIS was parked a few feet away, the Doctor, Angel, Amy, and Rory standing with them, "You really want us to do this?" Cleaves looked at the Doctor.

"They want to say that it's all over and taken care of," Angel told them quietly, "But it's not, and they need to know that. You need to tell them the truth."

"Make them understand what they're doing to the Flesh," the Doctor nodded, "Make them stop," he looked at the Gangers, "Dicken, Buzzer, remember, people are good. In their bones, truly good. Don't hate them, will you?"

They nodded and Ganger Dicken added, "How can we hate them? We're one of them now."

"Mum always wanted another boy," Ganger Buzzer joked, "Not too sure she can handle two of us though," his original self laughed.

"Yeah," the Doctor laughed too, "And just remember, people died. Don't let that be in vain. Make what you say in that room count."

Cleaves nodded, "Ready?" her crew nodded and they walked to the door, "Side by side."

"You got it, boss," they all said at once.

Cleaves opened the door and they could hear the press conference in full swing.

"Have the army dealt with the imposters?" a reporter asked before there were gasps as the Gangers stepped in, closing the door behind them.

Amy turned and nudged the Doctor, seeing him lost in thought, his gaze drifting to Angel as she stood by Rory who had a friendly arm around her shoulder, though the man's expression was concerned, "You ok?"

The Doctor swallowed, shaking his head once more, he needed to focus, he could deal with that later, with the fact that Angel was apparently somehow his Mate, but right now…he looked at Amy, "I said breathe, Pond, remember? Well, breathe."

"Why?"

"Breathe."

"And again, why?"

He sighed, "Get into the TARDIS," he turned and strode back, Amy and Rory following confusedly behind him.

Angel trailed behind them, crossing her arms as though trying to hug herself, knowing this wasn't going to end well. She may have bought them some time, in saving Jen and leading them where they had to go she had gotten them a moment or two more before things came to a head...but...she looked at her hand again, the one that had touched the Flesh, she knew, she knew what was coming.

She'd worked it out.

The Doctor walked up to the console platform, Amy and Rory stopping at the bottom of the stairs while Angel walked past them to move behind the Doctor, towards the controls, "Doctor!" Rory shouted, "What's wrong?"

"I'm sorry Amy," the Doctor looked at her, "But very soon now...the contractions are going to start."

"Contractions?"

Though no one but Angel seemed to notice Rory's gaze drift to her and not Amy, though the Doctor couldn't see her shake her head at her companion from behind.

The Doctor glanced at Rory, "She's going to go into labor."

Amy looked at Rory, just as confused, "Did he say...no, of course he didn't," she looked at the Doctor, "Did you say contractions?"

"You'll have to start explaining this to me, Doctor," Rory shook his head, "How could Amy be pregnant?"

"Never heard of the birds and the bees?" he countered, "She's having a baby. I needed to see the Flesh in its early days. That's why I scanned it. That's why we were there in the first place. I was going to drop you off for fish and chips first, but things happened and there was stuff and shenanigans. Beautiful word, shenanigans."

"But Doctor," Rory shook his head, "A…" he bit his lip, "AMY's not pregnant."

"I needed enough information to block the signal to the Flesh…"

"What signal?" Amy shook her head.

"The signal to you."

"Doctor?"

"Stand away from her, Rory."

"Why?" Rory gaped, putting his arm firmer around Amy, "No! And why?"

"Given what we've learned, I'll be as humane as I can, but I need to do this and you need to stand away!"

Rory looked at Angel, who was looking down, before turning to Amy, who shook her head, and then the Doctor, who was stone-faced, before slowly backing away, not sure what was happening.

"No," Amy gasped, "No!" she turned to the Doctor, "Doctor, I am frightened. I'm properly, properly scared."

"Don't be," he stepped over to her, "Just hold on. We'll find you," he put a hand on her shoulder.

She gripped his arm, "I'm right here!"

"No, you're not," he stepped back, "You haven't been here for a long, long time," he pulled away, moving up a few steps and holding out the sonic to her.

He flicked it on.

And Amy…

Remained just where she was, solid and whole.

Chapter Text

The Doctor blinked, turning the sonic on once more, flicking it at Amy on a higher power, before looking at it, wincing as he accidently flashed himself in the eyes in the process. He shifted a setting and tried to sonic the ginger girl again, before bashing it against his hand and trying one more time...only to give up, "I…I don't understand. You're Flesh!"

"Doctor I'm not Flesh!" Amy shouted, Rory rushing to hug her, seeing that whatever the Doctor had thought would happen hadn't.

"Amy's not the Ganger," Angel added quietly from behind him, a crack in her voice.

The Doctor spun around to face her, "But she has to be! She's seen that woman, I ran the scans, it's the only explanation!"

"The sonic didn't work," Angel swallowed hard, looking for all the world as though she were trying not to cry, "Because AMY isn't the Ganger," she looked meaningfully at him, a heartsbroken expression on her face.

His mouth dropped open a moment, realizing what she was implying, and he lifted the sonic with a hesitant hand, scanning her but not sonicing her yet. He looked at the readings and then at her, stunned, "I…I don't…"

"I didn't know," she began, her voice breaking, "I really didn't," she sniffled, "I thought it was Amy too but...the Flesh...it wasn't Amy, it was ME."

She hadn't realized, she truly hadn't, she'd thought Amy was the Ganger, just like the Doctor had but when she'd touched the Flesh...they all thought her reaction was to the pain it was in, to the horror of what the humans did to it, but really that was only a small portion of it. She'd empathized with it, connected with it instantly, and well she should have...because SHE was Flesh herself. She felt more than the Doctor had, had been able to hear it and understand it because she WAS it.

It was why she had stared at Amy afterwards, she'd thought it was the ginger, but really it was her. She hadn't wanted to believe it, but she'd seen it, she'd learned so much touching the Flesh, more than she had bargained for. It had shown her the truth of what she was, of what Amy wasn't. And it had hit her, near the end, when the adventure had calmed down, it had hit her what happened to her, she hadn't been able to believe that it was true, that she wasn't really there.

Because she knew what that meant, she knew why.

"But the woman..." the Doctor shook his head, staring at her in horror, how had he not realized?! How had he not seen that it wasn't Amy who was Flesh but someone so much closer to his hearts?

Angel took a breath, trying to speak without breaking down but...it was hard, it was so hard, she'd only just worked it out herself and now she had to talk about it, "The crack in Amy's wall," she whispered, it being the only answer she could come up with, "You said it yourself, it changed how she thought, how she sees the world, how her mind works...she's been picking up the signal to me."

Amy had been picking it up, right from the start...but she hadn't realized it. She'd truly hadn't known that Amy was also seeing the woman with the eye patch until she'd mentioned it in the evac. tower. But SHE had seen it, all this time. When she and Amy had been in the orphanage, she'd stopped, she'd seen the panel on the door of the little girl's room, she'd been staring at it, and then Amy had too. When they'd been on Avery's ship, she'd been dreaming of the woman looking at her and talking to her, her face scrunched up, and had woken, not because Amy had jolted awake, but because the woman had closed the panel. And even just now, in the factory tunnels, she'd seen the woman in the wall before they'd run into Rory, had been about to speak to Amy about it, to tell her what she was seeing...only to learn in the evac. tower that Amy had already been seeing it. She'd been tracing the exact shape of the panel in the exact place it had appeared on the wall of the tower but it seemed no one had noticed.

She hadn't know, she really hadn't. She'd thought that she was seeing what Amy was, some sort of next level of her abilities, like she'd grown strong enough to not just see the future but actually see the present as well, that she was seeing what Amy was. But now she knew it was the reverse, Amy was seeing what SHE was. The crack in her wall had made her more sensitive and susceptible to a signal like that but only when she had been nearby.

"What scans were you talking about Doctor?" Rory asked as he and Amy stepped closer, the man had clearly thought something was wrong with Amy, had been scanning her, but he hadn't said what it was or why.

But the Doctor couldn't answer, only stare at Angel with wide eyes, still unable to believe he'd missed that! How had he let himself get so focused on Amy when ANGEL had been the one who needed help?

So Angel answered instead, "He thought Amy was pregnant," she looked at Rory meaningfully, knowing he'd understand what the scans had picked up, "But I was always too close," she turned to the Doctor, "I was always nearby or touching her," and she had been, Amy had taken her hand the first time, she'd tried to comfort Amy after the Siren, Amy had been touching her to show her how to play darts, "I was too close."

The scan...she wasn't certain what the scan had really picked up or how it worked. There were so many possibilities for the results it was getting. If it was scanning Amy, then it was seeing that the girl wasn't pregnant, but since SHE was too close, the scan was also getting her and she WAS pregnant. But even then...even if the scan had picked up more of her instead...a version of her was pregnant, but the Ganger her wasn't real, it wouldn't register as really pregnant either, it would confuse the scans as much as her being too close to Amy had confused them now.

And she could see it, even now, in the Doctor's mind...he STILL wasn't seeing it. His mind wasn't making the connection of what she'd just said. The scans were to detect if Amy was pregnant, but she wasn't.

Amy wasn't pregnant.

And if the scans kept coming up as positive/negative...and AMY wasn't pregnant, and SHE was too close...it should be obvious. But she could see it, he was overwhelmed, he was still struggling to understand how he hadn't realized, he wasn't seeing it, he wasn't seeing the truth before him. He still wasn't seeing that SHE was pregnant.

It should be obvious now, so much should be obvious, so much made sense to her now. Why she hadn't been made into a Ganger as well with the Doctor's, because she already was one, why she had connected so strongly to the Flesh, because she was it, even why...even why her visions and sensations were off.

She'd noticed her visions and feelings were fewer, even her power with the Vortex was off. She hadn't been able to bring up the Vortex as easily as before, even with Jen, even just now...it had taken more effort than it should have. Which she understood, Flesh and Vortex probably didn't mix well. The Flesh wasn't meant to hold the power of the Vortex, but it was something inside her, like her visions. And even then...it was her mind, her actual original mind that was in this body.

It was why she could still hear and feel the Doctor despite being a Ganger. His Ganger had been a copy of him, not his original self, not his original mind. This was her real and actual mind that was there, that was able to connect to his. It was her mind that was seeing visions and her own internal strength that was making the Vortex...but her Flesh body was having trouble letting the Vortex out. She hadn't had to use much of it in past adventures, since America, she hadn't realized it...till just now, till using so much of it to help Jen...it had hurt. To let that power out, it had physically hurt, especially her hands, she hadn't been able to stop rubbing them, staring at them, because that was where the power was coming out of...and the Flesh was reacting against it.

"But…" he shook his head, feeling like he was unable to breathe, his hearts were pounding, and he just...he couldn't focus on anything, "How?"

She closed her eyes tightly, she'd worked it out as well, the Flesh had reminded her.

The Silence. The White House. The Bathroom.

With everything she and the Doctor were doing to remember the Silence...she remembered them, remembered encountering them in America, but there were other times, times she wasn't with the Doctor, that she had...forgotten. But she remembered more and more of it the more she thought on the aliens. And she remembered now. She remembered entering the toilet, she remembered the Silent standing there, speaking to it, she remembered turning to the door to go...and then stopping, wondering why she was leaving?

And then...it went black.

She'd woken up on the floor of the toilet, a lovely woman named Joy shaking her awake, and had thought that she'd just...had a dizzy spell, had fainted or something, because of the pregnancy, and had wanted to leave, had wanted to get back to the Doctor. She'd rushed out of there, wanted to get back to him, and felt...wrong. Her stomach had felt wrong, she'd barely felt the baby move within her, but she had such a STRONG sense that the baby was ok, that it was alive and ok that it had kept her from being concerned. But she realized now, it was her subconscious, the part of her that was still real, that could still feel the real baby inside her, inside the other her.

And that killed her because...the baby wasn't really in HER. It was in the other her. The copy made...it had only copied HER, not the baby, copied her appearance and let her mind control it, but hadn't copied every single detail about her. It was like a doll, frozen in time, or an action figure. She knew little boys would play with their action figures and sometimes melt a part of it, that part would always be melted, even though the original was whole. She looked pregnant, but she was a frozen image of herself.

"The Silence," she whispered, though they could all hear her, "There was one it the bathroom in the White House."

"Ever since then?" the Doctor stared at her as she nodded, looking at him with tears in her eyes, "But why did they take you?" it didn't make sense...

No, actually it did, it really did. Not only was Angel the Last Time Lady, which made her one of the most valuable treasures in the Universe, whole worlds would fight each other to the death for a single cell of a Time Lord or a drop of blood. She was also the one person who knew everything about time travel and TARDISes, more than even him. If the Silence were trying to build a TARDIS, they would need Angel's knowledge. There was also the fact that she was psychic, which would be an incredible asset for anyone to have. She had the Vortex inside her, could wield it to a point. And she was...

"They don't want me," Angel breathed, the tears falling from her eyes now, her walls breaking down as everything finally hit her, "No one ever wants me," she let out a sob, unable to hold it in anymore, everything finally taking its toll on her, the Doctor's regeneration, his amnesia, the pregnancy, River, her kidnapping, "No one wants me…not my Mate, not my family on Gallifrey, not even my enemies want me…" she sunk to her knees, one hand gripping the railing behind her, in tears, it was too much, it was all too much.

"Your Mate?" he swallowed, it was just...he didn't understand, Amy had said he was her Mate, that he had Mated to Angel, but...he didn't have any recollection of it at all, he'd remember something like that, that wasn't something you forgot, it was too...sacred, too important, too life changing, it wasn't ever just forgotten! So...why couldn't he bring himself to deny it now? He looked at Angel, his hearts breaking to see her so hurt, "You mean me," she looked up at him, seeming startled, shocked that he seemed to know that he was her Mate, according to Amy, "They took you to get to me, as bait for some sort of trap and..."

He trailed off when he saw Angel shaking her head sadly, "No, they don't want you either. That's the LAST thing they want."

"What?" that made no sense. If they didn't want her, which he couldn't understand why anyone would ever NOT want someone as amazing as Angel, then they had to want him! They had to know he'd come after her, walk willingly into any sort of trap, give himself up, if it would mean she was released and safe again.

"They don't want you...and they don't want me..."

It was too late. It was too late now. If only she'd been more clever, had worked it out earlier, she'd have had time, been able to leave, been able to get other help. But there was no time left anymore. Because she hadn't worked it out till just now. She saw it in his mind, Amy had let slip about the Mating...and now...now it was time for her to tell him another thing that had been kept from him, something so much more important than her.

She didn't care anymore, she didn't care if he denied the Mating, if he couldn't remember who she was to him, if he didn't believe her that the baby was his. She didn't care, this was so far beyond anything she had dealt with, beyond anything she knew she could handle on her own, she didn't know what to do and she didn't have time to work it out any longer. So she didn't care if he learned the truth now, he could deny it all he wanted, she just wanted him to help her, which she knew he would, he was the Doctor.

She just...she needed help.

"Then what do they want?" he shook his head.

Angel took a breath, holding it, closing her eyes tightly as she bit her lip, before showing him exactly what they wanted by placing her hand on her stomach.

Her swelling stomach.

Her ROUND stomach.

Her pregnant stomach.

The Doctor's eyes widened at that, the jacket, her layered cardigan was falling open, her flowing dress not hiding it any longer as she put her hands on her stomach, pressing the fabric to it, and he could see it now. All he could do was...stare...

First in shock…

And then in anger.

His fists clenched, "Who?" he demanded, a fury unlike any he'd ever known swept though him and he had no idea why. He felt anger, a true and deep anger, rising in his very soul, his hearts pounding, fury coursing through his blood, his mind racing, as he started to shake, feeling truly furious and angry...

"Who what?" Angel shook her head, so confused as she looked up at him.

"Who touched you?" he demanded, a growl to his voice as his fists started to shake, his knuckles turning white, looking as though he wanted nothing more than to murder someone.

Angel could only blink, after what she'd just shown him, he still wasn't seeing it, "What do you mean?"

There was only ONE way this could have happened! Even if she'd been with another man...though she felt ill at just the thought of betraying him like that...a child couldn't come! And if, somehow, it had been the Master's...another thought that made her hearts twist painfully...it would have been born AGES ago! She had been with him the entire time they'd faced the Master the last! She hadn't been alone with the Master at all, only on the Valiant and even then...nothing. There was only ONE Time Lord left, only one man that could possibly father this child. Was his mind so against being her Mate? Was the memory so deeply buried? What did it mean that even now, even knowing all he did, that he STILL didn't see it?

"I want to know who touched my Mate!" he snapped, nearly snarled at the anger bursting through him. And then he realized...that felt right, calling her his Mate. That felt like the most natural thing in the Universe, the most familiar word when it came to her, the most...right. She was his, she was his Mate, and someone had…

"You!" Angel shouted through her tears, not wanting him to ever, ever, ever believe that she would have ever done what his mind was thinking, "You did. When we finished the Mating process just after Sarah Jane's wedding. YOU are my Mate, I would never let anyone else…"

The Doctor blinked, suddenly feeling like he'd been punched in the gut at her words, at the hurt in Angel's voice, at the fact that the baby was HIS. All the air felt like it was leaving his lungs...before stars exploded behind his eyes and then…memories assaulted him, actually driving him to his knees in pain of their intensity…

~oOo~

"I need this, I need this to be my last memory, me and you, dancing in the snow, me singing to you, with you in my arms. Us together."

Angel nodded, laying her head on his shoulder, holding him close as they danced.

"...I just want you for my own," he began to sing to her, "More than you could ever know, make my wish come true," he nuzzled his nose against her temple, "All I want for Christmas is...you," he swallowed hard, "All I want for Christmas, is you."

~oOo~

"I want you to bond to the TARDIS too."

"But…the ONLY time two people bond to the same TARDIS is when…" is when they take a Mate.

"My name is Theta."

"I think we should start working on establishing a mental bond."

He pulled her towards him, peppering her face with kisses, making her laugh her beautiful laugh before truly giving her a proper kiss, pulling away quite a few moments later to just hug her tightly, his hearts swelling at the fact that her first words to him through their bond was that she loved him as well.

She wasn't here. Angel wasn't there. He couldn't feel her at all. God it hurt...it hurt so badly...he felt like he couldn't breathe …

"But that's impossible!" he shouted, emotional bonds were supposed to take years to form.

"I suppose it's a good thing we didn't finish the Mating process then. When I…you won't…and…"

"…we never finished the Mating process. So…I was thinking, to make your birthday extra special…that maybe…we should...if you wanted…maybe…"

"Finish it?"

"Yeah."

"I think I can't imagine a better gift."

~oOo~

He…he was probably one of the only people who wasn't scared of my abilities…

"You…don't think I'm odd?"

"I think you're fantastic."

~oOo~

He dashed off to the door where Margaret was waiting and let her out, "Come on psychic!"

"Oi, watch it thief!" she countered with a laugh, running after him.

"You make me that happy," he whispered, pushing as strand of hair behind her ears, "Psychic."

"Thief," she laughed at what had seemed to become their playful nicknames for each other.

"My psychic," he kissed the side of her head.

"My thief," she joked back as John grinned widely before dropping onto a plush chair, pulling her, laughing, down onto his lap as he wound his arms around her, holding her close, gazing up at her in the gentle awe that always seemed to be on his face.

~oOo~

He…he treated me like I was special...

He looked at her, his gaze softening, "I like to think you're more than just a simple companion."

"You? Useless? Never ever."

"You get one trip, then back home. I'd rather it be just Angel and I."

'You're wonderful, you know,' he whispered to her in her mind.

"You've gotten much better at all this. You're…just blossoming," he stroked her cheek.

~oOo~

Staring back at him, face pale, dark bruises under her dark eyes from want of sleep, lips cracked dry, gaunt and worn, was a Time Lady…

"The Angel."

"It's beautiful."

"Off you go then! Your first date."

"I wouldn't be talking if I were you," Rose gestured between him and Angel.

"I'm sure he would, Rose. I'm absolutely certain. That's why…" he suddenly reached out and grabbed Angel, pulling her to him as he spun her around perfectly, dipping her sharply, earning a laugh of delight from her that made him beam.

"It's not a date!" he shouted at Margaret, "At least not with you."

He reached forward and gently pulled her into his arms, carefully leaning down and kissing her, the Vortex flowing out of her eyes and into his as they did so.

"…when I saw you crying, all I wanted to do was make you feel better, cheer you up. And when I realized it was Rose that made you sad I…I was gonna leave her on Earth, so she couldn't hurt you anymore. I care about you, so much. And it's not just this version of me, I did before. I just…I couldn't express it, I was too hurt, too scarred, too broken from the War. But I'm better now, YOU made me better, you healed me and fit me back together and mended pieces I didn't even know had been broken and…"

"That means we're standing under mistletoe," he pulled her into his arms, giving her a quick peck.

"You never have to hide anything from me. Ever"

"I want you to see how amazing I think you are, how fantastic, how brilliant. And I know you won't believe me without seeing it in my head and in my hearts first."

"You go with your companion and I'll go with mine," he didn't like the idea of being separated from her.

He looked around, spotting Rose's blonde hair first, the small smile on his face blooming into a full blown beam as he saw Angel standing there beside her, face returned. She looked over and her face just lit up at seeing him. He ran to her, scooping her into his arms as he spun her around, hugging her tightly.

"Except that implies, in this big grand scheme of Gods and Devils and Angels and Demons, that she's just a victim. But I've seen a lot of this Universe. I've seen fake gods and bad gods and demi-gods and would-be gods, out of all that, out of that whole pantheon, if I believe in one thing...just one thing...I believe in HER!"

"New lips. Gotta get used to them."

"I can help you there…" he leaned forward and kissed her again, shifting to sit beside her on the edge of the bed, kissing her deeply, the two of them just taking time to revel in the fact that they had survived, they were together, they were alive.

"I'm always thinking of you Nella. Every moment of every hour of every day. And I'll never ever stop."

Angel stepped out of Trish's home, knowing he was back, and ran over to him. He held his arms out and scooped her up into them as they hugged each other, him spinning around as he held her. He put her down a moment later, only to pull her into a deep kiss, so relieved they were both alright.

"Yeah, well, you can hug me later. You too, Frank, if you want. But you Angel, I expect a kiss."

"I rather liked the idea of giving you two hearts instead of just this humble one."

Slowly he leaned towards her and kissed her gently, "I think I could spend the rest of my life doing that."

"How can you think that we're not real? When we kiss, is that not real?" he pressed her hand to his heart, "How fast my heart beats when you're around…is that not real?"

"I love her Jack, more than anything, and I want to be with her for the rest of my lives. That's what Mating is, we bind ourselves to another person mentally, emotionally, and physically. We can never be with another, nor would I want to."

"But two can play at that game," and with that, he leaned forward and kissed her deeply, making her squirm against him. He lowered her arms, trailing his hands down them till he found the sonic, grabbing it, and stepping back, "Ha ha!" he cried, victorious, holding up the sonic.

The thought of a child of his existing, not related to Angel…it made his hearts hurt.

"I meant the…the detox, though the kiss was rather spectacular too…"

He knew in his heart of hearts, there would be no moving on from the woman. She was…she was just his everything. He'd rather live to the end of eternity without her than love anyone else.

"Angel's dying. She's going to die. And I'd rather die with her than live without her, not for anyone."

She wanted it to be as normal as possible. And he was not one to deny her anything.

He was not one for walking away from an adventure, but…he could give up this one trip for her.

He hugged her back tightly, his hearts breaking knowing that he would have only a limited amount of time with her before some other man would take his place.

~oOo~

He was a great man, the best...

"Maybe I imprinted more than just that bit of your personality then. You're fantastic as well."

"It's just…hard…to believe someone actually thinks I'm special. Especially someone as wonderful as you."

"Settling for the most remarkable man in the world? Of course I realized, that's why I stayed put."

"I haven't the faintest. But you will, 'cos you…are fantastic."

"It's true though. He's absolutely fantastic on a good day…"

~oOo~

"Fantastic," he beamed, walking over to her and putting his arm around her shoulders, tugging her just a bit away from Mickey...

"I don't want to leave you here alone with Toby," he didn't like not being there to protect her.

He wasn't sure what to feel, relieved she was alright, or terrified that she was surrounded by Daleks.

"Angela please, I need to know you're safe if we're attacked."

"Easy! But…first things first," he turned to Angel, a solemn look in his eyes, "I'm so sorry," he whispered to her, taking her face in his hands, stroking her cheeks with his thumbs as he rested his fingertips to her temples. He closed his eyes a moment, resting his forehead to hers...before she collapsed into his arms, unconscious, him catching her before she could fall. He gently laid her down on the floor, brushing his knuckles against her cheek, moving his hand to tuck a lock of hair behind her ears, just...taking a moment to gaze at her before determination set in and he jumped up, rushing to a terminal…

~oOo~

So kind and curious and mad...

"We can help..."

"We're at the edge of knowledge itself…come on!" he took Angel's hand and the two walked briskly off.

He pressed a button and a flame shot into the sky, igniting it. He smiled, watching it go before pulling Angel to him, holding her hand as they watched.

~oOo~

He slipped a bracelet on and tossed one to Margaret, watching her put it on before turning to Angel and holding out his arm, "Shall we?"

He was lying on his coat, his arm wrapped around Angel's waist as she laid beside him…

"You got any feelings about all this?" he asked her, absently stroking her arm.

"Oh, I cried," he nodded, wrapping an arm around Angel as they lay on the bed.

Jenkins drove the jeep as Angel sat between them, him with his arm firmly around her shoulders.

~oOo~

God the things we used to get into…

"And it is gonna be...fantastic," Rose smiled at the use of his old catchphrase. He just reached out and took Angel's hand, looking up at the stars.

He dropped onto the sofa beside Angel, absently taking her hand left hand in his own left as he draped his right arm around her shoulders, "Y'know, Angela and I've been to Belgium…"

He inhaled deeply, taking Angel's hand as they crossed the room and headed through a door, walking down a staircase to see the surface of the planet, a huge city filled with book shelves.

"Enjoy your trip," the Hostess nodded.

"Oh, we can't wait!" he took Angel's hand, "Allons-y!"

~oOo~

He leaned his head against the inside of the doors, helpless, the battle cries of the Daleks echoing, ringing in his ears, dragging hated memories to the surface…a nd then something pressed up against him. H e felt warm arms wrap around him and a head rest against his back, just squeezing him in comfort, offering their strength, but more importantly offering him understanding, offering someone to share his pain in. He turned around in her arms and hugged Angel to him as the cries of the Daleks continued ...

She reached out, placing her hand on his cheek, stroking it gently, "Come back to me," she searched his eyes, seeing a sparkle starting to appear, "Please..." and slowly, he reached out and put his hand over hers, holding it there a moment as his eyes fell shut. He took a breath, his hand starting to grip hers before his eyes opened, the darkness gone for now.

"But if you could choose, if you decide who lives and who dies...that would make you a monster."

"But that won't ever happen. I won't let it," he smiled and kissed her head.

"I suppose, in the end…they break my heart."

"And I shall always be here to piece it together again," Angel told him softly, kissing him gently...

~oOo~

He would just gob on and on about technology or science or history, damn if I could ever keep up with him, but it didn't matter 'cos, just the sound of his voice…

"I like it when you talk…you say very interesting things."

"This gob doesn't stop for anything…well, it stops for Angel. That woman can kiss…"

According to her even when he gobbed on about tech in a manner she couldn't follow, she just loved the sound of his voice, it soothed her.

~oOo~

There was something about her that drew him in, like a moth to a flame, and he wasn't about to resist.

"It's gotta be the teleports. They're ripping holes in time and space just using them to go back…I'm sorry," he pulled her to him, kissing the top of her head, "I'm so sorry."

"She's got a connection with the TARDIS I can't even begin to understand. She should be worse than me…but she's not. I think her hearts are too big to see you as anything but her brother. She's remarkable."

"No one's ever meant to have that power. If a Time Lord did that, he'd become a god, a vengeful god. But…not Angel…she just wanted to help, to protect, to guard. The guardian angel of the Universe she is."

"Shouldn't have…I shouldn't have…it hurts! Please…please make it stop!" his eyes filled with tears as he scooped her into his arms, sitting on the chair and cradling her as she sobbed.

This was his fault. If it not for him…she wouldn't be in such pain…there was no medicine he could give her, nothing he could do to help. All he could do was hold her, wait, and pray she could ever forgive him.

"Some new man gets to be with her and I'm stuck watching from the sidelines."

He didn't want to go, he didn't want to leave her…he didn't want someone else to take her from him…

~oOo~

And, he used to hold my hand when we walked…

"Talk too much. That's me," he beamed at her before taking her hand and walking off with her.

They headed off towards the Powell Estates, Angel and him hand in hand…

"Then we shall bid you goodnight," John said, putting his hat on and taking Angela's hand, leading her off with Joan back towards the school.

He and Angel walked through the snow hand in hand as Donna walked beside them.

He just lay on the floor, panting, grabbing Angel's hand in his own.

~oOo~

Vaguely, he wondered who that sweetie person was, one of the crew? River couldn't have been talking to him. She wasn't Angel. Only Angel could call him by a pet name. Sweetie, it wasn't HIM. HE was thief. Angel's thief. Like she was his psychic

"You've seen me before, then?" he leaned away from her touch till River dropped her hand. No one, in his mind, but Angel had the right to be that familiar with him.

"It doesn't matter at all who River MIGHT be. Not to me. YOU are my Mate Angel, YOU. And I'm not ever going to find another one. And I don't need to be a precog to know that."

~oOo~

Give me little kisses on the back of it…

"Of course," he kissed her hand, "Anything."

"We promised to take care of each other," he reminded her lightly, kissing the back of her hand, "You've taken such good care of me, it's my turn."

He grinned and kissed the back of her hand, "We live in hope."

~oOo~

"I order you to leave her!" he demanded angrily, a dangerous glint in his eyes.

"Because NOW, Detective Inspector Bishop!" he shouted, furious beyond anything he had ever felt, "There is no power in this Universe that can stop me!

"Then she will be EXTERMINATED!" the first Dalek shouted, pointing its laser at Angel.

"Do that and you won't like what happens next," he called standing in the doorway.

"Get back!" he nearly snarled, the darkness rearing to life at the sight of his Mate writhing in pain.

"Daleks!" he stormed forward, beyond pissed at how close Angel had come to nearly being hit by the laser in a move to save Solomon…

"I will do anything to protect you," there was a threat in his voice that told her he really would…

"I'll do it, Staal. If it saves the Earth, if it saves Angel, I'll do it."

"Angel…Angel!" he closed his eyes for a moment before opening them, his eyes now full of fury, rage, danger, and darkness as he stood to his height and turned to face the humans, "You've taken my Mate!"

~oOo~

And he was just so understanding, he felt so much for others even though he felt so sad inside…

"Her and the Isolus..." he muttered, unconsciously reaching out to take Angel's hand as she stood beside him, "Two lonely kids who need each other."

"He needs you. That's very us," he agreed, as he put his arm around Angel's shoulders.

"You're just like Angel, you've no desire for revenge. That's what makes you remarkable. And that's how you create history."

~oOo~

"Can we just GO!" Angel snapped suddenly. They looked at her, stunned at her reaction but she just rubbed her head, "Sorry…this headache's killing me."

"Just a chill. I'm a bit cold is all. I'm fine," he rubbed her arm absently, trying to warm her as well.

Donna pointed back at Angel as she leaned against a fence coughing. His eyes widened at the sight, she shouldn't have been that affected by the smoke…

The results were exactly the same as the ones the Master had run on her when she'd first collapsed on the Valiant. Her body was failing in exactly the same way it was during the Year-That-Never-Was. She was dying...again…

He swallowed hard, his hand stroking her hair, "She's dying."

"I did good then?"

"Yeah," he nodded, turning her to hold her close, "You did good."

"You're not allowed to go anywhere. Not before me," he just closed his eyes, holding her close.

"I'm cold," she breathed and he could see her shivering despite the hot water, "I'm just...so cold. That's not good, is it?"

"You need a good death," Angel said quietly, despite hating death, she knew it was a natural part of life, and she knew, it was...necessary, "Without death, we'd never appreciate life," she murmured, "Dying makes us cherish everything," his smile faded.

"Breathe, slowly…" he stroked her cheeks with his thumbs, trying to calm her, "That's it, one deep breath at a time, with me," he inhaled deeply, holding her gaze as she slowly did the same, "I'm here. I'm alright. See?" he smiled at her as she slowly started to get her breath back and felt his hearts restart.

She tried to hide it and for the most part she could, but he could see her. She'd been exhausted, she wasn't sleeping, she wasn't eating…

"...I brought her here to help her relax 'cos she's dying, and this whole situation, all of it, it's not helping her any. But we have all got to calm down and cool off and think."

His eyes filled with tears knowing where her mind was headed. She wanted to be surrounded by friends if she passed on…Rose was the only one they wouldn't have been able to get to, now she was back.

He quickly ran to her side, scanning her with the sonic. He blinked, staring at the sonic in horror, "You're liver's shut down completely, your kidneys are close. And your lungs are…"

"You can't come," he told her, stroking the side of her face, "Your body…it's just so weak Angel and I…"

"Angel…" he breathed, his eyes wide in a mixture of relief at seeing her still alive and terror at seeing her once again consumed in the Vortex.

~oOo~

He…he used to call me his angel…

He smiled, "You really are an angel aren't you?"

"That is so human. Where angels fear to tread…mind you, not my Angel, she's brilliant."

He kissed her lightly, "You," he looked at her pointedly, "Are an angel."

~oOo~

"You've stolen Rose's body. And shoved my Mate into a holding cell!"

"We're Mates."

"And not the friendly sort eh?"

"I wouldn't pick anyone less than absolutely amazingly brilliant to be my Mate."

"I want my Mate restored and I think that's beyond a little backstreet electrician…"

"The Doctor will not. You threatened my Mate, you're lucky to still be alive right now."

"Good," he said before putting an arm around Angel, "'Cos I've already got a Mate."

His Mate had been abducted, his friend was unconscious and here was this stupid woman trying to sell him HAPPY?

"Most definitely this page. I should think my wife looks nothing like that!" he laughed at the Slitheen.

"I'm John Smith. I'm John Smith. And you're Angela, my wife. That's all I want to be John Smith, with his life...and his job...and his wife. Why can't I be John Smith? Why can't we be the Smiths?"

He was lying curled up on the bottom of his cage…feeling the utter torment his Mate was in.

"I'm the Doctor and this is my Mate, the Angel. We're Time Lords. We're from the planet Gallifrey ... "

"I know! No, I've got a Mate, you would just be…a mate!"

"I call my Mate psychic, she's really not though, sort of is. She's like you, she can see through time."

"My Mate," he put his arm around Angel and pulled her close, "Right here."

"You have a gun. My Mate is in the room. I don't like people with guns and my Mate in the same room."

"Take me not Angel. You can do anything to me, torture me, kill me, I don't care, just get my Mate out!"

"Time Lord, TARDIS, enemy of the Cybermen, Mate of the Angel. The one and the only."

"Hello, I'm the Doctor and this is my Mate Angel! Happy Easter!"

"You're my Mate. It's my job to know important life changing events like the day you were born."

"Ok," he stepped over, gently pushing the Torchwood men back, "Enough men touching my Mate thank you."

"Right, yes, ok, you got us. So I'm the Doctor, this is my Mate Angel, and you are?"

~oOo~

His guardian angel…

"You truly are a guardian angel you know. You just want to protect everyone."

"YOU are my angel, my guardian angel."

"You truly are my angel you know. My guardian angel, guiding my way."

~oOo~

"I have grown tired with the Universe, Doctor. You and your Mate have taught me to look at it anew."

"The Doctor, his Mate, and his companion. That's a pattern isn't it, right?"

"Who is this little physician and his Mate?"

"John Smith, admitted yesterday by his girlfriend, Angela Jones, with severe abdominal pains…"

"Which one of them do you want us to kill? Maid or Mate? Your friend, or your lover? Your choice."

"Are you asking me out on a date? How would your Mate feel about that?"

"And the breath of a Pyrovile will incinerate you, Doctor. And your Mate!"

"We're not even the same species, there's probably laws against it. And anyway, he's already got a Mate, and that's Angel."

"It's sort of like she's his wife…but more than that. They're just…so connected. They're everything to each other."

"So very full of fire, is he not, even when his Mate has perished?"

"You and your Mate will be deleted."

"All those bright companions and your shining Mate! But not anymore?"

"…and of your Mate. She is a legend of her own now. The woman of Earth and air, an angel among mortals, the shining light that burns in the heart of time."

"No, I just said you were a doctor and his wife, that's all."

~oOo~

His guiding light…

She was always there for him, his light in the darkness, his angel. But she wasn't there now…she wasn't there to guide them all out of the darkness with her warmth and her hearts.

~oOo~

He quickly wrapped an arm around her waist, "Well, we're the Lord and Lady of Time."

"This Angel…she must mean an awful lot to you."

"She's my life."

He put his arm around Angel's waist, "Got a soothsayer of my own, she's never been wrong yet."

~oOo~

He was the first man I'd ever loved and will probably be the last man I ever love…

"Ok, so he's vanished into thin air. Why is it always the GREAT looking ones who do that?"

"I thought those sorts disappeared in TARDISes?"

"Next time use the sonic. I don't care what happened to me, I don't want you hurt because of it, ok? Just take the time to think, I know you'll save me. I trust you."

"If what I feel for you and what you feel for me is in anyway based on them. She loves him more than anything in the world."

"At least I'm free. This time I'm not a prisoner. I'm with people I love."

Malcolm grabbed him into a large hug, "Oh! Oh, I love you. I love you, I love you."

"Me too," Angel added squeezing his hand.

~oOo~

Cassandra frowned suddenly, "Oh, so sad, he loves you though."

"You're completely mad," Cassandra replied, "I can see why Angel loves you."

-My Doctor, I have seen many things through your eyes, in your mind, but nothing burns more brightly in you than the love you have for your Angel. And I can tell, she loves you as well.-

He reached out his other hand, lightly tracing her face, "I love you."

She reached up and pulled him towards her, resting her forehead against his own, 'I love you too.'

"If they get back in touch...if you talk to Angel...just tell her...tell her I…oh, she knows."

'Yes I do,' she whispered, 'I love you too.'

"Because I love you. On Gallifrey it was an arraigned marriage, we were cordial, but that was as far as it went…but I love YOU."

"I grow more in love with her as time goes on."

"I'm glad I regenerated, because this one is braver than the last one. This one could tell you how he felt. How much he loved you."

Angel tried to smile as she touched the glass and the hand started to move, "I think it likes me."

He smiled softly at her, "Well I love you."

He loved Angel with both his hearts and she did him, but they both liked having others around…

"I've done plenty of that. Travelling on my own. I love it, not as much as I love travelling with Angel."

~oOo~

But…he's gone now…

"But your heart grows cold. I do foretell, you'll forget all about your beloved…Angel."

"Oh, big mistake 'cos that name keeps me fighting!"

~oOo~

"I was sad. I was sad 'cos I was alone, but I'm not anymore am I? Neither of us are."

"I thought I'd lost you. Everything is gone. I can't lose you too."

He didn't ever want to lose her, not again, "We'll take care of each other. Keep each other safe."

"You've got me now and, like you said before to Van Statten, two Time Lords are better than one."

"Oh honestly Doctor. But that was US. WE did that. You're not alone anymore. Remember?"

"I will never leave you."

He knelt before the screen, reaching out to touch it, a sad, intense look on his face. "I'm on my way."

"You cannot help me this time Doctor. Please…go…"

"No. Not without you."

'Just hold on. I'm coming for you.'

"We don't have a choice. They won't leave us and I won't leave you."

"They won't get us. Neither of us, I won't let them take you from me."

"Whatever we do. We do together. We go together, or we stay together, always."

"It happened again and she died that time Jack, she died. I won't ever let that happen to her again."

"I just…I don't…I don't want to leave you alone."

"I'll find a way to stop this. I promise you, I will. I won't lose you."

"I'm not leaving you. I'm going to spend the rest of my time with you, not locked away in the TARDIS."

"I always worry about you," he kissed her forehead …

"But I did some things that went wrong. And Angel…I nearly lost her because of it…"

"You will never lose me."

~oOo~

He's gone and…I don't think he'll ever come back…

"Doctor!" Angel shouted, pushing herself up to check on him.

He frowned at her, grabbing her shoulders and looking her in the eye, "There's something else, I'm forgetting something…something important."

~oOo~

"YOU are my Mate. My ONLY Mate. EVER. I don't want another one. I won't, no matter what. Because I LOVE you and only you, forever."

~oOo~

"My name is Nella."

~oOo~

The Doctor gasped, gripping his head as he panted, before looking up at Angel, tears in his wide eyes, 'Nella…' she heard his voice, HIS voice, whisper in her mind before she nearly collapsed in on herself in tears of relief…

He scrambled over to where she was kneeling, not caring how undignified or foolish he looked, only seeing that his Mate was crying and hurt, "Oh God…" he breathed, taking her face in his hands, frantically stroking her cheeks with his thumbs, his eyes darting back and forth as he took in her face, her face that was so pained, how could he?! How could he have forgotten her? His Angel, his Nella, his Mate?!

"I'm sorry…I'm so sorry!"

Angel winced at the words his last self had said so often, before she took a breath, and forced herself to look up at him a moment and it was there, in his eyes, he knew. She could see it...he remembered. She let out a sob and scrunched her eyes shut once more, too many emotions hitting her at once. She shook her head, almost in disbelief that it had finally happened, burying her face in her hands and he pulled her to him, murmuring 'I'm Sorry's in her ear as he held her, his chin on her head, rocking her back and forth, his hearts breaking with every sob that racked her body.

And then he blinked, something hitting him, and pulled away to look at her, "Sarah Jane's wedding…" he swallowed hard, "But that...that was almost..." he stared at her in horror, working it out.

"Three years," she nodded.

"Oh my God," he looked down at her stomach, knowing it wouldn't appear as though she were nearly fully gestated as the Flesh was a copy made months ago, nearly...nearly 8 months ago and he saw her thinking how she had been 3 months into her last trimester by the time they reached America. It didn't look it...but she was very nearly ready to give birth.

She grabbed his hand and he looked at her, "Wake me up," she whispered, but he shook his head slowly, "Please," she begged, "I don't want them to take the baby away from me," she could barely speak, could barely get the words out she was gasping in her fear, pressing the sonic into his hand, shifting the setting back to the one that would deactivate the signal to her, 'Please Theta.'

He let out a shuddering breath at hearing her voice in his mind, hearing her speak his name, something he hadn't heard in SO long, whatever it was that had blocked his memories seemed to have been able to block his mind from hearing her and feeling her as well. He closed his eyes tightly, hearing the pleading note, the desperation in her voice, the fear, and nodded, he had never been able to deny her anything.

He looked at her, cupping her face with his free hand, "I'm coming for you," he swore, "We're coming, I swear it. No matter what. Whatever happens, however hard, however far, I will find you, I will get you back."

Angel nodded, squeezing his wrist and he rested his head on her forehead a moment, steeling himself for what he needed to do, before he pulled back and stood up. He took three agonizing steps away from her and looked down at her, tears in his eyes, eyes that were so full of grief, sorrow, and anger. He held out the sonic with a shaking hand.

"Nothing will stop me," he whispered to her, a dark promise in his voice, an edge to his words, "No power in this Universe will stop me."

Angel nodded, "I know," she tried to offer him a smile, but couldn't she was shaking so terribly, so she closed her eyes instead, waiting.

The Doctor swallowed hard, his hands shaking even more as he struggled to do it. He clenched his jaw and flicked on the sonic...

And Angel melted before his very eyes.

~8~

Angel woke with a gasp, dressed in a white hospital gown, to find herself inside what looked like a MRI machine, completely white, which she knew was only an advanced sort of harness to connect her to her Flesh avatar.

A window slid open above her and the woman with the eye patch smiled down at her, "Oh, you've woken up," she sighed, knowing it was too dangerous to try and send out another Ganger of her, the signal had been deactivated purposefully, the Doctor knew what had happened, they had to prepare, especially because... "It won't be long now till you're ready to pop, will it? Such a joy" she smirked, "Little one's on its way…"

Angel gave her a hard look before turning her attention to her very large stomach, larger than her Ganger's had been, putting a protective hand over it and closing her eyes.

~8~

The Doctor stood there, in the TARDIS, rigid, staring down at the pile of Flesh before him, the liquid that represented his Mate and child. His arm slowly dropped, his hands curling into fists, his shoulders tensing as his eyes narrowed at the white goop.

A dark and dangerous aura seemed emit from him, one that made the Ponds shift and look at each other in concern, actually step back in caution of it, able to feel it even from there because they realized something...

The Doctor, Angel's Mate, the Oncoming Storm, was back.

And the Silence...they had no idea what they had done or what was coming for them, did they?

Chapter Text

Dorium Maldovar hummed lightly to himself as he pushed past a mass of dangling chains that made up the door to the back room of his club. He smiled, seeing two Headless Monks ahead of him, waiting, another standing beside the door he'd just come from.

"Gentlemen!" he greeted, walking right up to them, not at all caring for the taboos and decorum of the Headless Monks, they were old clients of his, he was familiar with them and them him, and if they wanted what they had asked for, they wouldn't dare speak a word against his manners...not that they could really speak, they didn't have heads! They could chant though...he wasn't quite sure how. No matter, that was not the point of this meeting, "Good news! My agents have procured the exact security software that you requested. The very latest upgrade. I extracted it from the memory of a Judoon trooper. Well," he laughed, "I say extracted, it was quicker to take the whole brain. And to be honest," he held up a rather small metal box, "I don't think he's going to miss it."

He looked down as a Monk held out his hand, wanting the box.

"Uh, uh, uh," he shook a finger, tsking the Monk, "Small matter of payment, I think," before smiling as the Monk held out a small pouch, "Delightful!" he cheered, taking it as it squirmed in his hold, "Oh! I do enjoy sentient money. The way it wiggles," he cleared his throat and looked at the Monks again, "You'll find it in the frontal lobe," he told them, handing the box over, putting it onto the open palm of the nearest Monk, "Should be quite easy, there's not a lot in there."

The Monks simply turned silently and started to leave.

"But all this in the hopes to imprison ONE child?" he called, shaking his head.

The Monks stiffened, turning to him.

He rolled his eyes, seeing them tensing, clearly they hadn't expected him to know why they wanted the upgrade or what it would be used for, as though he ever gave anyone anything without knowing exactly what it was for. He simply waved them off, "Oh I know what you're up to. I hear everything in this place," he shook his head, eyeing them, "I even hear rumors about whose Mate you've taken, whose child you want to steal," he gaped at them, his expression turning more horrified, his words more scolding, "Are you mad?!"

The Monks just turned again to leave.

"You know the stories about the Doctor?" he asked them, getting them to pause once more. He couldn't fathom it, anyone trying to do what they were attempting if they'd even heard a single whisper of the man, no one could be that foolish and no one wanted to die that badly, "The things that man has done? The things he's done for the sake of his Mate? Have you not heard the tales of the Wire? The last empress of the Racnoss? The Family of Blood? The parasites of Midnight? The countless others who dared harm the Angel? And now you want his child!?" he could only shake his head at them, completely stunned they would attempt such a thing.

Did they know nothing, absolutely nothing, about Time Lords? Their instincts? Their drive to protect their young?! What a Mating even meant?! He knew of only one woman who knew full well what it meant and disregarded it...but that woman, he knew, was certifiably insane to attempt what she was, what she would do.

The Monks simply left, finally.

"God help us now you've made him angry!" he shouted after them in warning, a flash of fear racing through him, a flash he was certain the entire Universe was feeling.

God help them all.

~8~

The Doctor ran around the console, frantic, pulling various levers, pushing buttons, twisting knobs, quickly, sharply...but...there was a weariness in him. He hadn't slept much, if at all, since he'd discovered Angel was a Ganger, his entire focus was on finding her, finding their child, getting them both back, safe and sound. He HAD to get them back, he HAD to. He'd narrowed down where she was, the small rhyme Idris had hinted at, that Angel had recited, what seemed like ages ago about Demons Run, he remembered. That was the name of an asteroid base. But, as an asteroid, it was constantly moving and, as a base, it was difficult to track for it was shielded remarkably well. The TARDIS, if the (angry-sounding) hums that had been echoing throughout the box were anything to go by, was NOT at all pleased with that, with her lack of ability to track Angel down completely.

But he wouldn't let that stop him.

He fiercely pulled a lever on the console, his hand gripping it so tightly his knuckles turned white as he shook, a tension in him that hadn't left since Angel had melted, a vision he saw every time he closed his eyes...and then he noticed…his skin, the skin of his knuckles, was smooth…unharmed, perfect.

He winced, scrunching his eyes shut as his mind raced back to Angel. His Angel. His pregnant Mate. And all the dangers she had faced, the dangers he'd led her into, the harms she'd suffered because of him. She'd gone with him to face the Daleks with nothing more than a Jammie Dodger to keep them at bay, she'd been surrounded by Weeping Angels, nearly been bitten by a Sister of the Water, been abducted by Silurians, faced an attacking Krafayis, been tormented by the time loops at Craig's, experienced nearly six billion explosions (and he paled to think their child had as well), been shot by a Dalek, been erased from time, exerted herself with the Vortex to save Sarah Jane and Jo, gotten stuck in the crossfire of the Silence attack, dashed off with him on an unstable TARDIS, nearly been crushed by House, then nearly suffocated by House, nearly been deleted by House…and all that, because of him.

And he hadn't even given her a second thought at putting her in such a situation, putting their child in a situation. Now, whenever he looked at her, he knew he'd see the invisible scars she bore due to him. Every single one would be a reminder of how he'd failed to protect her, how he'd failed to care for her, how he'd failed to be the Mate she deserved.

He paused, looking at the back of his right hand, white, pristine, flawless...before he curled his hand into a fist...

And smashed the small mirror on the console.

~8~

Amy and Rory rushed into the console room, having heard glass shatter. Amy was precariously holding a cup of tea she'd made in the hopes the Doctor might finally try to eat or drink something, they'd tried to get him to eat before but hadn't tried very hard...the look on his face when he turned to them, as though to ask why they were bothering to bring up something as stupid as food when Angel was in danger...had made them pause and back away. The man was clearly on a mission.

Rory had been off somewhere in the TARDIS and she truly believed she could leave the Doctor alone for a few minutes to pop the kettle on. She and Rory had taken to switching turns watching the Doctor. Usually one just sat there on the jump seat or rushed to push a button he told them to, just...watching, to make sure he didn't do anything foolish. The lack of sleep was clearly getting to him, the bags under his eyes, the franticness of his thoughts, the jerking of his movements...they were worried. They knew a little about how Time Lords slept, how much they needed, from Angel, but...the Doctor was foregoing that. They'd actually had to knock him out themselves to get him to rest for even an hour or two he refused to do so normally. Rory had come up with a very safe sedative that he'd had to stick the Doctor with, she preferred her method of using her trusty cricket bat...but Rory had argued against it after he'd found her dragging the Doctor through the halls to his room to sleep. She'd winced, recalling they didn't know what had caused the Doctor's amnesia and she'd had a small panic attack thinking that her own crack across the head when she'd first met him as an adult had done it. But Rory had calmed her down, reminding her of the stories her younger self had told him, about the Doctor and Angel and how he'd acted then. She'd remembered that the Doctor she'd met as a child seemed just as distant from Angel even then. So it hadn't been her, but they'd both agreed no cricket bat.

That...and the Doctor promptly threw it in a black hole when he woke up.

She really had thought she could leave him alone just long enough to get him a bit of tea. She was wrong it seemed. She bumped into Rory in the hallway, the two of them dashing off down the hall.

They stopped short, seeing the Doctor nowhere to be seen in the control room. They walked in cautiously, pausing when Rory spotted the broken mirror, blood on it with shards of glass scattered on the console and the floor. He looked down, the two of them exchanging concerned looks when they spotted a figure hunched over through the glass floor. They headed down the stairs to the underside of the console to see the Doctor sitting against the main pole, his knees up, staring at his hands in his lap, a broken expression on his face.

"Doctor?" Amy called hesitantly, not sure what mood he was in. If she thought his mood swings were bad normally...when he was truly worried for someone...they were so much worse. He went from excited that he'd worked out a plan to furious when he saw even a single flaw in it to annoyed that they weren't more help to quiet as he focused to smacking himself to...well, all manner of reactions, they never knew when he was about to explode or fall quiet any longer, "What happened?"

He was silent.

They stepped closer a bit to see the knuckles on his right hand were bleeding.

"Doctor you're bleeding!" Rory shouted, "Hold on," he ran back up the stairs to a small chest where he'd spotted a first aid kit earlier. He came back down to see Amy kneeling beside the Doctor who seemed as unresponsive as before, "Here," he reached for the Doctor's hand, "Let me see."

The Doctor just pulled away, "Leave it."

"I'm a nurse, I can handle it."

"Just leave it!" he snapped, pulling his hand away again, clearly NOT wanting them to even attempt to clean it out.

Amy and Rory exchanged a glance, "Doctor…" Amy began gently, "Did you smash the mirror up there?"

"Of course I did," he nearly spat, "I'd have thought that was obvious. Bloody mirror, bloody hand, no?"

Amy would have been hurt at his tone and his words but she was far too concerned about him to care about it, she had once thought him a wreck when Angel was gone for only a day or two, but this...this was beyond anything she'd ever seen of him. Granted it had been longer than two days, but with his memories restored, everything he'd ever felt for Angel in wanting her there or protecting her or feeling angry towards those who harmed her had been multiplied, he was nothing near a wreck, he was much closer to a complete breakdown, "Why?"

The Doctor rubbed his head with his other hand and sighed, "There were no scars."

Rory looked at Amy, confused, "And…that's a bad thing?"

The Doctor was silent for a long time, just looking at his hand, staring at the red staining it, drying around the deep scratches that really would scar if not treated, "I had scars on my knuckles," he said, so quietly Amy and Rory nearly missed that he was talking, "And when I regenerated…they were gone."

"…so?" Amy eyed him oddly, not seeing what was so bad about the scars healing.

"So, they were gone and I didn't even notice!"

Rory's eyes widened and he nodded to himself, now seeing why he was so upset, "This is about Angel, isn't it?" the scars were a metaphor for her too.

The Doctor flinched at her name, his hearts breaking all over again, as they always did when she was mentioned, when he thought about her, when he saw something that reminded him of her…which was every waking (and sleeping) second, "This isn't the first time Angel was taken from me," he admitted softly, "But this was the first time I didn't notice and go after her."

"What happened?" Amy put a hand on his shoulder, only to pull it away when he flinched.

He let his head fall back against the main pole, sighing, staring out into the distance, in thought, "We were separated on a game station, I was trapped in a show for 'Big Brother' and I...I had to get out of there, to find her, and my companions but mostly her. Broke a camera, risked incineration, just to get out," he smiled softly, "Only to find out she'd been doing the same, trying to find me," he blinked and his smile fell, "She was kidnapped by these two people trying to get into a carpool lane, took her and one of my companions, Martha Jones, with them. They got trapped, attacked by Macra, these giant crabs, and I went after her. Through smog and exhaust and gas, dropping down through cars just to find her…" he blinked, "She was taken by Daleks into the sewers of New York, went after her then too. Kidnapped by soothsayers in Pompeii, tracked her down. Separated by a blown in wall and Hath, made our ways to each other. Possessed by a parasitic alien, roasted it with Xtonic sunlight. And then what happens?" his tone turned bitter, "I regenerate and suddenly...she's facing angels alone in a forest and I walk off, she's sneaking into an alien fish school and I let her, she gets eaten by the earth and I worry more about fortifying a decrepit church than going after her, I let her go into the TARDIS knowing it would explode with her in it!"

Amy hesitated a moment, "When did you hurt your hand?"

He closed his eyes tightly, "There was this…creature, the Wire, stealing faces from people through their televisions. She…she stole Angel's face. Wiped her mind clean," he swallowed hard, "I went after the Wire and her accomplice, smashed in a window of a shop to get to them," he laughed hollowly, "Didn't even realize my knuckles were bleeding till I saw her safe again, they didn't hurt at all...especially not when I saw her, I never hurt when she's around," he breathed, before sniffling, "Only really noticed when she saw it and pointed it out. And do you know what she said to me?" they shook their heads, both watching, concerned, as tears filled his eyes, "'Next time use the sonic. I don't care what's happened to me, I don't want you hurt because of it. Just take the time to think, I know you'll save me. I trust you,'" he let out a sob, bowing his head, now able to recall every word she'd ever spoken to him perfectly, "She trusted me and…I forgot her. I hurt her!" he started to cry, "She trusted me and I betrayed her."

"You didn't betray her," Amy told him.

"Didn't I?" he let out a scoffing laugh, "I always went after her, I always protected her. Always. And now?" he shook his head, "The Dream Lord was right, I just keep hurting her."

"So what? You're just going to give up? Let them have her?"

"No!" he snapped, turning to her with a dark look that shouted at how DARE she suggest that!?, "OF course not!"

"Then what?" Amy shook her head, "After we get her back you're just going to leave her somewhere so you can't 'hurt' her anymore?"

He was silent.

And they realized...he was genuinely considering it, whatever it was even if not that, it was something, some way he could keep her safe and out of the danger that was him.

"You may not want to do that," Rory said quietly, knowing he needed to speak. Out of all of them, HE was the one who knew the most about what Angel felt, what she'd suffered, because she talked to him about it. The Doctor might have a direct link to Angel's mind and feelings, but HE knew what had to be said.

Amy and the Doctor looked at him, as though just remembering he was there he'd been so silent, letting the Pilot and Companion have their talk.

"And why's that?" the Doctor asked, sounding so...defeated.

Rory hesitated only a moment, not really wanting to give up what he had, but knowing it needed to be given to the Doctor for the man to see just why he COULDN'T do that to Angel. He swallowed and reached into his pocket, pulling out a small picture and sliding it over to the Time Lord.

The Doctor hesitantly reached out, seeing a black and white image, before taking it. He blinked, new tears falling from his eyes as he stared at the ultrasound photo in his hands, the proof that there was a little life growing inside his Mate, a little life they had created together.

"That's your baby," Rory told him, "Took it right after our honeymoon was over. Too early to find out the sex though, sorry," he couldn't bring himself to say it was a girl, not now, not without bringing up to the Doctor and Amy just HOW he knew, that would mean talking about the lake and Utah, "But that's not the point. The point is, Doctor, that is YOUR baby, Angel's baby. You CAN'T leave her again Doctor because…" he swallowed hard and took a breath, knowing he needed to say it no matter how much it hurt to think it a possibility, "Because I don't think Angel could survive that, survive you knowingly leaving her."

The Doctor reached out a finger and gently ran it down the head on the picture, "My baby…" he sniffled and took a deep breath, looking at Rory, "You knew."

It wasn't angry, but it was a statement.

Rory nodded, shrugging, "I'm a nurse. I'm good with pregnancy."

The Doctor let out the smallest of laughs at that, more like a 'he should have seen that coming' laugh, Rory had said the same to Amy, and now he realized he'd really been talking about Angel as well.

Rory, hoping that meant the Doctor was calm enough and stable enough for the moment, reached out and took the Doctor's hand, getting to work cleaning the cuts, too late to prevent total scarring, which, he had a suspicion, was what the Doctor wanted.

"And you know, Doctor," Amy put her hand on his shoulder, relieved he didn't flinch this time, "You aren't in this alone. We're here, we'll help."

The Doctor nodded a moment, before looking up sharply, stiffening, "Help…" he blinked, "Help?" before beaming, "Help!" and turning to Amy, "Amelia Pond you are brilliant!" he leapt up, ignoring Rory's calls that he wasn't finished with his hand yet and raced up the steps, back to the console, Amy and Rory running after him.

"Doctor?"

"Help, exactly!" he punched in a coordinate and pulled a lever and they were off.

~8~

The Doctor ran out of the TARDIS, stopping short when he nearly ran into Jack standing right outside Torchwood where the TARDIS had landed, "Jack!" he gasped, jumping back a bit.

"Doctor?" Jack eyed him a moment, taking in his new appearance, recalling Angel had mentioned a bowtie so he knew it had to be the man, Amy and Rory ran out after the Doctor, looking at him curiously, but he didn't care who they were, companion, guests, didn't matter. He looked at the Doctor, intent, "What's happened?"

"What?" the Doctor blinked.

"Something happened to Angie, didn't it?"

The Doctor eyed him a moment, suspicious and more than a bit alarmed the man knew, "How did you know that?"

Jack sighed, his eyes falling closed as he shook his head at the confirmation that yes, something had happened to Angel. He had SO been hoping he was wrong, that THEY were all wrong, but it seemed...it seemed the Universe's warning was true.

"I think you better come with me," he told the Doctor, "You too Beaky, Red," he pointed at Rory and Amy before he turned and led them off.

The Doctor quickly followed him down the street and around the corner to a large warehouse. Jack paused a moment before opening the door and striding in. The Doctor followed but stopped dead only a foot inside the large room, his eyes wide, his mouth open, as he looked at the room full of people.

"Doctor?" Amy asked him quietly, seeing the man just...standing there, not quite sure what all the people, or his reaction, meant, "What is it?"

Before he could answer...four women walked over to him, "Doctor," the first, a beautiful black woman, smiled at him.

"Spaceman," a ginger smirked.

"Mr. Smith," an older woman with brown hair laughed, as though sharing an inside joke with him.

"Hello dad," a blonde women giggled before launching herself at the Doctor and hugging him tightly.

Amy and Rory exchanged a look, Rory mouthing 'dad' at Amy questioningly, though a bit curious if this was the Jenny woman Angel had mentioned to him once.

"Jenny," the Doctor breathed, confirming Rory's suspicions as he hugged the girl tightly before pulling away and moving to hug each of the other women, "Sarah Jane…Donna…Martha…"

Amy and Rory's eyes widened as the realized exactly who was standing before them, the past companions! Oh dear lord! It was the past companions! They couldn't believe it!

"Hey boss," a young black man walked over, tall, broad, imposing, strong, confident, "Got a question for you…" the man's formerly laid back expression hardened, "What the hell happened to my Pilot?!"

Rory blinked, "Your Pilot?"

The man glanced at him and...grinned, "Oh, the new boy eh?" he reached out and shook Rory's hand, "Good to meet ya, Mickey Smith."

Rory's eyes widened, staring at the man as though he'd just met the most important man in the Universe, "THE Mickey Smith?" he couldn't help but gape and blink and stare open mouthed at the man Angel spoke so fondly of.

THIS was MICKEY SMITH! Angel's first ever companion! The man who saved the world with a yellow truck! Who shot himself across dimensions! Who fought Daleks and Cybermen! Oh...if the situation wasn't so serious...this would be Christmas!

Mickey's grin widened, "Knew she'd tell you about me," his expression turned soft, thinking on that, of course Angel would tell any companions she had about him. She had told HIM all about this man, Rory Williams, when they'd talk on the phone or when she could manage to get the Doctor to let her visit him and Martha. It really meant SO much to him to know he still held a special place in Angel's hearts even when she got a new companion of her own, but that was just Angel, her hearts were the biggest in the Universe, "Not like this one," he jerked at thumb at the Doctor, "Probably didn't even tell Red here she weren't the first."

"Sorry," Rory shook his head, "Rory Williams."

Mickey nodded, "I know," he told the man, "Angel told me all about you."

Rory blinked, touched, "She...she did?"

"Talks about you ALL the time."

Rory smiled, "Talks about you more."

Mickey laughed, before glancing at Rory's hand, "Firm handshake," he remarked, "Bet that didn't happen till after you travelled with her right?" Rory looked shocked that he knew, he'd noticed that himself, "Angel's got a way of making ya feel like you're important, respected, worth something, sort of carries over don't it?"

Amy looked at Rory, just a bit startled by that. She'd had no idea he'd felt and thought so little about himself before he'd started journeying with Angel and her and the Doctor. She knew he was sometimes shy and insecure, but...she hadn't thought it was like that, that he hadn't thought he was worth anything. He was everything to her! And so she made a promise to herself to make sure he knew how much she respected him, how important she thought he was.

"So, Doctor," Mickey turned back to him, an edge in his voice that spoke of how displeased he was, "Care to answer the question?"

The Doctor looked up to see the people in the warehouse fall silent and turn to pay attention to him. He could see it on his companions faces, they were waiting to hear, they knew something was wrong, they knew something had happened to Angel somehow, and they knew HE had failed to stop it. He was probably more disappointed and disgusted and loathsome of himself than they were.

He sighed, swallowing, knowing he had to say, he needed to tell them, they were her family, "She was taken from me, her and our baby…"

Their eyes widened a bit, though only Sarah Jane seemed unsurprised by the last bit of information, well, her and Tosh and Owen, the latter two had been suspicious about Angel after her last visit to Torchwood.

"And…I need your help getting them back."

"How could she have been taken?" Owen asked, shaking his head. The man they'd seen last time he'd visited had barely let Angel away from his side without practically protective detail.

The Doctor looked down.

"He's got a point," Gwen had to agree.

"Doctor..." Jack began, suspicious, as he looked at the man, "What happened?"

The Doctor closed his eyes, shaking his head, "I..." his jaw clenched as he struggled to say it, "I forgot her," he whispered.

"What?" Ianto blinked, none of them quite sure they'd heard him properly.

The Doctor winced, "I forgot her."

Jack stared at him, blinking as rapidly as Ianto had been, "What do you mean 'you forgot her,' Doctor?" Jack asked, a pause in his words, as though he was struggling to get the words out, which he was, he was starting to shake, his hands clenched in fists as his mind raced to all the terrible things that could mean.

The Doctor looked up at him, tears in his eyes, "I forgot her Jack," he told the man, "I forgot she was my Mate, and let her wander off, and she was taken away."

"You did what?!" Jack shouted, lunging for him, only for his team to leap forward to hold him back.

"Jack calm down!" Tosh shouted, trying to pull him back with the others.

"YOU let her get captured!?"

"No," the Doctor began, "I didn't..."

"You let her alone Doctor! She was taken because of you!"

"Jack stop!" Gray moved to help push Jack back, understanding his brother's anger at the situation their sister was in, but they needed the Doctor alive to find her.

"Let me go!"

"To do what?" Rory spoke, stepping up, "To hit him?" he asked, shaking his head, "How will that help Angel?"

The Torchwood Team stared at Rory in shock when Jack stilled suddenly, staring at him too.

Rory shifted, his outburst and confidence fading a bit now that every single eye in the room was on him, "I..." he swallowed, "You're Jack, right?" he looked at the man, trying to focus on just him instead of everyone else, "Jack Harkness?"

"Captain Jack Harkness," Jack corrected.

"Rory Williams."

"I know who you are," Jack smiled a bit, he could definitely see the family resemblance now, Rory was JUST as kind as Angel was, just as good, "Seems we're brothers."

Rory smiled at that too, "Yeah, bit weird, having no siblings and then having 6."

"6?" Donna blinked, the only other 'sibling' there besides the Harknesses.

"You," Rory nodded, "Rose, Angel, Jack, Gray, and...well..." he frowned, not quite sure how to bring THAT up, "The TARDIS seems to be Angel's sister now too so..." he shrugged, before shaking his head, "Look, that's not the point, the point is...Angel's in danger, her baby's in danger, whatever the Doctor had to do with it..." he swallowed, he still blamed the Doctor in a way too, but NONE of them had stopped Angel going to the toilet, so he couldn't hold that against him, "Or didn't have to do with it, that doesn't matter right now. You want to hit him, fine, but do it AFTER we get Angel back yeah?"

Jack looked at the Doctor who seemed to be truly broken as he stared at his companions, all of them now aware of how much of a failure he'd been to his Mate, and sighed, closing his eyes and shaking his head, rubbing his face with a hand. He knew what was coming. With the Doctor...there were mood swings. It would start as a moment of broken spirit, of devastation, and then...it would warp to anger, to fury, to destruction and loop. It was like when Rose had been blasted by the Anne Droid, he'd had a moment of despair that the ashes were Rose...but then when Angel had told him the girl was alive...it had morphed into determination to get her back...

And this wasn't Rose.

This wasn't a companion.

This was his Mate.

Not even HE (or Gray) would survive the warpath the Doctor would be on when he really went after the ones who took her.

He shook his head once more, glancing at Rory, "You're good."

The companions smiled at that, at those familiar words they had all been called at one point or another, the words they had all needed to hear.

"And you," Jack looked at the Doctor, pointing at him, "You're dead, as soon as we get Angel back," he walked up to the Time Lord, staring him in the eyes, "I warned you Doctor," he spoke quietly, "I warned you, you break her hearts, I break your everything."

"You can't," the Doctor told him, a hint of the fire coming back to his voice, "They already broke everything in taking her away from me," his tone hardened, an edge to his words, "And now...I'm not going to break them too...I'm going to destroy them."

Jack stared at him a moment, seeing the dark promise in his voice, the Oncoming Storm in his eyes, "Good, glad we understand each other," the Doctor nodded in return and Jack spun around, "Right, we need a plan."

The Doctor closed his eyes a moment, taking a deep breath, he could feel it rising in him again, the fury. Seeing his companions, having to admit to them what he had done...had torn him to pieces, to see the disappointment and shock in their eyes. But he also saw...besides Jack...they didn't blame him, not yet at least, they had grown so strong and mature over the years, they didn't leap into things with no warning anymore, not like he did. They gathered information, they wouldn't blame him till they knew if it had been his fault, they'd come up with a plan, even if it killed him to wait for one to come up, and then they'd attack.

He just...he hoped they were quick about it, hoped that brain Angel loved so much would finally start working with more people who wanted what he did as desperately (though he doubted it could ever be on that level) as he did, Angel's safe return, to bounce ideas off of.

He felt rage boiling inside him, the Oncoming Storm rising...and he knew...nothing would stop them getting Angel back.

Nothing and no one.

They were coming.

Chapter Text

Angel stood in a stark white room that was so unlike the rest of the dark and old facility, looking out at the base, Demons Run they called it. She closed her eyes, now realizing what Idris had been trying to warn them about, it seemed the old girl had known she was a Ganger as well. She didn't know why Idris hadn't said anything, but who was she to question the box, she knew that the woman had barely been able to focus and concentrate once finding her mind in a small human head. Things got lost in there, buried, were harder to see, she didn't blame the box.

She took a breath, opening her eyes as she felt something. Her hand was gently resting on her swelling stomach, stroking it, which was how she'd felt it, her child, her daughter the medics had informed her, kicking beneath it as though trying to reassure her she was still there, but it was only a matter of time. She knew now, why she had been taken, why they wanted the baby, why they had been so careful in replacing her with such an advanced Ganger...they were hoping to make it to the end, take the baby from her without her noticing. But she was there, she was awake, and she would fight them tooth and nail to keep her daughter with her. She hadn't ever thought she'd make it to this point, where the three years were up and the baby was still alive and well. She'd been awake for a month now which meant that, any day, any minute really, she'd be ready to give birth and she would NOT let them hurt her baby!

They didn't want her. They'd wanted the baby. She didn't know what for, but she knew that they wanted her for something, something terrible, something that made her hearts twist painfully to think on. She had no idea what they could have done to the baby while she'd been in the harness, she didn't...feel...like anything had happened, but she couldn't trust herself on this.

She had worked it out why she was still alive. This was all about the Doctor, that entire army had been raised against him. The Silence, the ones in charge, they didn't want HER despite her power with the Vortex because they didn't see her as a threat to them or the Universe. The legends of the Universe were quite clear, though warped as she believed them to be, to the Universe...she was a savior, the Doctor a destroyer. And they wanted the Doctor destroyed, but worse...they wanted him to suffer first, as they believed he'd made so many other suffer.

She got the strange feeling that they weren't the only ones out there who believed 'criminals' should be given hell, but she didn't think much on it. No...she was too focused on the baby, her daughter, and trying to protect her as best she could until she couldn't any longer. It was a...delicate...situation her captors had put themselves in, the Mating, her pregnancy, it made it all the more complicated. They wanted the Doctor dead, but there was one thing that still existed that could save him, something he had in the TARDIS though he didn't know about it, but they didn't know that. But the Silence, they knew it existed apparently. So they couldn't kill her just to get to him, not now, not when they knew there was a chance he could survive and then their next best option, their plan B would be gone as well.

She swallowed hard, stopping her ministrations to just lay her hand on her stomach, "I wish so badly that I could say everything'll be ok," she said gently to her baby, "That nothing will happen and that you'll be safe and loved, SO loved by your family, like you deserve. All your Aunts and Uncles spoiling you, your grandparents, your godmother and godfather, me and your father, your cousins, all of us together. You deserve that, and so much more," she let out a breath, a tear falling from her eye, "But I've never been very good at lying and I will never ever lie to you," she looked down at her stomach, smiling just a bit as she sniffled, "But I know, I can tell, no matter what happens...you'll be brave, very, VERY brave, and strong, just like your father."

She closed her eyes, feeling the gentle hum in her hearts now that the Doctor's side of the Mating was unblocked. The Doctor was alive, he was out there, he was coming for them, he promised, he remembered, and even if he hadn't he wouldn't leave her to this alone.

She opened her eyes, taking a breath as she stroked her stomach more, thoughtfully, "But they'll have to be braver," she looked at the window, seeing the reflection of the woman with the eye patch, Madam Kovarian she'd been told, standing behind her, on top of the stairs that led into the room, two soldiers on either side of her, two Headless Monks at the door, and two young soldiers at the bottom of the stairs, one a young girl. There should have been more soldiers, given her abilities with the Vortex, but they'd run tests when she had been sleeping apparently, they studied its power, they knew that, for her to use it now...could end the baby's life despite it being the end of the pregnancy. The Vortex was too volatile in her pregnant state, even more so so near the end, and they knew she wouldn't risk using it.

"Because I know...people will be coming for us both," she continued, focusing on the army outside her window, "I'm not sure where they are, what they're up to, but believe me...they're coming."

~8~

20,000 light years away…

A Cyberman marched along the corridors of the Cyber-Ship, a figure walking past it in the shadows, cloak billowing behind it. Another figure appeared beside it, holding a sonic in a feminine hand with red nails against the door lock, sliding it shut, locking out the other Cybers.

~8~

The Cyber-Leader and two other Cybermen monitoring the ship looked up, "Intruder," one reported, "Level Nine. Seal Level Nine!"

The ship rocked as a small explosion went off.

~8~

"There's a man and a woman, my companion and his wife," she laughed a bit, she didn't know if the Doctor had gone to anyone else, but she knew Rory and Amy wouldn't leave him alone in this, they'd help him, no matter what, "The Nose and the Legs your father would say. And they've taken care of us during some very hard times, watched out for us, protected us…and they will now too," she nodded, "Nothing is stronger than family. And, speaking of, there's a man too, one who will never ever let us down, though he came very close once," she swallowed hard, looking at the large army gathering through the window once more, "And not even an army will stop him."

~8~

The Cyber-Ship rocked again, another explosion going off, "Intruder, Level 11," a Cyberman reported.

"Seal Levels 12, 13, and 14," the Cyber-Leader ordered.

"Intruder, Level 15," the second Cyber added.

~8~

"We are the last of our kind," she soothed the baby as it kicked, smiling, the baby loved, absolutely LOVED, to hear her talk about him, "And this man, this mad, ridiculous, wonderful man…" she shook her head in thought, "He looks young, but he's been alive for centuries," she blinked quickly, tears in her eyes once more, "And whatever they try to do to you...I want you to remember..." she whispered, "No matter how scared you are, I swear you will never ever be alone. Because this man is your father…"

~8~

The Cyber-Leader turned to the door of the control room, other Cybermen flanking him, "Prepare to engage."

~8~

"His name is hidden to all but one," her smile faltered, thinking how she SHOULD be that one, how she WAS that one, but...River Song had known his name too, she shook her head, now was not the time, right now she had to be strong and focused, "But he has a title, one that the people of the Universe know him by...the Oncoming Storm…" she glanced back at the soldiers and Kovarian, "And if they are smart, if they are wise, and if they value their lives...they'll seek shelter before it hits."

Kovarian just smirked and turned, confidence exuding from her as Angel watched her go, shaking her head at her.

~8~

The doors to the control room slid open and none other than Rory and Amy stepped through, Rory dressed in his Centurion garb, Amy in a slightly more advanced Policewoman's uniform. The Cybermen aimed their weapons at them, "We have a message and a question," Rory eyed the metal men with a hard look in his eyes, mirrored by Amy's, he was not at all pleased that his Pilot had been abducted, that his sister had been taken, that his niece was in danger, "A message and a question from the Doctor."

"Where is the Angel?" Amy glared at them.

But they didn't answer.

"Oh, don't give us those blank looks," Rory sneered at them, "The 12th Cyber-Legion monitors this entire quadrant," they walked into the room, over to a large window through which the rest of the fleet could be seen, "You hear everything."

Jack had told them about it, everyone had pooled their resources, UNIT, Torchwood, Mr. Smith, the TARDIS, all of them working together to help find Angel, find Demons Run. And they'd been able to narrow it down to that sector. It had taken them a while, Martha and Mickey had hunted down some contacts, Jack and Torchwood provided as much alien tech and weapons as they could, Mr. Smith connecting to the Judoon and Sontarans, and the TARDIS, the old box had scanned brilliantly, narrowing down the field with input from everyone. And now...they were close, SO close, they just needed a location, a trace that the Cybers had to have.

Amy nodded, "So you answer us. You tell us what we need to know, right now, and we'll be off."

"What is the Doctor's message?" the Cyber-Leader asked.

The response was simple.

The ships outside the window exploded in a fiery mass, Rory and Amy remaining impassive, Jack was very good at explosions.

"Would you like me to repeat the question?" Rory asked them.

~8~

A ship had just come in for a landing as all the mechanics and engineers worked around the base, preparing it. A tall, thin man and a short, fat man in army garb walked towards the lift together, just talking about the whole situation, "A whole Cyber-Legion though!" the fat man remarked, "He just blew them all up. To make a point!"

"We're being paid to fight him, not praise him," the thin man countered, "Praising costs way more!"

"But think about it though! If he did that to a Cyber-Legion...come on, do we really stand a chance?!"

"I'm trying NOT to think about it. And we're being PAID, does it really matter? He won't go after us, we're just doing our jobs."

"Level Minus 23," the fat man called out to the lift as they stepped in, allowing the two Headless Monks to step out before them, "Transept," the door slid shut.

~8~

"Digger says he once chased the Atraxi off a planet, then called them back for a scolding," the fat man laughed as they stepped off the lift.

"Fight him," the thin man reminded him, "Not praise him."

They passed by a young woman, the same one who had been in Angel's cell earlier, as she sat on a crate, sewing the edges of an olive-green piece of cloth, a smile on her face, "Reminder," the speakers called, "This base is on Yellow Alert. This base is on Yellow Alert."

~8~

"Is she sewing?" a soldier asked, watching the young woman on a monitor in a security booth.

"She's on a break she can do what she likes," his partner shrugged before turning to face him, holding up two pieces of paper in his hands, one blank, "Now try again."

"That one," he pointed at the blank one.

"No, that's the psychic. You've got to look for the fractals," the first soldier just rolled his eyes, "Don't look bored, we're on Yellow Alert."

"We've been on Yellow Alert for three weeks!"

~8~

A short while later two Headless Monks walked past a few soldiers on Level 23, their hands clasped before them, "Reminder," the speakers called, "Do not interact with Headless Monks without designed permission. Do not interact with Headless Monks without designed permission."

The thin and fat man watched as the Monks passed. The fat man returned to getting the readings off the machine before them while the thin man watched them go, "You're not supposed to stare at them," the fat man warned, "And if they think you're trying to see under their hoods, they'll kill you on the spot."

"But why are they called the Headless Monks?" the thin man wondered, "They can't really be headless..."

"They believe the domain of faith is the heart, and the domain of doubt is the head," the young female soldier called, having heard the question, now off her break, "They follow their hearts...that's all."

"You're Lorna Bucket, aren't you?"

"Yeah. Hello!"

"I'm the Thin One, this is my husband, he's the Fat One."

"Don't you have names?"

"We're the thin, fat, gay, married, Anglican marines," the Fat One stood up, "Why would we need names as well?" he glanced over to see two more Monks standing behind Lorna, "Oh! Looks like I'm off! Time for my 'conversion tutorial.' See you in a bit," he turned and left with them, "Do you lot have Lent?! 'Cos I'm not good at giving things up..."

Lorna shook her head at him as the Thin One looked at her, thoughtful, "Lorna Bucket. You've had an Encounter, haven't you? You've met him."

She nodded, "And the Angel. But I was just a kid," she shook her head and went back to work.

"But what're they like?" he asked, it was a hot topic among the soldiers. The Angel was held under heavy security, only the guards outside her room were changed, few being allowed into the room when Madame Kovarian decided to visit her. But they never really knew what she or the Doctor were truly like, they had to be something it they were dangerous enough to amass an army against them, especially the Doctor, "The Doctor and her?"

"He said 'run.'"

"Just 'run?'"

"He said it a lot. And the Angel just told us it would all be alright."

"And this was in the Gamma Forests, yeah? Because you're a Gamma girl, aren't you? What are you doing here? The Forests are heaven-neutral."

"Yeah, and 30 seconds of the Doctor and the Angel is the only thing that ever happened there."

Really though...she just wanted the chance to meet them again, to...to thank them. They had saved SO many lives doing what they did. And none of her people had gotten the chance to do it.

~8~

The Fat One preceded the Monks into a chapel-like room cast in an eerie red glow, only to see a few more Monks standing there as well, "Oh, this is nice, I like this. I mean, quite a lot of red. I hope it's not to hide the stains!" one of the Monks walked over to a shelf and pulled off a medium sized box, "What's in the little boxes?"

As the Monk walked towards him with the box, a recording began to play, "Welcome, applicant to the Order of the Headless. It is traditional for visiting armies of other Faiths to offer individuals for conversion to our order. You have been selected," the Monk passed the box to another who opened it and held the empty box in front of the man, "Are you ready to make a donation?"

The Monk approached him, lifting the box towards his head, his eyes widening as he realized exactly what donation they wanted...

~8~

The Thin One slid a panel closed, wincing at the noise which reminded him too much of a guillotine, "So, what do you think?" he turned to Lorna, "If the Doctor's really coming here, where is he? I mean, that Angel girl, rumor has it she's like his wife or something."

"He's the Doctor," she shrugged, "He could be anywhere in time and space," she loosened a hose and steam escaped, "But I don't doubt for a minute that he's coming for her…you should have seen him in the forest," she shook her head, "They got separated, only for a while, but he..." she shivered, "He lost it. He nearly tore the forest apart looking for her. I'm almost afraid to think of what the Universe must look like now."

~8~

A hansom pulled up to the door of a quaint London home one night in 1888. His passenger stepping out, "Thank you, Parker," the woman, dressed all in black, called, her hood pulled up over her head, "I won't be needing you again tonight."

"Yes, my lady," Parker nodded and continued on as the woman entered her home.

"You're back early, ma'am!" a young, dark-haired woman in a maid's uniform greeted her, "Another case cracked, I assume?"

The woman placed a sword reverently on a rack before the doors with a few others, "Send a telegram to Inspector Abberline of the Yard. Jack the Ripper has claimed his last victim."

The maid gasped, "How did you find him?!"

The woman lowered her hood, revealing a beautiful, Silurian face, "Stringy, but tasty all the same. I shan't be needing dinner."

"Congratulations, ma'am," the maid smiled before growing hesitant, "However…a matter has arisen, you have a visitor in the drawing room."

The Silurian eyed her a moment before walking towards the room, smiling when she saw the ginger woman sitting within, "Miss Noble!" she cheered brightly, moving quickly to the woman, hugging her as she stood.

"That's Mrs. Temple-Noble," Donna laughed, "How are you Vastra?"

"I am well," Vastra nodded, "Jenny and I," she nodded back to the young maid who joined them, "Have been busy," she glanced over Donna's shoulder, at the TARDIS, "What is wrong?"

"You remember Angel yes?" Donna asked, thinking back to the adventure that she'd met Vastra during, the Doctor had been SO shocked that a Silurian still existed, had thought Vastra to be a single survivor of the species, like him and Angel, the woman taking vengeance on humans who were digging a tunnel, humans who had, without knowing, caved in the space that her and her people had been hiding in, leaving only Vastra alive.

"But of course," she nodded, before working it out, "What has happened?"

"We need your help," Donna took her hands, "Someone's taken her, and...and her baby."

Vastra gasped and turned to Jenny, "Pack the cases, Jenny. And we're going to need the swords!"

Jenny grinned and ran off to prepare.

~8~

The Shadow Architect sat at her desk, sorting papers, when a Judoon entered, "No bo sko toe row no so foe mo," he stated.

She stood up, tense, "Send her in."

The Judoon nodded and turned, opening the doors as Sarah Jane Smith entered, "My Lady," Sarah Jane greeted cordially.

"Miss Smith," the Architect stated, more curtly, "To what do I owe this...pleasure?"

Sarah Jane sighed, "I need to have a word with some of your Judoon, and perhaps borrow some of them."

"And what, might I ask, would be so pressing a danger that you require that?" she demanded, "My troops are not to be used for your human bickerings and..."

"A Time Lord has been kidnapped," Sarah Jane cut in, "And unless you want her captors to learn things they must not, to advance technologies and forge developments they shouldn't...you'll help."

The Architect was silent, stunned, "...HER captors?"

Sarah Jane nodded, "They've taken the Angel."

The Architect sat down heavily, knowing full well, her Judoon had reported, that the woman had saved the Universe from the Daleks and their Reality Bomb, something she and her troops had failed to do, "Take as many as you need."

Sarah Jane nodded in thanks and turned to go.

~8~

An officer dodged past laser fire on the field of the Battle of Zaruthstra in 4037, running towards a small field hospital, "Nurse? Nurse!" he ran inside, "Damn it! Where's the nurse?!"

"He needs help!" a woman shrieked as she knelt beside a young boy on a stretcher.

"Madame President, I'm sorry, but we have to go, now! Those things could be here any second!"

Just then a Sontaran entered the hospital and removed his helmet, "Did somebody call for a nurse?" he walked over to the young boy and scanned him with a high-tech scanner.

"Will I be ok?" the young boy rasped out.

"Of course you will, my boy. You'll be up and around in no time! And perhaps one day you and I shall meet on the field of battle, and I will destroy you for the glory of the Sontaran Empire."

"Thanks, nurse."

The Sontaran nodded with his whole body and turned, leaving the hospital with the officer, "Commander Strax. I just have to ask. A Sontaran nurse?"

"I serve a penance to restore the honor of my clone batch," Strax sighed, "It is the greatest punishment a Sontaran can endure, to help the weak and sick."

"Who came up with that one?"

Strax froze, spotting two very familiar people across the field, standing before a bright blue phone box, and grinned, "Tonight, though, perhaps my penance is over," he turned to the officer, "Captain Harcourt, I hope someday to meet you in the glory of battle, when I shall crush the life from your worthless human form."

And with that he turned and headed across the battlefield towards the duo, "Ma'am!" he saluted, "Sir!" and again.

"Oh don't salute Strax," Martha sighed, finally understanding the Doctor's feelings on it.

"I don't know," Mickey grinned, "Could do with more of that, show proper respect to a superior officer," he looked at Martha as she shot him a look, "Like I do you," he winked at her, making her smile.

"How may I be of service?" Strax cut in, not sure if the humans were about to start fighting or flirting, half the time he couldn't tell the difference.

"Strax," Martha turned to him, "You owe Angel for the chance the Doctor gave you to restore your honor yeah?"

"Yes, ma'am!"

"Well buck up soldier," Jenny popped her head out of the TARDIS to grin at him, "We're going to war."

Strax grinned widely, "Excellent."

~8~

River Song swayed back and forth as she walked up the halls of Stormcage Facility, humming to herself, a dreamy smile on her face even as the alarms blared around her, the phone ringing. She hiked up the edge of her late-Victorian gown and grabbed the phone, sighing, "Oh, turn it off. I'm breaking in, not out. This is River Song, back in her cell...oh, and I'll take breakfast at the usual time. Thank you!" she hung up and the alarms faded. She laughed to herself before gliding across the floor...only to stop short when she saw a silhouette before her dressed as a Roman, "Oh, are you boys dressing up as Romans now? I thought nobody read my memos."

Rory stepped forward, out of the shadows, "Dr. Song?" he began cautiously, "It's Rory. Sorry, have we met yet? Time streams, I'm not quite sure where we are..." it wasn't even that, he was trying to gauge her reaction, was this a River who hated Angel as well and wouldn't help? When did her dislike of the Time Lady actually start? How could she possibly NOT like his Pilot?

"Yes, yes, we've met," she walked forwards, somewhat sadly, her voice thick with emotion as she looked upon him, "Hello, Rory."

He frowned, "What's wrong?" even though she wasn't the kindest to Angel, he could still tell something was bothering her, upsetting her, and he never liked seeing people like that. It was something he and Angel had in common, they hated tears.

River laughed nervously, "It's my birthday. The Doctor took me ice skating on the River Thames in 1814," she gushed, "The last of the great frost fairs. He got Stevie Wonder to sing for me under London Bridge," she sighed happily, recalling that fond memory...

"Stevie Wonder sang in 1814?"

"Yes, he did," she put a finger to her lips, "But you must never tell him."

He hesitated a moment, almost terrified of the answer, "And Angel…was she there?"

River tensed a bit at that, the illusion she had created in her mind, that it had all been the Doctor's doing was shattered, "She was the one who convinced him to do it."

Not Stevie Wonder...the Doctor.

And how she hated it.

Angel always tried to be nice to her, trying to make up for something it seemed. But it only served to make the Doctor love her all the more for it, for all her attempts whether they worked or not. Angel was the only one who could convince him to let her out of Stormcage, to take her on adventures with them, and often did. And she knew the Doctor hated to do it, to take HER along with them on adventures.

He resented her and she knew why, he knew exactly what she had tried to do.

Rory nodded a moment before taking a breath, "I've come from the Doctor…"

"Yes, but at a different point in time."

"Unless there's two of them."

She smirked, "Now, that's a whole different birthday," and headed for her cell, pulling out her diary from her muff and began to skim the pages.

"He needs you…"

"Demons Run," River gasped, looking up, her eyes wide though Rory couldn't see.

"How...how did you know?" Rory hesitated to ask.

"I'm from his future. I always know," she turned to grin at him, eyeing his outfit, "Why on Earth are you wearing that?"

"Amy's idea," he shrugged. According to her it made him seem 'macho' and anything he could use to make himself appear more intimidating to the enemies they would face in order to get Angel back he was going to take. That and Amy was very fond, very, very fond of him as a Roman.

"Ah yes, where is she?" she looked past Rory as though expecting Amy to step out of the shadows too.

"With the Doctor, keeping an eye on him. We've sort of taken shifts watching him," he trailed off.

"And the Doctor couldn't come say hello why?"

"He's um...tied up at the moment," Rory supplied.

Literally.

They'd had to tie the Doctor up when Amy had suggested asking River for help.

The Doctor hadn't seemed to consider River for a moment, not at all really. The woman hadn't even crossed his mind till Amy brought it up...and when she had...it was like a switch had flipped. He'd been running around the console, the plan in motion, one step closer to getting Angel and the baby back safely...he'd been...happy. And then River was mentioned...and he'd just...stopped. The same aura they'd felt rising off him when Angel had first melted appearing again.

And he knew what was wrong, Donna seemed to know as well.

The Doctor was thinking, remembering, exactly how River had treated Angel, how he'd LET River treat her.

Before they could even blink, he'd spun around, snapping and shouting about how they were NEVER going near that woman again and if ever saw her again...well...that was why HE had come to ask River for help. The Doctor had ranted and raved until he'd had to push him back as he'd started to gang up on Amy. Amy had just shouted right back that she didn't like River either. The Doctor hadn't believed her, reminding her of just how friendly they'd been at first, and Amy, losing her temper entirely, had reminded him he'd been MORE than friendly with River.

Which had stunned him quiet and left the companions who had gathered gaping in shock...till Jack had asked just how much more than 'friendly' he'd been! The Doctor, trying to keep Jack from assuming the absolute worst, had been forced to admit that he'd kissed River, that River had kissed him was the better way to describe it. They had prepared to hold Jack back again...knowing he wouldn't just hit the Doctor this time but murder him...when it had been DONNA that went after him.

Which made sense, the ginger woman was the only one of the old companions who had actually encountered River. And, surprisingly, none of them had dared stop Donna, she was mad scary when she wanted to be! That also made sense, Donna had been the only companion, the only 'sibling' there when Angel had been dying. She had taken care of Angel, watched over her, grown so close to her and seen how much the Doctor loved the girl, she was that much more protective of her for it. And she had been...well...the Doctor had gotten slapped, a lot. And they were all pretty sure the TARDIS was either laughing at him or cheering Donna on or both given how much the old ship was humming and how bright the rotor had gotten during that moment.

Eventually only Jack and Gray were brave enough to pull the irate ginger away from the Doctor, who hadn't even fought back, not because she was a woman, but because he knew he deserved it. Whether or not it was his fault he forgot Angel, he HAD hurt her, in his mind, he deserved far worse than a slap. He almost wanted Jack to punch him like the man desperately desired.

But he'd refused to ask River for help, wanting to keep the woman as FAR away from Angel as possible, and when they'd mutinied, claiming that her future knowledge (once Amy and him and Donna had explained who River was to the others), they'd been forced to tie him to the jump seat. Luckily, with Jack and Donna there (and, they suspected, the TARDIS herself helping), they were able to smoothly pilot the box to Stormcage where it had been voted that HE should go speak to River. Not only because all the other companions were furious to find out how River had treated Angel from him (and Donna and Amy) and all of them had a few choice words they wanted to share with her...none of which would make her any more inclined to help them. But also because apparently Jack knew of the woman too, but because she'd stolen a Vortex Manipulator off a dead friend of his, well, really she'd bought it, but...the man had been killed and his entire hand taken just because River Song wanted a Vortex Manipulator. And Jack hadn't been happy to learn about that, had been even less fond when he'd gone to confront River in Stormcage to get it back from her and had to deal with the smug, flirty, just...irrirating woman himself. So Jack and Donna had been ordered to Angel's garden to cool down while Amy and Jenny guarded the Doctor as the others watched from the monitor.

Rory shook his head, his thoughts were getting away from him, and he looked at her seriously, "They've taken Angel. And their baby."

River nodded sadly, almost on the verge of tears as she whispered, "Their baby."

He stepped forward, "The Doctor's getting some people together, we're going after her, but he..." he winced, "WE need you too."

River flinched at that, knowing Rory was correcting that not because they all needed her, but because the Doctor did NOT, "I can't," she shook her head, turning to him.

He blinked, stunned, and more than a bit angry she was refusing to help, "I'm sorry?"

She swallowed hard, "I love the Doctor, Rory," she told him quietly, "But now…now he knows who Angel is, he remembers that she's his Mate and..."

Rory's eyes widened, "You knew?! You knew, all this time, who she was to him and you never said?! River it nearly destroyed her that the Doctor forget her!"

He didn't understand it! It was obvious to anyone who looked at her how miserable Angel had been, how devastated, how hurt, how unhappy. It was clear in how her smiles never reached her eyes, in how quiet her laughs were, how quiet she was, how dull her eyes were. Angel wasn't happy, and any decent person would want another to be happy again. How could River keep something like that from the Doctor?! The man she claimed to love had a huge gaping hole in his memories and she didn't bother to tell him what was missing to fix it?! And she couldn't say it was timelines or anything, he wouldn't hear of it, this went beyond timelines, timelines be damned! He knew, he could just feel it, it had NOTHING to do with timelines.

There was something else going on.

"And it kills me that he remembers," River cut into his thoughts.

Rory just shook his head at her, disgusted, "And you're still not going to help him?" he asked, "You really hate Angel that much that you're not going to try to help? Help her baby? The Doctor's baby?"

"If Amy was having another man's child would you want to be there?" she countered desperately.

He swallowed hard, his mouth forming a firm line, "That doesn't matter at all. Because the baby is innocent," he eyed her, "So are you going to help or not?"

"No."

"Great," he scoffed and turned to go, this had been a waste of time, they should have listened to the Doctor, but no...HE had to believe River actually had a scrap of human decency in her.

"Rory," she called, making him stop, though he didn't turn around, "This is the Battle of Demons Run. The Doctor's darkest hour. He'll rise higher than ever before and then fall so much further. Be careful."

Rory just walked on.

~8~

Dorium hurried through the Maldovarium one night in 5145, looking around, anxious to get out, desperate to get out really. He'd heard the whispers, the Doctor had tracked down the Cyber-Legion, it would only be a matter of time before he found the base. One single scan of the upgraded security measures would reveal the Judoon feel of it, one stop to speak with the Judoon would lead him right to HIM, HE had taken a Judoon and stolen the upgrade. It would all come back to him and he knew the Doctor would be after him, wanting to see exactly what upgrades had been made so he could launch his attack, because he always kept a copy of whatever he sold, a failsafe of some sort.

He had to hurry and get out of there.

"Goodbye," he whispered to his establishment, opening the case in his hand, rearranging the contents...when figures appeared behind him.

"You appear to be closing down, Dorium," Madam Kovarian remarked.

He tensed, knowing he was caught and actually quite relieved it was Kovarian and not the Doctor, she was the FAR lesser of two evils.

~8~

"What have you heard?" Kovarian demanded as she sat across from Dorium, her guards around him, aiming their guns, her colonel beside her.

"That you pricked the side of a mighty beast, Madam Kovarian, and entirely failed to run," he remarked before rolling his eyes at the guns pointed at his head, "I admire your courage. I should like to admire it from afar," he pushed them away.

"We've been waiting a month. He's done nothing. Clearly the rumors of how important a Mate is to a Time Lord were false," she honestly wasn't sure whether to feel relieved or depressed by that. Relieved as, if the rumors were true, they were likely all dead if they weren't careful, and depressed as she had a rather fine trap set up for if he came in guns blazing.

That was one thing about a Mating, the desperation to see the Mate returned was said to be blinding.

Dorium simply continued to count his money, "Do you really think so?" he laughed at how little she knew, "Time Lords are possessive and selfish creatures, especially the males, and especially in regards to their Mates. You really think he would just leave his Mate there?" he shook his head, "She is far too important to him for him to risk losing her now, Madam Kovarian, and the Doctor is smart. There are people all over this galaxy that owe that man a debt. By now, a few of them will have found a blue box waiting for them on their doorstep. Poor devils."

"You think he's raising an army?" the Colonel asked, tensing, not liking that, one Time Lord they could handle, an army...well, their own army had been raised to counter just HIM.

"You think he isn't?" he snorted in amusement, "If that man is finally collecting on his debts, which I don't doubt he will given the nature of the treasures you've taken," he gave them a meaningful look, "Then God help you, and God help his debtors."

"Why?"

"Colonel Manton," he sighed, growing bored now, "All those stories you've heard about him? They're not stories, they're true. You've taken quite possibly the only thing in the entire Universe that could control the Doctor and keep him at bay right out from under him. Really, you're not telling me you don't know what's coming?"

"We're wasting our time here!"

Kovarian stood, "Agreed."

"The asteroid, where you've made your base," Dorium glanced up at her, pleased to see she looked startled, maybe she'd realize how deadly the situation was that if HE knew of the base then the Doctor might as well. And it wasn't just deadly for her, but for the entire Universe. If anything, anything at all, happened to that woman or her baby...there would be nothing that could save them from the hell the Doctor would unleash, and the man was more than capable of it, the devastation he left when he wasn't even trying was evidence enough of that, "Do you know why they call it Demons Run?"

"How do you know the location of our base?" Manton glared.

He sighed, "You're with the Headless Monks...they're old customers of mine."

"It's just some old saying," Kovarian waved him off.

"A very old saying. The oldest. And don't you wonder where it came from? 'Demons run, when a good man goes to war.'"

Kovarian and Manton simply turned and left, leaving him to his musings.

Dorium waited a moment, watching them go, before laughing and taking his money, walking to a back storage room on his way out. He paused just as he entered the room when he caught sight of the two men standing in front of him.

"Well hello Blue," Captain Jack smirked.

"Going somewhere?" Gray asked, crossing his arms.

Dorium's eyes widened as he turned to flee back the way he came, only for Ianto and Owen to appear, closing the door and blocking it. He turned around, seeing Gwen and Tosh moving to either side of him.

"Someone wants a word with you," Jack told him, his expression hardening as a wheezing noise filled the room.

"No," Dorium gasped, backing up but Tosh and Gwen grabbed him, "No, no, please!" he struggled in their hold, "Not me! You don't need me!" he stared in horror as the TARDIS appeared before him, "Why would you need me?! I'm old! I'm fat! I'm blue! You can't need me!"

And the doors opened, revealing none other than the Doctor, and he did NOT look happy.

~8~

Colonel Manton stood before his army on a small platform in the middle of the base, three Headless Monks behind him. The soldiers stood at ease, ready to listen to their leader, as Kovarian stood to the right of the platform with two soldiers on either side of her, smirking.

"He is not the devil," he called to his troops, "He is not a god. He is not a goblin or a phantom or a trickster. The Doctor is a living, breathing man and, as I look around this room, I know one thing...we're sure as hell going to fix that!"

The soldiers cheered.

~8~

Angel stood in the white room, looking through the window, sadly watching Colonel Manton with the soldiers as they cheered, tensing and wincing a moment, putting a hand to her stomach as she let out a breath...when the doors opened behind her and Lorna Bucket entered. She turned to look at her, Lorna hesitating at the bottom of the stairs with something in her hand.

When Angel said nothing, she continued on, "Sorry," she murmured, a bit of a blush on her face. This was the first time she was able to fully talk to the Angel, "I shouldn't be here, I'm meant to be at the thing. I brought you something…" she held out two olive-green stars sewn to another one, creating a leaf-like pattern, "It's a Prayer Leaf. When your child is born, you sew their name into it in the language of my people and, we believe, if you keep this with you, your child will always come home to you."

Angel reached out and took the blank leaf, looking down at it a moment, "Thank you."

There was silence a few more moments before Lorna spoke again, "I don't know if you remember, but I met you once."

Angel blinked, an image of a forest filling her mind, her and the Doctor running through the trees, a group of people behind them, her hand holding that of a little girl that looked very much like Lorna with a purple flower in her hair…it hadn't happened yet, but it would, "In the Gamma Forests."

Lorna smiled widely, her heart beating rapidly, "I remember I was so scared, those beasts chasing us, the Doctor telling us to run. But…you were there. The Angel. You made us feel safe, protected. You truly were as your name entailed."

"Oh?"

"In the language of the Forest, 'Angel' means 'Great Mother,'" she looked at the woman's stomach with a soft smile, she was so like it. She had taken care of all of them, protected them, tended to them, made them laugh and helped bandage them when they were hurt, exactly like a mother would.

"I picked my name you know. On our planet, we are allowed to pick a name if we like. I picked it because my mother used to call me it, but it didn't mean 'Great Mother' to her."

"What does it mean?"

She smiled, "In the culture she learned it from, it means blessed one, a guardian, protector, guider, light, joy..."

"That's you as well."

She nodded sadly and turned to look out the window once more, "It's strange, isn't it?"

"What is?"

"Them. Talking about the Doctor like he's someone famous when he never does anything for fame..."

"He meets a lot of people. Some of them remember," she smiled a bit, "He's sort of like a...I dunno. A dark legend."

"You have no idea."

"I'm sorry?" Lorna frowned, hearing Angel murmur that.

Angel turned back around to look at her fully, "The Doctor has a darkness in him. He's lost so much and lived through such horrible times…and I've been there for him, through most of it, lighting his way as he used to say. And now..." she glanced at the window, "They've taken me away from him," she blinked, shaking her head as she turned back to Lorna, "How do you think he's going to react?" Lorna looked down a moment, in thought, "He's coming for me, for us," she put a hand on her stomach, "Pick a side Lorna, and not for my sake, but for yours because you won't like what you find when he arrives and sees you with them."

With that, she turned to look back out at the army, tensing and putting both hands to her stomach, biting her lip hard so as not to make a sound as Lorna silently left the room.

~8~

"On this day, in this place, the Doctor will fall," Manton continued to the cheers, "The man who talks, the man who reasons, the man who lies, will meet the perfect answer. Some of you have wondered why have we have allied ourselves with the Headless Monks," Lorna snuck into her position, "Perhaps you should have wondered why we call them 'headless.' It's time you knew what these guys have sacrificed for faith. As you all know, it is a Level One Heresy, punishable by death, to lower the hood of a Headless Monk. But, by the divine grant of the Papal Mainframe herself, on this one and only occasion, I can show you the truth. Because these guys never can be..." he lowered the hood of the first Monk, revealing a knotted stump where the head and neck should have been, "Persuaded! They NEVER can be..." he lowered the second Monk's hood, revealing the same thing, "Afraid," and approached the last one, "And they can never, ever be..."

"Surprised?" the Doctor smiled darkly as he pulled down his own hood, revealing himself as the third Monk, stepping past Colonel Manton to address the army, "Hello everyone! Guess who? Please, point a gun at me if it helps you relax…" he nearly laughed when all did so, "You're only human," he shook his head, closing his eyes as he took a deep breath.

He could feel her, Angel, he could feel her and their baby. They were THERE, they were in the base right at that moment, he could FEEL it. And it was wonderful. He'd been...on edge, his entire body feeling like it was on fire, like it was being torn apart, but now...he felt calm, he felt reassured, he felt...whole. Angel was there, and now so was he, and he would get her back no matter what.

"Doctor you will come with me right now," Manton threatened, holding a gun right at the Doctor from behind, not that the Doctor noticed.

The Time Lord just stood there a moment longer, his eyes closed, unperturbed, a soft smile growing on his face as his hearts swelled, feeling both his Mate and child were really there. Now he just had to get them back.

His eyes snapped open as he looked over his shoulder at Manton, a dangerous smirk on his face, "Really? You think so?"

Suddenly the sound of teleports echoed throughout the encampment. The soldiers looked around, moving their guns away from the Doctor to the Silurian army that had surrounded them, some focusing on the three Judoon that had joined them, while others looked at a lone Sontaran standing off the side of the platform, but those in the front turned their weapons on the humans that had appeared before the platform, forming a line between them and the Doctor, the two ginger women, a team of 6 dressed in black with rather large guns, an older woman with a blonde beside her, a man in Centurian garb, and a black couple.

"This base is now under our command," Strax stated.

Manton laughed, "I don't think so…" he looked around at the feeble numbers, barely a Silurian to cover every four soldiers and he doubted the humans before him were trained soldiers despite their weapons, "This is your army Doctor?" he stepped up, pointing the gun straight at the Doctor, now more confident than ever that they could take the Time Lord down.

"I know," the Doctor mock-sighed, "Quite small isn't it? But…then again…" he started to smile, "This is only MY army," Manton's grin fell, "Because if you think there are people out there who owe me a debt," he shook his head slowly, a hard, cold look in his eyes, "Then you have sorely underestimated Angel."

And then...more and more teleports kicked on.

Chapter Text

The soldiers looked on, in shock, as hundreds of people and aliens appeared on the scaffolding and around them, all over the base, on every level, all aiming guns right at them. Manton found himself being pulled back, a gun aimed at him as Jack and his team stormed the stage, Sarah Jane, Jenny, the Smiths and Donna rushing to join them, guarding them from the Headless Monks who had stepped up to help the two on stage, freezing in spot, waiting. Amy and Rory glanced back at the Doctor, guns of their own in hand.

It had been...alarming, at first, when the Doctor of all people told them to 'lock and load' but when the plan had been explained, they'd eagerly grabbed what weapons they could.

The Doctor stood on the platform, smiling, looking out at all those who had come to help him save Angel. So many familiar face he thought he'd never ever see again, his past with Angel lined up before him. A teenage Margaret the Slitheen, Lynda and the Controller, Sir Robert and his wife, Torchwood, members of UNIT, Sarah Jane Smith and her family, Mickey Smith and Martha, Zach and Mr. Jefferson and their crew, Elton and Ursula, a teenage Chloe Webber and her mother, Donna and her family and even Lance, Shakespeare and Peter, Cheen with her husband Milo, Soloman and Frank and Tallulah and Lazlo, the snooty woman from Lazarus Laboratories, Captain McDonnel and her husband and crew, Timothy Latimer and Mr. Rocastle, Chantho, Astrid and Mr. Copper and the passengers of the Titanic replica, Evelina and her family, quite a few Ood along with Dr. Ryder, Luke Rattigan, Jenny, the passengers of the Midnight shuttle, Jackson Lake and his son with Rosita and Jed and even Miss Hartigan, the passengers of the 200 with quite a few Tritovores, Alice and Stephen and Clem with Frobisher and his family, Liz 10 and her own personal guard, Bracewell, Bishop Octavian and his Clerics, Guido and Isabella, Vincent, Craig and Sophie, Kazran Sardick, Canton Everett Delaware the Third and some select members of the FBI, the crew of Captain Avery's ship along with the man and his son, both Cleaves with each of their teams both Human and Ganger alike…not to mention soldiers offered from Jack's old WWII unit who had leapt at the chance to help him 'save his sister,' from 18th century France, from the army of Dalek-Humans, from Timothy's WWI brigade, from the Roman legion helped by Quintus, from the cloned army of men and Hath, and a gathering of soldiers donated by each the 26 other planets that had been stolen…

All of them there for Angel.

It was like every single person she had ever saved, who had ever felt saved by her, was there to return the favor.

"Go ahead and try to fight," the Doctor smirked at the miniscule amount of soldiers before him, the Headless Monks lining the room, "You're out numbered 8 to 1."

The soldiers looked around hesitantly, clearly seeing the present danger and their chances having crashed down and slowly...disassembled their guns and put them on the ground, kicking them over to the line of people surrounding them on the ground.

"I have a fleet out there," Manton cut in, trying to get the soldiers to cease, to keep fighting, "Demons Run goes down there's an automatic distress call!"

"I know," the Doctor smirked, "I did my research, not easy to track you down, hack your security, but not impossible. Just a bit unlikely really. All I have to do...is knock out your communications array. And you've got incoming."

"Danny Boy to the Doctor, Danny Boy to the Doctor," a voice came over a comm..

"Give 'em hell Danny Boy!" the Doctor ordered into it, staring Manton down as he did so.

~8~

Bracewell's spitfires flew towards the base, firing at the satellite dish.

~8~

"Target destroyed!" Danny Boy cheered.

The Doctor just grinned, laughing.

"All airlocks sealed," Strax called, having returned from his assignment to secure the exits upon Manton's apprehension at the hands of Torchwood, "Resistance neutralized," Manton hung his head, "Don't slump, it's bad for your spine!"

"Now…" the Doctor turned to Manton, "I have just one more thing to say to you…Give. Me. My. Mate. NOW!"

Manton flinched at the volume of the shout, at the anger evident in the voice, at how the Doctor was tensing, shaking, his hands clenched in fists, and looked over at Madam Kovarian who was just glaring at the Doctor. He looked around at the line of people aiming guns at all of them, at the sheer odds stacked against them, and sighed. He nodded at two guards to do as commanded.

"Hold on," the Doctor held up a hand, not even looking away from glaring at Manton to see the guards move, "Amy, Rory, you go with Vastra and Jenny, bring Angel here."

They nodded and dashed out with the two guards and the two others, knowing the Doctor wanted a nurse to go incase Angel needed help, knowing she'd have to be there to keep Rory calm if anything was wrong, and knowing that the Doctor wanted to keep all the people with guns in the room so he'd sent the ones with swords instead as he stayed behind to deal with the army that had dared steal his Mate and child from him...

~8~

Amy burst into the white room, as soon as the sword that had been wedged into the door to pry it open was lowered, to see Angel spin around from the window she'd been watching them out of, her white shirt hanging off her extremely large bump, "Angel!" she shouted, bounding down the stairs to hug her tightly, Rory close behind.

"Wow…" Rory laughed as he hugged her as well, so relieved she was alright and so...shocked by how BIG she was! He could understand why the clone had been sent, why it had been that moment, any longer and the bump would have definitely been noticeable. It really was shocking, his last memory of Angel was of her with the barely hidden bump and this was just...SO different! He was sure the bump was normal sized, but Angel was a bit smaller so it looked bigger.

"I know," Angel let out a relieved laugh to see them, tears in her eyes, "I've swallowed a planet."

"Angel," Vastra smiled gently at the woman from where she was standing at the top of the steps, Jenny behind her, keeping an eye out on the guards.

"Vastra," she nodded in reply, smiling at the woman in greeting.

"We must make haste," she told the Time Lady, "Before your Mate loses complete control."

Amy nodded, leading her out, "He was barely hanging on this last month."

"We actually had to knock him out a few times," Rory added, being sure NOT to mention the cricket bat, "When he wanted to just rush off without a plan, without help…"

"When he nearly destroyed three other bases, 2 planets, and 5 other species to find you…"

Angel frowned, concerned to hear that, "He was really THAT bad?"

She knew that the Doctor didn't do well alone, but...hadn't Amy and Rory been able to stop him? She winced a moment, her hand dropping to her stomach, of course they had. They'd said 'nearly.' And...she knew how hard it was to stop the Doctor at times, often it took something HUGE to get through to him, like on Mars, and often that ended up being her in danger or hurt because of something. Humans...they tended to get caught up in the sheer amazement of the Doctor, would stand there and watch him face down an enemy with smiles on their faces because he was so brave and strong and brilliant. It was like Rory had described once, he just...blotted quite a bit out. The Doctor could blind people to what was going on, it was usually good in dangerous situations, made them feel safer, but at other times...like with the Silence...he might do something truly terrible and it was like the humans didn't even realize it. She didn't want to sound arrogant, but...she knew that being there for him, her, helped him keep that darkness down, helped keep him in control. He'd often told her that she made him want to be a better man and try harder and not be consumed by the darkness in him.

And she hadn't been there this time.

Amy could only nod solemnly. The darkness in him that she'd only glimpsed on occasion had been in full force every single waking second the last month. He didn't smile, he didn't laugh, he spent the entire time gathering information, calling in his old debts, planning…she shivered, it had been the first time she'd been terrified, not of him, but for the ones that had taken Angel and the army that stood in the Doctor's way…

"Let's go then," Angel nodded, struggling up the stairs, gripping Rory's hand tightly as he helped her.

"Angel...are you alright?" Rory asked, his hand going numb.

"I will be," she murmured as they made it to the halls, she just had to get to the Doctor in time, hold it off a little longer...

~8~

"Colonel Manton," Strax called, "You will give the order for your men to withdraw."

"No," the Doctor stepped closer to the man, a deadly look in his eye, "Colonel Manton, I want you to tell your men to run away."

"You what?" Manton demanded as the soldiers looked on, helpless and even a bit stunned at the order.

"Those words. Run away, I want you to be famous for those exact words," Manton started to back away as the Doctor advanced on him slowly, Torchwood letting him go, smirking as they watched the Doctor stalk dangerously, like a hunter after its prey, "I want people to call you Colonel Run-Away. I want children laughing outside your door 'cos they've found the house of Colonel Run-Away!" Jenny and Martha glanced at each other as they saw the Doctor's shoulders heaving, as though panting, and they knew, he was reaching the end of his temper at all this, "And, when people come to you and ask if trying to get to me through the people I love!" he shouted, now in the man's face, nearly nose-to-nose with him, spitting in his fury, his eyes so narrowed that Manton wasn't sure he could even see any longer, "Is in any way a good idea…" he stared Manton down a moment, Mickey and Donna smiling as they watched him intimidate the man who had been trying to kill him, a floppy haired man in a bowtie managing that against a military man, that was quite the sight to see, "I want you to tell them your name…" he breathed hard, Sarah Jane watching him cautiously, worried, "Oh, look! I'm angry. That's new," he smiled, one that actually alarmed Manton even more as it was the look of a man who truly was so angry that anything, anything at all, was possible. The Doctor seemed to agree with that notion as he stepped back, "I'm really not sure what's going to happen now," he told the man in a low, threatening voice.

"The anger of a good man is not a problem," Madam Kovarian spoke from the side, not sounding at all worried about his temper, something that made the companions stiffen, knowing she was baiting him, knowing THEY were getting riled up as well, "Good men have too many rules."

"Good men don't need rules," he looked past Manton to glare at her, recognizing her as the woman with the eye patch that had been watching Angel, that Amy had been seeing, Madam Kovarian according to Dorium, "And today...is really NOT the day to find out why I have so many. Because today," he tried to take a breath, to calm down, but he was so far beyond any fury he'd ever felt before that it was just...impossible to do, "Is the day I would be willing to break every single one of them to get Angel back. Now…" he turned back to Manton, "Give the order," but Manton was quiet, lifting his chin and narrowing his eyes, as though trying to seem defiant and strong, "Give it now or I swear you will not like what will happen," and then, before they could even blink, he reached out and grabbed Manton by the lapels of his jacket, shoving the man back and to the side, making the man gasp as the wind was knocked out of him, his eyes widened at the move, having not expected the Doctor to lash out, "You have taken my Mate!" he half-snarled at the man, his hands curling into fists, grabbing the man tighter, "You endangered my child!"

At that moment, the fury on his face would be one to give nightmares to the soldiers looking on for years to come.

But the Doctor wasn't finished yet, "You were fools to think any power in this UNIVERSE WOULD STOP ME!"

"Doctor," a gentle voice called out.

And just like that...a single small power in the Universe did.

The army watched in stunned silence as the Doctor's entire demeanor shifted from absolute fury and hatred to concern and love as he spun away from Manton, letting the man go, to see Angel hanging onto Amy for support as they walked towards the platform. He rushed to the edge of the platform and dropped to his knees as she came beside it, probably bruising them soundly but he didn't care, his eyes hadn't left her from the moment he turned around. Gently, the Doctor reached out and touched her face, tears of relief in his eyes as he cupped her cheeks, his thumbs stroking them, staring at her in awe, like he couldn't believe she was really there, that she was ok, that she was back in his arms where she belonged.

"Hello…" he breathed, actually NOT knowing what to say, words were failing him.

She smiled, tears in her eyes as well, reaching up to put one hand on his right wrist, not pulling his hand away but curling her fingers around his, her thumb stroking his pulse point, making him shiver at the feather light sensation, "Hello."

He smiled at her, so loving, so kind, that the soldiers were questioning if the man they had seen only moments ago had even been real or just a horrible nightmare.

"Are you alright?" the Doctor asked quickly, looking her over, now frantic, his hands moving to her shoulders to look at her fully, "Did they hurt you? Did they hurt the baby? What did they do? What happened? Did they…"

"I'm fine," she cut in, reaching out to take his left hand, "We're both fine…" and placed it on her large stomach.

The Doctor let out a gasp as a tear fell from his eye at the sensation of their son or daughter kicking his hand, it knew he was there! It knew who he was! Already he could feel the paternal bonds forming with the baby just through this one touch. The baby was aware of him, knew he was its father, and...it was happy. It felt like he could breathe again, like his worst fears had melted away. He didn't like sleeping the last month, hated it when Amy and Rory made him, because he feared the nightmares that would form. The nightmares that Angel would hate him for what he'd done, that the baby would grow to hate him, that he'd be alone, with the woman who meant the world to him not able to stand the sight of him.

But now...the baby was kicking, it was happy he was there.

Angel smiled, seeing the awe in his eyes as he stared at her stomach, as though he couldn't believe it. She had felt the baby moving for ages, but the Doctor...this was the first time that HE had felt their baby moving, felt it there, felt the life in it. She leaned in, closing her eyes as her head came to rest beside his, "She's just as active as her father," she whispered to him in his ear, wanting to tell him that privately, he was the father, he deserved to know before anyone else, but not trusting herself to speak to him in his mind just yet, her emotions were too wild...and her head was hurting.

The Doctor, who had let his eyes fall closed at the feel of her head against his, let his head fall forward to nuzzle the side of her head with his own, froze, letting out a shuddering breath, "She?" his eyes filled with tears as he looked at his hand still on her stomach, a little girl…it was a little girl, his little girl, his baby girl in there, and the paternal sense increased tenfold, thinking of Jenny, of what had nearly happened to her and this was a baby, this was a little life that was his to protect from every harm in the Universe, and speaking of…

"Heaven help them if they'd harmed you," he whispered, pulling back just enough to rest his head against hers, such a familiar action to him, yet so foreign to the Ponds as they watched on, though with smiles on their faces to see them.

"They could never," Angel whispered, quite literally, they hadn't been able to do much of anything, at least...she thought so.

It seemed that, even while unconscious, some part of her mind recognized the threat she and the baby were in. If Kovarian or her scientists so much as tried to cut into her, to take the baby or inject it or anything...the Vortex would swirl up, creating a wall to keep them out, she'd heard the medics complaining about it. At most they'd been able to get scans and only barely enough DNA to examine it under microscopes, and even then it had been from her Ganger as the cells were 'exact.' And she had been even more protective when she'd woken up, Kovarian hadn't seemed too worried about not getting more samples from her...though...she didn't know why.

"I knew you were coming, we both did."

"Always…" he swore, reaching up to cup her cheek in his free hand once more, "I will always come for you."

"Well aren't you two sweet," Jack cooed, making the companions laugh despite the tense situation, the soldiers frowning at how they all seemed to have forgotten the Doctor's rather terrifying moment just seconds ago.

Angel shook her head and looked at him, and then...at everyone in the room, EVERYONE in the base. She knew the Doctor was coming with Amy and Rory, knew he might get a bit of help...but even for all her abilities... "I wasn't quite expecting all this…"

"They wanted to help," Rory said, stepping up, "As soon as word got out that you'd been taken, they all volunteered."

Angel blinked and frowned at him, confused, "But how did they know…"

"We're not sure," Amy stepped up as well, "They all said that they just...felt like something had happened to you. Some of them made their way to Torchwood and Jack used the Rift to round up the ones from other periods."

"I think," the Doctor murmured, "The whole Universe shivered when you'd been taken," he told her, reminding her of what he'd said to Sarah Jane and Jo, how if he'd died the Universe would feel it. It seemed this was the Universe's way of making it up to her, the Universe itself had felt her danger and so many from so far had heard the call.

Angel looked at Jack who winked at her, the last she'd spoken to him, he'd been telling her how they were working on creating a better Rift controller, one that would let them sort of turn it into a doorway, a portal through time, walk through one end, and end up in another point in history anywhere on the planet, at will with no glitches. It was how they'd gotten most of the armies there from different periods of history. It seemed it was worked.

Angel, though, didn't seem quite so happy or touched by that...well, she WAS touched, so incredibly touched that so many people would come to help get her back. But...as she stared at the gun in Jenny's hands...she felt her hearts dropping. Jack...well, she'd seen him with a gun plenty of times, Torchwood favored them, but Jenny...Jenny was her daughter too, in every way that counted and she was holding a GUN.

"Trust me," the Doctor whispered to her, his eyes closed, resting his head to hers, not needing to see her expression or read her mind to know what was bothering her, "I wouldn't have asked anyone to bring them without a reason."

"But they're guns," she looked at him.

He just opened his eyes to smile gently at her, brushing a lock of hair behind her ear, "Trust me," he repeated.

Jenny frowned, seeing something in her mother's expression, "Mum," she called, nodding at her meaningfully, "Trust us."

Jack and Donna exchanged a sad look at that, realizing what Jenny had, what the Doctor hadn't seemed to realize...why JENNY had had to ask Angel to put her trust in this. But they shook their heads, they couldn't tell him that, not now, not when they should all be so happy that Angel was ok.

"I just..." Angel swallowed, turning back to the Doctor, "I don't like guns or armies, they built one to face YOU," she squeezed his hand on her stomach, "And now you've built one against them?"

"We're not an army," Sarah Jane told her.

"We're your family," Martha agreed.

Angel blinked and looked at them all smiling at her.

"I just said that to scare them a bit," the Doctor whispered to her, smiling a wide grin, "They deserve it," he shrugged.

Angel frowned, eyeing him a moment, before she saw what his plan had been in his mind, all that time, all those weapons, and started to smile, about to reply...when suddenly she hunched forward, gripping her stomach in pain with both hands.

"What is it?!" the Doctor shouted, leaping off the platform and right to her side in an instant, moving his arm around her to support her, "What've they done?" he looked at Strax as the potato dwarf moved to scan her.

"It...wasn't them," Angel ground out.

"It's contractions," Strax stated, looking at the readings.

"When did it start?" the Doctor asked urgently.

"Three hours ago," Angel strained to reply.

"Oh my God," the Doctor gasped, "We need to get you to a med-bay, now!" the TARDIS, while amazing, was NOT an equipped place to give birth in, how Angel's mother had manged to do it in a console room he didn't know nor did he want to find out.

"But labor can take ages after the first contraction," Rory said, slipping into nurse mode.

"For a human yes. But Time Lord labors, contrary to the length of pregnancy, rarely last longer than five."

"Oh my God," Rory mimicked the Doctor, he learned new things about Time Lord pregnancies every day it seemed.

"Where's the med-bay!?" Amy looked around, frantic, of course the ONE thing they hadn't looked up on the plans. Holding cells, doors, escape pods, vents, but not...the med-bay.

"I can take you there," Lorna stepped forward, pushing past her fellow soldiers.

The Doctor glared at her, seeing her dressed in the army attire, and moved to step in front of Angel, "Why should we trust…"

"Doctor," Angel gasped, grabbing his arm as another contraction hit, "She's ok."

"But…" he turned to her. She looked up at him, forcing herself to share the vision she had seen before with him, of the little girl with the purple flower who looked so much like the girl, Lorna Bucket, who was standing before them, "Oh…" he turned back to the girl, "Lorna Bucket!"

Lorna's eyes widened, stunned, "You remember me?"

The Doctor gave a noncommittal nod, "Course I do. I remember everyone."

"No, I remember everyone," Angel replied, going on what she'd seen, "You were so small then, had a...bright purple flower in your hair…you…"

"Gave it to you," Lorna nodded, "To remember us by."

"She'll help."

"Alright then, lead the way!" he cheered, helping Angel walk off...only to spin around, "Vastra, Jack, you know what to do," he winked at them, looking for all the world as though the darkness that had possessed him the last month, the last hour, had never existed as he disappeared through the doors...and why should it? His Mate was back and his daughter was about to be born!

Jack grinned, shaking his head at Time Lord mood swings, and turned to their own 'army,' making the real army stiffen in fear when he lifted his gun, all the others doing so as well.

"Fire!" Vastra hissed out the command.

Manton's army, and the man himself, flinched, even Kovarian closing her eye, readying for the feel of lead or blasters burning through them...

Only to be sprinkled on with some liquid.

They looked up to see all the ones who'd come to help Angel smirking at them as they attacked…with water guns.

Jack just shook his head, "As though he would ever ask anyone to kill."

As though Angel would EVER let him.

~8~

An hour and a half later the army was still there, but on their knees, with their hands behind their heads, the rest of the crew, the mechanics and engineers, all kneeling with them, everyone moved to the hanger by 'Angel's Army' as they had jokingly called themselves, which led to Jack making a remark about AA. They glanced around nervously, at the hoards of people still gathered around them, talking quietly. All the others who had come for Angel, they had no weapons out anymore, the soldiers could overpower them easily, but the Silurians, Judoon, and the Sontaran did have weapons and seemed to have no qualm with firing, and so they were powerless to really do anything, and the sheer numbers alone were enough to make them pause.

They were very nervous though, having no idea why they were still there despite Manton and Kovarian being forced off the base earlier. What were they planning to do to them? Were they going to blow up the base like the Cyber-Legion had been with them still on it? Thrown in a supernova? Taken back in time and forced to live their lives in the past?

Just then the side doors of the base opened and Amy ran in, a wide smile on her face, tears in her eyes, "It's a girl!"

The soldiers flinched as the 'Army' blew up in cheers and claps and hoots and hugs.

"That's my niece!" Martha shouted above the din, despite not being a 'sister' of Angel's she knew they were as close as ones.

"Oi!" Donna called, "That's my niece too!"

"Well that's my goddaughter," Sarah Jane beamed, claiming that even though the Doctor and Angel hadn't discussed it with ANY of them, they were all just SO excited!

"I'll fight you for her," Jack called to her with a laugh, tears of his own in his eyes as his team hugged behind him.

"Hey!" Jenny laughed, "Hey! That's my little sister!" really the ONLY one with an actual biological claim to the girl, being the Doctor's daughter, the girl was her half-sister at the very least!

The soldiers could only look on, stunned, as the 'Army' went on, calling back and forth over who would be who in the child's life. It was the first time since they'd been hired that they actually debated and doubted whether or not they were doing the right thing, agreeing to fight the Doctor. If his Mate could inspire such loyalty and their child such joy...why did the man who was such an important aspect of their lives deserve to die?

But they had little time to think on that as the 'Army,' having calmed down, had turned to them, getting ready to force them off the base while the rest of the 'family' headed to meet their newest addition.

~8~

Angel looked up at the Doctor as she cradled their baby, their daughter, in her arms, just rocking her slowly as the Doctor sat on the edge of the bed in the med-bay, as physically close to her as he could be, watching them both with a gentle smile and a soft look. He reached out and touched Angel's cheek with the back of his fingers, stroking it a moment, "You are SO beautiful," he whispered to her.

She knew he was lying, she was a right old mess. Her hair was matted, she was sweating, she was rather a bit dirty, a crying wreck, and he was...staring at her as though she were a star bursting into life before him, a miracle.

"I love you Nella," he whispered, touching her chin with his finger to lift her head, leaning forward to give her a deep, gentle kiss, the first since he'd regenerated, pouring all his happiness and relief and love into it. It lasted quite a while, him not wanting it to end as it had been FAR too long since he'd kissed his beautiful Mate. Their daughter was oddly silent as they kissed, seeming content to bask in the love of her parents when the Doctor pulled back a moment later to press another kiss to her head and just look at her.

Angel blinked, tears forming in her eyes when she saw it, "I never thought I'd see it again," she breathed.

"See what?" he asked.

She shifted their daughter in her arms so one hand was free, lifting it to touch his cheek, just...staring at his eyes, "That sparkle. The sparkle you used to get whenever you looked at me," it was back.

He swallowed hard, still so unbelievably guilt-ridden that he'd somehow had his bond with her suppressed in such a way, "I'm so, so sorry…I don't know what happened…"

"I think..." she hesitated to say. She'd come up with SO many theories, some mad, some alarming, some devastating, as to why he'd forgotten her, but now that he remembered...there was only one she could think of that made sense, "I think your last self was a bit more possessive than I gave him credit for," she only half joked.

She'd had nearly three years to work out all possible theories about why the bond had been suppressed, and that was the only thing that fit, the only thing that still made sense and didn't stab her in the hearts. Before he'd regenerated, his deepest fear was that another man would walk off with her…it made sense, in a way, that it carried over and he'd literally forced himself away from her so another man wouldn't take her away.

But it was still him, deep down, he just needed to remember that…to move on…she laughed a bit at that notion, moving on. She had tried to move on, once.

"What?" he looked at her, his arm that had moved around her back now slowly lifting a hand, absently stroking her hair, while his other arm came around to the one holding their baby, his hand resting on hers, his thumb stroking the back of hers.

"I tried not loving you," she murmured to him. His eyes widened at that as she looked down, almost ashamed to admit she'd given up hope like that, for a moment at least, "I thought it would be easier, to deal with all that, if I didn't love you, love this incarnation of you too…but how could I not?" she let out a small, sadder, laugh, sniffling a bit, "I just…love you to bits," she looked at him to see him looking at her intently, listening to her, HEARING her, noticing her, noticing everything about her, "How you rambled, your absent-mindedness, how you just pop up randomly, when you shout So!, how you snap your fingers, your childishness, how you never have a plan just a thing…" she laughed, tears falling from her eyes now as she cried happier tears than she had in a while, clearly the experiment had failed as... "God I even love your bowtie."

He gave her a small, soft smile, "Yes well, quite right too," he whispered, "Bowties are cool. And speaking of…" he reached into his pocket and pulled out a rather small bowtie.

She looked at it a moment before eyeing him, seeing that it was for their baby, "You do know she's a girl yes?"

"Yes," he nodded with a laugh, leaning down to gently clip the little pink bowtie to a tuft of chocolate brown hair on the girl's head before dropping a kiss onto it for good measure, God he loved that little girl SO much already! It was incredible.

"Where's the birthday girl!?" Jack's distinctive voice shouted before the doors slid open and Angel had to laugh loudly at the sight before her.

Jack was there...she was pretty sure at least. There was a GIANT pink stuffed bear standing there with two arms clothed in a blue jacket wrapped around it. It truly might have been bigger than the inside of the TARDIS! The bear shuffled forward, turning a bit to reveal Jack behind it, grinning.

"Oi, Jack!" Martha said as he was nudged, "Move it!"

"Come on cheese cake you're blocking the way!" Mickey agreed.

Jack laughed, entering the room to reveal the rest of the 'family' behind him. Donna had a mass of pink balloons in hand, Sarah Jane flowers in her arms, Martha with a small cake. Amy and Rory followed, Amy with her arms full of small pjs and adorable outfits for a baby while Rory resigned himself to carrying the shoes or booties. Jenny had a huge card that had actually been signed by everyone there, while the rest of Torchwood had similar, but smaller stuffed animals. And Mickey brought up the rear with a camera, ready to snap photos of the incredible moment to come.

"What's all this?" Angel shook her head at them.

"Not every day a new Time Lord is born," Sarah Jane explained gently, all of them moving to place their items in the back before they headed over.

"She's beautiful," Gray breathed as they gathered around the bed, all of them staring at the baby sleeping in Angel's arms.

"Oh there she is!" Amy squealed, unable to contain it any longer as she ran around the small group to Angel's other side, cooing and touching the baby as it slowly stirred.

"How are you?" Rory walked over to Amy, putting his hand on his wife's shoulders, as they spoke to Angel.

"We're fine," Angel smiled up at him, though they could all see the Time Lady was exhausted.

"Rory?" the Doctor looked at him seriously, knowing he'd left Rory in charge of finding any medical files he could, "How is she? Is she alright? Are they alright? Did they do anything to either of them? What…"

"Oi, Spaceman, let him talk!" Donna rolled her eyes though she couldn't stop smiling, the baby really was the most adorable thing she'd ever seen.

"She's fine," Rory nodded, "I checked, and she's fine. I found a lot of scans though, left them up on the mainframe if you want to check yourself," the Doctor nodded in thanks.

"Oh, look now sweetheart," Angel whispered as the baby's face started to scrunch, truly waking up at the talking, however softly, going on around her, "Here's your Aunties and Uncles," she smiled at Amy, Rory, Donna, Martha, Mickey, Ianto, Owen, Gray, Tosh, and Gwen, "Your godmum and godfather," she nodded at Sarah Jane and Jack, a knowing look on her face as though she knew what they'd been arguing about before, "And your sister Jenny."

"Hello," Jenny gave the girl a little wave.

Rory beamed a watery smile as he looked at the girl. Angel had called him Uncle Rory once during his wedding, but to see the baby in person, to see those magnificent green orbs blink open and look at him, it was indescribable.

"She really is beautiful," even OWEN had to agree.

Rory nodded, tearing up, "Oh, God, I was going to be cool. I wanted to be cool, look at me."

Jack laughed and clapped him on the back, "Look at the rest of us," Jack told him, all of them, even he and his team, were near tears as well. They'd come so far, seen so much, but nothing...nothing was quite as miraculous as this.

Amy stood and turned to her husband, "You're ok," she agreed, "Crying Roman plus baby equals definitely cool," and then pulled him into a kiss.

"My daughter," the Doctor breathed, pulling all their attention back to see him just looking at the little girl in wonder, reaching out a finger to her which she grasped in her tiny little hands, squeezing, which made him beam, "Hello."

Jenny moved to her father's side, leaning in, "Hello baby sister," and then she realized something, "What's her name?"

"We gave her one in Gallifreyan," Angel remarked absently.

"But only the parents and child are to know what it is till Mating," the Doctor cut in before they could ask what it was.

Gwen frowned, "So what do we call her then?"

Sarah Jane nodded, recalling something her old Doctor had mentioned once when she'd asked him, seriously, why he called himself the Doctor, if it was his name, "The Naming Ceremony is still decades away, isn't it?"

"Typically others address a child by their last name," the Doctor explained.

"You have a last name?" Ianto was the one to ask, seeming surprised by that. He knew that they jokingly called Angel 'Angie Harkness' despite the woman claiming to be 'Angela Jones' when she needed a cover. But to find out they actually had last names? That was...new.

"Everyone has a last name."

"But we can't tell other species what it is," Angel added.

"Then what should we call her if you can't tell us?" Tosh asked.

Gwen nodded, "We can't just call her 'baby' or 'child' all the time. That'll give her a complex."

"I suppose we could give her a nickname," the Doctor thought out loud, this situation didn't usually come up much on Gallifrey.

"How about Pinky?" Rory suggested, earning a chuckle from a few of them.

"Pinky?" Amy eyed him oddly.

"She's in a pink blanket…" Mickey agreed, pointing to it.

Angel blinked, "How did you know she was a girl?" she asked, looking at all the pink around them, the balloons, the bear...

"Guilty," Donna smirked, "50-50 chance and I think your intuition kicked in. And, speaking as a partial psychic, the best name for her would be...Ginny of course," she joked, "Jenny and Ginny."

Jenny shook her head, "That'll get too confusing."

"How about Angela?" Gwen suggested, "You go by it, Angel."

"But what happens when she's on Earth and has to be called it?" Martha countered.

"Lily," Jack supplied as they looked at him, "Rose can't be here and it would be a little honorable mention for her Aunt Rose right?"

Angel smiled at that and looked at the baby...she didn't seem like a Lily though.

"No flower names," Gray argued with his brother, "You want her to be called Pansy or something?"

"Well there's always Tara," Sarah Jane offered, "It's close to the TARDIS."

"Oh, I like that," Tosh nodded.

"Yeah, but that's just 'a rat' spelled backwards," Owen pointed out.

Amy shook her head at them all, "How about Melody?"

"Melody?" the Doctor asked, he and Angel more amused as they listened to the 'family' arguing over baby names while they sat there with the girl in their arms. They both knew that the family meant well, trying to come up with names to choose for their daughter, but none of them really...fit.

"It's the name she's always wanted to use for her daughter," Rory answered.

"Well we can't name her that," Angel reached out and squeezed Amy's hand, "You need to reserve that for if you have a daughter."

"Ayla," a soft voice called from the doorway. They looked over to see Lorna standing there, hesitant to enter and disturb the family moment, but she'd wanted to tell them that the soldiers were nearly gone, just her left, the last shuttle leaving. But she'd heard them talking, shouting off names, and just...well, it didn't hurt to offer.

Jack looked at her, still not sure if he trusted her despite Angel's assurances, "A-what?"

"It's...it's a word my people use in the Gamma Forests."

"What's it mean?" Mickey frowned, just as tense and suspicious of Jack about the girl.

Lorna smiled, "Gift."

Angel looked at the baby thoughtfully and then up at the Doctor as he smiled and stroked the baby girl's cheek, "That she is," he agreed.

And she really was. She was a gift, a miracle really. He knew Angel's family's history of pregnancies, for the girl to even be born at all was truly the best gift they could ever have. And she was more than that, she was his chance at a family again, Angel's chance to be a mother after nearly losing that when she'd been dying, and just...the first step in them being a true family.

"Ayla," Angel breathed, testing the name before looking at Lorna, "It's perfect…"

Lorna grinned widely as Ayla gurgled, seeming to like the name as well as she wiggled her arms, pulling the Doctor's attention back to her as she hadn't let go of his finger yet, oh she'd be a hugger he could tell, just like him, grab something and hold on tight.

The Doctor looked down at her, nodding as he listened to her squeal about her mother, now fully awake, "Well, yes, I suppose she does smell nice. Haven't actually sniffed her in this incarnation, maybe I should give it a go," he turned to Angel, lifting her hand to his mouth and dropping a kiss to the back of it, oblivious to the smiles growing on the men's faces, the soft sighs the women were giving him at the action, "I'm sorry we were so long," he told her as he breathed in the scent of her wrist.

The Ponds watched on, still trying to get used to this. It was SO different than how he had been before. Even just sitting there they could tell this was not the same man from before. He was physically as close to Angel as he could get, his arms around her, hadn't taken his eyes off her if he could help it, completely content to be with her, completely focused on her and just...exuding an aura of gentleness and love. They could see now why Angel had been so devastated when he forgot, if THIS was anything close to how he'd been before. To lose something like this, to go from this to the man who had popped out of the TARDIS in a garden...was a shocking change.

"I told you before," she nearly cried at the action, at him kissing the back of her hand once more, such a familiar thing that she hadn't known she'd missed SO much till just then, "I knew you were coming. And thank you, all of you," she smiled at all of her family standing before them.

"Group hup!" Jack shouted, shoving the Torchwood team forward, the others moving as well with a laugh.

"Yes," the Doctor laughed as they all pressed in close to the bed and did their best to hug everyone at once, "Thank you," Ayla squealed suddenly and they all pulled away sharply, fearing they'd harmed the newborn...but the Doctor just reached out, seeing the girl reaching up at him and took her hand in two fingers, "It's ok," he reassured her as Angel smiled at her complaints, "We're still all yours," she gurgled and he laughed, whispering to her, "And really, I think she'd love it even more if you called her 'mummy' instead of 'Squishy Bed.' And I'm 'daddy,' not 'Warm Thingy.'"

"What?" Martha had to laugh as they listened to him not make sense, not that he ever really made sense but this was a new level of it.

"I speak Baby."

"No, you don't!" Amy scoffed.

"I speak everything...don't I, sweetheart?" he ran a finger down Ayla's cheek.

She gurgled once more and Angel rolled her eyes, "Oh no."

"What?" Rory asked, alarmed, worried...

But Angel just reached to and tugged on the Doctor's bowtie, "She thinks it's cool!"

"Ha ha," the Doctor beamed, victorious and VERY pleased by that.

Just then Vastra entered the room, moving to lean on a railing at the top of the steps. She hit a device on the wall and brought up a large screen security footage of the hanger, "Doctor! Angel! Take a look. They're leaving!" the Doctor looked over to see the last of the soldiers entering the shuttles that would take them away, led by the Silurians, "Demons Run is ours without a drop of blood spilled! My friend, you have never risen higher!"

Rory looked up at Vastra's words, recalling River's.

Jack though, just smiled at the job well done, glancing at the Doctor and Angel, surrounded by family, "Now that that's taken care of...Doc...can I have a word with you?" Jack asked, nodding at the doors, "Outside? In private? Where no one can hear you scream?"

The companions laughed at that though the Doctor swallowed nervously, Angel frowning as she heard a serious note in Jack's voice that told her he was being serious about the not hearing him scream bit, "Jack..." she began.

"We just have some unfinished business Ang," Jack winked at her, clapping the Doctor on the shoulder and leading him out, his grip on the man's shoulder tightening as he forced the Time Lord out of the room. He hated to take the man away from his Mate and daughter after all that happened, but they really DID have something to see to.

~8~

Angel walked out of the TARDIS with Ayla in her arms, having just said goodbye to Jack and the rest of the family. Now that the danger had passed, it was time for everyone to head home. She had insisted really, the base was empty, all that was left was them and the Doctor just had to look at the scans Rory had found and they'd be off themselves. She didn't want to disrupt the lives of everyone who'd come to help too much despite their protests that they could stay as long as they were needed.

The Doctor had seemed to understand another motive behind it. She was dead tired and the large mass of people talking and cheering and crowding around her was just...getting to be a bit much. She was eternally grateful to them, had told them so herself, but everything was ok now. And so the 'army,' which she still didn't like to consider that, had departed. The Doctor had used a combination of the TARDIS teleports, Jack's Vortex Manipulator, and the Rift to get everyone back to Earth where Jack would see to sorting out the different people and where they needed to go. He could see how tired she was as well it seemed.

The family had stuck around long enough after the initial teleport to take a big family photo, and then, once they had left, getting hugs and kisses from her, and kissing Ayla as well, Amy had insisted on a smaller family photo as well, one she could keep at their house if ever they were left there for two months again. Angel had smiled and agreed and carefully handed Ayla to Amy when she requested that she hold the baby for it. And so the picture had been taken, Amy with Ayla in her arms, Angel smiling at them, with the Doctor and Rory there as well. They'd managed it only a moment before Vastra had requested help in making sure the base was ready to be destroyed, really empty of any stragglers save Lorna.

Once Amy and Rory had left...Angel had turned to the TARDIS to introduce Ayla...only for the rotor to go wild, the light blinding, the hum excessively loud, easily the loudest she'd ever heard the box being.

Rory looked over from where he was standing with Amy when he spotted Angel rushing out of the box with Ayla in her arms, the baby starting to cry a bit, "Hey, what's wrong?"

"My sister is a bit too excited at being an aunt," she explained, she'd noticed that since having Idris in her head, she understood the TARDIS better, not quite what the box was saying, but she was starting to feel what the box felt at times, "She's being very loud and Ayla's tired. I think the Doctor's trying to calm her down a bit," she didn't know, she'd rushed out a bit too quickly and left the Doctor in the console room.

"Rory!" Jenny called as she walked up with Strax, "The Judoon have escorted the Clerics out of the quadrant, Spitfires have returned to their own time as have the rest of the rescue team, and Captain Avery and his men...is she alright?" she looked at the baby as it cried.

"Yes. She's just tired…"

"Give her to me," Strax held out his arms, "She needs changing."

"She was born barely an hour ago Strax, she's tired…"

"Then perhaps she needs a feed. I'll take care of everything," he stepped forward, his hands out.

"I really don't think you will, actually," Rory stepped in front of Angel protectively, he was not about to let anyone take her baby away, not even the walking baked potato with a gun, he'd actually had to STOP himself from arguing against Amy holding the baby in the TARDIS.

"I have gene-spliced myself for all nursing duties. I can produce magnificent quantities of lactic fluid."

"She's not hungry," Angel shook her head, feeling a migraine starting, "She's…"

"Tired," the Doctor called, stepping out of the TARDIS, carrying an old-fashioned, wooden cot that had been painted purple once long ago with him, "Sorry, sweetheart, they're just not listening."

"What's this?!" Amy looked at the cot closely.

"Very pretty, according to our daughter," Angel laughed, gently swaying with their baby as she calmed.

"It's a...it's a cot," Rory observed.

"No flies on the Roman," the Doctor remarked before turning to Angel, "Give her here," he grinned as she handed her over, just smiling down at his little girl, so small and, he swore it, so safe in his arms, "Hey there…"

"There we are," Angel soothed, squeezing Ayla's hand just a bit as she squirmed in her father's arms happily though she reached out for her mother as well.

"But where would you get a cot?" Rory continued as the Doctor gently put her in it.

"It's old," Amy ran her hand alongside it, looking down at the golden circular symbols along the side, "Really old. Doctor...have you ever had children before this?"

The Doctor was silent, Angel hesitating only a moment before reaching out to take his hand. He looked over at her, he couldn't believe he'd forgotten the comfort she always seemed able to give him. He'd missed that the last couple years, how a simple squeeze from her hand could make him feel warm and better.

"No," Angel told their daughter gently as she gurgled, "It's actually real, it's his hair," she glanced at his head, curious, before she ran another hand through his hair, ruffling it, watching as the Doctor's eyes dropped closed and a faint groan sounded under his breath. Well that was something, it seemed he still had a thing about people touching his hair.

'YOU,' he corrected in her mind, nearly making her gasp to hear him speaking in it once more, 'When YOU touch my hair, only you.'

"Who slept in here?" Amy asked, unaware of the small moment she'd interrupted.

But before he could speak, Angel gasped, "Doctor what happened!?" she reached up and touched his cheek, seeing a small bruise forming on it...a fist sized bruise.

"Um..." he shifted, knowing she'd tell if he was lying, not wanting to EVER lie to her, but also not wanting to tell her what happened, "Jack and I...had a few words."

Not really, he'd followed Jack out of the med-bay, down the hall, around a corner...and into Jack's fist.

"He HIT you?!" Angel stared at him, wide eyed. She knew Jack would react...but she hoped he wouldn't have hurt the Doctor. She didn't like people getting hurt, especially when they didn't know if he deserved it or not. Which was terrible to think because...she probably would have punched him herself if he really was responsible for the amnesia...which, to be honest, they still didn't know for certain what had caused it.

"It doesn't matter," he tried to wave it off, when he saw her reach out to touch the bruise and grabbed her hand, KNOWING what she was going to try to do, "No," he told her, holding her hand instead, "Don't," he whispered, not wanting her to waste the energy it would take, Vortex or regeneration, to heal his bruise, and he deserved it too, "You save your strength," he added, lifting her hand to kiss the back of it once more, "It's a bruise, it'll heal."

Just as Angel opened her mouth to argue, Vastra called over the speakers, "Doctor, we need you in the main control room, we've got the scans ready."

"Be right there!" he called back before turning to Angel, "Things to do..." he gave her a quick peck, "You just stay here and rest," he kissed her forehead, "I'm going to work out what this base is for. We can't leave till we know," he turned and kissed Ayla's forehead as she started to doze in her cot before heading off.

"But this is where Angel was?" Amy called as she stepped beside Angel, putting an arm around her.

She'd worked out ages ago that Angel had told her to go to the TARDIS bathroom, even if she hadn't been aware at the time, so that she wouldn't end up there too. If she had been taken in the bathroom of the White House, the chances were SHE would have been taken along with her, and who knew what they'd do to some random human they didn't need? She was even more concerned about the woman than before, knowing that.

The Doctor stopped and looked back.

"The whole time we thought she was on the TARDIS, she was really here."

"I was on the TARDIS too..." Angel squeezed her tightly.

"Her heart, her mind, her soul," the Doctor added quietly, still absolutely disgusted with himself for not noticing, "But physically, yes, she was still in this place."

"And when I saw Kovarian watching me..." Angel swallowed hard, "That was the signal getting caught in your head, making you see it as well."

"So her Flesh avatar was with us all that time," Rory frowned, "But that means they were projecting a control signal right into the TARDIS. Wherever we were, in time and space."

"Yeah, they're very...clever," the Doctor nodded, that was another thing he wanted to look into.

"Who are?" Amy asked.

"Whoever wants our baby."

"But why do they want her?" Rory asked.

"Exactly!" he was going to find out if it was the last thing he did.

It was the only thing that made sense to him, why they'd taken Angel but hadn't done anything to her, they wanted the baby for something. He closed his eyes, praying to every star he could think of, that it wasn't like humans sometimes did with babies who were...aborted on purpose for the sake of stem cells and cord blood and things. A Time Lord Baby? The potential would be...unlimited. And he would NOT let them harm his child, use his daughter like that.

"Is there anything you're not telling us? You thought Amy wasn't real, you never said."

"He didn't know if they were listening," Angel told him.

"But he always holds out on us," Amy turned to Angel before turning to the Doctor, "Please Doctor. We know Angel is your Mate, but she's my friend."

"And my Pilot, my sister," Rory nodded, "Tell us something. One little thing."

"It's mine," he said.

"What is?" Rory asked.

"The cot. It's my cot. I slept in there."

Angel smiled and looked down at it, running her hand alongside the engravings on the side of it, his name written in the lost language of the Time Lords. Rory and Amy turned to look at the mobile though, hanging over it, covered in stars and other galactic bodies as the Doctor left.

"Oh, my God," Amy laughed, "It's the Doctor's first stars."

Angel smiled, when a thought struck her and she pulled out a small Prayer Leaf from her pocket, looking at Ayla, now sound asleep, before turning to Amy, "Here," she handed it to the girl, "You should have this."

"What is it?" Amy looked down at it.

"It's called a Prayer Leaf, Lorna gave it to me. You write the name of your child on it in the language of the Forest, it's like a bit of good luck."

"But…" she shook her head, holding it out to Angel, "Shouldn't you keep it? Write Ayla's name on it or something?"

She shook her head, "We're forbidden to write our names in anything but Gallifreyan, it wouldn't work on the Prayer Leaf. Besides," she put it in Amy's hands, closing the girl's fingers around it, "You can use it if you ever get your Melody."

Amy smiled and took it, eyeing her a moment, "Is this one of your feelings?"

She laughed, "No. Honestly Amy I'm so tired right now, I'm lucky I can even feel my own body let alone the future," she held out her hand and looked at it, "I'm so tired I can't even bring up the Vortex," she was so tired she was surprised she was even standing.

"Why don't you go in the TARDIS and get some rest?" Rory suggested, "We can watch Ayla till the Doctor gets back."

She was about to respond...when Lorna and Strax ran back in, "We've got a problem," she said.

Chapter Text

The Doctor paused before the doors to the communication room of the base, taking a breath, steeling himself for what the absolute worst might be when he entered. He didn't want to be there, not at all, all he wanted to do right now was be with Angel and Ayla and hold them both in his arms...but he had to do this, he had to see what they had done to his Mate and daughter and, apparently, the systems were locked and they couldn't get the information to transfer off the mainframe, so he had to leave them (as much as it pained him to do) and see for himself. And he knew, even without seeing the scans right at that moment, he would memorize every single aspect of it, every single word, because it was too important for him to forget like he did so many other things he came across.

Not this, this was about HIS family, and he would find out what, if anything (and there had BETTER be NOTHING), had been done to them. And if he found that Angel or Ayla had been harmed in any way...well, he'd prove to Kovarian how dangerous he could be without an army of his own, without people there to hold him back or stop him.

He took a breath, shaking his head and stepped into the room to see Dorium sitting at the controls, the scans up on the monitor, "You've hacked into their software then?" he asked, having asked the blue man to look for any hidden files Rory might have missed. The boy was searching for medical files, as they would have likely been the only ones he understood, but he wanted to know everything, every detail no matter how disgusting or heartbreaking.

"I believe I sold it to them," he replied with a roll of his eyes.

The Doctor just nodded, "So what have we learned?"

"That anger is always the shortest distance to a mistake," Vastra replied from the back of the room where she was watching him.

"I'm sorry?" he glanced at her.

"The words of a shining old friend who once found me in the London Underground, attempting to avenge my sisters on perfectly innocent tunnel diggers," Vastra smiled.

"Well...you were very cross at the time."

"As you were today," she gave him a look, "Point taken, I hope?"

"They took my Mate and child!" he nearly growled, the anger back in full force when he so much as thought about those six little words, "I think I have every right..."

"You do," Vastra cut in gently, not wanting to experience his wrath once more, "But you should not let it consume you. YOU told me that," she reminded him.

HE had been the one to tell her that, ironically. It had been, she thought, before the man had learned his Mate was dying and had had all the hope and happiness in the Universe inside him. He'd told her that he spoke from experience, that all she needed was one person, even just one, to pull her out of the darkness that threatened to overtake her.

She had heeded their advice, been able to see it in their hearts, they were the last of their species too (or so she had thought of herself till the Doctor had taken them to a Silurian civilization below the Earth's crust and revived her hope for more of her species awakening one day). But they had had each other, and she had seen it...in his eyes, that darkness he spoke of, but then in Angel's...she'd seen a light to balance him. She knew the girl was the one who pulled the Doctor from his own darkness and had wanted that, and she'd found a girl of her own that did the same, Jenny.

"I was not the only one who noticed," Vastra continued, "Miss Smith..."

"Which one?" the Doctor joked, trying to push the anger aside, think of something happier.

Vastra smiled, seeing him coming down from his brief bout of rage, "Sarah Jane," he nodded, "She saw you slipping away, she was worried. I hope you realize, had Angel not arrived when she had..."

"Yes," he sighed, nodding as he closed his eyes, he knew exactly what he would have done to Manton if Angel hadn't stopped him when she had, "I know, I know."

Vastra nodded, understanding that he got it, "Angel and Ayla are safe now," she added.

He smiled softly at that, thinking on his girls, "Yes, they are," and they always would be if he had anything to say about it.

"Now…your daughter…"

"What have they done to her?" he asked them seriously, getting back to point.

"They've been scanning her since Angel was taken," Dorium called, making them both look back at him, "From the womb it seems. And not just her, they were examining Angel as well. Looking for something," he pulled up another screen to reveal a string of DNA.

"Time Lord DNA," the Doctor frowned at it, shaking his head, "But...it's not quite right," he squinted, seeing the difference, "Ganger Time Lord DNA," he corrected, realizing it was from Angel's clone.