Author's Note: Anyone else wonder why the Eleventh Doctor seems a little stupider than usual in the 6th season? Well, this is my take on it. I actually wrote most of this after watching the first 2 episodes of season 6, then finished it after I watched the end. I was actually surprised at how much of the end I guessed after watching only 2 episodes. Anyways, enjoy!
(By the way, I really, really wanted the Silence to be an egg-laying species, so that the Timey-Whimey Detector would blow them up, but then it turned out that they were a religion, not a species! Too bad! How funny would that be?)
Amy Pond had not expected to come face to face with the alien monsters the moment she arrived in London. She still had River's Vortex Manipulator strapped around her wrist, and if she knew the first thing about how to work it, she could use it to escape. Unfortunately for her, she didn't.
The tempting thing to do would be to look at where she had landed, examine the area for possible avenues of escape. But Amy knew better than that. The moment her eyes left the alien creature, she would forget that she had ever seen it. She made a small tick on her arm. "I know who you are," she warned it.
The mouthless alien was standing not five feet away from Amy, examining her through bony eyes. It tilted its head, as if contemplating what to do with her. It didn't seem at all frightened. It just seemed… curious. As if trying to determine how best to squash an ant. Amy began backing away.
The alien made a noise that sounded half way between a scream and a laugh. Amy tried to back away faster but backed right into a wall. She almost looked around, but stopped herself just in time. No, Amy. Eye contact. The moment you turn around, you'll forget that you're in danger. You won't even remember enough to run. Safer to keep the alien in sight. But as the alien began to advance on her, she wondered just how safe that was.
A high pitch whining sound tore through the air. The Silence dropped to its knees, clutching its head. Amy's eyes opened wide. She could have sworn she recognized the sound, but… of course, that was impossible. He was locked up in Area 51.
The sound shut off, and she heard an unfamiliar voice say, "Well, now. What are you?"
The man who emerged into her line of sight was tall, skinny, with brown spiky hair and a brown pinstripe suit. He pointed—was that? It had to be, but Amy hadn't seen it for years—a blue-tipped sonic screwdriver at the Silence as if it were a deadly weapon.
The Silence looked up at him defiantly, not saying a word.
"Not very talkative, then, are you?" said the man. He raised the sonic screwdriver a little higher. "Identify yourself, species and planet of origin, in accordance with Convention 15 of the Shadow Proclamation."
The Silence still said nothing.
"They're called the Silence," said Amy. "Just… don't turn your back. Keep it in your line of sight."
The man turned, instinctively, and a momentary look of confusion flickered across his face. Then his eyes fixed on Amy, looking her up and down carefully. He noticed the vortex manipulator still strapped to her wrist, and raised an eyebrow. "That's not 20th century Earth technology," he pointed out. He glanced back at her outfit. "And your clothes…" He furrowed his brow. "What are those marks?" he asked.
Amy was still keeping most of her attention on the Silence in the background. It was advancing, a hand outstretched, as if getting ready to shoot a bolt of energy at the man in front of her.
"Doctor!" came a cry from Amy's left. "Behind you!"
The man spun around to face the creature again. He flicked his sonic screwdriver back on, and this time the Silence fell to its knees.
"Nice one, Martha," said the man, turning around to face the woman who had just entered Amy's line of sight. She was pretty, dark skin, black hair, wearing jeans and a maroon jacket. She was carrying one of the strangest bits of machinery that Amy had ever seen. It was a large red box, with all sorts of bits and bobs and wires poking out. The man had that momentary look of confusion on his face, but this time, it stayed put. He snatched the device from Martha, and examined it closely. "Now that's odd."
"Doctor…" said Martha, her eyes still glued on the creature.
"We've just jumped seconds into the future. I mean, a temporal disturbance like that, you'd expect all sorts of lights and bleeps and beepy things, but there's just… nothing. Zip, zap, nada…"
"It's not a temporal disturbance," said Amy, feeling a little frustrated by the situation. "You just can't remember what happened."
The man turned back to Amy. "What, with a memory like mine? Doubt it. Take something pretty strong to break through these mental defenses. Big Psychic Hamster of Katrisalta 8 couldn't even get close to…"
"Doctor, behind you!" screamed Martha, as the Silence got back to its feet.
The Doctor spun around, and pointed the sonic screwdriver at the alien once again. He seemed genuinely intrigued by the strangeness of the situation, as if he were trying to work out a particularly complex puzzle. "Hang on, hang on. Why can't I remember you? Creepy little thing like you, that should be something I remember."
"You only remember while you're looking at it," said Amy. "The moment you turn your back, you don't remember anything that happened."
The Doctor raised his eyebrows. "Well, that shouldn't happen," said the Doctor. "It's impossible. Well, I say impossible. More like improbable. Well, I say improbable…"
"Doctor," warned Martha.
"Yes, sorry, got a bit sidetracked, there. Well, you know me, just rambling away, making connections, putting things together in my head." The Doctor began strolling towards the creature, his stride completely relaxed and nonchalant. It was, Amy thought, exactly what her own Doctor would have done. This pinstripe model stopped just before the creature, and studied it, carefully. "What are you doing here on Planet Earth?"
"We have always been here," said the Silence.
"Have you, now?" asked the Doctor, still studying it with the same fascinated curiosity that Amy had seen her own Doctor use. "Been lurking in the shadows throughout humanity's past, using them to do all your dirty work? Or perhaps humans aren't the prize at all. Perhaps they're just the bait." The Doctor gave a half grin. "Because that mind wipe of yours—that wasn't designed for humans. Oh, no. That was designed for Time Lords. And the Face of Boe told me… well, basically, he told me something I'm certain is impossible. Except it's not, is it? You didn't come to Earth to hunt humans at all. You're here for a Time Lord."
The Silence twisted its head, regarding the Doctor. "Perceptive as ever, Doctor."
"Oh, got a bit of a reputation, now, have I?" said the Doctor. He was grinning ear-to-ear. "Like a bit of flattery, me. Martha, you should take lessons."
"Yeah, probably not the best time," said Martha.
Amy saw the Silence as it raised its hand towards the Doctor again. She felt her heart speed up. No, she could not go through this again. She'd just seen the Doctor die—and now, here he was, about to die again, before she'd even met him!
"Doctor!" she screamed at him.
The Doctor actually jumped at this, and swung around. That momentary confusion passed across his face again. "That's odd," he said. He turned back. "Martha, did that Timey…?" he trailed off, as he caught sight of the Silence again. He gritted his teeth. "Oh, I really hate that."
The Silence's hand was sparking by now, and Amy was sure that the Doctor was going to die. But then the Silence, for no apparent reason, lowered its hand, and backed away.
"You are not yet ready," said the Silence.
"What's that supposed to mean?" asked the Doctor, his voice growing a little edgy.
"You are the beginning and the end," said the Silence.
The Doctor visibly shuddered at this.
"Doctor, what does that mean?" asked Martha.
"No idea," said the Doctor, a bit confused. "Odd, that." He regained his composure instantly, as if nothing had ever shaken him, and stared at the Silence, with menace in his eyes. "So, here for a Time Lord, then," he said. "Who is it? Who survived? And why don't I know about them?"
The Silence said nothing.
"Oh, is the Silence giving me the 'silent treatment'?" said the Doctor, his grin returning.
The Silence turned, and regarded Martha. Martha began backing away. "Doctor…" she said.
"Keep calm," said the Doctor. "He's not the only one who's taken an interest in this temporal energy surge." The Silence turned back, and the Doctor stared straight into the hollow cavities of the creature's eyes. "Oh, you don't like that, do you?"
The Silence tilted its head, regarding him, cautiously.
The Doctor grinned at it, and put his hands in his pockets. Then, all of a sudden, he shouted, "Martha, other girl, blink!"
Amy Pond blinked.