I stared at the squared imprint in the grass in my garden. The space and air in front of me seemed empty. I was waiting for a big, blue, box, since the weird man told me to. The grass and flowers around me danced in the wind, while the moon's light shined upon my fluffy winter hat. I could feel the dirt beneath my boots ground up into softer soil. As I waited, I set my chin on my small fist and smelled the earth around me. Its scent was heavy with fresh rain and newly cut grass.

After a while, the cold began to freeze my cheeks and my butt began to hurt as I sat on my suitcase. The raggedy man promised me that we would go on adventures, but why hasn't he gone back to fetch me? All he did was eat my food and leave. Even when he said he could help me with crack in my wall…

I had forgotten all about that till then. Did I really have to go back to my room? I looked over my shoulder to see the curtains of my bedroom window taunt me. They lightly swayed in the wind and told me to go to bed.

There was always a voice from the crack that I couldn't quite make out, but just the muffled sound scared me. Whenever I would lie in bed I wondered when the voice would come for me. I always imagined it slipping through the crack and eating me whole. At times I think it was saying, "Prisoner Zero has escaped", but I was never sure. The Doctor held my hand and opened the crack with his little wand. Inside it, there was a huge monster that stared right at me, but the Doctor told me not to worry. I hoped he fixed it.

I was no longer worried about my cold cheeks as I stared at the dark leaves around me and the crushed grass. Where had that Doctor run off to? Whether he came or not, I was going to stay out here. The voice couldn't get me in my backyard, but I'd like to see it try.

Suddenly, a gust of bitter wind froze my nose and blew my rose-colored hair every which way. Then, a wheezing sound made me question my hearing.

I looked away from the flowers and leaves to see that the flattened grass blades had been replaced by a police box. The raggedy man was back to take me with him in his time machine!

I hastily stood up and grabbed my suitcase. The wind finally calmed down and the wheezing had stopped, but the door didn't open. Was he still inside?

I called out, "Doctor? Are you still in there?" After a few second the door gradually opened.

The Doctor stepped out, but he was wearing new clothes. He had on a purple suit jacket, a waist coat, clean shoes, and a bow tie? He really was an odd man.

"Hello there, Pond." he said with a calm, but troubled voice. "There's something I need to tell you." he added.

I was getting tired of waiting to go to the future, so I asked him, "Can we talk in the police box?"

With that he gave a small chuckle that quickly faded. He squatted so I could see him at eye level. Only then I realized how old and worn he was. There weren't too many lines on his face, but in his eyes I could tell. It had something to do with the way he looked at me.

The Doctor replied, "No, we can't. We won't be going on any adventures." I was furious! After I stayed out all night in the cold waiting for him and-

He interrupted my thoughts by adding, "At least not today." My anger and frustration was soon replaced by confusion.

I asked him, "You said you would be back in five minutes, but I've been waiting all night. You said you weren't like people and that you would be back, but you didn't come." I could feel hot tears swell up in my eyes.

The Doctor replied, "Amy…" he looked at me and held my cheek, "oh my precious Amy." He held me in his arms and I hugged him back. "I'm so, so sorry that I didn't come back earlier, but I'm here. I'm here now."

My nose began running slowly, so I sniffed and asked him, "But why can't I go in your time machine? It doesn't look broken now." I felt his arms tighten around me.

In a quiet and fragile voice he said to me, "Listen to me, Pond." He let go of me and looked me in the eyes. The Doctor continued, "If you're patient, the days are coming that you will never forget. There will be days where you will do amazing things and see absolute wonders."

My mind was racing about what things he could possibly be talking about. I asked him, "Like what?" He took both of my hands and held them gently in his own.

"Oh I don't know, like that you'll go to sea and fight pirates, give hope to the greatest painter who ever lived, and you'll fall in love with a man who will wait two thousand years to keep you safe."

"Two thousand years! Really?" How could anyone wait that long and for me?

The Doctor laughed and answered, "Yes of course. Why wouldn't he?"

I looked down at my boots and replied, "I'm not all that wonderful. I'm just rubbish."

He squeezed my hands with his large ones and expressed, "Oh, but Amelia Pond, you are the girl in the fairy tale story who is so strong and filled with kindness and love." I saw his eyes become shiny. "How can the girl who will save a whale in outer space be rubbish?" I giggled at how ridiculous he sounded.

"What's a whale doing in outer space?" I asked.

He pointed a finger at me and said, "See? You ask the real questions and you're only ten years old." I smiled at how highly he thought of me, but when will I see those days?

"When will I be able to go with you, Doctor?" I wondered aloud. It was his turn to glance down at the ground, but I could only assume in sorrow.

"In a long while, little Pond. I won't be able to see you in many years from now, but you must stay hopeful. Look forward to the adventures you and I will have together and the days of wonder you will see. Promise, you won't give up on me." He held my cheek for the last time.

"Alright, I promise." I flashed him a smile, so he would know my word was genuine. The Doctor got up to leave and turned toward his box.

He opened the door, but before he could step inside, I spoke, "Raggedy man," he faced me and lifted his eyebrows up in anticipation. I finished, "Goodbye." He gave me a weak smile that I knew pained him, but not why it did so. Just a slowly as he opened the door when he arrived, he closed it.

Soon, the Doctor in his police box faded away with crisp winds and a harsh wheezing. From that night on, I dreamt of my adventures with The Doctor.