story set just after the events of the god complex. Conversation between Amy and eleven.

"So what is it that timelord's pray to?" Amy asked, standing beside the doctor as they stood together on the space station after defeating the Minotaur.

"Timelord Gods? Nah, never believed in any of that stuff" The Doctor said, scanning around with his sonic checking for any more threats. He had almost gotten Amy and Rory killed today, and that made him think a lot about their future. His future.

"Well you must believe in something," she said, raising her eyebrows "otherwise it would've shown you the way out just like Rory, so what do you believe in doctor?" aAmy asked again.

That question. That was all he really needed to trigger the painful memories that he had kept hidden so well, for so long. Why did Amelia pond always have to ask the right questions?

I've seen fake God's and bad God's and demi-God's and would-be God's, and out of all that… Out of that whole pantheon. If I believe in one thing. In just one thing. I believe in her.

He could feel his eyes glazing over slightly at the memory of that day, and of that girl. His precious Rose, who he loved so much, unlike he had loved anyone before. But he had to keep telling himself that no, she was gone now. Happy with someone else, and clinging onto the lost memories was doing him more harm than good.

"Doctor?" asked Amy, cautiously. The doctor stayed quiet clearly lost in thought. Amy had never seen The Doctor like this before. She had seen him angry, and happy and scary and dark and on a few occasions, even a bit upset...But she had never seen him truly looking this... sad before. It was strange and new to her. The Doctor was a wonderful, magical man with a skip in his step and a smile on his face. He was also feared throughout the universe by daleks and cybermen and all those other scary creatures he had defeated many a time. This was the man that could turn armies around at the mere mention of his name, and was he crying?

Just one tear, falling slowly down his face and dripping off of his chin. "doctor?" Amy asked, quieter this time. The Doctor just sniffed and wiped his face furiously, before running his hand back through his hair. "Nothing, it's nothing. Go on, back onto the TARDIS with Rory. We've got to get back. Run along Pond." He said, quick enough for Amy to hear his voice breaking. She knew it would be best to leave him alone, so she gave him a light kiss on the forehead, and looked deeply into his sad old eyes. They had almost a silent conversation, as The Doctor stared into the eyes of the first person he had seen in this incarnation. Amelia Pond was very important.

Amy walked away over to Rory, and chose not to mention it to him. The Doctor needed a few minuets on his own was all she said, and he went with it. She took one look back at him before re-entering the TARDIS, and she sighed. She had never realized how vulnerable he was inside. At that moment he wasn't the Oncoming Storm, he wasn't the defender of the universe. In that moment, he truly was just a mad man in a box.

And Amy didn't have the heart to ask him why.