The doors of the TARDIS opened, slamming against the walls. The Doctor looked up from his place at the console to see Rory Williams standing there, outlined by the light coming in from behind him. The very first thing that he noticed was that Rory was completely alone.

"Rory..." the Doctor said slowly, immediately realizing that something must have gone terribly wrong. His hearts began to beat faster. "Where's Amy?"

Rory didn't answer; he simply closed the doors of the TARDIS behind him and then stared at the Doctor, his eyes revealing everything that words wouldn't, couldn't say. Finally he was able to murmur, "I tried to stop her. Really, I tried, Doctor, but you know how stubborn she can be-"

"Rory, just tell me where she is!" The Doctor rushed at Rory and grabbed his shoulders, jolting him. The Doctor's gaze was intense, filled with more fury and rage, more regrets and bitterness and anguish than anyone else could ever claim to have seen. When he asked again, it was only a whisper. "Where is Amy?"

"I'm so sorry, Doctor..." Rory's voice was quiet and full of sorrow. "Don't make me say it out loud. Please."

The Doctor seemed to suddenly comprehend what he was doing and let go of Rory, backing up until he was leaning against the TARDIS control console. He ran his hands through his hair, his eyes wide with disbelief and denial.

"No... No, she can't be... Amy... Amelia Pond..." He buried his face in his hands, breathing in shallow and quick breaths. Rory was in shock, or denial, or both, and was barely breathing at all. Both boys, who at one time had been able to call themselves Amy's boys, could hardly believe it. There was no way. She couldn't be... Neither one could bring themselves to even think the word.

The TARDIS began to whir and moan, the engines starting up to take them to a new place, a new time. As soon as the Doctor realized this, he ran spun around to face the console, trying his hardest to stop the process. "No... no, no, no!" he shouted not just at the TARDIS but at Rory, at the world, at the entire universe. The TARDIS whirred again, attempting to override the Doctor's orders, but in vain.

At the moment, the Doctor was angry, sad, and confused. The TARDIS knew that when the Doctor was like this the last thing she should do was attempt to disobey, but she also knew he needed to leave; he needed a distraction, however temporary, to get away from the memories of Amelia Pond.

"No, we can't leave!" the Doctor shouted. "We have to find Amy!" And with a final press of a button and the flick of a switch, the TARDIS was still. After a moment of silence, the Doctor said quietly, "We have to find her."

"Doctor, you do realize-"

"I don't care. I'm going to find her. You can stay in here if you want to, but I am going to get her back no matter what it takes," the Doctor told him, and with that he walked out the doors, leaving Rory to stare after him in bewilderment.

After a brief moment of hesitation, he followed the Doctor outside. Maybe, just maybe, there was a tiny possibility that they would be able to find his wife. And an even smaller fraction of a possibility that she was still alive.

A fraction wasn't much, of course. But it was enough to hope, and that had always been good enough for them.

AN:

My very first fan fiction ever published. This is kind of an exciting moment for me!

I don't really know yet what this is going to turn out to be. It was originally just a one-shot thingy that popped into my head at two in the morning, but if you guys really like it you may be able to convince me to write some more... So if you like it, tell me what you think! And if you don't, then you obviously have no taste and should leave immediately. (Just kidding. You can tell me if you don't like it, too.)

:)