A/N: A big thank you to AngelsOnTheMoon98 for reviewing the last chapter and to all those that read it too! Hope this lives up to your expectations.

Chime in the Night

Chapter Two: A Painful Introduction

The Doctor arrived at the front door in a flurry of hair and sunglasses, skidding to a stop in front of the faded red wood, gently resting his hand upon it and pushing it open, allowing it to swing on creaking hinges. Barely a second later Amy and Rory caught up and waited behind, watching as he stepped tentatively through the slight gap in the door, his screwdriver at ready.

For a second, his vision was attacked by the ferocious darkness that lingered inside, festering in the corners, and when his eyes adjusted he saw long hallway that lead almost completely through the house. Leading off the barewood floor were three also faded red doors on his right and a peeling cream door at the end, with a distorted glass window and a staircase set along the left wall.

"Hello?" the Doctor called causously, creeping through the doorway. Amy stepped after him.

"Doctor!" He didn't stop his slow progress into the abandonded house, his eyes fixed on where he knew the sobs were sounding from. A shady shilouette blurred behind the distorted glass.

"That's it," The Doctor whispered, his hands held up in the age old sign of surrender as he tiptoed forwards. "You don't have to be afraid of us. We're good guys."

The shilouette twisted the wooden door knob, pushing its way slowly into the hall. Whoever it was, they stood back against the grotty wall, as though afraid to come any further, pushing the door to behind them.

"Who are you?" the shadow murmered, its voice thick and rough.

The Doctor, still slowly moving forwards, gestured to himself, Amy and Rory. "I'm the Doctor, this is Amy," Amy waved, an encouraging smile on her face, "and Rory." Rory raised his hand in a half-wave. "You don't need to be afraid of us," The Doctor continued, his voice soft and gentle. "Tell me what happened."

Amy stopped waving and hissed, "Doctor! Glasses!" The Doctor paused for a moment, before dragging the thin wire away from his face and slipping them into the inside pocket of his jacket.

"Can you really help?" The voice whispered, shaky and strained as The Doctor was now so close to him. "Are you really a doctor?"

"Yes" he replied, now right infront of the man. He was in his late twenties, slightly muscular with all over the place, short brown hair. He was wearing scrappy shorts, a crumpled once white vest and an open checkered t-shirt over that and it was obvious that he hadn't washed for weeks. Neither himself or his clothes.

But before The Doctor could ask him what was wrong, the man broke, collapsing to the floor and yet still attempting to open the door next to him. The Doctor pulled it open and charged into what he soon saw as a kitchen, with a beautiful darkwood table that stood in the middle of it, and a cheap microwave and fridge on one side, along with a stretch of also beautifully made cabinets and a stove, sink and yet more cabinets on the other side of the kitchen. It was like stepping into an entirely different house.

But none of that was what caught The Doctor's attention. What really caught his attention was the woman, also in her twenties who was lying deathly still on the white and black checkered floor, with her hands resting gracefully on her chest. Her hair flowed black beneath her back, her skin was pale, frosty almost, and her legs are covered in a white bed sheet that had been folded back.

The Doctor strode over to her, ignoring Amy's gasp as she turned away from the scene to comfort the shaking figure, and ran his sonic over her body, Rory appearing beside him to check her pulse.

"Who is she?" They heard Amy whipser, but the man couldn't answer. That was when she noticed the golden band on his third finger. "Oh no."

After a quick glance at the handle of the screwdriver, The Doctor and Rory exchanged disheartened looks. Rory shook his head, pulling the sheet over to completely cover the woman's frame.

"There's no pulse," he announced, not looking away from where the woman's face lay hidden by the thin cloth. "I'm sorry." Behind him the man nodded, as though he'd already known it, and then completely collapsed into Amy's arms, who gently pats him on the back, looking at The Doctor for help.

He helped the man onto his feet and into one of the two chairs that sat under the table, also intricately carved and varnished darkly. The Doctor began to pace back and forth through the kitchen, Amy standing behind the man and Rory taking up the other seat on the table, casting glances between Amy, the pacing Doctor and the broken man before him.

"Well it's obvious that you didn't kill her" The Doctor muttered, turning back on himself, "not a single mark or scratch, as a matter of fact not a single cause at all. Nothing." He stopped talking as he flipped the sonic back out of his pocket. "Not even you are telling me how she died..."

At this the man collapsed into his hands in a fresh wave of tears, Amy awkwardly patting him on the back. "There you go," she whispered, "that's it. Let it out."

The Doctor wordlessly asked Rory and Amy to come talk to him in the corner, and they quickly gathered around him, huddling close. Rory looked back at the man still weeping, silently now, on the table. "Poor guy," he muttered, his face painful. "I know what that feels like."

Amy winced slightly at the memory, talking quickly to The Doctor. "What should we do?" He stood silently, looking at the two of them, his face grave. When he spoke his voice was low, but determined.

"What we are going to do is find whoever- or whatever did this." It was a command, and he looked over at the covered body as he said it. "I'm going to check out this house, you two look after him." They nodded slowly, watching as The Doctor ducked out of the door and then right back in. "Oh and make him some tea or something" he muttered, casting a last look at him. "It always helps me."

And with that, he left the room.

Doctor?

Hm?

You're being unnaturally quiet...

No I'm fine. Just know how you like your silence that's all.

Oh very funny. Hey please review by the way! Feedback is most appreciated.

Really? I've never had feedback before. First time for everything I suppose. Why not?

Oh and sorry if this is a bit slow. I'm sure it will pick up soon.

Hey!