Amy suddenly felt as though the earth was splitting at her feet; threatening to take her whole. Her green eyes widen in disbelief and her ashen fingers tightened their strained hold on the umbrella.
It's him. It's really him. He came back. The Doctor came back.
Amy moistened her dry lips. The knot in her throat made it difficult to speak.
"Am – Amelia Pond?" she stuttered.
His face lightened up in anticipation. "Yeah, Amelia Pond – little Scottish girl, have you seen her?"
Have I seen her? Have I seen her? Idiot! Open your eyes; you're looking at her! Actually – since you're YEARS late, I don't blame you.
Just as she opened her mouth to speak – something occurred to her. A fire sparked to life inside her mind.
Images of her ill-fated childhood flitted inside her head.
She had spent endless afternoons cooped up inside a psychiatric office's – four different actually – desperately trying to convince them that she had really met a man who travelled in a blue police box. They were whispers among Amelia Pond's neighbours concerning her supposed 'unstable' mental health. She wasn't mad, she heard them. And it hurt. Was this man – the Doctor; the soul reason why her childhood had been filled with unfulfilled hopes and dreams?
Was he?
"Well?" the Doctor prompted eagerly.
Clenching her jaw tightly, Amy squared her shoulders.
"Amelia Pond hasn't lived here in a very long time," she said stiffly.
The man's face darkened drastically at her words; yet hers remained impassive. The Doctor marched towards the gate wordlessly and wrenched it open.
Amy remained frozen in place, unsure if she should turn around and run or face the anguished looking man. She chose the latter and took a few steps back.
Fists clenched, he walked up to her level. The Doctor's dark brown hair was flat against his face; the sopping dress shirt he was wearing sticking to his skin.
His questioning eyes burned into hers and she adjusted her posture so that she matched his. Amy lifted her chin, her heart thumping loudly at their close proximity. She shivered.
"What do you mean – what happened to her?" the Doctor questioned, his eyes searching her face.
Amy avoided his inquisitive gaze. Her eyes flashed over her shoulder. The water-drenched road was still deserted. Rory was nowhere in sight.
Amy gulped and tried to keep her cool. It was a difficult task considering the tight situation she was in. Her eyes flickered back to him.
Amelia would never lie, she thought.
Something pinched at her heart. It didn't stop her.
"Her – her aunt re-married," she said.
The Doctor raised an eyebrow. "I'm asking about Amelia, not her aunt."
Amy was stumped, completely silenced.
Say something! Anything!
"It has everything to do with Amelia!" she exclaimed hastily. "I mean – it's her aunt after all."
He crossed his arms. "Please enlighten me."
Amy's hands became clammy. Her trembling fingers flexed on the metal handle; her heart beating out a samba – or maybe it was tap-dancing.
Her eyes darted around nervously as her mind searched despairingly for an answer. "Err…"
Get a grip Amy, get a grip! Say the first thing that comes to mind! Go on, quickly!
"Well… well she met a man at the pub… a sailor actually!" Amy exclaimed.
She was gesticulating wildly with her umbrella.
The Doctor blinked; barely avoiding having an eye perforated by an umbrella pick. He was clearly unconvinced, though Amy was too wounded up in her story to notice.
"A sailor?" he replied slowly, eyeing the umbrella in a nervous manner.
"Yes," she jabbered on. "They wedded at the pub actually – lovely ceremony." She stopped to catch her breath. "After that she decided to join him in Edinburgh."
"And when did this occur?"
"It happened six months ago," Amy replied hastily.
The Doctor appeared baffled. His eyes wandered away from the young woman's ashen face and he passed a hand through his dark wet hair.
"No... No! That's impossible," he exclaimed. "That's absolutely impossible!"
Amy bowed her head. She felt extremely bad for lying. She remembered the Doctor being a good-natured man with a witty sense of humour. Who was she compared to him? Clearing her throat, Amy brushed her clammy hand over her coat. Her own gaze wandered away and she looked over her shoulder. No Rory in sight.
"And you – who are you? What are you doing standing in front of Amelia's house?" he said.
Amy's mind reeled.
That man is impossible, she thought.
"I… I –" she started to stutter.
Amy's ears suddenly perked up at the sound of an engine. Breathless, she whirled around. A small red car was slowly crawling its way down the road; the wipers blades sweeping wildly across the windshield. Amy didn't need to see the driver to know that it was Rory. She sighed in relief. Amy turned towards the Doctor; whose face was contorted in misunderstanding. Hesitant, she made a few slow steps away from him.
"I – I need to go, that's my ride." she said.
He didn't react; though his eyes never left her face.
Amy nodded slowly in a sign of goodbye; her throat tightening uneasily. Whatever she wanted to say to him, she couldn't bring herself to say it.
Goodbye Doctor.
Walking away rapidly, Amy adjusted the handbag on her shoulder. She bent her head to the side in a futile attempt to avoid the torrent of rain that had shifted sideways; rendering the umbrella useless.
Thunder roared up ahead. She didn't try to avoid the puddles obscuring her path and soon she felt the water transpiring in her heels.
"Hey – wait up!" the Doctor called. "You haven't told me your name!"
Amy stopped dead in her tracks, suddenly short of breath. Mixed emotions were swirling inside her mind.
Rory pulled up beside her and she extended her hand towards the door handle. Amy hesitated for a second before turning her head around and facing the anguished face Doctor. She inhaled deeply.
"It's Amy," she yelled, her voice barely audible over the sound of the rain.
She didn't wait for his reaction and quickly sat down in the car.
Crazy how a thousand words looks short on fanfiction, right? Anywho, I hoped you liked chapter 2! I'm coming round to editing the next two chapters, but until then feedback is greatly appreciated!