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He stood up, a raging storm behind his eyes.

"You will never touch her." He declared, magnificent in his anger. He turned and strode towards the door.

"But Doctor, surely you do not-" The Doctor cut him off with a single thunderous glare.


Amy was shaken from her dreams by the unceremonious bang of her door being thrown open. The Doctor stood in her doorway, his shadow stretched across her bed. Was this a dream? His fury radiated from him like energy.

"We're leaving." He stated simply.

"But, what? Why?"

"Because I said so!" He shouted, leaving her to dazedly shove all her clothes into a bag and trip after him.

"Rory, get up, we're leaving." The Doctor barked as they walked through the living room.

"Leaving…?" Rory croaked from the sofa. "What about my things?"

"I've got them." Amy told him, animosity forgotten in the confusion of the situation. Rory stumbled to his feet and looked around. Soloquan was only just coming through from the kitchen.

"Doctor, really, there is no need for this. What connection do you have to this woman?"

"What?" asked Rory.

"Thank you, Soloquan, for your hospitality, but we are departing your company. Please give our thanks to Katria for her wonderful cooking and marvelous jokes."

With that, the Doctor span on his heel and left the room, his companions following in his wake.

...

"Doctor, what on earth was that about?" Rory demanded when they got inside the TARDIS. The Doctor was already at the console, pressing buttons and pulling leavers. Lights began to flicker on.

"She's still in recovery mode but there's enough power in her for one journey. I'm dropping you two home."

"What? Why?" They both asked in unison.

"Because I can't be dealing with… this," he motioned towards them aggressively, not looking away from the console.

"Not anymore. Others always told me never get involved with humans, they're too messy, and what do I always do? Get involved! And what always happens?" He span around and marched towards them.

"You mess. Things. Up!"

He stopped short of them, his expression stormy. His eyes darted between their faces and he clenches his fists.

"So you're going. Now."

He stomped back to the console and proceeded to throw switches. The engines whirred to life with their familiar groan.

Rory leaned towards Amy, his voice lowered.

"Did you say anything-"

"No!" she hissed.

Rory reached out and took hold of her hand. They stood on the outskirts of the room as the Doctor span and circled the console in a flurry of movement.

"Maybe we should go home. Spend some time together?" Rory muttered to her under his breath. She remained silent.

Moments later, the engines had stopped and the Doctor was swinging the door open. He stood aside and flung an arm out, directing them out of the TARDIS.

Rory led her forwards, but as she reached the threshold, and saw the look in the Doctor's eyes, she found she could not pass over it.

"No."

Rory looked back at her, a picture of confusion. The Doctor was facing away, his eyes closed, as though trying to remain calm.

"I'm not going. You can't decide where I go. Either of you. I'm staying here." She let go of Rory's hand and took a step back. The Doctor glanced at her out of the corner of his eye, but said nothing.

"Fine." Rory said, his tone resigned. "I suppose we can have some time apart. To think." Amy shuddered inwardly at the coldness in his voice, but nodded her agreement.

"Maybe you'll get the adventurer out of your system." He turned his eyes on the Doctor, before turning around and walking away. He didn't look back.

Amy let out a shuddering breath and turned to the Doctor. He was watching her, his face slightly in shadow.

As the doors closed, Amy felt as if a chord between her and her husband was being severed. Tears welled up in her eyes, but she blinked them back. Then a sob rose in her throat that she could not suppress. Her legs trembled as misery descended over her, and she slid down the wall of the TARDIS to curl up on the floor.

As she hit the cold metal, her thoughts turned to Rory, to all the childhood memories. He had believed her when no one else had, he had stayed up with her, had been the stable friend she'd needed, and then the stable partner.

She had lost him so many time on their adventures, had felt him ripped out of her life again and again only to appear again, magically, impossibly. But this time she had done the ripping. She had pushed him away, given up his security for… for what? For excitement and adrenaline?

Had she just made the biggest mistake of her life?

She felt warm arms circle beneath her and pull her into a sitting position. The Doctor kneeled down beside her, cradling her, sheltering her. She buried her face in his chest, his bowtie brushing the top of her head as she began to weep freely. His lips brushed briefly against her forehead.

After a while the sobs subsided, and she was left exhausted. The tears didn't stop, but her eyelids were so heavy…

"Come along, Pond"

He hoisted her up off the floor, and carried her towards the stairs. He felt his two hearts grow heavy in his chest; heavy with worry for her, for them both, for their future.

As he walked, she nestled her head against him, and fell asleep to the harmony of his two heartbeats in her ear.


Review! I want to hear your opinions. I've got the whole story written out ready to stagger the publishing of the chapters. Maybe the more reviews I get the faster they'll be published :P