Part 5: Chapter 2: Collide

Amy ran as quickly as her body would let her. The distance between her and Donna got greater greater, but the long stretch between her and home still seemed to go on forever. The Doctor was only a spot in the distance beside the Tardis. She felt as if no matter how far she ran, he was remaining the same size- but that didn't stop her.

She felt the sand stick to her feet, her flip flops falling off somewhere behind her, and her hair getting caught in her mouth. She felt her skirt rolling up her hips and laying crookedly. She felt the ocean spraying her ankles with the harshly cold water. All things that would usually make her cringe and feel uncomfortable- but in that moment she didn't care. Her hair could've fallen out and the sand could've been burning the bottom of her feet, but it didn't matter. None of it mattered.

Amy didn't see any of it, all she really saw was the Doctor pacing back and forth in front of that damned Time Machine. A time machine she was in moments ago behind her- and yet somehow different than the time machine from even farther in the past, and the one she would be in in the future. While running, she never felt more consciously living. She noticed every little thing that was going on her body. Her fingers were tingling, her lungs were aching, her heart was beating far faster than it should've been, but nothing was going to stop her. She didn't look back, not even once.

"Come on," She said to herself between labored breaths, "Look up at me. See me." And as if he had heard her, the Doctor looked up from the sand beneath him and saw her. Their eyes met instantly and Amy felt her eyes getting watery. She swallowed the lump in her throat and let out a small laugh. Somehow, she made herself run even faster, only breaking the eye contact as she raised her arm to her eyes to push back the tears that were currently spilling out onto her cheeks.

She saw that the Doctor was not wearing his jacket, and that his sleeves were rolled up. His arms were red from him grabbing his skin in anxiety and worry. His floppy hair was greasy, like his fingers had been running through it for hours, which Amy believed to be the case.

Time slowed as she got closer and closer. Every step, every labored breath, every heart beat- not bringing herself to him. The Doctor just stood there watching, completely overwhelmed by relief and joy to process that he should be running as well.

Finally, the space between them was closing in. Amy could see into his eyes and see the swell of emotions he was trying to hide. He could see the swell of emotions that she didn't mind displaying. It was almost slow motion in the final few seconds before she was actually touching him and then-

They collided.

Amy let out all of the tears she had been holding back and latched onto the man before her. She pressed herself into his neck and let everything flow out, the worry, the sadness, the loneliness- all of it. The Doctor grabbed her to him as close as she would go. His hands smoothed down her now wild and tangled hair as she sobbed into his shoulder. They clutched onto each other, so completely beyond relieved that they were able to hold onto each other again.

With a quiet and strained voice the Doctor whispered, "I have half a mind to take you home and never let you set foot inside the Tardis again."

Amy felt her stomach flip and her world fall apart, "No, no, no you can't." She buried herself deeper and clung onto him tighter, as if clinging to him would make him unable to fulfill what he had just said.

"I said half. Luckily for you I'm a very selfish person and need you with me."

"Don't say that."

"I would risk this just to not be alone."

"I would risk it just to be with you. Always. I would go through this a million times again if it meant I wound up right back here with you" He sighed, and rested his hand in her hair, pressing her cheek into him. "I'm sorry. I should've listened."

"Yes, you should've."

"I won't wander off anymore."

"Amelia we both know that is a lie."

"I'm so-"

"And if it were the truth you wouldn't be my best friend."

Amy felt her eyes sting again.

"Oi!" The both heard.

The two of them detangled, partly. Only enough for the Doctor to see who was addressing him. He grinned, "Donna!"

"You get even skinnier!" She exclaimed. Amy laughed and the Doctor looked petrified. "I mean she said you look twelve but I assumed she was exaggerating- but no. You seriously look like a boy. I look like I could be your mum! I better not be traveling with you at this point! People mistake us for a couple, and I thought that was bad, but your mother-"

"Relax Donna. Amy's been my only companion since this body. I met her right after regenerating actually."

"Really?" Amy asked.

"Wow, you two really do have a lot to talk about." The Doctor and Amy looked at each other, knowing what had to be done. "Well, I want a hug from you anyway." The Doctor let go of Amy and hugged Donna. "You two better visit me."

He smiled, but Amy noticed that it seemed sad, "We will." He reluctantly let go and Amy hugged her next, "I loved meeting you."

"Same." Amy grinned. "Enjoy all your clothes!" The girls shared a cynical smile and the Doctor rolled his eyes.

"Well, goodbye."

"Goodbye, Donna." The woman turned around and began to walk away but the Doctor called out to her, "Donna! Wait!" She stopped and he ran over and hugged her tight again. "Don't forget about how much I care about you. Please."

She frowned, "Why do I stop traveling with you? I can't think of any reason why I would."

"Well, I shouldn't tell you this but, you meet a very handsome man on one of our adventures and…"

Donna blushed, but grinned, "And you visit me, right?"

The Doctor scoffed, "Of course I do. Go on- I miss you terribly."

Donna jogged away, back to her own Doctor and her own adventures. The Doctor watched her back sadly, unable to look away. Amy grabbed his hand, sensing his sadness, "Hey." She said quietly, "Why so sad looking? You got to see your friend again."

"That's the last time I'll see her."

"I thought you just said-"

"I lied to her."

"Oh god does she-?"

"No. Worse. One day she won't remember who I am, let alone all that she'll accomplish. She saved the entire world, and she won't even know it afterward. I'll never be able to see her again. This was a gift itself. I never got a proper goodbye."

"Then why didn't you say something?"

"I can't. Altering that much history, what she did and why- it needed to happen."

Amy paused, "But she's your friend."

"One of my best."

Amy squeezed his hand, realizing that there really was so much she didn't know about him. She looked up at him, "Will you tell me?"

He nodded and squeezed her hand back, "Will you?" She nodded. "Come on, let's get back inside. The Tardis has been very cranky from your absence. She'll be happy to have you back home."

Home. Amy was sure the Doctor didn't even notice what he had said, but the word rang through her head. To Donna, this was once home and then one day it just wasn't. He had traveled with other people before, she wondered if they considered this home too- and if they still did. She wondered if it was possible to leave the Doctor and be as happy without him as she was with him.

She stepped inside the Tardis, and felt the room start to warm up and get brighter. "I missed you too." She said out loud.

"Amy, I have a suggestion and if you don't like it- we don't have too."

"What?"

"Instead of telling you everything…I could show you."

AN Well guys, in my guilt I wrote two chapters and smushed it into one. I've been applying to colleges and it's driving me bonkers. That, and I'm also in a play so my life has been school, drama club, and getting home and going to bed.

I really like this chapter and I'm really happy Amy is back home and the Doctor got closure with Donna! Like I said, the story is wrapping up pretty soon, but I think it's time. The story has been told and it's time to move on to bigger and better things :)

Oh, I also has a question that's kind of, well, inappropriate. I wrote a M rated Doctor Who story with Amy and Eleven on the kink meme on live journal. Would you guys be interested in me posting it? This is T, so I wanted to just see what you guys think.

Show will be over in two weeks, which is probably when I'll be posting next. Thank you for reading and staying with me and this story for so long. You guys are brilliant.