"Why would they send him here?" River asked once they had pulled up outside Winter Quay, "Why not zap him back in time like they normally do?"
"They need him." Hanna replied, "Having him here is... well, they need it."
"What is this place?" The Doctor asked as they got out of the car, casting a glance at Hanna.
"I can't tell you everything," was her soft response.
They held each other's gaze for a moment before running from the car, Amy ran ahead, calling for Rory as they went up inside. They found him on the first floor, the device in River's hand beeping rapidly as they got closer to him.
"Doctor." River stopped, holding out an arm to hold back the Doctor and Hanna who were behind her, "Why is it smiling?"
The Doctor didn't say anything for a moment, glancing towards the room they had seen Amy and Rory go into and seeing the small nameplate that was beside the door. 'R. Williams.' "Amy! Rory!" He ran in, "Get out of here. Don't look at anything. Don't touch-" he stopped.
"Who's that?" Amy asked as River closed the door behind them. She was looking through the small rooms to a bed. In the bed an elderly man was sitting up, reaching out towards them.
"Amy..." The man in the bed croaked.
"We should get out of here..." Hanna whispered, half to herself. She looked away as Amy went over to the man in the bed. She didn't want to see this. She didn't want to be around for this. She took one of the earbuds that hung around her neck and put it in her left ear, thumbing the 'play' button on her iPod without removing it from her pocket. She'd rather not watch as the old version of Rory died, having only just seen his wife for the first time in decades. She knew these scene well enough that she didn't have any desire to live through it.
"Would someone please tell me, what is going on?" the young Rory asked, looking from the Doctor and River to Hanna.
The Doctor turned to look at him, "I'm sorry, Rory." He said, "But you just died."
"There are better things to happen, I'll admit," Hanna murmured, still trying to focus more on her music. "Seeing yourself die has to be on the list of crappy things to happen. We should get out of here..."
"This place is run by the Angels." The Doctor said, "Every time you try to leave it, you get zapped back in time."
"And then live to death in a probably not very comfy bed." Hanna added.
"So, the Angels built this place?" Amy asked incredulously.
"Displacing someone back in time creates time energy." The Doctor continued, "And that is what the Angels feed on. But normally it's a one-off, a hit and run. If they could keep hold of their victims, feed off their time energy over and over again... this place is a farm. A battery farm." He pointed at River, "How many Angels in New York?"
"It's like they've taken over every statue in the city," She replied.
"Yeah, the Angels take Manhattan. Because they can. Because they've never had a food source like this one. The city that never sleeps." The Doctor looked out of the window. Thunderous footsteps from outside distracted them all, the entire group as one staring out into the dark Manhattan night.
"What was that?" Rory asked.
"I don't know." The Doctor turned to look at him, "But I think they're coming for you."
"What does that mean?" Rory was clearly terrified. "What is going to happen to me? What physically is going to happen?"
"It means that if they catch you, they'll send you back in time. To this place. To that bed. About 40 years in the past." Hanna pointed towards the room where only moments before they had seen Rory die. "And you will live out the rest of your days here completely alone until we come back and see you die and the whole damn cycle begins again. Because time can't be rewritten once you know what's going to happen to you."
"Okay..." Rory looked around, trying to do what he always did, put a brave face on and hope for the best. "Well, they haven't taken me yet." He clapped his hands once before looking back at them, "What if I just run? What if I just get the hell out of here? Then that never happens."
"They know you're going to try." Hanna said sadly, "But you wouldn't be you if you didn't. Theoretically if you managed to escape then... who knows..." She glanced at River.
"If Rory got out, it would create a paradox." The older woman said slowly as the crashing footsteps continued, "This is the Angels' food source. The paradox poisons the well. It could kill them all. This whole place would literally un-happen."
"It would be almost impossible." The Doctor told them.
"Loving the 'almost,'" River said, folding her arms.
"But to create a paradox like that takes almost unimaginable power." The Doctor continued, "What have we got, hey? Tell me. Come on. What?"
"The girl who waited." Hanna said, "And the last Centurion. And love and hope. And impossible odds." She smiled as Amy went over and took Rory's hand.
"I won't let them take him." Amy said firmly.
"Whatever that thing is, it's getting closer," Rory said, going to look out of the window as the crashing footsteps continued.
"Rory," The Doctor looked at him seriously, "Even if you got out, you'd have to keep running for the rest of your life. They would be chasing you forever."
"Well then." Amy said from the doorway, "Better get started." She opened the door and looked out, faced by a Weeping Angel. "Husband. Run!" Rory glanced at the Doctor and patted him on the shoulder before he and Amy ran from the room.
The Doctor moved over to stand beside River, looking out of the door. There were now two Angels. "River, I'm not sure this can work."
"Husband, shut up." River replied.
"It's the best chance we've got." Hanna said, the three of them quickly leaving the room. The lights flickered and when they turned back on, there was an Angel right in their face. More flickers of light. More Angels coming for them. Wanting to stop them helping Amy and Rory escape. "I bloody hate the Angels..." Hanna muttered as the three of them stood back to back to keep their eyes on the Angels.
"We can't keep doing this." The Doctor said, pointing his sonic at the light to keep it on.
"Any ideas?" River asked.
"Just the usual," he replied. "Run!"
They ran, ending up in the stairwell. Looking over the bannisters they could see Angels above and below them. They were trapped. "Right. Fire escape." The Doctor went through a door to their left, leading them out towards the metal steps on the outside of the building.
Hanna took a deep breath as they emerged onto the roof, knowing what they were about to see. "What the hell are you doing?!" The Doctor shouted, starting to run over to them and then stopping in his tracks.
"Changing the future." Amy replied. She was standing on the very edge of the roof with Rory. They were only looking at one another, Rory's hands at her waist. "It's called marriage." Then they fell, tipping sideways and off the building.
Hanna's heart was in her mouth. She was aware of the Doctor shouting, watched him as he ran to the edge of the roof and looked over. But she couldn't move. Couldn't make herself move. Couldn't make herself watch. She couldn't do anything. She couldn't stop it. She was powerless to do anything as the building around them started to tremble. The building was starting to crackle with temporal energy. Then everything went black.
They were somewhere else. It took Hanna a moment to work out where. "The graveyard..." She murmured, knowing that they weren't out of the woods yet.
"Where are we?" Rory's voice came from nearby.
"Back where we started!" The Doctor exclaimed from beside Hanna, bounding over to Amy and Rory. "You collapsed the timeline. The paradox worked. We all pinged back where we belong."
"Yeah, a graveyard in your universe. That's totally where we belong." Hanna said drily, going over to join them.
"This happened last time." Amy pointed out, "Why always here?"
"Does it matter?" The Doctor asked, too excited, "We got lucky! We could have blown New York off the planet! I can't ever take the TARDIS back, though, the timelines are too scrambled." He took a deep breath, "I could have lost you both." He pulled him into a tight hug, "Don't ever do that again."
"What did... what did we do?" Rory asked. "We fixed it. We solved the problem."
"I was talking to myself," The Doctor smiled at them before kissing them both of the forehead.
"We should get out of here." Hanna said, "Go celebrate everyone not being dead."
"It could do with a repaint." River said as the Doctor and Hanna went back over to the TARDIS.
"I've been busy." He told her, taking one of the sponges she was holding and starting to wash down the TARDIS exterior.
"Does the bulb on top need changing?" River asked.
Hanna laughed and grabbed another sponge, starting to help. "I think she looks great. Though we should move on. It's got to be boring hanging around in a graveyard all day."
"Doctor?" Rory called as he and Amy came over to them, "Look, next time, can we just go to the pub?"
"I want to go to the pub right now!" The Doctor told them, "Aren't there video games there? I love video games."
"Right. Family outing then," River smiled.
As everyone else started to go into the TARDIS, Rory hesitated. He looked down at the gravestone next to him, "Amy," He called. "Come see this."
"What?" Amy asked, moving back over to him.
"There's a gravestone here for someone with the same name as me." He told her.
"No, stop!" Hanna shouted from the doorway, "Just get over to the TARDIS. Now!"
She was too late. She looked over just as Rory vanished, a Weeping Angel standing right behind where he has been just moments ago.
"Doctor?" Amy shouted.
The Doctor pushed past Hanna and out of the TARDIS, stumbling to a halt as he saw the Angel. "Ah..."
"Where the hell did that come from?" River asked, hot on his heels.
"It's a survivor." The Doctor said, taking readings with his sonic, "Very weak but keep your eyes on it."
"Where's Rory?" Amy asked.
The Doctor stepped cautiously closer to the Angel and then turned his head, seeing the grave. "I'm sorry..." He said quietly. "Amelia, I'm so, so sorry."
"No." Amy said, "No, we can just go and get him in the TARDIS."
"We can't..." Hanna said softly, "Rory has been sent back to New York, going to get him would tear the world in two."
"That's not true. I don't believe you." Amy protested, her hurt clear in her voice.
"Mother, it's true." River told her.
"Amy, what are you doing?" The Doctor asked as Amy started to walk towards the Angel.
"The gravestone. Rory's. There's room for one more name, isn't there?" Amy replied.
"What are you talking about? Back away from the Angel." The Doctor moved to take her hand but she pulled out of his grasp, "Come back to TARDIS, we'll figure something out!"
"The Angel..." Amy's voice was choked with tears, "Would it send me back to the same time? To him?"
"Yes." Hanna told her softly. "It will. I know it will."
"You knew all along that this would happen, didn't you?" Amy asked her, still looking at the Angel.
"Aye. I did. And I wanted to change things, I did try... but sometimes the universe wants to go about things its own way. You should go."
"Well then," Amy said firmly, "I just have to blink, right?"
"No!" The Doctor howled.
"It'll be fine. I know it will. I'll be with him. Like I should be." Amy continued. "Me and Rory together." She swallowed, "Melody?"
"Stop it!" The Doctor shouted, "Just, just stop it!"
Hanna went over to stand beside him as River moved to take Amy's outstretched hand, "Amy and Rory are supposed to be together." Hanna said softly, "The girl who waited and the last Centurion."
"You look after him." Amy told River. "And you be a good girl, and you look after him."
"You are creating fixed time." The Doctor tried one last time to stop Amy, "I will never be able to see you again."
"I will be fine." Amy told him, "I'll be with him."
"Doctor, stop..." Hanna said softly, "This is her choice."
"Amy, please." He said, moving towards her.
"Raggedy Man..." Amy swallowed and spun on her heel, "Goodbye." And then she was gone.
The Doctor's wail of anguish as he broke down threatened to break Hanna's heart. She couldn't do anything but watch as he sank to the ground, sobbing. She tore her gaze away from him and looked over at River. The woman was looking determinedly at the Angel in front of them though Hanna knew how much she would be hurting as well. "G-Get him into the TARDIS..." she said as loudly as she could muster, which wasn't very loud at all. "River, get him into the TARDIS. W-We need to be able to stop... to try to think..." She looked over at the Angel in front of them, "I-I'll keep looking at it. Just... get the two of you sorted..." She hated the way her voice trembled. She knew she had to keep trying to be strong for them. It was hard though. She had come to love Amy and Rory like she loved the Doctor and it was breaking her heart to know she would never see them again. "Please, River..." She kept her gaze on the Angel as she heard the movement around them. River getting the Doctor to stand up and taking him into the TARDIS. Hanna's eyes were burning with tears. She needed to clear her vision. She desperately wanted to blink but she couldn't, not until she knew they were safe.
"Come on!" River called to her from the doorway and Hanna took a couple of steps away from the Angel. She blinked. It didn't move. Knowing River was now watching it she turned and ran to the TARDIS, wiping her eyes on her sleeve as she pushed her way inside.
"I-I'm sorry." She murmured, sniffing as she pulled the door closed behind her. The Doctor was sitting on the leather chair on the other side of the room and River was now moving around the console. Silently – almost as though she was mourning as well – the TARDIS dematerialised.
"Wh-Where are we going?" Hanna mumbled, sitting down by the door and resting her head against it as she watched River.
"Well, I have a pressing engagement with people who need my brilliant skills as an archaeologist." River replied, "I'll give you a call if I need you. As for you two..." She looked over at the Doctor, "Maybe a rest? Take a break. Eye of Orion, maybe? I hear that's lovely this time of year."
Hanna smiled and nodded, "That sounds nice," She looked over at the Doctor as well. He was acting as if he hadn't heard them, "Though... I don't know what he's going to want to do."
River nodded and the group lapsed into silence, the only noise being the faint sounds of the TARDIS in flight.
"Put the handbrake on..." Hanna murmured after a moment. "Please... it's too quiet..."
River glanced at her, "Well, if you insist." She pulled a lever and the console room was filled with the familiar wheezing, groaning noise that was so familiar. It helped Hanna to relax slightly. She knew that losing Amy and Rory was an awful thing but hoped that the sound would help slightly.
"Well, this is me." River said as the TARDIS settled as fell silent. She looked over at Hanna and indicated a lever, "Look after him. And pull that to take off again. I've already put in the coordinates."
"Thanks..." Hanna smiled slightly, standing up so she was no longer in the way of the door. "It's been good to meet you, River. Wish it could have been in better circumstances." She stopped, thinking over what she knew was going to happen next. She held a hand out, which River shook, "Look after yourself." She said solemnly, "Just... please be careful."
"You really do know my future." River smiled at her, "I will. And you look after both of you."
Hanna nodded, "Of course. When do I not." She stepped up to the console and turned to watch as River left.
"Where did she say she's put the coordinates for?" The Doctor asked, finally looking up at Hanna as the door to the TARDIS closed behind River.
"Eye of Orion." Hanna replied.
"I don't want to go there." He said, "Too quiet. Let's go back to Earth, find somewhere a bit noisier, eh?"
Hanna shrugged, "Okay. Whatever you want to do." She shrugged, "I'm going to have a shower and get changed. New York is really not good for my general sense of cleanliness." She smiled at him before leaving the room, heading through the familiar corridors to her bedroom. She found some clean clothes and went into the nearest bathroom, showering quickly and getting changed before going back to the console room.
"So when are we going?" She asked as she re-entered the room looking over at him.
He didn't answer straight away, pulling a lever and the TARDIS settled down. "Let's go see." He replied, smiling slightly at her and gesturing towards the door for her to go first. She hesitated before stepping outside the TARDIS, looking around at the snow-covered ground.
"Oh, hang on," His voice beside her made her turn to look at him. "I forgot something. I'll be back in two ticks." He turned away and went back inside.
Hanna smiled slightly, looking back across the snow before the sound of the door closing made her spin on her heel. She put her key in the lock but it wouldn't budge. She banged on the door, "Doctor! Doctor let me in!" She shouted. The TARDIS started to dematerialise, "Please! Please don't shut me out! Please!" She kept banging on the door as it became less and less solid, tears starting to run down her face. "Don't leave me here! D-Don't leave me here alone! I... I don't have anyone else! Doctor!" She sank to her knees. The TARDIS was gone. The park around her was silent. There was only her and her tears.
The sound of a horse drawn coach cut through the silence but she ignored it, her face hidden in her hands as she cried.
People were now moving across the snow towards her, "Are you all right, miss?" A voice asked her.
Hanna frowned slightly and looked up, sniffing, "I... I'm fine. Just..." she swallowed, looking at the three people above her. There was a tall woman with a black veil covering her face, a short rather potato looking man and the young woman who had spoken. "The Doctor dumped me here. Because he's upset and I couldn't do anything to stop something happening." She wiped her eyes on her sleeve.
"Oh you poor girl." The tall woman said from behind her veil, "I am Vastra. This is my wife Jenny and our friend Strax."
Hanna smiled slightly and nodded, "I know. The Paternoster gang. You're friends of the Doctor who helped him at Demon's Run."
"And how, pray tell, do you know about that?" Vastra asked.
Hanna smiled wider, "There's a parallel Earth out there where your lives are just a television show. That's the world I was born on."
"On come on, boy. Do you really expect us to believe that?" Strax cut in, scoffing.
"Well considering I was explaining it to someone who can comprehend more than one gender, yes I do." Hanna snapped at him. "Whether or not you believe it, it's the truth."
"Madam, surely you don't believe such an absurd tale?" Strax turned to Vastra.
The Silurian woman said nothing for a moment before nodding slightly, "As a matter of fact I do. Come on, girl. You can stay with us until the Doctor returns."
"Thanks..." Hanna said softly as Jenny helped her to her feet, "He's upset. Sulking. But he'll snap out of it eventually and hopefully he'll take me back."
"I'm sure he will come to his senses." Vastra replied. "Now, your name."
"Hanna." She said, "Rosehanna MacKay."
"Come with us. We'll get you somewhere warm to stay and more suitable clothing." Vastra said firmly, starting to lead the way back towards the coach, "And no arguments, Strax."
Author's Note: I'm sorry for having to split this up! And for people who mentioned it, I considered saving Amy and Rory. I really wanted to. But it would end up screwing up the entirety of the rest of series 7 and 8. I almost cried reading through this chapter again!
Question time! Please send me any and all questions you may have for Hanna!
Happy-Rea:
'Can you build a house of cards?' No
'What's your lucky number?' 394 :P
'What do you normally pick, noughts or crosses?' Crosses