Chapter 14!

Special thanks to hosslover - No, I was not upset with the length of your review. In fact, I would prefer if everyone's was as long as that - it really made my day, and I appreciate your opinion.

Also thanks to David Tennant Stalker. You've left a review on almost every chapter so far, so thanks!

The Doctor pulled out his hand-held console screen, staring at it sadly. It was the image of the galaxy – the timer now read 12:13:42. He shook his head, frowning, and pocketed it.

Rory had spend the last several hours wondering how he could hold a steady conversation with Amy. Under normal circumstances, he wasn't very good at it, but now, when she seemed moodier than ever, he didn't know if he could even form a sentence. He picked mindlessly at a loose thread on his shirt, feeling at a loss.

All he had to do was walk up. Say something.

Hesitant but determined, he crossed the flat, rocky landscape to where Amy was sitting on a rock, staring at the abysses. Just say something, you dolt. Anything.

"Hi."

Except that.

She looked up slowly, a lost expression on her face, then focused in on him. "Oh, hi Rory."

To his dismay, he didn't hear any interest or happiness in her voice. "Hi, Amy. Er- how are you?"

"How do you think?" she said quietly.

He rubbed the back of his neck, looking down. "Listen, Amy. I didn't mean to sound insensitive or anything when we had that row. It's just... I really don't think we should get involved in this."

"It's the Doctor, Rory. I think we're at the point where his business is ours."

Rory wasn't so sure, but he was so happy that she was even speaking to him he decided not to mention it. "I guess. Still, we don't really know these people."

"We do now," she said with a shrug, and the slightest hint at a smile. "And they're nice, aren't they? I think they appreciate us trying to help."

He smiled and sat down next to her. "I hope you're right. I'm just... lately, Amy, I've been a bit worried about all the time we're spending with the Doctor."

She frowned, meeting his eyes, and seemed genuinely interested. "How so?"

"He seems like a loner to me. I know that he hides things from us, all the time, and I think they might be important things. It's just..."

"What?"

Rory looked at her and caved. "I'm worried about losing you to him."

To his surprise, she tossed her head back and laughed, a loud, raucous laugh that went on for a long time. "Rory, you dolt! You don't think I love you? Is this about that kiss I had with him?" She turned suddenly serious. "Rory, that was nothing. I was just..." She blushed and looked away. "Well, I was worried back then, about getting married. I wasn't sure if it was right. So I went to him for help, and... Oh, forget that. It's gone now. You're not getting out of my sight, mister!"

She laughed again, and he did too, feeling some of his worries wash away. They kissed, and he finally felt himself relax.

Just then Martha came up, looking tired and flustered. "Just came to see... You two have made up, then?"

Amy nodded smiling. "Hey, Martha, sorry about being so hard on you earlier."

Martha's face went blank, and she blinked several times. "What? No, that was nothing. I was being nosy, you were right." She swayed slightly.

Amy's smile was wiped away. "Martha, are you feeling alright?"

"Absolutely fine," she said, and collapsed on the ground.

"She's fine," The Doctor said as he came back into the console room after having put Martha in her bed. "Got dizzy. It must have been the heat."

"I dunno, she's seemed sort of sick to me lately," Rose said.

"Perhaps it's the alien climate?" River suggested.

The Doctor shook his head. "It's not that dramatic of a change here for that." He frowned suddenly. "It probably has nothing to do with..." His frown slid further down his face.

"What?" Rory asked when the Doctor didn't continue.

"Nothing," The Timelord shook his head, as though something irritating was in it.

River walked up to him slowly. "Are you sure there's nothing..."

"No, I'm fine," He moved suddenly and quickly, to the TARDIS console screen. "37:45:10," He read aloud. "Not that long now."

"Sure," Amy said slowly.

"Well, I'm sure you were all busy with something," the Doctor said as he clapped his hands together. "Martha will be okay, no need to worry."

He herded them out the front doors and shut them behind him with a sigh. Once again, almost obsessively, he pulled out the hand-held and glared at it. 11:05:23 stared back at him.

Donna followed the thin, inconvenient passageway. It was pitch black for a long time, and she had nothing to guide her but for running her hands along the bumpy rock walls, which she hated to do in case something bit her. Finally a low orange light began to pierce through the gloom, and the passageway opened into a cavernous room with a thin stream of water pouring out of a crack in the rock.

She looked around for several seconds, unable to find the source of the orange light. Although not knowing where it came from irritated her, it wasn't near as important as getting some water. Donna drank without hesitation from the warm trickle, not caring if the water was poisonous.

After she'd had her fill she sighed in satisfaction and took another glance around the room. The ceiling was incredibly high, at least fifty feet above her, and topped with impressive stalactites. It was the same burning red color as the rest of the caverns. She walked around the massive area and settled down on a relatively flat rock, happy to get some rest.

She stayed there for a while, content to not be moving, until the orange glow was about to drive her mad. She simply had to know where it was coming from.

She stalked the entire room, searched all crevices, but still could not find where it came from. Finally, a good half hour later, she was standing facing the exit when she noted that the walls were slowly getting lighter in color. That could only mean that the light was getting brighter. But how...

Donna turned, saw what was on the wall opposite her, and screamed.

Nice cliffie? Methinks so.