Forest of the Dead: A Tear

"Doctor, these readings!" River looked at the readings, joining him at the terminal, trying her own hand at getting the computer to wake up.

"I know, you'd think it was...dreaming," the Doctor agreed.

"It is dreaming...of a normal life, and a lovely dad, and of every book ever written," Lux sighed.

"Computers don't dream," Anita argued.

"Help me. Please help me."

"No," Lux nodded, "But little girls do," he moved to the side of the room and pushed a lever down, a door opening before them, leading to another room. They ran in, only to stop short, seeing a Node there, like the ones scattered throughout the Library. It turned its top portion, its head, to reveal a little girl, Charlotte's face.

"Please help me," she begged them, "Please help me."

"Oh, my God!" River gaped.

"It's the little girl," Angel frowned, "The girl we saw in the computer."

"Charlotte?" Angel shook her head and looked at Lux for explanation, even the Doctor seemed confused as to what was going on.

"She's not in the computer," Lux corrected gently, "In a way, she is the computer. The main command node. This is CAL."

"CAL is a child!" the Doctor stared, "A child hooked up to a mainframe? Why didn't you tell me this? I needed to know this!"

"Because she's family!"

Angel frowned, "CAL...the C...that's Charlotte isn't it?"

Lux nodded, "Charlotte Abigail Lux, CAL. My grandfather's youngest daughter. She was dying, so he built her a library, and put her living mind inside, with a moon to watch over her, and all of human history to pass the time, any era to live in, any book to read. She loved books, more than anything. He gave her them all. He asked only that she be left in peace. A secret, not a freak show."

"So you weren't protecting a patent," Angel realized, "You were protecting her."

"This is only half a life, of course. But it's forever."

"And then the shadows came," the Doctor said solemnly.

"Shadows," the Node of Charlotte cried, sounding scared, sounding like she was in pain, struggling to do something but weakening, "I have to...I have to save. Have to save..."

"And she saved them. She saved everyone in the Library, folded them into her dreams and kept them safe."

"Then why didn't she tell us?" Anita countered.

"I don't think she can remember she did it," Angel guessed, "There are about 4,000 living minds stuck in her head, taking up space...she..." she frowned, "She doesn't have enough memory left, does she?" she looked at the Doctor.

"No, she doesn't," he said grimly.

"So what do we do?" River got back to point.

"Autodestruct in ten minutes," the speakers reminded them.

"Easy!" the Doctor cried, "But…first things first," he turned to Angel, a solemn look in his eyes, "I'm so sorry," he whispered to her, taking her face in his hands, stroking her cheeks with his thumbs as he rested his fingertips to her temples. He closed his eyes a moment, resting his forehead to hers...before she collapsed into his arms, unconscious, him catching her before she could fall. He gently laid her down on the floor, brushing his knuckles against her cheek, moving his hand to tuck a lock of hair behind her ears, just...taking a moment to gaze at her before determination set in and he jumped up, rushing to a terminal, "We beam all the people out of the data core, the computer will reset and stop the countdown," he frowned, "Difficult, Angel was right, Charlotte doesn't have enough memory space left to make the transfer," before he smiled again, "Easy! I'll hook myself up to the computer and she can borrow my memory space!"

"Difficult!" River countered, growing alarmed with his mood swings, she'd known him a very, very long time, knew him very well, and she'd never seen him like this...seen him with this sort of...desperation and drive motivating him, "It'll kill you stone dead!"

"Yeah, it's easy to criticize," he muttered, not really paying attention to her.

"It'll burn out both your hearts and don't think you'll regenerate!"

"I'll try my hardest not to die. Honestly, it's my main thing."

River froze.

He was lying!

Rule 1, the Doctor lied, all the time. But...she could TELL he was, right then...he was lying. He wasn't going to try at all. And that worried her. What was wrong with him? Why was he so willing...so...determined to die? It made no sense! He did so much in the future, had such a will to live, what had changed? Why would he be so willing to die now? She just...couldn't understand what could make him feel that way.

"Doctor!" she shouted.

"I'm right and this works!" he turned to shoot her a glare, "Now shut up professor Song," she flinched at the formal use of her name, "Now listen, you and Luxy-boy, back up to the main Library. Prime any data cells you can find for maximum download, and before you say anything else, professor, can I just mention in passing as your air, shut up!"

River glared at him for how he kept telling her to shut up, "I hate you sometimes!"

"I don't care!" he snapped, getting back to his work, disregarding her entirely.

"Mr. Lux, with me!" River huffed, storming off, "Anita, if he dies, I'll kill him!"

River and Lux ran out, leaving the Doctor to work frantically as Anita watched him, "What about the Vashta Nerada?"

"These are their forests," he muttered, "I'm gonna seal Charlotte inside her little world, take everybody else away. The shadows can swarm to their hearts' content."

"So you think they're just gonna let us go?"

"Best offer they're gonna get."

"You're gonna make 'em an offer?"

"They'd better take it, 'cos right now, I'm finding it very hard to make any kind of offer at all. You know what..." he turned to her, a hard expression on his face, "I really liked Anita. She was brave, even when she was crying, even when she was afraid and dying and she never gave in. Just like my Mate, she fought and she stayed brave, just like Angel. And you ate her," he soniced her visor to reveal the skeleton beneath, Anita was gone, eaten by the Vashta Nerada, quite a long time ago really, "But I'm gonna let that pass. Just as long as you let them pass."

"How long have you known?" the suit stiffened.

"I counted the shadows," he nearly spat, "You only have one now," he eyed the blinking relay, "She's nearly gone. Be kind."

"These are our forests," the Vashta Nerada hissed, "We are not kind."

"I'm giving you back your forests, but you are giving me them. You are letting them go."

"These are our forests," the Vashta Nerada growled, sending out shadows towards the Doctor, "They are our meat."

"Don't play games with me!" he turned to glare, "You just killed someone I liked, that is not a safe place to stand. And don't even think of going anywhere near Angel!" he added, seeing the shadows reaching for her as well, "I'm the Doctor and you're in the biggest library in the Universe. Look me up."

The shadows paused a moment before withdrawing, seeming to have done just that, "You have one day."

And then the suit collapsed.

"Anita!" River gasped as she ran back in to see the pile of bones and cloth.

"I'm sorry, she's been dead a while now," the Doctor muttered, "I told you to go!"

"Lux can manage without me. But you can't."

"I DON'T need YOU professor Song," he looked at her, showing her the truth in his eyes, making her flinch, making her breath hitch at the words.

He really didn't need her, did he?

As though reading her thoughts, he continued, "The only one I need, the only one I will EVER need, is that girl right there," he pointed to Angel, "My Mate, my Angel. Not you," he stared at her long and hard, "I'm sorry professor Song, but it will never be you."

And with that, he turned back to the terminal.

River swallowed hard, despite his words, despite how they hurt to hear, she couldn't let him do this, "Doctor this will kill you!"

He didn't even look up as he continued working, "Angel's dying," he said, his voice thick with sorrow and a coldness that spoke of fierce determination, a dark note to his voice that spoke of a promise to come, a promise he would see through to the end, "She's going to die, and I'd rather die with her than live without her, not for anyone," he turned to spit that last word out at her, glaring at her.

River blinked, tears in her eyes at his words. It was a slap in the face. She realized that. She knew that he knew, or at least suspected, her intentions with him, the subtle hints of the future she was trying to give him. Trying, and failing, because that man was the most stubborn man in the Universe, human, alien, or otherwise, but he was also the most dedicated, loyal man ever. He was the most loving but that love...

This was the final blow.

This was what she needed to hear to realize just how much the man truly did love Angel.

This was what she needed to hear to realize how much he could never love another.

And how foolish she had been to hope.

"Then this is for her," she nodded, walking over to him and punching him across the face, knocking him out.

~8~

River sat on a large chair, fiddling with wires, the Doctor and Angel handcuffed to a pillar a bit further away, the man slowly regaining consciousness. River watched him carefully as he woke, watched as his eyes immediately sought Angel out, the first thing he did...making sure she was alright. Making sure Angel was alright, never mind her, never mind that she'd punched him and could be doing anything, never mind himself even for having been punched, no, it was Angel.

It was always Angel wasn't it?

Angel blinked blearily, her mind allowing her to wake up as the Doctor's had been knocked out and unable to maintain keeping hers asleep, to the feel of someone touching her face, checking on her. Her eyes opened and she saw the Doctor gazing at her, concerned.

"What happened?" she breathed, reaching out to touch his cheek, seeing a red mark on it from where River had punched him.

The Doctor leaned in, pressing her hand to his cheek, not just the coolness of it relieving the pain in it, but the touch alone spreading a warmth through him. He closed his eyes savoring the feel...

Not even feeling River's eyes, filled with sadness and longing, watching the moment from her chair, reality was a terrible thing to see wasn't it?

"Doctor..." Angel gasped, spotting River over his shoulder, "What's she doing?!"

River nearly laughed bitterly at that, leave it to Angel to spot her first, leave it to the ginger girl to worry and be concerned for her even after the way she'd treated her.

"Autodestruct in two minutes," the speakers warned as the Doctor turned around to see what had alarmed Angel.

"Oh, no, no, no, no, come on, what are you doing?" he shouted as he saw River sitting there, feeling just a bit guilty that he'd forgotten she was even there, forgotten that she'd knocked him out, "That's my job!"

"Oh, and I'm not allowed to have a career, I suppose?" she asked, though there was an...empty quality in her voice. Where it might have been teasing and 'spoilery' it was just...resigned.

"Why are we handcuffed?" the Doctor looked over to see his hand in one end of the cuff, wrapped around a beam to Angel's in the other end in a way that neither of them would be able to easily unwrap it and free themselves, "Why do you even have handcuffs?"

"Spoilers," she replied, though even that was missing the usually flirty tone they'd both come to associate with the woman.

"This is not a joke, stop this now, this is gonna kill you!"

"I'm timing it for the end of the countdown, there'll be a blip in the command flow. That way it should improve our chances of a clean download."

"River! Please! No!"

"Funny thing is," River paused to look at them, at the Doctor, "This means you've always known how I was going to die. All the time we've been together, you knew I was coming here. The last time I saw you, the real you, the future you, I mean, you turned up on my doorstep, with a new haircut and a suit," she swallowed hard, closing her eyes a moment as though debating something, as though seeming upset with herself for having to debate it, "And Angel," she added, opening her eyes to look at them, tears in them, making Angel's own eyes widened at her admission, "You took me to Darillium to see the Singing Towers. Oh, what a night that was! The towers sang, but you both looked so sad."

"Autodestruct in one minute," the speakers called.

"I…I was there?" Angel asked, swallowing hard, scarcely daring to hope...

River took a breath, "Time can be rewritten…I don't know if you will be…I honestly don't," she looked them in the eyes so they could see the truth in them, "You never said anything about an illness before," Angel nodded and looked down, clearly the Angel River knew had never been ill or dying, "You wouldn't tell me why, at Darillium, but I suppose you knew...it was time. My time. Time to come to the Library. You even gave me your screwdriver," she gave a watery laugh, "That should've been a clue," they looked over to where both screwdrivers were lying on top of River's diary.

The Doctor tried to reach them but they were too far away.

"There's nothing you can do," River whispered, but they heard her.

"You can let me do this!" the Doctor shouted, "You can let me save them! Save everyone..."

River stared at him a moment, tears in her eyes when his gaze drifted to Angel, "You really would die for her wouldn't you?" she breathed, looking at Angel, knowing that the 'everyone' was really only Angel, "You love her that much..."

"Of course I love her!" the Doctor glared, momentarily forgetting what they were shouting about, "I love her more than anything."

"Or anyone," River nodded to herself, speaking more to herself than them, with the air of someone seeming to be accepting something they had been fighting hard not to. She closed her eyes and shook her head, "If you die here, it'll mean I've never met you."

"Like you said, time can be rewritten."

"Not those times," she glared, her eyes snapping open, "Not one line! Don't you dare! Because I would rather die here and live through it all than never meet you," Angel blinked, realizing what she'd been trying, in the back of her mind, to will wrong, River most certainly loved the Doctor, "But it's ok," she nodded, "It's ok, it's not over for you. You'll see me again. You've got all of that to come," she turned to Angel, smiling sadly, "And Angel…" she blinked back tears, "If you make it…I just want you to know I'm so, so sorry, for everything. I never realized…" she swallowed hard, glancing between her and the Doctor.

She'd never realized how much they loved each other.

She knew of the Mating process, of course she did, but she'd always thought when one died the other had to regardless of whether they wanted to or not…she never thought the Doctor would choose to die to be with her, that he loved her that much…

"Sorry for what?" Angel shook her head, not understanding, not sure if River was talking about something she had done in the future or just for how she'd treated her in the Library. River had made it seem like she was gone, made it seem like River was close to the Doctor and...she had to be, didn't she? She knew his name!

"You'll find out."

"River, you know my name," the Doctor said, seeming to share the same thoughts and fears.

"Autodestruct in ten..." the computers began to count down.

"You whispered my name in my ear."

"...nine, eight, seven..."

"There's only one reason we would ever tell anyone my name," he glanced at Angel, "There's only one time I could..."

"Hush, now!" she smiled secretly, "Spoilers..."

"...three, two, one..."

River plugged two cables together and a white light blinded them.

~8~

Donna sat on the stairs of her home, when Lee arrived, "Donna?" he rushed to her, seeing her upset, his heart breaking at the sight of seeing his wife so sad, "What's happening?"

"I don't know, but it's not real!" she cried, gripping him as he held her, letting her sob into his chest, "Nothing here is real. The whole world, everything, none of it's real."

"Am I real?"

"Of course you're real, I know you're real," she nodded...when a white light engulfed them, "Oh, God, oh, God, I hope you're real..." he started to drift away from her despite her trying to hold on, disappearing in the light, "I'll find you! I promise you, I'll find you!"

~8~

Mr. Lux stood in the reception area, working on a terminal when a man suddenly asked, "Excuse me…" he looked up, startled, "What happened? How did we get here?"

"Look at you, you're back!" Lux gasped, looking around at the room full of people, 4,022 if he had to guess, well, 4,023 if you counted that ginger woman, "You're all back!" he ran around, hugging people, which earned him quite a few odd looks, "He did it! You're all back. Look at you!" he laughed with delight before turning to walk outside, looking at the planet, "Look at that! Oh look at that, he did it! 4,022 people! Saved!"

~8~

The Doctor and Angel sat in the room, still handcuffed, Angel leaning against the Doctor as they looked sadly at the seat River Song had just sat in. Despite how she'd acted, her spoilers and innuendo, how she'd treated Angel...she HAD saved all those people who had been trapped.

Angel snuggled more into him, tears in her eyes, River...she'd saved the Doctor as well.

And for that, she decided, if River had been talking about something she would do in the future...she'd forgive her for whatever that might be, for whatever River might have done/would do to her in the future, if she still had that future.

No matter what, she'd forgive her.

~8~

Donna walked through the crowd in the little shop of the Library, and over towards the Doctor and Angel, "Please be patient," the teleporter was instructing, "Only three can teleport at a time. Do not state your intended destination until you arrive in..."

"Did you find him?" Angel looked at her, but Donna shook her head, "I'm sorry Donna," she reached out to put a hand on Donna's arm, "I wish I could help."

Donna smiled at her, patting her hand for that. As soon as she had found them, handcuffed, and used the Doctor's sonic thingy to get them free, she'd told them about Lee. Angel had tried to sense the man for her, tried so hard, to the point where even the Doctor could feel her headache and made her stop.

"There wasn't even anyone called Lee in the Library that day," Donna reassured her, "Suppose he could have had a different name out here, but let's be honest, he wasn't real, was he?"

"He might have been," Angel tried to reassure her as well.

"Nah," Donna shook her head, sighing, "I made up the perfect man. Gorgeous, adores me, and hardly able to speak a word. What's that say about me?"

"Everything," the Doctor mumbled, distracted as he tried to figure out who River Song was to him and to Angel and how he could have told River his name while Angel was still there and how the Angel River knew hadn't been ill but HIS Angel was and...then he realized what he'd said, "Sorry, did I say 'everything?' I meant to say 'nothing.' I was aiming for 'nothing,' I accidentally said 'everything.'"

"Stand right in the middle of the teleport, please," another round of readers made their ways onto the teleports, "Keep your hands and feet inside at all times."

"What about you?" Donna looked at them.

"And remember to switch off your mobile comm. unit."

"Are you alright?"

"We're always alright," Angel's smile fell, clearing her throat as it went hoarse a moment.

"Is 'alright' special Time Lord code for...'really not alright at all?'"

"Why?" the Doctor looked at her.

"'Cos I'm 'alright,' too," she said.

"Come here," Angel turned to her and hugged her tightly, the Doctor watching on with a small smile.

"Come on," he nodded to the side as Angel took Donna's hand following him as he led them away.

Just as they rounded a corner, Lee stepped onto the middle of the teleport, spotting Donna but unable to call out with his stutter in time.

~8~

The Doctor put River's diary on the ledge they'd stood at before as Angel hesitated putting the sonic on top.

"That woman..." Donna started carefully, "Professor Song...she knew you in the future, but...I don't think she knew me. What happens to me?" she turned to Angel, "Because when she heard my name, the way she looked at me..."

Angel frowned, "I can't sense you anymore," she said sadly, "I didn't even realize you hadn't arrived in the TARDIS. I'm so sorry Donna. I don't know."

She smiled, "Not your fault," she put her arm around the woman in comfort, she knew it had been Angel's largest fear to be unable to sense her or the Doctor, to keep them safe, it must be killing the girl for it to be starting to happen.

"This is her diary," the Doctor looked down at the book, "Our future. I could look you up. What do you think? Shall we peek at the end?"

"No," Angel shook her head.

She...didn't want to know. She knew that...some version of her, an alternate version perhaps, was in River's future. But she didn't want to read about a girl who wasn't her, a healthy her who survived. The...the worse she got, the more she felt and feared that...she wouldn't make it. And she didn't want to see reminders or hopes of a future she might not have.

"Spoilers, right?" Donna asked.

"Right," he nodded. They looked at each other and turned to leave, when Angel looked down at the sonic, still in her hand, "Come on. The next chapter's this way."

~8~

"When you run with the Doctor, it feels like it will never end," River said, "But however hard you try, you can't run for ever. Everybody knows that everybody dies, and nobody knows it like the Doctor. But I do think that all the skies of all the worlds might just turn dark, if he ever, for one moment accepts it."

~8~

"Doctor…" Angel called, making him turn back. She simply held out the sonic to him, she may not be able to sense much anymore, but this was the Doctor's sonic…there was something telling her there was more to it than they could see, just like him.

"Why?" he muttered as he took it from her, something sparking in him, "Why would I give her my screwdriver? Why would I do that? Thing is, future me had years to think about it, all those years to think of a way to save her," and he knew he would, because, that version of him, had had Angel with him, and Angel would have wanted him to do all he could to save the woman, and, he supposed, the woman had saved Angel as well by doing what she'd done, so he could try to save her as well, "And what he did was give her a screwdriver. Why would I do that?" he popped open a part of it to reveal a relay blinking, "Oh! Oh! Oh, look at that! I'm very good!"

"What have you done?" Donna called.

"He saved her," Angel smiled, putting a hand on his arm, "Go."

He looked at her a moment before nodding and running across the Library trying to reach the computer core before it was too late, "Stay with me! You can do it, stay with me! Come on, you and me, one last run! Sorry, River, shortcut!" he used the sonic to disable the gravity platform and jumped down.

~8~

"Everybody knows that everybody dies. That everything, all things, must die...but not every day."

~8~

The Doctor ran across the room and lunged, plugging the screwdriver into the computer and smiled at CAL.

~8~

"Not today."

~8~

River appeared in the virtual world in front of the hospital where Dr. Moon and Charlotte were standing, "It's ok," Charlotte told her, "You're safe. You'll always be safe here. The Doctor fixed the data core. This is a good place now. But I was worried you might be lonely. So I brought you some friends. Aren't I a clever girl?" she smiled, that ginger girl was right, she was VERY clever.

"Aren't we all?" Evangelista called.

River spun around to see Evangelista, the Daves, and Anita walking towards her, all wearing lovely white clothes, alive, in a way, once more "Oh, for heaven's sake!" she shook her head, "He just can't do it, can he? That man, that impossible man! He just can't give in," she ran over and hugged them all.

~8~

"Some days are special. Some days are so, SO blessed. Some days, nobody dies at all. Especially when the Angel's there."

~8~

The Doctor walked back to the TARDIS, stopping and snapping his fingers as the doors opened. He smiled and walked in to where Donna and Angel were standing by the console. He stepped beside Angel, putting an arm around her waist before turning to the doors and snapping his fingers again, watching as they closed.

~8~

"Now and then, every once in a very long while, every day in a million days, when the wind stands fair, and the Doctor comes to call...everybody lives."

~8~

River closed the TARDIS-book and gave a goodnight kiss to Charlotte as she laid in a third bed in the room with Angela and John, "Sweet dreams, everyone," she breathed, switching off the lights.

~8~

"You don't have to do that," the Doctor said as he watched Angel work on something on the console as he sat in the captain's chair, "You should go rest."

Donna had gone to bed ages ago but Angel had stayed back, he'd stayed with her, almost knowing what was coming despite not being psychic, and wanting to be there for her, keep her from wearing herself out.

"I won't be able to sleep," she murmured, "And besides…I'm rather useless now, this is all I can do."

He stood up and walked over to her, taking a small cutting device she'd been using for the wires from her hand and setting it down, taking her cold hands and turning her to face him, "You aren't useless."

"I can't sense anything anymore," Angel said, tears coming to her eyes, "I couldn't save any of them and I should have. I should have sensed Evangelista walking away, Donna getting trapped…but I didn't. I…I could barely sense you when Dave wanted to attack. That was the only thing I was any use for, sensing problems and stopping them before they happen, and I can't anymore…" he pulled her to him as she started crying, holding her tightly. She sniffled as he held her, "The only thing I can do besides that is fix TARDISes," she swallowed, "Not like River..."

The Doctor pulled back sharply and grabbed her shoulders gently but firmly, looking her dead in the eye, "It doesn't matter at all who River MIGHT be. Not to me. YOU are my Mate Angel, YOU. And I'm not ever going to find another one. And I don't need to be a precog to know that."

"But we can't even finish the process. You could always…"

"No," he cut in, not even wanting to entertain that thought, "YOU are my Mate. My ONLY Mate. EVER. I don't want another one. I won't, no matter what. Because I LOVE you and only you, forever," he leaned forward and kissed her deeply, pouring all his feelings and promises into it, leaving no doubt in her mind at all that what he promised was real, "We'll find a way to make sure you regenerate," he promised her as well, pulling her into a hug, "Remember, two Time Lords are better than one. You've saved so many people, let me save you."

She nodded into his shoulder, breathing in his scent as he held her.

"Thank you," she murmured into his arm.

"For what?" he asked, absently rubbing soothing circles into her back.

"Being so calm," she snuggled into him, making him smile though she couldn't see it, "I know you were upset with River and..."

"And how she treated you like you were dirt?" he cut in, a faint growl in his voice, his arms tightening around her, only making her smile a bit at how he got so defensive of her.

"How she was a bit rude at times," she countered.

He let out a breath and rested his head on her chin, leave it to her to not make it as bad as it really was, just so he wouldn't get angry all over again. He squeezed her, "I know you get upset when I shout at people, and I know your head was hurting you more than you were letting on. I didn't..." he swallowed, "I didn't want to be a cause for making you feel worse. Shouting and getting all worked up and irritated would have upset you and the shouting wouldn't have helped your head," he dropped a kiss onto it for good measure, "I won't do anything to hurt you Nella. Not ever."

She smiled, touched he'd been so calm, even when she knew he was bursting inside, for her sake, "I know," she whispered, just...letting him hold her, she felt safe, she always felt safe, because she knew it was true, the Doctor would never ever hurt her, he'd never let anything hurt her either.

A/N: I just have to start by saying thank you guys! You are all so great, and I count myself as so lucky to have readers like you. Your reviews made me feel much better about everything that had happened with my mother, and it was truly a good omen because my mom seemed to calm down and apologized to me :) So it was a good day all around, but it started with YOU :)

And, now, onto the chapter...Awww, Doctor! :') He is just SO sweet! And how about that, River DID know Angel, Angel WAS there in the future, but like I said, according to River, that Angel was never sick and she IS sick now. Time being rewritten? Wibbly wobbly, timey wimey eh? }:) BUT! SO MANY more questions right? Why wouldn't River have told them Angel was there in the future? Why was she acting so cold to Angel? If Angel was somehow there...how does the Doctor tell River his name? Why would he...or, why did he? Makes no sense does it? Well...I know... }:)

How amazing did this work out, you get the last of River, and a sneak peek, AND the teaser for the specials :) Now, this isn't a promise that I'll continue, but I did say if we ever hit 500 that I'd give a teaser, so, if I continue, here's what it would be :)

Angel's powers will grow stronger...but will SHE be strong enough to handle them?

Hmm...not the best teaser I've given, and I can promise the teaser I had in mind for Series 5 is...scary, but anyway, on to the sneak peek :)

~8~

"Ah," Angel fell to the ground with a grunt, having tried to get up and failed, so weak she could barely push herself up from where she'd fallen, managing to do so only by getting herself onto her knees, holding her stomach as her face scrunched in pain.

The Doctor quickly ran to her side, scanning her with the sonic, knowing that this couldn't be good. Angel had always tried to hide how bad she felt, but this…this was hurting her more than ever before. He blinked, staring at the sonic in horror, "Your liver's shut down completely, your kidneys are close," he swallowed hard, "And your lungs are…" he couldn't even bring himself to finish, tears filling his eyes.

~8~

Won't say when this little peek is coming }:) I'm not sure if we'll make it to another sneak peek before the end of this story, there's only 4 episodes/12 chapters left (OMG!), if we make it to another one, even if I don't continue the story, I'll still give a sneak peek of the first 'episode' for the specials, The Next Doctor, just because it's only fair :)

Some notes on reviews...

That's a brilliant explanation for why the Doctor tells River his name, by her knowing it, she's forcing/making him tell her later :) Won't say if that'll be the twists I have for it in the stories, but that's a fantastic reason for the show! :)

I can say that, while it is heartbreaking, IF I continued the story, I did have moments where the events here, Angel dying, were talked about with other companions so they do talk about it. But that's an awesome theory :)

Lol, I'm sorry I'm breaking your heart :( I hate to say it but...we've got Midnight next, and that's a...emotional episode :( BUT! There's a sleepover at the end of it :) ...but that also gets a bit emotional too...yeah...I think we should just assume the rest of the story will just be getting more heart breaking...sorry! :)

Lol, I think a lot of people wish River would get eaten by the Vashta Nerada by now too, hopefully she made up for it just a bit here :)

I can say that, if I continue, the River we see in Series 5/6/7 might just shock you a little bit }:) But that's all I'll say about that :) And that's ok, it seems like everyone's got their own favored Time Ladies so it's cool if Angel isn't your favorite :)

I know! Rory is SUCH a big reason why I really want to continue the story. We'll just have to see how it goes :)

Oh the Doctor and the Master...not saying how that reunion would/might go :)

My 4th Time Lady is still in the works yup :) I'm not sure if she'd be that extreme in her feelings for humans, I see her as having a more, 'I'll do anything I can to protect them if it means the Doctor never has to set foot on Earth again to save it' sort of thing. I think she gets a bit frustrated with them, but is also impressed with them at times :) But that's a great idea for a Time Lady, you should definitely write a story like it, I'm sure it'd be great :)

And Happy Birthday to Ali! I hope you have a fantastic day! :)