The Rejection of River Song: What's Happening?

Angel came around on a slightly rocking train she recognized as the Orient Express, a ceiling fan lazily spinning above her from where she was lying on a small cot, "The Government has again apologized for extensive radio interference caused by solar flare and sun spot activity," a radio was saying in the background.

She groaned just a bit and sat up on her elbows, looking over at Amy as she leaned in the doorway of the office compartment, still in her black suit and eye patch, "Amy?"

"Those stun guns aren't fun, I'm sorry," she apologized, "I wanted to avoid a long conversation. You need to get up though, we'll be in Cairo shortly."

Angel eyed her a moment longer before glancing around the room, seeing various sketches of their adventures in the TARDIS, of the Doctor, her, Daleks, the Pandorica, the pirates, Silurians, and more before something on the small desk table caught her eye. She stood up and walked over, picking up a small model TARDIS lying there. She smiled at it and looked at Amy, "Amy?"

Amy sighed, "You know it's really annoying that you're psychic, the Doctor would have been freaking out trying to get me to 'remember' him."

Angel just smiled, "Like a chicken with his head cut off yeah?"

Amy laughed and eyed her, "You look rubbish."

"Well you look lovely," she hugged her.

"I've got something for you," Amy pulled away, moving to a small cupboard and pulling out a TARDIS blue tunic-style dress and black cowboy boots, holding them up to her.

"Well," Angel eyed them as she took them from Amy, "As the Doctor would say, Geronimo."

~8~

Angel stood before Amy dressed in her typical outfit, her hair pulled half-up, half-down as it always was. Amy sat down at the desk in the back of the room as Angel looked around, "Why have you got an office on a train?"

"Aren't you supposed to be psychic?" Amy countered, a small frown on her face, that would have been something she thought Angel would have been able to sense.

She shook her head, "Hard to see the future when all time is happening at once," Amy nodded, that made sense, "And also…that eye patch…" she shook her head, it reminded her too much of Kovarian and the other operatives of the Silence, it worried her.

"It's not an eye patch. Time's gone wrong. Some of us noticed. There's a whole team of us working on it even Donna! She's trying to round up Jack and the others but..." she hesitated a moment, "They, um, it doesn't seem like they remember. Torchwood, UNIT, and Sarah Jane are all trying to figure it out themselves. They...know something happened to time but...they don't remember me, they don't trust me," she looked at Angel, hoping she hadn't upset the Time Lady by telling her her family had basically forgotten her...again.

Angel though just nodded sadly, "It makes sense..." she looked at Amy, knowing the girl remembered because of the crack on her wall, "We'll sort it all out and they'll be just fine again."

Amy smiled at her optimism and got up, walking over to her to give her another large hug, "I've missed you!"

Angel hugged her back tightly, "Where's Rory?" she asked pulling away.

"My husband Rory, yeah?" Amy moved and picked up a sketch that was sitting on her desk, "That's him, isn't it? I've no idea, I can't find him. I love him very much, don't I?"

Angel smiled at the sketch, Amy's interpretation of her husband which made Rory out to be a very strong, confident, masculine man...which she knew he was, it was so touching to see his inner strength coming out to Amy's memory, the man deserved to be seen that way, "Very much," she nodded.

"I have to keep doing this. I have to keep writing and drawing things. It's just so hard to keep remembering..." she leaned on the desk.

"It's not your fault, Amy," Angel put a hand on Amy's arm, "Something happened to time..." she eyed the girl, "Do you remember what?"

"The lakeside…"

She nodded, "Lake Silencio, Utah. I, um...died."

"But then you didn't," Amy's face scrunched as she tried to picture it, "I remember it twice, different ways."

Angel nodded again, so it was exactly the crack in her wall that was letting her do it. It was just like how she'd remembered two versions of her own life, with her parents and without. She understood that was why Torchwood and UNIT and Sarah Jane didn't remember but Donna did. That part of HER that had gotten to Donna must have protected her mind much like she'd been protected from the Master turning everyone into himself. She didn't doubt Donna would be able to get through to Jack, Martha, Mickey, and Sarah Jane, but...she didn't have to be psychic to know she wouldn't do it in time.

"Because it did happen twice, two ways. It's like...two different versions of the exact same event happening at once...it was too much, split time in half and now it's just...falling apart," she looked out the window, at the desert, "Everything, every event in history, is happening at the same time."

"Does it matter? I mean can't we just stay like this?"

She shook her head sadly, "It's not like it's stuck Amy, it's not like it's on a loop. It'll keep going, all those events still happening the same way, battles and wars in the same spots, but from different times?" she looked back at Amy, "It'll cause disintegration. Maybe not right now but...it'll spread, Earth will be the epicenter and it'll spread, like a virus, among the stars until, eventually, the whole of reality will just...fall apart."

Amy swallowed hard, that didn't seem good did it?

"What can we do?" Amy asked her.

But before Angel could answer, there was a knock on the door and a soldier leaned in, wearing an eye patch. Angel smiled, seeing Rory, "Ma'am, we're about to arrive," he told Amy, "Eye drives need to be activated as soon as we disembark."

"Good point," Amy nodded, "Thank you, Captain Williams."

"Hello," Angel called, giving him a little wave, "I'm Angel."

Rory looked at her a moment, a frown starting to come to his face as he eyed her, seeming like he was trying to place where he might have seen her before, when he blinked and shook his head, "Hello, ma'am. Pleased..." he shook his head, "Nice to meet you."

Angel smiled widely at that, at the little slip that told her the Rory who knew her might be in there somewhere, "Nice to meet you too."

"Captain Williams, best of the best, couldn't live without him," Amy told her.

As Rory turned and walked away, Angel looked back at the sketch, "You really couldn't."

"What?" Amy looked at her, not having heard her as she'd been watching 'Captain Williams' disappear down the hall.

"Amy..." Angel put the sketch down, "You'll definitely find Rory again, I promise," she crossed her hearts.

"I thought you said you weren't psychic right now," Amy eyed Angel suspiciously.

"I'm not," Angel reassured her, "But he's closer than you think," she glanced at the door, "You need to look though."

"I am looking."

"Not hard enough."

"Why are you older?" Amy asked, eyeing her a moment, not wanting to talk about Rory any longer, it...hurt...a lot to know that Rory was out there and she hadn't found him yet, she was worried and scared and she just...didn't want to think about everything that could happen to him, "If time isn't really passing, then how can you be aging?"

"Because time IS passing for me," Angel sighed, pushing off the desk to walk away a few feet, "You remember the cracks? How they were the result of something exploding?" she turned to Amy to see her frown and nod, "The TARDIS was the epicenter of it. And..." she swallowed hard, "I'M the epicenter for this one. I'm what's gone wrong."

"What's wrong with you?" Amy shook her head, not following.

Angel closed her eyes a moment before opening them again, solemn, "I'm not dead."

~8~

The train rode along a trestle that took it directly into a pyramid painted with an American flag on the side labeled 'Area 52' with a spire on top of it.

~8~

Rory led the way down a narrow set of stairs into the pyramid as Angel looked at the eye patch in her hands closely, "You have to put it on, ma'am," Rory called to her, seeing her hesitate to wear it.

"It's Angel, not ma'am," she told him with a smile, having repeated it for what must have been the tenth time in two minutes before looking at Amy, "Why do you need these eye patches for anyway?"

"It's not an eye patch," Amy replied.

"It's an eye drive, ma'am," Rory added.

"Angel," Angel cut in.

"It communicates directly with the memory centers of the brain," Rory continued, "Acts as external storage."

"Only thing that works on them," Amy remarked, "Because no living mind can remember these things," she gestured to the side where a Silent was standing.

Angel frowned as she looked at the containment room they'd entered. It was like a room with these chambers in the walls, full of Silence suspended in some sort of fluid.

"The Silence," Rory added, "We've captured over 100 of them now, all held in this Pyramid."

Angel walked up to one of them, eyeing it, "We've met them before, the lot of us," she murmured, "Drove the Doctor mad not knowing what they looked like at first…"

The Silent tilted its head to look at her, its eyes narrowing.

"Put your eye drive on and you'll retain the information," Amy told her, "But only as long as you're wearing it."

Angel looked back at them, recalling Kovarian once more, "The Silence...their operatives all wear those patches."

"They'd have to."

"This way," Rory called, leading them through the room, the Silence all watching Angel as she passed, the Time Lady putting on the patch. Rory frowned, seeing how intently the Silence were moving to watch her go, "They seem to be noticing you."

"Yes, they do," Angel remarked softly, they would.

She had feared that the Silence might be at the lake, as they clearly had something to do with it all. So...she'd fixed the Chameleon Circuit on the TARDIS. She'd needed to make sure that, IF the Silence were there...that they knew SHE was the only one who had come to the lake, that the Doctor was somewhere else, not with her, not able to GET to her. Fixing the Circuit was all she could think of to prove that as the Doctor would NEVER have let that happen, have let them go anywhere but in a blue police telephone box. She hated to do it, because she did love the old girl just how she was...but she needed something BIG to prove to whoever might be watching that she had come alone.

And now she knew, for sure, that the Silence had been at the lake, Amy's remark of seeing someone out there made sense. The Silence had been there to watch, to make sure that the deed was done and finished this time, that Melody/River wouldn't fail again. She hoped that, when this was resolved and time picked up once more, that the Silence wouldn't remember the Doctor's interference.

"So why aren't the Human Race killing them on sight anymore?" Amy asked her.

Angel winced at that reminder, she knew it was something the Doctor regretted even more now that he remembered her, that he'd let himself be so influenced by River as to do that, to commit genocide once more, "That was a different reality now," she glanced at the tanks, "Why do you have them in tanks?"

"They can draw electricity from anything, it's how they attack," Rory explained, "The fluid insulates them…" he frowned, watching as a Silent looked right at Angel, almost angrily, and felt a strange wave of protectiveness surge in him, "And I don't like how the way they're looking at you," he moved closer to her, almost stepping in front of her to block the Silent's gaze.

Angel gave him a small smile at the action, "Me neither."

Rory nodded and turned to Amy, "Ma'am, I'm sure it's nothing, but I should check it out. They haven't been this active in a while," he turned to the soldiers that had accompanied them, "You two, upstairs, check all the tank seals. Then the floors above, get everyone checking."

"Sir!" the soldiers saluted before leaving.

"You go ahead, Ma'am."

"Thank you, Captain Williams," Amy nodded, "Angel, this way," she turned and headed off with Angel following as Rory checked the tanks.

"Captain Williams…" Angel remarked, "Do you know his first name?"

"Captain," she replied, "Just through here."

Angel shook her head at that a moment, Amy reminded her of Donna a bit, not quite seeing the whole picture or the reason for the questions, "Could you give me a mo?" she asked, "I just want to thank Captain Williams properly," she put a hand on Amy's arm, signaling for her to wait as she turned back to dash off.

"We're in," Amy said into a speaker on her lapel, "She's on her way."

Angel walked over to Rory as he looked at the seals on the tanks, "It always happens like this for us, doesn't it?" she asked him, "The loyal ones, standing in front of them, waiting to be noticed."

"Sorry, ma'am?" Rory glanced at her.

"Angel," Angel corrected, before leaning against the wall, "You know, you should ask Amy to dinner one day. I think she likes you. She said so even."

"Really, ma'am?" Rory looked closer at the tank, trying to play off his desire to know as disinterest, "What did she say?"

"If only you knew…" Angel smiled.

Rory frowned, "What exactly what did she say?"

"I'll tell you...if you promise to stop calling me ma'am, Rory," Angel smiled, seeing his eye widen in shock that she knew his first name, though...having been briefed by Amy about the Angel's abilities, he shouldn't have been so surprised. She waited till he gave her a nod of agreement, before continuing, "She said…" she paused, not really wanting to lie, and smiled, "That there were some men who, once you get to know them, turn into the most beautiful people they've ever met…and that's you, to her."

Rory blinked and looked at her, startled and touched and hopeful, "She…she really said that?"

"Once," she nodded.

Rory was silent a moment before nodding, "See you in a moment, ma..." he caught himself, "Angel."

"Be careful Rory," she nodded and headed back to Amy.

"Come on, Angel," Amy called, seeing the Time Lady returning, "Time for you to meet some...old friends."

~8~

"Attention, all personnel," Rory called into the speakers, "Attention all personnel. Please check all assigned containment units."

Amy led Angel into a large open chamber, the base of the unit, the King's Chamber of the Great Pyramid. Angel stopped dead when she spotted a woman in a white lab coat speaking to someone, clearly the one in charge, "You were right. Just her presence in the building caused the loop to extend by nearly four chronons!" the woman gestured to a digital clock as it flickered between 5:02:57 and 5:02:58.

However, that wasn't at all what had made her stop, really it was two things. In the center of the room was Madam Kovarian, tied to a chair, with her arms behind her back, River standing beside her, her arms also appearing bound before her in handcuffs. And the second…was the person the woman was speaking to…

The Doctor turned around and looked at her a moment, "You're late. That's a first."

Angel's mouth dropped open, slowly shaking her head as she stared at him with wide eyes, "How…" that was all that came out of her.

"I heard you," he told her, not making a move to get closer to her though he seemed to be shaking from the effort of it, "I heard you call goodbye to me and I knew something was wrong," he shook his head, "Luckily for me the museum had a small collection of Vortex Manipulators in stock, so I snagged myself one and went after you," and then he seemed to grow a bit angry, "And after I saved you I ended up back in the museum and, guess what, the Manipulators don't work when time isn't working…but I had the sonic, it picked up a distress call sent out to the Universe all the way from Earth, and do you know what it said?" she shook her head, not sure if he was angry with her or the situation or both, "'Please help, the Angel is in danger,'" he shook his head, blinking, feeling tears in them, everything was getting to him, "How could I ignore that? So I followed it here, across the galaxies, to this base, to try and help you…" he stormed over to her, "So tell me, what is going on?!"

"The death of time," Kovarian smirked behind him, "The end of time. The end of us all…"

"Shut up!" the Doctor spat at her, in no mood, he wanted answers and he wanted them now. He turned to Angel once more, "What danger, Angel? What is there that you still aren't telling me?"

It was killing him to not know.

Did she have any idea what it felt like? To be dashing through the museum, happy as he could be given the fact they hadn't found Ayla yet, thinking they were playing a game, thinking Angel was right behind him...and then to hear THAT! To hear her say goodbye...he'd panicked! He'd run straight back to where the TARDIS had been, HAD BEEN, to see it was gone, and not even on invisible. The sonic told him the box wasn't anywhere IN the museum and had grabbed a Vortex Manipulator, broken a glass case around them, nabbed one as the guards ran at him. He'd soniced it to pick up the TARDIS signal and teleported there...right in time to see her standing at a lake, her head bowed, River, Amy, Rory, and an old man watching...as the astronaut suit they'd encountered earlier lifted its arm.

And he'd seen it, the blaster affixed to it its arm...and bolted.

He'd run faster than he EVER had before...till he'd crashed into her just in time. He hadn't even had time to try and keep her from hitting the ground first, to twist so that HE hit it with her on top of him, he just HAD to get her out of the way of the blast! He'd rolled over, catching a glimpse of River within the suit, before he turned to Angel...and then...

White.

Just white...

And then nothing and everything all at once.

"Angel..." he continued, trying to be very, VERY calm, but...all his mind went to was what he'd learned after bringing Amy-O to Torchwood. Angel had sworn that she didn't feel that way anymore, but...had she been lying to him? What else was she there? Why else would she just stand there and let River KILL her?!

Angel though, just looked away, unable to tell him, unable to admit to the secret she'd kept for over 200 years.

He'd opened his mouth to ask her again...when Amy cleared her throat. He looked up to see her gesturing at one of the computers stationed beside her. He frowned, seeing a picture of Angel, wearing the blue Stetson and black vest he'd left her in the museum wearing. But there was information beside it...information that made his hearts freeze and his blood run cold.

Her death date.

The time and location that the Vortex Manipulator had taken him to, at the lake and he realized...she hadn't been trying to kill herself, but she had been letting herself be killed...because...it said 'Fixed Point' below it.

His eyes widened as his breath caught in his throat, "No…" he whispered, shaking his head as he turned back to Angel, "No!" he grabbed her arm, wanting her to tell him herself that it wasn't true...when time suddenly resumed.

The scientist's eyes widened as the clock moved to 5:03, "It's moving. Time's moving!"

The Doctor, however, heard none of this, because, for one brief moment he was back in the museum, grabbing a Vortex Manipulator and strapping it to his arm...

The Doctor pulled away with a gasp, now back in the pyramid once more. He looked at Angel, stunned at what had happened, horrified because he knew why time had resumed only when he'd touched her.

"We're the opposite ends of the disruption," Angel said softly, tears in her eyes as she looked at him, "I was meant to die and you altered it. If we touch, the time differential is shorted out and time can begin again."

"And you'll die," he breathed, his hearts breaking at the thought, every single instinct inside him telling him that was wrong, that was SO wrong, his MATE was NOT meant to die, he had to protect her, he had to keep her alive and save her...it was blocking out every single instinct he had as a simple Time Lord, that time was wrong and should be fixed.

All he saw was his Mate would be killed if he so much as touched her.

"And time won't fall apart," she shook her head, "Reality will heal. There isn't another way Doctor. It was a Fixed Point!"

"But how is your death a fixed point?" he breathed, still too stunned to truly process what that meant or why she was pushing this so much. She HAD to know what her death would do to him, she had never...she'd never want anyone else to suffer, and that was what she'd be condemning him to do. It...it didn't make sense!

"You can't hear it," she whispered.

"Hear what?"

"The song," she murmured, "I keep hearing it, over and over...different versions, but they all mean the same thing."

"What song?!" he demanded, wanting answers now. He'd been patient, SO patient, for her, 200 years of patience, and he knew he could go longer, he could go forever if it meant helping her. But THIS? This was NOT helping her, this was condemning her to DIE!

He realized now, why Amy, Rory, and a future River had seemed so startled to see Angel in the diner, so relieved and upset at the same time. The devastation in Rory's eyes alone alerted him to exactly what they'd witnessed before they'd met the Ponds in the diner. The time, the place...different times from the invitations he'd received to the time that Angel had nearly died...they'd seen her die. And the devastation...their reaction...going on that...she HADN'T regenerated, she'd really and truly died. How could he be patient when Angel's LIFE was on the line?!

Angel bit her lip a moment...when Kovarian began to speak, "'Tick tock goes the clock, she cradled him and kept him well. Tick tock goes the clock, till River kills the Angel,'" she laughed as the Doctor glared at her, "And the best part is, it was meant to be you, Doctor, who died at the lakeside."

The Doctor's mouth nearly dropped open in confusion, "What?" he whispered, praying this didn't mean what he thought it meant...that Angel had taken his place.

Kovarian grinned, "It was meant to be you, Doctor," she repeated, "YOU were the entire reason our order was created, to stop you, to put an end to the danger you and your secrets bring on the Universe. But in the end, all it took was one decision to alter the fixed point from you," she gave him a look and then over it to Angel, "To her."

The Doctor's eyes widened as his gaze traveled to River. As soon as he had seen her in the pyramid with Amy and Rory, he had ordered her handcuffed for the simple fact that she had been in the astronaut suit, she had been the one killing Angel whether willingly or unwillingly…but now he realized, she had been all too willing. She had apparently agreed to this. She had decided and chosen to kill Angel instead of him and because of that…Angel's death was now a fixed point in time.

His Mate's death.

Amy and Rory, though they didn't know it was Rory then, had been confused as to why he was ordering River restrained, till he'd revealed she was in the suit. Rory hadn't had a clue what they were talking about, not sure what that had to do with anything, but Amy had reacted with shock and horror. Both of them had believed that River's 'murdering' someone had already been done in Berlin. Angel had literally died for a few seconds before the antidote had managed to work, River HAD killed her. But...now they both realized how WRONG they'd been. RORY had realized it first, had asked about River's murdering someone in the future, had been more realistic than hopeful like he and Amy had been...and this Rory didn't even remember that.

He looked at River once more, "But killing her would mean killing me."

River just smiled at him, "I knew you'd show up either to save her or to find me. You'd fight the Mating killing you tooth and nail till you could confront me," she smirked, "And by then you'd be too weak to really stop me from slipping this," she lifted her hands, revealing the Dampening Bracelet on her wrist, "Bio-coded to me, onto you. That way, only I could take it off you."

The Doctor glared at her, utterly disgusted by her obsession with him and disregard for Angel. It was...completely terrifying how...similar she and Angel were but yet SO different! Angel had once done the same, bio-coded something to her so that only SHE could take it off and to save him just like River intended...but Angel...she'd nearly killed herself to do it! She'd taken in the Vortex, nearly killed herself, nearly burned out both her hearts, and even then...she hadn't killed anyone else to do it! Not even the Daleks, their worst enemies ever, she hadn't been able to kill them in her quest.

Yet here River was...willing to kill Angel, to 'save' him, willing to force him to live on after the death of his Mate with something bio-coded to her, to 'save' him, and it was just...revolting to him, "And what makes you think she," he nearly spat at Kovarian, "Would let you do that? That she would let you keep me alive."

"Well I wasn't going to kill you," River shrugged, glancing at Madam Kovarian, who did seem irritated with what the Doctor was saying for some reason, "It was such a basic mistake, wasn't it, Madam Kovarian? Take a child, raise her into a perfect psychopath, introduce her to the Doctor. Who else was I going to fall in love with?" and back to the Doctor, "They needed me to kill one of you, you wouldn't have fought against the child of your companions, and if they wanted me to do it...the only way that would happen was to make the target...her," she smirked at Angel.

And then Kovarian started to laugh, "Did you really believe it would be that easy?" she asked River.

River stiffened and looked at Kovarian, the slightest bit of alarm in her eyes, "What?"

"We were watching Melody," she smirked, "At the lake, we had Silence everywhere, watching you. The moment you succeeded...they would have stopped you. Surely you had to realize your weapons reserves only had enough power for four shots? Just enough to kill a Time Lord," she started to tsk her, "You wouldn't have been able to stop them apprehending you, taking that ridiculous bracelet away," she shook her head, "And then...when the Doctor arrived, oh," she laughed again, "You weren't there at Demons Run, you didn't see the rage and fury in his eyes when his Mate was simply in danger. Had you killed her...there would be no stopping him from ending you as well...before he himself died. Truly the perfect self-cleaning mission, the reason we allowed you to target her this time. You kill her," she nodded at Angel, "Which kills him," and then the Doctor, "As well, but not before he went after you."

River just stared at her, her mouth open, betrayed. All present could see that she honestly hadn't considered they would do that to her, that THAT was their reason behind it. Perhaps it was her training or an aftereffect of the Silence's persuasion that she trust Kovarian…whatever it was, her shock was real. However, the Doctor couldn't seem to make himself care about whether or not River had been tricked in some small way, the fact still stood that because of her actions his Mate needed to die, the fact remained River had CHOSEN to KILL her.

"You shouldn't have tried to stop her the first time," Angel murmured and they all looked at her in shock, "You didn't even need to create her, you didn't need to hurt her, to condition her or whatever you did," she told the woman, stepping closer to her, not seeing River's expression turn into a glare at how she assumed Angel was speaking that she shouldn't have existed at all now, "Because you had ME, in Demons Run."

"You are NOT our prime target," Kovarian countered. Yes, the Silence viewed the Doctor as the destroyer, but equally they understood that Angel was a way to kill him as well. Had they had the bracelet in Demons Run, instead of learning that Melody had taken it in Berlin, they would have simply killed her then, as a means to kill the Doctor too.

"I should have been," she whispered, moving to squat before the woman, "Because I know what the Question is," Kovarian tensed, the Doctor frowning behind her, not able to see into her mind what the question was at that moment, "And I know that the Doctor..." she shook her head, "He CAN'T answer it. He literally cannot speak the answer," she looked Kovarian in the eye, "I don't lie Madam Kovarian, so believe me when I say...I'M the only one who can."

"Angel what are you doing?!" the Doctor cried, alarmed, fearful she was trying to make herself even more a target, take his place like she had at the lake.

"A Time Lord can only speak their own name, when they share it with their Mate," she told Kovarian quietly, so quietly that only she, River, and the Doctor could hear, "But their Mate...can speak it freely. So you see," she gave the woman a sad smile, "All this time you've wasted, all this time you've been targetting the wrong person," she stood up, "I'M the one that can answer the question," she glanced at River, "The ONLY one," she added, knowing that the Doctor had NOT told River his name yet...they...they didn't even really know how it was possible for River to know. Yes, SHE could have told River the Doctor's name but that was NOT something that was EVER done, not ever. The true name of your Mate was a secret you took to the grave! It was not something you just...told someone.

And...then there was the fact that River herself had implied heavily that it was the Doctor who told her his name, NOT her. And she could usually tell when people were lying to her and River hadn't been. But...it didn't make sense now that she was still alive, unless River managed to get the bracelet on him or used the Silence to make him think she was his Mate or about to Mate to her...but Kovarian had proved that would NOT happen.

Kovarian had proved that they didn't care for Melody Pond, if they were willing to let the Doctor murder her as a way to clean up their own mess and stop the psychopath they truly had no control over.

River's eyes narrowed at that, at what she perceived to be a dig against her, that Angel knew the Doctor's greatest secret while SHE didn't. She had spent ages researching the Doctor, she was well aware that his name was hidden from the Universe, and now, to know that ONLY Angel knew...well, that would have to change. She was NOT going to let Angel be the only person who knew such a secret, not when the Time Lady didn't deserve to know it, she was NOT the best match for the Doctor.

"Angel..." the Doctor began, shaking his head, not sure at all what had just happened, why she had told them that, what the question was, or...anything really. He truly had NO idea what was going on...and it was worrying him a great deal. He felt like...Angel was slipping away from him.

Angel just turned back to him, feeling more secure now that one of the main fears she had had been dealt with, Kovarian and the Silence wouldn't be hunting the Doctor anymore, at least not because of 'the Question,' even if they might still want him dead for other dangers they thought he posed. Now that just left one last problem to be resolved, the biggest one, "Reality is fatally compromised," she said, trying to get them back to their most imminent threat. She looked at the Doctor, "You understand what that means," he looked away, closing his eyes tightly, "As long I'm alive, time is dying."

"Because of you," the Doctor glared at River, "River."

"Because I refused to kill the man I love?" River gaped at him, offended that he would blame HER for this! Yes, she pulled the trigger, but ANGEL was the one who came to the lake. So what if SHE had decided to kill Angel instead, how was it all HER fault? It was a fixed point! Angel had said it numerous times, it HAD to happen. Did it really matter if HER choice had made Angel the one that had to be at the lake?

"No," he shook his head, "Because you agreed to kill the woman I love and I'm not about to let her die."

"Doctor," Angel shook her head, this was taking too long, every moment they wasted was another where...where it all might fall apart, where everything might...fail.

~8~

One of the Silence waited till the soldiers passed by before pressing its hand to the glass. The area around its fingertips started to crack...

~8~

Rory walked past a container, checking the seals...when he spotted water dripping from the ceiling…and, thus distracted, he failed to see the water coming down the stairs.

~8~

"There are so many theories about you and I, you know," River cut in, seeing the start of a tender moment for the Time Lords and refusing to watch it happen.

"Idle gossip," the Doctor waved her off, turning to Angel, his entire focus on her.

"Archaeology."

"Same thing."

River frowned, seeing him not turning away from Angel and walked over to him, hiding her frown as he stepped back from her and closer to Angel without touching the Time Lady, "Am I the woman who marries you or the woman who murders your Mate?"

His jaw tensed as his gaze hardened at the reminder, "I don't want to marry you."

"I didn't want to murder you," she countered.

He looked at her, how she'd said nothing about murdering Angel, and shook his head, "I will never marry you. Least of all would I marry the one who murders my Mate," he reached out and grabbed the Dampening Bracelet off her arm, holding it up to her, "And THIS? I would rather die than let you put this on me," he nearly sneered, tossing it onto a desk beside them, making River glare at him.

"Doctor," Angel tried again, reaching for him.

"No!" he jumped back, avoiding her hand, "You mustn't," he told her.

She shook her head, "We must," she countered, "You know what will happen if I continue on," she looked at him sadly but he could see a resignation in her eyes, "You know."

He shook his head, tears in his eyes as he stared at her, mouth open in horror, "Either I never get to touch you again and creation falls apart around up, with billions of peopled dying…or I touch you and YOU die…" he swallowed hard, it went against everything the Mating stood for, to touch her would be the same as murdering her, and he just...he couldn't do it, she was his MATE, she was the most important woman in the Universe to him, she was his entire Universe...as terrible as it was to say, he would always pick her over anyone and everyone else, she was his whole world, "What kind of choice is that?"

"It's not a choice," Angel told him pleadingly.

He nodded, "You're damn right it's not," and took a step back from her, refusing to touch her.

Angel let out a little sigh and stepped up to him, "That's not what I meant."

He shook his head, "Angel…" his voice grew quiet, "I don't want you to die…" he shook his head, shaking as he tried NOT to reach out to her, "I don't want you to leave me...I..." he swallowed hard, "I can't bear that...I can't survive that."

She opened her mouth to respond when a drop of water fell on her head. She reached up and felt it before looking up. The others did as well, spotting a line of water running from the ceiling.

~8~

Rory watched as another Silent pressed its hand against the glass and cracked it, another creeping up, unseen, behind him...

~8~

"The pyramid above us," the Doctor looked at Amy, alarmed, "How many Silence do you have trapped inside it?"

"None," Kovarian called, "They're not trapped, they never have been. They've been waiting for this, Doctor..." she smirked at Angel, now knowing that, through her they could kill two birds with one stone, they could rid the Universe of the Doctor AND his name by ending her, "For your Mate!"

Just then, Rory ran into the room, "They're out! All of them!"

~8~

Soldiers tried to hold back the Silence as they escaped but the aliens just electrocuted them, the guns having no effect against them.

~8~

A pair of soldiers placed a thick plank of wood across the doors of the King's Chamber, "No one gets in here!" a soldier called.

Rory turned to Amy, "Ma'am, my men out there should be able to lock this down, we have them outnumbered."

"And you're wearing eye drives based on mine, I think," Kovarian grinned, "Oops!"

"What do you mean?" the Doctor looked at her.

Angel's eyes widened as she ran over to the female scientist as she screamed and grabbed her eye drive, she reached out and quickly pulled it off, dropping the electrified object to the ground as it shocked her hand.

Rory ran to another soldier whose eye drive began to malfunction as well.

~8~

Between the Silence and the eye drives the soldiers around the facility fell quickly.

~8~

The Doctor groaned as his eye drive went live, "Eye pads off, now!" he shouted, pulling off his eye drive before moving to help Angel...only to freeze, realizing he couldn't touch her, "Remove them!"

Amy ran over to Angel as she stumbled back against the desk, trying to help her pull hers off...when her own started to go haywire. Angel fell against the desk, one hand resting on it, the other coming to her eye drive...it sparked golden, short circuiting and falling off, before she reached out to help Amy.

"The Silence would never allow an advantage, without taking one themselves," Kovarian smirked, "The effects will vary from person to person...either death or debilitating agony. But they will take you all, one by one…" her grin slowly faded as her own eye drive buzzed, River pulling her own off beside her as her hands were locked before her, "What are you doing?" she jerked as it shocked her again, "No, it's me...don't be stupid, you need me. Stop it, stop that! Get it off me!"

"Doctor…" Angel began, stepping over to him, needing to end this, but the Doctor stepped back.

"Angel…" Amy began, grabbing her arm and pulling her back, further away from the Doctor to help, "We've been working on something. Just let us show you."

"There's nothing you can do," Angel told her softly, looking over at the Doctor meaningfully, "My time is up."

Amy moved in front of her, tears in her eyes at how Angel seemed so insistent to die, "We're doing this for you!"

"Look around you Amy," she said quietly, "It's not just happening in this room, people are dying because of me. I won't thank you for that," she looked at the Doctor, "Either of you!"

The Doctor looked at her a moment before swallowing hard, knowing she liked the idea of others dying for her even less than he did. But...he hadn't had many doing that lately, not with Angel there to save them...but here...here Angel was still trying to save them all and he...couldn't let her.

"Get it..." Kovarian strained in her chair.

"Just let us show you," Amy begged her, "Please," Angel looked at he Doctor.

'Please,' he whispered to her, 'There's a chance it might save you…'

She sighed and nodded.

Amy turned to Rory, "Captain Williams, how long do we have?"

"A couple of minutes," he called as the Silence rammed the door.

"That's enough," she nodded and turned to River, moving over to her and unlocking the handcuffs, needing help, "Take them to the Receptor Room right at the top of the pyramid."

River gave Amy a lingering hard look before sighing and heading out of the room, leading the way for the Doctor and Angel to follow, "I hope you're ready for a climb," she remarked.

"I'll wait down here, Ma'am, buy you as much time as I can," Rory called as Amy moved to follow.

"You have to take your eye drive off," she told him, seeing he was still wearing it.

"Can't do that, Ma'am. Might forget what's coming."

"But it could activate any second!"

Rory aimed his gun at the door, "It has activated, Ma'am," Amy looked down to see his other fist clenched and shaking, "But I'm no use to you if I can't remember," he clenched his fist and lifted it to use it to steady his hand, "You have to go NOW, Ma'am."

"Yes," Amy murmured, watching him, watching his dedication to her, his determination to protect her and...felt...warm. She felt a familiar sense of safety and protection bubbling within her, it was the same feeling she got when she dreamed of Rory holding her in his arms, it was exactly the same, "Yes, thank you, Captain Williams," she turned to go, but paused and looked back at him a moment, watching him fight the eye drive for her before continuing on...only able to make it a few steps into the shadows when the door burst open behind her, the wood shattering.

Rory groaned in pain and fell to his knees as the Silence entered and looked at him, "Rory Williams..." they spoke, Amy, who had flinched and turned around, gasped, unheard by them at the name they'd called him, "The man who dies and dies again," the electricity built around them, "Die one last time and know she will never come back for you."

Amy's jaw clenched, like hell she wouldn't!

Suddenly a gun went off.

Rory looked over to see Amy standing there with a machine gun, firing at the Silence till they all fell. She ran over to his side, helping him up, "Come on, you...up you get! You alright?" she pulled the eye drive off and helped him towards the door the Time Lords had run through.

"Amy..." Kovarian called helplessly from where she'd been left, still tied to the seat, her eye drive half off, "Help me."

Amy paused and walked over to her, looking down at the woman with a hard look in her eye, "You took the Doctor's baby from them. You had them RIP her from Angel's arms. And you hurt her. You..." she swallowed, really trying to get over this, "Manipulated my daughter her whole life. Now she's all grown up and she's used me and she's trying to kill my sister-in-law. But you know what...I'll never get to know if she might have been different, if I'd gotten to hold her or really raise her properly. And Angel? She and the Doctor may never get to see their baby again…"

"But you'll still save me though. Because THEY would, and you'd never do anything to disappoint your precious Doctor and dearest Angel."

"Ma'am, we have to go...now!" Rory called, spotting more Silence coming down the hall, NOT taking his eyes off them as he spoke.

"The Doctor is very precious to me, you're right," Amy nodded, "And Angel is far too forgiving. But do you know what, Madam Kovarian? The Doctor's not here and I'm not the Angel," she leaned forward and put the eye drive back on Kovarian's eye, "River Song didn't get it all from you...sweetie."

And with that, Amy turned and looped her arm through Rory's, leading him off as Kovarian screamed behind them, "So, you and me, we should get a drink some time."

"Ok," he nodded.

"And married."

"Fine."

~8~

The Silence were winning, the soldiers falling around them as they made their way to the King's Chamber.

~8~

River walked over to a device set up in the center of the spire on top of the Great Pyramid, the Doctor eyeing it a moment, "So there's the distress beacon," he muttered, looking at it intently, not having gotten a chance to see it since he'd arrived, before glancing at River, "Who built this?"

"When Angel taught me how to fly the TARDIS, also let me understand the physics," River remarked.

The Doctor eyed her, not fully believing that, "You wanted to help save Angel?"

River have him a hard look, "They tricked me, told me it was to get you here," she glanced at the device, "I made it, they wrote the message."

"The message you picked up?" Angel looked at the Doctor.

"They've been sending out a message, a distress call," he told her.

"Outside the bubble of our time, the Universe is still turning," River explained with a roll of her eyes, "And the message has been sent everywhere, to the future and the past, the beginning and the end of everything."

"'Please help, the Angel is in danger.'"

Angel shook her head, not seeing the point of this, this was taking too long, she had to hurry! "No one can help."

"We barricaded the door," Amy ran up with Rory, "We've got a few minutes…just tell them," River was silent and Amy glared at her, "Tell them, River."

River frowned and looked at the device, remaining silent.

The Doctor eyed them a moment before sonicing it, looking at the readings, his eyes widened and his mouth dropped open.

"What is it?" Angel frowned, seeing his reaction.

"Those reports of the sun spots and the solar flares," Amy told her, "They're wrong, there aren't any."

"It's not the sun," the Doctor breathed and looked at her, "It's you. The sky is full of a million, million voices. Angel..." he shook his head, "They're all saying 'yes, of course we'll help,'" he blinked, tears in his eyes as he looked at her, "You've touched so many lives, saved so many people."

She smiled at him softly, wanting to touch his face, wipe away his tears, but held back, not able to stand the sight of him flinching away from her again, "But none of them can help me," she whispered, "A fixed point has been altered, time is falling apart, and you KNOW it."

"I can't let you die," he whispered to her.

"But I have to die."

"Then I go with you," he decided.

"Oh shut up!" River cut in, irritated now, "You've got the bracelet, you don't have to die with her. You think the Universe only cares about Angel? Doctor, half these replies are to save the Mate of the Doctor, because they love you just as much. But no one loves you more than me," the Doctor looked at her with a glare at her words, "Don't you see?" she nearly begged him, walking around the device to him, "That's why I did this, a Time Lord had to die at the lake, I saved you!"

He shook his head, disgusted, "You don't love me nearly enough," River's mouth dropped open, "Angel...she's the one who loves me more than anything. Because you, River, may be willing to kill for me, but Angel...Angel's willing to die for me."

"Doctor," Angel called him back, they had little time to waste and every second was precious, "You and I, we know what this means. We're the cause of an explosion in time...it'll eat everything in reality! Billions on billions will suffer and die because of this and I..." she shook her head, "I can't bear it," she started crying, "Please. They're all going to suffer."

"No one will suffer more than me if I have to watch you die," he told her softly, reaching out as though to touch her face, but curled his hand into a fist and pulled away, "But it'll be alright," he nodded as she eyed him a moment, "If you die, I die, that's the whole point of their plan isn't it? They just want me dead..."

"No," she shook her head, "They just want the question unanswered...meaning ME," and with that, she held up the Dampening Bracelet she'd taken from the desk he'd dropped it on when she'd fallen against it, "They won't know you're still alive...if you stick to the shadows."

"Angel…" he shook his head, his hearts breaking for what she was asking him to do, to take the bracelet, to live on after she died for him...how could she ask him that?!

"They'll think you died with me," she explained, "If I go, if I die...it means YOU can live," she held it up for him to take, "Please. For Ayla," she added and he stopped shaking his head, staring at her instead, "You've saved so many people, you've saved ME from so much. From Van Statten, from the Wire, the Macra, the creature on Midnight, the TARDIS, from Demons run…and that's only a few of the times," she gave him a small smile, "But you can't save me from this, you can't save me from time..."

"Angel…" he swallowed hard.

"But you can save my daughter," she whispered and he looked at her sharply, "Promise me you'll find her, find our daughter," tears filled her eyes, her voice breaking with emotion, "This can't be like Berlin, because I CAN'T let you die with me this time. I couldn't fight you last time, I couldn't stop you, but this time..." she swallowed hard, "This time, I can ask you, please, for ME, my last wish...find Ayla. Find her and tell her of our stories," her words choked at that, "Help her grow into the most remarkable person in the Universe," she smiled at him, tears falling from her eyes, "You."

He shook his head, "No…"

"Doctor…" she began, pleading with him, but stopped...when he took the bracelet from her.

"I'll raise her into her mum," he promised, nodding, his jaw tensing, his throat clenching to have to do this. He sniffled, trying to keep the tears from falling, trying to be strong, trying to remain strong, for her. She was right, last time, in Berlin, she'd barely been conscious, she hadn't been able to express her thoughts, her reasoning. Now...she was asking him to live for their daughter.

Her dying wish.

And he never been able to deny her anything.

Angel nodded, smiling sadly at him, a heartbreaking smile, before she turned to go say goodbye to Rory and Amy.

The Doctor watched her walk over to the Ponds to say her goodbyes...before turning to River, who was smirking slightly behind him in victory as soon as Angel's back was turned.

His face hardened as he stormed over to her, grabbing her arm and pulling her to the side more, "I'd wipe that smirk off your face if I were you," he growled quietly at her, trying to keep his voice low so that Angel wouldn't hear him, but he was really at the end of his rope with all this. His Mate was about to die, there was nothing he could do about it to save her, and the woman before him was the one who would kill her.

River mock pouted, clearly not sensing the dangerous aura flaring around the Doctor, "Oh sweetie, don't worry," she smiled, reaching out to tug on his bowtie, "I'll take good care of you," she nearly purred.

The Doctor's hand snapped up and grabbed her wrist, shoving her hand away but holding her wrist tightly, "Don't touch me."

She frowned, uncomfortable, "You're hurting me," she said quietly.

"Oh I don't care," he glared at her, nearly sneering, her comfort was the last thing on his mind, "You listen to me River, you keep away from me, you keep away from my family, do you understand me?"

She swallowed hard, "Is that supposed to be a threat dear?" she asked, trying to smirk again, "You should know, I love dang..."

He squeezed her wrist once more, cutting her off, "You have no idea, just how dangerous I AM," he hissed at her, "The Silence, Kovarian, they were right to come after me. Whatever this Question nonsense is about...it is NOTHING compared to what I am capable of," his eyes narrowed at her, feeling himself tensing, feeling the Oncoming Storm within him rising at the threat against his Mate, "Do you know what they call me River? I have quite a few names, the Destroyer of Worlds, the Oncoming Storm, but do you know which one I treasure the most?" she shook her head, tensing as she too saw the rage building in his eyes, "The Mate of the Angel. I am ANGEL's Mate, I will NEVER be yours," his eyes narrowed as he saw her shoot an angry look at Angel, a...condescending one.

"Don't you DARE," he whisper-shouted at her, yanking her arm so she'd look at him, "I've seen it on your face River, more times than I care to remember, you think Angel isn't worthy of me," he nearly spat that out as though it were the most vile lie he'd ever heard, which it was, "But have you ever stopped to think...I'm a Time Lord, YOU are a Human, think for just a moment, which species would I chose to spend the rest of my lives with? No..." he shook his head, "Which woman, an angel or a demon?"

"The darkside is very tempting," River tried to smile seductively at him, she'd rather be a devil than an angel anyway, hell in heels that was her.

He shook his head at her, at how her psychopathy was showing, twisting his words, his threats into whatever she wanted to hear, a defense mechanism for when they were confronted with something they didn't want to hear. He glanced back at Angel, making sure she was still with Rory and Amy before stepping closer to River, talking quietly to her, though the fury was very evident in his voice at how she was STILL trying despite his words, no more, it was time to get through to her, "I am warning you only once, River, give up whatever game you are playing because if I ever find out that you're involved in something like this again, that you have put Angel in danger, I don't care what adventures I'm meant to have with a future version of you…" he leaned forward, his voice shaking as he spoke, "I will kill you myself."

River inhaled sharply at the threat and leaned back, the anger, the hatred, the promise in his eyes, in his words…for a brief instant...she could see why she had been raised to kill such a man. She could see the depths of his soul through his eyes, she could understand now why he was called the Destroyer of Worlds, why so many people were fearful of him when they crossed him.

She swallowed hard, "Rule 1, the Doctor lies."

His hold on her arm tightened, telling her he was not lying about this, that he was being very, VERY serious, "I do lie, about a lot of things, but never to Angel and never about her. So believe me when I tell you this, River," he stared straight into her eyes and she could see the Oncoming Storm in them, "You may think that I am the love of your life, for whatever twisted reason, but you will NEVER be the love of mine. That's Angel," he shoved her hand away, "What I feel for you is the farthest thing from love there is."

River blinked, tears forming in her eyes as he turned away from her and walked back to where he'd been standing just as Angel turned around. She watched his expression morph from the devastating hatred, disgust, and loathing that had been directed at her to love and sorrow as he gazed as his Mate. She couldn't help her eyes narrowing into slits as she watched Angel smile sadly at him and walk over to him, she HATED that girl, she hated the Angel more than she had ever hated anyone in her life!

First she had tried to keep her from being born, implied that she shouldn't even exist! Then she weaseled her way into her parents' hearts, made them love her as though she were family, as though she were a 'sister,' when she was NOTHING of the sort! Biologically, SHE was their daughter, even if she was conceived in a laboratory, even if they had no idea about her at all, well...that was fine. That was JUST fine, if they saw Angel as more family than SHE was, fine, she didn't see them as parents either. They were Amy and Rory, they were the source of her DNA, but did they raise her? Hold her as a baby? Search through the galaxies for her? No, they did it for ANGEL. Oh that woman infuriated her!

She was weak! She was weak and simpering and...good! She didn't deserve the Doctor! She could barely hold her own in any situation. She'd gotten captured by the Silence for God's sake! All that power, all that foresight and she'd just HAD to let herself get captured! And for what? To make the Doctor so consumed with finding her? More desperate to get to her?! She was an easy target, which she now realized was another reason the Silence had let her go after Angel this time...she was easier to kill. The woman felt such GUILT over what had happened to HER? Please, she was happy with her upbringing. The Silence had taught her how to protect herself, how to be strong, how to be clever and get what she wanted. And the Angel...she just let herself be attacked and killed by her because of guilt?

Guilt was a weakness SHE would NEVER let herself feel.

And ALL it did was make the Doctor love her more! Made him see her as more of a perfect match for him when Angel was NOTHING of the sort! She was his opposite in every way whereas SHE was just like him. She was dangerous, she was brilliant, she was strong, and she was sly and clever and...everything he should want in a Mate! ...except she wasn't a Time Lord. Another thing Angel had taken from her. Because of THAT woman she'd been denied the chance of being genetically compatible to the Doctor as well, to be nearer to a species that would be able to stay with him and keep up with him. What did she have now?! She was human! They withered and decayed and died! What good was that to her?!

First Angel had taken her conception, her DNA, her family, and now...now she'd even manipulated the Doctor away from her! If it hadn't been for Angel, for her infuriating bond to the Doctor, that irritating Mating, whatever that was, SHE would be with the Doctor. HE would be free for her to be with, he would be free to choose who he really wanted. If she had just MET him before he'd Mated to Angel, she KNEW he'd pick HER instead of the Time Lady. And now, to find out that Angel knew the Doctor's real name?! It was like a slap in the face. Oh she HATED her! She hated Angel!

It was like, whenever Angel was there, the Doctor only saw her as this horrible person who kept trying to hurt Angel. Did he not see WHY?! He was trapped in a Mating! He had to die if Angel died! He'd taken the bracelet! Clearly he DIDN'T want to die. He was stuck being bound to Angel, forced to be with her, he had no choice in that! She was trying to free him! She was trying to show him that he didn't have to settle for Angel just because he met her first! But Angel had already dug her claws too far into him, hadn't she? She'd manipulated him, turned him against her before she even had the chance to make an impression! And she kept trying to forgive her! There was NOTHING to forgive and she KEPT trying! All that sickening forgiveness, it made her seem so...compassionate and empathetic in the Doctor's eyes, it made him love her more and it was terrible! Couldn't he see Angel was just manipulating him!?

She had been trying to tell the Silence for AGES that NO ONE should have the power that Angel did. Foresight was dangerous, she agreed with the Teselecta there, and Angel was nothing but that. She tampered with time! She saved people who should have DIED! She had the Vortex within her, all that power...all that power NO ONE was meant to have. NO ONE was pure enough to wield a power like that and not be corrupted. And worse yet...she had the power and DIDN'T use it! She could have destroyed ALL the Silence in one go but chose to hold back. She made the situations more dangerous by not using the power to wipe her enemies out. And it was maddening to know that SHE wouldn't ever get the chance to show the Doctor how much of a danger Angel was. If SHE tried to take in the Vortex, she'd die within moments, being human, but if she'd been part Time Lady...she could have shown him how the Vortex should be used.

The worst part of it all...Angel just kept pulling the Doctor away from her. The Doctor was the most amazing man in the Universe, and he was with a woman who was barely impressive! SHE was far more than Angel would ever be, and he didn't see it...because of Angel. She kept turning the Doctor against her! The Doctor was a kind man, a loving man, an understanding one, he SAVED people. He DIDN'T threaten them the way he had her just then. He wouldn't have threatened HER if not for Angel.

Oh she HATED that woman!

She could see even now, the look in the Doctor's eye as he gazed at Angel, she could see that…no one would ever stand a chance with him as long as she was there, and probably even if she were gone, because nothing would ever compare to his precious Mate, she'd always be there, a haunting memory for him to compare to everyone and...

Her eyes widened, recalling something Amy had said when she'd first revealed herself to be not just Mels but Melody Pond grown up. Amy had said something about the Doctor not remembering Angel was his Mate for a time. In Berlin, she'd said it! She'd even written a note about it in her diary, Amy had said, 'When the Doctor couldn't remember he'd Mated to Angel!'

A small smirk grew on her face as her tears faded. And she decided...she would not kill the Angel...not physically at least. But if there was ever a time when she met the Doctor while he was ignorant of who Angel was to him…she would do anything and everything she could to keep him from the Time Lady. She would do whatever it took to push Angel away, manipulate the Doctor closer, anything to make him consider her and not Angel as a potential Mate, whatever that was.

She would get the Doctor if it was the last thing she did.

A/N: Oh River...your psychopathy is showing, but I suppose rejection stings just a little bit doesn't it? :( But I hope the promised Oncoming Storm moment lived up to your expectations ;) I'd be scared out of my mind if the Doctor, of all people, threatened me the way he did here -shivers- Poor Thella though, being unable to touch :( ...and if you thought THIS chapter was hard...wait till tomorrow }:)

I know this chapter and the last were very Angel-centric, the next one should be more balanced, with a very BIG moment for the Doctor :( All I can say is, even with it being Angel-centric...everything she's doing is for the Doctor and to protect him :( And next chapter...the death scene...Angel REALLY does die...oh dear God, poor Doctor! :'( And the family! I SO wanted to have them here, but Rory proved that not many really knew what was going on or remembered it. I took it as Kovarian, River, and Amy really knew what was going on, like...the ones involved in the actual 'death' and then Amy :( So no family here...but they WILL come into play for this episode ;)

But now we know why the Silence were going to let River kill Angel this time :( She might not have been their target at first, but it didn't matter to them if she died or not. They could have killed her in Demons Run, but the Doctor had the bracelet and they couldn't risk Ayla. Now that RIVER had the bracelet, if they kill Angel...they kill the Doctor. They would have stopped her using the bracelet and let him die anyway. They were completely hoping River would kill Angel, and that, the Doctor, in revenge and driven mad by the Mating instinct, would kill River before dying himself, the perfect self cleaning mission, isn't it? }:) It might seem a bit out there for the Doctor to kill someone like that...but he stood there and watched the Racnoss suffer, watched as her children drowned, because they hurt Angel, so it isn't TOO far a leap to believe, seeing his Mate killed before him would make him snap. And now that they know Angel is the one who can answer the question...they now have a reason to target her too, killing her will not only kill the Doctor but the secret being revealed as well :(

But...we still DON'T know why Angel would go to the Lake, knowing that River wouldn't be able to use the bracelet. Knowing she would likely die...knowing it would kill the Doctor...why do it? And...what about Ayla?

We'll find out very soon }:)

Though...I can say, Angel's thoughts on how River knows the Doctor's name when she REFUSES to tell anyone it...will be VERY important. Because I can say...Angel WILL NOT tell River the Doctor's name, and now we know the Doctor can't tell her either...so how does she know? I really have NO idea when we'll find out, but I can say I DO have a twist about it ;)

BUT! As promised, we've hit 1250 reviews! So...I will say now, IF we hit 1500, I will explain just a little more how Angel can forget forever but not long at all ;)

Some notes on reviews...

The Silence are allowing River to kill her because they have the bracelet now (or River does) so if they kill Angel, they kill the Doctor through her :( I hope this chapter lived up to expectations :)

Lol, you're right, probably not the best place to take him, I think she was hoping she'd be able to get through it without him picking up on what she was doing :( We'll find out in the very next chapter how Angel manages to survive ;) Oh yes, the Oncoming Storm moment has arrived, I hope you enjoyed it ;)

I have no idea why I did this, I think I'm slowly becoming evil }:)

Amy and Rory will find out about Ayla being the little girl in the suit VERY soon ;) I'm glad you enjoyed the chapter! ^-^

The Doctor was making his way to the Pyramid, which I imagine would be difficult to do given he was on another planet across time and space...truly speaks to his dedication in getting to his Mate ;)

Yup, that was a NOTD vision ;) And the Spock story should be up this month (hopefully) I'm very excited for it :)

I definitely wanted to show how, even being led to the same places and people, Angel acted differently than the Doctor would. I can't imagine him staying with a Dalek as it died :( Awww... :) Oh it killed me to write this chapter, to make Thella unable to touch :'( But thanks! I'm glad you're liking the story so far :)

I can say there won't be a wedding, nope. I think Angel would rather be his only Mate than his second wife ;)

I can't say much about Ayla till we find out who finds her first ;) But I'll go a little more into her when/if we get that ;)

She sort of did stand up to Kovarian here ;) And technically the Doctor did the exact same thing at the lake and he's called himself a coward multiple times :) We'll actually see there's FAR more to what's going on than anyone knows, far more going on here than even the Doctor did in the original show ;)

I can say the only person who could tell River the Doctor's name is Angel...but she will NOT do that ;) So...how does River know? Hmm... }:) I hope the showdown lived up to expectations :) I can say for the original chapters they will only be 1 chapter in between episodes, and there might be creatures related to past adventures/enemies. Some will involve the family though ;) And that...they won't be very...light-hearted ones, but ones that are VERY needed to boost the fluff and also take a look into consequences of this story ;)

Thanks, I'm glad you like the stories :) I've been made aware that the first story that plagiarized me has started to be posted again, yup. I can't say if that was the true reason for the story being taken down in the first place or if it might have had anything to do with mine, all we can go on is what the author claims :) I wouldn't be very surprised, IF it had anything to do with my stories, that nothing was brought up, it took quite a few chapters for the author to alert their readers to what had happened in the original story as well, first starting with 'mistakes were found and corrected,' but that's if my story had anything to do with it. I'm very touched that you're so protective of my stories, I do hope the author continues to revise their story and makes it original this go around and all their own work, and I wish them luck on it :)

Lol, yeah, that IS sort of right up the Doctor's alley, appearing out of the blue, just in time...and messing up time in the process :) The Ponds definitely sent it out, the Doctor just sort of followed it, having been across the galaxy at that point :( Unfortunately no 'family' to the rescue here :( I took how Rory reacted to be a literal version of what the others would be like, completely unaware of what had happened except knowing something was wrong. I think, given that Rory spent the most time around Angel, if HE forgot...so did most of the others :( But Donna's on the case! And Donna won't give up ;) I hope the rejection scene lived up to expectations :) I agree, Angel is very strong and not cowardly, in a way...it's also calling the Doctor a coward as she did what he did in the show lol :) I'm definitely trying to stay true to Angel's personality and the events surrounding River and her own personality here :) It does give the impression that the story isn't really being read fully though, doesn't it? But thanks! I'm glad you enjoyed the chapter :)

Thanks! I'm glad you're enjoying this series and Angel :) I'm very excited for the next story too :)