AN: OK... So my family visit got rescheduled to next weekend so here's the new chapter. Oh, and the next update won't be until the 21st. See ya then. Enjoy!


Chapter 49-A Good Man Goes to War

SPACE

An asteroid has been converted to a base known as Demon's Run.

DEMON'S RUN, NURSERY

A small baby is cooing as it lies in a small crib. Her name: Melody Pond. Amy's hands caress the baby as she speaks.

"I wish I could tell you that you'll be loved. That you'll be safe and cared for and protected. But this isn't a time for lies." She picks up Melody. "What you are going to be, Melody..." The Eye-Patch Lady and a number of armed soldiers stand behind Amy. "…is very, very brave."

"Two minutes."

"But not as brave as they'll have to be. Because there's someone coming. I don't know where he is, or what he's doing, but trust me. He's on his way."

SPACE 20,000 LIGHT YEARS AWAY

CYBER-SHIP, CORRIDORS

As Cybermen march along a corridor, we see a figure walk past in the shadows, a cloak billowing behind him. We then see the sonic screwdriver used on a door lock. The door slides closed keeping out other Cybermen.

CYBER-SHIP, CONTROL

The Cyberleader and two other Cybermen are monitoring the ship.

"Intruder. Level nine. Seal level nine."

The ship rocks as small explosions go off.

DEMON'S RUN, NURSERY

"There's a man who's never going to let us down." Amy looks out a window and sees a large army gathering outside. "And not even an army can get in the way."

The Eye-Patch Lady walks towards Amy, arms out. Two soldiers walk close behind.

"Leave her, just you leave her. Please leave her! Leave her!"

A young female soldier watches as Amy sobs as her daughter is taken away. By the door, two hooded monks step closer to the rail.

CYBER-SHIP, CONTROL

The ship is rocked by explosions.

"Intruder, level 11."

"Seal levels 12, 13, and 14," commands the Cyberleader.

"Intruder, level 15."

DEMON'S RUN, NURSERY

Melody is in her bassinet. Amy leans over her.

"He's the last of his kind. He looks young, but he's lived for hundreds and hundreds of years. And wherever they take you, Melody, however scared you are, I promise you, you will never be alone." She leans over and kisses Melody on the forehead. "Because this man is your father."

CYBER-SHIP, CONTROL

The Cyberleader takes position, flanked by other Cybermen.

"Prepare to engage."

DEMON'S RUN, NURSERY

"He has a name, but the people of our world know him better as the Last Centurion."

CYBER-SHIP, CONTROL

The doors slide open and Rory strides in wearing his Roman garb. The Cybermen aim their weapons at him.

"I have a message and a question. A message from the Doctor's Daughter and a question from me. Where is my wife? Oh, don't give me those blank looks. The 12th Cyber Legion monitors this entire quadrant." He walks to the window where the rest of the fleet can be seen. "You hear everything. So you tell me what I need to know, you tell me now, and I'll be on my way."

"What is the Anomaly's message?"

The ships outside the window explode. Rory remains impassive.

"Would you like me to repeat the question?"

DEMON'S RUN, HANGAR

We see a ship come in for a landing and then pan down to all the mechanics and engineers. Two are walking toward the lift. One is short and fat, the other tall and skinny.

"A whole Cyber legion though," says the fat man. "She just blew them all up. To make a point!"

"We're being paid to fight them, not praise them. Praising costs way more!" says the thin man.

They step into the lift, passing two monks.

"Level Minus 23. Transept."

The door slides closed.

DEMON'S RUN, LEVEL MINUS 23

They step out of the lift.

"Digger says he once chased the Atraxi off a planet, then called them back for a scolding," says the fat man.

"Fight them. Not praise them."

They pass the young female soldier who had been in the nursery. She is sewing something, a knowing smile on her face.

"Reminder. This base is on Yellow Alert. This base is on Yellow Alert."

DEMON'S RUN, COMMUNICATION

Two soldiers are watching the monitors and see the female soldier.

"Is she sewing?" asks one of them.

"She's on a break she can do what she likes," says the other. He turns to the other, holding up two pieces of paper in his hands. One is blank. "Now try again."

The first soldier points at the blank. "That one."

"No, that's the psychic. You've got to look for the fractals."

The first soldier rolls his eyes.

"Don't look bored, we're on Yellow Alert."

"We've been on Yellow Alert for three weeks!"

DEMON'S RUN, LEVEL MINUS 23

Two of the monks walk along, hands clasped in front of them.

"Reminder: do not interact with headless monks without designated permission. Do not interact with headless monks without designated permission."

The Fat Man and the Thin Man pass by the monks as they take readings off a machine. The Thin Man watches them.

"You're not supposed to stare at them," says the Fat Man. "And if they think you're trying to see under their hoods, they'll kill you on the spot."

"But why are they called the Headless Monks? They can't really be headless?"

The female soldier looks over at them. "They believe the domain of faith is the heart, and the domain of doubt is the head. They follow their hearts...that's all."

"You're Lorna Bucket, aren't you?" asks the Thin Man.

"Yeah. Hello!"

"I'm the thin one, this is my husband he's the fat one."

"Don't you have names?" asks Lorna.

The Fat Man scoffs. "We're the thin, fat, gay, married, Anglican marines. Why would we need names as well?" He sees monks standing behind Lorna. "Oh! Looks like I'm off! Time for my conversion tutorial. See you in a bit." He leaves with the monks. "Do you lot have Lent? Cause I'm not good at giving things up..."

Lorna shakes her head. The Thin Man looks at her.

"Lorna Bucket. You've had an Encounter, haven't you? You've met them."

"I was just a kid." She continues working.

"But what're they like? The Doctor and the Anomaly."

"They said 'run'."

"Just 'run'?"

"He said it a lot."

"And this was in the Gamma Forests, yeah? Because you're a Gamma girl, aren't you? What are you doing here? The forests are heaven-neutral."

"Yeah, and 30 seconds of The Doctor and his daughter is the only thing that ever happened there."

DEMON'S RUN, MONKS' CHAPEL

The Fat Man precedes the monks into the room which is cast in an eerie red glow.

"Oh, this is nice, I like this. I mean, quite a lot of red. I hope it's not to hide the stains!"

One of the monks goes to a shelf containing medium boxes.

"What's in the little boxes?"

As the monk walks forward with the box, a recording plays.

"Welcome, applicant to the order of the Headless. It is traditional for visiting armies of other faiths to offer individuals for conversion to our order. You have been selected."

The monk passes the box to another who opens it and then holds the empty box in front of the Fat Man.

"Are you ready to make a donation?"

DEMON'S RUN, LEVEL MINUS 23

The Thin Man slides a panel closed. It sounds like a guillotine.

"So, what do you think? If the Doctor's really coming here, where is he?"

"He's the Doctor. He could be anywhere in time and space."

She loosens a hose and steam escapes.

LONDON ALLEY, NIGHT, 1888

A hansom pulls to a halt and the passenger exits.

"Thank you, Parker. I won't be needing you again tonight."

"Yes, my lady."

HOUSE, FRONT HALL, NIGHT, 1888

The hooded woman enters her home and a maid greets her.

"You're back early, ma'am. Another case cracked, I assume?"

The woman places a sword reverently on a rack with others.

"Send a telegram to Inspector Abberline of the Yard. Jack the Ripper has claimed his last victim."

"How did you find him?"

The woman lowers her hood to reveal she is Silurian. "Stringy, but tasty all the same. I shan't be needing dinner."

"Congratulations, ma'am." She hesitates. "However, a matter has arisen in the drawing room…"

HOUSE, DRAWING ROOM, NIGHT, 1888

The Silurian enters, followed by the maid, to see the TARDIS.

"It just appeared. What does it mean?"

The Silurian walks forward, taking off her coat.

"It means a very old debt is to be repaid. Pack the cases, Jenny. And we're going to need the swords."

THE BATTLE OF ZARUTHSTRA, 4037

An Officer is dodging laser fire and explosions as he runs toward the field hospital.

"Nurse?! Nurse!"

FIELD HOSPITAL, THE BATTLE OF ZARUTHSTRA, 4037

The Officer runs inside.

"Damn it! Where's the nurse?!"

"He needs help!" shouts a woman.

"Madame President, I'm sorry, but we have to go now! Those things could be here any second!"

On one of the beds we see a young boy, most likely Madame President's son. A Sontaran enters the hospital and removes his helmet.

"Did somebody call for a nurse?"

The Sontaran scans the young boy. "Will I be OK?"

"Of course you will, my boy. You'll be up and around in no time! And perhaps one day you and I shall meet on the field of battle, and I will destroy you for the glory of the Sontaran Empire."

"Thanks, Nurse."

THE BATTLE OF ZARUTHSTRA, 4037

The Sontaran leaves the hospital followed by the Officer.

"Commander Strax. I just have to ask. A Sontaran nurse?"

"I serve a penance to restore the honor of my clone batch. It is the greatest punishment a Sontaran can endure, to help the weak and sick."

"Who came up with that one?"

They hear the TARDIS materialize.

"Tonight, though, perhaps my penance is over." He turns to the Officer. "Captain Harcourt, I hope someday to meet you in the glory of battle, when I shall crush the life from your worthless human form."

The two nod their heads in acknowledgment.

STORMCAGE, CORRIDOR

River sways as she walks up to the phone amidst the blaring alarms. She is wearing a Victorian gown and a muff. She pulls a phone off the wall. "Oh, turn it off. I'm breaking in, not out. This is River Song, back in her cell... Oh, and I'll take breakfast at the usual time. Thank you!"

River hangs up the phone and glides along the floor. She stops when she sees a silhouette dressed as a Roman.

"Oh, are you boys dressing up as Romans now? I thought nobody read my memos."

Rory moves forward out of the shadows. "Dr. Song? It's Rory. Sorry, have we met yet? Time streams, I'm not quite sure where we are..."

"Yes. Yes, we've met." She sighs, somewhat sadly. "Hello, Rory."

"What's wrong?" asks Rory.

River laughs nervously. "It's my birthday. The Doctor took me ice skating on the River Thames in 1814, the last of the great frost fairs. He got Stevie Wonder to sing for me under London Bridge."

"Stevie Wonder sang in 1814?"

"Yes, he did. But you must never tell him."

"I've come from the Doctor too," says Rory.

"Yes, but at a different point in time."

"Unless there's two of them."

"Now, that's a whole different birthday." She heads for her cell. She pulls diary from her muff and reads.

"He needs you!"

"Demons Run." She closes the book.

"How...how did you know?"

"I'm from his future. I always know. Why on earth are you wearing that?"

"The Doctor's idea."

"Of course. His rules of engagement. Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee."

"Look ridiculous."

"Have you considered heels?" She turns away from Rory.

"They've taken Amy. And our baby."

River looks sad, almost on the verge of tears.

Rory walks towards River. "The Doctor's getting some people together, we're going after her, but he needs you too."

"I can't." She faces Rory. "Not yet, anyway."

"I'm sorry?"

"This is The Battle of Demons Run. The Doctor's darkest hour. He'll rise higher than ever before and then fall so much further. And...I can't be with him till the very end."

"Why not?" asks Rory.

"Because this is it." She enters her cell. "This is the day he finds out who I am."

THE MALDOVARIUM, 5145, NIGHT

Dorium is hurrying with a suitcase. He pauses and looks around.

"Goodbye."

Dorium then opens his case and rearranges the contents. The Eye-Patch Lady and a soldier appear behind him.

"You appear to be closing down, Dorium."

Later they are sitting at a table.

"What have you heard?"

"That you pricked the side of a mighty beast, Madam Kovarian, and entirely failed to run." Guns are pointed at his head. "I admire your courage. I should like to admire it from afar." He pushes the guns away.

"We've been waiting a month. They've done nothing."

Dorium counts his money. "Do you really think so? There are people all over this galaxy that owe that man a debt. By now, a few of them will have found a blue box waiting for them on their doorstep. Poor devils."

"You think they're raising an army?" asks the soldier.

"You think they aren't?" asks Dorium. "If that man is finally collecting on his debts, God help you, and God help his debtors."

"Why?"

"Colonel Manton, all those stories you've heard about him. They're not stories, they're true." He chuckles. "Really you're not telling me you don't know what's coming?"

"We're wasting our time here!" says Manton.

Kovarian stands. "Agreed."

"The asteroid, where you've made your base. Do you know why they call it Demons Run?" asks Dorium.

"How do you know the location of our base?"

Dorium sighs. "You're with the Headless Monks...they're old customers of mine."

"It's just some old saying."

"A very old saying. The oldest. 'Demons run, when a good man goes to war'."

Kovarian and Manton leave. Dorium turns in his seat and watches them go. He laughs and walks into a back storage room on his way out. He hears the TARDIS.

"No. No, no, please! Not me! You don't need me!"

The TARDIS door opens and light pours out. The Doctor's silhouette appears on the wall behind Dorium.

"Why would you need me?!" yells Dorium. "I'm old! I'm fat! I'm blue! You can't need me!"

DEMON'S RUN, HANGAR

Manton is on a stage, three Headless Monks behind him. The soldiers stand at ease as they listen. Kovarian is standing to the side.

"They are not the devil. They are not gods. They are not goblins, or phantoms or tricksters. The Doctor and the Anomaly are a living, breathing people, and as I look around this room I know one thing... We're sure as hell going to fix that."

The soldiers cheer.

DEMON'S RUN, NURSERY

Amy is watching Manton through the window as Lorna enters. She slowly approaches Amy, holding something in her hand. "Sorry. I shouldn't be here, I'm meant to be at the thing. I brought you something. Your child's name, in the language of my people." She holds out what she was sewing earlier. "It's a prayer leaf and we believe, if you keep this with you, your child will always come home to you."

"Can I borrow your gun?" asks Amy.

"Why?"

"Cause I've got a feeling you're going to keep talking." She faces the window. "Talking like they're famous. The Doctor and Jenny aren't famous..."

"They meet a lot of people. Some of them...remember." She smiles. "They're sort of like a...I dunno. A dark legend."

"Dark?!" scoffs Amy. "Have you met them?"

"Yeah." Amy turns around. "But I was just a little girl."

"So was I."

"You've been with him a long time then."

"No. He came back for me."

"You must be very special."

"Hey. You can wait a long time for the Doctor. But he's worth it. OK?" She walks over to Lorna. "The thing is, he's coming. No question about it. Just you make sure you're on the right side when he gets here. Not for my sake...for yours." She holds out her hand and Lorna gives her the prayer leaf. "Thank you."

Amy holds the prayer leaf between her hands as Lorna leaves.

DEMON'S RUN, HANGAR

Manton continues his speech. Amy continues to watch from the window.

"On this day, in this place, the Doctor and his daughter will fall."

The soldiers cheer.

"The man who talks, the girl who reasons, the family who lies, will meet the perfect answer. Some of you have wondered why have we have allied ourselves with the Headless Monks."

Lorna arrives and takes her position.

"Perhaps you should have wondered why we call them Headless. It's time you knew what these guys have sacrificed for faith. As you all know, it is a Level One Heresy, punishable by death, to lower the hood of a Headless Monk. But by the divine grant of the Papal Mainframe herself, on this one and only occasion, I can show you the truth. Because these guys never can be..." He lowers the hood of the first monk to show a knotted stump where the head and neck should have been. "…persuaded! They never can be..." He lowers the hood of the second monk. "…afraid." He approaches the third monk. "And they can never, ever be..."

The monk throws back its own hood to reveal Jenny.

"Surprised!"

The soldiers are stunned and Amy smiles and presses her hands against the window.

"Hello everyone! Guess who!" She walks to the front of the stage. "Please point a gun at me if it helps you relax." All the soldiers—except Lorna—aim their guns at Jenny. The two monks draw energized swords. "You're only human."

DEMON'S RUN, COMMUNICATION

Vastra and Jenny Flint enter communication and put swords to the two soldiers' necks.

"Go on, resist. I'm ever so hungry," hisses Vastra.

"Now, dear, which button controls the lights?"

DEMON'S RUN, HANGAR

Manton aims his gun on Jenny.

"Anomaly, you will come with me, right now!"

Jenny turns and smiles at Manton.

"I really don't think I will. Three minutes, forty seconds. Amelia Pond! Get your coat!"

Jenny puts her hood back on just as the lights go out. When they come back on, she's gone.

Jenny's voice is heard over the speakers. "I'm not a phantom."

"Anomaly?"

"I'm not a trickster."

"Anomaly?"

"I'm a monk."

"Anomaly, show yourself!"

"It's her!" yells a soldier. "She's here!" He aims his gun at the monks.

Other soldiers aim their guns at the monks as well. The monks "charge" their swords.

"It's her!"

The soldier shoots one of the monks. There is tension between the two factions.

"Weapons down! Do not fire!"

One of the monks raises his hand and energy shoots from it, killing a soldier.

"NOOO!"

The monks and the soldiers start fighting each other.

Kovarian turns to her guards. "Follow me."

"Anomaly! Anomaly!"

DEMON'S RUN, COMMUNICATION

While Vastra works the controls, Jenny Flint looks at the screen at Manton.

"Clever, isn't he?"

"And rather attractive."

Behind them, the two soldiers are tied up on the floor.

"You do realize he's a man, don't you, ma'am?"

"Mammals. They all look alike."

"Oh, thank you!"

The soldiers work their way to the door lock override on the wall.

DEMON'S RUN, HANGAR

"Nobody discharge their weapon in this room. Nobody!" yells Manton.

Lorna sees a figure in a monk's robe by one of the doors. Jenny uses the sonic and the door opens.

"Do not fire!"

DEMON'S RUN, COMMUNICATION

"Was I being insensitive again, dear? I don't know why you put up with me." She turns and uses her long tongue on the soldier.

DEMON'S RUN, HANGAR

"Stop, wait! Listen to me!" shouts Manton.

Lorna sees Jenny sneak out the door and follows.

"I'm disarming my weapon pack." He removes the pack from the gun. "Monks, I do this in good faith! I am now unarmed." He places the pack on the floor. "All of you, discharge your weapon packs. The Anomaly is trying to make fools of us... We are soldiers of God, we are not fools! We are not fools!"

"We are not fools!" Some soldiers remove their weapon packs.

"We are not fools!"

"We are not fools!"

More soldiers remove packs. Manton leads the chant and the soldiers continue to follow his lead.

DEMON'S RUN, COMMUNICATION

"Colonel Manton is regaining control," says Vastra.

"Where've the Doctor and Jenny gone?"

DEMON'S RUN, CORRIDOR

Lorna finds Jenny's discarded disguise beside another monk robe and continues to follow.

DEMON'S RUN, HANGAR

The soldiers continue their chant and soon they are all unarmed and the monks have lowered their swords. A female soldier puts down her weapon and then straightens up to see an armed Silurian. Other Silurians beam in and soon have the soldiers surrounded. Judoon appear as well. Strax appears on the stage next to Manton, gun aimed at him.

"This base is now under our command."

"I have a fleet out there!" yells Manton. "If Demons Run goes down, there's an automatic distress call."

The Doctor's voice is heard over the speaker. "Not if we knock out your communications array." The Doctor and Jenny are on a raised platform overlooking the hangar. The Doctor is speaking into a microphone. "And you've got incoming!"

"Danny Boy to the Doctor. Danny Boy to the Doctor."

"Give 'em hell, Danny Boy!" The Doctor puts his arms out and pretends to be a plane.

SPACE

Spitfires open fire on Demon's Run.

DEMON'S RUN, NURSERY

As the asteroid rocks from the hits, Amy smiles.

DEMON'S RUN, MAINTENANCE CORRIDOR

Kovarian and her two soldiers brace themselves.

"I need to get off this station now. Bring me the child!"

The soldiers turn back.

DEMON'S RUN, HANGAR

"Target destroyed."

The Doctor laughs.

DEMON'S RUN, NURSERY

Amy laughs.

DEMON'S RUN, HANGAR

Manton hangs his head.

"Don't slump," yells Strax, "it's bad for your spine!"

DEMON'S RUN, CORRIDOR

The soldiers return carrying the basinet between them.

"Get back in there with the rest of them. Remember, the Doctor must think he's winning, right until the trap closes! I'll take my ship from here." Kovarian keys in a code at the door as the two soldiers set down the basinet and leave. Lorna is hiding at a corner. She takes off her pack and leaves quietly.

"Airlock engaged. Shuttle ready for boarding."

Rory comes up behind her and holds his sword to Kovarian's neck. "No."

"I have a crew of 20. How do you expect to gain control of my ship?"

Rory scoffs. The airlock doors open and one of her men is pushed out, trussed up. Behind him are Avery and his son. Avery aims his pistol at her.

"This ship is ours, m'lady!"

DEMON'S RUN, COMMUNICATION

Strax is escorting Manton by gunpoint.

"All airlocks sealed, resistance neutralized!"

Jenny is sitting at the main control panel with the Doctor behind her. Vastra, Jenny Flint and Dorium are also present.

"Sorry, Colonel Manton, I lied," starts Jenny. "Three minutes, 42 seconds."

"Colonel Manton, you will give the order for your men to withdraw," Strax commands.

"No. Colonel Manton..." The Doctor turns to face him. "I want you to tell your men to run away."

"You what?"

"Those words. Run away. I want you to be famous for those exact words. I want people to call you Colonel Run-Away. I want children laughing outside your door, cause they've found the house of Colonel Run-Away." He moves toward Manton and points his finger. "And, when people come to you, and ask if trying to get to me through the people I love... is in any way a good idea... I want you to tell them your name. Oh, look! I'm angry. That's new. I'm really not sure what's going to happen now."

Kovarian arrives escorted by two Silurians. "The anger of a good man is not a problem. Good men have too many rules."

The Doctor slowly turns his head to look at her. "Good men don't need rules." He walks over to Kovarian. "Today is not the day to find out why I have so many."

"Give the order."

The Doctor pulls back, a little surprised. He smiles crookedly and holds up a finger before walking away.

"Give the order Colonel Run-Away."

DEMON'S RUN, NURSERY

There is a knocking at the door and Amy runs about, trying to find something to use as a weapon.

"Who's that, who's there?" She finds something that looks like an industrial thermometer. "You watch it, cause I'm armed and really dangerous and...cross!"

"Yeah. Like I don't know that," says Rory, his words muffled by the door.

"Rory? Rory, is that you?"

"Yeah, it's me..." He uses the sonic to try and open the door. "Hang on a minute."

"They took her. Rory, they took our baby away."

The doors slide open and Rory walks in holding Melody.

"Now, Mrs. Williams... That is never, ever going to happen." He walks over to Amy.

"Oh, my God. Oh, my God." She checks Melody. "Where's she been, what have they done to her..."

"She's fine. Amy, she's fine, I checked. She's beautiful." He starts crying. "Oh, God, I was going to be cool. I wanted to be cool, look at me."

"You're OK. Crying Roman with a baby, definitely cool. Come here, you!" She kisses him.

The Doctor and Jenny stand at the door. "Ugh, kissing and crying, we'll be back in a bit."

"Oi! You two! Get in here. Now."

The Doctor and Jenny hurry over and join them. The Doctor points at Melody and smiles.

"My daughter. What do you think?" asks Rory.

"Hello. Hello, baby."

"Melody."

"Melody!" Jenny smiles. "Hello, Melody Pond!"

"Melody Williams," mutters Rory.

Amy looks at him. "..is a geography teacher. Melody Pond is a superhero!"

The Doctor leans over and listens as Melody gurgles. "Well, yes, I suppose she does smell nice. Never really sniffed her, maybe I should give it a go. Amelia Pond, c'mere!" He hugs her.

"Doctor!"

"I'm sorry we were so long." He sniffs her.

"It's OK, I knew you were coming. Both of you. My boys!"

"Yes, because I did nothing at all," mutters Jenny.

Amy rolls her eyes. "Oh, come here." The two hug.

Melody squeals. Jenny breaks the hug. "It's OK, she's still all yours. And really you should call her Mummy, not Big Milk Thing."

"OK, what are you doing?"

"We speak Baby," explains the Doctor.

"No, you don't!"

"I speak everything...Don't I, Melody Pond?" Melody gurgles and the Doctor straightens his bow tie. "No, it's not...it's cool!"

Vastra enters and leans on the rail. "Doctor! Take a look. They're leaving." The Doctor and Jenny walk to the window and look out as the soldiers are marched away. "Demons Run is ours without a drop of blood spilled. My friend, you have never risen higher!"

Rory looks up at Vastra's words, remembering what River said.

DEMON'S RUN, HANGAR

Amy comes out of the TARDIS, comforting Melody.

"Hey what's wrong?" asks Rory.

"She doesn't like the TARDIS noise. I asked him to turn something off, but it was all 'I don't want to punch a hole in the space-time continuum'. And then he and Jenny got into an argument about it."

Jenny Flint and Strax walk up to them.

"Rory! The Judoon have escorted the Clerics out of the quadrant, Spitfires have returned to their own time, and Captain Avery and his men..." She looks over at the crying Melody. "Is she all right?"

"Yes, she's just crying."

Strax sighs. "Give her to me, human fool. She needs changing."

"I just changed her. I think she might need a feed."

"A feed, of course. I'll take care of everything." He steps forward, hand out.

"I really don't think you will, actually."

"I have gene-spliced myself for all nursing duties. I can produce magnificent quantities of lactic fluid."

The Doctor and Jenny exit the TARDIS. Jenny is carrying an old fashioned cradle. "She's not hungry, she's tired. Sorry, Melody, they're just not listening."

"What's this?!" asks Amy.

Melody gurgles. The Doctor looks at Amy. "Very pretty, according to your daughter."

"It's a...it's a cot."

"No flies on the Roman!" says Jenny. "Give her here. Hey!"

Amy hands Melody to Jenny. "There we go."

"But where would you get a cot?"

Jenny puts Melody in the cot.

"It's old. Really old. Doctor...do you have children? Other than Jenny, I mean."

"No."

"Have you ever had other children?"

Melody gurgles. The Doctor looks at her. "No, it's real, it's my hair."

"Who slept in here?"

"Doctor!" Vastra's voice echoes through the room. "We need you in the main control room."

"Be right there! Things to do... I've still got to work out what this base is for. We can't leave till we know." He heads off.

Amy walks after him. "But this is where I was?" The Doctor stops. "The whole time I thought I was on the TARDIS, I was really here."

"Erm... Centurion, permission to hug?" asks the Doctor.

"Be aware, I do have a sword."

"At all times." He salutes Rory then hugs Amy. "You were on the TARDIS too...your heart, your mind, your soul. But physically, yes, you were still in this place."

"And when I saw that face looking through the hatch... that woman looking at me..."

"Reality bleeding through. They must have taken you quite a while back. Just before America..."

"That's probably enough hugging now."

The Doctor and Amy break the hug.

"So her flesh avatar was with us all that time. But that means they were projecting a control signal right into the TARDIS. Wherever we were in time and space."

"Yeah, they're very clever."

"Who are?" asks Amy.

"Whoever wants our baby."

"But why do they want her?"

"Exactly!" yells Jenny.

Rory looks at her then turns back to the Doctor. "Is there anything you're not telling us? You knew Amy wasn't real, you never said."

"Well, I couldn't be sure they weren't listening."

"But you always hold out on us. Please, not this time. Doctor, it's our baby. Tell us something. One little thing," pleads Amy.

"It's mine."

"What is?"

"The cot. It's my cot. I slept in there."

Rory looks at the hanging mobile over the cot.

Amy gasps. "Oh, my God. It's the Doctor's first stars."

Amy reaches into her pocket and pulls out the prayer leaf to wipe around Melody's mouth. The Doctor leaves and Jenny runs after him.

"Drop your weapons. State your rank and intent!" Strax marches Lorna over to them. "I found it listening at the door!"

DEMON'S RUN, HALLWAY

Jenny hurries to catch up with the Doctor.

"Dad, I have something to tell you…"

The Doctor stops and turns to her. "What is it, Jenny?"

"Well, you know how you were talking to Amy… about the woman looking at her. And how you said that it was reality bleeding through and everything?"

The Doctor nods, "Mm-hmm. Sure." He pulls out the sonic and starts scanning the room without really paying any attention to Jenny.

"Well, I could see her too…"

"That's nice…" mutters the Doctor.

Jenny's eyes widen. "Are you even listening to what I'm telling you?" she shouts.

The Doctor mutters something under his breath and gives her a sideways glance. "Not really, but tell me later and I will." He walks away.

She sighs. "But I might not even be here later…"

DEMON'S RUN, COMMUNICATION

The Doctor enters. Dorium is sitting at the controls with Vastra standing beside him.

"You've hacked into their software then?" asks the Doctor.

"I believe I sold it to them."

"So what have we learned?"

"That anger is always the shortest distance to a mistake," mutters Vastra.

"I'm sorry?"

"The words of an old friend who once found me in the London Underground, attempting to avenge my sisters on perfectly innocent tunnel diggers."

"Well...You were very cross at the time."

"As you were today, old friend. Point taken, I hope." The Doctor nods in acceptance of her words. "Now, I have a question. A simple one. Is Melody human?"

"Sorry, what? Of course she is!" He laughs uncomfortably. "Completely human, what are you talking about?!"

Dorium turns away from the screen. "They've been scanning her since she was born and I think they found what they were looking for." He pulls a DNA model up on a screen.

The Doctor walks over. "Human DNA."

"Look closer," orders Vastra. "Human plus. Specifically...human plus Time Lord."

DEMON'S RUN, HANGAR

Jenny runs in.

"I heard her talking..." starts Lorna. "This is a trap. Why would I lie to you?"

Rory steps forward. "Well, you might want to take a look at your uniform."

"The only reason I joined the Clerics was to meet the Doctor and Jenny again."

"You wanted to meet us, so you joined an army to fight us?" asks Jenny.

"Well, how else do you meet great warriors?"

"The Doctor's not a warrior," says Amy.

"Then why's he called the Doctor?"

The lights go out and Amy and Rory stand by the cot. Jenny reaches for her gun.

"It's starting. Please listen to me."

DEMON'S RUN, COMMUNICATION

"But she's human. She's Amy and Rory's daughter," the Doctor says, mostly for his own benefit.

"You told me about your people," says Vastra. "They became what they did through prolonged exposure to the time vortex. The untempered schism..."

"Over billions of years, it didn't just happen."

"So how close is she? Could she even regenerate?"

"No, no!" He hesitates. "I don't think so."

"You don't sound so sure."

"Because I don't understand how this happened!"

"Which leads me to ask... when did it happen?"

"When?"

Vastra rolls her eyes. "I am trying to be delicate...I know how you can blush. When did this baby..." she pauses, looking for the right word, "…begin?"

"Oh, you mean..."

"Quite."

"Well, how would I know? That's all human-y, private stuff, it just sort of...goes on. They don't put up a balloon, or anything." He starts to walk down the hall.

"But could the child have begun on the TARDIS, in flight, in the vortex."

The Doctor heads back. "No, no, impossible! It's all running about, sexy fish vampires and blowing up stuff. And Rory wasn't even there at the beginning. Then he was dead, then he didn't exist, then he was plastic. Then I had to reboot the whole universe...long story. So technically the first time they were on the TARDIS together, in this version of reality, was on their..."

"On their what?"

The Doctor gulps. "On their wedding night."

DEMON'S RUN, HANGAR

Strax is holding a scanner. "Confirmed. No life forms registering on this base, except us and the Silurians."

"The Headless Monks aren't alive...they don't register as life forms," explains Lorna.

A monk walks up behind a Silurian.

DEMON'S RUN, COMMUNICATION

"Doesn't make sense! You can't just cook yourself a Time Lord."

"Of course not, but you gave them one hell of a start and they've been working very hard ever since."

"And yet they gave in so easily," mutters Dorium. "Does this not that bother anyone else?"

"Amy! She worried the baby would have a time head. She said that..."

"Only you would ignore the instincts of a mother!" yells Vastra.

"Or the instincts of a coward. This is too easy. There's something wrong," says Dorium.

"Why even do it? Even if you could get your hands on a brand new Time Lord, what for?"

"A weapon?" suggests Vastra.

"Why would a Time Lord be a weapon?"

"Well...they've seen you."

"Me?" He sits down, stunned.

"Mr. Maldovar, you're right. This was too easy. We should get back to the others."

"Me?" he whispers.

Vastra and Dorium leave. The Doctor remembers the girl in the spacesuit and what River said while examining the suit.

FLASHBACK

"Well, I'd say she's human, going by the life support software." River tells them.

"But?"

"She climbed out of this suit. Like she forced her way out. She must be incredibly strong."

Kovarian appears on the communication screen.

"I see you accessed our files."

The Doctor stands and faces the screen.

"Do you understand yet? Oh, don't worry, I'm a long way away. But I like to keep tabs on you. The child then... What do you think?"

"What is she?"

"Hope. Hope in this endless, bitter war."

"What war? Against who?"

"Against you, Doctor."

DEMON'S RUN, HANGAR

A lift opens and a monk emerges, shooting energy from his hand and killing the Silurian on guard. In the main area, a glowing light appears around the TARDIS. Amy holds Melody closer.

"What's that?"

Jenny approaches and reaches a hand out to touch it. She pulls it back at the energy she feels.

"Force field."

Rory is on alert. The monks begin chanting as they walk towards them. A loud noise is heard.

"And those are the doors... locking," mutters Lorna.

The monks pass the bodies of Silurians on the ground. The lifts are shut down.

"Apparently we're not leaving," says Vastra.

They hear the chanting.

"Is that the Monks?" asks Rory.

"Oh, dear God..." mutters Dorium. "That's the attack prayer."

Rory turns to Amy. "Quick, come with me." He leads her away from the room.

"Commander Strax!"

"I'm trying to seal off this area of the lighting grid."

"This is where we'll make our stand. Clear lines of sight on all approaches."

The monks have their swords out and charged. In another section of the room, Rory helps Amy and Melody hide behind crates.

"Rory, no offence to the others, but you let them all die first, OK?"

"You're so Scottish."

Amy kisses him and Rory kisses Melody's head.

"Centurion, you're needed!"

Rory leaves.

Lorna and Jenny are searching through large crates.

"There should be some plasma pistols somewhere. They left everything."

"Then find them, boy!"

Vastra looks at Jenny Flint. "She's definitely a girl."

"Oh, stop it!"

Dorium walks towards the monks. "We don't have to fight. I'm friends to the Monks, they know me."

"Yeah, and they know you just sold them out to the Doctor," retorts Jenny, pulling her head out of a crate.

"Oh, they'll understand. It's only me, only silly old me." He holds his arms out wide. "You understand, don't you?"

"Mr. Maldovar, get back here!"

"Arm yourself, fool!"

"Dorium!"

Amy clings to Melody and hears the sound of a sword and then something hitting the floor. Melody cries.

"Mr. Maldovar?"

"Dorium?"

Lorna and Jenny come up behind them, passing out guns. They watch as the monks march forward, swords glowing. A headless Dorium also walks towards them.

"The child!" yells Vastra. "At all costs, protect the child!"

Rory draws his sword in one hand and a pistol in the other. Jenny draws a huge gun out of her bag. The others aim their guns.

DEMON'S RUN, COMMUNICATION

The Doctor slams his hands down in anger as he shouts at Kovarian on the screen.

"A child is not a weapon!"

"Oh, give us time. She can be. She will be."

"Except you've already lost her, and I swear I will never let you anywhere near her again."

"Oh, Doctor. Fooling you once was a joy... but fooling you twice, the same way, it's a privilege."

The Doctor stops realizing what she said. "Amy... Amy!" He runs from the room.

DEMON'S RUN, HANGAR

Amy tries to console a crying Melody as the sounds of fighting go on around them. Over Amy's shoulder where only Melody can see, a "panel" slides open and Kovarian's face appears. In the main section of the hangar, the fight continues with Rory and Jenny in the center of it. Jenny hears a noise like something sliding open and turns to look over at where Amy and Melody are hiding. She sees the panel. "No…" A monk comes at her and she turns her attention back to the fight.

DEMON'S RUN, CORRIDORS

The Doctor runs to the others, hoping to get there in time.

"Demons run when a good man goes to war."

DEMON'S RUN, HANGAR

The fight continues.

"Night will fall and drown the sun when a good man goes to war."

Amy consoles Melody.

"Friendship dies and true love lies."

DEMON'S RUN, CORRIDORS

"Amy!"

DEMON'S RUN, HANGAR

The fight continues. A monk comes up behind Strax. Lorna is struck by a monk's energy.

"Demons run but count the cost"

DEMON'S RUN, CORRIDORS

"The battle's won but the children are lost."

"Amy!"

DEMON'S RUN, HANGAR

Jenny looks back over at where Melody and Amy are hiding. Kovarian turns to look at her and Melody at the same time.

"Wakey, wakey!"

DEMON'S RUN, CORRIDORS

The Doctor comes to a locked door. "Amy!"

DEMON'S RUN, HANGAR

Jenny gasps. She and Melody burst into Flesh.

Rory looks at the place where Jenny once stood. Amy screams and Rory hears her.

"Rory! Rory!"

DEMON'S RUN, CORRIDORS

The Doctor uses the sonic on the door. "Amy, she's not real! Melody - she's a flesh avatar." He pounds on the door. "Amy!" The door finally opens.

DEMON'S RUN, HANGAR

The Doctor runs in, the fighting is over.

"Amy!" He stops at the destruction around him. "Amy."

Rory looks at him. "Yeah, we know."

Rory walks over to a dying Strax.

"It's strange. I have often dreamed of dying in combat. I'm not enjoying it as much as I'd hoped."

"Come on, Strax, don't give up."

"It's all right, I've had a good life. I'm nearly 12."

"Listen to me. You'll be back on your feet in no time. You're a warrior!"

"Rory... I'm a nurse." He dies.

The Doctor sees Jenny Flint with Amy and walks over to them. "So they took her anyway. All this was for nothing."

Rory joins them.

"I am so... sorry." He goes to hug her but she backs away.

"Amy... it's not his fault."

Amy starts crying. "I know, I know."

Rory puts his arms around her and comforts her. The Doctor looks around.

"Something's wrong." Rory glares at him.

"Really, I hadn't noticed," he mutters sarcastically.

The Doctor glances at him. "No, I meant with Jenny. I can't feel her in my mind anymore. I've tried calling out to her, but she's not answering."

Rory and Amy share a concerned glance. Rory puts his hand on the Doctor's shoulder and sighs. "She's gone…"

"What does 'gone' mean, Centurion?" The Doctor glares at him.

"She was Flesh. She melted; there was nothing we could do…" The Doctor closes his eyes and puts his head in his hands.

"Doctor," Vastra says, "there's someone who wants to speak to you. Her name is Lorna, she came to warn us."

The Doctor opens his eyes and lets Vastra lead him to Lorna. He uses the sonic to scan Lorna. He squats down beside her and rubs his face with one hand in frustration. Lorna opens her eyes.

"Hey. Hello."

"Doctor!"

The Doctor smiles. "You helped my friends, thank you."

"I met you and Jenny once. In the Gamma Forests. You don't remember me."

"Hey, of course I remember." He holds her face between his hands. "I remember everyone. Hey, we ran, you and me! Didn't we run, Lorna?"

Lorna dies.

The Doctor turns to Vastra. "Who was she?"

"I don't know but she was very brave."

"They're always brave." He stands. "They're always brave."

"So, what now? They'd almost certainly have taken the girls to Earth, raise them in the correct environment."

"Yes, they did. And it's already too late." He walks away.

"You're giving up? You never do that."

The Doctor turns back to her. "Don't you sometimes wish I did?"

There is a bright flash of light and a clap of displaced air. "Well, then, soldier," chimes a familiar voice, "how goes the day?"

The Doctor turns and sees River. He strides over to her angrily. "Where the hell have you been? Every time you've asked, I have been there. Where the hell were you today?"

"I couldn't have prevented this."

"You could've tried!"

"And so, my love, could you." She looks at Amy and Rory. "I know you're not all right. But hold tight, Amy, because you're going to be."

"Jenny is gone, River! She was taken from me and I have no idea where she is! Does this not bother you at all?!"

"Of course it does! She's practically my daughter. But you could have stopped them, too!"

"You think I wanted this?" He points generally. "I didn't do this. This... this wasn't me!"

"This was exactly you. All this, all of it. You make them so afraid. When you began, all those years ago, sailing off to see the universe, did you ever think you'd become this? The man who can turn an army around at the mention of his name? Doctor? The word for healer and wise man, throughout the universe. We get that word from you, you know. But if you carry on the way you are, what might that word come to mean? To the people of the Gamma Forests, the word Doctor means mighty warrior. How far you've come. And now they've taken a child of your best friends... not to mention your daughter… and they're going to turn them into weapons, just to bring you down. And all this, my love...in fear of you."

"Who are you?"

River smiles lightly. "Oh, look, your cot! Haven't seen that in a very long while." She backs up to the cot.

The Doctor strides after her. "No, no, you tell me. Tell me... who you are."

River takes his hand. "I am telling you." She holds his hand on the cot. "Can't you read?"

The Doctor looks at the Gallifreyan writing on the cot and then up at River. He suddenly realizes who she is and smiles.

"Hello."

"Hello."

The Doctor laughs nervously. "But... but that means..."

"I'm afraid it does."

He looks at Amy and Rory. "Ooh! But you and I, we, we, we, er––"

"Yes."

He looks nervously at Amy and Rory before straightening his tie and jacket. "How do I look?"

"Amazing."

"I'd better be."

"Yes, you'd better be."

The Doctor spins to face the others. "Vastra and Jenny, till the next time. Rory and Amy, I'll find your daughter and on my life, she will be safe. River, get them all home." He heads for the TARDIS.

"Doctor?"

"No! Where are you going? No!"

The Doctor uses the sonic to lift the force field and enters the TARDIS. In the doorway, he laughs and points at River before going inside and closing the door. The TARDIS dematerializes.

Amy walks towards River. "Where's he going? What did you tell him?"

"Amy, you have stay calm."

Amy picks a gun off the floor and aims it at River. "Tell me what you told the Doctor."

"Amy, no, stop it!"

"It's OK, Rory, she's fine, she's good. It's the TARDIS translation matrix, it takes a while to kick in with the written word. You have to concentrate."

Amy looks at the Gallifreyan on the cot. "I still can't read it."

Rory takes the gun from Amy. River smiles.

"It's because it's Gallifreyan and doesn't translate. But this will." She gives Amy the prayer leaf. "It's your daughter's name in the language of the forest."

"I know my daughter's name," snaps Amy.

"Except they don't have a word for "pond" because the only water in the forest is the river. The Doctor will find your daughter and he will care for her whatever it takes and I know that."

Lorna's stitching changes in Amy and Rory's eyes as the translation circuit works. One side becomes "River" and the other "Song".

"It's me. I'm Melody. I'm your daughter."