Amy and Rory helped the Doctor carry pieces of equipment through the TARDIS. The Doctor floated above the ground, leaning slightly forward, his legs slightly bent, and his toes pointing toward the ground. If he was anyone other than the Doctor Amy would have thought he looked similar to a wraith.

"There couldn't be life forms in every cube, could there?" Rory asked.

"I don't know. And I really don't like not knowing," the Doctor answered. He floated out of the TARDIS, followed by Amy and Rory. He drifted seamlessly into the house and into the kitchen before setting his feet on the ground. "Right. I need to use your kitchen as a lab." He began filling a pot with water and Rory set the equipment down. "Cook up some cubes, see what happens," the Doctor finished.

Suddenly, the sound of dozens of loud stomping boots hit Amy's ears from every direction. Their shouting of codes into their radios filled the house. Before they could react, soldiers appeared in the kitchen and covered Amy and the Doctor with their guns. The Doctor floated gently into the air.

"Trap One. Kitchen secured," a soldier said into his radio.

Amy and the Doctor looked back to see soldiers blocking the other way out, and turned to face the front again.

Amy gently touched the Doctor's arm. "That definitely doesn't look threatening or anything," she said quietly.

"Sorry. Defensive reaction," he said as he floated back to the ground.

The Doctor lay upside-down on the couch, between Amy and Rory as they all stared at the cubes on the table. "Four days. Nothing!" He snatched a cube. "Nothing! Not a single change in any cube, anywhere in the world," he said as he slapped the cube. He replaced the cube on the table and swung his legs over his head and flipped right side up, standing on the air. "Four days! And I'm still in your lounge!" He flew in circles around the room agitatedly.

"You were the one who wanted to observe them," Amy said.

"Yes, well, I thought they'd do something, didn't I? Not just sit there while everyone eats endless cereal!" He stopped circling the room and began spinning absently near the ceiling, drifting slowly across the room.

"You said we had to be patient," Rory said.

"Yes, you, you! Not me! I hate being patient! Patience is for wimps! I can't live like this. Don't make me. I need to be busy."

"Fine! Be busy! We'll watch the cubes!" Amy said.

The Doctor perked up and hit his head on the ceiling. He grunted and fell to the ground. Amy turned to look over the edge of the couch at the Doctor splayed on the floor with a grimace. He forced a smile and gave her a thumbs up before getting up and flying out of the house.

The Doctor completed every activity he could find. He painted a fence, mowed the lawn, fixed an engine, and vacuumed the whole house, including the ceiling. He kicked a soccer ball, keeping it in the air, counting his kicks. He made it to five million and cradled the ball on his back in triumph. He decided to make it more of a challenge by keeping himself in the air too. After a few failed attempts, he managed to keep it up into the hundreds. He practiced flying straight up, trying to cover as much distance as he could with each flap of his arms. He flew back and forth, high above the neighborhood, practicing sharp curves and bursts of speed from a stationary position.

He finished by sitting on the ground, his legs crossed, and trying to float into the air with his eyes closed and without moving. He had tried many times and could never do it. He felt lighter on the ground and tried to push higher. His face twitched as he struggled to keep his balance. He repressed the urge to push with his hands or unfold his legs. If he could accomplish this, he might never need to use his hands to fly again. He could do whatever he wanted in the air simply by thinking and believing.

He felt the air beneath him. He was completely off the ground, but only by a few centimeters. He stayed for a moment to keep his balance. He tried to push higher. He lost his balance and threw his legs out and hit the ground lightly. He stood up, happy that he had made a little progress.

He flew into the house and to Amy and Rory's couch. He flew above it and plopped down between them. "That's better."

"Doctor, you've been flying a lot more than you used to," Amy said.

"Really? Since when?"

"Ever since we were trapped in the Dalek Asylum, you just fly wherever you go. You used to walk."

"I suppose when you've been flying for three hundred years it sort of becomes a habit. Does it bother you?"

"No! No," Amy said quickly, "It's not like you're constantly on a higher level, always smiling down at the little people, making everyone else feel slow and weak and insignificant. No, I like constantly looking at the bottom of your shoes."

The Doctor shook his head in confusion. "You could've said something! You could've just asked me to tone it down. I can make it a point to walk on the ground a little more."

"Not just walking . . . running too. It used to be fun . . . running with you. Now you just go zooming in front or flying over our heads. It used to be the three of us. Now it's just me and Rory . . . and you over there."

"I didn't know you felt that way. I can teach you to fly if you want."

"Oh, yes, please," Rory said.

"How? We don't see you often enough to get consistent lessons."

"Okay, I'll- I'll try to stay on the ground for you," the Doctor said, downcast.

Amy noticed his disappointment and gave him a smile. "You fly. You go ahead and keep flying. That's the crazy, ridiculous man I ran away with," she said with a chuckle, "Just don't fly away. Fly with us."

"Okay. Right," the Doctor said, pondering, "I'll keep that in mind." He took a deep breath and sighed, feeling awkward in the silence. "Nothing like a bit of activity to pass the time," he said to break the silence, "How long was I gone?"

Rory looked at his watch. "Uh, a little more than an hour."

"I can't do it. No," the Doctor said, pushing off the couch and flying away. He remembered to stay on the ground and walked the rest of the way to the TARDIS, Amy and Rory following him.

The Doctor played tennis fervently on the Wii. "Third set, decider. Come on, then. Out of the way, dear, I'm trying to-." He stopped short when he saw one of the tiny, black cubes floating around him. He floated into the air almost involuntarily and mirrored its movements. "Whatever you are, this planet, these people, are precious to me. And I will defend them to my last breath. Is that all you can do, hover? I had a metal dog could do that. I can do it too."

The cube opened, revealing the end of a small tube pointed at him.

"Ooh! Ooh, that's clever. What's that?"

The barrel fired a laser bolt at him and he quickly dodged.

"Whew!" He dropped behind the couch and peeked under it.

The cube appeared and shot at him again.

He flew out of the room and hid around the corner. He risked a look inside to see the cube uploading information from the television. "Ooh, you really have woken up."

"Oh, dear. All those cubes. There's going to be a terrible wave of energy ricocheting around here, any second," the Doctor said, "Run." He spread his fingers, pumped his arms, and flew away.

"I'm going to miss this," Rory said, looking at Amy.

Amy squealed and they ran after the Doctor. The Doctor remembered not to fly away and slowed down to let them catch up. He flew beside them, grinning, as they neared the portal. Just before they reached the portal, an explosion thrust them through. Amy and Rory fell on the floor in the elevator and the Doctor flew into the wall.

He backed away, looking a little stunned, before setting his feet on the ground as Rory and Amy helped each other up. "You were right, Amy. I'd forgotten how much more fun it is to fly with you!"