Beta'd by the wonderful micbb

Rose sat on the edge of the porch, the wind rustling her blonde hair, the sun setting but not lighting the sky ablaze. As she watched it she could vaguely recall an old rhyme one of her mother's navy boyfriends had told her. Red sky at night, a sailor's delight; red sky at morning, sailors take warning.

It was something to do with the weather, but right now, looking at the hues of blue and purple, gold and orange, with no red to be seen, Rose could see it only as a premonition of what they would be facing come day break.

And she felt entirely responsible.

Had she not lost her cool, she wouldn't have brought Jex to the town line. Would not have thrown him over and made him hold still and await Tek. Isaac wouldn't have died trying to save someone he saw only as a good man, and Tek wouldn't have threatened to kill everyone for the Doctor's show of mercy.

But how could that scum, that filth, sit there and call Tek 'it'? Even the Master, for all his lunacy, called the Toclafane his children. His sons and daughters.

When the Doctor's boots clunked against the porch, she cringed. She'd been outside for an undetermined amount of time, all the while listening in on her husband, Amy, and Rory on occasion as they discussed all the possibilities as to how they could get out of their current situation. No matter how it was looked at, things weren't likely to go their way.

The Doctor sat down, his long legs bent awkwardly with such a low seat for him to be perched on. He was still wearing the hat and the badge, and despite the grim look on his face, his eyes were shining.

"This is going to be more difficult that I originally thought," He started. "Isaac wanted me to protect Jex and the town, but it hardly seems possible. Rory's calling for justice. Apparently Jex was about to risk Amy's life, and was already marching her out the door at gun point when he and Isaac returned. Amy, she's being a bit more forgiving. Thinks what you did, making him face what he made, was punishment enough." He turned to her, and Rose was caught off guard by the smile he gave her. "I'm really not sure what to do."

"And that's what has you grinning? Not knowing what to do?" She asked him, and he chuckled.

"No, no, that is far from it." He replied, shaking his head before really taking her in. "After all these years, all the things you've seen, the places you've been, you're still Rose. You still have your humanity." He explained. "I should be furious with you, but I can't be. Because I know why you did what you did, and … and there was a part of me that wanted to throw Jex over the line myself." He said, his smile becoming bashful. "I imagine if it weren't for you, I might have. I'd have been a far lesser man than I am now, more willing to turn a blind eye to my morals and standards. You, you were only thinking about Gunslinger."

"Tek." She corrected softly. "Been trying to correct it in my own mind. His name's Tek, not Gunslinger."

"Tek, yes, he was. Have to wonder if he thinks that way now, though."

Rose hummed a lamented response, looking back up to the darkening sky.

There was a light tap on the door frame, and Rose and the Doctor turned to see Amy in the office door way. She gave a small, shy grin.

"There was a couple tins of soup and a little stove, something that sorta looks and smells like a roll. Rory's heatin' it up, thought you two might wanna come in for a bite."

"Thank you, Amy." The Doctor nodded, and Amy flashed Rose a warm smile before heading inside. "She may not agree with sending Jex to his doom, but she's on board with your thinking that Gun- I mean, Tek is a proper man and should be treated like one."

"Yeah." She agreed. Rose then let out a sigh, pushing herself to her feet. "Come on. Big ol' brain of yours' is gonna need food to think at its best.'

"Soup from a tin," The Doctor grumbled. "When we do get back to the TARDIS, it's fish fingers and custard for me. Just getting back from terrible Victorian England where they don't have proper anything, and now I'm stuck another day without Fish Custard or Jammie Dodgers."

"You'll live." Rose said, kissing his nose as he stood up, giving it a gentle tap before flicking his hat. "Not sure I like this look."

"And why not? Stetsons are cool." The Doctor stated, fixing his hat before adjusting his bow tie.

"Doesn't suit this particular kit." She said, reaching up and taking off his jacket. He smirked, and she could feel the tease and flirt he wanted to make at the edge of their bond, him not quite letting it get to her. "There," She remarked as she looked him over in just his waistcoat over his oxford. "Bow tie still looks a touch funny, but you look closer to a proper cow boy now."

"Cool," he said before leaning in and placing a gentle kiss on her lips. "Come on," He said. "Let's go see what Mister Pond has on for dinner."

~DWDWDW~

Amy and Rory were stretched out on one of the bunks in a cell quite a distance from Jex's, Amy curled up on top of her husband. Both stared off into nothing, trying to rest, maybe sleep, as darkness came over the village.

Rose sat on a chair behind the desk, watching the Doctor and Jex go about some sort of stare down where neither said anything, and Jex blinked frequently.

It was so utterly quiet and still that the gentle knock on the door caused her to startle.

"Come in," The Doctor called, not taking his eyes off Jex until the door was open and the pastor came in. "Marshall," He nodded to the Doctor, turning to Rose, "Ma'am," He gave a nod to Amy and Rory as they came out of the cell where they'd been resting. "You need to come outside." He said to the Doctor.

"Why? What's wrong?" He asked.

"Just … come outside. And you should put that on." The pastor replied, and he pointed at the holster hanging by the door.

The Doctor stood, gathered the holster, looked at it with mild disgust.

"Not going to allow your wife to do your dirty work for you again?" Jex taunted.

Rose met her husband's eye, making him focus on her as she took the holster from it and strapped it on. "'S just for show." She reminded him.

"Doctor?" Amy said hesitantly, coming up to them. "You're not …?"

"Like Rose said, Pond. Just for show." He gave her a confident smile as Rose finished with the belt, and he then turned and nodded to the pastor.

He led them outside, the holy man quickly stepping aside as the Doctor surveyed the scene before them.

It was a small group, but one Rose recognized most of the men as those who helped lock Jex up earlier in the afternoon. There was a clear divide between them and the rest, all tense as they waited for the acting Marshall.

"What's going on?" The Doctor asked, taking a few steps off the porch.

The young man who had asked the Doctor if he was an alien took a step closer. "He in there?" He asked nervously. The Doctor nodded once. "Leave the keys, you and the missus take a walk. Time you and she get back, this'll all be done."

"I promised Isaac I'd protect him." The Doctor countered.

"Protecting him got Isaac dead." The young man retorted. "Tomorrow it's going to get all us dead."

"We won't let that happen," Rory reassured despite knowing full well they didn't have a single idea how that was going to happen.

"'S what Isaac said," Another man gave input. "But now we've got to say 'we lost' and give that thing what it wants."

"He." The Doctor corrected before Rose had a chance to let the rage surface. "Let's get that clear now. Gunslinger is a man, whether he looks it or not. Isaac told me the war wasn't all that long ago, and I'm sure some of you know war changes people. Just for most it's not so evident on the outside."

"Yeah, well, he got ill feelin' toward the doc. We ain't, but we thinkin' 'bout our families. Hand him over and we all safe again." The young man stated.

"You know I can't do that." The Doctor countered.

"Then we got us a problem," The young man threatened, pushing aside his jacket and showing off the holster on his hip.

Rose started to dart forward, but the Doctor reached out and stopped her before she could make it in front of him. He then took a slight step closer to the young man, his other hand moving toward the gun strapped to him.

"Please don't do this." He asked.

"Why? Reckon you quicker than me?" The young man asked in return, lifting his chin in challenge.

"Almost certainly now. But this? Lynch mobs, the town turning against itself? This is everything Isaac didn't want to happen."

The young man drew his gun, and Rose went to move again but was stopped by a hand curling around her arm. It surprised her to see it was Amy and not Rory holding her back. The young ginger tightened her grip, but more in worry than in fear as she tried her best to give reassurance to Rose.

"What's your name?" The Doctor asked the young man threatening him with a weapon.

"Samuel."

"And how old are you, Samuel?" The Doctor asked

"Nearly nineteen," He said.

"That's eighteen, then. Too young to have fought in the war, so I'm guess you've never shot anyone before have you?"

Samuel cocked the hammer of the gun, lifting it a little more. "First time for everything."

"Yes, there is. But two thoughts, here, before you do." The Doctor pointed behind him. "You know I'm alien, Samuel. You know I'm different. So's my wife. You shoot me, you're shooting her, too. A young woman, doesn't look much older than you, does she?" The Doctor soothed, and Samuel looked up and caught Rose's eye for a moment before looking away. "We don't know how old Gunslinger was before Jex turned him into a weapon, made him a killer. If you shoot me, my wife by extension, you're letting him make you into a weapon, too. A killer. Don't you see? Violence doesn't end violence, it extends it. I don't think you really want to become that man."

"There's kids here." Samuel reminded the Doctor, the fight leaving him.

"I know." The Doctor nodded. "Kids I can save, if you'll let me."

Samuel seemed to consider this, then lowered his weapon. He nodded, looking properly chastised, and turned around left. A few of the men followed him, the rest of the townsfolk going in another direction.

The second he mob dispersed, Amy let go of Rose's arm. Now freed, Rose ran for the Doctor and jumped up to wrap her arms around his neck. He caught her, held her tight, breathed her in.

"Frightened people," He said over his shoulder. "Give me a Dalek any day."

"Oh, don't say that." Rose chided gently as he set her down. "Head inside, get that thing off you, yeah?" She suggested.

"Yes, excellent idea, Sweetheart." He said, turning and heading inside.

"I'm going down to see if Luciel'll will spare us a couple draught." Rory said, throwing a thumb over his shoulder in the direction of the tavern. "She didn't seem on Samuel's side, maybe she'll be nice."

He didn't wait for Rose or Amy to say anything before he turned and left them outside in the cool, night air. Rose could feel faint hints of frustration coming from the Doctor, but knew it was likely just Jex egging him on.

"I'm sorry," Amy said when Rory was out of ear shot. "I just … I couldn't watch you nearly get shot again. And, well, I thought maybe the Doctor might defuse the situation better." She said sheepishly.

"You're right," Rose agreed. "'S instinct to put myself between him and danger. Doesn't always make for an easy negotiation."

Amy nodded.

There was a comfortable silence between them as Amy turned and leaned on the rail surrounding the porch. Rose joined her, enjoying the freshness of the air against her skin.

"I know," Amy started nervously. "I know I haven't always been nice to you. Know we're not all that close. But Rory said you didn't even hesitate to come for me when he thought I was missing. Said there wasn't any sorta discussion he didn't hear between you and the Doctor. Just a simple, straight forward 'we'll be there'. And that you were in seconds."

"You're our friend." Rose said simply. "You and Rory, you're part of our family now, for better or worse. You're like … you're like the sister-in-law I never got to have." Rose added with a tongue touched grin that made Amy laugh. "You don't think I'm good enough for your brother, but then you change your mind once you get to know me."

"Yeah, that sounds about right." Amy nodded. "So I suppose if we're sorta, like, sisters-in-law in a strange sorta way, then I can ask a personal question?" As Amy turned her inquisitive expression to Rose, Rose nodded. "What was it like? Being pregnant. How did you know?"

"Oh." Rose said, taken aback. "He never … never told you how Jenny came to be?" Amy shook her head. "I … I actually can't … I mean. Jenny wasn't conceived, she was generated. We, umm, stumbled across a war where they were using these machines. Meant to create a human using only one parent's DNA, bit of mine got mixed up with the Doctor's." And as she rambled, Rose came to a realization of what Amy was asking. "You don't think you're …?"

"No. Well, thought I was. I just … I worried for a moment what might happen, being pregnant on the TARDIS."

"A friend of ours was pregnant and we took her on a trip. Just a quick one 'bout a week before she knew. Baby turned out fine, beautiful. Doesn't alter anything, promise."

"But Rory. He was … and then you."

"I just made him breathe again. Healed him up. 'S all I did." Rose assured, smoothing circles over Amy's back. "You sure you're fine, though? If you need a break, sit in the vortex or go home after we get this mess sorted, the Doctor will understand."

"No, it's fine." Amy promised with a sad smile. "Just, for that one quick moment I was excited. Sorta wish I wasn't wrong."

Rose only nodded. She didn't know if she completely understood. The pregnancy scares she did have were so very long ago and with a man she would have regretted having a child with. She knew about her infertility before she and the Doctor ever came together in such a way, so there had never been a moment of panic or possible excitement of having a child with the man she loved. As a result, she felt she could add nothing more to their conversation.

Which was likely for the best as she noted Rory returning with his arms raised with what looked to be two steins in each hand. At the same time, a spike of giddiness from the Doctor preceded his excitable exit from inside the office.

"I have a plan." He announced.

"This never ends well," Rose teased as she and Amy turned to lean with their backs against the rail as Rory came up to them.

"Oi, you. Now listen." The Doctor said as he took a stein from Rory before continuing. "Jex can use his ship, escape, lure Tek away. Take him off this world, and out somewhere else. Mars, for instance, is currently uninhabited."

"How's that gonna help any?" Rory asked as he handed Amy one stein before handing Rose another. "Jex will just head off to some other planet, looking for a good life, and Gunslinger, Tek, will follow. Another planet will be forced to deal with them."

"Ah, but that's the thing, Rory." The Doctor said in a quiet voice. "I was on his ship. I've seen the fuel reserves, and they're low. Now, he could get smart and rig up a solar charger, or make fuel out of whatever he'll find on the planet he'll land on next, but he won't get very far before he'll have to land. Nowhere near Earth at this point in time has a population. He'll have nowhere to hide."

"So we're sentencing him to death after all." Amy noted.

"No." The Doctor said, still not raising his voice. "Because I know the Kahler people, and if there is one thing they know how to do it's nearly everything, including survive in their ship indefinitely. Jex said something in there that got me thinking. He said 'we all carry our prisons with us.' His ship can become his prison, and Tek his warden. Jex can live, so long as he never comes out again."

"It's a stupid plan." Amy told him bluntly.

"But it's not like we have any better options." Rory reminded her. "He don't do it, Tek will just kill him here or everyone in the town. Him or us. I choose us."

"But his ship is in the hills." Rose reminded the Doctor. "How ya gonna get him outta town?"

"Distractions." The Doctor said coyly. "Get a few of the braver folk in town, maybe good ol' Samuel, add in Rory, we get you to paint replicas of Jex's mark on our faces, but make them just a touch off. Distract Tek long enough to get Jex out of town.

"And how do we know Tek won't just kill everyone here anyway?" Amy asked, taking a tiny sip of her ale.

"Because as Rose has pointed out, he's still a man. He can be reasoned with. All it will take is pointing out the unique vapor trail of Jex's ship and he'll follow." The Doctor said with confidence. "He's already been here a few weeks, knew exactly where Jex was, but didn't kill anyone. Not until he was denied his revenge did he threaten the town directly. He still has mercy in him." The Doctor said with conviction, then gave a little snort. "Ha! Mercy." He grinned from ear to ear, looking boyish, then took a sip of his drink.

His face twisted round in disgust as he shook his tongue out and then proceeded to wipe it on the back of his hand.

"Wow." Rory deadpanned.

"The Oncoming Storm." Rose also deadpanned, sipping her drink. "Bloody terrifying, that one."

"Horrifying." Amy agreed, and the three each took a drink as the Doctor continued to spit before yelling at his drink for tasting so terrible.

~DWDWDW~

"You sure you want to do this?" Amy asked Rory as she straightened the collar of his jacket. Rose was finishing painting Samuel's face, Rory already complete. She glanced away from her work to watch the couple that reminded her a bit of she and the Doctor in their earlier days.

"Well, don't want to. I mean, I could get shot … again. That's always fun. But it'll be fine, I'll be fine." Rory reassured with as much confidence as he could muster.

"You will be fine." The Doctor insisted as he tucked his screwdriver in his holster, hiding it behind the gun already there. "Rose made sure they weren't a match. Tek is smart, he wants Jex, he won't just go on a firing rampage."

"You sure?" Samuel asked.

"Positive." The Doctor said with confidence.

There was a lull of quite as Rose finished the last of Samuel's fake tattoo.

"There, all set." She said, setting down the face paint.

"Thanks, ma'am." Samuel said with a nod as he put his hat back on.

"Why do I have to stay here again?" Amy asked, crossing her arms.

"You're safest here." Rory replied.

"And everyone else is throwing themselves in danger." She countered. "Why am I being treated different?"

At that, they all looked at each other with confusion. Why were they protecting Amy by shielding her?

"Someone would have to be here if anyone comes to the Marshall's office for help." Jex supplied from in his cell.

"Right. Yes, you're my deputy." The Doctor said, moving to Amy and giving her the keys. "You know when to let him out, then Rose will get him safely to his ship."

Amy nodded, then moved to Rory to give him one last hug and kiss before he and Samuel went to their waiting spot.

Rose moved to the Doctor, flicked his Stetson. "Be careful, yeah?"

"Careful is my middle name." He countered as he placed his hands on her hips.

"Know your name, don't have a middle one." Rose countered, arms going around his neck. "And if ya did, Careful wouldn't be it, 'specially this go around."

He chuckled in his chest before bending his knees for the best angle to give her a kiss. "I'll still try."

"'S all I ask." She replied, bringing his head to hers once more. She poured all the love she had for him through their bond. "Just in case." She said as she pulled back.

He spoke in Gallifreyan, a long way of saying "I love you", and then headed out the door with Rory and Samuel.

There was silence after that, not a person in the village daring to make a sound as noon crept closer.

The crackle announcing Tek's arrival was heard inside the office.

"Here we go." Amy said softly, her fingers worrying the key to Jex's cell. Rose practically held her breath as she waited for the signal, jaw clenched as she braced herself.

The high pitch screech of the sonic from the middle of town wasn't quite as loud as Rose was expecting.

"Ready?" Amy asked as she turned to Jex's cell. He and Rose both nodded as Amy turned the key. Jex darted out, and Rose followed close behind.

"Come on, run faster." She growled at him as they darted to the outer parameter.

"Not as fit as you are." He countered bitterly.

Rose gave him the occasional push, all while ignoring her husband's spikes of panic or fear.

The ship wasn't quite as far into the desert as Rose had originally thought. Jex followed the power line, or maybe even instinct, right to it, and Rose would check over her shoulder to make sure that the Tek was still readily occupied in the town for the time being.

As Jex pulled the tarp off his ship, he paused.

"Is this really the way?" He asked.

"The Doctor and I will be sure to keep tabs on you." She told him bluntly. "You land on another planet with a population, put anyone else in any sorta danger, you'll have us to answer to. And believe me, we are a far worse thing to face than even the Shadow Proclamation."

Jex smiled, nodded. "I believe that. You balance each other, keep one another in line, but I imagine if it's a mutual agreement, you two could destroy a whole planet on a whim." She said nothing to that, keeping her eye on him as he tried to stare her down. "Do you really believe I am worse than your husband?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

"Because even with all the terrible things he's done, he's always looked to the greater good. He destroyed his planet and his people to save the Universe from destruction. You destroyed a man's life to win a war, and then tried to shut him down and saw he was nothing more than a weapon. You didn't even ask him, didn't even tell him what he was giving up." She stepped closer. "No matter what good you think you've done, no matter how many lives you saved, you have that glint in your eye. Same one I've seen in every man and woman we ever came across who thought what they were doing, had done, was the only right way. Lost their sense of right and morality to justify what they'd done. He has mourned every life given, every life lost, faces those he's hurt. You shrug it off.'"

Jex nodded. "I thought you'd have made an excellent weapon." He admitted. "But I don't think we could have deprogrammed your sense of … morals." Jex disappeared into the ship, the door sliding shut.

Rose backed up, keeping her eye on the ship.

She could hear an echo down in the town, like something coming over a speaker, but was just far enough away not to hear it. She thought she could make out the tone of Jex's voice, which would explain why he hadn't taken off just yet.

The explosion took her by surprise, tossing her a few meters away from the ship, tossing her to the ground and making her roll a few more. Her ears rang, her eyes hurt, and she felt bruised, and maybe like there were a few things broken. She could feel unconsciousness come over her, and she welcomed it.

When she felt someone pick her up, she groaned and opened her eyes. The face she saw was not one she was expecting. "Hello, Tek." She said with as much of a grin as she could muster.

"Ma'am." He said, a slight grin to his lips. Before Rose fell back in unconsciousness, she noticed the Marshall badge pinned on Tek's scarf.

~DWDWDW~

"How quick is she going to recover?" Rory asked as Rose sat on a cot in the Marshall's office, the Doctor scanning her with the screwdriver.

"A couple days" The Doctor replied. "We'll have to stay in the vortex, or go somewhere very remote and quiet until her ribs heal."

"Least the ringing stopped." Rose said as the Doctor finished scanning her. "Head doesn't hurt much."

"You came close to the alternative." The Doctor mumbled.

He didn't ask when Tek first brought her back what transpired with Jex before he blew himself up, but she showed him the conversation when he went to bring the TARDIS closer. He'd only just got back when he felt it imperative to do a scan on her before leaving Mercy.

Rose had ignored his assessment. She was there, after all, and in a small way she almost wished she had died so she'd have at least been healed by now. In pain, but healed.

"So Tek," Rose said as she stood, straightening her jacket. "Want us to come back once in a while, make sure you're alright?"

"Your kindness is appreciated." He said with a nod. "I shall be alright."

She smiled, nodded, then got on her toes and gave him a kiss in the cheek that was still mostly flesh. "Might just anyway." She said around a groan of pain.

"Alright, you," The Doctor said affectionately. "Let's get you home so you can rest." He nodded to Tek before guiding her outside.

"Best we wash that paint off ya, too." Amy said to Rory behind them, and Rose turned to see her trying to smudge it off with her thumb. "Doesn't suit ya."

"No, not really my thing." Rory admitted.

He walked past where Rose waited by the TARDIS doors, ignoring the Doctor faking a quick draw with Samuel to head for the shade and the option of getting the paint off.

Amy stopped outside he doors, meeting Rose's eye. "Definitely not." She said with a nod.

"You're sure?" Rose asked.

"Yeah," Amy nodded again. "At least, if I were I'm not now, so." She looked to her feet. "Maybe it's a good thing we'll be spending some time just, you know, relaxin'?"

"If you want to talk." Rose said, putting a hand on Amy's arm.

"Thanks." She said. "Better go help Rory get the, uh," Amy pointed to inside the TARDIS.

"Yeah," Rose nodded, smiling until Amy was out of sight.

She heard the TARDIS's lament, understanding that the Old Girl knew there was something wrong as well.

"What more do you know of Amy?" The Doctor asked.

"She thought she was pregnant." Rose admitted, looking up and seeing the same concern she had reflected in her husband's eyes.

"And now?"

"Now she says she's not." Rose replied.

"We'll have the TARDIS run a scan, see what comes back." He said as they stepped inside. He looked around the console room, peeked down the hall, then took Rose gently by the shoulders. "We know something's wrong, and we will figure it out. Whatever Amy is going through, we'll fix."

"Know we will," Rose said. "Never doubted."

"Good." The Doctor said, kissing Rose on the forehead. "Been a bit since we've been to Solodarias 4. Heat will do your aches good, don't think Amy will mind the sun shine too much."

"Sounds lovely." Rose agreed as she followed her husband up the ramp and took her place at the controls, working with him to send them in to the Vortex.

A/N: I have a laptop again!

Thank you to the readers, favoriters, followers, and reviewers for your continued patience.

BadWolfGirl, Ryann Bennett, PanoramaGirl, WaitingformyDoctorintheTARDIS, annabethfan15, Eagle Hawke, Chasing-Impossibilities-4ever, Shadow Eclipse, and Loca8892, thank you all for leaving word, as always.

Next post is something I have been asked and begged to do since I announced not all episodes will be done. And it's a personal favorite of mine in canon.

Until then.