Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters below. I own only the plot.

So... onto chapter nine. Hope you enjoy - love to hear what you think of it. :P Wink wink nudge nudge, hehe. Also congrats if you pick up the little Top Gear reference/saying towards the end. Couldn't resist. :P

Nine

"Finished scanning?" Rose asked, meeting up with the Doctor in the courtyard.

"Yep."

"Find anything interesting?"

He shook his head slightly, "Well, there are four of them here and I was just able to further confirm the type of energy they use and the wavelength of their telepathy. It might come in handy later on. How's Merlin?"

"He's fine," Rose assured him with a small smile, "I'm sure he'll be alright."

"Good," the Doctor nodded, satisfied with her answer. "Where did Arthur get to?"

"He was with Merlin," Rose told him. "Actually those two are kinda close, I didn't think..." she paused, hoping the Doctor would get her point.

"What?" the Doctor asked. "Didn't think-"

"Doctor! Rose!" the Time Lord was cut off, rather thankfully, as Arthur appeared from behind them.

"Sire," they once again spoke together.

"I'd like you to both come with me," Arthur began. "I need to inform my father of... of what's happened."

"Of course," Rose told him.

"Thank you," and Arthur led the way back, glad he would have some company for what was to come.

* * *

"No..." King Uther stated, his tone similar to Merlin's in shock and disbelief as he stood up from his throne.

"Father... I..." Arthur looked down at his feet and swallowed, starting again. "I'm sorry, but... he's gone."

Uther sunk back into his chair, vaguely aware that Morgana had rested her hand on his shoulder in slight reassurance.

"Sire, Gaius is not gone, he's merely been moved back in time. He lived to death in a past time and place," the Doctor explained and the King simply looked more confused. "The creatures which took him. The Weeping Angels, they send people back in time and use the energy they would have created to live. They feed on that energy."

"What in God's name are you on about, Doctor?" The King demanded.

"Father, there are creatures in this city. They look like statues of weeping angels." Arthur took over the explanation. "These creatures can move quicker than you can imagine and with one touch they take you. They took Gaius..."

Uther closed his eyes and took a deep breath; Morgana's hand squeezed his shoulder. Opening his eyes again, he spoke, "This sounds like sorcery."

"It's not," the Doctor told them.

"Then what is it?" Morgana spoke up.

"The Weeping Angels are aliens. They come from another world."

"Aliens?" Arthur questioned, incredulously.

"There is no such thing as aliens, Doctor," and the Time Lord sighed, turning to Rose as if to say, 'why does no one ever believe that?'

"Sires, My Lady," Rose addressed them all. "The Doctor is telling the truth. These Weeping Angels are aliens. Arthur," she turned him, "you've seen the damage they've done."

The Prince nodded, looking his father in the eye. "They certainly aren't like anything I have ever seen."

"Then how do you know it's not sorcery?" Uther asked. "How do you know this Doctor is not a sorcerer? He might be the one causing these disappearances."

"No no no... Hold up," the Doctor rushed, knowing from experience how quickly guards could be summoned. "I am not a sorcerer. I'm a scientist."

Uther continued to stare him down.

"I'm a scientist. A Doctor. Just like Gaius," the Doctor continued and at the mention of the physician's name, Uther's softened.

"I think he's telling the truth," Arthur stated. "We should let him help, Father. He certainly seems to know a lot about these creatures."

Uther looked as though he were considering it for a moment before nodding slightly. "Rid this place of these inhumane creatures and you will be rewarded, Doctor."

Bowing his head in thanks and out of respect, the Doctor answered him. "I will do whatever it takes, Sire."

"No go, leave me in peace," the King said, standing and turning away. "My son will assist you," and with that he left the room, the eyes of everyone watching him as he went.

"Is he gunna be ok?" Rose asked, directing her question more at Arthur than anyone else. The Prince shared a look with Morgana who gave a slight shrug.

"He and Gaius were very close," Morgana explained. "I..."

"I'm sure he will be fine," Arthur told them. "I'll speak to him when this is over."

Morgana, Rose and the Doctor all nodded simultaneously in agreement and there was a moment of silence before anyone spoke again.

"So, Doctor, how can we stop this?" Rose asked.

"Easy! Weeelll when I say easy, I mean the theory is easy. It's putting it into practise that'll be the hard bit, but don't fret," he added as Arthur's face fell slightly, "you've got me, remember! And, frankly, I'm pretty good."

"What he means, is he knows how to get rid of the Weeping Angels."

"What is your plan?" Morgana asked.

"The thing you need to know about the Weeping Angels is that their greatest asset is also their greatest threat."

"Meaning? Arthur asked.

"They are quantum locked," the Doctor explained, ignoring their blank looks at the scientific phrase. "They can move quicker than anything, unless you look at them. One look and they freeze. As long as something is looking at them, they are just statues."

"That's why you told... told Gaius and I to keep looking at them, isn't it." Arthur stated.

"Exactly," the Time Lord said, pleased someone was catching on.

"So how is that their greatest threat?" Rose asked.

"If they looked at each other they would freeze and just be statues for all eternity," Merlin said from the entrance to the hall, causing everyone to spin around in shock.

"Merlin!"

"Gwen!" Morgana spun around in surprise, noticing her maid standing behind Merlin.

"I thought you were cleaning..." Arthur trailed off.

"I helped him and we finished quicker," Gwen answered as the two of them walked forward to join the group of three. Arthur smiled at her appreciatively. "We want to help too."

"But that's right isn't it, Doctor?" Merlin asked, "If they look at each other they'll freeze forever."

"Yes," the Doctor nodded. "That's why they look as though they're weeping. They can't risk looking at each other."

"We just need to force them to look at each other then, right?" Rose asked.

"Exactly. Which is the easy, theoretical part of my plan," the Doctor replied with a grim smile.

"So, just make them look at each other, they freeze, problem solved," Arthur confirmed and the Doctor nodded. "Well, how hard can it be?"

Merlin sighed, "Famous last words," he muttered.