I know it's been a while and I'm sorry. I don't own HMC or Doctor Who.

Howl and The Doctor bounded after her. Sophie walked behind with Markl. Each had a protective hand on Granny. As she heaved Heen up the hill, Sophie couldn't help but notice the contrasts between the two men. The Doctor was lean but sturdy and grounded, a common effect for a person who had to sound sure of himself at all times. His hair was chestnut and shaggy and he was dressed mainly in shades of brown and green as apposed to Howl's vibrant outfits. The wizard was springing up the hill. Clothed in lavender pants and thin as toothpicks, each leg was fully extended at each leap. His black hair and emerald earrings bounced with each jump. He had recently taken to wearing eye shadow, a phase that Sophie hoped would soon pass. To call Howl colorful would be an understatement.

Sophie broke of her thoughts when the men entered the fog. Soon after, she found herself leading her motley little family through the condensation, which seemed as thick and white as the whipped cream on one of Cesari's cakes.

"Howl?" She shouted through the whiteness. "Doctor? Amy?" There was no answer.

"Sophie?" Markl whimpered and squeezed her hand tighter.

"Don't be frightened Markl." She found herself repeating the same words she had said that morning, when the TARDIS landed in their living room. "They're probably just ahead and can't hear us."

"No Sophie. Look!" A dark shadow was falling upon them. "There's something there." Some sort of structure loomed ahead. To her dismay, she recognized it.

"Oh fu-I mean shi-Arg! DAMNATION!" She exploded. Markl wasn't the least taken aback. He had heard Howl say "damnation" many times before as well as all the other words Sophie had attempted.

"What is it?" He asked.

"My castle!" Granny Witch cried happily.

They were in The Wastes. By now, the fog had cleared a little and it had grown rather hot. The sand on the ground started burning through the soles of their shoes.

"This is impossible!" Sophie huffed indignantly. "We were on the edge of Market Chipping only a moment ago!" The Witch paid her no heed. She ran up to her long abandoned home and to what appeared to be a door, dusted in the yellowed sand of The Wastes.

"Open up!" She cackled, pounding on the wood. "Don't keep me all day you stupid castle! You are mine after all!"

"Granny, I don't think this it such a good idea." Sophie warned.

"NONSENSE! LET ME IN YOU USELESS CASTLE!" After a good deal of pounding the door swung open and Granny ran in.

"Granny!" Sophie and Markl hurried after her. Inside the castle it was dark and the walls appeared to be fused-together chimney pots. Sophie had the eerie and uncomfortable feeling that something was watching her.

They chased Granny through the corridors (she was surprisingly fast for an old lady) until they entered a domed room. A young man was leaning against the wall, eyes wide and scared. Angel-like statues surrounded him. The angels had their backs to the doorway. Sophie assumed that this man must be Rory.

"Get out off here." He hissed. "It's not safe."

"But we've come to help you." Sophie hissed back. Rory did not respond although his face had an expression of mortal terror. Sophie heard him squeak with fear and she felt a cold touch on her collarbone. An angel was standing next to her. She saw it out of the corner of her eye. "Oh bother." She groaned. And then she was no longer in the Witch of the Waste's castle.

Amy stood in front of the collapsed doorway. She could not find any of the others and assumed they were all inside the...whatever it was. It looked like some sort of building made out of flower pots heaped together. The only problem was that the door was locked. She was standing sassily with one hip jutting out, contemplating kicking her way in when a thought crossed her mind. Why not just knock? She raised one fist to the rotting boards. Three sharp raps were all it took. The door swung open all on it's own. Amy disregarded all stories about entering through doors that opened by themselves in which the characters met horrible fates and stepped through. She walked through the long hall to a circular room. She did not find The Doctor but Rory, who was cowering against the far wall, surrounded by weeping angels. Amy froze.

"Rory," she said. "Don't blink. Don't look away. Look at them but not the eyes. I'm coming." She began to take slow, paced steps towards him.

"Thank God you're here." He breathed. "Where's The Doctor?"

"I don't know." She said truthfully.

"Hey Amy?"

"Hang on Rory."

"I really need to blink."

"Don't!"

His eyelids fluttered.

"Don't you dare Rory Williams!"

Several angels appeared from behind and formed a circle around Amy, knocking her off her feet."

"Damn you."

"Sorry."

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