AN: Hello! Thanks as ever for all your wonderful reviews it's such a relief that so far the sequel has gone down so well!
Last chap's quote was by Bliss and Cerney from the band Renaissance. That brings Lady Seiryu to 2 points, Lily to 1, and Rain to three! (note me on DA for your prize)
This chap's quote:
"Love cures people – both the ones who give it and the ones who receive it."
So, the Doc just showed off some superior fighting skills- thrashing the martial arts teacher, Anil. And now….? We'll see ;)
Enjoy!
"Now it is your turn."
Amy blinked and just stared at Anil, who held out a separate staff to her.
Amy looked at it blankly, then at the Doctor, who was leaning against the wooden wall next to her, arms folded, hair still messy- eyes burning.
"What?"
Anil shrugged. "Your Doctor has explained that you need to learn how to protect yourself- that you face many dangers in your travels together."
Amy felt her fists clench in indignation. "I can protect myself just fine thankyou."
The words were directed at the Doctor, but it was Anil who replied.
"I think he realizes this- which is why he has asked me to teach you more- so you don't have to rely on him."
Amy eyes widened in anger.
"I do not rely on you!"
Anil shrugged, again acting as interpreter for the wordless Doctor.
"I think he has good intentions- perhaps he simply wants to share something he enjoys with you."
Amy spun to the Time Lord, walking right up to him. She wasn't sure why she was so frustrated- but she could feel it boiling inside her, working it's way to the surface.
"Tell me that's it- just that you want to share with me- have a laugh. Please tell me that's the only reason you want me to learn this."
The Doctor looked at her, jaw set, eyes almost cold in their opacity. "Do you want me to lie to you?"
Amy's eyes widened and narrowed as she saw the meaning behind his words, and her next outpouring came out close to a shout.
"I can look after MYSELF!"
She felt a few tears spill from her eyes as her fists remained clenched, and she suddenly flushed bright red- feeling Anil's curious eyes upon her back. She tried to ignore the Doctor as she went to run off- away from him and all of this.
His hands grabbed her, as she knew they would, and it broke her heart to have to look up into his frantically confused and worried eyes. One of his hands moved from her shoulder to her face- rubbing away her tears gently with his thumb.
Amy let him- she was a mess of emotion now-anger and sadness, and still unsure exactly why.
"Amy, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to upset you- I just couldn't- I-" He broke off, wordless, and kept rubbing away her tears, pulling her closer.
Discreetly, Anil placed the Gun staffs back in the rack and went back inside.
Amy stared at her raggedy Doctor, "why can't you just trust me to take care of myself? No one ever lets me just be myself, look after myself, fight my own battles. They're always interfering and acting like I'm weaker than I am- I thought you wouldn't-didn't think that way."
She was crying more now whilst the Doctor stared at her, a slight frown creasing his brow as he tried to understand her.
"Can't you see that you need to let me be free? Can't you see how badly it hurts me when you won't trust me to be my own person?"
The Doctor frowned. "Amy- I-I never thought that of you- would never treat you like that- at least not intentionally."
"Then why the self-defense lesson?"
"I just thought it could help, that you'd enjoy it, maybe need it. I couldn't see you hurt…"
The Doctor's voice too became more fervent as he tried to make her understand him- in a way he'd never tried with anyone before.
Amy bit her lip.
"But it doesn't matter, does it? I'm always going to be human and you're always going to be Time Lord, and one day I'm going to die, and you can't stop it. Why bother trying to prolong the inevitable?"
There it was- what had truly been getting to her all night and day, the thing's words, the goblet, the idea of leaving and losing him.
Amy couldn't bear it- she needed him to say it would be ok, she just couldn't…couldn't….she didn't even know what she thought at that moment- just a mess of hot, painful emotion as she looked at him and knew she'd be gone first.
The Doctor, for his part, was simply shocked. He hadn't expected that. It was a subject his heart shied away from- though his mind presented it to him every day, every moment he touched her or saw her beauty, heard her laugh…
Quickly he took her into his arms, holding her tight in a fierce embrace. Amy collapsed into him- needing his reassurance, as she had ever since she was a child.
For once though, the Doctor couldn't give it.
"Amy, I knew- know that. I know, and I've made my choice." He paused, taking a deep breath, searching for the right words.
"You have to understand- having you, even for a short time, has made my whole existence seem…worthy again. Like I've earned the right to see the beauties around me, to collect my own pile of 'good things'."
The Doctor smiled wryly at that, trying to coax a response from the girl in his arms. She remained quiet, watching him, and he continue- swallowing a lump in his throat.
"And, and Amy- I couldn't possibly- ever willingly let you go. I asked Anil to teach you because I want you with me as long as possible- because I love having you to rely on, and watch my back- to keep me grounded and share the wonders of all of time and space. Someone to laugh with and cry with and just love."
The Doctor looked at her, taking her face in his hands as he had so many times before, features open and honest with the depth of his emotion.
"Amy, I could never let you leave my heart- even when you can't be with me."
Amy felt fresh tears spill over, and then she tilted her head up and kissed him fervently, desperately, needing him- her hands reaching up and clutching the back of his jacket- fisting in the scratchy, familiar material. He kissed back, gently, but with the same passion.
Amy couldn't stand it- the pain and the love, all of it- God it hurt! She pulled back to look at him.
"Why can't you do something to make me live longer? Slow my body clock- like Liz and Sia?"
She was desperate now, clutching at straws- but at the same time she couldn't help but see the reason behind her words- he could do it, she knew he could. She waited with baited breath for his reply.
The Doctor paused, then sighed. Amy felt the rise and fall of his chest against her own.
He didn't meet her eyes when he replied.
"I- that would be difficult, and I don't know how long it would work for. Besides- if anything happened to me, ever- you couldn't return to normalcy- you wouldn't be safe. No one would accept you if you didn't age, in the future- because that's reserved for the royals. In the past, because it's simply impossible. I…..I couldn't put that burden on you- make you live as long as Sia, alone."
Had she been feeling rational or stable, Amy could have seen the truth and reason behind his words. But she wasn't- and besides that, Amy loved her raggedy Doctor too much to respond in any other way.
"What about you? Did you ever even consider that maybe your pain was a- a factor? Ever? I'm happy to sacrifice that for you- because I don't want to leave you alone!"
She'd stepped back, away from him, and now stood, barely a meter away, breathing heavily, eyes shining with tears, face red and flushed. The peaceful morning where they'd stood in her room as the Doctor combed his fingers through her hair seemed a million miles away.
The Doctor looked at her and shrugged helplessly. "I don't know how to explain…I just can't-"
He paused, knowing if he said the next words they'd shatter into an argument he wasn't willing to have.
His unspoken words hung in the air between them regardless, I just can't make myself believe I'm worth it.
Amy stared at him for a moment, torn between pity and helpless anger.
Another moment passed and the Doctor shoved his hands into his pockets. "I'm going to their makeshift morgue, to check the bodies for signs of poisoning. It's not going to be nice. You- you don't have to come if you don't want to."
Amy really didn't want to see blue rotting corpses- and she was also pretty sure she couldn't bare another moment with the Doctor. Not right now.
She sniffed and rubbed her eyes, nodding a little. "Yeah. I- I guess I'll go hunt down Anil, see what he thinks about those Gun lessons."
The Doctor smiled, though Amy caught the flash of disappointment in his eyes.
He nodded briskly. "Ok then, I'll see you later."
He paused when Amy grabbed him by his jacket, watching her warily.
She grinned and kissed him on the lips quickly, trying to pretend what had just happened was nothing- to mask the pain twisting inside as she thought about the elixir, her choice.
"Sorry for being a drama queen. Good luck."
The Doctor chuckled. "Amy Amy Amy- I'm used to it."
Amy gasped and went to hit him over the head- the Doctor laughed and ducked out of the way, jogging to the edge of the courtyard, "later Pond."
He waved, and, smiling, Amy waved back.
She turned and went back inside, hoping she was going the right way and breathing a sigh of relief when she finally arrived at her door. She went in and opened her drawer, examining the silver goblet.
Slowly, Amy trailed her fingers over the bumpy smooth stones. She sighed, and took it with her as she went to find Gyatso. She had some questions for him.
X
The Doctor frowned. "What do you mean the bodies have gone?"
The young monk who'd told him the eerie news- that the bodies, awaiting cremation and stored outside in a separate, hastily made building to prevent any possible contamination had mysteriously disappeared- paled and shrugged.
"They are no longer there sir- nor anywhere to be seen."
The Doctor grimaced, taking out his screwdriver and changing its settings. "Show me."
The boy led him out into the snow. About 200 metres away squatted a low wooden structure with huge, hastily constructed doors. The monk struggled to heave them open and the Doctor helped.
Inside, it was empty.
There were the remnants of the dead- a slight stench of rot, and the rough woven cloths the bodies must have been wrapped in. But nothing else- not a corpse to be seen.
The Doctor raised an eyebrow, wandering inside and scanning his surroundings.
"There's no residue from a teleportation- no obvious drag marks- so how did they get the bodies out….?"
Suddenly the monk gave a cry, and the Doctor spun. The boy had disappeared. There was the sound of heavy beating wings behind him and the Time Lord spun.
"Oh." He paused, tilting his head to the side as he looked at the alien in front of him.
"You know, when I ruled out the possibility of an airborne virus, I didn't consider it quite so literally."
The huge, white, hairy bat like creature before him flapped it's granite colored wings and shrieked a battle cry, lunging at him. The Doctor ducked out of the way- but not fast enough.
One of the creatures ribbed, clawed feet caught his jacket, and the Doctor felt himself being launched into the air. Eyes wide, he reached up and clung to the thing's scaly skin as it flew with him, out of the shed, over the valley.
"Geronimooooooo!"
Oh dear- the Doctor got caught by an airborne virus. Ain't that a kick?
Poor Amy- all her life treated like she needs help when she doesn't- and now the Doctor is doing it too- even with the best intentions.
Sorry for the late update- again. Had to have jabs etc- no fun. Still hope you enjoy this chap anyway, and keep reading and enjoying!
Kat