A/N: Understandably, you all want to kick my backside for not updating sooner. Here, I'll save you the trouble... *kicks self* Ouch.
Life got busy again. And I lost inspiration. Can you believe that? :( Oh well, I'm back now. Hopefully.
This chapter involves a fez and a character I know some of you hate. She'll be important though.
Oh, and don't kill me for the cliffhanger, okay? :D
Two weeks had passed since their visit to the memory of their first kiss, and Amy and the Doctor were in the console room, having a discussion. Or rather, Amy was ranting, and the Doctor could do nothing but listen.
"I can't remember the last time you called me 'Amy'. When was the last time you called me by my name?" She asked him, but didn't give him time to reply before she was off again. "You either call me Pond or wife. A bit degrading, don't you think?"
"No. Degrading is you calling me the Doctor when that's not my real name." The Doctor spoke up, interrupting her, though regretted it when she glared at him. He had no idea where her bad mood had sprung from, but he knew that he didn't like it. He vaguely thought that it might have something to do with the fez that he refused to take off since a Havian Tribe gave it to him last week, but then decided that wasn't the reason. After all, fezzes are cool.
"That's different." She hissed. "I'm not a brand. You don't own me."
"Oh really?" The Doctor asked, adjusting his fez. "Last time I checked, that was a wedding ring on your finger."
"Well, I guess that means I own you too." Amy mused, her face lighting up.
The Doctor was baffled by her sudden mood change, but didn't have time to dwell on it because her lips were unexpectedly on his, keeping him preoccupied.
Suddenly, the TARDIS jolted in the vortex, sending both of them crashing to the floor. The fez fell off of the Doctor's head and began rolling away, but he reached out and grabbed it.
"What's going on?" Amy yelled over the whir of the TARDIS engines as the Doctor helped her over to one of the console room chairs.
"We're being pulled in the opposite direction!" The Doctor called as he stumbled over to the console and examined the destination code, only to see that there wasn't one displayed. "At least tell me where we're going!" He yelled to the TARDIS, and the scanner began to crackle.
The Doctor grabbed it and pulled it towards him, expecting to see a location or a map, but there was a message displayed instead, that read:
Sweetie, I need you!
"River." He hissed through gritted teeth, pushing the scanner away and focusing his attention on the console controls.
"What about her?" Amy yelled over the engine noise, which was getting louder.
"She's pulling us towards her, but I refuse to let her control our lives!" The Doctor yelled back, hitting TARDIS buttons furiously. "Come on dear, don't let her do this!"
But the TARDIS was powerless, and the Doctor slumped to the floor, defeated.
Moments later, they felt the TARDIS land, and the engine noise stopped.
"Well, we've landed, so we might as well go and see what she wants." Amy said to him, rising to her feet.
Before the Doctor could stop her, she had stepped out of the TARDIS.
The Doctor had never told his wife what River had told him, about killing the best man she had ever known. He couldn't afford to worry Amy, not when there was so much at stake already.
~I~
Although Amy was slightly annoyed at River for interrupting their honeymoon, she was genuinely happy to see her friend. After emerging from the TARDIS, she saw River waiting just outside of the doors.
River smiled happily at her, and the two friends embraced. "Amy! It's good to see you again!" She enthused, hugging her tightly.
"It's good to see you too River." Amy said sincerely, pulling back to look at her quizzically. "But I thought you were in jail!"
"I escaped." River told her, smirking. "And can I just say Amy, you're glowing. You look so happy…it's very becoming."
Amy jerked her thumb at the TARDIS. "You can thank him for that."
"Who's 'him'?" The Doctor asked suspiciously, stepping out of the TARDIS cautiously.
"Same old Doctor. Always so suspicious when we meet up." River sighed, rolling her eyes. "I don't bite sweetie…much."
Amy's eyes widened at her innuendo, and the Doctor shot her an, 'I-told-you-so' look.
"Again with the fez?" River continued, shaking her head in disbelief. "When will you learn that it's not flattering?"
"No one asked for your opinion thank you." The Doctor muttered, adjusting his fez, disgruntled that River had hinted that she knew more about his future, or rather, the future of his headgear. "I think that I look hip."
River caught Amy's eye, and then glanced down at her gun. Amy caught on immediately, and she grabbed the fez from the Doctor's head.
"Hey! What are you—"
He hadn't even finished his sentence before Amy had thrown the fez into the air and River had shot it with one of her bullets, destroying it.
The Doctor stared mournfully at the pieces of his fez as they drifted down towards them, and Amy began to feel guilty for destroying his beloved hat.
But then the Doctor grinned. "I can buy a new fez." He remarked, before his grin faded and he glared at River. "Now, why don't you explain to us why you've dragged us here?"
"Oh, you know, the usual." River said nonchalantly, turning around and walking down the corridor. "I just have a big, mysterious chamber that may contain some aliens. Nothing special."
Amy shot the Doctor an excited glance, but he wouldn't return it, still suspicious of River's intentions.
"Lighten up." Amy said quietly, nudging him. "What's the worse that could happen? She knows we're married."
There were a lot of bad things that could happen, but the Doctor couldn't explain them to her.
Taking his silence as agreement, Amy took his hand and began to lead him down the corridor after River. "What's the chamber called then?" Amy called after her.
"I don't know. But I was hoping the Doctor would." River called back over her shoulder.
"Oh yes, because I know everything." The Doctor muttered, scowling.
"You do, so shut it." Amy remarked, grinning at her husband.
"Honestly you two, you're like an old married couple." River commented, turning her head and smiling fondly at them.
"Hey! We may be married, but we're not old! Well, I'm not anyway." Amy said, laughing when the Doctor hit her arm playfully.
River froze. "You're married to the Doctor?" She asked her quietly, turning around to face them.
Amy returned her gaze uncertainly. "Yeah. You sent us that envelope with the card inside…remember?"
River shook her head. "I haven't yet, but I will in the future. Didn't I receive an invitation then?" She teased, though she was only half-joking.
The Doctor refused to answer her, so Amy spoke up. "It wasn't really appropriate." She replied, looking down at the floor uneasily.
River surprised her by grinning. "Right. I see."
Amy was confused by her smile, but the Doctor decided to change the subject before she could question River about it. He didn't want River to know anything else about him and Amy. He didn't trust her. "So, does this chamber contain the Pandorica then?" He asked River. "After all, you did say that you'd see us when it opened. Apparently."
River reached out to tap his nose, but the Doctor swatted her hand away. "Spoilers!" She scolded playfully, stopping outside a large, black iron door.
The Doctor groaned at her answer, and Amy chuckled at his obvious annoyance. "Hey, watch it Pond." He said sternly, wagging his finger at her.
Amy mimed zipping her lips shut before turning to River. "So this is the entrance to the chamber then, yeah?"
River nodded and knocked on the door. "Yes. Problem is, I can't get it open. I believe it may be locked from the inside."
"Shame you don't have a sonic screwdriver to scan the entrance." The Doctor remarked, smirking.
"Thanks for offering sweetie."
The Doctor's smirk became a glare. "I wasn't."
"Oh for goodness sake!" Amy sighed, taking out her pink sonic screwdriver from her skirt pocket.
"You have your own sonic screwdriver?" River whispered, staring at it in awe.
"The TARDIS made it for her." The Doctor said smugly.
"Maybe she'll make one for me one day." River suggested, her smirk mirroring his.
If only she knew the truth to her words. The Doctor glared at her again, before turning his attention to his wife, who was scanning the door with her screwdriver.
Frowning, Amy flipped her screwdriver to check the readings. "Deadlock. River, you were right. It's an inside lock."
"So we have to wait for the aliens to unlock it." The Doctor realised, groaning. "That could take years. Come on Amy, let's set off. Call us when the chamber's open River!" And then he paused. "Actually, don't even call us. I don't wish to see you ever again."
Taking Amy's hand, he began pulling her back down the corridor, when River cried, "Wait!"
The Doctor didn't want to stop, but Amy did, and she released his hand to turn back to River.
Knowing she'd got the attention of at least one of them, River spoke. "The chamber's opening tonight." She told Amy. "I've been tracking the readings, and they've nearly reached a hundred on every scale."
Amy grinned. "Well, if it's opening tonight, I'm staying." She said, walking over to join River.
"Amelia!" The Doctor hissed, trying to warn her, but she pretended not to hear him.
"So Doctor, are you staying with us, or are you going to pick me up tomorrow morning?" Amy asked him.
The Doctor had no choice but to stay with them. He couldn't allow River to poison Amy's mind, and he refused to leave Amy alone when there were so many dangers out there.
"I'll stay." He muttered, rejoining them.
"I knew that you would." River remarked, reaching out to ruffle his hair.
Once again, the Doctor slapped her hand away, and Amy began to grow suspicious of River's affectionate behaviour towards her husband. "So, what alien species do you think could be in there?" Amy asked her, attempting to distract her attention away from the Doctor.
"I have no idea. But then, venturing into the unknown is exciting. Wouldn't you agree Doctor?"
The Doctor nodded reluctantly. "As much as I hate to admit that you're right, of course I agree."
River beamed, and Amy's eyes narrowed slightly.
"So, now that you're both staying, would you like me to take you to your room?" River asked them.
"Only if you tell us where we are." The Doctor said firmly. "Funny that you haven't told us that yet, isn't it?"
"You always suspect the worst in me." River muttered crossly. "If you must know, we're in a deserted space base on the seventh moon of Armaliata. I received an SOS call from here, so I came, but everyone had vanished. How could I resist a missing space crew and a mysterious chamber? I knew that I needed your help, so I summoned you."
She then stopped outside of a white door and unlocked it. "This is where you'll be staying. It's the second nicest bedroom in the base."
Amy and the Doctor walked through, and their gaze immediately fell on the two single beds.
"Don't you have a room with a double bed?" Amy asked River bluntly.
"There's only one double on this ship, and I have it. But you're more than welcome to join me!" River replied, winking at the Doctor, who grimaced.
Amy was beginning to grow annoyed at her friend now, and the Doctor could feel the animosity rising between the three of them. "Don't worry, I can fix this." He said, breaking the tension.
He unbolted the beds from the floor using his screwdriver and he pushed them together, creating a double bed.
Amy couldn't resist smirking at River, and she lay back on the bed. The Doctor lay down beside her, and turned his head to smile at her.
River glanced out of the window, and then at her watch. "It's quite late now, so why don't you get some rest before we get up to wait for the chamber to open?"
The Doctor and Amy both agreed, and they bid goodnight to her without taking their eyes from each other.
After River had left them alone, the Doctor reached out and traced the frown lines on Amy's face. "Now you can see why I didn't want to come here." He said gently.
Amy sighed and turned her eyes to the ceiling. "I know. I'm starting to regret being so eager to see River again. I can't believe she's flirting with you, and right in front of me as well!"
The Doctor rolled his body so that he was hovering over her. "Are you jealous Pond?" He asked her, tenderly brushing her auburn hair out of her face.
Amy's frown became a scowl. "I know that she's your future, so of course I'm jealous. Maybe I die on this trip and the two of you get married a year later."
Now it was the Doctor's turn to frown. "Don't say things like that." He said quietly. "Time can be rewritten."
Amy gave him a small smile. "I know. But I still worry. River is much more suited to you than I am."
The Doctor raised his eyebrows at that. "How so?" He demanded.
"She knows almost as much as you do, she's more experienced and more intelligent than I am, she can fly the TARDIS…the list is endless!"
"Ah, but she's not impossible, mad, or even magnificent." The Doctor reminded her, leaning down to brush his nose against hers. "You're all of those things."
Amy's smile widened. "Uh-huh. So those qualities make me better than her then?"
The Doctor hummed and kissed her gently. "Everything about you is better. You're my Amy Pond, and she will never be my River Song."
"How can I believe that?" Amy teased, twining her arms around his neck and pulling his body down to lie on top of hers.
"Do you really need convincing?" The Doctor asked her, grinning as he kissed the top of her nose.
Amy nodded and tilted her head to kiss him. "Lots of persuasion is essential." She murmured against his lips.
"Who am I to argue with that?" Her husband chuckled, reaching back and pulling the duvet over them.
~I~
A while later, the Doctor had fallen asleep, his face pressed into his pillow, murmuring gibberish. Amy could just about make out him saying her name, and she smiled.
And then the Doctor muttered another name: River's.
Amy's smile became a frown, and she would have slapped the Doctor if she hadn't wanted to disturb his sleep.
Rolling onto her back, Amy stared at the white tile ceiling, unable to sleep. She closed her eyes anyway, but as soon as she did so, she heard someone whisper her name.
Opening her eyes, she groaned and turned her head to frown at the Doctor, believing he was the one that had uttered her name. "Shut it you. I'm trying to sleep."
"Amy…"
The Doctor hadn't moved his head, and Amy knew that he wasn't speaking. "River?" She whispered in confusion, sitting up in the bed. "Is that you?"
"Amy…"
Amy rose from the bed and slipped on the Doctor's shirt and her converses to investigate outside. Picking up her sonic screwdriver, she opened the door and stepped out into the corridor.
"River?" She called quietly, peering down both ends of the corridor.
"Amy…"
Amy turned to the right, and began walking down the corridor towards the voice, which happened to be in the direction of the chamber.
She paused outside of the chamber's door, wondering briefly if it had unlocked yet. She began to reach for the handle, but she was interrupted.
"Hoping to get in there first Amy?" River said from behind her, and Amy whirled around, giving her a sheepish smile.
"I guess so!" She replied, shrugging.
River laughed and turned around to go, when Amy asked her, "Did you call my name just then?"
"No. Why?"
Amy frowned in confusion. "Huh. That's weird. I swear I heard someone…maybe I'm just hearing things."
"I hear a lot of things too." River remarked, looking at Amy pointedly.
Amy caught the hidden message in her words. "Oh God…you didn't…"
River smirked. "Amy dear, these walls aren't exactly soundproof. And just look at your attire."
Blushing, Amy yanked the Doctor's shirt down to mid-thigh. "Whoops. Sorry. So, what are you doing out of bed?"
"I couldn't sleep, knowing the chamber would be open soon. You know, I'm surprised that the Doctor can. Normally he'd be pacing up and down while he waits." River commented, walking down the corridor, beckoning Amy with her finger to follow her.
"Um…he's been kind of tired recently." Amy admitted, still pulling down the shirt as she hurried after River.
River paused outside of one of the doors in the corridor and opened it. "I can't blame the guy. You must really be wearing him out." She remarked as she walked through the door.
Amy stepped in after her, and knew that it was her bedroom from the double bed in the centre of the room. "Nice place you have here." She said, nodding her approval.
River laughed and sank down onto her bed. "You can thank the captain of the base for this room. If he's still alive that is." Smiling, she moved to sit cross-legged in the middle of the bed.
Amy shivered at that, before perching on the end of the bed, allowing her to look at River. "Do you really think that the space crew that were here are dead?" She asked her quietly.
River's smile faded. "I believe so. There are no traces of them on this moon, and instinct tells me that it's got something to do with the chamber."
Amy moved further onto the bed and mirrored River's position so that they were facing each other. "So they could be trapped in the chamber…or…" She broke off, unable to finish.
Fortunately, River understood. "Or we'll find their dead bodies later on tonight." She finished gravely.
Amy looked around the room uneasily. "Are we in danger right now? Because of what could be in the chamber?"
"Amy, do you honestly believe that I'd endanger the Doctor's life and yours by asking you both to come here?"
"Yes." Amy replied instantly, a small smile gracing her lips. "There is no excitement without danger, after all."
River clapped her hands. "Well done Amy. You know, the Doctor did the right thing by marrying you. There is no one more perfect for him than you are."
Amy beamed, and reached out to touch River's arm. Maybe she was wrong to doubt her. Maybe River had no romantic intentions towards her husband after all. "Thank you. That's really nice of you to say so."
"And speaking of the Doctor, we need to talk about him. And about you too." River continued, ignoring Amy's gratitude.
Frowning, Amy withdrew her hand. "Why?" She asked cautiously. "We're fine."
"When was the last time you had your…how shall I put it…monthly course?" River fired at her, causing Amy to lean away from her in shock.
"Why are you asking me that for?" Amy demanded, furious.
Surprising her even more, River suddenly stood up and crept to the bedroom door. "Something for you to learn about the Doctor, never have a private conversation when he's around." She flung open her bedroom door, and the Doctor nearly toppled over from his position.
"I thought you were asleep!" Amy hissed, glaring at him.
The Doctor raised his hands in surrender. "I was! But I woke up, so I decided to go looking for my missing shirt." Frowning, he looked down at his outfit, which was complete except for his shirt, before looking back at Amy. "But I found it, so I guess I'll just—"
"Go and find some mechanism to play with while I talk to Amy." River interrupted for him, her tone threatening.
Amy and the Doctor's suspicious expressions mirrored each other exactly. "No." The Doctor said firmly. "I'm not leaving this room without my wife."
River shot Amy an exasperated look. "Tell him to go away Amy."
"No, I won't." Amy replied angrily, rising to her feet. "We're going back to bed, and we won't be up till the chamber is open."
"Suit yourself." River said, shrugging. "Just keep the noise down in future kids."
Glaring at her, Amy backed out of the room and joined the Doctor in the doorway. River waved at them, and Amy slammed the door shut.
They returned to their room in silence, both of them fuming about River. Amy gave the Doctor back his shirt before changing back into her clothes, reluctant for River to burst into their room without them being fully covered.
Yawning, the Doctor climbed into bed, and he was asleep as soon as his head hit the pillow. Amy curled up beside him, and closed her eyes, suddenly exhausted.
~I~
"Amy…"
Amy's eyes opened slowly, and she let out a small groan. "Not again." She muttered under her breath, digging in her skirt pocket for her sonic screwdriver.
Leaving the Doctor mumbling in his sleep, she left the room. "This feels like Deja-Vu." She whispered, before rolling her eyes. "God. I should stop talking to myself, or I'll sound just as mad as the Doctor."
"Amy…"
There was no mistaking where the mysterious voice was coming from this time. The chamber.
Amy paused uncertainly in front of it. "Now, do I get the Doctor, or investigate myself?"
She made her decision quickly. "Amy Pond is not a coward." She muttered, touching the locked door.
Suddenly the door sprang open, and a white light blinded her, leaving her unable to see anything. She fumbled for her sonic screwdriver and aimed it at the light, but it didn't fade away as it should have done.
She heard another voice then, and the voice sounded chillingly familiar. "Exterminate!"
Not wanting to alert the Dalek to her presence, she managed to slam the chamber door shut, just as River and the Doctor came running around the corner.
"Amy, what have you done?" The Doctor whispered, his tone half-mixed with awe and anxiety.
She opened her mouth to tell him that Daleks were inside of the chamber, when she felt the white light again, consuming her mind and her body.
She felt herself go limp, and she heard the Doctor scream her name before she slumped to the floor and passed out.
I actually wrote part of this chapter months ago. It was originally going to involve the Pandorica, but nah. That storyline is too easy. It'll make an appearance later.
Review for a preview?
Hayley x