A/N: I hope this lives up to all of your expectations. Poured my heart into the next 11,000 words...Amy and the Doctor just give me so many feels!
Long-ass Author's note at the end...and I think you'll want to read it ;)
Mornings in Leadworth tended to be dreary, the sky nearly always covered by an expanse of clouds, so Amy was pleasantly surprised to awaken on her wedding day to sunlight filtering through the pale blue of her bedroom curtains.
Instinctively, her hand reached out to the other side of the bed, searching for something...someone...
Only to realise she was alone.
Sitting up with a start, she looked around frantically. Something was amiss, and she couldn't quite place it.
And then she remembered. Rory was at his parent's house. He hadn't wanted them to be together on the night before their wedding, choosing to follow tradition.
Sighing, she climbed out of bed as gracefully as she could, not too easy when nine months pregnant. Why they were getting married so late into her pregnancy confused her. Knowing her luck, she'd go into labour in the middle of their vows.
Picking up her phone, she decided to call Rory, just to check that he was okay this morning, and not recovering from an almighty hangover from his stag do the night before.
He answered on the first ring.
"Hello Pond!" Rory greeted her cheerfully, and Amy felt a pang in her heart at his phrase, but couldn't quite understand why. "You alright this morning?"
"I should be asking you that question, mister!" Amy replied, pushing her unease aside. "Did you get drunk last night?"
There was a slight pause from Rory, and then he sighed into the phone. "Well...I can barely remember last night to be honest. But I know I wasn't drunk. I do feel a bit funny, but that's because I didn't have a good night's sleep."
"Oh yeah?" Amy questioned, sitting down heavily on her desk chair. "Bad dreams?"
"Strange dreams." Rory paused again, and Amy could tell that something was on his mind.
"Spill it Williams." She demanded playfully, though there was an edge of seriousness to her voice.
Rory chuckled, but it was only faint. "I kept having dreams about...well...this man." When he heard Amy inhale sharply, he hastened to continue. "I swear it's nothing...you know...sexual or anything. It's just weird."
Suddenly, Amy couldn't breathe. It was as if the air around her had been ripped away. Stunned, she looked into the mirror on top of her desk, and was bewildered to see her face ashen, and wet with tears.
She'd been having dreams too. Oh the dreams she'd had. So vivid, so real. About one man, a man who didn't even exist.
"I've been having strange dreams too." She finally whispered. "Do you think it means something?"
"I don't know." Rory replied quietly, sounding like he was deep in thought.
Amy glanced at her reflection again, and shook her head at herself. Putting it down to hormones, she impatiently brushed her tears away. "Oh well. Doesn't matter." She said, trying to sound stronger than she actually felt. "We have a wedding to get ready for!"
"That we do. Very exciting stuff." But Rory's voice sounded anything but excited.
Amy felt the same way. "See you at the altar." She told him, her tone mirroring his. Just uttering those words filled her with an emotion that she couldn't place.
It just felt...wrong. That's the only word she could think of to describe how she was feeling.
"See you."
And then Rory hung up. No 'I love you's. No other words of affection, or love. Just a 'see you'.
That should have upset her. But it felt...fitting.
This man was going to be her husband. And she loved him, oh how she loved him. But she wasn't in love with him.
But she loved him enough not to break his heart. She'd marry him, be his wife, look after him.
If there was a man that she had to choose to spend the rest of her life with, it would be Rory Williams. He was the best man in her life. He just wasn't a man that she had passion for, who excited her.
No man on Earth could be her perfect match. Except him, a figment of her imagination.
Shaking her head to rid herself of her thoughts, she rose to her feet, and began her descent downstairs.
~I~
Walking into her living room, she gave a start when she saw her Aunt Sharon standing by the mantelpiece.
Just seeing her standing there filled her with inexplicable joy, and she threw herself at her Aunt, embracing her warmly. It felt like she hadn't seen her in years.
"Good morning to you too sunshine!" Her Aunt remarked with a chuckle, pulling back to beam at her niece.
"You have no idea how good it is to see you." Amy responded, grinning back at her.
To her surprise, her Aunt began to frown, and she reached forward to touch her cheek. "Why are you crying? Aren't you excited for your big day, sweetie?"
Upon hearing 'sweetie', Amy felt the sensation from before, and she moved away from her Aunt to sit down on the sofa, feeling lost again.
"Amy?" Sharon whispered anxiously. "Are you okay?"
"Just...nervous. Feel a bit sick." Amy managed to say. "It'll pass."
Sharon eyed her for a moment, and then shook her head. "I'll get your parents."
Suddenly beaming, Amy immediately rose to her feet. "My parents!" She whispered in awe. She couldn't believe she'd forgotten about them...she hadn't even greeted them this morning!
Beating her Aunt to the door, Amy ran through the house to the kitchen, where she saw her parents preparing breakfast. They must have heard her enter, because they both looked up, bright smiles on their faces.
And just like with her Aunt, Amy felt so happy, and she ran into their open arms, crying again. This time, she knew they were happy tears.
Once Amy pulled away, both of her parents asked her how she was feeling, but she brushed their questions aside, just wanting to sit down for breakfast with them and her Aunt, and enjoy being a family.
When they were all seated and the breakfast had been served, Amy found herself gazing at the chair beside her as they ate. Her father was at the head, her Aunt and mother were on the other side of the table, leaving the seat beside her empty.
It felt like someone was missing. Like someone should be sitting beside her, laughing and chatting happily to her family.
She knew that the person beside her should be Rory, but her heart didn't fully believe that.
Suddenly, remnants of one of her dreams about him drifted into her mind.
"Now, seeing as you two have been stuck inside a box for three days, you better eat!" Sharon told them, opening her freezer and shovelling frozen food onto the kitchen side. The Doctor's face lit up when Sharon pulled out a box of fish fingers, and Amy groaned again.
"The TARDIS is bigger on the inside, how many times do I have to tell you?" She sighed. "And there's a kitchen in there too!"
Before she could explain that time passed quicker inside of the TARDIS, the Doctor shook his head frantically at her. Amy frowned in confusion, and the Doctor whispered, "I haven't had a home-cooked meal for ages. Let her cook for us!"
Amy shivered slightly as she finished recalling her dream, and then forgot about it as she dug into her breakfast. It felt like she hadn't eaten for hundreds of years.
~I~
River didn't know how long she'd been in the church for, but it felt like hours. Rory and his parents were talking to the guests in the pews, and so far he hadn't seen her and Jack sitting on the opposite side of the church to him. It was only a matter of time before he did though. And then he'd remember his real life.
"This is so dull." Jack muttered from beside her, slumping down in his seat. "Nothing like preparing for the Doctor's. We had a right laugh. But this. Jeez! This church isn't even as nice as the one Amy and the Doctor got married in."
"I wouldn't know, as I wasn't invited." River said distractedly, still gazing at Rory, willing him to look around at them.
"Yeah well, none of us knew who you were then." Jack replied quickly, not wanting to upset her. "Doesn't matter anyway. I'm sure Amy and the Doctor will renew their vows in the future when they get bored."
When River smiled, he knew that he had guessed at the future...correctly. "Bless 'em!" He said with a chuckle. "Do I stand in as a Vicar again? Tell me that I do!"
River tore her gaze away from Rory momentarily to tap his nose playfully. "Spoilers!" She exclaimed, laughing at Jack's scowl.
"Well, if I wasn't, I damn well will be!" He hissed. "I'm the best man for the job."
River shook her head in mock-exasperation, and then returned to watching Rory.
"Wish Amy would get here and remember the Doctor already." Jack sighed, changing the subject, knowing that River wouldn't reveal anything. "I want - no, I need to see Alonzo. I can't believe I forgot about him! Thank God you turned up when you did and helped me remember. Cheers for that, by the way."
"You're very welcome." River murmured. "Now, could you stare at Rory for me? He might sense two of us watching him."
"That's your plan?" Jack demanded incredulously, rolling his eyes. "Stupid."
"What would you suggest then?"
"This."
Rising to his feet, Jack picked up his chair, and threw it across the church, sending it into one of the columns.
The church suddenly quietened, and Rory spun around, his eyes widening when he spotted Jack and River grinning at him.
"I think he's remembered." Jack remarked, as Rory bolted towards them, his face bright with joy.
~I~
After Amy had arrived at the church, and after her father had helped her out of the car, she found herself frowning at her surroundings.
This church wasn't the right one. She thought she was getting married in the church her Aunt had gotten married in, the one with the manicured gardens and the crystalline lake outside, but instead she was at the Leadworth Church.
Her Aunt noticed her confusion, and quickly walked over to her. "What's wrong now Amy?" She asked her quietly, so Augustus and Tabetha didn't overhear.
"I thought I was getting married at the Church you got married in." She whispered, worried. "Why are we here?"
Her Aunt gave her a funny look. "Sweetie, we couldn't have your wedding there because they're fully booked until 2011, remember?"
Amy quickly nodded her head, pretending that she did, when in reality she couldn't remember it at all. But the other church seemed so familiar...
~I~
Opening her eyes, Amy expected the Doctor to still be laying beside her as they basked in the rays of the second sun of Technia, but he wasn't beside her.
Sitting up, she noticed him standing a couple of metres away from her on the edge of the cliff they were on, looking down at the beach below.
Rising to her feet, she began to walk over to him. The Doctor must have heard her approaching, for he turned his head slightly to give her a small smile, before returning his gaze to whatever he was watching.
"What's on your mind, monkey boy?" Amy asked him gently, taking his hand once she was at his side, and looking at him questioningly.
"Look down there." The Doctor murmured, nodding down at the beach below. Amy followed his gaze, and saw a wedding taking place. The arch the bride and groom were standing under was constructed of blue and purple flowers, and the aisle was littered with petals from them. The bride wore the same flowers in her hair, and the guests were dressed in the same colours of the flowers as well. Amy couldn't hear their celebration, but everyone was laughing, and the bride and groom appeared to be joking around with each other, looking completely at ease.
"Do you wish our wedding had been like that?" The Doctor asked her quietly, almost sadly, and Amy tore her gaze away from the wedding to stare at him in shock.
"Of course not!" She replied immediately, aghast. "Our wedding was perfect. I wouldn't have changed it for anything."
When the Doctor didn't respond, Amy narrowed her eyes at him. "Weren't you happy with it then?"
Now it was the Doctor's turn to look horrified. "What? Of course I was! I just thought that you might have wanted something a bit more...informal. A bit more alien."
"I have my alien right here." Amy said fondly, pressing her hand to his cheek. "Look, our wedding day was the best day of my life. Sharon's Church was the perfect location. It was like she was still with us."
Upon hearing the heartache in Amy's voice, the Doctor released her hand to wrap both of his arms around her, clutching her tightly to him. Amy wound both of her arms around his neck, pressing her face into his scratchy, yet oh-so familiar tweed covered shoulder.
"Gotcha." The Doctor whispered, kissing the top of her sunlit auburn hair, and Amy smiled, before pulling back to gaze at him.
"So no regrets?" She questioned, returning to their original topic of conversation.
The Doctor's answering smile was dazzling. "No regrets."
And then to Amy's delight, he picked her up from the ground and twirled her around in the air, beaming.
~I~
At the sound of the organ playing the traditional wedding march, Amy snapped out of the memories of her dream, and tried to focus on walking up the aisle towards Rory. She had no recollection of her father even escorting her into the church; she'd been so engrossed in the recollection of her dreams.
She tried to concentrate on walking, but she faltered, suddenly drained of energy. Why were her memories so visual? Why did they feel so real?
Suddenly, she happened to glance down at her hands, and gasped when she saw an engagement ring and a wedding ring already on her left hand.
How...when?
And then the ground disappeared from under her feet. Her father tried to catch her, but failed. He tried to rouse her, to get her standing again, to no avail. Amy was no longer in the church. She was lost in her mind, reliving her dreams - no.
Her real life.
~I~
Basking in the afterglow of their lovemaking, Amy and the Doctor were curled up on their new bed, having just bought it after their visit to their hospital.
"What do you reckon, boy or girl?" The Doctor asked her softly, propping himself up on his elbow as he lay beside her, running his fingers lovingly over the expanse of her small baby bump.
Amy laughed, her bliss making her feel light-headed. "No idea. I don't have a preference. As long as our baby is healthy."
"And lacking a Time head." Her husband added, laughing when Amy pouted at him.
"Shut up you." She muttered, trying to look disgruntled and failing, because she couldn't stop smiling. "I wish I'd never said that now."
The Doctor smiled, and leaned down so that he could kiss the soft skin of her abdomen. "I'm glad you did." He murmured against her skin. "Because we found out that we can be together for the rest of time."
Amy felt her eyes filling up with tears just remembering how much hearing that meant to the both of them. "I'm so happy." She whispered, beaming, and the Doctor repositioned his body so that he was hovering above her.
"Me too." He replied, grinning giddily, and he leaned down so that they were nose-to-nose. "I love you Amelia Pond."
"I love you too."
She then proceeded to whisper his name in Galifreyan, knowing the effect it had on him, and she giggled when the Doctor began to smother her face with kisses.
She wasn't laughing for long though, as her lips were suddenly occupied.
~I~
Through a film of tears, Amy stared over at the other side of the church, where River and Jack were standing, watching her anxiously.
"Where is he?" She found herself screaming at them. "Where's the Doctor?"
"Amelia, stop this!" Her father hissed in her ear. "You're making a scene!"
He tried to grab her arm, but Amy shoved him away, sending him stumbling backwards. "No!" She cried, distraught as she staggered to her feet. "You don't understand Dad! I have a husband. He's my raggedy Doctor. My monkey boy. Mine!"
"Amelia, no!" Her Dad exclaimed, and he went to approach her, but was suddenly blocked by Rory.
"She's right." He told him firmly. "You'll remember in a second. The Roman camp. Being separated from Amy. Being-"
"-Absorbed by a crack in our daughter's bedroom wall." Augustus whispered, surprising himself, and then his face paled. "How could I have forgotten about that?"
Rory was about to respond, when he noticed Amy suddenly bend over, her arms folded over her stomach. Rushing over to her, he gripped her shoulders tightly, forcing her to look up at him, her frenzied gaze boring into his. "Rory, where's my husband?" She sobbed, still hunched over. "I need him...we need him!"
The way Amy was holding her abdomen panicked Rory immediately. "Amy...are you going into labour?" He demanded, and his words were loud enough for River and Jack to hear, and they hurried over to them.
"No, I'm not!" Amy snapped, pushing her friends away as they tried to help her. "My daughter's just restless. She needs her father!"
"Amy, breathe." River murmured, rubbing her back soothingly. "The Doctor should be here. Soon."
"How soon?" Amy whispered, heartbroken, and River quickly guided her over to one of the empty pews to sit down on before she could collapse. The guests had already began to vacate, their own memories coming back to them.
"I was dead!" They heard Amy's Aunt Sharon exclaim to Amy's parents, but Amy couldn't pay them any attention. Not now. Her true family, her Doctor, was still missing.
"Why did he have to sacrifice himself like that?" She cried, looking up at her friends wildly. "Stupid, bloody idiot!"
"You remember everything?" Jack asked her in amazement.
"Yes, and I also remember everything that I couldn't remember before." Amy responded dully. "So why isn't he here? Tell me!"
"Amy, we know as much as you." Rory said gently, taking a seat beside her so he could embrace her. "Hannah and Alonzo still aren't here either."
Amy immediately dissolved into fresh sobs, beginning to think that it was hopeless. The Doctor had fixed the Universe, saved them all, but he hadn't been able to protect himself.
~I~
Soon the church was empty, save for Amy and her family, Rory, River and Jack. They'd now been waiting for an hour for the Doctor to arrive, and there was still no sign of him.
"We must be able to do something." Jack sighed, running his hand through his hair, agitated. "We shouldn't just sit here! Maybe we should send out a search party?"
"And what if he's lying unconscious somewhere?" River demanded. "You know there are billions of aliens that would love to get their hands on him. We can't take the risk of someone else finding him before we do."
Upon hearing those words, Amy suddenly rose to her feet, and stormed out of the church, unable to be surrounded by the unbearable, tense atmosphere any longer. An idea had struck her, and she needed to concentrate.
She heard footsteps walking after her as she left the church, but then heard River tell whoever it was to let her be alone for a moment.
Walking out onto the grass outside, Amy turned her gaze to the sky, and took a deep breath.
"Okay Doctor, you're still not here, and quite frankly, I'm running out of time." She whispered. "I don't mean to trouble you, but I think I'm going to go into labour soon, if the pressure I'm feeling is anything to go by."
She paused to wipe a stray tear from her eye. "So get your butt down here, pronto, okay? Look, I'm going to try something. I just hope it's enough."
Closing her eyes, she emptied her mind of her anxiety, to conjure up her memories of her life with the Doctor. Pressing her fingers to her temples, she allowed the images to flood her mind, overtaking her senses. She had to lose herself in him, and bring him to life in her mind.
His soft, brown hair. His grey, timeless eyes that gleamed with vitality. His strong jaw. The ridiculous tweed jacket and bow-tie ensemble. His pinstriped shirts. His worn boots, his thin shoelaces.
The soft skin of his back underneath her fingertips. The planes of his chest. The beauty mark on his right thigh. His long, lean legs.
His endearing laugh. That annoying smirk he gave her when he was proven right. The adoring way he'd gazed at her when she walked up the aisle towards him. His heated gaze. The way he stared into her eyes as they made love.
The way his face lit up when they travelled to extraordinary places. The endless commentary that accompanied it. His exaggerated hand gestures. The way he danced around the console. The way he bickered with his TARDIS.
The way he touched her. Gentle. Raw. The way he ignited a fire within her. His need for her. Her need for him.
The way he caressed the skin of her abdomen when they'd discovered she was pregnant. The way he kissed her small bump every night before they fell asleep.
Opening her eyes, Amy returned her gaze to the blue sky above. "You have to come back Doctor." She whispered. "We haven't had enough time together. Don't let this be the end."
She waited for a few minutes, expecting the TARDIS to appear in front of her, but when nothing happened, her shoulders slumped in defeat, and she began to walk dejectedly towards the church.
All of a sudden, there was a large, continuous gust of wind, billowing her dress, and sending her veil flying away.
And then the most beautiful sound.
The TARDIS engines.
Amy vaguely heard exclamations of the Doctor's name from inside of the church, and then she was no longer alone outside; her friends and family had joined her.
"About bloody time!" Jack exclaimed, grinning as he wrapped Amy up in a tight hug. "Did you do something?"
But Amy couldn't share in his happiness just yet. She wouldn't, until the Doctor was standing in front of her. "I just thought about him." She whispered. "I guess...it worked."
Suddenly there was a flash of light in the sky, and then the TARDIS appeared out of nowhere. It zoomed towards them, spinning crazily in the air, before crash-landing a few metres away from them, skidding to a stop.
Immediately, everyone charged towards the TARDIS, Amy in the lead, all bellowing the Doctor's name, and calling out for Hannah and Alonzo as well.
And then the TARDIS doors flew open, and Alonzo and Hannah stumbled out, both looking slightly dazed from their rapid descent.
They were immediately embraced by Rory and Jack, and they all had tears in their eyes, incredibly relieved that everything was over, and that they were reunited.
But the Doctor didn't emerge.
Distraught, Amy whirled around to face Alonzo and Hannah. "Where's the Doctor?" She cried, her voice verging on hysteria. "Is he inside? Did you see him?"
Hannah and Alonzo looked at each other sorrowfully, and then they both turned to look at her, sympathy in their eyes. "Amy, the Doctor wasn't in the console room with us." Hannah admitted quietly, biting her lip. "We haven't seen him."
River gasped quietly behind her, but Amy couldn't react. She could only stare back at Hannah, her grief freezing her body. "But...he has to be in there." She whispered numbly. "The TARDIS...he must have been flying the TARDIS. She needs him...I need him!"
"I think you'll find that my ship flew herself here. Couldn't wait to be reunited with you again." A voice spoke up from inside of the TARDIS, and suddenly the Doctor stepped out, his mouth curving up into a soft smile, looking no different from the last time she'd seen him, save for his injuries, which had vanished. "I was in the medical bay, making sure I was fully healed and not about to regenerate. I'm fine, before you ask."
"You're bloody late, as always."
The words tumbled out of Amy's mouth before she could even think about what she was saying, the grief that had built up within her over the course of the day still affecting her.
But to her relief, the Doctor shot her a dazzling smile. "But not twelve years late this time."
A sob escaped from Amy before she could stop it, and then she was running towards him, and he met her halfway. His arms immediately encircled her, clutching her to him, and Amy ran her hands all over him, ensuring that he was there, that he was real.
He was whispering his love for her reverently, his face buried in her auburn hair, but she could scarcely hear him over her exultant cries. The grief she'd felt earlier had been replaced with elation, her heart almost hurting from how happy she felt.
"I could just slap you for sacrificing yourself like that." Amy found herself whispering, and then she pulled back to shove at his chest. "Don't do that to me again, okay?"
"I promise." The Doctor replied instantly, his grey eyes shining from the integrity of his words. "But you understand why I had to do it, don't you? I had to save you."
"I know." Amy murmured, latching onto him and pulling him into her embrace again, her arms wrapped tightly around his neck. "And I love you for that. But it was stupid."
This time it was the Doctor that pulled back to gaze at her. "Forgive me?" He asked her softly, and he almost looked worried.
"Of course I do, monkey boy."
Stunned, the Doctor blinked in surprise. He hadn't heard her use that nickname in a long time. And as much as he used to hate it, it delighted him to hear it now, knowing that everything was back to normal.
They could finally go back to being Amy and the Doctor, travelling the Universe together. Yes, there would still be threats out there, and yes, they would have a daughter to raise, but the Doctor knew he could protect his family, with the help of his friends.
As he gazed into Amy's eyes, he knew that she was thinking along the same lines as him, and he could sense that she mirrored his feelings. At this very moment, they were complete.
I love you.
I love you too.
Seizing the lapels of his still ruined tweed jacket, Amy pulled him towards her, their mouths fusing together. The Doctor raised his hands to tenderly cradle her face, securing her lips to his.
But as soon as their kiss began, the Doctor was yanked out of her arms by Jack, who swept his best friend into a hug. "You two can do that later, but right now, I think you need to let us thank you!" He remarked, before placing the Doctor back on his feet, only for River to leap at him, hugging him tightly to her.
"Don't scare me like that again!" She hissed, pulling back to swat at him. Amy could only watch in amazement as the Doctor grinned back at her, and then kissed the top of her head affectionately.
Amy felt her eyes narrow, and she wondered why the Doctor and River were suddenly so close. She didn't dwell on it for long though, distracted by the sight of her parents and her Aunt throwing their arms around the Doctor, and she couldn't help but chuckle at his astounded expression.
"Think it must be my turn!" Hannah piped up, and the Doctor untangled himself from Amy's family to embrace her.
"We're sorry for what we did to you." She murmured in his ear, and the Doctor pulled back to give her a reassuring smile.
"Don't apologise. I know it wasn't you." He then looked over at Rory, who was staring down at the floor guiltily. "Or you, Roranicus. Now forget about it."
"How can I forget about it when I can see the blood from where I stabbed you?" Rory whispered, anguished, and Amy felt her heart pang with sadness. She remembered it all so well, despite not knowing his true identity at the time.
Slowly, the Doctor approached Rory, and waited until he met his gaze. Amy could see the anguish in Rory's eyes even from where she was, and knew how bad he felt.
The Doctor gazed at him for a moment, and then placed his hands firmly on his friend's shoulders. "I. Forgive. You. Look, you weren't yourself. You were something else entirely. Definitely not the compassionate, intelligent man I see standing before me. But you're back. I'm alive, and so is Amy. Now, forgive yourself. Seeing you so tortured kills me. I know what it's like, to be burdened with guilt..."
The Doctor trailed off, and closed his eyes briefly, not wanting to get emotional while he was trying to calm Rory.
But he didn't have to say anymore, for Rory pulled him into a hug, clapping him on the back.
Pulling back, the Doctor searched Rory's eyes to see if there was any glimmer of self-loathing, but was glad to see that it had cleared.
"Thank you Doctor." Rory whispered, smiling now.
Relieved that their reunions were out of the way, the Doctor glanced over at Amy, who crooked her finger at him, summoning him back to her.
He was at her side in an instant, and she nestled into him. Now that she had him back, she didn't want to let go of him. Rory and Jack shared their sentiment, for they were holding onto their partners tightly too.
"I think we all need a cup of tea." Augustus remarked, rubbing his hands together briskly. "We all deserve one!"
Everyone heartily agreed, and Amy could only look at the Doctor in confusion as he told them they'd fly the TARDIS and meet them there. She knew she couldn't ask him why he wanted to stay in Leadworth for a longer period of time with her family around, so she waited until everyone had began walking away and after the Doctor had guided her into the TARDIS.
They were barely inside the console room when Amy blurted out, "Why are we going to my parent's house?"
The Doctor frowned at her slightly, confused by her question. "Because your father invited us back." He reminded her.
"Yes, I know that...but I...well..." Amy paused, trying to find the right words. "But...why? It's not something we'd normally do. We'd be flying away by now."
And then the Doctor understood. "Oh Pond, you're so like me in many ways." He murmured, resting his hand against her cheek. "We would be far away by now, in any other circumstance. But that's your family Amy, and you haven't been together for years. I thought you might want to stay for a while."
Amy's face softened, knowing that he was willing to sacrifice their life for a chance at normality for her, for once. But that wasn't what she wanted. "That means a lot to me to hear you say that, but I don't think I can stay for more than a day. Leadworth isn't my home. My home is here, with you and the TARDIS...and our daughter." She told him softly, laughing when the TARDIS hummed in delight.
"I'm glad you said that, as selfish as that sounds." The Doctor whispered, and Amy turned her head to kiss the palm of his hand. "I think, after we spend the day with our family and friends, you and I need to be alone to talk about everything's that happened."
"I agree." Amy murmured, taking his hand from her face to press his palm against her heart. "And maybe...do other things."
The Doctor caught on to what she was implying immediately, and he laughed. "That's my girl." He said admiringly, before leaning down and kissing her soundly.
Amy smiled, and then leaned in to deepen the kiss, but the Doctor pulled away, grinning at her pout. "None of that now. We need to get changed and rejoin everyone. I don't want you to wear that wedding dress any longer. Come along Pond!"
Giggling, Amy allowed the Doctor to pull her towards the direction of the wardrobe, which the TARDIS had conveniently placed on the ground floor for them, accommodating for Amy's pregnancy.
And much to Amy's exasperation, the TARDIS had also made a brand new tweed jacket for the Doctor.
~I~
Due to how the time passed inside of the TARDIS, they were a couple of hours late to Amy's parents house, but that didn't matter too much, because they'd only missed Augustus, Jack and Rory starting up a barbeque to celebrate getting their real lives back.
Day soon turned into night, and Amy and the Doctor began to grow sleepy. To the amusement of their friends, they were the first couple to retire for bed, going upstairs to Amy's bedroom to fall asleep.
Without changing their clothes, they fell into bed, Amy immediately curling up on her side, the only position she could sleep in while so heavily pregnant. The Doctor cuddled her from behind, their limbs entangled together, and holding onto each other tightly, they drifted off to sleep.
It didn't feel like they'd been sleeping very long when Jack woke them up the next day by banging on Amy's locked door. "Oi! Sleepyheads! It's two in the afternoon! About time you two got up, don't you think?"
"No." Amy found herself muttering, her eyes still closed, and she felt the Doctor tighten his arms around her.
"I could stay in this position forever." He murmured, and Amy's lips curved up into an elated smile.
"Me too." She responded softly, opening her eyes and turning her head to see the Doctor gazing at her tenderly. He inched forward, and their lips met in a gentle kiss.
"Sharon's made you fish fingers and custard, Doctor!" Jack said loudly, and those words were all it took for the Doctor to leap out of the bed, wide awake.
"We're coming down!" He called, retying his bowtie. "Come on Amy, get up!"
Amy could only scowl at him as she raised her body slowly into a sitting position. "Nine months pregnant. Can't move as quickly as you."
The Doctor quirked his eyebrow at her, amused, and Amy laughed, unable to be angry at him.
Chuckling, the Doctor made his way over to her side of the bed, and helped her to her feet. He offered to carry her downstairs, but she wouldn't allow it, so he walked backwards down the stairs instead, holding her hands. Amy thought that was ridiculous, not to mention dangerous, but he insisted that it was the only way to keep an eye on her to make sure she didn't fall over.
Before Amy could remind him that if he missed a step, he'd tumble down and probably take her with him, they were safely on the ground floor of her house. They said a brief hello to Rory, Hannah, River, Jack and Alonzo in the living room, before making their way into the kitchen, where Amy's family were sitting at the table.
They sat down with them, and as the Doctor joked around with her Aunt and parents, Amy found herself remembering what she'd thought about yesterday morning when she'd been looking at the empty chair beside her.
The Doctor glanced at her, and noticed her pensive expression. Amy sensed his curiosity, so she opened her mind and showed him what she was feeling yesterday morning; how she'd known someone was missing even before she saw Jack and River in the church.
Magnificent. The Doctor murmured psychically, and he beamed at her proudly. I knew you'd bring me home.
Yeah, well, I'm not an ordinary girl, am I? Amy found herself thinking bitterly, remembering her psychic connection with the Daleks and the way they'd manipulated her life, and her relationship with the Doctor.
The Doctor frowned slightly, reliving her memories with her. That's the kind of thing we need to talk about. But at the end of the day, my feelings for you are real. No fabrication there. We may have been forced together, but I will never regret my relationship with you.
Amy smiled, feeling better already, and she shifted her chair closer to his, aware that her family were watching them curiously as they gazed into each other's eyes. And you already know how much I love you. No regrets from me either.
Tenderly, the Doctor tucked a stray piece of hair behind her ear. Good. Look, I love the fact that you're not ordinary. Mad, impossible, magnificent Amelia Pond. You shouldn't be anything else.
Mad, impossible, magnificent Doctor. You shouldn't be anything else either.
The Doctor laughed aloud, startling Amy's family, and winked at her. Would it be highly inappropriate to kiss you right now?
I don't think any guy would snog their girlfriend or wife in front of her family...but then, you saved all of our lives, and the Universe countless number of times. You deserve a reward. Grinning, Amy winked back at him. Kiss me.
You're all the reward I need.
The Doctor's response elicited a reaction from Amy immediately, and she was the one who kissed him. If she wasn't nine months pregnant and surrounded by her family, she happily would have taken it further.
Her father coughed, but she didn't pay him any attention. Neither did the Doctor, who was fully distracted by Amy's lips moving against his. They had been apart for two thousand years, after all.
Suddenly, Amy yanked herself out of the Doctor's embrace, her hands flying to her abdomen as a sharp pain crippled her, forcing her to hunch over in her chair. Panicked, her eyes flew to the Doctor's, just as he felt the echo of her pain. His face drained of colour, and Amy gasped as she was hit with another pain...another contraction.
Her parents were the first to leap into action, and they called out for Rory and Hannah, who quickly came running, already knowing why they were being summoned, River, Alonzo and Jack right behind them. The married nurses were the first ones to reach out to Amy; the Doctor was frozen in his chair, unable to move.
"Have your waters broken?" Hannah asked Amy as she gripped onto her shoulders, helping Amy brace the pain of her contractions.
"No." Amy managed, through gritted teeth.
"Could be Braxton Hicks...false labour." Rory murmured to Hannah, and Amy glared up at him.
"Feels bloody real to me!" She snapped, and her words were enough to shake the Doctor out of his trance. He left his chair, and knelt beside Amy to press his ear to her womb, his hands pulling up her shirt to he could touch her exposed skin.
Before anyone could ask him what he was doing, the Doctor rose out of his position and pointed to Jack and River. "You two, move the TARDIS into the kitchen, and then set the co-ordinates for the Reptala Hospital. The destination is already in the system. Go!"
Jack and River immediately followed his wishes, and they sprinted out of the back door towards the TARDIS, which was parked in the back garden.
"We need to go to the Leadworth Hospital, not this Reptala place." Tabetha insisted, pushing Rory and Hannah aside to kneel next to her daughter, knowing that the Doctor wouldn't leave Amy's other side.
"Oh yes, and when the doctors there realise our daughter has two heartbeats, she'll be taken away from us and dissected." The Doctor said brusquely, and everyone looked at him in horror. Everyone apart from Amy that is, who was in too much pain to react to his words. And, he'd already told her that before.
"Looks like we're going to this Reptala Hospital then." Augustus remarked, trying to sound cheerful. He was excited that he'd see his grandchild soon, but it was hard to show that excitement when his daughter was in pain. And if Amy's, white, grimacing face was anything to go by, she was in an extraordinary amount of pain.
The Doctor's face mirrored hers, feeling her pain along with her, but he could do nothing but hold onto her hands tightly.
"Doctor, am I in labour? Or are these just false contractions?" Amy whispered, choosing to trust her husband's diagnosis over her qualified best friends, knowing that he could feel her contractions along with her.
"They're real alright." The Doctor said quietly, releasing one of Amy's hands to wipe the stray tear away that had began to trickle down her face. "I could feel our daughter moving into position..."
"...But we'd have to look at your cervix though, to see how far you were dilated before we could tell you how far into labour you are." Hannah told them, and the Doctor's gaze lowered to below Amy's stomach.
"Don't even think about it!" Amy hissed, knowing exactly what he was thinking. "We'll wait for Nurse Kelly, thank you very much!"
The Doctor couldn't even protest before the sound of the TARDIS engines filled the air, and his ship landed neatly beside them. Jack was the first one to step out, and to Amy's horror, he pushed out a wheelchair for her.
"No bloody way!" She yelled, but it appeared she didn't have a choice, for the Doctor ignored her and swooped down to pick her up. As he cradled her to his chest and made his way towards the wheelchair, Amy began to hit him with bawled up fists.
"I don't need that now! Save it for when we're in the Hospital!"
Obeying her wishes, the Doctor side-stepped the wheelchair and made his way into the TARDIS, carrying Amy with ease as he stepped up towards the console. Their friends and family quickly piled in behind them, and the Doctor knocked the green lever with his hip, seeing that River had already entered in the Reptala Hospital destination code, and the TARDIS began to fly away from Leadworth.
River offered to fly the ship immediately so that the Doctor could be with Amy during her contractions. He lowered her onto one of the console room chairs, and sat down beside her, his arms wrapped tightly around her as they braced the pain together.
~I~
River's speedy piloting meant that they arrived at the Reptala Hospital in a matter of minutes, and she'd conveniently parked the TARDIS inside of Nurse Kelly's office, giving the Nurse the fright of her life when the ship appeared in front of her.
When the Doctor emerged from the TARDIS, Amy in his arms again, having adamantly refused to get in the wheelchair or be pushed out on a stretcher, Nurse Kelly could only gaze at them in a mixture of shock and awe, before gasping at the crowd of friends and family that quickly hurried out of the TARDIS after them.
The Doctor could see how bewildered she was, and gave her a sheepish smile. "Sorry about this Nurse Kelly. I know you only saw us yesterday in your time, but for us, a lot of time has passed. Wibbly wobbley, timey-wimey, and all that jazz. Are you ready to deliver a Time Lord? Splendid."
Nurse Kelly could only blink back at him, lost for words, and River rolled her eyes, knowing the Doctor's words hadn't reassured her in the slightest. "He meant to ask that politely, I assure you." She said dryly. "He's just a bit distracted, Amy is in labour after all. Would you be able to see to them now, Mariana?"
"How do you know my name?" were the first words to leave Nurse Kelly's mouth, and River winced a little, silently cursing her own stupidity for revealing how well she knew the Nurse in her time.
Before she could reply however, the Doctor quickly cut in. "We'll explain later. Right now, we have more important things to attend to, like my fiery, Scottish wife. Ignore my daughter and everything else she says from now on. Now, can we-"
"Daughter?" Amy cried in astonishment, gazing over at River. "As in...the one in my-"
"-No. I'm adopted." River shot her a toothy grin. "Hi Mother."
Amy would have collapsed if she'd been standing, and the Doctor could sense how close she was to losing it, especially because of the stress she was enduring currently. "Nurse Kelly...help...now!" He managed, the weight of Amy's emotions straining him.
Nurse Kelly shook her head, as if to clear it, and then launched straight into her work mode. "Right, I'll need to quickly examine Amy, just to see how far along in the labour process she is. Your friends and family will need to stay here though...or they can wait in the waiting room if they'd pre-"
"-We'll wait here." Jack said, cutting her off as he settled down on the recliner in the office. "Good luck Amy!"
Smiling weakly, Amy managed to give him and the rest of her family and friends a half-hearted wave as the Doctor followed Nurse Kelly out of the office. Their heart-felt wishes, as appreciated as they were, did nothing to ease the pain she was feeling in her womb, and now her lower back.
~I~
Once they'd found an empty ward, the Doctor helped Amy get dressed into her hospital gown, now accepting that she needed all of the help she could get. After she was sitting in a comfortable position on the hospital bed, Nurse Kelly asked her a couple of questions, before examining her, only to see that she was almost dilated enough to give birth.
"Amy, didn't you say that you'd only been in labour for twenty minutes, at most?" Nurse Kelly asked her, stunned. She certainly hadn't been expecting to deliver their Time Lord baby today...let alone in the next hour!
"Yeah, my waters broke in the TARDIS but..." Amy then had to trail off as another piercing contraction struck her. She just about managed to grit her teeth to stop herself from crying out as she gripped the Doctor's hands tightly.
Moments later, she was ready to continue, the pain vanishing as quickly as it appeared. "I felt a weird kind of pressure when I left the Pandorica...long story...but that was at least a day and a half before I started getting contractions." She admitted quietly, avoiding the Doctor's gaze as she spoke, knowing that he'd be looking at her in horror...and maybe in a bit of anger too.
She was right. "You felt like this in the museum, and you didn't tell me?" He demanded, and his frustration ignited her own.
"Yes, because you were dying! You were my first priority, and I didn't think I was in labour at the time!" Amy snapped back, which made the Doctor purse his lips.
However, he didn't argue back, knowing this wasn't the time or the place, so he settled for shaking his head slightly before turning his attention to Nurse Kelly.
"So, now what?" He asked her, and she smiled kindly at him.
"Now we get ready to welcome your baby into the World. There are some scrubs for you in the cupboard beside you, Doctor. I'll leave you both alone now while I inform your friends and family that we're taking you into the delivery ward, but I'll be back in a few minutes."
With that, Nurse Kelly swept out of the room, leaving Amy and the Doctor gazing at each other in mutual bewilderment. Neither of them spoke for a few moments.
Silently, the Doctor rose up from his perch beside Amy, and began to dress himself in the scrubs, his hands trembling, which didn't escape Amy's notice.
"Don't be nervous. We can't both be nervous." She whispered, biting at her cuticles, and the Doctor quickly resumed his position beside her to pull her hand away from her mouth.
"I don't think it's nerves...more...anticipation." He said quietly, lacing his fingers through hers.
Amy would have replied, but she was hit by another contraction, and the Doctor could only murmur reassuringly and hold onto her as she gasped for breath.
When it passed, Amy closed her eyes, and rested her head on the Doctor's shoulder. "Do you reckon they'll give me something for the pain?" She asked weakly.
"And you're asking me?" She heard him snort, and she couldn't help but smile.
"You are the Doctor, after all." She murmured, and the Doctor kissed the top of her head affectionately.
"Of course, but questions like that are a bit beyond my expertise."
"I'm glad you can finally admit that you don't know everything." Amy responded, giggling when the Doctor sighed in mock-exasperation.
"So not true, but we'll discuss this further when you're not in labour, Pond." He went to kiss her forehead again, but Amy quickly tilted her head, and his lips met hers instead. Not that the Doctor was complaining about that.
The door to their room suddenly opened, and the Doctor was the one to break their kiss, giving Nurse Kelly his second sheepish smile of the day. "We're ready." He said, and Amy scowled beside him.
"You may be, but I'm bloody not!" She hissed, as Nurse Kelly approached them, dressed in scrubs of her own.
"Most new mothers feel like this. You'll be fine Amy, trust me." She assured her, before leaning down and unlocking the wheels of the bed. "Now, I'm going to take you into the delivery room. My team are ready for us."
"Whoop-de-do." Amy mumbled, wincing as another contraction hit her...and then another. The Doctor felt the echo of her pain, and quickly reached out to grab her hand again, not letting go of her even when Nurse Kelly began to wheel Amy out of the room.
The delivery room was only a couple of wards down from the examination room they'd been in, which relieved Amy. Now that her contractions were so close together, she was feeling almost ready to deliver her daughter. The Doctor sensed her fierce determination, and felt a swell of pride rise up inside of him.
Once Nurse Kelly's team had propped Amy up in the right position, they began to monitor her contractions, waiting for the right moment to begin delivery.
Amy wished they'd hurry up though, because her contractions were causing her to start sweating, and she'd already shed a few tears in the few minutes they'd been inside the delivery room.
She was in too much pain to ask for medication to help with how she was feeling, but she managed to communicate with the Doctor through their psychic link, and he asked Nurse Kelly on her behalf.
But to the horror of them both, Amy was too far into labour to have medication given to her now. She wasn't even allowed gas and air. Nurse Kelly quickly assured them that the delivery wouldn't be as difficult if she and the baby had been human, because the Time Energy would protect and heal the both of them. However, that did nothing to reassure Amy.
All too soon, Nurse Kelly began to count Amy in, preparing her for when she had to get ready to push.
Amy could feel the tension building inside of her, and she could feel the intensity of her daughter in her womb, ready to enter the world, but she was still terrified. "I'm scared Doctor. Properly, properly scared." She sobbed, gazing up at him, panicked.
The Doctor tried to smile as reassuringly as he could, and he leaned forward, pressing their foreheads together. "Don't be scared. Be magnificent." He whispered, leaning back and kissing the tip of her nose.
"Are you ready Amy?" Nurse Kelly called, and Amy hastily blinked away her tears. "In three..."
Amy met the Doctor's gaze, and allowed his strong fortitude to influence her, calming her down somewhat.
"...Two..."
The Doctor squeezed her hand tightly, silently reminding her that she had him to lean on.
"...One!"
Amy closed her eyes, and pushed with all of her might. Oh, how she pushed. It took all of her strength, all of her resolve, and nearly breaking the Doctor's hand in the process, but she was doing it.
Time seemed to quicken then, at least for her. She was lost in a blur of Nurse Kelly's counting, her own cries and gasps, and the Doctor's rousing words of encouragement.
And then finally, what she needed to hear.
"Amy, I can see the head! Now you really need to push, as hard as you can, okay! One last time!"
"You've got this Amy." The Doctor murmured in her ear, now rubbing her back with his other hand. "Our daughter's nearly here! Come along, Pond!"
Clamping her eyes shut, and using both the Doctor's hand and the frame of the bed to hold onto, Amy used the last remnants of her energy to push as hard as she could, crying out as she did so.
The Doctor gasped loudly beside her, and as the sound of a high-pitched cry filled the air, along with hushed congratulations from Nurse Kelly, Amy opened her eyes slowly, to see a small, baby being lifted up into the air, covered in blood.
It was the most beautiful sight she'd ever seen. That was her crying baby. Hers and the Doctor's. Theirs.
Ours. The Doctor gazed over at her, nothing but love and adoration glimmering in his timeless eyes. He wanted to cry. He wanted to laugh. He wanted to sweep Amy into his arms and kiss her senseless. Emotion was overflowing him, but all he could do was gaze into her eyes, completely and utterly in love.
Nurse Kelly quietly asked him if he wanted to cut the umbilical cord, and he did so, his hands trembling no more. Amy could only beam at the sight, and once it was done, she reached out for her daughter, not caring that she hadn't been bathed yet. "Can I...can I hold her?" She asked hoarsely, and Nurse Kelly smiled.
"Of course. Only for a minute though, I need to bathe her, and you need to do the after birth still." She replied, before gently placing the small baby in Amy's awaiting arms.
Amy barely heard her though, completely mesmerised by the amazing creation she was holding. "Hey you." She whispered. She felt the Doctor lean over, and he tenderly held one of their daughter's balled fists in his own.
"Gotcha." He murmured, and then he leaned down to kiss the top of the baby's head lightly.
And then to their surprise - and delight - their daughter opened her blue eyes, clouded with shades of grey, and Amy knew then they'd resemble the Doctor's.
"My eyes...and your auburn hair. Magnificent." The Doctor said softly, wiping away some of the blood from the top of their baby's head.
"Magnificent." Amy echoed, her eyes brimming with tears again. All of the pain she'd just endured, and all of the heartache her and the Doctor had suffered through the years had led them to this moment, and now, she couldn't regret it, or feel saddened by it. Because it had led them to this. Their daughter had been the light at the end of the darkness. And she was worth all of it.
Suddenly, a shadow loomed over them, and Nurse Kelly gave them a sad smile. "Time's up." She said quietly, and Amy reluctantly passed her their daughter.
"Bring her back soon!" She called weakly as Nurse Kelly handed her to another Nurse, who then took her out of the room.
"We'll bring her to you when she's bathed, and when you're resting in your own ward." Nurse Kelly told her, approaching them again, this time holding a needle.
Amy immediately flinched away from her. "What the hell is that thing?" She demanded, knowing that she wouldn't be able to endure much more pain. She was emotionally and physically shattered.
"Injection to get the placenta out. It won't hurt, I promise, and we'll perform the afterbirth as quickly as possible." Nurse Kelly explained, and Amy reluctantly offered her arm to her, allowing her to inject the needle into her skin. "You can lay down on your back if you'd like, but leave your legs in the position they're in at the moment."
Amy did just that, once Nurse Kelly had removed the needle. Fortunately, she couldn't feel the afterbirth, and from her position, couldn't see it either.
The Doctor couldn't either, unable to tear his gaze away from Amy's. He was in awe of her, so much that he'd barely been able to speak since their daughter had entered the world.
Beaming, he leaned forward so that he was hovering over her, and Amy quickly reached up to take his hand again. "We did it." She murmured tiredly, the position she was in making her more exhausted.
With his remaining hand, the Doctor tenderly cradled her face, his thumb lightly tracing the contour of her lips. "Thank you for giving me a family again." He whispered, and Amy's face lit up, her fatigue now pushed to the back of her mind.
"Back at you." She replied quietly, and the Doctor covered her mouth with his, pouring all of his emotions into the kiss. It was the only way that he could communicate how he was feeling, words still not powerful enough to explain how euphoric he felt.
~I~
Shortly after the birth, Amy was wheeled into a ward, which the Doctor and her had to themselves. Neither of them was ready to share their good news with their family and friends, at least, not before they'd spent some time with their daughter first. So the Doctor had helped her get dressed into another hospital gown, changed out of his scrubs, and then helped Amy into bed.
Next, he'd gone to sit down on one of the chairs beside Amy's bed, but she reached out and fisted her hand in his tweed jacket. "What do you think you're doing?" She growled, and the Doctor blinked at her. "I'm not having you sit that far away from me. Get in the bed with me. Now."
Her tone of voice meant that there was no room for disagreement, so the Doctor sat down on the bed, choosing to stay above the covers, his back propped up against the headboard. Amy decided his chest was a far comfier alternative, and leaned into him instead.
They didn't have to wait long to see their daughter. Nurse Kelly came in a couple of minutes later, a pink blanketed bundle in her arms, and the Doctor could see a crown of auburn hair peeking out of the top. "Here you go." She murmured, lowering their daughter into Amy's embrace, before backing out of the room, leaving the new parents alone.
Beaming, Amy cradled their daughter closer to her chest. "Oh Doctor, she's beautiful." She whispered, awed.
The Doctor tilted his head to the side slightly, and then grinned. "She thinks you're beautiful too. She thinks I am as well, but I have to say I prefer the term, 'handsome', little one."
"Madeleine." The name slipped out from Amy's mouth instantly, remembering the dream she'd had when her and the Doctor first began their relationship, about them and their future daughter in a park together. "Her name's Madeleine."
"Madeleine Pond." The Doctor said fondly, addressing their daughter. "What do you think? Yay or nay?"
Madeleine blinked slowly up at him, and the Doctor's smile widened. "Welcome to the World...no...the Universe, Madeleine Pond. Name of a Superhero there."
"Our superhero." Amy murmured, gathering Madeleine closer to her chest, and the Doctor nodded his agreement.
"Quite right. Good..." He trailed off suddenly, and then his eyebrows rose slightly. "What's that? You like the smell of your Mother? I've never really sniffed her myself. Maybe I should give it a go."
Before Amy could even react to his words, the Doctor buried his face in her tangled, auburn hair, and inhaled deeply. "You're right. She does smell nice." He confirmed to Madeleine, pulling back to grin down at her.
"What...what are you doing?" Amy asked him, astounded.
"Talking to our daughter. I speak baby, you see. Never thought it would come in handy till now."
"Really?"
"I speak everything, don't I, Madeleine Pond?" The Doctor cooed, laughing when Madeleine blinked again. "Yeah, you get me."
"I don't think I've ever been so much in love with you." Amy whispered, her voice choked, overwhelmed by so many emotions. They mostly ranged from love to wonder, to admiration.
Beaming in response, the Doctor pressed his lips to hers in a sweet, meaningful kiss, only to pull back moments later to tap Madeleine lightly on the nose. "Yes, I know that you'd like to think that we're both yours, but your Mother is mine too. It's called sharing."
Amy laughed out loud at that, thrilled that their daughter was already so alike to them. The Doctor's words also reminded her of something, and she shifted slightly, moving Madeleine towards him. "Speaking of that, here. Your turn."
The Doctor took Madeleine into his arms with ease, holding her so naturally that the sight warmed Amy's heart. She'd never felt so at peace, so content.
And then a thought struck her out of the blue, and she couldn't help but chuckle to herself at the question she found herself suddenly needing to ask the Doctor. That question after all, had gotten them to this point in time, so of course she needed to ask it.
"So Doctor, how would you rate her out of ten?" Amy asked him gently, laughing in delight at the surprise in the Doctor's expression, before his face lit up.
Only one number came to his mind. It was the most important one, after all.
"A magnificent...eleven."
*Blubbing like a baby*
I can't believe it's over. Sitting here with waterfalls gushing down my cheeks. You have no idea how much I have put into this story - it became my life, even when I neglected it a couple of times. And even when I wasn't writing, I could see Amy and the Doctor and future chapters in my head, like a frickin' film that I can't stop. And they're still nattering on now, demanding that this shouldn't be the end.
And you know how pushy they can be. SO. This isn't the end.
I'll post another story in this Ratings out of Ten Universe...and I'd love to say that it's a sequel to this story. Well, it is in a way. Think of it as more of a set of future outtakes with a few major plotlines thrown in. How can I NOT include some of the Series 6 storylines? Anyone want to see the Doctor infatuated with the Siren onboard a Pirate Ship and Amy being angry with him? I know you do ;) I also want to explore River's character a bit more...and I want to see how deeper Amy and the Doctor's relationship can go. They will be together for a long time...so a lot can happen! What on Earth will they get up to?
It'll be called 'Ratings out of Ten : The Future'...or something like that. Haha! So imaginative, I know.
Anyhow...gah! Oh guys. Don't want to stop writing this Author's Note. 'Cause then it will feel like the end. Even though it's really not.
COME ON HAYLEY. MAN UP.
Right. I manned up. I'm leaving, and I leave you with a billion hugs and kisses. 'Cause I fucking love you all. Every person who put this story on alert and on their favourites, every person who reviewed, and I especially lovethe reviewers that I got to know a bit more personally :)
Alas, this isn't really goodbye. I have a ton of 11/Amy stories in the pipeline, along with the sequel(ish) to this fanfic piece. And when I move out in September, I'll only be busy with work and Uni...what...three days a week? I wonder what I'll spend the majority of those four days doing...*cough* writing non-stop *cough*.
Adios, my loves!
Till next time,
Hayley xoxox
p.s Notice that I ended the story how it started? Who knew that a small story (that was supposed to only be about 10 chapters) would become this beast? Certainly not me!