[Well everyone, I'm feeling a bit blleeerrggg but It's really not that bad to be honest, possibly due to my excessive intake of water to counteract the alcohol last night. Thanks for all the hangover well wishes the party went really well and she was VERY surprised. Now everything is cleaned up I thought I'd treat you all to another chapter.]

Fallen angels at my feet,
whispered voices at my ear,
death before my eyes, lying next to me I fear.
She beckons me shall I give in, upon my end shall I begin,
forsaking all I've fallen for I rise to meet the end

Evanescence - Whisper

Flesh and Stone

The flight deck of the Byzantium was in major disrepair with exposed wires all over the console. The Doctor immediately approached one of the consoles as everyone escaped through the door to join him. Octavian span the hatch lock and attached a small devise just above the wheel. 'What are you doing?' Amy asked as Winter backed up from the door and joined the Doctor at the side. Pip had obviously not enjoyed the ride up to the ship and was shivering violently in her hands.

'Magnetized the door. Nothing could turn that wheel now.' Octavian replied.

The Doctor looked up from his work at the control panel and smiled. 'Yeah?'

As if on cue the wheel began to turn behind Octavian who stared at it in shock. 'Dear God!'

'Ah, now you're getting it!' The Doctor told him. 'You've bought us time though, that's good. I'm good with time.'

Winter sat down on a chair and smoothed Pip's fur gently. He looked ill, probably the stolen food from this morning reacting with the displacement in gravity.

'Doctor, how long have we got?' Octavian asked.

'Five minutes, max,' he replied.

'Nine.' Amy said.

The Doctor looked at her confused. 'Five,' he repeated.

'Five, right yeah.' Amy replied, pulling a face.

'Why d'you say nine?' The Doctor asked.

She furrowed her brow and smiled. 'I didn't.'

River interrupted their little argument, hurrying the Doctor along. 'We need another way out of here.'

Pip swaggered to his feet on her lap and she held his hands gently like a toddler learning to walk. He looked up at her with his large brown eyes and let out a muffled purring sound from deep within his throat.

'There isn't one.' Octavian replied.

'Yeah, there is, course there is. This is a galaxy class ship, goes for years between planet-falls. So what do they need?'

When the wall covering the forest opened Pip really perked up. He carefully hopped onto the floor and walked slowly over to the lush vegetation and trees. Gently, he placed a hand on the earthy ground and scooped up some of the muddy material.

'Is there another exit? Scan the architecture, we don't have time to get lost in there.' The Doctor asked Octavian who nodded and stepped into the forest.

'On it! Stay where you are until I've checked the Rad levels.'

Amy was looking at the trees astounded. 'But trees! On a space ship?'

'Oh, more than trees, way better than trees. You're going to love this.' The Doctor stepped into the forest and opened a section of peat moss to reveal circuitry, 'Treeborgs...Trees plus technology. Branches become cables, become sensors on the hull. A forest sucking in starlight, breathing out air. It even rains.'

Pip looked over to Winter and she nodded. He leaped up into the nearest tree and began the long climb up wards, obviously feeling a lot better.

'There's a whole mini-climate. It is an eco-pod running through the heart of the ship. A forest in a bottle, on a space ship, in a maze. Have I impressed you yet, Amy Pond?'

Amy chuckled as she gazed around the magnificent forest. 'Seven.'

The Doctor looked at her worried. 'Seven?' He walked right up to her and studied her face. 'You said seven.'

'No. I didn't.'

'Yes, you did.' River and Winter replied at the same time.

Octavian chose that moment to interrupt hurrying back over to them. 'Doctor! There's an exit, far end of the ship, into the Primary Flight Deck.'

'Good, that's where we need to go.'

Octavian nodded and fiddled with the machine in his hands. 'Plotting a safe path.'

The Doctor still hadn't taken his eyes of Amy who was shifting uncomfortably on the spot. The radio suddenly crackled to life again and Bob's voice drifted out. 'Doctor? Excuse me. Hello, Doctor? Angel Bob here, sir.'

The Doctor plonked himself down on the primary command chair and spoke into the radio. 'Ah. There you are, Angel Bob. How's life? Sorry, bad subject.'

'The Angels are wondering what you hope to achieve.'

'Achieve? We're not achieving anything. We're just hanging. It's nice in here, consoles, comfy chairs, a forest. How's things with you?'

'The Angels are feasting, sir. Soon we will be able to absorb enough power to consume this vessel, this world, and all the stars and worlds beyond.'

'Well, we've got comfy chairs, did I mention?'

Winter smiled at his C'est la vie attitude as he slouched in the chair.

'We have no need of comfy chairs.'

'I made him say comfy chairs!'

Amy laughed, 'Six.'

The Doctor leaped from the seat and re-joined the group. 'Okay, well, enough chat. Here's what I want to know: what have you done to Amy?'

'There is something in her eye.' Bob replied.

The Doctor frowned. 'What's in her eye?'

'We are.'

Amy was looking around the room worriedly, obviously frightened. 'What's he talking about? Doctor, I'm five.' Everyone stared at her as she realised her mistake, 'I mean, five. Fine! I'm fine.'

'You're counting.' River told her.

Amy looked at the Doctor.

'You're counting down. From ten. You have been for a couple of minutes.'

Winter looked at Amy. Really looked, she took a few steps forward until she was right up in Amy's face. The red-head stared at her wide eyed as Winter's violet eyes stared right back. It was faint. Like a reflection in a photograph, a tiny image at the back of her eye, so small it was easily missed. An angel. She took a step back just as the Doctor spoke. 'No, wait, there's something...I've...' slowly he turned around to see a large glowing crack high in the wall, 'missed.' He ran over to the wall while Amy stopped staring at Winter and instead turned her attention to the crack.

'That's... That's like the crack from my bedroom wall from when I was a little girl.'

Winter stood back, confused. What crack? And why would the Doctor know about it? And What was so special about a crack anyway.'

'OK, enough, we're moving out!' Octavian called.

River nodded. 'Agreed. Doctor?'

He ran his screwdriver over the crack. 'Yeah. Fine!'

'What are you doing?' River asked him.

He ignored the question. 'I'll be right with you.'

River shook her head. 'We're not leaving without you!'

'Oh. Yes you are,' he contradicted, 'Bishop?'

The Bishop gently pushed Winter out into the forest and called to River and Amy. Both followed and they carefully set of into the forest.

'Pip?' Winter called. Seconds later he scampered down a tree and looked at her. She pointed in the general direction they were heading in and he scampered up into the trees again. As Octavian and the clerics walked slowly through the forest, keeping the three women safely in the centre. Amy began to walk slower, she suddenly had a strange, almost sickly look on her face. Winter came to her side and took her hand. 'Amy? Amy, what is it? What's wrong?'

Amy collapsed onto a rock and curled up in a ball. River ran a hand over Amy's face.

'Amy, what's wrong?'

'Four,' she replied.

'Med-scanner, now!' River yelled.

Pip came down from the tree tops and scampered over to Winter. She stepped back from Amy knowing that she was only in the way.

'Dr Song, we can't stay here, we've got to keep moving.' Octavian insisted.

'We wait for the Doctor,' she replied as she used the scanner on Amy.

Octavian took a step forward to make his point. 'Our mission is to make this wreckage safe and neutralise the Angels. Until that is achieved...'

'Father Octavian,' River argued, 'when the Doctor is in the room, your only mission is to keep him alive long enough to get everyone else home. And trust me. It's not easy. Now, if he's dead back there, I'll never forgive myself, and if he's alive, I'll never forgive him.'

Winter smirked and River caught the look before she could repress it. 'And, Doctor, you're standing right behind me, aren't you?'

'Oh, yeah,' he replied. He went straight to Amy's side and grabbed the scanner from River.

'So. What's wrong with me?' Amy asked weakly.

'Nothing. You're fine.' River reassured her.

The Doctor however was far more blunt. 'Everything, you're dying. '

'Doctor!' River gasped.

'Yes, you're right, if we lie to her, she'll get all better! Right. Amy! Amy. What's the matter with Amelia? Something's in her eye. What does that mean? Doesn't mean anything'

The Doctor was panicking and Winter heard a noise. The clerics were spread thin as it was, all she needed to do was have a quick look. She turned to Pip and smiled at him. 'You need to do something for me Peregrine.'

The monkey straightened up and listened intently.

'I want you to go over there and stick with Amy. You don't leave her. Okay? You keep her safe.'

He looked at her and she sighed. 'I'm only going over there to check something out. Stick to Amy.'

Pip nodded once and hopped down to the ground he scampered off to Amy's side and Winter switched her flashlight back on. The forest was dark… imposing, spooky, and a whole lot of other things that she didn't fancy thinking about. A sound to her left startled her and the torch began to flicker in her hand. This was a bad idea. She'd wandered too far. She turned her back on the forest and began to walk back towards the others.

But something grabbed her neck. She found herself pulled back into a hard body and looked down to see stone arms wrapped around her chest, pressing down painfully over her chest. She gasped and kept her eyes as wide open as she could, refusing to blink. She couldn't get out. She was trapped.

'Doctor,' she called quietly. There was no reply. 'Doctor!' Her cry was slightly louder but she fought to keep her voice steady.

'Yes?' Was his reply, yelled from back in the clearing.

'I need to borrow you for a minute.' She paused thinking, before adding, 'Just you.'

'Now really isn't a good…'

'Now Doctor!' she yelled angrily.

'Alright, alright,' his voice was louder now, closer to her, 'We really need to get moving I haven't got time to be…' He rounded the corner and stopped in his tracks. She used the opportunity to close her eyes allowing them to be freshly lubricated. 'No,' he murmured.

'I can't get out,' she replied blankly, her eyes wide with fear and yet she felt no temptation to scream or cry, just a numb sense of fate. 'It's too tight.'

His eyes were wide and he approached her carefully. 'Couldn't you…'

'It's too tight,' she repeated.

He swallowed and nodded. 'So that's it. I've broken my promise then.' He spat out disgustedly.

'You didn't promise to keep me alive Doctor. You promised to tell Jack what had happened.'

He shook his head. 'But I did. I promised myself. I promised Jack, or I might as well have. I promised and now you're dying and I'm useless, useless, useless!'

She shook her head pressing back against the statue to give her chest more room. 'You're not going to stand here and watch me die Doctor. You're going to go back over to Amy and Pip, and you're going to get them out of this.'

'But what good is that to you?' He stepped forwards and held her face in his hands, touching their foreheads.

'It would make me happy,' she replied quietly.

He stepped back and she reached around the angels arms unclipping Ianto's beads from around her neck and holding them out to him. He took them sadly looking a bit like a two year old not getting their own way.

'Give him these. He should have them.'

The Doctor nodded and made as if to turn away and leave but span around to reel off false hope. 'The weeping angels,' he explained at ninety miles an hour, 'when I met them last time they didn't just kill people. They used their energy up. Sent them back in time… Maybe, just maybe…'

'Doctor,' she interrupted, 'It has its hands two inches away from crushing my ribcage, I don't think it's going to be merciful today.'

He ran both hands through his hair, frustrated.

'But who knows,' she continued, looking to give him some comfort, 'I might end up somewhere interesting.' She smiled. 'Like Rome! I've never been to Rome.'

He looked sadly down at her and she nodded towards the direction of the clearing. 'Go on, go.'

He waved his hands at his sides, unsure of what to do before leaning over and kissing her forehead. 'You,' he told her, 'are brilliant, absolutely, totally, completely brilliant.'

'Oh, I know I am.' She smiled and with a small nod the Doctor took off for the clearing.

She kept her eyes on the Angel's arms for as long as possible, giving the Doctor as much time as she could but soon her eyes were stinging and the tension was unbearable. With a sigh and a whispered name she shut her eyes.

TTT

The Doctor re-entered the clearing. 'Come on then you lot, let's get going. Amy, I'll see you later.' He began walking into the forest but River called back to him.

'But what about the other girl, 'what's-her-name'?'

The Doctor's face clouded over and he turned angrily to face the small group. 'Her name was Winter or Nemo, and maybe, just maybe, someday might have been Harkness.'

Amy moved her face towards the Doctor, her shut eyelids flickering. 'Was.'

He kept his eyes on the monkey sitting on the rock. 'She's dead.'

Pip's head lolled forward. He launched himself across the clearing but paused at the edge and looked back at Amy. The Doctor watched as the little monkey's attention fluctuated between Amy and the direction he had seen Winter go in. Then, as if a decision had finally been made, his back straightened. He looked up at Amy and clambered up onto her lap, sitting there defiantly. Winter had asked him to help Amy, that he would do, and when that was done? Well, he would cross that bridge when he came to it.

The Doctor turned on his heel and lead River and Octavian into the forest. Now he knew he had to get out of this mess. Because he had a promise to keep.

TTT

It was over. They were out. The Doctor looked back over at Pip, curled up on the captain's chair. 'Not everyone.' He murmured to himself.

Amy walked into the room and wrapped her arms around herself. 'Where are we going then?' she asked sadly.

'We're going to inform her family.' The Doctor replied.

Amy nodded and leant against the side of the railings. 'So, earth then.'

The Doctor shook his head. 'No, her only family wasn't really a blood relation.'

He pulled down the monitor and frowned. 'I need to make a call.'

TTT

The Doctor and Amy stepped out of the TARDIS in a docking bay. 'Welcome to the planet chakoogh,' a human looking woman greeted them. 'If you'd like to follow me to register your visitation.'

The Doctor nodded grimly and they both followed her. Pip, tightly clutching to Amy's neck, let out a low groaning noise. Amy stroked his fur comfortingly, her long red nails contrasting against the black fur of his side.

The lady led them into a stark white room and motioned towards two seats. They took them and signed the register she gave them. The woman looked down at the names and nodded. 'Ah yes you called ahead.' She turned and left the room leaving its occupants in silence.

Amy fidgeted and the Doctor slouched in the chair, staring at the door. A few minutes later they heard the sound of a feet shuffling closer. The woman entered again and handed the Doctor a box. 'Personal effects,' she told him, 'they'll be along shortly.'

The Doctor nodded and the woman left again. As the door swung shut the Doctor pulled his sonic screwdriver from his pockets and began fiddling with the contents of the box.

The door crashed open, causing Amy to jump, and what seemed to be a large insect entered. He looked like a praying mantis, a giant praying mantis… with a large metal javelin type thing. Following the insect, Amy realised, a man. He was tallish, well built…

'Oh my God! He's the soldier!' she whispered to the Doctor. 'The soldier from 1941, Winter's …' she paused, 'Winter's soldier.'

The Doctor nodded and Amy got up leaving pip curled up on her seat. The mantis tapped Jack's hands and she noticed the handcuffs that had been binding his wrists fell to the floor. The insect scooped them up and left the room, the door swinging shut behind him.

Jack grinned and sauntered forward. 'So, who had the pleasure of signing my release forms then?' He asked.

The Doctor sighed and stepped over to Amy. 'Jack, I…'

'Doctor? Is that you? Wow! Love the hair,' he sniggered, 'and the bow tie.'

The Doctor frowned and pulled at his hair. 'Bow ties are cool.'

Jack smirked.

'Besides what are you doing in a detention centre?'

'Chose the wrong ship to hitchhike on,' Jack laughed, 'High priestess of the Seventh New World Order.'

The Doctor nodded. 'I'll bet she wasn't too impressed with you.'

Jack chuckled and then turned to Amy. He frowned and cocked his head slightly. 'Do I know you?'

Normally this would be the perfect chance for Amy to pull out her devilish charm, but she realised who she was talking to and turned it off. This was Winter's man… not a free spirit to flirt with. '1941,' she replied, 'Cabinet War Rooms.'

Jack looked over at the Doctor surprised. 'I knew I recognised this regeneration! So that's happened now. I can actually talk to her about it.' He grinned and looked around. Finally noting the missing occupant. 'Where is she?'

The Doctor hesitated and Amy lowered her head. Tears threatening to fall.

'Doctor?' Jack was quieter, more wary, pleading, 'Where's Nemo?'

Amy stepped aside to reveal Pip curled up on the chair, alone and the Doctor took Jack's hand. When he pulled back Jack looked down and unclasped his fingers to reveal Ianto's beads. Realisation clouded Jack's face. 'No.' He shook his head. 'No, No, No!'

The Doctor nodded.

'You were supposed to be looking after her!' Jack roared. He grabbed the lapels of the Doctor's tweed coat and held him up against the wall. Amy took a step back unsure what to do.

'I know, I know, I'm so sorry.' Jack held his ground for a moment before leaning his head against The Doctors shoulder. As his shoulders started to shudder he slowly slid down, still grasping The Doctor's coat and burying his face in his arms.

The Doctor kept up his blank look of sadness and wrapped his arms around his friend.

TTT

'What happened?' Jack asked, sitting in one of the chairs, gently stroking Pip's stomach.

'We were trapped, surrounded. Amy was in trouble and I got distracted. Forgot for just a moment. We turned our backs for a second and she wandered off.'

Jack glared at him. 'Don't you dare make this out to be her fault!'

The Doctor shook his head. 'I'm not. It's my fault. I shouldn't have let her wander off. I knew she was prone to do it but I didn't pay enough attention to her and they got her.'

'Who?' Jack asked.

'The Weeping Angels.' The Doctor replied.

Jack was up like a bolt. 'Then she's not dead!'

'Jack.'

'She's in the past, we just need to find her.'

'Jack.'

'She'll be waiting for us!'

'Jack the chances are a million to one. They killed other people too. They killed them, outright. They weren't interested in life-force energy, they just wanted us out of the way so they could escape.'

Jack shook his head defiantly. 'I'll take those odds. It's Nemo, I'll find her.'

The Doctor smiled slightly and stood up to stand head to head with Jack. 'I was afraid you were going to say that.' He pulled Jack's vortex manipulator from his pocket and handed it over. 'I fixed it, just for now mind you!'

Jack grinned and attached the strap to his wrist.

'Go get her Captain.' The Doctor smiled and clapped Jack on the shoulder before stepping back.

'Just you try and stop me,' Jack laughed before placing Peregrine on his shoulder and saluting as he disappeared into the past.

Amy smiled but looked over to the Doctor a thought playing on her mind. 'Do you think he'll find her?'

The Doctor's smile faded and he turned to face her. The look she received told her all she needed to know.

[Sorry, I know that whole chapter's been a bit sad but to cheer you up I'm going to post another after lunch, in say…5 hours.]

'The Small But Powerful One': Thank you.

'Sashaxh': actually other than my spelling and grammar, my writing isn't too bad when I'm drunk, in fact one time I realised two days before school, that I hadn't done an essay, so after the party I was at I just went home and wrote it. Read it through the next day to correct the appalling spelling and grammar and when I got it back my teacher said it was one of the best ones I'd done. Therefore more drunken essays me-thinks.

'Rachy Babes': What I wouldn't give for Jack on a spaceship with Champagne :P Oh no, Fawks has obviously got the wrong impression. Winter isn't very keen on River at all. In fact she finds her (as I do) rather annoying.

'Sonotalady': It must be some weird defect in all bad guys, they just have to tease him. River always did annoy me. I could just about stand her when she first arrived but the idea of her as a recurring character… I just love the imagery of the scene with Winter throwing nuts to Pip it's kind of domestic and at the same time a bit strange. I'm also quite fond of the Doctor's response to her asking where they were going; 'The broom cupboard for you, if you don't stop littering my TARDIS with nuts.' Just added to the whole domestic feel, like they'd been travelling together for years.