"Just leave!"

Amy had never seen her daughter look so terrified. Suddenly, arguing with her didn't seem so appealing anymore. Before Amy knew it, River was tugging on her hand, dragging her over the threshold and out into the street.

"What's going on?!" she demanded, trying to break free from River's grasp and failing epically. Where did the woman get her stregnth from?

"I'm sorry, Amy. I can't stop it," River answered, quickening her pace, almost at the end of the street.

"Stop what?!" I'm sick and tired of people not being straight with me. Why can't they just -

BOOM!

The force of the explosion sent them both hurtling through the air by a few feet, before both of them landed on the concrete with a crunch. Pain shot through Amy's knee, her body feeling incredibly heavy, like something was weighing her down. In her panic she tried to stand up but everything hurt. Worse, she couldn't feel River's hand anymore. Slowly, carefully, she eased herself up so that she was at least sat on the pavement instead of face-planting it. There was a distinct ringing in her ears and her vision was blurred by the haze of ash and dust that swirled in the air. It hadn't taken her long to realise what had happened and she was struggling to believe it.

Suddenly, she felt arms hook underneath her armpits, someone dragging her upright from behind. "Get off me!" she yelled, although it sounded like a muffle in her ears. Everything was distorted. Sounds weren't distinct from each other anymore, they all merged into one horrible drone. It was like everything was moving in slow motion.

"Amy! It's me. River. Amy?!" River turned Amy so she could face her, trying to reassure her with a smile and a soothing hand running along her arm. Her gut was raging. She wished she had been able to stop the bomb like she'd set out to, but her stupid device wouldn't work properly, and as a result she'd thrown it on the ground moments before she picked up Amy from the floor. At least she'd saved her mother's life.

It was difficult for Amy to get her words out. Shock consumed her, but she managed to give River a smile in gratitude. Then, she stumbled forward, heading towards the spot where the steps to 221b would have been. There was virtually nothing left of it apart from a huge pile of rubble accompanied with smoke and dust. "Sherlock is going to be really pissed off."

It hadn't taken long for the police, paramedics and fire crews to swarm the site. Baker Street had every inch the appearance of a high-budget disaster movie. Amy wished it wasn't so. She was in the back of an ambulance, a blanket covering her shoulders and a dressing on her bloodied knee. She'd got off lightly. Other people hadn't been so lucky. She'd seen at least four body bags on the scene already, and she dreaded to think how many more she'd see before she was taken away. It should have been her. She felt like it should have been her. She felt so guilty. But, she had deduced, the bomb hadn't been intended for her. It was obviously meant for Sherlock. She'd never hated him more than at that moment, when everything had totally gone to shit. She had no home, no clothes... People- innocent people!- had died! Because of him.

Sherlock was milling about on the scene. He'd arrived with the police. Amy had been watching him console Mrs Hudson, who had returned to her home in tatters carrying two green shopping bags. She looked distraught.

"Are you okay?"

Amy peered up through her wet eyes at River, who was calm and collected despite everything. Amy nodded, then shook her ahead. She started to cry and River sat beside her, wrapping her arm around the red-head.

"Amy, I'm sorry."

Amy wiped her eyes. "Why? It's not your fault."

"I know that. But -"

"How did you know?" Amy asked, brows furrowed.

River tensed. She couldn't bring herself to tell Amy what she'd really seen. "That doesn't matter," she replied, keeping her cool. "All that matters is that you're okay. Do you have anywhere else to stay tonight?"

"Yes." The voice that answered wasn't Amy's. Sherlock towered above them both, hands clasped behind his back, a solemn look on his features. He saw how Amy stared at him, confused, so proceeded with an explanation. "You can thank Mycroft later."

"No."

"What?"

She shook her head. "I'm not staying at your brother's. It's bad enough living with you. Or it was bad enough... I'll ask Molly."

"Don't be stupid, Amy," he retorted. "We're keeping Molly out of this. The less people we involve, the better."

"Oh, since when did you care about how many people are involved? Some are already dead!"

River squeezed her mother's shoulder's tight. "Amy. Don't."

"It's okay. It's perfectly natural. She's angry. She has every reason to be," Sherlock said, although he sounded a tad deflated.

Amy breathed deep. "Angry? I'm more than angry, Sherlock. I'm bloody furious!"

"You are not the only one!" He matched her tone and was just as loud. He quietended down when he noticed a police officer staring in their direction. "It's not the most ideal situation, but we have to deal with it."

"What have you got yourself in to?"

"I have no idea. But we are going to find out."

"We?" Amy scoffed. "I don't think so."

"Oh, so the other cases you're more than happy to help me with; they're oh-so-interesting and borderline exciting. But this one isn't enough for you? Or maybe it's too much for you."

"Yes!"

"Sorry, Amy, but you don't have a choice."

"He's right," River butted in, and Amy's neck snapped around as fast as the speed of light. "You don't have a choice."

"What do you know, River?"

"I can't tell you. You have to find out for yourself. This is as far as I go now. I've done my bit. Just trust me, Amy."

((A/N: I am so, so, so, forever sorry for not posting in what seems like forever. University got in the way, again. You all must really hate me. I started this story three years ago and it's still nowhere near finished but I am trying, I swear. I still have all of my notes and future chapters I have written saved to my hard-drive. Please know that I appreciate every single view this story has had, and every piece of CC and praise you have all given me. I wont promise that I will update regularly anymore because I can't guarantee that I will. But I will try to get this completed this year!

Also, Alex, I know you are reading this. You literally told me 20 minutes ago you read this. Thanks.))