The Beast Below: Above

A spaceship with what looked like a city on it flew through the stars, a Union Flag painted on its side. It was like a glass dome sealed around the city, keeping the air in and the inhabitants protected. Inside one of the buildings that made up the city a group of young boys and girls stood in a line against the wall of a schoolroom while a single young boy remained at his desk, dejected, knowing what would come for him if he joined the line now.

"Well done, Mabel," a computerized voice praised the children in the line, making its way along the row, "Well done, Alfie. Good girl, Tabitha," one of the girls in a red sweater turned to the boy, catching his gaze as he just sat there, and jerked her head, insistent and even a little bit afraid for him, "Very well done, Ranjit. Good girl, Chloe," the boy sighed and picked his book up, moving to join the line, seemingly just in time, "Well done, Ben. Well done, Mandy," Mandy, the girl in the red sweater, hurried off as the last boy stood before a smiling figure in a booth, looking very much like a clown of some sort, "Bad boy, Timmy," the head of the figure spun to reveal a frowning face, looking much less pleasant than the smiling clown that it had once been, actually seeming a bit sinister, "Zero."

The boy sighed and hung his head, heading out of the room and into the hall where the girl in the red sweater, Mandy, was waiting for him.

"You got a zero, didn't you?" Mandy asked as he joined her outside the classroom, the two of them continuing to walk down the hall.

"Yeah. So?"

"You'll have to walk home, then."

"Walk to London? That's 20 decks!"

"You can't ride a Vator with a zero. You know what happens. You'll get sent below," she stepped into the lift at the end of the hall, past a tall black man, the Vator guard. Timmy tried to get in the lift but the guard, the hooded black man wearing an old fashioned clock key on a chain, glared at him and he backed away, frightened, "I'll wait for you."

The lift door closed and Timmy sighed, watching as another booth in the hall with a figure in it's head swiveled to a frown as well. He shifted a bit, he hated the things in the booths, they always made him feel like he was being watched, well, they all were, but the figures just made him feel more so, and he was just a kid, why did HE have to be watched? What could he possibly do that he'd need to be watched for?

Just then a second lift opened and Timmy grinned, rushing inside, if just to escape the figure in the booth outside...only to realize there was a smaller version of the booth set into the wall, "Welcome to Vator Verse, sponsored by McLintock's Candy Burgers," a computerized voice said.

"L…London, please," he stuttered, nervous, Mandy was right, the Vators were dangerous to ride if you'd gotten a low mark on your exams, but...he didn't want to walk the 20 decks...there were figures and booths all along the way.

A small computer screen on the wall appeared and a young girl recited a verse, "A horse and a man, above, below, one has a plan, but both must go. Mile after mile, above, beneath, one has a smile, and one has teeth," the figure in the booth swiveled to show Timmy its frown, "Though the man above might say hello, expect no love from the beast below."

And then the lift began to plummet.

"Help!" Timmy pounded on the microphone screen, clinging to the walls as he tried to hold on, afraid the Vator might have broken down, that he was about to fall to his death, "Help me!"

But then, just like that, the lift stopped at Floor 000 and the doors slid open to reveal a bright red light. Timmy screamed as the figure's head swiveled to reveal a third face, grimacing in anger...

~8~

"My name is Amy Pond. When I was seven, I had two imaginary friends. Last night was the night before my wedding...and my imaginary friends came back."

~8~

Amy, still in her nightie and dressing gown, was floating outside the open doors of the TARDIS, the Doctor holding her ankle to keep her from drifting off into space. He smiled, "Come on, Pond," and brought her back inside, "NOW do you believe me?"

"Ok, your box is a spaceship," she beamed as she was set back on the floor, "It's really, really a spaceship. We are in space! Woo! What are we breathing?"

"Angel showed me how to extend the air shell, we're fine," he assured her before seeing something below and crouching down, "Now, that's interesting," she looked down as well to see them flying over a spaceship with a city on it, like a snow globe without the snow just...floating among the stars, "29th Century. Solar flares roast the Earth," he headed back over to the console, "And the entire Human Race packs its bags," he fiddled with a few controls, frowning as the monitor stayed on static and white noise, "And moves out till the weather improves," he bashed the top of the monitor with his fist, "Whole nations..."

"Doctor?" Amy gave a small shout.

"...migrating to the stars..." he winced as he tried to hit a button and it sparked, making him shake out his hand, that really hurt!

He pouted at the box, he really should have Angel take a look at the controls or something, perhaps his regeneration had fried a wire? Or maybe she just needed a firm talking to. Not that the box would listen to him, it seemed the TARDIS was rather cross with him still. Angel was probably the only one the box would listen to, though, thinking on it, Angel was probably the only one the box ever listened to.

"Doctor?"

"Isn't that amazing?" he had to grin though when the screen flickered on finally.

"Doctor!"

He looked up to see Amy wasn't there and walked over to find her holding onto the roof of the TARDIS, having fallen out the open doors when she'd tried to get a closer look at the city below, "Well, come on. I've found us a spaceship," he grabbed her hand and pulled her in, "Can you go get Angel for me?" he asked her, "Just take those stairs there and follow the hall till you come to her room, the TARDIS will lead you."

He would have gone himself but...he just couldn't shake the feeling that she was upset with him, that he'd upset her just before and...he wasn't sure if she'd want to speak to him at the moment if he really had upset her that badly. He paused in his walk back to the console, a hand resting on the center of his chest as it tightened, making him feel like he couldn't breathe for a moment...but it was gone relatively quickly. He shrugged and continued on, moving around the console, probably just a lingering effect of the regeneration. It had only just barely been about 15 hours since he'd regenerated, the cycle should be winding down, everything settling. Finally! He'd be able to see what sort of man this new new new him was!

He hoped it was someone Angel liked.

He blinked, stopping again halfway towards reaching for a lever, his gaze pulled towards the stairs once more. He frowned, where had that come from? Well, he supposed...Angel had been with him for quite a while...he...he wouldn't want to be the sort of man she wouldn't like and wouldn't want to be around. For some reason, that thought, the thought of her not liking him and leaving...scared him. Hurt him. Pained him really. He swallowed and shook his head, Angel had seemed to like the new new new him well enough before, she'd been worried about him, helped him save the world, seemed like she enjoyed the adventure.

He had to sigh, he felt quite bad that he'd sort of ignored her a bit. He was aware he'd done it, but he was just so excited to see who he was and learn the new things about himself, it seemed the new him found everything amusing and interesting and he was just so full of life and...it was weird though. How...odd it was. He remembered being his last two selves, how...brooding and guilt-ridden they were. And yes, he still felt guilty about the War, about what he'd done, but...it was like...it didn't rule his life anymore. It was like, he could do things because he wanted to and not to try and make up for what he'd done. He liked helping people, it was why he was the Doctor, like Angel was the Angel...

He shook his head, Angel was nice, yes, and she'd been with him through quite a lot. She was the last Time Lady and he just...after everything they'd endured, he didn't want to lose her now. Yes that was it, the last of their kind needed to stick together eh? But he couldn't help but look to the side, feeling like there was something...more to that thought...but what...

"Yeah, of course," Amy nodded, cutting into his thoughts as she headed for the stairs, him watching her go a moment before shaking his head and getting to work trying to pilot the box down to the ship...well, as best he could when the controls sparked against him half the time. He really needed to get Angel to see what was wrong with the box, his fingers were starting to hurt...

He looked up when the TARDIS hummed and, while he wasn't the best at interpreting the different hums, nowhere near as good as Angel was, it almost sounded like...a deserving hum, like the box was telling him he deserved it. He rolled his eyes, "I said I was sorry for the mess!"

Amy shook her head, listening to the man talking to the machine as she headed out of the room and up the stairs. She walked through the hall till she came to a dead end. She looked around not seeing any other doors and frowned, feeling lost and not quite sure exactly how this hall led to Angel if there was nothing around, "Umm…I'm looking for Angel's room please?" she called out, not exactly sure who to.

She heard a whoosh and looked to her left to see a door was now there, an old, dark wood, door with golden circles and spheres painted on it in what seemed like it might be another language. She frowned, pushing the door open to see it was a bedroom, a more masculine looking room than what she expected for Angel. But she only caught a glimpse of it when the door slammed shut with such force that she stumbled back and hit the wall behind her, "What was THAT for?" she huffed at the box, before scoffing, "Now I'M talking to it."

She shook her head and pushed herself off the wall, only to stop, seeing that the dark wood door was gone. She walked over to the wall and felt it, tapping on it and trying to listen through it, as though she could determine where it had gone by doing so...until she caught sight of something in the corner of her eye. She turned around to see another door had appeared there, across the hall from where the first door had been. It was made of a lighter wood with dark gold symbols etched into it in paint that seemed to shimmer golden in the light of the halls. She turned and was about to try the handle for that door, wondering if it would be just another empty room...when she heard something.

She paused, putting her ear to the door, hearing what sounded like...like someone crying within. And as far as she knew there were only three people on that ship, two had been in the console room.

She knocked lightly, "Angel?" she called and the crying stopped abruptly, "Is that you?"

"Yeah," Angel called, though Amy could swear her voice cracked.

"Are you ok?" she frowned, concerned.

She admitted, as a child, she'd noticed the Doctor much more than Angel. The girl had been quiet, very nice, very reassuring, but not quite as...exciting or...or thrilling as the Doctor had been. He'd been so mad and funny and energetic and...daring...where Angel had been calm and seemed more amused by what was happening in a silent, observant way. The Doctor had rambled on and on about all sorts of things, he was so brilliant, and he had that funny metal wand, the sonic, and he'd dressed so funny, and he was...handsome. Even as a seven year old she could admit the man was hot. Funny, but hot. She'd blamed her new best friend Mels for getting her thinking like that. Angel had been...nice...but nowhere near as amazing, to her mind, as the Doctor was.

And now she felt a bit...bad about it. She'd spent all that time focused on the Doctor and running after him and doing as he said and arguing and challenging him and just...awed by him...she hadn't really noticed Angel. And something was clearly upsetting her and well, she could tell even as a child that the Doctor was more than a bit oblivious. She might be quite the character herself, but...Angel had been there for her as a child too and she had helped save the world, somehow, she was sure. So thinking she might be crying and sad and no one noticed made her feel...guilty.

There was no response through the door and it had been quite a few moments since her thoughts got away from her. So she reached out to knock again when the door opened.

Angel stood there, her eyes not red, her cheeks not stained, seeming as though she hadn't been crying at all, "Of course I am," she smiled.

And that's what did it for Amy, because that smile…it was a sad one. It was one you used when you were trying to hide how sad you were, when you weren't quite able to make yourself smile for real, like when your imaginary friends ran off again after 12 years of waiting. It was the smile you used when you were trying not to worry someone else.

"You sure?" she asked the Time Lady, eyeing her closely.

"Yeah," Angel nodded, stepping out of the room, the door shutting behind her, "So what's the Doctor found for us this time?"

"Some spaceship," she replied.

Angel took a breath, as though steeling herself for something, "Well, let's go shall we?"

She had no idea what was going on with the Doctor, she was upset and hurt and just...confused. But...this was Amy's first trip, her first official adventure and...she didn't want to be the thing that ruined it. She didn't want to be the thing that brought it down. So she'd smile, she'd go out there, and she'd see what happened, what it offered and she'd try her best to stay focused and seem happy. For now, she had to push her concerns to the back of her mind till it was over and she could think about it.

She didn't want to ruin this for Amy.

So she'd try.

~8~

The Doctor smiled as he saw Amy and Angel enter the console room, not that he was watching the stairs. He wasn't, he was just...at an angle and position where they were in his line of sight...behind him.

He felt a bit better to see Angel didn't seem upset any longer, her room must have been in top form then. Which was good. He was sure his room was probably a wreck, and if it wasn't, the TARDIS would probably wreck it for him the box seemed that cross with him. Or hide it from him. Or delete it. He really should ask Angel to speak to the box...

"Brilliant, alright then?" he looked at them, as they nodded, and so he moved to turn the monitor to them...only for the screen to cut to static again. He sighed, grumbling to himself as he tried to bring the picture up again.

Angel looked at the rotor, the tiniest of smiles on her face, she knew what the box was doing, expressing her own anger at what was going on, and shook her head, promising herself she'd talk to the TARDIS about this later. She was touched that the box was so concerned for her that it kept having a go at the Doctor, but...it really wouldn't do if the box stayed so angry as to do that all the time. If they were ever in danger which, knowing the Doctor's luck, was very likely to happen, she needed to know that the old girl would work for him, would help him and not fight him. She...she didn't want him to get hurt no matter what might happen, he would always be the Doctor, he would always be that incredible man and...it still hurt her to think of him ever getting hurt.

"Let me Doctor," Angel reached out to the monitor, the Doctor stepping back as she...pressed a single button and the image came back.

He hung his head, shaking it, now more sure than ever that the box had to be cross with him about his regeneration, "Thanks," he told her, moving to bring up a feed from the spaceship for them to look at, "This is the United Kingdom of Britain and Northern Ireland, all of it, bolted together and floating in the sky. Starship UK. It's Britain, but metal. That's not just a ship, that's an idea. That's a whole country, living and laughing and...shopping," Amy chuckled as Angel cracked a small smile, seeing the feed move to a market area, "Searching the stars for a new home."

Angel smiled at them, they...gave her hope really. To see them surviving against all odds, "The indomitable humans."

The Doctor looked over at her for that...

~oOo~

"End of the Universe and here you are," he laughed, "Indomitable! That's the word! Indomitable! Ha!"

"Is there a Kistane Shafekane?" Creet shouted.

"That's me," a woman stood at the end of the hall before gasping at the sight of Padra.

"Told you," Angel beamed at Padra.

"Mother?" Padra called, his gaze on the woman.

"Oh my God!" Kistane gasped.

"Beltone?" Padra ran to them, hugging his mother and brother close.

"See?" Angel smiled, watching them, "There's always hope."

"Especially with you around," he whispered in her ear as he pulled her back against his chest, his arms around her waist, kissing the back of her head.

~oOo~

"Can we go out and see?" Amy turned to them, pulling his attention to her, she was practically buzzing with excitement to go and have her first trip!

"Course we can but first, there's a thing," the Doctor warned her.

"A thing?"

"An important thing. In fact, thing one..."

"The Doctor lies?" Angel frowned, that was rule one, not quite the most important rule, which was don't wander off, but the first rule nevertheless. She absently flicked a switch, unable to help wondering if...if that rule applied to her still. Would the Doctor notice if she wandered off? He hadn't seemed to notice her at all when the Atraxi had been around...

"No, well, yes, well, rule one," he corrected, before spinning to Amy, "Rule two, just so you know, Angel doesn't lie."

Amy nodded, that actually sort of made sense, they had rather different personalities, "What're the rest of the rules? Is that it or is there like a rule three?"

"Rule three, I don't lie to Angel," the Doctor said.

Angel looked at him, surprised. That was...not something she had expected him to remember, especially because it was...

"You can never fool a psychic," he whispered to Amy conspiratorially, "They can tell when you're lying."

Angel closed her eyes a moment, feeling her hearts starting to break just a little bit more. She shouldn't have done that, she shouldn't have gotten her hopes up, she shouldn't have...of course THAT would be the reason this him would have for it. She swallowed hard and looked away, looking back at the monitor, just watching the different feeds flicker through.

The Doctor moved around the console, looking at Amy through a magnifying glass, "We are observers only. That's the one rule I've always stuck to in my travels. I never get involved in the affairs of other peoples or planets. Oh!" he whirled around between the two of them, behind them, staring at the screen, "That's interesting…" the feed was now playing an image of little Mandy, sitting alone and crying.

Angel's hearts went out to the girl, understanding all too well what that was like, all those people around her were just...walking right by, not even noticing, or not caring.

"So we're like a wildlife documentary, yeah?" Amy looked at Mandy too, "'Cos if they see a wounded little cub or something, they can't just save it, they've got to keep filming and let it die. That's got to be hard. I don't think I could do that. Don't you find that hard, being all, like, detached and cold?" her eyes widened as the Doctor appeared on screen beside Mandy before the girl ran away from the floppy-haired stranger, "Doctor?"

The Doctor grinned at the camera and waved for them to join him.

"I should have seen that coming," Angel remarked as she slowly walked towards the doors, Amy following, "That's probably the one rule he never follows," she told the ginger, "Especially when children are upset."

"So...you're really psychic then?" Amy had to ask. They had mentioned it a few times now, but she'd thought they were joking.

"A bit, yeah," she sighed, "I can't always see everything though."

Amy eyed her at that last remark, it sounded...sad and even...a bit bitter...which was really unlike the Angel she'd remembered as a child and from stopping Zero.

"Are you sure you're ok?" she had to ask, something just...bothering her about seeing Angel look so sad. She felt like the girl should be all smiles and laughter.

Angel took a breath, "Yeah," she said quickly, opening the doors to the TARDIS, she was fine at the moment, she was alive, she was healthy, she wasn't physically wounded...by one definition, yes, she was fine.

"Welcome to London Market," a voice said over a speaker as they stepped out of the box, "You are being monitored."

Amy looked around, all her concerns for Angel forgotten as she stared in awe at the world around her, seeing stars through a glass ceiling above them before looking at the market, a series of stalls and booths, similar to a contemporary market though just a bit more advanced, "I'm in the future," Amy murmured, "Like hundreds...of years in the future. I've been dead for centuries."

"Oh, lovely," the Doctor walked over to them, "You're a cheery one," he took her by the arm and walked off, Angel following along behind them, slower than they were as she kept glancing back over her shoulder, feeling like she was being watched, "Never mind dead, look at this place. Isn't it wrong?"

"What's wrong?"

"Use your eyes, notice everything. What's wrong with this picture?"

"Is it...the bicycles?" she jumped to the side a bit as one went by, "Bit unusual on a spaceship, bicycles."

"Says the girl in the nightie."

"Oh, my God! I'm in my nightie."

"Now, come on, look around you. Actually look."

Angel looked down, her arms crossed before her, frowning, before she glanced at the Doctor to see he'd been watching her and smirked at her, nodding, seeing she might have just figured it out. But she knew, she could see in his mind still, what she thought and what he thought were two different things. He was thinking of the engine vibrations, how there weren't any, how they couldn't feel them. She was thinking of how she could have sworn she'd heard something crying from below. Not a human noise, no not that, not someone but...something was in pain, something was hurt and in so much pain...

"London Market is a crime-free zone," the voice on the speaker stated.

"Life on a giant starship, back to basics," the Doctor continued, turning to walk again, "Bicycles, washing lines, windup street lamps. But look closer. Secrets and shadows, lives led in fear. Society bent out of shape, on the brink of collapse. A police state. Excuse me," he ran over to a table and picked up a glass of water from one of the people sitting there. He gently placed it on the floor and looked at a long moment before setting it back on the table, "Sorry. Checking all the water in this area. There's an escaped fish," he tapped the side of his nose and walked back over to them, "Where was I?"

"Why did you just do that with the water?" Amy eyed him.

"Don't know. I think a lot. It's hard to keep track. Now, police state, do you see it yet?"

"Where?"

"There," Angel pointed, her gaze on Mandy as the girl sat alone, crying on a bench. Everyone was walking past her, ignoring her, as they walked over. Angel glanced back as the Doctor led Amy closer, spotting a black man in a hood with an clock-key on a chain around his neck, watching them. But a group of people walked past and he was gone.

~8~

A phone rang in an office and a person, watching the trio on a monitor, answered, "Are you sure?" the man asked, gray-haired with glasses.

"Saw it myself," another man replied, "It's them. Are you going to tell her?"

"We're under orders to tell her. Well done. Keep tabs on them," he hung up and dialed the phone once more.

~8~

In a grand palatial room, a woman sat alone, a red cloak around her, a simple white mask on the floor at her side. She picked up the phone as it rang, "Sorry to interrupt," the gray-haired man spoke, "There's been a sighting. London block, Oxford Street. A man and a woman."

"Did they do their things?" she asked.

"Apparently."

"I'll have a look on the monitors," she picked up her mask and stood, walking past a number of water glasses, if he did the water glass trick and she saw they were being followed...then it was them.

And help had come at last.

~8~

The trio was sitting on a bench a short distance away from Mandy's, watching her, "One little girl crying?" Amy frowned, "So?"

"Crying silently," the Doctor emphasized, "I mean, children cry 'cos they want attention, 'cos they're hurt or afraid. When...

"When you cry silently Amy," Angel cut in gently, her gaze on Mandy, "It means you just...can't stop. Because it just hurts that badly."

Amy and the Doctor looked at her at that remark, to see she had small stirrings of tears in her eyes as she just looked at Mandy with...empathy. The Doctor had to look away a moment, shaking his head as something...flashed through him.

For just one moment he'd had this...mad desire to...to shove Amy aside as the ginger was sitting between them, and just...pull Angel into his arms, hold her close and gently touch her cheek, have her look into his eyes and ask her what was wrong, find out what had hurt her that badly and just...tear it to pieces. He shifted uncomfortably at that, it was such an...extreme reaction and he really had no idea where it had come from. It was perfectly natural to be upset when you saw someone else upset, but to be that dramatic...well...it just...it didn't make sense.

"Angel..." Amy began softly.

Angel blinked and looked over at them, as though just realizing what she'd said, what she'd admitted without actually saying, and offered a tense smile, "Everyone knows that," she offered as an excuse, feeble though it was, she just...she couldn't have them ask her what was wrong, not again, one more time and she might...they couldn't ask again because she'd break entirely if she had to say it, if she had to say it out loud what had happened. In her mind, it could just be a fear, if she said it...then it was real, and it couldn't be real, it just...couldn't be, "Especially parents."

"Are you a parent?"

"Aunt," she murmured, looking back at Mandy, "Look at all these people Amy, they're all walking right past her, they see her crying, but they aren't doing anything about it. They don't ask her why she's upset," she shrugged, "It's because they know why she's crying already. They just...don't talk about it," she shifted, almost like...almost like she could feel it, "They're scared to."

"Secrets," the Doctor nodded, knowing Angel's natural intuitiveness had picked up on that, "They're not helping her, so it's something they're afraid of. Shadows, whatever they're afraid of, it's nowhere to be seen, which means it's everywhere. Police state."

Mandy got up when the lift bell rang and a clown-like figure in a nearby booth's head turned to watch her go, Angel watching it intently.

"Where'd she go?" Amy tried to follow her with her eyes.

"Deck 207, Apple Sesame block, Dwelling 54A," the Doctor replied, "You're looking for Mandy Tanner. Oh," he fished around in his bigger-on-the-inside pockets, "This fell out of her pocket when I accidentally bumped into her," he handed over the girl's ID wallet to her, "Took me four goes."

"Ask her the clown things over there," Angel nodded towards the booths that kept giving her a bad feeling before she glanced around, "They're all over the place."

"But they're just things," Amy remarked.

"They're clean," the Doctor agreed, "Everything else here is battered and filthy, look at this place. But no one's laid a finger on those booths. Not a footprint within two feet of them. Ask Mandy, 'Why are people scared of the things in the booths?'"

"No. Hang on, what do I do?" she whispered, "I don't know what I'm doing here and I'm not even dressed!"

"It's this or Leadworth. What do you think? Let's see. What will Amy Pond choose? Ha ha, don't need to be Angel to know what it'll be eh? Gotcha!" he looked at his watch, "Meet back here in half an hour."

"What are you going to do?"

"What I always do," he stood, "Stay out of trouble."

"Badly," Angel added, standing up as well with a sigh, "Let's go."

The Doctor looked at her, "You can go back to the TARDIS if you want, or just wander."

That sigh just then...he felt his hearts tug at it, it almost sounded like...like maybe she didn't want to go with him. And that really hurt, that really really hurt for some reason. But he shook his head, it might just be because Angel usually always got excited to go with the companions to watch out for them. Yes, that had to be it.

"No," Angel shook her head, "I'm going with you. Someone has to be there to at least TRY to keep you out of trouble."

In all honesty, she really just wanted to go back to her room and sleep, pray to every deity in the Universe that this was just a terrible nightmare and that she'd wake up to see the Doctor, not even his last self but just HIM, there, smiling at her and say he loved her and give her a kiss. But she couldn't, she couldn't do that because...she'd dreamt this would happen somehow, so long ago, and now she was scared.

What would she dream of next?

She swallowed, no, she had to go with the Doctor, she wanted to...even though she knew it might break her hearts all the more to go with him, to be around him acting like he was, but she just...couldn't bring herself to go with Amy. She could tell that...Amy would be ok in the end, she'd be fine, maybe get into a bit of a tight spot but ultimately she'd be ok. But the Doctor...even if she could feel like he'd be ok too...she just...she had to be there. She couldn't leave him even now, maybe...maybe some time alone with her without a deadly alien after them might...help? They'd spent so long just the two of them before he'd regenerated, perhaps he just needed some semi-calm time to...to remember?

And...if she was being completely honest with herself, Amy...unsettled her. She'd seen how focused the girl had been on the Doctor, how, even with her boyfriend right beside her, she tried to play it off as just being friends around the Doctor, how she'd been willing to watch him strip and...Amy unnerved her.

Because...if the Doctor didn't remember they were Mated...

Would he stop Amy's advances?

She felt so guilty, actually trying to keep the two apart, because Amy was his companion now and she had to trust that, even if he didn't remember the Mating that there was something still in him that would push Amy away if she tried something. But...she couldn't help it. It was just...she didn't know what to do. It upset her so badly that Amy was clearly interested in the Doctor and that she couldn't even tell Amy to step back because...the Doctor wouldn't defend her. He'd already told the girl he was basically available and Amy, at the moment, didn't seem like she'd believe her if she contradicted the Doctor. The girl was smitten with him, she'd believe whatever she could if it meant she had a chance with him.

And it hurt.

The old him, even the old old him, she would trust and believe he'd stay back from things like that. But this him...she couldn't see that far ahead. She truly didn't know what this him would do.

And that scared her.

"I'm really not that bad…" the Doctor rolled his eyes.

"Don't argue with a psychic," she said, nudging him on, shaking herself out of her thoughts.

Amy watched the interaction with a small frown, there was something...more to why Angel wanted to go with him. She shook her head, she could worry about that later, "So is this how it works?" she turned to them, watching them go, thinking about what Angel had said in the TARDIS, "You never interfere in the affairs of other peoples or planets, unless there's children crying?"

"Yes," the Doctor replied.

Amy sighed and turned back, looking around, trying to figure out which way to go.

~8~

Amy stumbled down the street, stopping to get her bearings near another booth, thinking she probably should have asked Angel for some sort of direction since she was apparently psychic. She looked around, spotting a way to go and headed down the street, when Mandy stepped out behind her, "You're following me," she called, making Amy spin around, "Saw you watching me at the marketplace."

"You dropped this," Amy held out the ID wallet.

"Yeah, when your friend kept bumping into me," Mandy scoffed and took the wallet back, rolling her eyes at Amy.

"What's that?" Amy asked, pointing to a section of street with curtains around it, clearly closed off.

"There's a hole. We have to go back."

"A what? A hole?"

"Are you stupid? There's a hole in the road. We can't go that way," but Amy just headed to the gate, "There's a travel pipe down by the airlocks, if you've got stamps," and then she noticed where Amy was going, "What are you doing?"

"Oh, don't mind me. Never could resist a 'keep out' sign. What's through there? What's so scary about a hole? Something under the road?" she sat down on the ground and examined the lock.

"Nobody knows," Mandy looked at a booth off to the side, shifting nervously, "We're not supposed to talk about it."

Amy looked back at her, "About what?"

"Below."

"And because you're not supposed to, you don't? Watch and learn," she pulled a pin from her hair and used it to pick at the lock.

"You sound Scottish."

"I am Scottish. What's wrong with that? Scotland's got to be here somewhere."

"No. They wanted their own ship."

"Hmm. Good for them. Nothing changes."

"So...how did you get here?" Mandy crossed her arms, watching Amy, not noticing the figure in the booth spin its face to a frowning one.

"Oh, just passing through, you know, with a guy and a friend."

"Your boyfriend?"

"Oh," Amy blinked in realization.

"What?"

"Nothing. It's just...I'm getting married. Funny how things slip your mind."

"Married?"

"Yeah, shut up, married. Really, actually married. Almost definitely."

"When?"

"Well, it's kind of weird. A long time ago, tomorrow morning. I wonder what I did," the lock opened, "Hey, hey, results! Coming?"

"No!"

"Suit yourself."

Amy stepped into the tent when Mandy spotted the figure spinning to its third face, its angry one, "Stop! You mustn't do that!"

Amy just stepped into the dark tent with red emergency lights flashing. She found a torch and turned it on, shining the beam of light to see a creature swinging slowly through the hole in the ground, like a large tentacle, "Oh, my God. That's weird. That's..."

The creatures suddenly struck at her and she scooted back out of the tent. She stopped to find herself surrounded by hooded men wearing clock-key charms. One sprayed a gas from his ring at her and she fell back on the street, unconscious.

A/N: We're going to find out in the very next chapter exactly what the Doctor's forgotten :) Here's a question though...does the Doctor actually recall those ~oOo~ moments? Does he see them/remember them? Or are they too quick to notice? Are they things he doesn't have time to grasp? Do they fade before he can understand them? I think it's a mix of all that :) I feel so bad for Angel though, she's nearly falling apart and yet trying to put on a brave front and not ruin this moment for Amy. I feel like, even being wary around the ginger, she'd still not want her first trip to be a misery because of her :( That's so Angel to not want people to worry :) And, I suppose, she probably has no idea how to explain why she's upset to the Doctor either... :(

But just to do two quick notes, mostly from tumblr that I wanted to put here. One anonymous user had asked me about how I dealt with plagiarism, and I told them it was hard, but I had so many amazing readers that were there for me. It really reminded me of everything I'd been through with that and I just wanted to give you all a virtual hug because I really would not be where I am today (still writing) if it wasn't for all of you :') I love you guys!

On that note of me continuing to write despite all that...I am officially confirming Time Lady #4! Woo! She WILL be an upcoming story and I've moved her from the vague ideas section of my profile to upcoming stories as a result :) I won't say when she'll be up, because I really don't know, I have her story/series outlined, but I want to finish Merlin first (I'm really trying to get him done by the end of summer). I might possibly wait till 2014 for her though, just because with the year of DW for Angel and then the 50th for all three series AND the Christmas special for all three...might be a bit of a mess to add a 4th Time Lady to. I'm not sure yet, it could change, but she'll definitely be coming :) And I really do have all of you to thank for that. Without you I might have stopped writing so I think she'll be a little gift for all of you :)

And today will be the last day to submit any suggestions for titles for the J/Link spin-off for anyone who's read the Lunar Cycle and would like to offer any for the poll :)

Some notes on reviews:

I was actually debating a Time Lady fury moment for Angel in the last chapter (let's just say the cover for that mini-sode would have been MUCH more literal than representative if I had) which invovled her raging in her room before crumbling into tears. But I just...couldn't get it to work right. Angel was upset, yes, devastated, but I just couldn't get her to the level of anger just yet and I think it might have killed readers to have her completely break down even more than in the end of Eleventh Hour :( I can say she will have snapping moments to come :) Oh I can promise Angel will be having words with Amy about how she treats Rory no worries there :) I won't say when/if the Doctor remembers, I want to see how long I can keep the suspense going for }:) But I can say that there are some pretty big things planned for Series 7, not saying if that's means anything for the remembering, but...big things planned. I can say though that the Doctor will become more and more aware something is wrong and there will be things happening that remind us bits of the 11 we wish he'd be around Angel are still there :) I can say also, the fact that the Doctor gets punched at some point will have something to do with his amnesia and he'll feel like he deserves it ;) I think, just because of who Angel is, that she'd forgive him, but it would take a VERY long time before she can move past it and trust him again. I think THAT would be even more painful than Angel being angry at him, that she doesn't trust him anymore. ...but that's if he remembers }:)

I did plan him to forget her before, way, WAY before we even got to the chapter yup :) I hinted at it in Meeting of the Minds too but only physically referenced it in Hearts to Hearts. I think I might have had this planned from the beginning lol :) I really like planning out twists :) And thanks! I'm glad you like them :)

Oh I'm so rooting for Rory too :) It's definitely a bit down isn't it? :( Rory will definitely brighten things up though :) And then...Cold Blood...but still! We get Jack too! I think I've developed a complex about British accents, I imagine everything in one now after having 4 Time Ladies in my head lol :) I agree, everything sounds so much better with one :)

Thanks! I try to respond to as many questions as I can in a day or two (if I miss one or it's been posted after I uploaded that chapter) :) I'm glad you like the twist, I think it's the most epic one I've written yet :) Lol, I call it an uber-Moffat twist, but I'm sure it's not quite that great (he's amazing). It might be a while...but I can promise we will see a resolution to it (whether that means he realizes he's forgotten but never remembers or he remembers I won't say) but there is an end to the twist :) And thank you too! :)

I hope you enjoy the Academic Series too! :) And thanks! I'm glad you like the story so much and I find it strangely nice to be as disliked as Moffat :) Lol, I'm sure quite a few people want to punch him too :)

Oh the Rory hugs will be never ending. I seriously LOVE them in Vampires of Venice, oh Amy and the Doctor better watch out lol :) I can say that what I have in mind for Angel's next regeneration is quite a big thing, not saying she regenerates any time soon...well, could be anytime really, but only I know when it's coming and what'll happen (even if it's as far as Series 7 or beyond!) lol :) I think it could be an interesting twist either way for the 50th, if he remembers I think 10 would find out, if not 10 would be completely furious with how 11 is treating Angel :) And no worries, ramble away! :) I can say there'll be a point where Angel will be in very BIG danger and the Doctor well...what we see of him will be quite interesting ;) I could have, but I think angst is a little closer to home and it worries more people ;) Lol, I'm evil ^-^ ...and that wasn't quite an evil face was it? Lol.

No worries, no slaps from me, but I can give you this! -gives big welcome hug!- :) That's a great theory :) I can say we'll be seeing at least one theory of Angel's pop up in quite a few chapters, but it'll be a while before we see just what really happened and which one might be right :)

Lol, good to know you won't murder me :) But nope, not related to Moffat at all :) ...unless he does that 'Who do you think you are?' show and finds out his distant ancestor shares my surname or something lol...which is probably not likely to happen, it's a really weird last name :) But nope, just me :)

Don't worry too much, 11 WILL have some redeeming moments :)

I can say that Angel will be visiting some old friends at some point, Torchwood Crossover yay! ^-^ I can also say there will be a point where all the companions find out what happened and well...ouch for the Doctor ;) And...I can say there'll be a little twist at one point (WAY in the future) that will involve 10 AND 9! But I won't say what ;) Lol, don't let Strax hear you have a moonbase, he might declare war on you :)

Oh there'll be a big twist for Amy's Choice that I think quite a few of you will love. All I can say is...the Dream Lord is like his subconscious, isn't he? ;)

All I can say about fluff and 11 are...I love Doctor/OC. And I love 11. But that's all I'll say, make of it what you will lol :) And that's a very good theory about how/if he still loves her :) We'll actually see exactly what he's forgotten in the next chapter that might explain the lack of fluff :) I can say that Angel will have a better relationship with Clara than Amy, also, make of that what you will :) Lol, I would LOVE Tom Hiddleston to be the 12th Doctor :) All I can say is, IF ( :) ) the Doctor remembers, fluff withdrawal does wonders for fluff afterwards ;) (as can be seen by Keta)

No worries, you read whenever you have the time :) Lol, I saw what you did there with the storm ^-^ I think a lot of people want to slap him too, makes me glad it's HIM being targetted and not me :)

Lol, I love that part with Dallas too :) I can't wait for Vincent and the Doctor either, that episode will be...powerful :)