The Time of Angels: The Home Box

A young man stood in a clear field, sunlight shining on him on that beautiful day, warming him. The sky was so blue, the gentle white clouds drifting in its expanses, making lovely shapes as they slowly passed. The birds sang as he spun in a circle slowly in the middle of it, his eyes glassy, an imprint of a kiss in red lipstick just above his lips on the right side of his face, a rather goofy expression on his face as though he felt all were right with the world and it was a lovely thing to be him at the moment. He didn't have a care in the world...

Until three men walked over to him, an older man in an evening jacket flanked by two guards, glaring daggers at him.

"It's a beautiful day," the young man sighed with a small laugh.

The older man just reached out, using a handkerchief to wipe the lipstick away, careful not to touch it himself, no, exposing his skin to that substance would be disastrous.

~8~

"Hallucinogenic lipstick," the older man remarked, looking at the guards as they actually stood in a ship, the young man before them, still spinning around, lost in a fantasy world, "She's here," he grumbled, knowing exactly who the lipstick belonged to before he turned and walked away.

~8~

A woman strode along the corridor in red high heels, her black dress swirling around her ankles as she stopped in front of a door. She pulled a gun from her small purse and fired out the lock. The door slid open to reveal a black cube with a hole through the center. She tilted the cube so the top was facing towards her and changed the settings on her gun so it acted like a blowtorch as she carved a very important message into it.

She smirked as she finished, excited to see just what she'd get, where in a certain timeline the receiver of the message might be.

~8~

12,000 years later…

The Doctor walked through a museum that looked like it was more a medieval church at one point than an actual place of storing artifacts, at least it appeared that way given the high ceilings, the makes of the windows, and the general architecture. He pointed at various displays as Amy followed, a bit exasperated, having wanted an alien planet for ages now but been denied it at every turn.

Angel walked behind the ginger, her arms crossed, slightly amused by the events going on before her. She had a small smile on her face, not quite a full blown grin she imagined might be there had the Doctor just...held her hand...but that wasn't going to happen, she was still amused by him though. She had managed to stop constantly comparing him to his last self, it was quite obvious to her how...different...they were, not just in the way they were around her, but in everything. She could still imagine what the last him might be like wandering through the museum though...giving lectures about every single object in his sight, probably driving Amy mad with boredom, but she would have smiled, she really did love the sound of his voice, not that the new him was terrible to listen to. No, she liked his voice as well, and his hair and eyes and everything, even his clothes suited him, his personality, his mannerisms...

She sighed, which only made it all the more difficult to be around him. She still loved him, loved the new him too, she'd probably love the next him as well, but it still hurt, to know that the last him had clearly loved her, but the new him...didn't. Or at least he didn't seem to. She was so confused, there were times when she thought...when he looked at her one way or his thoughts strayed...but then he'd shake himself out of it, almost like he didn't want to feel them, like he didn't want to give himself a chance to. She didn't even want to think about what that could mean that it seemed like he was trying to keep himself from falling in love with her again...

Mostly because, she already had a bad feeling in the pit of her stomach, like...something was coming that just...wouldn't be good, for her at least.

"Wrong!" the Doctor pointed to yet another set of displays, "Wrong! Bit right, mostly wrong. I love museums."

"Yeah, great," Amy sighed, "Can we go to a planet now? Big spaceship, Churchill's bunker...you promised me a planet next."

"Amy, this isn't any old asteroid. It's the Delerium Archive, final resting place of the Headless Monks, the biggest museum ever."

Angel shifted a bit at that, at the mention of the Headless Monks. She hadn't heard much of them, so she didn't know why she felt so uneasy about them all of a sudden, but...she couldn't help the feeling of alarm that raced through her at the mention of them.

"You've got a time machine, what do you need museums for?"

"Wrong! Very wrong! Oh, one of mine. Also one of mine," he peered into a display case, seeing a few small figurines within.

"It's how he keeps score Amy," Angel called as she joined them.

The Doctor blinked and straightened, turning to her with a frown, "How do you know that?"

She blinked, smiling tensely, not wanting to lie exactly but also not wanting to remind him that he had told her that very same fact, because she doubted he'd remember that adventure, or what they'd gotten up to during it. He'd taken her to a museum about the history of Earth once, just to try a little game, see if they could spot Jack or themselves in the displays and pictures and things, wanting to keep score of which of them appeared most. He'd ended up doing exactly what his 9th self had done and touched a glass, setting off alarms. He'd grabbed her hand and they ran, until he pulled her into a small alcove behind a pillar, the two of them pressed together as the guards ran past. He'd been about to talk, about to let out an excited cheer that they'd escaped, but she had sensed a few guards lingering behind the pack that had raced by and, with him holding her hands, she hadn't been able to cover his mouth...with anything except her lips. They'd shared quite a few kisses hidden behind that pillar, for quite a while longer after the guards had disappeared.

But there was no memory of it in his mind.

So instead, she shifted back and forth and supplied, "I just…sensed it," instead.

She couldn't bring up that he'd told her, she'd been doing this a lot, trying to remind him, trying to bring up little things they'd talked about during some intimate moments, hoping maybe something had leaked through. She couldn't stand it any longer to have him look at her after she mumbled 'you mentioned it once' and have him go 'when was that?' before just shrugging and remarking he needed a bigger head. It broke her hearts every time he said that, every time he reminded her that he didn't even remember those moments, those secrets he'd shared with her.

Like his name.

She hadn't heard him say her name in what felt like ages either.

She should have been used to it though, no one but your parents and Mate knew your name, her parents had been long gone. Her father barely called her by her name because her mother had been the one to name her. In fact, he barely even called her Angel now that she thought of it. It had been her mother's nickname for her, she had truly been her mother's angel, her blessed child. Her mother had never had easy pregnancies, never had a child grow full term...till her...her last attempt. She had been her mother's last hope, the last child her mother would have been able to stand to lose. And she'd survived, renewed her hope for children so she attempted more till her sister was born.

But her birth...her existance...it was just another reminder to her father that she had survived, she was still there, and her mother wasn't. Her parents hadn't Mated, unlike her sister (and her she supposed), so, in a way it was almost worse for her father to live on after. He did love her mother, but she supposed her mother was just worried about Mating to him. Pregnancies had never ever been easy for her mother's family, and it was proven true for her mother and for her sister as well, and her mother had confided in her that she had always been worried that she might die in childbirth, that it had been her deepest fear since she'd been a child herself. If she did, if the baby survived, she wanted to know that its father would be there to raise it, that it wouldn't be alone or sent somewhere it wouldn't be loved. So her parents had just...never Mated, which she supposed was good as her sister had been so young when their mother had passed.

Perhaps that was another reason why her father and her sister had had the closer relationship, he had been left to raise her sister nearly on his own, her sister was the one that depended on their father more than she did. She supposed she'd never know.

She shook her head, her thoughts taking a depressing path, not wanting to think about that, about her family, about Mating, at the moment. Just...really wanting to try to have just one trip, one adventure where she could just...try to forget that the Doctor had forgotten, try to pretend he was like his 9th self, that he was just at a point before he had fallen in love with her. If he had once, perhaps he could again? She hoped so. She was still trying to think of what could have happened to him, of what she could possibly do to help him remember. But she wasn't getting anything. She couldn't sit him down and tell him, she already had and he'd waved her off. She couldn't even explain it to him because he had literally no memories of them Mating, of any sort of feeling that led up to him asking her, why would he believe her? And if she even tried to prove it, stating what he might be thinking or feeling at that moment...he might just deny it and argue that she was psychic, she was intuitive, of course she'd be able to guess what he was thinking or feeling. Worse yet, he might become aware that she believed she could read his mind and raise mental barriers against her unconsciously.

She couldn't bear that, to have him actively block her, for him to actually and consciously want to keep her out of his mind. So she kept quiet. She needed to work out what had happened first, she needed to figure out why those memories were missing, before she brought it up to him. If she could work out how to reverse it...she could get him back.

The Doctor just nodded, like it all made sense, and turned back to the displays. Amy, on the other hand, eyed the woman curiously, she'd noticed during their last few adventures that Angel would often comment on something that seemed slightly personal to the Doctor, given his reactions, he was always thrown for a loop at times. It was like the girl knew more about the Doctor than she was letting on, more about the Doctor than even the Doctor was aware, which only served to make Amy curious as to how…she sort of got the feeling that it was more than just Angel 'sensing' things.

Angel looked away from the Doctor sadly, when something caught her eye and she walked over to a glass case, staring down at an antique box with a hole in the middle of it, "Doctor?" she called, snapping the man out of his thoughts. He walked over to look down at the box, his eyes widening at the symbols etched on the top of it.

"Oh great, an old box," Amy remarked as she looked at it.

"It's from one of the old starliners," the Doctor eyed it, "A Home Box."

"What's a Home Box?"

"Like a black box on a plane, except it homes. Anything happens to the ship, the Home Box flies home, with all the flight data."

"So?"

"Those symbols," Angel said, looking down at it with a small frown on her face, "They're Old High Gallifreyan," she shook her head, "I haven't seen that in ages."

It made her both curious and nervous as to how it had been done. Curious because that was quite a good rendition fo it, a bit off...in literal translation, but very, very close. And nervous because, those words, that phrase, she had only ever heard it uttered by one person...a person she dreaded running into again, especially now.

"The lost language of the Time Lords," the Doctor breathed, "There were days, there were many days, these words could burn stars and raise up empires, and topple Gods."

"What does it say?" Amy smiled, buzzing with excitement.

"Hello, sweetie," he said, his face morphing into a grimace of annoyance.

The corners of Angel's mouth twitched at that. As terrible as it was...she felt almost...comforted to know that, for now, the Doctor seemed rather annoyed and displeased with River Song. She...she couldn't help but worry that, with his memories lost, that River...

She closed her eyes, feeling her hearts starting to thump and her breath catch in her throat, feeling cold at the thought that that might be how River knew the Doctor's name in the Library. He didn't remember SHE was his Mate...would he in the future? Would he...would he tell River because he didn't remember? How long did River know them? How long might the amnesia last?

She put her hand on the glass case housing the Home Box for balance, feeling light-headed, shaking her head forcefully. No, she wouldn't think about that. She refused to think about that. She would not. It would not happen. The amnesia, it wouldn't last forever, it couldn't.

Her hearts wouldn't be able to take it if it did.

~8~

A door slid open on the ship to reveal the woman in the black dress and heels to be River Song. She looked straight at a security camera, pulling down her shades to wink at it before walking away.

~8~

An alarm bell rang through the museum, cutting through Angel's thoughts, as the Doctor ran through it, the Home Box now under his arm, the girls racing after him. They ran into the TARDIS, two guards chasing after them.

~8~

Two armed guards turned around a corner and stopped, aiming their rifles at River Song as she stood in the dead end before the airlock doors. The older man walked forwards, standing between the two of them as he smirked at her, "Party's over, Dr. Song."

~8~

The Doctor quickly hooked the Home Box up to the console as Angel piloted the ship into the Vortex to get away from the guards, not quite sure what it meant that the Doctor had been so...eager...to take the box and see what River's message was, because clearly there had to be some sort of message on it. She didn't know, she'd been a bit distracted by her small panic just then.

"Why are we doing this?" Amy watched them.

"'Cos someone on a space ship 12,000 years ago is trying to attract my attention," the Doctor remarked, working just a bit cautiously, still not entirely sure if the TARDIS might start sparking against him again, "Let's see if we can get the security playback working."

He stepped back as Angel joined them, watching a grainy black and white image of River wink at the camera on the monitor. It then switched to River with her back to the camera, facing a set of circular doors, "The party's over, Dr. Song…" a man began, "…yet still you're onboard."

River turned, "Sorry, Alistair," she smiled, "I needed to see what was in your vault. Do you all know what's down there? Any of you? Because I'll tell you something. This ship won't reach its destination."

"Wait till she runs," Alistair told the guards, "Don't make it look like an execution."

River glanced at her watch, "Triple-seven, five, slash, three, four, nine by ten."

The Doctor and Amy exchanged a look when Angel sighed and started to set the controls in the console.

"Angel?" the Doctor watched her, "Um, any particular reason you're helping her?

"Zero, twelve, slash, acorn…"

"It's just…she didn't seem to like you much last time we met."

"Oh, and I could do with an air corridor."

"I know," Angel admitted, "But she saved us, it's the least we can do."

"What was that, what did she say?" Amy frowned, watching as the Doctor begrudgingly went to type the instruction for an air corridor into the keypad.

"Coordinates," she murmured, setting the last of them.

She knew River had been a bit...rude and cold to her, she understood the Doctor's confusion as to why she'd want to help someone who had treated her so poorly. But...she just...couldn't let River be shot. She didn't have it in her to leave anyone, no matter who, no matter what they did or how they treated her, in that dangerous a situation. If they didn't help, River would either be shot or thrown into the cold of space and die. And...she didn't like death. She didn't like seeing people suffer. She just...couldn't stand by and watch other people get hurt. And if that meant helping River Song, then she'd do it.

Because River had asked for her forgiveness in the future, and she had given it. She couldn't hold this River accountable for the treatment her older self had given. This River wasn't that River, this River hadn't done it yet, and this River...needed their help.

It had been said so often that that was the one word the Doctor could never refuse, well, she was his Mate still, it applied to her as well. She just liked helping people.

~8~

"Like I said on the dance floor, you might want to find something to hang on to!" River shouted.

A timer beeped frantically and Alistair grabbed one of the pipes on the wall, the guards doing the same, realizing what that beeping was.

River blew them a kiss just before the door behind her was blown open and she was sucked out into space…directly to the TARDIS as it materialized a short distance away.

~8~

The Doctor ran to the doors and actually had to struggle just a little to get them opened, reaching out a hand to pull River in…only for both of them to fall to the floor in a heap, River seeming to take a moment to spread herself over the Doctor and make no move to get up.

"Doctor?" Amy lifted an eyebrow, noticing that as she had been eyeing the woman curiously at the time.

Angel just looked down and set the controls to follow the ship, not wanting to look over at the scene before her. She knew it was an accident, or she hoped it had been, but she just...she couldn't do anything, no matter what the Mating instinct was telling her to do. She didn't want to bring it up, not in front of River Song, she didn't want to storm over there and claim the Doctor was her Mate and have him deny it in front of River.

"River?" the Doctor peered at her before he struggled to his feet, rather quickly if Amy had to describe it, and looking rather awkward and uncomfortable with the position he'd just been in. River seemed to let out a sigh as she got up as well, the two of them watching the ship fly away.

"Follow that ship!" River shouted, turning to run up to the console only to find Angel already doing it. She glared at the woman, her back to the Doctor, sure he couldn't see her, and got to work as well. She reached for a button...only for the TARDIS to spark violently, forcing her to snap her hand away.

"Yeah," the Doctor called as he ran up a moment later to help them, "The TARDIS does that a lot now. Not really to Angel though."

Amy stood back and watched as River rolled her eyes at the box and pulled her shoes off, hanging them on the monitor bar, glancing at the readings there, "They've gone into warp drive, we're losing them! Stay close!"

"We're trying," Angel said, pushing buttons and twisting knobs to try and keep up.

"Obviously not hard enough," River shot back at her, sounding a bit like she was just desperate to keep up with the ship instead of being snippy...only a bit though, enough, it seemed, to fool the Doctor. She turned to him, "Use the stabilizers."

"There aren't any stabilizers!" he called.

"The blue switches!"

"The blue ones don't do anything, they're just...blue."

"Yes, they're blue. They're the blue stabilizers!" she reached out to hit them when the TARDIS jolted, sending her to the floor as though in an attempt to keep the woman away from her controls, "Oi!" she huffed at the ship, which only made an angry humming noise in return.

Angel reached out and pressed the blue switches, which were indeed stabilizers down, the ship becoming quiet and calm. She swallowed, feeling a jumble of emotions. She was just a little happy that the TARDIS didn't seem to like River, just a little bit, because...well...the TARDIS meant the world to the Doctor, anything the box didn't like he usually didn't like either, and that...made her feel a bit better about her fears in the museum. But, then again, the box seemed to REALLY not like her...which made her concerned as to...why?

The box had clearly known that the amnesia would strike the Doctor, had known ages ago it appeared. Did she...did she know who River was too? Who...who River was to them? To the Doctor? She shook her head, she didn't want to think of what it meant that the box didn't like her. But...it also made her feel anxious because, River knew about the stabilizers, she knew their proper name, she knew how to use them and what they did and...how to pilot the TARDIS it appeared. How? How did she know? She was usually the one who taught companions to fly the old girl, but she just...couldn't see herself teaching River no matter how badly it might make her feel to know she was denying someone that chance. So...had the Doctor? Something twisted painfully inside her at that thought.

"Yeah, well, it's just boring now, isn't it?" the Doctor grumbled, cutting into her thoughts, "They're boring-ers. They're blue boring-ers."

"Doctor, how come she can fly the TARDIS?" Amy frowned as River picked herself up and brushed off her dress.

"You call that flying the TARDIS?" he scoffed, plopping down on the jump seat to sulk, "Ha!"

"Ok," River smirked, moving to the console, "I can map the probability vectors, do a fold-back on the temporal isometry, chart the ship to its destination, and park us right alongside..." she reached out, seemingly about to do that, when a lever resisted. River glared and went to twist a knob only for the box to make a grinding noise and spark at her, "Will you stop that?!" she shouted at the box, glaring at the rotor.

Angel just shook her head and sighed, "Be nice girl," she whispered, stroking the rotor, calming the grinding noise to a dull, if annoyed, hum, "How about I do it?" she looked at River.

The woman just crossed her arms, irritated with the box, but stepped back so that Angel could get to work, seeming very displeased with her attempt to show off a bit of her knowledge and skills being thwarted.

"There," Angel smiled, "Parked."

"You parked us?" the Doctor looked at her, "We haven't landed."

"We did," she nodded, bringing the monitor over to his side so he could see, "See?"

"But it didn't make the noise," he stood.

"The wheezing noise?" she guessed, Amy glancing at River as the woman started to tap her bare foot, her jaw clenching as the Doctor spoke with Angel, the two seeming to be in their own world as they discussed the TARDIS.

"Yeah, the..." he made the TARDIS wheezing sound.

"Doctor," Angel gave a little laugh, feeling her hearts lighten just a tiny bit at how he smiled at her laugh, "It's really not meant to make that noise. You need to stop leaving the brakes on."

"Yeah, well, it's a brilliant noise," he told her, grinning, unable to stop grinning really, rather pleased with himself.

Angel had laughed. He'd gotten a little laugh out of her. She had a rather...nice laugh too. He'd noticed she'd been rather...quiet and subdued the last few adventures, he supposed it was having to think of the man she'd lost on Gallifrey, so...he'd wanted to cheer her up a bit. Take her to the museum. For some reason he'd got a notion in his head that it would be fun for her, that...that museums were cool, that she'd have fun in one, and set the course. It hadn't turned out as well as he'd hoped, but he got her to laugh just then! Score one for the Doctor! Yes!

"I love that noise," he continued, before spinning around, "Come along Pond, let's have a look," and he dashed to the doors.

"No, wait!" River yelled as Angel watched her carefully, "Environment checks," she moved to the monitor, bringing it around once more.

"Oh, yes, sorry! Quite right. Environment checks," he poked his head outside, "Nice out."

River tried to put a command in...only for the screen of the monitor to go to static, at least her hand hadn't been slightly burned from a spark that time. She whacked the top of it but it didn't help, just made it go completely black.

"She doesn't like being hit," Angel told her quietly, moving to the controls as River stepped back, not seeming to want to even be near her.

"Miserable old cow," the woman muttered under her breath, making Angel frown and the TARDIS start to hum angrily.

"It's alright girl," she reached out and stroked the rotor, trying to calm the oncoming tantrum that was building, "You are beautiful, absolutely fantastic, brilliant really," she smiled at the rotor, the box calming just a little...though she, River, and Amy got the distinct impression the box was trying to give River a dirty look. She quickly began typing, hoping it might distract the TARDIS a bit, "We're..."

"Somewhere in the Garn Belt," River cut in, calling to the Doctor, reading over Angel's shoulder, "There's an atmosphere. Early indications suggest..."

"We're on Alfava Metraxis," the Doctor smirked as he looked at them, "The seventh planet of the Dundra System. Oxygen-rich atmosphere, toxins in the soft band, 11-hour day, and..." he poked his head outside again, "Chances of rain later."

"He thinks he's so hot when he does that," River remarked to Amy as the Doctor came back to the console.

Angel gave a small smile, it was true though. She'd always loved it when he spoke, when he showed how clever and brilliant he was. That wouldn't change no matter the incarnation he was on.

"How come you can fly the TARDIS?" Amy looked at her.

"Oh, I had lessons," River said tensely, as though struggling to get the words out, "From…the very…best."

"Well, yeah," the Doctor grinned, smug.

"It's a shame you were busy that day," River half-glared at him, as though almost blaming him for her lessons, "You insisted that Angel teach me instead."

Angel blinked, surprised, "I taught you?"

Well, she supposed she was wrong then...apparently she could 'see herself' teaching River then...how did that happen? Though, she supposed, she had to be happy that the Doctor hadn't, that...that it wasn't some sort of sweet moment where he taught the woman how to fly the magic box...

"Yes," River said slowly, as though speaking to an idiot, which made Amy frown a bit at that, the Doctor not noting as he'd moved to swing the monitor around and was typing something in at another keyboard, before River took her shoes, "Right then, why did they land here?" she turned and made her way to the doors.

"They didn't land," Angel told her softly, a bit stung from the tone of voice River used on her, a bit...hurt that the Doctor hadn't stopped her. She knew he hadn't heard her, he'd been focused on what he was typing, but...a part of her couldn't help but wish he'd...say something...to River about it. No matter the man, his last self or this one, he wasn't one to let others be put down, yet River was putting HER down in small, subtle ways.

"Sorry?" River looked back at her.

"It crashed."

The Doctor nodded, "You should've checked the Home Box," he followed her to the doors and, as soon as River stepped out, shut them behind her and ran back to the console, starting the box up again.

"Explain!" Amy looked between the two of them, "Who is that and how did she do that museum thing?"

"It's a long story and we don't know most of it. Off we go!"

"What are you doing?"

"Leaving. She's got where she wants to go, let's go where we want to go."

"Are you basically running away?"

"Yep."

"Why?"

He was silent a moment, actually...not really sure why.

It was...weird. He really and truly didn't know. It was just like...he wanted to get them all as far away from her as possible. Like he just didn't want to be near River Song any more than he had to. Like...he had to get Angel away from her. That last thought made him pause, yes...perhaps that was it? The woman had been rather rude to her last time and Angel had been dying, perhaps it just wasn't sitting right with him how she'd treated the Time Lady and he was just holding a grudge. Well, that and he supposed the fact that she was from a future point in his timeline too, yes, that made sense as well, who knew what she knew or who she even was.

"'Cos she's the future," he answered, "My future, Angel's future, our future."

"Can you run away from that?"

"I can run away from anything I like."

"Don't I know it," Angel murmured quietly, though neither of them heard her.

She kept getting the feeling like he was...running from her. Like everything he felt for her (after the regeneration) or thought of her or wanted to do around her just...kept getting pushed aside. It was like he was running, from her, from the memories of being with her, from anything he might be able to form with her. It just...didn't make sense.

What had she done that made him want to run away from her so badly?

"Time is not the boss of me," the Doctor finished.

"Rule 408," Angel remarked.

"Yes," the Doctor laughed, pointing at her.

"Hang on, is that a planet out there?" Amy asked.

"Yes, of course it's a planet."

"You promised me a planet. Five minutes?"

The Doctor seemed like he was about to protest, "You did promise her a planet Doctor," Angel reminded him, even though she did want to leave as well, but Amy wouldn't stop asking them about River if they left now and...the ship had crashed, something had made it crash, what if River was about to encounter it? What if she was about to have to fight it? Something that could crash a ship was powerful and deadly, "You crossed your hearts."

He sighed, "Ok, five minutes!"

"Yes!" Amy ran for the doors, grabbing Angel's hand as she passed and pulling the girl with her, a small part of her feeling like she almost had to make up for how short River had been with her by showing her SHE liked her.

"But that's all, 'cos I'm telling you now, that woman is not dragging me into anything!" the Doctor shouted as he followed them out onto a beach in daylight. The ship had crashed into a very large, very old stone structure, burning in areas with bits of debris lying on the ground, around it and the TARDIS.

The Doctor, Amy, and Angel walked over to River as she stood there, looking up at it, "What caused it to crash?" River wondered, "Not me."

"Nah, the airlock would've sealed seconds after you blew it," the Doctor remarked, "According to the Home Box, the warp engines had a phase-shift. No survivors."

"A phase-shift would have to be sabotage. I did warn them."

"About what?"

"Well, at least the building was empty," River looked at schematics of a small handheld device, "Aplan temple. Unoccupied for centuries."

"Aren't you going to introduce us?" Amy stepped up to them.

"Amy Pond, professor River Song," the Doctor said quickly.

River spun to face them with a gasp, "Ah, I'm going to be a professor some day, am I?" the Doctor winced at having let that slip, "How exciting!" she grinned, "Spoilers!" and looked back at the device again.

"Yeah, but who is she and how did she do that?" Amy hissed at them, "She just left you a note in a museum!"

The Doctor just walked off, not very pleased with the entire situation, this whole thing really was getting to him. He didn't like it, not one bit, not at all. He just wanted to leave, to turn his back, and take Angel back to the TARDIS, and go away...he winced, and Amy too, yes, of course, Amy as well.

"Two things always guaranteed to show up in a museum," River explained as Amy walked closer to her, Angel with her, though hanging a bit back, "The Home Box of category four starliner and, sooner or later, him. It's how he keeps score."

Amy nodded, "I know, Angel told me."

"It's hilarious, isn't it?" River smiled, though Amy had noticed the tension in the woman when she'd mentioned Angel.

The Doctor came up behind them with a sarcastic laugh as Angel moved to stand on the other side of Amy, "I'm nobody's taxi service!" he looked at River, "I'm not gonna be there to catch you every time you feel like jumping out of a spaceship."

"And you are so wrong," River sighed, "Because, as much as I hate to admit it, Angel wouldn't let you let someone die, even me," and with that, River threw a narrow-eyed look at the Time Lady.

Angel blinked as the look disappeared only a moment later, and frowned, having no idea what she could have possibly done to River to make her dislike her so much. She supposed she'd find out one day…perhaps try to avoid it if it wasn't too dangerous in the timelines...but...why was River so cross about her getting the Doctor to save her? Shouldn't she be happy that she was being saved?

"There's one survivor," River added, cutting off her thoughts, "There's a thing in the belly of that ship that can't ever die. Now he's listening!" she smiled before holding the device to her mouth, "You lot in orbit yet? Yeah, I saw it land. I'm at the crash site. Try and home in on my signal," she walked off a few feet before holding up the device to the Doctor, "Doctor, can you sonic me? I need to boost the signal so we can use it as a beacon."

The Doctor frowned and took out the sonic, using it on River's comm. as she dropped him a small curtsey, "Oh, Doctor!" Amy teased, "You soniced her."

Angel looked away a moment at that, playing it off as eyeing the beach.

"We have a minute," River motioned them over after she sent the signal, "Shall we?" she pulled her TARDIS diary out of her purse and opened it, "Where were we up to? Have we done the Bone Meadows?"

"What's the book?"

"Stay away from it," the Doctor warned.

"What is it though?"

"Her diary."

"Our diary," River countered.

"Her past, my...our future," the Doctor said, "Time travel. We keep meeting in the wrong order."

A short distance away, four columns of sand swirled up, turning into four soldiers in desert camouflage. An older man moved over to them, speaking to River, "You promised me an army, Dr. Song."

"No," she shook her head, "I promised you the equivalent of an army. This...is the Doctor," the Doctor gave a smiling salute.

"Father Octavian, sir," he shook the Doctor's hand, "Bishop, second class. 20 Clerics at my command. The troops are already in the drop ship and landing shortly," he paused, glancing over at Angel as Amy was a bit distracted by the three other rather attractive soldiers, "And you are?"

"The Angel," she said.

The man just looked at her blankly.

"A Time Lady?"

Still nothing.

She sighed and nodded at the Doctor, "His…friend."

River's eyes widened at her introduction as a small pleased smile grew on her face.

"Oh," Octavian nodded, "Dr. Song didn't mention you…" Angel nodded, she should have expected that, "Dr. Song was helping us with a covert investigation," Octavian explained, turning to the Doctor, "Has she explained what we're dealing with?"

The Doctor tensed, knowing that when the church got involved it was something big, and looked at River, Angel shifting and glancing at the crash, the pit in her stomach growing, just feeling that whatever was going to happen today…it was not going to be good

And then River asked them a question that made their hearts stop, "What do you know of the Weeping Angels?"

A/N: River's remark might seem out of place, calling the TARDIS a miserable old cow, but remember, if this is how the TARDIS treats her now, this might have been going on for a while. She'll have a very different relationship with the TARDIS than she does in the show. And she'll be very careful about her actions/reactions/tones around Angel. This is an earlier her, but still a very crafty her. She probably knows how oblivious the Doctor can be and what sort of tones might slip past him.

But awww, Angel! I couldn't see her being the sort to ignore River in danger so she went to save the woman. I can say, as odd as it is, that's one of the reasons River dislikes her so much, we'll find out more about that later though :) Did you love the TARDIS's reaction to her? :) And what about that twist! ANGEL teaches River how to pilot?! Hmm...well, we all know in the show that there's more to that 'lesson' than she remarks here, we'll have to see what happens :)

Wow! You guys! We might make it to the next sneak peek before the end of River's first episode! Awesome :)

And, since we got River and she's a bit...mean to Angel, I feel like you all might need just a little happiness :) So...I'm posting another OC introduction here (on the 15th lol), but just a little longer than my other ones, 300 words instead of 200, for Once Upon A Time :) Enjoy! (notes on reviews after!)

Once Upon A Time: (Gold/OC)

He took a step closer, almost of its own accord, and stepped on a twig.

The music stopped as the person stiffened a moment, "Well that was faster than I thought it would be," a voice said.

He blinked, it was a woman.

"Perhaps your power is simply exaggerated then," she remarked.

His eyes narrowed, "My power is more than you can comprehend dearie."

"Is it?" he saw her head tilt, "You were compelled by mine after all."

"Yours?" he frowned.

The girl on the rock turned to look at him over her shoulder, he could see forest green eyes even in the darkness. She smirked, an almost cruel looking smile, one that intrigued him. He'd seen a similar one on the Queen, but this one was more...playful. Like him.

She moved off the rock, hopping to the ground, the motion revealing her attire as did the cloak which fell open, the clasp broken, the only thing keeping it on her was a bit of rope and the bag slung across her shoulder. Her dress was torn and soiled, as old and worn and ill-fitting as the cloak. He could recognize a desperate soul when he saw one.

"I would like to make a deal," she stated, straightening.

He eyed her a moment, she didn't sound desperate though. She certainly looked the part but...the way she held herself, told him she would fight tooth and nail to get what she wanted, she wouldn't back down, there was a fire in her eyes...how paradoxical.

"I like to see the faces of those I negotiate with," he remarked.

"Pity for you," she countered, making him eye her even more closely, "I like to reveal my face where no other eyes can see."

He nodded, clearly this woman was wanted for something, and the Queen had eyes and ears everywhere, "My home is just this way," he gestured, curious about this deal at hand.

She nodded and stuck her old, simple playing pipe into her boot, before stepping past him, following him to his castle.

I bet you can guess who the OC 'fairytale' character is :) I know there are probably a few fanfics around that particular character out there, so I'm hoping to put my own unique spin on it :)

Some notes on reviews...

Lol, I can't quite see Angel smacking anyone, she's just too nice :) Though I'm sure a lot of people will want her to smack River either by the end of this 2-parter or this series :)

Yup, Amy heard everything :) As for whether it'll keep her from 11, well...I don't think she's made the connection that it's 11 or that Angel's in love with him yet, and his reaction might make her think that even HE thinks Angel's talking about someone else. Oh Amy, so many things to come :)

Nope, just 1 chapter a day at the moment :) Have to keep the suspense going lol :)

Aww thanks! I'm glad you like the stories so far :) Lol, 'Don't Forget' was actually suggested on tumblr too! (Great minds think alike eh? :)) But I agree, it really does fit the story very well :) I can say there will be something in Vampires of Venice along with an A/N that might either make or break the future for Angel }:)

I'm not sure if Angel would be able to do what he did for Reinette, he'd have to let her get close enough to do that and be willing to open his mind, or think he was opening his mind. This chapter sort of looked at her fears that, if he notices or becomes aware that she is looking at his head, that he'll close her out entirely so she might not want to risk it till she's sure what happened :) And with the way he seems to be trying to 'run' from her, it might just make everything worse. And, to him, he might argue that she's just got a very active imagination since he literally has no recollection at all of any of those memories at the moment :) It's been my experience that you'll invent all sorts of reasons/excuses/explanations for things if you really don't want to know something. All I can say about the Pandorica is...there's a twist, but that's all I'll say :) As for Angel's regeneration, not saying when. I agree though that she hasn't had much time in this body of hers, but we'll have to see what that might mean for the rest of the saga :) Lol, I actually had Amy say 'What's up Doc' in the first chapter of Recollections :) That's cool, I love jumpy reviews and all other kinds :)

Yup, there was a note in my intro A/N at the start of ATF (which is really too long so I don't blame you for not seeing it :)) that the Death of the Doctor will be included in this story :)

I love Angel and Nella in Gallifreyan, thanks so much! I've put them on my tumblr, they're awesome :)