Stella groaned as she came to starring up at the ground having landed on her back. She let out an annoyed sigh while the others came to around her, the Doctor rushing over and offering her a hand which she took allowing him to pull her up.
"You ok?" He questioned as he looked her over.
"Fine, I just think I jumped too hard then landed too hard." Stella waved him off. "But I think the rest of our group is confused as to our where abouts."
"I think you may be right." The Doctor said excitedly as everyone struggled to their feet on an artificial surface looking around themselves in confusion. "Up. Look up."
"Are you okay?" River questioned the red head.
"What happened?" Amy asked looking around herself.
"We jumped." Stella stretched her back, popping it back into place with a sigh.
"Jumped where?" Amy asked as the lights flickered around them.
"Up. Up. Look up." The Doctor gestured up to the ground.
"Where are we?" Amy kept questioning in shock.
"Exactly where we were." River replied.
"No we're not." Amy shook her head.
"Are to." Stella said in a sing song voice as the Doctor ran by Amy.
"Move your feet." The Doctor soniced a circular hatch in the floor, with six inset lights around it.
"Doctor, Stella, what am I looking at?" Amy looked up at the ground wide eyed. "Explain."
"Oh, come on, Amy, think. The ship crashed with the power still on, yeah? So what else is still on?" The Doctor questioned her rhetorically as he stood back up beside her.
"Basically you are standing upside down on the hull of the Byzantium." Stella clarified for her as she wrapped her arm around the Scottish girls shoulder.
"The artificial gravity. One good jump, and up we fell." The Doctor jumped as he explained. "Shot out the grav globe to give us an updraft, and here we are."
"Doctor, Stella, the statues. They look more like Angels now." Octavian informed them, everyone looking up at the angels reaching for them, wings half formed. The Doctor ducked back down to the circular opening, his sonic humming along.
"They're feeding on the radiation from the wreckage, draining all the power from the ship, restoring themselves. Within an hour, they'll be an army." The Doctor opened the circular hatch and a light went bang sparks flying out of it.
"They're taking out the lights. Look at them. Look at the Angels." Stella ordered as the Doctor got the hatch open.
"Into the ship, now. Quickly, all of you." The Doctor urged them.
"How?" Amy asked and the Doctor dropped through the open hatch into a circular corridor followed by Stella.
"Stella! Doctor!" From Amy's point of view, they were standing on the side of a vertical tube.
"It's just a corridor. The gravity orientates to the floor." The Doctor demonstrated with his sonic as Stella ran over to a control panel on the other side of the corridor. "Now, in here, all of you. Don't take your eyes off the Angels. Move, move, move."
"Okay, men. Go, go, go!" Octavian called out and they rushed inside. "The Angels. Presumably they can jump up too?"
"They're here, now. In the dark, we're finished." The Doctor said as they closed the hatch behind them then the bulkhead further along the corridor started to close.
"Doctor, the door!" Stella yelled as a buzzer sounded and the door at the other end of the corridor started to close.
"Run!" The Doctor ordered as they ran for it.
"This whole place is a death trap." Octavian ground out when they didn't make it, the door shutting in their faces.
"No, it's a time bomb. Well, it's a death trap and a time bomb. And now it's a dead end. Nobody panic." The Doctor rambled on hurriedly, and then noticed that the others were much more composed than he at the moment despite the door they had come through starting to spark. "Oh, just me then."
"What's through here?" Stella looked to River as she pointed to the door.
"Secondary flight deck." River responded.
"Okay. so we've basically run up the inside of a chimney, yeah? So what if the gravity fails?" Amy questioned as the Doctor looked over the door and Stella opened the control panel.
"I've thought about that." The Doctor replied.
"And?" Amy prompted.
"And we'll all plunge to our deaths. See? I've thought about it." The Doctor said quickly. "The security protocols are still live. There's no way to override them. It's impossible."
"How impossible?" River asked.
"Two minutes." The Doctor said.
"Bet you I can do it in less." Stella grinned as she worked the console, her fingers glowing.
"You're on." The Doctor grinned back right before the outer hatch was opened.
"The hull is breached and the power's failing." Octavian called out as the lights went out then came back on. An arm was silhouetted against the open hatch now.
"Sir, incoming."
"I like to call it motivation." Stella said.
"Doctor? Stella. Lights." Amy said as the Angel was starting to enter. Another flicker, and four were inside and the hatch was closed behind them.
"Clerics, keep watching them." Octavian ordered.
"And don't look at their eyes. Anywhere else. Not the eyes." The Doctor cautioned them.
"I've isolated the lighting grid. They can't drain the power now." Stella informed them.
"Good work." Octavian said.
"Thank…you?" Stella replied in surprise.
"Yes. Good, good, good. Good in many ways." The Doctor said moving over to the door console opposite the light console. "Good you like it so far."
"So far?" Amy asked as Stella closed the light console and went over to help the Doctor.
"Well, there's only one way to open this door." The Doctor said. "I guess we'll need to route all the power in this section through the door control."
"Good. Fine. Do it." Octavian ordered.
"Including the lights. All of them. We'll need to turn out the lights." The Doctor said as he walked forward between the Clerics.
"How long for?" Octavian asked in a tight voice.
"Fraction of a second. Maybe longer. Maybe quite a bit longer." The Doctor replied pacing back and forth a bit.
"Maybe?" Octavian echoed.
"We're guessing. We're being attacked by statues in a crashed ship. There isn't a manual for this." The Doctor rambled on as he returned to Stella who was still at the door controls.
"If there was the Doctor would have already tossed it out." Stella smarted off.
"I only did that once." The Doctor pouted.
"Yeah, but do you remember what it was for? Out of all of the manuals you picked that one." Stella rolled her eyes.
"Well it was wrong so I was well within my rights!" The Doctor defended himself.
"Doctor, Stella, we lost the torches. We'll be in total darkness." Amy said interrupting them.
"No other way." The Doctor replied looking to Octavian. "Bishop."
"Doctor Song, I've lost good Clerics today. You trust this man and woman?" Octavian questioned River as he turned to her.
"I absolutely trust them." River nodded, eyes wide.
"They're not some kind of mad people, then?" Octavian pressed.
"I absolutely trust her." River nodded as Stella grinned, the Doctor pouting.
"Excuse me." The Doctor said as Octavian took River aside.
"I'm taking your word, because you're the only one who can manage them. But that only works so long as they don't know who you are. You cost me any more men, and I might just tell them. Understood?" Octavian said with a dark look, unaware of Stella's hearing abilities.
"Understood." River nodded tightly. Stella's brows furrowed in worry and annoyance. Octavian had been on River's case the whole time, never letting up, and now this. What were they hiding that had to do with her and the Doctor?
"Okay, Doctor, Stella. We've got your backs." Octavian gave them the do ahead.
"Bless you Bishop." The Doctor and Stella got back to work taking wires out of the control box and attaching them to the large door.
"Combat distance, ten feet. As soon as the lights go down, continuous fire. Full spread over the hostiles. Do not stop firing while the lights are out. Shot gun protocol. We don't have bullets to waste." Octavian ordered his men.
"Amy, when the lights go down, the wheel should release. Spin it clockwise four turns." The Doctor told the red headed scott.
"Ten." Amy nodded.
"No, four. Four turns." Stella corrected her.
"Yeah, four. I heard." Amy replied.
"Ready!" The Doctor called out and plunged his sonic screwdriver into a control unit.
"On my count, then. God be with us all. Three, two, one, fire!" The lights went out, the Clerics started shooting at the approaching Angels.
"Turn!" The Doctor called out.
"Doctor, Stella, it's opening. It's working." Amy called out as she turned just getting the bulkhead open enough to squeeze through.
"Fall back!" Stella ordered sharply as River, Amy, and the clerics rushed through Stella and the Doctor following them past the bulkhead which clanged shut again behind them. They ran along a short into secondary flight deck, Stella grabbing the Doctor's hand pulling him as she increased her speed.
"Whoah." The Doctor yelped nearly tripping as he was dragged along.
"Sorry love." Stella called back, but not slowing up.
"Doctor, Stella, quickly." River called out.
"Doctor! Stella!" Amy said just as the Doctor and Stella dodged inside at the last second, as the door closed, and they ran to the controls while the Angels thumped on the door and the wheel started turning. "Doctor! Stella!" Amy noticed Octavian near the door. "What are you doing?"
"Magnetized the door. Nothing could turn that wheel now." Octavian placed a device on the door and the wheel stopped turning.
"Yeah?" Stella raised any eyebrow as the wheel started to turn again.
"Dear God!" Octavian breathed out.
"Ah, now you're getting it. You've bought us time though. That's good. I am good with time." The Doctor rambled as he worked.
"Doctor. Stella." Amy tried again, but then the wheel on a second door to the right of the main one started to turn.
"Seal that door. Seal it now." Octavian ordered and was obeyed right away, a cleric darting over to the door.
"We're surrounded." River gasped as the wheel on the door to the left started to turn.
"Seal it. Seal that door." Octavian ordered loudly. "Doctor, how long have we got?"
"Five minutes, max." The Doctor replied as he started to type on the console looking to the screen, Amy next to him while River and Stella worked on other parts of the wrecked console.
"Nine." Amy said.
"Five." Stella corrected her.
"Five. Right. Yeah." Amy nodded, giving Stella a confused look one that mirrored Stella's own confused look.
"Why'd you say nine?" The Doctor asked.
"I didn't." Amy denied.
"We need another way out of here." River said.
"There isn't one." Octavian said.
"Yeah, there is. Course there is. This is a galaxy class ship." The Doctor told them as he moved away from the console. "Goes for years between planet falls. So, what do they need?"
"Of course." River said in realization as the Doctor snapped his fingers pointing to her.
"Exactly." Stella grinned.
"Of course what? What do they need?" Amy questioned.
"Can we get in there?" Octavian asked.
"Well, it's a sealed unit, but they must have installed it somehow." The Doctor said as he looked over the door that made up a whole wall then moved aside some boxes that were against it. "This whole wall should slide up."
"There's clamps." Stella pointed out. "Release the clamps."
"What's through there? What do they need?" Amy asked as the Doctor and Stella soniced the clamps.
"They need to breathe." River said as the rear wall of the flight deck slid up to reveal a massive humid rainforest.
"But that's….That's a…." Amy's mouth hung open as she walked closer.
"It's an oxygen factory." River nodded.
"It's a forest." Amy said.
"Yeah, it's a forest. It's an oxygen factory." Rive grinned.
"And if we're lucky, an escape route." Stella pointed out as Amy laughed in amazement.
"Eight." Amy said.
"What did you say?" River asked.
"Nothing." Amy said, the Doctor and Stella sharing a quick concerned look before pressing on.
"Is there another exit? Scan the architecture; we don't have time to get lost in there." Stella called out looking to the clerics.
"On it. Stay where you are until I've checked the Rad levels." Octavian replied moving into the forest.
"But trees, on a space ship?" Amy questioned the time travelers.
"Oh, more than trees. Way better than trees. You're going to love this." The Doctor said as he went into the forest pulling Stella along with him by her hand. He kneeled down opening a tree up revealing its inner technological working, clear tubes with white blue lights inside. "Treeborgs. Trees plus technology. Branches become cables become sensors on the hull."
"A forest sucking in starlight, breathing out air." Stella added on with a bright smile as she looked up to the ceiling where the tubes went from the trees out through the hall of the ship. "It even rains. There's a whole mini-climate. This vault is an ecopod running right through the heart of the ship."
"A forest in a bottle on a space ship in a maze. Have we impressed you yet, Amy Pond?" The Doctor grinned as he and Stella walked back up to the red head.
"Seven." Amy smiled with a laugh causing the couple to frown in concern.
"Seven?" The Doctor echoed sharply they moved closer to Amy.
"Sorry, what?" Amy looked confused.
"You said seven." Stella pointed out, her brows furrowed.
"No. I didn't." Amy denied.
"Yes, you did." River said.
"Doctor, there's an exit, far end of the ship, into the Primary Flight Deck." Octavian called out.
"Oh, good. That's where we need to go." The Doctor replied still looking to Amy.
"Plotting a safe path now." Octavian said.
"Quick as you like." The Doctor said.
"Doctor? Excuse me? Hello, Doctor? Angel Bob here, sir." Angel Bob called out over the walkie talkie. The Doctor pulled it out of his pocket and walked over to the chair plopping down, Stella setting on the arm of the chair and the Doctor wrapping his arm loosely around her waist.
"Ah. There you are, Angel Bob. How's life?" The Doctor questioned. "Sorry, bad subject."
"The Angels are wondering what you hope to achieve." Angel Bob said.
"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 Doctor asked.
"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." Angel Bob replied.
"Well, we've got comfy chairs. Did I mention?" The Doctor questioned.
"We have no need of comfy chairs." Angel Bob replied.
"I made him say comfy chairs." The Doctor grinned as Stella rolled her eyes in amusement.
"Six." Amy laughed making Stella frown hard before she snatched the comm from the Doctor shooting to her feet.
"Okay, Bob, Stella here, enough chit chat. Here's what I want to know. What have you done to Amy?" Stella demanded as the Doctor walked up to her.
"There is something in her eye." Angel Bob answered.
"What's in her eye?" Stella bit out.
"We are." Angel Bob replied scaring Amy who walked over to them as they looked to her in concern.
"What's he talking about? Stella, I'm five. I mean, five. Fine! I'm fine." Amy struggled.
"You're counting." River told her.
"Counting?" Amy echoed.
"You're counting down from ten. You have been for a couple of minutes." The Doctor explained.
"Why?" Amy asked.
"We don't know." The Doctor said.
"Well, counting down to what?" Amy asked.
"We don't know." Stella said gently as she wrapped her arms around Amy's shoulder.
"We shall take her. We shall take all of you. We shall have dominion over all time and space." Angel Bob said triumphantly as the Doctor took the comm back from Stella.
"Get a life, Bob." The Doctor shot back. "Oops, sorry again. There's power on this ship, but nowhere near that much."
"With respect, sir, there's more power on this ship than you yet understand." There was a screeching sound coming from all around them causing them to flinch back.
"What's that? Dear God, what is it?" River questioned as they looked around themselves.
"Sounds like a cross between a bunch of birds and a bunch of bats." Stella said thoughtfully as thuds sounded all around them..
"They're back." Octavian bit out.
"It's hard to put in your terms, Doctor Song, but as best I understand it, the Angels are laughing." Angel Bob informed them.
"Laughing?" The Doctor echoed as he and Stella shared a look.
"Because you haven't noticed yet, sir. The Doctor and his Star in the Tardis haven't noticed." Angel Bob told them.
"Noticed what?" Stella snapped.
"Doctor. Stella." Octavian called out.
"No. Wait. There's something I've missed." The Doctor said in frustration. Stella ran her hands over her face in equal frustration, that's when she saw it.
"And I think I know what it is." Stella pointed to a steaming W crack in the bulkhead above the entrance, and it was widening.
"That's, that's, that's like the crack from my bedroom wall from when I was a little girl." Amy panicked as soon as her eyes landed on it.
"Two parts of space and time that should never have touched." Stella breathed out, echoing the Doctor's words from when they had first encountered the crack.
"Okay, enough. We're moving out." Octavian ordered.
"Agreed. Doctor? Stella?" River called out when they moved closer to the crack instead of following the others.
"Yeah, fine." The Doctor said as he and Stella continued to stare at the crack. "Whatever you say."
"What are you doing?" River asked as she and Amy ran up to them.
"Right with you." The Doctor assured her as he scanned the crack.
"We're not leaving without you." River said.
"Oh yes, you are. Bishop." The Doctor looked to Octavian.
"Miss Pond, Doctor Song, now!" Octavian moved them along.
"Doctor?" Amy called out.
"Stella go with them, keep an eye on Amy." The Doctor said, nudging Stella after them.
"Fine, but you better hurry up." Stella gave him a quick kiss knowing that one of them needed to be working on what was happening to Amy.
"Will do love." The Doctor kissed her back.
"Come on!" River called out.
"Coming." Stella ran after them as the Doctor turned back to the crack and began a closer examination of the glow coming from the crack.
"So, what are you? Oh, that's bad. Ah, that's extremely very not good." The Doctor turned around to find himself surrounded by Angels. "Do not blink." He hopped down and started to move through them almost getting away until one grabbed the back of his jacket collar stopping him. "Argh!" Then…nothing happened, he waited a moment long, still nothing. "Why am I not dead then?" The Doctor struggled to glance behind him and saw the Angels reaching towards the crack. "Good, and not so good. Oh, this isn't even a little bit good. I mean, is that it? Is that the power that brought you here? That's pure Time Energy. You can't feed on that. That's now power, that's the fire at the end of the universe. I'll tell you something else." Bang! The Doctor ran into the forest without his jacket. "Never let me talk!"
-0-
"Amy? Amy, what's wrong? Stella, what's happening to Amy?" River questioned Stella, but she made no move to answer as she bit her lip contemplatively. "Amy, what's wrong?"
"Four." Amy swayed precariously.
"Sit down here Amy, just take it easy for a bit, ok? In fact, why don't you just lie down, that's it." Stella gently sat her down on a mossy tree trunk and Stella sat down next to her. Amy whimpered as she leaned over laying her head in Stella's lap. Stella gently started to run her fingers through Amy's hair in a calming motion.
"Med scanner, now." River ordered.
"Doctor Song, we can't stay here." Octavian said as she was given a scanner. "We've got to keep moving."
"We wait for the Doctor." Stella leveled her darkest glare as River wrapped the scanner around Amy's arm.
"Our mission is to make this wreckage safe and neutralize the Angels. Until that is achieved…" Octavian bit out as he stalked toward Stella whose glare darkened considerably. River quickly stepped in knowing how volatile Stella could be when the Doctor was in danger.
"Father Octavian, when the Doctor's in the room, your one and only mission is to keep him alive long enough to get everyone else home." River said as she held up her hands keeping them apart. "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." Then she froze gaining an annoyed look. "And, Doctor, you're standing right behind me, aren't you?"
"Oh, yeah." The Doctor grinned before he hopped down from the tree line.
"I hate you." River ground out.
"You don't." The Doctor replied bounding over to Amy and Stella, pressing a kiss to Stella's cheek before focusing on Amy. "Bishop, the Angels are in the forest."
"We need visual contact on every line of approach." Octavian said to his clerics.
"How did you get past them?" River asked.
"I found a crack in the wall and told them it was the end of the universe." The Doctor answered like it was obvious.
"What was it?" Amy asked in a strained voice.
"The end of the universe." The Doctor replied darkly before snatching the med scanner from river. "Let's have a look, then."
"So, what's wrong with me?" Amy asked fearfully.
"Nothing. You're fine." River assured her as the Doctor looked over the med scanner.
"Everything. You're dying." The Doctor said which turned from green to red.
"Doctor!" River snapped.
"Yes, you're right. If we lie to her, she'll get all better." The Doctor said bitterly.
"No, but it would have kept her calm." Stella popped him in the arm with a sharp look before she looked to Amy, carding her hand through Amy's hair again.
"Right." The Doctor mumbled before trying to think of what was wrong with Amy. "Amy, Amy, Amy. What's the matter with Amelia?"
"Something's in her eye. What does that mean? Does it mean anything?" Stella questioned looking to the Doctor.
"Doctor." Amy whimpered. "Stella."
"Busy." The Doctor replied.
"Scared." Amy said with a slight sob.
"Course you're scared. You're dying. Shut up." The Doctor said in agitation gaining another pop on his arm as Stella passed him.
"When this is over and he's saved the day I'll let you hit him." Stella said gaining a small laugh from Amy. "Just let us think."
"What happened? She stared at the Angel. She looked into the eyes of an Angel for too long…" The Doctor started to ramble.
"Sir! Angel incoming."
"And here."
"Keep visual contact. Do not let it move." Octavian ordered as more angels started to appear, surrounding them.
"Come on, come on, come on. Wakey, wakey." The Doctor hit his head as he paced.
"She watched an Angel climb out of the screen." Stella pointed out.
"She stared at the Angel and, and…." The Doctor trailed off.
"The image of an Angel is an Angel." Amy mumbled hoarsely.
"A living mental image in a living human mind. But we stare at them to stop them getting closer." The Doctor went on kneeling in front of Amy again.
"We don't even blink, and that is exactly what they want." Stella added with a frown.
"Because as long as our eyes are open, they can climb inside." The Doctor continued, then they both looked to each other wide eyed.
"There's an Angel in her mind." The Doctor and Stella said at the same time then slapped their hands over their mouths wide eyed.
"Three. Doctor, it's coming. Stella, I can feel it. I'm going to die." Amy whimpered and Stella gently rubbed her shoulder, trying to comfort her.
"Please just shut up. We're thinking. Now, counting." The Doctor took back up the communicator and stood to his feet. "What's that about? Bob, why are they making her count?"
"To make her afraid, sir." Angel Bob replied.
"Okay, but why? What for?" The Doctor demanded.
"For fun, sir." Angel Bob said easily. The Doctor let out a frustrated angry yell as he threw the communicator against some large stoned in annoyance.
"Doctor, Stella, what's happening to me? Explain." Amy demanded as she reached up grabbing Stella's hand.
"Inside your head, in the vision centres of your brain, there's an Angel." The Doctor explained as he walked back over to her kneeling down once again. "It's like there's a screen, a virtual screen inside your mind and the Angel is climbing out of it, and it's coming to shut you off."
"Then what I do?" Amy whimpered.
"If it was a real screen, what would we do? We'd pull the plug. We'd kill the power." Stella started to tug on the ends of her own hair in agitation. "But we can't just knock her out, the Angel would just take over."
"Then what? Quickly." River urged them.
"We've got to shut down the vision centers of her brain. We've got to pull the plug. Starve the Angel." The Doctor said.
"Doctor, Stella, she's got seconds." River pressed as she looked to the med scanner.
"How would you starve your lungs?" The Doctor asked suddenly.
"I'd stop breathing." River answered not looking up from the scanner.
"Amy, close your eyes." Stella ordered.
"No. No, I don't want to." Amy sobbed gripping Stella's hand.
"Good, because that's not you, that's the Angel inside you. It's afraid. Do it. Close your eyes." The Doctor told her and Amy quickly squeezed her eyes shut before her courage deserted her. The med scanner changed from red to green as soon as her eyes were shut.
"She's normalizing. Oh, you did it. You did it." River cheered as she looked to the time travelers, but the relief was short lived as more angels closed in on them.
"Sir? Two more incoming."
"Three more over here."
"Still weak. Dangerous to move her." River said as she looked over Amy who was sitting back up leaning against Stella.
"So, can I open my eyes now?" Amy asked as River removed the med scanner.
"Amy, listen to me. If you open your eyes now for more than a second, you will die." The Doctor said as he leaned down in front of her. "The Angel is still inside you. We haven't stopped it, we've just sort of paused it. You've used up your countdown. You cannot open your eyes."
"Doctor, we're too exposed here. We have to move on." Octavian called out.
"We're too exposed everywhere and Amy can't move." Stella said in agitation.
"And anyway, that's not the plan." The Doctor spoke up.
"There's a plan?" River looked to him as he straightened up.
"I don't know yet. I haven't finished talking." The Doctor said before he started to ramble out his plan as it came to him. "Right! Father, you and your Clerics, you're going to stay here, look after Amy." The Doctor moved to stand on a bunch of stones. "If anything happens to her, I'll hold every single one of you personally responsible, twice and then I'll let Stella deal with you." Stella smiled overly happy as she waved at them. "River, you, Stella, and me, we're going to find the Primary Flight Deck which is…" He wets a finger and held it up moving it around until her pointed in the right direction. "A quarter of a mile straight ahead, and from there we're going to stabilize the wreckage, stop the Angels, and cure Amy."
"How?" River asked.
"I'll do a thing." The Doctor replied as he came to stand back in front of them.
"What thing?" River pressed.
"I don't know. It's a thing in progress. Respect the thing. Moving out!" The Doctor ordered.
"Doctor, I'm coming with you. My Clerics'll look after Miss Pond." Octavian said as the Doctor made his way up to the Bishop with River and Stella following. "These are my best men. They'd lay down their lives in her protection."
"I don't need you." The Doctor said.
"I don't care. Where Doctor Song goes, I go." Octavian said defiantly.
"What? You two engaged or something?" Stella asked with a wince.
"Yes, in a manner of speaking." Octavian said, Stella and the Doctor looking to River who shrugged with a weird sort of strained smile. "Marco, you're in charge till I get back."
"Sir."
"Doctor? Stella? Please, can't I come with you?" Amy pleaded, looking in their general direction.
"You'd slow us down, Miss Pond." Octavian replied for them.
"I don't want to sound selfish, but you'd really speed me up." Amy said with a bit of a fearful bite in her tone.
"You'll be safer here. We can't protect you on the move." Stella said as she and the Doctor walked back over to her sitting on either side of her. "We'll be back for you soon as we can, we promise."
"You always say that." Amy whimpered.
"We always come back." The Doctor promised before shooting to his feet pulling Stella along with him. "Good luck, everyone. Behave. Do not let that girl open her eyes. And keep watching the forest. Stop those Angels advancing." He ordered as he made his way to the edge of the forest, Stella following along with River and Octavian. "Amy, later."
"River, going to need your computer!" Stella said and River handed it over as they headed out.
"Yeah. Later." Amy mumbled then jumped when a pair of hands wrapped around hers.
"Amy, you need to start trusting me and Stella. It's never been more important." She recognized the Doctor's voice.
"But you and Stella don't always tell me the truth." Amy complained.
"If we always told you the truth, we wouldn't need you to trust us." The Doctor replied.
"Doctor, the crack in my wall. How can it be here?" Amy questioned.
"I don't know yet, but I'm working it out." The Doctor said. "Now, listen. Remember what I told you when you were seven?"
"What did you tell me?" Amy asked.
"No. No, that's not the point. You have to remember." The Doctor said releasing her hands.
"Remember what? Doctor? Doctor?" Amy called out, but received no answer.
-0-
The Doctor and Stella caught up with Octavian and River, and inputting the readings from his sonic screwdriver into her mini-computer as Stella held it up for him.
"What's that?" River asked.
"Er, readings from a crack in the wall." The Doctor said as they looked over the readings.
"How can a crack in the wall be the end of the universe?" River asked.
"Don't know, but here's what I think. One day there's going to be a very big bang." The Doctor said as they moved through the forest.
"So big every moment in history, past and future, will crack." Stella went on with sigh.
"Is that possible? How?" River questioned looking to them.
"How can you be engaged, in a manner of speaking?" The Doctor changed the subject.
"Well, sucker for a man in uniform." River said with a teasing smile that Octavian did not take well to as he walked back to them.
"Doctor Song's in my personal custody. I released her from the Stormcage Containment Facility four days ago and I am legally responsible for her until she's accomplished her mission and earned her pardon." Octavian clarified with a dark look. "Just so we understand each other."
"Thank god." Stella said placing a hand between her hearts then she noticed the looks she was getting. "I knew there was no way a stuffy Bishop like you would be lucky enough to get a girl as cool as River."
"Oh, thank you sweetie." River grinned wrapping an arm around the cyborgs shoulders while Octavian shot her a bitter look before moving on ahead of them
"You were in Stormcage?" The Doctor asked leaning forward a bit.
"Is that a big deal? I was there for a time as well if you recall correctly." Stella shot him a pointed look.
"Still sorry about that." The Doctor winced recalling the unfortunate and completely accidental encounter they had had with a herd of Cervosics, but luckily it was only stunned.
"I'll bet." Stella rolled her eyes as the computer chirped gaining their attention.
"What? What is that?" River asked seeing the way the time travelers faces dropped when they looked at the computer.
"The date. The date of the explosion, where the crack begins." The Doctor breathed out.
"And for those of us who can't read the base code of the universe?" River asked looking between them.
"26 06 2010, Amy's time." Stella replied shakily.
-0-
Amy sat tensely on the mossy log, her eyes still firmly closed shut while the clerics stood around her on guard for any angels.
"So, what's happening? Anything happening out there?" Amy asked as the Angels pushed their hands into the Treeborgs, and the light starts to flicker, the angels ripping the wiring arpary.
"The Angels are still grouping. Are you getting this too?"
"The trees? Yeah."
"What's wrong with the trees?" Amy asked.
"Here too, sir. They're ripping the Treeborgs apart."
"And here. They're taking out the lights."
"What is it? What's happening? Tell me. I can't see." Amy called out.
"It's the trees. ma'am. The trees are going out."
"Angels advancing, sir."
"Over here again."
"Weapons primed. Combat distance five feet. Wait for it."
"What is it? What's happening? Just tell me!" Amy snapped.
"Keep your position and, ma'am, keep your eyes shut. Wait." A bright light flooded through the forest, blazing with an almost blinding force. "The ship's not on fire is it?"
"It can't be, the compressors would have taken care of it. Marco, the Angels have gone. Where'd they go?"
"What, the Angels?" Amy asked.
"This side's clear too, sir."
"The Angels have gone?" Amy asked loudly.
"There's still movement out there, but away from us now. It's like they're running."
"Running from what?" Amy demanded.
"Phillip, Crispin, need to get a closer look at that."
"What are you all looking at? What's there?" Amy snapped.
"It's like, I don't know, a curtain of energy, sort of shifting. Makes you feel weird. Sick."
"And you think it scared the Angels?" Amy asked.
"What could scare those things?"
"What are you doing?"
"Point me at the light." Amy stood to her feet.
"You can't open your eyes."
"I can't open them for more than a second, that's what the Doctor said." Amy shot back. "Still got a bit of countdown left."
"Ma'am. you can't."
"I need to see it." Amy said. "Am I looking the right way? I have to be quick."
"Very quick." He pointed her at the light.
"Okay." Amy opened her eyes which filled with fear upon seeing the crack. "It's the same shape. It's the crack in my wall."
"Close your eyes, now."
"It's following me! How can it be following me?" Amy fell to her knees, the cleric placing his hand over her eyes.
"Are you okay?"
"Yeah." Amy nodded, her eyes closed. "It was the same shape."
"Marco, you want me to get a closer look at that?"
"Go for it. Don't get too close."
"Hang on. What about the other two? Why not just wait until they're back?" Amy asked.
"What other two?"
"The ones you sent before." Amy said.
"I didn't send anyone before."
"You did, I heard you. Crispin and Phillip." Amy said.
"Crispin and who?"
"Amy, there never was a Crispin or a Phillip on this mission, I promise you."
"No, I heard you. Before you sent Pedro, you sent Crispin and Phillip, and now you can't even remember them." Amy said quickly. "Something happened. I don't know what, and you don't even remember."
"Pedro?"
"Yeah, before you sent Pedro." Amy said.
"Who's Pedro?"
"Something's happening. Pedro was here a second ago and now you can't even remember him." Amy said.
"There never was a Pedro. There's only ever been the two of us here."
"No, there were five of us. Why can't you remember?" Amy asked.
"Listen. Listen. I need to get a closer look at that light, whatever it is. Don't worry, I won't get too close."
"No. No, you can't. You mustn't." Amy tried.
"Here. Spare communicator. I'll stay in touch the whole time."
"You won't, because if you go back there what happened to the others will happen to you." Amy pleaded with him.
"There weren't any others."
"There won't be any you if you go back there." Amy said desperately.
"Two minutes. I promise."
"Please, just listen to me!" Amy called out, but the cleric moved away from her and into the light.
-0-
They ran up to the large door of the primary flight deck, Octavian getting to work straight away on opening the small door at the base.
"It doesn't open it from here, but it's the Primary Flight Deck. This has got to be a service hatch or something." Octavian told them.
"Hurry up and open it. Time's running out." River urged him.
"What? What did you say?" The Doctor whirled around on her. "Time's running out, is that what you said?"
"Yeah. I just meant…" River tried, confused at his sudden abruptness.
"I know what you meant. Hush. But what if it could?" The Doctor started to lose himself to his thoughts again.
"What if what could?" River asked.
"Time. What if time could run out?" The Doctor turned to Stella grabbing her by her upper arms, her look similar to the one on his own face.
"Got it." Octavian opened the grate.
"Cracks. Cracks in time. Time running out." The Doctor started to pace furiously. "No, couldn't be. Couldn't be. But how is a duck pond a duck pond if there aren't any ducks?"
"And she didn't recognize the Daleks." Stella pointed out as she rubbed the temples of her head.
"Okay, time can shift. Time can change. Time can be rewritten. Ah. Oh!" The Doctor started putting together some of the pieces.
"Doctor Song, get through, now. Doctor? Doctor." Octavian called out as River went through the hatch.
"Time can be unwritten." The Doctor and Stella said together ignoring Octavian.
"It's been happening all around us and we haven't even noticed." The Doctor went on.
"Doctor, Stella, we have to move." Octavian tried to gain their attention, but they were too wrapped up in their thoughts.
"The CyberKing. A giant Cyberman walks over all of Victorian London and no one remembers." Stella started to bounce in place.
"We have to move it. The Angels could be here any second." Octavian said urgently.
"Never mind the Angels. There's worse here than Angels." The Doctor said.
"No!" Stella yelled causing the Doctor to whirl around and saw that an Angel had gotten its arm around Octavian's throat when they weren't looking.
"I beg to differ, sir." Octavian commented tensely as he gripped the arm.
"Let him go." Stella snapped as she grabbed onto the arm, the Doctor pointing his screwdriver into the angels face.
"Well, it can't let me go, ma'am, can it? Not while you're looking at it." Octavian said.
"We can't stop looking at it, it'll kill you." The Doctor said.
"It's going to kill me anyway. Think it through. There's no way out of this. You have to leave me." Octavian ordered.
"Can't you wriggle out?" The Doctor questioned.
"No, it's too tight. You both have to leave me. There's nothing you can do." Octavian said as Stella started to pull as hard as she could, tears slipping from her eyes. "Ma'am, there's nothing you can do."
"No." Stella brought her fist down on the elbow of the statue again and again, but all that happened was bloody knuckles.
"You're dead if we leave you." The Doctor said pulling Stella back as she cradled her hand close to herself.
"Yes. Yes, I'm dead. And before you go…" Octavian started,
"We're not going." Stella snapped.
"Listen to me, it's important. You can't trust her." Octavian said.
"Trust who?" The Doctor questioned.
"River Song. You think you know her, but you don't. You don't understand who or what she is." Octavian said.
"Then tell us." The Doctor ordered.
"I've told you more than I should. Now please, you have to go. It's your duty to your friends." Octavian said.
"Just tell us, why she was in Stormcage?" The Doctor demanded.
"She killed a man and woman. A good man and a good woman. Heroes too many." Octavian relented.
"Who?" Stella asked wearily.
"You don't want to know, ma'am. You really don't." Octavian replied.
"Who did she kill?" The Doctor pressed.
"Sir, the Angels are coming. You have to leave me." Octavian pointed out.
"You'll die." Stella said softly.
"I will die in the knowledge that my courage did not desert me at the end. For that I thank God, and bless the path that takes you to safety." Octavian said.
"I wish I'd known you better." The Doctor said.
"I think, sir, you know me at my best." Octavian said.
"I'm sorry…I'm sorry I gave you such a hard time and…I'm so sorry." Stella said tearfully.
"I wasn't exactly acting on my best manners either ma'am." Octavian said with a small smile.
"Ready?" The Doctor took hold of Stella.
"Content." Octavian breathed out. The Doctor nodded before pushing Stella into the hatch following behind her as a sickening crack echoed behind them, the Doctor closing the hatch behind them.
"There's a teleport." River said working at one of the damaged consoles as they came in. "If I can get it to work, we can beam the others here." She looked up from her work noticing the lack of Bishop. "Where's Octavian?"
"Octavian's dead." The Doctor said bitterly as they joined her at the consoles.
"So is that teleport." Stella looked over the panel. "You're wasting your time."
"I'm going to need your communicator." The Doctor said.
-0-
Amy was still sitting in the middle of the forest with her eyes shut tight against the angel in her mind, the communicator clutched in her hands.
"Hello? Are you there? Hello? Hello?" Amy called out softly into the communicator.
"I'm here. I'm fine. Quite close to it now."
"Then come back. Come back now, please." Amy begged.
"It's weird looking at it. It feels really…"
"Really what? Hello? Really what? Hello? Hello? Hello? Please say you're there. Hello? Hello?" Amy pleaded when the line to the cleric went dead.
"Amy? Amy? Is that you?" Stella called out over the communicator.
"Stella?" Amy said in relief.
"Where are you? Are the Clerics with you?" Stella questioned.
"They've gone." Amy said.
"What?! Where the heck did they go?" Stella asked quickly.
"There was a light and they walked into the light. Stella, they didn't even remember each other." Amy said fearfully.
"No, they wouldn't." The Doctor said shaking his head.
"What is that light?" River asked.
"Time running out. Amy, I'm sorry, I made a mistake." The Doctor said.
"We made a mistake, we should never have left you there." Stella corrected him.
"Well, what do I do now?" Amy asked.
"You come to us. The Primary Flight Deck, the other end of the forest." The Doctor said taking the communicator from Stella.
"I can't see. I can't open my eyes." Amy said.
"Turn on the spot." The Doctor ordered.
"Sorry, what?" Amy questioned.
"Just do it." The Doctor snapped. "Turn on the spot. When the communicator sounds like my screwdriver that means you're facing the right way. Follow the sound. You have to start moving now. There's Time Energy spilling out of that crack, and you have to stay ahead of it."
"But the Angels, they're everywhere." Amy said.
"I'm sorry, I really am, but the Angels can only kill you." The Doctor said.
"What does the Time Energy do?" Amy asked.
"Just keep moving!" The Doctor ordered.
"Tell me." Amy snapped and Stella snatched the communicator from the Doctor.
"If the Time Energy catches up with you, you'll never have been born. It will erase every moment of your existence. You will never have lived at all." Stella bit out in frustration. "Now, keep your eyes shut and keep moving!"
"It's never going to work." River said as Amy started to slowly make her way through the forest.
"What else have you got! River! Tell me!" The Doctor exploded in anger causing River to wince back.
"It's going to work." Stella said slipping her hand into his, calming him down somewhat. Suddenly there was a clanging sound in the ship.
"What's that?" River asked.
"The Angels running from the fire. They came here to feed on the Time Energy, now it's going to feed on them." The Doctor said as they looked around themselves. "Amy, listen to me." The Doctor held up the communicator pointing his sonic at it. "I'm sending a bit of software to your communicator. It's a proximity detector. It'll beep if there's something in your way. You just maneuver till the beeping stops. Because, Amy, this is important." The Doctor closed his eyes tightly. "The forest is full of Angels. You're going to have to walk like you can see.
"Well, what do you mean?" Amy asked.
"Look, just keep moving." The Doctor ordered.
"That Time Energy, what's it going to do?" River asked.
"Er, keep eating." The Doctor said.
"How do we stop it?" River asked.
"Feed it." Stella ground out.
"Feed it what?" River pressed.
"A big, complicated space time event should shut it up for a while." The Doctor answered.
"Like what, for instance?" River snapped.
"Like me, for instance!" The Doctor and Stella exploded at the same time.
"Stella no…" The Doctor started.
"Well I'm not going to let you do it." Stella said with a look and they were about to launch into an argument when the communicator beeped stopping them.
"What's that?" Amy asked.
"It's a warning." Stella said gently. "There are Angels round you now."
"Amy, listen to me. This is going to be hard but I know you can do it." The Doctor said. "The Angels are scared and running, and right now they're not that interested in you. They'll assume you can see them and their instincts will kick in. All you've got to do is walk like you can see. Just don't open your eyes. Walk like you can see. You're not moving. You have to do this. Now. You have to do this!"
-0-
Amy threaded her way through the group of Angels jerking back a few times when the communicator told her she was too close to one. Finally she made her way clear of the cluster she had found herself in, starting down a dirt path moving as fast as she could, Angels all around her. Suddenly she tripped over a half-buried tree root hitting the ground hard and the communicator flying from her hand.
"Doctor? Stella?" Amy called out as she got to her hands and knees, searching for the communicator, but falling short. "I can't find the communicator. I dropped it. I can't find it, Doctor. Stella." An Angel turned its head towards her. "Doctor. Stella!" Then another one turned, and another. "Doctor. Stella." Amy got to her feet just as an Angel reached for her throat then there was a flash of light.
"Don't open your eyes." River grabbed her holding her up. "You're on the Flight Deck. The Doctor's here. I teleported you. See? Told you I could get it working."
"River Song, I could bloody kiss you." The Doctor said as he and Stella worked the controls.
"Ah well, no thanks, rather not get on Stella's bad side." River smirked.
"Right you are." Stella called out before an alarm blared.
"What's that?" River asked.
"The Angels are draining the last of the ship's power, which means the shield's going to release." Stella said as the bulkhead into the forest raised to reveal an array of Angels.
"Angel Bob, I presume." The Doctor said spotting the angel with the communicator.
"The Time Field is coming. It will destroy our reality." Angel Bob said.
"Yeah, and look at you all, running away. What can I do for you?" The Doctor questioned as he and Stella moved closer to them.
"There is a rupture in time. The Angels calculate that if you throw yourself or Stella into it, it will close, and they will be saved." Angel Bob said.
"Yeah, yeah, yeah. Could do, could do that. But why?" The Doctor asked.
"Your friends will also be saved." Angel Bob said.
"Well, there is that." Stella allowed.
"I've travelled in time. I'm a complicated space time event too. Throw me in." River raced up to them.
"Oh, be serious. Compared to me and Stella, these Angels are more complicated than you, and it would take every one of them to amount to me or Stella, so get a grip." The Doctor said.
"Doctor, Stella, I can't let you do this." River said.
"No, seriously, get a grip." Stella said.
"You're not going to die here!" River snapped.
"No, I mean it. River, Amy, get a grip." The Doctor ordered.
"Oh, you geniuses." River caught on.
"Sir, the Angels need you or Stella to sacrifice yourself now." Angel Bob said.
"Thing is, Bob, the Angels are draining all the power from this ship. Every last bit of it. And you know what? I think they've forgotten where they're standing. I think they've forgotten the gravity of the situation." The Doctor said as he and Stella moved back.
"Or to put it another way, Angels." Stella said as a monitor alerted them, flashing Gravity Failing. River puts Amy's hand on the handles of a console module.
"You hold on tight and don't you let go for anything." River told her.
"Night, night." Stella said with a grin." Stella said and Gravity Failed showed on the screen. Feet left the floor as they all held onto the console, the spaceship tilting and the Angels fell backwards through the Forest disappearing into the crack, which then closed after they were all gone.
-0-
Amy is wrapped in a blanket back on the beach where it had all started, the Tardis is nearby standing nearby waiting for them. Stella sat next to Amy, her arm wrapped around the young girl.
"Ah. Bruised everywhere." Amy whined.
"Me too." The Doctor said.
"I'm fine." Stella smiled.
"What about your hand?" Amy asked.
"No angel no wound." Stella held up her mark free hand. "And unlike you two I kept my eyes opened as we made our way out."
"Well the Doctor didn't have to climb out with his eyes shut." Amy looked to the Doctor.
"Neither did you. I kept saying. The Angels all fell into the Time Field. The Angel in your memory never existed. It can't harm you now." The Doctor told her.
"Then why do I remember it at all? Those guys on the ship didn't remember each other." Amy said curiously.
"You're a time traveller now. Amy. It changes the way you see the universe, forever." The Doctor told her.
"Good, isn't it?" Stella got a smile out of the girl.
"And the crack, is that gone too?" Amy asked.
"Yeah, for now. But the explosion that caused it is still happening. Somewhere out there, somewhere in time." The Doctor frowned looking to the clerics who were also back and taking River back into custody.
"You, me, Stella, handcuffs. Must it always end this way?" River held up her hands where were in a pair of high-tech cuffs that beeped as the two time travelers walked up to her.
"What now?" The Doctor asked.
"The prison ship's in orbit. They'll beam me up any second. I might have done enough to earn a pardon this time. We'll see." River shrugged.
"Octavian said you killed a man and woman." Stella said.
"Yes, I did." River nodded.
"A good man and woman." The Doctor added.
"A very good man and a very good woman. The best I've ever known." River frowned.
"Who?" The Doctor asked.
"It's a long story. Doctor. Stella. It can't be told, it has to be lived. No sneak previews." River smirked. "Well, except for this one. You'll see me again quite soon, when the Pandorica opens."
"The Pandorica. Ha!" The Doctor wrapped his arms around Stella from behind resting his chin on her shoulder. "That's a fairy tale."
"Doctor, Stella aren't we all? I'll see you there." River smiled.
"We look forward to it." Stella smiled back.
"I remember it well." River said as Amy came up.
"Bye, River." Amy said.
"See you, Amy." River's handcuffs beeped. "Oh, I think that's my ride."
"Can we trust you River Song?" The Doctor asked.
"If you like, but where's the fun in that?" River was beamed away in a whirl of sand, the Doctor and Stella standing still looking thoughtful
"What are you thinking?" Amy asked.
"Time can be rewritten." The Doctor said before leading them into the Tardis which dematerialized from the beach.
-0-
They walked up to the console the Doctor setting it into motion as Stella helped. Amy watched them for a moment before walking up to them, looking a bit nervous.
"I want to go home." Amy finally blurted out causing the Doctor and Stella to frown sadly.
"Okay." The Doctor nodded.
"No, not like that." Amy said quickly. "I just, I just want to show you something. You're both running from River. I'm running too."
"What?" Stella asked as the Doctor parked the Tardis.
-0-
The Tardis had squeezed itself in by the door in Amy's room where a bridal gown was hanging on the open wardrobe door.
"Well…" Stella said as she looked the dress over.
"Yeah." Amy nodded from where she sat on the bed with the Doctor.
"Blimey." The Doctor breathed out.
"I know. This is the same night we left, yeah?" Amy asked.
"We've been gone five minutes." The Doctor said as she picked up a ring box and opened it.
"I'm getting married in the morning." Amy said softly.
"Why did you leave it here?" The Doctor asked.
"Why did I leave my engagement ring when I ran away with a strange man the night before my wedding?" Amy raised an eyebrow.
"Yeah." The Doctor nodded.
"Hmm. You really are an alien, aren't you?" Amy gave him a look.
"Who's the lucky fellow?" Stella broke in, not liking the way Amy sounded, but brushed it off.
"You met him." Amy said.
"Ah, the good looking one." The Doctor said then recalled the other boy. "Or the other one?"
"The other one." Amy nudged him with a smile.
"Well, he was good too." The Doctor nodded.
"Thanks." Amy rolled her eyes.
"You know, this calls for some drinks and I happen to have a bottle of Sparkling Kana Tripe tucked away for such an occasion. I'll nip inside and grab it along with some cups." Stella slipped into the Tardis.
"Kana what?" Amy looked to the Doctor.
"Don't worry, it is a fantastic drink, you'll love it. It's a drink that tastes like your favorite thing, no matter what it is. You like berries, you get berries, chicken and it taste like chicken, and so forth and so on." The Doctor explained.
"Oh, sounds…interesting." Amy said uncertainly. "So, do you comfort a lot of people on the night before their wedding?"
"Why would you need comforting?" The Doctor asked.
"I nearly died. I was alone in the dark, and I nearly died. And it made me think." Amy said scooting a bit closer to the Doctor.
"Well, yes, natural. I think sometimes. Well, lots of times." The Doctor rattled off.
"About what I want. About who I want. You know what I mean?" Amy said pointedly.
"Yeah." The Doctor nodded them frowned. "No."
"About who I want." Amy pressed.
"Oh right, yeah. No, still not getting it." The Doctor shook his head.
"Doctor. In a word. In one very simple word even you can understand." Amy tried to kiss him causing him to shoot to his feet, Amy following.
"No! You're getting married in the morning!" The Doctor called out.
"Well, the morning's a long time away. What are we going to do about that?" Amy pinned him against the Tardis and tried to undo his shirt.
"Amy, listen to me. I am nine hundred and seven years old." The Doctor shoved her hands away. "Do you understand what that means?"
"It's been a while?" Amy asked still trying to get at him.
"Yeah. No, no, no. I'm nine hundred and seven, and look at me. I don't get older, I just change. You get older, I don't, and this can't ever work." The Doctor tried to get away from her.
"Oh, you are sweet. Doctor. But I really wasn't suggesting anything quite so long term." Amy finally planted her lips on his.
"Amy!" The Doctor grabbed her hands tightly in his forcing her back an admonishing glare on his face. "The only woman for me in this or any other universe is Stella, I will not betray her like this, never would I be so careless with her hearts, and I would appreciate it if you'd have the same respect for your fiancé. You're getting married in the morning…" The Doctor's face fell in realization. "…in the morning…"
"Doctor?" Amy questioned.
"It's you. It's all about you. Everything. It's about you." The Doctor started putting it all together.
"Hold that thought." Amy ran over to her bed and laid out seductively.
"Amy Pond. Mad, impossible, Amy Pond. I don't know why, I have no idea, but quite possibly the single most important thing in the history of the universe is that I get you sorted out right now." The Doctor said rapidly.
"That's what I've been trying to tell you." Amy smiled.
"Come on." The Doctor grabbed her pulling her back into the Tardis.
"Doctor." Amy said with a smile as the Doctor took one last look at her alarm clock as it clicks over to 12:00pm 6/26.
"And for those of us who can't read the base code of the universe?"
"Amy's time."
-0-
Amy stood wide eyed before Stella who was looking at her from where she stood next to the monitor a swirling metallic purple bottle in hand while at her feet lay three shattered glasses, a profound look of deep betrayal on her face that slowly morphed into one of great anger. Amy took an involuntary step back in fear when Stella took a threatening step forward, her eyes burning, but she stopped herself from coming any closer.
"How dare you? How dare you betray me…betray us like that?" Stella hissed out, struggling to keep herself under control, her hands clenched so tight that they were shaking.
"I…I just…I…" Amy stuttered going pale.
"No, do not speak to me." Stella snapped, punctuating each word. "You were supposed to be our friend and you pull a stunt like this, this is low….I can't even…"
"Stella…" The Doctor started forward, but Stella shook her head before turning quickly and stalking off down the hall the sound of a door slamming shut echoing through the TARDIS. The Doctor slowly walked up to the console leaning against it heavily as he took deep breaths as his hands clenched and un-clenched. Amy walked up to him slowly, not sure what to do as the guilt ate away at her stomach.
"Doctor…" Amy tried.
"Not now Amelia." The Doctor said tersely, his voice rough in his anger. Biting her lip Amy quickly went down the hall to her room on the TARDIS leaving him alone. She'd be lying if she said she wasn't a little afraid of him, his anger was…there were just no words and Stella's…
"What were you thinking Pond?" Amy snapped at herself. She had known they were together, but the Doctor was just so amazing, how could she resist. She should have though; she should have put her friends before her own selfishness.
Then there was Rory.
