Flesh and Stone - Part Two

There was a slight sense of spinning as my senses came back to me. I could somewhat hear two voices, but they sounded off, as if they were talking behind a thick glass wall. The memories of what happened came rushing back; the crack, the what I think was a migraine, and passing out.

"...Like a failed computer download in a sense," the Doctor said, "The information is almost successfully stored, only for some kind of problem in the machinery to occur and send the computer into shut-down."

"And you think the crack caused it to happen to Ginny?" River asked.

"Precisely."

I managed to open my eyes just a crack to be greeted by a blurry Time Lord's face only inches from mine, causing my eyes to open wide.

"Dude, I know we haven't talked about this, but there's such a thing as personal space," I muttered, gently pushing him away. He laughed a bit and offered a hand to help me sit up.

"Is that Ginny? Is she okay?" a concerned sounding Amy asked.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Just a bit of a headache," I said, rubbing my head slightly, "How about you, Pond?"

"I'm okay, I guess. I mean, there's a Weeping Angel in my head, but other than that, just fine!"

I laughed slightly, "Don't worry, Amy. The Doctor's gonna get everything sorted."

"Who says I'm worrying?"

"If we could cut the small-talk, please," Octavian said rather rudely, "Doctor, we're too exposed here. We have to move on."

"We're too exposed everywhere. And Amy and Ginny can't move. And anyway, that's not the plan," the Doctor said.

"Wait, why can't I move? I feel fine," I said. In an attempt to prove my point, I went to stand from the rock I was sitting on, only to fall back onto my butt, "Okay, maybe I can't move. What's the plan, Doc?"

"There's a plan?" River asked.

"I don't know yet. I haven't finished talking," the Doctor said, "Right! Father, you an your clerics are going to stay here, look after Amy. If anything happens to her, I'll hold every single one of you personally responsible, twice. River, you, me, and Ginny, we're going to find the Primary Flight Deck which is," he held a finger up in the air and pointed it further into the forest, "A quarter of a mile straight ahead, and from there we're going to stabilize the wreckage, stop the Angels, and cure Amy."

"Just a minute, Doc. I thought you said I couldn't be moved," I said, "Why am I coming with you all of a sudden?"

The Doctor came over and sat down next to me on the rock, "Unlike how Amy can pause the Angel in her mind, there's nothing you can do to counter whatever happened between you and the crack. You need to come with us, so that in case the Crack grows, you'll be further away from it and less-susceptible to its danger."

"Oh, and if it does happen to grow, you'll just leave Amy and the Clerics to its mercy then? Is that how it is?"

"Ginny, that isn't what I meant."
"Well, that's what it sounded like to me!" I rose from my spot on suddenly strong legs, "I'm not going to let you leave your friend blind in a forest with Weeping Angels and the end of the universe just a walk away! No sir!" I sat on Amy's rock next to her, "I'm staying with Amy, and you can't make me do otherwise."

For the longest time there was silence, other than the occasional announcement of another Angel approaching. Then, seemingly from out of nowhere, River snickered.

"And you're sure they aren't related?" she asked the Doctor, pointing at me and Amy. I furrowed my eyebrows in confusion.

"Honestly, it wouldn't surprise me," the Doctor said, pinching the bridge of his nose, "All right, Ginny. You'll stay here with Amy and the Clerics."

"Thank you. Now, how do you plan on curing Amy?" I asked.

"I'll do a thing," he said.

"A thing?"

"A thing. A thing in progress. Respect the thing!" the Doctor faced River, "Moving out!" Before they could leave, Octavian stepped forward.

"Doctor, I'm coming with you. My Clerics'll look after Miss Pond and Miss Parks. These are my best men. They'd lay down their lives in your friends' protection," he said.

"I don't need you," the Time Lord argued.

"I don't care. Where Dr Song goes, I go."

"What?" the Doctor glanced from River to Octavian, "Are you two engaged or something?"

"Yes, in a manner of speaking," Octavian left the topic there and told one of his Clerics, Marco, I think, that he was in charge.

"Doctor? Please can't we come with you?" Amy asked.

"You'd slow us down, Miss Pond, both of you," Octavian replied, already heading further into the forest.

"You know, for a bishop and a righteous man, you're extremely rude!" I yelled. He didn't answer.

"Yeah, and I don't want to sound selfish, but you'd really speed us up!" Amy yelled as well.

The Doctor sat in between us on the rock, "You'll be safer here, Amy. I'd say the same for Ginny, but then I'd be lying."

"And you don't do that enough?" I asked, agitated at just about everything. He just sighed.

"I'll be back for both of you as soon as I can, I promise."

"You always say that," Amy said bitterly.

"I always come back. And my intentions are always truthful, Virginia. Don't forget that. Also, because you're staying here, you should keep your eyes closed too. The Crack could expand at any moment, and if it does, not looking at it might be our best bet to keep you from collapsing. " the Doctor leapt up from the rock, turning my now blind self in a different direction, probably as another precaution for the Crack, "Good luck, everyone. Behave. Do not let those girls open their eyes, and don't let Ginny turn around. And keep watching the forest. Stop those Angels advancing," there was a hand on my shoulder for a split second before it left, "Amy, Ginny, later. River, going to need your computer!" With that, he was gone.

"Yeah. Later," Amy muttered. I sighed and buried my head in my hands. Doing the right thing seems so wrong at first. This was going to be difficult. We were blind, in a dense forest dotted by Weeping Angels, and the End of the Universe was just footsteps away. It seemed as though things would get worse before they got better, and unfortunately I was right. Before I could think any more negative thoughts though, the familiar sleeve of a tweed jacket wrapped around my shoulders; the Doctor from the Pandorica.

"How's the rewind?" I asked, my head still in my hands.

"Leave it to you to know that," he replied, breathing out a short laugh, "Ginny, Amy, you need to start trusting me, both of you. It's never been more important."

"But you don't always tell us the truth," Amy muttered.

"If I always told you the truth, I wouldn't need you to trust me."

"Doctor, the crack in my wall. How can it be here?"

"What's it doing to me?" I asked.

"I don't know yet, but I'm working it out," he assured us, "Now, listen, you two. Remember what I told you in Leadworth?"

"What did you tell us?"

"I've never been to Leadworth, unless you count that night in Amy's garden."

"No. No, that's not the point," the Doctor sounded disappointed, "You both have to remember." With that, he kissed our foreheads and ran into the forest again.

"Remember what?" Amy asked, before calling for the Doctor a couple times, "Ginny, you've seen the future. Do you know what he was going on about?"

"I'm afraid I'm as lost on this one as you are. Sorry."

"It's okay. Thanks for staying here with me."

"Anything for a friend," I smiled, "So, do you want to talk about anything?"

There was a pause for a brief moment followed by an unforeseen question, "Have you ever had a boyfriend?"

I laughed a bit, "No. Surprisingly there aren't too many guys lining up to date a geek who's more concerned about book characters than sport teams. I know the right guy will find me someday, though. I just have to keep looking."

"Maybe you won't have to look much longer." There was excitement in the Scot's voice.

"Amy, I appreciate what you're thinking of doing, but I'm not sure I need a matchmaker right now. I'm still trying to adjust to this Universe."

"I know that! I just want to make a suggestion. Rory, my fiance, has a brother about your age, and I-"

"Wait a minute, Rory has a brother?!"

"Yes! His name's Thomas, I think, and you should meet him. He might just be the man you're looking for."

"Amy, I know you're trying to help, but again, I really don't know if I'm ready for a relationship just yet. I mean, a lot of big stuff has already happened, and I've only known you and the Doctor for what, three days? I just want to get used to life on the TARDIS for now and maybe later I could meet Thomas, okay?"

"Okay. But you'll still meet him, yeah?"

"Of course!"

"Great!"

Our chatting would have continued if not for the light outside my eyelids flickering repeatedly.

"Are you getting this too?" Marco asked.

"The trees? Yeah," Bob said.

"What's wrong with the trees?" Amy asked.

"Here too, sir. They're ripping the treeborgs apart," a different cleric, Pedro I think, said.

"And here. They're taking out the lights," another one, Phillip, added.

"What is it? What's happening? Tell us. We can't see," Amy said.

"It's the trees. The trees are going out," Marco replied.

"Angels advancing, sir," Phillip said.

"Over here again," Pedro added.

"Weapons primed. Combat distance five feet. Wait for it," Marco ordered.

"What is it? What's happening? Just tell me!" Amy pleaded.

"Keep your position, and ma'am, keep your eyes shut. Wait."

Right as I opened my mouth to say something, a shrill noise followed by the immediate arrival of a throbbing headache; the crack had expanded. My head wasn't in as much torment as it was earlier, but it still hurt like crazy.

"The ship's not on fire. Is it?" Marco asked.

"It can't be. The compressors would have taken care of it," Pedro said, then paused for a moment, "Marco, the Angels have gone. Where'd they go?"

"Well, that light is the fire at the end of the Universe, right?" I asked through gritted teeth, "If the Weeping Angels have any sense, then they would know that when confronted with a power of that magnitude to run as far away from it, not to feed on it."

"Has anyone ever told you that you're like a younger, more sensibly dressed version of the Doctor?" Amy asked.

"Not that I can remember, but now I can say that someone has."

"How's your head, ma'am?" Bob asked.

"A bit worse for wear, but I think I can manage."

"You look like you're about to pass out again."

"Well I wouldn't know that even if I could see around me."

"Bob's right, ma'am. You should rest," Marco said.

I sighed and began to lie down on the ground, "Anything to ease my head. Amy, wake me if anything strange happens."

"Okay," she said.

It didn't really take that long for sleep to come to me, and when it did, it was dreamless, as if my head was too rundown to fantasize.

Almost as soon as my nap began, it ended by someone roughly shaking me.

"Five more minutes, mom," I mumbled, trying to bat the person shaking me away. Unfortunately this just led to my arm being smacked rather hardly. Okay, now I was awake.

"Ow," I groaned, rubbing my arm and glaring at Amy, who I now noticed looked very paranoid, "What's wrong?"

"Ginny, tell Marco that Crispin and Phillip were here just before he sent Pedro. Bob's the only one who believes me."

"Pedro?" Marco asked.

"Yeah, before you sent Pedro."

"Who's Pedro?"