Fight or Flight ( Doctor Who Fanfiction )

The Pandorica Opens

"Vavoom!"

I snapped out of the glowing teal haze I'd fallen into and realized I was standing at the console and staring aimlessly into the centre.

Amy was sitting in one of the chairs nearby, hands closed tight in her lap. "Va-what?"

"I can't believe I've never thought of this before!" He leaped up to us from below the glass floor and started to pull levers. "It's genius. Right. Landed. Come on."

"Where are we?" Amy asked.

"Or, where are we supposed to be?" I added.

She smirked.

"Planet One. The oldest planet in the universe. And there's a cliff of pure diamond, and according to legend, on the cliff there's writing. Letters fifty feet high. A message from the dawn of time, and no one knows what it says, because no one's ever translated it, 'til today."

"What happens today?"

"Us. The Tardis can translate anything. All we have to do is open the doors and read the very first words in recorded history!" He stopped us at the door, waiting eagerly for our reactions.

In all fairness, this was pretty interesting.

He opened the door and we filed out into humid air. I took Amy's hand.

Above us, stood a cliff so high we all craned our necks to make out the letters above, cut into the glinting diamond surface:

Hello Sweetie
ΘΣ ΦΓΥΔζ 

Amy nodded. "Vavoom."

Back on the ship, I was quiet while the Doctor and Amy jabbered on. I don't know how I'd forgotten about River. Allegedly - if you believe Amy's theories - the Doctor's wife.

Were they really married? Did the Doctor have reason to feel as guilty as I did about what happened between us - and did he? Maybe today was going to be the day I found out.

I looked over at the Doctor, and when our eyes met I heard the echo of his groan when I dragged his knuckles down a rough brick wall. I felt the tips of his fingers dig into me the backs of my hands.

I looked away fast.

It had been like this for weeks since the incident at the flat. Our banter was subdued, if not gone all together. I couldn't stand too close or meet his eye for too long.

All along I tried to carry on with Amy, pretending like nothing had happened. Pretending I didn't betray her. Assuring myself I wouldn't dream of doing it again, even if I knew I wouldn't be found out; and then going to sleep and dreaming of exactly that.

And now there was a new player to contend with in this nightmare I had created. We were marching into her tent, having been captured nearby a Roman encampment.

We entered the central tent made of rich red cloth, unsure of what to expect.

"Hello, sweetie," said Cleopatra - or rather River in a black wig and fancy dress. She grinned devilishly, holding a golden goblet in her left hand whilst reclining on a chaise.

"River," Amy said awkwardly. "Hi."

The Doctor walked up to her, looking ready to scold her. "You graffitied the oldest cliff face in the universe."

"You wouldn't answer your phone."

She presented him with a roll of parchment, which he didn't touch.

"What's this?"

"It's a painting. Your friend Vincent. One of his final works. He had visions, didn't he? I thought you ought to know about this one."