The Littlest Timelord: Cracks in Time

Chapter 33

A/N - We're getting down to the wire, guys!

"So what's this got to do with the TARDIS?" Amy asked.

River had left to go back to the Roman camp, leaving Elise, Amy, and the Doctor on their own.

"Nothing, as far as I know," the Doctor said.

"But Vincent's painting. The TARDIS was exploding. Is that going to happen?"

"One problem at a time. There's forcefield technology inside this box. If I can enhance the signal, I could extend it all over Stonehenge. Could buy us half an hour."

"What good is half an hour?"

"There are fruit flies live on Hoppledom Six that live for twenty minutes and they don't even mate for life. There was going to be a point to that. I'll get back to you."

"So, are you proposing to someone?"

"I'm sorry?"

"I found this in your pocket."

Elise and the Doctor looked at her. She was holding her engagement ring.

"No. No, no, that's er, a memory. A friend of mine. Someone I lost." The Doctor tried taking it from her, but she pulled away from him. "Do you mind?"

"It's weird. I feel, I don't know, something," Amy said.

The Doctor and Elise realized that on some level, she remembered Rory.

"People fall out of the world sometimes, but they always leave traces. Little things we can't quite account for. Faces in photographs, luggage, half eaten meals, rings. Nothing is ever forgotten, not completely. And if something can be remembered, it can come back."

"So, was she nice, your friend?" Amy asked, handing the ring back to the Doctor.

"Remember that night you flew away with me?"

"Of course I do."

"And you asked me why I was taking you and I told you there wasn't a reason. I was lying."

"What, so you did have a reason?"

"Your house."

"My house."

"It was too big. Too many empty rooms. Does it ever bother you, Amy, that your life doesn't make any sense?"

An energy bolt was fired at them and they ran to hide behind the Pandorica.

"What was that?" Amy asked.

"Okay, I need a proper look. Got to draw its fire, give it a target," the Doctor said.

"How?"

"You know how sometimes I have really brilliant ideas?"

"Yes."

"Sorry." The Doctor ran out into the open. "Look at me, I'm a target!"

Elise rolled her eyes. How the hell had he lived for this long?

He ducked behind one of the pillars.

"What is that?" Amy asked.

"Cyberarm. Arm of Cyberman," the Doctor told her.

"And what's a Cyberman?"

"Oh, sort of part man, part robot. The organic part must have died out years ago. Now the robot part is looking for, well, fresh meat."