Yowzah Oneshot Collection (1)

13(G)

the shadow of mountains will not fall on your heart

“That’s not an answer, Doctor,” Rory growled as he followed the Doctor up the stairs, Amy close at his side. The Doctor continued down the hall quickly, only to be halted by Rory’s hand on his arm, his grip surprisingly firm. He turned to face Rory, who stood there with a thunderous expression. “I trust you with everything you never tell us – you knew about Amy all that time, and I forgave you for it. You’ve kept us in the dark countless times, Doctor, but this is my daughter. And I don’t give a damn if she grew up with us, or is older than us, or isn’t quite human, or a trained psychopath, or a murderer or not. She’s my daughter, and I need to know she’ll be okay. You can’t seriously expect us to just toddle off to bed after leaving her there, all alone. Amy’s told me, you know – you see her at night while we’re asleep.”

“Rory-” The Doctor fell silent at Rory’s glare and raised hand. He glanced at Amy, who fidgeted uncomfortably at her husband’s side, but she avoided his gaze. She wouldn’t say it out loud, but the Doctor knew – she agreed with her husband and it showed in how she stood firmly behind his shoulder, her hands twisted together in front of her and her eyes pinned to the walls around them.

“No, you know, because we’ve joked about it. Amy has been like ‘oh his dates’ and we’d have a good laugh. But everything is different now. Everything. And you’re going to stand there and tell us ‘she’ll find us’ like that’s acceptable and it isn’t Doctor. It isn’t. So no, we’re not going to toddle off to bed while you somehow find the means to spend the night with my daughter.” Rory finished with a glare, and the Doctor swallowed heavily.

“It’s not that I find her Rory,” he finally spoke into the thick silence, his eyes fastened on Rory – the boy who waited – but hadn’t changed one bit. Rory’d always been the one who could stand up and tell him how it was, from the moment they’d met. In retrospect, River was so like both of her parents; the Doctor had spent many hours wondering how he’d never seen it, plain as day.  “It’s that the TARDIS usually takes me to her. Sometimes I just run into her, sometimes it’s Stormcage. And I didn’t – I didn’t know.”

“But all those months, while we waited. While you were looking for Melody – how long was that for you, Doctor?” Amy finally spoke, her voice soft but strong. “How many times did you see River then? You left us at that base – you were so thrilled that she was Melody. You left me, to mourn my baby and you did it with a smile on your face. Did you know how long River had to stay with us afterward? How many times I begged and pleaded with her to just tell me what had happened? How I couldn’t quite – I mean yes, she was our daughter but she wasn’t my baby.  Do you know how many times I called you? How many ways? Where were you?” Amy brushed an angry hand across her face as she stared at him, her eyes glittering and Rory’s arm around her waist. “It’s been all – all Mels shooting the TARDIS and Hitler and suddenly she’s River, and she’s killing you and then they were hurting her and we saved her and she saved us and then you – it’s been insane. But don’t you for one second think that I have forgotten those three months, mourning the loss of a child I didn’t even know about. But you did.” She sniffled as she glared and he felt his hearts sink lower and lower, the weight of every word sinking into him as he closed his eyes.  “Rory’s right. You see her almost every night, and tonight – we’re going with you. I need to see her. I need to hold her, for just a little bit and understand everything. We need to see her tonight, and if you think I’m going to bloody bed, you are a moron. Now come on. Let’s go – Stormcage then, yeah? Fly, Doctor.” She commanded sternly and he nodded slowly, edging past them and moving back toward the console room.

“For the record, I just thought you needed time to absorb everything properly,” he spoke in a low tone as they followed him back down the stairs.