Geronimo

Chapter Ten ~ Hey Chin Boy {The Doctor}

Jemma and I rush back into the lobby, slowing when we reach the entrance. I can feel my hands begin to shake, I fumble with my bow tie and rub my hands up and down my suspenders.

Why am I so nervous? The Ponds are my family, the people I would trust with my life. I have given myself entirely to them. I suppose I am scared of what they will think of me, I ruined their lives ... and now I am putting their only daughter in harms way. I can't seem to help myself, I am drawn to these people, and I can't seem to break away until I have completely destroy them.

I feel Jemma take my arm, and turn me so that I am facing her.

"Hey, it's going to be okay," she says.

"But what if they don't want to see me?"

"Doctor, they love you ... they forgave you, they know that none of this was your fault." I give a weak smiles and a small laugh.

"Look at me, the last of the Time Lords, scared of a scottish girl."

"I don't blame you," she says with a giggle. I smile and take a step forward, she nods as we dive into the throng.

We wander around for quite some time, until I finally spot them out of the corner of my eye. I smile as I see a young boy clutching Amy's hand; he has golden hair, green eyes, and a face full of freckles. He is a spitting image of his older sister.

Rory stands protectively behind Amy with his hands on her shoulder, her head rests on his hands. They don't look a day older, then again, I can't see age ... I see them for who they truly are.

I slowly reach up and take Jemma's waist, pulling her back to the wall.

"I'll go first, just so that they don't freak out or anything," she says as I nod. I lean down and kiss her on the cheek.

"Doctor," she says. "If you're going to kiss me, you better make it a good one." I smile as I place my hand behind her head and pull her into a light kiss. As she gets closer to me, I place my hands around her waist, and lift her slightly off the ground.

"Get a room," I hear someone say as they walk past, I never imagined anyone would ever be saying that to me. We pull apart and I sheepishly run my hand through my hair.

"Good luck," I say as she slowly walks over to her parents. I anxiety rub my hands together, and walk over to stand behind a statue, roughly 10 yards from the Ponds. I can just pick up their conversations.

Amy and Rory embrace Jemma, and her brother, Colin, clings to her leg. I can hear them asking how she is, how school is going, and, finally, about her supposed "boyfriend." I can see her self consciously glance over at me, I slink back further against the wall.

"Well," she begins. "There is something I should probably tell you..."

"He's not real is he?" Amy says, I can't help but laugh, she really must have meant it when she said that she has never been comfortable around boys.

"NO, no... he's definitely real," she said as Rory glances at her suspiciously. "It's just, it's just, who he is. You know him, he, my boyfriend ... he's dating - I'm dating -." She is cut short as a professor walks up and pats Jemma on the back. He appears to be only a little older than Jemma, and I can't help but tense up as he touches her so openly. He takes a step back.

"Jemma," he begins. I can hear his voice begins to waiver. "I'm sorry, I'm so, so sorry." He extends his right arm out towards the Ponds, and I instantly break out into a full run.

His fingers drop down, separating from the palm of his hand, revealing a metal gun hidden in his flesh. Tears stream down his face, it is clear that he can't control it. I scream as I feel time slow down and see the gun erupt in a puff of smoke.

The crowd breaks, screaming towards the door.

Splitting around a silent, unmoving family.

Like a fish swimming upstream I break through the crowd and press my sonic up against the plastic's head, debilitating it, he collapses on the ground and disintegrates into a small pile of dust.

I then step over to the Ponds. I cautiously place my hand on Amy's shoulder.

"Raggedy man," she says as she wraps me in a deep hug, her tears soak through my jacket. "I knew you would be back."

I let out a small, half hearted laugh as I clap Rory on the back. I crouch down next to them and take a quick glance at the bodies laying on the ground.

Oh God, not Jemma, please not Jemma.

She lays next to her brother, I reach out to touch his forehead, and scan him with the sonic. I inhale and shed a tear as I reach up and close his eyes, positioning his arms so that they lay peacefully across his chest.

"Is he -," Rory begins, I nod. Amy lets out a scream and falls into Rory's open arms. I slowly shift over and take Jemma's hand.

She looks so beautiful, so peaceful. Sobs rattle my body as I collapse down onto her, placing my head on her chest. I saw this coming ... I could have prevented it.

"Don't be gone," I whisper. "I need you ... I love you." As if in response I hear something, a sound, a sign of hope.

A faint heartbeat.

"Oi, brilliant!" I exclaim as I jump up, rubbing my hands together. "I just can't rid of you, can I?" As I circle her, I can feel heat begin to spread throughout my entire body. I turn to Amy and place my hand on her shoulder, she wipes her eyes as she focuses in on me.

"She'll be okay," I begin. "But ... if this does not work, tell her ... just tell her ... just tell her I ... well," I smile. "She knows." With that I place both of my steaming, fiery hands over her heart. I lean down and kiss her, placing my hand behind her head and lifting her ever so slightly off of the ground, spilling all of my regeneration energy into her.

When I pull away, I fear that something went wrong; my body is failing and my companion is gone. I collapse onto the ground and clutch my hearts, placing my head between my knees; I am not going to last much longer. I suddenly feel a small hand on my chin.

"Hey Chin Boy," she says softly.

"Jemma," I exhale as I forget my pain and pull her in close to me, I feel my entire body begin to shake.

"What's wrong," she asks.

"TARDIS, now ..."