Home, the long way round [1]

Chapter 5 - The time of the Angels

The trio walked around in a museum, the Doctor pointed at each display. “Wrong! Wrong! Bit right, mostly wrong. I love museums.” Maddie and Amy followed behind him, both a little bored.

“Yeah, great!” Amy told him sarcastically. “Can we go to a planet now? Big space ship, Churchill's bunker? You promised us a planet.”

“Amy, this isn't any old asteroid.” The Doctor basically scolded her. “It's the Delerium Archive, final resting place of the headless monks, the biggest museum ever.” Maddie’s eyebrows lifted. ‘What?’

“You've got a time machine, why do you need museums?” Amy asked to him.

The Doctor ignored her as he pointed again. “Wrong! Very wrong! Oooh, one of mine. Also one of mine.”

“How many do you have?” Maddie asked confused.

The Doctor walked over to another box, the girls followed him. Not hearing what Maddie asked to him. “Oh, I see. It's how you keep score.” Amy finally understood it as then the Doctor walked over to another box. Amy and Maddie noticed that as they walked over to him as Amy complained. “Oh great, an old box.”

“It's from one of the old starliners.” The Doctor told to her. “A Home Box.” Maddie looked over at the box, it had interesting writing on it. Ever since she knew about her biological parents and that she was basically a half alien and half human. Half Time Lord and half Human. She wanted to know all about the Doctor’s people, her mother’s people.

“What's a Home Box?” Maddie asked to the Doctor.

“Like a black box on a plane, except it homes.” The Doctor replied to her, smiling. “Anything happens to the ship, the Home Box flies home, with all the flight data.”

Then Amy asked to him, boring, “So?”

“The writing, the graffiti. Old High Gallifreyan.” The Doctor replied to her. “The lost language of the Time Lords. There were days, there were many days, these words could burn stars and raise up empires, and topple Gods.”

“Interesting.” Maddie told him. “The language of the Time Lords, I mean.”

“What does it say?” Amy asked, still bored.

“Hello, sweetie.” The Doctor read out loud. Then the Doctor took out his sonic screwdriver and pointed it at the box and he get it out as the alarm bells are going off. “Run.” He told the girls as they started to run, towards to the TARDIS and went inside of it, slamming the door shot.

“What the hell? Why did you do this?” Maddie asked to him.

“Why are we doing this?” Amy also asked something.

“Cos someone on a space ship 12,000 years ago is trying to attract my attention.” The Doctor replied to them as he was working on it. “Let's see if we can get the security playback working.” Then it started to work, they had sound and vision. They could see a woman and a man next to each other. And a few men with guns. 

“The party's over, Doctor Song, Mister Smith, yet still you're on board.” The man said, he had no gun.

“Sorry, Alistair.” The woman told him. “I needed to see what was in your vault. Do you all know what's down there? Any of you?”

The man finished. “Because I'll tell you something. This ship won't reach its destination.”

“Wait till they run.” The man told the others. “Don't make it look like an execution.”

“Triple-seven, five, slash, three, four, nine by ten. Zero, twelve, slash, acorn.” The woman told randomly. “Oh, and I could do with an air corridor.”

“Hmm. That would be something.” The man comment.

“What was that, what did she say?” Amy asked to the Doctor.

The Doctor didn’t answer, instead Maddie answered her. “Co-ordinates!” Then the Doctor pointed to her as then he turned to work on the console.

“Like I said on the dance floor, you might want to find something to hang on to!” The woman told the men, the man chuckled as the screen went black.

Then the TARDIS wheezed and basically landed as the Doctor rushed over to the door and open it as a woman went flying in it. Both falling on the ground, the woman landed on the Doctor. Then the man landed into the TARDIS as well. Maddie was a little jealous seeing them like that as she asked. “Doctor?” As Amy crossed with her arms.

“River?” The Doctor asked to the woman, River. Then they went quickly on their feed, basically the Doctor a little faster a he felt Maddie’s jealously. He went a little red on the face, but neither of the girls noticed that.

The man waved with his hand. “Hello, I’m TJ Smith.” Maddie frowned, he reminder her of someone.

“Follow that ship.” River demanded to the Doctor.

~00~

The Doctor, TJ and River were flying the TARDIS. Then River told to the Doctor. “They've gone into warp drive, we're losing them! Stay close!”

“I'm trying!” The Doctor snapped at her. Then he pulled a few more levers, the TARDIS rocked.

“Use the stabilizers.” River ordered.

“There aren't any stabilizers!” The Doctor yelled at her.

“The blue switches!” TJ shouted, defending River.

“The blue ones don't do anything, they're just blue.” The Doctor groaned.

“Yes, they're blue. They're the blue stabilizers!” Then River stabilized the TARDIS. “See?” It was now calmer.

“Yeah, well, it's just boring now, isn't it?” Maddie laughed at the Doctors silliness. “They're boring-ers. They're blue boring-ers.” TJ chuckled.

“Doctor, how come she and TJ can fly the TARDIS?” Amy asked to the Doctor, glancing at River.

“You call that flying the TARDIS? Ha!” He shouted out the HA as then he sat on a chair.

“Okay.” River told them. “I've mapped the probability vectors, done a fold-back on the temporal isometry, charted the ship to its destination, and parked us right alongside.”

“Parked us?” The Doctor asked to her. “We haven't landed.”

“Of course we've landed. She just landed her.” TJ replied to him, he let see the screen as the Doctor stood up.

“But it didn't make the noise.” The Doctor told them, in a child’s voice.

“What noise?” TJ asked to him.

“You know, the…” The Doctor imitated the TARDIS wheezing noise.

“It's not supposed to make that noise.” River told him. “You leave the brakes on.”

“Yeah, well, it's a brilliant noise. I love that noise.” The Doctor said to her, then he glanced at Maddie. “And you, Maddie?”

“Without the noise it’s quiet here.” Maddie replied to him as he was smiling at her. TJ watched them

“Come along, Pond, Maddie, let's have a look.” The Doctor comment as he walked to the door as then River called to him.

“No, wait! Environment checks.”

“Oh, yes, sorry!” The Doctor told her. “Quite right. Environment checks. Nice out.”

“We're somewhere in the Garn Belt. There's an atmosphere. Early indications suggest…” River was interrupted.

The Doctor opened the door as he poked his head outside. “We're on Alfava Metraxis, the seventh planet of the Dundra System. Oxygen-rich atmosphere, toxins in the soft band, 11-hour day.” Again he poked his out. “And chances of rain later.”

“He thinks he's so hot when he does that.” River looked at Maddie, who blushed.

“I agree.” She said to her as River smirked to her.

TJ smirked. “Of course you agree.”

“How come you can fly the TARDIS?” Amy asked to River and TJ.

“Oh, I had lessons from the very best.” River replied to her.

“Me too.” TJ added.

“Well, yeah.” The Doctor looked smug.

“It's a shame you were busy that day.” River told him as his smugness disappeared. Then she walked to the door as she asked. “Right then, why did they land here?”

“They didn't land.” The Doctor replied to her.

“Sorry?” River looked confused.

The Doctor walked towards her. “You should've checked the Home Box.” He told her. “It crashed.” Then River opened the door as she and TJ walked out and the Doctor closed the door behind him and walked towards the console.

“Explain!” Amy demanded. “Who are they and how did River do that museum thing?”

“It's a long story and I don't know most of it.” The Doctor replied to her as he was busy with console. “Off we go!”

“What are you doing?” Maddie asked curiously.

“Leaving.” The Doctor replied to her. “They got where they wants to go, let's go where we want to go.”

“Are you basically running away?” Amy asked to him.

“Yep.” He replied to her.

“Why?”

“Cos she's my future.”

“Can you run away from that?”

“I can run away from anything I like. Time is not the boss of me.”

“Hang on, is that a planet out there?” Amy asked, excited. 

“Yes, of course it's a planet.” The Doctor replied to her.

“You promised us a planet.” Maddie told him, pointed with her finger.

“Five minutes?” Amy asked, smiling.

“OK, five minutes!” The Doctor told them as they smiled.

“Yes!” They said almost on the same time as they walked towards the door.

“But that's all, cos I'm telling you now, that woman is not dragging me into anything!” The Doctor told them, grumpily as he followed the girls outside. “Or that man!”

~00~

Not much later, they were all standing outside as they looked at the crashed ship. Then River said to them. “What caused it to crash? Not me.”

“Of course not.” TJ muttered.

“Nah, the airlock would've sealed seconds after you blew it.” The Doctor told her. “According to the Home Box, the warp engines had a phase-shift. No survivors.”

“A phase-shift would have to be sabotage.” River song the end of the sentence. “I did warn them.”

TJ sighed. “Yeah you did.”

“About what?” The Doctor asked, curious.

“Well, at least the building was empty.” River ignored the Doctor as she told the girls. “Aplan temple. Unoccupied for centuries.”

“Aren't you going to introduce us?” Amy asked as she glanced at Maddie.

“Amy Pond, Maddie Turner, Professor River Song.” The Doctor introduced them.

“Ahhh, I'm going to be a Professor someday, am I?” River glanced to the Doctor. “How exciting! Spoilers!”

“I already introduced myself.” TJ said a little rudely.

“Yeah, but who is she and how did she do that?” Amy whispered to the Doctor. “She just left you a note in a museum!” He hushed her as then he walked away a little bit, he didn’t want to leave Maddie alone with River or TJ, well Amy was also there. But that was beside the point. 

Clearly River heard her as then she answered. “Two things always guaranteed to show up in a museum. The Home Box of category four starliner and, sooner or later, him. It’s how he keeps score.” TJ chuckled.

“I know.” Amy told her.

“It's hilarious, isn't it?” River asked to the both girls.

Amy nodded as Maddie replied. “A little, yeah.”

“I'm nobody's taxi service!” The Doctor told to River. “I'm not gonna be there to catch you every time you feel like jumping out of a space ship.”

TJ looked at him. “You kinda do, really.”

“What?!” The Doctor exclaimed.

“And you are so wrong. There's one survivor.” River looked at the Doctor. “There's a thing in the belly of that ship that can't ever die. Now he's listening!” Then River walked away from then as she called someone. “You lot in orbit yet? Yeah, I saw it land. I'm at the crash site. Try and home in on my signal.” Then she looked back at the Doctor. “Doctor, can you sonic me?” He soniced her, with a grumpy face. “I need to boost the signal so we can use it as a beacon.” TJ walked over to her.

“Ooh, Doctor!” Amy teased him. “You soniced her!” Maddie gave her a look as if she wanted her to shut up.

“We have a minute. Shall we?” River walked back to them as she opened a book and she looked at the Doctor. “Where were we up to? Have we done the Bone Meadows?”

“What's the book?” Maddie asked, confused.

“Stay away from it.” The Doctor replied to her, strict.

Then Amy asked, also confused, but curious. “What is it though?”

“Her diary.” The Doctor replied to her.

“Our diary.” River also replied as she glanced at the Doctor and Maddie.

“Her past, my future.” The Doctor told the girls. “Time travel. We keep meeting in the wrong order.”

“And I’m here for the ride.” TJ added.

Suddenly there was a small tornado as then four men appeared, they are dressed in camouflage uniforms. One men walked to River. “You promised me an army, Doctor Song.”

TJ whispered to River. “They know i’m here as well, right? Cause i’m not a chopped liver.”

River nodded. “No. I promised you the equivalent of an army. This is the Doctor.” She introduced the Doctor.

“Father Octavian, Sir. Bishop, second class.” Octavian shake hands with the Doctor. “20 clerics at my command. The troops are already in the drop ship and landing shortly. Doctor Song was helping us with a covert investigation.” He glanced at River. “Has Doctor Song explained what we're dealing with?”

“Not yet.” TJ replied.

“Doctor, what do you know of the Weeping Angels?” River looked at the Doctor.

The Doctor looked at River, his face darkened as he thought about Maddie, he didn’t her in that kind of danger. Then again River looked at the both of them and asked herself. ‘How far am I this time?’

TJ saw it as well. “Oh boy.” He muttered.

~00~

It is night, Maddie, the Doctor, Amy and Octavian were standing around the table as there stood a camp now. With supplies from his and his army. “The Angel, as far as we know, is still trapped in the ship. Our mission is to get inside and neutralize it.” Octavian explained to them. “We can't get through up top, we'd be too close to the drives.” He pulled out a device. “According to this, behind the cliff face, there's a network of catacombs leading right up to the temple. We can blow through the base of the cliffs, get into the entrance chamber, and then make our way up.”

“Oh, good.” The Doctor said in a false cheerfully tone.

“Good, sir?” He asked confused.

“Catacombs, probably dark ones.” The Doctor said sarcastically. “Dark catacombs, great!”

“Technically, I think it's called a maze of the dead.” Octavian told him. Maddie’s eyes widened.

“You can stop any time you like.” The Doctor told him.

“Father Octavian?” A soldier called.

“Excuse me, sir.” Octavian told to the Doctor as he waved him off and he walked away as the Doctor examined the tools in the box instead.

“You're letting people call you "sir".” Amy told him. “You never do that.” Then she sat on the table. “So, whatever a Weeping Angel is, it's really bad, yeah?”

“Now that's interesting. You two are still here.” The Doctor looked at the girls. “Which part of "Wait in the TARDIS till I tell you it's safe" was so confusing?”

“Ooh, are you all Mr. Grumpy Face today?” Amy asked to the Doctor.

“A Weeping Angel, Amy, is the deadliest, most powerful, most malevolent life form evolution has ever produced, and one is trapped inside that wreckage and I'm supposed to climb in with a screwdriver and a torch, and assuming I survive the radiation, and the whole ship doesn't blow up in my face, do something clever which I haven't thought of yet.” The Doctor replied to her, explaining it. “That's my day, that's what I'm up to.” He looked at the both of them. “Any questions?”

“What does a Weeping Angel do to you?” Maddie asked to him.

“Sending you back in time, if they touched you and if they are strong enough to do that.” The Doctor replied to her, seriously.

“Oh.” Maddie comment, her eyes widen.

Then Amy asked to him. “Is River Song your wife?” Maddie basically face palmed. “Cos she's someone from your future, and the way she talks to you, I've never seen anyone do that. She's kinda like, you know, "Heel, boy!" She's Mrs. Doctor from the future, isn't she? Is she gonna be your wife one day?”

The Doctor signed deeply at her. “Yes. You're right.” Then he told her. “I am definitely Mr. Grumpy Face today.”

Then River called for the Doctor. “Doctor? Doctor!”

“Oops! Her indoors!” Amy teased the Doctor.

“Da- uh. Doctor!” TJ also called.

“Father Octavian!” River called also for Octavian.

Then they walked towards River and TJ, who were standing by her trailer. “Why do they call them Father?” Maddie asked to him.

“He's their Bishop, they're his clerics.” The Doctor replied to her. “It's the 51st Century, the Church has moved on.” ‘At least she have good questions. Sometimes Amy has that as well, but Maddie have that more.’ He thought about them.

~00~

They were all standing in the trailer as then River let the video from four minutes play. “What do you think? It's from the security cameras in the Byzantium vault.” She explained it to them. “I ripped it when I was on board. Sorry about the quality. Its four seconds. I've put it on loop.” TJ looked at the Angel.

“Yeah. It's an Angel. Hands covering its face.” The Doctor told them.

“You've encountered the Angels before?” Octavian asked, surprised.

“Once, on Earth, a long time ago.” The Doctor replied to him. “But those were scavengers, barely surviving.”

“It's just a statue.” Amy comment as Maddie looked at the video, eyes narrowed.

“It's a statue when you see it.” TJ replied to her.

“Where did it come from?” The Doctor asked to them.

“Oh, pulled from the ruins of Razbahan, end of last century.” River replied to him.

“It's been in private hands ever since, dormant all that time.” TJ added.

“There's a difference between dormant and patient.” The Doctor comment.

“What's that mean, it's a statue when you see it?” Amy asked, still confused.

“The Weeping Angels can only move if they're unseen.” River replied, explaining. “So legend has it.”

“No, it's not legend.” The Doctor further explained. “It's a quantum lock. In the sight of any living creature, the Angels literally cease to exist. They're just stone. The ultimate defense mechanism.”

“What, being a stone?” Amy asked.

“Being a stone until you turn your back.” The Doctor replied to her.

“So, Weeping Angels are really dangerous then?” Maddie asked to the Doctor.

“Yes, they are.” He replied to her.

~00~

The Doctor, Father Octavian, TJ and River, They had left the trailer. Only Amy and Maddie remained in the trailer. “You have totally a crush on the doctor.” Amy said teasing.

“Shut up, Amy.” Maddie said grumpy.

“What’s happened that makes you grumpy?” Amy asked, still teasing.

She sighed and stuck out her tongue at Amy. Then she told to Amy. “The Angel is make of stone.”

“Okay, not you know who?” Amy asked and she looked at her confused.

“Who?”

“Dr. River Song.”

“No, why?”

“Nothing, totally nothing.” Amy teased.

Maddie sighed again and walked to the door of the trailer, Amy followed her. “Anybody need us? Nobody?” She called around, but had no answer and they walked back to that the Angel, with had moved. “Amy, you need to look at this.” Maddie called her.

Amy looked just confused and walked to the door of the trailer. “Dr. Song? Did you have more than one clip of the Angel?” Amy called out.

“No, just the four seconds.” They heard River called out back to Amy. Maddie looked at Amy as she walked back from the door to her. She looked back at the screen and Amy did the same thing, the angel had moved again.

“What?!” Maddie asked confused as Amy picked up the remote and tried to get the screen out but it turns on and she tried it again but the screen keeping switching it on.

“You're just a recording. You can't move.” Amy whispered to the screen as she walked to remove the plug but it didn’t work. Maddie walked besides her and I tried the remove the plug, but again didn’t work.

“Amy, if we tried together to remove the plug, maybe it will work.” She said as then they tried it together to remove to plug, but it didn’t work again. Then Amy looked at the screen and gasped, Maddie looked why.

The Angel had moved again. Maddie pulled Amy back and Amy shouted. “Doctor!” Amy tried to open the door, but the door was stuck.

Then Maddie tried it. “Nope, it doesn’t work.” She mumbled as then she looked at the Angel and gripped Amy arm as she looked now at the Angel too.

“Doctor!” Amy called again as the Angel snared at them.

“Doctor!” Maddie shouted hard.

“Doctor! It's in the room!” Amy shouted.

“Doctor!” Maddie shouted again, in fear as then she picked up the keypad to try to get the door open.

Amy and Maddie looked at the Angel again and it’s now coming out the screen. “Doctor!” Amy shouted looking at the angel.

“Amy! Maddie! Are you all right? What's happening?” They heard the Doctor calling.

“Doctor! Doctor, it's coming out of the television. The Angel is here.”

“Don't take your eyes off it! It can't move if you're looking.”

“Don’t blink. Don't even blink, Amy! Maddie! Don’t even blink.” They heard the Doctor say.

“Doctor! Help us!” Amy called.

“Amy! Can you turn it off?”

“The screen, can you turn it off?”

“We tried that.” Maddie called.

“Try again but don't take your eyes off the Angel.”

“I'm not!” Amy said as she tried to pick up the remote.

“Each time it moves, it'll move faster. Don't even blink.”

“I'm not blinking! Have you ever tried not blinking?” Eventually she had the remote and tried to the screen off but it switched on again. “It just keeps switching back on!”

“Yeah, it's the Angel.”

“But it's just a recording.” Maddie called.

“No, anything that takes the image of an Angel is an Angel.”

“Doctor! What's it gonna do to us?” Amy asked.

“Just keep looking at it. Don't stop looking!”

“Just tell me. Just tell me. Tell me!” Amy demanded scared.

“Amy, Maddie, not the eyes. Look anywhere but don't look at the eyes.”

“Why? What is it?” Maddie asked.

“The eyes are not the windows of the soul, they are the doors. Beware what may enter there.”

“Doctor, what did you say?” Amy asked.

“Don't look at the eyes!”

“No, about images, what did you say about images?” Amy asked.

“Whatever holds the image of an angel, is an angel.” They heard River say.

“Okay….” Amy held the remote. “Hold this. One, two, three, four.” She pushed the remote and they heard the door go’s open and the Doctor, TJ and River rushed inside of the transport.

“I froze it!” Amy said happily. “There was a sort of blip on the tape and I froze it on the blip.” The Doctor walked to the screen and pulled out the plug. “It wasn't the image of an angel any more. That was good, yeah? It was, wasn't it? That was pretty good.”

“That was amazing!” River congratulated her.

“River, hug Amy and Maddie.”

“Why?” Maddie asked, confused.

“Cos I'm busy.”

“We are fine.” Maddie told to the Doctor.

“You're brilliant!” River said as she pulled Amy and Maddie into a hug.

“You are brilliant.” TJ added.

“Thanks. Yeah. I kind of creamed it, didn't I?” Amy said as they pulled away.

“So it was here? That was the Angel?” TJ asked to the Doctor.

“That was a projection of the Angel. It's reaching out, getting a good look at us. It's no longer dormant.” Then after the Doctor said that, they heard an explosion that make them all jump. The Doctor walked to the door of the transport and peeked his head out.

“We're through!” They heard Octavian say.

“OK. Now it starts.” The Doctor said to them as he walked away, out the trailer.

“Coming?” River asked.

“Yeah, coming. There's just something in my eye.” Amy replied.

“Yeah, in my eye too.” Maddie also replied, she rubbed into her eye. Then as if she felt a headache coming from nowhere. TJ watched on worried.

~00~

They had all climbed down as they swished their torches on, then they were looking around as the Doctor asked to Octavian. “Do we have a gravity globe?”

Octavian nodded as then he ordered to one of his clerics. “Grav globe.” Then one of them gave it to the Doctor.

“Where are we?” Amy asked. “What is this?”

“It's an Aplan mortarium. Sometimes called a maze of the dead.” River replied to her.

Maddie make a face. “Don’t want to live around here, its creepy.”

“And what's that?” Amy asked to River, clearly didn’t heard what Maddie said.

“Well, if you happen to be a creature of living stone.” The Doctor replied to her as then he kicked the gravity globe, it was high in the air as it lit up all around them. They saw statues. “The perfect hiding place.”

“I guess this makes it a bit trickier.” Octavian comment.

“A bit, yeah.” The Doctor agreed sarcastically.

“Really? I hadn’t noticed.” TJ added.

“A stone angel on the loose amongst stone statues.” Octavian told them as he stared at one of the statues. “Harder than I'd prayed for.”

“Creepy.” Maddie muttered, a little scared.

“A needle in a haystack.” River comment.

“A needle that looks like hay. A hay-like needle.” The Doctor rambled about. “Of death. A hay-alike needle of death in a haystack of, er, statues.” Then he looked at River. “No, yours was fine.” TJ chuckled.

“Right.” Octavian comment as then he looked at his men and he ordered them. “Check every single statue in this chamber. You know what you're looking for. Complete visual inspection.” Then he looked at the Doctor. “One question, how do we fight it?”

“We find it, and hope.” The Doctor replied to him as then he grabbed Maddie her hand, causing her to follow him, Amy followed quickly, And River too, TJ also, after Octavian’s pause.

They were walked around, shining with their torches carefully as then Maddie stopped walking, forcing the Doctor also to stop. Then she got a little headache as the Doctor could feel a little of her pain and asked. “What is wrong, Maddie?”

“My head hurts.” Maddie replied, in pain.

“Have you looked at the Angels eyes?” The Doctor asked to her.

“Yes, but just second or something.” Maddie replied to him, still in a pain.

The Doctor looked at her. “Your brain is fighting it off, because you are also half Time Lord. That’s why it your head hurts.”

“Is there something that, it doesn’t hurt anymore?” Maddie asked to him.

“Yes, but I need it to put it there.” The Doctor replied as she just looked confused. “I will put my hands on your head, making the Angel dormant for a little while.”

“Please, do that.” Maddie told to him.

Then the Doctor put his hands on her head, making the Angel dormant, like putting a cage around for a little while, so it can’t escape and hurt her anymore. Then he was done and looked at Maddie. “How’s your head now?”

“Much better, thank you, Doctor.” Maddie replied to him, smiling. Then she kissed him on his cheek, making the Doctor blush.

“Y… Your welcome, Maddie.” The Doctor told her.

Then River came to Amy, saw her confused face. “You all right?” She asked to her. TJ followed her.

“Yeah, I'm fine.” Amy basically waved it off as she asked. “So, what's a maze of the dead?”

“Oh, it's not as bad as it sounds. It's just a labyrinth with dead people buried in the walls. Okay, that was fairly bad.” River replied to her as then she said to her. “Right give me your arm.” Amy was holding her arm out, River rolled her sleeve up as she let see the needle. “This won't hurt a bit.” She put the needle into her arm.

“Ow!” Amy exclaimed as it hurt.

“There, you see. I lied.” River explained it to Amy. “It's a viro-stabilizer. Stabilizes your metabolism against radiation, drive burn, anything. You're going to need it when we get up to that ship.”

“Do I need that too?” Maddie called over to River.

Instead the Doctor replied to her. “No, you don’t need it. You are a Time Lord, your system is different than humans.”

“But you forget that I’m also human, Doctor.” Maddie told him.

“I know.” The Doctor told her, smiling.

“As the Doctor said, you don’t need it.” TJ added.

Then Amy asked to River. “So what's he like? In the future, I mean. Cos you know him in the future, don't you?”

“The Doctor?” River replied. “Well, the Doctor's the Doctor.”

“Oh, well that's very helpful.” Amy said sarcastically. “Mind if I write that down?” TJ chuckled.

“Yes, we are.” River told to the Doctor, he had a device in his hands.

The Doctor looked that her, confused. “Sorry, what?”

“Talking about you.” River told him.

“I wasn't listening, I'm busy.” The Doctor countered.

“Ah.” River mocked.

“The other way up, Doctor.” Maddie looked at the Doctor as he turned the device, blushing.

The Doctor looked sheepishly. “Yeah.”

“You're so his wife.” Amy told to River. Maddie clearly heard it as she frowned at them.

“Oh, Amy, Amy, Amy!” River looked at her. “This is the Doctor we're talking about. Do you really think it could be anything that simple?”

“Yep.” Amy replied to her.

“You're good, but I’m not his wife, it is the one who is the closed to him.” River decided to her. “Not only that, they are soulmates.” Then River glanced at Maddie and the Doctor as Amy looked confused. “In human terms, but for Time lord is it only deeper, they are like waved into each other, I mean their souls.” Amy just looked for confused. “We will just leave at the soulmates.” River sighed at her.

TJ looked at them. “Yeah, lets do that.”

Just then they heard a gunfire as they looked at each other, alarmed. Then they rushed over to the others, they saw one on his men explaining what just happened. “Sorry. Sorry, I thought I thought it looked at me.”

“We know what the Angel looks like.” Octavian scolded. “Is that the Angel?”

“No, sir.” He replied ashamed.

“No, sir, it is not!” He further scolded him. “According to the Doctor, we are facing an enemy of unknowable power and infinite evil. So it would be good, it would be very good, if we could all remain calm in the presence of decor.”

Then the Doctor cut in. “What's your name?”

“Bob, sir.” Bob replied to him.

“Ah, that's a great name.” The Doctor walked towards them. “I love Bob.” TJ walked over as well.

“It's a Sacred Name.” Octavian explained. “We all have Sacred Names, they're given to us in the service of the Church.”

“Sacred Bob.” The Doctor teased. “More like Scared Bob now, eh?”

“Yes, sir.” Bob replied to him.

“Ah, good. Scared keeps you fast.” The Doctor reassured him. “Anyone in this room who isn't scared is a moron. Carry on.” Then he walked back to the others and he grabbed Maddie’s hand.

“We'll be moving into the maze in two minutes.” Octavian told them as then he looked at Bob. “You stay with Christian and Angelo. Guard the approach.”

~00~

They walked further as Amy asked. “Isn't there a chance this lot's just gonna collapse? There's a whole ship up there.”

“Incredible builders, the Aplans.” River replied to her.

“Hmmm-mmm.” TJ hummed.

“Had dinner with their chief architect once.” The Doctor comment cheerily. “Two heads are better than one.” Maddie laughed at that.

“You mean you helped him?” Amy asked confused.

“No, I mean he had two heads.” The Doctor replied to her as then he looked at River. “That book. The very end, what did it say?”

“Hang on.” River replied to him as she pulled the book out.

“Read it to me.” The Doctor told her.

“What if we had ideas that could think for themselves? What if one day our dreams no longer needed us?” River read out of the book. “When these things occur and are held to be true, the time will be upon us. The time of Angels.”

They climbed higher and higher as then Octavian and few of his men joined him as they joined the Doctor and the others. Then Amy complained. “Are we there yet? It's a hell of a climb.”

“The maze is on six levels representing the ascent of the soul.” River replied to her as they walked. “Only two levels to go.”

“Lovely species, the Aplans.” The Doctor piped up. “We should visit them some time.”

Maddie felt as if she was watched as she looked around, but nobody but the statues were there as then Amy asked confused. “I thought they were all dead?”

TJ noticed Maddie looking around. “Somehow, I’m glad that my little sister isn’t here.” He muttered.

“So's Virginia Woolf. I'm on her bowling team.” The Doctor rambled. “Very relaxed, sort of cheerful. That's having two heads. You're never short of a snog with an extra head.” Maddie stuck out her tongue, the thought with someone with two heads. Maddie shuddered.

Then River said to the Doctor, feeling watched. “Doctor, there's something. I don't know what it is.”

“I noticed that too.” Maddie told her.

“Me too.” TJ added. “Someone watching.” 

“Yeah, something wrong.” The Doctor looked at Maddie, then at TJ. He frowned. “Don't know what it is yet either, working on it. Then they had laws against self-marrying and what was that about?” Then he looked at Octavian. “But that's the church for you. Erm, no offence, Bishop.”

“Quite a lot taken, if that's all right, Doctor.” Octavian told them. “Lowest point in the wreckage is only about 50 feet up from here. That way.”

“Church had a point, if you think about it. The divorces must have been messy.” Amy comment as they were walking.

Then the Doctor suddenly stopped as he looked at a statue. “Oh!”

“What's wrong?” Amy asked confused.

“Oh no!.” TJ breathed out.

“Oh.” River and Maddie comment almost in unison, they were all freaking Angels!!! The statues!!!

“Exactly.” The Doctor looked over at them.

“How could we not notice that?” River looked between the Doctor, TJ and Maddie.

“Low level perception filter, or maybe we're thick.” The Doctor told then all.

“Maybe.” TJ comment. 

“What's wrong, sir?” Octavian asked to him, not following what just happened.

“Nobody move.” The Doctor saw that River wanted to move as he held up his hand. “Everyone stay exactly where they are. Bishop, I am truly sorry. I've made a mistake and we are all in danger.” Maddie stiffed and looked at the Doctor, afraid. TJ looked at them.

“What danger?” Octavian demanded nervously.

“The Aplans.” River replied to him.

“The Aplans?” Octavian repeated confused.

“They've got two heads.” Maddie replied to him, still afraid. She just wanted to go to the Doctor, who was standing a little further away from her. TJ noticed that, he sighed.

“I get that.” Octavian asked, still confused. “So?”

“So why don't the statues?” The Doctor replied darkly as then he ordered to them all. “Everyone, over there. Just move, don't ask questions, don't speak.” They moved over to him. “Okay. I want you all to switch off your torches.”

“Sir?” Octavian asked as he and his men hesitated.

“Just do it.” The Doctor replied as they swished it off as then he told them. “Okay. I'm going to turn off this one too, just for a moment.”

“Are you sure about this?” River asked to him.

“No.” The Doctor replied as then he swished it off and then he turned the torch on as the Statues had moved.

“Oh, my God!” Amy exclaimed. “They've moved.” The Doctor rushed forwards to get a better look.

“They're Angels.” He told to them all. “All of them!”

“But they can't be.” River said, disbelieving.

“Clerics, keep watching them.” The Doctor told them as he runs further back as the girls followed him. “Every statue in this maze, every single one, is a Weeping Angel.” Then he said to them. “They're coming after us.”

“Hmm.” TJ sighed.

~00~

“There was only one Angel on the ship.” River told them. “Just the one, I swear.”

TJ looked at her. “Its okay, I belief you.”

“Could they have been here already?” Amy asked confused.

Then the Doctor asked to them. “The Aplans, how did they die out?”

“Nobody knows.” River replied to him.

“We know.” Maddie muttered as she stood next to the Doctor.

“Now we know.” TJ comment.

“They don't look like Angels.” Octavian comment.

“Obviously.” Maddie comment to him.

“Not yet.” TJ added.

“And they're not fast.” Amy told to the Doctor. “You said they were fast. They should have had us by now.”

“They're dying. Losing their form.” The Doctor told them, thinking out loud. “They've been here for centuries, starving.”

“Losing their image.” Maddie also thinking.

“And their image is their power.” The Doctor told them as then it clicked, both him and Maddie.

“Oh!” She exclaimed. “I understand.”

“Power.” The Doctor exclaimed. “Power!”

“Doctor?” Amy asked to him.

As River asked to Maddie. “Mads?”

TJ looked at Maddie. “Mo- Maddie?”

“Don't you see?” The Doctor started explaining. “All that radiation spilling out, the drive burn. The crash wasn't an accident.”

“It was a rescue mission, for the Angels.” Maddie finished, the Doctor looked with proud at her. “We're in the middle of an army and it's waking up.”

“We need to get out of here fast.” River stated.

“I agree!” TJ added.

Then Octavian immediately called on his com. “Bob, Angelo, Christian, come in, please. Any of you, come in!”

“It's Bob, sir. Sorry, sir.” Bob replied immediately.

“Bob, are Angelo and Christian with you?” Octavian told to him. “All the statues are active. I repeat, all the statues are active!”

“I know, sir.” Bob said to him. “Angelo and Christian are dead, sir.” They all looked sadly. “The statues killed them, sir.”

Then the Doctor grabbed the com as he asked to him. “Bob, Sacred Bob, it's me, the Doctor. Where are you now?”

“I'm talking to my…” Octavian tried to say as the Doctor interrupted. “Yeah, yeah, yeah, shut up!”

“I'm on my way up to you, sir, I'm homing on your signal.” Bob replied to him.

“Well done, Bob.” The Doctor spoke quickly. “Scared keeps you fast, told you. Your friends, Bob, what did the Angel do to them?”

“Snapped their necks, sir.” Bob replied as Maddie found him sounding like a robot of sorts.

“That's odd.” The Doctor glanced at Maddie. “That's not how the Angels kill you, they displace you in time. Unless they needed the bodies for something.”

Octavian grabbed his com back. “Bob, did you check their data packs for vital signs? We may be able to initiate a rescue plan.”

“Don't be an idiot!” The Doctor snatched the com back. “The Angels don't leave you alive!” He told to Bob. “Bob, keep running, but tell me, how did you escape?”

“I didn't escape, sir.” Bob replied to him. “The Angel killed me, too.”

“What do you mean the Angel killed you?” The Doctor asked to him, confused.

“Snapped my neck, sir.” ‘Bob’ replied to him. “Wasn't as painless as I expected but it was pretty quick, so that was something.”

“If you're dead, how can I be talking to you?” The Doctor asked to him.

“You're not talking to me, sir. The Angel has no voice.” ‘Bob’ explained it. “It stripped my cerebral cortex and re-animated a version of my consciousness to communicate with you. Sorry about the confusion.”

“So when you say you're on your way up…” The Doctor trailed off. 

“It's the Angel that's coming, sir, yes.” ‘Bob’ told him.

“No way out.” The Doctor snapped at he shut the com off.

“Then we get out through the wreckage.” Octavian told them.

“Go, go, go.” The Doctor urged them all. “All of you run!”

“Doctor?” Amy asked.

“Yes, I'm coming, just go, go, go!” They all run away from there, Maddie remained by the Doctor as he told to Octavian. “Called you an idiot. Sorry, but there's no way we could have rescued your men.”

“I know that, sir.” Octavian told to the Doctor. “And when you've flown away in your little blue box, I'll explain that to their families.” Then he rushed to the others.

“Angel Bob, which Angel am I talking to?” The Doctor asked over the com. “The one from the ship?”

“Yes, sir.” ‘Bob’ replied to him. “The other Angels are still restoring.”

“Ah, so the Angel is not in the wreckage. Thank you.” The Doctor told him as he shut the com off again, then he looked at Maddie. “You were brilliant, putting up with me.” She blushed. “You are clever, Maddie.”

“Thanks, Doctor.” Maddie told him honestly. Then he grabbed her hand and started to run.

~00~

“Don't wait for us, go, run.” The Doctor told her as they rushed past her.

“I can't!” They stopped in their tracks as they rushed back to Amy. “No, really I can't.”

“Why not?” Maddie asked, confused.

“Look at it.” Amy replied to them as they looked at her hand, it was perfectly normal hand. “Look at my hand. It's stone!”

“You looked into the eyes of an Angel, didn't you?” The Doctor asked, looking at her.

“I couldn't stop myself.” Amy replied to him, sadly. “I tried.”

“I did it too, looking into the eyes of the Angel.” Maddie told her, Amy looked shocked at her.

Then the Doctor told her. “Listen. It's messing with your head. Your hand is not made of stone.”

“It is.” Amy insisted. “Look at it!”

“It's in your mind. I promise you.” The Doctor told her, trying to convince her. “You can move that hand. You can let go.”

“I can't, Okay?” Amy told him. “I've tried and I can't. It's stone.”

Then the lights form their torches flickered. “The Angel is gonna come and it's gonna turn this light off, and then there's nothing I can do to stop it.” The Doctor told her. “So do it, concentrate, move your hand!”

“I can't.” Amy cried.

“Then we're going to die.” Maddie told her.

“You're not going to die.” Amy looked between them.

“They'll kill the lights.” The Doctor told her.

“You've got to go. Both of you.” Amy told them. “You know you have. You've got all that stuff with River and that's all got to happen. You can't die here!”

“Time can be re-written, it doesn't work like that.” The Doctor told her. “Keep your eyes on it. Don't blink.”

“Run!” Amy told them both.

“You see, I'm not going, I'm not leaving you here.” The Doctor told her.

“I’m not going anywhere either.” Maddie told her, determined.

“I don't need you to die for me, Doctor, Maddie, do I look that clingy?” Amy asked to them.

“You can move your hand, Amy.” Maddie told her.

“It's stone.” Amy told her.

“It's not stone!” The Doctor told her.

“Those people up there will die without you.” Amy told to the Doctor. “If you stay here with me, you'll have as good as killed them.”

“Amy Pond, you are magnificent.” The Doctor pipped up. “And I'm sorry.”

“It's Okay. I understand.” Amy voice creaked a little. “You two got to leave me.”

“Oh, no, we are not leaving you, never.” Maddie told her, seriously.

“I'm sorry about this.” The Doctor as then he bit into her hand. “See, not stone.” Amy cried out in pain as she looked at her hand. “Now run!”

“You bit me!” Amy exclaimed.

“Yep and you're alive.” The Doctor countered.

“I've got a mark! Look at my hand!” Amy exclaimed as Maddie laughed.

“Yeah, and you're alive, did I mention?” The Doctor shined with his torch at the Angels.

“Blimey, your teeth! Have you got space teeth?” Amy rambled as Maddie still laughed.

“Alive.” The Doctor told her. “All I'm saying.” Then Maddie finally stopped laughing. Then they rushed to the others.

~00~

They made into the tunnels as they could the others talking. “Sir, my torch keeps flickering.”

“They all do. So does the gravity globe.”

“Clerics, we're down to four men.” They were under the Byzantium. “Expect incoming.”

“Yeah, it's the Angels.” The Doctor rushed into the group with Amy and Maddie. “They're coming. And they're draining the power for themselves.”

“Which means we won't be able to see them.” Octavian pointed out.

“Which means we can't stay here.” The Doctor corrected.

The torched and the gravity globe were flickering rapidly. One of the clerics called. “There are more incoming!”

“Any suggestions?” River asked as she looked at the Doctor and Maddie. TJ looked at them.

“The statues are advancing on all sides and we don't have the climbing equipment to reach the Byzantium.” Octavian reported.

“There's no way up, no way back, no way out. No pressure, but this is usually when you have a really good idea.” River added, looking at the Doctor.

“There's always a way out.” The Doctor said, then he repeated. “There's always a way out.”

“There is.” TJ muttered.

Just then ‘Bob’ called over the com. “Doctor? Can I speak to the Doctor, please?”

“Hello, Angels.” The Doctor asked to them. “What's your problem?”

“Your power will not last much longer, and the Angels will be with you shortly.” ‘Bob’ replied to him. “Sorry, sir.”

“Why are you telling me this?” The Doctor asked to the Angel.

“There's something the Angels are very keen you should know before the end.”

“Which is?”

“I died in fear.”

“I'm sorry?”

“You told me my fear would keep me alive but I died afraid, in pain and alone. You made me trust you, and when it mattered, you let me down.”

“What are they doing?” Amy asked to River and TJ.

“They're trying to make him angry.” River replied to her.

“I'm sorry, sir. The Angels were very keen for you to know that.” ‘Bob’ finished talking.

“Well then, the Angels have made their second mistake because I'm not going to let that pass.” The Doctor told to ‘Bob.’ “I'm sorry you're dead, Bob, but I swear to whatever is left of you, they will be sorrier.”

“But you're trapped, sir, and about to die.” Bob told to him, in a confused tone.

“Yeah. I'm trapped.” The Doctor looked around. “Speaking of traps, this trap has got a great big mistake in it. A great big, whopping mistake!”

“What mistake, sir?” ‘Bob’ asked.

The Doctor ignored him as he turned to Maddie. “Trust me.”

“I always will, Doctor.” Maddison told him, smiling.

“Trust me.” Then he looked at Amy.

“Yeah.” Amy replied to him, also smiling.

“Trust me?” Then he asked to River.

“Always.” River replied to him.

Then he looked at TJ. “Trust me?”

“Always.” TJ replied.

Then the Doctor looked at Octavian. “You lot trust me?”

“Sir, two more incoming!” One of the clerics said.

“We have faith, sir.” Octavian looked at the Doctor.

The Doctor clasped in his hands as then he pointed at Octavian’s gun. “Then give me your gun.” Octavian gave his gun to the Doctor, then he began explaining. “I'm about to do something incredibly stupid and dangerous. When I do jump.”

“Jump where?” Octavian asked as he looked around.

“Just jump, high as you can.” The Doctor replied to him. “Come on, leap of faith, Bishop. On my signal.”

“What signal?” Octavian asked to him.

“You won't miss it.” The Doctor replied to him.

Just ‘Bob’ asked over the com. “Sorry, can I ask again? You mentioned a mistake?”

The Doctor aimed at the gravity-glove. “Oh, big mistake. Huge.” Then he told to ‘Bob’. “There's one thing you never put in a trap, if you're smart, if you value your continued existence, if you have any plans about seeing tomorrow, there is one thing you never, ever put in a trap.”

“And what would that be, sir?” ‘Bob’ asked.

“Me!” The Doctor replied as then he shot at the gravity-glove and they world went black.