Times Will Change [6] (The Parallel Series) ✓

The Girl Who Waited - Two

As soon as they headed off the Doctor muted them in the connection and instantly turned to the Time Lady. "Stone." He whispered not actually sure what else to say. After hearing her words his hearts broke for her. He didn't actually think about it. Or at least tried to avoid it but she was right. A lot of their older companions would be dead now. Lila White was no exception to this list and apart from Rory, she was the only one the Stone could remember. There was no point in the Doctor talking to her about her own companions. They would be like ghost stories, it would be pointless and heartbreaking.

"I'm fine." She answered shaking her head at him. Her action said otherwise, he could clearly see that she was reaching out for him. Edging closer to him as slowly as possible so he wouldn't notice.

"No, you're not." The Time Lord protested." Gently he cupped her chin and forced her to look up at him. "Talk to me Stone."

"I sometimes miss her." She quietly answered. "Lilac." The Stone added seeing the confusion on his face. The Doctors expression softened in understanding. Lila was just as she put: like a daughter to the Time Lady. Knowing she was no longer alive hurt.

"I'm sorry." He murmured pulling her into a hug, kissing the top of her head.

"It's okay." She quietly replied.

"When I first came here, I had to trick the Interface into giving me the information, but I've reprogrammed it now." The voice of Amy Pond broke the short comforting silence between the Time Lords as she explained something to Rory just as they walked into the gardens. "It'll tell me anything except how to escape."

"You hacked it?" He said slightly surprised. "That's genius."

"Sorry to interrupt that beautiful moment, but temporal engines like that have a regulator valve." He cut in. "Has to be kept at a distance from the main reactor or there'd be feedback. Interface, where's the regulator?"

"The regulator valve is held within." An image of the location appeared.

"Oh." The Doctor blinked lightly frowning. "Very, very ah." He thought for a moment before nodding. "Interface, I need to run through some technical specifications. Rory, give us to Amy a minute."

"Here you go." He handed them to Amy. She gave him an unsure look before slowly putting them on

"They look ridiculous."

"That's what I told him," Rory assured Amy. "Still, anything beats a fez, eh?" They both laughed. The Stone smiled slightly. It really didn't matter how old you were, if you truly loved someone you would no matter how old they were.

Amy stared for a bit. Realisation washing over her face. "What is it?" Rory asked knowing that something was wrong.

"I think that's the first time I've laughed in thirty-six years." She admitted.

"I'll just, er, leave you three geniuses alone." He quickly nodded turning away and heading off. "I'll be back in a minute."

"There's still time, Amy." The Doctor quietly broke the small silence that had built up during Rory's departure. "There's still time to fix everything."

"No there's not." She protested. "You should just take Rory and go. I'm old and certainly way out of my time."

"Time means nothing." The Stone spoke up. Slowly shaking her head. "He still cares for you. The Doctor and I can clearly see that."

"But he's too late." She whispered. Too late because of the two of you." She sniffed. The Stones' heart dropped knowing what was happening behind the glasses.

"We can still fix it though. Everything can be corrected if you just-." The woman's head snapped to the left at the sound of her watch beeping before she took off. Instantly cutting the words coming out of the Time Lady's mouth. Curiously they watched before their eyes widened seeing a hand bot with what looked like a hole for a dart aiming at Rory. Amys sword then sliced the head off the handbot.