Prologue: Lost Memories

The Doctor returned inside the TARDIS with reddened eyes; he had been crying for what felt like endless hours since reading Amy's letter in the afterword of the Melody Malone novel. He was not certain whether or not if he would ever be the same again after losing Amy and Rory to time…no, not time…it was those damned Weeping Angels that had done the dirty work. They were no better than the Daleks or the Master. Just like before, his worst enemies have taken the people he had loved the most away from his life. Just like before, he was left to travel alone…at least until the moment River had to leave him to continue her career as a professor of archaeology.

She was still there when the Doctor returned, smiling his way as she stood by the TARDIS controls. "Ready for takeoff?" she asked him once he shut the police box door behind him.

"Yes." He quickly answered. He wanted to be gone from New York as suddenly as possible. He wanted to even change his wardrobe as soon as possible. Too many memories of the Ponds were in the tweed jacket, the braces, and perhaps even the bowtie. No…never get rid of the bowtie, he convinced himself in thought. He stroked it gently, recalling how Amy always wanted him to get rid of it despite of how "cool" he thought it was.

The sudden tremor that came from their takeoff snapped him out of his trance. They were finally out of New York and traveling within the reaches of space, much to his faint delight. He knew there was much to be done before he was off seeing the stars with River again. As much as the thought of it pained him, the Doctor knew that he had to go back and see Brian – to tell him that he could not keep his promise in protecting his son and daughter-in-law. If he did not return anytime soon, he would have surely known that something had happened. But what if he already did? Would there be any sense in going back to tell him if he already knew?

"Doctor?"

Again, River snapped him out of his trance, her voice carrying some concern. She had been concerned for him for hours with very good reason. He looked up to her and saw that smile she greeted him with upon his return had disappeared. Something was wrong. "What is it?"

River was clearly all business at the moment. "Before we even think about going anyplace in anytime, there's one place in one time that you must return to." She paused for a long moment, waiting for him to say it himself; however, he merely looked at her in genuine confusion. "Oh, you poor thing. You're so distraught that you've forgotten completely."

"Forgotten what?"

"Storybrooke. We still have unfinished business there. Many people are counting on you to help them. Emma is going to need if she's…" She stopped as soon as she realized that he was looking at her with even more perplexity. "Doctor, what's wrong? You remember Storybrooke, don't you? We met in the fairy tale world that it used to have been before it was cursed."

The Doctor stood stiff for a while and shook his head slowly. "River…I have been to many places in my years of traveling in the TARDIS…but I have never been to a place called Storybrooke."

River felt her body grow cold. "Oh, god. Please tell you are joking."

"Is this another thing that we haven't done yet? Because this would be a good time to yell 'Spoilers' to me."

She rushed over to him, gazing deeply into his eyes. "Doctor, listen to me. I don't know if this is a result of what happened to your effects from the curse, but you must remember! There is a little boy – his name is Henry – and he believes in you! You've shown him the TARDIS, you read his book, and you wanted to help him before the curse overtook you like everyone else there! How can your brilliant and vast mind have forgotten all of that?"

The Doctor appeared a little disappointed in himself for losing memories of what sounded like a great adventure. It made him curious enough to ask, "Were Amy and Rory there with me?"

River gallingly chuckled. "Yes, Doctor. They were. Henry brought them there to help you remember…to help him break the curse. But your mind – your cursed human mind – was too ignorant to see the truth. For god's sakes, you nearly married Red Riding Hood!" That one detail was literally an eye-opener for the Doctor. "We have to get you back there." River rushed back to the TARDIS controls. "By now, the curse has been broken, but the people there have not returned to their fairy tale lives. They'll need your help to…"

VWOORMP! BOOM!

An enormous tremor knocked River off her feet before she could even reach the controls. It was as if the TARDIS had lurched to one side and over to another, creating the sensation of being inside a giant salt shaker. As soon as she got back to her feet and composed herself, River looked back to where the Doctor stood to see if he was alright; much to her immediate surprise, she discovered him to be nowhere in sight.

"Doctor? Doctor! DOCTOR!"

After a few more shouts, she found herself to be only crying out to empty space.