Major spoilers for Cold Blood. The whole fic is based around a huge thing that happens in the episode. Yeah, you can tell which one right now, can't you...

Answering the Question

The Doctor slowly let himself into the TARDIS, now confused as well as rather down after the day's events. He covered the piece of shrapnel (he refused to call it a piece of the TARDIS) back in the cloth and buried it in his pocket.

Sighing, he got the TARDIS into the vortex and sat heavily down in his chair, staring at the monitor, watching as Amy's reflection came closer to him, a grin on her face.

She didn't remember and right then he didn't know what upset him the most: Rory's death, his body being taken by the crack, or Amy having forgotten Rory after he had tried so hard to get her to keep her memories of him intact.

"Come on, we're alone now, what's got you so down? You're all quiet," Amy said, now beside him, still grinning.

He shook his head. "It wouldn't interest you. Not anymore..."

Frowning, she refused to back down. Typical of the girl, really. "Come on, Doctor. You don't know that for sure. Now, tell me. What's got you like this?"

He didn't hold back the sigh that passed through his lips. "A friend of mine died today. A good friend, a close friend. Someone I could depend on."

Surprise flitted across Amy's face, before she frowned. "But...the only ones to die were Silurians. Was it the scientist one? He tried to cut me open to see how I worked so you know. While I was awake, may I add."

Shaking his head, he managed to grin and let out a huff of what was supposed to be laughter. "No, not a Silurian. He was human, like you. His name was Rory. Rory Williams. And he was a magnificent human being. He was so normal, and domestic and lovely. He died saving me."

Amy's frown got more pronounced as she thought of that for a bit. Please, let her remember now, he thought to himself. Let her see that she knew Rory too, that she loved him. Was going to marry him. He fingered the engagement ring that was still in his pocket, wondering why it still existed.

"I think I knew a Rory once. A childhood friend. Can't remember anything else about him, only that he was nice and put up with my Raggedy Doctor phase. Still, he must have moved when I was still young, cause I only remember the name."

Sighing again, he nodded. That hadn't worked too well, and he couldn't give Amy the ring, in case she got the wrong idea. "An enemy took a shot at me with her last breath. The shot was true. If Rory hadn't jumped in the way, I would have been the one to have been shot. He died to save my life. And he was the most ordinary human ever. He was a good man, Rory. I miss him."

To his surprise, Amy hugged him and sighed in his ear. "Well, I'm sorry to hear about your friend dying. But what do you mean by saying today. Or, do you mean this date and you've been here before. That's got to be it."

He closed his eyes and swallowed heavily. She wouldn't remember even if he did tell her it happened right with her there, screaming at him to save Rory. To do something, to save his body from being taken by the crack at the least. To save his memory.

He hadn't been able to do that for her. And now...now she sat here, comforting him, while her fiancé no longer existed.

He clung to her, knowing that it would be easier to tell the lie right now. If she ever did regain her memories, he still had the ring to give her, and he could tell her the truth then. "Yes, it was this date. And it was recent."

She rubbed his back then, soothing calm circles. "I'm sorry. I can't imagine how it feels to lose a friend after losing so much already. Your planet and people. Okay, I promise I won't start annoying you for being quiet anymore."

He buried his head in her neck and nodded. She had been asking him on and off why he had been quiet since they had saved the Silurian city from destruction. It was good she was finally saying she'd stop bugging him about it.

It was only when he got that confirmation that he let himself fully relax in her grip. Then he did something he hadn't done since he had regenerated.

He cried.

At least this time, he wasn't alone.