Chapter 20

The sun burned a beautiful golden yellow in the sky, Amy had forgotten it could shine so bright and give so much warmth, the sight of it was also a comfort that the Master wouldn't be coming back any time soon.

It was the day after the Doctor had encountered the Master and then watched him run into the night and disappear once more. The Autons were still lying motionless in the streets where they fell after the Doctor had successfully shut down the satellite, but the whole City didn't seemed to have lost its shadows and secrets. The world was no longer hiding this part of London away in the dark and Amy began to notice certain things for the first time; a blossoming tree on the corner of a street, the blue sky and even a bird sitting upon a roof top singing.

Amy, Mr Wells and the Doctor were standing outside the TARDIS, soaking up the warmth and the bird's hopeful singing for the new day before they left and said their goodbyes.

"I knew you weren't the type of people who would stay in one place for long." Mr Wells admitted, he couldn't hide the sadness in his voice. "Do you have to leave so soon?"

"Afraid so," the Doctor replied, tapping the side of the TARDIS happily, he was always glad to get away.

"What am I supposed to do without you?" Mr Wells asked, almost desperately. "I don't even have a job anymore, I'm all alone."

"I don't think so," the Doctor said. "You've still got all those Autons to take apart and put away, we don't want anyone trying to try and put them to use again. People will start to realise what really happened here, they will start to investigate and you'll be right here to help them, you'll be essential. People will decide that it will be safe to come back here and you can see your family again. Then you've got to help rebuild this part of London, make it a worth while place to live."

"I don't think I can do all that alone, Doctor."

"Of course you can! I never had a doubt about you and you'll soon realise the opportunities you'll have for rebuilding a new and better life, not just for you and your family, but for everyone here. You haven't got a moment to waste!" The Doctor grinned, and it was not a terrible grin that the Master would give, it was a grin that matched the sunshine and spread to the people around him.

"You're right," said Mr Wells, suddenly feeling a lot more confident about the future. "Absolutely right, I've never really thought I would be able to make a difference, but I've always wanted to change this part of London, I've got so many ideas and I want the world to see that this place is not cursed, as I thought it was for so long."

"We'll come back in a few years," the Doctor told him. "See how you're getting on, but you don't need any more help from us for now.

"We'll leave the hard stuff and the credit to you," Amy added, smiling.

Mr Wells nodded enthusiastically. "Yes, it won't be easy but I'm prepared to do. And you will come back to visit, I'll make sure of it. I may be small, but I'll help change my part of the world."

"Good luck Mr Wells," said the Doctor, grinning even more, but then he paused. "You know, I don't think I ever asked you what your first name was..." He began, and it was true, he and Amy had been so distracted by the Autons and other mysterious strangers they had never got round to asking Mr Wells what his name was.

"Arthur," said Arthur Wells with a smile.

"Arthur! Marvelous, mythical! And plenty of other 'M's I'm sure!" Cried the Doctor enthusiastically. "Well, good luck then, Arthur Wells." And he held out his hand to shake.

To Amy and the Doctor's surprise, Arthur Wells ignored the outstretched hand and pulled them both into a tight embrace. He had always felt a little afraid of the Doctor and Amy, the strangers who had emerged out of the shadows at such a dark time and seemed to awaken the monsters around him, but now he realised what a blessing they had been.

"All the best, Mr Wells," added Amy, returning the hug.

"Please, my friends call me Arthur," Arthur Wells replied as the three of them broke apart, and he knew, whether he would see them again or not, that he had made friends for life.

"Goodbye then, Arthur!" Amy said.

"And good luck!" The Doctor added as he unlocked the TARDIS door. Arthur Wells was already turning away with a final wave and rushing back up the street, muttering about how there was so much work to do and so little time, the grin never fading from his face.

After Mr Wells was little more than a speck in the distance (it was a lot easier to see more of London now that the dark clouds had gone) Amy turned back to the Doctor, and there was sadness in her eyes. She didn't want to say it, she didn't want to think it, but she had to face the consequences of her actions. After all, it was for the best.

"I suppose this is goodbye for us too." She said.

"What do you mean?" The Doctor asked, confused.

"You'll be taking me back home. I don't deserve to travel with you any more, I know you're probably angry with me too. I lost my trust in you and almost got you killed by that…monster, I almost got myself killed."

"Is that what you really want?" The Doctor questioned, gazing into Amy's eyes. "To go back home?"

"Of course not," Amy said quickly, "but I know it's going to happen."

"You think I just abandon people when they make one small mistake? It was my fault, Amy, I let you lose trust in me and I hid things from you that I shouldn't have, and that was wrong of me. But I enjoy your company Amy, I love it, our adventures aren't over yet, we've got so much more to discover and we've got no time to lose!" The Doctor grinned again, opening the TARDIS door as he did so. But then her paused and there was sadness in his eyes too. "I don't think Rory would want you to give up the adventure."

Amy gave a sad smile at this, but she also felt a wave of relief as the Doctor said this, she loved travelling with him and she was surprised that he admitted that he loved it too. He had forgiven her for everything she did. Should she forgive him for Rory's death? It would take so much time for that pain to heal but now she thought about it, she realised it wasn't all the Doctor's fault. You always need someone to blame, but the Doctor was the wrong person to blame, there were some things in time and space not even a Time Lord could control.

Amy was about to enter the TARDIS with the Doctor, when another thought came to mind and she paused.

"What is it?" The Doctor asked, turning in the TARDIS doorway to look at her, concerned.

"Will the Master ever come back?" Amy asked tentatively.

"Come back?" The Doctor laughed, but it was a hollow, bitter laugh. "I can never get rid of him! But at the moment he's on the run from probably very angry people who he's failed, they'll want someone to blame for the Autons breaking down. He's also got a broken body to fix and can hide anywhere and when with the vortex manipulator. No, we won't be seeing him for a while, but I don't think he'll ever be gone forever. Shall we be off then?" The Doctor said quickly, before he could ponder on this thought for too long, his usual enthusiasm returning. "I want to see how Arthur's doing with London in a few years time."

"Just one more thing." Amy said, and the Doctor waited patiently for her question. "No more secrets?" She asked, tentatively.

"I've always kept secrets from people Amy, that's just something you have to accept." The Doctor replied solemnly. "Sometimes there are secrets even I don't know the answers too, but I won't hide any information that's personal to you, Amy, I promise."

"You'll never tell me everything?" Amy asked, sadly, she was half pleased and half disappointed with his response.

The Doctor paused. "Maybe, perhaps one day, when the time is right. Then I'll tell you everything."

And then the Doctor and Amy stepped into the TARDIS, and after a few seconds they vanished from sight, leaving dark secrets and monsters behind them as they were flung into a new adventure. Just how the Doctor likes it.

The End

Yep, that's the end everyone! I hope you've enjoyed the story! Not the best fanfic I've ever written I don't think, but I was glad to get round to editing and improving it :) The Master and the Autons are two elements of the show I would love to see return, and hopefully one day they will!

Special thanks to everyone who read, alerted, favourited and, of course, reviewed, it is always much appreciated :)

If anyone would like to read more of my stuff I have plenty of other fanfictions on here, both Doctor Who and non-Doctor Who, feel free to give them a read if you like and let me know what you think :)

In the meantime, keep wearing those bow-ties and enjoy the 50th Anniversary!

Thanks again, all the best,

Naisa x