AN: Hellooooooo, sorry this took so long- but I've FINALLY finished my exams. Updates will be slower than the L word as I've had less time to work on it, but I'll do my best!

Yes, this is the sequel to the L word, I really hope you enjoy it. Basically, the events of the rest of the series happened, minus Rory and River. I mean they were still there as characters- but different relationships.

Ok, all you really need to know is the cracks are gone, and Amy chose the Doc, and then you've got the AU nailed. Ok? Good.

Disclaimer: I don't own Doctor who- I wish I did, because then I'd get Matt smith- this would make me happy. For now though, I do own all my own original plot lines, characters, ideas and settings- so no stealing, geddit?

Right, first quote!

"Love has no other desire but to fulfill itself. To melt and be like a running brook that sings its melody to the night. To wake at dawn with a winged heart and give thanks for another day of loving."

If you guess the quote 3 times correctly (who said it that is) then lucky you gets to add to the story- with a character name, place name, a colour for the sky- anything, it's just a bit of fun to keep you on your toes and make you read these quotes, because they normally relate to each chap.

And with that, lets just get started shall we?

Enjoy!

There were a series of clicks and metallic thunks in the console room. Amy stood, a little impatient, as the Doctor tightened antique looking leather straps around her shoulders, attached to a fantastic metal oxygen tank, stuck on with hundreds of whirling dials and flashing lights.

The Doctor moved round in front of her, wearing his own oxygen tank, and spun a dial, then picked up a ribbed metal tube attached to an oxygen mask. He put the oxygen mask over Amy's face, adjusting it a little.

"Ok, now, breathe."

Amy breathed in deeply- there was a hiss and a whirr and all the lights started flashing green. The Doctor grinned. "Ok, brilliant, warm enough?"

Amy, wrapped up in about seventy layers of warm clothing, courtesy of the Doctor and the wardrobe, nodded impatiently, her eyes shining with excitement. The Doctor frowned, pressing a hand to her forehead and then ran underneath the console. Amy rolled her eyes, folding her arms and listening to the hiss of her oxygen tank as she breathed deeply.

The Doctor came back up with a white woolen bobble hat he'd acquired for her at a Christmas market in Edinburgh. Amy's eyes creased as she smiled whilst he pulled it on over her head, hesitating before pulling her great fluffy hood back up.

He smiled and slid the hat up a little, pressing his warm lips to the soft skin of her forehead. He pulled away, charmed by the soft pink flush rising in her cheeks, and chatted conversationally as he rearranged her enormous hood.

"You know, I hadn't seen a red headed Eskimo till now."

Amy punched him lightly on the shoulder, glaring, and he gave her a cheeky grin back before grabbing her hands and tugging her down the steps to the TARDIS doors.

"Ready?"

Amy nodded, eyes glowing, and the Doctor slipped on his own oxygen mask, before pushing open the TARDIS doors and walking outside, looking up at the clear blue sky- partially obscured by the snowy white peaks of the mountains forming the valley they stood halfway up on a sort of plateau.

The Doctor frowned, pulling off his oxygen mask and breathing deeply.

"Well, that's rubbish."

He turned to Amy, ankle deep in snow, and gestured to her oxygen tank. "You can take that off. We're only 3050m up. The air's fine."

Amy took off her oxygen mask, glaring at the Doctor. "Somehow, I don't think this is the top of Mount Everest."

The Doctor frowned, helping her shrug off the oxygen tanks and slinging both back inside the TARDIS doors before going back to surveying his surroundings, shoving his hands inside his pockets as he crunched across the snow back to Amy.

"No. No, it isn't."

He checked his watch. "982 CE. We're in the Spiti Valley. Still the Himalayas. Just…not the right mountain."

Amy rolled her eyes again. "That is just typical you. Can we go back in to Everest now, please?"

The Doctor half smiled as she clung to his arm, about to give in when someone gave a shout.

The pair looked up to see a Buddhist monk in layers of rough robes running across the snow towards them- eyes wide in wonder. The Doctor grinned and took Amy's hand.

"Here comes trouble."

The monk reached them- out of breath, a long wooden staff in his right hand. The Doctor's eyes flashed over it and registered a hint of excitement- Amy wondered why.

The monk looked from the Doctor and Amy to the TARDIS and back again. He fell to his knees in the snow, "Welcome, travelers."

He looked up and smiled, revealing hundreds of laugh lines creased around the corners of his chocolate brown eyes. "I am Monk Sonam. Welcome to Tabo Monastery."

The Doctor raised his eyebrows and then beamed when he caught sight of where the monk was gesturing to.

A few hundred metres away stood a series of low, basic stone buildings- brand new in a maze of walls and structures- covered in a layer of snow.

He smiled at Amy, a secret smile just for her. She grinned back, loving everything about this- the freedom and the beauty and the mystery- her whole life was mad and perfect. She gripped his fingers tightly in hers, and together they followed Sonam back to the monastery, through the white, cold snow.

X

Sonam banged hard on the doors, to be let in by two younger looking monks who bowed their heads in respect- barely hiding their curiosity concerning the new strangers and their bizarre clothing. Sonam led the Doctor and Amy through simple corridors full of monks going about their business.

Amy watched them, then jogged to keep up with the Doctor. Finally they turned left and then left again to enter a huge place of worship, in which an elderly man in colourful robes wearing several beads was praying amongst a cloud of incense before a huge Buddha.

Sonam knelt then shuffled up to the man. "High lama- I am sorry to interrupt your meditation- but we have visitors, most…unusual visitors."

The high lama looked up and turned to see the Doctor and Amy, the Doctor nodded his head and Amy gave a little wave, "hello there ."

The Doctor smothered a grin and elbowed her in the ribs, but the lama simply smiled, his lined, brown face creasing in a thousand different places.

There was something strange about him though- his eyes were navy blue- and his lips, too, were tinged a bluish colour. They parted to reveal even teeth in a welcoming, amused grin.

"Hello indeed."

X

"There's something… wrong." The Doctor muttered to Amy in a low voice as they followed the Lama down another corridor to his private quarters.

Amy frowned. "What do you mean?"

The Doctor shrugged. "I dunno- but I've got a feeling things aren't what they seem…"

Amy looked at the monks rushing past, going about their lives- their simple, honest faces seemed suddenly sinister. She shuddered a little and picked up her pace.

Monk Sonam opened an elaborately carved wooden door, and the Doctor and Amy followed the Lama inside.

The room they found themselves in was relatively small, decorated with scrolls painted with ink scenes of the mountains and birds hanging from the walls. In the centre of the room was a low wooden table atop which sat an earthen tea pot, gently steaming, and three cups.

Around the table were simply woven cushions, which the Lama sat upon cross legged, gesturing for the Doctor and Amy to sit. The Doctor copied the monk's position, whilst Amy folded her legs under her, sitting forwards a little.

The Lama poured the tea, giving Amy and the Doctor a cup each. Amy took it and blew on it a little, inhaling the half sweet, half bitter smell of the herbs.

"I am Gyatso, the High Lama at this monastery- who, exactly, are you- friends?"

Amy and the Doctor smiled.

"I'm the Doctor." Gyatso let out a small laugh, though his brow furrowed.

The Doctor paused and frowned. "What is it?"

"Poor Sonam- always sending me Doctors, though he knows none can help."

Amy frowned. "What's wrong with you?"

Gyatso gestured to his navy eyes, the same colour all the way through- including his pupils, and his slightly blue lips.

"We call it the indigo chill. I have days- maybe a week now. But still Sonam tries to help me."

The Doctor entwined his fingers. "How do you know it can't be cured?"

Gyatso sighed. "Several of our monks- mostly the elderly or the young, have already caught it. We tried everything- prayer, massage, herbs, waters, music- nothing helped. So far we've lost 27 to the sickness."

The Doctor raised his eyebrows. "Do you have any idea what causes it?"

Gyatso shook his head, "most of them were in separate buildings, so it's specific to the valley- a few villagers caught it, but no. All I know is one day you wake up, and you have it, and in two weeks, you die."

"What are the symptoms, other than the…you know- blue stuff?"

Amy didn't want to say it- but she was still trying to figure out how unusual coloring killed you.

Gyatso looked at her hard. "Shivers, in the night, weakness of the muscles, dizziness, and, slowly, you go blind. And there's something else- the worse you get."

He paused, looking at the Doctor and Amy with his strange eyes.

"You hear screams- the most awful screams and cries, day in, day out- like the cry of hungry beasts in the night, waiting for you to die."

Amy shivered, and the Doctor looked at her sideways. "Well- no time to lose."

He jumped to his feet, pulling Amy up too. Gyatso was slower to stand- and now she knew to look for it Amy noticed his muscles tremble slightly with the effort.

The monk frowned, tilting his head. " I'm sorry…Doctor, but what are you going to do? And, really, who are you?"

The Doctor beamed and Amy grinned with him. "I'm the Doctor, and I'm going to stop the plague."

Good old Doctor- ready to actually fight disease for once instead of alien monsters- unless the two are linked…

Hope you liked it- what now? Any ideas for how the Indigo Chill may have spread? Any ideas as to what the 'Indigo Chill' actually is?

The Tabo Monastery does exist, so does the Spiti Valley, they're pretty cool places- but you'll have to forgive me for taking creative licence, I don't know much about Buddhism though I've tried my best- this is a work of fiction, so it won't be 100% historically accurate, I hope you don't mind.

As ever, 5 reviews for same day update, I really hope you enjoyed this and keep reading!

Kat