EPILOGUE

"Wow," Rose breathed in wonder. "This is beautiful."

The Doctor and Rose sat hand-in-hand on a red-stone cliff overlooking a majestic canyon. Beneath them the wilderness was in complete control; not a sign of civilization was in sight, giving the location a truly serene and peaceful feel. The air was clean and fresh and a plethora of flowers grew sporadically across the ground far below. A large body of water twisted off into the distance.

"What time is it?" Rose asked suddenly, tearing her gaze away.

The Doctor checked his watch, a strange contraption with blinking lights he had modified himself mere days before. "'Bout eight 'o' clock."

Rose blinked. "Have we really been sitting out here all day? My God!"

The Doctor smiled. "Could it be that Rose Tyler, the tenacious Torchwood employee and savior of the Earth, really spent a day just … relaxing?" he asked in mock horror, his eyes widening.

Rose smacked him lightly with her free hand. "That rumble with the Hergorphians this morning must have really worn me out, I guess." She looked at the Doctor, a devilish expression on her face. "Maybe we're getting old."

The Doctor laughed loudly. "I'm nine hundred and eight, Rose. I think I surpassed your definition of old eons ago. That said," he grinned, "you are definitely starting to catch up."

"Shush," Rose chided, grinning back.

"No really, I think I see grey," the Doctor teased, reaching out and grabbing a strand of her hair. Rose giggled and shoved him back. "It is nice to just kick back sometimes, though," he continued. "Don't you think? Here with the earth, the trees, the river in the distance …"

Rose blinked. "River …" Rose suddenly felt an emotion she couldn't identify. What meaning did a river have to it? Why was that word suddenly so important to her? A series of images abruptly flashed through her head – a laughing face nearly covered with blonde curls, a gun in a holster on a feminine hip, a wrist-cuff covered with tiny buttons. The last one seemed most important, the wrist cuff; it was crucial in making sure she and the Doctor weren't –

"Rose?" the Doctor interrupted her thoughts, putting his hand on her face and pulling it towards him. Rose's eyes flashed from his somewhat worried face to the wrist mere inches from her nose; from this angle, it almost looked like the wrist cuff from Rose's daydream. I must be imaging things, Rose thought, after sitting in the sun all day.

"Sorry," she smiled, shaking her head of her thoughts. "I was listening, I swear. Relaxing equals good. Wilderness. Pretty. Yupp." The Doctor raised an eyebrow. Rose was about to say something else when a thought suddenly hit her. "Don't you ever miss traveling, though, Doctor? Isn't spending afternoons like this awfully … boring to you?"

The Doctor smiled. "I don't always need to be up and roaring through space, Rose," he said gently. "Just being with you is enough to tire me out." The truth and strangeness of the Doctor's own words stopped him short. He was tired. Why was he, the Doctor, the Timelord who saved planets and spent his days constantly sprinting from danger, suddenly tired if he had spent the afternoon doing nothing at all? And why did he have this nagging feeling something had skipped his mind. "Do you feel like we were supposed to spend today doing … something else?" The Doctor asked aloud.

Rose didn't hear him – she had been lost in her own train of thought brought on the Doctor's words. 'Roaring through space', he had said. Roaring. She was close to remembering something, Rose could tell. Roaring, roaring... Rory. The name came out of nowhere, bringing a smile to Rose's face she couldn't comprehend. She didn't know anyone by the name of Rory. Why had the thought of it made her smile? This word, too, had come with its share of images – a long nose, a short laugh and gladiator sandals that for some reason made Rose's smile grow wider.

"Sorry. What was that?" Rose asked, shaking her head and turning to the Doctor.

"Today. We were supposed to do something else?" he repeated his question.

Rose was relieved to hear her Doctor had been feeling the same way. "Yeah," she replied. "But strangely enough … I also feel like we already did."

The Doctor pondered her words for a moment before nodding slowly. "Exactly."

The couple was silent for a moment. Rose was the first to break this silence with a short, incredulous laugh. "Listen to the pair of us! We take one afternoon off and manage to convince ourselves that it was wrong! We've truly become a pair of workaholics!" Rose got to her feet, pulling the Doctor up with her. "Let's get out of here. I'm sure there's something we can do to keep ourselves busy."

The Doctor smiled a sly smile. "Oh really?" he questioned, leaning in slowly and kissing Rose squarely on the mouth.

Rose smiled against his lips. "Well, there's that," she allowed with a giggle when they separated, "but I was originally thinking something more along the lines of checking on the new TARDIS."

"That can wait," the Doctor said, brushing her words aside and pulling Rose into an affectionate hug. He didn't tell her that he inexplicably felt closer to his TARDIS than he had in ages, as if he had just been in his reliable old ship – it would only prolong the strange situation they already found themselves in. Instead he took Rose Tyler's hand and led her back to her personal Zeppelin. He was certain whatever they had forgotten would come back to them in time. After all, it always did.

"Where on Earth is he?" Amy grumbled, impatiently pacing back and forth.

"Relax, Amy," River said soothingly from across the room. "He's only been gone a few hours."

Amy, Rory and River were all becoming restless. It felt like ages since the Doctor had left them here at Demons' Run in search of baby Melody. None of them were the type to sit still and wait, yet this is all they had been doing for the past three hours since the Timelord's departure. It was taking a toll on all of them.

"Why would he just leave us here?" Amy continued, oblivious to River's calming words. "We could have come along! We could have helped him!"

"He was trying to be helpful, Amy," sighed Rory. "He gave us some alone time with River."

That stopped Amy for the time being. Discovering River was in fact her daughter had left Amy rather rattled and having some time to verbalize a few of her questions had, indeed, been a comfort. There was still much to discuss, but Amy was too exhausted to push for any more answers today.

A familiar groaning sound filled the air, causing all three Ponds to smile. The large, blue police box materialized in front of them as they watched, the doors swinging open once it had come to a stop.

Amy couldn't explain it, but she felt immensely calmer now the Doctor had returned. She always felt better when he was in her sight, of course, but this time she felt as though he had truly dodged a bullet. Perhaps even literally? Whatever the reason for her feelings, they didn't last long either way. The Doctor hadn't even opened his mouth yet when Amy said, "Did you get her?"

"Why, hello to you, too," the Doctor mumbled sarcastically, but he had a smile plastered across his face. "Of course I saved baby Melody! When have I ever let you down? Don't answer that," he said suddenly, turning in time to see Rory snapping his mouth shut.

"Where is she, then?" asked Amy.

"In the TARDIS, sleeping. Busy day we had. I'll tell you all about it later. Shall I fetch her?"

"On that note, I should go, then," said River, getting to her feet. "My being here could cause a paradox. God forbid we have another one of those today." She stopped, confused. "I don't know why I said that."

"Not so fast," the Doctor said, ignoring her words. He adjusted his bowtie and crossed the floor to stand directly in front of River. "Hand it over."

She blinked. "Sorry?"

The Doctor's smile faltered. "I don't know what you were playing at, Professor Song, stealing my screwdriver when I go off to rescue YOU from the clutches of evil. Not that I needed it, of course. I did just fine without it. Nothing a bit of fishing wire, a pear and a blow-dryer couldn't fix, but this whole thing could have been much easier." He stretched out his hand and wiggled his fingers. "I see it there in your pocket, River. Hand it over."

River reached into her pocket and pulled out the Doctor's sonic screwdriver, a bewildered expression playing across her features. "I honestly don't know why I have this," she said, dropping it into his hand and shaking her head in confusion. "I'm sorry. I have no idea how I got to have this."

The Doctor frowned and stared into River's face before deciding she was indeed telling him the truth. His eyes filled with concern. "Are you feeling alright, River?" he asked, leaning in closer.

"Doctor?" Amy interrupted before River could reply. "I would really like to see my baby now?"

River took a step back from the Doctor. "That's my cue." She pressed some buttons on her vortex manipulator and smiled. "Until we meet again, Doctor." She pressed a final button and vanished from view.

The Doctor smiled incredulously and turned from the spot where River Song had previously stood. What a woman, he thought. I sure do know how to pick them.

Rory, Amy and the Doctor piled back into the TARDIS and Amy suddenly found herself lost in her thoughts. She turned in a complete circle, staring at the TARDIS interior and frowning slightly. Everything looked the way she had known it to since she had first joined the Doctor, from the control panel to the walls, yet Amy suddenly heard her voice asking, "Did the TARDIS always look this way?"

The Doctor had by this time reached the controls of the ship. He looked up and smiled at her. "Nah. The old girl never stays the same way too long. She needs to keep things fresh. Kind of like me." He winked at Amy.

Rory looked at his wife in confusion. Moments before she had been so keen on seeing their daughter he thought she could have taken on an army with nothing but her bare hands. Now she seemed to be lost inside her own head. He watched her cautiously, trying to ascertain what had caused this sudden change in her, when he heard her say, "Doctor … who is Rose?"

Out of the corner of his eye, Rory saw the Doctor freeze. He turned to see him staring at Amy, his eyes blazing and posture stiff as a stone. "I'm sorry?" he whispered, his voice more serious than Rory had ever heard him in his life.

Amy turned her face to the Doctor, meeting his eyes and staring right back. "Rose," she said again, refusing to back down or look away from the Timelord.

The Doctor didn't move. He remained silent and motionless, his expressions a combination of surprise, anger and something Rory almost though was loss. The Doctor suddenly rushed Rory and grabbed him by the collar, causing a small yelp to escape Rory's throat and a gasp to come from Amy's. "Who were you with earlier?" he demanded, his voice containing a faint ring of desperation. "Who was here with you when I called?"

Rory struggled against the Doctor's grip, his mind racing as he tried to make sense of the Doctor's words. "What are you talking about?" he cried. "You never called us!"

"Yes I did," the Doctor insisted, refusing to let go. "I called and someone on the other end of the line yelled. Tell me who it was!"

"Doctor, stop!" Amy yelled, jumping between the two men and pulling her husband back. "You didn't call when you were gone! We've been waiting here worried sick the entire time. Just the three of us," she emphasized.

The Doctor was still again, seemingly trying not to lose control once more. "Where did you hear that name then, Amelia?" he asked, his voice a mere whisper.

Amy just looked at him, her face unreadable. She squeezed Rory's hand, walked to the Doctor and straightened his bowtie before meeting his eyes again. "From you," she lied, not looking away. "You said it in your sleep ages ago."

The Doctor's shoulders sagged and he let out a whoosh of air, looking away from Amy's somber face. "Rose," he sighed to himself, the pain he felt seeping into each wore with such strength Amy had to struggle not to give the Timelord a hug. "She traveled with me," he whispered slowly. "We traveled together a long time. But … I lost her." He stopped, his eyes glazing over. "I lost her, that wonderful girl, and she was so brilliant that she gave up waiting and came to find me." He smiled sadly at the memory.

"Isn't that a good thing?" Amy asked gently, unable to understand where all this pain came from.

The Doctor sighed. "It was … but it never would have worked. So I sent her away again. For good this time." He met Amy's curious eyes. "When you came to travel with me full-time, Amy, you got to bring your life with you. You got to bring along Rory, the love of your life, and continue to have some form of normality, or real life." The Doctor's eyes grew sad again. "For Rose, this was her life, and when I lost her, she lost everything. She was left with no plan, no way to move forward. She tried, of course," he continued. "She got a job, bonded with her family, but during all of that she was just fighting to return and not truly living." He paused, his eyes glazing over as he dredged up old memories. "When she did come back, I decided I couldn't be greedy and keep her with me. I had to let her discover how wonderful life outside this box can be. I had to let her live." His eyes began to moisten as he uttered a truth he had never considered before; "Sometimes I think all I did was make her miserable. That I ruined her life forever."

Tears suddenly began to slide down the Doctor's face. He closed his eyes and turned his head, not wanting Amy to see him cry over something he had long ago come to terms with. Amy, however, was fascinated. This was a side of the Doctor she had never seen before, never even considered. The fact he had cared so deeply for someone before she and Rory turned up should have been a complete blindside, a scandal … yet somehow she felt no surprise at all. She took the Doctor's hand and pulled his face toward her, locking their eyes once again. "Doctor," she said firmly. "I'm not the smartest gal on the planet and I've been wrong about a lot of things, but I can assure you," she continued, " that there is no possible way you could have ruined Rose's life. She's out there, somewhere … She's out there and she's happy."

The TARDIS fell silent at that, save for a few groany noises from the ship herself. Amy and the Doctor stood facing each other, the time for communication with words having passed. Rory stood back, completely bewildered and confused, but saying nothing as this seemed to be happening a lot lately. Finally the Doctor broke the silence, saying, "You should know about her. Rose, I mean. I should have told you about her." He shook his head, his eyes widening. "No, not just her. All of them. The other people who have traveled with me, those marvelous, wonderful humans. You should know about them all. I'm done trying to forget."

Amy smiled. "Sounds great, Doctor."

Rory, still not fully understanding what had just occurred, brushed aside his confusion for the time being. "Maybe I should grab Melody. Sounds like this could take a while."

"But Rory," Amy whispered in mock shock, "we have all the time in the world!"

Rory laughed as he set off toward what was to become baby Melody's nursery. Amy plopped down on the TARDIS floor and looked up at the Doctor. "So tell me," she asked with a smile, "how many feisty gingers like me have you had onboard."

The Doctor smiled and laughed, all signs of his sadness gone for a moment. "Just you wait 'til we get to Donna."

The story of the Doctor's companions was not told in its entirety that day; it was much too long for one sitting, after all. But as time went on, the tragic tales of the Doctor's companions were all brought to light. Some days the group would perform a sort of memorial service for everyone who had been lost. They wrote letters they could never send, took pictures they could never share. Melody's bedtime stories became those of Martha Jones, UNIT Soldier, and Donna Noble, the most important woman in all the universe. Though Amy couldn't remember the truth behind what had caused her to ask those questions on that life-changing day, she was glad she had and was certain the reason would, in time, come back to her. Things always seemed to. Nothing can ever truly be forgotten, especially if you are fighting to remember.

And after all, Amelia Pond was not the type to give up trying.

TAH-DAH!

I was hoping to have this up last Saturday so it could be read a week before the show returned, but life got in the way. Ah well. At least I did get it posted before the show was back!

Thank you all so much for reading and bearing with me through my awful delays! A special thanks to everyone who reviewed and gave me a piece of your mind. It was much appreciated! You're fantastic!

I would also just like to say that if you are one of those people (like me) who often doesn't read a story until ages after it's been completed, PLEASE don't hesitate to review anyway! I am always, always, ALWAYS looking for new views on my work, no matter how much time has passed!

Now I guess all that's left for us to do is plop down in front of our TVs on Saturday and see how everything REALLY unfolds! I know I'm on the edge of my seat with excitement!

What's next for me? Well, I have a few more Doctor Who fics in mind that need writing. Some, granted, are short little one-shots, but I DO actually have another multi-chaptered story in mind. Before it gets written, though, I need to channel my inner Donna *hint hint*
As for other fandoms, I also have a Veronica Mars story started, PLUS some ideas for Roswell fics. I just started watching The X-Files this summer, as well, so stay tuned for a possible fic there once I get deeper into the series. Maybe I'll even attempt some crossovers? ;)

Thank you all again so much! If you ever have an idea you want to share or are looking for a co-writer or beta, shoot me a message! It's been a blast!

Until next time, ALLONS-Y!

- LifelongObsessor