She set the table for three. She started with Rory's place, then moved on to hers, then finished with the place which had been left empty for the past two years. She lingered there, gripping the back of the chair tightly and wishing with all her might that this year would be different.

Why hadn't he come back? She almost wished River hadn't told them he was still alive - thinking he was dead was bad enough, but knowing that he was alive and yet having him stay away from them? That was worse. That would always be worse. Somehow, though, she never stopped waiting for him. How could she? He was her Raggedy Doctor, he always came back (even if it sometimes took him a while).

"Are you going to come and -"

She looked up as Rory appeared in the doorway of the dining room, noting how his expression changed when he saw what she was doing. She was glad that he understood how she felt, but she knew that it upset him sometimes. It wasn't that Rory wasn't enough for her - he was, and she loved him with all her heart. Rory was the one for her. It would always be Rory. The thing was, though . . . The Doctor was her best friend. Why would her best friend not want her to know that he wasn't dead, for God's sake? He infuriated her, he really did. But she still missed him so much.

"Yeah, I'll come and help now." She tried to smile at Rory, but knew he'd see right through her pathetic attempt. She moved to go with him into the kitchen, but suddenly he was standing in front of her. She found herself being pulled into her husband's arms, held tight against him. He always knew what to do when she was like this.

"It's Christmas, yeah?" He murmured, planting a kiss into her copper-coloured hair. "He wouldn't want you upset."

"So why isn't he here?" She mumbled into him, knowing that she sounded like a petulant child but not caring in the slightest.

"You know what he's like, Amy. He'll come back."

"I know, it's just the when that's bothering me."

"When he does show his face again, I'm going to punch him for making my wife sad." Rory promised her, and he smiled when he heard her giggle quietly.

"My hero." Amy looked up at him, kissed him, then pulled herself together. "Right, food?"

"Food." Rory nodded, offering her his hand.

They were in the middle of plating up their food when they heard the door. The noise caused them to exchange a glance, and Rory caught the spark of hope in her eyes just before she walked over to the sink.

"What are you doing?" He frowned at her as she reached for the water pistol that was in the cupboard under the sink, then moved up to fill it with water.

"If that's more carollers!" She shook her head as she whirled towards the front door, brandishing the toy.

"Be nice!" He called after her in warning. Whether it was carollers or someone who would eventually be much more welcome, he had a feeling that his advice would be much needed. He finished plating up their food as his wife went to answer the door, pulling a third plate from the cupboard as he did so.

Amy wasn't the only one who had been wishing that their Doctor would come back.