Chapter 17: Until We Meet Again

"So... You're leaving, aren't you?" – Amy

"You haven't seen the last of me. Bad Penny is my middle name! Seriously, the looks I get when I fill in a form..." – The Doctor

A week after that day in the library Amy is floating in the pool. It showed up in her bedroom that morning and Amy sent a wordless exclamation of glee and thanks to the TARDIS before jumping in. She made a gloriously large splash, and then managed to not think of anything for an entire hour. She studied the ceiling; she stared at the bottom of the pool counting the tiles shaped like fish, and admired the clearness of the water. It was an amazing feeling not thinking, but after an hour she felt a nudge from the TARDIS.

"I know old girl. I know. I just don't want to yet." Another nudge and Amy sighed. She knew the old girl was right. It was time to talk to River and Lucy and then move on. She had responsibilities that she was avoiding. Amy climbed out of the pool and went to shower. She wasn't surprised that the pool was gone when she came out to get dressed.

She walks slowly down the corridor wishing futilely the door to the kitchen would be lost and she could wait just a little while longer, but again came the nudge from the TARDIS. Amy took a deep breath and pushes open the door she'd been trying not to see.

"After everything we've been through, Doctor. Everything. You can't just drop me off at my house and say goodbye like we shared a cab." – Amy

"Why do we have to leave? I'm the child of the TARDIS. If anyone should get to stay with her it's me."

Amy looked at her and saw the tears threatening to spill out; her own breath hitches and she pulls River into a hug.

"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry, but you can't come. There's something I need to do, and I have to do it alone." River nods, and Amy knows it isn't because of anything she says but it's because the TARDIS is telling her she must leave. And then they're both crying and it's a relief and a release.

They'd all agreed not to stretch out the goodbyes so the next morning River and Lucy walk into the console room with the few things they were taking with them. Lucy had some books from the library, and River had a photo album she'd found lying on her bed. Amy flitted about and if you didn't look in her eyes you wouldn't know she was in pain. She handed them both communicators "if you need me I'll come if it's at all possible I will come" and then she's back at the console stroking the levers and buttons, tapping something on the typewriter before running back over to give them little boxes that have come out of one of her endless pockets. "Don't open them yet! You have to wait until I'm gone."

Yesterday before they went to bed she'd injected them both with subdermal perception filters. Lucy was now a petite brunette who looked to be in her mid 40s. River chose to look like she was in her early 20s with caramel colored skin and huge brown eyes. They'd picked a quiet world just entering its industrial phase. It was very similar to earth except for the four moons and lilac colored sky. Amy made sure that they would have enough of that world's currency to not worry about money, and she got the TARDIS to also provide identification papers and a book detailing the history of their new planet.

She assured them they weren't stuck on that world or in that time. She gave them each a Gallifreyan time ring explaining they were as superior to time vortex manipulators as humans were superior to amoebas. River was entranced. She and Amy got into a lively discussion on the differences between different time travel devices that didn't end until they'd completely dismantled one of the time rings and put it back together.

But now it's the morning and they're saying their goodbyes. Amy pulls River into a bone-crushing hug and then looks her in the eyes.

"River I may not be your mother, but you will always be part of my family." River nods and whispers, "thank you."

Amy tells Lucy to "look after River and to look after herself." And when Lucy asks, "who is going to look after you?" Amy just gives her another hug.

They walk out the door into the bright sunshine, and then Amy is pulling the door of the TARDIS shut and walking back to the console. This time she is the one to fly off and leave, and it hurts just as much as being the one left behind. As the wheezing of the Tardis fills the air she closes her eyes and feels the knot tight in her chest and the unshed tears burning in her throat. But she's Amy Pond and she can't mope for long. She'll see them again, and in the meantime there is a job to complete and an adventure to live.

Author's Notes: I am planning a sequel to this story, and I hope you guys will read it. I have to write it regardless; these characters are very much entrenched in my brain.

Gallifreyan time rings do exist in the show's canon. They first appear on the television show on the episode "Genesis of the Daleks" featuring the fourth Doctor.