Doctor Who - Most Hunted

[Nemesis]

Yep...So, my first fic on New Charms and my first 11th Doctor story. I wish I'd managed to do more with 10, but finding it really ahrd to go back to him

Anyways...

**


“Haha!” Rory shouted cheerfully as he flung himself through the TARDIS door, Amy following close behind him, throwing her long ginger hair over her shoulder as he laughed with him.
“Amazing!” She exclaimed in her distinct Scottish tone. “Somewhere beautiful, at last!”
The Doctor sighed as he slowly entered the TARDIS, a slightly hurt look on his face.
“I’ve taken you to beautiful places before!” He paused, looking at the pair, before continuing. “Like Venice! Venice was beautiful!”
“It was.” Rory nodded in agreement. “When we weren’t fighting off vampires with sticks.”
“How many times!” The Doctor exclaimed as he closed the doors behind him. “They weren’t vampires!” He ran his hand through his hair quickly. “Sat-urn-yn-ians!” He emphasised each syllable, gesturing wildly. “There’s a big difference!”
“Still.” Amy replied, cheekily turning her nose up at the Doctor as she took hold of Rory’s arm. “They were still trying to kill us!” She paused for a moment. “In fact, I think this is the first time you’ve taken me anywhere where my life hasn’t been at risk!”
“Hmm, well.” The Doctor replied, adjusting his beige jacket. “That’s true, but,” He thrust a arm in to the air, index finger pointing upwards, “It was also the first time we’ve ever been bored!”
“I wasn’t bored!” Amy retorted. “Brilliant landscapes, three suns, purple grass! Who could be bored?” She turned to Rory. “Were you bored?”
He looked at her, then too the Doctor before replying, carefully.
“No, of course not. Who needs space ships and dragons and dragon space ships when you’ve got purple grass?” He smiled slightly, ignoring the look he knew Amy would be giving him.
“I do, for one.” The Doctor said quietly, now stood over the TARDIS console, looking over various monitors. “Ah, no wonder.”
“What is it?” Amy asked, taking off her denim jacket, revealing her bright red t-shirt. “Bank holiday for all of the bad aliens or something?” She slung her jacket over an oblivious Rory’s arm, who merely shrugged his shoulders before placing it over a railing.
“Don’t be so ridiculous!” The Doctor said rather sharply, looking up from the console, gesturing wildly with his hands with every word. “It’s a Sunday. Nothing exciting ever happens on Sundays. I mean, roast dinner, Eastenders omnibus, all well and good I suppose.” He paused, smiling at the couple. “If you’re in to that kind of thing.”
“Well,” Amy winked at him, still standing on the lower level of the TARDIS. “Aren’t we all high and mighty?”
“Now that you mention it,” He replied, adjusting his tie, “Yes, I am! I’ve got the whole of time and space at my finger tips, so why bother with Sundays? Now Pond, Williams, shall we stop talking and be on our way?”
“Yes sir!” She mocked saluted, pulling Rory in to a hug. “We’d better do as he says, or no more Eastenders for you!”
“It’s not all it’s cracked up to be.” The Doctor said thoughtfully as he flicked some switches on the console. “Trust me.” Rory and Amy looked to each other, both about to ask the obvious question, before simultaneously deciding to just let it go.
“Where to now then?” Rory asking, looking at the TARDIS monitor briefly, before stepping back, deciding it wasn’t worth the effort of trying to understand what the symbols meant.

“You ask as if I ever plan these things.” The Doctor smiled. “It never goes to plan anyway, so might as well just see where we end up! I’ll try and aim for a weekday though.”
Amy laughed as she stepped up towards the console, prompting the Doctor to look in her direction, rather oblivious.
“What?”
“You said it yourself, you have the whole of time and space, yet you don’t have the time for just one relaxing Sunday?”
“Nope, not me. I don’t do relaxing.”
“I had noticed.” Amy smiled, as the Doctor span the two taps on the console before pulling on a few small levers.
“Couldn’t even let me have my stag night!” Rory muttered, half jokingly, as he shot a look towards the Doctor.
“I don’t know why you keep bringing that up.” The Time Lord replied, shaking his head. “Surely I livened it up a bit? Just a little bit?”
“Oh I’d say!” Amy chimed in. “Vamp- I mean, Saturnynians! Surely they were a bit more exciting than that stripper girl!”
“Lucy.” Rory replied, a little too quickly.
“Oh? Lucy was it!” Amy exclaimed, throwing her arms wide. “Sorry I ruined your night with a woman who takes her clothes off for a living!”
“Well,” Rory,said, a little hurt. “I’m sorry I ruined your chance to run off with a 1000 year old alien!”
“Hey!” The Doctor shouted from the other side of the console, cutting Amy off before she had a chance to reply. “One,” he raised a finger, “I thought we got over all that. Two” three fingers were raised, before he quickly corrected himself. “I’m nine hundred years old, thank you very much!”

Amy and Rory looked at each other and laughed, before embracing one another again.
“See!” The Doctor stated, although it was obvious his companion’s attentions were on each other. “Sundays. Purple grass and domestics! Boring!”

He threw a lever, perhaps a little over dramatically, hurtling the TARDIS in to the Time Vortex. Rory released Amy as the machine shuddered around them, and they both reached to the console for support.

The Time Rotor pulsed quickly as the controls beeped, drawing the Doctor’s attention to the screen.
“Look’s like we’ve found somewhere to land!” The Doctor beamed, before looking to the console. “Well, she did.”
“The TARDIS?” Rory asked, puzzled.
“No Rory. Amy. Amy made us land!” The Doctor could only keep a serious face for a few seconds, seeing the confusion sweep over the pair. “Yes, the TARDIS! Could be anything out there!” He headed towards the door, adjusting his bow tie. “Absolutely anything! Much more exciting than a stripper in a cake!”

Rory was about to argue, when a look from Amy made him think better of it. As he held back, she gave him a quick, brilliant Amy Pond smile before grabbing her jacket and following the Doctor out of the now open doors. Rory smiled too as she looked back at him, before heading down the stairs that separated the two levels of the TARDIS.

“Wow.” He heard Amy say from outside. “Two beautiful places in one day!”
From his position inside the TARDIS Rory could see a brilliant green field stretching out in front of the machine.
“Earth!” The Doctor exclaimed. “No chance of being bored here! All of my best adventures happen on Earth!”

As he reached the doors, Rory caught a glimpse of a grand building in the distance, the setting sun reflecting on the pale brick work of the building. He was about to ask the Doctor where, and when, they had landed when the doors suddenly slammed in his face.

“Charming!” He shouted, rapidly trying the lock. “Very funny Amy! Now let me out!” It was then that he realised the door was banging from the other side too, as his fiancé frantically pounded on it with a fist. He couldn’t hear her, but assumed that was an effect of the TARDIS. Or maybe the sound of the engines were just drowning her out.

The engines! Rory ran up to the console, the central rotor raising and falling as the machine began to shake again.
“What are you doing!” He shouted. “No one told you to take off!”
Rory looked over the wide array of controls quickly. He’s seen the Doctor do this loads of times. ‘Just how hard could it be?’, he thought pulling on a lever.

His question was answered as sparks rained form the console, prompting the young man to lunge back. Looking around the console, it seemed all he had achieved was to turn the monitor on. The rotor continued to pulse as the monitor played what appeared to Rory to be one of those ghost hunting programs, which, according to the tag in the top right hand corner, was live. The green of the night vision camera made the presenters eyes resemble a mysterious void, as if a gateway to their soul.

Although his attention was mostly on the console, Rory noticed the presenter, a woman in her thirties, and her entourage were sitting in a circle, hands joined, their attention on one individual in particular. He was a slightly odd looking man, with long flowing grey hair and a rather elongated face, ending in an overly pointed chin.

“There’s someone here.” The man said, his eyes closed as the camera focused on him. “Who is it?” The presenter asked? “Who is there? What is your name?”
“There is no name.” The medium replied. “Just a profession. He says he’s a Doctor.”
“What kind of Doctor were you?” The presenter asked softly, addressing the spirit. “What time are you from?”
“Everything.” Came the reply. “And it’s 1862. or 63. No 62. Would know that taste anywhere.”
“Doctor, can you tell me your name? What are you called?”
“Just the Doctor.”
“No one is just called the Doctor!” The presenter said, raising her voice. At this Rory turned to the screen fully, his attention fully pulled away from the time machine that was throwing him through time and space. “Who are you? Why are you hear? What do you want?”
“Two many questions.” The medium replied, obviously getting agitated. “I need to pass on a message. Don’t have long.”
“What is it?” The presenter asked. “What’s happening?”
“Rory!” The medium suddenly shouted, making the young man jump as he watched, leaning in towards the screen. “It’s me. The Doctor. I don’t have long. But we need your help.”

Suddenly the medium let out a loud gasp before slumping on to the floor, members of the TV crew crowding round him. Rory stared at the screen, completely dumbfounded before spotting a shadowing figure in the green of the night vision. It was faint, but Rory would recognise that hair and bow tie anywhere.

The cameraman had obviously seen the same thing as Rory as he turned to focus on the spot where the hazy figure stood just in time to catch a cheeky wink at the camera before it faded from sight.

 

[Nemesis]

“Rory!” Amy screamed as the TARDIS doors slammed closed on their own, as if a sudden gust of wind from inside the machine had propelled them outwards. She hammered frantically on the wooden frame as the familiar noise of the engines started up, accompanied by the flashing light on the TARDIS roof.

As his panicked companion continued to rattle the door to his time machine, to no avail, the Doctor looked on, ruffling his hair in frustration. As the TARDIS began to fade away, Amy looked back at him, her sharp glare as she noticed him doing absolutely nothing prompting him in to action. Not that there was much he could do. Despite the amazing things he could accomplish with his TARDIS, the Doctor had never managed to remotely control the machine. Not properly anyway.

That is when the idea struck him, it had worked once before afterall. Well, kind of worked. If you counted the planet almost being destroyed throughout a year that never happened, as ‘worked’.

Quickly, the Doctor reached for his Sonic Screwdriver, hoping that this new model would be more effective, and pointed it at the dissolving shape of the TARDIS. Amy quickly stepped back as she heard the faint hum of the device under the roaring of the ancient engines of the machine.
“What are you doing?” She shouted, barely able to make herself heard. “Make it stop!” She look up at him with worried eyes, hitting his arm out of frustration.
“I can’t.” The Doctor said softly, taking her hand as the TARDIS vanished from sight. “I couldn’t.”
“So Rory could be anywhere?”
“Not exactly.” The Doctor replied. “I managed to lock the dimensional co-ordinates. So technically, he could just be anywhen.”
“And what does that mean!” Amy half shouted back at him. “Rory could be off, caught by aliens in space or getting chased by dinosaurs or something! I don’t have time for your techno babble!”
“He’ll be fine.” The Doctor said reassuringly. “It’s Rory! He’s fought a vampire with a stick remember.”
“Saturynian.” Amy sniffed.
“Quite.” The Time Lord forced a smile. He couldn’t remember having seen his companion looking so vulnerable before. “The dimensional co-ordinates are locked, so the TARDIS can only travel through time at this particular point in space.”
“And where exactly is this point?” Amy asked, looking around her surroundings for the first time. A large green field spread around her, highlighted by an orange glow from the setting sun.
“Lancashire.” The Doctor responded, his attention clearly elsewhere as he sniffed at the air cautiously. “Something seems out of place.”
“And that’s why the TARDIS took off on its own?”
“Probably.” The Doctor nodded. “Unless of course Rory picked up a bit more about flying the TARDIS than he let on.” He smiled at Amy gently. “Maybe he’s gone back to enjoy his stag night. She did seem like a nice girl.” The Time Lord quickly noticed that his smile wasn’t shared by his young companion. “Or,” he corrected himself, “the TARDIS could have been taken by some alien force intent on taking over the world?”
“It better have been the aliens!” Amy half joked. “For his sake!”

**

The small village of Bretherton was bathed in an bright halo, marking the beginning of the end of another day. Trees rustled quietly in the slight wind, one of the few noises that dared to break the silence of a perfect summer evening. People went by their business, politely acknowledging each other, or discussing the weather that had blessed them and, very occasionally, the ghost that had taken residence in Bank Hall.

Since 1608 the Jacobean mansion had towered over the village. Built on the bank of the River Douglas and with its wide variety of Snowdrops growing in its grounds, it was certainly the most attractive building in the area. However, since the death of George Anthony Legh Kleck, the owner of the mansion, the residency had been mainly empty, used only as a holiday home by Baron Lilford. Although the grounds were always maintained and never left their grandeur, the large empty house unsettled some of the village residents who could swear they had caught a brief glimpse of a shadowy figure at the windows. That was the main consensus, although some insisted there was more to it. They told stories of unknown people seen in and around the house, often dressed most unusually, who would vanish from sight as suddenly as they had appeared. There had been stories of ghosts in the house since Kleck’s death, but it had been in the last year that things had begun to escalate.

That was because that was when he had arrived. The shadow in the window looked out over the village, simultaneously observing individuals from all directions. All at once he saw the Vicar locking the door to the church, the woman welcoming her husband home at the front door and the two strangers, stranger meaning he hadn’t seen them before, approaching the manor. The girl was obviously distraught, and the man was trying to comfort her, but that didn’t matter right now.

What mattered was that the Shadow felt a twinge of power in his flimsy half-form for the first time in a very long time. He had missed this feeling, so much. And it could only mean one thing. Over the past year he had almost given up, knowing he could not find what he was looking for whilst unable to leave this forsaken mansion, but now it seemed like his luck had changed.

His prey was coming to him.

**

“What’s that place?” Amy asked, flicking a strand of red hair from her eyes, before pulling her jacket tightly around herself, glad she had thought to pick it up before the TARDIS made its unscheduled vanishing act. She was pointing to the large building they had been walking towards for the last ten minutes.
“Bank Hall.” The Doctor replied thoughtfully. “Basic manor house really, but something’s off here, and it’s in there.”
“How can you tell that?” She inquisitied. “You can’t possibly tell me you can smell it.”
“Well, I kind of can, yes.” The Doctor explained. “Think of it like slightly off milk.” Amy rolled her eyes at him. “You need more? Ok, well, you know sometimes you can’t tell milk is off, so you go ahead and put it in your tea? I mean, why wouldn’t you, it smells fine.”
“Then it curdles, right?” Amy interrupted, nodding although not completely following the analogy.
“Right. It curdles. On it’s own, you can’t tell anything’s wrong, but when you put it amongst stuff that’s right, it becomes obvious.”
“So let me get this straight.” Amy paused. “You’re saying that hall,” she pointed across to the magnificent brick building, “has curdled?”
“Kind of. Curdled in time.” The Doctor beamed suddenly, surprising himself “Ooh, I like that. Remind me to use that again. Anyway,” he looked up slightly, almost forgetting what he was going to say, his right arm risen towards his face. “Compared to everything else, the trees, the sky, even the ground it’s out of place. It’s a very slight distortion in time.” He wiggled his fingers in demonstration. “Very slight, but it’s there. And it’s got to be something to do with what happened to the TARDIS.”
“And Rory.” Amy snapped quickly.
“That’s what I meant.” He replied. “Rory and the TARDIS.”
“So what are we waiting for?” Amy questioned, breaking in to a run. “Let’s find out what’s going on and get him back.”
“As you say Pond!” The Doctor shouted following after her with a grin.
“You know,” she turned her head back to him, “this is the first time we’ve run today! That’s got be some kind of record!”
“I know!” The Doctor beamed. “Isn’t it great? A lot less boring!”

**

James Cross sat in his fabricated leather chair, which, to his disappointment, was just as uncomfortable as it looked. He straightened his back, keeping an eye on a monitor which sat opposite him, making sure he looked presentable and wasn’t showing how cold he really was. Although it was a nice spring evening, the wind was blowing through the large marquee.

Looking back at him were a few hundred members of the audience, all wrapped up considerably more than he was. A message came through his ear piece, informing him that the live broadcast would be starting in one minute. Members of the crew were busy making the audience aware of this, hurriedly trying to quieten down the exciting fans all anxious to see what events would unfold in Bank Hall.

It was at times like this that James sometimes worried what he was doing here. He had no interest in any of the super natural nonsense he was about to go on air and speak to. It was purely a job, the first he had been offered since his own show failed miserably in the ratings two years ago. Many critics said it was a futile attempt to get out of his brothers shadow, and they were probably right. Whilst he was on a digital only channel, doing a live broadcast in the cold in front of an audience of geeks, whilst his brother was interviewing rock bands and movie stars on Friday nights on the biggest television network in the country.

Just as his resentment was about to take over, James was bought back by the countdown to the start of the live broadcast. Following the signals from the crew, the audience applauded and quickly quietened down as the camera focused on James and his tall ominous looking chair.

“Good evening, and welcome to Ghost Hunting Live!” The crowd applauded again, and James’ earlier resentment resided. Some times this made it worthwhile. “For our first live investigation of 2010 we are here at bank Hall in Lancashire, a manor house dating back to the sixteen hundreds, with a very interesting past.” He took a breath. “Over the next three hours we will be getting an insight in to this mysterious building, including the story of a shadowy figure which stalks the windows, looking over the village of Bretherton. As usual, if you have any insights or comments on tonights’ investigation, or see anything on the live webcams, you can get in contact via the e-mail address at the bottom of the screen now.”

Three hours. He thought to himself. He just hoped this breeze would calm down. Of maybe, just maybe, that something exciting might happen.

“We are just about to go live to Jo and the team inside the hall, so stay with us and perhaps tonight we will make contact with beings from another world!” James laughed to himself as the camera shut off.

However, his attention was soon drawn to the back of the room, as a young man entered the marquee, looking around, giving the impression he was lost in his own little world. The same as the rest of them then, James thought as the man was quickly shown a seat. Just another nutter looking for some sign of ghosts, most likely. Had probably been too busy watching Ghostbusters to get here on time. Beings from another world? He laughed to himself.

‘As if’, he thought, still looking at the sandy haired young man.

Little did he know that the same young man had, moments before, materialsied outside in a large wooden police box.

 

[Tatile]

I'm not sure if I really like this, sadly. It isn't coming across as being as... fun to write, I suppose, as your Tennant stories. I don't know if this is because they're still quite new, but your dialogue doesn't seem to have captured the personalities of Pond and Smith as easily as you have done with Tennant - Rory's relatively straightforward I feel (a bit confused, generally lacking in confidence and head-over-heals for Amy). Unfortunatly this does somewhat let down the rest of the action.

Other than that it is quite an interesting premise. I know it's probably not, but the name Bank Hall reminds me of a ghost-story series the BBC did a while back around Christmas (the wainscoating was made of a gibbet).

 

[Nemesis]

Hmm. interesting points. Most comments I have had have said that the characterizations in the first chapter is the best bit about it! Oddly enough, I'm finding it just as much fun to write, particularly the dynamic between the characters.

Bank Hall is a real place in Lancashire, and all of the history mentioned is real.

 

[Zachary]

A new Doctor Who fic by Nem ^^

I like how you opened it with a series of jokes and such to get the reader interested, and as a big fan of the Eleventh Doctor, I say you got him down to an extant and as Tatile said, I'm not really sure about Amy though, she could use a little tuning but she does remind me of her to an certain margin.

The plot is interesting, I like how you made it so Rory got seperated from the Doctor and Amy, it could cause a quite of an adventure

I got confused at the end of the first post though, but I eventually got it, (kept loosing my place, damn it >>;; )

But overall, I like it ^^ i'll be reading this alot ♥

 

[Nemesis]

The large wooden door creaked as Amy and the Doctor pushed hard against it, both groaning at the amount of effort required.
“At least it wasn’t locked.” The Doctor said, stepping away from the door.
“Yeah, because then we would have been stuck!” Amy retorted. “What use is any kind of Screwdriver that doesn’t do wood?”
“Now, now Pond.” He responded, spinning on one foot so he was now facing her. “What have I said about not dissing the Sonic?”
“Fine.” Amy snorted back mockingly. “But your bow tie’s still rubbish.”
The Doctor looked hurt.
“Bow ties are cool.” He fondled his red tie, as if making a point, before his attention was quickly grabbed elsewhere again. “Hold on, the door was unlocked.”
“Yeah,” the redhead nodded. “We established that. We got in. Now can we get a move on!”
“No, wait, think about it Amy. Big place like this, no one to be seen outside, we let ourselves in, not overly stealthily, you with your big Scottish accent,” he ignored the glare, “yet no ones come to investigate? Almost as if…”
“..no one’s home.” Amy finished his sentence for him. “So why was the door unlocked?”
“My thoughts exactly.” He nodded, reaching for the Sonic Screwdriver and pointing it at two candles mounted on the wall. With a hum of the device they both burst to life. “See, candles it can do.” With that he closed the door on the ever-growing evening, before walking in to the middle of the hallway.
“It’s a trap then?” Amy asked, almost excitedly. “Someone left the door open for us?”
“Probably.” The Doctor nodded. “And maybe made sure we would be stuck without the TARDIS too.” He smiled slightly. “ It’s fine though, nothing to worry about.”
“You’re the only person I know who would say being drawn in to a trap was ‘fine’”
“Oh but Amy,” The Doctor turned and grinned at her. “You know what I say about traps.”

**

The Shadow swept around quickly on the upper levels of the house as it felt the two strangers enter the house. Now they were closer it was clear that they were both giving off energy. It was even better than he had thought. Not only had his prey come straight to him, but he had found her too.

Of course, this also meant that his own power was growing to a higher level than he could have dreamt of. He experimented slowly, extending his form across the upper hallway, a shadowy cloud writhing from one end to the other. With a single thought his form condensed once again as he moulded it in to a vaguely humanoid shape, crafting an approximation of a head and amrs.. However, he didn’t bother tailoring the legs. What would be the point when he could fly across a room with nothing but a thought? Instead his form tailed off in to a small whisp, floating just above the floor.

Wasting no more time, the shadow swept down the corridor, to the main staircase, a grand wide centrepiece leading to the ground floor hallway. Looking down he saw his prey, designated Pryus, with her, looking around curiously. Their behaviour seemed very strange. If that really was her, why was she acting this way? They were speaking, laughing, as if they were old friends. More intriguing however, was their forms. As they were together, neither had any reason to disguise themselves, particularly if they had enough power to tailor their forms so well, with so much detail. Unless, the Shadow thought suddenly, they were trying to trick him. Who knew how long Pryus had had to brainwash her. Perhaps Pryus was here to kill him before he was vanquished himself, using her against him.

If that was the case, the Shadow would have to make sure that didn’t happen. Because even on this planet, stuck in a half form and unable to leave the constraints of this building, he was still Yumi, the hunter, and it was time to eliminate his prey.

**

Rory fidgeted in the uncomfortable wooden seat, much to the annoyance of the woman sat next to him. He felt so useless just sitting here, waiting for some kind of clue to what was happening. At least he knew he was back in the present, his present, thanks to the large signs around the tent, identifying the event as “Ghost Hunting Live – 2010”. He’d seen the program before, well, half seen. Amy had been a fan, before the Doctor had made his reappearance two years ago. Rory was never that interested, but sat through it just enjoying time with her.

Things had changed since the Prisoner Zero incident though, for both of them. Amy now knew her raggedy Doctor would come back for her, and put her efforts in to looking out for him when she wasn’t moaning about how he left her. Again.

Rory, on the other hand, focussed himself on their relationship. Now the Doctor was real, and a part of Amy’s life again, Rory suddenly had competition. He’d always thought the Raggedy Doctor was a creation of Amy’s mind, her ideal, but once he had appeared, just as Amy had drawn him all those years ago, the young nurse knew he needed to step up if he was going to keep hold of the love of his life.

He’d even started reading up on some of the stranger scientific theories on the internet, just to try and understand some more about the man he was trying to compete with. Since then, of course, Rory had realised he didn’t need to compete with the Doctor. Amy loved him, as much as he loved her, but that didn’t stop him wanting her to view him with the admiration she showed the Time Lord.

“What would he do now?” Rory whispered to himself, running over the options in his head. Use the Psychic Paper to blag his way to someone who might be able to give him some answers? Use the Sonic Screwdriver to scan for anything unusual, like alien technology or a disturbance in time?

All perfectly good ideas, apart from the fact Rory had neither a Sonic Screwdriver or any Psychic Paper. He awkwardly searched his pockets, accidentally nudging the woman next to him. After a few seconds thought he came to the conclusion that some loose change, 20ps mixed with currency spanning from ancient Venice to the far away city of Geath, and some chewing gum wouldn’t be particularly useful. He’d have to rely on the only thing he did have, his instincts. They’d worked well enough when he’s managed to get lead in to the large marquee, although the creepy looking house and camera crews did give him a clue that it’s where he should be. All he needed to do now was to work out exactly what the Doctor’s message meant, and how he could get Amy and the Doctor back.

The screens around the marquee suddenly burst in to life, showing a green image of several people, led by the presenter Jo, entering a large room.
“I think this is a good spot.” She said softly, signalling for the group to form a circle, with the long faced man in the center. Rory looked up intently.

He knew what was coming next.


**

“Doctor!” Amy shouted suddenly, as she looked at the grand staircase, to see a sweeping shadow appear at the top. It appeared to have a vaguely humanoid shape, with arms and a torso, although it’s back end was a shapeless black cloud, like some kind of unfinished centaur.

The Doctor span round quickly, Sonic Screwdriver in hand as he had been scanning the room carefully, trying to find a source of the disturbance he could feel. “That’s different.” He said, grabbing Amy and pushing her behind him. . He raised his Screwdriver intently, pressing a few buttons as the tip flashed and gave it’s usual hum.
“Doctor!” Amy shouted at him, as the shadow creature, void of any real features, swept down the staircase towards them. “If you were trying to threaten it, I don’t think it’s working.”
“No Amy.” He placed the Sonic back inside his jacket pocket, twiddling his fingers awkwardly, as if searching for an idea. “I think you’re right.”
“Usual plan then?”
“Yes Pond, usual plan.” He turned quickly, before spotting a door to their left. “Run!”

Amy charged after the Doctor, slamming the door quickly behind her. She knew the shadow would be following, and just hoped the door would at least slow it down. She broke back in to her run, and couldn’t help but laugh a little as she noticed how bandy the Doctor was. She would have to remember to berate him about that later. She looked back and swore to herself as she saw the dark form seeping through the gap in the door.

“Keep going!” The Doctor shouted back at her. “It needs to spread itself out to get through, it should buy us some time. “ He had stopped now, and was standing at another large door. As she reached him the Doctor pulled her in and closed the door behind them. He pulled the Sonic from his pocket and held it too his ear.
“Hmm. Interesting.”
“Doctor.” Amy said quietly.
“Not now. Busy.” He replied. “Certainly not Vashda. Bit of luck really.”
Doctor!”
“Amy” He turned quickly. “ I said…Oh.” He stopped mid sentence. “Oooh.”
“Yes.” Amy snapped. “As I was trying to say. Looks like we have ghosts.”

In the middle of the room, next to a large dinning table, were a circle of transparent figures sat n the floor, each one shimmering slightly. The room was lit by only a few candles, but the Doctor could tell that wasn’t causing the odd visual effect.
“The look a bit modern for ghosts.” The Doctor pondered, walking cautiously towards the group. “Look at their clothes.”
“You’re right.” Amy nodded. “And there’s that.” She gestured towards a man, stood away from the six ‘ghosts’ on the floor. The lone figure looked rather plain, and wouldn’t have stood out at all if it wasn’t for the video camera he was holding.

“Hold on!” Amy continued. “I recognise some of them!”
“What? Really?” The Doctor sounded surprised, as he span on the spot, visually scanning the room.
“Yeah.” Amy approached the circle, pointing at a woman. She seemed to be taking charge. Her lips were moving but seemed to be making no sound. “She’s Jen, no, Jo Smythson. She presents one of those ghost hunting shows on TV.” Amy paused. “In my time.”
“Interesting.” The Doctor pondered for a moment. He placed a hand on his chin, before nodding slightly, as if something had come to him.
“What is it Doctor?”
“Two things. One, there’s no such things as ghosts. Two, we really need to talk about your tastes in TV. How can poor Rory put up with it?”
“Then what are they? Because they’re not real, are they!” Amy responded, ignoring the Doctor’s second comment.
“Echoes, impressions, imprints?” The Doctor shrugged. “But they usually happen the other way round. The past imprinting on the future. That’s where the usual ghost stories come from. I’ve not stopped to check properly, but I’m pretty sure we’re in your past.”
“Not stopped to check…?” Amy muttered, before an obvious question came to her. “Can they see us?”
“Wouldn’t appear so.” The Doctor replied, waving a hand in front of one of the seated images as a test. The young woman Amy had identified as Jo was still speaking, holding the hands of the people either side, but yet the room was silent.

The Doctor went round the circle, waving a hand in front of each one, receiving no reaction. Until he reached an older man, with long flowing grey hair that reminded the Doctor of himself from long ago.

“There’s someone here.” The man said, his voice distant and echoed. Amy calmed herself after a slight jump of finally hearing a voice.


“Who is it?” Jo asked, her voice also distorted. From where Amy was standing it was as if her voice was coming from the man.

“I’m guessing he’s the medium.” The Doctor replied, looking to Amy. “Recognise him?”
“No.” She shook her head. “They change them every year. He knows we are here though?”
“He thinks we are.” The Doctor smiled. “So we had better not disappoint. I love a happy medium.”
Amy let out a sudden uncontrollable laugh, much to the Doctor’s delight.
“Finally!” He beamed. “I’ve been waiting two lives for someone to appreciate that one!”

“Who is there? What is your name?” Came Jo’s voice again. The Doctor stepped towards the medium cautiously and placed a hand above his shoulder.
“I’m the Doctor.” He said softly.

“There is no name.” The medium said, addressing his group. “Just a profession. He says he’s a Doctor.”

The Doctor looked to Amy, moving his hand away.
“He’s the only one who can hear me.” He looked slightly surprised. “Maybe they’re not all faking it afterall” He looked to Jo for a moment before speaking again. “We are hearing her speak through him, so I think I can do the same.”
“You’re going to speak through him?” Amy questioned. “Like somekind of spiritual translator?”
“Not spiritual Amy.” The Doctor scolded. “Just a different type of science.” He turned back to the man and placed a hand firmly on the ghostly image’s shoulder. The Time Lord shivered suddenly as he felt the man’s presence, but not his physical form. The Doctor turned to Amy and nodded slowly, a look of concentration on his face.

“What kind of Doctor were you?” The Jo asked. “What time are you from?”
“Everything.” The Doctor replied absentmindedly, as he looked at the watch strapped to his wrist, before taking his hand off of the mans shoulder. “Odd.” He said to Amy. “It’s alternating between two dates. Literally spinning between the two.”
“How is that possible? And what dates? When are we?”
“Curdled.” The Doctor said simply, before bending to one knee and scraping a finger along the floor before licking it. He swirled his tongue around his mouth before putting a hand back on the mediums’ shoulder.
“And it’s 1862. or 63. No 62. Would know that taste anywhere.”
“Doctor, can you tell me your name? What are you called?” The voice was fading now, becoming much more difficult for the Doctor and his companion to hear.
“Just the Doctor.” He closed his eyes slightly, and Amy could tell he was struggling to carry on.
“No one is just called the Doctor!” Although quiet the voice channeling through the old man, was rather abrupt, the tone quite clear. “Who are you? Why are you here? What do you want?”
“Too many questions.” The Doctor snapped, gesturing frustratedly with his free arm. “I need to pass on a message. Don’t have long.”
“What is it?” Jo asked, her voice now no more than a whisper in the air. “What’s happening?”
“Rory!” The Doctor exclaimed. “It’s me. The Doctor. I don’t have long. But we need your help.”

The Doctor gasped, pulling his hand away from the medium as the figures that had previously occupied the room vanished from sight. Amy looked around nervously.
“They’ve gone.”
“Well observed Pond.” The Doctor replied with a glare.
“No, but they’ve not gone.” She shivered, it’s as if I can still feel them here.”
“Residual energy.” The Doctor shrugged, looking around the room as he rubbed his head. “Remind me not to do that again.”
“What was that all about anyway?” Amy asked loudly, striding towards the Doctor. “How can Rory help? Do you know where he is? You’d better not be keeping stuff from me again!”
“Calm down.” The Time Lord replied kindly, placing a hand on her shoulder. “The other date was your time.” He explained. “2010. If I’m right, and I usually am, that’s where the TARDIS is.”
“So that’s where Rory is!”
“Exactly! And it’s the best place for him!”
“What’s the supposed to mean!” Amy snapped, slightly taken aback.
”Think about it Amy! If Rory was to be stranded in any time, and it was up to him to save us, wouldn’t you rather it be in his own time?”
“I guess you’re right.” She shrugged, before pulling the Doctor in to a hug. “I’m sorry. I’m just…”
“Worried, I know.” The Doctor smiled, pulling free from her embrace. “But no need. It’s Rory remember! He defeats Saturynians with sticks!”

He smiled and winked at his red haired companion, just as the hazy image of a rather surprised camera man appeared opposite him.