Hello everyone!

I'm back, Wooh! And with the most popular choice - the Pandorica Opens!

We've also been more updated, so the characters come from Post - Power of the Doctor BUT pre-regeneration (so just after Yaz and the Doctor separate) because that just worked best for me.

Hope you enjoy the chapter - let me know what you think!

Hopefully the next part will be up pretty soon (as my hectic schedule is clearing up a little - the joys of juggling a job, degree, volunteering, several societies and sports and an attempt at a social life on top of writing).

Thanks as always for reading!

Robyn

The group was happily chatting away, enjoying the break and the relative peace it provided them. It had been a few hours of peace but they were starting to get twitchy, thoughts turning to where and what the group that had been taken were up to. How long would it be for them, before they returned? What would be so different that the Tardis felt the need to return them to their timeline temporarily?

They weren't left in suspense long.

A chiming noise, like someone ringing a doorbell incessantly, rang throughout the rooms. People had congregated in the kitchen, drinking tea and enjoying some biscuits they'd found in true British fashion. Upon hearing the loud noise, conversations stopped and people turned to look at each in question.

Leading the way, River shrugged, sharing a look with her parents, before making her way back to the viewing room. The rest of the group followed behind her, their curiosity as strong as ever.

They were greeted with the same room they'd left, the screen still blank, and no one new. As if the Tardis was watching, which she likely was, another noise rang out temporarily deafening the group. A blinding light, continued the assault on their senses, making them slam their eyes shut in an attempt to protect themselves, ears still ringing.

As they finally regained control of their senses, warily opening their eyes they found the missing members of the group standing in the centre of the room, looking appropriately dazed. Standing next to Yaz, there was also a new man.

"Blimey." Graham rubbed at his eyes, "I forgot about this place. How did I forget about this place?"

"The Tardis probably, grandad." Ryan shrugged, looking around the onlooking group with a smile and nod for a greeting.

Yaz laughed a little, also turning to their onlookers with a grin, "Miss us?"

"You've only been gone a couple hours." Clara smiled but copied her laugh, happy to see them return.

Ryan shook his head, "Okay that's a bit weird. Been much longer for us."

"Huh." The Doctor's sound of surprise drew the group's attention to her, only to find her looking at her hands confused.

"Doctor!" Yaz had spun round, eyes widening as she finally registered the Doctor's presence. She stood in shock for a moment, scanning u and down as if searching for something. She frowned, jovial attitude gone in a flash, "You're not ...?"

The Doctor shook her head, "It seems we're frozen here. Out of the timeline." River glanced between the two of them, both curious and concerned by the exchange occurring between the pair.

"Well, this is a cheery conversation!" Jack cut in loudly. "Nice to see you all again!"

"Erm, Doctor, Yaz?" The strange guy spoke up, gaining the group's attention to him as he peered forward a bit hesitantly. "Where are we? Who are these people?"

"Could ask you the same mate." Mickey snorted.

"Be nice Ricky." Mickey shook his head though everyone could see his fond smile as the Doctor stepped up.

Yaz just rolled her eyes but took pity on the guy and started to explain. "We're in a room created by the Tardis, outside the timeline apparently. They brought us all here to watch videos of the Doctor's adventures."

"Why?" The guy asked, blinking as he took in all that information.

It was Bill that spoke up, shrugging, "Therapy maybe? We're not really sure honestly. It's fun to see some of the videos though."

"Okay, and who are you all again?" The guy nodded along, looking overwhelmed.

The Doctor patted him on the shoulder in commiseration, gesturing wildly with her other hand to the group watching them. "Dan, meet some of my former companions. Guys meet Dan, he travelled with me and Yaz recently."

"Hi?" It sounded more like a question then a statement, but he offered a small wave.

Yaz snorted, entertained. "Don't think I've ever seen you this shy."

Dan turned on her, "I've just magically appeared in a room with a bunch of strangers who everyone apparently already knows, how would you feel?" Yaz just grinned in response.

The Doctor shook her head fondly at the pair as she started gesturing to people in introduction. "That's Rose, then there's Mickey and Martha who got married. Over there is Donna, and that's another married couple Amy and Rory. Next to them is their daughter and my wife, River. That's Clara and there's Bill, then Nardole. The American beside us is Jack, and you've been introduced to Ryan and Graham I believe." As their name was mentioned, each person waved in turn.

The Doctor didn't even bother to introduce the Master who had immediately returned to lounge in his armchair, pretending to ignore everything going on in the room.

"I have ... so many questions." Dan finally managed to find his words as he stared at the group of onlookers.

Mickey laughed, stepping forward to pat the guy on the back in commiseration, "You get used to it, mate."

The group's attention was drawn to the screen as it turned black, signalling the start of another video.

"Guess we're getting straight back into it." Jack commented with a raised eyebrow.

They dispersed returning to what had become their normal seats, eager to see what the Tardis had in store for them this time. Yaz took pity on Dan, gesturing for him to follow and getting him to sit next to her on their sofa which had been extended so that both of them, Ryan and Graham could all fit on it comfortably.

"The Pandorica Opens?" Clara read the title as it appeared. "That seems ... ominous."

The Doctor groaned as she read the title; Amy, Rory and River sharing a knowing look that didn't go unnoticed to the rest of the group.

"This one of yours?" Rose asked the trio.

Amy grimaced but nodded, "Unfortunately. And it's not a fun one."

Yaz snorted, "Perfect way to get back into the swing of things."

Apprehensive the group watched as the video started to play.

[France 1890]

(Night. It is raining. In a bedroom, an unappreciated artist is having a breakdown by his new painting of Still Life with Twelve Sunflowers, dedicated to Amy. His doctor is in attendance.)
GACHET: Vincent, can you hear me? Please.

"Vincent? As in Vincent Van Gogh? You met him?" Clara asked curiously.

Amy smiled fondly with a nod, "Yes, Vincent was brilliant."

"Had a crush on Amy." The Doctor added with a teasing grin at Rory, who simply rolled his eyes in response.

"We would have made beautiful ginger babies." Amy's smile turned bittersweet as she was reminded of Vincent's fate. Rory squeezed her hand in comfort.

VERNET: It's not enough he goes drinking all round the town. Now the whole neighbourhood has to listen to his screaming.
GACHET: He's very ill, Madame Vernet.
(Madame Vernet looks at another painting, which we do not get to see.)
VERNET: Look at this, even worse than his usual rubbish. What's it supposed to be?

"Important, I'm guessing." Martha remarked. If it wasn't she doubted they'd be seeing this.

[Cabinet War Rooms, London 1941]

(Bracewell brings the picture to the Prime Minister.)
BRACEWELL: It was found behind the wall, in an attic in France. It's genuine. It's a Van Gogh.
CHURCHILL: Why bring it to me?

"That painting is moving." Mickey commented at the screen with a raised eyebrow.

Amy, Rory, River and the Doctor shared a knowing glance. "Moving between people we know." Amy added on, drawing curious looks from the rest of the group even as she refused to expand on her remark.

BRACEWELL: Because it's obviously a message, and you can see who it's for.

"So, whatever it is, it must be something clearly linked to the Doctor." Rose pointed out, because there was no doubt in their mind the painting was to do with the Doctor.

CHURCHILL: Can't say I understand it.
BRACEWELL: You're not supposed to understand it, Prime Minister. You're supposed to deliver it.

"Bit hard to do when you never know where the Doctor will end up." Nardole remarked.

[Stormcage Containment Facility 5145]

(A guard answers a telephone.)
GUARD: Cell four two six. The Doctor? Do you mean Doctor Song?
(River goes to the bars of her cell.)

"Your time in prison?" Bill asked River more curious than anything. They all knew why she was there after all.

"You're a criminal?" Dan exclaimed, looking at River in the room shocked. "What did you do?"

River smiled a sly smile, shrugging "I killed the Doctor." The Doctor herself just sighed, shaking her head at River who was enjoying herself.

"You what!?" Dan shouted, glancing wide eyed between the Doctor and River as the rest of the group chuckled.

Yaz just patted him on the back, not bothering to repress her chuckles. "Don't worry about it."

"I feel like this is something to be worried about!" Dan protested but settled back into his seat with a few more grumbles.

RIVER: Give me that. Seriously, just give it to me. I'm entitled to phone calls.
(The guard gives her the telephone.)
RIVER: Doctor?

"Must be important." Ryan said.

"Or the Doctor just wanted to see her wife." Clara snorted; it was fifty-fifty with the Doctor. Possibly even both at the same time.

A loud grumble came from Dan as he was reminded that River was the Doctor's wife (still a crazy thought) as well as a criminal (that claimed to have killed her) but he didn't make any more protests already learning that he wasn't likely to get any answers.

[Cabinet War Rooms]

CHURCHILL: No, and neither are you. Where is he?
RIVER [OC]: You're phoning the Time Vortex. It doesn't always work. But the Tardis is smart. She's re-routed the call.

"The Doctor is unavailable so you get River." Rose nodded, "Question is, what's the Doctor up to?"

"I think the better question is how does Winston Churchill have the Doctor's number?!" Donna spoke up loudly. Somehow still surprised despite feeling like she shouldn't be anymore - the Doctor knew all sorts of people.

[Stormcage]

RIVER: Talk quickly. This connection will last less than a minute.
GUARD: Doctor Song. Are you finished with that?
(River returns the telephone with a smile.)

"Oh, that's not a friendly smile." Mickey kept a wary eye on the River in screen, tense.

"River what are you about to do?" Amy raised a stern eyebrow at her daughter.

"What I need to mother." River's unrepentant declaration was followed by a third grumble from Dan, who did not have the context surrounding River that the rest of the room did.

RIVER: You're new here, aren't you?
GUARD: First day.
RIVER: Then I'm very sorry.
(River pulls him to the bars and kisses him. Later, a group of armed guards run to the cell. The guard is inside, pointing his gun at something.)

"Hallucinogenic lipstick?" Jack raised an eyebrow, nodding approvingly. "Very nice."

"I try handsome." The Doctor rolled her eyes as the pair flirted with each other.

GUARD 2: Stay exactly where you are.
GUARD: She had the lipstick. The hallucinogenic lipstick. She tried to use it on me. Your tricks don't work in here, Doctor Song.
(He is pointing his gun at a stick drawing on the wall with the word 'Bye!' in a bubble.)

"I think they did, mate." Graham chuckled.

[The Royal Collection 5145]

(Empty frames hang in the empty hallways. River finds the picture she is looking for and tears it out of its frame. She is halfway up a staircase when the lights come on.)
LIZ: This is the Royal Collection, and I'm the bloody Queen. What are you doing here?

"Queen Liz the 10th." Amy noted with wide eyes, "The painting really was getting between people we know." She shared a long look with the Doctor, both thinking the same thing – the crack had been following them for a long time.

RIVER: It's about the Doctor, Ma'am. You met him once, didn't you? I know he came here.
LIZ: The Doctor?
RIVER: He's in trouble. I need to find him.
LIZ: Then why are you stealing a painting?
RIVER: Look at it. I need to find the Doctor, and I need to show him this.

River gave the Doctor a pointed look, not even needing to say the words she was thinking. The Doctor looked away pointedly, already tense and not looking forward to watching the rest of this mess with everyone, but she got the message – there were a lot of people out there who cared, and were happy to help as soon as her name was mentioned.

[The Maldovarium 5145]

(River is at a nightclub table with a blue skinned man.)
DORIUM: Well now, word on the Belt is you're looking for time travel.

"Dorium." Rory acknowledged casually, "And he still has his head."

River hummed, "Found him before the Demon's run mess."

"What is going on?" Dan muttered quietly, only Yaz really hearing.

She turned to him with a grin, "Everything's a bit crazy here but you get used to it. You travelled with the Doctor too after all, we've seen some strange stuff."

RIVER: Are you selling?
(Dorium snaps his fingers and an alien brings a box.)
DORIUM: A vortex manipulator, fresh off the wrist of a handsome Time Agent.

Jack sat up eyes widening, he pointed at the screen, "Hey! So that's where that ended up!"

"Of course, it was yours." The Doctor shook her head, she should have known.

(He opens the box and sighs.)
DORIUM: I said off the wrist.
(The alien takes the box away.)
DORIUM: Not cheap, Doctor Song. Have you brought me a pretty toy?
(She takes off one of her earrings.)
RIVER: This is a Calisto Pulse. It can disarm micro-explosives from up to twenty feet.

"Useful." Mickey nodded, but leaned forward getting a strong feeling River wasn't quite done.

DORIUM: What kind of micro-explosives?
RIVER: The kind I just put in your wine.

"River." Rory sighed exasperated.

"Sorry dad."

[Tardis]

(Amy is studying the engagement ring that she found in the Doctor's jacket pocket.)
DOCTOR: Vavoom!

The Doctor raised an eyebrow at Amy, about to comment on the ring but Dan speaking up distracted her.

"Wait, so that's really you, Doctor?" Dan pointed at the screen, looking more than a little bit overwhelmed by everything he was being bombarded with. Regeneration had been mentioned vaguely, and he's seen some of the mess with the Master but this was something else.

The Doctor smiled at him, nodding. "Yep, that was my face two ago? Yeah, not my last but the one before that." It was about to be three away but the group didn't need to know that. Being back in the room had frozen her in a state of pre-regeneration, or at least that was what she was assuming based on the lack of the familiar energy.

AMY: Va-what?
DOCTOR: I can't believe I've never thought of this before. It's genius. Right. Landed. Come on.
AMY: Where are we?
DOCTOR: Planet One. The oldest planet in the universe. And there's a cliff of pure diamond, and according to legend, on the cliff there's writing. Letters fifty feet high. A message from the dawn of time. And no one knows what it says, because no one's ever translated it.

"So that's what you're going to do?" Rose raised an eyebrow. "Translate very old graffiti?"

The Doctor and Amy just shared a fond smile, not offering the group any actual answers.

DOCTOR: Till today.
AMY: What happens today?
DOCTOR: Us. The Tardis can translate anything. All we have to do is open the doors and read the very first words in recorded history.
(So they go outside and read - Hello Sweetie ΘΣ ΦΓΥΔζ)
AMY: Vavoom.

"Of course, its River." Rory shook his head, stuck between exasperate and fond at his daughter. "Why wouldn't it be?"

"Got to leave an impression." River smirked, with a win at her father.

[Salisbury Plain]

(The Tardis materialises at the edge of a wood, on a hill.)
AMY: Right place?
DOCTOR: Just followed the co-ordinates on the cliff face. Earth. Britain. one oh two am. No, pm. No, AD.

"That's a bit difficult to get mixed up." Clara shook her head fondly.

"And important." Martha added on. There was a large difference between a time of day and century.

(They are looking down on a Roman camp.)
AMY: That's a Roman Legion.

"Yes, it is." Bill nodded thoughtfully, sharing a glance with Nardole and the Doctor. Her own experience with a Roman legion in Britain (though it was in Scotland and not England) had certainly left an impression.

DOCTOR: Well, yeah. The Romans invaded Britain several times during this period.
AMY: Oh, I know. My favourite topic at school. Invasion of the hot Italians. Yeah, I did get marked down for the title.

"It was worth it." Amy grinned at her past self, unrepentant. River nodded approvingly at her mother. Rory just sighed, shaking his head at his wife and daughter. It was easy to see how they were related sometimes.

(A soldier runs up and salutes.)
CLAUDIO: Hail, Caesar!
DOCTOR: Hi.

"They think you're Ceasar?" Mickey raised an eyebrow, giving the Doctor a pointed look. "That's a big mistake to make."

The Doctor smiled fondly, "They had a reason." No one missed the glance she made in the direction of her wife.

CLAUDIO: Welcome to Britain. We are honoured by your presence.
DOCTOR: Well, you're only human. Arise, Roman person.

"Roman person?" Ryan asked the Doctor, in a 'really'? fashion. The Doctor just shrugged.

AMY: Why does he think you're Caesar?
(Claudio has a smear of lipstick on his face.)

"I think we can guess." Clara gave her own glance at River, the lipstick was a tell-tale sign of her presence.

CLAUDIO: Cleopatra will see you now.

[Cleopatra's tent]

RIVER: Hello, sweetie.
AMY: River. Hi.

"You've made a name for yourself." Martha grinned. They were all getting familiar with how River worked, well enough to not be surprised by this and only be entertained.

DOCTOR: You graffitied the oldest cliff face in the universe.
RIVER: You wouldn't answer your phone.

"Appropriate reaction then." Bill nodded, only half sarcastic.

(Her slaves leave and she offers the Doctor the rolled up painting.)
DOCTOR: What's this?
RIVER: It's a painting. Your friend Vincent. One of his final works. He had visions, didn't he? I thought you ought to know about this one.

"Can we finally see it?" Yaz leaned forward, eager to get to finally see the painting that had travelled a long way to finally get to the Doctor. Maybe it would help put together what kind of mess they were getting into.

AMY: Doctor? Doctor, what is this?
(It is a version of Starry Night, with an exploding Tardis in the middle. After the titles, the three are galloping along on horseback. Meanwhile -)

"That's ... that's certainly something." Rose nodded wide eyed. The tension in the room rising drastically as the painting was finally revealed.

"Not a promising sign." Jack declared, with a worried look at River and the Doctor next to him. It really didn't suggest anything good was going to happen in this video.

AMY: Why is it exploding?
RIVER: I assume it's some kind of warning.

"You think?" Mickey raised an eyebrow.

AMY: What, something's going to happen to the Tardis?
RIVER: It might not be that literal. Anyway, this is where he wanted you. Date and map reference on the door sign, see?

"We can only hope." Donna declared.

Amy, Rory, River and the Doctor shared a long look. It had been very literal; they were just lucky they manged to fix it.

DOCTOR: Does it have a title?
RIVER: The Pandorica Opens.

"The Pandorica?" The Master finally spoke up from where he'd been half sulking in his armchair in the corner after his latest defeat. "Interesting ..." He trailed off, he'd heard some rumours about the prison. He shouldn't be surprised the Doctor was involved.

(Still galloping.)
DOCTOR [on horseback]: Come on. Ya!
AMY: The Pandorica? What is it?
RIVER: A box, a cage, a prison. It was built to contain the most feared thing in all the universe.

"So, let's not open it and find out what's in it?" Bill nodded frantically, "Decided, right? Good." The last thing they needed was to open it and face this thing, though knowing their luck that's exactly what would happen.

DOCTOR: And it's a fairy tale, a legend. It can't be real.

"When have things ever just been fairy tales with us?" Rose sighed, thinking back to her conversation with Sarah Jane during their first meeting. They'd seen some weird things.

RIVER: If it is real, it's here and it's opening, and it's got something to do with your Tardis exploding. Hidden, obviously. Buried for centuries. You won't find it on a map.

"Imagine that." Ryan snorted, "Big dangerous prison here. Where x marks the spot."

Yaz snorted, "I think you're thinking of pirates."

Ryan shrugged, "Who's to say they weren't pirates." Yaz rolled her eyes but didn't dispute it, fond smile on her face.

DOCTOR: No, but if you buried the most dangerous thing in the universe, you'd want to remember where you put it.

"So, they'll have left a marker." Nardole said.

Amy, River, Rory and the Doctor shared a look. Rory nodded for the group, "You could say that."

[Stonehenge]

(The riders arrive and run inside the circle. The Doctor and River start scanning the stones)

Mickey let out a low whistle, "That's certainly a marker."

Clara nodded along thoughtfully, "Does give an explanation for Stonehenge finally. Not that we can really tell anyone though." That was often the way, they found out the answer to some big mystery and then couldn't even tell people.

AMY: How come it's not new?
RIVER: Because it's already old. It's been here thousands of years. No one knows exactly how long.
AMY: Okay, this Pandorica thing. Last time we saw you, you warned us about it, after we climbed out of the Byzantium.

"Your timeline is a mess." Bill shook her head at River, who just shrugged in response. It was true.

RIVER: Spoilers.
AMY: No, but you told the Doctor you'd see him again when the Pandorica opens.
RIVER: Maybe I did, but I haven't yet. But I will have. Doctor, I'm picking up fry particles everywhere. Energy weapons discharged on this site.

"Lovely." Martha crossed her arms, "Let's hope you don't meet their owners."

DOCTOR: If the Pandorica is here, it contains the mightiest warrior in history. Now, half the galaxy would want a piece of that. Maybe even fight over it. We need to get down there.

"Or you could do the smart thing and not get involved." Nardole pointed out, very aware the Doctor had never done that once in her life.

(Night time. River places a device on each corner of the Altar stone.)
RIVER: Right then. Ready.
(There is a sound of machinery moving, then the Altar stone moves aside to reveal a staircase down into the ground.)

"Creepy." Rose grimaced.

DOCTOR: The Underhenge.

Jack grinned at the Doctor "You were just waiting for a chance to use that one." The Doctor grinned back, unrepentant.

(As they go down, a nearby severed Cyberman head twitches.)

"You have company." Ryan pointed out with a wary look at the screen.

Amy snorted, "Oh, you have no idea." The rest of the group all shared a look, not reassured by Amy's words remotely.

[Pandorica chamber]

(The Doctor lights a handy torch with his sonic screwdriver. He lights another for River and they unbar a big door, then enter.)
DOCTOR: It's a Pandorica.
(It is a big square monument with a circular design on each face.)

"That's a small prison." Graham raised an eyebrow at the decorated cube.

No one enjoyed the long look the Doctor and Amy shared. They were both very aware of how small that prison was.

RIVER: More than just a fairy tale.
(The Doctor's foot touches a Cyberman's severed arm lying in the dust of the floor.)
DOCTOR: There was a goblin, or a trickster, or a warrior. A nameless, terrible thing, soaked in the blood of a billion galaxies. The most feared being in all the cosmos. And nothing could stop it, or hold it, or reason with it. One day it would just drop out of the sky and tear down your world.

The Master, unseen in his corner, raised a sly eyebrow at the Doctor, recalling more of the rumours he'd heard and getting more and more interested in seeing the Doctor's point of view of this.

AMY: How did it end up in there?
DOCTOR: You know fairy tales. A good wizard tricked it.

Donna raised an eyebrow, pointing a finger at the Doctor. "And what are the chances that the good wizard is him?"

Her only answer was a knowing look shared between Amy, Rory, River and the Doctor.

RIVER: I hate good wizards in fairy tales. They always turn out to be him.
AMY: So, it's kind of like Pandora's Box, then? Almost the same name.

"But wasn't that opened?" Bill pointed out, "We don't want this to be opened."

DOCTOR: Sorry, what?
AMY: The story. Pandora's Box, with all the worst things in the world in it. That was my favourite book when I was a kid. What's wrong?
DOCTOR: Your favourite school topic. Your favourite story. Never ignore a coincidence, unless you're busy. In which case, always ignore a coincidence.

"I'm getting a feeling this is not a coincidence." Clara gestured at the screen, with a raised eyebrow at the Doctor.

Amy snorted, "There's not many genuine coincidences in our lives."

RIVER: So can you open it?
DOCTOR: Easily. Anyone can break into a prison. But I'd rather know what I'm going to find first.

"Smart." Mickey nodded approvingly, "Don't open a prison when you don't know what it contains. Maybe you're learning after all." The Doctor didn't even register the back hand compliment.

RIVER: You won't have long to wait. It's already opening. There are layers and layers of security protocols in there, and they're being disabled one by one. Like it's being unlocked from the inside.

"What's inside?" Dan leaned forward curiosity getting the better of him.

"Weren't you listening?" Yaz teased him, getting a roll of Dan's eyes.

Dan crossed his arms, "I did, but if they could escape at any moment why wait till now?"

"All good questions." River interrupted with a knowing look, glancing back to the screen instead of offering any more exact answers.

DOCTOR: How long do we have?
RIVER: Hours at the most.
DOCTOR: What kind of security?
RIVER: Everything. Deadlocks, time stops, matter lines.

Jack let out an appreciative whistle, "That's some serious security."

DOCTOR: What could need all that?
RIVER: What could get past all that?

"I can think if a few things." The Master drawled from his corner; a lazy raised eyebrow aimed at the Doctor. His comment earned a few wary glances from across the room before they silently decided to ignore him.

DOCTOR: Think of the fear that went into making this box. What could inspire that level of fear? Hello, you. Have we met?
RIVER: So why would it start to open now?

Amy, Rory, River and the Doctor exchanged yet another knowing look. The rest of the group was starting to get quite frustrated with their lack of answers.

DOCTOR: No idea.
AMY: Ahem, And how could Vincent have known about it? He won't even be born for centuries.
DOCTOR: The stones. These stones are great big transmitters, broadcasting a warning to everyone, everywhere, to every time zone. The Pandorica is opening.

"A marker and a warming alarm." Martha spoke up, "A multipurpose set of standing stones."

RIVER: Doctor, everyone everywhere?
DOCTOR: Even poor Vincent heard it, in his dreams. But what's in there? What could justify all this?
RIVER: Doctor, everyone?

"What's so important about that?" Rose asked River confused by why she had latched onto that part of the Doctor's remark. River just gestured to the screen in answer.

DOCTOR: Anything that powerful, I'd know about it. Why don't I know?
RIVER: Doctor, you said everyone could hear it. So who else is coming?

"Oh. Oh no." Clara exclaimed; eyes wide as she made the connection as to why River was so worried.

"You're going to have some company." Donna grimaced, "More than expected and nothing friendly."

DOCTOR: Oh.
AMY: Oh? Oh, what?
RIVER: Okay. If it is basically a transmitter, we should be able to fold back the signal.
DOCTOR: Doing it.

"Might be too late." Mickey shook his head, "But worth making sure."

(The Doctor goes around the bases of the Sarsen stones with his sonic screwdriver.)
AMY: Doing what?
RIVER: Stonehenge is transmitting. It's been transmitting for a while, so who heard?

"Who didn't." Amy snorted quietly, sharing a glance with Rory. The few that heard her shared their own worried looks, that was not at all a reassuring thing to hear.

DOCTOR: Okay, should be feeding back to you now. River, what's out there?
RIVER: Give me a moment.
DOCTOR: River, quickly. Anything?
RIVER: Around this planet there are at least ten thousand starships.

"Oh." Ryan muttered, wide eyed and a bit hoarse in his shock. "Just a few."

AMY: At least?
RIVER: Ten thousand, a hundred thousand, a million, I don't know. There's too many readings.

"Those are very different numbers." Nardole pointed out.

"But it will probably won't make a difference." Bill grimaced. With that many enemies circling, exact numbers weren't likely to make much of a difference.

DOCTOR: What kind of starships?
DALEK [OC]: Maintaining orbit.
DALEK 2 [OC]: I obey. Shield cover compromised on ion sectors.

"Daleks." Rose sighed, "Just what we want to see."

AMY: Daleks. Those are Daleks.
DALEK [OC]: Scan detects no temporal activity.
DALEK 2 [OC]: Soft grid scan commencing.
DALEK [OC]: Reverse thrust for compensatory stabilisation.
RIVER: Daleks, Doctor.

"A whole fleet of them." Jack whistled lowly, watching the screen worried. That wasn't good news, and the Daleks likely weren't the only familiar enemy circling.

DALEK [OC]: Launch preliminary armaments protocol.
DOCTOR: Yes. Okay, okay, okay, okay. Dalek fleet, minimum twelve thousand battleships, armed to the teeth. Ah! But we've got surprise on our side. They'll never expect three people to attack twelve thousand Dalek battleships. Because we'd be killed instantly. So it would be a fairly short surprise. Forget surprise.

"You've done it before, Doctor." Rose pointed out, gesturing to herself and Jack as she looked the Doctor down with a raised eyebrow. The Doctor winced at the reminder but just shrugged in response, they'd been panicking just a little bit at the time.

CYBERMAN [OC]: Course correction proceeding.)
RIVER: Doctor, Cyberships.
DOCTOR: No, Dalek ships. Listen to them. Those are Dalek ships.
RIVER: Yes. Dalek ships and Cyberships.

"Just what you need." Graham huffed.

DOCTOR: Well, we need to start a fight, turn them on each other. I mean, that's easy. It's the Daleks. They're so cross.

"Maybe if it was anyone else, but they both hate you too much." Jack raised an eyebrow at the Doctor, keeping a wary eye on them – it was clear to see that the Doctor was panicking, understandably.

RIVER: Sontaran. Four battlefleets.
DOCTOR: Sontarans! Talk about cross, who stole all their handbags?
RIVER: Terileptil. Slitheen, Chelonian, Nestene, Drahvin. Sycorax, Haemogoth, Zygon, Atraxi, Draconian. They're all here for the Pandorica.

"Just a few then." Martha swallowed, flinching as the list went on and on with both familiar and unfamiliar names. The situation was looking worse and worse with every second.

DOCTOR: What are you? What could you possibly be?

"That's a very good question." Yaz muttered, watching the screen curiously. Whatever was in that box was drawing a lot of attention. The mystery was what was in the box and if it was worth it all.

[Stonehenge]

(Lots of spaceships are buzzing around in the sky.)

"That's certainly a sight." Bill declared, in awe (horrified awe, but awe) of the spaceships taking up the night sky.

"A terrifying one." Ryan added on. He was very glad he wasn't part of the group that had to deal with that mess, they'd had their own terrible adventures but nothing like this.

AMY: What do we do?
RIVER: Doctor, listen to me. Everything that ever hated you is coming here tonight. You can't win this. You can't even fight it. Doctor, this once, just this one time, please, you have to run.

"We do a lot of running." Clara nodded, "But River's right, if there was ever a time to not pick a fight, it's now."

The Doctor suspiciously avoided eye contact, making several members of the group sigh. There was no way the Doctor was going to run from this fight, despite being so drastically outnumbered.

DOCTOR: Run where?
RIVER: Fight how?
DOCTOR: The greatest military machine in the history of the universe.
AMY: What is? The Daleks?
DOCTOR: No. No, no, no, no, no. The Romans.

"Maybe on Earth, but I don't think they'll stand much of a chance against all those spaceships." Bill countered, once again thinking back to her own experience with Romans and aliens. Then again, there was significantly more Romans now and they weren't deserters. Still, they were ridiculously outnumbered and outgunned.

[Cleopatra's tent]

(River returns to the Roman camp and is taken prisoner.)
COMMANDER: So. I return to my command after one week and discover we've been playing host to Cleopatra. Who's in Egypt. And dead.

"Ah, that might be an issue." Martha managed a grin despite the growing tension in the room.

"He raises some good points." Rose added with a shared grin at Martha and a wink. Mickey narrowed his eyes and glanced between the pair. He was suspicious of the pair after their little talk in the break, he hadn't completely mixed all the glances and smirks he'd sent in his direction.

RIVER: Yes. Funny how things work out.
(A spaceship buzzes them.)
COMMANDER: The sky is falling and you make jokes. Who are you?

"Not a bad interpretation of the millions of spaceships in the sky." Bill snorted at the absurd situation they were in.

RIVER: When you fight Barbarians, what must they think of you?
COMMANDER: Oh, riddles now.
RIVER: Where do they think you come from?

"Maybe a bit too philosophical for the time limit." Clara mused; River just shrugged unrepentant she had a point she was trying to make.

COMMANDER: A place more deadly and more powerful and more impatient than their tiny minds can imagine.
(River uses her gun to disintegrate a wooden stand filled with ornaments.)
RIVER: Where do I come from? Your world has visitors. You're all Barbarians now.

"Way to make a point." Jack grinned at River with a chuckle, "Love the style."

"Style is important." River laughed, matching Jack's grin.

"Absolutely." Jack laughed. The Doctor glanced between the two before rolling her eyes, once again she was thankful, she hadn't travelled with the both of them at one time.

COMMANDER: What is that? Tell me what?
RIVER: A fool would say the work of the Gods, but you've been a soldier too long to believe there are Gods watching over us. There is, however, a man. And tonight he's going to need your help.

"That's one way to get some help." Yaz remarked with an appreciatively look at River. No one missed the look that Amy, Rory, River and the Doctor shared.

MAN [OC]: Sir?
COMMANDER: One moment.
(The Commander has a whispered conference with a shady Centurion.)
COMMANDER: Well, it seems you have a volunteer.

"What are they up to?" Donna raised a suspicious eyebrow at the Centurion. Something was feeling familiar about them, enough that it made the hairs rise on people's arms. Something curious was about to happen, or at least more curious than what was already happening.

[Pandorica chamber]

AMY: So what's this got to do with the Tardis?
DOCTOR: Nothing, as far as I know.

"I'm guessing that's not right." Ryan countered with a glance at the Doctor.

The Doctor considered it for a second before answering. "Technically I was correct. It was connected but I was not aware of how at that point."

AMY: But Vincent's painting. The Tardis was exploding. Is that going to happen?

The silence in the room was loud, only growing as Amy, Rory, River and the Doctor shared a long look.

DOCTOR: One problem at a time. There's forcefield technology inside this box. If I can enhance the signal, I could extend it all over Stonehenge. Could buy us half an hour.

"Better than nothing." Graham sighed. Sometimes that was all they could ask for.

AMY: What good is half an hour?
DOCTOR: There are fruit flies live on Hoppledom Six that live for twenty minutes and they don't even mate for life. There was going to be a point to that. I'll get back to you.

"Oh, you are stressed." Nardole commented with a glance at the Doctor. After spending so long together at St Luke's he'd come to know some of the Doctor's quirks.

(Amy takes the ring box from her pocket.)
AMY: So, are you proposing to someone?
DOCTOR: I'm sorry?
AMY: I found this in your pocket.
DOCTOR: No. No, no, that's er, a memory. A friend of mine. Someone I lost. Do you mind?

Amy and Rory shared a long look, a lot of emotions being conveyed in a very brief amount of time. Watching this, knowing both what was going to happen and what had happened before gave it a whole new perspective.

"Who's ring, is it?" Dan asked confused and glancing around the room. He'd been staying a bit quitter as he adjusted to being in the room with everyone else who had apparently just accepted their crazy reality.

The Doctor glanced briefly at Amy before turning back to Dan, "That's ... more complicated than you think. I'm sure you'll find out soon." Dan was confused by the cacophony of groans that erupted from the rest of the room at the Doctor's statement.

AMY: It's weird. I feel, I don't know, something.
DOCTOR: People fall out of the world sometimes, but they always leave traces. Little things we can't quite account for. Faces in photographs, luggage, half eaten meals, rings. Nothing is ever forgotten, not completely. And if something can be remembered, it can come back.

"Not all of those are equal." Bill couldn't help but mutter.

"A beautiful sentiment, and important to remember." Rose smiled softly at the Doctor. The words rang a bell with the rest of the group, many of them being left in old memories with a fond smile on their face. People didn't have to literally vanish to leave and still matter.

AMY: So, was she nice, your friend?
DOCTOR: Remember that night you flew away with me?
AMY: Of course I do.
DOCTOR: And you asked me why I was taking you and I told you there wasn't a reason. I was lying.

"You do that." Amy remarked, "And you're changing the subject."

"Am I?" The Doctor countered with a softer look that made Amy frown. That whole nightmare had been a confusing mess and sometimes the abundance of memories still messed her up.

AMY: What, so you did have a reason?
DOCTOR: Your house.
AMY: My house.

"The creepy house with the creepier alien hiding there?" Ryan recalled.

Amy was affronted, "It wasn't creepy!" She protested.

Rory hummed, wincing as Amy's glare turned on him. "I mean it was a little bit?"

He didn't flinch as Amy's glare lingered on him for longer, but his shoulders did sag in relief as Amy sighed accepting their words reluctantly.

DOCTOR: It was too big. Too many empty rooms. Does it ever bother you, Amy, that your life doesn't make any sense?

"Hypocritical coming from you." Martha snorted, earning laughs from the rest of the group and breaking through some of the tension in the room.

(An energy weapon fires at them. It is the severed Cyberman arm. They hide behind the Pandorica.)

"You've run out of time." Clara frowned. Conversations would have to wait; they were under attack now.

AMY: What was that?
DOCTOR: Okay, I need a proper look. Got to draw its fire, give it a target.

"The normal strategy then." Rose sighed, shaking her head at the Doctor.

AMY: How?
DOCTOR: You know how sometimes I have really brilliant ideas?
AMY: Yes.

"This isn't one of those times." Amy finished the Doctor's sentence, rolling her eyes. This really was when she was still fairly new to travelling and it showed sometimes.

DOCTOR: Sorry.
(The Doctor runs out.)
DOCTOR: Look at me, I'm a target!

"You're an idiot." The Master drawled as the Doctor found themselves with a pillow to her face, "That's what you are."

No one argued but they did send the Master wary looks, Dan and Yaz especially after their latest run through with him.

(He gets shot at and hides behind the base of a Sarsen.)
AMY: What is that?
DOCTOR: Cyberarm. Arm of Cyberman.
AMY: And what's a Cyberman?

"Oh, you are new!" Bill remarked with a curious glance at Amy.

Amy snorted, a fond smile twitching at her lip, "And it was all downhill from here." Rory and River snorted at that in sync (showing the family resemblance) while the Doctor just sighed.

DOCTOR: Oh, sort of part man, part robot. The organic part must have died out years ago. Now the robot part is looking for, well, fresh meat.

"Which makes this a good time to start moving." Mickey urged.

AMY: What, us?
DOCTOR: It's just like being an organ donor, except you're alive and sort of screaming. I need to get round behind it. Could you draw its fire?

The group all turned disbelieving looks on the Doctor for that remark, the stress was really showing.

AMY: What, like you did?
DOCTOR: You'll be fine if you're quick. It's only got one arm, literally.
(Amy runs, screaming. The Doctor pounces on the arm.)

"Appropriate reaction." Martha chuckled. "Doing well under pressure."

"Not as well as you, lovely." Rose winked at Martha.

Martha sent a flirty smile back, "Thanks sweetheart, beautiful as always."

The group raised a few eyebrows at the pair, but decided it was better not to question it apart from Mickey who narrowed his eyes getting more and more suspicious.

Dan leaned closer to Yaz to whisper in her ear, "Is this normal?"

Yaz just shrugged, "Depends."

"That's not an answer!" Dan whispered angrily but Yaz refused to answer and the video continued leaving him confused.

DOCTOR: Come here!
(He manages to sonic it.)
AMY: Doctor?
DOCTOR: Scrambled its circuits, but stay where you are, it could be bluffing.

"They can do that?" Graham asked a bit panicked. He didn't get an answer outside of a shrug from the Doctor.

AMY: Bluffing? It's an arm.
DOCTOR: I said stay where you are!
(Something creeps up behind Amy and lassoes her ankle.)

"Uh oh." Nardole muttered, eyes transfixed on the train wreck about to unfold in front of them.

"Uh oh indeed." Bill agreed with a grimace.

AMY: Doctor?
(She is pulled to the floor.)
DOCTOR: Amy!
(The Cyberarm gives the Doctor an electric shock, knocking him out.)

"The Doctor's out for the count." Clara winced, "It's up to you Amy."

"Isn't it always." Amy replied distractedly, sarcastic response almost programmed into her despite the frown she was levelling at the screen.

AMY: Doctor!
(Amy is being attacked by the Cyberhead. She grabs it by the ears. It fizzles, then the mask pops open to reveal a skull, which falls out. Amy screams. The mask keeps snapping open and shut. She hits it against a Sarsen until it lets her go, then throws it to the floor. It crawls away.)

"Come on Amy!" Bill cheered earning a grateful smile from Amy for the belief in her capabilities.

AMY: Doctor?
(The Cyberhead fires a little dart into Amy's neck.)

"Now would be a good time for backup to arrive." Jack grimaced at the screen, the situation just kept getting worse and worse.

CYBERHEAD: You will be assimilated.
AMY: Yeah? You and whose body?
(A headless, armless Cyberman enters. It puts its head back on then goes after the woozy Amy. She backs out through the big doors.)

"That body." Ryan grimaced, leg bouncing as he leaned forward, nervous. The tension in the room rising as the situation was escalating.

Rory gave Amy a worried look despite knowing what was going to happen, seeing how close things had been was not great for his heart rate.

[Underhenge]

AMY: Doctor? Doctor?

"So much belief in someone who can't save you." The Master remarked, head tilted and eyes dark as he gazed at the group. The room shared glances, uncomfortable with his comments (and presence in general really – it was just easier to ignore when he was quiet) before deciding to ignore him.

(A Roman short sword pierces the door, which swings open to reveal the Cyberman skewered to the wood.)

"Wooh!" Several people cheered as backup arrived just in time.

AMY: Who, who are you?
(The Centurion removes his helmet.)
RORY: Hello, Amy.

"Rory the Roman." The Doctor smiled, though it was tinged with a bit of sadness.

"Cutting it a bit close mate." Mickey grinned teasingly.

(Amy passes out.)

"Appropriate reaction." Clara chuckled, "Both because of everything you just experienced and because of the hot rescue." Amy laughed along as Rory blushed at the wink Clara sent him.

RORY: Whoa, whoa, whoa.
(He catches her in his arms and lays her gently on a stone.)
SOLDIER: Sir, the man's coming round.

"Wait, you're a Roman?" Dan spoke up, hand in the air as if asking a question in school and shaking his head in confusion.

"Yes and no." Rory answered with a head tilt as he confused his words, "It's more than a bit complicated but I'm sure it will be explained soon." He glanced at the Doctor who shrugged, they were pretty sure they discussed it but that didn't mean it would be shown.

DOCTOR: Amy? Where's Amy?

Amy smiled softly at seeing how the Doctor was immediately concerned about her. No one could say the Doctor didn't care about their companions when they saw moments like that.

RORY: She's fine, Doctor. Just unconscious.
DOCTOR: Okay. Yes, she's sedated, that's all. Half an hour, she'll be fine. Okay, Romans. Good. I was just wishing for Romans. Good old River. How many?

"Glad I can be of service." River raised an eyebrow at the Doctor, a silent question in her words to which the Doctor shook her head.

RORY: Fifty men up top, volunteers. What about that thing?
DOCTOR: Fifty? You're not exactly a legion.

"Better than nothing." Graham shrugged. It wasn't exactly an easy thing to explain yet alone get people to come along and help.

RORY: Your friend was very persuasive, but it's a tough sell.

"That's putting it lightly." Jack snorted, "You'd have to be crazy to help."

"What does that say about us?" Rose raised an eyebrow at Jack. All of them had been involved in situations like this (though not exactly the same).

"That we're amazing?" Jack's smug grin earned a matching roll of the eyes from Rose and the Doctor.

DOCTOR: Yes, I know that, Rory. I'm not exactly one to miss the obvious. But we need everything we can get. Okay, Cyberweapons. This is basically a sentry box, so headless wonder here was a sentry. Probably got himself duffed up by the locals. Never underestimate a Celt.

"Celts, wooh!" Amy cheered quietly, earning several confused and curious looks to which she shrugged. "What? Got to represent the locals." It was impressive for them to have taken down a Cyberman, and she'd grown up on stories of how Celts and other 'barbarians' had stopped the Romans reaching Scotland.

River just smiled fondly at her mother before turning a pointed look on the Doctor, "You are famous for missing the obvious Doctor, don't start on that."

RORY: Doctor?
DOCTOR: Hush, Rory. Thinking. Why leave a Cyberman on guard, unless it's a Cyberthing in the box. But why would they lock up one of their own? Okay, no, not a Cyberthing, but what? What? No, I'm missing something obvious, Rory. Something big. Something right slap in front of me. I can feel it.
RORY: Yeah, I think you probably are.

"Thanks Rory." The Doctor rolled her eyes.

"Anytime Doctor." Rory laughed, able to see much more amusement in the situation now than when he'd actually been experiencing it.

DOCTOR: I'll get it in a minute.
(The Doctor leaves with the weapons, drops them and returns. He prods Rory.)
DOCTOR: Hello again.
RORY: Hello.

"You've not seen each other in a while then?" Yaz narrowed her eyes at the screen and the pair in the room with them, something wasn't adding up about how they were interacting.

Amy, Rory, River and the Doctor shared a grimace. That time in their lives had been exceptionally confusing. They didn't give the group any answers, just waving to the screen to the room's frustration.

DOCTOR: How've you been?
RORY: Good. Yeah. Good. I mean, Roman.
DOCTOR: Rory, I'm not trying to be rude, but you died.

"You did what?" Clara blinked surprised at the blunt declaration. Maybe she'd have to indoctrinate Rory into their 'dead, not-dead former companions' club too.

Bill tilted her head confused, "Unless I missed something important, I'm pretty sure the life cycle doesn't go life, death, Roman?"

The Doctor snorted in amusement at the reactions she'd known were coming. "Watch a little longer, if you're still confused, we'll explain."

RORY: Yeah, I know. I was there.

Rory's blunt remarks earned several amused snorts and comments.

"Love your humour mate." Mickey nodded approvingly at Rory. They really needed to have a proper talk and commiserate the Doctor stealing away their significant other before they eventually joined the journey themselves.

DOCTOR: You died and then you were erased from time. You didn't just die, you were never born at all. You never existed.

"That's a level up from dying. Congratulations." Jack offered, only half-sarcastic.

"Thanks, I think?" Rory replied more than a little confused over whether that was a compliment or not.

RORY: Erased? What does that mean?
DOCTOR: How can you be here?
RORY: I don't know. It's kind of fuzzy.
DOCTOR: Fuzzy?
RORY: Well, I died and turned into a Roman. It's very distracting. Did she miss me?

"Got your priorities straight." Martha smiled at the love Rory had for Amy. He'd died, been erased from time and become a Roman (apparently) and he could only think about Amy.

"You'd be my priority too, Martha." Rose winked at Martha who tried desperately to hide her laugh and offer her own flirtatious look back (while ignoring Mickey's narrowed eyes)

"Right back at you beautiful." She managed to reply, semi-straight faced.

The Doctor raised an eyebrow at the two of them, Rose discretely nodding to Mickey when he wasn't looking drawing the Doctor's attention to the beautiful contortion of confusion and suspicion on his face. She hid her smirk but couldn't help but feel a bit sorry for Mickey who was at the pair's mercy.

(Something shakes the ground.)

[Pandorica chamber]

(The circular designs on the Pandorica are glowing green and moving like cog wheels.)

"It's opening." Yaz leaned forward, incredibly curious about what possibly could be inside of it.

RORY: What is it? What's happening?
DOCTOR: The final phase. It's opening.

[Salisbury Plain]

(River is on her horse, watching the myriad of shining spaceships buzzing Stonehenge in typical Spielberg style.)
RIVER: You're surrounded. Have you got a plan?

"It's the Doctor, what do you think?" Jack laughed with a pointed look between River and the Doctor.

"Oi! I had a plan." The Doctor protested the slander against her name.

"Not necessarily a good one." River added offhandedly.

The Doctor turned a huffy scowl on her, "I never claimed it was!"

Donna snorted, "That's not the defence you think it is Doctor."

DOCTOR [OC]: Yes. Now hurry up and

[Pandorica chamber]

DOCTOR: Get the Tardis here. I need equipment. What are you? They're all here, all of them, all for you. What could you possibly be?

"You need a moment, Doctor?" Clara teased with a raised eyebrow. The Doctor was just like that sometimes with these things it always felt a bit like you were intruding on a private moment.

[Stonehenge]

DOCTOR [OC]: Sorry, sorry, dropped it. Hello, Stonehenge! Who takes the Pandorica, takes the universe. But bad news, everyone,
(The Doctor appears on the Altar stone.)

"Speech time." Bill grinned leaning forward. The Doctor always got a particular voice when they were about to do a speech, and by the stars they could do a good impassioned speech when the moment called for it. She was excited to see what the Doctor had to say, and what their plan was for dealing with the enormous invasion heading their way.

DOCTOR: Because guess who? Ha! Listen, you lot, you're all whizzing about. It's really very distracting. Could you all just stay still a minute because I am talking! The question of the hour is, who's got the Pandorica? Answer, I do. Next question. Who's coming to take it from me? Come on! Look at me. No plan, no back up, no weapons worth a damn. Oh, and something else. I don't have anything to lose! So, if you're sitting up there in your silly little spaceship, with all your silly little guns, and you've got any plans on taking the Pandorica tonight, just remember who's standing in your way. Remember every black day I ever stopped you, and then, and then, do the smart thing. Let somebody else try first.
(The spaceships retreat.)

The group watched in silent awe as the Doctor spoke to the invaders, in full Doctor mode as they set out a challenge. One that worked nonetheless.

"That's." Rose swallowed as she tried to get her thoughts back into a coherent order, "That's one way to deal with some of them."

River smiled fondly at her wife who'd been watching her past self with critical eyes, "You're something else, you know that, Doctor?"

"Huh?" The Doctor broke out of their wandering thoughts at the sound of River's voice but she'd missed what had been said. River just shook her head, grasping the Doctor's hand and squeezing it. It had been an impressive declaration the first time, and no less impressive the second (if without the imminent fear and stress of danger).

DOCTOR: That'll keep them squabbling for half an hour. Romans.

"Part 2?" Yaz smiled at the Doctor, familiar with how her plans worked by now.

"Part 2." The Doctor nodded back.

[Tardis]

RIVER: Okay.
(She dematerialises the Tardis, but it jerks.)
RIVER: What's the matter with you?

"The Tardis misbehaving?" The Master raised an eyebrow, unsurprised, tone dry. "What a surprise."

River scowled at him, wishing there was a pillow nearby that she could fling back at his smug face. He had no idea what was coming.

[Pandorica chamber]

RORY: They're still out there. What do we do now?
DOCTOR: If I can stop whatever's in this box getting out, then they'll go home.

"So just a little task." Mickey remarked sarcastically. The group watched concerned and curious at the shared look Amy, Rory, River and the Doctor shared.

RORY: Right.
DOCTOR: Rory, I'm sorry. You're going to have to be very brave now.

The Doctor shot another look at Rory, apologetic. Rory nodded, understanding the message. It may not be as bad now, but it was still going to be painful to relive the next part.

(Amy walks past Rory.)
AMY: Oh, my head.
DOCTOR: Ah.
AMY: Ah.

"You're not going to acknowledge Rory?" Martha asked confused by Amy's complete dismissal of her husband.

Amy winced even as Rory squeezed their joined hands comfortingly. "He was erased from time when he died. I didn't remember him ever existing. No one did." Amy explained with a tired sigh. "Beside The Doctor and River who are complicated and normal rules don't really apply to."

"The ring is yours." Donna worked out, speaking up quietly with sad eyes. Memory issues was something she understood far too well.

"Yes." Rory spoke up softly, not explain anymore as the reality of the explanation caught up slowly with the rest of the group.

DOCTOR: Just your basic knock-out drops. Get some fresh air, you'll be fine.
AMY: Is it safe up there?
DOCTOR: Not remotely, but it's fresh.

"Nowhere is exactly safe at the moment." Nardole commented with a shrug.

AMY: Fine. Oh, you're the guy, yeah? The one who did the swordy thing.
RORY: Yeah.
AMY: Well, thanks for the swording. Nice swording.
(Amy heads out.)

"Ouch." Ryan winced at the devastated look on Rory's face even as he tried to hide it. None of them could imagine how he was feeling as Amy spoke to him without knowing who he was.

RORY: No problem. My men are up there. They'll look after you.
AMY: Good. Love a Roman.

"Maybe there was always a reason for that." Amy whispered to Rory half serious and half suggestively as she squeezed their conjoined hands in an attempt of comfort.

RORY: She doesn't remember me. How can she not remember me?
DOCTOR: Because you never existed.

"Don't you love time travel." Jack grimaced. Sometimes the universe could be unbearably cruel.

[Tardis]

RIVER: What are you doing? What's wrong?
(The Tardis lurches down the Time Vortex.)

The group shared a worried look at the quick flash of River, the painting that had started this mess still in their minds.

[Pandorica chamber]

DOCTOR: There are cracks. Cracks in time. There's going to be a huge explosion in the future, on one particular day. And every other moment in history is cracking around it.

The four shared a knowing glance as they recalled the centre of that explosion.

"That explosion won't have anything to do with the picture of the Tardis exploding, would it?" Rose raised a worried eyebrow at the four who only winced but it was the only answer the group needed to be very worried about where this was all going.

RORY: So how does that work? What kind of explosion? What exploded?
RIVER [memory]: And for those of us who can't read the base code of the universe?
DOCTOR [memory]: Amy's time.
DOCTOR: Doesn't matter. The cracks are everywhere now. Get too close to them and you can fall right out of the universe.

"Cracks?" Ryan frowned, trying to think why that sounded very familiar. "Wait, like the one in Amy's house as a kid?"

"Exactly. Two points to Ryan!" The Doctor grinned proudly, her declaration earning a groan from Ryan, Graham and Yaz. He wasn't even traveling with her anymore and he still couldn't escape the points.

"Crack, what crack?" Dan leaned in to ask Yaz quietly, feeling (and rightly so) that he was missing some vital information.

"It's not important." Yaz waved him off casually.

"I have the feeling it is!" Dan persisted desperately but leaned back resigning himself to a lack of answers from Yaz. Maybe it would be shown or he'd pick it up with context?

RORY: So I fell through a crack and now I was never born?
DOCTOR: Basically.
RORY: Well, how did I end up here?

"Good question." Jack waved a finger at Rory, "But might I say you look dashing as a Roman?"

"Jack!" The Doctor scolded Jack as Rory blushed again and Amy cackled.

DOCTOR: I don't know, you shouldn't have. What happened? From your point of view, what physically happened?
RORY: I was in the cave, with you and Amy. I was dying, and then I was just here, a Roman soldier. A proper Roman. Head full of Roman stuff. A whole other life, just here like I'd woken up from a dream. I started to think it was a dream, you and Amy and Leadworth. And then today, in the camp, the men were talking about the visitors. The girl with the red hair. I thought you'd come back for me. But she can't even remember me.

"I'm sorry Rory." Amy whispered hoarsely to Rory, unable to even comprehend what that had been like for him. Rory just smiled softly back, emotions filling his eyes better able to express his answer than any words.

DOCTOR: Oh, shut up.
RORY: What?
(The Doctor throws the ring box to Rory.)
DOCTOR: Go get her.

"Go get her, girl!" Bill laughed quietly to herself, earning a few curious looks from those who overheard her laughter at seemingly nothing.

RORY: But I don't understand. Why am I here?

"Big question." Mickey whistled lowly, though Rory likely meant it far more literally than metaphysically.

DOCTOR: Because you are. The universe is big. It's vast and complicated and ridiculous, and sometimes, very rarely, impossible things just happen and we call them miracles, and that's the theory. Nine hundred years, never seen one yet, but this would do me. Now get upstairs. She's Amy and she's surrounded by Romans. I'm not sure history can take it.

"Oi, you!" Amy protested, though everyone could see the big grin on her face.

"They're right Amy." Rory sided with the Doctor with a chuckle. Only now just getting to really appreciate the Doctor's complete support of his and Amy's relationship. There had been moments he'd doubted it, especially in the beginning but this just made him feel lighter (despite knowing all that was to come).

[Tardis]

(The Tardis stops. It is creaking somewhere.)
RIVER: Okay. You okay now?
(River leaves. The scanner lights up. Location: Earth. Date 26/06/2010. Then it breaks, a W shaped crack in the glass.)
VOICE [OC]: Silence will fall.

The group all shared a glance, the phrase very familiar to all of them. Except for poor Dan who was just looking between worried phases feeling distinctly like he was once again missing something major but not trusting anyone would give him any answers.

[Outside Amy's house]

(Night.)
RIVER: Why have you brought me here?
(She finds scorch marks in the lawn, and the front door is hanging off its hinges.)
RIVER: Okay, so something's been here.

"What makes you say that?" Donna snorted sarcastically. The area was displaying all typical signs of 'something was here'.

[Amy's bedroom]

(She follows her tricorder signal upstairs.)
RIVER: Amy. Oh, Doctor, why do I let you out?

"Oi!" The Doctor protested River's words, frowning at her wife who just raised a pointed eyebrow.

(River finds a copy of The Story of Roman Britain by Amy's bed.)
COMMANDER [memory]: A place more deadly and more powerful and more impatient than their tiny minds can imagine.
(And a copy of the Legend of Pandora's box.)
AMY [memory]: So it's kind of like Pandora's box, then? That was my favourite book when I was a kid.
RIVER: Oh no.

"That all seems far too convenient." Clara frowned at the books which were suspiciously relevant to the situation at hand. "Why are thinks linking like this?"

The Doctor glanced at Amy who met her gaze with a matching frown, before the Doctor turned back to the room who was watching her carefully, "Stories can be powerful things." While the group wasn't satisfied with that answer, they didn't get a choice to contests it before the video continued.

[Stonehenge]

(Rory goes up to Amy.)
RORY: Are you okay?
AMY: Did the Doctor send you? I'm fine. He just fusses.
RORY: You got a blanket. That's good. Who gave you that?

"This is so awkward to watch." Bill muttered quietly. It had to be weird for Rory trying to decide how to act around Amy when she didn't know who he was but seriously this was awkward to watch.

AMY: One of the fellows.
RORY: Which one?
AMY: Just one of them. Does it matter?
RORY: No. No. Forget him. It. Forget it.

"Jealous?" Amy murmured into Rory's ear with a little smirk, it was much easier to understand was going on with all the context and memories now.

Rory turned red and muttered something intelligible but didn't deny it to Amy's amusement.

AMY: What's your name?
RORY: I'm Rory. What's wrong?
AMY: Nothing. It's just not what you expect Romans to be called. What's it short for? Roranicus?
RORY: Yeah. You're crying.

"Some part of you knew." Rose realised sadly. If the situation wasn't so horrible it would almost be romantic.

[Pandorica chamber]

(The Doctor contacts River.)
DOCTOR: The Tardis, where is it? Hurry up.

[Tardis]

RIVER: Don't raise your voice, don't look alarmed, just listen.

"So, you don't have good news then." Mickey sighed, that was just typical.

[Stonehenge]

RORY: Hey, what's wrong?
AMY: Nothing. It's like, it's like I'm happy. Why am I happy?

The group offered the pair sympathetic looks but they only had eyes for each other, a silent conversation going between them as they held each other's hands tightly.

[Tardis]

RIVER: They're not real. They can't be. They're all right here in the story book. Those actual Romans. The ones I sent you, the ones you're with right now. They're all in a book in Amy's house. A children's picture book.

"So, the Romans aren't Romans?" Ryan tried to summarise what River's was warning the Doctor of. "How can that be the case?"

The Doctor just waved to the screen in answer, sharing a knowing look with River.

[Pandorica chamber]

DOCTOR: What are you even doing there?
RIVER [OC]: It doesn't matter. The Tardis went wrong.

"As normal." River added on, much more relaxed than her past self on screen.

[Tardis]

RIVER: Doctor, how is this possible?

[Pandorica chamber]

DOCTOR: Something's using her memories. Amy's memories.
RIVER [OC]: But how?
DOCTOR: You said something had been there.
RIVER [OC]: Yes.

"So, something is using Amy's memories to create this? Are you like in a fake world or something then?" Yaz asked, thinking back to the Solitract.

"Yes but no. This is reality." The Doctor offered a frustrating half answer.

Amy added on, "For now." Which only served to confuse the group more.

[Tardis]

RIVER: There's burn marks on the grass outside.

[Pandorica chamber]

RIVER [OC]: Landing patterns.
DOCTOR: If they've been to her house, they could have used her psychic residue. Structures can hold memories, that's why houses have ghosts. They could've taken a snapshot of Amy's memories. But why?

"And who?" Martha questioned, glancing between Amy and the screen worriedly. Some unknown aliens trying to use Amy's memories didn't sound remotely good.

[Tardis]

RIVER: Doctor, who are those Romans?

"If they're memories or psychic residue it could explain why Rory is there." Bill theorised with a considering glance at Rory.

[Pandorica chamber]

DOCTOR: Projections, or duplicates.

The Doctor couldn't help but glance at Rose, quickly turning away before she could notice her attention on her. The group had all seen how she'd met Rose but none had made the connection yet (not that there were many clues).

[Tardis]

RIVER: But they were helping us. My lipstick even worked.

[Pandorica chamber]

DOCTOR: They might think they're real. The perfect disguise. They actually believe their own cover story, right until they're activated.

"The perfect sleeper agents." Clara mused with a worried frown at the screen. That didn't sound good for any of them, but especially poor Rory.

[Tardis]

RIVER: Doctor, that Centurion.
(River has found a photograph of Amy in her policewoman outfit with Rory dressed as a Roman.)

"A handsome picture." Jack smirked with a wink at Rory who glanced at Amy unsure about the attention. Then Jack continued a bit more serious, "And a strong piece of evidence for your theory and why Rory became Rory the Roman."

[Stonehenge]

RORY: What's the matter?
AMY: Nothing. I don't know why I'm doing that.
RORY: It's me. Amy, please. It's me.

[Tardis]

RIVER: It's a trap. It has to be. They used Amy to construct a scenario you'd believe, to get close to you.

"So that you'd be here for the Pandorica to open?" Martha said, forehead crunched in confusion. "But why? So, you could deal with the thing in the cage or so it could deal with you?" They had so many pieces of the jigsaw and yet no idea what picture they were supposed to be making.

[Pandorica chamber]

DOCTOR: Why? Who'd do that? What for? It doesn't make sense.

"When does anything!" Dan threw his hands in the air in frustration. He was doubly confused with what was going on as he lacked the background information the rest of the room had.

[Tardis]

(Something goes Bang.)
DOCTOR [OC]: River? River?

[Pandorica chamber]

DOCTOR: River, what's happening?

[Tardis]

RIVER: I don't know. It's the engines. Doctor, there's something wrong with the Tardis, like something else is controlling it.

"Because that's just what you need on top of everything else." Graham sighed. Why was it that whenever things were bad, they always got worse before things got better?

[Pandorica chamber]

DOCTOR: You're flying it wrong.

[Tardis]

RIVER: I'm flying it perfectly. You taught me.

"Which means you're not flying it right." The Master drawled from his corner, all smug smirks hiding the tension in his shoulders. Despite the rumours he'd heard he still didn't have much of a better idea of what was going on than the others, and that was frustrating him.

River just glared in answer before turning back to the screen.

[Pandorica chamber]

DOCTOR: Where are you? What's the date reading?

[Tardis]

RIVER: It's the 26th of June, 2010.

[Pandorica chamber]

DOCTOR: You need to get out of there now. Any other time zone.

"What's so important about that day?" Yaz inquired, noting the panicked look on the Doctor's face on screen.

"Boom." Was the Doctor's solemn reply, face serious as her eyes never left the screen. Several members of the group swallowed, sharing glances as a few more dots started to connect to form a worrying picture.

[Tardis]

DOCTOR [OC}: Just go.
RIVER: I can't break free.

[Pandorica chamber]

DOCTOR: Well, then shut down the Tardis. Shut down everything!

[Tardis]

RIVER: I can't!
VOICE [OC]: Silence will fall. Silence will fall.

"What if we say no?" Bill raised her hand lowly, resisting the urge to point out how not-silent an explosion would be (though the after effects may be deafeningly silent).

The Doctor snorted in amusement, "Sadly I don't think it works like that Bill."

[Stonehenge]

AMY: But I don't know you, I've never seen you before in my life.
RORY: You have. You know you have. It's me.
AMY: Why am I crying?
RORY: Because you remember me. I came back. You're crying because you remember me.

"Oh, Rory." The Doctor frowned softly at his desperate hope for Amy to remember him. It was only going to get worse with what was to come next. Rory looked pointedly away from the Doctor; jaw clenched as he watched the screen. He knew what was coming but he couldn't find it in himself to look away.

[Tardis]

RIVER: Someone else is flying it. An external force. I've lost control.

[Pandorica chamber]

DOCTOR: But how? Why?
(A high pitched noise fills the chamber and the Romans slump over for a moment, then reactivate.)

"They're activating." Jack sat up, face serious as he glanced between the four in the room and the screen. "Whatever's happening is going down now." He had the distinct feeling it wasn't anything good.

DOCTOR: Listen to me, just land her anywhere. Emergency landing, now. There are cracks in time. I've seen them everywhere, and they're getting wider. The Tardis exploding is what causes them, but we can stop the cracks ever happening if you just land her.

"But they have happened so surely the Tardis explodes so that all this can happen?" Ryan's face was contorted into a picture of confusion, trying in vain to get his head around the mess of time they were witnessing.

The Doctor shrugged, "Wibbly wobbly, timey wimey."

[Tardis]

RIVER: It's not safe.

"When is the Doctor's driving?" Amy snorted in an attempt of humour which fell a bit flat with the tension in the room. She shared a subtle nod with her daughter, both mentally bracing for what was to come.

[Pandorica chamber]

(The Pandorica starts to open. A brilliant white light floods out.)
DOCTOR: Well, now. Ready to come out, are we?

The group all leaned forward, tension obvious in their posture, but curiosity strong to finally see what was in the prison.

[Stonehenge]

RORY: Argh! No! No, please. No! I'm not going. I'm Rory!

"Fight it, Rory!" Several members of the group encouraged desperately. The way that Rory avoided any eye contact wasn't reassuring.

[Tardis]

RIVER: Doctor?

[Pandorica chamber]

RIVER [OC]: I'm down.

[Tardis]

RIVER: I've landed.
DOCTOR [OC]: Okay, just walk out of the doors. If there's no one inside, the Tardis engines shut down automatically.

"Come on River." Clara urged, eyes darting between the screen and the group in the room. Too much was going on at once; River was trying to escape the Tardis, the Doctor was facing the opening Pandorica, and Rory was fighting the activation sequence.

[Pandorica chamber]

DOCTOR: Just get out of there.
RIVER [OC]: I'm going.
DOCTOR: Run!
(The Roman's fingers drop away from their hands to reveal weapons. They are Autons.)

"Autons!" Rose exclaimed wide eyed as she pointed at the screen, finally making the connection as to what they were. That wasn't good;

RIVER [OC]: Doctor! Doctor, I can't open the doors!
(The Doctor sees the Autons.)
DOCTOR: Amy!

"So much is happening." Donna muttered worried. How the group was going to escape this mess was a mystery to everyone but them.

[Stonehenge]

RORY: Listen to me. You have to run. You have to get as far away from here as you can. I'm a thing! I'll kill you. Just go! Please, no, I don't want to go. I'm Rory! I'm, I'm

"Do as he says." Mickey encouraged the Amy on screen, either forgetting it was in the past or not caring in his panic. He knew all too well what the Autons was like.

AMY: Williams. Rory Williams from Leadworth. My boyfriend. How could I ever forget you?

"Things are colliding, she's getting her memories back." Clara realised.

"For once I don't think that's a good thing." Martha frowned worried. Normally the group would be very happy Amy could remember Rory but right now it seemed like the last thing they wanted.

RORY: Amy, you've got to run. I can't hold on. I'm going.
AMY: You are Rory Williams and you aren't going anywhere ever again.

"Beautiful sentiment, maybe not the right time!" Yaz glanced panicked between Amy in the room and on screen. She was defenceless against Rory who while fighting, seemed to be losing against the programming in his head.

[Tardis]

RIVER: Doctor, I can't open the doors! Doctor, please, I've got seconds!

"How do you choose?" Rose frowned in sympathy at the Doctor. He had to try and deal with whatever was coming out of the Pandorica, save River from far away, and stop Amy being hurt by the Autons (plus find a way to save Rory), it seemed like an impossible task let alone in such a time limit.

The Doctor's face was schooled, eyes never leaving the screen as she watched everything fall apart once again.

[Pandorica chamber]

DOCTOR: Plastic Romans. Duplicates, driven by the Nestene Consciousness, eh? Deep cover, but what for? What are you doing? What's in there, eh? What's coming out?

"It's part of the trap." Bill reached the logical conclusion, "But what could be so important in the Pandorica that you need to be there?"

(River hooks the Tardis engines to the main door handles.)
MARCELLUS: The Pandorica is ready.
DOCTOR: What, do you mean it's open?

"I don't think that's quite what they mean." Jack frowned deeply, an unsettling feeling that they were missing the obvious sitting heavy in his stomach.

(The White allegedly Supreme new style Dalek trundles forward.)
WHITE: You have been scanned, assessed, understood, Doctor.
(Red and Yellow beam in behind it.)

"Daleks!" Donna threw her hands up in the air in frustration. Once again, the situation just kept getting worse. "Just what you need!"

[Stonehenge]

AMY: The ring. Remember the ring? You'd never let me wear it in case I lost it.
RORY: The Doctor gave it to me.
AMY: Show it to me. Show me the ring.

"Good keep him remembering who he is." Martha nodded slowly, understanding what Amy was trying to do. While running may have been the smarter idea she couldn't help but glance at Mickey and think what she would do in that situation.

RORY: Amy.
AMY: Come on. Just show it to me.
(Rory obeys.)

[Pandorica chamber]

DOCTOR: Scanned? Scanned by what, a box?
WHITE: Your limits and capacities have been extrapolated.

Jack sat back in his seat with an audible sound, eyes wide as he realised what was going on. "There's nothing in it." He stared down the Doctor beside him who refused to move her eyes from the screen still, "It's for you. That's why they're there, why it's a trap. They're going to lock you up in it."

The group was silent as they tried to take in that revelation. It certainly made sense, but it just added a layer of danger to the situation they were in (which was already a mess).

"The Pandorica." The Master spoke up, breaking the silence. His expression was schooled not revealing any of his emotions or thoughts but finally drew the Doctor's attention away from the screen. "Built to contain the most feared thing in the universe. The Doctor." The pair of Time Lords shared a long look, neither budging as a silent battle of minds occurred.

It was a few moments later that the Doctor glanced away.

(Cybermen, Judoon and Sontarans beam down.)
STARK: The Pandorica is ready.

"All your enemies teamed up against you." Jack muttered with a grimace. It sounded like his worst nightmare and he didn't have nearly as many enemies as the Doctor (despite his best attempts).

DOCTOR: Ready for what?
WHITE: Ready for you.
(The Doctor struggles against the grip of two Romans.)

"Wait, the silence!" Clara sat up straighter, eyes narrowing at the screen as the strange 'silence falls' finally connecting in her brain. "That's why they want to imprison you! This is before Demon's Run so they think if you are imprisoned you can't destroy everything!" Other members the group made hums of agreement or realisation. River gave a little nod in answer in place of the Doctor who had turned her attention stubbornly back to the screen.

"Demons run? The Doctor will do what?!" Dan exclaimed, utterly confused. "Seriously what is going on?"

"Just go with it, Dan." Yaz shrugged, enjoying messing with him more than a little.

"It's not like I very well have a choice, now do I?" Dan grumbled his complaints but sat back with a huff as the video continued.

[Stonehenge]

AMY: There it is. You remember. This is you, and you are staying.
(Rory's gun hand activates.)

"No!" Half the room shouted, some leaning forward in their seats and other even reaching out desperately in a futile attempt to stop what they all knew was coming on screen.

RORY: No.
(He shoots Amy.)
RORY: No! No! No!

Rory winced, jaw clenched and shoulders tight. It was still hard to watch despite knowing it had been coming. Ammy squeezed his hand in comfort, leaning in right against him to remind him she was still there and safe as the rest of the room descended into exclamations of shock and disbelief. The Tardis didn't give them any time to deal with what they'd just seen as the video continued playing.

[Pandorica chamber]

(River tries frantically to escape the Tardis as the Doctor is dragged closer and closer to the Pandorica, then fastened into the seat inside it. His arms, torso and head are clamped in place and all his old enemies stare at him.)

"Doctor, if you have a plan now is the time to use it." Mickey grit out nervously, eyes not leaving the bleak picture on the screen.

DOCTOR: You lot, working together. An alliance. How is that possible?
WHITE: The cracks in the skin of the universe.
STARK: All reality is threatened.
CYBERLEADER: All universes will be deleted.

"Good to know, all of the universe has to be threatened for them to come together." Jack muttered, attempt to inject humour inro the room falling flat to even his ears. How had he not heard rumours about all this? Surely this seemed like something he would have heard about?

River snorted, one of the few people in the room more relaxed (though still quiet tense at the reminder of how close everything has been). "The Doctor being the target probably helped."

DOCTOR: What? And you've come to me for help?
STARK: No. We will save the universe from you!
DOCTOR: From me?

The Master let out a hollow laugh, drawing nervous glances from the rest of the group. "Now you finally understand, Doctor." He sneered at anyone who had the misfortune of catching his gaze, annoyance mounting as the Doctor refused to look at him.

CYBERLEADER: All projections correlate. All evidence concurs. The Doctor will destroy the universe.
DOCTOR: No, no, no. You've got it wrong.

"They do and they don't." Amy muttered quietly so only Rory could hear; the pair shared a knowing glance with River.

CYBERLEADER: The Pandorica was constructed to ensure the safety of the Alliance.
WHITE: A scenario was devised from the memories of your companion.

"So, they're the creeps the took Amy's memories." Bill huffed, feeling annoyed for Amy.

STARK: A trap the Doctor could not resist.
WHITE: The cracks in time are the work of the Doctor. It is confirmed.
DOCTOR: No. no, no, not me, the Tardis. And I'm not in the Tardis, am I?
WHITE: Only the Doctor can pilot the Tardis.

"False propaganda, thank you very much." Donna protested. She had helped pilot the Tardis before, River had several times (as they'd just seen) and several other members of the group had also helped pilot in the past.

DOCTOR: Please, listen to me!
WHITE: You will be prevented.

"They're just looking for any excuse." Martha scowled at the group. Maybe they were partially scared of the whole universe destruction thing but really, they just wanted to get rid of the Doctor. Things would go a lot better for many of them if the Doctor wasn't around.

DOCTOR: Total event collapse! Every sun will supernova at every moment in history. The whole universe will never have existed. Please, listen to me!

"When does anyone ever listen to you?" Clara snorted with little humour; frown permanently etched on her face like many others in the room as they watched the mess on screen unfold.

CYBERLEADER: Seal the Pandorica.
DOCTOR: No! Please, listen to me! The Tardis is exploding right now and I'm the only one who can stop it! Listen to me!
(The Pandorica closes.)

"The Tardis that River is in?" Rose winced as the door closed on the Doctor, sealing them in. River had no way out of the Tardis before it exploded without the Doctor.

[Tardis]

(River opens the Tardis doors to discover she is parked right up against a rock wall.)

"Oh, come on!" Ryan muttered, annoyed at the lack of escape and answers for every one of the four.

RIVER: I'm sorry, my love.
(The Tardis explodes. As Rory weeps over Amy's body, every star in the universe goes KaBOOM.)

The group watched in horrified silence and awe at the final picture, Vincent's painting coming true, before the screen turned black.

"Seriously, it stops there?!" Donna protested with a scowl at both the empty screen and then up at the roof.

"What have we just witnessed?" Bill muttered still in shock. Things really had gone from bad to worse. The Tardis had exploded with River trapped inside, Amy was dead at Rory's hand leaving him weeping over her body, and the Doctor was trapped in an inescapable prison surrounded by enemies. They weren't sure how they were going to get out of this one.

The Doctor swallowed, just releasing how dry her lips were, as she dragged her eyes away from the black screen to glance around the rest of the room. "Well-."

"Nope." Yaz interrupted her immediately, waving a hand at the Doctor for added emphasis. "Don't say another word. We're watching the next part now! We need to know how you got out of this ... mess."

The Doctor held her hands up in surrender before dutifully keeping her mouth shut. The rest of the group nodding along with Yaz's declaration, frantic for answers. Thankfully the Tardis was feeling merciful and complied with their request, drawing the group's attention back to the screen.