Sorry for the late chapter, work got me very busy and I was just procrastinating the whole week. Everything should be back on track now!

-----

A short while later Rory appeared at the doorway, the Stone frowned sensing something was definitely wrong. "Here they are." The Doctor grinned as Ambrose followed before she and the Doctor looked in horror seeing Tony Mack carrying a blanket with what looked like a body rolled in it.

"Mum!" Elliot grinned running up to her.

"Rory!" Amy laughed the two of then running to each other.

"Something's wrong." The Doctor frowned the Stone nodding tightly holding the Doctors hand the two of them hoping what they thought happened was false.

"Doctor, what's he carrying?" Amy asked.

"No. Don't do this." He shook his head. "Tell me you didn't do this."

Tony laid the blanket on the floor and stepped away a sad look on his face.

"What did you do?" The Stone coldly questioned.

"It was me." Ambrose said, a guilty look washed over the womans face. "I did it."

"Mum?" Elliot looked at her with disappointment on his face as he slightly stepped back.

"I just wanted you back." She pleaded placing a hand on his shoulder only for Elliot to squirm away from her and stand beside his dad.

The Doctor quickly stood up rushing over to Eldane. "I'm sorry. We didn't know. You have to believe me, they're better than this."

"This is our planet!" Ambrose cut in sharply.

"We had a chance here." The Stone cut her off.

"Leave us alone." She ordered looking at Eldane.

"In future, when you talk about this, you tell people there was a chance but you were so much less than the best of humanity." The Doctor snapped walking closer to her before stepping back taking the Stones hand as Restac and her troops marched in.

"My sister." Restac saw the blanket and moved it to see Alaya dead with a peaceful look on her face. She let out a few wimpers and sobs before narrowing her eyes at the Time Lords. "Oh. And you want us to trust these apes, Doctor, Stone?"

"One woman." The Stone pleaded shaking her head. "She was scared for her family. She is not typical."

"I think she is." Restac snapped.

"One person let us down, but there is a whole race of dazzling, peaceful human beings up there. You were building something here. Come on." The Doctor pleaded looking at them all. "An alliance could work."

"It's too late for that, Doctor." Ambrose spoke up.

The Doctor frowned. "Why?"

"Our drill is set to start burrowing again in...." she checked a stopwatch in her hand. "Fifteen minutes."

"What?" Nasreen looked horrified.

"What choice did I have?" Tony looked at her. "They had Elliot."

"Don't do this." The Doctor snapped. "Don't call their bluff."

"Let us go back. And you promise to never come to the surface ever again. We'll walk away, leave you alone." Ambrose begged.

"Execute her!" Restac shouted.

"No!" The Time Lords shouted grabbing Ambrose before she was shot.

"Everybody, back to the lab." The Doctor ordered locking his and the Stones hands together. "Run!"

"Execute all the apes." Restac ordered. The Doctor and the Stone both brought out their sonics causing the Silurian weapons to go bang before they were both back to back holding them in the air while the Silurian surrounded them, their fingers still entwined.

"This is a deadly weapon." The Doctor stated slowly backing up with the Stone towards the exit. "Stay back!" The Stone pulled him back just before a Silurian they had not noticed leant over the benches and went to hit the Doctors neck with a lashing tongue. "Thanks dear." He panted running through the tunnels with her.

"What will you ever do without me." She panted the two of them quickly catching up with Amy, Rory and the others, doudging the Silurian guns and sparks caused by the weapons as they went through the tunnel.

"Take everyone to the lab." The Doctor ordered Rory. "We'll cover you."

"Go." Rory shouted to the others. "Go!"

While the humans ran off the Time Lords both raised their sonics again two Silurian soldiers pointed guns at them each, they both caused a gun to spark each, shorting it out for a while. "Ah, ah, Stop right there or ue'll use our very deadly weapons again." He warned after Restac went to lung herself at them. "One warning, that's all you get. If there can be no deal, you go back into hibernation. All of you, now. This ends here."

"No." She short daggers at them with her eyes. "It only ends with our victory."

"Like he said." The Stone reminded. "One warning." They both made the Silurian soldiers drop their weapons after they sparked again, the Time Lords both took off in the tunnel heading towards the Laboratory. They sealed the door after running in, the Doctor crouching down to Elliot while the Stone ran to the console.

"Elliot, you and your dad keep your eyes on that screen. Let me know if we get company. Amy, keep reminding the Stone and I how much time we haven't got."

"Okay. Um, er, twelve minutes till drill impact." She replied glancing as the stop watch in her hand.

"Tony Mack. Sweaty forehead, dilated pupils." The Doctor frowned eyeing the man who was panting leaning against part of the controls. "What are you hiding?"

Panting and not replying Tony moved his shirt showing the green veins over his chest. "Tony, what happened?"

"Alaya's sting." He panted. "She said there's no cure. I'm dying, aren't I?"

The Stone looked at the monitor frowning before looking up. "You're not dying, you're mutating."

"How can I stop it?"

"Decontamination program."

"Might work." The Stone nodded in agreement with the Doctor.

"Don't know. Eldane, can you run the program on Tony?"

"Doctor, shedload of those creatures coming our way." Mo informed. "We're surrounded in here."

"So, question is, how we do stop the drill given we can't get there in time?" He asked.

"Plus, also, how do we get out, given that we're surrounded?" The Stone added.

"Nasreen, how do you feel about an energy pulse channelled up through the tunnels to the base of the drill?"

"To blow up my life's work?" She looked at the Doctor horrified.

"Yes. Sorry. No nice way of putting that." He replied before wincing, feeling a sting on the back of his head.

"There was but you're rude and not ginger."

"Not now dear." He reminded her.

"Good point, Nasreen?"

"Right, well, you're going to have to do it before the drill hits the city, in er..."

"Eleven minutes forty seconds." Amy informed.

"Yes." The Doctor nodded. "Squeaky bum time."

"Please don't say that ever again Doctor." The Stone rolled her eyes.

"Yes, dear."

"But the explosion is going to cave in all the surrounding tunnels, so we have to be out and on the surface by then." Nasreen nodded at the Doctor.

"But we can't get past Restac's troops." Rory protested.

"I can help with that." Eldane cut in. "Toxic Fumigation. An emergency failsafe meant to protect my species from infection. A warning signal to occupy cryo-chambers. After that, citywide fumigation by toxic gas. Then the city shuts down."

"You could end up killing your own people." Amy looked at him horrified.

"Only those foolish enough to follow Restac."

"Eldane, are you sure about this?" The Doctor asked.

"My priority is my race's survival." He looked between the Time Lords. "The Earth isn't ready for us to return yet."

"No." The Stone slowly nodded.

"Ten minutes, Doctor, Stone." Amy reminded them.

"But maybe it should be." The Stone added.

"So, here's a deal. Everybody listening." He looked around seeing the humans and Eldane look at him. "Eldane, you activate shutdown. The Stone and I will amend the system, set your alarm for a thousand years time."

"A thousand years to sort the planet out." The Stone cut in looking at the humans. "To be ready."

"Pass it on. As legend, or prophesy, or religion, but somehow make it known."

"This planet is to be shared." The Stone finished.

"Yeah. I get you." Elliot smiled nodding at them both.

"Nine minutes, seven seconds." Amy cut in.

"Yes." The Doctor grinned wiggling his fingers at the controls in front of him and the Stone. "Fluid controls, our favourite." He grinned at the Time Lady. "Energy pulse. Timed, primed and set."

"Before we go, energy barricade. We need to cancel it out quickly."

"Fumigation pre-launching." Eldane informed at another set of controls.

"There's not much time for us to get from here to the surface, Doctor, Stone." Rory reminded them.

"Ah ha, super-squeaky bum time." He reminded then winced looking at the Stone remembering what she said before. "Sorry dear." He then looked back at Rory and the other humans. "Get ready to run for your lives. Now."

"But the decontamination program on your friend hasn't started yet." Eldane reminded looking at Tony standing by a machine leaning against it.

"Well, go." Tony ordered waving a hand. "All of you, go."

"No, we're not leaving you here." Ambrose shook her head.

"Granddad." Elliot ran up to him tightly hugging the man.

"Eight minutes ten seconds." Amy reminded.

"Now you look after your mum." Tony ordered Elliot giving him a weak smile. "You mustn't blame her. She only did what she thought was right."

"I'm not going to see you again, am I?" Elliot sniffed.

"I'll be here, always." He patted Elliots heart. "I love you, boy. You be sure he gets home safe."

"This is my fault." Ambrose sniffed teary eyed.

"No, I can't go back up there." Tony sharply cut in. "I'd be a freak show. The technology down here's my only hope."

"I love you, Dad." Ambrose choked, hugging him.

"Go." he ordered gently pushing her away after hugging her. "Go."

"Come on." Mo called to his wife.

"Go on." Tony told them.

Toxic fumigation initiated.

"They're going." Amy said looking through the glass. "We're clear."

"Okay, everyone follow Nasreen. Look for a blue box." The Doctor ordered. "Get ready to run."

Return to cryo-chambers.

"I'm sorry." The Doctor apologised to Eldane while taking the Stones hand.

"I thought for a moment, our race and the humans..."

"Yeah, so did we." He sighed the Stone squeezed his hand slowly nodding.

"Doctor, Stone." Amy called. "We've got less than six minutes."

"Go." The Doctor said to her waving a hand. "Go! we're right behind you."

"Come on Nasreen. Let's go."

"I'm not coming either." She shook her head.

"What?" The Doctor blinked.

"We're going to hibernate with them, me and Tony." Nasreen told them softly smiling.

"Doctor, Stone, you must go." Eldane told them.

"I can be decontaminated when we're woken." Tony smiled. "All the time in the world."

"But, Nasreen, you-" The Doctor started only for the woman to cut him off.

"No, this is perfect." She shook her head. "I don't want to go. I've got what I was digging for. I can't leave when I've only just found it."

The Stone smiled at the woman clearly seeing it was more than her work keeping her down here. How could she be so blind to the Doctors feelings since they were in the acadamy yet she could see right through Nasreen.

"Doctor, Stone!" Amy shouted running back in.

"Thank you, Doctor, Stone." Nasreen smiled at them.

"The pleasure was all mine."

"Sometimes I think you forget I am here." The Stone muttered shaking her head.

"I never forget you dear." He grinned.

"Come and look for us." Nasreen called as they ran out and through the tunnels with Amy to head for the TARDIS only for the Stone to frown and spin around Rory passing her and the redhead.

"Other way, idiot." Amy laughed grabbing his hand while the Stone fondly shook her head running with the Doctor.

Toxic fumigation is about to commence. Immediate evacuation.

"Come on." The Doctor ran past Mo, Elliot and Ambrose.

Toxic fumigation is about to commence.

They ran up to the TARDIS. "No questions, just get in." The Doctor ordered opening the door while Mo and Elliot ran inside eyes wide. "And yes, we know, it's big."

"Ambrose, sickbay up the stairs, left, then left again, Get yourself fixed up." The Stone instructed.

"Come on. Five minutes and counting." He read the stop watch handing it to Amy and spinning around before stopping seeing the crack exactly the same as the one that was on Amy's wall. Much wider than before. "Not here." he breathed. "Not now."

"It's getting wider." The Stone muttered taking the Doctors hand, looking at the crack with concern.

"The crack on my bedroom wall." Amy stated frowning.

"Two parts of space and time that should never have touched" He quoted himself from when he saw it the first time.

"Right here." The Stone finished off.

"And the Byzantium." He added. "All through the universe, rips in the continuum."

"Some sort of space-time cataclysm." The Stone said tilting her head in thought. "Possibly an explosion."

"Big enough to put cracks in the universe." He nodded in agreement. "But what?"

"Four minutes fifty." Amy read the time. "We have to go."

"The Angels laughed when we didn't know." The Stone muttered.

"Prisoner Zero knew. Everybody knows except us."

"Sounds like when everyone but us knew we had feelings for each other." The Stopne chuckled.

"Doctor, just leave it." Amy groaned seeing him edge closer.

"But where there's an explosion, there's shrapnel." He grinned grabbing a cloth put of his pocket.

"Do be carful sweetheart." She shook her head not able to help but smile at the grin on his face.

"Doctor, you can't put your hand in there." Rory said as the Doctor reached inside the crack.

"Why not?" He laughed before crying out in pain. The Stone clutching his side grabbing his hand and running her thumb over the back of it."

"Argh. I've got something." He groaned out.

"What is it?" Amy asked.

With the help of the Stone he managed to see his arm from the crack, still holding the cloth wrapped around the shrapnel. "I don't know."

"Stone?" Rory swallowed seeing Restac crawl in with a gun in hand.

"She was there when the gas started." Amy whispered seeing Restac breathing heavily "She must have been poisoned."

"You." She growled narrowing her eyes at the Time Lords.

"Okay, get in the TARDIS both of you." The Stone whispered.

"You did this." She pointed her weapon at the Stone who frowned a little wondering why she was aiming at only her.

"Stone!" Rory shouted going to push her out of the way only for both of them to be shot. The Doctor quickly was by the Stones side lowering her to the ground after catching her while Amy screamed running to Rorys side as he fell to the floor a few feet away from the Time Lady who clutched her side the Doctor beside her checking her over before she slowly nodded swallowing thickly and wincing in pain as she forced herself to move. The Doctor then helped her over to Rory.

"Rory, can you hear me?" The Doctor worryingly asked.

"You... shouldn't have." The Stone shook her head at him.

"I don't understand." He cried out.

"Shush. Don't talk." Amy whispered. "Doctor, is he okay? We have to get him onto the TARDIS."

"We were on the hill." He sobbed. "I can't die here."

"Don't say that."

"You're so beautiful." He whispered. "I'm sorry." He then closed his eyes the Stone let out a sob hugging the broken redhead. He was her companion and just let him die, she tried to stop him but it wasn't good enough, he had a family, friends and Amy.

"Doctor, help him," Amy begged. The Doctor swallowed hard seeing the light from the crack reach Rorys feet. "If the time energy catches up with you, you'll never have been born. It will erase every moment of your existence. You will never have lived at all."

"Amy, move away from the light." He ordered helping the Stone up as carfully as he could trying not to cause the Time Lady any pain as he held her in his arms after feeling her legs giving way. "If it touches you, you'll be wiped from history. Amy, move away now."

"No. I am not leaving him. We have to help him." She sobbed.

"The light's already around him. We can't help him."

"I am not leaving him." She coldly snapped.

"We have to."

"No!" She shouted.

"I'm sorry." The Stone swallowed forcing herself to stand, she wrapped her arms around the redhead.

"Get off me!" Amy shouted while the Stone pulled her away from Rory.

"I'm so sorry." She whispered pulling with all her strength, Amy managed to wriggle free only for the Doctor to drag her into the TARDIS.

"Get off me. No." Amy sobbed while the Stone almost crashed to the floor when going inside and flashing her sonic at the doors locking them shut.

"No! No! No! No! Let me out. Please let me out." She sobbed thrashing on the door. "I need to get to Rory. That light. If his body's absorbed, I'll forget him. He'll never have existed. You can't let that happen." She then blinkede looking up seeing the Doctor beside the console his hand on the lever. "What are you doing?" The Stone slowly nodded at him while he pulled down the level setting the TARDIS off.

"Doctor, no! No! No! No!" She cried. "Doctor, we can't just leave him there."

"Keep him in your mind. Don't forget him." The Stone coughed. "If you forget him, you'll lose him forever."

"When we were on the Byzantium, I still remembered the Clerics because I am a time traveller now, you said." She nodded at the Doctor.

"They weren't part of your world. This is different. This is your own history changing."

"Don't tell me it's going to be okay." She sniffed. "You have to make it okay."

"It's going to be hard, but you can do it, Amy." The Stone reassured forcing her own pain away from the heartbroken redhead while they slowly moved over to one of the jump seats the blonde forcing Amy to sit down. "Tell us about Rory, eh? Fantastic Rory. Funny Rory. Gorgeous- sorry Doctor." She winced a little knowing he would no doubt tease her about that later.

"Amy, listen to us." He grabbed her shoulders. "Do exactly as we say. Amy, please. Keep concentrating. You can do this."

"I can't." She slowly shook her head lightly sobbing.

"You can. You can do it. We can't help you unless you do. Come on. We can still save his memory. Come on, Amy. Please. Come on, Amy, come on. Amy, please. Don't let anything distract you." He begged tightly holding her shoulder. "Remember Rory. Keep remembering. Rory's only alive in your memory. You must keep hold of him. Don't let anything distract you. Rory still lives in your mind." Suddenly the TARDIS comes to a halt throwing them to the glass floor the Stone gritting her teeth in pain. Amy's ring box right in front of the Doctors eyes.

"What were you saying?" Amy blinked.

"I have seen some things today, but this is beyond mad." Mo said walking down the stairs with Elliot, Ambrose following them.

"Doctor. Five seconds till it all goes up." Amy reminded him. He quickly pocketed the ring box and looked at the Stone worryingly seeing her slowly nod looking slightly better than before now able to stand beside the console on her own.

"All Nasreen's work just erased." Amy sighed after they ran outside and watched the whole drill blow up.

"Good thing she's not here to see it." Mo chuckled. "She's going to give Tony hell when they wake up."

--------------------------------------------------------------

"You could've let those things shoot me." Ambrose told the Doctor who stood with the Stone leaning against him after he refused to leave her alone. "You saved me."

"An eye for an eye. It's never the way." The Doctor nodded. "Now you show your son how wrong you were, how there's another way. You make him the best of humanity, in the way you couldn't be."

--------------------------------------------------------------

"You two are very quiet." Amy eyed them not seeing the slight pain on the Stones face. "Oh. Hey, look. There I am again." She waved seeing only herself this time. "Hello, me!" She happily shouted. The Stone had reassured Amy that it was only a scratch but she and the Doctor knew it was much more than that. They had a lot of explaining to do later.

"Are you okay?" The Doctor asked her after seeing Amy pause for a moment a struck of pain on her face.

"I thought I saw someone else there for a second." She swallowed. "I need a holiday. Didn't we talk about Rio?" She smiled.

"You go in. Just fix this lock. Keeps jamming."

"Your boy and his locksmithery." She rolled her eyes at the Time Lady.

"Stone." The Doctor instantly turned to her after the redhead entered the TARDIS.

"Yes." She swallowed slowly nodding. "It's time but there is still this. She went into his pocket and brought out the item in the cloth.

The Doctor nodded and unwrapped the item his eyes widening at the sight as he slowly held it up. Seeing that it was exactly the same, a piece of the TARDIS.

"Oh dear..." the Stone breathed shaking her head before wincing in pain.

"Go inside." The Doctor murmured taking her hand and kissing it. "I'm sure you want to explain to Amy."

"I forgot to tell her in more detail." She shook her head. "I was planning to after the angels but then there was Rory and-"

"Shush." He whispered. "Everything will be fine." He reassured kissing her forehead. "I promise."

The Stone hesitated for a moment before slowly making her way inside while the Doctor studied the piece for a while longer holding it up to the TARDIS.

"What do you mean change?!" Amy shrieked as the Doctor walked inside only to run to the Stone who cluched the console.

"Regeneration..." She breathed "I explained this before please remember." She sighed shaking her head. "When we met you, when you were seven years old the Doctor had just regenerated."

"But you said he blew up the TARDIS?!"

"He held it off." She said through her pain the Doctor rubbing her back. "Mine isn't so bad." She winced. "I'm lucky it wasn't a full on hit and only my side otherwise it would be fatal and I would have probably regenerated then and there but it was slowly killing me."

"But you said you are dying?!"

"She is." The Doctor slowly nodded. "But she's regenerating, she changes, everything about her changes." He sniffed blinking back his tears. "It's sort of a trick Time Lords have."

"Please don't cry sweetheart." The Stone whispered holding his cheek. "Please."

"I'm sorry." He swallowed. "I hate seeing you in so much pain."

"I know." She slowly nodded resting her forehead against his. "Shot again." She then chuckled.

"I think it's bad luck from the Time War." He shook his head then looked into her eyes and swallowed. "Love you."

"Love you too Doctor." She sniffed slowly pulling him closer for a lingering kiss, one that she deeply wished could last longer, the last kiss in her current body, the last time she would tell him she loved him in this incarnation of herself. "I'll see you on the other side sweetheart."

"Stone." Amy shook her head stepping towards the blonde giving her a bond crushing hug.

"I'm sorry Amy." She shook her head seeing the golden glow of energy slowly drift around her hand and fingers. "I know your scared but I promise you that you will remember. She slowly shook her head and took her rings off her fingers placing them in the Doctors hand. "Look after them sweetheart."

The Doctor nodded. "Everything will be okay Stone, I'll look after you just like I have for many of your other regenerations."

"Of course you will." She nodded smiling softly. The Doctor then stepped back pulling the Scottish girl with tears in her eyes as the generation energy shot out of the Time Ladys hands while she threw her head back gritting her teeth trying not to scream to scare the redhead even more. The Doctor and Amy shielded their eyes as the golden glow replaced the warm orange glow of the room while the Stone couldn't stop herself from screaming in pain as the regeneration energy shot out of her arms and head until dying down leaving a heavy breathing woman in it's place.

"Oh come on!" The Doctor groaned after moving his hand. "This is not fair!"

"What's not fair?" The Time Lady asked before blinking hearing an American, no her American accent. "Well that's new... never got American before." She muttered to herself while Amy gaped at how well she was handling this all. "First Welsh and now American." She frowned a little. "Hmm... salt, salt salt." She said dragging out the word in multiple ways, testing herself, wondering how she sounded and no doubt looked mad while the Doctors lip twitched in a smile at her choice of word, definitely his wife all right. "But that doesn't answer the question what's wrong?" She raised a brow at him seeing his pout come back as she focused back on him.

"Your hair." He groaned. "That's not fair."

"Don't tell me." She burst out laughing sensing what was was so upset about. "Please don't tell me I'm ginger."

"But..." Amy blinked eyes wide not understanding.

"Oh, this is brilliant!" The Stone grinned her blue eyes brightening as she studied a small lock of her hair. "Ginger!" She laughed. "Oh I am loving this!" She shook her head knowing how much she could tease him about this now. He couldn't even use their inside joke now because she was now ginger.

"Stone dear." The Doctor looked at her a little concerned pushing his feeling of her hair at the back of his mind after seeing her bouncing around the console slightly wobbling. "How are you feeling."

"Brilliant!" She laughed. "Absolutely ecstatic. Oh, that's a nice word. Ecstatic. Ecstatic." She started to drag out the word grinning.

"Dear, I think you should sit down." He suggested slowly walking over to her.

"Sweetheart I'm perfectly fine." She grinned at him waving a hand. "You however I'm not quite sure. Why are you swaying?" She frowned pointing at him. "Amelia Pond!" She laughed running over to the other redhead before frowning at her when she stepped back. "Sorry this must be strange to you, humans don't regenerate. At least I don't remember that humans regenerate." She tilted her head thoughtfully. "And now your swaying! Stop swaying Amelia." She scolded while the Scottish girl frowned not understanding what was going on, only seeing the Doctor slowly walked over to the Time Lady. "I think... I think I'm just going to go to bed..." She stepped forward only to start to crash to the ground before getting caught by the Doctor.

"Is she okay?" Amy quietly questioned.

"Regeneration after effects as she would call them. She'll be fine."

"But where's the Stone?"

"This is the Stone. Just like she told you before." He winced as she looked at him unconvinced. "Well, she's a different Stone but still her, she regenerated."

"But..."

"Amy." The Doctor shook his head. "Trust me, she's my wife, it's her." He softly smiled placing her rings back on the Stones hand kissing her forehead and slowly carrying her. "I'm sure she will explain everything again more clearly after resting which won't take long... hopefully, she was always better at handling regenerations then I am."

Amy slowly nodded trusting the Doctor as he left the Scottish girl in the console room while he carried the Time Lady, Amy sat on the jump seat staring at where the blonde Stone stood before changing, she had so many questions for the Stone, how did she get that accent, how did she change her face?

-----

Did anyone see that coming at all? Details about the 11th Stone will be mentioned in the next chapter. Have a nice week :)