His Fiery Redhead

Set right after "Flesh and Stone." Amy has kissed the Doctor and our Time Lord is starting to get some confusing feelings. Luckily, he has a plan.

It was fear. Definitely fear. That's what was in the pit of his stomach, what was making his sweaty hands shake at the thought of Amy Pond kissing him inside her bedroom. The Doctor's head was swimming with different emotions, all of them whirling about trying to click and make sense of the situation. No. It meant nothing, he thought, She was just scared. I was just scared. Yes, that's it.

Actually admitting that there was more frightened the Doctor, so he suppressed them. She couldn't be another Rose, another Martha, or any of the other dozens of women that the Doctor had left waiting, disappointed and crushed all across the universe. Amy Pond, his impossible, magnificent Amy Pond was different. And she was going to stay that way.

"Doctor," a voice rang out from one of the many halls of the TARDIS, "Doctor?"

"In the console room, Amy" he called, leaning against the controls. What was he going to do with that fiery redhead? He tried to compose himself, straightening his bow-tie and drying his hands on his trousers. Then he saw Amy walk gracefully towards him. His two hearts started to beat rapidly, the memory of what had happened just hours ago fresh in his mind, replaying itself in his head.

She was dressed in her red sweater still, the same clothing she had worn down in the Byzantium. The Doctor still found it unbelievable that the little girl, the girl who waited, had turned into such a headstrong girl. Then again, she was always so brave, always so independent. Maybe that was why he liked her so much. Amy could take care of herself, and was much less of a damsel-in-distress that the Doctor usually found himself associating with.

"Hi," she smiled, running her manicured hand through her glossy, red locks. The Doctor loved her hair. His strong-willed ginger… Though at this point, she looked slightly nervous, shifting her weight awkwardly. "I- I just wanted to say" she began, nervously, "I'm sorry. For attacking you. I don't know what came over me."

"It's quite alright, Pond," the Doctor replied with an easy smile, one that eased Amy Pond every time. But it wasn't alright. That kiss was messing with his head, his emotions, and his goal. Rose was going to be the last girl he ever got that close to. Except for River, of course, but he still wasn't sure about her. "You almost died out there in today," he said, relaying his theory, "Just a combination of near-death experience and cold feet, I'm sure."

"Yeah, you're probably right," she sighed. The Doctor turned around to the controls, pretending to be busy. He couldn't look at her, couldn't compose his face to be happy. Don't feel so disappointed, he scolded himself, This is good. She has Beak Nose. She's getting married to him. And… You have River… I think.

"Where are we headed to?" Amy asked, curiously, trying to take a peek at what the Doctor was doing. That man in the bow-tie confused her immensely; yet she still felt like brushing her lips against his, running her fingers through the dark tresses of his hair.

"I have some business to take care of on Earth," he explained, vaguely. As usual, the Doctor had devised a last minute plan. He knew three things for sure: Amy was uncontrollable; it had been awhile for him, and the Doctor missed that sort of contact with another person; and, thirdly, Amy was a great kisser. If the Doctor could choose anyone to kiss right at that time, it'd be her. Her days as a kiss-o-gram had taught her a few things that even the Doctor wasn't familiar with after 907 years of life.

"Business?" Amy pressed, "Sounds suspicious."

"I'll only be gone a few moments," he smiled, as the familiar sound of the TARDIS landing resonated through his ear, "An hour tops."

She crossed her arms, "And what about me? I just sit here and wait for you to come back? Sounds a bit boring, Doctor."

"You waited fourteen years for me. I'm sure you can handle an hour." As he turned to the door, the Doctor winced at the pang of guilt he felt being shared by his hearts. He'd ruined her childhood. Maybe she wasn't so different from the others? He'd messed them all up in their own special ways. Maybe Amy wasn't so special after all.

"Doctor, please!" she begged, going to the last resort: the puppy face. The Doctor could never resist that face. Except for this time.

"I'll be back."

"You always say that!" she cried.

"I always come back," the Doctor promised.

With that, the blue TARDIS door shut behind him and the Doctor began walking down the tiny, little road through Leadworth, to the one person who could stop any chance of Amy and the Doctor getting complicated: Beak Face. Please don't make me regret this, the Doctor thought to himself. If he was being honest, he'd realize that he already was.