THEY SEARCHED. They searched for days, days that turned into weeks, weeks that turned into months. They searched for River, to find a way to make everything right. But they found nothing. And if the Doctor was close to giving up, Aurora wouldn't let him.
Luckily enough, he won't give up. They promised Amy and Rory that they'd find her, and they will, one way or another. Though, it's hard, because he worries about Aurora too. A lot. All the time.
She tries to hide the emptiness in her eyes now. Looks away when he stares at her. Looks into the vague, lost in thought, watching the dreams she had for herself evaporate, one by one.
"Aurora." Aurora snaps her head up, shocked out of her daze, staring at the TARDIS' controls. The Doctor is watching over her. "How are you feeling?"
She didn't expect the question, so she tries her best to force a smile. "Good, good," she lies. He tilts his head to the side, and waits. "I'm not fine," she finally says. "I was just thinking." He doesn't ask about what. "Just hanging on," she adds, to reassure him.
It doesn't work all that much, but he comes up next to her and tugs her into a side hug, kissing the top of her head. "It'll be okay dear."
"I know," she says, hopeful. "But not right now." She looks away before he can see the pain in her eyes, and spots the newspaper sitting on the chair. She goes to fetch it. "Well, now that we've got this out of the way..." She holds it out to him. "I found this in the newspaper."
It's a copy of the Leadworth Chronicle with the headline Leadworth's Crop Circle. The crop circle is, in fact, only 'Doctora' written. "Ah!" the Doctor exclaims. "That is very Amy."
Aurora nods, smiling. "It is, right?" Who else would summon them via crop circles?
He frowns a bit. "What's 'Doctora'?"
She purses her lips. "I think it's Doctor and Aurora merged together. So, what'd you say? Let's go get them."
They start the TARDIS.
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THE FLY IS AS SMOOTH AS CAN BE, WITH THE DOCTOR DRIVING. When they appear in Leadworth, they stand directly in the first 'O'. They step out as Rory and Amy drive the car to them.
They stop and get out of the car. Aurora holds out the newspaper as the Doctor points at it. "Seriously?"
"Well, you never answer your phone," Rory says, to which Aurora nods. Fair enough.
"Okay, you've had all summer," Amy says, quickly walking to them. "Have you found her? Have you found Melody?"
The Doctor and Aurora exchange a look, before he looks at Rory. "Permission?"
Rory rolls his eyes. "Granted."
Aurora chuckles and side-hugs Rory. "It's okay."
He sighs again, and hugs her back. "How are you feeling?"
