Doctor Who: A Lesson in Love

by: domina tempore

Disclaimer: Doctor Who and all of its characters and locations belong to their respective owners; I'm just borrowing. No copyright infringement intended!

Summary: River assures Rory that Amy won't always have stars in her eyes concerning the Doctor. Rory/River friendship, canon romances, post premier.

Author's Notes: After re-watching the premier again tonight with some friends, I realized that I really like the idea of Rory and River being friends. In spite of their personalities, they actually seem to get on rather well; they're completely different people, but they've got more in common than I ever realized. Both of them are waiting to *really* become the most important person in the life of someone that they love; they're both still sort of on the outside. I think that they could be really good for each other; not in ANY sort of ship-y way AT ALL, because that would be strange and rather awful. But as friends? I'd like to see it.

*~_|"|_~*

Rory watched from his place at the back of the room as Amy and the Doctor laughed, the former acting positively flirty and clearly forgetting who she was married to. But who was he, anyways, to argue with the 'will of Amy'? Just her husband, that's who. He snorted. Yeah, 'cos that was supposed to actually matter here.

He felt River come up beside him.

"Not easy to watch, is it?" she asked wryly. Rory glanced at her for a second, but switched his gaze back to the oblivious pair across the room.

"It's understandable, though," he muttered grudgingly. "They've been through a lot together that I've missed. As far as they're concerned, I'm still the new man. The odd one out." He sighed. "But you've got it better, don't you? I mean, you're from his future; you know how it all ends up for him, don't you? You know that you've got nothing to worry about. But I… Well, I've got no guarantee that it won't always be like this with her. For me." He shrugged helplessly, and River wrapped an arm around his shoulders.

"Not everything in life can be certain, sweetie," she said, surprising him with the name that she normally reserved for the Doctor. "But love normally is. For better or for worse, love always is. And trust me on this, Rory; Amy does love you. She might not always remember how much, or remember to tell you; but she does love you.

"She looks at the Doctor and she has stars in her eyes, because she still sees him as this mythical, impossible giant saving the universe. But eventually, the lights fade, and she'll be left with the reality, and the darkness and the pain that define the Doctor more than the air of fun that he uses to cover it up; and she won't be able to deal with that. Spend enough time with your heroes and they always disappoint you."

"But you know about all of those dark things in him; and you're still in love with him."

"That's because I love the man. Amy loves an image, a childhood dream that she hasn't let shatter yet. But she will one day. And you, Rory, will never disillusion her; because she knows exactly who you are. You have never lied to her, and one day she'll realize that."

"…Any idea on when that day might be?" Rory asked, rubbing the back of his neck and glancing sideways at River. "'Cos, I mean, even just a time frame would be nice."

River laughed at him, shaking her curls. "Spoilers, dear," she reminded him gently, patting his cheek.

Rory rolled his eyes. "Yeah, right. Spoilers."

"Oh, don't look so gloomy, Rory! I can't give you dates, but I can promise you that the time is coming sooner than you think. Are you ready for it?"

"More than ready," Rory assured her, nodding vigorously. Hadn't he just said that?

River's lips quirked in a mischievous grin, and he wondered if she had been teasing him. "Good. Now, will you come with me? I know how it ends for him, but that doesn't mean that I have to like all of this silly flirting that he claims he doesn't realize – oh, and he's so bad at it without me to teach him how it's done!"

"Wait, why do you need me?" Rory asked, holding up his hands defensively. "Are you trying to make him jealous?"

"Well, there's that." River shrugged. "And I believe that there's a fez hidden away in the wardrobe room somewhere that requires immediate and special attention. Care to join me?" Slowly, understanding dawned for Rory, and a grin spread across his face as he nodded. River was pleased. "Good. I've got just the stuff we need to deal with it, too. Come on!" Hiding their amusement, the two ducked out and headed for the wardrobe room. Rory barely even felt guilty about what they were planning. Just because the Doctor was his friend and River's – well, whatever he was to River – didn't mean that he couldn't enjoy a good joke on him now and again; especially when he and Amy had been doing that flirty thing again. It was only fair.

fin.