DOCTOR WHO: WHEN RORY MET THE TARDIS
"Oh, I appear to be still in this cake. I think I best be on my way…" remarked a youthful voice as they disembarked the paper cake while Rory Williams, the ordinary Leadworth Nurse looked on dismayed. Rory, poor Rory. It was his Stag Night and the man who'd left such a lasting impression two years after their initial encounter had turned up once more into his life. Since popping out the cake intended for the Stripper Lucy, who the 'lads' had chipped in for against Rory's will, the Doctor had now publically embarrassed him in front of everyone else inside the Greasy Goose Pub and all Rory could do was turn red, as red as his jumper which was emblazoned with a goofy photo of him and the love of his life, Amy. People in the Pub assumed Rory was so red because he was angry with the man in the Tweed Jacket, but Rory was just plainly embarrassed. As his mind was whizzing around with a mixture of emotions, all he could do was grab his deep blue Body-Warmer and follow the man called the Doctor outside of the Pub.
"Come along Rory!" chirped the Doctor. "You're going to see Amy! Atleast smile for God's sake!" Rory just looked on bemused. Why had this man returned so suddenly and why of all the times to reappear was it at his Stag Party? The Doctor jokingly punched him on the shoulder to try and get him on his side but it was plainly obvious that it wasn't working.
"Why are you back here?" asked Rory eventually. The Doctor took a moment to reply and it allowed Rory enough time to properly look over him again. In the fading light of the night it became apparent to Rory how little this man had changed. It had been more than 2 years since the events involving Prisoner Zero and in that time Rory just simply couldn't let go of those moments as they made him feel so small on such a big world. The Doctor, however young he was hadn't aged at all. Rory had, but work does that, especially when working long hours at a Hospital. All the innocence of youth evaporates when you work in such a stressful sector of work. The Royal Leadworth Hospital was Rory's home from home and whether it was on the Wards or the odd shift at A&E, Rory loved the work, but the work took its toll on him. The Doctor could seemingly see this and almost felt sorry for him.
"You look tired, Rory…" the Doctor remarked.
"I'm sorry…" said Rory confused.
"You need a pick-me-up. Amy to be more precise." The Doctor smiled. "Come along, she's this way!" the Doctor then dictated with an over-zealous hand gesture. The Doctor then started to walk away. Rory was still just as confused and all he could do was follow the Doctor as the prospect of seeing Amy was something he didn't want to turn down.
"Oi! Rory! Are you coming back?" called one of Rory's mates from the Pub. "It's your Stag do! You just can't leave!" but Rory was.
"Give me 10 minutes…" Rory promised. "I'll be back then…" but Rory knew he was lying. He didn't lie that often and he felt awful for it, but he knew the 'lads' would be alright as slowly they ushered Lucy the Stripper into the Pub for apparent 'company'. After this, Rory didn't look back at the Pub and then just carried on trying to keep up with the mysterious Doctor. It was a Friday Night and Leadworth was certainly a different place at night compared to its daytime dullness as he recalled the Doctor alluding to those 2 years ago. At times Leadworth at night felt more like a City Centre with rowdy Teens staggering around the streets holding each other as the night had got the better of them. Rory had never been like that as a Teen and he'd never been like it as an Adult either. Amy had somewhat and had always wanted Rory to join in with the fun but he was that committed to work that fun never was an option for him. He wasn't even slightly drunk on his Stag Night but he didn't mind whatsoever. Elsewhere, over-the-top modified Cars also passed by the main road of Leadworth with music pounding out of their speakers. It was blaring out too loud for the Doctor's liking and Rory saw that he got out a device with a green tip and silenced the music in an instant. Rory could only smile as the occupants of the cars were utterly confused. The local Policeman of Leadworth ironically called Bobby who was on patrol saw this too and also smiled. Passing by Rory, Bobby was whistling a chirpy tune.
"Alright Rory?" beamed Bobby as he swayed by. Rory just smiled back and hurried up more to catch up with the Doctor. By now, he was waiting once more for Rory under a street lamp and his Tweed Jacket seemed even more yellow under the bright glow of the street lamp. Here was where Rory first saw that youthful face of his showing the signs of someone so much older. It freaked Rory out somewhat. A youthful face but with a mind-set of someone two or three times older atleast.
"Come on Rory! Amy can't wait all the time!" he smiled once more.
"She can wait a bit longer..." huffed Rory. "I need a proper word with you first though." The Doctor just folded his arms and nodded to let Rory talk on. "What did you mean by 'Amy's a good kisser' exactly?" Rory eventually asked quite shyly.
"Oh….nothing….just a passing remark…ignore them, I do them a lot!" shrugged the Doctor. He knew he was lying and still wished Amy hadn't kissed him. He knew it should have been Rory on the receiving end of the kiss but life never works out as it should and with over 900 years of life experience, the Doctor fully well knows that. He could see Rory didn't look convinced by his response but for now it was what he'd have to cope with. In time, the Doctor would talk it over with him as he knew Amy wouldn't. She didn't come across as the type that would admit to being unloyal especially considering she was engaged! She'd be the type that would let it harbour within her and sadly destroy her slowly. The Doctor knew that sounded awful but he knew that would be the truth. For the Doctor now, the main priority was getting Rory onboard the TARDIS and finally reuniting him with Amy.
"Well then…" said Rory. "I'll try again. Why are you back? And why is Amy with you?"
"Is there an issue with someone coming back to meet an old friend and ask him to come along with him?" replied the Doctor.
"Come along with you?" quizzed Rory. "What exactly do you do?"
"I travel…" replied the Doctor simply. "I just like to travel with friends. You're a friend, so I'm offering you a chance."
"We met once over 2 years ago…how exactly are we friends?" asked Rory.
"We just are. The fact you didn't punch me for appearing out of your Stripper's Cake is a good thing for a start!"
"I was tempted if I'm honest…" retorted Rory. The Doctor just smiled.
"Rory, I highly doubt that. You wouldn't hurt a fly! That clue comes about with that jumper!" he then said. Rory just looked sheepishly as his jumper and felt nervy in front of the Doctor once more. This was now becoming a regular occurrence.
"You say you travel….is that with Amy?" Rory then asked nervously.
"Yes…" answered the Doctor simply. "She chose though! It wasn't as if I took her in the middle of the night!" he added knowing that the latter half of his statement was very much the truth. "We just travel around. Nothing more than just two people travelling together."
"But she barely knows you!" said Rory. "Why would she just randomly choose to travel with you? Yes, I know you're the 'Raggedy Doctor' – I was made to dress up as you! God, that was embarrassing, but things like a real imaginary friend can't be the reason why."
"She trusts me…" said the Doctor plainly. "Like you probably will one day."
"What does that mean?" asked Rory who was still just as confused.
"Come along Rory! You're about to meet an old friend…and it's not Amy!" said the Doctor intriguingly before once again walking off.
The dimly lit paths of Leadworth seemed to go on for an age with Rory closely following behind the ambiguous Tweed-wearing man. Soon, the pair of them came to the side of the Fish & Chip Shop where to its side, illuminated by the street lamps surrounding the area was that all too familiar Blue Box. For Rory, it was the very same Blue Box that both he and Amy had witnessed vanish right before them in all its magnificence.
"What is that thing?" quizzed Rory. "…because that's the thing that vanished right before my eyes all that time ago. How the hell does it do that?"
"It just does…" answered the Doctor drily.
"Where's Amy?" Rory then asked trying to see to the side of the box but there was nothing else there. The Doctor just pointed at the box and gestured to Rory to make his way in. "Will we all fit in?" he then asked cautiously. "It looks a bit tight for 3 of us."
"It'll be fine…I promise…" smiled the Doctor. Once again he ushered Rory towards the TARDIS door and the shy Nurse obliged. Warily, he pushed the door open and was immediately bathed in an orange light that just astonished him. The light seemingly drew him in and he just continued to go on inside. The Doctor smiled and soon followed him in. Rory was just dumbstruck by it all and was just in sheer admiration of the Blue Box. Then, a thought occurred to him…where was Amy? The Doctor promised she'd be here and so far, she wasn't. And then Rory heard the faint tapping of familiar shoes echoing all around the bigger on the inside blue box. It was indeed Amy but she looked ever so nervous. It was almost heart-breaking for Rory to see the love of his life looking like that. Was she here of her own volition? Was she kidnapped? Had the Doctor lied to him? She didn't at this precise moment look like someone who would choose to come aboard this brilliant thing. She didn't even smile when she saw Rory and this hurt him the most of all. The Doctor could see this and instantly tried to repair the situation.
"Ah, Amelia!" he beamed. "You may be wondering why Rory is here on the TARDIS now all of a sudden and there is a very simple reason. I was in effect the Stripper at his Stag Party. Oh, that's not as simple as it sounds actually…" the Doctor then realised. "I wasn't actually the Stripper but I just felt it was about time there was some male company aboard here. Shopping is all fine and good but I want to talk about 'Blokey' stuff like Concrete and Pork Pies and Rory seems like the kind of bloke that would talk about such things!" he continued as he patted Rory on the shoulder. Neither Amy nor Rory spoke after the Doctor's long-winded bad excuse. Rory was just admiring the centre console at this point while Amy remained silent. Amy knew why Rory was here. It was because of her moment of madness and she needed grounding down again and Rory would do that. The Doctor by now was making his way underneath the centre console and started repairs of the TARDIS with sparks and smoke flying everywhere. Rory just froze in shock as he still admired the beauty of the TARDIS. Amy just paced around as reality was dawning on her once more while the Doctor in between the sparks and mini-explosions began to talk about relationships and this is where the familiar then starts to take place and a certain trip to Venice was looming ever nearer…