The Darkness of a Dream

"So! Where do you want to go next?"

Rory and Amy flopped down on the seats by the console. "Go?" Rory asked incredulously. "We just barely survived a stampede of angry…horned…THINGS! I'm exhausted! Don't you ever get tired at all?"

The Doctor grinned. "Nope. Not as easily as you lot. Humans. Running around with only one heart. It's no wonder you sleep a third of your lives away!"

"Only one? Then how many…?" Rory shook his head. "No. I don't want to know. I'm going to bed. Amy?"

"Yeah." Amy was holding in a yawn. "We'll see you later Doctor. We can figure out where we're going after a nap."

The Doctor watched his two companions go up the steps in search of their ever-shifting rooms. "Yeah," he called after them. "Maybe we could go to the ruined empire of Trevitori. Or the Lost Moon of Poosh! Still haven't found that. Or did I? Or-" They vanished around the corner. "Yeah…" he trailed off. "Later then."

He fiddled with the console some more, pressing random buttons (though never the blue ones) and pulling levers here and there. But then that got boring, unless he wanted to rattle the TARDIS. Though, Amy and Rory were probably sleeping by now, and they wouldn't thank him for that.

What to do. What to do.

He settled for sitting on the set of chairs near the console. Might as well wait. And think. He was good at that. He should think about where to go next. Somewhere exciting. Oh a stampede of angry Othariks (or as Rory called them' horned things') was exciting, but only for his legs. It was his mind that needed a good exercise. He needed a problem to solve. Plots to unravel. He wanted to go do something, not lay around sleeping.

'The Ruins of Trevitori are supposed to be haunted, haven't looked into that yet. And Arogoths will be having their decade old war re-enactment. Wonder who will be playing me this time. And I never did go see what happened to that one planet. What was it? Ithan…no. Othen...no. Aron…No that can't be right. Saved it from that man…what was his name…Quec, Quak, Qwot, anyway. Saved it from his breed of…math…no…grammar…Ew, yes that was it. Everyone was stuck in a never-ending… grammar lesson. Very dull. So very…boring…He was…putting everyone to…Sleep…'

'Tweet Tweet Doctor.'

"NO!" The Doctor jerked upright. He had been slumped over in his chair. Almost asleep, without even knowing it.

"No," he said. More firmly this time. "I don't need sleep. I don't. I need…I need…I need…"

He paced around the room, trying to wake himself up. "I need excitement. That's all. A good adventure will put me to rights. I just-"

So involved in his pacing and his not needing sleep, he failed to see the box of wrenches poking out from under the console.

"OW! Ow, ow, ow, ow, ow…" He hobbled back to the chairs, clutching his shin. "Who puts a box the exact height of my shin where I'll hit it?" He paused in his rubbing of the wounded limb. "Oh. Me. Right."

He leaned back, trying to put the aching shin out of his mind.

'I'm not tired. The box was just hard to see. I'm not getting clumsy due to exhaustion, I'm just bored. I'm not lying to myself about my own condition, I'm just…Ok maybe that last ones a bit off.'

He sighed, resting his hands on his stomach. He was wrong. He was tired. Exhausted actually. He hadn't slept since the psychic pollen. How could he? His darkness trapping them all. Killing his TARDIS. Forcing Amy to make a choice. Putting his friends in danger.

'Friends? Is that the word for the people you acquire?'

"Doctor?"

He jolted awake again. Amy, who was standing next to him with her hand on his shoulder, jumped back a bit at his reaction.

"Amy!" He fidgeted, trying to brush off the suddenness of his awakening. "What are you doing here? I thought you were going to bed?"

"Yeah, I was. But I heard a crash and thought I'd come look." She looked hard at him. "Doctor, are you alright?"

"What? Me? Course! I'm fine! I'm always fine!" He jumped up and started fiddling with the TARDIS controls. 'I don't need sleep. I don't need sleep. Why was I asleep?'

She followed him around the console, watching his face. He looked up. They locked eyes. He looked down. Fiddled with something. Looked up. Still staring.

"You know it's not usually considered polite to stare at others. Except on Jo'eras, but the people have eyes everywhere so it's kind of hard not to-"

"Doctor, when's the last time you've slept?"

"What?"

"Rory was right. He said you looked off. I thought it was just the half-sun but…You look terrible."

He shifted behind the center column, out of her sight. "Nonsense. I'm fine. I don't need sleep."

She moved around to get a look at him again. "Yes, you do. I've seen you. You have pajamas with little TARDIS's on them."

He looked at her incredulously. "How…how do you…"

"You got up for a snack. The kitchen was in front of my room at the time. You really still eat fish fingers and custard?"

"Comfort food. Amy, really, I'm fine. I don't need as much sleep as you do. Go back to bed."

"No." She came around to his side of the column. He turned. She turned. He turned. Now they were playing tag around the console. Until he stumbled over the same box and sat on the chairs, rubbing the other shin this time.

"Who puts a box of wrenches right where I'll run into it?"

"You did." She sat on the chair next to him.

"I know…" he grumbled. "It's just easier to blame someone else."

She was looking at him again. And not in her fiery kind of way. It was her pondering look.

"Since the Dream Lord, yeah?"

He looked sideways at her, still rubbing his shin. Then back down. "Yeah."

"But…I thought he was gone. I mean…"

"He'll never be gone Amy. He'll always be there. Always has been. For as long as I have."

"But…He's not you! He's nothing like you! He's old, and fat, and…BALDING! You have so much hair; you could make a pillow and not notice a difference."

He smiled a bit at that, but it faded back into a frown. "It's more than that Amy. The spores take all of one's darkness; all of their bad memories, their shame, their regrets. It gives it form and face and…voice. The spores are gone, but those thoughts still hold that shape."

"So if you fall asleep…" Amy said, catching on, "The Dream Lord will be there?"

"Be where?"

The Doctor and Amy looked back at a rumpled Rory coming into the room.

"I thought he was gone? I mean, he was a part of you," he pointed at The Doctor. "So he's all under wraps yeah?"

"No."

"No?" He looked at them, questioningly. "So…that's the problem? He's back?"

"No, no no. Everything's fine." The Doctor stood up, ignoring his two protesting shins. "Nothing's the matter. Go back to bed. Both of you."

"Did she tell you, you look terrible?"

He rolled his eyes. "Yes, she did. I'm fine. Everything's fine. Just…go away. Bed."

"You've been having nightmares haven't you?" The Doctor was starting to contemplate throwing the box of wrenches at Rory's head. "Dreams about him? The Dream Lord?"

"That's nothing, so have I," Amy pointed out.

"Yeah, me to."

The Doctor turned to face the wall, his back to his companions.

"He's creepy, but he's gone now. So…it's okay, right?"

"Doctor, he was scary, but it's alright. We were all scared of him."

"But he was me…" The Doctor whispered.

Amy and Rory looked at each other. What could they say to that? It was his darkness. His dreams. They couldn't very well jump in and tell the Dream Lord off.

Well…

"Doctor." She went over to the brooding Time Lord. "I have an idea."

"Oh. Really? Is it you two going back to bed? Because that was my idea and-"

"No. I have a better one." She sat him on the seat she had been occupying. They were quite comfy, and could make a good bed for now.

"What are you doing?"

"Yeah, Amy," Rory asked. "What are you doing?"

She arranged The Doctor on the seat and stepped back. "You are going to go to sleep."

He frowned again. "Amy-"

"No, listen. You're worried about sleeping because of the Dream Lord, right?"

"Why is he-"

"The dark the pollen collected still has a form."

"Ah. Ok."

"So! If the Dream Lord is all you have to worry about, then set something against him."

The Doctor looked at her. "I didn't get any of that."

She turned to Rory. "Explain what I just said!"

Rory shrugged. "I didn't get it either."

Amy rolled her eyes and turned back to The Doctor. "The Dream Lord didn't strike me as the sociable type."

"Yeah, the limerick would scare off anyone."

"But you are! You have us!" She gestured to herself and Rory. "So when you start to dream of him, just remember you have us, and we're right here when you wake up. We're not trapped in a dream. The Dream Lord is just a collection of pollen. And you are nothing like him."

"Amy-"

"Try? Because if you keep going without sleep, you're going to just drop off one day and then where will we be?"

He looked from Amy to Rory and back. Amy was giving him the 'Try for me?' eyes, and Rory looked like he was really considering the whole 'Doctor falling asleep in the middle of danger' idea. He didn't like it.

He sighed.

"Fine…" He muttered.

Amy smiled and sat on the floor beside him. Rory leaned against the console.

"Well I can't very well fall asleep with you two staring at me."

"Oh! Right! Uh…Rory, tell a story."

"Wh-what me?"

"Yeah."

"Yes, tell us a story Rory. What's your life like?"

"M-my life? Uh….Well…I grew up in a little town…you know that bit. Met Amy in grade school. That was nice. Had my first job at a car wash. That wasn't as nice. Uh…wanted to be in medicine. Went to a med school. Became a nurse…uh…had that whole bit with the giant… eye…thing. Uh…moved in with Amy…proposed…she said yes…had a stag where you came out of a cake and took us to an alien infested Venice. Then-"

"Shhh…"

"Hmm?"

"He's asleep."

He was indeed. The Doctor had slumped in his chair, tilting almost onto the chair beside him. His chest was rising and falling steadily, and his face was peaceful. No manic grin or brooding frown.

"Go and get him a blanket," Amy whispered to Rory.

"He went out quick. Was my story that boring?"

She grinned at him. "I think he's just that tired."

"Oh. Right then. Blankets are…this way?" He went to find them, hoping that the dream TARDIS was at least a little like the real one.

Amy watched her not-so-raggedy Doctor sleep. She wished him good dreams. Actually, she hoped he wasn't dreaming at all.

'There once was a man from Galifrey.'

'Friends don't abandon people. Your friends never see you after they've grown up.'

'Who ended up, throwing his life away!'

'If you had anymore tawdry quirks, you could open up a tawdry quirk shop.'

'He let down his friends-'

"NO!"

He flung himself upright, gasping. 'I don't need sleep! I can do without it! I don't! Need! Sleep!'

"Doctor."

He looked down. Amy was right where she had been. On the floor beside him, looking up. Rory came back in the room carrying a bundle of blankets.

"What happened?" He saw the Doctor sitting up, clearly not as peacefully sleeping as he had been when he had left. "Do I have to tell another story?"

"No. No, you don't. This isn't going to work. I'm fine. I don't need sleep."

"Doctor."

"No! It's not going to work Amy! He's there! He's always there! I don't sleep, I don't dream, I don't see him."

"Doctor."

"Besides, I'll be filled with adrenaline. No problem. I won't just fall asleep while running away from something that's trying to eat us. Even though I almost did that with the Othariks, but that was a onetime thing."

"Doctor."

He looked down at her. She wasn't giving him the 'try for me' eyes. She just looked at him.

He sighed, flopping down onto the chairs once again. "Well, tell a better story this time. The last one was a bit dull."

She looked at Rory.

"What? Oh! Uh…alright then…um…Shall I tell you about the little mini adventure I just had getting these blankets?"

"'Mini Adventure'? Why what happened?"

"The door I thought had the blankets? Turns out we have a slide for the swimming pool. "

Both Amy and the Doctor snorted with laughter.

"It's not funny! I almost fell in!"

"It is funny! I didn't even know we had a slide!"

"Neither did I!"

"So where did you find the blankets?"

"Oh they were there. There was just a gaping hole in the middle of the floor."

"Oh. Could you see the pool? "

"Yeah. It was really high up."

"Was it a curvy slide or-"

It was Rory's turn to shush her. "He falls asleep quick."

"So would you, if you hadn't slept in weeks."

"Yeah. Well. Blanket?"

She took two, putting one around her shoulders and one on the Doctor; who was lying across two chairs this time, looking much more comfortable than before.

Rory and Amy leaned against the console facing their sleeping Doctor. As they curled up next to each other, they both hoped there would be no more bad dreams. Rory didn't have any more stories, and Amy was getting sleepy just listening to them.

'-Just to ram home what a great intergalactic wag you are'

'He let down his friends'

'The old man prefers the company of the young'

'Could not make amends'

'Only one person in the universe hates me as much as you do'

'Now tries, so hard, to save the day'

'Your friends are long gone by now'

'Friends? Is that the word for the people you acquire?'

'Now don't get jealous'

'Leave her alone'

'One reality was always too much for you, Doctor'

'He's been around, our boy'

'They're not there'

'Of course they are. They said so'

'Just like you did?'

'I didn't-'

'Are you going to abandon them? Like all the others?'

'I tried-'

'She was so sure. So trusting. So naive'

"Oi! Leave him!"

'What is this? Companions to the rescue? Please.'

'Hey, at least we have bodies! You're just dreams and hot air.'

'And pollen.'

'Yes, you're not quite as impressive.'

'You're here'

'Course. Told you we would be didn't we?'

'Well, yeah, but. How?'

'No idea. Thought I might just be dreaming it.'

'Good dream then.'

'Speak for yourself.'

'As touching as this reunion might be, you two do not belong here. I was having a lovely conversation with the Doctor, not his pets.'

'We're not his pets!'

'Yeah! We're his…Companions.'

'They're my friends.'

'I'm sure. Just like Rose? Or Ace? Or Adric?'

'Stop it.'

'Why? Does it hurt to have the truth thrown back in your face? Sarah Jane! Peri! Donna!'

'Hey! Enough! HE is the Doctor. He has saved so many lives in just the time I've been with him and he's what, 900? He is a madman with a blue box and he is NOT you, no matter what you say. Everyone has things they regret and that's normal, they don't need it in the form of a stubby balding little freak in a bad suit. Now shove it!'

'Wait. Where did he go?'

'Gone. For now.'

'Ah. Well. That was fun. You alright?'

'Yeah. Uh. Thanks.'

'Anytime.'

'You didn't even do anything!'

'I was there for moral support!'

'Now now you two. Let not go turning this into a nightmare. Back in your own heads.'

'Right. How?'

'Should be the same as waking up.'

'Really?'

'Try it.'

'Well, he's gone. Guess it works.'

'Yeah. Amy...'

'Yeah?'

'Thank you.'

'Sweet dreams Doctor.'

The TARDIS eased out of the dreams of her three passengers. They were all asleep now, no bad dreams in sight. It had been difficult, getting them all into the Doctor's mind, but he had a rather large one, so there was room. She was tired though.

She thrummed contentedly. She was glad that her Doctor was getting some rest at last. Having him fiddle at her console every night till the others woke up as not good for her or him. But he was better. Free for now, from the Darkness of a Dream.

.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,,..,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,,,.,.,.,..,.,..,.,.,.,.

Ok. This is my very first Doctor Who fanfiction. I'm kinda pleased with it, but I know it's not the greatest on the internet. (Trust me, I've read a lot of fanfiction.) Having trouble sleeping would make sense after 'Amy's Choice' and with the Doctor's habit of running from problems he can't solve, not sleeping for weeks would be more his style. Reviews are welcomed! =^-^=