Author's Note : This was nearly a slash, but I just couldn't make it work. More like a friendship. Hurt/Comfort. I hope it doesn't feel too out of character. Feedback is beautiful.

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The Doctor left Amy in the control room with Rory. A moment later he felt someone behind him. he turned.

"Ah, Rory!" He began. He was cut off when Rory pushed The Doctor against the wall.

"How dare you?" Rory growled, his arm at the Doctor's throat.

The Doctor gulped. "Rory, is this really-" Rory's arm pressed harder on his windpipe, so he thought it best to stop talking for a bit.

"What gives you the right to make decisions like that?"The Doctor had only ever seen this rage in Rory once, and that was when he had just revealed Amy's ganger. Then he had gone through stages, disbelief, sadness, rage then a calm determination. This time, a switch had flipped. Rory's eyes had none of their usual tenderness.

"Rory, calm down. This isn't the way-"

"You broke your promise." Rory hissed. "You made me chose."

"Rory-"

"Do you have any idea what this feels like? To be responsible for the loss of that kind of life?"

That hit something in The Doctor. Now the Doctor started to fight back. He pushed Rory's arm away.

"Of course I do. What do you mean, do I know how it feels? I've had to make that choice so many times. Worse choices too. Choices I had no right to make. And you know what I did? I moved on, Rory."

"You just want me to move on?" Rory asked. "You think I can just keep traveling with you like nothing happened?"

The Doctor took a step back. "Of course not. I wouldn't want you to."

Silence fell. Rory glared. The Doctor looked as apologetic as he could muster. Rory broke eye contact first.

The Doctor began to walk away.

"You always leave them. You'll always leave her."

The acid in Rory's voice burnt The Doctor. Burnt him to the very core.

The Doctor punched Rory.

Violence was not in The Doctor's nature. Or maybe it was, but he was too controlled, to careful to let it out.

Rory stumbled back for a moment. Then came at the Doctor. The two men struggled. Neither really knew what they were doing. One would land a blow; the other would push him off then go back in for more.

The Doctor eventually got Rory pinned down. He struggled for a moment, but the Doctor didn't let up. Only when Rory went still did he let go of the man. Rory scrambled to the opposite side of the hallway.

They both took a moment. Breathed. The Doctor stood. He crossed the hallway and offered Rory his hand.

"I will never just leave her, Rory. Never that way." He said.

Rory paused then took his hand. "I know." The Doctor yanked the other man to his feet. "I didn't mean it like that."

The Doctor darkened. "Yeah, you did."

Rory pursed his lips. "Yeah, I did. But I know you wouldn't."

"Doctor? Rory?"

Amy's voice cut through the air. The boys moved apart.

"Over here, Amy." The Doctor called.

He and Rory shared a final look as Amy appeared.

"What happened to you boys?" She asked. "Your clothes are all messed up." Her eyes widened and she grinned. "Have you boys been-?"

"No!" They both said it at the same time. They looked at each other. "No." They said again.

"Definitely not." The Doctor said.

Awkward Rory had returned. "Never. Never ever."

Amy grinned even bigger. "Maybe we'll talk about it later." Rory's eyes went wide.

Amy turned on her heel. "Well, come on boys. Time to go."

Rory made eye contact with The Doctor. The Doctor shrugged.

"She's probably still a little out of it from the anesthesia." The Doctor said.

"Yeah. Yeah, that's probably it." Rory said.

The Doctor smiled, then clapped his hands. "Well, Rory, let's go."

"Right." Rory said.

Together they walked back to the control room. Neither of them ever mentioned that moment ever again. They never had to.