The Fractured wrist

Disclaimer: I don't own Dr Who or any of its characters or such property. I write to entertain and make no profit from this.

AN: Set during Power of three

The Doctor had found an outlet for his boredom and constant energy.

Soccer!

The neighbourhood kids often had a game running and were only too happy to let him play. They managed to keep up with him too! All the adults he played got tired before he even broke a sweat. The kids seemed to have boundless energy just like him. Distractedly he wondered what made human adults loose that energy that human children seemed to have.

"Mister!" he heard a high pitched yell. His day dreams came to an end when he felt intense pain in his right wrist where the ball had hit. Despite the pain he had put on a happy mask. The children had stopped the game.

Each child tried to speak at once offering some advise. "Mummy says when your hurt you don't have to go to school-uncle says you just need a stiff one-daddy kisses away the pain- mummy says if your hurt call an ambulance- my brother said-"The Doctor smiled kindly at them and gestured for quiet. "Now, I do appreciate the advice but I think I'll see Rory, his a nurse you see!" he said in his usual animated way. The kids just nodded approvingly. One kid said loudly "Nurses give you lolly pops when your good!". It was unanimously decided that nurses were good and The Doctor was right to see Rory.

The timelord laughed and excused himself. Placated, the children returned to the game. Oh to be so ignorant again! Still he pulled on his jacket making sure the cuffs covered his injury. Luckily only Amy was home when he returned and didn't notice anything.

After all they were always getting annoyed at him for something or rather. One night his tinkering had kept them up. Another afternoon he had been bored and the Ponds has insisted he stay still and quiet when they reached the 100th game of wii tennis. He was simply too alien for these humans. That was fine on alien planets but as a human he had to at least try. He couldn't help his boundless energy or his alien endurance. He was easily distracted and only happy when his mind was busy. That was just who he was.

He had told the children that he would see Rory about his injury but he couldn't bother the humans. Not after all he had done to annoy them. He would heal anyway.

The timelord made it to his room. The timelord barely held back a hiss of pain as he removed his jacket. Every move of his wrist was like it was on fire. The injury was red and swollen by now. He needed a distraction from the pain. The pain was barely tolerable. He could try sleeping? The blankets would cover his injury. Sleep would help him heal and ease the pain.

He gave up trying to undress further and just flopped into his bed. Carefully arranging his blankets, he made sure no one could see his injury.

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When Rory got home, it was much later and Amy had yet to hear the slightest sound from The Doctors room. It was worrying. She hadn't paid much attention, too engrossed in a tv show.

Rory wasn't used to so much silence when the alien was around. Even on the Tardis, he could be heard making repairs or some form of activity.

"Uh dear, is everything okay?" he asked concerned.

She had looked confused "I think so?"

Rory (being Rory) had to check on his alien friend. Maybe it was nothing and sleep was catching up with him. He still couldn't shake to feeling something was wrong.

Forgoing changing his clothes, he checked the timelords room. The alien was sleeping but it looked anything but restful.

The Doctor restlessly tossed around and whimpered quietly. "Please don't make me go! I'll be better. I'll even sit still and stay off the wii!" he muttered desperately.

Rory realised that it was a nightmare about them. Crushingly he realised that the alien was more sensitive to their moods than they thought. They had been doing little else but tell him off for his constant energy and need to do something and his inability to sit still and focus. Did he really think they wanted him to go?

Come to think of it, he had been extra helpful and subdued lately. To smother such a natural tendency wasn't easy. After all, he couldn't help it. It was who he was. He felt bad now for yelling at him.

The nurse tried to wake his friend gently. The timelord woke with a loud whimper of pain. Immediately Rory searched for the source. He looked over the timelord with a critical eye.

He was pale and was controlling his breathing. Rory noticed a stiffness on one side as if protecting an injury. He tried to reorganise his blanket but stopped suddenly with another whimper, holding his wrist against his chest.

Rory moved quickly. He gently uncovered the injured wrist. The Doctor only whimpered and watched the nurse. He gasp at the now very swollen and purple wrist. It was no wonder the injury was causing so much pain. He rubbed the back of the now silently sobbing and shaking Doctor who looked like a miserable child. Carefully he put the injured wrist down and was satisfied when he only got a quiet whimper. "I need to get some supplies. I won't be gone long. Then we can make this better, okay?" he said calmly.

When he got back, his friend hadn't moved or changed in condition. First thing he did was prepare a pain killer and inject it near the injury. Before he could even get near the injury, the pain needed to be dealt with. Soon the timelord was less tense and had stopped crying. "Its okay now. See?" he said gently as if speaking to a child.

The timelord seemed more responsive now. He nodded back.

"I need to wrap it now okay? Its going to hurt a little" he said carefully. When the alien did nothing to stop him, he quickly bandaged the wrist. The action drew out a whimper but the pain medication was working well. "Good job! Doesn't that feel better?" Rory encouraged.

"Much. Thanks. Sorry" replied the timelord.

Rory frowned at that "Why didn't you just tell Amy?" he asked softly.

The Doctor looked away "Didn't wanna be annoying. I told you I could do quiet and sitting still." he said dejectedly.

"We shouldn't be asking you to be anything less than who you are. Its not annoying. If your hurt, please see one of us. We don't like to see you hurt. Its not fun for you either. Promise?" he said softly but firmly.

"But your the Ponds. You wanted me quiet so I will be quiet." said the timelord stubbornly.

"Listen closely. We want you to be happy. Your our friend. Just be you okay. Now will you see us next time you get hurt?" he said firmly.

The timelord nodded, confusion in his eyes.

"Good. Now how did it happen?"

"I was playing soccer with the kids and got distracted. Apart from the pain, it wasn't that bad. Just a bit swollen and red." he excused.

Rory frowned again. Did the alien have no sense of preservation? "That was a fracture. That was not nothing. It would have only become more painful for you. Don't even pretend to lie that you were not in pain." Rory said firmly.

The timelord only looked at him in confusion "why would you bother?".

"Because I care" Rory said calmly. Why would his friend even ask that? "Why don't you try sleeping?" he asked softly.

With little argument the timelord settled back down in his bed and almost immeaditly fell asleep. Rory smiled and put the blankets over him, making sure they covered him.

He would be fine. He suspected that in a week the timelord would be bouncing around again.

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The next day Rory was on his day off. As usual the timelord was up early and trying with frustration to do quiet activities that wouldn't further harm his wrists. Wii tennis was out. So was soccer.

By afternoon it was boring and he craved some form of activity.

Luckily the children were also bored. Rory was surprised when at least 15 children were at his door. When he asked if their parents knew where they were, the children just shrugged and refused to leave without seeing their friend. He had little choice in the matter.

So 15 human children and 1 childish timelord took the living room as their own. The floors were soon covered in paper and coloured pencils and markers. It was quiet a sight! They were talking and laughing and drawing and having such fun.

It was amazing to see that all the children cared so much that they refused the normal soccer games for an indoor activity. Rory could also see that his timelord friend cared for his little human ones. They were all equals. His friend seemed genuinely happy and was just as engrossed in the drawing as the others.

Of course the drawing soon turned into games of catch with scrunched up bits and paper aeroplanes and other things. Even the younger ones were involved.

Even the quiet child from down the street who never spoke and was always shy was joining in like any kid.

Rory had to take a picture for both his wife and any parent who would not believe him.

Soon the younger children started to get sleepy and even the Doctor yawned. So the living room was tidied up (with the help of the children), drawings stacked by person and Rory found blankets and pillows. The living room became the nap room. Even the timelord had stubbornly stayed.

How the parents knew, he didn't know but they all went to his house to pick up the children. Soon no more children were left.

The timelord was surprisingly calm the rest of the day. He seemed to be in pain again though. Rory knew the pain relief had to lost effect hours ago. He got his kit and took out a cream that would be perfect for the job and fresh wraps.

The Doctor complied with little fuss. He was tense but the pain was not as bad as before. "I'm going to rub in the cream and it will help the pain. Trust me, I'll be gentle enough that you won't even feel it." he said calmly. The timelord hesitated a little but nodded. "Tell me to stop if you need me to" Rory said firmly. This seemed to alleviate the timelord's concern.

Rory's gentle hands worked quickly but carefully. Instead of discomfort, the timelord only watched in curiosity. That was a good sign. The wrist was rewrapped and The Doctor brightened up. He wasn't tired so they decided to watch a movie while Rory made lunch.

Rory brought out some sandwiches. He smiled with relief as the timelord ate eagerly.

"Rory?"asked the alien carefully.

After seeing that the human was not annoyed or angry he continued. "When we visit again, can we visit the kids?" he asked in that same careful tone. His hesitant eyes pleaded and he was tense, coiled as if able to spring at the earliest chance.

The nurse just frowned "Of course. You seem to have made some good friends. Them too by the looks of it."

"Well it helps that they don't judge" said the alien softly. A look of horror crossed his face. "I didn't mean to say that out loud. I mean you are just human so how can I expect differently?" he said quickly.

Rory just shook his head "Doctor, its okay. You are right that we shouldn't judge you by human standards. Your not human so that makes no sense. We shouldn't have yelled or made you feel bad for being you either. Also I see why you have connected to the kids – both of you seem to have limitless energy, endurance and a limitless view of the world."

AN: Until next time! Read and review as usual.