The Doctor closed his eyes and tried to breath. He hated this small village. He absolutely hated it. It was obviously Rory's dream this...boring, dull life. The Tardis was his life. Running was his life. Who was this Dream Lord anyway? What did he want? Why was he doing this to him to them? The Doctor paced back and forth, the questions swirling in his head.

"So, come on, let's think. The mechanics of this reality split we're stuck in. Time asleep exactly matches time in our dream world, unlike in conventional dreams," the Doctor said out loud to Rory and a very pregnant Amy.

"And we're all having the same dream at the same time," Rory confirmed.

"Yes, sort of communal trance. Very rare, very complicated. I'm sure there's a dream giveaway, a tell, but my mind isn't working because this village is so dull! I'm slowing down, like you two have," he exclaimed in anger. He couldn't take it anymore. He couldn't take this frustration, this uncertainty. He hated this village!

"Oh now Doctor," someone said from behind them. "Why say things that you don't really mean?" The three time travelers turned to see the Dream Lord leaning with a black, slick cane with a round gold top. He wore a dark blue suit and a devious smirk on his face that gave the Doctor chills.

"Why lie to them, Doctor? Isn't this the life you once wanted," he said mockingly. "Wife, baby, the peaceful life."

"What are you talking about," the Doctor growled at him. The Dream Lord took a step towards him. His face broke into anger.

"Do you remember her Doctor? Do you remember the girl that you wanted all of this with? The girl that you would give up everything for?"

"Doctor, what's he talking about," Amy interrupted. The Doctor turned white as a sheet. He stood with his fists clenched, staring at the ground.

"Oh Amy," the Dream Lord said. He stuck out his lower lip "You think you know him don't you? Think he tells you eeeeverything." He turned towards the Doctor. "Did you tell her Doctor? Tell your companions about your past? Does Amy know what happened just moments before you met her?"

"Doctor?" Amy's eyes widened.

"Just shut up," the Doctor hissed.

"Didn't you call this life...Oh what was it now..." He smirked. "The one adventure you could never have."

"That's enough." The Doctor's face looked pained as if the memories were crashing over him.

"Do you remember her Doctor? The pink and yellow human that brought you back to life? Should I say her name," he teased. The Doctor's fists starting shaking.

"I SAID THAT'S ENOUGH!" Rory wrapped his arm around Amy and pulled her back. The Doctor covered his face with his hand. The Dream Lord giggled mischievously.

"Ooo struck a cord," he said as he twirled around the Doctor, flipping his cane in the air. Amy had never seen the Doctor this angry before. She was almost scared of him.

"Well," the Dream Lord continued. "I should go. Just thought I would call you out on your bluff. You have a mystery to solve after all." And then he was gone. Amy shook Rory off her and approached the Doctor. His hands were covering his face as he slowly crumpled down to his knees. She placed a hand on his shoulder.

"Doctor," she whispered. "Do you want to explain what that was about?" The Doctor gently shook his head. The sound of birds filled their heads.

"Oh, no. Here we go," Amy said as the three of them fell asleep.

~ The Tardis ~

When they awoke Amy immediately felt a chill in the air. As she let out a long breath that she could see it before her.

"It's really cold. Have you got any warm clothing," she asked the Doctor.

"What does it matter if we're cold? We have to know what Mrs. Poggit is up to." He paused. "Sorry, sorry. There should be some stuff down there. Have a look." The Doctor completely ignored the previous encounter with the Dream Lord. Amy thought it best not to mention it either. It wasn't the time.

"Doctor?" Amy and Rory stopped in their tracks. They slowly turned around to see a young woman standing on the other side of the Tardis. She had short blond hair and wore a blue leather jacket and tight black pants. She smiled sweetly at the Doctor with her tongue in between her teeth.

"Doctor," she said again. The Doctor was unmoving at the consol. Even when Rory and Amy approached him, his eyes never left her. Amy watched his blank expression. He looked as if he was in a trance.

"Who are you," Rory asked. The woman didn't look at him. She walked up to the console, putting her hands on it.

"Where should we go today," she asked in a thick cockney accent. The Doctor's eyes darkened.

"This isn't real. You're not real," he said under his breath. She scrunched her eyebrows together, looking at him with concern.

"What are you talking about? Are you alright?" She started to walk about the consol. "Doctor?" Against his will, the Doctor found himself approaching her until they were face to face.

"What's wrong," she said to him, giving him that compassionate expression that she always used to give him. The Doctor's eyes welled with tears as he looked at her. It's been so long. She was as beautiful as he remembered. He slowly lifted his hand and stroked down her cheek with the back of his fingers.

"Rose," he whispered as a tear went down his cheek. She smiled at him.

"Course it's me," she said as she gave him a smile. She reached her hand forward and gently took his hand in hers. His eyebrows scrunched together as he let out an angry growl. He threw her hand away as if her touch burned him.

"You aren't Rose," he yelled at her. "I know what her hand feels like in mine." He turned his head towards the sky. "Stop this now!"

The Dream Lord appeared behind Rose, laughing to himself.

"Sorry." He let out a snort of delight. "I just couldn't help myself." He snapped his fingers and Rose disappeared. His face suddenly changed from amusement to anger.

"How could you," he spat at the Doctor. "How could you do that to her." The Doctor turned his head away, letting the tears of pain and guilt fall. The Dream Lord cracked a smile and clapped his hands together, turning towards Rory and Amy.

"Sorry about that. Not really about you two that was." Amy looked at the Doctor as he stood there in defeat. Her heart broke for him. "You guys have bigger things to worry about. It's getting rather cold in here isn't it," he said as he disappeared. The moment he was gone the Doctor let out a breath of anger as he wiped his hands over his face. He turned away from Rory and Amy for a moment, putting his hands in his hair. He spun and slammed his hands on the console as hard as he could, creating a large echo throughout the Tardis. Amy and Rory jumped back.

"Go get the warmer clothes," he said to them in a low voice. Silently Rory and Amy continued their way down the stairs, leaving the Doctor alone

with his thoughts.