Chapter One: Sine qua non
"Doctor! Doctor!" Rory screamed at the top of his lungs, sharply whipping around the hallway that lead into the TARDIS control room. He tripped over his pajama legs and he fell to the floor with a thud. The doctor ran over to him and quickly helped him up off of the floor "Rory what's wrong? Are you hurt?" Rory's eyes began to tear up as he fell again, this time of his own accord. Held up only by the Doctor's arms he began to sob uncontrollably, looking away from the Doctor as not to embarrass himself. "shh shh it'll be alright I'm here" the doctor spoke in a hushed, comforting voice. The Doctor put a hand under Rory's chin, turning the other man's head so they're eyes met.
"I-it was that awful dream again Doctor I-I" Rory stood up whipping tears from his eyes. "Rory come here" Rory took a few steps towards the Doctor. Before he knew it the two where in a long, warm embrace. "She really hurt you didn't she Rory?" instead of an answer Rory just let out a solitary sob. "I'm an awful father, I shouldn't have left my daughter with Amy" The word Amy escaped Rory's mouth through gritted teeth, an obvious sign of distain towards the women who all but broke him.
"No Rory, you didn't have a choice, when I found you after what Amy did to you, you had hit the lowest of lows. You didn't have the means to find a place to sleep, let alone take care of a four month old child". Rory broke the embrace to wipe his eyes "Why does everyone I love leave me?" the Doctor ran his hand through his hair and awkwardly starred at the floor. "I'm still here aren't I?" Rory was taken aback by what the doctor said. Did the Doctor just admit he loved Rory? More importantly did Rory love him?
"I uh… Doctor are you trying to um…" the Doctor looked up from his awkward floor-starring "That doesn't matter right now, let's get you off to bed!" Rory didn't want to go back to the room he once shared with Amy… Maybe that's why he kept having nightmares. "er… right but I can't promise you I'll go back to sleep. Something about that room." The Doctor took Rory's hand in his, once again they're eyes met. "Well up the hall, first left there's my room. You can sleep there tonight if you like." Rory looked down and murmured "Yeah sure".
"Great. Now I won't bother you, us time lords don't need as much sleep as humans so I may not even sleep tonight." Rory felt his heart sink for a brief moment before he and the Doctor parted ways. Eventually Rory found the Doctor's room. Not even bothering to look around he sank into the Doctor's bed. About three hours passed when Rory was jerked awake by the Doctor climbing under the sheets. Turns out the mighty time lord needed some sleep after all. Rory, not even half awake wrapped his harm around the Doctor's torso. "I think I might love you." Rory said this extremely slurred, obviously tired. The Doctor's hearts raced and his body stiffened.
"Not now, he's too hurt. Just be cool… don't let him know" he reminded himself sharply. With Rory fast asleep again the Doctor slowly began to fall into a slumber in the other man's arms. The last words to escape the Doctor's lips before he fell into a blissful sleep were "Oh Rory, you have no idea."
Rory tossed and turned, arms violently thrashing around in an involuntary instinctual movement. The awful dream had started again. He stood there in an empty room. Nothing but a single spot of light illuminated the dark, cold space. Amy walked into the light, her bright red hair seemed to be on fire. Dream Amy wasted no time tarring into Rory "you pathetic, stupid excuse of a man!" she barked, Rory violently collapsed onto the imaginary floor. Trembling and on the verge of tears again. Rory pleaded with dream Amy "A-Amy p-p-please stop your b-breaking my heart!"
Dream Amy chuckled darkly, she walked over to the trembling Rory and picked his head up by his dirty blonde hair. "Look at you! You pathetic, stupid, worthless man! What makes you think for one second I would have mercy on you?" dream Amy slammed Rory's head back down onto the cold, dark floor. Rory stood up to confront Amy, his voice still trembling slightly. "Y-you may not l-love me but someone does!"
Dream Amy actually broke into a sick, twisted fit of laughter "you really are stupid, I don't just dislike you I HATE you!" Dream Amy took a deep breath only to fall into another demented fit of laughter. "Oh that's rich Rory, Who loves you? The Doctor? That's just pathetic! You're PATHETIC! No one could ever love you!" Dream Amy walked back into the darkness. Only the click of her boots could be heard now. The room slowly melted away pulling Rory back to reality. His trembling body holding onto the Doctor for dear life as he tried to fall asleep once more.