A/N: I do not own Legends of Tomorrow or Doctor Who
"What happened Rory? Why did you Amy leave New York?" The Doctor asked
"We didn't immediately, but it was odd almost wrong even living in one-time period. We got used to life in 21st century in our house with our TARDIS blue door, so we decided to start traveling.
When we first arrived in New York, I found a nursing job even though everyone thought it was odd for a man to be a nurse.
"I told you earlier that I spent years looking for you… looking for a loop-hole or a way to prevent you and Amy going back." The Doctor said looking down at the slowly congealing bowl of custard while he slowly dragged the fish stick in his hand around in slow circles.
Clara moved took the fish stick from the Doctor and put it down on the plate. She grabbed his hand and held it tightly showing her support. The story of what happened was slowly piecing itself together in her head as she listened to the conversation.
"I'm sorry Doctor" She said sadly
"No, I'm sorry Doctor" Rory smiled sadly "You know there was no way to prevent Amy and I being touched by the angel as I told you earlier it was a fixed point in time. There was nothing you could do to prevent it."
"But…" The Doctor attempted to say before Rory interrupted him "No Doctor, you know what happened last time we tried to prevent a fixed point. This time there was no Teselecta or River to save us.
The Doctor just drooped more and Clara clutched his hand tighter.
"But, after Amy and I traveled for a short time we were approached by the Time Masters" A small smile played across his face as he continued "Do you know who recommended us to them?"
The Doctor just looked slightly confused while looking at him. Until, realization dawned, "River" He said softly
"Exactly" Rory replied "She visited us a few times after we began traveling and left New York. She knew how much we missed the traveling and the adventures and most of all she knew how much we missed you…"
The Doctor looked at Rip in shock and then awkwardly shuffled his feet a bit while blushing a light red. Clara hit the Doctor lightly on his arm while scolding him, "Why is this so surprising to you? You know how important you are to me too.
Rip smiled before continuing, "When we first began, Amy and I decided to take different names to prevent anyone from connecting us to well… us and the Time masters disapproved of relationships, so we took different names to prevent them from separating us during training."
"What did you Amy and you do with your wedding rings if you pretended not to be married?" The Doctor asked
Rip just smiled almost sadly and pulled a chain from around his neck where a single battered gold wedding ring hung and next to it an old scratched metal key.
Clara recognized gave a slight sniffle when seeing the ring just hanging there and she blinked twice before giving a slight gasp when she recognized the other object on the chain.
"The TARDIS key…" The Doctor said with shock "After the angel, you kept the key? Wha…? Why?" He said completely bewildered
"We missed you and we missed the TARDIS, the traveling and adventures and we missed our old lives. We kept the key as a reminder of what we lost and how we changed" Rip said simply
The Doctor looked almost ready to cry and looked up at Rory when saying, "I'm sorry Rory… I let you and Amy down that day and I will always remember that, but I can never hope that you will ever forgive me."
It was Rip's turn now to look shocked, "Doctor, Amy and I never blamed you for what happened! Everything that happened that day happened because of our choices. We made the choice to jump off the building and I… I made the stupid choice of looking back at the dumb gravestone. If I hadn't, then Amy and I would never have been sent back. That whole day it was my fault and my fault only." Rip said bitterly "And I can never forget that"
At this point, Clara who began to feel her eyes get wet after hearing Rip's declaration she fully began to cry.
The Doctor noticed at this point and swept Clara into a hug, "Oh Clara! I'm sorry Clara! I never meant to make you cry. Don't cry!"
He looked down at her sadly while brushing away a tear on her cheek, "I know you are disappointed in me and I'm sorry that I disappointed you. Don't worry I'll take you home now."
Before the Doctor could even finish, Clara broke out of his hug and slapped him hard on the cheek leaving a slight red mark
The Doctor's eyes widened and his hand automatically went up to his cheek "Oi! What was…"
"Do you really think so little of me Doctor?" Clara interrupted angrily "That because of mistake I would hate you? Something that wasn't even your fault?" Pausing to stab her finger in Rip's direction she continued "And don't think I've forgot of you mister"
"I won't pretend to know that I know exactly what is happening or even who Amy or Miranda is, but I know one thing. If Amy is anything like how you describe her, then I know she would have slapped the two of you silly for blaming yourselves for something out of your control." She finished angrily
"Now if you two excuse me I will be waiting at the TARDIS and hopefully you two will have gotten your heads screwed on straight, but considering you track records. I doubt it. And Rip?" She said looking at him
Rip backed away slightly from Clara showing his hands.
"It was a pleasure to meet you." She said before exiting the room
For a few seconds, it was silent between the two men who were still processing what just happened and Rip broke the silence, "Gideon please make sure Clara makes it back to the TARDIS safely and doesn't get lost."
"Of course, Captain" Gideon replied
The Doctor looked around in confusion when Rip began talking and when Gideon replied he pointed his screwdriver at the wall. Rip watched as he began to change the settings and muttered to himself, "Artificial intelligence"
The Doctor began pouting before continuing, "That's no fair you get to talk to your ship. I only got to talk to Sexy once."
Rip smiled smugly when replying, "Of course , Gideon and I talk frequently and I didn't know you called the TARDIS 'Sexy'."
The Doctor began to blush and muttered a quiet response, "You weren't supposed to hear that, but anyways I only call her that when I'm alone."
He shuffled his feet a bit and then began walking towards the door, "Anyways let's make sure Clara is okay."
Rip just laughed and followed along behind the Doctor and called out as he saw the Doctor walking down the corridor to the left, "Doctor the TARDIS is this way" while pointing in the opposite direction
The Doctor just resolutely turned on his heel and went the other direction before suddenly stopping and Rip almost ran into him.
"I am sorry Rory about everything that happened before and after New York."
"You have nothing to be sorry for Doctor meeting you was the best thing that happened to Amy and I even if we didn't know it at the time." Rip smiled and said, "I'm just glad you found someone new to travel with and aren't alone. That's what Amy and I were most worried about."
The Doctor smiled mischievously when replying, "You've met her before remember Nina?"
Rip looked confused before thinking for a few seconds and exclaiming, "Oswin Oswald! The Dalek asylum! How did I not recognize that before!" Rip said after smacking his face with his hand
"I am surprised you didn't realize sooner"
"Hmf your talking about remembering. Does the Pandorica ring any bells? It took you at least 5 minutes to realize it was me."
The Doctor pouted a little before whining, "It wasn't five minutes more like three minutes or less."
Rip replied in a sing-song voice, "Ok Doctor, whatever you say." Before continuing in his regular voice, "But Doctor how did she not recognize me and most importantly I thought she was a Dalek?
The Doctor's mood turned more serious when replying, "I honestly don't know Rory, but don't mention anything to her about it."
Before the Doctor could continue, Rip and the Doctor arrived in the console room and the Doctor gave Rip one last look of warning before calling out, "Claaraa? Where are you?"
Clara walked out of Rip's office while saying, "Right here Doctor no need to yell."
She then took a deep breath and said, "I apologize Doctor for hitting you earlier. I shouldn't have done that and let my temper get the best of me."
She walked closer and lightly touched the red mark still visible on his face before looked down ashamed.
The Doctor gently tipped her face back up before replying, "Oh Clara, I could never be mad at you and I should apologize for assuming things."
Clara just hugged the Doctor in reply and said "Let's head home though Doctor. Times a tickin'." She said with a small smirk before grabbing his hand and pulling him towards the TARDIS doors
The Doctor just looked bemusedly over his shoulder at Rip who just waved.
"Bye Doctor! And it was a pleasure meeting you too Clara!"
Rip's last view of the Doctor and Clara, before the TARDIs doors closed with a small thump and the TARDIS slowly disappeared, was of the Doctor smiling at the consoles running around while Clara was laughing at something the Doctor said
Rip walked into his office and sat at his chair remembering times long ago. The times full of adventures, laughter, and red hair blowing in the wind as they ran.
When the rest of the team returned from the bar, Sara said, "Rip you missed a good time and before you ask the timeline is still intact. Anything happen since we left?"
Rip called out with a small smile on his face, "No, not much"