Here's Chapter 4! Enjoy!
"Hello?" Rory called out into the dim console room. The normal whir of the engines echoed through the chamber, but they sounded more strained and creakier. The groaning of the large machine almost sounded like a tired moan, just as sick as the Doctor.
Rory took a step forward. He looked from side to side, trying to identify the source of the knocking. The colorful lights of the console continued to blink by, but the room seemed sadly empty and cold without the excited presence of the Doctor.
Bang, bang, bang!
Rory jumped. The sound was coming from the front door of the TARDIS.
Yes, it was technically a police box with a door, but nobody ever used it! It was not like aliens came knocking on the door everyday. Only Amy, Rory, and the Doctor used it to run inside and out during life-threatening danger (which was often).
There were no weapons on the TARDIS, the Doctor vehemently forbade them. He believed the greatest weapon a person could have was the mind, quick wits, and cleverness. What could he do? There was a wrench in a crate under the console which the Doctor used to fix the engines from time to time. He grabbed that.
Rory tried to look at the monitor that displayed the view outside of the TARDIS. It was full of static, probably the doing of the creatures outside.
Bang, bang, bang!
Rory saw a grease-stained towel lying on the floor next to the crate. He grabbed that too, muffled voices echoing through the walls.
The nurse approached the door slowly, his "weapons" in hand. Nothing was supposed to be able the penetrate the TARDIS walls unless the Doctor permitted it. Rory's eyes widened when he saw the condition of the wooden door. It was splintering, small cracks running up and down the foundations.
Not good.
A few more big hits, and the door would give way to whatever sinister thing was waiting outside.
He ran back towards the console, formulating a plan.
Amy tried to control her breathing.
She sat on the edge of the Doctor's bed, but refused to look at him. She didn't want to see him in this state, powerless and sick. It was as if someone drained all of the spunk from his body. This was not her Doctor, just a shell of him.
She patted his leg, trying to fight back tears.
The loud banging still echoed through the TARDIS and Rory's words rang through her ears. She was torn between running outside and helping him, but she couldn't leave the Doctor. Amy had to trust her husband would be alright.
And he was counting on her.
She took a deep breath and turned her head to face the unconscious Timelord.
Her heart tore once again. Amy picked up the book the TARDIS miraculously produced for her. She began flipping through the pages. This was an incredibly valuable book. The History of the Timelords? Just a few pages could change the fate of the future.
"Okay, okay," she calmed herself, "Chapter One: The Birth of Gallifrey."
The book was translating the ancient Gallifreyan to English for her, typical Timelord magic. As much as she wanted to read the origin story of the Doctor and his home planet, there were more pressing matters. Amy flipped through the chapters, her eyes desperately scanning the headings for something useful.
"Aha!" she cried out and opened Chapter 43, "Timelord Anatomy!"
There was an illustration that greatly resembled that of the "Vitruvian Man", except the drawing was slightly transparent to show two hearts instead of one. Amy was almost positive that the Timelords must've had an influence on Leonardo Da Vinci. If they reached Van Gogh, then Da Vinci must've been on their list.
There was nothing on poison!
She growled in frustration and threw the book across the room, yet instantly regretted it. The book was nearly as old as time itself and here she was tossing it around a bedroom like it was a lego. Amy moved to pick it up, but the previously empty slot on the bookshelf was filled. The book magically re-inserted itself into its original spot. It must've been the TARDIS. The book was comprised by the same people who made the time machine, it must've had some sort of attachment to it.
She heard some noise behind her, struggled breathing.
Amy whipped around to see the Doctor. His fists clenched the sheets tightly. He tossed his head from side to side. His brow was furrowed with a fearful expression. His pale face accentuated the scary dark circles under his eyes.
"Doctor!" she ran forward, shaking his shoulders, "Doctor, are you alright?! Wake up, please wake up!"
No response. He kept up with the head tossing and struggling movements. His chest rose and fell rapidly, Amy was afraid his second heart would give out. She moved to his arm and rolled up the sleeve. Upon seeing the wound, she almost passed out.
The cut itself was red and swollen, some blood still leaking from Rory's hastily applied bandages. But now, black veins curled and protruded from around the cut and crawled up his forearm. There was no doubt they would spread to consume his entire body.
"I'm sorry, I'm sorry…" the Doctor breathed, his tone was heartbreaking, "forgive me, please!"
"Doctor!" Amy cried, "It's just a nightmare, please wake up! I don't know what to do, I don't know what to do!"
Her pleas reached deaf ears.
"What do I do?" she gasped, fighting herself. The loud banging still echoed within her ears, that meant Rory was still probably alive and well. He was out there risking his life, fighting some unknown creature, and here she was as helpful as a thumbtack, "Come on, Amy, buck up," she willed herself to be stronger.
"Listen up!" she yelled towards the TARDIS walls once more, "He's dying and I don't know what to do!" Amy pointed to the struggling Timelord on the bed, "The book you gave me was no use, so please! I need your help! Show me how to stop the poison, show me how to fix him!"
A terribly loud groaning echoed through the machine - it was the TARDIS. She was struggling, she was just as weak as the Doctor and she was doing her best to keep the aliens outside of her walls from Rory, Amy, and the Doctor. Yet, the machine heard Amy's plea.
Amy dropped to her knees instinctively, covering her ears and squinting her eyes as the loud, metallic screeching blared through the entire time machine.
The Doctor reacted too. Because of their connection, the TARDIS was partly draining the Doctor of his last remnants of energy. His breathing hitched and a loud, painful yell left him. His back arched off the bed and he was glowing with a yellow aura.
"Doctor!" Amy cried.
Was the TARDIS killing him?
In just a few seconds, he dropped back on the bed. Sweat beaded his forehead, and he went limp. No more nightmares plagued him, but he looked dead. Amy slightly wished the nightmares returned, at least they were some indication he was alive.
Another book fell across the room. Amy ran over, silently thanking the TARDIS and the Doctor. It was not as elaborately bound as the other book. In fact, this one looked more like a journal. It was still the same deep royal blue as the TARDIS, but some papers and notes peaked out of the lined pages, and a simple title was written with golden ink.
"THE DOCTOR'S PERSONAL RECORDS"
Chapter 5 coming soon!