Chapter 7
Whistling cheerfully, the Doctor grinned as he unlocked the door of their hotel room and stepped inside. He fell silent when he saw that Rory was on the phone to Amy, flashing his companion a grin and a wave in greeting. The young man nodded back, then turned away to better focus on his conversation. Dropping onto a padded bench by the window, the Time Lord stared out at the blue cliffs of the Zenith Canyon and tried not to eavesdrop.
"…it was really comfortable. The Doctor reconfigured the back seat so we could stretch out. Managed to get some sleep, and I got some more while we were travelling." Rory said, his voice steady as he related the previous night's stranding to his wife. The Doctor couldn't help but smile - while they hadn't done anything else besides having an extended make-out session, it had still been quite late when Rory finally dropped off, curled comfortably in his arms.
"No, he won't tell me why we're here. Said it's a surprise."
Glancing over at Rory, he met the frown with a cheerful smile. "Don't tell him anything, Amy!" he called, knowing that she could hear him on the other end of the line. The frown deepened briefly into a scowl, but his expression quickly lightened into a faint smile. Whatever Amy had told him, it must have cheered him up.
Turning back to the window, the Doctor watched the shadows deepen against the northern cliffs as the sun began to set, turning them a deep navy blue. Aliens of all kinds moved up and down the cliffs, searching for the best spot for the night's activities. Small shuttles and other air transports zoomed overhead, most heading in the direction of the landing field at the back of the hotel complex. But no matter how many came, the Time Lord knew that there was plenty of room. Rory and he would be able to find a perfect place to sit and watch.
A faint click and a sigh indicated that Rory had ended the call, but the Doctor didn't turn from his spot at the window. "How is she? Not bored, I hope?"
"She's fine. Took a wander through the fairground near the hotel and won a few prizes. She also said she's slightly jealous of us being here at the Zenith Canyons…mentioned something about the best spot to be tonight, whatever that means." He heard his companion sit down next to him, felt the warm air wash over his neck as he sighed again.
"What is it? I know something's bothering you, so you might as well tell me." the Time Lord asked after a minute of silence.
"It's just that I don't like keeping stuff from her. Especially not something this big." the nurse muttered after a long moment. "I didn't lie or anything, but it still doesn't feel right."
The Doctor frowned slightly, understanding how the situation must be weighing on Rory. It was then he looked away from the window, staring intently at Rory until the other male met his gaze. There was no resentment in his eyes, only guilt. He didn't want to push his friend into doing anything he would regret later, not matter what their respective feelings on the matter were. Moving slowly, his companion shifted to lean against him, resting his head on the man's shoulder. "Cheer up, at least for tonight. There's something special I want you to see." he murmured softly, sliding his hand into Rory's and squeezing gently.
"I'll try."
Rory gasped as he stared upwards, watching a bright streak of light trail across the dark sky. Three more followed, then five, then more than he could count. The Doctor was stretched out beside him on the blanket, hand clenched around his, probably grinning widely. The meteor shower happened every year, but reached its height only every century. As it happened, they had landed during the year when the show was at its best.
"This is amazing!" he exclaimed, hearing the man laugh in return.
"Isn't it? Best spot to see the shower is right here, Rory! Because of protected status of the canyons, the air here is clearer and cleaner here than in the cities, which is exactly what you need to be able to see the meteors. That's why Amy said she was jealous - she'll be able to see this too, but not with the clarity we have!" The Doctor sounded proud of himself, more so than usual when he showed off something impressive to his companions.
The meteor shower would continue on all night, as well as be visible on a smaller scale for the following week. The Doctor had told him that much on the ride up one of the cliffs. Despite the fact that the hotel was packed and many others were on the cliffs viewing the meteors, the area around them was deserted. Rory could hear voices coming from other plateaus and open spaces above and below them, but no one was with them.
So he was only mildly surprised when the Doctor released his hand and brushed his cheek gently, the warmth of his palm nice against the young man's cool cheek. Blushing as he remembered the previous night, Rory turned his head slightly to meet the man's eyes.
The faint light of the falling stars was reflected in the Doctor's eyes as he asked, "Do you really want to be with me? I know you're worrying about it - worrying about how Amy will respond. Worrying about how a relationship will change things between us. Between all of us."
The young man looked away then, focusing on the meteors for several minutes as he tried to subdue the rush of feelings flooding him. He wanted to be with the Doctor, he really did. It had been determined last night that he truly wanted the alien man, and it wasn't just a simple crush. No, nothing about his relationship with the man could ever be simple.
"I…I…" he stammered, unsure of what, exactly, he wanted to say. Closing his eyes and knowing it was pointless to lie to himself any longer, he spoke. "Yes. I love Amy. I love you. I want this to work out." Somehow.
The man gave him a tender smile then, shifting to place a gentle kiss on Rory's forehead before lying back down and looking upwards again. "This reminds me a bit of the time Amy and I were with Vincent van Gogh." the Doctor murmured softly, eyes still fixed on the sky.
"Amy never mentioned that."
"It was just after you got eaten by the Crack. She didn't remember you then, and we ended up in the village Vincent was living in. Fought an invisible alien and took Vincent on a brief trip to the future, but the thing I remember most is doing this. All three of us, staring up at the sky and watching the stars." He paused then, obviously remembering the event.
Rory stayed silent, letting his lover think. For that's what he thought they were - lovers, if not in the physical sense then in the mental one. But how was he supposed to tell Amy about all of this? Guilt overcame him as tears blurred his vision, turning the meteor shower into a shimmering mass of light. He didn't want to betray Amy, but it felt like he had already done that.
"Rory?" Hearing the note of concern in the Doctor's voice made him turn his head away from the sky, staring blankly out at the valley that housed the hotel. Sniffling and trying to keep the tears back, he tensed when a hand landed on his shoulder, warm and comforting. "Oh, Rory…"
Instead of giving in, the nurse pulled away, rolling onto his side. There was no hiding the tears now, they rolled hot and heavy down his face. Then the Doctor was there, embracing him tightly as he cried. Rory half-expected him to murmur and apology, but the man remained silent. Perhaps that was for the best, since he didn't want an apology. He might have even rejected it, had one been offered. It wasn't the Doctor's fault his companion was in love with him, after all.
His tears eventually slowed, but the man didn't let him go. "I…I can't tell her." he stammered, voice hoarse and ragged. "I just can't. I don't think she'd understand. I love both of you, but I know I can only have one of you."
"Do you?" the Doctor asked, voice low. Loosening the hug, he allowed the young man to roll over and face him before continuing. "Like I said before, multiple partners are not uncommon among many species. I know it would be going against your society, but perhaps you can have both Amy and me. She's a smart girl. I believe she would understand, given time."
Rory simply looked at the man he loved. He wasn't as optimistic as the other was. He knew Amy. He had grown up with her. Even if she did accept that Rory loved the Doctor - her Raggedy Doctor - it would probably drive a wedge between them. He didn't want something like that to tear them apart.
"Sorry Doctor, but I'm not going to tell her. Some things are best kept a secret." he said firmly.
The man gazed back at him, the constant stream of meteors overhead adding a strange light to his eyes. "If that's what you really want Rory, then I won't tell either." he said at last. Rory could almost hear the disappointment in his voice, but it didn't matter.
The Doctor silently rolled over onto his back, pulling the young man along with him so that the nurse's head was resting on his chest. Shifting so that he could see the sky, they watched the meteors fall. "I love you." he murmured at last, hoping he wouldn't be rejected because of his decision.
"I love you too." The Doctor answered, and the young man knew he was smiling. The air between them was clear now, and Rory wondered what the future would bring.
