Chapter 7: Amy's choice

Disclaimer: I don't own Doctor Who.


In a small cottage, a very pregnant Amy was mixing something in a bowl. Suddenly, she gasped and set the bowl down on the table. She screamed, "Roryyyyyyy!" Rory rode into the yard on a bicycle with a basket on the front. He was now sporting his hair long and in a ponytail. "Rory, it's starting!"

Rory dropped the bike to the ground and ran inside. He rushed to her side. "Ah. OK, OK..."

Amy was sitting down, eating the batter from the bowl. She said, "False alarm."

"What?"

Amy repeated, "False alarm."

"What?"

Amy said, "Well, I don't know what it feels like. I've never had a baby before." She fed him some of the batter. There was a whooshing sound.

"Mmm!"

Amy breathed, standing up, "No."

Rory replied, "I know - leaf blowers." He shouted, licking the batter of his fingers, "Use a rake!"

Amy put the bowl on the table. "No, it's…" They both looked to the window and saw the TARDISmaterializing outside. Amy whispered, "I knew. I just knew." They both headed outside.


The TARDIS had landed in the middle of Amy's flowers. The door opened and the Vixen and the Doctor popped their heads out to see where they were. They then stepped out, a sword at the Vixen's belt. She had decided to keep it after Venice. The Doctor knocked a stone from the small retaining wall. The Vixen grinned, "Rory."

Rory came out to greet them. "Vixen. Doctor."

The Doctor said, "We've crushed your flowers."

Rory nodded, "Oh, Amy will kill you."

The Vixen asked, "Where is she?"

Rory replied, "She'll need a bit longer."

The Doctor called, "Whenever you're ready, Amy." Amy arrived outside.

The Vixen gasped, "Oh! You're having a baby!"

The Doctor laughed, "Oh, wahey! Wahey. You've swallowed a planet." He rest a hand on Amy's stomach.

Amy laughed, "I'm pregnant."

"You're huge."

Amy said again, "Yeah, I'm pregnant."

"Look at you. When worlds collide."

Amy said as if addressing a child, "Doctor, I'm pregnant."

The Vixen laughed, "Oh, look at you both. Five years later and you haven't changed a bit." She hugged Amy. "Apart from age and size."

Amy said, "Good to see you, Vixen. You too, Doctor."

The Doctor looked at her stomach and asked, "Are you pregnant?"

Amy shook her head in defeat and she and the Vixen went inside, arms aroound each other.

The Doctor clapped Rory on the shoulder before they both followed.


The Vixen, the Doctor, Amy and Rory walked down a village lane. The Doctor sighed, "Ah, Leadworth. Vibrant as ever."

Rory said, "It's Upper Leadworth, actually. We've gone slightly upmarket."

The Vixen asked, "Where is everyone?"

Amy replied, "This is busy." The Vixen and the Doctor both gave her a look. "OK, it's quiet, but it's really restful and healthy. Loads of people here live well into their 90s."

The Doctor said, "Well, don't let that get you down."

Amy said, "It's not getting me down."

The four sat down on a bench. The Doctor said, "We wanted to see how you were. We don't just abandon people when they leave the TARDIS. These two Time Lords are for life. You don't get rid of the Doctor and the Vixen so easily."

Amy asked, "You came here by mistake, didn't you?"

The Vixen replied, "Yeah, bit of a mistake."

The Doctor said, "But look, what a result. Look at this...bench. What a nice bench. What will they think of next?" The four of them sat there, bored and with nothing to say. The Doctor asked, "So… What do you do around here to stave off the, you know..."

Amy asked, "Boredom?"

The Doctor finished, "Self harm." The Vixen smacked his arm.

Rory replied, "We relax..." The Doctor mouthed 'relax' to the Vixen and Amy. "We live, we listen to the birds."

Birds started chirping. Amy agreed, "Yeah, see, birds. Those are nice."

Rory said, "We didn't get time to listen to birdsong back in the TARDIS days."

The birdsong became louder. The Doctor said, "Oh, blimey. My head's a bit, ooh..." He held his head in his hand then sat back up.

The Vixen said, "No, you're right, there wasn't a lot of time for birdsong back in the good..." She began to drift off. "-old... days." The four fell asleep on the bench.


The Doctor woke up on the floor. "What? No, yes, sorry, what?" The Vixen, Amy and Rory met him by the console. "Oh, you're OK. Oh, thank God. I had a terrible nightmare about you three. That was scary. Don't ask, you don't want to know. You're safe now." He hugged Amy and the Vixen.

Amy replied, "Oh, OK."

The Doctor said, "That's what counts. Blimey, never dropped off like that before. Well, never, really. I'm getting on a bit, you see. Don't let the cool gear fool you. Now, what's wrong with the console?" He examined the console. "Red flashing lights... I bet they mean something."

Rory said, "Doctor, I also had a kind of dream thing."

Amy said, "Yeah, so did I."

The Vixen replied, "Yeah, me too."

Rory said, "Not a nightmare, though, just... we were married."

Amy agreed, "Yeah, in a little village."

The Doctor stood and looked at them, surprised. Rory said, "A sweet little village, and you were pregnant."

Amy nodded, "Yeah, I was huge. I was a boat."

The Doctor walked up behind Rory and tugged on his hoodie. Rory asked, "So you had the same dream, then? Exactly the same dream?"

Amy asked, "Are you calling me a boat?"

Rory said, "And Doctor, you and Vixen were visiting."

The Doctor held open Amy's jacket. Amy said, "Yeah, yeah, you came to our cottage."

Rory asked, "How can we have the same dream? It doesn't make sense."

Amy said, "And you had a nightmare about us. What happened to us in the nightmare?"

The Doctor replied, "It was similar, in some aspects."

Rory asked, "Which aspects?"

"Well, all of them."

Amy said, "We had the same dream."

The Doctor said, "Basically."

The Vixen said, "You said it was a nightmare."

The Doctor asked, "Did I say nightmare? No. More of a really good...mare." The women gave him a sceptic look. "Look, it doesn't matter. We all had some kind of psychic episode. We probably jumped a time track." They all heard birdsong again. "Forget it, we're back to reality now."

Amy asked, "Doctor, if we're back to reality how come I can still hear birds?"

The Vixen said, "Yeah, the same birds."

Rory said slowly, "The same ones we heard in the…"


They woke up on the bench, Rory and the Doctor, heads together. The Vixen resting her head on Amy's shoulder. Amelia in the Doctor's arms. Rory finished, "…dream." He pulled away from the Doctor in embarrassment. "Oh. Sorry. Nodded off, stupid. God, I must be overdoing it. I was dreaming we were back on the TARDIS."

The Vixen and the Doctor got up and Rory looked at Amy. "You had the same dream, didn't you?"

Amy nodded. "Back in the TARDIS. Weren't we just saying the same thing?"

The Vixen said, walking over to the Doctor, "But we thought this was the dream."

The Doctor picked up a small stone from the path, examined it, and then threw it back to the ground. Amy stood up and asked, "I think so. Why do dreams fade so quickly?"

Rory walked over to the Vixen and the Doctor. "Doctor, what is going on?"

Amy asked, "Is this because of you two? Is this some Time Lady thing because you've shown up again?"

The Doctor said quietly, "Listen. Trust nothing. From now on, trust nothing you see, hear or feel."

Rory said, "But we're awake now."

The Vixen pointed out, "You thought you were awake on the TARDIS too."

Amy said, looking around, "But we're home."

The Doctor replied, "Yeah. You're home. You're also dreaming. Trouble is, Vixen, Rory, Amy, which is which? Are we flashing forwards… or backwards? Hold on tight. This is going be a tricky one."


Amy woke up in one of the chairs with a gasp. The Vixen gripped a lever on the console to move it. The Doctor said, "This is bad. I don't like this." He kicked the console and hurt his foot. "Argh! Never use force. You just embarrass yourself. Unless you're cross, in which case - always use force."

Amy asked, "Shall I run and get the manual?"

The Vixen said, going down the stairs to look underneath the console, "He threw it in a supernova."

Amy asked, "You threw the manual in a supernova? Why?"

The Doctor replied crossly, wagging his finger at her, "Because I disagreed with it. Stop talking to me when I'm cross."

Rory said, "OK, but whatever's wrong with the TARDIS, is that what caused us to dream about the future?"

The Vixen said, coming back upstairs, "If we were dreaming of the future..."

Amy replied, "Of course we were. We were in Leadworth."

Rory corrected, "Upper Leadworth."

The Vixen said, "Yeah, and we could still be in Upper Leadworth, dreaming of this. Don't you get it?"

Amy said, "No, OK, no, this is real. I'm definitely awake now."

The Doctor replied, "And you thought you were awake when you were all elephanty."

"Hey, pregnant."

The Doctor went on, "And you could be giving birth right now. This could be the dream. I told you, trust nothing we see or hear or feel. Look around you. Examine everything. Look for all the details that don't ring true." He went to the console.

Rory started, "OK, we're in a spaceship that's bigger on the inside than the outside."

Amy added, "With a bow tie-wearing alien and an alien with a black leather addiction and a sword."

Rory finished, "So maybe 'what rings true' isn't so simple."

The Doctor glanced at his bow tie and the Vixen looked at her leather jacket and sword. They both looked at each other before turning back to Amy and Rory. They said in unison, "Valid point." The TARDIS powered down leaving them in virtual darkness, the only light coming from the console.

The Doctor said, "It's dead. We're in a dead time machine." The birdsong returned. As the TARDIS became darker, Rory went to Amy and took her in his arms. The Doctor clasped onto the Vixen's hand and said, "Remember - this is real, but when we wake up in the other place, remember how real this feels."

Amy nodded, "It is real. I know it's real."


The Doctor stood in the middle of the street as a group of schoolchildren passed by. Amy, Rory and the Vixen woke up on the bench outside the library.

Amy said, "OK. This is the real one, definitely this one." She rubbed her stomach. "It's all solid."

The Doctor said, "It felt solid in the TARDIS too. You can't spot a dream while you're having it." He waved his fingers in front of his face.

Rory asked, "What are you doing?"

"Looking for motion blur, pixilation. It could be a computer simulation. I don't think so, though."

A woman walked by. "Hello, Doctor."

The Doctor replied, "Hi."

Rory smiled, "Hello." The woman paused to look back before continuing on.

The Vixen noted, "You're a doctor."

Rory replied, "Yeah. And unlike your boyfriend, I've actually passed some exams."

The Vixen said, "A doctor, not a nurse. Just like you've always dreamed. Interesting." She walked over to the Doctor.

Rory followed and asked, "What is?"

The Vixen said, "Your dream wife, your dream job, probably your dream baby. Maybe this is your dream."

Rory said, "It's Amy's dream too. Isn't it, Amy?"

Amy replied, "Yes. Course it is, yeah."

The Doctor pointed with his thumb over his shoulder. "What's that?"

Amy answered, "Old people's home."

The Vixen looked at the home and saw the residents at the windows looking out. "You said everyone here lives to their 90s. There's something here that doesn't make sense."

The Doctor said, "Yeah. Let's go and poke it with a stick." He and the Vixen headed off and Rory followed with a groan.

Amy asked, her hands on her back, "Oh. Can we not do the running thing?" She groaned and waddled off after them.


The residents were relaxing in the lounge when the Vixen, the Doctor, Amy and Rory walked in. A resident greeted, "Oh, hello, Dr Williams."

A woman looked up from her knitting. "Hello, Rory, love."

Rory asked, "Hello, Mrs Poggit. How's your hip?"

Mrs Poggit replied, "A bit stiff."

The Doctor said, "Oh, easy, D-96 compound, plus... No, you don't have that yet, forget that."

Mrs Poggit asked, "Who are your friends? Junior doctors? With a sword?"

Rory replied, "Yes."

Mrs Poggit asked the Vixen, "Can I borrow you? You're the size of my granddaughter."

The Vixen knelt as Mrs Poggit put a jumper over her head. She muttered, "Slightly keen to move on. Freak psychic schism to sort out." She leant forward, forcing Mrs Poggit to sit back. The Vixen whispered, "You're incredibly old, aren't you?" The residents looked on as birdsong began and she, the Doctor, Amy and Rory fell to the floor, asleep.


The four of them woke up leaning against the console. Amy said, "OK, I hate this. Stop it, because this is definitely real, it's definitely this one. I keep saying that, don't I?"

The Doctor went up to the upper level. Rory remarked, "It's bloody cold."

The Vixen replied, rubbing her hands together, "The heating's off."

Rory asked, "The heating's off?"

The Doctor said, "Yeah. Put on a jumper. That's what I always do."

Rory said to the Vixen, "Yes, sorry about Mrs Poggit. She's so lovely though."

The Vixen walked up to the Doctor and said, "Oh, I wouldn't believe her nice old lady act if I were you."

Amy asked, "What do you mean, 'act'?"

The Doctor said, examining everything, "Everything's off, sensors, core power. We're drifting. The scanner's down so we can't even see out. We could be anywhere."

The Vixen and the Doctor headed back to the console. The Vixen said, "Doctor, someone, something, is overriding our controls."

A hologram of a woman appeared at the top of the steps. She was dressed exactly like the Vixen, except she had dark hair and full black eyes.

The Vixen put one hand on her sword and the woman said, "Well, that took a while. Take your hand off your sword, I'm not gonna eat you." The Vixen just glared at her as the woman walked down the steps. "Honestly, I'd heard such good things. Last of the Time Lords, the Oncoming Storm and the Bad Wolf. Him in the bow tie and her in the leather jacket."

The Doctor asked, "How did you get into our TARDIS? What are you?"

The woman asked, "What shall we call me? Well, if you're the Time Lord and Lady, let's call me the Dream Lady."

The Vixen nodded, "Nice look."

The Dream Lady asked, "This? No, I'm not convinced. Leather jacket?"

The Doctor took an item from his pocket and threw it at the Dream Lady. The item passed right through her. The Doctor muttered, "Interesting."

The Dream Lady said, "I'd love to be impressed, but Dream Lady - it's in the name, isn't it? Spooky, not quite there." She reappeared behind them. "And yet, very much here."

The Doctor said, "The Vixen and I'll do the talking, thank you."

The Vixen asked, "Amy, want to take a guess at what that is?"

Amy replied, "Um. Dream Lady. She creates dreams."

The Doctor said, "Dreams, delusions, cheap tricks."

The Dream Lady scoffed, "And what about the gooseberry here, does he get a guess?"

Rory said, "Listen, love, if anyone's the gooseberry around here, it's the Doctor."

The Dream Lady sighed, "There's a delusion I'm not responsible for."

Rory said, "No, he is. Isn't he, Amy?"

The Dream Lady said, "Oh, Amy, you have to sort your people out. Choose, even."

Amy replied, "I have chosen. Of course I've chosen." Everyone looked at her and without taking her eyes from Dream Lady, Amy smacked Rory on the chest. "It's you, stupid."

Rory nodded, "Oh, good, thanks."

The Dream Lady smirked, "You can't fool me. I've seen your dreams. Some of them twice, Amy. Blimey, I'd blush if I had a blood supply or a real face."

The Vixen snarled, "Where did you pick up this cheap cabaret act?"

The Dream Lady asked, "Me? Oh, you're on shaky ground."

The Vixen asked, "Am I?"

The Dream Lady said, "If you and your boyfriend had any more tawdry quirks you could open up a Tawdry Quirk Shop. The madcap vehicle, the cockamamie hair, the clothes designed by a first-year fashion student... I'm surprised you haven't got a little purple space dog just to ram home what an intergalactic wag you are. Where was I?"

Rory started to reply, "You were..."

The Dream Lady moved to the upper level and snapped, "I know where I was. So, here's your challenge. Two worlds. Here in the time machine, and there in the village that time forgot. One is real, the other's fake. And just to make it more interesting you're going to face in both worlds a deadly danger. But only one of the dangers is real. Tweet, tweet. Time to sleep." The Vixen, the Doctor, Amy and Rory fell to the floor, starting to drift off. "Oh, or are you waking up?"


The group woke up in the empty lounge. The Dream Lady entered dressed in a black leather biker outfit. She held up an X-ray film and said, "Oh, this is bad. This is very, very bad. Look at this X-ray. Your brain is completely see-through." She smiled slyly at the Vixen. "But then, I've always been able to see through you, Vixen."

Amy asked, "Always? What do you mean, always?"

The Dream Lady explained, "Now then, the prognosis is this." The Doctor sat in Mrs Poggit's vacated chair, the Vixen stood with Amy and Rory. "If you die in the dream you wake up in reality. Healthy recovery in next to no time. Ask me what happens if you die in reality?"

Rory obeyed, "What happens?"

The Dream Lady snapped, "You die, stupid. That's why it's called reality."

Amy asked, "Have you met the Vixen or the Doctor before? Do you know them? Vixen, does she?"

The Dream Lady pouted mockingly, "Now don't get jealous. She's been around, our girl. Never mind that. You've got a world to choose." She turned to the Doctor and said, before disappearing, "One reality was always too much for you, Vixen, Doctor. Take two and call me in the morning."

Rory said, "OK, I don't like her."

Amy crossed her arms. "Who is she?"

The Doctor replied, "Don't know. It's a big universe."

Amy asked, "Why is she doing this?"

The Vixen shrugged, "Maybe because she has no physical form. That gets you down after a while, so she's taking it out on folk like us who can touch and eat and feel." She removed the jumper.

Rory asked, "What does she mean, deadly danger? Nothing deadly has happened here. A bit of natural wastage, obviously."

The Doctor stood up and noted, "They've all gone. They've all gone." He ran out and the others followed.


Children were out in the playground next to the local ruins. A teacher was with them. The Doctor exited the old people's home shortly followed by the Vixen and they watched as some of the children headed into the ruins. Rory and Amy came out and Rory asked, "Why would they leave?"

Amy asked, "And what did you mean about Mrs Poggit's act?"

The Doctor replied, looking around, "One of my tawdry quirks – sniffing out things that aren't what they seem. So come on, let's think. The mechanics of this split we're stuck in... Time asleep matches time in our dream world, unlike in conventional dreams."

Rory said, "And we're dreaming the same dream at the same time."

The Vixen replied, "Yes, sort of communal trance, very rare, very complicated. I'm sure there's a dream giveaway." She snarled, "But our minds aren't working because this village is so dull! We're slowing down, like you two have."

Amy grabbed her stomach. "Oh. Ow. Really. Ow!" She screamed. "It's coming."

The Doctor said to Rory, "Help her, you're a doctor."

Rory shot back, "You're a doctor!"

The Vixen snapped at both of them, trying not to panic, "For God's sake, you're both doctors. Help her!"

The Doctor said to Amy, "It's okay." He squatted down as if to catch the baby as it fell out. "What do we do?"

Amy stopped panicking. "OK, it's not coming."

The Vixen asked, "What?"

Amy whispered to the Vixen, "This is my life now and it just turned you white as a sheet. So don't you call it dull again, ever. OK?"

The Vixen mumbled in embarrassment, "Sorry."

"Yeah." Amy walked off and Rory followed.

The Doctor and the Vixen shared a look. The Vixen saw Mrs Poggit heading for the ruins. Amy headed for the swing set and sat. The Vixen took the other before Rory or the Doctor got a chance. She said, "Now, we all know there's an elephant in the room."

Amy snapped, "I have to be this size, I'm having a baby."

The Doctor asked, "No, no. The hormones seem real, but no. Is nobody going to mention Rory's ponytail?"

He and the Vixen slowly smiled. The Vixen said, "You two hold him down, I'll cut it off."

Amy chuckled and Rory said, "This from the pair in the bow tie and the leather jacket."

The Doctor replied, "Bow ties are cool."

The Vixen said, "Leather jackets are cool. Ponytails on you, Rory my friend, are not." She stood up and watched Mrs Poggit watching the children. "I don't know about you, but I wouldn't hire Mrs Poggit as a babysitter."

Mrs Poggit turned and watched them. The Doctor asked himself, "What's she doing? What does she want?"

Birdsong began again. Amy groaned, "Oh, no, here we go."


The Vixen and the Doctor were at the console as Amy and Rory joined them. Amy rubbed her arms. "It's really cold. Have you got any warm clothing?"

The Vixen snarled, "What does it matter if we're cold? We have to know what she is up to." Everyone stared at her. "Sorry. Sorry." She rubbed her face. "There should be some stuff down there, come have a look." She went downstairs with Amy to look and, with a defiant zip of his hoodie, Rory followed.

The Doctor went into the space under the console, setting an enamel mug on a box with a crank. The crank came off so the Doctor hit it. The box opened showing a number of gadgets inside.

In a different section, Amy and the Vixen were looking through boxes for warm clothes. Rory said, "I want the other life. You know, where we're happy and settled and about to have a baby."

Amy asked, "But don't you wonder, if that life is real, then why would we give up all this? Why would anyone?"

The Vixen looked up and asked, "I may be going out on a limb here, but maybe because we're going to freeze to death?"

Amy reassured her, "You and the Doctor will fix it." She threw Rory a blanket.

Rory asked, "OK. Because we're going to get married?" He wrapped Amy in the blanket.

Amy giggled. "But we can still get married. Some day."

Rory said, "You don't want to anymore?"

The Vixen said awkwardly, "I think I hear the Doctor calling, yeah. Coming!" She started to leave but Amy pulled her back. "Or he can wait." She stood aside.

Rory said to Amy, "I thought you'd chosen me, not them."

Amy snapped, "You are always so insecure."

Rory said, "You ran off with two other people."

Amy scoffed, "Not in that way."

"It was the night before our wedding."

Amy sighed, "We're in a time machine. It's the night before our wedding for as long as we want."

Rory said, "We have to grow up eventually."

Amy asked, "Says who?" She found some other blankets and pulled the Vixen along as they headed back to the console.

The Doctor had created something out of kitchen gadgets and he handed it to Rory. "Ah, Rory, wind." He handed the Vixen the attached wire. "Vixen, could you attach this to the monitor, please."

Rory muttered, "I was promised amazing worlds. Instead I get duff central heating and a weird, kitchen wind-up device."

The Doctor explained, "It's a generator. Get winding."

The Vixen reported, "It's not enough."

The Doctor ordered, "Rory, wind."

Rory asked, winding, "Why is the Dream Lady picking on you two? Why us?"

The monitor screen beeped to life and showed a starscape. Amy asked, "Where are we?"

The Vixen murmured, "We're in trouble."

Rory asked, "What is that?"

The Doctor replied, "A star. A cold star." He ran to the doors and opened it, letting in a blinding light. "That's why we're freezing. It's not a malfunction. We're drifting towards a cold sun. That's our danger for this version of reality." He closed the door and looked at the larger monitor on the wall.

Amy said, "This must be the dream. There is no such thing as a cold star. Stars burn."

The Vixen replied, "So's this one. It's just burning cold."

Rory asked, "Is that possible?"

The Doctor said, "We can't know everything. Why does everybody expect me or the Vixen to, always?" He headed to console area and sat down dejectedly.

Rory asked, "OK, this is something neither of you have seen before. So does that mean this is the dream?"

The Vixen replied, "We don't know, but there it is, and I'd say we've got about 14 minutes until we crash into it. But that's not a problem."

Rory asked hopefully, "Because one of you know how to get us out of this?"

The Doctor put on his stethoscope. "Because we'll have frozen to death."

Amy asked, "Then what'll we do?"

The Vixen followed the Doctor who took the stethoscope to the console. She said gently, "Stay calm. Don't get sucked in to it, because this just might be the battle we have to lose."

Rory snarled, "Oh, this is so you, isn't it?"

The Doctor looked up and he and the Vixen both asked in unison, "What?"

Rory spat, "What a weird new star, 14 minutes left to live and only one pair to save the day. I just wanted a nice village and a family."

The Dream Lady appeared behind the Doctor and the Vixen. "Oh, dear, people. Dissent in the ranks." She said to Amy and Rory, "There was an old pair from Gallifrey, who ended up throwing their lives away, they let down their friends and..." She stopped at the sound of birdsong. "Oh, no, we've run out of time. Don't spend too long there, or you'll catch your death here."


The Doctor rushed up the steps into the ruins, the Vixen not far behind. The Doctor asked, "Where have the children gone?" The area was empty aside from small piles of dirt and cloth. The Doctor and the Vixen checked them with their sonics.

Rory said, "Don't know. Play time's probably over." He turned to Amy. "You see, this is the real one. I just feel it. Don't you feel it?"

Amy replied, "I feel it both places."

Rory said, "I feel it here. It's just so tranquil and relaxed. Nothing bad could ever happen here."

Amy asked, "Not really me, though, is it? Would I be happy settling down in a place with a pub, two shops and a really bad amateur dramatics society? That's why I got pregnant, so I don't have to see them doing Oklahoma. Vixen, Doctor, what are you two doing? And what are those piles of dust?"

The Doctor said softly, letting some dust fall through his fingers, "Play time's definitely over."

Amy gasped, "Oh, my God."

Rory asked, "What happened to them?"

The Vixen looked into the village and saw the elderly walking along the path. "I think they did."

Amy said, "They're just old people."

The Vixen replied, "No. They're very old people." She headed down the steps, the others following. "Sorry, Rory, I don't think you're what's been keeping them alive."

The elderly lined up along the path facing the park. The Vixen, the Doctor, Amy and Rory headed towards them when the Dream Lady appeared. She greeted, "Hello, peasants. What's this, attack of the old people? Oh, that's ridiculous. This has got to be the dream, hasn't it? What do you think, Amy? Let's all jump under a bus and wake up in the TARDIS." She said cheerfully to the Vixen and the Doctor. "You first!"

The Vixen snarled, "Leave them alone!"

The Dream Lady said happily, "Do that again. I love it when she does that. Tall dark hero, eyes glowing, 'leave them alone'."

Rory snapped, "Just leave her!"

The Dream Lady said, "Yes, you're not quite so impressive. But I know where your heart lies, don't I, Amy Pond?"

Amy snapped, "Shut up! Just shut up and leave me alone."

The Dream Lady said, "But listen, you're in there. Loves a redhead, the Vixen! Not so much the Doctor. Have they told you about Jack and Elizabeth the First? Well, she thought she was the first..."

The Vixen growled, "Drop it. Drop all of it. I know who you are."

The Doctor asked, "Who? Who is she?"

The Dream Lady said to the Vixen, staring her in the face, "Course you don't."

The Vixen shot back, "Course I do. No idea how you can be here, but there's only one person in the universe who hates me as much as you do."

The Dream Lady smirked, "Never mind me! Maybe you should worry about them."

The elderly of the village began advancing. The Vixen, the Doctor, Amy and Rory looked to the Dream Lady then back to the elderly residents. Rory said, "Hi."

The Doctor greeted them, "Hello. We were wondering where you went. To get reinforcements! Are you all right? You look a bit tense."

Rory said to an old man, "Hello, Mr Nainby!"

The Doctor warned, "Rory..."

Rory explained, "Mr Nainby ran the sweet shop. He used to slip me the odd free toffee." Mr Nainby lifted him by the collar. "Did I not say thank you?"

He threw Rory backwards into the mud. Rory asked in disbelief, "How did he do that?!" The Vixen helped him up and unsheathed her sword.

The Doctor answered, "I suspect he's not himself. Don't get comfortable here. You may have to run. Fast."

Amy asked, "Can't we just talk to them?!" The elderly opened their mouths to reveal an eye. "There is an eye in her mouth!"

The Doctor said, using his sonic screwdriver, "There's a whole creature inside her. Inside all of them. They've been there for years, living and waiting."

Rory shuddered, "That is disgusting. They're not going to be peeping out of anywhere else are they?"

Mrs Poggit leant forward and shot a green mist. Rory pulled Amy back to safety. The Doctor and the Vixen put themselves in front of them. The Vixen's sword at the ready. The Doctor shouted, "RUN!" Rory and Amy ran away.

The Vixen said, "OK, Leave them. Talk to us. Talk to us. You are Eknodines, a proud, ancient race - you're better than this. Why are you hiding away here? Why aren't you at home?"

Mrs Poggit said, "We were driven from our pl..."

The Doctor finished, "…Planet by upstart neighbours."

Mr Nainby said, "So we've..."

The Vixen said, "…Been living here inside the bodies of old humans for...years. No wonder they live so long, you're keeping them alive."

Mrs Poggit said, "We were humbled and destroyed. Now we will do the same to others."

The Doctor muttered, "OK, makes sense, I suppose. Credible enough, could be real."

A man came up alongside the group, pushing his bicycle. He greeted, "Morning."

Mrs Poggit shot the green mist at the man and he turned to dust.

The Doctor turned to Mrs Poggit, "You need to leave this planet." The creature within Mrs Poggit screeched and the Time Lords backed away.


Rory and Amy raced back to their cottage. Amy panted, "Wait! Stop!" She rested against a post.

Rory said, looking at the elderly following them, "After all I've done for the over-70s in this village." A woman was waiting for them at the front door. "OK, this is crazy. She loves me, I fixed her depression, she's just a little old lady."

Amy said politely, "Mrs Hammill, we don't understand..."

Mrs Hammill opened her mouth to reveal an alien. Amy backed away. Rory said, "I'll deal with this one, Chubs...Now..." He pushed Amy out of the way. Mrs Hammill emitted the gas and Rory dashed back behind the hedges. As Mrs Hammill walked forward, Rory picked up stout piece of wood. He hesitated, backing up. "I can't hit her."

Amy snapped, "Whack her!" Rory did so and Mrs Hammill fell to the ground. They made it inside as more advanced across the field.

Amy collapsed onto the stairs as Rory locked and bolted the door. Amy gasped for breath, "We just ran away. We just abandoned the Vixen and the Doctor. Don't ever call me Chubs again. We don't see them for years, and somehow we don't really connect anymore and then, then they take the bullet for us."

Rory moved the coffee table. "You know the Vixen and the Doctor. They're Mr and Mrs Cool."


The Vixen and the Doctor were practically stumbling down the road, half asleep, helping each other move forward, with a group of elderly residents following. The Vixen shook her head to fight off falling asleep as they heard birdsong. They made it into the butcher shop.

The Doctor locked the door and flipped the sign to 'Closed'. The Dream Lady was behind the counter dressed as a butcher complete with apron and boater. She sighed, "Oh, I love a good butcher's don't you? We've got to use these places or they'll shut down. But you're probably vegetarians, you cowards."

The Vixen took a key from a shelf and tried to unlock another door. She snarled, "Oh, pipe down. We're busy."

The Dream Lady said, "Maybe you need a little sleep."

The birdsong returned and the Doctor slipped to the floor. The Vixen leant against the wall. The Dream Lady leant over the counter. "Oh, wait a moment." The Vixen and the Doctor stood up. "If you fall asleep here, several dozen angry pensioners will destroy you with their horrible eye things." They went into the hall behind the counter, fingers in their ears. "Fingers in the ear? Brilliant!"

The Doctor slid down the wall, asleep. The Vixen fell to her knees. The Dream Lady asked, "What's next, shouting boo?" She motioned for the elderly to enter. "Come in. Come in." The pensioners entered and made their way around the counter. "Yes, we've got lots at "steak" here this week. Lots at steak. Get it?" The Vixen got up with a burst of energy and gripped at the door. "Are these jokes wasted on you?"

The Vixen made her way to the second freezer door, dragging the Doctor but stumbled to the floor as the pensioners came closer. The Vixen mumbled, "Wait, stop..." She reached into her pocket.

The Dream Lady put her hands over her eyes. "Oh, I can't watch."

The Vixen stood up with effort, used her sonic screwdriver to unlock the door and dragged the Doctor in. She locked it behind them and fell asleep, leaning on the Doctor as the pensioners pounded at the door.


The Vixen woke up on the TARDIS floor, the Doctor, Amy and Rory by her side. Amy gave the Vixen a blanket, which she gladly wrapped around her. Amy clutched her own blanket and stammered, "Ah, it's colder."

The Doctor said, buttoning up his jacket, "The four of us have to agree, now, which is the dream."

Rory said, "It's this, here."

Amy said, "He could be right. The science is all wrong here, burning ice?"

The Doctor replied, "No, no, no ice can burn, sofas can read, it's a big universe. We have to agree which battle to lose. All of us, now."

Amy asked, "OK, which world do you think is real?"

The Vixen and the Doctor said in unison, "This one."

Rory argued, "No, the other one!"

The Vixen asked, "Yeah, but are we disagreeing, or competing?"

Amy asked, "Competing over what?" The others stared at her and she groaned as she got up.

The Doctor checked his watch and said, standing up, "Nine minutes till impact."

The Vixen asked, pacing around to keep warm, "What temperature is it?"

The Doctor replied, "Outside? Brrrr. How many noughts have you got? Inside? I don't know but I can't feel my feet and... other parts."

Rory said, "I think all my parts are basically fine."

The Vixen snapped, "Both of you, stop competing!"

Rory asked, holding out the phone, "Can't we call for help?"

The Doctor replied sarcastically, "Yeah, the universe is really small - bound to be someone nearby!" He took the phone and tapped Rory on the head with it before hanging it up.

The Vixen said, "Put these on, both of you." She threw a blanket with a hole cut out at the Doctor and Amy slipped another over Rory's head.

Rory said, "Oh, a poncho. The biggest crime against fashion since lederhosen."

The Vixen put hers on and said, "Here we go!"

Amy grinned, "Our boys... our poncho boys."

The Vixen pulled Amy over to the boys and they stood between them. She said, "Yeah, if we're going to die, let's die looking like a Peruvian folk band."

The frozen star loomed closer in the monitor. Rory whimpered, "We're not going to die."

The Doctor replied, "No, we're not…" He checked his watch. "-but our time's running out. If we fall asleep here, we're in trouble."

The Vixen paced around. "If we could divide up, then we'd have an active presence in each world, but the Dream Lady is switching us between the worlds. Why, why, what's the logic?"

The Dream Lady appeared in a poncho and paced alongside the Vixen. She said, "Good idea, veggie, let's divide you four up, so I can have a little chat with our lovely companion. Maybe I'll keep her, and you two can have Pointy Nose to yourself for all eternity, should you manage to clamber aboard some sort of reality."

They heard birdsong beginning. Rory asked, "Can you hear that?"

Amy asked in confusion, "What? No."

The Vixen stumbled over to Amy and said gently, "Amy, don't be scared, we'll be back." She, the Doctor and Rory fell asleep on the floor.

Amy whimpered, "Vixen, Rory, Doctor, don't leave me."

The Dream Lady asked mischievously, "Amy, we're going to have fun aren't we?"

Amy whispered, "No, please, not alone."


Rory woke up on the stairs next to a still-sleeping Amy. There was crashing glass as the pensioners broke the window in an attempt to get inside. Rory lifted Amy under the shoulders and began to drag her upstairs, apologizing at every bump. The pensioners made it through the window.

Rory dragged Amy to the center of a cheery yellow room. He set her down, apologising once more. He then closed the door and walked over to the waiting crib, complete with stuffed toys and a wind-up mobile. He looked out the window and saw the elderly residents working together to get in, some were even trying to get into the TARDIS. He propped a chair under the doorknob then sat on it, nervously.


The Vixen and the Doctor awoke in the freezer and listened at the door. Outside, the pensioners were waiting, the aliens screeching from their mouths.

The Doctor took out his sonic screwdriver. He muttered, "OK, where is it?" He tested the screwdriver before turning to the Vixen. "One, two, three." The Vixen opened the door as the Doctor shot out the light and they ran in the confusion.

They cut through a yard and came out in a different street where a pensioner was attacking a man in an old VW bus. "Oh, help, somebody!"

The Vixen snarled, "You couldn't live near the shops, could you?" They raced to the bus. The Doctor pushed the pensioner away and climbed into the driver's seat as the Vixen climbed in the back. "It's OK, it's only us."

The Doctor drove the bus through the village. They saw two young women as they were being surrounded by pensioners. The Vixen slid the back door open and said, "Get in, get in, get in. Quickly, over here. Come on, jump in. Quick get in now. Hurry up."

The women climbed into the car and the Vixen closed the door. The Doctor asked, "Are we in?" They continued on and saw a young family.

"Come on, let's go, quickly, all four, that's it everyone in." The Vixen opened the door again and pulled the family before driving on.


The inside of the TARDIS was coated in ice. Amy was sitting in a lonely vigil over the Vixen, the Doctor and Rory. The Dream Lady appeared beside her and said mockingly, "Poor Amy. They always leave you, don't they? Alone in the dark. Never apologise."

Amy snapped, walking away, "They don't have to."

The Dream Lady growled, "That's good, because neither of them ever will. And now they've left you with me. Spooky old, not-to-be-trusted me." She flashed and relocated to a chair, lounging in a satin robe. "Anything could happen."

Amy asked, "Who are you and what do you want? The Vixen knows you, but she's not telling me who you are. And she always does. Takes her awhile sometimes, but she tells me because I'm her best friend. So you're something different."

The Dream Lady asked, "Oh, is that who you think you are? The one she trusts?"

Amy replied, "Actually, yes."

The Dream Lady stood up and circled her, "The one friend in the universe to whom the Vixen tells everything?"

"Yes."

The Dream Lady stopped in front of Amy and whispered, "So what's her name?" She disappeared and reappeared back in her leather outfit, squatting at the Vixen's feet. "Now, which one of these three would you really choose? Look at them. You ran away with two attractive heroes. Would you really give either of them up for a bumbling country doctor who thinks the only thing he needs to be interesting is a ponytail?"

Amy snapped, annoyed and terrified, "Stop it!"

The Dream Lady said, "But maybe it's better than loving and losing the Vixen or the Doctor." She stood between the three sleeping figures. "Pick a world and this nightmare will all be over. They'll listen to you. It's you they're waiting for. Amy's friends. Amy's choice." She disappeared.

Amy bent over and straightened Rory's poncho. She looked over at the Vixen and the Doctor before resuming her seat on the stairs.


The Doctor pulled the bus up in front of the church and moved everyone inside. The Vixen said, "Everybody, out, out out! Into the church, that's right. Don't answer the door." She closed the door and moved to the front seat as the Doctor then drove the bus out of the village properly and towards Amy and Rory's cottage.

The Dream Lady appeared in the back seat wearing a race car driver's suit, helmet on her lap. She smirked, "It's make your mind up time in both worlds."

The Vixen snarled, "Goodbye. We need to find our friends."

The Dream Lady asked, "Friends? Is that the right word for the people you acquire? Friends are people you stay in touch with. Your friends never see you again once they've grown up. The old pair prefers the company of the young, do they not?" She got no answer and disappeared.

They arrived at the cottage and saw the elderly laying siege. The Doctor eyed the cottage, looking for a way in. He whispered something to the Vixen, who nodded, "OK..."

The both got out from the driver's seat and ducked behind the bus.


Rory was sitting on the floor, cradling Amy's head in his lap when she awoke. She asked, "How did I get up here?"

Rory replied sheepishly, "I carried you. I'm afraid you may experience some bruising."

Amy looked around and asked, "Where's the Vixen and the Doctor?"

Rory said, "I don't know. I want to do something for you." He turned around, unzipped a bag and took out a pair of scissors. He then reached back and cut off his ponytail.

Amy gasped, "I was starting to like it."

There was a squeaking sound and they looked to the window in alarm only to see the Vixen and the Doctor climbing in. The Vixen said, "It's all right, we had to stop off at the butcher's." They fell to the floor.

Rory asked, "What are we going to do?"

The Doctor stood up and said, "I don't know. I thought the freezing TARDIS was real but now I'm not so sure."

Amy gasped, "I think the baby's starting."

Rory asked, "Honestly?"

Amy growled, "Would I make it up at a time like this?!"

Rory replied, "Well, you do have a history of..." Amy glared at him. "-being very lovely." Amy cried out in pain. "Why are they so desperate to kill us?"

The Vixen stood up and rushed to Amy, "They're scared. Fear generates savagery."

A piece of garden statuary was thrown through the window. Rory went to look and Mrs Poggit shot the green mist at him. He fell back with a groan and Amy went to comfort him. The Doctor knocked Mrs Poggit from the roof with a lamp. The Vixen went to him and he whirled around to see Amy and Rory.

Amy cried, "Rory!"

Rory grunted, "No! I'm not ready."

He started to dissolve and Amy whispered, "Stay." The Vixen buried her head into the Doctor's chest as the Doctor wiped his eyes.

Rory said, before dissolving away, "Look after our baby."

Amy cried, "No. No. Come back."

The Vixen went to her and said softly, "Amy."

Amy whispered to her, "Save him. You two save everyone. You always do. It's what you do."

The Doctor said, "Not always. I'm sorry."

Amy screamed, "Then what is the point of you?!" She touched the pile of dust that was once Rory then stood with the help of a dresser. The Vixen tried to help, to comfort, but couldn't bring herself to touch her. The Doctor turned away to hide tears. Amy said confidently, "This is the dream. Definitely, this one. Now, if we die here, we wake up, yeah?"

The Doctor turned back to her and nodded, wiping his eyes, "Unless we just die."

Amy said, "Either way, this is my only chance of seeing him again. This is the dream."

The Vixen asked, "How do you know?"

Amy replied sadly, "Because if this is real life, I don't want it. I don't want it."


The Vixen, the Doctor and Amy left the house but the elderly did nothing. Amy growled, "Why aren't they attacking?"

The Doctor replied, "Either because this is just a dream, or because they know what we're about to do."

They walked to the bus and Amy stopped, facing the Vixen, who whispered, "Be very sure. This could be the real world."

Amy shook her head. "It can't be. Rory isn't here. I didn't know. I didn't, I didn't, I honestly didn't, till right now. I just want him."

The Vixen nodded, "OK." The Doctor gave Amy the keys and the Vixen held her hand tightly. "OK."

Amy walked around to the driver's seat to start the car, and the Doctor walked to the passenger side and got in the back. The Vixen sat down in the passenger seat where the Dream Lady appeared by the window. Without a word, the Vixen got into the vehicle.

Amy said, "I love Rory, and I never told him, but now he's gone."

The Vixen looked out the window at the Dream Lady as Amy drove the car forward, smashing through the fence and straight at the front door.


A thick layer of ice covered everything in the TARDIS, including the four bodies. The Vixen opened her eyes and saw Amy who slowly opened hers. Amy reached her hand out to Rory and they clasped on tightly. The Doctor opened his eyes and held the Vixen's hand as the Vixen nodded.

The Dream Lady said, "So...you chose this world. Well done. You got it right. And with only seconds left. Fair's fair. Let's warm you up." She restored the power. "I hope you've enjoyed your little fictions. It all came out of your imagination, so I'll leave you to ponder on that. I have been defeated. I shall withdraw. Farewell." She disappeared.

The Vixen rose slowly to her feet and started to work the controls. Amy and Rory knelt, facing each other as the Doctor leant against the jumpseat in relief.

Rory said in confusion, "Something happened. I... What happened to me? I..." Amy slowly enveloped him in a tight hug. "Oh. Oh, right. This is good. I am liking this. Was it something I said?" Amy released the hug and looked at him. "Can you tell what it was so I can use it in emergencies? And maybe birthdays."

Amy, Rory and the Doctor all turned at the sound of the TARDIS starting up again. Amy asked, "What are you doing now?"

The Vixen replied, "Me, I'm going to blow up the TARDIS."

Amy, the Doctor and Rory asked in unison, "What?"

The Vixen asked, laughing softly, "Notice how helpful the Dream Lady was? Okay, there was misinformation, red herrings, malice, and I could have done without the limerick, but she was always very keen to make us choose between dream and reality."

Amy asked, "What are you doing?!"

Rory tried to stand up, "Vixen!"

The Doctor said tiredly, "Vixen, the Dream Lady conceded. This isn't the dream!"

The Vixen growled, "Yes, it is!"

Amy said to Rory and the Doctor, "Stop her."

The Vixen snarled, "Star burning cold. Do me a favour! The Dream Lady has no power over the real world. She was offering us a choice between two dreams."

Amy asked, "How do you know that?"

The Vixen replied, eyes glowing, "Because I know who she is." The TARDIS exploded.


The Vixen and the Doctor were leaning against an ice free console looking at something in the Vixen's hand as Amy and Rory came down the steps. The Vixen asked, "Any questions?"

Amy asked nodding to six glittering bits in the Vixen's hand, "What's that?"

The Vixen replied, "A speck of psychic pollen from the candle meadows of Karass don Slava. Must have been hanging around for ages. Fell in the time rotor, heated up and induced a dream state for all of us." She went to the door and blew them off into space.

Rory asked, "So that was the Dream Lady, those little specks?"

The Vixen replied, "No, no. No. Sorry, wasn't it obvious? The Dream Lady was me. Psychic pollen, it's a mind parasite. It feeds on everything dark in you. Gives it a voice, turns it against you. I'm 880. It had a lot to go on. Don't know why it didn't latch on to you, Doctor."

Amy asked, "But why didn't it feed on us, too?"

The Vixen grinned, "Darkness in you pair? It would've starved to death in an instant. The Doctor and I choose our friends with great care. Otherwise we're stuck with our own company, and you know how that works out."

Amy said, "But those things she said about you. You don't think any of that's true?"

The Doctor saw the look on the Vixen's face and said, "Amy, right now a question is about to occur to Rory." He spun her by the shoulders to face Rory. "And seeing as the answer is about to change his life, I think you should give him your full attention." He pushed her towards Rory and walked over to the stairs where the Vixen sat.

Rory said, "Yeah. Actually, yeah."

The Vixen murmured, "There it is."

Rory asked, "Cos what I don't get is the Vixen blew up the TARDIS, that stopped that dream, but what stopped the Leadworth dream?"

Amy cleared her throat, "We crashed the camper van."

Rory nodded while the Vixen and the Doctor smirked from their spots, "Oh, right, I don't remember that bit."

Amy said, "No, you weren't there, you were already..."

"Already what?"

Amy replied, "Dead. You died in that dream. Mrs Poggit got you."

Rory asked, "OK. But how did you know it was a dream? Before you crashed the van, how did you know you wouldn't just die?"

Amy looked down and blushed. "I didn't."

Rory's face lit up with realization. "Oh."

"Yeah."

Rory said again, taking her hand, "Oh."

Amy grinned, "Yeah, 'Oh'."

Rory leant in and kissed her. After a pause, Amy kissed him back. The Doctor and the Vixen watched with smiles and the Doctor put an arm around the Vixen, who turned back and kissed him softly.

The Vixen pulled back and smiled, before standing up and clapping her hands together. "So... Well, then, where now? Or Doctor, do you wanna just pop down to the swimming pool for a few lengths? I bet I can win. For like the 27th time this month. Or are you too scared?" The Doctor smirked and went off down one of the corridors.

Rory replied, "I don't know. Anywhere's good for me. I'm happy anywhere. It's up to Amy this time. Amy's choice."

The Vixen started to work on the controls. In the reflective surface, she saw the Dream Lady smile back at her, her black eyes flashing. The Vixen looked about nervously. She looked back and the reflection was her own again. She looked at Rory and Amy before heading down the corridor to the pool where the Doctor was exercizing in the water, getting ready for the race.