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Disclaimer: I have a cat and a room full of books. Almost everything else belongs to someone else. Recognisable characters, TV shows, movies, etc belong to their creators (in some cases otherwise known as god), producers, directors, etc.
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A Place to Start.
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Part Twenty Six...
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Today was the day Rory realised why the Doctor had travelling companions.
Today was the day Rory thanked whatever deities really existed that he'd become a nurse.
.Today was the day Rory showed that he wasn't just another bumbling idiot along for the ride because a pretty girl wanted him there.
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The day had been a mess form start to finish.
A planet saved.
A civilisation rescued
And a creature defeated.
But not before they'd been captured, the Doctor tortured, a bungled rescue attempt, a successful rescue, running for their lives. Then the Doctor; already injured, knocking Amy out of the way and throwing himself in front of a enraged creature the size of a small elephant.
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Amy's hand is shaking so much, the TARDIS opens the door herself. She rearranges the corridors so that the first arch they go through is opposite the medical room. Amy had mentioned something about a translation circuit that made all alien languages appear as English and how it sort of worked through the Doctor and the TARDIS, so he's almost relieved to see everything labelled in a language he can read.
Rory follows the instruction and gives Amy a few simple little things to do, so she's not hovering.
When he gets to the messy stuff, Rory sends Amy of the get cleaned up and make them all cups of tea.
As he undresses and washes the blood and dirt and only the TARDIS knows what else, Rory describes a mild sedative. He focuses of a point, at about eye height near the door, and tells the TARDIS about its properties, side effects and the recommended dosages. And then he asks.
"Can you add some to her tea?"
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Amy's bright and shiny from the shower and she's made the tea exactly the way Rory likes it. Strong with a hint of lemon. Which is also how the Doctor likes it.
Amy stays awake long enough to help Rory get the Doctor to his own bed before falling asleep in a large comfy chair, that Rory's sure the TARDIS has just added to the room. There's even a blanket for him to put over her.
The other new chair is less comfy and has a jumper draper over the back of it. Since the temperature of the room is more suited to the Doctor, Rory appreciated the gesture.
"Thank you." He tells her.
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He's been lightly dozing for five and a half hours when… he's not sure if it was the TARDIS or the Doctor's voice that wakes him up.
"…Rory…?" The Doctor looks pale and tired.
Oh so tired.
"…I… teeth, and thunder… Was there thunder? Or… an earthquake? Can earthquakes have teeth?"
Rory has to smile at that. "Probably, knowing you. But it wasn't an earthquake or thunder. You stood in front of something that would make a stampede of lions look like Amy's old teddy bear."
"Lions don't stampede." There's a hint of humour in the Doctor's voice.
"Imagine what it would look like if they did."
The Doctor chuckles softly. "You took care of me. Knew I kept you around for something."
Rory grabbed the Doctor's hand, finding the pulse point further up the arm than on a human. It's stronger and steadier than it was earlier. "I just did what the TARDIS told me to do."
The Doctor smiles broadly, his free hand reaching up to touch the wall. He says one word before falling back to sleep.
"Darling."
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Rory leads Amy back to their room and tucks her into bed.
In the Doctor's room the tea is still as warm as when Amy made it and there's a book next to Rory's chair.
When he reads the title, its one he's been trying to find for years.
Rory sips some of his tea, opens the book and settles in to wait.
"Darling indeed…"
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End…