The doors to the Pandorica opened and the Doctor stared to see Rory standing there and pointing the sonic screwdriver at the doors. Except, the Doctor was pretty sure the screwdriver was safely in his jacket pocket. The clamps released him and he asked Rory blankly: "How did you do that?"
Rory held up the sonic and he said just as blankly: "You gave me this."
The Doctor pulled out his sonic, making sure and he showed it to Rory as he said still confused: "No, I didn't."
"You did. Look at it." Rory pointed out flatly as he held up the sonic and the Doctor got up slowly. He walked over carefully and then touched his sonic against the one Rory was holding.
The two sparked and he realized: "Temporal energy. Same screwdriver at different points in its own time stream. Which means it was me who gave it to you. Me from the future. I've got a future. That's nice."
He grinned and then noticed something behind Rory.
"That's not." He added flatly as he pointed his screwdriver at the fossilized Daleks. Rory murmured: "Yeah. What are they?"
"History has collapsed." The Doctor explained.
He wandered around the chamber now filled with the remains of his enemies as he continued: "Whole races have been deleted from existence. These are just like after-images. Echoes. Fossils in time. The footprints of the never-were." He murmured.
"Er, what does that mean?" Rory asked and the Doctor turned to him as he said flatly: "Total event collapse. The universe literally never happened."
"So, how can we be here?" Rory asked confusedly. "What's keeping us safe?"
"Nothing." The Doctor replied shortly as he glanced around. "Eye of the storm, that's all. We're just the last light to go out." He paused as he realized Rory was alone.
"Amy. Where's Amy?" He asked as he turned to the other man.
The Doctor pulled back the blanket that covered Amy's body, revealing the girl's dead face as Rory admitted shakily: "I killed her."
The Doctor glanced at him and he sighed: "Oh, Rory."
"Doctor, what am I?" Rory asked shakily, fighting sobs and the Doctor explained: "You're a Nestene duplicate. A lump of plastic with delusions of humanity."
The Doctor began to sonic Amy as Rory protested confused and desperate: "But I'm Rory now. Whatever was happening, it's stopped. I'm Rory."
"That's software talking." The Doctor replied without looking at him as he checked the readings on his sonic.
Rory paused and then he asked quietly: "Can you help her? Is there anything you can do?"
"Yeah, probably, if I had the time." The Doctor replied lightly, and Rory snapped: "The time?"
"All of creation has just been wiped from the sky." The Doctor said coldly.
"Do you know how many lives now never happened? All the people who never lived? Your girlfriend isn't more important than the whole universe." He added tauntingly.
Rory pulled the Doctor around to face him, before punching him hard in the face.
"She is to me!" Rory yelled furiously, and the Doctor grinned.
He laughed happily as he said cheerily: "Welcome back, Rory Williams!"
He rubbed his aching jaw as he turned to face Rory and added: "Sorry. Had to be sure. Hell of a gun-arm you're packing there."
He tapped Rory's right arm as he walked past the dumbfounded man. The Doctor went on: "Right, we need to get her downstairs. And take that look off your plastic face."
Rory turned to the Doctor as the man bent by Amy and added: "You're getting married in the morning."
Together, the pair carried Amy down into the Pandorica and as the Doctor placed Amy into the chair, Rory asked slowly: "So you've got a plan, then?"
"Bit of a plan, yeah." The Doctor answered. "Memories are more powerful than you think, and Amy Pond is not an ordinary girl."
He grabbed said girl's face, checking her carefully as he explained to Rory: "Grew up with a time crack in her wall. The universe pouring through her dreams every night. The Nestenes took a memory print of her and got a bit more than they bargained for, like you. Not just your face, but your heart and your soul."
Rory bowed his head, while the Doctor pressed his forehead to Amy's, connecting their minds. He murmured in explanation, knowing Rory would ask: "I'm leaving her a message for when she wakes up, so she knows what's happening."
The Doctor then stepped back and shut the Pandorica, sealing Amy inside.
"Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa." Rory protested. "What are you doing?"
"I'm saving her." The Doctor replied as though it was obvious.
He nodded at the Pandorica as he explained: "This box is the ultimate prison. You can't even escape by dying. It forces you to stay alive."
"But she's already dead." Rory pointed out, and the Doctor corrected: "Well, she's mostly dead. The Pandorica can stasis-lock her that way. Now, all it needs is a scan of her living DNA and it'll restore her."
"Where's it going to get that?" Rory demanded and the Doctor checked his watch before he answered: "In about two thousand years."
He then wandered over to look for River's bag from where she'd left it earlier while Rory stood in complete shock. He'd just found it and pulled out her vortex manipulator when Rory demanded incredulously: "She's going to be in that box for two thousand years?"
"Yeah." The Doctor replied as he strapped the manipulator to his wrist. "But we're taking a shortcut."
He turned back to Rory as he explained: "River's vortex manipulator. Rubbish way to time travel, but the universe is tiny now. We'll be fine."
"So hang on." Rory interrupted, trying to work out what was happening. "The future's still there, then. Our world."
"A version of it." The Doctor corrected. "Not quite the one you know. Earth alone in the sky. Let's go and have a look."
He held out his arm to Rory and he instructed: "You put your hand there."
Rory glanced at it, and his face became apprehensive. The Doctor saw and he encouraged: "Don't worry. Should be safe."
"That's not what I'm worried about." Rory corrected as he turned back to the Pandorica and the Doctor said comfortingly: "She'll be fine. Nothing can get into this box."
He patted it but Rory was far from convinced as he pointed out: "Well, you got in there."
"Well, there's only one of me. I counted." The Doctor replied lightly, but Rory continued to stare at the Pandorica before he said grimly: "This box needs a guard. I killed the last one."
The Doctor sighed and turned away as he said flatly: "No. Rory, no. Don't even think about it."
"She'll be all alone." Rory protested calmly and the Doctor pointed out: "She won't feel it."
"You bet she won't." Rory retorted and the Doctor walked up to him, saying very seriously: "Two thousand years, Rory. You won't even sleep. you'd be conscious every second. It would drive you… mad." He finished softly, kindly.
Rory didn't look away from the Pandorica as he asked calmly: "Will she be safer if I stay?"
The Doctor didn't reply and Rory turned to him as he demanded: "Look me in the eye and tell me she wouldn't be safer."
The Doctor sighed and began: "Rory, you-"
"Answer me!" Rory snapped and the Doctor looked him dead in the eye, before he finally admitted quietly: "Yes. Obviously."
He sighed and Rory turned back to the Pandorica, asking firmly: "Then how could I leave her?"
"Rory-" The Doctor began, but Rory interjected: "If that was Lily in there, what would you do?"
The Doctor fell silent once more and Rory demanded, not looking away from the Pandorica: "Well?"
The Doctor sighed again as he murmured softly: "I'd stay. Obviously."
"There we are then. I'm not moving." Rory said firmly and the Doctor smiled wryly.
"Why do you have to be so… human?" The Doctor asked with a sigh and Rory looked at him.
"Because right now, I'm not." He replied flatly.
Rory turned away, getting ready to stand guard and the Doctor began to type into the vortex manipulator as he said to Rory firmly: "Listen to me. This is the last bit of advice you're going to get in a very long time. You're living plastic, but you're not immortal. I have no idea how long you'll last. And you're not indestructible."
He finished pressing in the coordinates and he looked at Rory as he advised: "Stay away from heat and radio signals when they come along. You can't heal, or repair yourself. Any damage is permanent. So, for God's sake, however bored you get, stay out of-"
He disappeared and Rory bowed his head, before settling down for the longest guard duty in the history of time.
Amy P.O.V.
Amy fell out of the Pandorica, gasping and child Amelia asked her carefully: "Are you all right? Who are you?"
"I'm fine." Amy replied lightly, not really processing her surroundings as she finally breathed again. "I'm supposed to rest. Got to rest, the Doctor says."
"What doctor?" Amelia asked confused and Amy just tapped her head.
She explained as she got her breath back: "He's in here. Left a message in my head like I'm an answerphone. Where am I?" She added as she looked around.
She paused as she recognized the place and she asked: "Hang on. National Museum, right? I was here once when I was a little-"
Amy broke off as she turned back to the little girl standing before her and she realized who she was staring at.
"Yeah, complicated." She muttered and then she stood up and asked as she checked little Amelia's height and appearance: "Let's see, it's what, 1996?"
She stumbled off to the side and Amelia asked her, puzzled: "Who are you?"
"It's a long story." Amelia replied evasively.
She paused before a display board.
"Oh. A very long story." She murmured as she stared at the board entitled: 'The Pandorica Seen Through Time'. It showed the entire timeline of the Pandorica starting from 118AD all the way up to the present.
Amy slowly moved across towards an audio visual presentation of the timeline, and watched the screen as the voice was activated by her proximity: "According to legend, wherever the Pandorica was taken, throughout its long history, the Centurion would be there, guarding it."
She stepped close to the screen as she watched the images that coincided with the narration: "He appears as an iconic image in the artwork of many cultures, and there are several documented accounts of his appearances, and his warnings to the many who attempted to open the box before its time."
"His last recorded appearance was during the London blitz in 1941. The warehouse where the Pandorica was stored was destroyed by incendiary bombs, but the box itself was found the next morning, a safe distance from the blaze."
Tears welled in Amy's eyes as she stared at the painted image that showed a Roman Centurion pulling the Pandorica out of the flames as the narrator continued: "There are eyewitness accounts from the night of the fire of a figure in Roman dress, carrying the box from the flames. Since then, there have been no sightings of the Lone Centurion, and many have speculated that if he ever existed, he perished in the fires of that night, performing one last act of devotion to the box he had pledged to protect for nearly two thousand years."
A tear trickled down Amy's cheek as she murmured brokenly: "Rory. Oh, Rory."
"Exterminate!" A familiar voice called suddenly and Amy jumped. She ran back to Amelia as the little girl asked in alarm: "What's that?"
"Exterminate!" The Dalek called as it rolled towards them. It still looked fossilized but its eyestalk was glowing and Amy would bet that it wouldn't be long before it had enough power to fire at them.
Amy jumped as the Doctor appeared out of thin air and said: "Trouble."
He stared at the approaching Dalek and muttered: "Oh."
He then turned to the girls and mumbled: "Ah, two of you. Complicated."
Amy raised her brows, her expression saying: 'Ya think?'
"Exterminate!" The Dalek called, and the Doctor quickly turned back to it as he backed towards the girls. The Dalek waved its gun, saying: "Weapons systems restoring."
Taking the opportunity, the Doctor grabbed the two girls and pulled them each by the hand as he called: "Come along, Ponds."
"Exterminate!" The Dalek called after them.
The Doctor paused by an exhibit that featured a scene from the Middle-East and Amy demanded: "What are we doing? And where's Lily? How come I forgot her?"
"Well," the Doctor answered as he grabbed a fez from one of the dummies, "we are running into a dead end, where I'll have a brilliant plan, that basically involves not being in one. As for Lily, I'm working on it, and I'd say it's probably because whatever took control of the Tardis didn't want me to know she'd disappeared."
"What's going on?" A man's voice called and the Doctor peered out to see what was most likely the museum guard flashing his flashlight down towards their exhibit, although the man's face was hidden in the shadows.
The Doctor yelled at him as he and the girls hid behind the Pandorica: "Get out of here. Go! Just run!"
The man seemed undecided as the Dalek turned to him and ordered: "Drop the device!"
"It's not a weapon." The Doctor yelled quickly. "Scan it. It's not a weapon, and you don't have the power to waste."
He pointed and the Dalek acknowledged: "Scans indicate intruder unarmed."
"Do you think?" The security guard asked, before he dropped the flashlight. His hand unhinged and he shot the Dalek right in the eyestalk with his Auton gun. The Dalek began to swing its head as it cried: "Vision impaired! Vision-"
It trailed off as it stopped moving altogether while the security guard walked out into the moonlight.
"Amy!" Rory called as the three appeared around the side of the Pandorica.
The Doctor quickly moved to sonic the Dalek while Amy paused and breathed: "Rory."
She ran over to him and they hugged tightly, so glad to be together again.
"I'm sorry." Rory whispered as they broke apart. "I'm sorry, I couldn't help it. It just happened."
"Oh, Shut up." Amy whispered before she kissed him happily.
The Doctor ran up and said impatiently: "Yeah, shut up, because we've got to go. Come on."
They ignored him as they gazed into each other's eyes and Rory said, his voice cracking: "I waited. Two thousand years I waited for you."
The Doctor muttered in frustration, but they continued to ignore him as Amy replied: "No, still shut up."
She kissed him again, this time deeply and the Doctor muttered: "And break."
When they didn't stop he added: "And breathe."
When they still didn't stop, he looked down at little Amelia as she walked up and he commented: "Well, somebody didn't get out much for two thousand years."
He turned away from the couple, feeling a small tug of despair as he thought of Lily, but he blinked as someone tugged his jacket sleeve. He glanced down at Amelia who asked him: "I'm thirsty. Can I get a drink?"
"Oh, it's all mouths today, isn't it." The Doctor grumbled as he stuck the fez on the girl's head. She grinned a little at that, and shoved the fez back at him while the Doctor paused as he stared at the Dalek.
"The light." He murmured darkly as he realized. "The light from the Pandorica, it must have hit the Dalek."
The Dalek twitched, powering up again and the Doctor quickly turned to the other three ordering sharply: "Out! Out! Out!"
As they ran into the museum reception, the Doctor asked Rory conversationally: "So, two thousand years. How did you do?"
He used his sonic to lock the door as Rory replied with a shrug: "Kept out of trouble."
"Oh." The Doctor replied as they turned away from the door.
He paused as he looked at the fez he was still holding, before he placed it on his head and asked Rory: "How?"
"Unsuccessfully." Rory replied as the Doctor grabbed a mop and ran back towards the door, intending to use it as a brace.
"The mop!" Rory cried and the Doctor paused, brandishing said item at the other man as Rory explained: "That's how you looked all those years ago when you gave me the sonic."
"Ah." The Doctor replied. He pressed his manipulator as he commented: "Well, no time to lose, then."
He clicked the last button and disappeared, landing before the heartbroken Rory as he blurted: "Rory! Listen, she's not dead. Well, she is dead, but it's not the end of the world…"
When he reached the part where he remembered the mop, he quickly went back to the museum.
"Oops, sorry." He muttered as he shoved the mop through the door handles to brace the door shut.
The Doctor disappeared again to give Rory in the past his sonic, before he zapped back to land in the museum, saying firmly: "Right, let's go then."
He led them up the stairs when he suddenly called: "Wait!"
They all paused as the Doctor mumbled thoughtfully: "Now I don't have the sonic. I just gave it Rory two thousand years ago."
He quickly clicked the manipulator, going back to the past to tell Rory where to leave the sonic.
He reappeared before the others in the museum again, and said cheerily: "Right then."
He walked down to fetch his screwdriver from Amy's top pocket, and turned back up the stairs as he said: "Off we go! No," they all paused again, "hang on."
The Doctor turned to Amelia as he asked curiously: "How did you know to come here?"
He leaned down to Amelia's eye level and the girl simply pulled out the leaflet and the post-it note that she had found on the Pandorica. He grabbed them both and examined them.
"Ah, my handwriting." The Doctor murmured and then he tossed them over his shoulder as he muttered: "Okay."
He ran down the stairs again to grab leaflet and a post-it from the information desk in the reception area. He quickly scribbled the messages and then disappeared once more to deliver them.
He finally reappeared before the group once more, holding a soda drink, which he handed to Amelia as he said: "There you go. Drink up."
Amelia looked at it in surprise to see it was hers from earlier. She simply drank it as Amy demanded: "What is that? How are you doing that?"
"Vortex manipulator." The Doctor replied cheerily.
"Cheap and nasty time travel. Very bad for you. I'm trying to give it up." He added seriously and Amy smirked before she asked: "Where are we going?"
"The roof." They turned back to move up when suddenly another Doctor appeared at the top of the stairs.