Aftermath

Callie's hand cramped painfully by the time she finished writing. She felt raw, almost— cut open and her stuffing spilling out onto the pages. She'd meant to just write about what had happened, but the actual entries veered off more into her confusion, fear, the remaining guilt over everything that happened at the Byzantium.

She wiped her cheek, almost surprised when her hand pulled away wet. She hadn't realized she'd started crying. But god, it had been an emotional twenty-four hours.

She wondered what was happening out in Amy's bedroom. Was she accosting the Doctor, like she did in the show? Were they going to go nab Rory and whisk the couple off the Venice? If River had taught her anything today, it was that things weren't quite the same as the TV show. Perhaps it was Callie's fault— her presence must have caused a ripple effect somehow.

Callie leaned back in her desk chair, rubbing the last remnants of tears away. Her stomach growled loudly. Oh, yeah. She hadn't had a chance to eat all day, what with River's prompt arrival after she woke up and the whole escapade in the Maze, there hadn't been time for menial things like meals.

Quickly, she changed out of her dress and into a more comfortable leggings-and-T-shirt ensemble before setting out to find the kitchen. Vaguely, she wondered if the Doctor was even in the TARDIS, or if she was alone. She could probably used the weird telepathic thing that had happened in the Byzantium (she was saving the freak out over that for later), but it made her head hurt. And she was just finally feeling okay.

As usual, the TARDIS lit the way for her, depositing her into the kitchen quickly. Callie rummaged through the fridge, coming up with just enough food for a sandwich, and set about making it.

"Enough there for two?"

Callie jumped a little at the Doctor's voice, soft as it was. She spun around to see him leaning in the doorway. He eyed her carefully. Right. In all the fuss after the Angels disappeared, they hadn't gotten to really… apologize? Talk? Whatever they needed to do, it made the air in the kitchen thick. Tightly, Callie nodded.

"I don't know how you like them, but there's more than enough," she said. She finished assembling her sandwich— turkey and cheese— and stepped out of the way so the Doctor could fix his own.

"Tea?" He offered, and she hated how stiff his voice was. Like he didn't know how to speak with her.

Like they were strangers.

It was an interesting conundrum, considering he was still practically a stranger to her, yet he knew her so well and was acting distantly to her. Too polite, unfamiliar.

"Sure," she said. He dug out the kettle, which looked like a completely ordinary one from Earth and absolutely did not match the spacey-futuristic look of the kitchen. She took it from him and prepped the water, placing it on the gas range. The flame flickered to life.

"How does the food get in here?" Callie wondered out loud, pulling out two mugs. One was pink, with a classic image of Mickey Mouse and 1955 on the side. The other was yellow and had "My friends went to the moon and all I got was this dumb mug" written in cursive across the front. She claimed the Mickey Mouse one for herself. "Do you go grocery shopping?"

The Doctor shook his head, smiling a little despite himself. "God, no. Can you imagine me in a grocery shop?"

Callie wrinkled her nose, a giggle slipping through her lips. "Absolutely not."

For a brief moment, the tension in the room abated.

"The TARDIS collects everything here," he explained, "from the clothes in the wardrobe, the books in the library, to the food in the fridge. She's not always the best judge of what to nab, but it does well enough if we don't feel like going out to eat."

"Fair enough."

As she waited for the kettle to boil, Callie took her food over the octagonal table by the door. She claimed a seat and took a bite out of her sandwich.

She realized belatedly that he still wasn't wearing his jacket— it was still sitting in her room. She'd have to remember to give it back.

He got to the kettle before she would and shooed her off as he readied their cups. He sat across from her, sliding her tea over.

They ate quietly for a moment. Callie relished the safety of the TARDIS— there was never, ever a worry about being in danger in here. And after a day of nonstop danger, it was a true blessing.

As if listening to her thoughts, the TARDIS hummed warmly.

The Doctor dropped his sandwich onto the plate with a little wet slap. He huffed, rubbing his clenched jaw.

"What?" Callie's voice was harsher than she'd meant.

"I hate this," he said finally. "You, me, this… this tension."

"Me too," she said, deflating.

"We hardly ever fight," he told her. "I could probably count on my fingers how many times we've fought in nine hundred years."

"Well, we're off to a great start," Callie said, a littler bitter. The Doctor ground his teeth, but didn't contest her. She sighed. "I guess talking's the only way to fix things, right?"

He nodded, but didn't say anything. She took a big bite of her sandwich so she wouldn't have to be the one to speak first.

"I'm sorry I yelled at you," he said finally. "It was a tense situation and I knew you were scared, but I yelled because I was worried about Amy. I shouldn't have done that."

Tears pricked Callie's eyes. Honestly, just knowing he didn't hate her for that felt like a weight had been lifted off her chest.

"I didn't mean to make it sound like I didn't care," she told him, her voice thick. "I love Amy and I'm gonna do my best to make sure nothing ever happens to her. Or any of your other companions."

"Our."

"What?"

"Our companions," the Doctor said. "Not just mine. They're our friends."

Callie's throat felt tight. "Right. But I just— Weeping Angels, the crack… Everything had to go just right and I was so afraid of messing up. One mistake and we could have all died. Or worse."

"I know." The Doctor reached across the table to take her hand. "I should have trusted you more. With you being so young and you were so scared… I lashed out and I shouldn't have."

"I guess there are worse things to lash out about," she said after a moment and a sip of tea, "than wanting to protect your friends. At least you got to pick them, right?" She laughed a little, but it didn't feel funny.

The Doctor obviously didn't find it funny either. "What do you mean?"

She shrugged. "You get to choose who you invite to travel with you, but you didn't get a choice about me tying myself to your timeline. I guess it's lucky that you actually kinda like me; it would suck to be tied to someone you hated." Finally, she voiced the thought that had been in the back of her mind since she'd learned about her new situation.

"I'm grateful every single day that I have you." His voice was soft but forceful enough to make her meet his gaze. She almost squirmed under the intensity there. "I could never, ever hate you."

"Even if I let Amy die?"

"You wouldn't." He sounded so sure, though mere hours ago he'd clearly though she might. "And if it were an accident, I would forgive you. Just as you would me. Just as you have before."

Callie took a long sip of her tea, holding it so the warmth of the mug would seep into her skin. She was glad that the Doctor wasn't mad at her anymore, but something still nagged at her.

"I let people die today," she said after a long moment. "I could have tried to save them— I mean, I did try with Marco, Pedro, and Crispin. I really did. But Bob and the others… I let them die because we needed to be able to communicate with Angel Bob. I made that choice.

"It felt like the only choices I could actually make got people hurt. I just— I was so useless. You and River are so quick-thinking and know how to use advanced technology and I just sat there. Clinging to your arm like a child. Even Amy was braver than me."

"Hey." The Doctor squeezed her hand, and she squeezed back. "Amy didn't truly understand what we were up against. Your knowledge is just as much a curse as it is a blessing. You know the danger we're in far more intensely than anyone else will, and it's up to you to decide what to change and what to keep the same."

"But what if I choose wrong?" she whispered. "What if I fuck up next time and then Amy dies when she wouldn't have otherwise? Or anyone who wouldn't have died but they do because of me?"

The Doctor held a hand out until she gave him her free one. He held them both tight. "We can only do so much," he said seriously. "And sometimes we'll get people killed. Do you think I've never— it happens. It sucks and we should feel bad about it, but we can't sit with it forever. As time travelers, we're going to encounter death. And sometimes, we can't save people. And sometimes that means our friends."

"But—"

"You think I've never hated myself for getting a friend killed? In any situation, any adventure, it's always going to be partly our fault because we brought them there." He paused. "But they know the dangers and it's not like we hold them prisoner."

"It's still scary," she said tearfully. He brought her hands up to his lips and kissed them. Callie flushed, but didn't pull her hands away.

"I know."

"How do I figure out what changes to make and which to let stay the same?"

He shrugged helplessly. "I have no idea how you make that choice. Unfortunately, you're going to have to make that choice on your own. For better or for worse."

She was quiet, but held onto his hands like they were a lifeboat. "I don't like being helpless," she said finally. "I want to make a difference and actually be involved. I— I think I'd rather try to make changes and make things better than sit by because I know we'll get out alive."

Never again did she want to feel so useless. So, like the Doctor said, she would do what she could. For better or for worse.

"So, you took Amy home?" Callie asked as they left the kitchen. The Doctor had insisted that they leave their dishes in the sink for later, as it had been a long day. Callie hadn't enough energy in her to argue about it.

The Doctor nodded. "Did you know she's getting married in the morning?"

"I did," Callie replied. "To Rory."

The Doctor paused, turning to face her. He pointed at her face.

"What?" she asked, leaning away from his finger. She looked at him weirdly.

"That smile… You don't have a crush on him, do you?" He asked unhappily. "He's got a big nose after all."

Callie's jaw dropped. She whacked in him the arm, a little harder than necessary. "That's so mean! What, because your face changes all the time you think it's okay to make fun of others people's looks?"

The Doctor's frown grew and she shot him a glare.

"Anyway," she said pointedly, "I don't have a crush on Rory. I've never even met him, remember?"

"You can have a crush on people you've only seen on screen," he told her. "You have before."

"What, I told you about my Dean Winchester phase?" she asked, eyes wide. His lips quirked into a smirk, but he was kind enough not to laugh at her about it. "But whatever, no. I just.. Rory's great."

"He's great." The Doctor didn't sound thrilled.

"What does it matter anyway?" Callie asked. They found themselves in the console room. "What if I did have a crush on him?"

The Doctor didn't say anything. He walked ahead so she couldn't see the presumably unhappy look on his face. Though why he would be unhappy over her having a crush on someone, she didn't know.

She slowed, placing a hand on the metal railing that encircled the console area. She decided to try something.

Hey, she attempted, furrowing her eyebrows in concentration. The Doctor's head snapped up to look at her, eyes wide. You're being kinda weird.

Sorry. His internal voice didn't sound sorry at all, and she only flinched a little as his voice sent a headache her way. Begrudgingly, he added, You're allowed to have a crush on anyone you want.

Obviously, she replied. Also, this telepathy thing kind of freaks me out. And hurts.

"What do you mean, it hurts?" His voice sounded extra loud after the silence of telepathic communication.

"Gives me a headache," she replied. She touched the crown of her head lightly. "Right here." He hurried over to her and made her sit in the captain's chair. His sonic, which was so different from the silver one she'd held on Murtaxi One, buzzed in her face as he scanned her.

"Huh," he said unhelpfully.

"Huh, what?"

"I guess you haven't spent enough time in the Time Vortex yet," he replied. "Normally, you and I can communicate in the same way I could communicate with other Time Lords. It's much more… complete, I suppose, than verbal communication. But while your brain's been opened to the ability, it isn't quite able to handle it yet. You shouldn't do it for a while."

"Okay, um, how long?"

"Dunno. Maybe try again in a week?" He pocketed the screwdriver. "Does it still hurt?"

"It's already going away," she lied. The pain was just as sharp, but she didn't want him to worry. "But why can I do it? I'm not a Time Lord."

He hesitated, then said, "You've spent considerable time in the Time Vortex. As you already know, that can change a person. You might not be a Time Lord, but you're not quite human, either."

Then he spun on his heels and headed to the door, as if he hadn't just dropped a bombshell on her.

Over his shoulder, he called, "I'll go check and see if Amy's ready to go."

Callie sat there, stunned. She wasn't human anymore? Her pulse quickened, thundered in her ears. The TARDIS tilted in front of her, but she didn't fall off the seat like she expected. So that meant the tilting was in her head, which was both a good and bad thing.

She wasn't sure how long she sat there, trying to process the fact that she was no longer human— that she was something else entirely. Deep down, she knew it made sense. After all, she was tied to the Doctor's timeline— she survived in the Time Vortex when no one else had before. Of course a normal human couldn't manage that. But hearing it out loud… She needed to lay down.

She was about to go back to her bedroom when the Doctor returned, Amy in tow. Amy's cheeks her still pale; clearly, she was still shaken up from their adventure. Callie wondered if she'd kissed the Doctor like she did in the show, or if that had changed as well.

But there was something missing. Amy had changed from her red sweatshirt and leggings into a more stylish outfit. The Doctor still needed his tweed jacket back. But…

"Where's Rory?" Callie asked.

"Rory?" Amy repeated. She crossed her arms, as if guarding herself. "I dunno, at his bachelor party? Maybe?"

Well, guess that answers the kiss question, Callie thought dryly.

"Why?" The Doctor asked, eyes narrowed. Callie pursed her lips, thinking quickly.

This was an opportunity to make a change, one way or the other. She could leave Rory alone, as clearly her presence had already changed the story enough to stop him from being involved. He wouldn't get sucked into the danger of this life, of being killed over and over and going out of existence only to return by coincidence. He wouldn't get killed by a Weeping Angel, doomed to live the rest of his life stuck in the past.

But, pragmatically, Callie knew his relationship with Amy wouldn't survive if he didn't come. Amy had enough trouble with feelings as it was, thanks to her upbringing, and she needed to bond with Rory this way to truly be able to love and marry him. And it's not like Rory didn't enjoy his time in the TARDIS, or not like Callie couldn't try to stop him from dying…

"Don't you think it'd be nice?" she said after just a brief moment. "To give Amy and Rory a little pre-honeymoon, somewhere amazing?"

"What? No," Amy said quickly. She flushed when both Callie and the Doctor looked at her, eyebrows raised. "I mean, Rory wouldn't like it, anyway. He's not the type."

"I think he might enjoy spending time with you," Callie insisted. "And anyway, who would turn down a trip in the TARDIS?" (Well, excluding Rose and Donna, who both turned down trips on their first offer, but Amy didn't need to know about them.)

"One trip?" Amy checked. It made Callie sad, to see how hesitant Amy was. She was so afraid to give herself to Rory, to really allow herself to love him. All because, whether she realized or not, so many people had come in and out of her life. Her parents, eaten by the crack in her wall. Callie, disappearing in front of her. The Doctor, by pure mistake.

Amy deserved her happiness with Rory, and Callie was going to make sure she got it.

Callie glanced at the Doctor, but he was quietly allowing them to make this decision.

You okay with this? Callie asked, ignoring the stabbing pain in her head.

I told you not to do it for a week! He scolded. But… Of course. It would be good for Amy, and if you like him enough to want him here… He's welcome.

Callie smiled.

"We'll start with the one," she said, "and see how you two feel after."

"Fine," Amy relented. "But you two have to go get him. I need to get a snack."

She stalked off into the hallway.

"Is this a good idea?" The Doctor asked, skipping up the steps and to the console. Callie met him there.

"The best," she said with a grin. He matched her grin with one of his own, and something warm buzzed in her tummy. He had a nice smile, and it wasn't just because he looked like Matt Smith.

He pointed to a small, blue switch on the console. "Do you want to do the honors?"

Gleefully, Callie flipped the switch and the TARDIS gave a lurch. The Doctor set about flying the thing. Presumably, they would be crashing Rory's bachelor party. Ah well, at least they weren't going to announce to all his friends that his fiancée had kissed another man.

With all the shaking in the TARDIS and the headache from their telepathic conversation, Callie didn't noticed right away that she was about to jump. The gold at the edge of her vision blurred with the orange walls, but soon the TARDIS stilled and her world continued to spin.

"Ah," she muttered, stumbling back.

"Callie?" The Doctor sounded far away. She could hardly see him as he grabbed her hands.

"Boo," she pouted, hardly able to hear her own words. "I wanted to meet Rory!"

And then, she was gone.

As with the two other times she'd jumped, the golden hue of the Time Vortex overtook her sight completely. Her hair whipped around her, helping to blind her as it took her somewhere new. As she took form in her new destination, she heard voices around her before the gold had begun to ebb.

"Oh great, first we've got a box appearing out of thin air, and now a girl falls out of the sky, too?!" Jackie Tyler shrieked as Callie stumbled to her knees in front of them all.