TARDIS console room
Slowly awakening The Doctor blinks, letting his senses readjust, and looks around. Memory-wise is very foggy for the entire experience of Fenric's reality only the present quickly catches up. Currently is in the latest console room after sexy rebuilt herself during the whole Prisoner Zero mess with Rory, Amy, and River, who's knelt beside him, are looking over in concern.
"How long have I been out?" The Doctor asks curiously.
"A minute or so raggedy man" Amy replies.
"Sweetie, what happened?" River asks in worry.
"Billions of years, multiple regenerations in a minute… well that's time. Nothing's ever relative" The Doctor says slowly. Like can't quite process everything just yet.
"Um, don't you think we should get you moved to the med bay?" Rory inquires.
Shaking his head "It's nothing physical rather more psychological reality warping. Lucky didn't get a universe-shattering hole the size of Belgium" The Doctor says.
"Yeah, I still would feel better if I at least looked you over in the medic room" Rory replies "But since you're not planning on moving, I can wait."
Instead of remaining on his feet, Rory sits down on the floor resting his head against the console. Amy joins her husband and daughter as The Doctor manages to get himself sitting upright. River carefully fiddles with his bow tie while her husband applies a tender kiss to her head.
"I'm sorry for worrying you. All of you my Ponds" The Doctor says his voice thick.
"We're fine sweetie, and more worried about you" River replies.
"Like my daughter said," Amy says.
"One of my old enemies from before the Time War managed to somehow survive" The Doctor begins slowly, keeping his voice even "An entity like The House, but much worse. An evil outside of the universe called Fenric or at least a name given."
Sucking in a breath "That thing?" River inquires as between studying, and hearing firsthand from her husband is aware.
"You've heard of him?" Amy asks.
"So have I. Ran across a few of his wolves when protecting the Pandorica" Rory replies grimly.
"Be glad you never had the pleasure of meeting him" The Doctor says of pure loathing.
"While that's not Dalek hatred, it's not your normal topple an evil tyrant one," Amy says.
Glancing over "You remember when I had to break your faith in me with the Minotaur mess? I had to call Ace an emotional cripple" The Doctor says pain and guilt-filled "Every fear Dorothy had I played on. While Ace forgave me there is always a crack between us in the back of her thoughts."
"I'm sorry Raggedy Man," Amy says sadly.
Rory having a hold of his wife's hand gives it a light squeeze, and having been put into situations like The Doctor has for being that cold can fully understand. It's not just when leaving behind future Amy preventing a paradox but during those two thousand years.
"You did it to free Ace from Fenric, sweetie with my favorite nitro nine maker has forgiven you. She told you back then and told me to remind you of that" River says.
"How is she by the way?" The Doctor inquires.
"Fine. Ace helps UNIT on a freelance basis alongside Micky and Martha who live in Sarah Jane's old house on Bannerman Road she left for them alongside her adopted son. Ace pitches in for giving Torchwood aid" River says.
"Glad Dorothy's doing good," The Doctor says lightly smiling.
Looking over at her mother "You would have actually liked the regeneration who met Ace. Putting aside his unpleasant fashion sense he was Scottish" River says smirking.
"Oh, Scottish? Now you're talking, shame that couldn't stick around" Amy says wickedly grinning.
"You never know. Though I have wondered if an ancestor of yours is Jamie McCrimmon. Somebody I journeyed with a long time… in the past" The Doctor says.
River snuggles in closer to her husband while he thankfully wraps his arms around her in partial relief, a need of love and affection. Somebody who can sympathize on a level beyond human understanding just what a life of living for centuries really means. Because he is really old, and it's easier to make up a number in his head than actually know exact years. Not like he keeps a calendar or something.
"How does Fenric involve what happened to you?" Rory asks.
Exhaling slowly "Because he put me into a sort of mentally reality warp where if I believed what the visions were I'd be trapped in there forever. On top of that fantasy getting forced into reality for good" The Doctor explains.
"And how long were you trapped in this world?" River asks cautiously.
"I'm not sure since the recollection of nearly everything in there is fading, thankfully" The Doctor replies "Although my memory for recent events is a bit lacking."
Glancing up at her husband "Well sweetie if you need a refresher course for certain memories, I'll be happy to remind you how much of a screamer I am" River says giving a flirty grin.
"Stop it," The Doctor says smiling.
"Make me" River replies.
"Perhaps I will," The Doctor says.
Leaning down The Doctor passionately and tenderly kisses River on her lips while she cups his face as they keep going for a minute or so before breaking apart.
Rory just groans for the ever-present flirting into kissing his daughter and son in law do. Even after all this time hasn't gotten any better at seeing it.
Meanwhile, Amy wishes she has her cellphone, mostly just to capture the moment as seeing that open gentleness between is rare. However, Amy exchanging a quick glance with Rory knows that this is also something else given when all the running stops, their daughter and raggedy man have a deeper connection between each other. A love like Rory and her have. Love and marriage are not just words but promises. Besides they can recognize it is obvious for whatever Fenric put their Doctor into he needs his wife, and them.
"So, what is the last thing you remember, and any idea how long it will take to get them back?" Amy inquires.
"Well, just a bit of time as my mind gets readjusted. I know we are all post Area 52 thankfully, including obviously the Christmas we had at your house" The Doctor says.
Nodding "Yeah we were planning on stopping in New York, but River quickly showed up saying she been there in the 1930s with having passed off the information to Jack Harkness to handle. Something to do with the Angels that we were better off not going" Amy explains.
"River's not wrong and despite hating passing stuff off this one time I'm glad she did," The Doctor says.
"Why do I get the feeling something in your nightmare was not good?" Rory asks uneasily.
"Let's just say from vague memories being in Fenric's nightmare it was where I lost you and Amelia," The Doctor says in a painful, quiet tone.
"Oh," Rory replies in understanding.
River softly squeezes The Doctor's hand in support which he returns, and Amy does the same for Rory. All four quickly decide to move on from that topic.
"Our trip to Darillium was quite nice. Of course, we made our own song as the Towers sang" River says happily.
"What?" The Doctor inquires between his fading muddled memories and possible paradoxes "Just… what?"
"Let's say your memories will return, and since my parents here have lived this it's safe. You extended a time field from the TARDIS to stop time around me right before I pressed the device together and used her to give actual memory space for getting everybody out of Cal's database. A Time Lord brain or not, it probably never would have worked" River replies.
"Ah I remember now, sort of and for your data ghost, we left her in the data core," The Doctor says lightly grinning.
Frowning "I'm not sure why though, you haven't said," Amy says.
"Normally spoilers but don't suppose there is much harm. Gallifrey had a matrix of putting it simply where Time Lords would go when dying as their mind got uploaded. I decided to use Cal's data core for something similar, after all the old girl given her telepathic field for the translator well it's just a bit of improvising" The Doctor explains.
"When I die for real this time along with you and father, plus whenever my husband does, our minds will be uploaded to Cal's database. I'll just complete my memories for the data information already there" River explains.
Looking at his wife "If it hasn't already occurred. You ever wonder why there is a Doctor Moon protecting Cal?" Rory asks.
Glancing at her husband then back over "That is you?" Amy inquires.
"Not everything containing a perfectly normal medical term is from me but in this case probably. I'm not sure if it's an actual regeneration or just a persona I made to prevent spoilers. Guess I'll figure it out the long way around. Which is good, if I knew the answer to all the universe offers it would be a boring place" The Doctor says happily.
"If you two are okay with that? It can be reversed if you want, and well there is an afterlife somewhere out there" River says hesitantly.
"As long as Amy is there, and having my daughter I'm fine with that. It's not like either of us is close with our parents. Most actual friends come from our time spent traveling around anyway" Rory replies.
"Yeah, I'm in the same box," Amy says "After all the biggest Library in the universe while being able to live in any era of history? I'm fine with that."
"Thank you" River replies her voice cracking slightly as still can get overwhelmed at times for the love her parents have towards her.
"Your welcome Melody" Rory replies.
The Doctor glancing at his wife with looking at the Ponds before around the room smiles as is now home. All of the universe of time and space to explore. Being with people he loves while doing so? Even better.
A conversation drifts into his mind from so long ago in his fifth face with Tegan and Turlough, his two companions, at the time, following the whole mess Borusa created. Inquiring about what would happen since they thought he would be returning to Gallifrey upon being ordered to assume his position as President.
"Er, won't the Time Lords be very angry?" Turlough inquires.
"Furious" his Fifth self replies happily.
"You mean you're deliberately choosing to go on the run from your own people in a rackety old Tardis?" Tegan asks.
"Why not? After all, that's how it all started" his Fifth self replies grinning.
Hope you all enjoyed this chapter as well.
Now be sure to check out the AN chapter as it will explain my reasoning for what I've written up.