Chapter 12- Scenes from a TARDIS

Amy was getting married tomorrow and she was nervous. She had spent her whole life keeping people at a distance, and tomorrow all that would change. She smiled to herself as she realized that wasn't quite true. Amy had shared her life with both Rory and Mels for over a decade, but this felt different. There was permanence to marriage that didn't seem to be required of a friendship, even though the past three years have been some of the greatest of her life.

"Why am I so scared than?" Amy asked her empty room. She hung up her wedding dress and sat on her bed simply staring at it. She smiled as she saw herself wearing it, walking down the aisle. She could see the expression on Rory's stupid face as he saw her. They would stand at the altar together and exchange vows.

Amy snapped out of her little dream, as she still didn't know what she was going to say to him. She had been with Rory for three years and couldn't even tell him she loved him. She wasn't even sure if she was capable of that emotion. Being in love with someone meant that you were vulnerable. Once they were married, she wasn't sure she could give him more. How long would Rory stick around if she never opened up?

Everything had been so much easier when they were friends. She never had to worry about what they shared together. Once they were married though, everything would be more complicated. Even if she opened up to him, there was no guarantee the marriage would work. It could still fall apart and hurt both of them.

She needed more time to think, but she had none left. It would be nearly impossible to postpone the wedding at this point. Not showing up was always a plan as it might save Rory some pain in the long run. She quickly felt ashamed though as she pictured Rory alone at the church having to explain to everyone that the wedding was off. She couldn't do that to him.

As several terrible options circled through her head she started to get upset at herself. "That's enough," she said once again to the empty room, quieting her thoughts. She laid down in her bed hoping that sleep was all she needed to calm her nerves. After all isn't it normal to have pre-wedding jitters? Amy told herself that this could be just that and hoped she felt better in the morning.

As Amy closed her eyes she heard a familiar wheezing coming from out front. Her heart raced as she jumped out of bed and ran to the window. She was right. The TARDIS was sitting in her front yard again, just as it was when she was a few years ago. He came back for her. She had needed more time and here he was to help just like before. She quickly raced outside to meet the man who could be the answer to her problems.

Post Victory of the Daleks

Each day it was getting harder to stay away from home. She had almost told the Doctor about her wedding after their visit to the Starship UK., but it was so easy to be distracted while on this journey. The next thing she knew she was talking to Winston Churchill himself. After that they were off on another adventure where she was able to forget about everything else. She had run away because she wasn't sure if she was ready to be married. The adventures were just a bonus. The problem was that it had been two weeks, and she wasn't any closer to a decision.

Even now that things had slowed down again, instead of figuring out what to do, she was decorating her room on the TARDIS. The ship must have been a little psychic since there was a closet filled with items that appeared to come straight from her room on Earth. She was rummaging through a box it had provided when she pulled out a picture frame. In it was a picture of her, Rory, Aunt Sharon, and both of his parents.

Amy couldn't seem to recall where the picture had been taken. It felt so familiar to her though, that it had to be real. It should have been easy to place since Rory's parents never spent any time together. Especially with her Aunt Sharon being there too. As she continued to stare at the picture, it was starting to frustrate her that she couldn't remember. Amy forced herself to concentrate on the image, until it suddenly came to her.

The picture was taken at their engagement party. They had been so happy that day; she couldn't believe she didn't remember it straight away. Especially since it was the first time Rory's mother and father had been in the same room for an extended amount of time since the divorce. It had meant so much to him for them both to be there. Rory's father had even pulled her aside that day, told her how proud he was that she would officially be a part of the family. She had hugged Brian. It was the day she was sure getting married to Rory was the right thing to do. It felt like so long ago.

"How did you get this," she asked the room forcefully, half expecting the TARDIS to respond. She threw the picture back into the box and collapsed onto the bed trying to compose herself. She was trying not to feel guilty about what she had done. She had just left Rory back home. He didn't even know where she was. Amy had come to realize that this life was dangerous. If something happened to her, the Doctor wouldn't even know to tell Rory. She barely was able to admit he was her boyfriend the last time they met. Would he hate her if she never returned?

"No," Amy told herself. She stood up and walked over to the mirror in the closet. Staring at herself she managed to get her breathing under control. The Doctor wouldn't let anything happen to her, she was sure of it. This adventure was giving her the time to think that she needed. She could then return home right when she left, and Rory would never have to know that she had doubts. He would never have to be hurt. Rory would be there when she got back.

"Amy!" the Doctor called from the hallway. He burst into the room with his usual enthusiasm, instantly moving towards the nightstand. "I know the perfect place to go," he said as he played with the various objects in the room. "I know I promised you a planet, but what can you do there really? You see one, maybe two things before having to go somewhere else. Where's even better, you ask?"

"Umm… no I didn't," Amy said confused.

"A museum. That's where. There are hundreds of things to see at once. Come along Pond," the Doctor said as he quickly turned around and exited the room.

Amy laughed at the Raggedy Man. The Doctor managed to lift her spirits as soon as he entered the room. She was happy that there was another adventure to help distract her, although she wasn't sure how exciting a museum could possibly be.

Pre Vampires of Venice

The Doctor had just left the TARDIS to pick up Rory from his stag night. Amy was alone in the console room, and the silence began to frighten her. What had she done? Everything that had just occurred was beginning to sink in. She had never been so scared before in her life. When the Doctor saved her, she knew it was time to return home. Then Amy kissed him. She practically threw herself at the Doctor.

Amy thought she was going to be sick as she gripped the console tightly, supporting herself. She was sure she had chosen the Doctor. She had feelings for him. He was this amazing man who travelled through space and time. The Doctor had saved her life and she knew he would always protect her. He had done so since the first moment they met when he fixed the crack in her wall. Of course it was him. Now that she was alone though, she wasn't so sure.

"No, no, no, no!" Amy repeated. This wasn't why she had run away. She had left with the Doctor to keep from hurting Rory, and that's exactly what she had done anyways. Amy didn't know what to do. Rory would be here any minute, and she didn't know what to tell him. She wasn't even sure what the Doctor would tell him. She suddenly realized that she was still in the clothes that she kissed the Doctor in. She had to change now, somehow Rory would know. She quickly turned and ran down the TARDIS hallway.

When Amy reached her room she tore through the wardrobe, looking for something else to wear. Everything had been so clear to her only an hour ago. She had wanted to be with the Doctor; after all she waited 14 years for him. Right now though, all she wanted to do was be there for Rory. He would be upset, and she needed him to forgive her.

As Amy was changing she found the ring that she had placed in her pocket. She set the box carefully on her nightstand backing away from it. Putting the ring on would certainly make Rory feel better, but Amy felt that she didn't deserve to wear it right now. Not until she knew what she was feeling.

She finished dressing and looked herself over in the mirror. Her breath caught a little as she remembered what she was wearing. She may not be able to wear the ring right now, but this might be the next best thing. This was the same outfit she had worn on their first date. Remembering the events of Jeff's party made her smile. Whatever her decision was she was sure she wouldn't lose Rory, she couldn't lose him. He had promised to always be there for her, and she intended to make him live up to that promise.

Amy ran back into the main console room just in time to see the TARDIS doors swing open. The Doctor ran in speaking a mile a minute followed by Rory. She saw that he was still wearing his stag night shirt. He quickly found Amy, but looked away saying nothing. He was focusing on the Doctor who had somehow found his way under the console and was playing with the connections. Amy's heart dropped as she could see how upset he was. As he moved, she kept the console between them. All she could do was stare at him, unsure of what to say.

"So, I'm sending you somewhere," the Doctor said, "together."

This snapped Amy out of her trance. "W-What, like a date?" she asked a bit harsher than she intended. The Doctor was making this harder for Amy. She needed to figure out what her feelings were and he was simply pushing her away.

"Anywhere you want, anytime you want," he said as he made his way back up to the main level. "One condition, it has to be amazing; the Moulin Rouge in 1890, the first Olympic Games. Think of it as a wedding present, because frankly it's either this or tokens."

The Doctor kept speaking to Rory until he finally said something himself. His tone was so cold that Amy barely recognized it. Is this what she had done to him? She suddenly felt the urge to hold him. They had barely acknowledged they were in the same room together. She had to take the initiative.

"So, this date? I'm kinda done running down corridors," Amy said as she slowly rounded the console. "What do you think Rory?" She slid next to him grabbing his hand hoping the physical contact would cheer him up. Feeling the warmth of his hand certainly cheered her up.

"How about somewhere romantic?" The Doctor said as he pulled a lever on the console. The TARDIS instantly started to shake as Rory grabbed a hold of Amy to support himself.

Post Vampires of Venice

Everything was strange for Rory at the moment. After stopping the threat in Venice he certainly saw the appeal of traveling with the Doctor. All those years he had spent pretending to be Amy's Raggedy Man had left him open to going on adventures himself. Now that he was here, he had to admit he enjoyed it. He just wasn't sure he belonged here.

This was why he now found himself wandering the halls of the TARDIS. When the Doctor had first dragged him into this blue box, he was sure it was the end of his and Amy's relationship. Amy had acted as such the entire time they were in Venice, until she kissed him. She kissed him and asked him to stay He had even given her an out, and she refused to take it. So Rory decided to stay and travel with them together.

Amy had given him a tour of the TARDIS after they left Venice. When they had reached Amy's room, he was a bit confused at the sight. Since they had been pretty much living together back in Leadworth, he had assumed the same would be true here. In the room though was a single sized bed. Amy told him that she was exhausted and needed to rest, so Rory mumbled something about exploring the rest of the ship. They kissed and he exited the room.

Still wandering around, Rory cursed himself. They were supposed to get married tomorrow and he couldn't even ask her where he was going to stay. It was a simple question. As usual though he was probably reading too much into the fact that she had a single bed in her room. Maybe every room had one. He always avoided talking to her about these kinds of things. He couldn't ask her out on a date until she forced the issue, and he couldn't even propose until she made him. Once again his insecurities got the better of him. He was always afraid if he said the wrong thing, she would realize she was way too good for him and leave. He loved her so much, but still wasn't sure exactly how she felt about him.

Rory rounded a corner and found a door in front of him that seemed to suddenly appear. He looked around unsure if he should enter. He slowly entered to find an empty room. Well, it was almost empty. There was a small closet with a few pieces of clothing, a single sized bed, and a nightstand with a picture frame on it. He picked up the frame and saw it contained a picture of him and Amy from when they were kids.

It was the day he got back from the hospital after breaking his arm. He fell out of a tree playing Raggedy Doctor, and Amy wanted to be the first to sign his cast. She had spent the entire day with him seeing to his every need. Rory laughed a little as he remembered being sick the next day because he had to eat everything that Amy made for him, including the nine bowls of soup.

Rory sat down closing his eyes. He needed to calm down. She had wanted him to stay. She may have kissed the Doctor, but if she wanted to be with him, she wouldn't have asked him stay. He had to take comfort in that.

A/N: And another one for the books. Once again thanks for the reviews and follows. I am glad people are enjoying the story.

I have a couple of chapters like this. Since they are thematically related and pretty short, I felt that putting the together made the most sense. Let me know if it's a problem and I can post them as separate chapters. Also I love the title, even though the first chapter isn't technically in the TARDIS yet.

I keep saying this, but these sections were hard. I found that I kept leaning a little too heavy on the hate Amy for kissing the Doctor thing. I don't want that, so hopefully I struck a good balance. I also wanted to show that it's not just Amy's fault. Rory never brings up the tough topics in their relationship at this point in the show. If he did and they just had it out, it would probably be for the better. I also wanted to hint that the crack is a part of the reason Amy is so messed up. Hopefully that is really showing here, especially in the second section.

Crookshanks- Thanks so much. I am glad you like the set ups I created. My favorite was the anniversary being the first 'I love you' AND the kissogram. They were two separate chapters at first until I realized by combining them, hilarity could ensue.

Hope you enjoy!