DOCTOR WHO: RISE OF THE SMILERS

Chapter 9

"My loyal subjects…" began Liz proudly back at the quasher brigade base with the Doctor, Amy, Rory and the Cordale's at her side. "The threat of any Smiler upheaval or revolution is at an end thanks to my most dear of friends. I encourage you all to celebrate in the fact we have reclaimed our land. Rejoice people, rejoice!" she added before she commanded the people of Bonsarviss to bring any remaining Smiler casings to the government building for destruction.
"You don't want to destroy them all surely?" the Doctor asked.
"Course not…" Liz laughed. "Someone will no doubt want to use it for art. Someone always does." she added as the pair of them joked. Liz just hugged the Doctor tightly as the pair of them talked over what would have to happen next. Liz just thought of home and hoped those on Earth could one day just be as brave as those on Bonsarviss…

Amy and Rory meanwhile were just chatting with the Cordale's who looked completely drained from the events of the last few hours.
"What are you going to do now it's all done?" Amy asked to the pair of them as she sifted the dust of Smiler from her long red hair.
"Oh you know, be with our children…" Dennis smiled as he looked longingly into his wife's eyes.
"They are all grown up though…" Helen pointed out. "One's 30 this year and the other turned 26 last week…" she added. "I can be such an overbearing and embarrassing mother." Both Amy and Rory just looked puzzled as something didn't seem right.
"Don't mean to be rude, but how old are you?" Rory asked at Helen.
"Same age as my dear husband…" she smiled. "The big 6-0…."
"60?" said Amy shocked. "But how? And quite simply wow…you just look so young."
"Oh I was part of a trial period for a new body clock stopper pill. They were of a stored batch similar to that of the ones used on her majesty. Mine was the one that worked and I've aged apparently only five years in looks since then. That trial was 36 years ago, so I've done well…"
"Were both young at heart but wise in the mind…" smiled Dennis as he kissed his wife on the cheek. "Maybe you two will reach this age as a married couple. It's always a task in today's society."
"Well technically I am over 2,000 years old…" Rory muttered quietly. Both Helen and Dennis just looked bemused as Rory. He looked far too young to be over 2,000 years old, it just didn't compute with them.
"Just ignore him…" Amy laughed as she punched Rory jokingly on the shoulder.
"Well it is true…" Rory muttered.
"It might be the case Rory, but let's not confuse it anymore." Amy said as the Cordale's said their goodbyes to everyone. They collected their belongings that marked their years of research and headed off with wide smiles on their faces.

"So…" said Liz as she took her velvet red hood off from Rory. He'd seemingly forgotten about it altogether in the panic and mayhem of the day. "Where to next for you three then?"
"Oh, somewhere nice and…..relaxing…" the Doctor answered.
"Somewhere where I can't be turned into a Smiler would be a lovely bonus it would have to be said." Amy joked. "My clothes are ruined and reek of burnt microchips and oil."
"I can't disagree with that…." Rory said.
"Oi!" laughed Amy. "Just because my clothes smell of great work and initiative doesn't mean you can make fun of me!"
"It sort of does though…" the Doctor pointed out. "Go on, get a shower. Liz doesn't want the base having a lingering smell of Smiler."
"It's true…" Liz agreed. "But it was lovely to meet you again Doctor and Amy. Oh, and it was a pleasure to meet Mr Pond. Amy has really done well for herself."
"I'm not Mr Pond…" Rory sighed as he shook Liz's hand. Amy and the Doctor just smiled at him. "I'm a very good Mr Pond…" he added with a smile as he carried on the Doctor's joke from his wedding day that seemed so long ago.
"Goodbye Liz…" the Doctor said as he kissed her on the cheek.
"Ooh…" Liz blushed as her cheeks went bright red. "Before you know it he'll be taking me out to dinner."
"All in good time…" the Doctor laughed as he, Amy and Rory boarded the TARDIS. Liz just looked on and smiled widely as a gust of wind enveloped all around her and the base as the whirr of the blue box roared into life. Within moments it had gone and Liz just smiled. Bonsarviss was back to normality and she could rest easy.
"Have fun out there…" Liz said to herself as she looked to the sky wishing the best for her friends. "Have fun…"

As the TARDIS hummed quietly in flight, Amy made her way to the shower as the smell of the burnt out Smiler was really getting everywhere.
"It's really not the most flattering thing in the world Doctor if I can see you wearing that nose peg. It's not that bad!"
"I think you'll find it is…" he joked nasally as Amy went off to get cleaned. Rory meanwhile was just sitting down on one of the TARDIS seats and looked somewhat unsure with himself. The Doctor could see this and just stood alongside him.
"What's wrong centurion?" he asked with a wide smile. Rory just looked at him and just smiled too but the Doctor could see something was wrong. He could always tell when something was wrong with anyone most of the time, and with Rory, this appeared to happen quite a lot. "Rory, you can tell me, I'll try and help you…"
"Oh it's nothing…" Rory said dismissively.
"Well it's something then…" the Doctor said. Rory just looked at him again and just conceded to tell him his problem.
"All those things Ruth said Doctor….are they true in anyway?" he asked.
"What things?"
"She said I had no use and was just a spare part. It just made me wonder whether it was true or not. The pain I was in just made me look at how things are on here. I'm not sure whether to believe her or not." Rory explained solemnly. The Doctor just looked at Rory with utter surprise.
"You're not a spare part in any way at all. What would make you think that?" the Doctor said cheerily. "Without you, we wouldn't have Amy back and to be honest we may never have found out that Ruth was behind it all as she'd clocked you as a threat to her administration."
"I was a threat? Me? Really?"
"Of course…" the Doctor said simply. "Just ignore it. I'm know what it's like to take things onboard far too close to heart as it can just destroy you from the inside but you know you're more than welcome here."
"Thanks Doctor…" Rory said appreciatively.
"No problemo Mr Pond…" the Doctor said. "Oh, make sure I never say 'no problemo' ever again! God, that was cringe worthy."
"Sounded like my dad trying to be cool when I was younger…" laughed Rory. "I went through a phase of trying to be all arty and cool just to impress Amy. I had the sunglasses and the wacky hairstyle with clothes that had paint stains all over them. I saw some of the photos of it again when we were last home. I looked horrendous! It didn't work whatsoever in trying to impress Amy but my dad just tried to fit in with it all. He tried to dress like me, it was just so embarrassing."
"That's what dads are there for though!" the Doctor smiled. "River probably thinks that of you…" he added as Rory just laughed. It still felt odd thinking River was his daughter as he'd had no connection with her in the slightest. The dreams he'd had all those years ago of being there for every key moments of his child's growing up simply couldn't happen with the River situation. It broke his heart every time he thought of it. He was a parent, but barely knew what it was like and his parents were grandparents and they were none the wiser. A slight tear trickled from Rory's eye as he thought about it all again. The Doctor wasn't looking and Rory was thankful of that.
"What was your dad like then Doctor?" he eventually asked after he got rid of the tear.
"Oh, you know….embarrassing…All the fuss he kicked off when I first got my hands on this beauty…" he answered as he stroked a piece of the TARDIS. "He just wouldn't accept it, he wanted me to do something more than just lark about and time travel, but I've proven him wrong. It was the best decision I've ever made. I've got some great friends out of it. So dad, if you're listening…" he said as he looked above. "Your son's done well."
"What was his name?" Rory asked inquisitively.
"….Dad…" the Doctor said simply as he returned to the centre console. Rory thought he'd upset him a bit and immediately apologised. "Oh, there's no need for that Rory. It's just that I don't often think of home, or of my parents, so it can be a bit much at times…"
"I understand…" said Rory. "Whenever something reminds me of Leadworth or of home, it really just gets to you deep down no matter what wonders you see out here."
"See, it's things like you are really good for Rory…" the Doctor smiled. "Yes, I can have these chats with Amy but her mind soon diverts to shopping or what lipstick goes with which skirt and River's all fine and good but obviously I have to be careful with what I say for our timelines sake. You Rory are just someone I can confide in when needed and someone I can trust as I know we've both been through a lot in our lives. Technically, you are older than me aswell which makes it all the more odd…"
"Tell me about it…" laughed Rory. "I don't often think about those 2000 years but when I do I really feel as if it shows on me. Sounds daft I know but it's true…"
"Oh, it's not daft." the Doctor smiled. "It's what makes you such a brilliant person and friend." he added as he pulled at several controls on the TARDIS. He pointed to Rory to deal with certain controls and soon the TARDIS just roared loudly once again.
"Where are you taking us?" Rory asked.
"Somewhere relaxing…" the Doctor answered as he slipped and skidded around the console as Rory looked on with a smile. He knew at times like this that he did feel useful and was surrounded by his brilliant wife and a mightily good friend…