Mistressnmoon: Time for a new chapter! Since the last one was a little short, I decided to get this one done and published sooner rather than later! I've also been working on my other story too and am super excited to be writing both of them again! If you have any thoughts or opinions lemme know, I love to hear back from people. See you all next time!
(Also I apologize about some of the formatting stuff, I forgot that the way this site formats documents is a little weird.)
Part Three
"And you'll be sure to tell me if you see any, you know, monsters." I glanced at the Doctor's hands on Vincent's shoulders, as Vincent started to paint the church.
"Yes. While I may be mad, I'm not stupid."
"No, quiet. And to be honest…" He removed his hands from Vincent's shoulders and squatted next to him. "Not sure about mad either. It seems to me depression is a very complex…"
"Shhh. I'm working."
"Well, yes. Paint. Do painting!"
"I remember watching Michelangelo painting the Sistine Chapel. Wow! What a winger. I said to him, 'If you're scared of heights, you shouldn't have taken the job.'"
"Shh!" I glanced up at the Doctor from my book, noticing his pouting face.
"Come on, let's go for a short walk. Stay within shouting distance, yeah?" His face lit up just slightly, before his eyes shifted towards Vincent. "Come on, just a few feet away and back, it'll be fine." The Doctor seemed to toy with the idea for a minute, before nodding at me. "So, Doctor." I dragged out the word so, not entirely sure what to discuss but knowing I needed to keep the Doctor entertained at least a little bit. "Um. Have you met River yet?" He gave me a surprised look, as if he didn't expect me to know who River was.
"River Song?"
"Mhm. River Song."
"Met her once or twice, yeah." I nodded softly, also only having met her once myself.
"Same here. Seems lovely. Quite the lady, yeah?" The Doctor seemed a little uncomfortable with this conversation, wringing his hands together and bouncing his leg.
"Sure is."
"Uh huh. Bad ass lady."
"Yes well. So are you." My face flushed brightly at the compliment.
"Oh uh. You think so?" I paused, shyly meeting his eyes as he continued to fiddle with his hands.
"You're absolutely brilliant, and I think you're the bees' knees."
"Oh." Our conversation died into an awkward silence for a moment before I turned back towards the church. "Um. Should we maybe head back?"
"Uh sure."
"And Picasso. What a ghastly old goat. I kept telling him, 'Concentrate, Pablo, it's one eye, either side of the face.'"
"Quiet." Once more I looked up from my book at the Doctor, rolling my eyes at his impatience.
"Come here." The Doctor dragged his feet and came to sit next to me. I pulled his head onto my shoulder and started playing softly with his hair twirling his hair between my fingers. He finally seemed to relax just a little bit, resting against my shoulder with his eyes half closed. I continued to play softly with his hair as I continued with reading my book.
"Is this how time normally passes? Really slowly. In the right order." The Doctor stood up from next to me. "If there's one thing I can't stand, it's an unpunctual alien attack." He paced behind Vincent facing away from the church. Amy got up to join him, while I pretended to continue reading.
"Are you okay? You seem a bit, if I didn't know any better, I'd say nervous."
"There's something not right and I can't quite put my finger on it.
"There." All three of us turned towards the church, to see what Vincent was pointing at. "He's at the window."
"Where?"
"There, on the right." He once more pointed towards the window where the creature supposedly was.
"As I thought. Come on. I'm going in."
"Well, I'm coming too."
"No." The Doctor placed a hand up to stop him, while I tossed the man a questioning look. I knew he had the thing in the box, but wouldn't it be easier with someone who could see the creature out right? "You're Vincent Van Gogh. No."
"But you're not armed."
"I am."
"What with?"
"Overconfidence, this," The Doctor tapped on the case. "And a small screwdriver. I'm absolutely sorted. Just have to find the right crosactic setting and stun him with it. Sonic never fails. Anyway, Amy, only one thought, one simple instruction - don't follow me under any circumstances." It's like he knew better than to try to get me to stay out, like he knew that I wasn't going to let him go in on his own. I watched the Doctor give Vincent a look telling him not to let Amy out of his sight.
"I won't." The Doctor gave a thumbs up in response and started making his way towards the church, with me close on his heels. Once we were close enough the Doctor entered slowly and carefully. The Doctor kept checking his mirror and pulled out the sonic. Upon entering he checked the mirror for where the Krafayis was supposed to be.
"Damn. He's moved." I went to respond, ask if he could see it anywhere else, when suddenly he went flying across the room with a loud cry. I rushed over in order to help him up,
"Are you okay?"
"Yes." The Doctor pushed me behind him and started pushing us back with the sonic in front of him.
"Doctor!"
"Argh! I thought I told you… Never mind. We'll talk about it later. Quick, in here." The three of us squished into the confessional, me awkwardly pressed against the Doctors front. "Absolutely quiet. And you breathe a little quieter, please?"
"No!" Amy lifted the curtain while I calmed my breathing down, and bit my lip, as I tried not to feel too awkward pressed against the Doctor. "He's gone past."
"Shh. Both of you shut up." I hissed the words out as quietly as possible. There was a moment of silence before a gust blew into the confessional and Amy screamed. "I think her heard us." The grating was then pull out from behind me, pulling a muffled scream from my throat. "That is impressive hearing he's got." Another part of the confessional was ripped out. "What's less impressive are our chances of survival." Amy let out another scream, while I pushed closer to the Doctor.
"Hey, are you looking for me, sonny?" Amy peered out around me, I assumed at Vincent.
"Come on. Over here. Because I'm right here waiting for you. Come on. Quickly! Get behind me." The Doctor gently moved me out of the way, and behind Vincent with him and Amy. He started to use the sonic.
"Doing anything?" We all backed out of the room slowly. "Where is he?"
"Where do you think he is, you idiot? Use your head." The Doctor once again brandished his sonic towards the area we assumed the creature was in.
"Anything."
"Nothing. In fact, he seems to rather enjoy it. Duck." The Doctor followed Vincent's instructions. "Left." The Doctor moved to the left but was slammed against the wall.
"Right. Sorry." Me and Amy rushed over towards the Doctor to check on the man. Vincent moved to stand in front of the three of us, chair still in hand. "Your right my left."
"This is no good at all. Run like crazy and regroup."
"Oh, come on, in here." We all rushed into the room and started pushing the door closed. Vincent stamped his foot down near the door, I assume on the creature, before we finally closed the door, and all of us put our weight against it to keep it closed.
"Right. Okay. Here's the plan. Kitten, Amy Rory."
"Who?" My gaze snapped between the two, confusion on my face. Wasn't Amy like, involved with Rory? Why did the Doctor know who he was, but Amy didn't?
"Sorry, um, Vincent."
"What is the plan?" Amy really brushed over the whole name thing, but I knew I was giving the Doctor a confused look. I wanted, no, I needed to know more about Rory.
"I don't know actually. But in the future, I'm just using this screwdriver for screwing screws." I watched the Doctor tuck his sonic back into his jacket, before shaking my head. I could ask the Doctor about Rory later, maybe when Amy wasn't around.
"Give me a second. I'll be back."
"I suppose we could try talking to him."
"Talking to him?" I shared Amy's doubts about talking to this creature, after all I doubted that it was in the mood to talk.
"Well, yes. Might be interesting to know his side of the story. Yes, though maybe he's not really in the mood for conversation right at this precise moment." There was a growling noise, and the door bucked a little as the creature banged on it. "Well, no harm trying. Listen. Listen! I know you can understand me." The Doctor spun on his spot, so he was facing the door in order to talk better with the creature. "Even though I know you won't understand why you can understand me. I also know that no-one's talked to you for a pretty long stretch, but please... listen. I also don't belong on this planet. I also am alone. If you trust me, I'm sure we can come to some kind of, you know, understanding. And then, and then, who knows?" Suddenly the window across from us burst open as the creature made its way into the room. At the same time Vincent came rushing back into the room, his easel in hand.
"Over here, mate." We all ran over the stand behind the man, knowing he was the only one who could see the creature.
"What's it up to now?"
"It's moving round the room. Feeling its way around." Amy and Vincent had moved behind a sarcophagus, while me and the Doctor were behind pillars.
"What?"
"It's like it's trapped. It's moving round the edges of the room."
"I can't see a thing."
"I am really stupid."
"Oh really?" I muttered the words out, not actually thinking that the Doctor was stupid.
"Oh, get a grip! This is not a moment to re-evaluate your self-esteem."
"No, I am really stupid and I'm growing old. Why does it attack, but never eat its victims?" The Doctor moved to join the other two behind the sarcophagus, while I stayed put. "And why was it abandoned by its pack and left here to die? Why is it feeling its way helplessly around the walls of the room? It can't see, it's blind. That explains why it has such perfect hearing!"
"Which unfortunately also explains why it is now turning around and heading straight for us." Vincent took a step froward, brandishing the sharp end of his easel out as a weapon.
"Vincent. Vincent, what's happening?"
"It's charging now. Get back. Get back!" Vincent moved forward, probably to try to injure the creature before Vincent was being suspended in the air with the scent of blood heavy. Vincent let go of his easel and fell to the floor, the easel still floating in the air. ": He wasn't without mercy at all. He was without sight. I didn't mean that to happen. I only meant to wound it, I never meant to..." The Doctor kneeled down next to where the body was, indicated by the easel sticking out of wherever he had been stabbed.
"He's trying to say something."
"What is it?"
"I'm having trouble making it out, but I think he's saying, 'I'm afraid. I'm afraid.'" The Doctor reached out towards the body as I averted my eyes. There, there. It's okay. You'll be fine. Shh."
"He was frightened…and he lashed out. Like humans, who lash out when they're frightened. Like the villagers who scream at me. Like the children who throw stones at me." I wanted to speak up, to tell Vincent that it wasn't his fault, but the words were stuck in my throat. Death wasn't exactly new to me, but it wasn't a commonplace thing either.
"Sometimes winning… winning is no fun at all."
"Hold my hand, Doctor. Try to see what I see. We are so lucky we are still alive to see this beautiful world." We were laying down in the field with our heads together, staring at the stars together. As Vincent spoke, I linked hands with the Doctor and Amy, while Amy and Vincent also linked hands, making us a linked circle on the ground. "Look at the sky. It's not dark and black and without character. The black is in fact deep blue." Vincent pointed towards the sky; his hand intertwined with the Doctor's. "And blowing through the blueness and the blackness, the wind swirling through the air and then, shining, burning, bursting through - the stars! Can you see how they roar their light? Everywhere we look, the complex magic of nature blazes before our eyes."
"I've seen many things, my friend. But you're right. Nothing quite as wonderful as the things you see." It truly was a beautiful scene, one that I would never have seen without Vincent. Without the Doctor. I continued to stare at the night sky, never having seen the stars quite like this before.
"I will miss you all terribly."
Vincent had given the Doctor one of his paintings, it looked like a self-portrait, and the Doctor was giggling about it in excitement.
"Oh, no, no. I could never accept such an extraordinary gift."
"Very well. You are not the first to decline the offer." I could hear the hurt in his voice, but I'm sure the Doctor couldn't take it because it was a famous painting. Vincent then held his arms out towards Amy. "Amy, the blessed, the wonderful." The two hugged tightly, before Amy kissed Vincent.
"Be good to yourself and be kind to yourself."
"I'll try my best."
"And maybe give the beard a little trim before you next kiss someone." Amy let out a chuckle, rubbing gently at her cheek.
"I will. I will. And if you tire of this Doctor of yours, return, and we will have children by the dozen."
"Eek!"
"Coco. My wonderful, dear, friend. My home is always open to you." I grinned at the man before I gave him a big bear hug.
"Perhaps next time we won't have to have such an adventure and can just enjoy each other's company." Vincent was grinning softly as I pulled back from his embrace.
"I would quite like that." With that he turned towards the Doctor. "Doctor, my friend." Vincent took the Doctor's hands in his own before continuing. "We have fought monsters together and we have won. On my own, I fear I may not do as well." The Doctor tugged Vincent into a tight embrace, knowing what was to come in Vincent's future. I watched the two hugs, wishing that there was more that we could all do to help Vincent more.
As we were walking away from Vincent's home the Doctor turned towards Amy and me to ask us,
"Are you two thinking what I'm thinking?"
"I was thinking I may need some food before we leave." I gave a small, sad, shrug towards the Doctor not wanting to state my actual thoughts that were still on Vincent.
"I was thinking that I'm in desperate need of a hot shower."
"Well, no, you two are not thinking exactly what I'm thinking." The Doctor then turned towards the house and shouted for Vincent. "Vincent!" The man stuck his head out of the window, shirtless with a hairbrush in hand, as the Doctor continued yelling. "Got something I'd like to show you. Maybe just tidy yourself up a bit first." Amy and I shrugged at each other, not entirely sure where the Doctor was going with this.
"Now, you know we've had quite a few chats about the possibility there might be more to life than normal people imagine?" We had made our way towards the TARDIS, the Doctor having explained to Amy and me that we were going to show Vincent an art gallery in the future with his own work on display on the way over, only to see her covered in bills.
"Yes."
"Well, brace yourself, Vinny." The Doctor used a key to tear the bills covering the cracks of the opening of the doors before he opened the doors. Amy, the Doctor, and I all stood near the entrance of the TARDIS as Vincent got his first look inside the TARDIS. The man then stuck his head outside of the TARDS as if to examine the outside of the TARDIS, before stepping back inside.
"How come I'm the crazy one and you three have stayed sane?" I let out a soft snort at the man's statement. I'm not entirely sure I'd say that me or the Doctor were exactly sane. The Doctor walked over and grabbed Vincent's hat and tossed it to the side as they walked towards the main console.
"What do all these things do?
"Oh, a huge variety of things. This one here," The Doctor turned a knob before he continued talking, "for instance, plays soothing music." The Doctor danced for a brief moment. "While this one makes a huge amount of noise." I flinched as a distorted sound echoed through the room. "And this one makes everything go tonto." The console room started to shake for a moment before the Doctor turned it off.
"And this one?"
"That's a friction contrafibulator!"
"And this?"
"That's ketchup. And that one's mustard."
"Mmm. Nice!" Vincent grabbed onto the Doctor's shoulders, grinning wildly. "Come on. Back to the café and you can tell me about all the wonders of the universe."
"Good idea. Although, actually, there's a little something I'd like to show you first." With that said the Doctor rushed around the console, hitting certain buttons, and pulling other levers, to make the TARDIS start flying.
Once we had landed the Doctor flung open the doors, and we all stepped out of the TARDIS.
"Where are we?"
"Paris. 2010 AD. And this is the mighty Musee D'Orsay, home to many of the greatest paintings in history."
"Oh, that's wonderful." Two boys walked past us with headphones and players, and Vincent stared at them in wonderment and confusion.
"Ignore that. I've got something more important to show you." Vincent nodded, his attention divided between all the new and interesting sights. We steadily made our way towards the museum and Vincent entered looking extremely overwhelmed. Amy led the way past some famous paintings by Monet and Rodin. At one point the Doctor even had to drag Vincent away from several paintings. When we finally reached the Van Gogh exhibit the Doctor held out his arms. The Doctor then noticed someone who worked there and called for their attention.
"Dr. Black, we met a few days ago. Asked you about the church at Auvers." Amy led Vincent closer to the two men and I followed suit.
"Oh, yes. Glad to be of help. You were nice about my tie."
"Yes. And today is another cracker if I may say so. But I just wondered, between you and me, in 100 words, where do you think Van Gogh rates in the history of art?"
"Well, big question. But, to me, Van Gogh is the finest painter of them all." At this Vincent's eye started to tear up. This was probably one of the first times in his life that he'd heard that his art was good, beyond good even. "Certainly, the most popular, great painter of all time, the most beloved. His command of color, the most magnificent. He transformed the pain of his tormented life into ecstatic beauty. Pain is easy to portray, but to use your passion and pain to portray the ecstasy and joy and magnificence of our world - no-one had ever done it before. Perhaps no-one ever will again. To my mind, that strange, wild man who roamed the fields of Provence was not only the world's greatest artist, but also one of the greatest men who ever lived." At this point Vincent started to cry properly, tears streaking down his face.
"Vincent. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. Is it too much?" The Doctor gave Vincent a comforting hug, worried about the man.
"No. They are tears of joy." Vincent made his way to the other men, Dr. Black, and gave him a gallic kiss. "Thank you, sir. Thank you." Vincent then gave the man a quick hug.
"You're welcome. You're welcome."
"Sorry about the beard." Vincent walked back over to the rest of us, and we quietly made our way out of the exhibit and back to the TARDIS.
"This changes everything. I'll step out tomorrow with my easel on my back a different man. I still can't believe that one of the haystacks was in the museum. How embarrassing." I chuckled at the man, knowing that it had brightened his day to see his work hung on the museum walls even if it were embarrassing.
"It's been a great adventure and a great honor." The Doctor shook Vincent's hand and gave him a hug.
"You've turned out to be the first doctor ever to actually make a difference in my life."
"I'm delighted. I won't ever forget you." As the Doctor made his way towards the TARDIS, I gave Vincent a tight hug.
"I'll miss you my dear friend. I hope to see you again." I spoke softly in his ear, pulling back and following the Doctor towards the TARDIS. Next to the doors we watched Amy and Vincent say their goodbyes. After Amy had placed another kiss on Vincent's lips as a goodbye, she joined us and stated,
"Come on. Let's go back to the gallery right now."
"Time can be re-written. I know it can. Come on!" Amy exited the TARDIS with a large grin and skipped ahead of the Doctor and me. I followed slowly behind the girl, throwing a doubtful look towards the Doctor as we made our way into the museum.
"Oh, the long life of Vincent Van Gogh. There'll be hundreds of new paintings." I shared a look with the Doctor as he mumbled out,
"I'm not sure there will."
"Come on!" Amy rushed into the exhibit, disappointment crossing her features as she didn't see any new paintings.
"We have here the last work of Vincent Van Gogh, who committed suicide at only 37. He is now acknowledged to be one of the foremost artists of all time. If you follow me now..." Amy looked beyond crushed as she stated,
"So, you were right. No new paintings. We didn't make a difference at all."
"I wouldn't say that. The way I see it, every life is a pile of good things and bad things. Hey." The Doctor pulled her into a soft hug, trying to comfort her. "The good things don't always soften the bad things. But, vice versa - the bad things don't necessarily spoil the good things or make them unimportant." The Doctor released the hold he had on her from the hug but held onto her head. "And we definitely added to his pile of good things. And if you look carefully..." The Doctor led Amy over the painting of the church that we had been as not too long ago. "Maybe we did indeed make a couple of little changes."
"No Krafayis."
"No Krafayis." I stayed next to the Doctor as he continued to observe the painting, while Amy wandered away to look at something else. Once the Doctor noticed Amy making her way towards a painting, he wandered over, staying a slight distance away. I decided to follow the two, only to see that the painting of the sunflowers now said 'For Amy' on the right side of the vase. The Doctor let out a low whistle when he saw the words on the painting.
"If we had got married, our kids would have had very, very red hair."
"The Ultimate ginger."
"The ultimate ginge." The Doctor let out a laugh, while Amy smiled brightly. "Brighter than sunflowers." The Doctor gently rubbed Amy's back and gave her a one-armed hug, bringing a smile to my face. After a few moments I went to step away, feeling as though I was intruding on a moment, not entirely sure where I should go. After all I couldn't just stay with the Doctor uninvited, could I?
"Oi! Where do you think you're going?" I blinked towards the Doctor, more than a little surprised that he had noticed me leaving, before giving him a small shrug.
"Um, I'm not too sure frankly? Somewhere that I wouldn't be bothering y'all." The Doctor gave me an appraising look, as if trying to find something.
"Nonsense! You're sticking with us, right Pond?" Amy looked between the two of us, slightly confused, before she nodded.
"It wouldn't feel right without you Coco."
"Ahhh." I floundered for a moment in my confusion. "If you two say so. Now can I please go take a shower and get a change of clothes?" The two laughed with me, before agreeing with me, and we all made our way back to the TARDIS for some relaxation.
