THE SACRIFICIAL LAMB
Chapter Two Amy wept as she sat on the examination table in the TARDIS's med bay. While she wept, her head in her hands, he felt a hand on her shoulder giving it a squeeze. "Rory," Amy said with relief, "you came back and…" She looked up and her spirits sank when she saw it was the Doctor with his hand on her shoulder. Her spirits sank even further when she saw the sad look on his face. She swallowed hard, trying to keep from crying again. "Is he…is he…" The Doctor nodded and he squeezed her shoulder when Amy's face fell. "Why? Why did he do this?" Amy said while the Doctor pulled up a chair beside the table and sat down. "I thought he liked it here. It's not like it's the first time this has happened. And I thought he liked you, why is he blaming you for all this?" "I think part of it is stress," the Doctor said. "This is very stressful, I'll be the first one to say that and some people don't handle stress all that well. I also think it's worrying about you and loving you so much that he wants to be protective of you, in some cases, overly protective, I think, since I think you're capable of taking care of yourself in most situations. And I think part of that protectiveness is being a bit jealous of our friendship and being a bit paranoid that we did something in his absence." "I also think making him pretend he was you when we were growing up didn't help," Amy said. "How did that work? What did you make him do?" the Doctor said. "You didn't force feed him bowls of fish custard, did you?" Amy chuckled. "No, I just would pretend I was in trouble and he would come and rescue me," Amy said with a wistful smile. "I never thought that Rory would one day actually come to my rescue and not only that but guard me for two thousand years. I do love him, Doctor, I really do." "I know you do and I know he knows that but I think he would prefer you would just settle down and be a good little housewife." Amy snorted. "Fat chance of that," she said. She let out a ragged sigh and the Doctor stood and put his hand on her back. "What if he's gone for good?" she asked him. "What if he divorces me now because I chose the TARDIS over Leadworth?" "Oh, I seriously doubt he'll divorce you," the Doctor said. "I gave him the number to my mobile and told him to give me a tinkle when he was ready to come back and he let me give him the number so I consider that a good sign. Just don't give up yet. Sometimes a little distance is what someone needs. I think he just needs to think without the threat of a monster jumping out at him. He loves you, Amy, and I think he'll support you, no matter what. We just need to sit down and have a nice chat when he decides to come back and I'm saying when, not if. I bet my remaining lives on that." He looked down when the mobile in his pocket rang. "Now see, he's already wanting to come back to us, told ya so," the Doctor said, reaching into his pocket. Amy watched in anticipation as he pulled out the mobile and opened it up. He hit the talk button and put it to his ear. "Rory, is that you?" "No, but if you want to call me Rory, I'll let you, Sweetie." The Doctor groaned. "River, what are you doing?" he said. "Well, I believe I'm phoning you unless you're s'posed to do something else with these phone boxes," River said. "And is that any way to say hello to me, Honey? I missed you!" "River, get off the phone in case Rory calls me. Go back to your prison cell or wherever you are at the moment." "Is that any way to talk to me? I found out something interesting that involves you and I escaped prison just to come and tell you about it." "Really? What have you found out?" the Doctor said. "Come and get me and I'll tell you. I assume that we'll have the TARDIS all to ourselves then?" she purred. "You assume incorrectly. Amy is here," the Doctor said. "But you thought I was Rory, he's not there?" "No, he isn't." "But Amy's there." "Yes, she is." "Well, why aren't they together? I thought those two were still in the middle of honeymoon bliss and wanted to be with one another whenever possible," River said. "Well, I'll tell you but let me come and get you first because it's a long explanation. The short of it though is Rory is mad at me and went back to Leadworth to live a normal life." "Really? How boring." "Yeah, tell me about it." "What did you do to make him mad at you?" "I didn't do anything. Why do you assume it's me?" "Because I know you, Sweetie," River purred. "Yeah, right, let me change Amy's IV bag and then I'll come and get you. I need the coordinates…" "Wait, what's wrong with Amy?" River said. "She got hurt and nearly died which is another reason why Rory's angry at me. Just let me come and get you and then I'll tell you everything, yeah?" "I'll be waiting, my petit chou chou," River said. River quickly gave him her coordinates before she ended the call. The Doctor shook his head and folded up the phone. "Petit chou chou? What's next on her list of pet names for me? Dumpling? Candy Floss? Chocolate Covered Sex Slave?" he muttered to himself as he walked over to the cabinet to get a fresh IV bag for Amy. A half hour later, the Doctor reached River's location. She was hiding behind some rocks about fifty feet in front of the prison. The Doctor shook his head as she ran inside. "One of these days they're gonna capture us both," he said as he hurried to the console. "Not a chance," River said. "You can run circles around those gits. Why do you think I keep escaping? Besides, I wouldn't let that happen. No conjugal visits then," she added with a wink. She chuckled when the Doctor blushed at that and quickly hid out of her sight behind the console. "So," River said, changing the subject, "where's Amy? Is she okay?" "She's in the med bay and yes, she is. If you want to go back and see her, I'll take the TARDIS into the vortex so we can talk." River nodded and walked to the back door. The TARDIS shifted around so she was at the door to the med bay. She walked inside and smiled fondly when she saw Amy lying in a small bed at the back of the med bay. After the Doctor finished changing her bag, he moved her to a proper bed so she'd be more comfortable. Amy looked over and smiled when River came inside. "Hey, nice to see ya again," Amy said. "And you," River said. "I always look forward to seeing you lot. But, what's wrong with Rory? Why did he swan off?" Amy sighed and sat up while River sat down on the end of the bed. She folded her hands in her lap while she told River what happened. River listened sympathetically to her friend, her hand on top of Amy's while Amy tried not to cry. While she was talking, River noticed movement out of the corner of her left eye and turned her head. The Doctor was standing by the door listening, he nodded and she smiled in return before turning her attention back to Amy while she finished her explanation. When she finished, River looked at the Doctor. "We have to go get him," River said to the Doctor. "We have to go talk some sense into him." "No, let him calm down and think things through. I don't want to force him to come back. If Amy's here, I'm sure he'll eventually come back here but for the moment, let him be. Now, what do you want to talk to me about?" the Doctor said. "Well, as you know, my guards sometimes lend me books so I can pass the time." "No, I didn't know that, but continue," the Doctor said. "Well, I asked for a book on Earth history, archaeologist that I am, you know. I was reading and came across something very interesting." "And that something interesting would be?" the Doctor said. River smiled broadly at him. "Guess what, Sweetie? There's a religion centered around you and you're their god."
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