Home, the long way round [1]

Chapter 12 - Vincet and the Doctor

“So this is one of the last paintings Van Gogh ever painted. Those final months of his life were probably the most astonishing artistic outpouring in history.” The man from the museum talked to the people as the Doctor, Amy and Maddie were wandering throughout the museum. “It was like Shakespeare knocking off Othello, Macbeth and King Lear over the summer hols. And especially astonishing because Van Gogh did it with no hope of praise or reward.”

“Thanks for bringing me.” Amy told to the Doctor.

“You're welcome.” The Doctor nodded to her.

“You're being so nice to me.” Amy looked at him, suspicions. “Why are you being so nice to me?”

“I'm always nice to you.” The Doctor replied to her. Maddie looked at a painting.

“Not like this.” Amy told him. “These places you're taking me Arcadia, the Trojan Gardens, now this. I think it's suspicious.”

“There's nothing to be suspicious about.” The Doctor told her seriously.

“Okay, I was joking.” Amy looked at him, confused. “Why aren't you?”

Then they heard the man from the museum talking again. “Each of these pictures now is worth tens of millions of pounds. Yet in his lifetime, he was a commercial disaster. Sold only one painting, and that to the sister of a friend. We have here possibly the greatest artist of all time, but when he died, you could sold his entire body of work and got about enough money to buy a sofa and a couple of chairs. If you follow me now…”

“Who is it?” A boy asked to another boy.

“It's the doctor!” The other boy exclaimed as the Doctor turned around to look at them. “He was the doctor who took care of Van Gogh when he started to go mad.”

“I knew that.” The boy huffed.

“Look!” Amy exclaimed looking at a painting. “There it is, the actual one.”

“Yes.” The Doctor also looked at it. “You can almost feel his hand painting it right in front of you. Carving the colors into shapes…” Then they walked further as then he stopped again by a church painting. “Wait a minute.”

Amy looked irritated. “What?”

“Doctor, what is it?” Maddison asked to him.

“Well, just look at that.” The Doctor replied, pointing on the painting.

“What?” Amy looked confused.

“Something very not good indeed.” He looked at it.

“What thing very not good?” Amy sighed.

“Look there, in the window of the church.” The Doctor pointed again.

“A face.” Maddie comment as he nodded to her.

“Is it a face?” Amy asked to him.

“Yes.” The Doctor replied to her. “And not a nice face at all. I know evil when I see it and I see it in that window.” Then he strode to the man.

“It has changed hands for something in the region of 20…”

“Excuse me.” The Doctor interrupted him. “If I can just interrupt for one second.” Then he flashed with his paper. “Sorry, everyone. Routine inspection, Ministry of Art and Artiness. So, um…”

“Dr. Black.” The man introduced himself.

“Yes, that's right.” The Doctor pointed at the painting of a church. “Do you know when that picture of the church was painted?”

“Ah, what an interesting question.” Dr. Black began talking. “Most people…”

“When was it?” The Doctor interrupted him again.

“Rude.” Maddie whispered to him.

“Exactly?” He asked. 

“As exactly as you can.” The Doctor replied to him. “Without a long speech, if poss. I'm in a hurry.”

“Well, in that case, probably somewhere between the 1st and 3rd of June.” Dr. Black told him.

“What year?” He asked to him. Maddie face palmed on how rude he was.

“1890.” Dr. Black replied to him. “Less than a year before he killed himself.”

“Thank you, sir.” The Doctor looked at him. “Very helpful indeed. Nice bow-tie.” He glanced at the girls. “Bow-ties are cool.”

Maddie smiled at him. “They are.” Then the Doctor smiled back at her.

“Yours is very…” Dr. Black trailed off.

“Oh, thank you.” The Doctor grinned. “Keep telling them stuff.” Then he looked at the girls. “We need to go.”

“What about the other pictures?” Amy asked to him.

“Art can wait.” The Doctor replied to her, he dragged her with him. “This is life and death. We need to talk to Vincent Van Gogh.” Maddie shook her head as she grinned at the word choice of the Doctor.

~00~

They had landed as they walked outside of the TARDIS. Then the Doctor told them as they started walking. “Right, so here's the plan. We find Vincent and he leads us straight to the church and our nasty friend.”

“Easy peasy.” Amy said with a grin.

“Well, no.” The Doctor told her. “I suspect nothing will be easy with Mr. Van Gogh. Now, he'll probably be in the local café sort of orangey light, chairs and tables outside.”

“Like this?” Amy pointed in her book.

“That's the one.” The Doctor nodded to her.

“Or indeed like that.” Maddie pointed at the café with orange lights.

“Yeah, exactly like that.” The Doctor and Amy looked up from her book as then they walked towards it. “Good evening.” Then he asked to a man. “Does the name Vincent Van Gogh ring a bell?”

“Don't mention that man to me.” The man said irritated, before he walked away from them.

“Excuse me.” The Doctor asked to two women. “Do you know Vincent Van Gogh?”

“Unfortunately.” The first woman replied.

Maddie came by the Doctor. “Unfortunately?”

“He's drunk, he's mad and he never pays his bills.” She replied to him.

“Good painter, though, eh?” He looked at them as then they started laughing, he sighed as he sat down in a chair. Then Maddie came next to him.

Just then, the great painter and the man from earlier came outside. “Come on! Come on! One painting for one drink. That's not a bad deal.”

“It wouldn't be a bad deal if the painting were any good.” The man held a painting in the air. “I can't hang that up on my walls. It'd scare the customers half to death. It's bad enough having you in here in person, let alone looming over the customers day and night in a stupid hat.” Then he gave the painting back to van Gogh. “You pay money or you get out.”

“I'll pay if you like.” The Doctor said to them.

“What?” The man and van Gogh looked at him.

“Well, if you like. I'll pay for the drink.” The Doctor told them. “Or I'll pay for the painting and you can use the money to pay for the drink.”

“Exactly who are you?” van Gogh asked to him.

“I'm… new in town.” The Doctor replied to him.

“Well, in that case, you don't know three things.” Van Gogh looked at him. “One, I pay for my own drinks, thank you. Two, no-one ever buys any of my paintings or they would be laughed out of town, so if you want to stay in town, I suggest you keep your cash to yourself. And three, your friends cute, but you should keep your big nose out of other people's business.” Then he looked at the man. “Come on, just one more drink. I'll pay tomorrow.”

He sighed. “No.”

“Or, on the other hand, slightly more compassionately, yes.” van Gogh looked at him.

“Or, on the other hand, to protect my business from madmen, no.” The man looked at him.

“Or?” van Gogh looked back.

Just then, Amy interrupted them. “Oh, look, just shut up the pair of you!” Then she walked forwards to them. “I would like a bottle of wine, please, which I will then share with whomever I choose.”

“That could be good.” The man sighed, but walked back inside.

“That's good by me.” van Gogh smiled at her.

“Good.” Amy smiled back.

Then they all walked inside of the café and sat down with the wine as van Gogh asked to Amy. “That accent of yours. You from Holland like me?”

“Yes.” The Doctor replied to him.

“No.” Amy answered on the same time.

“She means yes.” The Doctor told him as then he held out his hand. “So, start again. Hello, I'm the Doctor.”

“I knew it!” van Gogh exclaimed.

“Sorry?” The Doctor looked bewildered.

van Gogh sighed as then he said to them. “My brother's always sending doctors, but you won't be able to help.”

“No, not that kind of doctor.” The Doctor told him as then he noticed a painting from him, by the table. “That's incredible, don't you think, Amy, Maddie?”

Maddie was in thought. “Huh, yeah.”

“Absolutely.” Amy replied, smiling. “One of my favorites.”

“One of my favorite what’s?” van Gogh spoke to her. “You've never seen my work before.”

Amy realized her mistake as then she corrected herself. “Ah, yes. One of my favorite paintings that I've ever seen. Generally.”

“Then you can't have seen many paintings, then.” van Gogh looked at his painting. “I know it's terrible. It's the best I could do.” Then he comment to Amy. “Your hair is orange.”

“Yes.” Amy comment back. “So's yours.”

“Yes.” van Gogh sighed. “It was more orange, but now is, of course, less.”

Then the Doctor sighed as he rolled with eyes and then he spoke to van Gogh, changing the conversation. “So, Vincent, painted any churches recently? Any churchy plans? Are churches, chapels, religiously stuff like that, something you'd like to get into? You know, fairly soon?”

“Well, there is one church I'm thinking of painting when the weather is right.” van Gogh replied to him.

“That is very good news.” The Doctor nodded to him.

Just then someone shouted. “She's been murdered! Help me!”

“That, on the other hand, isn't quite such good news.” The Doctor comment, before he stood up and shouted at them. “Come on, Amy, Maddie, Vincent!”

They made their way to outside as they saw a woman dead lying on the ground. “She's been ripped to shreds!”

“Please, let me look.” The Doctor said to them. “I'm a doctor.”

“Awful.” Maddie whispered.

“Who is it?”

“Oh, no, no, no.” The Doctor muttered.

“Is she dead?”

Then the mother of the woman came to them as she shouted. “Away, all of you vultures!” Then the Doctor stood up as the mother crouched down. “This is my daughter. Giselle. What monster could have done this?” The Doctor stood still close by them as she shouted at him. “Get away from her!”

“Okay, okay.” The Doctor backed away.

“Get that madman out of here!” The woman shouted as she begun the throw with rocks. “You bring this on us. Your madness! You! He's to blame!” Then they all begun to throw at them, they ran away from there quickly.

When they were far away enough, the Doctor asked to them. “Are you all right?”

“Yes, I'm used to it.” van Gogh replied as the girls nodded to him.

“Has anything like this murder happened here before?” Maddie asked to him.

“Only a week ago.” van Gogh replied to her. “It's a terrible time.”

“As I thought, as I thought.” The Doctor nodded to him. “Come on, we'd better get you home.”

“Where are you staying tonight?” van Gogh asked to them.

“Oh, you're very kind.” The Doctor replied, patted on his shoulder as van Gogh looked confused.

~00~

“Dark night, very starry.” The Doctor comment as they were walking to van Gogh’s house.

Maddie looked at him. “Yes, it is.” The Doctor looked back at her and smiled, grabbing her hand.

Then they arrived at van Gogh’s house as he said to them. “It's not much. I live on my own.” He put on a light with a candle. “But you should be okay for one night. ONE night.”

“We're going to stay with him?” Amy whispered to the Doctor.

“Until he paints that church.” The Doctor whispered back.

“Watch out.” Van Gogh warned them. A painting that hung in their way from the door. “That one's wet.”

“What?” Amy asked confused, then she walked past it.

“Beautiful.” Maddie whispered to herself.

“Sorry about all the clutter.” van Gogh apologized as they all saw the paintings in the room.

“Some clutter.” The Doctor comment dryly.

Maddie smiled at him as then she looked around the room. “Just wow.” She told to the Doctor, who smiled at her comment.

“I've come to accept the only person who's going to love my paintings is me.” van Gogh comment sadly.

“Wow.” Amy exclaimed. “I mean, really. Wow.”

The Doctor and Maddie stood next to each other as then the great painter sighed. “Yeah, I know it's a mess. I'll have a proper clear-out. I must, I really must.” He called to them. “Coffee, anyone?”

“Not for me, actually.” The Doctor replied to him.

“I want one.” Maddie also replied to him.

van Gogh put the pot down on one of his painting. “You know, you should be careful with these. They're precious.” The Doctor told him.

“Precious to me. Not precious to anyone else.” Van Gogh said as he put the pot away.

Then Amy poked her head by the doorway. “They're precious to me!”

“Well, you're very kind.” van Gogh told her warmly. “And kindness is most welcome.”

“Right, so, this church, then.” The Doctor asked to him. “Near here, is it?”

“What is it with you and the church?” van Gogh looked confused at him.

“Oh, just casually interested in it, you know.” The Doctor replied to him.

“Far from casual.” van Gogh looked at him. “Seems to me. you never talk about anything else.” Then he looked at the girls. “He's a strange one.”

“Okay, so let's talk about you.” The Doctor sighed. “What are you interested in?”

“Look around.” van Gogh replied to him as if it was obvious. “Art. It seems to me there's so much more to the world than the average eye is allowed to see. I believe, if you look hard, there are more wonders in this universe than you could ever have dreamed of.”

The Doctor glanced at Maddie, smiling. “You don't have to tell me.”

~00~

Not much later, Maddie and Amy were outside looking at the painting that were outside, then Amy asked to Maddie. “What’s with you and the Doctor?”

“What do you mean?” She asked to her.

“Well, are you together?” Amy asked back.

She frowned. “What has you given that idea?”

“Uh, I don’t know. Just curious, I guess.” Amy replied to her.

Then Maddie looked at a painting. “Hmm.” She hummed.

Just they were hit from behind as they screamed loud, making the Doctor and van Gogh coming outside. Then the Doctor rushed to the girls. “Amy? Maddie? What happened?”

“I was having a look at the paintings out here when something hit me from behind.” Amy replied to him as she sat on the ground.

“What Amy said.” Maddie muttered also sitting on the ground. 

“It's okay.” The Doctor told them, then he helped Maddie up. “He's gone now and we're here.”

Just then van Gogh shouted. “No!”

“Take it easy. Take it easy!” The Doctor told to him.

“What's happening?” Amy asked confused.

Maddie looked at them. “What's he doing?”

“I don't know.” The Doctor replied confused as then van Gogh came to him with a large fork. “Oh, dear.” He backed away as van Gogh was hitting something.

“Run. Run!” van Gogh told to them.

“Yeah, yeah, yeah. That's not a bad idea.” The Doctor agreed to him as then said to Amy, who was in the way from van Gogh. “Amy, get back.” Amy backed away as Maddie stood by a wall, Amy came there as well. “He's having some kind of fit. I'll try to calm him down.” He said to the girls, then he told to van Gogh. “Easy, Vincent, easy. Look, look. It's me, it's me, it's me. It's the... Doctor, look. No-one else is here. So, Vincent…”

“Look out!” van Gogh shouted to him. tThen the Doctor was hit by an unseen force, but for some reason van Gogh only could see.

“Doctor!” Maddie shouted as she rushed towards him, but he got up already.

“I can't see anything. What is it?” Amy asked confused.

“That is a good question.” The Doctor replied, then he grabbed a stick and went to van Gogh. “Let me help you.”

“You can see him, too?” van Gogh asked to him.

“Yes. Ish. Well, no. Not really.” The Doctor replied to him, then he was hit again.

van Gogh came to him. “You couldn't see him?”

“No.” The Doctor stood up again and began to swing somewhere. “Oi!”

Not much later van Gogh had the unseen beast chased as it was gone there. Then he came to the Doctor, who was still swinging in the air. “He's gone.”

“Oh, right.” The Doctor turned around and put the stick away. “Yes, of course.” He looked embarrassed. “Right.”

Just then they went inside of the again. “So he's invisible? What did he look like?” The Doctor asked.

“I'll show you.” van Gogh replied to him as he grabbed one of his paintings and started paint it white.

The Doctor looked in horror as Amy gasped and Maddie looked sad about the painting. “Oh, no, no, no!”

Van Gogh looked at them confused. “What?”

“It's just…” The Doctor sighed. “That was quite a good. Oh, no. On you go.” As soon as the white paint it was dried, van Gogh began to sketch what it looked like. When he was done, he let see the Doctor what it looked like. “Okay. Okay.” The Doctor grabbed the drawing. “Right. Amy, make Mr. Van Gogh comfortable. Don't let any invisible monsters in through the front door.”

Amy stood up from the chair she sat on. “But it could be outside, waiting.”

“Don't worry, I'll risk it.” The Doctor told her as he grabbed Maddie’s hand. “What's the worst that can happen?”

“You could get torn into pieces by a monster you can't see.” Amy replied to him.

“Oh, right, yes. That. Don't worry. I'll be back before you can say, Where's he got to now?” They walked out of the house as then the Doctor poked with head inside the house again. “Not that fast! But pretty fast.” They were startled as then he said to them. “See you around.” Then he went out of the house again as then he and Maddie went to the TARDIS.

“Sometimes you are a child, Doctor.” Maddie comment to him.

“Yes, but you like me anyway.” He grinned at her.

“True.” Maddie smiled back at him.

~00~

They were arrived in the TARDIS, the Doctor went to look for something. “Right. You in here somewhere? I can't apologize enough. I thought you were just a useless gadget.” Then he found it as then he went to the console were Maddie was standing. “I thought you were just an embarrassing present from a dull godmother with two heads and bad breath. Twice. How wrong can a man be?” He connected it to the console and he stood for it as it started working. “Good. Okay, you're working.” He looked at a little mirror and stood ‘match found’.

Maddie looked over the paper that stood ‘Name: Doctor’ and ‘Planet: Gallifrey’ printed on top with an picture of an old man. “Is that you?”

The Doctor looked over as well as he replied to her. “Yes, that was in my first incarnation.”

“How many faces did you have?” Maddie asked curious.

“A few already.” The Doctor shrugged.

“And that is?” Maddie asked to him.

“I’m on my eleventh face.” He replied to her.

“Okay, that is a lot.” Maddie told him, but she had a feeling that he wasn’t really honest with her, but it is on him to tell it when he was really for it, also she thought that it had to do with the Time War.

“Now, see what you make of this.” The Doctor held the sketch for the little mirror. “Who is that?” first came a picture of a parrot. “No, I know it's not that. There are thousands of them and you can see them plain as day.” Then an ice bear. “No. Definitely not. This is the problem with the impressionists not accurate enough.” Then the machine was shut off as the Doctor talked. “This would never happen with Gainsborough or one of those proper painters. Sorry, Vincent. You'll just have to draw something better.”

“And who can that better?” Maddie crossed with her arms.

The Doctor looked at her. “Nobody.”

“Exactly.” Maddie told him. “I’m not that even good.”

The Doctor looked at her. “Well, I don’t know. I haven’t seen you drawings yet.”

Maddie face palmed. “Yeah, I know. When this is over we are going to look at my drawings, Doctor.”

“Really?” He grinned at her.

“Yeah.” Maddie nodded to him.

Then they went outside, the Doctor had the machine on him as then he turned it on. Then the machine made a sound and he looked at it. “That's better, old girl. Time-delay, but you always get it right in the end.” He comment, Maddie looked on the machine as well. “Good. Let's find out who this is, then. Whoa, there you are, you poor thing. You brutal, murderous, abandoned thing. I hope we meet again soon so I can take you home.” The Doctor looked in the mirror to see the creature coming towards them. “Maybe not that soon.” He comment, he grabbed Maddie’s hand as they run away from it also throwing stuff on the ground. Then they around a corner as the creature went away from them. The Doctor looked to Amy standing there as they were both startled and Maddie wacked him from that she was also scared. “Never do that!” He told to Amy. “You scared the living daylights out of me.”

“Sorry. I got bored.” Amy told him. “As much as you admire his command of color and shape, it is hard to get fond of Vincent Van Gogh's snoring.”

“That’s a sound I don’t even want to hear.” Maddie comment as the Doctor face palmed at her comment. ‘Not ready to sleep together then?’ He thought to her, teasing.

Maddie’s face went red as she looked at him. ‘No.’ she thought back, but was basically creaming in his head. 

Then Amy looked confused at them. “What are you two doing?” She saw the red face from Maddie and the teasing look from the Doctor.

“We can speak telepathic to each other.” The Doctor replied to her.

‘Tease.’ Maddie thought to him as he stick out his tongue to her.

“So you two can speak telepathic to each other?” Amy asked confused.

Maddie nodded to her. “Yeah.”

Then they began with walking to van Gogh’s home as Amy asked to her. “Since when can you two do that?”

“Since a short time.” Maddie replied to her. 

Amy nodded to her. “Okay.” Then they walked further to the great painter’s home.

~00~

The Doctor opened the door from van Gogh room and strode inside, shouting happily. “Wake, wakey. Rise and shine!” van Gogh startled awake from him. “Breakfast is served in the courtyard.” Then the Doctor opened the window. “Whoa! What a morning. Come on. And Amy's got a little surprise for you.” He said to him as then he walked down stairs as van Gogh stood by the window.

Amy sat by the table, next to her sat Maddie. “I thought I'd brighten things up to thank you for saving me last night.” Amy looked at him. “I thought you might like, you know, possibly to perhaps paint them or something? Might be a thought.”

“Yes.” van Gogh replied to her as the Doctor stood next to Amy. “They're not my favorite flower.”

“You don't like sunflowers?” Amy exclaimed.

“No, it's not that I don't like them.” van Gogh replied to her. “I find them complex. Always somewhere between living and dying. Half-human as they turn to the sun. A little disgusting. But, you know, they are a challenge.”

Then the Doctor looked at him. “And one I'm pretty sure you will rise to. But, moving on, there's something I need to show you.”

~00~

“That's him.” van Gogh was holding a picture of the creature. “And the eyes. Without mercy.”

“This is a creature called the Krafayis.” The Doctor explained it to him. “They travel in space, they travel as a pack. Scavenging across the universe. Sometimes one of them gets left behind and because they are a brutal race, the others never come back. so, dotted all around the universe are individual, utterly merciless, utterly abandoned Krafayis. And what they do is… Well, kill, until they're killed. Which they usually aren't. Because other creatures can't see them.”

“But I can.” van Gogh comment.

“Yes.” The Doctor nodded to him. “And that's why we are in a unique position today, my friend, to end this reign of terror.” Then he sat on a chair. “So, feeling like painting the church today?”

“What about the monster?” van Gogh asked back to him.

“Take my word for it.” The Doctor replied to him. “If you paint it, he will come.”

“Okay.” van Gogh nodded to him. “I'll get my things.” Then he stood up and walked to the door.

“In your own time. I promise you, we'll be out of your hair by this time tomorrow.” The Doctor told him. Then van Gogh went to his room as then the Doctor told to the girls. “This is risky.”

“Riskier than normal?” Amy asked to him.

“Well, think about it.” The Doctor replied to her as then he stood up from his chair. “This is the middle of Vincent Van Gogh's greatest year of painting. The result of our trip could be the brutal murder of the greatest artist who ever lived. Half the pictures on the wall of the Musee D'Orsay will disappear. And it will be our fault.”

“Then we must not let that happen.” Maddie comment to them.

~00~

Amy and Maddie came up the stairs to where the Doctor was. “What's happening?”

“We're leaving.” The Doctor replied to them. “Everyone knows he's a delicate man. Just months from now he'll… he'll take his own life.”

“Don't say that. Please.” Amy whispered sadly.

The Doctor ignored it as he said to them. “Come on.” Then he walked down stairs as the girls followed to the living room. “We have to do this on our own.” He mumbled as he closed a suitcase. “Go to the church at the right time and hope the monster still turns up.”

Just then the great painter came towards to them, he grabbed a brush. “I'm ready. Let's go.”

~00~

They were walking to the church as Amy told to van Gogh. “I'm sorry you're so sad.”

“But I'm not.” van Gogh told her. “Sometimes these moods torture me for weeks, for months. But I'm good now. If Amy Pond can soldier on, then so can Vincent Van Gogh.” The Doctor and Maddie looked at each other, looking sad about the loss of their friend Rory. Maddie could remember Rory, but it was a mystery as to how.

“I'm not soldiering on. I'm fine.” Amy told a little confused.

“Oh, Amy.” van Gogh told her gently. “I hear the song of your sadness. You've lost someone I think.”

“I'm not sad.” Amy insisted.

“They why are you crying?” van Gogh asked to her as she touched her cheek, looking confused. “It's all right. I understand.”

Amy was very confused. “I'm not sure I do.”

Just then the Doctor said loudly. “Okay. Okay! So, now, we must have a plan. When the creature returns…”

van Gogh interrupted him. “Then we shall fight him again.”

“Well, yes, tick. But last night we were lucky.” The Doctor gestured to the girls. “Amy and Maddie could have been killed. So this time, for a start, we have to make sure I can see him, too.”

“And how are we meant to do that, suddenly?” Amy asked mockingly.

“The answer's in this box.” The Doctor replied, patting on the suitcase. “I had an excellent, if smelly, godmother.” Maddie made a face at his comment.

The Doctor paused, he saw the funeral of the girl coming their way, then van Gogh muttered. “Oh, no. It's that poor girl from the village.” They walked past them as van Gogh took his hat off as the others looked at them, solemnly. Amy and Maddie saw the sunflowers on the coffin.

“Poor girl.” Maddie muttered as the Doctor grabbed her hand.

When they were gone Amy asked to him. “You do have a plan? Don't you?”

“No.” The Doctor replied to her. “It's a thing it's like a plan, but with more greatness.”

“Knowing him, he doesn’t have plan at all.” Maddie comment as they started with walking again to the church. Then the Doctor rolled his eyes at her.

~00~

van Gogh set up his stuff as the Doctor told him. “And you'll be sure to tell me if you see any, you know, monsters.”

van Gogh sat down on his chair as he told him. “Yes. While I may be mad, I'm not stupid.”

“No, quite.” The Doctor crouched down next to him. “And, to be honest not sure about mad either. It seems to me depression is a very complex… “

“Shh.” van Gogh pointed at his blank canvas. “I'm working.”

“Well, yes. Paint. Do painting!” The Doctor complained as then the painter started to paint, he rambled. “I remember watching Michelangelo painting the Sistine Chapel. Wow! What a whinger. I said to him, Look, if you're scared of heights, you shouldn't have taken the job.”

“Shh!” Amy hissed at him.

The Doctor ignored her. “And Picasso. What a ghastly old goat. I kept telling him, Concentrate, Pablo, it's one eye, either side of the face.”

“Quiet.” Amy scolded him as the Doctor sulked away from her.

Maddie laughed at him. “He is just like a child.” She muttered. Then she walked to him and dragged him with her, to where Amy and van Gogh couldn’t see them for the moment.

The Doctor stood there awkwardly. “Maddie, shouldn’t we be with others?”

“Well, yeah but you are just so impatient, Doctor.” Maddie replied to him.

He looked surprised to her. “Impatient?”

“Yep.” Maddie replied.

The Doctor scratched the back of head. “Oh.”

Just then, Maddie walked forward to him and kissed him. Then she backed away as the Doctor stood there speechless, blinking at her as she grinned at him, before walking back to the others. When Amy saw her, she asked to her, curious. “What did you do with the Doctor?”

“Just something that he would be quiet for a while.” Maddie replied mysterious.

“You two snogged?” Amy smirked at her. Maddie didn’t say anything further as she walked to the painter. Amy huffed, because she didn’t get an answer.

A few hours later, the Doctor had come back as he sat down on the grass pouting a little. Maddie laughed at him as Amy grinned. Then he complained. “Is this how time normally passes? Really slowly. In the right order.” Then he stood up and walked around. “If there's one thing I can't stand, it's an unpunctual alien attack.”

Then Amy came to him. “Are you okay? You seem a bit, if I didn't know better, I'd say nervous.”

“There's something not right and I can't quite put my finger on it.” The Doctor comment, sighing.

Just then van Gogh exclaimed loudly. “There. He's at the window.”

The Doctor turned around to look at him. “Where?”

“There, on the right.” He replied to him.

“As I thought.” The Doctor grabbed his suitcase. “Come on. I'm going in.”

“Well, I'm coming, too.” The painter told him.

“No.” The Doctor exclaimed. “You're Vincent Van Gogh. No.”

“But you're not armed.” van Gogh looked at him.

“I am.” The Doctor patted on his suitcase.

“What with?” van Gogh demanded.

“Overconfidence, this and a small screw driver.” The Doctor looked at him. “I'm sorted. Just have to find the right crosactic setting, and stun him with it. Sonic never fails.” Then he looked at the girls. “Anyway, Amy, Maddie, only one thought, one simple instruction don't follow me under any circumstances.”

“I won't.” Amy told him.

Then he looked at Maddie. “I won’t either.” He nodded to her, then he walked away from them.

Van Gogh looked at Amy. “Will you follow him?”

“Of course.” She replied to him.

“I love you.” He grinned at her.

“Has he moved?” Amy asked to him, she paced around.

“No. Just shifted to the next window.” van Gogh replied to her. “But, wait! He's turning now. He's moved.”

Just then, they heard something crash as Amy shouted. “Doctor!” She and Maddie rushed to get inside of the church.

“Amy!” van Gogh called to the red head.

“Doctor!” Maddie shouted as then they were inside the church.

“Argh!” The Doctor turned around to see Maddie and Amy. “I thought I told you… Never mind. We'll talk about it later. Quick. In here.” They went into a small space, then he asked to Amy. “Can you breathe a little quieter, please?”

“No!” Amy replied. Then she comment, hearing nothing anymore. “He's gone past.”

“Shh. I think he heard us.” The Doctor comment, then the wall was cut. “That is impressive hearing he's got. What's less impressive are our chances of survival.”

Just then, they heard van Gogh shouting. “Hey, are you looking for me, sonny? Come on. Over here. Because I'm right here waiting for you.” Then others went out of the small space as van Gogh ordered them. “Come on. Quickly! Get behind me.”

They went behind van Gogh as the Doctor asked to him. “Doing anything?” He shook his head. “Where is he?” They run out of the church.

“Where do you think he is, you idiot?” van Gogh comment. “Use your head.”

“Anything?” The Doctor used his sonic.

“Nothing. In fact, he seemed to rather enjoy it.” van Gogh replied to him.

“Ooh.” The Doctor muttered.

“Duck.” van Gogh ordered the Doctor. “Left.” Then he was hit as he fell on the ground. “Right, sorry.” van Gogh shrugged.

“Agh!” The Doctor groaned as Amy and Maddie rushed towards him.

“Your right, my left.” van Gogh told him.

“This is no good at all. Run like crazy and regroup.” The Doctor muttered.

“Oh, come on, in here.” Maddie told them as they went to the crypt. They went inside and they slammed the door shut.

The Doctor looked at them. “Right. Okay. Here's the plan. Amy, Rory.”

“Who?” Amy asked confused. 

“Sorry, um, Vincent.” The Doctor corrected himself.

Maddie looked at him sadly. “Amy doesn’t remember him, remember?” She whispered to him, he nodded to him.

“What is the plan?” Amy asked, she thankfully didn’t hear her. 

“I don't know, actually.” The Doctor replied, putting his screwdriver away. “But in future, I'm just using this screwdriver for screwing in screws.”

“Give me a second. I'll be back.” van Gogh told them as then he rushed away.

“I suppose we could try talking to him.” The Doctor suggested.

“Yeah, that will work.” Maddie told him sarcastically.

“Talking to him?!” Amy exclaimed. 

“Well, yes. Might be interesting to know his side of the story.” The Doctor told them, then there was a bang at the door. “Yes, though maybe he's not really in the mood for conversation right at this precise moment. Well, no harm trying.” He tried it anyway. “Listen. Listen! I know you can understand me. 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?”

Just then van Gogh came back with his easel. “Over here, mate!”

The others went over to him as the Doctor asked. “What's it up to now?” 

“It's moving round the room. Feeling its way around.” van Gogh replied to him.

“What?” He asked confused.

“It's like it's trapped. It's moving round the edges of the room.” van Gogh replied to him.

“I can't see a thing.” Amy exclaimed.

“I am really stupid.” The Doctor comment.

Maddie looked at him. “You aren’t.”

“Oh, get a grip!” Amy comment. “This is not a moment to re-evaluate your self-esteem.”

Just then Maddie spoke up. “It’s blind.”

The Doctor looked at her. “No, I am really stupid and I'm growing old. Why does it attack, but never eat its victims? 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?” He explained. “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.” van Gogh exclaimed to them, he held his easel for him.

“Vincent. Vincent, what's happening?” The Doctor asked quickly.

“It's charging now.” He replied to him. “Get back. Get back!” van Gogh held his easel up as the creature came to him, he wounded him, but it was a fatal wound. It fell on the ground as van Gogh said grimly. “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…”

“He's trying to say something.” The Doctor told them. He went forwards to the creature.

“What is it?” van Gogh asked to him.

“I'm having trouble making it out.” He replied to him. “But I think he's saying, "I'm afraid. I'm afraid." There, there. It's okay.” He stroked the creature. “You'll be fine. Ssh.” Then it took its last breath and died.

“He was frightened.” van Gogh muttered, holding his hat in his hand. “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.”

“Sometimes winning… winning is no fun at all.” The Doctor told them.

~00~

Later that night, they all lay down in a circle, the Doctor lay next to Maddie, she lay next to Amy, she lay next to van Gogh, he lay next to the Doctor. van Gogh told the Doctor. “Hold my hand, Doctor.” He glanced at it as then took his hand, then Maddie took his, Amy took hers, then she took van Gogh’s hand. “Try to see what I see. We are so lucky we are still alive to see this beautiful world. Look at the sky. It's not dark and black and without character.” van Gogh talked about how he saw it. “The black is in fact deep blue. And over there, lighter blue. 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.” The Doctor told him. “But you're right. Nothing quite as wonderful as the things you see.”

“It’s really beautiful.” Maddie told them.

“I will miss you terribly.” Van Gogh told to Amy sadly.

~00~

The next morning, they all stood in the living room from van Gogh. He had just giving the Doctor his self-portrait. “I only wish I had something of real value to give you.”

“Oh, no, no.” The Doctor told him. “I could never accept such an extraordinary gift.” He gave the self-portrait back.

“Very well. You are not the first to decline the offer.” He put it away as then he looked at Amy. “Amy, the blessed, the wonderful.”

They hugged tightly as Amy told him. “Be good to yourself and be kind to yourself.”

“I'll try my best.” van Gogh told her.

“And maybe give the beard a little trim before you next kiss someone.” Amy told him as she and Maddie chuckled.

“I will. I will.” He smiled at her. “And if you tire of this Doctor of yours, return. And we will have children by the dozen.”

She tried not see the horror, she smiled. “Eek!”

“Doctor, Maddison, my friends.” van Gogh looked at them. “We have fought monsters together and we have won. On my own, I fear I may not do as well.”

Not much later, they walked outside as the Doctor looked at the girls. “Are you thinking what I'm thinking?”

“I was thinking I may need some food before we leave.” Amy replied to him, smiling.

“Some sleep.” Maddie looked at him, also smiling.

“Well, no, you're not thinking exactly what I'm thinking.” He told the girls as then he shouted to van Gogh’s house. “Vincent!” van Gogh poked his head out the window. “Got something I'd like to show you. Maybe just tidy yourself up a bit first.”

~00~

Sometime later, they walked in the allay as the Doctor told to van Gogh. “Now, you know we've had quite a few chats about the possibility there might be more to life than normal people imagine?”

“Yes.” Van Gogh replied to him.

They were by the TARDIS, the Doctor opened it. “Well, brace yourself, Vinny.”

They went all inside as van Gogh comment. “How come I'm the crazy one. And you three have stayed sane? What do these things all do?”

“Oh, a huge variety of things.” The Doctor told him as then he pushed a button. “This one here, for instance, plays soothing music.” He pushed another button. “While this one makes a huge amount of noise. And this one makes everything go tonto.” He pushed another button as the TARDIS engine whirred.

“And this one?” Van Gogh pointed at a button.

“That's a friction contrafibulator!” The Doctor exclaimed.

“And this?” He pointed at another button.

“That's ketchup.” The Doctor said to him. “And that one's mustard.”

“Mmm. Nice!” van Gogh muttered amusedly. “Come on. Back to the cafe and you can tell me about all the wonders of the universe.”

“Good idea.” The Doctor told him, smiling. Then they landed as he told him. “Although, actually, there's a little something I'd like to show you first.”

They all stepped out of the TARDIS as van Gogh asked to him. “Where are we?”

“Paris. 2010 AD.” The Doctor replied to him. “And this is the mighty Musee D'Orsay. Home to many of the greatest paintings in history.”

“Oh, that's wonderful.” Van Gogh comment, then two boys walked past them with a radio.

“Ignore that.” The Doctor told him, impatiently. “I've got something more important to show you.” Then they walked inside of the museum as then he walked to Dr. Black. “Dr. Black, we met a few days ago. I asked you about the church at Auvers.”

“Oh, yes.” Dr. Black told him. “Glad to be of help. You were nice about my tie.”

“Yes.” The Doctor looked at him. “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.” Dr. Black replied to him. “But, to me, van Gogh is the finest painter of them all. 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.”

Then the Doctor looked at van Gogh. “Vincent. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. Is it too much?”

“No. They are tears of joy.” The painter replied, then he hugged Dr. Black. “Thank you, sir. Thank you.”

“You're welcome. You're welcome.” Dr. Black told him confused.

“Sorry about the beard.” van Gogh muttered.

~00~

“This changes everything.” Van Gogh told them happily as they stepped out of the TARDIS. He’s back in his own time. “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. It's been a great adventure and a great honor. You've turned out to be the first doctor ever actually to make a difference to my life.”

“I'm delighted.” The Doctor told him happily. “I won't ever forget you.”

Van Gogh looked at Amy. “And you are sure marriage is out of the question?”

“This time. I'm not really the marrying kind.” Amy hugged him as Maddie waved at him and went inside the TARDIS, followed by the Doctor and Amy, herself. “Come on. Let's go back to the gallery right now.” The TARDIS wheezed and whirred as then it landed again.

“Time can be re-written.” Amy rushed to het inside of the museum. “I know it can. Come on! Oh, the long life of Vincent Van Gogh. There'll be hundreds of new paintings.”

“I'm not sure there will.” The Doctor comment as then he and Maddie followed her.

“Come on!” Amy shouted as they went inside the museum.

Then they heard Dr. Black talking. “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…”

“So, you were right.” Amy looked at the Doctor sadly. “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.” The Doctor hugged Amy. “Hey. 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. And we definitely added to his pile of good things.” Then he let her to a painting. “And if you look carefully maybe we did indeed make a couple of little changes.”

“No Krafayis.” Amy told him as then she wandered off to see another painting followed by the Doctor and Maddie. Then Amy told them. “If we had got married, our kids would have had very, very red hair.”

“The ultimate ginger.” The Doctor smiled, holding Maddie’s hand.

“The ultimate ginge.” Amy also smiled. “Brighter than sunflowers.”