Checkmate (Doctor Who fanfiction)

A Box Plays Medusa

I oversaw everything like a hawk. I don't trust these Romans. Suddenly, a long squeal ricocheted through Stonehenge, making me cover my ears.

"Sorry, sorry, dropped it. Hello, Stonehenge! Who takes the Pandorica, takes the universe! But bad news, everyone!" The Doctor appeared up on top of a stone. "Because guess who! Ha! Listen, you lot, you're all whizzing about. It's really very distracting, could you all just stay still a minute, because I AM TALKING!" All the spaceships slowed down and stopped, focusing on him. "Now! The question of the hour is, who's got the Pandorica? Answer, I do. Next question. Who's coming to take it from me? Come on! Look at me! No plan, no back up, no weapons worth a damn."

Well that's reassuring, logic mumbled.

"Oh, and something else, I don't have anything to lose! So! If you're sitting up there in your silly little spaceship, with all your silly, little, guns, and you've got any plans on taking the Pandorica tonight! Just remember who's standing in your way! Remember every black day I ever stopped you! And then, and THEN! Do the smart thing! Let somebody else try first." He spread his arms out as a challenge to the spaceships, and one by one, then two by two, then five by five, then all at once, the flying extra terrestrial architecture retreated from the Stonehenge sky to go argue about what the hell they were going to do now.

The Doctor jumped down and tossed the microphone he was using as a microphone back to a random Roman soldier. "That'll keep them squabbling for half an hour. Romans." He s hook his head and motioned to me. "Psycho, with me."

Without hesitation, I slapped him as hard as I possibly could, to make sure the message would be drilled into his head: I might follow him this time, but smooth talking wouldn't work on me.

He rubbed his cheek. "I'm going to have a callous pretty soon," he commented.

I hope so.

***

"They're still out there. What do we do now?" Rory asked. I leaned against the Pandorica.

"If I can stop whatever's in this box getting out, then they'll go home," answered The Doctor.

"Right."

"Rory, I'm sorry," The Doctor said gently. "You're going to have to be very... brave now."

Amy walked in, straight past Rory.

"Oh, my head," she whined. I met her half way and she accepted my hug briefly before making her way over to The Doctor. He took her head in his hands.

"Ah," he ordered.

"Ahhh..." she opened her mouth wide and he looked it over before letting her go.

"Just your basic knock-out drops," he chuckled. "Get some fresh air, you'll be fine."

"Is it safe up there?" She asked.

"Not remotely, but it's fresh."

She rolled her eyes and turned around, almost running into Rory. "Oh, you're the guy, yeah? The one who did the swordy thing." She returned to hold a sword.

Rory stared at her her with a mixture of shock, pain, and confusion. "Yeah."

"Well, thanks for the swording. Nice swording." She patted his chest as she walked past him towards the staircase passage.

"No problem. Uh- my men are up there. They'll look after you," he called quickly. She started the trek up the steep staircase tunnel.

"Good. Love a Roman," she grumbled sarcastically, obviously unhappy with the circumstances. What was going on? Why wasn't she flinging herself into her arms?