The Oncoming Storm ²

Amy's Choice pt.2

Directly opposite the care home is a play area and a ruined castle. The teacher is trying to keep control of the children as they play.

"Stop. You two, over there. Come along, where's the rest of you? Come on, come on. We're going up to the castle now. All of you, come on."

"Why would they leave?" Rory asks.

"And what did you mean about Mrs. Poggit's nice old lady act?" Amy asks looking at me.

"One of my tawdry quirks. Sniffing out things that aren't what they seem. So, come on, let's think. The mechanics of this reality split we're stuck in. Time asleep exactly matches time in our dream world, unlike in conventional dreams" I say.

"And we're all dreaming the same dream at the same time," Rory says.

"Yes, sort of communal trance. Very rare, very complicated. I'm sure there's a dream giveaway, a tell, but my mind isn't working because this village is so dull! I'm slowing down like you two have" the Doctor says.

"Ooo. Ow. Really. Ow! It's coming" Amy says, Rory, the Doctor and I look at her.

"Ok, you're a doctor, help her," the Doctor says pointing to Rory.

"You're a doctor" Rory replies.

"It's ok, we're doctors" the Doctor squats down to catch the baby, I shake my head.

"What do we do?" Rory asks.

"Ok, it's not coming," Amy says.

"What?" the Doctor asks.

"This is my life now and it just turned you white as a sheet, so don't you call it dull again, ever. Ok?"

"Sorry" the Doctor mutters.

"Yeah" Amy goes to sit on a swing as Mrs. Poggit walks up the steps to the castle.

"Now, we all know there's an elephant in the room," the Doctor says.

"I have to be this size, I'm having a baby," Amy says.

"No, no. The hormones seem real, but no. Is nobody going to mention Rory's ponytail? You hold him down, I'll cut it off?" I ask looking at the doctor and Amy.

"This from the women in the bow tie."

"Bow ties are cool. I don't know about you, but I wouldn't hire Mrs. Poggit as a babysitter. What's she doing? What does she want?" tweet, tweet.

"Oh, no. Here we go" Amy says as we all fall asleep again.

---

"It's really cold. Have you got any warm clothing?" Amy asks when we all wake up.

"What does it matter if we're cold? We have to know what she is up to. Sorry, sorry. There should be some stuff down there. Have a look" I say, Amy and Rory, go down the steps. The Doctor goes underneath the console with a tin mug and opens a toolbox. It contains a piece of rope, a bottle opener and a whisk, I stand at the console with my head down.

"I want the other life. You know, where we're happy and settled and about to have a baby" Rory says.

"But don't you wonder, if that life is real, then why would we give up all this? Why would anyone?" Amy asks.

"Because we're going to freeze to death?" Rory replies.

"The Doctor and Alex will fix it," Amy says.

"Ok. Because we're going to get married?"

"We can still get married someday."

"You don't want to anymore. I thought you'd chosen me, not her."