When the Sun Sets ☼ Eleven x Reader

III - The Choice

The sky was almost completely black when you returned back to Amy's childhood home. You had noticed the Doctor disappear from the dance floor about half an hour before you left yourself, but thought nothing of it until you noticed that the bride and groom had also disappeared from their own wedding.

You stepped out of the room just in time to see Rory slip around a corner. He notices you just at the last second, and then waves you over. Picking up your dress, you follow the couple through the village until you reached the house. But there was a notable difference.

A blue box in the garden.

As you reach it (it had taken you a little longer to get there with the added inconvenience of heels), you see Amy gently sway around the door, and into the TARDIS. Rory follows close behind, but you hang back, unsure of how welcome you would be. After a few minutes of sitting on the bench outside, you feel someone sit beside you.

'Are you not coming?' the girl in the wedding dress said expectantly.

'Coming where?'

'Tomorrow. Yesterday. 1086 AD! Literally anywhere you want to go. It's a TARDIS. There are no limits,'

'It's not the TARDIS' limits I'm concerned with,' you reply. 'It's mine,'

'What do you possibly have here that all of time and space hasn't got to offer?'

'Well,' you start, before being unable to finish your sentence. It was clear that the time travellers had won, and you knew it.

'Exactly! Come on! Think of all the fun we'd have,' she says, nudging your shoulder.

'So much. So much fun,'

'Imagine it. The four of us, in the TARDIS fighting off aliens day and night! It's basically like ghostbusters but with more attractive men,'

You laugh lightly, before simply looking up at the sky. You were avoiding the decision, and Amy knew it.

You were sure that this was a 'now or never' type choice. If you didn't go with your brother and sister-in-law now, you may never get this chance again. What was there to risk? What did you have to lose? Well, your job at the local sweet shop for one. It was a proper old fashioned shop, with big glass jars full of sweets behind the counter. You loved working there, but was it really even the slightest bit comparable to all of time and space?

It couldn't be, surely. Surely. The rational side of your brain argued its case fiercely- why would anyone choose probable death over a stable job and a happy home?

Because they weren't there.

You could stay here, sure. But what's better? Home without the Ponds, or danger with them?

You already knew what you were going to choose.

The look you gave Amy confirmed your answer, and she grabbed your hand eagerly.

'I'm going to show you the stars,'

She practically drags you from the bench, and into the TARDIS. You figured there must be some sort of trickery involved after you saw it the first time; there's no way all three of them could fit comfortably inside an old telephone box. But bigger on the inside? You had to admit, such a simple idea hadn't even crossed your mind.

'Oi!' Amy says, pulling you in whilst talking to the man at the control panel. 'Where are you off to? We haven't even had a snog in the shrubbery yet,'

She walks towards the Doctor, who was standing elevated on a platform. It held the biggest jumble of brightly coloured switches, buttons and levers you think you've ever seen, with enormous glowing tubes sprouting through the centre.

'Amy!' Rory shouts from the doorway. He'd made his way back round there after he heard voices.

'Shut up, it's my wedding!'

'Our wedding.' Rory emphasises, before noticing you had entered the TARDIS. 'Magnificent, isn't it?'

'She!' the Doctor shouts down from the control panel. 'The TARDIS is a she. [Y/N], I'll be with you in a moment. We have to talk,'

Somehow, the use of the phrase 'We have to talk' sparked a little hint of fear in the pit of your stomach. Whether it was grown from childhood anxiety connected with it or the lack of any apparent enthusiasm in the Doctor's voice, you were not looking forward to this 'talk'.

'Ooh, wait, first,' he says suddenly, stepping down from the panel. 'Can you do the thing?'

'What thing?'

'The TARDIS thing! The first thing everyone thinks when they walk into the TARDIS is...' he holds his arms out expectantly.

'It's... quite big?'

'Yes, yes, but compared to what?'

'Hmmm... a small thing?' you say apprehensively. You knew exactly what he wanted you to say, but enjoyed watching him grimace in discontentment.

'No! It's bigger on the inside! Wow, you really are just like your brother.' he says, turning back towards the centre of the TARDIS.

'What does he mean by that?' you say, whispering closer to Rory.

'I did my research before I came in the first time. Predicted it all. He likes the satisfaction of the whole 'it's bigger on the inside' thing. I wouldn't give it to him.'

'Sorry, you two. Shouldn't have slipped away,' the Doctor says to the couple as you and Rory reach the stairs. 'Bit busy, you know?'

'You just saved the whole of space and time. Take the evening off. Maybe a bit of tomorrow,' Your brother replies in his usual care-free manner.

'Space and time isn't safe yet. The TARDIS exploded for a reason. Something drew the TARDIS to this particular date and blew it up. Why? And why now? Besides, whatever it is it's still out there. And I have to.. excuse me a moment. Hello?' he says, picking up a ringing phone from the control panel.

'You'll get used to that.' Amy says quietly. 'He rambles a lot.'

'Oh, hello. I'm sorry, this is a very bad line. No, no, no, but that's not possible. She was sealed into the seventh obelisk. I was at the prayer meeting. Well, no, I get that it's important. An Egyptian goddess loose on the Orient Express, in space. Give us a mo,'

You only heard the Doctor's half of the conversation, but if anything kept you here as opposed to Leadworth, it was the intrigue of the other half.

'Sorry, something's come up.' the Doctor adds. 'This will have to be goodbye.'

The three of you exchange glances, coming to a quick decision.

'Yeah, I think it's goodbye.' Amy replies. 'Do you think it's goodbye?'

'Definitely goodbye,' Rory replies, keeping his eyes on the Doctor.

Slowly, all eyes turn to you.

You nod definitively, your knowing actions speaking louder than any words could.

Everyone smiles, and Amy practically runs down to the door of the TARDIS.

'Goodbye!' she shouts loudly to the town in her usual dramatic manner before turning back into the room. The Doctor smirks a little, before holding the phone back up to his ear.

'Don't worry about a thing, your Majesty. We'll be on our way in just a moment.' he hangs up the phone, and turns back to the three of you.

'Happy couple! Go do whatever it is you married people do, but do not touch a thing! I have to have a quick chat to [Y/N].'