"So, to sum it up, you collected me and Amy, on our lunch breaks, I might add, whisked us off to a planet you claim to be 'one of the coolest' and sent Amy to the salon to meet River, whom you broke out of Storm-cage, again, so we can go for a nice dinner because, and I quote, 'It's a shame we don't get more time with her'. And now you are sitting there, drinking cranberry juice with an umbrella at an intergalactic hotel bar, expecting me to believe that raindrops on earth look like hamburger buns while they're falling?"

There was a moment while the Doctor sipped his drink with a smug grin. Rory looked back at his drink, a pineapple juice with wedge and straw.

"A few years ago, this would've been so not normal"

They both laughed.

"Come on, drink up" the Doctor said "The girl's will be finishing their beauty treatments any minute. We should go meet them"

The pair downed their drinks and in companionable silence headed out of the bar to the salon exit. At the salon, they were met by a hotel worker who could've passed for human had it not been that his skin was a pleasant robins-egg blue.

"Would you two be here to meet the fiery Scot's girl and the curly haired goddess?"

"Yes"

"Sounds right"

"Lovely! If you'll just follow me, Mr Pond, Mr Song"

There was another moment, which Rory quite enjoyed, while the Doctor stood frozen with confusion, his mouth hanging open. Rory put his hand on the Timelord's shoulder and squeezed briefly.

"It's not as cool as it sounds, is it?"