Chapter Twenty Five:

A thick layer of ice covered everything in the TARDIS, including the four bodies that were scattered around the sentient machine. The couple that lay on the floor of the console room reached out rigidly to hold each other's hands while the bow-tie wearing man sat up wearily; his eyes scanning the room for someone who wasn't there.

"So... you chose this world," the Dream Lord said, somewhat disappointed. "Well done. You got it right. And with only seconds left. Fair's fair. Let's warm you up." He flicked a few switches and the TARDIS came to life again, the familiar hum providing some comfort for the time travellers as they waited for their bodies to heat up.

"I hope you've enjoyed your little fictions," the Dream Lord sighed. It all came out of your imagination, so I'll leave you to ponder on that. I have been defeated. I shall withdraw. Farewell." And then he left.

"Something happened," Rory murmured. "I... What happened to me?" His words were cut off as an emotional Amy pulled him into a tight hug. "Oh. Oh, right. This is good. I am liking this," he continued. "Was it something I said? Can you tell what it was so I can use it in emergencies? And maybe birthdays."

Amy shook her head, a small smile playing at her lips as she turned to hug her best friend. Only... she wasn't there.

"Scarlett?" Amy called, immediately recalling the almost-fight from earlier that day. It felt like months ago to her.

"Where is she?" Rory frowned.

"I think she's in her room. I'll go get -" Amy started.

"No, no, it's fine," the Doctor interrupted. "She'll be fine."

"What are you talking about? What are we doing now?"

"Me? I'm going to blow up the TARDIS."

"What?!" Rory asked sharply.

"Notice how helpful the Dream Lord was? Okay, there was misinformation, red herrings, malice, and I could have done without the limerick, but he was always very keen to make us choose between dream and reality," the Doctor laughed.

"What are you doing?!" Amy gaped.

"Doctor!" Rory tried again at Amy's request. "The Dream Lord conceded. This isn't the dream!"

"Yes, it is!" The Doctor argued. "Star burning cold? Do me a favour! The Dream Lord has no power over the real world. He was offering us a choice between two dreams."

Amy opened her mouth to speak but was cut off by a dishevelled and confused Scarlett who had just wandered into the console room after waking up in a corridor; cold, confused, and alone.

"What's happening? What are you doing?" the brunette frowned.

"The Doctor's blowing up the TARDIS," Rory explained after pulling Scarlett into a quick hug.

"Why?!" Scarlett asked, turning to the Doctor with her eyes wide.

"Because I know who the Dream Lord is!"

When Scarlett awoke, she found herself on the ground of the TARDIS's television room, her popcorn from that morning being crushed underneath her weight. Her hands rose to her face to rub the sleep out of her eyes as she attempted to recall everything that had just happened to her.

Upper Leadworth. The Dream Lord. Being killed by a Dalek. A cold star. The almost fight with Amy. The pensioners. The almost fight with Amy. The Doctor blowing up the TARDIS. The almost fight with Amy.

But wait; if the Doctor blew up the TARDIS,then how was she still alive?

"So that was the Dream Lord then, those little specks?" Scarlett heard Rory ask as she entered the console room. Glancing over at the Time Lord, she found him closing the TARDIS doors behind him.

"No, no. No. Sorry, wasn't it obvious?" the Doctor smiled wanly. "The Dream Lord was me. Psychic pollen, it's a mind parasite. It feeds on everything dark in you. Gives it a voice, turns it against you. I'm nine hundered and seven," he shrugged. "It had a lot to go on."

"But why didn't it feed on us, too?" Amy asked.

"The darkness in you three?" The Doctor snorted. "It would've starved to death in an instant. I choose my friends with great care. Otherwise I'm stuck with my own company, and you know how that works out."

"But those things he said about you," Amy said with a look of pity. "You don't think any of that's true?"

"Amy, right now a question is about to occur to Rory," the Doctor said, placing his hands on her shoulders and spinning her round to face the boy from Leadworth. "And seeing as the answer is about to change his life, I think you should give him your full attention."

"Yeah," Rory said as he thought, "Actually, yeah!"

"There it is!" The Doctor smiled.

"'Cause what I don't get is you blew up the TARDIS," he gestured towards the Doctor, "that stopped that dream, but what stopped the Leadworth dream?"

Amy hesitated. "We crashed the camper van."

"Oh, right, I don't remember that bit."

"Actually," Scarlett began with a frown. "Neither do I."

"No," Amy said with a small shake of her head. "You two weren't there. You were already..."

"Already what?" Rory asked.

"Dead," Amy sighed. "Both you and Scarlett. Mrs Poggit got you."

"That miserable old -" Scarlett began before the Doctor brought his hand up over her mouth to stop her from saying something far too rude.

"Okay..." Rory nodded slowly. So he died alongside his best friend? At least they went out with a bang... Sort of. Being killed by an old granny isn't really the most heroic or badass way to go. "But how did you know it was a dream? Before you crashed the van, how did you know you wouldn't just die?"

"I didn't," admitted Amy with an apologetic glance in Scarlett's direction. The brunette gave an almost unnoticeable nod in return, much to Amy's relief.

"Oh!" Rory finally said in realisation as he moved closer to kiss Amy. Scarlett wrinkled her nose and turned away. Best to not intrude.

"So," the Doctor smiled with a clap of his hands. "Well, then, where now?" When Amy and Rory failed to answer - still caught up in the 'moment' - he continued. "Or should I just pop down to the swimming pool for a few lengths?"

Finally, the couple pulled away - much to the Doctor and Scarlett's relief - and Rory spoke with a smile. "I don't know. Anywhere's good for me. I'm happy anywhere. It's up to the girls this time. Amy and Scarlett's choice."

"Amy and Scarlett's choice," the Doctor repeated with a smile before turning round to the console. The other three residents of the time machine didn't notice the Time Lord glance down at the reflective surface and jump back in shock. They didn't see his own reflection wink and smile back at him as the Dream Lord. Amy was too busy hugging Scarlett while Rory watched on in amusement as the brunette struggled in her tight grip.

When the Doctor glanced back down after watching the scene, his reflection had returned back to normal, and he breathed a sigh of relief.

A/N: Merry (almost) Christmas!