"That, Rory, would take an explanation and I don't think you have it in you for one of those. Boring things, explanations!" The Doctor aimed for comforting. Explanations were difficult enough considering Rory was hardly an expert on even basic quantum physics...and that was on a good day.
Right, so probably best to skip the quantum physics and explanations and instead focus on getting Rory more or less situated. He'd always wondered why Rory never really talked about those two thousand years -- which, if he remembered all those years as as plastic man (apparently he did), also put him as far older than the Doctor himself. Rather odd thing to think about, Rory the Elder! Rory the Elder Roman and Future Mr. Pond. Human had a habit of collecting names for himself! The Doctor herded Rory to what looked like a chair of some sort, his arm on his elbow so he could support him.
Rory needed it, judging from the way he was babbling. As babbles went, it was a fairly good one, the Doctor's eyes on Rory's face. He looked a little wan to the Doctor, eyes dilated. Considering Rory had survived those two thousand years with his sanity intact, it was only to be expected that some of those memories would spill up like they were now. Spill over or stew in there and he knew humans and stewing. Big old ticking time bombs. The Doctor sat down next to his friend, primly adjusting the knees of his trousers as he turned toward him.
"Now, Rory Williams! Don't forget how much you've lived. Think of everything wonderful you've seen! Focus on that, there's a good man." The Doctor reached out with one hand again to cup Rory's feverish cheek. Wars. Yes, there were so many wars. Would be so many wars, across countries, worlds. Entire systems. And maybe life wasn't fair. Humans could cope with that. He'd seen them do it, aspire to do so much more despite knowing that.
The Doctor was very careful opening his mind to Rory. It was the lightest of touches, far, far lighter than that time he'd opened everything to Jamie.
I understand.
Two words. Only two and yet there was a swirl of images and impressions, sights and sounds and I understand in the center of everything. It was old, reassuring and terrible at the same time.
Maybe he hadn't seen the exact same people die, all those heroes...but the Doctor had seen it happen across countless planets and systems. The guilt. Oh, the guilt. Knowing you could've done something. Humans could cope with things not being fair...but there weren't that many who were truly comfortable with knowing just how small they were in the universe. Staring it in the face. Death was still that big scary thing in the dark and Rory had seen it over and over. The Doctor fixed his eyes on Rory's, not blinking, barely even seeming to breathe as a long second passed between them and he kept that tiny psychic thread open between them.
Their foreheads were almost pressed together, the Doctor leaning in quite close. "Those stars? They're back and they're back because of you and Amy and River. Remember to focus."
Re: Subthread 1: Pre-fight Memory Download
Right, so probably best to skip the quantum physics and explanations and instead focus on getting Rory more or less situated. He'd always wondered why Rory never really talked about those two thousand years -- which, if he remembered all those years as as plastic man (apparently he did), also put him as far older than the Doctor himself. Rather odd thing to think about, Rory the Elder! Rory the Elder Roman and Future Mr. Pond. Human had a habit of collecting names for himself! The Doctor herded Rory to what looked like a chair of some sort, his arm on his elbow so he could support him.
Rory needed it, judging from the way he was babbling. As babbles went, it was a fairly good one, the Doctor's eyes on Rory's face. He looked a little wan to the Doctor, eyes dilated. Considering Rory had survived those two thousand years with his sanity intact, it was only to be expected that some of those memories would spill up like they were now. Spill over or stew in there and he knew humans and stewing. Big old ticking time bombs. The Doctor sat down next to his friend, primly adjusting the knees of his trousers as he turned toward him.
"Now, Rory Williams! Don't forget how much you've lived. Think of everything wonderful you've seen! Focus on that, there's a good man." The Doctor reached out with one hand again to cup Rory's feverish cheek. Wars. Yes, there were so many wars. Would be so many wars, across countries, worlds. Entire systems. And maybe life wasn't fair. Humans could cope with that. He'd seen them do it, aspire to do so much more despite knowing that.
The Doctor was very careful opening his mind to Rory. It was the lightest of touches, far, far lighter than that time he'd opened everything to Jamie.
I understand.
Two words. Only two and yet there was a swirl of images and impressions, sights and sounds and I understand in the center of everything. It was old, reassuring and terrible at the same time.
Maybe he hadn't seen the exact same people die, all those heroes...but the Doctor had seen it happen across countless planets and systems. The guilt. Oh, the guilt. Knowing you could've done something. Humans could cope with things not being fair...but there weren't that many who were truly comfortable with knowing just how small they were in the universe. Staring it in the face. Death was still that big scary thing in the dark and Rory had seen it over and over. The Doctor fixed his eyes on Rory's, not blinking, barely even seeming to breathe as a long second passed between them and he kept that tiny psychic thread open between them.
Their foreheads were almost pressed together, the Doctor leaning in quite close. "Those stars? They're back and they're back because of you and Amy and River. Remember to focus."