The Fall of Arcadia (Book ONE)

Chapter 23

The Doctor:

Ser was sleeping, after the third time she's had to use the chameleon circuit in her life time. I kissed her forehead after putting her to bed, then opened my top draw and took out the box I had picked up with Donna just before Journeys End.

It was a simple ring, with a silver band, engraved with stars and moons, but also with the design of tattoo she had at the nape of her neck. With a special gemstone I had kept from Gallifrey, one designed for Soul Mates, for their partners. It was called Remembria, and it changed colour with regeneration's. At the moment, it was a dark chocolate brown, the colour of my 'does eyes' as she playfully called them. I hoped they would stay that colour for a long time, long enough to see her walk down the aisle.

I left her to sleep, and went to the console room, doing what I had wanted to do a long time ago. Not that I really had the guts to, but it was how I was brought up. I was going to ask Amy Pond for permission to marry her sister.

I landed in the centre of the front garden, next to an shed that had been there for about 11 years. I could tell from the smell, but any senses could have told me that. I knocked on the door, expecting Amy to answer, but it was actually Rory. "Oh, hey, Dave. Um, Amy! Your sisters boyfriend who you want to kill is here."

That didn't sound good. "Tell him to get lost! Alice may be gullible enough to trust him again, but I sure as hell aren't!"

"Uh, Amy, you're the gullible one. I told you that gullible was written on the ceiling. Of a roofless tour bus."

"Oi, watch it Roman, I am wearing shoes. What Dave?" She saw my face, how nervous I was. "No. I can see right away that you are about to ask me for permission to marry her, but the answer is no. You hurt her, after getting her pregnant!"

"Uh, it takes two for that, in his defense. Lad code, stick up for each other. Even if they did hurt my sister in law, to the point he did, yeah. Sorry, why are you asking for permission? You knew what Amy would say."

"Because it was how I was brought up. I love S- Alice, and I want to spend the rest of my life with her, if she'll have me. I didn't have to come and ask, but I did anyway, even though I knew you would most likely say no."

Amy's mouth opened, then closed again, making her boyfriend gape at her. "Dave, you may have actually just made her speechless." A hand hit his face. "Amy, it's a hard thing to do! Just say yes, because as her brother I also have the right to. He means it, and if Alice trusts him again, then so should we."

Amy looked at me, then groaned. "Ugh, fine. But I swear to god, if you hurt her in the slightest, one more time, I will end you, Dr Dave Smith!" She paused for a moment. "Oh, and you have to let me see the ring."

Rory and I laughed, but I pulled out the small dark green box and handed it to her. She eagerly opened it and stared in awe. "That is gorgeous! The dark brown with the green flecks, oh she's gunna love it. Like your eyes and her eyes together."

"Yeah, like that." I smiled, though I knew in my hearts it meant more than that. It meant it was coming soon. "Look, I've snuck away while she was asleep, I should get back before she wakes back up. Thank you for forgiving me. Sort of. And Rory, I'm guessing Ali-Cat'll be seeing you soon?"

He nodded, but Amy didn't realise. She didn't realise that he was also going to propose to her soon. I pretended to walk around the corner to go to the bus station, but once I heard the front door close, I dashed back to the TARDIS and dematerialised, scrambling the co-ordinates we'd just been to.

I was heading back to our room, when she came out of the bathroom, her hair up in a towel and a short black dressing gown. "Hey, where'd you go off to? Oh, and my head feels great, I can think straight."