Shattering Time [5] (The Parallel Series) ✓

The Pandorica Opens

"You wouldn't get the Stone after you answered the phone." She protested.

"I thought you said it was the wrong number." The Time Lady crossed her arms raising a brow at the Time Lord."

"To be fair." The Doctor quickly raised a brow. "You were sleeping."

"Doctor you can wake me up you know." She shook her head.

"And then have to put up with you being grumpy for two days." He questioned. "I don't want that. Plus!" He exclaimed. "It's River."

"Doctor." The Stone gave him a scolding look.

"Yes dear." He grumbled as River smirked handing a rolled up painting which he then snatched out of her hand.

"What's this?" He frowned.

"It's a painting. Your friend Vincent. One of his final works." She explained as he set it down on the table. "He had visions, didn't he? I thought you ought to know about this one." The Doctor then rolled the painting out the Time Lords both swallowed thickly and took each other's hands tightening their grasps.

"Doctor?" Amy looked at him, seeing the fear in his eyes and the way he was ever so slightly pulling the Stone into his arms. "Stone, what is this?"

"It's..." the Stone swallowed again. "It's the TARDIS."

"Doctor? Stone?" River looked between them."

"Sweetheart?" The Stone telepathically murmured to him as softly as possible, soothingly stroking her thumb over his knuckles. The Doctor who had not moved or responded for a minute stood staring at the painting.

"Why is it exploding?" Amy questioned River thinking it was best to give the Time Lords a minute knowing how much they both felt the TARDIS was like family to them, even as much as they would disagree with the idea.

"I assume it's some kind of warning."

"What, something's going to happen to the TARDIS?"

"It might not be that literal." River looked over at the Time Lords, looking more so at the Doctor slightly worryingly, something the Stone hadn't actually seen in the woman before. Every time they met which wasn't many times, River seemed to become more distant when it came to herself and the Doctor. "Anyway, this is where he wanted you both. Date and map reference on the door sign, see?" She explained pointing to the small writing on what was painted to be the door of the TARDIS where the information on the police box was supposed to be.

"Does it have a title?" The Stone then questioned figuring it was better to let the Doctor calm down on his own, the small gesture of her thumb softly running over the back of his hand, seeming to be helping him.

"The Pandorica Opens."

"The Pandorica? What is it?"

"A box, a cage, a prison," River added before going on to explain to Amy. "It was built to contain the most feared thing in all the universe."

"And it's a fairy tale." The Doctor said eyes fixed on the painting. "A legend. It can't be real."

"If it is real, it's here and it's opening, and it's got something to do with your TARDIS exploding." She said as the Doctor started to gather maps. "Hidden, obviously. Buried for centuries. You won't find it on a map."

"No, but if you buried the most dangerous thing in the universe, you'd want to remember where you put it."

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