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THE DREAM LORD
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"Where have the children gone?" The Doctor questioned, walking up to the castle ruins with the three humans.

Rory shrugged. "Don't know. Play time's probably over."

The Doctor used his sonic to scan the molehills.

"You see, this is the real one," Rory said. "I just feel it. Don't you feel it?"

"I feel it in both places."

"Hollie?"

"I don't know." She shrugged. "I like this." She gestured to her hand. "But then there also is the fact you two aren't with us anymore."

"I feel it here," Rory said. "It's just so tranquil and relaxed. Nothing bad could ever happen here."

"Not really me, though, is it?" Amy pointed out. "I mean, would I be happy settling down in a place with a pub, two shops and a really bad Amateur Dramatics Society? That's why I got pregnant, so I don't have to see them doing Oklahoma." She frowned at the Doctor, who had been studying a pile of dust for the past minute.

Hollie joined the Time Lord. "Doctor, what are you doing?" She asked. "And what are those piles of dust?"

"Play time's definitely over." He grimaced.

"Oh, my God," Amy whispered as Hollie's hands flew to her mouth in shock.

"What happened to them?" Rory asked.

"I think they did." The Doctor straightened and took Hollies hand after he wiped them on his trousers, his eyes locked on the old people now walking in the streets.

"They're just old people." Amy protested, following the Doctor and Hollie back to the playground with Rory.

"No, they're very old people." He looked over to Rory. "Sorry, Rory, I don't think you're what's been keeping them alive."

"Hello, peasants." The Dream Lord appeared, smiling at them all. "What's this, attack of the old people?" He questioned, looking at the old people walking over to them. "Oh, that's ridiculous. This has got to be the dream, hasn't it? What do you think, Holls? Let's all jump under a bus and wake up in the TARDIS. You first."

The Doctor growled as he stepped in front of the blonde. "Leave her alone."

"Do that again." The Dream Lord grinned. "I love it when he does that. Tall dark hero." He looked at Hollie. "Leave her alone." He tried to mimic the Doctor. "You like it too, don't you?"

"Just leave her." Rory snapped.

"Yes, you're not quite so impressive," the Dream Lord sighed in disappointment. "We all know about Hollie but what about Amy Pond over here?" He raised a brow. "You might fool them but I know where your heart lies, don't I?"

"Shut up." Amy snapped. "Just shut up and leave me and Hollie alone."

"But listen. You're in there. Loves a redhead, the Doctor." He smirked. "Has he told you about Elizabeth the First? Well, she thought she was the first." He shook his head. "Then again he also has had a thing for blondes in the past as well..."

"Drop it." The Doctor snapped. "Drop all of it. I know who you are."

"Course you don't."

"Course I do." The Doctor shot back. "No idea how you can be here, but there's only one person in the universe who hates me as much as you do."

"Never mind me." He shook his head. "Maybe you should worry about them." He nodded at the old people now walking across the grass.

The Dream Lord vanished again. "At least he's gone again." Hollie shook her head. "I don't like him at all."

The old people walked up to the four. "Hello, Mister Nainby." Rory nodded at an old man.

"Rory." The Doctor warned.

"Mr Nainby ran the sweet shop." He used to slip me the odd free toffee."

Rory's eyes widened as Mr Nainby grabbed Rory by the collar of his top and lifted him into the air. "Did I not say thank you?" He nervously asked before getting thrown into the mud by the swings. "How did he do that?"

"I suspect he's not himself. Don't get comfortable here." He told Amy. "You may have to run, fast."

"Can't we just talk to them?" Amy asked.

The old people all opened their mouths and a green single eye appeared in their mouths, staring at the four.

"There is an eye in her mouth." Amy stared.

"There's a whole creature inside her. Inside all of them. They've been there for years, living and waiting."

"That is disgusting." Rory shivered. "They're not going to be peeping out of anywhere else, are they?"

Mrs Poggit breathed out a strange green gas. "Run!" The Doctor exclaimed. Rory took Amy, the two of them half running, half waddling. "Hollie?!" He shouted seeing her not running off.

"I'm staying with you." She took his hand.

"Gr, fine!" He grumbled then looked at the old people. "Okay. Talk to me. You are Eknodines. A proud, ancient race. you're better than this. Why are you hiding away here? Why aren't you at home?"

"We were driven from our planet by-"

"Planet by upstart neighbours." The Doctor cut in.

"So we've-" Mr Nainby began.

"Been living here inside the bodies of old humans for years." He finished. "No wonder they live so long. You're keeping them alive."

"We were humbled and destroyed." Mrs Poggit said. "Now we will do the same to others."

"Okay. Makes sense, I suppose. Credible enough. Could be real." He glanced at Hollie who nodded in agreement.

The Doctor and Hollie watched as a paper boy wheeled his bike past. "Morning." He called to them all.
Hollies hand flew up to her mouth in shock as Mrs Poggit opened her mouth, green gas spewed out and the paper boy suddenly turned into a pile of dust.

"You need to leave this planet." The Doctor warned, his hand firmly grabbing Hollies.

×××

"Wait. Stop." Amy told Rory as they headed up to their house, four old people walking across the grass towards them.

"After all I've done for the over seventies in this village," Rory commented.

Amy and Rory headed to the front door as an old lady walked across the grass and in front of the house. "Okay, this is crazy," Rory said, watching the old lady. "She loves me. I fixed her depression. She's just a little old lady."

"Mrs Hamill, we don't understand," Amy stated.

Mrs Hamill's mouth opened and the Eknodine appeared. "I'll deal with this one, Chubs." Rory said to Amy. "Now-" he stopped as the alien inside of Mrs Hamills breathed out the green gas.

The two dodged the gas, Rory picked up a plank of wood. "I can't hit her."

Amy tutted before narrowing her eyes. "Whack her!"

Rory did so, swinging the plank and knocking the woman down allowing him and Amy to run inside.

"We just ran away." Amy blinked as Rory locked the door. "We just abandoned the Doctor and Hollie." She turned to Rory, pointing a finger at him. "Don't ever call me Chubs again." She sighed. "We haven't seen them for years, and somehow we don't really connect any more, not with the Doctor anyway and then, then they take the bullet for us."

"Hey, they'll be fine." Rory told Amy as he bordered up the windows. "You know the Doctor. He's Mister Cool and Hollie, well it's Hollie so she'll be fine."

×××

Hollie shook her head as she and the Doctor stumbled through the streets, to anyone looking on they would probably look very, very drunk but in reality, they were both fighting the sound of the birds chirping and the heavy weight they felt on their eyes.

"Oh, I love a good butcher's, don't you?" The Dream Lord asked as the Doctor and Hollie practically fell into the shop. "We've got to use these places or they'll shut down. Oh, but you're probably a vegetarian, aren't you, you big flop-haired wuss."

"Oh, pipe down. I'm busy." The Doctor groaned.

"Maybe you need a little sleep."

"No!" Hollie shouted a moment before they slumped to the floor.

"Oh, wait a moment, you're right, if you fall asleep here, several dozen angry pensioners will destroy you with their horrible eye things."

Hollie pulled herself up, pressing herself against the door, her fingers in her ears as the Doctor did the same. "Fingers in the ear. Brilliant." The Dream Lord watched them. "What's next, shouting boo?" Hollie banged her head against the window before stumbling away as the old people forced her away. "Come in, come in." The Dream Lord gestured them in, and the Doctor and Hollie headed towards the store room behind the counter, holding onto the wall as support.

"Yes, we've got lots at steak here this week." He chuckled. "Lots at steak, get it?"

"Not funny." Hollie gritted out before her eyes closed.

"Holls..." The Doctor slurred as she slumped into him, the Doctor picked her up bridal style. "Are the jokes that bad." He asked.

The Doctor stumbled into the storeroom before he shut the door with his foot and set Hollie against the wall. "Wait, wait, stop."

"Oh. Oh, I can't watch."

With the last bit of energy in him, the Doctor pulled his sonic out and locked the door, a moment later he fell to the floor beside Hollie.

⎯
TARDIS
⎯

"Ah, it's colder," Amy complained.

"The four of us have to agree, now," the Doctor told them, "which is the dream."

"It's this, here," Rory said.

"He could be right. The science is all wrong here. Burning ice?"

"No, no, no. Ice can burn. Sofas can read. It's a big universe."

"Reading sofas?" Hollie frowned.

"Not the point Holls." The Doctor replied. "We have to agree which battle to lose. All of us, now."

"Okay, which world do you think is real?"

"This one."

"Hollie?" Amy looked at her.

"I have to agree with this one as well." She nodded. "There's no way I would back down from letting you two leave us."

"No, the other one." Rory protested.

"Yeah, but are we disagreeing or competing?" The Doctor asked.

"Competing?" Hollie frowned. "Over what?"

"What do you think?" Amy asked.

"Oh." She blinked.

"Nine minutes till impact." The Doctor looked at his watch.

"What temperature is it?" Amy asked.

"Outside? Brrr. How many noughts have you got?" He asked. "Inside? I don't know but I can't feel my feet and other parts."

"I think all my parts are basically fine." Rory countered.

"If either of you mentions anything about competing or anyones *parts* again today neither of you will be able to feel anything for several weeks." Hollie pointed at them both.

"Sorry." They both apologised while Amy snickered.

"Can't we call for help?" Rory asked.

"Yeah, because the universe is really small and there's bound to be someone nearby." The Doctor rolled his eyes.

"Put these on." Amy threw the blankets at the Doctor, Hollie and Rory.

Hollie raised a brow. "Ponchos?" She put her hand through the hole before shrugging and placing it over her head.

"The biggest crime against fashion since lederhosen," Rory added.

"Here we go." Amy looked at Hollie. "Our boys." She chuckled. "Our poncho boys. If we're going to die, let's die looking like a Peruvian folk band."

"We're not going to die," Rory said.

"No, we're not," the Doctor confirmed, "but our time's running out. If we fall asleep here we're in trouble. If we could divide up, then we'd have an active presence in each world, but the Dream Lord is switching us between the worlds. Why? Why? what's the logic?"

"Good idea, veggie." The Dream Lord suddenly appeared. "Let's divide you four up, tell you what, you two get the ginger and I'll have a chat with blondie."

Hollie narrowed her eyes and the Doctor gritted his teeth at the thought of Hollie being left with the Dream Lord. "Maybe I'll keep her, and you can have Pointy Nose and the chin to yourself for all eternity Amy. You'd like that wouldn't you?"

"Can you hear that?" Rory asked.

Hollie swallowed hard as the Doctor practically stumbled over to the blonde. "Hollie, don't be scared." He gripped on her arms, trying to keep himself awake with ever inch of his body. "We'll be back. I promise."

"Please don't go." She begged as the Doctors legs wobbled before he fell to the ground, joining Amy and Rory in sleep as his eyes closed with theirs. "Please..."

"Oh, Holls..." The Dream Lord grinned. "We're going to have fun, aren't we?"

Hollie spun around and swallowed hard. "I don't think I like your idea of fun."

⎯
Leadworth
⎯

Rory and Amy both woke up as glass in the windows shattered. "Upstairs." Amy grabbed his hand, and the two of them headed up.

×××

The Doctor's eyes opened, and Hollies head lolled to the side as he moved. "Okay, where is it?" The Doctor used his sonic on the lights, adjusting the frequency, making the lights much brighter, the old people closed their eyes and mouths, and quickly picking Hollie up again the Doctor made his escape out of the shop.

The Doctor ran out and into the road where he spotted Mr Nainby trying to attack a man with a van. "Oh help, somebody." The man called.

"Oh, you couldn't live near the shops, could you." The Doctor muttered. Using one of his legs he kicked out at the old man, causing him to fall, he set Hollie in the passenger seat and strapped her in and kissed her temple before he headed to the driver's side, the man got into the back and the Doctor drove off.

⎯
TARDIS
⎯

The Dream Lord appeared as Hollie gently brushed some ice off the Doctor's face. "Poor Hollie." Her head snapped up as she jumped slightly, the Dream Lord watching over her. "He always leaves you, doesn't he, all alone. Never truly apologise, not like you want him to."

Hollie shook her head. "He doesn't need to say anything."

"That's good because he never will get the guts to say it. And now he's left you with me." He grinned. "Spooky old, not to be trusted me. Anything could happen."

Hollie grimaced as the Dream Lord suddenly appeared behind her dressed in only a robe and silk bottoms. "Who exactly are you, and what do you want?" She crossed her arms. "The Doctor clearly knows you, but he's not telling me who you are so it has to be dangerous but not too dangerous because then he would tell me."

"Oh, is that who you think you are?" The Dream Lord smirked and raised a brow. "The one he confides in?"

Hollie laughed and shook her head. "I don't think I'm anyone." She walked towards the man. "I just know that the Doctor is my friend and I'm lucky enough to be given the opportunity to see the universe with him."

The Dream Lord frowned before he suddenly disappeared and reappeared next to the blonde in his usual clothes. "You're speaking the truth." He admitted with a tilt of his head before raising a brow. "I must say, you are a confusing one Holls."

"Don't call me that." She narrowed her eyes. "Only friends call me that and we're not friends, far from it actually."

"Hmm." He watched her and started to circle the woman. "Interesting."

"What?"

"Well, I don't exactly know." He shrugged. "You could have had either of these men at one point." She gestured to the Doctor and Rory lying on the ground. "And yet I know you don't expect to have either of them, not in the way they've thought about you, at least once."

Hollie giggled at the Dream Lord and shook her head. "Rory's like a brother to me and he knows that plus he loves Amy and then there's the Doctor who is much more than a relationship, granted I was upset when Amy kissed him but I learned that loving the universe is exactly like loving the Doctor, care and appreciate it and it will do the same back."

"Huh?" He frowned. "That's an interesting take on it." He walked towards her. "But if you had to pick which one of these men would you really choose?" He clicked his fingers and pointed at her. "I know. Let's ask the ginge." He pointed at Amy whose eyes opened a moment later. "Hello!" The Dream Lord greeted as Amy moved away from him and towards Hollie. "I was just asking your friend which of these men she would pick." He looked at the Doctor's body before he looked at Hollie. "She doesn't want to so it's your choice Amy."

The ginger shook her head and jumped as the Dream Lord disappeared before appearing beside her. "Look at them." He disappeared again only to appear behind where the Doctor and Rory were lying. "You ran away with a handsome hero. Would you really give him up for a bumbling country doctor who thinks the only thing he needs to be interesting is a ponytail?"

"Stop it." Amy snapped.

"But maybe it's better than loving and losing the Doctor." He shrugged. "Pick a world, and this nightmare will all be over. They'll listen to you. It's you they're waiting for. Amy's men. Amy's choice."

"They're not mine!" Amy protested. The Dream Lord only laughed