Rising From The Ashes (Book Five of the Bad Wolf Chronicles)

The Vampires of Venice

Here come the vampires! Jessie tells some of her past, the Doctor banters with Rory, and we figure out what the bet with Casanova was about! Oh, AND Jessie saves people! :D

But, PLEASE READ THE AUTHOR'S NOTE AT THE END OF THIS!!! Very important stuff about TBWC and a sneak peek for the next Doctor Who fanfiction series I have planned!

***

"Hey!" Rory said into his phone to Amy's answering machine with a grin as he tried to talk over the noise of his stag party. "It's me. Hello. How are you? The reason for this call is because I haven't told you for seven hours that I love you, which is a scandal, and even if we weren't getting married tomorrow, I'd ask you to marry me anyway. Yes, I would, because you are smashing!" He looked behind him when the men cheered, a pink cake being wheeled in. "Oh," he stammered, remembering they'd brought in a stripper. "Oh. Oh, blimey. I've . . . I've, er, got to go. I'll see you tomorrow!"

He quickly hung up as his friends pushed him forward. "Out!" they chanted. "Out! Out!"

Rory's jaw fell open when instead of a stripper, the Bad Wolf popped out, fully dressed, and not looking happy. She looked around, an eyebrow raised, as every noise fell silent, and then she saw him. "Rory!" she cheered. "There you are!"

"Don't look!" the Doctor shouted, running in before blinking.

She rolled her eyes and leaned on his shoulder. "Thank Asgard we found you," she smiled tensely. "Thought I'd burst out of the wrong cake, like this guy."

"That reminds me, there's a girl standing outside in a bikini," the Doctor grinned. "Could someone let her in and give her a jumper? Lucy? Lovely girl. Diabetic. Now, Rory, we need to have a serious talk about your fiancée." Rory smiled, but then the Doctor frowned and said bluntly, "She tried to kiss me."

Rory's jaw dropped as the other men gasped. "And I don't like it when someone else tries to kiss my husband," the Bad Wolf added.

"Tell you what, though, you're a lucky man," the Doctor remarked. "Way she was, seems like she's a great kisser."

The Bad Wolf sighed. "Yes, that is exactly what you say to the man at his stag."

The Doctor frowned, then winced when someone dropped their glass and it smashed on the floor. "Funny how you can say something in your head and it sounds fine . . . "

The Bad Wolf climbed out of the cake and took Rory's arm. "Come on," she told him, pulling him out the door.

The Doctor narrowed his eyes as the other men watched her go. "Eyes front, soldiers!" he snapped, fuming, before following out.

***

"Oh, the life out there, it dazzles!" the Doctor called from underneath the console, working on welding as Jessie checked his progress on the TARDIS monitors, Rory still standing by the door and looking around, Amy as far away from her as she could get. "I mean, it blinds you to the things that are important. I've seen it devour relationships and plans - "

"Look out," Jessie warned just as something sparked in the Doctor's hands.

He jumped, then nodded at Rory. "It's meant to do that," he said.

"Not."

He stuck his tongue out at her, then stopped and headed for the stairs. "Because for one person to have seen all that, to taste the glory and then go back, it will tear you apart. So I'm sending you somewhere, together."

"Whoa," Amy cut in, frowning. "What, like a date?"

"Anywhere you want," the Doctor nodded, still upset with her and trying to cover it up by doing his usual: acting like nothing was wrong. "Any time you want. One condition: it has to be amazing. The Moulin Rouge in 1890. The first Olympic Games."