He caught hold of them by the shoulders, turning and steering them back towards the TARDIS. He sighed, knowing it had been a bad idea to let these two out in one of the biggest clubbing scenes in the universe.

Back inside his time machine, he released them. The pretty red-haired woman and her gangling boyfriend. Amelia Pond and Rory Williams, the kissogram and the nurse.

"Right! Tell me, Pond, what I said before you went out?"

The couple looked at eachother, giggling. "Don't worry Amy, no-one's going to try and steal Rory when he has a nose like that?" Amy offered, slightly slurring the words.

"What? NO! …the drink, what did I say about the drink?" he tried again, slightly flustered. He had said that about Rory, not knowing that Amy had heard. He hoped it would be forgotten in the morning, like most of the night would be.

Amy thrust one hand into the air, yelped "strong!" and sank down into the single seat in the control room, looking immensely proud of herself.

The Doctor clapped his hands together. "Yes, well done, it is strong…so why did you still decide to drink your weight in various cocktails?". He had tried to be stern, but the sight of the two humans in front of him, fidgeting like children, was making it hard for him not to laugh. A smile tugged at the edges of his mouth.

Seeing the smile, and taking it as encouragement that they were giving the right answers, Amy tried again. "Fun!" she grinned at the Doctor, as Rory nodded beside her.

Knowing this conversation would get nowhere, and the headaches the humans would have in the morning would speak far clearer than any of his words, the Doctor took hold of Amy by the arm, whispered "bed, Pond. Now." before giving her a gentle push in the right direction. If they were acting like children, he would treat them that way.

He watched Amy until she was safely in her room at the end of the corridor. "Watch her" he told the console in the centre of the room, knowing his ship would do everything he asked and more.

He turned to Rory. He'd never really spent much time alone with him and wondered if the intoxicated Rory may be more willing to show his true personality rather than the jumble of nervousness, confusion and excitement the Doctor usually saw. He was definitely quieter for being drunk.

Taking Rory by the arm has he had Amy, the Doctor led him to the newly-vacated seat and motioned for him to sit down. Rory grinned.

"Come on Rory, have a sit down, you won't be half as unsteady there" he firmly but encouragingly told the man beside him. Again, Rory grinned. "I love you, I do. Bloody love you!" he slurred, throwing an arm round the Doctor's shoulders and pulling him into a vice-like hug.

The Doctor let out a yelp of laughter. Humans! Seemingly so different and yet all the same when they'd had a bit too much to drink. Trying to remove himself from Rory's grip, he decided it was best to send the man to bed too. Getting to know Rory would have to wait a little longer.

Ordering Rory to bed in the same tone of voice he had used on Amy, he made to turn away and return to the console. Before he had a chance to react, Rory cupped his hands round the Doctor's face and clumsily pressed his lips to those of the Timelord.

Frozen with shock, the Doctor struggled to understand what was happening. In these few seconds Rory moved a hand into the Doctor's hair, and kissed him again.

In his mind the Timelord knew this was wrong, that he had to stop it, this wasn't what either of them really wanted. But somewhere inside him there had been a spark. He'd never kissed a man before. He thought fast. Amy was still in bed, Rory wouldn't remember in the morning, so could this really do any harm?

Relaxing into the human's hold, the Doctor returned the kiss, hesitantly at first before sinking into the moment and snaking his arms around Rory's shoulders, linking fingers behind his neck.

He wanted more.

Rory pulled the Doctor backwards until they had reached the seat and lowered himself down, pulling the alien onto his lap. The Doctor teased Rory's lips with his tongue, seeking out entry. Sure enough, he responded, allowing the Doctor's tongue to explore his mouth.

Behind the, the TARDIS began to hum. Neither man noticed.

The Doctor's hands moved to Rory's chest, working their way down, undoing the buttons of his shirt. Rory pulled at the Doctor's bow tie, letting it slip away.

The humming increased.

Slipping his hands under the material, the Doctor felt the warmth of Rory's body. He arched against the man.

Total darkness. A shout from both men. Rory heard the Doctor mutter something about the "bloody machine, getting old aren't you girl?" and felt the weight of the Timelord leaving his lap. With a sudden sobering sense of guilt, he realised what had just happened.

Across the console room, the Doctor was also trying to understand what he had done. However he looked at it, he had taken advantage of the human when he was drunk and easily led.

The TARDIS' humming stopped. She knew what her master was thinking, that he wouldn't let the situation occur again. She had been asked to watch Amy, and had watched her feelings too. She wouldn't allow the vulnerable human girl to get hurt, least of all by the two men she loved the most. That was why the ship had crashed her entire lighting system. But now she could safely let it return.

Fiddling with levers and switches on the control panel, the Doctor clapped as the light returned.

There was a small cough from the end of the room. "Doctor…I'm going to bed now". The Doctor looked up, awkwardly meeting Rory's eyes, the human's shirt still hanging open on his skinny frame. Before he could respond, Rory had turned and started down the corridor.

The Doctor rubbed his face with both hands, furious at himself for letting himself get carried away like that. Rory would remember, he knew. He also knew he had probably blown his chances of ever getting to know the man properly. He should never have lost control. He turned to the TARDIS console again. "Well what am I meant to do now?"

The TARDIS merely hummed.