The Doctor sat in the control room going over what he had just let happen. Rory. Amy's Rory. His Rory had pushed him out of the way and taken the shot himself. Then he was gone. Not in the he was dead gone. No, he had been erased from time. No one remembered him but the Doctor. Not even Amy. Amy cried in her sleep even if she couldn't remember that she did. Even the TARDIS seemed to mourn the death of that man. The Doctor even found himself turning to sat something to Rory before realizing that he was gone.

Gone. What a harsh word it is. The Doctor thought leaning his head back.

He missed the clumsy man terribly. He never showed it around Amy because it would worry her and he'd been trying so hard to make her happy. So, he sat in the dark corridors of the TARDIS crying silently not even daring to sniffle afraid Amy would hear. Rory. Amy's Rory. His Rory wasn't ever coming back. It Didn't matter how many times he prayed and wished for him to come back. He was gone. Forever.

The Doctor had realized it far too late to tell him, but the Doctor loved Rory and it weighed on him like lead. Always longing to see his face again, to hear the way his voice sounded before he went to bed. The way he laughed and smiled. He missed every single thing, down to the last quirk and he would continue missing him.

The Doctor couldn't believe his eyes when he saw Rory standing there in Roman attire. He had walked right by him not realizing that he was there. He had become so used to his presence that he had talked to him like he always did. The Doctor poked him in the chest to make sure he wasn't going crazy. "Doctor," Rory said touching his face hesitantly. "Are you okay?"

"No," he answered, voice thick with unshed tears.

"What's wrong?" He asked simply brushing the tears the Doctor hadn't know he'd been shedding.

"You were gone, Rory. Gone forever. Erased from time. No one knew you had existed but me, not your parents, not even Amy. How are you here?"

"I dunno really. I woke up as a Roman and that you, the TARDIS, and Amy were just a really good dream." He said rubbing the back of his neck. "Amy really doesn't remember me, eh?"

"No," the Doctor said looking at him sadly.

"But you did," Rory stated looking down at the short time lord. The Doctor nodded a watery smile playing at his lips.

"I missed you so much," he whispered brokenly.

"I missed you too." Rory whispered, voice husky as he wrapped his arms around him. The Doctor buried his head into the crook of Rory's neck letting out a shuddering breath. "What would Amy say if she saw us in this kind of state?" Rory asked chuckling.

"In what kind of state would that be?" The Doctor asked slowly holding tighter to Rory.

"Crying and hugging and just loving each other."

The Doctor pulled back to look the taller man in the eyes. "Love?"

Rory pressed his lips gently to the Doctor's. "I love you Doctor."

"How long?" He asked shock freezing him to the spot.

"Does it matter?"

"Yes."

"Since the moment I saw you." Rory whispered pressing his forehead to the Doctor's.

"I love you too." The Doctor whispered closing his eyes. "I just didn't realize it till you were gone and I wanted to kick myself."

"Why?" Rory asked, eyes widening in alarm.

"Because I couldn't tell you I did." The Doctor said opening his eyes again. "I really do love you Rory."

Rory pressed his lips to the Doctor's again. "You're brilliant, you know that?"

"So I've been told." The Doctor whispered back kissing him deeply.

Rustling in the other room made them pull apart. Amy walked through the doorway rubbing her head. "Doctor, I have the worst headache."

Pressing his side close to Rory's he took Rory's hand behind them and gave it a squeeze before walking towards Amy, sonic screwdriver in hand. "Well let's see what I can do Pond."