A/N: Just the usual reminder about comments and votes motivating me to write, (I understand how annoying these messages get but I'm anxious in general and overthink things meaning chapters get put out way slower)

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There is a thick layer of frost over everything, Amy is holding Poppy in her arms, trying to warm both them up. The Dream Lord appear by both of them

"Poor Amy and Poppy. He always leaves you, doesn't he, alone in the dark. Never apologises," The Dream Lord teases

"He doesn't have to," Poppy mutters

"That's good, because he never will," Amy stands up and leaves Poppy sat on the stairs with The Dream Lord "And now he's left you two with me. Spooky old, not to be trusted me. Anything could happen,"

"Who are you, and what do you want? The Doctor probably knows by now, but he's not telling me who he thinks you are. And he always does. Takes him a while sometimes, but he tells me. So, you're something different,"

"Oh, is that who you think you are? The one he trusts?" The Dream Lord laughs

"Actually, yes,"

"The only girl in the universe to whom the Doctor tells everything?" The Dream Lord stage whispers "more than Poppy,"

"Yes,"

The Dream Lord actually starts laughing now and Poppy feels a stab to her heart "you think he trusts you more than her," she stands up and gets close to Amy "So what's his name?"

Amy's silent for a moment "even Poppy doesn't know that!"

"Oh, spoilers dear," The Dream Lord pops pack by Poppy who was just crawled up in a ball "Now, which one of these men would you really choose? Look at them. 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,"

"But maybe it's better than loving and losing the Doctor. Pick a world, both of you," The Dream Lord turns to Poppy "and this nightmare will all be over. They'll listen to you Amy. It's you they're waiting for. Amy's men. Amy's choice," Amy wraps Rory up in his poncho more and Poppy smiles at the gesture.

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"Oh, look at you. Freezing cold and alone," The Dream Lord had made Amy go back to sleep and left Poppy with her "he's left you,"

"Not deliberately,"

"Oh, but that's your fear isn't it? Remember Jack, Mickey, Martha," The Dream Lord pauses "Donna, Rose,"

"Shut up,"

"You don't want to end up like her. Left. That's why you don't like either of these worlds. You want to be engaged; you want that one thing that Rose never got. Commitment. Yes, she got a human version. But you want your Doctor, you want the adventure and the man. Not just the man. But here, you get Amy and Rory. You know they're figure things out eventually. You'll get The Doctor to yourself, no new companions because he'll have them,"

Poppy stayed silent

"And now, in one world you may die, but engaged. And in the other, you may die, but surrounded by friends. By practically family,"

"Which one's the dream ad which one's the reality?" The Dream Lord teases as birds start again "Dream or reality. Choose,"

That phrase stays in Poppy's head as she nodded off. 'dream or reality' said the Dream Lord.

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Poppy wakes up just as The Doctor gets out the camper van he'd acquired. All the old people are trying to break into Amy and Rory's house. Poppy quickly gets out as well

"What do we do?" The Doctor mutters to himself

"I've got a plan," The Doctor jumps and turns to Poppy "I've figured it out, all of it," The Doctor raises an eyebrow "don't worry, go get Amy and Rory, if I'm wrong..." Poppy trails off "at least you guys don't die,"

"Poppy..." The Doctor starts, he knew she was going to cause some big distraction in her very own style

"Oh, shut up," Poppy kisses him quickly "if we really are engaged and this is real. I'm really sorry," she kisses him again and runs over to the old people "oi! Creepy eye people!" They turn to her and The Doctor quickly goes towards The Window "come at me!" Poppy does the 'come here' sign, the old people start coming over "shit!" That causes Poppy to actually run, they all follow and eventually one catches up. She turns to dust.

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There's a thick layer of ice over everyone and everything now. First the Doctor, then Amy, then Rory, then Poppy wake up. Amy reaches for Rory's hand and The Doctor pulls Poppy closer to him and kisses her forehead.

"So, you chose this world. Well done. You got it right" The Dream Lord appears and everyone is still practically frozen on the floor. "Fair's fair. I should probably turn the TARDIS on now," The Dream Lord turns on the power in the TARDIS

"I hope you've enjoyed your little fantasy's; I know I did. It all came out of your imagination, so I'll leave you to think about that. Can't remember who came up with the old people," she mutters "Bye then" She vanishes with a wave and curtsy.

Amy and Rory share a hug and Poppy quickly stands up and starts messing around with the TARDIS, The Doctor is sat watching.

"What are we doing now?" Amy asks when she sees Poppy quickly running around the console

"Me? I'm going to blow up the TARDIS!" she says casually.

"What?!" even The Doctor screams

"Notice how helpful the Dream Lord was? Okay, there was slight misleading and mis-information and I could do without the flirting," The Doctor starts to get the picture and helps Poppy "But she was always very keen to make us choose between dream and reality,"

"What are you doing?!"

"Poppy! The Dream Lord conceded. This isn't a dream!" Rory tries to stop her as the TARDIS shakes more

"Yes, it is," she tells them

"Stop them!" Amy shouts

"Star burning cold? Do me a favour," The Doctor laughs

"The Dream Lord has no power over the real world. She was offering us a choice between two dreams!" Poppy explains

"How do you know that?"

"Because I know who she is,"

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Rory and Amy enter very confused to see the Doctor looking at something small and yellow on his palm. Poppy hasn't entered yet.

She does enter as Rory points to The Doctor's hands where he once blew away the dust "So that was the Dream Lord then? Those little specks,"

"No, no. No," The Doctor protests "and I think I know who it was..."

"Sorry, wasn't it obvious?" Poppy speaks up "The Dream Lord was me,"

"Psychic pollen. It's a mind parasite. It feeds on everything dark in you, gives it a voice, turns it against you," The Doctor looks to her in astonishment "why'd it goes for you?"

"Easy target" Poppy shrugs

"But why didn't it feed on us, too?" Any asks

"The darkness in you pair, it would've starved to death in an instant. I choose my friends with great care. Otherwise, I'm stuck with my own company, and you know how that works out,"

"But those things she said about you," Amy walks up to Poppy carefully "You don't think any of that's true?" Poppy just stares at her and lets out a small smile. Amy hugs her tightly.

"Amy, right now a question is about to occur to Rory. And seeing as the answer is about to change his life, I think you should give him your full attention," The Doctor speaks up and leads Poppy out of the room.

He leads her through the halls of the TARDIS and Poppy was starting to get worried. They end up in the library and the Doctor makes her sit none of the sofas.

"This is awkward,"

"Poppy..." The Doctor starts and her anxiety increases "I think maybe we should start to focus on getting your memories back,"

"Yeah..." Poppy mumbles "are you going to leave me now?"

"What...?"

"Because you said you choose your friends with great care and it chose me so I obviously have a lot of bad stuff in the past. So, I'm asking if you're going to drop me back. That's cool y'know..." The Doctor quickly presses his lips to hers to stop the ramble.

"I'm not leaving you," he reassures "I don't think I ever could," Poppy smiles and The Doctor pulls her into his side. They sit there in silence for a while, contemplating the day.

The Doctor was keeping her around, and they were going to figure out her past. However hard it could be.