The first chapter of TheLife of a Time Lady. I hope people are as excited about this as I am, because I had lots of fun writing it! This story has more of a Doctor Who-esque feel to it, if that makes sense. Anyway, I'll stop talking and let you get to the story. I do not own anything. I hope you enjoy!
"So, Doctor. Where are we going this time?" Clara asked as she ran down the steps to the TARDIS console room. She rested her elbow on one of the panels of the console, resting her chin on her hand. She looked up at him with a smirk. "Anywhere special you have picked out for me?"
He smiled down at her as he fiddled with the many buttons, levers, and switches lied out before him. "Well, I do know this place that is just magnificent! You'd love it." He started working at the console with enthusiasm and a wide grin spread across his face, the sparkle of anticipated adventure shining in his eyes.
Clara giggled as she watched him, her mind occasionally mentally correcting the mistakes he made as he set the TARDIS on course.
She had gotten used to that by now. The Doctor had explained to her that now that she was part Time Lady, memories that her Time Lady echo had had would be seeping through a lot more. It bothered her at first, as she didn't agree with having another echo kind of living in a part of her mind, but it grew on her.
She remembers one day they were sitting in a restaurant on some beautiful planet, and she'd said something in Gallifreyan to the Doctor, not even having to think about it. It shocked both of them, the Doctor's eyes got watery, and then he got just so beautifully happy, kissing her excitedly on the lips. She couldn't even remember what she'd said, for all she knew it could've been, "I really like these chips." But the moment was so sweet, and so very personal that she didn't think too much on those unimportant details.
"Clara!" The Doctor brought her out of her daydream, pulling on her arm, much like a child. "Clara, come on! We're here!"
She smiled and followed him. "Where are we going, Chin?" She asked as they stopped behind the doors.
He turned back to her, his eyes gleaming and his smile contagious. "An adventure, Clara! We're going to have an adventure!" He pushed open the doors and stepped through, Clara following in his wake.
She frowned at the scenery, which was very dull to be honest. "We're in a building?" She half asked, half stated.
He wrung his hands and looked around, before lifting his wrist and checking his watch. "Well, this isn't where I'd meant to take you," He turned to her, a smirk playing at the corner of his lips. "But it's still an adventure all the same!"
Clara shook her head as she took his hand, walking across the building floor and opening the doors. Her eyes went wide as she saw shining diamonds and crystals all around her. "Oh my stars, that is beautiful." She exclaimed breathlessly.
The Doctor observed the change in her expressions out of the corner of his eye, squeezing her hand softly, a smirk playing at the corner of his mouth. He watched as she went from shock to awe, and then from awe to wonder. He turned back to the diamonds as she turned his way. "Hmm, I can't quite remember what this place was called. I can't remember much about this place at all actually. Only that we shouldn't be able to be standing here…" He pulled out his sonic and started scanning the doorway. He pulled the sonic up to his eyes and nodded. "Ah, newly installed shielding around the building. Must be somewhere important then." He pocketed the sonic and turned to his companion. "Don't step outside of this doorway."
She nodded and continued staring in awe at the glaringly beautiful diamonds spread as far as she could see. She didn't even notice when the Doctor walked away, jabbering on about something to do with apples. She had to force herself to look away from the breathtaking sight. She found the Doctor standing still in the middle of the room, brow furrowed and arms across his chest. "What is it?" She asked, looking around the room to spot out anything that might've disturbed him.
He nodded toward the empty chairs to his right. "Empty chairs," He nodded toward the receptionist desk. "Empty reception," He turned back to her. "I'm assuming we're in some kind of office building, or possibly a hospital, so where…" He spun around. "Are the people?"
Clara walked up to the receptionist desk and leaned over it, looking for any sign that the person that wasn't there had somehow been attacked. She turned her head to the side to see the Doctor rather blatantly checking out her bum. "Oi! Eyes front soldier!"
His face immediately grew a bright pink, his arms waving around in front of him, as he said, "No! I wasn't… I was just- I didn't, oh- just."
She chuckled as he struggled to make complete sentences. She stood up straight and walked up to him, her eyebrow raised. "I know exactly what you were doing. Enjoy the view?" She teased.
"Yes, of course. I mean no! Not that I didn't- you have a very nice…" Clara raised her other eyebrow. "No! Argh, I don't- just, shut up!" He pointed his finger at her accusingly before straightening his bow tie and turning away, his face a steaming red.
Clara smirked, her eyes drifting down his back until they landed on his very nicely shaped… Clara coughed, turning her head away quickly and trying not to let the Doctor notice the small, light pink, blush that was spreading across her cheeks. "Um, people. We need to, uh, find the people." She said quickly, walking away from him.
The Doctor watched her in confusion, wondering what had caused the sudden change in her usually confident personality. He looked around before leaning his head back, making a subtle attempt at looking at his behind.
"You're bum being inadequate was not the reason. Quite the opposite actually." She muttered from behind the reception desk.
He looked towards the desk, seeing no sign of Clara. "How did you- but you're… oh. Really?" He asked with a smirk.
He saw Clara's head pop up from behind the desk. "Don't push it, Chin." She said, and he could just make out the slight shade of pink coloring her cheeks. She disappeared behind the desk again, and he allowed himself to nod victoriously. "Oh, stop being so smug. It was just one compliment."
He frowned and jumped, slightly surprised. "But you can't even…" He sighed.
Clara stood back up and walked towards him. "Everything's still tidied up, no sign of any struggle, or anything really. Just no people."
He nodded, his mind focusing back on the situation at hand. "Let's go check up stairs. Maybe there are people up there." He grabbed her hand and pulled her towards an elevator, pressing the button for the second floor.
Once they reached their destination Clara stepped out of the elevator, kneeling down beside a nurse that was sitting on the ground. "Hello? Are you alright?"
"Hello? Are you alright?"
Clara frowned. "Well, you don't need to repeat me. But are you okay? Where are the people?"
"Well, you don't need to repeat me. But are you okay? Where are the people?"
She turned to the Doctor. "Doctor, why is she repeating me?" She asked, only just noticing that he had stilled again, his fists clenching and his eyes watering.
"Doctor, why is she repeating me?"
"Clara, I've made a very, very big mistake." He said, squeezing his eyes shut.
"Clara, I've made a very, very big mistake."
She turned to the nurse, frowning. "Okay, you can stop now. It's not funny anymore. Just stop."
"Okay, you can stop now. It's not funny anymore. Just stop."
"I'm being serious! Just be quiet!" She turned to the Doctor. "Doctor, what is it? What mistake have you made?"
"I'm being serious! Just be quiet! Doctor, what is it? What mistake have you made?"
The Doctor stepped forward, pulling Clara up. "Come on, we need to leave." He looked around, the ground littered with papers and other things.
"Come on, we need to leave."
Clara nodded, the whole thing starting to freak her out. She turned to the elevator, but it slammed shut before she could do anything. She pressed the button, nothing happened.
"It's deadlocked." The Doctor said, pulling her to the nearest room.
"It's deadlocked."
He pulled on the handle, but it wouldn't budge. "Damn, this is locked as well." Clara muttered, already heading for another door.
"Damn, this is locked as well."
The Doctor stopped her, his eyes closed again. "They're all going to be locked." He said sadly.
"They're all going to be locked."
"How do you know?" Clara asked, trying to open the door anyway.
"How do you know?"
He rubbed his eyes. "Because I've encountered this before. Oh god, I'm so sorry."
"Because I've encountered this before. Oh god, I'm so sorry."
"Encountered what before?" Clara asked, looking angrily at the nurse. "You can shut up now!"
"Encountered what before? You can shut up now!"
"Just shut up!"
"Just shut up!"
The Doctor rested a hand on Clara's shoulder. "It's no use. But, I don't even know how. No, no this can't be. It died. I watched it die!"
Clara gulped. "It? But-but it's just a nurse."
"It? But-but it's just a nurse."
The Doctor's eyes were wide. He turned to the nurse slowly, swallowing hard. "It stopped." He said slowly.
"Did it? It repeated me. Why is it only repeating me now? And it's not even an it! It's a nurse!"
"Did it? It repeated me. Why is it only repeating me now? And it's not even an it! It's a nurse!"
The Doctor shook his head, muttering to himself. "No, no, no, no, no. This can't be happening. No, this cannot be happening." He paced around the small hallway, looking for anything to throw the nurse out of. He pulled out his sonic, scanning around the hallway helplessly, having no idea what to do.
Clara grew nervous. "Doctor, why is it only repeating me now?" She asked.
"Doctor, why is it only repeating me now?"
"Oh, god. Why? Why didn't I just check where we are?! Why did I have to mess up, again! Why do I always do this?!" He hit himself in the head with sonic in his frustration, rubbing his head afterwards.
Clara walked up to him, placing a hand on his shoulder. "Doctor, it's okay." Clara and the nurse said in unison. Clara's eyes grew wide. "How did she know I was going to say that?" They asked at the same time. She spun around and knelt in front of the nurse, hands balled into fists. "How are you doing that? Stop it. You can't possibly know what I'm going to say next. It's impossible!" They said at exactly the same time. "Okay, challenge it is then. Soufflé, butterscotch, milk, eggs, mum, dad, playground, book, vacation, sunsets, snogging." They both said very quickly. "Oh my stars."
The Doctor was pulling at his hair, groaning in frustration. "No! No! No! No!" He pulled the nurse by her arms, trying to find any kind of high place to throw her from. "You are not doing this to Clara!"
"Doctor, I can't move. Why can't I move?" Clara and the nurse asked him.
He struggled as he tried to pull the nurse away. "Clara… just stay… calm. I'm going… blimey, how much can a nurse way… to get you out of this. I… promise." He said between heavy breaths.
"Doctor, I'm scared. I'm so scared. I can't move. I can… I can feel it in my brain." Clara and the nurse said, her eyes watering. "It can see everything. I'm so scared, Doctor."
"There are no windows on this floor." The nurse said. The Doctor froze.
"There are no windows on this floor." Clara repeated.
The Doctor gritted his teeth. "No! No! No! No! No! Take me! Don't take her, take me!" He yelled angrily.
"I think it's time you gave up, Doctor." The nurse said, pushing him away.
"I think it's time you gave up, Doctor." Clara repeated, a tear threatening to fall, her body completely stiff.
He pulled out his sonic and scanned Clara, trying to find a way to help her, to do anything. "I will never give up on Clara."
"You have no chance of saving her." The nurse exclaimed evilly, smirking. "It's in her mind now."
"You have no chance of saving her. It's in her mind now."
"There's always a chance." He looked at the readings on his sonic. "There's always hope."
"It would be impossible to save her now." It spat.
"It would be impossible to save her now."
The Doctor smiled as he picked up a phone thrown across the ground, blasting it with his sonic screwdriver. "And that's why she's known as," A loud sound emitted from the phone, causing the nurse to screech in pain. "The Impossible Girl!" The nurse pressed her hands to her ears, her face contorting in pain. She lashed out, until eventually the sound became too much for her. She fell to the ground, letting out a weak moan before she went limp.
The Doctor held Clara as she collapsed, gasping for breath. He was breathing heavily himself, almost not believing what had just happened. That he had encountered it after so long, and he still didn't even know what it was.
All she could hear was ringing, a loud ringing. "It's gone. It's gone. It's gone." She mumbled, the relief causing tears to roll down her cheeks. "It's gone. I was so scared. So scared. So, so, so, so, scared. I couldn't move. It's gone. It's gone. It's gone." She thought she could see the Doctor, but he was very blurry, for a reason she didn't know. She reached her hand up, trying to cup his cheek. She wasn't sure if she did or not, but she pulled herself up, kissing his cheek. "It's gone, Doctor. It's gone. I was scared. I was really scared. My head. It's gone." She was pretty sure the Doctor was trying to tell her something, but all she could hear was ringing. He caressed head and she felt more tears on her cheeks. "It's gone." She gasped one last time, before leaning her head back, her eyes closing. She fell asleep, the ringing loud in her ears.
-x-
Clara awoke to the sound of reading. Someone with a beautiful voice was reading to her. She opened her eyes, glad that her sight wasn't blurry anymore. She turned towards the beautiful voice to see the Doctor with an Amelia Williams' book in hand. He looked up at her as she turned, smiling. He stopped reading to kiss her forehead, but she frowned and groaned angrily. "Keep reading." She mumbled, lying on her back and closing her eyes. He chuckled before he continued to read. Clara soon fell asleep again, and he set the book on her bedside table, standing up quietly, kissing her forehead, and walking to the door.
"Good," He checked his watch. "Midnight. I'll see you tomorrow, my Impossible Girl." He shut the door quietly and sighed. That had been a close call. A very close call. One he wished he'd rather avoided. He swallowed before walking down the corridors, making his way to the console room.
-x-
The Doctor was fiddling with the console when Clara entered the console room the next day. He smiled at her, until he realized it looked like she'd been crying. He immediately had his arms wrapped around her, holding her to his chest. "Are you okay?" He asked softly.
She nodded against him, holding him tight. They stayed there for a few moments, embracing each other, until finally Clara pulled away. "I'm just… it was a weird- I just feel violated, and scared." She said quietly.
She sat down on the steps, her eyes staring at the ground. The Doctor sat down next to her as he wrapped an arm around her shoulder. He kissed the top of her head before saying, "It's okay. You're safe now. I'll take care of you." He pulled her to him, her head resting on his shoulder. "I know how it feels." He muttered into her hair, breathing in her scent.
"What was it, anyway? You said you've encountered it before." She mumbled into his neck.
He sighed, scratching his cheek with his free hand. "That's the thing," He started. "I don't know. Never did know, and I wasn't too keen on chasing after it. Not that I could anyway. I watched it die. It must have survived somehow." He pressed his cheek against the top of her head, squeezing his eyes shut. "I'm sorry. That never should've happened."
The only sound they heard for a few moments was the sound of their breathing, and the soft hum of the TARDIS. Clara nuzzled her forehead into the Doctor's shoulder, her eyes growing wet. "That was one of the worsts experiences I've ever been through." She exclaimed, her voice shaky.
The Doctor held her tighter, bringing his other hand around to rub her arm, providing some kind of comfort. He nodded and said, "I know. I'm sorry. I really am. We're never going back there again, I promise."
She nodded in response, curling up against him. "Can you tell me another story? I love your stories." She said, her eyes closing.
He nodded and smiled. "Sure. What story would you like to hear?"
"Anything. Or you can just talk. I love your voice."
The Doctor was warmed by this and also slightly shaken. Whatever that thing was must've really gotten to Clara; she was never usually this… this soft. He hoped she would get back to her usual cheeky self soon. But he did what she said, telling her any story that came to mind, until he heard the even breathing of a light sleeper, and he smiled down at her, kissing the top of her head once more. "I love you." He whispered, resting his cheek against the top of her head again, allowing himself to fall into a peaceful, and bliss filled sleep.