The Long Wait
Chapter One
A new beginning
Clara Oswald ran for her life into the interior of the T.A.R.D.I.S, breathing heavily. Running deep into the T.A.R.D.I.S, as far away from the door as possible.
Run he had told her, I'll be right after you he had promised. But no Doctor came. In order to keep her safe, he had done the ultimate sacrifice. He had stayed behind so she could get to refuge safely.
But to Clara's relief the Doctor followed soon after, but something was wrong. Unlike Clara, the Doctor was breathing laboriously. He seemed to be in considerable pain, as he slowly took the last steps necessary to enter the T.A.R.D.I.S.
Once he had entered, he slammed the door shut and leaned his back on the door to support himself. He closed his eyes for a moment, exhausted from all his efforts.
He wanted this moment to last forever. To rest, free of pain, free of fear that his loved ones were in danger.
His feet began to slip, his legs eventually giving in, he exhaled with great effort and slid down the door and fell to the ground, flat on his back.
"Doctor!" Clara exclaimed as she saw the Doctor; her dearest friend, a man she was willing to die for, fall to the ground, on the verge of dying.
"Don't worry about me Clara, I'll be alright. Things will be different after this, but still it was fun while it lasted eh?" The Doctor reassured Clara from a distance.
Clara watched on, fearing that she would never see her friend again, just as she was getting to know him.
"Geronimo…" The Doctor whispered feebly with a wry smile on his face, his eyes fixed on Clara.
The Doctor then shut his eyes and grimaced, as he felt a surge of heat and pain permeating every single of his cells.
He screamed in pain as beams of golden energy burst from his limbs and face, illuminating the interior of the T.A.R.D.I.S, blinding Clara.
Clara instinctively put her hand in front of her eyes to block out the harsh light, she soon overcame the instinct and peeked through the gaps between the fingers of her hand.
What she saw was extraordinary.
In mere seconds the Doctor's prominent features, his boyish face and floppy dark hair had transformed into a lean, mature face with tousled graying brown hair.
Then there was only silence.
The Doctor opened his eyes slowly. The Doctor slowly and cautiously got up, unaccustomed to his new body yet.
Clara removed her hand from her face and quietly watched her friend observe his new body.
The Doctor looked at himself up and down, checking out his new body. This carried on for a few minutes.
Finally the Doctor spoke up, breaking the silence. As he spoke Clara came closer him and watched the then weakened man, come to life with exuberance.
"Right then, eyesight. Not bad, bit blue. Ears – not pointy, right way up, more or less level. Face – well I've got one. Oh, no -French!" The Doctor slapped his thigh, as if realising a mistake he had made.
"French." Clara repeated, eyebrow rising.
"I've deleted French! Plus all cookery skills, and the breast stroke. And hopping. Never mind hopping, who needs to hop. Ohh, the kidneys are interesting. Never had that before – interesting kidneys." The Doctor placed his hands behind his back, where his kidneys were located and pursed his lips in intrigue.
"Are you all right?" Clara asked gently. Concerned for the Doctor's well being.
"I don't know, do I look all right?" The Doctor frowned and asked quietly.
"I don't know." Clara replied with a blank face, still feeling a bit shocked.
"How's the face? Seems all right from the inside. Nice action, responsive. Bit less heft on the chin. How is it?" The Doctor smiled, eager to hear Clara's answer.
"It's… okay." Clara replied quietly.
"Okay?" The Doctor's smile faltered. His bright, cheerful eyes making Clara feel guilty for telling him the truth.
"It's a bit… you know." Clara spoke slowly, choosing her words carefully. To avoid offending The Doctor.
"No I don't, I haven't seen it yet." The Doctor replied with an annoyed tone.
"Maybe it's just new." Clara offered.
The Doctor then came closer to Clara, tilted his head and asked her, "Have you changed height?"
"No." Clara replied with a puzzled expression on her face. Her eyes followed the Doctor as he walked around her and looked at her up and down.
"You sure?" The Doctor raised his eyebrows and asked her teasingly
"It's you, your height, you're the one who's changed." Clara curtly informed him.
"And look at your nose." The Doctor quickly changed the subject and gestured to Clara's nose.
"What about my nose?" Clara retorted.
"It was really cute, I loved your nose, you should've kept it." The Doctor said ruefully.
"I did, it's the same nose, it's the same all of me. You're the one who's… regenerated, whatever you call it." Clara insisted.
The Doctor then sniffed the air and asked, "Are you wearing a smell?"
"Do you mean perfume?" Clara asked.
"Yes, I suppose it could be perfume." The Doctor agreed with her.
"You've always liked that perfume, you said so." Clara reminded him.
"No I didn't, that was the Doctor." The Doctor corrected her, with an annoyed tone.
"You're the Doctor." Clara firmly reminded him.
"Yes, I suppose I am. That's going to take a bit of getting used to." The Doctor said, looking thoughtful.
"Yeah, it really is." Clara raised her eyebrows and said in a tolerant tone.
This is my interpretation of Steven Moffat's audition script for the 12th Doctor. Thanks for reading and reviewing.