N/A: Hello! How are you? I hope you're all fine. It's the first time I write a story in English, so, please, let me know your opinions about it! And let me know if there are any mistakes, too. I'd really appreciate it! Have a good read!
(Disclaimer: I don't own any rights to the show, the song or anything.)
It's a Wednesday. They're coming back from another adventure in time and space, across the stars. Clara opened the TARDIS' door and the Doctor followed her outside, closing the door behind him. She's back at home. It's late, the sky was dark and the stars were shining so bright! So far, yet so close…
Clara closed her eyes and felt the breeze touching her face gently. She took a deep breath – eyes still closed –, then expired with no hurry. When she opened her eyes, she saw the Doctor looking at her. Such kind eyes… She smiled at him.
There's a party happening in the neighborhood. It's playing some electronic music, and the Doctor looked at her with amusement in his eyes – they're saying "why not?". Then, he started dancing.
His dance moves were so clumsy that Clara couldn't help but laugh. He's an ancient soul with so many stories and so much pain inside, but at that moment he seemed to be a naive child who's enjoying something exciting. Then, the music stopped – and so did he –, but before he could say anything, they could hear another song. A slow one. Clara said "I love this song", and then the Doctor asked her:
– Would you do me the honor of accompanying me to this dance? – he curtsied to her.
Clara nodded and took his hand.
The song's Wonderwall by Oasis, but they're playing a cover version by Ed Sheeran.
"Today is gonna be the day
That they're gonna throw it back to you
By now you should've somehow
Realized what you gotta do
I don't believe that anybody
Feels the way I do
About you now"
Clara and the Doctor were very close. She could feel his breathing in her hair.
The lyric said "By now you should've somehow/Realized what you gotta do", and Clara totally related to it. She instantly remembered Trenzalore: the Doctor laying on the TARDIS' ground, dying. He's in pain, his whole life was been rewritten and he's going to die. At that moment, Clara knew it. She had to do something to save him and the universe. To be quite honest, the universe's important, of course, but she's mostly thinking of him. He couldn't die, no matter what. She would sacrifice herself if that meant he'd be safe. And she did it, but for some reason she survived, and he entered his own time stream to save her. Oh my stars, she loved him so much that sometimes she had to dothe don't-fall-in-love trick twice a day! Clearly, it's not working. And having the Doctor so close to her was not helping at all.
"Backbeat, the word's on the street
That the fire in your heart is out
I'm sure you've heard it all before
But you never really had a doubt
I don't believe that anybody
Feels the way I do
About you now"
He could feel her heart beating. Oh, his Clara… She's perfect in every way for him. She's so smart, funny, generous… In Trenzalore, she risked her own life to save him, a Time Lord who has lived too long… At that moment, he begged her not to do it, but she didn't listen anyway. She said those words he knew so well (with a tiny difference – "run, you clever boy, and remember me") and entered his time stream. She'd no idea what she's doing, but she did it anyway. The Doctor survived, Jenny and Strax were back to life, but there's such a huge feeling of emptiness in his chest! He had to get her back, no matter what! He's so afraid of losing her… Again… When River told him that she and Clara were mentally linked, he felt a spark of hope. He's going to save her beloved Clara. After all, she's his impossible girl.
"And all the roads we have to walk are winding
And all the lights that lead us there are blinding
There are many things that I'd like to say to you
But I don't know how"
Yes, there were things that she'd like to say to him, but she didn't know how… Even if she did, would it be worth it? She didn't want to make things harder between them. After Trenzalore, the Doctor became even more protective of her. How could it work anyway? He's a thousand-year-old Time Lord, the very last of his kind. He didn't age, he regenerated. He traveled through time and space, he'd never be able to settle down. On the other hand, Clara would grow old and stop traveling with him at some point. They could never stay together.
This thought made her close her eyes tightly. She didn't want the Doctor to see her cry, so she buried her face in his chest.
"Because maybe
You're gonna be the one that saves me
And after all
You're my wonderwall"
When the Doctor and Clara met again (after "her deaths"), he promised to himself that he wouldn't let her go again. She's under his protection. She's the only mystery worth solving, and he would protect her. To keep her safe, he'd stay outside the Maitland's all night long, he'd face a damagedTARDIS and he'd enter his own time stream to get her back… As he's already done.
And after all, he found out that she was his savior. She's been looking after him since his very beginning, since he stole his TARDIS and started running. She's willing to sacrifice her own life to save his. If the echoes were good enough to save him, then she'd be grateful. Clara's saved him in so many ways… After Rory and Amy's – oh, Amelia Pond – departure, the Doctor got lost. There's so much pain, sadness, darkness… He didn't want to leave the clouds. But then he met Clara['s echo] and everything changed. She melted the clouds… And thesliver of ice in his heart. At that time, she saved him from himself.
They're dancing really close, so there wasn't a proper space for the Doctor's clumsy moves. He didn't step on her toes either. They're enjoying each other's presence and proximity. Then, the music stopped again, and they looked at each other's eyes. He looked at her like she's the most precious thing in the whole universe – because, at that moment, she really was. Clara had bloodshot eyes.
– What's wrong, Clara? – the Doctor got worried.
– N-Nothing… – she stuttered. – It's just the song… It makes me emotional every time… – she gave him a little smile.
– Why? – he asked.
– I don't know, I guess it reminds me of things… – she said and then looked away.
– W-What things? – it's his time to stutter. Was she talking about him? Them? He's thinking of them…
There's silence for a while. Clara's head was full of messy and strong thoughts… Of them.
She took a breath, put a little smile on her face and looked at him again:
– It's late, Doctor, I should get inside… See you next Wednesday?
She wouldn't tell him anything, at least not at that moment, so he nodded and said:
– Yes, next Wednesday. Good night, Clara.
He gave her a kind look and then went back to the TARDIS. Before getting inside, he waved at her with a gentle smile on his face. Some seconds later, the machine disappeared.
Clara knew they wouldn't stay together for too long, but she'd enjoy every single minute they still would have. The following Wednesday would be unique and unforgettable, she's sure. She couldn't wait to spend her Christmas day with the Doctor.