So Soon

Rating: K+

Word Count: 3,235

Summary: The Doctor regenerated, so why did his 11th face come back for Clara? It was just so soon.

Clara knew about regeneration. She knew what happened, but she was never prepared for her Doctor to leave her. Well, not leave her, she was still travelling with him, but he wasn't the same man.

He was older, more mature. Something she never imagined the Doctor to be. His hearts were still big, and he was still a compassionate man, but he was different. He wasn't the same man who had shown up on her doorstep dressed as a monk, or the man who dared to take a selfie with a ghost. Sure, she would get used to the new him, but it would be hard to cope with losing the old.

He had called her. Her Doctor. They had just come from Victorian London, and the new Doctor was still in the TARDIS finding something to wear when she got the phone call.

It was him, her Doctor. He was calling from Trenzalore, or Christmas, the name was muddled in her brain, to say goodbye. His change had been quick, and Clara hadn't gotten to say a proper goodbye. So many things she wanted to tell him before he changed. Even after he changed, it was all go, go, go. This was the first time they'd stopped for a breather since regeneration.

The phone call was bittersweet. Hearing his voice again wasn't easy, but it was the last piece of closure she would get. It ended much too soon; she never got to tell him she loved him. It didn't feel right with this new Doctor… not yet anyway.

He emerged from the TARDIS looking dashing in his new outfit. Clara looked him over, taking in his new features before hugging him close. He didn't pull her into his chest like her old Doctor did, but she would get used to it. She just needed time.

He treated her to chips that night, and awkwardly hugged her goodbye when he dropped her off back at her apartment. When she was sure he had left, the tears she was trying so hard to hold back came flowing from her eyes. She changed into pajamas and curled in her bed with a warm blanket, drifting off to sleep quickly.

Hours later, she was jolted awake by the sound of her phone ringing. It was around five in the morning, and the sun still hadn't risen, she had no idea who would be calling her at this time.

"I really need to get caller ID," she muttered to herself as she answered, hoping it wasn't some family emergency. "Hello?" She said groggily.

"Clara!" The voice from the other end shouted. It was his voice. But how could that be? "Clara are you there? I need your help! I think I might be lost." Oh, she thought, he doesn't know it happened yet. He thinks I'm still with him.

"Doctor, what's wrong?"

"I'm not supposed to be here. I'm supposed to be someone else. I don't know how I got here. And I'm naked. Why am I naked?" He spoke frantically.

"Doctor, it's five in the morning, you're going to have to slow things down a bit for me."

"Can you come pick me up? I think there's something wrong with me." He sounded scared, almost as if he was on the verge of tears.

"Hold on, I'm coming." She said, getting out of bed. Clara didn't bother putting anything over her pajamas. She did grab a pair of her old uni sweatpants and a bathrobe for him before running out the door and driving to the street he told her he was on.

When she arrived there, he was nowhere to be found. She felt quite silly, perhaps their timelines had gotten all messed up again, she wasn't really sure.

Clara parked alongside the road and stepped out, bringing the sweatpants and robe with her. "Doctor?" She called shyly.

A head popped out of the phone booth a little way down the street. It was him. Tears welled in her eyes again.

He smiled sadly at her as she moved towards him. She handed him the clothes wordlessly, and waited for him to emerge from the booth. When he did, he took her into his arms and she cried into his shoulder.

"Hey, it's okay, I'm here."

She pulled away from him, wiping her eyes. "We probably look like a bunch of maniacs. Let's go home."

They drove in silence. The two didn't speak a word until they reached Clara's apartment. "Doctor I'm exhausted, can we talk about this later?" She asked.

"Of course. I'll just go wait on the couch then."

"No—" He turned to meet her eyes. Blood filled her cheeks in a deep blush. "Can you stay with me tonight?"

He looked a little nervous; my squeamish Doctor is back she thought with a smile. "Sure, if that's what you want." It was more of a question than a statement.

She nodded, and he joined her in bed.

She was too tired for an explanation. She didn't care at this point, so Clara drifted to sleep next to her Doctor.

Clara awoke around noon that day. The Doctor was sleeping peacefully beside her, so she quietly tiptoed towards the kitchen to make them some breakfast.

Despite her confusion from the morning's events, she was really happy her Doctor was there with her. She hadn't been away from him very long, but she missed him like crazy. He was her best friend, and she had already come to terms with the fact that she really fancied him. It was nice to have him back, even if only for a little while.

Clara figured since this was a special occasion, she would make a nice big breakfast. She enjoyed being in the kitchen and hadn't had an excuse to make her favourite pancake recipe in a while.

She was busy humming away at the stove and didn't hear the Doctor wake up. He snuck up, and wrapped his arms around her middle from behind her making her jump.

"Good morning." He mumbled groggily.

"Morning Doctor. You scared me! Don't sneak up behind a girl when she's cooking." His breathy laugh ruffled her hair slightly. He straightened and moved to stand beside her assessing the array of food she was cooking.

"Hungry?"

"Figured I'd make a big breakfast to complete our little sleepover." She said nonchalantly.

He smiled. "That sounds lovely thank you."

"While you're here, mind flipping the bacon?" The two worked side by side finishing up and plating their food.

The Doctor groaned as he took a bite of his pancake. "This is amazing Clara."

"Thank you, glad you like it." She smiled shyly and took another bite of her food. She frowned as the Doctor yawned rather loudly "How'd you sleep?"

"Better than ever. I probably could have slept for days if I hadn't smelled all this food. Dunno why I'm so tired." He said puzzled.

"Why don't we just stay in today? We can set ourselves up with the TV in my room and just not leave my bed… Or we could head back to the TARDIS… if that's what you want." She said too quickly without thinking.

"No, I don't think I can go back Clara."

It was her turn to be puzzled. She began to question him, but he cut her off. "Enjoy your breakfast, I'll explain later."

Clara tried to go on with her meal and act normal, but it was hard. He could tell she was upset; she really hadn't been acting like her usual perky self.

Once all the dishes had been cleared away, he sat her down in the living room, gently taking her hands and stroking the back of them with his thumb.

"You were crying last night when you came to get me." It was a statement, and the Doctor really didn't need to ask why.

"Yes." She replied timidly.

"I regenerated." His voice wavered.

"Doctor—"

"No, I know I regenerated." He cut her off before she could continue, and let out a large breath of air, filling the tense silence.

"Aren't you going to screw up your timeline or something? I thought you weren't allowed to know."

He brought her hand up to the left side of his chest. She felt one of his hearts thrumming away, alive and healthy. But when he shifted to the right side, it was silent. "Wh-what happened?" She frowned, perplexed.

"I regenerated. I remember, it was Christmas… you were there. I dropped my bowtie, then all the sudden I was naked, laying in the street."

"I don't understand…"

"Neither do I, Clara."

"So you're…"

"Human, I suppose so. I only have one heart and I slept like a baby. I feel strange, very strange." The Doctor said.

"What's gonna happen now?"

"I—I don't really know." She was shocked. Clara had never seen him at a loss for words.

"You can stay here as long as you like." Clara smiled sadly. He pulled her close, kissing the top of her head like he usually did.

"Thank you Clara, my beautiful impossible girl."

Although Clara was smiling, the tears still came. She felt silly for crying, but she couldn't stop them.

The Doctor could hear her quiet sniffles from his position. "Are you okay?"

"I'm sorry, I just really missed you." He stroked her hair as she cried into his chest. "I thought for sure I was never gonna see that ridiculous chin of yours again." A giggle broke through the tears. "He's not the same, Doctor. I'm trying so hard to find you in there, but he's completely rewritten. I'm scared. I'm scared he won't like me, and I'm scared I'll forget you." It felt good to be letting out all her feelings.

"He's still me. He doesn't look like me, but he needs you just like I do. And he loves you just like I do." Clara looked up at him, wondering. Did he mean it? Did he love her like she loved him?

"Doctor I—" She stopped herself. She couldn't bear spilling her heart to a man that could just disappear at any moment.

"You what, Clara?" He asked after she was silent for a moment.

"Nothing, sorry. I'm just really glad you're here."

He cuddled her close into his chest, stroking her hair as her tears dried. The silence was comfortable. Although both minds ran wild, neither of them felt the need to say anything.

The Doctor thought Clara had fallen asleep in his arms again. He shook her lightly. "Clara?"

"Mmhmm?" She lifted her head, no signs of sleep on her face as she smiled sweetly.

"Oh, uh, just wondered if you were asleep. Carry on." He said awkwardly.

She sat up, laughing and ruffled his hair. "Silly Doctor."

The Doctor noticed that Clara had stayed upright this time. She hadn't retreated to her comfortable spot nuzzled against him; in fact, he could have sworn she was looking at his lips. He looked at her curiously as she moved closer and closer. He didn't fully understand what was happening until her lips descended upon his own.

Clara really didn't know why now felt like the right time, it just did. Her heart pounded as her lips moved cautiously against his. The Doctor's hand came up to cup her cheek, and the kiss was ended abruptly.

"I'm sorry, I don't know what came over me—" She said panicking.

"No, it's okay, but… it can't happen again."

"But—"

"Clara, I don't know how long I'll be here. I don't want to get too attached before… I want you to travel with the Doctor, the real Doctor. I don't want you to focus on what could have been."

It was hard... so hard for the Doctor to tell her this. Of course he loved her; she was his impossible girl, but exactly like he'd told her, he didn't know how long he'd be here. He still wasn't sure why or how he was still here, all he knew was that only one heart had been working and he was scared.

Clara nodded, understanding what he had been saying, but not wanting to accept it. She was upset; obviously it wasn't his fault, he didn't know what to do and called her, like any friend would do, but she didn't want to think about him leaving her again.

"Do you want me to call him? Maybe he'll know what happened." Clara asked, eyes red and brimming with tears that she desperately tried to hold back.

"Call who?" The Doctor asked.

"The Doctor—well… him."

He nodded solemnly. "That sounds like a good idea. But… can you wait to call him? I—I just want to spend some more time with you. In case, you know, this is the end."

"Okay." She said, then ducked back into position snuggled under his chin.

Almost an hour passed by without either of them saying anything. He was still wearing the sweatpants Clara had given him, but gotten rid of the robe, opting to hold her more comfortably against his shirtless body.

The tears had come and gone. Clara's tears had dried against her cheek and his chest, and she felt as if she were unable to shed any more.

The Doctor shook her lightly, forcing her to look up at him. "Ready?" He asked her with a rough, cracked voice, almost as if he had shed a few tears as well.

"No, but it has to happen some time." She sighed. With shaking hands, she picked up her phone and dialed the number he had given her to reach the TARDIS.

"Clara?" The new Doctor asked.

"Hi Doctor," suddenly she felt awkward, "um… we've got a bit of a… situation… here."

"What kind of situation?"

"I—I think you should come see for yourself." Clara didn't hear him speak anymore, instead, the TARDIS materialized right in her living room, sending the papers on her coffee table flying.

The door opened, and the Doctor's new face stepped out and gasped. "I don't remember this, Clara what's happening, he can't be here!"

"Wait, wait, wait Doctor." She stopped him before he left. "He's only got one heart."

The Doctor supposed it would be best if he brought his old face into the TARDIS to examine him. He checked over everything, giving him multiple scans, and concluded that yes, this… being… was indeed human.

"So how did it happen?" Clara asked anxiously.

"I'm not exactly sure." The new Doctor looked at her sadly, as if he had disappointed her. "This type of thing has only ever happened to me once, but I channeled that regeneration into my hand, I have absolutely no idea what's going on here. He's like some sort of… I don't know… miracle."

"Well… do you know how long he'll be here for?" Clara asked hopefully. Her Doctor had come out of the examination room and joined her looking expectantly at the new Doctor.

"He's a healthy human being as far as I can tell. No strange medical mutations, everything looks clear… he should lead a long, healthy life."

"But… but I literally just appeared out of nowhere. How?"

"I couldn't tell you. That's a mystery to me. Perhaps something happened when the Time Lords gave me more regenerations. Maybe it's a side effect of being the last in the cycle. But other than that… I really don't know."

His single heart was pounding at this point. The Doctor still didn't know how he got there, but it looked like he'd be there for a while, which meant he had more time with her.

"I—I think I need to step out for a moment." He left the TARDIS and sat on Clara's living room couch wringing his hands together nervously. He felt nauseous. Excited, but scared. What would he do as a human?

He heard the TARDIS door opening and closing, and soon Clara was by his side. "Are you okay?" She asked him.

He nodded. "I think so. Just… a lot of information I need to process."

"I can imagine so." She said sympathetically.

"Clara, if—if I'm human... what do I do? I've never been human, well I have, for three months, long story short, that was a disaster. But, I don't know how to do this. All I know is the TARDIS, time travel, aliens. What if I'm not cut out for this life?"

Clara saw the genuine fear in his eyes. She stroked the side of his face with her thumb. "How do any of us get on with our lives? When I graduated uni, I had no idea what I was doing. Most people don't. It's okay to not know. Plus you have me. Offer still stands, Doctor. You can stay with me as long as you need."

His heart swelled with joy. A smile spread on his face for the first time in hours, and in the heat of the moment, he took her face in his hands, and kissed her properly.

The Doctor's lips moved with hers in such a fluid motion. Clara sighed in content as he pulled away, immediately missing the feel of his lips, the taste of him.

"I love you." She blurted out, then threw her hand over her lips, wide eyed in fear.

"I love you too my beautiful, impossible girl. Oh I love you so, so much." He took her hand away from her mouth and brushed his thumb lightly across her lips.

Neither of them noticed the new Doctor stepping out of the TARDIS, catching them in the moment. He cleared his throat, and looked at her sadly. "I guess this is goodbye then."

Clara stood then, making her way over to him shaking his head. "No, Doctor. I—I could never just abandon you. You're different, but you're still him. And he needs me. You need me." Clara considered how selfish her words sounded. "I—if you don't want me to come, that's fine. I'm sorry, I just assumed—"

"No!" He shouted. "Clara I need you on board, if you'll have me. He can come along too if he wants. We'll have to give him a name though, it'll get quite confusing with two Doctor's."

Clara giggled, relieved. She turned around to her now human Doctor. "What do you think? Do you want to travel with this crazy old guy?"

"I'd love to! I suppose he's right though, I do need a name. Always loved the surname 'Smith'. I could be a—a John! John Smith."

"John Smith it is, chin." Clara smiled, looking at him lovingly.

"Alright, well that's my cue to leave. I'll see you two next Wednesday?" The Doctor asked hopefully.

"Of course! Wednesday it is!" Clara giggled. The couple watched the TARDIS materialize, and turned towards each other.

"As strange an occurrence this is, I'm glad it happened, Clara. It… it was just so soon after meeting you. I'm glad I have more time with you as me."

"You've got a whole lifetime ahead of you. Plenty of time with me." She smiled sweetly, taking his hands into hers.

"And yet it still won't be enough."