Clara's last farewell to the Doctor

by TFALokiwriter

Short story. Clara is an old woman on her death bed. This takes place several years down the road when her youth has ended and The Doctor, oh The Doctor, comes to his friend's side for the very last time. The primary time line Clara, his impossible best friend, is dying. This is Clara's last farewell to The Doctor. Started and completed: 7.23.2015

I knew today would come but Clara had sent me a message along with a picture. In the picture is a future version of Clara. One I had seen in a dream a long time ago and this time it is not a dream. It is reality; the truth about Clara's fate. I set the coordinates to Old Clara's place dropping the photograph into a trash can. Young Clara can not see what I have seen. She had the message set in the time cube sent to me. The letter, in a nutshell, was 'I am ready for our last meeting'.

"Doctor?" Young Clara said. "What is this?"

Young Clara had a time cube in her hands.

"A time cube," I said. "Mostly used to send messages to and fro in time and space. Now put it back."

"All right," Young Clara said. "...Well it is kind of hard when it appeared on the dashboard."

"The TARDIS will guide you," I said. "Right old girl?"

The TARDIS hums.

"All right," Clara said, going through the back doors.

I sigh walking over towards the doors.

"Sexy, please do not let Young Clara outside until I am back," I said.

The TARDIS hums.

"Thank you," I said, opening the doors.

I step foot into a snow riddled scenery. I saw Clara's house, the doorstep covered in ice, and sheets of snow covering the plains of grass around the various apartments. I close the door behind me then walk towards the door to the main building. The door is left ajar conveniently. There is no 'conveniently' when it comes to doors and I. I enter the building noticing photographs along the wall showing a young African American boy with Clara.

The boy!

Clara told me Danny had brought him back and she is raising him on her own. I saw the photos of this boy growing up into a fine young man and then a woman enters the picture when Clara's hair had turned gray. The line of photos show a child enter the picture when Clara's face became older not the one I knew. I went up the stairs observing the photo's showing change throughout the years for what family Clara had started. I came to the end of the stair case where small rounded objects clean the rug levitating above.

I look down to the time watch on my wrist.

Year: 2064.

"Ah," I said. "Nearly getting to the 22nd century."

I follow what direction Clara's room usually is because some of my visits with the TARDIS involved landing in her bedroom. I came to Clara's door with child like scribbles on aboard reading 'Grandma's room'. Grandma?, I thought, Why that is fast. The boy had children and they can already write. I knock on the door three times.

"Come in," I hear a familiar old voice.

Old Clara.

I enter the room.

"Hello," I said. There Old Clara in her death bed still living on the brink. "I got your message."

"Nice to see you, again," Old Clara said. "How's life been treating you?"

I came over to Old Clara.

"Same as always," I said. "I am not that far in the future."

Old Clara has a sot weak laugh.

"How long?" Old Clara asks.

"Before you were ever called 'grandma'," I said.

"Ah, where am I?" Old Clara asks.

"Returning the message cube," I said.

"Doctor..." Old Clara said. "I want you to meet some one."

From behind the curtains comes a little dark girl holding a teddy bear and her hair up in big pony tails reminding me of Riversong's hair.

"Grandma, who is he?" The little dark girl asks.

"The Doctor," Old Clara said. "The one I told you about."

"How old are you?" I ask.

"Ten," The little dark girl said. "Grandma told me you have a box that travels through time."

"That I do," I said.

"Are you my grandpa?" The little dark girl asks.

I look over to Old Clara raising a brow then back over towards the little dark girl.

"No," I said. "Your grandpa died saving the entire world many, many, many years ago."

The little dark girl's eyes shine brighter than I expected.

"Best great-great Uncle, ever!" The little dark girl, who is short for her age, hugs me with a smile on her face.

Some days I envy the kids for seeing things brighter not dark as they are.

"I am not your Uncle, either, little girl," I said.

The little girl lets go of me backing off.

"Thank you, Grandma," The little girl said, then she leaves the room with tears at the edge of her eyes.

Truth is, children do what their grandparents ask of them in their dying day.

I turn towards Old Clara.

"Remember the time we met with Zygons when they got into the TARDIS?" Old Clara asks.

"Yes," I lied.

We have yet to meet up with Zygons in the TARDIS.

"I remember that saying you had for them," Old Clara said. "As you said, I quote,' They tend to leave slime on the controls and that is how you know they are here', unquote."

I nod.

"They leave slime everywhere," I said. "You recall the time we went after the merpeople because they stole a prized flute of mine?"

"How could I forget!" Old Clara said, with a nod. "I was reeling off the motion sickness for days afterwards."

I laugh.

"Yes," I said.

We talked about the our adventures at least the ones I knew of. Clara's life is ending before my eyes. Her breathing slowed. Her voice became weaker, her laugh became unhearable, and her eyes are starting to lose that shine. The shine indicating Clara has that energy to live further than most people hard as she tries.

"Doctor," Old Clara said. "I never really got to make a goodbye."

"Sure you have," I said. "Numerous times."

"But to me..." Old Clara said. "It is the last."

"Clara, why?" I ask. "Why send me this message so early?"

Clara sighs.

"Oh Doctor," Old Clara said. "Back in our glory days you knew something that I did not. I could see it in your eyes when my life was threatened with the panic in them." So, she knew I have not been on the adventure she talked of. "I just want to be with my best friend, the one I knew best, on my last day..."

"Clara..." I said, in a low voice. "You could always send a message to the present me."

Clara shook her head.

"No, Doctor," Old Clara said. "That moment is the only way I could send you a message. You are busy, right now, in a war with Missy."

I am surprised.

With Missy?

"But Missy is dead," I said. "We saw her die."

"I know," Old Clara said. "Missy claimed there are back doors to escape death." "

"That is not possible," I said.

"We will meet up with Missy, one day, during our glory days," Old Clara said.

"Since you are alive," I said. "I am assured it will all be fine."

"Doctor," Old Clara said. "The key to the TARDIS is on the counter. The one you gave me."

I look over seeing the same key I have not given Clara resting on the counter.

"I don't recall giving you a key," I said.

"You will, after I die," Old Clara said.

I pick up the key feeling the key burn in the palm of my hand as though it had recently been made.

"Clara.,." I said. "What is the name of the little girl?"

"Amelia Pink," Old Clara said. "She prefers to be called Amy."

"I...I don't know what to say," I said.

"Oh Doctor..." Old Clara turns her head towards me. "We had quite the run as a team...Thank you for giving me so many stories." She sighs. "Goodbye, Doctor."

The light in Old Clara's eyes fade away and Clara passed away.

"Grandma?" Amy Pink calls.

I close Old Clara's eyes then lean back and turn towards Amy putting the key into my pocket.

"Grandma has gone to a better place," I said.

Amy smiles.

"Grandma Clara is with the ones she cares dearly," Amy said. "That's what counts."

I nod.

"It does," I said. "Go along and tell your parents."

"I will," Amy said, an then she runs off.

I leave the house and enter the TARDIS. I set the new coordinates to anywhere but in 2064.

"Doctor!" Young Clara said. "I put it back."

I put on a fake smile looking up from the dashboard.

"What's wrong?" Young Clara said, reading my face.

"Nothing," I said. "Musing on the past," I take the key out. "Clara, in case we lose a key, I want you to have this."

Young Clara raises her brows.

"Why?" Young Clara asks.

"Just in case I lock myself out," I said.

"Pretty reasonable," Young Clara said, taking the key.

The TARDIS moans and the walls tremble.

"Oh dear, what is wrong now?" I look over to the panel noticing the screens sizzling.

"Maybe we are going into darkness, again!" Clara said.

One time the TARDIS went dark and we were in darkness for nearly a day. Since then Clara makes that joke 'Maybe we are plunging into darkness' worded differently each time. Making way around the TARDIS at night is not exactly easy. The TARDIS came to stop where the doors flew open revealing a white scenery and sound of birds chirping.

"A beach!" Young Clara said. "I call shot gun for beach people."

"You mean sand people," I correct Young Clara.

"Yeah, exactly," Young Clara said, putting on dark sunglasses then went out the door.

The End.