The Doctor couldn't stop the few tears that dripped down his face. They blurred his vision as he carried Clara into the TARDIS and placed her gently on a bed.
"Oh, Clara. Foolish, brave, wonderful Clara." The Doctor whispered, stroking a hand gently over Clara's sweaty, dusty hair. Her face was dirty and he could
see a few tiny cuts on her skin, but she'd never looked more beautiful.
The Doctor, still shaken from exiting his timeline and the emotional goodbye with River, just couldn't seem to hold his own weight up anymore. He sunk into a heap next to Clara's bed.
"Mmm, Doctor?" Clara's voice was raspy and weak as she called out for him.
The Doctor's head shot up and he fumbled to grasp Clara's hand.
"I'm here. I'm here, Clara."
"It hurts." Clara's face twisted into a grimace.
"I'm sorry, Clara. I'm so very sorry. Where does it hurt?" The Doctor brushed a few strands of hair off of Clara's forehead with one hand, while holding her hand tightly with the other. Her breathing became laboured and shallow.
"Head. Ankle." Clara murmured, her eyes blinking open and shut.
The Doctor fumbled in his jacket pocket for the sonic. It wasn't there.
"Damn it! " The Doctor cursed. It must have gotten left behind at - that place. "I'm going to be right back, Clara. I'll fix you right up. You'll be good as new, quick as a wink." The Doctor kept talking as he scrambled up off the floor and out the door, mostly as a way to keep his mind from dreaming up worst-case scenarios.
He ran into the TARDIS control room and began messing around with the buttons.
"Do something! Give me something to save her! She's the only reason you're with me!" The Doctor was getting desperate and began shouting at TARDIS.
The TARDIS made a noise, either agitation at the Doctor's fists hitting her console, or sympathy for Clara. Nevertheless, she produced a new sonic for the Doctor. He gripped the tool in his hand.
"Thank you, old girl." he patted the wall affectionately as he ran out.
Clara was scarily still by the time The Doctor made it back to her room.
"I've got a new sonic, Clara! I'll have you back to normal in no time. I told you TARDIS would warm up to you," the Doctor was rambling as he entered, afraid to dwell on Clara's condition for too long.
He dropped to his knees next to her and began running the sonic up and down over her body. The device made beeping noises and finally, after several antagonizing minutes, Clara's breathing evened out and The Doctor could see her relax into the pillow.
"Thank Rassilion. You're going to be fine, Clara." The Doctor breathed a sigh of relief. He took hold of Clara's hand, trying to warm it with his own.
"Thanks to you," Clara's lips quirked up into a small smile.
The Doctor pressed a soft kiss to Clara's hand, "No, it's all thanks to you. My whole existence is thanks to you, my lovely Impossible Girl."
He stood up, still holding Clara's hand. "I'm going to get you something to eat. You'll need all the strength you can get. The sonic can only do so much."
He gently let Clara's hand slip from his own.
Clara's eyes blinked open, The Doctor could see that they were slightly unfocused.
"No. I'm fine. I just need you to stay." Clara patted the mattress and The Doctor flailed about for a moment before tentatively taking a seat on the edge of the bed.
"I won't bite if that's what you're worried about," Clara mumbled, eyeing the distance between their bodies.
"Oh, no. Not worried about that. Not at all. Nope. Just...want to get you patched up." The Doctor fumbled for words.
"Oh," Clara murmured, her voice small. "I just didn't quite want to be alone."
All of her past echoes were catching up to her. From the young Galifreyan TimeLady to the Victorian governess, they all came with backgrounds and histories and pain. So much pain. Her mind was swimming trying to keep up with everything. And then of course there was the addition of the Doctor but Not Doctor that she had just met. It was all enough to make a girl go mad.
"Oh, stupid, stupid me!" The Doctor exclaimed, smacking his forehead with his palm. "I should have realized! Your human brain has to adjust to all of your past memories and lives. I didn't think about the torture that your mind is going through."
Clara frowned, "Are you going to lay with me or not?"
"Oh, yes. Of course. Budge over." The Doctor swung his legs up and onto the bed. He sat up against the headboard.
"Thank you for staying." Clara sighed, patting his knee with her hand.
The Doctor stared at the spot where Clara had touched his knee as if it were on fire. "Well, yes of course. You are my companion, of course. Now, just rest. I'll be here when you wake up."
"Yes, of course. Your companion." Clara nodded, an unhappy look on her face. The Doctor, oblivious to Clara's feelings and trying to conceal his own, reached over and pulled a paperback novel off the night table.
He breathed a sigh of relief, maybe Clara wouldn't ask about the Not Doctor after all.
"Don't think you're getting out of explaining things to me. No secrets, remember?" Clara's voice was muffled, but the Doctor heard her nonetheless.
The Doctor stifled a groan. Yes, he had said no secrets, hadn't he?
"Alright, I'll tell you everything. When you're up to it. Clear?"
"Clear." Clara responded, a smile spreading across her face.
"Now would you please get some rest?" The Doctor exclaimed.
Clara smiled at his concern. She wiggled her body, wincing in discomfort, and leaned up to kiss The Doctor's cheek.
"Thank you, Doctor."
A/N: So I started this like the day after The Name of the Doctor aired. But family emergencies and life got in the way and I didn't get a chance to finish it until today. I'm sure other people have done this and done it better, but I wanted to throw mine into the mix. Enjoy, whoufflepuffs! =)