I hope you all enjoy this late Christmas one-shot! I was watching Serendipity (which is a GREAT movie) and I couldn't stop thinking Whouflee, whouflee, whouflee! Welp, enjoy!
Clara Oswald despised Christmas shopping. She was always at a loss for whether she should get the person something serious, that they would actually use, or something funny and small, that they would appreciate for the originality. Either way she went, she was at a loss of what to get her good friend, Amelia Pond. Amy was funny and would take a gag-gift very well, but when Clara had just moved to town and had known no one, Amy had been there to be a friend, so Clara wanted to get her something nice, that she would actually use. Just as she was wondering what Amy could possibly want (or need), she walked past a rack of gloves. Her eyes widened as remembered how, yesterday while they were walking downtown, Amy's gloves had gotten a hole in them. Clara quickly weaved back through the crowd, her eyes on a nice pair of black, velvet gloves.
She reached out to grab them, but in the blink of an eye, they were gone. Clara looked up, startled, into a pair of whimsical, green-brown eyes. The eyes belonged to a handsome, suspenders and bowtie wearing, young man, who was clutching the gloves. The man quickly shoved them into Clara's hands, apologizing,
"I'm terribly sorry! You were going to take these weren't you?" Clara nodded. The young man wrung his hands,
"Well then, you must have them! Besides," His eyes gleamed, jokingly, "they'll look much better on you than they would on me." Clara laughed and handed them back,
"No, you had them first! Besides they aren't for me. They're for a friend."
"How funny! I'm buying these for an old friend as well!"
"I was going to give them to a new friend! But, really it's fine. I can find her something else."
"Well, why don't I help, since I'm the reason you have to find something else." Clara smiled,
"That would be wonderful." She stuck out her hand, "My name's Clara." The young man shook her hand and smiled,
"John Smith."
xXx
Clara and John roared with laughter. They were sitting in a small diner, drinking chocolate milkshakes and eating fries. The gloves sat on the table, next to a ball of yarn (Clara had decided to handmake Amy a pair of gloves), completely forgotten by the pair. Clara laughed,
"Seriously?! On her kitchen floor?!" John nodded, chuckling,
"Yes, yes. I spit out yogurt on my friend's kitchen floor! But, in my defense, I was seven!" Clara giggled, sipping her milkshake,
"So, is this the same old friend you bought the gloves for?" John nodded,
"It is indeed! We've know each other forever!" He took another sip of his milkshake, "Mmm. You know, this place is great, how'd you find it?" Clara cleared her throat,
"Well, I came in first because of the name. Providence." John laughed,
"The capital of Rhode Island?" Clara chuckled,
"No! Providence. It means a manifestation of divine care or direction. You know… fate." John scrunched his eyebrow and slowly nodded,
"You believe in all that? Like horoscopes," Clara shook her head, laughing. John kept teasing, "and destiny?" Clara continued to shake her head,
"I believe that we are put on a road with crossroads and forks and we have to choose which path to take. It's not all pre-planned." John motioned between the two of them,
"What about this?" Clara felt the heat rush to her cheeks. She mumbled,
"What do you mean 'this'?" John grinned,
"The two of us meeting! Was that fate?" Clara laughed,
"Well, I don't know! Maybe, yes!"
"That's a nice thought…" Clara smiled and propped her chin on her hand,
"Yeah, I like to think so." She glanced down at her watch and jumped, "Oh, my stars!" John gave a short laugh,
"What was that?" Clara jumped out of her seat, rummaging through her purse, looking for her wallet,
"I'm sorry, I just- I totally forgot," She took a deep breath and placed her cash on the table, "I have to go see, um-" She picked up her yarn and nervously tucked her hair behind her ear, "My boyfriend, actually." John's eyes widened,
"Your… boyfriend. Oh, okay. No, yeah that's… that's great." Clara backed away,
"I really am very sorry." John stood up and followed her, holding open the door for her. He threw out his arm, hailing a cab. A cab pulled over and Clara opened the door. She turned to John,
"Thank you. I really had a great time with you it was just… the wrong time." John pursed his lips and nodded,
"Alright, yeah. The wrong time. But, let's say that this is the right time, but you don't realize it!"
"Come on! The fact that I have to see my boyfriend isn't enough of a sign that we aren't meant to be here?!"
"What about the gloves?! What about providence?! What about all of that?!" Clara shook her head sadly. She looked into his eyes, and knew she couldn't stop what happened next. She kissed John, pressing her hand to his cheek. John's arms went around her waist, pulling her up to him. Clara always had laughed when people used fireworks to describe a kiss, but that was exactly what came to mind. Clara, regretfully pulled away,
"I'm sorry, John." She climbed inside the cab and it pulled away. She turned around and stared at John through the back window. He stood there, staring back, until the cab turned a corner.
xXx
John knocked on his best friend's front door. The door swung open to reveal a Scottish woman with flaming red hair. He threw out his arms and smiled,
"Amelia Pond!" Amy smiled and pulled John in for a hug,
"Merry Christmas!" The two walked inside. John saw Rory, Amy's husband, and ran to shake his hand,
"Good to see you, Rory!" John placed his presents for the couple on the coffee table and picked up a cookie from a tray. The three sat chatting for quite some time. Then, with much urging on John's part, they opened presents. John received a pocket telescope from Rory and frozen fish fingers and custard mix from Amy. The two laughed about how they'd have to make some later. Rory looked put out when he opened his present, finding a Roman centurion helmet, but Amy roared with laughter. Amy smiled when she opened hers,
"This is perfect, John! I needed new gloves! Thank you so much!" All of them were enjoying their gifts and laughing, when the doorbell rang. John looked curiously over at Amy,
"I didn't know you were expecting more company." Amy jumped up,
"It's a friend! She moved in two houses down about three months ago."
xXx
Clara stood on the Pond's doorstep, shivering. Two packages were clutched to her chest, as though to keep her warm. She was so relieved when the door opened. She grinned at Amy,
"'Bout time! I thought I was going to turn into an icicle out here." She moved into the entryway, shrugging off her coat. She glanced over at her friend and her heart leaped in her chest. Amy was wearing a pair of new gloves. She reached down and grabbed her friend's hands,
"Where did you get these?" Amy started,
"What?"
"Where did you get these?!" Amy stared at Clara, her mouth open,
"They were a Christmas present!" Clara dropped Amy's hands, her voice quiet,
"From who?" Amy opened her mouth to answer, when another voice spoke from behind Clara,
"Amy? What's taking so long? All you have to do is open the door." Clara turned around to see John Smith standing in front of her, a dumbfounded look on his face, "Oh." Clara started to speak,
"I just- I mean-" She gathered her thoughts, "John I-" But she didn't get to finish her sentence, because John had taken two long strides to reach Clara, grabbed her face in his hands, and kissed her. Clara gave a small squeak of surprise. Her arms came up and she locked her hands behind his head. John pulled away only slightly,
"So, how does that play in the whole grand scheme of things?" Clara let out a short breath of laughter,
"I can't believe it. We were buying the gloves for the same person. Your old, best friend is the same person as my new friend." John shook his head and kissed her again. The two, lost in the kiss, didn't even hear their fateful friend mutter,
"I hope you don't start greeting all of my friends like this, John."
Cuz every story should end with sassy Amy! Reviews and favorites are much appreciated!
Lots of love, Annie