I have interesting dreams sometimes. Earlier tonight, I dreamt about the concept for this story. I woke up. I couldn't get back to sleep, so I decided to write it. This takes place in the Parrotverse (A Little Birdie Told Me, Dirty Beak, Heated). It takes place at some point after Heated. This story may not be all that impressive, but I did decide to write it. I hope that you, my dear readers, will like it.
Clara Oswald's life was nothing if not complicated, especially since meeting the Doctor. In the past three months, things had gotten even more complicated and intense between Clara and the Time Lord. By 'complicated and intense', Clara, of course, meant that she and the Doctor were sleeping together. He had told her that he needed her, and when he had said it, it wasn't just about sex. She had told him that she needed him, too. They had said 'need' because neither of them could say another four-letter word. Clara told herself that was fine. Things were good the way they were. Besides, the sex was amazing.
Of course, it had been the sex that may or may not have led to certain consequences. About a week and a half after they had last had sex, she had missed her period. Clara tried not to think about it, but after two weeks and still no sign of her period, she was definitely getting worried. Maybe she was just late. Two weeks late. Clara was definitely worried. She hadn't really thought about the consequences. Now she, Clara Oswald, might possibly be pregnant. That was why today she had gone down to the nearest store to buy a pregnancy test and a chocolate bar. She may have been stressed out by the possibility of being pregnant, but like many women, Clara sought out chocolate when faced with emotional difficulties. Unfortunately, just after arriving home, she had gotten a call on her mobile. Apparently, her father had broken his leg. Momentarily forgetting her problem, she left her apartment. She would visit her injured father.
oooooooooooooooooooooo
It wasn't until after Clara was at her father's house that she remembered her possible problem. She remembered that problem because she had forgotten where she had left her purse. That was a problem because the pregnancy test was inside the purse. While her father was in the living room, watching television with his cast propped up, Clara was frantically searching for her purse. "Where is it?" Clara frantically voiced her thoughts. "Where is it?"
It was when she went to the kitchen that she located her purse. Unfortunately, her purse was not left alone. Clara's step-mother, Linda, was there. Clara's purse was on the kitchen table, next to Linda. A look of pure horror appeared on Clara's face when she saw what her step-mother was holding. In Linda's hand was the still-unused pregnancy test. Coolly, Linda asked, "Clara, what is this?"
"It's nothing." Clara lied. "I was taking it to a friend, but then I got the call that dad had broken his leg and sort of forgot about it."
"It's nothing?" Linda said. "Really? It looks like a pregnancy test to me."
"It's for a friend." Clara insisted.
Linda gave Clara a long, hard look before saying accusingly, "You're pregnant."
"I'm not pregnant!" Clara hissed quietly. Well, she didn't know for sure if she was pregnant. That was what the pregnancy test was for.
"You wouldn't have the pregnancy test if you weren't certain that you were pregnant." Linda replied, her eyes narrowed as she stuffed the pregnancy test back into Clara's purse. "Clara, are you or are you not pregnant?"
"I don't know!" Clara snapped. "That's what that thing is for!"
From behind her, Clara heard her father's voice. "What's what thing for?"
Clara turned around and saw her father standing at the entrance of the kitchen, propped upright by crutches. A thousand excuses ran through Clara's mind at once. Finally, a lie flowed effortlessly from her mouth. "My mobile." Clara fibbed. "I just needed to know if my boyfriend is coming."
"Your boyfriend?" Clara's father asked. "His name is James, right? You've said a lot about him."
"Right." Clara said. "James."
Clara's father didn't seem to be aware of the thick tension between his wife and his daughter. Clara cleared her throat and said, "Excuse me. I need to get some fresh air."
With that, Clara left the kitchen. She moved through the dwelling until she was at the front door. When she opened it, she jumped in surprise when she saw who was standing outside. "Doctor?" she gasped. "What are you doing here?"
"It's Wednesday." the grey-haired Time Lord replied. "You weren't home."
"And you thought you'd surprise me." Clara said. "You could have given me a heart attack!"
"Hardly." the Doctor replied. "You have a very healthy circulatory system."
Clara paused before saying, "This may not be a very good time for you to show up here."
Because she may or may not be pregnant with the Doctor's child and her family probably expected her former boyfriend to show up. Oh, this was an absolutely wonderful time for the Doctor to show up, completely unanounced. What if she was pregnant? How would the Doctor react if she told him? Would the two thousand year old Time Lord find the prospect of impending fatherhood to be appealing or would he be angry with her? Would he leave her and never come back, leaving her to fend for herself wherever he dropped her off? Unconsciously, Clara placed her hands on her lower abdomen. No, she told herself, the Doctor wouldn't do that. If he did leave her, she knew that he would leave her someplace safe-ish. The Doctor looked past Clara at the inside of the dwelling. He then looked back at Clara. "Well, then, I won't stay. Come with me. I've got a thing to show you."
"I'm helping my father for a few days." Clara said firmly. "He broke his leg."
"You'll be bored." the Doctor stated
"Will not." Clara retorted.
"He has a wife, doesn't he?" the Doctor argued. "She can take care of him."
"He also has a daughter." Clara snapped. Boy, she was snippy. What if it was hormones?
Attack Eyebrows, activate. They had no effect on Clara. She and the Doctor just glared at eachother. Well, it wasn't a glare so much as a miffed look of mild annoyance. Clara heard the sound of crutches behind her. She turned around and saw her father approaching. "Dad, you should be sitting down." Clara said firmly.
"You were taking a long time to answer the floor." Clara's father replied. He gave the Doctor a once-over before saying, "You must be James. I recognize a lover's spat when I see one."
"Lover's spat?" the Doctor echoed, his thick brows raising.
"Dad, it's not a lover's spat!" Clara said hastily.
"Whatever it is," Clara's dad said nonchalantly, "If you ever upset my daughter, if I'm still in these crutches, I'll use them to tear you a new-"
"OKAY, dad!" Clara said loudly. "Why don't we invite James in?"
The Doctor shot Clara an odd look. Clara raised a brow. Clara's father said, "Come on in, then. Clara, I'd like to speak to you in private."
When the Doctor entered the house, Clara closed the door behind him. When her father hobbled off, Clara followed him to the kitchen. Clara's father gave her a long, hard look before saying, "He's not exactly young."
"He is a bit older." Clara admitted. She really hoped that her father wasn't about to tear into her about the Doctor. He was nice enough to the Doctor. Clara didn't want to see her father get in a fight with the father of her possible child. Once again, Clara unconsciously put a hand over her abdomen.
"He's a lot older." Clara's father said.
"All right, he's a lot older." Clara said. "Does that even matter?"
"I just want to be sure that he's not taking advantage of you." her father explained.
"He's not." Clara said. "I'm a grown woman, dad. I can make my own decisions."
"I know." her father replied. "It's just a father's job to worry about his only daughter."
"You don't need to worry about me." Clara insisted. If her father knew what sort of danger she got into on a fairly regular basis, he would be more than worried.
Clara's father glanced down at his daughter's abdomen and the hand placed over it. He then asked, "Does he know that you're pregnant?"
"Dad!" Clara exclaimed.
"Does he know?" Her father repeated himself.
Clara sighed before saying, "He doesn't know. I don't know for sure if I'm pregnant or not."
"You don't know for sure?" her father questioned.
"I was going to take a pregnancy test." Claras confessed. "I just got the call that said you were hurt and I sort of forgot about it."
Clara gave her father a pleading look and begged him, "Please, please don't tell him."
"I won't tell him." Clara's father said. "I still think you should, though."
"I'll tell him if I find out for sure that I'm pregnant." Clara promised. "If I'm not pregnant, well, I'm not going to tell him anything."
Clara's father nodded. He then said, "Well, I'd better go sit down. Doctor's orders, after all."
"Right." Clara said.
Clara watched as her father walked away. She paused before following him to the living room. When Clara entered the living room, she saw that Linda was basically chattering the Doctor's ears off. The Doctor looked about ready to have a stroke. Swooping in to rescue the Time Lord, Clara asked, "Linda, are there any plans for supper?"
"We're having chicken." Linda replied.
"Chicken sounds good." Clara said with a smile.
"Since we have a guest, I think I'll get the wine out." Linda said. Her expression was concerned, but Clara could see the wicked smirk in her step-mother's eyes. "Though I suppose Clara should stay away from the wine, considering her condition."
Clara's hands flew down to her stomach. The Doctor looked at Clara and asked, "What condition?"
The Doctor looked down at his companion's hands and asked, "You're not going to be sick, are you?"
"I'm fine, James." Clara replied with a false smile. "I'm not sick. I just need go see a doctor and take some tests."
The Doctor's eyes narrowed and he asked, "What kind of tests?"
"Female tests." Clara replied.
The Doctor didn't say anything about the 'tests' after that. Supper didn't come around soon enough. True to her word, Linda did get the wine out. Clara, of course, didn't drink any of the wine, just in case she really was pregnant. Of course, it didn't help that Linda would periodically drop hints about Clara's supposed state. "You really should eat more, Clara." Linda said. "You're going to need it in the coming months."
"Linda, if I eat more chicken, I'll burst." Clara said with a groan.
"Well, if you gain weight, I'll help you shop for new clothes." Linda said helpfully.
"Linda, she's fine." Clara's father said.
"I'm just looking out for her, Dave." Linda replied. "I've never been in her position, but we are family, so I would be happy to help her through this difficult point in her life. She's going to have to learn a lot, but I'm sure she'll learn, bit by baby bit."
Clara knew that Linda was doing this on purpose. Letting out a disgusted huff, the young teacher stood up and excused herself. The Doctor didn't like being left in the dark about anything. "What the hell is going on?" He asked harshly.
"I think Clara's just a bit moody." Linda said calmly. "It's not really surprising, with her in the condition she is."
The Doctor glared at Linda and demanded, "Tell me what's wrong with her."
Linda was about to say something, but Dave interrupted her and said, "I think it's up to her to tell you."
A scowl still etched in his face, the Doctor pushed his chair back and left the table to search for Clara. When he found her, she was outside. She was clearly upset. The Doctor was upset, too. "Clara, what's going on?" the Time Lord asked.
"Nothing's going on." Clara replied.
"Don't lie to me, Clara." the Doctor said. "That useless woman kept going on about your 'condition'. If you're sick, tell me."
Clara let out a frustrated growl and ran her hand through her hair. After a long silence, she turned to face the Doctor and said, "I'm not sick. Not really."
"If you're not sick, then why have you been clutching your stomach all evening?" the Doctor asked, still scowling.
"I'm not sick!" Clara insisted.
Looking away from the Doctor, the Impossible Girl said, "I missed my period. I think I might be pregnant."
The Doctor froze. He barely seemed to breathe, his only movements being his blinking. Finally, he spoke. "Pregnant." he stated dumbly. "You're pregnant?"
"I said I might be pregnant." Clara said firmly. "I don't know for sure."
"You don't know for sure." the Doctor said. He then suggested, "We could go to the TARDIS and I could run a couple of scans on you. To find out for sure."
Clara sighed and said, "Why not? I need to get away from Linda, anyway."
With that, the duo left. The TARDIS was parked some distance away. Once they were inside the timeship, the Doctor led Clara to the infirmary. He started the scans. When he read the results, he was silent. Anxiously, Clara asked, "Well, what is it?"
"It's negative." the Doctor said.
Clara very nearly melted from relief. "So I'm not pregnant?" she questioned breathlessly.
"You're not pregnant." the Doctor repeated.
Was it Clara's imagination, or did the Time Lord sound almost... disappointed? Clara herself was a bit surprised. She had almost expected to be pregnant. She was mostly relieved to find out that she wasn't, at least that's what she told herself. "Well," Clara said with false cheer, "I'm going to go take a shower."
"Right." the Doctor said. "Go take your shower. Scamper off and get clean."
Clara did take a shower, but she spent a bit longer in the bathrom than she should have. She stared down at her abdomen before placing a hand over it. She should be completely relieved, but for some reason she felt empty. She never would have believed it, but part of her had wanted her to be pregnant, to bear the Doctor's child. Clara removed her hand from her abdomen with a sigh and turned off the water. Once she exited the shower, she wrapped herself up in a robe before relocating to her room onboard the TARDIS. She plopped herself down on her bed. She picked up her pillow and held it tightly to her chest. What would their child have looked like, she wondered? Would they have her nose and brown hair with the Doctor's blue-grey eyes? She couldn't help but picture them. Clara buried her face in her pillow. After an unknown amount of time just sitting there, Clara heard a knock on her door. She set her pillow down next to where she was sitting before standing up and walking over to the door. When Clara opened the door, the Doctor was standing right outside her room. Clara's voice came out a bit more empty than she had meant it to when she said, "Hello, Doctor."
"Clara." the Doctor greeted back.
"Is there something you need?" Clara asked.
"Not really." the Doctor said.
"You were just checking up on me, then?" Clara asked.
"One might say that." the Doctor replied.
"I'm doing fine." Clara said. "Just kind of surprised. I kind of expected to be pregnant."
The human let out a humorless laugh before she spoke once more. "Funny, right? You're supposed to be relieved after a pregnancy scare. I am. Relieved, I mean."
The Doctor gave a false smile and said. "Right. Me, too."
"I mean, it's not like I wanted to have a baby." Clara said. Her voice choked slightly when she tried to continue, "One with brown hair and blue-grey eyes and normal-looking eyebrows."
"Right." the Doctor said.
"I mean, if I did want it," Clara said, "I'd be disappointed to be find out that I wasn't pregnant, wouldn't I?"
"But you're not pregnant." The Doctor said, that false mile still on his face.
Clara gave a false smile of her own. She let out a fake laugh and said, "What a relief, right? I guess this means that we'll have to be more careful in the future. You never know. I could actually get pregnant next time."
The false smile disappeared from the Doctor's face. When he spoke his next words, he sounded almost hopeful. "Next time?"
Clara looked up and saw the expression on the Doctor's face. She couldn't help but smile. She took a few steps forward and wrapped her arms around the Time Lord, resting her head over his chest, taking in the sound of his twin heartbeats. The Doctor actually didn't protest. Clara sighed into his chest and said, "Next time."
Neither of them had really thought about it before, but one thought ran through both of their minds.
There was always next time.
I actually listened to a Rod Stewart album while writing the bits after Clara's confession. I hope that this story gave you the feels. It took me a while to write it.