Enjoy! I finished this at 3 am aha... Idea from my friend Eli again!
Clara took the mark, knowing that it would happen. She took it, knowing she might have the possibility of facing the Raven. It was all to save her friend and now she was stuck, face to face with the terrifying black bird. But she also had to face the truth, that she would have to leave the doctor and that was the most painful choice of all.
She already told him goodbye, she had already let him know what she wanted to say. Except that she didn't want to leave him at all. There was a strong desire for her
to stay, but she couldn't. The Raven was going to take her and she couldn't stop it. But after she hugged him she knew it was goodbye. After he kissed her hand it was all goodbyes.
"Let me be brave" she whispered, as the Raven cawed once. "Let me be brave." She whispered the second time, and the Raven flew at her, ultimately ending her life.
But at that moment, something happened and when Clara fell to the ground she didn't stop her breathing. It did have some sort of affect on her, but she didn't feel so... Dead.
L
"Clara!" She heard the doctor cry out, and next thing she knew she was being lifted off the ground. "Clara can you hear me?" That fool. She told him not to watch her fall. "Clara!" He called again, by now she could tell he was holding her, but now he was moving.
"What's going on?" Ashildr demanded, when the doctor knocked on the door again.
"She's alive, Ashildr!" The doctor responded. "She's alive! Let me in." He banged on the door until it flew open.
"How?"
"I don't know. Get me a bed. Quickly!"
"Yes, of course but how is she alive?"
"It doesn't matter, get her to a bed!"
The two of them plus Rigsy ran up the stairs to a bedroom, and laid the unmoving but breathing Clara into the small bed around there, where the three sat around the bed, all watching and waiting for something to happen.
"... Well, is she going to move or what?" Questioned Rigsy, anxious to get out of there.
"You know what Rigsy, how about I just- bring you home you've had enough for one day." The doctor said plainly standing up.
"Wait a second, you're not going to leave me all alone to watch your precious Clara alone." Ashildr huffed. "Come on now. If it were me I just wish she were-"
"-I know what you wish. Two minutes. Be back." The doctor huffed, shaking his head and dragging Rigsy out the building and to the TARDIS.
"Doctor I'm not going to leav-" Rigsy started to protest, but the doctor shushed him and whisked him to his home, which when they arrived he hurried him out of the phone box and almost slammed the door in him which Rigsy stopped him and mumbled, "... She's gonna be okay, right?"
"I hope. Gotta be back. Bye." The doctor responded in a hurry, before slamming the door as Rigsy walked towards his house to greet his wife and daughter, who were waiting for him to return.
Immediately the doctor headed back, thoughts filling his head. He was thinking about Clara, about what happened, why she was alive, all of it. It just didn't make a whole lot of sense, the Raven was just there to kill people. But why spare one? Why spare Clara Oswald? Not that the doctor wasn't happy that she was alive, he was overjoyed that she was, if she even wakes up. But that all doesn't matter. Clara was alive. Clara Oswald, she really is the impossible girl. She's alive.
Back at the building, Ashildr was watching Clara, huffing. "The Doctor? He thinks you're gonna wake up. Let's be real here, the Raven was supposed to kill you. So why are you still breathing? Really. It puzzles me. Maybe it really could see you were innocent. Maybe it could see you were only doing this to save your friend. I don't know." She sighed. "I don't see the point of waiting. I don't think you'll ever wake up."
Little does she know, Clara could hear everything that was going on, and what was happening in the room. She understood everything that Ashildr said, which just kept her holding onto hope that she could do something. That she could wake up. But for now she was stuck in her coma state, only hearing what was happening around her still body.
It didn't take long for the doctor to rush back, and he immediately rushed to Clara's side. "How is she?" He questioned, being more like a demand then a question.
"Hasn't moved. Steady breathing." The other girl responded flat toned. "Same old same old."
"You can go."
"Okay." Ashildr didn't hesitate to move out of the room quickly as the doctor took his place by Clara's side. It was quiet, Clara noticed, the doctor really didn't say much. But what he did do was pick up her delicate hand and take it in both of his hands, watching her silently breathe, as if that was his job.
A day passed. The doctor stayed. Nothing happened. No matter how hard Clara wanted to move she couldn't. The doctor talked a little, but it pained Clara to listen to him to talk to empty space.
A week passed. Still empty space was the doctors companion. Ashildr only visited once in a while, but only to check on the pair. Rarely ever did the doctor leave the room, he just sat there, having lonely conversations with Clara. She couldn't respond, as hard as she wanted to.
Two weeks. The doctor hasn't eaten much, he's not taking care of himself. But he doesn't care, as long as Clara's by his side. Clara wants to scream at him, to yell at him to take care of himself. But that doesn't happen. By now he's stroking her hand with his thumb. She can tell he's hanging on to hope, she is too.
Time keeps going on, until a month passes. Everything seems pretty much hopeless. Ashildr quietly walks in, but gently speaks up. "Doctor, I think it's time to give up now."
"No." He responds back, voice cracking a bit. He's pained, weak, but he's not giving up. Not yet. "I'm not going to leave her."
"It's been a month." She insisted. "I know you believe, but Clara's not going to wake up."
"No." The doctor snapped again. "No Ashildr. I'm not giving up for one day, one moment. Clara never gave up on me. I'm not giving up on her."
"It's not worth your time" Clara wanted to say. "Doctor, I'm already gone." But she couldn't. Nothing was moving, she was ready to give up completely, she didn't even know why he was still fighting for her. A month he's stayed by her breathing, lifeless body. For what? She doubted she was ever going to wake up. She wanted to scream at him to go, to see more of the world, forget about her. But she couldn't seem to do it. She thought dying would be bad. But this coma is seeming like it's so much worse.
"Clara, I don't know if you can hear me." The doctor whispered, which is the only thing that stopped her from thinking. "But listen to me. You have been so brave. Doing all of that, you're a very brave girl. And you know how I made you feel special? Well you made me feel special too. I couldn't believe I got to go on so many adventures with you Clara and it... It's been the best times of my life. And let me tell you." He paused to chuckle. "You know I've had a long life. I hope you're listening, because I have so much more I want to show you. Of the world, and you, you're the first person to really understand me." The doctor leaned in and kissed her hand. "Clara Oswald I just want to let you know, I love you."
Clara could not believe what she just heard. The Doctor loves her? He just seems to like her on a good day, which makes sense. But love her? I mean, clearly she makes him happy. But she just didn't know what to think. What she didn't know, was that in all the confusion her fingers twitched. Then slowly she felt touch coming back to her all at once. "Clara?" She heard the doctor say in disbelief, she didn't even believe it herself.
The next thing that happened, Clara shot up. Looking around, she got a bit light leaded from the suddenness of it all. She just blinked her eyes and heard the doctor shout, "Oh my god, Clara!"
"Wh-where am I what happened?"
"Y-you're alive!" He stuttered. "You're supposed to be dead but... You're alive! Clara Oswald you impossible girl!" He said in glee, and for the first time ever he wrapped his arms around her, like his life depended on this one hug. "Clara I love you. I won't ever leave you."
Clara was caught by surprise the hug, but she smiled and chuckled. "Doctor, I thought you weren't a hugging person?"
"Well I guess I changed my mind." He responded, grinning. "I love you."
"You say it like I don't know." she whispered back, nuzzling into his shoulder a bit. "Please doctor."
"Clara..." The doctor responded gently. "Trust me when I say, I'm not going to lose you again."
"Doctor," she whispered back, grinning. "I believe that with the millions of galaxies that are ahead of us."
He pulled away, grabbing both of her hands. "Well what are you waiting for? Let's go." He grinned in return and hopped up, heading out to the TARDIS, just the two of them against the world.