Chapter 1: Swings

first encounters, the feeling of not being alone, and a piece of paper

She was perfect for him. That was just how it was, the Doctor, also known as John Smith the Eleventh, had decided. Clara Oswald, the girl that showed him there was so much more to life. The girl that had showed him what happened when you let your demons control you. The girl that took the greatest lengths to save him. The girl who he never thought he would have a future with due to every obstacle in his way.

The girl that loved him unconditionally to no end.

And this is how the Doctor met her.

The Doctor didn't like going to the playground. His brother, Ten, (also named John Smith, but was the tenth) liked it because it was the time he got to read or do something without Tara, their adoptive mother that was just a bit too overprotective for his liking. But the Doctor had nothing. He liked books, but he could never really find one that interested him. He liked playing, but when you were alone and your brother didn't want to play with you, it would become mundane to run around by yourself. There was nothing to do, in his opinion. Now, as a six year old boy, he shouldn't have really cared and had enjoyed the time he got in the playground like any other normal boy, but he wasn't normal; at least, his first few years of life didn't have the love he should have gotten.

His father and mother had ran off into the sunset when the Doctor was only five while Ten was seven. The two irresponsible partners in crime had left the Doctor and Ten at home, with little to no food and hardly any instructions of how to live life. Ten had to call their godmother, Tara, with some difficulty, to save them. She did, thankfully, and now the two were stuck against the world with her. It wasn't that bad, it was just...different, the Doctor supposed. He didn't really remember his parent's faces all that well, but he knew that there was a hole in him that was born from their disappearance. He was so used to where he was before, but now, living here...it wasn't at all the same. Ten was the only bit of home he had left and Ten wasn't quite the type to really be the supportive brother, as Ten himself didn't know what to do either. It was all too much for the Doctor, really.

The Doctor sighed as he swung alone, deciding to look at the sand on the floor to change his thoughts to be happier. But that's just not how it goes. He couldn't just think of happy thoughts when there were none to begin with. He was starting to give up, thinking life was really meaningless, when he heard a voice. It was slightly high pitched, but not quite to the point to be irritating.

"Can I swing with you?" The Doctor looked up to find a young girl with long pigtails that stopped at her inline. She wore a dark blue coat and black leggings, her eyes the most beautiful shade of brown that the Doctor had ever seen. He nodded silently as he ceased the movement of his swing and she smiled, her dimples showing prominently when she jumped onto the swing beside him. "My name is Clara Oswald, what's yours?" Clara. The name sounded beautiful in his mind.

"I'm the Doctor." Clara looked at him as she swung lightly. He looked back, anticipating laughter from her. She was only looking at him in curiosity, not in judgement.

"Why the Doctor? Do you have a degree?" She was smart. Most kids their age had no idea what a degree was. The Doctor looked at her with interest.

"Why do I need a degree to be called one?" He challenged and Clara pursed her lips.

"That's what my daddy said," Clara continued, "Or else people won't take you seriously."

"I want to help people. Isn't that enough to be called a doctor?" He responded simply. He must sound strange, but if Clara thought that, she didn't show it.

"That's nice of you." Clara responded, "Nobody wants to help anyone nowadays."

"That's why I want to be the Doctor, rather than boring John Smith." He responded and Clara smiled.

"John Smith isn't boring." Clara said. The Doctor looked at her, raising an eyebrow.

"It is! The most boring name in all of the universe. My dad wanted to curse me with his terrible name." Clara stopped swinging and raised her hands in defense.

"Alright, I won't, Doctor," she paused for a moment, then a light bulb seemed to flicker in her head, "Can I be your nurse?" Clara asked, "Every Doctor needs a nurse." The Doctor smiled back, for once in so long. A genuine smile, one that didn't involve him internally shaking each time.

"Yeah! Dr. Doctor and Nurse Clara Oswald!" The Doctor proclaimed, loud enough for anyone in the vicinity to hear and Clara giggled. The Doctor felt his cheeks turn red when Clara put her hand over his. He had never really encountered a female, in all honesty, besides his mother and Tara. Clara was a breath of fresh air. Someone different.

"We'll save the world, one patient at a time." Clara added on. A scoff came from behind them and the two turned around. Ten was leaning against the swing's supports, a ragged book in his left hand. He was watching the Doctor and Clara with a mixed expression, between jealousy and softness.

"Tell me why you're talking about this again, Doctor?" Ten asked, then looked towards Clara, "I'm guessing you're suddenly my brother's friend?"

"Yup! I'm Clara! Clara Oswald!" Clara introduced, extending her small hand to him. Ten's gaze softened and he shook it with the hand that wasn't occupied. The Doctor watched the exchange curiously. Ten was very, very, cautious of people. What made Clara different? Did he see the same thing the Doctor saw?

"Ten."

"The number?" Clara looked between the two of them, "Are you two brothers?"

"What gave it away?" Ten asked, his tone with clear amusement.

"You both have weird names, but I think they're really cool too." Clara responded, "Will you guys come again tomorrow?"

"Maybe. Depends on what Tara thinks." Ten murmured.

"Tara?" Clara asked.

"Our godmother." The Doctor supplied helpfully.

"Well, I hope she says yes." Clara said, "My mummy and daddy want me to make friends." Ten scowled for a moment, then went back to his placid expression. The Doctor hoped his own expression looked calm at the mention of a mummy and daddy.

"Am I your friend?" The Doctor asked curiously. Clara giggled.

"Yeah. You too, Ten, if you'd like." She said, addressing the older boy.

"I wouldn't mind that." Ten responded, then looked up. "Are they your parents?" Clara and the Doctor both looked at the direction Ten was looking at. A man and a woman were talking on a bench, as the woman pointed at a paper that was in her hand. The man squeezed the woman's hand reassuringly. Neither of them shredded a single tear, but they looked as though they wanted to.

"Mmhmm." Clara answered.

"I bet they're better than our parents." Ten grumbled. The Doctor whipped his head back to Ten, giving him the best glare a six year old could. Ten was unfazed by this and instead scoffed. "Really, they look like the type to stay together. Look, they're coming this way, together." The couple was in front of the swing set, smiling softly at their little ball of sunshine.

"Clara, sweetheart, did you make friends?" The woman asked, pocketing the paper she had been holding. The couple was giving the sweetest expression they could offer, but the Doctor noted that they both looked sad, despite their attempts to lie about their current emotion. Without a word, the Doctor stood up from the swing and tugged onto the woman's dress and the man's trousers. Both squatted down to his level, slightly confused at why he was asking for their attention.

"Can I help you, son?" The man asked. The Doctor didn't say anything, but instead took his small hands and cupped them around the man and woman's cheeks. Ten stood straighter, lips parted slightly and Clara watched with curiosity shimmering in her eyes.

"You guys are sad." The Doctor murmured, and the couple's eyes widened. "I'm really sorry about what made you sad. But things get better! They really do! It takes time. You guys are strong. I think it will go okay, what you are dealing with, I promise. Cross my hearts." The woman's eyes glimmered in an emotion that seemed to be a mixture of adoration and interest while the man watched the Doctor with a mixture between confusion and amazement as his facial expression.

"That's what he does," Ten said, to Clara. Clara looked over to Ten. "It's like he can sense your emotional problems and fix them, or at least, attempt to do so. That's why he called himself the Doctor. A doctor of people with more than one heart, as one heart apparently cannot 'hold all the love he has for people.'" Ten's tone did not sound mocking, he sounded more like he was proud of his little brother. Clara looked back at the Doctor, who was still holding her parents.

"A doctor of people." Clara echoed, looking back to the Doctor with a smile, "I like that."