AUTHOR'S NOTE: Okay, so this story might seem complicated at first. Well, it will seem complicated when you start chapter one. This is kinda like a back story to explain everything first. Kinda…I think. Well, anyways this is the prologue for Gone So Long and will be chapter one for Wasting All These Tears. Yes, these are the names of songs. The songs fit so that's what I'm naming them after. I'll explain everything in the author's note for chapter one. So! Let the story begin!
For a week or two, the Doctor kept Clara on the TARDIS, but even though she could ask to leave whenever she wanted, she knew she should stay. They both needed the comfort only the other could provide, and they frequently found themselves clinging to each other with Clara's face buried into the Doctor's chest while the Doctor's nose was pressed into the top of her head, into her hair.
Their relationship changed one night, or what passed for night time, when Clara awoke screaming and crying from a nightmare, and the Doctor rushed to her side. The Doctor had held her and rocked her, but as he leaned down to kiss her forehead, she lifted her face up to look at him, and their lips met.
The kiss lasted longer than it should have, and although his hands twitched a little, the Doctor didn't flail like he usually did whenever he was kissed without warning. When they finally separated, they just stared at each other in shock for a few moments until the Doctor swallowed nervously and stammered, "I-I-I…I didn't…"
"Shut up…" Clara murmured as she wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him back to her, pressing her lips against his again. The Doctor's hands began to twitch again, resisting the urge to flap his arms, but he soon began to calm down as his hands landed on her waist and held her closer. Clara leaned back, laying back down as she pulled him along with her and continued to kiss him. That night they let go of their doubts and fears and showed each other what they felt and how much they loved each other.
Clara awoke the next morning, and the Doctor wasn't lying next to her like she expected him to be. After putting on some clothes, she went looking for the Doctor, finding him in the central console room as he leaned against it and stared off into space, obviously deep in thought.
"Doctor?" Clara called softly as she approached him, her brow furrowing together in worry. The Doctor didn't seem to hear her as he began to mess with a few knobs and dials and flipped a few switches.
"Doctor," Clara called again, this time a little louder as she stepped closer to him and placed a hand on his arm.
"I'm taking you home," the Doctor stated softly, refusing to look at her as he went around the center console and continued to mess with the controls. Clara froze as she watched him and began to ask, "Wha…"
"Clara, please…Don't make this any harder than it needs to be…"
Clara was confused and hurt as tears welled up in her eyes. What had she done wrong? Did he regret what they did? Was that all he had wanted: one and done? Were his whispers of love the night before just spur of the moment ramblings?
The Doctor saw the look on her face and the tears threatening to spill in her eyes, and his heart broke at the pain and hurt he saw there. He moved towards her and reached out to touch her cheek as he commented, "No, I don't…"
"Just let me know when we get there…" Clara interrupted, her heart break cracking her voice as she pushed his hand away and turned around, leaving him there in that room alone.
The Doctor cursed himself and slammed his fist down onto the console. He couldn't possibly imagine what thoughts were going through her mind or what she thought of him. He took a deep breath and reached out, pulling the throttle lever as even the TARDIS hesitated to take off. The TARDIS could hear what the Doctor couldn't and knew that Clara was crying. She could sense the pain and betrayal the girl felt.
Once the ship landed, the Doctor waited a few moments with his eyes closed as he regained his composure and went to find Clara. He knocked on her door and called softly, "Clara…We're here…"
The door opened moments later as Clara emerged and whisked past him. The Doctor reached out to grab her arm as he exclaimed, "Clara, wait! Please!"
Clara stopped, but didn't turn around as the Doctor approached her from behind and placed his hands on her shoulders. He heard a sob escape her as her shoulders shook, and she lowered her head. The Doctor turned her around holding her gently by her upper arms as he looked down at her, but her head was still down, and her hair fell forward, hiding her eyes.
"Clara…" The Doctor took her chin and lifted her face so he could look into her eyes. The pain he saw there broke both of his hearts as he moved his hand and stroked her cheek with his thumb, brushing away her tears. Clara couldn't help but lean into his touch as she closed her eyes and let him pull her closer.
The Doctor kissed her forehead and rested his chin on top of her head as he assured quietly, "This isn't goodbye…I promise…I just want you to think this over before you commit. You need to think over things. Okay?"
Clara opened her eyes to look up at him as she nodded and replied, "Okay…"
The Doctor took her hand and led her to the console room as tears built up in Clara's eyes again. She didn't want to leave. She didn't need to think over things. This was what she wanted. This was the only thing she needed. However, when she looked up at him, she could see the pain and second thoughts in his eyes and knew he thought he was doing the right thing.
When they reached the center console the, Doctor turned Clara around so she was facing him as he leaned down and pressed his lips against hers. Clara's eyes fluttered shut as she stood up on the tips of her toes and leaned into the kiss. When they finally separated, Clara wrapped her arms around his middle and buried her face into his chest as she whispered, "Don't make me go…"
"Clara, come on…" The Doctor responded as he stroked her hair, not wanting to let her go himself. "It'll only be a week…"
"You promise?"
"I promise," the Doctor replied softly as he let go of her in order to cross both of his hearts with his fingers. Clara nodded as she took a deep breath and turned around. The Doctor didn't walk her to the entrance, but instead stayed back and watched after her, having a bad feeling that this was goodbye. He forced a smile when she looked over her shoulder at him and asked with uncertainty in her voice, "See you in a week?"
The Doctor gave her a reassuring smile and dipped his head in affirmation as he replied, "See you in a week."
With that, Clara turned and pushed open the doors, taking a step out as she closed the doors behind her. Her first thought was registering that it was raining, pouring actually. She had forgotten how cold it had been before she went with the Doctor. However, as she wiped the water from her eyes and held her arm above them to shield them from the rain so she could see, she realized that her surroundings were unfamiliar to her. This was not the Maitland house.
"Doctor, we're not—" Clara began to call as she started to turn around, reaching up to grab the key to the TARDIS that was hanging on a necklace around her neck. However, to her great dismay, the TARDIS engines had already started to whine and turn as the time machine pulsed out of existence right as Clara's hand pressed against it. Her hand fell through into the empty space that had just been occupied by the TARDIS.
"Great…" Clara mumbled as she crossed her arms across her chest in an effort to keep warm, looking around to try to see if she could figure out where she was. There were no familiar land marks, any known markers, or anything remotely familiar except for the fact that she was pretty sure she could hear the sound of the ocean and waves hitting the shore through the downpour.
There was one house, well mansion, that Clara could see, and she'd rather take her chances with whoever lived there and get out of the rain than staying out in the pouring rain. She let out an exasperated breath and approached the large house as quick as she could without slipping on the loose, wet gravel. She eagerly climbed up the stairs onto the front porch, thankful for the shelter from the rain.
After a few hesitant and unsure moments, Clara reached up and rung the doorbell before quickly withdrawing her hand as she tucked it under her other arm for warmth. She felt and heard footsteps approaching the door as a young woman's face appeared in the window beside the door to see who it was, before disappearing again. There was the sound of the lock being unlatched as the handle turned, and the door opened.
A young woman, a few years younger than Clara but still in her twenties, if she had to guess, with ginger hair stood there as she looked at Clara in confusion and asked, "Can I help you?"
"Y-Y-Yes, please," Clara stammered as her teeth clattered, and she shivered. "My boyfriend dropped me off, and I don't have anywhere to go or any belongings."
"Oh, you poor thing!" The girl exclaimed as she grabbed Clara and pulled her inside. She closed the door and turned as she called, "Dad! Beckett!"
The girl rubbed Clara's shoulder in an effort to warm her up as an older man in his early forties and a woman in her early to mid thirties came into the room. The man looked at Clara curiously before looking at his daughter as he asked, "Who is this, Alexis?"
"I-I-I'm…C-Clara," Clara responded for Alexis as she continued to shiver, and Alexis looked at her in sympathy. The red head grabbed a blanket that was hanging over the back of a chair near the front door and placed it around Clara's shoulder as she replied to her father's question, "She was out in the cold and has nowhere to go."
"I-I-I'm sorry f-for barging in," Clara apologized as she clutched at the blanket and pulled it tightly around herself. Kate Beckett's eyes softened as she walked forward and replied, "No, you're not barging in. Do you need a place to stay?"
"I-If you d-don't m-m-mind," Clara responded as she shivered and smiled at them gratefully, the clattering of her teeth more distinguished. She was surprised by their generosity, kindness, and friendliness; but she was intrigued by the fact that they all had American accents. Yeah, there were plenty of Americans in Britain, but it still startled her.
"We don't mind," Beckett assured with a warm smile, before she looked at the man next to her. "Do we, Castle?"
"Not at all," Richard Castle replied as he also gave a smile. "If you need a place to stay, you are welcome to stay until the end of the trip."
Clara relaxed as she sighed in relief and smiled brightly. Beckett wrapped an arm around Clara, pulling her closer as she led her to the living room and commented, "We have an extra guest room you could stay in."
"Thank you so much," Clara responded as Beckett smiled and nodded. Alexis and Castle followed after them as Castle quickly caught up with them and questioned, "So what's your story?"
"Castle," Beckett scolded softly as she shot a look at Castle, who blinked in surprise and asked innocently, "What?"
"Let her warm up and settle in."
"Oh…sorry," Castle flashed Clara an apologetic smile, but she gave him a reassuring grin and looked at Beckett and responded, "No, he's fine." She then turned back to Castle. "You wouldn't believe me if I told you."
Beckett smirked and mumbled something under her breath that sounded like, "Don't tell him that…"
Castle's interest instantly heightened as he followed after the two women while Alexis went to light the fire place and get Clara another blanket and something warm to drink. Pi, Alexis's boyfriend, came out of the bathroom as Castle finally convinced Clara to tell them her story about what happened and how she got there. They all gathered around, sitting on the couches and chairs as Castle's mother Martha Rogers and Beckett's father Jim Beckett joined them to listen to her story.
Normally, none of the with the exception of Castle, would have believed a story like that, but the emotion she showed while sharing what happened convinced them and showed them that she was telling the truth. Nothing shocked them more than the fact that they knew what she was telling was true, but it still sounded insane and absurd.
AUTHOR'S NOTE: So! Did you like it? I hope you did! :D It's about to get real confusing though in the next chapter. I'll explain in the author's note at the beginning of the next chapter. Anyways, I hope you know what I'm talking about with Castle and Beckett. If not, go look up on Google images Castle and Beckett, and you'll see who I'm talking about. Also, sorry it's taking me so long to update chapter 10 for Beyond Destruction. It's taking me a little while to write it, but I'm almost done. So! You know the drill! If not, here it is: give me a review, and I will give you a preview into the next chapter, or, if you're lucky, I'll give you a preview for further down the line.