Chapter 1 - A Peace of Mind

"How are you so bloody stupid?"

"How are you so bloody short?"

"That has absolutely nothing to do with this, Doctor." Clara snorted and rolled her eyes. "Why do people even call someone as stupid as you, Doctor? I'd prefer something in style of Donkey face or Chin boy."

The Doctor gasped, rubbing his chin in defence. "Oi! Chin boy? What's wrong with my chin?"

"Careful dear, you'll poke someone's eye out."

"At least I don't wobble about like a bloody penguin."

"Ugh, I can't stand you!" And with that being said, Clara turned on her heel and slammed the door to her flat shut. She groaned in frustration as she leaned against the door. "Every freaking time."

The Doctor grumpily mumbled something incoherent, before waving his hand off in annoyance in the direction Clara had been standing just a few seconds ago. "Impossible." Mumbling to himself again, he closed the door to his own flat. That girl was just impossible.

A few days earlier

The young woman stepped out of the car and onto the pavement. She looked up at the building in front of her. It was nice, actually it was more than nice. It was an old white building with black enrichments and bay windows. It had been modernized and looked like a fancy home for rich people. The woman, Clara Oswald, is neither fancy nor rich. She's a soon-to-be English teacher at Coal Hill University, a job she found out she had gotten just a few weeks ago.

Clara went and opened the trunk and began to unload the suitcases. She got her bag and jacket from the passenger seat and went to stand next to her four suitcases. Looking at them, she let out a heavy sigh. They looked awfully big standing next to her. Another sigh escaped her lips but she clasped her hands around the handles of two of the suitcases either way and dragged them both inside. She scanned the lobby and was relieved when she saw the elevator. There was a man behind a counter to the right who appeared to be the doorkeeper. He nodded at her with a smile which she returned with a smile of her own. Before he had a chance to speak she disappeared through the door to get the two other suitcases. She stepped outside and she noticed a man coming up the sidewalk. He was about to turn and enter the same building as her when he stopped and looked her over.

"You appear to be needing some help with that." The man spoke, cocking a curious eyebrow at the brunette. He carefully eyed her and her suitcases up and down, a goofy grin soon appearing on his just as goofy face.

"Fairly well noted." Clara said with a wide smile. "I've got two more inside, actually." She watched him approach with a grin.

He had a funny frame and a ridiculous bow tie wrapped around his neck. His nose and chin were quite big, but there was something charming about the way he looked. As he grabbed the handles of both the suitcases he spoke.

"These a pretty big for someone as small as you, don't you think?"

Clara raised her eyebrows at him in surprise as he pulled them inside with ease. She hadn't been offended or anything, she had just been startled for a mere second. It's not usually the kind of comment you say to someone you just met. The doorkeeper were swift on his feet and offered to help with the two other suitcases.

"Oh, actually, that's okay. I can manage those two-"

The doorkeeper smiled.

"Don't worry, it's my job."

Clara looked at his name tag, which read Jack Wilson. He was a fairly young, fairly beefy man. "Thank you." Then both men walked towards the elevator with her belongings. She wobbled after them and waited for it to arrive.

"Which floor?"

"Um, top floor, number four."

The man with the bowtie swirled around to stare at her. "Really?! You're her?"

Claras eyes widened as the elevator made a ding and the doors opened in front of them.

"What her?"

"Maggie's niece? Wow, you're really not what I pictured, really not that much." He shook his head fast with a frown and stepped into the lift. Claras mouth hanged open as Jack went in after the bow tie and pressed the floor number. Frowning she stepped in and looked at the man. Now that was a little offending.

"How do you know my aunt Margaret, and why do you call her Maggie?"

"I'm her best man, BFF, life saver." He made a pause. "Neighbour." The man shrugged as if it was a matter of course and spoke fast and happily while Clara contemplated what to think of him. First impressions are always important, and usually always correct.

But right now she wasn't sure whether to excuse his commentaries as just blunt, oblivious speaking or plain rude. Now standing right next to him she noticed that he was also really tall. The elevator dinged again and opened its doors to a bright hallway. Stepping out she noticed the two chandeliers hanging from the high ceiling. She also noticed that there were only two doors, only a metre or two apart.

The man with the bow tie and the huge chin motioned towards one of the doors. "Eleven. That's my flat, right there."

Really. Seriously.

She was stuck with chin and his strange antics. Alone. On the fourth floor. Hopefully it wouldn't be too much of a hassle. With a sigh, she dug in her purse for the keys and unlocked her new flat. The doorkeeper hurriedly placed the bags inside, as did chin.

Jack, the doorkeeper flashed a charming smile Clara's way and for some reason she couldn't control the slight blush sneaking up on her cheeks. "Have a great day, Ms. If you need help with anything else, you know where to find me." He gave both of them a polite bow before making his way back to the elevator.

"So.. are you gonna invite me in, new neighbour?"

Clara raised an eyebrow at the only man left. "I don't think so, Mister."

"Why not?!" The man looked offended, almost horrified as if someone had just told him he looked like the arse of a donkey.

"I don't even know your name."

"John Smith. But everyone calls me Doctor. Old nickname of mine." He spoke proudly, fixing his bow tie.

"Alright then, Doctor. I'm still not going to invite you in though- but thanks for helping me! Bye." And before the Doctor could react any further, the door closed right in front of his face.

"But.. Maggie always invited me in." He whined with a knock on the door. How on earth could someone so small be so rude. "What about Mr. Dodgers?" The Doctor knocked again as something hit him. He still didn't know her name. "Oi, short girl! I don't even know your name!"

On the other side of the door, Clara rolled her eyes in frustration. Was this man going to bother her everyday like this? She unlocked the door again, opening it slightly to poke her head out.

"Clara. My name is Clara Oswald" The woman poked at his chest. "Now back off and leave me to unpack." And the door was closed once again.

"Clara Oswald." The Doctor spoke to himself. The name rolled off his tongue effortlessly and despite the somewhat horrible first meeting, he found himself smiling.

She didn't look like Maggie at all. Maggie was tall, kind of lanky and of course older. Clara on the other hand was short and dare he say it without sounding like a creep? Curvy in the perfect areas. That dress of hers fit her well. And while Maggie had green eyes, Clara had beautiful brown doe eyes. They were the first thing he noticed when he saw her. And her funny nose, of course. Although it wasn't really all that funny, just ridiculously adorable.

Then there was all that sas he had yet to see more of.

The Doctor sighed. At this point, he knew for certain that she wasn't going to let him in so he obliged and went to his own place after a long day at work.

Clara was still not sure what to think of John Smith. But as much as she didn't want to admit it to herself, he was handsome. Regardless of his peculiar sense of fashion.

A bowtie and a purple tweed? She shook her head with a slight giggle, her eyes soon roaming her new flat.

It wasn't actually her flat, it was still her aunt's flat, Clara was just borrowing it until she could find a place of her own. Her aunt had gone away on a trip around the world with the ambition of "finding her true self" and "do some soul searching". Now if you'd ask Clara, she would more likely reply with "a midlife crisis". Either way, she was extremely happy and appreciative that her aunt had gladly thrown the keys at her niece. Clara was 27 after all and was more than trustworthy. And what good would the flat do standing empty for a year or two since Margaret refused to sell it. It was a beautiful flat after all.

As she stepped into the hall she could see an open living room and immediately got a warm and cozy feeling. All the walls were painted a beautifully luscious crimson red. The only wall painted in another colour was the whole back wall of the living room and dining area, which was painted white.

Not like it really would have mattered though, the whole wall was just huge windows letting the sun in and filling the whole flat with the midday light.

Right around the corner to the right of the hall was a place that looked like a working area, completed with a desk and a few bookshelves. Clara smiled at all the books piled up after one another. She ran a finger against the spine of the books. There was everything from the Oxford Dictionary and Shakespeare to cooking books and cliché teenage romances. There was also a door to the bathroom to the right, that contained a big bathtub, a shower and a washer.

She walked further into the flat and came to a big open space. The kitchen was to the left and moving down to the back wall of windows, was a dining table for four. There were also two sofas and a big flat screen telly, all in that open space. If there was a dream flat for Clara, this was definitely it. The flat was impressive, but the thing that really caught her eyes was the bay window with a cozy window sill full of pillows.

"I'll definitely make use of that." Clara mumbled to herself with a smile.

Opening the door to the bedroom, she peeked inside. There seemed to be a door leading out to a balcony along with the great big windows. And the bed was, surprisingly enough, quite simple and plain. King-sized and covered in white.

Clara walked into the room and opened a lonely door and did she thank the stars for the empty walk in closet. "I don't think I ever want to leave this place."

She threw herself on the bed. "This is heaven." Taking a deep content breath, she closed her eyes and felt every tense muscle in her body relax after a long day of stressing. Clara didn't realise exactly how much she had been in need to get away from Blackpool until this very moment.

Nothing could ruin this evening for her. This is great, I'll finally get some peace of mind. Nothing, absolutely nothing.

Cling cling cling

"What the.."

"Oi, Clara!"

She spoke too soon. The petite brunette sat up and looked at the window. Her eyes widened when she saw a stick poking the glass.

"Oi!"

Clara stood up and went to the balcony door, annoyance visible on her pretty face as she peeked her head out of the door. She was greeted by a happy Doctor with a mop in his hands, reaching all the way to her balcony. He just stood there with a ridiculous grin plastered on his face while Clara just stared at him.

"And what exactly do you think you're doing?!"

"Interacting with my new neighbour!" He exclaimed excitedly, poking at the woman with the long stick. "Isn't this wonderful? Look, our balconies are right next to each other!"

She continued to stare.

"Yes, I can see that."

"Ha! Bop." He poked her again.

And that was the moment Clara knew she wasn't going to get any peace of mind.