A Good Question

Summary: **Slight spoilers for DOTD!** Once again, Clara & 11 find themselves recovering from an epic ordeal. But it's time to say goodbye again...only, they don't want to go. Besides, the Doctor has a good question for Clara...and she has one for him. What will be their answers? And how will their answers affect their relationship? **Yes, this is more angst-y Whouffle. Deal with it.** ;op Rated T for swearing.

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It started out as relatively normal day for the Doctor & Clara...well, when I say normal, I mean normal from their perspective...they had taken that trip to the Moon & then Mars, complete with cocktails, just as the Doctor had promised. They came, they saw, they enjoyed themselves, and now it was time to take Clara home.

Having been through a lot in the last week...(3 different Doctors to deal with as opposed to just the one, combined with a nuclear standoff with Zygons, and to make it even more outrageous, they had to deal with the long-term effects of the Time War) and now, despite being utterly exhausted, the pair had grown even closer than before and suddenly found themselves in an unusual situation: neither one was ready to be denied of the others' company just yet. Of course, they would never admit that sort of thing out loud, goodness no, that would just be asking for trouble...then again, getting into trouble was their idea of fun and excitement...soooo...here they were.

But all the same, as the TARDIS landed quietly on the field near her flat, both were thinking up excuses to not say goodbye...even though, they knew it wasn't actually goodbye...more like, "see you later". Still, the minutes ticked by slowly as the Doctor nervously toyed with various levers & buttons that didn't actually do anything and risked a few furtive glances in Clara's direction while Clara was sitting in the pilot seat, playing with her mother's ring, twisting it around her finger in a repeated loop and sort of staring at the floor, in what looked like deep concentration.

In short, they were ignoring the elephant in the room. And the elephant was in the form of a question. Well, two questions, actually. One was a question the Doctor wants desperately to know the answer to, but is terrified to ask. And the other, of course, is one from Clara...who is also terrified to ask hers.

"Clara?" He inquired softly.

"Yeah...?" She answered distractedly, not looking up.

"We're here."

"Oh. Right. K."

She looked up at last. The Doctor was staring at her. Not in a bad, creepy way. He was smiling...in that shy way he did sometimes. The smile where his eyes crinkled at the corners. "You're back home."

She glanced at the TV screen hanging above the console briefly to confirm this. "Mm-hmm. So I am."

"So...?" He motions to the open door with a wave of his hand, as he leans casually against the console.

"So..." She answers as she stretches, gets up, and slowly makes her way to stand right in front of him.

There's a shared grin, and then a friendly hug. But when they break apart, his hands don't quite leave her back and hers don't quite leave his neck.

"Thank you, Doctor...for everything."

"No...thank *you*, Clara."

They share a moment in which both are trying to convey something to the other through their eyes alone...and those "somethings" are a bubbling cauldron of emotions: sadness, gratitude, affection, and loneliness...among other things that they will never talk about. But for once, the Doctor feels brave enough to ask his question. He chooses his next words very, very carefully.

"Before you go, Clara...I...I have a question. Something I've always wondered. And I think now is the right time for me to ask it."

Curiosity officially piqued, eyebrow officially quirked, she nods. "What is it, Doctor?"

"Well...it's...it's a rather simple question really...then again, it might not be...uh...that is...I'm...I'm..."

he chuckles nervously a minute, he runs a hand through his hair. Clara notices these quirks and can't help but wonder. 'Is he...no...is he? Yes...he's actually blushing...'

"I'm afraid to ask it...I don't...I don't know if..."

Her mind is racing now with her own questions as he continues to stutter his way into silence...'What kind of question could he possibly have that would make him so flustered? Unless...oh my god...it can't be...he wouldn't...no way...it's not possible...how does he know? I never told him...Ok, Clara...calm down...do not panic. Just because his face is turning red does not mean that he would...ask that. It could be anything...' But the way his eyes were glued to hers, combined with standing so close to him for so long was starting to make her head a bit...fuzzy...(more than she'd care to admit) and the anticipation was killing her.

"Out with it, Chin! What's your question?" Ok...that came out a lot more forceful than intended.

He took in a deep breath, blew it out.

"Clara...why did you help me steal the TARDIS all those years ago?"

Clara blinked. And blinked again. And again. "Sorry...what? What was that?" It wasn't so much that she didn't hear what he said, or that she didn't understand the question...it was the question itself. It literally threw her for a loop. But the Doctor took her surprise for confusion, and so repeated it, this time in further detail.

"Why did you help me...a complete stranger...steal an old, battered TARDIS? What made you do it? I mean...there I was...a crazy old man with his grand-daughter...about to steal a time machine...to go who-knows-where, for who-knows-what-reason...and suddenly there you were...casually leaning against the wall...and took it upon yourself to convince us to steal a different one—this one—and then...and then you proceeded to change my mind-not a lot of people can do that, by the way-but the thing that really stumps me about that first meeting, Clara...is: why? Why help me? At the time, you didn't know who I was...and you could have gotten in so much trouble that day...if you had gotten caught...well...Time Lords had severe punishments for people who stole TARDISES back then..."

This was not the question she had expected at all...and so, had caught her off-guard. In all fairness, it was a damn good question...one full of unspoken implications...and suddenly she found herself wondering what her answer would be-should be...and drawing a complete blank...as he continued to ramble on about the consequences of what doing said deed might be-might have been for her echo.

Hours could have gone by and she wouldn't have known how many...'Why, indeed?' She honestly had never thought about it before now. She must have had a reason, though...back when this whole thing got started...their first meeting, as he says...she remembered it fondly...but she couldn't, for the life of her, remember why she had done it...

"Clara? Still with me? Clara?"

Oh right. She hadn't replied yet. "Oh. Um...yes. I am...but...I...I don't know, really..."

He snorted. Smiled. Looked at her like she'd gone senile. Or that she had told a joke, but got the ending wrong. He clearly expected something...more...from her, but she didn't know if there even was more to it than that...but...but there had to be...yes...there had to be a reason...

And then, it hit her. A brilliant answer. An answer worthy of the Doctor.

"I suppose..."

"Yes?"

"I suppose I did it because..."

"Because...?" he tried prompting her.

"Because I...could. Because...it was fun. It was...daring...it was mad...and I just...felt like it. Do I really need another reason?"

And with that, she crossed her arms, and smiled up at him expectantly, waiting to see what his reaction would be. She wasn't disappointed.

He blinked several times for a few seconds...admiration & amusement shining in his green eyes, brought up both of her hands towards his face... "Clara Oswald...you..."-he kissed her right hand reverently- "...are..." -kissed her left hand this time- "...amazing..."-he then dropped her hands in order to gently cup her cheeks and brought her forehead close- "and I..." -placed a soft kiss on her forehead- "...am so, so grateful to you that you for what you did..." -he pulled back in order to look at her properly, letting her see just how much she amazed him- "...and no, you don't need another reason. Don't ever change a single thing about you, Clara. I mean it. Stay this way forever. Because you are perfect."

While his admission left her feeling quite speechless...and her own cheeks felt rather hot all of a sudden...somehow, she still managed to tease him, just a little bit. "So let me get this straight, Doctor...you think I'm perfect? Really? Well, Chin Boy? Is that why I'm the boss?"

To her surprise, he didn't fluster and stutter incomprehensibly for once...he only chuckled a little under his breath and held her hands in his tightly. "Yes, Clara. That is why you are—and always will be- the boss."

"So...," giving him her best cheeky grin to date, "...that basically means that-"

He cut her off, saying, "That you call all the shots? Yes. Yes it does."And there was that shy smile she loved so much...'Well, no point in denying it now, is there? You love him...why else would you jump in his time-stream?'

But all she said was, "Oh good. Well then...in that case, Chinny, I have just one question for you. And this question is very, very important to me. It's so important that I am going to make you answer it right here and now. No running away, no swanning off, no changing the subject, and no techno-babbling...got it?"

He scratched his cheek absentmindedly and ran another hand through his hair. He gulped a bit, and straightened his bow-tie."Let's have it then. Lay it on me."

And that was when she blurted it out, without even thinking: "What am I to you?"

He instantly paled, white as a sheet, eyes widening in fear...just as she thought he might...

But she wasn't finished yet. "What am I to you, Doctor? A friend? More than a friend? Am I your assistant? Like the lizard woman said? Or just someone along for the ride? What am I to you...really?"

He opened his mouth as if he was about to say something, then abruptly changed his mind. He regarded her calmly for a few moments...then turned, walked a full circle around the console in the opposite direction, saying absolutely nothing, fiddling with this & that...while she looked on curiously, biting her lip, following his movements, praying silently that she hadn't overstepped her bounds...that she hadn't ruined everything...

'Where the hell did that come from, anyway?' she chastised herself. 'Suppose it doesn't matter now...it's out there. Like it or not, it's out there. He has to answer now. No way around it. But whatever happened to my trick? What happened to my self-control? I thought we could handle this...I really did. We'd been through so much now...but the way he's acting...like he really wants to run from me...Oh God...I've screwed everything up, haven't I? Well, what did you think would happen, Clara? What did you expect? A marriage proposal? I just witnessed one of him getting married to Queen Elizabeth the 1st! He probably does this all the time...probably thinks nothing of it. But...so...in the long line of wives, lovers, girlfriends, and female companions that he has no doubt acquired over the years, where does she stand? Heaven only knows what he's thinking right now...oh why isn't he saying anything?'

But after he walked round the console a second time, avoiding her eyes completely, she couldn't take it anymore...

"Doctor? Please say something...anything...please..." she begged him. "Please tell me...I have to know. No more secrets, Doctor. You promised me."

Finally...he stopped. He came over to stand right in front of her again, his hands resting at his sides, and to anyone else who didn't know him, would think he was the epitome of calmness & serenity. But Clara knew better...oh yes...she knew him better than anyone...and despite all outward appearances, just there, buried in the center of those deep green irises, were the beginnings of a mental storm. He was building up to something big, she could tell that much at least...but telling whether or not it would be something good or bad was becoming much more difficult to determine by the second.

The next time he spoke, it was with that rumbly, deep-set, whispered tone that he usually reserved for only the direst of emergencies...when he was explaining how bad a situation had truly gotten.

"Clara..." he started.

It was at this moment in time that Clara really started to panic. 'Oh no...here it comes. The talk about how I'm human, he's a Time Lord...this can't ever work...or...something along those lines. I can't believe this...I've really done it now. I've ruined everything...I just know it. I shouldn't have said anything...why didn't I keep my big mouth shut?'

He spoke again..."In all 1200 plus years of my long, long life...and you know how long it's been...I have never met anyone else like you before. You are the one who saved me, Clara. Time & time again. You are my Souffle Girl. You are the bravest, funniest, and the most clever, most amazing person I have ever met, and...yes...beautiful-even with your short little legs and funny little nose..." As he spoke, he moved closer and closer into her personal space, until she could feel his warm breath... "...and I promise this is me saying this, not some clone...or a clever cyber-king..." She smiled at that, "...and that I am so honored and frankly, chuffed beyond all reason...more than you could possibly know, Clara..." -he once again cupped her cheeks- "...that you are in my life...for whatever reason you or the universe chose...and I promise you, from now until eternity, that I will spend every waking breath I have left in this body...however long that might be...to show you how grateful and honored I am to just be standing here with you right now...and I am, Clara. I am undeniably happy and alive today because of you & only you. And that is why...I—oh bugger it."

He took one last lingering look into her eyes...and despite months of repressed, pent-up emotions and sexual tension...beneath all the hugs and light touches, beneath all the high-fives & flirting, he eventually found all the love & affection he was searching for, reflected in those big brown eyes...and he leaned in ever so slowly...once it dawned on her what he was doing, she leaned in too. Both shutting their eyes at the same time...he claimed her lips at last...with a hunger & a ferocity that surprised them both. Yet at the same time, it warm and sweet and soft...it was shy, yet passionate...that magical place where fire finally meets ice...

And once the spark had been ignited...it took an equally long time for it to go out again. For this fire had started long ago, in another time & place...only to go out too soon. Here and now, it burned brighter than ever...and it was a solemn promise...it was perfection...but, like all good things, it had to end...that, and oxygen was needed. So...they broke apart...his head resting on top of hers, just breathing her in...holding her close...while she cried tears of happiness into his vest and pressed herself against his hearts...just listening contentedly to their double rhythm...if they stayed like this forever, she would die a happy woman indeed.

"Geez! Get a room already!" This came from outside the doors, which during their little moment, had apparently been left wide open to the viewing public...and the viewing public, well two individuals in particular, were exactly what was awaiting them...

'Oh bloody hell...' They both froze at the intrusion and inwardly cringed. Clara groaned in annoyance and immediately disentangled herself from the Doctor, blushing the entire time and ushered a quick apology...while he kind of stumbled away, telling her the same...and straightening his bow-tie multiple times...and backed away into the shadows of the interior of the TARDIS...

Meanwhile, she stormed out the doors and over to her smirking, smug-as-hell flat-mates, who were too busy laughing to be even remotely scared of an angry Clara.

And to be perfectly honest, Clara was livid. And irritated. And embarrassed beyond all reason.'Why? Why must every wonderful moment between her & the Doctor be ruined like this? Is it some kind of universal conspiracy?' Clara was not really the type to believe in such things before...-her father did and was always warning her about government secrets-...but now? After all she had seen while traveling with the Doctor? Maybe they weren't such outlandish theories after all...

But back to the problem at hand...she still had to deal with two nosy roommates who needed to leave. Preferably, as soon as humanly possible.

"Oh, come on...that was adorable...and here I thought you didn't have a boyfriend at all...way to go, Clara...he's hot. Definitely stick with this one." This came from the more annoying of the two, the twenty-something girl that constantly stuck her nose in other people's business. And the other one was a tech-savvy nerd guy with a degree in film-making and had way too much free time on his hands, who was currently trying to film the entire scene.

'Ohmygodthisisnothappeneingrightnow...' she was begging the universe at large, 'Please let this not be happening right now...' But to her roommates she said, "Would you two please just get out of here?"

Clara made a mad lunge for the one with the camera-phone, just as he said, "This is comedy gold...this is soooo going on Youtube." But as Clara yoinked it out his hands, he cried, "Aaww...show a little respect for the creative process, Clara...this alone will probably get me a million hits...frankly, I need the ratings...or my station goes under. Show a little compassion."

"Get out of here! Go home! Both of you! You, go hack something! And you, go shop for shoes on eBay! I don't care...just GO!"

"Ok, ok...fine..." sighed the girl. "No need to get all huffy." The guy added, "Besides, this baby needs some serious editing before it goes up anyway and who knows how long that's gonna take..." With that, they both turned away and walked back into the house. She heaved a relieved sigh.

Satisfied that they were alone once more, she turned around...hoping that she would have a chance to apologize and maybe...just maybe...finish what they had started...only to find that the TARDIS had gone...and the Doctor with it...

Clara looked up at the sky with barely restrained tears. She just couldn't believe that he had taken off like that...without saying a proper goodbye. Though, if she was being honest with herself, she knew he didn't like them. He was notorious for hating goodbyes...but to leave things the way they had? She couldn't help but feel slightly crushed...okay...maybe more than crushed...more like heart-broken...

That was when she saw the note, taped to a light-post near where the TARDIS has been only moments before. It wasn't a long message, just a few short words. "Dear Clara, don't worry. Be back soon. Stuff to do. People to see. See you at Christmas." And at the very bottom, it was signed, "xx –Your Doctor."

"Alright, Chin..." she said to the sky, holding up a scolding finger, "it's a good start, but don't think for one second, that this lets you off the hook completely! You better stay in touch...you hear me, Time Boy? And you had better have a damn good Christmas present ready for when you come back..."

Far above the Earth, floating in its outer atmosphere, the Doctor was standing against the console silently watching his TV screen inside the TARDIS...listening intently to Clara's message. His face was drawn, serious, contemplative...going over everything that had happened in his mind. He knew that the kiss changed everything for them...he didn't regret it, though. That was what was bothering him. It should have...but it didn't. It had felt like the most logical, the most sane thing to do at the time. It just felt...right. But the expectations that came along with it...he put one had up to his forehead. This was getting out of hand and he knew it. But as she said those last words, he couldn't help but smile...because...well...because...he couldn't deny his feelings any longer. It was impossible now...as impossible as his Clara...because she was. She was his. His Clara. Just as he was hers. Her Doctor.

"Silly Clara..." he sighed, "...you know I will."

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A/N: I will admit it freely...I am drowning in Whouffle feels right now...and so, this one came out perhaps a bit more mushy-gushy than normal. It may even border on AU.

I don't know though...I just really want them to kiss...before the Whouffle gets officially killed off and since there wasn't very much of it in the DOTD, I'm worried that we won't be seeing any Whouffle in the Christmas episode either. At least, not how I picture it happening. So...yeah. If this seemed overly emotional and out-of-character for them, I sincerely apologize and will try harder to make my next story with them more...realistic. Unless you like mushy Whouffle? In which case, there's more where that came from!

Oh...and since Clara works a different job now at the school, I assumed that she probably lives elsewhere, in a flat, with flatmates to cover rent, as most people her age would...so I took the liberty of creating said flatmates in order to create a distraction. But if it gets in the way, or seems overly intrusive, I will gladly delete that part.

P.S.-This story may or may not continue. It's a one-shot for now. But don't worry, the Doctor always comes back...eventually. ;op However, reviews definitely help!