There Can Only Be One.
DISCLAIMER : Doctor Who and all of its' characters all belong to the BBC.
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Clara was asleep on her bed in the TARDIS. Ever since she had been rescued from The Doctor's timestream, she had been unconscious, save for some murmurings, which usually included the words "save The Doctor". Even in her sleep, all she could think about - and dream about - was her Doctor.
Sat beside her, The Doctor could only watch helplessly, hoping that his impossible girl would wake up soon. He gently stroked Clara's soft brown hair, which was still soiled with dirt from the ground in his timestream. It had been a very bad day for him, with an unwanted visit to his tomb, the Great Intelligence trying to kill him again, and again, and again...Clara sacrificing herself to save him, and his (dead) wife River saying a final goodbye to him. If he had been any other person, he would have been suicidal - but fortunately the girl asleep in front of him offered a little hope that for now, she would not follow the sad endings that all his companions seemed to have. Exhausted and a little confused, The Doctor watched over his Clara...An hour became two hours, then four hours...then eight hours...
"SILENCE IN COURT !" a voice boomed, shocking The Doctor into looking around.
He was in a plain white space, with two booths in front of him, a long wooden bench to his left...and a small wooden stand to his right. The Doctor did a double-take as he noticed a familiar unwanted face behind the stand.
"Hellooooo Doctor !...Would you like to play a game ?!" It was the Dream Lord, dressed in a long black jacket, and red bowtie. He had a grin that became more obnoxious the more The Doctor looked at it.
The Doctor sighed "what sick game do you have for me now ? I don't have time for this !"
"Oh, I do apologise. It isn't a game, more a trial, where you get to be the judge, jury...and executioner !"
"I don't do killing ! You should know that !"
"You should try it someday, just once...After all, you will be doing it a lot in the future" the Dream Lord sniggered.
The Doctor looked down in silence. He knew that this was true, despite his best efforts to avoid it.
"Ladies and Gentlemen of the Jury, we are here today to pass judgement on two suspects. They are guilty of the crime of...falling in love with The Doctor." The Dream Lord's attire changed instantly to a red robe, with a long judge's wig.
"What ?!" cried The Doctor, shocked into raising his head. He turned his head to see that the bench was now lined with a number of men and women...all of whom looked suspiciously like The Dream Lord. The "jury" looked and chatted to each other, some members nodding, others shaking their heads.
"Reveal the suspects !" The "judge" Dream Lord pointed towards the booths, as black curtains inside them pulled aside to reveal...River and Clara. Both women instantly began pounding on the sides of their respective booths, saying things that couldn't be heard.
"Silence in court !" The Dream Lord judge boomed, as a blue flash shocked both women into a stunned silence.
"Release them now !" shouted The Doctor.
"But they're guilty, and should be punished" The Dream Lord judge calmly said. "But just for you, I shall let you have the power to release one of them"
"What ?...What do you mean ?" The Doctor said, trembling. He fumbled in his jacket, but froze when the judge Dream Lord held something aloft in front of him. It was The Doctor's sonic screwdriver.
"Looking for this ?" the Dream Lord judge grinned, before shaking his finger. "You know weapons aren't allowed in a court of law. I could punish you for that..."
The Doctor sighed. He needed time to think of a plan, so he decided to go with this farce...for now. "Just get on with it..." The Doctor said with resignation.
"This is just the beginning Doctor, oh you'll love this. The evidence will be presented - the suspects' lives with you - full of their incriminating affection for you...and all you have to do is choose who you want to be with...They can hear everything that is said in this courtroom, but you can only hear the defendants if I, the upholder of the law, allows it...I shall be gracious to let you leave with the lady you cherish the most, and I shall execute on your behalf the one left. and your choice is made by the green release button in front of each booth..."
Shocked, The Doctor was speechless, as The Dream Lord judge continued.
"I shall release a video describing the crimes of the two suspects, and oh, both of your ladies shall have the videos screened in their booths too !"
All of a sudden, The Doctor's attention was drawn to a screen, which appeared to show River's story first. The Library, where an argument between him and River resulted in a comment that they were "bickering like a married couple". The Doctor smiled as the memory came back, before a frown as his wife was consumed by shadows. A tear fell from his eye as the video continued. Scenes flashed by, including River shooting at his fez, after she had taken it from his head - after he had described it as being "cool". The Doctor's eyes went wide, when he saw his wife...kissing an Auton. Looking at River, she shrugged her shoulders, suggesting it was "nothing serious". Another frown went across The Doctor's face - with more tears falling, as he saw River leaving him at his time of greatest need - after he had lost his Amy to the Weeping Angels..."Only one psychopath per TARDIS don't you think ?" the words echoed in The Doctor's mind. The final scene was of the final goodbye kiss at Trenzalore. The Doctor could only look back at his wife, and mouth the words "I love you" - as she did the same. He felt that he couldn't cry any harder. The screen faded to black, as The Doctor composed himself, wiping the tears from his face.
The Doctor knew what was coming next, as he looked at his Clara, her eyes longing in their expression towards him. She seemed sad, but understanding of The Doctor's relationship with his (dead) wife. Placing her hands on the glass of the booth, she gave The Doctor a forced smile, which he returned.
The screen showed Clara's story, which made tears well from The Doctor's eyes from the start. The Dalek Asylum, where Oswin was covered by Dalek components before her fateful meeting with The Doctor, the expression on Victorian Clara's face as she fell to her death, and her final words before she sacrificed herself to save him at Trenzalore. More uplifting scenes followed, and The Doctor raised a smile as he saw Clara's expression at The Rings of Akhaten, her joyful hug on the Russian submarine after saving the world from armageddon, her cheeky smile after being declared "The Boss" after their victory in Victorian Yorkshire, and Artie's "thank you Clara's boyfriend" as he left Clara and The Doctor in the TARDIS.
The screen faded to black again, as the judge Dream Lord announced "hmm, it is only right that the suspects be allowed to say a few words in their defence...Suspect Clara...you may speak first !"
A tear fell down her cheek as she struggled to form her first words. "My Doctor, I know that I'm not your wife...or even your girlfriend...but I feel so happy with you, and I care about you deeply. Hell, you saw what happened at Trenzalore...I - I can't live without you...I - I want to be with you forever...I would do anything to keep you safe...I - I can't lose you..." Clara swallowed before saying "be happy, my Doctor...choose River...remember me..." She choked on her last words, as the tears freely flowed from her eyes, now puffy and red. She was interrupted by the judge Dream Lord.
"Boring, boring...next please !" It was River's turn.
River's expression of sadness was matched by The Doctor's. "Sweetie, I know that we haven't spent much time together, but you know as well as I do, that our love for each other is true. After all, you revealed one of your greatest secrets to me - your name...and I gave my life for you. I have no regrets at all, and I shall forever treasure each moment and each kiss we had. Even though I died long before Trenzalore, I shall keep myself from fading as long as possible...just to see you for a little longer..." River looked down before continuing. "...But I've had a good life...don't be alone...Choose Clara..." River kissed the glass, before mouthing the words "I love you".
Silence. The Doctor let his tears fall as he looked at his wife...then towards his Clara...and back again. He hoped that he would never have to make this choice. But he knew that if didn't, The Dream Lord would make the choice for him. An uneasy pause preceded another announcement from the judge Dream Lord.
"Have you made your choice, Doctor ?!" the judge Dream Lord grinned, as he rubbed his hands in glee. Oh did he enjoy making The Doctor suffer.
The Doctor swallowed. "Yes, I have..."
Clara looked down as The Doctor made his way... towards River's booth. She knew that she would always come behind River. After all, The Doctor was taken - and even if she was dead, River was still his wife. However, all she wanted was for her Doctor to have a happy life - to continue to run - and save countless more lives...Although she was very sad that she could not be with her Doctor, she could think of no better way to go - than to sacrifice herself for him...and she would not hesitate to do it.
River gave a sly sideways smile towards Clara's booth, as The Doctor approached. Placing her hand on the glass where The Doctor placed his, she looked into her husband's eyes, as The Doctor began to speak.
With tears welling up again, The Doctor's expression was of extreme sadness and regret. "My River, I love you so much...It's my fault that you are like this..." River shook her head with a comforting smile as her husband continued. "...You should have faded a long time ago...But I miss you so much, and it warms - and hurts - my hearts when I see you again..." Swallowing, The Doctor choked out his final sentences "...But there is a time to live, and a time to die...You are an echo, River...You died a long time ago in The Library. Although I don't want to lose you, I can't forget that you left me all alone when I needed you the most...when I lost Amy...I'm sorry, I'm so sorry..." River's expression changed into one of concern. "River, you are my past..." The Doctor took his hand away from the glass, and looked towards Clara. "Clara...my Clara...she is my present...and the future..." River shed a tear as her ex-husband left the booth, and approached Clara, who looked up with surprised, widening eyes as her Doctor came up to her...In front of the booth, The Doctor looked at his beautiful impossible girl, and without showing any emotions...he then pressed the release button.
The glass of Clara's booth dematerialised, and Clara could only grab The Doctor, and hold him tight, with tears streaming down her pretty cheeks. Tears of relief that her Doctor now regarded her as the most important person in his life. Pulling away from each other, The Doctor and Clara looked towards the other booth, watching as River nodded with a sad smile.
"And now...The best part !" cried the judge Dream Lord.
River's booth was engulfed by a blinding red light. Clara looked away as The Doctor yelled "NOOOOOO !..."
"Doctor ? DOCTOR, WAKE UP !" a female voice cried.
The Doctor shot up suddenly, and found himself back on the seat in the TARDIS bedroom, next to a now fully-awake Clara, with sweat pouring down his face. It had been a dream.
Clara's hands were on his shoulders, and The Doctor could only smile widely as he saw his beautiful impossible girl alive, apparently well, and looking at him with those beautiful, big, round brown eyes.
To Clara's surprise, The Doctor flung his arms around her, and held her tight, with tears flowing, as he choked out his heartfelt words. "Clara, my Clara, I'm so so sorry...You gave so much for me, and you suffered so much pain for me. I can never forgive myself for causing so much suffering to someone I love..."
There was a pause as Clara heard those last few words. Pulling away, Clara looked at her Doctor, and wiped his tears away with a warm smile. "And I would do it again...for the one I love..." Clara gave The Doctor a gentle kiss on his lips. For a few seconds, all they could do was gaze at each other lovingly. "Did you have a bad dream ?" Clara whispered.
Composing himself, The Doctor replied, holding Clara's small hand in his bigger hand. "Yes, I did...I dreamt that The Dream Lord had captured you and River...Only one of you could live, and I had to choose...make a horrible decision..."
Clara became nervous...but she had to ask. "Who did you choose ?"
The Doctor looked at Clara...and gently placed his lips onto her lips. The kiss was loving, and became passionate. Pulling away, too quickly Clara thought, The Doctor smiled as he gazed into Clara's eyes, and said "does it need saying ?"
Clara smiled wide as she knew who had been chosen.
She didn't ask why, all that mattered, was who...
+++ THE END +++
A/N : Apologies to River fans out there, as this piece is essentially pro-Clara, & River-bashing. I couldn't tell you at the start, as that would spoil the ending. I don't dislike River - she's a good character - a female Jack Harkness, but I think she's had her day in the sun, and it's time she moved on...After all, she has been dead for many years, and an echo can never really replace the real thing... C F.