A/N: Hello lovelies! This is my first Doctor Who fanfiction (Besides the one I'm cowriting with my friend over on her account titled "The Roommate Who Waited", but, I digress) This will be a threeshot I believe!
Just This Sunday
Clara slipped on an ebony sweater over top of her low cut red top. She admired herself in the mirror for a bit, making sure she looked presentable enough for work. She gave her dark brown hair a few run throughs with a brush.
She was babysitting. Artie and Angie were out at friend's houses, and their dad was going out with a couple he was friends with. The couple was dropping off their toddlers, which consisted of Emily, a six year old girl, and Oliver, a five year old boy. Clara had met them a few times before when they were over at the Maitland's house, and overall they seemed like good kids.
Right on schedule, she heard a ring at the doorbell. She got up and quickly hopped down the flight of stairs to the front door. The bell rang again with impatience, and she couldn't help her face wrinkle in slight irritance.
"I'm coming!" She shouted in assurance, finishing the last few steps and grasping the doorknob. She opened the door without second thought, smiling at the parents of her new babysitting clients.
As the door opened, the sight that that awaited her wiped the smile off of her face. There was the Doctor, straightening his bow tie, goofy grin, floppy hair and all.
"Hello Clara, why the long face? I mean metaphorically long although that expression really doesn't make any sense. You look confused, is there something in my teeth?" The Doctor rambled, striding into the house, completely uninvited.
"It's… It's not Wednesday Doctor…" Clara said, lowering an eyebrow. Her voice wavered between confusion with slight annoyance.
"It's not? Because when I landed I was sure I was getting a Wednesday-ey vibe, it feels like a Wednesday!" Clara hid an internal smirk as The Doctor flailed his arms around as he spoke.
"Well it's not! It's Sunday and I'm busy!" Clara said defiantly. The Doctor's face saddened with rejection.
"Busy with what!? Ooh I've always wanted to see what you're busy with on Not-Wednesdays! Must be interesting! You are interesting Clara Oswald!" He exclaimed, patting her on the head. She tried to hide a small blush that came from the compliment, and his various cute mannerisms. "But technically I see you on Not-Wednesdays all the time since I always try to land on Saturdays! Saturdays are good days, you said it's Sunday, that's rubbish. I don't like Sundays they're all churchy and boring! Not to mention the apparent lack of alien attacks. Why don't aliens attack on Sundays?"
Clara gave a faux knowing smile and a short nod before remembering why she had answered the door with such ease… She had thought he was her babysitting clients… Oh God… She realized, shutting the door behind the Doctor quickly.
"Doctor you need to leave!" Clara ordered, shuddering at the thought of watching the Doctor and two toddlers. "I'm really really busy and I need you to get back into your box and materialize on next Wednesday." She placed a hand on his shoulders to push him towards the door.
"Oh wait Clara, were you doing something upstairs?" The Doctor realized.
Clara shrugged, willing to accept any sort of alibi that would get him to go "...Sure, and you're not invited!"
"Ohhh I see… Are you certain?" The Doctor asked clasping his hands together awkwardly.
"Yes." The Doctor's smile drooped with disappointment
"Well you… Have fun," The Doctor said, adding in a little wink, putting his hand on the door knob.
"Have fun? Have fun with what?" Clara said confused, her voice rising an octave.
"I don't know him, her, whoever's up there," The Doctor grinned suggestively.
"No no Doctor oh my God not that sort of thing! I'm babysitting!" Clara shouted, her face flushed. She noticed The Doctor's face relax with slight relief, and smirked. "You asked to join, I said no, and you thought I was…Is there an underlying message here I should be picking up on?"
Avoiding her question, the Doctor raised his arms, completely thrilled. "Babysitting!" The Doctor exclaimed enthusiastically. "I would love to help you babysit, I'm absolutely amazing with small children!"
Clara groaned, this being exactly what she had been trying to avoid. Her fear was only heightened as she heard a sharp knock on the door. Her eyes widened, unsure of what to do.
"Doctor, hide," She hissed, combing through a lock of hair with her hand nervously. She twisted the door knob, faking a bright smile.
On the other side of the door stood Mr. Maitland, his two friends, along with the two small children. Mr. Maitland had gone to go pick them up as their car had been having some sort of issue.
"Hello Clara," Mr. Maitland greeted kindly. "May I introduce you to Mr and Mrs. Morris."
"Hello, I'm Clara Oswald, nice to meet you" Clara said politely, shaking an outstretched hand of both members of the couple.
"Hello Clara.. Err, may I ask who that man behind you is?" Mrs. Morris asked, her voice troubled.
Clara blushed, turning to see The Doctor behind her. His hands were stretching out his mouth into a ridiculous grin, and his eyes were bugging out of his head. Clara stifled a giggle as he continued to make silly faces at the two kids, who reciprocated the gesture.
"I'm Clara's gentleman friend!" The Doctor said, with excitement that just made everything even more awkward. Clara shot the Doctor a glare that clearly said "Shut up".
"That's The Doctor…He was just over here helping me to fix the internet, but he'll be going soon," Clara reassured the parents.
The Doctor's face dropped into a pout.
"He's good with kid's though, if you'd feel comfortable letting him stay," Clara hinted a bit, beginning to feel slightly guilty for shooing The Doctor away.
"As long as you trust him," Mr. Morris said, turning to his wife, who nodded. They turned to the young ones, giving both a kiss on their raven colored hair. "You two won't be any trouble right?"
"Emily and Oliver? Trouble? I doubt it," Clara responded in agreement.
"It's Em," Emily corrected with an aura of rudeness. Her parent's flattened their mouths, a bit embarrassed.
"Em, of course," Clara corrected herself.
"We'll be back before you know it! Love you!"
The door shut with a loud thud, leaving behind both the kids. Emily was a bit tall for a six year old, with long inky black hair that went well past her shoulders. She was smiling cutely, leaving Clara optimistic about the afternoon.
Oliver on the other hand, was extremely small, his face saddened by his parents absence. His round brown eyes were moistened as he stared longingly out the window.
"Well that's rubbish," The Doctor said harshly, worrying Clara for just a moment. His tone shifted into a softer one as he bent over so his eyes could meet Oliver's teary ones. "They'll be back soon, and they left you with the nicest most bestest babysitter in the whole wide universe… And I would know- I've been round there a whole lot."
Clara stifled the smile creeping upon her lips, watching The Doctor wipe away a tear of Oliver's cheek sweetly. Maybe the Doctor was right(She internally slapped herself for even thinking that-as if The Doctor needed yet another ego boost), but maybe he was absolutely amazing with small children.
"Now come on kids, I propose a game of football! Clara's the goal, whoever kicks the football and hits her feet ten times without knocking over anything fragile or some sort of precious family heirloom wins the game!" Clara instantly took back every single good word about the Doctor her mind had just uttered as he somehow squeezed a mildly deflated football out the pocket of his jacket.
"Whoa," Em gasped, covering her mouth with her hand. "How'd that fit in there!?"
"Bigger on the inside pockets! Cool trick eh!?" . The Doctor tossed the football from one hand to the other. "On the count of three kids! Clara's the goal remember! One! Two! Thr-"
"Doctor how on Earth would playing indoor football with two very small children ever strike you as a good plan!?" Clara protested rationally as the football was dropped to the floor. Her babysitting charges giggled at her flustered attempt to stop the game in progress. Their small legs hit the ball at full force in the vague direction of Clara, missing completely and hitting the edge of the couch behind her.
"I don't make plans Clara!" The Doctor exclaimed. "Hey Oli I'm open! Oi! Pass to me! Pass to me!" He waved his arms excitedly, knocking a picture frame off the pristine white painted mantle.
Clara's heart skipped a beat out of fear as she lept forward to catch the falling framed photo. It was of the Maitland's mother. She felt the air she had unconsciously been holding in escape her in a long exhale when the frame was safe in her arms.
A football bounced off her ankle as the two kids conspired against her, counting who had scored more goals. She placed the photo back on the mantle before turning with her arms crossed.
"Doctor I would say that most definitely counts as a precious family heirloom, you broke game rules, isn't that right kids?" She turned to Em and Oliver, completely willing to nod their heads at anything that stirred up oh-so-hilarious drama, smiling with baby-tooth filled grins. "I think that makes you the goal now doesn't it?" The Doctor raised what would be his eyebrows, seeings immediately where this was going.
"I really don't think it does Clara Oswald," He challenged.
She shrugged. "Well I guess you forfeit then," She lifted the football from the ground, opening the door for a few moments to toss it outside. "Sorry kids, but we're just gonna have to find a new game."
"But that game was fun!" Em complained, her voice squeaking. "Mom only lets us play imaginative games inside, nothing real!"
This time it was Clara's turn to bend down to be at a more equal height. She flashed the children a secretive smirk. "But Em, Ollie, imaginative games are the best games! You can be anyone you want to be, anywhere in time and space! And I'll let you in on a secret."
She motioned for them to come closer, and leaned in to whisper. "Kids your age have the special magical power of imagining that people my age don't have. The only way for me to travel in time and space is to truly do it, or read a book about it… But you two… At your age, you can just close your eyes," Clara shut her eyes tightly for a moment so that the kids would follow suit. "Think of anyone, anywhere…" Clara's eyes widened for just a moment when she saw the Doctor sneaking up behind the two kids with a small circular patch on one finger of each hand. He held a finger to his lips, urging her to continue with his eyes.
"And just… Be there."
At that precise moment, The Doctor stuck the patches carefully to the backs of the children's necks, touching both of them with one arm and reaching out for Clara with the other. He couldn't help but grin mischievously at her as her eyes dropped shut.
A/N: Thank you for reading all of this! I'll update as soon as I can! I love you all! Please review and give feedback, as I've never really written these characters before! Reviewers get a sneak Peek of the next chapter!