A/N: Hello all. Thanks to those who have followed, favourited, and reviewed! I'm glad to see that people are enjoying this so far. Here is the next installment. I hope you enjoy it as well, and again, please review or PM me to let me know what you think if you can spare a moment. On we go!

*?*?*?*?*?*?*?*?*?*?*

Clara's eyes widened and Me stiffened slightly.

The captain cocked an eyebrow. "I take it you two have heard of me, then?" His tone was carefully light and flirtatious, but his eyes had narrowed almost imperceptibly and he'd dropped the two women's hands.

Clara smiled apologetically. "Yeah. Sorry, Captain; we didn't mean to put you on edge." She elbowed Me in the side gently, trying to get her to break off the intense staring match into which she and the captain had silently entered. "It's just not everyday that a girl meets one of the Doctor's companions."

Jack and Me snapped out of their contest simultaneously and turned their attentions to the young woman at that. "Clara," Me hissed in protest, her voice full of distrust and consternation.

The captain, on the other hand, was completely flabbergasted. "You know the Doctor? Sorry, but who the hell are you two?" he asked.

"Clara Oswald, Impossible Girl, companion to the Eleventh and Twelfth Doctors, although I have seen all his faces, I suppose - but that's a story for later, yeah?" Clara reeled off brightly. "This is Me, formerly known as Ashildr. She and I travel together now that the Doctor and I have ended things."

Jack looked between the two of them for a moment, utterly bemused. Clara held his gaze with a patient smile while Me glowered, as if challenging him to dispute what her companion had said.

In the tense silence, the bartender spoke up timidly from behind Me and Clara, having finished preparing their Helix Hearts and also carrying a bottle of ale that Jack had apparently ordered. The three customers startled slightly at the sound of his voice but quickly composed themselves, accepted the drinks, and laid down the appropriate number of credits on the counter-top. The bartender, having witnessed similar scenarios to the one unfolding in front of him go sour, swiftly collected the money and scampered off to the other side of the bar.

Clara and Me were momentarily distracted from the captain by their drinks; it seemed the bartender had not been exaggerating. The actual liquid part of the cocktails was not unlike a Tequila Sunrise in that from bottom to top, it transitioned through gradations of red into violet and then finally a deep, rich blue; but within each drink was the fluorescent silhouette of a cartoon heart, made from glowing, intertwined strands of red and blue licorice.

Clara was hesitant to touch her glass for fear of disturbing the potable artwork but Me had no such reservations, and so after a moment of appreciation, she took a hearty sip and made a quiet murmur of approval. She laughed at Clara's almost awestruck expression and it was her turn to nudge the other woman. "Drink up," she told Clara, her tone amused and her eyes sparkling, "Your glass isn't going to drain itself, and if you don't drink that, I will."

Clara gave another one of her fleeting blushes and in her chagrined haste took more of a gulp than a sip. Me laughed at Clara again as the latter's face lit up. "My god, that is good," she exclaimed. "I could drink a whole bucket of these!"

A chuckle brought Clara and Me out of their little world and back to the situation at hand. Jack was grinning again and the look in his eyes had softened considerably.

"I'm not sure a whole bucket would be wise," the captain warned teasingly. "Those things are stronger than they taste, and believe me: I would know. Helix Hearts have given me some great party stories - and a few that aren't suitable for polite company, too."

With that, the tension was diffused; Clara laughed and gave Jack a pleased smile and even Me relaxed an infinitesimal degree, although she did make sure to roll her eyes.

"Polite company is overrated," Clara told the captain with a wink, ignoring Me's sudden splutter, "and I for one would love to hear those stories." Jack's grin turned from warm to delightedly surprised. "But as for the cocktails," Clara went on, "the funny thing is that ... well, I actually could drink a bucket of them." Jack raised an eyebrow in polite curiosity. "I'm impossible, didn't I mention? Actually, the both of us," she gestured to herself and Me, "are a bit of an anomaly."

"So am I, come to think of it," replied the captain. "Care to share?"

"Maybe not here," Me interjected abruptly. Jack and Clara turned to look at her, the same question in their eyes. "Say, Captain," she continued with a sly smirk, "You've seen the police box. How would you like to visit an American diner?"