Angie and Artie

Clara walked through the Maitland house, rolling her eyes as she heard Angie and Artie upstairs, arguing. She didn't understand those two, she was an only child but she would've given anything for a sibling. Though she had noticed that most of the arguments were instigated by Angie insulting Artie or something similar. But she understood, Angie was (and had been) going through a difficult time ever since her mother had died. The Doctor and Evy had been right, she felt guilty about what had happened with Mrs. Maitland, so maybe that was why she stayed and had stayed as long as she had.

She could relate to the little girl. She had lost her mother around the same age as Angie and it was a difficult time to be without a mother, just starting the teenage years, the years where you both hated your mum but needed her terribly. She had just wanted someone to be there for her, to offer her words of wisdom like a mother would but NOT take her place. No, not ever. No one could take the place of a mother and she wasn't trying to do that with Angie either, though she was starting to get the feeling that was what Angie felt she was doing.

She hadn't left in the last year and it was actually mostly because of Angie, Angie still needed her and she was convinced she could get through to the girl. She was just…going through a rough time, and with her mum gone, her brother closed off, her father always working, there was really only her there for the girl. She was the only one Angie really had left, in a female sense, and that was why she didn't just run off with the Doctor and Evy when they had invited her the first time or why she didn't stay with J except for the Wednesdays she spent with his parents.

She smiled thoughtfully at that, J had already invited her to stay with him forever. Granted he'd been a bit loopy at the time. They'd had a run in with a few tribes in a rainforest on a distant planet that had attacked them with these darts that made you a bit…out of it. It was meant to make a human fall asleep, they'd been aiming for her really, something about a sacrifice, but J had taken it for her. And since he wasn't human (not that she was either anymore), it had had a bit of a different effect on him, he'd just gotten a bit loopy and dazed. That had been an interesting time, trying to get him back to the TARDIS when every flower he saw he wanted to pick for her and every cuddly (though potentially vicious) animal he wanted to get her for a pet. But she'd managed it, gotten him to the safety of his TARDIS and gotten them into the Vortex all on her own! Well, she was fairly certain that his TARDIS had helped her out there. She'd gotten him to the med-bay and tried to follow his instructions to 'use the thingy that makes the whoop-whoop-whoop-bing sound!' to run a scan on him, wanting to make sure the dart thing hadn't harmed him.

She'd sat beside him as they waited for the results and he'd just gone on a ramble…about her, which both amused and touched her very much. In the end, the effects had started to wear off and he'd begun to fall asleep and murmured that he wanted her to stay with him forever. She'd said that she already planned to, but he'd said that he was talking about actually stay with him, in the TARDIS, forever. It had broken her hearts (yes! She FINALLY got that down!) to say no. But luckily he'd fallen asleep by then and she knew, once he woke up, if he even remembered asking her, that he'd understand her responsibility to the Maitlands.

She really would have liked nothing better than to stay with J forever. There was just something about him that pulled her in, and it went beyond just the Link they shared. She'd had a crush on him for as long as she could remember, even before she'd really met him it seemed. She'd been dreaming of him ever since she was a little girl and she remembered now, having travelled through the Doctor and Evy's timeline, when she had been just a little girl she'd met the young J. They had played in the park and been so inseparable that they had both cried when they parted. It killed her even now, made her want to cry every time they parted as adults. It was getting harder and harder to make herself walk out of his TARDIS and back to the Maitland home.

But then she'd remember the wide smile that would be on his face when she saw him again and it was worth it. She'd never ever seen someone THAT happy to see her again, and it made her feel all warm inside to see it, made her hearts flutter, her stomach fill with butterflies, and she found herself smiling just as widely.

She sighed though, when she heard a knock on the front door that had been going for the last minute. She winced, hoping they hadn't been standing out there long. She walked over to the door, not even bothering to look at the security monitor to see who it might be as she threw it open…only for her eyes to widen, a large grin appearing on her face when she saw who was there.

"Cap'n!" she shouted, half-launching herself at the man standing on the doorstep with a bouquet of small red roses in hand.

"Hey there Clar," he laughed, winding his one arm around her, hugging her tightly so as not to crush the flowers in his other hand. He beamed and tightened his hold on her, lifting her up with one arm and spinning them around once, making her laugh when he set her down, sliding his arm from all the way around her to rest on the small of her back, "How is everything?"

She just shook her head, "Cap'n what are you doing here?" though she was smiling widely at that.

"What?" he shrugged, "I can't visit my lovely Link?"

"You can't call me that here," she whispered to him, reminding him of that, closing the door to join him completely on the doorstep, taking his hand, squeezing it so he knew it wasn't that she didn't want him to call her that but that…well…the Maitlands were there.

"The kids don't know, do they?" he guessed. It had been an unspoken agreement between them that, until Clara could build up her mental walls so that she wasn't a completely open book to him, he wouldn't actively look into her mind unless there was some rather large danger or something was very wrong.

"No," she sighed, "I haven't told them yet. I'm not sure how I can even bring it up really. How do you tell someone that you were human and then became an alien?"

He blinked, "I…have no idea," he looked thoughtful for a moment, "It's never really happened to me before. But we could ask dad or mum might know."

Clara frowned, "What do you mean?"

"Dad was a human for a few months once," J told her.

"Really?" Clara blinked, "How did that happen…no, wait," she quickly put a finger on his lips to quiet him, "The…" her brow furrowed as she tried to think of it herself, she'd been trying to do that lately, really try to access more and more of her memories as a Time Lady. Even though J had told her and implied in everything he did that he loved HER just the way she was, even with her more-human mind, SHE wanted to do better.

It wasn't even that it would make her feel more connected to J, to have that shared history and culture to her, to have that knowledge he had, to really be worthy of being called a Time Lady and his Link but…she wanted to remember other things too. She considered Ellie Oswald to be her mother, and she always would, but she was curious as to who her parents were in her other lives, especially Gallifrey, if she had any family, what she did during those lives. She just…she felt like there were huge portions of her life missing and she wouldn't feel…complete…till she remembered everything.

J had warned her that it would be dangerous, to try too hard, because her mind was more capable of handling the multiple lives, being a Time Lady and regeneration being key to their survival, their people needed the ability to remember their prior lives. He had warned her that to unlock them too suddenly and not give her mind time to get used to it would overload her. They, nor the Doctor and Evy, wanted her to develop any sort of mental disorder due to it, like multiple or split personality. She wanted to be Clara, just Clara for the most part. She didn't want her other lives to take her over, because her other lives didn't know J.

So they were doing this slowly. Every day she spent with J, they would do sort of a meditation for an hour or two, where he'd go into her mind and help her examine a few memories from behind that 'door' she kept closed. It was slow, but it was the process that made her feel safer doing it. It gave her time to look at the memories, to remember them, in a safe way, with someone experienced in minds beside her. Sometimes she got more than she bargained for, other times she had to almost drag the memory out, but it was always enlightening and she always felt a bit better after every session. And with J there she always felt safe or comforted when she came back to the present, because he was there and he'd seen it with her and he was always ready to help her and be whatever she needed, a joking friend, a shoulder to cry on, a smile of pride at something she had done in that life.

And J would show her memories of his own too, help her sort through the memories she had of his lives from when they'd Linked. He'd go through them, the key ones or ones he wanted her to remember first. The first few had been of his friend River actually, because he wanted her to see the general gist of the nature of his relationship with the woman. He wanted her to see that they were JUST friends, that they were good friends, best friends. According to him, he remembered meeting Clara a few times in the past, before he had Linked to her, some included River with him, and he wanted to be sure, when she saw them together, that she would understand it was only friendship between them as they could both be rather flirty with each other in a completely platonic way.

It had been touching to see that woman from J's point of view. She'd seen them meeting, seen his first memory of River holding him as a baby, seen their time at University, their travels, especially the ones that had involved his parents, and…the Library. She'd hugged him so tightly after that last memory that he'd actually turned blue, but hadn't said anything, just enjoying her hug. It was…sweet, it really was to see him sharing all sorts of memories with her, good, bad, funny, sad, it made them more connected, they could share similar hurts and she liked being able to comfort him like he did her.

"The Chameleon Arch?" she guessed.

He beamed, pulling her hand off his mouth, dropping a little kiss onto her still-extended finger, "Got it in one," he winked, "But it really is a long story," J sighed, "But I promise I'll tell you about it later," he crossed his hearts.

She smiled, "I'll hold you to that Cap'n," she pointed a warning finger at him, "But really Cap'n, what are you doing here?"

He held up the flowers to her, "I missed you," he said simply, offering her them.

Her gaze softened as she took the flowers and smelled them, bright red roses, which matched her red and white plaid shirt and jean skirt she was wearing with her white slippers. She smiled gently at the roses, "They're beautiful."

"Like you," he winked at her, making her blush the same shade of the roses.

"And how long was it for you?"

For her it had been about two days. She had apologized profusely to him when she'd had to tell him that. She'd been with him on the Eye of Orion, he'd called it, having a lovely picnic, when her mobile had rung. It was Mr. Maitland apologizing for interrupting her errands but requesting she come back right then because he'd just been called away on a business trip that would take a few days and needed to go rather quickly but didn't feel comfortable leaving the children alone. She'd agreed to head back and had to tell J that she'd be needed there a few days.

They had a system worked out, for the most part. Wednesdays, her day off, she would spend with the Doctor and Evy and LJ, every other day, nearly ever spare second, was with J. Usually. What would happen would be her waking the children, taking care of them for the day, sending them to bed, and then stepping outside as soon as she was sure they were asleep to see J there with his TARDIS. They'd spend a few days together, though those days were getting longer, she'd been with him a week last time, and then he'd bring her back to the house about an hour or two before she was to wake the children. Being a Time Lady had made her better able to cope with no sleep, not needing as much as a human needed, and being with J she could sleep all she wanted during those trips.

But this time she didn't feel comfortable doing that. When Mr. Maitland was home, she was fine leaving the house for the 'night' but when it was just her she couldn't bear to head out and know the children were home all alone. So she'd told him she'd have to stay the days Mr. Maitland wasn't there.

He'd pouted, but she'd managed to stay strong and remind him those kids were her responsibility still. She had to stay, even if she didn't want to as much as she normally would. THAT had made him smile and say, offhandedly as she was leaving, that maybe he'd pop by and say hello. She'd thought he was joking, she should have known better.

"Oh you know," J began, rubbing the back of his neck embarrasssedly, "Pretty long."

Clara crossed her arms and lifted an eyebrow at him, "It was five minutes, wasn't it?"

He nodded, "Yeah," and smiled, "I just…I miss you so much when you're not there Clar."

Clara smiled, "I missed you too, but I can't just leave. The kids need me to watch them and Mr. Maitland won't be home until tomorrow night.

He grinned, "I know, that's why I stopped by, I was wondering if you wanted any help with them."

She gave him a look, "Do you have any experience babysitting?"

He shrugged, "Well there's dad."

She had to nod to that, "Good enough for me."

"But," he cut in, "I should warn you, I shall expect some sort of payment for my services and assistance."

She started to smile, sensing the start of a little joking thing they'd seemed to keep doing since their first date, "And what do you want for your payment, exactly? I can bake you a soufflé…"

He smiled as well, seeing her go along with what had become their 'thing,' "I could go for a slice of soufflé right now," he considered it, "But there's something else I'd rather have than the soufflé."

She bit her lip, an impish smile on her face, "And what would that be?"

He just blinked, "Soufflé girl."

She laughed, "You're terrible Cap'n!"

"And you love me anyway," J began, before sputtering, "I mean…I know you…I just…"

"It's ok," she laughed, amused by how he kept sputtering about that, "We talked about this before. It's fine."

She knew it affected him greatly, the fact that she hadn't said 'I love you' yet but it was just everything was happening so suddenly! Going from human to alien and Linking and everything. She was sure that she DID love J, she just…couldn't say it yet. And, maybe, it was because a small part of her was waiting for the right moment.

"Rigth," he grinned and took her hand back, "Now about that payment…"

She laughed, "Alright, alright, what do you want from Soufflé Girl if you don't want a soufflé?"

He smiled softly, reaching out a hand to brush a lock of hair behind her ear, "I think…one kiss per hour per child would be a fair wage, don't you?"

She gave him a playful look, "Why I do believe that would be, yes."

"Brilliant, though…given the fact you made me wait five whole minutes, I think we should do some sort of…advanced payment."

She smiled, beamed really, she loved this, it was like a little game they played, to see who would kiss who and how they'd go about doing it. She leaned in, "Oh you think that do you?"

"Yes," he nodded, "Yes I do," he leaned in even closer, "So what do you say?"

She paused, pretending to think about it for a moment, "I think," she took a step closer to him this time, pressing against him as his arm automatically cam to wind around her while she put hers around his neck, "I think that's a brilliant idea Cap'n."

He gave her a soft smile, "I thought you might like it," he came closer, his lips having just brushing against hers…

When the door beside them was thrown open, making them jump apart to see Angie and Artie in the doorway.

"Who's this?" Angie asked, staring at J who had already moved back beside Clara, the woman staring at the children with wide eyes, not having a clue what to say to that.

"Hello!" J greeted brightly, "I'm…J," he offered. He wasn't much a fan of being called J anymore, what with it being River's own name for him, and with River and the Library and all that…but Clara had already said she hadn't told the children about her being a Time Lady and since Angie and Artie didn't recognize him this was their first meeting with him. Calling himself the Captain might give away his alien heritage given they'd met his parents, he could put up with being called J again for Clara.

"What sort of name is J?" Angie crossed her arms, "That's stupid."

"Angie!" Clara snapped out of her shock at nearly being caught by the children kissing some man on the doorstep at that, "That's rude."

"It's alright Clar," J winked at her, he'd put up with worse especially with the Doctor as his father, rudeness ran in the family so to speak, "It's short for Jonathan. So you can call me J or Johnny or John, or…John Jacob Jingleheimer Schmidt?" he smiled at them.

Artie smiled a bit at that, but Angie looked largely unamused.

He sighed, rubbing the back of his neck, "Right, yeah, should have stopped at John eh? Never gets a laugh when I think it should. But what can you do? I get my sense of humor from my dad."

Clara shook her head fondly at him and turned to the children, "This is…" she trailed off, not quite sure how to introduce him and who he was to her.

"Is this your boyfriend?" Artie asked, looking at him as though studying him a moment, sizing him up.

"Um," Clara blinked, looking at J for help, unable to feel like she'd much rather call him her Link than just 'boyfriend.'

But J didn't seem at all upset by that word, just standing there, grinning a stupid grin she often saw on his father's face, before he put his arm around her shoulders, "Why yes, yes, I am."

Boyfriend wasn't quite as strong a word as Link, but he couldn't exactly say 'I'm Clara's Link' because the children didn't know about her alien origins nor did they know what Linking even was. But that was fine, he would take Clara's boyfriend any day.

Clara's Link, Clara's boyfriend, it really only meant one thing to him, in the end, he was Clara's. And that was just fine with him...a thought which made Clara smile to hear in her mind.

He couldn't begin to describe how good it felt to be able to say that. He had sat by, watching as River became other people's girlfriend throughout the years at University, watching how happy she was at times, how close she and her boyfriends could be, and that was all he ever really wanted, to be that close to someone. But he didn't want to hurt his Link by being in a relationship with someone else. His mother said she was fine, considering everything that happened with his father and Rose, but he knew deep down it did hurt her a little to know her Link had 'fallen in love' with someone else. Especially while SHE was Linked to him. But it had all worked out for the best in the end.

He had held off, hoping that one day he might find his Link, despite his family's concerns, River and his parents warning/reminding him the chances of finding her were slim. But he HAD found her, and he knew that he had made the right decision. Because Clara was worth the wait. Centuries, decades, millennia, it didn't matter as long as he could eventually call her his, which she was now. He was never going to let anyone else change that or take her away from him…not even Porridge. He had to laugh a little bit thinking about what Angie and Artie would think if they found out HE was the baby Clara had given up being 'Queen of the Universe' for. He hoped they would think it was a good decision by now and not a stupid one.

"So what are you doing here?" Angie nearly sneered at him.

"Angie," Clara scolded, the girl rolling her eyes and crossing her arms as Clara turned to J with an apologetic smile, "I'm sorry about her."

But J just waved her off, "It's alright," he was used to it and indeed he was, he had inherited his father's rudeness and, without River or Clara there to pull him back, he also offended people, "I just stopped by to see if Clara needed any help looking after you kids," he smiled at her.

"We're not kids…" Angie began, but then Artie, of all people, cut in.

"Do you play chess?" Artie looked at him, trying to ease the situation.

"Yep," he beamed.

"Would you like to play a round?" Artie asked.

"Yes!" Clara shouted before J could answer, "Yes, that would be lovely Artie, thanks," she reached out and put a hand on J's arm, squeezing it gently, "You two go play, have fun," she winked, "And I'll go bake a soufflé for you."

"Oi," J pouted as Clara turned Angie around and led her back into the house, making her pause and look back, "I thought we agreed on the other form of payment."

She just grinned coyly, "Be a good boy and you just might get it later," she winked at him and headed in as J blinked before beaming.

"What other payment?" Artie looked up at him, confused.

J just laughed, patting him on the shoulder, "Nothing," he told him, "Now where's that chessboard of yours?"

~8~

J sat across from Artie, staring at the chessboard intently, Artie across from him, grinning excitedly, as Clara stayed at the kitchen counter, watching them play their match, waiting for the soufflé she had promised them for dessert finished baking behind her. She glanced over at Angie who was sitting on the sofa, typing on her phone, and back to the boys.

"Having a difficult time there J?" Clara asked, he hadn't made a move in the last five minutes. It was a good thing that game wasn't being timed and was just for fun because it seems like Artie was actually beating him, which was something given the fact that the man, as the baby had claimed he could beat anyone even a Cyberman in chess.

"Don't know," J smiled back at her over his shoulder.

"I'm doing just fine," Artie grinned, knowing he was winning in this chess match.

J just smiled secretively, shooting a wink at Clara, which made her laugh as she realized what he was doing. J was letting the boy win, very sweet she had to admit. She thought Artie could use a little bit of confidence at the moment. Angie wasn't very kind or supportive in her role as the older sister since their mother had died. She knew the girl was angry at the loss of her mother, she took it out on all of them really, everyone except her friends, but she knew Angie loved Artie deep down, just jut needed time to heal.

"Because winning at chess is SUCH a big achievement," Angie muttered, though they could all hear her, "He probably hasn't got a clue how to play chess."

"I'm actually rather good at it," J remarked, not sounding snide or contradicting at all, more as though he were just commenting on the weather.

"So what?" Angie turned on the sofa to face him, "Are you some kind of nerd then? That's not Clara's type you know, it won't last."

"ANGIE!" Clara shouted, staring at the girl in horror, not only that the girl would claim to know what her 'type' was but that she would say that hers and J's relationship wouldn't last. She knew the girl hadn't a clue the true depth of her connection to the Time Lord, but something in her snapped at having it attacked by someone else. Not only that, but…she KNEW none of her other relationships had ever lasted past a first date, but that was no reason for Angie to say such a thing to J.

J just turned in his chair and looked at her, "Maybe her other relationships were the ones with men who weren't her type."

Angie just shook her head and got up, heading for the stairs, "Doubt it," she called, heading up the stairs, knowing that Clara was likely to really start scolding her for her attitude.

Clara just blinked, staring at the direction Angie had just gone…until she felt someone touch her shoulder. She looked over to see J smiling softly at her, reassuringly and realized there were tears in her eyes, "I'm so sorry…" she began.

"Clar," he gave a little laugh, "It's alright, I love you," he told her, "We're connected in a way she can't being to fathom, we…" he took her hand, "Will last, to the end of the Universe and beyond," he promised, kissing the back of her hand, "But if it's alright…I want to go talk to Angie."

"No," she shook her head, "I should go, she probably won't even listen…"

"Trust me," J winked at her, "I think I know exactly what's wrong."

Clara frowned, "If you're sure…"

He nodded, "I am," he leaned in and kissed her forehead, Clara closing her eyes at the movement, starting to smile at how sweet and understanding he was. Other men might have flown off the handle, been cross and shouted at a teenage girl or stormed out. J just made sure SHE was ok first before wanting to calmly talk to the said teenager.

"Alright," she sighed, reaching up to touch his cheek, smiling more as he leaned into her touch, reaching up to hold her hand to his face, "I'll call when the soufflé is done."

"Brilliant," he smiled, pulling her hand from his face to kiss her palm, heading off to the stairs.

Clara watched him go till he disappeared before looking at Artie who was grinning, "What?"

Artie just reached out and moved his piece, "Checkmate."

Clara laughed at that.

~8~

J knocked on Angie's door, well, it would be Angie's given her name was on it.

"Go away Clara!" Angie shouted from within.

He shrugged and flashed his sonic on the door, knowing the teenager had likely locked it, stepping in.

"I said go away Clara," Angie repeated, lying on her bed, her eyes closed, only hearing the door open.

"I know," J called and her eyes snapped open, "But since I'm not Clara, I took that as an invitation."

"What are YOU doing here?" Angie glared at him.

He just shut the door behind him and leaned against it, "I just wanted to talk," he shrugged.

Angie scoffed, "I'm not taking it back."

"I didn't ask you to," he remarked, "You believe Clar and I won't work, I believe we will, we'll just have to wait and see who's right."

Angie eyed him a moment, that wasn't what she expected him to say, he seemed too confident that they'd work, like he knew something she didn't, but she didn't care, "What do you want?"

"I get it," he began, looking at her with understanding, "Why you don't like me."

"Because you're stupid," she cut in, "And you're all wrong for Clara."

"Might be stupid," he agreed, "Dad's an idiot most of the time, could be hereditary. But I do think I'm very, very right for Clara," he eyed her, "And I think you do to."

"No I don't. I said I don't."

"People say things all the time that they don't mean," he just continued, as though she hadn't interrupted him, "You think I'm perfect for Clara and that scares you."

"Why would I be scared?" she scoffed.

"Because if Clara and I work, one day I might ask her to marry me, and she'd leave, and you don't want that."

"I don't care if Clara leaves," Angie insisted, a bit too quickly, "She can leave whenever she wants. I'd rather she leave."

J stared at her a long while, knowing it wasn't true. He'd probably cheated a bit, used a trick his mother had taught him about reading the minds of others but…teenage girls were tricky, there was no way to know what they meant unless you read their minds and he'd only taken a peek because he'd been truly worried she really DIDN'T like him with Clara.

Turned out, it was quite the opposite.

"She's been here for you since your mum died," he began again, "And you're mad because you don't want Clara to be here, you want your mum. But in the same way, you're glad someone's here for you and you feel mad at yourself for being happy someone's there because you think you've betrayed your mum by feeling that."

Angie was silent.

"My best friend, River, she died Angie," Angie looked up at him, frowning, "And we spent so much time together that it was hard to be alone. So my sister came to stay with me, and for a long time I was annoyed with her, I was short and cross and kept trying to get her to leave. Because I just wanted my friend back, I didn't want someone to replace River. But you know what she told me? My sister, Jenny, she told me that she wasn't ever going to try and take River's place, she just didn't want me to be alone, she wanted me to remember there were people there for me. And, once I accepted that, once I saw that it wasn't a Replacement-River but just…my sister, being my sister, it was better, easier. It…helped, a lot, to have her there for me when River wasn't. And that's all Clara's trying to do for you Angie, be there for you."

Angie looked down, thinking.

He nodded, knowing he'd said something right, "Clara won't leave you Angie," he added, "She won't go until you and Artie are ok, until you're ready to let her go. She won't just abandon the people she cares about you know, that's not like her."

"Yeah…I know," Angie whispered, actually listening to him.

It was true, she missed her mum a lot, and it was really great that Clara was there for her, and she knew Clara had to love her and Artie a lot to stay there and put up with her attitude for so long. She didn't want to like Clara being there because if felt like a betrayal to her mother, but in the same breath, she didn't want to be alone, she just wanted someone there for her, and that was Clara.

"I wouldn't ask her to leave you either," J told her, "Not seriously at least. Maybe spend a day or two with me, maybe go on a trip here or there, like a vacation, but I wouldn't ever ask her to really leave you before you were ready. That's why I'm here, that's why I came to visit, so she wouldn't have to leave you to see me."

Angie looked up at him, "You…you won't take her away from us?"

She was scared, by the thought of that. It was why she'd been so short and snappy with him. She had never seen Clara so…close to someone, to a man before, so…serious about them. She'd been terrified that it would just get more serious and Clara would just leave one day to be with him, leave her and Artie alone. She really had come to depend on Clara a lot despite her best efforts to keep her at a distance. It was hard to do when Clara was the only other woman there for her.

She'd thought maybe…she could drive him away, show him SHE didn't like him and maybe make him think Clara didn't either. If he left, Clara would be just hers and Artie's again. But…J was promising her he wouldn't take Clara away and now…now she felt even worse. He was being nice not just to Clara but to her despite what she'd done.

"Sorry," she looked at him, "About before. I was just…"

"Scared," he finished, nodding, "It's no problem at all Angie."

Angie started to smile when they heard Clara cheer up the stairs, "Soufflé's done!"

J grinned, "Ready?" he asked Angie.

Angie gave him a little smile and got off her bed, heading for the door and going down stairs.

Clara blinked, a bit stunned, when Angie gave her a tight hug and thanked her before heading to the kitchen, "What did you say to her?" Clara stared at him, slightly awed.

J just shrugged, "Just…something mum would say," he smiled.

Clara shook her head, "Whatever it was, thank you," she said, "I don't think I've seen her smile like that in a while."

He nodded, "For you Clara, I'd do anything," he told her, taking her hand, "Now…I believe you said something about a soufflé being done?" he licked his lips which made her laugh and tug him on towards the kitchen, heading to the oven and carefully pulling out the soufflé out of it with ovenmits on, "And here we are," she set it on the countertop, absolutely beaming when she saw it hadn't deflated as it often did when she tried to make her mum's soufflé.

J smiled, leaning in to smell the food, "It smells wonderful Clar," he told her.

She grinned, "Really?"

"Oh yes," he nodded, "I can't wait to taste it!"

Clara laughed, "You could always take a little piece now, if you want."

"Really?" he grinned.

She nodded, "My mum always used to give me a little piece of the soufflé while it was still nice and warm because it just melts in your mouth.

"Ok then, I'll have a go," he agreed, not even seeing Artie, who was behind Clara with Angie, shaking his head and making cutting motions at his throat, clearly trying to stop him from eating the morsel.

At least until Angie whacked lightly on the arm to stop him. Artie frowned and rubbed his arm, whispering, "What was that for?"

Angie just gave him a look, nodding her head towards J as though telling him to wait and watch. Artie didn't understand why she was doing that, Clara's soufflés, for all her attempts, were really rather terrible. Truly, he'd gotten food poisoning on more than one occasion trying to force himself to eat her new attempts.

Clara at least seemed to be aware of her cooking failures, as she was always trying to improve, always trying to remember her mother's recipe but never looking it up as she didn't want to 'cheat,' she wanted it to be from memory…which didn't really work out all that well. Every time she tried the soufflé would collapse or they would come out tasting better but leave a terrible aftertaste. They didn't know why that happened but they couldn't fault Clara for trying.

Angie watched closely as J moved to Clara's side, lightly resting his hand on the small of her back while she took out a small little knife and cut a tiny piece of the soufflé off, setting it on a napkin and handing it to J.

"It looks delicious Clar," he smiled at her, taking a smaller piece of it and tossing it in the air, catching it in his mouth as he munched on it. Clara watched him closely, watched his expression for any sign that the soufflé was truly as bad as it always was, but J just munched along, swallowing after moment and made little tasting noises with his mouth, "It tastes wonderful Clar!" he cheered.

"Really?" Clara beamed.

"Really?!" Angie and Artie gaped at him, Clara hadn't produced an edible soufflé yet. Artie walked over to it, peeking around at it before he reached down to the small morsel of Jay's napkin.

"You know what Clar?" J continued, turning to Clara so she was turned away from Artie to listen to him talk, "Can I take a slice with me when I leave?"

"Course you can," she beamed and went to the pantry to get the Tupperware containers.

While her back was turned, Artie took a bite of the soufflé, grimacing a moment later and trying to spit it out, nearly gagging on the small piece it was terrible!

J gave a little hearty laugh at that, patting Artie on the back as the boy coughed. Angie just gave them both a look as Clara turned around, "Artie what's wrong?" she rushed over to them.

J smiled, "I think it went down the wrong tube Clar."

"Come here, come here," Clara led Artie by the hand and over to the refrigerator, pulling out a bottle of water and offering it to him, the boy chugging it down, trying to get the God awful taste out of his mouth.

Angie gave Jay a curious look, seeing the playful sort of smile on his face, as though he knew that the soufflé was truly as bad as it always was but…he hadn't given any outward sign that it was disgusting. He'd complimented it, he'd even swallowed it! And so, knowing that, she turned and made her way towards the counter, leaning against it as J turned to watch with a smile.

"The soufflé was disgusting, wasn't it?" Angie guessed.

J shrugged, "I wouldn't say that. It was actually rather tasty."

Angie gave him a suspicious look, "Are you just saying that because Clara made it?"

He grinned as though she had caught him, "I may or may not be saying it for that reason, sure."

Angie frowned and shook her head, "But why would you eat it?" she looked at the thing as though it were some sort of evil, mutated muffin, "Why would you eat it and then look like you liked it?"

J just turned to look at her, leaning against the counter, "Because it's important to Clar," he said simply, "She's always trying to make soufflés and she loves them," he frowned, "Why would I insult something that she put so much effort into, especially considering she made that soufflé for me? It isn't always what it looks like, Angie, or even what it tastes like, it's what's behind it that makes it something incredible," he tapped her on the shoulder, "It's the thought that counts, you know," he smiled, "It's the heart and effort you put into something," he nodded at the soufflé, "Clara made that for me and I will love it and think it tastes wonderful because it came from her and it was made with love," he smiled, "Never ever under-estimate the power of love Angie, believe me, it is one of the strongest and most powerful forces in the Universe."

Angie eyed him a moment, "You sound a lot like the Doctor," she remarked, unable to help but think how similar the two were, both in mannerisms, personality, even how they spoke.

He grinned, "Doctor who?"

"Oh don't," Clara said, walking over with a smile, hearing that question, recalling all the issues that had come up because of it.

J laughed and looked at his watch, pouting, "I'm sorry Clar, but I should be heading out now."

Clara nodded, understanding, it was a ruse. They both knew that he couldn't stay the night with children there, especially not without them questioning how close they were exactly. For Angie and Artie, it hadn't even been that long since they'd met the Doctor and Evy and they would have known if she had had a boyfriend for long. To them, J was likely a man she'd met only recently.

"Just let me pack up the soufflé," she winked and turned to do just that.

Angie watched her go, before looking at J once more, "You really love Clara don't you?" she asked him, thinking about all he'd done in the short time he'd been there. He'd put up with her attitude (one she as sure would return in only a few days once she hit another 'teenage crisis'), let her brother win a game of chess, actually eaten Clara's soufflé…she couldn't think of any reason why someone would do that unless they really did love Clara.

"I do," he admitted openly, "Very much."

Angie nodded, that had been one small reason to stopping Artie warning him about the soufflé. Mostly she had been hoping to see a reaction from him tasting something awful, but that was in general, they always loved seeing the reactions of others who tried Clara's soufflés.

But, another small portion of it had been that…well…whether J cared enough for Clara's feelings to at least make an effort to hide how disgusting the soufflé was. J had surpassed her expectations, and a reaction like his…to swallow it, to have no sign of thinking it wasn't exactly tasty…that had to mean he REALLY cared for Clara and if he did care for her that much…he was alright in her book.

"Good," she nodded.

"Here we go," Clara smiled, handing him the Tupperware container of the soufflé, "Just…if you could bring that back next time," she nodded at the container, "Mr. Maitland doesn't keep stock of his containers but still…" it was polite to return it.

"Of course," he grinned, "Gives me an excuse to drop by and see you again doesn't it?' he winked at her.

She laughed, "Yes it does," she glanced at Angie and back at him, "Come on, I'll show you out."

He nodded and followed her to the front door, stepping out, Clara following him shutting the door behind her.

"Thank you," she said.

"For what?" he smiled, shaking his head.

"Everything," she told him, Artie had never been more proud of himself than by beating an adult in chess, she'd made a soufflé he liked, and Angie had actually been a bit more civil in the end.

"You know me Clar," he reached out and took her hand, "Anything for you," he winked, kissing her hand.

"Likewise," she breathed.

"So…" he began, starting to smile slyly, "Does that mean I was a 'good boy?'"

She laughed, "A very good one," she reached out and pulled him towards her, kissing him, smiling internally when she felt him smile into the kiss, she loved when he did that, smiled into the kiss, because she knew that meant that he was happy and he was happy kissing her, which made her doubly happy to kiss him and to know that as well.

Neither of them realized, as they continued, that Angie and Artie were watching them from the monitor in the house, Artie staring wide-eyed at the fact that Clara really did have a boyfriend and seemed serious about him, while Angie just gave a small smile, happy that Clara had found happiness too and in knowing that Clara, when she was done, was going to come back in the house and make sure they got ready for bed, take care of them, like she had since the start.

A/N: I really wanted a little sort of 'Angie's reaction' moment for them :) We'll get an 'Artie reaction' as well later on, along with an adventure. This was more them finding out Clara had a boyfriend, for Artie's chapter it'll be finding out he's an alien ;)

Not an extreme amount of fluff, but I imagine quite a bit of it to come ;)

And, just to announce, this story will officially be updated on the 21st/22nd of each month from now on as I'll be adding a HOTS spin-off around the 14th :)

And just to answer a review, I might update on the 7th, I usually update this story on the 21st (from now on at least) but sometimes if inspiration strikes, I might post another chapter earlier on top of the 21st, we'll have to see :) But I'll try!