A/N Warning for M rated content at the start of this chapter but then it's mainly fluff.

6. Christmas Day

While he hadn't suffered any pain that night he was nonetheless bound by the magic of the necklace to sleep in Clara's bed and that came with its own problems. Firstly sleep had been hard to come by after sixty minutes of deep kissing on her sofa earlier that evening and secondly when he had drifted off he had woken to find their bodies entwined, drawn to one another in sleep and reacting in ways that he could only continue to describe as unsuitable. When it happened for the third time he hauled himself reluctantly out from under the covers and forced himself to sit in a chair by Clara's bedside for the rest of the evening lest he lose control of himself. He hurt and he noticed as he glanced over at her that the necklace was glowing mockingly at him. By the time Christmas morning arrived he was tense tired and frustrated.

Clara wasn't much better and she seemed to be losing the amusement she had found the day before at the necklace's properties. Yes it had all been fun and games then but waking up repeatedly frustrated and needy had taken the shine off the situation. She peeked out from under the covers and eyed the Doctor. He looked in pain, uncomfortable at best. This was getting trickier by the minute. The necklace was pushing them further and further away from their own particular comfort zones and although Clara as its wearer was feeling increasingly relaxed about that she could see that he wasn't. The Doctor was flipping from panting hungrily against her neck to stalwartly trying to resist her every move and it driving her crazy. She didn't want this to end messily but if she didn't have him soon she might explode. And she had Christmas to get through first. As it was she had to go for a shower, preferably a cold one, and the necklace wasn't going to let her until they'd kissed again at least. The Doctor had been right it was getting more demanding.

Clara crossed to where he was sitting in the chair with one hand over his face. He was trying she knew very hard not to look at her in her camisole. In her head she made a decision and that decision was that she was going to take him by surprise. Spurred on by a warm flash from the necklace she leaned over and grabbed both his forearms and before he could protest she was straddling him in the chair.

'What..?! ' he objected.

'I need to go for a shower, so I need to set you up to make sure you aren't in agony while I'm in there.'

'I think I'll be in agony anyway,' he grumbled and she felt him harden rapidly under her. The sensation was unexpected and surprisingly pleasant for both of them although once again she could see him fighting it. Clara wriggled and he let out a strained puff of air. 'Oh Gods Clara please don't.' It was a tone she hadn't heard from him before and it stopped her in her tracks briefly. She tentatively rocked her hips forward again aware of the moisture which was pooling between her legs and soaking through the light material of her pyjamas. The Doctor groaned fully this time in a tone at least an octave deeper than usual. Clara felt herself flush.

'Doctor this is ridiculous,' she said, 'There's no way we're going to get through the day like this, let's be adults and address the problem,' she ground her hips again this time drawing gasps from both of them. He looked up at her with absolute fire in his eyes.

'Clara, don't…'

'I want to…'

'We shouldn't,'

'You want to...' she said pointedly as she felt him become fully aroused.

'You're not thinking straight….'

'I don't care,' another rock of her pelvis, he shut his eyes tight but his hands reflexively came up to grip her hips and on impulsive guided her movement, once, twice, grinding her into him. Clara responded with an uncontrollable jerk against him. 'Doctor, please let me….' Her hand was moving down his stomach now and she shifted back a little on his thighs so that she could reach his belt. He looked away even as she flicked the catch open and undid his trousers, her movements shaky with need and nerves. She was really going to do this and she wasn't sure what was in control, her own mind or the necklace, but it felt good and right, and it was the Doctor and that was all she needed to know right now. She slipped her fingers inside his clothing and when her hand wrapped around him he bucked hard up into it unable to hold back a shout.

'Clara, no…' he muttered softly.

Clara ran her fist slowly down the length of him, her thumb trailing over the tip as she drew her hand back up. She felt a thrill of desire run through her as he growled against her, noises which grew louder quickly and she sped up her movements. He wasn't going to last long and she felt herself burning, swollen and close to the edge just from the feel and sound of him so near to his release. He had been keeping his face averted, unable to look at her but suddenly his hands were at her waist and she lost her rhythm for just a moment as he gripped her flimsy pyjama bottoms and pulled, ripping them along one seam. Clara squeaked in surprise but then quickly surrendered in an open mouthed gasp as his hand brushed between her legs and hit the spot she was aching for him to touch. His gaze flicked up and held hers, blazing, mesmerised by the depth of her pupils and the heated glow of her cheeks, her hair falling into her eyes. She drove her hips forward and he slipped against her, one finger entering her easily while his thumb pressed against her most sensitive spot and began a steady circular movement in line with the rhythm she used on him.

He looked away as the sensation became almost too much and Clara felt herself tighten hard around him. She pumped him harder, suddenly aware of the soft wet noises both of their bodies were making. With his free hand the Doctor gripped onto her, holding her secure as she bucked against him and she reached to wrap her hand around the back of his neck bringing their foreheads together. Clara called out hard, her lungs screaming as she climaxed in time to feel him spurt hotly across her stomach and chest with an unrestrained shout. With him panting against her she slowed her movements and held him as he softened until his skin became too sensitive and he shifted under her touch.

Neither said a word for long minutes. Clara kept one hand in his hair afraid he might pull away and vanish, the other still resting on his stomach. Between them the necklace's gem swirled its colours softly, casting stars into the pupils of their eyes.

'Clara…'

She nuzzled against his neck reluctant to let go.

'Clara,' he breathed again and leaned back from her. She looked at him in concern but he simply looked back at her peacefully.

'You're not going to tell me that was very inappropriate?' she asked.

'Oh it was very inappropriate,' he replied, 'But I think…. Entirely justifiable… probably… given we have a whole day to get through at your father's place.' His eyes sparkled mischievously. Clara smirked.

'Doctor, could it be that you're feeling more relaxed about this necklace thing today….?'

He looked down at it, 'Cursed thing,' he muttered, 'Cursed, evil, inappropriate thing.' He looked back up at her, 'I refuse to let it defeat me I will find a way to take it off you but…'

'But…?'

'But it may take some time,' he answered with a barely in check grin.

Clara laughed out loud and leaned forward to kiss him.

'Clara… Clara… please,' he said, 'You might want to take that shower.'

She looked down at the mess between them. 'Well you might want some new clothes.' She slipped off his thighs and made her way to the bathroom. 'Any pain? She called over her shoulder when she had put a good few metres between them. The Doctor just laughed and unbuttoned his shirt. It was only when the shower door clicked shut and Clara was a distance from his slowly recovering body that the anxiety twisted between his hearts.

XXXXXXXXXX

They had parked the TARDIS around the corner from her father's house to provide them with a rapid escape route should it be needed for reasons of mystical necklace or family feud. The Doctor was once again laden with bags, this time full of Clara's prettily wrapped gifts. Although his mood was considerably better than it had been upon waking that morning it was darkening by the moment as they walked up the drive to the front door; a combination of sickening Christmas festivities and growing concern that he and Clara were crossing a very important and arguably unwise line.

'Just act normal,' Clara was saying lowly, 'Like you're not an alien, like Christmas is enjoyable and you're a warm friendly human be… individual.'

The Doctor scowled at her but kept his grumbles under his breath. He honestly didn't know if he was coming or going at the moment. He could feel the necklace's pull but it was mixed with something else less easy to distinguish and which filled him with something like fear. What was real and what wasn't, he could no longer make it out. He'd always known he had some level of feeling for Clara that much was obvious, but he had gradually buried as much of it as he could to try to be the honourable man, and with doing that he had hoped parts of it had died. Now this necklace was reanimating those feelings again from the grave and lacing them with its irresistible pull.

And with the necklace around her throat there was nothing stopping them. Clara was as filled with desire as he was, Danny was gone and the pair of them were riding on the emotions of their recent reunion. It was all getting rather out of control. He'd tried to stop this morning and he couldn't, she'd encouraged him on but he still should have had enough discipline to stop. All he could feel was her touch, all he could see was her face, her eyes. She surrounded him, controlled him, he'd come undone with a few movements of her hands. In those few minutes afterwards he had felt peaceful and content but the significance of it all was weighing on him now, now that the necklace's spell had retreated a little. The Doctor had done the unforgivable as far as his current incarnation thought, he'd left himself exposed and vulnerable and he knew that path led in only one direction.

What if he found a way to remove the necklace and Clara stopped feeling how she apparently felt? What if he did and she didn't? What if they just ended up inflicting more pain on one another? Why oh why had he just given in that morning? He stopped a few feet from the door.

'You ok?' Clara said from the doorstep, 'Do you need a quick kiss?' she whispered.

'I'm fine, really,'

Clara took his hand and pulled him up beside her giving him a peck on the cheek anyway as she did so. The little gesture tugged at his hearts.

'Just get through the day,' Clara said pressing the doorbell, 'We'll worry about the other stuff later.'

Oh if only it was that simple.

'Clara!' Dave Oswald opened the door and threw his arms wide for his little girl, he squeezed her in a bear hug then stood back to admire her, 'You look better,' he said, 'Been worried about you kid, you know since….' He looked across at the Doctor, 'Oh you brought a… friend.'

The Doctor levelled his eyebrows at him instinctively.

'Dad this is…. John,' the eyebrows swung round to her and quirked. 'He's a friend from work, he's…. the Caretaker!' she hazarded. The Doctor glared at her. 'He's been looking out for me recently.'

'That's good of you John, Clara's had a rough year, did you know Danny?'

'Yes,' he replied glancing at Clara, 'Yes I did, it was a terrible thing to happen,' his voice held no trace of sarcasm or deception. Clara squeezed his hand briefly.

'John hasn't any family, and he's rather a long way from home… I didn't think you'd mind seeing as he's been so good to me.'

Dave smiled and opened the door wide, 'You're very welcome, come in.' The Doctor shot another pained looked at Clara before following her inside. Dave removed the bags from him and handed and them to a rather severe looking woman who peered disdainfully into them before retreating back into the living room. Clara looked at the Doctor and mouthed 'her.'

Dave didn't appear to notice and ushered the pair of them through to be seated in front of the fire while the gifts were unpacked and distributed under the tree. Clara took care to sit close enough to the Doctor to be within touching distance but far enough away that her father wouldn't start asking awkward questions. She watched as the Doctor manfully fended off chit chat and small talk. He actually did quite well and she smiled to herself a little relieved. Maybe he wasn't a complete social illiterate after all. After a while Clara's Gran appeared at the front door and with her particular brand of warmth lightened the proceedings considerably. She seemed once again quite taken with the Doctor, clothes or no clothes and as the level of sherry in the bottle fell her flirtatiousness increased.

'Mum, that's enough,' Dave stooped to the base of the Christmas tree and began handing out gifts in order to distract her, 'The poor man barely knows us.'

The Doctor was standing with his back to the fire having narrowly escaped Gran's wandering hand and being forced to give up his seat to escape. Clara shot him an apologetic look of such mortification that he had to bite his tongue not to laugh. Instead he took a sip of his own drink and pretended to have great interest in the flames.

'Here,' Clara cut of Gran half way over to the fire, 'I got you something,' she smiled merrily pulling her towards the tree and rummaging to find the little box with the amber necklace.

'Oh thank you dear, you're such a good girl. It has to be better than that royal jelly your dad got me,' she gave him a bitter withering look, 'I've only been his mother fifty three years and he still can't get it right.'

The elderly lady opened the box carefully and let out a little noise of polite delight at the gift. 'Just like the one we used to have,' she said, 'Except doesn't it shine bright. Oh John be a dear and put it on me?' she motioned at the Doctor to link the chain around her neck.

The look of horror he shot her was unmistakable. Clara stepped between them, catching his eye and his somewhat unsubtle but frantic hand waving in the general direction of 'no.'

'Let me Gran,'

'But…'

'No really I don't think you should be asking our guest, anyway I got it for you!' she popped the necklace on Gran and looked over at the Doctor who was wearing an expression akin to someone watching a natural disaster unfold.

'Clara,' he said after a few minutes, 'A word,' and he ushered her from the room. In the hallway he hissed at her, 'The necklace, why did you give her the necklace?'

'It's not one of those necklaces!'

'How do we know? We didn't know that one was one of those necklaces,' he said pointing at hers.

'She's an old lady, anyway even if it is one of those necklaces she's not about to Bind to her own granddaughter that's just icky.'

The Doctor sighed, 'We don't know what we're dealing with here. It may not be a Coupling necklace but it could be any number of Kaltranian Fertility Stones or Ritual Gems.'

Clara looked at him and then glanced into the living room, 'Well if it is you should watch yourself she only has eyes for you.'

'Must run in the family…' he quipped, Clara blushed.

'How are you feeling anyway… Any twinges?'

'No I'm fine.' Clara surveyed him.

'Sure?'

'Yes.'

'Definitely OK?'

'Yes Clara I'm fine,' he frowned at her, 'Why?'

'Just wanted to treble check. You know make absolutely certain you were fine before dinner. Dinner can be a long affair.' Behind her she was conscious of her father moving through into the kitchen to help with final preparations. 'I'd say we have half an hour or so before it's on the table. Wouldn't want any… symptoms to return and make things awkward for us.'

'Clara the necklace,' he flicked his eyes down to it before returning them to her face.

'I know…' she whispered the glow illuminating her slightly. The Doctor swallowed.

'Let me show you the house,' Clara said loudly, 'Give you a tour.'

'Clara…' he hissed.

'This is the hall…' she said, 'And this is…. The coat cupboard,' and she flung the door open and bundled him inside.

There was a pause.

'Clara it's rather dark in here.'

'Yes.' The light from the necklace gave her face eerie shadows.

'I really do feel fine.'

'Good.'

'I….' her lips covered his suddenly and Clara pushed him into the soft coats at his back. He made a choked noise before sighing into her mouth. She kissed him hard for a few moments before pulling away, running her hands down his sides to his hips. He heard her giggle and found it infectious but steadfastly refused to let even the slightest puff of amusement past his lips. What was he doing? He was in a cupboard with Clara and she was kissing him. He'd just spent the last hour absently being polite to her family while inwardly berating himself for this morning's occurrence and now he was setting himself up for it all to happen again. The Doctor leaned his head against the coats and stared into the dark aware of her warm body against him and tried to place his thoughts elsewhere.

'We could just stay in here,' Clara whispered conspiratorially.

'I think your family would notice.'

'Not after a few more sherries.'

'Clara…'

'OK…' she huffed and there was a click, the door swinging open and light flooding the cupboard. 'Coasts clear!' she skipped out ahead of him.

'Ridiculous girl,' he groaned and escaped after her, heading for the dining room and the next torturous part of Christmas day.

XXXXXXXXXXX

The food wasn't bad he had to concede but by the God's he wasn't sure if he could cope with much more Christmas and to add to it the pain had started to return in the last hour despite his close proximity to Clara. He just prayed she didn't decide to go to the bathroom or have a private chat with her father at any time soon or he would be crippled, and crippled in the company of others to boot. He could see Clara watching him from the corner of his eye, ever observant and he knew he was no good at hiding things from her these days. All the lies he had ever told in the past had prepared her for any he might tell now and she could see through him like glass.

As her step mother began to clear plates she motioned for Clara to help and without a good excuse not to she was forced to apologise with her eyes and vanish into the kitchen. The Doctor was immediately hit with a wave of pain and nausea so strong that Gran looked quite alarmed and rushed to his side.

'Oh you poor thing are you alright? Did you have little too much at dinner?' she patted his arm soothingly. The Doctor sat back in his chair and prayed the room would stop spinning or that Clara would come back, one or the other. Sadly neither happened very quickly and by the time she extracted herself the sweat was running down his temples. She shooed her grandmother out of the way and with difficulty dragged him out into the hall again.

'Clara, we need to leave,' he said, somewhat relieved she was at least by his side but suffering nonetheless.

'Ok, leave, yes we can do that, all the main bits are done.'

'Clara! Are you joining us for the film?' Dave called through.

'Do not do this to me,' The Doctor breathed, his eyes slightly wild.

'Um… that's nice of you dad but we need to be going…'

'Going…' he emerged into the hall with them casting a curious glance over a rather stricken looking Doctor, 'It's Christmas why would you need to go anywhere? You're home. Stay tonight pet I barely see you these days,' he beckoned her over to a corner. The Doctor attempted not to crumple against the stairs.

'If you and your… 'friend' want to share a room that's OK by me, whatever is giving you a little happiness, he seems nice enough,' he looked over, 'I mean a bit on the old side but none of us are getting any younger, ha ha…' he looked awkward and then concerned, 'he's a bit green round the gills though, can he not handle his wine?'

'Dad!' Clara's outraged embarrassment made her tone a little harsher than she had meant it to be.

'Sorry,' he chuckled, 'Just trying to be modern about it.'

'Dad, can you just... just give us a minute will you.'

'Sure thing,' and he disappeared into the front room again.

'Tell me we are going back to the TARDIS now,' The Doctor said breathlessly.

'Um….' Clara was about to respond when the necklace thrummed hard at her throat and she felt the heat radiate out of it. The glow coming off it was practically radioactive in intensity and she grabbed it instinctively away from her chest. Her eyes widened and then she looked at the Doctor leaning against the bannisters and holding his side.

'I didn't finish the tour,' she said quickly and grabbed his hand, 'Come with me.' Clara pulled him up the stairs and took the first left into her old room, shutting the door quickly behind them and latching it. The Doctor cast a minimal glance around him, taking note of a number of stuffed toys and a rather odd poster of Marcus Aurelius. He was about to make some sort of derisory comment when the light from the necklace caught his eye again and a familiar slightly fuzzy feeling came over him.

'Clara we are in your father's house,' he said backing away from her.

'Yes and you look awful and I have just the thing to make you feel better.'

'Clara! No! Not this, this is a step too far.'

She advanced on his the necklace humming against her skin.

'I can't just up and leave, Doctor its Christmas, it looks odd, why would I leave my dad and Gran who I love dearly to spend Christmas by myself or with the local caretaker? No we can't go anywhere. We need to sort this out like we did this morning and then go back downstairs.'

'Like… we did this morning?' he said.

'Or similar according to whatever the necklace wants this time.'

The Doctor doubled over suddenly the pain spasming through his gut and taking his breath away.

'What have you got in mind?' he said weakly.

Clara smiled and wrapped her arms around him.