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The Invitations
"Clara?"
"Danny?" She said as she looked under the sofa for an essay that had gone missing. She knew that she had it last night when she was marking but when she checked this morning that they were all there, she found she was one short.
"Are you okay?"
She looked up at him. "May have lost an essay. I suppose it serves me right for marking them last minute."
He started to chuckle at her.
"You could help me rather than laugh at my misfortune."
Clara watched him as he went into the kitchen, to return with the essay, holding it up.
"Looking for this."
She let out a sigh of relief. "Thank you." She said as she took it off him.
"Clara?"
"Yes?" She said.
"There is a Christmas ball on 10th December. It is part of the barracks and it is just a bit of fun. Would you like to come with me?"
"Yeah, Why wouldn't I?" She replied. "I had hope that I would find a reason to wear a dress that I brought when you were away. It seems like the perfect reason." She smiled up at him.
"It is nothing special. I mean, it is nothing to buy a new dress for. You know, you could wear a bin bag and you would probably be the most beautiful person in the room."
Clara felt her smile widen. "I can promise you that I won't wear a bin bag. Anyway the dress wasn't that expensive, I was just trying to pass the time when you were gone."
"You missed me then."
"Of course." She said before she gave him a quick kiss. "And I am going to be late for work at this rate." She stuffed the last essay into her bag before she threw a smile over her shoulder and a small wave.
Danny stood there and gave her a small wave back before sighing and wondering what he was going to do with his day until she got back.
Clara stopped as she exited the school to see John leaning against the wall by the gates. He pushed himself off it when he saw her and gave her a goofy smile. Even though Danny had been back for a week, there were still a few things that John had to sort out before he could come back home. It had been the first time she had seen him since September.
She walked towards him before giving him a wide smile and a hug. He tensed, even though he was expecting it. It was just a reaction he gave. 'Not a hugging person' he used to moan whenever she would give him one out of the blue.
"I've missed you." She told him.
"I would hope that you did."
Clara looked up at him. "Come on. It will be dark soon."
"Which is why I thought I would take it upon myself to walk you as far as I can." He held his arm out to her. "Not that I don't think you can look after yourself but a six foot Scottish man should just put them off enough."
She laughed at him as she placed her arm through his, holding onto his elbow. "How did it go?"
"Clara it was a nightmare. I swear the only thing I taught them was to hold a gun properly, and that was my own men. I have been put with a load of … pudding brains."
She laughed at him again. "Pudding brains?"
"Well, idiots was a too nicer term. They are worse than being a group of idiots."
"I am sure that you can whip them into shape."
"Or they are trying to get me to take the promotion or worse, retire." He turned to her. "What are you doing on 10th December?"
"The Christmas Ball?"
"He has already asked you."
"Danny asked me this morning. Sorry."
"Not to worry. You know what I am like during social events. I hate them. I was only trying to find a reason to go. It is nothing. I am sure I can still have a nice night with a takeaway and a cheap bottle of wine. I am sure there will be some rubbish on the TV that I could watch."
"I would still be there. It wouldn't be ideal at all but I would still be there."
"Nah, I would only be mopping in some corner. It is best that I don't go."
Clara pulled herself closer to him. "You are the mopping type."
"Class A mopper. It is because I am the King of Okay."
"That isn't the best thing to be the king of."
"I know."
Their pace slowed as they reached the block of flats that her flat was situated in. Both of them looked up at it.
"Well I am home, safe and sound." She looked at him. "Thanks to a six foot Scot."
"I would hate myself if something ever happened to you, Clara Oswald. I missed you."
"Don't worry old man, I am not going anywhere."
He gave her a smile but they both knew what it mean. It mean that she knew that she couldn't promise that. Maybe it was another reason why she hadn't made her decision. She was scared that John would leave her life again if she choose Danny or would help her choose Danny by leaving if she choose him. She never wanted him to leave her life again.
"Thank you." She rose up onto her tiptoes and kissed his cheek before walking off to her flat.
Clara was thankful for the warmth hitting her as she entered the building. She took the stairs instead of the lift to help her warm up a little more. She stopped halfway to see John still standing there, looking up at the building. She gave him a small wave, which he returned.
Maybe there was part of her that thought that it should be him who she comes home to or runs in from the cold from or spends the days lazing about in the sun with. But then there was another part of her that always enjoyed it when she was sharing those moments with Danny.
No, she was no closer to making her choice.
