She's my daughter!
Prompt requested by: Anon.
Disclaimer: I don't own Doctor Who, but I once again call dibs on Matt Smith.
A/N: This prompt is really personal for me considering my father passed away last year. Everything the Doctor does is something I would have loved my future husband to say to my father. I hope I did this justice. xx
A blue, purple and red bowtie were placed in front of him next to a velvet box. This would be a simple choice any other day, but today was different; today was the day when he asked Clara's father for permission to take her as his wife. The Doctor had never been too old fashioned when it came to proposing, but Clara was special. She once mentioned what she expected before she was proposed to before they started dating officially and was adamant about her beloved asking her father. She probably never thought in a million years that he would do this; he never thought he would either, but he knew it would mean the world to her. He was doing this to show his devotion to his impossible girl, and that was worth being properly embarrassed or questioned endlessly by her father.
The bow ties still sat in front of him and he pondered which one he should wear. Red was one of Clara's favorite colors, but the color itself was known to cause rage in the viewer. He immediately threw that one to the side. Purple was the color of joy, but he was already wearing his purple tweed jacket and too much purple may cause Dave Oswald to think he had bad dress sense. "The blue one it is!" he giggled nervously as he grabbed the bow tie and put it on carefully. He looked over to the velvet box; it was still sitting there, screaming at him and making him even more nervous than he was originally. His legs were buckling, but he knew it was now or never. He walked over towards the center console and plugged in the coordinates of Clara's father's home.
Taking a deep breath, he approached the doors and stepped outside. He had only met Clara's father a few times before and he had been cordial towards him every time, even the time when he showed up naked, but he was terrified of asking for his most prized possession. His expression went from dazed to mortified in the matter of seconds it took to travel from the TARDIS to the front door of Dave Oswald's home. He took a deep breath, adjusted his bow tie and then raised his hand to knock on the wood of the front door. It was made of wood. The thought amused him; of course it was made of wood. As soon as he was inside and the door was locked, there was no escaping. Still, he pressed his knuckles to the door and pushed his hand back into his pocket.
Dave Oswald answered the door promptly only seconds after the Doctor had knocked. He was wearing jeans and a tee-shirt. The Doctor realized that he probably should have called first, but also knew that there was nothing he could do about it now. He shook Mr. Oswald's hand and immediately knew that there was no reason to be uncomfortable about being in his company. Dave invited him in and he sat on the couch where he was directed. Mr. Oswald did not seem to be irritated by the Doctor's presence; he actually seemed delighted that he was there. The Doctor was in awe.
"Can I get you some tea, dear boy?" Mr. Oswald questioned as he walked into the kitchen.
"That sounds lovely, thank you." the Doctor answered as he fidgeted with his sleeves.
The minutes passed slowly as he waited for Mr. Oswald to return with the cups of tea for both of them. His face brightened as he looked at all of the pictures around him. The room he was in had three chairs, all surrounding the television set. It was a quaint room that was illuminated by the several pictures of Ellie Oswald and his daughter. The picture directly in front of him had the three of them in it. Dave was to a five or six year old Clara's left and Ellie was to the right. Both of them were squatted down and hugging Clara from either side. They were undoubtedly a happy and beautiful family. He would do anything in order to be able to give Clara that. A smile crept on his lips just as Mr. Oswald returned with the tea.
The television was playing soft instrumental music, which the Doctor was thankful for. Soft music always helped to calm him down, and he definitely needed calming during this pivotal moment in time. He had no idea how to bring up the question that was on his mind. He was fearful that Mr. Oswald would just turn him away or worse. The thought of Mr. Oswald banning him from seeing his daughter crept into his mind. The idea of such a thing happening was too much to bear and he shivered with fear at the notion of never seeing Clara again. Mr. Oswald caught on to his uneasiness and questioned him.
"Doctor" he began, "Is this about Clara… is she okay? You seem nervous…"
"No! No! No!" the Doctor interrupted, "Clara's fine…"
"Then what is it, are you okay?" Mr. Oswald questioned. He had a puzzled look on his face, much like the one Clara made daily.
The Doctor felt calmness come over him as he stood up, "Mr. Oswald, there is something I have to ask you". He cleared his throat and took a deep breath before continuing. He knew that this was going to be hard and nerve wracking, but he never thought he would be this terrified. Mr. Oswald immediately shifted in his seat.
"Mr. Oswald, I love your daughter. I know we have only been in each other's presence a few times, but Clara and I have been together for what feels like centuries. We have been through so much together, and I know that I cannot give her a normal life…" he paused not knowing where he was going, but he sighed and trailed forwards, "but I will do my best to give her the best life I possibly can. I would adore spending as much of my life as I could with her, but out of respect I need your permission." He closed his eyes.
Mr. Oswald got up from where he was sitting and put his tea on the table next to him. He walked over to where the Doctor was standing and faced him directly. They stood facing each other for a few seconds before Mr. Oswald did something completely out of character. He brought the Doctor into a tight embrace, which the Doctor quickly returned. He felt a weight drop off of his shoulders as the hug was released and Mr. Oswald stood back away from him smiling.
"Yes, Doctor" he chuckled before completing his thought, "Clara is a wonderful girl and she deserves the universe. I know you can give her that… but keep her safe. Please."
He started beaming, "Of course" he said excitedly, "I would never want it any other way". The Doctor looked at Dave Oswald and could not help but admire him. He lost his wife, and yet he was still willing to give away the love of his life. "She really wanted your approval, you know. She told me before we even started dating. She really loves you".
"I know" Mr. Oswald replied, "but she also really loves you, probably more than even you know. I can't imagine her loving anyone else. Take care of her, son".
They punctuated their conversation with a hand shake. They both finished their tea and bonded over football and Clara's engagement ring. Mr. Oswald thought it was perfect; it was small, but every light reflected off of it and every design was carved onto it carefully with precision. Little known to them, they got along well and did not mind talking to one another. When the Doctor had to leave, they both said their goodbyes and Dave wished him luck as he shut his front door.
He walked back to the console and perked up considerably as he programmed the coordinates of Clara's flat into the TARDIS. That Wednesday he would ask Clara to be his wife; and her father would be cheering for him on the side lines. When the TARDIS stopped, he grabbed the ring and took a breath. Clara's father may have said yes, but now it was time for the real test- asking the woman he esteemed to be his. He opened the doors and walked to her flat. The ring was in his tweed jacket and he was ready. Hours later, he returned to his ship grinning widely. His hearts were about twenty thousand sizes two big and the one thing he did not have was something he never wanted back. The ring was now carefully placed on his fiancé's finger as a reminder to the both of them that she was his and always would be.