The Doctor patiently waited his companion outside the bathroom. The latter had walked slowly through the corridor as she took small baby steps. The Doctor would have wanted to heave her and relieve her of the pain, but she wanted to do it on her own.
His sweet brave Clara...
"Take your time." He had said, his hand cupping her cheekbone, his thumb stroking her beautiful immaculate skin. "The TARDIS locked the medbay just here,so I'll treat your ankle again, just to make sure it heals as soon as possible."
Clara nodded, blushing ever so slightly. "Thanks Doctor."
"I'll be waiting outside if you need anything, OK?" He said. The companion's reply involved nothing more than a weak sad smile before the Doctor pressed a sweet kiss to her forehead, turned and closed the door behind him.
He could hear the running water in the bath. He could just imagine the water making its way down her petite frame, her pale skin bubbling with fruity body soaps, her hair lathered with lavander or strawberry or vanilla or any other scented shampoo, letting the physical reminents of Skaro descend into the drain as the water continued flowing freely.
He thought she was... No... She actually was the most perfect, immaculate creation of the Universe. And yes... She was broken- they had broken her so many times and it was his fault; but that made her even more beautiful, more resilient.
The Doctor soon heard the water flow stop. He turned alert, sitting up from the floor.
Never give up, never give in. That was his mantra during the days he had broken the promise. But... It seemed that she had taken it as her life motto. It was almost scary how similar she had become to him. He had already told her to take her time traveling life slow. She would always say "Yes" or nod.
"I'll be careful, Doctor." She chuckled, walking towards him as she noticed his broken hearts. "Don't you worry. I'll be fine."
The Doctor would see her smile, so perfect, and feel his hearts shatter when he remembered there will be a time where that smile would vanish. He'd sigh. "Oh, Clara... My sweet Clara." His finger could trail her cheekbone. "I don't want to lose you."
She would simply peck his cheek. "I'll be fine, daft old man. I-"
He heard the bathroom door open, revealing, apart from the fog and moisture, a feeble form, looking downwards in shame for being so dependent from behind the ajar door. She was wearing a casual black T-shirt having "Keep Calm and Time Travel" printed on it and black yoga pants, the side of the twisted ankle rolled up slightly higher. It was still inflated and discoloured, but at least it looked better than from how it had been a few hours earlier and she could stand up on it for just a split second before it hurt too bad.
He heaved her to medbay in bridal style, ignoring her protests to try and walk herself, before placing her at the edge of one of the beds, still sitting upright. He took a tube of alien rapid healing cream and a clean sterile gauze. "Is it still hurting you?" said the Doctor as he bend down to reach her ankle.
"A bit... Not as much as it was though." she replied. He nodded. The time lord squeezed out some cream onto his fingers from its bigger-on-the-inside tube and slowly massaged it onto her ankle. Clara hissed as soon as she felt the cold gel, wrapping her fingers tightly to the edge of the bed. She was biting her bottom lip as she held her eyes closed.
"Alright?" The Doctor asked, looking up at her. Her eyes opened.
"Yeah, yeah just cold." She breathed, as the girl tried to hide the real cause of her hiss.
The Doctor's eyebrow arched. "And ever so slightly in pain." She breathed, closing her eyes again in surrender.
The time lord knew her too well by now.
"It'll soon be over, OK?" said the time lord as he let his hand rest on the knee of her better foot. Her eyes opened to him, seeing his worried expression. He didn't want her to feel any more pain. She didn't deserve to feel pain in any circumstance.
"Nothing I can't handle." She breathed a laugh nervously, hunched forward and gripping the sheets tighter.
He smiled. She was always brave, his Clara. And so, he continued to spread the cream evenly over the ankle, and soon turned to wrapping it with a gauze before finishing with a supportive brace. "This should do." He said as the Doctor stood up. "How are you feeling?"
"Slightly in pain." She responded.
"I'll give you some meds with the sushi. Should minimise the pain for quite a bit." He replied as the time lord has her back towards her, placing the meds in their rightful place.
"Thank you, Doctor." Clara replied with a smile on her face, her cheeks slightly blushing. "For everything." She continued.
He stopped rummaging in the cupboards, turning his face a little towards her. "Don't mention it." He replied, also slightly embarrassed before continuing. The companion's stomach growled, which broke the embarrassed atmosphere, and both the Doctor and his Clara started laughing.
After they calmed down, the time lord walked towards her and said, "Let's take you to eat. Do you want me to heave you up or-?" She soon stopped him.
"I'll use the crutches... Try to strengthen myself."
The Doctor nodded. He brought the crutches (which the TARDIS had sent to the medbay from the bathroom) and curled his arm around Clara's waist, as the latter let her arm curl around his neck. The time Lord helped her sit up the high bed, wincing slightly as soon as the other foot touched the ground. "Sorry." Said the Doctor.
"It's fine. Don't worry." She replied, and took the crutches, slowly placing her hand in each one.
"Ready?" He said to her.
Clara nodded.
"Tell me if you get tired or the pain gets unbearable, OK?"
He looked worried, and so Clara's lips turned into a smile and said, not to worry him further, "Will do." He took one step towards her and pressed a sweet kiss to her forehead, smoothing her hair. The time lord moved aside and Clara was soon taking her first steps. The Doctor remembered he had left the cushions he had taken for Clara in the corridor and the TARDIS had most likely placed it in its rightful place. So he grabbed two of the soft pillows on the nearest bed and followed Clara attentively.
Clara was just a few feet away from the kitchen, she huffed and puffed as she started feeling weary supporting the weight of her feeble body with one foot and 2 crutches. The Doctor in front of her stopped, turning and looking at her worriedly. "Are you alright, Clara?" The Doctor said.
"Yeah yeah." She breathed. "Soon there I suppose, yeah?"
The Doctor nodded. "Let me help you."
She shook her head. "No need. I can do this."
The gallifreyan's lips curled into a sad smile, feeling proud of having such a strong willed companion. And so, Clara continued to walk on. Soon they arrived to the kitchen, to which the Doctor opened the door and led Clara in before closing it behind them.
"Oh hello dear." Said Missy as she saw the companion entering the kitchen. The latter rolled her eyes. "Good morning to you too." The time lady said sarcastically before retuning to her passion fruit yogurt. The Doctor pulled back a chair opposite to the female time lord and helped his companion sit down on it before taking away her crutches and placing them in a corner near the door. Then he pulled back a chair which separated the time lord and the Doctor's companion and placed the pillows. The time lord helped her elevate her injured leg onto the seat.
"Good?" The Doctor asked.
"Great." Clara smiled. The time lord paced to the freezer and took out 2 wooden boxes. He opened a drawer nearby and took out 2 pairs of chopsticks before placing everything on the table. The companion grabbed a box and a pair of chopsticks and opened the wax seal, looking hungrily at the variety of such fish rolls in the box. The Doctor soon handed her a small bowl of soy sauce before taking his box, sticks and soy sauce bowl to go and sit between Clara and Missy, opposite to the seat used to elevate Clara's ankle.
"Oh," said the Doctor. "Almost forgot to give you the pill." He sat up again, filled a glass with water, and handed it to Clara, before digging in his pocket to bring out a bottle of human pain killers, handing her one, the girl swallowing it right away with a few gulps of water. He placed the bottle back in his pocket and opened the box.
"Great, so you get the sushi and I get this... crap..." Missy placed half full cup on the table. "low fat passion fruit yogurt." She scoffed. Clara chuckled and so did the Doctor.
"There's always left over sushi in the freezer, if you want Missy." He said as he dipped the sushi roll into the soy sauce and took a bite.
"Doctor!" Clara gritted between her teeth.
"Relax, there's plenty still left." He replied, with the companion saying nothing in reply. The female time lord dragged her feet while she walked towards the freezer. She opened it and took out a smaller wooden box similar to Clara and the Doctor's. When she sat down, after taking a pair of chopsticks, she opened the box to find only two sushi rolls.
"Oh you've got to be kidding me." Clara and the Doctor chuckled. "What are you too laughing about?"
The time lord soon replied, "It's the TARDIS' doing, Missy, don't look at us."
She huffed and crossed her legs on the table. "Missy?" The Doctor asked with eyebrows arched. She stopped and gazed at him.
"What?" She asked. The Doctor gestured towards her legs. She sulked and slowly slid off her legs.
"So your puppy can put up her leg and I can't?" said Missy, scoffing yet again.
The time lady was provoking Clara and the latter felt it and felt infuriated. "I am not a puppy Missy. More than can be said for you, you-"
"Hey hey. Let's just calm down for a minute. OK?" Thank goodness the Doctor was able to stop her from continuing. It's very difficult to stop his companion from her rant once she's angry; thank heavens that the Doctor was one of the only people that could control Clara' s temper (and she controlling his, to say the least). "Can we at least eat without having to fight?" He continued. Clara looked down in shame.
"Sorry." She mumbled. But the time lady said otherwise.
"The puppy started it." She breathed without making eye contact with either the Doctor or Clara.
"That's it, Doctor." Clara shouted as she banged the sushi box shut. "I'm going to eat in my room."
"And how are you arriving, since you have such a horrible leg, sweetie?" The time lady said as the companion locked the box and prepared to stand up, the gallifreyan. Having a wide smirk on her face.
But the Doctor held his 'best friend's' shoulder. "Clara, you're not going anywhere." He then turned to his archenemy, letting his attack eyebrow mode flourish. "Missy, shut up and eat the sushi roll if you're so hungry." She rolled her eyes and continued eating it. "You can go eat it somewhere else if you're so pissed."
Missy scoffed. "Me? Pissed? I'm never pissed, dear. It's your pet who's pissed off. I have told you; you'd go to hell if she asked; you'd do absolutely anything for her to please your girl." she smirked before walking away, still munching the sushi roll and taking the open box and chopsticks.
A silence locked the room. No one moved, no one breathed.
"Doctor..." Clara breathed.
He replied nothing. The time lord continued to play with his chopsticks, poking the sushi.
She let her fingers curl around his hand. He stopped poking the sushi roll and let her warmth soothe him. "Please Doctor..." He heard once again.
The Doctor turned to look at her. He looked as if he was going to cry.
"I don't want you to suffer because of me, OK?" The companion said. Her friend swallowed thickly.
"I don't care what you think; don't suffer." She continued, her eyebrows arched upwards.
After a few moments of silence, the Doctor nodded, his eyes brimming with tears. Clara took his hand and grazed it along her cheek. He looked at her and offered her a feeble smile, as she offered him a bright grin.
"Don't let her ruin your lunch, Doctor." She said.
The Doctor was still delved in his thoughts, so she took his hand and kissed his rough knuckles over and over until he came back to her.
'You don't give up, do you?" He said with a sad smile.
"Nah." She said, still holding his hand in hers. "And besides, why should I give up on my best friend who would never give up on me?"
A/N: feedback appreciated!