On the eleventh day of Christmas, the TARDIS gave to me: Eleven's last phone call (ten stupid Time Lords, nine sonic sunglasses, eight confession dials, seven cyber graveyards, six Davros Daleks, FIVE MISSY SCHEMES, four Coal Hill Schools, three hybrids, two Osgoods, and Clara travelling with Me).

One day, not long after she had resumed travelling with the Doctor (the new Doctor), Clara stood pensively, alone in the TARDIS console room. The Doctor had just nipped into another room, to grab a 'timey-wimey detector' or something – Clara hadn't really been listening. She had been too wrapped up in the recent memory of their latest adventure, and comparing that to her alternate lifestyle as an English teacher. However, as the Doctor was leaving the room, he'd turned back and addressed Clara directly, speaking quite seriously, but with an enthusiastic undertone. "This next trip, it's going to be a whopper, I'm telling you."

His words triggered a completely different memory for Clara, one that was also rather recent. The words in the associated memory soon returned to her, words spoken by the same yet such a different man, in his last moments: "Because I think it's going to be a whopper."

Clara was instantly transported to and re-immersed in that time, when she was so scared of the new Doctor yet was reassured for one final time by the old one…

"It's me, Clara. The Doctor."

"What do you mean, the Doctor?"

"I'm phoning you from Trenzalore."

She had been so confused, so conflicted, especially at a time when she had been at her most vulnerable, emotionally.

"Why? Why would you do this?"

"Because I think it's going to be a whopper. And I think you might be scared."

Damn right she had been scared. Of course, she knew about Time Lord regeneration and how it worked, pretty much, but nothing could have prepared her for witnessing it first-hand and then having to get to know a whole new person.

"And however scared you are, Clara, the man you are with right now – the man I hope you are with – believe me, he is more scared than anything you can imagine right now. And he needs you."

At this point, Clara had still been massively unsure. She was torn between her fear of the unknown leading on from such a drastic change in both her and the Doctor's lives, and her loyalty to the first Doctor she had met. The Eleventh Doctor sensed this, and had continued to emphasise what he required of her.

"Clara, please, eh? For me. Help him." He was struggling to speak now, growing so tired, yet he gathered the strength to carry on, urging his friend. "Go on. And don't be afraid."

The Twelfth Doctor then exited the TARDIS, stepping closer to Clara as if attempting to comfort her in his own awkward way. However, Clara didn't acknowledge him, not yet, as she concentrated on the voice of her old Doctor. She knew it was almost time for him to go, and she insisted on savouring the moment, seeing as it was the last she would ever hear of him.

"Goodbye, Clara."

Clara closed her eyes, holding back tears.

"Miss ya."

And then he was gone.

A tear formed in Clara's eye as she re-lived such an emotionally harrowing moment, although it never fell. She had missed that Doctor, she really had. Then she saw no reason to – she was still travelling with him, at the end of the day. Even if he did have a different face, a different personality, but that was just all make-up. He was the same man, under it all.

"You can't see me, can you? You look at me, and you can't see me. Have you any idea what that's like? I'm not on the phone, I'm right here. Standing in front of you. Please, just… see me!" The Doctor had pleaded with her, desperately trying to make her understand. Because that's what he was: desperate.

"Right, off we go then!" Interrupting Clara's thought process, the Doctor dashed back into the console room, all set and prepared for their next trip. "A new adventure, a new era. All of time and space, just waiting for us. The question is, are you ready?"

The old Doctor had been right; this new man was scared, terrified even. He needed Clara, more than ever. Finally, she realised this and accepted him for who he was – the Doctor.

And boy, was she glad she had done.

"Yeah. Yeah, I am." She smiled up at the Doctor, who smirked slightly in return. Together, they approached the main console. Because that's what the Doctor and Clara were meant to be, that's how their adventures happened. Together.