16. The Time of the Doctor ending (prompted by MeMeDoTa)

Author's Note: This is very angsty but I think it needs to be in order to reflect the Doctor's treatment of Clara during this episode. And yes, I went there and wrote it as though the Doctor didn't change how he looked.

Clara had watched as the Doctor stood up to the Daleks. From her vantage point down on the ground, it was hard to see exactly what was going on. Then there was a blinding flash of golden light. Regeneration. She had heard him yell that word to the Daleks but that couldn't be possible. He had not long ago told her that all his regenerations were used up. Unless something happened with that crack but again she couldn't be sure, it was hard for her to see what was happening in the tower properly.

The residents of Christmas began to crowd Clara, knowing that she was close to the Doctor. They wanted to know what had happened to the Doctor. The general consensus seemed to be that the Doctor had died and they were lamenting his loss. Clara found it hard to hold back the tears and excused herself from the group. Without realising it, she was heading back towards the Tardis. As she walked, her mind finally comprehended what was going on with that crack in the sky. The Timelords had given the Doctor extra regenerations.

Clara had reached the Tardis now and noticed that the door was ajar. She entered warily, unsure of what to expect in there and then saw the Doctor, her Doctor, standing there.

"Doctor!" She exclaimed.

"Hello."

"You're young again. You're okay. You didn't even change your face."

"I have a whole new set of regenerations and this is the reset. Hmm, I must have vanity issues with this face too." He grinned widely and held out his arms to Clara.

Clara edged forward but then stopped. The Doctor looked at her with a mixture of love and confusion on his face.

"You sent me away," Clara said sharply. "Twice."

The Doctor winced at the hurt in Clara's voice.

"I forgave you after the first time you sent me home," Clara continued when it became obvious the Doctor wasn't going to say anything. "When I came back, I was expecting to stay with you but then you lied to me and sent me back again."

"I wanted to keep you safe."

"I didn't need protecting."

"You're going to say that you can look after yourself. I know. I've seen that for myself."

"I didn't need protecting," Clara repeated. "I needed to be with you because I love you."

The Doctor blinked as he noticed the tense that Clara used. He knew that he had treated her poorly and didn't deserve her love. Yet here she was declaring that she still loved him. It gave him hope.

"I love you too."

Clara shook her head. "You've spent so long on Trenzalore that I doubt it."

"Clara, I do love you," he said earnestly. "There wasn't a day when I didn't think of you. I never stopped loving you. You still have a place in my hearts."

"Humph. If you love me, then why did you send me away?"

"I didn't want you to get hurt."

"Too late for that. I am hurt."

"I know," he said sadly. "And I really am sorry. I wanted to make sure you were safe and knew I wouldn't be able to with all the threats from my enemies. The weeping angels were bad enough. I was so scared I'd lose you when an angel grabbed your ankle. I didn't want to send you away. I wanted you by my side. But I knew I'd lose you eventually. It was either watch you grow old and die or let you go so you could live your life. I let you go because I love you."

The Doctor and Clara had moved closer to each other during this exchange. The Doctor tentatively reached out his arms again and Clara stepped into the hug.

"I love you so much," Clara began. "I travelled through the time vortex by holding onto the outside of the Tardis just so I could see you again. I wanted to arrive moments after I left but the Tardis seemed to have other ideas."

The Doctor smiled slightly as he thought of the tricky relationship his ship and his impossible girl had. By her tone, Clara appeared to be a little bit more like the sassy Clara the Doctor knew and loved. But, he couldn't take it for granted that he was forgiven. He knew it would take a long time for Clara to be completely healed and he was willing to spend the rest of her life making it up to her.