Sorry for the ending to part 1... I am... and sorry for leaving it so long before this chapter! Here it goes:
She stood there, staring at the flowers and the cards once again. He was still gone, the Doctor couldn't save him, she couldn't save him, she'd not only lost the man she loved but she'd betrayed her best friend too. Slowly she walked forward to the memorial, if you could call it that, and fell down on her knees picking up a bunch of flowers that were new since she'd last been. She couldn't read the card through the tears, but it looked like the handwriting of a year 8, it looks like a pupil. That's it, the last straw; she doesn't know what else to do. "THIS ISN'T FAIR!" She screamed, thumping the floor with her hands. "IT'S NOT…"
Clara woke with a start. It had been nearly 3 years since she'd last had that nightmare, the same nightmare in exactly the same way. It felt just as real, she was shaking again, but there was nobody there to calm her this time. It took far too long for her brain to register what was going on here, but that didn't stop tears from streaming down her face as she looked at the empty spot in the bed beside her. It had been 10 days since she'd last seen Danny, not that he was missing – she knew where he was, but she couldn't see him. He'd not been in work all week, he was ill apparently, not that she knew a lot about that either. She looked at the clock, 06:10, no point in going back to sleep even if she wanted to. Clara shifted out of bed and headed to the bathroom, hoping a shower would at least help her calm down.
Not long after she'd got out of the shower there were cries coming from the next room. Quickly pulling her dressing gown on, Clara went through and found Ellie standing up in her cot, clearly wanting out. She picked up her daughter, attempting to hush her cries in the process. Ellie clung on once she was picked up, leaning against Clara while she slowly relaxed.
"Daddy home yet?" Clara bit her lip, it broke her heart every time Ellie asked this, especially when she didn't have an answer.
"Not yet baby… not just yet." She replied, wishing she had more to tell her, but simply knowing nothing more. "Let's get you dressed shall we? What you going to wear today then?" They went over to her wardrobe, opening it up and Clara letting Ellie pick out a dress she wanted. Thankfully her daughter was feeling cooperative this morning, maybe even sensing Clara's tiredness and emotion as they got sorted for going out.
Leaving Ellie to eat her breakfast, Clara went around organising everything she needed for the day. She paused as she noticed a few books from Danny's year 11s sat in a corner that she hadn't noticed last week. Adding them to her pile she packed everything in her bag, sighing softly and wondering if he would be there today, it wasn't like him to take so much time off. The last thing she picked up was her phone, and Clara considered texting him, she hovered over his name for a few seconds before locking the screen again and sticking it in her pocket. Once Ellie was sorted and they both had shoes on, they left for the day.
He was definitely in school that much was clear from the looks she was getting when she went in to the staffroom. After a good couple of minutes of people whispering in corners, Clara gave up and left, heading towards Danny's room to get the book delivery over as soon as possible. She paused before turning the corner to his corridor and knocking on the door. Danny looked up from his desk, spotting Clara stood at the door. He walked over, opening it to an awkward silence.
"Can I help you?" He eventually spoke, almost making Clara jump.
"Your year 11 books were still at home, I thought you'd probably need them…" It was almost as awkward as their first conversation, maybe even more so, neither of them knowing how the other might react. Clara handed the books to him and he nodded a thanks. There was another silence, eventually broken by Clara. "Danny please we need to stop this. We need to sit down and talk, really talk… this isn't us, it's just not." Normally Clara felt so strong in herself, but right now she was trembling, terrified at what could play out here. Unexpectedly, Danny moved out the way to allow her in.
Normally she'd settle herself on the edge of a desk, but this time she just stood awkwardly inside the classroom, almost as if she was a student about to be told off. Danny clearly had other ideas, taking her bags off her and putting them down, leaning against the edge of his desk and gesturing for her to perch on the one opposite which she did.
"I've had a long time to think in the last week, turns out there is not much else you can do with labyrinthitis. I may have overreacted a little…" Clara resisted the urge to make a sarcastic comment at this point, letting him speak. "You did save my life and I was running away, I don't really know what from I think I just got addicted to the running it was a release. We should have talked, I understand why you went off with him, I don't understand why you didn't tell me. You got hurt; I don't like seeing that… whenever you're with him all I see is you putting yourself in danger. That's hard, we got through it once but, I don't know, I just couldn't stay and watch it happen again. It's terrifying, knowing you could be disappearing without me knowing and you might never come back…" Clara felt a twinge from her still healing ribs which hadn't been helped by the previous week's events. Danny was looking at the floor now, Clara decided to try and go over to him, gently placing a hand on his arm.
"Before you came along I travelled with the doctor without guilt, no worries, no cares. I never even thought that I might not come back for the most part. I jumped in to his time stream to save him because that's what I was supposed to do, I didn't even think I'd make it back at that point; I thought that was the end. Evidently I have died twice before, but that's a story for another day. Things changed when you arrived, I was always thinking about you, always wondering what you'd think. I didn't know what to do, so I kept my lives separate. There was Clara and there was Miss Oswald and they were two very different people. That didn't last, as you know. Eventually we got closer, and I made the decision I couldn't carry it on, it just didn't work with us anymore, I didn't want it, I didn't need it… cliché as it sounds, you were all the thrill I needed." Clara moved her hand down so she could hold his. "I never thought about going back until the other week. When I was here I spent all my time looking after Ellie or working. I was so stressed but I didn't have time to think about it and I had nobody to talk to either. The Doctor gave me time, I didn't want the thrill I just wanted the time. I just asked him to take me away, the danger was accidental, but I felt like I'd missed it…"
Danny stopped her in her tracks, kissing her. Once she was over the initial shock, Clara wrapped her arms round him before thinking better of it.
"No no no I need to finish Danny, I need to explain… you need the truth. I had missed it, I didn't care about the odd bruise, we saved people, saw wonderful things, but that wasn't enough. I missed you more; I was much more concerned about you the whole time. That's why I got hurt, I wasn't thinking straight. I did enjoy the trips, it was fun, but I missed you. I don't want him, I want you. I want my family, but I cannot do it alone. We need to be open and honest with each other, we promised this but we're both still hiding a lot. I know there's a lot I haven't told you, I saw your reaction just then when I told you I died twice. We're 4 years down the line; this was always going to blow up one day and that's entirely my fault and I'm sorry, I'm really and truly sorry and I…"
"Clara," Danny interrupted, "what happened to your hand?" She'd forgotten about that, it was a nightmare-induced injury, she presumed from punching the side of her dresser. "It looks fresh…"
"It's nothing, I…" she paused, remembering the truth she'd promised to tell. "I had that nightmare again, the one where you… the one where you died. I woke up with a bleeding hand I can only presume the two are connected. That's really not important right now anyway." Danny pulled her close, kissing her head in the way he always used to.
"I'm not going to say it's not your fault, that wouldn't be the truth, but I should never have been so stupid as to leave you alone like that, I go at you for running away and then I go and do this? You're right, this isn't us at all. I'm going to fix this." He spoke as the bell went. Clara stepped back from him, wiping her eyes quickly. "You'd better get to class; can I see you at break?" Danny pushed her hair back behind her ear.
"What exactly would you do if I said no?" Clara smiled slightly, looking up to him.
"Tie you down?"
"Steady on now Mr Pink!" They both chuckled slightly as the kids arrived making comments.
"See you at break." Clara whispered and headed off to her own class.
Break time couldn't come quick enough, but it seemed to take an eternity. Eventually though the bell rang and Clara got her class packed up and out. As they finished filing out, Danny arrived at the door holding a piece of paper. Clara finished tidying as he walked in, smiling at him when he walked over to her and put the paper in front of her.
"This is my plan." He spoke as she read the email. It was a booking for a cottage in Dorset for the weekend. "I know it's not till Friday but I don't think it's a valid reason for time off. I just thought that if we had a few days away we could…" Clara turned around in his grasp and kissed him gently. "Well yeah that too but…" Clara chuckled.
"I know what you mean, and you're right. You're so right, thank you. You're back…" Clara smiled, almost breathing a sigh of relief. "Do you want tea?"
"That involves leaving here and I'm the happiest I have been in a long while right now so… I'll hold off on tea. Unless you're desperate of course?" Danny kissed her head before she sat up on the desk.
"I have a free next, I'll get tea then. We got 15 minutes and that's 15 more than we've had for the last few weeks… I forgot how dull lunchtime was on my own." Clara pulled Danny's hands from round her so she could hold them, playing a little with his fingers.
"To be fair that's only because you moved your homework sessions to be the same day as mine all that time ago. Don't think I didn't notice." Clara grinned a little sheepishly; clearly her little plan hadn't worked as well as she thought. "I was always quite glad you did though, I enjoy our lunchtime dates, even to this day."
"Well thanks to Ellie we don't get a lot of time to just sit otherwise. Are you free today? We could go to the park? It's a beautiful day and it might be nice to get out?" Clara asked, kissing him again
"That sounds wonderful, no weird aliens hanging around this time though, I could do without that again if I'm honest, and I think you could do with letting yourself heal. I prescribe much tea and rest tonight." Clara smiled, leaning in to him again and wrapping her arms around his waist. "I'll let you in to a little secret, as long as you promise not to tell anybody." Danny paused and Clara nodded, comfy where she was. "I love how strong you are, I love that you can go out there and fight all these creatures and come back relatively unhurt. I love that when you saw whatever it was the other day you were able to just know what to do, realistically I'd have been screwed if you hadn't been there, I love that about you but…"
"But I scare the living daylights out of you. I know and I completely understand. Both times you've seen us fighting you've seen me in a life threatening situation and I get that is so difficult to comprehend. I'm not going back though, I promise I'm not going back; I couldn't do that to you or Ellie - had a friendly reminder of that last night." Danny took her hand back and kissed the scar that was beginning to form there. "I've got all I need." Clara spoke softly, so softly that they didn't miss the closing of her classroom door.
Clara jumped off the table, both of them looking at the door and then to each other. Very quickly Clara went over to the door, opening it and looking out, recognising the grey haired figure disappearing down the corridor. She went to run after him, but stopped, remembering what she'd just said. Danny appeared behind her, following her gaze although he'd gone now. She stepped back inside the room, pulling Danny back and shutting the door again. There was explaining to do to the Doctor as well, but now was not the time to do it, one relationship at a time.
"DADDYYYY!" Ellie ran, in her own little way, over to Danny as she was led out to them. Clara smiled as Danny picked his daughter up and held her tight. The nursery teacher handed Ellie's coat and bag over to her to which Clara responded with a thank you and started to head out to the car, listening to the other two members of her family chatting away which continued the whole journey home.
When they arrived home, Clara put all the bags down and headed in to the kitchen, but she was soon followed by Danny who had Ellie stood on his feet giggling away.
"I'm sure I prescribed you rest tonight, Ellie and I can sort dinner." Clara turned round looking a little panicked, which Danny clearly picked up on. "Don't worry she'll spend a lot of time in her booster with colouring pencils. You go relax, or get marking out the way, as long as it involves you being sat down for the next hour or so." She went to open her mouth to speak but Danny put a finger over her lips. "Go!"
"Goooo!" Ellie joined in, jumping around between them. "Mama gooooo. Ellie gooooooo?" Danny grabbed Ellie, pulling her up to much delight of his daughter.
"You stay here sweetie, you and Daddy are going to make dinner apparently! Mummy will see you in a bit." Clara kissed her daughter on the head and headed back out in to the living room where she settled down to get some marking done.
As promised, just over an hour later there was a stirring from the kitchen and Ellie ran out to her. Clara felt a tugging on her leg and looked down to see a grinning child looking at her looking slightly hopefully. Putting her work down, Clara pulled Ellie up on to her lap.
"Food time! Daddy say so." Her face went quite serious; Clara had to laugh a little as Danny had clearly been teaching her this. "Come oooon!" Clara nodded, standing up and carrying her through to the dining room where dinner was waiting on the table. She ignored the mess, that didn't matter, the food looked beautiful and both Ellie and Danny looked quite proud of themselves, even though they all knew Danny could cook perfectly well. Clara sat down at the table where Danny was holding the chair out, smiling up at him.
"It looks wonderful, thank you so much." She said as they started eating.
"What did you get up to then?" Danny asked, tucking in.
"Coursework marking - my year 10s have produced some brilliant creative writing pieces, it's actually quite enjoyable to mark to be honest. Believe it or not, Ruby actually does have an imagination in there somewhere." They both chuckled at the reference to previous conversations and continued eating.
"That was really very nice thank you…" Clara spoke as she finished eating, almost falling asleep now as she realised just how much the last few weeks had got on top of her. Danny stood up and cleared the plates away, looking back at her when he reached the sink.
"Go on, go to bed. You need to rest now or else you'll be no use to anybody tomorrow." She nodded, laying her head down on the table in front of her with a lack of energy quite evident. Danny came back to the table and crouched down beside her. "Need a hand?" Clara mumbled something in to the table which was interpreted as a yes. He stood up again, letting Ellie out of her chair first before going back to Clara and carefully picking her up. "Been a little while since I've done this, I forgot how light you are."
"Flattery will get you everywhere… tomorrow." She spoke quietly but with a smile which Danny chuckled at. She soon found herself on the bed curled up, completely not caring she was still dressed. Danny pulled the blanket over her, sitting on the edge of the bed beside her for a moment and playing with her hair soothingly. Ellie had followed them up and was now attempting to climb up on the bed which Danny assisted with eventually and she immediately crawled over to curl up beside Clara.
"Mummy sleepy now." Clara put her arm around Ellie as she settled down, shutting her eyes. Danny didn't move from his spot, at least not until she'd fallen asleep.
There we go, I can never resist a happy ending :) I'm beginning to run out of chapter ideas now... I have 1 more almost written (we're jumping a few years in the next one!) but then I'm not sure. SO if anyone has anything they want written, drop a note either privately or in the reviews okay?
Thanks lovelies xxx