At first, the conversation over the table and mugs of milk seemed forced and cheery, since the Doctor was used to putting tragedy behind him quickly in order to move on. Hamish wasn't really having much of it, but after an hour of fake smiles and tiptoeing around feelings, the Doctor spilled scalding milk onto his lap on accident and hopped around like a deranged otter to avoid the pain of the heat.

It made Hamish laugh so hard he fell off his chair, and from then on the four seemed more relaxed by far. They acknowledged the loss, as the absence of Sherlock's analytical remarks and John trying to keep him from embarrassing someone was evident, but it showed promise for something—a new family that could heal.

"And then—you won't believe what Sherlock did after that—he told the Slorgon Emperor that the Empress was cheating on him with a faulty Cyberman!" the Doctor said, guffawing into his third mug of Crème à la Junior.

Hamish held tightly onto Clara's hand to keep from slipping off his chair again. "That sounds like him. Where was I when all this was happening?"

"That's the best part! John couldn't even see the Medusa Cascade because he was trying to find you, and you were off trying to find more Jammie Dodgers in the grand kitchen, and you managed to build a small-scale castle out of it! Sherlock happened to find you and he started helping you make it, and by the time we all found you, you both had made a copy of the Coliseum together! Oh, Sherlock really loved you," the Doctor said. "He and John adored you, they loved you so very much. I hope you know that."

Hamish nodded. "I know. So, what's the plan, then? What do we do, now?"

"Well, they've left you 221B," Clara explained. "And the money in their accounts, which Sherlock happened to tell me is no small amount, since they wanted a nice nest egg for you if anything happened to you. You can live there on your own and go to uni in the fall."

"Uni! Brilliant!" the Doctor said. "Where are you going?"

"Oh, he's an Oxford man, sweetie," River purred, looping her arm through his. "Didn't you used to teach at Oxford?"

"Well, yes, for about two days, but I was investigating something…oh, I sound like Sherlock now, don't I?"

"Yeah, a bit," Hamish laughed. "Wow. What are you two going to do?"

"Well, they'll take the TARDIS back," Clara said for them. "Won't you, Dad?"

Silence crept over the table as the Doctor hesitated. He gulped and looked to River, who took his hand encouragingly. "Well, dear, your mum and I wanted to discuss that with you…"

"What's to discuss? You have your machine back, and she missed you. We'll all travel together."

He shook his head. "Clara, trust me, I can't believe I'm saying this, but I think…I think it might be time for me to settle down."

Her jaw dropped open. "You're kidding. You're the Doctor, of course you'll keep traveling. It's what you do. You're a Time Lord, it's all you know!"

"I was a Time Lord," he said. "I used to be. But this body doesn't have any regenerations, and neither does River. If I keep in shape, I'll get thirty more years, and that's optimistic. Sherlock didn't take very good care of himself. River probably won't get much more than me, and if one of us were to die, that would be the end. What would the point of coming back to life be if we just died again?"

"But you'll be careful!" Clara argued. "You're the Doctor and River Song. You can't just settle down! You don't know how."

River shrugged. "We can still travel around the world. Maybe the Doctor can take Sherlock's old job. He'll be in the body they're expecting, anyway—I'm sure he can solve cases almost as well."

Clara was shaking her head, denying it. "I don't believe this. I can't believe this. Who'll take the TARDIS?"

"You, sweetie. The Doctor left her to you, anyway. She's yours for as long as you want her."

"I don't want the TARDIS. You can have her back."

The Doctor chuckled. "Liar, liar, pants on fire. You love the TARDIS—you're just trying to be nice to your old dad."
"And is that so wrong?" asked Clara. "I've already messed up enough in my life."

"Don't say that," Hamish said, squeezing her hand. "Your parents are trying to give you a gift, Clara—embrace it."

"Besides, you do have a companion," the Doctor said, nodding to Hamish. "A great one, I daresay. Our family knows how to pick 'em, I'll say that much."

"I'd agree with you on that," Clara replied. She smiled gratefully at Hamish. "All right, all right—thank you, Mum and Dad! Hamish, what do you say? Travel the stars with me?"
"I thought you'd never ask. Of course, I need to be back for uni…" Hamish brought his mug to the sink along with Clara's and the Doctor's, since River was still nursing her cupful. "If you two need a place to stay, the world doesn't know that Sherlock Holmes is dead. You can live at 221B, if you like."

"Oh, Hamish, that's very kind of you, but we couldn't," River said, but Hamish shook his head vehemently.

"It's my house, isn't it? I can rent it out to any tenants I want—as long as I can keep my bedroom upstairs."

The Doctor bowed his head in gratitude. "That's very kind of you. Thank you, Mish. This is going to be so cool, being all domestic and eating food on a regular schedule! I'm going to eat lots of chips…"

"You're going to get bored in 45 minutes," River disagreed. "But you're going to have to get used to it. I'll see if I can find a vortex manipulator to ease the boredom, when it gets bad…"

"River, imagine what it will do to my hair…"

The older couple left the kitchen to pilot the TARDIS away, leaving Clara and Hamish alone at the table. Clara fiddled with her thumbs and smiled to herself. "I can't believe it—the TARDIS is mine. I don't deserve her."

"Of course you do," Hamish said. He pulled his chair closer to Clara and kissed her temple, and for once, she didn't have a comment or disparaging remark about his age. "Can I learn how to fly her?"

"Never, ever. My family is the strangest," she sighed, leaning into his shoulder.

"I like them. Looks like I'm going to have to impress them." He looked at her hopefully. "Bad timing, I know, but…we said 'to be continued.' "

"I know. But I don't know what to say about it," Clara said, putting her head in his hands.

"Are you…upset that I have feelings for you?"

"A bit, but only because you're so young. It's not you," she explained. "Do you want to know the last thing I saw, when I was leaving Netherspace?"

"Go for it."

"I saw," she said, "your parents, reassuring each other that staying together was the best choice, even in a strange new world, even though they knew it meant they could never be with you, even though it meant that they could never really die…and they looked so happy. Scared, but happy that they could at least be together. And they told me they wanted me to fight for love the way they did, and then I came back here and you were so willing and ready to save me." She pursed her lips. "It was much appreciated."

He raised an eyebrow. "Me saving your life was 'much appreciated'?"

"Thank you?"

"That's a start."

"I'm sorry, I'm rubbish at this," she said. She bit her lip and concentrated. "I like you, too."

"That's better."

"I just wish you hadn't had to do it. I've already taken so much from you, and–"

"Clara," he groaned. "Please stop—or at least know that I would kill that man, or a hundred others, if it meant that you'd be safe. I have a bad aim, so I wouldn't do a good job of it, but I'd keep you safe. I kind of grew up with a perfect love story, so I know the drill."

She grinned. "Oh, do you, now?"

"I do." He reached over and stroked Clara's cheek. "Erm, Clara?"

"Yes, Hamish Watson-Holmes?"

"I love you." He coughed. "I wanted to be more manly about this."

She shook her head and laughed. "No, no, it's fine. Keep talking."

"I love you—and I know that sounds crazy, and it is, it definitely is, I know it. Trust me, I know it's stupid—not that you're stupid, but er—well, I lost my dads today. But they get to be together, and you said they were trying to teach us some lesson, and really, that is just like Father to turn his own death into a lesson, but anyway… I've been living my entire life in their shadow, and it wasn't bad, but I always felt like I had to measure up to them in some way and find something to be remembered for, and when I saw you coming out of that blue box, it was…cosmic. I knew that was it, for me."

"What was what?"

"I knew that you were my greatness. The greatest thing I'll ever do—no, not like that!" He blushed. "I mean, the greatest thing I'll ever do is love you. I don't mind being the sidekick, not to you. I told you, the second I saw you, I was hooked."

She wrinkled her nose. "I don't really believe in love at first sight stuff."

"Oh, I do," he said with a smile. "Dad told me once, under the promise never to tell Father, that he fell in love as soon as he saw Father, and I never believed him. He used to say, 'As soon as I walked into that lab and saw that gorgeous creature and he first spoke to me—Afghanistan or Iraq, he asked me—it hit me like a ton of bricks, and I bloody well fought it for two years before I realized I was completely in love with him.' And I felt that ton of bricks, Clara. They've been bludgeoning me since I met you."

A slow, huge smile spread across her face and she looked up at Hamish warmly. "Lyra."

"Lyra?"

"Lyradesphielumandar. It's my real name," she said. "It's kind of a long story, and I'd be happy to tell you, but Dad gave me a Time Lady name when I was born, and it's Lyradesphielumandar."

"Oh. Erm, it's lovely. Could you say that again, maybe write it down?"

She shoved him playfully. "Sod off, this is supposed to be a beautiful moment. Dad said that Time Lords can only tell their name to one person, only under very special circumstances, and that I'd know the person I was meant to tell it to."

Hamish's eyes widened. "One person…"

"Congratulations, Mish. I think I love you, too." She shook her head. "No, I do. I do love you, Hamish. It feels like it's raining bricks on my head right now."

Hamish looked blindingly happy. "Wow. Wow." Leaning in close, he smiled widely and put a hand on her waist. "I know what happens next."

"And what's that?" She wrapped her arms around his shoulders.
"I'm no expert, but I think I kiss you now. Fair warning, I've never actually kissed a girl—anyone—before."

"You're kidding."

"I'm a bit of a nerd."

"You're my nerd. And nerds love lessons, don't they?" She closed the gap between them and kissed him firmly on the lips. "Lesson one."