*Hey peeps, your friendly neighbourhood Potter Doctor here. This is the Dave chapter I promised, we've got Annabelle's POV in the next one, plus some more insight into Tom Parker's intentions and then Chapter 22 is called: Ten. A lot of angry Clara in this chapter as well, so I hope you guys enjoy it and brace yourselves for some foul language! As ever, thanks so much to everyone who reads, reviews, follows and favourites, you guys make my day, week, month, year, everything. Please keep doing so. So, here we are.
Clara's alarm clock was blaring and she reached out for it, but the Doctor had beaten her to the punch, flinging out an arm so fast she was convinced he was going to punch her in the face. He'd done that before, she recalled. A few times. Twice before they were together, his wild gesticulations had connected with her face and once more the previous weekend, where he'd managed to sock her in the jaw whilst reaching for a bow tie. She didn't know how he managed it, but every time he'd swear and curse and spend the next billion years apologizing until Clara was more annoyed at his attempts to make up for the tame punch than the tame punch itself. She'd told him that next time she'd just punch him back if it would shut him up and he agreed that seemed fair, although she doubted it would be that simple.
He kissed her good morning. Clara loved the taste of his morning breath, even though she was strongly reminded of gravy. It was an odd thing to love, but for her, it was a symbol that he had been there all night. Just like his mussed up hair or his tired, blinking eyes or the fact he wasn't wearing a bow tie. Considering how little he slept, she was always anxious that she'd wake up and he'd be gone, working on an experiment or worse, trying to fix her toilet or something. The first thing he said to her that morning was: 'Happy birthday Soufflé girl!' and it warmed her heart. She wanted the first thing she did on her birthday to be having sex with him and she informed him of that desire. She had clambered on top of him and was softly kissing his neck when Annabelle was hammering on her bedroom door.
"Your dad's here Clara," she yelled through the door and Clara cursed. "He's a bit early and um…"
Clara did not like the sound of that 'um'. Neither did the Doctor, as he frowned at her and they both stared at the door, desperately hoping that the next words out of Annabelle's mouth weren't the exact words she ended up saying.
"And he's brought someone with him. Her name is Mandy."
Clara punched the wall above the Doctor's head and he hid his head behind a pillow as Clara glared furiously down at him. She yanked it off him so she could explain her fury with her eyes and the Doctor rolled out from under her. They spent the next few moments having a silent argument, as Clara screamed mentally how much she wanted to kill something and the Doctor desperately begged her to be civil and try to keep her temper under control.
"Clara?"
"I'll be right out!" Clara said in a high-panicked voice that the Doctor knew she reserved for her father. They continued their silent shouting match as the Doctor pulled on trousers and a shirt, and Clara onesied up. She nudged towards the en-suite bathroom and the Doctor raised his eyebrows in indignation. Then, he gave in, shutting himself in the bathroom as Clara took a deep breath and opened her bedroom door. Annabelle was looking increasingly awkward as Bitch-Face and her father stood in the lounge of their home, smiling pleasantly. Clara refused to look at Bitch-Face.
"Hello daddy," she said, her bright, façade smile coming on like a charm.
"Clara!" he bounded over and wrapped his arms around her. "I've missed you kiddo. Happy birthday. How's the arm?"
In truth, Clara's arm was absolutely fine. The painkillers she'd been taking were not too bad at all and she was pretty sure another two weeks and she'd be able to take it out of the sling. She quickly explained that to her father, looking around for an exit strategy. As much as she loved her father, she wasn't about ready to explain that she'd been about to have birthday sex with her boyfriend.
"Where's the Doctor?" Bitch-Face chipped in and Clara required all of her muscle strength and tolerance not to shoot a laser accurate scowl her way. Instead, she laughed pleasantly, a sound that she didn't like but her father and Bitch-Face lapped up.
"He's at a hotel of course!" Clara chuckled. "Where else would he be?"
She shot a look at Annabelle who was in the kitchen, out of her father's eye line and silently laughing so hard she was crying, leaning on a work surface for support as she clutched her side.
"So he's not hiding in your bathroom?" her father asked with a smirk, as a crashing noise came from Clara's bedroom and at this point, Annabelle disappeared from vision, falling to the floor as her laughter finally became audible and she howled, banging the floor. Clara cursed the Doctor in her head as he came crashing out of the bedroom, his jacket sopping wet.
"Clara!" he yelled. "The shower is being all stupid again!"
Clara wanted to kill every single person in the room. She could start with Bitch-Face, then her father and the still shrieking with laughter Annabelle. She decided to leave wringing the Doctor's neck for last, but an amused smile escaped her lips anyway at the horrified look on his face. Only he could be scared of a shower head. Any other time and it would be positively adorable and make her fall in love with him all over again, but right now was not a good time or place.
"Hello Doctor," Bitch-Face greeted, as her dad raised an eyebrow at his daughter.
"Hello Dave," the Doctor smiled at him. "Mandy," he nodded. Clara glared at him, as if using Bitch-Face's name was an act of betrayal. He shrunk back like a small child. "I'll go and get changed," he said quietly and Clara felt prongs of guilt shoot through her as the Doctor shot into her bedroom. She hated being mean to her boyfriend, especially when it wasn't his fault she was pissed off and he was doing his best. Clara smiled warmly at her father and shrugged her shoulders as if to say: 'What are you going to do?'
"Sorry we're so early," Bitch-Face was saying and Clara bit back the urge to hit something, the urge that arose whenever she spoke. "Your dad decided to stop at a hotel overnight so we could surprise you nice and early on your big day!"
"How thoughtful!" Clara beamed, internally screaming. She might have even appreciated the thought, were her thoughts still not on the amazing time she and the Doctor could at that moment have been having in the bedroom. "Have you guys had breakfast?" she asked, addressing only her father and making sure to avoid looking at Bitch-Face. But it was the latter who replied.
"Yeah, we had some toast at the hotel didn't we Davey?" Clara wanted to vomit. "But if you and the Doctor haven't eaten then go ahead, it's fine by us."
"I'm just going to go and check on the Doctor," Clara smiled falsely and sprinted to her room. "One second guys…"
She disappeared into her bedroom and was momentarily taken in by the topless Doctor in front of her, halfway through pulling up his trousers. When she entered, he lost his balance and toppled over backwards and Clara rolled her eyes irritatedly. Normally, she'd have taken the damn trousers off him there and then but right now she was pissed and her dad was in the next room. She stomped over and yanked his trousers up to his waist, thrusting a belt into his hand and cursing under her breath.
"For fuck's sake!" she hissed at him. "You can't even fucking dress yourself!" she sighed and softened instantly, the wounded puppy look on his face sending pangs of guilt racing through her. "I'm sorry," she whispered, pressing herself up against him and kissing him softly. The Doctor rubbed her back lovingly and she rested her head on his shoulder. "It's just a fucking nightmare. What the hell is she doing here? Why did Dad bring her?"
"He probably still harbours hopes that the two of you can get along," the Doctor replied in a kind voice that made Clara smile despite the words coming out of his mouth. "Just give him a chance Clara; you know he's only trying to make up for his mistakes."
Clara knew the Doctor was right and smiled into his neck as she nibbled on it tenderly, causing him to jump a mile and go bright red. She rolled her eyes at this and quickly stripped. She shot the Doctor a glance and it never failed to amaze her how his face seemed to lose all control whenever she got naked. He'd seen her naked a good number of times now, but he still ogled like it would never happen again, his jaw on the floor and his eyes hungry. She could see his hardness through his trousers.
"Down boy," she teased, pulling on a bra and skipping over to kiss him. Their kiss was light, it had to be. Clara knew that once she started kissing him properly, she wouldn't be able to hold back, especially as they were half-dressed and they couldn't waste time having sex when her father and his eugh were in the next room. She pulled on her laciest knickers; shooting the Doctor a seductive wink and watching him practically drool. Clara didn't mind, she would often lay awake at night, unable to take her mind off of his chest and how attractive he was. The Doctor had managed to compose himself as she pulled on a black mini-skirt and one of his shirts over the top. He raised an eyebrow and she shrugged, showing her defiance. She wasn't going to let her dad hold her back. She glanced in the mirror as she quickly put on some makeup and brushed out her hair, messing it up. She knew the Doctor loved it messy and it might even annoy her dad further. The Doctor was just doing up his bow tie and slipping into the beige jacket when there was a knock on her door.
"Come in," Clara called, winking at the Doctor as she mussed up her hair a bit more. It was Annabelle, who had seemingly recovered from her laughing fit, although her face was still very red.
"Oh good, you're not having sex!" Annabelle said dryly and Clara smirked at this, despite the fact that she'd really rather not have been reminded. "Your dad wants to take you out for brunch. He said he's waiting by the car and don't be more than ten minutes." Clara muttered a curse at that. "And Happy Birthday Clara, your present from me is on the counter. I think he'll like it!" she gestured to the Doctor who had gone red again and Annabelle saluted at him before leaving.
Clara finished buttoning her shirt and pulled on a cardigan as the Doctor slicked back his hair and went for his shoes. She looked wistfully at him, disappointed that she couldn't be alone with him for much longer and he walked over, pulling her into one of his delightfully tight hugs. He kissed the top of her forehead and she blushed, leaning up to kiss his cheek.
"I love you Clara," he said with a smile.
"I love you too Chin," she replied, before snatching up his hand and dragging him out of the bedroom. "Now then, let's see what delightful gift Annabelle has in store for me!" She also quickly remembered that Tom had given her, her gift on Friday night, to store for safe-keeping in her wardrobe and she opened that first. She smiled as he'd bought her a woolly jumper covered in chocolate muffins. She then headed into the kitchen and ripped open the ominous parcel on the counter. She stifled a laugh and looked at the Doctor who looked like he was about to pass out. It was a very lacy, bright pink bra and matching skimpy underwear. Clara bit her lip as she looked at the Doctor, who had started trying to form words.
"You okay there bow-tie?" she asked, trying to keep the laughter out of her voice as the Doctor nodded and gulped, not able to take his eyes off of the lingerie as Clara dangled it teasingly in front of his face. She giggled hysterically and then skipped quickly back to her room to hide the underwear, before returning and looping her arm around the one of her still slightly comatose Doctor. As she stepped forwards, he moved with her but by the time that they reached the car, the shock still hadn't left his eyes and he was yet to say a word. Clara was determined not to engage Bitch-Face, but without the Doctor to talk to as he recovered, she found her conversation with her father was one that Bitch-Face seemed determined to turn into a three-way one. Clara had managed to glean very little about her surprise, only that it was big.
The Doctor was functional, well as functional as the Doctor could be, by the time they were eating brunch and animatedly chatted with Bitch-Face or Mandy as he kept calling her, much to Clara's chagrin. At least this left her free to chat to her dad, who was being overly fatherly, which she didn't take as a good sign, but passed it off as him being concerned. After all, the last time he'd seen his daughter, she'd been in a hospital bed. Clara jarred her arm at one point and let out a string of expletives that earned them a few choice looks from fellow customers but other than that, brunch passed smoothly. Her father then told her that they were going birthday shopping. That at least was a good sign; until Bitch-Face piped up that she was going with Clara to pick out something whilst Dave went off the Doctor to find her something else. Clara looked pleadingly at the Doctor but her father shot her down and whispered something in the Doctor's ear that made the Doctor look torn and confused. Admitting defeat, Clara resigned herself to an afternoon of misery. And sure enough, it turned out to be a horror show as Bitch-Face kept making lovely comments so sickly-sweet that it made Clara feel ill and picking out outfits that made Clara want to hang herself in the changing rooms. She hoped the Doctor was having a better time than she was.
After a few hours, she was finally free of Bitch-Face's grasp but when they rendezvoused for an early Sunday dinner around 3pm so her father and Bitch-Face could get home at a reasonable hour, the Doctor was white with shock and the look he shot Clara was like none she'd ever seen before. Clara was very worried now and she could tell her father was nervous as well. He'd obviously wanted to get the Doctor alone to talk about something and she had a fairly ominous feeling that it was her surprise. The meal was full of little hand squeezes and gentle cheek kisses from the Doctor, who looked as though he couldn't stomach anything. By the time the waiters had cleared away their meals, Dave shot a nervous look at the Doctor and cleared his throat.
"Clara, I am so sorry," the Doctor whispered and she felt her stomach tighten.
"So Clara," Dave said with a beam. "First off, the Doctor helped me pick this out, I hope you enjoy it!" He handed her a box. She ripped it open and inside was a lovely golden pendant with a ruby in it. She kissed the Doctor and smiled at her father appreciatively. She knew she was getting her present from the Doctor when she got home but it was nice that her dad had gone to the trouble. Maybe the Doctor was just being silly. Or not, she reasoned. He still looked white as a sheet and her dad wasn't done yet. "Clara," he said with a deep breath. "As you know, the years since Ellie passed away have been as tough for me as they have been for you." Clara could already feel herself welling up. "But one person has in the last year been there for me to guide me through it. And that person has been Mandy." Clara did not like where this was going one bit. Her hand tightened to a vice-like grip on the Doctor's knee as he rubbed her back.
At this moment, they were interrupted. Waiters converged on the table, singing "Happy Birthday" and Clara ignored them, desperate to find out what her father had left to say. The singing finished as the Doctor shooed off the waiters and Clara blew out the candles on her cake, smiling appreciatively. Chocolate cake. She loved chocolate cake. Maybe this wasn't going to be so bad after all.
"Clara, Mandy and I are engaged."
Or worse. So much worse. The little hole in the pit of Clara's stomach gaped and swallowed her up. She swore, the worst word she knew but so quietly that only the Doctor heard and he winced upon hearing it, his arms around Clara. She didn't feel them or him. She didn't hear his reassuring words. But what she did hear, was Bitch-Face's next words and they pushed her over the edge. Even as Bitch-Face said them, Clara heard the Doctor swear, a word she didn't think she'd heard him use before.
"Isn't this great Clara?" Bitch-Face was beaming as she showed off the engagement ring she'd been hiding under gloves all day. Clara took a deep breath. Forcing herself to relax. "I'm going to be your new mum!"
That was it. That was fucking it. Clara was on her feet, and before she even knew what she was doing, she'd picked up the birthday cake and despite the Doctor and her father reaching to stop her, she slammed the whole thing into Bitch-Face's bitchy face. Clara felt out a scream and leapt over the table to claw at Bitch-Face. At least she tried to, as this time the Doctor's reactions were quicker and he had his arms around Clara's waist. She struggled against him but he pulled her in close to him. The Doctor was on his feet and pulled Clara off the table and onto hers. He kissed the top of her forehead, ignoring the punches and screams she threw into his chest. Her father was saying something; shouting at her but the Doctor was already guiding her away, out of the restaurant as people watched and gaped. Once they were out on the street, the Doctor let Clara go and she launched herself away from him, her face streaked with tears as she stumbled for words.
"How could he?" Clara sobbed, looking up at the Doctor hopefully, as if he had an explanation that would make this okay but knowing he didn't. "How could he do this to her? If he loved her, he wouldn't do this! He wouldn't just move on and be married within four years! How long was he with my mother? More than twenty years? Doesn't that mean anything to him?"
The Doctor said nothing and Clara appreciated that. There was nothing he could say, he knew she just needed to get everything off of her chest. She screamed herself hoarse and then he put his arms around her again as she cried. It was more than a few minutes before Dave and Bitch-Face stepped out of the restaurant. Bitch-Face had washed her bitchy face but looked livid and Dave was just as angry. He opened his mouth to say something but Clara shoved him back, interrupting.
"No!" she yelled. "You don't get to play the victim here. Or the angry parent. You've betrayed her. Betrayed mum. She loved you more than anything in the world. And here I am, still unable to get through a day without missing her and you're alright shacked up for life with the first bitch that let you into her bed. Well I'm not okay with that. In fact, I'm done. I'm moving out!" The Doctor and Dave's jaws both dropped. "The Doctor and I are going to live together!" Clara spat, shooting her father venomous glares. "I'm sick of the fact that when I lost my mum, I lost my dad too. I can't take it anymore, I can't take watching you shit all over her memory. I won't do it. We're done. Most of my stuff's here anyway, I'm sure we can arrange me getting the rest sooner or later. Bye dad. Come on Doctor."
The Doctor shot Dave a stunned look but not an apologetic one. Clara had him by the arm and she was struggling to keep a brave face, ignoring the shouts of her father as she pulled the Doctor down the street after her. She managed to hold back the tears until they were back at the apartment. Annabelle greeted them with a shout but Clara didn't respond as she crashed into her bedroom, threw herself down onto her bed and let out agonised sobs. The Doctor stopped Annabelle and hurried explained before shooting after Clara and shutting the door. He sat himself down beside her and waited until she was finished crying.
"Sorry," she said eventually, hiccupping as she did so. "This is so pathetic. And I didn't mean to spring the whole living with you thing on you…"
"No!" the Doctor stopped her. "It's fine. We've been living together anyway, it just means you don't have to go home. I totally understand. I love you and I'm here for you. And I'm truly sorry about Bitch-Face, I wish things could have done down differently. You have every right to be angry with your father. Here, I have something to cheer you up."
He ducked under the bed and returned a moment later with a small box. Clara plucked it open and it was a white gold chain, with the name: Soufflé Girl formed out of the gold. She let her breath catch in her throat and pulled him into a huge hug.
"This is beautiful," she breathed. "This must have cost an absolute fortune!" He gave a non-committal shrug that indicated it cost more than he was ever going to tell her and she narrowed her eyes at him before kissing him deeply. "I love you so much."
"I love you too Clara Oswald. So very much," he said and she knew in that moment that he'd never stop meaning it. She didn't need her father, not anymore. She knew that in the days following, the Doctor would try to convince her otherwise and he'd probably succeed but Clara didn't want him to. She knew what her mum would think, looking down. She'd want Dave to be happy and she'd want more than anything, for Clara and her dad to get along as though she were still with them. But Clara wasn't her mother. She never had been her mother. Her mother was the best person she'd ever known and Clara could never be her mother. She didn't have the patience or the love in her heart. She was too angry, too bitter, too broken. She would never be the person that her mum wanted her to be and she might as well stop trying. And her mum was too nice, way too nice but Clara knew that someone had to be angry for her. Someone had to be bitter for both of them. Somebody had to be broken for both of them.