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Chapter 21

Clara rested her head on his chest and wrapped her arm tightly around him as the Doctor pulled the duvet over both of them. Maybe he was right. It really was cold in here.

"What are you thinking about?" he asked her quietly before he bent down to kiss her head, "Do you regret that we didn't go to the dance?"

"No," Clara smiled, "Just. . . just thinking about how lucky I am."

The Doctor chuckled softly underneath her. "Lucky?"

With a sigh Clara reached for his hand under their blanket and squeezed it in her own. "I was engaged once and he died during the war. I had almost given up hope that I would find another man, a good man. And here you are. The best of them all."

She craned her neck to look at him, smiling.

"I know it's pathetic," she added, laughing at herself a little, "But being around a couple like Amy and Rory makes you wish for these things. For a loving relationship. I didn't expect to have that again."

Finally the Doctor smiled back at her. "That's not pathetic at all, darling," he said and bent down to kiss her again.

Suddenly they were interrupted by a loud noise coming from outside and when they broke apart Clara turned towards the window and spotted the reason for the disruption. It was midnight and fireworks had gone off all over the city, illuminating the sky in the most beautiful colours.

They both rose from the bed and approached the window where the Doctor instantly wrapped the blanket around their naked bodies for warmth and together they watched the spectacle visible over the rooftops for a long moment. Clara leaned back against his chest and breathed in deeply, probably enjoying herself more than she would have at the dance.

"You're not the only lucky person, you know," the Doctor said after a while, "You're the best thing that could have ever happened to me."

"You seemed pretty reluctant in the beginning," she commented because it was true and he had never given her a reason for it. He hadn't wanted to go out with her at all.

The Doctor's chest moved when he chuckled. "Can you blame me? I wasn't like you, I wasn't looking for someone. And then I met you, young, beautiful and very straightforward. A woman has never asked me out before."

"Well," Clara giggled and turned around in their embrace, looking at him, "Welcome to the modern age. And happy new year."

"Happy new year," the Doctor replied, smiling, and only moments later their lips locked in another kiss.

It was a new year, a new beginning and the Doctor felt certain that it would be a good one. Now that Danny was out of the picture he could be with Clara and the fact that she had agreed to move in with him, if only for a few days, made him undeniably happy. He loved her. Right now, as she was lying in his arms and still sleeping peacefully, the Doctor loved her. And how could he not? She was brave and smart and beautiful and she wanted him. Those were damn good reasons to love her.

A knock on the door eventually managed to rouse Clara from her sleep and she shifted in his arms before she turned around to face the door.

"What is it?" she grumbled sleepily.

"I thought you might want to join us for a new year's breakfast," Amy said through the door, "Since you two already missed out on the dance."

Clara threw him a glance and the Doctor gave her a nod in reply. It was about time he finally met her friends properly.

"We'll be downstairs in a bit," Clara called out before she nestled her head against his chest, "Just a few more minutes."

"Come on," the Doctor prompted her before he gave her a quick peck on the head, "Let's not make your friends wait."

She grumbled something in reply, but a few seconds later started scrambled into a sitting position.

They put their clothes back on and the Doctor felt glad for the additional layer in Clara's freezing cold flat. With a bit of luck he could convince her to pack her things today. The Doctor really didn't want her to spend another day in here or she might really catch pneumonia.

Clara led him down the stairs and entered Amy's and Rory's flat without announcing herself and the Doctor soon noticed that it wasn't much different from Clara's room, if slightly bigger. Her friends weren't poor, but as the furniture and state of the flat showed, they were leading a modest life like most people did.

"You must be the Doctor," Amy's husband Rory extended his hand to him, "I'd love to say I've heard a lot about you, but they keep sending me out of the room whenever they want to have their girl talk."

"Rory!" Amy warned him instantly.

"Well, Clara has told me only good things about you," the Doctor replied politely, trying very hard not to blush. Of course Clara had talked to Amy about him. Women talk. How could he have forgotten that?

"That's a relief," Rory chuckled, "Well, time to set the table if we want to have breakfast some time soon."

"I'll help you," Clara instantly joined in and crossed the room to join Rory at the counter.

Amy on the other hand had been inching closer to him the entire time and was now standing right next to him.

"You make her really happy," she whispered, giving him a friendly nudge.

The Doctor couldn't help but smile. "She makes me really happy, too."

Suddenly Amy's posture changed and she wasn't looking so friendly anymore as she looked up at him. "Don't hurt her," Clara's friend warned him, "She's been through enough pain in her life. Clara is strong, but all she really wants is a normal, loving relationship. Don't take advantage of that."

He swallowed hard, remembering the secret he was keeping from her. But Danny was gone now and Clara would never know. "Don't worry," the Doctor tried to reassure her, "I love her and anyone who wants to hurt her, they would have to go through me first."

Finally Amy smiled again. "I was hoping you'd say that."

Then she turned around and marched off in Clara's direction, grinning when she had reached her. "Is that a new necklace?"

From across the room the Doctor watched Clara smile and he knew that Amy was right. Clara had been through more than enough and he wouldn't disappoint her. And he would tell her about his other job before she found out.