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Home?
A week wouldn't solve everything. They both knew that but there was just something nice about being in Blackpool and Clara having the support of her dad. Because there were days that she would push the Doctor away and he just accepted it. There were nights when she would ask him if he didn't mind sleeping in the spare room and he just accepted it. There was no point her throwing herself into the deep end. She needed time.
More time than what they had. They could have probably stayed longer but the Doctor was keen to get back and teach his students and he was sure that Clara felt the same way. They had made the decision that they were going to go back to London on the Sunday and prepare themselves for work on Monday.
He held her as close as he could as they laid in bed together, taking their time to wake up and get up.
"I could get used to this." She commented.
The Doctor traced his fingers up and down her arm. "You can."
Something changed in that moment. It was like there were times when she would realise what had happened and her mood would change. It was only to be expected. Maybe she all still expected it to be some dream.
"Or has John made it hard for you to have a long term relationship again?"
Clara remained quiet for a while. He allowed her the time to think over the question. He didn't expect her to know.
"I don't know what I can and cannot do."
"Then everything will depend on you. We will slow things right down. We don't have to do anything or say anything until you are ready to. I will be here by your side, whether that is as a friend or as something more."
She raised up on her elbow, looking down at him. "As a friend?"
"Clara, I am the first man that you have attached yourself to. You said it yourself, until me, you had never thought about another man, let alone give him a second glance. I am honoured that I could turn your head but … I don't want you to feel like you have to be with me."
"No, I want to be with you."
He smiled at her. "Then we will make things work."
"Just give me time."
"For you, I would wait … four and a half billion years."
Clara laughed at him. "Four and a half billion years. Where did that come from?"
"Don't know, just it is a long amount of time."
"You could have been like everyone else and said forever."
"But there is no such thing as forever. Forever does end. Four and s half billion years is at least a reasonable time scale. Plus, would you like me to be like everyone else?"
"No."
She leant in. He thought that she might just go back to resting against his shoulder but was glad when she kissed him. He could never get enough of Clara. He hoped that he could help her. He hoped that he could give her the life that she deserved.
"It feel weird to call someone Doctor." Dave said as he entered the room.
The Doctor was just finishing getting his things together. "My name is quite common and I am not a common man. It was just a nickname."
"Then what is your name?"
"John Smith." He said, looking up at Dave.
He watched as Dave started to smile at him.
"Your joking."
"John Basil Smith. I don't suppose John's middle name was Basil."
"Why don't you just use Basil?"
The Doctor shrugged at him. "I never really liked it."
"I didn't come here to talk about your name." Dave admitted.
"I could guess. You are here about your daughter, Clara."
"You will look after her, won't you?"
"You had me thinking that you were going to ask me to leave her alone." He joked. "Of course, I will look after her."
"Clara did tell me that we would probably have more of a chance of being friends than you two being in a relationship. But you have helped her and she seems happier now. I don't really have much reason to grumble."
"No, you don't. I have already told her that I will help her with whatever she will need."
Dave sighed. "Thank you for looking after her and helping her. It is appreciated greatly."
The Doctor smiled at him.
"I think that is everything." Clara said as she handed him the last bag to be put in the car.
"Good. Ready to go home?" He asked.
"Where's that?"
The Doctor turned to her after he shut the boot. "Wherever you want it to be."
"Your flat." She paused. "I would only want to go to my house to pick stuff up. That was John and my house. There is just too many memories of what happened and what could have been."
"Do you both jointly own the house?"
She nodded at him.
"When we get everything settled, we will have to get John to buy you out. It will mean that you will have no ties to the house."
"What? Then you sell your flat and we could get something to call our own?" She asked.
"Is there anything wrong with that?"
"No, I would like that." Clara told him.
The Doctor smiled down at her. "We will have to get everything sorted first off."
"We will."
He brought her closer to him and kissed the top of her head as she hugged him. He knew that she was apprehensive about going back. The thing was, it was a big change for her. She was now separated from her husband, a man that made everyone in the staff room fear talking to her. She could finally have a normal life with normal relationships with people. It would take time for her to adjust to that.
"How about we say goodbye to your dad and Linda and then set off? I don't know about you but I am sure I probably have some marking to do."
She laughed against his chest. "Yeah, probably."
They would be good. Everything seemed to be in their favour now.
