A/N: Hi all! Hope you're all well! Sorry I skipped a week... as I had mentioned in the previous chapter, I'm currently busy with medical school exams and also struggling with keeping motivated. But I was able to complete this lil chapter for you; hopefully you'll enjoy it!

She thought she had had a nightmare. But the way she felt when Clara came to her senses supported that it was no dream.

They had tortured her. And her Doctor.

She let out a soft sigh. Thank God, it ended.

Her head felt like it was going to explode. Understandable.

Every muscle in her body felt sore. Again; understandable.

She was used to getting injured during an adventure... you know; a bruise here, a gash there...

Much less used to getting tortured though.

But it happened sometimes. Maybe not to this extent.

It was well planned and they had been prepared very well.

She opened her eyes as slow as possible. A star projection on the medbay ceiling. As she focused on the numeous stars and distant galaxies on the ceiling, as well as the soft hums from the TARDIS engines, some of the pain faded away. Clara sighed. It was definately a much calmer enviornment than when she was last conscious. The Doctor brought her to safety; as promised. If she focused hard enough, she could hear his snores which, thank goodness, were barely audible. She turned her head slowly; just enough to see her Doctor from the corner of her eye. Her lips curled into a small smile when she saw him, all huddled up in his chair with a red blanket wrapped snuggly around him. The companion thought about waking him up especially since he was in such an uncomfortable position, but she decided otherwise. She didn't want him to worry over her, and just leave him be.

The companion took a look at herself, as much as her aching body would let her. She saw the bandages on her fingers, as well as the pulseoxymeter attached to her index finger. Several wires snaked from the patches on her chest and temples. Her gaze followed them slowly, until she refused to move anymore due to the worsening pain in her neck. Clara bit her bottom lip, trying to hold the whimper which was threatening to escape.

Don't worry about anything, Clara. The TARDIS consoled telepathically. They're there just to check what damage the shocks may have done to your heart and brain.

And? Clara asked telepathically. It was already too painful for her to think, let alone whisper. And apart form that, she was scared of waking up the Doctor.

Your body is strong and handled everything well. He just wants to be sure.

Clara's thin lips curled into a soft smile, turning just enough to see the time lord, still resting in his own world. Typical Doctor. She thought to herself.

You should heal quickly with the resources and care he has given you. You should still rest, nonetheless.

Please, make sure he will be taking care of himself also. At least whilst I'm out.

That's my duty, Clara.

She sent her thanks before slowly turning back to focus on the stars, as well as the soft hums of the TARDIS and the sleeping Doctor. Within a few minutes, she was out cold.

The Doctor placed the primitive motherboard on the bench as he sighed, straightening his aching back which was rapidly healing from the laser wounds on his shoulder.

He had woken up from his nap (he was exhausted from both of the torture and more so from healing Clara) a few hours earlier. The time lord had cursed quite a few times for not looking after Clara, even if the TARDIS did reassure him that she had taken good care of the companion whilst he was resting. He looked at the collar, bit his lower lip before deciding it was a must to explore the equipment, even if it reminded him of the horrors he had witnessed on his human companion. The transmitter had long stopped beeping (thank God). Now, he needed to know the extent of the device they had used.

And after a few hours of work, he concluded that they had used scraps from ships which had landed on the deserted planet as well as obsolete materials to built the weapon. They were highly meticulous in their work nonetheless.

He shot a glance at his companion. Clara looked well-rested, hopefully the meds were doing their job.

They were not in medbay anymore. Or at least, what she would call the normal medbay. The time machine had kindly constructed a bedroom with all the things she might need. So it was practically a homey, comfortable bedroom which would double as a first response space. Soon after he woke up, he performed a few final check-ups to confirm that Clara's heart and brain function were not affected by the electricity and took her a few steps away to a much cosier room. He still had her IV as well as a cabinet filled with any apparatus the Doctor desires. He just needed to think and the TARDIS would deliver. Equipped with a small double bed lined with the softest sheets the machine could offer, as well as an IV pumping her with mild sedatives and pain killers, the Doctor was assured that Clara was well-rested.

A whimper broke him out of his thoughts. He looked up, seeing Clara's face contorted. He sat up from his working bench and moved closer to her. The time lord was noncerned that his companion was in pain. He swiftly passed the buzzing sonic over her, letting out a sigh of relie when he read that she was only dreaming. He placed the sonic aside and softly passed his fingers through her hair as she mumbled inaudibly. "Clara. Clara, please wake up. You're in a dream." It wouldn't work. He repeated her name, shaking her shoulders slightly.

The companion's eyes shot open, her eyes wild and her chest felt tight. But the Doctor held her shoulders and tried his best to calm her down. "It's alright, Clara. You're in the TARDIS." She wouldn't listen. "Hey hey hey..." The Doctor tried to attract her attention. Her eyes locked into his. "Breathe." He told her. "Breathe with me. Slow and steady, ok?" Clara nodded. She breathed with him, his hold on her slowly easing as she relaxed into the bed. "That's it. You're doing great." He purred, his fingers smoothing her forehead. His companion's eyes slipped closed, letting out a sigh. "How are you? Are you in pain?"

"I'm much better, Doctor." She opened her eyes, turning to him. Thankfully, the blood in her eye was barely visible anymore.

"You might feel a little drowsy because of the sedatives and opioids." He explained as his long thin fingers passed through her hair. "But I had to make sure you aren't in pain." Clara's lips were curled into a small smile, humming as the time lord combed her hair.

"Thank you." She opened her eyes once the Doctor planted a soft kiss to her forehead, but her eyes drifted to what was behind him. Her smile evaporated from her face. "Is that the collar?"

The spark in his eyes disappeared as he looked away. "Yes."

"Did you find out anything which would help?"

"I permenantely disabled the transmitter. Everything in it looks primitive, but capable of doing a lot of damage..." He didn't dare continue explaining the device used to torture his companion. "I gave some rapid healing creams... should help in speeding up the process."

Clara noticed that the Doctor was distressed. She took his hand in hers. "Thank you for getting me out of there." She breathed. "And for staying with me."

"Don't thank me, Clara. I was only doing what I should have done before; taking us away from that hellhole. I shouldn't have landed it there in the first place." Clara felt that he was overcome by guilt. No matter how much he tried to hide it, his eyes betrayed him. Always. And she, the Impossible Girl, could read him like an open book

"You wouldn't have known, Doctor." She smiled, her eyes filled with mercy to the man who never stopped thinking about how he'd made a mess of their adventure.

He shoo k his head, desparately holding back the tears. "I should have, though. Would I have known-"

"But you didn't. Stop beating yourself up for something you didn't have control over." He looked at her for the first time during that deep conversation. "I didn't know either... But that is why they tricked us." She placed her palm along his cheek. Her fingers were still wrapped in gauze. "It's not your fault. Understood?" His eyes met hers. Clara looked at him with such mercy he knew he didn't deserve. "You always do your best to protect me and heal me. I wouldn't ask for anything else, Doctor." And it was true.

He sandwiched her hand and planted a kiss in her palm before placing it on the bed. "You should rest. You have a long road to recovery."

Clara was going to reply, but was soon distracted by somethign she hadn;t really thought about until he took her arm. It looked perfectly fine. There was no more pain. "Doctor?"

"Yeah?" The time lord replied.

"Just for curiosity, what tech did you use to heal my arm?" She smiled. "I had a broken ankle when I was younger and it took almost a year to fully heal."

The time lord cleared his throat as he arranged the blanket, tucking it tighter around her. "Gallifreyan."

"Can I see it?"

"It's fixed at medbay." He lied, hoping Clara wouldn't notice.

"Liar." She giggled. "I don't believe you."

The Doctor's mouth went dry. "Why?" He mustered.

"I think you're too lazy to go get it from medbay."

He forced a smirk. "Maybe."

She breathed a laugh. "I'd love to see whatever you used someday."

Slight silence...

...

" 'Course." He simply replied, hoping she would forget it soon.

To that remark, Clara's eyelids slipped closed, slightly in pain and delirious from the pain meds.

"You're awfully quiet, Doctor." She murmured.

"I barely talk, Clara. You usually do all the talking." He joked. A weak chuckle ensued.

"You're... quieter than usual."

He sighed. "I'm letting you rest."

"I'm not sleeping any time soon."

"Clara-"

"I don't want you to worry 'bout me, Doctor, if that's what you're thinking about."

"And you should stop worrying about me." He said, smoothing her hair. "You have a job to do."

Her eyes opened just enough to see him. He looked calm, yet still burdened. "Which is?" She said, dreamily.

"Rest and heal as much as you can. And leave the rest to me. Worrying included."

"I don't want you worrying about me. It's needless. I'll be alright."

His lips curled into a soft, yet sad smile. "I know you will be." He left a kiss on her forehead. "Now rest."

.

The Doctor's fingers left Clara's hair and was going to resume back to ripping the collar apart before he was stopped. "Doctor?"

"Yes, Clara?"

"Would you stay next to me? For a while?" Her voice almost sounded cracked. The companion's eyes were glistening in fear of being alone. He felt she craved comfort for both.

The time lord smiled. "Of course." Clara tried her best to move aside for him, even if every muscle tensed in pain. "No no no..." He held her shoulders, looking straight into her eyes. "Leave it to me." Clara nodded, relaxing back into the mattress. The time lord settled next to her, inviting her to lean against his chest. The companion relaxed as she listened to the double-heartbeat and felt the Doctor wrap his arm around her, letting her snuggle against his bony body.

"Are you comfortable?" He asked, worried about her healing neck. She hummed, before shifting just a little. Clara tried to prop herself up on her elbow, before the Doctor held her up.

"I need to turn just a little bit... " The time lord helped her turn to her side.

"Feeling better?" He asked when she had settled her ear onto his chest. The Doctor wrapped his arm slughtly tighter around her and letting her cuddlecloser to his bony body.

"Much better." Her arm soon found its place across his tummy. His fingers found themselves over hers, to which Clara soon entangled her fingers between his; not even the gause could make her uncomfortable. "Perfect." She hummed. The Doctor smiled in contentment before planting a kiss atop of her head. "You should rest too, Doctor. It was tough for both of us."

His fingers passed through her hair as he soon felt Clara's breathing evening out. The time lord closed his eyes, hoping that the voices in his head would go away and that he would fall asleep as quick as possible.

A/N: Hope you enjoyed this filler chapter! More yet to come (don't worry, the next chapter will have more fluff)!

If you're enjoying this story so far, please consider leaving a comment or any constructive criticism; anything is greatly appreciated!

Take care xxxxxx