Hey guys i'm finally back! Thanks everyone for the support, I've finally finished all of my exams and essays so i'm officially free for the summer. Woo! Now I can focus more on this story. Keep the reviews, favs and follows coming in :) Hope you enjoy this chapter!

Chapter 8 The Letter to Clara

Lauren had woken refreshed and feeling ready for what the day would throw at her. The blissful seconds of unawareness after waking from deep sleep fogged her mind, she saw the image of space above before she remembered where she was. The TARDIS not her university dorm. She sat up straight on the bed feeling fussy. She never thought she would miss her university halls. Don't think about them. She could see their faces smiling at her but she refused to think their names, who they were, the people she left behind. Lauren took a moment to compose herself, rubbing her hands over her face. She palmed her eyes to wipe away the sleep and the tears gathering. You can do this! You're going on an adventure. She got changed into jeans and a grey jumper with a pair of converse shoes that the tenth Doctor would be proud of. She was brushing her long black hair when someone knocked at her door.

"Hello Lauren? You up yet?" It was Clara.

"Yes. Come in."

Clara poked her head around the door, "Hey you!" She smiled warmly, "Oh, nice room," she stepped inside. "Heard you were staying a while, thought I'd come and say hello properly."

"Hello." Lauren said shyly. This was still going take some getting used to. Clara sensed her nerves.

"Come on don't be shy." She sat down on her bed and patted the space beside her for Lauren to sit. Lauren complied. "That's better. Don't worry I don't bite and I am currently not in teacher mode."

Lauren laughed, "I never really was a student of yours anyway."

"Yeah, I know. Anyway first things first," Clara turned towards her and extended her hand, then hesitated, "I won't get another shock will I?"

"Only one way to find out." They shook hands and nothing happened. The girls smiled at each other.

"Come here," Clara said before suddenly pulling Lauren into a hug. Lauren in turn immediately stiffened in her arms, frozen, unable to understand the familiarity of Clara's actions. Clara however quickly noticed the lack of response from the other girl and frowned, releasing the startled looking Lauren from her grasp. "What's wrong?" she asked concerned. "Why are you shy all of a sudden?"

Lauren really didn't know what to say. "I, um, well, I've only just met you…" Why was her heart hammering in her chest?

Clara's eyes went wide. The Doctor was right about her eyes. "What?" Clara voice was a slightly higher pitch now. Lauren just stared back at her wide eyed not daring to speak. She knew Clara was a friendly hugging type of person but why was she acting conformable around her? Unless she was trying to comfort her. An awkward silence passed between them until Clara cleared her throat. "OK. Well, um, right…" she trailed off. "How old are you?" Clara suddenly asked.

"Twenty, definitely not a school student." She confirmed.

Clara smirked. "You could get away with it though," Lauren feigned mock offence. Clara's face grew serious again. She was studying the girl in front of her, looking into her eyes almost as if she was trying to find something. Clara sighed, clearly not finding what she was looking for and Lauren felt sad for some unknown reason. As if she was a disappointment. Clara decided to start from the beginning. "OK the Doctor explained a few things there, you're from a different dimension, must be quite a shock. Sorry do you mind if I ask what happened?"

"No, its OK." Said Lauren and she began to explain what happened from her view from just waking up in her classroom to now. She grabbed her school bag and showed it to Clara. "Appeared with this, has a copy of Pride and Prejudice if you're interested. But see, that's not my handwriting."

Without missing a beat Clara said "So if that's not your handwriting, then someone must have put it there…and if someone put it there then they knew this was going to happen!" Exactly! Thought Lauren. "Don't want to think about the uniform though…"

Lauren shook her head before delving a hand inside the bag to see what else was there. She pulled out a letter. Wait a letter? How did I not notice that before? "Clara? This appears to be for you…"

The words: To Clara Oswald only, Open on September 28th 2014 was written neatly on the front. OK, that definitely was her handwriting.

Clara took the letter. It was today's date. She looked between the letter and Lauren and back to the letter before carefully opening it. Her eyes darted across the page reading the first few lines but she abruptly folded the paper and pocketed it.

Lauren frowned at her. "Sorry better to read this alone," said Clara, smiling apologetically. "Time travel Lauren it's very complicated and you don't want to know."

A feeling slowly began to sink in, Clara's behaviour and now this letter with her own handwriting. Time travel Lauren it's very complicated…such a strange comment, did Clara mean what Lauren thought she was hinting at?

"Clara who sent you that letter?" she asked, scared of her answer.

"I think you already know," Clara replied slowly.

"That was from me? A future me, I'm right aren't I?" Clara nodded slowly. "Clara, why would I send a letter to you? What's going on?"

"So this really is your first time? Your first time here? You haven't met me or the Doctor before?"

Lauren blinked rapidly. "WHAT?!" She didn't exactly mean to shout, the shock of what Clara said, well, shocked her.

"OK that proves it!" said Clara looking startled, moving slightly away on the bed doing the thing with her eyes again.

"I've met you and the Doctor before?! I've only just arrived here!" Lauren was nearly approaching hysterics.

Clara rested her hands on Lauren's shoulder, trying to reassure the girl. "OK, calm down. It's alright. I probably could of said that less bluntly sorry. But I wasn't sure…" she trailed off trying to find the right words. "OK I am going to tell you straight. Yes, I have meet you before. Twice."

Lauren finally calmed down enough to think logical thoughts. Always be logical. "Wait hang on, if that's true were you and the Doctor pretending not to know me the whole time?"

"No actually, the Doctor doesn't remember you. It was a long time ago from his perspective, a life time ago, but give him time I reckon and he probably will remember you." Clara fiddled with the cuffs of her sleeves as she gave Lauren a thoughtful look. "I did though. Recognize you that is, when I saw you. The Headmaster told me there was going to be a new student called Lauren Raven but I didn't realize it was going to be you. Anyway I was too busy to question your motives for appearing as a student, more worried about what the Doctor was up to."

Clara took a breath debating how much she could tell the girl in front of her. "What I mean is the times I met you, you came out of nowhere, you knew of me a lot more than I knew of you, and I would normally go along with it, you were a friend of the Doctor. I thought this was one of those encounters again you told me I would see you again. I was waiting for you to explain your appearance as you did the last times but...now I understand you can't."

There was a pause as Lauren considered her words. Clara could see her mind running through a thousand thoughts per second and felt empathy for her. This must be a really scary situation, she would be frightened and a nervous wreck if what happened to Lauren happened to her. The Lauren that she met twice was confident, wasn't shy around her like this one, she had a purpose. The one in front of her didn't.

"You never even told me you were from a different dimension, I didn't know this would happen, meeting in the wrong order, god I'm sorry I'm just finding it hard to believe."

Lauren let out a shaky breath, "You and me both."

Time travel. I time travel in the future and somewhere along the line I meet the Doctor before his current face? How? And why wouldn't I tell Clara this though? Warn her about meeting a younger me?

Clara reached out and gently took Lauren's hand in her. "Hey Lauren don't worry, looks like we're on the same page, well, more or less. We can get to know each other properly. Anyway I'm positive we'll be best friends."

"Let me guess my future self gave that last part away didn't she?" She laughed as Clara giggled.

"Yeah, we have a lot of fun together according to her. And speaking of fun, the Doctor has a planet in mind for us to visit today. And since this is your first trip out he's out to impress." Clara got up off the bed and began to head to the door. "Well come on! He said it has a purple sky with an ocean that lights up at night. And the locals are known to have these amazing festivals and markets."

"Sounds like an adventure." Lauren said following Clara out to the console room, barely containing her excitement.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Can I step out now?" Lauren said shaking with excitement. Her first official trip out with the Doctor and Clara! And it wasn't going to be an episode so she didn't know what to expect; which was all the more fun! If not completely terrifying at the same time.

"Hold on don't go barging out!" the Doctor said from the console.

Clara giggled at the other girl's enthusiasm, remembering her first time stepping out onto Akhaten with the Eleventh Doctor right behind her. It was a moment Clara will never forget. "Before you go out first close your eyes." Lauren did so as Clara stood behind her holding onto her arms ready to guide her out, echoing the same thing eleven did with her. "Remember you did this with me Doctor?" She grinned over her shoulder at the Doctor, part of her nostalgic, part of her hoping to see the connect from his new face to his younger face. The younger face she still caught herself missing sometimes, and his affections but she was warming quickly to this grumpy face of his.

The Doctor allowed himself a smile, "How could I forget Clara?" He walked to the doors and opened them for the girls to slowly walk out.

"Lauren Raven are you ready?" Clara whispered to her ear. Lauren nodded. She removed her hands.

"Open your eyes now," said the Doctor eager to impress.

"Oh my god…" Lauren gasped. The sky was indeed a deep purple and the stars were different, other worlds could be seen from the sky and the landscape was different: she was on an alien planet. She was standing on an alien planet! And there was markets everywhere with aliens walking through and viewing the stalls. The air smelled of food and fumes rose from some of the tents giving off strange smelling aromas in the air. The first thing that hit her was the noise, the sound of many conversations spoken in different alien languages, some seemed to grunt and speak in strange vocal noises, and the verbal languages were being translated into English which was an overwhelming thought. Lauren made a mental note to remember to ask them how the aliens suddenly 'speak' English, ask the obvious questions so they don't get suspicious that she knows things she shouldn't.

"I'M ON AN ALIEN PLANET! NEVER MIND DEEP SPACE!" Lauren began shouting and bouncing between the pair.

"Lauren and Clara welcome to Yavon, half way across the universe you're a long way from Earth. The people are known as Yavonions and with all the culture and parties there are many other lifeforms as you can see who come to celebrate with them."

The Doctor led the way as they followed him into the heart of the market place.

"You think this is impressive wait till night time and the ocean lights up like electricity, glowing like fire when the sun sets which only happens once a year so the locals throw a party to their Gods for good fortune for the new year and the changing seasons." He explained. "Look!" The Doctor suddenly pointed to an alien and leaned towards the girls, "That is the native Yavonion."

The said alien he pointed to was a humanoid who was rather tall with pale greyish skin, this one had what appeared to be tribal patterns painted on its skin as did most of its kind. They had big violet eyes with looked slightly too big for their heads, thin noses and normal looking mouths and their limbs were slender and they had dark hair. The Yavonions wore colourful robes and garments rapped around their bodies which reminded Lauren somewhat of the style of Roman Emperors. The one the Doctor pointed to turned out to be a male who politely bowed when passing them giving a small smile, however when he smiled it showed a glimpse of very small but sharp looking rows of teeth that made Lauren jump, taken back. She could tell these Yavonions were rather beautiful and soft in their appearance so when she saw the sharp rows of teeth she flinched at the contrast – wondering what type of food they eat that requires such teeth, or if they ate humans she thought darkly.

"Try not to stare too much at the aliens some won't like to be gawked at," the Doctor warned.

But it was hard not to stare at all of the aliens, they were just so different. What was it the Doctor once said to Rose…culture shock? Yes, she was having culture shock. Even Clara was having a hard time not staring at everyone and everything, she too was just as in awe of her surroundings. Lauren wished she had several eyes just to take everything in.

"Why are the aliens speaking English?" Lauren asked.

"TARDIS translation. The ship translates alien languages inside your head, they're not speaking English you just hear it and vice versa, consider it a gift from her." The Doctor explained.

"Come on Lauren lets go over to the stall that's the size of Big Ben. Doctor you coming?" Clara asked.

"Nah you two go ahead for a bit I'll catch you up. But remember don't go wandering too far, don't get into fights, and don't do something stupid." The Doctor handed them credits, their money he clarified to buy whatever they wish. Unlimited credits he gave apparently.

"I think you need that advice more than we do Doctor," Clara smirked before pulling Lauren with her through the crowds.

"Meet here in an hour!" The Doctor shouted, turning to go then turning back again shouting, "Almost forgot don't eat or drink any of the blue stuff! Poisonous to humans! Blue bad!"

Clara signalled through the crowds she heard him before they could no longer see each other as Clara and Lauren disappeared in blur among the crowd of aliens. This was without a doubt one of the best experiences of her life Lauren thought as she and Clara buzzed through the place grinning madly as her beginner traveller excitement rubbed off on Clara.

And like any traveller, she wanted to take some pictures. Poking her hands into her pockets she came to the realization she didn't possess a phone. "Clara can I borrow your phone to take pictures? I don't have mine." Lauren asked. There was so much to see and memorize, she wanted memories and she wanted photos to prove it. Living the experience is the best way to do things but having photos of the experience were also invaluable in her view.

"Yeah sure. Knock yourself out just don't look at my photos they're embarrassing," she fished out her phone from her back pocket and handed it to Lauren.

"Cheers." Lauren unlocked the home screen and tapped on the camera icon quickly beginning to snap pictures of the aliens in the stall selling. The items they sold from the stalls ranged from food to pretty stones, gems, jewellery, clothes, space ship parts, stuff that looked like junk but could have been valuable, weapons, there was a tent selling alien birds for pets. Lauren snapped pictures of the aliens and the various items on sale; the glowing stones catching her attention. She and Clara picked a few up inspecting them as a creature with horns and a snout with bore teeth and snakelike looking eyes dressed in robes gestured, encouraging them to buy what they fancied. The creature was a female. Apparently certain stones and gems changed colour based on your mood and came with a description of the colours and their meaning – unlike the ones on Earth these little gems actually worked and didn't change colour purely on your body heat.

"The red one," Clara said pointing to the one on Lauren's left. "Pick the red one." Clara grinned at her. OK red one it was Lauren thought as she dropped the light blue mood stone that matched her eyes in favour for the red.

"Any particular reason?" Lauren asked.

Clara smirked at her mysteriously before saying, "You always wore a mood stone that's neutral colour was red." Lauren paid for the red stone wasting no time in putting it around her neck. The stone pulsed red, then, slowly they observed its core turning yellow. Clara looked at the colour guide. "Hmm, yellow, basic terms are warm, friendly, happiness, joy, and energy. Feeling any of those?"

"All of the above." Lauren grinned.

They continued to make their way through out the market, heading to the one tent that towered over everyone else, the one Clara had nicknamed Big Ben because of its shape and size. Turned out it was a make shift temple to worship and pray to the Gods before the festival.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Two hours had passed and the trio were contently sitting on a small cliff edge overlooking the setting sun and the locals and other life forms currently partying and celebrating on the beach below the end of the year, welcoming the new. The Doctor was right, this was the best spot to catch the beautiful view before them and the sight of people having fun, without missing anything or getting too immersed in the crowds. Lauren watched a creature on stilts breathing fire to gasping and delighted onlookers. The noise and excitement was thick in the air and the beating of big drums from the drummers caused the ground to shake, so much so that even up on their cliff edge above they could feel the vibrations beneath them where they sat.

"It's close now," the Doctor said in a half shout for the girls to hear him over the noise of the drums. Lauren, Clara and the Doctor looked out as the sun slowly began to set below the ocean line. The people became more ecstatic compared to what they were which Lauren didn't think was possible for them to do so. There was dancing and the drum beats quickened, causing the ground to practically pulse and Lauren felt the ground buzz through her body – her palms tingling and she grinned at the sensation and the sheer wonder she was experiencing.

If this all turned out to be a dream then she didn't mind dreaming forever.

Then, suddenly, as the sun disappeared behind the sea and darkness fell, there was a brilliant flash of electric blue that streaked across the waves, so quick you had to double check if you really saw it or not. The drumming had stopped, and so did everyone in the crowd. Silence. Everyone including the Doctor, Clara and Lauren appeared to hold their breath until another flash of brilliant bright light stretched across the waves, and another, and another, and another. The ocean was alight, glowing electric blue dots across the waves flashing in the night and the aliens erupted into cheers and laughter as they began their ritual dances and the drums sounded up again. Lauren and Clara both whooped and cheered and started clapping along – completely immersed in the moment joy. The Doctor smiled and watched their reactions, the wonder in the eyes of his companions that made the whole experience ten times better; seeing through their eyes.

"Happy New Year and good luck to the Yavonions!" Lauren cheered raising an arm out dramatically and blowing on a party blower the Doctor had had in his pockets as Clara laughed.

"Thank you Doctor this really was amazing!" Lauren said, moving to hug him as he protested.

"There was a no hugging rule! Hug Clara she's obsessed with them," the Doctor whined. Lauren let go of him. "You're welcome by the way."

Lauren hugged Clara who gratefully accepted it unlike the Doctor. They took a selfie together and she could practically feel the Doctor roll his eyes at that. And just to annoy him she subtlety snapped one of him unaware, it turned out to be a pretty funny shot of him making her burst into fit of giggles.

"It was a lovely day out Doctor. Surprised nothing bad happened, no world crisis or getting chased by an alien," Clara commented after a bit.

"One of those rare adventures. Enjoy it but don't get used to it though." The Doctor warned casually.

Clara's mouth quirked, "Wouldn't dream of it Doctor."

"We'll be heading back to the TARDIS soon but for now enjoy the party and the view," he said as he relaxed more and lay down on the ground. "And no more photos of me." He added under his breath.