John blinked a few times as his eyes adjusted to his new surroundings. Finally, his eyes locked onto the familiar green woman from his childhood.

"Vastra?" he said in shock. He then noticed that Jenny and Strax were also sitting at the table.

"Doctor? I sent the letter to Clara. Why were you opening her mail?" asked Vastra with an annoyed look on her face.

John's mind was whirring, trying to take in the sight of the old friends he hadn't seen in years. He was at a loss for words.

Suddenly, there was a puff of smoke as a woman appeared with wild hair. John had no idea who she was, but she gave him a sly wink that made him blush.

"Hello, sweetie," she said with a smile. "Didn't think I'd find you here." The strange woman turned to Vastra. "What is this all about?"

Vastra seemed to be a bit perplexed. "Well, seeing as the Doctor is here, I suppose we can just ask him ourselves." She then uttered one word.

"Trenzalore."

John didn't know if he should pretend to be the Doctor or reveal who he was. But currently, everyone was looking at him funny. So he opened and closed his mouth, trying to think of something clever to say but ended up just freezing up.

"Are you alright, Doctor?" questioned the unfamiliar woman. Before John could respond, there was another puff of smoke, and another woman appeared. Only this time, John knew exactly who she was. And this time, she appeared right on top of his lap. He silently cursed as his body reacted without his permission. Clara immediately leapt off of him with a gasp. She turned and slapped John in the face, not understanding what was happening other than she had been sitting on someone's lap and that someone had gotten an erection right under her arse.

"Ow!" cried John, now sympathising with the Doctor when he had slapped him. Everyone was staring at them. Clara finally noticed the others in the room.

"Where am I? What is going on?"

"I have no idea, Clara! And you didn't have to slap me!" he was still rubbing his face. The older woman eyed him suspiciously as she made her way towards him. John stood up, forgetting about the predicament in his trousers for a moment before covering himself with his hands.

"It's not what it looks like," was all he could think to say.

The woman moved closer to him. John backed up a bit, unsure of who she was and why she looked so angry at him now.

"Who is she?" she asked, glancing over to Clara.

"That's Clara, my…friend. We, uh, live together?"

*SLAP*

"Ow!" cried John once again. The woman slapped him across the face right where Clara had hit him moments before.

"What was that for?!" he yelled.

The woman smirked then sat back down in her seat. She went for the tea that Jenny had provided as it turned into a glass of champagne.

"How did you do that?" asked Jenny, hoping to distract from the tension in the room.

"Disgracefully," said the woman in a seductive tone. John sat back down as Clara took the seat next to him.

He rubbed his hand over his face and sighed.

"Before we go any further, please, no more slapping! Also, I'm NOT the Doctor! I don't know what the hell is going on, and I sure as fuck don't know what Trenzawatsit is!"

The woman nearly choked on the champagne. "What do you mean you're not the Doctor?" she questioned. "Who are you?"

Clara now spoke. "This is John."

Vastra and Jenny both gasped and stood. "John?" exclaimed Jenny. She moved from her seat and over to John. He half expected her to slap him across the face, but instead, she gave him a hug.

"You've gotten so big! Last I saw you, you were still wetting the bed. Hated havin' to keep changin' your bedding," she laughed. John's face went red.

"I was five years old!" he retorted. "I can assure you I no longer wet the bed. I'm twenty-one now. Haven't done that in a few months!" he joked, now laughing as he hugged Jenny back.

Clara watched as John was reunited with his old friends. It took Strax a while to understand that John was the same "little girl" who he often had to babysit and make sure he didn't get into the grenades.

The woman with the wild hair finally spoke after clearing her throat. "Well, all this is lovely, but can someone please explain to me why he looks like the Doctor?"

They all stopped and turned. John spoke.

"I'm am, well, was a flesh ganger. I died and then was brought back. So I am biologically one and the same as the Doctor, but I can assure you I am not him. And I'm really sorry, ma'am, but I don't know who are."

"Ma'am?" she said, annoyed. "It's Professor Song." She stood up and walked over to John, where she pinched his cheek as if he was a small child. Then she gave him a look that made the blood rush to his groin for a second time that day. "You can call me River," she smirked. John sat down as soon as she walked away. He cleared his throat.

"So, Vastra, why have you called this meeting?" He hoped to move on from the confusing interactions and get to the point of this weird "dream."

Vastra spoke with a tone of urgency. Apparently, the Doctor had a secret that he was to take to his grave, but it had been discovered. It was River who figured out what the odd message from the deranged man actually meant, but before she could explain, they were being attacked by strange faceless men.

River sprung into action, telling everyone they needed to wake up by throwing her champagne in their faces.

John and Clara both shot up from their dream state. Still right in front of the door to their flat. They looked at each other with wide eyes.

"We have to tell the Doctor!" cried Clara. She quickly got up and began searching for her mobile. John couldn't help notice the terror in her voice. She really did care about the Doctor. John found his own phone and quickly dialled the familiar number.

"Hello?" John heard from the other end.

"Doctor, it's John. You need to come to the flat now. Something has happened."

…

John now watched in horror as the Doctor slumped to the ground as the Great Intelligence entered his timestream and began destroying him at every moment of his life.

"I…I don't know what to do!" cried John. He looked over to Clara, who was standing next to him. He didn't quite understand the expression on her face as she looked intently at the white light that was now turning red.

"I know what to do," she said softly. John closed his eyes as he began to understand who Clara was. He grabbed her hand as she looked up at him with determination in her eyes.

"I have to go in there."

They both turned their heads when they heard the Doctor gasping in pain as he spoke.

"Please, please, no," he cried.

"But this is what I've already done. You've already seen me do it. I'm the Impossible Girl, and this is why."

…

The Doctor carried Clara into the TARDIS after saving her from his time stream. She was barely conscious. Mumbling incoherently every now and then. He continued to walk past the console and disappeared into the depths of the blue box. John ushered the Paternoster Gang into the Old Girl and threw the lever, sending them all into the time vortex and as far away from the horrible place as possible. He landed them near the gang's home.

"I do hope you do a far better job of keeping us informed of what is going on than the Doctor has," said Vastra as she gave John a hug goodbye.

"I'll do my best," he said with a sad smile.

He then gave Jenny a hug as she kissed his cheek.

"It was so good to see you again, John. I've missed havin' you 'round to nick the biscuits."

He chuckled as he turned to Strax, who was clutching his blaster tightly to his chest. John laughed and then brought the bald-headed alien into a bear hug as he proceeded to give him a noogy.

"Stop this immediately! I have grenades!" yelled Strax. John pulled back as he continued to laugh.

"You haven't changed. All of you. Exactly as how I remember," he said fondly.

"Well, John, it's only been about a year since we last saw you. Although, judging from your height difference and slightly more maturity, it's been several years since you've seen us."

John just smiled. "It's a long story. A long tragic story of overcoming trials and redemption and all that shi…stuff," he waved his hand dismissively.

Vastra simply gave him an odd look.

After the Paternoster Gang was out of sight, John finally shut the doors to the TARDIS. He made his way back to the console and sent the ship into the time vortex again. He sighed as he rubbed his hand over his face. Their Wednesday adventures usually consisted of near-death experiences, but Trenzalore was on another level.

Before Clara entered the Doctor's time stream, John could physically feel himself disappearing. Almost as if he'd never existed. He'd never been so scared. And he felt incredibly guilty that his last thought before Clara sacrificed herself was that he didn't want to die. Instead, he wanted Clara to go into the timestream. While the Doctor was screaming at her to stop.

John pushed off the console and wandered through the TARDIS. He meant to go to his own room but stumbled upon a door he'd never seen before. He knew it wasn't the Doctor's room. He'd been in the Doctor's room a time or two, and it was terribly dull as the man rarely spent any time in it. The door was slightly open, and John couldn't help but push into the mysterious room.

He found Clara lying in a bed as the Doctor sat next to her in a chair. He was holding her hand and stroking her forehead. John looked around the room. The TARDIS had made Clara her own room. It was beautiful and screamed "Clara." The Old Girl must have finally gotten over her dislike of the enigma, now knowing precisely who Clara was and what she had done to save the Doctor.

The Doctor spoke without taking his eyes off his Impossible Girl. He must have sensed John's presence.

"She's going to be fine. Just needs to rest," he said softly.

John made his way to the foot of the bed and sat down.

"How about you?" asked John. The Doctor looked tired. He was still nearly identical to John, but John couldn't help notice the hundreds of years etched into every line of the older Time Lord's face and the weight behind his eyes. As much as John envied the Doctor for being on the receiving end of Clara's affections, he was grateful in that moment to simply be John.

"Oh, you know. Same ol', same ol'," said the Doctor. He tried to hide his weariness, but John saw right through it.

"I think you may need to rest too, Doctor. You don't look so good."

The Doctor turned his gaze back to the sleeping woman. "I don't want to leave her. What if she wakes up and I'm not here? She might be confused. All those lives she's lived…and died."

"I can stay for a bit. Just till you feel better," John said with a comforting smile.

The Doctor just nodded and gave Clara a chaste kiss on her forehead before retreating out of the room. John sat in the chair, took Clara's hand into his own, and resumed the similar patterns of circles that the Doctor had been tracing onto her forehead.

After a few moments, John began to speak to her sleeping form. Unsure if she could even hear him.

"You did a courageous thing, Clara. You saved so many people. Galaxies," he paused a moment. "Me," his voice cracked. "You're going to be okay. I can't say that I know what you're feeling right now, but I might be able to understand a little. Having sacrificed myself. I remember it in my dreams. I also have vague and distant memories of other lives floating around in my head. It's all a jumble, but I've managed to cope." He was smiling at her. "And you are by far stronger and smarter than me, so I know you'll do just fine."

Clara gave a contented sounding sigh. He didn't know if it was because of his words or simply a coincidence. Regardless, he was happy to see her features finally relax, and her heavy breathing grew shallow as she fell into a peaceful sleep.

It was only an hour later when the Doctor returned. He'd showered and looked more relaxed than before. Without any words exchanged between the two men, John stood up and let the Doctor take a seat. He squeezed the Doctor's shoulder before leaving the room.

John made his way to his own room and flopped onto the bed. He may be a Time Lord, but growing up on Earth had him accustomed to sleeping every night. Even if it was just for a couple of hours. He didn't know how the Doctor managed to go days without so much as a catnap. It wasn't before long until he succumbed to his own dreams.

He's walking through a graveyard. It's odd, though. He isn't sad. He's overjoyed. He knows he's saying something, but it doesn't register. He's talking to someone. And now he's arguing with someone else about changing light bulbs and…paint?

He turns just in time to see her. Amelia. He knows now. And there's an ominous statue, reaching for her. He can feel himself pleading with her as she turns and then disappears.

"No!" yelled John as he sat up. His chest was heaving up and down. The young Time Lord brought a hand to his cheek and realised he was crying. He must have dreamed about how the Doctor lost Amy and Rory. John swung his legs off the bed and stood up. He looked at the clock on his wall in shock. He had slept for nearly ten hours!

"Wow, must've needed a rest myself," he mumbled as he scratched his head. John quickly got dressed and made his way to the console room.

Once again, he was in shock. Before him was the Doctor (which wasn't a surprise) and Clara. She was sitting on a step drinking tea and wearing her pyjamas along with her favourite fuzzy socks. John smiled as he made his way over to her and sat down.

"Feeling better?" he asked.

Clara took a breath and smiled. "Yeah, think so. You? I woke about two hours ago, and the Doctor here informed me that you were still passed out in bed! One would think it was you who'd just gotten scattered like confetti," she chuckled. John noticed the Doctor had a guilty look on his face.

"What can I say. I'm a growing boy," he joked. Clara gave him a playful shove.

They felt the TARDIS land.

"Where are we now?" asked John.

"Your flat. I think now that you both are awake, it would probably be best to do your earthy things for a bit." The Doctor seemed distracted, and John once again had the thought that he was going to leave in the blue box and never come back.

John thought for a moment. If he was honest with himself, he really did want to spend some time with Kayla and Andrew. He also had to prepare for medical school. He scoffed a bit at the thought. His Earthy life was now starting to feel even more insignificant than it already had. But, the truth was, he was tired and wanted to do something that didn't involve being killed.

John and Clara made their way back to the flat as the TARDIS dematerialised. They silently entered and just looked at each other.

"Feels a bit pointless after everything," Clara said with a sigh.

"I know what you mean," agreed John. "But, someone needs to help teach the minds of the future generation. Who better than Miss Oswald? The woman who saved the universe."

Clara rolled her eyes as she swatted his arm. "Well, if that's true, then the world needs you too. A proper medical doctor. The man who…well, makes bad situations better." She was smiling as John cocked his head, not understanding what she meant.

"I just mean that you have a way of making people…making me feel safe, even during pretty scary situations. Seriously, when we were running from the "ghost" at the Caliburn house, I was terrified, but I was also laughing the whole time. Best medicine," she chuckled.

John laughed and made his way to the sofa as Clara followed. He pulled out the chessboard, but Clara shook her head. "Don't think I want to play that for a while."

"Oh, right," John began rummaging through their box of games. He pulled out Bananagrams. Clara huffed a laugh.

"I mean, we don't have to play a game," he stuttered. "I…I just don't feel like going anywhere or doing anything…or thinking about Trenza...Trenzawatsit," he said honestly.

"Well, then," said Clara smugly. "Prepare to be destroyed. I'll have you know that I was the reigning Scrabble champion in the Maitland household. Let's see if you can beat the world's greatest English teacher," she said teasingly.

…

Clara was now glaring at John, who had beaten her for the fifth time in a row.

"Take that! Miss Oswald! Scrabble champion, my arse!" he yelled. Clara rolled her eyes. John had been goading her and rubbing it in her face every time he won.

"I still beat you the first fifteen rounds we played!" she quipped back.

"You're only winning because it's getting late, and I've been drinking," she added.

"I've been drinking too!" giggled John.

Clara scoffed and waved her hand as she took another sip of wine. "You had two beers! And even then, you spit most of it out!"

They were both laughing now.

Clara began to yawn. "I think I'm going to go to bed."

John just nodded as he put the game pieces into the pouch. "Sounds good. I'll probably do the same," he chuckled. "Did we seriously play speed scrabble for the past five hours?"

Clara snorted as she made her way down the hall. "Yes. And I still beat you more times than you beat me!" she yelled.

…

It was about an hour or two later when Clara woke with a start. She had another nightmare about one of her echos. This time she'd been converted into a Dalek. As she sat up, she noticed it was about midnight.

Clara stretched a bit and decided that maybe she could fall asleep while watching some telly. Before she entered the living room, she stopped at the kitchen and grabbed the open bottle of wine as she began to drink straight from the source.

"Oh!" exclaimed Clara when she noticed the lanky figure lounging on the sofa. There was enough lamplight to see him clearly. He was reading a book.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to startle you," he said as he set the book down on the coffee table. He was wearing his signature plain white t-shirt and a pair of grey joggers that he usually wore to bed.

"Couldn't sleep," said Clara as she sat down next to him. She leaned into his side, "nightmares" was all she uttered. He placed an arm around her as she took another drink from the bottle.

"I'm sorry," was all he said.

"Not your fault. It was my choice," she looked up at him with a smile. "Besides, I have you here to make it better, doctor," she slurred. "Best medicine," she took another swig as she winked.

Clara felt safe with John. He was one of her best friends. Her feelings for the Doctor were confusing and, in her mind, not reciprocated. With John, it was simple. He was her friend and flatmate. He made her laugh and annoyed the hell out of her more often than not. She giggled as she drunkenly looked up at him. He was looking at her like she was so precious.

'Friends. What a good friend,' she thought. Her eyes then went wide when the next thing she knew was that her "friend" was kissing her. She froze for a moment. But she was also drunk and tired and had nearly died…well, did die, a bunch of times.

'What the hell,' she thought.

Their snogging was quickly getting more heated as he then began to push her nightshirt up over her thighs. He was kissing her like she was his oxygen which at the moment she desperately needed more of. She pulled away to catch her breath and could clearly see his bulging erection through the thin material of his sweats. The implications of her snogging her best friend flew out the window when she realised how pleasant it was. To not be in fear of dying or broken-hearted that the man she truly loved didn't love her back.

The Doctor told her that she was too short and bossy right to her face. Not to mention that she wasn't pretty and her nose was all funny. Besides, it's not like she was going to have sex with John, she reasoned in her mind. Just a very heated make-out session.

Ignoring her better judgement, she leaned back into him and kissed him again. His right hand hesitantly made its way to her right breast. She gasped a little into his mouth as her hand made its own way to his inner thigh before ghosting over his groin. Suddenly, he stopped kissing her and buried his head into her shoulder.

"Wait, Clara," he gasped. "I'm…"

Before Clara knew what was happening, he gave a strangled moan. She pulled back. Her eyes went wide when she saw the damp spot on his crotch. On the other hand, he didn't even look at her as he immediately stood up and ran in the direction of the loo.

"John! Wait!" she called. She knew he was probably just embarrassed but the look on his face right before he disappeared down the hall made her think she'd just killed his puppy.

"I'm so stupid!" Clara mumbled to herself as she was about to knock on the loo door. He probably didn't want to be humiliated further by her trying to console his feelings of having cum in his pants like a horny teenager. Clara made her way to her bedroom, bottle in hand. She finished off the wine before passing out. Her last thought was, 'maybe I won't remember this in the morning.'