My apologies about being late at uploading this. I've had a rather nasty flu for the past week and haven't felt like much of anything. I'm only just starting to feel alive again. Anyway, here is the next chapter, lots of fluff in this one. Enjoy!
Once more the Doctor gave her an expression that could only be described as smoldering. Clara felt her features shifting until they were similar to what they were the day the Cyber Planner told her what he claimed were the Doctor's true feelings about her. Her eyes dilated and her lips parted in soft surprise. She felt that overwhelming euphoria that would creep over her every time the Doctor gave her certain compelling looks. And right now he was telegraphing one that sent her an overpowering message. She hoped she was not misinterpreting it to mean anything other than what it looked like—the Doctor flat out fancied her.
Clara had suspected he did, but when he'd sent her away that final time on Trenzalore—not once but twice, and then told Tasha Lem that the only reason he was alive was because of River Song—she'd gotten the real message she thought he was trying to tell her. Clara Oswald was no more to the Doctor than another one of his many and varied companions. Loved like all the rest, in a platonic manner, but no more than that. His twelfth incarnation had really driven home the point by not wanting to touch her, or let her touch him.
But now…here he was, wearing the face she'd fallen in love with, sitting across from her and practically combusting into flames with the heat of the look he was giving her. It took Clara's breath away.
"The last thing I remember thinking…before the regeneration process took over…was how much I wanted to see you again," he breathed, reaching over for her hand. "How much I wanted to be the man you felt most comfortable with. I guess…the regeneration process followed that internal instruction…and put this face back on for me."
They sat gazing at each other intensely for a moment more, and then Clara's phone jangled. Again they jumped apart. As Clara snatched up the phone, the Doctor sat back, crossed his arms and wryly remarked, "don't tell me—it's P.E."
Clara wrinkled her nose at the Doctor's derogatory name for Danny Pink, as she took his call. "Hello, Danny? What's up?"
"Is he still there?" came Danny's rejoinder. "And if so, when's he gonna leave? We can't wait all day."
"Um, yes, he's still here," she pulled her lips in. "We're still going through some things. It might take a bit longer. Why don't I meet you tomorrow?"
"You know I'm leaving for my parent's place early tomorrow. Today was the best day for us to take care of this. Why can't you just tell him you're engaged to meet me," Danny reasoned.
"Danny…he's been through a lot. He had a lot of people try to kill him recently, and he only just managed to escape. And then his whole body reformed on him. Be patient—he's still recovering from a lot of trauma. You of all people should know what that's like," she reasoned back.
"Don't," the Doctor said coldly, "try to compare my experiences to P.E.'s. He can't possibly know the half of what it's like."
"Shush," she snapped at the Doctor. "I'm just trying to get him to be able to relate."
"Well he can't, so don't try," the Doctor retorted.
"I can hear him," Danny hissed into the phone. "And I agree. I'm human like you, so I relate better to you than he does."
Clara rolled her eyes. "Look…I'll call you later, okay? Later."
Danny sighed. "All right. But see if you can't convince him to find something else to do besides hang around your place. Maybe the Milky Way needs saving or something."
"Goodbye, Danny," Clara growled. She turned off her phone and set it down.
The Doctor stood up from his chair slowly, and turned towards the kitchen doorway. "I think it might be time for me to go save the Milky Way," he said morosely. "I've wasted enough time here."
Startled at his sudden change of attitude, Clara darted forward and grabbed one of his arms. "No…Doctor! Where are you going? What's wrong?"
He jerked his arm out of her hand, and turned to face her. Anger and frustration poured from his countenance. Clara could see something else in his eyes…wounded pride, perhaps? She wondered if something she'd done or said had hurt him.
To prove it, the Doctor started into a tirade. "Well, it's quite obvious to me that you and P.E. are already an item. Far be it from me to play gooseberry to the two of you. I could do it with the Ponds because I'd known Amy since she was a child, and saw her and Rory as family more than anything else. But I'll be confounded if I'll do it for you and P.E. I wouldn't be able to cope with seeing you and him…together…like that. It was getting bad enough before I regenerated. Now it would be even worse, since I thought I had…well. Never mind. You two just go off, get married and have lots of little offspring without me around to bother about. Go on. Mr. Pink is waiting. Call him back." He waved his hand towards the phone on the table.
"Doctor," Clara said quietly, "what are you talking about? I'm not trying to usher you out of here. You're the only one doing that."
"Am I? You're the one taking calls from him and promising to call back," he growled. "Just go marry the idiot and have done with it. It's what you want, isn't it?"
"No…not necessarily," she responded, her voice getting louder. "I know I don't feel strongly enough to marry him, for goodness' sake. "
"So why do I doubt you would feel strongly enough to marry me instead?" he bellowed.
The room went deathly quiet. The two of them stared at each other, faces flushed, the Doctor's last words hanging in the air between them. A full minute went by, but to the pair it felt like a hundred years. Clara opened her mouth, and squeezed some words out.
"Did—what did you just—"she gasped.
His face blanched and he swallowed. "I—I…"
She took a step towards him. He retreated slightly, still looking terrified.
"How can you know unless you ask?" she whispered, reaching up and touching his face.
He captured her hand in his own, and kissed it. "Clara," he murmured, his features softening. "I'm…sorry. I shouldn't have yelled at you like that. But…I need to understand. How do you really feel…in your heart…about Danny Pink?"
"Danny came along when I was lonely, after you'd regenerated and changed so much. I thought I was a fool for thinking you cared anything more for me than what you'd felt for all your other companions, a kind of love, but not the kind that plans futures together. Danny showed me affection and I latched onto it," Clara admitted. "I care about him, but ever since some madman showed up wearing a monk's suit at the Maitland's door, I've had a hard time caring very deeply about anyone else, including Danny Pink."
"Clara…my Clara," the Doctor breathed, and pulled her to him. "Ever since the Dalek Asylum I've had a hard time caring for anyone but you. It's been you ever since then, with your sassy remarks and your youthful vitality and your bravery. You are perfect for me in every way and I want you near my side always." He leaned down and placed his lips on hers, softly at first, and then with urgency. His arms wrapped around her and gathered her in closer. Clara returned his kiss with all the fervency of her pounding heart.
Behind them on the kitchen table the phone began to ring again. "Shut up, P.E.," the Doctor said rudely, his lips still on Clara's.
