"More pudding, love?"
The Doctor sat back and dabbed a napkin to his lips. He was replete with happiness. It had been a marvelous Christmas, from the delectable turkey to the plum pudding with sauce he'd helped Clara put together only fifteen minutes previously in the kitchen (there had been a lot of giggling and kissing and feeding each other spoonfuls of sauce before Clara's aunt had opened the door and tutted at them for being late with the dessert).
Waving his hand at Clara, he declined another helping of pudding. He turned to her grandmother, and winked. Gran toasted him with her wine glass and gave him a downright saucy smile. They'd been flirting shamelessly since she walked in the front door. He was still trying to figure out how Clara had wound up with such an adorable grandmother.
"That was a grand dinner, Clara," her father Dave sighed, patting his stomach. "I even enjoyed the brussel sprouts."
"Thank the Doctor," she responded, as she started clearing the table. "He showed me a way to make them palatable."
"Never have liked edible green things," the Doctor murmured, playing with the little toy dog that had come in his Christmas cracker. "The less they taste like normal, the better."
"Whatever you did, it was superb. Thank you both," Dave remarked. "Well, I suppose we old folks better totter off and leave you two lovebirds to the rest of your Christmas."
"Oh, you don't have to leave so soon, Dad," Clara remonstrated, coming back from the kitchen to stop him. "The Doctor and I aren't ready to toss you out just yet."
"Oh yes, let's watch telly," Gran smiled. "There should be some dandy good programs on now."
The Doctor leaped out of his chair and grabbed the remote. "Let's see what we can find, hey gorgeous?" he smirked, plopping down next to Gran on the sofa where she had moved. Clara wondered if she should be jealous. After all, he was closer in age to Gran than he was to Clara herself…even if it was still by a thousand years or so. She cleared some more plates from the table and wandered into the kitchen. As she scraped bits of food off them, she looked up to find her dad had followed her in, carrying the remains of the turkey. He set it on the counter, folded his arms and leaned against the kitchen table.
"He's not really Swedish, is he?"
"Sorry?" Clara looked at her father with confusion for a moment, not sure what he was referring to.
"Your fiancé…the Doctor. You explained his…lack of clothing last year when we first met him as his being Swedish." Dave gave her a wry look. "That was a bit of a stretch, wasn't it?"
Clara chewed her lower lip. Setting down the plate she'd been holding, she turned to face her father. "Dad…there's something I really should tell you about the Doctor, but it's going to be difficult to believe."
"He's a little green man from Mars," her father grinned.
She scrunched up her nose. "You're not far off."
Dave's arms dropped to his sides and he leaned forward with disbelief. "He's from Mars?"
Taking a deep breath, Clara plunged ahead. "He's an alien. A Time Lord. He's from a planet called Gallifrey. He has two hearts, and a time machine."
Her father stood poised for a moment, as if waiting for a punch line. "And-?"
"And that's it," Clara stated. "Oh—and I've traveled with him in the time machine to other worlds. Last Christmas we went to a place called Trenzalore, where he died, and was regenerated into that old man you saw me having coffee with one time at school. Just recently he regenerated again, back to the younger version."
Dave's mouth had drifted slightly open as he took this all in. With a skeptical look in his eye, he queried her further. "How old is he really? Is he a young man or an old one?"
"Both," she ventured. "An old man in a young body."
"How old?" Dave pursued, placing strong emphasis on the first word.
Clara screwed her eyes up toward the ceiling, and curled her upper lip as she ventured the implausible. "About nearly two thousand years?"
Closing his eyes, Dave mustered his courage to respond. Then his eyes snapped open. "If everything you're telling me is true…what on earth are you doing marrying this ancient alien?"
"I love him, Dad. I love everything about him. I even loved him when he was an old man. He is fascinating. He's traveled so many interesting places and times…he's had thousands of experiences in his lifetimes. He's kind, compassionate, caring…oh, he can be stern and odd and strange and at times…once in a while he'll scare me…but he's never been someone I didn't care for deeply. I…I sacrificed myself for him several times, and he saved my life and brought me back from oblivion. I've lived through adventure and danger while traveling with him and I can't imagine myself anywhere else except by his side." Clara's eyes were shining as she finished. She then noticed the Doctor, who had just walked into the kitchen with an empty wine bottle. He must have heard some of what she'd said, as his eyes were shining into hers. He gave her a gentle smile.
Dave turned around, facing the Doctor. "And you…why do you want to marry my daughter? She could be your granddaughter."
"My great-great-great-great-great—well you get the idea—granddaughter, actually. And no, she doesn't seem like that to me, sir." The Doctor was still looking towards Clara, warmth and love radiating from his expression. "Your daughter is amazing. She is clever, smart, brave, funny, beautiful, loving, courageous and selfless. I'm honored to have her love. I know I don't deserve it," he finished quietly.
Clara made an impatient sound and moved over to him, taking him in her arms. "You deserve all the love in the world, as often as you've saved it," she said softly, nestling her head against his chest.
"I think I'd better go and find out what's on the telly," Dave remarked, walking out of the kitchen. Clara and the Doctor, literally wrapped up in each other, didn't notice him leave.
Clara's Aunt Linda looked up from the couch where she was seated with Gran, watching an interviewer chat with the winners from Strictly Come Dancing. "Did you find out why he paraded in front of us stark naked last year?"
As he sat down beside her, Dave stared blankly at the telly. "Maybe that's how they celebrate Christmas on his planet," he remarked dryly.
"I was a little disappointed he didn't celebrate it that way this year," Gran mused, with a small smile.
"What? Are you serious?" Linda snorted.
With a sly look, Gran responded. "Don't tell me you weren't hoping he would, dear," she smirked.
