Please note that this is happening after a twenty minute or so time skip from the last chapter.
"So Doctor, who was Clara?' Yaz's left eye crinkled slightly at the corner, in that way she did when she was curious. She was being careful, though, she knew the Doctor well enough to know she needed to be treated gently.
The Doctor kept her eyes focused on the TARDIS's glowing yellow console as she navigated the immensely complex set of buttons and switches. It was clear she was nervous, gliding her hands around the levers more hesitantly than she used to, as if scared to make any sudden movements and scare her second oldest friend, her favourite machine.
Yaz started to turn away, thinking that the Doctor needed some time to talk with her TARDIS, but soon stopped in her tracks at the sound of her Doctor's voice.
"I've told you, a long time ago, that I travelled with, you know, other people. And that now they're all gone"
"I assumed they'd all left, gone on to other things in their lives, like Ryan and Graham did" Yaz felt her arms start to tingle in apprehension.
"Oh, Yaz. You know it's dangerous, to travel with me. Being around me isn't the easiest, I know that, but I always try and protect people whenever I can. Especially when it comes to my friends. But sometimes it doesn't work. Sometimes I fail- You just saw a whole room full of my failures, my past.
But my past was also their end. Not for many, but for some, travelling with me was the last thing they did. Clara was one of those people. She was special to me, she was... She was my friend. And she's gone now because of me"
The Doctor finally looked up, although now it was Yaz who was looking away.
"Does that scare you, Yasmin Khan?"
Yaz took a shuddering breath before turning to face her Doctor, her wonder, her miracle in a box.
"No. I know you're not perfect Doctor, I wouldn't want to be your friend if you were perfect. And you've lived a very long life, it's only natural that you would have made some mistakes. So no, I'm not scared of you, never of you Doctor. But you have to promise me that I won't end up like that. You have to swear to me that I won't just be another face that makes you feel guilty when you think about it"
The Doctor walked over to where Yasmin was standing, and took her face in her hands. Taking in her shining eyes, she leant in close and pressed their foreheads together.
"Yasmin Khan, I will not let you become someone I feel guilty about. I promise"
Some softness after the last chapter- I know you need it. You're welcome, dear reader❤️
