The Doctor had just entered his flat after getting home from work when his mobile rang.
"John, I need you to go to Clara's," James said from the other end sounding panicky.
"She isn't speaking to me right now, so I don't think sending me over to do your bidding is a good idea."
"No, I think she might be in danger."
"Jesus Christ, James! You told me she would be fine," the Doctor yelled into the phone as he grabbed his keys and ran out his door.
"And I thought she would be, but River just left my office and she seemed a bit crazed. I have no idea where she was going, but I feel like she might be wanting to talk to Clara."
"Where are you now?"
"I'm in my car on my way to her office, just in case she's still there. She's not picking up her mobile and I just thought that since you're close to her flat you could check on her."
"Okay, I'll let you know if I find her."
The Doctor hung up and began to run down the street towards Clara's. Once he got there he banged on her front door, but no answer. He decided maybe he would try and ring her, just in case she was avoiding James' calls. He waited for her to pick up, but just like his brother, no answer. He quickly typed a message as he started thinking where she might be.
Clara, please call me as soon as you get this.
He then phoned James back.
"Any luck?" James asked when he answered.
"No, she's not here. I'm going to head over to her office, try and trace the steps she might take and hope to cross paths with her."
He left Clara's and pulled out his mobile again as he walked towards the tube. He thought maybe he'd call Rose and see if she knew where she might be.
"Hi,' she said as she answered.
"Hi," the Doctor replied. "I'm sorry to bother you, but I was hoping you might know where I can find Clara."
"Why?" She asked.
"I just need to find her, do you know?" He was a tad short with her because he didn't have time questions.
"No, I haven't talked to her in a couple of days. What's going on, Doctor?"
"James is just concerned and needs to find her. I'm trying to help him."
"Concerned about what?" Rose continued to question.
"He's just worried and wants to make sure she's okay."
"Well I know she was wanting some space from him, and you for that matter, so the two of you are likely the last people she wants to see right now."
"I know, and I'll gladly leave her alone once I know she's okay. Listen, can you do me a favour and call her? I fear that because she doesn't want to talk to James and I, that she's avoiding our calls and texts."
"Okay," Rose agreed. "I'll text you and let you know what I find out."
"Thanks," the Doctor replied, relieved that Rose would help him.
He hung up and glanced around the area just before he was about to step into the tube station, hoping to catch a glimpse of her, but no luck. He really hoped James was wrong, but he too was starting to get a very bad feeling, similar to the one that he had when she had been kidnapped.
Clara had been focusing on her work and staying later at the office, since she had taken her break from the Smith men. After she had left James' place, she cleared her schedule and really reflected on her life, both past, present and future, thinking about all the choices she had made that lead her to her current situation. She thought about her actions when she dropped out of school and how she really had been avoiding growing up. She wasn't entirely sure why that was, perhaps some weird way of preserving her mum, but she finally saw the truth behind what she did, what she always did when she was faced with a problem, she ran away. She wanted so badly to run now, but she couldn't because she had finally started to grow up and had responsibilities here. She had a job that she loved and a career that she could see growing with and it was that, that she really wanted. This job was the one thing that brought her joy and she didn't want to mess that up. She spent the rest of her time thinking about her happiness and which man she fit better with, which one she could see creating a life with, perhaps even starting a family with. And the more she thought about her future, it started to become obvious who she wanted. She still wasn't ready to talk to either man because she wanted to be one hundred percent sure, but she knew she was getting closer to that moment with each passing day.
She glanced around the office and noticed that no one was left, including Donna. She should likely head home, but she just had a few more concept sketches to finish and knew if she left now, she would lose her momentum. She looked down at her mobile to check the time and noticed that it had died. She had been really focusing so hard that she hadn't even realised it. She picked up her bag and started rummaging through it, looking for her charger when she heard the lift ding. She looked up and was surprised to see who it was.
"River," she said.
"Hello, Clara. I hope you don't mind me coming here like this?"
"Ah, no, it's okay. How did you know I was here?"
"Missy has been keeping tabs on you for me because you've become a bit of a problem for the two of us."
Clara should have known Missy was up to no good. She had always had a bad feeling about her.
"And how did you get past security?" Clara asked.
"Oh, I have my way with men. Well most men," River added.
"Okay, and why are you here?" Clara asked, knowing it likely had to do with James.
"I'm having trouble talking sense into James and I thought that maybe I could talk to you. You know woman to woman."
"And what is it that you need James to do?"
"To not leave me. To love me and not you."
Clara had no idea why River would be here, but now she knew what it was all about. She was jealous and felt betrayed, and no doubt blamed Clara for all of it. She didn't know River very well and had no idea what she would be capable of, but from what she had heard from James she knew River was a no-nonsense kind of woman and had to deal with a lot of unsavoury people.
"I didn't think you were interested in James that way." Clara thought it might be best to try and keep her talking while she tried to figure out a way to get to the lift or into an office where she could lock the door and call security, just in case the need arose.
"I've always thought of him that way. I was just waiting for him to stop fucking around and realize that I was the woman he needed to be with." River moved closer to Clara's cubicle. "But it would seem that you have messed all of that up."
"And how exactly have I done that?" Clara stepped out from her desk and started slowly backing away.
"You made him fall in love with you."
"I didn't make him do anything, River. He's his own man and can't control his feelings even though he may have thought he could."
"No, see that's where you're wrong. He had been controlling his emotions for years. He wasn't going to stop doing that. Not for anyone. So what the hell is so special about you? Why are you the woman he falls for, the one he wants to spend the rest of his life with?"
"I don't know. Only he can answer that."
"It doesn't matter. I'm done talking to him about this."
"So then why are you here if you're done with this?"
"Because I'm not done with him, I'll never be. He's the only man I've ever loved and that's why I need you out of the picture. It's the only chance I have of finally being with him, now that he knows how I feel."
Clara knew River had completely lost it; she was now talking nonsense.
"River, even if I'm not with James, it doesn't mean he's going to suddenly start loving you. You can't force those feelings."
"True, but it would at least give me a fighting chance."
"So if I say that I'll leave James, you'll walk out of here?"
"Don't be silly, dear. I know James well enough to know that he always gets what he wants. And if he wants you, he won't stop until he wins. You leaving him, will only make him fight harder."
Now Clara was downright terrified. She started moving back hoping she would make it to one of the offices before River reached her. She wasn't close enough to risk making a sudden move.
"River, what the hell are you talking about?"
The lift dinged and both women looked towards it to see James walk out. River quickly reached into her purse and pulled out a knife as she lunged at Clara, wrapping her arm around her and holding the knife to her throat.
"River! Put the knife down!" James yelled and moved towards the women.
"No! Don't take another step!"
James stopped moving and looked at Clara. She looked so scared and he hated to see her like that, knowing that he was once again the reason she was in danger. He tried his best to assure her with a look, that it would be okay.
"River, just listen to me. Don't do anything that you're going to regret."
"James, she's the reason you want to leave me. Leave everything that we built. Mondasian is important to me too and now you want me out of it. I can't just give it all up."
"Okay, we can work something out, but please just let Clara go. She had nothing to do with my decision to buy you out."
"No, but if you hadn't fallen in love with her, you wouldn't want this other life. Things would still be the same."
"River, I want to talk about this with you, but not while you have Clara like that. Please just drop the knife and come with me. Just you and I."
River didn't say anything, it was obvious she was thinking about what James said. Clara kept her eyes focused on James, hoping that he had been able to convince River to let her go.
"If I ask you to come back to New York with me, will you?" River asked.
"Let Clara go and we'll talk about it."
"No! Answer me, James!"
"Yes," he lied. "Now please let Clara go."
The lift dinged for a third time and River glanced at it, momentarily dropping her guard. James used the opportunity to charge at her, causing her to loosen her grip on Clara, who was able to move out of her grasp. She looked at the lift to see the Doctor running towards her along with the security guard from downstairs, then looked back to see James struggling with River. It was as if time had slowed down and she could hear each beat of her heart as she helplessly watched James trying to get the knife away from River, until suddenly a muffled scream was heard and they both dropped to the ground.