She found the Doctor sitting alone at the table in the prison canteen, nibbling at his porridge with a spoon. As she took her food on a tray, she joined him.

He wasn't very talkative than usual, dare she say he was ignoring her. Clearly, he was still hurt from the row they had. So she was the first to broke the silence between them.

"It disappeared." She watched him for any reaction and she got it – he smiled sadly.

"Are you lying to me again?" the Doctor grumbled.

"No, I mean it. It just delayed. That's all." He nodded after considering what she just told him.

"You'll tell me when you get new ones, so we could observe them properly."

"Sure, I'll give you a shout." She told him. He didn't say anything back. She sighed. "Sorry, I shouldn't be so harsh on you, so mad about you missing me. It's only natural of you to miss me. And here I am, a ghost to torture you."

After what he heard he shook his head. "A torture was forgetting you, Clara." His hand hesitantly reached out for hers, seeking it in his dark world. Were they alright again? Of course, they were alright, they couldn't stay angry at each other for too long. So her hand was placed in the centre of his palm, and he instinctually wrapped around it.

"Can you remember everything now?" She asked him quietly, trying not to disturb much that little comforting agreement they'd just reached.

"No. Not everything. I still can't remember what you told me in the cloisters and that's very…umm" He was lost for words.

"Irritating?" She suggested and he nodded, giving up at his porridge and shoving it away. "I don't remember it either. It was a long time ago."

"How many years passed since I last saw you?" His thumb twitched giving away his nervousness, only to be masked with a gentle brush over her skin.

"I dunno. Fifty maybe. Maybe more. I've lost a count–"

"Aye, daddy!"

First, she felt slight sudden anger for being interrupted, but when she saw who it was…

When she knew who it was it was like her body was suddenly put in a cryogenic camera, and only in a side of her eyes, she noticed the Doctor flinch, his unearthly senses taking up on her first notes of fear.

Clara watched in horror, as Pepe was taking massive steps towards their table. She wanted to scream at him, tell him off, but she knew he wouldn't listen. He wasn't after her, he was glaring with fire in his eyes at the Doctor, and it made her terrified.

"Let us, two men, talk. If I can't persuade you, maybe your father can." He glowered with his teeth at her, giving a short wink.

That was a very bad situation, her mind racing in search of the best way out. But the only one was the door out of the canteen.

"Clara, what's happening?" The Doctor sounded almost curious.

Her small voice wouldn't do anything. She wasn't in control of the situation. "Pepe, don't–"

"Shut up! Let your dad speak!" She clearly hadn't any voice. So she watched as hell slowly unwrapped before her.

"Who are you?"

"I'm Pepe."

"Yeah, very stupid name, I've heard Clara quite well." The Doctor smirked. "What is it that you need?"

"I need your blessing."

"I'm sorry? Do I look like a priest? I thought they don't serve one here."

"I need your blessing for Clara. I want her, and I love her. You can see I'm a good match for her." He tried to sound a bit cheery, smiling and nodding at his muscular body.

"I certainly don't." The Doctor shrugged, giving him a false quick observation from tip to toes. "How long are you dating?"

That got on Clara's nerves. "We are not!"

Pepe gave her a hurt look which made her feel sick. His voice was cold. "Luv, we're dating since the first day you're here. No need for lying."

The Doctor shook his head, her hand in his was hurt from his strong grip on her. Then he stood up from the bench, leaving her hand, it felt almost empty without him. The Doctor gripped at the spoon in his other fist. What was he doing?! "You're hurting her."

Blast.

Clara felt ice creeping down her spine.

Well, he realised that.

Of course, he was the Doctor, he had quite amazing brains in his head.

He knew, he fucking knew where she got her bruises from and still hadn't told her a word.

Instead of telling how sorry he was, Pepe did something dangerous, he shrugged nonchalantly. "She was asking for it. She was saying no. Surely you would understand."

"No, I wouldn't." The Doctor's voice was harsh and pointy. "And I'm certainly not her father."

"Grandfather?" Clearly, Pepe was playing a fool, he must have been.

"You hurt someone I very much care for. I advise you to stay away from Clara."

"But I love her!"

"If I see you near her again –" he tried again but was interrupted with Pepe's laugh. Clara was giving a look at two men between her, all she wanted to scream at them both to stop it, just stop it, Doctor, it's not worth it, defending her would only lead to something bad happening to him.

Pepe straightened up and spit on the floor. "What will you do? You don't look scary." Just then, Clara knew they were in really big trouble and that the Doctor should have been shut up.

"Oh, maybe I don't." The Doctor pursed his lips and waved his hands. "But there is a reason they locked me in a secured colony prison, don't you think?"

"Oh, I have a reason to be here, too, believe me."

"Hmmm, let me guess it. Pepe, right?" The Doctor straightened his shoulders just as he always did when verbally attacking someone. "Also known as Alistair Fitch-Brown, a drug dealer who was caught in the middle of his – what? – the fiftieth deal. Found with his peed pants down, mumbling some gibberish under his nose. Happy anniversary, by the way." The Doctor smirked and gave it a light chilling laugh.

"You're not her relative, aren't you?"

"No," the Doctor showed his white teeth, and though he definitely thought this Pepe must be really thick, his tone stayed as cold as an ice cube in single malt whiskey. He started rather gently. "You go near Clara Oswald ever again, and I'll unleash hell on you, I'll give you the worst living nightmare and several new reasons to cry at nights, I'll make everyone know what you really are and why you are here, I'll turn a revolution on you. Give me several days, and your life becomes a nightmare. Give me a fortnight and you'll beg for a merciful death. Of that, I can promise you."

"Then I'll have to make you shut up." Pepe tried to sound bored, but even she could notice the Doctor's words had their effect, "Is that all?"

"This woman here is protected, Alistair. Just think about it twice before you think of doing something nasty to her."

Pepe gave it a chuckle. "Oh, you're such a dumb old man. It's a pity I can't slice your throat right now." He left them with those ominous words hanging in the air.

"You, me, out of the diner," Clara whispered in the Doctor's ear and took his hand. They were in so much trouble now.

She led them back to the library backroom, the one where the Doctor was working for administration and the one she had run off that night. She helped him sit abruptly on the table, not caring for bruises she might have given.

She was about to slap her hand at his cheek, they were in so much trouble now, Pepe was going to kill him, he was going to kill the Doctor, but paused before it could reach the delicate skin of his. She tried to swallow a lump in her throat. Her fingers traced his cheek with a ghost of her slap. His face was clueless. No, she couldn't do that to him, not when he could only guess what was going around. The tip of her thumb just barely forced it against his cheek but nothing more.

"You shouldn't have done that." She tried to sound somewhat neutral, not giving up her anger and worry, failing miserably at it anyway.

"Why, have I done anything? I don't think so." The Doctor was looking past her, he chuckled and then scowled, inclining his head. "I'm certainly going to. He shouldn't have hurt you, Clara!"

"Well, now he can hurt you, knowing that you're not my dad. Is this what you wanted?" The Doctor was shaking his head violently.

"Clara, you don't seem to understand. This man gave bruises to someone who matters to me. If you really think I care about several might-be scratches and that my blindness will stop me, you are wrong."

"I care. Stop guarding me, you're not in a state for fighting."

"Clara–"

"No, just shut up," she pleaded of him. "I know everything you're going to say; we had the very same fight many times before. Don't."

"If you know everything I'm going to say, then you know everything I'm going to do." The Doctor was having none of it. "And you know I'm going to do whatever the hell I want."

"No, you're not. You're grounded."

He smiled at her then, baffled. "I'm sorry?"

"Barney told the administration he's tired of this job and doesn't mind working in the mines." She explained, hoping in her still heart the Doctor would soften his eagerness. "Swiping places with me. Now, officially, I'm your right hand."

"But–"

"If you don't behave, I'm going to lock you in this very room."

"You'll lock a blind old man?" he chuckled. "Incredible."

"Whatever it takes to get you out of trouble."

The Doctor shook his head. "I've spent years in a confession dial, some plain room won't stop me."

"Doctor, please, just shut up. This is no time for a brag, and you make my head hurt."

"Clara, I think you've forgotten something over 50 years of your adventures."

She sighed heavily, placing her arms akimbo. Impossible man. "And what have I forgotten exactly?"

"You forgot I have a duty of care of you. Yes, you're damn well right, I'm not in a state to do anything," he made a pause, brooding, " to be honest… the Doctor as you knew him is long gone and I'm nothing but a shadow. I can hear his voice, I'm living in his head, his hands touch the surroundings. He's not here, and this pathetic shadow can't even fight monsters. I can't do anything. I feel like a baby."

"You're not–"

"No! Listen." He abruptly made her shut up before she could say anymore. "Listen closely," he told her in a quiet voice. "There's a drum in the chest of this shadow, two heartbeats. These heartbeats are the Doctor's, they are mine. They haven't changed a bit. Listen," he grasped for her arm and placed her palm against his chest. "Can you feel them?"

She definitely could feel them, a soothing calming rhythm inside his chest. "That's all I am." His tone faltered. Her eyes darted at his face, which he turned away from her.

She thought she could grasp what he was showing her, clearly, he was failing at words completely because words weren't working on her. This was him, trying to make her understand that no, he would never stop making stupid things because they might hurt him, he was doing them to protect her and solemnly her. He cared for her too deeply, and what she was asking of him was impossible.

"You're…"

"Infuriating, arrogant, bastard?" The Doctor suggested in a low voice.

"Yes…"

"Stupid, bloody idiot, cretin?"

"Yes." She said more firmly.

"A little bit impossible?"

"My very next thought." She took his hand and placed it on her neck. "I care for you, Doctor, the same way you care for me. Imagine me being on your place and doing all these stupid things for you."

"I wouldn't have let you." He said without an afterthought. His hand was brushing past the juncture between her neck and shoulder, then back to the nape of her neck. "I would have locked you in this very room if needed."

"So we are stuck together in this very room locking each other, aren't we?"

"I so bloody missed you." He confessed.

"Me too."

A moment later, it was taking him some time to realise where her lips were, he crushed his lips on hers and couldn't quite stop. They were hopeless, each of them fighting over control, each of them risking own's life to protect the other. It was them and it was simple, and yet so difficult. He yearned for something, more of her lips on his, more of her in general. With his tongue clicking on her teeth he made her mouth open for him, still, it wasn't enough. He was lying to her, this wasn't a care, not anymore at least. He was hurting for Clara. He had told her that hearts were all that remained of the Doctor… but what if they were poisoned? Poisoned by Clara who was winning control over his mouth? He had been always afraid to lose the Doctor in him, dreaded the day which he always knew was ticking closely and closely. And yet here he was, losing himself to the impossible woman and was even more eager to lose himself for her.

"You sure?" He caught her saying between her shallow breathes. Had he ever been sure of it in the past? He had used to be shy and nervous, telling her off with lectures on primitive love and showing her off with awkward twitchy gestures. 'Later,' he would have said. Plain simple 'no'. Now he was so damn confident it was pretty scary. And yet…

"Are you?" He asked her, giving them just a little break.

She paused, leaving him worrying that by asking her such a question he stepped over the imaginary boundary, and then she leaned back, placing a soft pep on his bottom lip. That wasn't an answer, but he wouldn't ask for it again, to be frankly he was a bit afraid of the answer.

Clara's hands tugged at the hem of his blue t-shirt, her cold fingers brushing his skin lightly and giving light chills. Funny how things turned out, he had always used to believe he was the coldest one. She discarded his t-shirt with ease after then he heard her taking off hers. Oh, what the Doctor would give in exchange to the bliss of seeing her right now.

Then she was back with him, closing the gap between their bodies. The Doctor hissed and twitched at the contact of skin to skin. She was colder than him. Unusually much colder.

"Oh! I'm so sorry," she was immediately retracting from him but he snatched her back, embracing her cold body with a death grip.

"Don't."

"You'll freeze."

"I don't care."

Clara made her way to escape his embrace, and her hands fell to his cheeks, enveloping them. "You can't be ill for what we are about to do. Keep yourself safe. Do you hear me?" He nodded.

"You weren't so cold before," the Doctor noticed. Well, she hadn't got an answer herself why her body was shifting and changing lately.

Perhaps, it was because they weren't supposed to meet each other ever again, and that was the universe telling them to keep the distance. Maybe the link between her body in reality and her soul in the chasm of nothingness was wearing down and becoming weaker. It could be anything, but it all meant one thing, one very scary thing she was telling herself every morning she woke up:

One day it will be all over.

3 days before the escape

The morning began with a loud clank of the cell doors being remotely opened. Her eyes fluttered open, Clara woke up, sit on her tough bed and stretched. Her body was hurting but not so much, and she knew she wouldn't work in the mines anymore, yesterday the guard came to her and told her officially what she had already known about the job exchange. She was surprised Pepe wasn't seemed anywhere near her already to haunt.

After a common shower, she decided she should visit the Doctor's cell in case he needed her help with anything. Then they could go together to the library and work on papers. But when she almost reached his cell she stopped.

She saw a man crumbling on his knees.