The Delight Of The Unknown

She paced up and down her small, narrow kitchen, the kitchen he had often referred to as 'a corridor with appliances' She had been offended to begin with, but for the space to pace in it, he had a point.

It had been nearly a month. A MONTH since she had seen him, and with each passing day she grew more and more irritated, he has her number, although good with technology she has very rarely spoken to him on the phone, he could ring her, explain the situation? No, that would be human thing for him to do.

Clara huffed If that man wasn't so damned good looking I would smack him into the middle of next year!

Her voice, echoed in his head, he froze, stopping what he was doing, it sounded angry. Fascinating, so her voice reflected her mood as well? He felt a prodding into his back, turning sharply he looked at the creature, holding the blunt sphere to his back.
''Look im having a telepathic link with somebody here, could you at least give me 5 minutes?'' He said sharply, raising his hands in a fake plea of time.

It didn't work, instead the prodding came to his stomach and he found himself pushed closer towards the cell.

He closed his eyes, feeling his hands being restrained in front of him as the mucus from the creature coated his hands and coat sleeves ''I only got this washed the other day'' He said exasperated as he saw the group make their way to the door, closing and locking it.

Nobody stayed, much to his delight, within a few minutes he lay on his side, making as little noise as possible as he shuffled till the sonic screwdriver fell from his pocket, struggling he moved to pick it up.

You will not stay mad at him forever, you're too much of a soft touch, any story he offers will be accepted without question. He looked up for some reason, why did she think he lied to her? Why was she mad or disappointed?

He finally got hold of the sonic screwdriver, fiddling delicately with the settings until he found one to unlock the computer-controlled chains.

D&C

He looked around the Tardis, he had changed, washed the mucus from his body and flown into her time zone, he was not far from her house, he pondered a little, did he ring her, or just turn up?

He knew why she was mad at him, he had disappeared, it was understandable, but he didn't know how to face her, knowing what he knew, how she thought.
After all, how somebody thinks is not a reflection on who they are, thinking is private, your thoughts you choose to keep to yourself are for you alone, so sharing intimate thoughts became invasive.

He felt his spine tingle, shaking the memory of it for now, it had clouded his mind for days, travelling about aimlessly, trying to occupy his mind, he refused to indulge in such behaviour, it was completely private and he had no right to know her thoughts.

Yet he couldn't find out what started this, nor how to stop it.

The door's opened quickly, he turned to face them seeing her small, very annoyed figure come stomping in.
''Clara!'' He said, jumping from his chair and walking half way down the stairs, ''You look different'' He rattled off nervously ''Have you put on weight?''

''Where in gods name have you been?'' Clara stood still, folding her arms, waiting for an answer ''And why, are you sitting in the middle of a building plot?''

''Um… The Tardis just stopped where she felt necessary, I have no say in that'' The machine moaned its disapproval at being given the blame. He made a mental note to say sorry later on.

''You said you would be back as soon as you sorted the whole mind reading thing out, please tell me you have?'' Clara said, softening a little.

''Well, that's actually a funny story'' He said, creeping down the stairs in a bid to fiddle with something. He found it tricky to look at her, images of her fantasy flashing into his mind, causing his brain to falter.

Clara walked towards him ''Funny for who exactly?'' She asked

''Well, I can't seem to find a source for the telepathic connection, therefore, I do not know how to shut it off'' He said hesitantly.

''Doctor!'' Clara shouted ''So you have been gone all this while and have still been able to hear my thoughts''

He hummed and hesitated, unsure where this was headed.
''Wait'' Clara said, continuing to follow his track around the console, whenever she moved towards him, he moved away from her, struggling to look directly at her. ''Have you heard every thought?''

He noticed her expression changed, and he regretfully knew why. He stopped and looked at her, leaning over on the console he took a second to answer, the horrified look on her face was too much to bear, he knew that if he told her the answer she was dreading he would never see her again. ''No' He replied ''Only when you're in the Tardis'' He said quietly

Clara breathed a sigh of relief. ''I shall be careful what I think about around you then'' She flashed him a smile, one that weakened his mental state of control to much for his liking.

''Where to?'' He asked, keen to try and receive some normality once more.

''Surprise me'' She said quickly, walking towards the railings and holding on as he flicked some switches and typed in some coordinates. Within a few seconds the machine began to whirl and moan, casting itself into the vortex.

D&C

''So, what's with the purple sky?'' Clara asked as she looked up at the purple and pink sky, lined with stars and one very impressive moon.

''People would ask why Earth has a blue sky'' he argued, but suddenly felt his witty charm vanish as she shot him a look, one he was not quite ready to face yet.

''Radiation'' He said in explanation ''Completely harmless though, don't worry''

Clara could hear the sound of water running, walking through a narrow pathway concealed by vegetation and strange looking flowers that she was sure had moved since they had arrived, they came into a clearing. The water was falling from a rock, it was a deep blue colour, much darker than she expected but it faded into a violet colour as it fell into the pool below.

Clara bent down at the edge of the rock, the Doctor, who stood from behind found her short skirt to be even shorter as she bent over to run her fingers in the water, he tried very hard not to look, but his damned eyes refused to cooperate. If only he could just take her-

''Why is it such a funny colour, it doesn't feel like water?'' Clara turned her head to look at him, he blinked, being snapped from his thoughts.

''There is a salt in the rock, it changes the colour of the water'' He said quietly

''It smells like flowers, like English flowers'' Clara inhaled the aroma coming from the pond.

''The salts are produced by the flowers, but they come from the roots so end up seeping into the rock'' He explained, trying to control his breathing and where his blood was headed as he continued to look down at her bent over.

''Its warm'' Clara said, running her hand in the water, bending over further still as she leant forward and smelt the water further, the smell wafting up as the water was disturbed. ''It would be lovely to sit in, im sure''

He looked over to her as he began pacing ''No, absolutely not!'' He said desperately.

Clara turned to look at him ''What's the matter?'' She asked, turning to face him ''Your even more restless than usual'' She watched him continue to pace

''No, im fine'' He insisted.

''Im going to get in the pond'' Clara said, a hint of a smile on her lips

''Clara'' He warned

She stood and began to un button her top ''What harm can it do?'' She asked

''Clara, don't you dare'' He said firmly, trying desperately hard not to look where his eyes wanted to look, Clara seemed to trust he wouldn't look, she held no worry about undressing right down to her underwear.

He turned his back to her, running his hand through his hair as he desperately tried to think of an excuse to leave, his body was failing him, there was too much to think about.

He heard her sigh and the water slowly slop against the rock, after a moment she spoke ''You can turn around Doctor, you cannot see anything''

He turned around quickly to see her pile of clothes on the grass, her body submerged in the water, she looked relaxed as she leant her head back on the rocks.
Just like your bath fantasy That nagging voice in Clara's head dragged her back to that moment. Quickly she remembered something ''You said you can't hear anything I think outside the Tardis, didn't you?'' Clara asked quietly

He nodded and hummed, clenching his eyes shut as her voice wracked his head, so it was in the bath? his body sung its approval, falling victim to his imagination. What an idiot, human thing to do.

She continued to wade in the water from her seat on the rock beside the edge of the pool, her muscles relaxed as the delightful smell wafted up around her. ''This is just glorious'' She said, sucking in a deep breath and leaning back. The water wasn't clear at all, he couldn't see anything as he saw her eyes drift shut, clearly becoming lost in the moment.

The water made her muscles and skin tingle, sending vibrations throughout her body, almost numbing her, a current further down in the pool seemed to intensify as Clara settled more and more into a relaxed state. It is almost sensual. She thought to herself. It would be a lot more sensual if he was to join you. Her inner voice sneered at her, clouding her thoughts with images of him and her together No, not here, not now, later. Clara thought to herself, noting her body's reactions to her thoughts.

He gritted his teeth, trying very hard to focus on anything but her and her damned imagination.
''We should leave'' He said quickly, walking to the edge of the pool. ''Now''

''What?'' She said quickly, lifting her head up in protest ''What's the rush?'' She argued

''Just, come on, let's go'' His Scottish accent was clear in the mix of his distress and discomfort, he needed to get her home, his body was failing him, the lack of control he had over his emotions worried him, what had changed all of a sudden? he didn't know, but he was damned sure she would never find out.

Clara went to move, before stopping. ''Doctor'' She said quickly

''Clara, we are leaving I simply must get this repair done on the Tardis you see-''

''DOCTOR!'' Clara shouted, stopping him in his tracks, he looked at her. ''I cannot move''

He walked over to her ''I am sure you can if you tried'' He said, looking down at her still in the pool.

''Something has my leg'' She said, her voice quieter as she began to feel its grip tighten.

He saw the expression she carried, and it was not one of humour, he saw she was worried.
He knelt down on the waters edge, grabbing her hand and feeling her tight grip as he tried to pull her up from the pond. She was in fact stuck.

He shed his coat and sonic screw driver, leaving them near the water's edge as he stepped into the pool. It was deep, he thought regretfully as the warm water sucked him in right up to his chest. He tried to look down into the water, but saw nothing, it was too rich in violet, something was covering it from view. ''Does it hurt?'' He asked Clara who remained in the same position.

She shook her head but remained very still and stiff as he grabbed his sonic screw driver, turning it and pointing it towards the water. Within a few seconds the water cleared, the colour disappeared and it turned transparent, like normal water. The pool was revealed and, below in a deep cave, a long white, tentacle of some sort emerged and had wrapped around Clara's bare leg.

Her bare leg. He thought in the most bad timed moment possible. His eyes moved up her leg as it found its way to her naked body, clad only in her underwear.
He swallowed, his mouth dry as his body once again began to fail him.

Quickly he knelt over Clara's body, straddling her and covering the creature's view.
''Im going to shock it'' He whispered ''Do not move''

Clara nodded, swallowing deeply as she found her eyes locked onto his for a moment before they flickered away and looked down at him fiddling with the sonic screwdriver.
Within a moment the shock pulsed the water a light green, the grip immediately loosened on Clara's leg before disappearing quickly.

She breathed a sigh of relief. ''Its gone'' She said, moving her leg as it felt free. Her heart was pounding in her chest but given their current position she couldn't blame it entirely on the 'thing' that had just sucked on to her leg.

He found himself transfixed in that moment as though time was in fact standing still, their breathing shallow as he remained still, hovering over her, his face inches from hers.
She never moved from his gaze, never displayed any sign of awkwardness or uneased manner, but she didn't say anything either.

No, he thought with great regret she thought it instead.
Kiss me, for the love of god, please… kiss me It was barely a whisper even in his head, as though she was scared to even think like that in his presence.

He found that despite being thousands of years old, holding many faces, personalities and ages, he struggled, greatly so to maintain his self-control.

He leant in further, hearing her breath catch as her lips parted, waiting, patiently for his lips to meet hers. Everything in his heart screamed to keep going, her body language was showing all those humany signs of attraction, her mind, despite her not knowing, screaming in his head what she wanted. But something stopped him.
He cleared his throat quietly, gently chucking the sonic screwdriver onto the dry grass. ''We are sitting in a pool which Is housing something unknown'' He gently reminded her, knowing that he had very quickly broken the moment.

Clara left his eyes then, looking down at the water, rippling between their bodies as he climbed off of her and out of the pool, holding out his hand as she gratefully accepted it to be helped out.

''Doctor?'' Clara looked down at him as he bent down, looking at the cave from the pool's edge, it was clear to see, but whatever lived in it was away from view. Then, from the bottom of the cave a violet cloud emerged, rising to the top and covering the water's surface once more.

''Its a honey trap'' He said, scanning the surface with his sonic screwdriver. ''It lures its prey and traps it there, how did you not feel it on your leg?'' He turned to see her standing there, her back to him, clad only in her underwear, water running off her body. He swallowed, his mouth suddenly bone dry as he took in the sight of her.

She sensed his eyes on her, burning into her back, it sent a tingle down her spine, but she was shivering, the cool air wrapping around her wet skin which had been heated by the warm water in the pool. She turned her head, eyeing him out of the corner of her eye ''May I borrow your coat? I can change in the Tardis'' She said quietly.

He blinked a few times, as though snapping his body out of some sort of trance, inwardly slapping his mind to get a grip. Quickly he bent down and picked up his coat, walking over to her as she still had his back to him. Holding it out he laid it over her shoulders, concealing her body from his view, his fingers traced her damp skin up the side of her neck as he retreated with his hands. He could have sworn he heard her suck in some extra air, but as he backed away he watched her down the coat, which acted like a dressing gown to her, she wrapped it around her naked form, turning to him.

''The water made my skin tingle'' She said hesitantly, as though it was not a liable reason to not notice a tentacle wrapping itself around her leg. ''I didn't feel a thing, my body just relaxed on me''

He hummed, this was interesting, either an aroma from the water triggering her brain to shut down and relax or a chemical in the water which triggered her muscles to relax. He was about to say something but saw her shiver in front of him. She was cold.

Grabbing her clothes from the floor he walked ahead of her, back towards the Tardis, inwardly sighing as he realised he was leaving something exciting behind.

D&C

She went off to shower, or that's what he assumed, she headed in that direction anyway. Problem is the Tardis took time to warm to people, and he got the impression she had not taken to Clara as much as he had, so at every possible opportunity the Tardis often changed things around, confusing or deliberately frustrating his companion until she cursed the blue box into orbit.
He couldn't help but smile in such cases, she was very attractive when she was angry, or sad, or happy for that matter. But when she was excited… that was when he found it difficult, it lifted his body up, her eyes sparkled and her smile was broad, everything new, imaginative and exciting would trigger this remarkable response. Clara admired the beauty in the unknown, rather than fear it.

She had been gone a long while though, last time this happened the Tardis had moved her room a good deal away, she hardly used it at the moment but when she did it was like trying to find it through a maze.

Just as he debated trying to find her a voice rung in his head.
You cannot stay any longer, you have to meet this guy Her voice was teacher like, as though she was telling herself off.
Not that there is much point, how can any guy make up for what he has to offer, your setting yourself up to fail.
He smiled at that, it was true, he had his flaws but no guy could give her what he did.
He ignored the pang of jealousy at the idea of her spending her evening with someone else.

Clara looked at herself in the mirror, wiping the steam away as she saw herself, her hair wet and tangled with a towel wrapped around her body. She needed a pep talk, gearing herself up only to fail.

How can you, your completely and utterly in-
Clara slapped herself hard across the face 'You absolute idiot' She said to her own reflection, remembering his sudden ability to read her mind whilst she was in the Tardis. She wanted to think back to what she just said but realised that it was better left well alone.

The Doctor paced the console room, running his hands through his hair drastically as her thought process was cut off, right when she was about to give something away. Even when she didn't realise what she was doing she managed to cover her feelings. He groaned, he was getting in way to deep. He should tell her. Definitely tell her.

''Doctor'' Clara's voice echoed across the console room, dragging his attention to her slim, washed and newly dressed figure.

''Clara'' He said confidently, walking over to her ''I have something to tell you''

''Whatever it is it must be important, it looked as though you where thinking over the steps to a dance'' She smiled

He offered a small smile in return, his mind focused on coming clean to her
''Dance'' She said quickly, grabbing his arm tightly before looking directly into his eyes, he saw a mild look of panic on her face.

''I wasn't dancing'' He said in defence.

''No'' She released him and shook her head ''My friend got married last week, they are holding a dance on Friday and I have been told to bring a plus one''

His blank expression did nothing to ease her nerves ''My ex is going to be there, Jamie'' She sighed drastically ''He asked me to go with him and I refused, I said I had already found someone''

''Who?'' The Doctor asked quickly

Clara shot him a glare, one along the lines of 'Don't be such a fucking moron' glare, it shut him up.
''What am I going to do! I know nobody who will go at such short notice'' She said, sinking down into a chair and holding her head in her hands ''I shall have to fake being ill, make an excuse not to go''

''You're a terrible liar Clara'' He felt the need to remind her of this. Well she was to him anyway.

''I suppose I could ask Jamie, we could go as friends'' She hummed over the question, but he got the sense she wasn't keen on it.

''I will go with you'' He said quickly, leaning against the controls.

She looked up at him ''You, at a dance, with people, normal people, and drink''

He raised an eyebrow to her ''I am perfectly capable of living within your species for a few hours'' He argued.

''Can you dance?'' Clara asked

''Yes, I am thousands of years old, I can dance''

She sighed, pretending the butterflies where not doing somersaults in her stomach right now ''If your sure you can handle it?'' She stood

''Positive'' He said quickly, offering a small smile but dropping it as she walked towards him. ''Don't you dare, don't Clara'' he warned

But she ignored him, embracing him in a hug as she pinned her body close to his, pressing him up against the console he felt an angry groan of the Tardis.

''Do you really hate me hugging you that much?'' She pulled back, studying his stiff reaction.

It was that he didn't like it, on the contrary actually, but given what he said to her 'idiot' he probably shouldn't offer to much interest.

That's what he told himself anyway.
But her mind's deepest thoughts still rattled his brain, confusing his usually so concentrated mind.
''Hugging is just a way to hide your face'' He replied finally. There, keeping it vague, she would never know.

''So I am just… anybody now'' She questioned

''What? No, of course not… what I mean is… what im trying to say is…'' He saw a smile play on her lips ''Shut up'' He said spitefully, which only encouraged her smile to come out in full force.

''I have to go'' She said slightly disappointment etched her voice ''Pick me up Friday?'' She asked

He nodded, knowing she was off on her date with some senseless, probably boring man. She didn't tell him that though.

The doors clicked shut, and once again, he was alone.