Author's Notes: Thank you all for your kind responses to the previous installments! You guys are the best. Just FYI, this part ends on a mellow note, but Part Four should follow shortly!
Part Three
The Doctor and Clara went to brunch with Amy the next morning. The restaurant was small and crowded, but it smelled like baked ham and coffee and all of the patrons were laughing happily all around them. The portion sizes were so large that they could barely finish what was on their plates, except for the Doctor, who scavenged bites from Amy's and Clara's plates while they continued chatting.
Their conversation had been pretty topical so far: their plans for the week, old memories that made the Doctor and Amy laugh like children, and then some friendly chatting about their respective jobs. Amy really liked that Clara was a teacher, and they talked a bit about some of her students, specifically one boy who was so naturally funny that he provided a lot of fodder for stories. Clara then mentioned one of her co-workers and the Doctor muttered a scathing remark about him that earned a raised eyebrow from both Amy and Clara.
"Ooh, someone's jealous," Amy chortled. "I take it Mr Blackwell's a hottie?" she teased, her accent wrapping thickly around the last word.
"No," Clara insisted with a roll of her eyes. "He's just nice."
"Yeah, nice and short," the Doctor retorted. "Isn't he about your height, love?"
Clara pinched the back of the Doctor's arm and he stifled a cry of pain.
"Nothing wrong with being short," she insisted in a warning tone.
"I never took you for the jealous type," Amy said to the Doctor.
"I'm not. I'm just teasing," he replied dejectedly as he continued rubbing the back of his arm.
Amy had to go into work after they were finished with brunch. She did most of her writing at home in the room Clara and the Doctor were currently staying in, but she was angling for a promotion to a proper staff writing position at the paper, so she liked to make herself known around the office. Rory had been at work since around seven that morning and didn't get off until seven that evening, which was when they were all planning to meet for dinner.
While their hosts were away at work for the next several hours, the Doctor and Clara embarked on a few tourist excursions into the city. Rory made them promise not to go ice skating without him, something Amy assured them both they wouldn't want to miss.
"He leaps and twirls about like a bloody ice dancer," she told the Doctor and Clara before they parted ways after brunch. "It's almost embarrassing."
The Doctor and Clara rode the subway into the city, an experience that didn't leave Clara too impressed with the state of the trains.
"New York isn't known for its cleanliness," the Doctor reminded her as she spent two minutes scraping gum from the bottom of her shoe.
They started their tour at Battery Park, where they rode the ferry to the Statue of Liberty. It was windy and unbearably cold, but they managed to get a few pictures in front of Lady Liberty where Clara's hair wasn't obscuring her face. They stopped off at one of the dozens of nearby Starbucks cafes for some hot coffee to fortify themselves before venturing further uptown. The Doctor insisted that she had to see Times Square for the first time at night, so they first visited Grand Central Station, where he waited patiently as Clara took a few dozen pictures of the mosaics on the ceiling and the general grandness of the building.
"What's next?" she asked as they stepped back outside. "Empire State Building?"
"We can have a look, but we'll have to get up early tomorrow to get a good spot in line if we want to go up."
He glanced down at Clara, who nodded enthusiastically at the prospect. The Doctor wrapped his arm around her shoulders and kissed the top of her head, brimming with fondness for her eager enthusiasm. They walked like that all the way up Fifth Avenue until they reached Rockefeller Center. Clara took several pictures of the tree and the skating rink while the Doctor spent the majority of their visit texting on his phone.
"Not as impressed as I am?" she asked, nudging him with her elbow.
"Oh, sorry—I'm just trying to sort out the evening's plans with Amy and Rory."
Clara nodded and said nothing about the frown marring his face. "Everything OK?"
"Yeah, just not sure if we can make our reservation if Rory doesn't get off work in time."
"Oh. Well, that's OK. We could always pick something up or eat in."
"I guess so."
Clara reached up and smoothed her gloved fingers across his furrowed brow. The Doctor smiled softly and then tore his gaze away from his phone.
"Let's just have a good time, yeah?" she said.
His grin broadened. "That's the plan, isn't it?"
It had grown dark, so they walked to Time Square so Clara could see the flashing lights and general madness associated with the landmark district of the city. She gaped openly when they came across a man wearing cowboy boots, a Stetson, and not much else while giggling teenage girls wrapped their arms around him for a photo.
"It's below zero!" Clara muttered in a scandalised tone.
The Doctor merely grinned at the man and complimented him on his hat as they passed. Clara was still shaking her head in disbelief when they got back on the subway. "I'm surprised he doesn't freeze to death."
"You should have gotten your picture with him," the Doctor teased. "Checked his temperature."
"Shut up," she said, smacking his chest lightly as the train took off and they held onto each other for support. "I would have thought throwing me at half naked men on the street went against your jealous nature."
"I don't have a jealous nature," the Doctor said as he wrapped his arms snugly about her waist. "Should I?"
Clara bit her lip and grinned up at him before shaking her head. "No."
"Good."
Public displays of affection generally made her nervous, but Clara didn't back away when he bent down to kiss her, nor did she care that everyone around them was either staring or glancing away uncomfortably.
When they arrived back in Brooklyn, they found Amy pacing back in forth in front of the tree as she nervously tapped her phone against her chin.
"You didn't answer your phone," she said crossly. "Rory has to stay at the hospital until midnight."
"Oh no," Clara said. "Well, we can save dinner out for another night."
Amy continued to fidget anxiously as the Doctor removed his scarf and coat. "Could we talk?"
It was clear that she wanted a moment alone with the Doctor. Clara glanced between them uncomfortably, not wanting to interfere but feeling suddenly like a third wheel. The Doctor sighed knowingly and glanced to Clara, who nodded in understanding.
"I could do with a shower, anyway," she said with a smile before squeezing the Doctor's hand and walking towards their bedroom.
She tried not to think too much of it. The Doctor and Amy had years of emotional distance to overcome, but there was something about Amy's behaviour that made Clara feel like she didn't just want to speak to the Doctor alone, but rather specifically without her in the room. Rory had told Clara that Amy liked her, but she was starting to fear that some of the redhead's friendliness was feigned.
During her short walk from the bedroom to the bathroom, Clara overheard a snippet of the Doctor and Amy's conversation that gave her greater cause for worry.
"But you barely know her," Amy practically hissed.
"We've been together a year," the Doctor replied in a hushed tone. "What's really bothering you, Amy?"
Clara closed the door to the bathroom before she heard Amy's response. She stared at her reflection in the mirror over the sink and tried to ignore the large bubble she felt growing in her chest, but she now dreaded having to continue laughing and smiling with these people who clearly didn't like her.
After she finished her shower, Clara found the Doctor sitting on the edge of her side of the bed in their room, his back to her as he stared at his phone. He whipped his head towards her when she entered, a nervous smile on his lips as he stood.
"Sorry about that," he said, sticking his phone in his coat pocket. "You have a nice shower?"
Clara nodded vaguely in response. "You and Amy have a nice chat?"
"Yeah," he assured her in a dismissive tone. "Amy's just a nervous hostess. We ordered Indian for dinner. I hope that's OK. I made sure we ordered extra garlic naan."
"Oh, well then it's definitely OK," Clara replied with a faint smile, deciding not to press the issue further.
The Doctor looked at her like he was weighing his options before he stepped forward and pulled her into a passionate embrace. Clara wrapped her arms around his neck and he gripped the fabric of the towel at her waist as he kissed her soundly. She hummed against his lips before pulling away and gazing up at him in surprise.
"What was that for?" she asked, smiling to mask her concern.
"You know I love it when you're all wrapped up in towels," he said with a grin before lightly swatting her backside.
Clara shot him a playful warning look, but grinned and stepped on her tiptoes for another brief kiss. "You're incorrigible."
"So you keep telling me," he replied cheekily as she started getting dressed.
Clara felt awkward all throughout dinner, even though Amy smiled and asked a lot of questions about their day of sightseeing. Clara couldn't help but notice the significant looks she and the Doctor exchanged in the brief pauses in conversation, and worried that her presence was causing an even deeper rift between the old friends. Part of her felt guilty, but the other part of her resented Amy for being so unwelcoming. Still, Clara hoped there was more to that conversation than she'd heard, because despite whatever disapproval she'd provoked in Amy, the Scottish woman was otherwise incredibly likeable and kind.
Once they had finished eating, the Doctor announced he was leaving for his own shower, leaving Amy and Clara in the kitchen alone.
"I'm sorry," Amy said with a sigh once the Doctor was out of earshot. "I know you must have overheard us earlier. I hope it didn't make you uncomfortable."
"It did, but that's OK," Clara said as Amy boxed up their leftovers and put them in the fridge. "Is everything alright?"
"Yes," Amy assured her. "We just… don't communicate like we used to."
Clara considered leaving the topic at that, but as she fiddled with the sleeve of her sweater and gnawed thoughtfully on her bottom lip, she could feel the question rising out of her before she could stop it. "Is this about River?"
Amy paused. "Yes. And no…"
"I'm sorry," Clara apologised quickly. "I don't mean…"
"No, please—don't apologise," Amy insisted. "That's for me to do. I'm the one whose trying to pretend like everything is the same as it used to be."
Clara felt a great surge of sympathy for Amy in that moment. "It's not all bad, is it? The way things are now."
Amy turned away from Clara slightly, her long red hair falling like a curtain across her face, blocking her expression. "No. But I can't see where I fit anymore."
She spoke in a tone so small and fragile that Clara was reminded of a little girl. It awoke something maternal within her, and before she knew what she was doing, Clara wrapped her arms around Amy and pulled her into a firm hug.
Amy laughed wetly with surprise, but hugged her back. Clara stepped back and smiled bashfully.
"Sorry, I just can't stand seeing you sad. I don't think you ought to be. Because I know he loves you very much."
Amy smiled tightly and tears dripped from her eyes, tears that she quickly wiped from her cheeks. "Yeah, well, same to you."
Clara chuckled and then added in a more playful tone, "Now, what do we think about him?"
As if on cue, the Doctor stepped out of the bathroom with his damp hair a scruffy mess on top of his head and a towel hung loosely about his hips. He doubled back and poked his head around the corner when he heard Amy and Clara laughing and shot them a puzzled look.
"What?"
His frown deepened when they laughed even harder in response.
"Whaaat?" he moaned, self-consciously running his fingers through his hair in hopes that his unkempt appearance was the issue.
When they continued laughing, the Doctor turned towards the bedroom with a huff but then smiled to himself as the door closed behind him.
It was good to see his girls getting on.
Rory was still asleep when they woke up the next morning. Amy informed the Doctor and Amy that his extra shift the night before had ensured that he would have Christmas Eve and most of Christmas Day off to celebrate with them.
"By the way, Happy Christmas Eve!" she said to them both, wrapping her arms around the Doctor for a quick hug. "You haven't found your present already, have you?" she asked suspiciously when she pulled away.
"No!" he replied sourly as he stirred the scrambled eggs Amy was cooking. "And I've been looking!"
"I know you have," Amy replied with pursed lips. "I always notice when someone's been rifling through my knickers."
Clara nearly choked on her orange juice. The Doctor and Amy shot her a puzzled look and then Amy's eyes widened comically.
"Lingerie drawer! Oh god, not…"
The Doctor frowned at them both when they started laughing at yet another joke he didn't understand. "Have you two developed some secret language?"
Rory stumbled into the kitchen after they'd finished breakfast, his hair sticking up in several different directions and his eyelids drooping heavily. Amy hopped up from the table to make him some eggs while he poured himself a cup of coffee. Clara watched their silent exchange with a smile: Rory wrapped his arm around Amy's waist in thanks and she leaned into him before pointing at the frying pan questioningly and receiving a nod from Rory, who kissed her on the cheek with gratitude as she cracked the eggs directly on the pan and started frying them. Clara leaned into the Doctor subconsciously as Rory turned to greet them.
"Morning," he said, sipping his coffee. "What have we got planned today?"
Amy, the Doctor, and Clara all exchanged smiles before announcing that they wanted to go to central park and Rory grew very still.
"Excellent," he said with an almost religious fervour.
Clara slowly turned to the Doctor with a poorly suppressed smile of amusement and he grinned at her around a bite of toast.
Things were about to get interesting.