Chapter 16

She was silent for a moment longer, and Eleven could see she was struggling. Whatever it was, he sincerely hoped it wasn't bad news. Anything but bad. He wanted to step in closer and touch her comfortingly, yet knew she wouldn't appreciate it. He could sense that it was on her lips but she couldn't form the words.

'Clara...'

'Please don't freak or run away or do something stupid, okay?'

'Of course not.'

She exhaled a long breath, eyes twinkling with what he thought at first were tears but couldn't be. She looked stressed and alarmed and shocked but tried to keep his thoughts positive in the long drawn-out pause that followed. Time seemed to pass extra slowly.

'Eleven...I...I've completely fucked up.'

Her words didn't reassure him. Clara looked so out of focus and wild that it scared him.

'I'm pregnant.'

All he could do was stand and stare at her. His heart stopped beating, his blood pounded in his ears and his whole body was stone still. She looked so guiltily at him it hurt, but his thoughts still couldn't fully process what she had said. An even longer silence ensued, where Clara was growing even more uneasy by the minute.

'I'm so sorry, Eleven. God, I'm so fucking sorry. I'm so stupid and inconsiderate and fucked up.'

Finally he managed to bring forth coherent words, but his voice trembled this time. His heartbeat still hadn't returned and he felt suddenly like he was in a dream.

'What?'

He couldn't comprehend it, yet knew it wasn't exactly impossible she would be in this state.

'I...I don't know what to say.' He said incredulously, a nervous laugh embedded into his words as he finally stepped toward her, grasping her wrist and staring into those enrapturing, whirlwind eyes.

'You're...happy?'

'I'm shocked. I'm so fucking shocked.'

'I can't tell you how sorry I am. How much I hate myself right now.'

'No, don't hate yourself. It happened, and now it's going to change things. But I'm fine with this. If it means I'm going to be a father I'm completely amazed.'

'No, Eleven you don't understand how serious this is! We've already been found out, and what's going to happen when I suddenly get bigger and start to show? Everyone's going to know it's yours and I don't have any other excuses to give. You have to listen to me. I know I'm always going on about losing my job, but now because I'm having a baby I can't care about it. I have to quit as soon as I can and get out of here. I came to say goodbye.'

'N-no! No, you can't do that,' he cried, stroking her face with his thumb, 'you can't just tell me I'm the father of you're child and then disappear. That's not going to happen, not over my dead and lifeless body. If you were saying goodbye, why did you even think that telling me would be a remotely good idea?'

'Because you don't deserve any more lies.' She said simply.

'Please, you can't do this-'

'I have to! You need to concentrate on your education, become a person of this world, live happily. You deserve all these things, a nice job, a nice house, everything. I'm not letting you throw away everything just because of me!'

She shouted.

'I don't want anything else! I don't want any of this, believe me, all I want and all I need is you, and now we have a beautiful baby to care for. I don't want to be anything but yours. There's no way in hell I'm leaving you.'

'Eleven, this is crazy! You can't just do this, drop our of you're education like it doesn't matter and come with me! What about you're friends, you're family?!'

'My friends will have to understand, and even if they don't, tough. As for family, I'm an orphan, but even if I did have parents, they'd have to deal with it. I want to be with you.'

'I can't believe this,' she sighed incredulously, 'you'd give up everything...for me?' Her voice trailed off into a disbelieving whisper, staring at him like he was out of his mind.

'In a heartbeat.'

She stared at him, his eyes betraying nothing but love and unconditional devotion, and she was the luckiest person alive to be with him.

'I love you.' She whispered sincerely. And then she kissed him, one that conveyed every ounce of her love for him. It was very different from others, so tender and beautiful and loving, so much more than usual kisses they shared. He couldn't believe she had told him that. It only confirmed for him how much he loved her in return.

Finally drawing away, foreheads touching, he smiled and wiped away a tear from her cheek.

'I love you too.' He said back, and he could feel the jolt that ran through her body at his words. His hands slid down to her stomach, placing a hand over it like he could already feel a heartbeat there.

'We can do this. We can go anywhere, we can start a life. You just need to know I'm not leaving you, and I never will. I love you.'

She opened her eyes to look at him. 'Where do we go?'

'Australia.'

'What?!'

'Trust me. Australia. I've always wanted to go there. In fact, I was going to go after I'd finished uni.'

'We don't have enough money. I've only got the hundreds I saved up.'

'Well, I've been saving up for a car for a while, so I've got around a grand. That should be enough, shouldn't it? I'll get a job as soon as we get there and support us. We can work this out.'

'You are crazy. You're actually giving us all this money which you probably spent years trying to save up. What's wrong with you?'

'I couldn't give a fuck about a stupid car. You, no one else, Clara.'

She shook her head flatteringly, leaning into him.

'When should we go? You should at least finish this term. I'll still be capable to teach, I wouldn't be showing yet.'

'Now.' He cut across, smiling.

'What?'

'Now. Let's go now. Clara Oswald...elope with me.' He took her small hand in his, drawing encouraging circles on the back of it.

Her mouth broke into an irreplaceable and heart-stopping smile.

'Let's go.' She told him, and he picked her up, spinning her round and round the place until they both felt dizzy. Kissing her one more time, he took her hand and together they ran toward the building.

••••

Clara had agreed to it. She couldn't quite believe it herself. It had come as a massive shock when she found out she was with child, and had worried about it endlessly since. And finally, she had gotten her moment to say it, and what a moment it was. It had been the perfect time to tell him, and even more unprecedented was him telling her the same thing back. She was overwhelmingly touched and heartfelt when he told her he'd give up everything, that he wanted to be the father of her child and had proposed they leave straight away. It was one of her weakness', men who ran away with women into the night, which she loved reading in books. And right now, she was in her own fantasy.

Rushing up the stairs together hand in hand, they burst into their room. Not stopping to even acknowledge anyone else they began collecting their things together.

'Uh, what are you doing?' Twelve asked.

Eleven turned round, a comprehending look on his face. She knew he was trying to think of what to say that would explain everything.

'Guys, uh...it's been great. Really, I've enjoyed every minute of it. I'm going to miss you a lot.'

'What the hell are you talking about?' Ten asked.

'Look, long story short, we're leaving. Me and Clara. We probably won't even return to this place, maybe not even England. I just want to let you know that I love you all, my brothers.'

'What? Where are you going?'

'Uhm...Australia.' He confirmed, picking up a bag.

'Australia? You're going all the way to Australia?' Nine said.

'Yes.'

'What the fuck? You can't just drop out on all this, and us.'

'Exactly what I told him.' Clara interjected.

'Why are you doing this?'

'Because it's the right thing to do.'

'Huh. Australian babies after all then, mate.' Twelve said, clapping him on the shoulder.

Eleven froze as Clara did, not moving, not saying a word in reply. It was only coincidence he had mentioned it but the topic voiced aloud made them stop in their tracks.

They looked at their alarmed faces, and comprehension soon dawned on their faces.

'No way,' he said, looking from one to the other in shock, 'no fucking way.'

He sighed, looking round at Clara, who was paused in midair, staring at them all.

'Oh my god.' Ten contributed.

Neither said anything, but let it hang open in the air.

'Message us, yeah?' Nine asked, patting his shoulder.

'Of course. Keep you up to date.'

The boys helped them pack, which was immensely sweet of them. Clara would miss these guys too, they had been so generous and funny and all round brilliant people to her.

'I'll miss being taught English by you.' Nine told her.

She smiled. 'I will too, Nine.'

Once they were all done, a heavy silence settled down upon them, in which Eleven embraced his friends in a tight group hug.

They all patted him on the shoulder in turn, giving him their wishes of good luck. And then they unexpectedly turned to her, Ten being the first. He embraced her and it was so heartwarming she had to contain tears.

'Stay safe, Clara.'

'I will, thank you.'

Nine almost lifted her up when he wrapped arms round her, and she couldn't help laughter escape her.

Even Twelve moved forward to embrace her awkwardly, yet as he withdrew he planted a kiss on her cheek.

'Don't let him play rugby.' He winked.

'I won't.' She chuckled.

Clara looked at Eleven, her fingers twitching for his to hold them. He obliged, folding them in his own.

'I just want to say how thankful I am for your friendship and your support. You've been amazing to me.'

'It was our pleasure.' Nine told her genuinely.

She smiled one last time at them, and then they walked out together, her heart beating faster with every second. He looked down at her, his gaze fixed.

'Ready?'

She nodded slowly. 'Ready.'

They climbed her motorbike, riding the way to the airport. She didn't want to sell it, but of course she couldn't take it with her. They made a quick exchange of enough money, and soon enough they were on the aeroplane. He kissed her encouragingly as the plane took off, holding her close. She held his hand that rested over her stomach, squeezing it gently as they looked out of the open window at the expanse of sky ahead of them.

A/N - It was unexpected, but it was always going to happen!