*ATTENTION! ALTERATIONS HAVE BEEN MADE TO THE END OF THIS CHAPTER BECAUSE I DECIDED TO TAKE THE STORY DOWN A DIFFERENT ROUTE SO REREADING THE LAST FEW PARAGRAPHS MAY BE NECESSARY*
Ayyy lemme just say a huge THANK YOUUU for the amazing reviews, I had so much fun reading them omg :') I'm still fangirling over those reviews guys, seriously. YOU'RE ALL AMAZING!
Okay so this chapter... I don't really like it. Idk, just warning you I don't think it's as good as the others, and I don't really like it tbh :/ I needed to put it in there though, it's more of a filler for the story.
I hope it's not too bad! Hopefully you guys will review? ;) Thank you!
A few days had passed since Jim Moriarty had walked Clara home after that night at the abandoned library, and she had heard no word from him. She tried to convince herself that he was alright, but she couldn't quite get rid of the nagging worry that something might have happened when he didn't even send her a quick text letting her know that everything was fine. She knew he had bigger things to be worrying about than her, but she knew how dangerous his life was and had sent a text a day in the hope that he would at some point reply.
She busied herself with work and decided to call the Doctor, feeling guilty that she had neglected her friend for so long but she had to admit that she had been quite preoccupied. She tapped in the number quickly with a small smile, confident that he would answer as he always did.
"Clara Oswald!" The Doctor's cheerful, slightly out of breath voice reached her on the third ring. Clara really had missed him, she realised with a grin. "To what do I owe the pleasure?"
"Just checking up on you, Doc," She replied with a smile, phone to her ear as she leafed through the pages of her text book she was supposed to be studying in lessons. "I'm on my lunch break, so I can't talk for long. Caused any explosions in my absence? Tardis still intact? I bet she's missing me."
"Lunch, wow that sounds like a plan," The Doctor's grin was practicably audible to Clara as he forsake all of her questions except that one topic. "What do you think, Little Red Thingy? Lunch? Lunch. I know this fantastic plac-"
"Doctor, who are you talking to?" Clara chuckled, turning her attention away from her book and back to the eccentric Time Lord.
"Oh, I picked up a new... Thing. He's little and red."
"Yeah, I got that much," Clara rolled her eyes though the Doctor couldn't see. "You've replaced me already, have you?"
"Why, have you replaced me?" The Doctor's smirk was evident in his voice and Clara knew what he was implying.
"Maybe I have," She smirked back. "I know a guy who's cleverer than you. Become quite acquainted with him."
"Oi!" The Doctor yelled indignantly and Clara had to hold the phone away from her ear with a laugh. She loved teasing him. The Doctor paused then asked ominously. "Cleverer than me, eh? Is... Is he human?"
"Yes," Clara laughed with a small shake of her head. "Well, at times."
"Go on then, what's his name," The Doctor grumbled, causing Clara to smirk. She paused, wondering if she should reveal his name but then seeing that it would do no harm. It was only the Doctor, and even if he did know of Jim, he wouldn't have any way of knowing that she was talking specifically about a notorious criminal psychopath.
"Jim Moriarty."
There was silence on the other end of the phone and Clara jumped at the sound of a small crash. There was a scrambling as the Doctor picked the phone up off the ground and held it to his ear urgently.
"What did you just say?"
"Jim Moriarty," Clara frowned, wondering what the big deal was. The Doctor didn't know him, did he? Or had Sherlock told him everything? He didn't seem like the type to give much away. "Doctor, what's wrong?"
"Nothing, nothing," He mumbled, though Clara could imagine the frown lines that must be developing between his practically non-existent eyebrows. "The name just sounded familiar. But it can't... No, no it's nothing. Although I think I may call over for that visit soon. Very soon. Not too soon, but soon."
"Alright, Chin Boy," Clara raised her eyebrows and checked the time quickly. "Right, my lunch break is nearly over. Don't make me late for work."
"Wouldn't dream of it," The Doctor replied cheerily, his previous suspicions forgotten. "Toodle doo, cheerio!"
The line went dead after the sound of squabbling, probably with the 'little red thing' Clara guessed. She wondered why the Doctor had reacted to Jim's name in such a way. She imagined that if Sherlock had mentioned him, he would have introduced him formally as James Moriarty, and the Doctor wasn't one for watching the human news. He just showed up wherever there were aliens involved and butted in. She shook the thoughts out of her head as she prepared for the lesson, her mood drastically improved by talking to her friend.
She found that the class passed quite quickly and she was grateful that it was the last one she would have to endure before Christmas which was in the next couple of days. She had agreed to have her family over for dinner against her best wishes as this would mean she'd have to cook, which was not her forte. She hauled herself up the flights of stairs to her flat, letting herself in with a relieved sigh.
"Kettle's boiled."
Clara let out a small shriek at the unexpected voice and whipped around to face him. Jim Moriarty was sprawled across her couch with a lazy grin on his smug face.
"Milk, two sugars please."
"Okay," Clara folded her arms across her chest and struggled not to smile too much. "I'm not even going to bother asking how you managed to break into my flat, again. But where have you been these last few days?!"
"Why, did you miss me?"
Jim sat up and grinned as Clara retrieved two cups from the cupboard and proceeded to make tea. She couldn't hide her smirk this time and turned to him with a smile.
"Just a bit."
"Well, you know how things are. Busy busy," Jim smiled as Clara handed him his tea and chose to sit next to him on the couch this time instead of situating herself in the chair across from him. "I had to prepare my 'criminal network' as some would call it. But really, it's just a business. Sherlock destroyed my fake one that I planted, but this ones still intact for when I need it."
"And when will you need it?" Clara questioned cautiously, wrapping her fingers around her tea to warm herself from the chill that had started to creep into her bones at his words.
"For when I make my big come back," He raised his eyebrows deviously. "I'm not going to stay dead forever, oh no. Being dead is boring. But I have to wait for the right moment."
"So am I the only person who knows for certain that you're still alive?" Clara smiled slightly as she looked at him.
"Yes, actually," Moriarty mused thoughtfully with a small smile. "The only one I... Trust."
"So I'm just special then," Clara grinned cheekily, giving him a small nudge.
"Yes, you are," Jim looked at her, his eyes searching her face thoughtfully. Clara's heart rate sped up under his intense gaze. "You know," He continued. "There's one more story I know."
"About one of the Doctor's companions?" Clara questioned eagerly, beginning to enjoy hearing the tales.
Jim nodded slowly, staring at the floor as he paused. He turned to look at her, a strange look in his eyes.
"It's the story of the Impossible Girl."
Clara started at his words, the familiar phrase ringing in her head. That was what the Doctor called her, that was what she apparently was as she had jumped into the Doctor's time stream to save his life, splitting herself into a million fragments, a million different versions of her. Not that she could remember any of them. She inched closed to Jim, their knees touching, sending a shock down through Clara. She regained control of her unsteady breathing and nodded at Jim to go on, eyes wide. He knew it was about her.
"She jumped into the Doctor's time stream to save his life," His lilting tone had Clara immediately entranced. "A million versions of her, a million lives, a million memories that she can't recall, scattered across time. She did it to save him."
Jim paused, staring into his untouched tea as Clara remained enthralled.
"But here you are," He whispered, putting his tea down and looking at Clara softly. "The real you. The brave, impossible girl."
Clara's breath caught in her throat as Jim brought his hand up to her face and ran a finger down her cheek gently. She was sure that if her heart beat any harder it would surely burst out of her chest.
"You didn't just save him you know, that wasn't the only life you saved," He murmured, leaning closer. Clara felt trapped by his beautiful deep brown eyes as his hand rested on her cheek lightly. "You saved me too. In so many ways."
He pulled back, allowing his hand to drop to his side but his gaze didn't leave her. Clara felt disappointed as his touch left her, feeling the urge to move closer to him.
"That may or may not be the last of the stories that I know about the Doctor and his companions, depending on if I'm lying or not," He gave a joking frown as his tone turned light again. "I didn't bother to find out any more. I got bored."
"Which story did you like the best?" Clara choked out, taking a quick sip of her tea and hoping he didn't notice the effect he had on her.
"Now that would be telling," Jim smirked, raising his eyebrows and bringing his cup to his lips. "But secrets are boring, so… Yours," He relented with a smile that lit up his whole face and sent Clara's heart fluttering.
"Yeah, my story is pretty great isn't it?" Clara grinned back, setting her tea down. "But yours isn't so bad either. It's sort of dramatic. It might even replace '101 Places to See' as my favourite story."
"I'll have to publish it."
Clara laughed, but her grin soon faded into a more curious expression as she realised something.
"Jim," She began quietly, starting to reach out her hand to hold his out of habit but drawing away at the last minute, worried that he might be startled by the gesture. He still didn't seem used to affection, though Clara loved the feeling of her hand in his. She took a deep breath and continued. "You said I saved your life too, in different ways. What did you mean?"
Jim paused, setting his tea down next to Clara's with a frown as if pondering how to answer. Clara was stunned and couldn't help but smile a little. She had never seen him lost for words before, and he seemed to be struggling to find the right ones now. She had down the impossible and rendered him momentarily speechless.
"Mr Genius is suddenly lost for words?" Clara teased lightly, nudging him softly. Jim snorted, running a hand through his hair. "Explain?" Clara tried again softly.
Jim frowned again, as if wondering how best to expand on his earlier statement. He turned to Clara suddenly, looking at her intently. He reached out unexpectedly, his hand hovering over hers for a tangible moment before he touched her hand gently.
"I just… What's this?"
"That's… That's your hand."
"I know," Jim looked down at Clara's hand in his in light amusement. "But why is this... Comforting?"
"Because it makes you feel safe," Clara spoke softly, understanding now what he meant. "It lets us know that we're not alone."
"I've never... Had that before," Jim murmured thoughtfully, his hand still holding Clara's gently. "And I think... I think it would have been a lot harder to get by without that. So you saved me from... From..."
"From being alone," Clara finished for him, finally understanding.
Jim breathed out a tired sigh of confirmation of Clara's words, pulling his hand of of hers gently, to Clara's dismay. She decided not to push him and giving him a quick smile, stood to put the cups back in the kitchen, thinking to herself. He had such an effect on her, it almost scared her, because she had never had anything like that before either. She peeked out to see him sprawled across her couch again and smiled at seeing him look so relaxed.
She bounded over with a grin and threw herself on top of him, much to his surprise. He let out a startled yell as she nearly sent the two of them toppling to the floor.
"You're a bit overly eager, aren't you, Miss Oswald." He smirked as he repositioned himself so Clara could lie of him more comfortably.
"Shut up, Crime Boy," She grinned, swatting at him gently. "I'm just glad you're alright."
"Good," Jim murmured thoughtfully, falling silent for a moment as Clara lay her head on his chest with a contented sigh.
"You said you were away preparing your 'business' for your big return," Clara broke the comfortably silence suddenly, propping her head up so she could look into his eyes. "So you're like, for hire? Like a criminal tradesman?"
"A criminal tradesman," Jim repeated her words in an amused tone and grinned with a twinkle of mischief in his eyes. "I like that. I suppose you could put it that way. Quite a wanted one too. I'm good at what I do."
"A tradesman," Clara mused, absentmindedly tracing patterns on his shirt as she pondered the phrase. She grinned mischievously suddenly. "But not the sort who'd fix your heating?"
Jim quirked an eyebrow in amusment.
"No, the sort who'd plant a bomb or stage an assassination," He began slowly with a small smirk. "But I'm sure I'd make a good enough job of your boiler."
Clara laughed, nestling her head into the crook of his neck again, feeling more comfortable than ever. Jim brought his arms around her securely, stroking her hair gently.
"Is it strange then, being dead?" She questioned, smirking against his skin.
"You certainly have to be more careful," Jim smirked. "But it's relaxing, to say the least. Nobody ever bothers you when they think you're dead."
"I'm just the plague in your life then, the bane of your existence," Clara grinned jokingly.
"Yes, but at least you're an entertaining little plague."
Clara chuckled contentedly against his neck when his phone buzzed suddenly. He let out an irritated scoff and wriggled slightly to retrieve it from his pocket, bringing it out and glaring at the bright screen. He swore lightly and Clara raised her head with a sigh, pouting slightly.
"You can't stay, can you?"
"Nope. Still dead, remember? I have to be careful."
"Yeah, well you better be careful," Clara rolled off him, allowing him to stand. "Cause I know how dangerous your life is, and I know how bloody reckless you are."
"But you wouldn't have it any other way," Jim grinned mischievously, leaning in quickly and kissing her softly on the cheek, causing her hearty to race.
"It'll be time to storm the castle soon, I hope you'll be ready. Stay safe, Clara Oswald," He gave her a sly smirk, leaving Clara starstruck though she tried to hide it. She touched a hand to her cheek where his lips had been, wondering why she was having these feelings for him. She groaned inwardly. She just had to fall for a criminal psychopath.
His parting words haunted her long after he left, all this talk about storming a castle. It was like those riddles again, those fairytales. Now stories, Clara could handle, but she had a feeling that whatever Jim was planning was very real, and even more dangerous.
She didn't sleep well that night, or the night after, constantly thinking about Moriarty and worrying when she heard no word from him. She checked the news fervently for anything out of the ordinary, but there was nothing.
Her consulting criminal had wandered off without a trace, and Clara began to fear that he might be planning to stage his big come back sooner than she expected.
OK SO IF YOU ARE READING THIS IN THE YEAR 2016, YOU WILL PROBABLY REALISE THAT I CHANGED THE ENDING OF THIS CHAPTER (Or if this is your first time reading it, hey, how're you doing, carry on as you were) THE REASON I DID THIS IS THAT I HAVE DECIDED ON TAKING THIS STORY IN A NEW DIRECTION, AND I LEFT IT FOR SO LONG THAT I THOUGHT I COULD PROBABLY GET AWAY WITH IT. I HOPE THAT'S OKAY WITH YOU. SEE YOU IN THE NEXT CHAPTER GUYS