Sunday, 16 September 1888

It wasn't until she woke up that morning that Clara even considered the fact that maybe the Doctor didn't want to see her again. He tried to push Clara away before to which she responded by kissing him. Pretty forward even by her standards, but the Doctor seemed to enjoy it. Well actually he didn't react much at all, he was so surprised. What if he hadn't enjoyed? What if he really didn't like her?

"Stop it Clara." she told herself firmly.

She was working herself up for no reason. Sighing she returned to the paper she was grading. Russell just started translating Caesar and thought it was going to kill him. Clara smiled remembering the boy's grumblings.

The wind ruffled the pages she was reading. Clara was currently sitting on a bench in the park underneath the Doctor's cloud. Unsure if she could find the invisible ladder again, she decided it was the best place to wait for him to turn up.

Gallia est omnis divisa in partis tris, quarum unam incolunt Belgae, aliam Aquitani, tertiam qui ipsorum lingua Celtae, nostra Galli appellantur.

"All of Gaul is divided into three parts," read a voice over her shoulder. "Ah, Caesar. Never did like old Julius quite the pompous windbag, also he tried to have me executed this one time."

"Doctor!" Clara cried turning around.

He smiled at her hesitantly, "Clara."

"You speak Latin?" she asked attempting to start a conversation. She set aside her folder.

"I speak everything." said the Doctor. She gave him a look. "No really I do."

"Can you say something in your language?" Clara asked curious.

He sat down on the bench next to her, carefully keeping a bit of distance between them. He paused a moment before saying what sounded like a sentence. The words were musical and unlike anything Clara had heard before. They crackled with energy and made her skin tingle like the night before a storm.

"Beautiful. What did you say?"

"Hello." he replied looking at her seriously.

Somehow she didn't believe him. Whatever he'd said sounded like a lot more than 'hello'.

"I was hoping to see you today." Clara said.

"Oh," the Doctor said looking away and fidgeting with his hat, "I was hoping to see you too."

Clara couldn't stop her wide smile at his words. The man may be totally social inept, but he did like her! With a casual air she slid closer to him. He swallowed nervously and determinedly avoided looking in her direction. It was hard not to start giggling at his general awkwardness.

"So do you have a proper name or am I really supposed to keep calling you the Doctor?"

He finally turned to her. His eyes widened when he realized their noses were practically touching. Blushing slightly the Doctor pulled back, clearing his throat. "That is my name."

"The Doctor? Perhaps that makes sense in your language." she said skeptically.

"Sometimes on Earth I go by John Smith or Dr. Smith. That's only when I have to pretend to be human though."

"Doctor it is then." she grinned, "Did you have any plans today other than hanging out in blustery parks? I would hate to be keeping you from anything important."

"No, I'm avoiding certain peoples." he said with a mildly irritated expression.

Clara raised her eyebrow quizzically. She was very good at getting people to talk to her.

"Some people think it is my responsibility to deal with every atrocity that occurs on this planet."

"I've always felt that if one has the ability to deal with something then they should."

"But what if it never mattered? What if everything you did just made it worse?" the Doctor said.

The darkness returned and the sadness. Clara suspected this was the reason he lived in isolation, the reason he never spoke to anyone. Something terrible had happened. The Doctor was clearly in mourning and that only made the rumors about him worse. Imagine making up stories and accusing this poor, haunted man of murder. It was heartless and cruel.

Gently Clara placed her hand over his, encouraged when he didn't pull away. "Maybe trying to do the right thing is all that matters." she said.

"What are you?" he asked sadly, searching her face. "Some ghost of Christmas past come to haunt me with morality?"

"Perhaps I'm just someone to remind you that the world below your cloud still exists."

The Doctor appeared torn, his eyes locked in her gaze. Hesitantly he leaned down and brushed his lips against hers. He started to pull back, but Clara wasn't having any of that. She wrapped her arms around his neck deepening the kiss. The Doctor gave in tangling his fingers in her dark hair. No one had ever made Clara feel anything like this before. Reluctantly they broke apart both needing to breath.

The Doctor's face lit up with a foolish if slightly dazed grin. It was the first time he'd ever looked truly happy since she'd meet him. Clara imagined she wore a similar expression. This was all like something from a fairy story or a dream. Absently Clara wondered how terrible an example she was setting as a governess. In a society that considered holding hands untoward, here she was kissing a man in a public park. Not that she really cared. Clara always thought the values of her world were too constraining.

"Maybe you're right." he said, brushing her cheek with his finger tips.

Clara sighed softly leaning into his touch. "I usually am. You'll get used to it."

The Doctor laughed, "Honestly I think you will never cease to surprise me."

A lone figure stood at the edge of the trees watching the couple across the park with interest. The Ripper had been following the women, Vestra and Jenny, and their Sontaran friend. Just as they had hunted him. His wounds still hurt, a constant reminder that these adversaries were smarter than the others of this world.

That morning he was watching the women's house when a new player entered their little drama. The man now sitting with the young human on the bench. At first the Ripper wasn't sure what to make of him. Though the man looked like them, he didn't smell of the human filth. He also didn't belong here.

The Ripper crept closer to the house trying to hear the conversation. Most of their words were lost of the wind, yet he clearly heard the women address the new man as 'Doctor'. That is when several things fell into place in the Haneish's mind. He knew the legends of the Doctor, the Oncoming Storm. Most people believed the Doctor was never more than a myth. He knew better. No mythical figure could create the patterns of chaos and fear the Doctor left in his wake.

If he was working with the others that meant the Doctor was coming after him. This changed everything. He needed to remove him from the game. It was the only way to continue.

The Ripper watched as the dark-haired girl entwined her fingers with the Doctor's. A humorless smile split his features. The best way to destroy a man was through his heart. And if the Doctor was foolish enough to reveal his so easily, it was only right that he take it from him.

Silently the Haneish withdrew from the park. Disappearing into the darkening streets of London.

One Week tell new episodes! Who saw the prequel for 'The Bells of St. John'? It is so cute!

As always love to all readers and reviewers! Enjoy :D