I apologise to everyone reading this about the long wait from the last chapter! Here it is finally. Thanks go to GriffinGirl8655 for prompting this story.
Disclaimer: I don't own Doctor Who or any of the characters in it.
Trying to Cope
Danny's POV
He was running through the shattered streets. His team were around him, all running towards the same checkpoint. There was firing everywhere, firing from the enemy, firing from the allies. He was joining them, not aiming, just firing, firing, firing into the smoke and the fog.
Bang, bang, bang. Shots being fired, seemingly hitting everyone but him. He heard movement from an alley. He stuck his gun in and fired once, twice, three times. He spared a glance as he ran past and saw something he would never forget. A boy was staring at him. He was standing, unhurt, or so it seemed. But then he clutched his stomach and fell down.
Killed by a bullet. Danny's bullet.
Danny tore his gaze away from the body of the boy. He looked so small in death. He ran on and made it to the checkpoint without getting injured. He sat down in a corner, put his head in his hands and cried.
He woke up with tears on his face and he was shaking with fear. He just couldn't forget that little boy and what he'd done. He felt tears welling up and buried his face in the pillow. He had to be strong, had to put on a brave face.
The alarm clock said it was 2:23 am. He should go back to sleep. He would, only he knew that, as soon as he closed his eyes, the strange place called Nightmare would claim him once more. He couldn't concentrate on reading. Nor could he on marking; the little boy just wouldn't go away. Eventually he decided to get some breakfast.
He wearily put some bread in the toaster and waited. It was the last straw when, when he took his toast out, he thought he saw the face of the little boy on the burnt bits. He sobbed and trembled until he found himself on the floor of the kitchen. He succumbed to sleep only to face worse dreams than before.
Clara's POV
The teachers were all gathered to an early morning briefing from the Head when Danny walked in late. He mumbled his apologies and settled down to listen. The others just nodded in greeting but Clara noticed that something seemed wrong this morning.
He looked, to say the least, a complete shambles. His tie wasn't done right, his shirt was half untucked and his hair was sticking up all over the place. On top of all that, he had huge, dark bags the size of suitcases under his eyes.
She was worried about him so, at dinner break, she asked him if he was okay.
'I'm fine. Just had a bad night, that's all.'
But Clara knew when people were most definitely not fine. She needed to help him or it would only get worse. She determined to keep pestering him until she found out what was bothering him.
Danny's POV
He hadn't planned to tell anyone about it. They were all nice, don't get him wrong, but he just didn't want to share. But Miss Oswald was very stubborn.
'You know I'm always here for you,' she would say. 'Please, Danny, just tell me what's wrong.'
So he did. She listened as he told her about his trials as a soldier. He told her about how nightmares would keep him awake at night and how the people you see die out there never really leave you.
But he didn't mention the little boy.
After he finished, she stayed silent for a while. Danny wondered if he'd overdone it a little, scared her maybe. Instead, she put her arm round him and whispered that it would be okay. That she would always be there for him, no matter what.
And he believed her.
A/N: Thank you to anyone who has reviewed this! I'd love some more and if you have a suggestion or I made a mistake or something, review or PM me. I'll try and shorten the wait between chapters as well. I didn't mean to leave it this long!