I don't own anything from Doctor Who, and I hope you enjoy!
Clara stormed into the house and ran into the kitchen. The kids weren't there, and she wasn't expecting them to be. "Artie, Angie, down here now!" She yelled.
The Doctor walked up behind her and put a hand on her shoulder. "What happened?" He asked.
She sighed and said, "They pulled a prank on their school principal. Kids, get down here!" She guessed that she still had some residue anger from her argument with the Doctor, because the kids came running down the stairs with slightly shocked faces.
Artie smiled at the Doctor and said, "Doctor, you're back! Good, now Clara won't be so annoying." Clara glared at him and he said, "Oh, no, I didn't mean it like that. I meant… you would be happier! Yeah, that's what I meant!"
Clara shook her head and said, "So, we still need to discuss a punishment for you two. How about…"
"How about no food for a week! Well, that seems quiet harsh. No water for a week! Wait, how much water do humans need?" The Doctor asked looking towards Clara.
She frowned and said, "Doctor, will you just let me do the talking?"
He frowned too and said, "Well, you obviously need some help with the kids. You seem to have some trouble thinking of a punishment. I'm just trying to help. It's the least I could do, considering."
She sighed and said, "Doctor, I think I can take care of the kids perfectly fine. I have known them for over a year now. You barely know them!"
He put his hands on his hips and said, "I would like to disagree with that! Do you not remember me taking them to the greatest amusement park in the universe? Do you not remember me buying Artie an Army Simulator 3000? Or Angie that journal that only opened if it recognized her voice?"
Clara nodded and said, "Of course I remember those things. First of all, the amusement park was closed and we all almost died! Second of all, I'm pretty sure that army simulator is making Artie more violent. And last of all, I'm pretty sure Angie is writing bad things about me in that journal!"
Angie said, "If I may interrupt here, have you been crying Clara?"
Artie said, "Yeah, and were you crying Doctor?"
The Doctor immediately wiped his eyes and said, "No, of course not! I'm a grown Time Lord, and I don't cry over silly things like accidently hitting Clara!"
Artie gasped and asked, "You hit Clara?!"
Clara put her hands up and said, "No, he didn't. Doctor, do shut up. We need to find a punishment for these crazy pranksters!"
Angie crossed her arms and said, "You're not answering my question, Clara."
Clara sighed and said, "So what? I've been crying! Big deal! I'm allowed to cry every now and then!"
"Yes, but you rarely ever cry, unless it's something major. Like your mum." Angie said.
Clara turned away and said, "Angie, I really don't want to talk about my mum right now!"
The Doctor turned to Clara, whose eyes were now watering again. He put an arm around her and looked back to Angie "Now look what you've done!" Angie rolled her eyes and sat down at the table. The Doctor leaned down so his mouth was near Clara's ear. "Clara, what do you want me to do with the kids?" He asked quietly.
She shook her head and said, "I don't know. Ground them or something."
He nodded and turned to the kids. "You're both grounded for making Clara cry!"
Angie quirked an eyebrow and said, "If we going by those terms then you should be grounded too."
Artie nodded and said, "Yeah! You should've seen how Clara has been since you left! You're not my favorite person in the world anymore!"
The Doctor frowned at their words. He didn't really need to be reminded that he had made Clara cry. "Well, you're both grounded for doing that prank! Go to your rooms!" They stood there. "Why aren't you going to your rooms?" He asked.
Angie had a tight grip on her brother's shoulder. "Because we don't take orders from people who hit our nanny! And recently you've been added to that list." The Doctor looked genuinely hurt, and Artie felt bad.
The Doctor fumbled with his hands as he said, "Well, you have to! Go to your rooms… please." There was such desperation in that last word that it made Clara's heart ache.
"No." Angie said, stopping Artie from walking away.
Clara suddenly spun around and yelled, "God damn it, listen to him! Go to your rooms!" Angie looked shocked, and Artie was on the verge of tears. A lonely tear was falling down Clara's face. Angie decided she better listen, and she led her brother up the stairs. Clara turned to the Doctor once they had left and said, "I'm sorry."
He shook his head and swallowed. "No… no, it's fine. You don't need to apologize. They… they're just being kids. I… should go. I could come back… Wednesday." He looked defeated as he said these things, and Clara didn't like it one bit.
She held his hand and said, "No way, I'm not letting you leave again. Let's just… watch the tele or something. We don't have to go adventuring."
He shook his head and said, "No, actually I'm pretty tired. I haven't been this tired in a long time… I'll just… go have a nap." He did look exhausted. They're were dark circles under his eyes that were now full of sadness and hurt.
She held her grip on his hand and said, "I'm tired too. We can take a nap in my room." He didn't seem to have the energy to disagree, so he just nodded. She slowly led him up the stairs and into her room. He took off his coat and shoes. He slowly lied down, and Clara lied down next to him. He held her close.
He was lightly stroking her hair when she felt something warm and wet on top of her head. She looked up to see the Doctor staring at the door, tears streaming down his face. She pulled him closer and nuzzled her head into his shoulder. He was still crying as he quietly said, "They… don't trust me anymore." He sounded so sad.
Clara held him even tighter and said, "Doctor, don't worry about them. They're just kids." She placed a light kiss on his cheek, and buried her head into the nape of his neck.
He ignored the fuzzy feeling his stomach in reaction to this action, and said, "But… that's the thing. They're small, innocent, children, but they don't… Clara…" He sounded like he was pleading, but she didn't know what for. He squeezed his eyes shut and shoved his face into Clara's shoulder. She could still feel his hot tears falling.
She played with the hair on the back of his head as she said, "I'm sorry, Doctor. Is there anything I can do?"
He shook his head and said, "No, I just… they're children… they need someone to trust. I'm not that person anymore, Clara. I'm not the person they… trust. Artie used to admire me… but that's all gone now. Now… now they'll just see me as… a monster." His voice was muffled, but she could still tell that he was disgusted at that last word. "Maybe that's what I am. Maybe… I am a monster." He said sadly into her shoulder.
Clara pulled away and put her hands on his cheeks. The tears were still falling. She had never seen him cry this much. She lifted his head up slightly so he was looking her in the eyes. "Hey, don't say that." She said softly. "You are not a monster. No matter what you think. You hear me? Those kids are just a little annoyed. Don't let it get to you."
He shook his head and said, "Clara, you didn't see the way that Angie was looking at me. It was pure… anger and, disgust. You saw how Artie reacted when he heard that I had… I had hit you. Children, they take these things seriously. They are so precious, and they are so intelligent. They are so… so brilliant, and innocent. If I don't have they're trust, then what do I have?"
Clara didn't like the way the Doctor was talking. He was far too sad. He was depressed even. He lowered his gaze, and Clara lifted his head again. She was completely serious when she said, "You have me. I will always trust you, Doctor. Don't let anything make you think differently. Artie and Angie will come around soon enough. Remember me, Doctor. You will always have me."
He smiled weakly, trying to stop the tears. She was completely right. He had everything he needed. He had Clara. His Clara. He gently pulled her face to his, and then pressed his lips against hers. She returned in kind, and they stayed that way for a while. There was no need to deepen the kiss, or any need to go further. They just had each other, and nothing could make either happier.
I hope you enjoyed, and please review to tell me what you think!