Thank you for the reviews.

I need either more time in a day or more days in a week or just to work less. At the moment, the first two seem more plausible.


Chapter 7

The Trip

The sun shone into the room, slowly increasing the temperature. Clara looked up from her book to look at the others in the room. Ten and Eleven were engaged in a game of chess while River watched. Twelve was sitting on the same side of the room as her, his nose deep in a book.

She let go over the cover and allowed the book to close, keeping her right thumb on the page that she was on. She turned and looked out of the window. It was a pleasant autumn day. It wasn't going to be a hot day but it would be warm. A perfect day for a ride, or a picnic, or whatever excuse they could come up with to get out of the house.

"Maybe I should show you more of the area." She announced. "I know all the best places after years of exploring. Actually, I know the exact place where it would be beautiful for a picnic."

"A picnic?" Twelve said.

She turned to him. "Yeah, a picnic."

"It's autumn. Isn't it going to be cold?"

"Bring a coat then." She giggled. "Anyone would think that you are trying to come up with an excuse."

"I am up for it," Eleven said. Both Ten and River agreed with him.

She watched Twelve as he wriggled in his seat. She knew he was trying to come up with an excuse. Actually, she knew that she could guess the next words that were going to come out of his mouth.

"I would be better staying here. I wouldn't ..."

"Be good company." Clara finished for him. "John, Twelve, I have told you, I will be the judge of that. Anyway, I think that you would fully appreciate the place I want to show you."

She really wondered what his brothers and friends had said to him to make him so self-conscious. She knew he was a confident man. Danny had spoken about how confidently he gave out orders or how he knew exactly what needed to be done. Clara could remember how he carefully told her about his injuries.

"I promise you it won't be a waste of time."


Clara runs up to catch up with Twelve as he starts to walk away from the group. She didn't like it when he just walked off by himself, and as their host, she felt like it was her responsibility to make sure that he joined in and wasn't alone. He didn't come all this way to be by himself.

"Is my brother boring you?" Twelve said as she caught up with him.

"Why do you think that?"

"Because you wouldn't be with me if he wasn't."

Clara giggled. "Basil, really. I am your host and future sister-in-law. No, your brother isn't boring me but I just wanted to keep you company. I don't like seeing you on your own. I want to include you, whether you like it or not."

"I am not the best company."

"I think that your company is more than adequate. In fact, I rather enjoy your company."

"Oh, Clara Oswald." He said, giving her a smile. "My brother doesn't deserve you."

"What makes you say that?"

He gave her a look before he turned back, looking ahead of him. "Nothing."

"If it is any consolation, he still has a lot of making up to do."

"Glad to hear."

"I am sure you can put a word in for me."

"Or we could just keep spending more time together and hopes he gets jealous."

"You know that isn't a bad idea."

They both turned to each other at the same time, smiling widely.

"Basil, I do mean it when I say I enjoy your company."

His smile only grew.

"What?" Clara said.

"I thought that Basil was a dog's name."

"It is what you asked me to call you. I don't care what your council or culture says, I want to call you by a name. It just seems more personal."

"More personal?"

"You seemed shocked."

Twelve sighed. "I am just not used to it, that's all."

"Honestly, you are different from the man that Danny painted you as."

"In what way?"

Clara looked at him, wondering whether he knew but wanted someone else to notice it as well.

"I do remember our first meeting. I just never saw the man that was trying to keep up with me as I tried to find Danny. I remember how you were. I remember how you carefully told me what had happened and what you had to do to save his life. If anything, I remember you being confident. Danny told me stories. Never about things that happened, more of the stuff that happened off of the field. He told me that he hated you, absolutely despised you. I used to get letters home about it. But when he was home, he found a way to admire you."

"And?"

She smiled at him. "You might still be that brave man underneath it all, but you are not nearly as confident as I remember you being. Basil, you controlled an army. You lead men into war. Part of me would think that you wouldn't care if you were being bad company or not. You are, technically, a hero. A war hero."

"And you wondered why I said that my brother doesn't deserve you."


Eleven sighed heavily as he watched Twelve and Clara walk off. Part of him was upset that she chose to run off with him rather than staying with them. His brother was being a right grump at the moment. He saw Ten notice out of the corner of his eye.

"You want to be careful. You might lose Clara." Ten said.

Eleven turned to him before looking at River. "That might not be a bad thing."

"The council wouldn't agree."

"Stuff the council." River said.

"I know," Eleven said, slightly ignoring her.

"And it isn't fair on Clara." Ten said to Eleven. "Or Twelve." He said to River.

"I know." Eleven repeated.