So...

Still trying to keep up.

Firstly I would like to say that I hope that you are enjoying the first couple of days of 2018. For me, I have decided that I will do more for myself and just have a 'why not?' attitude to things. I just feel like I am stuck in some sort of cycle and I want to break from it. I want to do things that excite me, like writing fanfiction and just doing things that doesn't require me just to go to work. Still working on the hours thing.

Secondly, I am quite glad that I don't have many chapters left of this story left to write. Just means that I will start to write another story soon, which I will leave a gap so that I can get ahead of myself and not feel like I am delaying the story in any way.

Please enjoy this chapter, that I only finished like 20 minutes ago.


Chapter 16

The Swap

Twelve tapped his feet nervously, wishing that he had actually brought his guitar or Clara. He had no idea what the council would decide. He had given them a way that meant that the agreements would still be met but they could still disagree with it.

He smiled as Nine returned. He always felt that Nine understood him a little more than his other brothers, well the younger of his brothers. They seemed so alike.

"I thought I would let you know that Thirteen has finally come out of the loom."

"Good, I am not the youngest now."

"Lady John the Thirteenth of Gallifrey will probably not meet you before you go."

"Lady?" Twelve nodded. "I am glad it's a girl. I was wondered when one would come along."

"Well, you can tell Ten and Eleven the good news."

"Lord John the Twelfth, the council has finished debating your proposition. They are waiting for you to give their verdict. Lord John the Ninth, you may not enter the council chamber."

"Good luck." Nine said, flashing him a smile.

Twelve felt a little bit of comfort from his brother. Nine had helped out when he didn't have to. He nodded at his brother before he followed the guard to the council chamber. He let out a shaky breath as he stood in the same place he had done a couple of hours ago.

"Lord John the Twelfth of Gallifrey, you came to the council to ask whether the agreements made during the war could be upheld with a change in named Lord of Gallifrey in the agreement. The council have debated your proposal. We agree to the proposal and agree to the change in Lord of Gallifrey. We will leave you to tell Lord David and Lady Clara."

"Thank you so much." Twelve said before he ran out of the chamber. He needed to get back to Endor and fast.


"Darling, are you alright?"

Clara turned to look at her father. "Just waiting for Twelve."

"Clara, I… The agreement was made between you and Eleven. I don't understand why you have spent more time with Twelve. Just because he made a mess of his arrangement doesn't mean you can make a mess of yours. I know you weren't all for this but you have to make it work."

She turned back to the window. "Twelve didn't make a mess of his arrangement. Father, I believe that Eleven and River were involved before he met me and she met Twelve. Our arrangements were doomed from the beginning. Eleven and I would be fine but Twelve would never be fine with River."

"I know you are only trying to be kind but..."

"You don't need to worry. I think I love him, Twelve that is."

"But the arrangement?"

"Clara!"

Clara smiled at him before she set off down the hall towards the sound of Twelve's voice. She ran down a few corridors before she called out his name before they meet only a few moments later. She didn't particularly know what came over her but as soon as she reached him, she jumped and wrapped her arms around his neck. He tensed for a moment before he wrapped his arm around her waist and held her up.

"So?" She said once she was back on the ground.

Twelve put his hand into his jacket and pulled out an envelope. "This is the councils' agreement to the swap in the arrangements. I just need to ask for your father's permission."

Clara smiled widely at him before he pulled her closer and kissed her. She couldn't stop herself from bringing her hands up to cup his cheeks before resting her hands on his neck. He had wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her as close to him as he could. It was the best news in the universe.


Twelve was quite glad that Eleven, Ten and River were all talking when he found them. He could do everything at once. He reached into his jacket and got one of the letters that the council had given him. He stormed up to Eleven and pushed the letter into his chest.

"There you go. Yet again I am the one to sort out the mess that you made."

"Hang on. The mess that I made?" Eleven said.

"Yeah. The mess that you made. Don't worry Chinny, Ears told me everything. That you and River met before and that you had been involved with each other but not enough not void the arrangements made. You know I had a suspicion but I hoped that you hadn't done that. So I have done your dirty work for you and all you have to do is as River's parents for their permission." He turned to Ten. "And I expected more from you."

"This isn't my fault," Eleven argued.

"No, it is just me that is meant to feel like a failure. Because that is the way I felt when River told me that she couldn't marry me. If you had just told me, I would have tried to help you. I would have helped you find a way. I would have supported my brother. Instead of you thinking that I would just be alright because I am me. Now I am going to do my part and going and ask Dave for his permission." Twelve turned on his heel and started to walk away from them. "Oh and just so you know. Thirteen is a woman."

"I told you. I said we should have just told him." He heard Ten say.

Twelve just shook his head. Maybe his brothers didn't know him.


Twelve could only smile when Clara held onto his arm as they walked to give the letter from the council to Dave. It had been Clara's idea to do it together. She had said that her father might get use to the idea if she was there with him. He couldn't actually remember the last time he felt this happy.

"Father," Clara said as they entered the room.

"Clara, Twelve."

"Clara has told me that you know something about why I left for Gallifrey but this is the council's response to a proposal that the Lords of Gallifrey named in the agreement are changed." Twelve turned and look at Clara. "It was Clara's idea. She was the one to work out that something wasn't quite right between Eleven and River. This way, everyone gets what they want."

"Is this what you want Clara?" Dave asked.

"Yes." She said as she smiled up at Twelve.

Dave took the letter and read it before he leant back in his chair. "I will write to the council telling them that I too accept this change. As it is what Clara wants."

Twelve smiled at Dave. "Thank you, Sir."