"You did right Chin," Clara appraised him with a quick nod of her head. "You did very good." The ending credits continued to scroll, but he wasn't paying attention much to the names of the actors. Nope, he was watching Clara. She was staring at the television, her eyes unfocused from the hours they'd spent that day watching movies, her sock clad feet still tucked tightly under the comforter they brought down for the occasion.
"I figured, I could never be Legolas," he said, leaning towards her, "But I do own all three movies on Blu-ray." She giggled when he began to tickle her, shrieking and playfully kicking at his face.
"I love you." She said happily, and he never could get enough of those three words. Grinning, he leaned down and kissed her. "But…" she sighed dramatically, "I must go to bed. It's nearly nine." She tapped his nose with her finger.
"Nine?" he protested, "Nine is the time four year olds go to bed at."
"Four year olds don't have to wake up at five in the morning to go and teach a bunch of high school students." She pointed out, nudging the stack of graded essays she'd worked on during the movies with her foot, as if trying to point out a fact. He sighed, but it was drawn out and fake.
"I suppose… this is goodnight Clara Oswald." Her smile spread across her face, making him immensely happy, and she leaned in to give him a kiss on the cheek.
"Goodnight, Elijah."
Amy's head flew upwards at the sound of the small quiet knock, suddenly realizing that she indeed would have to answer it, because Rory was at work. Silently hoping that it would not be her modeling agent, she flew open the door, a water pistil held safely behind her back for… safety. Who knows what could walk through that door.
The water pistil hit the floor with a clash as she saw who it was, and her mouth flew open, her feet staggering backwards.
"Hello Mum." River Song said with a graceful smile, and Amy continued to open and close her mouth like a fish. River took this as her invitation to step inside, and Amy, in a sense of desperation, flung her arms around her daughter. She didn't normally show these signs of affection, but River was her daughter. And she would be able to figure out how to get them out of this. She was as smart as the Doctor.
"River!" she finally managed to gasp, moving backwards into the living room, sinking down on to the sofa before her knees gave away. "How the…" her throat felt suddenly dry, she couldn't get the words out. "How are you here?"
"A computer simulation can get into another computer simulation." River said mysteriously, "But I can't say how. That would be a spoiler." River sat down next to her. "I can't stay long."
"Then why are you here?" Amy asked irritably, she was quite sick of hearing those words coming out of people she loved mouths, because she was so sick and tired of being alone. Alone with her knowledge of the blue box.
"I would like to say a proper goodbye to the Doctor." River said stiffly, the words moving in her mouth like delicate china. Amy hesitated, wondering if she should tell River about the Doctor and Clara. She'd gotten the text from Rose that they'd succeeded in getting the pair together, and at first Amy had been happy, now…she was just confused. She finally decided that her loyalties lied with her daughter.
"Listen, River-" she began, but the other woman cut her off.
"I know about the Doctor and Clara."
"Oh." Amy really at this point didn't know what to say. When she was a little girl, she had imagined having a daughter and helping her with all of her 'boy issues'. Never had Amy imagined having a daughter who may or may not be older than her, and was married to her best friend. Who had just gotten together with another woman. Nope, that never seemed to come across in her childish fantasies. "What do you want…. I mean…. Do you want me to do something about it?" she asked uncertainly.
"No." River said, shocking her. "I came to say goodbye." She paused, and smiled. "And have a little fun." There's the River I know.
"Just be careful." Amy warned, and sighed. "I'm guessing you really can't help me with getting her to remember?"
"Afraid that's all up to you Mum." River said fondly, "And, if you will excuse me, I must go see my husband."
"I thought I told you to leave." John said firmly when his Father entered the kitchen. "Right away. Actually two days ago."
"I asked that blonde woman if I could stay for longer."
"Her name is Rose." John said stiffly, slamming his coffee mug down on the counter. He had to work at the hospital almost all day the past two days, and hadn't had the chance to notice their unwelcome guest.
"Rose. Right." His Dad repeated. "John, I wish…" he stumbled over his words like he was a five year old trying to recite poetry. "I wish… I want… I need to make amends with Elijah." John's mug, which had just risen to his lips, hit the floor with a crash, sending shards flying.
"John?" Rose appeared in the doorway, summoned by the cracking sound, but didn't further question the scene,just grabbed a broom from the cupboard and began sweeping up the shards.
"I'll get it." John protested, kneeling down, but she firmly shook her head.
"No." she said, "This talk needs to happen." And with that, she finished and left the room. A huge, resounding knock sounded at the door, John automatically turned towards it-
"I'll get it!" Clara called. She darted down the stairs, not paying attention to the awkward silence between the two men in the kitchen. She was to happy to pay attention to anything sad at the moment.
"Hello!" she gushed as she threw open the door, "This is the Smith residence!" her easy smile and bubbly attitude vanished.
"Hello Sweetie." Elijah's ex-wife said.
He was happier than he had ever been in his entire life. An easy smile was etched onto his face, a tune was bubbling it's way out of his mouth in a cheery whistle, and he strolled into the kitchen, his mind oblivious to the different scenes playing out around him.
"Elijah?" His Dad said from behind him. He stopped what he was doing, and nearly dropped the mug clutched in his fingers. His whistling was cut off abrubtly, and as he turned around he played Clara's earlier words in his mind.
Why do you let him push you around?
Not anymore. He took a deep breath, his newfound relationship with Clara giving him strength. She gives me strength.
"I'm sorry." The words were unfamiliar sounding, and they sounded wrong almost coming from his Dad's mouth. Elijah's eyes widened, and he felt a bit like a fish that had been pulled out of water, his mouth opening and closing as if looking for air. He must be hallucinating.
"Thank you." He finally managed out, once the hallucination didn't fade, a disbelieving smile spreading across his face. He gave his Dad a brief hug, not even noticing quite how awkward it was. He bolted out of the kitchen, until he found her. There were two women with her, but he didn't pay any attention to them. They didn't matter.
"Clara!" he shouted, and pulled her into his arms, spinning her around the room, his laugh echoing, "Oh how I love you!" and it was the truth. He loved the feeling of her arms wrapped around his neck like they were never going to let go, her small adorable smile, the way she only cried when she was desperate, and how there wasn't anything weak about the small tears. Her stubbornness, the way her lips felt against his, the way she made his life so much better. She was his sun. His light. His Clara.
"I love you too." She said hastily, quietly, and he sat her down, frowning down at her small figure. Just two days ago she was screaming it to the world, and he wondered if his confession scared her. It was the first time he'd ever said it to her, and maybe it was to soon, maybe he was to soon. "We've got company." She muttered in explanation, "Why didn't you tell me your ex-wife was visiting?"
"Hello Sweetie."
"Where is John?" The woman who had snuck in behind River exclaimed. Clara focused her attention on this new person, trying not to look at River at all. Was it written in some law that she had to meet his ex-wife?
"Who are you?" Rose came out of the kitchen, still in her pajamas.
"I'm Reinette!" the woman said coldly, as if noticing Rose for the first time. She was very curvy and beautiful, her golden hair setting in regal curls on her shoulders. "His girlfriend." Clara saw Rose's mouth stiffen, as she let out a cold amused laugh.
"I'm afraid you're mistaken." She said politely. "John and I just got engaged."
"I need to go." Clara said, to no one in particular. "School's only partially delayed today." She leaned forward and gave Elijah a kiss, not caring about the onlookers, and slung her bag over her shoulder. "See you after." She told him, and Elijah sighed as she dashed out the door.
"Ladies." He said, letting a little desperation creep into his voice, "Surely we can put everything behind us-"
"Reinette and I were wondering if we could stay here for a bit." River said stiffly, and Elijah was about to reply that, no, they were quite full, but Rose responded quicker.
"I'm sure John wouldn't mind his 'girlfriend' staying here." She snapped, and Elijah was about to inform him that his brother would never, ever cheat on her, when she stomped away.
"What she said." He muttered, "OI! JOHN!" he yelled, and followed in Rose's footsteps, stomping up the stairs like a two year old. He knew why River had chosen to come here, it was because she had heard about Clara and decided to ruin his life again.
It didn't matter, he was happy with Clara.
"And then he greeted death as an old friend…" Clara trailed off, her eyes flitting to the window yet again. She was wondering if Elijah was talking to River, or what. What was happening?
"Miss Oswald?" a girl sitting in the first row raised her hand. Clara nodded, allowing her to speak. "That's from Harry Potter I believe… Not the book we're reading." Clara uncertainly looked at the board where she indeed, had scrawled a Potter quote across the board.
"Woops." She said, wiping the letters off the board quickly. "Right." She said, finding the proper quote and writing it on the board. "I want a paragraph, and that means 5-6 sentences, explaining why this quote is important in the story." There was a collective groan, and Clara just shook her head slightly. "Be lucky it isn't a page." She said. "Also, I have your essays." She picked up the stack of papers.
"Why are you doing work on our date?"
"Because Chin Boy, it's how I make money."
With shaking fingers she passed them out, and sank down into her desk, picking up her phone. She had one text from Elijah.
So sorry that the first time I told you how much I really loved you was in front of my ex-wife. So, here it goes. Clara Oswald, in the form of a text message, I love you, with all my heart, forever and always.
She grinned.
Forever and Always? She sent back.
Yeah, I was thinking it could be our thing. Our words.
Alright then, Forever and Always.
Feeling extremely more relaxed, she replied to several emails from concerned parents, deleted a few from the angry ones, and read over some writing that Elijah had sent her. He was always sending her writing, because, he insisted, she was an English teacher, and she ought to know when something was good. It was never from his story, his actual novel, and she raised her eyebrows when he told her this one was in fact, from the novel he was writing. Her eyes flitted back and forth as he expertly introduced the characters, explaining their different situations. He really was good.
It was when Oswin came in that she started smiling.
"Hello?" I ask uncertainly.
"Hello?" a voice cracks through the speakers, her voice pitched as if surprised that I could even be talking to her.
"Come in, come in." he said, ignoring the eye stalks of a million Daleks behind him. "Come in, Carmen." It was the music she was listening to after all.
"Hello!" she gasped, desperate. "Yes, yes, sorry. Do you read me?" he could hear the soft clattering of keys as she tried to reach him, tried to make the signal clearer.
"Yes, reading you loud and clear." He confirmed. "Identify yourself and report your status."
"Oswin Oswald, junior entertainment officer starship Alaska!" she said, her voice practically bubbling over with happiness. "Current status, crashed and shipwrecked somewhere…" her voice broke off as she must have been searching for the right words to describe her situation. "Not nice." She finished lamely, and then keenly moved on, "Been here a year, res of the crew missing. Provisions good but keen to move on."
"What are you reading?" a voice broke her out of her haze of thoughts and words, and she looked up, smiling at the sight of Rory.
"Oh, nothing." She lied, minimizing the window. "What are you doing here?"
"I had to give shots today." Rory sighed, "anyways, I thought I could join you for lunch."
"Of course!"
"You used to always disappear here when we were together." River's voice cut through the happy haze of Elijah's thoughts, as the words forever and always floated around in his brain. Echoing happily.
"I didn't know you were capable of remembering me at all." He responded coolly, sliding his phone back into his pocket, wondering if Clara had started reading the story he sent her.
"I was always capable." He almost felt sorry for her, it was obvious she hadn't found anyone new since him, and he could almost hear a tone of regret and sad hope in her voice. "You just didn't pay enough attention."
"Stop acting like that." He said sharply, as she settled down on the ground next to him, looking at him with her eyes. Those eyes were what made him fall in love with her in the first place.
"Stop doing what?" she asked, and he couldn't help but think that she sounded different somehow, older, sadder. He didn't know quite how to respond to it.
"You know." He waved his hands about. "Trying to…" he stumbled over his words. "seducing me."
"I am not trying to seduce you, Doctor."
"Why does everyone keep calling me that?" he burst out, his hands digging into the grass.
"No idea." She said lightly, "And I want you to know, I have no intention of staying," he noticed her wince slightly at his audible sigh of relief. "I just came to say, it's okay."
"It's okay?" he questioned her, and she nodded.
"To go on with things with Clara."
"I didn't ask for your permission. You did divorce me." He pointed out.
"I meant, when you wake up." She said, and silenced his protest with a look. "Goodbye sweetie." She said, and as he watched her walk away, he couldn't help but feel like something was ending, this time for good.
"Goodbye." He called after her, and she only slightly looked back. This is the last time I'm going to see her. He found himself thinking, which didn't make any sense, because this wasn't goodbye forever? Was it? It wasn't like she was dead, he assured himself, pulling the laptop he'd set down towards him again, determined to get some writing in.
She screamed. She'd hiked for hours, hours and hours just to get to the summit of this damn mountain. Maybe, just maybe, she'd thought that if she got high enough above all the problems she could see a way out. But she was still clueless.
Amy sank down into the dirt, lying flat on her back so she could get a nice proper look at the sky. She closed her eyes for a fraction of a second - wondering that if she stayed here forever, if the Doctor and Rory would eventually find her. They'd pull her out of this terrible dream and shake their heads, somehow blaming her for this nightmare that had been built up around her. It would be a scientific reason though, and she'd press her face into Rory's shoulder before bounding off into the TARDIS, determined to forget. Forget everything that had happened.
Nothing is ever forgotten, and, if something can be remembered, it can come back.
Her eyes flew open. That was it, she realized with a dawning passion, that was the answer. She had to find what made Clara remember. She had to find her key.
He was waiting for her on a motorbike when she left work. She laughed slightly, quickly running up to him and burying her face in his neck. "You didn't have to come and get me." She protested, but Elijah simply swung her onto the back of his bike.
"Come away with me, Impossible Girl." She clutched tightly at his back as he sped away. They climbed high into the mountains, his bike going slower and slower as they reached higher altitudes. They finally reached an outlook, and he helped her off his bike.
"To assure you of my never dying affection," he shot her a lopsided grin, and gestured to the elaborate picnic laid out. Clara laughed, moving to sit down on the blanket, her hand finding his like it was always meant to.
"You're the best."
"And you're the boss."
"Am I?"
"No…! No! I didn't- I mean."
"Oh shut up Chin Boy."she leaned in, and kissed him, to silence the protests coming out of his lips.
Sorry if I suck at writing River I have never actually written her before and idk...
SORRY FOR THE DELAY! School has been whacking me around the head with a hammer it feels like... Just finished my ten page character analysis so hopefully this next update will get out soon.
It's about to get really serious, in the next couple chapters, things are happening.
This is just a filler. Again. Sorry!
Review please:)