Yes, yes, I know, I'm always thanking you. But I DO thank you all very, very much for your reviews :D Glad you all love the story so much. I was really having my doubts when I started it.

Chapter 12

Clara knew something was wrong when she heard shouting and all different kinds of noises coming from the restaurant. Carefully she opened the door just a crack to take a look – and saw the Doctor. Her Doctor! Standing in front of Randall, quite towering over him. Shouting at him.

"What do you even think you're doing?" the Doctor yelled at Randall.

"I was taking Clara for a date. One to which, by the way, she had said yes," he defended himself.

"Well, that's too damn bad because I'm not sharing," the Doctor announced.

"Whoever said she wants to be with you?" Randall demanded. Clara noticed he was standing on tiptoes to match the Doctor's height, "You look like her grandfather, not her boyfriend."

"Alright, that's it," the Doctor answered angrily, "Let's ask Clara. Cause, you know, she just phoned me from the bathroom, asking me to rescue her from her date. With you."

Clara could see a lot of questions forming in Randall's mind, one of them being: she just went in there two minutes ago, how could he be here so fast?

Before things got any more unpleasant, Clara decided to leave her hiding place and confront the two of them.

"Oh, Clara, how nice of you to join us. Would you please explain to this man that I'm now taking you home because I think he's an idiot and doesn't seem to get it," the Doctor turned around to face her.

So he had come. Immediately. Clara hadn't been entirely sure, but he was here now. Everything would turn out fine.

"I'm sorry, Randall. This date was a stupid idea," she explained, trying to be as nice as possible, "I don't belong here. It wouldn't have worked out between us anyway."

"Well, you heard the girl. Come on, Clara, let's go home," he took her hand and started to drag her out of the restaurant.

The TARDIS was parked in front of the restaurant and Clara could see Randall watching the two of them get inside. She wondered what he would think as soon as he saw the blue box vanish, but the Doctor left her no time to truly think about it. He was already starting the engines.

"Thank you," Clara said earnestly and let out a sigh of relief, "I hadn't realized how boring that man really was."

"Don't mention it," the Doctor said icily, "But if this sort of thing happens again, don't count on me."

She was taken aback by the Doctor's cold demeanour. Happen again? He was expecting her to go out on dates again with the result of needing rescue? That was like the complete opposite of what he had told her this morning.

"Doctor?" she asked carefully, but there was no answer.

He was busy flicking switches and a few moments later the engines shut off. The Doctor snapped his fingers and the TARDIS door opened.

"We're home. You can leave now," he announced, not looking up from the console unit.

"Aren't you coming?"

"Maybe later."

Clara remained silent for a while, trying to find the right words to say to him. She wanted to thank him, but she already had.

"The things you said to Randall. . .," she started.

"They got you out of your date. Now, leave it alone, Clara."

OOO

Clara waited in front of the TARDIS for over an hour. Eventually she gave up and realized the Doctor would not be coming out of that thing any time soon. What had she even planned on doing, or saying? She didn't even know what exactly it was that she wanted. Not Randall, that was for sure. But she had said to the Doctor that she had changed her mind and did not want to be in a relationship with him any more – and at that point, she had truly meant it. Yet, that was before Clara had known what the Doctor was really feeling for her.

She wasn't sure if that was going to change anything. He was still the Doctor and his advances had been odd, to say the least. Clara knew she would have to sleep over it.

OOO

Isabel had been waiting for Clara to finally leave the room. The Doctor had promised her a trip, since it was Saturday night and every young girl should be doing something extraordinary on a Saturday night. At least, that's what the Doctor had said. Isabel wasn't sure why exactly she had been hiding from Clara. The Doctor had invited her, so why would she possibly forbid it when it wasn't even a school night? But Clara could be kind of a killjoy.

Isabel knocked on the TARDIS door. A voice from the inside groaned and said "Go away, Clara."

"It's me, Isabel!"

A few seconds later the door opened and the Doctor peered out. "Well, that's a different matter. Come on in."

"What happened between you and Clara?" Isabel asked as soon as she was inside and had closed the door. She was indeed curious about it. She had caught glimpses of their fights, but she had the feeling that most of it took place while she was in school. Sometimes she even wondered why the Doctor had picked Clara above all other human women.

"If you want that trip I promised you, you better forget about that question," the Doctor threatened her and gave Isabel an angry look.

Isabel shrugged. "Okay, different question. When are you going to invite me to travel with you?"

"I though we were already travelling."

"That's not what I meant," Isabel said. The Doctor tried to look into her eyes, but she avoided it, "You've got all these empty rooms in the TARDIS. I was wondering if I could have one of them."

"What would you need a room for?" he asked, dumbfounded.

"I don't want to stay here. I want to travel with you, see the universe, and never come back. I don't belong on Earth. Everyone here is just. . . stupid." Isabel said, staring at her feet.

"Well, that's because they're all pudding brains," the Doctor laughed at her, but Isabel's expression stayed serious.

"See, I knew you would understand. So, please, please, just take me with you."

"That's not possible."

"Why not? I knew you couldn't take me with you when I was a kid, but I'm a grown up now. I won't be in your way, I promise."

The Doctor sneered. "So, you're a grown up? On Gallifrey you were still considered a youngling when you were 200. And the thing about companions is: they always get in the way."

"What do I have to do?" Isabel suddenly started screaming, "What do I have to do that you will want to take me with you?"

"Well, you can get the hell out of my TARDIS. That would be a start!" the Doctor shouted back at her. And a few seconds later the door slammed shut.