Thank you for the comments :) Here, have another flashback!

Chapter 6

5 Years Ago

Clara had been walking up and down the Thames for the past fifteen minutes, probably making the gulls just as nervous as she felt. John Smith was late and Clara grew increasingly uneasy, even considering the possibility that he wouldn't show up at all – otherwise he could have sent a message, right?

"Clara!"

She turned around and watched John almost jog in her direction and her face instantly lit up. He was dressed in a simple suit again, his hair uncombed and his beard just a little fuller than the last time they had met. Clara felt her heartbeat speed up at the sight of him.

"I'm sorry," he panted as he came to a halt in front of her, "Sorry, I, uhm. . . I overslept."

She frowned at him in response, but then remembered that he had told her about his night shifts at the hospital and it all started to make sense to her. For her it was the middle of the afternoon, but John had only just woken up.

"It's alright," Clara told him with a smile, "You're here now."

"Pardon?" John raised his voice over the singer that had started to turn up the volume of his amplifier next to them.

"I said it's alright," she almost shouted over the noise. Maybe meeting here, in one of London's loudest and busiest areas, hadn't been such a great idea. They would hardly be able to talk.

John stepped a little closer and bent down to her ear before he spoke again. "Do you insist on having fish 'n chips?" he asked loudly, "It's quite noisy here."

Clara shivered when she could feel his breath on her skin, but she had to agree with him. However, it was also quite tempting to have him so close to her.

"I'm open to suggestions," she replied.

"Well," John hesitated for a moment, "How does a cup of coffee and some cake sound? I must say, I quite like a sweet breakfast."

When Clara looked at him, he stared down at his feet, an almost shy smile on his face. It was strange how a grown man with grey hair and a beard could look so cute and boyish.

"Sounds great," she admitted.

"Good," he looked up at her, smiling, "Follow me?"

Clara reached for his arm and when she did, she could feel him flinch under her touch and for a moment she thought John was going to protest. However, he said nothing and just led the way over Westminster Bridge in the direction of the Tube station, pushing past the noisy crowds, and all of a sudden Clara really liked the prospect of going somewhere quieter with him.

They boarded a train to Edgware Road and when John ushered her back out at High Street Kensington, she didn't need a lot of imagination to guess where he would take her and Hyde Park really seemed like a nice choice for a first date, especially on a warm, sunny spring day.

"She looks a bit like you," John said and nodded towards the big statue in the middle of a pond. Tourists were taking photos all around them.

Clara wrinkled her nose. "I'm afraid I'll have to disagree with that," she replied and took a deep breath, inhaling the spring air and for a moment just enjoying the peace. Kensington Palace was truly a lovely spot, much better than in the middle of the busy city. Here they were surrounded by tourists who were anything but in a hurry, the sun was warm on her skin and they were far away from traffic. Clara loved it.

Inside the palace café Clara had only just chosen a coffee and a piece of absolutely delicious looking cake when suddenly she watched John drew his wallet from out of his jacket in an attempt to pay.

"Oh no," Clara said instantly, "That's on me. For helping me with the router."

He chuckled. "I'm afraid I'll have to disagree with that," John said and handed some money to the cashier before she even had a chance to protest further.

She pouted at him in reply.

"Clara, it's been years since I've bought a lovely lady a cup of coffee. Give me that tiny moment of satisfaction," John said softly, picked his tray back up and started to make his way outside. Clara was left with no choice but to follow him to one of the tables and as she was walking behind him, a smile spread across her face. Lovely lady. That was definitely a good start.

John chose a spot in the sun and when he sank down on the chair, Clara thought once more that he looked tired, almost exhausted. She sat down across the table and granted him a smile.

"This is a lot nicer than fish 'n chips by the Thames," she admitted.

John didn't look up, but Clara still noticed the smile on his lips and again she thought that he seemed utterly shy.

"So, you're a doctor?" Clara asked him after a moment and then stuffed a spoonful of cake into her mouth.

"Yeah," John replied, "It's a tough job, but a good one."

"But surely you don't always work night shifts?"

Finally he looked back up and gave a light shrug of his shoulders in response. "I work as many night shifts as they let me. And I don't mind. Better I do them than the young folk who have girlfriends and families to look after."

Clara was about to open her mouth and ask him, ask him why he had no girlfriend and no family, but he went on before she even had a chance.

"But enough about me," John smiled at her, "What about you? What do you do when you're not despairing over a broken router or reading Jane Austen?"

"I just finished my thesis and, well, I guess I'm sort of a nanny at the moment. I'm staying with friends of the family, watching their kids in exchange for a bed and food," she explained, "I hope to be a teacher soon."

John grinned at her. "And educate the pudding brained masses about Jane Austen."

"Well, not just about her," Clara smiled back.

She watched as John took a large sip from his coffee while his piece of cake was still untouched on his plate. Clara didn't know him, so maybe the assumptions she made about him were wrong, but John struck her as the sort of man who thought of others before he thought of himself. He was working hard, probably too hard, he had come to her aid more then just once even though she was a complete stranger to him and maybe that beard hadn't grown because John thought it to be fashionable, but more because he had neglected to shave it in a while. All of a sudden Clara was overcome by the urge to do something nice for him.

"Would you let me cook for you?" she asked before she could think better of it.

John looked up at her, frowning.

"Well, you paid for the coffee and cake," Clara added swiftly, "Which was meant as my way to say thank you for the router. Now I have to think of something else."

"Oh, you really don't have to, Clara," John said with a smile, "A lovely day outside in nice company is thank you enough."

"It really isn't," she insisted, "Please, I just wanna do something nice for you in return."

John sighed in reply, but the smile remained on his face the entire time, slowly but surely turning into a grin. "Well, I suppose I could take a day off next week."

Clara beamed at him.

"Under one condition," John said and raised his index finger as a warning, "We'll cook together."

"I can live with that," she confirmed and leaned back in her seat, feeling proud and insanely happy. Clara had another date with John and something told her that it wouldn't be the last.