Thank you once again for the sweet reviews! And now one last flashback before we focus on the angst at hand. . .

Chapter 10

5 Years Ago

John hadn't answered her calls since Christmas Day and Clara was constantly torn between being worried and being annoyed. He had stormed out of her flat – fine. But he could at least have the decency to call her back and talk about what had happened between the two of them. Clara hadn't even had the chance to confess her feelings, she had just kissed him – that shouldn't be a reason to ignore her, but apparently for John it was. And to make her week even worse her router was broken – and this time Clara suspected that it was beyond repair. So she packed it back up and headed towards the electronics shop where she had bought it together with John.

"I want a replacement," Clara said sharply and dropped the box on the desk, glaring at the woman behind the register. She was in a foul mood and certainly not up for a big discussion or exchanged pleasantries.

"Of course, dear," the woman replied with a smile, "I'm sure you have someone to help you with the set-up?"

"I'll figure it out by myself, thanks," Clara snapped. John wouldn't help her again. Not when he wasn't even answering his damn phone.

"You sure about that?" the woman asked and then, to Clara's surprise, winked at her.

She frowned at the woman, not really sure what was happening. Then the woman's shoulders dropped and she rolled her eyes in annoyance.

"Of course, you don't know me. How silly of me," she said and slowly but surely it began to dawn on Clara.

She had gotten John's number from a woman in the electronics shop almost a year ago. This was the same woman. Missy. John's best friend.

"Missy," she said, "You're Missy."

The woman smiled at her in reply. "Quite right. And you're sure John won't help you with the set-up?"

"John isn't speaking to me at the moment."

"Yes, because he's being an idiot," Missy groaned, "I have no idea what happened between you on Christmas, but he's been grumpy ever since."

Clara was a little taken aback by Missy's statement and stood up straight, her eyes fixed on the woman in front of her as if trying to read a solution from her face. If the kiss had upset John, then why wouldn't he talk to her about it? Why wasn't he answering her calls?

Suddenly Missy sighed. "The thing you need to know about John is that he's always an idiot, but even more so when he likes someone."

"Likes someone?" she frowned at the woman behind the counter.

"Yes, of course," Missy rolled her eyes and from the sound of her voice Clara could tell that she was very much bored or annoyed by their conversation. "John is crazy about you. He's been talking about nothing but you for months. There are pictures of you on his fridge."

Clara opened her mouth to reply, but suddenly couldn't think of anything that she could say to Missy. She had feelings for John and if what Missy had just told her was true, he had feelings for her as well. Suddenly it made even less sense that he wouldn't answer her calls.

"Why did you give me his number?" she demanded to know instead, her frown deepening, "When I first came here I asked for the number of a helpline, but you gave me John's. On purpose. Why?"

Missy remained silent for a long moment and just looked at her. Clara already thought that she wasn't going to get an answer at all when she finally spoke again. "You seemed like his type," she explained with a shrug, "And apparently I wasn't wrong. John is utterly in love with you."

Clara scoffed. "You can't just give his number to a random stranger, hoping to meddle with his love life."

"Yes, I can," Missy spat, her voice suddenly angrier than Clara had expected, "I'm his best friend and I'm worried about him. He needs someone even though he would never admit that."

She broke off and a silence spread between the two of them, but it didn't last for long before Missy continued, now calmer and less angry.

"He was married once and after she died John just threw himself into his work. He barely does anything else, but you probably noticed that already. It can't go on like that or he'll work himself into an early grave."

Clara's features softened a little when she heard Missy say these words and she was beginning to understand that giving out his number hadn't been meant as a prank at all like John had suspected.

"So you chose me on a whim?" she asked, a light smile appearing on her lips.

Missy shrugged. "It worked, didn't it?"

Clara considered her options for a moment before she stepped forward and picked the box containing the router back up. She smiled at Missy.

"On second thought, I think I won't return the router immediately. I think I should have someone have a look at it first."

"That is a very good idea," Missy agreed.

Clara knocked on his door after ringing the bell had amounted to nothing and finally she could hear John's footsteps on the corridor.

"Calm down," he muttered through the door, "I'm coming."

She shifted her weight nervously from one foot to the other while John turned the key in the door to unlock it and finally he opened it and Clara stared straight into his tired, unshaven face. One look at him was enough for her to know that Missy was right. It couldn't go on like this.

"Oh," John uttered in surprise and she watched him swallow, "I, uhm, I hadn't expected you."

"You should have," Clara replied and stomped past him into his flat before he could make up an excuse as to why she couldn't come inside. When she glanced around she instantly noticed how messy it looked, as if he had hardly spent any time here since she had last visited him.

"Sorry, I didn't have a chance to clean up. I was-"

"Working," she finished his sentence and looked straight at him.

"Yeah," he admitted, letting his shoulders sink.

Clara realized now what Missy had been trying to tell her earlier, why she was so worried about John to the point that she would try to meddle with his love life because right now Clara felt the same kind of worry. He was working too hard, neglecting himself as he did. It couldn't go on forever or he would die from sheer exhaustion sooner rather than later. But what was Missy's plan? Get him a girlfriend so he would focus on that instead of his job? Make him realize there was more to life than work?

"You haven't answered my calls and we need to talk," Clara began, "That's why I'm here."

John lowered his gaze to his own two feet and hesitated.

"Uhm," he paused, "I'm sorry I just stormed out on Christmas Day. That wasn't nice. But I'm not really used to. . . touching people."

"I've noticed," Clara said kindly.

"It takes me a while to. . . to," John looked up and it was clear that he was lost for words whenever their gaze met. What if Missy was wrong about him? What if he didn't have feelings for her and that was why he was acting so strangely. "To get comfortable with touching and. . . stuff."

A smile spread across Clara's face. "Stuff like kissing?" she asked, giggling softly.

John said nothing for a long while. Instead he stared at her, looking lost. "I like you," he admitted eventually, "I really like you."

Clara frowned at him. "That say that like you say you like fish 'n chips."

"Well, I do like them," he shrugged, "But not on the same. . . level. I wouldn't necessarily kiss fish 'n chips."

The way he stood in front of her, looking so awkward and frightening, suddenly made Clara laugh. "Okay, this conversation is getting a little ridiculous."

"Sorry," John mumbled instantly and lowered his gaze once again, "Well, I like you a lot more than fish 'n chips and the kiss was. . . nice."

"Would you like to kiss me again?" she asked him in a moment of bravery while John's head shot back up.

"What? Now?" He seemed utterly terrified.

She granted him a smile. "It can be whenever you like."

John swallowed hard when Clara took a step in his direction and she could see the confusion on his face. Then finally it lit up and his lips curled into a smile.

"Now seems like a good time actually," he said with a light shrug.

Clara's smile widened. "I was thinking the same thing."

Then she closed the distance between the two of them by taking one last step and went up on tiptoes so she could reach him. John cupped her face in his hands in a gentle manner and finally their lips locked in another kiss.