-REMEMBER ME-

PART II

CHAPTER TWO

A Brave New World

"Right, then!" you say as soon as we've both seen our fill. You close the doors with a snap. The TARDIS is rumbling beneath our feet. I rush to join you at the console, legs wobbly as the floor starts to shake.

"Yes, it's just as I thought, it's not stable. Well, knew it wouldn't last long. Not with the big bang. Hang in there, old girl," you say, taking a moment from your dashing about the console to stroke the time rotor.

"What's happening?" I ask, clinging onto the console, as the TARDIS starts to shake in earnest.

"Well, she doesn't quite like being this close to the big bang!" you say, flipping switches and dashing about the console. "It's not stable, and she knows it! She's trying to pull us out, but I've got to stabilize it! Hold that switch there!"

"A TARDIS isn't supposed to be this stressed!" I yell as the lights flicker.

"Yes, I know that, Clara! Thank you! That's very helpful!"

I glare at you across the console, helping you to stabilize her by pushing buttons and flipping switches.

"Holding lateral stabilizers, Master!" K-9 chimes in from beneath the console.

"Good dog, K-9! I've got to get us home! Come on, old thing, you can do it!"

There's a loud groan of protest from the TARDIS, and the floor tilts sideways. I yelp as the part of the console I'm holding onto for support lets off a shower of sparks. I withdraw my hand, making me fall to the floor with a loud thump. And then, everything stops and the TARDIS goes steady.

"Ouch," I complain.

You push a few more buttons, and then kneel down to me, helping me up.

"Alright, there, Clara?" you ask.

"Yup, perfectly fine," I say, rubbing my burnt hand and glaring at the TARDIS console. I've a sneaking suspicion she did that on purpose. "Have we landed?"

You push a few buttons and the scanner comes up.

"Yes," you say. "I think I know where, too."

"Well, where are we?" I ask. You don't answer, instead crawling beneath the console to attempt repairs.

"Pass me my sonic screwdriver, would you, Clara?" you say, holding out a hand.

I glare at your boot-cladded feet for a moment before going over to the hat stand where your coat and your scarf rests, and dig in your endless pockets for your sonic screwdriver.

"You've sure got a lot of stuff in here," I call to him as I come up with a blonde Barbie doll. I give it a quirk of the eyebrow. "Why do you have a Barbie doll?"

"Oh, never mind that, just get my screwdriver, will you?"

I roll my eyes and dig deeper in your pockets, finally coming up with the sonic.

"It's red," I say, handing it to you.

"What?" you ask, your voice muffled.

"I said it's red," I repeat.

"What's red?"

"Your screwdriver!"

You push yourself out from under to give me an odd look.

"Of course it's red! Why wouldn't it be red?"

I shrug. You slide back under the console.

"No reason. I just expected it to be green," I answer to your pocket-watch.

"What?" you say. I huff.

"Green!" I repeat. "I expected it to be green!"

You come out from under the console again, and give me a look like I've just dribbled on my shirt.

"Why would it be green?"

"Well, I dunno," I say. You give me an odd look and go back under the console.

"Hand me that wrench, there, Clara," you say, pointing about three feet to the left of a tool bucket. I roll my eyes and retrieve the wrench.

"Are we ever going to talk about it?" I suddenly blurt out.

"Ouch!" you exclaim, after a thunk and the tinkling of the wrench hitting the ground. I peer under the console, one eyebrow raised in amused concern.

"Are you alight?"

"…Yes, yes…I'm fine…" you mutter. There's a moment of silence except for some metallic squeaking.

"Talk about what?" you ask. I can't tell if that's a hopeful note in your voice or a mention it and I'm running away sort of tone. You fidget underneath the console. "Clara, come hold this still."

I crawl under the console to join you. I can't help but catch my breath. It's like a different world down here. It's very close quarters. I have to squeeze in right next to you to hold the wires still. You seem almost distracted as your eyes land on me. You hold the screwdriver in one hand and the wrench in the other, seemingly forgetting what you were doing with them.

"Wasn't there something you had to fix?" I remind you. You start, and hastily start readjusting wires.

"Well?" you say after a moment. I look up at you, not an easy feat considering our precarious position, with your arms raised upward and a leg stuck out in front of me at an awkward angle, with me pressed up against your side, one arm up holding the wire, tilting awkwardly on a hipbone. "Talk about what?"

I blink. You look at me, and there's something in your eyes.

"Oh," I say, a bit concerned for our close proximity, and almost but not quite forgetting what I was going to say. Suddenly, I'm not sure I want to say it. "Well…"

"Clara, I'm 726 years old, whatever you have to say, I've heard it before."

I cough awkwardly.

"Are we ever going to talk about the fact that we kissed?"

You drop the wrench again.

"Spoke too soon," you mutter. "Haven't heard that one before."

I say nothing, and you look at me awkwardly, a bit of a blush working it's way up your neck. Which, of course, in turn makes me blush.

"Well…I just…I was, ah…er…um…shall we finish up here?"

My eyes widen.

"I didn't mean-!"

"I know," I gulp.

"I just meant that-!"

"I know!"

"Right, well then…"

With a final buzz of the screwdriver, you scramble out from under the console. I sigh and call myself an idiot before following you.

"Shall we see where we are?" you ask, your cheeks still a bit pink.

You studiously avoid me as you push some buttons and the scanner flickers to life.

"Ah!" you say excitedly. "I've never been here before!"

"Where are we?"

You grin at me, and it's like our awkward conversation never happened.

"The first planet!"

"The what?" I ask.

"The first planet!" you say, manic gleam to your eyes. "The very, very first. What d'you think, Clara? Would you like to see it?"

I eye you suspiciously.

"Is it safe?" I ask cautiously.

"Safe?" you say, face falling. "Safe?" you repeat, seeming slightly offended. "Of course it's—why would you ask such a silly question? Like I'd ever take you somewhere that wasn't safe."

I stare at you disbelievingly, with a slight quirk to my lips. You stuff it, looking slightly concerned. "Don't take me on my word on that."

I raise an eyebrow, but I can't help but smile. You dismiss my worries with a wave of your hand. "Of course it's safe."

"You sure?"

"Well…"

"That's what I thought," I say smugly.

"Of ye of little faith!" you say dramatically, as if wounded. I giggle a bit, partially to relieve my worries, and partially to show you I'm not afraid. Which I'm not. Course I'm not afraid. Why would I be afraid?

You grin right back, and open the doors with a flick of a switch. You go up to the hat stand and put your coat and scarf on, before gesturing me out the doors with a wave of your floppy hat and a slight bow.

"Brave new world, Clara. Take a look."

Run you clever boy, and remember.

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