-REMEMBER ME-

PART II

CHAPTER THREE

The Stars in Your Eyes

A thrill of fearful excitement shoots through me. I share a look with you, and in your steady gaze I'm reassured. So I step out of the TARDIS doors to the very first planet.

At first, I think it's daylight out, because it's incredibly bright. But as my eyes adjust, I realize it's actually night, but the sky is lit up with a hundred million billion stars, so close together and burning so brightly. I look up, stepping out in wonder, as my eyes roam the brand-new night sky.

"Oh, wow," I breathe. It quite literally takes my breath away. I cover my open mouth and twirl haltingly, neck craned. I'm unable to stay in one place as there's so much to look at. "Wow."

I hear you chuckle, and I look down sharply to see you watching me with a twinkle in your eyes as bright as any set of stars.

"Wow indeed," you mutter, eyes on me. And I feel another thrill of fearful excitement.

I'm not sure why this time, perhaps it's that I'm on an adventure with you, like I've dreamed of since I was a little kid. Or perhaps it's that you've just taken me to see the birth of the universe. Or, perhaps, it's the way you're looking at me, with that bright, shining look in your eyes that reminds me of the sunlight on the leaves of the trees on Gallifrey.

I clear my throat, and stop spinning.

"It's got an atmosphere and everything?" I ask.

You chuckle again.

"Yes," you answer, happy to play the teacher. "But it's not populated, not yet. These are it's early days, life just beginning. Not just here, but all across the stars. Planets coming together and just newly forming. Proteins coming together to form amino acids, life just beginning to crawl out of the sludge and make its way to the next stage of evolution."

You come to stand in front of me, K-9 trailing behind you, and you link your hand in mine, gesturing widely all around at the flora, pulling me in a small circle.

"But here, here, oh, here, Clara, here's where it all began! Right now, the trees are formed, the amino acids have turned into fish, those fish are sprouting legs…in another million years, those primordial creatures will become the very first humanoids."

You grin at me, almost dancing me in a circle, and I share your smile and your excitement and your wonder. And I can't help but wonder if it's because of my wonderment that you've found your own.

"And it doesn't stop there, oh no! They'll crawl out of their caves, and they'll build cities, temples, and they'll learn. They'll become curious! As curious as humans and as tenacious as Time Lords! They'll learn all about the world around them! And they'll build cars and rockets and spaceships and they'll travel the stars! Imagine!"

You twirl me around, and I laugh as I end up in your arms. You chuckle.

"Just imagine, Clara," you say, eyes locking with mine. I suddenly realize how very close your face is to mine. My hearts pick up, racing ahead of my brain. And I can't think straight in your arms, with you looking at me like that, underneath a sky full of brand-new stars on a brand-new planet. And suddenly I'm afraid. I swallow.

Don't fall in love.

"What's it called?" I ask, in an attempt to stop my hearts racing so.

"Trenzalore."

Trenzalore…

I gasp, and my grip on your arms suddenly becomes vice-like. My head floods with memories, memories that are not my own, voices…so many voices…some of them my own, some of them not, all screaming out one word:

"Trenzalore!"

"He can't go there, you know he can't!"

"Trenzalore…"

"This man who lies must lie once more when this man lies at Trenzalore."

"Trenzalore is where I'm buried."

"TRENZALORE."

"His friends are lost forevermore, unless he goes to Trenzalore."

"And you're sure, he said? It was definitely Trenzalore?"

"The Doctor has a secret, you know. One he will take to the grave."

"Trenzalore!"

"He can't go there, you know he can't!"

"Not exactly the Time War, but too much for the old man. Enough to finish him."

"You didn't listen, did you? That's the problem, you lot never do!"

"One word. One I've heard in connection with the Doctor before. Trenzalore."

"He wasn't talking about my secret. He was talking about my….grave."

"What is your name?"

"That is the scar tissue of my journey through the universe. From Gallifrey, to Trenzalore."

"Doctor WHO?"

"Trenzalore is where I'm buried."

"DOCTOR WHO?"

"He can't go there, you know he can't!"

I gasp for air, coming out of it. I find myself on the ground, surrounded by you, as I grip tightly to your arm, the other hand gripping my head so tightly it hurts. The leafy ground spins in front of me with a whirl of colored scarf and I realize I'm not standing. I'm very, very dizzy.

"The man who lies must lie once more, when this man dies at Trenzalore…"

"Clara? Clara! Are you alright?" I hear your voice. Your real voice. That deep one. Yes. That's the one that's real. That high, impatient one I associated with you…that's not real. It can't be.

"Yes…yes…'m fine…" I answer back, attempting not to get sick on your scarf.

You hold me upright, cradled in your arms. I meet your eyes. They're filled with concern. Immediately I feel guilty.

"Trenzalore…"

Already, the memories are slipping from me, like a dream, like trying to hold water in my hands. I grasp at the memories, desperately trying to keep hold. There's something important in there I must not forget.

"He can't go there, you know he can't!"

"Are you quite sure you're alright? Clara?"

"We should go…" I manage to say. "Trenzalore…you can't go to Trenzalore…"

Out of all my jumble of a confused mind and memories, there's only one thing I know for certain.

The Doctor cannot go to Trenzalore.

"What?" you say, startled. "What do you mean? Who told you that? What's wrong?"

"…Not right," I say, the last of the memories slipping away. It was a bow tie. I'm sure of it. I'm positive it was a bow tie. Glimmering eyes. Floppy hair. Big chin. No. It's gone, too. All of the memories gone until all I see is your face. Toothy smile. Curly hair. Scarf. Jelly Babies.

Yes. Right. Jelly Babies.

He always looks different, but I always know it's him.

I attempt to stand, shaking off the memories, but stumble. You catch me. "You shouldn't be here. It's not right. We should go."

"Clara, what are you talking about?" you say, holding me up. This time, our proximity has no effect on me, overwhelmed as I am swith sheer bloody panic. "I assure you, it's perfectly safe. I promise, Clara. You have my word, nothing bad will happen to you."

"It's not me I'm worried about," I mumble.

"What?"

"It's not me I'm worried about!" I say. You open your mouth to retort but I cut you off. "Please! We should go, Doctor!"

The memories are fading, fading so fast, and I forget your face, the warnings of Trenzalore, until only a feeling of panic remains. "We should go. We should really, really…go. Please, Doctor. Please!"

And then I hear a scream.

A/N: And the plot thickens! Well, the mini-plot thickens...because...well, it's an adventure! It's a series! Stuff! Reasons! And I suppose the big plot thickens as well, because Clara just can't stop remembering, can she? And then she forgets it all...

*evil smile*

Teasers.

Spoilers, sweetie.

NO! Nononono...NO! Don't take that the wrong way! River Song will NOT be making an appearance! .

K...I'm posting this, and I'm going back to bed, and then I'm going to class, and when I get back from class at 3:00, I expect to have 25 new reviews. Got that, people? TWENTY FIVE. That is my number. Well, actually...thirteen is my number...but I want TWENTY FIVE new reviews, because that would make my week until next Wednesday. TWENTY - FIVE!

God, I'm getting pushy.

*Shut up and take my reviews*

Hm-hm. Done now.

Please leave a review! :)

~gfg