Thank you guys for all the lovely comments! It make me very happy especially because I wasn't expecting so much about this fiction.

So, here is another chapter, a little angst, I'm afraid, but necessary.

Thanks once more to the lovely misswinterseat for her help and incentive! Hope you all enjoy it and, please, let me know what you think about it.

"She notices the changes in him, the changes in them, and she doesn't know for how long she will be able to hide her feelings from him, especially when he acts like that, as if she is his universe. And that terrifies her."

Clara opens the workshop door only to find it strangely empty. He always waits for her in there, so the concern that furrows her brow it's just a natural reaction when she finds the place empty.

The big box with a huge red ribbon that rests over his table catches her eye and she immediately sees that there is note with her name fixed on it. Carefully, she removes the note and opens it; breathe caught in her throat that she can't quite understand. Inside, there is a small piece of paper with scrawled handwriting that she recognizes as his.

"Meet me at the porch at 7:00. Don't forget to check the box. There is something inside of it that you might need.

John."

She folds the note and slowly places it inside her coat pocket, ignoring the strange feeling at the pitch of her stomach. Inside the box, she finds a dark blue dress with a matching jacket and a pair of black high heels. Clara bites the inside of her cheek. That is really unexpected, to say the least.

He bought her a dress. And shoes. No, not any shoes, high heels. And it doesn't matter that he probably had help from someone, Maya surely. It's high heels. And apparently he invited her for a... thing?

For a moment she tries to make sense of all that, but gives up. One hundred confused thoughts cross her mind in less than one second and she needs to take a deep breath to not succumb to her deepest worries. So she choses to ignore her erratic heartbeats and the way her chest seems to constrict, almost painfully. She can't think too much about that, not now when she has a little more than thirty minutes to get ready for whatever he has planned for them tonight. And most of all, she doesn't want to disappoint him. She can't.

So, she practically runs to the house with the big box in her arms and pretends to ignore the

knowing look on Maya's face when she walks past her at the living room, thinking that maybe later, the two of them should have a serious talk.

- 0 – 0 -

He has been pacing at the porch for agonizing and endless minutes when she finally emerges from the front door taking his breath away without any previous warning. He tries to find a word to describe her, but can't. Her sparkling brown eyes catch all of his attention and steal from him his ability to do anything else than stare dumbly at her.

They look at each other for a moment, unspoken emotions lingering in the air that surrounds them as he tries to remember how to speak. But it is her voice that sounds first, breaking the silence.

"Look at you," she smiles, a hint of pink creeping up her cheeks while she approaches him. "All dapper."

His fingers stretch the fabric of his jacket instinctively, his eyes never leaving hers.

"I'd rather look at you," he catches himself saying, his voice quiet, hands searching for the safety of his pockets when he adds after he clears his throat. "If you don't mind."

She blushes even further and lowers her eyes for a quick moment before she looks at him once more. Despite the soft smile that graces her lips, he can say that something is amiss and he can only hope that he's not doing this all wrong.

He finally steps closer and offers her his arm. "Shall we?"

She takes it, delicate fingers sliding in the crook of his arm while her eyes search for his once more.

"So, where are we going?"

"Dinner out. At the city," he says while he walks her to the car and the look of surprise on her face doesn't go unnoticed on him when he opens the door for her to get in.

"And you will drive us there?"

"Yep," he grins before he closes the door and practically runs around the car to get into the driver's seat. She looks at him and he knows exactly what haunts her thoughts right now, so he practically blurts out with a shrug. "Maya taught me," he places his sweaty hands at the steering wheel and adds, concern in his voice. "I don't think she will try to teach me anything else after that."

The silence hangs around them for a moment longer before she finally chuckles, the small spark that lightens up the brown of her eyes warms his chest and is able to dissipate part of his tension.

"Can't think of any possible reason for that," there is a teasing smile on her lips and he can barely contain his own lips to curl up when his eyes analyze her features.

"Oh, that is something I really doubt," he offers her a teasing grin. "Ready to go, Miss Oswald?" "Go on," she says, her eyes on him. "Impress me."
He chuckles, turning the engine on and putting the car in movement.

"Well, I only want to cheer you up," he casts her a side glance, "Impressing you in the middle of the process will be a big bonus."

- 0 – 0 -

He takes her to a fancy restaurant at the city. They talk, they laugh, they eat and drink. And enjoy themselves. In peace. She is still the one that makes most of the conversation, but he is remarkably talkative tonight, in contrast with his usual quiet demeanor since the crashing. Dangerously charming in the naivety of his dimpled boyish grins and warm lingering glances.

It would be so easy to get carried away by the familiar spark in the blue of his eyes, by the warm brush of his fingers on the back of her hand when they stand once again at the porch, surrounded by the silence of the night.

She can feel heart beating in her throat when he steps closer, she can feel the heat on her cheeks, her mouth dry in anticipation when his warm breathe tingles her skin. But in the end it's the way his eyes keep searching hers, so open, so full of emotions that she can recognize, that breaks her and makes her to avert her eyes and step back.

She can't. She just can't. He is still there, in a confused silence, but still gently holding her hand and she just can't. Not because she doesn't want to kiss him, she had dreamed about this moment for too long to lie to herself right now. But because it doesn't feel right to do it now, when he still doesn't remember who he is, doesn't know who she is, who they are. It is like betraying him. Again. And she can't do it.

The soft brush of his thumb on the back of her hand makes her raise her head and she sees the shadow of pain darkening his eyes. He tries to disguise it with a faint smile, but she knows him too well. Her heart shatters all over again. She doesn't want to hurt him, but she does it, nonetheless. And suddenly it is just too much.

"I must go," she says, trying to prevent the whirl of emotions in her chest of showing up in her voice.

He just nods, still not letting go of her hand.

"It... It was a lovely night," she forces a smile but can't avoid his eyes, and for a moment, she almost falters seeing too much inside those blue orbs of his. She closes her and swallows hard. "Thank you," she finally whispers, before she plants a soft kiss on his cheek.

He opens his mouth but doesn't speak, as if the words suddenly have failed him. Instead, he takes her hand to his lips and kisses it, gently.

When she moves away, her fingers slowly slipping away through his warm ones, she feels her heart aching, like she has just left a piece of it behind. Maybe she has.

- 0 – 0 -

Clara lays on her bed, staring at the ceiling, sleep far away from coming any soon. Her mind races, her heart aches, overflowed by all the feelings she had kept hidden for so long.

She can't stop thinking about him, about that smile that crinkles his nose, about the spark that lit up his eyes, so full of expectation, so full of hope and other things she can't quite believe. But it were all there, emotions she once thought she might have caught a quick glimpse before, written raw and clear in his so ever blue eyes. And it is the worst best thing that can happen to them, everything that could be so right and so good, turned into wrong because he is not himself.

It doesn't matter how things have improved between them, this is not who they are. He is not her boyfriend, words that still sting, even now. He is the Doctor, a Time Lord, an extraordinary being who has lived for more than two thousand years, her best friend in the entire Universe. So, it doesn't matter that her heart have loved and longed for him since... ever. He is sick and needs her, his best friend. He trusts her. And she won't never ever break his trust by taking advantage of his confused mind.

She closes her eyes but can't avoid the flow of different emotions while she thinks about him. It is too hard to conceal them when he looks at her like that, like she is his entire universe.

Her eyes burn with the sting of unshed tears, the knowledge that he is in the next room, that they are separated only by the wall behind her bed is suddenly almost too much.

Restless and painful, she wears a pair of jeans and an old t-shirt and decides to go outside. Maybe some fresh air will help her to clear her mind and find the sleep she lost. Although, by the turmoil forming inside her, she really doubts it.

She stops just for a second in front of his bedroom door, trying to hear any sound coming from inside, but decides to move away before she might have any absurd ideas. Things are already pretty messy in the way they are right now.

The night is cool and pleasant and once more she is amazed by the darkness around them. She sits on the porch step and looks up at the sky with its billions of different stars, missing too much the times they were out there, exploring the Universe.

Somewhere, nearby a dog barks. Other than that, it's all silence. A silence so big that she has this feeling that the others inside the house can hear her breath.

- 0 – 0 -

He sits in the shadows, thinking, feeling, regretting. Inside his chest a dull ache burns and prevents him of breathing properly. He gives up waiting for it to stop because it won't. Ever. Not while he can't be the man she longs for, the Doctor, her Doctor.

His breath catches in his throat when he sees her, walking carefully to sit at the porch. He is relieved that she doesn't see him because he is not sure if he can face her right now. So he remains hidden by the shadows, silently drinking in her vision.

The moonlight bathes her face; casting a kind of misty glow over her and the gentle night breeze caresses her dark hair. She is a beautiful woman, and he wishes that she could understand how truly beautiful she is for him. But it is not her beauty that affects him more. Somehow he knows that it never was. There is something different about her, something special, like the fire of burning suns in her smiles, like a mystery, carefully kept in the depths of those dark eyes, just waiting for the right moment, for the right person to be revealed. And how he wishes that it could be him. And maybe it is. But not this him.

He suppresses a sigh, unable to move his eyes from her. She has him under her spell since the very first moment he had opened his eyes, confused and hurt, and he knows that he can sit here forever, just watching her.

Then his clumsiness spoils the moment when he shifts in his seat and the boards under his chair creak startling her, giving him no other option than reveal his presence to her. Her face softens when she sees him coming from the shadows behind her.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you," he stands giving a couple of steps towards her.

She shows him a half smile. "I didn't see you coming."

"Well," he scratches the back of his neck feeling the heat on his cheeks, "I was already here when you came," he shoves his hands inside his trouser pockets. "You seemed to be so determined to be unnoticed that I'd rather remain quiet."

She watches him for a quick second before the corners of her mouth twitch in a tiny smile and she pats the place next to her. Slowly, he closes the distance between them and sits next to her but he still keeps his distance.

- 0 – 0 -

"Sleepless?"

"Yeah," she nods, eyes fixed in the distance avoiding his. He is the last person she should talk to right now, but is the only person she wants to be with. How can that be? She closes her eyes, feeling his presence next to her, strong and quiet. She is tired, of many things, but mostly of fighting against herself. She glances at him, his glorious silver curls sway under the soft breeze. Maybe she should stop fighting.

Her eyes move back to the road and she can see the big oak casting shadows under the dim light of the moon. And everything surrounding them is so quiet, as the entire universe lies still, barely breathing, just waiting. And he is there, by her side, arms crossed over his knees, eyes lost in the dark night and she wonders what he is waiting for.

"You can almost feel the silence," she finally says, looking around them. It takes him a moment to react, and when he does, his low chuckle reverberates inside her, warm and throaty.

"But it is not quite like that," there is an amazed look on his face when she finally gets the courage to look at him again. He watches her for a moment longer before he continues. "You just need to know how to listen to all the sounds."

They look at each other and it is so easy to get lost on those starry eyes of his, but he is the one who saves her.

"Close your eyes," he commands in a soft voice.

She casts him a suspicious look and he can't hide the smirk that curls up his lips.

"Trust me. Close your eyes."

It takes her another moment to do as she is told and when she does it, she hears his chuckle once more, his amused voice breaking any remaining tension between them.

"Oh, you are terrible! Stop peering and shut your eyes, Clara, please?"

It is her time to chuckle. "All right. But I don't know what yo-"

"And keep silence," he interrupts her, placing a bony finger gently on her lips. "Can you do this?"

His touch is gentle and warm and it tingles her lips, but she shuts her eyes tightly just to avoid looking into his. It will be too much with him so close to her.

"Right," he finally removes his finger and she instantly misses the contact. "Now, concentrate," his voice is soft and low, the raspy tone of it warms her body in all the right places in a so very wrong moment. "Pay attention and you can hear, from your right, the gentle shush of the tree

leaves swaying with the wind." He waits for her nod to continue.

"Did you hear it?" She nods again. "Very well. If you concentrate a little harder, you will hear, coming from downside, the sound of the creek running among the stones."

He approaches her even more, his arm brushes hers and the warmth of his breath gently touches her ear making her shiver. But she keeps her eyes strongly shut and tries hard no get lost in his closeness.

"If you focus a little harder," his voice is now little more than a whisper and she swallows hard, knowing that her self-control is about to go to space at any moment. "You will hear-"

The sound of an owl near them cuts the night and makes her snap her eyes open, completely scared. He isn't disturbed by the unexpected interruption and continues whispering in her ear, soft eyes fixed on her, making her feel grateful that she is sat, because her knees just give up.

"A very nosy owl," he adds prompting her to giggle, but she is forced to close her eyes once more when he quirks one eyebrow.

"And finally," he goes on, "you will hear the low whinny from the horses in the stables from the other side of the road."

She really struggles to hear the horses without any success and, finally defeated, opens her eyes to look at him.

"Can you really hear the horses, from here?"

"No," his boyish grin lights up his face and warms her. "But I have a good imagination."

They smile at each other and his blue eyes lock on hers as if he is trying to unveil all her hidden secrets. The wind blows with a little more intensity and he reaches out to remove a lock of dark hair from her face, his fingers brushing her cheek like a caress.

And then, the Universe just stops existing and she finally stops fighting. The only light is the one that come from his eyes, the only road is the one that leads to his lips and she loses herself inside his kiss, in the soft touch of his hand on the back of her neck, in the frenetic thumping of his hearts under the palm of her hand.

But as soon as the stars start spinning under her closed eyelids and she feels his tongue gently stroking hers through her parted lips, something happens. He abruptly breaks the kiss moving away for her, his wild eyes watching her with a mix of confusion and horror that cuts her deep in her heart.

She shouldn't have, she knows she shouldn't have. And now it is too late.

"I'm sorry. I..." The words fail her and he keeps looking at her as if he is facing his worst nightmare. And that is too much for her to bear right now. "I'm sorry," she says, before she stands and leaves him alone, once more.