Chapter 6: Awkward Silence

Okay, what the hell is wrong with you." Clara hissed. They were standing in what seemed to be a lounge, with many guests standing around, conversing with glasses of wine in their hands. A suit clad waiter approached them, offering them wine.

"I'll take one." The Doctor grabbed one, and Clara grabbed two. She gulped down one glass of wine, leaving the doctor and the waiter staring at her in bewilderment.

"Thanks." Clara nodded as she placed a glass back on the platter, keeping the other full one in her hand. The waiter nodded back and walked away.

"So?" She stared up at the doctor, her face flushed from the wine her body suddenly received.

"Clara-"

"Okay you don't know. You need to stop saying so much around people I know, because you'll give the wrong impression, like today."

The doctor raised an eyebrow, "And what impression was that?"

Clara took a gulp from her glass.

"That you and I..we do stuff."

"Well yes, of course we do stuff. We do stuff all the time, we're doing stuff now, attending this wedding." The Doctor began to look around, impatience eating him slowly.

"No, Doctor. We do stuff, as in physical stuff. What one might do with their husband..in a bed..to uhh..procreate." Clara's cheeks burned redder than the face paint she was already wearing on her cheeks, and she took another sip from her wine, her eyes fixated on the floor.

"Well...we don't do that. I'm sorry if I made it sound that way." He stated awkwardly. The Doctor felt himself also flush red, an uncomfortable feeling in his stomach. He avoided looking at Clara as he took a large gulp from his wine, and forced himself to swallow it, the liquid burning his esophagus and making his knees weak.

"This grape juice is disgusting." The Doctor muttered. Clara looked at him and let out a small laugh.

"Shall we get back to our seats?" Clara asked, smiling softly. The Doctor nodded and they began to walk back to the door that lead to the main room.

"Is that really what a sugar daddy is?" The Doctor blurted out. Clara led both of them through the crowd of people, and looked back at the Doctor.

"Well yes, but in return for the..stuff, I would get gifts or paid. Many don't do those things do, it's basically just old men wanting companionship from young pretty women, and in return they give the women gifts"

"Ahhhh...well, doesn't work then. We're practically the same age." The Doctor called out to Clara, as the music got louder. It sounded like jazz, a soothing rhythm.

"No, we're not." Clara called out. Once they got to their seats, he realized food had been served. Great, he thought.

"Better eat up before it gets cold." William smiled. Clara felt they had decided to drop the conversation they previously had, and she appreciated the effort. However she wished for another conversation, because they were eating in silence and it felt uncomfortable. However, the background music was very much appreciated.

"What's this suppose to be?" The Doctor suddenly spoke out. Oh good, conversation, Clara though.

"The chicken?"

"No, this." The Doctor pointed at the pasta on his plate.

"Oh, it's fettuccini Alfredo. " Delilah smiled.

The Doctor poked it with his fork, "Really? Well, I suppose American cooks are rubbish."

Clara tried stepping on the doctor's foot with her heel but she missed. She looked at Delilah who was obviously fake smiling, and William chuckled. Clara turned to the Doctor.

"Doctor behave." She glared at him. The Doctor rolled his eyes at her. "It's the truth," he took a few gulps of his wine and grimaced.

"And this grape juice is disgusting." Clara glared at the Doctor, and was now regretting complaining about the silence, when she heard heels behind her.

"Oh, is there better wine in Scotland?"

Clara turned to see where the familiar voice came from and grinned.

"Karen! You look beautiful! Congratulations! I'm very sorry I got here a bit late." Clara stood up from her seat and embraced her old friend in a hug. The glowing brunette in a fluffy wedding frock let go of Clara and turned to the Doctor.

"Dr. John Smith" he smiled, and she nodded at him.

"I hope both of you are having a good time. It's been so long Clara, how's life been treating you?" Karen asked. Clara sat back on her seat and looked up at Karen.

"Well, it's been great! Very fun, I'm a school teacher, and I travel on my free time."

"Oh, I didn't know you taught Clara?" William asked.

"I didn't mention it did I? It slipped my mind. But I'm so happy you and Alex have finally tied the knot." Clara said cheerfully at Karen. Karen blushed and smiled. "Well, when ones in love, you know when it's time."

Clara nodded and felt a pang of sadness for some reason. It wasn't due to Danny, she knew that. But she didn't know what else, either.

"Oh Karen! Where do we put your gift?" Delilah asked, as she pulled out a big box wrapped in pastel green paper.

"Oh the gift table is over there, I'll take you. We'll be right back, Clara. Nice to meet you, ." Karen nodded gleefully at the Doctor. As soon as Delilah, Karen, and William left, Clara turned to the Doctor.

"By the way, I'm sure the wine in Scotland is definitely better than this." The Doctor muttered as he took another sip.

"Nevermind the wine, Doctor. We forgot to bring them a gift! Now what do we do?" Clara hissed.

"Nothing?" The Doctor shrugged as he began to eat.

"Doctor, no. It's bad etiquette to come to a wedding without a gift. We need to go get one now." Clara said, beginning to stand up.

"Oh I know this food is rubbish but can't we finish eating first?" The Doctor grumpily said. Clara stared down at him in anguish and irritation as he chewed his food. The doctor looked up at her and sighed.

"Just eat and I'll figure something out. We have the TARDIS, after all." The Doctor said.

Clara sat back down and nodded, placing a hand on his thigh. She felt the Doctor shudder underneath her touch and she wondered if she had crossed a line, but he didn't tell her to remove her hand, so she didn't. Clara began to eat slowly, wondering what was wrong with the food, because it was actually very good. Then again, the Doctor was very picky in everything. As they ate, Clara saw Alex talking to guests at a nearby table, and she cleared her throat.

"That man over there, that's Karen's husband, he went to school with us as well. Great guy, really handsome. She's a lucky girl." Clara spoke quietly through bites of food.

"Handsome? He's really not all that." The Doctor huffed. Clara turned to the Doctor amused, and raised an eyebrow as she put her fork down.

"Jealous much?"

The Doctor snorted and dug his fork into his food with a higher level of force.

"None at all."

Clara smirked and took a gulp of wine when the Doctor spoke in a husky voice.

"Do you think I'm handsome?"

Clara coughed on her wine, and turned to the Doctor, who stared at her. Clara stared back at him, in what she felt was an eternity, with a dumbfounded expression. The Doctor raised his eyebrows, and turned his body a few inches to face her.

"Well, that's an awful lot of silence coming out of your mouth." The Doctor said sarcastically.