Maybe, Maybe Not

epilogue (original)

3 weeks later-

Clara's funeral was a very simple one. The Doctor had never felt so torn up inside. Clara was gone. He knew there were thousands of Clara's in the universe, but they weren't his Clara. He had to witness the girl he loved and cared for so much, die in front of his eyes.

The Doctor swallowed before he started his eulogy for his beloved Clara.

"Clara wasn't merely an ordinary girl. She was quite extraordinary. Clara had the brightest smile, a cute nose, and she was the prettiest girl you ever did see. I admit, I fell in love with her when I first laid my eyes on her. She was a stubborn, feisty thing. It took months until I finally won her heart, but I broke it in the end. I went out of my way to protect her from everything, but I had to watch my Clara die in front of my eyes. I loved her and always will. I hope you all will love Clara until the end of time." the Doctor finished his eulogy, with Clara's family crying and sobbing as he finished.

"Doctor?" a voice asked, once he stepped down from where Clara's still body lay.

"Was she happy? In the end?" Dave Oswald asked.

"She was. I swear, Dave, I tried my damn hardest to save her, but it didn't work out in the end."

"Thank you."

"For what?"

"For caring about her so much."

The Doctor and Dave Oswald shared a hug and Dave told him,

"It's hard to lose your own kid. But it's easier to cope when someone who loved her was there with her until the very end."

The Doctor nodded slightly, a new wave of sadness coming over him. He thought about his family, his kids, grandkids...

Someone else tapped the Doctor on the shoulder.

"Angie?"

"We were searching Clara's room and we found this letter for you that she wrote."

The Doctor hastily opened the letter and read:

Dear Doctor,

Maybe I'm dead. Or not. Who knows? Except you do, of course. It doesn't matter. Doctor, I never told you how I fell in love with an alien from outer space. Where to start? He was dressed as a monk, and frankly, he scared the hell out of me. We had adventures together in that snog box of his and the aliens we've encountered. Maybe when you're reading this, you've already lost hope. Hope is the only thing we have, Chin Boy. Keep holding on to the little things that matter. I think my time will be over soon. Don't blame yourself. But we had a pretty awesome adventure.

-The Impossible Girl

The Doctor felt hot tears running down his face as he reread Clara's letter over and over again.

"Oh, Clara." he whispered, running his fingers over her perfect handwriting.

The Doctor flipped the letter over and Clara had written: Never stop seeing the stars, you clever boy.

He folded up her letter delicately and pocketed it, along with Amy's glasses. The Doctor was determined to keep traveling the stars for Clara, his Soufflé Girl, and his Impossible Girl.

The Doctor happily shouted, "Don't feel blue, old girl! Clara wants us to keep traveling and that's exactly what we'll do!"

He pressed some buttons and pulled a lever and the TARDIS landed in the graveyard that Clara was buried in, but it was no longer 2014. The year read 2086.

"One of Earth's best years! Another Golden Age of London!"

The Doctor strolled through the streets of London, smiling at the hoverboards zooming past him. He whistled happily and observed the shops, buzzing with people and energy.

"Ah, London." he sighed.

He hadn't realized that he was in line for one of the busiest coffeeshop in London until the cashier asked impatiently, "What'll it be?"

"Erm-I'll have a frappucino. With extra sugar!"

"Just have a seat at a table."

"Thanks."

The Doctor examined the place. Quaint, but busy with too many people ordering coffee and tea. He hummed to himself, thinking about Clara's laugh as he tried to sing on the planet Akhaten. Her laugh had sounded like music to his ears and had made him feel alive again.

"Here's your frappucino, sir." a young girl interrupted his thoughts.

"Thank you. Busy around here, isn't it?"

"I'll say! I haven't had a chance to catch my breath at all!" the waitress told him.

"How long do you work?"

"From 7:00 to 10:00 at night."

"I'll put in a good word to your manager about you."

"You don't have to do that."

"It's no problem, really. I'll do it now!"

"Really?"

"What's your name, miss?"

"It's Clara. Clara Oswald."

"Beautiful name." the Doctor smiled at the pretty young lady with brown eyes and a lovely smile.

A new series of adventures were about to unfold. The Doctor promised himself that he would do whatever it would take to win this Clara's heart and to protect her at all costs. For that, he had never been so sure of himself.