Thirteenth X Clara - Alternative

Chapter 13: Trust Me

One would expect someone after such a traumatic experience to be in the arms of a loved one or perhaps intensely worried, but Queen Victoria was not a normal person in so many ways. The Doctor and Clara eventually returned to the palace to find Victoria sitting on her chair in a lounge with Albert, simply having a drink.

"Well, for someone who's just been shot at, you're looking quite comfortable." the Doctor remarked, curious.

"Well, when you've been shot at several times previously, you obtain some kind of tolerance to this kind of thing," Victoria said as she set down her drink on a nearby table,

"Evidently, I'm quite fine, yet my sources tell me you were quite the opposite."

The Doctor's eyes briefly flashed what seemed to be a great deal of pain, but it was over so fast that Victoria and Albert wondered if they had simply made it up.

"Just some sympathy for the fallen man, Victoria. Nothing more, nothing less."

Albert's gaze turned over to Clara now, his eyes intrigued and asking for knowledge.

"I suppose thanks are in order for you, Ms. Oswald, because of your quick timing and helping Victoria down and spotting the shooter. However, your chase towards him remains quite a mystery to me. Surely it was something for the guards to handle, yet you took it completely upon yourself."

"Just an extreme bout of instinct over thought I believe, Albert," Clara said as she gave back her best gaze to match the German, "I saw someone trying to attack my friend and so I went into protection mode and chased after him."

"Her courage was quite admirable, if albeit incredibly shortsighted." the Doctor said, a stern stare fixated on Clara.

As soon as they were in private, they'd have a talk about that.

"I did what I had to do and as you can see, I am quite fine after all of it," Clara said, giving a twirl and showing how fine she was.

"My travels have made me quite.... accustomed to events like this. I try not to make a habit of it, but it happens from time to time."

"Still, no one is exempted from the possibility of death. Actions have consequences and better contacts should have been made, warnings should be put in place."

"But when one has certain gifts in place that allow them the opportunity to prevent any more significant damage, should one not use it to their advantage?" Clara asked rhetorically, but the Doctor knew that the question was raised towards her, a reminder of Clara's immortality.

"Recklessness does not go hand in hand with that, however. Caution and apprehension are the primary options always when approaching a situation like that. Instinct is not the first thing that should come to mind." the Doctor said, answering back to Clara's question, her temper raising.

"But when one is taught and has learned that kindness should always be exhibited as much as possible, should one not always attempt to show it when they can?" Clara fired back, her temper raising as well.

"Kindness does not mean you put your damn life on the line when it was completely unnecessary!" the Doctor shouted, the first one out of the two to break this façade of a general argument. They both knew it was about each other.

Clara turned fully towards the Doctor, her gaze previously flickering between the royal couple and her best friend, her attention now completely on the Timelord. Her eyes showed a fire and a passion that in any other moment the Doctor would find admirable.

"I told you from the beginning. This is not like it was in the old days where you put me aside and tried to coddle me and protect me. I'm like you now and whether you like it or not, I have an ability just like yours that allows me to do certain things. For the hundredth time, stop bloody fussing over me."