Thirteenth X Clara - Alternative

Chapter 20: What's Next?

Silence engulfed the normally noise filled Tardis as the ship stayed parked in the time vortex. No time was wasted as the Doctor and Clara packed up and left, the Doctor wanting to put her awful experience behind her. Nary a word was spoken throughout the packing, getting into the Tardis or the materialization. Clara could see it on the Doctor's face as soon as she came in. Her eyes were red and puffy and she continued sniffling until they actually went into the Tardis.

When they had materialized, the Doctor just simply told Clara that she was going to take a bath and she disappeared into the Tardis. It had been an hour now. She assumed the Doctor wasn't in the bathtub still obviously, but what she was doing she didn't know. But the last thing she wanted to do was disturb her. This was one thing she needed to work out on her own. As she sat in the console room reading a book to pass the time, she heard footsteps and her attention was diverted to a less distraught but still solemn Doctor.

"Hi." the Doctor said as she slowly walked back towards Clara, those being her first words spoken to her since she left to mind wipe Victoria and Albert.

"Hi yourself. You ok?"

The Doctor looked away from her and down at the ground for a few seconds before shaking her head.

"Can I?" Clara asked with her hands outstretched.

"Yes, please." the Doctor said as she accepted Clara's hug as she held on tight to her, needing some measure of comfort.

She hadn't been a hugging person in her last regeneration, but he still needed ones from time to time and she was there for him then, like she's here for her now.

"So, where to now?" Clara asked when they finally parted from the hug, eager to know the next destination.

"Back to the Eye of Orion." the Doctor said as she went over to the controls and set the coordinates.

"Unless you don't want to. That's fine too. I don't want to force you."

"No no. Let's go. I need to get back to my Tardis, anyway." Clara responded.

The Doctor nodded and set the ship in motion as they headed back to where this entire journey and reunion started.

The ship came to a noiseless stop, something which the Doctor was thankful for this time. The two stood in an awkward silence, as they didn't quite know what to do next. Clara was the first one to speak up, a bit of trepidation in her voice.

"Right then, I guess that's it for now then. I should be going. You have your life and your new friends with you. I now know I'm immortal and I have a bit of renewed vigor in me."

"But what about last night?" the Doctor asked, the entire event not having been discussed yet.

Clara walked up to the Doctor and took her hands in hers.

"Last night was the best time I've had in centuries. I will forever be ecstatic that we got to let each other know how we felt and make good upon that. Maybe that's what this trip was about. Maybe the universe finally gave us a win and allowed us one last trip together as a team. But we have other things to go back to, other lives. You aren't my gray-haired stick insect anymore and I'm not your human carer anymore. Everything changes."

"... I guess you're right. So, is this goodbye, then?"

"Oh no. Of course not. I expect regular calls and texts from you. I'm gonna keep in touch with you for sure. I just think there's no better one to properly end on, the best last hurrah we could have asked for. Maybe we can meet each other for dinner and stuff sometimes. Do you, do you do that now? Do you come round to people's houses for dinner?"