Chapter 1
Clara pushed several buttons at random, while the Doctor flitted about, rambling rapidly.
"New Earth, Valux, Queen Victoria..!" he cried, running all over the place. He was talking nonsense again, his mouth grinning childishly, excitedly. Catching sight of her hands reaching for more interesting-looking controls, he slapped her hand lightly.
"Not for you!" he yelled, whizzing around the whirring control panel. She smiled sweetly at him, then leaned out again, to press to button cheekily, as he pounced at her.
"Oi!" she shouted, laughing, as he lunged for her arms, locking them to her sides.
"What did I say, Clara?" he asked in mock concern, as she bit her lip and winked at him.
"It didn't make much sense in with all that babble!" she mocked, as his hands loosened grip on her skinny arms.
"Shh!" he hushed, sitting her down on the chair. "Go find the library or something."
In defeat, Clara meandered through a series of interlocked passages until she reached a room filled with shelves holding leather-bound doccuments, none of them looking particularly appealing for light reading materiel. She turned back again and crept up on the Doctor, still talking aimlessly.
Clara lept up from behind him childishly, throwing her arms around his neck as he turned around smoothly to hold her in his arms.
"Clara!" he yelled, dropping her deliberately.
"What? I couldn't find anything!" she laughed.
He sighed, smiling at her. Sometimes it was like having a little kid on board, but she kept him well-grounded and happy. He offered her a stick of gum and continued working.
"What flavour is this?" Her face screwed up.
"Gravy, I believe."
Quietly, she spit it out into a tissue. Whoever thought of gravy-flavoured gum was an idiot. Clearly.
As if reading her mind, the Doctor replied. "I invented it years ago. It's a fond favourite of mine."
"Where are we now Doctor?" she inquired, changing subject.
"In a time vortex."
"Stop, please. I want to see it."
"Alright then!" He grabbed her hand and ran up a set of stairs to the tower.
Clara was surrounded by deep blue swirls, racing around her at top speed, even though they had stopped. Bolts of electricity ran across the vortex, zapping angrily. She gasped out loud, then clasped her hands over her mouth.
"Cool, eh?" muttered the Doctor casually, as Clara's mouth stayed open blankly.
"This is amazing!" she laughed suddenly, spinning round and grabbing his hands. "Where are we going?" Her face lit up.
"4013!" cried the Doctor.
"That's 2000 years from where I live! What's it like?"
"You'll love it." he grinned, yanking her down, but her feet stayed bolted on the ground, so he accidently pulled her on top of him, and the two were on the floor.
"Er.. sorry," he said shyly, removing his hand from her bum in shock.
"Why so shy?" Clara winked cheekily, brushing her hands through his hair.
"Why so flirty?" he winked back, wrapping his arms around her waist, still on the floor.
Skillfully, she pecked his cheek, and pulled away, leaving him confused. And still flat on his back.
