Chapter 15

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"So you made it then? God you look rough, have you slept at all in the last three days?" A dressing gown clad Clara questioned from her doorway.

It wasn't the most effusive greeting The Doctor had ever received but right now even a slap around the face would probably feel warm and welcoming.

"Hello Clara." The Doctor managed before his voice threatened to betray him and so he quickly swallowed it down and covered his brittleness with a smile.

"Well?" Clara prompted standing back expectantly, her annoyance merely growing as The Doctor continued to look at her blankly. "Oh you are just impossible." She huffed.

"What?" The Doctor questioned a frown creasing his brow as Clara actually glared at him.

"How do I look Doctor?" Clara prompted him with a long suffering sigh, gesturing wildly with her hands.

"Do you look any different?" The Doctor asked before he could stop himself, squinting as Clara's glare turned up to blazing. "Oh have you done something different to your hair?"

Shaking her head, albeit carefully so as to not disturb the updo the hairdresser had just finished working on, Clara could only resign herself to the situation. It was Danny's opinion that mattered after all; still it would have been nice to have a compliment from The Doctor on her wedding day at least.

"Come in, your suit is hanging up on the back of the bathroom door." Clara directed him and The Doctor glad to have a task he could focus on scurried off to obey, skirting around Clara's hovering Grandmother who shot him a dark look. Damn she must have been eavesdropping and The Doctor was relieved when he could close the bathroom door on her, still at least now he knew where Clara had inherited hers from.

Right his suit...

Stripping out of his current outfit that looked like he had slept in it...he had but that wasn't the point... The Doctor paused to look at his own reflection in the bathroom mirror. Not that it really helped much, it never did, all he could make out was a shock of grey hair, a long nose, a general oldness etc. Although this time The Doctor did discern a general redness to his eyes that he couldn't remember seeing before.

Splashing water on his face and taking advantage of Clara's toothpaste and what was probably P.E.'s toothbrush The Doctor did his best to make himself look less like the park tramp. Then he turned his attention to the monstrosity of a suit he was being forced into.

Well there was nothing for it and the Doctor pulled it on, doing his best to manage all the buttons of his cream waistcoat, even if the cream silk cravat was one challenge to far. Cursing as the damn material refused to co-operate The Doctor was interrupted in his Venusian expletives by gentle tapping on the door.

"Doctor are you alright in there?" Clara's voice called in. "Cause my Gran needs the loo."

Sighing The Doctor admitted defeat, opening the door to be greeted by the sight of Clara, only this time the dressing gown was gone and in its place was a beautiful cream silk swing dress with a sheer lace collar. Standing back The Doctor couldn't help but smile.

"Doctor what are you smiling at?" Clara questioned a pleased flush appearing on her cheeks as her best friend actually stared.

"You look beautiful." The Doctor answered with a shy smile pleased when Clara's answering smile literally brimmed over with joy.

"Flatterer." Clara retorted blinking away the tears that were brimming in her eyes, even wearing waterproof mascara she didn't want to risk turning up at her wedding with red eyes. So instead she focused on the still unfastened cravat in The Doctor's hands.

"Honestly I would have thought you of all people would have worn one of those at some point." Clara huffed taking The Doctor by the arm and marching him back into the living room where there were assorted members of the wedding party hanging around trying not to get their outfits crumpled.

"There are somethings that even I can be excused for forgetting." The Doctor replied even as Clara forced him to perch on the arm of her sofa so he was nearer her height.

Shifting uncomfortably The Doctor allowed his eyes to travel the room, a smile tugging on his lips as he caught sight of the two ringlet wearing bridesmaids in their pretty periwinkle blue dresses as they argued over the crayons and colouring book that someone, probably Clara, had left out for them.

"I must admit I was surprised you were alone." Clara's voice interrupted The Doctor's musing and suddenly the two squabbling bridesmaids were the last thing The Doctor could look at.

"Oh?" He asked trying to hide his emotional volatility by speaking as little as possible and keeping his gaze fixed on the far wall.

"Osgood called she told me about...well your new arrivals." Clara added by way of explanation, a slight frown creasing her young face as she suppressed her own irritation that it had been Osgood and not her best friend who had been the one to tell her what had happened. It wasn't like it was a small thing becoming a father; surely he would want to tell her before anyone else.

"So where are they? I'm sure they are just adorable even with Mi..."

"With their mother."

"With Missy?" Clara snorted tugging a little too tightly on the cravat and ignoring The Doctor's wince. "Well I guess that will take a little getting used to. Are they really not in any danger from her?"

Choosing to answer that question with a scowl and the raising of an eyebrow The Doctor tried not to think about it, yet that was like telling a human not to think of a pink elephant. He couldn't not dwell on what he was about to do, on what he had lost and was about to lose.

"So where is the hellion in question, please tell me that UNIT have at least got her locked up?"

Jolted back by the question The Doctor shook his head. "She's being guarded but actually I think Kate is planning on giving her a job." The Doctor answered much to Clara's amazement.

"The Mistress stay here and defend the earth? I find that hard to believe." Clara scoffed in disbelief and the Doctor snorted, she was right there was more than a little irony in the situation.

"I must admit I am surprised, so you didn't ask her to travel with you." Clara couldn't help but fish as she smoothed down the finished cravat but The Doctor all but avoided her gaze.

"Surely she didn't turn you down?" Clara asked her tone light and teasing. "So are you going to share custody or are they going to stay with you...I mean of course they are what crazy person would leave them with Missy..."

"Clara please..."  The Doctor all but pleaded his voice breaking a little as the pain resurfaced and his hearts felt like breaking, to regain his oldest friend only to lose her again and their children this time seemingly for good. 

"Doctor what is wrong?"

"I can't...don't ask me to explain."

"Doctor..." Clara began her beautiful creasing up concern as she reached up and cupped his face, trying her best to smooth out the look of agony on his face. Her concern sky rocketing up to high alert as The Doctor seemed to be only moments away from tears. "Doctor what is going on!"

"She's human Clara. Missy is human." The Doctor managed to croak out before pushing off Clara's hands from his face so he could hide his own as he pulled a startled Clara into a hug.

Not caring if she creased her dress or disturbed her hair Clara hugged him back. She didn't need him to explain how such a thing could be true, all she knew was that her best friend was hurt so badly he was shaking.

"It's alright Doctor." She whispered soothingly stroking his hair gently like she would a frightened child. "We'll figure something out alright you me together ok? We'll fix it."

Forcing himself to nod The Doctor couldn't bring himself to disagree. Clara needed to think there was something that could be done. He had already broken his own promise to himself not to speak about it with her; he refused to break his promise not to ruin her wedding with his own heartbreak.

"Of course." He replied pushing himself out of her arms and standing up, sniffing until he could feign a confident smile. "But first Ms Oswald I do believe Mr Pink might be more than a little annoyed if we were off on an adventure and left him waiting."

Laughing Clara reached up and straightened his cravat until it was perfect, "Honestly Doctor don't you know anything about human weddings...It's the bride's prerogative to be late."

Clara was not convinced by The Doctor's smile but she knew him well enough by now to know when to give him the space he so clearly needed. When he needed to talk she would be waiting.

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