The Penny Drops!

Part 3

Clara walked down to the console room, this time determined to find out about Professor Song. He had managed to evade answering her whenever she asked before.

It's not like she could help being curious about his relationships. There were so many different relationships suggested with him. Elizabeth the first, Marilyn Monroe, random women who's names she didn't know, various aliens, the list went on and ok. But River Song.... he just didn't like talking about. He was sad for some reason. Even though she heard River and him several nights when she slept on the TARDIS. Only talking this time, thankfully. Clara didn't want to relive the other time...

She guessed she was wondering about the sincerity of their relationship. He obviously wasn't in love with the other women in his life... but from snippets from their conversations from behind her bedroom wall, it was hard to tell with River.

True, he was married to her, but he was also married to Queen Elizabeth I. Probably more queens. He was also engaged to Marilyn Monroe (he had always said it wasn't actually a wedding since she didn't have his signature), and he had kissed several women. And men, come to think of it. Although those were sort of I'm-excited-so-I'll kiss-the-person-closest-to-me sort of kisses.

So when she reached under the console, where he was tinkering, she was adamant that she would get an answer this time. She sat down on the bottom step. "Doctor?"

He turned around and looked at her through some hideous black goggles. "Yes, Clara?" She had to use all of her willpower not to burst out laughing at the sight. "Why are you wearing something so hideous?"

He reached up and pulled them above his eyes. "They're cool. Goggles are cool." She sighed. "How would you feel if they disappeared one night?" The Doctor glared at her. "Not happy. You sound like River."

He went back to fiddling around. She hesitated before asking. "Yeah, about her... What happened between you two? You never told me. You just said that she was dead, but then I met her again, not in a pleasant way, might I add." He pulled the goggles back down over his eyes. "Time Travel. You met her before she died."

Clara frowned. "But who is she to you?" The Doctor continued working on some wires, twisting them in different directions. "She's my wife, I told you."

"But is it real? I mean, you're married to a lot of people. Are you two actually... you know, married married? Or is she just another one of the women in your life?" The Doctor sighed. "Well, I do like her more than my other wives."

Clara rolled her eyes. "That wasn't the question." "She's not just another women in my life. She's probably the most important woman." He responded cryptically.

"Why?"

"Well, for one thing, she murdered me on our first date. And on our wedding day. But I did enjoy her making it up to me." Clara gave him a look. "Doctor, if she'd have murdered you, then you wouldn't be alive right now."

He shrugged. "Well, she did actually murder me on the date. The time on our wedding day was debatable." "Tell me what happened."

He connected another set of wires together. "First time, she gave me the rest of her regenerations after she poisoned me. The second time, she shot a robot replica of myself."

"Ok, so why is she so important?"

"She's the woman who married me, murdered me, saved my life, and helped me through. Why isn't she important?"

Clara looked away. "I mean, do you, are you two.... Does she love you?" The Doctor opened a door on the bottom of the console. "Yes."

"I don't mean to be nosy. But you're my friend, and," She paused. "do you love her?" It was his turn to look away. "Yes." He answered quietly. Clara's breath caught in her throat. She had expected him to try to avoid the question, or ignore the question, or give a cryptic answer. She hadn't expected him to be honest.

He turned back to look at her. "And it's absolutely terrifying."