The Rose & Crown

Chapter Four

Six weeks had passed since the doors to the TARDIS closed and left her in her flat to resume her life as if nothing had happened. No calls, no hidden messages, no whirring of the time machine manifesting in her living room, nor anywhere else for that matter. Not a single clue to the Doctor's whereabouts in all that time. Was he alive? Dead? Trapped on some planet billions of light-years from her? As often as she tried to hide the dreaded thoughts that found their way into her mind, there was no one else she could turn to. No one who would understand.

How am I doing? Well, for one, my time-travelling, space alien, not-boyfriend is probably being tortured somewhere or trying to save an entire species from extinction and he has abandoned me while he's off gallivanting the universe without me! But thanks for asking!

The ridiculous nature of that one-sided conversation was enough to bring even the smallest amount of humour into her clouded thoughts. As difficult as it had been to resume her life 'as normal', she could not dissuade the constant reminder he hadn't come back. It was a feeling she just couldn't shake. Such as when an empty cup once containing your favourite beverage had been drained of its final drop and sat next to you at the table for some time. Every so often you pick it up to take a sip, only then to experience the saddened reminder it is vacant of any liquid. That is how it felt to be without the Doctor while trying to pretend his very existence, or lack thereof, had not altered her life in any way.

As she stood in front of her students lecturing on the importance of literature throughout human history, she couldn't help but think to herself that as many adventures as she had been on, as many stars and planets and species she had seen passed even the ending of the Earth itself, time had barely passed for anyone else. Yesterday's homework, which felt as if it had been assigned years before, was simply today's paperwork to be marked. It remained a constant struggle to keep her own living timeline in order, let alone the many she encountered throughout her travels with the Doctor.

Though her physical body remained a teacher at the Coal Hill School, her mind wandered as her students read excerpts from their current works. Even her love life, if she could call it that, was suffering as Mr Pink continued to comment on her absent-mindedness as of late. Fooling him into believing there was nothing the matter proved more difficult than trying to understand all that was and is the Doctor.

"That was great, Samuel. Thank you. Would anyone else like to read their work?" Several of the students raised their hands. "Let's see. Okay, Marie. If you don't mind." The girl stood and addressed the class with her most recent writing.

Clara took a seat at her desk to jot down a few notations while the girl read aloud. Trying to keep the thought of her best friend out of her head, she couldn't help but peer down at her phone for which felt like the hundred-thousandth time since she last saw him. No missed calls, no messages, just nothing. The urge to call him always lingered in her mind, but she resisted as she knew when he was ready, she would know. Feeling the sadness overwhelming her, she tried to concentrate on her work.

Suddenly, there was a faint tapping coming from the viewing window of the classroom door. At first, she thought it was nothing. Just her mind playing tricks on her as none of the students lifted their heads in acknowledgement of the sound. Then she heard it again. A distinct tapping coming from the hall. And then she saw him, as sure as there are stars in the sky, standing on the other side of the window waving at her. The Time Lord.

Seriously? Here? Now?! She could barely contain her anger as she silently mouthed the words "go away" through gritted teeth. She raised a hand, signalling she was in class doing her job and there were students to teach.

"Miss Oswald, shall I go on?" the girl asked, taking notice of her teacher's distracted gaze.

"Yes! Sorry, Marie. Please continue," she replied, trying her best to ignore the old man's impatient pacing back and forth from behind the closed door. The anger was building inside of her as she thought about how much worse his timing could possibly be.