YOU WERE NEVER GONE (Thirteen & Clara.)

[Clara Oswald]

don't be shy

don't think too much

IMPOSSIBLE - GIRL
Had you told Clara an hour ago that she would be arrested by intergalactic police merely for getting into an argument on a far-off planet where being rude was, apparently, only allowed from the natives - she would have laughed it off. Someone at the market place had shoved Clara and called her...well, best not to repeat it here. Clara definitely wasn't the type to keep her mouth shut when being insulted, especially by someone who just did something to her when she had done nothing in the first place. Now she was being carted off to a large hall which she could only assume was a court room. She groaned, struggling a bit against the hold of these big, burly creatures that looked like a mix between dragons & dinosaurs, but only a bit taller than the tallest man she could think of. They weren't exactly the prettiest.

The hall doors were thrown open and Clara was pushed ungracefully to the floor, where she skidded slightly on her knees & winced as they got scraped. The one day I decide to wear a skirt again... she jumped up, brushing herself off, and looked up at the creature behind a strange-looking podium, looking down at her with beady eyes hidden behind the tiniest circle spectacles she'd ever seen. It was rather comical, but she forced down her laughter for now.

"What is your name, foul creature?" the judge asked her. Clara bit her snappy remark back, but before she could answer, another group of the natives rushed in just as an alarm sounded overhead. The judge sighed. "What is it?"

"Sir, we have an intruder! They just landed off the marketplace, very close to where she had her argument with Gretchen. She must have backup!"

Clara frowned. She did not, actually, have any back up. But maybe this was an opportunity to escape. Also, that thing was called Gretchen? Wonder if these guys have ever seen mean girls...


"Very well. Find them, bring them here. If they are her backup, they can watch as she's sent down to the pit." it was hard to tell with the fangs, but Clara was certain he or she or...it was smirking.

The Doctor   | 361 | notes: i am so nOT sorry for this!!! | soundtrack (for extra feels you're welcome)

made by remi of rilla go!

[The Doctor]

"No, that's not what I meant at all. I was only commenting that the price seemed a bit steep compared to galactic market standards. But hey, you do whatever you have to in this economy! Wishing an unnatural number of extremities upon your descendants was the last thing on my mind."

Somewhat mollified, the creature just continued to growl behind his stand as he moved on to the next customer. The Doctor just kept grinning like an idiot and walked further through the square. How could they help it? Exploring new worlds was always thrilling, but whether it was something about the planet itself or just the particular day they'd come here on, they were filled with giddy curiosity. It was a beautiful planet with a thriving town of gorgeous architecture. Well, gorgeous to the locals, they were sure. They weren't enough of an expert to comment on such a unique style themself. After all, if they'd seen everything just to do that, what would be the point in travelling anymore? Said locals were giving off a bit of a tetchy first impression, but on the whole, wherever this was had earned a solid place on their list of lovely places to go. And what was more: no signs of trouble for once. Nothing to indicate this should be anything other than a relaxing day with some sweet edible goods being purchased at the end of it.

They'd learned long ago that there were some sentences they should just keep away from saying out loud. Apparently that rule now extended to thinking them too, as the couple of aliens suddenly grabbing their arms and dragging them away seemed to indicate. "Oi!" the Doctor protested, looking from one scaly strop of misery to the other, struggling in their grip. "What're you doing? Am I being arrested? Pretty sure you have to read me some rights if I'm being arrested. Or is there a surprise party? I know I just got here but, well, if there's going to be cake who am I to say no? You can hear me, can't you? Only you're not saying anything and I don't want to think you rude. Look, if this is about what I said back there, I really didn't mean anything by it."

Halfway through the journey their babbling served less as requests for information to pass the time or a hopeful distraction and more as just a way to pass the time since their escorts were so brusquely boring. But finally they came to a hall, and the two of them roughly shoved the Doctor though the doors.

"Party time!" the Doctor greeted, grin back on their face and arms stretched wide (once they'd picked themself up from being thrown on the floor). It quickly faded, however, as they took in the details of the room. First was the local alien mounted behind a stand on one side of the room. Judge, the Doctor immediately decided. With or without a tiny hammer to angrily swing, judges always carried a certain air about them and looked at you in a certain way. This one's minuscule glasses didn't do it any favours either. A trial, then. But whose? They hadn't done anything wrong (<i>yet,</i> their brain feels the need to add on as a disclaimer).

Looking round to see who was in the dock was the second reason the grin immediately disappeared, as though overtaken by the widening of their eyes in a way that very much reminded them of the other woman in the room. For a moment, everything stopped. Not just the room or the planet, but the whole turn of the universe. Stars halted in their pre-destined orbits, life and death ceased to have any effect on all beings, and the flow of time struggled against a damn of shock as the Doctor worked through the disbelief of the sight before them. Their whole entire focus became entirely fixed on the face looking back at them. They don't know if it lasted for a second or a century, but eventually, they overcame disbelief and the order of the cosmos was restored. Yet it seemed even more chaotic than before as the Doctor struggled between clinging to overwhelming ecstasy or freshly growing regret in the midst of the storm.

"No," they whispered in a tone of nostalgic melancholy. A smile of pure joy broke out across their face. "It can't be, it's...you're...Clara?"