Fandom: Doctor Who (Clara/Ten) (Clara/Eleven) [Almost AU, but not really]
There is a bond between them. She's fallen through his past, and he's running through her future-- of course she wears the same face, and he happens to change, but that isn't the point. The point is that she's with him in the most basic of senses. Of course, when she goes, he forget her face, her name, and the fact that his world is safe, and for the few days that she has to be away-- it's hell for her and it's more than hell for him. She can't imagine what he feels, but she does have to keep her timeline moving, but she always rushes back, not to her floppy haired doctor with the chin, he doesn't know she's moonlighting as a keeper to his former face. But, she's running back to him and beating down the door in her own fashion, trying to let him know that he's not the murder that he thinks he is, trying to let him know that she's still here-- and the future is still bright and new.
There are days where it take him a while for the memories to bubble up, and she doesn't worry-- that's why she has the book, just like River she boasts, but her book can be shown to him, no spoilers-- just things they've done, like danced on the moon and looked into Barcelona (this time it was the city, because when they went to the planet-- that was an interesting turn of events: "We're not married" "We're kind of married." "What?!".) The book sparks something in him, and she's always called it magic-- he's laughed at that line of thought: "It's not magic Clara, it's a wobbly timeline and you're the stabilizer." He always boasts that he's one of the constants in his life, just like the Bad Wolf he loved and loves, but he loves her too, even though he doesn't say it aloud. He taps her nose and spins away on sandshoes that would look funny on the chin Doctor, but they look dashing on her handsome suited Doctor.
Then-- it's finals, and she's gone for weeks. Of course Chinboy whisks her away after that, and she has no time to go looking for her suited paramour. Her heart cries out to try and keep him from falling into some sort of sorrow, but she doesn't know what that will do, she hopes he finds someone-- someone that will take care of him, and maybe he'll be fine without the book, but she worries, even when Chinboy takes her home and tells her that he'll call. But she leaves in the dead of night and goes to the place she and her suited Doctor always meet-- and like a beacon there she is, worse for wear, but she's the TARDIS all the same. It takes all of her might to not break down the door, but she's a lady and she removes the key with the monkey top on it and starts the routine to unlock the door (a kiss for luck and then into the lock-- turn it left three times, and only then once to the right). The doors swing open-- and the suited man is already on guard, but she pulls out the key and waves it at him, he sputters in swears in a language that more like singing (she assumes it's the TARDIS refusing to translate the words out of Gallifreyan). However, all she can give him is a smile and a promise to explain everything.
This time it takes longer, he remembers slower and he paces, trying to piece something together, he struggles with her name and the smallest of details-- like the meal she always cooks him. He doesn't say anything, and automatically she knows he's struggling with the timelines-- he's older and on edge, he's dying. That has to be it-- her echos have seen it before, but she hasn't, she's never had to do this, so she begs him to say something. Anything, she stresses.
Eventually, he pieces all of her together and that spark comes back for a moment, before he apologises and allows her in. It's the last time, he says-- drawing her close into his arms and she makes the most of it. He's got to be off, he's got things to do, and she knows he's going to see the other love in his life-- he deserves to see her too, but she says goodbye in her own way. They know each other, hands following their curves and lines like a map well known and worn. It's one more kiss, it's the heat of the moment and desperate. When they let go, she has to step back or she knows she'll draw him back in for another. So, she's the one to leave-- back out the door and hold onto the key (she'll frame it, she says), and it's hard to watch the TARDIS leave without her, knowing it's going to take him to the girl who became the Bad Wolf.
Feet carry her home, but she really doesn't want to go there. It's covered in things that remind her of him, of that face. As she drives home, she plans to take the pictures down for now, to remove the knickknacks and forget that she was married to him in the oddest of ways for the shortest of time (the High Priestess annulled the marriage, out of a favour to the Doctor). But when she lets herself in, she doesn't get the chance to settle or catch her breath-- Chinboy is nestled on her couch with a photo in his hands (It's of her and suited Doctor, they had dinner on the Titanic and they'd gotten their picture taken in black and white).
She wants to steal it from his hands and yell at him, how dare he! But, he turns his head, features riddled with concern, and pity, but he speaks: "I remember this." He pauses and she moves, dropping the bag to the floor. It only takes her a moment to cross the room and crawl into his lap. Instinctively wrapping her arms around him, because those words were the something she needed.
