Why Did You Leave?

3. The tragedy

Clara had started to panic. The Doctor had been gone for 4 hours, and he wasn't answering his phone.

Maybe he didn't love her. Maybe he'd went and opened the clock and gone off to find a new companion. No, he couldn't have. He couldn't leave without the TARDIS, and that was in the shed. Unless...

He had kept the key.

She rushed outside to the back garden and flung the shed door open. It was still there.

"I've never been so happy to see you, you old cow." Clara said, patting the sides affectionately like the Doctor would. She smiled to herself and shut the door quietly, making her way back inside for a cup of tea. But then she heard the knock on the door.

He was back!

"There you are, you idiot! I've missed yo-" She began in relief as she opened the door. But it wasn't the Doctor.

It was a police officer.

And what he had told her made Clara's stomach churn, her legs turn to jelly and her insides knot. It made her world crumble down.

"Good evening, ma'am." He said with a sorrowful look on his face. "I'm Officer Barkley. Now, you may want to sit-"

"I'd rather stand." She replied coldly, trying her best not to be scared.

He sighed, "If you wish," before he inhaled deeply. "It's bad news, I'm afraid, Miss...?"

"Oswald."

"Ah. Miss Oswald." He pulled out a pad and scribbled her name down. "Well, about an hour ago, roughly around 18:34, we discovered a call on a hit and run victim, and we have reason to believe..."

Clara gasped. "He wouldn't hit someone with a car!"

"That's not what I'm trying to say..." Clara could see the silent apology in his eyes for what he was about to say next. "We believe that the victim is your partner, John Smith..."

She couldn't move. She felt sick. Physically sick. She felt like she was being stabbed, over and over with a blunt knife. She wanted to scream.

"Is...he okay?" She managed to croak, staring at nothing.

The Officers face dropped as he explained. "I am so, so sorry, Miss Oswald. My deepest sympathy goes to you."

Clara waited.

"They tried giving him CPR. One Doctor, Martha Jones, started crying hysterically when she discovered his name and a silver clock he had in his pocket, she kept muttering something along the lines of 'Doctor! No!' I am very sorry. He died on the way to hospital...."

This time, Clara did scream.