Testing: Clara Oswald

Chapter 13

This is another big chapter, hopefully full of suspense, something we all enjoy! I hope you guys like it! Enjoy!

Chapter Thirteen

They were almost there. It was in reach. It really was. She could see it. She wasn't just imagining it. And she was smiling. Like a five year old on Christmas day.

The Doctor looked at her, his face all contorted up with confusion. He opened his mouth to speak but before he could do so Clara had her arms wrapped around him, taking his breath away for a split second.

His companion was laughing now, squealing with delight. He placed both of his hands on her back, embracing the surprise hug. His head was running a mile a minute, thinking about, well, just about everything. But his main concern was the fact that his rear end was getting really quiet cold.

"Thank you." Clara told him as she hugged him even harder. His eyes were bulging out of his head with the pressure. "Yes, you're welcome, but, um, what did I do?" He asked between some shaky breaths.

Clara finally noticed that the Timelords breathing was laboured by her hug and she finally let go, placing her hands on both of his shoulders. She was still smiling as she found his eyes. "We've found it, Doctor." She whispered, her face glowing with happiness. "We've found June." She continued as the Doctor turned to look behind him. She watched as his eyes widened at the sight of the town. Finally, the nightmare would be over. She'd be back home soon enough.

"Wow." The Doctor said in one breath. Clara smiled even more.

She felt it in her chest now. The town was pulling her in. As she slowly stood up she was careful to remember that she was standing on ice. Within a few wobbles she was standing up right. She reached out a hand to the Timelord who now looked quite silly sitting on the pond. She chuckled a bit as he took her hand. She pulled him up with a little difficulty but eventually the two of them starting the journey to the other side of the body of water.

They walked slowly, shuffling practically, holding onto each other's arms for balance. Clara enjoyed it, even given the circumstances and everything else that was going on. She realised that deep down, the traveling didn't matter, and neither did the places she saw or the monsters she fought. In the end, it was always just him. She loved spending time with him. Just being around him made her happier. Even when their lives were in danger or they had gotten themselves into an impossible situation. It was the time they spent together. It was the little things. As she thought about all of this she began to squeeze the Doctor's arm. Maybe just a little too hard.

"Clara? Your grip on my arm is really quite tight at the moment." He whispered to her. Clara turned her head quickly, snapping out of her daze. When she processed what he had said she loosened her grasp on his arm, making him sigh with relief. "Sorry about that." She said apologetically. He smiles as he watches where his feet go.

In about ten minutes they manage to make it across the pond safely. When Clara steps onto the land she sighs, happy to be back on dry land and away from the cold. But maybe she'd miss it.

No, it was no longer cold but it was extremely warm. She and the Doctor immediately started to sweat. "Well, this is just lovely, now isn't it?" She said sarcastically. The Doctor let out a breath of air he didn't know he was holding. "Yeah, sure it is." He replied.

The two of them walked slowly towards the houses and buildings in the town. You could sense it, their feelings. They were nervous even though just seconds before they were beaming with excitement.

The houses were close together, strangely close. And not many of them had windows. They bared wooden doors and cement walls; there were planks of bark on top. Clara could tell that the people who lived here didn't have much money. Unless this was how the rich lived. She didn't know.

They walked in silence through some of the walkways that the small town had; their feet shuffling through the sand. It weighed her feet down, making her feel tired, which wasn't a good addition to the heat that was scorching her body.

Finally, the roads opened up to a court yard, or what you could call a court yard. There wasn't any grass or anything like that. It was still made up of sand but there was a bench or two over by a house that was situated as a side of the square. Sitting on one of the benches was Clara.

Her breath hitched in her throat at the sight, it still taking its toll on her. The Doctor held out a hand in front of her, holding her back. "It's alright." He mumbled quietly so that only his Clara could hear.

He lowered his arm as he took that first step forward. Clara stayed put behind him. The Clara on the bench looked up at him, no emotion playing on her face. "We did it." He said to her flatly, holding up both of his hands by his side in emphasis. "Where's my TARDIS?"

The Clara sitting on the bench stands up slowly, walking so that she is in front of the Timelord. He glues his eyes to hers, watching as she comes yet closer. When she stops the corners of her mouth turn up into a smirk. The Doctors eyebrows furry in confusion. The real Clara's breath hitches as her duplicate raises her arm.

"It's right here." She says as she snaps her fingers. Across the court yard the TARDIS pops out of thin air. The Doctor turns his head quickly to the right to see her. He grins a little bit. He then turns back to face this version of Clara. "So, is that it?" He asks smartly. She raises her head to look at him more closely before she answers, leaving the two time travelers in suspense.