In Her Eyes (A Whouffle Fanfiction)

Chapter 14- The Ball Part One

The tiniest of glimpses.

That was all Clara caught of Fenric before he was gone, cloak snapping in his wake. He looked different; hair long and brown, dressed in the typical period style of the century that they were in, but she knew it was him. She couldn't explain it. She just knew. Like a primal instinct ingrained into her very DNA- Fenric was in a different body, but it just felt like him. Almost like a subtle pressure on her temple telling her, screaming at her, it's him, he's back, run you stupid woman. Clara looked sideways at the Doctor who had stuck his head out of the TARDIS doors worriedly, searching for what had agitated her. Clara placed a hand on his arm. Only then did she realise that she was shaking like a leaf, teeth chattering, hyperventilating, body reacting to Fenric's presence even as her mind stayed calm. 

Strange. 

At the touch of her hand at his arm the Doctor looked down at her, worry creasing his smooth features. 

"What is it? What's wrong?" He asked. One hand lifted to cup her cheek and Clara leaned into it. For a moment she considered lying to him and pushed the thought aside quickly. She had told the Doctor not to lie to her; it would be hypocritical not to abide by the same rule. 

"Fenric." She whispered to him, watching apprehensively as his features hardened. 

"Are you sure?" he demanded. His fingers of the hand on her cheek curled into her hair even as the other one slid up to claim the other side. "Are you absolutely sure?" 

"Yes. I mean, it was him, but it wasn't at the same time. Different face, same man. I could feel it. Doctor, how? How could I know that?" She questioned, voice raising several octaves towards the end.  

The Doctor didn't reply; he was fiddling with some kind of hand-held scanner, alternately hitting it or pressing an ear to it in an attempt to gain a reading. The TARDIS  doors were wide open and Clara was amazed that nobody had wandered over to see what the commotion was. She supposed that they were too engrossed in the new Queen to care, but some of the guards nearest to them were shifting agitatedly and one looked like he was about to make a move. 

Clara placed a hand on his arm, still trembling but somewhat more calm, and repeated, "Doctor, he's gone. Fenric's gone." 

The Doctor hit the device in his hand one last time, shaking it, but when there was no change in pitch of the buzzing he slumped against the doorway of the TARDIS, sonicing the device and tucking it back into his long jacket. 

"No, he's not. Not yet." He ran a hand through his quiff, making it stick out in odd directions. "He was sending us a message." I am here. I can find you. You cannot escape me.The Doctor began to pace. "And you." He turned swiftly on the spot, pointing at her roughly. "A message about you." 

Clara stuck her hands on her hips. "What about me?" 

Gears whirred in the Doctor's brain. What would Fenric want him to know about her? Something...Something to do with...Something about...

Oh. Oh.

"Clara, roll up your left sleeve." 

She looked at him quizzically but obeyed, tucking and re-tucking the silky fabric up her arm to just above her elbow. She held it out to him. The Doctor grimly cupped her elbow with one hand and twisted it so she could see what was on the inside. 

"Oh my..." Clara's eyes widened.The tattoo on her arm was glowing a gleaming gold, the Gallifreyan runes standing out against the paleness of her skin. 

"Doctor what's wrong with me?" Clara demanded, panicked. He shook his head and let her sleeve fall back into place. There was a dull golden glow illuminating the fabric where the tattoo was. The mark of his Wolves.