Oswalds and Roses | A Doctor Who Fanfic

►Chapter 9 - River Smiver◄

I Can Sneak Up On You

Or Be Right In Front Of You Without You Knowing

But When I Reveal Myself

You Will Never Be The Same

What Am I?

 Betrayal. That was how Clara was feeling, she was feeling like she had been metaphorically stabbed in the back. For months she had been traveling with the Doctor and all that time she believed that they had been getting closer. No she knew that they were getting closer. She felt for him so passionately, and although she was nowhere near ready to find out his feelings. There were times when she got him to make small confessions. Like getting him to admit that he was falling in love with someone. And every time he made one of these small confessions she felt one step closer to telling him how she felt.

 But now he has a wife? Granted a wife he said that he doesn't have a lot of love for, but still a wife. How could she get in the way of a marriage? And yet all this time he had never mentioned her and Clara had never seen her. He said that she, River, only turned up when she needed something, was that really fair to the Doctor? She didn't think so, yet the moral dilemma still plagued her. Then again all of this was a mute point if the Doctor did not feel the same way about her.

 And there was Rose. Clara was still somewhat confused by her. She could tell that when the Doctor looked at her he felt something, something strong. And Rose gave him a similar look. They adored one another and it was obvious, yet the Doctor said it was a fraction of the passion that they used to hold for one another. Clara had never loved someone that completely, but she thought that she could. And just maybe, she wanted the Doctor to be the person she felt that for.

 Perhaps she just needed to look other places for love. After all she was pursuing the Doctor, there were probably countless people in love with him. Why would he chose her out of so many? There was no logical reason that he should. But then again when was the Doctor ever logical? He was emotion and impulse driven, but then wouldn't he go back to Rose? Certainly she was the one that he felt the most strongly for.

 Arguing with herself was tiring, rolling over in her bed she tried for a another full hour to get to sleep, but it was a futile effort. Getting up she got dressed, they had given her a small wardrobe so she wouldn't have to wear the same clothes that she came in. Pulling on some light purple pants and a grey, knit sweater she took a moment to sit down.

 So much had happened in the past two days, too much. Getting stuck here, meeting Claire, that huge ball, finding out about River, and Dalek Caan. It was so much that she almost wanted to scream. But she used these little moments alone to breathe, to calm herself down, that way she could be the companion that the Doctor needed.

 The thought of him mad her smile to herself. Ah, the Doctor. It was so hard to keep herself from falling completely in love with him. He was everything she had never knew she wanted rolled up in a handsome package. And although she knew it could never work out, not just because of River but also due to his immortality, there was a spark of hope that always lingered with her. Hope that the impossible could happen, she both hated and loved that hope.

 Two knocks sounded at the door. Looking up from Clara stood. "Come in,"

 "Good morning," Rose told her walking in with Kayson, finding the spot on the floor Rose tapped and the crib came up from the floor. Setting down Kayson gently Rose smiled at her a quick moment before looking to Clara.

 "We need to talk," Rose told her and sat down in the chair facing Clara. "We have to leave this place, I don't feel safe having Kayson here with him here."

 "Okay," Clara told her with a nod. She couldn't say that she knew, well anything, about the Daleks other than the fact that they hate everyone.

 "And... you love the Doctor," Rose stated calmly, with a sort of sad smile on her face. Clara went to open her mouth but Rose continued talking. "Don't deny it Clara, it's obvious to all of us. Except the Doctor. Don't worry I'm not bothered by it, I have my Doctor."

 "But I know what it's like to be in your position, to love him so completely that you would follow him anywhere. Maybe you aren't at that point yet but I can see that you will be. I just want you to do one thing for me," Rose reached forwards and grasped Clara's hands. "I need you to tell him Clara, don't waste time like I did. I got lucky, very lucky in fact. I have my Doctor and I always will. But you won't Clara, you're a mortal, which means one day you're going to have to leave him. And it's going to be the worst day of your life. Tell him how you feel Clara, don't waste the time you have together because before you know it, it'll slip away."

 Stunned to silence for a moment Clara tried desperately to piece together a reasonable sentence. "I'll try to."

 "No Clara, you must," Rose firmly stated. There was sadness in her eyes and Clara knew that she was only trying to help Clara not make the same mistakes that Rose had.

 "But River-"

 "River smiver, the Doctor doesn't love her, he loves you," Rose argued back, getting up from her seat she went to pick up Kayson. Just before leaving Rose sighed and told her. "We're hoping to leave today, Jack's gonna come by and you two can go get some warmer clothes together."

 And she was gone, leaving Clara with wide eyes, more confused than she had been last night. The Doctor didn't love her. Certainly he cared for her but Clara did not believe that it went as far as love. There was no way that that was possible. It simply couldn't be.

 Yet the more she thought about it, the more she believed it could be possible. And the more she believed that it could be possible the more she thought it could be true. Then, for an almost five full minutes, she knew the Doctor loved her. Then Jack burst into the room and that spell was broken.

 "Let's get to it," Jack said and motioned for Clara to follow him. "We certainly can't go out in that snowstorm in all this," Jack stated looking down at himself.

 Since Clara had met the man he had seemed sad. And not just sort of sad, like there was something getting him down. This was deeper, worse. Like someone had ripped his heart into pieces. As she walked with him she stared at him intently. Finally he looked over at her and asked her. "What is it? Do I have something in my teeth?"

 "I don't mean to pry," Clara started, knowing very well that she was about to pry. "But what's wrong?"

 Those three simple words seemed to mean a lot to him. She could practically pinpoint the moment that his heart fell apart. Biting on his lower lip he seemed to be trying to hold back tears. "I lost someone,"

 Clara didn't talk to him, she just wrapped her arms around him, hugging him tightly. There is no true remedy for a broken heart, but Clara could guess that a good hug came pretty close. Gently she rubbed her hand along his shoulder, like her mother always used to do when she hugged her. She could just hear Jack cry a little. They must have stayed there, in the middle of that hallway, for nearly ten minutes. And when anyone started to come down the hallways Clara gave them a look from over Jack's shoulder and they quickly skittered off. When Jack started to let go so did Clara. Seeing his bloodshot eyes and streaky face she smiled comfortingly. "It'll get better okay," She squeezed his hand a bit and wiped a tear off of his face.

 Jack nodded and silently they started off again on their small mission. They got to the tailors and quickly requested some warm jackets, shoes, and pants. The tailors didn't ask about why they wanted them, just quickly complied. However, one did start to whisper to Clara as she took some extra measurements.

 "Last night Queen Angelia locked down the castle, she said it was too dangerous to go outside," The tailor whispered to Clara, the tailors voice was quiet, as though he were nervous. "I don't know what you're planning to do with these warm clothes but I can guess, now I also have no clue why you would want to leave, but just so you know, the only exits that aren't locked will be in the tower's windows."

 Clara went to say something but the tailor shook his head, silently Clara nodded. The boy had a look on his face, it was fear. Maybe everything wasn't so perfect here after all.

•••

 The Doctor had been riding for a good while, yet he still did not feel the sting of the cold. Ruby was a magnificent horse, she ran like the wind and her footing was always sure. He had not ridden a horse in... a long, long time. It had taken him a while to get used to her fast gallop and for his bottom to stop hurting. No doubt his thighs would be killing him later, but for the moment all he could focus on was following the arrow on his screwdriver. The snow made it very hard to see, and the ground was starting to become slick. He didn't doubt that Ruby was getting cold, her coat may have been thick but nothing could keep out this much snow, except apparently a bracelet made by a young teen.

 Taking a deep breath he double checked the directions again, they were still traveling in the right direction and they had been traveling for about two hours, so the Doctor guessed he should be seeing some sort of building by now but there was nothing in sight. Then he did see something, there was a point, not far from them where it seemed to him that the snow stopped suddenly. As they approached he got nervous and slowed Ruby to a halt. Getting off of her he had to take a moment to lean against a tree to recover his legs a bit. Once he had he walked towards the point, holding Ruby's reins in his hands.

 Once he was closer he saw there there was a line where it seemed the snow just stopped, it was as though there was an invisible shield placed there. Curiously the Doctor leaned down and picked up a rock, brushing some of the snow off of it he threw it over the line. It seemed to be unaffected by that so he shrugged his shoulders and jumped over. Seeing that nothing happened to him he pulled Ruby through. Shutting off the bracelet for now he looked at his surroundings.

 He was standing on some sort of metal road it seemed, it was hard and smooth. Yet when he scanned it with his sonic it identified it as some strange form of malleable, conductive plastic. It was not something he thought he had encountered before. On either side of the road by the shield there was a post, cylindrical and made of the same material as the road, approaching the one he read the message written on the top.

 "Due to his abuse of power, trickery, and murder of thirteen innocents Basil Oswald along with his followers have been imprisoned here to protect the population of Freya, if you wish to view the life of a loved one inside you may go to the viewing booth located at City 64 in Commercial 20-7."

 The Doctor's eyebrows drew together and he scratched at his eyebrow quickly. So all that eh had seen inside was... a prison? Then how had he been able to escape, how was he able to leave? Then he realized, everyone in there had that weird thing built into their hands, except for the children. Which likely meant that any of the original prisoners would never be able to leave but their offspring would. But that didn't make any sense because none of them acted like prisoners. None of them ever told them that they were prisoners, there was no mention of any sort of jail within the castle whatsoever. They must not know... but then why would a government punish people and then take away their memory? That would make the punishment useless. His head was swimming with so many questions left unanswered.

 Ruby nudged his arm gently and the Doctor patted her shoulder, looking at her the Doctor spoke to himself. "Ah so many questions Ruby, nothing makes sense here. Nothing goes together."

 "I can't say that I agree with you on that, I'd say the two of us go together quite nicely." Spoke a familiar voice from behind him. Twisting on his heels he was faced with her. In all of her curly haired was River Song, as usual looking both attractive and threatening at the same time. With a sideways smile she teased. "Hello, Sweetie."

A/N: A shortie but a goodie, if you guys wouldn't mind sharing this with your friends it would really help! I'm updating really regularly now also and I am hoping to publish ten chapter next month, which I know sounds crazy. Probably because it is, but I'm crazy so I can do it!