˚ ✰ ┋ ᴵ ᵂᴵᴸᴸ ᴮᴱ ᴮᴿᴬⱽᴱ⋅

clara had been walking around the town, getting a feel for her new surroundings and learning as much as she could about the environment she was in. what she hadn't expected was for the doctor to practically burst up to her, coffee abandoned on the floor. her mouth opened to speak, then closed --- only for her to gasp and wrap her arms around him. he remembered her, she had no idea how but clara could only be thankful towards whatever it was that allowed him to identify her. “doctor, you have no idea how much i've missed you.” there were two versions of him in the island as far as she could tell, which would only complicate things further. “how did you remember?”

“yeah, me too.” clara let out a small chuckle. it was true, after traveling through all of time and space, it had allowed her to broaden her perception of what was freaky. “ah, well, it’s --- it’s just very complicated.”

“oh yeah. sweetville with jenny, vastra and strax.” clara frowned a little, he still didn’t know about her jumping into his timestream. she was still impossible to him. “i’m a teensy bit ahead. but not by much, that wasn’t too long ago.” she hated lying to the doctor, but this was the only way to keep him safe and ensure their timelines didn’t get messy.

“i know it’s a bit of a weird thing to ask.” clara smiled softly to him, nodding. “yeah, i kinda guessed that you wouldn’t. looks like this is it, then.”

“huh?” clara raised a brow when the unfamiliar woman spoke her name. “do i know you? it’s just, i don’t think i recognize you, sorry.” after a few years of travellng in her own tardis, she’d had a few adventures, but she always remembered a face.

“right, okay! well, it’s big, and wooden, and stick-y. yeah, sorry. that’s not very good.” clara shook her head. “it’s a massive house made out of sticks, but i doubt it’s here. sorry, i probably sound a bit loopy.”

“great, thanks.” it wasn’t exactly great at all, but clara had an inkling that her tardis wouldn’t be around, anyway. “how long have you been here for?”

“right, yeah, sorry. you can hardly blame me, though. ended up in this place with no idea how.” without her tardis, clara was certainly stranded on the island. “but i’m guessing that happened to you too, otherwise you wouldn’t be here to tell me off about asking questions.”

“i know it’s a bit of a stretch and probably sounds bonkers.” clara laughed to herself, shaking her head. this was such a weird situation, but it wasn’t like her to sit around and wait for things to happen. “i actually wouldn’t mind a cuppa. sounds lovely, let’s go!”

“no, it’s good --- i just didn’t think i’d see you. or anyone, for that matter.” clara quickly wrapped her arms around him in a hug. “when is it for you, doctor?” she couldn’t tell him anything, he had to experience it himself, these weren’t her secrets to tell.

“gotcha.” clara smiled softly to the woman. “guess i’m stuck here, then.”

“it’s fine, the other diners aren’t what i’m looking for. thanks, anyway.” it was starting to feel a little too real to her. “i know it sounds a bit mad, sorry. i was just hoping that something would turn up, but it doesn’t seem to be around.”

“yeah, i wasn’t really expecting anyone to.” somehow, she had been taken from her tardis and put on a boat only to end up on the island. “ it’s a bit freaky, isn’t it? yeah, i suppose that’s probably a proper diner. mine, well, it's complicated.”

“yeah, but it doesn’t matter what they think, does it? it’s about knowing who you truly are and embracing it.”

“okay, that's weird.” clara began, mostly to herself as she gathered her thoughts. she'd just been in her tardis and the next on a boat which took her to the island. “don't suppose you've seen a diner anywhere? or an archway, or, eh, a giant stick house?”

“nah, i’m fine. thanks for the offer, though. can’t think of many who’d do that these days.”