run you clever boy...

In fact, this teacher, this MISS. OSWALD, seemed a bit funny to him now that he thought about it. She acted normal, looked normal. But it was the way she was responding to his questions, the way she seemed like this was a regular occurrence for her, that had struck the Doctor strange.

He hadn’t much time to think it through, however, as she had spat out a name and followed it up with an actual TRAIN OF THOUGHT. “Courtney Woods?” he repeated, a gesture to ensure it was locked in his brain for the time being. Something wrong with the caretakers shed? Now, that’s more like it.

“NEVER SAID I was after anything,” the Doctor stuck his chin out defiantly, still trying to play it cool.

But... this wasn’t her Doctor, was it?

The same man, sure, but this Doctor had no idea who she was. He had no home waiting for him, no happiness that being with her would keep him from. There were always possible time paradoxes, but... surely just one adventure with him couldn’t hurt?

It wasn’t as if she’d be able to just send him away, anyway. Even just trying to do that would probably result in him being more determined to stay.

“Seeing as the alternative is letting you try to find it yourself and, no offence, you don’t seem like someone who has the best sense of direction ever, I think I’d better.”

he was standing in the shadows, not wanting to approach or scare her but intervene if he must. but at her words he emerges, slowly, carefully. he needs her to trust him. he needs her to remember him.

“ clara, ”  he says, walking towards her, a reluctant idea forming in his mind.  “ clara, you know the parasite has your memories, your thoughts, your senses. it manipulates what you think is real. ”

she listens to what he’s saying, frowning slightly. she’s trying to think, but before she can get anywhere the other doctor takes a step forwards and opens his mouth to speak.

but she’s in control now, and if she decides she needs time to consider her options, she’s going to get that time. she looks over at the bowtie-clad doctor and points at him, “you, quiet. and stay where you are.”

❝ STOP ! this is not what we were reborn for ! ❞

“Whatever I do, he/she still won’t be there.”

“I miss him/her.”

“Everyone grieves differently.”

“People who say grief goes away have never experienced it.”

“Life goes on.”

“It seems wrong that life should go on when his/hers is over.”

“I can’t get over it, but somehow I’m expected to move on.”

“I’m so sorry for your loss.”

“How are you holding up? Stupid question?”

“I can’t imagine what you must be feeling.”

“He’s/She’s in a better place now.”

“I feel like a piece of me is missing.”

“I’m not depressed. I’m grieving.”

“I’ve never lost anyone close to me before this.”

“I still can’t believe he’s/she’s gone.”

“I want him/her back.”

“It’s not fair that there are so many terrible people in the world but he’s/she’s gone.”

“I’ve lost too many people.”

“Will life ever feel normal again?”

“I’ve cried every day.”

“If there’s anything I can do to help out, let me know.”

“He/She wouldn’t have wanted you to give up.”

“I know he’s/she’s gone, but I still sometimes hope I’ll wake up and realize this was all just a bad dream.”

“At least he/she was happy in the end.”

“What do you think happens when we die?”

“I want to die just to be with him/her again.”

“No parent should have to bury their child.”

“I don’t want to see the body. I don’t want to remember him/her like that.”

“Let me see the body. I have to know it’s really him/her.”

“Burial or cremation?”

“Please, don’t ever let anything happen to you. I can’t lose you too.”

“Some days I feel okay. But others, I just feel lost.”