December 1st

It had been months. It had been months since she'd heard that noise. Months since she'd heard anything even slightly associated with that noise. Months since she'd said what she'd thought had been a final goodbye. Months since she'd seen him.

She initially thought she was dreaming. Or hallucinating. It had happened before, of course. The series of tragedies in her life piling up on each other didn't make her day to day life that easy towards the beginning. But eventually it had faded. She'd regained her common sense. And the recognition that...he wasn't coming back. Neither of them.

So why were the thoughts returning? Why were her ears playing such tricks on her...especially at the peak of her healing.

But of course, she wasn't hallucinating. It wasn't a dream. It was completely, utterly, real. It wasn't until she saw the pulsating light atop the slow appearing blue box that she finally managed to accept what was happening.

Clara sat straight up in bed, eyes fixed straight ahead as the watched the TARDIS dematerialize with a loud thud. Her slightly pale fingers gripped at the bedsheets around her, tangling them up in her tight grasp. She crossed her legs, keeping the duvet pulled up to her waist, and found herself leaning forward slightly. Squinting a bit. Tilting her head. Was this actually real? She felt the strangest urge cry as she saw the door crack open ever so slightly. Immediately after doing so it closed again, only to open right back up. Finally, she caught sight of one boot-clad foot stepping tentatively onto her carpet, immediately followed by another. It took a minute to convince herself to draw her gaze upward, to lift her eyes from the floor to actually meet his. She was a bit scared, she admitted to herself. Scared of what she might find there. Would she find sorrow? Despair? Hatred? Anger?

"Clara?"

There it was. She couldn't go on denying him like this. He was there. He was with her. And when she felt his cold, but strong hand grip her shoulder, she was able to confirm;

He was real.

"Doctor?" She looked to her right and up just a bit. There he stood, looming at her bedside, looking into her eyes with his deep blue, unreadable gaze.

He sniffed a bit and broke his gaze from hers, scrunching up his face as his eyes swept across her messy bedroom. "You've really let yourself go."

She laughed a little. Just a little, she couldn't handle much more. Her lips quirked up in a lopsided smile, and she brought her gaze back down her her lap. She absentmindedly alternated between twirling her mum's ring around on her finger, and taking on and off the bracelet delivered from the other side. From Danny.

A very loud silence surrounded them before the Doctor finally seated himself on the side of the bed.

"How long's it been?" He asked hesitantly.

"Few months." She replied simply. "Its December 1st."

"Ah." He gave a little nod of understanding.

Then the silence returned.

"How've you been?" She finally spoke up.

"Oh, you know me, perfectly fine." He grinned. "How's P.E?" The Doctor frowned at the sight of her flinching at the words, watching as her expression suddenly became grave. "Clara?"

"Hm?" She looked up, plastering a smile on her face. "Oh, he's good. We're good." She winced as her voice cracked slightly right at the end, praying he didn't notice. "How are things on Gallifrey?"

"Fine." He replied a bit too quickly. "Everything's fine." He cast a glance backward, pointedly looking at the TARDIS. "We've had a bit of an error, though. The navigation system is fried again. That or she's being stubborn. She brought me here, and won't let me take off."

"Ah." She muttered, realization dawning. "So, you're only here by accident, then?"

He didn't reply, just mentally kicked himself for daring to speak his thoughts aloud.

"Its okay." She assured him. "Don't worry about it." With a little sigh, Clara lowered her head and laid back down. She insecurely bundled the blankets up around her shoulders, wrapping them a little too tightly in attempt to feel a bit of unfulfillable, empty closeness. "Good to see you."

The Doctor's eyes widened. He opened his mouth to reply, but shut it as soon as he felt his voice beginning to wobble. Was that it? After neither of them seeing the other for several months, was this all they would receive in the reunion he'd been forever longing for? Was this really it?

He wanted to say something. He wanted to do something. He wanted to tell her how happy he was to see her. How much he'd longed for their meeting. He wanted to hug her... He wanted to give her hand a little comforting squeeze. He wanted her to see him.

But there was no point. She'd made her decision. She had a new life now. Possibly even a family to be soon with Danny. She didn't have room for him in her life. Not anymore.

But as he stood up and began making way for the TARDIS, he managed to ask one more thing. "So where is Mr. Pink?"

He was sure her voice was laced with emotion...possibly even accompanied by a tear. He watched as she nestled herself deeper into her bed and buried her face into the heart of her pillow as she muttered, "Gone."