Title: A Day and Life on the TARDIS

Author: Flydye8/Heintz571

Pairings: Clara/12th Doctor

Rating: T

Summary: This is a collection of stories about the times in-between Clara's and the Doctor's adventures. The ones we never see; because we all know once you starting living with someone, life always gets more interesting. The stories are primarily fluffiness, domestication, family life, romance and a loving friendship taking place after "Last Christmas".

Author's note: To my dear friend and beta reader Marie Anna Louise thank you

Author's note 2: My dear readers I am pleased you are enjoying my story and If you have the time I would really like to hear how pleased you are. I adore and love feedback. Thanks

3 years later

With tears cascading down her cheeks, Clara looked at freshly turned dirt next to her grandmother's grave. It had been two weeks since the burial and it was still very painful to know that all her children and her sister Susan were now gone. In one brief moment a laser shot from an orbiting ship caused her world to collapse.

Closing her eyes, she remembered the day with perfect clarity. She had exited the cottage when she heard the TARDIS materialize on the front lawn. It had been almost a month since her husband had visited and she couldn't wait to tell him the good news. Mere minutes after she was engulfed in his arms, and their lips came together in a passionate kiss, the laser appeared out of nowhere and destroyed the cottage. Even Susan was not spared being killed before she could regenerate.

She and the Doctor, at first didn't know how to respond, surprised by the appearance of the laser but once the initial shock had passed her emotions overcame her. She went to move to the smoldering remains of the cottage only to be held back by the Doctor. She tried to fight him off but he quickly subdued her and brought her inside the TARDIS. Once inside she ran to the doors to return to the cottage only to find them unresponsive.

She remembered yelling at him as she fell to the floor telling him to let her out, but when she caught his gaze the anger she saw in his icy blue eyes made her crawl back out of fear until her back was against the doors. There was no sorrow, no emotion at all on his angled features.

He made no move to console her as he methodically worked the controls of the TARDIS. Once the TARDIS landed he looked at her and told her to get out. At first, she stood and stared at him her own anger coming to the forefront as she blatantly told him no. To which he responded by man-handling her, he opened the doors with a snap and pushed her out. She fell on the ground hard, but she hurriedly stood to go back into ancient ship only to be pushed backwards by a shield. She watched helplessly as the ship dematerialized in front of her leaving her to morn without the comfort of her husband.

Clara opened her eyes coming out of her memories. Soon after he had left, she was comforted by her family, even her step-mother was cordial to her. Kate had come to the house a few days later to make sure she was okay because apparently after the Doctor's departure the universe felt the wrath of the Oncoming Storm and the Destroyer of Worlds. The sound of the TARDIS no longer brought hope to people but instead brought fear. Before Kate left, she gave Clara a small package and simply told her that she knew nothing.

It was the contents of that package that brought Clara to the graves of her family. Well, it was that and the small baby that was growing inside of her. She never got to tell him that she was pregnant with their third child. She had hoped that he would return to her, but as each day passed her hope disappeared and with the first release of energy to take place within few days she was forced to make a difficult choice.

Inside the package was a vortex manipulator, which she assumed was why Kate told her she didn't know anything. She could go back in time and change history, but the question was when in time could she act? The Doctor had taught her that as time travelers they needed to step lightly, they could make ripples but not tidal waves.

She thought about going back to the day the cottage was destroyed but knew that would cause quite the tidal wave and would not solve the problem. She would save their family but the Doctor's fear would be reinforced. No that was not where she needed to go.

She needed to go back further, to the time when she decided she would comply with the Doctor's wish to leave her and the children behind. That would be a ripple in time and hopefully time would compensate for the change. Hopefully.

But how could she achieve such a task? Should she go to the Doctor or to her past self? The Doctor would listen, but he would consider her going back in time to be a catalyst that could lead to devastating consequences, because no matter how much she wanted to believe that her husband was a man, it wasn't the reality. He is a Time Lord and he lives by the code of the Time Lords. He may bend the rules but he would never go completely against them.

No, the Doctor was not who she needed to see; instead she would visit her past self and tell her to remain stubborn and not let the Doctor run away. She glanced down at the vortex manipulator to confirm that there was enough power for her to go and return, then she typed in the coordinates to the time and date just after their argument during their weekend getaway during her sixth month of her first pregnancy. Before pressing the activation switch she took a deep breath and prayed to the powers of the universe that she was successful.

After a light meal of grill cheese sandwiches and fruit, Anthony and Allison were showing signs of tiredness. Susan looked at them and smiled kindly, "I think it is time for you two to get some sleep."

"I'm not tired." Anthony said as he tried to hide a yawn.

"Me neither," little Allison chimed as she lay her head on the table.

"Really?" Susan stated as she raised her eyebrows in disbelief, "Well then if you are not tired then maybe we should go and watch a bit of telly."

"You have a telly?" Anthony stated in amazement, "I thought space ships didn't have them."

Jack smiled as he lifted Allison from her seat, "You will find that this space ship is very special."

Susan held out her hand to the young boy, "Shall we go and see what the TARDIS has for us to watch."

He grabbed her hand and nodded in compliance. Once they were settled in the viewing room "The Little Mermaid" playing on the screen, Allison remained close to Jack's side as Anthony sat close to Susan. Not more than a third way into the movie Allison was asleep.

Susan looked down at the boy at her side and noticed he wasn't watching the movie. He looked as if he was lost in thought. She turned off the screen and asked, "Anthony is there something you want talk about?"

He brought his eyes up to meet hers and asked quietly, "Where are we going to live now?"

"Where are you from?" Susan asked.

"Derralius Four," he answered.

Susan nodded knowing that Derralius Four was a farming community from the late 28th century. "Do you have any family still there? Your Da, Grandparents, Aunts or Uncles."

With tears streaming down his cheeks he replied meekly, "No, everyone was taken in my village when the metal men arrived."

Once the memories started Anthony couldn't stop them, "We were awakened in the middle of the night when a loud crash sounded…then the metal men broke opened the door….my dad was killed and my mum taken… Then they came into me and my sister's room and took us…there were fires everywhere…so much smoke…," he was unable to continue as he sobbed uncontrollably in Susan's arms.

Susan consoled the boy by speaking softly to him and holding him close to her body as his small frame shook with emotions, until finally exhaustion overcame his body and he fell into a fitful sleep.

Susan's teary eyes met Jack's and she was surprised to see tears in his eyes as well. He wiped them away when he noticed Susan watching him. To his credit he didn't make excuses for his emotions; he simply stood up gently, making sure not to wake the little girl next to him, and walked over to one of the sleeper sofas in the room. Silently he went about making the bed for the two exhausted children with duvets and sheets supplied by the TARDIS. Once finished, he lifted Allison and placed her on one side of the mattress then moved to her side and did the same for Anthony.

Once he was finished he went to sit next Susan then spoke in a quiet voice, "I know of an orphanage on Earth during their time period that would accept the children."

"I won't bring them to an orphanage Jack. They have had a tough time and I fear that they will not get the emotional support they are going to need there."

"Then what do you suggest we do with them?"

"I think we should bring them back to the cottage. I will take care of them there and I have no doubt that my grandfather and Clara will not mind."

"That is a lot of responsibility Susan."

She smiled at him, "It is nothing that I haven't done before."

He sighed as he stood, "Okay then we will ask the children in the morning if they want to live with you. But right now I think you should get some rest too. I will go to the console room and take the first watch."

Susan laid down on the couch and placed her hand under the pillow, "You know the TARDIS can fly herself. You really don't have stand any type of watch."

"Yeah I know, but right now… I just need a bit of time," he responded.

"You have experienced something similar to Anthony and Allison haven't you?" Susan inquired gently.

"Yes, when I was a small boy. Let's say this experience has brought a lot of memories back to the surface. Memories I want to forget."

Nodding in understanding not wanting to probe further she said tiredly, "Jack, our experiences make us who we are today and even though those memories are painful for you I'm happy that they made you the remarkable man you are," she told him with a smile.

"Is that a complement?" Jack asked with a smirk.

Susan just rolled her eyes, "Careful Captain, and big head makes it very difficult to walk through doors."

He smiled at her as he left the room. Maybe, he thought, he and the Doctor's granddaughter could still become good friends.

Following her angry exchange with the Doctor, Clara exited by the front door in such a rush that she had forgotten she was barefoot and in a bathrobe. Not wanting to go too far in her current dress she walked to the side of the house. As her feet squished in the mud she moved toward the small English garden, just beyond the covered porch that housed the cast iron table and chairs. Following the grassy path, she moved deeper into the garden until she found a bench covered by a wooden trellis with purple Wisteria hanging down from the wooden cross sections.

She sat and wrapped her robe more closely to her body and closed off her mind to the Doctor, doing her best to calm down. She knew that the Doctor wouldn't be happy about her closing off their mental connection but right now she needed to think. However, through her bond with her children she felt their anxiety because of the argument between their parents. Taking deep breaths, she allowed the sweet scent of the Wisteria calm her as she sent reassuring messages to her children, telling them that she still loved their Da and them deeply.

Once calm she contemplated the Doctor's suggestion. She understood his concern but she truly believed that her and their children would be safer with him instead of being left behind Earth, but she also understood that if he was traveling the universe his enemies would be focused on him and not his hidden family.

She understood the logic behind his suggestion but couldn't understand why he would voluntarily separate himself from them. She knew that he wanted a family so much and with her pregnancy and the return of Susan, the family he desired was within his grasp, which was usually when the preverbal rug was usually yanked from under his feet.

He was scared and because of that fear he was willing to cause himself pain just so he could experience brief periods of happiness. Tears fell down her cheeks as she thought about what she had done. She had run away leaving hurtful and devastating accusations in her wake. How could she even question that his love for her was a lie? He, who has done nothing but love her with every fiber of his being. How could she keep him from having those brief moments of happiness in-between being the Doctor the universe needed?

Wiping her eyes, she stood. She would allow him to go and upon every return to his family she would embrace him in her loving arms and with a passionate kiss. She started to return to the small cottage's front door only to be stopped by a voice behind her that sounded very familiar.

"Don't do it, Clara."

She placed her hands protectively over her distended abdomen and turned to see herself standing in front of her, "What the hell? How?"

Future Clara tapped her finger on the vortex manipulator, "It is efficient but a messy way to time travel."

"Why are you here?"

Looking at her younger self, in her robe and muddy feet, she responded, "I know what you are about to do and it will be a terrible mistake."

Placing her hands on her hips her pregnant belly sticking out Clara asked, "How do you know what I'm about to do?"

Future Clara gestured with her hand toward the once occupied bench, "Listen why don't you sit down. I remember how tiring it is to stand for such a long time and I will explain."

Taking the offered seat Clara sat and crossed her arms, "Does our husband know you are here?"

Sitting down next to her she responded, "No, I don't think so. I haven't seen him since the..," she hesitated before continuing, "Well let's say I haven't seen him in quite some time."

"What's going on?" the younger version of Clara inquired.

Taking a breath her twin explained, "You are about to walk back into that cottage and tell our husband that he can go off in his TARDIS to keep you and the family safe. I'm here to tell you that your decision is a huge mistake."

Leaning closer to her future self, Clara stated, "And you are here to make sure that doesn't happen."

"Yes, I am."

Standing, Clara started to pace, her robe swishing around her ankles as she contemplated what her future self said. She stopped and faced her duplicate, "You are changing events. How do you know your interference is going to make things better?"

From her seated position future Clara met her younger self eyes, "Because anything is better than the horror I have just gone through. I don't want to live. If the timeline you're in remains intact, I'd rather die."

Sitting down next to herself she leaned as forward as possible without her tummy getting in the way, "What happened?"

Future Clara smiled through her tears and simply said, "Spoilers. Now please change your mind. Be the stubborn woman I know you can be and stay with our husband no matter what. You are stronger together then apart. Trust me. Oh and whatever you do, don't tell our husband who visited you today."

With that said, future Clara pressed the button on her vortex manipulator and disappeared from view, leaving her younger self to contemplate and decide if she should tell her husband what had just happened.

As she was thinking she felt a small push in her mind, which she knew instinctively was her husband. Lowering the shields in her mind she felt his worry about her.

Smiling she called out to him, 'I'm in the garden.' Then she stood and waited, resolving to convince him not to leave his family behind, because her future self was right: she was one hell of a stubborn woman.

The Doctor paced in the small living room, nibbling on his thumb, wondering if he should go after Clara. He tried to sense their connection only to find that her thoughts were completely blocked. It was moments like these that he wished she wasn't so good at her mind control.

Poking the fire in the hearth for the millionth time he waited as he stared into the flames. He knew that she wouldn't like what he suggested but he never thought she would question his love for her. No matter how hard he tried the words she said to him stung, not only because she said them, but because she was absolutely right; he did lie a lot and it was one of the unspoken rules between him and those that traveled with him.

He didn't mean to lie so much but often it was necessary. It was the nature of time travel. Some things cannot be said because it would cause to many ramifications, to many ripples in time, so he lies. River's use of the word "Spoilers" was felt by him every day and it was an accurate description to what could happen if he was not careful. Peoples existences, his own timeline and others could be spoiled with the knowledge of future, past or current events.

Time travel comes with great responsibilities, a responsibility that he took very seriously, but often that responsibility caused him great pain. He didn't like lying to the ones he loved but unfortunately it was a necessity.

His internal monologue was interrupted when he heard Clara's soft voice in his mind, 'I'm in the garden'. Rushing out the door, he went in search of his beloved.

He followed the path to the garden and as he got closer he smelled the unmistakable scent of a vortex manipulator beneath the aromas of the flowers that surrounded them. When he got closer to Clara he saw the determination and stubbornness on her face, and he knew at that moment, whomever visited her in the garden fueled her resolve to stay by his side.

He stood in front of her and asked, "Who came to visit?"

Not surprised by the question Clara simply replied, "Spoilers."

Sighing in exasperation he shook his head, "If River knew how much that word has been used she would be quite proud of herself."

"Yes, she would and I won't have you in and out of mine, or our children's lives, like you were in and out River's life. We are a family and whatever challenges we have to face, we will do it together," she stated in such a way that her decision on the matter was final.

He slumped his shoulders in defeat, but his fear was still strong. With a quiet voice and tears in his eyes he said, "I'm scared Clara, and I don't want to lose you or our children."

Seeing his redden eyes and his tears, her heart went out to him. She reached up and wrapped her arms around his neck and played with his dark curls found there. She traced his jawline with soft kisses until she reached his ear, "I know my love, I am too."

3 years in the future

Clara returned to the graveyard from whilst she left. Looking down at the ground she saw only the grave of her grandmother adorned with beautiful flowers. Within her mind the horrors she had experienced over the last few weeks were quickly replaced by new memories as the time line she lived faded into non-existence.

Memories of going to her parent's house on anniversary of her grandmother's death. The Doctor, as he looked on proudly at his twin toddlers as they played with her father. Susan and Jack reading to Alli and Tony a funny little story, underneath the tree in the backyard of her childhood home.

The voice of her husband spoke behind her, "So you were the visitor in the garden three years ago."

Turning she embraced him, arms around his waist and she rested her head on his chest, the double heartbeat in her ears extinguishing the last vestiges of the previous time line as she sobbed, "I'm sorry, I know you have warned me about messing with time but… I just had to do something," she continued to sob uncontrollably wetting his red velvet jacket.

Pulling her away from his chest he wiped her tears. "It's okay my Clara, I think the universe has compensated just fine because of your ripple, but I think it is best we leave things as is from now on."

Deftly he removed the vortex manipulator from her wrist and pulled out his new sonic screwdriver and disabled the device before placing it in his pocket.

He wrapped his arm around her shoulders and led her down the path and out of the graveyard while consoling her, "Now settle down my love because the new addition to our family, growing inside of you, is becoming anxious."

She took a deep breath and calmed down, "I'm fine now."

"Good." He said before he bent down and kissed her reverently.

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