Chapter 50: Watch Us Run

The familiar sound of the TARDIS 'humming' as the Doctor put it, greeted Clara as she awoke that morning. To be fair, it greeted her most mornings but usually there would also be the chorus of the Doctor's footsteps accompanying it, but not that morning…

Clara moved slightly in order to stretch her neck. The night before had been her wedding night at that usually only meant one thing…

"Morning." the Doctor greeted softly from over her shoulder.

She sighed and turned her head slightly but didn't lift her head off the pillow.

"Morning." she replied quite quietly.

The Doctor smiled down at her before kissing her shoulder and leaning his head lightly on her arm.

"You okay?" he questioned.

Clara nodded slightly before attempting to suppress an oncoming yawn.

"You're still tired." he pointed out.

She nodded once again. "Yeah…" she admitted, "I really… wasn't expectin' that last night."

The Doctor smiled before kissing her shoulder once again.

"Is that a good or bad?" he asked.

Clara laughed slightly. She was going to answer but felt a rather sharp pain pulse down her side. She moaned slightly before supporting the area with her hand.

The Doctor was immediately concerned. "You alright?" he questioned.

"Yeah…" she breathed.

"I didn't hurt you, did I?" he queried.

She shook her head. "No." she confirmed, "I think I've just been lyin' on it funny…"

The Doctor sighed slightly and assisted her as she rolled onto her back. She couldn't say it inhibited the discomfort completely but it certainly helped.

"Is that better?" he questioned.

She nodded softly. "Mm-hm." she sounded in response.

The Doctor nodded slightly and let himself relax next to her. While she snuggled back down onto the pillow, he began to trace patterns along her bare shoulder-blade, careful to avoid the front of her neck. If he had learnt one thing about her, it was this: She loved it when he kissed her there yet couldn't stand it if anything touched it. Of all the places on her body, the front of her neck was the only place not even he could get away with touching.

Clara sighed and let herself enjoy the feeling of him caressing her skin. Never in her life had anything ever made her feel so relaxed. Whatever it was that the Doctor did to make it feel so spectacular, she was certain nobody else could ever duplicate it.

x-[]-x

The Doctor and Clara met up with Vastra, Jenny and Strax in the hotel restaurant in order to grab some breakfast. Strax was like a child, completely disconnected to the conversation, especially as the majority of his attention was directed to watching the fish swim around in the aquarium tank which was adjacent to the table.

"So, where ya goin' on ya 'oneymoon?" asked Jenny not long after the meal was over.

Clara shrugged her shoulders. "I dunno." she admitted before turning to the Doctor, "Are we havin' one?"

"If you want." he stated, "I've got no idea where to go… but I'll think of something."

"How can you not know where you're going to take your new wife on a honeymoon?" asked Vastra, shaking her head slightly while displaying a rather large smile.

"Well somebody planned my entire wedding and forget to mention to me about planning a honeymoon." he asserted.

Vastra smiled. "Well I must say, whoever planned the wedding was very good." she expressed.

Clara laughed silently while the Doctor raised his eyebrow, attempting to look adamant. However, his smile which was breaking through inhibited him from doing so for much longer.

"Um, no!" he declared, "You're not changing the subject."

Vastra laughed slightly. "It wasn't even my job to remind you." she pointed out.

"Yeah I know that." confirmed the Doctor, "But I need someone to blame."

Suddenly, the entire group of them burst into a fit of laugher, barring Strax. However, they all caught his attention.

"What's so funny?" he questioned.

Jenny sighed and slowly attempted to explain to him, a rather hard task considering he had missed the majority of the conversation. Meanwhile, the Doctor turned to Clara only to see her looking a little off-colour.

He frowned slightly. "You alright?" he queried.

She looked up at him and nodded slightly. "Yeah…" he answered, "It's just a bit warm in 'ere, that's all."

The Doctor nodded slightly before rising to his feet, not taking his eyes off his new wife.

"Well," he began as he aided her out of her chair, "let's get you back to the TARDIS then."

x-[]-x

The Doctor couldn't deny it, he was a little worried about Clara. Although she seemed to be okay now, he couldn't shake the feeling that she wasn't in good form. Then again it may have just been that she was tired, they both didn't really get that much sleep the night before.

At that moment in time, Vastra, Jenny and Strax were all talking between themselves while the Doctor began to pilot the TARDIS back to London, 1893.

"So," began Clara who seemed to appear out of nowhere at his side, "Are we goin' on a honeymoon or not?"

The Doctor smiled. "Yeah, if you want." he confirmed, "But I need to drop that noisy lot off home first."

Clara smiled and quickly glanced over at the trio who were all deeply immersed in their present conversation before returning her attention back at the Doctor.

"What about after the honeymoon?" she queired.

"I don't know." he confessed, "I don't plan that far ahead… Me and plans just don't go well together."

Clara laughed slightly.

"Why?" he asked, "Is there something you wanna see or somewhere you wanna go?"

Clara sighed slightly. "D'ya really wanna know?" she questioned.

The Doctor nodded. "Yeah." he responded.

Clara smiled weakly. "I wanna know who Bronwin is…" she admitted, "I wanna go and find 'er."

The Doctor smiled. Even he had to admit he was starting to get restless as he still didn't know. He had a strong feeling she knew who she was but to be honest; the theory he had only created more questions rather than answers…

"Well, we can do that after the honeymoon." he promised.

Clara shook her head. "No…" she whispered.

The Doctor frowned. "What?" he asked.

"Forget the honeymoon." she said, "It's not really us… solvin' mysteries and havin' adventures is though."

The Doctor smiled slightly but shook his head.

"We don't have to sacrifice the honeymoon for it." he pointed out.

Clara shook her head. "This is more us." she told him, "Me and you together, roamin' the stars… running… what could be better than that?"

The Doctor's smile expanded. "Alright then," he started before pulling down on of the levers in front of him, "First stop: London 1893!"

x-[]-x

"Oh, I never thought I'd be glad to be 'ome." admitted Jenny as the TARDIS landed.

Clara smiled as Vastra opened the door to allowed Strax out of the box.

"Oh that's nice!" cried the Doctor, "I don't get a goodbye off him."

"I could call him back." Vastra suggested.

The Doctor shook his head. "Nah, don't bother." he told her, "I'll get back at him next time."

Jenny laughed slightly before turning to him.

"Thanks Doctor, it's been great." she expressed.

"You're very welcome." he explained, "Vastra, 'til the next time."

Clara looked between the two women stood before her.

"We will be seein' ya again, right?" she asked.

Vastra nodded in response. "I should think so." she concurred before turning to the Doctor, "So where are you two off too?"

The Doctor looked down at Clara before back up to her.

"We're gonna go and find out who Bronwin is." he replied, "I've no idea where we're gonna start, but we're gonna go find her."

Jenny smiled. "But ya will be comin' back?" she attempted to clarify.

"Absolutely." he confirmed, "Watch out for us… but for now it's goodbye."

Vastra and Jenny nodded in response before exiting the box and closing the door behind them. It was then that the Doctor whipped off his jacket and began to pilot the TARDIS with Clara at his side. Before he flew the TARDIS back into the Time Vortex, he looked down at her.

"Are you sure about the honeymoon?" he queried.

She nodded eagerly. "We can honeymoon anytime." she pointed, "But I wanna know who she is… now."

The Doctor smiled in agreement. "Well then," he began before hitting the main lever which resulted in the TARDIS shaking as it flew back to the vortex, "Watch us run!"

A/N - The second part of this story, 'Watch Us Run', can be found on my profile. Please enjoy x