Ok, so the summary may be a little sucky but basically this was for a Prompt Challenge and it's an eleven/Rose reunion fic. Enjoy!
Disclaimer: I don't own anything.
Clara knew that the Doctor was lonely and it hurt her to know that she wasn't quite enough for him. But after hearing the stories far and wide about the Bad Wolf she wasn't surprised. According to legend, the Bad Wolf had once been a normal human by the name of Rose Tyler but had since been transformed into a mythical beast. She still had the form of a human, though some people swore they saw a glowing wolf prowling sometimes.
It was said that after she was left alone for the second time her body started changing due to her multiple trips through the void and her previous experience as the Bad Wolf. Everyone said she had her heart broken and once she came back she had stalked this universe ever since, saving the lives of the innocent and destroying all those who seek to conquer.
Of course this was an impressive tale, but Clara was more interested in the human, Rose Tyler, than anything else. She knew that Rose had travelled with the Doctor and it was quite evident that they had fallen in love. Clara loved a good romance story but this one didn't seem to have a happy ending which nagged at her.
She stumbled across Rose's room one day and went inside. A photo album was spread out on the bed indicating that either Rose had left it there or the Doctor had since been inside, probably the latter. She looked down at the smiling blonde girl and the man in the pinstripes and the crazy hair. They looked so happy and yet they were separated and she hardly knew how to bring up the topic to him, what would she say? 'Hey, I heard you were in love with this previous companion of yours and I thought I better tell you that she's back in this universe saving people and their planets from complete and utter destruction?' No, she didn't think that would go down too well. She had to be more subtle then that, that's how they ended up stretched out on lounges in the library one afternoon.
"Hey Doctor," Clara looked up from her cup of tea.
"Yes Clara," he answered, not looking up at her from his book.
"How many past companions have you had?" she asked curiously.
"I don't usually talk about them," he frowned. "But I suppose it wouldn't hurt to talk about a few".
"Go on then," Clara sat up to listen.
"Well my last companions were the Ponds..." he continued to explain about their story and how he lost them. Clara listened interestedly but she was still waiting for him to talk about Rose.
"And before them?" she asked when he had finished.
"Oh well that was my previous regeneration, back when I wore stripes and had spikey hair. Blimmey I was skinny," he laughed. "Anyway I had three companions that regeneration actually, the most recent one was Donna..." he went on to explain her story, "and then there was Martha..." again a very interesting story but not quite what she was hoping to hear about. But then he sighed deeply and closed his eyes. "Then the one before that was Rose, she was with me for two of my regenerations, when I was all leather and ears and when I turned into pinstripes she stayed," he smiled to himself.
"It sounds like you miss her a lot," Clara said sadly. "It must have been horrible to lose her".
"It was the first time," he said softly. "I didn't have a choice, she was trapped in a parallel universe and all I could do was say goodbye".
"How did you even manage that?"
"I put the TARDIS in orbit around a supernova and I burned up a sun just the say goodbye," he managed a small smile. "That was when she told me that she loved me".
"Oh Doctor," she reached out and patted his arm. "But what about the second time? She didn't leave you, did she?"
"No," he almost growled. "That was my own stupid fault, somewhere along the way a human clone of me had been created, but he committed genocide and I needed to banish him. I left him in the parallel universe and I left her with him, he was me so I hoped that she would live a happy life with him, together as humans".
"But she didn't," Clara spoke softly.
"What? How do you know that?"
"Why else would you be so upset about it?" she asked with a frown.
"Because I lost the one woman in the entire universe that had never let me down! The only woman I feel that I have ever truly loved".
"Does that include River?"
"Yes," the Doctor nodded. "I did care for River very much and she was a great companion, but there was never that spark like there was with that little blonde wolf".
"Wolf?" Clara seized the opportunity, glad that the time had finally arisen to tell him about the Bad Wolf.
"She is the Bad Wolf," the Doctor continued to tell her story, seeing the confusion on her face.
"Doctor," she almost whispered when she was done. "I really have to show you something ok?"
"Ok," he answered uncertainly as she led him by the hand, down the corridor and into the console room where her laptop was still waiting.
She opened it up to the information she had collected on the Bad Wolf. "Just read this Doctor, please? I thought you'd better see it".
The Doctor read through the information quickly, the hope rising in his hearts at every word. When he was finished he turned to Clara. "Where did you find all of this?"
"Oh I'm a hacker remember, I can get into any database I like," she grinned at him, "and Bad Wolf was last seen on Earth. Care to take a trip?"
"Yes!" the Doctor grinned back at her. "But it's New Year's Eve at the moment and everyone will be going crazy".
"That doesn't matter, so will we," she laughed. "You got any New Year's resolutions?"
"I dunno, to attempt to eat four bananas at once, is that good?"
"Seriously Doctor," she cocked an eyebrow at him.
"Fine," he rolled his eyes and thought for a moment. "To never leave Rose Tyler alone again".
Clara nodded in approval. "You better make sure she knows that".
"Yes, well I have to find her first".
"That's true," she danced away from him towards the door. "So let's get going," she held out her hand.
Xxx
"Hello, hello, hello!" came a loud booming voice. "Come and have to skydiving experience of your life, only two hundred and fifty pounds!"
"Oh Clara I want to go!" the Doctor exclaimed eagerly.
"Doctor, we're looking for Rose, remember?"
"Yes, but I'll be able to see her better if I'm up high, now come on, please?"
Clara rolled her eyes. "Alright come on then, but where are you gonna get the money?"
"Already got it," he grinned, pulling the notes from his pocket.
"Ok then let's go". They wandered over to the man and the Doctor paid for his trip.
"Are you absolutely sure you don't want to come?" he asked her.
"No I'll go check out some of the events around the water," Clara nodded.
"Alright then, if you're sure," he ran back to the man.
Xxx
Clara walked lazily around the docks, admiring the different types of boats and thinking about how stupid the Doctor must look falling through the air. 'He'd probably be cackling,' she humoured herself.
A large yacht up ahead was slowly filling with well-dressed people, obviously about to depart. She walked cautiously towards the man checking the invitations, glad that the Doctor had left his physic paper with her after he'd tricked the skydiving man into letting him go it alone. She flashed the paper and the man nodded, gesturing her forward.
On board the people were all socialising politely. It was obvious to her that all of these people were upper-class and had probably paid a lot of money to be there. The smell of expensive alcohol started to get to her so she made her way up to the very top of the yacht where only one person sat. It was woman, that much she could tell from a first glance; she had long, VERY long blonde hair which had perfect waves and twists to it.
"Hello," Clara greeted the woman who still didn't look up.
Clara was about to turn away when the woman answered. "I take it I'm not the only one who can't stand being down there".
Clara laughed. "Yes, well I'm not even supposed to be on here at all but as it happens".
"My friend made me come," the woman sighed, "ditched me straight away, there's a reason I don't socialise with humans".
Clara frowned at that. "Well unless you talk to animals then I don't know who else you would socialise with".
The woman laughed, but it wasn't a bitter laugh, it was a sweet, genuine sound. "I think we both know that there is much more life in the universe than on Earth".
"You're her aren't you?" Clara moved closer. "You're Rose Tyler".
"Now that's a name I haven't heard in a long time," she laughed again and turned to face her. "Nice to meet you Clara Oswald".
"How do you know who I am?" Clara asked, astounded, not just by what she had said but how beautiful she was. Her hair shone bright it the light and her brown eyes were dotted with gold.
Rose's eyes lit up brightly for a moment. "I can see everything Clara; I knew who you were the moment you stepped on board, and I could practically smell the physic paper".
"So you know why I'm here then?"
"Yes," she nodded. "I knew it would only be a matter of time before either you or the Doctor figured out I was back".
"Are you going to go with him again?"
Rose nodded. "I have had enough of independence. He has hurt me deeply but I know he only wanted what was best for me".
"So you're coming back to him? Just like that? Even though he's regenerated?" she asked, astonished.
"Yeah, well that never bothered me the first time and really...I've just felt lonely ever since he left me again. The clone and I were married and I stayed until he died...but it just wasn't the same. I loved John but he wasn't the Doctor, merely a copy, a shell".
"Wow," Clara sat down beside her. "I can't even begin to imagine how painful it must have been for you. The Doctor tries to pretend he's happy but the truth is that he's lonely".
"That's because he needs someone to hold his hand, someone to tell him when to stop".
"No, it's not just that. I travel with him and I've tried desperately to make him happy," she sighed. "All he does is turn away and mutter some sort of thank you. But you, you can help him, he is still in love with you it's so obvious. In fact that's why we came here, to find you. In fact it's a fluke that I found you here at all".
"It's New Year's eve it was bound to happen..." Rose trailed off. "It's like..."
"Serendipity," Clara finished.
Rose glanced up at the sky above them. "How's that for serendipity?"
Clara looked up to see a parachute heading right for the boat. She laughed when the Doctor started frantically waving at her.
"Clara!" he called down to her. "You've got to try this!"
"How did you know I'd be here?!" she yelled back.
"I didn't!" he laughed. "Yacht party, couldn't resist making an entrance". He landed gently on the deck a few meters from them.
Clara ran to his side and he unclipped his parachute. "Doctor where's your suit?"
He started to remove to jumpsuit, revealing his tweed jacket and bowtie underneath. He looked up at her face to see her watching him with an eyebrow raised. "What? I couldn't just leave my jacket and my precious bowtie with them could I?"
"I'm sure they wouldn't have stolen it," she shook her head. "Anyway Doctor, you'll never guess who I found while I was partying hard".
The Doctor snorted. "You? Partying hard? You never..." he trailed off when his eyes fell on Rose who was standing behind them, waiting patiently.
"Hello Doctor," she grinned at him.
"Rose," he murmured, running towards her and stopping right in front of her.
"Well do I get my hug or not?" she laughed.
"Of course!" he wrapped his arms around her and spun her around. "I missed you," he stated after he put her down.
"I missed you too Doctor," she rested her head on his chest. "So new body aye? Looks nice".
"What about the clone?" the Doctor asked quietly, stroking her hair.
"He died Doctor; it's been a while for me you know".
"Rose, I'm so sorry," he started to gush. "I shouldn't have left you, you mean so much to me and I love you so please don't leave me again I promise not to leave you and I promise"-
He was cut off when she placed a finger to his lips. "Doctor I forgive you, I was angry for a time before I realised that if we weren't meant to be then none of this would have happened and I would have been over you a very long time ago".
"You still love me then?" he asked hopefully.
"Utterly and completely," she looked into his beautiful green eyes.
"I love you too!" he exclaimed excitedly. "And I've just been skydiving!"
"Are you gonna hurry up and kiss her or what?" Clara asked him.
"Yeah I was about to ask the same question," Rose flashed him her famous grin that could bring any man to their knees if she wanted.
He didn't waste any more time and mashed his lips to hers in a searing kiss. Rose's eyes widened in shock before she kissed him back, pouring all of her love for him back into the kiss.
Xxx
Hours later they sat watching as everyone counted in the New Year. "Any New Year's resolutions?" Clara asked the other two.
"I already told you both of mine," the Doctor frowned.
"Oh and what were they?" Rose asked.
"Well the first was to try and eat four bananas at once and actually manage it without losing a single bit of any of them".
"Alright then more of a challenge really. But anyway go on," Rose nodded in approval.
"The other is that I promise I'll never leave you again," he looked down at her seriously.
"Well," she smiled up at him. "I'll definitely hold you to that one," and they kissed again as the New Year began and the fireworks lit the sky.
Clara smiled to herself. She had succeeded. The Doctor was happy and that was all she wanted. She was his impossible girl and it was her responsibility to help and save him, even from himself and she was doing pretty good job even if she did say so herself.
xxx
Ok, so the prompt 'Serendipity' gave me a rather wide range of possible choices but this was what just flowed out so it's what I picked. Thanks for reading :)