Chapter Text
The Doctor jumped out of his time stream with Clara still unconscious in his arms. His gaze never left her face. White light now bathed them both.
"Everything's back to normal, Doctor." Madame Vastra said.
"Not Clara." The Doctor said, worryingly.
Madame Vastra and Jenny walked towards them.
"Doctor... is she alright?" Said Jenny.
"I... I don't know." He felt out of his depth. He'd never had anyone do such a sacrifice for him. Yes, he did save her... but at what cost? The Doctor had no idea how long Clara would be able to withstand it, or if there was already any damage done to her brain.
What if she never wakes up again?
"She's too overwhelmed with what happened in my time stream. She needs rest." He looked at the cuts and bruises on her hand.
Clara. My Clara. What did I let you do?
All 5 entered the TARDIS and the Doctor pulled the lever as he sped to the infirmary.
Everyone except Jenny went after the Doctor. "I'll prepare the things for Miss Clara, Ma'am."
It felt like a funeral procession.
Except no one was dead.
No, actually. Many had died.
All the people who had put their lives on the line for the Doctor’s sake.
All the echoes who had sacrificed themselves so the Doctor would live.
But at that very moment, no one else mattered. Only Clara. His very Impossibly-possible souffle girl.
He had to get her head sorted. The way he’d seen her in his time stream was worrying enough. He couldn’t get her screams out of his head. Poor Clara, how scared she was during her flashback. He silently prayed to any being out there who would spare the pain from his beloved friend and saver.
He entered into the cold, whitewashed medbay, gently laying her on the cold metal bench. Now that he could see her more clearly, the Doctor could notice her face so pale, adorned with patches of sand and dried sweat that had found her place on her face, her hair matted with ash, and new bruises which had started to flourish along her bare arms. Only the good Lord knew how battered and bruised her body was underneath all her clothing.
He scanned her with the sonic as the monitors lit up.
U nconscious. Practically very close to slipping into a coma.
Clara was absolutely still, except for an occasional small breath. He rushed to the cupboard to get out 2 small patches and 2 long connectors. He attached a wire to each patch and screwed it tight. Then, the Doctor plugged each into the monitor.
"I'm sorry Clara." He said as he lightly smoothed her head before pressing them to her temples. Clara’s body tensed at the surge of pain, before relaxing back into the cold metal surface.
The Doctor’s hearts sank as soon as he saw the monitor. No wonder she was so confused and ill when he found her. The readings were out of range. The Doctor tapped a few buttons to get a larger scale, a new wave each second.
Strax’s voice broke through the machine alarms, which the Doctor was frantically trying to settle. "His mind is in complete overload, Sir."
"It's more than the human mind can handle, Doctor. How is she still alive?" Said Madame Vastra as she walked near the Doctor.
"She's impossible." Said the Doctor. "But she can't handle it for long, Vastra. It's too much. I'm going to lose her again, after I found her. I'll lose her." He kneeled near Clara and smoothed her forehead.
Clara groaned, as she forced her eyes open. She couldn’t manage more than just a sliver, but that was enough for her, especially due to the bright light which lit medbay. She turned to look at the Doctor. "Chin Boy." She breathed.
His eyes lit up as soon as he noticed her. "My Impossible Girl." He kissed her forehead.
"Why are you crying, Doctor?" She touched his wet cheek with the back of her trembling hand. She looked around her. Her head still throbbed greatly, but she could see Strax with his controller, checking her stats himself, and Jenny and Madame Vastra. Clara looked back at the Doctor.
A chilling, yet so peaceful thought passed through her head. "They all think I'm going to die, aren't they?" She breathed, a tear slipping over her nose bridge.
The Doctor held her hand between his. He could barely see her as a film of tears occluded his vision. "And I know you're going to live."
"How?"
"I never know why." He took the Leaf from the table just near them. "I only know who." And slipped it under her other hand on her stomach. She held it tight.
Her eyes teared up as she felt herself drift off into sleep. But she tried her best to fight it. She was too scared of dying amongst all her echoes, and becoming just an echo herself.
"Hey, hey. It's going to be alright, Clara. I promise you."
"I don't know who I am anymore." She breathed. Her mind struggled to hold onto the life of Clara Oswald; the original. She was everywhere at once, but at the same time, she wasn’t moving an inch. She felt tired and anxious, happy and sad, calm and terrified.
"You're Clara Oswald. My Impossible Girl. You blew into this world on a leaf. The Leaf defines you, Clara. You're unique, not even your echoes can copy who you are. But one thing I learned from knowing them is they never give up." He smiled. "And that they are as stubborn as you." She breathed a laugh through the pain, trying to stay strong. For him; always for him. "This is why you can fight it, Clara. And I will be here, every step of the way. I will try my best, I will guide you. We will all take care of you. But you have to fight, my Impossible Girl, as you fought to make a good soufflé."
"They were all too beautiful to live." Clara croaked.
He nodded, his eyes betraying the light smile that deceptively graced his lips. For her; always for her. "Hold on, my Clara."
"I'm scared Doctor." She cried as tears fell down to her ears as Clara began reliving her different lives. Her breaths became shorter, and the monitor began showing dangerous levels. She shut her eyes in pain, picturing herself being wound by the Time Winds in the Time Stream, picturing herself surrounded by her echoes...
Falling...
Falling...
Falling...
She could hear her name.... so distant. It hurt to breathe as if thick smoke had invaded her lungs, slowly constricting them.
Yes, her name was Clara, the Doctor's Impossible Girl.
His voice, the Doctor's voice, became clearer in her head as she tried her best to focus on it. His breath was hasty against her ear as he guided her back.
"Clara, concentrate solely on my voice. Picture it. Follow it out of your mind..."
The voice she followed out of the time stream
"Clara, remember the Leaf. Hold it tight. Remember your life. Remember your mother and father. Ellie and Dave."
"Mum and Dad." She breathed, her voice getting drowned by the numerous echoes that invaded her consciousness. She held onto that voice like a lifeline nonetheless; she wasn’t going to let her Chin Boy down. Not now.
"Yes, Clara. Remember your book. Remember when we travelled together the first time to the Rings of Akhaten.”
Her thin lips curled into the faintest smile as the voices in her head started subsiding and Clara was finding it a bit easier to breathe. “The Ice Warrior… on the submarine.” She managed to mumble out.
The Doctor breathed, “Yes, the ice warrior.” He pressed a kiss to her forehead. “Keep going, my Clara. You are so brave.” But the Doctor’s relief soon turned into worry once again when his companion furrowed her eyebrows. “What’s wrong?”
She hummed, the words barely escaping her lips, “Jammy Dodgers”. The Doctor cocked his head. She repeated it, convincing herself and letting the mental image make itself even clearer. “Jammy Dodgers.” She smiled. “You left them next to my bed after the spoonheads.”
A smile graced his lips. “Yes, yes I did, Clara.” To Clara, his voice now sounded as clear as crystal. Her eyes fluttered open to see the Doctor’s tear-stained face hovering over her.
“Hello, my Impossible Girl.” He breathed.
Her smile widened. “My silly Chin boy.” The hand not holding on to the Leaf cradled his cheek. “I’ve missed you so much.”
His eyes flooded with tears, “I’ve missed you too.” His lips pressed a prolonged kiss to her forehead. "I promise you, it's going to be fine." He smoothed her hair as she calmed down, looking at the stars above her.
She smiled. "Thank you, my clever Boy."
And Clara Oswald closed her eyes.