Clara's face softens. "I can't have a go at you over that," she says quietly. "A load of people would do that, if they could, I bet. Her eyes move over his face before looking down at her drink.
"If I could see my mum again even for a second..." she trails off, then hesitates before looking at him again, not even asking the question aloud.
"Wouldn't it be the hardest thing, to have to leave her?" He asks the question, even though he's being hypocritical. He knows the answer already, he's just curious about Clara's take on it.
"Of course it would, it would be the hardest thing in the world. But it would be worth it. It's one more glimpse. One you know is the last one, so you keep it close."
Clara never had a last moment with her mother - most people never know when the last moment is. "And then you remember exactly how they were in that one, perfect moment," she finishes, looking right at him, not even wavering except for the sadness set back in her eyes.
He doesn't talk about it much - at all, actually - but every time he's lost her has been devastating, too. Every loss is, though hers even moreso. She doesn't even know what she did for him, how she healed him when he met her as the governess in victorian England. He wanted to live again, fully, and then he lost her. He might have gone mad then, if he hadn't been anchored by knowing he could find her again. He had to.
He doesn't have to go back and look at moments with Clara because he does, thankfully, have her back now. But it's painful to even consider for a moment.
"Humans usually - well, they can't help themselves. When they see people they've loved and lost, they'd do anything to change their fate." He's not saying he expects Clara would, but he wants to explain his hesitation a little. With her mother, though, it's a bit different than it was for Rose, for example, whose father had been killed in a single accident.
"I can't blame you for it. Who wouldn't at least be tempted? But it's a gift, if you can watch for a moment, just watch and hold it with you."
"I think I could do it if I had you there to hold my hand," she says seriously. "But if it's against the rules, that's alright."
Clara did have some sense of closure with her mother - if there ever can be such a thing when someone dies - so she won't beg him if he says no. But the want is still in her eyes, and it's clear it's something she's hoping for.
He looks her over, up and down, and he can't help being a little confused. "You're dressed, what does it matter?" There are, of course, some things The Doctor will never fully comprehend.
"Says the man already in a bowtie and suit! She's a princess, I'd like to be a bit more dressed up. It's a thing, trust me. It'd be like a formal meeting with the Queen in swim trunks."
Clara looks up at him. "Do not say you've had a formal meeting with the Queen in swim trunks."
"I resent the implication," he narrows his eyes a little. All in jest. "Have a little faith in me, Clara." There's a long pause for a moment before he says, "I was naked, actually, but there was a very good reason and she understood."
"Stop it!" she says with a laugh, shoving his shoulder before walking ahead of him to the TARDIS. "And don't get us there too quickly, I need time to really...decide, you know? It has to be the right sort of thing, not flashy, but respectful."
She may be really overthinking it, but it's Princess Leia.
"I think you're still worrying far too much, but if you insist, I'll take it slow," he rolls his eyes a little, pushing a lever that throttles down the engines a bit.
Clara disappears and when she returns, she's in a nicer dress, one that's blue with a white, leafy pattern on it. Her hair is up in a nicer little up-do, and she returns with a little purse across her shoulders.
"Alright, I'm ready to lose my mind in front of royalty," she grins.
"There you go, she'll love that," he grins at her. It's as close as he'll probably ever get to a compliment on her appearance, though he does notice she's changed, at least.
Clara takes his arm. "Shall we then, Doctor?" she asks, pleased that she did get a compliment, that was nice of him, and it earns him a kiss to the cheek.
He straightens up and puffs out his chest a little at the kiss, quite obviously pleased with himself. He said something that made her happy and that's always a good thing.
They're far enough forward in Leia's timeline - long after the fall of the Empire - that they have an opportunity to meet with her and enjoy a nice meal without the threat of impending war. They stay for hours and they even get a tour of the city center. For once, no one needs to be saved, nothing terrible happens, and it's just a perfect trip.
"I promised you a good trip and I came through didn't I?" He grins, holding Clara's hand as he leads her back to the TARDIS.
Clara is still glowing with excitement and happiness from the entire day. "Brilliant! You were brilliant, this entire trip was perfect, beginning to end," she declares.
"Thank you," she laughs, leaning against the TARDIS as he opens the door. "You know, what if I don't go home right away? Stay with you and kick around a bit? Long as you get me back same day we left."
He's surprised, but pleasantly so. "Not ready to leave yet? That's fine by me," he agrees easily. It's what he's used to, after all, but he's always given Clara the latitude to decide what's best for her.
"No, not yet. I want you to take me somewhere cool," she says with excitement; the trip was so good that she's riding the high of it, ready to do and see more right away.
"Coolest place you can think off the top of your head."
"Excuse me; everywhere I take you is cool," he counters, but he's already pulling a few levers. "You'll have to be more specific. Back in time, forward in time, or all points in between?"
"The in between, now that's a fun adventure," he grins, leaving that mystery hang between them for a moment. "Oh, you asked a question. Yes, yes, it did sound cool. You are cool."
She grins back at him. "Damn right I am. The two of us together? Very cool. Let's go find something to discover. Or solve. Or both," Clara says in excitement.
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"If I could see my mum again even for a second..." she trails off, then hesitates before looking at him again, not even asking the question aloud.
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Clara never had a last moment with her mother - most people never know when the last moment is. "And then you remember exactly how they were in that one, perfect moment," she finishes, looking right at him, not even wavering except for the sadness set back in her eyes.
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He doesn't have to go back and look at moments with Clara because he does, thankfully, have her back now. But it's painful to even consider for a moment.
"Humans usually - well, they can't help themselves. When they see people they've loved and lost, they'd do anything to change their fate." He's not saying he expects Clara would, but he wants to explain his hesitation a little. With her mother, though, it's a bit different than it was for Rose, for example, whose father had been killed in a single accident.
"I can't blame you for it. Who wouldn't at least be tempted? But it's a gift, if you can watch for a moment, just watch and hold it with you."
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Clara did have some sense of closure with her mother - if there ever can be such a thing when someone dies - so she won't beg him if he says no. But the want is still in her eyes, and it's clear it's something she's hoping for.
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It's also - in his way - a confirmation. One day, very soon perhaps, he'll take her to see her mother.
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She trusts him - there have been odd times - but she trusts him, completely.
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"Should we be off again? I did promise you a meeting with Princess Leia."
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Clara finishes her drink, then hops down, reaching for his hand. "What should I wear? I can't meet her in a skirt and tights."
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Clara looks up at him. "Do not say you've had a formal meeting with the Queen in swim trunks."
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She may be really overthinking it, but it's Princess Leia.
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"Alright, I'm ready to lose my mind in front of royalty," she grins.
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They're far enough forward in Leia's timeline - long after the fall of the Empire - that they have an opportunity to meet with her and enjoy a nice meal without the threat of impending war. They stay for hours and they even get a tour of the city center. For once, no one needs to be saved, nothing terrible happens, and it's just a perfect trip.
"I promised you a good trip and I came through didn't I?" He grins, holding Clara's hand as he leads her back to the TARDIS.
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"Thank you," she laughs, leaning against the TARDIS as he opens the door. "You know, what if I don't go home right away? Stay with you and kick around a bit? Long as you get me back same day we left."
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"Coolest place you can think off the top of your head."
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"Let's go to the in between." She pauses. "Did that sound cool? 'Cause it sounded really cool in my head."
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