"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.
"You never get tired of it, do you?" He's traveled with so many people through the years, but never anyone quite like Clara. Her thrill of adventure is so much like his own, which could be good and bad.
"What's to get tired of? Every day something new and if we're lucky, people saved. I don't know why anyone would ever want to leave," she says genuinely.
She doesn't really mean that; he's heard it before, but things eventually change and everyone leaves. She'll leave him eventually, but the sentiment makes him happy for a brief moment.
"It's why I do it forever. Why I have. You'll go on eventually, though. Have a family of your own."
"Nah," Clara says, crossing her arms over her chest as she leans back against the railing.
"I like them well enough, but I never really saw myself as a mum. I like making sure people are alright, and especially kids if they need it. But I don't think motherhood is for me."
And what if she had a family and left them without her some day? She couldn't put a child through what she went through, not ever.
Maybe not motherhood, but she'll tire of traveling with him eventually. It might be years from now, but he expects it. Still, he's going to enjoy this time together as much as he can, as always.
"Well, then, forever it is, Clara Oswald. Give or take a few decades."
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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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"I could do this forever."
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"It's why I do it forever. Why I have. You'll go on eventually, though. Have a family of your own."
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"I like them well enough, but I never really saw myself as a mum. I like making sure people are alright, and especially kids if they need it. But I don't think motherhood is for me."
And what if she had a family and left them without her some day? She couldn't put a child through what she went through, not ever.
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"Well, then, forever it is, Clara Oswald. Give or take a few decades."
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"Now, let's go," Clara says impatiently. "You promised me an in-between."