FINDING GALLIFREY
Chapter Seventeen Twelve and Clara slowly walked back to the Doctor's house. It was after dark and there were bright streetlights lining the road. All of them looked like black iron lampposts with a light encased in a clear bell shaped bowl and each one had an iron Seal of Rassilon on top of the arch that supported the light. The moons had risen and were shining ample light down on the planet while they walked beside each other. They could see others out enjoying the warm night air, couples loving one another, parents with children or children hurrying home for supper. "This is beautiful," Clara said to him as they walked. "I'm glad that Gallifrey did survive in a way and lives on here." "Yes, to see a thriving civilization and to see a better civilization than the old Gallifrey in many respects, that is fantastic," Twelve said. As they were nearing the Doctor's house, Twelve noticed Jackie and Pete were sitting on their porch swing gazing at the stars and chatting to each other. Pete noticed Twelve and pointed him out to Jackie. They waved and Twelve and Clara waved back before walking over to them. "Good evening," Twelve said as they stopped at their porch steps. "Good evening, Doctor," Pete said. "Are you enjoying our planet?" "Very much so, it's a wonderful place," Twelve said while Clara nodded. "So, you stayin' here then?" Jackie said. "Becoming part of the family?" "Um, I don't know if I should, I might get lost in the sheer mass of people," Twelve joked while Clara giggled. "At least we could tell you apart from the others," Pete quipped. While they were chatting, Clara felt someone staring at the back of her head. She turned and saw Hope was looking out the window of her house at her. Hope smiled and nodded and Clara returned the smile and wave. She excused herself and walked across the street while Twelve chatted with Jackie and Pete. Hope ran to the door and opened it wide for her and stood at attention like a butler. "Good evening, Madam, please enter," Hope said formally as they waved her in. "Why, thank you, Jeeves, I will enter after that very pleasant invitation," Clara said with a posh voice as she breezed in the door. She looked over her shoulder and noticed that Hope was still standing at the door but leaning over, waiting for Twelve to come. "You can close the door, love. He might be awhile," Clara said. Hope nodded and shut the door. "I have to go to bed but Mummy said I could wait for you so I could say goodnight," Hope said, walking over to her. "Well, I'm glad you stayed up then," Clara said, smiling. "Stay with us and be a Time Lady," Hope said, taking her hand. "Um, I don't think I can," Clara said, confused. "I'm not like the Doctor." "Yes, but you know, my daddy has these crystals that he can give to people that changes them. That's why we have a large family. Because Daddy let people that he likes have them. And I like you and you should ask because you'd make a great Time Lady." Clara was stunned into silence by that. She vaguely remembered one of her lives being on Gallifery when she helped the Doctor choose his TARDIS but that was centuries ago. She was human and had never considered being anything other than that. But the idea of becoming a Time Lady and traveling with the Doctor past a normal human lifespan was extremely tempting to her. "Maybe I should talk with your daddy and my Doctor about this," she said, buying her time to think about it. "Okay," Hope said happily and she squeezed Clara's hand. Clara smiled and squeezed her hand in return. She was about to say something more when the garage door opened and the Doctor came inside. He stopped and stared at his daughter with wide eyes. "Blimey, you girl guides don't know when to say no, do ya?" he said as he shut the garage door. "Girl guide?" Clara said. "It's a joke, we're teasing each other, "the Doctor said. "She came to my TARDIS to chat with me and I pretended she was a girl guide selling biscuits at my door." "I said I have chocolate chip biscuits but Daddy doesn't like that," Hope said to Clara. "No, I want lemon tartar," the Doctor said to his daughter. "You ain't-a gettin' any, Dad-doo!" Hope said, walking over to him. Clara laughed at the bemused look on the Doctor's face. "Well, I suppose not, Daughter-doo!" he said, imitating her. Hope squealed with delight when the Doctor grabbed her from behind and hugged her hard as he could. "She's cheeky," the Doctor said to Clara while he hugged Clara. "I managed to create this one biologically but how she became so cheeky is beyond me." "My Doctor is cheeky so I suppose it's genetics," Clara said. "Hey, I have two dads now, I have young dad and old dad," Hope said to the Doctor. "Young and old, agewise or appearancewise, Cheeky Bottoms," the Doctor said to her. "Well, you're a kajillion years old and…" Clara laughed when the Doctor tickled her armpits at that remark. "Say it, I am young!" the Doctor said as he tickled his daughter. "NOOO, YOU'RE OLD YOU NEED THOSE GROWN UP NAPPIES!" Hope squealed, trying to wiggle out of his grasp. Clara chuckled when Rain came downstairs at the sound of the commotion and stopped halfway down the stairs to watch. "I am young, say it!" the Doctor said as he tickled her. "YOU'RE YOUNG, YOOOOOUNG!" Hope squealed. The Doctor let her go and she gasped as she walked over to Clara. Just then, the door opened and Twelve stepped inside. "Do you wear grown up nappies?" Hope asked him. Clara bent over laughing at the stunned look on Twelve's face and the Doctor had to turn away to hide his silent laughter. "Do I wear grown up nappies?" Twelve said to Clara as he stood in the doorway. "It's a joke, Doctor," Clara said. "We were teasing each other and you walked in on the joke." "Ah, well, the answer to your question, little one, is yes, I do. Because the Daleks scare me and I need something to contain the poo while I'm running." Clara was slightly shocked at that since Twelve was known for being a bit sarcastic and a little bit on the mean side but she thought perhaps he was loosening up now and in some ways doing a backslide to his other self, the Eleventh Doctor who adored children. She hoped she was right and she hoped her Doctor would continue to loosen up. As for Twelve, he closed the door and patted Hope on the head fondly. "Hope, it's time for bed now," Rain said. "We let you stay up long enough to see the Doctor and Clara so say goodnight to them." "Night, Clara," Hope said. "Goodnight, love," Clara said, enveloping her in a tight hug. When Clara let go, Hope walked over to Twelve. "Goodnight, Other Universe Daddy That Wears Nappies," she said to him. Twelve grinned and hugged her tightly. "Goodnight, Cheeky Girl Who Likes Old Farts," he said. Hope broke apart from him, gave him a kiss on the cheek and waved to everyone before heading towards the stairs. They waited until she was upstairs before the Doctor addressed everyone in the room. "Okay, everyone, sit down and make yourselves comfortable. I need to tell you what Councilor Xashon told me."
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