[#022] Coincidence? (Doctor Who)

[but_can_i_be_trusted]

Theme Prompt: #022: Déjà Vu
Title: 'Coincidence?'
Fandom: Doctor Who
Rating/Warnings: G; brief mention of character death
Bonus: Yes
Word Count: 303

Summary: Never mind that coincidences, in his experience, tend to be important clues to something bigger. Sometimes a coincidence is just a coincidence.


There's something about this feisty barmaid-governess that gives him the most agitating sense of déjà vu. He can't understand why he feels that he knows her. It's ridiculous--he can't know this Clara person. They only met last night.

But that nagging sensation won't leave him. It tickles at the back of his mind, refusing to be dismissed. Her voice...it's so familiar, inexplicably. Where has he heard that voice before...?

Nowhere. Plenty of people have similar-sounding voices--and he's met plenty of people, so he should know. One girl's voice is nothing to marvel at. He can push the stubborn inklings aside, if he tries hard enough.

It's difficult to ignore the shiver that races up his spine when she offhandedly mentions soufflés. That...okay, that can possibly be explained away as a coincidence.

Possibly. Never mind that coincidences, in his experience, tend to be important clues to something bigger. Sometimes a coincidence is just a coincidence.

Except for when it isn't.

What seems like a coincidence is suddenly proved otherwise, as she breathes her last. Those dying words...he can remember someone delivering those words to him once. Those very same words!

This...this doesn't make sense! How can he be hearing those words again--the words of a human-turned-Dalek as she sacrificed herself to save him? Why is he hearing them now, in this place?

He tries to tell himself that the impossible is not happening...that it couldn't happen.

Her gravestone is, in the most literal and bitterly ironic fashion, the final nail in the coffin of his doubts.

Clara. Oswin. Oswald.

Coincidence? Oh, no. There is no way in the universe that this is just a coincidence. Absolutely not. He can't dismiss it as one any longer--he won't even try. This is...well, he isn't sure what it is.

But he won't rest until he finds out.

Comments

[alobear]

I like the way this builds up, from dismissal to determination - nicely done.

[but_can_i_be_trusted]

Thanks! :D

[sarajayechan]

Wow. This was REALLY intense and bitter, very well-written.

[but_can_i_be_trusted]

Thanks so much! <3

[badly_knitted]

Really liked this! Eleven tries so hard to shrug it all off as similarities, coincidence, a trick of his mind, until everything combines and he reaches that tipping point where he can't rationalise it any more and has to accept that something weird is going on. You've handled that progression beautifully =D

[but_can_i_be_trusted]

*bounces happily* Thanks so much! :D I love getting in that pretty head of his. And I wish his recognizing the voice had been addressed earlier than in that final scene. But I guess that's what we fans are for. ;)

[badly_knitted]

Yup, it's our job to correct oversights! *grins*

(LJ is down for me so I might not be able to reply to your other comments until tomorrow as I need to get to bed soon. i have to be up early tomorrow to run some errands, It was only supposed to be down for ah hour, but it's already 15 minutes over that and experiencing technical difficulties =/ )

[but_can_i_be_trusted]

So much fun, to pick up where they left off (and fix anything they messed up)!

(Yeah, when I saw the maintenance alert come up, I kinda thought that would happen. It's up and running now, but I know it's really late back there, so I'll see you when I see you. ^.^ <3 )

[badly_knitted]

It really is, there's so many gaps to fill in!

Yeah, LJ is back so I can get on with replying to comments.

Got my errands run this morning but I'm done in now *sighs*