That's What Best Friends Are For // Clara

[Amy Pond]

Amy swallowed the lump in her throat, slender hands shaking as she looked down at the test she was holding. Two lines. Positive. It couldn't be, but there was the proof in her hands, clear as anything. There was a mini-Sherlock growing inside of her. Or a mini-Amy. Whatever.

The test fell from her hands and shakily she bent down to pick it up, tossing it in the trash. She washed her hands before gripping the ceramic sink tight for support. Pregnant. She was pregnant. To say that this was a shock would be the understatement of the century.

The female let out the breath she hadn't even noticed she'd been holding. A second later she ran a trembling hand through her hair, not daring to look at her reflection in the mirror. She didn't even want to know what she looked like right now. She hadn't thought that she could get pregnant again. She and Rory had tried many a time for a child, but after everything at Demon's Run, Amy's body wasn't having a bar of it. It refused to have another kid. Until now, it seemed.

The redhead withdrew her phone from her pocket, fingers still shaking as she dialled an all-too-familiar number. "Clara? It's me. Please, I need you. Get over here when you can. Bring vodka. Actually on second thoughts, don't."

[Clara Oswald]

Clara was designing again, drawing a careful sketch of a very short skirt. One that Amy would like, she thought to herself with a chuckle. She'd seen that girl's skirts, and boy they were short. It was funny how confident that mad Scottish woman was, but Clara really admired it.

She spent time and precision doing the shape, and spent a whole 20 minutes thinking about an outfit to go with it. Eventually, she ended up with a tank top, the short skirt and black boots, and she was now finishing up coloring. Just as she did finish, however, her phone started ringing from the table. Clara got up and reached for it. Amy calling.

Clara answered the phone. "Hey, Amy!" she said, then her smile faltered at her friend's voice. She sounded worried and sad. "I'll be there in ten." she said, and hung up. She ran into the kitchen, grabbed the tupperware box of souffles and grabbed her handbag, throwing her phone in there and heading out.

On her way, she bought some of Amy's favorite chocolate. This sounded serious and Clara was pretty sure that this might help. When she finally got to Amy's, holding the tupperware box and chocolate (both in a carrier bag), she knocked on Amy's door. "It's me, sweetheart." she called through the door, softly.

[Amy Pond]

Putting her phone away, Amy stood up and took a deep breath, attempting to calm down. It did nothing to help calm the redhead down. Trembling like a leaf caught in a violent wind, she slowly made her way downstairs. The silence of the house was unnerving and Amy suddenly wished that Richard was still living in her spare bedroom. But the time-displaced soldier had moved out long ago, leaving Amy all alone in a house that was too big for her.

Entering the lounge, she plonked herself down onto the couch, bringing her knees up to her chest and hugging them tight. The star pendant Sherlock had gifted her all that time ago felt hot and heavy around her neck and suddenly Amy wanted to get it off. She'd been wearing it because it was the only thing that she had to remember the detective by, but she no longer wanted to think about him. Not right now.

Her fingers slipped as she tried to undo the clasp of the necklace and the female gave up, staring at a spot on the carpet, dazed. How was this even happening? How, after all those attempts with Rory, could she manage to get pregnant now, to Sherlock of all people? And talk about horrendous timing. As if Amy didn't have enough to deal with right now, in the aftermath of Sherlock's death. Thanks, Mother Nature. Not.

She heard the door open and her best friend call out to her. "I'm in here!" The statement came out as more of a squeak then anything. She pushed herself up off the couch to greet Clara, trying (and failing) once again to calm herself down. It would be ok. They'd get through this. "Hi," she greeted her friend with a weak smile. "I hope I didn't interrupt any plans..?"

[Clara Oswald]

As soon as Clara saw Amy she bit her lip. Amy looked upset, worried, anxious, surprised...not a good mixture of emotions. Clara put the carrier bag and her keys on the table and pulled her friend into a tight hug. "Hey." she said. "No, of course you didn't interrupt any plans. I was bored as hell when you called anyways." she said. She guided Amy to sit down on the sofa with her, looking straight into her friend's worried eyes.

"Okay, I've got souffles and your favorite chocolate." Clara said, offering a smile. "So...what's happened? Did someone try and hurt you, or did someone upset you? Because if they did I am going to make sure their faces get pounded by my fist." Clara said. She loved her best friend and if anybody broke her heart, Clara would break their face.

And she was pretty sure Amy would do the same thing for her, because that's what best friends did. They protected each other when it mattered and they could see through fake smiles, and all that stuff. So yeah, Clara was pretty worried about Amy. This wasn't something that was minor, Clara could figure that out already.

[Amy Pond]

Amy nuzzled at Clara's shoulder, tears thankfully subsided for now. "I thought I told you to design when you're bored," she mumbled into her shoulder, her words more teasing than chiding. When she finally let go, she gave Clara a small smile as she guided Amy to the couch, so happy and grateful that she'd come straight over when Amy'd asked.

"Clara, you're such a doll," Amy told her with a grateful smile upon hearing about the chocolate. "The two things that always make me feel better. Especially your soufflés - they're too amazing to be allowed to live for very long."

The redhead giggled and pulled her best friend into a hug, cuddling her. It was sweet how Clara was so protective of her, but in all honesty, Amy would be the same. If you hurt her friends or loved ones, you had better be prepared to run and run very very fast for the Scottish woman would tear you from limb to limb. She might seem aloof and uncaring, but Amy's friends meant the world to her and she couldn't stand to see anyone hurt them. They were all she had left in this world and she wasn't prepared to see them suffer.

"Nono, no one's upset me. No more than usual, really but we shouldn't speak ill of the dead," she said, placing a kiss on the top of Clara's head before letting her go. Of course everything with Sherlock and his jump was still upsetting her, but there wasn't anything she could do. She looked her friend in the eye and gave a sigh. Spit it out, Pond! Just say it!"Clara... I'm pregnant. And it's Sherlock's."

[Clara Oswald]

Clara smiled at that. "I already did, for at least an hour or two, but then I couldn't think of anything else to design. Designer's block." she said thoughtfully. "But anyway, this isn't about my boredom, now is it?" she said, grinning playfully.

She chuckled lightly. "Just doing my job." she said seriously. "My best friend needs me? Definitely need to bring souffles and chocolate." she then grinned. "Yes, far too beautiful." she agreed seriously. She knew she was an expert at souffles, and she wasn't going to lie.

Clara hugged Amy back, running her fingers lightly through the woman's red hair. She was worried, but also glad that Amy wasn't in one of those moods where nothing mattered at all, and she wasn't laughing. That was definitely always a bonus. When Amy pressed a kiss to Clara's forehead, the latter smiled fondly at her. She knew Amy was trying to say something, and gave her another smile, more reassuring, to let her know that she should take her time.

Clara nodded understandingly. "Ah, I see." she said, though she got the feeling that, even if the death of Sherlock was part of the reason Amy was sad, that wasn't the only thing. When Amy spoke, Clara's mouth fell open in shock. Pregnant...pregnant?!?! She pulled Amy into a tight hug. "Oh, Amy, I am so so sorry.." she said genuinely.

[Amy Pond]

"I can't wait to see them," Amy said softly, before making grabby-hands to indicate that she wanted either the chocolate or souffle. Either one would do perfectly right about now, especially since she hadn't eaten since this morning, just drinking like a horse.

Clara's reaction was exactly how Amy had thought it'd be. "Talk about timing, huh?" Amy mumbled into Clara as she hugged her back. "He's gone and I'm left with this..." She fought the urge to start crying again. No, she had to be stronger than this. She had to tough it out. No point in crying when nothing could be fixed now.

She ran a hand through her hair as she finally let go of Clara and leaned back against the couch. "You know what I don't get? Rory and I tried so hard and so many times to have another child. But I couldn't get pregnant. No matter what we did, I just couldn't. And now this happens! I think the universe has it out for me," Amy said with a frown, fiddling with her necklace absent-mindedly.

[Clara Oswald]

Clara let go of Amy and handed her a souffle. "Strawberry." she told her with a grin. "I tried some earlier, they're not too bad." Ah, modesty, don't you just love it? Then she sighed and ran a hand through Amy's hair, just like Amy herself did a couple seconds ago. "Well...what are you going to do with it?" she asked softly.

The mentioning of Rory caused Clara to freeze slightly, then she looked away, a smile playing on her lips, and yet a guilty feeling in her stomach. She still hadn't told Amy about going out drinking with Rory and she didn't plan to. She dropped the smile and looked back at Amy, trying to ignore the guilty feeling pounding at her in her stomach.

"Of course the universe doesn't have it out for you, Amy. Things like this, they just happen...you can either keep the baby or you don't have to. Just, you need to think carefully." she said. Clara may not have been an expert herself, but her friends...well, they had all been pregnant at one time or another, except Clara of course.

[Amy Pond]

When Clara ran her hand through her hair, Amy closed her eyes, instantly relaxing. "I don't even know..." she murmured. She knew she had to think about it eventually. But right now Clara was doing too good a job relaxing her. The answer to the brunette's question could wait for a little longer.

Eventually Amy opened her eyes and roused herself enough to get up, wandering over to the kitchen and fetching two spoons so she could share the soufflé together with Clara. "There'd better not be any cyanide in this," she joked, passing a spoon over to her friend and plonking herself back down onto the couch, digging into the baked treat. A look of pure bliss crossed her features and she gave a dopey grin. Clara's soufflés were the absolute best and no one managed them better.

"I know I do," Amy agreed, pulling a face when Clara said she had to think carefully about what to do. "I just don't think I can abort it, y'know? I mean, the fact that I could even get pregnant is a miracle. And not only that but because Sherlock's never done that before. I was his first..." She had to admit that that had amused her - the fact that until she'd come along, he'd still been a virgin. "I think I'll keep it. I wanted a baby too, not just Rory. I mean, that was the entire reason behind the divorce - because I couldn't have children and I knew how much he wanted them."

Her eyes suddenly widened when Amy remembered that Clara had actually met Rory. The brunette hadn't talked about it since that time, but what if they still stayed in touch? Amy hadn't bothered to ask because in all honesty, she didn't want to be reminded of Rory. "Oh lord, please don't tell Rory about all this," she pleaded, words slightly muffled by the amount of soufflé in her mouth. "I couldn't bear it if he found out..."

[Clara Oswald]

Clara smiled lightly at Amy and watched her as she went to get the spoons. Actually, the next time Clara had been going to see Amy, she was going to tell her about the night drinking with Rory, but seeing her in this state she knew it wasn't the time, plus she was still worried that Amy didn't want to talk about it. She pushed the thoughts from her mind and smiled at her friend as she returned.

"Thanks." Clara said, taking the spoon offered to her. She let Amy dig into the souffle first and then Clara herself did after, putting the spoonful into her mouth and smiling happily. It was great. She swallowed and glanced to Amy, nodding, holding her spoon tightly in her hand as she did so.

"I can understand that." she agreed.She then grinned a little. "Ah, his first huh?" she said. She wasn't laughing; no, she was just smirking...in fondness. Okay, she may have been amused, but she was trying not to let it show; after all, that would be rather mean, right? Then Clara nodded. "Well, either way, I'll back you 100%, okay? Remember that." she dug into the souffle again and put the spoonful into her mouth, chewing and swallowing.

Clara smiled lightly and shook her head. "No, I wouldn't dream of telling him. I wouldn't want to hurt him or you, so...no, I'd never do that." she replied. "I promise." she said, making sure Amy knew she was being serious. But it was true; she didn't want to hurt Amy nor Rory, so it was best to keep the pregnancy a secret.

[Amy Pond]

Seeing Clara's smirk, Amy giggled herself. "Uh huh. His very first. Guess I should wear that as a badge of honour, huh?" She wrinkled her nose, but she was still smiling. Yeah, great badge of honour - one that she'd now have to carry inside her for nine months and look after for the rest of her life. It wasn't that she didn't want a kid, nor was it that she didn't want Sherlock's kid. But it just hurt, that he'd never get to see his own child and that the kid would grow up without a father. As dysfunctional as that father would have been.

Amy noticed that the brunette didn't mention anything about not having seemed Rory again and for some reason her stomach twisted. But she pushed that feeling away. After all, Clara was allowed to have whoever she wanted as friends. Sure it might be a bit awkward since said friend was Amy's ex, but as long as she didn't have to see him it was fine by Amy. "Thank you. I don't think he'd handle it very well..." Once again she scrunched her nose at the thought of Rory's reaction. She didn't need him to be involved in any of this. She had Clara, she had John, she'd be fine.

She dug into the souffle again, shoving the spoonful into her mouth. "Now you get to branch out your designs," she joked with a grin. "I want this wee bairn to be the most stylish child on the block."

[Clara Oswald]

"Yeah, totally." Clara agreed, giggling as well. After all, Amy's giggle was very contagious as it was, let alone when Clara was trying to keep her own in. She could tell Amy was still rather upset about having a baby, but it seemed that Clara could take quite a bit of that stress away, and she was honestly glad about that; after all, if she couldn't, she wouldn't be much of a best friend, really, would she?

Clara thought about it, then shook her head. "No, I don't think he would either." she agreed. After all, even if they hadn't known each other long (not counting the Oswin/Nina bit) it was clear he still had strong feelings for Amy, and revealing something like this...well, it might kill him inside, and Clara didn't want that, and she was pretty sure Amy didn't want that either.

Clara giggled. "Oh, don't you worry. Stylish kid on the block? Done! As long as you promise to let me be auntie Clara." she said, grinning widely. She was partly joking, but she'd always be willing to help Amy out with the kid if it needed be.

[Amy Pond]

"Of course you'll be Auntie Clara! I wouldn't dream of having it any other way," Amy told her with a fond smile. She was beginning to feel better, not only because Clara was here helping with trying to cheer her up but also because the realisation that there was no remedy for the situation. There was no point in moping, crying and self-pity. Amy would just have to get her head and act together and make the best of the situation. For the kid's sake.

She grinned again. "I'll hold you to your word. None of this mass-produced stuff for the wee one. It's all gotta be designer, courtesy of Miss Clara Oswald." The redhead giggled again, took another spoonful and chewed thoughtfully. What a fine mess she'd gotten herself into. But she'd make it through. Rather, they'd make it through because Amy knew that Clara and John wouldn't abandon her now.

[Clara Oswald]

"Yay!" Clara said, grinning proudly. "Auntie Clara...I rather like the sort of ring it has to it, so it's probably going to stick." she added with a giggle. Clara could tell Amy was starting to feel better and she felt proud she was one of the reasons for that. It was usually easy to read Amy's emotions because they were best friends, and Clara was pretty sure Amy could read Clara's, too.

"Hold me to it all you like." Clara agreed with a smile. "Miss Clara Oswald...for a designer name, Oswin Oswald sounds rather more catchy...I don't know, what do you think?" she asked, curiously tilting her head as she took another spoonful of souffle and ate it thoughtfully.

[Amy Pond]

"Knowing you though, you'll be around so often that the bairn will be calling you Mama as soon as it can get the word out!" Amy teased with a laugh. In all honesty, the redhead knew that more likely than not, it would happen that way; she'd become the second mum and John would become the unofficial father. Not that Amy minded one bit - it was better than having to tough it out alone.

"Oswin Oswald... I like it!" Amy replied brightly after a moment's thought. "It sounds...snazzy." She grinned at the word. "Definitely not a name that anyone would forget in a hurry! Meaning it's absolutely perfect as a designer name."

[Clara Oswald]

Clara laughed. "Maybe, but that's okay, cause when it grows up, we can explain that you're the mother, not me. You've got to do all motherly things, too." she reminded her. After all, being a mother must be rather difficult and Clara couldn't say she'd ever tried being an actual mother figure before. She'd done sister and aunt...but if the little kid started calling her Mama Clara wouldn't know how to react.

Clara grinned. "Same here. I rather like the ring to it and...yep, it's perfect. So if I ever become a designer, Oswin Oswald it'll be." she decided with a laugh. "And everyone will love my clothing and want me to make them special stuff, but only you and your child would get that." Clara was joking, she really was.

[Amy Pond]

Though the smile never left Amy's lips, a sigh escaped as she rubbed her eyes tiredly. The entire weight of the situation had finally caught up with her once again and by this point she just felt tired and drained. She was calm as could be given the shock of such an event; her hysteria had subsided and Clara had done an amazing job of cheering her up. The smile on the redhead's lips turned to one of tenderness and caring as she silently just looked at her friend. Clara really was the bestest friend Amy could have ever asked for. The Scottish woman felt really lucky to have met her.

"If I find out my baby's clothes aren't original, I won't eat your soufflés for a week," Amy stated jokingly, grabbing one of the pillows on the couch and cuddling it tight. Clothes would really be the last of her problems though when the bairn came, Amy knew that. It was going to be sleepless hours and dirty nappies. Not to mention the crying. That would be the hardest part of all; a crying baby was always rather heartbreaking for Amy to hear. Especially since when Melody was still a baby she very rarely cried; a crying baby always left Amy baffled and not knowing what to do. "Just for the record."

[Clara Oswald]

Clara reached over and slipped her hand into Amy's, giving it what she hoped was a comforting squeeze. "It'll all be fine, lovely, you'll see. You'll be a great mother and remember I'll always be here to help you through this. Okay?" she said, grinning. She didn't say 'I promise' just yet, but she was sure she didn't have to. Her eyes were making the promise as they met with Amy's, and her smile was tender, genuine and caring. Amy had changed her life drastically and it was brilliant. Clara was lucky to have met the redhead, because seriously her life was better with Amy Pond in it.

Clara gasped dramatically, the hint of a grin still on her features. "How dare you even mention not eating my souffles?" she said, her eyes sparkling in a way that said she was joking. "Don't worry, your baby's clothes will be original. She or he deserves that much." she said, smiling another genuine smile. She paused, her face turning serious. "Seriously though, if you ever need help with anything, let me know. I'm good with kids, because of my job. I'm not implying that you won't be, of course, but I'm just letting you know that if you need any help at all, I'm your girl." she said, her tone solemn and genuine.

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