Holographic Malfunction at the Papal Mainframe

Christmas Day, Earth, 2013. Clara had just hopped aboard the TARDIS after what she considered to be the most disastrous Christmas dinner she’s ever hosted. The doctor had agreed to stand in as her boyfriend, albeit wearing holographic clothes that her parents couldn’t see. But he had agreed to help her cook the Christmas turkey, so at least there was that. She shoved the Turkey into a panel underneath the central console of the TARDIS, hoping the time winds would be able to cook it. Or in the doctor’s mind, bring the turkey back to life.

“Right then, you said you had to go somewhere. So where is it?” Clara asked, leaning against the console with her arms folded, trying her hardest not to picture the doctor in his birthday suit. That was the last thing she needed this Christmas. “We…” The Doctor began, flicking a few colourful switches on a nearby panel of the console. “Are going to Church. More specifically The Papal Mainframe.” “Ooh, sounds fancy. Well if we’re going to church, shouldn’t you, I don’t know, put on some actual clothes?” Clara asked, raising her eyebrow. The doctor simply chuckled to himself as the console made several clicking noises. “Oh, about that. The Papal Mainframe consider nudity as a mark of respect. Hence the holographic clothes” The doctor replied, gesturing to himself. “By the way, you might wanna strip off before we get there.”

Clara’s face dropped when she heard him say this. He wasn’t serious, was he? Regardless, and thinking to herself that there wasn’t much choice, she groaned softly and pushed herself off of the console, har arms still folded. “Um, right, yeah, OK then” she muttered, unsure of how to respond as she walked to her bedroom. She pushed the door open with her rear end and took a deep breath. “Here goes nothing…” She told herself as she began to strip off. She felt more and more **** with each item that was removed. As much as she hated this, she as least took comfort in the idea of holographic clothing.

To Clara, the sound of her bare feet against the cold metal flooring of the console room felt like they echoed. She’d decided to wrap herself in a blanket until they got there, not wanting to show the doctor everything. She sighed softly and leaned against the railing. “God I hate you for this” she muttered, which drew a laugh from the doctor. “No you don’t, you love travelling with me” he replied, patting her bare shoulder with a smirk. Clara rolled her eyes, knowing full well that the doctor had misunderstood her entirely. After what felt like an eternity, the central column stopped moving and everything fell silent, the only sound being the occasional beeping of equipment and groaning of engines. The doctor hurried over to the doors, gesturing for Clara to follow him.