Warning: Dialogue spoilers for "Kill the Moon."

Two Sides To Every Coin

Every coin has at least two sides. Each side has different outlooks, different opinions, different ways of encountering and influencing the world they live in. And Time Lord or human, everyone experiences this world in their own separate way.

His own coin, he reckons, has thirteen facets to it. One for each incarnation. He knows he's changed since he's started running. It's only obvious. Communicating his inner thoughts with others- especially humanity- is harder than ever, but past the hard, grouchy outer shell, he likes to believe he's wiser than before.

Clara, it seems, would like to disagree.

"Doctor, will you just- just tell her!" she insists, eyes wide and thoroughly frustrated.

"Tell her what?" he says, feigning ignorance. Over the past weeks, this has become a favorite tactic of his. Play dumb, so others aren't aware of the sheer intelligence they're messing with. Then, when he pulls a brilliant plan from under his sleeve, they're gob smacked, and he retrieves the upper hand. Bingo, and he solves every problem in a flash, with no mess to clean up.

She isn't about to fall for it, however. Clara never would. She's... amazing in this way. She's one of a minuscule handful of humans who understands his world. She is the support he relies on in his darkest days. Clara Oswald is, above all else, the one who cares when he forgets to.

"Tell her that she's special," she stresses again, motioning towards Courtney with a tilt of her head. The girl stands behind, waiting patiently for his answer.

But he can't answer her, because he can't bear to lie.

"Have you gone bananas?"

Why should he lie so a girl feels better about herself? She might be special, who knows? For all he's aware, Courtney might save an endangered species of monkeys, or discover the element Untimputonium. On the other hand, there is every possibility that she is simply one in a billion, just another girl destined to be a normal, insignificant human being. How can he even put that into words without her taking it the wrong way? His last incarnation would tell the lie. Back then, his side of the coin was optimism. Now, it's honesty. Pure honesty, no matter how brutal and hard to hear it is.

Courtney tentatively steps closer. "Do you really think I'm not special?" she asks, and he can tell she is actively trying not to cry. "You can't just take me away like that. It's like you kicked a big hole in- in the side of my life. You really think it? I'm nothing, I'm not special?"

The last thing he wants to do is lie, but something in her broken, empty voice convinces him to find another option. Briefly, his gaze floats towards Clara, who nods. He sighs heavily, and takes a quick glance at the small red levers on one of the panels of his ship.

If he can't tell young Courtney Woods she's special, then he will make sure she's special.

"How'd you like to be the first woman on the moon?"