User:SOTO/Forum Archive/Tales from the Tardis/@comment-188432-20140327234318/@comment-5215868-20140403152600

Mewiet wrote: Clara healed The Doctor after the loss of his wife. The Doctor literally went into retirement after he lost River because he was in so much pain and Clara brought the life back into him.

He went into seclusion because he lost the ponds. Clara pulled him out of seclusion with the word "Pond" (she was actually referring to the frozen pond with the ice lady in it, but the Doctor interpreted it differently, it made him think of Amy and Rory.)

And "after the loss of his wife"? She died a long, long time ago. Before he even knew her properly. She still had Donna as a companion when she died. He eventually began to care for River about halfway through his time with the Ponds, because he finally found out who she was. Before that their whole relationship was mistrust from him and a bit of chasing from her. Rose never had to chase the Doctor, but she tried her best to get back to him after being separated, which the Doctor liked just as much as Rose when they reunited. It's entirely understandable. Doctor and River? I didn't get their relationship that much.