Banana Upside Down Cake
Title: Banana Upside Down Cake
Author: lil ol' me
Characters: Donna and the Doctor
Rating: G
Spoilers: Everything. And I mean everything, so that includes those pictures we've all be squeeing over.
Summary: The Doctor makes Donna a cake for a special occasion. Except, yeah, he's an idiot.
Author's Notes: dedicated to catvampcrazines , who gave me the idea. Also for nschick , 'cause she's not been feeling well and she's awesome. ♥
The Doctor had been waiting for over an hour. He'd checked her room six -now seven- times to make sure everything was just like when she left it, right down to the celebrity magazines on the bedside table and the chocolates (he thanked the TARDIS for locating a new box) which normally were shoved between pictures of them on different planets or her with her family; the former were still there, unable to go with her when she'd left. The dresser was empty of her brushes, straighteners, and other assorted 'girl stuff' that she would no doubt bring back on board. He couldn't wait.
Finally he heard a knock on the door and knew she was back. He snapped his fingers and the door opened to show a large pile of suitcases, a pair of eyes and some ginger hair sticking up above them.
“Oi, Spaceman, give me a hand!”
He scurried over to the teetering luggage and steadied it before grabbing its owner and wrapping her in a bone crushing, clothes wrinkling, (and hair ruining, she would later yell at him) hug.
“Come on, we'll take care of these later. I got you a present!”
Donna yelped as he grabbed her hand, pulling her down the corridor. He stopped momentarily to point out her room to her. “Just in case you forgot,” he told her, grinning widely.
“Yeah, because I didn't just get all my memories back. Now where's my present?”
“Coming right up,” he shouted, returning her smile and dragging her toward the kitchen.
“Oi, slow down! You left me sitting at a desk for three years and expect me to be able to run? Try again!”
“Sorry, it's just that....well, I've missed you,” he told her, slowing down a bit to meet her pace. She attempted to stay angry but he could see the smug grin forming on her face.
“Oh really? Somehow I thought you'd have replaced me a long time ago.”
She was about to tease him again when she saw the frown on his face.
“Never,” he said. “I'd never have replaced you.” They walked in silence for a moment -Donna wouldn't admit to it but she was beginning to wonder if the TARDIS was hiding her alleged gift, or if maybe the Doctor had lied about it- when the Time Lord spoke again. “Of course I'm sure you had a fabulous life without me though. Then again, maybe not. Hard to compare with going around, saving civilizations, solving mysteries, and helping me pick out the right tie, I suppose.”
“Yeah....Doctor, listen-”
“So, this present of yours,” he said, cutting her off, “is right....in....here....”
They entered the kitchen and Donna glanced around the room, trying to decide what he could possibly be referring to.
“Ummmm....you got me a toaster? Gee, thanks a lot, Doctor, I think I'll need a tissue....”
The Doctor scoffed and pointed her toward the table. “Don't be silly. Your present is there.”
Donna stared at the small cake sitting on the wooden surface. It had yellow icing and the words 'Welcome Back, Donna' written on it in very sloppy handwriting. She knew without looking that there were dishes stacked under the sink from his baking adventure, waiting for either someone to clean them or the TARDIS to get ill from the smell and jettison them.
There were two plates beside it and she couldn't help but grin as she noticed the mug bearing the name 'Marvin' on it sitting at one of the seats. She'd bought it for him on a trip home; unable to find one with the cartoon character's face on it, she'd asked a shop owner who was an old friend of her granddad's to make one especially for her. The Doctor had used it for his tea ever since she bought it for him, and she closed her eyes for a moment, just enjoying the feel of being back where she belonged, travelling in the TARDIS with the Doctor.
“Donna?” The Doctor's voice broke thought her thoughts and she looked up at him. “Donna, are you all right? Don't you like it?”
“Looks great. Let's get eating this bugger, okay?”
The Doctor nodded and they sat down across from each other. He cut a big slice and put it on a plate, pushing it toward her with the knife.
“I made it by myself,” he declared proudly, and Donna chuckled as he cut a slice for himself. The cake now read 'come Back Donna' but neither of them noticed, too busy laughing as he quickly told her of how he'd nearly blown up the TARDIS kitchen making the confection.
“Well, go ahead,” he prodded. “It's banana and everything.”
Donna dropped her fork, the smile slowly sliding off her face and her eyes narrowing.
“It's what?”
“Banana,” he replied matter-of-factly. “I know how much we both like it, so-”
“I hate banana. No, that's not right. I loathe bananas.”
The Doctor's eyes widened in horror. He stared at the cake between them for a moment before he shrugged and grinned. “Oh well, more for me I guess then.”
“Excuse me?”
“Well, just 'cause you don't like bananas there's no sense in this lovely thing going to waste.” He placed his slice beside hers, then slid her plate back toward him and stuffed a large bite of cake in his mouth. “There's a box of chocolates in your room if you're still hungry, by the way.”
“You are flipping kidding me! You know I hate bananas, you dumbo. You've known ever since the TARDIS broke down after Agatha Christie. Remember? We were stuck there for three days and the TARDIS couldn't provide food because she was offline and all we had were several bunches of bananas. I didn't eat the entire time. I know you didn't forget, because you promised you'd always keep some Pringles around in case of emergencies or banana surpluses or something, and there's about six new cases beside the sink.”
“Well,” he admitted, “I may recall that little episode....I just- OW!”
“Serves you right. You made a banana cake on purpose, just so you could eat the whole thing!”
He smiled innocently, his mouth full of cake again. “But, s'tashty,” he mumbled, spraying cake crumbs at his friend. Before he could stop her she picked up the cake and dropped it on his head. “Oi, Donna, that was perfectly good cake!”
“Bloody Martian!”