Just a Little Change, Chapter Seven
Title: Just a Little Change
Characters: Donna, the Doctor, an odd alien in a bit
Summary: dinner and a proposal. Yes, I'm evil enough to phrase it like that.
Rating: PG for implication
Author's Notes: Archive is here. Oh, and it's the end of the fluff, at least for now. Next chapter will carry a canon warning, so I'm telling you ahead of time. Oh, and thanks as usual to nschick and shining_moment for looking this over. :)
Chapter Seven
“Very fine companion you've got there,” one of the locals replied, his eyes clearly raking over the Doctor's redheaded friend. “I'm sure the royal court would be happy to buy her. Or if you rather,” the dark gray alien added, “she would fetch a nice price in the market. Given her....status....she is a rarity. Quite a bargain.” He smiled greedily. “Care to make a deal?” The Doctor's eyes instantly darkened and he marched away, taking Donna by the arm and leading her out of the hall of elders. “Oi, watch it, Time Boy,” she muttered as he dragged her past the offending alien. “Have a nice day, Miss,” he called patronizingly as they strode by his office window.
“Doctor, what's going on?”
“Nothing,” he lied. “Everything's fine. I'm just hungry. Let's go get dinner.” Donna cast him a wary glance but at last agreed and he took her to an entirely different planet than they'd agreed on, one with an anti-gravity restaurant like he'd promised her when they went to Midnight.
When they entered the establishment Donna shrugged off her coat and he smiled, noticing that the new blouse she'd bought on Mapalga was already getting a bit tight. He'd been keeping an eye on her and was relieved to see her finally gaining weight, though if he hadn't been looking for the small bump he still would have missed it.
Several minutes later they were hovering beside a small table and Donna was constantly pulling down her shirt, paranoid that it would suddenly end up on the ceiling if she didn't keep a hold of it. “Well,” she finally asked, tugging on the hem of the garment yet again, “what is it?”
The Doctor smiled. “You're pregnant,” he said with a tiny laugh, and Donna stared at him for a moment before she let herself float a little farther away. “Yeah, nice of you to notice,” she agreed hesitantly. “What's the point?” The Doctor grinned again and bobbed over to her, leading her back to her 'seat'. “I know what you did, you know,” she muttered accusingly. “You great big outer space dunce, you think I wouldn't notice my body getting bigger just because my clothes still fit? How thick do you think I am?” Donna grabbed his hand, placing it over the tiny bulge of her stomach. “I'm not a child, Doctor,” she reminded him, “and I think I can take care of the one inside me perfectly fine, so stop worrying all the time. We'll be fine.”
“Deal,” he agreed, removing his hand from her belly and moving back across from her. “But I've been thinking about some things, and since you brought it up we might as well discuss it.”
“I brought it up? How exactly did I....oh, never mind,” she conceded, “get on with it.”
“You're going home,” he said bluntly, and Donna stared at him in shock. “Oh, come on, Donna, don't act like that. We both knew you were going to have to leave eventually. You're going home,” he repeated sternly. “And there's no way you're going to change my mind.”
“You're leaving me,” she scoffed. “After all we've done, you're just going to leave me?” Her eyes darkened. “It's not just that. You're leaving me with my mother,” she accused him, and he realized how upset she was when she didn't follow her lecture with a slap.
“Not permanently, you silly woman,” he chastised softly. “But I can hardly have you riding in the TARDIS a couple months from now, can I?” He floated a little above the table and mimed a very pregnant Donna riding around in a pitching TARDIS, bumping into the table hard enough that he knocked over her cup. The water splashed up and hit him in the face, making his display so comic that several people turn to stare. Donna steadied her drink, gesturing wildly for him to sit, and he settled back across from her. “See my point? Besides, I wouldn't want you to have the baby someplace where it wouldn't be safe, or where you couldn't get help if something went wrong.”
He saw Donna still looking down at the table angrily and finally sighed. “Here's what we'll do,” he offered. “We'll keep an eye on the baby, and you can stay as long as it's safe. But the second you go into labor we head back to Earth. There's actually a lot better planets to go to for medical attention but knowing you it wouldn't be the best idea to take you to a bunch of cat nuns.” Donna eyed him suspiciously and he continued. “Anyway, the point is, as soon as you start having contractions, even if they're not real, I want to get you home so you'll be safe.” Donna scoffed. “Yeah, right,” she muttered. “Somehow I think you'll have better things to worry about than me having a baby. Actual important things, like trying to save people. Or running for your life,” she added with a small grin.
“I don't care if I'm trying to prevent World War 5, you and the baby come first,” he said sharply. “And if anything goes wrong before then -and I mean anything, whether you go into premature labor or just get a cold- I'm taking you back to Chiswick until the baby comes.” Donna tentatively met his eyes and he couldn't help but laugh. “Donna, stop worrying. I'm not going to strand you and the baby on some deserted planet. You're my mate, remember?”
Donna nodded and smiled at him again, rolling her eyes. “I'm being silly again, aren't I?” The Doctor squeezed her hand then smirked. “A bit,” he admitted, “but I suppose, being pregnant and all, I'll have to excuse it just this once.” Donna laughed. “So what's your excuse, Martian?”
“Shut it, Noble,” he shot back, “and eat your dinner before it floats away.”
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“I swear, you are the most overprotective father ever. And we're not even a couple!”
The Doctor rolled his eyes, watching his companion hop up onto the small cot, still frowning in annoyance. “That bullet wasn't even close to hitting me but there you were, falling all over the place trying to see if I'm hurt, if the baby's suddenly got some sort of weird brain damage or something. Then you almost forgot to help those poor people. You were too busy trying to get me back here when I already told you I was fine. The way you act it's no wonder everyone thinks we're married.” He absently nodded, waiting for her to pull up the baggy shirt he'd ruined almost three weeks ago with the sonic screwdriver. She was still cross with him for that one. “You know,” she continued, “if I ever catch you trying to lift my shirt after I have this kid it'll be the biggest smack you ever get.”
“Believe me, Donna,” he said shortly, “I have no desire to look at you without your clothes on, so don't worry.” Donna suddenly looked up at him, her eyes surprisingly sad. Oh no, what did I say now?
“Why? Am I ugly?” she asked. “That's it, isn't it? I'm a fat cow, I don't know how you stand to look at me the way it is, much less when I really start getting huge, and for the life of me I can't understand why you even put up with me the way I cry all the time over everything now and am always going on about biscuits and how much I wish Lee was here and I never shut up anymore do I? I just keep running my gob, talking about this and that and I must drive you bonkers, yeah? Talking about every little thing that I'm upset about -which isn't even anything most of the time anyway, I'm just so bloody cranky- and I'll never forgive myself for when I threw up on you that time after we went to Shallacatop because I wouldn't listen to you about having a lie down before we took off because my morning sickness was still pretty bad but I wouldn't listen, would I? Doctor, you must absolutely hate how much I-”
“For goodness sake, Donna,” he interrupted, “shut up and breathe!”
Donna's mouth promptly snapped shut and after a moment they both burst out laughing. “If you talked like that all the time the baby would never get any air,” he teased. Donna reached up to smack him and he caught her hand, pulling her off the bed.
“You know what? We can do this later,” he told her with a grin. “You've had a rough week, and I know somewhere we can go where you'll really enjoy yourself. And I promise, Donna,” he added, playfully shoving her in the direction of the TARDIS' wardrobe room, “you'll feel absolutely gorgeous by the time we get back. Trust me.”
Donna started to walk away, then turned around and gave him a tight hug. “Ummmm, thanks,” he muttered. “What was that for?” Donna looked up at him and grinned. “Just for being you, dumbo,” she responded, smacking him lightly on the arm. “But mostly for being the best mate I've ever had,” she added in a softer tone.
“No problem,” he replied with a smile, and hugged her again before she walked away, the normal bounce back in her step that he loved seeing every day. “I just hope she likes turkey legs,” he thought to himself before he went to set the coordinates.
Chapter Eight
Characters: Donna, the Doctor, an odd alien in a bit
Summary: dinner and a proposal. Yes, I'm evil enough to phrase it like that.
Rating: PG for implication
Author's Notes: Archive is here. Oh, and it's the end of the fluff, at least for now. Next chapter will carry a canon warning, so I'm telling you ahead of time. Oh, and thanks as usual to nschick and shining_moment for looking this over. :)
Chapter Seven
“Very fine companion you've got there,” one of the locals replied, his eyes clearly raking over the Doctor's redheaded friend. “I'm sure the royal court would be happy to buy her. Or if you rather,” the dark gray alien added, “she would fetch a nice price in the market. Given her....status....she is a rarity. Quite a bargain.” He smiled greedily. “Care to make a deal?” The Doctor's eyes instantly darkened and he marched away, taking Donna by the arm and leading her out of the hall of elders. “Oi, watch it, Time Boy,” she muttered as he dragged her past the offending alien. “Have a nice day, Miss,” he called patronizingly as they strode by his office window.
“Doctor, what's going on?”
“Nothing,” he lied. “Everything's fine. I'm just hungry. Let's go get dinner.” Donna cast him a wary glance but at last agreed and he took her to an entirely different planet than they'd agreed on, one with an anti-gravity restaurant like he'd promised her when they went to Midnight.
When they entered the establishment Donna shrugged off her coat and he smiled, noticing that the new blouse she'd bought on Mapalga was already getting a bit tight. He'd been keeping an eye on her and was relieved to see her finally gaining weight, though if he hadn't been looking for the small bump he still would have missed it.
Several minutes later they were hovering beside a small table and Donna was constantly pulling down her shirt, paranoid that it would suddenly end up on the ceiling if she didn't keep a hold of it. “Well,” she finally asked, tugging on the hem of the garment yet again, “what is it?”
The Doctor smiled. “You're pregnant,” he said with a tiny laugh, and Donna stared at him for a moment before she let herself float a little farther away. “Yeah, nice of you to notice,” she agreed hesitantly. “What's the point?” The Doctor grinned again and bobbed over to her, leading her back to her 'seat'. “I know what you did, you know,” she muttered accusingly. “You great big outer space dunce, you think I wouldn't notice my body getting bigger just because my clothes still fit? How thick do you think I am?” Donna grabbed his hand, placing it over the tiny bulge of her stomach. “I'm not a child, Doctor,” she reminded him, “and I think I can take care of the one inside me perfectly fine, so stop worrying all the time. We'll be fine.”
“Deal,” he agreed, removing his hand from her belly and moving back across from her. “But I've been thinking about some things, and since you brought it up we might as well discuss it.”
“I brought it up? How exactly did I....oh, never mind,” she conceded, “get on with it.”
“You're going home,” he said bluntly, and Donna stared at him in shock. “Oh, come on, Donna, don't act like that. We both knew you were going to have to leave eventually. You're going home,” he repeated sternly. “And there's no way you're going to change my mind.”
“You're leaving me,” she scoffed. “After all we've done, you're just going to leave me?” Her eyes darkened. “It's not just that. You're leaving me with my mother,” she accused him, and he realized how upset she was when she didn't follow her lecture with a slap.
“Not permanently, you silly woman,” he chastised softly. “But I can hardly have you riding in the TARDIS a couple months from now, can I?” He floated a little above the table and mimed a very pregnant Donna riding around in a pitching TARDIS, bumping into the table hard enough that he knocked over her cup. The water splashed up and hit him in the face, making his display so comic that several people turn to stare. Donna steadied her drink, gesturing wildly for him to sit, and he settled back across from her. “See my point? Besides, I wouldn't want you to have the baby someplace where it wouldn't be safe, or where you couldn't get help if something went wrong.”
He saw Donna still looking down at the table angrily and finally sighed. “Here's what we'll do,” he offered. “We'll keep an eye on the baby, and you can stay as long as it's safe. But the second you go into labor we head back to Earth. There's actually a lot better planets to go to for medical attention but knowing you it wouldn't be the best idea to take you to a bunch of cat nuns.” Donna eyed him suspiciously and he continued. “Anyway, the point is, as soon as you start having contractions, even if they're not real, I want to get you home so you'll be safe.” Donna scoffed. “Yeah, right,” she muttered. “Somehow I think you'll have better things to worry about than me having a baby. Actual important things, like trying to save people. Or running for your life,” she added with a small grin.
“I don't care if I'm trying to prevent World War 5, you and the baby come first,” he said sharply. “And if anything goes wrong before then -and I mean anything, whether you go into premature labor or just get a cold- I'm taking you back to Chiswick until the baby comes.” Donna tentatively met his eyes and he couldn't help but laugh. “Donna, stop worrying. I'm not going to strand you and the baby on some deserted planet. You're my mate, remember?”
Donna nodded and smiled at him again, rolling her eyes. “I'm being silly again, aren't I?” The Doctor squeezed her hand then smirked. “A bit,” he admitted, “but I suppose, being pregnant and all, I'll have to excuse it just this once.” Donna laughed. “So what's your excuse, Martian?”
“Shut it, Noble,” he shot back, “and eat your dinner before it floats away.”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
“I swear, you are the most overprotective father ever. And we're not even a couple!”
The Doctor rolled his eyes, watching his companion hop up onto the small cot, still frowning in annoyance. “That bullet wasn't even close to hitting me but there you were, falling all over the place trying to see if I'm hurt, if the baby's suddenly got some sort of weird brain damage or something. Then you almost forgot to help those poor people. You were too busy trying to get me back here when I already told you I was fine. The way you act it's no wonder everyone thinks we're married.” He absently nodded, waiting for her to pull up the baggy shirt he'd ruined almost three weeks ago with the sonic screwdriver. She was still cross with him for that one. “You know,” she continued, “if I ever catch you trying to lift my shirt after I have this kid it'll be the biggest smack you ever get.”
“Believe me, Donna,” he said shortly, “I have no desire to look at you without your clothes on, so don't worry.” Donna suddenly looked up at him, her eyes surprisingly sad. Oh no, what did I say now?
“Why? Am I ugly?” she asked. “That's it, isn't it? I'm a fat cow, I don't know how you stand to look at me the way it is, much less when I really start getting huge, and for the life of me I can't understand why you even put up with me the way I cry all the time over everything now and am always going on about biscuits and how much I wish Lee was here and I never shut up anymore do I? I just keep running my gob, talking about this and that and I must drive you bonkers, yeah? Talking about every little thing that I'm upset about -which isn't even anything most of the time anyway, I'm just so bloody cranky- and I'll never forgive myself for when I threw up on you that time after we went to Shallacatop because I wouldn't listen to you about having a lie down before we took off because my morning sickness was still pretty bad but I wouldn't listen, would I? Doctor, you must absolutely hate how much I-”
“For goodness sake, Donna,” he interrupted, “shut up and breathe!”
Donna's mouth promptly snapped shut and after a moment they both burst out laughing. “If you talked like that all the time the baby would never get any air,” he teased. Donna reached up to smack him and he caught her hand, pulling her off the bed.
“You know what? We can do this later,” he told her with a grin. “You've had a rough week, and I know somewhere we can go where you'll really enjoy yourself. And I promise, Donna,” he added, playfully shoving her in the direction of the TARDIS' wardrobe room, “you'll feel absolutely gorgeous by the time we get back. Trust me.”
Donna started to walk away, then turned around and gave him a tight hug. “Ummmm, thanks,” he muttered. “What was that for?” Donna looked up at him and grinned. “Just for being you, dumbo,” she responded, smacking him lightly on the arm. “But mostly for being the best mate I've ever had,” she added in a softer tone.
“No problem,” he replied with a smile, and hugged her again before she walked away, the normal bounce back in her step that he loved seeing every day. “I just hope she likes turkey legs,” he thought to himself before he went to set the coordinates.
Chapter Eight