[On the Run] A Sprint to the Finish Line

[captoftardis]

There was a gentle, consistent hum to the TARDIS as the Doctor stood at the console. Since being back, he caught a nap, showered and shaved, and was quietly working on a plan to submit to the Shadow Proclamation in hopes they could work together to resolve everything

Comments

[noblexcompanion]

Donna had slept, uninterrupted by nightmares. She felt refreshed - well, as refreshed as she could considering the road that still lay ahead. Physically her wounds were healed, her wrist was as good as new and all the other sprains, bruises and marks had faded and her headache had numbed down to a dull ache.

She dragged herself from her bed, showered and dressed before venturing to the kitchen.

A short while later she arrived in the console room with two mugs of tea. "Here, I thought you could do with some brain fuel." She knew the Doctor well enough to know that he would've thrown himself into his work without a care for his own well-being.

[captoftardis]

He gladly accepted the mug, taking a sip almost immediately the moment it was in his hands. "It's lovely, thanks." He smiled as he perched on his pilot's chair, looking at the console where he could see the screen speeding through Gallifreyan text as it searched for his inquiry.

"Hopefully soon, we'll be a step closer of where we need to go." He commented softly as his ears picked up on the quiet pitter-patter of Rose coming to join them. "Sleep alright?" He called over noticing she looked still rather drowsy.

"Mm, yeah..." She commented as she yawned, a hint of embarrassment over coming her features. "Anything yet?"

"Not quite... But still searching!"

[noblexcompanion]

"You want a cup of tea? Kettle's just boiled." Donna Noble. Tea maker of the universe. Cake baker too, but she hadn't been awake long enough for that yet. The most domesticated traveller of time and space - or something.

"At least we're one step closer, and if the Shadow Proclamation stay true to their word then we won't be looking over our shoulders every other second." Meaning they'd be able to focus their energies on the things that really mattered like finding and rescuing John from whatever mess he had gotten himself into.

[captoftardis]

Rose spun on her feet and helped herself before rejoining the two. "So what do we have so far?" She went to the seat where the Doctor was, nudging him to move over and share.

"Well!" He then bounced to his feet to have a look, "So far it's resulted in... two possibilities.. Oh! Now 5." He hoped those were some of the discrepancies in time still leaking from when John originally did his damage.

"Do we have to address all those?" Rose looked displeased as she took a sip.

"Hopefully not after I look at them further with the Shadow Proclamation."

[noblexcompanion]

"Anyone else getting a terrible sense of foreboding right now? The opening door, the staircase, the light. So like a horror movie right before people get their spines ripped out through their flamin' chest!" And what was that pounding noise? Oh, that was Donna's heartbeat. But it was fine. She was fine. Not at all scared...

"If we get out of this alive, remind me to kill you." At least the dim light meant she could sort of see where she was going - less chance of tripping down the stairs and breaking her neck.

[captoftardis]

"Positive thinking there, Donna." The Doctor inhaled sharply before absent-mindedly rubbing his nose and looking around. He wasn't sensing anything off or immediate danger right now, so that was a good sign.

"Doctor, should be we walking in like, I mean, typically when these kind of things happen..." Rose was with Donna on this one. Perhaps they'll team up together and murder him.

"And our other choices are...?"

[noblexcompanion]

"Ugh, fine. I suppose our options are somewhat on the limited side. But if this all goes tits up, I get to give you the biggest 'I told you so', got it?" She really hoped that for once - just once - Lady Luck would be on their side.

"How many steps are there? Seriously, super black market planet and they haven't heard of escalators or lifts?"

[captoftardis]

"I should've left you two back in th'TARDIS." The Doctor mumbled as they made their descent downwards. Luckily they weren't too steep and finally they made it to the bottom. "Here we go! All in one piece, everyone?"

Before he could even reach out, the door opened, and not on it's own this time, but by a large silver hand that when there eyes moved it finally connected that they were standing just before a Cyberman. Rose shrieked and perhaps Donna did too, as the Doctor stood there stupidly with his eyes wide and clearly with a delayed reaction with the hand reaching out, grasping his shoulder tightly and raising him up off the ground.

"Stop it, Leonard!" A voice called somewhere in the background, "Release him, he's a guest!" Which was done so properly, leaving the Doctor to lose his balance and fall into Donna.

[noblexcompanion]

Donna fussed around, ensuring the Soothsayer was settled and safe. She still felt guilty for leaving the Doctor behind though. If anything bad happened to him she would never forgive herself. She pulled her hair up into a ponytail as she headed towards the TARDIS door.

"Rose, I'm going to look for him. Stay here and protect the Soothsayer. I'll find him. I promise." She left quickly before Rose could argue and headed back towards the hidden auction house.

[captoftardis]

There was a moment between the Doctor and the Shadow Hunter. Nothing was spoken between them as the Doctor just simply looked at him (assuming it was a 'him') and just like that, it was over. Freedom

[noblexcompanion]

Donna made her way down the seemingly endless staircase - had it been this long before? It was still as dark as it had been and it took her all her effort not to tumble her way down to the bottom. Wouldn't be much of a rescue mission if she fell and snapped her neck...

Once at the bottom she let out a breath she hadn't realised she had been holding. She could do this. She could be brave. She had to be, for the Doctor's sake. It was her fault that the Doctor had been left behind.

"Doctor?" She whispered, heading towards the stage.

[captoftardis]

"We need to get you out of here." The Doctor spoke as he pulled off the chains and ripped off the sheet. "Why isn't they haven't sold you off yet? They were quite thrilled to sell me the moment I came in."

"Big auction... starts tomorrow... waiting for high bidders." John croaked in a reply as he struggled to stand on his own two feet. "Rose? Is she... Do you... know?"

"She's fine, back in the TARDIS. You'll see her in no time! C'mon!" The Doctor helped him to his feet and looped an arm around his neck as they clamored back out into the hallway when a click was heard and alarms started sounding.

[noblexcompanion]

Donna had fallen into a contented sleep. No nightmares, no tossing and turning. Just decent, well deserved, well needed rest. She shifted a little, expecting to nuzzle into the comfort of her very own Time Lord pillow but instead found the bed cold and empty. She cracked an eye open. Yep, definitely empty.

She forced herself to drag herself out of the warmth and comfort of the bed and found her slippers. She trudged, half asleep to the kitchen, made two cups of tea and headed for the console room. She couldn't be certain, but she had a good idea that's where the Doctor would be.

[captoftardis]

"Go back to bed." He commented a little more flippantly than he intended, and to make it up he did take the offered cup of tea.

He was avoiding her gaze, but then finally met it as he glanced over, "Why'd you get up?" She didn't have to be awake as he could tell she was sleeping quite contently next to him. He didn't think he woke her up when he left.

[noblexcompanion]

"My comfy pillow ditched on me." Also, she worries about the silly prawn too much. She curled her hands around her cup, taking in the welcomed warmth. "And I figured either something was wrong or you were sulking. So being the awesome and brilliant best mate that I am, I came to check on you!" Yep. It was totally because she was worried.

"So, come on then, since I'm awake, what's up?"

[captoftardis]

"Just trying to think of ways of how we can exploit the Shadow Hunters and not get murdered in the process. They're involved in the auctions... I'm wondering if they were the ones to get the Soothsayer."

He takes a sip and stretches out his legs again, "Also to weave the time lines together is no easy task." Of course there were other things on his mind, but they were considerably less important than what was stated.