[On the Run Verse] It All Began

[captoftardis]

It started out subtle. So subtle, the Doctor didn't even notice what was happening until he suddenly found himself running faster and farther than before. But this time, his warning wasn't from Rose with Bad Wolf written everywhere, but a message picked up by the TARDIS from what appeared to be from Sarah Jane Smith.

Run, Doctor. They're after you

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[noblexcompanion]

Donna had been settling back into her old life. It hadn't been easy though. She felt as though so much was missing from her life and she couldn't put her finger on it. Her mum ensured her it was from the 'car accident'. She couldn't recall any accident, but her mum told her it was all part of the amnesia. And her mum was on hand to fill in the blanks of any awkward questions like - 'What happened to that bloke you were travelling with? Ditch you for a fit bird, did he?' Thanks Nerys. Apparently, said bloke died in said car accident

[captoftardis]

He sat nervously in the lobby of a generic business building, watching people walk buy as he briefly slouched further down his chair. Doubt began spreading in his mind if this plan would actually work as the mental image of Donna laughing and throwing the envelope in the trash bin grew stronger as the seconds ticked by.

And then he was proven wrong as a flash of bright red hair belonging to his best mate walked through the door, causing him to nearly fall out of his seat as he awkwardly hurried to stand up.

"Ms. Noble?" He pulled his suit jacket down and smiled brightly -- She looked good. "Hi... I'm Mr. Smith of TARDIS Enterprises, so nice of you to meet up with me!" He figured she probably recognized him from being at her house after he had wiped her memory.

And as far as he was concerned, this was as far as he had rehearsed this scenario in his mind. The rest would be him making it up as he went along.

[noblexcompanion]

Donna flashed him a smile and smoothed down her skirt - yes, a skirt. It was a rare sight to see. She offered him her hand. "A pleasure. ...Smith... Oh, you're a friend of my Gramps, aren't you? Well, that clears up the mystery of how you got hold of a copy of my CV." The sly old devil.

TARDIS... The word sounded familiar yet she couldn't put her finger on why. Like memory just out of reach. "Hope you don't mind me asking, what exactly is it that TARDIS Enterprises does?"

[captoftardis]

"A traveling company... of sorts. You name the location, we make it happen." He grinned momentarily while tugging at his ear, "Yeah, I've, uh, traveled with your 'gramps' a few times. I've been really needing an assistant and happened to run into him the other day and he couldn't stop recommending you."

Well that worked out his favor, despite it being a bit of a lie. "So Ms. Noble, if you don't mind, tell me a bit about yourself."

When she started rambling - really sometimes she could out talk him - the Doctor suddenly had a feeling they were being watched. Determining they weren't in danger quite yet, he kept his focus on her, placing all his nods and smiles at the correct locations.

[noblexcompanion]

Donna Noble had the ability to out-talk most people. It was a special gift. It was also a curse. Still, years of office work had left her with the skill to talk almost any situation around to her favour, well, at least when it came to business. Her talking skills had won businesses some big contracts, never seemed to work the same when her temping period was up with same said businesses.

She rambled on about her life and her various temping positions and her accident and her desire to travel. Eventually she stopped to catch her breath and gave him a sheepish smile. "Sorry, I'm rambling on and on."

[captoftardis]

"Oh no, it's fine! I..." There was that wave of paranoia again. Someone was definitely watching. "...would like to show you the office

[noblexcompanion]

Donna walked with him, listening to his rambling and nodding when appropriate. She'd worked in all kinds of offices from tiny cupboards to luxurious open spaces with glass walls and all the modern technologies. Didn't really matter much as long as she could get on with her work. She couldn't help but feel secretly excited by the thought of travelling.

She backed away slightly at his words, not wanting to listen anymore. "Stop it!" She'd spent countless hours seeing different doctors and psychologists and God knows what other 'professionals' about her recurring dreams of travelling with the 'man in the suit'. She'd spent so long convincing herself that the man wasn't real and that she only saw John's face because he was the first person she saw after all the nonsense.

She wanted to run. She wanted to run and hide from it all. "I'm a temp, from Chiswick. That's what I do, that's what I am." She brought her hand up to her head, pressing on her temples as the pain began to build up.

[captoftardis]

And it was starting. He pulled out the sonic screwdriver, wiggled his eyebrows with enthusiasm at her, and unlocked the door revealing the big blue box they knew so well.

"You're not going crazy, Donna. We traveled in th'TARDIS." He nodded towards the police box. "Do you remember now?"

Slipping a hand around her back, since she was looking as if she'd pass out, he lead towards it and unlocked the door quickly.

"I need you to come with me again, Donna."

[noblexcompanion]

"Stop! It!" The memories rushed back like a tidal wave, or a river breaking it's dam. It hurt. Oh, it hurt so much. The visions from her dreams were suddenly bolder, brighter and louder. She tried to break away from his hold. "Make it stop!!" Tears filled her eyes as the pain got worse. She was torn between running, curling up in a ball and throwing up.

She began to burn up just as the Doctor had warned Sylvia and Wilf she would. Her mind was overloading with information it couldn't handle. Her skin was hot to the touch.

[captoftardis]

He had done some research, but honestly wasn't sure if this would work or not but was going to try it anyway. Pulling down the Chameleon Arch from above, he managed to maneuver Donna underneath.

"It'll stop... The pain will go away... but not until I try this. It'll hurt just for a little bit longer then it'll all be over." He refrained from saying 'I promise' because honestly, this idea was crazy and he might lose Donna forever, but he didn't know any other choice.

[noblexcompanion]

Donna was scared, no, Donna was petrified. Petrified and in pain. And dangling strange alien contraptions above her? Really not helping the fear. She wanted her grandad. She wanted the pain to stop. It felt as though her head would explode - which, of course was a possibility.

"It hurts. It hurts so much..." She clutched her head harder, trying to ebb the pain away with little success.

[captoftardis]

He vaguely remembered how much this hurt when he went through it himself, but watching her scream and clutch her head was definitely one of the most difficult things he was forced to watch. How was Martha able to just stand back and watch?

The Doctor reached out, placing his hand on her temples and assisted the TARDIS's controls... searching through the Time Lord data stored in her, shifting things around, removing the fail safe, trying to ease the pain.

And before he knew it, he opened his eyes and again and they were both collapsed on the floor. "Donna...?" He was groggy and then quickly sat up to his knees. "Donna!? Donna, are you all right?" He seriously hoped this had worked.

[noblexcompanion]

It was hardly a walk in the park, having alien machinery rewrite parts of her. Stupid alien with his stupid alien techonology. Just wait until she has the energy to slap him. It was the single most painful experience of her life. Nothing else even came close.

It was a long while before Donna regained consciousness. She was vaguely aware of the Doctor calling her name but she didn't have the strength or energy to answer him. Eventually her eyes blink open, looking up at him unfocused and blurry; wet with unshed tears.

[captoftardis]

"Hey... Hi." He smoothed her hair, trying to be comforting. "I'm so sorry I had to do that."

He wiped away a stray tear that escaped out the corner of her eye. "I need you, Donna. I need my best mate..." The Doctor still wasn't sure if he and the TARDIS were successful in what just happened, but figured if she wasn't running away from him, he was slightly successful.

[noblexcompanion]

She rolled her head to the side, letting out a groan. "Ugh... I feel like I've been hit by a lorry." And she'd bitten her tongue and had a bloodied mouth. Lovely. She attempted to sit up - bad mistake - the room seemed to spin, so she laid back down, flopping an arm across her eyes.

"What just happened?"

[captoftardis]

He sat back, palms behind him supporting his weight. "Before I met you, I had to go in hiding once." He nodded to the headphone-like structure above them. "That's the Chameleon Arch, it rewrites Time Lord cellular structure and hides the Time Lord part of you in a symbolic item. For me it was a watch, for you..." He looked around and picked up an intricately carved locket that had slide away from them. "Yes, this is it... I think?" He looked at it nonchalantly, convinced it was just a necklace and nothing particularly special and handed it to her. "An heirloom of yours?"

The Doctor briefly forgot what any possible significance the necklace had until it left his hand into hers - "You won't won't ever feel compelled to open the locket, and don't. Just don't open it anyway."