An Exchange of Vows
Title: An Exchange of Vows
Written for 20_fics
Prompt: #18 Promise
Word Count: 644
Rating: PG
Disclaimer: Donna Noble belongs to the BBC, Bialar Crais to Henson Entertainment
Summary: A promise made and a promise given...
The Earth is shrinking. Donna can no longer make out the continents; everything is blurred together, blue and white, bright against the darkness of space. She feels only a little regret at leaving, and most of that is down to her mother and her grandfather. There is little else that held her there, except what was done to her.
“Promise me something?” she says, without taking her eyes away from the window.
“That depends,” Bialar replies evenly, “on what that is.”
She turns then and looks at him. “Whatever happens, whatever danger we get into, promise me that you won’t… that you won’t change your mind. Don’t… don’t send me back.”
Her voice is hoarse when she finishes and she can hear her own words, begging and pleading with the Doctor. She doesn’t even realise she is crying until a warm hand cups her cheek and wipes it dry.
Bialar’s eyes are brown, familiar enough that she feels a slight jolt when she meets them, despite the fact that he bears no resemblance to the Doctor otherwise. He gazes at her steadily, one hand against her cheek, and he holds her attention fully.
“I would never,” he says, his voice low and soft but very firm.
“Not even to save my life?”
He pauses and thinks it over. “I would try to save you, but you have made your own decision.” His lips twitch into a slight smile. “As farbot as I might think you are for making that choice, I shall not go against it.”
Donna lets her eyes close. His words free the knot of fear that has resided in her since they left Earth behind, and the relief she feels brings a wide smile to her face. Joy bubbles up and she flings her arms around his neck, laughing with sheer delight.
“Thank you,” she giggles. Then she frowns at him. “What does ‘farbot’ mean?”
“Insane. Well, more or less.”
“You think I’m crazy?” She’s still too happy to manage annoyance. Bialar shakes his head and grins at her.
“No, I know you are.”
She arches her eyebrows, but he just gives a soft laugh at her pretence and she slaps his arm. “I am not,” she tells him with a sniff. She shifts in the circle of his arms so that she can look out of the window again. “What’s crazy about wanting to see more of that?”
He doesn’t answer immediately, but he pulls her closer and rests his chin on top of her head. It is enough out of his usual character to startle Donna to stillness, but her mind is working overtime and she wonders whether this behaviour is closer to the actual man. It’s an intriguing thought and she pulls back to look at him. He is staring at the stars, his eyes distant. Oh, she recognises that look.
“Bialar?”
He jolts slightly and looks down. The darkness is gone and he smiles. “Promise me something, Donna Noble?”
She smiles at him. “Anything.”
“All this… travelling… I have always had a plan, something to strive for. Now I find I have nothing to fight, nothing to do but to travel the stars.”
“So what’s your problem?” she says with a smile. “Isn’t that enough?”
“I don’t know - I’ve never tried it.”
“Now’s your chance.”
He grins at her. “Oh yes, but my problem is that I’m not entirely sure how to go about it. Which is where you come in.”
Donna looks at him; this man - well being really, but he looks human enough - has given her back her life and for that she will be forever grateful. It’s a very small thing that he’s asked of her and it’s very easy to smile. She hugs him again, because she likes doing that, and nods.
“I can do that,” she says. “I promise.”
Written for 20_fics
Prompt: #18 Promise
Word Count: 644
Rating: PG
Disclaimer: Donna Noble belongs to the BBC, Bialar Crais to Henson Entertainment
Summary: A promise made and a promise given...
The Earth is shrinking. Donna can no longer make out the continents; everything is blurred together, blue and white, bright against the darkness of space. She feels only a little regret at leaving, and most of that is down to her mother and her grandfather. There is little else that held her there, except what was done to her.
“Promise me something?” she says, without taking her eyes away from the window.
“That depends,” Bialar replies evenly, “on what that is.”
She turns then and looks at him. “Whatever happens, whatever danger we get into, promise me that you won’t… that you won’t change your mind. Don’t… don’t send me back.”
Her voice is hoarse when she finishes and she can hear her own words, begging and pleading with the Doctor. She doesn’t even realise she is crying until a warm hand cups her cheek and wipes it dry.
Bialar’s eyes are brown, familiar enough that she feels a slight jolt when she meets them, despite the fact that he bears no resemblance to the Doctor otherwise. He gazes at her steadily, one hand against her cheek, and he holds her attention fully.
“I would never,” he says, his voice low and soft but very firm.
“Not even to save my life?”
He pauses and thinks it over. “I would try to save you, but you have made your own decision.” His lips twitch into a slight smile. “As farbot as I might think you are for making that choice, I shall not go against it.”
Donna lets her eyes close. His words free the knot of fear that has resided in her since they left Earth behind, and the relief she feels brings a wide smile to her face. Joy bubbles up and she flings her arms around his neck, laughing with sheer delight.
“Thank you,” she giggles. Then she frowns at him. “What does ‘farbot’ mean?”
“Insane. Well, more or less.”
“You think I’m crazy?” She’s still too happy to manage annoyance. Bialar shakes his head and grins at her.
“No, I know you are.”
She arches her eyebrows, but he just gives a soft laugh at her pretence and she slaps his arm. “I am not,” she tells him with a sniff. She shifts in the circle of his arms so that she can look out of the window again. “What’s crazy about wanting to see more of that?”
He doesn’t answer immediately, but he pulls her closer and rests his chin on top of her head. It is enough out of his usual character to startle Donna to stillness, but her mind is working overtime and she wonders whether this behaviour is closer to the actual man. It’s an intriguing thought and she pulls back to look at him. He is staring at the stars, his eyes distant. Oh, she recognises that look.
“Bialar?”
He jolts slightly and looks down. The darkness is gone and he smiles. “Promise me something, Donna Noble?”
She smiles at him. “Anything.”
“All this… travelling… I have always had a plan, something to strive for. Now I find I have nothing to fight, nothing to do but to travel the stars.”
“So what’s your problem?” she says with a smile. “Isn’t that enough?”
“I don’t know - I’ve never tried it.”
“Now’s your chance.”
He grins at her. “Oh yes, but my problem is that I’m not entirely sure how to go about it. Which is where you come in.”
Donna looks at him; this man - well being really, but he looks human enough - has given her back her life and for that she will be forever grateful. It’s a very small thing that he’s asked of her and it’s very easy to smile. She hugs him again, because she likes doing that, and nods.
“I can do that,” she says. “I promise.”