Last Visit
Title: Last Visit
Author: bitter_suite24
Characters: 11th Doctor, Donna Noble, Wilf, Sylvia
Rating: G
Spoilers: The end of season 4 and all of season 6.
Words: 3,018
Summary: The Doctor is doing a farewell tour, and he wants to visit an old companion.
Disclaimer: Sadly, Doctor Who is not mine.
Author's Note:This is my first fanfiction attempt! I hope you like it!
The Doctor stood in the Tardis debating. He knew he was slated to die on April 22, 2011. That was the whole reason he had done a farewell tour. He’d left Amy and Rory to what he hoped would be domestic bliss. He’d also seen Craig and stopped some Cybermen in the process. He was unable to visit Rose unless he went to the parallel universe where she was or visited her before they’d met. Besides, Rose had her half human Doctor. She’d be fine. Martha was busy fighting aliens with Mickey, her husband. She’d be fine too. But there was one other companion that the Doctor could visit. Could, but he wasn’t sure he should. It would be very dangerous. Oh, not dangerous for the Doctor. There’d be no danger to him at all. But for her, any return of the memories could be deadly.
“No,” the Doctor shook his head. “I can’t go. It’s too dangerous. Besides, she has a husband now too. She’ll be fine.” However he made no move to start the Tardis on her course. “But I would love to see her again, and I have a different face now. There’s no way she’d recognize me. And of course I won’t mention anything that could bring back the memories.” With that he pulled several levers on the control panel and pushed some buttons. As the Tardis whooshed to life he smiled at his decision. After all, she was the one human companion who’d, for a short time, really understood what being a Time Lord was like. He couldn’t wait to see Donna Noble again!
The Tardis landed several blocks from Wilfred’s house and behind a stone wall. The Doctor wasn’t sure where Donna and her husband Shaun were living now, but he knew Wilf and Sylvia would know. On the off chance that Donna was visiting her grandfather and mother he wanted the Tardis out of sight. He needed to make sure Donna didn’t remember. The Doctor walked to Wilf’s door, looking around the neighborhood and smiling. He remembered his adventures involving Sylvia and Wilf, and especially Donna. Reaching the door he raised a hand and knocked.
Wilf heard the knock on the door, but he was absorbed in a telescope magazine. He was thinking of purchasing a new one, and he was interested in the reviews. “Can you get that?” he called to Sylvia. There was no answer. Then he remembered that she had gone down the street to the market. Grumbling a bit he put down the magazine, and headed towards the door. He opened it and saw a stranger standing on the front porch. The stranger was wearing a bowtie, which Wilf quite liked. You didn’t see many bowties these days. The man was also wearing a fez, which Wilf found a bit odd. What he found even odder was that the man greeted him as though they were old friends.
The Doctor broke into a huge grin as the door opened. “Wilf! It’s so good to see you again! You look great!”
Wilf was perplexed. “Excuse me,” he asked the man, “but have we met?”
The Doctor smiled. “Of course, I forgot. I have a new face now.” Wilf continued to stare blankly. “It’s me!” the Doctor exclaimed. Wilf still said nothing and looked confused. “I’m the Doctor!” the Doctor finally clarified.
Wilf’s expression changed from confusion to shock. “Doctor? Is it really you?”
“Is it really me? Of course I’m me! Now are we going to stand around on the porch all day or are you going to invite me inside?” Without waiting for an answer the Doctor strode past Wilf and into the house.
Wilf closed the door behind him and turned to follow the Doctor, still looking shocked. The two sat down at the kitchen table and Wilf peered at the Doctor. He opened his mouth to ask a question, but the Doctor cut him off.
“Yes, it really is me. I know this isn’t how I looked before, but I regenerated. New body, new face, same Doctor.”
“Regenerated?”
“Yes,” the Doctor confirmed. He could tell Wilf was about to ask more, and he waved his hand in the air. “It’s a Time Lord thing. Not important. What’s important is, how are you? How’s Sylvia?”
“We’re both fine,” Wilf said. “In fact-” but the Doctor cut him off again.
“That’s great! How’s Donna doing?”
“Donna? She’s fine too. She and Shaun are very happy.”
The Doctor smiled. “Good. I’m glad. Where are the two of them living?”
“Well, they’re over on…” Wilf trailed off as he realized that the Doctor had asked. “Why do you want to know? You’re not going to go see her are you?”
“Yes, I was planning to,” the Doctor admitted.
“Doctor you can’t. You know you can’t. Her memories…”
“Wilf,” the Doctor said gently, “you had no idea who I was. Donna won’t either. I won’t say anything to bring back her memories. She won’t be in any danger.”
Wilf still looked troubled, but he nodded. “I suppose you’re right. Donna and Shaun live over on-” This time he was cut off by Sylvia entering the house carrying some bags.
“Wilf, they didn’t have any good apples at the store, but I got…” she trailed off as she looked up and saw the Doctor sitting at the kitchen table. “Hello,” she said, greeting the Doctor. Then she turned to Wilf. “Who’s this?”
“Well, this is, uh-”
The Doctor broke in. “Hello Sylvia. I’m the Doctor.”
Sylvia almost dropped the bags she was carrying. “Doctor? But how…” She trailed off and looked him up and down.
The Doctor waved his hand in the air again. “I know. I look different. Regeneration. New face, new body, same Doctor. It’s a Time Lord thing.”
“Oh. Okay.” Sylvia looked a bit bemused, but she turned to put her bags on the counter.
“Wilf was just about to tell me where Donna and Shaun live.”
Sylvia spun around and looked at Wilf in shock. “What?! You can’t do that! It’s too dangerous! What if her memories come back?”
“They won’t,” the Doctor said. “Donna won’t recognize me, and I won’t say anything to bring her memories back.”
“So, what, you’re just going to walk up to her and say, ‘Hi, you’ve never met me before, but I wanted to come see you’?” Sylvia demanded.
“No,” the Doctor replied. “I’ll say I’m lost and need directions. Or something along those lines. Donna will never know it wasn’t just a random encounter with a stranger.”
“I don’t know…” Sylvia said. She looked at Wilf who wisely decided not to get into the middle of the argument.
The Doctor looked Sylvia in the eyes. “Please. I just want to see her. One last time.”
Now Wilf spoke up. “Wait a minute. What do you mean ‘one last time’?”
The Doctor suddenly seemed to realize what he’d said. “Nothing. Nothing at all. It’s just a saying.”
“Sure it is, but I don’t believe you meant it in a casual way. Come on Doctor. Tell us the truth. What’s going on?”
The Doctor looked uncomfortable. “It’s complicated. A long story. I just… want to see Donna again. I promise her memories won’t return. Please.”
Wilf stared at the Doctor for a few minutes then glanced at his daughter. Sylvia looked away and said nothing. That was her way of saying she wasn’t entirely happy about it, but she wasn’t going to argue. Finally Wilf sighed. “Donna and Shaun live a couple miles from here closer to the center of town. At the end of our road take a right, then the second left. Go for three blocks then take another right. That will put you on Donna’s street. The house number is 1326.”
“Thank you,” the Doctor said. Wilf looked like he wanted to say something, but he just nodded. The Doctor got up and left the house. Wilf watched through the window as he walked down the road.
The Doctor followed Wilf’s directions and thought about the upcoming visit as he walked. He planned to do just what he’d told Wilf and Sylvia: knock on Donna’s door, say he was lost, and ask for directions. If her husband answered the door instead of Donna herself the Doctor planned to say was from a woman’s magazine and was taking a survey of local women.
The Doctor figured he was still a few blocks from Donna’s street when he turned a corner and saw Donna about a block ahead of him struggling with some bags that were about to fall out of her hands. All thoughts of asking for directions and taking surveys flew out of his mind as he saw her. Quickly he rushed up to her and grabbed a bag that was about fall on the ground.
Donna looked up as the stranger grabbed her bag just before it hit the ground. “Thank you!” she said gratefully.
“No problem at all,” the man said. Donna reached out to take the bag from him, but he shook his head. “I’ll carry that for you.”
“Thank you,” Donna repeated, “but I can manage.”
“I insist,” the man said. He peered at her. “In fact, you look a bit tired. Why don’t we go to the café on the corner, and I’ll buy you a tea.”
Donna was tired, but she was also offended that this stranger thought he could just swoop in and take her to tea. “Oy!” she said holding up her left hand and waggling her fingers. “I’m a married woman! Stop trying to pick me up.”
To her consternation the man just smiled. “That’s a lovely ring,” he told her as he examined her left hand. “And I assure you I am not trying to ‘pick you up’. I simply thought you looked tired and also thought you could use a cup of tea.”
“Well… all right,” Donna relented. “But just one cup.”
“Just one cup,” the Doctor agreed as they headed towards the corner café. He couldn’t keep a smile off his face. Donna hadn’t changed one bit.
They sat down at a small table facing each other and gave the waitress their tea orders. “Thank you for the tea and again for rescuing my bag Mr…” Donna looked at the man questioningly.
The Doctor thought quickly. Donna had briefly met his tenth incarnation as John Smith, so he needed to use a different name. “My name is James Edwards,” he told her. “And you’re welcome, “Mrs…?”
“My name is Donna Temple-Noble, Mr. Edwards.”
The Doctor shook his head. “James is fine, Mrs. Temple-Noble.” He wiggled his tongue around in his mouth as he said the partially unfamiliar name.
“I suppose you can call me Donna,” she said. The Doctor simply inclined his head. “So,” Donna continued, “I haven’t seen you around town. Are you new here?”
“Oh, no,” the Doctor said shaking his head. “I’m just here visiting an old friend. In fact I’ll be leaving later today. I just happened to see you struggling with your bags as I was walking down the street, and I decided to help.”
“I appreciate that,” Donna replied. “So, where are you from? What do you do?”
“I’m from Bristol,” the Doctor replied without hesitation. “And I work in a shop. Nothing special. Just a little shop that sells interesting or unusual items.”
“That sounds fun,” Donna said as she sipped the tea the waitress had just delivered. “What kind of items?”
That stumped the Doctor. “Oh, well, you know. Just things. Like…” he cast around for an example.
“Like fezzes?” suggested Donna, her eyes on his head.
“Fezzes are cool!” proclaimed the Doctor. Then, as an afterthought, “So are bowties.”
Donna just nodded with an amused look on her face. “If you say so.”
“That’s enough about me,” said the Doctor. “What about you? What do you do?”
“Me?” Donna shrugged. “I’m just a secretary.”
“Secretaries are very important,” the Doctor told her.
Donna smiled. “That’s what Shaun, my husband, says.”
“Well he’s right. What company do you work for?”
“Smith and Jones, the law firm.”
The Doctor was a bit surprised at the firm’s name, but got over it quickly. After all, ‘Smith’ and ‘Jones’ were both very common names. “I’m sure you’re very, very important to Smith and Jones.”
“I hope I’m not too important,” Donna laughed. “In a few months I’ll be leaving them.”
“Leaving? Why?”
“Well, it’s only temporary. I’ll be on maternity leave.”
A huge smile spread across the Doctor’s face. “Maternity leave? You mean you’re pregnant?”
Donna looked amused. “That’s generally what maternity leave means, yes.”
“Why that’s wonderful! Just wonderful! Congratulations!”
“Thank you,” Donna replied. She was a bit surprised that James was so excited about the pregnancy of a woman he’d just met, but she figured he liked kids.
“Do you know if you’re having a boy or a girl?” the Doctor asked.
Donna shook her head. “No, it’s too soon to tell. I’ll be happy just as long as my baby is healthy.”
“I’m sure he or she will be, and I’m sure you’ll be a wonderful mother.”
“I hope so! To be honest I’m a bit nervous.”
“All first time mothers are nervous, but you’ll be fine. I can tell you’re great with kids.”
“I appreciate you saying that,” Donna said as she set down her tea cup. She glanced at her watch and gasped. “Oh! It’s later than I thought it was. Thank you for the tea James, but I really need to be getting home now.” She bent down to pick up her bags.
“I’ll help you get those back to your house,” the Doctor said.
Donna shook her head. “Don’t bother. It’s not far; I can make it.”
“It’s no bother at all.” And with that the Doctor grabbed all of Donna’s bags. “Lead the way,” he said.
Donna was a bit surprised, but she let James take her bags as they walked back to her house. It really wasn’t far, and they reached it in a few minutes. James set her bags down on the front step and smiled at her.
“It was nice to meet you Donna. Thank you for letting me take you to tea.”
“It was nice meeting you too James. Thank you for the tea the help with my bags. And have a nice trip back to Bristol. I hope you enjoyed the visit here with your old friend.”
“I did,” the Doctor replied. “It was a wonderful visit.”
Donna thought he looked sad for a minute, but then his face cleared up and he smiled again. “Goodbye Mrs. Donna Temple-Noble. Have a good evening.”
“The same to you Mr. James Edwards,” she responded. Then she turned and took her bags into the house with her.
The Doctor walked down the street feeling exhilarated. He’d hoped to be able to speak to Donna briefly and possibly discover some information about her by observing her house. Instead he’d had the chance to sit and talk with her for a short time. He felt extremely fortunate.
A few months later Donna was sitting with Shaun, her mother, her grandfather, and some friends at her baby shower. She knew men weren’t generally invited to baby showers, but Shaun was going to be a parent too, so why shouldn’t he be invited? Donna figured there was nothing wrong with breaking tradition. She sat on a chair opening presents, mostly clothing but also other items she and Shaun would need for the babies. She paused in her thoughts. She was still getting used to the plural. At first she had actually thought the doctor had made a mistake, but he was adamant. She was having twins, a boy and a girl. She turned back to the guests and picked up the last present from the table. She examined the package but couldn’t find a card. She held it up in the air.
“Does anyone know who this is from? There’s no card.” The guests looked at each other, but no one responded. “Well maybe there’s a card inside,” said Donna as she opened the gift.
Once she had it open in her lap she gasped. “These are gorgeous!” She held them up for everyone to see. There were two identical mobiles with stars, planets, and moons on them. As they caught the light they seemed to shimmer. At the top was the phrase, ‘Keep Reaching for the Stars’. “These are just beautiful,” Donna said, “but there’s no card inside either. Who are these from?” She turned to look at Wilf. “Grandpa?”
He shook his head. “No, th-they’re not from me.” His eyes were wide and his voice was strangled.
“Mum?” Donna asked, looking at her mother.
“No, not from me either,” said Sylvia in a whisper, her face pale.
“I guess it’s a mystery,” Donna said, still admiring the mobiles. “I know just where I’ll put them. I’ll hang one above each crib. That way little Donna and little Shaun will both remember to ‘Keep Reaching for the Stars’. She turned to set the mobiles on the table next to her so they wouldn’t be damaged, when, out of the corner of her eye, she thought she saw a figure looking in the window. However when she turned and looked more closely there was no one there. Donna shrugged and put it out of her mind as Shaun came over a kissed her. She smiled up at him. She was looking forward to being a mother and raising a family with her wonderful husband.
The Doctor walked down the street, happy that Donna had liked his gifts. He hadn’t been planning on coming back again after having tea with her, but finding out she was pregnant had changed his plans. He now knew for a fact that Donna would be fine in the future and would be an excellent mother. Reaching the Tardis he entered it and set his destination. He was now ready to face whatever fate had in store for him at Lake Silencio.
Author: bitter_suite24
Characters: 11th Doctor, Donna Noble, Wilf, Sylvia
Rating: G
Spoilers: The end of season 4 and all of season 6.
Words: 3,018
Summary: The Doctor is doing a farewell tour, and he wants to visit an old companion.
Disclaimer: Sadly, Doctor Who is not mine.
Author's Note:This is my first fanfiction attempt! I hope you like it!
The Doctor stood in the Tardis debating. He knew he was slated to die on April 22, 2011. That was the whole reason he had done a farewell tour. He’d left Amy and Rory to what he hoped would be domestic bliss. He’d also seen Craig and stopped some Cybermen in the process. He was unable to visit Rose unless he went to the parallel universe where she was or visited her before they’d met. Besides, Rose had her half human Doctor. She’d be fine. Martha was busy fighting aliens with Mickey, her husband. She’d be fine too. But there was one other companion that the Doctor could visit. Could, but he wasn’t sure he should. It would be very dangerous. Oh, not dangerous for the Doctor. There’d be no danger to him at all. But for her, any return of the memories could be deadly.
“No,” the Doctor shook his head. “I can’t go. It’s too dangerous. Besides, she has a husband now too. She’ll be fine.” However he made no move to start the Tardis on her course. “But I would love to see her again, and I have a different face now. There’s no way she’d recognize me. And of course I won’t mention anything that could bring back the memories.” With that he pulled several levers on the control panel and pushed some buttons. As the Tardis whooshed to life he smiled at his decision. After all, she was the one human companion who’d, for a short time, really understood what being a Time Lord was like. He couldn’t wait to see Donna Noble again!
The Tardis landed several blocks from Wilfred’s house and behind a stone wall. The Doctor wasn’t sure where Donna and her husband Shaun were living now, but he knew Wilf and Sylvia would know. On the off chance that Donna was visiting her grandfather and mother he wanted the Tardis out of sight. He needed to make sure Donna didn’t remember. The Doctor walked to Wilf’s door, looking around the neighborhood and smiling. He remembered his adventures involving Sylvia and Wilf, and especially Donna. Reaching the door he raised a hand and knocked.
Wilf heard the knock on the door, but he was absorbed in a telescope magazine. He was thinking of purchasing a new one, and he was interested in the reviews. “Can you get that?” he called to Sylvia. There was no answer. Then he remembered that she had gone down the street to the market. Grumbling a bit he put down the magazine, and headed towards the door. He opened it and saw a stranger standing on the front porch. The stranger was wearing a bowtie, which Wilf quite liked. You didn’t see many bowties these days. The man was also wearing a fez, which Wilf found a bit odd. What he found even odder was that the man greeted him as though they were old friends.
The Doctor broke into a huge grin as the door opened. “Wilf! It’s so good to see you again! You look great!”
Wilf was perplexed. “Excuse me,” he asked the man, “but have we met?”
The Doctor smiled. “Of course, I forgot. I have a new face now.” Wilf continued to stare blankly. “It’s me!” the Doctor exclaimed. Wilf still said nothing and looked confused. “I’m the Doctor!” the Doctor finally clarified.
Wilf’s expression changed from confusion to shock. “Doctor? Is it really you?”
“Is it really me? Of course I’m me! Now are we going to stand around on the porch all day or are you going to invite me inside?” Without waiting for an answer the Doctor strode past Wilf and into the house.
Wilf closed the door behind him and turned to follow the Doctor, still looking shocked. The two sat down at the kitchen table and Wilf peered at the Doctor. He opened his mouth to ask a question, but the Doctor cut him off.
“Yes, it really is me. I know this isn’t how I looked before, but I regenerated. New body, new face, same Doctor.”
“Regenerated?”
“Yes,” the Doctor confirmed. He could tell Wilf was about to ask more, and he waved his hand in the air. “It’s a Time Lord thing. Not important. What’s important is, how are you? How’s Sylvia?”
“We’re both fine,” Wilf said. “In fact-” but the Doctor cut him off again.
“That’s great! How’s Donna doing?”
“Donna? She’s fine too. She and Shaun are very happy.”
The Doctor smiled. “Good. I’m glad. Where are the two of them living?”
“Well, they’re over on…” Wilf trailed off as he realized that the Doctor had asked. “Why do you want to know? You’re not going to go see her are you?”
“Yes, I was planning to,” the Doctor admitted.
“Doctor you can’t. You know you can’t. Her memories…”
“Wilf,” the Doctor said gently, “you had no idea who I was. Donna won’t either. I won’t say anything to bring back her memories. She won’t be in any danger.”
Wilf still looked troubled, but he nodded. “I suppose you’re right. Donna and Shaun live over on-” This time he was cut off by Sylvia entering the house carrying some bags.
“Wilf, they didn’t have any good apples at the store, but I got…” she trailed off as she looked up and saw the Doctor sitting at the kitchen table. “Hello,” she said, greeting the Doctor. Then she turned to Wilf. “Who’s this?”
“Well, this is, uh-”
The Doctor broke in. “Hello Sylvia. I’m the Doctor.”
Sylvia almost dropped the bags she was carrying. “Doctor? But how…” She trailed off and looked him up and down.
The Doctor waved his hand in the air again. “I know. I look different. Regeneration. New face, new body, same Doctor. It’s a Time Lord thing.”
“Oh. Okay.” Sylvia looked a bit bemused, but she turned to put her bags on the counter.
“Wilf was just about to tell me where Donna and Shaun live.”
Sylvia spun around and looked at Wilf in shock. “What?! You can’t do that! It’s too dangerous! What if her memories come back?”
“They won’t,” the Doctor said. “Donna won’t recognize me, and I won’t say anything to bring her memories back.”
“So, what, you’re just going to walk up to her and say, ‘Hi, you’ve never met me before, but I wanted to come see you’?” Sylvia demanded.
“No,” the Doctor replied. “I’ll say I’m lost and need directions. Or something along those lines. Donna will never know it wasn’t just a random encounter with a stranger.”
“I don’t know…” Sylvia said. She looked at Wilf who wisely decided not to get into the middle of the argument.
The Doctor looked Sylvia in the eyes. “Please. I just want to see her. One last time.”
Now Wilf spoke up. “Wait a minute. What do you mean ‘one last time’?”
The Doctor suddenly seemed to realize what he’d said. “Nothing. Nothing at all. It’s just a saying.”
“Sure it is, but I don’t believe you meant it in a casual way. Come on Doctor. Tell us the truth. What’s going on?”
The Doctor looked uncomfortable. “It’s complicated. A long story. I just… want to see Donna again. I promise her memories won’t return. Please.”
Wilf stared at the Doctor for a few minutes then glanced at his daughter. Sylvia looked away and said nothing. That was her way of saying she wasn’t entirely happy about it, but she wasn’t going to argue. Finally Wilf sighed. “Donna and Shaun live a couple miles from here closer to the center of town. At the end of our road take a right, then the second left. Go for three blocks then take another right. That will put you on Donna’s street. The house number is 1326.”
“Thank you,” the Doctor said. Wilf looked like he wanted to say something, but he just nodded. The Doctor got up and left the house. Wilf watched through the window as he walked down the road.
The Doctor followed Wilf’s directions and thought about the upcoming visit as he walked. He planned to do just what he’d told Wilf and Sylvia: knock on Donna’s door, say he was lost, and ask for directions. If her husband answered the door instead of Donna herself the Doctor planned to say was from a woman’s magazine and was taking a survey of local women.
The Doctor figured he was still a few blocks from Donna’s street when he turned a corner and saw Donna about a block ahead of him struggling with some bags that were about to fall out of her hands. All thoughts of asking for directions and taking surveys flew out of his mind as he saw her. Quickly he rushed up to her and grabbed a bag that was about fall on the ground.
Donna looked up as the stranger grabbed her bag just before it hit the ground. “Thank you!” she said gratefully.
“No problem at all,” the man said. Donna reached out to take the bag from him, but he shook his head. “I’ll carry that for you.”
“Thank you,” Donna repeated, “but I can manage.”
“I insist,” the man said. He peered at her. “In fact, you look a bit tired. Why don’t we go to the café on the corner, and I’ll buy you a tea.”
Donna was tired, but she was also offended that this stranger thought he could just swoop in and take her to tea. “Oy!” she said holding up her left hand and waggling her fingers. “I’m a married woman! Stop trying to pick me up.”
To her consternation the man just smiled. “That’s a lovely ring,” he told her as he examined her left hand. “And I assure you I am not trying to ‘pick you up’. I simply thought you looked tired and also thought you could use a cup of tea.”
“Well… all right,” Donna relented. “But just one cup.”
“Just one cup,” the Doctor agreed as they headed towards the corner café. He couldn’t keep a smile off his face. Donna hadn’t changed one bit.
They sat down at a small table facing each other and gave the waitress their tea orders. “Thank you for the tea and again for rescuing my bag Mr…” Donna looked at the man questioningly.
The Doctor thought quickly. Donna had briefly met his tenth incarnation as John Smith, so he needed to use a different name. “My name is James Edwards,” he told her. “And you’re welcome, “Mrs…?”
“My name is Donna Temple-Noble, Mr. Edwards.”
The Doctor shook his head. “James is fine, Mrs. Temple-Noble.” He wiggled his tongue around in his mouth as he said the partially unfamiliar name.
“I suppose you can call me Donna,” she said. The Doctor simply inclined his head. “So,” Donna continued, “I haven’t seen you around town. Are you new here?”
“Oh, no,” the Doctor said shaking his head. “I’m just here visiting an old friend. In fact I’ll be leaving later today. I just happened to see you struggling with your bags as I was walking down the street, and I decided to help.”
“I appreciate that,” Donna replied. “So, where are you from? What do you do?”
“I’m from Bristol,” the Doctor replied without hesitation. “And I work in a shop. Nothing special. Just a little shop that sells interesting or unusual items.”
“That sounds fun,” Donna said as she sipped the tea the waitress had just delivered. “What kind of items?”
That stumped the Doctor. “Oh, well, you know. Just things. Like…” he cast around for an example.
“Like fezzes?” suggested Donna, her eyes on his head.
“Fezzes are cool!” proclaimed the Doctor. Then, as an afterthought, “So are bowties.”
Donna just nodded with an amused look on her face. “If you say so.”
“That’s enough about me,” said the Doctor. “What about you? What do you do?”
“Me?” Donna shrugged. “I’m just a secretary.”
“Secretaries are very important,” the Doctor told her.
Donna smiled. “That’s what Shaun, my husband, says.”
“Well he’s right. What company do you work for?”
“Smith and Jones, the law firm.”
The Doctor was a bit surprised at the firm’s name, but got over it quickly. After all, ‘Smith’ and ‘Jones’ were both very common names. “I’m sure you’re very, very important to Smith and Jones.”
“I hope I’m not too important,” Donna laughed. “In a few months I’ll be leaving them.”
“Leaving? Why?”
“Well, it’s only temporary. I’ll be on maternity leave.”
A huge smile spread across the Doctor’s face. “Maternity leave? You mean you’re pregnant?”
Donna looked amused. “That’s generally what maternity leave means, yes.”
“Why that’s wonderful! Just wonderful! Congratulations!”
“Thank you,” Donna replied. She was a bit surprised that James was so excited about the pregnancy of a woman he’d just met, but she figured he liked kids.
“Do you know if you’re having a boy or a girl?” the Doctor asked.
Donna shook her head. “No, it’s too soon to tell. I’ll be happy just as long as my baby is healthy.”
“I’m sure he or she will be, and I’m sure you’ll be a wonderful mother.”
“I hope so! To be honest I’m a bit nervous.”
“All first time mothers are nervous, but you’ll be fine. I can tell you’re great with kids.”
“I appreciate you saying that,” Donna said as she set down her tea cup. She glanced at her watch and gasped. “Oh! It’s later than I thought it was. Thank you for the tea James, but I really need to be getting home now.” She bent down to pick up her bags.
“I’ll help you get those back to your house,” the Doctor said.
Donna shook her head. “Don’t bother. It’s not far; I can make it.”
“It’s no bother at all.” And with that the Doctor grabbed all of Donna’s bags. “Lead the way,” he said.
Donna was a bit surprised, but she let James take her bags as they walked back to her house. It really wasn’t far, and they reached it in a few minutes. James set her bags down on the front step and smiled at her.
“It was nice to meet you Donna. Thank you for letting me take you to tea.”
“It was nice meeting you too James. Thank you for the tea the help with my bags. And have a nice trip back to Bristol. I hope you enjoyed the visit here with your old friend.”
“I did,” the Doctor replied. “It was a wonderful visit.”
Donna thought he looked sad for a minute, but then his face cleared up and he smiled again. “Goodbye Mrs. Donna Temple-Noble. Have a good evening.”
“The same to you Mr. James Edwards,” she responded. Then she turned and took her bags into the house with her.
The Doctor walked down the street feeling exhilarated. He’d hoped to be able to speak to Donna briefly and possibly discover some information about her by observing her house. Instead he’d had the chance to sit and talk with her for a short time. He felt extremely fortunate.
A few months later Donna was sitting with Shaun, her mother, her grandfather, and some friends at her baby shower. She knew men weren’t generally invited to baby showers, but Shaun was going to be a parent too, so why shouldn’t he be invited? Donna figured there was nothing wrong with breaking tradition. She sat on a chair opening presents, mostly clothing but also other items she and Shaun would need for the babies. She paused in her thoughts. She was still getting used to the plural. At first she had actually thought the doctor had made a mistake, but he was adamant. She was having twins, a boy and a girl. She turned back to the guests and picked up the last present from the table. She examined the package but couldn’t find a card. She held it up in the air.
“Does anyone know who this is from? There’s no card.” The guests looked at each other, but no one responded. “Well maybe there’s a card inside,” said Donna as she opened the gift.
Once she had it open in her lap she gasped. “These are gorgeous!” She held them up for everyone to see. There were two identical mobiles with stars, planets, and moons on them. As they caught the light they seemed to shimmer. At the top was the phrase, ‘Keep Reaching for the Stars’. “These are just beautiful,” Donna said, “but there’s no card inside either. Who are these from?” She turned to look at Wilf. “Grandpa?”
He shook his head. “No, th-they’re not from me.” His eyes were wide and his voice was strangled.
“Mum?” Donna asked, looking at her mother.
“No, not from me either,” said Sylvia in a whisper, her face pale.
“I guess it’s a mystery,” Donna said, still admiring the mobiles. “I know just where I’ll put them. I’ll hang one above each crib. That way little Donna and little Shaun will both remember to ‘Keep Reaching for the Stars’. She turned to set the mobiles on the table next to her so they wouldn’t be damaged, when, out of the corner of her eye, she thought she saw a figure looking in the window. However when she turned and looked more closely there was no one there. Donna shrugged and put it out of her mind as Shaun came over a kissed her. She smiled up at him. She was looking forward to being a mother and raising a family with her wonderful husband.
The Doctor walked down the street, happy that Donna had liked his gifts. He hadn’t been planning on coming back again after having tea with her, but finding out she was pregnant had changed his plans. He now knew for a fact that Donna would be fine in the future and would be an excellent mother. Reaching the Tardis he entered it and set his destination. He was now ready to face whatever fate had in store for him at Lake Silencio.