An Officer and the Noble Woman, Part 4

[dtstrainers]

An Officer and the Noble Woman, Part 41
Author: dtstrainers
Paring: Donna Noble/Peter Carlisle
Co-Captain of this Ship: WhosInTheAttic, for getting me started on this, but all errors are mine alone.
First Mate: The lovely serenityslady has officially joined the crew.  Thanks for the support and suggestions!
Rating: PG for Plot Galore and A for a whole

Comments

[sykira]

Woman, I don't know how you keep doing it but this is PERFECTION. I have such the hangover today and yet angry Peter and Jack were balm to my should because they were FLAWLESS. Every word, every gesture, such a pleasure to read it all fits together so satisfyingly. THIS:

"...Ye do know what he did, to her, do you no?” he charged and as he saw Jack’s discomfort flit across his face before disappearing behind that confident mask, he risked probing a bit deeper. "How does it feel, Captain? he sneered, turning a contemptuous eye on Jack. “How does it feel to be, for all intents and purposes, the custodial staff for a man who preys on women, cleaning’ up the wreckage he leaves behind? To go about doin’ damage control for a common rapist?”

Jack’s eyes widened in disbelief. “What?” he spat. “What? You think he…?” Jack stood his ground, outraged on the Doctor’s behalf. "I don’t know what you’ve heard to make you think that, but believe me, he would never force himself-"

"Nah, I've had more than enough of yer gobshite,”…

…I mean, the righteous anger on Peter, I AGREE WITH HIM COMPLETELY and yet I also TOTALLY feel for Jack AND my heart bleeds for the Doctor, somehow you've presented the complexity of ALL the sides and it's such a cathartic read. Peter will always rail against what he cannot know, Jack will always carry this sadness, the Doctor this loss…it's just…it's an achingly beautiful tapestry. I love your writing SO much.

[dm12]

I couldn't have said it better myself! You really feel for ALL parties in this segment. I think Jack has got his opinion cemented on this, has satisfied his need to find out that Donna was in good hands, that Peter will protect her, that he truly loves her.

Now we need to convince the Doctor of that; it won't be an easy sell, because I'm sure there were "more than best friends" feelings on his part, and jealousy is very hard to get over. He must move on, knowing that his best friend is very happy with her life as it is, and she is doing good with her charitable foundation. She is making a difference wherever she can. He should be happy for her, even as he finally truly mourns her loss to him.

[dtstrainers]

Whoa- if it weren't for the quotes, I wouldn't believe you meant these comments for me. You are, as always, too kind.

I sincerely hope the party/event/dinner that preceded it was worth the hangovers and that you're feeling better now.

Peter is indeed angry and indignant, but he's also frustrated and frightened. I hope that came across. All these secrets weigh heavily on a man whose job it is to find the truth and bring people to justice. He's pragmatic enough to know that there are some crimes that will never be solved, but he can't let go of what happened to Donna because there is no closure. He just wants to know that she'll be safe and they can build a future together and the uncertainty is starting to weigh on him. Add to that the conflicting need for Donna to find peace with her situation so that her past doesn't haunt her and Peter's hope that she doesn't ever remember and want to go back to Doctor Smith. Even worse, given what he suspects, Peter is afraid she will remember and won't be able to stand the sight of him again.

Poor Jack is caught in the middle, but he's about to make his views on the matter known to the Last Child of Gallifrey. It ain't over yet.

Having said that, I think I'm going to take a few days off and actually read and comment on other works I've been dying to devour.

[sykira]

>>Peter is indeed angry and indignant, but he's also frustrated and frightened. I hope that came across. >>

Oh yes, It ALL came across, in a perfect blend, with nothing diluted. I really felt too how raw his feelings are that maybe Donna and the Doctor were deeply in love, and that THAT is something Donna has forgotten too, oh my heart just goes out to Peter here, SO much.

I can't wait to see how Jack relays this all to the Doctor!

[dtstrainers]

I really, really, really wish we had mass transit here. This whole, lovely sequence between Jack and the Doctor was playing out in my head when I drove to work this morning and I had to scratch out key phrases on a notebook beside me as I was stuck in traffic, then reconstruct it during lunch.

Thanks for continuing to read and comment. I'd write this down just for myself, honestly, but it makes me so happy to think that someone else is enjoying my obsession as well. I actually, kinda, if-I-stand-on-my-tiptoes can see the end of this in sight.