Gift #2 for navaan

[jessicaqueen]

To: navaan
From: geekymary

Title: The Persistence of Memory
Characters and/or Pairings: Donna, Shaun, Eleven, Amy, Rory, the Master
Rating: G
Warnings: Mild puke.
Summary: The Master tries to return through Donna Noble's memories, but the Doctor repels him.
Notes: Enjoy!
Word Count: ~3,900

MOD NOTE: This fic has been re-gifted. I tried to match up it as specifically as possible to your request, but if there are any discrepancies between the fic and the request, the blame lies with me rather than the author. I hope you enjoy it regardless, navaan.



Donna woke up feeling just fine. Perhaps today would be better. And then, abruptly, she was not feeling fine, and staggered out of bed over to the bathroom.

A few minutes later, she lay on her Italian marble floor, wondering why she ever thought this was a good idea. Shaun, that wimp, stood outside the bathroom door. “Are you all right?” he asked.

“I just puked my stomach out, so no,” Donna yelled.

“I told you, you should keep some crackers next to the bed,” Shaun said. “I looked it up.” Donna was sure he had his fancy phone out already, Googling up some other thing to torture her with.

“Don’t want to get crumbs on the sheets,” she said. They were Egyptian cotton. She stood up with a sigh and went out to rinse her mouth out. Shaun was there, phone in hand.

“This shouldn’t last much longer,” he said, looking at the display. “It says morning sickness usually only lasts for the first trimester.” Donna stumbled over to the sink. “Although in some cases, it can last throughout the entire pregnancy.” He looked up. “But I’m sure that won’t happen to you.”

“Does it say anything in there about the dreams?” she asked.

“Are you still having them?”

“Last night I was in Pompeii, and there were these crazy women with things on their faces, and then we were in a volcano. It didn’t make any sense,” she said, through a mouthful of toothpaste.

“And the fellow in the suit was there?”

“He had a squirt gun.”

“These are some seriously strange dreams, my dear,” he said. He looked back at his phone. “I don’t see anything about dreams, but I suppose anything’s possible.”

Donna spit into the sink. “I don’t know why you talked me into this,” she said.

“I thought you wanted to,” Shaun said.

“I do,” she said, turning to Shaun. He put his arms around her. “I just wish it weren’t so bloody hard. I mean, a baby! Us! And we can’t mess it up!”

Shaun kissed her on the head. “You’re going to be a wonderful mother,” he said.
Donna squeezed him and stumbled past him to the bedroom.

“Are you going back to bed?” Shaun asked.

“Yes.”

“But we’re going into London today. Remember? Christmas shopping?”

“Wake me in an hour.”

#

“Home for the Holidays,” the Doctor said, flinging the TARDIS door open. Amy peeked over the shoulder of his tweed jacket. It was snowing, so she was glad she was wearing her winter coat. Scotland’s cold in December.

But as they stepped out, Amy felt that familiar sink in her stomach. This was not Scotland.

“But before then, let’s do some shopping in London!” the Doctor said brightly.

Amy looked over at Rory. He laughed, so she did, too. This was just what it was like to travel with the Doctor.

As it happened, the TARDIS had landed in Kensington, just outside Harrod’s. And they did need Christmas presents.

Soon they were in the Electronics section and Rory was staring at a 60 inch HD television. “But we don’t watch television,” Amy protested.

“But someday we will,” Rory said.

“Someday?”

Rory looked up at Amy. “I don’t know. Someday.”

Amy rolled her eyes and walked over to the Doctor. He was staring at this red-haired woman for some reason.

The Doctor put his hands in his jacket pockets and looked around, feeling quite pleased with himself. He loved Christmas: all the excitement, all the joy.
Well, when Daleks or Autons or Cybermen weren’t attacking. Although then, it was brilliant, too.

Everything seemed to be peaceful here, though. He leaned against the counter and watched the shoppers elbowing each other as they made their way through the crowds, bickering with the salesmen, and arguing over the last game system on the shelf. Maybe this would be a quiet Christmas.

He looked around and saw Donna Noble sitting in a chair.

At first, he thought he should duck away, but then realized she wouldn’t recognize him. He watched her. It was painful, to see his best friend and not be able to say hello, but he knew he had no choice.

Donna pulled out a nail file and started working on her nails, but stopped when she saw something. “Who are you looking at getting that for?” Donna called out.
The Doctor followed her gaze and saw Shaun eyeing the same Very Large Television that Rory was looking at. The Doctor laughed to himself at that one.

Tap tap tap tap.

The Doctor snapped back to Donna. She had her nail file in her hand and was tapping it against the metal arm of the chair she was sitting in.

Tap tap tap tap.

He felt his hearts jump. He knew that sound, and he knew that Donna making it was not good. He needed to find out what was going on.

“Donna Noble!” he called out, walking over to her with open arms.

Four human heads looked at him in bewilderment.

“Who are you?” Donna asked.

“Oh, wait, it’s Temple now, isn’t it? I should know, I was at your wedding,” the Doctor said.

“You were not,” Donna said. “And you can’t have any money.”

The Doctor blinked. “I don’t need any money,” he said. “I just wanted to say hello.”

Donna narrowed her eyes and gave him a look which he knew well. “Are you saying you’re not here to ask us for money?” she said. Shaun came over and stood next to her. “Just a loan? Just for the holidays? Or maybe you have an investment opportunity? Deal of a lifetime?” She stood up and looked the Doctor right in the eye. “I don’t know you and I don’t owe you nothing. Now sod off before I--” suddenly she looked green. She gave Shaun a helpless look and then ran off.

By now, Amy and Rory had wandered over. “Where’s she gone?” Amy asked.

“To the ladies’,” Shaun said sheepishly.

Rory nodded. “When’s she due?”

“Due?” the Doctor asked, whirling around to Rory.

“July,” Shaun said. “How did you know?”

“Know what?” the Doctor asked.

“I’m a nurse,” Rory said.

“She’s pregnant, you git,” Amy said.

The Doctor nodded as if he understood. This was Very Bad, indeed. He shook Shaun’s hand. “Congratulations!” he said. “I’m John Smith. I was at your wedding.”

“I’m Amy Pond,” Amy chimed in, reaching over to shake hands. “And this is my husband, Rory Williams.”

They all shook hands pleasantly and took quite a bit of time chattering hellos. The Doctor nervously eyed the door where Donna had disappeared. “Is she going to be very long?” he asked.

“Not usually,” Shaun said. “Why?”

“You see, it’s terribly important that I speak with her.”

Shaun narrowed his eyes. “I think she made it quite clear that we’re not giving you any money. Not even a loan.”

“Why does she think I want money?” the Doctor asked.

“Because of the lottery, of course,” Shaun said. “You didn’t know?”

The Doctor remembered what his wedding present to them had been. “Oh yes, now I remember,” he said. “Anyway, it’s very important that I speak to her. She may have been...exposed to something.”

“Exposed? Do you think it could hurt the baby?”

“The baby, the mother, the father, and everyone else on the planet.”

Shaun frowned. “What are you on about?”

Amy butted in, giving the Doctor a stern look. “He does exaggerate a bit,” she said. “My mate John here is a doctor.”

“So what do you want?” Shaun asked.

“Is there somewhere more private where we can talk?” she asked.

Just then Donna came back. “What are you doing talking to them?” she demanded.

“He didn’t even know about the lottery,” Shaun explained.

“What does he want?” she asked.

“He says you might have been exposed to something that can hurt the baby. And he’s a doctor.”

“And he just wants to give me an exam, right here?” Donna asked. “Why don’t we ask the shopgirl to join in?”

“Well, they did ask for someplace more private,” Shaun offered.

“I was at your wedding,” the Doctor said again.

“I don’t remember you,” Donna said, glaring.

“I wasn’t there long,” he said.

“We’re leaving,” Donna said, turning.

“Wait, Donna!” the Doctor called. “Have you been having dreams?” he asked.
She stopped, but didn’t turn around.

“About a large wasp? Or a giant library?” he asked, “or a hand in a jar?”

She turned around. “Or monsters who hold their brains in their hands?” she said quietly.

“Donna, I know what’s causing those dreams. Or at least I think I do. And I’m not usually wrong,” he said.

“Come on,” Donna said. The Doctor, Amy, and Rory followed Donna and Shaun out of Harrod’s.

Shaun and Rory each gave one last look over their shoulders at that enormous television.

#

Amy could see that they were rich - it was obvious from the house. It was decorated in the tackiest way possible, specifically to show off their wealth. I mean, there was a pool table and a fountain in the living room. Amy imagined errant billiard balls going flying into the fountain with a splash. Shaun and Donna sat down in overstuffed chairs, looking like king and queen. Amy and Rory sat on the couch, and the Doctor leaned on the pool table.

“So, what do you think is wrong?” Donna asked.

“I don’t know exactly,” the Doctor said.

“What? We drove you all this way!” Donna protested. She certainly was loud. Amy wondered if her hair was dyed.

“I don’t know yet,” the Doctor corrected. “But I will soon. When did you start having these dreams?”

“I don’t know,” Donna said. “Three or four weeks ago?”

Rory and Amy looked at each other. They’d been married for three and a half weeks.

“Yes, yes,” said the Doctor. “And you’ve been remembering things, haven’t you?”

“Remembering?” Donna said.

“There are things, Donna Noble, that you’re not supposed to remember.” He crouched down in front of Donna and stared at her, as if he were trying to read something written on the backs of her eyeballs. “But we had a Remembering, a big one, a really big one. And it brought things back that were gone. Some of them should have come back, like me, but others...”

“What are you talking about?” Donna said.

Suddenly the Doctor jumped up, snapping his fingers. “Have you been seeing the Prime Minister?”

“What? David Cameron?” Donna asked.

“No, no, not this Prime Minister. The one from a few years ago. Harold Saxon.”

“I don’t know,” Donna said.

The Doctor rolled his eyes. “Does anyone have a picture of Harold Saxon anywhere?”

Shaun jumped forward, pulling out his phone. “I’ll look one up on here,” he said eagerly. “Just got it. It’s got Internet, and movies, and I can even video chat on it. Got one for Donna, too, but she won’t use it.”

“Don’t like the bloody thing,” Donna mumbled.

Finally, Shaun pulled up the picture and showed it to Donna. She went pale. “Oh my God,” she said.

“Why is that important?” Amy said. “People dream about public figures all the time. I had a dream about Tony Blair once.” She smiled wickedly.

“Except Donna’s never seen Harold Saxon before. Just in her dreams,” the Doctor said.

“How is that possible?” Rory asked.

“With Donna Noble, a lot of things are possible,” the Doctor said. He crouched back down in front of Donna. He shook out his wrists and looked in her eyes. “You see, Donna Noble Temple, a few weeks ago some things came back from Beyond. And it looks like they brought some things with them. And one of these things, a person really, is trying to get through using your mind. And he’s going to
succeed eventually, but he’s going to rip your mind to pieces in the process.” He placed his hands on her temples.

“Oi!” Donna cried. “Who’s ripping what?”

“No one,” the Doctor said. He closed his eyes and suddenly Donna stiffened and cried out. Shaun stepped forward to help, but Rory stopped him. They all stood and watched.

Donna’s eyes opened wide and a yellowish white light came shooting out. The Doctor held up his hands and reflected that light to Donna’s abdomen. Amy noticed a snake of green light that also slipped out, twisting in the air, but she was quickly distracted by both the Doctor and Donna falling to the floor.

It was amazingly silent in the room. Donna looked up. “Oh my God,” she said.

“What just happened?”

“I restored your memories,” the Doctor said.

Donna held up her hands. “But you can’t do that! The biological metacrisis! I can’t!”

The Doctor shook his head. “I was able to absorb some of the extra energy, and redirected the rest.”

“Where?” Donna asked.

“To your daughter,” the Doctor said.

“I don’t have a daughter,” Donna protested. “What are you---oh.” She put her hands on her stomach. “But won’t that hurt her?”

The Doctor shook his head. “No,” he said. “She’s so early in her development, her brain will just evolve to absorb it. She’s going to be a very interesting person.”

Donna shook her head. “Who are you?”

“I’m the Doctor.”

“No, you’re not. You look nothing like him. Where is he?”

“It’s me, Donna,” the Doctor said. “I have a different face now, but it’s me. Look.”

Donna looked into his eyes carefully, searching back and forth for something. She found it. A smile slowly crept across her face. “Mars boy,” she said.

“Earth girl,” the Doctor said.

Donna gave him a big hug, which the Doctor returned stiffly. “Still like hugging a bloody pencil,” Donna said. She looked over the Doctor’s shoulder at Amy and Rory. “So you replaced me?” she said. “Another redhead?”

“Men have their types, don’t they?” Amy muttered.

“Where did your husband go?” Rory asked.

Donna looked around suddenly. Shaun had apparently left.

“Shaun!” she bellowed.

No answer.

“Shaun!” Again, silence. “He probably just stepped out or something,” Donna said. She didn’t sound convinced. Why would he go to the bathroom while his wife was having an out of body experience? “I know, I’ll call him. He carries that bloody phone everywhere.” Donna fetched her purse and rummaged through for her phone. It took her a minute to figure out how to work the thing, but eventually she dialed him.

“He’s not answering,” she said.

“Maybe he turned it off,” Amy suggested. “Or put it away somewhere?”

“He never turns it off,” Donna said. “And he sleeps with it.” She started walking around the house, calling his name.

“So who is she, then?” Amy asked once Donna was out of the room.

“Oh, just a friend,” the Doctor said, twiddling the edge of his jacket. “She saved the universe once.”

Donna came back in. “His car’s gone. Did you do something to him?”

“No,” the Doctor said. He looked thoughtful. “Oh.”

“Oh?” Donna asked. “What’s ‘oh’?”

“It is possible that the energy from the Master that was trying to get through you actually did get through,” he said.

“And went where?” Donna asked.

“It’s suddenly extremely important that we find Shaun as soon as possible,” the Doctor said.

“Ooh!” Donna exclaimed. “I’ve got GPS on this thing.” She turned her phone on again and started fiddling with it. “I’ve got it set up so I know where Shaun is at any time.”

Amy looked over at Rory. “Whipped,” she muttered.

“I’m sure that’s awful,” Rory said dryly.

“So where is he?” the Doctor asked.

“Driving,” Donna said. “Let’s go.”

Soon they were all in their other SUV, Donna driving, and the Doctor navigating using Donna’s phone.

After about an hour, they pulled into a gravel parking lot next to Shaun’s car.
They were in front of an empty junkyard surrounded by a barbed wire fence. There were piles of crushed cars all around. A large magnet crane loomed above the entire scene.

“Where are we?” Amy asked.

The Doctor got out of the car. Everyone immediately followed. “No, you all stay here. One of the most dangerous - maybe the most dangerous - man in the Universe is in there somewhere. I need to go in alone.”

The three of him looked at him, resolution in their eyes.

“You’re not going to say here, are you?” he asked.

They all shook their heads.

He looked at Donna. “Can I at least convince you?”

She shook her head.

The Doctor sighed. “You’d never stay put anyway,” he muttered. “Let’s go!”

The gate was open. They walked through cautiously. The cubed cars formed walls, turning the entire yard into a labyrinth.

The Doctor listened carefully with every step, trying to hear the Master’s double heartbeat. Unfortunately, his own were beating so loudly, it was almost impossible. He would have completely taken over Shaun by now. He hoped Donna’s husband’s mind could be restored afterwards. But first, to get the Master out somehow. But before that, to find him.

They turned a corner and found a large open area, surrounded on all sides by high walls. And, standing in the middle, stock still, was Shaun.

The Master.

“Get back,” the Doctor said urgently to his companions. “Get in the car and get as far from here as you can.” His human friends looked at each other, and then at him. The Doctor sighed. “Please?” he asked.

They backed away and left.

“Delightful to see you!” the Master said. He smiled, but his body didn’t move.

“Let him go,” the Doctor said. “Do you honestly think this is going to work?” He looked around, assessing the situation. He didn’t see any weapons anywhere, any signals, any traps. The Master just stood, alone. He held something in his hand. It looked like a remote control. And he was standing so very still.

The Master smiled, distorting Shaun’s gentle face into a wicked mask. “Most definitely.”

The Doctor looked up at the walls, wondering how sturdy they were. They seemed to be just stacked metal. Very heavy.

“Allow me to explain the situation. I am standing, as you may have guessed, on a Pyroxian Land Mine. If I press this button, it will detonate, blowing this human body to smithereens. I will do this in exactly ten seconds.”

“Unless I take your place,” the Doctor said.

“Clever Doctor,” the Master mocked. “Now step lively. One...two...”

The Doctor didn’t move. “Let him go,” he said.

“Not until you’re plastered all over these cars,” the Master said. “Try regenerating from that. Three. Four.”

The Doctor started moving forward slowly, mind racing. “If anyone could, it
would be me,” he said.

“Shall we find out? Five. Six. Seven.”

“You won’t survive long,” the Doctor said. “They’ll kill you. And you can’t regenerate, either, in that form.”

“Eight.”

“That human body must be so limiting. One heart, big floppy lungs, and near blind and deaf.”

“Ten.”

The Doctor now stood face to face with the Master. Each wore different faces, but the look between them was identical, and hundreds of years old. The Doctor stepped onto the exact spot where the Master had been, just as his nemesis lifted his feet.

“I knew you’d do the right thing, my dear Doctor. But then, you always do, don’t you?”

“Are you shorter, or am I taller?” the Doctor asked.

The Master reached into the Doctor’s jacket pocket and took his sonic screwdriver. “Naughty, naughty.” Then he kissed him on the forehead and looked him in the eyes. “Goodbye, Doctor,” he said. He backed away from the Doctor, slowly, making his way to the gap in the car-cube walls. He was getting clear of the blast radius.

The Doctor could feel the land mine humming beneath his feet. If he moved, it would explode. If he didn’t move, the Master would detonate it.

He had no idea what to do. But he knew something would come to him. And come it did.

Rory, Donna, and Amy all grabbed the Master simultaneously. Rory snatched the remote while Amy wrenched the sonic from his hand. “Doctor!” she yelled, and tossed it to him.

He sonicked the mine, instantly disabling it. He ran as fast as he could over to his companions.

Amy and Rory leaned over Shaun, who was blinking on the ground. “What happened?” he said.

“Shaun? Are you all right?” Rory asked.

“Where are we?” he asked.

“It’s a long story,” Amy said.

“So where did the Master go?” Rory asked.

“I don’t know,” the Doctor said. “But Donna’s gone.”

They all turned around. “We have to find her!” Shaun said.

“I’m here.” Donna appeared behind them, holding a gun. “Get on the mine and turn it back on, or I’ll kill your friends,” she said in the Master’s voice.

“Rather crude backup plan,” the Doctor said.

“I’m tired of you, Doctor,” she said. “I don’t even care what happens to me anymore. I just want to watch you die.”

The Doctor didn’t move. “Donna, get him out.”

“She’s gone,” the Master said.

“Listen to my voice,” the Doctor went on. “You’re stronger than he is. He’s just a memory. Cast him out.”

The Master didn’t move, but Donna’s eyes wavered. The gun lowered slightly.

“I know, you just got your memories back, and they’re precious, so precious. But this one isn’t yours. Let it go.”

She raised the gun again. “I’ll kill you!”

“You get to keep the other ones, I promise. I won’t take them from you ever again.”

Suddenly Donna’s eyes got wide. She raised her shoulders and suddenly vomited black-green light from her mouth. Rory caught her on the way down.

The Doctor jumped back just in time and hit the blob of light with his sonic screwdriver. The light got smaller and dimmer, until it was just a speck. And then nothing.

“Is he gone?” Donna asked.

“He was never really here in the first place,” the Doctor said. “Just a memory.”

As they rode back in Shaun’s SUV, the Doctor had some questions to answer.

“So when you said you diverted the biological metacrisis to our daughter,” Donna started.

“Daughter?” Shaun exclaimed. He nearly swerved off the road.

“Yes, we’re having a girl,” Donna said absently. She turned back to the Doctor.

“Is she going to be half Time Lord now? Or Time Lady?”

“I don’t know,” the Doctor said. “This has never been done before.”

“You’re going to need some kind of college fund,” Amy said.

“What?” Donna asked.

“College fund. And for the rest of her school, too. You could spend your whole fortune on getting a school that can handle her.”

Donna and Shaun looked at each other and smiled. “That sounds perfect,” Donna said.

Either six months, thirty seconds, or two years later, depending on which time axis and conversion ratios you’re using, Amy pulled up an email on her mobile. She walked into the TARDIS control room, brandishing pictures. “Look! Donna’s had her baby!”

Rory hurried over, and even The Doctor gave a glance.

“Little Freya,” Amy said, reading the email.

“Freya?” the Doctor asked.

“Shaun says its partly in honor of her grandfather,” Amy said.

“Ooh, hard to get a girl’s name out of Geoffrey,” the Doctor said.

“But her full name is--” Amy stopped and handed the phone to the Doctor.

He looked at it. He said nothing, and handed the phone back. He grabbed the TARDIS controls. “Are we going?” he announced.

Rory peeked over Amy’s shoulder. “What is it?” he said.

“Gallifrey Elizabeth Temple,” Amy said.