A Change of Plans
Title: A Change of Plans
Character/Pairing: Rose/Ten, Donna Noble
Rating:All Ages
Summary: Donna's plans for the evening are disrupted by the appearance of a surprising stranger.
Disclaimer: Sadly, Doctor Who belongs to the BBC and not me.
Spoilers: Possibly S4
Author's Notes: Originally posted here on Teaspoon
Donna was enjoying her quiet day. She had met up with old friends for lunch and done a bit of shopping afterwards. Tonight she was meeting some former schoolmates for dinner and a bit of dancing. She just needed to stop by her flat and get changed. The Doctor had promised to pick her up the next afternoon. Hopefully Martian Boy would be able to hit the right date. She had asked for this little holiday from life on the TARDIS but she wasn’t ready to give it up entirely.
Suddenly, there was a bright flash and a young woman stumbled out from the hedges and across Donna’s path. Donna reached out a hand to steady the woman. “You all right? Those Johnston boys must be mucking about with fireworks again.” A polite, but hollow laugh was the only answer she got as the young woman brushed blonde hair out of her face.
Something about the young woman intrigued Donna and all thoughts of returning to her flat vanished as she continued to watch her. The woman’s eyes were cast upward and she turned in a tight circle surveying the sky. Her lips moved and Donna strained to hear the muttered words. “No zeppelins, no bloody zeppelins.” A rapturous smile spread across her face. She took a few steps toward Donna and grabbed her arm. Tears sparkled on her joyous face. “There are no zeppelins. How utterly fantastic.” Donna nodded, unsure of how to respond, and looked about, half expecting to see a van from a mental hospital nearby.
The woman released her arm and sprinted down the pavement. She stopped at a bench and picked up an abandoned newspaper. Her free hand began to frantically dig through her pockets. After a few seconds a battered mobile appeared in that hand. She approached Donna again. “Do you happen to know the time?” Donna blinked in surprise, automatically checked her watch, and answered her. The blonde thanked her and walked back to the bench. Donna could see the woman’s fingers shaking as they fumbled with the buttons on the mobile.
Curiosity got the better of Donna and she followed the woman to the bench. She knew it was rude to eavesdrop but the strangeness of the whole situation caused her to cast aside convention. Or maybe it was just having spent too much time with the Doctor. The young woman’s voice held a slightly hysterical edge as she spoke. “Voice mail? When did you get voice mail? Never mind. March fifth, 2009, at ten past five. Across the street from that chip shop we frequented in London. The one next to the park.” She dropped the phone back in her pocket and began to pace excitedly back and forth, constantly looking about her.
A gust of wind hit Donna’s face and the sound of the TARDIS’ engines filled the street. She watched in wonder as the young woman pulled a glowing key on a chain out from under her shirt. The key in Donna’s pocket began to feel warm at the same time. The woman raced across the street towards the rapidly materializing blue form. She reached out towards the door, key in hand. The key never reached its destination as the blue door opened almost violently. The Doctor stepped out, his eyes wildly searching the area around him.
A smile, full of joy and love, like nothing Donna had ever seen before, spread across his face. In a brilliant flash everything slid into place in Donna’s mind and she knew without a doubt that the young woman was the Doctor’s Rose. The pair stood in front of the TARDIS drinking in the sight of each other. Even to Donna, it felt as if time had stopped. The sensation passed as Rose flung herself into his arms. They held each other so tightly that Donna vaguely wondered if they could even breathe. The Doctor pushed the door open and pulled Rose inside.
The sound of the door slamming startled Donna. She picked up the shopping bags that had somehow ended up on the pavement beside her feet. A quick glance at her watch showed that she would have to hurry back to her flat if she was going to make it to the restaurant in time. She hesitated for a brief instant and fished her mobile out of her purse. “Martha, it’s Donna. Just wanted to know if you were free for dinner or drinks tonight. Call me back.” She ended the call and dialed the number of the friends she would not be meeting that evening. She’d reschedule it for tomorrow or the next evening. She had a feeling that her holiday was going to be a bit longer than originally planned.