Fic Rec: Being Donna Noble
This is a fic I just read on Teaspoon, and it's the author's first. The summary reads Donna discovers that traveling with the Doctor takes finding yourself to a whole new level, and that's true in more ways than the unsuspecting reader might think.
In the beginning, I thought it was (just) a character study of Donna, though a cut above most of those I've read; there are hilarious passages like this:
With a sigh of long suffering and a dark look, he rushes through an explanation of the console, what buttons to push, which levers to pull at a million miles an hour, probably hoping she won't catch enough of it to pilot the TARDIS. But she's been through hundreds of such explanations in offices where the word "temp" was synonymous with "idiot" and "waste of time," and Lord of Time or not, the Doctor hasn't got anything on a condescending middle manager in high heels and a short skirt with hopes of shagging the boss to the top.
and poignant ones like this:
And then she's looking at his hands, his clenched jaw, his stricken expression, and understands for the first time that it's too big for him, too, choosing the world over the twenty thousand lives, people whom they were walking among just that morning. But he's the only one left to make these choices, to shoulder the burden.
But, gradually at first, and then with increasing intensity, there are hints of more going on. Much more. I won't spoil it, but I really, really recommend this fic. Whatever your opinion of the outcome - and I'm still not sure myself - the writing is brilliant.
Being Donna Noble by wonderfulchild. Rated All Ages, for those who need to know :)
In the beginning, I thought it was (just) a character study of Donna, though a cut above most of those I've read; there are hilarious passages like this:
With a sigh of long suffering and a dark look, he rushes through an explanation of the console, what buttons to push, which levers to pull at a million miles an hour, probably hoping she won't catch enough of it to pilot the TARDIS. But she's been through hundreds of such explanations in offices where the word "temp" was synonymous with "idiot" and "waste of time," and Lord of Time or not, the Doctor hasn't got anything on a condescending middle manager in high heels and a short skirt with hopes of shagging the boss to the top.
and poignant ones like this:
And then she's looking at his hands, his clenched jaw, his stricken expression, and understands for the first time that it's too big for him, too, choosing the world over the twenty thousand lives, people whom they were walking among just that morning. But he's the only one left to make these choices, to shoulder the burden.
But, gradually at first, and then with increasing intensity, there are hints of more going on. Much more. I won't spoil it, but I really, really recommend this fic. Whatever your opinion of the outcome - and I'm still not sure myself - the writing is brilliant.
Being Donna Noble by wonderfulchild. Rated All Ages, for those who need to know :)