Catharsis [Open to the members of Alt!Ten's TARDIS and all involved with Nine's coma]
She couldn't stay with him and yet Donna couldn't stay away. Instead she disrupted everything, coming and going at odd hours, storming through the TARDIS and likely leaving Reinette rather upset.
Perhaps, another time, later, when it all wasn't so fresh in her mind, she'd apologize. When she could come in this room and look at the man laying there and not remember the sight of him down, cybermen around and... Yes, when that wasn't fresh in her mind.
Pulling up a chair, she sat down near him. For a long time she was silent. Hands clutched in her lap, back straight and rather prim and proper for, well, Donna.
"I know,' she whispered softly, staring down at her clutched hands. "I know that you can't die. I mean, everyone has made sure I get this entire regeneration thing and so I know that no matter what happened out there, happens even now, you won't die."
"But dammit! You'll come back as him." Her voice rose and she glared at the comatose form. "I forbid it! I won't let it happen." The last wavered, knowing there was nothing she could do. "Have... I know..."
She bit her lip, eyes closing as she spoke. "You didn't see him standing there. Water pouring down over us, the flames everywhere. It was so hot and cold and the water was turning to steam on my skin. And there was this man that had saved me, had protected me and he wasn't just stopping them. You were killing them.
"They couldn't defend themselves. There was no escape. And you... There was this look on your face. Empty. Hollow. It was like all that humanity I'd come to know, the man that had sat with me on the edge of a building and given me his coat... all that was gone. Burned away with the flames and the steam. There wasn't anything but this monster staring down at the other monsters, so superior and cold and empty and...
"AND DON'T YOU BLOODY WELL BECOME HIM,' she choked out, pushing out of her chair and pacing. "I mean, I know you will but... But I've only just come to trust again. To not expect the worse in people. I trust you, dammit. But... But I can't look into that face, his face, and not expect it. Not expect the light to go out and..."
She hovered over the Doctor, fighting not to take him about the shoulders and shake him vigorously. "He tries. God and Queen help him, he tries. And I'm trying but... Don't you dare become him!"
Donna turned, storming for the door. But she paused, looking back. "We'll get her back. I promise you that. We'll bring Rose home to you."
And with that she was gone.
Perhaps, another time, later, when it all wasn't so fresh in her mind, she'd apologize. When she could come in this room and look at the man laying there and not remember the sight of him down, cybermen around and... Yes, when that wasn't fresh in her mind.
Pulling up a chair, she sat down near him. For a long time she was silent. Hands clutched in her lap, back straight and rather prim and proper for, well, Donna.
"I know,' she whispered softly, staring down at her clutched hands. "I know that you can't die. I mean, everyone has made sure I get this entire regeneration thing and so I know that no matter what happened out there, happens even now, you won't die."
"But dammit! You'll come back as him." Her voice rose and she glared at the comatose form. "I forbid it! I won't let it happen." The last wavered, knowing there was nothing she could do. "Have... I know..."
She bit her lip, eyes closing as she spoke. "You didn't see him standing there. Water pouring down over us, the flames everywhere. It was so hot and cold and the water was turning to steam on my skin. And there was this man that had saved me, had protected me and he wasn't just stopping them. You were killing them.
"They couldn't defend themselves. There was no escape. And you... There was this look on your face. Empty. Hollow. It was like all that humanity I'd come to know, the man that had sat with me on the edge of a building and given me his coat... all that was gone. Burned away with the flames and the steam. There wasn't anything but this monster staring down at the other monsters, so superior and cold and empty and...
"AND DON'T YOU BLOODY WELL BECOME HIM,' she choked out, pushing out of her chair and pacing. "I mean, I know you will but... But I've only just come to trust again. To not expect the worse in people. I trust you, dammit. But... But I can't look into that face, his face, and not expect it. Not expect the light to go out and..."
She hovered over the Doctor, fighting not to take him about the shoulders and shake him vigorously. "He tries. God and Queen help him, he tries. And I'm trying but... Don't you dare become him!"
Donna turned, storming for the door. But she paused, looking back. "We'll get her back. I promise you that. We'll bring Rose home to you."
And with that she was gone.