Oh, poor Ten. He does mean well. This is just a little vignette between him and Donna (my favorite companion) and a little trip to the beach.

Disclaimer: I don't own the Doctor (who could, anyway?) I just take him out for a spin now and again.

Tea and Crustaceans

"Donna!" the Doctor called out, as he grabbed the screen on the console and swung around toward him. He stared at the read-out and grinned widely. He raced around, punching buttons and pulling levers, and, as he did, he bellowed again, "DONNA!

Donna Noble sat in one of the over-stuffed armchairs in the library, a cup of tea on the side table and a book in her hand. She had, of course, heard him calling her; his voice reverberated throughout the TARDIS. She took another sip of her tea and turned the page. "Don…oh, there you are," The Doctor said, bounding into the library and plopping himself down in the armchair next to her. "What are you doing in here?"

Donna rolled her eyes at him and said, "What does it look like I'm doing? Painting the Sistine Chapel?"

His eyes lit up. "Would you like to? Michelangelo and I are like this," he said, intertwining index and middle his fingers tightly.

Donna laughed and said, "Name dropper. But seriously. I just thought I'd have a nice cup of tea and a bit of read. You know, relax a bit. Or is that word not in your vocabulary?"

"Bo-ring," the Doctor replied, grabbing her book and tossing it on the side table. "Why sit in a boring old library with a boring old book when you could be traveling the galaxy?" Standing up quickly, he took her hands in his and pulled her to her feet. "Come on, Donna," he said. "You want relaxing? How about a trip to the beach? I just found a planet that has blue sand. And iridescent orange water! There are actual minute crystals in the water that glow, and when the waves crash on the rocks, they make a sound like it's singing! Allons-y!"

He dragged her out of the library and down the corridor toward the main control room. She laughed again and said, "You're like a two-year-old with a new toy." He grinned at her. " Oh, all right," she gave in. "Let me change into something 'beach-y'. Be back in half a mo.

"RUN!" the Doctor shouted, grabbing Donna's hand as they sprinted down the beach toward the TARDIS, their feet kicking up blue sand. Hundreds of purple crabs followed them, scuttling sideways, their large claws snapping as they ran. They were incredibly fast, given the fact that they had four tiny little legs down the center of the underside of their shells. And they had no trouble following them accurately, even though they only had a single eye on the side facing away from the pair. Occasionally, some of them would lurch forward and manage to attach themselves to the hem of the Doctor's coat, and he would pull them off as he ran. As they neared the TARDIS, he threw himself at the door, scrambling to unlock it. A few crabs nipped at Donna's feet as she waited for the Doctor to open the door, and she kicked them down the beach into the crowd. She was thankful that she had opted for flats instead of the sandals she usually wore to the beach. The Doctor flung the door open and dragged her in, slamming the door and leaning against it, grinning.

Donna stormed past the Doctor into the room. She turned to him and glared, her face red with anger and her straw hat askew from the flight down the beach.

"A nice, relaxing day at the beach, he says," she grumbled loudly as she took off her shoes and poured copious amounts of blue sand onto the floor. "It'll be fun, he says. Blue sand and orange water, he says. Never said anything in your guidebook about giant purple spotted carnivorous crabs, did it, sunshine?" She dragged the hat from her head, shook out her ginger hair dislodging a tiny creature, which quickly scuttled away. Walking away from the Doctor, she declared, "I'm having a quick wash. Then," she shouted as she turned the corner, out of sight, "I'll be in the library. Relaxing!"

The Doctor watched as she stomped away, his eyes wide, stunned at her outburst.

A while later, Donna sat in the library, one foot tucked under her as she sat in the armchair, a pot of tea and a plate of biscuits on the side table. She read quietly, sipping her tea and trying to ignore the man standing in the doorway. Finally, without looking up she said, "Oi! Spaceman! Are you gonna stand there all day, or are you gonna come in and have some tea?"

"Sorry," the Doctor said quietly. I didn't want to disturb you."

(Oh, that doesn't sound good, she thought.) Marking her place, she closed her book and said, "And a skinny little alien in a blue suit hovering about watching me read isn't disturbing?"

"Sorry," he said again.

(Definitely not good.) "Well. Come on then."

The Doctor slowly walked into the library, hands shoved down in his pockets. He sat down in the armchair on the other side of the table, his eyes on the floor. He remained silent for a long while and, just as Donna was about to make a comment, he slowly looked up and said, "Donna, I am so sorry about earlier."

She decided to make an effort to keep the conversation light. "What? You mean the 100 yard dash down the beach? Or the carnivorous purple crabs?"

"Both. Either."

"Well," she snickered, "I have to admit it was pretty funny watching you try pluck those little devils off your coat and run at the same time. Or it would have been, if it hadn't been so terrifying at the time."

"That's just it!" the Doctor declared, jumping up from the chair and pacing back and forth. "I can't seem to get anything right! Every plan I make goes horribly wrong. I blunder in, acting the hero, showing off. And I put people's lives in danger!" He sat back down with a sigh. "I just wanted to show you something beautiful." Before she could respond, he looked up at her and asked softly, "Donna, why did you come back?"

"What?" she asked, not believing what she was hearing. "What are you going on about now? Why did I come back?" She stared at him like he was asking her why she breathed. "I told you. When we were fighting that Nanny woman at Adipose Industries. Everything was different after you left. Nothing was ever the same. What you had shown me was wonderful and exciting and, yeah, a little scary, okay, sometimes horrifying. But it's definitely worth it, believe me."

"So," the Doctor said slowly. "You aren't thinking of leaving."

"Leaving?" she said, incredulously. "Why would I do that?"

"Martha did," he said, a little sadly.

"Well, Martha was a bloody fool, in my opinion! Who would ever want to leave this?" Donna leaned forward and took his hands in hers. "Listen, sunshine. If you think a few feisty crustaceans could run me off, you're barking mad. You're going to have to hit me over the head and carry my unconscious body off the TARDIS to get rid of me! I'm in this for the long haul." She dropped his hands and picked up the plate from the table. "Now, shut up and have a biscuit."

The Doctor smiled and snagged a Jammy Dodger.

"Hey!" Donna said suddenly. "I've got an idea. Why don't you take me to that planet with the silly name that you like to say all the time?"

"You mean...Raxicoricophallapatoris?"

"Exactly. Take me to Raxicoricophallapatoris."

The Doctor bit down on the biscuit. "Hmmm," he said as he chewed thoughtfully. "I haven't been there since we took Margaret's egg back. About time I checked up on her new family, see how she's progressing. Just like any good godfather should." He bounded up out of the chair and headed for the door. "Raxicoricophallapatoris, here we come!"

Donna smiled to herself and reached for her book. The Doctor hesitated in the doorway. Then he walked back and put his hand on her shoulder. "Thank you, Donna Noble," he said softly, looking down at her with a warm, gentle smile.

She reached up and squeezed his hand. "Any time, Spaceman."