Author's Note: this whole fic is dedicated to TVnut who has every right to slap me for forgetting her in my christmas spree.
They were standing in a market with bright red and orange banners and posters fluttered through. The Doctor let out a laugh from a joke the owner of a stall told him and Donna beamed, so glad to see the Doctor healing from the incident from the planet Midnight. They had went to the spa planet for a little holiday after the traumatic trip to the Library where they had met a confusing woman called River Song who seemed to know everything about the Doctor and died saving everyone. However instead of relaxing the Doctor went on a trip where he ended up in an even more traumatic situation and much to their surprise caused Alex Rose the Doctor's stubborn daughter to phone in, she had suggested them to come to this Asian looking market and so far, so good. The owner pours them foamy drinks and the Doctor hands Donna a glass.
"You are so going to love this" he said. "On the count of three. One...two...three" they take a sip and snort with laughter.
"This is lovely" Donna said finishing hers off before wandering by herself as the Doctor got pulled away by another stall owner. Donna passes a Chinese looking woman sitting serenely in front of her stall.
"Tell your fortune lady...your future predicted. Your life foretold" the woman said.
"I'm happy right now thanks" Donna said dismissively.
"You got red hair, the fortune is free for red hair" the woman persisted.
Donna let out another laugh. "All right then" she said. She could use a fortune teller to tell her when the hell the Doctor will visit Rose, so far he had avoided the idea like the plague but Donna had walked in on many phone calls to not just Alex Rose and her twin JJ but Rose as well and it was about time the two talked face to face again.
DWDWDWDWDWDWDWDWDWDWDWDW
Donna was sitting opposite the fortune teller who was holding her hands in a small tent. The smell of incense was almost overwhelming.
"Oh you are fascinating" the Fortune Teller said. "I can see...a man. The most remarkable man, how did you meet him?"
"You're supposed to tell me" Donna shot back looking amused. she almost wanted to say which one? She has two very remarkable men in her life.
"I see the future. Tell me the past...when did your lives cross?" the Fortune Teller said softly.
"It's sort of complicated. I ended up in a spaceship on my wedding day. Long story." Donna said shrugging deciding to stick to the Doctor since that was the one the Fortune Teller most likely saw.
"But what led you to that meeting?"
"All sorts of things. But my job, I suppose... it was on Earth, this planet called Earth, miles away... but I had this job, as a temp - I was a secretary at a place called HC Clements... " Donna's ramble was cut short as she saw herself in HC Clements office working before the tent came back into her sight. "...sorry"
"It's the incense. Just... breathe deep. This job of yours - what choices led you there?" the Fortune Teller said.
"There was a choice... six months before... because the Agency offered me this contract with HC Clements..." Donna said scrunching her eyes shut in memory.
She was sitting in car, her mother in the passenger seat looking sullen and annoyed.
"But there was this other job. My mum knew this man..." Donna said softly.
"Jival, he's called. Jival Chowdry. He runs that little photocopy business and he needs a secretary." Sylvia said.
"I've. Got. A job!" Donna growled through gritted teeth.
"As a temp! This is permanent; it's twenty thousand a year, Donna." Sylvia went on her voice getting a pitch higher.
"HC Clements is in the city. It's nice, it's posh, so, stop it!" Donna snapped as she turned the key in the ignition.
"Your life could have gone one way or the other. What made you decide?" the Fortune Teller asked interestedly.
"I just did..."
Donna didn't notice the large beetle crawl into the tent and slowly making it's way to her.
"But when was the moment? When did you choose..." the Fortune Teller persisted.
They were now at a junction, a lorry drives past them.
"It won't take long, just turn right! We'll pop in and see Mr Chowdry, so Suzette can introduce you." Sylvia said in a pervasive voice.
"I'm going left, if you don't like it, get out and walk." Donna snapped getting frustrated.
"If you turn right you'll have a career, not just filling in!" Sylvia said getting equally frustrated.
"You think I'm so useless!" Donna burst out.
"Oh, I know why you want a job at HC Clements, lady - because you think you'll meet a man with lots of money and your whole life will change - well let me tell you, sweetheart, city executives don't need temps, except for practice!" Sylvia ranted.
"Yeah. Well, they haven't met me." Donna said turning left.
"You turned left. But what if you turned right, what then..." the Fortune Teller said interestedly.
"Let go of my hands" Donna said pulling away getting scared.
"What if it changes, what if you go right, what if you could still go right..." the Fortune Teller droned.
"Stop it!" Donna shrieked. Something crawls onto her back, she could feel it. "What's that? ...what's on my back? What is it, what... what's on my back?"
"Make the choice again, Donna Noble, and change your minds... turn right." The Fortune Teller said in a hypnotic voice.
"I'm turning..." Donna whispered.
"Turn right... turn right. Turn right!" the Fortune Teller chanted.
She was sitting back in the car, her mother was ranting on and she was listening. God her mother was right. After all what's so special about her? yeah she's the godmother to two alien kids and she had been dating the Head of Torchwood Three who by the way was immortal but now Jack had dumped her (probably saw how plain and unimportant she was) and the twins were all grown up, didn't need their Aunt Donna anymore.
"Well let me tell you, sweetheart – city executives don't need temps, except for practise!"
"Yeah suppose you're right" Donna said dejectedly, switching the indication to right before turning.
"Turn right and never meet that man. Turn right and change the world" the Fortune Teller said.
Meanwhile in 2006 a young girl roughly eighteen years old was preparing to make dinner when she was pulled into a vision. A vision of such horror and so much death that when her roommate had found her it was lucky he had managed to stop her self-harming herself again. Laying her on the sofa and holding her hand, he had kept a steady watch over her until she woke.
"God" she whispered. "God Donna what have you done?"