Not Just a Name
Disclaimer: I don't own Doctor Who, but I do own a sonic screwdriver and several Doctor Who magazines and posters!
Author's Note: Thanks for all the great reviews on my first story. I'm so glad that you all liked it some much and I hope you will enjoy this one just as much! WARNING- Attempt at some humor!
When Donna Noble woke up she couldn't shake her tiredness. She was still exhausted after yesterday's misadventure but couldn't wait to see where the Doctor would take her today. So after a few more minutes of lying in bed fighting to stay awake, Donna finally convinced her feet to move.
Grabbing her bathrobe off of her closet door, Donna groggily shuffled her way into the kitchen where she found the Doctor bounding about the room scrambling eggs, buttering toast, and making tea. He was whistling some cheery tune that Donna had never heard and was positive he was making it up as he went. She sat down at the table unnoticed and watched him bounce from one place to the next. There were times when all of his energy made her positively sick and right now was no exception.
"Do you have to be so bloody cheerful at the crack of dawn!" Donna demanded after several minutes of scrutinizing the Doctor's actions. All his bouncing was making her head spin and his whistling was getting on her nerves.
"What?" The Doctor seemed completely taken aback by her outburst. He stopped mid-stride in the middle of the kitchen and looked as if he had just realized Donna was in the room.
"It's too early to be that energetic Spaceman!" Donna replied.
"Well good morning to you too!" The Doctor shot back sarcastically. He then returned to making breakfast but he ceased his bounding about the room.
"Donna, I've told before, there isn't really any kind of "time" aboard the TARDIS. So it isn't necessarily morning. And besides didn't you sleep well? You sleep for almost nine hours which is more than enough rest for a human to function properly…" The Doctor was cut off by the intense glare he was getting from his companion. It was her shut-up-before-I-slap-you look. "Sorry." He quickly added.
"I slept fine! Not that it's any of your bloody business! I'm just not completely awake and I haven't had my coffee yet!" Donna snapped. She was starting to feel bad about yelling at the Doctor when she saw the slightly hurt look on his face; after all he was just looking out for her well-being.
But the Doctor being the Doctor just took her temper in stride. "I made breakfast! Scrambled eggs and toast with marmalade!" When Donna didn't say anything he took it as a sign of approval and set a plate down in front of her along with a steaming mug of coffee. Thankfully today he remembered to make both tea and coffee. He didn't need a repeat of the day he only made tea and caused Donna to be in a bad mood all day because she didn't get her morning coffee. She was already irritable enough as it was.
They ate in relative silence until Donna finally asked what they were doing today. Sensing that she had calmed down, the Doctor snapped back into his usual cheerful self and told her what he had in mind.
***************************************DW*******************************************After breakfast Donna had went back to her room to shower and dress. When she finally got to the ship's consol room, the Doctor was walking the circumference of the consol fiddling with a few buttons and levers.
"Donna? Do you know where your name comes from? Its origin or its meaning?" The Doctor questioned.
"My what!" Donna shouted, the Doctor's question catching her off-guard.
"Your name. Do you know its origins?" The Doctor stopped in front of Donna and leaned back against the consol.
"Why is that any of your business?" The redhead's blue eyes were blazing.
"It… I just…" The Doctor sputtered as he quickly maneuvered himself out of slapping range.
"That has to be the single most ridiculous, random, and unimportant question you have ever asked me!"
"Well if you let me finish. I was only asking." The Doctor replied calmly.
"Yeah, but why do you care? I mean, it's just a name." Donna folded her arms across her chest and leaned back against the rail next to the jump seat.
"Alright. Sorry I brought it up." The Doctor sighed in defeat as he began flipping switches and pressing buttons on the consol.
After a several minutes Donna sighed and replied, "It's something in Latin I think."
The Doctor looked up from the monitor and gave her one of his trademark grins, but all he said in return was "Onwards and upwards!" Then he through the TARDIS into the Time Vortex.
When the ship finally landed, the Doctor had all but run through the doors. "Come on Donna! You are gonna love this!"
"You're not taking me to some planet where "Donna" means something offensive are you?" Donna asked as she cautiously walked to the ramp to where the Doctor stood.
"What? Why would I do that? No. I'll explain that later. Just come on!"
***************************************DW*******************************************
Shortly after arriving in the alien city, it was in need of saving from a monstrous creature threatening to destroy everything. The creature had been released from its underground prison by an explosion that occurred in the middle of the city. Donna had immediately asked what they could do to help and took on the task of helping care for those that had been injured during the explosion; she never ceased to amaze the Doctor with her selflessness and compassion. The Doctor went off to do what he does best- save the city. Several hours later the Doctor had managed to defeat the creature and its creator and finally returned to retrieve Donna from the make-shift medical station. It had been long day and by the end of it both were exhausted but pleased with their work.
It was dark by the time the Doctor and Donna got back to the TARDIS. They were tired, but not quite ready to head off to bed. So they sat in the library in front of the glowing fireplace and chatted about the day's events and what tomorrow would bring.
"It is Latin." The Doctor said breaking the silence that had fallen between them. Donna was sitting next to him on the sofa resting her head on his shoulder as the Doctor wrapped his arm around hers; she turned to give the Doctor a confused look.
"Your name, it's Latin." He said seeing the frown on Donna's face.
"What are you on about? Why do care so much about my name and its meaning?"
"I just wanted to see if you knew." The Doctor answered cryptically.
"Knew what?" Donna growled. She was beginning to get frustrated with the Doctor so she sat up so she could look him in the eye. What was he not telling her?
"It never occurred to me until after we got back to the TARDIS the other day. It just sort of dawned on me after you went to bed. I was going to tell you then but you were already asleep and I didn't want to disturb you…" He was cut off in midsentence. "Oww!"
"Get to the point Spaceman!" Donna growled after slapping the Doctor. "And since when did you ever care about disturbing me while I'm asleep?"
Massaging his sore arm, the Doctor continued, "Your name is a Latin, well Ancient Latin, "nobility" name. It literally means "Lady". So Donna Noble could literally be translated to Noble Lady! Or in Italian it can mean Lady Noble! Isn't that brilliant?" Grinning as he finished his explanation.
Donna crossed her arms over her chest and stared at the Doctor, who was still grinning, stupidly in her opinion. Tilting her head off to one side, she finally said, "That was what you wanted to tell me? That was the reason you were so ecstatic during breakfast? What the bloody hell does that have to do with anything!" With each question Donna's voice increased in volume. Her red hair seemed match the color of the fire and her blues eyes burned with the same intensity.
The Doctor was somewhat bewildered at her reaction to this news. He thought she would find it interesting, but apparently he was wrong.
"Donna, I thought you might like to know. And I think it's important. It completely suites you! Your name is perfect for you! You may not be aware of it, but you are the noblest woman I know!" Donna only scoffed at him in reply.
"It's true!" The Doctor turned to face Donna on the sofa. He took her hands and held them gently in his own. "Donna you are an imposing force to be reckoned with, you're admirable, distinguished, selfless… And those are all qualities of someone who's worthy of being called noble in my book."
Donna sat facing the Doctor but couldn't bring herself to look him in the eye so she sat studying the carpet. "Doctor," she said softly. "I'm just a temp." He hated when she talked that way about herself. The Doctor reached out towards her and gently lifted her chin so that she was forced to meet his gaze. In the warm glow of the fire he could see that tears were threatening to spill down her pale cheeks.
"No, you are not just a temp. You're much more than that. You are caring and compassionate and you have saved so many lives… including mine. You are Donna Noble, the noblest Noble of them all!" The Doctor chuckled softly as he said the last part. And Donna couldn't help but to laugh as well.
The Doctor drew her into a hug and placed a light kiss on the top of her ginger head. They sat silently in each other's embrace for several minutes taking comfort in one another's company. Finally Donna whispered a soft thank you to the Doctor and he slowly released her.
"Well, I think I will be heading off to bed now. See you in the morning… or whatever it is. Goodnight Doctor." Donna said as she walked towards the door.
'You sure you're alright?" The Doctor asked. "Yep." Donna replied, nodding and mimicking the way the Doctor always pops the letter "p".
"Goodnight then…" The Doctor said as he watched Donna leave the library. When he was sure she was out of earshot he quietly added, "… My Noble Lady."
The Doctor sat in front of the dying fire alone until it was nothing but glowing embers before he headed off to his room. As he passed Donna's door he thought about checking on her but he decided against it. If something was wrong the TARDIS would alert him. So he continued down the corridor to his room wondering if Donna would ever truly know just how much she meant to him.
Fin
Hope it doesn't sound cheesy or stupid. I was bored and decided to write this. Was it better, worse, not sure? Please read and review!