Author Notes: Weekly drabble challenge response to lj user= "doctor_donna"'s GENTLE although it would be more of a challenge for me to try to write something without that word in it! Also, Birthday fic for lj user="cytherea999" There is even bondage! And inappropriate touching! And smexy talking :D
The Doctor snarled in fury and twisted in his restraints as Donna's cries once more reached his ears.
He watched her as she turned her head into the crook of her elbow; the only escape she could effect being similarly tied up as him, her hands above her head. Her face was scrunched up in fear and revulsion as their insectoid captors ventured even closer, one of them with a claw stroking the exposed skin of her stomach after ripping through her blouse. She shuddered violently and cried out again and the Doctor wrenched at his bonds in response, barely registering that the knots had suddenly come free before he was at her side. The creatures recoiled in surprise and horror as he growled savagely at them. They skittered from the cell, clanging the door closed firmly behind them.
He worked frantically at her restraints until she too was free, calling her name over and over until he could finally lower her arms, slowly in case her tired muscles protested from being strained in one position for hours now. Then, almost whimpering in relief, he clutched her body to his as she swayed on her feet.
Donna let her arms rest around his neck, choking back sobs in an effort to catch her breath. Then she buried her head in his neck and he tightened his hold on her, rubbing her back and blinking furiously. As he cradled her he made crooning noises that he suspected were as much to calm himself as they were to soothe the woman in his arms.
After a moment she mumbled something and he pulled back a little.
"What did you say?"
"It's not your fault, Doctor."
He gazed at her blankly for a moment before realizing that, until she had spoken, he had been murmuring agonized apologies over and over, telling her how sorry he was for bringing her here, for ending them up in this place, for not taking better care of her.
"Well, if I hadn't—" he started again and she moved a shaky finger to his lips to stop him.
"Shhh. I came here with you, I know the risks every time we set foot outside the TARDIS. I chose this life, Doctor, and if we die here today then it will still have been the right choice. So quit apologizing, okay, save the God complex for the minions. I am here with you. I am right where I'm supposed to be."
He gazed at her for a moment, marveling at how quickly she could regain her composure. "But the way they were hurting you, Donna…"
"And they'll hurt a lot more people if we don't stop them. Isn't that why we're here?"
"Never mind us," he whispered suddenly, a look of wonder in his eyes.
"What?" Donna tilted her head.
"That's what you said to me, the first time we faced death together. Never mind us. It stunned me, Donna, you always amaze me. You aren't afraid to die."
Donna blew air through pursed lips in an impatient gesture, making the tendrils of red dance around her face where her hair had escaped her ponytail.
"I don't know about that, Spaceman, I'm bloody terrified! And I don't have a death wish, thankyouverymuch!"
"No, but…" He swallowed, still looking at her, completely captivated by what he saw. "What I mean is, if you are putting yourself between danger and other people then you don't even care what happens to you." iIt's like— It's like me./i He didn't voice the last thought but it terrified and thrilled him all at once to have someone he loved so deeply as his equal and yet to have to acknowledge in the same breath how easily he could lose her, it was overwhelming.
They looked at each other for a long moment. The Doctor swallowed. The urge to kiss her was so strong, and completely inappropriate, but lately it seemed all he could think about. Kissing her, this woman, his friend, his Earth girl, his partner, his companion. When had he started wanting more? Never mind us whispered through his mind, like the ghost of a promise that had begun in that moment – when suddenly there truly was an "us" in a way he had experienced with no-one else before. Many others had traveled with him, many brave enough to stand at his side or even take a proverbial bullet, but never had anyone shouldered the burden of blame with him, refusing to let him torture himself as the destroyer of worlds alone. Donna understood that it had become too much for him, the curse of the Time Lord, and she took on more than the risk, she took on the agency of destruction, even taking the lives of her own people at Pompeii.
Before he knew what he was doing his hands began caressing the skin of Donna's back through her tattered shirt. She cleared her throat nervously, "Um, Doctor, shouldn't we try to get out of here before the creepazoids come back?
"Curlithzoilods," he corrected automatically and she gave him a look. "Right, right, yes… us out of here, working on it," he responded sheepishly. He stepped back slowly, making sure she was steady on her feet.
"Are you sure you're okay, Donna?"
"Right as rain."
He looked at her skeptically.
"I am. Time Lord hugs are an Earth Girl's best medicine." She gave him a lop-sided smile.
"My little Earth girl, so brave," he whispered fondly. He gazed at her again as her cheeks grew flushed and she half-heartedly flapped at him, admonishing him for being daft. Her protests were belied only by an embarrassed smile and he realized he was doing a hopeless job of keeping a check on his adoration.
Forcing his eyes away the Doctor fished in his pockets for his sonic, eyeing up the lock and feeling flustered enough to spare a hand to run through his hair. All the while mentally cursing himself, what was he thinking, feeling her up at a time like this? Or at all for that matter. He found the screwdriver and aimed it at the lock with trembling fingers.
"And Doctor?" Her voice was suddenly gentle, shy even and he looked back at her immediately. "We can talk some more about the "us" thing when we get back to the TARDIS," she shrugged uncertainly, "that is, if you still want to?"
He couldn't stop the huge smile that spread across his face.
Moments later the mechanism inside the door lock succumbed to the sonic screwdriver and the Doctor grabbed Donna's hand.
"Allons-y!"