Disclaimer: Own nothing, don't sue.

A/N:I absolutely love Donna, and I couldn't believe that she got cheated out of a happy ending, so I've used the bit about one of the assistants dying, made it more literal, and then tailored it to suit my own ends. I know this looks even more miserable than the actual events of 'Journey's End' at first glance, but depending on whether or not anyone reads/reviews/likes this initial chapter, the story will be continued to be happy, happy, happy! :)

Basically, 'Journey's End' is pretty much as it was, until the bit where Donna touches the hand, and then it's pretty much the same again, until the Tardis reappears on the crucible.

First story for Doctor Who, hope you enjoy. x

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(The Tardis. Donna is crawling around. The smoke is making her cough, and streams of tears cover her face.)

Donna: (Desperately) Come on, Doctor! Hurry up and rescue me!

(Her eyes fall on The Doctor's hand. It's glowing and bubbling. After a moment of indecision, she reaches out and touches it. There is a blinding white light, and as it fades, we see a second Donna stood in front of the original. The second one is dressed all in white.)

Donna: Oh my God!

Donna II: Oh, please don't ask the question you're thinking of asking. Seriously, you'll embarrass us both.

Donna: Who are you?

Donna II: (Winces) You asked it. (A pause) Well, isn't it obvious? I'm you!

Donna: Wait a minute, what on Earth going on?

Donna II: I'm you in the future. (Grins – she is clearly enjoying being the only person in the room who understands what's happening, for once.)

Donna: (Totally nonplussed) Come again.

Donna II: (Holds up hands) First things first – let's save you.

(Donna II crosses over to Tardis' controls and flies them out of the flames.)

Donna: (Very, very confused) What the…how did you…I…just do that?

Donna II: (In same 'I'm clever!' tone as before) You just saw how I did it, I'm the future you, so I remember how to do it.

Donna: But that makes no – (Breaks off, clutching head in pain.)

Donna II: (Not very sympathetic) Hurts, doesn't it? That's called a paradox head ache, and I'd get used to them, love, because you're about to have a boatload more.

NEXT SCENE

(The prison. Everyone has just been teleported there, and…well…the Universe is in a lot of trouble. Cue Tardis appearing. Everyone looks shocked as Donna strolls out.)

Donna: (Brightly) Hello, everybody. (Turns to Jack, grins cheekily) Hello, Captain.

Doctor: (Smiles widely, despite the Universe's predicament, and his obvious confusion) Donna, you're alive! How?

Donna: Plenty of time for that later. (Deftly skips aside to escape force field cell thingy.) I just have a couple of things to take care of.

(Donna approaches controls to side of her.)

Cntd: Firstly, I've got to single handedly stop the Daleks…this button.

(She flicks a switch, and all the Daleks freeze; immobilized. All human (and time lord) jaws drop.)

Doctor: Donna, you just…but you can't change a plug!

Donna: (Points mock threateningly in his direction.) Oi, watch the lip, space man. Though, I guess you're right; I mean, normally I'm completely useless at stuff like this, but then again, normally the future me hasn't already done it, traveled back through time, and explained what she did and how.

Doctor: (Frowns) What you just said made absolutely no sense.

Donna: (Mock mysteriously) It's not supposed to; it's a paradox. (To Davros) So. So. You're the…person…who tried to kill me. (Turns up her nose in disgust) Well, I've got news for you, mate. You are seriously going to regret that.

Capt. Jack: Er, Donna, perhaps you could take that up with him later.

Donna: (Flashes him a brilliant smile, before hitting herself lightly on the forehead) You're right; I have to free The Doctor (pushes a button) so that he can…

(Doctor yells in triumph as the force field cell thingy around him disappears)

Doctor: Save the Universe!

(He crosses over to the controls, and pulls a series of levers, pushes switches, explaining what he's doing as he does it, then pulls Donna towards him, and squeezes her in a tight hug.)

Cntd: You're great sometimes, Donna.

(The countdown to the annihilation of the twenty-seven planets stops.)

Davros: (Yells like an injured beast) It's not possible! Dalek Khan promised –

(Donna turns on her heel to face him, looking angrier than we have ever, ever seen her before, and breaks him off)

Donna: (Darkly) You, shut up. (Suddenly cheery again) Oh, and I have to free you lot!

(She pushes another few buttons, and the cells holding the others disappear. Rose, Martha, Jack, Sarah-Jane, Jackie, and Mickey – all of them stand still, completely astounded for a moment, before all erupting in excited cries, and rushing to clear the Daleks out of the way. Cue the Rose/Sarah-Jane 'nice to see you again' bit, etc. The Doctor happily joins in the celebrations. Only Donna is still and silent. She smiles, but it's a little sad.)

Doctor: (Hugging both Martha and Sarah-Jane, who look a little bewildered, but happy) Just like old times, huh?

(The Doctor suddenly releases them, and spins to face Donna.)

Cntd: (To Donna) Wait a minute…paradox! You said paradox! Donna, how did you know how to stop the Daleks, and…we-ell, everything else you did?

(Donna's smile is not quite as wide as it previously was, but she seems unnaturally calm as she holds The Doctor's gaze.)

Donna: I already told you. If the Universe needs something badly enough, it can create it – it just has to have the right amount of energy. Well…it found it; in your hand. You put all your excess energy into it when you sort of regenerated, and when I touched it, the Universe used your energy, and my DNA, and made a future version of me. A 'me' that had already done what was needed to stop the Daleks and set you free, and that could tell the me 'me' what it was.

Doctor: And you know all this because the future 'you' told you?

Donna: That's right.

Doctor: (Emphatically) Then you shouldn'tknow it at all, because she shouldn't know it – you're right, it's a complete and utter paradox.

Rose: What's the problem with that?

Sarah-Jane: I'm with Rose on this. I mean, Donna stopped the Daleks, you saved the world. (Laughingly) I don't mind a few paradoxes if this is the result.

(The others grin, but both The Doctor's and Donna's faces remain grave.)

Doctor: (Eyes still not leaving Donna's) The problem is, that paradoxes require a price to be paid. They always end badly for someone.

(At this point, it is almost as though The Doctor and Donna are the only two people in the room.)

Donna: (With a shadow of a smile, and low voice) Trust me; I am absolutely fine with the way this one's going to work out.

Doctor: What's going to happen, Donna?

Donna: (Sighs) People keep saying I'm the most important woman in the Universe, and to be honest, I used to think they were just a bit nuts, but now I see that they're right; I am, but only because of what I do.

Doctor: (Urgently) What do you do, Donna?

Donna: I, Donna Noble, am the most important woman in the Universe, because I save the most important man in the Universe; the man who has saved the world a hundred times before, and will a hundred times again; the man whose companions are going to help him pull the Earth back to where it should be. I'm going to save The Doctor.

Doctor: (Very urgently) How? Donna, how are you going to save me?

(Unseen to everyone except the audience, Davros pushes a button, and a mechanical slot in the wall slides open.)

CUT TO:

(The Tardis.)

Donna: (Same urgent tone as The Doctor) How? How do I save him?

(Donna II pauses for a moment, looking sympathetically at Donna, and then pulls up her top to reveal a large red wound in her stomach. It goes through to the other side.)

CUT BACK TO:

(The Prison.)

Doctor: Donna, WHAT DO YOU DO?

Donna: (Simply) This.

(No sound. Out of the slot flies a short, flat blade. It is heading for The Doctor, but Donna steps in the way, and it goes through her stomach. She dies immediately, and falls into The Doctor.)

Doctor: (Whispering, shocked) No.

(Everybody looks shocked. After a moment, Captain Jack sees that The Doctor is not going to move, steps forward, takes Donna out of his arms, and lays her on the ground.)

Capt. Jack: (Notes quietly, but reluctantly – almost as if it is force of habit) Helenthian blade, mechanically propelled.

Martha: (Whispering) What's a –?

Doctor: (Dully) A Helethian blade, otherwise known as a time lord killer. Instant death on impact – too quick for us to regenerate.

Rose: (Crying) How did she know?

Capt. Jack: (Still knelt beside Donna's body) The same way she knew everything she shouldn't have. She walked in here knowing that she was going to immobilize the Daleks, free The Doctor so that he could stop the reality bomb, and…

Doctor: (Tears in his own eyes, though his voice is still as flat and emotionless as before) She knew that she was going to die.

Jackie: She was so brave.

(For a moment, everyone is stationary; shell shocked. Then after a pause…)

Sarah-Jane: (Suddenly determined) You're right, Jackie; she was brave. And she gave us a job. (Everyone looks at her.) We're going to help The Doctor move the Earth. (Crosses over to Doctor, and takes his hand.) (Gently) What do you say, Doctor? Time to go home?

NEXT SCENE:

(The 'Tardis/tow truck bit, only suitably less jolly. One by one, The Doctor drops everyone home.)

NEXT SCENE:

(Donna's body is laid out on her bed at home. Her mum is beside her, sobbing uncontrollably. Wilf stands by The Doctor, tears in his eyes, obviously absolutely desolate.)

Doctor: (Guiltily, to Wilf) I am so sorry. (Pause) But she saved the entire Universe; you should be so proud of her.

Wilf: We are.

(Doctor takes something out of his pocket, and slips it around Donna's neck. It's her key to the Tardis, on a chain.)

Doctor: So am I. You were brilliant, Donna.

(He leaves.)

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A/N2: Sorry for stealing the plug line straight from the show, I just absolutely loved it. :)