Here was have yet another lovely birthday present for our Danni-Girl! Off the wonderful serenitysaiyan! Make sure that you read and review!
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"Where are you going?" The Doctor asked, as Danni, her shoes in her hand, headed further into the TARDIS after they had swept through the door.
He had taken her to dinner, and then dancing, followed by a little bit of running as they realised that they had attended a ball that went down as the start of one of the Sontaran wars. While it hadn't been the quiet birthday celebration she had hoped for, Danni had enjoyed herself. But, it was late, her feet hurt, and she wanted to go to bed with her husband.
"Bed?"
He just smiled and shook his head, his hair flopping adorably as he moved around the console. "Not just yet Danni-girl, there's still one more thing for you. A present, as you will."
A smile graced her tired face, "A present?"
"Yes Danni-girl. A present. Now, why don't you go change into something less formal, and I'll get us parked."
Walking back over she kissed him on the cheek, before darting off to the wardrobe to change. The Doctor turned and directed the TARDIS to where he needed to go. He had planned this a while ago and now seemed the perfect time to utilise it. A rare present, somewhat bittersweet. But, one he hoped she would enjoy.
By the time Danni made it back to the console room, the Doctor was in his older tweed jacket and red bowtie. "Going for the classic look Spaceman?" she asked, as she saw him. She had gone for black slacks with a white sleeveless blouse, a cardigan over the crook of one arm.
"Thought the other outfit was a bit too classy for blending in where we are going." He responded, meeting her and giving her a kiss. Pulling back he smiled and kissed her on the nose, before taking her hand and leading her to the door.
"Are you ready for this?"
As a response, Danni opened the door and stepped outside, the Doctor following, still unsure to how she was going to react. He watched her take it in, the familiar street, and as she turned to question him, a frown of confusion on her face, a familiar face appeared running towards them.
"Wahay! You're here!" Wilfred Mott announced, bustling towards them with more energy than Danni had expected. A smile broke out, however, and she pulled him into a hug, "It's good to see you! I'm glad you could make it!"
"Make it to what, Wilf?" Danni asked, pleased to see the older man, expecting that this was her present. The Doctors hand came down onto her shoulder and she looked up at him and his nervous smile.
"Donna's baby shower of course!" Wilf said with a laugh. "I'm going to be a great-grandad!"
Danni sat on the TARDIS jump seat, her brow furrowed, as the Doctor and Wilf stood before her. She had froze after hearing the news and had disappeared back inside the blue box, determined to not risk her friends mental health.
"We've discussed this fully Danni. I wouldn't have brought you here if I thought there was going to be any chance that Donna would remember." The Doctor explained, taking his wife's hands in his own while trying to console her.
"Donna doesn't seem to know who he is. I've introduced her to him before, as John Smith, and nothing has come up. She just seems to blow him off, must be the jacket." Wilf added, causing the Doctor to pout and a small smile to appear on Dannis face at the teasing jest.
Moving and taking her face in his hands, the Doctor tilted Danni's head so that her gaze met his. "We don't have to do this if you don't want to, but, I thought it would be a nice way to end the day. Seeing Donna again, and happy. We've both regenerated, we can introduce ourselves as John and Ella, and she won't make the connection. We don't even have to stay for long, but –"
Danni placed a finger over his lips to stop his explanation before smiling at him sadly. "I appreciate the gesture, Spaceman, I do. I want to see Donna again, more than anything, but, I don't want us to cause a degeneration of the memory wipe you performed. We both know the memories could come back."
"Danni, sweetheart," Wilf stepped up then, causing the Doctor to step back as the older man took one of her hands. "I know you're concerned, I am too, but, Donna, the old Donna, she would want you to be here for this. I know this. Please, come for a while. See her and say hi and congratulate her, even if she doesn't recognise you. A part of her will know and will be better for it. So will you."
She only nodded, pulling him into a hug as she tried to keep her tears at bay. She did want this, so much. To see Donna and to congratulate her. They had missed the wedding, but, she could at least do this.
"Okay." She said, pulling away and wiping her eyes, both Wilf and the Doctor smiling at her encouragingly. "Okay. Let's go see her."
Taking the Doctors hand, the three walked back out of the TARDIS and into the house that Danni remembered seeing only fleetingly a long time ago. The sound of music and chatter filled her ears as they got closer, but the Doctors hand in hers, and Wilfs reassuring smile inspired Danni to force down her fears at seeing her friend and to enjoy the moment instead.
The party was in full swing, and, when they stepped into the garden, Danni was a little overwhelmed by how many people were there. Her eyes searched until they alighted on her ginger friend, causing a large smile to appear at the sight of her.
Donna was glowing. Pregnancy seemed to agree with her as she sat at a table, a glass of water in front of her, her husband standing behind her, and a large grin on her face. She was chatting to some of her friends and suddenly laughed loudly, filling the garden with the sound of her voice.
A present was placed in front of her, and she looked up at her husband to see him smile and nudge her in the woman's general direction, as the people surrounding the ginger woman took leave to talk and speak to others at the party. Taking a breath, she let go of his hand and took the gift, making her way through the guests towards the focus of the party, the Doctor and Wilf at her side.
"Donna, love, do you remember John Smith? We bumped into him at that coffee shop one time." Wilf said, going over to his granddaughter and directing her gaze to the couple. The Doctor waved and Danni smiled next to him.
Donna looked them over, nodding a little. "Yeah, I remember. That jacket is hard to forget. As is the bow tie. I mean, who wears a bow tie?"
"Bow ties are cool." The Doctor automatically responded, going to straighten it. Donna gave him a look and Danni couldn't help but giggle. It was so like past times, her hearts ached for it.
Stepping forward she placed the box on the table and held out her hand. "I'm Ella, John's wife. It's nice to meet you Donna. Wilf has told me so much about you."
Donna took her hand and shook it, "God knows what he's told you. Depends on his mood, and mine, I think!"
"It's been all good things, I promise." Danni replied.
"It better have been." Donna said with a grin and Wilf made a sound of protest, causing the two women to laugh.
"It always terrifies me a little when people say they've heard about me. I never know if I'm going to live up to their expectations." Danni said.
"I know what you mean. I sometimes wonder what he says about me behind my back." Donna responded, nudging her husband.
"Only good things, dear. Only good things." He responded, leaning down to place a kiss on her head.
"That and you hog the bed."
"Oi!" Donna responded, turning a little and smacking her husband on the arm lightly. "Don't be such a twat. Now, go off. Get me another drink and take John with you. Ella clearly needs some girl time – as do I!"
Shaun and the Doctor exchanged looks, and the Doctor pulled up a chair, and ushered Danni to sit down in it, as the two started a conversation. Wilf stepped aside, leaving the two couples and the Doctor smiled as the two talked without a care. Danni's face was lit up as she animatedly discussed meeting people who had been talked up by her friends, while Donna agreed.
"Are you sure they haven't met before mate? Seems like they have to me." Shaun said to the Doctor, giving him a small nudge as they left the girls and made their way to the refreshment table.
"Ella has that effect of people." He responded, the contented smile still on his face. He was so glad that he had convinced Danni to come.
He had bumped into Donna before. Once he had regenerated, while Danni was still bouncing around his timeline, when he had been lonely he had gone to visit her. The first time had been to hold a door open for her. The second was to slip her some change when she was short for a cup of coffee. He hadn't meant to stumble into her when he had gone to meet Wilf, but, then the man had reintroduced them and Donna hadn't seemed to be the wiser.
"I've never seen her take to strangers like that is all. I mean, it took me months and months of 'accidentally' bumping into her at the coffee shop before she gave me a chance. Would never let me buy her a drink though – she seemed to have some weird phobia with that." Shaun explained, labelling some of the punch on the table into a cup for his wife.
A small smile appeared on the Doctors face, knowingly. "Really? That does sound a bit odd. But, Donna seems like a very head-on person, from what her grandfather has told me."
Shaun chuckled. "She can be a bit to handle at times. But, that's what makes her Donna, and I wouldn't have her any other way."
"I'm so glad to hear you say that mate. Sounds like Donna has truly found someone for her. She was looking long enough…" He responded.
"Pardon?" Shaun asked, gathering his drink and wife's.
"Nothing, nothing. Just stating how nice it is that you both work so well together." The Doctor responded, grabbing his own wife a drink and leading the way back over to the girls.
The Doctor placed the cup of punch in front of Danni and kissed her on the head. She smiled up at him, thanking him quickly before taking a sip, as Donna accepted her own drink.
"Has she opened the present yet Ella? We're rather short on time." The Doctor said, nudging her slightly. He wished they could stay for a while, but he had other things waiting for her and didn't want to share her for much longer. He also didn't want to risk the memory wipe for long for the first time with both of them there.
"Not yet, I didn't realise we were on such a tight schedule." She responded, pouting a little. Now that she had loosened up, she was really enjoying her talks with Donna. It reminded her of times past that she never wanted to forget.
"Well, maybe we can come back another time? You and Donna can do tea." He suggested, and she seemed to brighten at the thought, turning to the other woman in question.
Donna smiled, and nodded. "That would be great – take some time out when the baby is born! The boys can babysit and we can have a spa day!"
"Sounds wonderful." Danni said, wondering when in her future that might be. Handing the present over, she watched as the woman looked over it quizzically, before opening it up.
There was a brown box and, inside, was a small, white bear with the name tag of 'Addy' and a baby mobile of the stars and planets.
"Oh! It's beautiful!" Donna exclaimed, taking in the mobile and the intricate designs of the planets and stars.
"Every child should dream of the stars." Danni said, knowing the sentimental value behind it, as well as the bear that was provided. The Doctor placed a hand on her shoulder and squeezed, realising that she understood.
"I'm sure she will love it." Shaun said, picking up the bear and turning it in his hands. "But why the name 'Addy'?"
"Short for Addison. Or Adora. Something different." The Doctor replied, and Danni had to hide the grin that threatened to escape when she thought of the true reason as to why he had chosen that name.
"Beautiful." Donna said, a faraway look in her eyes as she stared at the mobile. The Doctor and Danni exchanged slightly worried looks.
"Sadly, we must be off." The Doctor continued, causing Donna to snap back to herself and place the mobile back on the table, as Shaun placed the bear next to it. Both looked rather upset that their new friends had to leave so suddenly.
Danni pushed the chair out and got to her feet, soothing down her top. "It was lovely to meet you both." She said, holding out her hand to shake Shaun's and Donna's. The woman, however, got to her feet and gave her a slightly awkward hug, with the baby bump in the way, which seemed to surprise them both.
"Take care, alright?" She said, the strange look back in her eyes that Danni swore was reminiscent of the look of the woman who knew her years ago.
"I will. You too. Take care of your family."
Donna smiled, nodding, that spark fading away and Danni felt like she had to hold back the tears. To come so close and yet never be able to get there. It broke her hearts still with what had happened with her in the past.
With another quick goodbye, and a promise to catching up later, and a wave to Wilf, the Doctor took Danni's hand in his and led them away from the party, away from their old friend, and back towards home.
"Did you enjoy your surprise?" He asked, as they entered through the TARDIS door.
Danni smiled up at him. "Yes. It was nice. A little bittersweet, but, I'm glad to see that Donna is happy."
"I'm glad." He puffed up with pride at his present idea and she laughed.
"You feel like you've won something, don't you Spaceman?"
"Not yet! But, the night is still young!"
He picked her up, ignoring her yelp of surprise, and carried her through to their bedroom, to enjoy the rest of her birthday together.