One-shot
A cry pierced the air and the Doctor awoke, shooting up and hitting his head on the underside of the staircase. Frowning, he wondered how he had gotten under there but shrugged it off. Realizing what the crying sound was, the Doctor scrambled out from under the staircase and pulled himself up to his feet. Hurrying up the staircase, he walked past the TARDIS console and up the stairs into the corridors of the TARDIS. The Doctor was thankful when he turned a corner and saw a door ajar at the end of the corridor.
Rubbing the sleep from his eyes, he pushed open the door and stopped. There she laid, eyes open and screaming her little lungs out. Smiling sleepily, the Doctor walked over to the crib, dodging toys on the floor and reached down into the crib
"Oh hello my little, sweet princess" he cooed picking her up, holding her in the air.
Placing her against his shoulder, the Doctor moved over to the rocking chair in the corner of the nursery and sat down with his daughter. Switching her position so she rested in his arms, he began to rock back and forth in the chair. However, his daughter continued to cry her heart out causing the Doctor to sigh
"Come on sweetness, it's time for you to sleep."
Agatha Noble-Smith wasn't the Doctor's biological daughter and in fact was an orphan he, Amy and Rory had found in an abandoned building in 59th Century Scotland. The Doctor hadn't been able to leave her behind, so he had taken her with them on the rest of their adventure.
It was an hour later but she still wasn't going to sleep. The sound of footsteps alerted the Doctor and he braced himself for an annoyed redhead
"Doctor" he heard Amy Pond call out
"Amy, I thought you were asleep"
"Well I would be if it weren't for Agatha screaming her lungs out."
Amy appeared in the doorway and it wasn't long before Rory Williams appeared behind her
"Sorry Pond, she just won't sleep" the Doctor apologized
"Well make her" Amy growled
"Amy, she's a baby. Not all babies are the same" Rory said sleepily
"I don't care. I want her asleep or else" the Scot threatened
"Or else what?" the Doctor asked worriedly
"Or else, I leave."
The Doctor stared at her in shock, not believing she was threatening to leave because of Agatha's screaming
"Amelia Pond that is the most ridiculous thing I ever heard. Agatha screams because she is a baby. All babies cry" the Doctor told her
"Shut her up or I leave" and with that, Amy pushed Rory out of the way and stormed back to their room.
The Doctor stared after her before glancing at Rory who was staring after his fiancée. Looking back at the Doctor, Rory shook his head
"Sorry Doctor. She's just tired and you know how she is. I'll go and see if I can talk some sense into her"
"Thanks Rory."
He watched as his Scot's fiancé walked away after her and looked back down at Agatha who was still crying. Closing his eyes, he took a deep breath and stood up
Try going for a walk with her he heard the TARDIS in his head.
Thanking her, he walked out of the nursery and headed through the TARDIS corridors trying to put his daughter to sleep. No matter what he tried though, Agatha still wouldn't go to sleep. Finding himself in the kitchen, the Doctor decided perhaps she was hungry.
Shifting Agatha to one arm, he walked over to the fridge and pulled it open. A made up bottle was already inside, all he had to do was warm it up. Pulling it out, the door snapped shut by itself
"Thanks Old Girl" he said to the TARDIS.
Walking over to the microwave, the door opened by itself and he placed the bottle inside. He shut the door and the microwave automatically entered the numbers and started. Taking four steps back, the Doctor rocked Agatha trying to reassure her that she would be getting her food soon.
When the microwave beeped and the door opened, he pulled out the bottle and tested it on his arm. Deeming it warm enough, he walked over and sat down at the kitchen table. He put the teat near Agatha's mouth
"Come on Aggie sweetheart, drink up."
Apparently she wasn't hungry. Groaning, the Doctor placed the bottle on the table and shifted Agatha to his shoulder patting her back and rubbing it soothingly, hoping to get her to sleep. He tried humming, he changed positions several times but she continued to cry.
Yawning, the Doctor was on the verge of breaking down. It had been so long since he had been through this, and forgot how tiring it could be.
Maybe you should take her for a walk
I tried that
Outside
We're in the Time Vortex
Then I'll land us somewhere
You would do that for me?
You know I would do anything for you
Thank you
He braced himself and his child as the TARDIS started the time rotor and began to take them to someplace where he could go walking outside. Surprisingly, the TARDIS had managed not to do too much rocking and it wasn't long before she landed.
Standing up, the Doctor walked out of the kitchen and headed to the console room. His TARDIS had moved the kitchen close to it so he didn't have to walk far. Appearing, he headed down the stairs and toward the front doors
"Doctor" he heard and looked behind him at the top of the stairs to find Amy and Rory looking at him questioningly "have we landed?"
"Yes Pond, the TARDIS suggested I take Aggie for a walk outside. She landed us somewhere, hopefully Earth, so we can go for a walk" he replied "go back to bed, you two"
"Okay" Rory agreed dragging Amy back to their bedroom.
When they were gone, the Doctor continued on walking down the gangplank towards the front door and pulled it open. Stepping outside, he smiled when he found that the TARDIS had landed them on Earth
"Keep an eye on them, I'll be back as soon as I can" he whispered to the TARDIS as he headed out of the alleyway and began to walk slowly down the street.
It was a nice, clear night with no cloud coverage and the stars were shining brightly. There was a gentle breeze but not enough to freeze people, just caress them and comfort them.
Try as he might though, the Doctor couldn't seem to get Agatha to sleep. He checked her nappy but that was clean, she hadn't been hungry, it was too early for her to be teething yet.
So what in the world was keeping her from sleeping?
"Yes mum, I've got what you wanted and I'm coming back…yes that too…can we not talk about this now…I thought he was right too but apparently not…well I'm sorry I can't be the perfect daughter you always wanted" and the sound of a phone angrily been snapped shut was heard followed by a frustrated sigh "blasted mother" she cursed.
The Doctor froze, completely stopped walking and practically breathing.
That voice.
That oh so familiar voice was coming from several feet behind him, and almost made him want to bolt
Old Girl what have you done?!
In shock, the Doctor watched as Donna Noble walked right past him before stopping and glancing back at him
"You alright?" she asked.
He didn't reply he was too shocked. He still couldn't believe the TARDIS had landed them in Chiswick of all places
"Hellooo, earth to Spaceman."
The Doctor tensed up.
She remembered
"Oi, you with the baby."
Or not
"Huh?" he snapped out of it and caught her raised eyebrow look "sorry, did you say something?"
"I asked if you're alright. Your baby's screaming her head off."
Looking back down at Agatha, he glanced back up at Donna
"She's been crying for almost two hours straight, I can't get her to sleep. Her nappy is clean, I tried feeding her a bottle but it's no use. She won't sleep" he told her
"Where's her mother?" Donna asked
"Dead. I found her, she's an orphan" the Doctor replied.
Donna's face softened and she walked over to him, looking down at the baby who continued to cry before looking back up
"I'm Donna" she introduced herself
"John Smith" he introduced.
Donna raised an eyebrow with doubt on her face
"I'm serious" the Doctor told her as convincingly as he could
"Sure, sure whatever mate. Now what's the little miss's name?" Donna asked
"Agatha Smith."
He conveniently left out Noble.
A un-lady like snort sounded from Donna and she rolled her eyes
"There's your problem, who the hell names their kid Agatha anymore?"
"I like it. I named her after one of my favorite authors, Agatha Christie" the Doctor replied.
The redhead blinked and then blinked again
"Well, what do you know, we both like Agatha Christie."
The Doctor's hearts clenched remembering the adventure his tenth incarnation and Donna had back in the 1920s with Agatha Christie solving a murder mystery which was almost like out of one of Agatha's books. He remembered finding Donna in the library by the pool, reading Agatha Christie novels and sometimes, they would sit in the library together curled up on the couch and talk all the things Agatha Christie.
A gentle squeeze on his shoulder brought him back to reality and he glanced at Donna
"John may I?" she asked nodding her head down to Agatha.
Nodding his head, the Doctor noticed Donna place down the brown paper bag and he gently handed over the screaming infant to his old companion. Bending down, he picked up her paper bag and walked over to a nearby bench sitting himself down.
Donna gently rocked the baby in her arms, trying to get her to sleep. However, it was no use. Suddenly, an idea hit her. Looking down at Agatha, she began to sing
"Baby, don't you cry
Gonna make a pie
Gonna make a pie with a heart in the middle.
Baby, don't be blue
Gonna make for you
Gonna make a pie
With a heart in the middle
Gonna be a pie from heaven above
Gonna be filled with strawberry love
Baby don't you cry
Gonna make a pie
And hold you forever in the middle of my heart"
The Doctor's eyes widened in surprise, he never knew Donna Noble could sing and she was so good. It also appeared to be working because Agatha's cries began to lessen
"Baby here's the sun
Baby here's the sky
Baby I'm your light
And I'm your shelter
Baby you are mine, I could freeze the time
Keep you my kitchen with me forever
Gonna be a pie from heaven above
Gonna be filled with strawberry love
Baby, don't you cry
Gonna make a pie
And hold you forever in the middle of my heart.
Oooh~
Gonna bake a pie from heaven above
Gonna be filled with butterscotch love
Gonna bake a pie from heaven above
Gonna be filled with banana cream love
Baby don't you cry
Gonna bake a pie
And hold you~ forever
And hold you~ forever
And hold you forever in the middle of my heart~"
Smiling down at the now sleeping infant, Donna turned back and caught sight of John staring at her. Not looking but downright staring at her, causing her to blush. Walking back over to him, she stood in front of him and he looked up at her
"Donna, you have the most beautiful singing voice I have ever heard" he told her with so much emotion in his voice
"Oh don't be daft, I sounded terrible" she tried to brush off the compliment, though knowing she was blushing deep red
"Absolutely beautiful" he saw Agatha asleep and smiled back at her "did I mention you're an angel?"
"Oh now stop it, you'll make an old woman blush"
"Don~na" he whined, dragging out her name like his tenth incarnation used to do "you're not old at all, in fact you're in your prime" he added
"Quick point out, you look a little young to be raising a kid" she told him "though there's something about you, Spaceman"
"What's that?" he asked trying to hold back his tears
"Your eyes, they tell a different story. You're a lot older than you look, aren't you?"
You have no idea
"Yeah."
Glancing down at Agatha, Donna moved her up and kissed her forehead before looking back surprised to see a tear slide down John's cheek. Was he…crying?
"John?" she said cautiously.
The Doctor sniffed and wiped his eyes
"I'm fine" he reassured her as she handed Agatha back "you'll make a great mother one day, Donna" he told her.
Shifting Agatha to one arm, he reached out and cupped her cheek before kissing Donna's forehead tenderly
"Thank you, Donna Mari Noble" he told her, his voice thick with emotion.
And Donna Noble watched as a mysterious man with a tweed jacket, a red bowtie and baby walked off back down the street the way she had come from, the idea never forming in her head that he had just spoken her full name.
The End