As the multi colored confetti spilled over Donna and her new husband , covering their heads , in the middle of well wishers, the Doctor watched from afar.
He must not approach her, he thought in angst , as his inner urges wanted to rush over there , and envelop her in a huge hug, to congratulate her and share her joy.
His two hearts ached watching Donna wave her finger, a gold ring upon it, a huge beam on her face. He was so proud of his Donna Noble.
The most important woman in creation. His best friend. Seeing Donna in a wedding dress reminded him of their first meeting, when she appeared on the TARDIS.
She was wearing a wedding dress then as well. He smiled at the irony.
The first time and last time he would see Donna Noble with this face, she was wearing a wedding dress. He was grateful that she found love and happiness. He could see it on her face.
She was blissfully happy, he had never seen her so elated. But from his vantage point, her could see the far away stare in her green eyes.
Like she couldn't remember something. Something important.
The adventures she had gone on with him , and everything she had seen and done. Fighting Sontarans, helping the Ood, and solving a mystery with Agatha Christie. How she had convinced him to save that family in Pompeii. He thought he had lost her forever in the Library , and he thought he would never see her again on Midnight.
The regeneration energy shot through his body , and it hurt, he was close to tears .
Not from the pain, but just seeing Donna again, and not being able to return her memories.
He watched with a small smile on his face, as Donna bossed her wedding party around as the photographer snapped photos of the happy couple.
A new adventure for Donna, he thought, married life was about to begin.
He just wasn't able to share the adventure with her, not this time.
He put his hand in his pocket and touched the lottery ticket.
He knew it was a winning ticket, he made sure of it.
He couldn't give Donna her memory of him back , but he wanted to make sure she was taken care of in his absence. He had already done a check on Shaun Temple, and he was glad for once that Donna had no idea of what he did. He knew he was a good bloke, someone to make his Donna happy. But they were struggling financially.
He wanted to make her life complete, a gift for someone who had seen and saved the universe.
She needed to be paid back.
A tear ran down the Doctors face as Wilfred Mott and Sylvia Noble approached him, as he nearly doubled over in pain, knowing that this regeneration was going to be the worst yet.
Like the tiny pieces of confetti on the ground, he knew his hearts were in many pieces.