"Bloody hell, Spaceman" Donna's voice came through loud and clear, even though she was sitting on a seat in the TARDIS and the Doctor was half-concealed under the control panel. "What d'ya want all that stuff for anyway? How does that make this thing go?"
The Doctor had been tweaking the TARDIS. The old girl needed a slight MOT, and so he had taken it upon himself to try and work through the complex maze of wires and thingamajigs that held her together and made her go, to try and make things a bit smoother for them.
This definitely had nothing to do with Donna's complaint that the landing back on earth had been somewhat rough. Definitely nothing whatsoever.
"This, Donna" the Doctor's voice came out half-muffled where he has his screwdriver clamped between his teeth "is essential to making sure we don't end up in the Elizabethan era when we actually want to go and visit your mum.
"Clearly needs replacing in that case then."
The Doctor slid out from under the control panel.
"Hey!" He said. "You be nice to the TARDIS, she can do amazing things when she wants to." He lept to his feet and put his screwdriver in his pocket, before rubbing his hands with glee. "That should do it!"
"What about that?" Donna indicated the lump of metal on the floor. "Don't we need that for...something?"
"Nope, upgraded her, given her a better one." The Doctor flew around the console, pressing buttons and throwing switches. "She'll fly through time like a hot knife through butter." He looked at Donna and smiled. "16th, Century France, miss?" He threw one final switch.
All the power in the TARDIS went out.
"Huh". The Doctor's voice from somewhere in the darkness. "Maybe we did need that bit."
"Seems so" replied Donna.
A light appeared from the end of the Doctor's screwdriver and he found his way back under the console. "No worry" his voice, muffled again. "We'll get her fixed up. No problem. No problem at all." Some clangs and bangs. "Ok, maybe a small problem but we'll get her moving, don't worry."
"You sound so confident."
"Donna Noble, I am very confident. Did I ever tell you about the time I had to fix the TARDIS while we were stuck on the planet with the large flesh eating monsters? I managed to get her up and running again and I even had a flesh eating monster banging on my door. If I can do it then, I can do it now."
"Was that with her?"
Silence. Then, "Before you. It was before you, yes."
"But it was with her. With Rose. Right?"
More quiet. "Yes. With Rose. Yes."
The darkness emphasised the fact the Doctor was making no noise.
"She laughed. She found it funny. Hilarious. She said that the TARDIS always malfunctioned when we really didn't want it to."
"She had a point" Donna said softly. "At least you always choose companions that can make good observations." To Donna's relief, sounds of banging came from beneath the console again.
"Why'd you ask?" questioned the Doctor after a while. "I mean, why do you ask about Rose? It could've been Martha, y'know, I had adventures with her too."
"I know" said Donna. "But the ones you talk about are always the ones with Rose. The stories you tell me, are always the ones with her. You have hundreds of years of adventures and yet most of the time you just talk about Rose. Why's that?"
She heard him stop again, then heard him slide out from under the console. When he spoke again, his voice was clearer.
"Well, when we regenerate we don't always remember everything. I mean, we remember most stuff, but it's difficult to cram centuries of memories into one head, even for a Timelord." Donna heard him sigh.
"She was really special to you."
"All my companions are special, Donna." She heard him slide back under the console and start hitting things again. "They are all special and when things get complicated, like they did with Martha, it makes things more difficult. But Martha's a smart girl. She sorted it out."
"You really love her, don't you?"
"If I loved every companion I travelled with, then where would I be. You leave, you move curse of the Timelord." A few more bangs then suddenly the TARDIS flooded with light. "AHA!"
The Doctor sprang out from under the TARDIS console, the complacent Doctor Donna had been speaking with had completely gone along with the darkness as he once again ran around the console hitting things.
"One of those...a quick tap here...a couple of these and…" he flipped a switch and smiled as the TARDIS roared into life again.
"Y'see Donna Noble? I do know what I'm doing oh ye of little faith." Donna smiled at him and shook her head.
"I'm not entirely sure I'm ever going to believe that, Spaceman." The Doctor threw himself next to Donna on the seat and slung an arm round her neck.
"Oh Donna Noble, she who thinks I'm a crazy spaceman." He looked at her. "You're probably right though. I mean, who else would want to spend their time flying a box through time and space other than a mad man?" He sprung up again "C'mon Noble, 16th Century France doesn't grab you? How about Woodstock in the 60s then? If you look in the back you're bound to find something to wear that'll make you fit in."
"What about you?"
"I think I'm past my flares phase."
Donna laughed as she walked off to find something "suitable." The Doctor watched her go. He shook his head, wishing she hadn't reminded him of Rose. He made a mental note that Donna asks him deep questions in the dark.
He turned back to the console and just as he did, he swore that for about a half of a half of a second he saw her face, there on the screen. For literally less than the blink of an eye as he turned around, but of course by the time he thought he'd seen her, it had gone. He tapped the screen. Nothing. His eyes were playing tricks on him. Rose was in a parallel universe, safe. But where he couldn't get to her. He'd never see her again.
Donna appeared in the doorway in a disgusting pair of bright flares.
"You must be kidding." The Doctor said, looking her up and down.
"Of course I am"!" she replied. "I wouldn't wear these out in public, I'm just amazed you have them and also I really do not want to hear about your time spent in the Sixties if this is what you have to show for it!" She turned and disappeared back down the corridor.
Flipping switches and turning dials, the Doctor sent them hurtling into the Sixties, and made a mental note to get rid of his favourite flares as soon as possible.