After the Doctor-Donna: The untold Story of Donna Noble

by Angelycious

Donna Noble travelled with the Doctor, then she saved the universe, and she forgot. What happened to Donna Noble after she left the Doctor? I decided that I wanted to find out and so I wrote a one shot detailing my thoughts on what happened to Donna after the Doctor.

After the Doctor-Donna: The untold Story of Donna Noble

A/N: This is just going to be a one shot about Donna Noble's life after the Doctor. Obviously we know that she got married and is now quite rich, but that's it, so I am just going to write a little about what I think, or rather, what I want to have happened. Onwards!

Disclaimer: Any content that is recognisable as not my own belongs to their respective owners and is not in any way an attempt on my part to try and pull them off as my own. Readers be aware that content found to be similar to persons either fictional or real life is coincidental only.

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Donna Temple-Noble was a relatively happy woman. She and her husband Shaun lived in a rather large house about an hour's drive away from her family home. On the weekends Donna and Shaun would make the drive over and stay with her family for the weekend. Donna would have been perfectly happy moving her family into the large house with her and Shaun, or even buying them a new one, but both her mother and Wilfred told her that they were quite content where they were and had no particular want to leave. Donna didn't quite understand why, but she knew that her mother always got antsy when she didn't hear from her for a few days. Donna didn't really mind it though, she was sure that she would be the same when she started having kids. Speaking of which, she actually had some news.

"I'm pregnant." Donna announced happily as Shaun, her mother and Wilfred walked through the door. This weekend, Sylvia and Wilfred had made the journey up to stay with Donna. Even though Wilfred was never very comfortable in other people's homes, he was making the exception for his only grandchild.

"I'm going to be a father?!"

Donna smiled happily as Shaun pulled her into a tight hug, then grew sheepish and patted her stomach. She laughed. She was originally going to tell him alone, before she broke the news to the rest of her family, but she had eventually decided that now was the right time. There was a point in her life when she had thought that she would never have kids. It wasn't one of her priorities, but now at the tender age of forty two, it was definitely the right time to start.

"Oh Donna! I'm going to be a Grandmother!"

Donna walked over to her mother who had tears in her eyes. "I am so happy for you. I never imagined this day would come."

Donna rolled her eyes. "Oh come on, Mum. You're not that old."

Wilfred, who had been standing behind Sylvia until now, walked up to Donna and placed a warm hand on her shoulder. "I'll always be proud of you, My Girl. Always proud."

"Thanks, Gramps."

Shaun and Donna welcomed Sylvia and Wilfred into their home properly with hugs and kisses and helping with carrying the bags in. Walking up the stairs, Donna helped her mother into one of the four guest rooms that this house possessed.

"Are you sure you won't move in here with us, Mum?"

Sylvia laughed lightly at her daughter and patted her on the shoulder. "Darling, I couldn't leave your Grandfather out there on his own. You know he would never leave that old house. Besides, you're on your way to starting your own family. I couldn't impose now."

Donna sighed but nodded. "Yeah, I guess you're right. You know I'll always be here if you change your mind right?"

The sudden look in Sylvia's eyes was enough to make Donna frown. She had seen that look many times before. But she had no idea what it meant. She saw it all the time in her mother's eyes, but in her Grandfather's eyes, it was more of a sadness that he was keeping close to his heart. Whenever she asked him about it, he just waved his hand at her and told her it didn't matter. 'Just another lifetime, My Girl.' Donna took that to mean the war.

"Yeah, Donna, yeah I know."

Donna nodded at her mother, though the nagging feeling that something was going on would not leave her for weeks. She shrugged though, after the death of Lance and her subsequent trip to Egypt, she had been more than ready to start a new life with Shaun and she was soon to be doing exactly that. She couldn't have been happier.

"Donna! Honey! Come help me in here for a minute?"

The sound of Shaun's voice brought Donna down into the kitchen. Shaun was smiling at her from over a cupcake smothered in chocolate icing.

Donna's laugh brought Wilfred and Sylvia into the kitchen where they all smiled at Shaun.

"Oh what is all this you silly goose?"

Shaun smiled and kissed Donna on the cheek. "I made a celebratory cupcake for you."

Donna rolled her eyes at her husband. "Are you trying to make me fat? I've been dieting you know."

Shaun winked. "Yeah I know, but you don't need it, you look great and no pregnant wife of mine is dieting."

Donna smiled at her husband warmly and plucked the cupcake out of his hands. "Chocolate coated, but what's the mixture?"

Shaun smiled. "Chocolate of course. I know you like chocolate."

Sylvia laughed at the look of betrayal on Donna's face at the accusation of her husband.

"I refute that, I don't eat chocolate all the time."

Shaun patted Donna on the bum. "I believe you, I do. Just humour me, okay?"

Donna shook her head in defeat and took a large bite out of the cupcake before handing it over to her mother. Sylvia hid a laugh behind her hand and finished off the cupcake before shooing everyone out of the kitchen.

"With that done, let me cook dinner. I owe you for letting us spend the weekend."

"Awe, Sylvia, you don't have to. You're family. We would always have you around."

Donna nodded in agreement, but Sylvia continued on with her shooing. "Leave well enough alone and let me work. I know Donna misses my cooking."

A look at the sheepish Donna told Wilfred and Shaun that this was true. Wilfred laughed and clapped Shaun on the back. "Never get between a girl and her mother's cooking, mate, won't end well for ye."

Shaun laughed and nodded as he left Donna to spend time with her mother. On this occasion it was good for them to bond. He knew that their relationship had been strained previously, but they seemed to be getting along better these days and he was glad for that.

"Wilfred?"

Wilfred looked up at the sound of Shaun's voice. Shaun was standing over near the telly, leaning against the wall. Wilfred, in comparison, was sitting on the sofa, his cup of tea in his hand.

"Yeah?"

Shaun moved closer to Wilfred, sitting beside him and turning to look at him.

"Donna and Sylvia… Why did they always fight and why have they stopped?"

Wilfred shrugged. "I don't know, My Boy. Sylvia just seems to have decided that Donna isn't useless after all."

Shaun shook his head. "That's not all. She gets this look in her eyes sometimes. When she looks at Donna, like she's afraid that she'll disappear. Like she knows something we don't. What went on with them before I met Donna?"

Again, Wilfred shrugged and took a sip of his tea. "That's business between them. I'm afraid, if you want to know, you are going to have to ask them."

Shaun sighed, but nodded and turned towards the kitchen, where it seemed that Donna and Sylvia were discussing what ingredients they had in the house. Shaun and Donna lived in a big house, but they only had a maid that came twice a week to help with cleaning. She didn't do any shopping though. Shaun and Donna preferred to go out and buy their own food. Shaun really wished he knew who gave them that winning Lottery ticket. Who would have thought that a year ago, they were living in a small flat? He would love to thank the person. Every time he asked Wilfred or Sylvia though, they said it was from an old friend they didn't see anymore. He often wondered what they meant by that, but he was not so obsessed as to alienate Donna's family by pestering them.

"So what's for dinner?" He called out, standing up and walking over to the kitchen.

Donna immediately closed the door before he even got close to the kitchen and spoke to him from behind it.

"It's going to be a surprise. Turn around and walk away, Buddy!"

Even though her voice was muffled, Shaun could tell that she was trying to stop herself from laughing. He shook his head and rolled his eyes. "You're impossible you are. Why'd I even marry ya?"

Donna knocked on the door once. "Because you love me you, Silly Buffoon. Now, off with you. I'm busy."

~! #$%^&*()_+

"Hurry up, Mum. The appointment is in half an hour. We should have been there ten minutes ago!"

Sylvia Noble quickly grabbed her purse off of the counter and nodded at Wilfred who was sitting on the Sofa, watching telly. "We'll be back in about an hour, Dad. Don't get into any trouble."

Wilfred shook his head at his daughter and looked over his shoulder. "What d'you expect me to do while y'er gone? Nothing for me to do really."

Donna looked over her shoulder as she headed for the door with her mother. "Even so, Gramps. Don't get into any mischief. Be back soon and let you know the results."

Wilfred turned back to the telly and secretly thanked the Doctor for giving his daughter the best life her could. It was thanks to that wonderful man of the stars that Donna had the life she did and Wilfred Mott would be eternally greatful.

"Shaun, in the car, we've gotta get going."

Shaun opened the door for his wife, who dropped into the seat and nodded at her mother to get into the back.

"Twelve week Ultrasound. Oh I'm so excited."

Donna looked at her mother in the mirror as she put her seatbelt on. "Mum, it's my Ultrasound. You're more excited than I am."

Shaun laughed as he turned the keys in the ignition and pulled out of the drive. "Donna, Love, leave her alone. It's her first Grandchild. My Mother's at least got eight others to coo over."

Donna laughed. "But your, Mother, bred breeders. She's got another three on the way."

Shaun laughed at that and conceded to Donna's victory. "Touché."

Sylvia leaned forward in her seat to stick her head between the two drivers. "I'd like to request that the little one be named after me."

Shaun looked over at Donna. "We were actually thinking of giving it your name as a nickname. Sylvia for a girl and Sylvester for a boy. Does that suit you?"

Sylvia sighed dramatically and leaned back into her seat. "I 'spose it'll have to do."

A look in the rear view mirror, told Donna and Shaun that she was actually very happy and just trying to fake being upset.

"What do you want, Shaun?"

Shaun looked at Sylvia in the mirror. "We won't know what it will be for weeks yet, Syl."

She nodded and smiled. "That's not what I asked."

Shaun laughed. "Anything is fine; as long as it has two arms, two legs and a good head on its shoulders."

Donna laughed and looked out the window. Even though Shaun repeatedly told her he didn't care what they had, she knew that he wanted a girl. There was only one Granddaughter in the family and she knew that Shaun wanted a little girl to call his child. Donna wanted a boy, but she would be happy with a girl too. She thought it funny those parents that repeatedly told people that they were happy with anything. Nine times out of ten, they always wanted one or the other. She just wished they would be honest.

"Well, if you want, Mum, you can come with us to the next Ultrasound, where we find out what it is."

Sylvia smiled and seemed quite happy with that and she was quiet in the back seat for the rest of the trip.

Eventually they made it to their appointment, with five minutes to spare, and were called in straight away. There was no one else with an appointment today, so the Gynaecologist was happy to take her straight in.

"Would you like me to wait outside?"

Donna looked at her mum and laughed. "Don't be daft. I called you here so that you could be here with us, not waiting outside." She patted the seat next to Shaun. "Sit down."

Sylvia smiled at her daughter and looked at Shaun, a wistful look in her eyes.

"Mrs Temple-Noble, it is good to have you with us. I must first warn that your pregnancy, no matter the sex, will most definitely be high risk." The Doctor told the gathered family, looking over her clipboard at any notes she had.

Sylvia immediately looked alarmed. "Well, what does that mean, high risk?"

The Doctor looked at Sylvia had held her hands out in front of her. "It's nothing major at the moment. It's simply because of your daughter's age. At around thirty five, the female body starts to be less capable of child birth. In fact many woman start on menopause around that time. Mrs Temple-Noble is lucky to still be pregnancy-capable."

Donna smiled at the Doctor. "Feel free to call me Donna, Doc. You will be knowing me quite intimately soon, after all."

The Doctor smiled, "thank you, I'll remember to do that, yes."

Shaun snickered slightly at that and Donna clipped him over the ear. "Oi, be mature."

Shaun barely curbed his laughter as he apologised profusely to the Doctor. "Don't mind me, I'm just the father!"

The Doctor shook her head and tried not to laugh. It really wasn't that funny. "Mr Temple, I have seen some very interesting reactions, so I say yours is not so unusual." She told them, looking at each of them before looking at her file.

"So, Donna, Mr Temple, Mrs Noble…"

"Call me Sylvia, Dear."

"And you can call me, Shaun."

"Right, of course. Please, you may all look to the screen and I will prepare, Donna."

A few minutes later, Donna was sitting on the table, her stomach exposed with gel on it. The Doctor was currently putting gel on the Ultrasound and smiling at her. "Are you ready?"

Donna looked at Shaun and her mother and nodded at the Doctor. "Yes, yes I think we have been ready for a long time."

"Alright then, let's have a looksie."

Donna, Sylvia and Shaun watched as the Doctor moved the scanner around and tried to locate the baby. A blip appeared on the screen and the Doctor smiled. "There we are, a little bit of a hider it appears."

Shaun and Donna looked at each other and Shaun kissed the top of her head, whilst still holding her hand.

"Oh, hang on a minute."

Donna turned to the Doctor, concern and latent fear evident in her eyes. "What's wrong, what's happening?"

The Doctor smiled. "Looks, like we have two heart beats."

For a second, Sylvia nearly feinted, before she realised what the Doctor actually meant. "Twins?"

Donna raised her eyebrow and looked at Shaun. "Twins?"

Shaun nodded and rubbed the top of her stomach. "Twins!"

~! #$%^&*()_+

"Donna, honey, you shouldn't be carrying stuff like that."

A five months pregnant Donna, walked down the stairs carrying a box. She rolled her eyes. "I'm not an invalid, Shaun. I can do all this on my own."

Shaun was not going to give up and as he came up the stairs to meet his wife on the landing, he held his hands out in front of him. "Donna, the Gyno said you have to take it easy. You're high risk remember?"

Donna rolled her eyes, but never-the-less, she conceded and gave the box to Shaun. "I'll have you know, I feel just fine. That stupid woman never had kids in her life. What would that young thing know? Mum says I'm fine."

Shaun sighed and patted Donna's stomach. "Just give me this, Donna. I let you do anything you want. Just give me this one, please?"

Donna sighed and nodded, allowing Shaun to carry the box the rest of the way down the stairs, before returning to her side to accompany her down as well.

"Is this all of it?"

Netty, who was Wilfred's female friend, asked as she looked over the items in the box.

Donna nodded and waved her hand in front of her. "Gramps says that he wants only the basics. That's the basics."

Netty smiled at Donna. The poor old dear suffered from Alzheimer's these days, and even though she was pretty lucid for now, they all knew that her lucid days were becoming less and less frequent. It was only a matter of time before she left them for good.

"Wilf hates staying there. He's already complainin' about the cable."

Sylvia moved in from the kitchen. "He shouldn't have spent so much time up at the allotment. He shoulda known it was only a matter of time before he got sick. Pneumonia. Ha!"

Donna and Netty both looked over at Sylvia and shared a sad smile. Even behind her banter and criticism, it was clear that she was scared for her father. She had been taking care of him for so long; she had never allowed herself to believe that she would ever have to be visiting him in hospital. Even though he was fine, it was enough to shock Sylvia into realising that he wasn't as invincible as she had once thought he was. Donna and Netty looked back at each other and nodded at the mutual knowledge.

"Syl, would you like to visit him alone?" Netty asked, placing a cautious hand on the younger woman's shoulder.

Sylvia sighed and shook her head. "No, no, I'm fine. I'm just tired. Come on, we better get a move on, or he'll whine about it for the rest of the week."

Donna nodded and looked over at Shaun. "Do you want to bring the car round the front please, Hun? My feet are starting to swell again."

Shaun nodded and left through the front door, doing as he was asked.

"Come on, Mum, help me with these boxes please. Are you good with that bag, Netty?"

The older woman nodded slowly, a smile still plastered on her face. She always tried to be happy. Even though she knew she was dying and that there was nothing that could be done, it didn't mean that she had to be the ultimate sourpuss.

"Yes, dear, it's not that heavy at all."

Donna smiled and started towards the front door. "Now remember, Mum, Gramps doesn't want to be reminded of the fact he is in the hospital, so don't mention it, okay?"

Sylvia nodded and grabbed another bag. She was worried about her father, no doubt, but she also knew that Donna was right. Unfortunately these days, Donna seemed to always be right.

Half an hour or so later, they were at the Hospital and Donna was leading the group into the room.

"How you doing, Gramps?" She asked as she and Shaun lead the way into the room, Sylvia and Netty behind them.

Wilfred Mott looked up from where he was sitting on the end of the Hospital bed, playing cards with one of the nurses. He was a young man of no more than twenty five. His hair and eyes were dark and his skin was a little more than a sickly pale. He wasn't skinny, but what Donna would call plump. Either way it suited him.

"Oh, I'm fine my girl. Don't make a fuss." He told her, waving his hands in greeting. The nurse turned around and smiled at the family, pushing himself off of the end of the bed. Sylvia raised an eyebrow.

"Should you be doing that, young man? I hardly think your superiors would like to hear about what you've been doing." Sylvia stated, looking at the young nurse. He was nervously twitching under her gaze and Wilfred frowned at his daughter.

"Sylv, apologise to that boy now."

Sylvia sighed and nodded. "Look, I'm sorry, I won't say anything, I'm just worried about my dad."

The nurse didn't really seem to be completely convinced, but he left the room less nervous then he was.

"You wanna hope he comes back, Sylv. I liked him, only one'll play cards with me." Wilfred said as he slid back into the bed properly.

"Sorry, Dad."

Donna moved closer to her grandfather and pat him on the shoulder. "Gramps, I brought your favourite from home." She told him as she placed the items along the bed.

"Ah, my girl, thank you."

"Just don't go leaving us anytime soon, Gramps."

"Don't plan on it."

~! #$%^&*()_+

Donna and Shaun smiled as they looked through a book of baby names. Donna didn't really want to pick a name right now, but she knew that she was going to just appease Shaun. She promised that she would at least look. After all, there was only four weeks left until their babies were born. Completely throwing away her nature, Donna had decided that she didn't want to know what the genders of her little miracles were. She and Shaun had decided that it would be nicer to find out at the same time as they were born.

"What about Andrea?"

Donna looked over at Shaun who was sitting beside her on the couch. The name was okay, but she didn't like the sound of Andrea Temple.

"I don't like that way it sounds, Shaun."

Shaun nodded and looked down at the book again. "What about for a boy, Alvin?"

At that name, Donna didn't even need to respond, because Shaun made a face. "Okay, no, even I didn't like that one."

Donna laughed and snuggled closer to Shaun to look at the book. None of the names really seemed to jump out at her. She still maintained that she would know the names of her children, when she got to look at them. She had no doubt about that, it was a gut instinct. She was sure it was a gut instinct for any parent really. Just like when her mother and father had named her. They just looked at her and the name Donna just seemed to fit, they said. Donna chose to believe that, even now. She was always of the believe that everything happens for a reason. Always believed in Destiny, she did.

"Shaun, like I said, I think we should wait until they are born, you know, just look at them and a name will come to mind, I really believe that." Donna told her husband as she placed her hand on the book to coax him into closing it. He sighed, conceding to her and closed the book, placing it on the coffee table in front of them. Turning on the television he flicked the channels until he found a music station they both liked and slid off of the couch.

"Dance with me?"

Donna stared at Shaun for a good minute and a half before she finally decided that he was serious and took his hand, allowing him to help her off of the couch.

"Did you enjoy your birthday party last week?" He asked as he pulled her closer and placed his hands around her waist.

Donna nodded, nuzzling his neck and lifting her arms over his head. "Yeah, wonderful gift from Mum and Gramps too. I was pleasantly surprised." She said as she looked over at the Crystal handbell that made the most beautiful of sounds when you rang it.

"Wonder where they got it from. I've never seen anything like it before." Shaun added, his eyes joining his wife's on the bell.

Donna shrugged. "Mum probably went 'round to all the shops lookin' for that. Makes me wonder 'ow she 'as so much time on 'er 'ands."

Shaun smirked. "Careful Love, going cockney you are."

Donna laughed and smacked Shaun on the arm. "Nothin' wrong with that. Besides, I hate talking all posh."

Shaun nodded. "Don't I know it? You and that woman with all those kids. You're the bloody pillar of society at those meetings." Shaun shook his head and brought it down to rest on his wife's head. The first thing that Shaun ever noticed about Donna when they first met, was her hair, her beautiful, messy, wonderful red hair. Shaun had always had a thing for Gingers, but then along came Donna, and he couldn't take his eyes off of her. He'd decided then and there, that he just had to know her name.

"Thinking about the first time we met?"

Shaun looked down at Donna's bemused face and beamed. "You bet I am. Best day of my life."

Donna shook her head. "Cut it out, you Plum, I looked a right awful mess."

Shaun shrugged. "Honestly, the only thing I really remember about that day was your hair. Everything else just doesn't seem as important as that."

Donna smiled. "Want to know, what I remember about you? What really got me that first time?"

Shaun nodded and Donna stepped back a little too cup his cheek in her hand. "It was your smile. That beautiful row of white teeth, glistening at me like the Cheshire cat of mystery. I asked my Gramps about you after that and he told me where you worked. It's how we coincidently bumped into each other that next day."

Shaun laughed at her and wrapped his arms around her to spin her around and bring her back to him. They were now standing with his front pressed against her back, swaying to the music. "Never knew that. Saucy minx you are. Maybe we wouldn't be having this conversation now, if you'd never come and visited me."

Donna nodded. "I have it on good authority, that we probably wouldn't 'ave. Gramps reckons, I woulda choofed off to somewhere else."

Shaun raised his eyebrow a little at Donna and shook his head. "You know, babe, sometimes I get lost in what you're saying. Is choofed even a word?"

Donna shrugged. "Be buggered if I know, maybe I picked it up on one of my travels?"

Shaun nodded, "yeah that makes sense. We should go somewhere when the twins are born. Dunno where, but we can afford it now. That should be fun."

Donna smiled and looked up into the eyes of her adoring husband. She had never thought she would be so lucky as to find a man such as Shaun. After all the confusion after Lance and everything, she never thought she would be happy again, but she was and she wouldn't have this any other way.

"You know what though, I reckon we picked a good time to fall pregnant, the economy is on the up and there's been no weird Christmas' in a while." Shaun said as he slightly dipped Donna to the music.

"That's true, though I don't get that, I keep missing 'em. Like Nerys and Lucy told me about the Titanic once."

Shaun nodded. "Yeah, right over the Palace it was. Couldn't believe it. News pegged it as a hoax, but it was a bloody good one."

Donna laughed. "I had a hangover then. Didn't see a thing."

Shaun shook his head at Donna and twirled her around as the song ended. "You, my Love, should really stay off the Bubbly and Fizz."

Donna smiled and placed a hand on her stomach. "Ain't had any for nearly eight months. It really doesn't agree with me, does it?"

Shaun shook his head and pulled Donna back to him. "Come on, I guess we should finish packing. I want to make sure that everything is ready, just in case you go early."

Donna pouted, but never-the-less allowed Shaun to pull her around the room and up the stairs. He was being extremely insistent and she knew just to listen to him when he got like this, because there really wasn't much else, she could do.

~! #$%^&*()_+

Donna looked over her shoulder again as she and Shaun headed down the road. She couldn't shake the feeling that she was being watched. Every now and then she would just get this feeling, like there was some-one there, but the moment she turned around, there was nothing. It had been so frequent lately, that she had almost grown accustomed to it. It wasn't that she was particularly scared or anything, she just would like to know the cause of the feeling.

Shaun squeezed her hand and looked at her. "You alright, Love?"

Donna smiled and turned her attention back to her husband. Rugged up in their winter coats, Shaun and Donna were heading to their last ever child birthing class. It was only two weeks longer and then they would be nursing their children for the first time. To say Donna was excited was a complete understatement. She was completely and totally over the moon about all of this and she knew that she was never going to regret even a second of the rest of her life.

"I can't believe I am so excited Shaun." Donna said as they walked into the clinic. They had been coming here for the last couple of weeks, getting in the practice that Donna was going to need for her labour. Shaun hoped that it would be an easy labour. He didn't know how he would handle a hard labour. He hated seeing Donna in any sort of pain, really.

"Today is our last session, so I think we are working on the last stage breathing techniques." Shaun was saying as they walked into the class and sat themselves on one of the comfy mats. There were a few people missing today, but Donna wasn't surprised as they were all close to their due dates. Out of this lot, Donna was pretty sure that she was the furthest along, not that she minded at all.

"Not long now, eh Donna?"

Donna turned to the younger blonde woman who was sitting next to them. She smiled fondly at the girl, though she hadn't known her all that long.

"Yeah, Leena, yeah."

Leena's boyfriend had left her when he found out that she was pregnant and over the course of their birthing classes together, Shaun and Donna had helped her along when they could. As it turned out, she lived not far from them and they had enjoyed nice lunches and dinners together on occasion.

"When their born, we should look at play dates." Leena suggested, leaning back to talk to Donna.

Shaun and Donna smiled. "I think it's a little early for that, but I agree."

Leena smiled and looked at Shaun as he helped ease her back up into a more comfortable sitting position. At one point she'd had a massive crush on the man, but now she saw him as nothing more than a friend. A really good friend that was going to be like a father to her child. She had already asked Shaun and Donna if they would agree to be the God parents and she was pleased that they had readily agreed.

"So have you got a name for the little monkey?" Shaun asked as he moved back over to Donna, to help her into a more comfortable sitting position.

Leena smiled. "Yeah, I've decided to call him Jackson, you know, after Michael Jackson."

Shaun raised his eyebrow, "then why not call him Michael?"

Leena laughed, "don't like the name, Michael, but I like the name Jack."

A flash of recognition hit Donna and she shook her head. For some reason that name seemed familiar, but a search of her memory did not reveal anyone by that name.

"Donna, are you okay?"

Donna opened her eyes, that she had not realised she had closed, revealing Shaun kneeling in front of her, reaching out to her face.

"Why am I on the floor?" She asked, as she realised that she was lying on her side, looking up at Shaun and Leena.

Shaun helped Donna sit up. "I don't know, Love, you just sort of, fell over."

Donna sighed and shook her head, it was throbbing, but it wasn't too bad. Nothing she couldn't handle.

"Maybe I should take you to the Doctor's?

"The Doctor? No I don't need the Doctor… wait, the Doctor? What Doctor?" Donna asked, leaning on Shaun for support as he and Leena helped her to stand.

"I don't know, just a Doctor, whatever one is there."

Donna shook her head. "Nah, I'm fine, just a little dizzy, I'll be fine, Shaun."

Shaun wasn't entirely convinced but he trusted his wife's judgement.

"Well, either way, we'll go home now. Leena, why don't you come over for dinner tonight and we can celebrate?"

Leena nodded and watched as Shaun and Donna left the room.

~! #$%^&*()_+

"Get to the car!" Donna called as she waddled her way down the stairs, Leena trailing behind her.

"Donna, calm down, everything will be fine, we'll get to the hospital." Shaun told her as he tried to calm his wife.

Leena nodded vigorously, but Donna wasn't listening. "I'm not giving birth anywhere but a hospital!"

Leena patted her friend's shoulder, cautious of their footing coming down the stairs. "Shaun, get the car!"

Shaun left his wife's side and rushed out the front door. Leena deposited Donna by the door and walked quickly over to the phone, holding her own stomach as she walked.

"Hey, Mrs Noble… Yeah its Leena here… Yeah were taking her up to the hospital now… No she says they're pretty far apart, but we want to be sure… Yeah Donna seems to think that she's a couple of hours away yet… I think you should come up right away too… Okay, we'll see you there. Bye."

Leena put the phone back and made it back to Donna just as Shaun reappeared at the door. "I called your mother, Donna, she said they'll meet us at the Hospital, something about don't push 'til she gets there too."

Despite herself, Donna laughed, even though she was in a little bit of pain. "Yeah, that'd be right, don't mind good 'ol Donna, I'm ONLY HAVING A BABY!"

Leena smirked. "Well, two babies, but, you know, point still stands."

Donna glared over her shoulder at Leena as she was walked out the door and over to the car. "Shouldn't we ring the hospital or something?" Shaun asked as went to help Donna into the front seat.

Leena shook her head. "Nah, were good, I know she's a little early, but she's good."

Donna moved away from the front of the car. "Back's probably best." She panted, shaking her head at the bewildered look she received from Shaun.

Leena nodded at this and gestured at Shaun to help Donna in the car, as Leena hoped in the front passenger side. It was easier for her to get in the front because of two reasons. One was that she was about half Donna's age, not that she would ever mention it, the second reason was that she was smaller in the stomach then Donna was, partly because she wasn't having twins.

"When we get to the Hospital, I'll help Donna in, and Shaun, you can go ahead and let the hospital know. She's only three days out, but you know, they may have forgotten."

Shaun helped buckle Donna in and then rushed around to the driver's side, looking back over his shoulder at Donna as he did so.

"I'm fine you, Big Lug, just drive!"

Shaun shook his head and turned the ignition. Leena leaned around in her seat and looked at Donna. "Netty and Wilf'll be there too, though it'll probably only be Shaun allowed in the room with you. Maybe your mum. Me and the others will have to wait outside."

Donna nodded, face growing slightly red, her breathing was becoming faster. "How, d'you… know… so much… about this?"

Leena grinned. "Didn't I ever tell 'ya. I went to college for about a year training to be a midwife, then I met Luke and well, you know the rest."

Donna and Shaun looked at Leena and she was pretty sure she saw a flash of anger in their eyes.

"No, it wasn't that bad, honest. He didn't make me quit or anything. That was my choice. I got pregnant a few weeks after I left college though and it was after that, that's when he left me."

Donna shook her head. "Still blame him… love. Not your… fault you got… pregnant."

Shaun nodded. "If he was that worried about it, he should've been wearing protection."

"We didn't realise that the pill wouldn't work on me." Leena added, turning back to the front of the car. "Guess he should have been extra careful though."

Shaun took one hand off of the wheel and reached over to squeeze Leena's hand. "We'll look after you Len. You know that right?"

Leena smiled and squeezed Shaun's hand back. She was very grateful to them both, for everything they had done for her. She'd only known them a couple of months, but already she wished that they were her parents, instead of the snobby one's she was stuck with at birth. "Yeah, guys… and thanks."

~! #$%^&*()_+

"Ain't she done yet? It's been ages."

Leena looked up at Wilfred who had walked back into the foyer with Netty on his arm. Leena smiled. "My mum was forty eight hours with me."

Wilfred raised his eyebrow at that and Netty covered her mouth with her hand. Evidently they found something curious, or funny.

"I'm surprised she hasn't just cut them out yet."

Leena laughed and leaned back in one of the chairs, rubbing her stomach. "Do you really think any of the Hospital staff, would be silly enough to allow, Donna, anywhere near a sharp object?"

Netty pulled Wilfred over to one of the free chairs. Wilfred shrugged. "She's pretty persuasive you know."

Leena just smiled and looked around the Hospital. It was a large Hospital; nothing like what Leena was used too. On her salary, it was hard enough to make ends meet, let alone give birth in some fancy private hospital. She worked as a waitress right up until about three weeks ago where she was eventually moving too slowly to continue on. Luckily, her boss was a woman and so understood Leena very well. Once Leena was ready, her boss would put her back to work and she would even get a raise, which would suit Leena just fine. Of course, she would like to be able to give her child a taste of the good life, but for now, this was just going to have to do.

"If you would like to come in now, the mother is asking for you."

A nurse walked over to them, smiling. That was definitely a good sign then, looks like nothing bad happened. Leena was glad. Donna was too nice a person for something bad to happen too.

The group all stood and followed the Nurse down the corridors until they reached a room in one of the maternity wards. Donna was sitting up, cradling one of the babies in her arms. Shaun was standing by her, cradling the other one. Sylvia was trying to contain her tears of joy and Leena smiled as they all approached.

"Oh, my girl, look what you've done. Oh, aren't they precious, Netty?" Wilfred asked, calling Netty over with one hand and gesturing at the babies. Netty who seemed to be in the middle of one of her turns, just looked out at nothing and Wilfred sighed, sitting her on a chair and beginning to sing to her. From what Leena had gathered, it brought her out of her turn.

"Leena, come and meet my twins, Rosalie Leena Temple and Jonathon Sylvester Temple."

Leena smiled as she walked over and sat on the edge of the bed. She rubbed her stomach and spoke into it. "Jack, my boy, meet Rose and John… they are going to be your family."

Leena was so happy that she started crying as well and Donna patted her arm. "Would you like to hold Rose?"

Leena only nodded, after all, how could she refuse something like this?"

~! #$%^&*()_+

"Shaun, have you fed Jonathon yet? I don't want them to cry at the funeral."

Shaun walked down the stairs, baby Jonathon in his arms. Donna looked up at him and Shaun nodded at her. She nodded back and walked over to the baby bag on the couch. "I still can't believe it; I mean she was fine just last week."

Shaun nodded. "Yes, it is a tragedy. She was a lovely, Old, Lady. How's your Grandfather taking it?" He asked, holding out Jonathon.

Donna sighed and plucked her son out of her husband's arms. "He says he's fine, I mean he knew when he took her on, that it wouldn't be forever, but I still think it hit him really hard. I mean, there's not a bad word you can say about her, she was a saint."

Shaun nodded and wrapped his arms around his wife. "Today is going to be hard on all of us. But we can't forget, she asked us not to mourn for her, but to be happy that she is with her family now, with all those she held dear, she is safe, happy, not in pain anymore."

Donna just nodded, because even though she remembered Netty, even though she knew that the woman would not want Donna to cry or mourn for her, it did not stop her from hurting.

At the Church, Donna immediately looked around for her family. She found them standing over at the side, Wilfred was being consoled by one of his astronomy buddies, but Donna walked over there anyway. Shaun had the twins and he was making his way over to where Leena was, with her son. He'd been born not long after Donna got out of Hospital and so whilst Donna's two were now nearly four months old, Leena's boy was about three and a half. She was happy that they would be growing up together.

"Gramps, Oh, I am so sorry."

Donna placed a hand on her Grandfathers shoulder, who turned around to pull her into a hug. He had not been crying, Donna saw, but she was not surprised. He loved Netty and he would do everything he could to honour her memory. If that meant trying not to cry or not mourning her, then that is what he would do.

"How about you and Mum, come back to mine after the funeral. I have something at home that, Netty left with me. I think she would want you to have it."

Wilfred looked at his Granddaughter and nodded. If it was something from Netty, then it must have been important and there was obviously a reason that she left it with Donna, perhaps she knew? That wouldn't surprise him; she was a very smart lady.

"Come on, Gramps, let's go and take a seat. They'll start soon."

Donna walked her father over to the seats near Leena and Shaun and sat him down. She then took her own seat next to her husband and looked down at the pram to make sure that the twins were fine. As it turned out, they were fast asleep, which Donna was very happy about.

The funeral went along at a steady rate; people said their words, the priest spoke his word of mourning and then finally, it was time for Wilfred to speak. Donna squeezed his hand as he stood up and slowly made his way to the podium.

Wilfred cleared his throat and looked out over the large group of people. He was happy that so many of Netty's friends and family had come to honour her. He was so glad indeed.

"Two years. Two years it's been since I first met that… saint." Wilfred started, looking out over the audience. "Henrietta Goodheart was by nature, her name. Anyone that knew her, knows, that she could never speak an ill word of anyone, she could never feel another emotion other then love, for her fellow humans. She went out of her way to help, to love, to care for anyone that needed it." He said, his hands clenching the podium harder at each word. "To love Henrietta Goodheart, to… love… Netty, was to know her. There was no in between." Wilfred hung his head slightly before fumbling around in his pocket for the poem, it was her favourite and he knew she would want to hear it one last time. With trembling hands, Wilfred laid the paper out in front of him and looked back at the people again.

"Because of this reason, I will now read from Netty's favourite poem, it is one written by W. H. Auden." Wilfred cleared his throat again and looked down at the paper. Slowly, he began to read. "Stop all the clocks, cut off the telephone, prevent the dog from barking with a juicy bone, silence the pianos and with muffled drum, bring out the coffin, let the mourners come." He looked out at the audience, the raw emotion in his voice, bringing Donna and Sylvia to tears.

"Let aeroplanes circle moaning overhead, scribbling on the sky the message 'She is Dead'. Put crepe bows round the white necks of the public doves; let the traffic policemen wear black cotton gloves." Donna watched on in silent contemplation as her Grandfather continued to read his words of mourning.

"He was my North, my South, my East and West, my working week and my Sunday rest, my noon, my midnight, my talk, my song; I thought that love would last forever: I was wrong." At this, Wilfred had to forcibly restrain himself from crying and all Donna wanted to do, was hug her Gramps, but she knew that he had to do this on his own.

"The stars are not wanted now; put out every one, pack up the moon and dismantle the sun, pour away the ocean and sweep up the wood; for nothing now can ever come to any good."

~! #$%^&*()_+

Donna looked over the table at her family. She considered everyone in this room right now to be her family. Leena, the daughter she never had, Jackson, her beautiful Godson, Sylvia, her own fabulous mother, Wilfred, the Grandfather she owed so much too, Shaun, the only man for her and lastly, there was her two amazing children, John and Rose, oh could she always count on them.

"I would like to thank you all for coming here today. Shaun and I wanted to host this dinner in honour of our very dear friend, Henrietta Goodheart. Also, for Gramps, I have a letter from, Nettie, given to me during the last week of her life. She knew, Gramps, God bless her heart. She knew."

Donna picked the letter out of her pocket and handed it down the table until it eventually reached her Grandfather. "You are welcome to leave the table if you want to read it Gramps."

Wilfred shook his head and held the closed letter in front of him. "What she has to say will be for everyone, I know that." He proceeded to rip the letter open slowly and carefully, his hand shaking slightly as he slipped the letter out.

"Hey Wilf, I know that you will be reading this to the others, I know you know that's what I would have wanted. I've been slipping away more frequently these days; it's only a matter of time now. I still remember what he said, that wonderful man, you know the one, do you remember what he said Wilfred, he said the time would come when my mind would no longer be my own and on that day, I would lose myself. Well that day has finally come. I know I don't have long to live, it sounds strange, but I can feel it, my life is slipping away from me quicker and quicker and I know that's hard to hear my love, I know it's hard, but you need to trust me on this okay, please trust in me and know that I feel no pain. I felt no pain and I will feel no pain ever again. That is his gift to me, he did something, that day, he put something there, I remember it as clear as the day I met you, even though my memories fade, I will never forget that one moment, that one time when I was the most important person in the world.

"This is my gift to you now, Wilfred, my gift to you, the world and my family. Because that is what you all are to me, my family. I never had a family of my own, you know that, but many people did not know, that I was married once, yes, Wilf, you know don't you, but the others do not. I never spoke of my husband to anyone, not even my parents knew of the marriage. We were young, oh so very young and he was the love of my life, my David. But then the war came, two glorious weeks we were together before he was taken off to the war. My wonderful man never came back to me and I swore I would never love again. That is, until I met you, my sweet, sweet man. The day I met you, everything changed. But it was already in motion before that wasn't it. Oh those letters and opinions you wrote in my newspaper made me so mad. I just had to meet you. And who should you be, but the ever dashing, charming, over-the-top and completely loveable Wilfred Mott, a private in my Husband's regiment. You didn't realise that did you, my heart?"

Wilfred placed the letter to his heart, as he wiped away at the tears in his eyes. Leena, who was sitting next to Wilfred, looked at the envelope and tipped it up. A photograph slid out of the envelope and as Wilfred looked down at it, recognition flashed in his eyes. He picked it up and sure enough, in the photograph was him and another soldier. He smiled at the memories, a soldier in his platoon, one he had barely spoken too, just happened to have been married to that wonderful woman, the Doctor had been right all along, the universe is much smaller than anyone realises.

"My last words to you, all of you, will be this. Believe in him. That is all you will need to live your life, believe in him and he will never let you down. Then, when you are satisfied, remember me, that lonely old woman down the street, remember the life I led, for locked away in your memories I shall never be truly dead, if just one person remembers me, I will live on for eternity and when someone calls upon me I will give them all the guidance they need and more, because that, my family, will be my gift to you. So please, do not mourn for me, if you must do one thing, if you must think of me as dead, then remember these words, there is no such thing as an unimportant person. I love you, save me a seat at the dinner table now and then, HG."

Donna looked at her Grandfather as he gazed down at the letter in his hands. Truthfully, Donna didn't understand half of what the silly old thing had said, but as long as her grandfather was satisfied, that was all Donna cared about. "She left one more thing for you, Gramps, this," Donna held up a tape, she hadn't listened to it, but the title said 'When the Stars Begin to Fall' if she remembered correctly it was a song by the Seekers. "She also left this," this time Donna held up a red notebook. Again she had not read this, but if she remembered rightly, it held Netty's life in it, but it was not for her eyes, it was for her Grandfather's eyes.

Wilfred took the things in his arms and gave his Granddaughter a kiss on the cheek. "She really loved you, you know." Donna said as she wrapped her arms around him, holding him close. She could feel the trembling in his body and she hugged him tighter. She wished she could do something to help, but this wasn't her area.

"I'm gonna miss her, my girl, she meant so much to me." Wilfred said, moving away from Donna to take his seat once again.

"We know, Gramps. We'll all miss her. Let's eat our food and remember all the good times we shared with her, yeah?"

Wilfred nodded, but did not pay attention to the rest of the wake. His mind was a drift. Gazing up at the sky, Wilf remembered all the times they'd had together and finally he remembered the time she had met the Doctor. He had enriched both of their lives, the Beautiful Chaos. His Beautiful Chaos. He would never forget the Doctor, even if Donna had; it was up to him now, to keep all those memories alive.

~! #$%^&*()_+

Jonathon and Rosalie were due to start school this year. Jack would be starting too and Donna couldn't help but to hope that they would be in the same class. Even if they weren't though, she wasn't that worried. The three of them were very close and she sometimes referred to them as the Golden Trio. She'd gotten that from Harry Potter, but they didn't need to know that yet. They weren't old enough to read a novel. Though that cheeky Rose was forever going through Donna's stuff. They were both so smart, smarter than herself, she sometimes thought. Sometimes she wondered if she was even the right person to be their mother. She wasn't particularly good at maths or science but both Rose and John seemed to eat it up like chocolate. It was incredible; she had no idea where the smarts came from. Certainly it wasn't from here, or her family, none of them had so much as gone to college. Yes, Donna had some high hopes for them indeed.

"Shaun, oh, God, Shaun, look what they've done now." Donna looked down at the drawing on the wall of Rose's bedroom. She had no idea what it was, but I looked like some sort of constellation.

"Have they been stargazing again? Gramps, have you taken them stargazing?"

Wilfred looked into the room and smiled slightly. Donna shook her head and pointed to the drawing as Shaun walked into the room. She couldn't get over it. She was delighted that she had given birth to Geniuses but this was too much. "What Constellation is that? Is that even a Constellation, Gramps?"

Wilfred leaned down to look at it and shrugged. It wasn't one he had seen before, but it was definitely a Constellation. "Not one I am used to seeing, but it has all the markings of one, perhaps they made it from simple imagination?"

Shaun shook his head. "I'm no expert or anything, but I seriously doubt you can make something like that from simple imagination, 'specially not from a five year old."

Wilfred shrugged. "They're your Genius kids; I don't know what to say."

Donna shook her head at the giggling twins in the corner of the room; she walked over to them and scooped them into her arms. "Oh, what am I going to do with you? My beautiful Geniuses!" She hugged them too her. She had never imagined a family like this for herself, never in a million years.

"Mummy, you're so silly. You don't need to do anything, ever. We love you." John and Rose hugged Donna tightly and Donna smiled. Maybe she didn't wish that they were normal. She certainly wouldn't have minded, but she would never trade her children for anything. She didn't know any parent that ever would, and in her opinion, parents that didn't accept their children shouldn't have children in the first place. That was her opinion.

"Never mind that now, you too go and get ready for a bath, mummy will be there soon."

Rose and John disappeared out of the room and Donna looked at Shaun, shaking her head, however her smile remained. Looking at Shaun, Donna missed the wistful look on her Grandfather's face.

~! #$%^&*()_+

"Why didn't you tell us you were sick, Gramps?!" Donna almost yelled as she held her Grandfather's hand. There were tubes and wires and beeping monitors all hanging out of Wilfred and in various other places around the room. Wilfred did not answer as he was in a coma, but it was making Donna feel slightly better. Sylvia was asleep in the corner of the room and awoke with a start at the sound of Donna's outburst. It was quite obvious that the woman had been crying as her face was tearstained and her hair was a mess from the amount of time she had been sleeping over her father's body.

"How long has he been like this?" Donna asked, looking over towards her mother and holding her hand out to her. Sylvia stood up and walked over to her daughter, allowing herself to be pulled into a hug.

"He's been like that since they brought him in. I've been trying to get a hold of you for days, but the cruise ship was out of range."

Donna nodded and closed her eyes and tears ran down her cheeks. Donna and Shaun had been celebrating their tenth anniversary. She was sure her Grandfather had plenty of years left in him. He'd been fine when they'd left two weeks ago and here they were, watching him fight for his life and it looked like he was losing.

"We're going to lose him, Donna. We're going to lose him."

Donna looked at her mother. She knew it was true and as much as she wanted to help her mother by rubbing her back and telling her it would all be okay, she knew that she was not going to be able to get the words out, so instead she just laid her hand on her mother's back and hummed. Wilfred may have been Donna's Grandfather, yes, but he was Sylvia's father first.

"Shaun should be here within the hour. We've left the twins with Leena, so they will be fine for a few hours. I can stay here as long as you need mum." Sylvia did not look up, but Donna knew that she had heard and that she was greatful. When it came down to it, their relationship was much less strained now than it had been ten years previously. Donna still did not know why, but at this point, she no longer cared. Their family was in a middle of a crisis and that was all that mattered.

A few hours later, Donna awoke to find Shaun holding out a cup of, what appeared to be, coffee. She grabbed it from his hand and drank some quickly before grimacing. Shaun just gave her a sympathetic smile. "Yeah, it's bad isn't it?" Donna nodded and crawled over to where Shaun was sitting in the waiting room. Wilfred had gone into cardiac arrest about an hour ago and he was now in surgery. Donna didn't exactly know what was wrong with him, but it was obviously not just pneumonia. Then, he was old, she knew that. It just never occurred to her that he wouldn't be around forever she guessed.

"It's so strange, Shaun." Donna started, leaning her head on her husband's shoulders. "I never imagined a life without him in it. He's … always been there. It was always Mum and Granddad, even after Dad died, Mum and Gramps were still around, they were like a sonnet." Shaun hushed his wife and patted her head, for he knew the pain of losing family as well as she. It was only a year ago that his mother had died. His father had been dead for nearly five years now, but his mother was still raw for him. She left behind fifteen Grandchildren. It was such a legacy. Shaun was just happy she had been around to see existence of John and Rose.

The Doctor came walking from the direction of the OR. Sylvia immediately rushed over and inquired about her father. Donna and Shaun could not hear what was being said, but the look on Sylvia's face said it all. Donna immediately jumped up and rushed over to her as she began to slump and Shaun followed soon after. Wilfred Mott, was dead.

~! #$%^&*()_+

Donna smiled and clapped with enthusiasm as she watched her children Graduate. Ever since they were little, Donna had held high hopes for them. She always knew that they wouldn't follow in her footsteps and she was glad for that. She smiled at Shaun and they clasped hands. It was a shame that Sylvia couldn't be here, but she hadn't been the same since her accident. Suffering from Alzheimer's had to be the worst fate for nature to bestow.

If Donna could go back and someone change what happened ten months ago, by the knowledge of God Almighty, she would have. Her mother deserved better than the hand she had been dealt. Donna had to admit, she was more than a little angry with the universe for the way it was treating her mother.

"Now I would like to introduce the class of 2022!" The Headmaster stepped away from the podium as the seventy five students smiled at the crowd. Three of the students stood out to Donna, Rose, John and Jack. Donna had been beside herself, when on her fourteenth birthday Rose had come to tell her that she was dating Jack. At first, Donna had thought it was a joke, Rose hadn't showed all that much interest in Jack before, or any other boy for that matter. Now here they are, four years later and if the grins and discreet hand holding was any indication, they were still going strong. Donna smiled proudly once more as the Headmaster came back to the podium. "For the closing address, we will hear from our overall top student, Jonathon Temple-Noble."

John smiled at his sister and received a pat on the arm from Jack as he approached the podium. "Headmaster Williams, Deputy Mistress Davershire, Vice Chancellor's Lockley and Kent, my esteemed colleagues, honoured guests Mrs Campbell and Mr Hooper, we humbly greet you and thankyou for your being here with us this evening to celebrate such a glorious occasion.

"I am truly honoured to be here before you on this, our Graduation Day. As I prepared my speech, I vividly remembered what it means to graduate and also to be here in Northern Oxfordshire Academy. Thanks to all parents, families and friends." At each of his last words, John had looked at Donna and Shaun, Rose and then Jack respectively. He had the cast his eyes to wonder on others in the group before refocusing on his speech.

"This school encourages involvement from everyone including out parents and other family members. It also encourages friendships and gives us a real sense of support. I know from experience, just how life altering Oxfordshire can be.

"My topic for you today is 'coping with change' and I hope to use a little personal experience to illustrate the good and bad side of coping with change. Some years ago, when my sister and I were still kids, we lost our Grandfather. Actually, he was our Great Grandfather. He was a wonderful man, he taught us everything we knew and his loss was so sudden that we had not been there to see him in his final hour.

"Grandpa Wilfred was always there for us and because we were never very good at making friends, we became less than antisocial. My grades dropped dramatically, I didn't want to study at a school that had caused me the chance to say goodbye to my Grandfather.

"My salvation came upon the next year, when Headmaster Williams arranged for me to meet with him. Along with my sister, Rose and my parents, the Headmaster proceeded to provide me with the means to make me grow up. Reality. I already knew that my Grandfather's was no-one's fault but at ten years of age, one needs to find something to blame. My blame was harboured towards my previous school.

"Eventually to my utter horror, I began to tutor children and even helped them improve. Even more horrifying was when I actually started to make friends with wonderful people. In my own mind, this was a disaster; I needed no one but myself and occasionally my sister. In truth it was not that bad. How could Oxfordshire be a great place with great teachers and great students?"

John paused for effect, pride and determination in his eyes, before continuing. "Slowly but surely, the truth dawned on me and I started to meet new people and we helped each other. They showed me the truth; that it wasn't the end of the world because Wilfred Mott died; it was the start of my life. The one thing my Grandfather loved beyond anything else was the stars. He would always tell me stories, I know they were pretend, but they were some of the best stories about aliens and time travel and doctors and I loved them. It was then that I realised that my passion also lie in Astronomy. Space was something I had always wanted to participate in. It has become my university course of study.

"Whilst this has been my story, each graduate here has their own personal stories of coping with change both in their private lives and through their schooling. However no matter where the change is taking place, it still can affect all areas of your life. Your school must deal with who you are and help you on your journey to the best of your ability."

John paused, but it was evident that he was not yet finished.

"We have been fortunate here at North Oxfordshire Academy in that the main things the school can do are completed here. The support you need is available, there is a nurturing environment and the students really do help each other. As you go forward in your lives, you should seek out these supportive elements, to make sure you are readily able to cope with change, at university and in the workplace, make contact with the teachers, trainers and mentors and forge supportive relationships. Make friends with your peers, trust that you can cope with the work, studying and moving away from home. Keep in touch with your school and your fellow graduates and remember this, there are people out there ready to be your friends, teachers, supports and mentors, seek them out, because they will do everything they can to help you."

John looked at his parents, grinned and prepared himself for his end.

"When times are at their toughest, we all need help. Make sure you ask for help when you need it, people will always be happy to help. The biggest of thanks, love and respect to my family, my new and old friends, the Headmaster, the Councillor's, out teachers and my fellow Graduates. Oxfordshire Academy has opened our minds to the truth, we can achieve great things. Looking for the last time, I will always remember the challenges, strong friendships and lifelong sense of purpose this school has given me. Coping with change is a lot easier now.

Well done class of 2022! We smashed it!"

The hall erupted into cheers and applause as Donna ran to her son and enveloped him into the biggest hug imaginable. Donna had tears in her eyes. She had never dreamed of this day, though she couldn't be prouder of her son. Soon they were joined by Rose, Jack Leena, with Shaun bringing up the rear. "That was a wonderful speech John, absolutely flawless." Leena said, giving John a tight hug. John beamed at his family as they started out of the hall.

"I couldn't have done it without you. Every word of that was true. You guys are my support network and you always will be. It really is thanks to you that I got into Cambridge."

Leena nodded and squeezed John's shoulder. "Is there a particular area of study with in Astronomy that you are going for?"

John nodded and waited until they got out of the hall and away from the noise before speaking. "Yeah, I'm taking a combined course of part two and part three Astrophysics, which enables me not only to know the universe, but also to learn about how it works. It's at the Institute of Astronomy at Cambridge."

"What about you Rose, what are you going to be doing?"

"Oh, I was accepted at Oxford for a Biomedical Science degree majoring in Cell and Systems Biology." She smiled, despite the blank look on Leena's face. Rose laughed slightly. "Sorry, yeah it's a bit much to take in."

Leena shook her head, trying to be supportive, "oh no, of course not, sweet heart, it sounds… wonderful?" She said, trying to hide that fact that she actually had no idea, what it was that Rose was studying.

Donna shook her head and sat at one of the tables. "What about you, Jack, what are you studying?"

Jack sat down across from Donna and Rose took up position on his lap. "Well, I decided to do a Masters Honours of Sports Therapy BSc, at the University of Kent."

Shaun looked at the three of them. "You're all over the place then, aren't ya?"

The three nodded and John grabbed Rose's and Jack's hands. "We made a promise between ourselves to meet up during holidays and talk or anything all the time. We are our support network." Jack and Rose grabbed onto Leena's and Donna's hands, who then, with their free hands, grabbed a hold of Shaun's. "We could never forget our support network, there's no way we could ever do anything without it."

Donna sat in silence the rest of the day. She didn't know who she was thanking for her miracle life, but whoever it was, she certainly owed them one.

~! #$%^&*()_+

"And how are the classes?" Donna asked as she switched the phone to her other ear. She listened as Rose described how she was going in her first couple of weeks. They had been gone for only a couple of weeks and Donna was already missing them. She smiled, hung up the phone and looked at Shaun. "I tell you, Shaun, Christmas cannot come around quick enough."

Shaun looked up from where he was reading the newspaper had laughed slightly at sipped his tea. "Come now, Donna. They've not been gone long."

"Do you think they miss me? Do they miss their mother?"

"Come on, Love, they haven't had time to miss ya. Give 'em a couple of weeks. That phone will be ringing none stop, I guarantee it. You'll be so sick of them; you will wish they would stop ringing."

Donna smiled. "Yeah, I 'spose you're right." She leaned towards him and gave him a quick kiss on the lips before turning in the direction of the kitchen. "Now, what would the man of the house like for breakfast, huh?" She asked as she walked into the kitchen.

"Oh, my choice is it? How unusual." He was smiling, but it was hidden behind his tea.

Donna turned around and winked at him. "You must be the single most British thing I've ever done."

Shaun escaped his chair and pulled a laughing Donna into his arms. "Why, you saucy minx." He leaned in to kiss her, but Donna batted him away weakly with her hand. "Get off of me you big lug, I'm cooking, you hear?!"

Shaun released Donna and happily went back to his tea. "I guess I'll have our usual then, Babe."

Donna frowned for a second. "Oh my, Jesus Lord! Our Anniversary!" Donna exclaimed smacking herself in the forehead. "Oh, Shaun, oh, I am so sorry, I completely forgot!" She called, as he simply sat himself back in his chair and uplifted his tea to his mouth.

"This is why, I, do the remembering, I am not currently suffering dementia. But fear not, it is only morning, we've plenty of time to celebrate."

Donna smiled and rushed over to Shaun to give him a kiss. "Of course, first let me wake mum. She's still asleep I think, which is so odd." She went to move, but Shaun grabbed her wrist and tossed her in the direction of the kitchen. "No, you cook, I'll go and wake your mother."

Donna glared in jest at her husband before moving into the kitchen and beginning to prepare breakfast, the same breakfast they ate every morning on their Anniversary. They'd met by complete accident actually on this day. The day they met is also the anniversary of their marriage, this way they couldn't forget, ever. It had been raining for about a week by that point. They took shelter in a café. Donna had made it to the counter first and ordered a traditional English breakfast. A full English breakfast with fried egg, sausage, white and black pudding, bacon, mushrooms, baked beans, hash browns, toast, and half a tomato. It was only simple, but they had both ordered it, and the café was only small and had only enough for one, so they had ended up sharing. The rest, as they say, is now history.

Donna was just about to turn on the oven, when she heard Shaun's voice, shouting her name. He seemed panicked, why would he be panicked? "Donna! Donna call the ambulance! Call the now!"

Donna rushed up to her mother's bedroom and found Shaun bending over her mother who was sprawled on the ground by her bed, a bottle of her sleeping pills spilled on the floor. "Oh god! Mum! Oh god, Shaun what the hell has she done!?" Donna jumped out of the doorway to the hallway phone and punched in the number for the emergency services.

"Yes, hello!? I need an ambulance immediately at 212 Lancaster Road. I, I don't know, I… Shaun, is she breathing?!"

Shaun leaned down and listened to her mouth, he couldn't hear anything, so he moved to her wrist to feel for a pulse, before shaking his head at Donna.

Donna's eyes widened. "No, no she's not breathing! Yes, yes, I think so… I don't know, she was fine last night, it looks like she might've…" it was hard for Donna to say, but she knew she had too, "she might have swallowed, some pills… She's my mother, yes… sleeping pills… um, oh I don't know, maybe… she's eighty five… yes, please hurry!" Donna hung up the phone and moved over to Shaun, tears streaming down her face. Shaun immediately moved to comfort Donna but she put her hands out in front of her. "No, stay with her, I'm going to go downstairs and wait for the ambulance."

She didn't have long to wait because no sooner had she reached the front door, then the ambulance was pulling up to the drive. Donna and her tearstained face, greeted the paramedics at the door. "Please, she's this way." Donna led the pair, a man and a woman, up the stairs to her mother's room. When she got there, Shaun was still cradling Sylvia and only shimmied away from the body when the paramedics took over. The phone in the hall started ringing and Donna didn't move to get it. Shaun nodded at his wife and moved off to get the phone. He was of course upset, but he was handling it better than Donna, as one would expect.

"Is she going to be alright?" Donna asked, and even though the paramedics did their best to calm her, she had seen the look in the woman's face. It was too late; there was nothing they could do. Who knew how long Sylvia had been there, on the floor, alone. The thought brought on a new bought of tears. Shaun soon returned and wrapped Donna in a hug. Pressing a kiss to her hair, he turned her around to look at her. "That was Leena; she saw the ambulance turn up our street and wanted to make sure we were okay…" There was sadness in his eyes too. "She's on her way up here now." Donna nodded. There was nothing more to be done.

Minutes later there was a knock at the door. Donna left Shaun to speak with the paramedics as he had been the one to find her, and made her way down to the living room. Opening the door, she was quickly enveloped by a mass of arms and only after, did she realise that it was Leena. "Oh, Donna, I'm so sorry. This is terrible, I am so sorry. If you want, I can call the kids?"

Donna shook her head. "It's alright, I'll do it later, let them finish classes for the day first."

Leena nodded and pulled Donna into the living room as the Paramedics came down the stairs, with Shaun and Sylvia's body. On sight of it, Leena gasped and tears flooded her eyes. She had never seen a dead body before. She had only ever been to the funerals.

"You may follow along with us, or you can come up on your own." The female paramedic told them, handing Donna the bottle of pills. "Were these prescribed to her?"

Donna looked down at the bottle and nodded, handing them back to the woman. Donna turned to Shaun. "I'll go with them, fill out the appropriate papers. Leena, if you want to come with me, I would appreciate that. Shaun, can you ring everyone. You… uh, don't need to tell them what happened, but, you know."

Shaun nodded as Donna and Leena left. Still staying strong, he turned on his heel and headed for the phone, his mask breaking as he looked at the photo of his family, now one less.

~! #$%^&*()_+

Donna smiled at John as he introduced his girlfriend. She seemed nice on the phone and Donna was happy to be finally meeting her. There had been a void for a while since Sylvia had died, but she was slowly refilling it with happy thoughts and it was getting better, albeit, slowly. "It's a pleasure to meet you Miss Chang."

John smirked and shook his head, the girl simply smiled politely. "Oh, no, please call me Alissa."

They walked into the house, Rose and Jack were already there exchanging pleasantries with Leena. Rose looked up and smiled at the sight of her brother and his girlfriend. "Oh, hey!" She called, jumping up and barrelling her brother over. Alissa laughed and helped Rose, help John up. "Jesus, Rose, calm down, its only bee five months."

Rose smiled. "I missed you anyway. How are you Alissa? It's nice to finally meet you, talking over the phone just isn't the same."

Alissa smiled. "Oh, I completely agree."

As they all moved into the living room, Donna smiled as she looked around at everyone and at the Christmas tree. She motioned for Leena to pour everyone some drinks. It was good champagne, something Donna had been saving for a special occasion. "It's been a whole year since we were all together as a family. It is a blessing that I have you all here together now. Christmas is a time of healing, a time of joy and a time of togetherness, so I just want to thankyou all for being here to celebrate Christmas with us today."

The champagne glasses went skyward and a resounding "cheers" echoed through the house. Sitting back down, John was chatting away with Rose and Jack and so Donna turned her attentions to Alissa. "So, Alissa dear, how did you meet, John?"

Alissa smiled and took a sip of her champagne. "He and I both attend Cambridge as you know and I am doing some research at the Astronomical centre there."

Donna nodded, "have you finished your degree then?"

Alissa shook her head. "Oh, lord no. I have a long road ahead of me, but where Jonathon took the direct route, I decided to go with a research route instead. I met Jonathon when I accidently spilled my germs all over his slides." She started laughing then and John turned around to see what all the fuss was about. Donna smiled slightly, though she didn't get the joke.

"Are you getting on with my mother then, love?" John asked, moving closer to his girlfriend as Jack turned to talk to his mother.

Alissa nodded and took another sip of her champagne. "Yes, I was just explaining how we met."

Donna nodded. "You have a wonderful girlfriend here, baby, I'm glad you decided to bring her along today." Donna said, sipping her own champagne before standing up. "I better go and see about dinner." As Donna went to the kitchen, the doorbell rang and Shaun stood up to get it, however Rose beat him too it.

Opening the door, she didn't see anyone so she looked down and when she spotted a small box she frowned. What on Earth was that? "Hey, mum, you expecting any shopping today?" She called, bending down to carefully retrieve the box, she shut the door and brought it into the living room.

Donna came from the kitchen and looked at Shaun; the pair shared a look that didn't go unnoticed by Rose. "Do you know something the rest of us don't?"

Donna smiled slightly at the box. "It's from our christmas angel." She said.

Rose blinked. "What do you mean?"

"Every Christmas, we receive a gift, something to celebrate with. I've yet to catch the person and I don't know who they are, but mum knew, mum and Gramps both knew him." She said, running her hand over the box. She looked at Shaun who approached with the scissors and cut the box open.

In the box, was something for everyone. Shaun dug inside. "Your mother and I got all of your bests gifts as kids from this box. He always seems to know what we need, or rather, what you want."

"Ah-ha, Donna, this is yours." Shaun pulled out a photobook, "there're heaps of pages for you to fill."

Donna took hold of the photobook and set it on the coffee table.

"Next is this… a genetic science text book, complete with diagram of a cell." He looked towards Rose who was looking at the presents in awe.

"Where did he get that? There's only ten in the entire world!" She took it from her father.

"Jonathon my boy, this must be yours." Shaun pulled a telescope from inside the box.

"Come on, how the hell did that fit in there?" He asked as he grabbed hold of it, nearly dropping it as he went. It was only thanks to Alissa that he didn't.

"Leena, here's yours."

Leena smiled, every Christmas she always got the same thing, it was a Christmas card from her father. He died about five years ago, but she appreciated the sentiment of their angel.

"Jack my boy, this book on massage techniques must be yours."

Jack went the colour of a tomato as he accepted the book and as he stepped back, Rose whispered something in his ear that made him go darker. Leena scoffed. "Oi, I know that look, Sweetheart, hands to yourself." She told the pair, raising her eyebrow at them.

There was one more gift at the bottom. "That must be yours, Hun." Donna stated, moving to take it from the box. However, Shaun shook his head. "No, it's Alissa's."

Alissa looked at him. "Why would it be for me? How would he know I would be here… why would he get me a Christmas present, I… I don't understand what is happening."

Shaun smiled. "Alissa, he knows everything, this means that he likes you. Come and see what he has gotten for you."

Alissa walked cautiously over to the box and nearly dropped her champagne. "Oh! Oh it is…so beautiful, may I?"

Shaun nodded and moved out of the way to allow Alissa better access. John walked over and looked at his girlfriend. "What is it love?"

Alissa pulled her present out of the box and stared at it, light in her eyes that John had never seen before.

"Oh, my, god. Is that what I think it is?" Rose asked, leaning in to get a better look at it.

Alissa nodded. "Shanghai China Teapot, yes. But… this is impossible, these do not exist any longer, how… how?"

Donna and Shaun just knowingly as their family smiled and laughed and laughed and smiled. She turned to Shaun. "Did he get you nothing this year?"

Shaun smiled down at Donna, "no, this is my present. Last year our Christmas was not enjoyable, what with your mother and everything, this year, I wanted this to be one of the best Christmases ever."

Donna and Shaun watched happily, unaware of the man peeking in through the window.

~! #$%^&*()_+

Donna placed the book back on her bedside table and coughed slightly as she sat back in her bed. The years of her life seemed to fly by when she looked at that photo album. It had been her most valued gift from him. For years afterwards she had waited up, hoping to see him, but that had been the last time he had brought them any gifts. She wasn't surprised; things had gone so well for them after that. It was that following year that Rose and Jack had gotten engaged. Donna wasn't surprised. The pair had been together for nearly six years by then, everyone had been wondering when it would happen. Jack and Rose waited until they had both graduated to get married. Jack took up a post with the English Cricket team as their injury rehabilitator. He moved around a lot as a result, but his and Rose's relationship was strong despite the constant distance with Rose researching in medical labs all over the country. Three grandchildren Donna had from them. Alison Donna Evans she was twelve now, Shaun George Evans he was eight and Martha Hayley Evans she'd turned six just last week.

Then there was her wonderful Jonathon. He and Alissa had been on and off for years before they finally got married. Donna had been wondering for a while if it was ever going to happen, but eventually it had and Donna couldn't be happier to have her be part of the family. John and Alissa worked at a Cambridge together. He was the head of the Astronomical department and she did the research. Together they had discovered six new heavenly bodies. One was named after Donna. They had one child. Alissa had a lot of trouble falling pregnant and after nearly five years of trying they finally got their little miracle last year. Maya Faith Hope Anne Temple. She was a beautiful little girl and every bit the miracle child that he father had been.

Donna smiled at the memories as she slipped down onto the bed. She was just waiting now. Soon her angel would come.

"Donna."

Donna opened an eye. She hadn't realised she had fallen asleep. She looked around and frowned slightly at the figure at the end of her bed. "You changed."

The man smiled. "You remember me?"

Donna nodded. "Not looking like that, but yes." She coughed and the man frowned.

"There isn't much time."

Donna nodded. "Yes, I know. I knew you would not come and see me again until the end."

The man smirked. It was strange on his face. She was used to her face, not this face, the face of a much younger man. It was his eyes though, his eyes spoke volumes and it was how she had recognised this man as who he was. "That's not entirely true though is it?"

Donna smiled slightly and sat up in the bed, shaking her head. "No, because you never listen to rules, you kept coming to see me… didn't you?"

The young man nodded, shifting from foot to foot. "I couldn't help it. I had to make sure you were okay, popped by every now and then, dropped off presents for Christmas." He shrugged. "Had tea with Wilf a couple of times. You weren't around of course and your mother kept glaring at me… but I couldn't just leave you."

Donna coughed slightly and smiled again. "I think I knew, on some level I always felt safe."

"I found Wilf you know…"

Donna looked up. "Really?"

The man nodded. "Yeah, I was stopping by, gonna have a chat, but he was in a coma when I got there, barely breathing. I called your mother and after she was finished yelling at me, she called you."

"That would explain her mood."

The man laughed cautiously, unsure if that was supposed to be a joke or not.

"Why did you stop?" Donna finally asked.

The man frowned.

"Why did you stop coming, after you brought me the photo album, you didn't come back anymore."

The man sighed and moved to sit on the bad. In the light, his face looked much older than it had only seconds ago. "I couldn't. That last time… it was tough. I saved your Grandfather but at the cost of my own life, I thought I was going to die."

Donna listened to his story as he told her about the Master, the cactus people, everybody turning into the Master and finally her Grandfather's heroics. She smiled. "Yeah, that sounds like Gramps."

"Tough old man, your gramps. One of the greatest men I ever knew."

"He meant everything to John and Rose."

The man smiled. "Yes, I noticed the names. What made you pick those?"

Donna shrugged. "I don't know really, they just sort of called to me, you know, I looked at them and they were the names to pop into my head."

The man grinned suddenly and held out his hands. "How about one more trip, for old times' sake."

"Don't you have someone with you?"

The man shook his head. "Not at the moment, I dropped her off to visit Earth for a while. Her husband works in this hospital you know."

Donna raised her eyebrows. "Oh, a Doctor is he?"

"Nah, he's just a nurse, Rory?"

Donna eyes warmed with fondness. "Oh, yes, I know him, he's very lovely. His wife travels with you?"

"They both do really. Me, Amy and Rory, travelling through the universe."

"That sounds awfully domestic."

The man smiled, "I'm getting senile in my old age. Ran into River Song a couple of times too."

Donna's eyebrows shot skyward at that. "But… didn't she, uh…"

The man offered her a word. "Die? Yes, at that time, but remember, she was a time traveller too. I don't know much else yet, but I can guess."

Donna held out her hands and the man took them, helping her too her feet. "I'm not going to come back here again am I?"

"Your body will, but… I'm sorry, you won't be."

Donna smiled then. "That's okay. I've put all of my affairs in order, I got to meet my miracles and I lived a good life. I have you to thank for that, don't I?"

He didn't say anything, he just squeezed Donna's hands and lead her away to her death.

~! #$%^&*()_+

Rory entered the room and immediately rushed over to the woman's bed. Her lights were flashing. God, how long had she been like this? The Doctor's rushed in and Rory was thrown out of the way. He turned to leave the room, but not before he spotted a familiar face.

"What are you doing here?"

The Doctor nodded towards the bed. "She was a friend of mine. I came to say goodbye."

Rory looked over at the bed and smiled sadly. "She was an amazing woman. She used to tell me all these stories about her life. None of them included you."

The Doctor shook his head. "They wouldn't have. For many years, she didn't even know who I was."

Rory frowned. It was not uncommon of the Doctor to talk about things that he didn't understand, but this was something else altogether. "Why do you never talk about them? About the others?"

The Doctor looked at Rory and sighed. "It hurts too much. You, all of you, you grow old, you wither and you die, but I can't, I don't. I remain exactly as I am for hundreds of your lifetimes."

Rory nodded and placed a hand on the Doctor's shoulder. "Will you visit all of us in the end."

The Doctor didn't answer Rory's question, but he didn't have too. "She was special," the time lord said, "she was my best friend, oh we had some laughs together. She was the first one ever to understand me, I think. Don't misunderstand me, you all have your qualities, I don't always know why, but I always know who, and for one magical moment, she was the most important woman in the world. Remember the planets in the sky?" Rory nodded, "that was her."

Rory looked back over at the body of the second red head he knew and smiled. Any friend of the Doctor, was a friend of his. "I'll make sure her family is notified."

The Doctor nodded. "Thankyou, Rory. Take care of her."

Rory smiled, "anything for you, Doctor."

That, thought the Doctor, is exactly the problem.

---

And there we have it guys, I hope you all enjoyed this, I know it was a long time coming, but I enjoyed writing it. I made a sort of collage of the family that is on my Polyvore profile, same name as the title. Please read and leave a review I would like to know your opinions. Thanks guys!

Angel.