A/N: prompt offered by develish1 and Anon on tumblr.

Prompt: The benefit of being the only adult in this college course is commiserating about the woes of single-daddom over a beer with the hot professor

Disclaimer: Erm, what do I actually own here? Oh yes - I've been to college as an adult and mature student.

Part 1

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It had seemed like such a good idea to get a few qualifications under her belt and retrain to do something useful with her life. That is, it had been, until the local adult educational college had admitted that they couldn't provide the course she wanted unless she attended the local sixth form college in order to do it. Great! Just what she needed, to be sitting amongst a bunch of emo teenagers whose greatest tragedy in life was that their mum wanted them to take the used cups down from their room once in a while.

That was how Donna Noble found herself sitting nervously in the back corner of the lecture room as several teenagers turned up and peered at her with mixed emotions of curiosity and distrust. She tried out saying a few hellos to break the ice, but so far there had been only polite replies before they attempted to hide themselves from her gaze. How wizard! Apparently on this particular course she would be the only proper adult student. However would she cope? She seriously considered just getting up and walking out, and then the lecturer appeared to perk up her interest.

He dashed in through the doors, looking very flustered and slightly out of breath as he set his papers down. "Good morning everyone. Sorry I'm a bit late but there was a tiny crisis before I left home this morning. You know how it is," he commented as he twirled on the spot, plonked his glasses onto his nose and properly considered the gathered students for the first time without the blurry haze. "Or not," he amended when he silently noted their ages.

"The girlfriend giving you grief, sir?" one cheeky young man sitting near the front risked wondering.

The lecturer immediately blushed; a deep crimson colour reaching the very tips of his ears as his hand weaved a frantic path through his spikey brown hair. "Oh no. Nothing like that. It was my daughter…" His voice trailed off when the lack of gossip brought no further attention. So he cleared his throat dramatically. "Let's start again. I'm Dr John Smith and I'd like to formally welcome you to Further Pure & Applied Maths. I'll be with you for the next couple of weeks so if you could all just jot your names down on this piece of paper for the attendance officer, we can begin," he stated, smashing down a paper onto the desk of the nearest student.

Everybody dutifully opened their pads, picked up their pens, and began to make notes. Now this was what Donna had been waiting for, and she was quickly enjoying every second as she listened to Dr Smith talk about his subject with passion. Little did she know, as she paid careful attention, that Dr Smith was paying equal attention to her as he danced about in front of the whiteboard.

At the end of the hour she let all the other students rush out first. There was no hurry as far as she was concerned. Her next lecture wasn't for another hour, so she was going to head for the library and start immediately on the questions that had been set for their first assignment.

"Ah, Ms Noble," Dr Smith halted her progress when she slowly made her way down the wooden steps towards the door, glancing briefly at the attendance sheet to make sure he had got her name right. "It's a little unusual to see someone so…erm…"

"Old?" she offered to end his sentence, and smiled disarmingly.

"Not really," he quickly retracted. "I mean… Actually, I don't know what I mean."

"I thought so," she smirked. "I'm here gaining some qualifications so that I can go to university, boost my CV, get my brain to work, and hopeful earn some decent money in the future."

"All very admirable," he conceded, nodding vigorously. "Well. Any time you need to discuss the course, don't hesitate to do so. I'm very approachable, I'm told."

"That's good," she agreed, smiling at his friendly warmth. "I'll definitely keep that in mind. In fact, you might end up regretting it," she warned, and turned to go. "Anyway, I'll see you next week, and I hope your daughter doesn't give you any more grief tomorrow morning."

He grimaced. "I doubt I'll escape it. She was very insistent that she had to wear her khaki jeans this morning; and do you think we could find them?"

"Kids are like that," she commiserated, feeling suddenly slightly uncomfortable that she knew far more than she ought to about him just yet. "My main problem is socks. So, your office is up on the top corridor, right?" she asked, deliberately changing the subject.

"Yes, right near the end fire door," he hastily supplied, wondering why he was becoming so fixated on holding her attention. "Come up and see me some time."

To his delight she giggled. "Shouldn't that be my line, Doctor? See you later. Bye!"

He stood for some seconds, enjoying watching her amble out, swaying her hips dramatically as she did so, and her long ginger hair flicking from side to side. It took some seconds for her to disappear from view before he drily commented to himself, "Well, that went well. Smooth as sandpaper, in fact." With a large dose of self-disgust, he picked up his papers and headed for his office.

Further down the corridor, Donna had only just made it to the bottom step of the staircase that led up to the library when she spotted a familiar face. "Carol! Is that you?" she gasped out in surprise at the sight of another woman in her thirties. "I didn't know you worked here."

Carol sheepishly grinned back over the mound of papers she was carrying in her arms. "Hello, Donna! Long-time no see. Yes, I've been working here for almost two years now, in the humanities department as their administration clerk. What are you doing here? New job?"

"No," Donna admitted, drawing out the single syllable. "I've become a part time student while I get what I need for my university course. Call it a life plan, if you will."

Nodding her head in acceptance, Carol asked, "How's everyone? Your mum still giving you grief?"

"Not half!" Donna stated with feeling. "Normally whatever I do it will never be right, so I was amazed when she was okay with me doing this for a short while."

"In that case, why don't you come out and have a quick drink to celebrate us being back here," Carol proposed. "I promise I won't keep you too long," she quickly added when her old friend looked reluctant.

"Just give me the chance to phone her and check it's alright," Donna pleaded as she brought out her mobile phone. "If I don't ask, I'll never hear the end of it."

"Take as long as you like," Carol offered magnanimously as she stood waiting for the verdict. One thing she had learned long ago: you don't cross Sylvia Noble, not if you can help it.

Several hours later, Carol guided Donna into a nearby pub. "Blimey! This has changed," Donna commented as she took in her surroundings.

"It certainly has," Carol agreed. "Usually it isn't this busy, but with it being the first day of term… Oh! There they are!" She desperately waved at two women seated at a far table and then led the way through the patrons. Once there, she made all the introductions and made sure Donna sat herself down. "Plonk yourself there. Right then. Who wants a drink? And no, you're not paying, Donna. I've already told you that."

As she expected, Donna rolled her eyes in exasperation, causing the two other women to smile as they fondly looked on. But in next to no time they all had a drink in front of them and they were chatting away about life in general.

The hour went quite quickly but realising that her time was running out, Donna made her way to the pub toilets before going to catch her bus home. Just as she reached the main bar again and intended to say goodbye to her friends, she bumped straight into a man turning from the bar counter, holding a pint of beer in his hand. It visibly slopped all over his hand.

"Whoops! I am so sorry," she immediately blurted out. "Did it spill? Honestly, at times I need a guide dog."

"No harm done," he politely insisted as he regarded the possible damage, and then lifted his head to see who had walked into him. To say he was secretly pleased would be an understatement. "Oh!"

Something fluttered in anticipation within her as she recognised her 'victim'. "Doctor Smith, you must think I'm such a klutz. Let me get you a fresh pint," she offered in apology, reaching out to swipe the beer from his sleeve.

"No no no. there's still plenty to drink," he maintained. "See…" And he took a hearty swig of the remainder of his pint. "But let me get you a drink."

"Oh no," she instantly declined, "there's no need for that. I have a bus to catch in a minute or so." For some reason she thumbed towards the direction where the bus stop lay. Why did she do that, she wondered? It wasn't as if he probably needed to know.

"Then would you please do me the honour of sitting with me while I finish this pint?" he requested. "It shouldn't take me too long."

Still blushing from the awkwardness of their encounter, she quickly acquiesced. "Alright then, and I'll do my best not to chuck anything else over you."

Seeing her sit down, Carol was extremely puzzled until she saw who Donna was suddenly sitting with. Wanting a good excuse to investigate, Carol went over to place the glass containing the last dregs of Donna's drink in front of her. "And here's your coat, Donna. We're off home now so I'll see you…?" she asked, letting the question hang in the air.

"Monday," Donna supplied. "As you can see, I'm in detention for unruly behaviour."

All three of them laughed; goodbyes were said, and then before they knew it, both John and Donna were alone.

"I er… I hope you don't think that I deliberately set this up," he stammered out after taking another hasty sip of his beer.

"I was going to say exactly the same thing," she confessed. "This might come as a shock to you, but I don't normally throw drinks all over blokes. Well… not intentionally."

"That's fine. And sorry for blackmailing you into sitting here with me. Your husband would go spare, no doubt," he continued his apology. But concerns for his personal safety made him ask, "He's not likely to thump me, is he?"

"No." She shook her head vehemently. "For a start, I'd have to have a husband to deck you," she deadpanned, "not even one that actually cared enough in a jealous way. Then again, I might have your wife after my guts for sitting here with you like this."

He sadly shook his head too. "I lost my wife quite a long time ago."

"Oh I am sorry," she commiserated. "I didn't mean to mock her memory or anything. It can't be easy for you bringing up your daughter alone. Assuming, of course, that you really haven't got a girlfriend."

"Why…?" he started to ask, and then realised what the answer was. "Of course, I said that at the beginning of your lecture this morning. Yes, she was being a right little madam. Deliberately so, because she didn't want to go to the childminder."

"Probably because she didn't want to lose you seeing as it's the first day back after the summer holiday," Donna reasoned, twirling her glass within her hands on the table top.

"That could be it," he agreed. "Normally I don't lecture at the sixth form college but I'm filling in for my friend while he gets over breaking his leg last month."

"So you won't be lecturing our course for long?" she pondered, and wondered why that upset her so much. Her answering thought had something to do with his gorgeous brown eyes and his face that was far too handsome, considering his wonky features.

"I'm afraid not," he replied, and sat back with a sigh. "After the day I've had I needed a beer before I headed for home. I'd forgotten how exhausting it is to lecture people who aren't as committed to a subject as I am."

"What?! Pft!" she mocked him. "Call that disinterested? You obviously haven't taught in a normal school, mate. You should count yourself lucky."

Grinning despite himself, he asked, "Have you taught in any of the local schools?"

"Nah," she dismissed, gulping down the end of her drink. "I've been a volunteer quite a few times, and filled in when they needed office staff, but I would not count what I did as teaching."

"Volunteered? How did you end up doing that?" he queried.

"The usual," she supplied. "My son wanted me to go along on some school trips, so I went. I tell you, those teachers deserve every penny they get."

"So… a son," he encouraged her to talk. "Is he like you?"

What the hell did he mean by that? "Well, he don't walk around in skirt suits or high heels; not that I know of, but you never know with fifteen year olds." She looked down at her attire and decided it was lacking a great deal as she regarded her grubby trainers. "I don't normally wear jeans and a sweatshirt, but something a bit more formal. But when in Rome…"

He rather liked her skinny jeans and jolly sweatshirt ensemble on her. It emphasised her curves and lean legs in a very attractive way, he thought. Not that he was forming any sort of a crush on a student, he hurriedly denied, or that he'd tell anyone that; least of all her. "It is the norm in college," he conceded with a nod of his head.

The phone in Donna's pocket went off and she apologetically answered it. "Hello, darling. What's the problem? Just ask your nan… I know I said I'd be home by four but I met my friend Carol and she asked to see me for a bit after college finished. Josh, I won't be too long. Promise. You can cope with Nan until Gramps gets in, you know you can. Turn on the charm for a bit, and don't pretend you don't know how to. See you soon. Bye!" She then futilely informed John, "That was my son."

"Did you say Josh; Josh Noble?" he enquired, rolling the name thoughtfully over his tongue. "He doesn't happen to go to St Peter's and is in Year Ten, does he?"

"Yes!" she answered with glee, and then her face fell. "Don't tell me you know him. What on earth has he done now?"

"Nothing," he hastily consoled her. "It's just that my daughter, Ellie, goes on and on about him. He sits behind her in maths."

She thought that information over, easily recognising the name. "Ellie Smith? Oh my God! Talk about a coincidence. He has, like, a massive crush on her." Donna held her hands up wide apart in demonstration of how huge her son's crush was.

"Crush?" John laughed at the coincidence. "Perhaps I ought to come and vet him, seeing as they both have a thing for each other," he mischievously proposed. "As long as his dad doesn't mind, of course." Oh dear! He hadn't even thought to find out who the boy's father is. It could complicate his sudden hopes.

"Who him?" she disparaged. "I wouldn't worry about him if I were you. Peter couldn't stay around long enough for the birth, let alone care what Josh is up to now. No, he was off with some blonde that he claimed was helping him rehearse somewhere. But I'll save moaning about what a useless piece of fatherhood he is for another time."

As far as John was concerned this was excellent news. They were both single, unattached, soon to be no longer teacher and pupil, with children who wanted to meet. What more could happen for them to consider getting together? This situation was offering a lot of exciting opportunities. He leaned forward and softly murmured, "Our children sound like they need a nudge from us. So what do you say, Donna? Can I give you a lift home?"

It did seem logical to her in that moment. "In that case, I suppose you'd better. You'll certainly surprise my mum when we turn up on her doorstep."

With that, he finished his pint, they stood up to put on their coats, and headed out into the September night, feeling an excited anticipation in the air. This had all the promise of an interesting friendship.