Chapter One

Surprises

A/N. Fluff? What fluff? What does that even mean?


A panicked shriek could be heard from the console room. "Doctor!"

"What is it, Donna?" the Doctor was expecting anything from a broken fingernail to a disturbing headline from a newspaper she'd insisted on buying. "I swear, I won't be accompanying you to your shopping trips ever again!"

The woman was out of breath, speaking – shrieking - hurriedly.

"There's a girl on the floor. She's not breathing! I- I think she's dead! A corpse on the floor!" She continued to scream, overtaken by panic.

It took him less than a second to count the remaining days until Halloween. No, this can't have been the case. Which meant…

"Coming!" The Doctor tried his best not to allow his mind imagine dreadful scenarios, but failed miserably. Could it be a trick? By the Master, perhaps? That one, he'd somehow managed to survive everything… just like the Daleks. He shuddered.

"Quickly! Her shirt is soaked in blood! Should I try and move her towards the medical bay? Come!"

Blasted alien.

"Do nothing! You might hurt her further!" If she still lives. The Time Lord could not run faster.

The moment the Doctor burst into the TARDIS, he saw a shock of blond hair at once. Blond hair, belonging to- to-

He gulped back, feeling he was about to choke at the sight. So much of a happy reunion…

"Are you all right?" Donna dared to ask, seeing his face lose all colour the moment his eyes saw the poor woman.

He ignored her, kneeling down to the girl. "Don't you dare to die on me."

Donna was both terrified and terribly confused. "Do you… do you need me to fetch something? A Bible? Invite a priest, maybe?"

"Shut up!" He was hurriedly taking off – or tearing off – her once-white shirt, now sticky and hard to remove, even more so when his fingers were trembling. Leaving the girl in her bra and knickers – white – or whatever was left of the colour now - with a pink ribbon, he could not help but be amused about this tiny little detail –the Doctor dared to look at her wounds. What he saw both terrified and calmed him a bit. Two gunshot wounds in her torso. This was bad, very bad, but not fatal. It seemed she had been on the run when these blasted bullets were fired. He could do nothing but stare for a long moment. "I- I need to remove the bullets," he muttered. "To stop the bleeding, to-" The alien did not think of thanking the ship for immediately providing him with the needed equipment. Equipment much more advanced than what the 21st century could offer – but medical gloves were a necessity. "This is all so hi-tech," Donna muttered, in awe.

"Could you please shut up," he groaned, concentrating on his work.

This once, the ginger stayed silent, unable to look the alien in the eye. It was clear he was trying to stay strong.

It was only when the Doctor's body began shuddering violently with sobs she knew it was over. He has either succeeded – with the sight on the floor before her Donna believed he has – or, judging from his self-explicatory reaction- - -

"I've lost her." Lost her again. His eyes were unseeing.

"It's just like with your friend, Rose… you will get over it."

"No. Whoever's told you that? I've never-"

Donna put her hand on his shoulder. "It will be fine."

"No." It was never going to be fine again. Even with the encouraging vibes the ship kept sending him.

"Rose was supposed to be living safely with her family. Perhaps galaxies away from me, but safe. Not lying in a pool of blood. Her own, as it comes," he sobbed.

Donna gaped. This twist of fate was better than in a Shakespearean tragedy. Even if she had learnt to be ready for all sorts of things in this new life of hers, seeing the Time Lord like this was hurting her.

The Doctor never took his eyes off the fair-haired companion. At least the TARDIS was not mourning her yet, which meant exactly what it should have. The ship was keeping her safe. Safe and alive. Alive! While he could never understand the connection between the human and his time-and-space vessel, the Time Lord could not thank her enough.

With the bullets removed, he needed to stop the bleeding somehow. Why has the ship not given him anything for that?

The ship has but rewarded him with meaningful silence. Strangely, Rose did not seem to be bleeding any more. The TARDIS must have somehow found the way to stop it. There was no time for him to waste. Maybe now he could try to move her. Save her.

"She's the love of your life, yes? Do something, instead of tearing up for no reason! Kiss of life is what tends to save human lives, Doctor. In the meantime, I'll fetch water for you to clean the wounds."

He breathed out, as if awakened from shock. Donna's determination seemed to give him the much-needed strength. "Yes. Please. Hurry up."

They were in the TARDIS. The safest place in the universe! The most medically-equipped place in the universe (or so the alien thought)! And still- He had to brace himself. Rose had to live. Even if it took everything he had out of him. The Doctor was prepared to use some of his regeneration-energy. To take away as many years of his life as necessary to keep Rose alive and well…

Oh, the kiss of life. Of course. He was breathing air into her mouth, wishing for a miracle and planning all sorts of incredible things he- they were going to do the moment Rose was all right again... For she had to be.

"How is it going?" Donna spoke quietly, not quite believing there was a pleasant way out of this.

The Time Lord moved away from her. It seemed her face was just a shade more lively. "She'll live," he almost smiled.

This was when the blonde's eyes opened, startling both of them.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?!"

"Saving you," he was both laughing and crying at once.

Donna shook her head. This was not the reaction she'd expected. Needless to say, neither did she expect the girl – Rose – she needed to remember to address her by the given name – to go through such a swift recovery. This was insane.

Rose's reaction was just as unexpected, as she spoke with tears in her eyes. "Doctor – how many years of your life have you just put to waste? Was it worth it?"


A/N. Bahaha. Happy April Fools! Reviews would be lovely. :) Needless to say, the story's far from over.