Author's Note: What's up readers? It's been a while since I posted anything cuz life's been crazy lately. Anyways I had a few spare moments and wrote this story, hope you like it!
Disclaimer: We all know I don't own them, why bother pretending.
Clang!
Clang!
Clang!
This was all Donna had heard for the past two hours as the Doctor's little repair turned into an all day event and the noise was driving her insane.
Marching into the control room Donna found the Doctor's legs sticking out of the floor beside the central column, the rest of his slim form lost beneath the floor panel. The clanging and banging had stopped and was replaced with angry Gallifreyian cursing.
"Doctor,"
"…"
"Doctor!" Donna shouted.
There was a heavy thud followed by loud groan of anguish. The disembodied legs flailed in the air as the Doctor struggled to push himself up and out of the hole. Rolling onto his back, he lay on the grating staring up at the annoyed redhead.
"You really must stop doing that Donna." He growled in frustration as he rubbed the back of his head.
"Yeah well, now you know what your clanging about is doing to my head." She snapped back.
The Time Lord jumped to his feet. "Sorry. I know I said this wouldn't take long, but I can't work out why the Tardis's…"
"Stop right there Martianboy! You don't need to give me one of your long winded explanations. Because, let's be honest, you and I both know I won't understand a word of it."
"Yeah but…"
"No!" She stated flatly, fixing him with one of her patented glares. "End of discussion. Save whatever needs fixing for later and let's find something to eat."
The Doctor perked up at her suggestion. "I am feeling a bit peckish."
"You don't say." Donna answered sarcastically.
"How about I take us out to dinner?" The Doctor rocked back and forth on his heels.
"Great idea Doctor!" Donna took a moment to ponder his question. "Just a thought, could we maybe invite some friends along?"
"You want to what?" The Doctor stuttered, completely bewildered by his companion's query. "Why? Don't you like my company?"
"No! But…" Suddenly a small bit of the console became very intriguing as Donna avoided the Doctor's questioning stare.
"But what?"
"Well you and I always go out together. Wouldn't it be nice to have some other company for a change?" Donna returned her gaze to the stunned Time Lord. "Or is that too domestic for you?"
"I dunno Donna." He whined, "Who would we even invite? I mean if you invited your friends, what would you tell them?" Doing his best to impersonate Donna he began, "This time travelling alien I've run away with and I want to invite you to dinner. So what's your current time and date so we land in the right spot? Cuz he can never get that bit right. Not to mention they might get suspicious about… us."
"I do not sound like that! But that last part is true - I mean the not getting it right bit." Knowing he might try to weasel his way out, Donna had an answer ready. "I agree inviting my friends would be awkward. So that doesn't leave us with a lot of choices does it?" Tapping her chin in thought she asked, "What about that Captain Jack fellow you're always talking about? Or Martha?"
"No! Not Jack! Anyone but him!" The Doctor shrieked. He practically jabbing Donna in the eye with his outstretched index finger as he raced around the console to confront her.
With a threatening looking Donna swatted his hand away. "Fine then. But all that leaves is Gramps and mum."
"What?" Squeaked the Doctor. His face paled slightly at the mention of Sylvia Noble. Donna smirked evilly; he was right where she wanted him. Watching the Doctor wrestle over this major life decision was quite entertaining, watching his face flit between distress and horror. You might have thought Donna had just asked him to choose between being sucked into a black hole or being boiled alive.
The Doctor finally caught on to Donna's little scheme and sighed in surrender. "Alright, you win. I'll call Jack." He sulked over to the panel where he "hid" the mobile Maratha had given to him.
"Good choice. I would have been worried if you had chosen my mum. Don't forget to ask Jack to invite Maratha." With that Donna dashed off to get ready, leaving the Doctor to make the arrangements.
An hour later the Doctor and Donna met Jack and Martha outside a casual restaurant in Cardiff. Polite pleasantries were exchanged between the group followed immediately by Jack flirting with his favorite Time Lord and his new favorite redhead.
Never one to turn down a compliment, Donna was enjoying the attention from the handsome Captain. The Doctor on the other hand, was finding it extremely annoying. How many times did the Doctor have to tell Jack "No" before he got the hint?
Between Jack's innuendos and suggesting that "just the three of them should get together some time" Maratha managed to fill in Donna about not going through with her wedding to Tom Milligan and working with Torchwood. The Doctor made mental note to steer clear of any interactions with Martha that might stir up any unwanted emotions now that she was "unattached".
After being seated by the hostess Jack's flirting ceased as he became distracted by his menu. As the Doctor scanned his own menu he swore he caught Martha staring at him out of the corner of his eye. At first he thought it was nothing but then caught her a second time. The Doctor recognized that look; it was the same one she used to give him when they traveled together- that I'm completely smitten with you look.
The Time Lord sank down in his chair and stood the menu upright on the table to hide himself from view. So much for keeping his distance from her!
"What are you doing?" Donna hissed as she noticed the Doctor's strange behavior. She held her menu in front of her face to conceal their conversation.
"Hiding." He stated matter of factly as he stared wide-eyed at Donna.
"I know I'm gonna regret this but," Donna leaned in closer, "Why are you hiding?"
The Doctor nodded toward the opposite side of the table. "Martha. She keeps looking at me."
Donna rolled her eyes. "Probably because you've barely said two words to her you prawn."
He was about to reply when Jack interrupted, "Something you two want to share with the class?"
The Doctor and Donna leapt apart, dropping their menus to find both Martha and Jack along with their waitress staring quizzically.
"Is there something going on between you two that we should know about?" Martha questioned jokingly, although the Doctor thought he noted a hint of jealously in her voice.
"I was just helping him decide what to order that's all." Donna assured them.
"Sure there wasn't any lip locking going on other there? You were being awful quiet." Jack teased to the Doctor's displeasure. "And if there was, why wasn't I involved?"
"Drop it Jack." The Doctor growled dangerously which only amounted in Jack bursting into a fit of laughter. The waitress, growing ever more impatient, cleared her throat. Realizing that she was still waiting for their order, the Doctor and Donna quickly gave her theirs and she left with a curt nod.
Donna struck up a conversation between herself and Martha while Jack attempted to engage the Doctor in small talk as they waited for their food to arrive. The Doctor's mood improved at bit when Jack asked him if he could shed any light on the mystery he was trying to unravel.
Everything was going smoothly until Martha stated, "You know Doctor, after my wedding fell through, I thought about traveling with you again."
The Doctor suddenly found himself choking on his drink. Squirming uncomfortably in his seat, he barely managed to squeak out "Oh?"
"Yeah, but then UNIT assigned me to another job that involved Torchwood and I couldn't turn that down."
"Oh!" He attempted to reply coolly but came out sounding more relieved. "That's nice. So Jack I think I know how to solve your problem…" The Doctor continued his conversation, completely ignoring Martha. Donna fumed and decided that she needed to have another word with the Doctor about his rudeness. Unfortunately their menus were gone so she had to come up with alternative strategy for confronting him.
"Oops!" Donna squealed as she inconspicuously nudged her fork over the edge of the table. She feigned searching for a few seconds then returned "unsuccessful". "Doctor, could you help me look for my fork, I can't seem to find it." Donna then disappeared beneath the table cloth again expecting him to follow.
Completely unaware of Donna's intentions the Doctor merely stated, "Just ask the waitress to bring you new one". Without warning a hand shot out from under the table and seized the Doctor's tie. With one swift jerk Donna managed to drag the Time Lord below the table.
Under the table Donna glared angrily at him as he examined his new location.
"What was that for?" He whispered as he squirmed in the half folded half hunched position he was now in.
"Do you have any manners?"
"Of course I do! Why do you ask?"
If it was possible Donna's stare became even more deadly. "Well if you must know, you're still being rude to Martha and screwing up this even!"
"Dragging someone under the table and holding a secret conversation hardly counts as good manners on your part Donna" He pointed out. The feisty ginger reached over and gave him a sound thump on his forehead. "Ow! I'm sorry! But it's Martha fault. She keeps staring at me with these big bambi eyes! It was all I could think to do! I didn't want to encourage her … or end up accidently inviting her to come travelling again."
Donna scoffed, "What's wrong with Martha?"
Jumping to defend himself he half shouted, "Nothing! Oof!" and ended up knocking his head against the table in his haste to protest.
Watching the Doctor's reaction Donna softened and asked, "Then what is it Doctor?"
"Well… I like things the way they are. Just you and me."
His companion's jaw dropped "What's-"
"At it again are we?" Before she could reply further Jack's face appeared under the table cloth with a mischievous smirk plastered across it. "Jus t thought I'd tell you your dinner is getting cold."
Startled they both quickly slid back into their proper places blushing profusely.
"No!"
"We were just talking!" They hastened to explain.
"Yeah and the table shaking was just an earthquake. We're on to you." Jack said winking and elbowing Martha.
Martha sat with a slightly confused look, gawking between the Time Lord, the red head, and the Captain. "If you guys wanted to be alone, why did you invite us?"
"It's not like that! I just needed to give the Doctor a private scolding!" Donna's cheek turned scarlet as she realized the implications of what she'd said.
"Been a bad boy then Doc? I never would have pegged you as the role playing type!"
"We were only talking and it's none of your business what we- I am into!" He missed the odd look Donna shot at him. "Now can we just forget about this and finish our meals please?"
The others were silent as they glanced around the table. The Doctor having finished his rant picked up his fork and dug into his food. Donna and Martha followed suit. Jack appeared to have more to say but a livid scowl from the Time Lord stopped him cold.
The group spent the rest of the meal in awkward silence. Finally the bill was paid and they exited the restaurant single file with the Doctor leading the way. Once outside the Doctor broke his silence with an apology.
"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have gotten upset like that." He turned to Donna, "I know you wanted this to be a fun evening with friends and I'm sorry for screwing it up like that. I can understand if you're mad at me."
"It's alright Spaceman." With a small smile she added, "Should've known I couldn't take you anywhere."
"Got that right!" Jack laughed as he draped his arms over their shoulders. "He either finds trouble or he causes it!"
He shrugged off Jack's arm. Rubbing the back of his neck the Doctor addressed Martha, "Martha I owe you an apology as well. The reason I was acting so strange is because I thought you were…um trying to flirt with me."
"What?" She laughed incredulously, "Doctor when I said I'd moved on I meant it. There's nothing but friendship between us, I swear."
"Oh! Right! Well now that that's solved I guess we can all head home!"
"I mean, I wouldn't want to come between you and Donna." Martha teased.
"Huh! No, we're not together…"
"Whoa! I'm so not with him…"
Jack and Martha merely smiled.
"Ok guys whatever you say! Good night!" With that Martha and Jack turned and headed in the direction of the Hub leaving the Doctor and Donna mystified.
"So you think there's really something going on between them Jack?"
"Oh ho! They are definitely a couple! A few more dinner dates like this and we'll have them coming clean in no time. Nice acting by the way Jones. You even had me convinced you were flirting with the Doc for a minute!"
"It was nothing really, just a few tricks I picked up. And I knew he'd freak when I announced that I wasn't getting married."
As they continued to walk down the street laughing deviously, they plotted their next move.
Fin
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