Beta-ed by my good friend, Janna Silver Hawkins
Disclaimer: I don't own anything, but I wish I did. BBC and RTD own it all. I do own a sonic screwdriver, psychic paper, and some of the books.
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It was another one of those days.
After waking up from a beautiful, yet terrible dream she could not remember, Donna made ready to go to work. She got dressed, washed her face, and put on her usual amount of make-up.
She had her breakfast, accompanied with her daily banana. She didn't know why, but she suddenly liked them. She had one every day, without fail and it wasn't always in its natural form. The thing was, as suddenly as her liking for bananas came her liking of pears went. She couldn't stand them now.
Just like every other day, she argued with her mother about the simplest things like when she would be back and when she could have the car. Luckily or unluckily for others besides herself she had Christmas shopping to do. She finally knew what she was going to get her mother and granddad. She had been eyeing a shirt over at Henrick's that would be perfect for her mother. Her mother would smile as if she liked it, ask if there was a gift receipt as if she hated it, and then wear it a couple days later. Her mother was like that all the time.
Her granddad was another matter. He was appreciative of her gifts. She was going to buy him a book. He loved to read especially about stars and far off planets. He believed that aliens lived on those planets. She thought it was nonsense. Once upon a time she might have followed along with him. Now, she had no time. She had a job and a fiancé.
A boring uneventful day later she found herself at the local bookstore. She had bought her mother's shirt first and it was in the car, wrapped and ready for Christmas morning.
She went to the mystery section and found an Agatha Christie novel she had not read yet. Agatha Christie's books, movies about them, and the game, Clue, were now on her favorites list. Another one of those sudden likes.
On the way to the astronomy books, a prodding in her mind caused her to stop at one of the many tables covered with books. Each was hardcover and had the picture of a dark-skinned confident man.
She fingered the cover of one of them and flipped the front up. Before she could begin reading to find out why she was drawn to this book, a voice cut through the silence. "You thinking of getting the book, Lady?"
She jerked her head up and glared at the person who now sat at the table of books. It was a smartly-dressed young man with gelled blonde spikes. He looked uncomfortable in his clothes and looked like he belonged in street garb instead of the fancy suit he was wearing. Despite his obvious discomfort he had a good-looking face and an easy-going manner.
"Oi! What's it to you?" Donna responded.
He jerked back. "Just doing my job. Trying to earn a little in this world."
Donna shot back, "What's your job then? And why weren't you here when I came?"
He jerked his thumb behind him. "Grabbed a coffee. I work for Mr. Naismith as a source of information about him for people who might be interested. Any questions at all?"
Donna stared at the book with a far off expression. That prodding, that nudge, was still there urging her to get the book. For who, she wondered. For her granddad, the answer came back. She shook her head to get rid of the voice. It was annoying how it came to her sometimes.
He looked at her strangely. "Sorry. No, I'm fine." she replied.
"You alright?"
"I'm always alright." That gave her pause. At the edge of remembrance, a foggy voice repeated the words.
He smiled kindly. "Thinking of buying this for someone then?"
Donna slowly nodded. "Yeah, my granddad."
"Has he been following Mr. Naismith?"
"No, this just seems like something he'd like." She picked up the book and stacked it under her own.
He smiled again. "Alright. Have a good rest of the day and a merry Christmas."
She smiled back. "You too." Then she walked away unknowing that her gift would help an old friend and be one of the bringers back of her lost memory.