He couldn't dare to hope that the crazy idea in his head was more than that, a crazy idea.
It wasn't exactly an idea even, he had just let River at her house and she received a message from Mr Lux and she was going to meet him to know more about the Library.
It was over. River was gone and he was once more alone. He had learnt that taking his time to grieve was ok, normal even. A brilliant temp taught him so.
At first he believed it was because he had just sent River to meet his old self and Donna that the ginger had crossed his mind. But the feeling continued strong and he could feel the TARDIS pressing him to go to Chiswick.
He couldn't make himself do it, for all he knew she would be probably dying, finally remembering him and his old silly box wanted to give him some kind of closure.
Wouldn't it be ironic to watch Donna die as the Eleventh him while his Tenth was somewhere watching River die for him?
"Blimey, I'm sounding like emo-doctor. And that's very much not cool. It's bad even." he said putting his hand on his tie as a reflex.
The TARDIS made an annoyed moaning sound, like she was losing her patience with him.
"Alright, whatever. Chiswick. But what year? You see, you could always go back to 2006, or before, I've always been fond of the 80's just keep away from..." she started travelling by herself. "Oi, that's rude. You didn't even let me say 'Geronimo' this time."
The ship landed and when he opened the door he almost closed it and ran to the furthest room inside the ship.
"Why did you regenerate into a child? People are going to ask if I'm your bloody mother!"
He put his head outside and smelt the air.
"This is wrong, very wrong. Eating jam with a spoon or putting it on bread wrong. The air smells like early..."
"Twentieth third century. Yes, Einstein, I know." she had a cheeky know-it-all smile on her face that made him very confused. And he hated feeling confused so he finally stepped fully outside.
Then he felt it. So clearly he didn't know how he didn't feel it before. The shared history, the shared burden. A...
"Time Lady." he whispered and ran to get closer to her so he could put his hands on her face.
"Be careful or you will trip on yourself with all that grace. Forget what I said, you are not a child, you are a baby giraffe, still learning to walk."
The both of them closed their eyes when he finally made the contact with her mind.
"How...?" he said without wanting to break contact but needing to ask out loud.
"Before the metacrisis I was exposed to something very similar..."
"The Huon particles." he finished the sentence.
"And because of the exposure to the TARDIS my brain and body just needed time. I was really old, in a hospital and suddenly regenerated. Into myself; mind you, I wouldn't mind being a little skinnier or having a different arse. I'm still trying to understand why I became me when I met you. And..." she looked at him, he was smiling. "This you looks like the alien you are."
"You are also an alien Mrs Temple-Noble."
"No."
"Yes, you are. You are a Time Lady, two hearts, respiratory bypass and possibly..."
"Not that, you dumbo. I'm not Mrs Temple-Noble."
"But I was at your wedding; you looked lovely like the first time. What happened?"
"The idiot asked for divorce after thirty years of marriage because I was not the woman he got married to."
"You got your memories back and you weren't that woman anymore."
"Yeah." she missed this. How the two of them knew each other. It had been centuries for her, and probably for him too. But it didn't matter, they still understood each other in a way no one else would.
"Would you... Not that I would if I were you, I erased your memories and gave you back to your mother, If I were you, I would hate me. And I haven't had a proper companion in a while, only River, in the nights. Don't ask. However, I can't let a Time Lady on Earth and..." then it came, a big slap on his face. "Oi, what did I do this time?"
"I almost forgot you erased my memories and left me in Chiswick. Just because of that you will have to pay, but it can't be something simple..." she pretended to think. "Oh I know, you will have to stay with one companion forever."
"And who would that be?"
"Oh, you know her. A Little older than most your companions, not that that is much, ginger..." He hugged her. "Hey, no need getting sad just because you are stuck with me, mate." he smiled at her. "Allons-y, then?"
"It's Geronimo, now."
"No." she said simply walking in direction of the TARDIS.
"No suitcases this time?"
"We are stopping on the next market planet to buy myself a new closet. And if I as much as hear the name 'Shan Shen' you will be slapped into your next regeneration until you look like someone fanciable." she looked at the new design of the old box.
"Did you like the change?"
"Show off." she answered as she started pushing buttons and pulling levers to take them out of there.
"I missed you." he said getting a smile back.
Getting her back was having the universe waving a white flag at him.