Author's Notes: I do not own Doctor Who, the Doctor or Donna or anything by Katy Perry. Okay, so when I wrote Regarding Mrs Smith, I basically had about ten different versions of the idea that Donna was having the Doctor's baby and didn't remember him. I ended up writing Regarding Mrs Smith. Then there's this story which seemed just too sad at the time, but it was always in the back of my head. Basically, take the Regarding Mrs Smith universe and just alter it from the point where the Doctor takes Donna's memories. End of Time never happened, I guess Children of Earth never happened, Ten met Amy and Rory and we're picking up around "The Doctor's Wife." It's not really going to matter so I would advise just going with it. Also, the good news about this story is that it's basically done so you should be getting all of it in the next few days barring anything unforeseen. Thank you so much, please let me know what you think and happy reading.
Zara was scared.
She didn't like to admit she was scared and would never show it. By the time she was four, she had been in more scary situations than some people had in their whole lives. There had been that bus. The time she got swallowed by the space whale. Those statues. Lizard people. That great big crack in the universe that had swallowed her up. The space shark and today's events: traveling outside the universe to look for another Time Lord and finding some weird people, the soul of the TARDIS being removed and running from the creature possessing the TARDIS. She had gotten separated from Amy and Rory more times than she could count and now the TARDIS was inside a woman!
And the woman was dying as House kept playing games with them.
"Why should I listen to you?," House asked.
"Because then I won't be able to help you. Listen to your engines. Just listen to them. You don't have the thrust and you know it. Right now I'm your only hope for getting out of your little bubble through the rift, and into my universe. And mine's the one with the food in," said the Doctor bouncing along the old stark white console room in his Chuck Taylors.
"And why would you do this?," asked House.
"You just have to promise not to kill us. That's all, just promise. "
Amy looked at the Doctor critically. "You can't be serious."
"I'm very serious," said the Doctor. "I'm sure it's an entity of its word."
"Hey, hand in there, old girl," said the Doctor looking at the TARDIS woman. "It will all be over soon."
Zara looked at the TARDIS woman as Rory tried to help her. She was suffering and Zara could feel it. It was awful. She started sniffling, trying to hold back tears.
"Little orange one."
Zara looked up. The TARDIS woman was talking to her telepathically just like when she was in the box.
"Before I go, I have a plan."
"A plan?," she asked back in her mind.
"You need the loud red one."
Zara frowned. The TARDIS flashed into her mind a picture she knew.
Her mummy.
"Daddy says I never can."
"He's an idiot. When I'm home, you're going to go to her and fix her. You'll see."
The woman died and the TARDIS went back into her box, fighting and killing the House. The Doctor came to tuck in Zara as usual.
"There we are," he said, putting her toy Scallofrax beside her, "snug as a bug. Are bugs snug? Does a bug have a concept of snugness even?"
"Will you tell me about Mummy?"
The Doctor frowned. It hurt, Zara knew, but that didn't stop him and she never stopped asking.
"She was the most important woman in all creation," said the Doctor. He said it every time. "She was beautiful and brilliant and you are just like her."
Zara smiled, but the Doctor thought something was a bit off.
"Zara, did the TARDIS say something to you? You know, when she had a mouth."
Zara did what she had seen done so many times before, particularly by her father, but had never attempted before.
She lied.
"No."
"Well, sweet dreams." He gave her a kiss. "I'll see you in the morning. I have to restore the rooms House deleted."
Zara curled up in her bed, anxiously awaiting the next day.
Zara awoke the next morning ready to carry out the TARDIS' plan. Clothes had been carefully laid out for her and a knapsack was waiting. She got dressed, grabbed the knapsack and snuck out into the corridor.
"Zara!," the Doctor called, drawing out her name. "Is that you? I have banana pancakes!"
Instead of going to the kitchen, Zara made a break for it, past Amy and Rory, running to the console room.
"Zara!," the Doctor called again.
"Hey, where are you running to?," asked Amy.
"Why does she have a coat?," asked Rory, suspecting something. He turned to follow her. "Zara..."
That's when a door appeared and slammed shut, separating the console room from the corridor.
"Doctor!," she could hear Amy shout. "Something's happening!"
Zara listened to the TARDIS in her mind as the Old Girl explained how to land. It took some reaching, but she just managed. She could hear her father's sonic screwdriver whirring on the door.
"It won't work!"
"Can't you kick it or something?," asked Amy.
Rory knocked on it. "Uh, this is wood."
The Doctor sighed. "This is getting ridiculous. Zara!"
The brakes sounded as the TARDIS landed.
"Zara!," the Doctor called, beating against the door. "Zara! Stop!"
The TARDIS flashed a map in Zara's head, directions from the landing site to where she needed to be.
"I'll see you later, Daddy!"
"No! Zara, do not go outside those doors!," the Doctor shouted.
"It's okay!," she called back.
"It is not okay, Zara!"
Zara opened the door and looked out. It was chilly, no wonder the TARDIS had given her a coat and it was London: someplace Daddy never took her. They were on a busy streets full of little shops and people going about their Saturday morning. Zara shut the door to the TARDIS behind her and started off on her mission.
Back in the corridor, Rory looked at the Doctor. "What just happened?"
"Zara landed the TARDIS."
"How can she pilot the TARDIS? She's only four," asked Amy.
"Well, there is one explanation," said the Doctor.
"Which is?"
"The Old Girl told her."
"Seriously, a child lock or something," said Rory.
They waited for what seemed like an eternity and the door finally disappeared. The Doctor ran straight through the console room and to the door.
"Zara!," he shouted helplessly.
Amy and Rory were right behind him.
"What are we doing in London?," asked Amy. She caught a glance at a newspaper. "Twenty-third of November, 2013. What are we doing here?"
The Doctor looked up at the skyline and it confirmed where they were. "Not here! Anywhere but here!"
"What's so bad about London?," asked Rory.
"She's here!"
The Doctor walked off with no explanation. Amy looked at Rory and then followed the Doctor.
"Do you want to be more specific?," she called after him.
Donna Noble's radio switched on with the alarm, playing a song that gave her one of her headaches every time she heard it.
"Your touch magnetizing, feels like I am floating, leaves my body glowing. They say, be afraid. You're not like the others, futuristic lover. Different DNA, they don't understand you."
Grabbing her head with one hand, Donna struggled for the radio.
"You're from a whole other world..."
Donna knocked the radio off her night table and the plug came undone. She sighed in relief, wondering why that song had that effect. She really couldn't think of a reason she hated Katy Perry.
She looked out the window: another foggy day in London. Some wedding day.
She found that she wasn't as emotionally invested as she thought she would be in the wedding. By day's end, she would be Donna Stanley.
Something was missing.
She had such spells of depression. There were days that she couldn't bear to get out of bed and she had the feeling that today, even if it was her wedding day, might be one of them. This depression was paired with the tremendous gaps in her memory making her one hell of a mess. She was lucky to have Rupert, lucky to have any bloke really, let alone Rupert Stanley, one of the most eligible bachelors in Britain.
Then what made her so sad?
The doorbell rang.
She groaned. "Mum, can you get it?," she shouted downstairs.
There was no answer. Donna forced herself up.
"Gramps?," she called.
The doorbell rang again as Donna went downstairs. She found a note from her mum saying she and her grandfather had left to deal with some of the wedding details. The doorbell rang again. Donna headed towards the door. She opened it and was surprised to find a little ginger girl on the step. She was gorgeous really, wearing a blue wool coat and carrying a knapsack.
"Can I help you?," asked Donna, looking around for any sign of parents.
"I'm lost," she said simply.
"Oh," said Donna. "Well, come on in, love. You'll freeze out there."
She walked in.
"What's your name?," asked Donna.
"Zara."
"Zara? That's lovely. I'm Donna." She walked down the hall with Zara in tow. "Now, we can ring your mum and dad. Do you know their numbers?"
"I know my mum's," said Zara.
"Alright," said Donna, picking up her mobile. She handed it to Zara and the little girl dialed. Donna took the phone.
A tinned computer voice came on. "The British Telecom customer you have dialed is not available. Please leave a message after the tone."
"Oh, your mum hasn't set up her voice mail inbox. I haven't set mine up, either." Donna sighed. "Hi, my name is Donna Noble. I'm here with your daughter, Zara. She's fine. Ring me back and I'll let you know where to collect her from. Uh, thanks."
Donna hung up as the little girl's eyes bored holes into her. She had the most gorgeous brown eyes.
"So," said Donna, "are you hungry?"
"Yes."
"Well," said Donna, "let's go into the kitchen and get you something to eat."
"Doctor!," Amy called after the Doctor.
"I'm just saying there ought to be a child lock or something on the door," said Rory. "They have them on cars."
"Not helping, Rory!," Amy hissed. "Doctor!"
They further chased after the Doctor down the high street.
"Zara!," the Doctor shouted. "Zara!"
"Doctor?," someone else called.
He spun around to see Sarah Jane Smith.
"Sarah Jane!," said the Doctor. "Sorry, bad time for a chat."
"Who's Zara?," she asked.
"What?"
"You were shouting for someone called Zara," said Sarah Jane. "New companion?"
"Not exactly," said the Doctor. "You haven't seen sort of a short ginger thing, have you?"
Sarah Jane frowned. "Like a child?"
"Yes," said the Doctor, "very much like a child."
"Why are you looking for a child?," asked Sarah Jane.
Amy and Rory caught up.
"Doctor?," asked Amy.
"I really don't have time for introductions right now..." the Doctor muttered.
Amy turned to Sarah Jane. "Hi, I'm Amy. This is my husband, Rory."
"Sarah Jane Smith. I used to travel with the Doctor." Sarah Jane cast him a glance. "He also used to introduce people."
"Never mind him. Zara has run off," said Amy.
Sarah Jane smiled. "And who's Zara?"
"His daughter," said Rory.
"His what?!," Sarah Jane couldn't help but exclaim.
The Doctor walked away, partly out of his mind, partly looking to avoid another conversation he didn't want. Sarah Jane followed. Then Amy and Rory.
"Your child?," Sarah Jane exclaimed, following him down the street. "Where did you get a child from?!"
"Around," he muttered, eyes still scanning the streets.
"What do you mean around? Doctor! You're going to have to be more specific!," Sarah Jane asked in exasperation.
The Doctor looked at the people coming out of a shop when he bumped into...
"Nerys!," he exclaimed. He looked back at his three followers. "Everyone! It's Nerys!"
Nerys stopped and looked at the Doctor. "Oh, my God. It's you."
Sarah Jane sided up to the Doctor. "Hello. Sarah Jane Smith."
Amy crowded in. "Hi, Amy Pond. This is my husband, Rory."
Nerys continued looking at the Doctor. "I can't believe this. You were the one at Donna's wedding to Lance and here I see you again on Donna's wedding day."
The Doctor's face paled. "Her what?"
"Her wedding. Haven't you heard? Oh, that is so Donna. I thought you two had a thing. She's marrying Rupert Stanley."
"Who the hell is Rupert Stanley?!," shouted the Doctor. "And what happened to Shaun?!"
Nerys shook her head, oblivious to the yelling. "Oh, big scandal. Lottery winnings drive newlyweds apart. I'm surprised you didn't read about it. It was in all the tabloids."
"I remember that, they had the big court battle," said Rory.
Nerys nodded. Amy and Sarah Jane both gave him curious looks.
"Night shift, free time," said Rory.
"Rupert Stanley is one of the richest men in Britain," said Sarah Jane. "He has this company I've been looking into. I didn't realize Donna was marrying him."
The Doctor looked back to see Nerys walking away.
"I can't believe she's getting married," said the Doctor, running his hand through his hair. "Again!"
"Why should that be so difficult to believe?," asked Sarah Jane.
"It's just, she can't..." He stopped. "Sorry, I have to keep looking."
"Doctor," said Sarah Jane following him, "aren't you going to tell me where you got this child?"
"Good luck with that," said Amy. "He clams up every time."
"I don't have time to talk about this," said the Doctor. "I've lost her. She got out of the TARDIS and now the old girl won't even let me use the scanners!"
"It sounds as if you need help," said Sarah Jane. "Why don't we ring Jack?"
"What?"
"Who's Jack?," asked Amy.
"It might take him a bit to get here," said Sarah Jane. "Still, we'd have the whole Torchwood team to work with. Martha and Mickey are working there now."
"I'd rather do this on my own," said the Doctor.
"Right, there's only eight million people or so in London," said Sarah Jane.
