The Doctor pushed open the TARDIS doors and Donna looked out to see a giant field of glistening orbs and mountains far off that were glowing hues of red, orange, and yellow.
"Ta-da!" the Doctor expressed as he looked out and smiled, "See, I told you I would bring you to someplace just like you."
"How in the bloody hell is this place like me?" Donna asked as she snickered and folded her arms.
The Doctor put his arm around her shoulders and leaned in saying, "Well it is beautiful isn't it?" She looked up at his crooked smile and couldn't help but blush, as she smiled back at him.
"So what is this place then?" Donna asked, as they both stepped out and looked around.
"Welcome to the Fields of Trensimore," the Doctor replied, "I've come to this place many times before actually."
Donna looked around and was in awe of how beautiful it was. Not sure though that it was beautiful as she was and even if it was she wouldn't confess that to the Doctor.
It seemed so alien, yet so much like home at the same time. The fields were covered with green grass swaying in the light breeze, along with the glistening orbs that reminded her of dandelions. The rolling hills seemed to go on forever and reached towards the mountains in the distance. Snow caps sat on the top of the mountains but they gave off glowing red hues that clashed with the bright blue sky. There were a few scattered clouds, but the sky was so clear.
"Come on then, I'll show you around," the Doctor said as he started walking away.
"Wait, are we like on Earth in the future or something?" Donna asked catching up to him.
"Oh no. This is Mars in the future. Many, many years in the future Mars will start to look just like Earth and humans will begin to inhabit it," the Doctor responded as they kept walking.
"Wow! Really?" Donna said in wonder, "I'm on Mars? Mars!"
Donna couldn't contain her excitement. She kneeled down and touched the grass. It felt like just grass on Earth, but the colors were so much more vibrant. They glistened bright greens and tints of yellow in every blade. The Doctor kneeled down next to her and could see the excitement in her face. He couldn't help but smile. Seeing her happy always made him happy. He looked over and saw a glistening orb swaying in the grass and leaned over and picked it.
"Happy Birthday," he said as he handed it to her.
Donna was entranced by it. It was so beautiful to be something so small. The orb sparkled in the sunlight and seemed to be alive inside. It looked like glass but as she touched it, it popped like a bubble. Strands of bright colored threads flew out of it and into the breeze.
"Beautiful isn't it? I told you this place was just like you," the Doctor said with a little grin.
Donna couldn't help but smile back. The Doctor always knew how to make her feel better and this time he had succeeded; yet again.
They stood up and the Doctor put his arm out and she wrapped hers around his, as they began to stroll along.
The Doctor led her up a hill to a lonely tree. This tree looked similar to the ones on Earth. It had the resemblance of an oak tree but the colors were a bit different. The tree trunk itself glowed hues of purple and blue, while the leaves were the same bright green color as the grass.
Attached to a branch of this tree however was a swing.
A normal swing. Just a plank of wood attached to two strands of rope. Compared to the rest of this world, it was the most Earthly thing here.
"Wow that's new," the Doctor stated when he saw it.
"What do you mean? I thought you have been here before?" Donna asked confused.
"Oh well, yeah I have," he began, "but not at this exact moment in time before. So for me this is new."
Donna couldn't help but sneer at him. The Doctor could never seem to get the time right. He was a Time Lord after all. Why couldn't he ever get them to a place at the right time?
Nevertheless Donna liked the swing. It reminded her of her childhood with her Gramps actually. She remembered how her Gramps would take her to the park and he would push her on the swing. She loved those moments with him. Away from her mother nagging her and just her imagining she was flying through the sky.
Donna walked over to the swing and sat in it. She had both hands around the ropes as she started slowly swaying back and forth, looking out into the valley.
The next thing she knew, she felt two hands on her back as she was pushed forward.
"Oi! What are you doing?" Donna called back shocked by the sudden jolt forward.
"I'm pushing you. What do you think I'm doing?" the Doctor replied matter-of-factly.
She looked back at him as he pushed her again.
She rolled her eyes a bit at his goofy grin. In reality, she didn't mind that he pushed her. But she would never admit it.
He continued to push her on the swing and she got higher and higher.
She felt like she was flying again. On the swing in the park; just a little girl.
Not a care in the world.
She smiled and closed her eyes as she felt the breeze on her face and in her hair.
The Doctor stepped back and let her swing on her own. He saw the joy on her face. He had missed seeing this side of her. Since their last adventure in the Library, Donna had been down. Her being in the Alternate Reality and then losing her family had taken a toll on her spirit. The Doctor noticed it even though she tried not to show it. He knew her too well to see past to façade.
This time though he saw his Donna back again. The same joyful face he had seen through the window in the office of the Adipose Industries.
Donna slowed down to a slow sway and saw the Doctor stare at her with his eyes lit up with joy.
"Whatchu looking at?" Donna asked with her eyes staring him down.
"Oh nothing," the Doctor muffled back, diverting his eyes to the sky.
Donna got up from the swing and looked over at a bush next to the tree. It was a large bush with what looked like strawberries hanging from it. She leaned over and picked one up and examined it.
"Is this what I think it is?" Donna asked turning around to show the Doctor.
He walked over and nodded his head, "Yep, that's a strawberry"
"On Mars?" Donna shook her head in disbelief.
"Well I told you that Mars would eventually become like the planet Earth. So it has strawberries too," he answered her.
"I know what you said Spaceman!" She scowled, "But still, it seems odd is all. Of all things to be on Mars, we find strawberries."
The Doctor nodded again, as he plucked the strawberry from her hand and tossed it in his mouth.
"Mmmm tastes good too," he muffled as he chewed.
"Oi! That was mine!" Donna said slapping him on the arm.
She leaned over and picked a few more, and went over to sit back on the swing. She had to admit they did taste very good, as she ate a couple. They tasted just like the ones at home. The Doctor came over and leaned a bit with his hand on one of the ropes of the swing. He just looked at her with his infamous puppy dog face.
She rolled her eyes as she gave him a strawberry.
And so for the rest of the evening, the Doctor and Donna enjoyed that spot on the hill together. Donna had to admit that this was the best Birthday she could ever wish for. Just her and her best mate together without the worry of having to run for their lives. This was a pleasant change for once.
The Doctor and Donna on the Strawberry Swing.
EPILOGUE:
The Doctor and Donna would visit the Strawberry Swing again in the future. Just once more though; before things would change for them both.
However, the Doctor would come back another time without Donna. He would step out of his TARDIS soaking wet, onto the hill. Donna was now home, safe; without any memory of his existence. Yet he would always remember her. He would go sit on the swing and sway back and forth slowly. He visualized the first time they came here; her swaying on the swing with her hair in the wind and the blissful smile on her face.
He would never see that again; only in his memories.
He would never come back to the Strawberry Swing. This would be his last visit. He couldn't bear to come back. Not without his Donna by his side. This would be their own special place, hidden in time, hidden in memory.