Robbie Burns Day
Donna barely has her things stuffed into her room before she is raring to go for an adventure. Rose suggests they could experience Robbie Burns Day in Canada since the Doctor had mentioned it previously. Jack hasn't ever heard of Robert Burns, so while still in the Vortex, they all troop to the Library for an impromptu reading and appreciation of Burns' poems over oatcakes and scotch, of course.
Donna isn't too interested in poems she considers to be nearly incomprehensible, but things get much more entertaining once the Doctor and Rose decide to share the performance—the Doctor reading the original text with pitch perfect matching Scots accent, and Rose translating into London-ese, complete with all the dropped consonants, and wide vowels of her previous life. The facial expressions and periodic pantomime undertaken by the narrators has the entire group in stitches, and hardly able to complete a couple of the readings. The bees humming and the capons craws are particular favourites.
The Doctor finishes the evening with a hearts felt recitation of A Red, Red Rose that has tears in the eyes of everyone. When a flushed Rose stands to translate, Donna stops her with raised hand that clutches a tissue from the box she's been sharing with Jack.
"Don't. I want to remember it jus' that way. I understood it fine." She takes a moment to blow her nose with a goose honk that brings a smile to all involved. "That's beautiful, and perfect for you two. I think I'm ready for bed though, after all this excitement today. I'll jus' go find my room again. G'night."
With a final sniff and a wave, she heads out of the Library and wanders off down the hall. Standing, Jack raises his glass to Rose and the Doctor, and takes his last swallow.
"Sounds like a plan. Thanks for tonight. I just wanted…," he's cut off by a scream from Donna that has everyone scrambling out of the Library and sprinting down the hall.
Reaching Donna's doorway, they find her pressed against the door, arms splayed and a look of surprised confusion on her face.
"What's happening?" she yells at all of them as they come skidding to an abrupt stop.
"Well, what do you think's happening, Donna?" the Doctor asks with a squint, already familiar with being yelled at by this fiery red-head.
"How the hell should I know? I walked into my room, and it's not my room; it's different, all my stuff is….arranged….and …decorated," she yells, emphasising 'arranged and decorated' slowly.
"Donna, the TARDIS made a room especially for you. Remember when I explained about Her translating for you? It's like that. She knows what you like and she enjoys making our rooms just the way we would enjoy them most," Rose explains.
"Wha?! So the spaceship is in my head and knows what all my favourite colours and stuff are? I have an alien in my head…all the time?" she asks with even more agitation.
"You could always come sleep in my room if you don't like yours," Jack says with a wink. "There's plenty of space."
"Oi! Now you listen here, you knob. I…., What was that?!" Donna asks, looking around at the winking lights of the TARDIS.
"Did you like it?" Rose asks, crossing her arms and smiling at Donna.
"Wha?" Donna questions, losing her train of thought
"Did you like the room? Is it your favourite colour? Can I see it? She really does enjoy making them for us and the lights means She's apologising to you," Rose tries to mollify Donna.
"She's alive, Donna," the Doctor explains. "Weeellll, not alive like we're alive; more so really. An eleventh dimensional being is alive in ways that we can't be, and She can know things about us that we may not even know yet. She wants you to feel welcome. I think She likes you, actually." Rubbing the back of his neck to hide the grin that's trying to break free, he teases Donna, "Don't know why really, with all the yelling you do. I don't think there's been so much yelling in the TARDIS since Teagan. I just couldn't seem to get her anywhere near Heathrow," he finishes with a shrug, the grin breaking through.
Looking a bit sheepish now at the thought of the TARDIS making her a room because She likes her, Donna turns and opens the door again. Stepping in, they follow her into her new room. The TARDIS brings up the lights a bit, and with a gasp, Donna walks to a table near a window in the wall of her bedroom. There on the table, is a low vase filled with water that has several gardenias floating in it. The window looks out over a long windswept beach at sunset.
Donna stands staring out the window at the beach and the waves breaking for a moment before she turns with her eyes shining but calmer, to look back the group standing in her room staring at her with concern. With a wave over her shoulder and a slight laugh, she explains the view and the flowers.
"My Da. These were his favourite flowers, and that's the beach in Scotland where we went for a holiday before I started University; just the two of us." Smiling a little and wiping away a tear, she looks up at the ceiling and yells at the TARDIS, "THANK YOU. I'M SORRY I WAS BEIN' STUPID."
Laughing, Rose walks to Donna, and hugs her. "You don't have to yell. Just touch the wall and think how you feel; it's more direct. She understands our emotions best and the longer you're here, the more likely it is that She might send you images or feelings of Her own."
"Well, isn't that just wizard?" Donna scoffs, but she's definitely calmer, and looking around her room has to admit—it's pretty spectacular.
Seeing she's no longer set to burst, Rose and company look around at what the TARDIS designed for Donna.
"Oh Donna, it's gorgeous," Rose breathes, releasing her friend to admire the room. They follow Donna around as they tour her new suite...except for the Doctor who leans relaxed against the doorframe watching, a small smile on his face.
Donna's room is broken up into multiple spaces—her bedroom, a sitting room with reading nook, and a dressing room instead of a wardrobe that leads to her en suite. The colours vary between spaces, but are all based around grey. Her bedroom is shades of grey trimmed in burgundy—very modern, with furniture in a brushed steel and a bed canopied in sheer pearl. The sitting room is a warm sunny space with another window looking out onto rolling heather covered hillsides in bloom. This room has grey walls, but everything else is shades of purple—plum velvet chairs and the curtains are a lighter shade with dark wood bookshelves that look like they await mementos more than books. Her en suite is very blue with a peacock and ocean wave theme. Donna actually squees when she sees it, rhapsodising over the size of the claw foot tub. The central common area is done in charcoal gold and silver. The centrepiece being a magnificent chandelier that's made of stacked and cascading rings of silver with lighted globes of gold silk in various sizes.
"Well, she certainly has gone to great lengths for you, Donna," the Doctor tells her, poking a lit sphere when they've seen everything.
"Yeah. I think I might love it," she says with a smile. Walking over to an open wall, she places her hands against it and squishes her face up as if she's thinking hard. The TARDIS flashes Her lights at her in amusement.
~The Fiery One even yells in her thoughts~ She sends amusedly to both the Doctor and Rose in explanation.
"Well, Donna, enjoy your new room; come by for a tour of mine anytime. I'm off to bed, as well. Goodnight," Jack states with a wave to Rose and the Doctor and a surreptitious flirty little wink to Donna before he heads to his own room. All assembled can hear his yawn as he wanders down the hall.
Looking around again, awed as well as pleased by the special attention she's been paid, Donna focuses back on Rose and the Doctor. They are standing with his arm around her back and smiling at Donna, pleased that she's happy.
With another flippant little wave of her hand that still manages to encompass the space, Donna tries to express how she feels. "I'm sorry for freakin' out. I was just startled. She didn't have to go all out for me. The little room would have been fine; it doesn't have to be so grand. I'm in outer-space after all, going for adventures—I don't mean for Her to go to such a fuss. I don't want to be trouble," she says with a self-deprecating shake of her head and rueful expression.
"Technically, Donna, we're not in space, but in the Time Vortex which is this intricate wormhole composed of…," the Doctor starts.
"Listen Spaceman, I'm not goin' t' get whatever it is you're blathering on about!" she interrupts him "I just…I just wanted to say, thank you. I wasn't sure you'd come back for me after I was so much trouble at Christmas. I'm not an important person or nothin'. I'm sure you could find someone better to take along, someone more fitting, but I'm still glad you came for me anyway," Donna finishes quietly.
"Donna Noble, we came for you because we wanted to. Remember, we asked you," Rose tells her gently.
"Rose is right, Donna. We only take the best," the Doctor states in a tone of finality. Taking Rose's hand, he steers them toward the door.
Just before they leave, Rose wishes Donna a final goodnight as both she and the Doctor smile at her and she closes Donna's door softly behind them.
Walking through to her bedroom, Donna finds a matching burgundy nightdress all laid out for her on the bed. Shaking her head in wonder, she dons it and goes about her nighttime preparations. When finished, she slides beneath the covers to find the bed is utterly perfect. Petting the wall once in thanks, Donna curls up on her side and finds that she's crying—tears of happiness mixed with an overwhelming sense of peace. She's never felt like she belonged anywhere before; she could get used to this. Smiling, but doing nothing to stop the tears, Donna cries herself softly to sleep.
Hand in hand, the Doctor and Rose head to their favourite room—the Library. The Doctor walks to the loveseat, picking up the book they'd been reading, expecting to continue it out loud to Rose. He likes that she enjoys his voice, he's pretty fond of it, too. Following him, she sits down and turns so she can lay back with her head in his lap.
"Doctor, who was Teagan? I mean, I gather that she was a past companion, but would you tell me about her?" she asks, looking up at him with a smile.
"Of course I can, Rose, but you have all my memories; you can know her just as well as I do," he says, looking down at her quizzically, peering over the top of his glasses.
"I know I do, but it's not like I go traipsing through them whenever I please," Rose says rolling her eyes as if this would be obvious.
Blinking at her, the Doctor removes his glasses and frowns, "Why not? Right. I guess I should be grateful…sort of, but why? They're yours now, warts and all. I guess I can preemptively apologise for some of it, in that case. In my more than 900 years, I can't say I'm proud of all my actions in retrospect. Regenerations are a potluck, never know what exactly you'll get."
Rose gazes at him a long moment while she ponders his questions and his statement. The Doctor is starting to get uncomfortable under her stare when she finally speaks, having reached a conclusion, "Doctor, are you implying that you have been through all my memories?"
Knowing the beginnings of 'the look,' the Doctor is confused as to how to answer. "That's a trick question Rose." She narrows her eyes at him. "No, no, I mean…yeeees? Well, I mean I…umm, yes. I glanced through your memories that night after you hocus-pocused my brain and went to bed. Should I not have? Are you upset? Why would you be upset? Oh, and if I ever meet Jimmy Stone, he will not enjoy the experience," he says eyes glinting.
"No…well, maybe a little." Getting up and turning around so they are facing each other on the loveseat, she continues, "I just guess, well, I never really thought about it. I would have guessed you'd ask. Now that I say that though, I shouldn't have assumed you would. Not really your strong suit—asking."
"Oi, Rose Tyler, I'm offended," he scoffs in mock indignation. Taking her hands, he tells her in earnest, "You are my wife, my Bondmate, not just my friend. We are Bound—what is mine is yours…literally—mind, body, and soul. And I feel you in my mind as a constant presence filling part of that long vacant hole. It was just understood amongst my people that in this sort of Bonding, you would learn…know, everything…it was expected. No secrets, remember."
"Oh! I didn't think of it like that, and it wasn't mentioned in any of the books. Being telepathic, I guess it didn't occur to anyone to write it down. I felt like I was guarding them. I guess I thought it'd be rude to just waltz around learning things about you without your knowing," she explains with a sheepish smile. Rose isn't sure she's proud of all her memories either, but it made her feel all warm inside when he got possessive of her. Being his wife only intensified it, now that the accompanying feelings could wash over her at the same time.
"I knew, Rose," he says softly, rubbing her chin lightly with his fingertips. "I knew when I accepted your proposal. It's all part of the package. Seeing myself through your memories, I feel I owe you several apologies…several lifetime's worth, really. I'm sorry I didn't warn you about the regeneration, never occurred to me that my time would be so short, and then being so ill afterwards, there just wasn't time. And then Cassandra, Reinette, Krop Tor; I really had no intention, ever, I just….I let you down—several times… and I'm sorry," he ends with an apologetic smile.
Rose, on the other hand, is in open mouthed disbelief. "Did you just apologise to me…all on your own?
"Oi! Rose Tyler, I apologise, weeeelllll I mean to apologise…when I think it's appropriate. That might not always be when I should, buuuttt…." Crossing his arms and looking to the side a little huffily, he looks like a chastened child, "Oh hell, Rose you make me better. You make me want to be better. It's a little daunting, I must tell you. I even feel like I should apologise to Mickey the Idiot if ever the chance presented itself."
Laughing at him now, she scoots forward and folds herself into his lap. "I don't even know where to start. Nine hundred years is a bit daunting, too," she shares.
Cuddling her close, he whispers into her ear, "Well, how about the beginning, that's usually a good place to start," he teases her, grinning at her eye-roll.
"Thank you for that," Rose says, sticking her tongue out at him, which earns her a thorough snogging.
Coming up for air, she leans back against his shoulder and suggests they continue with their reading. Retrieving the copy of The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde, he launches into… 'Her guests this evening were rather tedious. The fact was, as she explained to Dorian, behind a very shabby fan, one of her married daughters had come up quite suddenly to stay with her, and, to make matters worse, had actually brought her husband with her. "I think it is most unkind of her, my dear," she whispered. "Of course I go and stay with them every summer after I come from Homburg, but then an old woman like me must have fresh air sometimes, and besides, I really wake them up. You don't know what an existence they lead down there. It is pure unadulterated country life. They get up early, because they have so much to do, and go to bed early, because they have so little to think about. There has not been a scandal in the neighbourhood since the time of Queen Elizabeth, and consequently they all fall asleep after dinner. You shan't sit next either of them. You shall sit by me and amuse me." '
The two humans on board are awoken at an unfortunate hour by two excited and energised Time Lords ready for adventure. The Doctor is singing at the top of his lungs while cooking an enormous breakfast of banana pancakes. Rose is giggling and coming in on the chorus as they shout their way through I Would Walk 500 Hundred Miles.
Jack shows up a few minutes in, bright-eyed, dressed, and happy to join in; singing right along with the Doctor and Rose. Donna, on the other hand, stumbles in bleary, dressed in a robe with her hair askew, and wearing a frown that could stop a Slitheen.
"What the bloody hell is going on in here? It's 5 in the morning! Don't any of you bloody aliens ever sleep?" she attempts to shout over the singing.
Dropping out of the song to dish up the plates, the Doctor happily and obliviously explains to her about how time works in the Vortex and on the TARDIS. She stares at him balefully as he winds through a one-sided discussion about the difference between linear and nonlinear time, timelines, and relativity as he's serving up pancakes to four plates. Jack and Rose laughingly finish the song as they bring the orange juice, coffee, and tea to the table.
"We do sleep, Donna, about once a week," Rose states with a grin, her tongue caught in her teeth.
"You're all bloody insane, the lot of ya" Donna mutters to herself, reaching for the coffee. "And you," she says as she levels a finger and the same baleful look at Jack, who actually notices it, "yoooouuuuu…..it should be illegal to be so…awake and…chipper," she grinds out, but adds, /and gorgeous/ in her head.
Wagging his eyebrows at her suggestively, "Yes, shouldn't it," Jack says with a smug grin that seems to imply he heard her thought as well as teasing her for her words. Donna narrows her eyes at him dangerously and Jack decides it might be a better idea to sit across from her and continues to that side of the table.
Unafraid, Rose plops down right next to Donna, and happily starts telling their companions what she and the Doctor have planned for the day. They'd spent a couple of hours deciding where to go, what to see, and what year to do it in. Discussing it with the TARDIS as well, they have opted for the year 2006 and the city of Victoria on Vancouver Island, British Columbia. The weather would be cold but lovely, and there would be tons to see and do. Best of all, no aliens in the area; and according to everything they could find, it would be a quiet day.
Once everyone was dressed and ready, the Doctor and Rose piloted the TARDIS to an only slightly bumpy landing right beside the Empress Hotel in Victoria, British Columbia. This large, gothic late-Victorian Hotel is exactly what Rose was looking for. Filled with antiques and a scrumptious high-tea, it is one of the highlights for the day.
The four spend their day shopping, eating, listening to music, and generally enjoying the atmosphere as the town is having a great time around them. The Doctor is on high alert after all the events that occurred when he tried to have fun with Rose on the City above Saturn, but even he starts to relax after a while. Surrounded by people having fun, and experiencing everything new through his new companions and Rose, he eagerly joins in the pub-singing, the tea drinking and of course the nibbles.
They have eaten everything from fresh scones with their tea at second breakfast, to sandwiches and petit fours at high tea, and finish their day at The Blarney Stone. Where the group secured a table right in the thick of things due to the Doctor talking his way past the hostess and a flash of the psychic paper. They ate till they nearly burst on Prince Edward Island mussels served in a light curry sauce over drowned oatcakes—heavenly. They drank pint after pint of dark beer, and sang and danced for what seemed like hours to a really spectacular live Celtic band.
Once they had drunk enough that Donna was telling their neighbours about exploding Santas, the Doctor decided it was probably time to head back to the TARDIS. Leaning over to Jack, he suggests moving Donna towards the door. Rose is just on her way back from the loo, so the timing is perfect. Taking her in his arms, the Doctor kisses her to the clapping and cheers of their new pub friends.
Grinning at each other and waving their goodbyes, they follow Jack and Donna to the door. As they all step through outside, Donna and Jack gasp as the chilly air slaps them in the face, and giggle at their breath plumes. Then all four gasp in unison as they look up at the gorgeous half moon in the sky, surrounded by a perfect ring of ice crystals.
"Blimey, tha's pretty," Donna slurs a little.
"Yeah," Jack agrees. Rose notices, he's actually looking at Donna.
"Alright, let's get back to the TARDIS. It's getting late for you humans; time to sleep a portion of your life away," the Doctor teases them. "Must be primed for whatever adventure tomorrow brings!"
Rose smacks him playfully on the shoulder for his comment, thinking back on how many times she'd heard it from both her Doctors. Chatting amiably, they start the three block walk back to the Empress.
Rose lets go of the Doctor's hand to slide back and walk with Donna and Jack as they start laughing about the little drunk, redheaded man that had danced with them earlier in the evening. He'd been hysterical—bouncing around and making a show of his dancing and liberally buying drinks for anyone he deemed friend, while ladling out scathing comments for anyone with a bad attitude. He'd even danced with Jack, who'd taken off his coat, rolled up his sleeves, and danced a super fast whirling jig with the much shorter fellow to the amusement and accolades of the crowd. This earned him a shot of Jameson and a vow of lifelong friendship from Dougie McPherson.
The Doctor is in the lead all the way back towards the TARDIS, his hands in the pockets of his coat, fiddling with his key as they make their way through the streets. Walking just ahead of his three companions, they can't see his indulgent smile as he listens to their giggling and somewhat inebriated retelling of the day's entertainments.
As he's walking along, he can't help but notice that he feels great. At this thought, Rose sends him a wave of love and affection, which causes him to smile even more. Returning the sentiments, he resumes his musing. A year ago, he was miserable—no Rose, feeling like he didn't have a purpose, positive the Universe hated him no matter how many times he performed like a trained dog for its benefit, foggy headed and getting progressively more unstable; he had desperately wanted solutions, and was balked at every turn.
Now, he honestly can't remember being happier. He not only regained Rose, but he has her as his wife—his wife—Rose Tyler! He has two new companions—one of which he knows well, though they were both different men at the time, and one that he already cares about.
You learn a lot about a person in a crisis, and Donna Noble had been…hilarious (no that's rude), solid (nope), (how about) a real trooper. Honestly, it was Donna that saved them. With Rose still unconscious after falling from the web, it was Donna that had stopped the Doctor from further torturing the Racnoss Empress, giving him enough time to reach a spluttering and groggy Rose and get them all out and on the roof before the water overwhelmed them.
He is also fairly certain that Gallifrey is whole…somewhere. He doesn't know where, and he's still a little uncertain on the how, but he can feel the truth of it in his bones. And that hope…that minuscule spark of possibility gives him purpose again. A need, an excited desire to poke every nook and cranny of this Universe looking for the clue of his home's whereabouts. It doesn't matter how long it takes— he will find it.
Rounding the corner nearest the TARDIS, the Doctor comes to a halt too quickly, and the others nearly bowl him over.
"Wha' the heewlll?" They hear Donna's voice, muffled by Jack's coat as she tries to figure out why they've abruptly stopped moving. She is tucked into Jack's side, ostensibly borrowing part of his coat, but only because it's cold outside…of course-it has nothing to do with how fantastic he smells.
Jack and Rose are peering over the Doctor's shoulder, and all three of them see Dougie McPherson leaning casually against the TARDIS…apparently waiting for them.
"It's alright, Donna. Our friend Dougie came to tell us goodbye, is all," the Doctor states more for Dougie than for Donna, eyeing the man suspiciously.
"Actually, I came to see if you'd be kind enough to give me a ride, Time Lord," Dougie says calmly. Stepping away from the TARDIS, he spreads his hands in the Universal gesture of peaceful intent. "I smelled the Time on ya and yer friends at the pub. Then I followed the singing to your lovely ship. I would greatly appreciate being back in me own time, with me own people. I'm trapped here, ya see."
"You're an alien trapped on Earth? Ohmigod! Are you a real leprechaun, and leprechauns are aliens?" Rose questions excitedly. She loves finding out that the stories from her childhood were actually aliens interacting with her world. It made all those tales of elves and fairies more real.
The Doctor is eyeing the small man critically as Dougie takes a half step forward and gives Rose a deep, respectful bow. "Most Gracious Lady, technically my people are almost as much of Earth as those native to it. While that is a name for the wee people in the hills, this is just how I allow these humans to see me. My people are the Tanu." Finishing his statement, he straightens and releases the hold on the form he's worn for so long. Coming to his full height of nearly two and a half meters, even the Doctor needs to look up at him; which he does now with wide eyes. Dougie has transformed into a very tall slender, beautiful humanoid with long silver hair, dark oddly recessed eyes, and dressed in simple clothes that are obviously not early 21st Century Earth clothing. Most notable beyond his expression of age and experience, is the shining golden torc he wears around his neck.
"Tanu! That's brilliant!" the Doctor exclaims. "But wait, how did you get here, in this time? Your people have been gone for a very, very long time," he says with sadness touched with longing.
"Helll—o…I'm Jack—Jack Harkness," Jack introduces himself with a wave and his usual winning smile.
"Jack, really," Rose smacks him lightly on the shoulder.
"What? I'm just being polite," he whines at her.
"Oi, where did Dougie go? And who are you? God, you're tall. Why are you so tall?" Donna rattles off this string of questions, peering blearily up at him through her beer fog from around Jack's side. "Oh, you're another alien!" Reaching out unsteadily, she swats the Doctor on the shoulder, "You said there weren't any aliens…liar!" -hiccup-
Rubbing his offended shoulder and rolling his eyes at his companion's dramatics, the Doctor steps forward towards the being they had originally referred to as Dougie.
Eyeing him speculatively a moment, he bends at the waist with his arms crossed, hands on shoulders as the Doctor executes a formal bow towards the Tanu. "Peace and Welcome be with you, Honoured traveler. I am the Doctor, of Gallifrey. Would you come share bread and salt at my table?" The Doctor waits patiently for the Tanu's reply, the order and correctness of the hospitality ritual being very important in this instance.
The Tanu stares at the Doctor a moment, an unreadable expression passing over his features—longing? He then replies in kind, "Peace and Gratitude be with you, Honoured Host. I am Dougron, of Duat yth Earth. With gladness I accept the sharing of bread and salt at your table." Both men bow to each other again in the same fashion as before.
This time, as Dougron straightens, he is wearing a wide pleased grin that seems to suit him more than the faraway expression he'd had on earlier.
"It has been a very long time since I was last greeted in such fashion, though my recent awareness only encompasses the past 100 or so Earth years. And you may still call me Dougie. I like how informal it is. I always feel like I'm getting away with something when I tell people it's my name," he says with a mischievous glint in his eyes.
"Well, Dougie, you and the Doctor are going to get along famously then," Rose teases as she comes up to the Doctor's side, taking his hand and squeezing.
Snorting, the Doctor continues, "You met everyone else earlier, so I suggest we head into the TARDIS. She is the very best my hospitality I can offer, and She comes with tea." The Doctor smiles brightly at everyone and opens Her doors, throwing them wide in welcome.
Hello! Welcome to the start of my next story. If you've read my other two, this one picks up right where Crash Course ended. If you haven't read either of my other two stories, you might want to. :-) I really appreciate your reading and I hope you enjoy it. My original intention was to publish on the 25, but life happens and I'm a bit late. -grin- Please don't forget to review, whether you liked it, or you thought it sucked! :-) Thanks!
For the first part of this adventure, I took my alien inspiration from Julian May's series of books called the Pliocene Exile. They were written in the 80's, but are still brilliant. I highly recommend reading them.
Beta'd be the incomparable Ashlanielle