She panicked for a moment, the Doctor's figure barely visible in the massive crowd as she desperately ran after him. Children cried at their parents, parents cried at each other, crying for the world to stop burning. Yet the world never listened, it continued its rampage on the city of Pompeii and obscured Donna's vision with dust and ash as she tried to follow her companion.
Her eyelashes were caked in dust and she was in desperate need of water to wash the sting away from eyes, but each water trough she found was littered in ash and dirt. She could feel ash falling all around her, hitting her arms and head and bits were caught in the strands of her hair. But this was no time for her to complain.
The Doctor came out of nowhere and grasped her hand tightly, dragging her with him as he did so. He pulled her along behind him, ignoring citizens' cries to stop and help. Donna tried to halt his progression, but he was a man on a mission and nothing was going to stop him until they both made it to the TARDIS.
She screamed at him furiously, yanking on his hand to bring him to stop and help but again each time she managed to stop him, he used that moment to pull her off balance and kept pulling her along until they made it to the Iucundus household.
Rumbling and shaking, Donna lost his hand for a moment as they entered the threshold as rocks and debris hit the path they had just ran along. They both stumbled into the greeting area of the house and found themselves looking at the family huddled in the corner, cuddling each other for support and comfort. Tears streaked down Donna's face at both the stinging sensation and the fact she had no idea what she could do to help.
She felt absolutely helpless and found herself screaming at the Doctor when he turned on his heel and ran purposefully to the TARDIS. She glanced back at the family torn between following the Doctor and helping the family in their time of need. Donna yelled at the top of her lungs once again just a large piece of debris rocked the house spraying dirt and rock at the family and herself.
The family continued to cry in vain even as the roof began to rumble and shake showering dust onto their already blackened clothing. Donna then heard the TARDIS beginning to whine and groan in protest, knowing that if she didn't get her act together she was going to be left there. She gave the family a one last tear-filled glance, before grabbing her skirt and running to the TARDIS.
She had to stop him from making the biggest mistake of his life.