RING! RING! RING!
"Could one of you get that please?" The Doctor called from below the TARDIS' main console.
"I've got it!" Amy called back, grabbing the ringing phone. "Hullo?"
"Doctor?" A male voice answered.
"Sorry," Amy leaned over the railing to see the Doctor tangled up in the many wires below, to the point he was practically hanging upside down. "He's a bit tied up at the moment, can I take a message?"
"Who's this?" the male voice asked.
"Amy Pond, who's this?"
"How long have you been with the Doctor?"
"A while, I guess."
"So you're the new companion, the Doc really like the ladies doesn't he?" This was said as if the man was speaking more to himself rather than her. "It's most likely for the best that I go you instead, he probably wouldn't listen to me…"
"Sorry?"
"Right, anyways, whenever the Doctor gets himself untangled tell him he needs to get here soon. There's not much time left."
"Time left for what?" Amy's brow furrowed. Rory started down the stairs to go help the Doctor, he wasn't sure who Amy was talking to or what about but it was starting to sound serious.
"Tell the Doctor it's time, time for her to remember. She deserves to remember."
"Remember?"
"It's time for her to remember, she deserves to remember." He repeated.
"Who are you?" Amy's question was met with the dial tone.
"Who is it Amy?" The Doctor asked coming up the stairs several wires still hanging off him.
"Don't know, hung up before they said." Amy answered as she put the phone back on the receiver.
"What did they say?" The Doctor asked though he was already tracing the number.
"Something about it being time to remember?"
"Remember? Remember what? What is there to remember? I'm over 900 years old, that's a lot to remember."
"Oh, I don't think he meant you. He said 'her'; it was time for her to remember, that she deserved to remember."
"What does that mean? Do you know Doctor?" Rory asked.
"No. Nope. No clue. Unless they mean….but they can't mean because not enough time has passed so they can't mean," The Doctor's mumbling was cut off by a beeping noise. The trio looked over to the swivel screen showing that the TARDIS had locked on to the coordinates of the phone call. "Can't be. I-it can't be time already. She has a life; job, friends, family. She can't remember. Remembering will kill her. She can't remember, can't be ready…I'm not ready."
"Doctor!" Amy spoke hoping to cut off the Doctor's rant and get some information. The Doctor stopped his frantic pacing, turning to face his companions.
"Who are you talking about?" Rory asked.
"No one. Doesn't matter." The Doctor pushed his way back to the controls. "Where to today Ponds? How about the Stulee nebula or the shining palaces of Carboncia, made completely out of diamonds, or -"
"Doctor." The Doctor and the Ponds turned to the doorway of the TARDIS where a man with a head similar to that of a squid stood, wearing clothes similar to that of a human janitor.
"Sigma." The Doctor breathed out.
A ball that connected to Sigma's head, held in his hand lit up as he spoke. "You cannot run from this Doctor."
"But -"
"You cannot run from this." Sigma repeated. "Your companion was right, it is time and she deserves to remember." The Doctor looked away trying to battle back the sudden wave of guilt that was trying to drown him. When he looked up Sigma was gone. He took a deep breath before turning back to the control console.
"You saw and heard Squidman too right?" Rory checked with his wife.
Amy nodded walking slowly up to the Doctor, "Where are we going Doctor?"
"We are going…to see the most important woman in all of creation."
Rory and Amy sent each other worried looks at the forced joy in the Doctor's voice.
{~*~*~}
"The most important woman in all of creation lives in a retirement home?" Rory quietly asked Amy as they followed the Doctor into the care facility. Amy just shrugged back, she stopped trying to understand everything the Doctor said a long time ago.
The Doctor stepped behind the unmanned front desk, pointed the Sonic Screwdriver at the computer for a moment pulling up the file he needed. After a quick scan the Doctor found what he needed and set off down the first hall. The Ponds continued to follow him down several halls before stopping in front of a door- number 1010. It took the Ponds a moment of standing there before realizing the Doctor was frozen.
"Doctor," Rory began.
"Aren't you going to open it?" Amy finished.
"Yes, yes of course. Just, um -" The Doctor was cut off by a shout from inside the room.
"Oi! I can hear you out there, either come in or get lost!"
The Doctor smirked sadly as he finally opened the door. The room the trio entered was lightly furnished, mostly occupied by a large medical looking bed. There was a desk pushed under a window and a large, old fashioned bureau against the far wall. Pictures lined the walls; Amy noticed that a piece of tape bordered the bottom of each picture labeling the people in them.
Sitting in the bed was a sturdy woman whose lengthy hair had long turned white. The Doctor was shocked by the dullness of the once sharp eyes.
"Who are you?" The woman asked briskly.
"I'm the Doctor and this is the Ponds. Ponds why don't you stand over there." The Doctor waved absentmindedly to a corner of the room. "How are you feeling?"
"You look more like a beanpole than a doctor. What are you doing in my home?"
"Doctor?"
The Doctor ignored Rory focusing his attention of the woman, "I'm here to see you of course."
"Doctor." Rory called more insistently this time.
"Well I'm perfectly fine, I don't need a Doctor, so you can just leave." The woman turned her head dismissively, looking out the window.
"Doctor, you really should see this." The Doctor finally looked over to Rory who stood at the foot of the bed with what appeared to be a medical chart in his hands.
"What is it?" The Doctor asked walking over to him, not bothering to look at the chart. Rory resisted the urge to roll his eyes.
Rory decided the direct approach was the best approach, "She has Alzheimer's, Doctor. It looks pretty severe."
"What!?" The Doctor grabbed the chart out of Rory's hands, flipping through it quickly himself. "Oh, no, no. Not Donna, not you." Amy and Rory were both stunned by the devastation filling the Doctor's voice.
"She has heart problems too. According to the chart it's getting weaker every day. She has a couple days before she'll need heavy medication, she'll live maybe a week after that, week and a half at most." Rory forced himself to continue informing the Doctor of the woman's condition.
The woman, Donna, turned from the window to them. "Who are you? What are you doing here?"
The Doctor handed the chart back to Rory, pulling a nearby chair up so he could sit next to Donna. "I'm the Doctor, Donna. I'm here to see you."
"You look more like a beanpole than a Doctor."
"So I've heard," the Doctor smiled despondently.
"What do you want then Doctor?"
"I'm here to help you remember."
"Remember? What have I forgotten?"
The Doctor gave her another sad smile, "So much Donna, but it's not your fault. You had to forget."
"What are you prattling on about?"
The Doctor took a deep breath, "You are the most important woman in all of creation, Donna." He slowly reached out to touch her temples. "And it's about time you remember that."
Donna gasped as images filled her mind. So many different, wonderful images. It was a moment before she realized that these weren't just images they were memories. Her memories. Memories of adventures she thought only happened in fairy tales; her first wedding, Pompeii, the Ood, Adipose. Saving the Universe. There weren't just memories of adventures, there were people, amazing people too. Memories of Jack, Martha, Sarah Jane, Jenny, River. The Doctor.
Her eyes snapped open, an incandescent golden hue to them. She looked at the Doctor and knew that it was her Doctor. His clothing and face may have changed, but his eyes were still the same. The same eternally sad yet friendly eyes. She smiled brightly, tears glistening in her own eyes. "Hello Spaceman."
"Hello Earthgirl." The Doctor smiled back.
"Oi! That's the DoctorDonna to you."
"Of course, DoctorDonna, how could I forget?" He could already feel her burning but he did his best to suppress it, just for a little bit more. Donna looked over his shoulder seeing the other two occupants.
"Amy and Rory, my companions." The Doctor answered her unasked question.
"Take care of him," Donna spoke to the Ponds. "Carries too much on his shoulders, this one. Do what you can to help even when he doesn't want it."
"We will." Amy promised, Rory nodding next to her.
"Doctor." She knew what was next. Despite the Doctor's best efforts she could still feel it coming, but she had to tell him. He needed to know.
"Donna Noble."
She reached up, placing her hand over one of his. "You were the best mate I've ever had."
"You too." The Doctor whispered back.
"Thank you, for everything." Donna closed her eyes giving his hand a hard squeeze.
"Donna, no, please." Just a bit longer, please, just a bit longer. But he could feel it, she was burning, all he was doing now was blocking the pain. The only reason she could still talk was because she was Donna Noble, and nothing could stop her from talking.
"Goodbye Doctor."
"Goodbye Donna."