Donna Noble lay in the hospital bed, breaths coming raggedly and without rhythm. She knew full well she was dying, even though the doctors would not tell her as much. She didn't mind-she had lived a long and full life, happily married (finally), with wonderful children and grandchildren. They were gathered around her now, her family, saying what she knew to be their last goodbyes.
At long last they were finished, and with many tears were ushered out of the room by a sympathetic nurse. Donna watched them go, eyes watering, heart breaking at the last sight of their faces.
Less than a minute after she had been left alone, a different nurse poked her head into Donna's room. "There is a man here to see you," she announced. "Do you mind if he comes in?"
Donna used what little strength she had left to shake her head-it was fine with her if the man came in.
The nurse stepped aside to let in a tall, gangly man dressed in tweed and a bow tie, hair flopping ridiculously across his face. He grinned softly at Donna while speaking to the nurse. "May we have a few minutes, please?" he asked, and the nurse obligingly left.
The man crossed the room to sit beside Donna's bed. "Oh, Donna, Donna Noble. You don't remember me, but oh, do I remember you."
Donna looked affronted. "Oi, I'll have you know that memory loss was never one of my symptoms!"
The man laughed. "Same old Donna. Always the fighter. Fiery spirit, with the fiery hair to match." He brushed a strand of her now-white hair from her eyes. "No, this memory loss would have nothing to do with old age or illness. I had to take your memories, once upon a time."
"What?!"
"It was too dangerous for you to remember," the man said softly. "I couldn't let you remember."
"Just who are you?" Donna demanded, her weak voice not sounding nearly as frightening as she had intended.
"I'm the Doctor," the man said. "Of course, you knew my last face, but that cannot be helped now. We went on adventures together. We saved the universe. You saved the universe. But to remember would have killed you."
"I'm dying anyway," Donna said, remarkably calmly. "The doctors won't tell me as much, but I know I am. Can you give me my memories back? What difference will it make?"
The Doctor took a sharp intake of breath, then composed himself and nodded. "Yes, I can give you your memories back. Are you sure, though, Donna?"
"Absolutely."
Nodding, the Doctor placed his hands on Donna's head. "Relax. It might hurt." He closed his eyes, deep in concentration. Reaching deep into Donna's mind, he gently touched the block between her memories of her time with him, then, carefully, tore it down.
Donna gasped as her memories came flooding back. Memories of aliens, of monsters, of the man who called himself the Doctor, of his strange blue box, and of her own actions. "I...saved...?"
The Doctor smiled softly, knowing Donna's time was running out. "Donna Noble, the most important woman in the universe."
Donna raised a shaking hand. "Oh, my head..."
The Doctor nodded solemnly. "You have part of the consciousness of a Time Lord, and your human brain cannot support that. It is killing you. I did warn you..."
"No, it's fine," Donna insisted. "Remembering...it means everything to me. I lived my whole life thinking I was not important, and then you showed me otherwise-not once, but twice. Thank you. It was the gift of my life."
"You are most welcome, my Donna," the Doctor replied, and held her hand until the end.
Finis.
