Chapter Three: Reunited and It Feels So....

The Doctor could see the Earth, then England, then Cardiff, and finally Torchwood, and the TARDIS pulled off one of the quickest, roughest landings she'd done in ages. He rushed outside and toward the front door, where Jack was waiting for him.

"Is she all right? How's her head?" Jack was oddly silent. "Jack, Donna....how's Donna?" Jack stepped aside to let the Doctor in, but still didn't say a word. "I got here as fast as I could....the TARDIS isn't as young as she used to be, and I had trouble with the extrapolator again, ended up in the 14th century for about an hour. They thought I was a witch -well, warlock I suppose- tried to tie me to the TARDIS and burn me alive."

He was babbling now, talking a thousand miles a minute in his panic. "Just tell me-" He froze. "Tell me she's not dead. Oh no, she can't...." Jack wouldn't look the Doctor in the eye, but instead was staring towards the lift.

"Come on, Doctor, this way," he said calmly, ignoring it when the Doctor grabbed his arm and pulled Jack to face him.

"Jack, answer me! Is Donna okay?" Still silent, Jack gently pushed the Doctor toward the lift, but he wouldn't turn away. Finally the Doctor stopped fighting him, running one of his hands through his hair. "Not Donna," he whispered, "please, not Donna. Jack, answer me."

Jack smiled and removed his hands from the Doctor's shoulders. "Took you long enough," he muttered, and the Doctor felt something collide with the back of his head. "Ow! What the...."

"That's what you get for wiping people's minds without asking!" By the time the Doctor turned around, however, he wasn't facing another slap, but instead was wrapped in one of the best hugs he'd ever gotten. "Oh, I'm going to kill you, you great big outer space dunce," Donna whispered as she held him tighter. Jack disappeared into the lift, mouthing "She seems fine to me" as the doors closed.

The Doctor hugged Donna back for a few seconds, then pulled away and looked her over. She was smiling broadly, practically glowing considering how angry she'd claimed to be a few moments before. She kept trying to glare at him but couldn't seem to keep a straight face. "So....couldn't wait to get rid of me could you?" she muttered with an amused look. "Notice you came back pretty quick though. Maybe you're not as thick as I thought."

"So....did you miss me?" he asked with a mischievous grin. Donna started to yell at him but was caught off guard when he embraced her again, wrapping his arms around her body and squeezing so tightly her harsh reprimand came out as a squeak. "Oi!" He set her back down and she adjusted her blouse with a scowl. "Well," he repeated, a twinkle in his eye, "did you?"

Donna huffed, staring him down until she finally burst into laughter. "Of course I did, you dumbo," she replied. "Martha said you've been on your own again. I told you about that Spaceman," Donna warned playfully, "I can't watch after you all the time."

She leaned against his shoulder for a moment and blinked a few times before giving him another cheeky grin. "Donna, what's wrong?" Her eyes, generally clear and constantly ready to give a dirty look, were now clouded over and dull.

"Nothing. And I know what you're thinking, don't you dare take your screwdriver and start bleeping me, or I'll slap you again." She smirked, then winced and rubbed her forehead. "I'll tell you what is a problem though. This headache. I could use getting rid of that if you don't mind. Got any aspirin? Course you don't, you're allergic, silly me." She paused, suddenly quiet. "When did you tell me you were allergic to aspirin?" She massaged her head again and the Doctor reached inside his pocket. "Donna...."

Donna wound up to smack him, then thought better of it. He's just trying to help, after all. She gave him an 'all right then, have a go' gesture and he yanked out the screwdriver. "Okay, so I'm dying. Isn't that just wizard for all of us. And while we're talking about it-OI, WATCH WHERE YOU'RE POINTING THAT THING, SUNSHINE!-how are you going to fix it?"

The Doctor sighed, then looked Donna over once more before replying, "When did you see Gwen? Was it this morning, afternoon, when?"

"About 9:30. I got a new job up here and was walking around for a bit." He did the math; she didn't stand a chance unless he figured something out very soon. They were lucky she wasn't in worse pain already but knowing Donna she could barely stand and was just too tough -too stubborn, more like- to let him know she was hurting.

"What? Aren't you going to ask if I had a hall pass?" A moment of awkward silence passed, then they burst out laughing. She gave him a wicked grin, then frowned. "Well, any ideas, Spaceman? I have to work tomorrow, and I have the feeling that if I die, they'll sack me."

He whirled away and wracked his brain, thinking if there was anything that could save her. The Chameleon Arch? No. She had a Time Lord mind, but still a human body, and the Arch was meant for Gallifreyans only; it would do more damage than good, if she could survive the transformation at all.

He considered wiping her mind again but knew she wouldn't allow it. Besides, there was a big enough chance that it would cause permanent mental damage if he tried to lock it all away a second time, and it obviously wasn't the best long-term solution to begin with anyway.

"You can't think of anything either?" Donna asked, teasing but with a hint of disappointment in her voice. She made a sound that implied 'worth a try, yeah?' and shrugged, but suddenly felt dizzy again. She took a hesitant step toward him. "Doctor?"

He sighed and slowly turned back around. "Yes, Donna? Donna!"

Donna had collapsed.

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To be continued....