Chapter 4

The Doctor lamented that he'd had to break a promise to Donna, but he just couldn't let her slip away and die so easily. "At least she's still alive, even if she's not herself." He gritted his teeth as he gently set the passed out redhead down on her bed. Now, he'd just have to return her to her mom and granddad. The Time Lord sighed. If he had to choose between seeing Sylvia and facing down a Dalek army, he'd pick the Daleks more often than not.

He steered the TARDIS down into Chiswick and landed it on the sidewalk in front of the Noble house. Wilf burst out of the front door, looking like a kid running downstairs to open presents at the crack of dawn on Christmas. "Doctor, what are you doing here?! How's…" His excitement died when he saw his granddaughter lying unconscious in the Doctor's arms.

"Donna's fine," he assured Wilf. "She's just had a bit of an accident, and it's left her really exhausted, but she'll be okay soon enough. Let's get her to bed, and then I'll need to explain something to you and Sylvia."

"Okay," Wilf agreed. The pause in his response betrayed his calm outward appearance.

Sylvia gasped in horror as the Doctor entered the house and climbed up the stairs to Donna's room. "What has that alien done to my daughter?" she seized Wilf by his coat.

"Funny, first time I see you worry about Donna is when you think she's dead," the Doctor muttered.

Sylvia whirled around. "What was that?"

"I said, don't worry, I don't want you to think she's dead," he called down.

He paused as he was going to set the earth girl down on her bed. He didn't mind cradling her in his arms or tucking her in like a child. Truth be told, he'd sometimes been a bit standoffish with Donna: letting her tend to minor bumps and bruises on her own, not picking her brain if she was quiet for too long (although, really, encountering a silent Donna was about as likely as meeting a unique Cyberman)-those kinds of inactions. "Well, just know I'm pulling for you, earth girl." He smiled despite the predicament.

The din from an outraged Sylvia overwhelmed and scarfed down any positive feelings he'd mustered up. The Doctor groaned. "She's worse than the stereotypical, overbearing mother in law." He bounded downstairs.

"What the hell have you gotten my daughter into this time?" she shrieked.

"It's a bit complicated-"

The mother rolled her eyes. "Of course it is, what isn't complicated with you?! Why do you have to go around messing her life up, she does a good enough job at that without any help!"

Wilf interjected, "Sylvia, let him talk. Please." His eyes passed an apology to the Doctor.

"Look, Donna WILL be okay. Long story short, she got a bit of alien information in her head, and it wore her flat out. I had to wipe that part of her memory away. Now, if she ever hears any mention of that kind of stuff again, it'll kill her."

The ticking clock, the washing machine, the timer on the oven: All sounds were magnified.

"You mean…YOU did this to her!" Sylvia shouted. "Oh, why'd she have to go get herself caught up in your stupid world, in a bloody telephone box."

The Doctor's temper flared out. "Well, she came looking for me, so she can't have wanted to be here too much, right?"

"At least she would've been NORMAL," Sylvia screeched. "I mean, okay, she's only a temp, not that important, but-"

"Take that back. Take that back now." The Doctor's breath burst out like bullets from a submachine gun.

"What d'you mean-"

Sylvia's ignorance cracked the shackles that bound his fury down. He grabbed her by the throat and pinned her to a wall.

"Sylvia Noble, would you care to know why you're alive right now?" he whispered.

She managed a small nod.

"You know Donna, that not so important daughter of yours? She saved the universe. Saved my life, too." He let her go. "So the next time you're going to make her feel like she isn't worth a damn, you'd do well to remember that." He stalked out. Wilf followed meekly.

"You…you alright, Doctor? Want a spot of tea or something?"

He shook his head. "No. I shouldn't have done that. But…I just can't stand how Sylvia treats Donna. Normally I can tolerate it, at least." He tried to shrug it off, but guilt clung to his shadow like an unwanted ex.

"Sylvia…she'll forget about it soon."

"I should apologize."

"No," Wilf replied firmly. "She'd appreciate it more if you left, to be honest."

"I figured." He sighed. "Wilf, can you keep a secret? It's one I doubt Sylvia would appreciate knowing."

"Depends," he answered uneasily. "What is it?"

"It's about Donna, and her…condition."

"Yeah, you said she can't ever know about you again." He looked dejected at that prospect.

"Well, that's not entirely true," the Doctor admitted. "See, after a certain time, the Time Lord memories will lose their potency, because she now only has a human brain. But if I just come back and pop in on her, it'll cause all those memories to flood back at once. She won't be able to handle it."

Wilf frowned. "You said that already, so what's the secret?"

"If she rediscovers little pieces that make up those memories, and they come only in small chunks, she'd be able to live through eventually putting everything back together. But only if she initiates it without any help, completely on her own."

"So you mean…" Wilf brightened. "She might be able to get back to you!"

"I'm not too optimistic. It's a long shot," he cautioned. But in his hearts, he knew he and Wilf shared one thought: "But I'm damn glad it exists."