Chapter Four

Author's Note: The pattern by now is companions, so guess who's next? My favorite companion in all of creation. My take on her after The Doctor is something different, and I love the idea of it, so please enjoy my take on Donna. Thank you for the reviews! And thank you for reading! Any and all mistakes are mine.

Disclaimer: I do not own Doctor Who, nor any characters written in this fic, even the angel.

The Doctor's hearts raced but he was able to get them under control in a matter of seconds. He took a deep breath, only to regret it. Hot air dried his lips and throat. He coughed hard against his fist.

"Here," he heard Clara by him. He felt a bottle be leant to him. He took it and drank the water that was inside of it. He heard Clara speak again. "She doesn't like Christmas," she started, "That's why it's so hot, she wanted to get away from the snow that reminded her of something she forgot."

The Doctor looked to Clara with eyebrows furrowed in confusion. "Who," he managed to ask as his mouth started to become less dry. Clara was looking forward and nodded towards two people, "The Most Important Woman in All of Creation." The Doctor whipped his head around to see from a distance a couple hiking through the desert. The couple were dressed in robes and the man was pulling a camel along. The woman, a bright red head, was looking at a map in her hands.

"You'd think they'd have some sort of GPS here," the woman held up the map which she scowled at, "No, just this flimsy piece of paper, a useless piece of paper."

The man was sweating and smiled a bit as he looked up at her, "It's upside down." The woman looked at him then back to the map. She cocked her head to the side before turning it. The man laughed, earning a glare from the woman. He stopped only to smile at her, "Doesn't help, does it, when it's not even in English?"

The woman scoffed and nodded, "Would've been helpful to have the TARDIS around."

The Doctor's eyes widened when he heard her speak. The man only looked at her, not questioning what she said. Clara looked at The Doctor and back at Donna, "She does that without noticing what she said. It has been a problem in the past with her ex-husband and some of her friends, but she found a decent enough bloke who never questions it." She smiles at the couple, "I know her angel, and he has to do a lot to stop her from getting into danger."

The Doctor looked to her, "What do you mean?"

Clara laughed and gestured to the couple. "She travels, ever since her luck on a lottery ticket," Clara glanced over to The Doctor who was trying to look innocent. She continued, "And if she finds danger, well let me put it this way, danger always seems to find her." The Doctor turned his head and stared at Donna.

Donna smirked a bit at her male companion and held the map higher, "What do you think? Take a left on Barnsworth Street? Or a right on Lillies Lane?"

The man laughed and shook his head, "As long as it doesn't involve sword fighting like last time, I'm for anything."

Donna grinned at him, "Left it is."

They both grinned at each other before going over a hill, disappearing from The Doctor's sight. He started to step forward but this time Clara put her hand on his shoulder, "I'm sorry but you can't, not this time." He turned to her and opened his mouth to protest. Instead he closed it and swallowed hard. He turned back to look at where the couple had gone.

"After The Master, when he wanted to turn everyone into him," Clara said with a disgusted look, "She hasn't been near any aliens, or anything that would've reminded her of you. What with Missy…" Clara's lips contorted into a frustrated frown. She sighed through her nose, "Donna was underground at the time, luckily missing any Cybermen." She looked back to where The Doctor was looking to, "She's still TheDoctorDonna without even knowing it."

The Doctor finally faced away and his hearts felt like the desert surrounding him. There was always an oasis around somewhere to water the prickly thorns of his hearts.

Clara glanced to him, "If you want."

"What," he whipped his head up and stared at her, "We can't."

Clara nodded, "I can do it, but it's up to you." She gave a sad raise of her eyebrows, "Your choice."

He made a noise between a scuff and a snort, "You're actually letting me choose?" His teasing smile faded at the serious look on Clara's face.

"Yes," her tone leveled. She didn't explain why but The Doctor knew why. If he went to the woman who fixed up his old two hearts long ago, he had no idea if he had any control not to take her back with him. His last body might've had less control than this one. This body now is more tired, showing him as he is on the inside, old and scarred. To have the one girl, the one who stayed and only left on his grounds or on the universe's, to come back and heal his hearts again was something he longed for.

He shook his head, deciding, "No, I can't." It's not because Rose would never forgive him, he knows she would. No, it's because she has him already and he's not going to take that away from her. She has a life with another him and they are probably happy. Happy without him and out of danger.

Clara looked to him and held her hand out. He took it. This time he was prepared to go back to the TARDIS, to go back home. He will still be The Doctor until he lies down in his grave at Trenzalore.

He looked to Clara and smiled, "I'm ready to go back."

Clara titled her head to the side and smirked, "Did you really think I'd give you a choice?"

His eyes widened and he felt the air get knocked out of him as well as his conscious.