A/N: for those still reading this, I actually have two parts now ready to post. :)
A/N2: anybody else who isn't still reading this, I'm probably talking to myself...

Part 4

.

It had taken several phone calls, being passed from department to department, before John had finally conceded defeat. There was no way to directly contact the Brigadier, Colonel Mace was a casualty of the Daleks, Jack's number wasn't listed anywhere that he could find, and every message he left with Francine for Martha didn't get answered. All that left was walking to Sarah Jane's; and he was loathed to drag her into it in case her cover was blown. That was all he needed, the demise of her and her teenage son on his head.

No, it looked as though he would have to go it alone for the time being; unless he could find a way to sneak down to Cardiff and throw himself on Jack's mercy.

"Any luck?" Wilf kindly asked him.

"No," John admitted. "Nobody believes who I am, let alone give me any information to access my… the Doctor's money," he corrected himself. Sometimes it was still tempting to think of himself as the Doctor rather than as a biological tributary. "Without the right paperwork, I can't even prove I exist in order to get a job. How wizard!"

"So what will you do now?" Wilf tried to smile reassuringly. "Surely that bloke we saw on the subway telly can help the pair of you."

"Subwave," John involuntarily rectified. "He can. Apparently that's his thing now; but I have to get down there to him in Cardiff Bay. And that'll mean telling Donna."

"Suggest a holiday," Wilf offered. "Tell her you fancy seeing a bit of Wales."

"Who goes to Cardiff unless they have family or friends down there?" John grumbled. "It's not the sort of place you pluck out of the air, like you would Edinburgh or York."

"Can't you invent a close relative?"

"I'd have to live that lie for the rest of our lives," John pointed out. "But I could invent a university friend," he brightly amended. "People tend to keep in touch with those. What do you think? Could I get away with saying I know Jack from uni?"

"Might do," Wilf agreed. "Worth trying. You've still got to pay for the trip and somewhere to stay."

"Bugger!" John muttered.

"I'll tell you what; Winston's nephew is looking for someone to help him out as a part time casual. Cash in hand. If you fancy having a go doing a spot of labouring, I'll give him a bell."

John had hardly finished his nod before Wilf was reaching for the phone.

~O~O~

"I. Am. Knackered," John announced, before positioning his body to plonk himself down onto Sylvia's settee. "It's official."

"Oi! Go and change before you put your dirty work clothing all over my nice clean furniture," she cautioned him. "Dinner is almost ready so hurry up."

Sighing, he did as he was told and made for the stairs. "Will do."

"And tell that daughter of mine, while you're up there, that she can come and help dish the dinner up instead of texting all those mates of hers," Sylvia continued. "Who does she think she is? I dread to think how much her phone bill will be this month. Anyone would think she's running the country, the way she carries on, instead of going on about Suzie Mair's latest crush of the week."

It was best that he let her carry on moaning, John decided as he ascended the stairs. At least she was aiming it at him rather than Donna.

"You alright?" Donna asked him as he reached the top step and glanced through her doorway.

"Yeah," he replied. "Just a bit tired, that's all. Been a long day, and I'm knackered."

"I'll tell you what," she started to offer as she walked up to her door, "how about I take you out after dinner? I'll buy you a drink down The Feathers and you can escape from Mum for a while."

"That'd be great, but I've got no money," he reluctantly admitted. "I won't get paid until the end of the week."

"Don't worry about that," she pleasantly murmured. "My treat, for keeping Mum off my back; and I'll even throw in a possible date."

He beamed a smile at her. "In that case, you're on!"

~O~O~

John took in a deep breath, lifted up the two pints of beer from the pub bar drip-mat, and silently recited to himself, "I can do this: a date that's not-a-date but yet might be a date." Having done that, he turned, and made his way over to where Donna sat at a round wooden table near the pub window.

She smiled at him; ever ready to throw out a tease in his direction. "You took your time. I thought you'd pulled the barmaid, for a second."

"No. Was I supposed to?" he mischievously wondered.

"Depends if it's grab-a-granny night or not," she retorted, eyeing the older, matronly woman behind the bar. "Although I'm not sure Delores is into toy boys."

"Then my luck isn't in," he responded in kind. Taking a sip from his own glass, he quickly added, "Thanks for bringing me out tonight. I appreciate this."

"When a man manages to keep my mother happy, I have to reward him," she neatly dismissed his thanks. "I still don't know how you changed her mind from getting Suzette to have you to her keeping you instead."

He considered that as he took another sip. "I get the impression that she likes fussing over me."

"Tell us about it," Donna scoffed, drinking from her own glass. "Anyway, I promised you a date but there don't seem to be any possible candidates in here for you tonight. Sorry."

"Never mind." He smiled disarmingly. "You've won the booby prize by being my date instead."

"Shouldn't that be the other way around?" she countered, feeling pleased that he was okay with their situation. "And don't put yourself down. If some woman doesn't fancy going out with you, send her to me and I'll soon change her mind."

Sitting back in shock, he gawped at her. "Is that so?"

"What?" she wondered. "Of course I'd big you up. We're mates, you and me. Ow…." A sharp pain hit her in the left temple, so she reached up to try and rub the ache away. "It would seem my head doesn't like me calling you my mate."

He immediately touched her hand briefly. "Or perhaps it's your head showing its approval," John reflected. "The truth hurts, they say."

Unlike her head now, she was pleased to note. Perhaps he had the magic touch? "You are a wag," she laughed. "A little bit bonkers but you'll do."

His eyebrows shot up into his hairline as he playfully grinned at her. "What are you planning on getting me to do?"

"Stop being a tart, for a start," she responded. As if she would admit what she'd want him to do; and to his face too? No, that was mere fantasy stuff. "We'll work out the rest later."

"Once I stop feeling so knackered. All this hard work is doing me in," he confessed.

"Never mind, eh. At least you should end up with some decent muscles that other people pay to get at the gym," she consoled him. "Maybe we'll only have the one drink, tonight and you can get home to bed."

"Good idea," he agreed, happily supping his beer. "I've got another early start tomorrow."

It was only once they had finished and left the pub that they ran into someone Donna knew.

"Hello Veena," she greeted her in surprise. "Wasn't expecting to see you tonight."

"Same here," Veena answered. "Is this your mum's new lodger I've been hearing about?"

"Yes, this is John."

"Hello," he greeted Veena. "It's nice to meet you."

Veena went to equally welcome him and then frowned in confusion. "Hello… Hang on. Aren't you the bloke that was at the wedding?"

"Erm…"

"What wedding?" Donna inevitably asked.

"Your-," Veena went to supply.

"No," he quickly put in. "There must be someone going around looking like me."

"Really? I thought you were unique," Donna teased. "Weird to think that someone might be just as bonkers."

After playfully sticking his tongue out at her, he replied, "Well, something about me is unique, so if you want to find out just let me know."

Thumbing towards him, Donna then told Veena, "This one's an utter tart. Beard boy here is completely cruising on his looks."

A bemused Veena shifted her gaze between the two of them. He looked far too pleased she'd said that about him, which sort of implied there was something else, something more meaningful, going on. Although her curiosity had been tweaked, Veena felt it best she kept well out of it for the time being especially if it meant avoiding Donna going into a vicious jealous rage. "If you say so," she commented. "Will I see you this weekend?"

"I'll let you know, once we get home," Donna cautiously answered. "See you later. Bye!"

Once they'd all said their goodbyes, Veena stood and watched Donna and John amiably walking back home without even a glance in her direction. "Well well well, Donna. Looks like you bagged him after all," she muttered to herself, and then laughed in amusement. And to think Donna had often told her friends there was nothing going on, that they were just friends who travelled a bit together. Yeah, too right there was! With a scornful huff, she carried on her way.

~O~O~