Part 4
"That isn't true," the Doctor insisted, wanting to coax her back to him. But she remained regarding him almost wistfully.
Blinking her unwanted tears away, Donna uttered, "I wish! I know Mum won't believe me when I go home and I… I tell her we aren't like that despite me being pregnant with your child; your son. Blimey, those are words I never thought I'd say. But a son! We're having a baby... I'm so sorry this has happened; I really am."
She then moved further away, but her footing slipped on the uneven rubble beneath them, and she shrieked as she painfully hit the surface.
Both the Doctor and Harden rushed towards her, eager to offer assistance, comfort, or anything else that she wanted. With an expert hand, the Doctor smoothed his fingers down her leg to her ankle; that is, he did, until she smacked them away.
"Oi! Hands! What are you playing at, touching me up like that?" she complained.
To which Harden added with deep concern, "What did you do to her? One minute you were snogging the living daylights out of her, the next you're pushing her down onto the ground to grope her."
"No no no no! You've got it wrong," the Doctor protested his innocence. He'd kept hold of one of Donna's hands, surreptitiously monitoring her heart rate. "I was using a method of examination."
Inevitably Harden looked to Donna to see if this was remotely true. She gave a sniff and nodded her head. "He does do that. Everything has to go in or to his mouth, just like a baby... Anyway, I'm alright now, all I've done is wind myself, I think. Is there any permanent damage, Spaceman?"
A broad smile spread across his face as he heard the words that implied he'd been forgiven. "None from what I can tell. Just a bit of potential bruising. Can you get up yet?"
Giving them an encouraging word, they helped her stagger up from their crouched position, and she shook out her limbs; wincing slightly.
"Are you really alright, Donna?" Harden gingerly asked.
"Yeah," she quickly confirmed for him. Blimey! She hadn't realised he could be so thoughtful and sweet. "A bit sore on the old bum, but I'll soon be as right as rain."
"It could have caused more than that, Donna," the Doctor cautioned her. "Perhaps I should keep a tight hold on you from now on."
"I'm not made of glass, you know. I promise I won't break easily," she batted away his concerns.
"Nevertheless," he determined, maintaining a firm grip of her hand, "I don't think we ought to risk another fall."
Sighing, she accepted his concerns, secretly liking them, and let him lead her over the rubble.
By the time they had reached a point far into the city. It had proven to be a tough walk, and the Doctor had to continually assist Donna over boulder-strewn debris, narrowly missing the odd telegraph pole or street lamp.
As they had travelled along they had exchanged banalities, keeping their spirits up and trying to coerce Harden into joining in their conversation, but he was more intent to keep a constant look out.
The Doctor himself went into panic mode when she stopped, grimaced and dropped his hand in order to clutch her sides. "Donna! Are you okay? Does it hurt?"
"I'm fine," she replied, standing herself straight. "It's just a twinge, nothing to worry about."
"Promise me you'll tell me immediately if anything doesn't feel right," he begged.
"You mean beyond you being eerily concerned about me all the time? Okay," she agreed.
"In what way is it eerie?" he wanted to know.
She shrugged in self-deprecation. "I dunno; you normally aren't that concerned about me."
Indignation roared up within him. "I have always been deeply concerned about you."
"Yeah, yeah, I get the message, so don't get your knickers in a twist," she retorted. "It's just… well… odd the way you're suddenly being attentive; as if I mean something to you."
Wanting the sincerity of his words to reach her, he placed his hands on her shoulders. "Donna, you have always meant something to me."
"Not like that, you div!" she chastised him. "I mean in a more romantic sense. And I do know the difference between being your friend and your friend! Martha filled me in on that little matter."
His mouth opened and closed in shock for a few seconds. "I may have deliberately mentioned Rose to Martha when she first started travelling with me, but that was to warn her off more than anything."
Donna quirked a disbelieving eyebrow at him. "If you want to go with that story then I won't contradict you but it doesn't alter the facts about our relationship. And excuse me for being a little self-centred for the moment, but that's what concerns me, right here, right now."
"Have I missed a vital memo?" he asked, taking hold of her hand and using it to wrap her arm around his as they started to walk again. "I thought we were reasonably happy with our relationship."
"I'm not disputing that, you prawn! But things are a little different; okay, a lot different now that we know I'm pregnant with your baby. As I said earlier, the number one choice for someone to be the mother of your child would not be me," she argued.
"And as I was going to reply before we were rudely interrupted by your accident, that is not the case," he countered.
"You what?!" she blazed. "Geroff out of it, you liar."
"Since you obviously won't believe me, I shall point out a few facts about you, if I may."
"Go on then," she encouraged. "I might have to take notes for this one."
"Mock all you like," he sighed. "I have seen you being extremely compassionate, loving, caring, dutiful, and loyal. All excellent qualities for motherhood. And on the day we first met, you showed your maternal instincts by making sure the children were safe and okay when those Christmas tree baubles blew up."
Her faced immediately flushed with embarrassment. "Anybody would have done exactly the same thing."
"No they wouldn't," he disagreed with a shake of his head, loving the sudden blush on her cheeks. "Rose certainly did not display the same instincts."
She made a sound of incredulity. "Pft!"
"Honestly, you provide the ideal maternal package, Donna Noble. I could not choose a finer person to the mother of my child, my partner in crime or…" He swallowed nervously, wondering if he should risk making the offer or not. "…my biodamped non-wife."
"Aw, you say the sweetest things!" she praised him. "Nice try, Spaceman, but I still don't believe you."
Sighing with exasperation, he decided to leave it be and try again later.
Hours later they were presumably still in the midst of the ruined city. All around them was evidence of once magnificent buildings destroyed beyond recognition, and the piles of rubble just seemed to get bigger. As they journeyed through the landscape, Harden became more and more agitated. The sun had done its job of warming away the eerie mist of earlier in the day, but they had sweated the best part of the day in their exposed position; and now the evening began to beckon. Soon it would be dusk, and with it came the threat of the Dreadel.
His heart was pounding in his mouth now, and he looked across to where Donna was clearly struggling with exhaustion. "I think we ought to find shelter, Doctor, as soon as possible."
The Doctor slowed to a halt, taking in the panic that laid beneath Harden's words. The lad had escaped many horrors on this world, so he obviously knew what he was talking about. "Very well. Where would you suggest we make for?"
"Make it somewhere that won't take too long. My feet and legs are bloody killing me," Donna added. It was the first time she had really complained about their Herculean task that day.
"Erm..." Harden swept his expert eye over the nearby ruins, and found a likely candidate. "That building with the missing fourth floor looks okay."
He pointed to the burnt out remains of what must have been a magnificent skyscraper at one time. With nods of agreement, they began to clamber across to the nearest entrance. They were winded, dying of thirst and grateful to get out of direct sunlight by the time they ventured into the building. Not much of anything noteworthy was left to admire.
"Home from home," the Doctor joked as they deposited themselves down onto some convenient bricks.
"Not exactly a full page spread from the Ikea catalogue, is it?" Donna jested in kind. "But it'll do until we can get the decorators in."
Harden, however, still stood agitatedly by the entrance, peeping out to squint into the sun every now and then. "We need to get further in, out of harm's way," he insisted. "This isn't safe."
The Doctor and Donna shared a concerned glance.
"Harden, why don't you pick out the best spot," the Doctor suggested. "We'll sit here for a few moments longer while Donna catches her breath."
Looking slightly relieved at this, Harden nodded his agreement and shot off into the gloom of the building.
"He's terrified," Donna stated. "It makes you wonder what sort of things he's been through."
"Judging by how he slept last night, I'd hazard a guess at it being pretty bad," the Doctor considered. "Just to be on the safe side, you're sleeping next to me again tonight."
"Doctor, you don't have to do that."
"I know! Doesn't mean I won't do my best to protect you." He gave her a cheeky wink, and got swatted on the arm.
"You're just saying that because I've got a special passenger of yours."
"No, I'm saying it because I care about you, so no thinking otherwise, Donna Noble."
"Oh gawd, he's using my full name again. That means trouble," she remarked to no one in particular.
"It will do if you don't let me look after you."
"You're all heart," she mocked.
"Two hearts, actually," he corrected, and they giggled together.
"Is it wrong of me to be glad it was you?" she confessed in a low voice.
"I don't think so," he admitted. "In fact..."
"Doctor! Donna!" Harden interrupted with a shout. "Quick! This way."
Both of them pulled themselves up and followed his voice.
He led them to a reasonably empty room, and he scurried about checking windows and nearby doors. "This seems safe enough," he muttered.
All his skittering about was putting Donna's nerves on edge. The air in the room was hot and arid, heavy with anticipation. Not a trace of life could be seen anywhere, not a bird, an insect or a blade of grass. It was most unsettling. As if he could read her thoughts, and part of her reasoned that he might be able to do so now, especially in light of him having stuck his tongue down her throat earlier that day and him being a touch telepath, the Doctor sent her a reassuring smile whilst squeezing her hand. Aw, he could be awfully sweet when he tried hard enough.
Then suddenly an awful noise came from outside, of beating wings and sharp beaks colliding with a scream; like a crow trapped in a dust bin.
"Quick! Down," Harden stage whispered. "It's a Dreadel. It's got wind of us, must have discovered our smell."
"Do we have a strong smell?" she asked the Doctor as he shielded her.
"Well, yes, you do, but I wasn't going to tell you," he cautiously admitted. "All species have their own undertone, with individual highlights for each person. Time Lords are able to detect these things."
"I remember you saying something about being able to smell that clone of Martha's. So you're a walking dog. That figures. It explains all the licking," she teased him, and then added, "and the puppy eyes. Thank goodness you don't go around smelling bottoms, I suppose."
"Donna, I am not a dog. My intellect is far superior," he grumbled.
"Says he, having acted like my guide dog all day," she cheekily retorted. "All that's missing is a leather lead and collar."
Unable to be angry with her, he playfully waggled his eyebrows. "Not in front of the children."
She'd only just got the chance to quietly giggle when something hopped onto a window ledge and landed in the room. A large ominous something.