The sky was starting to grow light when the Doctor joined Donna who had been left to guide the beast as Martha had succumbed to sleep some time earlier. She gave the Doctor a tired smile as she looked down at Rose in his arms, clinging to the lapels of his jacket as if hanging on for dear life.
"She's good for you Doctor. I've never seen you the way you are when she's around before." Donna spoke softly so as not to wake either Rose or Martha who was currently drooling down her own arm.
"She has that effect." He said as he smiled down at the woman in his arms.
"I don't mean to pry Doctor but I over heard what you an' Bob were saying earlier."
"Thought you might've." The Doctor nodded and focused on the trail ahead.
"You remember when you said to me that you wanted a….a mate?" She queried hesitantly but continued when he looked her in the eyes.
"Why not Rose……….I mean I know its none of my business, but the two of you have been inseparable since she came back and from what I've gathered it was the same before she……well, you know…..I was just wondering why not, why can't Rose be your mate." She asked honestly confused.
"It's not that simple Donna," he sighed. "Rose is human I'm not. We're just not compatible enough."
"What do you mean enough?" She asked, a long silence ensuing before he spoke.
"My people didn't believe in marriage, some chose to be mutually exclusive to one person but because it wasn't necessary for the sake of continuing the species, sex and the like became an almost non existent factor in society. I mean we were still capable of it; it was just more of an activity one could engage in every few centuries if it took your fancy."
"So what about those who did choose to be 'exclusive', how did they do it I mean?'
"It's what's called Marking Donna, and it involves exactly what's on the box, something that I would never dare to assume or encourage anyone to agree to let alone Rose." The Doctor ground out trying not to wake Rose as he saw her shift due to his change in mood.
Donna noticed this too as she watched Rose unconsciously trying to soothe him, running her hand down his arm to rub her thumb across his knuckles.
"Rose wouldn't survive a bonding like that Donna, even if she did agree to being marked as my own, her biology wouldn't be able to handle the chemical markers released in her bloodstream and her body would slowly and painfully shut down…..being my mate would kill her." The Doctor finished sadly.
"I'm sorry………but you know what Doctor?" Donna smiled.
"What?"
"It doesn't matter really, because she is yours whether you realise it or not, there's no one else in this universe for her sides you……..and I think she was made for you too." The Doctor nodded at Donna and the both of them looked down at her as she nuzzled deeper into his chest, an almost affirmative movement to Donna's comment.
"Sometimes Donna, you're a lot wiser than I may give you credit for." He replied and placed a hand on her shoulder as they rode side by side.
"Damn right I am, and don't you forget it either." She threatened and both of them broke out laughing causing Martha to jerk awake and Rose to stir once more in the Doctors arms.
"Oh my god what happened, where is it, get away……oh god is that drool?" Martha screeched, causing Rose to jump slightly.
"Oi watch it!" Donna snapped as Martha elbowed her in the ribs as she tried to inconspicuously wipe away the evidence of saliva on her dress.
"Sshh, it's alright Rose." He reassured and placed a kiss to her forehead. She grinned sleepily up at him and he chuckled slightly. "How do you feel?"
"I feel a little dizzy again." She murmured into his shoulder.
"Hold on." He spoke softly as he closed his eyes and slipped into her mind pulling her senses back together so he could control them through the connection once more.
"Sorry about that," He whispered. "I got a little distracted; I'll make sure it doesn't happen again."
"It's ok." She breathed pressing a quick kiss to his neck before turning facing forwards, the Doctors arms possessively returning to encircle her body.
"Are we there yet?" Martha asked the Doctor.
"We are indeed." Bob shouted as he dismounted and moved to help Martha and Donna out of the saddle.
"Thank god for that, for a moment there I thought maybe my butt had packed up and left." Donna said relieved as she stretched and began helping Bob by collecting some firewood.
The Doctor slid off the Equinthorax and Rose followed landing safely in his arms, still swaying slightly as she got used to having two feet on the ground once more. He took her by the hand and led their stead to a patch of fresh green clover with delicate purple flowers sprouting every here and there. Rose stood stroking the beast as the Doctor removed items from the saddle bags and moved to join Bob busily preparing breakfast.
"So, no trouble I hope since I was here last?" The Doctor asked Bob as he poured omelette mixture into a small pan already sizzling from the heat of the fire.
"No nothing as drastic, a revolution here, a small uprising there. Nothing to be too concerned about Doctor. Everything seems to be flowing as it should." Bob reassured him smiling as he continued adding bits and pieces to the delightfully smelling mixture bubbling away in front of him.
"Good. I was a little worried having left returning for so long. At lot has happened as you know." He admitted.
"Yes, we have been monitoring an increase in instability within the past few years, though I'm sure you're aware of what I'm referring to: paradox, reapers, fractures and its getting worse." Bob said lowering his voice so the others would not hear him. "Something is coming Doctor, something big…….the mystics have seen it, been prophesizing it for centuries.
"Prophesizing what?" The Doctor asked intrigued.
"We are not sure, but it seems as though whatever is to come involves you Doctor." He paused looking knowingly at his friend. "A traveller without a home, who will bring with him a presence unlike nothing the universe has ever witnessed before. They have foreseen the epäkelpo niellä."
"Bad wolf." The Doctor breathed.