The Doctor woke before Donna, but that wasn't a surprise. He debated waking her to go stop the spies, but decided that it would probably be best to let her rest, so he slipped out of the bed. She grumbled slightly but he rubbed her back for a moment, and she slipped back into a deeper rest.
He dressed, his suit from yesterday ruined, which only served to irritate him more than he already was. He set the coordinates arriving a block away this time, and left the TARDIS, hoping to be back before he woke.
DW
Donna woke alone. She stretched, her mind a little foggy, until she remembered what they were supposed to be doing today. It took her about half a second to realize that the Doctor had left her behind. Oh, she had no doubt that he had done it to keep her safe, but that wasn't how this worked. The last thing that man needed was to go blundering into someplace without some help. She had seen him in action.
She dressed quickly, but before she could make it to the doors the Doctor stumbled in, holding himself around him middle. All anger at him was forgotten as she rushed to him, trying to hold him up as he stumbled.
Blood was coming from his mouth, and he was gurgling in his chest. She pulled him along with her, half dragging him to the med-bay. She managed to get him onto a bed with a lot of effort on her part, and turned him on his side, so he wouldn't choke more than he was.
She stared at the machine with wonder; she didn't know how to work them. Turning back to the Doctor revealed that he wasn't going to be able to help him.
"Please," she begged the TARDIS, thinking the thought as loudly as she said it.
A screen came on; connected to a machine she had seen the Doctor pull medicine and supplies out of before.
It was flashing red, and she walked over to it.
When she stopped in front of it, it showed a body scan. The Doctor had been shot twice, by something that had done a lot of damage. Once in the chest and once in the stomach and Donna thought she might have to face whatever he had been trying to explain in the forest. It was hardly fair that she could get him back from the brink of death just to lose him again the next day.
She couldn't let that happen, following the instructions the screen was spouting she rolled the Doctor onto his back and typed in the instruction onto the screen on the base of the bed. She held her breath while the Doctor choked until she saw the stasis chamber rise. It was clear, the only reason she knew it was there, was because the screen said so.
Also he stopped choking, his body stopped jerking and he lay still. She read his vitals, one heart wasn't working at all, but the other was still fighting for life. He was breathing, the chamber helping clear out his airway in a way she couldn't see.
She ran back to the other machine, blood covering her hands and arms and clothing, but she hardly noticed. This was her best friend, the man she had come to love, and nothing else mattered.
All the screen had left for her was one simple instruction.
Wait.
She took the chair that she found in the corner and dragged it to his bedside, wishing she could reach in there and hold his hand, but understood that the field had to be untouched. She might contaminate the process and there was no way she was going to jeopardize him for her comfort.
She leaned over it though, close but not touching watching his still body within. The blood had stopped at last, but she could barely see his slender chest rise and fall. If it wasn't for the reassurance of the chamber screen she might have doubted it.
There was still only one heart beat, and it was still erratic but it was beating and that was something.
"You can't leave me," she told him, doubting he could hear her through the force field, but wanting to talk anyway. "I need you, Doctor."
She sighed leaning away, wishing that he would smile that smile at her. That he could tell her that he was fine, and go off on some subject she couldn't follow. She might not love the details like he did, but she loved that he loved them.
She loved how his face lit up when he spoke to her, all innocence and hope. She loved how sometimes the look on his face when he gave her an appraising look was the farthest from innocent she had ever seen.
She loved how he always listened, how he always cared. How sometimes they fought, but never once had he held who she was against her. She loved how he loved that she accepted him.
She just loved him; there was no way around it.
She sat back, wondering what do about that nagging fact now. She had no intention of telling him about it, but she found that she wanted to now. She felt like it was important that he no, and wasn't it. Hadn't he had enough hurt, and he always looked like a kicked puppy when she implied he was less than perfect. Maybe he wanted her to love him. Maybe, just maybe, he loved her back.
DW
The Doctor felt the chamber drop around him, but he didn't remember it going up. He scooted his shoulders uncomfortably on the bed, and ran through a body checklist. Both heart beating well, lungs clear, little sore on his torso, but he could still remember being shot.
Sore was the smallest of worries. He had been certain when he had stopped them, with a message that Earth wasn't an option that was the end of it.
They had been leaving, he had done a good job, and without help. He was proud of himself, and that was when it all went south.
A head leaned out of the ship, followed by a hand holding a weapon. He hadn't even had time to register what was happing before two shots were fired. His mind had been on getting back to Donna, which he knew had made him slow.
Oh, but it would have been a way to go. He made it back to the TARDIS, stumbled in, choking too much on his blood to tell her to step back. He was certain he was going to regenerate, these injuries were fatal, but it was clear she hadn't stayed back.
It was also clear that he had somehow made it, probably thank to Donna. She had to have dragged him in here, and somehow but up the chamber. If he had been able he would have told her not to waste her time, but she had done it, and now here he was.
He felt like the same him, and running his hand through his hair and over his face confirmed it. If he would have stopped her, he would have been a new man, but he wasn't able and because of that he didn't have to meet a new regeneration yet.
Donna was brilliant.
He sat up, wanting to thank her, to kiss her, anything really. But he didn't see her. His heart s beat faster for a moment, the soreness in his chest protesting to the leap from the bed. Had something happened?
He heard the sound of water running and then a door opened that apparently led to a bathroom. Donna walked out, looking exhausted –how long had he been out- and she seemed distracted.
"Donna," he spoke softly, and she looked up.
Her face was all shock and then tears filled her eyes. "Oh, Doctor."
She was crying in earnest now, and he walked to her. He pulled her into a hug. "Shhh, it's okay. I'm here, thanks to you."
He held her for a long while, until her tears stopped, and then led her to a couch that was now where his bed had been.
"I'm sorry you woke up alone," she muttered.
"Don't be," he shook his head. "How long was I gone?"
"Two weeks," she looked away.
Wow, that was a long one. She looked like she had done nothing but worry and sat at his bedside for that entire time.
"You stayed with me?"
Her eyes met him, "Of course."
He reached out to touch her cheek, exhaustion evident on her pretty face. She probably hadn't slept a minute more than she had to, and she looked thinner. He would have to get her in better shape, but first things first.
"Thank you," he whispered, and with love filling his hearts he leaned forward. He touched his lips to hers, and waiting for her to deepen it if she wanted.
When she kissed him back he felt a sense of relief and wonder. How could someone like her want someone like him?
"I love you," he whispered to her.
She gave him a small smile. "Oh, I love you too."
He pulled her into a hug, and rubbed her back. It didn't take long, a few soft lullaby's and she fell asleep in his arms. He carried her to her bed, ignoring the small pain it brought him. Soon he would be all the way healed, and she would be rested and fed, and then they could discuss what this meant for their future.
But right now, all that mattered is that he was with her. That she hadn't given up on him, because she loved him back.
Right now all that matter is his arms around her, her head on his chest.
