"How long have you been waiting?" She asked.

The Doctor jumped. Ever so slightly. Not that Donna would notice.
"Not long," he said.
"Not for me, you silly man," she said as she sat down beside him. "For your friend."
"A while." Plus a month.
"That isn't an answer. Or the one I want. How long?"
He paused, hoping she wouldn't push the issue.
She waited.
"Today?" he asked.
"Yes, today."
"A few ...hours."
"How long do you stay after I leave?"

"Not long." From the time you get on the bus until you come back. It's like a job. Blimey, it IS my job. I have a job, like an ordinary person...
"Not this again. How long?"
"Another hour, maybe." Yeah, maybe.
"Do you do this every day?"
"Of course. Yes." What else would I be doing?
"Why?"
"Because. Well...she's..."
"It's a she then?"

Blimey. "Yes, it is. "
"Because you… love her?"
"Ah, well..." The truth? Blimey, here goes nothing, "yeah."

He cringed inside while he waited for her response.

And waited…and waited…

Awkward!

He absently pulled out his sonic screwdriver and began to play with it to avoid looking her in the eye. A purple second later, he realized his mistake. I'm sorry, I'm so sorry...he looked at her expectantly. She only looked confused. There was no indication that her mind was on fire. You're... You're fine? How can you see this sonic screwdriver and be fine? That isn't possible. You should be...

"Ok. I get why you wait for her. But why do you wait so long?"

My screwdriver is right under your nose and that's what you're focusing on? Blimey. "Never know when."
"You never know when she's coming?"
He nodded.
"So you wait here for hours hoping it'll be today?"
Bingo! He nodded again.
"Has she ever come?"
Aye, there's the rub. His head lowered in resignation. "No, she hasn't."
"How long have you been doing this?"
I told you before. "A few hours…"
"No, that's not what I meant. How many days, weeks or months have you been doing this? Waiting for her to come?"
"Ugh, little longer"...you really don't want to know...
"Years?! Are you telling me it's years?"
"Yeah. Some...years." Sure, we'll go with that.
"You have got to be kidding me! Years? Oh honey, you need to move on. If she hasn't come yet, she's never going to."
"No. She will." You've come this far without burning. That means there's still hope.
"I don't think so." She shook her head slowly, "I really don't."

He smiled and blatantly toyed with the screwdriver again. Something tells me that the more you see this, the faster your mind will heal.

"Give her time," he said.

Not much time. No, not much time at all. His smile widened into a cheeky grin.