I do not own Doctor Who.
Chapter Ten
"It's a careful process." The Brain's daughter hovered over the shoulder of her father. "We are the only thing keeping her from burning up."
"I know, I'm the one who's engineered everything," the Brain snapped. His fingers flew over the keyboard, eyes fixated on the large screen. "One wrong move, and we'll lose her for good."
The waitress - Jenny? - blinked down on the two women, her gray eyes unreadable. "Can I get you something to drink?" she asked, her voice remaining rebotic.
"Um," Donna stuttered. She was horrified at the prospect that Jenny, the Doctor's daughter, had turned into one of these mindless servers. How could this be? How did whatever alien behind all this strangeness at Plexle get hold of her, and most importantly, why had Jenny let it happen? If this alien force was able to over power the Doctor's daughter, then perhaps they were very, very strong - stronger than any alien Donna had faced.
"Jenny," Martha spoke, her voice surprisingly calm and low. "Do you recognize us?"
"Of course, you are Mistress Martha Jones and Mistress Donna Noble," Jenny replied, her voice still iron. "Please hurry and place an order if you'd like. There are many customers to be served, and I'm afraid I can't stay."
Donna could've sworn she winked.
Martha looked at Donna in horror. As if telepathic, the two had an entire conversation without even speaking, their expressions and eyes saying everything for them. First jerking her head at Jenny, and then looking absolutely confused, Martha explained to Donna how strange this was, and how little sense it made. Donna replied by nodding fervently and shrugging, to convey how confused she was as well.
"I'll let you two decide for a bit longer," Jenny said, breaking through their silent conversation. Her face flickered with what might have been an attempt at a smile, and then she was gone.
"What?" was the first word out of Donna's mouth. "How? What's happened to her?"
Martha shook her head, looking appalled. "She's supposed to be dead, isn't she? She died on Messaline?"
"That's what you were thinking about?" Donna asked.
"You aren't surprised?" Martha returned.
"Well, she is part Time Lord," Donna stated like this was an obvious fact. "I think I always knew she was still alive, somewhere, somehow."
"But when she got shot - she died in the Doctor's arms!" Martha protested. "He was devastated, remember?"
A bit of Donna's Time Lord knowledge seemed to leak into her mind. Martha noticed her friend's eyes momentarily flash golden, and then return to normal.
"Sometimes a Time Lord's - or Lady's, I suppose, in this case - well, they're regeneration can be delayed for various reasons," Donna explained.
"But why didn't she change her face?" Martha countered. "The Doctor changed his face."
"Well, when he got shot by a Dalek, he was able to keep his face," Donna recalled. "Although, I suppose you weren't there for that. And I suppose it did help that he had his severed hand in a capsule nearby, which allowed him to - well, it's complicated and unnecessary to explain. But the point is, it's possible for them to keep the same face from one generation from the next."
Martha pouted slightly. "I kind of wish the Doctor kept the same face going into his next form..."
Donna rolled her eyes fondly. "You're married, Sunshine," she reminded the doctor in a gentle but firm voice. "Besides, bigger issue here. What are we going to do about Jenny? Tell the Doctor? I'm sure he'd be delighted to see her again, but she's been converted into - a robot waiter. And we're in the middle of a situation."
"We're always in the middle of a situation," Martha joked. "But I think we should tell him. He might be able to figure out away to get Jenny back to normal. How about this? I'll stay here, order a drink, and talk a bit with Jenny, or whatever server comes by, and try to figure out what's going on. You run over to the Doctor - I suppose the newer incarnation, because our Doctor's doing something else, and then return here."
"All right," Donna said. She pushed herself up from her seat and waved a quick goodbye to Martha, who smiled in farewell, looking immensely concerned.
Barely out of the cafeteria, Donna's phone began to ring. She saw it was her husband, so quickly answered it.
I'm not sure how he's going to react to everything that's going on, she thought. "Hello?" She spoke in a calm and quiet voice in an attempt to deceive Shawn into believing everything was fine, while she walked frantically towards the place where she'd last seen the Doctor.
"Hey, Donna," Shawn's voice replied. "Listen, I was wondering if you'd like to go out for lunch today, to celebrate your first day on the job. I've got a couple of colleagues who'd like to meet you too, and I was wondering - "
Donna felt a bit bad about it, but she quickly cut off her husband. "Shawn, I'd love to, but right now I'm super busy. You know, first day on the job, there's so much to learn and I've got so many client information sheets to put into the computer. Maybe a bit later, or some other day?"
Shawn sounded crestfallen as he replied. "Oh no, that's perfectly fine. I totally understand. Isn't it amazing, how many customers Plexle has? It's incredible!"
Not as incredible as what's going on now, Donna thought. As terrifying as fighting aliens and figuring out mysteries can be, it's so much better than my old boring life. "Oh yes, incredible," she replied.
"How's the first day, other than all the paperwork?" asked Shawn lightly. "Is your work partner nice? You know, I work with her sister up here in the Legal Department. Hyacinth Schwann. She's quite a lovely young woman."
"Well, I guess she's nothing like her sister," Donna replied distractedly. She'd caught sight of Matt/Doctor and Rory, standing with two unfamiliar women, one with curly blonde hair and another with a head of ginger much like Donna's own. "It was great talking to you, Shawn," Donna said. "I've got to go now, though."
"But - " Shawn's protest was cut off when Donna ended the call.
"Donna!" Matt/Doctor cried upon seeing her. "Where's Martha?"
"Back at the café," Donna said. "We've had a development. Do you remember Jenny?"
The Doctor's face darkened.
"Who's Jenny?" asked the redhead.
"Of course I remember Jenny," the Doctor said. "Why do you ask?" Then it seemed to dawn on him. "No, you don't mean - but she died, I saw her die! She died in my arms - she can't be alive! Is she here?"
Donna nodded grimly, and a delightfully childish grin lit up the Doctor's face. He clapped his hands together and held them up above his head, as if he were celebrating a victory. "Really? You mean it?"
Looking at the bowtie-clad man in front of her, surrounded by an unfamiliar set of companions, Donna had difficulty seeing him as the Doctor, but this reaction convinced her that it was truly the same man. She felt heartbroken to tell him the rest of the development.
"I mean it," she said, and he whooped, shaking the curly-haired woman by her shoulders in excitement.
"What's going on?" asked the redhead.
"She's alive!" the Doctor informed her. "Amy, she's alive!"
"Who's alive?" asked the curly-haired woman, free from the clutches of the Doctor. "Doctor, what's going on? Who is this woman?"
"This," the Doctor said, beaming at Donna, "is Donna Noble. Well, I suppose it's changed because she got married, but whatever. She was one of my companions until - "
"Until he wiped my memory and left," Donna said drily.
His companions exchanged looks, while he spluttered for a response. "Well, yes, but it was to save your life!"
Donna softened a bit. "I know, I know. I just wish things could be different."
"So do I," the Doctor agreed, his grin lighting up his face once more. "And Jenny - she's here?"
"Yes," Donna said. "But Doctor, before you get all excited, there's something you need to know. She's - she's one of the robotic waitresses."
The Doctor's face fell comically.
"Jenny's who?" Amy prompted.
"My daughter." The Doctor sounded heartbroken.
Amy and Rory both looked at each other. "Your daughter?"
The Doctor waved their shock away. "She's a clone, created from tissue they took from me on Messaline."
Amy looked to the curly-haired woman as if she expected a reaction. "Did you ever tell River?"
"Mum, he's been alive for centuries," the curly-haired woman, River, said in exasperation. "He's bound to have children."
"As long as you're okay with it, then," said Amy, and a bit belatedly Donna realized she was Scottish. "He's your husband."
It was Donna's turn to be surprised, and Amy smirked as if she'd intentionally said those words for this reaction. "You're marred." she stated. "Well, this whole day has been full of surprises, so I guess I should be used to it."
"No time to waste. Off to the cafeteria," the Doctor demanded. "I'll figure out a way to get her back. GERONIMO!" He charged away in the direction of the eatery. River followed.
"I take it they 'Geronimo' is his new catchphrase," Donna remarked.
"Yup," Amy said. "So, you travelled with the Doctor, huh?"
"Yes, for quite a while," Donna replied. "Would've continued, but then he took my memories."
"What happened?" Rory asked. "Why'd he take your memories?"
"Long story," Donna replied with a shrug.
"I said, GERONIMO!" The Doctor had returned, sounding immensely annoyed.
"That I clearly don't have time to tell," she finished. "Let's go."
Author's Note: ...Doctor Who theme...
Okay, so there wasn't that much action in that chapter...but hopefully the next few will be more exciting! There will be some discovery in the next chapter, both of other characters, and of information regarding the alien that has control of Plexle. I will also try to include Rose Tyler among the companions who appear, along with the meta-crisis Doctor, maybe.
Also, I'm trying to come up with a title for this, so if anyone has a suggestion for one, please let me know. I might just keep it the way it is if I can't come up with anything. We'll see.
Anyway, thank you to all my readers and reviewers! I really appreciate you all. Any feedback regarding this story is always welcome! Thanks!