"How much time are you willing to give her?" Donna asked.
"As much as she needs." The Doctor answered. All of space and time if required.
"Where does she live?"
"Not too far away." He nonchalantly rested his hand on his chest. In one of these hearts of mine. Or is it both?
"Can't you go to her instead?"
"She has to come to me." Please do it soon. I've been alone many times before. Only this is different.
"But why?"
He said nothing. Just stared off into space.
I can't stand to be in the Tardis for very long. It's so much bigger on the inside without you. Even the loneliness is bigger. And the silence is overwhelming. Why do you think I spend all my time out here on this bench? He sighed.
"I just don't want to see you get hurt."
Too late for that. "It's complicated." He exhaled a slow breath and continued, "When she's ready."
It would be a nightmare if I had to wait for anyone else. But, for you, I'd wait forever.
"That may be a very long time."
It already has been. But not much longer. "Nah. She's going to come soon."
"How soon?"
"Very soon." And when you do...let's just say…
For some reason unbeknownst to him, the air got a little thicker and the atmosphere suddenly got a little awkward between them. What have I done this time?
"What happens when she does come?" she asked at little too seriously than he would have liked.
"What do you mean?" I'm really confused. Why are you so solemn?
She seemed to select her words with care and said "Will I ever see you again?"
Hunh? Why in the world wouldn't I?
That's when it registered in that thick, overgrown head of his what she really meant.
Well, I'll be Gobsmacked!
At that sacred moment, he realized that he just gained more ground with her than he ever expected. Not with her mind, but with her heart. Could it be that she has real, true, honest feelings for me? His hearts blazed with joy and lit up his whole face in a wide smile.
"Of course!" he said. You won't be able to get rid of me. And fair warning: I don't think I will be able restrain myself. I'll either hug you 'til I cry, or you cry or we both laugh 'til it hurts. Or maybe, maybe I'll even have the nerve to kiss you. Or all of the above. At once. Or...
"Ok, Smiley. If I can't talk you out of it, then I'll wait with you. Well, not the whole time, mind. Just some of it. While I'm here waiting for work. Oh you know what I mean." She elbowed him in the rib and he smiled back.
How long had it been since she bantered with him like that?! It filled his hearts with so much hope, so much longing and so much joy, it welled into a tear at the corner of his eye. He quickly brushed it away before she saw it. She's almost back. Almost.
She looked at him strangely.
Did she just wink!?