Author's notes: Thanks to all who have reviewed and favorited this story. This chapter came sooner than I anticipated and was one of my favourites thus far. In Pete's World, I think Donna would be just as abrasive as she was in Universe Prime. As the story progresses, you'll see why. Part I of Donna Noble! Enjoy!

Chapter 7: Noble v. Noble

James Noble sat in the passenger side of Jake's electric car. Though working for Torchwood and saving the multiverse had made him a relatively wealthy man, Jake preferred his small flat in Croyden to keep a low profile. Since he handled all of Torchwood's on-site investigations as Pete's second-in-command, Jake frequently drove to work, incidentally forming a regular carpool of agents including John, Rose and now the Doctor. After Pete's meeting, Jake offered the Doctor a lift to the train station via text. James accepted, though it was out of sheer masochistic desire to see Rose and her cowboy.

But that wasn't the only thing on his mind. Guilt, anger, shame and joy settled at the bottom of his stomach. The previous afternoon, he saw the one person he never thought he would see again…

XXX

Previous afternoon in Pete's office

"…Meet Donna Noble, your personal assistant. Other than your surname, I'm sure you'll find you have quite a bit in common."

The Doctor stared in cold shock at the ginger woman dressed in a navy blue suit with small white pinstripes, a black camisole underneath and high heels. She raised an eyebrow at him, obviously impatient at his lack of social grace. After five seconds, she offered her hand, "Donna Noble."

Gently, the Doctor took it with both trepidation and delight. "Yes – yes – definitely yes, brilliant, Donna Noble. I'm the Doctor."

Donna rolled her eyes. "Well, aren't we special? The Doctor? Thought your name was James?"

The Doctor coughed. "Hmm, yes, well, I'm called the Doctor. My name is James Noble, I suppose."

Donna stared at him. Who was he exactly? Did he need to be sectioned? "Right. So, I was a manager at HC Clements. Director Tyler told me that you needed a PA?"

Finding himself at a complete loss, shock converting into anger, the Doctor jammed his hands into his not-bigger-on-the-inside pockets. "Well, I don't need a personal assistant, ta. I'm a grown man." Upon hearing the Doctor's remark, Donna's hazel eyes flashed like a storm. Who does he think he is, the bloody King of France? The best temp in Chiswick turned best HR manager at HC Clements had dealt with so many posh pretty boys in her fifteen-year career.

None of them ever stood a chance.

Pete stood silently, watching the interaction between the Oncoming Storm and the Red Lightning. If he didn't have to answer to one Jackie Tyler, he would have stayed and sent for popcorn. "Sorry to interrupt, but I promised Jackie that I'd pick Tony up from judo this evening. You're welcome to the office – just shut the door as you leave, ta." He nodded politely at Donna. "Ms. Noble, we'll talk tomorrow about your contract. Doctor, Ms. Noble," Pete said, as he picked up his tablet. They murmured their goodbye to Pete as he shut the door behind him.

Donna turned on the Doctor like a cobra, closing in on his personal space. "Now, listen, sunshine, Mr. Tyler has offered me a lot of money for this position. It's Pete Tyler, it's posh and it gets me an' my husband a two-week trip to New Caledonia!"

The Doctor frowned. "What's in New Caledonia?"

"It's in the Pacific! It's warm and exotic!" Donna shouted.

"It's not that impressive," he replied whilst tugging on his ear. "Actually, Papua New Guinea…."

"Oi, nutter! That's enough!"

"Oi, I can't help it if your vacation is dull!" the Doctor quipped back in equal volume, his eyes as large as Donna's.

In the span of two seconds, Donna the Red Lightning became Lady Donna Noble Vesuvius. "What is your problem, Doctor? You don' even know me, and you insult a dream of mine! How many PAs have you had, anyway? Did they lay one on ya? Hope so!"

The Doctor's eyes turned dark. He knew what the Other had to do in order to save the Doctor-Donna's life. "I work alone," he said quietly.

All of Donna's anger dissipated at the hitch in the Doctor's voice. She studied his appearance; he was like a teenager trapped in a thirty-something man's body. He was rail thin – the rats wouldn't touch that one – his glasses bent and dirty, his clothes looked slept in and his eyes, so dark and lonely.

On the other hand, he did manage to shave.

Donna took a deep breath. "When was the last time you ate, Doctor?" she asked in a softer tone.

The Doctor puckered his brow in surprise. "What?"

Donna smiled. "I asked when was the last time you ate?"

The Doctor paused, searching his perfect Time-Lord memory – perfect enough to remember the Doctor-Donna. "Well, I did have a banana and a cuppa yesterday morning and some rather disgusting strawberry Vitex earlier. I can't believe that's considered a health drink! I'm fine."

She gazed at him in disbelief. "You're bonkers! No wonder you're so thin! Come on, we're leaving." Donna moved to the door; the Doctor immobile, gaping at her. "Oi! You don't get a choice. I won't take no for an answer. Shift!" she boomed.

The Doctor, ever in fear of the Donna Vesuvius, nodded. "Right," he replied in a slightly high-pitched voice.

XXX

Donna took the skinny bloke to her favourite Singaporean restaurant near Victoria Station. Always filled with regular diners from the local Singaporean, Chinese and Malay communities, it was, in Donna's humble opinion, one of London's best-kept secrets. After glaring at him for a straight ten minutes over his order (or lack thereof; he was fine), she ordered two plates of Hokkien mee and a pot of tea. They sat in silence, glaring at each other. After fifteen minutes of uncomfortable silence, the waitress brought their food.

Donna grabbed her set of chopsticks and passed another set to the Doctor. "Bon appétit," she wished him with a silent warning.

The Doctor rolled his eyes, "Donna…."

"You will eat it!" she hissed.

"Fine, fine," he hissed back, picking up his chopsticks. He took his first bite; a spicy explosion of prawns, egg and rice noodles, pork, fish cake, greens, spring onion, shallots and lime. When was the last time I ate? He took another, larger bite. The Doctor rolled his eyes, this time from pure enjoyment. "Oh, this is brilliant!"

Donna watched him as his mouth greedily absorbed the meal. She hummed a response and took another bite, adding some extra chilli sauce to the dish.

"Oh, Donna," he said, his mouth half-full with noodles. "This is fantastique, molto bene! I didn't think food could taste like this! I lied when I said that I had eaten yesterday morning. It was two days ago! Ha!" His exclamations attracted attention from the other diners.

Donna spoke quietly in encouragement to keep his voice down. "I knew it. Is this a normal thing for you?"

He shovelled a handful of noodles into his mouth. "Well," he began, chewing, "It's complicated. I didn't need a lot of food before. Could go days without it."

She eyed him suspiciously. "That's not even human, Doctor! You could fall ill like that!"

He paused at Donna's remark. "Yeah," he replied softly. If she only knew… "Anyway, what did Pete tell you?" The Doctor poured some tea into her cup, then his and took a sip.

She wiped her mouth with a napkin and took a sip of her tea. "It was really weird, y'know. I already have a job and the Pete Tyler calls me to see 'im. Thought, no way, what the hell does he want with me when he could call on any of those Fortune 500 people? Offered me a competitive salary – three times as much as I make now – to run your schedule, look at your reports and the like. It's just wizard – two competitive positions in four years, s'like like my destiny! Everything converging."

At her last words, the Doctor choked on his tea. He coughed violently.

"Doctor, are you alright?"

He nodded. "Yeah, fine. Just swallowed wrong." That's rubbish, stupid ape responses. Stupid bloody gingerbread houses.

She waited until his coughing ceased before continuing. "I mean, who could resist the really private sector?" she gestured with quotation marks, knowing better than to discuss Torchwood in public. "What about you? You must be pretty important if the Director gives you a PA instead of a P45."

The Doctor winced. "I was important," he answered quietly. "But I'm a glorified errand boy. I identify artefacts that no one else can."

Donna frowned. "But that doesn't sound like you're unimportant. Quite the contrary, it sounds like. Mr. Tyler told me that you're some sort of physicist?"

His lips turned up briefly. "Something like that. Actually, I'm a doctor of everything, you might say. Temporal physics, biological systems, a little of column A, a little of column B. Though I work primarily in intergalactic astrophysics and astrobiology." He refused to say archaeology.

Her mouth dropped open in glee. She screamed silently. No WAY! she mouthed. You have seen ALIENS!

The Doctor smirked. Ah, his brilliant Donna. If she only knew… "Something like that."

"Well, then, Spaceman, it looks like those reports will be an interesting read."

Her excitement reflected in a dark, part-Time Lord ocular pool of awe and shame. He buried his head in his hands. Her life isn't worth it. He doesn't deserve a second chance."Donna, it's not that I don't like you. I just don't think this is a good idea. I'm…" he paused, collecting his thoughts. "I'm not a good person to be around. I'm rough, rude and not ginger. Look at me: I'm not important; I don't have family, friends, or a wife. Actually, I'm hoping to quit my job soon and travel. You know – maybe around the world." The Doctor gazed up and off into space, nodding to himself. "Yeah, that's what I'll do."

Donna raised an eyebrow and calmly sipped her tea. "Well, alright then. That's that. I can take no for an answer. But I have just one question."

The Doctor looked at her in reply, waiting.

"I think, since I did do you a favour by saving you from starvation, you should pay the bill."

"What?!" he demanded.

"Well, I think a free meal is sufficient compensation for wasting my time!" Donna bellowed, crossing her arms.

"Oi! Wasn't my idea, Red!"

"Oi! Don't call me Red, Spaceman!" She stood up and grabbed her purse. "Know what? The hell with you! Have a nice meal!"

As she proceeded past him, he gently touched her arm. "Wait, Donna. I – I'm not carrying any money," he murmured.

"Not my problem! I'm sure the coppers will understand."

The Doctor gawked at her. "You're seriously gonna leave me? After bloody dragging me here? To be nicked by coppers?"

Donna smiled. "Well, I could be persuaded otherwise."

His mouth dropped open. "You…You…You…This is extortion!"

She grinned. "So, do we have a deal, Doctor James Noble?"