A/N: all I had to do was alter a couple of sentences, but it's taken me forever (hence the delay with the last chapter). Sorry about that.

Part Fourteen

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The Doctor caught up with Donna as she concentrated on adjusting a table decoration; in a room alone, apart from one large woman who carried out her task with her back to the room. Stewing wasn't her style, he knew that. Instead, Donna tended to blow, like a venting mini volcano, and then instantly return to normal. She looked outwardly calm but he could easily feel the angsty mood she was in flow out in his direction. All his attention was on Donna and not the soul helper who hadn't gone to lunch yet.

"Donna, love," he softly said to attract her attention. "It's okay. They don't think of you as some fishwife."

"Don't they?" she demanded as she swung round to look at him. "They must have been waiting for years to hear me trip myself up like that. All it took was one piece of fluff. To think I have tried so hard not to get angry in front of your family; and now I've gone and ruined it all, thanks to that jealous little tart you chose to run off with."

Wincing as guilt hit him yet again; he reached out and took possession of her hands to draw her closer. "I'm so sorry. I will never be able to say sorry enough about her and the way I behaved like a complete idiot. For what it's worth, I had no idea she would be here or do that. As for my family, no, you haven't ruined anything. You've fixed things, just like you always do," he insisted. "I'm not sure if you are aware of this, but they adore you."

She raised a disbelieving eyebrow. "Come off it!"

"It's true," he swore, suddenly stepping back as her hand was raised in the air to sweep her fringe out of the way. Well, you never know when a potential ex-wife wants to give you a decent slap during your efforts to win her back.

There was a yelp from behind him as he felt his foot hit something solid; something that was a someone, and a waft of perfume filled the air once the someone moved.

"I'm terribly sorry, madam, for stepping on your foot," he instantly apologised without looking properly, and then was taken aback when he gazed into the woman's eyes. "Roman?" he queried, ending on a squeal.

"Romana," she corrected, and frowned at him as she resisted rubbing her pained foot. "Since when have you been so heavy, dancing about on people's feet like that?"

"I er…," the Doctor faltered as several things from their past dropped into place. "Sorry. I almost didn't recognise you then. You've changed; quite a lot. How… how are you?"

Romana smiled; glad there was no rejecting anger from him. "Keeping busy, helping Donna here with some of her charity work."

"You've been helping Donna?" the Doctor wondered, waving a finger vaguely towards her. "So you er… you heard then?"

"I did. All of it," Romana sternly confirmed, staring at him. "And I'll warn you now; if you dare try out anything nasty on her I shall give The Sun an exclusive about our band days."

The Doctor anxiously fingered his collar as though it were suddenly too tight. "But we didn't do anything!"

"That's not what I shall tell them," Romana threatened. "All those shared hotel rooms we had together. That night in Preston."

"I was in bed with Donna, not you!" the Doctor squeaked in horror.

Giving Donna a sneaky wink, Romana retorted, "That's what you say. I shall say otherwise to The Sun. So keep that in mind, John, if you know what's good for you." She then gave Donna a quick kiss on the cheek and a reassuring hug. "I'll be in the conservatory if you need me."

"Thanks Romana," Donna responded; grinning despite herself as the Doctor still floundered. "So John… Why did you follow me out here?"

He cautiously watched Romana walk away. "To erm, to say something."

"Which was…?" she encouraged, and added in a circular hand motion to suggest he got on with it.

"Come back with me, to me," he hesitantly stammered out. "Roman. I mean Romana... It was all a bit of a shock for a moment. I was only expecting to see you," he stuttered. "I need to apologise for... After all this time. I don't even have her number." His face fell forlornly.

Donna moved forward, placing her hands on his upper arms in comfort. "It's okay. I have her number. You can phone any time you like."

"Oh Donna!" he gasped in relief, and cupped her cheek. "My beautiful Supertemp. What would I ever do without you? Can you see how lost I am without you. I've been such a fool to risk this."

She had barely got the words "Risk? What..?" out when he gently kissed her.

"We'll take this slow, you and me back together, just as you want," he offered. "Going out on dates, with the odd kiss here and there until you can trust me again."

There was a snort of scorn. "That might never happen, mate!" she warned.

"Then I'll die in the attempt," he quietly vowed, "because I love you, Donna Noble, and nothing can stop that happening." I really love you.

She felt her heart melt a bit, because it was exactly what she wanted to hear from him. Just shut up and get on with it.

The next kiss was inevitable, as was the next. Such sweet kisses given in tender love, promising many more, as he pushed her onto the edge of the table behind her, and her fingers worked their way upwards into his hair whilst one of his hands caressed a path onto her bottom.

"Ahem!" A polite cough was made before a blonde young gentleman spoke near them. "Lord and Lady Gallifreyan, Lord Sir Piers Pomfrey requests that you join him in his private dining room immediately."

The Doctor and Donna broke apart, feeling rather flushed after their tête-à-tête. "Thank you, Peters. We'll be right there, tell him."

Peters bowed respectfully, and then left them together alone.

"Slowly, whenever you are ready," the Doctor repeated, although he was obviously gagging for them to take things further.

"Then we'll start by having dinner together," Donna agreed, and smiled sweetly. Rose wasn't the only one who could get what she wanted.

He chivalrously kissed the back of her hand in glee and then led her out to face his family, knowing he could stay strong with her hand held within his.

~o~

It was the day of the wedding. Donna anxiously viewed herself in the bedroom mirror and smoothed her hands down the skirt of the dress she wore. Hmm. Would this do for a date that wasn't technically a date but really was if you squinted? She had told her children she was keeping her options open for the time being, since it felt a little bit reckless to admit she actually wanted to get back with their father.

The dress would do, she decided as she turned sideways and examined her reflection. Her bum didn't look too big, and the neckline wasn't too revealing, she was relieved to note. That had been one of her main worries when it came to actually wearing the dress rather than just trying it on in the shop. Fortunately she hadn't gone for the traditional mother-of-the-bride look, since that was Francine's prerogative. Instead she had chosen a blue coloured dress that complemented the shade of her eyes rather than fought against it, and the beaded necklace around her throat matched the ring of amber that surrounded her pupils perfectly. Locating the coordinating high heeled shoes she had also bought, she slipped them on and made for downstairs.

"Who are you trying to pull?" Ben greeted her appearance with the question.

It immediately knocked her confidence. "Is it too much? Do I need to go and change?" she fretted.

He let a slow mischievous grin spread across his face, making him resemble his father even more than usual. "You look lovely. I was only teasing. What time is the car getting here?"

"It should be here any second," she stated, turning to grab her handbag from the hall stand. "Where's Jenny? If she makes us late, I shall…"

"I'm here!" Jenny interrupted her mother's worrying, and she flounced down the stairs. "Will I do?"

"You look absolutely beautiful, darling," Donna enthused, adjusting a loose thread on the shoulder of Jenny's dress. Seeing her daughter in a flowery summer dress was a rare sight to behold, and she would make the most of it. "There's the car, so get your bum in gear."

"Such an endearing turn of phrase, mother dear," Ben mocked, tongue-in-cheek; and laughed with delight when she gave his arm a swipe.

~o~

They sat themselves down on the bride's side of the church, appropriately near the back since the place had filled quite quickly. It wasn't surprising that the Doctor wasn't there yet. When had he ever been on time for something? It was almost as if he did it deliberately. The man would be late for his own funeral.

A couple of seconds later, Donna felt someone tap her on the shoulder. Turning her head to query why they had done it, she was faced with a smug soon to be ex-estranged husband, if he played his cards right. "I got here," he whispered proudly. "Is it alright if I come and sit with you?"

Without waiting for a reply, he brought himself to the end of their pew and gestured for them to shove up.

"I'm not moving from the end," Jenny protested from where she had the aisle seat. "I want to get a good look at Martha's dress."

"Then I'll sit the other side of your mother," the Doctor grouched back, and indicated that they should let him in.

Sighing, both Jenny and Donna stood so that he could ease passed them, and Ben shuffled his bottom along on the wooden pew to give his father room to sit down. As he gained close proximity to her, the Doctor noticed what Donna was wearing and let out a low impressed whistle.

"Looking good, Mrs Noble," he almost leered at her as he deliberately pressed closer than he needed to in order to get passed her and into the gap Ben had left. "I've not seen this one before," he leaned into her personal space to whisper into her ear. "You can come again."

Don't start, she warned him silently. You're not supposed to act interested in here, remember?

His eyes travelled slowly down her body, resting briefly on her cleavage. Oh, I remember, he purred in her head. There are things about you I remember all too well.

So she hit his arm. Pack it in!

Shan't! He whimsically smiled at her. "And how's Ben?" he aimed towards his son beside him.

Ben raised his eyebrows in confusion. "Wondering what you two are playing at, and deciding that I don't want to know, thank you very much. But if you want to pay me off with a nice sum of money to look the other way, I'm sure we can work something out between us."

"Nice try," the Doctor said proudly, "but the answer is no."

"That's okay," Ben sighed. "I'll just sit here and think of the emotional damage you will cause me. At this rate I'll have to phone Childline."

"You're too old for their help, so don't even pretend you need them," Donna countered. "There's always Age Concern."

"How wizard!" Ben playfully griped. "My own mother goes and mocks me. I shall have serious abandonment issues, I'll have you know. The Child Support Agency will be most interested, and just you wait until Father Christmas hears of this."

"Leave Jeff out of this," the Doctor joined in. "It's bad enough that you'll have Peter hanging around you all this Christmas, without adding Jeff in as well."

Donna forced back a grimace. "Yeah, I have plans for Peter. He's promised to do me a very nice version of the dance of the seven veils."

"Ew!" Ben complained, scrunching up his face. "Did you have to give me that mental image? That's it; I'm definitely scarred for life now."

"Can't take the thought of Uncle Peter prancing about in his knickers, eh Ben?" Jenny teased, enjoying his look of disgust.

"That's enough," the Doctor sternly silenced them, much to their amusement. "Just turn around and see if Martha is there yet."

~o~