'I can't get her back! I can't!' the Doctor shouted, standing up again and glaring at Rose. 'I have told you not to mention her again!'
'Calm down!' Rose said, standing up as well. 'You said you could do anything, so you can do that as well!'
'I WILL NOT CALM DOWN, ROSE TYLER!' the Doctor bellowed, making Rose jump back.
'You are not thinking straight! I am sorry, I will not mention her again, but just think about it!' Rose said again, trying to make him calm down.
'Don't you think I have thought about that before? I am the one who took her memories! I can't give them back! She will die. Don't you understand?' the Doctor snapped.
'You have me back as well,' Rose said quietly.
'THAT IS DIFFERENT! YOU CAME BACK TO ME! SHE DOESN'T EVEN REMEMBER ME!' the Doctor shouted, his eyes blind with rage.
'What if we could find a way to bring her back? Together?' Rose proposed, but the Doctor didn't seem to listen. He kicked the nearest couched and threw some books away that had the misfortune to be in his reach on the wrong time.
'Don't talk about it! Don't you see what it does to me? You are making it worse, Rose. You have no idea. I want to see the universe burn. I want to see blood,' the Doctor growled, almost with an animalistic expression on his face.
It was hard for Rose to think of him as the Doctor right now.
'You need her, Doctor. If you really can do anything, then you need to get her back.'
'Don't you see it? She will die. And I just can't bear that! You will all die at some point, all human beings will leave me. You too, Rose. And I don't want that. And I can't do that to her myself. I can't murder her,' the Doctor said quietly, gripping the consoles too tightly so that his knuckles were white.
'But you can try…' Rose whispered.
Something in the Doctor's eyes changed. 'You are right. I can try. Even if I can't find a solution for her that could save her, at least then I have seen her before she dies of old age. At least then we have shared her last moment together. And then I will have to live with the guilt. Because I couldn't save her. Is that worth it?' the Doctor asked, trying to control his voice.
Rose nodded hesitantly. If Donna was really the person who could help the Doctor, then it was worth it. The universe was more important than the life of just one woman. Not that she was going to tell the Doctor that, she obviously meant much to him and Rose was not going to say anything bad about her.
'I only have ideas to save her. I might kill her. I don't know if I can do that, if I can handle that,' the Doctor said.
'I think you should try it. I think you need her,' Rose said quietly.
'You are right. I should try it. I will not fail. I will win. If I want her to live, then she will live. My enemies can wait, I have got time,' the Doctor smiled, his eyes twinkling in anticipation.
'I'll come with you,' Rose said.
'No. You stay here. I need to do this alone, you'll be safe here,' the Doctor said, not leaving any space for arguing.
'And how do I know that you won't walk away with this woman? I need to keep an eye on you, Time Lord,' Rose said.
Clearly the Doctor didn't find it funny at all. 'You should know better. I would never leave you for someone else. Donna and I never were like that. It is hard to explain, I just… love her… as a friend.'
'I was joking, Doctor. Don't worry, I believe you,' Rose smiled.
She hoped that the Doctor would be able to rescue his friend, to keep her alive. Because Rose didn't want to know what was going to happen if he lost someone else who is so important to him. Maybe he would fall into madness, just like when he thought he had lost Rose.
'I will be back before you know it,' the Doctor said, giving her a kiss on her forehead.
He landed the TARDIS in Chiswick in London and he stepped outside. He knew exactly where he had to be. He knew that she had moved to a small flat, her granddad had told him during their last meeting. He had thought he would never see her again in his entire life, but that was then. He could at least try to get her back, she had begged him to let her stay. So who was he to take away her memories? If she wanted to stay, fine. She knows what the risk is. But he wouldn't let that happen, he would do anything to keep her with him this time. Maybe it was selfish, but now that he had found Rose, he certainly could bring Donna back as well.
The Doctor walked to the door of the flat, looking for Donna's name on the wall with doorbells. But he couldn't find her name. So she either had moved again, or she was married now. He checked again, but there was no nameplate that said Noble. She wasn't there. The Doctor hit the wall in frustration. He should have used the TARDIS to track her address first.
'Excuse me,' the Doctor asked a random man who was just about to enter the flat. 'I am looking for Donna Noble, do you know where she lives?'
The man thought for a moment and then he shook his head. 'No, sorry, mate. No Donna Noble. I do know someone here with the name Donna Temple.'
'You do? Is she… married?' the Doctor asked.
'Yes, she is, nice person, lovely couple. Why do you ask? Is she the Donna you are looking for?' the man asked.
'I don't know, maybe. I'll try the number, thanks,' the Doctor smiled and he looked for the name 'Temple' on the nameplates.
He found indeed a plate that said 'S. Temple', and he pressed the button. Maybe Donna was indeed married in the time he had been gone.
'Yes?' a male voice asked in the intercom.
'Hello. I am the Doctor. Does Donna Noble live here?' the Doctor asked.
'Ah! The Doctor! Yes, come up, I'll open the door. Sixth floor,' the man said through the intercom and the door opened.
The Doctor frowned at that. Surely he didn't know that man who was talking to him. Then why was that man so happy to hear him and so eager to let him in? He entered the building and immediately took the stairs to the sixth floor. Elevators were too slow for him. The door to number 72, where the nameplate 'Temple' was, was already open. The Doctor entered the apartment and he looked around, when a entered the hall.
'You are the doctor? My wife is in the bedroom, not so well. If you could follow me?' the man said.
The Doctor frowned again.
'Oh, I am sorry. Of course. My name is Shaun Temple. I'm sorry, I'm just a bit worried about Donna, that's all,' Shaun smiled.
'What's wrong with her?' the Doctor asked worried.
'I've told you on the phone… A fever, her temperature is higher than it should be. Higher than a normal fever,' Shaun answered.
'You didn't phone me. I don't even have a phone,' the Doctor said suspiciously, but then he knew what was going on. 'Oh! You think I am a Doctor?'
'Of course, that's why I called you,' Shaun frowned.
'No, I am not a medical Doctor. I am the Doctor. And I am here to see Donna,' the Doctor said. 'What did you say about fever?'
The Doctor didn't wait for an answer, he passed Shaun and walked into the living room.
'She… she… her temperature is impossibly high,' Shaun said. 'But… who are you? Are you a friend of Donna's?
'Yes. Which way is her room?' the Doctor asked.
'Whoa! I don't even know you! You are not getting anywhere near her before you have told me your name! If you are not a medical doctor, then you will stay away from her!' Shaun said, somewhat indignantly.
'This way?' the Doctor asked and he opened a door, completely ignoring Shaun.
'Don't!' Shaun yelled and he pulled the Doctor back before he could enter the room.
The Doctor yanked his arm back and he glared at Shaun.
'Who do you think you are? I don't have that much patience right now, don't put me to the test. Best for you to stay there and let me check on Donna,' the Doctor said.
'Who are you?' Shaun insisted.
'I've told you. The Doctor. Donna's friend. Her best friend,' the Doctor said, relatively calm.
'She never mentioned you. I don't believe you. I'll ask her about you myself later, when she gets better. You can go away now and leave her alone,' Shaun said.
'You are irritating me. Step back from that door. Now,' the Doctor said softly.
His eyes should've warned Shaun. The warning he was giving him should make Shaun realize that he had to step away from that door. But Shaun didn't get the hint.
'Leave my house,' Shaun growled, not knowing what he was up against.
'What if I tell you,' the Doctor began very calmly, but his body language was already giving signs of annoyance. 'That I am a very powerful alien from outer space, who can control time, who can control humans and who can do whatever he pleases… Would you still block me the way then?'
'Get. Out,' Shaun ordered, not buying that nonsense for one second.
'I am not human,' the Doctor said, taking a step closer, 'I can crush little insects like you. I can make you run away in fear. I have made species run that are much braver than the human race. And right now, I do have the strong desire to crush you, I want to break you so badly… You are not doing the wise thing right now…'
'Don't try to intimidate me. You will not get anywhere near Donna. She is my wife and I will make sure you don't get to touch her,' Shaun said, glaring back at the Doctor.
The Doctor couldn't take it any longer, he had given enough warnings and that stupid ape just kept standing in his way. He grabbed Shaun by his throat and pushed him against the door, lifting him from the ground slightly.
'Don't you dare to talk to me like that. As if I am your equal. As if you can challenge me. I have lost Donna a long time ago, and I am here to get her back. I will make her remember me. And you,' the Time Lord growled, tightening his grip, 'you will stay out of my way if you value your life.'
'Let me… go!' Shaun protested, kicking around in the hope to get free.
'Then don't make me angry.'
'Let me go!'
'What's the magic word?' the Doctor asked, knowing very well that he was blocking the man's airway.
'P-please!' Shaun choked and the Doctor let him go.
'Don't try to provoke me again. I can be very dangerous when I want to be… Just do as you are told and leave me and Donna alone, alright,' the Doctor said with a warning edge in his voice.
'You will not… touch her… I will… stop you,' Shaun breathed.
'How cute. You will not stop me. You are human, I am a Time Lord. I outsmart you in every way.'
'Time Lord?'
'See it like this. I am God, you are dust. Now stay back before I do something you might regret,' the Doctor said, his hand on the door handle again.
'That's quite arrogant, calling yourself a God,' Shaun said, but he didn't try to stop the Doctor anymore.
'Donna?' the Doctor asked softly, not paying attention to Shaun at all. 'Donna? It's me, the Doctor.'
Donna was on her bed, looking at him with watery eyes. She was just like he remembered her, only she looked very weak now.
'What is her temperature?' the Doctor asked.
'45C,' came the answer from Shaun.
'Donna… I am here, the Doctor is here… What's wrong? Can you tell me that?' the Doctor asked gently, stroking her forehead.
Donna didn't answer him, instead she cried out in pain and she got away from his touch.
'Remember me, Donna! Do you recognize me? Please… I want you to remember me…' the Doctor said, now placing his hands on her temples in the hope that he could find out what was wrong with her. Humans shouldn't have a temperature of 45C.
'Calm down,' the Doctor soothed when Donna started struggling and he looked inside her mind for a cause for her high temperature.
'What are you doing? Don't you see that she is in pain?' Shaun said angrily.
'Shh. I am looking for the reason why she has fever. Her mind is very fragile, something must have happened to her that caused her this temperature,' the Doctor whispered, more to himself.
He felt that Donna was relaxing under his touch. She felt him inside her mind and she started to recognize him slowly. But before she could actually say something, she passed out.
The Doctor pulled his hands away from her temples and he got to his feet, slowly turning around to face Shaun. His eyes were raging with anger.
'Something happened to her that caused her mind to panic. She is hurt. And I want you to tell me exactly, in detail, why she is hurt,' the Doctor growled, driving Shaun into a corner, making the man shrink. 'And I am warning you; do not lie to me. Tell me what happened before I kill you. Hurting Donna is a very bad thing to do… and you don't want to be on my bad side… What. Happened?'