A few minutes later Jack, Donna, and the Doctor were walking back into the Doctor's TARDIS control room. The Archivist stood at the console looking over readouts on the screen. She smiled as they filed in. "Ah, everyone's back. Are we ready to go provide a proper explanation to Donna's betrothed and see if we can convince him to go on a few adventures?"
"What?" Donna asked in confusion.
The Archivist glanced between the Doctor and Donna. "I'm sorry, I just assumed—I thought you might like to travel with the Doctor again. And I thought you'd want Shaun to come along."
Donna couldn't seem to believe what she'd heard. "You mean—you really wouldn't have a problem with us tagging along with you two?"
"Of course not, Donna. It would be wonderful to share our travels with you and Shaun."
Donna approached the woman and pulled her into a hug. "It means so much to me that you'd say that."
"Brilliant! First stop—Chiswick. Second stop—Marrying my bride-to-be before any other crises tries to get in the way," the Doctor said as he flipped the proper switches on the console.
Several hours later, the Doctor, the Archivist, and Donna sat at the kitchen table in Sylvia Noble's house with Wilf, Sylvia, and most importantly—Shaun Temple.
"So, you're telling me—you've traveled around in space?"
"And time, yes," Donna said, carefully examining Shaun's face for his reaction.
The Doctor was watching just as carefully, as was the Archivist. Everyone around the table, really—Wilf and Sylvia included—was paying close attention to see how Shaun would react.
Shaun turned to the Doctor, eying him carefully. "Could I see this ship of yours, Doctor?"
The Doctor smiled. "It would be my pleasure, Shaun." Shaun stood first, and the rest followed him. As Shaun, Donna, and the Archivist started to follow the Doctor, he stopped and turned, running a hand nervously through his hair. Syvlia and Wilf were not far behind. "Um, Sylvia—it occurs to me, you've never seen the TARDIS either, the inside I mean... Would you—would you be interested? In seeing it?"
"Really, Doctor?" Sylvia questioned, wide-eyed.
"Yeah, really?" Donna asked as well, quite surprised by the Doctor's suggestion.
"Yes, well—um, just seems right," the Doctor said, still nervous. Archie was by his side already and reached to take his hand, giving it a gentle squeeze of encouragement. She was proud of him.
"I'd be honored, Doctor," Sylvia said in her own rare display of humility.
After they'd gotten through the initial shock of the size outside/inside size difference, the Doctor gave everyone present the full tour, then allowed the Archivist to take over and they received a tour of Libby as well. When Shaun saw the library of the the Doctor's TARDIS he had gotten excited, but when he saw Libby's he got downright giddy.
"This is amazing!" he said.
"Shaun is a writer," Sylvia spoke up. "He's really very good."
The Archivist grinned. "Oh really? I'm something of a writer myself."
"Oh really? What sort?"
"I've written fiction and non-fiction. We'll have to compare notes sometimes. I'd love to read some of your work."
"Oh, that would be great! I'd love to read your work, too."
As they all made their way back to the control room of the Doctor's TARDIS, he spoke up. "So, Donna…Shaun… Archie and I, we had an idea we wanted to run past you."
"Oh? What's that?" Shaun asked.
"Well, as we mentioned, we plan on performing the Gallifreyan marriage ceremony as soon as possible, which we'd like for all of you to be present for. Then we were going to go on a few adventures of our own. But—when we come back, well—I know you two were planning on a spring wedding, we thought we'd give you a bit more time here on Earth. You know, to get through planning and to your wedding date. We'd love to come back for it—that is, if we're invited—"
"Of course you're invited, Doctor!" Donna interrupted.
He grinned, and continued. "Yes well, we thought perhaps we could give you two a proper honeymoon. Anywhere you'd like—in time, space, on Earth or beyond."
Archie continued the Doctor's thought. "We could drop you off for a week or so, however long you like. All expenses paid, on us. Then—well, we were wondering if you'd like to travel with us for a more extended time."
Donna looked at her fiance, hoping beyond hope that he'd be excited about the idea, but trying not to show her anticipation. Shaun looked at Donna, then back to the Doctor. "You'd want me to travel with you, too?"
"Of course. We certainly wouldn't ask Donna back and not you, too. Shaun, if you're good enough for Donna Noble, then you're good enough for us. We'd love to have you along."
Shaun glanced between Donna and the Doctor, then down to the control room floor. After a few moments, he looked back to the Doctor. "Do we have to make the decision right now? I'd like some time to think about it and discuss it further with Donna."
"Of course, Shaun. There's plenty of time, you can discuss it and let us know anytime, even on the day of your wedding." Shaun nodded and Archie continued, "I do hope you'll do us the honor of attending our wedding?"
"Of course, yes," Shaun said.
"Well then, we'll need to drop you all off at home. We've got one more stop to make to visit and hopefully pick up an old companion of mine. We'll come back and pick you up before we head to the location we choose for the ceremony."