A/N: there a little bit here just for tkelparis...
Part 2
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For Dr John Smith, life was alright. Not brilliant; just alright. As well as fulfilling. And about to get a little bit easier, once his promised administrator arrived.
Things could get rather hectic for a university lecturer far too quickly if you didn't keep on top of the paperwork. When you are dealing with the futures of students, you have to be mindful of the harm you could wrought by failing to cope with the workload. Especially with the end of year exams closely approaching. The CV forwarded by the employment agency made his new assistant sound extremely able to take over the task from Martha, a Ph.D. student and his previous assistant who had tried to step in for him.
Even Idris had informed him that it would all be better this time around, without any romantic complications, because they had requested an older replacement this time. So, he was expecting to see a middle-aged matronly figure when he entered the House of Gallifrey that afternoon. Was almost relying upon it, he realised.
However, two things happened when he walked into the common room and saw her for himself. His first reaction was pleasant surprise when he caught sight of a shapely pair of legs, then an hourglass figure closely hugged by a pencil skirt suit, and then upwards to a pretty face framed by long ginger hair. Which also happened to be a favourite of his, as it happens. In fact, he had long yearned to be ginger himself and had yet to muscle up the courage to dye his hair an appropriate shade.
His second reaction, when she stood to accept his offered hand to shake, was that she physically reminded him exactly of a woman he had met on the platform of Earls Court Station. Okay, 'met' was rather the wrong word to describe their encounter, but it would do for now.
A few days beforehand he had had to travel up to London to attend an exam board meeting. One of those routine jobs he had to do to maintain faculty required A level standards. Tiresome but necessary in academia. Anyway. He had been waiting on the platform for his train to arrive, and hardly noticed the passengers disembarking from a different train in front of him, when a man dressed all in black from pulled up hoodie to toe pushed passed him and a few other people; causing one person to be thrown forward towards the track.
Without consciously making the decision, John had lunged to grasp the person around the waist, managing to only just stop them from being hit in the head by the leaving train. He found out the person he'd rescued was a woman when she reacted to the unwelcome embrace.
"What the hell are you doing?!" she had automatically yelled, and only then at that point saw the fast departing train that had narrowly missed killing her. For a few seconds she stared at the disappearing last carriage, and then turned her head to regard him. "Oh, you saved me," she more softly remarked to John. "Thank you. I'd be dead if it weren't for your quick actions."
I'd rescue you any time you want, he wanted to reply as he gazed into her tender expression. But that wouldn't do so, having made sure she was stood up straight and okay, he released his hold on her body. "It was nothing," he modestly stated.
Obviously, she wasn't convinced. She had snorted her scorn before saying, "I don't think it was. Not all heroes wear capes." Smiling her sweetest smile at him, she murmured, "Thanks again, superhero. Next time I ever see you, we're having a drink to celebrate and I'm buying."
Unable to stop himself from grinning at her like an idiot, he replied, "I'd like that. Until next time, bye."
Of course, he'd never expected to actually get to see her again, and afterwards he had mentally kicked himself for not insisting that they go for that drink straight away. Yet here she was, standing before him, being metaphorically handed to him on a plate. And all he could do was stumble over his words like a prized div.
At least the other Doctors were on form to entertain her, and tea had been ordered. Although Idris had unusually been keen to provide it. Not like her, John considered, but then she had her enigmatic moments when you just didn't know what was going to happen next. It certainly pleased him to see how much everyone had welcomed his new assistant, for some unknown reason.
Once the initial shock of the meeting was over, he could sit back in his chair and watch Donna animatedly talk with the other Doctors. Even Dr T. Baker woke up long enough to chatter on about his memories of being in London. The old myth of the yeti appearing in the Underground was mentioned at one point, and the older men revelled in debating the probability of them being naturally adapted creatures.
It was all rather warming, John had to admit as he sat watched their interactions; until dinner was served.
-0-
Donna was overwhelmed by the formality of the meal that Idris had created to serve them all. The dining table was adorned with fresh linen, their best cutlery, and small flower posies.
She wanted to refer to Dr Smith to lead the way, but he seemed too coy to take command yet. Never mind. She'd earmark him for some personal attention later. Oh no! Not the 'come up and see my etchings' type of special attention, but the considered motivation provided by a good friend who gives moral support. That was her forte.
"Where shall I sit?" she'd wondered, appealing to the nearest Doctor to assign her a seat.
"By all means sit by me, my dear," Dr C. Baker had gushed, indicating a chair. "Dr Smith will have ample opportunity to monopolise your time in the coming weeks."
"That's it, between the two of us," Dr McCoy insisted, helping to pull out the same chair and guiding her to sit down next to them. "I'm sure Dr Smith won't mind just this once."
To add insult to injury, John found himself being smiled at whimsically by her. "Where do you normally sit, Dr Smith?" she asked.
"Well… I…" Before he could reply properly, let alone take the seat directly opposite her at the dining table, Dr McGann arrived in the room.
The best way to describe Dr McGann was as a handsome Byronesque man, clad in a dark green velvet jacket, and with a collar length hairstyle. He exuberantly greeted everyone and immediately took that dining chair as he was being introduced.
Now pushed to the side, John was unfortunately able to study every detail of Donna's reaction to the late arrival.
"You're Dr McGann," she gasped in admiration. "Blimey. You're nothing like I'd expected."
Inevitably, Dr McGann smiled broadly in delight. "Don't let these boyish good looks or excellent taste in clothing fool you, Donna," he schmoozed as their hands briefly touched. "As for my intelligence… My qualifications match my colleagues."
She blushed prettily under his scrutiny.
"Hard not to," Dr Eccleston commented to the side of them. His northern accent caught her attention. "Yes, I add some northern grit to this House," he continued. "As well as common sense."
"I may have lost most of my Scottish burr, but I have sense a-plenty," Dr McCoy stated.
Dr Eccleston dismissed that with a genial wave of his hand and carried on eating his meal.
"What about you, Donna?" Dr McGann gently asked, bringing the attention of the table back to her. "That's a beautiful name, by the way."
"Is it?" She blushed again, causing John to want to reach out and take her hand.
But he suppressed the action, and merely clasped his cutlery tighter instead. It wouldn't do to lose favour at this early stage.
To his side, Dr McGann briefly glanced at John and then smoothly carried on. "Donna. It is the name worthy of a goddess."
"That's a bit rich," she disparaged but when she lifted her eyes from the dinnerplate in front of her, seven pairs of warm eyes were regarding her with affection. Not your average daily meal occurrence at the best of times. "So," she began, desperate to change the subject, "what do you all teach? Are you in the same faculty?"
Taking it in turn, each man described the syllabus he covered within the sciences.
It was only later she realised that they spoke in the same order; the chronological order that they had entered the House of Gallifrey. Weird. It would have been in descending age order as well if it hadn't been for Dr Davison, who had originally arrived between the two Dr Bakers, and in his own words, had been an early genius.
Funnily enough, they all sort of spoke that way about their intelligence. There was no false modesty. No doubt their confidence was well founded too, otherwise the university wouldn't be so keen to retain them.
Yet it all made her feel ultra-thick, so she readily offered to carry used crockery to the kitchen and then help Idris wash up.
-0-
"I'll help," she brightly insisted, once she got as far as the sink.
"There's no need," Idris pleasantly insisted. "You're a guest here."
"Well, normally I'd accept that excuse," Donna countered, "but I'm living here now, so I ought to help you in some small way."
"Miss Noble," Idris uttered fondly. "That is kind of you, but I'm used to looking after my gentlemen. And they provide me with all mod cons to aid my work."
Donna looked around the kitchen, wondering when it would enter the twenty-first century in full. "Not sure I'd call a hot tap 'all mod cons' if you ask me."
But fortunately, Idris laughed in delight. "They exist, I assure you, but I like to hide them away otherwise they do nothing but gather dust. My gentlemen are very attentive where new machinery is concerned."
"I rather got that impression," Donna admitted, picking up a tea towel to defiantly dry some plates, "what with all the talk about engines, gadgets and devices. I understood the individual words, but what it all meant is anybody's guess. Well, anybody that isn't Professor Brainstorm. How do you cope with all that cleverness?"
"You get used to it," Idris confessed. "As long as I can serve them, I'm happy."
Donna was appalled. "But you are more than a servant."
"A lot more," Idris agreed. "My gentlemen saved me when I was abandoned. They found where I'd been left to die, brought me here, gave me a new purpose; gave me a life. I shall always be grateful for that. Whatever they want, I am willing to provide by looking after them. And other people come and help too. People like you."
"Well, you've got me here now, so expect some support from my direction," Donna vowed.
In that moment, Idris couldn't be happier if she tried. Helping the Doctors to choose this new woman as an assistant had been an exceedingly wise choice. "Very well, Miss Noble."
Placing a hand tenderly on the other woman's arm, Donna quietly begged, "Call me 'Donna', please."
Her eyes shone bright. "Very well, Donna," Idris tried out instead; and gained a beautiful smile. "Perhaps I can show you your room now, and then we'll have some tea before bedtime."
"I'd love that. Thank you."
A firm lasting friendship had been formed.
-0-