Part 10
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Jenny took her used plate over to Donna at the table in the dining room where the cake stand was situated, and hoarsely whispered, "Why does he keep looking at me like that?"
"Like what?" Puzzled, Donna turned to see what Drew was doing at that precise moment and saw him dreamily watching Jenny as he tried to balance a teacup and a plateful of cake in his hands. "Looks like any normal boy who's fallen in love, to me," she quietly noted as she returned her gaze back to her task of finishing cutting up the large Victoria sponge Idris had created for afternoon tea.
Jenny's nostrils flared. "He can't be in love with me. We've only just met, for goodness sake!"
"For some people it's instant," Donna reasoned. "You were like that with Brendon Walsh."
"That's different," Jenny protested. "He was all…."
"Handsome? Arrogant? A complete prat?" Donna suggested. "He was certainly all that. Drew isn't bad looking. A little bit of a nerd, but that doesn't make him a bad person so give him a chance before you totally dismiss him."
"You're just saying that because you want to keep in with… Hello John," Jenny brightly greeted him as he approached the table. A bit too brightly. "We've saved you some cake."
He eyed her cautiously; but took the offered plate from her hand. "Thank you. Did you make this?"
"No, it's one of Idris' special recipes," she answered. "But I did the jam and cream filling."
"Idris closely supervised her, so you can eat it without worrying," Donna added. "It's the first time Jenny has ever made jam."
"Is it? Well done," he enthused, and took a bite using his cake fork. "Mmm, lovely. Have you tried this yet, Drew?"
As Drew tried to gulp something down in order to answer, Dr Eccleston spoke for him. "We all have. It's very nice. Drew is on his third helping."
"Third?" John queried in disbelief.
"He's a growing lad. After all that nanny food at his posh school he could do with some decent grub," Dr Eccleston replied.
"We had awful food at my school," Dr McCoy commented, sighing in remembrance. "Lots of mushy vegetables with grey meat. Thank goodness Idris is more than a decent cook."
"Yes, you look as though you're half starved, old man," Dr C. Baker teased. "School meals were certainly a challenge."
"Do you remember the porridge they served up for breakfast?" Dr Davison wondered.
"Ugh! Don't remind me." Dr McCoy shuddered.
"Nothing more than pig swill," Dr Eccleston added in disgust. "Is it any better these days?"
"A little bit," Drew allowed. "Puddings tend to be good."
There were moans of agreement.
"Now you're talking," Dr C. Baker put in. "I can still taste the college pudding."
"Men and their stomachs. That's all they think about," Idris commented as she brought in fresh tea on a trolley used for the job. "Thanks to young Master Drew helping me out this afternoon, we'll be having mixed vegetable soup, served with freshly made crusty bread for dinner tonight."
"You did all that?" John asked Drew.
In reply, he shrugged modestly. "Just some peeling, chopping and kneading. You know the sort of thing."
"He's a natural, and a very fast learner," Idris indulgently boasted. "The bread is still proving but it looks promising." She shared a pleased smile with the lad before bustling about handing out tea.
John was gobsmacked. "He's never done this before," he shared with Donna. "Wonders will never cease."
"Told you," she whispered back in triumph. "Jenny was in the kitchen at the same time, so he was obviously out to impress her or just stay close by. Now, go show him how pleased you are. It'll make a world of difference to him."
"Surely not," he blustered. "My opinion isn't that important to him. Not as much as his school pals."
"I won't say this often to you," she began, deliberately touching his arm in emphasis, "but you're wrong. So, go and do your big brother act properly and make his day. He's worked really hard this afternoon and he deserves some praise."
How could he resist such reasoning from her, of all people? "Very well."
Feeling rather proud for her new foundling, she happily let John walk away to sit by his youngest brother.
-0-
With a decisive air, John placed his used cup down onto the nearest coffee table and then began to stand up. "See you later," he quietly threw at his brother.
"Why? Where are you off to? I've only just got here and you're leaving me on my own already," Drew questioned with a pout.
"I'm not abandoning you, but…" John sneaked a glance at the two women across the room. "We erm…. We have a sort of date arranged. I need to talk to her."
"You've got a date with Jenny," Drew forlornly reasoned and bit down on his disappointment. Just his luck!
But to his astonishment, John merely glared at him.
"No, Jenny is my student. Potential student," John corrected. "I need a word with Donna."
"Oh." Still puzzled, Drew watched his brother cross the room to strike up an intimate conversation with the woman who had teased him earlier, sharing meaningful but tiny smiles as they talked with ease.
Taking her opportunity, Jenny nabbed the only available empty comfortable chair in the room, that just so happened to be next to her latest admirer. It was worth the risk considering she felt more than knackered after her long day. She was sure she could dissuade any unwanted attention from him, if need be.
Spotting her there beside him, Drew leaned closer. "Erm... Jenny, can I ask you something?" Drew cagily wondered.
"What," Jenny snapped back, and readied herself to reject him with no uncertain ceremony. "What is it?"
He flinched at her ferocity. "I was only going to ask about them." He faintly pointed towards where his brother stood chatting with Donna. "Do they always do that?"
"Do what?" Jenny turned her head to see what he meant. "Oh, them. Yes, quite a lot but not all the time. You almost get rather bored of it in the end."
As John dipped his ear closer to Donna for her to whisper something to him, Drew continued, "Does it actually mean anything? I mean, they act friendly, but it could be them practicing on each other."
"It's John's fault, if you ask me," Jenny commented. When Drew's eyebrows shot up in surprise, she explained, "He does this whole 'nicey-nicey' thing, so Donna reacts well, he starts flirting, she flirts right back, and he sort of steps away from her and leaves things hanging in the air as if he regrets ever bothering. This dance can go on for ages. Personally, I think it's cruel of him."
Huffing a laugh, Drew teased, "Anyone would think she's actually interested in him to hear you talk."
Jenny frowned in disgust at him. "You think!"
"You mean she really does," he quickly tried to backtrack, "but that'd be…." His words withered away as his thoughts lost motion.
"Yes, it is," she sternly confirmed, "so don't go spreading it about."
"No, you don't understand. I'm not trying to belittle her. It's just that John has never looked that comfortable with a woman," he replied, and scratched his head. "Been arrogant and rather smug, now I think about it, but they look… and I might regret saying this, but they really do look like an old married couple. Well, almost. You know. Comfortable with each other. Is it wrong to say that?"
"You're not the first to say that to me. Quite a few of the students still on campus have asked me if they are married," she supplied. "I thought it was just the similar age thing, but watching them together, I see what you mean. It's like there's an invisible cord between them."
"Weird, huh?"
"Very," she agreed.
"Would make us sort of in-laws," he teased. "You and me."
"Shut up," she warned; but there was no fire in her words. Merely laughter.
-0-
Dr T. Baker suddenly rose from his chair and loudly banged his walking stick on the floor. Having instantly gained everybody's attention, he announced in a clear tone, "Gentlemen, there will be a meeting of the House of Gallifrey Council in thirty minutes. I suggest you use this time to get ready."
He then majestically shuffled out, but Donna's concern was John's trembling hands. She reached out to quell his rising panic. "Why are you having a special meeting?" she softly asked.
He gulped. "I'm afraid our walk to the lake will have to be postponed. It seems the Council will be discussing me slightly sooner than I had anticipated."
"What on earth have you done wrong?" she demanded.
His tender gaze was almost her undoing. "I invited a beautiful woman into my bedroom and was caught out when she was leaving. If they decide against me, I will leave this House."
"What! But…"
He interrupted her shocked reaction by bringing a hand up to caress her cheek. "Whatever happens, I promise you won't lose your job, and I will find a way for us to continue to be together," he calmly vowed. "Forgive me for leaving you like this, but I cannot say more until I know their decision."
With one last tender rub with his thumb across her skin, he released his hold and went to prepare himself for the council's meeting by dressing appropriately.
"Where are they all going?" Jenny wondered, seeing just the four of them left in the room.
Donna was stunned, and Drew shrugged his shoulders, trying to pretend he had no idea. But an answer was given by Idris. "They have been summoned," she stated grandly. "An important decision is about to be made."
Confused, Jenny asked, "About what?"
"We shall know before the evening is over." Idris could guess what it was about, but she faithfully said nothing. "While we wait, you can help me finish preparing dinner."
The two teenagers were only too willing to help to avoid the gloom laden atmosphere that had suddenly descended on the common room. But it took a few minutes for Donna to move.
Her thoughts kept going back to John and leaving the House of Gallifrey. Was he implying that she go with him? Or was it only her stupid heart seeing that declaration in his eyes?
Only time would tell.
-0-
All the seven Doctors were meeting in council to discuss John's problems. In a high vaulted room down in the part of the house that used to be occupied by busy servants, they wore different formal gowns to the ones they had worn to the recent graduation ceremony. These ones had huge, elaborate collars, were coloured dark red lined with gold thread, but they had resisted donning the matching skull caps in the heat of the night.
On the floor was a circular symbol that looked like a huge bubble painting, but its significance to the men assembled was much deeper than some frivolous artwork. It represented their long-lost religion and home; marking them out as former refugees within the academic community. Around the inner edge of the circle were seven padded chairs.
"Gentlemen, if we could begin," Dr T. Baker announced the commencement of their council meeting, having checked they were all seated upon the circle. "We are here to consider the current situation of our brother: Dr John Smith."
All heads turned to look at him, and John nervously fiddled with the edge of his collar. This was his moment to speak.
"Members of the House of Gallifrey, I have come before you to gain permission to follow my heart," he steadily declared. "In the last few weeks my feelings for Miss Donna Noble have deepened, and I would like to commit to a more meaningful relationship than Doctor and assistant. To extend our friendship to a full partnership."
There were several "Hmm"s before Dr C. Baker spoke his pressing question. "We can all understand being fond of these people. Most of them make remarkable assistants, but why choose one of them to fall in love with?"
"You do not appreciate how lonely it is out there when you travel beyond this House," Dr Eccleston countered. "Sometimes you need to create a family to console yourself with."
"But we are your family," Dr Davison pointed out. "There is no need to substitute us."
"And yet our number is much lower than it once was," Dr McCoy sadly voiced. "We still feel their loss."
Sighs of agreement met this statement.
"Did not Dr Smith once develop an affection for your former assistant, Dr Eccleston?" Dr McGann queried. "And I myself have felt such a bond in the past with an assistant. It is not beyond our reason to consider such a relationship."
"Neither of which lasted," Dr McCoy tried not to cruelly comment. "In fact, dear boy, why have your affections flipped?" he aimed at John.
"It was not a conscious choice," John truthfully answered. "Donna came into my life like a breath of fresh air and I had started to fall for her before I was even aware of my feelings."
"The night I saw her leaving your room, clad in her sleeping attire, was of significance, I assume?" Dr Davison wondered.
"It was." John blushed. "I found out that our feelings were mutual, through a simple gesture."
"What about Rose?" Dr Eccleston pressed. "What happened with her?"
"During her time away from me, from all of us, she found somebody new to love," John supplied.
"Who?" Inevitably, Dr Eccleston could not envisage Rose ever loving a man in the same way as the Doctor.
"My… my erm," John stuttered, "my brother Matthew. Dr Matt Smith."
"What! The arrangement was for him to replace me," Dr Davison blurted in horror. "Such a relationship would affect his placement here."
"This cannot be allowed," Dr C. Baker insisted. "Not here in this House, together." His eyes then turned sympathetically onto John. "We will reconsider his position, should you wish."
"They are not married, to my knowledge, as yet," John carefully considered. "But it is not my place to deny my brother the academic position he was earmarked for."
"This is another matter entirely," Dr T. Baker determined, "and we need to give Dr John Smith an indication of our decision."
John held up a finger. "Just a quick question, do you have any objections against Donna herself?"
"No. No, I don't think we do."
"She is most amiable. And highly skilled in her job."
"Idris loves her company. I've never seen her form such a strong attachment before."
"Young Drew seems most impressed. With Donna and her sister Jenny."
"So, you all approve of her personally?" John sought to confirm.
"Of course. She has been a welcome addition in our lives."
Hearing this from the other Doctors gave John new hope. "Then you'll understand if I need to take the step to leave the House of Gallifrey should you reject our relationship. As you say, their lives are different to ours. Their lifespan is fleeting compared to ours and I don't want to miss this chance to be happy, even if it is for such a brief time."
"You cannot consider such a drastic change!"
"I have, and I will, if necessary. You can let me know if I need to pack later. Until then, good evening gentlemen." John stood up and walked out. Much calmer than he had anticipated he would, but in the end, the action had been an easy one.
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