Disclaimer: Doctor Who belongs to BBC. No infringement is intended.

Gravitational Pull (a companion piece to Oi! Eyes! – Again, a little more shipper-leaning that what was done on the show. But not too much.)

Believing it was safe enough to stop, the Doctor held his hand up. Beside him, Donna practically doubled over, heaving in gasps of air. He looked back in the direction they'd just escaped from, nodding in satisfaction.

"We lost them," he said, breathless.

Straightening, Donna followed his gaze and took in another large breath. "Yeah, it looks like it," she agreed. Turning around, she peered into the opposite direction. "Where is the TARDIS?"

The Doctor groaned and spun on the spot. "Another couple of miles away."

Donna's shoulders slumped. "Great," she said before unceremoniously plopping onto the sand. "Just give me five minutes."

A breeze chased over them, and the Doctor shivered. Catching it, Donna clucked her tongue. "You're soaked."

"I'll be all right," he said dismissively, turning to study her. "Are you okay? Did they hurt you?"

"I'm fine." Donna offered a small smile. "Sorry you fell into the water."

"Better me than you," he said, shivering again.

"Don't you have a change of clothes or something in those pockets?"

"No, I…OH!" the Doctor exclaimed, jumping up. "Not exactly a full change, but it will do!" He searched around and produced a light t-shirt and a thin pair of trousers. He beamed at her. "You are brilliant. You know that?"

Donna rolled her eyes. "Please." She gave the tiny garments a dubious glare. "They won't do you much good."

He paused in removing his suit jacket. "Nonsense!" he scoffed. "This will be enough. Better than these wet things."

She reached for the jacket and peered into the bottomless pit of his one pocket. "No trainers?"

Shaking his head, he started to unbutton his shirt.

"Whoah!" Donna shrieked.

"What? What's wrong?" he asked.

Avoiding the skin exposed by his slightly open shirt, Donna gestured to a small gathering of thin trees. "You're skinny enough to hide behind them," she declared. "Go change and I'll keep guard.

He gave her a side smile. "Donna Noble, I thank you for protecting my honor," he said.

"Oh shove off," she muttered, pointedly looking in the opposite direction.

Alone, Donna gazed off across the open ocean before her. It was slightly disconcerting to be on a gorgeous beach with no one else around, but she welcomed the solitude after being chased by a mad tribe intent on having a Doctor and Donna Noble banquet.

Sighing in bemusement, Donna turned to the sound of a light melody being carried on the wind. It was a tune the Doctor usually hummed while he was fussing with the controls, and she found it oddly comforting.

She glanced over in his direction and instantly turned back, mortified. The Doctor had apparently found a towel, and he had stripped down… to nothing!?

Her cheeks warming, Donna inhaled slowly, trying not to think of the naked Time Lord just twenty feet behind her.

He was just a skinny streak of nothing. Much too thin, and he had way too much nervous energy. And his hair was always standing all over the place. Donna smirked. She kind of liked how it did that. Like it was mocking any and all planets' gravitational pull. It was so, well, alien.

She frowned. Alien. What else was different about him? She knew he had two hearts and was centuries old. But what else…

No, Donna. Don't violate his privacy like that. She sat up straighter and stared hard at a pale purple cloud lazily moving across the sky, not noticing how her thoughts drifted along with it.

He was shockingly strong, considering his slight build. And that little hint of hair on his chest made her wonder if that had led to more…

A different sort of pull slowly forced Donna around again. As if spellbound, she stared at him, amazed that he didn't look all that different after all. Her pulse did a funny jump as he ran his hand through his hair.

The Doctor was drying off his arms. Arms that were more defined than she would have thought. He turned away, and Donna watched his back muscles twitch in the lacy shadows cast by the leaves. He placed a hand against one of the trees for balance. His hands were one of her favorite mysteries about him. They danced around the TARDIS console with the mad speed of a concert pianist. And when they wrapped a bandage around an inevitable wound she'd get on their latest adventure, they were nothing but gentle and light.

Her eyes drifted a little lower as he bent over, the tree blocking out anything she should not be seeing. In the back of her mind, she chided herself for wanting to.

He turned quickly, always too quickly, and Donna gasped, spinning so fast she almost fell over.

"Donna Noble, you ought to be ashamed of yourself," she said aloud into the sea, anger flushing her skin. She crossed her arms over her chest and pressed her lips together so tightly, it was almost painful.

Soon, the sound of shuffling feet walking toward her joined the soft hush of the rolling waves. She peered up at the Doctor standing above her. He looked more comfortable and even more energetic, if that was possible.

He held a hand out to her. "Ready?" he asked, his eyes dancing.

Accepting, she placed her hand in his. When he didn't release her, she looked up.

"What?"

He paused, considering his words. "Are you okay?"

Shrugging, she yanked her hand free. "Yeah, I'm fine, thanks," she said. Shaking her hair away, she smiled. "Onwards?"

Still studying her, he opened his mouth as if to say something but then immediately closed it. He smiled kindly.

Donna swallowed, feeling the color drain from her face. "Doctor?"

He offered his arm. "Onwards!" he repeated. When she laced her hand through, he patted her arm. "I'll make you a nice cuppa when we get back."