Inspired by a prompt on tumblr

Imagine Person A being abducted by aliens and Person B must rescue them.

Clever

"If I see any cannibals sharpening up their knives, that Martian is on his own," Donna grumbled.

Slowly, she crept down the cave (of course it was a cave!), the red glow making her palms sweat and her heart beat faster. It was damp and warm, and smelled of still water. In the distance, she could hear voices, and she wasn't sure if she was grateful or terrified the TARDIS translator was still working. She couldn't hear exactly, but she could make out words like "suffer" and "abomination."

One thing she didn't hear, and it was making her terror grow with every second in its absence, was that high pitched, goofy voice of the Doctor. She didn't want to admit how desperately she needed it.

"Stupid alien!" she hissed, taking a few more tentative steps. Leave it to the daft Time Lord to walk right into an ambush, filled with the naiveté to think the aliens that looked like reptiles and had horns on their heads were perfectly genial. Donna knew better. If they looked like snakes and hissed like snakes, they were definitely not friendly. And now that silly Martian had gotten himself captured and it was all up to her to save his sorry behind. If she knew how to fly the TARDIS, she had half a mind to leave him there.

But of course she couldn't do that. And she knew the Doctor wouldn't leave her alone to fend for herself. He would have thought of a very clever way to save her.

Donna Noble may not be as clever as the Doctor, but she could work herself out of this. And she was annoyed and scared; that was worth something.

She reached the end of the passage, and heart hammering in her chest, dared to peak around the corner. She felt herself nearly deflate with relief. Standing next to three aliens, his hands in his trench coat pockets and looking as casual as discussing the weather, the Doctor swayed on his heels, his face calm and serious yet still kind of playful. So things hadn't gotten too out of hand yet.

"I'm gonna kill him," Donna whispered. She glanced at her immediate surroundings, hoping to find things she could hide behind until she got close enough. Or find something to catch the Doctor's attention. Or maybe she should…

The Doctor's head twitched, and Donna watched him place his hand on his neck. "Well, what I'm saying is…"

Donna sighed and glanced around. The lighting certainly was dim, and Donna glanced next to her at a long cable extending to the ceiling, roof, whatever it was. It looked like there was a huge hatch at the top, and the cable could open it with a tug.

"You don't need to keep me here while you're just taking…"

Donna turned around, the Doctor's voice getting higher in pitch, if that was possible. Two of the three snake-guards were holding what looked like strange laser-guns at him, and the Doctor had started to wave his hands in the air. If he got shot, that would be the end of them.

"Oh, time's up, Time Boy," Donna spat and stood straighter. She was scared and angry, and she'd had enough of this. Why couldn't this Spaceman take her someplace peaceful!? Before she could think another thought, she squared her shoulders and stormed toward the action.

The Doctor noticed her first. A mixture of fear and amusement crossed his face.

"Okay, party's over, Slytherin!" Donna said. "This man promised me a light show somewhere on this planet, and I think we took a wrong turn."

The only way to describe all three aliens was dumbfounded. The just stood there, their eyes doing a strange filtering thing. Donna guessed it was blinking.

The Doctor became slightly more serious, now that Donna was so close to his captors. He stepped toward her and offered a smile - perhaps it was too toothy. "And I will do just that, Donna, but I'd trying to persuade my friends here to simply let me off on my way."

"Well, let's get to it. I'm tried of waiting," Donna said, her heart hammering. She dared risk a look at the tallest of the three aliens.

He'd seemed to recover and his tongue lashed out. It made Donna jump. It really did spit out like a snakes!

"You two must stay - "

"No, I really don't think we're going to," the Doctor said. "You see, we've had a very nice chat, and I've learned all about your water whatever-it is, and because it doesn't seem to be a problem for the other species on your planet, then I think we can carry on as old chums and we'll be on our way." The Doctor pushed forward, and Donna instinctively took his hand.

"No!" the tallest alien said. The other two stood closer, blocking their way. "You have seen our lair. We cannot allow you to leave."

"OH bloomin' hell…of course they're calling it a lair," Donna said.

"It is our way," the other said, his eyes flickering again.

It was at that moment that Donna realized, just like all snakes, these creatures had no eyelids. They didn't blink. Donna smiled and reached into her pocket.

The Doctor's hands were raised, and he was going on and on, trying to talk his way out of their situation. He meant well, but Donna had a much more immediately idea.

"I know you want us to stay forever, but I'd rather just take a picture," she said and pulled out her mobile phone. Expertly, she pressed the camera feature and started to press the button as fast as her thumb would allow. The mobile's flash immediately lit the dull red cave with lightning-bright strikes. The leader snake hissed and stepped back, disoriented. Donna quickly turned and flashed at the other two. "Smile!" she shouted. Quickly, they too, tucked down in pain.

The Doctor still had his hands in the air, his eyes wide and his mouth agape. But Donna didn't have time for reactions. She seized his hand again. "Let's go!" she shouted and started to run toward the entrance.

As they approached, Donna could her shouts for more guards. She noticed that latch that let up to the ceiling. She turned and pointed at it. An idea instantly came to her.

"Zap that!" she told the Doctor.

He frowned. "What?"

She waved urgently. "That latch! Zap it with your sonic screwdriver!"

Not questioning, the Doctor's hand rose and over the roar of hundreds of angry approaching snake soldiers, the screwdriver's telltale buzzing made Donna oddly secure. The latch wiggled and soon lowered with a clunk, and almost immediately, the room was flooded in near-white sunlight. The snake-guards screeched, and for a split second, Donna thought she'd made them burn away like vampires or something, and she felt a ping of guilt. She was about to risk a turn back, but the Doctor pushed her forward.

His smile was as bright as the sun. "That was brilliant!" he shouted.

The shouting started to become less agonized and more outraged. Donna and the Doctor bolted toward the cave's entrance. Donna's side was starting to tighten, but she surged ahead, nearly crying with relief as the TARDIS's unmistakable blue hue came into sight.

"Snap your fingers!" she shouted, but the Doctor's arm was already extended, and the door swung open, as if it was beckoning them to hurry.

Donna almost dropped onto the gated floor when she finally made it inside. The engines were revving with a sort of urgency, and the Doctor all but flew to the controls, pulling random levers and switches and soon, the time machine lurched.

The Doctor whooped in release, spinning on his heel with that sort of lunacy Donna found so infuriating. How could he always enjoy running for his life? But at the moment, all Donna wanted was to sit on the floor and realize she was not about to be squeezed to death or struck by a pair of poisonous teeth.

"Oh Donna Noble! Donna Noble!"

Her head whipped up. "What?"

The Doctor was so happy, she almost smiled herself. "You are amazing! Brilliant! You saved the day!"

"Don't sound surprised!" Donna retorted, but she couldn't help but feel proud at how happy she'd made him.

"Knowing they didn't have eyelids? That latch!? Stunning!" The Doctor continued, pulling on a lever that didn't appear to do anything.

Donna stood and felt her cheeks burn, which she didn't really care for. "Yeah, well, if I didn't save your skinny behind, how was I going to get out of there?" she reasoned.

But the Doctor wouldn't allow her to downplay it. His smile softened from manic to true adoration. Somehow, that made Donna even more uncomfortable. But pleased too. His shoulders scrunched. "Thank you, Donna Noble, for saving my life," he said.

Donna's mouth twisted, but then she smiled too. "Yeah, well, part of the requirements."

The Doctor nodded, understanding his Earthgirl perfectly. He leaned against the console. "Where to now? Beach? Beatles concert?"

Donna shrugged. "Somepace sparkly?"

The Doctor lit up. "I know just the place!"

"And peaceful!" she stressed.

He grinned. "Where would the fun be in that?"