I'm finally finding the stamina and energy to carry on with this; let's hope it lasts!

Chapter 7

It was Saturday morning and Donna was enjoying the weekend. She'd spent the morning in the centre, shoe-shopping for some high-heeled leather boots that she'd seen a while ago but hadn't had the guts to actually buy, because the snooty shop assistant had been putting her off. Well, they'd probably be gone by next month, so she decided to live vicariously and bought a pair. One hundred and twenty pounds they'd cost her, though, and she wasn't too sure they were quite worth it. But still, she thought somewhat bitterly, it wasn't exactly as though she had anyone else to support.

Walking along the high street returning home from her shopping spree, Donna noticed a dark, striking girl in a black leather jacket striding down the road. Next to her was a young man, with a shaved head and similar complexion. They were conversing frantically and she could hear snatches such as, "hieroglyphics", "lunar conversion" and "Jack doesn't want it like that". Looking at the young woman, Donna's head began to ache like it was on fire. She shrieked in pain and a few passers-by stopped and stared, one or two asking if she was alright as she leant against the wall. "Yeah, I'm fine," she muttered, massaging her temples and with a feeling of embarrassment.

She looked up urgently to see where the mysterious pair had got to, but they had both vanished out of thin air. She carried on her way, bewildered.

In the early evening, Donna was taking a bath, beautifying herself to save from dying of boredom; she'd never been much of a reader and there was nothing good on television lately. As she lay back in the bath and closed her eyes, she thought about what had happened that day. That girl … where did she know her from? The man with her, there'd been something slightly familiar about him, too. But she couldn't for the life of her work out what … and the more she thought about it, the more his image faded from her memory, as if it had all been a dream. But the girl … her face was as vivid as ever.

A flash of hot white hit her eyes. Everything was clear just for a moment, but it hurt so much … Stars whizzing around; a slim, wiry man she needed to find and save; exploding suns and luminous bodies, then complete darkness; little men shaped like potatoes dressed in purple and a fear so great it threatened to overwhelm her …

Suddenly her mind flashed again and she found herself lying in a tepid bathtub, wondering what on Earth she'd been doing for the past hour.

The next evening, Donna was walking home alone from supper with Heidi and her husband. It was a warm night but she was tired and wanted to get home as soon as possible, plus those novelty boots were beginning to blister. Riskily, she decided to take a short cut through the park; it was relatively well lit and, although there wasn't anybody around, didn't feel at all dangerous. As she walked over the soft springy grass, however, she began to wonder if she really was alone. Was that tree over there … moving? Surely, it could only be the wind … Donna wasn't sure what was happening, but ever since the run-in with that American man by the bus stop she had been extremely paranoid. She picked up her pace, stumbling over the heels on a stray brunch, only just stopping herself from falling flat on her face.

Still, she continued on her way, wondering what she'd have for supper tomorrow night and whether –

Crash.

She was knocked violently to the ground as some being had launched themselves at her with all of their might. What's going on?! she thought weakly, unable to cry for help as her face was ground into the dirt. Her back was being thumped repeatedly and all she could hear was a crazed, ferocious growling as whatever nightmare it was seemed to be trying every possible way to kill her. Her mouth was filling up with grit and she choked, barely able to breathe by this point … Oh my God, I'm going to die, she thought, an animalistic terror overwhelming her.

But the pressure was, miraculously, easing. Someone else had arrived and was pummelling whatever this insane creature was. An aerosol was sprayed and all of the strength was knocked out of the animal-like being as a back was hurriedly pulled down over its head. As the person finished tying the binding knot, Donna rolled over weakly and tried to sit up.

"You okay?" He asked.

Donna blearily wiped her face and scraped a mass of auburn hair out of her eyes, in shocked silence. Well, there was a first for everything. She looked up confusedly and frowned.

"You!"

The very same American man who had been plaguing her thoughts since he'd first appeared stretched an arm down to her, wiggling his fingers to help her up. She reached out and took it, hauling herself into an upright position. But the blood suddenly rushed to her head and, combined with all of that adrenaline and fear, she staggered backwards.

Only to be caught in the arms of this anonymous stranger.

He held her up, arms tightly around her shoulders, face just inches away from hers. "Hello," she whispered, breathlessly.

Holding Donna in his arms like that, Jack felt slightly … like he was taking advantage. But she flirted with you! a voice in his head was yelling at him. All those months ago – she'd been all over him! Demanding hugs, sly looks and all of those unsubtle attraction rituals people from the twenty-first century tried … And he had always had a thing for redheads, and she was certainly one of those. Firy tempers, porcelian skin, golden-sheened hair ... But, no. He couldn't be like this with someone he was supposed to be protecting, a small voice in his head warned.

"Hi there," he said, mustering his most charming voice. Sure, she'd been a little outrageous when they'd first met, but who was he to turn down an opportunity to flirt? And what harm could a little flirting do? "Are you okay?"

"What was that thing?"

"Nothing, some insane guy I guess. You're lucky I was there …" She looked sceptical.

"I could have handled it."

Jack chortled. "Sure you could … you were doing really well until I came along."

"Were you following me? It's not normal, y'know – turning up before, yelling about how you know me … now, this. It's a bit weird, if you ask me."

"I'm not following you! I mistook you for someone else, s'all."

"Then how did you know my name?"

"Uh, I overheard it?" Donna looked utterly unconvinced, but shock was being displaced by fatigue. "Would you like to go for a drink?"

"I don't think so."

"How about I walk you home, then? You've had a nasty fright … don't want anything to go wrong."

"Fine, whatever."

He passed their journey mostly in silence, whereas she chattered away in a disgruntled tone, complaining about all sorts - the weather (which seemed perfectly fine), the slightly cobbed pavements, the raucous pubbers and clubbers, Jacks superfluously long coat ... He ambled along with ease, never straying more than a couple of feet away from Donna and grinning quietly, putting in the occasional rebuttle to one of her absurd complaints. It was a mild night and the moon shone brightly, but Donna still shivered uncontrollably as she ranted. Jack watched her with a slight feeling of discomfort, but didn't intervene. She didn't seem like the type who'd want him to start inexplicably mollycoddling her, but he couldn't help but feel some responsibility for her. He'd have gone to the end of the Universe for the Doctor – in fact, he had done on one occasion – and he felt indebted to him, no matter how the Time Lord had treated him in the past. This feeling of unfailing loyalty and allegiance extended potently to the other companions of the Doctor. Rose had been the flower he'd wanted to keep preserved forever, protected from the harsh realities of the Universe as long as was possible even if she was determined to rebel against that and fight for what was right. Martha was now one of his most trusted members of Torchwood, a brave young woman whose courage and whose family's pluck had saved the world, even if the world had never remembered it. Even Mickey – he felt like he had to protect him, no matter what the world was prepared to fling at him. All because these people were extensions of the one man who had managed to reinforce his humanity, compassion and will to help others again.

Even so, Donna's apparent extreme temper was keeping him from doing this right now. He needed to find a way to keep a tab on her, make sure she wouldn't come to harm, contact her if ever there was an alien situation in the city. Which, he pondered acrimoniously, was highly likely.

They reached her home and he walked up the steps to her front door. "Listen, I know it seems a little over the top, but I think we should exchange numbers. Just, y'know, so I can see if you're okay … or maybe ask you out for a drink some time?"

Donna looked flabbergasted. Always, he would always be relying on his sexuality as a fallback, not matter what the situation was. Nevertheless, Jack's 51st century pheromones seemed to be doing the job and she willingly complied. He grinned and turned away, walking into the night. "Good bye, Donna Noble!" he called out.

"But I don't even know your name!" she yelled back.

"It's Jack! Jack - Hart!"

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