Warning: One use of a mild swear word, and several references to foot rubs, lust.

Summary: Donna and the Doctor have a d- doing something together moment on a beach.

Disclaimer: I own the beach this is set on, but I do not own Donna, the Doctor or Doctor Who.

A/N: There ia fuller version of this on my website in which the introduction/lead in to this story was written, and beta-ed, by sykira.


Chapter 2 - Beachtime Blues

The last few days had proven to be very interesting. Interesting in that 'I'm looking at the pattern on the table cloth and I can't bring myself to look at you instead in case you don't fancy me' sort of way.

Their d- doing something together time had been pleasant, very pleasant in fact. The Doctor had chosen a beach for them to visit, of all things, a beautiful deserted beach with wonderfully warm but not too hot weather. When you have such fair skin too much sunlight can have a devastating effect. Pity they had forgotten that then.

It had begun quite nicely; they had decided to walk along the shore making the most of the cooling water on their feet. Donna had worn a bikini beneath shorts and a top. Normally she wouldn't have donned a bikini but a swimming costume would have looked stupid underneath her outfit. The Doctor had ditched his usual suit for linen shorts and a cheesecloth shirt since he was feeling the heat in particular. Donna had stumbled on some loose sand, reaching out towards him, so he'd held onto her hand to make sure she didn't fall flat on her face. She smiled shyly, grateful for his help.

He had tried not to glance continuously at Donna's cleavage, but the sunlight had kept getting in his eyes and he needed the change of focus to stop sunstroke getting him. He had also kept a careful eye on her legs and her battered toe since he didn't want anything else to happen to her that he could avoid.

They had stopped to sit by an outcrop of rocks, and Donna had very kindly offered to share some sun cream with him; she'd even rubbed some in for him on the places he couldn't reach, like his back, his neck, his chest and his legs. He in turn had rubbed sun cream in for her where she'd let him. He was feeling pretty fine!

"Do you think there's anything dangerous in the water?" she had asked him.

"There's bound to be something dangerous in there somewhere," he'd replied. She'd have to be a bit more specific than that.

"No, silly! I mean, if we were to go a little way in, would there be anything dangerous lurking nearby?" she tried again.

"Not to my knowledge. Though to be on the safe side I'll stay right by you, shall I?"

"Oh, would you? I'd feel much safer then," she'd then giggled, laying a hand on his chest to emphasise her point.

He looked down and thought to ask, "How's your toe now?" He reached down to take hold of her foot lying on the sand near him, and started to rub along her insole again.

"I told you before, you prawn, that it's fine now. Stop tickling me! You've become obsessed!" she tried to pull away her foot again, but he resisted her actions and held on firmly.

"And I told you that it needs my very careful attention! I prescribe one of my patented foot rubs followed by one of my special massages." His long fingers moved further, up and along her calf, promising all sorts of things with his touch.

She howled with laughter. "Have you any idea how pervy that sounds? It's a good job no-one can hear you!"

The Doctor moved closer to her ear, and whispered "Ah! But that's the point, isn't it? Nobody can hear us."

As she looked into his darkened eyes, she almost believed that he would ravish her any second. Almost. Her breath quickened in anticipation as she told herself fervently to get a grip on herself.

In a vain attempt to change the tempo she looked around and asked him, "What made you choose this beach then? You don't normally manage to land on one."

"Ah! Well!" he faltered, "I didn't exactly bring us here. The TARDIS chose it."

"Did she?" Donna immediately loved the TARDIS even more. "Should I give her my requests directly in future instead of going through you?"

"Oi! That's not fair! I take us to good places," he protested.

"Good places to get pointy sticks poked at us, you mean!" she laughed at his pout, and stroked his knee to placate him. "I'm sure you mean to land in lovely places. Pity we rarely get to them!"

"Watch it you!" he threatened and grabbed hold of her to start tickling her torso mercilessly. She squirmed in a vain attempt to get away to somewhere safer on the sand.

"Stop it! Stop it! I surrender. You're a wonderful pilot, I'm sure" she breathed hesitantly as he stopped his attack and looked down at her beneath him. "Once you have a few more lessons!" and then proceeded to squeal as he resumed his tickling.

The trouble was that he desperately, desperately wanted to do more than tickle her. For a start, he wanted to smooth his hands over the parts of her torso he'd been avoiding with his tickling. And then he suddenly had the thought that his desperation might be all too evident. He sat up abruptly.

Donna looked at him concerned, "Has something bitten you, Doctor?" Perhaps his sonic screwdriver had jabbed him? It had got her a minute ago.

"Something seems to be affecting me… I think we ought to get something to eat, don't you?"

"Yeah, I'm starting to feel hungry," Donna agreed. "Shall I go and see what I can rustle up?" She took the opportunity to escape from their close proximity and headed back towards the TARDIS. It wasn't to escape his attentions, oh no, it was to answer the call of nature. He wasn't affecting her in the slightest. She just needed a breather that was all, from the heat, and stuff!

He looked at her disappearing figure with dismay. He had been so close and then he'd lost her. Perhaps he could try again later? Yes, that was it; he would try later when he could suggest some swimming or diving. Yep, he was a man with a plan. He picked himself up and followed her to the TARDIS.

The interior of the Tardis was wonderfully cool in comparison to the outside beach. He padded down to the kitchen to see if Donna was there, but she wasn't. Before he could even ask himself the question of where she was it was answered by a shriek from Donna's bedroom. He rushed into there to find Donna standing in front of her mirror examining her back. "What's up? Why did you yell?" he asked, deeply concerned something else had happened to her toe even though she wasn't looking at her foot.

"Look! Look at my skin!" she cried.

"Why? What's wrong with your skin?" he couldn't see what was wrong.

"It's… it's going green!" she wailed.

"Don't be daft! How can it… oh dear! Oh no!" he got up close to her and carefully examined her shoulders, back and chest.

"Do you think you could look up here for a minute? Or would you prefer to take a photograph?" she griped.

"You'd let me take… oh, I was just looking… it's very… green isn't your colour is it?" he stammered.

"No it isn't!" she pronounced very carefully. "And it looks like it isn't yours either!"

"You what? Oh no! It can't…" he hurriedly looked at his chest face and neck in the same mirror. "I look like I've escaped off an old Star Trek programme! All I need is the belly dancing outfit!"

Donna laughed, "I'd love to see you in that! Can I get evidence to show Martha?"

"Ha ha, Noble! You look this green too. I might make you wear that outfit too!"

"Oh yeah? Just you try, mate, 'cos it wouldn't be on for long!" she tried to threaten him, but the look on his face immediately made her realise she had worded that completely wrong. "Not that I would…"

"I could help you…" he started to run his hands from her shoulders, up and down her arms, "…remove any thing…"

'Oh God, he's going to kiss me!' Donna thought, as she felt her skin respond to his touch and she slightly leaned further towards him. His eyes travelled up and down her body. She was sure it was going to happen any moment now.

Then he accidentally stood on her toe. She let out a scream and just stopped herself from swearing at him in a most unladylike fashion. "I'm sorry! So sorry… let me try..." he made a vain attempt to rub her toe.

"Just leave me alone, will you? Go and put the kettle on or something! I'll sit here for a minute. Go on! Go!" she ordered him. She was very proud of the fact she hadn't swore at him.

"I… okay, I'll just… I'll be in the kitchen. You okay?" he could not have looked more crestfallen if he tried. Donna immediately felt guilty for making him take the brunt of her pain.

"Yeah, I'll be fine," she tried to smile at him as he left her room.

She turned back to look in the mirror. Bugger! This was not what she would have planned.