Disclaimer: I do not own Doctor Who

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Donna jolted awake, her eyes blinking in quick fire fashion as they adjusted to the dark surroundings. She had just had the strangest dream; of course most of her dreams had managed to take on a rather peculiar air since she started traveling with the Doctor. One could not experience Adipose, Hath, or Vashta Nerada without having a weird dream here or there.

Running her fingers through her tangled locks of red, she pulled back the covers and stared down at her naked body. Already noticing that she had woken up alone, there was a moment of doubt that made her believe that she had gone to bed alone as well. Obviously that wasn't the case, plus the fact that the Doctor's buttoned down shirt hung from one of the posts of her bed was more than enough evidence needed.

She knew that he would not have stayed with her throughout the night, him having told her once before that his body did not require sleep; she could not hold it against him to leave. Some part of her did, however; wished that he could have been kind enough to let her wake up in his arms.

Donna made a small 'humph' sound as she got up. Men.

Getting dressed quickly she made the bed and gathered up their clothes, pilling them in separate heaps, she decided to find some breakfast.

The aroma of eggs and toast informed her that he was in the kitchen as well. It wasn't that she didn't want to face him; it was the fact that she was going to face him with last night's confession still fresh in the air.

He was sitting at the table, dressed in a crisp white shirt and blue pants, his hair unkempt and sticking out in all directions. He was shoveling a forkful of scrambled eggs into his mouth as he looked up at her coming into the room.

"Good mor…" The rest of his muffled salutation was drowned out about him choking on the food in his mouth. He held up his hand to her, not needing her help and he took a long swig of his orange juice.

Donna sat down opposite of him, her plate and utensils having already been set out by him. She helped herself to some eggs and two pieces of toast, watching him as his face returned to its normal color.

"You okay?" She asked, biting into her toast and making sure she chewed it up enough before swallowing.

The Doctor nodded, "Yes, yes. Hate it when that happens." He smiled up at her.

Donna could only shake her head, yes it had not been the first time this had happened to him, no matter how many times she would scold him to take little bites and not talk with a full mouth. But, the Doctor, being the Doctor, hadn't listened. He was such a child sometimes.

"Sleep well?" He asked as he took a smaller forkful.

Stifling a yawn, she shook her head, "Not really, strange dream."

The Doctor reached out to touch her hand, "I'm sorry. And sorry that you had to wake up alone, the TARDIS was acting up, as usual."

"It's fine, really." Donna told him, not looking him in the eye. Her mind still reeling from the dream she had experienced, she had never had any thing shake her up quite so much. Apart from when she had spent a good deal of time in the hardware of a computer, living a false life.

They were silent once again.

Donna hated silence whenever the Doctor was with her, he had been quiet yesterday when they had returned to the TARDIS, but it was for entirely two different reasons.

They had told each other what they had kept hidden for so long, in the heat of passion and one of them ridden with guilt, they had confessed that they did not just see each other as plain 'mates' anymore. Their hearts betrayed them, and now they sat; wondering who was going to talk first.

She didn't know when she started avoiding his eyes, but when she looked up she noticed that he was doing the same. He regretted it, she could tell; women always can. Whether it was the act itself or the confession, she couldn't say right off the bat, but it was there the sadness in his eyes; and a part of her hated him for it.

"Should we just forget about last night?" She offered him, no trace of emotion in her voice, not wanting to be hurt by his answer.

The Doctor removed his hand and placed it next to his plate, "Do you want to?"

Donna sighed inwardly, "That's not what I asked."

"I think we should, you know, I don't want to ruin our friendship for anything."

She knew it would sting, she had prepared herself for it, but his words struck her so fiercely that she hadn't enough time steel herself.

The Doctor watched as her eyes lowered once more, his hearts constricted tightly, "Don't you want to forget it?"

"Doesn't matter what I want." She spoke numbly, her hair falling over her face as she dropped her head.

"Of course it does," He replied as he stood and walked around the table to her, kneeling beside her he reached out a hand and pushed back her hair, cupping her cheek, "Donna, look at me."

She did, wishing on the inside that she hadn't.

"I just thought that you would want to take what you said back. I mean, last night…"

Donna looked at him, as he continued.

"Last night was amazing Donna, I thank you for it. I would have gladly put it aside if you wanted to. I thought you did. Which is why I left you, I couldn't face this morning and you not meaning what you said." The Doctor took her hand with his other one and kissed it gently.

She licked her lips and turned in her chair to face him, "You meant what you said last night? That…that you loved me?" Her voice betrayed her yet again, she felt like a 13 year old girl all open, exposed, and vulnerable. Wanting, just wanting, someone to love her.

The Doctor's mouth formed a smile; he let go of her hand and moved her curls away from her face with both hands, and descending on her lips in a tender kiss. She moaned softly against him, her own hands on his shoulders her fingers gripping the collar of his shirt.

Releasing her mouth, he rested his forehead against hers, "I'd be a fool if I didn't."

If it were possible, Donna's heart would have exploded with joy.

"Say it." The feeble, woman side of her needed to hear it from him.

"I love you."

Pulling her back and looking in her eyes he repeated the words that for so long eluded her. They were much sweeter than the ones said the night before, and she could feel her whole body quiver as she locked his confession tight within her. Life with the Doctor would one day not go according to plan, but as far as she was concerned he was hers, and no one else's.

Nibbling on his ear, she had said those three words a hundred times in the last minute, not letting him forget anytime soon that he had crossed a serious companion line and there was no way he couldn't turn around now.

Prying themselves away from each other, they managed to finish breakfast and clear up the Doctor's mess. He had tried to walk out on her, but letting him know that with their new found relationship it came with plenty of incentives, the kind that made the Doctor stay and dry the dishes.

The day had gone slow after breakfast; they spent most of their time in the library or watching the telly, which the Doctor entertained himself quoting movie lines before they were even said on the screen.

They did not make love again, much to Donna's dismay, but he didn't let her go quite so unsatisfied, he made good use of his lips and tongue to keep the complaints at bay.

Donna hadn't thought of her dream throughout the day, she wanted to tell the Doctor about it, but didn't want the whole rolling of the eyes or him telling her that dreams were weird and have no meaning to them whatsoever, the same spiel she had put up the last time she told him about one she had two months ago. She knew that there just had to be more to a talking banana. But, she listened to her head and kept her mouth shut.

The Doctor stood up from the couch in the living room and announced that he wanted to take her somewhere fun and exotic.

Donna's mind couldn't help but jump to the time he had promised to take her to the exotic lands of Zumas, and they had ended up in some kinky club where a woman named Zumas offered the Doctor an "erotic dance" on the house. He managed to sputter his way out of there, with Donna holding up his bottom lip along the way.

But, she ached to go somewhere new; it was as if her whole body was tingling with the prospect of visiting a far away planet or time. A side effect the Doctor had told her from traveling in the TARDIS.

Following the Doctor down the corridor, Donna quietly asked, "So, where in the universe are you taking me?" There was a tinge of humor in her tone.

"You're going to love it Donna, it's got the best drink there, forget what it's called, but it's good. And markets, lots of people buying and selling all sorts of things. I sometimes get great deals on trinkets for the TARDIS, don't I?" He asked his ship, patting her walls with his hand and they rounded the last corner and entered the console room.

"Yes, yes, but the name Doctor. It does have a name, doesn't it?" She took her place beside him as he began to hit buttons.

He looked over at her, "Sure it has a name, ever thing has a name…well, most things."

Donna was quiet for a second, "And…"

The Doctor looked at her again his expression blank, "What?"

She closed her eyes briefly. "The name, Doctor."

His eyes lit up, "Oh, yes, right. Sorry. Donna Noble," His hand pulled a lever, "I'm taking you to a little place called Shan Shen."

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