A/N: Finally. This chapter has had me stumped for months and annoyingly only took me the last few days to write once I got inspired. Maybe I needed a time out. Thank you for everyone's reviews and sorry for making you all wait so long. On the plus side the next chapter is already in my head so... here's hoping.

I'm going to be quiet now and let you get on with reading. Enjoy!

Disclaimer: If only.

The sudden force of the blow caused him to stumble backwards, arms flailing around wildly and desperately trying to grasp hold of something to keep him standing. After all being floored by one hit simply screamed - drunken brawl, and that in itself was so... human.

He never even had a chance to avoid the fist that had flown in his direction, although in hindsight he probably should have seen it coming. Instead he had been caught unaware and was now being propelled downwards in the direction of the floor.

His back suddenly met a solid surface, halting his momentum to keep him standing, but forcing the air from his lungs. Letting out a small groan as his head hit the door, he took in a deep breath, flinching as a shooting pain erupted from his nose. Gently he reached up and began feeling the bridge; the cartilage had seemed to strain from the impact of the hit, and after a minute of gentle probing he managed to get the pain to lessen to a dull ache.

Satisfied that nothing had broken, he straitened and patted the door behind him in thanks. "Good old English wood, very solid," he said with a nod. Rolling his shoulders he rubbed the back of his neck which had also taken the strain of the hit as his head had flown backwards. With another decisive nod, he dropped his arm and stepped forward with a grin, "right. Where were we?"

"I'm going to kill you."

The reply not registering for a moment he continued, "I was about to... wait, what?" Noticing the same hand coming towards him again, he stepped back and held his hands up in front of him in defence. "You can't hit me again. I forbid it."

Sleeves rolled up to the elbows, a look of astonishment passed across the face of the attacker as they faltered, before managing to look even more annoyed. "Oh you forbid me... well forbid this."

Luckily The Doctor managed to avoid the swinging hand that would have connected to his cheek by ducking. Unfortunately he missed the attack coming from the other side and his cheek exploded in pain as contact was made. "Ow," he cried, rubbing his cheek and walking a few paces to the side, before turning and making his was back. "What was that for? I know I probably deserved the first one but seriously... that was uncalled for." The glare he received, had him rubbing his neck nervously before adjusting his words, "although I suppose you had a reason... not like your a person who goes around hitting people because they feel like it," he finished with a pointed look.

"Damn bloody right I had a reason." Stepping forward Donna placed her hands on her hips and gritted her teeth at the nerve of the Time Lord before her. "You messed with my head." Holding a hand up to stop him interrupting, she raised an eyebrow, "Do you want a third whack?" Satisfied that he was listening she continued, "you took everything from me that made me... me. I wanted to stay with you and travel forever but you stopped that, and the worst thing is you never even asked me what I wanted."

"Donna," he sighed putting his hands in his pockets.

"No Doctor." Looking away she folded her arms protectively across her body. "I trusted you with my life."

"You were going to die," he said quietly.

Turning her gaze to him, she shrugged, "at least I would have died as Donna Noble, not whatever it was you turned me into."

"You were still Donna Noble, just the one that had never met me."

Laughing hollowly she looked at her Mother and Grandfather in disbelief. "He doesn't get it." They both shrugged in reply, not quite sure whether they should answer.

"Get what?" The Doctor asked, drawing Donna's attention back to him.

"Travelling with you made me better." She cried. "Before I met you I was just a thirty year old temp living with my mum, but going with you and seeing all those things. That's what I had been missing all my life, adventure, excitement... I loved it, but you took that. You invaded my head and took my memories, they were the things that made me better then just a temp."

"I thought..."

"Yeah well you know what thought did."

Frowning the Doctor leaned forward, "what?"

Shrugging Donna answered, "killed the cat... no wait, that's curiosity," waving her hand in the air she shook her head, "it doesn't matter, the thing that's important is you were no better then any other alien I've come across. All superior and thinking they know best."

"I'm sorry," he whispered looking down.

"What?" She asked in disbelief.

Swallowing, he ran a hand through his hair and shrugged, "I know I very rarely say it but, I'm sorry. I really am, the last thing I wanted was too lose you, but I thought I was saving you. By the time we had the Tardis controls set you'd already started stuttering and it would have only been a matter of minutes before you had a total system failure. I had to act quickly and..."

"You should have waited," she sighed, interrupting his speech.

"What? No wait, how do you know that?" He cringed internally at the thought, he had hoped the Sister had mistaken. Instead it looked as if Donna knew everything.

"I didn't just get my memories back, I also got some of the memories from the whole Doctor Donna bit. I know that if you had waited a few minutes I would have been okay. I felt the clone die, he released the regeneration energy didn't he."

Looking down he nodded, "yeah."

"It would have left me as well. I would have just gone back to normal, but instead... That's why I was trying to stop you." She answered quietly, tears filling her eyes at the memory of her empty pleas.

The blood seemed to drain from his face as her words registered. Stepping forwards he pulled her towards his body and held her tightly. Closing his eyes he whispered his apologies, "I am so sorry... If I had known... I didn't want you to die."

A few tears had escaped her eyes, but she nodded at his words. Sniffing she pulled back and whacked his arm lightly, while rubbing her eyes with the palm of her hand, "yeah well don't do it again."

"Never. As much as I can promise, I will always try and find another way okay." The mood settled slightly and he gave Donna a soft smile. Looking around the room he waved at her family. "Sylvia, Wilf, good to see you both."

"And you Doctor," Wilf replied coming forward and shaking the mans hand in greeting.

"How are you?" He implored.

Smiling the older man looked at his granddaughter before turning back to the Doctor. "I'm fine, told Donna all about our adventure."

"You what?" The Doctor asked looking worried for the moment. She was definitely going to kill him now.

Stepping beside him the woman in question hit him softly on the arm. "That's right, was going to tell you when I had a sec."

"And..." He began before trailing off.

"I owe you something."

His hands swung up in front of him quickly as his reflex kicked in. "Don't hit me again, seriously you'll do damage and..." His words were cut off as he was pulled into a tight hug. Baffled he slowly wrapped his arms around Donna and held her loosely. He was about to ask her where the change in situation was coming from when he heard her whisper.

"Thank you for saving him."

Nodding, he pulled back and smiled. "No problem," he replied looking at Wilf quickly before turning his attention back to Donna.

"Even if it was all your fault," she added giving him a pointed stare and placing her hands on her hips.

He was about to protest when Sylvia interrupted their conversation, "What are you all talking about?"

"Oh nothing Love," moving to his daughter Wilf placed a hand on her arm and began moving her to the door. "Why don't we make a cuppa for everyone, I'm sure the Doctor has something to ask."

The door clicked closed behind them leaving Donna and the Doctor alone. Clearing his throat the Doctor looked around the room as he moved over to the couch to seat himself. "So, where's you husband. Shane wasn't it?"

A stormy look settled on Donna's face as she gritted her teeth, "Shaun."

Waving a hand in the air, the Doctor rolled his eyes, "Shane, Shaun, very similar really. Bit like Rickey and Mickey. Seriously you humans need to start having names that can't be confused with something similar. Your's works. Donna, nope can't confuse that one," he finished with a grin. "So where is he... Shaun?"

"He left me."

"Oh."

A silence descended over the room as Donna walked over and sat in the chair adjacent to the couch. Leaning forward, her knees were only mere centimetres away from the Doctor. "You took my memories."

"Didn't we just settle that?" He said baffled by her words.

"We did, sort of." Sighing she laid a hand on his arm, "look you made me forget everything, which meant I went back to being plain, old temp Donna."

"The greatest mind in the Universe and I'm lost," he stated with a bewildered look.

"Okay." Breathing in she ran her free hand through her hair, "you bring me back here, and weeks later I meet a guy. A good guy, better then Lance anyway, and I married him. Yeah we were happy for a while, but then my memories came back."

"Oh." Comprehension dawned on him and looked at her sympathetically. "You weren't the same person he married.

Laughing hollowly she turned her gaze away. "He said I wasn't the same woman he fell in love with. Said I was too good for him."

"I'm sorry."

"Nah, you know it took a few weeks but then I realised something."

"What?" He asked.

"He was right."

"He's an idiot to let you go," He said with a small smile.

"So were you," she added nudging him with her knee.

"Yeah, but I came back."

With a small nod Donna looked at him quietly for a moment causing him to frown. "What's wrong."

"I just realised something... the clone died," she answered.

Cringing he sighed, "I know."

With a small gasp Donna shook her head, "but that means..."

"I know."

"Oh God. Can't you do anything for her."

"Part of the reason I'm here actually," turning towards her he placed a hand on her arm, "I need your help."

Through the void and into another Universe, Rose Tyler yawned abruptly causing the man across from her to look annoyed. Noticing his glare she shrugged and turned to look around the room. The place definitely had character, if you could call it character that was. More accurately it should have been referred to as a dump. But her mother had pleaded, and she had finally given in. So here she was on a date, if that's what she could call it, desperately looking around the stink hole for an escape.

It didn't help that... Frowning Rose looked back at the man across from her. Brandon, no Brendon. Definitely Brendon, she noted relieved she had remember. That would have been embarrassing, not that she was overly bothered. Brendon though, was as dull as anything, she was certain watching paint dry would have been more exciting.

Letting out a slow breath she laid her head on her palm. No use in pretending she was paying attention anymore, it was fairly obvious they did not click. Why did she let her mother talk into these things.

A wave of pain suddenly went through her stomach, and she flinched. It seemed to move up her body and settle itself into her head. Gripping the table as her head felt like it had caught fire she gasped. This was the second time this week, and it was becoming problematic. The last time she fainted and been out for hours.

Brendon was standing up and calling to the waiter to phone for an ambulance. Laying a hand on her forehead, she cried out as the pain seemed to stab her. She was burning, and there was nothing she could do about it. A golden glow seeped from her skin, and her eyes turned the same colour.

Panicking at the sight of the light oozing from the skin her hand, she flinched again as her head protested the small movement. Her vision was becoming cloudy and as the darkness seemed to take hold, she collapsed onto the floor. Breathing heavily she struggled for a moment, trying to right herself on her arms, before they gave out and her head hit the floor.

As she lost her battle with consciousness, one final thought echoed loudly in the confines of her mind.

"Doctor."

"I'll help you," Donna stated determinedly

The Doctor had finished his explanation of the Sisters appearance and the story of Rose's possible fate, all the while Donna had listened eagerly and for once had not interrupted.

"What do we do," she asked.

Getting up from the couch, he stuffed his hands in his pockets and walked over to the window, before speaking, "First we have to get the others."

Standing she went to stand beside him, "okay, and then..."

"Then..."

"Doctor," she said, urging him to continue.

Letting out a slow breath he stared at the Tardis as it sat on the lawn outside, and without looking at Donna, answered her. "Then I don't care how long it takes me, or what I have to do... but I'm going to get Rose back, and nothing is going to stop me."

Let me know what you think.