Donna followed the Doctor out into the hallway. "Where are you going?" she asked.

He turned to her, and he looked more angry than she had ever seen him. "I'm going to see Pete Tyler and ask him why he's erasing my files." He turned and kept walking.

Donna hurried to catch up, grabbing hold of his arm. "You just told me not to tell anyone. Are you really going to just march into his office and confront him? If it is him, he's certainly not going to admit it. And if it isn't…" she trailed off.

He pulled his arm from her, but he stopped walking.

"You need proof, is all I'm saying," she said.

"Proof, right," he said. "I'll be in the lab."

***

Days passed, and the Doctor didn't mention the computer files except to check every morning that Donna still had the backup copy. She kept it with her, not convinced anywhere else was safe. He was spending more and more time in the lab, only leaving when Donna reminded him that he had promised Rose he'd be home for dinner each night. She suspected he returned during the night, because he was always there when she arrived in the morning. She arranged for breakfast to be brought to him each morning, although she doubted he stopped for more than a cup of tea. She often took lunch down to him, and sat and talked to him as they ate.

She went back down to the lab one day after lunch, carrying the box of items he had requested. He looked up as she walked in. "Did you find everything?" he asked.

"I think so. You'll have to tell me," she said, setting the box on the table. The lab seemed in greater disarray than ever, with unidentifiable alien artifacts everywhere, bits of wire and tubing every which way, and some sort of large machine humming in the corner. "Is this every alien artifact Torchwood has ever found, then?"

He glanced around, "Um, probably. At least all the ones I could get my hands on so far. Most of them are useless, but some of them I can break down into usable parts." He sorted through the box she had brought. "Yes, these will do nicely." He picked up a small tool that emitted a blue light and a high-pitched noise when he pointed it at something.

"What is that?" Donna asked.

"What?"

"That little blue-light bleeping thing," she said, pointing at the tool he was holding.

He looked down. "Oh, it's my new sonic screwdriver!" he said proudly. "I finally finished it the other day."

"Sonic screwdriver," she repeated.

"Yes. I used to have one. Well, the other me had one, anyway. This one doesn't quite do everything I want it to, but that's just a matter of time." He pointed it at the object in his hand again, and part of it popped open. "See? Very good at opening doors, too."

"I see," she said. "So, how's the project going, then?"

"Slowly, but there is some progress," he said distractedly.

"And what will you do when it's finished?" she asked.

"When it's finished?" he repeated. "Why, travel, of course. It will only travel through space, not time, but it's a start." He must feel so trapped here, she thought. It's so ordinary.

"All on your own?"

"No, with you and Rose, of course," he said, looking up at her.

"Me?"

"Of course! You'd love it. There will be so many places to see. Think of it!"

Donna considered. "I don't know." She liked him, and she had always wanted to travel, but it was terrifying. Too much freedom.

He looked hurt, then his expression brightened, "The other Donna told me no the first time I asked, too, then she changed her mind. You don't have to decide right now."

"Well, good. You have to get this thing flying first, anyway. And what does Rose think?"

"We haven't really talked about it," he said.

"Maybe you should," Donna said gently. "She might have ideas about what your future looks like."

He looked away. "Don't I get a say in that?"

"Of course you do. But you have to talk about it."

"Yeah," he said. "What if it were just you and me, traveling, without Rose. What would you say then?" He looked at her intently.

"I don't—" she said. She looked away. "I don't think I can answer that right now." What did he mean? That Rose wouldn't go? That he didn't want Rose to go? She looked around the lab. It all depended on whether he got his little ship working, anyway, so there was time to sort this out.

He nodded. "All right."

She decided to change the subject to something a bit less personal. "Have you found out anything about the computer files?"

"Computer files?" he said. "Oh, no, not yet. I have a few ideas of who, but no proof yet. You still have the backup?"

She patted her jacket pocket. "Yes."

"You keep it with you?" He seemed surprised.

"All the time. I couldn't decide on anywhere I thought was safe enough," she said with a shrug.

"Very sensible," he said. He walked over to her. "I didn't mean to make things…complicated."

She smiled. "You're stuck here, stuck on one planet, in one time, for one human life. Someone might be trying to stop you from leaving. I'd say your life is pretty complicated already. Don't worry about me."

He looked tired, and so much older than he had even a few days ago. "It was supposed to be simple. Here, with Rose. It hasn't turned out that way."

"I know," she said, reaching up to put her arms around him. He looked so lost. His arms were so tight around her she was surprised she could breathe at all.

"You are a good friend," he said. She wondered if that were true.

***

Donna rang the bell of the Tyler's home. She could hear the sounds of the party already in progress within. Balancing the package she was carrying in one arm, she smoothed her hair down nervously. She hadn't been to their home before, and she had been surprised to be invited to little Tony's birthday party. Rose opened the door with a smile, "Donna! So glad you could make it!"

"Thank you for inviting me," she said. Donna handed her the gift. "I wasn't sure what a two-year-old wanted these days, but I tried to choose something that wasn't noisy, at least."

Rose laughed, "Mum will appreciate that. Come on in." Donna followed her into the house. "The party is wasted on Tony - he just wants to get all of the guests to read him a book, see?" Rose gestured at the sofa, and there was Tony, sitting happily with one of the guests as she read from a storybook. "He'll be asking you next, so be prepared."

Donna smiled. "He's adorable," she said. "You like having a baby brother?"

"He's a lot of fun. I was an only child for a long time, so it's sort of nice."

Donna smiled, "I always wanted a baby sister, but I imagine we would have fought like cats growing up. Maybe it was better that I didn't."

Rose nodded, "Yeah, it's probably good that I'm already grown up. Make yourself comfortable - won't be a minute."

Donna stood, uncertain where to sit. She watched as the woman with Tony finished the story and closed the book, and Tony spotted her. He toddled up to her, holding out the book. She smiled, and took it from him. "You want a story, little man?"

"Book," he agreed, and he took her hand and pulled her toward the sofa. He cuddled up next to her, as if he had known her forever, and stuck his thumb in his mouth as she began the story. He was a patient listener, occasionally pointing at a picture for emphasis. The Doctor found her there, on her second story.

"Ah, he found you already, I see," the Doctor said, smiling. "He does love a story, and he'll ask anyone to read."

Rose walked over and sat down on the other side of Tony. "We had a repairman in the other day, and Tony made him read him a story before he left."

Donna laughed. "Not shy at all, is he?"

"Rose, can you corral this one for a minute?" He nodded at Tony. "I need to talk to Donna in the kitchen," the Doctor said.

Rose raised her eyebrows, but reached over to take the book from Donna. Tony climbed into Rose's lap as she began to read. Donna followed the Doctor into the kitchen. "What is it?" she asked.

"I think I found the proof I was looking for," he said, in a low voice.

"Really? What?"

"I took the opportunity to slip into Pete's study. He has some incriminating emails directing one of the techs to remove the files from my computer."

"I don't understand? Why would he do that?"

"I don't know - to keep me here, to keep Rose here - I don't know. I do know that nothing at the lab is safe. You still have the backup copy with you?"

"Yes, of course."

"Bring it to my flat later tonight. We'll start moving things out of the lab in the morning," he said.

"Your flat? But, I thought--" Donna's head was buzzing. This was too much information all at once.

"What?"

"I thought you lived here," she said.

"I did, but I decided I wanted my own space after all," he said.

Rose burst through the door, holding her mobile phone to her ear. "We'll be right there," she said into the phone, before clicking it off. She looked at the Doctor and Donna. "There's been a fire at Torchwood. They're saying in the lab."

The Doctor grabbed her hand and pulled her with him as he followed Rose out the door.