*A/N at the end!
That night Donna, the Doctor, Clara, Jenny, and Wilf went up to the hill top to gaze at the night sky. The Doctor, who hadn't had a proper banana themed snack in ages, happily carried a tin full of left over banana bread. He and Sylvia, though they didn't really get along, had a bit of routine. Every time the Doctor and Donna would visit, he would always want seconds or thirds of whatever dessert they were having. Finally, one day, Sylvia began packing him a tin of extras to take back with him. Today, she did not disappoint. She even graced him with a rare smile to boot!
Wilf produced an oversized blanket from his makeshift shed and sprawled it out on the damp grass for his little family to sit on. It didn't matter that the Doctor looked different now and he had only met Clara earlier that day, they were family to him all the same. The night was spent laughing at the Doctor and Jenny as they attempted to out geek one another and Wilf telling stories about the good old days. It had all the makings of a perfect memory; well an almost perfect memory.
As they began packing up their things Clara stood up and knocked the dirt off her tights and skirt. Donna seemed to appreciate Clara's outfit; taking notice Clara did a little twirl.
"Do you like?" she asked; exaggerating a pose.
Donna couldn't hold back her laugher, "Oh yes, very much. You have such a nice sense of style, Miss Oswald."
"You know what the best part is?" Clara asked. "I have pockets in this skirt. Real, proper, pockets!" She beamed and Donna beamed back briefly before she started feeling dizzy. She fell to her knees and clutched her head. Everyone crowded around her in concern. The Doctor crouched beside her and wrapped his arm around her middle.
"Donna, are you alright?" Fear was evident in his voice. He knew what had triggered the pain: pockets. He could practically feel her mind screaming about wedding dresses and pockets. Saying simple phrases like that wouldn't always cause Donna pain; earlier she and he had, had a full on discussion on why bananas were the best fruit and she was fine. The memory block played at random.
After a minute or so she shook her head and slowly eased herself from the ground. The Doctor's protective grip didn't waver until she reassured him she was okay. "I'm sorry," she said, "I just get these massive headaches at random times. They make me feel dizzy and queasy. Almost like I'm going to die. No doctor has been able to explain it and I stopped taking the pills they got me on; they do nothing."
The Doctor could feel Clara's eyes on him. She knew the reason, he knew the reason, Wilf knew the reason, hell, Jenny knew the reason. The only person not in the loop was Donna. It pained him to leave her side. Feeling guilty he stalked on ahead of everyone else as they made their way back to the Noble's.
DWDWDWDW
In the months to follow, the Doctor and Clara made many visits from the little blue box to Chiswick. Though it took some time, the Doctor and Donna started building a strong friendship through their mutual concern for Wilf's health. Clara helped Jenny with her homework and the Doctor would take her out on the hill when Wilf felt too sick. Sylvia even seemed to be warming to the idea of having them around all the time; especially Clara.
The Doctor let Jenny slip into the TARDIS a few times when no one was looking. She had asked if he would take her on a trip one day and he vowed that one day, he would. Things were really going great for everyone for a little while. Donna had talked "John" into helping her down at the senior centre and even made him help her grocery shop! It felt so amazing to be back by his best mates side again; it didn't matter if she thought he was someone else. Life, the Doctor thought, was going pretty smoothly. That is, until it wasn't.
Yet again the Doctor dropped Clara off at her flat so she could finish grading papers and he planned on having some alone time. Just as he was making his way to the library something made him turn back into the console room. The lights seemed to dim and the atmosphere was gloomy. It was as if the TARDIS was mourning. And then it hit him; Wilfred Mott was dead. The human life is much like a book and the Doctor hates endings. He didn't have the hearts to look into Wilf's future after receiving the news of his illness. But the TARDIS knew; the TARDIS always knows. She formed a link with Wilf just as she had with all of the Doctor's companions. That link breaking was painful on her as well.
Many emotions filled the Doctor all at once. He scared himself when he slammed a clutched hand onto the control panel. His hand throbbed but he ignored the pain. He looked around at the empty console room and felt so lonely; no companion onboard to talk to.
"The doctors told him six months!" he yelled at the ceiling. A sad humming answered him.
"It's only been five," he spat out through clenched teeth, "why do you let me do this? Why do you never intervene when I start getting attached to them? Blasted humans!" The TARDIS blinked her lights as if she were warning him to calm down. That did it.
"Don't tell me to calm down! I'm the Time Lord, you're the ship." She remained quiet. He stormed to the opposite side of the control panel and roughly punched in a time period and location. Recognizing it, the TARDIS made a loud screeching sound in protest.
"Don't get your wires in a bunch. I know what I'm doing."
Begrudgingly the TARDIS did what she was told and landed him not far off from a hill top in Chisick. The Doctor quietly exited the TARDIS and made sure he kept a safe distance. Hiding behind some bushes he was in the perfect location to see and hear what was happening above him. He saw his past self, carrying a tin of sweets while talking Donna's ear off. Wilf was walking in front of them, in perfect health, smirking at the conversation going on behind him. He remembered this night; it was a great one.
"I'm just saying Donna," his past self said, "there isn't a specific planet that only caters to the wearing and making of hats."
She glared at him, "Is this your way of telling me you want me to take some hat boxes back home? Cause I'm pretty sure we aren't cramped for space in the TARDIS."
"No. I'm trying to tell you not to get your hopes up on Planet of the Hats," he gave her his signature puppy dog look.
Her glare softened as she shoved him lightly, "Believe it or not Spaceman, it was a joke. I do own hats to go in the hat boxes."
He smiled at her and offered her his hand. She obliged and took it; swinging their arms playfully as they looked up at the night sky. They put down a blanket, just like they had that first night a few months ago, and sat on it all night sharing stories with Wilf and eating the sweets Sylvia had packed for them. The Doctor felt so jealous of his past self in his moments of watching. He did not regret meeting the Ponds and now traveling with Clara but it didn't lessen the hurt as he saw himself make Donna and Wilf laugh at his antics. He would never have that again.
His hearts sank into his stomach when he saw Donna take her grandfather's hand as they left the hill top. She would never hold his hand again. He watched as he ran up behind them and flung his arm around Wilf's shoulders. He was looking at Wilf with so much admiration; like a father figure. He could never do that again. Then at the bottom of the hill he could see Wilf walk one direction and he and Donna the other. Hand in hand they made their way back to the TARDIS. They would never do that again.
A/N: So a bit of a sad chapter. I hate to say that there are many sad moments to come. But stick with me, I think I'll make it worth all the pain. Also, I'm thinking of writing some "DVD Extras" about some of their times mentioned in the months before Wilf's death (Jenny seeing the TARDIS, Doctor and Donna shopping, etc) Let me know if you'd be interested in that. Until next time.