"Our main priority today is your dress, but I hope we can make it to the florist this afternoon as well." Donna's mother picked up her bag and an overstuffed notebook. "Did you remember the guest lists, at least?"

"Of course, right here," Donna replied, handing over the lists. Her mother looked them over briefly before filing them in her notebook.

"I've arranged for the church and the reception site. You and the Doctor will need to meet with the vicar to talk about the ceremony at some point. Incidentally, what are you going to do about his name?"

"How do you mean?"

"Well, he doesn't have a proper name, does he? The vicar might think it's odd, that's all I'm saying."

Donna rolled her eyes. "I'm sure it will be fine, but we'll talk about it."

"Not to mention my friends, and the rest of the family, of course. I know your friends know who he is, but mine certainly don't."

"Don't worry, we'll take care of it." Donna had been wondering about that herself. She certainly didn't expect to find out his real name, and who knows how unusual that would be anyway. "The Doctor" might seem positively normal in comparison. Still, she would feel strange marrying "John Smith." She'd have to discuss it with him. "Where did you have in mind for the dress?"

"Your friend Nerys is meeting us at a new little shop, very posh, so we'll start there. I have a list of others if we don't find something there. They have attendants' gowns as well. Do you know what you want them to wear?"

"I only have two. I thought I'd just decide on a color and let Nerys and Martha decide what style they would like."

Her mother sniffed. "If you think that's best," she said.

Donna rolled her eyes behind her mother's back. It would be a long day.

***

The shop was not exactly little, but it was very posh. Nerys was already inside and came over to hug Donna when she saw them from across the shop. "I'm so happy!" Nerys exclaimed, hugging her again.

Donna laughed. She was very glad she had chosen her as her honour attendant, because Nerys was very good at getting along with Sylvia. Nerys hugged Sylvia, "Did you bring the list?" she asked.

Sylvia held up the notebook. "I have everything in here. Mary says this is the shop to go to - I do hope we find something here."

Nerys nodded. "There are some lovely gowns here." She turned to Donna with a grin. "Ready to try on dresses?"

"As ready as I'll ever be," she said. She was reminded of shopping for her other dress, back when she thought she was marrying Lance. Nerys had been there then, too, and had not approved of her choice. "Don't suppose they have anything with pockets?"

Nerys gave her a strange look. "Why would they put pockets in a wedding dress?" She pulled Donna over to one of the racks. "Here are some that I think will look smashing on you."

***

"I feel like I should be on top of a cake," Donna said, surveying her reflection.

"It is a bit much, perhaps," her mother agreed. "Let's find something simpler."

Her back ached and her feet hurt after what seemed like days of standing in front of mirrors, having dresses pulled on and off of her. She wondered if the Doctor was having more fun shopping with Jack, and grinned at the thought.

"Last one," Nerys said. "We'll have to try another shop if this one won't do."

Donna lifted her arms to let them pull the other dress off and drop the final dress over her head. Nerys fastened the back for her, and she turned to look in the mirror. All three of them gasped. "Oh," Donna said.

"Oh, Donna, you look beautiful!" her mother said, and Donna thought she saw her eyes sparkle with tears.

Nerys clapped her hand to her mouth. "It's perfect!"

Donna turned, studying herself in the mirror. It was the perfect dress. It was strapless, with a beaded bodice that flared out a little over her hips before falling to the floor to flare out again in a train. It swirled around her hips, and she felt beautiful in it. "Yes, this one, definitely."

"Good then, that just leaves the veil and the shoes," Sylvia said.

"I was thinking of wearing trainers," Donna said, with a grin.

Her mother's jaw dropped. "You had better be joking, madam."

***

Jack met the Doctor outside the TARDIS. "At least you can get a top-up while you're here. When do you have to be back in Chiswick?"

"Tonight. Donna doesn't want to spend more time than she has to alone with her mother."

"Ah," Jack said, nodding. "Ready to go? Ianto found the best shop in Cardiff."

"Good man," the Doctor said. "Thanks again for agreeing to be my Best Man."

"Thanks for asking, I'm flattered, really," Jack said, heading for the car.

***

"I can't believe you're getting married," Jack said, idly flipping through the racks of suits.

"Hmph," the Doctor said.

"I mean, you're the last person I expected to ever get married. Well, except for me, anyway."

"No one expects you to ever get married," the Doctor replied. "Then again, people do change. You might settle down for a bit."

"Don't you worry about, you know, outliving her?"

"Every day. But not just because I have a longer lifespan. Because I can't bear to lose her."

Jack nodded, "Yeah."

"I just think happiness is so fleeting. I don't want to walk away from it if I can help it." That lesson had taken some time to learn.

"Very philosophical of you. Donna's been good for you, I think." Jack laughed. "Look, why don't you just try some of these on. One of them is bound to do."

The Doctor sighed. "Fine, fine."

Jack waved the shop assistant over. "He'd like to try these on, please."

"Of course sir, right this way." The man led the Doctor to the changing room. Jack followed.

"You're not coming in with me," the Doctor said, alarmed.

"Oh, I think I am. Otherwise you'll just take the first one you try on, and Donna will kill me. Don't be shy, now," Jack said, grinning.

The Doctor sighed again. "Jack--"

"Don't worry, I'll behave. Mostly."

"Jack."

"Oh, fine, I'll wait just outside the door. You're no fun." He pushed him through the door, closing it. "Hurry up and get the first one on." After a few minutes, the Doctor emerged in one of the tuxedos. Jack wrinkled his nose. "Too old-fashioned. Try the other one."

The Doctor rolled his eyes. Too old-fashioned? "And don't be flirting with the shop assistants, either."

"I just said 'hello,'" Jack said.

"Like I said, no flirting."

"You're no fun. So, why are you getting married now, anyway?" Jack said, through the door.

"Why shouldn't I?"

"No reason, just being nosy."

"I just think it's time to make a change. Settle down a bit, you know."

"Donna wants to settle down?"

"No, it was my idea. We'll still travel, of course." The Doctor opened the door. "How's this one?"

Jack stepped back to get a look. "Turn around. Hmmm, yes, that's very nice. Donna will like you in that, I think. You look very distinguished."

"You think so?" The Doctor studied his reflection. "I think I look the same."

"Do you? You have no idea how we see you, do you?"

The Doctor blinked at him. "Apparently not."

Jack shook his head. "Now, shoes."

"What's wrong with these?" The Doctor shook his trainer-clad foot at him.

"You can't wear trainers at the ceremony. Maybe at the reception, but not at the ceremony."

"Donna's rules again?"

"Mine, too."

"Give me your phone," the Doctor said, holding out his hand.

"Donna's not going to rescue you, if that's what you're thinking."

"Phone!" he repeated. Jack sighed and handed over his mobile, and the Doctor dialed Donna's mobile number. She picked up after only one ring, to his relief. "Donna, Jack says I have to wear proper dress shoes for the ceremony." He hoped he sounded sufficiently pitiful.

"I feel your pain, but it's true," Donna said. "If I can't wear trainers, neither can you. But I think we can change for the reception."

He sighed, and heard her laugh. "Jack wanted to go in the changing room with me."

"He did, did he? Did you let him?"

"No!" he said, louder than he meant to. He heard her laugh again. "Put Jack on the phone." He handed the phone to Jack.

Jack listened for a minute, then said, "Yes ma'am," and closed the phone.

"What did she say?"

"She said not to tell you."

"No, really, what did she say?"

"She said you could go in the changing room with me." Jack tried to keep a straight face.

"Really?" the Doctor said, in a small voice.

"No, not really. She said not to let you whine to get out of buying proper shoes. She knows you pretty well."

The Doctor nodded, relieved. "Yes, yes she does."

***

"Now these are especially lovely," the florist said, turning the page in the book to show them another arrangement. Sylvia and Nerys exclaimed over the picture, but Donna just rubbed her eyes. She should have just let her mother choose these.

"Excuse me for a moment," she said, walking over to the window and pulling out her phone. She dialed Jack's number. "Is he still with you?" she asked, when he picked up.

"Yes, right here," she heard him say "It's Donna," then heard the Doctor's voice.

"Everything alright?" he asked.

"I can't look at another flower arrangement. You?"

"Tux, shoes, and Jack's tux all taken care of. I was just about to leave to come get you."

"Hurry, please. I'm going mad here. Did Jack behave?"

"Jack was...Jack. But it was fine. I missed you," he said. She heard Jack say, "Aw," in the background.

"Missed you, too. See you soon?"

"Very soon. I love you."

"Me too." She rang off, and went back over to the table, trying to look interested in the relative merits of lilies over roses.

***
Back on the TARDIS, she sat with her feet over his lap, leaning back on the sofa, eyes closed.

"Long day," he said, rubbing her feet.

"Yeah," she agreed. "We have to meet with the vicar at some point to talk about the ceremony."

"I suppose we do," he said.

"Is there anything in particular we should add? Something Timelord-ish? Do we need to do a mind-meld or something?"

He laughed. "Mind-meld? No, I don't think that's necessary. I'll look around for the ceremonial words, see if we can adapt anything. I'm fine with the traditional English ceremony. It's your tradition, after all."

She opened one eye to look at him. "I just want it to be our ceremony, not just mine. Or really, my mother's."

"We'll make it ours, don't worry."

"What are we going to do about your name?"

"My name?"

"Mum's friends won't understand about 'the Doctor' being your name. But I don't know if I want to marry 'John Smith' either. What should we do?"

"Well, that is a problem. Maybe we can say I'm Doctor John Smith, and the vicar can just say 'Doctor.'"

"Hmmm, that might work," she said.

"Or, I could tell you my real name," he said.

"No, you can't," she said, sitting up abruptly. "It's not safe. Or necessary," she added.

"Not for this ceremony, true. But we'll see." He jumped up. "Oh, I forgot, I have a present for you!" He dashed out of the room, and returned with a small flat box.

"Oh, you shouldn't have," she said.

"I was going to save it for a wedding present, but I didn't want to wait. Open it!" He bounced on his toes in front of her.

She opened the box, and was speechless for a moment. She had expected jewelry, maybe a replacement for the ring, but inside the box lay a sonic screwdriver. She picked it up, looking at him questioningly.

"Not that you needed it last time, of course. Did I thank you properly for getting us out of there?"

"Yes, you did," she said, turning the screwdriver over in her hand. "I knew if I didn't you'd take it as proof it was too dangerous for us to stay together. And I couldn't bear sitting there thinking what they might be doing to you. I don't want to lose you. And of course, I couldn't have done it without the ring you gave me."

"You were right. We can do anything, together." He pulled her up into an embrace.

"Thank you," she said, and kissed him.