Fires of Pompeii Part 1
To say Donna's bags weren't heavy was an understatement, and Rose was quickly wishing she hadn't offered to help Donna settle in. She was carrying her holdall along with another two bags flung over her arms. The pair of them waddling down the golden corridors, towards one of the spare rooms. The Doctor being the Doctor had quickly and happily made up an excuse and pushed his wife in the direction of the corridors while she sighed as she picked up her bags. Rose was simply leading Donna down the corridors hoping she was paying attention so she could make her way back to the console room. All the while Rose was giving her a tour, and telling her new friend where everything was.
"Too your left is the kitchen" Rose said with a smile as she opened the door and watched as Donna's mouth fell open as her eyes took in the sight before her. Bright white walls littered with shiny white cabinets with silver handles as they hung over the counters which wrapped around the walls in a U shape on the opposite wall. The surfaces a black granite, the under cabinets were once again white. The fridge and oven placed on the left wall while a small island was present in the middle. High stalls placed around them. Some of the counters littered with kitchen roll, or spatulas and utensils. Rose was simply beaming at her before she urged Donna forward who moved her torso behind her as she continued to get a better look.
"These rooms are not really used anymore as their past companions" Rose explained as Donna looked at the door covered walls but when Donna gave her a quizzical look Rose simply closed her eyes and shook her head. "The Doctor doesn't like talking about it" Rose waved away before cocking her head further down the corridor. "The door right at the end of the hall is the library, and the two either side it is the lounge and the study. The door at the other end of the corridor is mine and the Doctor's room" Rose smiled "Those are the most used rooms, but ill warn you the TARDIS likes too move things around when she's bored of their placements so if you ask her nicely if your lost she will guide you to the room your looking for" Rose explained, Donna didn't know if she was joking when she was talking to her about it, but with the look of seriousness in the other woman's face helped her realise she wasn't.
"I still can't understand how something this big could live inside something so small. An object which is alive" Donna cried in misbelieve. Rose simply chuckled knowing the feeling. But she adjusted the bags on her arms and pulled open another door which was Donna's room.
"And this is your room" Rose said with a smile as she took one look at Donna's expression. Rose placed Donna's bags to the white carpet while Donna continued to look around the room. The bed was the main feature. The sheets decorated in a soft white, while the pillows held a soft red pattern. The frame a wooden chestnut, while the curtains hanging around the bed were also a soft white. The walls a very soft pink almost white in colour, littered with pictures of sunsets on earth. A white framed mirror sitting in the left corner while the large white wardrobe was placed directly in front of the bed. The En-suite bathroom placed to the left of the wardrobe.
"This is... I don't..." Donna squealed not knowing what to say, Rose simply chuckled slightly
"I'm glad you like it" Rose said softly before walking back to the door "Well I leave and let you get settled, once your ready me and the Doctor should be in the console room" Rose smiled sweetly
"Should?" Donna questioned, Rose simply smiled
"If were not, just ask the TARDIS where we are and she will tell you" Rose smiled before she walked from the room and closed the door behind her.
It had taken Donna almost an hour to unpack her bags. Manly because she found herself absolutely blown away with the sheer beauty of her room, but also because she didn't realise just how much she had packed. So after an hour she emerged from her room in search of her companions. But after the third time of walking down the same corridor Donna was starting to get frustrated. Donna was muttering to herself about the TARDIS and the other two and failed to notice the increasing amount of humms pointed in her direction. Donna had obviously not been listening to Rose while she said the TARDIS would help. So Donna was snapped from her thoughts when she was suddenly flung to the floor. The TARDIS trying to make Donna listen to her. Donna simply sat up in shock, looking down at the floor before she could see a pair of red converses in her sight. She looked up to see the Doctor smiling down at her with an amused look on his face. Hands behind his back as he rocked on the balls of his feet. She noticed that the Doctor had changed his shirt and was wearing a dark blue one, his top button undone while his tie with Gallifreyan symbols was a darker blue, and the purple symbols more distinctive.
"I think there could be an interesting story on how I managed to find you like this Donna" The Doctor said, mocking her slightly. Donna simply grumbled about stupid aliens as she pulled herself to her feet.
"Humm what was that?" The Doctor asked as he raised one of his eyebrows
"Your stupid alien ship kept getting me lost while you stood there all Martian like and laughing at me!" Donna cried angrily, the TARDIS rocking at her insult. The Doctor simply smiled while he rubbed the back of his head uncomfortable.
"I'm not, I'm not from Mars" He complained, ignoring the main point Donna was trying to make. "And anyway, the TARDIS was only trying to get your attention. She hates it when people don't listen to her, it hurts her feelings" The Doctor stated, Donna simply looked at him like he was mad
"You ship has feelings?" She asked bewildered. The Doctor nodded
"Yes, and you better not forget it, because I will not be responsible for the consequences" The Doctor chimed before shoving Donna in the correct direction of the console room.
When the Doctor and Donna finally made their way up the stairs to the console room she found Rose sitting on the captain's chair. Donna noticed that Rose had changed too. Her crinkly wavy hair was left down apart from her fringe which had been moved away from her face and placed on the top of her head delicately. She was wearing a pair of jeans which flared around her ankles. A black low neck top present underneath a light blue zipped up jumper, a leather jacket over the top of that, her feet clothed in pale blue converses up on the side of the console while there was a pile of Orange peelings on the chair while she happily placed the slices into her mouth.
"Hey Donna" Rose cried happily before she placed another slice of orange in her mouth, the Doctor grimacing at her slightly, Rose simply smiling over to him.
"I walked down this corridor about 3 times and the control room was no where in site!" Donna exclaimed, her face in a frown while she motioned over to the door of the room. The Doctor and Rose simply smiled over at her
"Donna, I did tell you the TARDIS liked to move things" Rose smiled at her while she picked up the orange peelings and threw them into the bin at the corner of the room, the Doctor watching her cautiously. Donna noticing
"What's got you on edge?" Donna questioned as she walked over to the Doctor. Rose simply smiled.
"I'm not on edge" The Doctor cried before snapping back to the TARDIS controls, but his eyes continuing to flicker back towards the bin. Donna smiling over at him, her tongue placed on the top of her mouth.
"You scared of an orange?" Donna questioned. The Doctor simply looked at her hurt
"I'm not scared of them!" He defended his eyebrows in a frown. Rose laughing from the spot she had occupied.
"Oh you so are!" Rose laughed a huge smile on her face.
"Am not!" The Doctor retorted childishly. "I just find them repulsive, all that sticky juices running everywhere, making the wasps chase after you!" the Doctor said before shuddering at the thought.
"Which makes Banana's the best fruit in the world" Rose claimed as she took a few steps towards her husband, a smile on her face.
"I'll have you know that they are a good source of potassium, the nicest ones from the groves of Villengard..." The Doctor said as he leant forward towards his wife, nodding his head, eyebrows raised, eyes twinkling as he smiled over at her. Rose mirroring his movements, her own tongue sticking between her teeth, happiness exploding over her heart
"Because Banana's are good" She laughed, knowing exactly what he was going to say.
"Exactly" He defended. Rose simply chuckled before they both pulled away.
"Well in my opinion there both just pieces of fruit" Donna said as she shrugged it off. The Time beings smiling at her, Rose moving as she placed her hand to the TARDIS affectionately.
"See, I would have said the same thing. But since I've become a Time Lady, there is just something very nice about those Oranges" Rose beamed as she spoke the truth.
"Oh you would have to be an orange lover wouldn't you" The Doctor complained; humour sparkling in his eyes as he looked up at Rose through his eyelashes.
"What I can't help it. All that Vitamin C" She laughed.
"Yes, but not an ounce of Potassium" The Doctor stated happily. Both of them smiling at each other and joking with each other about the two pieces of fruit as they took Donna to another place of her homes history. Both of them working together while Donna looked at them like they were crazy.
The Doctor was the first to step out of the TARDIS when they had landed. His tongue resting on the top of his teeth, his eyebrows raised while he pushed aside a rough curtain, a broad smile on his face as his wife and Donna came to stand beside him.
"Ancient Rome." The Doctor cried happily before stepping into the street. One of his hands in his pockets while the other was gripped around Rose's hand. The street was full of market stalls, and people going about their business. People dressed in togas and other historic clothing. People yelling, people milling around sorting out their stalls or looking at the products. "Well, not to them, obviously. To all intents and purposes right now... this is brand new Rome."The Doctor chimed happily, while Rose and Donna looked around ecstatic.
"Oh my God, it's... it's so Roman. This is fantastic!" Donna cried enthusiastically as she turned around in a circle, her arms out by her sides before she turned around and hugged the Doctor, who let go of Rose's hand and laughed with Donna. Rose all the while taking in her surroundings, her eyes curious and full of excitement
"I'm here... in Rome. Donna Noble in Rome." Donna said with a smile on her face as the three of them continued to walk along the street. Her hands moving up and down towards the ground. The Doctor having a huge smile on his face while he looked towards his two companions who were smiling along with him "This is just weird. I mean, everyone here is dead."She said as she stopped and looked at the people who were living their lives.
"Well, don't go telling them that." Rose voiced as she raised her eyebrows over at Donna, a small smile playing on her lips as she looked around her surroundings. The Doctor simply beaming at her gently.
"Hold on a minute." Donna stated when she noticed something behind the pair of them "That sign over there is in English." Donna stated as she cocked her head in the direction of the sign, Rose and the Doctor turning around to look at it, both of their hands brushing against it each other, a smile spreading across both of their faces "Are you having me on? Are we in Epcot?" Donna complained while the Doctor and Rose turned back to talk to her. Rose's features soft and kind while the Doctor had both of his eyebrows in a frown as he squinted over at his friend
"No, no, no, no. That's the TARDIS translation circuits. Just makes it look like English..." The Doctor started, his eyes flickering between the sign and Donna
"She translates speech as well. You're talking Latin right now." Rose smiled over at her, Donna's face moving into one of shock
"Seriously?" Donna questioned, Rose and the Doctor simply beamed at her, both of them reaching their hands out towards their lover
"I just said 'seriously' in Latin." Donna cried happily, a huge smile on her face
"Oh yeah." The Doctor smiled
"What if I said something in actual Latin? Like 'veni, vidi, vici'? My dad said that when he came back from football. If I said 'veni, vidi, vici' to that lot, what would it sound like?" Donna asked as both the Doctor and Rose listened to her, each one of them walking down the street. The Doctor's tongue resting on his teeth while Rose was squinting in the sunlight as she looked at the people walking around her.
"I'm not sure - you have to think of difficult questions, don't you?" The Doctor complained as he frowned down at her, Rose simply smiled at each one of them
"I'm gonna try it." Donna said confidently
"it's not going to work" Rose cried in a sing- song voice, The Doctor simply looked down at her with a frown, a question in his eyes while Rose smiled up at him all knowing, not wanting to be parted from him in a small space crowded with people she didn't know. Donna had simply walked up to one of the stall holders.
"Hello, sweetheart. What can I get for you, my love?" He asked her, his hands on his hips, a friendly smile on his face
"Veni, vidi, vici. Donna stated, her fingers pressed into her trousers while she moved her eyes up towards the sky as if she was remembering what to say.
"Hunh? Sorry? Me no speak Celtic. No can do, missy." The Stall holder shouted as if he couldn't understand her, his arms waving a no towards Donna, Rose simply smiled
"Yeah." Donna cried awkwardly before she walked back to the Doctor.
"I guess that's a no then" The Doctor said with a smile
"I told you" Rose stated, the pair of them just looked at her confused.
"The TARDIS is translating everything we are saying so we are speaking Latin at the moment. So if we said something in actual Latin it would sound incorrect because the TARDIS has already translated it." Rose explained, the Doctor nodding his head in understanding
"I could see that" The Doctor said with a smile but Donna was still frowning
"What does he mean 'Celtic'?" Donna asked.
"Welsh. You sound Welsh." The Doctor said nodding, his hand still firmly pressed in Rose's "There we are. That's something." He chimed before turning away, pulling Rose with him. Each one of them continuing to walk through the streets unaware that a red-robed young woman was watching them.
"Won't our clothes look a bit odd?" Donna questioned her eyes and hands going to their clothes. The Doctor simply smiled at her his voice light with kindness
"Nah. Ancient Rome, anything goes. It's like Soho... but bigger." He stated as they rounded a corner
"You've been here before then?" Donna questioned
"We both have" Rose said with a smile. "I've only been here once with him" She said as she pointed her thumb towards her husband who was looking at the ground with a smile on his face "I managed to get turned into a statue by a man named Ursus" Rose said with a smile
"Had me running around all over the place... Mickey wasn't too happy though" The Doctor said with a slight smile. But Rose simply looked down sadly, the Doctor feeling her unease and squeezed her hand
"Mickey?" Donna asked.
"Ah, he was a childhood friend. But he's stuck in a parallel Universe with my mum" Rose said to her sadly. Donna simply looked down sadly, her hands moving to her mouth
"I didn't realise... I'm sorry" She said kicking herself mentally. Rose simply smiled and took her hand and squeezed it, telling her it wasn't her fault. She smiled slightly "But you've been here without Rose?" Donna asked, looking up at the Doctor.
"Hm, ages ago. Before you ask, that fire had nothing to do with me. Well, a little bit, but I hadn't gotten the chance to look around properly. Coliseum... Pantheon... Circus Maximus... You'd expect them to be looming by now. Where is everything?" The Doctor rambled quickly and happily before stopping and looking around "Try this way." He said with a frown before the trio started to walk on. They came into a wider street Donna looking around happily, the Doctor still holding a frown while Rose was staring at a single thing in the distance, her heart sinking in her chest, nervousness sinking in her stomach as she realised what this meant
"Doctor, I think you got the flight a bit wrong" Rose said barely above a whisper, but the Doctor looked at her, one of his eyebrows raised before he looked at what she was looking at, both of them feeling each other's feelings via their link. But as both of them looked at the single mountain the ground began to shake. The vendors doing what they could to save their stalls and merchandise
"Wait a minute! One mountain... with smoke... which makes this..." Donna cried breathlessly, her eyes wide with terror, all three of them trying to keep their balance
"Pompeii. We're in Pompeii..." Rose said, her eyes never leaving the mountain
"and it's Volcano Day!" The Doctor finished his eyes exactly the same as his Wife's before he grasped her hand and they both bolted back towards the TARDIS knowing they couldn't get involved. Knowing the complexities of Time that surrounded this fixed point in time.
The Doctor was in the lead. His hands flinging at his sides while his coat flung out behind him. Donna was next, slightly daintier than the Doctor, and Rose was flying up at the back, shifting her body to the side as she ran in between people and things while onlookers looked at them in curiosity. But the Doctor jumped down the stone steps as they raced through the streets of Pompeii. The Doctor arrived back to where they had started and removed the sheet of fabric for his hearts to sink in his chest, his ribs moving as his lungs brought in the necessary air he needed, his eyebrows raised with worry as he realised the TARDIS was gone.
"You're kidding. Don't tell me the TARDIS is gone." Donna said slightly disheartened as she looked at the sight in front of her
"Okay." The Doctor said quietly, his eyes searching for his wife, who was still running up to catch up with them
"Where is it then?" Donna asked
"You told me not to tell you." The Doctor cried, just as quiet, his eyebrows raised, forehead in creased for his wife to arrive. Worry being sent via their link as she realised what this meant
"Don't get clever in Latin." Donna snapped as she rolled her eyes at him before the Doctor bolted from his spot and looked at a salesmen. He ran over to the man from earlier as he went to speak to him. The Doctor's hair loosing some of its height so it flopped over his eyes, his breathing still heavy. His hand pointing towards the place the TARDIS had stood.
"There was a box-big, blue box. Big, blue, wooden box...just over there. Where's it gone?" The Doctor cried
"Sold it, didn't I?" The Stall holder stated happily
"But... it wasn't yours to sell." The Doctor argued with a frown on his face.
"It was on my patch, wasn't it? I got 15 sesterce for it. Lovely jubbly." He said to the Doctor rubbing his hands together
"Who did you sell it to?" The Doctor asked again, his body moving to look over at Rose and Donna before back to the stall holder
"Old Caecilius. Look... if you want to argue, why don't you take it up with him? He's on Foss Street. Big villa can't miss it." He stated before he turned back to his work
"Thanks." The Doctor cried before running off with his friends. But he then ran back to the stall holder, his face scrunched up in a frown
"What did he buy a big, blue wooden box for?" The Doctor cried slightly bemused. Rose simply rolled her eyes before grabbing hold of her husbands arm and dragged him away
"Come on Doctor" She cried slightly agitated "Sorry" She said to the stall holder before they all ran to the directions the stall holder had given them.
The Doctor and Rose were running back through the streets back to Donna who seemed to be rather happy for herself
"Ha! I've got it! Foss Street, this way!" The Doctor stated, one of his hands pulled Donna in the right direction while the other was in Rose's. Donna simply pushed him off, using her hands in gestures to help her explain her point
"No, I've found this big sort of amphitheatre I think... We can start there. We can get everyone together. Then maybe they've got a great, big bell or something we could ring. Have they invented bells yet?"
"What do you want a bell for?" The Doctor asked puzzled
"To warn everyone! To start the evacuation! What time does Vesuvius erupt? When's it due?" Donna asked
"It's 79 AD, 23 of August which makes Volcano Day tomorrow." The Doctor said very serious. His eyebrows raised, his eyes hard, his words coming out via gritted teeth
"Plenty of time. We can get everyone out easy." Donna cried happily
"Except we're not going to." The Doctor said as she grabbed her hand, but she didn't budge.
"But that's what you do. You're the Doctor. You save people."She voiced, Rose simply watched from a distance, she hadn't realised just how upset she was about the whole situation, but seeing Donna fight for what she believed in was just making it worst. She could feel her husbands unease but Donna wasn't helping. Rose and the Doctor wanted to help. More than anything but it was a fixed point in time. The Time Lords had promised never to involve themselves in matters like this. To never change history. Because if this event didn't happen it could had catastrophic effects on history. She used to be like Donna. Fighting against the system and the Doctor but seeing what could happen in her mind. Knowing what it could do, she knew it outweighed the risks. To let it happen. She just wished the Doctor wouldn't be so harsh to Donna about it.
"But not this time. Pompeii is a fixed point in history. What happens happens. There is no stopping it." The Doctor informed, and once again he grabbed hold of her arm, just for her to pull him back again
"Says who?" Donna implored
"Says me." The Doctor snapped, Rose simply looked down at the ground
"What, and you're in charge?" Donna snapped just as angrily
"TARDIS, Time Lord... yeah." The Doctor replied, his frustration starting to rise. His eyebrows raised, head shaking as he spoke to her. Memories of not being able to help his own people was popping up in his mind and he had to make sure he shook them away so it didn't get in the way of the here and now.
"Donna, human... no! I don't need your permission. I'll tell them myself." Donna replied angrily.
"You stand in the marketplace and announce the end of the world, they'll just think you're a mad old soothsayer." The Doctor snapped, his voice rough, eyes hard, hands waving in front of him before he looked at Donna "Now, come on. TARDIS, we are getting out of here." He snapped angrily before he stormed off towards Rose who was looking upset. She looked to her husband and grabbed hold of his hand trying to send him a bit of comfort. She started to walk away knowing he needed someone, all the while Donna was shouting from the spot she had occupied
"Well, I just might have something to say about that, spaceman!" Donna yelled, making a few of the stallholders to frown.
"Oh, I bet you will!" The Doctor stated as he looked back at her, before he turned back around, Rose at his side as Donna followed.
Rose ignored the shaking of the ground as she clung onto the Doctor's hand as they ran to find the TARDIS. The whole place was shaking. She could hear the smashing of ceramic, the crashing of old artefacts and as they rounded the corner the Doctor snapped his hands up to save the bust from falling before the owner of the house. Caecilius could get there.
"Whoa!" The Doctor cried before he slapped the cheeks of the marble man "There you go." The Doctor said with a smiled before he placed his hands behind his back. Rose and Donna smiling at him. Rose slightly more nervous at the gaze from the gentleman. All the while the man held a confused expression on his face.
"Thank you, kind sir. I'm afraid business is closed for the day. I'm expecting a visitor." Caecilius informed, the Doctor simply had his eyebrows raised, his mouth falling into an O shape before smiling over at him
"Oh, that's me." The Doctor stated before moving forward and clasping his hands over the other mans hand "I'm a visitor. Hello." The Doctor smiled before moving away from the man.
"Who are you?" The owner of the house cried as he followed the Doctor.
"You will have to forgive his rudeness" Rose stated, landing a blow into her husbands ribs when he was about to argue and she placed a shaky smile over at the man "I'm Mrs Smith and this is my husband" Rose said "This is my cousin..." Rose said before trailing off not knowing what to call Donna.
"Spartacus... Miss Spartacus" Donna said smiling as she looked up at Rose and the Doctor who was smiling at the man.
"I'm sorry, but I'm not open for trade." He argued once again
"And that trade would be?" The Doctor asked looking around, his voice raising as he looked around at the mans house
"Marble. Lucius Caecilius." Caecilius said smiling, his hand going to his chest as he introduced himself "Mining, polishing and design thereof. If you want marble, I'm your man." He cried happily, smiling slightly. Rose not failing to notice his family looking on curiously.
"That's good. That's good, 'cause I'm the marble inspector." The Doctor stated, waving the psychic paper in front of them man before walking into his house
"By the gods of commerce, an inspection." The mans wife Metella cried before taking the cup of wine from Quintus her son "I'm sorry, sir. I do apologize for my son." She said as she poured the wine into the pool
"This is my good wife, Metella. I- I must confess, we're not prepared for a—" He cried before the Doctor cut him off, a frown on his face, looking over at the man kindly while he said his next sentence
"Nothing to worry about. I- I'm sure you've got nothing to hide. Although, frankly, that..." he stated while he spotted the TARDIS and pointed towards it. The couple looking over at each other "object... rather looks like wood to me." He said as he pulled Rose closer to it, who placed her hand onto the wood, to feel the heat and power from the TARDIS, the wood shuddering under her touch. Comforted.
"I told you to get rid of it!" Metella hissed over to her husband
"I only bought it today."Caecilius defended, walking over to the Doctors side.
"Ah, well. Caveat emptor." The Doctor cried happily as he to placed his hands on the TARDIS's door
"Oh, you're Celtic. There's lovely." Caecilius stated, both him and his wife looking at the trio
"I'm sure it's fine but I might have to take it off your hands for a proper inspection." The Doctor stated walking back over to the pair, his hands in his pocket, his eyebrows neutral but his lips in a forced line as he spoke over to them
"Although, while we're here, wouldn't you recommend a holiday" She said to them smiling .
"Donna" Rose warned, flashing her a look
"Oh, this lovely family, mother and father and son... Don't you think they should get out of town?" Donna said looking over at the Doctor and Rose just for the other people to look at them with a frown of confusion
"Why should we do that?" he asked while the Doctor rubbed his eyes and Rose looked anywhere but away from Donna who was trying to explain to them.
"Well, the volcano for starters."
"What?" Caecilius asked puzzled, Donna simply had her eyebrows raised, Rose and the Doctor looking away from her. The Doctor having his eyebrows raised, mouth open in frustration as he looked over at Rose who was looking at him comfortingly.
"Volcano."
"What-ano?"
"That great big volcano right on your doorstep."
"Oh, Spartacus, for shame. We haven't even greeted the household gods yet." The Doctor cried as he pulled her towards the shrine. Rose following hurriedly behind them, smiling nicely over towards the couple who looked at each other in confusion.
"They don't know what it is. Vesuvius is just a mountain to them. The top hasn't blown off yet." Rose said over to Donna while the Doctor sprinkles frieze with water, his eyes hard while Rose talked over to Donna gently "The Romans haven't even got a word for volcano. Not until tomorrow."
"Oh great. They can learn a new word... when they die." Donna said sarcastically as she shook her head as she looked up at the ceiling.
"Donna, stop it." The Doctor warned, his eyes flashing over to her.
"Listen, I don't know what sort of kids you've been flyin' around with in outer space, but you're not telling me to shut up. That boy..." Donna cried as she pointed over her shoulder towards Quintus "how old is he, sixteen? And tomorrow he burns to death." She finished
"And that's my fault?" The Doctor argued
"Right now, yes!" Donna voice just for her too look back at the family while the Doctor looked over at Rose who was looking on sadly, her eyes sad, her hearts heavy while the Doctor had his eyebrows in a slight frown. He let out a huge lungful of air before turning back into the villa.
To be Continued