Last chapter for your enjoyment.
Disclaimer: I do not own Doctor Who
This chapter is dedicated to angry penguin, thank you so much for commenting dear, it has meant so much to me!!
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He was alone.
It was not the first time nor would it be the last time, yet this felt strangely worse than all the past times put together.
The faint trace of her smell still lingered in the air and on his clothes.
It hurt; he could not deny that this time. Before, when he had left her the first time, they had been mates, best of friends.
Now, he had given up a lover, and she had given him so much more, more than he deserved.
He had told her he loved her, but it wasn't enough; he longed for something he could never, ever get back.
He had argued with himself long and hard, wondering if he was doing the right thing.
'If you love someone, the best thing you can do is let them go.'
Wasn't that how it was supposed to be?
And he did love Donna, so back she went.
The Doctor hoped that somehow she and his alternate self would be still together; happy and in love. It was the least she deserved.
He found himself sacrificing everything nowadays; and love was no exception. It would pain him for a while, but he would get over it.
He thought of Rose then, he had given her up and he loved her long ago. Didn't he? She had been in his hearts, but now she resided deep within him, no she was apart of him; like all of his past companions were.
However, Donna was above them all for the time being. And she, like Rose, would sink back with the rest of them. Being remembered only when he least expected it.
That was how his life, that was who he was.
He grieved and moved on. Too much was out there to sit alone in the TARDIS—remembering past days, lost friends. Ones that could never been seen again.
The Doctor felt sick, physically sick; he wished for a distress signal, anything to get his mind off the fact that she was really gone. That his bed still held her warmth on the sheets.
And yet, all was silent.
He couldn't recall a time before this that it was he that wanted trouble to come to him.
The Doctor let out a loud sigh, tears still shone in his eyes but he controlled them to stay at bay.
He clicked buttons, searching any part of the universe that was better than here.
The screen flashed through random places, passing Earth for a moment, before moving onto a new place. The Doctor switched back to Earth, staring at the monitor and the wonderful green and blue.
6 billion humans resided on her surface and she was one of them.
A smile drifted upon his face, he couldn't help it. Just thinking about her had that effect on him.
She was alive, and that was all that matter to him.
None of his companions stayed with him for very long, he should have known that she was no different.
But, she was different, wasn't she?
'Yes,' The Doctor thought, 'She certainly was…is."
He had had a chance of happiness, real honest to goodness happiness and he being all Time Lord only saw the messed up timelines that needed corrected and nothing more.
He really hated himself sometimes.
"Well," He said aloud, "That's that."
The Doctor set the TARDIS for the vortex once more, he would think of somewhere to go later. With a last look at the monitor, he clicked another button and the screen went blank.
He turned away from the console, taking out a watch; from the moment Donna had stepped back into his life to the moment she had left once again, only a couple of hours had past by.
'That had to be some kind of record.' The Doctor thought bitterly, stuffing the device back into the folds of his pockets.
His stomach growled, telling him to eat; his head was telling him to get some sleep and his hearts were begging him to go and see her.
But, in the end his stomach won the battle.
He entered the kitchen, groaning softly; his mess was still upon the floor; glass and sugar mixed together on the tile.
Shaking his head he decided to clean up first before getting something to eat.
The Doctor had just managed to finish sweeping the sugar and shards into the bin just as his ears pricked up. He could have sworn that he heard ringing.
The TARDIS moaned to him, letting him know that it was the mobile.
"What are you now? My answering service?" He murmured to his ship as he set aside the broom, as she nudged his mind softly.
He jogged into the control room, the phone still ringing; it must be important, he speculated.
Opening the mobile he greeted with an obvious faux gladness, "Well, Dr. Jones, what catastrophe is plaguing Earth now?"
"Uh—Doctor?"
The Time Lord stopped for a moment, the voice sounded familiar, it surely wasn't Martha.
"Wilfred?" He ventured.
"Doctor." The older man breathed, almost with relief.
"Wilf…how did you get this…never mind." There had to be a reason Mr. Mott was calling him and it had to be because of Donna.
The Doctor almost whispered to Wilfred when he asked what was wrong, his mind circling around so many scenarios, but one kept recurring back to him. One that was the worse one out of them all; she was dead. She had remembered something and now she was gone.
Believing that more than then anything he began to feel sick again.
"Doctor, I…I think you should come."
The Doctor swallowed, it was worse, she wasn't dead yet; she was dying. Her family wanted him to be there, or maybe it was Donna herself that asked for him.
Why? He couldn't say.
He shook his head, he couldn't say goodbye to her twice in one day, it would destroy him.
The Doctor couldn't help but think of Donna lying in her bed; her mind screaming in pain and her screaming for him.
So beyond what his head was telling him, it was actually his hearts that won.
"When are you?" The Time Lord asked.
Wilf told him the date and the exact time he was calling at.
Hanging up the phone, he took a shaky breath; her grandfather had told him the terrifying truth, she didn't have long.
The TARDIS landed just outside the Noble home, and just like last time, rain was falling upon them. The Doctor took that as the ultimate omen of bad luck.
He knocked on the door briskly, wanting nothing more than to throw the door open, but it wasn't long until it opened and he was stunned at who answered.
"Martha?" He looked past her and tried to see into the house, "What are you doing here?"
She only smiled, "Sylvia called me." Her voice was soft and calm, the complete opposite of what he was feeling.
"How…how is she?" He asked, fearing her answer.
Martha pulled her coat over her arms, nodding her head, "I suggest you go in. I'll see you later." She past by him, patting her hand on his upper arm, heading out into the rain and towards her car.
The Doctor didn't watch her go as he was met with Wilf in the hallway, his hands together and his body tense.
"Doctor…"
The Time Lord entered, closing the door, his eyes frantic for any sign of her.
"Donna, where's Donna." The Doctor asked, looking at him.
Wilfred placed his hands on the Doctor's shoulders, "It's…I don't know what happened, she went to sleep after she came home and woke up a couple hours later looking for you."
"So," The Doctor swallowed hard, "she does remember. Where is she?"
"In the living room." He answered.
The Doctor walked down the hall quickly, but he stopped a couple of times, not wanting to really see what he was expecting.
Why would she been in the living room was beyond him, he found it ironic that she would be on her 'deathbed' in the same room that he she last touched him.
However, he stopped in his tracks when Sylvia appeared outside the room, she closed the door behind her gently, and he felt his hearts shopped. His throat felt tight, as he looked into the mother's eyes.
He had been too late; behind that door was Donna's body, motionless and dead. She had left him in the worst possible way.
The Doctor had promised himself to not fall apart in front of families of his companions, it was always an eternal vow for himself, but in lieu of the situation he could feel the warm tears welling up.
But, Donna's mother shook her head, she came up and placed her hands on his shoulders, "Doctor, she's fine; Martha said that she's okay."
He could hear the words, but it took a moment to process the information. He shook his head this time, "What? Donna's alive?"
She smiled, "Yes, she's sleeping right now; you should go in and check her on her yourself."
The Doctor felt his hearts slow down back to normal, he took a breath; closing his eyes his mind reeling with happiness, so much that the joy was almost indescribable.
Sylvia stepped aside and watched him as he opened the door and going inside.
His eyes fell upon her, her head resting on a pillow her red hair splaying across her shoulders; her face turned upright, and if her eyes were open she would have seen him.
The tears he held back fell down his cheek; and unlike before in the TARDIS, these tears were happy and bewildered.
He knelt down to her, one of his hands coming up and stroking her cheek, her warmth proving her existence; this was really happening.
She flinched slightly, his cool fingers disrupting her sleep, but he refused to move his hand, he needed the contact.
Donna turned her head, facing him and slowly she opened her eyes, smiling when she saw his face. As if she knew exactly who it was, and not surprised by his presence.
"Hello, Doctor." She said softly, tears sparkling in her eyes as well.
He quietly chuckled, his happiness spilling over his cheeks, knowing that her family had joined them, but he didn't care; Donna was here, she knew him, and it was all he needed.
The Doctor took her hand in his, kissing it softly; knowing that nothing could be better than this.
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