A/N: Whump, anyone? From this point on, it's Whump Central.

Chapter 8 – Stroppy Martian Boy

Joshua scrambled along the dry forest floor, maintaining a good distance between him and the two walking friends whilst also keeping them in sight. Their conversation so far had been mixed with words he didn't understand… words he'd never even heard before.

"Are you sure?" Donna was asking sceptically. They were talking about their transport or something, Joshua had figured. They kept saying the word, 'Tardis'… Was that the name of their horse?

"Completely and absolutely positive. She's just 'round the corner."

Donna sighed, exasperated at the Time Lord. "You said that ten minutes ago!"

"It's a very long corner!"

Donna sighed again, hands on hips as she came to a stop, hand gripping the Doctor's arm. Joshua instantly stilled, hand braced on a branch with an eye line through a gap in the bushes.

"Doctor, straight yes or no please, do you know where the TARDIS is or not?"

The Doctor halted with her tightened grip and paused for a moment, clicking his tongue with his fingers stroking his chin as he pondered. "…Maybe," he finally said.

Donna slapped his arm again. The Doctor yelped and pulled it away, holding it protectively to his chest.

"So come on, out with it," Donna changed the subject. "What's the deal with you, Jack, Martin, Joshua, Rose, and Elizabeth?"

Joshua's eyes widened and he shifted forward slightly

"Deal?" the Doctor echoed. "There's no deal. They're just grateful."

"For what?"

The Doctor seemed to ignore her question, starting off again. "I think I can sense the TARDIS close…"

Donna grabbed his arm again and yanked him back around to face her, a defiant glare casting itself his way. "Doctor," she said firmly.

He shifted a little in her grip, obviously uncomfortable. "I just helped them out, that's all. It's nothing."

"Well obviously it's not…"

The Doctor smoothly cut her flow. "Well obviously it's really none of your business, is it?!" he grated in a complete change of demeanour, wrenching his arm away from her and tightening his fists, teeth gritted. Even from the distance Joshua was terrified of him, but Donna seemed unfazed.

"Don't get all stroppy on me, Martian Boy!" Donna snapped back.

Thud.

Donna jumped, startled as the sound of an impact suddenly rang out from behind her, spinning around to stare at the arrow that had embedded itself in the trunk of the tree barely a metre from where she and the Doctor stood. She gasped in surprise, jumping backwards into the Doctor as he instinctively shielded his already damaged shoulder with his other hand.

Joshua was so busy staring at the Doctor and Donna's plight that he failed to notice the sound of light footsteps behind him, cracking on branches and dry leaves. The next thing he knew a pair of arms had grabbed him roughly from behind as he let go a cry of shock and fear. He saw the Doctor's and Donna's heads turn towards him before a hand clamped over his mouth and he was lifted into the air, arms and legs waving about frantically.

"Joshua!" the Doctor shouted, already running towards the boy before Donna even had a chance to register what she was seeing.

"Stay where you are!" a new voice ordered.

The Doctor suddenly found a sword was at his throat. He stopped dead as more of them circled around him, but it was only temporary hesitation as he knocked the sword aside forcefully and started to run once more, focused on one thing and one thing only – Joshua.

Donna was about to run after him when she too felt a pair of arms grab her from behind and hold her forcefully in place. By the time she'd managed to force her head up the Doctor had been grabbed too.

"JOSHUA!" the Doctor screamed, struggling in the grip of his captors desperately as he tried to get free to save the boy. He seemed to be totally oblivious to the knife at his throat. "JOSHUA!!!"

Donna was yelling too, managing to break free for just a moment, but was then caught again by the bandits. They could only watch, helpless as the boy disappeared into the forest. The Doctor was screaming with outrage and despite threats continued to yell.

"Be gone!" bellowed a voice suddenly from across the clear, and Donna whipped her head around to find Martin standing with his sword held high, an expression of pure rage on his face. Behind him were several well-equipped villagers, all with the same, angry expression. The group holding the Doctor panicked, throwing him forcefully into a nearby tree where he gasped with pain, sliding to the floor with one hand on his injured shoulder. The bandits had let go of Donna in an instant, turning and fleeing with their group. As the footsteps faded to nothing, Donna stumbled over the multitude of branches and leaf piles towards the Doctor, as did Martin.

"Doctor!" Donna called as he just breathed, trying to manage the pain. This remained for only a few moments however, as he suddenly jerked up, eyes wide.

"Joshua!" he gasped, his hand still on his shoulder. Donna breathed in deeply, eyes closing for a long moment before opening once more.

"He's gone, Doctor."

Gallifreyan curses came tumbling out of his mouth like a waterfall, scrambling to get to his feet. His teeth were gritted, his breathing heavy with his eyes flitting all around him. Donna had never seen him so frantic.

"And you didn't stop them?!" he yelled.

"I was a bit occupied at the time!" Donna yelled back, jumping to her full height.

"You could've stopped them!!!"

"So could've you!"

"Please," Martin suddenly interrupted, not even raising his voice. Both of them instantly stopped, looking to Martin. "It does not matter who is to blame, please, my son is missing…"

He looked ready to breakdown. The Doctor rested both his hands on Martin's shoulders, staring into the other man's eyes. "I'm so sorry Martin, this is all my fault, please, forgive me. I will get your son back, I promise. He will be unscathed and if anyone has so much as harmed a hair on his head there will be consequences. Please forgive me, he was following me."

Martin slowly nodded.

The Doctor drew back, hands dropping to his side as his gaze shifted to the floor. "I can't let him die in cold-blooded murder, I won't let him."

"I just want him safe."

"I won't let him die."

"I love him so much," Martin croaked, trying desperately not to cry.

"I love him, too," the Doctor replied quietly, and Donna found herself suddenly completely amazed by those four little words, coming from the Doctor. It was possibly the first time she'd heard him say the words 'I love' without being followed by a type of fruit. "We all do."

"I know you will not want me with you, so I will gladly stay back in the village in the confidence you will find Joshua."

The Doctor nodded. "You have my word, Martin."