Disclaimer: I don't own anything in the Who-verse. That honour belongs to RTD and the mighty and glorious BBC. The only thing I get out of this is a warm fuzzy feeling knowing I am trying to put right what once was wrong.

Authors note: OK, first. Thanks to everyone who's added me to their story alerts and favourite stories. It means a lot. Also I want to reassure people that there is method in my madness. All will be right with the world, eventually. Read and review, pretty pretty please ;)

Chapter IX

Much later in the early hours of the morning Donna lay with her head resting on Jack's chest, arms snaked around his middle. She said his name tentatively not sure whether he was awake or not.

"Mmmm. What's the matter?" he replied sleepily.

"Nothing. I just wanted to say how glad I am I met you."

Jack's arms tightened possessively around her shoulders. "Me too."

There was a comfortable silence, Jack stroking Donna's hair contentedly, entwining his fingers through the red silken strands.

"Jack?" Donna asked again.

"Mmmm?"

"I've been thinking about what Gwen said. About going part time at work so I can go to college? I I decide to do it I'll still pay my way. I don't want charity." Her voice was challenging. Daring Jack to disagree.

Jack pulled Donna up so her face was level with his.

"It's not charity. We're married. That means I share what I have with you and you share what you have with me," he reasoned.

"Yeah, but let's face it I don't have a whole lot to share. It's could be perceived as just a tad one-sided," countered Donna.

Jack rolled his eyes with impatience. "God, you're stubborn and daft sometimes Mrs Harkness."

"Oi, watch who you're calling daft flyboy!" she fired back, vaguely stung by his words.

Jack took Donna's face in his hands. "Donna Harkness I love you!" he practically shouted back. "I love you and I want you to be happy. You'll never be happy being a secretary all your life. You're capable of doing so much more and you know that too. I can help you. I want to help you. Please let me."

He turned a puppy dog pleading expression towards her, batting his long eyelashes. Ones she would still happily kill for she admitted as she reluctantly started to giggle.

"Oh, if you insist!" she muttered in a tone that gave the impression of begrudging defeat.

Jack chuckled and pulled her close for a lingering kiss.

"If I'd known that all I had to do was flutter my eyelashes to get you to come around to my way of thinking I'd have tried it long ago."

"Well, they are great eyelashes," Donna commented running her fingertips over the subjects in question before dropping her fingers to his face and caressing his cheeks. "And the bone structure is quite something too..."

Jack caught her hand and kissed it, kissed the ring on her finger, then turning over her hand he kissed her palm sending a delicious shudder through to her core.

"Just for the record Mrs Harkness," he said as he began to place warm open mouthed kisses up the inside of her arm. "The only thing I want from you is you. I'm pretty sure I'm getting the better deal."

"Only pretty sure?" Donna breathed, barely able to speak through the sensations Jacks caresses were unleashing.

"Absolutely positive," he corrected with a wicked smile. His mouth moved from her arm to her neck eliciting a whimper Donna barely recognised as coming from her own lips. "Of course," he whispered into her neck, "there's nothing wrong with double checking..."

When Jack awoke the sunlight slanting through the hastily drawn curtains told him the morning was well advanced. Carefully he slid out from under Donna's arm, still curled around his waist, picked up his discarded shirt and pants from the floor and slipped silently from the room retrieving his mobile from the bedside table as he passed. In the living room he dressed quickly, scribbled a note – 'Gone to buy breakfast. Back soon. Love J x' – on the back of an envelope and crept back into the bedroom to leave it on the pillow next to Donna. Grabbing the keys to the SUV he let himself out of the apartment and headed off to find a deserted car park where he could make the phone call he was dreading. Finding an empty car park at eleven am on a Saturday morning proved harder than he thought. After several abortive attempts he finally found the unoccupied top story of an office building car park, he pulled the SUV up the edge where he had an unobstructed view of the river and dialled the number.

The phone rang just once then there was a sharp click.

"Doctor," Jack began before realising with dismay that the answering voice was a recording. He'd got through to a bloody Time Lord answering machine!

"This is the Doctor. I'm a bit...well...tied up at the moment. You know, with Sontarans or Daleks or Slitheen or something. Saving the world though. I can absolutely guarantee I'm saving the world – or having a cup of tea – anyway I'm sure you'll understand. Please leave a message after the beep and don't forget to include planet of origin and full galactic time reference, and I'll get back to you as soon as I can."

Despite his disappointment Jack chuckled and waited for the beep. After a moment the Doctor's voice said, "Oh, sorry, there doesn't appear to be a beep. OK. Beeeeeeeeep."

"Doctor. It's Jack I need to talk to you urgently, you know about what. By the way, an answering machine? Not exactly a shining example of Time Lord brilliance..." He hung up and leant back in the seat unsure of whether to wait or head back to Donna and risk having to field the phone call in the apartment. Before he could make a decision his phone rang, the caller display reading 'Doctor'. He let it ring, once, twice, then taking a deep breath he pressed the answer button.

"What do you mean not Time Lord brilliance? An answering machine that works across all time and space? I would call that pretty damn brilliant actually." The Doctor said indignantly without waiting for Jack to speak. He took a breath.

"Hello, Doctor" Jack interjected before the Doctor could launch into his next sentence.

"Hello, Jack. What have you been up to? To what do I owe the pleasure of this call? Have you news about the fair Miss Noble?" The Doctors tone although light was tinged with something else, anticipation maybe. Jack shifted uncomfortably in his seat.

"Yes. I feel I should tell you Donna is no longer Miss Noble," he hedged evasively.

"A-ha. I see. I take it she's got herself hitched. To someone nice I hope. She always did look lovely in white." The Doctors tone was now amused. "Go on then, Jack. Who's she married?"

"Er...me." Jack confessed sheepishly.

"Really? The divine Donna Harkness. Excellent. Congratulations, Jack. That'll do nicely." The Doctor's tone now reeked of smug satisfaction.

"I knew you had this all planned out!" Jack retorted indignantly. "What are you up to Doctor? Why is it so important that I married Donna Noble?"

The Doctor tutted. "You know I can't tell you that Jack. Spoilers. All will become clear eventually...I hope."

"You're playing with lives Doctor, mine and Donna's. It isn't right." Jack protested sharply.

"Look. Are you happy with Donna? Is she happy with you?" the Doctor asked exasperatedly.

"Well yes, but..."

"But nothing. Accept the window of happiness for what it is Jack. It doesn't matter how it came about or whether it serves a greater purpose. Just enjoy it. Goodbye Jack" Without waiting for Jack's words of farewell the Doctor hung up.

Jack looked at the mobile phone in his hand.

"Just enjoy it. OK I can do that."

He started up the SUV and pulled away, smiling broadly. He needed flowers, orange juice, croissants and to get home to Donna before she had chance to get out of bed. He fully intended to rejoin her there for the rest of the day.