Part 6

.

"Are you alright, Donna? You don't look at all well," Sylvia asked with some concern. "Go sit down and let me take over."

"No, I'm fine, Mum," Donna insisted. "I'm just a bit run down, that's all."

"Knowing you you're probably on one of those faddy diets," Sylvia admonished her. "I hope you're feeding Andy all right."

"Yes, Mum," she said with a sigh. "There is no way that man would go without food, I assure you. He loves eating too much."

"You could have fooled me, judging by the size of him," Sylvia scoffed. "He's as thin as a rake."

"Not all of us are blessed with his metabolism," Donna pointed out yet again. This was a common remark she had to fend off.

There was a noise at the front door and she made for it in relief, knowing it was Andy's key turning in the lock. The door swung open before she could quite get there, and he had begun to utter the greeting, "Hi honey, I'm home!"

He looked shocked to see her standing so close and immediately held open his arms for her, hugging her tightly when she raced forward into his embrace. "I'm sorry," she whispered into his neck.

"No, I'm sorry for sulking," he murmured back, and drew back to gaze intensely into her eyes. "I don't know what came over me." He went to kiss her, but he was rudely interrupted.

"Is that you, Andy?" Sylvia appeared beaming at the kitchen door. "Oh dear! You look as ill as Donna does. Have you given whatever it is to each other?" She considered them with some concern.

"Hello Mum," he greeted her weakly. "We seem to be sickening for some illness. Don't worry; we'll take some paracetamol or something and have an early night."

"You make sure you do," Sylvia ordered him. "We can't have you coming down with some horrible bug. Go on through and I'll bring you some tea." She then gave them a brief, fond smile and disappeared back into the kitchen.

Who was that woman, and what have they done with your mother? he pushed into her mind with an affectionate tease.

See! I told you she loves you. She'd be round here waiting on you hand and foot given half a chance, she giggled back at him.

He nuzzled happily into her neck, relishing the fact she was allowing him to do so. We're back! I was so worried I'd buggered 'us' up. I've felt like crap all day.

Me too! I never realised we could do this sort of thing. Isn't it brilliant? Like having our own secret language, she enthused at him.

And all the better for sharing it with you, he schmoozed. The effect, however, was ruined by him winking at her.

She swatted his arm in reply. Flatterer! Testing out lines to try on your girlfriends, huh?

What girlfriends? What do I want to rush and get a girlfriend for? I have everything I need right here, right now, he insisted.

She gave him a mock exasperated sigh. Don't you think it's a bit sick seeing my mother like that?

Why you! he gasped in suppressed horror at the thought, and gave chase as Donna shrieked.

"Calm down you two!" yelled out Sylvia. "You'll make yourselves sick." She didn't look exactly surprised when she carried in mugs of tea on a tray into the lounge and found Andy attacking Donna with a cushion. "I'm glad that's not one of mine," she commented, and set the tray down on the coffee table.

"Thanks Mum!" she got from both of them as Donna smoothed down her trousers, Andy adjusted his cuffs, and they tried to sit together without giggling.

'They're like a pair of puppies,' Sylvia thought as she sipped her tea. "It's good to see the pair of you have a bit more colour now. I was beginning to worry." Taking a biscuit from the jar she'd also brought in, she added, "I can't stay long, as I promised I'd make Winnie a cake for our next Wednesday Girls meeting; so, do you want me to pick anything up for you, Donna?"

Donna wriggled a bit as though she was suppressing laughter. "No, I'm fine now thanks, Mum," she replied as she stole a glance at Andy. No jokes from you, mister!

Wouldn't dream of it…. Unless you fancy doing something with chocolate.

'What are you up to, missy?' Sylvia wondered as she surveyed a flicker of something between them. 'Could they be finally…?' "Right I'm off," declared Sylvia as she finished her tea. "And I'll see you Sunday. Dad has given me some nice sticks of rhubarb from the allotment to make a crumble with."

"Can't wait," Andy enthused as they saw Sylvia to the door, and they said their goodbyes.

As Sylvia reached the bottom of the stairs she was accosted by Jean. "Hello," Jean greeted Sylvia. "Have you been visiting your son and daughter-in-law?"

Donna had already warned Sylvia to be nice, so she ignored the relationship question for now. "Yes, they've not been well. Donna was looking very peaky but our Andy soon cheered her up."

"Is she suffering from sickness much?" Jean asked conversationally.

"No!" Sylvia drew out the syllable as if the idea was daft. "Just aches and pains. Donna's not one for being sick."

Jean nodded in agreement. "Donna is lucky to escape it this time."

"Donna escapes it every time," Sylvia added.

Jean was shocked. "How many times has this happened?"

Sylvia thought carefully. "Must be loads of times now; at least three times in the last year. She's always a good patient."

"The poor girl! Thank goodness she has Andy," Jean sympathised.

"Yes, we're all glad about that one," Sylvia commented. "Especially when you consider the last bloke she was with. Nothing but trouble he was. Gave me a load of lip about how I treat her; the cheek!"

"He didn't!" Jean gasped.

Sylvia sneered as she thought about the Doctor. "He was all over her like a rash, acted as though she was the best thing since sliced bread and then dumped her. If it wasn't for Andy I'm sure she'd have lost…"

"MUM!" Donna shouted down over the bannister, furious to see Sylvia gossiping about her down below. "Stop rabbiting! You've forgotten about the cake! You need to get the ingredients!"

"Alright, missy! I'm going!" Sylvia griped up at her. "See you Sunday!"

Donna went back into the flat and flounced down onto the settee. Andy made his way over to sit next to her and held her hand. "What's the matter?" he asked tenderly.

"It's Mum! She was telling Jean all about us; about the Doctor…" She felt tears well up as she spoke the name she'd been avoiding.

"I know it hurts still," he crooned; kissing away the individual tears that spilled out onto her cheeks despite her best efforts to control them.

"Why did…?" she began to ask, but her words were shut off by his mouth capturing hers. What are you playing at? Her sadness was swept away by his action, and continuing actions with her lips.

Kissing you, he answered.

I know that bit! And very nice it is too… extremely nice! Have you been training these lips?

He moved his head to deepen their kiss further; using his tongue to explore and caress the contours of her mouth. These lips came with natural talent. Shall I show you what else I came with?

Excited laughter filled his mind. Has anything been added since you streaked for me the first time?

Are you saying I streaked more than once? Because I don't remember doing that! I admit that you had a taster via a trailer for quite a few mornings; and I wouldn't put it passed you to take a peek…

He felt her huff at him indignantly. I did not! You cheeky git! The fact is you never left anything to the imagination. I knew exactly what you wanted from me.

I don't think you did; not all of it. Donna, I have to say…. Ow! This floor is killing my knees! They both broke their connection then and opened their eyes to find he was kneeling on the floor in front of her, and her back was aching in protest at being held in such an awkwardly bent position.

"Andy? Are you okay?" she asked as he rolled sideways and frowned heavily.

"Yes. I think we need to get a rug on this floor. All this hardwood is a killer!" he grouched as he rubbed his offended knees.

"That's not the only killer hardwood," she commented saucily.

He grinned wolfishly at her. "How do you fancy an early night? You look like you could do with going to bed."

She held out a hand to him and they both managed to stand up. Thinking of a possible challenge for him, she said with an accompanying wink, "Last one there is a wuss!"

When Wilf came round later and got no answer to his knocking he was bewildered. He was sure Sylvia had said they were in, so he banged on the glass of the front door, "Donna! Andy! Are you in?"

There were muffled sounds from within, and then Donna cautiously opened the door. "Oh it's you, Gramps!" she declared. Thank goodness it was him on his own. Chilled by the night air, she wrapped her dressing gown around her a bit more and made the belt tighter.

"You still not well? Sylvia said you might be in bed." He gave her brief hug. "Is it anything catching? You're looking awfully flushed."

"No, Gramps. We're keeping it between ourselves… it's to do with the… the erm…," she said as her voice faded away. Then to Wilf's horror her eyes rolled back in her head and she collapsed onto the floor.

"Donna?" he cried out, and knelt down to feel her forehead. "Andy! Where are you? It's Donna!"

Andy raced out, wearing just his pyjama trousers. He frantically checked Donna for injuries and then placed his hands on her head, seeking out her contact points. Wilf watched in fascination as Andy closed his eyes and went into some sort of meditative state. After a minute a slow smile crossed Andy's face. "It's okay Gramps; she's fine. It's a case of being overwhelmed by sensory inputs. You know the sort of thing." He stood suddenly, making Wilf lean back in response. "Tea! What we need is some tea. There's nothing like tea to perk you up." He then grinned like a demented gnome.

"Yeah, alright," Wilf decided to agree. He'd already guessed it was something to do with Andy being part alien. "What about Donna?" he asked, gesturing down at her.

"No problem!" Andy declared. He bent down and effortlessly picked her up, resting her head on his shoulder. "Let's get you back into bed," he murmured, giving her temple a quick kiss. "Can you put the kettle on?" he threw the question back at Wilf as he took Donna into the bedroom.

It was as Wilf stood filling up the kettle with water that he realised that Andy had come running out of Donna's bedroom half naked and not his own. "Well I'll be…," Wilf mumbled to himself and couldn't help chuckling as he switched the kettle on. Sylvia was right after all.

The next chapter is what I classed as a "DVD extra", so if you want to skip it's more adult content and go straight onto chapter 8, then please do!