Pairing: Rose/ Duplicate, Rose/ 9th Doctor, Donna/Duplicate Series: Dr Who, series 4

Rating: 15 Type: Fanfiction, Angst

Summary: Wow – it's all happening now. Human Doctor and Alternate Donna have hit it off and Rose has finally found her Timelord! Are they all sure what they're doing?

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the Dr Who characters or anything from the universe of Dr Who. I am just taking the characters and playing with them a while – promising to restore them whole and unblemished! Thanks to Russell T for creating these toys for me to enjoy. Please don't take any of my playing as having any bearing on the actual franchise. Enjoy.

()

Rose backed herself into the TARDIS dais as the Doctor whirled controls, pressed buttons and babbled about the living plastic and how it had to be controlled by a form of remote control.

"Because you're little planet might have been through the ringer recently," he admitted, rounding the console and managing not to look up at her, "But I can tell you that there are plenty of races out there that would love to get their grubby little hands on your natural and unnatural resources."

Rose found herself nodding; but she wasn't truly listening. She already knew the script about the living plastic… she had lived it. No, Rose was much more shell shocked at seeing him again. She'd started to doubt this alternate reality had a Doctor at all.

But here he was… back in her life, with that daft old face and the worn leather coat… She had to hold herself still for fear of embracing him and never letting him go.

"But I don't suppose any of that surprises you," he continued along his train of thought, leaning against the TARDIS for support, "Because you haven't said two words since you walked in here, Rose Tyler…" he noted, finally turning toward her, "Not about what's going on, or about where you are, or about who I am…"

"No… I suppose you were expecting me to say that it looks bigger on the inside," Rose nodded, as The Doctors mouth fell open with shock and he crossed his arms in self-defence.

"Maybe I was," he said dismissively, "it's the normal reaction."

"Well… I have had some prior experience… and I am a member of Torchwood."

The Doctor eyed her with tired, blue eyes, "Sounds like the military…"

"Almost," she admitted with an apologetic shrug, "But I'm not a soldier."

The Doctor snorted, "Course you're not." Then he folded his arms and leaned back on the jump-seat, "Go on then… impress me with what you know."

Right, Rose thought, this is it. "I know what's going on. This living plastic controlled by the Nestine consciousness, which will be using a transmitter to bring all the plastic items in the world to life so it can invade this planet."

The smile dropped from his face.

"You have brought me aboard your TARDIS; which stands for Time and Relative Dimension in Space. It's a stolen space ship and time machine from your home planet, Gallifrey."

The Doctor was frowning now, his eyes confused and growing in anger.

"I know that's where you're from because you told me," she explained, taking a step toward him as he jerked back. "You're a Time Lord… last of, if I recall the tale… and you're name is The Doctor. Have I missed anything out?"

"You've looked me up," he dismissed.

"That would make it easy… wouldn't it?"

He was silent for a long time.

Rose didn't know what to say; he was just standing there… "Come on then, On-Coming-Storm," she said, trying to keeping the tremor from her voice, "are you impressed?"

He was still for a long while, then moved, slamming his hand down on the terminal.

"Get out."

Rose blinked, "What?"

"I had to admit that on this planet of basic apes, I failed to consider that someone might have been watching," he admitted, striding toward her and taking a rough grip on her arm.

"So you have been here before then?" She asked, as he dragged her to the main door.

"Years ago."

"Then why didn't you stop them?" She cried, snatching her arm back as they reached the door. "The Cybermen? Why weren't you here?"

"I was busy," The Doctor stated in his own defence.

"With the time war?"

He angered again, opening the door and dragging Rose outside.

"What are you doing?" She protested.

"I don't know how you know what you know, or why … but I don't have the time to find out."

She twisted in his grip to hold his leather coat, "You don't have to feel threatened, because I know who you are."

"I doubt you have the slightest clue who I am," he argued, wriggling to get free.

"Do you want to bet?" She caught his hand, "Because I understand, Doctor."

Rose saw him stop his struggles and look at her.

She took a breath, closed her eyes and remembered…

"It's like when you're a kid, the first time they tell you that the world is turning and you just can't quite believe it 'cause everything looks like it's standing still…."

She definitely had his attention, because he was standing stock-still…

"I know you can feel it-" she said, trying to remember the words and how he had said them all those years ago, "the turn of the earth. The ground beneath our feet spinning at a thousand miles an hour…"

Rose took a breath as his watery eyes met hers, "You can feel the entire planet hurtling around the sun at sixty seven thousand miles an hour."

She faltered a second as the Doctor moved toward her to snatch her up in his arms… "I know you can feel it. We're falling through space, you and me, clinging to the skin of this tiny little world…"

He was so close now, that Rose could feel his breath on her face as she looked up to him and whispered, " And, if we let go..."

The Doctor was gripping her tighter and she revelled in his touch, leaning forward so that she could still gaze into his eyes… their lips mere centimetres apart. "That's who you are… and that's what I know…"

"How..?" He asked, trembling slightly.

"Because I know you," she explained, keeping the tremble from her voice as he gathered her in his arms, "And I l…"

In amazement, she discovered his lips on hers.

()

The duplicate Doctor looked up from his computer to see Donna slink into the office, wearing thick sunglasses.

He hid a snigger.

In truth, he hadn't wanted to leave her last night and if it hadn't been for the taxi he might not have.

The Doctor wasn't sure what that meant. Except… right now… how he wished he wasn't the Doctor… he wished that he was just John Smith. That would make it so easy to take Donna Noble on a date and build a relationship from there.

He was human now, after all. He didn't have the barriers forced upon him like he had in the original universe.

Could he be with Donna Noble? Could he love her over Rose?

He had to admit that he had been overjoyed to see her again and discover that this Donna had grown through the tragedies of this planet and become the passionate, empathic woman he had become close to in the TARDIS.

Rose hardly noticed his presence at all these days; she almost resented his existence. And here was Donna; bright, beautiful and attentive Donna, who looked at him with such hope and affection.

He shook his head… he had a heritage, of sorts. And commitments… almost…

So all he could be was her friend and if that meant keeping her in his life, then he would be precisely that.

"Morning," he whispered.

She winced anyway, turning to him, "Morning."

"How are you feeling?"

"Like I've been hit by a bus," she admitted, sinking down in her office chair as he perched on the edge of her desk. "It's been a while since I've been out drinking that late on a school day."

The duplicate doctor smiled, and then a thought occurred, "How about I make it up to you?"

She blearily looked up at him.

"I need some dictation doing… and you could do with some fresh air… let's take the laptop for a walk."

()

Donna Noble reclined in the summer-sun, enjoying the feel of grass beneath her and listening as John dictated his latest notes to the laptop.

His voice was like a calming song to her, listening to the lilt and wave of his tones made her think of times her father would read bedtime stories as watched the clouds gentle journey across the sky.

The touch of his fingers on hers caused her to startle and they both laughed as John apologised and asked her if she would like another drink.

She thanked him, but replied that there was something else on her mind at that moment.

His hand took hers more fully as they moved together, his chocolate gaze falling to her waiting lips as their bodies drew nearer.

"Donna?" John sighed.

"Yes," she replied.

"Donna, wake up…"

She frowned.

"Donna, wake up."

Her eyes opened and she was, again, reclining in the park… John tracing his fingers over her hand to rouse her.

"Oh," a rush of embarrassment washed over her as she pushed herself up on the picnic blanket, "I didn't fall asleep?! That's so embarrassing!"

John chuckled, "It's ok. I got most of the notes typed up while you were… relaxing."

"I am so sorry…"

But John laughed again, moving to brush her arm with his hand, "Everything is fine. I only woke you to see if you would like lunch? My treat?"

Donna felt a blush rise on her cheeks… that had sounded very much like he was asking her on a date. "I'm not sure about it being your treat?"

John shrugged, "It's my fault that you aren't feeling well. Seems only fare I try to make up for that."

Donna pretended to consider this, "Alright… but somewhere expensive."

John's face melted into the widest grin she had seen and Donna felt her heart flip.

()