This is a bit of a shorter chapter than the last few, but it continues directly from the previous one (the last story chapter, not the 'thank you' chapter). Hope all you Donna fans enjoy it, and all you non-Donna fans don't find it too annoying XD.

Chapter 26: An Old Friend

Five minutes later a strangely familiar creak echoed through the TARDIS to the lounge room. The Doctor and I, who had been half-asleep, looked around; it was the TARDIS door. We then looked at each other.

"Where are we?" I asked, confused, as no-one could get in without a key.

"I don't know. I randomised the coordinates." He replied, frowning.

All of a sudden he leapt up and ran into the console room. I followed, though slower so as to not bring on the dizziness again.

"What?" I heard him cry, before a voice responded. I couldn't quite work out the words, but I recognised the voice and the sassy tone.

"What?" he said again and I grinned as I entered the room. He turned to me and repeated, quieter, "What?"

Donna Noble stood in the room, key in hand, looking only a year or so older. She had an expression on her face that showed she absolutely loved knowing something the Doctor didn't…and that she clearly remembered everything.

"How…what…how…this is impossible!" he said, his voice going all squeaky at the end from confusion.

"Calm down, spaceman." Donna snapped, smiling. "I told you not to trap my memories. I begged you not to, which reminds me." She approached and gave him a good old smack on the arm. "You deserve that."

"What for?" he snapped back.

"Doctor, stop getting all annoyed just because you don't understand and let the poor woman explain." I gasped, sitting down in one of the chairs as my shoulder ached.

It was then that Donna noticed me. "Oh, hello there. You must be his new companion. I'm Donna."

"I'm Talia. It's lovely to meet you. I know all about you and your travels with the Doctor. Quite literally, not just from the Doctor telling me." I replied as softly as I could.

"What do you mean, you know all about me?" she demanded. "Have you been following me?!"

"No, no, just…I'll tell you after you tell what happened." I raised my hands in defence.

She huffed, but turned back to the Doctor. "Well, I heard the noise of this thing outside. You landed in my front yard, by the way! I walked outside, curious and saw it. Then, just like that, bam! All the memories came flooding back!" she started sounding more and more like the DoctorDonna as she spoke. "Oh, it did hurt at first. I was knocked out for about half an hour, that's how long you've been here. But when I woke up, the pain was gone! And I still remembered! That's all it took! Just some time for this human mind to adjust to having yours inside it!"

There was a pause in which Donna stared triumphantly at the Doctor, and the Doctor stared with disbelief at Donna. Then he pulled her into a tight hug, which she returned, both smiling.

"Oh, Donna, Donna, Donna Noble! I've missed you!" he said and I couldn't help grinning myself. Donna; the Doctor's best friend.

Donna then faced me, her getting-down-to-business face on. "Right then, how about you then, eh? How do you know so much?"

"Go easy on her Donna." The Doctor warned, stepping over to me almost protectively, as though to shield me from her annoyance. "She's just been through a heck of a lot."

"Dragging more girls into danger, I see? Nothing's changed." She commented.

"Nope." I agreed. "Just a couple of Triceratops and a ripped open shoulder, common daily activities when travelling with the Doctor."

My aim was to make her laugh and let her know that I wasn't a threat, and it worked.

"Now, let's get things straight. I am not, nor have I ever, followed you. I'll start from the beginning, but it might be better if we returned to the lounge." I looked at the Doctor, who nodded, understanding. Once there, I continued. "You know that parallel world the Metacrisis and Rose got left in?"

She nodded. "Yeah."

"That wasn't the only one. There are hundreds, thousands of others and…well…I'm from one." Her eyebrows raised. "He," I indicated the Doctor. "Was looking for a way to get back into that world and crash-landed into mine, literally. To cut a long story short, I saved his life, he saved mine and he invited me to come with him. The catch is, in my world, the Doctor and most of his adventures and companions, etcetera…are a tv show."

"A tv show?" she asked, dumbfounded.

"Yep. It's called Doctor Who. I can prove it, I've got the DVDs in my room. I've seen a lot of your travels with him. Adipose, Pompeii, Ood, Sontarans, Agatha Christie, Hath, the Library, Midnight, that planet with the Chinatown and, of course, the whole DoctorDonna saga." I listed. "Same with Rose and Martha. I've even seen beyond what's happening now, through after he regenerates."

By the end, she was staring at me with her mouth open. "Ok, I thought that with his mind nothing would surprise me, but this is incredible! So what about your parents? And, sorry to ask you this, but how old are you, anyway?"

"The Doctor brought them to this world and set up a life for them. I'm 18, from Australia."

"You don't sound that Australian." She confessed.

I grinned. "Too much British tv and an English mum."

"Anyway," she looked at the Doctor, "Your companions are getting younger, mister!"

"Not my fault!" he raised his hands. "She latched on to me and I haven't been able to, or wanted to, get rid of her since." He started out joking, prompting an accusing look from me, but ended with a grin, taking my hand in his.

Donna eyed our linked hands with a raised eyebrow. "Well now, unless I'm seeing things, you've actually found someone to replace Rose. It's about time."

"Well…not exactly replacing…but…" he stumbled.

"Rose will always be special for the Doctor." I explained. "And I'm sure that he would tell me," I cast a meaningful look at him when I spoke, "if he truly wanted to get her back." He nodded and somehow I knew he was being honest. "But…I do…love him." I whispered the last words.

Donna smiled. "And from the way he looks at you, he does, too. Has he told you, yet?"

"Donna!" he protested.

"Believe it or not, he has." I said.

She mock gasped. "The Doctor actually said the three words of death!" she laughed. "Honestly Doctor. What's the age gap, 890 years?"

"Oi!" I shouted. "That doesn't mean anything!"

"Go on, tell her then, finish the story." The Doctor prompted, and felt like slapping my forehead at his poor attempt at changing the subject.

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"She may as well know everything. We don't want to be in a situation where you start glowing and she freaks at the wrong moment."

"Oh." I realised what he meant and so quickly explained about the encounter with the Mimisas and the consequent side-effects.

"So, you're like me?" she asked.

"Not quite." I clarified. "You got his mind and a bit of unconscious protection. I didn't get any smarter but I can consciously use the energy in various ways. I've done it twice so far; regenerated once and used it to destroy some aliens."

"It does have consequences, though, which is why she doesn't use it often. I'd prefer it if she didn't use it at all." The Doctor added.

"Why?" Donna asked.

"Because it drains her of normal energy as she uses it and, similarly with you, once the usage reaches a certain level her head starts to struggle. It's a very painful experience for her and one I don't like to watch."

I rolled my eyes. "It's saved both our lives. Anyway, isn't the regeneration thing cool?"

"Yeah! How did it happen?" Donna cried.

"Shot in the stomach once by a revenge-driven Sontaran. The energy saved me, healed me, but I remained the same."

"Except for the fact that you entered a coma for a month which I had no idea if you would come out of!" The Doctor put in.

I ignored that. "So, there are perks to being part Time-Lord."

It was the Doctor's turn to roll his eyes.

"Looks like she's got enough lip to keep you from missing me all that much." Donna commented with a laugh.

They continued talking, the conversation turning from me to what Donna had been up to and how long it had been. I paid attention at first, but soon my arm started throbbing again and my head felt light, reminding me that I still hadn't completed the transfusion.

I started to drift off towards sleep, listening to the Doctor and Donna recount their adventures with Agatha Christie. I smiled, glad the Doctor had gotten one of his old companions back.

Ok, not too long to go now before the Doctor regenerates. *sad look*. A few-chapter-long adventure with Donna, some Daleks and a mysterious friend, and then...you'll see! By the way...I'm going to be away for two weeks and I won't be able to update because after this, once again, I'm writing my chapters. I'm afraid I just won't get the time. I can still talk with everyone but not update for a while. I'm really, really sorry...but at least I didn't leave it on a cliffy!