Panic Attack
"Hold the elevator!" A shrill voice screamed and the Doctor smiled as he placed his hand in front of the door, watching as a breathless Donna rushed in. "Thanks Newbie," she panted, and leaning against the wall. "Ground floor."
"Out of breath?" The Doctor smiled, pushing the button.
"You wish," Donna growled, but her eyes were happy and he can tell she's trying not to laugh. "You know I've known you for almost a month, and I still don't know you're name." She paused, obviously waiting for him to supply it.
"The Doc— No he couldn't say that. "John—"No John wouldn't work, that was the other Doctor's name to use, he wanted his own. He fidgeted a little, his mind racing before he held out his hand. "James Smith," he decided smiling.
"What you forget your own name?" Donna laughed as the Doctor glared at her.
He would've said something in retort, but the elevator lurched suddenly, causing the Doctor to stumble as it begins its journey downwards.
This only makes Donna's mock him more.
"You having trouble there Newbie?"
"Course not! I just haven't gotten used to these things yet."
Donna blinked, "You aren't used to elevators?"
The Doctor blushed, "Not really, I mean sure I've used them, but I prefer the stairs."
"What, are you scared of them or something?"
"Or something," the Doctor muttered, his mind going to times that weren't his, but also were. The time when he had to worry about enemies attacking him in the tight little box, making him unable to defend himself.
"Hey you okay?" Donna's voice brought him out of his thoughts and he smiled at her.
"Me? Oh ya, I'm always okay."
Donna gave him a look, her mouth opening, only for a gasp to come out as the elevator lurched and the lights flickered.
"Donna!" The Doctor screamed, grabbing her and holding her close out of pure habit, his body tense and alert, ready for an attack.
"Woah, easy there Newbie," Donna groaned. "You have a girlfriend."
"What? Oh um, yes," The Doctor's face turned bright red as he pushed away from Donna, realizing now that he wasn't under attack. "Sorry."
Donna just rolled her eyes, "Not to point out the obvious, but I'm pretty sure the elevator just broke."
"No problem. Let me just fine my—"He froze, as his hand hit the bottom of his pocket and he was reminded that he no longer had his sonic. "Oh um….never mind I have no idea what to do," panic crept into his voice slowly at this, because he was the Doctor and he was always supposed to know what to do.
The last time he had been trapped in a small space and hadn't known what to do, he gulped, pushing the memory away. This was Donna. Donna wouldn't do what those people had done.
Donna snorted, "you know James for as smart as you are, you're completely hopeless in situations like this." She bent down to the panel, "we just push this alarm button and help will come in a couple minutes."
Not a word about this to the other. Rescue's on its way.
Memories began to fill his mind, quickly and uncontrollably.
"No," The Doctor groaned his eyes going wide. "No it's Donna, Donna's not going to hurt you."
But what if this Donna was different, what if this Donna would try and hurt him too. The memories flooded into his mind and he was unable to stop him, unable to do anything with his feeble half-human mind.
"Stop," he screams, as somebody shakes him. "Please stop." But the person wouldn't, they just kept pulling on him and he was being dragged towards a door and they were going to throw him out. They were going to—
"James!" The scream is panic filled. "James, please calm down. James you're scaring me."
It takes him too long to realize that he's James, the name still new and foreign to him.
"Donna?" He gasps.
"Yes, I'm right here, look at me," Donna's voice has calmed some, but the fear is still there. "Look at me James, come on Newbie."
"Donna I've been here a month, I'm hardly new anymore," he groans and she laughs.
"And I've been here almost four years. That makes you new in comparison."
"What happened," The Doctor groaned.
"I think you had a panic attack," Donna supplied staring at him "Are you scared of tight spaces?"
"No," images of small shuttles and panicked people once again fill his mind and he begins to hyperventilate.
"James, James stop listen to me, okay," Donna speaks softly trying to keep her voice steady. "You need to calm down and how about we talk? That sounds good doesn't it? Just you and me talking, is there a topic you'd like to talk about."
He looks up at her, "space, I like space."
"Space, that's nice, why don't you tell me about space?"
And he does, he tells her about the birth and destruction of the stars. He recites off the moons of Jupiter, the largest being Ganymede. Explains to her that even though Mercury is the closest to the sun, Venus is the hottest planet, due to its atmosphere trapping in heat, it takes the sun five and a half hours to reach Pluto.
He names off the rings of Uranus, Epsilon, 1986UIR, Delta, Gamma, Eta, Beta, Alpha, 4, 5, 6, and suddenly he feels calmer, because this territory is known and familiar.
When he looks up at her again her eyes are wide in surprise, "you're a downright Spaceman aren't you?"
He winces, "don't call me that." That's Donna's nickname for him, the real Donna, the one who forgot.
"Why not I—"
"Please, just don't," he begs and she goes silent.
The elevator lurches and he jumps.
"There we go," Donna says smiling. "All fixed, see that wasn't so bad was it."
"No I suppose not," he says smiling. Mentally adding can now have panic attacks to his list of growing things that can happen to him, in his half human state. "Besides the whole freaking out thing."
She laughs, "just stick to the stars Newbie, it will be easier for everyone."
"Ya," the Doctor mutters. "Six flights of stairs to climb every day, that sure sounds fun."
"You'll be fine."
The door dings open and he steps out, Donna following him.
"See you next week I suppose," Donna tells him happily. "Stay away from elevators!"
"I will," the Doctor laughs and then jumps because suddenly Donna has enveloped him in a hug.
"What was that for?" He asks as she pulls away.
"You look like you needed one," Donna tells him and then she's gone, disappearing into the crowd and he smiles. Good old brilliant Donna Noble, always there when he needs someone, even in another universe.
I figure that since this Doctor isn't fully Time Lord he has a harder time keeping memories at bay and thus once he starts remembering the events of Midnight he can't stop them and it causes him to panic, as seen in the story
I got the space facts out of a book, if they're wrong, the book's wrong
Now before I get a bunch of crap for calling the Doctor James, please don't. However I'd be happy to hear you're opinions on this as long as it isn't something along the lines of "How could you call him James, that's so stupid, you're stupid, ect ect"
More Donna shall come :D She was supposed to be kinda a one time, maybe two time thing, but I like the idea of the Doctor befriending her
This story was inspired by one of Bookgal7's prompts :D So early update, otherwise I will normally post on Tuesdays or Saturdays
Unless I'm seriously inspired :D
Suggestions/Prompts are Always Welcome :D
Please Review
