Eventful Evening

Prompt: "TARDIS Companion's guide"

From: GreyLady117

Words: 1141

A bit of a longer chapter than usual. I hope I did the prompt justice. The only Doctor Who I've seen is New Who, and my only knowledge of Sarah Jane is from that one episode in Season Two. But what I know of her I like. This chapter also has a lot of 10/Rose in it, since I couldn't resist putting it in, so there is angst. Enjoy!

Donna settled on the couch in one of the TARDIS's many living rooms. The day had been uneventful, just dinner and a movie. Of course that had been on New Delhi, the planet, not the city. Now, though, while the Doctor was off fiddling with the Console, Donna was trying to find something to take up her time while she knitted. She had settled on watching another movie, but couldn't figure out which.

Giving up, Donna tilted her head back on the cushions, frowning when, instead of sharply hitting the wall, she felt her head going into it. The lack of impact made her sit up and look back. Just as she thought, a portion of the wall was indented, broken. Through one of the cracks, however, she saw a piece of paper or cloth poking through.

"What was that?" the Doctor's loud and questioning voice and the opening of the door sounded at the same time.

"I think I broke the wall," Donna apologized as he came closer and peered at it.

"Impossible," he breathed. "The TARDIS is indestructible."

"Unless. . ." Donna took out the paper, which turned out to be a thick notebook. "She wanted us to find it."

"Really?" the Doctor squinted at the writing on the front cover, then, to Donna's smirk, took out his glasses.

"'A Guide to Travelling with the Doctor'," Donna read, and the Doctor's eyebrows rose.

"She left a guide?" he asked. "She wrote a guide?"

"Clearly," Donna replied, a noise from the TARDIS whining in agreement, as she started turning the pages. "Should we read it?"

"Is it meant for me?" the Doctor asked.

"Does it even matter?" Donna invited, something with which the Doctor could not find fault.

The Rules of this book are observed by Sarah Jane. I won't refer to myself in third person, except for that first sentence. Whoever finds this—Doctor, yes, you do have permission to read this—I hope you enjoy the time you spend on the TARDIS. Both she and the Doctor are amazing hosts!

Rule 1: The Doctor lies.

At least that's what he tells you. He barely ever lies. And if he does, it's to protect you. It does get annoying. But don't worry—when it truly matters, he will tell you what you need to know!

"Doctor?" Donna wondered, as both lifted their eyes from the page. "All of these are true, aren't they?"

"Yes," he nodded. "Sarah Jane wouldn't lie. You should meet her."

"We will," Donna agreed. "We'll visit her, right?"

"Yeah," the Doctor replied, and they turned back to the notebook.

Rule 2: You will love him.

And don't try to deny it. I'm not saying that you're interested in him romantically, but you do love him. Whether it's like a brother, or a best friend. And one of you. . . he will love one of you back. I pity you.

P.S. (2004) Rose, you are one lucky lady.

"She knew?" the Doctor whispered, almost to himself.

"She's perceptive," Donna smiled, and the Doctor did too, albeit weakly and full of the pain of remembrance.

Rule 3: He will do anything for you.

The Doctor is the kindest man. Don't underestimate him, and those words are aimed both at you and at potential enemies. If it means that you will be saves, he will run into a burning sun.

"We would do the same for you, Doctor," Donna promised. "You know that, don't you?"

"I do," he swallowed to restrain the tears. "Oh, I do."

Rule 4: Appreciate the TARIDS.

She is as much his keeper as you are. She is your friend, your mother, your aunt, and your teacher. She is one of the only reasons he is alive. Love her, just as you love him.

"It's good she didn't leave her out," the Doctor laughed at Sarah Jane's accuracy. "A cranky TARIDS is not what you need."

"Don't insult her," Donna scolded, as the ship made a berating noise.

"I'm not," the Doctor defended.

Rule 5: Don't insult any aliens.

Trust me. Not only will the Doctor be disappointed—the worst feeling there could ever be—but it's just plain mean. I don't even want to remember the time I mistook Venetians for Martians. I got a lecture on how some aliens have square heads and some have triangular heads, and that it's never right to mess their species up with the ones that have elongated heads. And how sometimes the alien is you.

"She's right, you know," the Doctor nodded, remembering the time she had written about.

"I really want to meet her," Donna repeated.

Rule 6: You will never be forgotten.

It's something that, maybe, comes with the species. Time Lords are creatures that are, essentially, made out of time itself. I don't think that they can forget something. And for one as lonely as the Doctor, it's something that is both a blessing and a curse. You could be the one that broke him, or you could be the one that made him. Or both. For your sake, I hope you're just one of the many.

You are special. Don't ever doubt that.

"Are you okay?" Donna prompted, not able to see the Doctor's face since it was bent so low and close to the paper.

"Yeah," he replied, a bit shakily. "I am."

Rule 7: For the one that is his true love:

You are incredibly lucky. You hold his heart. And, ultimately, you will destroy him. Cherish what you have. And for God's sake, don't abandon him. Don't hate him when he abandons you.

P. S. (2004) Rose. This means you. I don't know if you will ever read this, but if you do: we all wanted to be you. Show him the love we wanted to.

"She's safe," Donna reminded the Doctor who seemed to have withdrawn into himself. "Remember that."

"I know," and then the Doctor smiled, broken but fixable. "She's safe. And she's so incredibly special."

Rule 8: For the one that is his best friend:

I don't know who this is for. Maybe we'll never know. I don't know. But I do know that there was many that he had called his best friend. The one that is, however cheesy this may sound, his BFF (a new century term), is a truly wonderful person.

The Doctor, who was turning the pages, stopped. He looked over at Donna, who was still reading what looked to be the last few sentences. Suddenly, his stomach growled.

"Hungry?" Donna asked. "I swear, you're an all-consuming hole."

"Just a bit," the Doctor looked down, thoroughly berated.

"Late night snack?" Donna inquired, and needed no answer but the Doctor's back as he led the way out of the room, taking the invitation to both get food and leave the memories alone.