She Burns

by helloprilly

The Doctor races to save Donna and correct his terrible mistake while an old enemy plots the destruction of the universe. Doctor Who Journey's End Fix it with angst and a darker Doctor as he comes to terms with his actions in regards to Donna and the metacrisis. Post Waters of Mars. (Birth of the Phoenix Universe) Chapter Summary Included in First Chapter

27. Chapter 27

Author's Note: Much beta love to BMG, cassiekat, dm1 and everyone that has supported me up to this point. I've been dying to write this chapter since this story started.

Warning: Explicit Sex, Mind/Sex in the fourth, final part of this chapter.

---

The next morning found Donna lying sprawled in the big bed with her head buried under a pile of pillows, while she tried to control the flaring of her connection with the Nexus. Her eyes were clenched tightly closed but she could still feel the ghostly connection throbbing through her entire body, her senses flaring out in an unconscious search for the Doctor's calming presence.

She barely remembered being carried down to bed by the Doctor in the early hours of the morning, the feel of his presence wrapping around her like a warm cocoon had helped ease the overload that she had felt when she had first connected with the Nexus. He had showed her how to build up a simple barrier to allow the sensations to melt away in order to finally be able to rest, but throughout the night the barrier had dissolved and it was the pulsing of the planet's energy that had pulled her from her deep sleep.

She looked out the bay of windows that dominated one side of the bedroom, groaning when she saw that it was still as dark as ever outside though the soft rosy glow of the Orion Nebula was the only sign that any time had passed at all.

She rolled over onto her back, rubbing the sleep from her eyes while she drew several deep calming breaths before she expanded her senses once more and let her consciousness dip into the swirling river of energy that surrounded her.

She shuddered when her mind suddenly expanded in its connection with the planet, the strange double perception that she had felt last night flaring once again to life. She saw more than felt the Doctor's presence on the other side of the wall, his raging maelstrom of energy somewhat muted as his attention was focused elsewhere.

She remained a quiet presence in the back of his mind, her head cocked when she felt the soft whisper of thought as he was obviously intently talking to the Tardis. She could feel the ship's quiet replies though she couldn't understand them, the two of them were so deeply entrenched in each other's minds at the moment that it was little wonder she was able to move through his thoughts without him being aware of her presence.

She rose to her feet, her fingers lightly skimming the coverlet on the huge bed before she made her way to the bathroom. She hurried through her morning ablutions, before pulling a chunky blue sweater over her head and slipping into a pair of comfy jeans. Taking a moment to pull her hair back into its customary ponytail, she eyed her reflection critically then applied a light coating of lip gloss and slipped out of the bedroom to see what the day had in store.

Donna blinked when she looked over the room, her eyesight once more overlaid with the strange sensations of the Nexus that showed her the beautiful sight of the Doctor and the Tardis standing in the corner. He was standing with his head leaning against the Tardis, his right hand raised so that it could press gently against the worn wood while he spoke with his ship.

The Tardis was almost painful for Donna to look at, the ship's energy flaring in a never ending flow that warped time and space on so many different levels. The Doctor's brilliance was muted compared to the maelstrom of the Tardis, the two of them were so inextricably bound that Donna had been struck dumb the first time she had glimpsed them together last night. It was a beautiful sight, the Time Lord and his Tardis bound together in a union that only grew deeper with each passing century.

She smiled softly when she saw the steaming cup of coffee sitting on the counter next to a plate of sweet looking breakfast pastries, the fanciful shapes reminiscent of the swirls she could see in the Nexus. The Doctor had obviously already broken his fast as there was an empty plate in the sink to wash later, his half empty mug of tea had long since gone cold. She shook her head and had to stifle a chuckle, it seemed like she hadn't been as unnoticed moving through the Doctor's mind as she thought she had been.

The Doctor's thoughts stilled for a moment, his hand patting the wood of the Tardis lovingly before he raised his head and looked over to her with a nervous smile. "Morning."

She paused with the mug raised halfway to her lips, her mind reaching out to his with a soft question before responding. "Good morning, Doctor. Thanks for the coffee."

Pushing away from the Tardis, the Doctor made his way across the room and settled into a chair beside her, his fingers reaching out to brush her cheek in a gentle caress. "How'd you sleep?"

She took another long bracing sip of her coffee, trying to get her brain to wake up more fully before she just shook her head at the useless exercise. "I slept as well as could be expected I suppose Doctor. That little trick you showed me helped me get to sleep, but sometime during the night it melted away and I woke up kind of overwhelmed with everything once again."

He leaned close to her, his fingers sliding around the nape of her neck and stroking lightly to help release the tension. "It'll get easier to maintain with practice Donna. I actually had been meaning to show you that trick for a while because you're still painfully vulnerable when you sleep, I suppose now is as good a time as any to practice." Donna leaned back into his hand, her eyes sliding closed as a soft sigh seemed to well up from the very depths of her being.

"It was fine Doctor, really. It's amazing how different everything feels here though, waking up in the morning and feeling the rush of energy from the planet is really quite special."

He just smiled in response to her words, the pleased glow of his thoughts enough to send a soft flutter echoing through her own mind. She hadn't seen him this at peace outside of the Tardis in a long time, it was wonderful to see the lines across his forehead finally fade away. Here he could just be himself and not have to hold himself up to some impossible ideal; here he could just share his happiness with her without having to worry about what might happen to snatch it away.

"So, how's the Tardis settling in?" Donna asked without opening her eyes, her soft sighs at the gentle caress of his hand was enough to drive him slowly out of his mind.

"She's settled in nicely and is enjoying her connection with the Nexus again. She was giving me grief for staying away as long as I had, but she understood my reasons. She's happy that I brought you here with me though."

She cracked one eye open and smiled impishly up at him, her hand rising to wrap around his wrist so that she could lean further back into his hand. "Is that all Doctor?"

She had felt something more in his thoughts when she had first come into the room, an urgency that she had been unable to place a finger on that had only intensified when he had become aware of her presence.

His eyes locked with hers, his tongue darting out to moisten suddenly dry lips before he swallowed convulsively and nodded. "We were actually talking about something else that I wanted to discuss with you."

She cocked a brow at the sudden nervousness that was radiating off of him, his mind flashing through so many emotions so rapidly she could barely keep track of the train of his thought. "What is it Doctor? Is everything all right?" She was concerned when she felt the tension suddenly rise within him, she hoped that there wasn't something that had come up that would shorten their stay on this world but she knew that they would both do what they must no matter the personal cost.

Donna realized she was actually looking forward to exploring the Nexus more with him, the depth of their connection was already a living, breathing thing and she was excited to discover what hidden delights were waiting for them on Bellatrix Prime. She had a feeling that they wouldn't be able to get enough of the feel of each other on this planet, and already she could see that it would most likely become a favorite vacation spot for them to get away from the cares of the universe for a short while.

He nodded in response to the unspoken question in her mind. "Yes, Donna everything's fine. I was just thinking about some things and wasn't sure when the best time would be to talk to you about it."

She sat up straighter, her hand rising to cup his cheeks and gently force his gaze to hers so that she could look deeply into the troubled brown depths. "You know you can talk to me about anything Doctor, what has you so wound up?"

He shook his head, his hand reaching up to grip the back of his neck before he blew out a frustrated breath. "Well, it's been something that has kind of been on my mind since the Ood sphere, actually since you came back to the Tardis really."

She leaned back slightly as he continued to ramble, her head spinning when she tried to make sense of the chaotic images that were suddenly flashing through his mind, no small number of which were obviously thoughts from the Tardis as the ship seemed to sense that he was floundering. "Okay Doctor. Fair enough, what's on your mind?"

He just shook his head with a self-deprecating laugh, wondering why he was finding it so hard to get to the point. The Tardis was trying to help him find the words, but she was just making matters worse with the helter skelter images that seemed to flit like quicksilver through his mind before being replaced by something else.

It had all seemed so much easier in his head when he had been discussing it with the Tardis, she had been very supportive of his idea and had even told him that she had already been thinking about just such a thing and knew exactly what she wanted to do in order to make it special for the both of them. Now that he was actually faced with the moment, he found he was almost too nervous to speak.

"I um…" He paused and took a deep breath for courage before he was able to continue. "I wanted to actually ask you to move in with me. The Tardis has already been thinking about it for a while and she feels it would be a splendid idea! She's already been mulling over some possible design ideas for our new living space." The Doctor finished the last all in a rush, his chest heaving as if he had just run a marathon.

She looked up at him with a confused smile on her face, her fingers tapping lightly on the counter when she clarified. "Am I not already living with you Doctor? I mean we've been traveling together off and on for the better part of two years."

The Doctor shook his head with an exasperated sigh, his hands rising up to run through his tousled hair in a gesture that she knew all too well. She could feel the conviction in his words, though he was more disgusted with himself that he seemed to be tripping over the words when he usually had no such problems in the past. "No Donna. I mean yes you're already living on board the Tardis and yes we've settled quite comfortably into a routine together but it's not enough." He pulled back, his eyes growing distant as he murmured. "I want to share it all with you Donna. Yeah we've been living together for years already, but as best mates and nothing more. The way things are now it still feels too much like we're just mates, only mates with benefits and that's just no good."

She burst out laughing, her hand rising to her mouth to try to contain the guffaws that unfortunately just got worse when she saw the look of horror flash across his face. She couldn't help herself, the fact that he could possibly think that they were still "just mates" just because she liked to have her own space was really too much. "I'm sorry Doctor. I don't know how you can possibly think that we're just mates now, not with how things have progressed in the last few months. Just because I sometimes need a little quiet time, it's not like we have very much time with just our thoughts anymore anyways."

He sighed softly at that comment, his mind wrapping gently around hers as he whispered. "Is it too much for you Donna? Am I pushing you too fast?"

She shook her head, reaching up to brush a soft kiss across his lips before she replied. "No Doctor. It's not too much nor too fast, though sometimes I do feel a little like my head is spinning."

Her fingers ghosted over the back of his neck, her thumb stroking lightly over the madly fluttering pulse points at the base of his neck as she opened her mind to him fully and let him experience the thrill she had felt first hand when he had asked. She did have to admit though that he was rather adorable when he was all flustered and uncertain, it was a state that he was so rarely in after all and it gave her a heady sense of power that she could have such an effect on him. She decided to quickly put him out of his misery. "Yes Doctor, I'd love to properly move in with you, I'm glad you finally got around to asking. However, I do want to make sure to talk to the Tardis before she goes about redecorating!"

His answering smile was absolutely blinding as he grabbed her up in his arms and spun her around. She couldn't believe the relief and joy that she felt radiating through him, his thoughts teasingly sliding through hers so that she could feel just how happy she had just made him. "Thank you Donna! Don't worry the Tardis already knows that you're going to want your own space and that I need to have my own space as well so that my mess doesn't clutter up the room too much."

She chortled at that comment, shaking her head when she thought of the various projects that he currently had spread around his room all in various stages of disrepair and she sincerely doubted that the mess would ever be properly contained. She honestly didn't care though, she had long since fallen in love with his crazy antics and if she had to admit to herself he was damn sexy when he went all nerdy on her. She just knew better than to tell him that.

His answering grin was so self-assured that she playfully swatted at his arm in retaliation. "I heard that Donna."

"Yeah yeah. Don't let it go to your head Prawn!"

He just laughed and pulled her into his arms for a long indulgent moment, burying his face in her hair and inhaling deeply as his eyes slid closed in sweet bliss before they were broken out of their reverie by a gentle knock on the door.

"Ah! That'll be Nishtano, he's taking us shopping! Are you ready to go see more of the planet?"

She couldn't contain the sparkle in her eyes at the mere mention of the word shopping. "What are we waiting for Spaceman? Let's go!"

He burst out laughing as she practically dragged him to the door, her hand reaching out for her black coat just in case it got too chilly before she pulled the door open and they slipped out into the softly glowing hallways beyond.

---

The Doctor and Donna made their way down the hallway towards the main reception area of the hotel where Nishtano stood waiting for them with a soft smile, his lightly furred ears were standing at rigid attention and his hands were clasped serenely in front of him.

Donna blinked for a moment when she really let herself look at Nishtano through the lens of the Nexus, for the first time realizing the difference between the natives and offworlders that visited for the connection with the Nexus. She had expected some sort of swirling maelstrom of energy to be surrounding a being that had been immersed in the Nexus since he had been in his mother's womb, but instead he was surrounded by a much softer glow. His energy seemed to be swirling within him like a softly babbling brook, little tendrils of soft golden light billowing outwards to intertwine with the larger eddies of the Nexus around him.

She paused for a moment, her hand tightening in the Doctor's grasp as her gaze traveled over the reception area and saw for the first time the true stunning beauty of this world. The softly glowing walls that had seemed so serene last night were actually pulsing with the vibrant energy of the planet, brilliant veins of blue and red fire were arcing through the stones following along lines of force that would melt perfectly into the golden power that was racing through the air. Even the very bedrock of the planet seemed to be connected to the Nexus, and all the beings in this world shared in that perfect connection.

The Doctor was watching the absolute wonder on her face, unable to still the flood of emotion that caused his hearts to stutter when he felt the acceptance flow from her mind to his. He had been concerned with bringing her to this world when she still had so much to learn in terms of controlling her abilities and coming to accept them, but he now realized that no place in the universe could have been a better fit. Here she would not feel like a freak, here she would be completely supported not only by himself but by the wonderful and giving nature of the Bellatraxians themselves and she would finally be able to truly revel in the beauty of her new abilities.

Donna's beaming smile nearly took his breath away before she was distracted by Nishtano's approach, her head jerked back for a moment when she saw those soft golden tendrils of energy reach out to her and brush against her essence in a gentle caress of welcome. It was not an invasion in any way, but the way in which the people of this world greeted each other and it was a serene sharing of energy in a mutual give and take. It was a gentle hello, as was the whispered greeting in her mind that she now recognized was coming from a completely different part then when she shared her thoughts with the Doctor.

"The Nexus agrees with you, Donna Noble. We heard the song of welcome last night and it was beautiful. My daughters had never heard it before and we were able to sit beneath the aurora and sing in response to them. Thank you for allowing me to share that with them."

Donna blushed at Nishtano's words, her gaze darting to the Doctor when she realized that that intensely private moment she had shared with him had actually been heard by a large portion of the population last night. It was a strange surreal sense of connection that she suddenly felt with this man, even though she still felt slightly exposed.

The Doctor's grip tightened momentarily before his voice echoed softly in her mind. They only felt the song from the aurora themselves, Donna. Remember I said that it echoes around the planet when someone new joins the Nexus for the first time? It is a time of rejoicing for the people of this planet, and the fact that his daughters were able to experience that song for the first time is a precious thing for him. He is thankful that you were able to help him share that with his children.

Donna looked up at him, her breath catching in her throat when she saw the raging fire that sheathed his entire body before it faded away once more. He was right of course, he had told her that when she had first opened herself to the field that surrounded them, it just hadn't quite registered that everyone else would feel it as well until Nishtano had mentioned it to her.

She looked back to Nishtano, her eyes glistening with tears that she angrily tried to blink away before she was able to smile in response. "Thank you, Nishtano. I must admit that I'm a little overwhelmed with everything that has happened since last night so please forgive me if I don't quite understand how everything works just yet."

Donna could feel the Doctor just grinning like an idiot next to her at her words, his pleasure radiating out to her until she had to squeeze his hand tightly to try to get him to control himself. She could tell from his response that she had said the right thing, but now was not the time to be distracting her with his crazy thoughts.

Nishtano's smile looked decidedly alien on his features, but she could tell just from the gentle pulse of his aura that he was pleased with her words. "There is no need to apologize, Donna Noble. We're well aware that offworlders will not understand all the ways of the Nexus as would one that had been born to it." His gaze flicked up to the Doctor, and with a soft chuckle he leaned close to murmur. "Even the Doctor still has much to learn of this world and he has been here many times over the years."

"Oi! You said I was a natural Nish, what happened to that?"

Nish just leaned back and the serene smile was back in place. "You are a natural Doctor, however you still have much to learn."

The Doctor just scowled playfully in response to Nish's teasing, his spirit soaring that his old friend could finally joke again when he truly had lost so much the last time the Doctor had seen him. It was so rare that he was able to see those he saved so long after his own actions had had such a lasting impact on a planet, but this was one tie that he was all too happy had survived the intervening centuries for him.

Donna just laughed softly at the playful banter between the old friends, her head still shifting from time to time to follow a particularly strong pulse of energy through the walls before she was able to then return her attention to the two of them. "Does it ever get any easier to handle, Nishtano?"

His answering smile was kind as he turned and started to lead them towards a long sloping corridor just off to the left of the main reception desk. "It will with time Donna Noble. All of the sensations are still so very new to you that your mind is still struggling to accept the sensory input and how best to prioritize what it shows you. The Doctor however called you a particularly powerful fledgling and just seeing how you responded to my greeting after less than 12 hours of practice proves his words to be accurate if even a little understated."

The Doctor just looked down at her with a pointed smile, his eyes locking with hers for a split second so that she could feel the truth of Nishtano's words burn through her soul. It was not only the Doctor now stating that she was brilliant and powerful, but another being that had only just met her. She blushed at the scrutiny of his gaze, her eyes snapping back towards the corridor that the two of them were walking down so that she didn't have to focus too much on her own insecurities. She was floating too comfortably on the gentle current of the Nexus to try to rock the boat too much by delving into that sometimes dark and depressing part of her mind.

"Nish, Donna's abilities manifested rather suddenly and powerfully and we both were struggling to manage them as they have evolved very quickly. I brought her here because of the unconscious connection that your people have with the Nexus in the hopes that we could both be taught how best to manage the changes as they manifest, just in case there are any more changes for which we need to be prepared."

Donna shivered when she heard the Doctor's words, her hands slipping into the sleeves of her black coat to ward off the very distinct chill that was starting to drift down the corridor though she knew it was more the Doctor's question that had her feeling the chill.

Nishtano paused and looked back at Donna for a moment, his eyes closing as he let his energy reach out to brush lightly over the swirling aura that she knew was dancing around her own body. It was almost as if he was asking a question, and with eyes closed was listening to the answer echo in an unknowable way back through the Nexus. His eyes snapped open, the gaze traveling from Donna to the Doctor before he gasped softly. "I see now what has happened." Nishtano looked from the Doctor to Donna, his gaze tracing the surging of energy around the both of them while he gathered his thoughts on just what it was that he was seeing. He could feel Donna's fear trembling through the lines of force that connected them, her lips were parted and her eyes were glued to his while she waited for him to announce that her hell was not yet over. The Doctor stood with his attention just as raptly focused on his old friend, his own senses flaring out trying to get a better feel for just what it was that Nish had seen when he let his entire being read the lines of possibility that flowed between them.

"You two have been bonded in a way deeper than time or possibility could ever limit. You have each taken a piece of the other into themselves, and as such have been changed in ways you could never have realized. Your abilities, Donna, are a manifestation of this bonding. It would seem that the universe would seek to balance the both of you so that one was not so much more than the other." Nishtano paused as he saw another line of possibility arc between the two of them, his lips parting in a startled gasp before the soft smile eased the frighteningly alien focus from his features. "Your soul however is complete Donna Noble and it's time for you to learn and grow into the abilities that have been granted to you. It seems that the universe had a purpose for you that was only just fully realized in recent time, and that the Doctor is no small part of that purpose."

Donna's lips were trembling when his words seemed to wash over her like a gentle rain, she could feel the truth of his statement echoing through the Nexus that bound them all and she knew that all she had suffered had been to prepare her for this time where she was walking hand in hand with the Doctor.

The Doctor looked down at Donna, his eyes shining with the depth of his emotion even when he felt the brief stab of pain at the memory of all that Donna had suffered because of him. He had stolen everything from her in the blind belief that it was best for her and in the end the universe had made sure to wrench him back in line. "I thank you Nish for putting the both of us at ease, Donna has been absolutely brilliant in dealing with everything that was thrown her way. It's nice to know that the biggest changes are done and now she can truly focus on mastering these new gifts."

Nishtano smiled and bowed at the waist to the both of them before he turned his attention back to the Doctor. "I'm grateful that I was able to provide some solace to the both of you, however if you still wish to be certain I know that the augers would be most pleased to meet with you again Doctor to confirm what I have seen. They were most eager to have some time with you when they first heard that you would be returning to us."

The Doctor just smiled, his mind drifting for a moment to pleasant memories that he had spent of days gone by in deep philosophical conversation with the augers of Bellatrix Prime. He ached to speak with them again, and no small part of it was to confirm that the worst of the danger from the metacrisis had indeed passed. "We would both be honored to meet with them should they wish it Nish."

Donna nodded her agreement, unable to still the ripple of elation when she had heard Nishtano's words that her soul was complete and that she could finally focus on learning all that she could in order to control her new abilities. The Doctor's hand tightened in her grip, the whoop of joy in his mind was enough to cause Donna to grin openly in delight.

"I am curious though Doctor. What happened to the both of you? You said that these abilities were newly manifested however the energy seems to be muddied when I tried to look deeper."

Donna gasped at the question, her gaze flying to the Doctor though she could tell by his resigned sigh that he was not surprised by it. "There was a divergence, Nish."

Nishtano pulled the both of them into an alcove that had been cut into the wall of the corridor, his eyes soft and so very sad when he heard the Doctor's words. "It's never a divergence Doctor if it leads to a path of discovery. How many times have we told you that? It's merely another path travelled that leads us to new planes of existence."

The Doctor huffed and shook his head at Nish's words, though the Bellatraxian just smiled indulgently at the denial that was radiating in waves from the Doctor.

Donna was watching the exchange between the two with a strange sense of fascination, her eyes drifting back and forth while she tried to make sense of the strange emotions that were even now pouring off the Doctor in near incandescent waves. "I'm sorry, what's a divergence?"

It was Nishtano that answered. "A divergence is what Time Lords called an alternate timeline. They felt that they could see the true timeline of the universe and that any time events happened to alter their perceived continuity was a deviation or a divergence to their perception of how the universe should evolve. It is why they adopted such a strict policy of observation only, never interference because with their foreknowledge they worried that they could bring about the very events that they were trying to avoid." He looked to the Doctor and just whispered softly. "They could see all that was, all that could be and all that must not and they let it guide them what they believed was their role as benevolent overseers."

Donna gasped when she heard the echo of the Doctor's words that he had uttered beneath the slopes of Mount Vesuvius, the terrible haunting knowledge in his eyes when he spoke about the vision of a Time Lord. It seemed that these Bellatraxians had intimate knowledge of the Time Lords, and that knowledge had sometimes been quite at odds with their system of beliefs.

The Doctor was scowling when he heard Nishtano's words, but the soft spoken alien was uncharacteristically firm when he continued. "You rebelled against your people at a very young age, Doctor. My people were always surprised that you clung to this outdated superstition as strongly as you did. All things happen for a reason Doctor, and those events that you refer to as an anomaly or a deviation have led to a chain of events that have brought you back to our world. We don't view divergences in quite the same way that the Time Lords did, though we perceive time in a wholly unique way because of our connection with the Nexus."

The Doctor let out a huff of frustrated breath though he was nodding somewhat ruefully at the gentle admonition in his old friend's voice. "I actually was once called a walking divergence by the high council, Nish."

Nishtano's lips split in an almost feral grin, while a soft chuckling wheeze seemed to echo from deep within his chest. It took Donna a moment to realize that the strange sound was actually him laughing, and laughing so hard that he was nearly doubled over with it. "I could understand why they would call you that, and why you would so often run to us in order to escape their censure."

The Doctor's face fell at Nish's words, his memories flashing momentarily to the aching emptiness that had filled him since the voices of his people had been silenced. "They're all gone, Nish. There's no one else now except me, that's why I couldn't come back here for so long. It's been several centuries in my timeline since I was here last."

Donna's hand tightened in the Doctor's grip, her other hand reaching over to rub the back of his trembling hand gently when she heard the emotion choking his voice. She knew he was reliving that last terrible day, the day when no one could ever get it right and she knew that being here and reconnecting with these people and the Nexus was causing those memories to once more surge nearly beyond his control.

The Doctor flashed a soft grateful smile down at her before he turned his gaze back to Nishtano, somewhat surprised that his friend didn't seem surprised by his revelation. "Did you seriously think that we wouldn't have felt their passing Doctor? All Nexus worlds felt all of time burning and we knew that something had to happen to end it or the universe would be completely destroyed."

Nishtano paused thoughtfully as he leaned back against the wall of the alcove, his gaze drifting out to the stream of people that were passing back and forth in the corridor as visitors and Belaltraxians alike were making their way to and from the merchants cavern. He had been thinking long and hard since the augers had felt the sudden void left by the death of the Time Lords, and they had all wondered why they especially had been more affected by that event than other Nexus worlds in different parts of the universe. "We felt the passing of both the Daleks and the Time Lords Doctor. However, we were more attuned to the loss of the Time Lords than others in the universe were and we could never figure out why. I truly had worried that you'd also perished in that final cataclysmic end, but perhaps it was because of your connection with our Nexus that we were more attuned to the loss of your people than others were."

The Doctor gasped when he realized just what it was that Nishtano was saying, the burst of emotion from him caused Donna to jump before he blurted out. "You felt the moment when it happened? You felt the moment when they all died?"

Nishtano could only nod sadly. "Yes Doctor we did. We thought that you had decided to follow your people into their destruction."

The Doctor sagged against Donna as it all suddenly came crashing back down around him. "I was supposed to, Nish. I wanted to when I felt the void within me when I knew that they were all dead. I was supposed to join them, but something happened and I ended up regenerating and I'd been cheated of the final solace of death."

Donna couldn't stop the flow of tears when she heard those words, her hand jerking out of his grasp before she reached up and turned his head down towards hers. "Don't you dare do that Spaceman. You did what you had to do and saved everyone and everything by making that decision. I know you wanted to die, remember I walked those memories with you. But don't you dare ever regret that you made it out the other side."

His hand reached up to hold her hand close to his cheek, his own eyes reflecting the turmoil that had risen within him only to be so swiftly vanquished by Donna's impassioned plea. He took a deep breath and nodded softly. "I'm working on that bit Donna. It is getting easier to bear though with your help." She just nodded as if she expected nothing less before her hands dropped to once more clasp his hand tightly in her own.

Nishtano was watching the exchange between the two of them with fascination, his eyes tracing the beautiful throbbing dance of their energy as it weaved and dipped together in a union that he had rarely seen. They were walking the threads of time held hand in hand, their spirits weaving tightly into a stunning mosaic though there was a shadow across both their timelines. It was faint to see, but Nishtano knew that one would not survive the passing of the other long. He did however see that their timelines were still emerging, growing together until he knew that their journey would not be short lived.

He blinked his eyes and the vision that he had seen faded away to once more be replaced with the chaotic firestorm that surrounded them, the brief glimpse of their futures dissipating as if it had never been. He could only smile softly to the both of them before he looked to the Doctor once more. "We all thank you Doctor for making that impossible decision. We thank you for giving our song the chance to continue and for being willing to shoulder the burden that can truly never be set aside. You've come here to heal, come let my people heal you."

Nishtano led the way out of the alcove even though the Doctor stood struck dumb for a moment at the depth of gratitude that he had heard in Nish's voice, his words required no response and truly what could the Doctor say when no one had ever thanked him for being the one to end the Time War.

The Doctor could feel Donna's soft wonder whispering through his mind, her thoughts wrapping around his gently when he finally let himself realize that there were beings out there in the universe that had known the depth of his sacrifice and actually cared enough to thank him for it.

He looked down into her moist, smiling eyes with such a look of amazement that she couldn't help but lean her head against his shoulder as they made their way to the entrance of the merchant's cavern. The Doctor just held tightly to her, his step somewhat lighter when he finally realized that with time his burden might just become bearable.

---

Nishtano led them down the gently sloping corridor and across a long walkway that opened to the sky above, the cold kept at bay by the same invisible forcefields that protected the viewing dome and balcony in their room so that they could enjoy the breathtaking vista of the canyon below lit by the nebula's rosy glow.

Donna actually found herself thinking in terms of day and night already, and it seemed that during this period of eternal night the nebula could be used to mark the daily cycle. She looked to the Doctor, his hand swinging hers playfully as they made their way down to the merchants cavern. His mind was dancing teasingly through hers, the sudden release of sorrow and tension that he had just experienced back in the corridor had filled him with a bubbly elation that he was having trouble controlling.

He let mental fingertips flutter gently through the strands of energy wreathing Donna's body, light touches strumming along golden lines that caused heat to shudder through her body in desperate response. He looked down at her with such a look of raw hunger in his eyes that she nearly stumbled over her own two feet, his words whispering deliciously through her mind. When we're done here, I have something else I want to show you. The Nexus has so many other delights in store.

She gasped softly, the heat that poured into her body was too intense to belong solely to her and she knew that the Doctor was flooding her mind with his own emotions. Now that he had felt the desperate ache of sorrow dissolve in relief at Nishtano's revelations, he was reveling in the depth of the connection that he had with Donna and was eager to deepen their tie even further.

Donna struggled to focus through the surging waves of emotion pouring off the Doctor, his blazing essence seeming to flare at the edge of her vision for a brief moment until she reached out and seized hold of the energy in an unconscious grip that caused him to grunt in surprised pleasure. She blushed furiously when Nishtano looked back at the both of them, his gaze flickering to the psychic hold that they had on each other before he just grinned and turned back towards the doors that were just sliding open.

Donna gasped as her control suddenly faltered, even though she didn't even know what she had just done and she stepped away from the Doctor to try to get her emotions under control. "Behave Timeboy! I don't want to offend these wonderful people by doing something rude simply because you can't control yourself!"

He just grinned softly in reply, leaning close when he knew no one was looking so that he could run his tongue lightly along the throbbing pulse in her neck. "They wouldn't be offended Donna. They believe connections like ours are beautiful and to be celebrated, but don't worry I promise to be on my best behavior until I get you back to the room."

She jumped and slapped her hand to her neck, her gaze flying up to his with a scowl that she could barely hold in place before she just shook her head and laughed. "The day you behave Doctor is the day all of creation with stop from shock!"

The Doctor just threw his head back laughed before taking her hand in his and following Nishtano into the large cavern beyond the end of the walkway. He grinned when he saw the look on Donna's face, her gaze darting out over the sea of beings from all corners of the galaxy that had filled the space beneath them.

They emerged onto a raised ledge, a wide path leading down into the swirling crush of beings that were moving from booth to booth. She blinked several times when it seemed like the entire cavern was lit with the fire of a galaxy, the energy racing through each being was blending seamlessly into the next until every creature was bound together in the golden threads of the Nexus.

The offworlders were easy to pick out amongst the locals, their wildly chaotic energy swirled around them in angry fits and bursts that would brush against the Bellatraxians gentle golden glow before swirling off into the river of the Nexus around them.

The walls were pulsing with the same blue and red fire as in the main part of the hotel, though the patterns that moved through the stones in this chamber were beautifully ordered and rhythmic almost as if the stones themselves had formed lines of force to some higher purpose. Her lips were parted in wonder at the beautiful sight, her gaze traveling down the lines of blazing energy to openings that were spaced regularly along the walls. She could see natives and offworlders alike moving in and out of these openings. Some with parcels in their hands, others standing to discuss different things before moving on.

Nishtano was watching the expressions flit across her face, his eyes shining when he saw the contentment that washed over her at the beautiful sight before her. "It is only during the long dark that we take to the caves, though our artisans remain in the caverns year round. It is far easier for us to maintain the warmth and protection from the elements in the caverns themselves so that we can use the abundant geothermal energy of the planet to heat our living spaces. When the sun rises again many of us will move up to the plains above where you first arrived and will spend the months of sunlight farming and gathering what we need for the long dark."

Donna looked surprised at his words and her next question made him realize why. "You're a space faring race, couldn't you just import what you need to survive during those long months?"

The Doctor grinned and tugged her hand so that they could begin to make their way down towards the shops below. "It's tradition Donna. They can import anything they need to survive and most often they do, but the connection to the planet is something that all Bellatraxians crave and the time of never ending daylight is the perfect time for them to reconnect to the Nexus."

Nishtano nodded at the Doctor's words, his gaze darting over the various alcoves before he led them to one in particular. "The Doctor is right. We're a technologically advanced race with allies all over the quadrant and truly we want for nothing, but we do cling to our traditions because that's where our ancestors first found their connection with the Nexus back in time immemorial."

Donna loved the simplicity of Nish's answer, her gaze darting from stall to stall as she thought briefly how wonderful it would be to have such a deep connection not only with one's planet but with their people as well. She was a part of the human race, but she had been feeling more and more removed from it even before the Doctor had come into her life and showed her just what she was missing. The warmth of acceptance that she felt as she walked amongst the people on this world was something that she knew she would never forget and she found that she craved deepening her connection to the people and the planet even more.

The Doctor just looked ahead though he couldn't contain the smile on his lips when he felt the eagerness for a deeper connection flaring through Donna's mind, she was reacting exactly as he had done when he had first stumbled across this world nearly eight centuries ago. He had been connected telepathically with his people, but even that connection had not been enough to satisfy him for long because that connection had never heralded acceptance. He took a deep steadying breath, his gaze drifting down to Donna's upturned face when he realized she had felt the sad turn of his thoughts.

Donna was looking at the Doctor, her fingers lightly rubbing the inside of his wrist while she let him work through the emotions that being back on this planet had awakened in him. She just smiled softly when she felt the serenity settle over his soul as he opened himself once more to the energy that eddied about the both of them, binding them together in ways that neither had ever hoped to find in this universe.

He just grinned softly at the gentle stroking of Donna's mind through his, her eyes shining up into his before she leaned her head against his chest and whispered softly. "I've got you Doctor. No matter how hard you fall, I'll be there to catch you."

His arms suddenly gripped her tightly to him, his eyes clenching shut as he dropped a fervent kiss to the top of her head. "As I will you Donna. Never alone again." She just smiled against his chest, her eyes sliding closed when she felt his pulsing energy wrap about her in an unbreakable vise.

The Doctor was the first to pull away with an embarrassed blush, his gaze traveling through the crowd to find Nishtano had ducked into one of the alcoves to speak with one of the artisans. He grabbed Donna's hand and together they weaved through the crowd back to Nish's side.

Nishtano looked up at their approach, his smile brilliant when he saw the subtle changes in the aura around them. He had stepped away when they had paused in the walkway, knowing that the Doctor especially was having a hard time letting go and accepting his connection to their planet. Nish had felt the pain echo off of him in waves and had turned around in surprise only to see that Donna had already turned to him and had joined her mind with his so that they could draw strength from the other.

"I'm sorry Nish, I got distracted by all the energy here. I'd forgotten how overwhelming the marketplace can be sometimes."

Nish bowed his head in acceptance of the Doctor's excuse, knowing that he was an intensely private man and though he knew that they still would have seen everything that had just happened through the Nexus they were a polite enough people that they would not speak of it if he didn't wish it. "There is no reason to apologize Doctor. We're used to offworlders stopping and staring off into nothing no matter how many times they have come to join with us."

The Doctor and Donna both breathed a soft sigh of relief that they had not offended their host by suddenly losing themselves in each other, their gazes ghosting to the other's before they then looked through the alcove that Nish had been standing in.

There was an obvious workspace that was filled with various bins that held different colored sands, some of which were radiating the energy of the walls around them. There were reds, blues and greens all glowing with a soft inner fire while other bins held sands in varying textures and consistencies.

A large furnace stood towards the back of the workspace, the opening was glowing a dull red as it seemed the fire had been banked for the time being. Various work benches and tools were scattered about the remaining space while the artist's long metal rods were stacked neatly in order of thickness and height along a rack that hugged the last empty wall.

Through an archway to their left, Donna could just glimpse shelves that had been carved into the walls and on those shelves were set the most beautiful pieces of glass sculpture that she had ever seen. She gasped softly when she saw bowls and vases in all shapes and colors strewn across the space, some of the pieces glowing with their own inner fire while others reflected the softly glowing walls and scattered the light in a million directions.

She could tell that the artisan was pleased by Donna's reactions, her soft cream colored fur rippled with pleasure when she stepped up to Donna. "My name is Largana. I work with the sand and stone to make these pieces you see. Please come let me show you some of my work."

The Doctor stood back with Nish when Donna eagerly smiled down at Largana, her wide eyed gaze drifting from piece to piece while she marveled at the skill displayed in the pieces. There were vases and bowls in varying shapes and designs, the colors ranging from a deep red that pulsed in time with the lines of force that were radiating through the walls in the cavern beyond to a blue so deep it seemed to reflect the endless midnight sky above.

He could tell that Donna was transfixed and that she was already coveting several pieces on display, he just grinned softly when he felt her attention suddenly focus on one piece in particular. "Doctor?"

The Doctor made his way to her side, his gaze dropping to the beautiful bowl that was set on a small pedestal in the middle of the display room. He was already nodding even before the question left her lips. The bowl was a shallow wide dish whose heart was a deep ruby red that faded into the softest blues as the edges curled over themselves in a scalloped pattern that echoed the soft eddies of the Nexus, there was a faint pulsing of light flowing from the center of the bowl towards the tips before the light flickered off the edge of the bowl and faded away. "Will the bowl illuminate like this on other worlds?"

Donna was already picturing the bowl sitting in her mother's sitting room, it would be a perfect centerpiece for the room that she knew Sylvia would love to show off to all the neighbors. She knew that Sylvia would treasure it, mostly because Donna had never been able to afford anything quite so exquisite for her in the past. In truth she didn't know how she was going to be able to afford this bowl, but the swift look that the Doctor shot in her direction told her already that she needn't have worried about something as trivial as money.

Largana just smiled and shook her head in response to the Doctor's question, her fingers reached out to tease along the lines of energy within the bowl causing them to dance in a playful response to her manipulation before they settled back into their own pattern. "No Doctor, it will simply appear as a bowl on any world that is not a Nexus world. However those who are attuned to the Nexus would be able to connect with the living force in the bowl for short periods of time if they wished to feel its energy."

Donna just grinned from ear to ear at Largana's answer, nearly bouncing on her heels with excitement when she murmured to the Doctor. "Mum will absolutely love it Doctor!"

The Doctor just grinned, his eyes flicking to Nish's before he nodded down to Donna. "Well at least there is very little chance of anyone causing it to suddenly illuminate at your mother's house. You're right Donna this is absolutely perfect for her."

The Doctor arranged for payment and delivery of the bowl to their room and with a final farewell to the stunningly gifted glassmaker, they made their way back out of the alcove and into the crowd beyond.

"Nish, I would actually like to see your lens makers if that would be possible. I've got a little project for them."

Nish looked at the Doctor with a puzzled expression on his face, his head bowing in response before he pointed them back towards a different portion of the marketplace. "They're down this way Doctor, though may I ask what you need them for? We have different lens makers all with different levels of expertise in various mediums and I want to make sure I take you to the right artisan."

He grinned and pulled out his sonic screwdriver, finger tapping lightly on the case before he looked back to Nishtano. "I have measurements here for convex and concave viewing lenses that I would like to commission to a very specific dimension. I know that your people work with some of the best prismatic viewing glass in the quadrant and I want to have them make a special set of lenses for me."

Donna gasped when she heard his request, her mind flashing back to the allotment behind her house where he had stood looking into her granddad's telescope while running his sonic up and down the length of the tube. She had thought it strange at the time that he was taking such detailed readings of such a simple telescope, but she then had had no idea what he had planned for her grandfather.

Nishtano glanced to Donna when he heard her gasp, his eyes not missing the tender look in her eyes when she heard the Doctor's request. It was obviously something intensely personal for the both of them and when he realized that he knew exactly where to take them.

"I know just the artisan to take you to Doctor. Turano is our foremost lens maker and he will be able to help you."

Donna slipped her hand through the Doctor's arm, her fingers tightening briefly so that he would look down at her. "Is it all right to take extraterrestrial lenses back to my granddad Doctor? Wouldn't that be dangerous?"

The Doctor laughed and shook his head. "I already know that he is planning on leaving that telescope to you when he finally does pass, he told me as much when we spent so much time together before I was able to return to you." He paused at the brief stab he felt when he thought about that time, but he was surprised that the pain faded away far more quickly that it had in the past. Perhaps he was finally beginning to forgive himself.

Donna gaped up at him when she heard that revelation, her steps faltering for a brief moment before she remembered herself and lurched back into step once more. "Why would he have left me his telescope Doctor? I remember sitting up there with him looking at the stars, but I'd never shown as much interest in astronomy as he did."

The Doctor gripped her hand tightly for a moment, his soft smile when he thought back to the look on Wilf's face as he spoke about Donna looking up at night convincing him that this would be the perfect gift for her granddad. "You were always looking up Donna, even when you didn't know what you were looking for. He wanted you to have the telescope as a remembrance to him but also as a tie to yourself, it was his hope that you would one day find yourself again. I just don't think he ever thought it would be in such a spectacular fashion."

She pressed her head tightly against his arm, the tears rising up so swiftly when she thought of the pain that her grandfather had felt when he had watched her slowly going insane. How he had still held out hope that one day the Doctor would figure out a way to fix her so that she would be able to run free through her amazing life. "He never gave up hope did he Doctor?"

The Doctor just shook his head softly, his own jaw clenched tightly with emotion. "No, Donna. He never did and he made sure that I never did either."

They walked arm in arm through the crowded marketplace for a while, not saying a word and just relishing the brush of energy against them as they passed through the throng. The Doctor was the first to break the silence. "The Bellatraxians are renowned for their ability to make lenses of all kinds. It must be something to do with the energy field of the planet that allows them to create powerful lenses with absolutely perfect prisms within them and no imperfections in the glass. The lenses can be used in almost anything and they can focus light far more efficiently than anything on earth can for at least the next five thousand years. Wilf's telescope will probably be stronger than half of your large array scopes on the planet, and all because the lenses were just a wee bit upgraded."

She laughed when she heard the smug tone in his voice, his mind already filled with all the time that they would be able to spend looking up at the stars and dreaming. "He's going to be ecstatic Doctor. He's not going to know how to thank you."

Nishtano had stopped by another alcove and was waiting for them to catch up, the artisan Turano already waiting outside to greet them as they arrived.

The Doctor's grip tightened on Donna's hand for a moment, his gaze dropping to hers before he whispered. "He just needs to enjoy it and keep his promise to always keep an eye out for us. Come on Donna, let's go make his Christmas!"

She laughed as he dragged her across the intervening space, the two of them ducking into the alcove where Donna was able to lean back and watch her spaceman lose himself in the possibilities that the lens maker was laying out before him. Her eyes drifted closed when she thought of the coming Christmas holidays and for the first time in years she found that she was finally looking forward to them.

---

The Doctor and Donna returned to their room after they had spent nearly the entire day browsing through the different booths and shops in the merchants cavern. They had shared a lovely meal with Nishtano, Turano and Largana before they had finally bid everyone a good evening and hurriedly made their way back through the corridors to their rooms.

Donna stumbled through the door with a soft laugh, her arms laden with several bags filled with the most beautiful pieces of clothing that she had ever seen. It seemed that the Bellatraxians loved working with vibrant colors, their art and clothing mimicking the energy of the planet that swirled endlessly around them so that they seemed to become an extension of the flaring lines of force that surged through everything around them.

She set her bags on the counter in the kitchen, her hands diving into one of them to pull out a voluminous skirt made of the softest fabric she had ever felt. It felt almost like cotton, but the fibers were nearly as soft as the finest silks she had ever felt on earth. The colors were similar in blues, greens and reds to the bowl that they had bought for her mother, the swirling pattern throughout the skirt was chaotic without seeming to be completely random. She held the skirt to her nose, inhaling deeply of the slightly alien tang to the fabric before she laid it back into the bag with a soft sigh.

The Doctor smiled softly as he watched her, his thoughts had stilled when they had come into the room only because the anticipation of the next few hours was almost more than he could bear. They had been teasing each other mercilessly almost the entire day as they had walked from stall to stall, their minds and thoughts so wrapped up in the other that they had sometimes forgotten where they were. If the Doctor had had his way, he would've dragged her back to their room hours ago.

As it was he had no desire to offend his old friend and so he had struggled to keep himself under control as much as he could under the circumstances. His body was still quivering with the memory of how it had felt when she had seized his energy in an unbreakable grip, her wildly flaring eyes betraying the very real ache that she had absolutely no control over. When he had felt that connection with her, he had known that he could afford to be patient for a little while longer.

He had already let Nishtano know that they might not be too social over the next few days, and his old friend had just looked at him with his alien grin and nodded in acceptance of the Doctor's words. Nish could feel the connection throbbing between the two of them, everyone who encountered them could actually and Largana had already let him know that she had been inspired by meeting them to create a special piece to gift to them when they left the planet.

The Doctor stepped close to Donna as she was leaning against the counter, his fingers rising up to trail lightly over her arms before he pressed himself tight against her back. Her responding whimper was enough to send both his hearts into overdrive.

Donna leaned back into the Doctor with a groan, her eyes sliding closed and her head falling back against his shoulder so that she could revel in the feel of his body pressing tightly into hers. She had never been as keyed up as she had been today, and though she couldn't remember just how she had grabbed a hold of the Doctor's energy she couldn't wait to do so again.

His lips pressed against her hair while his eyes slid closed, his mind already reaching out to hers as his hands pulled back from their gentle caress so that he could begin to lightly tease through the streams of energy that were shimmering around her body. She gasped softly in response, the sensation of his caress somehow more intimate even though he wasn't even touching her body, the delicate strumming of her aura sending a responding surge of heat spearing through her body and coiling tightly deep within her belly.

Donna turned around and looked up into his half closed eyes, the pupils already completely blown by the hunger she could feel raging through him though she could tell that he was still maddeningly in control of himself. She reached up to wrap her hands around his neck, rising up on tiptoes to pull his mouth down to hers where she proceeded to devour his mouth with greedy passion.

The Doctor groaned at the bolt of fire that flared nearly beyond his control, his lips parting so that Donna's tongue could sweep in to claim his before he pressed her back against the counter and set to exploring the sweet depths at such an excruciatingly slow pace she was nearly screaming into his kiss.

He gasped when he wrenched his lips away from hers, worried that neither of them were going to last long if this kept up and there was so much he wanted to show her this night. His hands reached up and threaded through her hair, fingers flexing to pop the ponytail free so that the crimson strands wrapped about his hands in a silken vise. He leaned his forehead against hers, their panting breath mingling as they both struggled to gain some semblance of control so that they could slow down and truly enjoy each other.

"There's so much I want to show you Donna. So much that this planet has to offer that I want to share with you, but I'm afraid it's might be too much for you. Blimey, I'm afraid it's going to be too much for me if I'm honest."

She was panting against his mouth, her lips already aching and swollen from the brutal kiss that they had just shared while her body was screaming out for so much more. She honestly could have quite happily pushed him to the ground and had her way with him and she knew that he would not protest, but she could just catch glimmers racing through his mind of the things that he wanted to show her. She struggled to get her racing heart under control, uncertain but knowing that she desperately wanted to lose herself in everything that he wanted to share with her. This place was a glimpse into another level of existence that she had never even dared to dream, and she knew that he would hold her tightly to him while they both fell through the inferno and into the beauty beyond.

"I want that Doctor. I want you so bloody much right now. I've already leapt into the fire with you and I'm never turning back."

Her words filled him with sweet elation and the corresponding surge of blood through his body was enough to cause the room to momentarily spin before he wrestled his own desires under control and took her hand in his. The smile that he flashed to her rivaled the brilliance of the Tardis as her energy pulsed in the corner of the room, her gentle presence brushing against them in joyful greeting before she withdrew so that they could truly focus on one another. She let them both know that she was looking forward to communing properly with them in the morning or the morning after that, but for now she settled back into quiet running and let her senses flare out to touch the pulse of the planet around her.

The Doctor lead Donna into the bedroom, his hand reaching up to unbutton his suit jacket before pulling his tie off and tossing them both across one of the settees in the room. She licked her lips when she watched him reach up to unbutton two buttons on his shirt and at his cuffs, but other than that he didn't undress any further.

He led her to the bed and nodded for her to climb atop the coverlet and settle into a comfortable position, his fingers lingering lovingly in her clasp for a moment more before he pulled another chair close and settled down to watch her nervously settle onto the bed.

Donna kicked her shoes off and reached up to pull her top off, but the Doctor merely shook his head and flashed that darkly sensuous grin that had her quivering in response. "Leave your clothes on for now Donna. This will have far more effect if you do."

It was hardly fair that he had such an effect on her, just a single look from him and she was a shivering mess aching for his touch. He looked like sin incarnate sitting in that chair with his shirt halfway undone and his hair standing in all different directions from the frantic caress of her needy fingers. His eyes were black pools of raging desire while his lips were swollen and red from the frantic hunger in her kiss. He was holding his thoughts very still within hers though she knew he was well aware of what he did to her and that he was reveling in her helpless response.

She knew she had the same power over him, but that at least this time she found she was eager for what he had to show her and how it would strengthen their bond. When she was comfortably settled, well as comfortably as she could be while waiting for she knew not what, she looked up at him and smiled that tentative smile that she hadn't smiled in many months.

The Doctor felt his hearts stutter in his chest when he saw the nervous turn of her lips, the feelings of love and tenderness that rose to nearly choke him were so swift it left him floundering for a moment before he was able to gain control once more. She was far too sensual, her every movement and glance drove him slowly out of his mind and he knew that he was going to have a hard enough time trying to keep a hold of his own rampaging body in order to show her the pleasure that could be found on this world. He deliberately settled into a quiet corner of his mind, trying his best to try to shut out the aching need that now that it had been awakened was very rarely satisfied.

He cleared his throat for a moment, letting his mind seek that connection deep within himself that he shared with Donna. The subtle pulse of energy that moved between them and flowed outwards in a display that all beings on this world were able to see, that part of herself that had long since crawled inside of him and made itself at home. His breath caught when he opened himself completely to the roaring inferno that was the Nexus, his mental fingers reaching out to stroke in a gentle caress over the beautiful coruscating fire that surrounded his amazing Donna Noble.

Donna's eyes opened wide when she felt the Doctor completely opening himself to the Nexus, the sudden screaming rush of sensation flooding through her mind and causing her to open herself in response. Her head flew back when she felt that same fire sweep through her as it had the previous night, her body quivering with the pleasure that exploded through every nerve before it settled in a quivering ball of sensation right in her pit of her stomach.

He was fighting for breath just as much as she was before he shook his head and with a monumental force of will that she knew she would never be able to manage, he forced himself to speak. "This is going to feel incredibly intense and possibly overwhelming Donna. It's the final barrier between us that I honestly have never breached with any other being." He paused so that she could grasp just what he was saying, her head cocking to the side for a minute when she understood the import of those words before he continued. "It's the last claiming of the body, mind and soul. The final way that we have to claim each other so that our bond will finally be complete. The power of the Nexus affords us this opportunity because you are still only part Time Lord and so normally we would never have been able to achieve this bonding."

He surged out of his chair and leaned over her, his lips pressed against the creamy flesh of her neck. She could feel the tension held barely in check within the quivering muscles that brushed against hyper sensitized skin, his body was radiating an intense hunger that she could only help but whimper in response to. "I want you Donna. I want all of you and finally tonight, I'm going to have all of you."

He pulled back, his eyes locking with hers after that shocking revelation before he let his lips brush over hers in a tender kiss. "I in turn give all of myself to you, yours to do with as you will. Do you understand Donna?"

She reared back, her eyes shining as her hand flew to her lips to stifle the sob that nearly threatened to break free. She was suddenly flooded with emotion, the words got tangled up in the lump that suddenly rose to choke her but she nodded in acknowledgement of his promise.

His smile, though tentative at first, grew until it was nearly blinding and he swooped in for another searing kiss before he recalled himself and pulled away. He settled back into his chair, struggling for composure while his eyes remained clenched tightly shut before they snapped open and she saw the fires of a million stars burning from the inky black depths.

"I've been dreaming of this for centuries Donna, the final connection of the Nexus."

Without any further warning, Donna saw him extend a single thread of thought out towards her, the shimmering strand brushing low against her belly, twisting deep within to twitch along tortured nerve endings. She cried out at the responding surge of heat, her head flying back when she felt that caress turn into the ghostly touch of fingertips teasing along quivering flesh.

She arched her back when she felt the Doctor reach out with another thread, this one curling deliciously around one hard nipple and plucking the delicate flesh into aching response. Her eyes were wide open and locked on his as she distinctly felt his hands and his mouth moving on her body, though he hadn't moved from his seat. The look of dark focus on his face blistered her with its intensity and sent her falling backwards onto the bed where she could only begin to writhe in helpless response.

The Doctor had locked himself down in an iron grip of control so that he wouldn't be driven over the edge too fast with the echoes of sensation that he felt from Donna because it was a double edged sword to be playing with her in this manner. Her body was wreathed in the teasing caress of his energy, while her mind was screaming out to him with desperate pleas. He licked his lips, taking a deep breath before he sent a third tendril of energy reaching out to her.

Donna was amazed that she was already aroused nearly to the point of pain, though the teasing that they had both been doing all day had primed her for this fall. She was trying to keep track of just what it was the Doctor was doing, but she was lost in a haze of mindless ecstasy.

It felt as if his fingers were playing along nerve endings deep within, touching and caressing her in ways that he could only manage when he was driving deep within her and she had to bite her lip to keep from screaming her approval. Let go Donna. Scream till you can't scream any more, remember I'm here to catch you when you fall.

Her arms flew wide when she felt herself nearly driven under the tidal wave of heat, another tendril had joined the first two and was stroking in firm circles around the bud of aching flesh between her legs. She understood now why he had wanted her to keep her clothing on, there was something deliciously decadent about lying completely clothed on a bed while her lover tormented her mind and body with sensations she barely ever even dreamed of feeling.

Donna was unable to hold back when she heard the Doctor's voice urging her to let go, she arched up into the ghostly caress of his energy and screamed in delight. She whimpered when she felt that caress glide down over her aching folds before another surge of energy joined the first and slowly began to tease at her entrance. Her muscles were still quivering in response to the playful stroking of the first thought that the Doctor had caressed her with, it was wrapping itself deep within her and stimulating her body from the inside out.

She was whimpering at the teasing strokes of energy against her nipple, her eyes sliding closed on a soft sigh of pleasure when she felt a second one join the first. She was already completely lost in the flood of pure sensation pouring through her body, the glimpses she was able to snatch of the Doctor in between shuddering bursts of heat were enough to boil her blood even further.

He was leaning forward in his chair, his hands clenched against the arms in a near white knuckled grip that belied the cost of his control though he never once let his focus falter. His body was held tightly, muscles as taut as a bow while his eyes traced over the fire that seemed to cocoon Donna in a seething web of energy that was almost painful to witness.

The Doctor returned his focus to the tendril that was teasing playfully between Donna's legs, his grin positively lascivious when he saw that her thighs were spread wide open and her hips were thrusting mindlessly into the air desperate for some form of relief. She was being touched by energy alone, but his mind and her body were giving that energy a form and dimension that otherwise it should never have had. Her entire body was spasming and contorting as it ached to be filled by him, the heated feel of a ghostly mouth worrying both her nipples simultaneously was almost more than she could bear never mind the slow, firm strokes against her tight bundle of nerves.

The feel of being completely wrapped up in the Doctor's presence was also soothing in a way that Donna knew she would never be able to put into words. She was laid completely bare, his soul cocooning hers in a raging inferno that brought tears to her eyes even as her body was screaming beyond her control. She knew that the Doctor could see the tears streaming from the corner of her eye, but she let him feel the happiness that she felt in this moment so that he would know that they were tears of joy and that she definitely did not want him to stop.

The Doctor struggled with the tide of emotion that was pouring off of Donna, he knew that she was completely lost in the feel of him surrounding her and she was finally letting go of herself in a way she hadn't quite managed before. He meant what he had said that he would be there to catch her when she fell, and with that thought uppermost in his mind, he refocused his efforts and thrust the tendril of energy deep within her body.

Donna surged off the bed with a strangled shout, white lights exploding behind her eyes when she felt her body suddenly split nearly in two by a thick cord of energy that seemed to meet with the other thread of energy deep within her belly. The responding shockwave of sensation exploded outwards to the tips of her fingers and toes, her chest heaving while her breath exploded from her lips in desperate gasps of delight.

Her hands ran over her belly, the muscles quivering in time to the rhythmic thrusting of energy deep within her body. Her fingers tightened against her abdomen while her hips were dancing up towards the Doctor's invisible presence that was laying her completely open and claiming her completely as his own.

He was licking his lips and let his eyes devour the heated writhing of her body as it writhed and bowed upwards off the bed, her feet and legs spread wide where her hips pumped in time with the fierce pounding of energy that he focused in an ever increasing intensity and speed until her breath hitched and her flailing limbs stilled for a split second before she felt her body fly apart into a million pieces. Her body slammed backwards onto the bed, having heaved so hard in the throes of her orgasm that she had lifted herself nearly off the bed completely before the breath left her lungs in startled rush of air.

Her cries were echoing not only through the room with no care for who might hear her screams, but they were also reverberating along the waves of the Nexus until the Doctor felt like he might go mad from the resonating pulsing that throbbed through him in heady response. She lay still panting for a moment while her body continue to shudder in the aftermath, her mind only working itself up even further when she turned and saw him staring at her with rapt longing. Her hands reached up and began to claw her clothing from her body, her fingers trembling as she was ripping her jeans and sweater from herself because the Doctor hadn't wavered in his focus. If anything that focused was now intensified when he saw that he had pushed her over that first plateau.

She whimpered when she let her gaze trace the lines of energy that were extended from his body and even now were buried deep within her, teasing along new lines of sensitivity to immediately start to build the fire within her to the next level. Her mind could barely comprehend the depth of sweetly delicious torment that her body was being subjected to, she completely understood what the Doctor had meant when he had said it might be too much for her to handle but she knew that she was too far gone to even think about stopping now. If the intensity of their joining on this world ended up driving her insane, then she knew she had gone screaming into the abyss living and loving to the fullest measure.

She paused for a moment at that thought, her breasts heaving while she struggled with the clasps of her bra to shoot a look of dark yearning at him before she ripped the last of her clothing from her body. He was watching her with a savage focus that had stripped away any pretense that he had any sort of human control, his eyes were blazing with the energy that was pouring from his body and his form was wreathed in that blinding fire that continued to reach out to her and coil itself tightly around and through her body.

She couldn't control the gasping breaths that she was taking, the whisper of plucking fingers and a searing mouth over achingly hard nipples was more than she could bear and she took a moment to gather herself through the confusion of heightened senses before she suddenly remembered what she had done to the Doctor in the corridor.

Lifting her head with a siren's smile that caused the Doctor to pause for a fateful split second, she gathered her own energy and hurled it back at him. Her psychic fingers stroking over his body in a thousand separate caresses, the fiery tendrils tantalizing over the rock hard length of his cock before wrapping around him in a fiery embrace that had him slamming backwards into his chair at the recoil of pleasure that completely shattered his control. His eyes were clenched tightly shut, a hoarse shout of delight caused him to throw his head back against the chair as his hips shot off the chair in aching response to the moist fiery embrace that felt as if he were already plunging deeply into Donna's body with no thought other than taking her with him over the edge of reason.

She could see that he was already at the limit of his control and that it had taken nearly everything in his power to not simply throw her on the bed and ravish her till they both couldn't stand straight. She couldn't stand not feeling his body against hers for a moment longer and while he was distracted with the raging hunger that screamed through his bloodstream from the ghostly grip of her own energy, she launched herself off the bed and to her knees before him.

He barely had time to gasp in surprise before he felt Donna's fingers undoing his trousers and her hand reaching in to pull his throbbing length free. She looked up at him with a wicked smile, never letting up on her psychic assault on his body before she leaned down and sucked the tip of his cock into her mouth.

The Doctor cried out when he felt the dual shock of Donna's mouth envelop him while she kept up the feverish assault on his cock with her brilliant energy, his hips surged up and he drove his cock in deep nearly hitting the back of her throat before he was able to catch himself and pull back.

Donna growled softly around his length, her fingers wrapping tightly around him before she deliberately sucked him deeper into her mouth, her tongue stroking along the length of him with each downward thrust. She drew on him hard and fast, taking him as deep as she could before pulling back, her tongue teasing in a delectable heated caress that drew grunting cries from his lips before he felt her moist heated mouth wrap around him and send his senses reeling into darkness. Her eyes slid closed as she reveled in the taste of him, his grunts and cries signaling he was close and also completely out of control which she couldn't deny sent the desire coiling tight within her into quivering spasms of delight.

The Doctor was lost in the feel of Donna, his control completely shattered as he let himself be swept away in the molten tide of fire that roared through him until with a final cry his hands grabbed hold of the arms of the chair and he thrust up hard into Donna's willing mouth.

She hummed softly in the back of her throat when she felt him tense before the flood of salty sweetness into her mouth, she drew him deeper into her throat, her cheeks hollowing in order to draw every last drop from his quivering length while stroking him lightly for a few moments before pulling back and swallowing with a wicked grin on her lips.

He was looking down at her with a wild expression on his face, sweat was streaking down his face and his body was heaving with the aftermath of his climax before he dove down and pulled her against him for a mind numbing kiss.

Her senses were reeling when he pulled away, his eyes were shining down into hers and it took her a moment before she realized why. "That was the first time I've done that for you wasn't it?" She honestly hadn't even realized that she hadn't had the chance to taste him properly before this, they had always been so quickly lost in the other that his control never would have lasted long enough for her to be able to pleasure him in that way.

He just grinned weakly and nodded. "This was supposed to be about you tonight, Donna."

She threaded her fingers through the wild mop of his hair, her hand tightening before she pulled him down for another kiss. "This is about the both of us Spaceman. Come here, you're not even close to being done yet."

He burst out laughing, reaching up to rip the last of his clothing from his body before he scooped her into his arms and tossed her laughing onto the bed. He followed her down onto the covers, his mind already reaching out to tease lightly along her body in a feather light caress.

She looked up into his eyes, her own eyes shining with all that she felt before she rose up against him and drew him down into her arms. Her lips parted beneath the gentle questing of his tongue, her fingers ghosting down his back before stroking over the curve of a hip and gliding back up his chest. Her control had long since fled and she knew that she wouldn't be able to duplicate her earlier ministrations, but that was fine by her as she had always loved the feel of his body quivering beneath her touch.

His head fell back, his lower lip caught between his teeth while her tender caress left a trail of fire in its wake. His body was already stirring against her again, the intense rush of their psychic connection had awakened a hunger in him that was hardly ever satisfied. He also couldn't wait to show her that once this particular ability was awakened it would no longer be confined solely to Nexus worlds. Yes the sensations wouldn't be quite as intense as the near telekinetic connection that they had both just experienced, but it would still be quite possible for them to take each other without ever having to lay a finger on the other.

The sensations had been more than he had ever imagined and even now their energy was flailing madly around their bodies, their minds sinking hard and fast into the other until she was squirming beneath him and he was growling softly in desperate response.

Her hands flattened on his chest and she pushed up against him hard, so hard that he reared up with a shocked look on his face. She lunged forward, her arms wrapping about him while she let her momentum carry him over onto his back.

The Doctor grunted when Donna threw herself at him, her body slamming his back onto the bed before she crawled on top of him and began to slowly and very deliberately drive him out of his mind. He was a being that was used to telepathic sensation and he reveled in the connection that he had with her, but he could also tell by the tumult in her mind that she needed to feel him and she needed to touch him in the best way that she knew how. In time they would be able to flow seamlessly from one form of lovemaking into the other, but for now she was filled with an excess of emotion and passion and she could only truly express it in a single way.

He lay back on the bed with his eyes closed, his jaw clenching in time to the feel of her lips as they nibbled their way down his neck. Her tongue streaked out to stroke his adam's apple, causing it to bob as he swallowed in unexpected pleasure at the tingling that spread out from that simple contact. He never would've considered his throat an erogenous zone, but under Donna's deft ministration it seemed his entire body could be considered one.

She had slid over his body, her thighs straddling his hips so that the searing heat of her core was pressed tantalizingly over taut, trembling skin. His hands had a death grip on her hips to try to still her writhing against him, but it seemed the harder he tried to hold her still the more she would squirm and press down against him.

He gasped when she slid lower still, the hot caress of her breath the only warning before he felt the teasing swirl of her tongue over a small male nipple. He grunted and let one hand rise to hold her head close against him, fingers digging into her scalp when the responding suckling tug seemed to draw right through to the very heart of him.

She grinned softly when she felt his cock jerk against her thigh, the length twitching with each pull of her mouth until it thudded gently against her in time to the pounding of his hearts. She knew that she was driving him mad, she was also aware that she wouldn't be able to keep this up for long before they both had to have that completion but she determined that she was going to enjoy every minute of it while she could.

Her other hand had reached over and was lightly teasing his other nipple, her pinky finger swirling playfully through the light dusting of hair before she lightly pinched it and then ran her fingers in gentle teasing circles to ease the sting.

The Doctor yelped at the teasing pinch, his head tossing from side to side before he let both hands slide up into her hair and pull her down against him even more. She was growling softly against the bullet hard nub of flesh in her mouth, teeth worrying the tender bud before she popped it free from her mouth and leaned down to attack the other side. It was nearly too much for the Doctor, her energy was still teasing lightly through his in a stunning display of her natural ability that kept him far too scattered to be able to reciprocate properly.

She hadn't even been watching him when he had been taking her before, but her spirit had felt what he had done and it had been learning the best ways to reciprocate and give back to him as much as he was sharing with her. Just as she had seemed to innately know how to grab hold of his thoughts and claim them for her own when they had first come together, she had shown the same aptitude for this connection and had thrown herself in with her entire body and soul.

He was surprised at the whimper that lodged in the back of his throat when he let himself dwell on the incandescent energy that was enveloping him even as he lost himself to the feel of her body ravishing his, her mind was stroking softly through his while she was deftly tormenting him with her fiery energy. It was far more than he had ever dreamed of achieving and it finally became too much for him to hold back any longer.

His hands slid down from their near death grip in her hair to lift her head up so that he could slide her further up his body, the dark look of heady seduction in her eyes caused the muscles low in his belly to clench tightly in delicious anticipation. She rose over him with a siren's allure, her wild cascade of crimson hair falling over her shoulder to lick delicately over the pale, full globes of her breasts before she leaned down and feathered light teasing kisses across his chin and up to his parted lips.

He leaned up to capture her mouth with his, eyes sliding closed when he felt the soft puff of her breath against his parted lips before she melted against him in sweet surrender. Her body shuddered in his arms, the control she had over his energy suddenly faltered and she quivered at the backlash of molten desire that poured from his body into hers.

In that moment, his hands splayed over her hips and with a quick, upward thrust he plunged himself into her body to the hilt. They both broke apart with a shrieking cry at the pleasure that exploded through the both of them, their eyes rolling as the sensations ricocheted back and forth until they were once more helplessly lost in the other.

The Doctor couldn't stop the motion once it had begun, his body was no longer his to control as the animal fury of his passion drove him to pound into her repeatedly all the while his mind drew her with him higher into the fiery web that was screaming all around them. He clawed back enough control to be able let his essence wrap around her body in all her most sensitive places, lightening whips of power caressing tortured nerves deep within her body until Donna felt like he was making love to her in the middle of a supernova. He felt like he had a million hands all stroking every sensitive place on her body, while his hips slammed against her in a rhythm that was far more brutal than she had ever felt before.

She was squirming while he held her impaled over his body, her legs and arms quivering and jerking in response to each powerful thrust while deep within her body was teased and stroked by a million lashes of molten ecstasy. Her head was thrown back and her mind was screaming out to him over and over again, his name echoing endlessly between them while he could hear the trembling emotion in her thoughts as she gave herself up completely to his raging fire.

He was entranced by the sight of her, her head thrown back in wild abandon while her body moved effortlessly over him. She was burning nearly brighter than she had on that fateful day back aboard the Crucible, and he finally felt the last of his fear over those events melt away when the beauty that was her ready acceptance of his world and everything he could share with her finally filled him with that long lost sense of true belonging. He belonged to her utterly and completely, their timelines had merged together as had their bodies and their minds and now finally their souls were complete.

With a final cry that was ripped from the depths of his soul, the Doctor planted his feet on the bed and surged upwards into Donna before he felt her clamp down tightly around him in response. Wrapping her mind up in his, he took her plunging over the edge of reason into the white hot explosion of their mutual release. He held her pressed tightly down against him as his body shuddered and emptied itself into her, the release was more spiritual then physical as he finally gave himself up to her completely.

Donna collapsed against him in a sweaty tangle of quivering, useless arms and legs, her thundering heart a strange counterpoint to the mad drumbeat of his hearts as they hammered beneath her ear. He barely had enough energy to wrap his arms around her body and pull her tight against him, the soft humming of the creatures in the aurora echoed faintly to them while they both lay atop the coverlet utterly replete.

She closed her eyes and listened to the soft singing through the Nexus, the song just a gentle lullaby unlike the wildly joyous song of welcome that she had heard the night before and it cocooned the both of them in a soft web of delight.

The Doctor's shaking hand rose up so that he could tangle his fingers in her hair, his head tilting so that he could press a soft kiss against the crown of her head. He held his lips against her fragrant hair for another moment more, his eyes sliding closed before he took a deep breath and whispered. "I love you, Donna Noble. I've always loved you and always will." He felt something ping free within his chest when he finally uttered those words, a sense of homecoming and contentment that he hadn't let himself feel in longer than he cared to remember.

Donna froze against him when she heard and felt those words whispered into her hair, her eyes clenched tightly closed for a brief moment before she struggled to sit up so that she could look into his eyes. Any doubt in her mind that he had said that just because of the amazing time they had just shared was blown away when she saw the depth of emotion blazing from his eyes, his lips parted as he was panting from the enormity of what he had just said but she could also tell that he had no intention of trying to duck or hide away from it either. She had known how he had felt for months now, just as he had known how she had felt but hadn't it been just a few days earlier that he had nearly choked on those words because of his fear that he would lose her if he ever admitted to how he had felt about her?

Something had changed on this planet, something fundamental had shifted within him that had allowed him to finally let go of those demons in his past and given him the courage to finally face their future with his head held high. Her answering smile at his declaration could have stopped the universe from turning before she leaned down and claimed his lips in a devastating kiss, her hand rising up to caress his cheek while her hair fell to cocoon them in their own little world. She held her forehead against his and threw her mind open completely to him so that he could feel the truth of her response before she whispered the irrevocable words against his parted lips. "I love you Doctor. I loved you even when I couldn't remember you, and I could never dream of being anywhere but at your side."

She then couldn't resist lightly teasing. "Now that wasn't so hard was it, Doctor? The world didn't end and you didn't explode into a million pieces, I hope you get used to saying that because I for one will never get tired of hearing it."

He laughed tiredly at her light banter, knowing that he well and truly deserved it though he was still awestruck that he had been gifted with this chance to finally find happiness of his own. He remembered the vision that the Ood had shown him of their combined timeline spanning centuries, and finally he found himself accepting what had happened and looking forward to the wondrous and yes sometimes terrifying times ahead of them. "Don't worry Donna, I think that now you won't have to ever worry about that particular fear again. Well mostly, I think."

She just smiled in gentle response, shifting slightly so she could sprawl contentedly across his chest once again. Her eyes slid closed while beneath her ear, the pounding of his hearts slowly began to settle from their madly galloping race. He cradled her tightly against him, his breath teasing the sweat slicked hair at her temple before he pressed a soft kiss to the glistening skin.

He was surprised at the sense of peace that washed over him, but as he lay there with her in his arms, the wild dance of their combined energy settling around them with a soft glow, he realized that there was nowhere else in this universe that he would rather be. He had finally found the strength to let go of his fears and accept the fact that someone could love him, and it was all thanks to the woman who he had almost lost forever.