Author's note: Happy 2016! Many apologies for being so long in updating this story, with the insanity leading up to the holidays my muse decided to take an unexpected hiatus. With the dawn of a new year, I am looking forward to completing this story and continuing with the Doctor and Donna's adventures in this fix-it universe! There is still much to tell with the two of them! As always much beta love to basmathgirl, thank you hon for always helping me stay on target...
The quiet darkness of the room was split by a soft gasp when the blazing rush of the Nexus woke Donna up early in the morning, her brain suddenly filling with the warm welcome from the planet before it settled into a gentle murmur in the back of her mind.
She smiled softly as she realized the Doctor was laying contentedly spooned behind her, his arm wrapped possessively around her waist in order to hold her flush against his body. It wasn't often that she woke up with him still in bed, but she had to admit it was a nice sensation first thing in the morning. His slightly cooler body temperature was a delicious comfort to cuddle with and he loved holding her close to him murmuring appreciatively of the warmth that seemed to reach to the very tips of his toes.
She smiled softly into the semi-darkness as she thought back on the last few days that they had spent together, days that had seemed to melt from one into the next until she felt like she had been living in some fairy tale.
The strength of the Nexus no longer overwhelmed her, and she found that her telepathy was far easier to control now that she had managed to learn the rudiments of control over her connection with the Nexus. She was able to filter out extraneous information with ease, and she could feel the brilliant warmth of the Doctor's pride every time she had a new breakthrough.
They had spent five days in their room together, exploring the depth of their mutual connection to each other and the planet around them while her comfort continued to grow by leaps and bounds. She sometimes felt like she had to pinch herself when she found herself laying contentedly with the Doctor once more, whether it be in their bed or on one of the lounges that dotted their room.
They spent those days nearly completely immersed in each other's minds, sharing thoughts and memories that before now had been far too painful to even contemplate. It was like the flood gate had opened within the Doctor with his declaration and he had begun to show her things that she honestly thought that he would never be willing to share with anyone.
She had seen how happy he had been the times that he had visited this world in the past, the absolute near childlike wonder that had filled him every time he had reconnected with the living pulse of the planet had been extraordinary.
She knew that he carried the weight of the universe on his shoulders, that more often than not he had to lock every part of himself deeply away in order to not be affected by the sometimes terrible decisions that he had to make, but it had been when he had come to this planet that he had been able to let all that go. It had been a haven that he had denied himself for centuries once the first rumblings of the Time War started to rage out across the galaxy, and then when he had made that final fateful decision to end it all he had purposely turned his back on the elusive promise of peace and resolved to never return again.
It had only been when he had been reunited with her and he had felt the truth of her forgiveness that he had finally felt that maybe he wasn't so lost that he could never be redeemed. It still amazed her that this powerful and sometimes crazy alien who held the power of time and space in his hands could be so haunted by his perceived failures, his own feelings of inadequacy were almost more than she could bear to witness.
They really were a pair, both of them had been so broken by so many things and circumstances beyond their control that they had merely thought that the universe would go on punishing them forever though they never knew for what they were being punished. The Doctor's meticulously groomed cover of preening arrogance and overconfidence was really just a shield to hide the anguish that screamed just beneath the surface.
Donna whimpered softly in the back of her throat when she felt the Doctor's mind stretch within hers, his sleepy thoughts filled with warm happiness before she felt him nuzzle into the nape of her neck with a soft kiss. "Good morning my love."
She grinned as he snuffled into her neck, her hand reaching back to slide through his hair in order hold his head close against her while she turned her head partially in response. "Good morning to you sleepyhead. I thought you didn't need as much sleep as us poor humans, yet you've been sleeping more in the past few days than I ever remember seeing. Am I that boring?"
She felt his lips curve against her nape in a soft smile, his morning stubble teasing along sensitive nerve endings before he rolled onto his back and pulled her with him. He let his fingers dance playfully through the soft energy wreathing her body, focusing low on her belly where he knew she was most sensitive. She yelped in response to the ghostly echo of fingers tickling across her skin, her hands pushing down to try to push them away but to no avail. She growled softly up at him, her eyes snapping up to his own laughing brown eyes before she huffed and settled against him determined to ignore the spasms that were even now wracking her body. "That's cheating and you bloody well know it."
The Doctor laughed softly before he let the energy subside and he pulled her closer with a happy sigh. "I hate it when you talk about yourself like that Donna, so I figured I would give that comment all the serious consideration that it deserved."
She snorted against him, her eyes sliding closed while her hand slid over his chest and just pulled him tighter against her body before she murmured. "You look so peaceful when you sleep Doctor. It's just that I'm not used to seeing you that way." She pushed herself up out of his arms, her hand rising to brush aside a soft fringe of hair while her fingers ghosted over the faint lines in his forehead that were finally totally relaxed. "You've been more at peace here than I think I've ever seen you honestly. It's a good look for you."
His lips parted around a gasp at the look of tenderness in her eyes, the soft wonder in her thoughts as she let herself really feel all that he was thinking caused him to wrap his arms tightly around her body and crush her close. "It's been a long time since I could relax enough to really let my mind shut completely down Donna. It's been too many years that I've always had to be on guard ready for the next catastrophe that I sort of got used to not ever stopping."
She snuggled up against him, her hand resting lightly between his hearts while she listened to the soft rumble of his voice beneath her ears. It was a soothing sound, as was the absent minded stroking of his hand over her hair almost as if he wasn't even aware of the gentle motion. "Since we've come here I feel like I've been able to come to terms with a lot of things, things in my past and things to do with us and it's like some of the burden has finally been lifted. Maybe I'm just catching up on centuries of neglect, maybe I finally feel safe enough to be able to do that."
Donna lifted her head to look up at him but he was laying with his head back against the pillows while his eyes were closed. He sounded almost like he was trying to make sense of the sense of comfort that he had finally found here with her, the sense of utter belonging that in the past would have terrified him and sent him running clear across the cosmos.
"Safe is good Doctor. We've not really talked about that much have we?"
He shook his head, eyes sliding open to lock with hers before he pulled her back down into his arms. "I'm usually the one to make sure everyone else is safe, what does it matter if the same can't be said about me?"
She thumped him lightly on the chest, her thoughts snapping within his for a moment before she retorted. "And that's the issue right there Spaceman. It's no wonder you always kept running, it's far easier than actually stopping to take care of yourself isn't it?"
He chuckled softly, shaking his head at her comment before burrowing deeper under the covers with her. "You know the answer to that one Donna. I think the last few days have proven just how well I plan to start taking care of myself."
She guffawed loudly at that comment. "You are SUCH a man. Trust you to always bring it back to sex when I'm trying to have a serious conversation here."
She squeaked when he suddenly sat up and rolled her beneath him, his body lying flush against hers as his delicious weight pressed her down into the mattress. "But that's a very serious conversation Donna and you know it. One we will continue to have quite regularly I'm sure."
She laughed softly up into his eyes, her arms sliding up around his neck to pull him down for a soft kiss. "You can count on that Doctor."
He grinned softly and nuzzled close to her before pulling away with a soft sigh. There was a gentle prodding in the back of both of their minds as the Tardis added her own greeting to the both of them. The ship was getting antsy and though she had been enjoying experiencing their deepening connection to each other on this planet, she was eager to spend time with them as well. It had been a much needed respite for all of them, a place to lick their wounds and relax before jumping back into their crazy lifestyle.
The Doctor rolled out of bed and stood up, stretching his arms over his head before looking back at her with a goofy smile. "Come on slugabed, the Tardis is waiting!"
Donna had to stifle a chuckle as he ran completely naked across the room and into the bathroom, though she had to admit she didn't mind the view, before she threw back the covers to let her feet touch the carpet.
"Donna, hurry up!"
She rolled her eyes before shouting back in reply. "I'm coming Spaceman keep your shirt on."
Rising to her feet, Donna padded across the bedroom floor and into the bathroom, her gaze flicking through the open door to see the Tardis blazing with energy and sitting with her doors wide open waiting to welcome them both home.
The Doctor stood on the balcony with a cup of tea clutched in his hands, his gaze drifting along the currents of force as they flowed through the canyon below. The nebula filled the sky directly overhead, its rosy glow painting the snow covered landscape with a gentle lover's caress.
He smiled softly as he listened to Donna's humming in his mind, her thoughts drifting contentedly through her memories of the last week. He had been quietly watching her confidence grow until the brilliance of her control over her fledgling powers had screamed through his mind.
She had far outstripped the simple guidance that he had given her and the natural affinity that she had shown with the planet had caused her mind to expand to a startling degree. It was at that point the Doctor had stepped back, albeit reluctantly, and allowed the planet to guide her.
He had been hoping that she would be able to find some sort of peace and acceptance of herself on Bellatrix but he had never dared to dream that she would blossom to the amazing degree that she had. He shuddered softly as a particular memory suddenly flashed through his mind, his eyes sliding closed as the sensations flowed through him. He hadn't been lying when he had told her that it had been centuries since he had last felt so calm and content. His mind and body had seized on the much needed chance to recuperate and the comfort that he found in Donna's arms meant that he slept deeper and harder than he normally otherwise would.
Donna had not lain idle while he was dead to the world though, no that would be too simple for the minx. She had been enjoying the newfound power that she possessed on this planet and so had taken complete advantage of being able to turn the tables on him.
He had murky memories of feeling feather light caresses strumming through his aura, tweaking his dreams so that he felt like he was sleeping in the midst of a firestorm. He remembered abruptly waking up one morning, or evening as time seemed to have lost all meaning in this place, to find Donna sitting in the chair next to the bed. She had been sitting, staring at him with such an intensity that his breath had completely failed him. His eyes had widened when he felt the stuttering of his hearts as his respiratory bypass kicked in, but he had been unable to tear his gaze away.
She had been breathtaking in her single minded focus while her body had been completely wreathed in golden fire. Her brilliant red hair had been ablaze with snapping surges of force and thick tendrils of concentrated thought had extended from her body to wrap tightly around his own. It was when his eyes had finally locked with hers and he saw the power blazing through her soul that he had been utterly lost. She had crooned softly in his mind, urging him to let go and give in to the inferno that was roaring through him and he had been helpless to resist.
His breath faltered momentarily with the thrill of the memory, his screams had easily been as loud as Donna's yet she had been utterly relentless. They had ended up spending nearly the entire day delving deeper into their bond, finding new and sometimes frighteningly intense ways to come together which in turn had only served to heighten their bond.
He felt the subtle shift of energy behind him before Donna's arms slid around his waist, her head coming to rest gently against his back. He set the now empty cup of tea aside and threaded his hands through hers, his thoughts entwining gently with hers as they stood and listened to the pulse of the planet.
"Are you ready Donna? The Tardis has missed us and she's eager to show us what she's been working on."
He didn't mention that the Tardis had been gently sifting through both their thoughts and dreams, learning more about their separate desires and had already formed an idea of what she had wanted to create for them.
Donna's fingers tightened in his grasp momentarily before she nodded. "I'm ready Doctor, I'm just not sure if I am quite ready to leave here yet. It's been so.."
Her voice trailed off as words were simply unable to express everything that she was feeling but she could tell by the warm pulse of his thoughts that he understood exactly what she was thinking because he felt the same way.
"I know Donna. Trust me, this past week has been more than I'd ever dared to dream." He turned around in her arms, his hands rising to cup her face and gently lift her gaze to meet his. Her lips parted around a soft gasp when she saw the raw emotion in his gaze, the turn of his thoughts was startling and intense.
Her hands fell naturally to his waist, fingers clenching instinctively against the flood of emotion that flooded her mind.
"You're simply amazing Donna. It's been an honor to share this journey with you."
She blushed when she heard his words, her gaze dropping to some point beyond his shoulder before the gentle stroke of his thumb forced her gaze back up to his.
"Don't shy away from this Donna. You've made so many astonishing leaps this past week, I could only sit back and watch as you seemed to finally come home. You always had a natural aptitude about you, even before the metacrisis but even I had never realized how amazing that ability was." His hands fell to her shoulders, his fingers lightly stroking along the fabric before he leaned close to brush a soft kiss to her parted lips. "You've shown me time and again to never underestimate you and I can't wait for the next part of our journey together."
Donna stood close to him, her body trembling with barely restrained emotion when she read the truth of his words in his eyes and in his thoughts. She had clung so tenaciously to her own feelings of doubt and self-loathing that she had always managed to shy away from any praise that had come from him or anyone else in her life. She had protected herself with a brash exterior that she would use to deflect praise when it made her uncomfortable but would hide the depths of her own doubt.
She remembered how uncomfortable she had been when Martha had commented on her finding the clues that had been completely missed in the Atmos factory, and so she had responded with a glib retort that had seemed enough to deflect any further attention. However, since she had come to this planet, she had been unable to deny the Doctor's words anymore and it had sent her entire world reeling.
He stood patiently, knowing that she had been struggling through so much this past week not the least of which was letting go of the conditioning that had been inflicted on her for her entire life. She had spent so much time doubting her own abilities and self-worth that when it came time for her to actually trust in the strength that was growing within her, she couldn't let herself completely go. It had taken the gentle nudging of the Nexus to finally allow her to let go of the last of her doubts and immerse herself completely in the glorious world that was now open to her.
The Doctor had fallen more helplessly in love with her with each passing day when he had felt those final doubts fall away from her mind, and the wonder that had filled her thoughts at the planes of thought that had been revealed to her had made all the worry and fear that had preceded it well worth the effort.
"I'm still uncomfortable with any praise Doctor, which I know you already realize but I'm trying my hardest not to constantly belittle myself. It was a defense mechanism, one which I honed to utter perfection just so that the rest of the world wouldn't see how easy it was to hurt me."
The Doctor remained quiet as Donna spoke, for once his mind still within hers while he let her put into words what he had already guessed from her thoughts. He knew that the fears and doubts had been a constant in her life since her earliest memories, and that as she had matured they had only been confirmed by repeated insults and blows to her confidence. Her mother had been the biggest culprit at first, though he thought he finally understood a little of Sylvia's reasons for being as hard on Donna as she had been though he could never thank her for the damage that those words had caused. The two of them were slowly coming to an understanding, and that understanding extended to how her treatment of Donna had actually done more harm than good.
He had no desire to break the woman with the truth of how damaged Donna had been by the constant harping and nagging, but he would always make sure she remembered to tell Donna just how much she did love her. If it took Donna by surprise, well then at least it was a surprise that he knew she wouldn't mind repeating.
"I'm still finding my way Doctor and I know that there will be times that I slip, but promise me that no matter what you'll always help me pick myself up no matter how hard I've fallen. I know that I've changed a lot in the past few months, in ways that I am still trying to come to terms with and there'll be times when those changes are still overwhelming. I just need to know that it'll be okay if there are days when I can't do amazing, when I just need to burrow down into a comfortable nest with you and watch movies and eat popcorn so that I can hide from the demands of the universe."
The Doctor grinned softly at the picture that instantly popped into her head at her last words, his thoughts already traveling to that marathon that he had promised her while they were on this world. He found that he had been slowing down quite a bit since they had taken their relationship to the next level and even though he hadn't noticed it happening, he knew that he wouldn't trade it for the world. He quite liked the idea of going domestic for her, that thought no longer filling him with the dread that it had when past companions had broached the subject with him.
"Don't worry Donna. We'll catch each other when we fall, and I know that it won't always be madcap adventures through time and space." He paused as a thought occurred to him, his eyes snapping to hers before a slow grin spread across his face. "I actually think that we've already quite comfortably settled into that pattern even before everything went wrong."
Donna blushed when she saw the look on his face, her mind instantly filled with all his memories of the times that they had indeed done just that without even having to ask for the relaxation. God, they really had been completely oblivious to how their feelings had changed for each other; it was no wonder that nearly every being that they came across had mistaken them for a couple because they had already for all intents and purposes been acting like it. "Then I guess we just need to keep doing what we've been doing before."
She then buried her face against his chest with a soft chuckle, her eyes sliding closed when she felt the Tardis nudging once more in the back of both their minds. She lifted her head and locked her eyes with his, her fingers sliding down to entwine with his before she pulled away. "Someone's getting impatient Doctor, I think we've stalled enough."
The Doctor nodded with a rueful smile, his hand tightening on hers before they turned and made their way across the room to his eager ship. "Just a word of warning before we enter the Tardis Donna. You've been completely immersed in the Nexus for a week now and when you step through her doors that connection will be suddenly severed since she shields us from outside temporal fields. Just make sure to hold tightly to my hand in case you get lightheaded. It'll pass quickly, but it's going to be a shock to you nonetheless."
Donna licked her lips when she heard the Doctor's words, her fingers tightening momentarily in his grasp when they paused before the open doors of the Tardis. She knew that the Tardis had narrowed her temporal field down until it clung to her walls like a second skin so that she was able to stand right on the threshold without being enveloped in the ship's field. The ship had happily spent the last week recharging all her systems and calibrating several sensors that had fallen out of temporal alignment with everything that had happened in the last few years. She had very specifically not bothered her pilot before now because she had felt how important the time had been for him to bond with Donna on this world, and she had enjoyed experiencing the deepening of their bond as well. She was so intertwined with her pilot that it was little wonder that she felt what he did on some deeper level.
The Doctor stood in the doorway with Donna, his fingers tingling from the strength of her grip but he made no effort to force her to enter the ship. The Tardis was waiting patiently for Donna to take that final step, her thoughts were soothing in their own way as she reminded Donna that the connection would return once she stepped out of the ship and that the change in stimulus would not be nearly as overwhelming as she feared it would be.
With a final bracing breath, Donna stepped through the open door of the Tardis and back into the ship's quiet embrace. Donna stumbled a few steps when she felt her mind instantly narrow down, her sight once more simply her normal vision while her mind was filled only with the thoughts of the Doctor and the ship. Her hand flew to her mouth when she felt the change in her connection with the ship though, and the answering shout of joy from the Doctor's mind when he felt the Tardis delve deeper into Donna's mind then she had ever been able to before.
Donna stood just inside the entry to the Tardis, her hands clapped to her mouth as she felt the full connection with the ship in ways that she had not been prepared to handle in the past. The last week that she had spent completely connected with the planet had opened her mind to such a degree that she had never dreamed possible, it had allowed her to begin to understand and process time on so many different levels and forged the pathways in her mind that the Tardis was now able to use to communicate more fully.
The Doctor stood back as Donna walked towards the control console, her body glowing faintly in the Tardis' embrace as the ship began to bond with her in the same way that she had bonded with him that day so many centuries ago on Gallifrey. He couldn't believe the depth of emotion that was coursing through his body, his mind filled with the Tardis' exultation that finally he had found his match so that she could share in the perfect mate's bond with him. She had felt that connection to be possible with only one or two of his companions in the past, but he had not been ready nor had he been accepting of such a bond at those times in his life.
It had taken the loss of his people for him to finally realize that he could not continue as he had been, and it had taken until this regeneration for him to finally accept that maybe he could begin again. The Tardis had been patient with him, but she had quickly begun to lose that patience when it had seemed that he was determined to continue as he had been forever. He had been far too comfortable in the role of the Lonely God, even before the Time War and she for one was ecstatic that he finally had allowed himself to accept that someone could love him.
He watched Donna rest her hands on the controls of the Tardis, the answering purr in his mind was nearly deafening in its pleasure as the ship guided her hands to the different controls that were needed to aid her thief in his piloting. His piloting lessons had given her the basics, and the ship was now filling her in on the deeper aspects of guiding the ship through the vortex. Certain images flashed through her mind that awakened echoes in her own psyche, murmurs of knowledge that had still managed to imprint themselves on her before the Doctor had drained his consciousness from her mind.
She smiled when she felt a particular warm rush of air slide over her body, the ship prodding her to lift her eyes and truly look at the Doctor with the new eyes that she had discovered on Bellatrix Prime. He was standing just inside the ring that encircled the control console, his eyes shining with unshed tears as he watched her dive headlong into her new connection with his ship. She however gasped when she saw his timelines flicker into being around his body, the golden strands flowing outwards in a wild dance before they were met with golden lines of possibility that seemed to bleed from the very walls around them. Her eyes widened when she realized what it was that she was actually observing, that the connection that the Doctor and the Tardis had formed over the centuries was etched into the very fabric of time and their bond went far beyond anything she had ever imagined.
She now understood just what he had meant when he said that the Tardis existed in all eleven dimensions and that through her understanding of time and all its infinite possibility she was able to guide her pilot to where and when he was needed most, even if that was not where he had been intending to travel at that time. The Doctor had never appeared more beautiful to her than he did in that moment, standing there cradled in the embrace of his ship; his eyes locked with hers while his mind was glorying in the bond that was even now growing to encompass her as well. She didn't have to look down at herself to see the threads forming around her body as well, though her vision was always murky when she did manage to look at her own aura, but she knew that the Doctor had never allowed anyone else to connect with his ship in the way that she was experiencing now.
She cocked her head with a question, her eyes locked with his as the vision of his symbiosis with the Tardis slowly faded away. "You said that it took six pilots to properly fly a Tardis, how is it that you never let anyone else connect with her like this? I remember you told me that at least one Time Lord had been a companion to you in the past."
The Doctor winced at her direct question, once more she had cut through all the extraneous drivel right to the heart of the matter. "There were two reasons actually for that. The main reason was that the Type 40 Tardises were notoriously finicky when it came to choosing a pilot. While it is always possible to fly a Tardis without the psychic bond, it is definitely not the preferred way to travel as that telepathic bond is needed for both pilot and Tardis to be able to function to their best ability. Type 40's would imprint on one primary pilot, but many times would refuse to allow any of the other pilots into the telepathic bond. It put an undue strain on the primary pilot and was one of the main reasons why the Type 40's were eventually retired for newer, less temperamental ships." He laughed softly when he felt the snort of disdain from the Tardis, her displeasure expressed in the cold blast of air with which she buffeted the Doctor.
He looked up at the Time Rotor with a soft chuckle, his thoughts warm as he let his fingers linger over her controls in a gentle caress. "You know I love you specifically for that personality, Old Girl. It's why I stole you that day all those centuries ago."
The huff of amusement in their minds was unmistakable before she murmured. You have it all wrong my thief I was the one that stole you that day.
The Doctor nodded his head in acceptance of the correction, his eyes flashing playfully before he continued. "The second reason is that frankly I didn't want to share her with anyone, and she was never too keen on the idea either. There were one or two that I had thought about in the past, but none that I ever felt would be the perfect fit because once the bond is formed it is very traumatizing for the ship if that bond is ever severed."
Donna was listening to his explanation with rapt attention, leaning a hip gently against the console while she listened to the gentle humming of the Tardis as she was flitting playfully through Donna's mind. The ship was beyond distracting, her consciousness teasing and poking into places that even the Doctor hadn't ventured until Donna was feeling completely overwhelmed with the attention. It was no wonder the Doctor seemed like such a space cadet from time to time if this was how the Tardis behaved with him, she was very persistent in her wants and she had no compunction of digging for the answers when she wanted them.
Donna knew that the Tardis was getting to know her and letting her get comfortable with the sheer intimacy of a pilot's bond, the first time in the ship's existence that she had shared her consciousness with another being on this level. She could understand why the Doctor wouldn't want to share this bond with just anyone, especially when it could mean such pain for the both of them when and if that bond was ever forcibly severed.
"Doctor, I don't have the lifespan that you or the Tardis does. I'm well into middle age now and know that there will soon be more days in the mirror than there are ahead of me, is it such a good idea to bring me into this bond if it will only mean so much pain in the end?"
The Doctor shook his head, mentally shushing the ship's retort so that she didn't completely overwhelm Donna with too much information before he reached up rested his hands gently on her shoulders. "Donna, the bond was already formed the minute you stepped foot back on the Tardis. It was already beginning to flicker into existence when you first travelled with me, though I was too oblivious to notice it at the time. The Tardis had always been unusually fond of you, but it took the metacrisis to unlock that part of your mind that would allow her to accept you into the pilot's bond. Once the bond is formed, there is very little short of death that can sever that bond."
Donna merely looked from him to the time rotor and back again, her mind whirling with the implications of his words, but he was not done with the bombshells. She watched with fascination as his eyes suddenly seemed to grow hooded, the expressive depths hiding away as his mind quieted within hers for a telling moment. She could feel that he wasn't sure how she was going to take this next revelation, but that he was determined to plow on now that the floodgates had been opened. "The main reason is that the Tardis chose you on your wedding day when she brought you aboard, though the timelines were not quite in place yet for the bond to form. She knew that you would eventually become a mate to me in every sense of the word IF the timelines unfolded in just the proper order and so she had begun to lay the groundwork for the bond to form naturally over time." He made a face before continuing. "Though she conveniently kept that information from me until a much later time."
The Tardis merely huffed at the mock indignation in his tone. You were not yet ready for that information my thief, besides there are plenty of times when I keep things from you for your own good. The Doctor could only roll his eyes in response to his ship's antics.
Donna swallowed convulsively when she heard that explanation, the soft murmuring of the Tardis in the back of her mind letting her see the flashes of their timelines that she had been reading when she had first pulled his runaway bride on board. The huon particles had alerted the ship to her presence, but it was the universe itself that had shown her just who and what Donna was meant to be. Donna was struggling to accept what both the Doctor and the Tardis were showing her, her mind flashing back to her words in the Medusa Cascade when she had denied the existence of destiny. It seemed that her life had been rushing headlong down the path of destiny until she had crashed into the Doctor, every event leading inevitably to the next until they were both finally in the perfect place for the universe to guide them towards that path.
The Doctor was watching her carefully, his mind and the Tardis keeping a close eye on her to see how she was adjusting to the thought that her life truly had not been her own to lead for a long time. He had had centuries to get used to the idea and the fact that the universe threw him from one disaster to the next so that he could fix what couldn't be allowed to go wrong. He had known that Donna's fate was inextricably bound to his when he had first met her, but he had been unable to see the depth to which she was destined to bind her timeline with his. He had a feeling that the universe had played a role in making sure that he never saw more than he would have been able to handle at that time, which would explain why he had seemed so thick while he had been trying to figure out who had been twitching the strings of her timeline. He had mistakenly thought that the Medusa Cascade would be the end of it, and the Tardis still to this day would not let him live it down.
When he felt that Donna had recovered enough from the previous shock, he tightened his hands on her shoulders to bring her focus back to him. He waited while she gathered her thoughts, her body trembling very slightly beneath his touch before her beautiful blue-green eyes lifted to his. "Hey, how are you holding up?"
He was mesmerized by the dart of her tongue as she licked her lips, her breath hitching softly at the question before she resolutely nodded. "I'm doing okay Spaceman. It's a lot to take in, but I can't say that I'm completely surprised. It's been bugging me ever since I came back on board, there were too many little unexplained things that kept happening, even when you had suppressed my memories for it to be mere happenstance. These last few months more than the time I traveled with you previously have shown me that all my preconceived notions are completely useless now."
His answering smile was brilliant when he heard those words, her amazing spirit was once more rising to the fore and helping her to accept what to many would be completely unacceptable. She was showing him that she was willing to accept him and his world no matter what might be thrown her way and though she might stumble, she would adjust her thinking when needed and would continue on striding confidently by his side, his partner in everything. He could barely catch a breath around the feelings that were threatening to choke him, his hearts were hammering in his chest as he finally had run out of time for the final revelation.
Donna watched him with fascination, he was obviously arguing with himself though he was maintaining a surprising amount of control over those thoughts as she could only get a flicker of them before they vanished again. The Tardis was still whispering quietly to her, her words and presence a soothing balm when Donna felt like her world had been turned completely upside down. It all seemed so fantastic, she fought against her natural inclination to think that she was just a nothing temp from Chiswick, that she did nothing to deserve the chance that the universe had bestowed upon her. The Tardis was just as quick as the Doctor to decry her negative thoughts; the ship's methods though were far more direct than even the Doctor's were as she had no compunction of showing Donna just how amazing she had been in the years that she had been travelling with them.
It would take some getting used to in order to split her attention in so many different directions now that the Tardis was effectively bonded to her, but she knew that the ship would make sure she didn't overwhelm her too often. Donna felt the surge of affection that the Tardis had for her and really always had, and she couldn't help but let the ship know that the feeling was entirely mutual.
The Doctor smiled when he felt the total focus of his ship on Donna, her ability to finally fully connect with Donna had thrilled the ship so that he knew it would be a long time before she could spare more than a passing thought for him. He was surprised at the brief pang he felt at the absence of his ship's total focus, it was not a sensation that he had ever experienced and he had a feeling it would take some getting used to.
"You said there was another reason why the Tardis allowed the bond to finally form Doctor."
The Doctor nodded, his fingers caressing her arms lightly before he responded. "There was Donna and it might just be the biggest one. Exposure to the temporal energies in the vortex has the effect of lengthening the life expectancy of the humans who have travelled with me, to varying degrees depending on the length of time that they spent on board the ship."
Donna nodded slowly, her mind struggling to remember a conversation she had had with Martha back in the Torchwood Hub several weeks earlier. Martha had mentioned something about mutation caused by exposure to the energies of the vortex, something that increased their immune system and made them less susceptible to disease. She honestly had not been able to focus on the whole conversation as her mind had been overwhelmed with the energies of the Rift and struggling to filter out the heightened emotions of everyone around her, it had been almost too much for her to focus on any single conversation but she wasn't as surprised as she thought the Doctor had expected her to be. "I know some of that Doctor. Martha had tried to explain it to me a few weeks ago, but I was too overwhelmed with everything that was going on to be able to focus fully on what she was saying."
The Doctor grinned when he heard that, trust Martha Jones to get to the bottom of the changes that travel with him would mean to all of them. He honestly hadn't really even been aware of the mutations that humans would be subjected to until after his first companions had left him, and only then it had been because he had checked up on them later and had been surprised that they had been in such good health at what should have been a very advanced age. "Well she is partly correct in that many of my companions live well past the century mark if they are not otherwise harmed, but that isn't the main reason why you are different. That distinction has to do with the metacrisis and the Time Lord DNA that was interwoven with your own."
He had her full attention now, even the Tardis had gone silent in the back of her mind as she waited for Donna to realize the full import of the Doctor's words. He was not at all surprised that she jumped straight to the question in near record time, her mind had always amazed him with its ability to see patterns in the most mundane of things. "How different are we talking here Doctor?"
He took a deep breath and blurted. "There is a distinct possibility that we could have centuries together."
Donna's eyes widened as his words nearly bowled her over, her hand rising to her chest as she stumbled out of his embrace and across the control room to nearly collapse into the jump seat. She had her eyes clenched tightly closed as she pictured the rest of her life, a life that now was nowhere near half over and that would be longer then nearly anyone else she knew other than Jack and the Doctor. She had always known that she would outlive her mother and her grandfather, but she had never even entertained the notion that she would one day outlive everyone that she had ever known and their children as well. It's not like she had a great many ties to anyone on earth other than her family and her small circle of friends all of whom would be sharing in the same fate that she was now facing though to a lesser degree.
She had taken for granted the fact that she would be able to see human history unfold during her time with the Doctor, any time period was hers to explore should she so choose. She had however never thought that should something happen and she ever stop traveling with the Doctor that she would be forced to live through a goodly portion of that history as it unfolded around her.
She blinked several times as she had glimpses of a desolate future spread before her, one that would have been hers had the metacrisis not resolved itself and she looked up at the Doctor with a look as near to terror as he had ever seen on her face. "Would I have still had those centuries if the Master hadn't kidnapped me Doctor? Would I have been doomed to continue living, year after year and not knowing why I was outliving everyone that I knew and loved?"
The look of utter horror on the Doctor's face at her question would have been comical at any other time, but Donna thankfully didn't have to wait long for him to answer. "Absolutely not Donna, that was all part of what I had done when I suppressed the Time Lord essence within you. You would have lived a long, healthy life but it would have been a life with a normal span of human years. I could never have abandoned you to a fate of centuries, I already made that mistake once and am determined not to make it again."
She swallowed thickly at the raw emotion in his words, her mind suddenly filled with the memories that surged through his own mind in response to her thoughts of Jack. The pain he had felt when he met Jack again after the immortal had suffered so greatly to be reunited with him, and that his suffering would be eternal. His regret over his treatment of Jack tinged many of his actions with regards to the immortal now, and it was that regret that had allowed the both of them to finally let go of the past and take the first steps towards a friendship that would last through eternity.
She shook her head as another thought occurred to her. They lived in a time machine, she could visit her family at any point in time and for them no time will have passed. She smiled up at him, her mind settling surprisingly quickly with the thought of living for centuries.
The Doctor's breath caught when Donna looked away from him, her mind a chaotic jumble of thoughts and images that neither he nor the Tardis could properly sort out. She was struggling with the thought of outliving everyone she ever knew, but he knew that there was something deeper than that. He was surprised to feel thoughts of Jack flicker through her mind, and thoughts of him as well; thoughts that were tinged with infinite sadness before a quiet resolution filled her mind. He found himself waiting with baited breath for her eyes to finally meet his, her mind reaching tentatively out to his before she found the strength to stand up once more. "You're saying that we could have centuries together? Just the two of us and the Tardis traveling through time and space?"
He nodded breathlessly, his mind struggling to grasp the mercurial strands flitting through her mind. "Yes Donna, it's a definite possibility. The Ood at least seemed to think so."
She swallowed and took a deep breath before continuing. "I'm overwhelmed Doctor, my life and everything I've ever thought possible has been stood completely on its head." She held up her hand when he opened his mouth to interrupt her. "Please Doctor, let me finish." When he nodded silently for her to continue, she sighed before ploughing on. "I didn't say that I wasn't happy by the possibility. I had been worried that I would die all too soon and that once again you would be left alone and wandering, that the time we had together would seem like a blink of an eye to you. I can't put into words how I feel right now, but I know that you can feel the truth in my words."
The Doctor reached out to her, his fingers trembling as they threaded through her hair before he pulled her into his embrace. He buried his lips against her scalp, the tears that he had been fighting suddenly falling freely to splash on the top of her head while he let his mind immerse itself fully in hers. "I can't begin to tell you how happy I am Donna, I'd long since given up on being able to have this type of bond with anyone. I'm still afraid that one day I'll wake up and find this has all been a dream, but I intend to live this dream to the fullest!"
Donna smiled softly against his chest, her fingers stroking his cool skin before she murmured. "Trust me Doctor, there will be times when you will be quite aware that this is no dream. One thing though since we live in a time machine, I expect to be able to visit my family regularly in such a way that the passage of time for us will not be so obvious to them."
He grimaced slightly at the thought of having to deal with Sylvia any more than he had to, but if it made Donna happy he knew that he would only be too happy to grant that wish. It would make the passage of the decades easier for her to bear and it would also mean peace on the home front for himself. "I've got no problem with that Donna, besides I had already promised your mother that we would be visiting more regularly. I didn't mean that for us it would be every other week, but it would be for her."
She pulled back to look up at him, her resigned laughter only making his arms around her tighten their embrace. "Why am I not surprised that you found a loophole in that promise?"
He laughed in response, pulling her closer before their minds were suddenly embraced within the essence of the Tardis so that all three could share in their joy together. Now my Thief it's time for the both of you to see your new home.
Donna pulled away with a start, her eyes darting down the walkway towards a new set of doors that had not been there when they had first entered the Tardis. She had completely forgotten the main reason for their return to the Tardis today, and now she found she was filled with a nervous excitement that the Doctor couldn't help but echo.
He took her hands with his and led the way towards the double age darkened doors that now stood at the end of the walkway, the circular symbols of his native tongue etched in a flowing design across the ancient wood. It was what those symbols represented that made the Doctor gasp in surprise.
"What is it Doctor? What do the words mean?"
He reached out a trembling hand, his fingers tracing the delicate swirls of the Gallifreyan language as he whispered the words aloud. The musical sounds tumbled from his lips, tickling along the edge of Donna's consciousness before drifting into the silence of the Tardis. It was in that moment that she suddenly knew without a doubt what the Tardis had carved on those doors, but she held her breath waiting for his confirmation.
"It's the ancient rite of mating for my people, long lost in the mists of time from before the time that the Time Lords had turned their backs on such base desires. It speaks of the bond between two people and the journey that they share even through regenerations." His voice choked as his fingers lovingly traced the last two symbols on the door, the circular design was two symbols intertwined in a web that even time couldn't tear asunder. He looked up at her with shining eyes before he murmured. "These last two symbols are our names, mated and soulbonded. It's a bond that very few on my planet ever experienced and it was held in an almost mystical regard."
She smiled up at him, her fingers coming to join his before she murmured. "Teach me your language Doctor. I want to see the beauty in their words, I want to share in the memories with you so that you can honor them by helping their legacy live on."
His eyes flew to hers and his fingers stilled against the age worn wood, before he smiled softly. "I think I'd like that Donna."
She ginned impishly up at him before they both pressed on the doors, the well-oiled hinges swinging open to reveal the room beyond. Donna's fingers tightened in the Doctor's grasp when she saw the room beyond, the space was large enough on its own to be an apartment in some parts of London, but it held a perfect blending of old and new.
The room was roughly circular in shape though it was obviously laid out in a planned design that seemed to flow from one area to the next. There was a plush seating area to the left of the entrance with a long couch and two comfortable reading chairs set close together. The seats were arranged around a long table that was set before a large fireplace, the dancing fire already banishing the slight chill from the room. There was a viewing screen that closely resembled a flat screen television on the wall above it, with two bookcases on either side that held a collection of both the Doctor and Donna's favorite movies. There were two large lamps that shed plenty of light over the space as well as a coffee table between the two reading chairs.
The Doctor let go of her hand to scamper deeper into the room, his laughter was infectious as he ran straight to the back of the room where she could just make out the edge of a long worktable that already held all the various projects that had been scattered around his previous living space.
Donna looked deeper into the space and had to stifle a chuckle as she realized the space was much bigger on the inside then it looked on the outside. She made her way towards the large bed that dominated one corner of the room, the large king sized bed was an exact replica of the bed that they were sharing on Bellatrix Prime right down to the colorful quilts and throw pillows. She shook her head as she felt tears threaten, her mind reaching out to quietly thank the Tardis before she murmured. "Thank you Ducky, it's absolutely perfect."
She jumped when she felt the Doctor come up behind her, his arms sliding around her waist so that he could whisper silkily in her ear. "I told you we were going to have so much fun in that bed, Donna."
She grinned impishly up at him, spinning in his arms and playfully swatting at his chest. "Prawn, we will also be sleeping quite a bit in that bed as well. It's not all fun and games."
His playful pout only caused her to shake her head and step away from him to continue exploring their new home. She sighed happily when she saw her own space tucked away next to the Doctor's new workspace, a second smaller fireplace sat before an overstuffed comfy chair and two large bookcases that dominated the space. She saw that the shelves were filled with all her favorite books from the library as well as some books that she had been meaning to get to but had never had the time.
Her fingers reached out to clasp the Doctor's hand to keep him from wandering back into his workspace and getting lost, she then led the way to one of two doors that were set into the right side of the room. The first door opened into a joint dressing area that had two separate areas for their various toiletries as well as their everyday items, while a door in the opposite wall led into the larger Tardis wardrobe.
The Doctor just shook his head when he saw the thought that the Tardis had put into their living space and he couldn't help but wonder. "Why didn't you ever make it this convenient for me Old Girl? I'm starting to feel like second fiddle here."
Donna tossed a look over her shoulder at him as she led the way into the last door, her laughter teasing as she slipped into the bathroom. "Because you didn't need it before Doctor, and besides us girls have to stick together."
The soft thrill of amusement from the Tardis froze him in his tracks before he followed behind Donna, calling out. "Hey that's not fair! I don't need the two of you ganging up on me any more than you already do!"
He stopped dead when he saw the bathroom that the Tardis had created for them. Donna was running her fingers along the dual vanity and just grinning softly as her gaze wandered over the deep soaker tub that was easily large enough for two. The shower looked much like the one in his old room except this one had a much larger seat with several more sprayer nozzles set into the wall at regular intervals. His brows nearly shot up into his head at the thoughts that were running through his head, though if the blush on Donna's cheeks was any indication she was having similar thoughts as well.
He slowly walked up to her, his fingers rising to trace lightly over her arm before rising to cup her flaming cheeks. "What do you think Donna? Did she do alright?"
Donna smiled softly at his uncertain question, her face turning towards his cupped palm with a soft sigh. "It's absolutely perfect Doctor and you know it. One thing has been bugging me though since we walked through the door."
He pulled back at the odd questioning note in her voice, his brows furrowing momentarily before he asked. "What is it Donna?"
Her mouth worked soundlessly for a moment while her mind raced as she tried to think of the best way to bring up the question that had been bugging her since she had seen the inscription on their door. She looked up at him and shook her head wordlessly before taking his hand and leading him from the bathroom and over to the seating area so that she could use the time to try to gather her thoughts into a more coherent structure.
He followed her with some trepidation, his mind very quickly trying to follow the train of her thought as to what could be worrying her though he couldn't begin to make heads or tails of her concerns. He let her lead them to the couch and settled on to the seat opposite her, watching as she hovered for a moment before the fireplace before sitting down opposite him. He frowned when he saw her sit with her hands clenched, but before he could ask what had suddenly disturbed her she began to speak.
"You'd described that inscription on the door as a mating ritual for your people, Doctor."
He paused when he heard that question, his mind instantly flying back to everything he had said when he first saw those words before he was able to nod slowly. "I did indeed Donna. It's a very ancient rite though that the Time Lords had all but forgotten for countless millennia." If anything, his words seemed to increase Donna's agitation, her fingers began fiddling with the hem of her shirt as her mind continued to race. "Donna, what's bothering you? I can't figure out what's wrong or what I could've said that's troubling you."
She shook her head, her eyes rising so that her gaze locked with his and his breath caught when he saw the worry in her eyes. Worry for something that he couldn't quite understand though he got the feeling that she was concerned she was reading into what he had said more than anything else. He got a distinct warning from the Tardis to not delve too deeply into Donna's mind just in this moment, that whatever it was she needed to work it out on her own and that he needed to let her do so in her own very human manner. He forced himself to remain seated where he was, across from her while inside his hearts were breaking that Donna could somehow feel unworthy of whatever it was she was thinking.
"I don't quite know how to ask this, but you called us mates and you said we were soulbonded."
He nodded softly, his lips slowly parting to form a startled "O" as the realization suddenly hit him with the force of a nuclear bomb. "That's because you are my mate Donna. You have been ever since our bond was first formed aboard the crucible. It's why I went so mad when I had to wipe your memories and leave you on earth."
He leaned forward and took her fidgeting hands into his, his touch causing her to flinch slightly before she curled her fingers tightly into his grasp. Her mind opened up to him so that he could feel the fear that had momentarily overwhelmed her, the sense that she was once more setting herself up for more heartbreak despite all indications to the contrary. He sighed softly and pulled her into his arms, his hand rising to pull her head against his chest so that he could run his fingers in a soothing caress through her fiery tresses.
"The first time when we came together and you called my name through our bond, you acknowledged that bond between us. You've been my wife really since the crucible though I didn't realize it at the time because I was too panicked in trying to figure out a way to save you before you burned before my very eyes."
Donna jerked when she heard his declaration, her mind flying back to the first time they had come together and the shock that she had felt scream through him when she had called his true name in her mind. She had been so lost in him that she had been nearly insensate and had screamed his name without thought. It was that remembrance that caused her to shake her head and whisper. "You were completely shocked when I called out your name Doctor. I don't understand how you could've been so shocked if we'd been bonded since the crucible?"
He smiled somewhat ruefully at her reminder, his hands tightening their grasp on hers for a moment before he responded. "I was shocked Donna, but mostly because I suddenly realized how dense I had been with regards to how I was feeling towards you." He leaned back with a soft sigh, his hands slipping away from hers so that he could run them through his hair in an all too familiar display of agitation.
"I hadn't been able to make sense of my actions since I felt I'd been forced to leave you at your family's house. The Tardis was being unusually quiet on the matter though I know she was frantic when I continued to fall so hard. When you were taken, it caused the madness in which I had been drowning to nearly overwhelm me. Looking back now, I realize it was because my wife, my anchor was in the greatest danger she had ever been in and I was helpless to do anything but feel her burn."
His eyes locked with hers, the agony that he had felt in those crazy days when he had been frantically searching for her was suddenly once again filling his mind and Donna for the first time truly understood the strength of the bond that he was describing. "I wonder if that's part of the reason why I felt like I was going insane when you suppressed my memories Doctor."
He winced at the reminder of how his actions had nearly destroyed her life, the familiar guilt rising so swiftly he nearly choked with it. She reached out to take his hand into hers, her eyes pleading with him to understand what she was trying to say. "Don't Doctor. Please don't keep beating yourself up over what happened between us, in the end it resolved itself and gave us the chance to get to where we are now. I've forgiven you completely otherwise we wouldn't be what we are now."
He took a deep breath, his eyes softening once more at the amazing compassion that always came so naturally to Donna. His fingers tightened in hers, his eyes dropping to their joined hands before he swallowed convulsively and whispered. "I'm still trying to forgive myself Donna, I think I still will be for a long time."
She could only nod in reply. "Fair enough Doctor."
"But yes you are partly correct in that it was the instant severing of the mate's bond that was ultimately driving us both insane. It drove me into that dark and terrible place, though I didn't understand why at the time. You however were doubly traumatized in that you had lost not only your memories of our time together but also the connection that had been formed in that instant and your mind had no way to understand or cope with a loss of that magnitude."
He could tell that she was struggling to accept everything that he was telling her, though she had already accepted the strength of their bond without question. She now understood the reasons why their bond had been so intense since her return and those reasons were finally making all the little pieces fall neatly into place. "Is that part of the reason that you were so careful around me when I first came back Doctor?"
He nodded softly even as he reached out and pulled her into his arms, his lips coming to rest against her brilliant tresses as he murmured. "Since you returned I've been very careful in how much I have pushed you, but I've been fighting myself every step of the way from claiming you completely as my mate." He snorted softly at that thought. "I didn't even realize why I was being so careful in that manner, which is why I felt compelled to warn you just what to expect if you had chosen to travel with me once more. Obviously we both weren't ready for that revelation and truthfully if you'd decided that you didn't wish to travel with me then I would have been duty bound to honor your wishes even though it would have meant an empty life for the rest of this regeneration."
She whimpered softly against his chest, her eyes sliding closed as she caught glimpses of that future that had been his reward for all that he had done for the universe. She had already experienced the bleak despair with which he had been crippled when she had been forbidden to him, the insanity that was a Time Lord's existence had finally become too much. It was almost too much to know that she could possibly have condemned him to that life without even realizing it was simply devastating. "Would you have told me what it would have meant to you if I'd refused to travel with you again Doctor?"
She could almost feel the shrug in his thoughts though he just held her tightly against him, his lips pressed softly against her temple before he responded. "I don't know if I would've Donna. I'm rubbish with feelings, most especially my own, but I don't know that I would've shared that with you because then I would have always worried that I was using it as a form of coercion."
Donna reared back out of his embrace, her eyes flashing sparks into his before she shook her head with an angry scowl. "How could you have been so stupid as to even contemplate that Doctor? You would've just gone right back to doing what you did before? Risk the return of the Time Lord Victorious out of some misplaced notion of chivalry?"
He shook his head with a laugh, his hand sliding up to caress the back of her neck before he leaned forward and placed a soft kiss on her frowning lips. "Yes I would have Donna, but I didn't so I don't understand why you are so angry at me for something that I didn't do."
She parted her lips to respond, the retort dying on her lips when she saw the teasing light in his eyes and the rest of his words finally crashed through her senses.
The Doctor could tell the exact instant that she realized everything that he had just told her and that she was very much his partner in all things for as long as she lived. She fell back against his chest, her breath coming in stuttered gasps that she could do nothing to calm. Her fingers squeezed his tightly and her mind raced through his with the speed of lightning so that he could barely catch a glimmer of her thoughts before they moved on, he could do little more than hold tightly to her as she finally came to terms with what he had been trying to tell her all along. "I'm really your wife?"
The whisper was so quiet he wasn't sure if he heard it more in his mind, but he couldn't help the pleased laugh that bubbled from his lips. "Yes Donna you are, it just never seemed a good time to tell you that fact until we had sorted a few things out between us."
Donna smiled against his chest, her breath still coming in short panting gasps though the notion was finally starting to seem all too perfect in her mind. It explained the intensity of their connection from the instant she had first come on board, the zeal with which she had searched for him when she had foolishly turned him down and the utter joy that they had both felt when she had finally found him again at Adipose Industries. The friendship that had formed in an instant and had only grown deeper as their journeys had continued, the constant mistaken impression that they were a couple. They used to joke all the time that the universe was constantly playing a cruel joke on them, little did they realize that their words could not have been closer to the truth.
The fact that the Doctor had been fighting as much with himself as with the circumstances helped her calm her racing heart a bit and realize that he had been giving her the time she needed to truly heal from the events of the metacrisis and those aboard the Master's ship. It had been out of his love for her that he had not pushed his claim on her, and that he had not pushed her any farther than she had been willing to give him at that time. She truly belonged with him, had belonged with him ever since she had met him and now finally she knew that she would finally be able to travel with him forever.
The Doctor could barely suppress the tears of joy when he felt the acceptance settle in her mind, her thoughts entwining completely with his so that he could feel that she was content with the thought of him as her husband. Wife, that has a nice ring to it. He teasingly whispered in her mind.
She snorted and burrowed deeper against his chest in response. Don't go getting a big head Husband. Besides, we have to figure out what we are going to tell my family.
The Doctor flinched at that statement, his mind already picturing Sylvia chasing him out of her house with her axe at the very thought of him having married her daughter without a by your leave. "Could we just stick with the original plan of telling them at Christmas that we are in a relationship? Couldn't we leave the whole marriage thing out until we get them used to us being together?"
Donna leaned back so that she could lock gazes with him, her mind already blazing within his all the potential issues that tactic could engender. "You want to lie about it?"
The Doctor squirmed under the lash of her thoughts, groaning softly as he desperately tried to find a suitable compromise. "Not lie per se, but I didn't get much chance to court you properly Donna. It's been a sort of whirlwind since you've come back into my life and I want a chance to make it up to you. I want to give you that wedding that you've always dreamed about, and I also want to properly mate with you in the ways of my people. I want a chance to knock your socks off."
She could tell by the nervousness in his words that he really felt that she had been rushed through this whole thing and that he wanted the chance to show her how much she really meant to him. She felt her head spin when he mentioned a proper wedding and suddenly she shied away from that thought as she knew that her mother would instantly push for the big church wedding before Donna had even had time to settle into the idea of being a wife to the last of the Time Lords. "Let's hold off on any big wedding plans as I seem to have bad luck with those. I do like the idea of a proper courtship though Doctor."
His answering grin was almost too much for her to bear and she leaned forward to lightly brush her fingers along his cool cheek. "We'll play by your rules for now Doctor but you have to promise me, no taking decades to make a move or I will have to take matters into my own hands." It was still a strange thrill that she could think of decades without feeling like she would be an old crone, it was amazing how easily she had come to terms with the changes that he had just outlined in her life. It seemed the human psyche was capable of eventually coming to terms with anything, no matter the size of the shock.
"Don't worry Donna. Besides, once we're done here on Bellatrix I have somewhere I want to take you that will be the first step in that direction."
"What are you up to Spaceman?" Donna couldn't keep the faint suspicion out of her tone.
The Doctor just laughed and pulled her close once more. "Just you wait and see Earthgirl. Trust me, you won't be disappointed."
He could feel Donna mulling things over quietly in her mind, her thoughts drifting back over the last few months of their renewed relationship before she nodded her acquiescence. "Okay Doctor, I have to admit I'm a little excited to see what you have in store."
His answering grin was positively boyish and caused her to want to drag him from the couch to the bed right at that moment, but he was already distracted by the wall of movies that the Tardis had stocked their room with and was up perusing the titles in a flash. "Tell you what Donna, let's relax in here for the rest of the day. We can whip up some snacks and we can finally have that Star Wars marathon that I promised you a week ago."
Donna groaned at the mention of Star Wars, having long since given up on trying to keep up with the mad pace of the Doctor's thoughts. Since they had settled on a course of action the Doctor had already moved on to the next thought that flitted through his mind.
She pushed off the couch as her gaze settled fondly on her husband as he scampered around the screen on the wall, his mind already racing a million miles a minute as he started to tinker with the screen for optimum viewing pleasure. She felt her breath catch for a moment at the delicious thought of the Doctor as her husband, it was secretly titillating to know that she would be keeping a secret of this magnitude from her mother but she knew that in the end the wait would be well worth it. She made her way to the Tardis kitchen, her mind already whirling with all the possibilities of their future trip and for the first time in a while she found herself looking forward to one of the Doctor's surprise trips.
The Tardis moved softly through the back of both their minds, her slightly alien consciousness settling happily back as she watched the two of them fall comfortably back in to their routine just as they had from nearly the beginning of their time together. Her thief had finally found the soulmate he hadn't realized he had been looking for, and she had proven that she would be a more than perfect match for him. It had taken the universe nearly being destroyed for the two of them to stop being so completely dense about their feelings for each other.
Yes, the Tardis had been mischievous by placing that particular inscription on their door, but if she had left it up to the Doctor then it would have been several more years before he finally came completely clean with his Donna. The Tardis settled back with a sense of smug accomplishment, her consciousness expanding once more in its connection with the Nexus so that she could keep an eye on the universe while her two pilots settled down for some much needed relaxation time.