Hi, not dead, just got completely pummeled by *gestures at the world around us*.
Dean had gone back in the TARDIS well before the others, not because he was ready to go back to Earth and face the relentless pushiness of the angels or the constant dread that came with the demons hounding Sam but because he missed the TARDIS itself.
Once upon on a time, he'd actually driven the TARDIS. It hadn't been pretty or controlled or . . . well, he couldn't really claim that he'd been the one driving, if he was honest. But he had a connection with the TARDIS; he liked spending time at the console.
Besides, all things considered, he was facing the end of the world. Even if the Doctor had seen the actual end and Dean knew that meant they were going to stop this crazy Apocalypse, Dean fully expected that they were going to suffer losses. And he knew if he had to, he'd die before he let anything happen to Sam.
"So," he said quietly, running a hand on the edge of the console, smiling at the familiarity, "I guess this is goodbye."
The TARDIS couldn't speak, not in real words, anyway, but Dean knew, somehow, that the deep clanging that echoed the console room was a gentle but chiding response, as if the TARDIS was telling him that this wasn't really goodbye.
"Yeah, I'm sure you'll meet me again in your future. Already seen the next Doctor, actually. Get ready for a redesign."
The TARDIS dinged indignantly.
Dean chuckled. "No, no, it's awesome. You'll like it, I promise." Another ding, and Dean laughed again. "No, I'm not lying. Why are you like this?"
As the TARDIS rang out with something like laughter in the way its sounds echoed, Donna stepped into the TARDIS as well, leaning against the doorframe with a crooked smile. "Should I leave the two of you alone?" she asked.
Dean smirked and gestured to the TARDIS. "We're old friends."
"I can see that." Donna shook her head and then stepped inside, closing the door behind her and thumbing over her shoulder. "They're having a row."
"Yeah, I'm not surprised. Sam can hold a grudge when he wants to," Dean said, his hands in his pockets as he leaned against the console.
"So can the Doctor," Donna said.
"Really? This one doesn't seem the type," Dean said, thinking back on all the times he'd met this incarnation of the Doctor. Then again, he'd met him for the first time when he was a kid, so that might have colored things just a little bit.
"Remind me to tell you the story of how we met," Donna said in a sigh as she came to join him leaned against the console.
Dean smirked and only waited as long as it took Donna to look his way again before he broke into a grin outright. "Hey, Donna, tell me the story of how you met."
Donna let out a scoffing breath and pushed him at the shoulder. "You haven't changed at all from when I stayed with you in Kansas."
"You were asking for it," Dean said, still grinning.
"I should have known better," Donna laughed.
Dean watched Donna and her bright smile before he took a step forward. "Hey, for the record? Sexiest babysitter I know."
Donna's smile turned more crooked before she held up a hand between them. "Woah there. That is the pickup line you went with?"
"You're the one comparing me to my toddler self."
"You're the one in a hurry to repeat your streaking performance."
"Results would be better this time around, I guarantee."
Donna laughed but shook her head all the same. "No, Dean." Then, with some of the light out of her expression, she added, "Maybe ask me again when it doesn't feel like you're trying for goodbye sex."
Dean opened and then closed his mouth. Yeah, he should have known that Donna would see through what he was doing. That was the problem with having a crush on someone who had known you literally your whole life; they had an unfair advantage. "Never know," he said, trying to regain the knowing smirk he'd had before. "Life of a time traveler…"
"You never know," Donna agreed. She leaned against the TARDIS. "You know," she said slowly, "you're too much like him sometimes."
"Who, Sam?" Dean scoffed. "Yeah right. He wishes."
"No, the Doctor." Donna watched as Dean lost his ability to form words and smiled to herself. Dean knew that she knew how much Dean looked up to the Doctor; he couldn't help his childhood heroes. Add in his childhood babysitter and man, did he need to work on his poker face. "You're both terrible when you try to go it alone. Neither of you have a lick of self-preservation, and you're absolute idiots in the best and worst ways. You know that, right?"
Dean blinked at her and then sucked in his breath through his teeth. He had to find a way to turn this conversation around, or it was going to go in all the directions he didn't want it to go. So, once he let out all his breath again, he said, "So, should I be worried about the Doctor? Because I've met the future version of him, so I know he's not going anywhere permanently, but the way you're talking about him – I mean, I'm totally fine. You're probably just projecting."
"Of course you're fine," Donna said in a tone that said she absolutely didn't believe him. "You two really are the same person."
"He'll be happy to hear you complimenting him."
"Uh-huh." Donna shook her head, rolled her eyes, and then reached out to grab his arm and yank him over to her in a hug. It wasn't the least bit sexual, either, and he knew it: this was all warmth and the kind of love that came from knowing each other for so long. And it seemed like she needed it, so he didn't make any effort to get out of it. That wouldn't be fair to her.
When Donna finally let up on the hug, Dean stepped back and cleared his throat. "So," he said and cleared his throat. "Have you met any Silurians yet?"
Donna let out a scoff of a laugh. "What?"
"Oh, you haven't met the lizard people at the center of the earth?"
"Are you pulling my leg?" she shot back, drawing herself up for a fight if he was.
He grinned crookedly and threw his arm around her shoulders. "Donna," he said, dipping his head to catch her gaze, "buckle in. Have I got a story for you."
With that, he pulled her over to find somewhere to sit. This was a much easier conversation to have.