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The club was too noisy. And crowded. And they had run out of crisps before he’d had a chance to eat any. How on earth did they manage to run out of crisps?! The Doctor sat at a table sipping his banana daiquiri and pouting. His mood had absolutely nothing to do with the fact that Captain Jack Harkness was putting the moves on his best friend.An evening out at a dance club had seemed like a good idea at the time. It was the first time the group had gotten together in one place since the Daleks had stolen 27 planets and attempted to bring an end to all life. The Doctor had thought that their next gathering would be much more somber when he'd realized what was happening in Donna's mind and what he would have to do to fix her. But the TARDIS saved them both, as she had many a time before, and had worked in Donna's brain to remove only the knowledge and brain functions that would cause her to burn. She was still able to remember all of her time with the Doctor and was the same brilliant Donna she had been before the metacrisis, but with a little extra something now.The Doctor and Donna had picked up everyone and taken them to a popular club not too far away from Torchwood. Jack, Ianto, and Gwen had all come, knowing that the Earth could manage without them for a few hours. Sarah Jane had declined, saying that dance clubs weren't really her thing but wishing them all a wonderful time. The Doctor and Donna had stopped by to visit her before picking up the others. She'd been so pleased to see them. Her eyes had filled with tears when the Doctor had shared with her what had almost happened to Donna. She knew how much that would have hurt the Doctor, and how Donna would have suffered as well. When they left, she wrapped up Donna in a warm hug and whispered in her ear, "I'm glad that he has you. You've been a match for him in every way, much more than I could have imagined a human could be to the Doctor. Don't let him slip away, and don't overlook what else you might be able to have together, either." The Doctor was curious about what Sarah Jane was saying, but he knew that she wouldn't have whispered if she'd wanted him to know. For once, he didn't press for answers as they walked back to the TARDIS. Donna mulled over Sarah Jane's words, wondering exactly what she'd meant. The Doctor was the best friend she'd ever had, and she certainly wasn't going to walk away from him if she had a choice. Not ever. Did Sarah Jane think there was more to their relationship than that? Well, she hadn't been there when the Doctor had vehemently insisted he only wanted a mate. It was clear to Donna that she would not be more to him than a friend, even if it was a best friend, no matter how much she might have wished otherwise. Arriving quickly at Torchwood, they picked up the gang. Martha and Mickey had also been able to come along. If the Doctor wasn't mistaken, something was happening there. Martha was now working at Torchwood, and Mickey was becoming a fixture there as well, according to Jack. The Doctor was guessing that it wasn't just a job at Torchwood that was appealing to him. Things had started out well, with everyone dancing in twos and threes, laughing and having a blast just being together without some crisis. They danced in all kinds of combinations, had drinks, ate food, danced some more, and felt vibrant and alive. The Doctor noticed at one point that he and Donna were the only ones on the dance floor and spotted the others crowded around a table. They seemed deep into their conversation. Torchwood business, no doubt, judging by the serious looks on their faces. The Doctor didn't worry about it. He was sure they'd loop him in if they needed his help, and he was busy showing Donna the moves he'd learned from Fred Astaire. He may have been holding her just a bit closer than Fred held Ginger, but Donna wasn't complaining about "Hands!", so he was certainly not going to stop.Meanwhile, the topic at the table had nothing to do with Torchwood or any kind of alien invasion, although it *did* center around a particular alien. "It's obvious that he loves Donna, but are you sure he's attracted to her?" asked Mickey."Oh, yeah," answered Jack. "Trust me, I know attraction when I see it. It's why I didn't respond to Donna's flirting on the TARDIS. As you all know, I love a good time flirting, but I could feel a vibe from the Doctor that told me I'd better back off. Especially after the Crucible, when he thought he'd lost her. I think that's the first time he truly realized what Donna meant to him and what they might have had together. He was devastated when he thought she was gone.”Martha chimed in. "The Doctor never looked at me the way he looks at Donna. When she was on board the Sontaran ship a few months ago, I thought he was going to lose it. I missed most of it when they swapped me out for a clone, but I was there when he brought her back to Earth. The Sontarans discovered her right after she fixed the teleport. He thought for a moment he might be too late, but he held it together and saved her just in the nick of time. There was more than just relief in his eyes. And then when he was the one on the ship and we thought we'd lost him, I can't tell you the emotions I saw on Donna's face, and how she looked when Luke switched places with him and the Doctor reappeared."When I saw him with Rose on the Crucible, I couldn't believe she'd actually found a way to return and wondered if it would change how he felt about Donna. But I think that seeing Rose again made him realize how much deeper and more mature his relationship was with Donna. He and Rose were really good for each other for a while. But after their time together ended, he moved on and she didn't."Still, the Doctor is stubborn, and I suspect he's feeling anxious about giving his hearts away again, especially when he doesn't know whether or not Donna feels the same way. In fact, I think he's convinced she doesn't. And Donna has had her heart broken pretty badly in the past, so I'm not sure if she's ready to take a risk, either," finished Martha. Gwen sighed. "There must be something we can do. How can we get them to see what's right in front of their faces so they'll do something about it?""Seems strange that the Oncoming Storm is afraid to tell a woman how he feels," said Ianto."You haven't seen Donna face down the entire Dalek Empire and come out of it victorious," returned Jack. "She can be quite formidable. But I have an idea for a way that I can get the Doctor to recognize what he feels for Donna. Martha and Gwen, I'll need your help." Drawing everyone closer, he explained his plan and made sure that they were all on board with it. “Ianto, are you sure you’ll be alright with this?” asked Jack.“I wouldn’t be with you if outrageous flirting bothered me,” answered Ianto, grinning at Jack. “Besides, I want to see if this works.”Donna and the Doctor's dance ended and she headed for the table as most of the group was walking towards the dance floor. Martha remained, so Donna sat down next to her. "That looked like fun!" said Martha. "I had no idea the Doctor knew how to dance like that!" "Neither did I," replied Donna, with a wide smile on her face. "He's absolutely full of surprises, that one." She took a sip of water and fanned herself a bit."You two looked like the perfect pair out there. If I didn't know better, I'd think you were a couple."Donna scoffed at that, but Martha thought it was lacking a little in conviction. "You certainly wouldn't be the first, Martha! I don't know why everyone thinks we're married. It's the weirdest thing.""Is it? Hmm. Haven't you ever wondered why so many people have made that assumption?""What do you mean?"Martha paused. She had to play her part well, planting a little something in Donna's mind and reinforcing the fact that the Doctor saw her as more than a friend without scaring her off. "I just wonder if maybe there's something more between the two of you, or if there could be. He looks at you very differently than he looked at me when I was traveling with him Differently than he looks at anyone else, really.""I'm sure that's not the case. He's always said he just wants to be mates, and what would I do with a skinny streak of nothing, anyway?" Donna tried to deflect Martha's comments. "And what about Rose?""Don't forget that I was there, too, after Rose came back. I remember the haunted look he used to have in his eyes when he talked about her. And I'm sure he still cares about her, no doubt. But from what I saw, he doesn't feel the same about her anymore. I just kept seeing his eyes stray to you whenever you weren't looking.""That's probably because he thought I'd died along with the TARDIS, and he was relieved when I came back. And then he was worrying about the metacrisis, and how it was going to affect my brain," said Donna. She looked over at the Doctor on the dance floor, only to find that he was returning her glance. She quickly looked down at the table in front of her. "No, I don't think that's it. I saw the same look on his face when we were dealing with the Sontarans. He was looking at you like the sun rose and set on Donna Noble."Donna blushed. Martha thought she would be pushing things if she went any further and hoped that she'd planted a seed. She changed the subject to a film she knew Donna liked. The Doctor had been planning to follow Donna back to the table, but Jack and Ianto had spun him around and insisted he stay out on the floor. Gwen needed a partner, and Mickey had gone to the bar to replenish everyone's drinks. The Doctor gave Gwen a little twirl, then continued the dance as they talked. He was just about to start asking questions about Gwen's Welsh ancestors when he noticed her gaze drifting over to the table where she'd been sitting with everyone before. "Donna seems pretty fantastic," she began. "Oh, she is!" he answered quickly. "She's brilliant, in fact! And brave, strong, and so caring. She has one of the most tender hearts I've ever seen in anyone.""And she's certainly easy on the eyes," said Gwen, smiling softly."Is she really?!" said the Doctor, a little too casually. "I suppose that, objectively, yes, she's a beautiful woman." Who was he kidding? She was absolutely gorgeous, especially in the shimmery emerald green dress she'd chosen to wear tonight. It had wide straps over the shoulders and a neckline that dipped down to show just a hint of cleavage. The slinky fabric hugged her curves, and the dress fell to midthigh, so it showed off quite a bit of her fabulous legs as well. Usually Donna hid underneath baggy clothes, but there was no way to hide much of anything in that dress. She didn't want to get too warm dancing, so she'd put her hair up with a few face-framing pieces and some artful ringlets at the back. The entire effect was enchanting.He felt his eyes drawn to her and saw her speaking with Martha, only to look at him a split second later. He quickly looked back at Gwen, just in time to see her watching him with a look of amusement. He had the feeling that nothing in his thoughts had been hidden from her sharp observation. Fortunately, Gwen let him off the hook with a question about UNIT. His answer took until the song ended, and he then made a swift exit.Instead of going back to their table, he decided to take a walk around the perimeter of the club. He wasn't avoiding Donna. Nope. Not one bit. But he shouldn't have worried about that, because he saw her walking onto the dance floor, hand in hand with Captain Jack. He couldn't help but notice the look of appreciation on Jack's face as they turned to face one another.Then he noticed the song that was playing, "Brick House." It was an oldie by the Commodores, but the Doctor had always liked it. He was just surprised to hear it here, but Jack seemed to be enjoying it. Donna too, for that matter. He figured it was safe to go back to the table, so he circled around and sat down with Mickey, Martha, Gwen, and Ianto, who were all sitting this one out.He thought Jack was dancing a little too closely, but Donna didn't seem to mind, judging by how she was shimmying to the music and beckoning Jack. He came over to spin her around, then pulled her close, his back to her front, as they swayed to the music. He spun her back away and sang along with the lyrics, leering at Donna:"She knows she got everything
That a woman needs to get a man, yeah, yeah
How can she lose with the stuff she use
Thirty-six, twenty-four, thirty-six oh what a winning hand"Donna blushed and lightly smacked Jack’s shoulder as she laughed at his antics, Jack joining in. He was sure working overtime to charm Donna. The Doctor wondered what Ianto thought about that. He had thought that Jack and Ianto were committed to one another, but one wouldn't know it from Jack's display. The man was practically grinding against Donna. It was unseemly, it was!Or there might be the tiniest chance that he was overreacting, but the Doctor quickly dismissed that thought."Is it warm in here?" the Doctor asked. "Because I feel like it's warm." The others exchanged grins before straightening their faces as the Doctor kept his eyes fixed on the dance floor. Ianto in particular was getting a kick out of knowing that his man was driving the Doctor crazy."It feels fine to me, Doctor," said Martha. "Are you alright? Maybe you're coming down with a fever?" she said, hiding a smirk.Out on the dance floor, Jack was singing to Donna again:"The clothes she wears, her sexy ways
Make an old man wish for younger days, yeah, yeah
She knows she's built and knows how to please
Sure enough to knock a strong man to his knees"As he sang the last line, Jack had the audacity to actually go down on his own knees. Donna laughed at him again. The Doctor wanted to punch him right in his handsome square jaw, then throw Donna over his shoulder and carry her back to the TARDIS, caveman-style. He quickly stood up, almost knocking over his chair in the process. "Just remembered, the TARDIS needed me to...do something," he said, turning and walking out of the club as the others stared at his retreating back.Sudden movement at their table caught Donna's eye and she looked over to see the Doctor striding quickly away and apparently heading for the door of the club. She saw the others watching him in shock and wondered what was happening, but no one looked too concerned, so she finished the dance with Jack. "Thank you, Jack, for a memorable time. Has anyone ever told you that you're an incorrigible flirt?" she said, smiling at him. His dimples showed as he smiled back with a twinkle in his eyes. "I believe I've heard that a time or two, Ms. Noble. May I escort you back to the table, milady?" She put her arm through his and they went to join the others."You seemed to be enjoying yourselves out there," said Ianto, still grinning over Jack's antics and wondering if they would work."Absolutely!" said Donna. "Jack is quite a talented man. But I'm sure you already know that," she said with a wink, smiling as she saw Ianto flush. "Is everything alright with the Doctor? I saw him leaving, and he looked upset.""He said something about needing to repair the TARDIS," said Mickey. Donna frowned. "That's strange. She was working perfectly before we got here. Did he say anything else?""No, not really," said Martha. 'He didn't seem to like that last song very much, though. Funny, because I always thought he liked the Commodores."Donna thought so, too. In fact, she'd heard him sing that song before when he'd been working underneath the console. She wondered what could have made him leave so abruptly. "I think I'd better go and check on him. If we don't return, he probably heard about an alien civilization in need of saving, and we'll see you again as soon as we can. I'd better say my goodbyes, just in case!" After hugs all around, Donna went out to where they had parked the TARDIS to find out what was going on."So," said Mickey after the others had gone silent. "I'm gonna go ahead and assume we're sharing a cab back to the office.""I'd say you're probably right, Mickey Mantle," said Jack. "But I think we need to do some more dancing first! I haven't gotten my turn with you yet.""Okay, but just so you know, I don't do dirty dancing, Captain America.""Spoilsport," answered Jack. In the TARDIS, the Doctor was sitting in the jumpseat, moping. Why was he so bothered by Jack and Donna? He didn't think their flirtation was going to go anywhere, unless Ianto was very understanding and their relationship was flexible like that. And it could be, who knew? Certainly not the Doctor, and it wasn't really his business. It's not as if he had a claim on Donna, either. They were just mates, weren't they? He'd certainly made it clear to Donna before she came on board the TARDIS that that was all he wanted, and she'd agreed all too quickly. He didn't think anything had changed for her, even if it had for him, and he wasn't going to jeopardize their amazing friendship by trying to change it now when Donna didn’t seem to want that.He had only been there for a minute or two when he heard the door to the TARDIS opening. He stood up and tried to look busy, glancing around for a tool to grab to make his act more convincing before just shoving his hands in his pockets uselessly."Hey, Spaceman. Is everything alright?" asked Donna, looking concerned."Yes, absolutely, couldn't be better! Why do you ask?" he said, a look of innocence on his face that did nothing to convince Donna."Don't give me that. I know you. Something is wrong, and I wish you would tell me what. You seemed to be having a lot of fun in the club, until you weren't. What happened?""Oh, it just seemed really crowded, and loud, and warm, and I needed a break. So I told everyone I needed to fix something and got out of there." He spoke casually and almost sounded convincing. Donna might have even believed him if he'd made eye contact with her, but he was looking like he was trying to do anything but that.She ducked down and caught his eyes, anyway. "Is it me, Doctor? Did I do something to upset you?" she asked quietly, half afraid of his answer."No, Donna! No, not at all. No, you're absolutely brilliant, and I loved dancing with you. And watching you dance with others. And seeing you be able to just laugh and enjoy yourself without wondering what disaster was just around the corner - that was wonderful," he said, softly smiling at her now.She returned his smile and asked, "Then what was it? Won't you tell me? I'd like to help if I can."He was silent for a full minute, and she thought he wasn't going to answer, but she’d learned when to be patient while talking with the Doctor. "It was Jack," he said, so quietly that she almost didn't hear him."What about Jack?" she asked, perplexed."The way he was dancing with you. I thought it was...inappropriate."Donna almost burst out laughing but felt they were at a delicate point in the conversation, so she managed to straighten her features before the Doctor looked up at her again. "That seems a little...repressed for you, Doctor. What was inappropriate about it? Mickey and Martha were dancing like that at times, did that bother you?""No, it didn't.""Then why did it bother you when Jack did?" she asked.Looking away, the Doctor answered, "Because it was you he was dancing with.""I still don't understand. Did it make you uncomfortable to see me dancing like that? I probably looked ridiculous. Is that it, Doctor? Did I look ridiculous, and you're just sparing me the embarrassment of saying so?"With a mortified look on his face, the Doctor looked back at Donna. "Absolutely not! There is nothing ridiculous about you or how you were dancing. You look beautiful tonight, and you were a vision on the dance floor. I just---"He stopped for a moment, knowing that he could be making a huge mistake by being honest about what he was feeling. "I just hated that it was Jack who was dancing with you like that instead of me. I didn't like that he was so close to you. I don't want anyone else to be that close to you, except for me.""Doctor, were you jealous?" she asked, incredulous."Yes," he admitted. "If you wanted to break it down into simple human emotions, jealousy would be the closest, I suppose. I don't know when things started to change between us, but they have, at least for me. I know that you are here for the adventures and the experiences, and I'm so happy to have them with you. You're my best friend, Donna, and nothing will ever change that. You've made me a better man. I'm sorry that I put a damper on things tonight. I know I'm being petty."Donna decided to let the crack about simple human emotions pass. She knew that this conversation was a tough one for the Doctor to have. He was being very open and vulnerable with her, and it wasn’t easy for him to let down his guard like this. "So what do you want to do now?" she asked."You were having a really good time at the club," said the Doctor. "Why don't we go back and rejoin the others?""We could do, if you'd like," said Donna. "But I was about ready to leave, anyway. I think I might be coming down with something. I probably need a thorough exam." Walking away towards her room, she looked back at him. "From a Doctor," she said, smiling at him seductively over her shoulder before continuing on her way.The Doctor was confused about why she'd need a doctor when there was a perfectly good medbay on board. Or, for that matter, they could always ask Martha to-- "Oh! A Doctor!" he shouted, racing down the hallway after her to the sound of Donna's laughter. He wondered what other sounds he might be able to cause Donna to make, and he looked forward to finding out.As Donna's door clicked shut behind the Doctor, the TARDIS sighed happily. Her Thief needed someone, and she knew that her Lady Donna would be perfect for him, but she was starting to think that neither of them was ever going to figure that out on their own. She had already tried locking them into rooms together and slowly making the space smaller. She had taken to putting on mood lighting and romantic songs whenever they re-entered the TARDIS from some adventure, hoping that their adrenaline would help spark things. She'd even thought about leaving Donna's diary out where the Doctor might see a key passage or two about himself, but she didn't want to betray her Lady like that. Evidently something had happened to break the impasse. Whatever it was, the Old Girl was thankful. She used her old trick of lowering the lights in Donna's room and lit a fire in her fireplace. She thought they would probably create their own soundtrack without her help. She heard their chuckles and soft thank yous in response. Her work here was done. For now.
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“You know, this wouldn’t keep happening if you weren’t so flirty,” said Donna.“How was I supposed to know that touching a flower in the presence of a woman on Andromeda-17 meant that I wanted to be betrothed to her?!” answered the Doctor.“Maybe if you’d gotten up-to-date with your research before we left the TARDIS earlier, instead of impulsively just running headlong out the door, that whole sticky situation could have been avoided and I wouldn’t have ended up in handcuffs. Again.”“You seemed to like me being impulsive in that broom cupboard on the moon of Circe last week,” smirked the Doctor, wiggling his eyebrows suggestivelyDonna flushed, but she wasn’t about to let him off the hook that easily. “Don’t try to change the subject. It’s not going to work. Also, how have you ended up nearly betrothed on 7 out of our last 12 trips? What kind of vibe have you been putting out, anyway?”The Doctor sputtered, trying to come up with a plausible excuse that would appease Donna. He didn’t know why that kept happening, either. He certainly wasn’t trying to put out that kind of vibe. Well, not to anyone except—wait. He’d been thinking quite a bit lately about making things more permanent with Donna. Obsessing about it, one might say. Could it be that some of the other beings, the ones who were capable of telepathy perhaps, were reading his emotions and misinterpreting them?He was brought out of his musings by Donna. “We’re not done talking about this, Spaceman, but they’re waiting for us so that they can start the Queen’s feast. It’s probably not a good idea for the guests of honor to be late, so we should continue this later.” She turned and walked out of the TARDIS doors, the Doctor hurrying to catch up.They had been seated on either side of the Queen for the meal. It was a sumptuous and plentiful spread, somehow combining dishes that were favourites of the Doctor and Donna from Earth with a number of delicacies from Andromeda-17. The Doctor had no idea how they’d known their preferences without even asking.The Doctor enjoyed trying out all of the offerings, but he would have enjoyed them more had Donna been by his side, instead of being separated from her by the planet’s monarch, pleasant though the woman was. These things were always more fun when he could hear what Donna was thinking and share her delight in their experiences. He was also anxious to smooth things over with her. He knew that her irritation with him would pass, but he didn’t like it when Donna was unhappy with him, or he with her.When the meal was finished, music started to play and the Andromedan people flooded onto the dance floor that was in the middle of the banquet tables. The Doctor would have liked to have asked Donna to dance, but as one of the guests of honor, he was expected to first dance with the Queen. Leading her out onto the floor, he watched as Donna was invited to dance by one of the Queen’s advisers.After his dance with the Queen ended, there seemed to be no shortage of Andromedans of all genders wanting to dance with him. He recognized some of the music to which they danced, and other songs were unfamiliar to him, but the dancing itself came pretty naturally. The Doctor at first worried that Donna would feel abandoned, but she had her own line of dancers waiting for her attention, and she seemed to be having a good time. Still, he was frustrated that he wasn’t getting to dance with the woman he loved and to have a chance to clear the air a bit.The Doctor decided he was ready for a break, so he begged off the next dance and took a seat back at the banquet table, hoping that he wasn’t breaking protocol. He could see others sitting out the dance, though, so he thought he was probably alright. Searching the room for Donna, he spotted her talking to one of the taller Andromedans. He looked like a fit bloke, with blonde hair and the tanned skin tone than most Andromedans had. Muscly, if you went for that sort of thing. Some might even call him chiseled, the Doctor supposed.Suddenly the first notes of a familiar song started to play. “Oh, you have got to be kidding me!” the Doctor said to no one in particular. “They have ‘Brick House’ on Andromeda-17? HOW?!”Donna had been enjoying meeting so many new people from the planet that they most recently helped to save. They were grateful and so complimentary. And since ginger hair hadn’t been seen before on their planet, they were fascinated by Donna’s long, thick, shiny tresses. They were very respectful about it, though, so it didn’t bother her.At first, Donna and the Andromedan Adonis were dancing like everyone else around them. But then he said to her, “I do not think your man likes that I am dancing with you.”“Why is that, Delthor?”“Because he looks as if he is ready to challenge me,” he answered.Donna noticed that the Doctor’s eyes had frequently sought her out as they had both been dancing, but he hadn’t seemed bothered by any of her earlier dance partners. Looking at up Delthor, she had an idea. Leaning towards him, she whispered into his ear. Delthor glanced down at her and said, “Are you sure that is how you wish to proceed? I would not desire to offend you by placing my hands where you do not want them.”“I just need to check something,” said Donna. “I promise you will not offend me, as long as you understand that this is just dancing, and nothing more.”“Of course,” Delthor responded. Then he pulled Donna a little closer to him and slid his arms around her waist as Donna raised her arms and wrapped them around his neck. Moving to the music, their dance looked pretty normal by Earth standards, but it was closer than most Andromedans tended to dance.The Doctor watched as the Adonis pulled Donna closer to himself. Their dance wasn’t scandalous to most civilizations, but he could see some of the Andromedans looking over in curiosity. His brow furrowed as he tried to figure out what Adonis was up to. He watched as Donna said something to the towering Andromedan man, then laughed at his answer.He felt a familiar sensation building within him and remembered the last time he’d had to watch Donna dance this song with someone else. Hearing the music had already dredged up his past feelings of jealousy and made him predisposed to dislike the blonde god, even before he’d put his hands on Donna’s waist. He was closer to Donna than the Doctor had been all evening, and the Doctor had just about had enough.Last time he was in this situation, the Doctor ran away. But now Donna was his, and he'd be damned if he was going to just let some alien bloke try to steal her away without a good fight. Even if said alien bloke looked like he could give Thor a run for his money. Then Donna looked over to the table and made eye contact with the Doctor. Even from a distance, he could see the mischievous look in her eyes as she looked back at him. The saucy little minx was doing this on purpose to drive him crazy! That's fine, he could play it cool. He could handle this. Except he wanted to handle Donna, right NOW. Knowing what she was up to was making sensations of a different kind stir within him. She thought she was teaching him a lesson? Well, the Doctor was ready to teach Donna a thing or two.Rising from his seat, he bowed to the Queen, who had since returned to the banquet table. “I beg your humblest pardon, Your Highness, but my companion and I have been suddenly called away to attend to an urgent matter. I hope that you will forgive our rudeness in being unable to stay until the end of the celebration.”“Of course, Doctor,” answered the Queen. “Andromeda-17 is in your debt. If there is ever anything I can do to assist you, please do not hesitate to call upon me.”The Doctor bowed once more, then made his way to the dance floor.Donna noticed when the Doctor stood and bowed to the Queen, wondering what he was going to do. Her eyes widened as she saw the look on his face and the set of his shoulders as he approached. He took hold of Donna’s wrist and gently but firmly turned her away from Delthor. Then he bent down, threw Donna over his shoulder, stood up, and started walking through the crowd back towards the hallway where the TARDIS was parked. He could hear the Andromedans murmuring about "claiming" and "mating pair" and "his woman," and it fed into his most primitive instincts.Donna yelped when he picked her up. The Doctor was incredibly strong for such a slender man, but she’d seen the lean muscles underneath his shirt, so it was no surprise to her. “Put me down, Spaceman! You’re behaving like a Neanderthal!”“I’ll put you down when I’m good and ready,” he growled.Donna knew that her inner feminist should be protesting that she would dance with whom she bloody well pleased, but she couldn’t bring herself to care. She loved it when the Doctor got so possessive and primal with her. It sent a thrill through her, just as it had when she found out he was jealous of Jack.They had reached the TARDIS, and the Doctor set Donna down outside of it. He slinked towards her like a panther, slowly backing her into the wall in the hallway and pressing himself up against her body from shoulder to thigh. He smoothly slid a leg between hers and used it to provide a delicious friction right where she was craving it. Donna lifted her hands to his shoulders. Her breath hitched as he leaned his head down and planted warm kisses on her exposed collarbone, up her neck, and along her ear. He murmured in a low, dangerous voice, "You are mine, and I want everyone to know that. I would take you right here in the hallway, but I think we've spent enough time in prison cells recently. And while I don't mind a bit of handcuffs when it’s just the two of us, today I want my hands to be free to roam where they'd like. There's a perfectly good bed in this TARDIS, and I think we should go use it."Donna shivered. The Doctor knew she loved it when he spoke in that voice. She hurriedly nodded her head as she blew out a shuddering breath. Her hands were now clinging to the Doctor's shoulders for dear life. If he wasn’t pinning her against the wall at the moment, she didn't think her legs would support her.She wasn't sure if the Doctor could hear what she was thinking, but he snapped his fingers to open the TARDIS door, then lifted her off her feet to carry her over the threshold, kicking the door shut with a silent apology to the Old Girl for doing so. It's alright, my Thief. You just make things right with my Lady, and all is forgiven, she answered.The Doctor was planning to ask Donna a question that had been a long time coming. He wanted to make it really special, because Donna deserved only the best. Already plans were spinning in his mind to take her to a galaxy that no living being had yet seen besides him. He knew that Donna would love it. Once things were settled with her, he was confident that he wouldn’t keep having accidental almost-engagements. He would be putting out an entirely different vibe then, and so would Donna.In the meantime, though, they were both eager to have a different type of communication, one that involved hands and mouths and breathy sighs and moans, bodies moving in a rhythm as old as Time itself.The TARDIS breathed a sigh of relief as the couple disappeared down the hallway to their room. She didn't like it when her Thief and her Lady had a falling out. It calmed her to know that they could disagree, even vehemently at times, while still expressing such love and desire for one another. She should have known. They had been such close friends already, even before the metacrisis, and finding a solution for it had only drawn them closer. Nothing was going to tear them apart, simply because they were now lovers.
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The Doctor was underneath the console, tinkering out of habit with something that didn't need his attention, when he heard the strains of a familiar song start up. It brought about a Pavlovian response in his pants as desire flared through him, with a bit of residual jealousy. He knew that Donna didn't want anyone else but him. She had made that very clear to him over the last year, in many and varied ways, and he appreciated each and every one. But he could recall how he'd felt when he'd seen her dancing so closely with other men. Still, it didn't hurt to be reminded that his wife was a very desirable woman.He set down the spanner and quickly extricated himself from the console, wiping his hands clean. He made his way to their bedroom, noting that the TARDIS had moved the door close to the console room and sending a silent thanks to her, hearing her acknowledgement in return. She certainly loved Donna. When Donna was upset with him, he'd often find their bedroom door at the end of a series of very long hallways that twisted and turned, if he was lucky enough to find the room at all without first begging the TARDIS for forgiveness and assuring her that he would make things right with Donna, whatever it took. She always took Donna’s side, which was quite unfair, really. He was there first, after all. When he and Donna were happy with one another, their room was usually a few doors down, past the kitchen and dining room and across from the library. And when Donna wanted him, as she evidently did now, he barely had to take two steps down the hall and his room was there."Haven't heard that song in a while," he said as he opened the door and crossed the threshold before stopping short as he set eyes upon his gorgeous wife. She was wearing a slinky purple chemise, the color of which was reminiscent of the toga she'd worn in Pompeii. Except this outfit barely skimmed her thighs, and it had a lace inset that did very little to hide her magnificent cleavage. And she was dancing in a way that she knew would drive him crazy while running her hands through her glorious hair. He stood and watched her for a full two minutes, mesmerized, unable to move, or even blink. Heat flared throughout his body, but he couldn't resist teasing her a little. "Wife, you've had me three times already and it's not even lunch. Are you completely insatiable?" he asked, as he once again found the power of speech and began to move towards her, his eyes raking over her and showing the path his hands would soon be following. "It's our honeymoon, Time Boy, and I haven't had nearly enough of you yet!" answered Donna as he reached her, her hands moving to lift his t-shirt over his head and toss it aside. She pulled him close, his lean, muscled chest coming to rest against her soft, warm breasts through the lace as her arms wrapped around him. She stroked her hands over his back and then down to his backside, pulling his lower body against hers and whimpering as she felt his evident arousal against where she desperately wanted it. She was moving against him, but she doubted it would still be called dancing.The Doctor moaned at the contact. His hands moved from Donna's shoulders down her breasts, stopping to stroke them and rub this thumbs over her hardened nipples as Donna's eyes glazed over with desire. He lowered one of his hands underneath the chemise and groaned when he discovered she wasn't wearing knickers. He stroked through her warm, wet folds as Donna keened and dropped her head forward, widening her legs to give him better access. He kissed his way across her shoulders and up her neck, then over to her mouth, entwining his tongue with hers when she opened her lips to him.He slipped two fingers inside her, plunging them in and out as his tongue mirrored the movement in her mouth. His thumb rubbed the sensitive flesh at her entrance as his fingers continued their ministrations, curling into just the right position. Donna's hands clung to the Doctor's shoulders as her body grew taut with sensation, desire building into an ever-tightening coil down low in her belly before she shuddered all over, her body tightening as she fluttered around his fingers.She opened her eyes and watched as the Doctor raised his hand to his mouth, licking his fingers clean. She loved when he did that. It made her feel so desirable and delicious, and when she kissed him afterward, she could taste herself in his mouth. It resulted in a flare of possessiveness in her. The Doctor was hers, and she could never seem to get enough of him now that she had him.Donna made quick work of the Doctor's belt and trousers, then pushed down his pants as his arousal made itself evident. Eyes gleaming, she lowered her mouth to his chest as she licked and sucked her way from one nipple to the other, the Doctor hissing as she did. She was just starting to kiss her way down his abdomen when the Doctor grabbed her arms, pulling her back up for a searing kiss.Ordinarily, he loved it when Donna would take him into her mouth, wrapping her lips around him, licking and kissing and sucking and generally driving him crazy before giving him the release he craved. But at this moment, he wanted nothing more than to bury himself in her warmth, and he knew that he would not last long enough for that if Donna's mouth was on him.He moved his hands to the hem of her chemise and pulled it off, throwing it onto the nearby easy chair. Donna shrieked in surprise as he picked her up and tossed her onto the bed, then climbed up over her. Without preamble, he slid into her body, burying himself completely in her as they both sighed in contentment and pleasure. For a moment, he just held still, enjoying the feeling of Donna's warmth surrounding him and her body pressed against his own. This was his favourite place to be. It was better than any adventure he'd had on any planet. Loving Donna was his best discovery, more exciting than any inspiration that had ever struck under pressure and evolved into a genius plan. She was more beautiful and wondrous than the forming of a galaxy. What he'd found with Donna was more miraculous than anything he'd experienced before, and he felt incredibly lucky to have her in his life.He could see his joy, and his passion, mirrored in Donna's eyes. "I love you, my darling Donna.""I love you, too, my sweet Spaceman," she answered before stroking along his leg with her foot, then tightening her muscles around him. "Now move!"The Doctor was only too happy to comply. They were both so tightly wound that it didn't take long before they were crying out, first Donna as the Doctor used his talented fingers to help bring her to a climax again, then the Doctor quickly following. He lay against Donna for a moment, planting kisses along the freckled shoulders that he loved, before sliding off her and onto his back.Turning toward him, Donna rested her head on his surprisingly comfortable chest and wrapped an arm around his waist as he enveloped her in his arms, kissing her hair and enjoying the scent of her pomegranate shampoo. Sometimes the Doctor felt exceedingly energetic after sex and would get all sorts of things done in the aftermath. But just now, he was sleepy and sated, and there was no place he'd rather be than in the embrace of his wife. The two of them drifted off into a well-deserved rest as the TARDIS promised to keep watch over them. She sighed contentedly. Her Lady had been very good for her Thief. She had given the Doctor friendship when that was what he most needed, a stable influence and someone he knew he could always depend upon. She shared his burdens with him in a way that the TARDIS didn't think anyone else had. She came to him with no expectations except the hope of adventure and finding a purpose. She kept his feet on the ground, no matter the planet or ship, and gave him a sense of safety that allowed him to lower his guard and truly be himself with her. She knew when to press him and when to just wrap her arms around him and be there.And soon, the TARDIS smiled, she would be giving him a family. The Doctor thought that was impossible and had told Donna so. But the alterations to Donna post-metacrisis that allowed her to retain the Time Lord consciousness had also made her biologically compatible with the Doctor, and even now two tiny new lives were growing within Donna. The TARDIS could already see who they would become and knew how much joy they would bring. She also knew that the scan the Doctor would perform in the medbay would show not only the presence of two embryos, but the presence of Gallifreyan physiology in Donna herself. It had lain dormant since the metacrisis, waiting for something to bring it to completion within Donna's body. These babies would be a gift in more ways than the Doctor and Donna could ever have imagined. Her Thief and her Lady would be able to have centuries together, and not just the few decades to which they had resigned themselves, deciding to live them to the fullest while they could. They would know soon enough, thought the TARDIS, and she wanted to hear them when they found out about both Donna's changes and their growing family. But for now, she was content to give them their privacy. She dimmed her lights all over, leaving the ones in Donna's room on low and playing soft music she knew they both favored. She raised the temperature just a little so that her Lady wouldn't be too cold. Then she put her systems on standby and quietened down for the afternoon, happy in the knowledge that a tiny ginger-haired girl and a little boy with wild brown locks would soon be running through her halls.