THE DOCTOR'S TRIPLE TROUBLE
Chapter Four After Donna took the car back to her house and told her mum she was moving out and staying with Neris for the time being, she packed a couple of suitcases worth of clothes, said goodbye to Wilf and headed back to the TARDIS which was parked a half block away on a side street. In the month since she became a full time companion, Rose had taken her under her wing and shown her the ropes. Donna was impressed with the younger woman's courage and calmness in the face of danger. Rose turned out to be a great teacher and both Rose and the Doctor were impressed with her. She and Rose soon become best friends and she quickly forgot her old life as a temp, determined never to return to her ho-hum life. She didn't know about Rose but she knew she was going to travel with the Doctor for the rest of her life now. During their downtime in the TARDIS, Rose would tell Donna about some of her adventures which impressed Donna even more. Hearing about what this woman, who was barely out of her teens, had seen and done filled her with both fear about what she might encounter and anticipation knowing that she was finally going to live a life that was more than just filing and typing. One morning, Rose finally got around to telling her about how she had returned from the other universe. The two friends were sitting across from each other at the kitchen table, drinking tea while the Doctor made some repairs to his console. Rose's Zeebot, Puff, was sitting on her shoulder singing contentedly while she fed him bits of carrot. Eventually the creature became tired, closed its eyes and slept there while Rose talked on about what happened to bring her back from the other universe and what had happened since then. Donna was flabbergasted to learn that there was an evil version of the Doctor roaming around the universe. She sat, spellbound, while Rose talked about her and Martha escaping from him, about their being enslaved with the chips in their heads and about the year that never was. Donna was especially fascinated with that and it made her wonder what she had been doing and whether she lived or died during that year. Her blood ran cold when Rose described the Doctor being aged and the torment both of them had endured at the sadistic hands of both the Master and the other Doctor. Sadness overwhelmed her when she heard her friend talk about being raped by him and she felt her blood boil. Rose sighed when she finished describing it. "To this day the Doctor still feels guilty about that," she said. "Even though I keep telling him over and over there was nothing he could have done to protect me since he was unconscious when it happened. But…he does that, Donna. He blames himself for every little thing that happens to me even when things are out of his control." "And he won't listen if you tell him otherwise?" Rose let out a mirthless laugh. "In one ear, out the other. I could tell him it wasn't his fault until I'm blue in the face, won't change a thing. He's very protective of the people he travels with, not just me but Martha and now you." "He doesn't have to be protective of me, I can take care of myself," Donna said. "I can as well but that doesn't stop him from wanting to shield us from every little danger. It's odd because that's what he loves. The man will charge headlong into danger but at the same time he wants us to be safe even when though he wanted us to come along with him. It's odd but I guess it makes sense to him in his own head. But I can't complain, I love travelin' with him, wouldn't give it up for anything. I had my fill of "normal" life back in the other world and there's no way in hell I'm goin' back to that." "You and me both," Donna said, snorting. They sipped their tea while Rose finished telling her about the year that never was. Donna stared at her when she described him being shrunk down and put in a birdcage. "Okay, I'm having a hard time picturing him as a little elf in a birdcage," she said when she laughed. "It was surreal. It would have been funny any other time but I knew the Master meant business," she said. "I'm just glad he didn't decide to do somethin' like stomp on him and break every bone in his body." Donna nodded. "So how did he get outta that?" she asked. Rose finished telling the story. "This Martha ended up going around the entire world?" Rose nodded. "Well, no wonder she wanted to go back home." "It wasn't just that. It was her family as well. They'd been tortured and traumatized and she stayed behind for the time being to take care of them." "I wonder what I was doing then? I wish I knew." "No, Donna, you don't. Be glad you don't remember," Rose said. "I'd give anything not to remember that year." Donna's heart ached at that. She reached across the table and took her friend's hand. She could see she was trying to be nonchalant about it all but her eyes held all the pain and suffering she had endured. She also noticed how much older her eyes looked than the rest of her body and she wondered if eventually hers would look the same way. "So where is this other Doctor now?" she said, sipping her tea. "God only knows, I just hope he finally learned his lesson and stays far away from us. I know the Doctor will beat him senseless if he threatens me again." Donna nodded. "I imagine so; I know how much he cares for you. I could tell that when I first met him." "Did…he talk about me much?" Rose asked. "Um, he mentioned you a couple of times. I finally learned your first name just before he left me but I could tell he was brokenhearted the entire time. I s'pose my being pulled into the TARDIS right after he got done saying goodbye to you didn't help matters much. Not to mention I was a bit of a bitch towards him and looking back on it now, I'm sorry I was but I was in the middle of my wedding and the next thing I knew I was in here. I thought my friend Neris had pulled a prank on me." Rose chuckled. "Don't feel bad, I would have felt the same way if I'd been in your place," she said. "I always wondered. I asked him about it and he told me about meeting you but I could tell he was leavin' out some things and I knew it had to do with me. He doesn't think I can read him like a book but I can. I've traveled with him for almost three years now and I've been around him long enough to know when he's not tellin' me the whole truth about somethin'. He pretends he's this mysterious, hard to suss out individual, but he's really not. Not to me anyway. But it's the same way with me. I can't hide much from him either. We've been through so much, Donna, that we just know one another now. I s'pose in time you'll be the same way. You and he will have to bond on some level in order to work together as a team but I'm sure you'll eventually be able to figure out what he's thinking as well." Donna nodded. "Just as long as it's him and not this evil double of his." "I don't think you'll have to worry. I think we finally got rid of him. Especially since the Master betrayed him as well. But even if he does return, his face is messed up now by acid so it won't be a problem telling the two of em apart anymore." She sipped her tea while she stared off into space. "What is it?" Donna asked. Rose smiled. "I say that, Donna, but to be honest, I really don't quite believe that he's gone for good. It's odd but even though he kept calling me a doggie and told me I was lower than dirt, he seemed to be obsessed with me as well as the Doctor. I know he wants the Doctor dead because the Doctor's defeated him but with me…I don't know, he says he despises me and would never have anything to do with me since I'm an "ape" but he kept insisting I stay at his side and then there was the...well, you know, but I have a feeling if he does return it won't just be because he's wanting revenge on the Doctor." "The Doctor won't let that happen," Donna said. "I know, that's why I know the moment he comes within sight of me the Doctor will have his guts for garters. I'm praying he doesn't but part of the reason I told you all of this is because he's still out there and I don't want you going up to him thinking he's our Doctor because the man is nothing but trouble and he'll hurt you without batting an eye," she said. "I appreciate that but I hope I never have to meet him he sounds like bad news, Donna said. Unknown to them, the Doctor was standing right outside the kitchen door listening. He was going to get a quick snack but when he got to the door he heard Rose talking to Donna about his double and decided to listen in. He'd been listening ever since she described him and his double battling the Slithra and had listened to Donna's comments about it and about the year that never was. His hearts ached when he heard Rose telling Donna about her rape and they ached even further when he heard her say that she would give anything not to remember. He had often wished the same thing but he knew he had no choice. In the end she had to return with him to keep the chip from returning to her head and ending back up in the other Doctor's possession. His blood boiled when she heard her voice her fears about him returning and he made a silent vow that his nemesis would never lay his hands on her again or lay his hands on Donna. Donna had never met him and he was determined to keep it that way. When she heard Rose finish talking about the other Doctor, he quietly snuck back to the console before they realized he was there. XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX By the time Rose and Donna decided to come to the console room, the Doctor was back under the console working. While he worked, his mind kept drifting to what Rose had said and he wondered if they would see the other Doctor again. No matter how much he tried not to think of his adversary, he kept invading his thoughts so he was glad when his two girls finally provided him with a distraction. "Well, well, come out here, have you? Get bored doing women things and talking women talk?" "Well, we were wondering if we could go somewhere," Rose said. "And where would that somewhere be?" the Doctor said, getting up from the floor. "Dunno, got any good ideas?" "Oh, I have oodles and oodles of good ideas," the Doctor said, patting her on the head. "You silly girl, thinking I don't know somewhere good to take you. How daft of you. But I'll forgive your momentary loss of sanity." Donna giggled when Rose rolled her eyes. "Now…" the Doctor said, cupping her face. Rose noticed him pausing with his hands on her face. "What? What is it?" she asked. Her eyes widened when the Doctor giggled and squeezed her cheeks until her lips looked like a fish. He eased up and did it again while Donna laughed. "What the hell are ya doin'?" Rose said when he eased up again. "Makin' fish faces for my amusement." Donna bent over laughing when he did it again. "Anyone ever tell ya how incredibly cute you look with a fishy face?" "Doctor!" Rose said while he laughed hysterically. "Okay, okay, I'll refrain from fishy faces," he said. "Thank you," she said. "I…" She eyed him when he began to pinch her cheeks. "Sorry, Rose, I can't resist. You have very pubby cheeks." "Pubby?" Rose said while Donna snorted out laughter. "Yes, rolly polly pubby cheeks. I just can't resist a squeeze," he said, smiling. "They just call to me telepathically over and over, squeeze me, I'm pubby." Rose tried to glare at him but she couldn't help but smile at the grin on his face. She glanced back at Donna and shook her head while Donna sniggered. "Well, if you're done squeezing my pubby cheeks," she said. "I am…for the moment, don't know how much longer I can resist the pub though." A toothy grin spread over his face when she giggled hysterically. His hearts warmed hearing her laughter. He was scared that talking to Donna about his double and all the horror they had went through had depressed her and that was the last thing he wanted. "Okay, before you can't "resist the pub" anymore," Rose said when she sobered up. "I'm saying that I would like to visit somewhere pleasant." "Same here. We've had a few close calls over the past few days and I just wanna relax a bit," Donna said. "Aw, where's the fun in that?" the Doctor said. "Honestly, you do enough relaxing here on the TARDIS. Outside the TARDIS should consist of running and fighting monsters, not relaxing. You can relax when you're dead." "Yeah and considering we're hangin' 'round with ya, it may come sooner than we think," Donna said. Rose giggled when the Doctor eyed her. He grinned and gave Donna a fish face. "Don't you start that with me, mate, or I'll deck ya!" Donna said. "You pinch my "pubby" cheeks, I'll put my foot up your pubby arse, you got that?" "Yes, ma'am," the Doctor said while Rose bent over laughing. He looked at Rose with wide eyes. "We agreed to take her on board, eh?" "Oi!" Donna said. "Watch your gob, Space Man!" The Doctor sighed. "Oh alright, we'll go somewhere and "relax", I suppose," he said, making quote marks with his fingers. "Oooooh, you lot are no fun sometimes." He stood at the console and thought about where to go. While he did, he felt Rose wrap his arms around him and lay her head on her back. He smiled at that and rubbed her right hand before he finally settled on a destination for them.
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