DoctorDonna

Chapter 1: Defense Mechanisms and Sacrifices

Her head was burning hot and all she saw around her were copies of the same man, and images flashing through her brain of strange creatures. Suddenly the face of a different man flashed before her eyes and the fire surrounded her, then the darkness.

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The first thing she noticed when she felt herself coming back to consciousness was a steady beating. Thump-thump...thump-thump...thump-thump... She gasped for breath as she sat straight up and opened her eyes.

It was all there; all her missing memories were there. But something was different. She felt it. Thump-thump...thump-thump...thump-thump... She could feel the dual-pulse in the vein on the side of her neck, it whispered into her ears it beat so hard and so fast. Thump-thump...thump-thump...thump-thump...thump-thump... Her eyes darted around, taking in her surroundings. She was laying on the ground. Where? Oh yes, Chiswick. Near her Mum and Gramps home. But not her home. No, she knew that now. Where was that blue box, anyway?

She started to push herself up off the ground into a standing position when she heard a voice. "Donna! Donna!" It was her mom, and running behind her, also yelling her name was a man. She recognized the man, but who was he? Oh yes, wait, there was the memory. Shaun. Oh. Oh dear, what to do about this.

Donna ran to her mother, not quite ready to acknowledge Shaun or what it meant to have him there. "Mum! Where's Gramps? Where's the Doctor? Something's happened, I know it!"

"What!? How do you know about that? How can you know about that? Donna, you'll die!" Sylvia was scared to death for her daughter. The rush of emotions she was feeling was overwhelming. Frightened for her daughter, she recalled the warning the Doctor had given her that rainy night. Now, as she realized the Doctor had once again had saved the Earth from destruction, she finally realized how much of an idiot she had been for treating him so badly. She was brought back from her thoughts by Donna's voice.

"Mum, I think I did!" Donna exclaimed.

"Did what?" Sylvia's face showed confusion.

"I think I did die, but I'm still here, and I can remember now! I remember it all! But Mum, you have to tell me, where's Gramps? Where's the Doctor?" Donna pleaded with her mother. She had to find the Doctor, and fast!

"I don't know! Before we ran out for you, I heard them say on the news that something is going on at Naismith Mansion!"

"Then that's where they are! I have to get there! Now! Something terrible is going to happen, I can just feel it!" Donna started to walk away from the alley and towards the main street.

"But Donna, we can't just go there!" Sylvia argued with her daughter, afraid to lose her.

"Oh you just watch me, Mum!" Donna stood tall. "If I have to steal a car, I'm getting there!"

"I'll take you." Shaun finally spoke up, after having watched the mother and daughter argue. He had prayed this day wouldn't come. Wilf had vowed him to secrecy about the stories he had told him of Donna and the Doctor. As much as Wilf knew, he shared. The old man said he felt it was only right that Donna's fiancé understand why she couldn't remember certain things. As little as it was that Shaun knew about the situation, he knew that Donna was lost to him now. He saw the look of determination in her eyes and knew nothing was going to stop her from finding the Doctor. The least he could do was make sure she got there safely, and hopefully find Wilf to bring him home to his daughter.

"Oh, Shaun." Donna sighed and placed her hands awkwardly on his shoulders, unsure of what to say or do to the man she had tried to love so hard.

"Come on, let's go!" Shaun shrugged her off and went running towards the car, acting as if he hadn't noticed her awkwardness. Sylvia followed behind, not about to lose sight of Donna now.