Doctor Who One Shots and Crossovers!

Fezzes and Memories

The shopping centre was busy, and full of noise. No one would notice the  wheezing, groaning noise emanating from a small broom cupboard, nor when a strangely dressed man came out of it a few seconds later. He was tall, wearing a tweed jacket and a red bow tie. His hair was brown and floppy, and his eyes took in his surroundings like a detective on the scene of a crime. He made his way purposefully through the building, walking like a man on a mission. He was so intent on his goal that he didn't see the little girl holding the red balloon. He walked right into her. 

"Oh, I'm sorry." Said the Doctor, crouching down to the level of the crying girl, whose balloon was now on the ceiling, well out of her reach. He looked thoughtful for a second, and then disappeared, returning a few minutes later with a yellow balloon. He blew it up, and then twisted it into shape, the girl watching in wonder. When he finished, he handed it to her. 

"Isa...isa....isa Giwaffe!" Shouted the girl eagerly. 

"It is!" Replied the Doctor, grinning. 

"Mummy! Mummy Mummy!" Shouted the little girl gleefully. "Isa giwaffe!" She ran off happily, presumably to show her mum, and the Doctor smiled, continuing on his way. Eventually he reached the hat shop in the corner of the building. Taking a deep breath, he opened the door and went inside. The shop was small, with rows and rows of hats of all colours and sizes, sombreros, bowler hats, buckets and beanies, stetsons, straw hats, you name it. Noticeably, there was no fez. The shop was quiet, compared to the bustling corridor outside. In one corner there was a stressed looking blonde, in another an old man in the caps and sunhats section. They weren't who he was looking for. 

"Excuse me sir," said a young attendant, "can I help you?" The Doctor thought for a second. He wasn't here to buy any hats, but he couldn't just say so, could he? Who came to a hat shop intending not to buy any hats?

"Err...Yes. D'you have any fezzes?" The woman looked a little taken aback. 

"Erm..maybe. I don't know? I can check if you like?"

"That would be fabulous. Thank you."

The woman left, and the Doctor continued looking around for the person he wanted to find. There! In a corner. He could only see her back, but he was sure it was her. This was her favourite hat shop. She had quite long, ginger hair and she was on the phone. 

"Yes, I know Nerys wants blue for the bridesmaids, but they don't have any blue! Well no nice blue ones anyway."

The Doctor took a step towards her swallowing hard, his face unreadable and his heart beating fast. It was her. No mistaking it. He missed her, his best friend, so much it hurt. He knew what he had done had been necessary to save her life, but he still couldn't stop thinking about if it was the right decision, if there could have been another way. With his previous face he had known he couldn't see her, it wasn't worth the risk. But now, now he could see her without a chance of her recognising him. He could visit and see how she was doing, if only for a moment. For a while, he hadn't been able to bring himself to do it, to face it, but he'd realised he'd never be able to let go if he didn't see her at least once, to check she was alright. He swallowed again, and took another step. 

"Yes, ok, I'll get the pale green. And if Nerys doesn't like it, we can explain and she can deal with it....yes....right...bye." She hung up the phone and picked up the green hat she'd been looking at, turning to face the till. 

"Oh, hello. Can I help you?" She asked when she saw the Doctor. 

"Donna."

"Err..yes. Do I know you?" She said, confused. 

"Errm, no. No you don't."

"How do you know my name?"

He gestured to the name badge on her chest. She must have come straight from work.

"Oh of course," she said, laughing, "silly me. Well, I must get on and pay for this hat. I've got lots of other things to pick up. You see, it's my friend's wedding next week, which should be fine, apart from the fact that it's Nerys. She's such a drama queen...."

The rest of Donna's chatter was lost to the Doctor as he looked at her, remembering adventures gone by. Adventures that she couldn't remember and never would. He was filled up with the bittersweet memories of the wonderful but fleeting friendship they had had and lost in what felt like a heartbeat. 

"Sorry, you probably didn't want to hear all of that," concluded Donna, "I'll just go and pay for this. Have a nice day!" And with that and a parting smile she was gone, off towards the checkouts to pay. The Doctor smiled back at her with a look of sadness in his eyes. He was interrupted by the attendant. 

"Sir? Sir, I found you a fez. The only one in the shop!" 

The Doctor took it and grinned. 

"Thank you! I love a fez." He took it from her and placed it on his head. "Fezzes are cool!" he nodded. The woman looked a bit disconcerted. 

"If you say so, Sir. That will be £20 if you'd like to buy it." The Doctor dithered for a second, and then pulled out his psychic paper. 

"Oh! You're a hat critic! In that case you can have it for free. Where can we read your review?" 

"Any decent newspaper." Replied the Doctor, laughing. "Thank you for the fez!"

"You're welcome." Replied the woman as he left the shop. The Doctor stopped outside the window, taking one last glance at Donna, merrily paying for her hat and chatting away to the cashier. He smiled, she was well. Then he turned back the direction he had come, towards his TARDIS and more adventures.