[TARDIS - Console Room]
The Doctor has the doors open, leaning against the doorway to look into the gaseous red and blue clouds within the Dorado constellation.
Donna watches him momentarily before clearing her throat, "Doctor?"
"Hm?" he looks over his shoulder, "Ah, how was she?"
The companion sighs and approaches him, "I... I didn't know."
The Doctor shrugs, "Few do, Donna," he sits on the edge of the ship's opening, legs dangling in space, and pats the spot next to him, "Come on, then, take a seat."
Donna looks at the doorway warily, "I'm not gonna float off, am I?"
He laughs, "No, I increased the barrier around the airshell a while back; even if I hadn't, we're more than safe."
She carefully sits beside him, keeping her legs within the TARDIS by crossing them.
"Why do you do it?" Donna asks after a beat.
The Time Lord hums, looking up, "Ally suggested it when some of our travels started turning sour. The guilt would eat us up. It helps."
Donna glances at him, "How many of those drawers and boxes do you have?"
"Too many," he sighs, "The boxes are empty, though, they're for..." he grimaces, "Well, best not."
She nods slowly, "There's a lot of drawers in there... You look young, but you're not, are you?"
"904, more like," he shrugs, "Ally too. We're the same age."
Donna blinks hard, letting out a low whistle, "Well, I'm never complaining about being old again," she frowns, "How many people have you two traveled with, then?"
"Does it matter?" he asks warily.
She shakes her head, "No, just wondering, is all. I know you traveled with Rose and Martha, but that's it."
The Time Lord is quiet, debating on telling her. The last time this came up, it did not go well.
'Donna's asking how many we've traveled with...' he calls out to his wife.
'Tell her, she'll take it well,' she replies.
The Doctor sighs, nodding, "We've traveled with 34 companions at the point. I had one alone, and you're our 34th companion... we're still undecided about considering Rose as one of the lot, though."
Donna frowns, "Why did you travel without Ally?"
"I didn't want to, but... When Ally had to leave, before and during the war... I, well..." he looks away.
She nods, understanding, "And Rose?"
The Time Lord is quiet for a while, staring into the stars, "You know, I've never regretted any of our companions until her."
"Then you shouldn't count her," Donna declares, "Everything she did or said to Ally, whatever it was... that's not a friend—and trying to get you to split up? Soulmates at that. She wasn't your friend, Doctor."
He turns to her abruptly and sees the fierce look in her eyes.
"You're right," he breathes, "You're right. Glad to have you, Donna Noble, our 33rd companion."
The companion smiles slightly, nodding, "Glad to be on board. What's next for us, then?"
The Doctor grins, "A bit of a talk and then how about another planet? We can get dinner."
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Eyes of Time: The Final Line ✓
FanfictionThe Alchemist knows that Time has consequences. Now having Regenerated with her Bondmate, the Doctor, both Time Lords have to confront the repercussions of Rose Tyler's actions. The question is, when will that payment fully come due? They received o...
