Revenge of a Time Lord

Chapter 28

'Donna, this is Rose, I have mentioned her before. Rose, this is Donna. And this one here,' the Doctor pointed at the man he was dragging with him, 'is Shaun. Donna's husband, apparently.'

The Doctor left Shaun on the floor, not bothering to give him any attention. He took Donna's arm, ignored her protests, and he placed her on the captain's chair in the middle of the TARDIS. He tried to make a connection between Donna and his ship by sorting some wires and he placed them on Donna's head, in the hope that the TARDIS could help her. His ship could at least make her pain less worse and she could maybe, eventually, put Donna completely out of danger. But that needed time.

'Donna... the TARDIS is going to try to clean your mind. I am going to put you into sleep so that your brains are completely open. When you are asleep, you can't resist. It is going to be fine. You trust me, don't you?' the Doctor asked, placing his hands on his friend's temples, ready to make her fall asleep.

'I... don't know...' Donna's reply was.

And that was the truth, she honestly didn't know if she could trust him. And when she was asleep, she couldn't protect Shaun. The Doctor had said that he wouldn't do anything, but she didn't really believe him. She could feel the pure anger in the Time Lord and she knew that he was not easy to stop. He was not going to let his mind being changed only by her. But still... the Doctor had been right. If she didn't let him try to help her, then she might burn up. And then she really was useless to him. And she didn't want that, she had to help him. Pull him out of the darkness.

'Just get on with it,' Donna whispered, and the Doctor made sure that she fell asleep.

The TARDIS made soft humming sounds, that only the Doctor could translate. He knew that his ship was trying to get the most of the Time Lord consciousness out of Donna, and he knew that his ship needed some time to get it done properly. If she succeeded at all. It was still one big guess.

'You,' the Doctor said, turning his attention back to Shaun, still ignoring Rose, who had been watching the scene with complete astonishment and confusion, 'you are going to suffer very badly for trying to hurt Donna and for trying to challenge me.'

Shaun didn't dare to do or say anything, his leg hurt like hell and he was not feeling very confident about winning a fight against the Doctor. He could do nothing else than just nodding and trying to be respectful towards the Time Lord in the hope that he would be spared that way.

'Do you already see that you have been wrong?' the Doctor asked strictly.

Shaun nodded carefully, not quite sure if he had to speak or not. So he choose something in between speaking and saying nothing. 'Yes... Doctor...' he whispered.

'You are a very bad liar... You are just saying that because you are a coward. You are scared. You are beyond scared. But you know that you can't fight me, that is why you are suddenly so tame... How thick do you think I am?' the Doctor asked, advancing on Shaun with his fists clenched.

'No! Honestly, that is not... you are not thick! I never implied that! I am the one who is thick!' Shaun said, defending his head with his arms, afraid of what was going to come.

'Good answer... I like it when my prisoners are submissive... Since you are so eager to follow my orders, then follow this one. I want you to show some resistance. I want you to fight me,' the Doctor said, looking down on the man.

'What... why? I can't possibly... I have a broken leg! Please! Why would you want me to do that?' Shaun asked.

'I need some justification for what I am going to do with you. That just feels better towards Donna, since she is so attached to you. Do as I say.'