Revenge of a Time Lord

Chapter 34

'Shall we go do something nice, just the three of us? To take our minds off things?' Rose asked the Doctor, trying to make him forget about Cobb for a moment.

'Oh no!' Donna said. 'We are not going anywhere nice. We are going to Shaun!'

'Don't yell at him,' Rose hissed, afraid that the Doctor would snap again.

'No... no, Donna is right. If she wants to see him, then who am I to stop her?' the Doctor said calmly, standing up. 'But I just want you to know this, Cobb is not going anywhere without my permission. He will not escape from me, am I clear?'

'You are not going anywhere near him for the time being. You can't control yourself. Donna and I will bring the man food and when you can be calm again and when you are not violent anymore, you can think about his case again,' Rose said carefully, but she made sure that her message was clear. 'Because being violent is against your principles, Doctor. You never used physical violence before, you always liked to outsmart your enemies. That is what I loved about you. So you are not coming anywhere near any weapons.'

'For you I will, my Rose,' the Doctor smiled gently, kissing her forehead. 'But tread carefully. Don't push me too far. I don't want to know what I will do to you if I lose myself...'

Donna just stared at the Doctor, letting his words sink for a moment. It was only now that she realized that what the Doctor was going to do was entirely up to her and Rose. They had to be very careful with what they were going to say, or he would go back on his word again.

'What would you do if we would push you too far?' Donna asked.

The Doctor looked confused for a moment, not expecting that question.

'I... I would...' the Doctor stammered, looking at his companions. He thought of everything he had done, and then he thought of applying his cruel punishments on his girls. He had already tried to hurt Rose, several times, and the thought of hurting her or Donna again was killing him. 'I don't want to tell you,' he concluded, tears welling up.

'You don't have to lose yourself. You are still your own boss,' Donna said softly. 'Now. Bring me to my husband before I am the one who loses control.'

'Yes... Of course...' the Doctor answered. He went to the controls quickly and set the time and place. He deliberately choose a time exactly one year after he had dropped Shaun off back in Chiswick, so that his injuries would be gone now. He had injured Shaun's mind badly enough to know almost for certain that he wouldn't recall what had happened on the TARDIS. He had made sure of that. Maybe he wouldn't even remember the Doctor anymore.

When the TARDIS landed, the Doctor opened the doors and he stepped out in Shaun and Donna's apartment. Donna followed him closely and she immediately started to call for Shaun.

'Shaun!' she called. 'I am home!'

'Donna? Is that really you?' Shaun called back and he appeared in the living room with a wide smile on his face. 'I almost thought you had forgotten about me!'

'Why would I forget you?' Donna smiled back and she pulled Shaun in for a tight hug.

'Because I haven't heard anything from you for an entire year!' Shaun replied, pushing Donna softly away.

Donna turned around and glared at the Doctor, who shrugged and gave her his innocent look.

'I have been gone for an entire year, Spaceman?' Donna asked sternly.

'What? You didn't give me any instructions on time! How was I supposed to know that your man was waiting for you so desperately?' the Doctor asked.