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Title: Revisiting the Past 9/14
Author:![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
katherine_b
Rating: PG
Spoilers: Spoilers for Silence in the Library.
Summary: The Doctor and Donna go back
“I still have nightmares about this place.”
“I know.”
“I’d apologise for waking you up, but you never sleep so I know I can’t be disturbing you.”
“That’s a slight exaggeration. I sleep sometimes.”
“Yeah, you’re right. You do. Then you usually have the nightmares.”
“Do I wake you up?”
“Nah. The TARDIS doesn’t let me sleep when you’re having bad dreams.”
“That’s why you’re always there when I need you.”
“Just doing my job.”
“Mmm. Donna Noble, I love you. Did you know that?”
“I’ve got a fair idea of that by now, yeah.”
“And you think I’m pretty?”
“Nope, just cute.”
“We have to keep having this conversation? I don’t do cute!”
“Yeah, I’m beginning to gather that. Oh, I don’t really want to see this. That door. And Miss Evangelista.”
“We could leave. We’ve seen this bit. We know what happens.”
“Actually, I’d like to see what happened after you tried to get rid of me.”
“Oh, that’s not fair. I didn’t try to get rid of you. I wanted to keep you safe.”
“You sent me back to the TARDIS. Alone.”
“And, if you’d made it, you would have been safe there. Just like we’re safe here now. The TARDIS is protecting us.”
“Shame we can’t get everyone on board. Save them.”
“Timelines, Donna.”
“I know. That doesn’t mean I can’t regret things. Deaths.”
“And you think I don’t?”
“Oh, I know you do. And I understand why you do what you do. But – maybe I’m still too new at all this. I still feel the way I did in Pompeii. I just want to save someone. Anyone. Everyone.”
“I know. I really do. And if it were possible – I would. You know that. But not here. Not in the past. Not with things that have already happened. Because I know what changing the past can do.”
“If you could save one life…”
“That’s an impossible question, Donna. Don’t. I can’t decide something like that.”
“You’ve thought about it though.”
“Of course. But the answer of who it would be changes every moment – every second. And I think about what saving them would mean, how that would ripple through time and what would alter as a result. Just one little thing at the beginning, and then it’s like a tidal wave, or an avalanche. Picks up things as it goes. Gradually gets bigger. Changing things until nothing is the same anymore.”
“What do you think we changed by saving Caecilius and his family?”
“Perhaps we were always meant to.”
“You know how I feel about fate.”
“Well, I can’t answer the question. Maybe we didn’t change anything. Maybe, if we hadn’t gone back – if you hadn’t talked me into going back – then things would have changed. But we did. You did. So why think about it?”
“Because it’s – well, interesting.”
“It’s like a game that humans love indulging in.”
“And Time Lords don’t?”
“Only if we want to go crazy wondering. Here we are. We’re going to have to look down on this, though. We’d see ourselves if we ended up in that little corridor. Or we wouldn’t see anything through the swarm of Vashta Nerada if we stayed at the end of the hall.”
“And you’re sure we’re safe in the TARDIS?”
“Actually, this is a bit of a party trick. We’re not actually in the Library. We’re still back in England in the 1920s, but we’re – well, projecting is probably the best way to describe it. We can see what’s going on, but we can’t interfere. We can’t touch or be touched. Can’t be heard either, so if you want to try that little yelling stunt of yours…”
“Then why do we have to be looking down on what’s happening? Why can’t we see things from the normal level? Ooh, I know the look on your face. You don’t want me to see it, that’s what this is about.”
“I’m trying to protect you.”
“You do as well at that as you with keeping me away from spoilers.”
“Doesn’t mean I don’t try.”
“Oh, don’t be so precious, Doctor. What can frighten me down there? Come on, this is the DoctorDonna we’re talking about here. And as far as what’s happening down there, we’re over the worst of it.”
“That’s all you know.”
“If you don’t take us down there, I’m going to do it myself.”
“No!”
“Doctor, are you really scared for me – or for yourself? Um, breathing?”
“Right.”
“I meant today.”
“Not yet. Just – not yet.”
Next Part
Links to previous parts: Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4 Part 5 Part 6 Part 7 Part 8
Author:
katherine_bRating: PG
Spoilers: Spoilers for Silence in the Library.
Summary: The Doctor and Donna go back
“I still have nightmares about this place.”
“I know.”
“I’d apologise for waking you up, but you never sleep so I know I can’t be disturbing you.”
“That’s a slight exaggeration. I sleep sometimes.”
“Yeah, you’re right. You do. Then you usually have the nightmares.”
“Do I wake you up?”
“Nah. The TARDIS doesn’t let me sleep when you’re having bad dreams.”
“That’s why you’re always there when I need you.”
“Just doing my job.”
“Mmm. Donna Noble, I love you. Did you know that?”
“I’ve got a fair idea of that by now, yeah.”
“And you think I’m pretty?”
“Nope, just cute.”
“We have to keep having this conversation? I don’t do cute!”
“Yeah, I’m beginning to gather that. Oh, I don’t really want to see this. That door. And Miss Evangelista.”
“We could leave. We’ve seen this bit. We know what happens.”
“Actually, I’d like to see what happened after you tried to get rid of me.”
“Oh, that’s not fair. I didn’t try to get rid of you. I wanted to keep you safe.”
“You sent me back to the TARDIS. Alone.”
“And, if you’d made it, you would have been safe there. Just like we’re safe here now. The TARDIS is protecting us.”
“Shame we can’t get everyone on board. Save them.”
“Timelines, Donna.”
“I know. That doesn’t mean I can’t regret things. Deaths.”
“And you think I don’t?”
“Oh, I know you do. And I understand why you do what you do. But – maybe I’m still too new at all this. I still feel the way I did in Pompeii. I just want to save someone. Anyone. Everyone.”
“I know. I really do. And if it were possible – I would. You know that. But not here. Not in the past. Not with things that have already happened. Because I know what changing the past can do.”
“If you could save one life…”
“That’s an impossible question, Donna. Don’t. I can’t decide something like that.”
“You’ve thought about it though.”
“Of course. But the answer of who it would be changes every moment – every second. And I think about what saving them would mean, how that would ripple through time and what would alter as a result. Just one little thing at the beginning, and then it’s like a tidal wave, or an avalanche. Picks up things as it goes. Gradually gets bigger. Changing things until nothing is the same anymore.”
“What do you think we changed by saving Caecilius and his family?”
“Perhaps we were always meant to.”
“You know how I feel about fate.”
“Well, I can’t answer the question. Maybe we didn’t change anything. Maybe, if we hadn’t gone back – if you hadn’t talked me into going back – then things would have changed. But we did. You did. So why think about it?”
“Because it’s – well, interesting.”
“It’s like a game that humans love indulging in.”
“And Time Lords don’t?”
“Only if we want to go crazy wondering. Here we are. We’re going to have to look down on this, though. We’d see ourselves if we ended up in that little corridor. Or we wouldn’t see anything through the swarm of Vashta Nerada if we stayed at the end of the hall.”
“And you’re sure we’re safe in the TARDIS?”
“Actually, this is a bit of a party trick. We’re not actually in the Library. We’re still back in England in the 1920s, but we’re – well, projecting is probably the best way to describe it. We can see what’s going on, but we can’t interfere. We can’t touch or be touched. Can’t be heard either, so if you want to try that little yelling stunt of yours…”
“Then why do we have to be looking down on what’s happening? Why can’t we see things from the normal level? Ooh, I know the look on your face. You don’t want me to see it, that’s what this is about.”
“I’m trying to protect you.”
“You do as well at that as you with keeping me away from spoilers.”
“Doesn’t mean I don’t try.”
“Oh, don’t be so precious, Doctor. What can frighten me down there? Come on, this is the DoctorDonna we’re talking about here. And as far as what’s happening down there, we’re over the worst of it.”
“That’s all you know.”
“If you don’t take us down there, I’m going to do it myself.”
“No!”
“Doctor, are you really scared for me – or for yourself? Um, breathing?”
“Right.”
“I meant today.”
“Not yet. Just – not yet.”
Next Part
Links to previous parts: Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4 Part 5 Part 6 Part 7 Part 8
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