The road less travelled...

Title: Planet of the Dead and the Living 7/7
Author: katherine_b
Characters/Pairing: The Doctor (Ten), Donna, Lady Christina de Souza
Rating: G
Spoilers: Everything in Planet of the Dead and some things for NuWho S4.

Part VII

Donna watches the Doctor's actions and, as Christina runs past them, turns to him.

“Just when I feel like I'm actually getting a handle on what's right and what's wrong, you go and do something like that.”

He shrugs. “Felt like the right thing to do.”

“And I suppose that chalice always belonged to her, did it?” She elbows him. “She just happened to be carrying it on her person.”

“Donna,” he replies as they begin to stroll towards the bus where Christina is already safely ensconced, “sometimes you're entirely too smart for your own good. And mine.”

She chuckles and drops his hand so that his approach to the officers who are crowded around the closed door is solitary.

“I'd step back if I were you,” she hears him warn them, and the furious detective inspector immediately points an angry finger at him.

“I'm charging you, too,” he exclaims. “Aiding and abetting.”

“Yes,” the Doctor agrees, pointing back over his shoulder at the TARDIS with a wink at Donna, who moves back towards the blue door. “I'll just step inside this police box and arrest myself,” he adds before coming to join her.

“You're awful,” she tells him, shaking her head, as he chuckles.

It’s more than that, though, and Donna knows it. It’s not just his instinctive dislike for Earthly authority that made him give Christina a way to escape.

Donna knows that something happened between him and Christina during the time they spent alone on that sandy planet. She could see in Christina’s eyes when she was talking to the Doctor in front of the TARDIS that she confidently expected him to invite her along.

The refusal had been shocking.

Donna wondered what he had said that gave her that impression.

Certainly he was willing enough to allow her to take charge of the situation when panic threatened to take over, but quickly reasserted himself when he was needed.

It reminded her a little of the way things had been during their adventures with Jackson and Rosita.

Donna hadn’t been able to help noticing that it was Christina who seemed inclined to stay close to the Doctor rather than the other way around.

“You're the man with all the answers. I'm not letting you out of my sight.”

That was what she had said before they had gone for their first reconnaissance trip up the dunes.

And yet, when they came back, Christina had lingered in the background somewhat, perhaps rather out of her depth as a result of what she heard during the conversation with Captain Magambo and Malcolm about the wormhole.

Malcolm! She mustn’t forget to give the Doctor hell about that!

But as far as Christina goes, Donna can’t help wondering when things became so personal between her and the Doctor.

And yet Donna’s certain that she didn’t imagine the shock on the Doctor’s face after Christina kissed him. Donna recalls her first impression that he hadn’t been expecting it or asked for it, just as he hadn’t expected her to kiss him in the kitchen of Eddison manor.

She chuckles silently at the remembrance of that moment, even as she watches the police officers demand that Christina gets out of the bus.

The criminal, Lady Christina de Souza, about to escape from the long arm of the law.

Donna remembers first getting onto the bus, and she glances at her watch to find that it’s been five Earth hours since they first drove into the tunnel. It’s handy the way her watch recalibrates itself to local time, thanks to a bit of fiddling with the sonic screwdriver.

Five hours earlier, though, when she and the Doctor got onto the bus, she barely noticed the other passengers, although she was amused by Christina’s comments about the Doctor.

It was only when they all spilled out onto the sand of the alien world that Donna paid proper attention to them all.

Christina had been an object of interest early on, mostly because of her byplay with the Doctor about his name.

There was something about her that Donna hadn’t quite trusted then.

She had to admit that she hadn’t paid much attention to Christina for most of the rest of the time. Her focus had been on Carmen, and on the Doctor. It was only when Donna saw the magnificent gold chalice that Christina fished out of her bag that she had recalled her early suspicions.

Why would a woman carry a shovel, a hatchet and a hammer in her bag if she wasn’t planning to use them?

Donna can’t help wondering if the Doctor really trusted Christina or if he only made use of her skills to get them through.

Still, the Doctor is always eager to give people second chances. She’s seen him do it time and time again, from Matron Cofelia, who wanted to change everyone into Adipose, to Davros, who wanted to kill them all, and even Miss Hartigan, who wanted to take over the world.

She supposes that’s the real reason he freed Christina from the handcuffs.

And, Donna has to admit, the cops are pretty stupid to have left her alone in the unlocked back seat of a car. A career criminal, which Donna is now certain Christina is, would take advantage of every opportunity to escape, even if her hands weren't free.

So she can’t feel too sorry for the men crowded around the bus.

Donna’s attention is suddenly distracted by the Doctor as he slips something cool and hard into her hand. She looks down to find that she’s holding two gorgeous gems that reflect the lights attached to the UNIT trucks and the few stars she can make out from the sky above them.

“What’s this?” she asks, looking up at him in confusion

“Keepsake.” He grins slyly. “From the remains of the cup of Athelstan. I thought you deserved them more than she did. I’ll take you somewhere that we can get them set into a necklace or earrings or something. Not somewhere on Earth,” he adds quickly, “or we’ll be had up for trafficking stolen goods.”

Donna chuckles and closes her fingers over the glowing rubies. “If she knew you’d kept them, she’d really hate you.”

His eyes sparkle with fun. “She shouldn’t have walked off when I was – ”

“Destroying the cup,” she finishes for him with a grin. “Remind me not to let you do any home improvements when I’m around, huh? I don’t know much I’d appreciate your rough-and-ready methods on something I valued. Still, I suppose the only thing you've had to practice on for the past few centuries is the poor, old TARDIS...”

He chuckles and then nudges her as the bus lifts off the ground, rising up and moving forwards until it’s hovering above them. The doors open.

“We could have been so good together!” the driver scolds.

“Christina,” the Doctor retorts, “we were!”

She laughs and closes the door. And as the bus drives away into the sky and the others cheer, the Doctor unlocks the TARDIS and lets Donna go in first before following her, closing the door behind them so that they’re in a peaceful, familiar, almost silent world.

A faint hum, as if in greeting, comes from the console.

Donna waits for the Doctor to throw off his duster, which sends a rain of sand down into the grating of the TARDIS floor, although she arches her eyebrows in surprise as he also removes his jacket, shaking sand off that as well. It’s only then that she realises her own clothes are full of the tiny grains, but decides not to worry about them. She’ll have a shower before going to bed.

Once the Doctor has sent them into the vortex, Donna grabs his arm, turning him to face her.

“‘Were’?” she prompts. “She didn't ask to come with us? I thought she would have.”

“Would you have wanted her?” he asks, watching her closely.

“Why did you say no?” she wants to know, having overheard the end of the conversation before Christina was arrested and finally understanding all of it.

“We don't need anyone else,” he says. “Not someone like that anyway.”

“Not someone like you,” she finishes for him. “You did kiss her, though.”

“She kissed me,” he argues. “I had both hands on the wheel – what was I meant to do?”

“Just how many people have you kissed with that mouth anyway?” she demands satirically, but he misses the sarcasm and actually begins counting back on his fingers.

“Well, you, obviously.”

“Oi!”

“Hey, you asked!” he retorts, his eyebrow flickering up and down in amusement. “And then there was Astrid on the Titanic – and no, that wasn’t a hoax, before you ask. Actually,” he rubs a hand down his cheek, “she kissed me rather than the other way around. Most people do, now that I think about it.” He looks at her in horror. “What does that say about me?”

Donna chuckles. “What do you want me to say – that you’re irresistible and that human females clearly can’t keep their hands off you?”

He smirks. “Well, I wouldn’t mind… Ow!” He rubs his arm as her fingers make stinging contact with his shirtsleeve. “Okay, I deserved that. Let’s see. Next was Martha. And that actually was me – I instigated it, I mean – but there was a reason for it.”

“Of course there was!” She rolls her eyes. “Go on then, Casanova, who else?”

“Remind me to tell you the story some time,” he says. “But I’m forgetting someone, I know it. Ah…”

He falls silent and she can suddenly feel a wave of mental pain coming from him. He’s silent for a long moment, staring at her, but she has the distinct feeling that he’s not seeing her.

“Doctor?” she finally prompts in a gentle voice. “Who was it?”

“Joan,” he gets out, but she can see it’s an effort. “Joan Redfern.”

And she knows better than to ask any questions as she watches him shake himself out of what is clearly a painful well of memories.

“Before Martha, though,” he goes on, “there were a few.”

“Rose, of course.”

“Not when she was herself,” he admits, clearly somewhat unwillingly. “She was possessed by someone else. Still,” he adds reminiscently in would-be light-hearted tones, “good snog. Really good snog.”

“Anyone else?” she demands, somewhat impatiently. “I presume you’ve got a list of them all somewhere, do you?”

“Well, there was Jackie,” he admits somewhat uncomfortably.

“What – Jackie, as in Rose’s mum?” Donna laughs. “The one you wouldn’t let help drive the TARDIS? Seriously? Her?”

“Hey, she kissed me! Not much I could do about it!” He shudders, laughing. “A bit ironic, considering the first thing she did when we met – or almost – was to slap me. First time for that, too, I’ve got to say. First mother ever to slap me and kiss me.”

“Yeah, you say it like you hated it, but I know better!” She pokes him in the ribs. “Anyone else?”

He thinks for a moment. “As far as proper kissing goes, with this mouth, I think that’s it. And that was your question, wasn’t it?” he says metaphorically, but with a grin quirking his lips.

“Oh, go on then!” She rolls her eyes. “Who else was there? You’re clearly dying to tell me!”

“Mm-mm Mack,” he mumbles, his eyes fixed on the floor, although she can feel that his supposed coyness is put on for affect.

“Who was that again?” she demands.

“Captain Jack,” he blurts out. “Last me, that was. And in his defence, Jack could still die then, and thought he was about to. Daleks again, before you ask.”

“And that’s to warn me off him, is it?” she demands, ignoring the last comment. “Telling me that he’s taken, or swings the other way, or whatever.”

“Actually, I think Jack swings every way, including a few you really don’t want to think about,” the Doctor tells her. “In fact,” he adds, pulling a face, “several that even I don’t want to think about!”

“What, so because he had you when you were all mysterious and brooding, he’d never be interested in me? Is that it?”

“Now, I didn’t say that!” He looks annoyed. “Stop putting yourself down, Donna! You’re better than that – you know you are!” Then he arches an eyebrow, and she thinks there might be just a hint of pride and delight in his eyes. “Mysterious and brooding? Really?”

“Hey, I’ve had that mind of yours in mine, chum. I remember how you were with all that black leather, strutting around saving the Universe.” She chuckles. “And you had your first snog with Rose like that, too, didn’t you?”

“I was saving her life!” he protests.

“Yeah, just like I saved yours.” She snorts. “Geez, Romeo, you don’t think much of yourself, do you? Is that it, then?”

“Oh, no, I’m keeping the best ’till last.” He grins. “You’ll like this one, Donna – Madame Pompadour, of all people! Couldn’t get enough of me!”

She’s about to make a snappy retort when she happens to look up and sees that, in spite of the smirk on his face, his eyes are terribly sad.

“All right,” she says finally, her voice lightly teasing. “Enough of stroking your ego, chum, or there won’t be room for both of us inside the TARDIS. And if you’re not careful,” she teases, “I might start to bore you with a list of my conquests!”

He chuckles, turning back to the console, the gloom all but banished.

“So,” he asks, looking at her with an affectionate grin that seems to say he knows she understands and he’s grateful, “where do you want to go next?”

“Oh, I don't mind,” she replies. “Surprise me.”

She moves away sit on the jumpseat as he starts entering co-ordinates.

“I can tell you one thing, though,” she adds after a moment, and he looks over his shoulder at her, one eyebrow raised in question.

“What's that then?”

She can't help smiling, although she means every word. “I won't be asking you to take me to a nice, sandy beach for a long, long time!”

* * *
Deleted scene

“I’m going to get you home.”

In the long moment of silence that follows this statement, the Doctor looks from face to face, measuring the trust of everyone on the bus. He’s relieved to see that they all seem to believe him. And then he turns to Christina.

“I believe you were in charge of this little adventure, ma’am,” he says teasingly.

“Thank you!” She nods briefly in his direction and then starts giving orders. “Nathan and Barclay, upstairs with me. We need to see what we’ve actually got on this bus that we can use to get off this planet.”

“Like the backs of the seats,” Nathan suggests. “Nice and flat – good for digging the wheels out of the sand.”

“Actually, there’s something else we could use those for,” the Doctor puts in as an idea strikes him. “Let’s see how many we can get free – unbroken, if possible.”

He leaps to his feet, Donna following, but then feels a hand on his arm as he’s about to head up the stairs.

He looks down to find Angela watching him, an anxious look in her eyes that makes him stop short, even as Donna follows Christina and the boys to the damaged upper level of the bus.

“Doctor?” she asks hesitantly. “Can I ask you something?”

He drops into the seat opposite, casting a reassuring smile at her. “Of course you can!”

“It’s just,” she stares nervously at her hands before meeting his gaze again, “where were you going when you got on this bus? You and your friend?”

“Oh,” he says quickly, somewhat thrown by the question. “It doesn’t matter. Really.”

“I’d like to know though.”

“Angela, really.” He sighs. “It doesn’t matter. Nowhere important.”

“Were you going home, too?” she asks.

“I told you what I was looking for,” he retorts, nervously hissing breath between his teeth. “Rhondium particles, remember?”

“But I think you’re looking for more than that.” She leans forward, examining his face with her eyes. “You’ve – lost something. Do you have a home to go to?”

“Angela, that’s enough.” He stands up, simmering resentment at war with misery making him curt. “I mean it. You don’t need to know about me.”

“What about your friend then?”

“Donna?” He stops and looks down at her, instantly wary. “What about her?”

“Well, she thought you were looking for something else, didn’t she?”

“Yes,” he snaps, impatient now, “but that’s – I don’t tell her everything!”

“So you lied to her?” Angela sighs, the picture of guilt and misery as she stares at the floor of the bus. “It’s just – I was going shopping today. It’s Suzanne’s birthday next week. She – she wanted to come shopping with me.” Her eyes glisten with tears. “I lied and said I wasn’t shopping so that she wouldn’t come. I wish I’d let her come – so much!”

“Angela,” he says, firmly but gently, as tears spill down her cheeks, “you’ll get back there, and it’ll be in time to give Suzanne her present on her birthday. I promise. In fact, it might even be so soon that she won’t even notice you were away.”

She looks up at him and he’s unsurprised by the misery in her eyes. However her question startles him. “Did you lie to Donna?”

“No,” he says honestly. “I didn’t lie to her. The thing we were looking for – my ship – produces rhondium particles. I created a device that searched for those so I could find the TARDIS, as well as anything else weird that might be happening.”

“What d’you mean, your ‘ship’?” Angela asks.

“You are not from this place,” Carmen answers before the Doctor can reply.

“No,” he admits. “I’m not.”

“And you are still searching,” the psychic woman goes on. “But I believe that the thing you need is closer than you realise.”

“Oi, Doctor!”

He looks up sharply to find Donna leaning at a perilous angle over the railing. She grins as he meets her gaze.

“We’re shredding our fingers to pieces up here, while you’re the one with the screwdriver!”

“Sonic screwdriver, Donna,” he reminds her in a hurt voice, fishing it out of his pocket and heading up the stairs behind her, thankful to leave that awkward conversation behind. “Sonic!”