Work Text:
Second Chances
The snow was falling cold on Donna Noble's face. Proper snow for once, instead of the burning wreckage of a ship that had been blown up, or the ashes from a falling meteor, or any other unnatural cause of white flakes falling from the sky. No, this time around, it truly was just a white and boring Christmas. Boring in comparison to the past Christmases she had spent with the Doctor. This thought made her smile to herself.
This year, she insisted to him that the two of them spend Christmas Eve and Day with her family, especially with the past few going awry. She wanted to show her mother especially that while she didn't prefer normal, she definitely was still capable of it. And, honestly, she just wanted to prove to the Doctor that he could have a normal and nice Christmas too in spite of his tumultuous past. With her thoughts turning to him, she looked around and realized he was no where in sight.
Her mother and grandfather were inside, still busy preparing the Christmas meal, so she decided there was still some time she could spend with the Doctor before they had to go in to join them. She moved up the hill where her grandfather liked to watch the stars from his telescope, since there is where it was decided to park the Tardis. She walked in the door of the deceptively small looking call box and found him fiddling around with one thing or another on the computer as he was prone to do, and she softly said in a wry tone, “Ready for dinner? Mum told me that we apparently are in for a treat.”
The Doctor looked up to meet eyes with her and give her a smile that honestly made her feel warm inside every time that she saw it, and he said in equal amusement, “If there is one thing I have learned over my many many years of travels, it is that a mother's cooking is always delicious, regardless of the true nature of the dish.”
Donna's smile grew as she agreed in a mock sage tone, “Truer words were never spoken.”
He finished doing whatever it was he was doing, and then he said, “So, shall we?”
He playfully offered her his arm and she took it as they made their way out of the Tardis. There was something about this man that drew her in without escape, and the allure wasn't all together romance. No, there was just so much mystery about him that she just wanted to know him. To know the things he did. Sure, much of it was so far out of her grasp it wasn't funny, but she liked just being in the presence of someone that was so wise to the ways of the universe in ways she never could dream of being.
If she could have it completely her way, she would get to know exactly what made him tick. What motivated him, what gave him joy, what made him cry, and just why he roamed the universe without any hope of permanence of any kind. She was learning more about him every day, it was true, but there was so much more she wanted to know. And it was this that intoxicated her more than anything. She'd said it before and she would say it again...she would never leave this man's side for anything.
The two of them walked outside into the cold air and she instinctively drew closer to him as they moved away from the ship. Before they could go down the hill to enter the house, the Doctor paused and looked up, speaking in a soft tone, “I've always admired the togetherness I've observed in humans during their festive seasons. It reminds me of...where I'm from.”
The times where the Doctor opened up about himself voluntarily were the rarest of rare, and so Donna softly encouraged him, “Did you have something like Christmas?”
The look in his eyes melted from warm and happy to melancholy, and he replied, “Of course we did. Most cultures have some period of time where family and familial bonds are celebrated. It was a time I found great joy with my own family.”
His sad eyes then turned to meet hers, and Donna couldn't help but immediately tear up. It was true she knew next to nothing about him, but she did know that the Time War took everything from him, including his wife and children. She never lost people so important to her, so she could only imagine the pain at feeling their loss in addition to blaming herself for everything that happened. But now the curiosity in Donna was burning with this topic of the Doctor's past being opened up, she decided to tread lightly forward, “So, your family...”
He gave her a long look, and the beginning of a sad smile finally twitched at the corner of his mouth as though he understood what she was getting at and was expecting it, “My wife was brilliant, deserved far better than me. And our daughter...”
He looked away from Donna and his eyes got a far away look in them as he kept speaking, “She was our pride. Always wished to see everything, do everything. And I...I failed her. I failed them all.”
The Doctor's eyes turned downward, and it made Donna's heart break a little. How he survived every day with such weight on his shoulders about all the people he couldn't save over his impressively long lifetime boggled her mind. Well, there was nothing that she could do about past tragedies, but there definitely was something she could do about the present. There really was no time like the present. She went on instinct, raising a hand to lightly touch his cheek and she softly said, “You didn't fail them. If I know you the way I think I do, you would have done everything in your power to save them, and I think that they knew it too.”
When he met eyes with her again, they were shining with unshed tears, and he whispered his reply almost too quietly to be heard, “Thank you.”
A few beats passed between them this way, but neither of them moved. Donna didn't want to destroy this moment, and as they looked into each other's eyes, she realized just how far the two of them had come. She'd long figured out that she wanted to travel with him forever, and now she was even more certain. She would follow this man to the ends of the universe, and no matter how long her life ended up being, the two of them getting in mortal danger more often than not in their adventures, and she would enjoy every single second of it.
How could she not? This man so full of mystery was whom she was to spend the rest of her days with.
The Doctor took in a slow breath, and he continued quietly, “When Jenny was created through the progeneration machine, I told you that the part of me that could love again was dead and could never return. You told me then that I was wrong. Now I see, Donna Noble, you were right all along.”
Donna felt her own breath hitch at that, knowing that she may not be as intelligent as he was, but she knew exactly what he was saying now. Her hand that was still on his cheek trembled slightly, and he looked into her eyes so deep that she felt that he could see straight into her soul. Perhaps he really could, being a Time Lord and all. And yet, he seemed capable of all the same emotion, as much as he tried denying it to everyone. Donna could see the truth herself.
She never really harbored any truly romantic intentions toward the Doctor up to now, just content to travel by his side as a close friend and companion, but that soul deep look, more open than any other time he'd looked at her, did something to her. It felt like it caught onto her heart and tugged, and then she knew that she really could love him. That she did love him.
Another long moment passed, when all she could hear were their soft breaths, feeling the stubble on his cheek tickling her fingertips and the warmth of his body so close to hers. Her eyes drifted to his lips and back up to meet his gaze again, breathing out, “Doctor...”
He seemed to be in a state of indecision, something she had not seen often in him, but finally it seemed as though he made up his mind, as he let his eyes drift shut and he closed the distance between their faces to meet their lips in a feather light kiss. Something about the genuine affection Donna felt in the kiss made a tear slip free from her eyes and her heart fluttered. He finally parted their lips and gave her a searching look to find what she thought, and Donna then couldn't help but give in to her impulse.
“Oh...” she gasped, pulling him in for a more forceful, passionate kiss, and thankfully he didn't resist, pulling her into his body and wrapping her in his arms.
Only when she ran out of breath did she pull away, her head swimming with what just had happened between them, but she couldn't help but look into his eyes and grin, teasing good naturedly, “Return, indeed.”
He then laughed and his eyes sparkled with the amusement she so loved seeing in them, but now, given the new feeling blossoming in her, it carried a deeper meaning to her. Just pure joy in seeing someone she loved being happy. He definitely deserved it more than anyone, and to know she was able to put that smile on his face warmed her inside.
“Donna...I have something for you.” he said, reaching into one of the pockets in his suit coat.
She could only pout in response, “But I didn't get you anything.”
He grinned back at her, “You've given me more than you'll ever know.”
He fished out what appeared to be a small gold pendant with a beautiful design on it, circles and lines and dots all arranged in a specific pattern. She examined the pendant in her hand and she whispered, “Oh, this is lovely.”
“It's Gallifreyan script. I...want you to have this.” he then carefully took the necklace back from her and moved behind her to clasp it around her neck.
When the necklace was on her, he moved back in front of her and she gave him a soft smile. She picked it up again and examined it more closely and asked, “What does it say?”
This caused a playful smile to come to his lips again as he said, “All in good time. Happy Christmas.”
She grinned again. It was true she wanted to know all of the answers now, but honestly, the fun was waiting for all the moments, whether they were happy or sad, to come in their own time. What was life if it wasn't a string of moments, linked only by one's desire to find out just what will happen next. The Doctor opened her eyes to that, and now...they were getting ready to embark on a new adventure. An unexpected one, but welcome none the less. One where she truly had someone she could call her own.
“Well, come on then, we shouldn't keep Mum waiting. You don't know the moods she can get into when she's made to wait.” she said, feeling on top of the world.
He glanced toward the house behind them and said wryly, “I can imagine.”
“You will be having a normal Christmas this year, mister, and that is an order!” she said, pointing at him, speaking to him in mock gruffness, her bright smile the only thing breaking the facade.
He playfully saluted back, “Yes, Ma'am!”
She reached out and softly took his hand, leading him in the direction of the house. It would be a Happy Christmas indeed.