Chapter One:  Plenty of Books to Console Herself With

The Doctor pulled the TARDIS doors closed with a flourish and laughed loudly as he turned to face his human companion. She gave him a small smile in return but it wasn't the genuine grin he normally received after one of their adventures.

“How's that for fun, eh? A planet where the currency is bananas! Mad, isn't it? Good thing I keep the kitchen stocked, or you wouldn't have been able to get that 'yellow is mellow' shirt.” She nodded distractedly and silently stepped toward the console while the Doctor continued to entertain himself.

“They're brilliant,” he enthused, “these people. Imagine, using money that is also a food source. If you lot tried that, you'd end up with a belly full of metal. Not the most nutritious, I'd say.” She agreed and forced a chuckle at his ramblings.

He walked over to his friend and gave her a playful shove with his elbow. “Oi, what was Beethoven's favorite fruit?” She shrugged at him. “Come on, guess,” he prodded.

“I don't know, Doctor,” she muttered, humoring him. “What was Beethoven's favorite fruit?”

He leaned in as if to tell her a secret, then yelled so loud she flinched. “Ba-na-na-nas!” he roared through his laughter. She smiled halfheartedly and pushed him away, rolling her eyes.

“That's the best you've got?”

He thought for a moment and slowly nodded.

She gave him a soft slap on the arm and he sulked off to set the controls, failing to hide the smile on his face.

“So how did you like it?” he asked her, still beaming. She remained silent, and he leaned over the controls to look at her. “Hey, Earth to Earth Girl!”

“Hmmmm? Fine,” she answered. “I liked it just fine.”

He rounded the console after he'd checked everything and leaned against the panel beside her. “What's the matter?” he jested. “Not a banana fan?”

“Nah, it's not that. It was great,” she assured him, and absentmindedly patted his hand.

“Donna, what's wrong? You look....now, don't be cross, but you look tired. Maybe you should get some sleep," he suggested, slightly concerned.

“Yeah, that's exactly what I need, a nap,” she sighed. “Actually, if you don't mind, I'm going to go find the library. Two corridors down, take a right, third door on the left with a giant quill pen engraved on the wood, right?” He nodded. She thanked him and slowly walked away, leaving the Doctor alone in the control room.

Donna was gone for over an hour. She really was tired, he thought worriedly. He considered going to check on her but didn't want to wake her; she'd come back when she felt better.

“Blimey!” he yelled as the TARDIS angrily pitched him to the floor. “What do you want?” he asked his ship bitterly, and shouted again when a book dropped from the ceiling and whacked him on the head. “Fine, fine, I'll go check on her. But if she slaps me for bothering her you better have some ice waiting!”

He sarcastically wagged a finger at the console in warning and ambled to the library. The door was partly open but he knocked softly just in case. There was no response, so he eased the door open the rest of the way and silently thanked the TARDIS for keeping the hinges from creaking. “Donna?” He walked around the huge space for a few minutes before he finally spotted her.

Donna was laying on a purple couch by the romance novels, a section the TARDIS had added at the request of Rose. He didn't take Donna for a romantic, and he was right; on the table beside the couch was a tattered copy of “A Little Princess”, an even odder choice for his companion. Then again, Donna was nothing if not unpredictable.

He turned away, convinced he'd met the TARDIS' demands, when he heard a strange sound coming from the sofa. He swivelled back toward his friend and recognized the noise after a moment: it sounded as if Donna was crying.

The Doctor walked up to the couch and knelt beside her. Donna instantly quieted; she obviously hadn't known he was there. “Donna, are you awake? I was thinking we could land and have some dinner.” She stayed still, and with her hair covering her face he couldn't tell if she was sleeping or just ignoring him.

“Donna? You all right?” He placed his hand on her shoulder and she pulled away slightly. “Okay. Get some sleep,” he urged her gently. “I'll go fetch us something to eat. I'm sure the TARDIS will keep it warm for you. Come find me if you need something, okay?”

He rubbed his hand over her arm for a couple seconds but as he stood to leave he heard her voice. “Doctor?” she called quietly. “Thanks for taking me today. Really,” she added, “I loved it.” She sat up and he could see that he'd been right; her eyes were red and a stray tear made its way down her cheek. He plopped down beside her and she smirked. “Sorry about earlier,” she told him as she wiped her face, “you were saying something about bananas?”

“Doesn't matter,” he dismissed. “What's wrong?” He picked up the book she'd been reading. “Didn't think you'd be into children's literature. Nothing wrong with it of course,” he quickly added, “I just didn't figure it'd be your thing.” He stared at the book for a moment and smiled. “I got this when Susan was with me,” he mused. “She read it at least a hundred times but never got tired of it.” Donna looked at him, puzzled. “Oh, sorry. Susan was my granddaughter. You would have liked her; the two of you probably would have ganged up on her old gramps.” He winked at his friend and she gave him a grin.

“Did you like being a father and grandfather, all that domestic stuff?” she asked hesitantly. “Or would you rather not talk about it?”

He shrugged. “Nah, it's okay. Susan's mother and I weren't close, but her father left so I helped raise her. She started travelling with me when she was a teenager,” he mentioned, his voice going a bit quiet, “and we were a great team. I loved her a lot,” he added.

“I'm sure you did,” Donna agreed supportively. “I bet you were great with her, since her dad wasn't around and all. You know, I might have given you a hard time about Jenny but I know if....well, if she'd still been here you'd have been fabulous with her. You'd make a great dad.” She sniffled and he tentatively put his arm around her.

“You okay, Donna?”

She nodded, her red hair settling over his hand. “Sorry, bad day I guess,” she admitted. “I just wish I...never mind.” He gave her a look and she knew that, for once, it was she that wasn't getting away with silence. “You remember those little children we saw playing with their granddad? They were so adorable, having a good old time with him....It's silly really....”

He gestured for her to keep going. “You and your Susan, you were close, yeah? I was just thinking....if I ever have kids -not that there's any blokes out there on their knees waiting for me- but if I ever have kids, they won't have that.”

Suddenly he understood. “Oh.” She'd mentioned her father's death once, but they'd never talked about it. She always kept asking him about his family, trying to get him to open up when she wouldn't say a word about her own problems. “I'm sorry, Donna.”

“Don't be,” she shrugged, “you didn't do anything. I just miss him sometimes. Mum and I have never gotten along, as if you didn't notice. Granddad and I are close, but....Dad and I were thick as thieves. Oh, the things we did when I was a little girl. We drove Mum mad, we did,” she recalled with a small smile.

“It's bonkers, I know,” she said when he didn't respond. “Sorry, I didn't mean to bore you.” She slipped out of his grasp and walked toward the door, stopping halfway out into the hallway.

“Doctor? Can I ask you a favor?”

“Yes, Donna?” He looked up at her, seeing her melancholy expression. “What is it?”

“My dad.” She took a deep breath and closed her eyes. “Do you think I could see him?”

Chapter Two:  Strange Things to Remember