Chapter Eight and a Half: Alternate Scenes

“Doctor, that's bloody brilliant!” The Doctor laughed as Donna looked back down at her drink in amazement. “See, I said you'd like it. This, Donna, is why you shouldn't argue with me.”

“Oh, shut it, Spaceman.” Donna looked around at all the shops, beaming like a little girl, and after she finished the rest of her drink she reached up to give him a hug. He automatically pulled her blouse back down over her belly and grinned back at her. “That reminds me. Stay here, and I'll be back in a moment.” Donna narrowed her eyes skeptically and he just grinned wider. “I'll be back in a minute, I swear. Get another drink and sit down, okay?”

Finally she nodded and he rushed off, not knowing exactly where he was going but at least knowing what he was looking for. “Aha!” He skidded to a halt in front of a small shop and grabbed an item off the shelf, then turned around, frowning. At that moment a rather portly man walked by and the Doctor stepped in front of him. “Hello, I'm the Doctor. I was wondering, would you try this for me?” The man shot him a wary glance but the Doctor quickly explained that he needed to test the gift for his companion and the man hesitantly agreed. “Yes, yes, very good,” the Doctor mumbled to himself. “Actually, no, Donna's nowhere near this size.” He pursed his lips in thought. “Could you possibly lose about ten pounds in the next six seconds?” The man huffed, shoved the item in the Doctor's face, and stalked away.

“It's a legitimate question!” the Doctor shouted after him. “Really, some species could do it in four.” He quickly grabbed the item that he thought would work best, paid the shopkeeper by scanning his psychic paper, and ran back to where Donna was impatiently waiting. “Look! I got you a present!”

“A present,” Donna repeated hesitantly. “This isn't like last time, is it, because....well, I don't mean to be rude but I really didn't like that weird massaging whatsit. It was sweet of you and all but I wasn't able to lie down properly for two days after I used it.”

“No, no, no, it's nothing like that,” he said, holding the bag at her expectantly. “Go on, open it.”

Donna finally complied and as she pulled out the gray lump the Doctor shifted back and forth on his feet. “Oh, it's....Doctor, I actually like this. I love it, actually. Why did you get it?” The Doctor cleared his throat and pointed down at her waist, where she could plainly see her baby bump sticking out from under her shirt. “Oi, why didn't you just say something?” she hissed, yanking her top down. The Doctor looked suitably told off and she quickly stood up. “Hey, Spaceman, look at me. I know you meant well, so there's no reason for you to look like someone took away your hair gel. Now come on, hold my coat.” The Doctor nodded and she slipped off her jacket, then pulled on the gray sweater he'd bought for her. “Oh my....and it fits and everything. Are you sure the universe isn't going to end or something? You're a man and you managed to get the right size and-”

“It's bigger on the inside,” he cut in, “so I can't take all the credit. Well, it's not Gallifreyan, but it automatically resizes itself to its owner as long as you're close enough to the same size. Although I did have trouble picking out one you'd like. By the way,” he added, glancing around nervously, “if you see a big man with five eyes and a plaid suit start walking the other way. I made him a bit cross.”

“You seem to have that effect on people,” Donna teased as they started down a small path. “Oh, that reminds me. While we're here we should probably pick up something to eat because I think we literally ate ourselves out of house and home. I went in for a glass of juice before I headed back for you and there wasn't anything there, not even a banana. Not that I'm still eating them,” she added, trying to hide her guilty expression, “but I just happened to notice they were gone.”

The Doctor nodded and laughed as she pointed out, yet again, that she hadn't been eating his food again. “Don't worry about it. And the TARDIS normally restocks the kitchen automatically, but someone must have been eating enough that she wasn't sure what to do.” Donna didn't see him wink and she automatically stared at the ground, looking rather upset. “Hey, hey, none of that. I was kidding. She probably just wants to make me do all the work for a change. It's not your fault, okay?” She continued to look at the ground and he sighed. “Donna, really, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to upset you. How about when we get done shopping we'll meet and I'll buy you dinner?”

“Too right you will,” Donna replied, automatically looking happier, not to mention rather smug. “Nice to know I've not lost my touch.” She grinned at him and tapped him on the arm. “So you can take care of the food and I'll go in search of some new clothes. And after dinner-”

“After dinner we're going to London,” he interrupted, and Donna stared at him blankly. “We might as well deal with your mother today, because you're....” He shifted awkwardly. “Well, you're not....”

“Not getting any thinner?” she asked shortly, and he hesitantly nodded. “Yeah, all right, I get it. I can't promise she won't smack you though, sorry.” She grinned and pointed in the opposite direction. “But shopping first. I'm not going to show up at my mum's looking like any more of a whale than I have to. I'll meet you back here in about an hour, okay?”

He nodded and she gave him a quick hug before she wandered toward a small tent, grinning. Once she was out of sight he turned and started for a fruit vendor, but was interrupted by a small voice. He turned around to see a small humanoid waving at him, his friendly smile showing off some very sharp but obviously harmless teeth. “I do not mean to pry,” the little man said politely, “but I think I have something you might need. If you'd care to follow me I can show you.”

They walked back toward a small set of cribs that were arranged behind his stall. Some were clearly designed for 'more alien' aliens, as Donna called them; for example, the Doctor instantly recognized the Pyrovilian cradles, which were air tight so the babies couldn't combust until they were properly trained, and there were a few that emitted a bright purple light, clearly a matter retainer so that shape changing infants didn't take on the attributes of their favorite toy and accidentally get thrown in the wash. Others, however, were very traditional, at least by Earth standards, and the one that caught the Doctor's eye was small and plain at first glance, but upon closer inspection had little sayings written in several different alien languages. “I saw your wife looking at my collection while you were away. Especially that one,” the shopkeeper said proudly, pointing to the item the Doctor had been eyeing, “and I was wondering if you might be interested in making a purchase.”

“She's not my wife,” the Doctor replied automatically, “but I think she'd like that very much. Is there any way you could get it to fit in this?” He pointed at his pocket and the seller's eyes widened, but after a moment he nodded. “Dimensionally transcendent gift wrapping,” he declared with a kind smile, “and for you and your lady friend I'll charge no extra.”

The Doctor paid the man and waited for him to 'shrink wrap' his purchase. Once he was finished he pocketed the item and thanked the man for his help before walking off. He glanced around, wanting to make sure Donna hadn't seen him buying the crib. Really, she should be expecting something like this, ever since she'd informed him that she was staying and there was nothing a skinny bloke like him could do to stop her. The truth was that he secretly didn't mind the idea of having a child on board the TARDIS. He normally hated anything domestic but Donna was different for some reason; for one thing, she didn't expect him to look after her and the baby, instead insisting that he let her handle the situation herself. It would hardly be easy but if any two people could handle the situation it was him and Donna.

Once he'd finally finished his shopping the Doctor dropped off all their food in the TARDIS and headed back to their meeting spot. He had the feeling Donna would be especially happy about the fruit he had found at the last stand, which tasted like chocolate yet absorbed calories rather than adding them; then again, maybe he should wait until after she had the baby to tell her about them. After a few minutes of waiting he decided to go looking for his friend. He'd seen her walking toward a small tent at the end of an alley, so after checking a couple shops he thought she might have gotten distracted at he ducked into the small tent and was nearly knocked off his feet as Donna hugged him. She released him after a minute and looked down, then grinned and they both sat in the now empty tent; to his confusion, the lady who apparently owned the place had run out.

“Donna, you all right?” She nodded a bit too quickly and he frowned. “Hey. Look at me,” he said, and she lifted her head. “You look....well, never mind. Are you sure nothing's wrong?” She nodded again, smiling this time. “All right then. Come on,” he said, grabbing her hand and tugging on it gently. “Next stop, Chiswick!”




Chapter Nine