sixwordstories | (no subject)

"Fair enough. And the Library? You make it sound special?"

"Long story." Donna looks about for a bench and sits down. She sighs, "The Library - it was a planet. But it was infested by these tiny creatures called the Vashta Nerrada. The Doctor and I were summons there by River on his Psychic Paper, but she had intended it to get to him in the future.... anyway. The Doctor felt it was getting to dangerous for me, so he sent me back to the TARDIS via teleport but it went horribly wrong. The Library Computer system... downloaded me, for lack of a better phrase. And a great big alternate universe popped up around me."

"Better that way than writing graffiti on the oldest monument in the universe." Rory shrugged. "And that sounds like an interesting story. Alternative or virtual universe?"

Donna grimaces, "Depends on your point of view. Virtual in that it was computer generated, but alternate because everyone that the computer tried to save from those creatures were downloaded."

She pauses and meets his eyes, "I-I was in there for me what seemed like years, but for the Doctor was only a few hours. I... got married... had children... Then lost them..."

Excuse her as she sniffles, then she regroups herself, "But then the Doctor got all of us out of there, so all's well, right?"

Rory reached out and put one hand on her shoulder, trying to comfort her. "If you experienced it, it was real for you. And it sounds as if you lost a lot." He was remembering having killed Amy, no matter how that had worked out.

Donna smiles wistfully, "Everyone keeps saying that... but they don't know... they don't understand. It's easy to tell the 'crazy lady' 'It was real for you.'"

Rory looked at her, his voice almost toneless. "I was turned into an Auton. And while an Auton I shot and killed Amy because I wasn't strong enough to resist the Nestene Consciousness indefinitely and Amy wouldn't run when I told her to. We managed to reverse that bit of history. But don't tell me it never happened. I was there. She died in my arms after trusting me to be strong enough not to shoot."

Donna swallows thickly, "I-I'm sorry. I... I didn't know." Because what else can she really say to that?

When she speak she's a bit wrapped in her own world, but he shared with her the least she can do is share with him, "The kids told me when I was away or not thinking about them, that it was like they didn't exist. I was only starting to believe it was a virtual world... I tucked them into bed and blinked my eyes..." She's sniffling now, "and they were gone... Lee came home, but then it was like the whole world was in chaos around us... we were torn from each other's arms. When everything stopped? I was back in the library."

"It's not a story I tell much. I mean, who'd understand it." Rory smiled at her - or tried to anyway. Listening to her he squeezed her shoulder gently and reassuringly. If he knew her better he'd offer her a hug. Or ask for one. He wasn't sure. "But it all happened."

She nods and turns to face him, "Oh, come're you." Because at this point? They both could use a hug and that is something she's learned from the Doctor. And so she pulls him into one.

Rory hugged back, smiling slightly. "Thanks. I needed that."

"Any time, Earthboy." She holds him a minute longer.

And Rory held tightly before letting go.

Careful, sunshine... not too tight!

"Thanks. I needed that." Rory smiled. "And most of the travelling wasn't that bad."

Donna just arches an eyebrow, "You sure about that? 'Cause when I been with him it was more running than anything else. I must've lost 10 pounds in the first few days."

She's exaggerating, of course... about the weight loss, not the running.