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Danni held the very warm, grey ball of fluff against her chest as she headed towards the console room, despite it's attempts to get away. After an all too brief interlude with Eleven, seriously how is three days anything but pointless, she was back with Ten. This time Donna-Ten, which was always a plus. He was nicer, he was sweeter and he no longer insulted her and Donna... well, who didn't love Donna? Donna was special, well, they all were special, but there was something about Donna that made her enjoy her time with the companion on a slightly different level than the rest. Then again, she'd probably say that when she was with Amy next, or any of them really. It was hard to describe how much she loved them all the same and yet somehow completely differently.
"Hey!" She declared as she walked into the console room, Donna watching the Doctor with a fake look of boredom as he fiddled under the console itself. That was something Donna always did, look rather unimpressed with him when she really couldn't get enough of his 'alienness', "So, any idea why there's a rabbit in my bedroom?" She motioned to the gorgeous grey ball of fluff in her arms, also known as a rabbit. She'd been heading to her room to grab herself a change of clothes before gallivanting off with Ten, and when she'd opened her bedroom door she had been greeted by the rabbit in question, nibbling on some lettuce while sat on the middle of her bed.
"Wait, what?" Ten asked, his head appearing around the column, his face contorted in confusion. She knew that look, that was his 'why is there a bride in the TARDIS?' look, so she turned her attention to Donna, who shrugged.
"Don't look at me!" She retorted, "I hate rabbits." Danni's mouth fell open in shock.
"How the hell can you hate rabbits?" She exclaimed, cuddling the poor defenceless creature closer.
"Horrid rodents." Donna replied with a shrug, as if that was a good enough reason to hate it.
"Oh, it's okay Sebastian." She cooed, "I won't let the evil companion hurt you."
"Oh no." The Doctor declared, "You're not keeping the rabbit. The TARDIS was just malfunctioning, your rabbit is probably too far into your past."
"My rabbit." She replied pointedly, "Therefore, I am keeping him, aren't I?" She held him up so she could look him in the eye, "Yes I am, yes I am."
"Sebastian?" Donna asked and Danni nodded.
"He needed a name, Sebastian seemed suitable." She explained. She'd slowly approached him, sitting down on the bed as he stared at her. He had sniffed her cautiously then had hopped straight into her lap, proving to her that he deserved a name if he trusted her that much. She wasn't sure where Sebastian had come from, but that had been the first name she'd thought of and so that was now his name.
"How is that suitable for a rabbit?" The Doctor exclaimed.
"You called a horse Arthur and you're complaining about my name choices?" She retorted and he looked indignant.
"Arthur is a fine name for a horse!" He defended.
"And so is Sebastian for a rabbit." She finished, "Now, are you taking us anywhere soon? If not, I'm going to take Sebastian for a walk in the garden. Lord knows the last time the poor thing got some outside time." Donna smirked as the Doctor frowned, practically able to hear the thoughts rolling around in his Time Lord head. 'She wants to spend time with the rabbit? She wants to spend time with the rabbit and not me? Can't have that'. She almost laughed outright when the Doctor nodded.
"Actually, I am." He declared firmly, even though just before he was telling Donna how they were going to have a lazy day around the TARDIS, "Of you pop, you two. Something for the 1920's." Danni frowned slightly.
"1920's?" She repeated, "I've only just been to 1913. I'm not going to have to deal with a human Doctor again, am I?" He shook his head.
"With both my hearts, Danni-Girl." He reassured, "We're going up-market. Flapper dresses, cocktails, garden parties. You'll love it." He smirked as Danni's face lit up with that curiously excited look he loved to see there.
"Flapper dresses?" She asked and he nodded. She cheered and both he and Donna laughed, "Come on, Sebastian!" She took off, calling after Donna as an afterthought. She nudged the Doctor on the way past.
"Well done on being jealous of a rabbit." Donna teased with a giant grin.
"What?" He scoffed a little too enthusiastically.
"Or..." She drawled as she headed towards the doorway, "Maybe you just want her in a dress. Short skirt, fishnets?" The Doctor stuttered, flustered and alarmed, "All you men are the same. Even alien ones."
~0~0~0~
The Doctor banged on the TARDIS door again, glancing out towards the lawn party happening in the garden they'd parked just to the side to. He hadn't changed his clothes, pinstripes looked great no matter what the time period and he wore them exceptionally well, but the two women had been taking hours. He could hear them now, chattering loudly about their outfits.
"We'll be late for cocktails!" He called in, annoyed. The other door opened and Donna stepped out, smirking as she posed in front of the open door. She wore a brown straight dress decorated with beads, a golden thin headband on and a huge necklace.
"What do you think? Flapper or slapper?" She asked him, making her voice husky. The Doctor saw right through her teasing and grinned as he looked her over.
"Flapper." He promised, "You look lovely." She grinned, her self-esteem growing in a well-deserved surge. He glanced over her shoulder, trying to be inconspicuous and she rolled her eyes.
"She won't be a moment." She told him, stepping onto the grass, "She wanted to change her shoes. Said she was feeling short."
"She's always short." He replied, confused at why it was suddenly affecting her now.
"Oh, thanks Spaceman." Danni appeared in the doorway and he stared at her, mouth slightly agape. Her outfit, a black-topped dress with a silver skirt with fishnet stockings and small, silver heels was accompanied by a thick black headband with a black feather on top and a black leather strap around her wrist next to her transportation band from the Valiant, "I'll remember that next time we have a row." She smiled shyly when she realised he was staring at her, "You okay, Spaceman?"
"Wow..." He whispered and she blushed as he cringed, "I mean, you look nice."
"Oh good." She replied, "I was aiming for 'nice'. Shall we?" He nodded, holding his hand out to her. She took it, threading her fingers through his. He couldn't stop smiling as they started to walk away from the TARDIS, Donna joining him on the other side, "Come on, Sebastian." She pulled at the leather strap around her wrist and the rabbit hopped out, wearing a tiny white collar and red bow-tie that was attached to the lead she was holding.
"The rabbit can't come!" He cried out and she stopped where she stood, eyebrow raised.
"He comes, or I don't." She warned.
~0~0~0~
After an offer of a drink from a footman, their attention was pulled by a butler appearing with a woman in a blue, more subdued dress with ornate jewellery.
"May I introduce Lady Clemency Eddison." The butler declared and in true Doctor form, he held his hand out to her, greeting he'd known her years.
"Lady Eddison!" He declared with a giant grin as he clapped his hand over their joined ones.
"Excuse me, but who exactly might you be…and what are you doing here?" She asked, alarmed by the forward man she'd never seen before.
"I'm the Doctor," He explained, feigning a slight look of confusion, "and this is Miss Donna Noble…of the Chiswick Nobles."
"Good afternoon, my lady." Donna greeted with a posh voice and a slight curtsy, "Topping day, what? Spiffing! Top hole!"
"No, no, no, no, no. Don't do that. Don't." The Doctor urged in a whisper with a grimace. Donna looked to Danni for backup, but the girl shook her head, agreeing with the Doctor. Donna pouted. Spoilsports.
"And this is Danielle Fielding." He continued, smiling even more if that had been possible. Danni performed a small curtsy of her own.
"Ma'am." She greeted, "And this is Sebastian." She nodded pointedly at the rabbit. The Doctor grimaced slightly. She was only doing this because she knew it was annoying him, she always loved to get one over him. It was playful, but was going to be hard to cover over. Maybe she just liked to see him work his way out of situations, showing off his clever side. That thought cheered him up slightly.
"Is... is that a rabbit?" Lady Eddison asked. The Doctor deferred her question by pulling out his psychic paper, flashing at her.
"We were thrilled to receive your invitation, my lady. We met at the ambassador's reception." The Lady frowned as she read the paper, seeing exactly what the Doctor wanted her to see before smiling widely at them.
"Doctor, how could I forget you?" She lied, because that was definitely one of her invitations, "But one must be sure with the Unicorn on the loose." She explained to them as she lead them towards the drinks table. One of the footmen handed her a glass of wine without being asked and she barely acknowledged him as she took it.
"A unicorn? Brilliant. Where?" The Doctor asked enthusiastically, earning a strange look from the Lady.
"Uh, the Unicorn." She corrected, "The jewel thief? And nobody knows who he is." The footman with their drinks arrived and Donna took her Street Car whilst the Doctor handed Danni her lime and soda before taking his own, "He's just struck again. Snatched Lady Babbington's pearls right from under her nose."
"Funny place to wear pearls." Donna remarked softly before taking a sip of her drink. Danni sniggered slightly as the Doctor nodded discreetly in agreement.
"May I announce the Col Hugh Curbishley, the Hon Roger Curbishley." The butler declared as a young man wheeled a man in a wheelchair over to them.
"My husband." Lady Eddison declared happily, stroking the older man on the cheek fondly, "And my son."
"Forgive me for no rising." Hugh told them with a hint of humour, "Never been the same since the flu epidemic back in '18." Roger smiled at Donna.
"My word! You are a super lady!" He told her and she smiled, slightly embarrassed.
"Oh! I like the cut of your jib. Chin-chin." She replied with a sip of her drink. Roger turned to Danni.
"As are you." He told her, flirting unnecessarily with her, "And what a delightful companion." She nodded, nodding towards the Doctor.
"This is the Doctor." She explained cheekily and Roger looked slightly uncomfortable, "Oh, do you mean the rabbit? Yes, that's Sebastian. Isn't he marvellous?" The Doctor held his free hand towards the man.
"I'm the Doctor." He introduced as he shook Roger's hand firmly.
"How do you do?" Roger asked, looking him once over.
"Very well, thanks." The same footman who had fetched the trio's drinks walked over, carrying a single drink on a tray.
"Your usual, sir." He offered to the Lady's son. He took it off the tray.
"Ah, thank you, Davenport." He thanked, taking a sip, "Just how I like it." Davenport met his gaze for a bit longer than necessary before Danni stepped towards him.
"Sorry, could I bother you for some water for my rabbit?" She asked him, "It's just such a lovely day, I worry he might dehydrate." Davenport nodded his head and left them, Roger watching him leave.
"Look, you can keep the rabbit, but he can't stay out here." The Doctor told her in a hushed tone, trying not to draw attention to them as more guests started to arrive.
"Oh, so a robot dog is okay, but a real rabbit isn't?" She counted smugly. Lord, he was so easy to mess with. She'd not had this much fun with Ten in such a long time.
"There was nothing wrong with K9." The Doctor defended.
"I know, I didn't say there was." She retorted, "Sebastian stays. Roger liked him, why can't you?"
"He's a rabbit!" The Doctor exclaimed rather loudly, pulling the attention of a few people. He waved his hand, smiling apologetically, "Sorry, continue."
"I like him, so he stays." Danni explained firmly, "He's... he's my companion." She beamed, knowing he wouldn't like that. She'd never even considered the possibility of having a companion herself. After all, she herself was sort of a companion. His companion slash wife. At any rate, she travelled with him in his TARDIS like Donna was, and she was sure he saw it the same way. The last time a companion had a companion Adam and the hole in his head had happened, so she had a feeling he wouldn't want that to happen again.
"If you want a companion, we'll find you a less conspicuous one." He hissed, "Take him back to the TARDIS." She blinked in surprise.
"Wait, you'd let me have a companion?" She asked, taken aback.
"If that's what you wanted." He replied offhandedly.
"But it's your TARDIS." She argued, "You're the Doctor. You have the companions, not me." He looked at her, his brows furrowed.
"It's your TARDIS too." He told her, "You know that." The slight shake of her head, barely a movement at all had him wondering what his future self was doing, having her believe anything but the fact that his home was hers as well. He'd have to make sure he did a better job of making her feel welcome, show the next regeneration up, "Fine." He sighed over dramatically, "You can keep the rabbit." She grinned, almost jumping up and down as
"Reverend Arnold Golightly." The butler declared and a timid reverend walked over. Lady Eddison met him just behind her husband and took his hand in both of hers.
"Ah, Reverend! How are you?" She asked, leading him over to the small group that had gathered while the Doctor and Danni had been talking, "I heard about the church last Thursday night, those ruffians breaking in."
"You apprehended them, I hear." Hugh added.
"As the Christian fathers taught me," The reverend started, his voice calm, "we must forgive them their trespasses. Quite literally."
"Some of these young boys deserve a decent thrashing." Roger declared, as horrified as everyone else about some young thugs attempting to rob a church.
"Couldn't agree more, sir." Davenport replied with a distinct hint on innuendo as he presented Danni with a small porcelain bowl of water and a couple of lettuce leaves. She gasped in delight and took them off him.
"Oh, thank you so very much." She replied, taking them off him, "What was it, Daven?"
"Davenport, ma'am." He corrected and she nodded.
"I apologise, Davenport. I'm Danni. Like the boys name." She told him, having learnt from the last five years of travelling through time that there was no way he'd call her by her given name. He bowed his head once as she crouched down, placing the bowl on the floor before starting to rip up the leaves, feeding it to the rabbit. She'd been surprised to find the lead in her bedroom, along with a bow-tie attached to it. Maybe Eleven had given her the rabbit and the TARDIS had decided to give her the present earlier than he had?
"Typical." Donna muttered as Davenport brushed against Roger, who was trying not to look at the other man like he wanted to devour him, "All the decent men are on the other bus."
"Or Time Lords." Danni replied from the floor. Donna rolled her eyes at the way the Doctor straightened, a smug look on his face.
"Oh, I could live without that." She told the other ginger and the Doctor pouted.
"Now my lady, what about this special guest you promised us?" The reverand asked just as Lady Eddison caught sight of someone walking towards them.
"Here she is." She cried happily, "A lady who needs no introduction." As the other guests turned to see the woman in modest but wonderful dress walking towards them, they all started to applaud her. Danni smiled a small smile to herself, because she knew who that was, had worked it out the moment the Doctor had mentioned flapper dresses.
"Oh, no. Please don't." The woman told them all, self-conscious, "Thank you, Lady Eddison. Honestly, there's no need." She walked over, holding her hand out to Donna, "Agatha Christie."
"What about her?" Donna asked.
"That's me." The woman replied and Donna's mouth fell open.
"No!" She exclaimed, all of the fake accent falling away in her shock, "You're kidding!"
"Agatha Christie!" The Doctor cried, amazed. He took her hand, shaking it heartily, "I was just talking about you the other day. I said, 'I bet she's brilliant'. I'm the Doctor and this is Donna. Oh, I love your stuff! What a mind! You fool me every time. Well…almost every time. Well…once or twice. Well…once. But it was a good once." He rambled and Danni scooped up Sebastian, standing up and jabbing him with her elbow to stop him talking.
"What he means is that it's an honour to meet you." She summarized, "Which it most certainly is. I'm Danni, this is Sebastian and if he wasn't too busy eating I'm sure he'd agree with me." Agatha smiled warmly at the strange young woman, reaching out to scratch Sebastian behind the ear gently.
"He is quite the adorable little fellow, isn't he?" She commented and Danni stuck the tip of her tongue out at the Doctor in triumph.
"That he is." Danni agreed. Agatha looked over the trio with slight interest, she had always been pulled in the direction of strange things.
"You make a rather unusual couple." She declared and, misunderstanding, both the Doctor and Donna began shaking their heads, indicating their almost disgust at the idea.
"Oh, no, no, no, no. We're not married." The Doctor insisted.
"We're not a couple." Donna agreed,
"Obviously you're not." Agatha agreed before resting her hand against Danni's, "But what a lovely ring you have, my dear." Danni beamed, "You two make a peculiar but oddly fitting couple." Danni leant her head against the Doctor's arm as he stared in awe at the author.
"Oh…you don't miss a trick." He breathed, not correcting her much to Danni's delight.
"It seems to have worked for the two of you." She told them, "However, I do believe the thrill is in the chase, never in the capture."
"Mrs Christie," Lady Eddision walked over, placing a hand on her shoulder and turning her back to her company, after all it was her party, "I'm so glad you could come. I'm one of your greatest followers. I've read all six of your books. Uh, is, uh, Mr Christie not joining us?" She asked probingly and Agatha looked slightly affronted.
"Is he needed? Can't a woman make her own way in the world?" She challenged.
"Don't give my wife ideas." Hugh laughed, trying to defuse the tension that fell over the crowd. Danni, who was in a brilliant mood before the Doctor hadn't corrected Agatha, got his attention then nodded towards the man in the wheelchair.
"Go check the date." She told him temptingly, and he strode over, reaching down onto his knee where there was a newspaper resting.
"Excuse me, Colonel." Hugh nodded his permission and the Doctor walked off from the crowd, Danni excusing herself to join him as he looked at the paper. His eyes widened in shock and he looked down at her.
"No." He whispered and she nodded with a smirk.
"Oh yes, Spaceman." She confirmed, "Get your teeth sunk into this one." He looked over at Donna, who was doing her best to fit in with the people she was surrounded by. He caught her eye then motioned her over to them.
"The date on this newspaper." He showed her and she glanced at it. It can't have been that famous, because she didn't recognise it.
"What about it?" She asked quietly.
"It's the day Agatha Christie disappeared."