JKChapter7

As Rose, Jon, Grimm, and the children returned from the tour of Lourdes, Rose stopped in the nursery to check on Peter. Catching a whiff of dirty diaper, she carefully lifed the edge of the sleeping tot's nappy and was surprised to find everything clean, dry, and fresh. Carefully she stepped back, turned, and tip-toed out of the room, wondering if perhaps Arianna had taken it upon herself to address the situation. Her daughter was extemely precocious, but normally she asked before climbing in the crib with him. She was still too short to take the side down herself. Shrugging as she walked into the control room to join the others, she decided to speak to her daughter about it later.

"Ready to go?" Jon asked, glancing around the room. Arianna and Alia enthusiastically chorused a "YES!" while scrambling into their seats and strapping in, while Grimm looked around, then decided to grab onto the railing and hang on. Jon entered the coordinates for New Gallifrey, then hit the dematerialization switch, and with her characteristic wheeze, Lourdes left Earth.

Donna quietly opened the door of the ladies' room and peeked out. She could see part of the control room from her vantage point, and could hear Jon babbling on at a mile a minute about Lourdes' controls, time-travel, and the Vortex, while Grimm looked on in fascination, and Rose grinned as she helped manipulate the controls from the other side of the panel. Taking a deep breath, Donna stepped out, squared her shoulders, and strode into the control room.

"Um, hello, I'm still on board!" She grinned nervously as everyone looked up, startled. "I'm afraid I forgot my purse. Came back to get it, stepped into the loo, next thing I know we're movin'! Any chance we can turn around and take me back? Got to finish the work day, y'know, don't wanna get fired!"

There was a moment of silence as everyone stared, then Jon nearly burst with delight.

"Aww... that's just brilliant! Don't worry, Donna Noble, this is a time machine, we can have you back before anyone knows you're gone! Isn't that right, Rose?" Before Rose could do more that nod in agreement, Jon rushed on, "Donna Noble in the TARDIS, what could be better? Seems like old times! Oh Donna Noble, you're going to have an adventure to tell your grandchildren about! Just wait 'til you see New Gallifrey..."

"Jon!" Rose walked over from her side of the panel and interrupted him, "Don't you think perhaps you should ask Donna if she wants to come along instead of assuming it?"

Jon's mouth worked and his adams apple bobbed for a few moments as he digested the question. "Um.. yes...well... that was a bit rude of me, wasn't it? I'm sorry, Donna, would you please do us all the honor of accompanying us on our trip? I promise you won't regret it. Besides, Rose and I do have a bit of pull back at Torchwood, and I think the Space Marshall would probably speak up for you if we were to accidentally return you a bit late..." He pointedly glanced over at Grimm, raising his eyebrows.

Grimm self-consciously cleared his throat and replied, "Um, yes, indeed I would, seeing that it was not your intention to to come along, I'm sure I could see to it that it wouldn't reflect poorly on your record."

Jon looked back at Donna, hopefulness beaming from his face.

Donna rolled her eyes theatrically, thrust her arm forward, and replied, "Alright, twist my arm, if you must!"

Jon bounded across the grating to her, grabbing her arm and playfully pretending to twist it, then he wrinkled his nose and leaned over, sniffing her blouse. Donna jumped back a step and raised her hand, ready to whallop him.

"Oi, Spaceman, just watch where you're puttin' your nose! Just what do you think I am, some bleedin' flower or somethin'?"

"Donna, you smell!" Jon retorted, with a horrified look on his face.

"I smell? I SMELL! Why you git!..."

"Yes, like baby sick! That's disgusting!"

The two stared each other down, Donna ready to explode, Jon wondering how he could not have noticed the odor before, when Rose stepped between them, giggling.

"Donna, did you by chance burp Peter recently?"

Donna huffed at Jon, then tried to answer Rose calmly. "Yeah, I did, and I got some on me. Tried to wash it out in the loo, but I guess I wasn't quite THOROUGH ENOUGH!" She spat the last two words at Jon.

"Well, thank you, I was wondering who changed him. You have to forgive Jon, he's very impulsive. Jon, I think you owe Donna an apology!"

Jon sighed. "Was I being rude again? I guess I was. Donna, I'm very sorry that I smelled baby sick on you. Oooh, baby sick on you, sounds like a song! Baby, baby don't get sick on y-oo-ou... He winced as Rose poked him in the ribs. "I'm sorry, I was rambling, wasn't I? Bad habit of mine, sorry. Where were we? Oh yes! Donna, I'll try to refrain from smelling you, I promise. Case dismissed. Now, we should be ready to land soon!" He bounced back over to the console.

Donna stared after him for a moment, then looked at Rose. "He always like that?" she asked, nodding in Jon's direction.

"Pretty much, yeah. Sometimes he's almost normal, though."

Donna looked speculatively over at Jon. "This is going to be interesting!"