Wandering into the library, the Doctor called plaintively, "Donna?"

"Spaceman?" Used to his inability to leave her alone for five minutes, Donna didn't even bother looking up.

"My tea's lonely."

Head flying up in surprise, Donna blurted, "What?"

"My tea is lonely," he reiterated, slowly and clearly.

"What the bloody hell are you talking about, Time Boy? How can tea be lonely?"

"Weeeell, tea usually has something that goes with it. But there're no biscuits in the cupboard and the cake tin is empty. So… my tea's lonely."

Raising an eyebrow and tilting her head, she spoke slowly, "God, you're weird. Is this your pathetic way of getting me to bake you something?"

His thin face lit up with a hopeful grin, as he murmured, "Only if it's not too much trouble. Now, there's no need to look at me like that, Donna."

"What, do you reckon I'm your bake and call girl? I knew it was a mistake to make that banana cake. Now you'll be expecting a never ending supply. Can't the TARDIS make you some cakes?" Scowling, Donna crossed her arms and waited.

Looking marginally uncomfortable, the Doctor stroked a wall, saying, "The old girl is brilliant at so many things, Donna. Really, she's incredible. But food isn't really her thing. Oh, she can make it, but I'm not sure you'd want to eat it. Not if you wanted to live…" He jerked his hand away from the wall as it shocked him, shaking it ruefully.

Smirking at his discomfort, Donna asked, "Why don't you make yourself something?"

"Because you told me I wasn't allowed to, after that tiny little..." trailing off, he rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly.

Jumping into the gap, Donna offered, "Conflagration, where you nearly blew up the entire TARDIS trying to sonic the microwave to make your muffins bake faster?"

"You make it sound so much worse than it was…" he pouted when she interrupted.

"Look, Martian, I'm in the middle of a very interesting part of my book, so if you want cake you'll have to wait." Settling back into the sofa, Donna opened her book and resumed reading.

"Fine, fine, I didn't mean to disturb you," he grumbled. Sitting in a nearby armchair, he waited until Donna was thoroughly engrossed and then took a very loud, very deliberate mouthful of tea.

Jumping, Donna looked at him in irritation and yelled, "Arrgh, are you going to sit there and slurp until I give in?"

"That was my plan, yes." Calmly, he fixed her with a smug look.

Narrowing her eyes, she stood abruptly and made for the door, exclaiming, "Right, then I'm going to finish this in my room."

Shrugging carelessly, he called after her, "Okay, but I think you'll find the ending disappointed. I mean, I knew that the butler was a spy for the Germans by the third chapter."

Spinning back to face him, she threw the book at him and shrieked, "I. Don't. Believe. You. Did. That!"

Ducking the missile and grinning, he innocently queried, "What? I just didn't want you to waste your time and then be disappointed."

Stalking towards him and slapping him over the back of the head, she asked, "How old are you? Really. Do your people emotionally mature backwards, or what?"

"There's no need to get personal." Huffing, he rubbed the back of his head and pouted.

Rolling her eyes at his kicked puppy routine, she announced, "Oh for godssake… I'm leaving."

Scrambling to his feet, he followed her down the hallway, wheedling, "DonNAAA! Pleeeeeeeeease? Please make me some muffins? Pretty please?"

"Will you stop following me, you weird alien. I'm not baking for you after you spoilt a perfectly good thriller for me." Slapping away his hand from where it was plucking at her sleeve, she continued her escape.

"Pleeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeease? Please, please, please, please, please…." He stopped abruptly when Donna stopped and he ran into her back.

Spinning around, she grabbed his upper arms and shook him, exasperated by his behaviour. "Arrrrgh, ALRIGHT! Alright! You win; I'll make you some muffins."

Grinning goofily, he hung in her grip and chirped, "Thank you, Donna."

"Annoying, skinny git." With a final shake, she released him and stomped towards the kitchen.

"You love me, really." Catching up with her, he took her hand in his and smiled his double dimpled smile at her, eyes twinkling mischievously.

"Humph." Glancing at him, she laughed despite herself and squeezed his hand back. "Big assumption that, Spaceman."

He stopped and assumed an expression of intense hurt. Turning back, Donna gave him a long hard look, then gathered him to her with an exasperated, "Oh c'mere, skinny boy."

Happily snuggling into her, he murmured contentedly, "Told you. You love me. Everyone does. I'm adorable."

Chuckling, she let him go and pushed him away as she headed to the pantry. "Pfft, modest too."

Forty minutes later they were eating warm muffins and sipping tea, laughing and bickering comfortably.