The Doctor was still asleep, and Donna was preparing some tea as someone knocked on the TARDIS door. On the outside stood Wilfred, a covered tray in one hand and a metal suitcase in the other. "You forgot something yesterday...Is everything alright Sweetheart?"

Donna stepped outside and closed the door behind her in one swift motion. "Yeah, the Doctor is still sleeping, though. He was quite exhausted after this whole thing. Did mum tell you what happened?"

"Yes, she did. All grumpiness of the morning gone. I think she is blaming herself...But the Doctor is alright?"

"He's still a bit shaken, but he will be fine. He's sleeping it out. What is that?" Donna pointed at the tray in Wilfred's hand.

"Oh, yes. A little something from your mother. An apology I suppose. She has heard that the Doctor liked Bananas, so she baked some banana bread after you left."

He handed the tray over to Donna, who peeked under the cover and took in the sweet smell. "Oh, he will love that. I would invite you inside, but I don't think the Doctor would like 'new' people in the TARDIS when he can't show her off himself."

Wilfred laughed at that. "Sounds like him. Then just take that with you and send him my best wishes. But promise me to say goodbye before you leave." He handed Donna the metal first aid suitcase, too, which they had left in the bedroom in the rush of action.

Donna was already halfway through the TARDIS door, when she remembered something important. "Gramps! Wait, one more thing. How did mum take the carpet?"

"Uh, well..." Wilfred's eyes wandered to the floor. "Well, I'm sure she isn't that mad at the Doctor, otherwise she wouldn't have baked the bread, but...after trying every cleaning product and nearly etching a hole into it, she more or less had a nervous breakdown. I wouldn't doubt that she is still upstairs trying to get it out..."

Donna had expected that. After all, Sylvia had loved that carpet. But she doubted that the cleaning products were the ones etching a hole into it.

"I'm afraid she won't get it out...the carpet is ruined...But I will take care of it. The Doctor has been through too many things to deal with my mum on top of it all. See you later, Gramps!" And with these words, Donna closed the TARDIS door behind her.

The Doctor woke up to a delicious smell of fresh tea and something...banana. Not real bananas, but close enough. He opened his eyes to find a tray on his nightstand, filled with a mug of hot tea and a piece of banana bread. On the mug was a sticky note saying "Good morning sleepyhead. Hope you feel better." in Donna's handwriting. He couldn't help but smile at that. She knew him too well.

Halfway through the banana bread, the bedroom door creaked open and Donna's head peaked inside. She was happy to see the Doctor awake and apparently enjoying her mother's present.

"Ah, there's someone hungry. I see that as a good sign?" She opened the door fully and came up to the Doctor's bed, which was now covered in banana bread crumbles.

"I havm't eatm for neary shwo days."

"Doctor, please swallow before you speak."

"Um...sorry. Yes, I'm feeling much better. Sleep and tea are working wonders, and delicious banana bread on top? I'm as good as new!"

He put the last slice of banana bread into his mouth. "Did you make that?"

Donna had to smile at the scene in front of her: The Doctor in his pyjamas, hair a total mess, but happily munching on his banana bread.

"No, my mum made it. Gramps was here earlier today and brought it over. She is very sorry about what happened yesterday."

"It's okay, she couldn't have known. She may be capable of many things, mostly containing nasty comments and swearing, but not such a thing...Speaking of swearing, do you know if your mother said anything about the carpet?" The Doctor started to rub the hair at the back of his head, a habit he had when he was nervous or thinking.

"Actually..." Donna began and wandered around in the bedroom. "She's been trying to get out the stains the whole day, and she's a breath away from a nervous breakdown. She loved that carpet, and I'm sure she's not suing you for it only because it was partly her fault."

"Oh..." The Doctor stopped in the middle of getting out of bed. "Well...we'll think of something to do. But first you'll have to excuse me, I need to take a shower. I'm still smelling that...smell." He made a face and gave Donna an apologetic look, before heading straight for the bathroom.

"Ok, take your time. I'll meet you in the console room." The bathroom door fell shut and Donna heard the water running before she left the room with a smile on her face.

Half an hour later, the Doctor stepped into the console room with freshly styled hair and his blue suit on. "I have an Idea!"

Apparently, Donna hadn't heard him coming, because she gave away a tiny scream as she was spoken to from behind. "And what would that be?"

"I will replace your mother's flocati. But the new one will be the finest quality earth has ever seen! I know a planet, which is specialised to hand-woven carpets and fabrics. Your mum will like it, it's self-cleaning."

Donna had to laugh at that. Self-cleaning sounded indeed like something her mother would enjoy. "Okay, sounds like a plan. But we will be back? I promised grandpa to say goodbye before we leave."

"Of course. We will be gone for..." He looked at a display. "...five minutes." Then he flicked some switches and sent the TARDIS flying through the Vortex.

Donna went up to the front door of her house. They had really been away just five minutes, but were strolling that alien carpet market for over two hours to find the perfect replacement for the flocati. Because the Doctor didn't want to give her mother the present in person (maybe he was too afraid of her reaction), they had figured out a plan.

Donna would say goodbye to her family at the front door, and in the meantime the Doctor would place the carpet and a thank you note at the backdoor, so Sylvia would find it when she went outside.

Seconds after Donna rang the doorbell, Wilf stepped outside. "Oh, Donna. I thought you were already gone, I heard the TARDIS noise..."

"I told you I would come back. Besides, we've brought a little surprise for mum, the Doctor is placing it at the backdoor. But only get it when we're gone, I don't want mum and him to argue. You know it would happen."

"Yeah, you're probably right. She has given up on the carpet by know and has thrown it away, accompanied by a few tears. I wouldn't want to get near her know." Wilf looked behind himself, but there was no sign of Sylvia.

At that moment, the Doctor came around the corner, and Wilf's face lit up. "Doctor! Good to see you. Are you feeling better? We were worried..."

The Doctor gave Wilfred his exciting smile. "Wilfred! Yes, yes I'm fine again. I've slept it out. I'm as good as new. Sorry again...Did Donna tell you about the carpet?"

"Yes, she did. I can totally understand why you don't want to confront Sylvia. Either she will scold you, or hug you to death. Probably both."

"Yeah, I'm not sure if I want that...Anyway, I think we're off again, right Donna?" The Doctor was bouncing on his feet again, full of excitement for their next adventure.

"Yeah, see you gramps, and tell mum I love her and she shouldn't be mad because we left."

"I will. And you take care of yourself, both of you." Wilfred pointed at them both before hugging them goodbye.

"We will."

The TARDIS noise sounded through the street as Sylvia ran outside, but she was too late. The blue box had already vanished. Instead, she found a tightly wrapped roll of some sort of fabric leaning on the house wall. Attached to it was a note that read:

"Sylvia,

I'm sorry about all the chaos I've caused yesterday. I know you don't like me very much, and you've all rights to hate me even more for ruining your favourite carpet. But I want to thank you for staying by my side, although I've probably ruined your party in return. As a redemption, I've bought you a replacement for your flocati. See it as a birthday present. It's made out of the best fabric I could find, and it's self-cleaning. I hope you like it and you accept my apology. I'm so sorry again. Hopefully we'll meet again under more pleasant circumstances.

Until then, all the best

The Doctor"

Sylvia looked doubtfully at the wrapped roll. A self-cleaning carpet? Well, at least the Doctor knows how to make a housewife happy. She would thank him next time the two would visit, also then her temper would have cooled off.

If only she knew that next time the circumstances would be much worse...

Author's note:

Thank you to everyone who stayed with this story until the very end and to all those wonderful reviewers out there! Kudos to you 3

Also, I'm always open for Ideas and writing prompts, just tell me :)