A/N: I've probably left out something important, but I'll fix that after this migraine has buggered off.

Part 11

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Everywhere you looked, people were rushing about the market, frantically buying Christmas presents or hoarding provisions for the holiday. Things were hotting up, in more ways than one, and Wilf was gasping for a cup of tea. Close to spitting feathers, he was. So with that in mind, he headed towards one of his favourite places to get one and perhaps grab a bite to eat. Sylvia needn't know what exactly if he was careful enough about it.

As he neared the appropriate market burger stall, he bumped into a familiar figure. "Oh my word!" Wilf exclaimed. "Is that you, Doctor? I've been looking for you."

"Hello Wilf," the Doctor cautiously greeted him. "Nice to see you too. How did you manage to find me?"

"Just lucky, I guess," Wilf dismissed.

"No. People don't get that lucky. Not usually," the Doctor countered. "Only you and Donna have found me when you wanted to."

"Ah. She did help a bit," Wilf admitted, shuffling on the spot. "Knowing where you might be led me here."

His eyes went wide with terror. "How did she know? Is she remembering? You mustn't let her even attempt it!" he cried.

"It's alright," Wilf tried to calm him down, flagging his hands downwards. "She's okay now. Everything's fine now that she's got him."

"Him?!" the Doctor near shrieked, and then forcibly stilled his rampant hearts. If he lost control now they'd all be doomed. "What do you mean by 'him', Wilf?"

"John, her husband," Wilf willingly supplied. "Well, he'll be her legal husband soon, once they've saved up a few bob for the wedding. Thanks to that Jack fella, he can earn a decent wage now."

"Hang on a tick," the Doctor halted him, frowning in evident confusion. "Are you saying Jack risked her life by contacting her fiancé?"

"No, I'm saying it was the other way around. John sought out Jack, the other weekend. Ever so grateful he was too. It's made a world of difference to their finances," Wilf chattered on. "It was a bit hairy for a while, humping about crates of veg to earn a pound or two, but what was John supposed to do when he couldn't get to your bank account."

"My bank…," the Doctor echoed and then stood flummoxed for some seconds. "You'll have to explain, my old friend, why Donna's fiancé would even think he was entitled to help himself to my money."

"Well, you see," Wilf began, giving the tip of his nose a faint rub, "being you, he thought he was." At that moment relief filled Wilf as he spied the man in question in the distance, walking innocently along the packed pavement. "There's John. You can ask him yourself."

Swivelling instantly, the Doctor spied his doppelgänger. "No, it can't be," he murmured. "But he wasn't supposed to be here. I left him somewhere safe; with Rose."

"He didn't think so," Wilf retorted, even though the comment hadn't been directed at him. "You should have seen the state of him when he turned up in my allotment. Close to starving, he was."

Still watching the approaching man, the Doctor wondered, "Is he good to her? Is she happy?"

"Yes. They're getting married soon," Wilf readily volunteered. "In a couple of days sort of soon."

"When?"

"Christmas Eve," Wilf stated. "They said they might as well use their nearest anniversary to make it legal. Not that I know what they're on about, but they know what they're doing."

The Doctor made a snap decision. "I have to go."

Nonplussed, Wilf called out after him, "Doctor, you will be there, won't you? You're the only true family he has."

"He's got you now," the Doctor called back; "he doesn't need me."

"Please. For Donna," Wilf tried again, but gained no reply.

~O~O~

The wedding was quite a quiet affair; especially compared to Donna and Lance's non-wedding. But in truth, she was happier this time around.

It was going to merely be the church service, followed by them going back to the house. Drinks would be offered to help celebrate the nuptials; but nothing on the grand scale of before. The dress from the previous attempt had been cleaned, mended and added to with little touches to make the day more meaningful. To John's undying relief and gratitude, Ianto, Martha, Mickey, Sarah Jane, Sky and Luke had turned up to fill part of his side of the church. Jack was his best man, and Wilf was giving away Donna.

Of course, Nerys had sneered when she'd walked into the church and spotted him by the altar, next to the front pew; but he'd been expecting it. Had even added in a cheery wave in her direction, for fun. He knew Donna would have appreciated it. And he'd shaved off the scruff. Well, he didn't need facial hair to hide behind anymore, and his new job rather frowned upon it. As long as he could earn enough money to marry Donna he was happy. Everything else could wait until later.

It also didn't matter that he knew what Donna looked like in the dress, because this time she was wearing it just for him, as his bride. That thought still sent a warm tingle through him. A wife and family all in one go.

Outside the church, Donna was chomping at the bit; keen to get the ceremony over with. If anyone were to ask her how he kissed, she would have said a bit like a sink plunger. You see, the thing is, whatever he did, he did it with out-and-out passion. He didn't just kiss her mouth, he invaded it, feasted upon her succulent fruits, converted the natives and resolved all issues in one go. In fact, kissing him was the best experience of her life, without a doubt. It was wonderful! And the thought that those talented lips would soon be hers for the taking fair made her mouth water. Other parts of her body were affected too, because he was THAT delicious.

But for all that, she still felt that his heart could only truly beat for one woman, and that woman wasn't her. If she asked him, he'd probably say that she was the one he loved in this universe; which would leave a girl in the alternate universe remaining in a very special position. In fact, Donna was steeling herself for the impact of this knowledge once their wedding vows were spoken and their marriage bond deepened as far as it could go. Knowing for certain you are second best, that the person you love is merely making do, is dreadfully painful.

At the church doors she hesitated, and clasped Wilf's arm more firmly to gain strength from his presence. "You alright, Sweetheart?" he asked her with concern. "Not like you to get cold feet."

"You're right, Gramps. I love him and can't wait to be his bride," she admitted. "But sometimes I wonder if I'm enough for him."

Inevitably, Wilf waved it off. "Of course you'd have a slight wobble this late in the day, but you need to remember, John crossed a universe and then the whole of London by foot to find you. Me and your mum saw his face when he first set eyes on you. Oh my! It gladdened the heart, I can tell you. We knew he wouldn't stop until he had gained your hand in marriage."

Fortunately, the Wedding March started up, and her attention focused on walking down the aisle, passed a handful of people, to the waiting handsome man up by the vicar.

"You do know that I love you, don't you," John leaned close and whispered into Donna's ear as he took her hands in his.

"Yes," she answered, but the image of a stolen kiss on a windblown beach refused to leave her mind.

Suspecting this, he immediately gave her the sweetest kiss he could muster.

The vicar coughed in exasperation. "Any kiss should be reserved for when the ceremony has finished," he pointed out.

"Sorry," John muttered, not feeling apologetic at all. His bride had needed his reassurance, so he had given it.

~O~O~

It was when the wedding photos started to be taken that the Doctor came out from the shadows of the church porch and approached Sylvia and Wilf. "You made it," Wilf proclaimed in glee. "Donna and John will be so chuffed."

"Don't tell them I'm here," the Doctor begged. He reached into his pocket and brought out an envelope. "Give them this, from me and Donna's dad."

Before Sylvia could do little more than gasp in surprise, a bridal blur forced its way pass.

"Oh no you don't!" Donna thundered towards him. "You don't get to leg it and avoid me on my wedding day, Doctor."

"But…" He stood stunned for a moment or two. "I was just giving your wedding present to Wilf for safe keeping."

She took the envelope from Wilf's hand. "Lottery ticket, is it? No doubt a winning one too. Thanks very much." She then stuffed the envelope into the safety of her cleavage. "I'd be a bit more grateful if I didn't feel as though you were buying me off. Never mind, me and my husband won't be taking you to court to sue your backside off. Especially as you've hardly got a suit to stand up in."

Sylvia and Wilf had quietly melted away to let them have their reunion, having felt it was best that way; especially when John deliberately sauntered over too.

"It's a bit battered," the Doctor admitted as he gave John a welcoming nod, and then shook his hand when he was near enough. "Congratulations."

"Thanks," John warily replied. "Is this just a social visit or…?"

"Just popping by," the Doctor hastily supplied.

Donna was still peering intently at him in concern. "You look dreadful. What on earth have you been doing to yourself? Are you even eating properly?"

"I'm… Oh Donna," the Doctor near whimpered, sucking in a breath. "I made a few mistakes."

"You are coming back to the house with us," she proclaimed, taking possessive hold of his arm. "No buts. You are family. There'll be plenty for you to eat, friends for you to talk to, and a bed should you want to stay the night."

The Doctor shared a look with John. "She's still the same, I see."

"You know our Donna," John boasted, grinning.

"Come on," she encouraged the Doctor, "Come and have your photo taken with us."

He tried to stop her guiding him away, but she wasn't having it. "I don't think I should."

"If you don't find the guts to have your photo taken with us, on our wedding day of all days," she threatened, "I shall personally make sure you never enter your TARDIS again."

"Better do as she says," John advised. "Things work out alright when you do."

"Tell me about it," the Doctor mumbled; but he happily let her manoeuvre him into a photo pose on the church lawn.

"I want a photo done with him and him," Donna ordered the photographer, who immediately obliged. "And now us with all our friends," she added, beckoning forward Jack, Sarah Jane and Martha, in particular.

Soon all the Children of Time and their associates were smiling for the camera.

"Why are you doing this?" the Doctor stage whispered.

"To prove to you that you now have family," Donna retorted. "And don't you forget it."

~O~O~

He had to admit, this being part of a family again wasn't too bad. The Doctor had had quite a pleasant chat with all of his former companions there with their partners, and Sarah Jane's children were a joy to be around. Plus, there was Donna and John, his progeny. Who would have thought him being back in this universe would have healed Donna? As he sipped his drink, he had to wonder how he had missed that possibility.

"No feeling guilty," Donna warned him as she slipped up to his side.

"How did you know?" he wondered, amazed at her intuition.

She tapped her head. "There's still a little bit in there. A residual left over from John."

"I'm so sorry," he began. "I didn't know he was key to your health otherwise I would never have let him leave."

"You did the right thing," she assured him, resting a consoling hand on his arm. "He went to Pete's World and destroyed the dimension cannon, just as you wanted him to."

Dare he ask the question? "What about Rose?" he quietly asked.

"She didn't want him when she thought she could still get back to you. They started firing up the dimension cannon again, so he had no choice. Good job you gave him that piece of coral; that was how he escaped."

"And what about you Donna Smith?"

"Donna Smith-Noble," she corrected. "I've got a life with a man I love who thinks I'm brilliant." She then gave him a measured look. "I assume all this socialising is part of your farewell tour."

He nodded. She knew so well, even now. "And you have your own adventure to look forward to."

"What was that, Doctor?" John asked as he joined them and wrapped a possessive arm around Donna's waist. "I hope you aren't trying to steal her away."

"No." He then forced himself to smile and shake John's hand again. "Congratulations on the baby, by the way."

"How did you know? We've only just found out ourselves," Donna wondered. "Of course. The old…" She waved her finger between their heads in demonstration. "If you say you can smell me I shall deck you!"

John laughed with delight. "I'm sure he knows not to. Goodbye, Doctor. Good luck."

"Come back and see us, any time," Donna added, and then couldn't resist throwing her arms around the Doctor's shoulders to hug him tight. She then ordered John, "Oi, you! Get in here and share this." He readily did as he was told, joining the hug as they made room for him. "Don't forget us," she murmured to the Doctor.

"As if I could," he answered, with a watery smile. "Onwards and upwards."

Then with a final goodbye, he was gone. Back to his TARDIS.

John held Donna as she trembled with emotion, glad to be able to still do so. "We'll get back to the stars. I promise. Even if we have to wait a hundred years."

"Hey you," she softly complained, giving his arm a mild swat, "that's my line."

"We are one now," he schmoozed. "Well, until the baby comes, that is," he amended, placing his hand on her stomach. "How brilliant is that?!" And then he kissed her.

~o~O~o~