Series 3 AU with Rose! This is a sequel to my stories, "The Girl in the Stalking Spaceship" through "Doomsday Averted" (but without "Through the Gloom and Doom").

As yet un-beta'd. You have been warned.

April 2018: I've re-edited this since its original publication, since I didn't like how much of the screenplay I'd originally kept in. I wanted it to flow more in my own style. If you want even more pure originality than an episode re-do, skip ahead to "42" - Martha's not even on the TARDIS for that one, ;) However, you will miss some significant developments in the Doctor and Rose's relationship on the way...

Disclaimer: Surprise, surprise, I don't own Doctor Who. Nor do I get anything from writing these stories-except wonderful, constructive reviews! Wink, wink; nudge, nudge ;)

Chapter 1 - Introductions

The Doctor pulled away from Rose, still holding her hand, while he looked in disbelief at the woman in white who had suddenly appeared in his TARDIS. "You can't do that - we weren't - we're in flight! That is - that is physically impossible! How did -" he stuttered.

"Tell me where I am," the woman interrupted. "I demand you tell me right now! Where am I?"

"Inside the TARDIS," the Doctor answered, still in a bit of shock at her presence.

"The what?" she asked.

"The TARDIS," he answered.

"The what?" she asked again.

"The TARDIS!" he answered again, turning to the console, searching for some clue as to what was happening.

"The what?"

Rose finally intervened, slipping her hand free from his and stepping closer to the strange, strange woman that SHOULD NOT BE HERE. "You're on a ship; it's called the TARDIS," she told her.

The Doctor could tell that Rose's voice was still a little choked up from the emotional farewell she'd just said to Jackie - despite the bit of a snog that their mysterious guest had more recently interrupted -

"That's not even a proper word," the woman countered. "You're just sayin' things."

"It stands for Time an' Rel -" Rose began, but the Doctor cut her off.

"How did you get in here?" he asked, abruptly. He had checked the shields and every control and indicator he knew to check, but still couldn't find an explanation for the woman's appearance. The interface to Pete's world couldn't have -

"Well, obviously, when you kidnapped me!" the woman answered shrilly, backing away from Rose. She was not in a very cooperative mood; that much was clear. "Who was it? Who's payin' you?" she asked, looking between the two of them. "Is it Nerys?"

"Nerys?" Rose echoed, still attempting to approach the woman in a non-threatening manner.

"Your best friend," was the woman's unhelpful clarification.

Still utterly confused, something else about the odd situation finally clicked into place for the Doctor. "Hold on, wait a minute," he said, observing her garment more carefully, "what're you dressed like that for?"

"I'm goin' ten pin bowlin'," the woman answered sarcastically. "Why do you think, Dumbo?" she yelled. "I WAS HALFWAY UP THE AISLE!"

"We're really sorry," Rose offered, stressing the last word as she sent the Doctor a glare that had "RUDE" written all over it. He ducked around behind the Time Rotor as Rose patiently denied drugging the woman. Either their guest was as ignorant of her means of transportation as she claimed, or she was a galactic-class actress. The Doctor continued his analysis of the TARDIS' readouts, trying with all his might to block out the woman's voice. Unfortunately, his efforts were disturbed when Rose called out.

"Doctor!"

He looked up to see Rose sprinting towards the front doors after the would-be bride. "No, wait a minute!" he called, rushing after her. "Wait a minute! Don't -" but too late.

She had thrown open the doors, and was staring, mouth agape, at the super nova they were orbiting. As Rose relaxed the grip on her arm, the Doctor came to stand at her other side.

Breaking the blessed silence, the Doctor carefully explained, "You're in space. Outer Space. This is my... spaceship. It's called the TARDIS."

"How am I breathin'?" she asked, almost meekly.

"The TARDIS is protecting us," he answered gently.

Still in shock, she ventured, "Who are you?"

"I'm the Doctor, and this is Rose," he answered genially.

"Hello," said Rose with a small wave. "What's your name?"

"Donna."

The Doctor looked her over, feeling a bit calmer and more generous now that her torrent of speech had dwindled. He still couldn't guess how she'd gotten on board. "You're human?" he asked.

"Yeah. Is that optional?" she rejoined.

"Well, it is for me," he answered nonchalantly, but breath half-held to see whether she would take it in stride or resume freaking out.

Donna looked from the Doctor, to Rose. "You're aliens," she said, hardly any more surprised.

"Nah, well, he is," Rose answered her.

"Rose, here, is perfectly, one hundred percent human," the Doctor contributed.

Donna studied the Doctor, then turned to Rose. "He kidnap you, too?" she asked.

"What?!" the Doctor exclaimed, but, thankfully, Rose was able to answer more calmly.

"He didn't," Rose said, shaking her head. "We travel together. Seein' the universe - savin' the universe," she explained with a grin.

Donna leaned in closer to Rose. Eyeing the Doctor warily, she whispered, "Like, together together?"

"So!" the Doctor chimed in, gesturing at the space-scape before them. "How 'bout that super nova?"

Donna allowed the distraction, but still had no patience for the Doctor. "It's freezin' with these doors open," she said, with a hollow attempt at her previous brashness.

Rose swung the doors to, while the Doctor sprinted straight to the console. "But I don't understand it and I understand everything!" he began, trying to talk things through. "This - this can't happen! There is no way a human being can lock itself onto the TARDIS and transport itself inside. It must be..." He pulled out some instruments and proceeded to examine the woman - Donna - more intensely. "Impossible," he muttered, not getting any helpful readings. "Some sort of subatomic connection?" he mused aloud.

"Doctor," Rose tried to interject, but his mind was whirring.

"Something in the temporal field? Maybe something pulling you into alignment with the Chronon shell." What else; how could anything just *pft* onto the TARDIS like that? "Maybe something macro-mining your DNA within the interior matrix? Maybe a genetic -"

Donna slapped him.

Rose sniggered. "Just beat me to it," she conspiratorially told Donna.

"What was that for?" the Doctor demanded, ignoring Rose's amusement for the moment.

"Get me," Donna shouted, "TO THE CHURCH!"

"Right! Fine!" he told her, moving around the console, his cheek still stinging. "You don't want to be here, we don't want you here." Rose huffed, but he set the controls and quickly asked, "Where is this wedding?"

"Saint Mary's, Hayden Road, Chiswick, London, England, Earth, the Solar System."

"Right! Chiswick!" said the Doctor, with the flick of a switch.

"Hang on," Rose told Donna, just as the TARDIS lurched into action.

Rose edged along the console towards the Doctor, while Donna held on for dear life. As she approached, he whispered, "We are not letting her out of our sight. Until I've found out how on earth she got... off... earth."

"Guess we're goin' to the weddin', then," Rose observed.

To be continued.