She was crying silently when she went downstairs, she went straight to the Doctor and pulled him in to a rib-crushing hug, and she didn't let go. Holding her tightly, he looked at Sylvia who was stood in the corner, crying with her face to the wall.

"Come 'ere you." He stated simply and opened his arms to invite her in to the embrace, she came willingly and began sobbing a little more loudly in to the Doctor's shoulder. They stood there for minutes before the Doctor pulled gently out of the hug and went to kitchen to boil the kettle for some tea.

When he returned with tea, he found the two women curled up on the sofa quietly, not speaking or even crying anymore. He sat down in the recliner chair opposite them and as soon as he had placed the mug down on the table, Donna whipped it up and began drinking. She was nearly half way down the cup when she put it back down and looked at her mother, holding her hands out.

"Mum, I want to do something for Gramps - something that you won't like the sound of, but it's what he would have wanted okay?" After receiving a small nod, she continued. "After we've had him cremated I want to take his ashes up - in the TARDIS - and scatter them in space. So he can travel the stars forever, it's the way he would have liked it, don't you think?" Sylvia gave a hesitant nod of agreement and looked up at the Doctor with questioning eyes - Would you mind?

Of course not. He replied nonverbally, giving her a weak smile before looking over to Donna.

After Sylvia had left the room, the Doctor joined Donna on the couch, leaving a small distance between them. She leaned over to rest her head on his shoulder, she didn't seem upset anymore just stressed, like she was trying to figure something - and the Doctor was good at figuring things out.

"What is it Donna? I mean, apart from Wilfred. There's something else, I can tell." Donna huffed, defeated, at this declaration of foreknowledge.

"Oh, and how do you know that?" She should have come up with some witty remark. The Doctor thought, she looked too tired, but she never lost her attitude, not even on the brink of death. "Fine, it's just...I don't think I can leave Mum alone right now, not until after the cremation and everything. Then there's you, I don't want you swanning off saying you'll be back in a couple of days and then leaving me behind, so I feel like I should come with you now but...I can't. I think I need to stay but I know I need to be with you, so what do I do?"

"Donna, you really think I'd leave you behind? I'll admit I don't like the idea of staying on Earth for very long but...if it's what you want and what your mother allows. I could stay here with you, until your ready to leave. I mean, only if you want to come with me again, you don't have to if you don't want to though-" This was the beginning of one of his 'it's your choice' rants, and she smiled at him, silencing him with a finger at his lips and shushing him.

"If you'd do that for me, I'm never letting you out of my sight again spaceboy!" She said, meaning it literally. The Doctor could be there for her when she needed him, the same way she had always been there when he was in need of her.