I guess it all started the first time we met. It was all so ridiculous really. There we were, businessman, bride and alien travelling through an underground corridor on Segways... that was the first time I saw her smile. The first time she looked into my eyes and allowed me to see the fear and worry drain from her to reveal a childlike joy that I was instantly drawn to. The first time I felt she genuinely trusted me. I should have known Lance would hurt her, didn't like him from the start really... though maybe I was biased? Nah! She was far too good for him.

I knew this one was dangerous. looking back I can see now that Rose was just a kid, it never would have worked. And Martha... well, as lovely as she was I knew that there was someone better suited for her out there. But Donna was something else altogether... Donna Noble, My brilliant, brilliant Donna Noble.

I remember the first and last time she kissed me. The feeling of her warm hands on my face pulling my lips closer to hers, her hot breath melting my every thought... not that there were many at that point to be honest. The taste of ginger beer, anchovies and walnuts might not have been ideal, yet I still wanted more. That day in the library, I was so scared of losing her to the shadows that when I pulled her back I didn't even notice where or how close I was holding her. It wasn't until I saw the scowl on her face that I realised exactly where my hands were, but there was something in her eyes as I tried to explain myself. Not hurt, not anger, but dare I say amusement?

But I knew I could never tell her how I felt. Everything was pointing towards something and I knew it... okay, I didn't know exactly what it was pointing to, but I knew it could never end well. I just wish that, that brilliant woman could know just how important she was, not only to me but to the entire universe. That was the most heartbreaking thing, having to leave Donna with the belief that she was just another unimportant human being when in reality she meant so much in the scheme of time and space. Knowing that when she walked down the street she would never know that she saved the lives of every single person she passed... some of the more than once!

Donna lay awake in her bed. No, she wasn't sad anymore, she wasn't hurt, she was angry. She gave her heart and soul to her marriage with Shaun and he just up and leaves her for the next young thing? She always thought that when she finally married it would be the real thing, it would be forever. Yet here she was... her first marriage, a failure.

An image flashed before her eyes, a spider with red hairy skin and beady black eyes. As quickly as the image came it disappeared. Well, that was strange, she thought to herself but just wrote it off as something from a long forgotten nightmare. She once again turned in her bed trying desperately to find a comfortable position to sleep in. Through her window she spotted an orangey red light flickering in the distance and she knew her grandfather was once again at his battle station at the top of the hill. With a small smile she threw the covers off of herself and went to the kitchen to make some tea.

"Any recent alien invasions?" Donna teased as she reached the top of the hill, holding out a spare mug of tea for her grandfather.

Ever since the whole incident Wilfred had felt very uneasy talking to his grand-daughter about anything that did not originate from their home planet. Donna saw the somewhat frightened look he gave her and felt a little sorry for teasing the old man on a fear he obviously genuinely believed in.

"No aliens in that sky," Wilfred lied putting on his best fake smile as he reached out to take the mug that was handed to him, "Don't worry love. Us humans are the only threat in this universe."

"What you looking for them?" Donna asked, calling his bluff, as she took a seat beside him and his telescope, "And don't say the stars. You can name every single one of 'em. Don't say Planets either, if some idiot gave you a rocket ship you could easily find your way from one to another."

"You just mind your own business," Wilf chuckled, giving her a playful nudge.

"Fine." she threw her hands up in mock surrender before pointing towards the telescope and asking, "mind if I take a look?"

The smile vanished from Wilf's face, which did not go unnoticed, but despite his worry he moved to the side to let Donna see the stars. They were beautiful. She certainly understood how someone could spend every night gazing up at that sky.

"Any end-of-the-world warning signals I should be looking for?" She playfully teased as she pulled back from the telescope.

"No sweetheart," Wild chuckled, yet pulled her close into a loving hug with a tear threatening to fall and kissed the top of her head, "We're all alone in this universe."

Donna nodded her head and smiled. She loved it when her grandfather was all sentimental like this, after all who knew how many years she had left with him? Maybe this would be a memory she'd look back on and smile once he'd left. But something in his tone didn't sound all that convincing.

"But do me a favour, Love." he pulled back to look her in the eye.

"Anything," She smiled back at him.

"If you ever see a big, blue, wooden box," his eyes grew fearful, "Run. Don't try to understand it, don't try to be a hero, don't stick around to ask questions. Just run like the entire universe depends on it. You hear me?"

"What are you talking about? What kind of blue box?"

"Oh, you'll know it if you ever see it. Just promise me you'll run."

"Okay, Granddad. I swear I'll run," Donna smiled sweetly up at the old man before kissing his cheek and retrieving both mugs and standing to her feet.

Poor man is getting old, she thought to herself, He's starting to say things that don't even make sense.

"Keep a lookout on those stars for us and I'll be on the lookout for a blue box." She saluted playfully before starting down the hill once more.

"Donna, Donna Noble, since you didn't ask... I'll have a salute..." She heard a voice remarkably like her own ring out before giving her head a quick shake and walking back towards to house.