Waiting On A Rival

Chapter 15

I ignored his last words and hastily went into the counsel room. His TARDIS recognized me and lit up. "What are you doing?" Donna asked, coming from the corridor.

"Uh, going," I said simply. This was new. Never had to explain that I was leaving.

"What about the Doctor?" She was confused, "I thought you two-" I groaned in response. "Guess not."

"I guess," I stammered a bit, "I don't really know, but the Doctor admitted to having feelings for this girl when I was gone and it made me feel....weird. Bad weird."

Donna laughed. "That's called jealousy. It's when you want something someone else has," she explained slowly, like to a child.

"I know what jealousy is," I replied just as slowly, "I've just always been better at leaving then staying."

"Wait, if you're always leaving, why should the Doctor stay?" My eyes widened a bit. "Eureka! She understands!" I smiled crookedly at that.

"Donna Noble, I like you," I stated, "We are going somewhere. I've always liked Ancient Rome. Find the Doctor and Bob's your uncle! I'll start flying." I really missed saying that.

After looking at me weirdly, Donna set off for the Doctor when I started flying. He rushed in, unfazed. Well, angry as hell, but not fazed.

"What are you doing?" The Doctor demanded before stating clearly, "My TARDIS. Go to your own." I glared at him and forgot why I thought I should forgive him.

"Oi!" Donna exclaimed, "I'm not playing mediator between you two. Work it out!"

"I just wanted to take Donna to my favorite place," I explained calmly. The Doctor looked surprised at my response and I smiled. "Ancient Rome?" I nodded. "I know a shortcut," he insisted and started flying.

"Shortcut?" I echoed, "We're in a disappear/reappear spaceship. I don't think there are any possible shortcuts." The Doctor scrunched his nose and flew his way.

The TARDIS parked herself in a small curtained-off alcove. The Doctor and Donna stepped out into the sunshine. The streets were lined with vendors of various goods. I shut the doors tightly. "Ancient Rome. Well, not for them, obviously," I announced, "To all intents and purposes, right now, this is brand new Rome."

She gasped, "Oh, my God. it's, it's so Roman. This is fantastic." The Doctor cracked a smile. "I'm here, in Rome. Donna Noble in Rome. This is just weird. I mean, everyone here's dead."

"Well, don't tell them that," he advised.

"Hold on a minute. That sign over there's in English." Donna pointed at the wooden sign. "Are you having me on? Are we in Epcot?"

"No, no, no, no. That's the Tardis translation circuits. Just makes it look like English," I explained.

"Speech as well," the Doctor added, "You're talking Latin right now."

"Seriously?" I nodded. "I just said seriously in Latin. What if I said something in actual Latin, like veni, vidi, vici? My dad said that when he came back from football. If I said veni, vidi, vici to that lot, what would it sound like?"

I raised my eyebrows. "I'm not sure. You have to think of difficult questions, don't you?"

"I'm going to try it." She smiled and went up to a fruit seller. "Er, veni, vidi, vici."

"Huh? Sorry?" He asked, frowning, "Me no speak Celtic. No can do, missy." I stifled my laugh. Donna nodded and walked away. "How's he mean, Celtic?"

"You just said 'I came, I saw, I conquered'" I noted, "He probably didn't know how to respond." I turned to the fruit seller and said quickly, "Et pro eis ego deprecarentur. Ipse est illud dimisit. Perge."