(no subject)

[tree_and_leaf]

I have no idea what, if anything, I can do with this.



She had the feeling she’d been missing an awful lot, probably for most of her life. Had she even been looking at what went on round about her, or just letting it pass by? She started reading, all kinds of things, Gramps’ astronomy books, too. Actually, that was strange, but once you started to think about them properly, they were really interesting. Gramps was pleased to have someone to talk about it too, but he almost seemed to be doing so against his better judgement. And he definitely seemed a bit worried when he found her sitting at the kitchen table with a pencil and paper and a calculator, working through an astrophysics textbook she’d bought in her lunch hour.

“Maths for fun?’ he said, “You feeling all right, love? No headaches or anything? Temperature?”

“Never better,” she said, and flashed him a grin.

“You hated maths at school.”

“Yeah, I know,” she said, absently. “I dunno why. They never showed us it was interesting, though. Should have made it harder, then I might have seen the point in trying.”

He looked at her, his expression strangely unreadable. It was like he was proud and sad and a little scared all at once.

“There’s a lot more to you than meets the eye, Donna,” he said finally.

She snorted. “No there isn’t. I’m just Donna Noble, finally in a permanent job, and finally deciding to do something with my life. Taken me long enough.”

Why did he look as if he was about to cry? The only time she could remember Gramps crying was when Gran had died.

“Love, there’s so much more to you than meets the eye that you can’t see it yourself.”

“I’ll just have to find out, then,” she said, and she touched the ring and grinned again. But Gramps turned away and wouldn’t meet her eyes.

Comments

[sacred-sarcasm.livejournal.com]

oooh, you posted it! Creepily-fantastic. And I love 'maths for fun' - forget potential doctordonna problems, that's just insane.

(Because, I was thinking, how much can see remember before her head explodes? - I was reading a short fic somewhere where Donna visits the GP, the receptionist says 'the doctor will see you now...' POW! GLOWY LIGHT!
And even if the knowledge is gone, the abilities are still there... creepy)

[white_hart]

I like this - thanks! I so want Donna to be amazing anyway.

[nineveh-uk.livejournal.com]

(Am I supposed to recognise the ring? I can only think of the chunky one in the final episode.)

Yes! She will join her grandfather in the back garden and get her own shed, and in 50 years time she will successfully test the earth's first faster-than-light engine (the Atmos Drive, it's even non-polluting), from which point humanity will begin its journey to the stars. Which is why River Song was so incredibly impressed at meeting her.

[tree_and_leaf]

I'm of the opinion that something was UP with that ring. Unfortunately, I can't work out what.

[tree_and_leaf]

Don't they teach recreational maths in schools any more?

Because, I was thinking, how much can see remember before her head explodes?

This worries me as well. I appreciate that the Doctor was doing the best he could under pressure, but as usual, I don't think he's thought through all the ramifications (and Uncle Rusty certainly hasn't.

[tree_and_leaf]

Glad you enjoyed!

And so do I. Badly.

[sacred-sarcasm.livejournal.com]

What do they teach 'em in schools these days?

I don't blame the Doctor, either for wiping her memories (though that scene with her pleading with him as he does so makes for difficult watching) or the lack of finesse with which he did so. As the story had been set up, what else was he to do? But Uncle Rusty quite clearly didn't think it through at all. I mean, if she comes across the Dewey decimal system, will she remember The Library?

And I worry that the Doctor didn't tell any of the TW lot or Sarah-Jane, that Donna isn't to know anything, Of course, I'm sure he did, later or something, but still. Worrying.

[bookwormsarah.livejournal.com]

I really enjoyed this, and it really did make a sad ending more hopeful. She must have been altered in some way by the experience, even with a mind wipe, there would have been traces. Oh yes.

Scarily I was doing algebra for fun last night...

[grondfic.livejournal.com]

Waaah! *gets sad and angry all over again*

YOU should be writing the scripts!

[nineveh-uk.livejournal.com]

I spotted it and thought "Hmm, another Big Ring", but I can only assume that it is there like the ring at the end of Series 3 - just in case.

[tree_and_leaf]

I fear you're right - it's a typical DW season finale and gives every impression of having been made up as they went along.

[tree_and_leaf]

I'm glad you enjoyed it; though I'm not sure what the whole thing did to Donna, I can't believe she just went back to square one.

I keep thinking I'd like to do some maths again now I'm not panicking about passing my Higher, because the last year I did Maths at school I found it really interesting, when I wasn't terrified.

[tree_and_leaf]

You are really far too kind, but I'm glad you enjoyed it. Well, sort of enjoyed it!

[bookwormsarah.livejournal.com]

I have an algebra textbook (Elementary Algebra, published in 1912) which is rather soothing at times. I'm working my way through the examples. I hadn't touched it for a while but yesterday evening my brain was fuzzy from too much dull computer work so I worked through some sums. Worked like a charm. Now if only I'd got a better mark on my A-level paper...

[parrot-knight.livejournal.com]

I have an idea which is sort-of complementary to this, but haven't yet taken it forward...

[tree_and_leaf]

I'd be very interested to hear it at some point.

[ms-wanderlust.livejournal.com]

I enjoyed this, thanks for posting. I feel rather bereft on behalf of Donna, although more sad for Gramps really, who will be the one left living with the grief every day. I watched the show twice in three days, and wept at the same point each time. Sniff. I'd love to think there'll be a reunion at some point....I mean, look at Rose and the Doctor! But my hopes aren't high....

[tree_and_leaf]

Thank you! And you're right, the situation is particularly horrid for Gramps.

Whether they're going to revisit this in the future is anyone's guess, though I suppose it could be worse, as we don't have to contend with the nagging fear that Donna is going to get kebabed by a Redcoat or transported to America. She and Zoe really ought to get together some time, though....

[ms-wanderlust.livejournal.com]

Sorry...you lost me there. At risk of exposing my shortcomings as a Dr Who fan, I don't get the reference.....

[tree_and_leaf]

Ah, sorry, it's Really Old Skool. The Second Doctor's last companions, Jamie (a Jacobite rebel plucked from the battlefield at Culloden) and Zoe (a librarian from the 22nd century - I think - who was initially a rather Spock-like character, albeit in rather more provocative clothes, but who underwent an awful lot of character development during her travels) had their minds wiped and were put back into their own time by the Time Lords after they found the Doctor guilty of meddling in time, and forcibly regenerated him and exiled him to earth, and it was all rather heartbreaking.

I love Two; an awful lot of his stories got wiped (ironic, that) but it's just about my favourite era of Who.

[owl]

Oh, Donna!

[rivrea.livejournal.com]

Yes, this is a future I would like Donna to have! (Even though the hints in her ficlet make me a little afraid of her head going boooom all of a sudden...)

[tree_and_leaf]

*sobs*

[tree_and_leaf]

Don't worry. Whatever I do, Donna's head will not explode, nor will her brains come dribbling out of her ears...

[parrot-knight.livejournal.com]

The thought I had turned into this (http://parrot-knight.livejournal.com/333118.html).