#dwau

The night of the ball arrives, and James attends wearing a midnight blue suit with silver pinstripes. His trademark Converse are on his feet, tonight in a dark blue to match his suit. Donna rolls her eyes and leads him to the royal seats at the theatre, seating him next to a pretty woman named Martha. She sits to the side to fulfill her sisterly duty of ensuring the event takes place as planned. Not to spy, of course. Never that. 

The circus she’d hired to perform a complex acrobatic routine holds James’s attention more than she’d expected, and she watches as he stares enraptured at the artists flinging themselves from ring to ring. The lead woman, a blonde calling herself ‘Bad Wolf’ who is dressed in a shiny silver costume lined with sequined blue stars, executes each routine with a well-practiced precision that allows her to cast her attention toward the royal box on more than one occasion. 

Donna watches from the side as James barely gives his seat companion more than a casual glance, instead gazing with stars in his eyes at Bad Wolf. In an unexpected twist, Martha casts her attention at Rose’s partner on the rings, a dark man in black going by the rather odd name of Mickey. Or was it Ricky? 

The intermission provides Donna with the time to introduce James to other potential candidates – she cringes at the word choice – but when she turns to her brother, he’s disappeared from the box. Donna slips out of the box unnoticed and hurries to backstage where she thinks she’ll find James. Tip-toeing down the hall, she stops outside the door marked ‘Bad Wolf’ and rests her ear against the wood. 

“You’re brilliant, Rose,” James says, his voice breathless with excitement. 

There’s the soft sound of smacking, something like kissing, and Donna’s eyes widen. 

“Yeah?” the woman asks. “But clearly still not brilliant enough to be at your side. To be your wife.”

Donna’s mouth falls open.

“Rose, I–” His voice is strangled with regret.

“Three years, James. Three years I’ve hid from guards, your family, your sister. Even Jack hasn’t figured it out, and he’s my mate, too. I’m tired of hiding, James. I don’t want to be ashamed of our– Of what we have. I’m not just a cheap dancer from the estates. I’m the bloody Bad Wolf, an’ if–”

Her declaration is stopped suddenly, her voice muffled as though being kissed, and Donna decides to make her presence known. 

“Fancy meeting you here, brother dearest.” Donna says as she opens the door with a flourish and strides in with confidence. She smirks as James and Rose squeak loudly and jump apart, and she’s pleased to note their hands remain twined together. 

For a moment, Donna watches her brother and… Rose. They’re breathtaking, really, their chosen outfits a perfect complement together, silver and blue and blue and silver. James looks happy and at ease in a way she’s never seen him before, even with the clear tension she’d heard between the two moments before. Rose looks at Donna with a fierce expression, as though she’s daring her to contradict what she sees in front of her. 

Donna steps forward and extends her hand. “I’m Donna Noble,” she says, and Rose takes the offered hand but dips into a curtsey at the same time. “No need for that, Rose. Your name is Rose, yes? I heard you talking behind the door.”

James pales slightly and raises a hand to tug on his earlobe. The daft git gives himself away every time. 

Blushing, Rose glances quickly at James before turning her attention to Donna. “Yeah, ‘m Rose. Rose Tyler. Your brother and I…”

“I figured it out. Three years is a long time for a secret relationship. I’m surprised none of the rags have figured it out. I’m surprised Jack hasn’t figured it out.”

Rose snorts. “Who cares about the traveling circus? We’re just a bunch of chavs from the estates, yeah? It’s easy to hide when you can disappear one day and show up in a different land the next.”

Donna cuts to the chase. “Rose, do you love James?”

Rose’s eyes widen in shock, but after a moment, a look of steely resolve crosses her face, and she turns to James. “Yeah. Yeah, I do. I love him.”

Turning to her brother, who is staring at Rose with a look of such adoration she almost wants to gag, Donna asks, “And you, James?”

James fixes Donna with a look of pure terror, but when Rose’s thumb gently traces a circle over his, a movement which Donna doesn’t miss, he visibly relaxes. “Yes.” He pauses, turning to Rose and cups her cheek gently in his hand. “Rose Tyler…”

A fist bangs on the door, startling all three occupants from the emotionally charged moment. “5 minute call!” a voice shouts on the other side. 

James huffs, rakes his hand through his hair, looks to Donna, who nods in encouragement, and turns back to Rose. “If it’s my last chance to say it before curtain call…” He takes a deep breath. “Rose Tyler, I love you.”

A tear streams down Rose’s cheek, and Donna blinks quickly to stop her own tears from escaping.

“Do you want to marry?” Donna asks without preamble. 

Both Rose and James stare. 

“Well?” she asks.

They both stammer yesses.

“Don’t sound too excited about it, either of you,” Donna says with a roll of her eyes. That happens a lot when James is involved. 

“But Donna,” James starts, but Donna waves her hand to cut him off. 

“I’ll make it possible,” she says. 

“How?” Rose whispers, her eyes alight with hope. 

Donna smirks and puts a hand on her waist. “Rose Tyler, I’m Donna-bloody-Noble. I’ll make it happen. Do you have an invitation to the gala later?” At Rose’s nod, she continues. “Be there. Don’t be late.”

*

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