Comments | dtstrainers: To Die, To Sleep - To Sleep, Perchance to Dream

dtstrainers

To Die, To Sleep - To Sleep, Perchance to Dream

Mar 12, 2015 10:46

To Die, To Sleep - To Sleep, Perchance to Dream
A prequel of sorts, a bit of character background for my Donna Noble in An Officer and the Noble Woman

Author: dtstrainers
Characters: Donna Noble and, by implication, the Tenth Doctor
Rating: GWord Count: a piteous 945
Disclaimer: Donna Noble and the Tenth Doctor- not mine, but in my mind ( Read more... )

an officer and the noble woman, prequel, ansgt, doctor who, fanfic, donna noble

Comments 12

tkel_paris March 12 2015, 17:04:21 UTC

*whimpers* Wow. Ouch. No wonder she and Shaun didn't make it. And she has instincts about what she might need... which could make for one heck of a final confrontation.

I can't wait for more from this series! So glad you posted! I'm speechless.

dtstrainers March 13 2015, 02:14:32 UTC

I'm glad you liked it. I wrote this ages ago but never used it, but I'm glad I found it again. Donna was severely damaged by what Ten felt he had to do to save her, but I hope this shows how she's been able to begin healing with Peter in her life.

As always, you are too kind and I appreciate your support. You're always one of the first to comment when I post and it keeps me writing.

dm12 March 12 2015, 19:11:13 UTC

Definitely "ouch!" I almost feel bad for Shaun, not knowing what was happening or why. I can understand him eventually leaving because of his fear (and probably because of what he's sensing of her dreams, that he isn't the one she dreams about). On the other hand, I can see why she gravitated to Carlisle initially.

Her dreams were so vivid, and that regeneration energy surrounding her every night... it's like instinct telling her where she should be, should have been. It's like a gentle blanket surrounding her.

She's living what used to be her dream. Money, a huge house, a husband, but knows something is off.

You keep making me weep... for Ten, for Eleven, and for Donna. Even as I am so angry at the Doctor for what he did, it cost him so much as well.

*sob!*

dtstrainers March 13 2015, 04:06:44 UTC

Our dreams change as we grow and mature, and what once would have seemed like heaven can become a trap. I think Donna's character evolution would have been deeper and more lasting and I think that, based on the fact that her subconscious was fighting the Master's plot in EOT, she wouldn't settle for a mundane lie. I think her mind is fighting for something meaningful and she'll find it or die in the attempt.

I wrote this as sort of a prequel and meant to use it as part of the proper narrative of An Officer and the Noble Woman at one point, but it just didn't fit. It's meant to be about September of 2010, about 6 months into Donna's marriage, since in my narrative, Shaun and Donna only stayed together a year. I think I'm going to have to write a companion piece to show where Peter is at the same time this is happening.

Thanks, as always, for taking time to read, much less comment. It is appreciated.

shyfoxling March 12 2015, 23:00:25 UTC

And yeah, that title.... 'cos that's not pretensious AT ALL....

well DT did do Hamlet a while back so that makes it legit right

*shrugs and laughs*

dtstrainers March 13 2015, 04:18:08 UTC

Shyfoxling, thanks for reading and even more for commenting. I don't remember seeing you in my neck of the woods before and I hope you enjoyed this.

Good point, there, about Hamlet and probably why I know the line so well. I have a lot to thank DT for, not least of all his continuing theatre work which has brought me back to one of my first loves, Shakespeare.

So yeah, it fits, since DT was Hamlet, but I still feel strange appropriating it as a title.

Sure, Peter quotes Shakespeare all the time to Donna in my main story, but somehow, that's feels different and OK, even though, for the life of me, I can't construct a coherent argument as to why that is.

shyfoxling March 13 2015, 04:34:19 UTC

It was linked to by who_daily. I must confess, I didn't read the ficlet, only the title; when I saw it was attached to a much longer work, I bookmarked "An Officer and the Noble Woman" to work on later (it takes me a long time to read long fic, though). I just happened to have recently watched Hamlet so I thought I would be silly. Sorry for barging in *blushes*

dtstrainers March 13 2015, 11:52:36 UTC

Hey, no need to blush, especially if you haven't read Officer! It's a beast I just can't stop writing and there are some explicitly NSFW passages there. Thanks for taking the time to comment and for letting me know this had been linked and I hope to see you around.

serenityslady March 13 2015, 20:31:20 UTC

Now that my eyes have returned to their normal pupil size, I can actually re-read and comment on this lovely, wonderful gift you have given us.

She could see him reaching out for her, and the arm he extended in mute desperation strobed madly, flashing brown one moment and blue the next.
What an image this was. I am trying to decide if she was seeing Ten in his two suits, or Ten and TenII. Either would work, being a dream and all, but something in me likes the two Doctors.

Standing in the middle of it all, a dark blue anchor in a typhoon, a claustrophobically cavernous safe haven in the storm, was a box.
Another gorgeous picture. And "claustrophbically cavernous" . That really does describe the TARDIS. SHE is both intimate and expansive.

He stood in front of her, an island of anguished calm in the howling madness
"Anguished calm". That so accurately describes our dear Ten to a T. He feels so much, all the time, but will not show that face to many. And so few have ever looked past the facade. Donna's "Is all right special ( ... )

dtstrainers March 14 2015, 20:47:05 UTC

Thank you so much for your comments. I seriously just was going back through some drabbles I'd never posted and found this backstory I'd written some time ago. I've started on a companion piece from Peter's point of view, and surprisingly, it's coming along pretty quickly (based on my typical writing pace, anyway ( ... )

sykira March 22 2015, 02:40:27 UTC

*makes mournful whale noises*

Owie, this breaks my heart for Donna all over again *meep*

Beautifully crafted, as always. You convey so much in so few words, leaving me both envious, and sniffling. It's refreshing too to read plausible marriage breakdown narratives that don't vilify Shaun (though I'd be the first to do so) It's mature and sadly calm to read this one version in which neither party is to blame.

>>I've started on a companion piece from Peter's point of view>>

Oh yes pls!

dtstrainers March 23 2015, 13:43:59 UTC

Oh, this is high praise, indeed, coming from you. You were one of the first authors I started following and someone I consider a master of composing gorgeous images with words.

Shaun: poor, sweet, Earth-bound Shaun. His head may be in the clouds, but he could never give Donna the stars she craves. I know that Donna may have had her memories wiped away, but RTD all but screamed in EOT that she had permanently changed as a result of her travels. She couldn't remain superficial, and she needs someone to challenge her and push her forward. Donna probably wouldn't have been happy in reality with Lee, even, in the long run. And there's nothing on Earth- literally- that would prepare Shaun for what happened to Donna.

As for Peter, that poor man has some serious baggage of his own to toss in the closet and hope to forget. I've got all the details worked out and am now just putting them in place. Hope to have it ready to post soon.

Thanks for continuing to read and comment.