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The warm comforting hum of the Tardis reverberated in his chest. An almost hug. It was her way of telling them she was glad they were back. The Doctor patted her console in a return gesture.
A question buzzed at the back of his brain. "Donna, what did you mean 'it was always close to the surface?'"
She looked up at him from the other side of the console. "What?"
"Earlier, when we were talking about Isaac Newton, you said-"
"Oh right, that." Donna moved closer to him. "Don't take this the wrong way, but it wasn't much of a surprise that you might fancy men."
"Really?" The Doctor leaned over to casually flick a few switches. "Was to me."
Donna leaned closer to study his face. "Really? You didn't know?"
"I didn't fancy anyone. Well, not like you do. This is the first time I've ever really noticed."
"So what," Donna asked. "This is your first time being attracted to men? You're sexuality can just change between regenerations? Same face, new orientation."
The Doctor rubbed the back of his neck. "Yes and no. I've been emotionally close with people, men and women and otherwise inclined. There've been men who I loved. Really properly loved. I've even had what you might concider a crush, but I've never really." He waved a hand vaguely in the air. "I've never noticed, not with a stranger anyway."
"What d'you mean? What's that like?" Donna asked as she set a hand on his arm.
"It does vary, from one regeneration to the next. How I feel. If I'm attracted to people or how much. Sometimes not at all. Sometimes I'm repulsed by the idea of it. Other times if I know them, love them, well enough, I can feel proper sexual attraction. Last time I had this face I was only really there for Rose. My Rose. Before that, I was more open, more fluid. When I was Bowtie and Scarf and when I was a woman, I could if I really knew a person. This time though..."
"This time you thought Isaac Newton was cute." Donna said with a laugh.
"Yes!" The Doctor turned to her. "I had butterflies! I never get butterflies. I wanted to blush and giggle about it. I've not wanted to do that about anyone since, well, before I left Gallifrey."
"Really?" Donna asked dramatically with a gasp and a laugh.
"Yeah," the Doctor responded matching her tone. It was so easy to fall back into step with her, even after so many years.
"Alright then, who? Who was it?" She moved to hold his arm.
He tried half-heartedly to shove her off. "Really, it's not that interesting. It's not like you'd recognize any names."
"Oh, but it is, though." Donna laughed. "It's your first crush in, what, a thousand years?"
"Two."
"What?" Donna asked, still smiling.
"Two thousand years, give or take."
Her smile dropped. "I'm sorry."
The Doctor went back to fiddling with nobs and switches on the Tardis console with one hand, the other still trapped in her grasp. "It's alright."
She set her hand on top of his. "I missed you. I'd forgotten how long it's been."
He looked at her then. He saw how much she'd changed and how much she'd stayed the same. The lines on her face had changed but her eyes stayed the same. He realized he could no longer stand to see grief in those eyes. His hearts had been scraped raw by time or by loving her. He mumbled the answer under his breath.
She looked up at him from where she'd leaned against his shoulder. "What?"
"I said, 'the Master.' It was the Master. Not that he was called that back then. Was he a 'he?' I'm pretty sure. Doesn't really matter. Not that it turned out well."
"Oh my God!" She hit him in the shoulder. "You sure know how to pick 'em, don't you?"
"I'll have you know, that I actually do. I was married, more than once, and never to him. I was at least smart enough for that."
"Oh, Doctor." She leaned against him again with a chuckle. "At least good old Isaac back there won't end as badly as the last one, eh?"
"Don't tempt fate, Donna." The Doctor laughed and leaned against her in turn. "Don't tempt fate. I don't know what I'd do if I had Isaac Newton for an arch nemesis."
"Could you imagine, pretty boy like that, tryin' to destroy the world?"
"Yes. They were always beautiful to me," the Doctor said under his breath.
"What was that?"
"Let's get you home. Shaun and Rose will be waiting. Let's get back to them so you can all have a laugh at my new experiences together."
"Oh, Doctor" Donna sighed. "Who'd have thought, after two thousand years of time and space, there'd still be something new out there for you."
He grinned. "Well that's why I do it. Always on to the next adventure."