Mistletoe

The Doctor was looking at the console screen, trying to decide where to take Rose next. Suddenly, he heard a rumble throughout the Tardis and felt a strong heat overwhelm his ship. It happened so quickly and was so thick around him that he shook off his leather jacket and placed it on the railing next to him.

"Doctor, what was that noise?"

He turned around to see his young companion under the archway, her brow fixed in a confused expression.

"I don't know, it just…happened," he said, rather confused as well. It was so odd to not know the answer to a question.

Rose leaned against the wall.

"Doesn't feel like Christmas, does it."

It was more of a statement than a question.

"Oh, it's Christmas, Rose. Of course it is," he heard his voice sound so uncharacteristically low and husky. Things like Christmas wouldn't have mattered much to him before…since the War that is…but since meeting Rose, she showed him how to live again. How to feel.

She smiled at him, that smile that made his hands tremble and his hearts race. "But it's not even cold."

He slowly walked over to her. The Doctor felt unusually bare in his green jumper without his jacket. His shield was down, but hadn't it been down since he met her?

"It doesn't need to be cold to be Christmas," he explained, "Christmas is about friendship, family and caring…it's about candy canes and a jolly fat man who rides a sleigh." He smiled down at her. His hand itched, he wanted to touch her. But he didn't.

Rose reached out to him, placing her hands on his arms. "Don't forget, it's also about the stars and the planets, smiles and hand holding and a Tardis decorated in lights and tinsel." Her tongue pushed against her teeth, mesmerizing the Doctor.

The Tardis rumbled once more, shaking the walls suddenly.

Rose gripped the Doctor a little tighter, idly enjoying the feeling of her hands on his jumper and not the usual heavy jacket.

"What was that?" she whispered.

The Doctor, quite unable to move from where Rose was gripping him so, looked around. After scanning the room, he finally looked up above them and chuckled.

"What?" asked Rose and followed his line of sight above them.

There, right above and between them, was a simple and beautiful strand of mistletoe.

"Rose, if you wanted to see my moves, you just had to ask," chuckled the Doctor, teasing her.

Rose felt the blood rush to her cheeks, "It wasn't me Doctor."

The Doctor frowned slightly, but didn't move.

"The Tardis is getting cheeky apparently."

Believing that the fervor of the moment had left for the moment, he made to leave back to the console area to check on his ship. But then he felt Rose's grip tighten through his jumper. He turned back to her, a million questions in his crystal blue eyes.

Rose couldn't stand the intensity and questioning and she looked down, refusing to back down but still too nervous to confront it head on.

"Rose?" his voice was thick with something that Rose had only dreamed of. At least, she thought it was. Maybe she was imagining things.

"Well," her voice was shaky, "it is tradition, Doctor." She was afraid to look up at him, afraid that he'd reject her, terrified that he'd regret ever picking her up in the first place.

She felt his fingertips under her chin, pulling her up to meet his eyes.

The Doctor didn't say a word, but his eyes spoke volumes. Rose felt she was dreaming, but none of her dreams had ever felt this real.

He inched closer to her and while she remained frozen in fear…fear that all of a sudden, he'd pull back and ask her to forget this.

She couldn't forget this.

Finally, she felt the warmth of his lips on hers and melted. His lips touched hers so softly – it was a caress. The kiss was a prayer on their lips. They moved sweetly and achingly slow in the most natural way. It felt as if they had always been doing this…like it should have always been this way.

Rose felt the Doctor's hands circle around her waist, crushing her gently to him. Her hands found their way from his arms to the back of his neck, keeping his lips just where they ought to be.

Much too soon, their lips parted, but their faces remained close.

"Merry Christmas, Doctor?" her simple wish turned into a silent question, a pleading of sorts.

The Doctor smiled. A smile meant only for this one very extraordinary human girl. He dipped his head slightly to reach her lips. This kiss was different. It was fire and stars bursting and explosions.

Fireworks.

They separated once more. Rose attempted to catch her breath, but there was no hope in slowing down her heart.

"Merry Christmas Rose," three words, but in between them the answers to so many questions.

She smiled, more confidently now, and reached for his lips.

The Tardis vibrated with happiness.

Okay, so I didn't make it on time for Christmas Eve, so consider this a Christmas present!

Don't tear up too badly during the Tenth Doctor's next to last episode.

Who am I kidding? I'll be bawling.

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!