Christmas Day 2006

"Then you'll never guess what Maria did, she went right up to him, grabbed the book out of his hand and said, 'Excuse me, sir, but if I needed your help I would have asked for it, thank you very much,' and then she stomped right on his foot and marched away." Luke said as he helped his mum put away the after Christmas dishes.

Sarah Jane laughed, "That doesn't sound like Maria."

"She did." Luke said, "The shop owner got so angry, he told us if we were going to start fights we couldn't come back there anymore."

"You really shouldn't be getting yourself kicked out of shops." Sarah Jane said, smiling despite her entertained disapproval.

"Tell that to her, not me." said Luke, putting away one dish and starting to dry another one. Sarah Jane just rolled her eyes.

Then the door burst open.

"LUKE!" a voice yelled, "SARAH JANE! Come outside!" Luke and his mother exchanged looks then put the dishes down and ran to the door. Maria was standing in it, her coat wrapped around her, excitement in her eyes. "It's snowing!" She announced.

Sarah Jane stepped outside. "It is." she said, surprised. Luke looked amazed.

"Snow is good?" Luke asked.

"YES!" Maria laughed, "Very good!"

A flake fell on Luke's face and he pulled away, "It's colder than I thought it would be." Sarah Jane laughed and ruffled his messy hair.

"Come on, get your coat." Maria prompted. Luke obeyed and the two kids ran out into the yard. Sarah Jane followed, waving to Alan from across the street. All up and down Bannerman Road, kids and adults alike were coming out to play in the snow. Clyde came running down the street; Carla bundled up right behind him. Clyde joined in a snowball fight that Maria and Luke started. Snowflakes clung to all of their dark hair.

Sarah Jane looked over; a tall man with a long brown coat was leaning against a blue phone box. He waved at her. Sarah Jane ran over to him.

"Doctor!" she said, hugging him.

"Hello, Sarah." he replied.

"Was this you?" she asked, indicating the falling snow.

"Yeeeeah," he said, "I figured London could use some Christmas cheer."

Sarah Jane smiled. "It's wonderful." she said. Then she got solemn, "I read about Canary Wharf…about Rose, I'm sorry. Are you doing okay?"

The Doctor's eye's were sad and hollow didn't answer. She'd noticed the last time she'd seen him that this regeneration doesn't like to talk about things that hurt him, instead he just changed the subject. "The bigger question is," he said, "Who's that boy?"

"My son." Sarah Jane told him, "I adopted him. It's a long story; do you want to come inside?"

"Nah," the Doctor said, "I'm just passing and figured I'd say hi."

"I'm glad you did," she told him. "Do you need anything?" They both knew she was still talking about Rose.

The Doctor gave a sad smile. "No, I'd better get going."

"Doctor…"

"Merry Christmas, Sarah Jane." the Doctor said.

He turned and went back into the TARDIS. There was a wheezing and he was gone. Sarah Jane turned back to her life on Bannerman Road. This was not the time to be sad. Kids were laughing and playing, couples were kissing, parents were smiling at their families. In Maria's driveway, Clyde and Luke had teamed up against Maria and were trying to throw her into a snow pile they had built up. Sarah Jane smiled. Life went on. Life would always go on.