Title: "She Found a Way"

Author: Wish Wielder

Fandom: Doctor Who

Pairing / Character Focus: Jackie Tyler / Implied Doctor x Rose

Challenge: N/A

Theme / Prompt: N/A

Word Count: 459

Rating: K / G

Summary: It's the third Christmas Jackie's spent not knowing where Rose is, the second where she's not even sure she'll ever get her back, and the first where she doesn't really want to.

Notes: That Spoiler pertaining to the S4 cast (but, of course, the rest of it is pure speculation). Pete's World.

Disclaimer: "Doctor Who" and all respective properties are © the BBC. Megan D. (Wish Wielder) does not, has never, nor will ever own "Doctor Who".

"She Found a Way"

In her mind, Jackie Tyler is back four Christmases ago. She is not in her expansive closet, sitting near the center wrapping presents for Pete and Mattie and Rose and Mickey and Jake. She's not even really wrapping anymore, her hands stilled over the light blue top she had planned to give Rose. The paper shines and the ribbons glitter, and the display of lights takes her back through time and across the Void to the second Christmas she spent not knowing where her baby girl was.

It was hard enough the first year, when they had thought her dead in some back alley somewhere. The next year was easier, but still hard. She at least had an idea of where Rose was that year – even if it was a vague shot in the future, surrounded by danger and all because of him. She thinks that maybe, on that particular Christmas Eve, the best present she received came in the form of a familiar vrwoop vrwoop vrwoop-ing filling the morning air. She still wasn't fond of the mysterious Doctor Rose had taken to travelling with, but at least he had brought her home – and relatively safe, if not a bit mentally scarred.

So she's glad, in a way, that she at least got three Christmases on this parallel world with her daughter. Because even if Rose has immersed herself in Torchwood and aliens and defending the Earth the whole year long, she still gives her Christmas. Except for this year, but she is all right with that. She just wishes she knew where she was now. Three years of research and work is a long time, but it felt like nothing compared to the three weeks since Rose first tried to cross the Void. She had been worried then, and it's worse now. She might be ok with it if she could just get some word that Rose was at least safe, and preferably with the Doctor.

She's so lost in her thoughts she almost misses the ringing by her side. She pauses before grabbing her phone, recognizing the tune set to go off if the message was coming from Rose's phone. Her smile softens at the music, a song released the previous Christmas that Rose had taken a particular shine to – even if she had changed the words just a bit.

"Beg, borrow or steal, I'll find a way to be with my Doctor next Christmas day. And I'll run and I'll roam, I'll cover the ground – next Christmas I'll see him, I'll be around."

She flips open the phone and laughs at the simple text, but for Jackie it's just as comforting as the old wheezing sound.

'Christmas Slaps' do not exist and are not loved. Dr.

A.n.: 2AM plunnies are evil, I tell ya'. Inspired by myxsecretxside's "hug" (on Ehl Jay).