Oh-ho, The Mistletoe!

"Oof!" The Doctor exclaimed as he smacked into a railing on the way up to Jackie Tyler's flat.

"Careful! It took me hours to wrap those and I'll not have you ruining mum and Mickey's gifts by walking into things or falling down the stairs." Rose scolded as she walked up behind him.

"Well excuse me if I can't see over this armful of boxes you've piled upon me." He grumbled from behind his gift mountain. "How come you're only carrying three small bags?"

"Because you're bigger on the inside pockets are carrying the rest." She said cheerfully though her scarf. The Doctor could hear her smile even though he couldn't see it.

"You're lucky it's Christmas, Rose Tyler."

"Yet another reason I have to be thankful for having a Timelord as my best friend."

"Besides the fact that I saved your life the day I meet you. Are we to your mum's flat yet?"

"Have you run into a pillar yet?"

"No-Ow!-Yes."

"Good. Then move over so I can knock." They shifted so that Rose could knock on the door and bring relief from the chilly air. "Mum! It's me and the Doc! Let us in. Its cold out here."

There was no answer. Rose knocked again. Still no answer.

"Call her cell." The Doctor suggested shifting the boxes in an attempt to return feeling to his fingers. Rose fished out her phone and called.

"Mum? Where are you?"

"Doing some last minute shopping. Where are you?"

"Outside your flat."

"Oh! Well I've still got a bit to do. I wasn't excepting you so early."

"Don't worry. I let myself in."

"Bye see you soon."

"Bye mum." She hung up and turned back to the boxes next to her. "Doctor can you sonic the door?"

"I can't really reach my pockets right now. Don't you have a key?"

"Left it in my room back home."

"On the TARDIS?"

"Didn't I just say that?"

"No. I mean yeah. Its just..."

"What?"

"You called the TARDIS home." He blushed and grinned broadly, glad that there was a box in front of his face. Rose did the same and changed the subject.

"Don't worry I know where mum hides the spare key." Rose reached up and grabbed the key from the top of the window. She slipped it into the lock and threw open the door, glad to be warmed. She put her bags down in the hallway and turned back to the doorway. She grabbed the boxes from the Doctor one by one and stacked them next to the bags.

"Rose?" The Doctor questioned. Rose turned around to find the Doctor starring straight up.

"What?" She asked going back over to stand by him.

"Why has your mother tacked a sprig of mistletoe to her door frame? Is she excepting trouble from a rouge pack of werewolves?" Rose's eyebrows shot up in surprise and she looked up at what was in fact a bit of mistletoe hanging above them.

"Oh! Its a Christmas tradition." She explained, blushing pink. "Surely you've been visiting Earth long enough to know what mistletoe is meant for."

"No. I have no idea, honest! Would you care to enlighten me, Rose Tyler?"

"Its nothing." She dismissed.

"Well obviously its something."

"Its not important."

"Aw come on. You know I love learning all your quirky ape traditions."

"Well it's just, that if a man and a woman are caught standing under mistletoe they're supposed to…" Rose mumbled an explanation and eventually trailed off embarrassed.

"Well, I suppose we count don't we? I'm a man, more or less, and you're a woman, right?" Rose giggled and punched his arm.

"I hope you were kidding." The Doctor smirked before continuing.

"So if it's a tradition and we fit the requirements what are we supposed to do?"

"We…" She trailed off again wishing she hadn't taken off her scarf when she had entered the flat. She could see it now, sitting on the couch lazily, mocking her. At least Rose could blame her flushed cheeks on the chilly December air.

"We?" The Doctor encouraged, leaning closer to her so the frost of their breath mingled. He was beginning to realize where this might be going and after months of scolding himself for entertaining thoughts on the subject, the Doctor saw no harm in a free kiss that provided them both with an excuse.

Rose bit her lip as the Doctor moved closer and she found herself having trouble focusing on anything other than his lips. She was beginning to think that maybe this wasn't such a bad idea after all.

"We…" She tried again and again failed. Rose instead found herself leaning even closer to the Doctor.

"Hmmm?"

Then she kissed him. It was hesitant but a good solid kiss. She wasn't timid in the way she pulled him to her by his coat lapels and pressed her lips to his. The Doctor's eyebrows shot up and he resisted the urge to moan in happiness. He had imagined kissing Rose like this since Cassandra had snogged him on New Earth nearly a year earlier. And now here she was kissing him, her mind clearly her own, because she was beginning to pull away.

The Doctor wasn't having that. He wrapped his arms around her waist pulling her closer. Rose gasped in surprise and the Doctor swallowed it greedily, deepening the kiss. That's when Rose gave in. Her eyes fell closed and she slipped her arms up and snaked them around his neck, one hand finding its way to his head to play with his hair.

She had watched him enviously many times as he ran his fingers through his hair in thought. It was through her fingers that the silky strands slid now. He sucked playfully at her bottom lip and a soft moan escaped her covered lips. They broke apart when a loud whistle startled them.

"Oi, Mate!" A drunken bloke called from down below them on the street called up to them, "It's Christmas, the season of Giving! Why don't you share with 'er me, eh?" The Doctor's eyebrows scrunched in anger and he let out a growl. The guy was drunk, so he could cut him a bit of slack, but he had no right to make implications about Rose's ability to 'give'. He turned and leaned over the railing.

"Oi, Mate!" He called back mockingly, "It's Christmas! Why don't you ask Santa to bring you a brain?" The guys flipped him off and sauntered away drunkenly, while the Doctor smirked. Then his smirk fell as he realized that normally Rose would be giggling right now and making some comment that would cause him to laugh and grab her hand to pull her inside with, but there was silence. He turned back to an empty doorway. Rose had taken the opportunity of the Doctor's distraction to make a hasty retreat inside to collect her millions of thoughts, regain her ability to speak, and make some well-deserved tea. The Doctor's only thought: Damn.

Author Note: Okay…so this is a tad bit late, but I couldn't go with out a Christmas Fanfiction…especially when there is mistletoe involved. The title is obviously a line from the Christmas carol "Holly Jolly Christmas" or some such song.