Disclaimer: I do not own any pieces of the Doctor Who franchise.
Well, we're finally at the end here. Last chapter. Thanks once again for taking the time to read this story and sending some reviews my way. I was glad to try something new for a change and I'm hoping to write more stories here in the future. It was a lot of fun. Enjoy. :)
Rose and the Doctor stood outside of Pete's mansion staring up at the sky.
"You know, I think I like this approach a bit better than the usual dangerous situations we ended up in," the Doctor said breaking the silence.
"Really?" Rose asked a bit surprised.
He paused for a beat. "Nah, I liked it better before being all hands on. I guess though, being human and all, this was a slightly better approach. Didn't exactly get hurt."
Rose walked towards the house while the Doctor continued looking up. "You gonna come in?" she asked.
"In a minute."
The Doctor put his hands in his pockets and looked all around. He took in the sight of several zeppelins slowly zooming across the sky.
"Not much the same, not so different," he murmured.
Can't feel the planet turning beneath his feet. A bit too quiet. It was a bit odd, yes but also a bit wonderful. He finally felt once again like he belonged somewhere. With the Tyler's and Jake and their Torchwood. And Rose well, especially Rose. Reaching into his pocket he removed the tiny velvet box and opened it. It wasn't a ring; he wasn't really ready for that step yet. When he snuck over to the Tyler mansion one evening while Rose was working a late night shift, he told Jackie about his dilemma in finding Rose a proper gift for the holidays. He and Jackie managed to put all animosity aside and go shopping together. Jackie was the one who spotted it first. It was a simple gold stemmed and outlined rose shaped pin with little red stained glass petals and green leaves.
"Looks just like the one my Mum bought for her when she was born. Oh, Rose really loved it; wore it just about every day from nursery school on till she was thirteen. Then she sort of grew out of it. She kept it in a special box though, right next to her bed."
"Are you sure she'd like it?" he'd asked when they handed it to him.
"I'm sure she'd love it."
The Doctor, with an extra spring in his step, walked inside the mansion just in time for all of the women to wake up, safe and sound.
Christmas morning arrived and Rose had invited the Doctor to spend the night at the mansion. After putting his gift into the pocket of his robe, he stumbled down the stairs a little after seven to find Tony and Pete sitting at the breakfast table. Pete was nursing a cup of tea while Tony was noisily making his way through a bowl of cereal.
"Merry Christmas," the Doctor said jovially as he walked over to the teapot on the stove.
"Merry Christmas Jon," Pete said smiling.
"Mer' Chrismas," Tony said with food still in his mouth.
"You'd better swallow before you talk otherwise you'll choke," the Doctor said taking a seat.
He and Pete talked quietly while watching the child finish his food before the Doctor brought Tony into the lounge so Pete could "make sure Santa came." There the Doctor attempted to play Drum Hero while Tony watched. Currently Pete had the highest score and the Doctor was determined to beat it by New Years. Jackie blearily walked down the stairs and gave both of them a kiss on the top of the head (the Doctor wiping it a second later) and went to find her husband and a nice cup of tea and toast. Five minutes after that, Rose stumbled down as well.
"Merry Christmas," she said, kissing Tony and giving the Doctor a hug.
"He still hasn't beaten it yet!" Tony said grinning.
"Later, I'm taking this thing apart. It's broken," the Doctor said fighting the urge to throw it across the far wall.
"Why don't you see if Mum and Dad are ready yet Bro," Rose said practically pushing her brother out the door.
"Getting rid of your brother so soon?" the Doctor asked with his usual easy grin.
"He's only five; it's his childly right to enjoy the coming of Father Christmas."
"Shouldn't we go join him then? This is my first Christmas after all. Well, first as a fully formed human being anyway rather than just, you know, a hand."
Rose tried her hardest not to laugh as she pulled him along to the other room where Tony was already eagerly going through his rather large pile of wrapped gifts. When he was finished and playing with a model plane, it was the adult's turn. Pete and Rose gave Jackie a framed picture of Rose and Tony that they posed for a few weeks earlier. Pete's own gift was a smaller copy for his desk at the office. Jackie was for once speechless. Jackie then gave Pete some cologne he liked. Jackie and Pete then gave both the Doctor and Rose a surprise.
"Tickets by zeppelin, anywhere you want. During the nicer months of course," Jackie said.
"Oh Mum; thank you so much," Rose said giving her and Pete a hug at the same time. The Doctor stood and shook Pete's hand and, most surprisingly gave Jackie a kiss on the cheek.
"My turn," Rose said. She handed the Doctor a large wrapped box with a red bow on top.
Much like Tony had earlier, the Doctor eagerly ripped through the wrapping like a small child.
"Now it isn't exactly the same but I have to say it is rather similar," she said as he opened the lid.
Inside lay a long wool coat almost exactly the same as the one he owned before save for the fact that this one was rich black rather than brown.
"This was the coat that the Janis Joplin wore in this world. I saw that it was being auctioned off and placed a bid."
The Doctor stood, took off his robe and put the new coat on instead.
"Do you like it?"
"I love it. Rose it's so wizard!"
He gave her a tight hug and happily put his hands in his new pockets, clearly enjoying the absolute feel of it being on him once again. Jackie gave a soft cough and the Doctor realized everyone was looking at him, especially Jackie.
"Right," the Doctor said, retrieving his robe and searching through the pockets until he found the little box. "Merry Christmas Rose," the Doctor said handing it to her gently.
Rose opened it and gasped. "How did you-?"
"A little bird helped me."
Rather than say anything at all, Rose pinned the rose on her pajama top, stood up and walked over to the Doctor giving him a passionate kiss which he easily reciprocated. Pete stood and began to walk away in order to give them a moment; he practically needed to pull Jackie out the door with him.
When Rose pulled away, she laid her head in the crook of his neck and looked out the far window. She gasped and the Doctor turned and looked as well.
"Is that-?" he asked.
The Doctor couldn't finish however because Rose ran to the front door and pulled it open.
"It is; it's snowing! Real proper snow."
The Doctor laughed and stood behind her. He put his arm around her waist and leaned down giving her a kiss on the cheek.
"Merry Christmas Rose," he said again.
"Merry Christmas Doctor."