A/N: Ok so I had quite a few people asking me to continue this so this is very definately the end. Hope you enjoyed a fantastic Christmas.
Christmas Cheer Part 2
Rose sighed as her mum asked when she'd be home again for what seemed like the millionth time. "I dunno, mum. You know the Doctor. Time keeping isn't really his strong point."
"Did you ever find out why he was decorating everything with Christmas lights?"
"Yeah. Something about wanting to give me a proper Christmas. You know without the alien invasion and stuff."
"Oh, well that's nice."
"What?"
"What?" Jackie pulled her most innocent face.
"Why'd you say it like that?"
"Like what?"
"Like you want to say something else but decided not to."
"Dunno what you mean." Jackie told her, heading for the kitchen.
"You never say, 'oh, well that's nice' without a 'but' after it." Rose told her following.
"You're just being paranoid." She busied herself with some washing up.
Rose was about to ask more questions when her phone rang.
"Is that Mickey?"
"No, it's the TARDIS." Rose frowned. "Hello?"
"Only me." The Doctor's voice came through the speaker. "Hope you haven't gobbled down too much, got a big dinner tonight."
"Dinner? Where?"
"Where do you think? Here of course."
"In the TARDIS?"
"Why do you say it like it's a foreign concept?"
"Well, it's just when you say big dinner, the TARDIS kitchen isn't exactly well stocked."
"If you're not hungry it's ok."
She could hear the disappointment in his voice and instantly felt guilty. "What we having?"
"It's a surprise!"
"Have you been drinking again?"
"Not at all! What an impertinent question! Be here in an hour. Oh and bring your mother and Mickey if ya like. I think I've cooked too much."
"You've cooked?!"
Jackie looked up at her daughter in surprise.
"Where did you think it was coming from? Rose, I've got to go the potatoes are boiling. One hour!" With that he hung up.
"What was all that about?" Jackie asked.
"The Doctor's invited us all to dinner. Me, you and Mickey. Says he's cooked."
"Is he any good?" Jackie handed her daughter a tea cloth.
"Dunno he's never cooked for me before. We usually go out for dinner or just eat whatever the TARDIS cooks up." Rose took a cup from the draining board and absently wiped it over.
"And he's invited us all?"
"Yep."
"I think that bang on the head did more damage than you thought."
XxXxX
"Well whatever it is it smells great!" Mickey sniffed the air as he stepped into the TARDIS.
"Smells like roast dinner." Jackie said.
"Roast turkey to be exact." The Doctor told them stepping into control room, untying his apron. "And you lot are early." He threw the apron at Rose and smiled as it landed on her head.
"Oi!"
"Come on you, take a seat." He led the way to the dining room.
"Never seen this room before." Rose said taking a seat.
"Well you know the TARDIS, always changing to suit every occasion. Won't be a minute." He darted out of the room leaving his guests in a stunned silence.
Gazing round Rose couldn't help but smile. There were fairy lights and candles all over the room and a faint aroma of cinnamon. The table was set with a deep red cloth with holly and mistletoe sprinkled down the centre and at either end there was a tall church candle.
"No starters I'm afraid folks. I sort of forgot that bit." The Doctor announced carrying a turkey to the table. But there's plenty of trimmings and vegetables to go round. Think I might have done too much actually." He scratched the back of his head as he looked at the tray. The turkey was big enough to feed half an army alone, yet there it sat surrounding by potatoes and parsnips, mini sausages wrapped in bacon, a small piece of beef in case someone didn't want the bird and Yorkshire puddings. "Ooo, gravy! Start dishing up!"
Rose laughed as he dashed back out of the room.
"You know" Jackie leaned over the table after making sure he was out of ear shot. "I think he's gone completely.."
"Crackers?" The Doctors voice came from the doorway, gravy boat in one hand and Christmas crackers in the other, causing them all the fall about laughing. "What?...What?! What's so funny?"
"Nothing." Rose gasped. "Nothing. It all looks and smells great. Thank you." She gave him one of her brightest smiles and planted a kiss on his cheek as he sat down next to her, causing him to blush.
"Merry Non-Christmas." The Doctor grinned, raising his glass. "Let's hope the real thing is as uneventful as this one." He looked at Rose and Jackie. "Ok maybe even less eventful than this one."
"Why, what happened?" Mickey asked as Rose and Jackie tried not to smile.
"He had a fight with a Christmas tree." Rose told him, moving a lock of hair from the Doctor's forehead, exposing the giant plaster.
"You mean there's something he's rubbish at?"
"Hey! I'm still in the room! Besides I think the place looks great."
"Yeah, I have to say there aren't many people who can decorate well for Christmas when they're half cut on eggnog!" Jackie said, sipping her wine.
"Half cut? He was off his face!" Rose exclaimed.
"You were drunk?" Mickey asked, dumbfounded.
"Only a little." The Doctor murmured.
"A little? You were doing the conga while throwing tinsel around the room."
"That's not that bad." Mickey rolled his eyes. "I thought you were going to tell me some real gossip. You know, stuff we can tease him about for months."
"Well there's always the fact he planted a real smacker on Rose before collapsing at her feet." Jackie said, taking a long gulp of wine.
The table fell silent. Rose looked nervously from Mickey to the Doctor as he shifted uncomfortably in his chair.
"So who's carving?" Jackie asked, trying to change the subject.
"I'm suddenly not hungry." Mickey muttered, rising from his chair and throwing his napkin on his plate. The Doctor froze, holding his breath as Mickey passed him.
The three of them sat in silence for a few minutes just staring at the table.
"Wow, I do Christmas really well don't you think?" The Doctor sighed. "I always manage to ruin someone's day."
"That wasn't your fault." Rose told him glaring at her mother. "Besides once he's calmed down and I tell him you were too drunk to realise what you were doing he'll be fine."
The Doctor winced as his words came back to haunt him. "Rose, I di..." His voiced trailed off as she rose from her seat.
"I better go find Mickey."
He sighed as he watched her go in search of her on/off boyfriend.
"Breast or thigh?" Jackie asked.
"Sorry?!"
"The meat, breast or thigh?" She looked at the Doctor for a moment then gave him a half smile. Getting to her feet she moved round the table and sat next to him. "That was my fault. Sorry."
"What was?"
"Ruining dinner. Me and my big mouth."
The Doctor shrugged. "Would've come out at some point I guess. Anyway, it started with me getting drunk so I've only got myself to blame."
"And the TARDIS. After all, it's this machine's drink that got you in that state. It wouldn't have happened if you were sober would it?" It was almost a dare for him to say otherwise.
"Doesn't sound any better no matter who says it or how many times it's said. Sounds like an insult really doesn't it." He screwed his nose up and rubbed his face with his hands.
"Ah."
"Ah?"
"Explains the sudden mood." Jackie said nodding to the door. "You said the same to her and she took it the wrong way?"
The Doctor looked up at Jackie.
"Oh don't look so surprised. She's a teenage girl; she's bound to have taken offence. It's what girls do when good looking men kiss them then tell them it was a mistake."
"I'm sorry did you just say 'good looking'?" The Doctor raised his eyebrows incredulously.
"Well, you're not bad. For an alien. How old did you say you were?"
"I didn't." He suddenly felt uncomfortable sitting so close to Jackie and took a long gulp of water.
XxXxX
"Mickey he was drunk. Completely off his skull. You should be happy. Laughing it up. He said he never would have done it otherwise."
"So you two haven't been….you know this whole time then?"
"What?! How dare you. He's my friend. Besides he doesn't think of me in that way."
"But you do." He saw Rose's startled look. "I may be a bloke and he might call me an idiot but I'm not blind Rose. I know you fancy him. You did even when he had the big ears." There was a moment of silence. "So, other than the drunken kiss…"
"No, nothing." She answered a little too quickly.
"You're a terrible liar. You go bright red."
"I do not!"
"Yeah you do. You've gone as red as that table cloth."
XxXxX
"You know, you're very attractive for an alien." Jackie slurred, she'd developed an alcohol induced look of hunger that said he was on the menu and it scared the Doctor to death
"You said." The Doctor nodded wondering how long Rose and Mickey were going to be.
"Well aren't you going to say something nice about me?"
"You…..have…very nice hair." He stumbled.
"Charmer." She leant into him and played with his hair.
"Uh Jackie would you like some coffee?"
"Only if you want me up all night." She grinned wickedly trailing a hand from his knee gradually upwards.
"No, no that won't be necessary. If you'll excuse me, I'm going to take a visit to the boys room." He stood so abruptly he nearly knocked Jackie off her chair.
"You need a hand?" Jackie asked him trying to pinch his backside as he passed.
"No thank you." He called back walking as quickly as possible. The minute he was out of sight he was running.
XxXxX
"Fine there was one other kiss but it wasn't what you're thinking." Rose told him.
"Oh and what am I thinking?"
"That he took advantage. That it was more than it really was. Ok, it hurt when he told me he'd never have kissed me sober, it was silly to get upset but I did. So he strung up the mistletoe so he could give me a kiss to prove that it wasn't because he didn't want too."
XxXxX
Slinking around the corridors hoping to avoid her until he'd found the others he stopped in his tracks as he heard the two teenagers raise their voices. He knew he should keep walking but he found himself pressing his back against the wall outside the control room.
XxXxX
"Oh well that makes it much better!" Mickey folded his arms across his chest. He knew he shouldn't really be angry at her, they'd been over for a while now but he still loved her and it hurt that she had someone else and he didn't.
"Oh god it's all coming out wrong. Now I know how he felt! Look. He kissed me drunk. Then he kissed me to make me feel better. That's it the whole sordid little tale. Besides what are you getting your knickers in a twist for? You ended us, not me."
"You ended it the day you went off with him and didn't come back for a year!"
"That was an accident! We were only gone a few hours really."
"Admit it you fancy him." His eyes burned into hers.
The Doctor froze, not sure which answer he was hoping for.
"Well? You fancied him before and you fancy him even more now he's changed don't you?" It wasn't really a question. He knew the answer but he was getting a little pleasure out of seeing her squirm. "Admit it!"
"Urgh fine yes. Yes I do!" Rose stomped on the floor.
The Doctor let out a breath he didn't know he was holding and a grin spread across his face, he couldn't help himself. Rose Tyler had just admitted to her ex-boyfriend, yes ex-boyfriend that she liked him in a non-professional way. She really was amazing his Rose, he'd taken her to the far reaches of time and space, none of which fazed her, they'd stared defeat and even death in the face and usually come out of it laughing, literally. He'd even changed his face and to some extent his personality but she didn't abandon him. He loved her, he knew it, he was sure she knew it, hell even a lost, lone Dalek stuck in a museum in 2012 knew it. He'd suspected she felt more than friendship for him, he'd noticed the little looks she threw his way and a sparkle in her eyes when she saw him.
He wondered if he should leave or go in but then he heard something that removed any thought of interrupting.
"Happy now?!" Rose asked.
"Yeah actually, I am."
"What? Why?"
"Because you were honest with me. He can take you to all the brilliant far off places. That's better than anything I could ever give you."
"Mickey, you're a brilliant bloke and a brilliant friend but that's not it. If we were meant to work then we would, whether you could give me the far reaches or the M25." They both giggled and Mickey rested beside her against the consol.
"Ok, I know I'm probably gona regret asking this but what is it about him?"
"It's lots of things. He's funny and, yeah ok he's cute too. But he's so different. I dunno maybe it's 'cause he's an alien but it's like I know him so well but he's still a mystery. Just when I think I've seen all there is to him he shows a completely different side and I know there's so much about him I don't know, like his past and family and stuff and I want to know all that stuff but something stops him from telling me. You should see the look in his eyes when some mentions his home. It's like the world around him crumbles just for a moment and then he's back to being flippant, you know?"
"Not really. Well the being flippant I know but… When you guys came back at Christmas, you know aliens in the sky new face and all that, why didn't you just tell me then?"
"Tell you what?"
"I said something like 'you really love him don't you?' and you never answered, why not?"
"I guess because I didn't really know if he was still him. You know? I mean he is still him and he isn't at the same time." She looked up at Mickey and saw the small sad smile on his face. "Regretting asking?"
He shook his head. "No, just glad he makes you happy. Does he know any of this?"
"No." Rose sighed. "How can I tell him? He'd probably kick me off the TARDIS and make a run for it. He doesn't 'do domestic'."
"Who says it has to be domestic? Besides he's never gona dump you anywhere. Have to be blind not to see how much he cares about you."
"Thanks Mick, I really do love you."
"I know, just not in that way." He put his arm round her shoulders and pulled her in for a hug.
XxXxX
"There you are; I've been looking all over for you." Jackie purred, appearing from nowhere and pinning to Doctor to the wall with the look in her eye.
"Here I am. Isn't that nice? Both here. In the corridor."
"You know" she lowered her voice to a whisper "I've seen you naked!"
"What?" His voice was no more than a squeak.
"Who do you think put you in those pyjamas?"
"That was…"
Jackie nodded. "Don't worry; you've got nothing to be embarrassed about!"
"Oh, well…erm….thank you?"
She started to walk her fingers up the front of his shirt pressing herself against him.
"I could think of another way of thanking me."
"Really?" He gulped. "You know, tempting as that sounds I think that ROSE is near by and I don't think she wants to see that."
XxXxX
Mickey and Rose heard the Doctor shout her name, his tone was strangled and if they didn't know better a little scared.
"What now?" Rose moaned moving to the doorway. "MUM! What are you doing?" She couldn't believe it, her mum was all over the Doctor, trying to kiss him and he looked terrified. He was half trying to push her away and trying to climb the wall to get away from her.
Mickey stood laughing until Rose elbowed him. "Oof, what was that for?"
"Help me." She growled taking hold of her mother and pulling her away from the Doctor.
"Oh hello Rose. I was just telling the Doctor how well I know him." She winked at her daughter and ran a hand down the Doctor's chest moving lower and lower.
"Aaah stop right there!" The Doctor grabbed her hand as it reached just below his belt. "Maybe we should call it a night."
"I'm game if you are; which one's your room?"
"Mum! Mickey, take her home will you?"
"Good plan." The Doctor said flashing Rose a smile then making a run for it down the hall and out of sight.
"Where are you going? We're just getting started!!!!!" Jackie called after him as Mickey tugged her through the control room.
"You better go and make sure he's ok."
"He'll be fine." Rose told him opening the front door.
"You think? If your mum came on to me like that I'd be in therapy for life!"
"Lucky she thinks of you like a son then isn't it?!" Rose smiled. "Thanks Mick, for everything." She kissed him lightly on the cheek and said goodnight.
XxXxX
She wandered through the TARDIS looking for the Doctor. She always seemed to find rooms she'd never seen before and would bet she'd never find again. Music drifted down the corridor, soft gentle music that made her smile. Following her ears she found herself back at the dining room. She stood in the doorway as she watched the Doctor picking at the food on the table humming along to the song.
"So which ones this?" She asked making the Doctor jump, knocking glasses over.
"Do not sneak up on me like that. Is she still here?"
"No, Mickey took her home." She laughed, helping him to tidy up. "What were you doing outside the control room anyway?"
"I ..er was looking for you and she jumped me! She gets drunk very quickly. She's a very friendly drunk mind." He rolled his eyes.
Rose looked at him suspiciously.
"And the Song is 'Wild Horses'."
"Not the original."
"No, that was a man, this would be female."
"It's pretty." She said moving beside him. She saw him tense up.
"Don't worry I'm not about to do an impression of my mum." She smiled.
"Sorry." He took her hands and led her away from the table and began to slow dance her around the dinner table. His breath caught in his throat as she snuggled closer and rested her head on his shoulder.
"This is nice. Unlike you. You know I think you've got concussion, you're acting really oddly." She told him looking into his face.
"Why'd you say that?"
"Well the whole Christmas thing then the dinner, inviting my family. It's all a bit domestic."
"No it's a holiday." He guided her head back to his shoulder and rested his cheek against her hair.
"A holiday?"
"Yeah, most people go on holiday to get away from domestic, well I don't do domestic so to have a holiday I go a little domestic."
"'cause that makes perfect sense." She teased, smiling into his shirt.
"Won't bother next time." He pouted.
Rose looked up at him again and got caught in his gaze. She found herself in a bit of a daze as her lips met his, as if she had no control. Her grip on him tightened as the kiss deepened then she felt his hand slide into her hair and she felt like her knees were about to give way.
"Didn't think you were going to do an impression of your mother." The Doctor said.
"I'm sorry." Rose panted and stepped out of his arms, looking more than a little embarrassed.
"Rose, I'm teasing." He reached out to take her hand.
"I should go and check on my mother."
The Doctor sighed; it was the same thing happening all over again. "You don't have to run off."
"Yes I do."
"Why?" He grabbed her arm as she turned.
"Because." She wrenched her arm from his grip and practically ran out of the room.
"Why do humans think that 'because' is an actual answer?" The Doctor muttered running after her. "Right, listen to me Miss Tyler." He planted himself firmly in front of her, blocking her path out. "I'm not a big fan of déjà vu and chasing after you is becoming a bit samey. We're together all the time. We live together, we run for our lives together, I even end up at your mum's so things are bound to get a bit odd now and then but if you run away every time or you think we're getting too close then you might as well go home." His face was stern and his hands were planted firmly on his hips. He watched Rose's eyes widen at his last comment.
"Do you want me to go?"
"What? No I don't." He took her hands in his and his face softened. "I love having you with me; I wouldn't want it any other way, unless it makes you unhappy and makes you want to walk out on me." He watched her chew her lip, unsure what to say. He cupped her cheek in his hand trying to get her to look at him and when she wouldn't he decided to take drastic action. "Right then Rose Marion Tyler, you asked for it!"
Before she knew what was happening the Doctor ducked his head and kissed her breathless.
"Right." He panted "Now, time to teach you something I learnt earlier." He dragged her to the control room and stood her in front of the monitor and punched some buttons and the estate popped up on the screen. "There, see. The world hasn't collapsed. We kissed and nothing has changed. Everything is as it was five minutes ago."
He watched her nod slowly.
"Goodnight Rose. Merry Christmas." He kissed her temple and left her in the control room smiling to herself. Reaching up and grabbing a sprig of mistletoe she trotted after him calling "Oh Doctor!"
XxXxX
A/N: And there you haev it, Christmas is finally over, well for us anyway. Who knows what them up there got up to!!!!
as always reviews are welcome.
"Catch ya on the flip flop"