Chapter Text
She woke up from a wonderful smell. What was it?
She sniffled a bit. Yes, it was Gingerbread, and... Cloves? Cinnamon? Cocoa? Yes definitely. It smelled like spices and chocolate and gingerbread.
Could it be that...?
She swung her legs over the end he of her bed and grabbed her jeans and a hoody while sneaking into her shoes.
At the door she stopped.
'The kitchen.. Where was the kitchen? Why even is there a kitchen, we almost never use it?' She asked herself and decided to just follow the smell until she remembered the way on her own.
A few moments later, 1 minute and 24 seconds to be correct, she stood in the kitchen which absolutely was moved over night because she remembered that it absolutely wasn't that near the last time she checked. Either that or he room was moved closer to the kitchen.
A glimpse inside and she knew. No, the kitchen wasn't moved; it was a completely new one, probably because he forgot the location of the former one.
"What's the matter?" She asked into the room.
No one was in her sight but the smell and noises that originated from her were evidence enough that someone must be inside.
A head appeared from behind an isle in the room's middle and grinned at her.
Oh she loved that smile. The way his eyes were just filled with joy and his mouth stood open so awkwardly but still cute. He sort of looked like a lost puppy that finally found its human in a crowd.
"Rose Tyler!" He shouted and stood up.
"What are you doing here?"
She asked. It either was her sleepiness or it really was confusing what The Doctor was doing there in the kitchen.
"It's Christmas." He simply replied.
"You don't like Christmas." She said.
"Of course I do!" He seemed a bit disappointed by something.
She knew what it was and made up for it.
Strolling through the kitchen looking at this and looking at that, she said
"It smells so good in here, Doctor. Wanna show me what it is?"
He looked at her in a strange way. There was earnest but also excitement for her interest in his creations.
"I am not the Doctor anymore. To be correct: I never actually was."
"Of course you are! Just because you are human and you grow older doesn't mean you are less the person you remember having been!" She said and came over to him.
A hand on his cheek the other one on his arm she continued "look, the Doctor gave us a part to grow our own TARDIS. She isn't as glorious as his, but it's OUR TARDIS. And the TARDIS needs a Doctor and you ARE The Doctor.
'The Doctor, in the TARDIS. With Rose Tyler. Remember?" A stroke on his cheek and she let go.
"I smell cocoa! Where's my hot chocolate then?"
He recovered and immediately was the excited puppy again who jumped through the kitchen looking here, stirring there. He opened a small door and pulled out two steaming cups filled with brown liquid that sensed some sort of spicy and Christmassy smell.
"Here you go! Hot chocolate; an ancient recipe from a planet where snow is red and the sky is the colours of the rainbow. What was it's name...? I don't remember. This human brain is so useless sometimes! However, when this ship grew a bit more we could travel there. I wonder if it exists in this reality..." He chatted with nobody in particular as he gave rose one cup and leaned against a counter holding his own with both of his hands and staring into the air.
She took a sip from the hot beverage and it felt like explosions of senses and tastes and memories all at once.
"This, for sure, is the best hot chocolate I ever had." She looked at her friend who now had a big smile on his face again.
"Hundreds of years of space and time. It would be a shame if there wasn't at least one planet with great hot chocolate recipes! Of course I had to vary this one since they used spices the names can't even be pronounced but...."
"Ssshshh, Doctor" Rose interrupted him "it's great like that."
He now took a sip too and stared into his cup while swallowing the bit.
"You know I always thought you didn't like chocolate at all." She said slightly concerned about him. He was having strange mood swings lately and she wondered whether it was just a trait of his human brain or whether he missed the life as Timelord that much.
"Oh I love chocolate. Just never really get an opportunity to visit the best places for chocolate."
"I know some great chocolate!" She was happy he hopped on that wand wagon "we used to have those chocolate bars each Christmas when I was little. The brand actually sits in Cardiff and..."
"No no no no no." Now he interrupted "what you British people call chocolate." He shook his head "I suggest going to Switzerland or Belgium and I show you real chocolate."
She looked at him. This seemed so surreal. The last couple of weeks he was so strange and hardly excited for anything and now they were debating over chocolate and cocoa and he seemed to be so excited. She was happy about it though.
"Switzerland it is. But first we drink our chocolate and visit mom and dad. It's Christmas! We can't just disappear."