Chapter Text
“This is rather cozy. I get why you humans are so spellbound by Christmas,” he mused sipping his cocoa as the family cuddled against one another watching A Christmas in Connecticut. He’d always been rather fond of tea but at Donna’s insistence he’d began drinking cocoa because it’s what one was supposed to do to get in the Holiday spirit. Or so she had told him at least a hundred times trying to break him out of the funk of worry that increased as Christmas approached.
Donna looked over at the Doctor and Rose, practically a meshed puddle on the couch smiling at how fast they’d become enamored with one another. “Better be off to bed soon. You’ll want to be asleep before Santa comes or he won’t leave anything,” she warned, resting her head back on Wilf’s shoulder as Shaun gave her foot a squeeze.
A soft snort echoed from Sylvia and Donna was ready to round on her before realizing she had fallen asleep and was actually snoring.
As the movie came to an end the Doctor looked over at Donna who was wiping away tears, “did you not like how it ended,” he questioned.
“No you prawn. It’s a happy ending. Everyone’s happy,” she sighed.
Chuckling the Doctor stopped himself remembering that Rose was asleep on him. He peeked down at her as she rubbed her face looking around to see the movie had finished. “I don’t understand,” the Doctor continues now that he doesn’t have to worry about waking her, “she was married and now she’s going off with the other man?”
“She wasn’t married. She was pretending to be and she never loved John; she just said that because she needed his farm. Well, and she didn’t think she had anyone else to love her,” explained Donna standing and helping Wilf down the hall to his room and into bed.
“You should get to bed,” Shaun reminded Rose as she sat up and stretched.
Sitting up the Doctor watched her, “are you awake enough for the stairs,” he worried.
Nodding a yawn broke out, “I have to set out Santa’s cookies,” she sniffed rubbing her face.
The Doctor grinned, “want to teach me how,” he queried.
Rose took his hand pulling him into the kitchen with her. She pulled out a special plate and carefully picked out cookies she had decorated last week just for Santa, “if you make him special cookies the presents are better,” she told the Doctor.
“Makes sense,” the Doctor nodded.
She handed him a cup, “will you fill this with milk,” she asked.
Quickly he moved to the fridge, filling it half way and depositing it back in her hand, “madam,” he said.
“Now the real trick is making sure that you leave the milk and cookies where he can see. You want it close enough to the stockings but not too close that he spills them. You also want to make sure the fireplace is off so he doesn’t burn his bum,” she noted as the Doctor followed her back into the living room.
Coming back into the hall Donna saw Rose set out her Christmas plate and glass with milk and cookies for Santa.
“Right, fireplace off,” the Doctor agreed, hitting the button so the flame died down. Turning around he saw Rose set the plate of cookies and milk down on the table. “Optimal placement. He can’t miss them as soon as he steps in from the fireplace,” praised the Doctor.
“Come on, off to bed,” Donna urged, wrapping Rose in a hug and pressing a kiss to her head.
Rolling her eyes she hugged Shaun, “Mum I know he isn’t real,” she reasoned moving to hug the Doctor goodnight.
“I’ve met him,” the Doctor rebuked, “had an issue with his sleigh. Helped him deliver presents.” he prattled.
Pulling out of his embrace Rose eyed him, like he had thought only Donna could, “you’re telling me Santa is real and you’ve met him,” she scoffed.
“If I exist, why can’t Santa,” he rebuked.
Her mouth opened and closed trying to form words, “are you saying Santa is a time lord?”
“Oh no. Definitely not. He’s rather brilliant though with his bigger on the inside bag. Great at quantum physics. Though he has to be in order to do what he does. You humans, trying to explain future science away as magic,” mused the Doctor.
Donna squeezed Shaun’s arm, smile wide across his face as he took their mugs into the kitchen.
Giving the Doctor one more hug Rose couldn’t quite hide the smile on her face, “better be off then,” she giggled before giving the Doctor her serious face, “no opening presents before I’m awake,” she warned.
Gathering the popcorn bowls Donna followed Shaun into the kitchen, the Doctor wandering after them. “You really shouldn’t lie to her about things like that,” Shaun warned.
“Who’s lying,” the Doctor questioned appalled.
Soaping up the bowls Donna began to wash them, “let her have fun. She’s had to grow up so much already. Why can’t she have this piece of childhood still,” she frowned.
“We told her no secrets in the house,” he reminded the other two.
“I really did meet him,” promised the Doctor, “although it might have been a dream. Oh, maybe it was. Those dream crabs,” he shook the memory of what had happened after as it came to him.
She shivered at the thought, rinsing the soap off, “dream crabs and Santa clause well that either sounds like a really bad horror movie or really bad porno,” she spat.
“I should go eat the cookies and drink the milk in case he isn’t real shouldn’t I,” the Doctor worried.
Shaun eyed him, “you should put the presents out too then,” he warned, “wouldn’t want Rose to see the cookies and milk gone without presents.”
Wiping her hands she nudged the Doctor, “come on, let’s go get them out of the TARDIS,” she grinned pressing a kiss to Shaun’s lips. “We’ll probably be a while. Need to finish wrapping a few.”
“Donna, I told you I’m great at wrapping presents. Why won’t you believe me,” protested the Doctor.
She wrapped an arm around him, “yeah well you were really helpful in helping me get Rose’s list when she mailed it to Santa secretly this year. I guess I can let you wrap a present and see what you can do,” she agreed as he snapped his fingers at the TARDIS allowing the doors to open.
Walking up the ramp Donna could feel the warm air hit her, “she still likes me,” she hummed.
“Not that I would know why after you spilled coffee on her,” he huffed.
Rolling her eyes Donna moved into the side room where she’d been storing away the presents for everyone. Well, everyone except the Doctor. Those were hidden away somewhere else already wrapped away from his prying eyes. She curled up on the comfy rug the TARDIS provided as she flickered her lights in a low yellow similar to candle light. Donna pulled over the art set Rose had asked Santa for knowing that it was way too expensive for them to buy with the recent money issues. What Rose didn’t know was that Donna was getting a stipend from UNIT for taking the Doctor in. Something he insisted on more so as back pay for all the work she had previously done despite her deciding not to go to work until they were all settled more.
“Coffee, just like you like, and far away from the console,” the Doctor chirped handing her the cup and saucer.
Rolling her eyes Donna sipped it as he took his own cup of tea gulping at it. “She really does make the best coffee,” admired Donna.
“She makes the best of everything,” he reminded her.
Setting her cup down Donna held the paper around the art set to see if it would fit before cutting it. “Yeah, but don’t tell Mum,” she warned.
“What can I wrap,” questioned the Doctor.
Looking over the presents she pointed to the telescope the Doctor had bought Wilf, “why don’t you wrap the one you got Gramps,” she suggested.
He grabbed the long box and began to figure it out as Donna precisely tucked every corner, creasing the paper, trying to make sure that it looked perfect. She reached over grabbing a piece of tape to secure it down before turning it to tuck another piece.
“What’s next,” the Doctor asked.
Looking up gobsmacked Donna couldn’t believe how utterly perfect his wrap job was. “The TARDIS did that right,” she pushed.
“Nope,” he beamed, “all me.”
“You even got the bow perfectly centered,” she gushed looking back at hers which certainly looked like crap. “That’s it,” she said tossing Rose's art set at him, “you’re wrapping all the presents,” Donna exclaimed sitting back and picking her coffee up.
The Doctor quirked an eyebrow, “really,” he beamed.
“Yeah,” she assured him.
Donna watched as he expertly wrapped Rose’s art set and moved onto Sylvia’s present. “I’ve never really wrapped presents before,” he said.
“Doctor, have you celebrated Christmas since you celebrated with Rose's family,” she questioned.
"I’ve been around every Christmas,” the Doctor shrugged, making quick work of that present and moving onto another.
She reached out placing a hand on his arm, "but have you properly celebrated a Christmas since then? Sat and had dinner and presents and all that, not just saved us," she asked.
He took a deep breath meeting her gaze, "I had a cuppa with Wilf one year,” he offered, “I spent one with Amy and Rory the year before I lost them,” his voice barely whispered.
Scooting closer she pulled him into a hug, “was there anything they did that’d you’d like to do tomorrow,” she questioned.
Smiling, the Doctor pressed a kiss to her cheek, “did you buy Christmas crackers?”
“Oh are you in for a treat,” chuckled Donna, “Gramps won’t take his crown off for days after. We only buy the best crackers in this house,” she said, giving him a squeeze.
Leaning his head against hers he smiled, “well, now I’m going to have to have a contest to see who leaves their crown on the longest.”
“Oh please don't," she sighed. “Mum will have a heart attack. She’s bad enough after him as it is,” giggled Donna.
Grabbing a present she moved to wrap it, “oi. I thought I get to wrap them all,” the Doctor chidded taking it from her.
Rolling her eyes she pushed herself up, “you know what’s missing,” Donna grinned moving to the wall and placing her hand on the TARDIS. She thought of Christmas music and the TARDIS immediately began playing it.
“She really does like you more than me,” he said.
Donna sat back beside him curling up, “cause I never hit her with a mallet. Who knows what other horrible things you’ve done to her since I was last around,” she said patting the floor. The TARDIS hummed happily in reply. “See,” Donna added.
Finishing another present the Doctor set it aside, “why aren’t there any presents for you,” he asked confused.
“Well, I wouldn’t buy my own presents now would I you prawn,” she snickered.
He looked around as he took another one beginning to wrap it, “Donna, there aren’t any for me either,” the Doctor pouted.
“Like I would leave your present in the TARDIS with your prying eyes. They’ve been wrapped for ages and hidden away,” she explained.
“Oh,” he nodded as if it made perfect sense.
Standing she moved to pick up a handful, “come on then. Better get these inside so you can eat the milk and cookies before Rose wakes.” She paused, “thank you for that by the way. I worry that she’s grown up so fast with everything. You gave her another piece of childhood she'll be wondering about for years,” Donna told him, pressing another kiss on his cheek.
The Doctor hurried to pick up presents stacking them in his arms as they made their way out of the TARDIS. And into the house depositing them under the tree. Donna slipped into the closet pulling out a sack and depositing stocking gifts to everyone as the Doctor munched on the especially baked cookies Rose left out. “These really are good,” he mused, slurping the milk.
“Just make sure not to tell her how good. She’s not supposed to know that you ate them,” Donna reminded him as she deposited a satsuma into each sock.
Coming beside her he wrapped his arms around her looking at his stocking next to everyone else's, “thank you Donna,” he said, tightening his arms around her.
“For what,” she asked.
“All of this. A family. Christmas. Somewhere I belong,” he said, pressing a kiss to her head.
Her hand reached up squeezing his, “come on brainbox, I better get the sentimental old fool you've become up to bed before you scare Santa off with your creepy crabs,” she giggled.
“Oi, really did happen,” he protested as they walked hand in hand up the stairs.
She paused outside his bedroom giving him another hug, “I’ll believe it when I meet Santa,” she whispered. “Night Doctor,” she said.
“Night Donna,” he mocked closing the door behind him.
Donna stood there for a moment before tip toing down the hall. She opened the closet kneeling on the floor and removed the blankets she had shoved in front of her present for the Doctor. Donna removed the three boxes before shoving the blankets back. Closing the door she gathered his presents and crept down the stairs placing them beneath the tree.
She could hear him moving around in his room as she slipped back past it, Gripping the door knob to her bedroom she saw Shaun was already fast asleep. Donna closed the door, grabbed a pair of pajamas and changed. Crawling into bed beside him she pressed a kiss to his cheek, “Merry Christmas,” she whispered before curling into her pillow.