"You're sure he said he'll be coming," Martha said as she walked round the supermarket, her trolley getting fuller by the minute.
"Yep," Jack said. "Besides, Donna said she would kick his scrawny ass into the New Year if he didn't."
"I can send Ianto to help you with the shopping if you want."
"No, I'm fine, just make sure everyone's there."
"Will do ma'am," Jack said.
"C'mon Spaceman!" Donna shouted as he was distracted by another stall.
"I just want to..." he began to say, but was dragged away by Donna.
He huffed in protest. "They had a Deluvian Spatial circuit, I needed one of those."
"No you don't, you brought one last week."
"Busted," the Doctor said, but grinned at her.
"I promised you a Christmas dinner, now you're having one. No giant spiders or robot Santa's this time. Be nice, won't it?"
The Doctor smiled at her as he fiddled with the TARDIS console. "Yeah."
Donna sighed as she heard the sadness in his voice and the dulling of the sparkle in his eyes.
"You'll love the place I've booked...it's classy, no noisy kids, no interfering waiters or snobby maitre de's."
Donna, I really don't want to...me and Christmas, to many bad memories."
Donna moved round the console and drew the Doctor into a hug. "Oh Spaceman, I know it hurts. It hurts me too. Lance was cruel to me an' I know you miss Rose and it still hurts when you think of Astrid. But I thought this could be a new start...make this our new start."
The Doctor pulled out of her hug and wiped away a tear before it could escape. "You said you wanted to put the co-ordinates in. I'll just go and have a shower while you do that."
""You do that," Donna said and when he'd left the console room she set the co-ordinates.
"Don't you tell where we're going," she said to the TARDIS, who burbled her compliance.
The Doctor opened the door and stepped out and stopped. "This is Torchwood, why are we in Torchwood?"
It was dark and the Doctor's trouble radar ramped up. "Something's wrong."
He jumped when all of the lights came on and he blinked in surprise as out of every conceivable hiding place all his friends and their families appeared.
"Happy New Year!" they all chorused.
The Doctor frowned and made for the TARDIS but was stopped by Donna.
"Oh no you don't!" she said and grabbed his arm.
"Donna," he growled but allowed himself to be pulled away from the TARDIS.
An hour later he was happily mixing something he called a Venusian Swizzle and wearing tinsel as a scarf.
The party went on for a long time and no-one notice the time go by, but everyone did notice how happy the Doctor was and that made them happy...happy that the light which the clung to in the darkness was shining brightly.
The Doctor stood to one side and watched as the others danced to one of those songs you only heard at this time of year.
It was then that Sarah- Jane's son Luke bounded in from outside and shouted excitedly and grabbed hold of the Doctor and began dragging him towards the Hub door.
"Come one everybody!" he shouted.
The Doctor allowed Luke to drag him and when he saw why his smile could have lit the whole of Cardiff.
"Snow! Real snow!"
He bounced around like Tigger and his excitement was like fever and it eventually degenerated into a massive snowball fight.
Soon the cold and the lateness of the night halted the party and the Doctor and Donna had said their goodbyes, along with promises of returning for New Year.
Donna took hold of the Doctor's hand as they walked back to the Hub.
"So Spaceman, not so bad after all?"
The Doctor stopped and gave her a smile that warmed her heart.
"No, not so bad after all."