A/N: I had some free time leading up to Christmas. This happened.

Summary: River turned her gaze from the two standing before her to exchange an amused and long-suffering look with her father. "You know, I don't think this was quite what they had in mind when they wrote I saw mummy kissing Santa Claus."

Disclaimer: The characters belong to the BBC and the makers of Doctor Who. Story title taken from the song 'Grown Up Christmas List'.

Time Would Heal All Hearts

Amy entered the cosy sitting room with a chuckle directed at the only other being present.

"You're one underweight Santa."

The Doctor caught her gaze fleetingly in the mirror he was facing before returning to adjusting the costume he was wearing.

"Santa isn't always fat Amy. Here a Santa who is a little too pudgy can be offensive. It means he's been stuffing his face while they've been starving."

Amy stood in silence as he finished fine-tuning the placement and fit of his clothing and beard. The Doctor cast occasional concerned glances to her reflection, noting the worry lines on her forehead and her uncharacteristic reluctance to speak.

"What is it?" he murmured after spinning around to face her. Amy's stare trailed to the floor.

"You have to make sure this works. Promise me you'll do it."

"Don't you worry, Pond." He took her face in his hands, catching and holding her gaze. "Good ol' Amelia always worrying."

"This is important. This is families we're dealing with. The children need their parents back. The parents need to have their sons and daughters."

"I promise…" his words gave way to a sigh as he closed his eyes and pressed his forehead to hers, "I'll do for them, what I couldn't do for you."

"But you did. You got me my daughter. It might not have been how I'd hoped or how I planned, but you still gave her back to me." She smiled up at him softly, earning one from him in return. Her smile quickly disappeared as she blinked, frowning slightly. "While keeping her entirely to yourself at the same time. I'll never get over how you managed that."

His smile grew wider, touching the corners of his eyes. "Where would I be without you?"

"You'd be without a damn wife I tell you."

He laughed quietly before pulling her closer and pressing a lingering kiss to her forehead. Amy chuckled as his surprisingly soft beard tickled her face, but didn't push him away.

The moment was broken by the faint sound of someone clearing their throat, informing them they were no longer alone. They turned to see Rory and River waiting in the doorway. River turned her gaze from the two standing before her to exchange an amused and long-suffering look with her father.

"You know, I don't think this was quite what they had in mind when they wrote I saw mummy kissing Santa Claus."

The Doctor blushed, his face as red as the Santa suit he was wearing. Amy stepped away from him towards her husband and daughter, shoulders shrugging unashamedly.

"Mummy wasn't kissing Santa. He was kissing her."

"You don't even have the reason of mistletoe to excuse you," River joked.

"No, but you do." Amy beamed proudly as she whipped out a small branch of mistletoe from her pocket and held it high above the Doctor's head while tugging River closer by her arm.

"Really Amy?" River gave her an unimpressed and unamused stare.

The Doctor looked between the two in surprise. It wasn't the reaction he'd expected River to have given the opportunity to kiss him. She usually jumped at the chance.

Not wanting to be the one to go against earth traditions, as frivolous and strange as he thought they were, he shrugged and bent down to drop a quick peck to the corner of her lips. He pulled back to discover River looked as displeased as she had before. Ego slightly wounded, his chest puffed out as he tugged on his belt.

"I never thought I'd see the day you were reluctant to kiss me."

"She hates mistletoe," Amy explained, "doesn't like being told what to do or when to do it."

"Have you forgotten the number of years you tried to make me kiss him with one?" River pointed a finger at Rory as she glared at Amy accusingly.

Amy laughed nervously, slipping the mistletoe back in her pocket. "In my defence, I had no idea that would be incest."

"River and I just came from Mayor," Rory interjected quickly before anyone else had the chance. He could see the job had once again befallen him to actually get them moving. "He says he's ready to get things started."

"Well Father Christmas," Amy turned to the Doctor, welcoming the change in subject, "why don't we make some Christmas dreams come true?"

The Doctor didn't answer her as he was preoccupied watching River's expression turn from disgust to mischief to frustration as she stared at the red hat he had perched jauntily on his head.

"Do you like it?" He smirked at her, flipping his night cap from one side of his head to the other, the pompom bouncing against the edge of his face. River's brows arched.

"Detest it? Yes I do."

"This is brilliant." Grinning with excitement, he rubbed his palms together. "For once you can't destroy my hat."

"Want to bet? As soon as we step through the TARDIS doors to leave here, it's going to self combust."

"What do you have against things on my head?"

"You have such nice hair, sweetie. It's a shame to cover it up."

"It has nothing to do with my hair, you just like irking me."

"Stop your complaining, you've got war-stricken families to reunite."

Amy interrupted their banter with a small cough to gain their attention. When they looked at her they found she had procured a second red Santa suit, slightly different in design but still matching the Doctor's.

"No Santa is truly complete without a Mrs Claus," she explained as she held the suit out for River to take, smirking with amusement as she waited for the response she knew was about to come.

"No, absolutely not. Two hundred percent no. Not in ten billion years."

"So, that's a yes then?" the Doctor joshed, grinning widely and stroking his beard.

"Come on guys, we really should get a move on," Rory prodded. His eyes met River's fleetingly, telling her to suck it up and get on with it.

Knowing she didn't have the time to argue, River mentally admitted defeat. She muttered unintelligible gripes as she reluctantly snatched the red explosion of a costume from her mother's hands. Pausing beside the Doctor on her way out of the room to change, her eyes narrowed ominously at him. "You owe me fifty hats to destroy for this."

"I'll give you one hundred just to see you in that."

Merry Christmas and blessings for next year!