The Doctor held the door open for Clara as she pulled on her jacket. He had no idea how on Earth he would amuse himself until she came back but he couldn't very well force her away from her family. She walked out into the cool air and turned back to him.
"Aren't you coming?" she asked.
"I didn't think…you said you had to spend time with your Dad and…" The Doctor said, confused.
"Oh you thought…Doctor you're my family too and I know you need me more than you'll tell me. Besides I think it's time I introduced my Dad and my Gran to my boyfriend, don't you?"
"Right. Of course. Clara," The Doctor said, pulling his own jacket on and locking the TARDIS as they walked across the park towards Clara's house.
"Clara," Dave said when he opened the door, hugging her close. He looked at the man standing behind her, the man he figured must be The Doctor. Clara had only mentioned him a dozen times, pretty much every time she visited actually.
"Hi Dad. This is The Doctor," Clara said, and The Doctor shook hands with Clara's father before he gently took Clara's hand and squeezed it just a little. Clara smiled, knowing that he was nervous about all of this.
It turned out that Clara's father was a terrible shopper, almost as bad as The Doctor thought he was, and after hours walking from store to store, the only present he'd managed to buy was some eggnog for himself.
"I don't even know why you like that stuff," Clara said as she set the table for dinner, four places, one for her Gran who would be arriving shortly.
"I don't know why you don't," her father said, placing it in the fridge. He'd already had half of it and Clara knew he'd be finished with it by morning at this rate. "So Clara, this Doctor, is he…I don't mean to pry but I am your father and well…"
"He's my boyfriend yes. And he's wonderful Dad. He's just a bit…nervous," Clara said, looking at The Doctor where he sat watching some Kids Christmas cartoon.
"I never said he wasn't. He seems like a nice young man," Dave replied to which Clara had to stop a giggle. She hadn't heard someone refer to The Doctor as a young man before, even though from her father's point of view he probably seemed to be close to Clara's age.
"So how's Gran doing?" Clara asked.
"Oh you know her usual self. Whining about the teenagers that live across the road, apparently they are always making so much noise. Asking me when you're visiting again and telling me she hasn't seen you in months, even though I know you visited her two weeks ago. And then there's her telling me that when she was your age she already had children and asking when there's going to be some little ones around here again."
"I don't plan on having children for a long while Dad," Clara reminded him.
"Oh I know that, just don't tell her. Smile and nod Clara. Chin up and be my brave little girl," Dave said, handing her a bowl of mashed potatoes to put out on the table.
There was a knock at the door and The Doctor leapt to his feet, running down the hall and opening it to see a woman who looked somewhat like an older version of Clara, though her eyes were a blueish gray where Clara's were brown and she was even shorter than Clara if that were possible. Still there was a family resemblance between the two of them.
"Who the devil are you?" the woman asked, clutching her handbag close and looking at the number on the door. "I've not gotten the wrong house again have I? I'm looking for my granddaughter Clara, is she here?"
"Hi Gran," Clara said, nudging her way past The Doctor and leaning down to hug her. "I've missed you, how've you been?"
"That was…interesting," The Doctor said as they lay together in the spare bed, looking up at the ceiling. Clara smiled though he didn't see it and she gently ran her fingers down his arm until she reached his fingers and held his hand.
"Gran does like you, she's just…"
"A little eccentric?"
"That's one word for her," Clara laughed.
"Clara, I have to tell you something. I think…very soon, I'm going to regenerate," The Doctor told her and she sat straight up, looking right at him.
"No."
"What do you mean no?"
"I mean no, I won't let you. I don't want you to go," Clara replied.
"It's not really a thing you can choose Clara. You know that," The Doctor said.
"Why would you tell me this?"
"I just…I think this might be our last Christmas together, the last one with me looking like this anyway. And your Gran with all her talk about us getting married and having kids I just…I had to remind you that that life…it isn't something I can have. No matter how much I would like to."
"That's why you're telling me? Because of my Gran?"
"No. Yes. A little," The Doctor replied.
"I don't want to know this. Un-tell me!" Clara shouted at him.
"I can't. Clara please, I'm sorry. I didn't want to upset you. I'll still be here, still be The Doctor."
"Will you be MY doctor though?" Clara said, tears filling her eyes.
"I'll always, always be your doctor."
"I'm going to pretend this was all a dream. And don't you dare remind me that it wasn't. I want just one merry Christmas with you and we are going to have it. Now tomorrow, you'll help me and Gran decorate her house and then we'll go back to the TARDIS and keep up our Christmas themed travels and you won't mention regeneration again. Understood Chin?"
"But Clara…"
"Do you understand or should I send you back to the TARDIS?"
"I understand Clara. But it won't stop it from happening."
"We'll see about that. If anyone can save you, it's me. Now go to sleep and dream about Gallifrey and the Christmas we can have when we find it."