Slumbering in his bed, the Doctor stretched out his arm to hug Sarah Jane, but he opened his eyes surprised to note that at his side there was no one. He searched his partner with his eyes around the room, and on not finding her he stood up and left his bedroom. The girl wasn't in the library, a place she used to go to read when she couldn't sleep, so the Time Lord decided to move to another place: her former bedroom. He knocked softly the closed door. Receiving no answer he opened the door to find the girl in bed sleeping peacefully. Determined not to disturb her, the gallifreyan carefully closed the door and returned to his bedroom. When she was sure that the Doctor had moved away, Sarah got out of bed and went back to what she was doing right before she heard his call.

"Good morning," said the young journalist when she met him in the console room the next morning.

"Good morning," he replied, trying to see in the girl's face some sign that would tell him why she left the common bed. There seemed nothing strange in her. "Is everything all right, Sarah?" He decided to ask.

"Why would there be anything wrong?" She asked, surprised.

"Last night you didn't sleep with me ..."

"Oh! That!" She said and began to laugh. "Don't worry, honey. Last night you snored very strong and you didn't let me sleep, so I went to another room, that's all," she said with a reassuring smile.

"Snoring? Me? I don't snore!"

Sarah smiled sweetly and kissed him on the nose. "Yes you do," she said, and she started to leave the room.

"Where are you going now?"

"If you don't need me, I'm going to take a hot bath."

"Shall I go with you?" he asked mischievously.

"It's not necessary, you're busy here and I don't want to bother," she said, leaving the console room.

"I'm not busy ..." he said, but she was no longer listening.

After that, the day proceeded normally: the Doctor and Sarah Jane exploring new worlds. Sarah behaved as usual. She showed no signs of being angry with him or anything like that - although she yawned as if she hadn't slept well - and when night came they both went to bed together. Passed a couple of hours the girl opened her eyes and made sure that the Doctor was asleep before getting up and out of the bedroom. But the Time Lord only pretended to be asleep.

"I snore," he said. "Nonsense! That excuse will no longer serve you." He wanted to go to his partner's room and surprise her in the act with what she was doing, but instead he closed his eyes and tried to rest. Sarah would have her reasons to leave him at night and he fully trusted her. Today he would respect her secret.

Tomorrow he would try to find out something...

Taking advantage of Sarah had momentarily left the room the Doctor came stealthy willing to know the reason for her strange behaviour. The girl's former bedroom was clean and tidy; there was nothing out of place or anything that had not been there before. Hung on the wall there was a terrestrial calendar. The Doctor had always scoffed at that. "Why do you need a calendar when you travel through time and space?" he asked when she hung it. "To know what day is exactly. How will I know when is my birthday, for example?" it was her convincing answer. According to the calendar, it was December 22. Christmas was near.

"So that is," said the Doctor. "Oh, Sarah Jane, if you want to go home for Christmas you just have to ask me for it." A smile appeared on the Doctor's face while his eyes remained fixed on the calendar.

"What are you doing here?" Sarah asked to find the Doctor in her room.

"I was looking for you ... I woke up alone again," he replied in a sad voice.

"I woke up before you and I went to breakfast and then to read a little," said the girl.

"You could have woken me up," he said without showing at all that he knew she was lying.

"You were sleeping so deeply that I didn't want to bother you," she said. The Doctor snorted to himself.

"I came to propose you to make a trip to Leandra XVIII. It's a small green planet with an impressive forest populated of the most beautiful butterflies you've ever seen. They measure five feet, but are completely harmless... except that day when the planets of that Galaxy lined up and the butterflies went crazy, carnivorous to be exact, but we'll try not to land that day... "

"A little trip of pleasure? Why?"

"Lately you seem very tired, don't think I haven't noticed it, and I think you deserve a few days off."

"It's very kind of you, Doctor, but I think I prefer to rest here, in the TARDIS. It's safer," she said, fully convinced that they would land on Leandra XVIII the day of the crazy butterflies.

"As you wish. You rest, and I'll spend the time cleaning some rooms that I haven't touched in ages."

"Would you like some help?" She asked.

The Time Lord smiled at the girl sweetly. He saw in her face that she was willing to help him in the cleanup if he asked for. "Don't worry about this and rest," he said before leaving the bedroom.

Sarah watched him sadly. She knew that her acting was hurting him, but she would compensate him soon.

The day twenty-four at dusk Sarah heard the Doctor's voice calling her. "I'm here!" she said from her former bedroom, a place she frequented a lot lately.

"Obvious place in recent days," said the Doctor to arrive. "Prepare yourself, Sarah. The TARDIS has landed ..." he started to say.

"First of all, Doctor, let me apologize to you." He looked at her not knowing why she was apologizing. "I know I've been acting in a very elusive way with you these last days ..."

"Ah, for that ... You don't have to apologize to me," he said sincerely.

"Yes, I have. It wasn't my intention to sadden you," she said while she removed him the scarf.

"My dear, I accept your apology but there will be time for that later. The adventure awaits us."

"Close your eyes."

The Time Lord was really surprised, but even so he obeyed the girl and closed his blue eyes. Almost instantly he felt something warm around his neck.

"Now you can open them."

In doing so, he saw that he was wearing a new scarf, similar to his in design and length.

"This is ..." he began without knowing exactly what to say, stroking the hand knitted garment, visibly moved.

Sarah smiled. "It's our first Christmas together as a couple and I wanted to do something special for you. Your scarf is old and broken and I thought you'd need to change it soon."

"Have you made this in three days?" He was surprised.

"Actually in ten," she answered him.

"Ten days?" He was more surprised. For seven days she had managed to keep her secret without him noticing anything unusual.

"It would have taken less time, but you like wearing extra long scarves. It would have been easier if you were still wearing bow ties."

"Bow ties are old fashioned," he grumbled. Sarah smiled and the Doctor did the same. "Thanks for the gift," he said. "Now comes my surprise for you."

"Five feet butterflies?" asked the girl.

"Do you want to see the butterflies?" He looked at her with wide eyes, as if he thought she really wanted to see the giant butterflies of Leandra XVIII.

"At another time, perhaps," she replied.

"Good, because I have taken you to a very special place," he said as he took her towards the exit door. "It's a beautiful blue planet inhabited by extraordinary beings."

"Oh, please. Tell me we're not on Metebelis III."

The Doctor shook his head and opened the TARDIS door.

"After you," he told the girl with a gentlemanly bow.

Sarah timidly put her foot out of the ship and...

"MERRY CHRISTMAS!"

The Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart, Sergeant Benton and her good friend and former companion Harry Sullivan were in front of her. They were in UNIT lab, which was decorated with Christmas ornaments. Sarah had never seen it like that.

"But this ... We're in UNIT!" it was all the surprised girl could say.

"Oh, Sarah," said the Doctor with a sweet smile that gradually became broader. "You were so absorbed knitting that you haven't noticed we're here two days ago."

"Two days?"

"Miss Smith, the Doctor landed his TARDIS here and asked us to help him to prepare a surprise Christmas party for you," said the Brigadier.

"But ... I haven't gifts for you," she said still in shock, apologizing to her friends.

"Don't worry old girl. Your look of surprise has been a good gift," Harry reassured her.

"Nobody is going to run out of gifts today. I've taken care of everything," said the gallifreyan.

Sarah turned her head towards the Doctor, still assimilating what was happening. "So when you said you were cleaning ..."

"I was actually cleaning. I have arranged a room for dinner, with Christmas decorations, music, and a large table with comfortable chairs to sit. Mr. Benton has helped me in his spare time to prepare food," - Benton smiled proudly- "There are grilled vegetables, assorted canapés, mashed potatoes, roast beef, Christmas pudding ... Oh yeah, and tomorrow we'll go to eat with your aunt Lavinia."

When she could finally leave her state of amazement, Sarah hugged her beloved Time Lord.

"Doctor, you're wonderful!"

"Of course I am."

"Besides humble," Harry said Benton sarcastically. Benton nodded to his colleague.

The Doctor ignored the comment of the young man and received from Sarah a passionate kiss on the lips.

"Are we under the mistletoe?" he asked looking up.

"Do I need mistletoe to kiss you?" Sarah asked.

"No, you don't need it," he replied, bringing his mouth to hers and repeating the kiss, this time making it more prolonged in time.

"Doctor, we don't want to interrupt this beautiful scene, so we are going to sit at the table now," the Brigadier said going into the TARDIS, followed by Benton and Harry.

"Well, you know where it is," said the Gallifreyan without departing from the journalist.

"Nice scarf," Harry noted when he passing by.

"Thanks," he replied. Once Harry had entered the blue box the Doctor raised a little his voice. "And Harry, don't touch anything!"

"Doctor," said the young Sullivan sticking his head out the door. "You'll run out of my Christmas gift."

The End