"It was nice of your Mum to let us borrow the jeep," the Doctor said.
"I was, but it would be nice to know why we're taking the jeep and not my car. When are you going to tell me where we're going?" Rose asked from the passenger seat.
The Doctor flashed Rose a wide grin, "We're going to get our very first Christmas tree."
"That still doesn't explain why we couldn't take my car, unless we're going to cut down our own tree… oh no, that's what we're doing isn't it?" she asked, her eyes going wide at the idea of the Doctor wielding an axe.
"Oh yes! We're going to chop down our own tree. Isn't that exciting?"
"Can't we just buy one that's already cut? You know there are plenty of stores in town that are selling them, no need to put any work into it," she asked, leaning forward to turn the heat up.
"Absolutely not, Rose! You silly humans always want to take the easy route."
"Well you've only got one heart so I really don't see the problem," she said with a tongue touched grin.
"Nice try, Rose, but a freshly cut tree with last longer and we can really pick what kind we want. Do you even realize how many different types of trees there are to choose from? You've got Douglas-fir, Noble Fir, Balsam Fir, Fraser Fir, Virginia Pine, Scots Pine, and Eastern White Pine. Then there's Norway Spruce, Serbian Spruce, and of course the Nordmann Fir," he said, listing the trees so fast Rose could hardly keep up with the names.
"I see you've put a lot of thought into this. Let's do it your way then," she said, leaning over to place a kiss on his cheek. "As long as you promise me a nice cup of hot cocoa later."
"You've got yourself a deal, Miss Tyler."
Thirty minutes later and they're entering the Christmas Tree Farm. It's lightly snowing as the wait in the line for the axe. Rose quickly discovered that it always snows in the winter in Pete's World. However, this is the Doctor's first winter here and he's still in awe that it snows nearly every day, and there's always a blanket of snow on the ground.
As they reach the front of the line the man behind the counter hands the Doctor an axe. Rose can't help the feeling of dread that comes over her at the idea of him chopping down a tree.
"Doctor, have you ever cut down a tree before? Do you even know how to wield an axe?" Rose asked as the Doctor grabbed her hand with the hand that wasn't carrying the axe.
"Well, not exactly. Shouldn't be too difficult, I googled it."
"You googled how to chop down a tree and thought that was enough? When you lose a hand and can't grow one back… it'll be all on you," she said, swinging their gloved hands between them as they took off down a row of snow covered trees.
The Doctor arched an eyebrow in her direction before stopping to look at a tree.
"You like this one?" she asked hopefully although knowing tree hunting with her Doctor would not be that simple.
"It's crooked, Rose."
"No, it's not… looks straight to me."
"No, it's crooked. It's slightly off. No good, that tree," he said before tugging her along down the line of trees.
"What about that one? It's nice and full," she said, pointing.
"No, Rose, it's got an oddly shaped top, no good for a star," he said, not even stopping to give it a second glance.
"Well, what kind of tree are you looking for then?"
The Doctor pulled Rose off down another aisle of trees as the snow began to fall a little harder. Rose couldn't help but enjoy this, even if the Doctor was being a bit ridiculous. It was a beautiful evening, the snow was falling, and she was shopping with her Doctor, she couldn't think of a better way to spend the beginning of their first holiday season together.
"I know we don't want a Scotch Pine. They have crooked trunks and they're prickly, not to mention they don't really smell like a Christmas tree. That's important, it needs to smell like Christmas. We also want to avoid White Pines, Rose, no white pines. They are far too soft and you can't put any ornaments on them."
"Why don't we just give up and buy one of those artificial trees from the store?" she asked with a another tongue touched grin, knowing that would get a rise out of him.
"Need I remind you about the last artificial tree you had a run in with? It almost killed you. No way, we're doing this the right way. Even your mother refuses to have an artificial tree and you know how much I dislike agreeing with your mum."
Rose leaned up and pressed a kiss to his cheek, "Yes, the world will end the day you and mum agree on how many sweets you're allowed to give Tony."
"Honestly, Rose, he's a growing boy. I don't understand why I can't let him eat the whole box of biscuits. I think your mum just doesn't want me to be his favorite," he said with a pout.
Rose gave his hand a squeeze and chuckled softly, "No need to worry, you are defiantly Tony's favorite half human half Time Lord."
"Thanks… wait, I'm the only one."
Letting go of the Doctor's hand, Rose moved to walk in front of him, turning around to face him. "I know, that's why you're so special. The only Tyler you need to be concerned with, as far as being their favorite goes, is me. Not to worry though, Doctor, you've held that spot for quite some time," she said with a wink.
He leaned the axe against a nearby tree before rushing forward and pulling her into his arms for a hug. He looked down at her round face, cheeks and nose pink from the cold. "I am fully aware I am already your favorite," he said, pressing his warm lips against her cold nose.
"Good. I don't let just any guy take me to a Christmas tree farm in the freezing cold," she said, her hands grabbing into the lapels of his jacket, leaning up to give him a quick peck on the lips. "Now, let's pick a Christmas tree so we can get home and you can make me that hot chocolate."
The Doctor reluctantly let go of Rose and picked the axe back up.
"Alright, I was thinking we should get a Nordmann Fir. Their branches a strong, they don't shed, they're very green, and they smell wonderful. What do you think?" he asked, taking her hand again, pulling her deeper into the farm.
"I think whatever tree you pick out is going to be perfect, seeing as how you've rejected every tree I've suggested."
"Quite right, I've put a lot of thought into this and I won't accept anything but the perfect tree for our first Christmas."
After five minutes of looking through the Nordmann Firs the Doctor was chopping down what he'd proclaimed was the perfect tree. Rose was surprised she had to agree, it was a beautiful tree and it was the nicest one she'd ever seen. Rose was also surprised with the Doctor's chopping skills, she would never again underestimate the man's ability to learn something from google.
Thirty minutes later they had the tree on top of the jeep, making their way back home to their flat. Rose had the heater cranked as high as it would go, the Doctor's free hand held tightly in hers. Rose smiled over at him and gave his hand a squeeze.
Several hours and several cups of hot coca later the Doctor sat in front of their decorated tree, wrapped up in a blanket, Christmas music playing softly from the stereo. Rose leaned back against the Doctor's chest from her spot between his legs and sighed happily.
"Thank you," she said, turning her head to look up at him.
"For what?"
"Making this the best Christmas ever," she said with a smile before pulling him down for a kiss.