"That's the last of those," Jo said, stringing up the last garland of popcorn and cranberries. "Do you need anymore help?"
"No, that's everything," said Benton, pulling something out of a box and grinning, "except for the mistletoe."
"I better leave that up to you," Jo chuckled, trying to slip out the door. "We wouldn't want any accidents."
"Who says that?" asked Benton, leaning over, putting a sprig over their heads, and pecking her on the cheek. Jo giggled and elbowed him in the ribs.
"Stop it!" she said. "Anyway, I should go. I have to finish wrapping and," she leaned in towards Benton, knocked the mistletoe out of the way before he could get any ideas, and whispered: "find something for the Doctor."
"Good luck with that," sighed Benton.
"I'll need it," Jo shot at him as she left.
Jo browsed the store windows, trying to find something for the Doctor. But what to get for a six-hundred-year-old, time-travelling, genius alien? She wanted to get him something nice, not just a tie or some similar thing.
She sighed, her breath going up in a white cloud not unlike the one produced by the Doctor when they'd first met. That brought on a small smirk as she remembered how resistant he'd been to having her along. It hadn't even been a year since then, had it?
"You alright?" Jo was broken out of her reverie and turned to look at the man who'd spoke.
"Oh, yeah, sorry," said Jo, shaking her head. "I'm looking for a gift for someone, and he's a hard case."
"How hard?"
"Cosmically hard."
"I've dealt with harder."
"Doubt it."
"You know what, tell me what he's like, and I might be able to help you."
"Are you serious?" asked Jo.
"For once in my life," said the man.
"Well, he's very smart, and he loves to fiddle with bits and bobs, and um, he's a very good dresser."
"Where's he from?"
"Oh, um, far, far, away."
"Hm. Well, tell you what, that shop," he pointed to a cozy little place, "has some interesting little things. Maybe one of them'll be interesting to your friend too."
"Thanks," said Jo.
"No problem," he said, walking off. "Anyway, I should go meet a friend of mine."
"Merry Christmas!" said Jo, waving.
"Merry Christmas!" said the Eleventh Doctor, turning a corner.
The Doctor sighed as he took a sip of his eggnog. It was dreadfully dull in here, though the decorations were pretty. Christmas music was playing over the speakers, O Holy Night having finished and a 'new' song, Merry Xmas (The War Is Over) starting up. It'd just come out this year, and the Doctor mused over how popular it'd become. He remembered the last time he'd heard it, back at a Christmas Party he'd gone to with Jamie and Victoria, the highlight of the night being when the two had ended up underneath some mistletoe. The memory of his old companion brought a twinge to his hearts and he decided he needed some fresh air. He glanced behind him as he slipped through the doorway and bumped into someone.
"Oof!" he said, looking down at the person he'd bumped into. "Sorry Jo."
"It's alright," she sighed. "I'm just glad I caught you in time." She smiled up at him, then her face fell a little bit and she blushed.
"What is it?" asked the Doctor, following her gaze to see a sprig of the dreaded mistletoe. "Oh dear."
"M-maybe we can pretend we didn't see it," whispered Jo.
"Well, well, Doctor," said the Brigadier, smirking at the couple.
"Too late," muttered the Time Lord, feeling extremely uncomfortable as what seemed like everyone in the room turned to watch them.
"Oh gosh…" Jo muttered, blushing even more.
"Well, what are you waiting for?" asked Benton. "You're holding up the doorway." The Doctor tried to hide his discomfort as he looked down at Jo, who was looking around the room like a hare about to bolt.
He took a steady, steeling breath and cupped her chin in his hand. She turned her attention to him as he drew nearer and gave her a short, chaste kiss on the lips, breezing away afterwards to sort himself out.
Jo stood there for a second, then broke out of her funk and started after the Doctor. By the time she caught up with him, he was sitting on a box in the laboratory and watching the snow fall. The room was dark, except for the hall lights coming in from the door, so Jo was careful so she didn't bang her shins as she made her way to the Doctor and sat down next to him.
"You alright?" she asked.
"I should be asking you the same question," he responded.
"I was just… shocked really," she said. "But it's one of the perils of Christmas, I suppose. Mistletoe galore." She giggled a little bit, then paused, pulling out her present. "Here." The Doctor took the package, his acute eyesight picking out the cartoon reindeer on the paper.
"Oh, thank you," he said. "But I'm afraid I didn't get you anything."
"It's fine," Jo said. "I hope you like it."
The Doctor opened the gift and pulled it out, inspecting it.
"A bow-tie?"
"I was running out of time and I'd noticed you tend to wear the same one, so I thought it might add a little variety," she explained nervously.
"Thank you," he said, planting a small kiss into her hair.
"Y-you like it?.
"Of course! After all, bow-ties are cool." The way he said it, that distinguished voice saying something like 'bow-ties are cool,' caused Jo to giggle slightly.
"Merry Christmas Doctor."
"Merry Christmas Jo."
Bloody: Right. I've been reading a lot of FanFics for Three, including some Jo/Three stories. Never joke-ship a pairing, it'll quickly become a real obsession. T.T Since we're going away to Florida and I have no clue whatsoever whether or not we'll have Wi-Fi, I'm posting this now because it'll be hectic as you-know-what tomorrow morning. Best wishes, cake, etc, bye!