Another sneak peek at a new series I'm working on! This New Year's I resolve to finish the stories I never finished. In the meantime, enjoy this one shot! Happy New Year!

flames and kisses,

Mlle. Phoenix Fox

It was cold and windy on top of the huge skyscraper. The sounds of the roaring crowd below was muffled by the wind. In fact one could barely hear the otherworldly engines go vworp,vworp, vworp as the blue British public police box faded into existence. Then the doors opened and the Doctor peeked out, the windy ruffling his brown locks.

He smiled and called inside to his companion,

"Come on Mac!"

Mackenzie Maccolla stepped out, looking around cautiously,

"Are you sure we can be up here?"

"Of course! The ball drop is controlled by remote control now. Look." He replied pointing over their heads. Mackenzie gasped seeing the huge crystal ball read for the stroke of midnight.

"Wow. This is awesome!" Mackenzie exclaimed.

"And look! Look at that! Times Square! Right below us!" The Doctor said pulling her to the edge where they saw a massive crowd shift and surge below as musical acts performed.

"This is so much better than watching it on TV." Mackenzie said.

"of course! Because New Year's isn't just a change in the calendar. It's an idea! A brand new chance to get life right. That the new year will be better than the last. To be a different person than you were. A regeneration if you will." The Doctor rambled.

"I'm guessing the Time Lord's didn't celebrate New Year's either?" Mackenzie asked.

"Nope. And frankly it never made sense to me why we didn't. I mean it's a holiday about time! But then Time Lords didn't think they needed improving so there you go." The Doctor said digging in the pockets of his coat. Mackenzie watched with amusement as his whole arm disappeared to pull out a plastic bag of grapes, some party hats, some noisemakers and a bottle of champagne and two glasses. He set it on the small stone bench they had sat upon to watch the crowds below. She laughed as he popped open the champagne and poured them each a glass.

"Cheers." the Doctor said as they clinked glasses and took a sip.

"So what are the grapes for?" Mackenzie asked.

"English tradition says that at the stroke of twelve we eat twelve grapes for good luck. Seven hundred years knocking about Great Britain I picked up a thing or two." The Doctor replied.

"Better than the tradition of getting a kiss at midnight." Mackenzie said.

"Oi. What's with that cynical tone going into the new year?" the Doctor asked.

"I can count on one hand the number of men I've kissed. And they've certainly never lasted until New Year's." Mackenzie told him.

"Mackenzie Maccolla! Are you telling me you've never recieved a New Year's Kiss?" The Doctor inquired.

"Nope." She shook her head as she took another sip. They sat in silence a moment. The Doctor fiddled with the glass in his hand in thought. He looked at how the wind blew the brown curls behind his companion wildly, the cold air bringing a lovely flush to her skin.

"I could give you at kiss at midnight. If you want." He offered with a cough.

Mackenzie looked at him with a stunned expression,

"What?"

"I mean it'd just be a friendly peck. A friendly peck between friends. Nothing wrong with that is there?" He asked.

"You know what? There isn't. We're adults! We can kiss each other without reading anything into it." Mackenzie agreed.

"Of course we can! I've don't it before. Me and Donna did. Only this time there's no poison to worry about." The Doctor said.

"Right. So we're doing this?" Mackenzie said.

"Oh yes!" He said as they both chuckled. Their chuckles faded as they locked gazes nervously. Anxious, the Doctor stood rubbing the back of his neck.

"We're being very silly. It's just a kiss!" He said turning back to her.

"Right. It means nothing." Mackenzie nodded.

"It's healthy even. Reduces stress, lowers cholesterol, let's the adrenal glands release epinephrine and norepinephrine into the blood and makes the hearts pump faster and it burns about 2.5 calories a minute." The Doctor shrugged.

"All the more reason to do it then." Mackenzie said as the countdown begun.

"Ten! Nine! Eight!"

Mackenzie sat there staring at him. Why did the universe like to torture her with the one guy she could never have? The guy still in love with Rose Tyler? She watched as he sat back down next to her, the countdown continuing,

"Seven! Six! Five! Four!"

The Doctor took a steadying breath as he edged closer to Mackenzie. Why did the universe continue to test him? Especially with young, beautiful, brillant companions that would never want an old man like him?

"Three! Two! One! Happy New Year!"

The Doctor closed the gap and brushed her lips with his. But before old acquaintances be forgot, the Doctor kissed her again, more deeply.

"Happy 2016 New York!" They heard over the crowd.

The Doctor winced as Mackenzie pulled back with a smirk,

"2016?"

"Opps..." The Doctor blushed.

"Happy New Year Doctor." Mackenzie smiled shaking her head.

"Happy New Year Mackenzie Maccolla." The Doctor said before kissing her again.