Disclaimer: Doctor Who isn't mine. If it was things would be quite different. The BBC owns all and I bow before them.
Written for timepetalsprompts on tumblr and their weekly ficlet prompt, Getting warm by the fire (it takes a bit but it gets there!).
Many, many thanks to lunaseemoony for her thoughts, looking it over, and generally putting up with my nattering about this one. :)
"Mummy!"
Rose Tyler was roused from her slumber by a red-haired blur of motion that jostled the bed before resolving itself into her four year old daughter, Alli. The little girl's blue eyes were shining and she bounced excitedly on the bed. "It's Christmas! Daddy's playing Santa downstairs!"
Rose hugged her daughter, partly to greet her and partly to stop the bouncing. "Gently, love."
Alli promptly stopped her bouncing and patted Rose's abdomen. It was something she had started doing each morning (and of her own initiative) since she was told she had a little brother on the way. "Come see what I got!"
Rose slipped on her bathrobe over her jimjams and let her little girl lead her downstairs. Much to her surprise though, instead of stopping in front of the Christmas tree, she opened the door to the back yard and pulled her through.
Rose took one step out and then promptly stepped back inside in shock. There, in front of her, was a horse. It was a tall, magnificent creature, a Clydesdale that stared at her with dark, soulful eyes. While it was gorgeous, it didn't explain what it was doing there.
Not that there was any was any doubt in Rose's mind how the horse got there. No, she knew exactly who was behind that. Turning around she found the responsible party, her husband, wearing a Santa hat and beaming at her as he exited the kitchen to join them.
Even after all the years she'd spent with the Doctor, and even when they were currently grounded on Earth until little Jack arrived, he could always surprise her. She knew he always would, and that was one of the many things she loved about him.
"So what's this then?" she asked, genuinely curious. There was no way he would get their daughter a horse, was there? Certainly not without talking to her first? Not to mention that this particular horse towered over their daughter and would be way too big for her. Of course a human-Time Lord metacrisis probably wouldn't think like that.
"Rose, Alli," the Doctor began as he stooped down and picked up their daughter who was staring at the horse in amazement, "this is Bobtail."
Alli's little hand reached out and ran down the horse's fine mane with enough pressure that the bells around his neck rang out in the crisp December air. Her childish laughter filled the air and she turned her head to Rose. "Look Mummy!"
"We're going for a ride," the Doctor explained to the little girl, and then cast his eyes back to his wife. Evidently her concern must've been written across her face, because he leaned over and whispered in her ear. "I told Alli before she saw him he wasn't to keep."
Rose sighed a bit in relief. Thank goodness for that. Not only did she not want Alli to be upset when it came time for Bobtail to leave, she also knew the Doctor would feel terrible if that happened. This experience would be something that would hopefully stay with her for years, despite her young age. And if it didn't, it still would be a wonderful gift for today.
"You're going to have so much fun!" she told Alli and as she too stroked the horse.
"You don't think this is just for her do you, Rose?" the Doctor asked the moment she was finished.
"We can't all fit and there's no way I'm up for the horse ride in my condition." Her hands went to her belly and while currently everything was calm, she'd had a difficult night between her back aching and Jack's frequent kicking.
The Doctor set Alli down and wrapped her in his arms. "Why didn't you say something?"
Rose shrugged. She knew he'd been working on the TARDIS (even though they were staying on Earth for the foreseeable future, he was constantly working on their time ship as it continued to grow bigger each day) and placing the gifts under the tree during the worst of her night pain. "It was manageable."
Shaking his head, the Doctor gave her a rueful chuckle. "And you wonder why I say Alli got her stubbornness from you. We're not riding the horse."
He motioned over to the grove of trees that lined the back of their yard and instead of the one that was actually their TARDIS in disguise, there was a magnificent sleigh.
Now Rose was the one to stare in amazement. How had she not noticed it before? Then again, Bobtail had captured her immediate attention.
"The TARDIS promises a smooth ride." The Doctor gave her a tender smile and Rose felt a rush of affection through the bond she had with time ship. It wasn't as strong as her marital bond with the Doctor of course, but she and the ship were very familiar with one another and the TARDIS was fiercely protective not just of her, but of the precious cargo that were her children.
Rose was reassured, but that didn't answer the one question she still had. "And the time vortex?"
The Doctor had immediately explained upon realizing she was pregnant with Alli that they would not be travelling time and space during her pregnancy and it wasn't just because of the danger. The vortex alone could possibly do untold damage to a developing fetus and there was no way they would take such a chance.
"Today she's a transmat and totally safe. We're just going to make a jump to a suitable location." the Doctor explained, his face earnest.
"Alright then." Rose gave him a tongue touched smiled. "Lemme just go change."
Ten minutes later she joined her family and found Alli in the front of the sleigh, bundled up warmly and sitting in her daddy's lap. She slid in next to them and the next moment they were off.
The transmat was instant and Rose's eyes took in the frozen vista that was on the other side. The landscape was white and there was no civilization to be seen. Just miles of white stretched out before them.
"It's beautiful. Where are we?"
"Canada. The Yukon."
With that the Doctor took the reins and urged Bobtail into motion. In his lap, Alli clapped her hands and urged her daddy, "faster!"
They rode across the frozen earth, first singing a few Christmas songs, and then the Doctor told his daughter and wife the true story was of just who had inadvertently taken the last room at a Bethlehem inn, not realizing until after the fact that doing so he had maintained a timeline.
Finally, after a good thirty minutes of dashing through the snow, Alli started to grow restless. "Suppose it's time to get back," the Doctor remarked, eyeing their fidgety daughter.
Before the Doctor could engage the transmat button on the sleigh though, there was one more surprise. The daylight had gradually been receding as they rode. Now it was dusk and the sky was suddenly filled with dancing lights.
"Oh, you cheeky girl!" The Doctor exclaimed, and stroked the front of the sleigh. "You knew about this!"
Turning to Rose, he explained. "These are currently the days with the shortest amount of daylight, right around the winter solstice. When I was planning this, she picked where the transmat would come out and this is why."
There was a deep sense of pride from the TARDIS and Rose grinned at the Doctor. She'd seen the Northern Lights for the first time when he still wore leather but Alli had never seen them. Glancing at her daughter's face, she saw it filled with wonder.
"Mummy, Daddy, look!" she exclaimed. "It's all purple."
"We see, dear." The Doctor brought the sleigh to a stop and kissed the top of Alli's head. They sat for several minutes, taking in the aurora borealis, until the little girl announced she had to go to the loo.
Transmat quickly engaged, the three of them returned to back yard of their home. Alli jumped down and ran inside.
The Doctor turned to Rose. "Happy Christmas, Rose."
She leaned over and kissed him softly. "Happy Christmas, Doctor. You did good."
"Well," the Doctor began smugly but she hushed him with another kiss before the two of them walked hand in hand inside.
Alli's need now taken care of, Rose made them all hot cocoa and then sat down on the couch in front of the roaring fire the Doctor had just kindled for warmth. Tardis the cat jumped into her lap with a loud purr and settled down for a nap.
As she sipped her drink, she watched her daughter pull open the Christmas cracker her father handed her. Inside, among the small whistle and piece of candy that fell out, was a pink crown which he promptly placed on Alli's head. She then helped him open his own and placed the red crown that fell out on her daddy's head.
Rose was immediately struck by the familiarity of the scene. How far she and the Doctor had come, since that Christmas on the Estate. How far they still had to go she thought as she rubbed a hand over her belly, and every step, together.
end