Chapter Two; Sled Riding
After Nathan and Cassie finished school, The Doctor picked them up before driving to King's Cross station to pick up Jane. "Daddy!" she cried as she stepped off the Hogwarts Express and raced over to him flinging her arms wide open as he lifted her up and hoisted her inside his arms.
"Wow, you sure are getting big young lady." He told her placing a kiss on her cheek before setting her back down again.
"Thank you." She began. "What did you get me for Christmas?" she asked him.
"I haven't got your presents yet, and even if I had I wouldn't tell you. You wouldn't want me spoiling the surprise would you?" he questioned her.
"No, but I hope you got me a pony." She began. "Or a horse." She finished.
"Jane, we've already talked about this. You're not getting a horse and neither is Cassie. You guys are lucky that you even get to ride at all. Besides, the most important thing is that we're going to be together." He told her.
"Yeah, I guess so." She began with a shrug. "But I still wish that you would give me a horse." She said. "Where's Peter?" she asked him.
"Ice skating with Maggie." Clara replied.
"Well so much for us all being together for Christmas." Jane mumbled under her breath.
"Don't worry, after we go Christmas shopping, he agreed to meet us down at the sledding hill." Her father told her with a grin.
"Yeah, and Mum is coming too!" Cassie cried excitedly.
"Awesome!" Jane exclaimed as The Doctor chuckled and glanced over at Clara.
"You can thank Clara for it, it was her idea." He explained.
"Thanks Clara, maybe you won't be such a bad stepmother after all." Cassie said.
"Cassandra!" The Doctor scolded as Clara smiled and tried to restrain her laughter.
"What!? Haven't you ever read Cinderella or Snow White? Stepmothers are supposed to be evil. Not only that but she's a teacher, I was afraid that when I get to high school that she would make me do homework during the summer." She explained.
"Well first of all Cassie not all stepmothers are like that, and second of all I would never do that to you. Peter can tell you that even though I'm very serious about my job, I also believe in having fun. Especially during vacation." She told her as Cassie breathed a sigh of relief.
"Phew! alright Dad, you can marry her now." She told him as he gave another chuckle.
"Well thank you honey, I appreciate that, but I don't think I'm quite ready to tie the knot just yet." He said before looking over at Clara. "No offense." He said with a shake of his head.
"It's alright, I completely understand and neither am I." she said.
"Well come on girls," The Doctor began before glancing down at Nathan. "and boy. Let's go to the store. Do you all know what you're going to buy everyone?" he wondered.
"I'm making most of my gifts but I think that I've pretty got it much figured out." Nathan told him.
"Good, Jane what about you?" he asked her.
"Yep!" she exclaimed with a nod.
"Me too!" Cassie cried. "By the way, I love Barbie Dolls, baby dolls, Hatchimals, and My Little Pony." She said.
"I've been dying to get a Hatchimal!" Jane cried.
"Girls that's enough! You're not shopping for yourselves!" their father told them.
"I know, but I just wanted to make sure that you guys get me the right stuff." Cassie said.
"I believe that it's the thought that counts. But what the heck do I know? I'm just a robot." Nathan said.
"Ah, but you're a very smart robot." The Doctor pointed out as they headed back towards the car together. "And right after we get home I want you to each pick out a toy to give to the toy drive for the homeless shelter." He added.
….. …
"Come on Mum sit with me!" Cassie cried as she climbed into her sled.
"Oh I don't think so sweetheart, I don't go sled riding anymore." Rose told her.
"C'mon Mum give it a try, you're already dead." Peter began. "What's the worst that can happen?" he questioned her.
"He has a point." Clara told her.
"Oh, alright." Rose began with a shrug. "Jane scoot over." She said as she climbed into the sled and Cassie grabbed ahold of the string.
"Alright, are you ladies ready?" The Doctor questioned them with a grin.
"Ready!" they chorused as The Doctor gave the sled a push and they started to scream and squeal with excitement as the sled slid down the hill.
"I'm next!" Clara cried as she leapt into the air and raised her hand.
"Wow, that's the first time that I've seen you raise your hand." Peter said with a grin before she turned over to look at him.
"Do you want to go with me?" she asked him.
"Do I get extra credit if I say yes?" he questioned her back.
"No." she told him firmly before narrowing her eyebrows and glaring at him. "But I just might fail you if you don't!" she spat as she slapped him upside the head.
"Ouch! Alright, alright you talked me into it! Man, Clara, you're evil when you're not in the classroom." He told her.
"And don't you forget it! And that's Ms. Oswald to you mister!" she snapped as Rose, Jane, and Cassie started pulling the sled back up the hill.
"Alright Clara your turn!" Rose told her when all of a sudden Peter heard a car door slamming shut behind him.
"Hey Peter! Hey Ms. Oswald!" he turned around to see Maggie and her mother walking towards them.
"Hey Maggie." He said smiling shyly back at him.
"Hey Maggie, how are you enjoying your first day of Christmas vacation?" Clara asked her with a warm and bright smile.
"It's great, I got a new horse for Christmas." She replied.
"What!?" Jane yelled. "No fair!" she cried as they finally managed to pull the sled back up to the top of the hill.
"If you want fair wait until next fall." The Doctor began. "Then you can eat all the food you want and go on rides until your heart's content. Until then you should start being grateful for the things that you do have that other people don't." he told her.
"Yeah like we have a Wii even though CJ has a Wii U." Peter said but The Doctor just simply shook his head again.
"Not your best example son." He told him.
"I have an idea, why don't we all slide down the hill a few more times and then we can go back home for a nice cup of hot chocolate." Rose suggested.
"I like that idea, it's your turn son. Why don't you and Nathan get onto the sled with Clara and I'll give you a push." The Doctor said as Peter started climbing onto the sled.