A Wibbly-Wobbly, Timey-Wimey Christmas

Chapter Two - Identity Switch

"You did WHAT?" Anita exclaimed as River drove them into 51st century London.

"I...gave him a picture of you." River repeated "I was just in bad shape and I had just gotten my hair dyed and it was horrible! So I sent him a picture of you instead."

Anita gave River a disbelieving look. "So now what do you expect to do, River?"

"Well...I expect you to help me." she said.

"How?"

"Pretend to be me." she said simply.

"No bloody way!" Anita exclaimed, "I can't be you! Why don't you just use that hallucinaty lipstick on him?"

River paused. "I can't. Not on him." she said.

Anita paused, "So you're in love with him then." she said, a smile creeping across her face.

River blushed a deep crimson as she parked in front of the hotel. "Me? In love? With a guy I don't even know? Don't be silly, Anita."

Anita laughed as she got out of the car. "Why go through all this trouble then?"

River paused, opening the door and climbing out herself. "Ive known him for ten years, Anita. I never thought I'd actually get to meet him...I was only eleven. I didn't know what to do."

Anita frowned, then sighed. "Alright. I can't say no to that. I know how you feel about him." she opened the trunk and took out her suitcase, "So what's he like?"

River smiled as she grabbed her suitcase as well and headed for the hotel they would be staying in as they spent the week together in New London.

"I'll tell you as we get settled. Here's his picture." she said, reaching for her wallet and showing Anita the picture of him she kept inside.

Anita took a look at the picture. A man with bla k hair and blue eyes was winking playfully at the camera. He was sporting a blue jacket. "Well." she said with a laugh, "At least he's a looker!"

-*-

"So what's she like?" Jack asked, "Is she funny? Cute? Does she have a nice bum?"

The Doctor was darting around the console, flipping switches and pressing buttons. "She's brilliant!" the Doctor said with a pause, "Intelligent, funny, hard headed and beautiful! Completely fantastic!"

Jack laughed, "So my usual tricks won't work. I'll have to kick it up a notch."

"Hey you're me remember?" the Doctor said, "And Ive got a reputation to uphold. A 907 year old reputation!"

"Alright alright." Jack said, "You got a picture?"

"On the console. Three steps to your left." the Doctor said, now typing on the keyboard.

Jack blinked, then stepped three steps to his left. On the console in a nice frame was a picture of a girl with dark skin and hair smiling at the camera, a spark of fire in her brown eyes. Jack let out a low whistle.

"You sure know how to pick em, Doc. She must mean alot to you." Jack said.

The Doctor gave him a look. "Why's that?"

Jack grinned. "This was Rose's frame."

The Doctor frowned at him, trying to think of an excuse. But he sighed. He couldn't get past Jack. "Fine fine yes she is special." he said. "Which is why I gave her your picture! She wouldn't recognize me even if she saw me now. I was a different man. I needed to give her a picture of someone well stable."

"Yes because an animals who can't die is definetly stable."

"You know what I mean..."

"I know I know. Don't worry, Doctor. Leave it to me."

The TARDIS made a whirring noise as it faded into existance. And the Doctor couldn't help but worry. What if she could tell? What if she knew Jack wasn't him? He realized for the first time in a long time the Doctor was afraid. He chuckled at the thought.

He could face down Daleks and Cybermen but Christmas with a girl...that was scary.