Standard disclaimer, thanks!


Chapter 8

"It's nice to be back in London for Christmas… it's been too long," Rose said as she followed the Doctor out of the TARDIS and across the quiet tree-lined street to the white house with the bright blue door.

The Doctor sighed, squeezing her hand in apology. "I know, and I'm sor-"

She shook her head. "Not the time."

Taking another deep breath, this one for courage, the Doctor knocked on the door.

"If that is more carol singers, I have a water pistol!" a woman's voice shouted from inside.

"Oh, I think I'm gonna like her," Rose giggled as he knocked again.

"You don't want to be all wet," Amy said, opening the door to prove she was in fact armed, "on a night like this." She froze, stunned.

"Not absolutely sure... how long…" the Doctor trailed off.

"Two years!" she cried, squirting him with the water pistol.

The Doctor wiped his face with a handkerchief Rose passed to him "OK. Fair point."

"So... You're not dead," she said, waiting to comment on the strange blonde woman standing next to him.

"And a happy New Year!"

"She told us."

"Well, of course she did."

"She's a good girl," Amy said fondly. "Well? I'm not going to hug first."

"Nor am I."

Rose rolled her eyes as they awkwardly tried to ignore each other. Finally, she shoved the Doctor toward Amy causing them to make eye contact and laugh before finally hugging.

"And who's this then?" she asked, nodding to Rose.

"I'm Rose. Rose Tyler."

"Amy" she smiled, shaking Rose's hand, before turning behind her. "Mr Pond! Guess who's coming for dinner!"

Rory came to join Amy at the door. "Whoa! Not dead, then," feigning shock.

"We've done that. And you two, we're about to have Christmas dinner. Joining us?"

"If it's no trouble."

"There's a place set for you," Rory informed him. "And room for another as well," he added, nodding to Rose.

"But you didn't know I was coming. Why would you set me a place?"

"Because we always do. It's Christmas, you moron."

Rory nodded before following Amy back down the hall. "Come on."

"Yeah, definitely going to like them," Rose commented, complete with tongue-in-tooth smile this time.

The Doctor hesitated a moment before stepping into the house with Rose. He paused again to wipe away a tear, only to see Rose smiling at him with her hand once again in his. He surprised himself by chuckling before leading her inside and closing the door behind them.

"Welcome to Casa de Pond," he boomed out to Rose.

"Williams!" Rory called over his shoulder.

"Pond." Amy and the Doctor responded.

"Sorry, we haven't been properly introduced yet. I'm Rory Williams," he said, reaching across the table to shake Rose's hand. "And this is my wife, Amy."

"I still say Amelia Pond is far more preferable to Amy Will-"

"Rude," Rose hissed.

"But she's ginger," the Doctor winked back.

"What?"

"Long story. Now the introductions are finished, I am famished. What's for dinner, eh?"

"It's Christmas, you daft alien. What do you think?" Amy told him as she poured glasses of wine for herself, Rory and Rose.

"Really?" the Doctor asked, eagerly eyeing a covered platter on the table. "Is that…?"

"Indeed it is. I give you: fish fingers and custard!" She lifted the cover with a flourish.

Rose nearly spat out the sip of wine she just took. "I- I'm sorry?"

"Oh, that's brilliant!"

She still looked skeptical.

"It isn't nearly as horrid as it sounds," Rory assured her.

"Horrid!? It's fantastic! Rose, here," he offered, holding out a piece for her to try.

"I'm good, thanks."

"You might as well give in," Rory stage whispered. "He won't stop until you do."

Rose steeled herself and nodded, knowing Rory was right. "Okay, fine." She took a small bite of the concoction that the Doctor offered and forced herself to smile as she choked it down.


The Doctor and Amy were sitting facing each other on the couch in the lounge while Rose helped Rory with the dishes in the kitchen.

"So, you've replaced us?" Amy asked. "You made us think you were dead for two years and replaced us?"

"Amelia Pond. I could never-"

"Picking up strays then?"

"Hardly. Rose is..." He sighed. "There are timey-wimey things... Oh, shut up. It's complicated."

"And River?"

"What about her?" Amy raised an eyebrow. "No, haven't seen her since the..."

"Haven't seen who?" Rory asked as he walked into the room.

"River."

"River Song?" Rose asked, not expecting the three stunned looks she received.

"How do you know River?" Amy asked, suddenly suspicious of the girl's intentions with the Doctor.

"I don't. Not really, we've never met. But John..." Her hand flew to her mouth and her eyes welled with unshed tears, catching herself off guard with even the casual mention of him.

Stupid, stupid, stupid! The Doctor thought, mentally slapping his forehead.

He sprang from his seat, surprising Amy and Rory as he leapt over the back of the couch, to embrace her. "Oh, Rose," he sighed. "Of course he did, I'm so sorry. I should have realized..."

"Who's John?" Rory mouthed to his wife, who shrugged in response.


Rose excused herself shortly thereafter and returned to the TARDIS, where she promptly locked herself in her room and released a scream of pure anguish.

River Song. How could she forget about River Song? After being abruptly separated from her family she was so relieved to no longer be on her own, to find that the Doctor was alive, that she hadn't taken a moment to consider what that actually meant. The Doctor, well John, had told her everything about that day in the library. About the strange archaeologist and what she said to him to gain his trust. How saying those words could mean only one thing: River Song was his future. Which meant that Rose Tyler was his past.

Of course that wasn't strictly true. Rose had fought her way back to the Doctor, had her future with him, with John, the other version of him. It didn't turn out as they had hoped, but they were happy together in the time that they had. She knew all of his secrets just as he knew hers. The question now was whether or not to share that information. Or rather, was it worth sharing?

Rose's confused thoughts were interrupted by a quiet knock at the door. She was both hurt and surprised that the TARDIS would even allow him to find her, they had always gotten along so well, even more so since that fateful day on the Gamestation. Shaking her head, she hastily wiped her eyes on her sleeve before opening the door.

"Listen, I'm really not in the mood right now," she said.

"I just thought you might like some tea," unexpected voice replied. It wasn't the Doctor, but Rory.

"Um, sure. Come in… Sorry about the mess…"

Rory smiled kindly as he handed her one of the steaming mugs of tea before sitting down in an armchair. "I've never been in this part of the TARDIS before, is it new?"

"Not hardly. This has always been my room…" she trailed off again.

He looked at Rose, not quite sure what to make of her. From what he had gathered earlier, she was definitely a companion of the Doctor's. However, now he was starting to get the feeling that there was something more than what appeared on the surface. Something that Amy might not like.

"Have you been traveling with the Doctor long then?"

"No, and yes. Sorry, it's just complicated."

"That's exactly what he said."

"What else did he say?"

"Nothing really. He told Amy to leave you be," Rory informed her. "That might not have gone over so well… I think they're still arguing. So, I thought I'd come and check on you."

Rose didn't know why, but there was something about Rory that she instantly knew she could trust him. He seemed so genuinely concerned, so human, to use one of the Doctor's favorite adjectives.

"Thanks. For that, and the tea."

"Absolutely. And I should probably leave you alone and go check on them. You can get back to whatever it is you were-"

"No! That is, please stay. It's nice to have someone to talk to." She was starting to get teary again. "Sorry, I don't even know… this sounds so stupid, but I really miss my mum right now, ya know?"

"I can understand that, it's Christmas. Where is she?"

"Complic-"

"Complicated. Got it."

"It's not like that, really. I just…" Rose struggled to find the right words. How could she explain her history with the Doctor to this virtual stranger? As if in answer to her question, a light suddenly shone down onto the bureau, highlighting countless photographs that she kept there. "Thanks, old girl," she whispered.

"How long have you known the Doctor?" Rose asked, picking up the first photograph.


It wasn't that the Doctor didn't care about what Amy was saying to, well yelling at, him. He just didn't have time to deal with her nonsense right now. They would work it out, he would apologize for whatever slight she decided he had made, and she would forgive him. That's how they worked. They were best friends. At least that's how he justified storming from the house and toward the TARDIS while she was mid-rant. Rose actually needed him right now. Maybe. Hopefully.

Was it possible that she would be better off without him? He couldn't help but pause at the thought. What if she wanted nothing to do with him now that she had realized what he - no, what John - had meant in telling her about River. Oh, he should have had this conversation with her earlier. Things like this always came back to haunt him. Guilt was never in short supply.

He walked through the TARDIS corridors, slowing as he neared Rose's bedroom. He had only been in there the one time since she returned to him - her first night back with him after Lake Silencio. Before then he kept the room hidden, or rather the TARDIS thoughtfully did for him. It was too painful to see all of her belongings sitting there as she had left them, expecting to return all those years ago. He never would have dared to hope that she actually would.

The last thing that the Doctor expected to hear as he approached her door was laughter.


"No! I swear, its true," Rose laughed. "And now I think about it, he still owes me that 10 quid for Queen Victoria!"

"And she was fine with him in the leather?"

"What?" She looked over at the photo Rory was holding. "Oh! No... That was before, back when I first met him; he was all ears and leather. This was after he regenerated. Pinstripes and trench coat, with the hair..." The Doctor smiled wistfully from his hiding place in the hall as Rose grabbed another picture to show Rory. "Thanks for this, by the way."

"For what?"

"This. Listening, yeah? It's nice..."

Rory smiled, what else could he do? His heart nearly broke at her story, the family she left behind. He knew that the Doctor was capable of many things, horrible things, but to simply abandon someone like that when they so obviously loved him? And then there was River, his own daughter... He blinked, pulling himself from those thoughts and pointed to another picture. "So who's this?"


"Oi! You," Amy hissed, "Creepy stalkery man! Don't you run away from me! What're you playing at?"

"Shhh!" The Doctor responded, hoping they hadn't heard. Why was she always so loud?

"I know this door," Amy said. "It was always locked though..."

"Well, it would be as it isn't your room."

"It's hers then? But how-"

"You both might as well come in," Rose stated as Rory chuckled. "You're not nearly as stealthy as you think you are."

Throwing the Doctor a superior look, Amy entered Rose's room. "No bunk beds! Why does she have no bunk beds?"

"Sorry?"

Rory looked politely puzzled. "That's a fair point. He always gave us bunk beds..."

"Bunk beds are cool..." the Doctor muttered.


A/N: There you have it, officially meeting the Ponds. I hope that you enjoyed it! There is definitely more to come...