Flux

Kimmzie

Disclaimer: I own Nothing

Author's Note: Next time we get The Family of Blood Saga

The Doctor was faking it. Rose Tyler was going to prove it. She was a girl on a mission… well, another mission.

His bare chest was peacefully rising up and down and his two hearts beat calmly when she rested her ear to the right spots. She was lucky she was flexible. She continued her examination, his eyes were closed; and yet, there was no rapid eye movement for REM sleep.

Do Time Lords dream? Rose mused. The Doctor told her he dreamed.

Since this all had begun she had been too tired for dreams, nightmares, or even the stray lucid daydream. Maybe all the running around in her head was finally making her barmy.

She could go mad later, she was too focused on the task at hand…. "And for my next trick," she said to herself, as she settled down and closed her eyes. Rose slipped back into her mind and grasped the golden thread that hummed around the vicinity of her lobby. She stroked the Doctor's shoulder lightly with the pads of her fingers and slipped through his doors. His lobby was an empty dark room. She called out his name and the blueishy line came to meet her with a warm greeting. It seemed fuzzy, almost out of focus.

"Hello?" she called out.

There was no answer.

She tried to connect with him mentally but all she saw was a man running around in a horrible technicolor-nightmare coat and a girl, she seemed to be American and screaming. Was the Doctor dreaming? Oh look, now there was a penguin chasing them… Ok. Rose decided to make a quiet exit.

"Oi," Rose said, as she opened his eyes and lightly poked at his chest. Then a deep snore rolled off the Doctor's chest and she had to hide a snicker.

He wasn't faking. The Doctor had been shagged into unconsciousness. She smiled and rolled onto her side of the bed. He rarely slept. She set the alarm to go off around eight. Then when she stopped fidgeting, the Doctor wrapped an arm around her and burrowed his face into his hair. Domestic wasn't so bad. She was warm and the dark was comfortable, but still no dreams came.

BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP…..

The alarm clock jerked the two out of their Yuletide hibernation.

"W'hat?" the Doctor said, sitting up with a serious case of bed-head. Where did the candy cane come from? He flicked the peppermint candy to the floor. "What alarm is going off now?" He grumbled and started to get out of the bed and head towards his coat.

"S'the clock," Rose said, face down into her pillow.

"Huh?"

"S'the clock. Go to the side table," Rose replied, her hand pointing towards the alarm clock.

"What do you need an alarm clock for? I am a Time Lord. All of time and space are mine to command… Why is it so loud?" He started to push the off button but it continued to beep. He hit it a few times. The noise continued.

"You fell asleep," Rose said, groggily.

The sonic screwdriver magically appeared in the Doctor's hand and he started playing with the frequency of the beeping annoyance. There was smoke, a dying whine, a sort of beep, and then silence. "Ms. Tyler, I believe it is time to get up."

"What gave you that idea?" she questioned, as she smoothed her hands through her hair. "We have drinks with the Nobles at the hotel bar. She doesn't seem to be too handsy with this version of you." Rose winked and slipped on her knickers.

"Right, drinks and then we are off before Christmas morning… I know what is going to happen. We know she is safe." The Doctor said, as he got into his blue suit. "I'll tell you later," he finished, before she could even ask.

Rose's mobile started to buzz from the bedside table the name Capt. SexyPants popped up. "Hmm. It looks like Jack is checking in." Rose put the phone to her ear and answered, "Hey, Jack. How is he doing?" Rose nodded a few times and the Doctor tensely tied up his converse. She hit the end button and slid her phone into her pocket. "He's stable, human, and should be waking up in a few relative hours, whatever that means."

"Good," the Doctor said, darkly. "Righty-o, ready to be off Ms. Tyler?" he asked, brightly.

"In a mo," Rose replied as she finished redoing her mascara. Rose put her jacket on and grabbed a pink Santa hat that the Doctor handed her. "Have you ever had peppermint schnapps? Oh it is gorgeous, especially in hot chocolate it makes you all warm."

"You know it doesn't actually make you warm per se. It actually makes your body colder. You only feel warmer," the Doctor started to explain as Rose opened the door.

"Hmm." Rose only smiled as the Doctor went into his techno babble explanation. "You also get to say the word schnapps," she added.

"That is true." He agreed as they made it to the lobby. The pair went arm in arm into the bar where the Noble family were already waiting.

"Hello!" Rose smiled, as introductions were made and drinks were ordered. She was playing with a mini candy cane in her hot chocolate and swirling it about as they talked about current affairs.

The Doctor did miss Donna, and Wilfred, it even hurt to admit he missed Sylvia from time to time; but he had lived a long life.

"Now we were lucky. We've had enough savings to pull us through, but some haven't. Let's hope this river mess gets cleared up quickly," Wilfred went on. "Damn Aliens," he muttered.

"Right blighters they are," the Doctor said, and nodded in agreement.

"Dad, don't go spreading your paranoid theories again," Sylvia said from across the bar.

"Well, whatever it is… These people from Mars or whatever, things need to turn around again. I've been doing odd jobs here and there. Best temp in Cheswick, I am." Donna added, a little slur to her boast.

"I bet you're brilliant," The Doctor said over his shoulder.

"Excuse me?" Donna asked, her eyes a little less glassed over.

"What?" he asked softly not moving. Rose could almost see the blueishy line pulsating off his body warping the reality around him.

"Oh, it's just. Have we met before?" The blueishy line was encompassing the Doctor. Rose couldn't even see a freckle anymore.

"Maybe another lifetime long ago, once upon a time," he sighed and took the last sip from Rose's hot chocolate. "

"My, he is a nutter," Donna said, laughing.

"I like him. They say men are from Mars," Rose answered with a shrug.

"Oi, that's Gallifrey, Ms. Tyler. That drink was also mostly alcohol and dissolved candy canes."

"Yup. Merry Christmas!" Rose smiled, as the blueishy line disappeared. The Doctor faked a yawn and spread his arm around Rose.

"It's getting late. Santa will never come if we all stay up till morning." He squeezed Rose's shoulders.

"Merry Christmas Noble Family. Cheers!" Rose raised a shot glass.

The Nobles said their goodbyes. Rose followed the Doctor to their room.

"Ok well now Ms. Tyler, time to pack up. We are running late. Do you need the icky green stuff?"

Rose shook her head remembering the hang over cure with revulsion. She went to the bathroom to pack her makeup supplies and such and the Doctor was putting various odds and ends into the red backpack.

"Were you trying to manipulate time in the bar?" Rose asked innocently. "Can you do that?"

The Doctor looked up at her dumbstruck.

"At what point?"

"You told Donna she was brilliant and you went all sort of blueishy…." Rose came closer to him and noticed his eyebrows had disappeared into his hairline.

"A remnant of the old timeline was seeping through, if that's what you're getting at. You shouldn't be able to see that, Rose." He pulled a nervous hand through his hair. "We better get back to the TARDIS. Blueishy? That is what I am?"

Rose nodded.

"Could be worse," he answered with a shrug and grabbed the bag. "Allons-y! They headed out the door."

The alarm clock was still peacefully smoldering on the night stand.

"It's about time you two love birds got back," Jack said as they walked into the control room. "He's going to wake up soon. We better get situated and land. I don't want him addicted or doped up. How was your honeymoon?" The Time Agent added as he leaned against the jump seat.

"It wasn't a honeymoon, Jack. More like an anniversary. It was brilliant."

"Next time, don't forget to bring me along." He winked and Rose laughed. The Doctor came in between the two and reached over to press a few buttons.

"Right then, it's our last stop. The identifications and story has been set. Ready? We're going to Leeds."

The two humans nodded.