Hello my lovelies!

Since its fake Christmas I'll give you a fake Christmas gift! Anyone who reviews this chapter will get a sneak peak into the future!

Enjoy :)

~An Atypical Christmas~

Her father knew they were coming, but that didn't stop what was starting to feel like a tornado of butterflies in her stomach. Clara smoothed out the non-existent wrinkles in her visiting dress watching her reflection in the mirror. She looked pale and jittery something made ever more prominent by the deep red and green checked fabric.

It was a great dress, Victorian in style with a modern twist. Designed by the TARDIS of course. She spoiled Clara but was more apt to electrocute the Doctor than anything. The ship was always after him about something or other. She guessed that was bound to happen when you're with someone over a thousand years.

Her husband had on a bowtie in matching fabric which he was ridiculously excited about. Honestly Clara could just give him a box of Styrofoam for Christmas and he'd be happy. The Doctor stepped up behind her obviously trying to hide the way he was admiring how the dress hugged her curves. He was never very good at that. Even now he got tongue-tied and turned red. He was just generally awkward but that's one of the reasons she loved him.

"You better not over shoot this time. We said we'd arrive in time for tea." She said to his reflection.

The Doctor made a face as he always did when someone commented on his driving. "I know. You've only reminded me a dozen times already."

There was a beat then they both smiled. They were so married.

"Good then let's go." Clara said grabbing his sleeve and dragging him from the wardrobe.

She was bossing her husband around to distract from her own nerves. This was it. Clara had to tell her father he was going to have a granddaughter. Sure most 24 year olds in 1888 had several children, but they'd also been married since they were 15. Henry didn't lose it too much when she told him she was engaged to an alien. Maybe he wouldn't freak out too much when she told him she was carrying a half-alien baby?

The Doctor ran around typing in coordinates, pushing buttons, and flipping switches. He was more manic than usual. Clara sighed. Her father loved the Doctor and he was going to love their daughter too. After the shock wore off that is.

Henry met them at the door with a wide smile and what looked like plum pudding on his jacket. Clara went to hug him waiting for the shoe to drop. There was really no sense in making a grand announcement since she was so clearly showing.

"Happy Christmas Papa!"

"Happy Christmas my d-"

There went the shoe. All the blood drained from Henry's face as he took her in. His mouth opened and closed several times like a fish plucked from the pond.

"Umm…Henry?"

The Doctor and Clara exchanged concerned looks. Henry seemed incapable of speaking. He looked like he was about to have a heart attack.

Clara grabbed him by the shoulders, "Papa! Are you alright?"

Her father blinked, regaining his senses. "Daughter you're…umm how?"

She raised an eyebrow.

He flushed then coughed, "Well obviously. I mean, you're so-"

Henry's eyes hardened as they turned on the Doctor. If looks could kill he'd be six feet under. Her husband swallowed nervously.

Clara quickly stepped in before her father could hit him again. Corrupting his daughter was something Henry probably wouldn't forgive.

No matter her upbringing or time period Clara never thought about their relationship that way. Yes, she'd gone to bed with the Doctor the first night they left in the TARDIS, but it wasn't like that. She already knew, on some level maybe she'd always known from the moment Clara first laid eyes on him, that she'd be with him forever. It felt like she'd loved him all her life.

"Time travel, don't you remember Papa? And my husband's a Time Lord; it causes things to speed up a bit."

Henry continued to glare at the Doctor for a minute.

Clara threw in her best pleading face for good measure, "Aren't you happy for me? You're going to be a grandfather."

That word got through to him. A slow smile spread across his features. The Doctor started breathing again. Henry took his daughter's hands. He was obviously overwhelmed and Clara couldn't blame him this was quite a thing to spring on someone.

"Of course I'm happy for you, dear. I'm just a little surprised is all." Henry finally remembered they were all still standing on the front porch. "Oh my! Come in, you shouldn't be out in the cold in your condition."

Clara sighed in mock exasperation, "Don't you start treating me like a china doll too!"

They followed him into the living room which was fully decorated in honor of the season. A tree, garlands, wreaths, Clara'd never seen her father do so much for any holiday before. And the decorations weren't all of it either. The whole house smelt of spices and roasting meats. It seemed Henry decided to prepare them a full Christmas dinner by himself.

The Doctor glanced around with the same wonder as a child. Clara smiled breathing in the heady scent of evergreen from the freshly cut pine in the corner.

"The house looks amazing! You didn't have to do all this."

"It's our first family Christmas." Her father replied by way of explanation.

Clara hugged him, touched by the gesture. After her mother died the holidays were never the same. They could change all that now.

The Doctor and Henry set the table chatting about whatever it was men chatted about. Clara sipped her tea and placed the gifts she brought under the tree. She was right, now that the shock had worn off her father was practically bubbly with excitement. 'Bubbly' was never a phrase she expected to use in connection to her father but if certainly seemed apt. He was talking and grinning nonstop.

Henry told them how thing were going in his garden and what his plans were for the spring blooming season. He was going to plant more roses out front. Clara and the Doctor told him about their trip to Rome and the ice gardens. They left out any mention of Greece that was a story best left untold.

"Flowers made of ice? I can't even fathom such a thing!"

"You would have loved it." Clara said.

After tea they moved back into the living room. Henry and the Doctor were drinking eggnog which she didn't think was the safest idea. Hopefully there wasn't too much rum in the mix. They laughed and pulled crackers filled with pointless prizes and attempted to sing carols. Clara laid a hand softly on her baby bump to still her daughter's flutterings.

They brought out the gifts and much to Clara's delight the cookies. She wondered if she'd ever cease to be hungry.

"Before we begin we have a family tradition to uphold." said Henry lifting something out of a box.

He was holding a little wreath made out of twisted hazel branches. Clara giggled as he placed it on her head. They'd been doing this since she was very small. The first time she'd made the crown herself and declared that she was the 'Christmas Queen'. Her father of course had to relate this embarrassing tale to her husband. Clara took the wreath off to see it closer.

"Hazel!" she said suddenly, grabbing the Doctor's arm. "It's a perfect name."

He caught on to her meaning quickly and a foolish grin lit up his face. "I think you're right." The Doctor spoke to her rounded belly, "What do you think? Hazel?"

Clara laughed as the fluttering movement increased, "I think she agrees."

"Hazel it is then." The Doctor gave her a sweet, joyful kiss. It would have gone on longer but Henry was in the room.

"I love it." Henry said, "You know Hazel is a symbol of wisdom and protection."

"That's great considering who her parents are." laughed Clara. She fixed the wreath back on her head. She handed her two gifts to the men excited to see their reactions.

Henry opened his first. The Doctor got him an intergalactic encyclopedia of plant life and Clara gave him a modified cell phone that could call her anywhere. That one took a lot of explaining, but once her father understood its purpose he was thrilled. This way they'd never lose contact no matter how far they went.

The Doctor insisted that Clara open her gifts next. Her father bought her a set of fine watercolors which brought back memories of her time as a governess. She hadn't had the chance to paint since then. He joked that he would have gotten her baby clothes if he'd known. She rolled her eyes at him and picked up the Doctor's present. Clara opened it and gasped. It was a beautiful handwritten book. They were translations of fables and fairytales from Gallifrey.

"The other half of the gift is from the TARDIS." the Doctor said. "She went and built us a nursery. I'm starting to think she's pretty excited about this whole baby idea."

Clara threw her arms around him in response.

The Doctor got a new bow tie from her father, which was remarkable in the fact that the man actually went into London to buy it. If that wasn't a declaration of affection Clara didn't know what was.

She held her breath as the Doctor tore off the wrappings on her gift. It was a photo album, but not just any photo album. His mouth fell open as he flipped through the pages. They were pictures his companions had taken throughout their many adventures. The TARDIS and Martha both held her out with it. She called her and Martha sent out messages to all the children of time. They responded with much enthusiasm. Proof that despite what the Doctor thought he was never alone. And now he had something to remind him of that fact.

His eyes were watery and he couldn't find the words to thank her, but Clara understood.