Christmas on the Other Side

By Lumendea

Chapter Eight: Christmas Morning

Disclaimer: I do not own Doctor Who or any of the spinoff material and I gain no income off of this story, just the satisfaction of playing with the characters.

AN: A very Happy New Year to everyone. 2020 was tough and I hope that all of you have a bright 2021 ahead of you. This is the last episode for the Christmas Special and I will return with the start of Unto the Universe on February 6th.

…..

Listening to her mother talk was oddly relaxing. Rose sank into the armchair that Jackie had purchased when they got the new house and let her mum's voice wash over her. Mickey and Jack were dozing lightly on the sofa, having slumped against each other.

"Oh, and Mo sends her love," Jackie said from the kitchen. Rose had offered to help with cleanup, but Jackie had refused. Having a lovely home had really transformed her mother's standards of cleanliness. "She still thinks you're traveling as some sort of technology in rural areas program. It was the best explanation that Mickey and I could think of. Given how you vanished after finishing school, we needed to explain it."

"Sorry about that," Rose answered. "But things are going really well." She suddenly froze and sighed. "I'm sorry that I didn't wrap up presents, Mum. Things were-"

"Hush!" Jackie reappeared in the living room and scowled at Rose before noticing Jack and Mickey. She instantly chuckled and smiled before looking back at Rose. "Don't worry about me, love. I didn't… I wasn't sure if you'd be back. I tried to go shopping, but I couldn't." Jackie trailed off, and Rose jumped up.

Surging forward, Rose hugged her mother tightly. The woman clung to her, and there was a soft sob muffled into Rose's shoulder. Guilt and worry tugged at Rose. She knew that she wasn't going to stay to make sure that this didn't happen again. In fact, she knew that it would happen again. Someday after the Doctor regenerated, she would vanish for an unknown length of time.

"I'm okay," she offered. It wasn't enough, and Rose knew it but didn't know what she could say. "I'm sorry that I scared you. I'm sorry that this life comes with risks, but I love it."

Jackie sniffed and didn't say anything more. A yawn escaped her, and Jackie shuddered and stretched. Then she turned to look properly at Mickey and Jack. "Mickey sometimes stays in the guest room, but your friend may prefer to sleep on the ship."

"He knows the way if he wakes up," Rose told her. She hugged her mum with one arm. "But you're tired, Mum. I'll finish up in the kitchen, and you can go to bed."

"Will you stay in the house?" Jackie probably tried to sound casual, but Rose could hear the hope in her mum's voice and nodded.

"Yeah, I'll be in my room. I'll just slip out to say goodnight to the Doctor and then come back in."

Rose did as she said and finished cleaning up the kitchen. Through the window, she could see the TARDIS silently waiting in the back garden. A yawn escaped Rose, and she looked at the clock. It wasn't truly that late, but the lack of sleep over the past few days was catching up with her. When the last of the dishes were put away, Rose stretched and grabbed a cardigan hanging next to the back door. Leaving the door unlocked behind her, Rose headed for the TARDIS and drew the key out from under her top. The door clicked open, and Rose walked inside. The Doctor's legs were visible under the console, and she could hear him grumbling about something.

"I just came to say goodnight," Rose said. The Doctor scurried out from underneath the console. "How is she?"

"Still fine," the Doctor assured her. "Nothing is damaged. I was just tinkering." He paused and glanced at the TARDIS screen, which showed a planet and a small dot above it. "Uh…"

"You're tracking the ship?" Rose guessed.

"Just watching it. I won't go up, and it shouldn't need any intervention from on planet, but just in case."

"I know a losing fight when I see one," Rose sighed. "Just don't get involved. I'm sure that we'll manage it."

"We'd better," the Doctor replied dryly. "A ship like that crashing into Earth would be an extinction event."

"And with that fresh in my mind, I'm going to get some sleep." Rose paused. "Mum wants me to sleep in the house. I agreed, so if you need me."

"Sleep well," the Doctor said gently.

He started to step towards her, but then stopped himself. Rose almost laughed, but she was at a bit of a loss here too. She'd only ever had one real romantic relationship, and it was with the man in front of her, just further in the future. Still, she had a good feeling about what to do. Stepping forward, Rose raised a hand and touched the Doctor's arm. He smiled and, reading her intention, leaned forward.

The kiss was brief and soft. Pleasant humming filled Rose's brain and limb. The Doctor pulled back first, whispered good night to her, and then kissed her forehead.

"Sleep well, Rose," he repeated.

"You get some rest, too," Rose told him. "I know you don't need as much as humans, but it's been a rough couple of days." She took a step back and then stopped. "Oh, and Jack's asleep on the sofa inside, so he might stumble in at some point."

She left the TARDIS before the urge to linger turned into the urge to stay. Her mother wasn't asking for much to have Rose spend the night in the house. Under the circumstances, it made sense that Jackie might want to check on her.

As it turned out, Jackie was still awake upstairs and smiled in relief when Rose passed her room. While Rose knew she wouldn't sleep as well here as in her bed in the TARDIS, she was pleased that she was able to make her mum happy. Climbing into her old school break bed, Rose sighed and stared up at the ceiling.

"I hope things are going well up on that ship," Rose murmured. She glanced at her phone, which was sitting on her night table. No calls and no updates. Groaning, Rose rolled over and pulled her duvet over her head, determined not to think about it.

…

The Doctor flinched when the TARDIS sensors began beeping rapidly. He jolted and knocked his head against the underside of the TARDIS. A curse escaped him as he scrambled out and to his feet. Grabbing the screen, the Doctor turned it so he could see.

"What the-"

Something was entered the atmosphere fast. The TARDIS beeped again, and a new station feed appeared, reporting the large unidentified object heading towards Earth. The Doctor scowled and started to reach for the controls before stopping himself.

He wasn't supposed to get involved. But his future self, this body or another one, seemed to be making a mess of things. There wasn't much time to decide. He dropped his hand back to his side and glared at the screen, switching it back to the sensor display. Was Rose okay up there?

"Doctor!" Jack's shout drew his attention to the door before it was pushed open. Jack came rushing in. "Mickey's phone just received a UNIT alert! He went to see Spock; what's going on?"

"The blasted ship is crashing," the Doctor growled. "Where's Rose?"

Did he need to grab the Tylers and evacuate them? But there was also Sarah Jane and the Chestertons to consider. The Time Lord felt the weight of time pressing him down. Early sunrise light was spilling into the TARDIS behind Jack.

"I'll get Rose and Jackie," the Doctor said. "Go to Sarah Janes and get her lot moving. Just in case."

Jack nodded, slipping into soldier mode and rushing out the door. The Doctor followed, leaving the door open in case a quick escape proved necessary. He unlocked the kitchen door of the Tyler house with the sonic screwdriver. Jackie was already awake and sitting at the kitchen table in a horrid pink dressing gown.

"Doctor!"

"Where is Rose?" the Doctor demanded.

"Getting dressed, why, what's wrong?"

"Doctor?"

Rose appeared in the kitchen doorway, dressed in jeans and one of her science t-shirts. She took one look at the Doctor's face and tensed.

"It's the ship, isn't it?"

"It's crashing," the Doctor said. "I suggest we go to the TARDIS just in case."

Jackie paled, horror filling her eyes. "What about the others?"

"Jack is getting Sarah Jane's lot."

"What about Rani and Clyde?" Jackie demanded. Rose was already pulling out her phone.

"Jackie, I'm sorry, but we don't have much time."

"I'm sure it will be fine," Rose told her mother. "Our future selves are up there, and they would have warned us if things were going to go badly." The Doctor wasn't sure about that. Rose looked at him, and he wasn't sure what to say. Her expression darkened, and she slowly nodded. "Let's go outside. I just texted Rani and Clyde, and they know how to move fast. Just in case."

The Doctor nodded in relief. Jackie's horror shifted to rage, but Rose got her into a coat, and they moved out to the street. The Doctor opened the back gate and eyed the TARDIS. They would have a straight shot to the ship if necessary. His gut turned. He wasn't sure. This wasn't supposed to happen, but sometimes history didn't stay on track. Was this one of those times? Was the Monk up there? That rogue Time Lord was still out there in the universe somewhere with the Eternals.

"They would have told us if we need to run," Rose said softly. "Given they already crossed timelines and called us."

The Doctor wanted to agree. He looked up into the sky as a rumbling began to echo through the area. Jackie whimpered and looked up as the front door of Sarah Jane's house was flung open. Sarah Jane, Johnny, and the Chestertons were all dressed, and Sarah Jane was cradling a Xylok crystal in her arms as her children followed her. The Doctor was grateful when Jack pointed them out and hurried the group to join them. Mickey brought up the back, walking while talking on the phone with a serious and worried face.

"What is happening?" Ian demanded.

"The ship is crashing," the Doctor said. "Be ready to run for the TARDIS."

"But-" Fear filled Barbara's face. "You can't-"

"Just in case," the Doctor said to cut off any argument.

The rumbling overhead did not put Rose at ease, but she trusted the Doctor. She trusted herself. Still, everyone was looking up. Rose could still hear the television report and hoped that chaos wouldn't overtake the streets. Christmas was stressful enough as it was, and this wasn't going to help.

A bright light appeared, and Rose's eyes narrowed on it. She knew it wasn't a star, but it wasn't moving like a satellite. The bright light grew brighter and brighter in the night sky. A strange, pounding sound filled the sky as the object shoved air out of its path. Rose's eyes tried to take in the shape as her mother began shrieking.

"It's gonna hit!" Jackie screamed. "It's gonna hit us! We need to go!"

Rose tried not to be worried. She'd been contacted by her future self, so if that thing hit the Earth, hit London, then she'd be dead and unable to make that phone call. Still, she tightened her grip on the Doctor's hand. Knowing that intellectually and calming the natural instinct to be afraid were two different things.

Others were pouring out of their houses onto the road, pointing up into the sky fearfully and gripping their children. It hadn't moved yet, hadn't pulled up or changed course. Rose caught Sarah Jane looking their way a touch nervously as she pulled Skye a little closer to her. Rani and Clyde appeared in the street out their doors, shouting at their parents to get moving as they both ran over to join Luke. The college student began to explain what was happening to his friends, but Rose didn't pay much attention.

She could see it now. It was a ship. It was honest to the Guardians of the Universe ship that looked exactly like the old photos of streamliners. Jackie shrieked as the monstrous mass pulled up with the hull still gleaming red from the heat of entry in places and began to soar back into the sky. Cheers erupted all down the road, and Skye started jumping around, clapping. A soft sigh of relief escaped Rose, and she looked up at the Doctor.

"I wonder how long we have to wait to find out what that was all about?"

"Not too long, I hope," the Doctor grumbled. "I didn't like this whole waiting and staying out of the action." He gestured with this freehand. "Surprisingly stressful."

"Yeah," Rose weakly agreed.

Their friends were cheering, and Sarah Jane hugged Johnny, still mindful of the disconnected Spock she was carrying. Rani ran over to comfort her mum even as the women started screaming at Haresh and hugging the man desperately. Clyde ran to his mum was gripping a cup of something hot and staring at the sky with a slack jaw.

"Well, at least we know that we'll figure it out."

"Cut it a little close," the Doctor grumbled. He looked up into the sky with a slight frown. "I wonder if I'm still in this body when that happens."

"I don't know," Rose answered. "It-uh- didn't come up."

Now she wondered if this was before or after she vanished. Probably before as otherwise, the Doctor would remember it and expect it. Time travel was marvelous and exciting, but some things were very complicated. Rose leaned up and pressed a soft kiss against the Doctor's lips. He smiled at her and released her hand to put his hand on her lower back.

"Awww," Jack cooed. "You two are too cute."

As one, Rose and the Doctor turned to narrow their eyes at Jack. The traitor had his phone out and was recording them while Sarah Jane beamed behind him and peered over his shoulder.

"Send that one to Jo," Sarah Jane offered unhelpfully. "And Teagan. And Ace." The reporter's eyes were even sharper than before, and the smile on her face terrified Rose. "I'll make sure you have everyone's numbers."

"I think I already do," Jack offered as if he wasn't receiving death glares. "Jo gave me a list."

"Well, we'll double-check it against mine. Just to be sure."

"Sarah," the Doctor said warningly.

"You don't scare me, Doctor," Sarah Jane replied. She grinned and turned to Jackie. "We best finish up the preparations."

"Yeah," Jackie agreed a bit weakly. Then she rallied and shook herself. "Might want to call the neighbors. After that, maybe a street celebration is in order."

"Oh, I don't know," Sarah Jane laughed. "I don't think the police would fancy being called over because of one of your parties."

"I doubt we'd be the only ones," Jackie huffed.

There were chuckles, and Rose's mum turned to hug her tightly after giving the Doctor a look, which led to him releasing Rose. Jackie then spun away and hurried over towards Gita and Rani, waving them down and talking in a loud, excited voice. The Doctor immediately stepped back next to Rose and took her hand.

Jack giggled. Honestly, to goodness giggled and messed with his phone again, drawing Rose's attention back to him. The Doctor was glaring at their companion, who looked far too happy to be worried about anything. Rose understood that a bit. Her own head was fuzzy with relief and warm, bubbling happiness. Then Jack waved a little and put his phone back into his jacket.

"I'm done for now."

"We will leave you here, Jack," the Doctor said.

"No, you won't," Jack laughed. "One, Rose wouldn't let you, and two, you'll want to see these photos. Seriously, Doc, so cute."

"Let me leave him," the Doctor said, turning to Rose. "Just you and me?"

"That is tempting," Rose admitted. Jack actually appeared a little nervous in the corner of her eye. "But he is so useful when helping with repairs. I think we'd miss him."

The Doctor rolled his eyes. He wouldn't miss Jack at all. Rose chuckled at whatever expression was on his face and leaned up to kiss him again.

*** Guardians of the Universe will Return Feb. 6th with Unto the Universe***

The new season will include rewrites of New Earth, The Doctor's Wife, Cold War and 42, Arthur Conon Doyle guest starring, the return of the Meddling Monk, and a very special original episode to finally provide answers about Rose! In the meantime, take care of yourselves and have a very happy New Year!