For the Doctor, this story takes place between Series 5 & 6. For the rest of us, this takes place during the first holiday season after the pandemic is over.

Lauren's POV:

I was finally home.

I retrieved my duffel bag from the bus's luggage. It felt so good to be back in Riverwood. I scanned the bus station for a familiar face.

Nobody was there.

I pulled my phone out of my pocket. No messages.

Well, the bus station was right near the center of town. One of the good things about growing up in a self-described "idyllic small town" was that pretty much everything was within walking distance. Besides, it would give me a chance to see my hometown for the first time since I left for NYU.

I smiled as I walked along. Everything seemed the same as when I had left. There were signs advertising the Annual Sled Race. Business on Main Street seemed to be as busy as ever in the days just before Christmas. I decided to take a short cut down the alley between two of the shops, eager to get home to see my family in person.

Except something was blocking my way.

It was a blue phone booth, with the words Police Box written across the top. I didn't think pay phones existed anymore, thanks to cell phones. Oh well, it was only a couple extra blocks.

Soon enough, I was standing outside my family's home. Should I knock? Or should I let myself in?

I pulled out my keys. Sure, I was in college now, but this was still home. I wasn't a guest. I belonged here.

"Hello?" I called out as I opened the door. "I'm home!"

Music, & the delicious smell of something cooking, was coming from the kitchen, so that's where I went.

"You're making your famous hot chocolate!" I said. Mom whirled around. Her back had been to the doorway, tending to the hot chocolate on the stove. She prided herself on making it from scratch.

"Look at you! You're not just a face on a screen anymore" she said, giving me a hug. "Welcome home, darlin. It's so great to finally have you home."

"It's great to finally be home." I said. "I missed you guys so much. I'm so glad you guys are all safe." My younger sister, Charlotte, jumped up from the table & ran to give me a big hug of her own.

"Where's Dad?" I asked.

"Picking up your grandmother. We were all gonna surprise you at the bus station. I thought you said you said the bus from the airport wouldn't get here until 5..."

"It did." I said.

"She told me you wouldn't be here until 6." Charlotte said.

"Well, what matters is you're here now." Mom said.

"It's fine." I said. "I enjoyed the walk through town." I heard the front door open & close. That was probably them now...

Charlotte & I went out to the living room to greet them.

"Well, look who's finally decided to grace us with her presence." my grandmother said, teasing. "Welcome home, my dear."

"Thanks Grandma." I said, bending down to give her a huge hug. I was so grateful that she was still with us. "It's so good to see you."

"Welcome home, sweetheart." Dad said, giving me a hug of his own. "You must have made really good time. Mom said you wouldn't be here until 7..."

"No, Mom just doesn't have a good sense of time." I said.

"I heard that." Mom said from the doorway of the kitchen. "Well, if we're all here, we might as well head out to dinner."

After a few glasses of hot chocolate, we headed out to Sugar's, my favorite restaurant in town. It was the true malt shop experience.

"So, have you been enjoying NYU so far?" Grandma asked as we looked over our menus.

"Oh yes." I said. "I love my classes, & I think I really got lucky with my roommates. We all clicked instantly." I pulled out my phone & scrolled through my pictures. "Here's one of all of us." I passed it around.

"Well, they look...interesting." she said. "I thought they would give you normal roommates."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, you know...Where are they from?"

"...They're all native New Yorkers." I said. "I guess that makes me the weird one, since I'm the only one from out of state." I looked at the picture again as my phone got handed back to me. Sure, it was a goofy selfie taken after our finals were over...but why did she think they weren't normal?

...It can't be because I'm the only white girl...right?

The tense moment was broken by shouting from the front of the restaurant.

"They're back!" some guy was yelling. "The lights are back!"

"What is he talking about?" I asked.

"Strange lights have been appearing in the sky every night for the past week." Charlotte said. "It's been on the local news & everything. C'mon, let's go see!" She got up & followed the other patrons who were going outside to marvel at them.

"It's our very own Aurora Borealis." Mom said.

"I think you have to be further north to see the Northern Lights." I said, but I followed Charlotte outside anyway.

I wasn't sure what they were, but they definitely didn't look like the Aurora Borealis...These lights looked almost like they were round, & they seemed to hover in place.

"What are those things?" I asked my sister.

"Nobody knows." she said. "They just showed up one night."

I pulled out my phone to take a picture. I took a couple steps back & bumped into the person behind me.

"Sorry." I said.

"Quite all right." he said. He had a British accent, so he must not be a local. He adjusted his bow tie & walked off into the night. I turned my attention back to the lights.

Maybe not everything was the same as when I had left...

Posting this chapter before New Year's means this story still counts as a holiday special…right?

I'm going to try really hard to not be ~that person~ who is writing a holiday special in the middle of summer…but 2020 has really impacted my creative process, so who knows?

Next time, Lauren will meet up with some old friends…as well as an old flame…

Please review!