I wrote this for the Tatennant Secret Santa for 2015 on tumblr

The Perfect Christmas

Part 1

The Doctor noticed it immediately.

Of course he did. Flippin' alien probably had some sort of sixth sense. Or seventh and eighth, knowing him.

"What's wrong?"

Donna wrapped her arms around herself. Why does he always have it so cold in here?!

"Nothing."

She knew better than to deny it, but she'd tried anyway. He was at her side in what seemed like two strides, his tools discarded on the console. She couldn't help but feel a little touched that he was so quick to comfort her.

His usually jovial face was soft. "Donna?"

She exhaled and rolled her eyes, mostly at herself. "It's Christmas."

The Doctor frowned. "Christmas? Donna, we're in a time ma - "

"I know, but I…" Her arms tightened, hugging her back. "I just know it's Christmas. It's been two years since…"

The Doctor was quiet for a beat and then beamed. "Two years since we met!"

Donna paused; she hadn't thought of it that way before. She'd always marked that dreadful day when Lance had broken her heart, his taunts still leaving her ragged. But this was much nicer. "Yeah." She smiled, feeling lighter.

"One of the best days of my life!" the Doctor added.

"One of!?"

That made him grin, seeing the return of Donna Noble's brilliant spark. Energized, he hopped in his spot, an idea coming to him. "I've got it!"

Donna's earlier melancholy seeped away. "What?"

He took her hand. He was always so warm. Excitement made him nearly giddy. "Let's go on a Christmas tour! Anywhere you want to go." He ran them back to the console.

Donna couldn't help but feel his enthusiasm fuse into her. "A what?"

He blindly started to flip switches and press buttons. "Oh, you know…some fun Christmasy spots across all of time and space. All for Donna Noble's Perfect Christmas!" The Doctor rambled and soon the TARDIS lurched to the side.

Donna grabbed the jump seat, the thrill of a new adventure making her heart skip. "All right!"

The Doctor smiled widely and took her hand again. "Here we go!"

Part 2

The first thing Donna noticed was the smell. It was putrid and sharp, making her eyes sting.

"Oh…ugh!" she exclaimed, and covered her face.

"What?" the Doctor asked and upon seeing her scrunched nose and squinting eyes, his mouth dipped in realization. "Oh, right."

"What is that!?" Donna gasped, letting him lead her along the snowy, dirty streets, filled with men, women, and children dressed in thin period outerwear. It looked like some sort of theater production of…

"That, Donna Noble, is Dickens' London Fresh Air!" the Doctor explained. "Good ole' Nineteenth Century fresh air."

"It's fresh all right," Donna quipped and shook her head. "At least it's not summer." She looked around, careful of where she was stepping. Ratty children were scampering about and she had an inkling to watch her pockets. "Is this really England in the Nineteenth Century?"

"Oh yes!" The Doctor answered, guiding them to one of the stores, smiling blithely at everyone who met his eye. He opened the door for her. "I think you'll like this."

Inside, Donna nearly moaned with the blessed change of the flavor in the air. Baking bread combined with fire and warm spices wrapped around her. "Oh, I like this," she breathed.

The Doctor was already holding up two pastries. He grinned. "Thought you'd like it!"

Donna took a nibble of the cake, some sort of sweet bread with honey and cinnamon. It was still warm and melted in her mouth. She closed her eyes and could only make an incoherent sigh of approval. She met the Doctor's gaze and was a little taken aback at how closely he was studying her. He seemed to be looking for any sign of displeasure. Her eyes nearly smarted at how much she liked that he was so concerned.

"Thanks, Spaceman," she said softly.

He smiled and took a bite of his own cake. He was about to reply but then stopped, his brown eyes turning saucer-wide. "Look!" He waved at the window.

Donna turned, seeing a tall man with a top hat walk on the opposite side of the street. "So?"

"That's Charles Dickens!" the Doctor sound elated. Donna had to admit it was impressive, although she preferred Agatha Christie. Her eyes followed the author as he continued down the lane, navigating through the everyday people of London.

"Wait…" She turned. "Are there ghosts following him?"

The Doctor gave her an odd look and then grinned. "Not this time. Next stop?"

Donna felt like a child. "There's more?"

He took her hand again. "There tour has just begun, Donna!"

Part 3

"Now this is a Christmas holiday!"

Lying on a cushioned white chair, the gentle crashing of waves before her, the sun making her fair skin turn pink (but not too pink), Donna was in paradise. An alien paradise, given that the sand at her feet was purple and there were winged humanoids flittering all around.

Next to her, the Doctor sipped on his drink, something fruity with an umbrella. Donna smiled a little deviously; his cheeks were pinker than hers, the lightweight.

"I'm glad you like it," he offered.

Donna gazed around, bemused at the festive décor. "I like the Christmas lights on the palm trees." Her attention was drawn to splashes in the ocean before her. "Are those seals?"

The doctor pulled his sunglasses down. "Something like."

Inhaling deeply, Donna rested against her pillow, feeling relaxed and calm, her memories of that painful encounter two years earlier dim and fleeting in her mind. "I like a proper rest."

She turned back and felt herself turn ten degrees warmer, and not because of the sun. The Doctor was gazing at her in a most peculiar way, like she was some sort of…something important. She gasped and self-consciously tugged on her wrap, covering her bare shoulders, and when she looked back, his expression was once again properly "the Doctor's."

Must be the alcohol, she thought and finished her own cocktail. "I know you're probably bored," she muttered.

He blinked. "Nah..I like to sit and be still once in a while."

Her arched eyebrow was all the reply he needed.

"I do!" he insisted.

Grinning, she stretched out. "Ready to go?"

He pulled himself upright and extended his hand for hers. "Ready if you are."

Part 4

"Oi! Take me back to the beach!"

Donna held herself tightly together, tugging on the fur-trimmed hood of her coat and wrapping her arms around herself. She looked around at the black forest, quiet and peaceful and nearly glowing in the freshly-fallen snow.

Next to her, the Doctor nearly twitched his shoulders and shoved his hands in his coat pockets. He was infuriatingly impervious to cold weather. "Oh, it's nice, Donna!" he exclaimed.

She glared into the darkness ahead of her and exhale audibly, her breath forming a cloud in front of her. "Where are we?"

The Doctor placed a hand on the back of his neck. "Oh…I'd say somewhere on Earth."

She snorted. "I could have guess that. But where?"

His head dipped up at the stars. "Sweden…oh…early twentieth century."

She followed his gaze up and frowned. "You're just guessing the 'when'."

"I am not…" His voice rose in pitch but when he turned to see her smirking at him, he shoved his hand back into his pocket and smiled widely. "It's pretty, isn't it?"

Donna had to admit there was something nice about the stillness. Although she was half expecting a monster to pop out of the trees ahead of her. With the Doctor, one never knew.

"Let's go," the Doctor suggested and turned.

Donna walked in step next to him. The snow wasn't too deep and it was fluffy and soft, kicking up in bursts as they kicked up their feet.

"Is it Christmas?" she asked.

"Close," he answered. "It should be the 13th of December."

"TARDIS was a little off, was she?" Donna said.

The Doctor's smile was a little enigmatic and he reached out to take her hand. "Nope," he said and guided them to a little village straight out of a storybook. "It's nearly dawn, and on this day, the locals celebrate St. Lucy."

"Who?"

"It's quite interesting," the Doctor said and they stopped at the nearest house, watching as lights started to move about inside.

Donna gasped as a figure emerged. Dressed all in white with a red sash around her waist, the girl moved slowly. But what surprised Donna was what was atop the girl's head.

"Is that fire!?" she exclaimed.

Others soon came out of their homes and followed the girl as she walked down the snow-covered lane, her steps slow and measured. Soon, a soft chorus of a restful song could be heard resting on the cool winter air.

Staring in half-horror, half-amazement at the head figure, Donna was speechless. As the entire town made its way to the center square, she turned to the Doctor. "Isn't there a danger of…her hair catching on fire?"

The Doctor shrugged. "It might have happened once or twice before."

Donna was horrified. "And you think this kind of thing is a good idea?"

He looked around. "It's nice to see the people making the most of a cold dark winter," he said. "And it's nice to see a peaceful moment."

Donna couldn't argue with that but wrapped her arms around herself again. "Don't ask me to put candles on my head."

"Your hair is fiery enough as it is," the Doctor said.

Donna whipped her head around, about to comment on such a statement, but the Doctor looked so sincere. Robbed her of her retort, she turned back and watched the town gather into the church. "Yeah, I guess it's nice. Cold though."

"You humans always make the best of things," the Doctor mused and Donna heard his trainers crunch in the snow as he turned. "Next stop?"

She gazed back and forth. "What, that's it?"

His head cocked in the direction of the town center. "Well, unless you want some coffee and saffron buns."

Donna scowled. "My buns are nearly frozen."

The Doctor extended his hand. "Then off we go!"

Part 5

Compared to the arctic chill of a Scandinavian winter, the air was practically tropical.

Donna gazed around, her eyes soaking in the alien landscape, the snowy mountain tops, the purplish sky adorned with millions of stars. The wind brushed her hair all around her, but she didn't feel the need to put her hood up.

"Blimey," she whispered as she noticed five shooting stars at once.

Next to her, the Doctor shrugged his coat higher on his shoulders. "Impressive, no?"

Her neck sore from gazing upward, Donna turned back to him and smirked. "Not so bad, Spaceman," she said. She waved her hands around. "It's not even cold. At least not really." She peered around. "Not the Oodsphere, then?"

He grinned. "Nope," he said and took her hand. "This way. I think you'll like this."

The walk was a little treacherous in the snow; Donna was constantly grabbing at the Doctor until she eventually just wrapped her arm around his, holding him close for balance. And warmth. She was always amazed at how warm he was.

She heard him clear his throat, and when she glanced up, she thought she saw him gulp. Was he nervous?

Inwardly scoffing at the thought - she was just Donna - she tried to break away a little. But he kept her close. Confused, she looked up at him again.

He smiled. "Almost there." His voice was soft, matching the gentle colors in the sky and the fluffy snow at their feet.

They approached the base of the mountain chain, the wind starting to whistle as it traveled through the canyons.

Donna stopped short, frowning. "Ey, what's that?"

The Doctor stopped and arched his eyebrows. "What?"

She waved into the air. "That noise?"

"It's the wind."

"No!" Donna insisted. "Wind makes a howling noise." She narrowed her eyes and listened. "It's…it's music."

There was a light song on the air, soothing and somewhat familiar, pulling at Donna's memory. "Is that…"

The Doctor pursed his lips and looked around. "It sounds like Silent Night."

Completely perplexed, Donna gazed at the mountains and then at the Doctor. "But where's it coming from?"

He smiled again. "The wind," he answered and cocked his head. "I'll show you."

They walked into a large cave, the music getting louder with every step. It started to reverberate in Donna's chest, making her bones rumble as the lower notes played. She smiled to herself, the melodies all Christmas themed and eerily soothing.

"Here we are!" the Doctor said as they reached a large open space, the rocky walls illuminated by multi-colored lights that twinkled and danced like stars along with the music. Across what appeared to be a large chasm was a large wall that looked like pipes from an organ.

Wind sailed over the Doctor and Donna, and as it reached the pipes, the song continued to play.

Donna gasped, stunned. "This is incredible!"

The Doctor grinned and balanced on his heels. "I thought you'd like it!"

She turned, stunned. "It's amazing!" She looked around. "Why is it playing Christmas songs?"

"It is Christmas Day, isn't it?"

"Well, that makes sense," she said and walked over to what looked like a control panel. "And we're the only ones here?"

"For the time being. The singing caves of Rudiban Four," he explained. "It's quiet now, but give it a couple of years, and it'll be one of the biggest tourist attractions in the thirty-fourth century."

Donna shook her head and grinned at him. "It's quite peaceful."

He nodded. "I like it," he said and walked over to the controls. "You can request any song you like."

Donna pressed a few buttons. "Quite a catalogue." She easily got the hang of the system and skimmed through the titles. "AH!'

Soon, the serene tones by Joseph Mohr were replaced with a much more upbeat song of the twentieth century. The cavern shook with the quick tempo.

The Doctor glanced around, surprised. "What?"

Donna laughed and pointed at the selection. "Mariah Carey," she said and shimmied a little.

The Doctor watched her for a moment and then shook his head. "You are brilliant, Donna Noble," he said and took her hand, twirling her around. The two remained in the singing caves for an hour, playing song after song.

Part 6

After seeing Charles Dickens walk down a London street, soak in the sun of some alien world, watch a procession of townsfolk parade down a snowy street, and listen to a cavernous symphony of Christmas carols, Donna exited the TARDS, expecting something grand and fantastic.

"Oh…"

Deflated, she scanned around, the familiar buildings, smells, and sounds surrounding her. "Cheswick!?" she scoffed.

The Doctor walked up to her, shoving his TARDIS key into his pocket. Unfazed by her unimpressed reaction, he glanced around. "Yep! Chiswick!"

"Why you bring me back…" Donna's indignation dissolved as she really looked around. They were in Chiswick. She'd recognize those buildings anywhere. But what soon became apparent to her was that they were not when she thought they were.

"Eh, what's this?" she asked as a "classic" early nineteen fifties car drove by. Although it looked brand new. As she gazed around, all the cars were similar in style, and none of them looked classic. They looked brand new. Then there was the people: women with pilgrim box hats and matching coats briskly walked by, pulling at their gloves and adjusting their pointed glasses. Men in suits and fedoras stood at a corner, laughing as cigarette smoke filtered above them.

"Yep! Chiswick!" the Doctor repeated. He walked over to a light pole and wet his finger. Before Donna could stop him, he ran it over the pole and then right back into his mouth. She cried out in disgust. But he just smiled at her. "Nineteen Fifty-one, I think."

With an arched eyebrow, Donna stooped over and picked up a newspaper. She pointed at the date. "Close. Nineteen Fifty-three." She smirked at him. "Getting rusty, Spaceman?" She tossed the paper into a nearby bin and the crossed her arms in front of her. She'd chased down the Doctor to escape Chiswick. And here he was bringing her back?!

"So why are we here?" she asked.

"This way," the Doctor said and pivoted on his heel, walking down the street. Donna heaved an annoyed sigh and followed. As she walked, she glanced at some of the buildings, finding an odd sense of nostalgia come to her. For while she knew these streets, there was something different to them. The hair salon she'd gone to only once due to a horrible perm in the Eighties was a card shop. And the little corner market she'd run to buy candy with money her father had snuck her was a cigar store.

It was weird being home, and yet not quite home.

The Doctor suddenly stopped, and she nearly crashed into him. "Oi!" she grumbled but at the expression on his face, she fell silent.

That's when she heard it.

Above the ambient noise of cars and passers-by, she heard a voice she thought she'd never ever hear again.

"Let's go, Sylvia! Do you want to miss all the good sales!?"

Donna froze, her eyes widening. Gran…

"Honestly, you have your head in the clouds, don't you, young lady?"

About to enter the pharmacy was a tall woman with pretty red hair, perfectly prim and delicate. She was holding the hand of a ten-year-old girl, her blond hair tied neatly in a bow.

Donna felt all the wind suck out of her. "Mum…"

She felt the Doctor's eyes on her, but she could only stare at the regal woman with the little girl who seemed to wish she was staring at the neighboring bookstore with something akin to hunger.

The woman tugged on Sylvia's arm. "We can go into the book store after, Sylvia," she said, her voice kind but firm. "We have things to do and then you can waste time reading."

The child straightened her shoulders and Donna watched as the nearly whimsical expression faded away. She was shocked. She'd never known her mother to be an imaginative person. On the contrary, Sylvia Mott Noble was the most unimaginative person Donna had ever encountered.

But what if she hadn't always been that way?

Without a glance to the Doctor, she followed the pair into the store, wondering what they were buying that took precedence over the girl's desire to buy a book.

Donna watched her grandmother, who had always been kind yet no-nonsense. She'd baked the best cookies and had a sweet singing voice. She was the firm one as Gramps chased away his war demons by staring at the stars. The war had taught her to be practical and shove aside anything deemed unnecessary, and she apparently was trying to instill that kind of pragmatism into her daughter. Donna pursed her lips; Sylvia must have learned that lesson too well as years of sniping at her own daughter made Donna's chest tighten.

But she stood there, watching Sylvia slowly walk by the angel statues and the twinkling lights of the store's Christmas display, her smile soft and thoughtful.

Donna felt the Doctor walk up to her. His smile was so soft and caring, she felt as if she could burst into tears. "Sorry," he said. "I thought I was sending us to Christmas Eve. You said your family would sip cocoa and sing?"

Her throat too tight, Donna nodded. Maybe she needed to see this instead.

"Sylvia! We need to buy thread and needles. You go fetch them."

The girl was too busy fussing with a reindeer.

"Sylvia! We don't have all day!"

The girl jumped and silently moved away from the Christmas shelves. She wasn't watching where she was going and before Donna knew what was happening, she felt a little nudge as Sylvia Mott bumped into her.

"Oi!" Donna said reflexively.

Sylvia looked up for a moment. "Sorry," she said. "My mum's hair is ginger too."

Donna could only stare.

The Doctor smiled. "Lovely color isn't it!? I always wanted ginger hair myself, but no luck this time 'round, huh?"

Confused, the girl glanced between the two before turning quickly and escaping down the aisle.

Donna exhaled sharply. "Is that…a bad thing?"

"What?" the Doctor asked.

She turned to him and waved off in Sylvia's direction. "Her running into me?" Donna asked. "Will the universe explode or something?"

The Doctor shook his head. "Nah. I've seen myself from time to time, and it doesn't seem to do anything."

A little concerned that she understood such a statement, Donna turned back and watched as Sylvia walked back to her mother, items in hand.

Gran glanced down. "Thank you," she said and placed a hand on her shoulder. "We can go to the bookshop after this."

Sylvia smiled and bounced a little on her heels. Donna's eyes stung and almost immediately, a handkerchief was placed in front of her line of vision.

"Thanks," she said and dabbed her eyes. "I…I never knew she liked to read. She was always so…busy for that kind of stuff."

The Doctor nodded. "Life has a way of doing that to people," he said sadly.

"Think she'll be upset if I give her a gift card to WHSmith?"

His smile was warmth and affection. "I think that'd be nice." Then he frowned. "I'm sorry for upsetting you."

Donna shook her head. "Nah, it's all right." She watched as the pair walked out of the store. "It's nice to see them. To see her like that. She doesn't talk about her childhood much, but it seemed all right."

"Yeah, they seem content," he agreed.

"Christmas with loved ones," Donna mused and met his eyes for a split second before her cheeks heated and she glanced away. "Family."

"Want to continue?" he asked.

Donna lowered the handkerchief. "I've got an idea for our last stop." She held out her hand. "Let's go."

A/N – I took some liberties with Sylvia and her mother. Hope that's OK!

Part 7 (final)

They walked to the TARDIS, the mood softer between them along the way. Donna was still feeling shaken yet softer at seeing her mother as a child, witnessing a side to Sylvia Mott that had been kept hidden after years of sensible living.

The Doctor held out his key and Donna placed her hand on his arm. His head whipped up, surprised.

Donna's smile was uncharacteristically small. "Thanks, Doctor."

He turned and leaned against the door. "Feeling better?"

She nodded. "Yeah. You've shown me so many wonderful things," she said and then gazed at the bright blue sky. "Any other stops in mind?"

"Well…I had a few spots in mind," he allowed but then gazed at her. "But we can always do them another time." Something akin to excitement lit his face. "You said you had an idea?"

She grinned. "Yeah, I do."

The Doctor unlocked the door. "You and the TARDIS doing flying lessons while I'm away?"

"You'll see," Donna said cryptically and when the Doctor opened the door, she walked in and smiled brightly. She took his hand. "This way," she said and guided him through the corridors.

The Doctor didn't often find himself not knowing something. Even in the midst of a mind-twisty puzzle, he had some idea of what was going on. But this woman, this Earthgirl, his Earthgirl, always left him wondering. He didn't think he'd like that kind of uncertainty. But it was the opposite; he rather enjoyed it.

Donna led him to the library, and she hesitated, hoping it was all set up. She'd started it earlier that morning before they'd begun their Christmas tour. But hopefully the TARDIS could complete the rest.

She turned. "Ready?"

Highly curious, the Doctor flashed an excited smile, making her forget he was nearly a thousand years old. She pushed open the door and exhaled loudly. Somehow, and she never knew how it worked, the TARDIS got it. Was it telepathy? Magic? Whatever it was, Donna felt like running up to the console and hugging the ole' girl.

Behind her, she heard the Doctor gasp in disbelief. "What?"

She smiled and spun on her heel. The glow around them was soft, and maybe even twinkling. In the corner, a tall pine tree stood proudly, glowing with thousands of tiny lights and decorated with ornaments and garland. The air was scented with…

"Banana bread?" the Doctor whispered.

Donna wrapped her arms around her. "I…I was thinking of what I'd really like for Christmas," she said and waved around. "This was it."

It was rare that the Doctor was left speechless. That Donna Noble's simple desire had robbed him of his endless chatter was very telling. The smile grew slowly, and soon, his countenance was as bright as the lights on the Christmas tree. He turned, a little amazed, at her. "This was what you wanted?"

"Yeah," she answered. "I mean, don't get me wrong. I love going all over time and space and you…you're really nice to do it." She pushed her lips.

He reached for her hand. "You're my best friend, Donna."

Her chest felt a little fluttery, but she kept his hand in hers. "And you're mine," she said. "And even though I don't like Christmas…I kinda do now."

"Good. Christmas is a happy time."

"Yeah. And this is what I like most about it," she said and took a step back. "Just being with those who are most important to you."

Almost impulsively, the Doctor closed the gap between them. Donna's chest flutters became a bit more poignant. She gulped. "You're the most important woman to me," he said, those brown eyes unblinking.

Donna's breath caught, and she nodded tightly. Just mates…but he'd never stared at her like that before. And what made her heart go from flutter to jumping was that she liked it and didn't want it to stop.

Something jingled above them, drawing their gazes up and seeing a sprig of mistletoe over them.

The Doctor snorted and Donna's cheeks burned. "Okay, we're going with all the Christmas clichés aren't we?"

"Why not?" he asked rhetorically.

Maybe it was the Christmas mood. Or the emotions swirling around her. Or the the way her toes were suddenly tingling. But she was emboldened.

Donna stood on her toes and placed a kiss on his cheek. She wasn't sure, but she thought she heard his quick intake of breath. The heat taking flushing her cheeks spread down her neck.

The Doctor's smile was nothing less than pure adoration. "My brilliant Donna," he said and wrapped his arm around her. Guiding her to the tree where some wrapped gifts were waiting. "Banana bread and hot chocolate."

"The Perfect Christmas," Donna agreed as they walked around their home.