Author's Note: And so the End is near There's only one bit left to go now, but here's my addition to Christmas this year. It's a little unpolished, so I may come back and change that a little. I own neither Doctor Who or the lyrics to Frank Sinatra's Christmas song.
Christmas Dinner.
The Doctor flew the TARDIS back to Cardiff, and this time landed her in the carpark of Ianto's flat block. As they walked out with Bing and Frank, Jack checked his watch.
"Should get there about five minutes after we left." He glanced around the car park and hoped that the Doctor wouldn't notice two very familiar cars in there. "Come on, lets go celebrate Christmas in style." He winked at Frank, whom, oddly enough, he had formed a good rapport with. He opened the main lobby door with the key he had found in a hand made Christmas cracker left on his bed a week ago. "His flat is on the top floor. And there's no lift."
"No lift? That's exercise." The corners of the Doctors mouth quirked.
"You should try these stairs with three baby pterodactyls." Jack grinned. At the questioning faces that he was then faced with he added "long story, maybe I'll explain over Christmas dinner." With a final grin before he started up the stairs he added again "maybe."
By the time they reached the top the jovial banter had drawn to a close and they paused outside Ianto's flat to catch their breath. Jack opened the door with a flourish and gestured for the Doctor to go ahead of him.
"Merry Christmas!!" a group of familiar faces was gathered around the Christmas tree waiting for them. The Doctor paused on the little step in front of Ianto's door with a gasp, and then with a grin stepped down into the lounge, only to be engulfed in a mass hug from Martha and Sarah Jane.
"What? What are you doing here? What about your families?" Martha laughed.
"I'm seeing them tomorrow or today if you fancy letting me do this day twice. But if I don't make it there until Boxing Day, they think I'm with Tom, but Tom is still in South Africa. Ianto gave me a call so I thought I'd turn up here instead."
"Luke is here somewhere. I think Ianto just sent him off to check the turkey, or get more firewood."
In the meantime Jack had introduced Ianto, Gwen and Rhys to Bing and Frank. Rhys was currently passed out on the floor from shock, with Gwen fussing over him, whilst Ianto dashed around to fix drinks for his two VIP guests, hastily informing the Doctor that he was no less important, but he would never get this chance again, to which the Doctor laughed. He stood back and watched as his friends, his family, started to settle down to open Christmas presents. He barely noticed as Martha came over to take his arm.
"Come and sit down, it's Christmas, and you've got presents!" she grinned at him as she pulled him over to a sofa. He grinned back, mouthing the word 'presents'. It was a long time since he'd had a present at Christmas and he followed after Martha quickly.
Ianto served a mammoth Christmas feast a little while after the present opening, at which the Doctor had been forced to wear the hand knitted Rudolph jumper that Gwen had given him, the bobble hat that Luke had handed him and the slippers that Jack and Ianto had given him. Opposite him Jack was wearing a similar jumper with a snowman on it, Ianto had a Santa one and Martha sported an elf. Sarah Jane and Luke had been profusely apologised to and promised ones with a snowflake and a present on it respectively. Rhys had rolled his eyes at them only to be presented with his own jumper, complete with a heart surrounded by snow. As the pudding was brought out by Jack, Bing and Frank began to sing White Christmas crooning slowly and softly, Ianto lit the brandy to pour over it and turned the lights down low. In the blue glow of the burning pudding the Doctor glanced around at his friends thinking life really didn't get much better than this.
"Chestnuts roasting on an open fire, Jack Frost nipping at your nose, Yuletide carols being sung by a choir, And folks dressed up like eskimos ."