A/N: So, I said I wanted to complete this challenge this year and I have! Well, the last one will be posted on Jan 1st as it is a part of my Holiday Fics challenge, which I'm doing next month on LiveJournal. But otherwise, yes, this is over. I'm happy.

Thank you to: MayFairy and Vilinye for reviewing Loss.

Until Jan 1st...

x tromana

Title: Rest and Relaxation
Author: tromana
Rating: T
Characters: Eight/Romana II
Summary: Whimsy is something she needs.
Disclaimer: I still wouldn't even want to try and make claim...
Notes: Song: All I Want For Christmas Is You.

Rest and Relaxation

"Doctor."

Romana's voice was persistent, determined to be heard. Naturally, he stubbornly ignores her. In all of his guises, he'd never been particularly one for paying attention. This one, whimsical, light, fun (though not without an edge, but that goes without saying) is one of the worst.

It's probably why she likes this one at the moment.

Whimsy is something she needs.

Gallifrey is at war, but that's nothing new. Gallifrey has been at war for Millennia, with herself at the helm. It's a war they're losing and she knows it, but that doesn't necessarily mean she's ready to admit to that. Part of her doubts she will ever be ready to do so.

"Doctor," she repeats, enunciating the syllables clearly and precisely. Just as she always did so.

This time, he doesn't blank her.

Instead, he takes her by the hand and urges her onwards. Rolling her eyes, Romana cannot help but comply. It isn't as if she's being given much of a choice.

After all, the Doctor had insisted that she take a break. He had said that the planet and government was destroying her spirit. That he had explicitly turned up to remind her of the lighter side of life. It doesn't have to be all doom and gloom, even if you are leading armies into an unwinnable war.

(One that's unwinnable on both sides, she's almost proud to say. Not that the Daleks will call a truce either. They're just as stubborn as her own species.)

They're on Earth again and she's less than impressed. Just because the Doctor has a fascination, no, obsession, with the planet, it didn't mean that everyone did. He'd insisted that it's special this time around because it's Christmas (some religious festival, celebrating the birth of the son of a God, apparently). That all of his favourite areas of the planet are celebrating because it's the done thing to do and they might as well join in.

She's also dubious about the concept of crashing Christmas parties, too.

Though she's naturally tried her best to blend in with the masses, Romana cannot help but wonder if she sticks out like a sore thumb. That there's some innate alienness about her that means the people just know she's not the same. And if they do know, what they would do about it. Romana knows that humans are as obsessed with aliens as the Doctor is with Earth. That Time Lord blood could significantly alter the planet's course.

But the Doctor doesn't care. Instead, he saves it and celebrates with it time and time again. And this time, he wants her to join in too. Just to relax and forget about her worries for once in her lives.

He grabs her by the hand and twirls her. This is dancing, apparently. As far as she's concerned, it's just the pointless flailing of limbs and almost crashing into other beings repeatedly. Though, it does let off some pent up energy. The Doctor is grinning from ear to ear, clearly having a ball. Then again, if something seems entirely unnecessary, he almost always seems to enjoy it, so it makes sense. The music isn't much to speak of, either. It's just loud and incessantly cheerful. She doesn't know the song, why would she be familiar with 'All I Want For Christmas Is You'? Instead, she just smiles.

Though she's loathe to admit it, this is kind of fun.

And it is a relief to stop thinking about Gallifrey, if only for a short time.