A/N: Sorry for the delay! You may have noticed I got caught attacked by a plot bunny for another fic (thanks to moviegal102, you naughty vixen) but this story is still chugging along!
Speaking of moviegal102, many thanks to her for reviewing this messy fanfic! If you see any remaining mistakes, please remember that I force her to read these late at night when she's on cough medicine, so it's not her fault! hehe
Also, a bit of an announcement! This won't be my only return to the IT verse (it's official!), so expect further sequels after this ones finished! :)
Part V
"Aww! Come on out, Rory!" Clara called gaily from her spot next to the tree, where she, Amy, and the Doctor waited like eager children to open their Christmas presents.
Rory groaned loudly from his and Amy's bedroom and the Doctor chuckled. Amy rolled her eyes and stood, but before she could storm towards his direction, Rory emerged—fully dressed—into the living room.
"Wow!" the Doctor called, grinning broadly. "Nice Christmas jammies." He leaned towards Clara and muttered loudly, "Better than what he had on last night."
She swatted the Doctor's shoulder and bit back a smile while Rory attempted to duck back towards the bedroom. Amy grabbed her husband's shoulders and redirected him towards the Christmas tree in the living room where she reminded him that it was Christmas and that they've all seen each other naked at one point or another.
"Um… 'cept for me," Clara pointed out, raising her hand.
"Just you wait, Clara," Amy said with a mischievous glint in her eye. "Just you wait."
Clara's eyes went round and she leaned towards the Doctor. "Do I need to start locking the bathroom door?"
"I'd advise it."
"So… so sorry, again," Rory muttered, eyes averted and cheeks bright red with embarrassment.
The Doctor ruffled his hair playfully and then they all had a laugh about an incident at one of their mates' birthday parties that apparently featured the Doctor in his birthday suit.
"How much had you had to drink?" Clara asked.
"I wasn't drunk!" he insisted, and she decided not to ask further questions. They were rather vague with the details anyway.
Amy made them all piping hot mugs of cocoa with little marshmallows shaped like snowmen sprinkled on top, dolloping in a few extra for the Doctor when he gleefully requested. Clara cradled her mug to her chest while Amy and Rory started doling out everyone's gifts.
"Wow, there were half this many under the tree last night," Rory observed with confusion as he continued to find more and more gifts under the tree. He had to really duck down on all fours to reach one that had been shoved in the back corner, and the Doctor saw this as an opportunity to smack him lightly on the bum.
Rory flinched with surprised and knocked into the bottom of the tree. The lights flickered, the ornaments jangled, and Clara gasped in horror as the entire thing threatened to topple over on top of her, then sighed with relief when it remained upright. Rory scrambled out from under the tree and shouted at Amy for nearly ruining Christmas, but instead of correcting him, Amy grinned behind her mug of cocoa and said, "It wasn't me! It was Clara!"
Clara grinned at Amy, jaw dropping at the accusation. "Well, after last night's show, how could I resist?"
They all chuckled, save for Rory, and Clara felt compelled to pat him on the shoulder and insist that the first Christmas gift be that they stop teasing him about his sleepwalking incident from the night before. Rory looked like he would burst into tears with gratitude.
"Doctor, more than half of these have to be from you," Amy said as she took stock of all of the presents scattered around them. "Where did they all come from?"
"You did see all the bags we arrived with?" Clara replied. "He thinks he's bloody Father Christmas."
"It's Christmas!" the Doctor pointed out with a great wave of his hands. "You're supposed to give your mates gifts."
"Yeah, well now I feel bad 'cause I only got you the one," Amy said with a light frown.
"If you want, I can take some of yours back…" the Doctor began, reaching forward for a square box wrapped in blue paper.
Amy snatched it away from him and cradled it to her chest. "No, no… Wouldn't want to spoil the holiday."
"OK, who first?" Rory asked once they all had their own gifts neatly placed in front of them.
The Doctor met Amy's eyes and a silent battle was waged. Things got really intense when the Doctor's jaw twitched, and then they both simultaneously started tearing into the nearest gift they could get their hands on.
"Right—Anarchy it is, then," Rory said before peeling the wrapping off one of his own gifts.
The Doctor and Amy both loudly announced what was beneath the wrapping for each gift they received. So far Amy had gotten a lot of books, gift cards, and DVDs for movies Clara hadn't even heard of. The Doctor opened a box full of hand-knit hats and socks that Amy had made him (one of which he immediately stretched over his hair with a gleeful giggle), four more boxes of jammie dodgers ("We saw that you already ate all the ones from the cupboard," Rory said), and then Clara's gift.
"Wait!" she cried, stilling his hand as he went to tear the wrapping. "You all have to open the ones I got you at the same time."
"Ooh," Amy said. "Maybe she got us matching undies?"
"Well, she knows Rory's size now," the Doctor muttered with a grin.
Clara smacked him on the back of the head and winked at Rory, who nodded in appreciation of her gesture of solidarity. She then nibbled on her thumbnail as the other three tore into the red wrapping paper, smiling nervously as they each looked at the framed photographs in their hands.
She had given them framed copies of one of the photos she'd taken of the trio when they'd gone skating in Central Park. It was a beautiful shot in which they were all genuinely smiling, although Amy's smile looked a little pained since the Doctor—who wasn't the most stable on the ice—had his arm tightly wrapped around her shoulders for support.
"I know you and Rory have two of the same picture, but I figured you could put yours on your desk when you get that promotion you're wanting," Clara said to Amy, who ten crawled across the pile of discarded wrapping paper between them to give her a big hug.
When Amy pulled away, the Doctor wrapped his arm around her shoulders and pulled her firmly to his side so he could plant a big wet kiss on her cheek. Clara laughed a little at herself when she felt her cheeks turning pink and grinned up at him.
"Thanks, love," he said.
"You're welcome."
"Ooh, open mine!" he said enthusiastically, pushing a small box wrapped in blue paper towards her.
"Oh," Rory said. "Shouldn't we wait 'til—"
Amy silenced Rory with a smack to his chest and Clara frowned at them in confusion before flashing the Doctor a grin and peeling back the corner of wrapping paper. Once she had one edge opened, she let the small box inside fall into the palm of her hand and her eyes widened at the velvety texture.
"Ooh," she said playfully, even though her heart was thudding desperately in her chest. "Jewellery."
She felt like everyone in the room was holding their breath until she snapped open the lid and spied a beautiful pair of gold and diamond earrings resting on a velvety cushion.
"They're beautiful," she said with a delighted gasp.
He beamed at her. "Merry Christmas, love."
"Merry Christmas," she replied in an equally gooey tone, leaning in to kiss his cheek and then giggling with surprise when he turned for a peck on the lips. She turned the box around so that Rory and Amy could see the earrings and they both seemed to struggle with feigning their appreciation.
"Pretty," Rory said with a light nod.
Amy stared quizzically at the Doctor, who appeared oblivious to the tension that had arisen when the jewellery box had fallen into Clara's hand. Clara herself felt an odd mixture of disappointment and relief. She had partly expected to find a ring inside that box, but she was grateful that the Doctor hadn't chosen to propose in front of his friends on Christmas day when they were wearing pyjamas and he had a knit cap fluffing his hair over his ears. Of course later, when she was helping Amy prepare Christmas dinner in the kitchen, she mused that that actually might have been the perfect moment.
"They're really lovely," Amy said, pushing back Clara's hair to get a better look at the earrings. "They suit you."
"Thanks," she said, ducking her head with a laugh as she twisted the back of one of the earrings nervously. "They're just so nice, and… I got him a framed photo I took with my phone."
Amy, who had bent forward to put a pan of roast potatoes in the oven, paused to shoot Clara a look. "That was a lovely gift," she insisted. "Don't feel bad because he gets you fancy things—that's what he does. Especially when he's in love."
Clara fiddled with the ends of her hair and grinned like an idiot while Amy closed the oven door and checked on the gravy. It wasn't like she was oblivious to the fact that the Doctor was in love with her, but it was always nice to hear someone say it.
"Besides, he has excellent taste in jewellery. He gave me this for my birthday one year," she said, pulling at a gold chain with a red apple charm with her thumb to show Clara. "I wear it practically every day."
"It is lovely," Clara agreed, glancing towards the living room where Rory and the Doctor were stuffing discarded wrapping paper into a trash bag. They had turned into a makeshift game of basketball, at which the Doctor was performing poorly. She felt herself grinning foolishly again as she watched them laugh. "He's a good one, isn't he?"
"Clara!" Amy said with a gasp. "Rory is my husband."
She turned to Amy. "You all really need to stop making the same jokes."
Amy giggled impishly and then asked Clara to check the sauce bubbling on the stove while she saw to the pies.
An hour later, they were all sat at the kitchen table with heaping piles of food on their plates that put an end to any conversation as they filled their mouths. Rory took it upon himself to put on some old Christmas music to fill the silence, and they all smiled at each other as they enjoyed the moment. Clara glanced at the Doctor, grinned at her around a mouthful of food, and thought about how hesitantly he'd smiled on Christmas morning at her father's house last year. She then remembered that he'd spent several Christmases before that on his own watching old Christmas movies in his flat, and she found herself tearing up now that she knew what it was like to see him properly happy. She dropped her fork on her plate and wrapped her arms around his neck in a rush of emotion. The Doctor chuckled with surprise and wrapped an arm around her waist while joking about how she'd nearly made him choke on a potato.
"Alright there?" he asked with a grin when she pulled away.
Clara could only nod as she held back tears. She felt so silly, but she felt like the greatest gift of all was seeing him so relaxed and happy. She kissed him on the cheek before smiling bashfully at Amy and Rory and tucking back into her food.
After they'd cleared their plates, they pulled Christmas crackers and argued over who had to wear the yellow crown (Rory accepted it happily since he argued it was the most similar to gold). Clara let Amy have the red crown while she and the Doctor sported the green ones. They each took turns reading the jokes inside, all of which made the Doctor chuckle until he snorted. The boys then cleaned up while Amy and Clara stretched out on the sofa with their hands on their full bellies.
"God, I look pregnant," Clara muttered, pushing out her belly to emphasise her post-dinner fullness.
Amy leaned towards her with a frown and whispered. "Are you?"
"No," Clara replied with a little laugh, leaning back slightly. Amy had sounded so serious. "Are you?"
Amy smiled tightly. "Ha—Nope."
Clara's frown deepened when she noticed something sad in Amy's eyes, but she knew better than to ask why. She had a sinking feeling that she'd already guessed.
"Anyone want to watch a movie?" Rory asked as he shut the door to the dishwasher.
"Ooh, yes please! Just not the one with Cameron Diaz, please," the Doctor said with a sneer.
"You don't like The Holiday?" Amy said. "Shocker."
"No, he just doesn't like Cameron Diaz," Clara clarified.
"She overacts," he insisted as he wrapped another plate of leftover food in plastic wrap and placed it in the fridge.
"Well, then we definitely shouldn't watch Home Alone, then," said Clara.
"Oh," the Doctor said dejectedly. "But I like that one."
Amy sighed, smiling. "Rory, you pick one."
"It's a Wonderful Life," he supplied, not even pausing to think it over.
Amy groaned. "I knew it!"
"It's my favourite Christmas movie!" he replied. "And you like it too!"
"Yes, you're just so predictable!" Amy teased while she searched the shelves of DVDs.
Clara scooted to the edge of the sofa to make room for the Doctor when he joined them in the lounge. "I've never seen it."
They all three stared at her in shock.
"You've never seen It's a Wonderful Life?" Rory asked, not blinking.
"Yeah, that's what I said," she replied with a nervous laugh, frowning at the three sets of eyes on her.
She understood why as the movie progressed. Clara didn't want to draw attention to the fact that she was crying by asking for the box of tissues, but she was about to have to when the Doctor rubbed the back of his finger across her wet cheek. He smiled at her tear-streaked face ands he laughed lightly in embarrassment, rubbing her face with the sleeves of her shirt as the Doctor wrapped his arm around her and pulled her close. They watched the rest of the movie that way, her cheek pressed nestled against his collar while he lightly stroked her hair. When the credits rolled, Clara sat up and was surprised to find Rory snoring against Amy's chest, his torso draped over hers like a large cat taking a nap.
"When did that happen?" she asked with a chuckle.
Amy gave an annoyed wave of her hands from the corner of the sofa, into which her body had sunk under the weight of her husband.
"Could someone make me a cocoa?" she asked quietly, not wanting to disturb him.
Clara offered to do it since the Doctor disappeared into the loo. After putting the kettle on, Clara went into the guest bedroom to fetch her phone and see if she'd missed any more calls from her family back home. She had two texts from some girls she'd gone to uni with, both those sort of group texts wishing everyone a Merry Christmas with all those little emoticons, and as she was looking down at them on her way out of the bedroom, she felt two arms snake around her waist and looked up just in time to see the Doctor lowering his face to hers. Clara placed her hands on his chest and smiled into the kiss, which deepened considerably when he pressed his hand into the small of her back and nibbled her lower lip.
"Ha," she laughed, her voice ten pitches higher than normal when she pulled away. "What was that for?"
"Just following the rules," he said with a grin.
The Doctor nodded towards the ceiling and Clara followed his gaze to where a sprig of mistletoe dangled from the light fixture above their heads. "How long has that been there?" she asked.
"I don't know. Do you think it's been there for days and we've passed under it several times without kissing?"
His nose brushed against hers and she chuckled at him. "Are you saying we retroactively owe it to the mistletoe to have another snog?"
He nodded before kissing her again, and Clara released an involuntary sigh against his lips that was almost embarrassingly eager. She wrapped her arms around his neck and he lifted her ever so slightly off her feet, his body firmly pressing into her as his tongue skated across hers. She felt his throaty hum of pleasure vibrate through her and with a gasp, Clara came broke the surface of the water and came up for air.
"Right…" she said breathlessly, stroking his face as she attempted to peal herself away with him. It wasn't easy. "I don't think we owe the mistletoe quite all that."
He laughed. "It is American mistletoe; it might have different standards."
Clara chuckled and he tucked her hair behind her ear, thumb brushing against the diamond earing there. He smiled at her. "These look really nice on you."
"You've got good taste." She licked her lips nervously. "Although you almost had me thinking something else was in that box," she admitted, heart fluttering.
"Did you?" he replied with playful curiosity, hands still resting at the sides of her face. He brushed his thumbs over her cheeks. "Hmm. That's interesting."
Clara opened her mouth to accuse him of being a tease, but the whistling kettle interrupted her. "Ah. Amy's cocoa." She had almost forgotten.
She gave the Doctor a little smile before extracting herself from his arms to walk into the kitchen, where she emptied a pack of cocoa into a yellow mug and poured the steaming water inside. The Doctor was at her side in the blink of an eye, pulling another mug from the cupboard and packet of cocoa for himself. Clara felt the hairs on the back of her neck stand on end in response to his proximity, her heartbeat escalating as she thought of their interrupted conversation.
His casual, teasing response to the implication that she had suspected a proposal that morning made Clara wonder if it an actual possibility. They hadn't broached the subject of marriage yet, oddly enough, but she supposed moving in together was just a step shy of matrimony. Nina was constantly asking when the wedding was going to be, often in a joking manner, but Nina rarely ever joked about things that didn't have a little bit of truth behind them.
Clara's heightened reaction to his nearness was also due to the kiss they'd shared in the hallway, which had reminded them both in screaming tones that they hadn't been together since their arrival in New York. They had gotten close until Rory's little episode of sleepwalking interrupted them the night before, but Clara found the idea of having sex while a guest in someone else's home a little… well, icky. Perhaps she was a bit of a prude in that respect, but Rory did nothing to calm her anxiety about someone walking in on them.
Then again, Rory had been naked… something Clara had tried not to think about all day, but now she realized that unless he normally slept in the buff, the only logical reason for him to not be wearing clothes in the middle of the night was because he and Amy had engaged in certain late-night activities themselves, and if that were the case, perhaps she ought not feel so awkward about engaging in some of her own.
Then again, she was applying logic to a situation where a naked man came into their bedroom and stole their comforter while sleeping. Perhaps she should stop thinking about the matter altogether.
Rory awoke from his nap and insisted they all play charades, something his family used to always do at Christmas. It was some of the most fun they'd had on the trip yet, and Clara was rather delighted that her brilliant and talented boyfriend was actually rubbish at the game… even though that mean that Amy and Rory won every round and bragged about their victory all evening.
Clara was exhausted by the time they all went to bed, but as she lay facing the Doctor, their fingers entwined over the comforter and their gazes locked together, she found that sleep was the furthest thing from her mind.
"Did you have a good Christmas?" She didn't know why she whispered.
"Yes," he replied in an equally soft tone. "What about you?"
Their fingers moved together in the darkness, locking and unlocking and flexing against each other as she smiled at him. "Yeah. It's been a great Christmas."
He leaned forward and kissed her, once again eliciting an immediate gasp of pleasure from her lips that made him chuckle deeply in satisfaction. Clara felt like her every nerve ending had suddenly been lit on fire and she pulled him closer, the bed creaking softly beneath them as their bodies shifted together.
"I love you," he gasped reverently against her lips before trailing kisses down her neck and shoulder. Clara's breathing grew heavy and she closed her eyes, her fingers tangling in his hair and slipping beneath the collar of his t-shirt.
His fingers slipped the hem of her shirt up to her chin and Clara stifled a moan as his warm lips trailed across her breasts. She was writhing beneath him, her fingers clenched around thick strands of his hair as his lips puckered against her skin. Her back arched off the mattress and Clara made a noise somewhere between a gasp and a laugh at the tickling sensation. Growing impatient, she pushed at his shoulders and they both sat up. Clara tugged her shirt over her head and tossed it aside, helping the Doctor do the same with his and then they wrapped themselves in each other's arms, breathing hot air into each other's lips until Clara froze and pulled away with him.
"Should we… the door?"
The Doctor chuckled breathlessly and then kissed her neck. "I locked it before turning out the light."
Clara's responding laugh turned into a high-pitched sigh as the Doctor teeth tugged the skin at her neck. She grabbed his shoulders and turned their bodies so that he was lying on his back and she straddled his waist, her lower lip caught between her teeth as she grinned down at him.
"Hey," she said softly.
He ran his hands up and down her back and chuckled at her. "Hey."
Clara's gaze softened as she stroked the sides of his face, her fingers trailing down to tap playfully at his chin before she placed her palms against his chest. "I love you, too."