A Christmas for Two - (River/Doctor)

Sometimes the best gifts are the ones you least expect...


The Tardis time rotor hummed as it pumped its way cheerfully through the vortex. Christmas music poured out through the sound system.

River waltzed her way around the console, a glass of egg nog held high, “Sleigh bells ring, are you listening, in the lane, snow is glistening, a beautiful sight, we’re happy tonight, waltzing in our winter wonderland...”

“River!” the Doctor said, his eyes wide with delight. “I didn’t know you could sing!”

She grinned at him. “There’s lots of things you don’t know about me, sweetie.” She waltzed over to him and clinked her cup of egg nog against his, it was just the two of them in the Tardis this time. The hallways echoed quietly, only the music and River’s singing ringing back to them.

She swayed back and forth, quite obviously delighted, happier and more relaxed than he’d seen her in a long time.

He grinned at her. Mesmerized. She smiled wider.

“Oh!” He jumped like he’d been electrocuted. “I’ve got a present for you!” He dug around in his pockets. His face dropped and he dug a little more frantically. “Ah!” His face cleared with relief and he pulled out a slender package, as long as his hand, it was wrapped in pristine silver foil with fuzzy snowflakes embossed on it. It was tied with a checkered green and red bow tie. He’d obviously put a lot of effort into it.

“Here.” He shoved it at her, a bit shy.

She squashed down a smile.

She set aside her egg nog and took it from him. She stroked the neatly wrapped silver paper, tracing her finger over the creases of the bow tie. She slipped it off the package, very slowly.

He gulped.

She grinned and slid open the patterned jewelers case that was inside the wrapping. Nestled in a swath of cotton was a cheap looking ballpoint pen.

She pulled it out and turned it over in her fingers, studying it with a puzzled frown.

He bounced on his toes. “It’s a neverending pen!” he gushed. “For your diary. It’ll never run out. And it’s filled with psychic ink, so only you can read it! And it’s indestructible!” He leaned forward and kissed her on the nose. “Because I know how you like getting into trouble.”

She smiled, feeling inexplicably mushy. She could already think of half a dozen uses for an ordinary looking, indestructible, psychic pen. She pulled open her diary and slipped the nondescript pen into the battered spine. “It’s perfect!”

He beamed.

“I’ve got something for you too, Sweetie.” She turned and pulled something off of the Tardis console, where the Tardis had been colluding with her, keeping a perception filter over it so he wouldn’t see it.

“Close your eyes,” she crooned.

He promptly closed his eyes, then popped one back open, giving her a narrow-eyed, distrustful look.

She chuckled. “Both of them, Sweetie.”

With a put-upon sigh he closed both eyes and stood expectantly.

She moved in close, he could feel the heat of her body, she leaned in toward him, her breasts brushed his chest. He felt her arms go up, surrounding him in her warmth, her fingers brushed through his hair.

Then she stepped back.

He opened his eyes, confused.

He raised a tentative hand to his head. He felt something sitting there. He closed his hand over it, feeling soft velvet and silky fur. He pulled it down and stared.

A Santa hat. A perfectly elegant, red velvet and white ermine Santa hat, with a big fluffy pom pom dangling from the end. It practically glowed with lushness.

It was the most beautiful thing he’d ever seen.

He stared at River. Her eyes were sparkling. She was the most beautiful thing he’d ever seen.

“River,” he croaked, he clutched his present to his chest, feeling his hearts swell. “You gave me a hat!”