THE LEGEND OF THE STARSTONE

Chapter Two

The Doctor relaxed at his console, sitting on the jump seat while he read a magazine. It had been a couple of months since Davros's defeat and he, Rose and Donna were getting used to working as a team. In addition to that, the Doctor was also running tests on Rose since the reemergence of the Bad Wolf at the Crucible. Granted, the Bad Wolf allowed Donna to gain temporary Time Lord knowledge and the three of them working together had vanquished the Daleks but the Doctor was still wary of the mysterious being that resided within her and he kept on running tests to make sure she was safe and the Bad Wolf wasn't some malevolent creature that was trying to control her. Other than that, the three of them got along great and he actually enjoyed traveling with both the woman he loved and his best friend. Suddenly, it seemed as though the universe was actually on his side for a change and he finally had a little happiness after years and years of sorrow.

There was also something that had been on his mind lately. After all that had happened, after losing and then regaining Rose, he wanted to finally come clean about his true feelings for her and make her what was known on Gallifrey as a Soul Twin. Someone special who was one's soul mate, which the Doctor felt Rose was. However, he was leery of bringing up the subject with her. He knew it was ridiculous but he was scared if he let Rose know his true feelings, something would happen to tear them apart again. So for the moment, he didn't say anything, even though he knew that Rose loved him and he was pretty sure she knew he loved her. He just had to find the courage to actually say it to her.

Right now though, he was concentrating on trying to find somewhere for them to go. He was trying to find someplace special where he could take the two women he cared about. Problem was, he was having a hard time deciding. After awhile, he decided to go seek out Rose and Donna and get their input. He put his hands in his trouser pockets and casually strolled out of the console room.

He looked for them in all the usual places but couldn't find them. He finally asked the TARDIS to locate them and make a path to them. He stood still while the TARDIS rearranged the corridors until he was in a corridor with no doors in it, save one directly in front of him. The Doctor thanked his ship as he headed towards the door. He opened it and saw fake snow covering the ground in a simulated park area. On the trees were red and green Christmas lights that began up in the branches and then wound down around the trunk to the bottom of it. Overhead Christmas music played as a little path appeared in front of the door that led into the woods. The Doctor strolled down the path, enjoying the Christmas music. After five minutes of walking the path, he heard laughter. He rounded a bend and saw his girls sitting on a bench, having glasses of wine in the midst of some decorated Christmas trees. The Doctor stopped and smiled, admiring the way the lights from the trees illuminated their faces and made them look beautiful. They looked over when he came up to them and sat down.

"Getting into the Christmas spirit?" he asked them.

"We were exploring and we found this room. We sat down and this wine and glasses appeared so we thought we'd have a few drinks and enjoy the Christmas trees."

"What else you got in here, Space Man? The Easter room, Valentine's Day room, Bonfire Night room?" Donna asked him.

"Not sure, actually. I have tons and tons and heaps and heaps of rooms I've never explored. The old girl grows by the day so maybe I do. But why stay in here when we have the whole wide universe. Perhaps I could interest you in an actual Christmas scene? You choose the place and I'll make the TARDIS race so I can see your smiling face?"

"Okay, you can stop with the daft verse," Donna said to him.

"But Christmas somewhere does sound fun," Rose said. "What do you think, Donna?"

They conferred for a moment, softly whispering while the Doctor waited patiently. Then they looked at him.

"Okay, we want a nice Christmas in the Bahamas," Rose said.

The Doctor made a face and stuck out his tongue.

"Ugh! Bahamas, what about the snow?" he said.

"We don't want snow, we want Christmas on the beach," Donna said while Rose nodded in agreement.

"Oh…alright, Bahama Christmas it is then," the Doctor said.

He got up and helped the women to stand. Whistling Jingle Bells, he walked with them back to the console room. While he walked with them, he heard them talking excitedly about spending a Christmas day in the Bahamas and his hearts warmed. This was what he lived for, the little moments in between running from and fighting monsters that he could make his beloved friends happy and give them a thrill. It was the reason why he still continued to travel even after 900 plus years. He was looking forward to having fun along with Rose and Donna and even though it wouldn't feel like Christmas without the snow, he had to admit it did sound like fun to spend the day having some laughs on the beach. He made a mental note to ask the TARDIS to conjure up some gifts for him to give to his companions so they could have a proper Christmas celebration.

Rose and Donna sat on the jump seat when they reached the console room and watched while he did his manic dance around it.

"You know, if you taught us to fly the TARDIS instead of just letting us operate one part of it, you would have three pilots," Rose said.

"Yeah. At least, you wouldn't have to run around this thing as much," Donna said, pointing to the console.

"Nah, you don't have to do that. You can just relax and watch," the Doctor said, pausing for a moment.

"No, you're afraid we'll blow the ship up," Rose said.

"No…I just like working on my own. If I wanted six pilots, I would have brought five other Time Lords in here in the first place. Besides, running around keeps me fit and trim."

"Yeah, that's why when you turn to the side, no one can see ya," Donna said.

The Doctor eyed her while Rose giggled. He ignored them and finished up with the console while Rose and Donna shared a gleeful look. When he was finished, he sighed and slumped down beside them.

"And I'm spent," he said. "That's it for today, goodnight."

Rose laughed at Donna's annoyed look when the Doctor slumped against her and snored loudly.

"Oi! Get off me, Alien Boy!" she said to him.

The Doctor grinned, opened his eyes and patted her leg as he sat up straight. Several minutes later, the TARDIS landed and powered down. The Doctor leapt up and sprinted towards the door. Rose and Donna got caught up in his infectious enthusiasm and they leapt up and followed him.

"Be prepared, my lovelies, outside this door is paradise!" the Doctor said, standing with his back in front of the doors.

He threw them open dramatically and everyone walked outside…and froze when they noticed they were in the middle of London.

"Oh yeah, this is really paradise alright," Donna said, rolling his eyes.

"Get a bit off course, did we?" Rose said to the Doctor.

"Um…how did this happen?" the Doctor said, looking around. "I set the coordinates for Christmas day in the Bahamas."

"Yeah, well judging from the warm weather, you landed in London in summer instead," Donna said.

"Well, um…we could pretend this is the Bahamas at Christmas," the Doctor said sheepishly. "After all, the Bahamas would be warm and it's warm now…so…"

Rose and Donna glanced at each other.

"Well, you know, lemons into lemonade and all that," Donna said to Rose. "Might as well make the best of a bad situation."

"Now wait just one minute, Noble," the Doctor said angrily. "Look at the sky. See the sun. Feel how warm it is? This is hardly Hell on Earth and I didn't land us in the middle of a bloody apocalypse so I doubt you'll be dragging your feet all day and complaining. After we get done here, I'll try again. Until then, try to smile if you can."

"Oh…if I must," Donna said with a mock sigh while Rose laughed.

The Doctor rolled his eyes. He was shutting the doors when suddenly they heard three loud sonic booms nearby followed by some panicked screams. The Doctor stepped away from the TARDIS and stared off into the direction the booms came from. Donna looked at Rose when the Doctor suddenly ran off towards the disturbance.

"I have a funny feeling Christmas will now be a long ways off," she said before they ran after him.

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