THE HALLOWEEN PHOTO

Rose was sat on the seat inside the Console Room, quietly reading a magazine when the Doctor entered the room carrying a large cardboard box in his hands. Rose glanced at him, figuring he was storing some things in the storage space under the grate, before she returned to reading her magazine. The Doctor, instead, plopped the box down on top of the console and fished around inside it for a moment while Rose lowered the magazine and watched him. He pulled out a plastic headband that had two purple glitter stars attached to it by long springs on either side of it. Rose frowned when he walked over to her and put it on her head, adjusting it gently until he was satisfied with it.

"What is this?" Rose said, pointing up to it.

The Doctor said nothing but went back to the box and pulled out a tiny plastic bib. He showed it to her. It was white with blue trim and blue laces, had a jack o lantern on it and BABY'S FIRST HALLOWEEN under that in black lettering. Rose frowned again when the Doctor walked over to her and tied it around her neck. He adjusted it slightly and with a nod, walked back to the box.

"Doctor, what are you doing" Rose said.

She sighed when the Doctor didn't answer. He took out a plushie black cat that had on a purple witch's hat and sat it on her lap. He then took her magazine from her hand and walked back over to the console, laying it beside the box while he reached inside for the next thing. He pulled out a plastic jack o lantern that was hallowed out and used for trick or treating. The basket had a plastic handle over the top of it and the Doctor carried it over to Rose, put it in her right hand, made her extend her arm and then moved her left hand so it was out in front of her and she was pointing to the basket.

"What are you doing?" Rose said.

"Tradition," the Doctor said before he stepped backwards.

He put his butt up against the console and Rose's eyes bulged when he pulled out a small IPhone from his front pocket.

"You better not snap a photo and put it on Facebook," Rose growled at him.

"Don't have Facebook, this is for my own edification," the Doctor said as he turned on the camera. "Now hold still, just as I have you and smile."

Rose gave him a sour look and the Doctor sighed.

"This is just for me, Rose. It's not going on social media. Now smile."

Rose finally managed a nice smile and the Doctor took two photos before he walked over, took his items back, put them all in the box and handed her the magazine. Rose wasn't interested in it now since the Doctor was now putting the phone on the console, bringing up the photo and asking the TARDIS to transfer it to her database. There was a small dimming of the console and then the Doctor turned off the phone and put it in his pocket.

"And so…you're gonna just look at that every once in awhile for shits and giggles?" Rose said as the Doctor walked over to the box and started to pick it up.

The Doctor beckoned to her and Rose put down the magazine and walked over to his side. She watched while he typed in his keyboard and the photo came up on the monitor. Rose raised her eyebrow when she saw the goofy looking photo but the Doctor smiled fondly at it. He glanced at her and typed in something else and another young woman wearing the same things while standing and doing the same pointing to the jack o lantern pose came up on the monitor. The stuffed cat was between her feet instead of being on her lap.

"This was Peri, I traveled with her in my fifth and sixth life," he said while Rose stared at the photo with fasciation. "I took this during my fifth life and I had to convince her to sit through it and then convince her to smile.

He typed some more and another photo came up of an elegant looking lady with long blonde hair that was also standing and pointing to the pumpking while wearing the get up and having the stuffed cat between her legs.

"Romana, traveled with her during my forth life," he said, pointing to it. "I couldn't get her to smile. That's why she looks so exasperated with me."

He brought up another photo and Rose recognized K9. She had to laugh at the robot dog wearing the silly headband and the bib with the cat and jack o lantern on either side of him.

"You know him," the Doctor said, glancing at her. "And you know her…"

He brought up another photo and Rose marveled at a photo of a very young Sarah Jane. She was standing in the standard pose with a huge smile on her face.

"She was a good sport about it," the Doctor said. "Took this during my fourth life."

"Why do you do this though?" Rose said. "You're trying to humiliate the people you travel with?"

"No, I'm trying to create a photo that brings back a happy memory of everyone I've been with," the Doctor said. "This way, years later, I can look back on them and smile and think of the fun times we had together. That's why I did that with you."

Rose was touched by that and she neared closer to the Doctor. The Doctor put his arm around her.

"So don't think I was humiliating you by doing that," he said. "I just wanted a whimsical photo to make me smile when I need it most. And I like Halloween so that's why I pose people with Halloween things."

"I like that idea," Rose said.

"Good. And thank you for smiling, not everyone does, even after I've explained it. Of course there are some people who really get into it, perhaps a bit too much."

"How'd ya mean?"

He grinned and typed for a few seconds and brought up another photo, this one of Jack Harkness. Rose bust out laughing when she saw Jack standing up with one leg kicked out and the jack o lantern over his crotch while he pointed to it. The headband was tilted slightly to the side of his head, the bib was on backwards and the cat nowhere to be seen. The Doctor rolled his eyes and smiled when Rose laughed at it.

"I did it during the night while you were asleep. Jack was roaming around, doing God knows what and I pulled him aside for a photo. Unfortunately, Jack decided to be cheeky and after five minutes of trying to get him to do the standard pose, I gave up and this is what came of it. I'll probably bury this one waaay in the back of the folder and never look at it again."

"Nah, you ought get it resized so it's your own personal poster for your bedroom."

"No, thanks, I'd rather regenerate into a ferret," the Doctor said while Rose giggled. "Anyway," he said, turning off the monitor. "Thank you for being a good sport and putting up with silly old me. I'll leave you to your magazine and put my treasures back in the cupboard. Be good!"

Rose stepped back and watched him lovingly as he whistled cheerfully, picked up the box of Halloween goodies and left the room.

THE END.

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