Disclaimer: I don’t own Doctor Who or anything to do with it, it belongs to the BBC.

Note: Short story. The lyrics at the start of the story is from ‘Don’t Let the Bells End’ by The Darkness.

Summary: It’s Christmas in the TARDIS, and the Doctor has something planned for both Sarah and Harry.

White Night Fantasy

Chapter One

“Christmas time, don’t let the bells end, Christmas time, just let them ring in peace.” The Doctor sang out, trying to overcome the loud rock music playing around him in the TARDIS console.

Harry had complained about the Doctor turning it up loud, since the poor man didn’t like rock music. Something quieter and gentler would have been sufficient around this time of year, but his dream of a quiet Christmas was shattered by the Doctor playing loud music. Then again, this is the only rock song he really likes, his taste for music goes towards Jazz and Classical... Pop is sometimes mentioned while he talks.

Once the Doctor had finished listening to the song, he quickly changed track. He danced and swayed while fiddling with the console, which was a ridiculous sight, but funny at the same time.

For the first time ever, Sarah had never seen the Doctor get really excited about anything like Christmas. He loved silly little Earth traditions, as he so kindly put it. From what Sarah could remember from the Doctor’s teaching, Time Lords celebrated Christmas in a very different style, but it was a similar tradition they held. The Doctor had grown to find it boring and less joyous, so he decided to take up the Earth tradition with his mother.

The Doctor had the TARDIS done up so brightly and merry. Tinsel of all lengths and colours hung around the ceiling (why he hung them around the ceiling, I’ll never know). The console smelled of spicy cinnamon and apples, which made the atmosphere more Christmassy and festive. He was still yet to finish the Christmas tree, which sat in the corner of the console.

The Doctor stuck a piece of holly on the side of his hat, and another piece was pinned to his jacket. Even a very long piece of tinsel had replaced his woolly scarf for this one occasion (in an hour or so, he’ll miss his scarf and remove the tinsel).

He was now currently listening to Paul Mc Cartney’s Simply Having a Wonderful Christmas Time (which he had been playing more times Sarah and Harry could even begin to remember). Sarah had decided to join the Doctor, while Harry was still in his room, reading one of Charles Dickens’s novels. Sarah had a cup of coffee in her hand; she tilted her head to side in amusement. She watched the Doctor waltz around the room before he even took notice her existence.

The Doctor blushed wildly, trying to hide away his embarrassment in front of the young girl by using the tinsel. Sarah giggled and stepped forward, leaning back on the edge of the console.

“Oh don’t mind me, you go right ahead and finish what you were doing.” She said through the rim of her cup.

The Doctor quickly turned down the music by switching one of the controls around. He licked his lips nervously, not knowing what to say to her. But Sarah had already gotten something planned before he spoke.

“I like the TARDIS; it’s very colourful and creative.” She complimented with a smile. The tinsel that hung in the ceiling, one fell and landed on her head. It hung around her shoulders like a snake. She looked at the tinsel and then the ceiling. “Uh... why did you put tinsel on the ceiling?”

“Another one of my creative ideas,” He said sheepishly and then pulling the tinsel away from her. “Here, let me give you a hand.”

“Thanks.” Sarah answered and then pulling out a piece of tinsel from her hair. She looked at the unfinished tree. “Do you need any help with the tree?”

“No thank you, I’ve got it all sorted out. Where’s Harry by the way?”

“He’s reading, thought he might get some piece instead of listening to your music. He’s saying it too noisy.” Sarah explained.

The Doctor huffed. “Spoilsport, he wouldn’t know good music if it was naked, coloured in green and playing a harpsichord.”

Sarah laughed and made her way to the Doctor’s comfy chair. “Are we to be going back to UNIT for Christmas this year?” Sarah asked. The Doctor ran his fingers through his mass of curly hair.

Harry made his entrance in the console room, looking disturbed. He stuffed the hardback book inside the pocket of his navy blazer. Sarah greeted her friend and watched as he sat down on the comfy chair. The Doctor turned the music down low and cleared his throat.

“Did you manage to get any sleep?” Sarah started.

Harry signed. “I tried to, but all I keep hearing is the same song over and over and over again, pounding off the walls constantly.” He crossed his arms. “If I hear it one more time I shall go mad!”

Sarah shook her head and suggested him that she would make him and the Doctor a cup of tea. Harry nodded thankfully and Sarah stepped out of the console to fetch their cups of tea. Every since Harry and Sarah joined with the Doctor in the TARDIS, Christmas would never feel the same again. You sort of forget everything you once knew of Earth and its traditions, Harry had learned this from experience.

Christmas was more magical and exciting when he was a child. He would have his parents and his older brother, Will, watch him open his presents to find what he had always wanted. Now, in his adulthood, that magic had just suddenly disappeared from him, he wondered if Sarah was the same. However, the Doctor was acting like a very excited child he was, over a simple Earth practice.

“I say, Doctor, where are we going?” Harry said.

“Now that’ll just spoil the surprise I have in store, Harry.” The Doctor beamed.

Harry looked at the ceiling. “Erm, why do you have tinsel hanging on the ceiling, Doctor?”

The Doctor dropped his shoulders and rolled his eyes. “I’ve already told Sarah, its creativity. I want to try out something different this year and so I did.” He then folded his arms and took a quick look around the console room. “I must say though, I did a wonderful job on the decorations this year, didn’t I?”

“I suppose you did.” Harry smiled, appreciating the Doctor’s work.

The Doctor looked blankly for a second and then at Harry. “You know what I won’t mind right now?”

“Oh, what’s that?”

“Mince pie and custard, with a bit of whip cream on top.”

“With a piece of cinnamon I might imagine.”

“Now you’re thinking!” The Doctor grinned like a lunatic and hung his hat on the coat hanger and then the long piece of tinsel.