Struggling To Adjust (Book Three of The Bad Wolf Chronicles)

A Memorial And A Christmas

Jessie walked into the TARDIS library later that evening to see the Doctor sitting and staring into the fireplace, conflicting emotions across his face. "Hey," she said softly. "Want some company?"

He looked up before nodding. "Sure."

She sat down next to him, wrapping her arms around herself. "Did you ask her?"

The Doctor nodded. "Yes. She said no."

Jessie blew out a breath and nodded as well. "Shame. I really liked her."

"Well, maybe we'll see her again."

She grinned. "I hope so. I wanna ask how she learned to slap people like that."

The Doctor looked at her in hurt. "Oi!"

She grinned, lightly punching him in the arm. "Watch it, Martian boy," he teased.

"Aussie wolf," he retorted, and she grinned at him. He sighed, looking back at the fire. "You didn't stop me."

"From what?"

"Destroying the Racnoss."

Jessie shook her head. "No, I didn't."

"Why not?"

Jessie looked at him. "Once in a while, not everyone lives," she replied. "And if the Racnoss was really going to kill everyone, I wasn't going to stop you."

The Doctor folded his arms, leaning back. "You're different, Jessie," he admitted, looking at her. "You would've stopped me. And you wouldn't have launched those fireballs."

Jessie bit her lip. She'd been noticing those details, too. "I know," she acknowledged. "At least I seem to talk the same amount. You had the major gob."

"Yeah, that was a change," the Doctor said, smirking and looking at her. "I talk a lot."

"Which led to Donna slapping you."

The Doctor winced. "It did, didn't it?"

Jessie nudged him slightly. "I still love it."

The Doctor beamed. "Good."

Jessie leaned back into the couch. "Christmas," she sighed. "We need to make sure we stop saving the world on Christmas at some point."

"Well . . . " She turned to the Doctor, seeing a familiar glint in his eyes. "Technically . . . it is Christmas Eve."

"What're you thinking?" she asked immediately.

He grinned at her. "Jessie Nightshade, have you ever seen the Indianapolis Zoo at Christmas?"

"No," she replied, smiling and sitting up. "Enlighten me on it?"

"I will," he promised, standing up and bounding back towards the main room before poking his head back in. "Dress warmly!"

Jessie grinned and ran to her room. She made it inside, and she slid to a halt, staring at what was laid out on the bed. She slowly raised her eyes to the ceiling. "Are you trying to make him see a difference in me?"

The TARDIS merely flashed her lights. Jessie shook her head. "Matchmaker," she muttered before closing the door and getting dressed.

***

The Doctor finished programming the first flight in when he heard footsteps. He looked up, and his jaw dropped.

Jessie was wearing grey jeans tucked into furry black boots, wearing an icy blue turtleneck with a silver jacket-like vest with a furry hood. She made a face. "TARDIS picked it out."