Receiving Another Chance (Book Ten of The Bad Wolf Chronicles)

Do You Really Believe In Santa Claus?

Well, I asked, and the large majority spoke - finishing this book it is! Which is actually what I was hoping people would say since I kept thinking about all the twists and turns and overall awesomeness (I think) will be in Series 9's book, and I really wanted to get "Last Christmas" out of the way so I could dive right in. I think shavingforsherlock would agree with me when I say that it's better to get there sooner rather than later, so here we go!

Clara's got plans for the night before Christmas, but a myth drops by (*coughs* crashes by) and those plans go down the drain. Just a regular Christmas in her life now.

***

Clara finished marking the last exam of the semester before blowing out her breath, dropping her pen and resting her head on her arms. She had been working the entire afternoon to get all of her marking done before the holidays, not wanting to waste a single second even though she could have easily done it in the TARDIS. That would have been cheating, though, and she more than likely would have been distracted, either by her boyfriend or by the Time Lords.

"Still here?"

Clara yelped and backed away from her desk, flailing about in surprise. She stared at the laughing woman in the doorway in shock. "You're still here!" she protested.

"I left three hours ago, completed holiday shopping, just happened to pick up an extra hot cocoa, and saw your car still in the parking lot," Rose corrected, holding up the extra cup. "Have you even moved from your chair?"

"No," Clara admitted freely, holding out a hand for the cup.

"I thought not," Rose sat on the edge of Clara's desk, handing her the cup. "Cheers."

"Cheers," Clara tapped Rose's cup with hers, taking a long sip.

Rose smacked her lips, then looked at Clara. "So do the Avengers have a holiday party, or do they all do their own thing?"

"I think after the Accords, they're doing their own things," Clara said dryly. "But in my experience, something always happens on Christmas, whether it's in the present or another time."

Rose blinked, then nodded. "The Time Lords?"

"The Time Lords," Clara snorted.

Rose hummed absently. "Doing anything Christmas Eve?"

Clara tilted her head. "I don't think so," she shook her head. "I know Pietro and Wanda are spending Christmas Day with me, but nothing the day before."

"Come spend it with me," Rose offered. "Spend the night, too."

Clara blinked in surprise. "You don't have any plans?" she asked.

"I do," Rose shrugged. "Just not until Christmas Day. Come on," she leaned forward, grinning her tongue in teeth grin. "Have you ever stayed up until midnight just to say 'Merry Christmas' as soon as the bells strike?"

Clara couldn't help but grin back. "All right," she nodded. "Sounds like a plan."

"Yes!" Rose whooped.

"I'll see you Christmas Eve," Clara giggled.

"I'm holding you to that!" Rose pointed at Clara.

"You better!" Clara gave her a quick hug.

***

"Oh, blimey," Clara leaned back against Rose's couch, head back on the cushions. "Where did you get this tea recipe?!"

"Family secret," Rose sang, giggling from her place in the armchair. "Seriously, I may have to kill you if I shared it."

"Oh, we can't have that," Clara tsked, putting her mug down. "How long do we have?"