You, and Me, and Something in Between

Lucy's First Christmas

Disclaimer: In the first chapter.

"Happy Christmas, Ms. Smith," Benton waved at her with a cheery smile.

"Happy Christmas, Sergeant," Sarah Jane was only to happy to return the smile.

They were all gathered at the UNIT HQ for the annual Christmas party. Everyone was invited and welcome to bring their families for the celebration.

"Lovely dress, if I might say so."

Sarah Jane smiled down at her red and white Santa  dress, "Thank you. Your jumper is just as wonderful."

Benton tugged at the hem of  his hideous red and green Christmas jumper, making the bobbles  and garland bounce, "Thank you. Where've the Doctor and Lucy gone off to?"

"Lucy's playing with Kate in the other room and the Doctor  and Doris are keeping and eye on them."

"Well, let's make sure  I see her before you go," Benton put a hand on her shoulder, "I have a Christmas present  for her."

"Of course, Benton," Sarah Jane rolled her  eyes good-naturedly, "I should go check on them."

 Benton nodded and went off to talk to Yates. Sarah Jane took a swig of her drink and ambled into the second room. The Doctor was talking with Doris while Lucy and Kate played on the floor with the other children.

Every movement Lucy  made caused her jingle bell bracelets to ring joyously. The toddler had become much more outgoing in the presence of the other children. More so then she even had at the zoo! She laughed and squealed and flapped her hands so her bracelets would make even more noise.  As soon as her sparkling blue  eyes landed on her mother, Lucy was up and crawling.

"Ah!" She squealed.

She toppled head over heels.

"Lucy!" Sarah Jane rushed forward and looked her daughter over.

Lucy just giggled and hugged Sarah Jane around  the neck.

"Is she alright?"  The Doctor materialized  at her side, had on here back.

"Yes, she doesn't  even seem startled by it."

The  Doctor grinned  and kissed  Lucy's cheek,  "Well, she's a tough little tot. I doubt a little tumble like that would do to  much to her."

Lucy  shreeked and grabbed his face in her hands. Sarah Jane smiled softly and played with her daughter's curls.

"It worries me, though.  She's been falling a lot more lately. Sometimes, it almost looks like she jumped but she can't even walk yet. She can barely  stand."

The Doctor's smile softened, "I'll run some tests  when we get back to the TARDIS. Perhaps  it's something with inner ear or she just picked up something on one of the planets we visited. But, if that is the case,  the odds are  that you or  Harry do too."

"Then test all of us. I just want to be sure Lucy's healthy."

The Doctor nodded and pressed his nose to  her's. Harry sighed.

LLB

"Brigadier, I don't know how much more  can handel of them," Harry shook his head, sitting at the table with him, "They are the the stupidest geniuses ever,  or so deep in denial that no one can find  them."

"I understand  that,  Dr. Sullivan," Alister nodded, "Doris says the same thing."

"They live together and are raising a child together," Doris leaned over her husband's shoulder, "In what way is that not  a relationship!?"

"Sh! I know, " Harry nodded, "Trust me, I know. Oh! I found them asleep on the sopha  together the other day."

"He sleeps?"  Yates sat with them.

"Apparently. We have got to do something, Brigadier!" Harry lay his head  on the table, "Get them to admit how they feel, relocate me, something!"

After a moment of silence Yates sat upright, "I have an idea! John has a Christmas gift for Lucy. What if we convince him to use it to lure them under the mistletoe?"

"That might work," a grin spread over Harry's face, "If he can  tell them it's  in here  then that should do the trick!"

Yates nodded and rushed off to find Benton.

LLB

Sarah Jane helped Lucy bounce around on her toes while the Doctor danced around with Kate.

"Doctor, Ms. Smith?" Doris walked in, "Benton has to leave soon and would like to give Lucy her gift  in the other room before he goes."

"Oh,"  Sarah Jane hoisted Lucy up, "Right. We'll  come right in.  I didn't realize he was leaving before we had dinner."

The Doctor handed  Kate to her mother and put  his arm around Sarah Jane to go into the dinning room.

"Oh!" Yates moc gasped, "Doctor, Ms. Smith. You two are under thhe mistletoe!"

It only took them a moment to realize what had happened. They both looked up at the offending  white and  green plant. They  looked at eachother, then at Lucy. With matching  grins, they hoisted the little girl up and kissed each of her chubby little cheeks. Lucy giggled  and wiggled around.

There was a dull  *thud* as Harry dropped his head against the table. The brig pat his shoulder.

"I'm sorry, Sullivan. It looks  like they're not falling for that."

Harry's reply was muffled by  the table. The Doctor and Sarah Jane approached John and Mike with matching cheeky grinns.

"You're not leaving us any time soon, are you Sergeant Benton?" The Doctor asked with one of his trademark grins.

John chuckled  and shook his head, "No. And I had no part in this scheme of theirs. It was all  Mike's doing."

"Hey!" Mike turned, "Don't pin this all on me! It was all Harry Sullivan's doing."

Sarah Jane shook her  head  and took Lucy over to the table they would be sitting at. It wouldn't be much  longer before dinner and Lucy  was likely to fall asleep soon  after.  Hopefully she would stay awake  long enough for John to give her his gift. 

LLB 

The Doctor watched as Sarah Jane tucked Lucy  into the little blue cot.  He had taken a  quick blood sample  from the baby before they  changed her into her jammies, though she hadn't  taken it well. He would be taking one from Sarah Jane once she was done. Harry would  be done after Sarah Jane was in bed herself. Both of his hearts seemed to stop when Sarah Jane turned  around and he was able to look into her deep brown eyes.

'I'm in deep  trouble.'