The fire crackles as the heat raises high into the air. Sat around are the local children of Christmas, chewing on their marshmallows, listening closely to the Doctor's stories. Looking up at him in admiration. The Doctor, old and frail sits on a small stool afoot of the children, holding a stick into the fire with two pink marshmallows stuck on the end. He watches as they both slowly blacken. "Doctor." Says one of the children, a young girl, raising her hand into the air. The Doctor looks to her, smiling tenderly. "Yes?" He asks.
"Could you tell the story about the fish vampires again?" She asks eagerly.
"-The sexy fish vampires!" Jokingly adds one of the teenage boys sitting at the back. The children giggle, amused. The Doctor smiles softly as he looks down at his marshmallows, the flavour growing stronger by the fire's heat. "I must have told you that one a million times. No, maybe tomorrow. It's getting late, you all best get home." They all heed the Doctor's words, obeying him without hesitation. All of the children stand up and proceed to make their way home. Some wander off together or on their own while some are accompanied by their parents coming to get them. They all leave satisfied once again with the dear time they've spent with their hero the Doctor! The Doctor pulls the stick up to his face and sniffs the marshmallows toasted to perfection. "Doctor?" The Doctor turns surprised to see Barnable tugging at his coat. "Hello, Barnable!" The Doctor says turning to face him. "Can I ask you something?" He asks. The Doctor reaches over and pulls the end marshmallow off the stick and hands it to Barnable. "What is it?" Barnable takes it, holding it close to his chest and held softly in his hands. He looks at it for a moment before looking back up at the Doctor "Why did you put mirrors up around the town?" The Doctor takes a bite out of the remaining marshmallow and chews on it satisfyingly. He looks over to the end of the town, just before the dark forest. The trees hang over a gloomy, depressed path leading into what looks like nothingness. The bright and jolly town of Christmas shares no atmosphere with the forest. "To keep them out." The Doctor says nodding in that direction. Just behind a tree stands a Weeping Angel, frozen in it's place while a mirror confronts it. "So long as the Angels think they're seen, they can't move. They're too foolish to tell the difference from their own reflection." The Doctor drops his stick and picks up his cane. He stands with difficulty, clutching his back in pain. "Oh, awe!" He groans, standing up as straight as his frail bones will allow. He gently rests his hand on Barnable's shoulder and gives him a friendly smile. "That's a perfect one. Don't waste it!" Barnable realises the tasty-looking marshmallow in his hand. He quickly chews on it before turning to see the Doctor's wandered off.
The Doctor slowly makes his way to the TARDIS; standing broadly in the centre of the town and glowing beautifully. As the Doctor reaches it, he looks at it from top to bottom, remembering the adventures the two went on. Recollecting the things they've seen together. He lays his hand onto it and strokes it softly. The TARDIS hums tenderly, as if it hasn't felt the Doctor's care in a long time. "There, there, girl. I know... I know." The Doctor turns and looks around the town, seeing families together in their homes, couples strolling through the snow arm-in-arm. All basking in what they have; a life. Something the Doctor can't deprive them of if he leaves. "Merry Christmas." States the Doctor, heading for the bell tower. Heading for home.
"Could you tell the story about the fish vampires again?" She asks eagerly.
"-The sexy fish vampires!" Jokingly adds one of the teenage boys sitting at the back. The children giggle, amused. The Doctor smiles softly as he looks down at his marshmallows, the flavour growing stronger by the fire's heat. "I must have told you that one a million times. No, maybe tomorrow. It's getting late, you all best get home." They all heed the Doctor's words, obeying him without hesitation. All of the children stand up and proceed to make their way home. Some wander off together or on their own while some are accompanied by their parents coming to get them. They all leave satisfied once again with the dear time they've spent with their hero the Doctor! The Doctor pulls the stick up to his face and sniffs the marshmallows toasted to perfection. "Doctor?" The Doctor turns surprised to see Barnable tugging at his coat. "Hello, Barnable!" The Doctor says turning to face him. "Can I ask you something?" He asks. The Doctor reaches over and pulls the end marshmallow off the stick and hands it to Barnable. "What is it?" Barnable takes it, holding it close to his chest and held softly in his hands. He looks at it for a moment before looking back up at the Doctor "Why did you put mirrors up around the town?" The Doctor takes a bite out of the remaining marshmallow and chews on it satisfyingly. He looks over to the end of the town, just before the dark forest. The trees hang over a gloomy, depressed path leading into what looks like nothingness. The bright and jolly town of Christmas shares no atmosphere with the forest. "To keep them out." The Doctor says nodding in that direction. Just behind a tree stands a Weeping Angel, frozen in it's place while a mirror confronts it. "So long as the Angels think they're seen, they can't move. They're too foolish to tell the difference from their own reflection." The Doctor drops his stick and picks up his cane. He stands with difficulty, clutching his back in pain. "Oh, awe!" He groans, standing up as straight as his frail bones will allow. He gently rests his hand on Barnable's shoulder and gives him a friendly smile. "That's a perfect one. Don't waste it!" Barnable realises the tasty-looking marshmallow in his hand. He quickly chews on it before turning to see the Doctor's wandered off.
The Doctor slowly makes his way to the TARDIS; standing broadly in the centre of the town and glowing beautifully. As the Doctor reaches it, he looks at it from top to bottom, remembering the adventures the two went on. Recollecting the things they've seen together. He lays his hand onto it and strokes it softly. The TARDIS hums tenderly, as if it hasn't felt the Doctor's care in a long time. "There, there, girl. I know... I know." The Doctor turns and looks around the town, seeing families together in their homes, couples strolling through the snow arm-in-arm. All basking in what they have; a life. Something the Doctor can't deprive them of if he leaves. "Merry Christmas." States the Doctor, heading for the bell tower. Heading for home.