A 12 Fics of Christmas for Smokey_mouw
Title: A Stolen Christmas Tree
Genre Doctor Who(10) & Buffy the Vampire Slayer (Willow)
Rating: PG
Word count: 1610
Prompt: Someone has been cutting down and stealing trees from the Christmas tree farm.
smokie_mouw, I hope you have fun with this. Thanks for playing along and thanks to my beta, sparky955!
The Doctor glanced out the TARDIS door and then pulled his head back inside.
“Somehow this doesn’t look like the blue planet of Skalar.”
The TARDIS hummed quietly. It wouldn’t be beyond her to take him someplace other than that of his choosing. She had a way of knowing where he needed to be even before he did. She was funny that way.
“What is it you want me to see, old girl?” He rested his head against her side and felt the energy pulsing through her, the life, his life, his lonely, lonely life.
“And I’ve only dropped her off an hour ago,” he murmured thinking of Donna. She managed to bring a new level of energy and excitement to his life. Better than lovers, they were the best of friends. She wanted to be home for Christmas, so that’s where she was. And The Doctor… well, he’d be home for Christmas if he had one. “It’s just me and you.”
A loud pounding nearly made him jump out of his skin. Someone was pounding on the door.
He peeked out and frowned at the petite redhead standing there. She was wearing a colorful profusion of winter wear and was hopping from foot to foot with a look of profound need on her face.
“What?”
“Are you nearly done in there? Some of us want to use the bathroom, too.”
“Oh, this isn’t for--”
“I don’t care if it’s for guys, not now. I gotta go--” She pushed past him and entered the Tardis. He could feel the power rolling off her in waves, but she seemed unaware of it. Instead, she halted with a slight squeak.
“Not that much of a need suddenly?” he asked.
“Uh, no, I mean, yes, I mean… what the hell?”
He laughed. He did so love the reaction to his beloved TARDIS. “She’s bigger on the inside.”
“Yeah, but never mind that. Does she have a bathroom??”
“Oh, this way, just off the first corrider…”
He was sitting at a low table when she reappeared. He rose to his feet and she exploded in a smile.
“Thanks. That coffee I had earlier bushwhacked me.” She offered her freshly washed hand. “I’m Willow Rosenberg.”
“Not of the Manhattan Rosenbergs, the poor unfortunates executed as spies in 1953?”
“Maybe, we don’t look too hard.”
He laughed. “I’m The Doctor.”
“Doctor Who?” She laughed wildly. “I made a funny. Xander would be so pleased with me.”
“Xander?”
“A friend of mine. Why are you camped out in the middle of a Christmas tree farm?”
“No idea. The TARDIS has a mind of her own at times.”
“The who?” She frowned. “Wait, I know this…Time And Relative Dimensions In Space and he said I was asleep.” She made a slightly rude noise. “Still doesn’t answer my question, what are you doing here?”
“I could ask you the same thing.”
“Oh, I’m on a super-secret spy mission.”
“Dressed like that?”
She giggled. “Sure. I need to blend in.”
“Miss Rosenberg--.”
“Willow.”
“Why are you here?”
“Someone’s been stealing Christmas trees. I’m undercover.”
“Undercover?”
“Yeah, I’m Jewish, well sort of. So, again, why are you here? I mean, I told you why I’m here.”
The air was fairly crackling around her and the TARDIS hummed louder. The Doctor pulled out his glasses and snatched up his sonic screwdriver. He quickly scanned Willow and frowned.
“You’re a witch.”
“Yeah, and if you think you’re gonna burn me at the stake, think again. My mom already tried that!” Willow’s eyes snapped, then she relaxed. “Sorry, bad memories, much?”
“Your mother?” He nearly dropped his instrument. “What is this seemingly worldwide hatred of mothers for their daughters?”
“She was under an enchantment spell, long story.”
He gestured wildly. “And you don’t find anything of this odd? I’m a Time Lord.”
“I’m dating a werewolf and my best friend kills vampires for a living – nothing phases me anymore. Time Lord, vampire, Kissing Demon, they’re all the same to me.” She pointed toward the door, “But these guys are shameless! Stealing trees from kids.”
“What do you mean?”
“The proceeds from the trees sold here go towards underprivileged kids. Someone has been coming in at night, cutting them down and selling them in a lot downtown.”
“Are you sure?”
“Pretty sure, hence the surveillance. It was either this or cataloging a bunch of old smelling books for Giles.”
“Giles? Rupert Giles?”
Willow got very animated. “Do you know Giles?”
“I do. Good old Ripper!” The Doctor clicked his tongue. He grabbed a long scarf, something he’d saved from a previous incarnation and wrapped it around his neck. “Shall we?”
She took his arm and laughed. “Okay. It’s always more fun with a friend.”
She led the way back to her hideout. “See that patch of trees over there? There are about ten missing.”
“Well, this is a tree farm and it is Christmas. Couldn’t someone just have cut them down?”
“This part of the tree farm is blocked off to customers. The problem is one tree pretty much looks like another tree. We know they are doing it.”
“Who they?”
“Oh, a pair of creeps down on Main. Buffy thinks they are demons, but I just think that they are big fat…” she hesitated. “…jerks.”
“Sound more like right bastards, if you ask me.” He stood up and looked around. “Keep watch for me for a minute, will you?”
“Um, okay.” Willow took her assignment very seriously, until she saw two shapes moving in their direction. “Doctor, hurry!” she stage whispered.
She thought wildly about a spell and suddenly one of the shapes was jerking like a puppet. His friend stopped and stared, asking.
“What the hell is the matter with you?”
Her eyes widened. It was the first time she’d been able to do that. She glanced over as The Doctor came up. “I’ve never done that before.”
“Well, done, now let’s go.”
Both of them ran, crouching down, back to the TARDIS and slipped inside. The Doctor laughed, locked the door behind him and ran to the central console. A toggle flipped here, a dial twisted there and a few screens popped to life. Outside they could hear the two men talking.
“Wha’ the hell is that thing?
“Says it’s a police call box.”
“Police? Do you think they’re on to us?”
“For what? Walking?”
“Still, let’s get out of here.”
“You worry like an old woman.”
“You didn’t say that when I spotted the Slayer. I still say we should have eaten her there and then.”
“I’d have had indigestion for a week. Blondes disagree with me, especially the dye jobs. I think it’s the peroxide.”
“Looks like you were both right,” The Doctor said. “Demons and jerks.”
“Never mind that. Buffy isn’t a natural blonde?” Willow was crushed. The two scurried away and she sighed. “Now they’re gone and we have nothing.”
“Oh we have something. Trees and people used to be friends years ago and they used to be able to communicate. “The trees here told me all I needed to know.” He leaned over and grabbed for a switch. “You might want to hold onto something.”
Willow clung to the pole as if it was the only stable point in a world gone mad, which, according to some, would accurately describe The Doctor’s driving. Then she became aware of something.
“Love, love, fly.”
“You… you like to fly.”
“No, he, he flies, I love.”
Willow hugged the pole harder. “And he loves you.”
“Yes. Lucky.”
“We both are.” There was an abrupt stop and Willow felt the fillings shake in her teeth. “Wow, that was some ride.”
“Yes, well, the longer trips are easier.” He ran to the door and opened it. “Right tree lot?”
“How? Never mind.” Willow stepped out and looked around to get her bearings. “Can you hang on and I’ll go get Buffy?”
“I’ll wait here, in case our friends get back.”
“So what’s our plan?”
“No idea!”
“That kind’s my favorite.”
The Doctor lifted his feet onto the hassock and smiled in the glow of the fire. “This is really very good of you.”
“It’s the least we could do. If it hadn’t been for you, those demons would have gotten away with it.” Willow sipped her eggnog carefully. There was no telling what might or might not be in it. “Now everything is good.”
Giles entered, carrying a tray of appetizers, with Xander close at hand, desperate to grab a handful of whatever they were. “What are they, Giles?”
“Rumaki. Water chestnuts wrapped with bacon.”
Xander grabbed one and stuffed it into his mouth. “Mmm… wait, what else?”
“Chicken liver.”
Xander squealed and raced from the room. Willow was hot on his heels. Buffy was arguing with Spike, another surprise friend of The Doctor’s and apparently the reason he was being permitted to stay.
“You have a full life, Ripper.” He raised his glass.
“Well, they keep me young. You should try it.”
The Doctor chuckled. “I don’t think I’m cut out for parenthood. Besides, regeneration.”
“I have to say, I like this version.”
“Thanks. I was hoping to be ginger, but you know how that goes. Life’s a funny old thing. By the way, your tree is beautiful.”
“Yes, Buffy brought it to me. It’s still got its ball root intact, so I’ll plant it afterwards. No use killing another tree.”
The Doctor held his glass up to the tree. “No, indeed. Here’s to life, in whatever form it takes.”
“I heard that!” Spike yelled and The Doctor laughed. Maybe, just maybe his life wasn’t as lonely as he though.
Genre Doctor Who(10) & Buffy the Vampire Slayer (Willow)
Rating: PG
Word count: 1610
Prompt: Someone has been cutting down and stealing trees from the Christmas tree farm.
smokie_mouw, I hope you have fun with this. Thanks for playing along and thanks to my beta, sparky955!The Doctor glanced out the TARDIS door and then pulled his head back inside.
“Somehow this doesn’t look like the blue planet of Skalar.”
The TARDIS hummed quietly. It wouldn’t be beyond her to take him someplace other than that of his choosing. She had a way of knowing where he needed to be even before he did. She was funny that way.
“What is it you want me to see, old girl?” He rested his head against her side and felt the energy pulsing through her, the life, his life, his lonely, lonely life.
“And I’ve only dropped her off an hour ago,” he murmured thinking of Donna. She managed to bring a new level of energy and excitement to his life. Better than lovers, they were the best of friends. She wanted to be home for Christmas, so that’s where she was. And The Doctor… well, he’d be home for Christmas if he had one. “It’s just me and you.”
A loud pounding nearly made him jump out of his skin. Someone was pounding on the door.
He peeked out and frowned at the petite redhead standing there. She was wearing a colorful profusion of winter wear and was hopping from foot to foot with a look of profound need on her face.
“What?”
“Are you nearly done in there? Some of us want to use the bathroom, too.”
“Oh, this isn’t for--”
“I don’t care if it’s for guys, not now. I gotta go--” She pushed past him and entered the Tardis. He could feel the power rolling off her in waves, but she seemed unaware of it. Instead, she halted with a slight squeak.
“Not that much of a need suddenly?” he asked.
“Uh, no, I mean, yes, I mean… what the hell?”
He laughed. He did so love the reaction to his beloved TARDIS. “She’s bigger on the inside.”
“Yeah, but never mind that. Does she have a bathroom??”
“Oh, this way, just off the first corrider…”
He was sitting at a low table when she reappeared. He rose to his feet and she exploded in a smile.
“Thanks. That coffee I had earlier bushwhacked me.” She offered her freshly washed hand. “I’m Willow Rosenberg.”
“Not of the Manhattan Rosenbergs, the poor unfortunates executed as spies in 1953?”
“Maybe, we don’t look too hard.”
He laughed. “I’m The Doctor.”
“Doctor Who?” She laughed wildly. “I made a funny. Xander would be so pleased with me.”
“Xander?”
“A friend of mine. Why are you camped out in the middle of a Christmas tree farm?”
“No idea. The TARDIS has a mind of her own at times.”
“The who?” She frowned. “Wait, I know this…Time And Relative Dimensions In Space and he said I was asleep.” She made a slightly rude noise. “Still doesn’t answer my question, what are you doing here?”
“I could ask you the same thing.”
“Oh, I’m on a super-secret spy mission.”
“Dressed like that?”
She giggled. “Sure. I need to blend in.”
“Miss Rosenberg--.”
“Willow.”
“Why are you here?”
“Someone’s been stealing Christmas trees. I’m undercover.”
“Undercover?”
“Yeah, I’m Jewish, well sort of. So, again, why are you here? I mean, I told you why I’m here.”
The air was fairly crackling around her and the TARDIS hummed louder. The Doctor pulled out his glasses and snatched up his sonic screwdriver. He quickly scanned Willow and frowned.
“You’re a witch.”
“Yeah, and if you think you’re gonna burn me at the stake, think again. My mom already tried that!” Willow’s eyes snapped, then she relaxed. “Sorry, bad memories, much?”
“Your mother?” He nearly dropped his instrument. “What is this seemingly worldwide hatred of mothers for their daughters?”
“She was under an enchantment spell, long story.”
He gestured wildly. “And you don’t find anything of this odd? I’m a Time Lord.”
“I’m dating a werewolf and my best friend kills vampires for a living – nothing phases me anymore. Time Lord, vampire, Kissing Demon, they’re all the same to me.” She pointed toward the door, “But these guys are shameless! Stealing trees from kids.”
“What do you mean?”
“The proceeds from the trees sold here go towards underprivileged kids. Someone has been coming in at night, cutting them down and selling them in a lot downtown.”
“Are you sure?”
“Pretty sure, hence the surveillance. It was either this or cataloging a bunch of old smelling books for Giles.”
“Giles? Rupert Giles?”
Willow got very animated. “Do you know Giles?”
“I do. Good old Ripper!” The Doctor clicked his tongue. He grabbed a long scarf, something he’d saved from a previous incarnation and wrapped it around his neck. “Shall we?”
She took his arm and laughed. “Okay. It’s always more fun with a friend.”
She led the way back to her hideout. “See that patch of trees over there? There are about ten missing.”
“Well, this is a tree farm and it is Christmas. Couldn’t someone just have cut them down?”
“This part of the tree farm is blocked off to customers. The problem is one tree pretty much looks like another tree. We know they are doing it.”
“Who they?”
“Oh, a pair of creeps down on Main. Buffy thinks they are demons, but I just think that they are big fat…” she hesitated. “…jerks.”
“Sound more like right bastards, if you ask me.” He stood up and looked around. “Keep watch for me for a minute, will you?”
“Um, okay.” Willow took her assignment very seriously, until she saw two shapes moving in their direction. “Doctor, hurry!” she stage whispered.
She thought wildly about a spell and suddenly one of the shapes was jerking like a puppet. His friend stopped and stared, asking.
“What the hell is the matter with you?”
Her eyes widened. It was the first time she’d been able to do that. She glanced over as The Doctor came up. “I’ve never done that before.”
“Well, done, now let’s go.”
Both of them ran, crouching down, back to the TARDIS and slipped inside. The Doctor laughed, locked the door behind him and ran to the central console. A toggle flipped here, a dial twisted there and a few screens popped to life. Outside they could hear the two men talking.
“Wha’ the hell is that thing?
“Says it’s a police call box.”
“Police? Do you think they’re on to us?”
“For what? Walking?”
“Still, let’s get out of here.”
“You worry like an old woman.”
“You didn’t say that when I spotted the Slayer. I still say we should have eaten her there and then.”
“I’d have had indigestion for a week. Blondes disagree with me, especially the dye jobs. I think it’s the peroxide.”
“Looks like you were both right,” The Doctor said. “Demons and jerks.”
“Never mind that. Buffy isn’t a natural blonde?” Willow was crushed. The two scurried away and she sighed. “Now they’re gone and we have nothing.”
“Oh we have something. Trees and people used to be friends years ago and they used to be able to communicate. “The trees here told me all I needed to know.” He leaned over and grabbed for a switch. “You might want to hold onto something.”
Willow clung to the pole as if it was the only stable point in a world gone mad, which, according to some, would accurately describe The Doctor’s driving. Then she became aware of something.
“Love, love, fly.”
“You… you like to fly.”
“No, he, he flies, I love.”
Willow hugged the pole harder. “And he loves you.”
“Yes. Lucky.”
“We both are.” There was an abrupt stop and Willow felt the fillings shake in her teeth. “Wow, that was some ride.”
“Yes, well, the longer trips are easier.” He ran to the door and opened it. “Right tree lot?”
“How? Never mind.” Willow stepped out and looked around to get her bearings. “Can you hang on and I’ll go get Buffy?”
“I’ll wait here, in case our friends get back.”
“So what’s our plan?”
“No idea!”
“That kind’s my favorite.”
The Doctor lifted his feet onto the hassock and smiled in the glow of the fire. “This is really very good of you.”
“It’s the least we could do. If it hadn’t been for you, those demons would have gotten away with it.” Willow sipped her eggnog carefully. There was no telling what might or might not be in it. “Now everything is good.”
Giles entered, carrying a tray of appetizers, with Xander close at hand, desperate to grab a handful of whatever they were. “What are they, Giles?”
“Rumaki. Water chestnuts wrapped with bacon.”
Xander grabbed one and stuffed it into his mouth. “Mmm… wait, what else?”
“Chicken liver.”
Xander squealed and raced from the room. Willow was hot on his heels. Buffy was arguing with Spike, another surprise friend of The Doctor’s and apparently the reason he was being permitted to stay.
“You have a full life, Ripper.” He raised his glass.
“Well, they keep me young. You should try it.”
The Doctor chuckled. “I don’t think I’m cut out for parenthood. Besides, regeneration.”
“I have to say, I like this version.”
“Thanks. I was hoping to be ginger, but you know how that goes. Life’s a funny old thing. By the way, your tree is beautiful.”
“Yes, Buffy brought it to me. It’s still got its ball root intact, so I’ll plant it afterwards. No use killing another tree.”
The Doctor held his glass up to the tree. “No, indeed. Here’s to life, in whatever form it takes.”
“I heard that!” Spike yelled and The Doctor laughed. Maybe, just maybe his life wasn’t as lonely as he though.