FF: A Proper Present

[quaggy]

Title: A Proper Present
Author: Quaggy
Show: Doctor Who
Category: bubbleficathon
Rating: G
Notes: I had always wanted to try a Doctor Who fic but could never come up with the proper motivation. Leave it to bubbleficathon to change that! This is set during season 2 with The Christmas Invasion as the inspiration. A great big thank you to christinekh, caz963, zommbie1 and gatsbyfan for the rapid fire beta. This was so last minute that I was afraid no one would have time to check it over, but they had all responded in a matter of hours! I'm so grateful to all of you!

“Mum! Mum, I need your help!” Rose cried as she burst into the kitchen.

“What? But… Oh, alright,” Jackie consented, shooting a worried glance at everything still simmering on the stove as her daughter dragged her from the room and down the hall to a remote part of the tiny flat.

“I don’t have a gift for the Doctor,” Rose whispered.

“What?” Jackie replied, at a loss as to why this was a big secret.

“I didn’t have time. Mickey and I went Christmas shopping, but then those Santas…” Rose trailed off.

“Right, right,” Jackie said hastily and thought it best not to inquire whether or not Rose had time to purchase Mickey a present. Or to even expect one herself.

“Mum, I have to give him something,” Rose fretted.

“All right, all right! Let’s see what I’ve got,” Jackie relented, dragging her daughter over to the cupboard in the hall where she kept all the Christmas gifts. “Here we are, then… Well, I was planning to give this to Mrs. Leeds from the market, but she won’t be back until after the new year so I’ll have time to pick up something else. And this was for Geraldine, but the silly cow went and gave me something much more expensive, so I can’t give this to her now.”

Rose considered the items for a moment before grabbing the gift originally intended for Mrs. Leeds.

“Thanks, Mum! I knew I could count on you,” Rose said giving her mother a kiss before racing off to place the gift under the tree. Jackie just smiled and returned to the kitchen. It was nice to have everyone home for Christmas.

~<*>~<*>~~<*>~<*>~~<*>~<*>~~<*>~<*>~~<*>~<*>~~<*>~<*>~~<*>~<*>~~<*>~<*>~~<*>~<*>~

Later, when Jackie had ushered everyone back inside from the falling snow-like ash, Rose finally found the opportunity to give the Doctor her present.

“I know you aren’t really one for Christmas and holiday stuff. Or at least you weren’t before. But I just wanted to show you how much I appreciate being able to travel with you. It means everything to me. It really does. So, here,” Rose explained, getting a little teary as she unceremoniously handed the Doctor the brightly wrapped gift. From the corner of the room, Mickey rolled his eyes.

“Awww, thank you, Rose. But I didn’t get you anything in return,” the Doctor said, a bit sheepishly.

“You saved us all from those space monsters. I think that’s enough,” Jackie interjected.

“Just open it!” Rose laughed.

The Doctor complied and removed the paper to reveal a bag of… bath fizzes. The room was filled with Mickey’s laughter.

“Bath fizzies!! That’s what you call a proper present, Rose? BATH fizzies?!” Mickey chortled.

Rose was mortified. She shot an accusing glance at her mother, but Jackie just shrugged her shoulders in response and gave her daughter an exasperated look as if to say “What do you want with me?”

“I’m so sorry, Doctor. There’s been a mix up. I’ll fix it,” Rose attempted to explain as she reached for the bag, but the Doctor held his present out of reach.

“Oh no! This is a wonderful gift, Rose! You never know when something like this will come in handy. Thank you,” the Doctor replied, stashing the fizzies in his pocket. “Now! I don’t know about the rest of you, but I fancy some dessert. Unless, of course, it’s satsumas. I feel I should give those a miss, all things considered.”

~<*>~<*>~~<*>~<*>~~<*>~<*>~~<*>~<*>~~<*>~<*>~~<*>~<*>~~<*>~<*>~~<*>~<*>~~<*>~<*>~

For the most part, Rose managed to forget the incident until they were trapped on Base 385, Sector 7. The area had been overrun by gelatinous sponge–like creatures that looked like they could easily be swept up with a broom. But they had witnessed first-hand what a gruesome death awaited those that crossed the creatures’ path. (Poor Lieutenant 4796. He did not deserve that fate.) The Doctor had left the two of them with instructions to “Hold them off!” which Mickey was now attempting to do with a mop while Rose hurled anything she could lay her hands on at them.

“Right!” the Doctor declared from the rafters above their heads. “All together? Excellent!” Reaching into his pockets, he pulled out a striped shower cap… and Rose’s bath fizzies.

“Brace yourselves,” the Doctor called as he put the shower cap on. Quickly and carefully, he dropped a few fizzies onto each monster where they were quickly absorbed. There was a pregnant moment where everyone and everything seemed unnaturally still. Then….

*KLABAM!!!*

The entire area was blanketed in foamy bubbles. Mickey and Rose were covered from head to foot. There was foam clinging to the walls and dripping from the ceiling. And there wasn’t a trace of the creatures.

“See, Rose,” the Doctor beamed as he dropped from the ceiling, striped shower cap still in place. “Those bath fizzies did come in handy.”

“I take that back, Rose,” Mickey said reverently. “You do give the best presents!”

Rose offered a weak smile, as the Doctor waded through the knee-deep foam towards his two companions.

“So,” the Doctor inquired, with a devilish grin. “Who’s up for a bubble battle?”

Comments

[quaggy]

Thank you! If you can't come up with something outlandish for Doctor Who, when can you honestly? :-)