Continuing from 'The Christmas Invasion - Part IV'

✧

ALEX WAS THE ONE TO BREAK THE SILENCE, exclaiming. "You killed them!"

The Doctor nodded to the leader, daring him with narrowed eyes. "What do you think, big fellow? Are they dead?"

The Sycorax leader revealed. "We allow them to live."

"Allow?" The Doctor repeated. "You've no choice. I mean, that's all blood control is. A cheap bit of voodoo. Scares the pants off you, but that's as far as it goes." He scratched behind his ear as he started walking away, leaning forward on his hands against a rock. "It's like hypnosis. You can hypnotize someone to walk like a chicken or sing like Elvis. You can't hypnotize them to death. Survival instinct's too strong."

"Blood control was just one form of conquest." The leader spoke in a teasing voice. "I can summon the armada and take this world by force."

"Well, yeah, you could, yeah, you could do that, of course you could." The Doctor agreed, still leaning on the rock. "But why? Look at these people. These human beings." He gestured towards Lily, Rose, Mickey, Harriet, and Alex. "Consider their potential. From the day they arrive on the planet and blinking step into the sun, there is more to see than can ever be seen. More to do than - " He paused, his face grew confused. "No, hold on." He shook his head. "Sorry, that's The Lion King." The sisters shared a smile. "But the point still stands." He stood back up. "Leave them alone!"

"Or what?" The Sycorax Leader retorted.

"Or . ." He looked around- Lily could see the gears moving in his head. What she didn't expect was him to sneak a Sycorax sword out of a nearby alien's hand, running back towards the TARDIS. "I challenge you!" He declared, pointing the point of the sword at the leader- earning a chorus of laughter from the Sycoraxs that surrounded them in the stands. The Doctor arched his eyebrow at the noise. "Oh, that struck a chord." He noticed. "Am I right that the sanctified rules of combat still apply?"

The Sycorax leader unsheathed his sword, stepping up to the Doctor. "You stand as this world's champion." He loudly declared.

"Thank you." The Doctor nodded, taking off his robe. "I've no idea who I am, but you just summed me up." He tossed the gown to Lily who stumbled a bit before catching it, hugging it to her body. "So, you accept my challenge? Or are you just a cranak pel casacree salvak?" He insulted the leader in their language. Lily's eyes widened at his nerve- the stands of aliens roared.

The Sycorax leader growled as they got into position- using their swords to kneel in front of one another. "For the planet?"

The Doctor confirmed in a chill-worthy tone. "For the planet."

Lily pushed Rose back as they started to clash swords, keeping her from harm. "Look out!" Rose shouted when the Sycorax leader almost slashed the Doctor's arm, sending them to the ground to get away.

The Doctor re-stood with ease, weapon still up. "Oh, yeah, that helps!" He shot back. "Wouldn't have thought of that otherwise! Thanks!"

It was obvious to see that this Doctor wasn't a good swordsman, as he struggled to keep up with the alien's strikes. The Doctor backed up for more space and hit a button on the wall, opening up a gap. "Bit of fresh air?" Everyone piled outside behind him, watching as the Doctor continued his fight with the leader out on the ledge of the ship. When the larger alien whacked the Doctor's face with the hilt of his sword Lily started for him. "Stay back!" The Doctor warned her, wiping his face and readjusting himself. "Invalidate the challenge and he wins the planet."

Lily reluctantly stepped back, between Rose and Mickey, and hugged the robe tighter- helping to keep her from running towards the Doctor.

More fighting occurred and suddenly the Sycorax leader knocked the Doctor down and slashed his sword at his hand, sending it and his weapon down to Earth. Lily felt ill while the doctor looked up. "You cut my hand off."

"Sycorax!" The alien cheered for victory.

"And now I know what sort of man I am." The Doctor notes with a smirk, standing back up. "I'm lucky. Because quite by chance I'm still within the first fifteen hours of my regeneration cycle, which means I've got just enough residual cellular energy to do this." He held up his right arm, and both sisters' eyes widened as they witnessed another hand grow in place of the old one.

"Witchcraft!" The Leader hissed.

The Doctor's voice darkened in response. "Time Lord."

Lily didn't think twice as she took a sword out of the sheath of a nearby Sycorax. "Doctor!" She called out, only tossing the sword at him when he looked her way.

He effortlessly caught the sword with his newly regenerated hand, giving her a wink and a smirk before looking back to the startled Sycorax leader. "Want to know the best bit?" He smoothly twirled the sword around. "This new hand?" He grinned. "It's a fighting hand!"

Slashing and dodging sent the Doctor to easily disarm the Sycorax lead. He slammed the hit of his sword into the alien leader's stomach twice before he fell back, landing in the same spot the Doctor had been before. The tip of the Doctor's blade inches from his eyes. "I win." He stated.

The Sycorax sneered up at him. "Then kill me."

"I'll spare your life if you'll take this Champion's command. Leave this planet, and never return." He inched the sword closer to his face as the leader stayed silent. "What do you say?"

"Yes."

The Doctor growled, nearly piercing the leader's neck with the blade. "Swear on the blood of your species!"

"I swear."

The Doctor stepped back, seeming to be in a more cheery mood. "There we are, then!" He exclaimed happily. "Thanks for that. Cheers, big fellow!" The Doctor stabbed the sword into the rock ground and started away, finding Lily's face and grinning.

"Bravo!" Harriet cheered while the Doctor walked back to them.

"That says it all." Rose laughed. "Bravo!"

"Ah, not bad for a man in his jim-jams." He said letting Lily help him put the robe back on. "Very Arthur Dent. Now, there was a nice man." He put his hand in his pocket. "Hold on, what have I got in here?" He pulled out an orange sphere, tossing it into the air. "A satsuma." He shared a laugh with Lily and Rose. "Ah, that friend of your mother's. He does like his snacks, don't he? But doesn't that just sum up Christmas?" He tossed the fruit up and down in the air. "You go through all those presents and right at the end, tucked away at the bottom, there's always one stupid old satsuma." He held it up to the crowd. "Who wants a satsuma?"

Before anyone could answer he threw the orange fruit at the panel on the side of the ship. They all turned to witness the Sycorax leader fall to his death as the floor underneath him opened. "No second chances." The Doctor announced, walking away to the TARDIS, not looking back. "I'm that sort of a man."

The Doctor, as well as the rest of the humans, halted in front of the TARDIS, turning back to the Sycorax, and addressing them. "By the ancient rites of combat, I forbid you to scavenge here for the rest of time." He ordered. "And when you go back to the stars and tell others of this planet when you tell them of its riches, its people, its potential. When you talk of the Earth, then make sure that you tell them this. It is defended!" They all beamed back down to the Earth, leaving the Sycorax in silence.

✧

Once they seemed to have teleported back to Earth, Lily looked around and where they landed. But it didn't look familiar. "Where are we?"

"We're just off Bloxom Road," Mickey answered for her, running a hand over his head, and broke out in a grin. "We're just round the corner, we did it!"

"Wait a minute." The Doctor told them, holding up a hand. "Wait a minute."

They all looked up at the Sycorax ship still above them in the sky. Just a moment passed before the ship started flying off, up to the Earth's atmosphere. Rose cheered and jumped onto Mickey's back, twirling and laughing. "Yeah! Don't come back!"

Mickey jumped as best he could with Rose on him. "It is defended!" He laughed as he repeated the Doctor's words.

Lily looked to the Doctor who already had his arms stretched out for her. Her steps up to him were bouncy, giddy to hug him. And she did, as tight as she could- her arms over his neck and his clutching onto her waist. "I missed you." She told him with his face buried against his shoulder.

He squeezed her once more before letting her go, but kept his hands on her waist, grinning down at her. He wanted to tell her something. She could see it in his eyes. But when they both saw Harriet approach he let her go, stepping away from each other.

Lily left them to traverse amongst each other, walking back up to Rose and Mickey as she saw her mum jogging up to them. "Girls!" Jackie shouted and quickened her pace until they were both in her arms, hugging them firmly. "Oh, my god, you've both done it!"

Rose said. "It was the tea. Fixed his head."

"That was all I needed." The Doctor stepped up to them, stretching his back. "Cup of tea!"

"I said so," Jackie said smugly.

Lily beamed, giving the Doctor a long look over. "Look at him!"

"Oh, my god!" Jackie squealed, spotting Harriet behind the Doctor. "It's the bleeding Prime Minister!"

The Doctor laughed, stretching out his arms once again. "Come here, you."

The family all soundly wrapped their arms around each other in a comforting group hug. The moment was ruined by a rumble behind them. Letting go of one another they all witnessed five green beams shoot up into the sky at the Sycorax ship, exploding it before it could even leave orbit.

The Doctor's hard gaze met Harriet- voice laced with venom. "That was murder!"

"That was defense!" Harriet countered. "It's adapted from alien technology. A ship that fell to Earth ten years ago."

"But they were leaving!"

"You said so yourself, Doctor, they'd go back to the stars and tell others about the Earth." She inhaled a shaky breath. "I'm sorry, Doctor, but you're not here all the time. You come and go. It happened today. I Mister Llewellyn and the Major, they were murdered. They died right in front of me while you were sleeping." If she wasn't so disappointed in the Prime Minister, Lily would feel sympathy for her. "In which case we have to defend ourselves."

The Doctor shook his head, disgusted. "Britain's Golden Age." He mocked.

Harriet's frown deepened. "It comes with a price."

"I gave them the wrong warning. I should've told them to run as fast as they can, run and hide because the monsters are coming." He seethed, baring his teeth in her direction. "The human race!"

"Those are the people I represent." Harriet defended herself. "I did it on their behalf!"

"Then I should have stopped you." The Doctor replied bluntly.

"What does that make you, Doctor?" Harriet challenged. "Another alien threat?"

"Don't challenge me, Harriet Jones." The Doctor warned, taking a menacing step forward. His face even the more evil of dictators would coward under. "Because I'm a completely new man. I could bring down your government with a single word."

"You're the most remarkable man I've ever met, but I don't think you're quite capable of that." She scoffed.

"No, you're right." He agreed. "Not a single word, just six."

"I don't think so." Harriet snorted.

"Six words." He repeated.

"Stop it!" She warned, eyes giving away her inner fear.

"Six." He walked over to Alex and leaned down, taking out his earpiece and handing it to him- whispering into the human's ear as his eyes stayed on Harriet's. "Don't you think she looks tired?"

✧

"Rose, this is gorgeous." Lily was awed at the gift her sister had bought her earlier as she was out with Mickey. She already had the rose ring circling her right, middle finger- gazing down at its beauty. "One of the most thoughtful gifts I've ever gotten."

Rose had a matching one she bought herself at the same time. But hers was a white lily, which she put on her own left-hand middle finger. "Now no matter how far apart we may get we'll always have a piece of each other."

Lily almost scoffed at that, pulling Rose into a tight hug. "Like I'd ever let you go. You're stuck with me, sis."

✧

Lily looked up from helping her mum set out food on the dining room table- it was the sound of the front door opening that gained her attention. The Doctor, her Doctor, stepped inside the room now dressed in an oxford-style shirt paired with a brown pinstripe suit. Along with a blue necktie, white Converse, and a long brown trench coat, he was different and the same all at once. They shared a grin and she pulled out the chair next to her, ushering him to sit beside her.

Lily was showing off her gift from Rose as Mickey carved the turkey. Christmas crackers were passed around the table- taking turns unfolding the paper crowns it gave them. The Doctor hadn't protested when Lily downed a red one of his head, smiling. He returned the favor by crowning her with a purple one.

"It's pink!" Rose joyfully cried after receiving hers. "Mum, it should be yours." She smiled but kept it for herself, starting to place it on her head when she noticed the telly. Rose pointed. "Look, it's Harriet Jones."

The group abandoned their dinner for nearing the television set, watching and hearing a reporter start grilling Harriet about rumors about her health and not being fit for office. Lily noticed the way the Doctor's face stayed motionless as he watched.

When the home phone started to ring, Jackie answered it. She listened for a few seconds then turned back to look at them all. "It's Beth. She says go and look outside."

"Why?" Rose asked, nose scrunched.

"I don't know," Jackie replied, shrugging. "Just go outside and look. Come on, shift!"

✧

Paper crowns left inside they all walked down and left the estate to see the ground covered with white flakes that continuously fell from the sky. She thought it to be snow but questioned that as they were not cold or wet. But Lily still looked up with a smile as she watched streaks of light cris-cross the sky. "Oh, it's beautiful." She looked to the Doctor. "What are they, meteors?"

"It's the spaceship breaking up in the atmosphere." He gravely corrected her. "This isn't snow, it's ash."

Lily cringed, flicking a piece of it off her eyelash. "Okay, not so beautiful."

"This is a brand new planet Earth." With his hands in his pockets, he spoke up to the sky as both sisters moved to either side of him. "No denying the existence of aliens now. Everyone saw it. Everything's new."

"And what about you?" Rose tilted her head like she was nervous to ask. Lily noted that. "What are you going to do next?"

"Well, back to the TARDIS." He replied, nodding to the blue box nearby. "Same old life."

Lily frowned, wondering out loud. "On your own?"

"Why?" He quirked his brow, looking back and forth between them. "Don't you want to two come?"

"Well, yeah!" Rose answered quickly. "Lily?"

When the Doctor's eyes met hers she smiled instantly. "Of course."

"You're never going to stay, are you?" Mickey asked Rose.

The blonde frowned when she saw his pained face. "There's just so much out there. So much to see." She shrugged. "I've got to. Plus," She walked over to Lily, linking her left arm with her sister's right. "Wherever Lils goes, I go."

"Yeah." That was all he managed to get out.

"Well, I reckon you're mad, the three of you." Jackie smugly stated. "It's like you go looking for trouble."

"Trouble's just the bits in between." He told her cheerily, walking up to throw an arm around Jackie's shoulders. "It's all waiting out there, Jackie, and it's brand new to me. All those planets, and creatures, and horizons. I haven't seen them yet!" He let her go and started back to the sisters. "Not with these eyes. And it is going to be . ." He smirked down at Lily and Rose. "Fantastic!"

Lily nearly melted at that word. He stuck out his right hand for Lily who looked at it with a scrunched nose. "That hand of yours still gives me the creeps." But she still took it, allowing his fingers to lace with hers, pulling her closer to his side

Rose, still linked with her sister, leaned over and gave the Doctor an excited grin. "So, where're we going to go first?"

The Doctor looked up. "Er . ." He pointed up at the sky. "That way. No, hold on . ." He changed his mind, moving his finger in a different direction. "That way."

Rose pointed to where he was. "That way?"

"Mmhm." The Doctor looked from answering Rose back to Lily. "What do you think, Red?"

She didn't have to think for more than a second before nodding, eager to see what more of what this Doctor had in store for her and her sister.

.・。.・゜✭・.・✫・゜・。.

- Author's Note -

As of today (10 December, 2024) this update is merely an early Christmas gift for all of you. I am no where near ready to fully start this book, but I wanted to give y'all a little treat, something(!!), to help as y'all wait some more.

These chapters, if you group them all together, is about 12k words. I wrote this in three days- I am tired 🫠

But I love you guys!! You deserve this and more. I'll see you all again when I'm ready! 🥰

Talk to you guys later! I love y'all and have a great day/night! <33

Oh! Also, who remembers from the original version of this story where Lily treated the Doctor like shit? Yeahhh .. a big reason I started this re-write cause that's so against her character. That problem has now been fixed!

.・。.・゜✭・.・✫・゜・。.

Question of the Day

QOTD ~ What do you want for Christmas?

Kayleigh's answer ~ Books. That's actually it. Just books and I'm a happy camper 🥰

.・。.・゜✭・.・✫・゜・。.

Please leave your wonderful comments below and don't forget to vote :)

- Kayleigh