To Be Forgotten

Chapter 16 - A Christmas Carol

A Christmas Carol, part 3 -

"Merry Christmas!"

The trio opened Abigail's ice box with Santa's hats on. The Oracle wore a more comfortable version of a normal governess' dress and had become an integrated part of Kazran's life in the past year.

"Doctor! Oracle! What are we going to do?", Abigail smiled.

"The Doctor's got a great plan", Kazran pulled her out of the box, "Wait till you hear."

They ran out to where the Doctor had prepared a carriage but nothing at the front to pull it.

"You are out of your mind. This will never work", Abigail told him.

"Most things we've done started with someone saying that", the Oracle shrugged.

"Don't think shark, think dolphin", the Doctor pointed his half-sonic up.

"A shark isn't a dolphin", Abigail protested.

"It's nearly a dolphin", the Doctor disagreed.

"No, it isn't."

"It really isn't, love", the Oracle grimaced a bit.

"That's where you're wrong because", he tilted his head in thought, "Shut up."

"It could be anywhere. Will it really come?", Kazran asked.

"No chance. Completely impossible."

"But we love impossible, especially at Christmas", the Oracle finished.

They heard the homing signal from the shark and soon enough they found themselves on a sleigh ride through the clouds. The Doctor and the Oracle were sitting in the front where the driver would sit and their guests were in the back. All four of them were giggling at the excitement.

"How are we going to get back?", Kazran asked.

"I don't know", the Doctor called back.

"But we will", the Oracle added with a bright smile, holding on to her husband.

"Do you have a plan?", Abigail asked.

"I don't know", he repeated.

"But we never do", she added as they stooped a bit lower, looking over the city with excited laughs and delighted exclamations.

They brought Abigail back to her chamber, "Best Christmas Eve ever!"

"Til the next one", Kazran smiled and closed the door.

The Doctor got back in the Tardis. Kazran waited by the entrance to the vault so his nanny could bid her husband good-bye. She smiled and kissed him quickly, "See you next year, then."

"You okay here?", he asked, looking behind her at Kazran.

"Yeah, turns out I'm a great nanny. I'm a proper Mary Poppins. Can you believe his dad actually thinks that's my name?"

"No way", he chuckled.

"Okay, gotta get back to work, then. Love you", she kissed him once more, then turned back to Kazran, "Come on then, love, we have to get you to bed. It's way past your time!"

He looked after them with a smile and then went back in the Tardis to go a year forward. When he returned Kazran and the Oracle were just entering the vault. They smiled and without even greeting one another they opened Abigail's vault.

"Doctor. Oracle", she smiled, "Where to this time?"

"Did he mention, at any point? All of time and space at our disposal", the Oracle smiled.