To Be Human

Epilogue

They arrived back down in Hampstead and walked through town in search of the Tardis. Mister Copper had decided to join them on their walk while they tried to explain the world a little better to him.

"So, Great Britain is part of Europey, and just across the British Channel, you've got Great France and Great Germany", Mister Copper concluded the way he understood as they walked up to the Tardis.

"No, just Europe, France and Germany. Only Britain's Great. Quite full of themselves, the English", the Oracle corrected.

"And they're all at war with the continent of Ham Erica."

"America. And no, it's more of a passive-aggressive bickering", she said.

"Well, not yet. Could argue that one. Well put, actually, love", he let go of her hand and ran the last few steps to the Tardis, "There she is! Survive anything."

"You know", Mister Copper stepped closer, "I don't even think this snow is real. I think it's the ballast from the Titanic's salvage entering the atmosphere."

"Huh, now that you mention it, in all the years I lived here it's never properly snowed in England. Ash, yeah, but no snow", the Oracle looked up.

"Yeah", the Doctor put an arm around her and pulled her close, "One of these days it might snow for real."

He kissed the top of her head and for a few moments they just stood there, looking around.

Then Mister Copper took a step back and spoke up, "So, I- I suppose you'll be off."

"The open sky", the Doctor nodded.

"And, what about me?"

"I reckon you'll be fine here, don't you?", the Oracle asked.

"What am I supposed to do?"

"You said you had Earth currency earlier when we were on excursion. How much is it?", she asked.

"It's just petty cash. Spending money. It's all done by computer. I didn't really know the currency, so I thought a million might cover it", he flailed the credit card about.

"A million pounds?", she asked, her eyes wide.

"That enough for trinkets?"

The Time Lords laughed, "Oh, Mister Copper, a million pounds, that's fifty million credits."

"How much?", the man asked in shock.

The Doctor shook his head around pensively and said, "Fifty million and fifty six."

"Oh, you've always got to one-up me, don't you?"

"I've got money", Copper breathed out.

"Yes, you do."

"Oh, my word. Oh, my Vot! Oh, my goodness me. Yee ha!", Mister Copper did a little dance while they just smiled at him.

"It's all yours, planet Earth", the Doctor told him, "Now, that's a retirement plan."

"Just you be careful, though", the Oracle added, "Don't go around boxing people on the twenty sixth, alright?"

"I will, oh, I won't", Mister Copper laughed.

"No interfering. We don't want any trouble", the Doctor said.

"Just have a nice life."

"But I can have a house", Copper realised, "A proper house, with a garden, and a door, and. Oh, Oracle, Doctor, I will make you proud."

They smiled as he skipped away talking about the house he would have before the Doctor called after him once more, "Where are you going?"

"Well, I have no idea."

"No, us neither", the Oracle laughed.

"But Oracle", he got serious for a moment, "I won't forget her."

The Oracle looked up to see a streak of starlight zig-zagging across the sky. She smiled.

"Merry Christmas, Mister Copper."

The Doctor had already gone inside when she entered the Tardis. He had taken off his dress jacket and bowtie and was now standing by the console in dress shirt and trousers. She smiled at him and walked up to him. He smiled cheekily and pulled her close before pushing a button. 'Winter Wonderland' in the version of Frank Sinatra started playing and he swayed her around.

"Dancing without any ulterior motive?", she asked with a grin.

"I may have an ulterior motive but we'll get to that later", he said and pulled her even closer.

She laughed and leaned up to kiss him. They swayed there even past the end of the song and it played again from the start as he'd put it on loop.

"Do you mind if we took it a little slowly for a bit? Just a few months? You and me in the Tardis?", she asked quietly while playing with the hairs in the back of his neck.

"My stars, how long has it been since it was just you, me and the Tardis?"

"I don't think it was ever just you, me and the Tardis", she laughed.

He joined in and as their laughter died down he looked down at her lovingly, "I think I'd like that. Just for a bit. You, me and the Tardis. Bit of an adventure here and there. Martha's on guard back on Earth, if something's up there she'll call but until then..."

"You, me and the Tardis. And all of those stars."

They smiled and he dipped her before pulling her back up and interrupting her laughing with a lasting kiss.