Imaginary Worlds

Oh how he hated those dreams. Hated more was his reaction to them. A cold indifference and a dark thought whispered in the back of his mind that what happened was for the best. The Doctor generally tried to avoid that.

"You know that it's only a dream. There's no point or reason to dwell on it." the Doctor murmured. Even the good ones.

"But everyone sees it so it doesn't matter," Marnal mumbled and it didn't because he had seen it and so had Koschei and the Master. It was like sharing a memory to him.

"I'm sorry you don't like the dreams," Marnal offered just to cheer the man up.

Alright. New way of going about it. "Do you like the dreams? Or how they seem to be? We're you happy in them? Did you like how I was in them?" the Doctor asked softly.

"They were dreams and nothing more. Don't live in dreams, Marnal. Forget about them of you'll stop being happy in real life." the Doctor said gently.

"I'm not always happy in my dreams... but I'm not always happy here," Marnal pointed out to the Doctor, case in point was going to see his granddad, he didn't ever see the man in his dreams.

"Why are you scared of them?" Marnal asked as he cocked his head to the side. "Is it cause you're mean sometimes in them?"

"I don't want to talk about it, Marnal. You know that I don't like discussing it." the Doctor said firmly. He never would want to discuss that topic.

Just like he never wanted to face the reality that something was amiss. The Doctor was happy with his life now. Not those dreams. He just wished they would cease.

"Okay dad, it's okay. I won't ask any more," he insisted with a small smile, unable to help himself. His dad got very upset on the subject of the dreams, he couldn't help but duck his head.

He felt like a total idiot for even trying to discuss it. "I'm gonna go pay."

"Marnal, just remember that they're only dreams. Dwelling on them doesn't do anybody any good." the Doctor murmured, shaking his head softly as he allowed his son to go.

He was trying to avoid these confrontations, but it seemed to be getting worse. What would it take for the Doctor to simply make it go away already?

Marnal played alone upstairs because he knew his father was upset about the dreams, it was just hard to work out what exactly upset him because they were just dreams.

Marnal came down a few hours later with a small frown. "Bed time, can you run my bath?"

"Of course." the Doctor assured with a small smile as he headed to do just that, ruffling the lad's hair along the way. What? He couldn't help himself.

He wanted Marnal to realize that everything was okay and that he wasn't upset. Not really.

"When you go see Mr Saxon tomorrow, can you tell him I'm sorry I upset Koschei?" Marnal asked, he didn't want to be stopped from going around because he kept upsetting Koschei.

"I didn't mean too, promise!" He really didn't get what he'd done there, Koschei had just flipped.

Koschei and the Doctor did seem to share the aversion toward those nightmares. "I'll let him know, but I'm sure that it's fine. Koschei just seems to have problems with those dreams as well." he admitted as he ran the bath.

The poor kid was a tad bit off. Even the Doctor could see that one. Unfortunately, it meant having to be careful.

"He hates me," Marnal chirped, just to explain the problem because it was pretty obvious to him what was wrong. Koschei just didn't like having him around at all.

"He says I'm insane and he's always glaring at me, so he doesn't like me. But that's okay, no one does," Marnal said with a shrug, he was getting used to it, it didn't bug him much these days.

"He doesn't hate you. He's just troubled. He has a few problems and needs to work around them." he murmured.

The Doctor actually felt a bit had for the kid. "There you go. I'll bring you pajamas.p the Doctor assured as he left to do just that.

"He does hate me, just ask him," Marnal complained before he headed into the bath and made quick work f cleaning off and getting himself into his pyjamas.

Heading out to find his father, he raised an eyebrow at his dad and gave him a pointed look. "Story now?"

Seriously? "Watch it." he scolded in response to the look. Seriously? He didn't play that game. He taught manners.

"Now come on and I'll read to you." the Doctor stated He wasn't going to deny his son that.

Marnal just rolled his eyes, he liked having a story and he didn't get why he had to remind the Doctor every night is all, it was pretty awkward. Sighing, he offered the Doctor a book.

"I want he one about dragons," he insisted as he climbed onto bed... he paused and sighed. "Please."

The thing was that Marnal didn't have to remind him at all. The Doctor knew the order things went in and simply waited for Marnal to let him know that the kid was ready.

It wasn't something that would change. Settling Marnal in, he read through the story, smiling softly as he did so. Afterward, he tucked in his son before slipping out to get settled in himself.

Marnal woke his father up the next morning with the phone in his hands, smiling at the older man. "Dad, Mr Saxon is on the phone, say he wants to talk to you."

Marnal held out the phone to the Doctor before clambering onto the bed happily.

Stirring, the Doctor glanced to the clock and groaned. Damn. He would have preferred to be called after ten. Especially when not going into work.

"Good morning and what can I do for you today, sweetheart?" the Soctor asked in an overly sweet tone as he took the phone.

"Don't be a dick," the Master complained, clearly half asleep himself as he rolled over in bed. "Quick check, forgot to make a note of it, it's tonight that there's that charity thing, right?"

He knew he should of double checked but he was half asleep still. "What time did you say?"

"Right and I'm sorry. I'll play nice now." he granted. Though it should have been expected of him.

"It's tonight. Starts at seven. I won't be in the office though. My father is coming to pick Marnal up." the Doctor murmured softly.

"Ouch, what did the kid do wrong?" from what he'd heard from the Doctor, that man was a total prick and shouldn't be allowed near children because of the damage he causes.

"Well, I trust your judgement," the Master mumbled, too tired to get into a fight. "Seven it is."

"One of his cousins will be there and on Sunday Marnal and I are looking at dogs. I'll see you at seven. It's at the convention center near the school. I'll meet you there." he assured, bidding farewell before disconnecting.

Right. "Marnal, you need to pack. Your grandfather should be here about ten to eleven." the Doctor informed lightly.

Marnal blinked slowly, why did his dad always ask him to pack and whenever he did, it was altered drastically anyway. Five year olds didn't think about clothes, they were too busy loading up on toys.

And he knew where this was heading by now so he shot his dad a stubborn look. "You pack, I watch."

The Doctor sighed softly and shook his head. Right. "Fine then. I'll pack." he granted softly, getting up and heading to do just that.

He couldn't blame Marnal that one. The lad never did catch any sort of break when it came to packing.