Imaginary Worlds

"It's fine. I'm fine. Iros is just...I do née to stay in good terms." he murmured. There was too much to deal with otherwise.

He just didn't want to deal with this all. The Doctor always did prefer to pretend the world was better than what it really was.

"You shouldn't let him make you said, you said that's wrong! Tell him he's wrong and leave!" Marnal insisted, he didn't care about business or whatever, the Doctor managed fine before him.

Iros was a horrible person and Marnal just wished he was dead and gone by now.

"His name is on the bike and the car. My name is on every loan he has ever taken out. It's not that easy." the Doctor informed.

The problem with pissing Iros off was that hecouldnt handle the consequences. Not until he jumped through all of the legal hoops. Something he put off.

"You can sort that stuff out," surely if the Doctor explained then he'd understand, it made sense to him. "You can buy a bike! You have a bike and it didn't cost loads."

It wasn't that hard, the Doctor must of owned that stuff in someway and the man couldn't just hold it over him. "Id' rather lose the bike than be friends with him."

"It's more than that! He's a big part of my life. Even if it isn't the best, he'd still par of it." the Doctor stated as he parked outside their house, heading inside.

Marnal wouldn't understand. The Doctor was drawn to people who hurt him. It was as though there was some sort of draw.

"But... but he hurt me. And you," And Marnal didn't understand, it was not the best way to teach a child, he was so confused by all of this, he thought being honest would stop them talking.

"If it's not okay, why did you forgive him?" He'd have to forgive him to stay in contact with him... right?

"I did not forgive him. I'm not saying that what he did to you was alright. But that doesn't mean I'm not in cantact. It's difficult to explain." the Doctor asserted.

The Doctor didn't wan to deal with this on a good day, never mind now. He just wanted to take a nap and call it good.

"Okay," the boy offered as they pulled up, picking up Rose and holding the puppy close. It didn't make any sense to him why they'd stay in contact but that was just the Doctor. He was odd.

"If Iros hit you, I'd never talk to him," Marnal offered and that was that on the subject.

"That would be why I left him. Look. I'm going to take a nap. I suggest you do the same. It's been a long day for the both of us." the Doctor mumbled softly.

Not to mention the weekend on a whole. There was truly only do much that somebody could manage.

"Okay, I will," he offered as he carried his dog upstairs and headed into his bedroom to take a nap. He didn't want to risk upsetting his dad, he snapped more these days.

He didn't like it but he understood the man was just a bit stressed and unhappy.

The Doctor sighed softly and headed up to get settled in for a few hours. He had been woken up that morning relatively early. Not that he would complain.

Why should he? The Doctor was perfectly content at the moment to sleep away his afternoon, waking up in the early evening to cook. He didn't think he'd sleep much that night either.

Marnal woke up and son took off to find his dad. When he wasn't in the bedroom, he rushed downstairs and clung to the mans leg, looking rather scared and worried.

"I had a bad dream, dad," Marnal complained as he buried his head in his fathers leg. "Make them go away."

Damn. This just wasn't their weekend. "Sorry, kiddo, but you know that I can't help you." he murmured softly. And really? That was the truth.

"I'll help how I can though. Would you like to tell me about the dream this time?" the Doctor offered with a small frown as he ruffled the lad's hair.

"No," he insisted because it would just upset his father and that was the last thing he needed when the man looked so sad all the time. He just continued to hug his dad.

"It'll be okay cause it's not real. That's what you said," And he chose to believe that rather than believing his rather could be a monster.

"Sorry. I know it's tough and I'm sorry." the Doctor murmured with a small cringe.

He hated these dreams. They seemed to bother everybody and he wasn't sure how to help. It was maddening at times.

Marnal didn't take too long to recover, Rose soon came running down the stairs to greet him good morning and the sight of the dog took his mind off his unfortunate night.

"Dad, I need to take Rose out!" he yelled as the dog leapt around him excitedly.

"Then take her out back. I can still see you from the window." the Doctor murmured softly as he murmured as he handed over the leash.

He wanted Marnal to take the responsibility. It was truly just that simple.

"Okay," Marnal agreed and let Rose loose to do as she pleased while he sat on the swing and waited. When she was done, he walked the dog back inside and smiled.

"I'm doing a good job, aren't I?" he declared, grinning with great pride.

"You're doing a very well job. I'm proud of you." the Doctor assured as he sat a plate for his son down.

And he was. Marnal was doing very well, even if Pest was refusing to vacate the Doctor's room. The poor cat wasn't quite ready to deal with this.

Marnal took a seat, ready for dinner, his puppy sitting in his lap as he waited. He hadn't forgotten pest at all, he intended to try and get the two to befriend themselves.

"What are we going to have to eat?" he asked with a curious expression on his face.

"Macaroni and cheese. Nice and simple." the Doctor assured. And it was somethig Marnal definitely liked.

"And no dogs at the table. You should know that from when Pest was a kitten." the Doctor chided gently.

"No pets at the table when we're eating, you said!" Marnal protested as he hugged his dog close. He frowned at his dad before offering out his puppy to the man.

"You haven't held her yet? Do you like her?" he asked, unable to understand why the Doctor wasn't as taken with her as he was.

"And the food has been served." he chimed in, taking the puppy somewhat awkwardly. Oh, he hadn't wanted a dog. But he got he and now he would treat her properly.

"I prefer cats. But she's nice enough." the Doctor assured a she placed Rose down. What? He wanted to eat.

"You don't like her," Marnal sensed as he took her back with a hurt look because Koschei had said the same thing and this just wasn't fair at all, he didn't have to say that every time.

He didn't like cats much but he loved Pest and he didn't keep saying he hated cats. Getting up, he pouted somewhat. "She doesn't like you either so there!"

"Marnal, I swear if you throw another tantrum over this of all things that I'm grounding you from her. I didn't say I didn't like her. I said I prefer cats. If I didn't like her, she wouldn't be here." the Doctor informed shortly.

He wasn't going to have Marnal throwing a fit with him over this. The Doctor didn't need to deal with that. Especially when it was over nothing.