Imaginary Worlds

"We do things together all the time. I take you places and do things with you. I honestly don't get where you feel I don't." the Doctor said softly.

It made no sense! It was like Marnal wanted him at the kid's side constantly. It made him want a kid like Koschei instead most of the time. Somebody independent and not so overly needy. And that probably made him a horrid person, let alone dad.

Marnal faltered completely, he hadn't meant that at all, to a child a long time was shorter to adults, with the Doctor always working, with Mr Saxon or Iros, he pretty much saw the sitters more than his own dad.

It was nice to have a break where it could just be the two of them doing something. Yes, they did stuff, but less and less every time and these days the Master was always there with them. He dropped his head and nodded. "Sorry."

When all of this was over and done with, he was probably going to go a round or two with the Master in how Marnal was made. But for now? Well, that apology just made it worse.

"That's not what I meant. I want to know why. Explain why you feel this way." the Doctor said slowly. Was that do hard the ask for?

"I don't want too," the boy shot back, his good mood completely gone as he clambered up, heading towards his bed with Rose in tow, it was like his dad assumed something was wrong with him.

The Master had just made what the doctor wanted, a normal human boy that loved him. And that was what he was. Problem was, kids weren't half as easy to deal with as humans, Time Lords were much easier. They were barely kids at all.

The Doctor had a sinking feeling that he was dealing with a state of culture shock. He didn't know how to work with a human child and he was learning that. Not alone, anyway.

"Fine. Go to sleep, Marnal. We're leaving early." the Doctor said softly, shutting the door as he stepped out.

It was a culture shock indeed, humans were considerable much more loving, wanting of love, wanting of play and friendship. They weren't as smart, yes, but they had more sense of empathy and love.

Marnal was very aware he was the odd one out, he felt it most days even at this early age and it was only going to get worse. When he woke up the next morning, he didn't bother waking up his dad, he just waited with Rose. It was much easier to wait.

Th Doctor woke early enough and got ready, even making them a lunch to go to pack up. He eyed his son with a soft sigh and shrugged. "hey. Let's go." he murmured.

He didn't see why not. It would let them have some time together. Hopefully. At least in a positive manner.

"Okay," Marnal agreed, offering a smile back. He wasn't still mad or upset, he was just wary. Whenever he said something, it went down badly, even if he meant it as a really good thing.

So he resolved to say as little as possible on this trip to prevent upsetting his father. He just followed him with a smile on his face.

The Doctor led the lad to the car and got the boy settled in before just driving. He had no real destination in mind. And really? They might not reach one. And did that matter?

He just wanted somethig good together. The Doctor could do this at least. Not much else, but he could handle it.

Marnal had brought along a picture book to read, smiling in amusement when the bits and pieces could be popped out. He loved little things like that, human children were easier to amuse it seemed.

He also looked out the window most the way, rather content to watch the outsides flicker by.

The Doctor drove for a few hours, eventually making his way up the mountains and to a ledge overlooking a lake. It was a nice enough place to stop.

"Come on. Let's eat lunch." he said lightly as he got out and started unpacking the food.

Marnal nodded and got out the car, heading around to join his father and take his offer sandwich. He smiled and sat on the floor beside his dad, eating his dinner rather happily.

He always did like their little trips, especially the ones with no destinations. "This is fun."

"Well, we've been driving for six hours now. Do you want to keep going? Or shall we hang around here some and then head back?" he asked lightly.

It helped the urge to run at least. To simply get up and go somewhere at complete random. That was always a good thing to take care of.

"I'd like to keep going if possible," Marnal asked very carefully, smiling slowly and giving his dad a look that clearly said he wanted to travel too, to run aaway a bit and just have a good time.

Marnal took after his father in one way, he really wanted to run most of the time too. The difference was that he was too young to simply up and run alone.

The Doctor sighed softly and nodded. "A little longer." he agreed lightly. Only another our or two. He already had a long drive back.

"When we get home, it's going to be straight to bed for you though. We have a lot to be doing." he murmured softly.

"It's okay, I'll go right to bed and then tomorrow I'll stay at home if you're busy," Marnal suggested and he didn't mind, he got a nice day out with his dad, he got to enjoy the countryside and enjoy some time together.

He could stay at home with a sitter, it wasn't the end of the world. "I don't want to hold you up."

"Actually, you're vomit with. It's a school thing. You get to actuall start going come fall and I need to see about getting you enrolled in a particular one." he murmured softly.

It wouldn't be too difficult. Hopefully. The Doctor didn't see Marnal enjoying a full school day experience come the new school year.

"Why can't I go to school at home like Koschei does?" Marnal asked with a curious expression but he never did like school. It wasn't that he didn't people, it was that people didn't like him.

He had no idea why but none of them had ever liked him and it hurt. Even the teachers spoke down to him. "School is awful."

(Sorry for being absent. I'm at my parents' house and their wifi hates my iPod. I'm getting m laptop today.)

"Because you need the social life and social skills. You might make a friend at this school." the Doctor offered softly.

Yes, that was the point in this. To send Marnal to a school of oddballs instead of the current arrangement in hope that the lad would fair a bit better.

(No worries, I've only just got a new laptop cause mine broke so I'm just transferring stuff all the time.)

"They don't like me though! I always try, everyone says making friends is easy but it's not," Marnal insisted and it wasn't fair, he did want friends but two years of trying got him nowhere.

He was just labelled a freak and ignored. "It's cause I'm weird, I don't belong here."

"You're right. You are weird. That's why I'm sending you to a different school." the Doctor said simply.

The lad would be better off. He was sure of that. "Relax. Just work with me here." he murmured.

Reaffirming a childs worries that they're weird was not usually in the parenting handbook but Marnal was used to it, he didn't even question it. He was weird, he had to go to some stupid special school.

It was all very horrible. "Everything is a bit silly to me. People are mean and I can't work out why, everyone says horrible things and does them, they think being smart makes them better. I don't get it. It makes me weird, right? Cause I don't understand?"

"No. It makes you weird that you're better than them." the Doctor insisted softly. And that was honestly the case. Marnal actually cared and that was a hard trait to come by.

"You're fine. Trust me. I use to be in the same sort of situation that you are." the Doctor informed softly.

"I don't really belong," Marnal confessed and he didn't, he was very aware of how little he fit in and how much he didn't suit this place. He really did just want to be alone most of the time.

It was easier than dealing with the struggle of making a friend, something that was proving hard. "I'm glad I have you around."

The Doctor sighed softly and nodded. "I know what you mean. I'm happy to have you around as well, but you're still going to school." he asserted.

"I don't want you to be so withdrawn from people. It will get better." he assured. And he honestly believed that.