(Untitled)

[goingtodorking]

Karen has no idea what to be for Halloween. She's sitting cross-legged in front of the clothes box, surrounded by piles of Disney Princess costumes and fairy-wings. But she doesn't want to be a Disney Princess or a fairy. Those things are fine when you're a little girl, but Karen's nine, now. She wants to feel more grown-up. Sometimes, she

Comments

[sortofaman]

The Doctor was looking for a costume for Nate, because Nate was old enough now that he could insist on being a doctor for Halloween. He reckoned they should have suspected it as a possibility, considering his adoptive parents' professions (and, well, name), and considering his natural interest in caring for people a little too much.

It was fortunate that the clothes bin was eventually obliging today with a wee white coat, classic doctor bag, and plastic stethoscope. The look of sheer woe that would come across Nate's face if denied this was not something the Doctor relished.

He'd waved to Karen on the way in, trying not to laugh at her pony chewing on the skirt, but he was surprised that she was still there after all this time. "You look very nice in that, Karen," he said, because she did. "Green's a good colour for you."

[goingtodorking]

"I don't know," says Karen, wistfully. "I'm trying to decide."

She stirs her fingers over the fabric of the skirt again and sighs a little. "I wanted to be something more grown-up," she explains. "But this is just so pretty, isn't it? I don't know what film it's from. Maybe I should find out first."

[sortofaman]

"If you want to wear something pretty, and you choose to, I don't think there's anything not grown up about that." The Doctor squinted at her, appraising the dress because it did look quite familiar, but he couldn't exactly place it. It was going to irritate him for a while until he figured it out.

"I think part of the fun thing about Halloween costumes is that you don't have to be grown up about it."

[goingtodorking]

"Yes, but I'm nine," says Karen, brushing her hair back over one shoulder. "I ought to be growing up by now, shouldn't I? I ought to be taller."

[sortofaman]

"You're taller than you were," noted the Doctor with a cock of his head. "If I'm going to be perfectly honest, Karen, the problem is that you never feel as grown up as everyone thinks you are. Even when you're very old like myself."

[goingtodorking]

"But I want to feel grown up," complains Karen, huffing her way through the pile of skirts. "Everyone still treats me like I'm a little, tiny child and I'm not anymore. I know things! I've been here for almost as long as I was in London!"

[sortofaman]

The Doctor was musing still about the green dress. Susan Pevensie in Narnia, perhaps? He hadn't seen that film in ages, and now knowing Edmund as he did, it was a bit awkward.

"I know you know things," he said. "And I'm sorry that people are being pains about it. Getting older's never easy, the people who care about you are always worried about younger people making mistakes--that's because they made mistakes and those hurt. But what they don't remember is that everyone needs to do things in order to grow up."

He wondered if there was a wee bow about. Being a queen of Narnia would both be pretty and...well, badass, though he wasn't going to use that word with Karen. "Is that a Narnia dress?" he asked. "Or am I going mad?"

[goingtodorking]

"It could be a Narnia dress," says Karen, brushing her fingers over the embroidery. She bites her lip for a moment. "Do you think Edmund would mind if I dressed up like I was from Narnia?"

[sortofaman]

"I don't know," the Doctor said, thoughtfully. "If you were doing it nicely, I don't think it would be bad. After all, his sisters are very fierce but also queens. You would have to ask him."

[goingtodorking]

"I should ask him," she says. "I don't have either of my brothers here, but, sometimes, he feels like one. He's very kind to me."

[sortofaman]

"We should all be lucky to have someone like that," the Doctor said, and while it was cliched, it was utterly true. "And Edmund is a good person, most definitely. I would ask him if he minded. Though if he said no, there may be other people you could be who are both pretty and strong, you know, Karen."

[goingtodorking]

"I know that," says Karen, wistfully. "I just want to be more grown-up. I want to wear high-heels and have smooth hair and for...for...men to hold doors open for me!"

[sortofaman]

The Doctor, fortunately, managed to contain his scepticism at Karen's idea of the benefits of being grown up. He cocked his head, no matter the inward wince, and said, "Well, people should open doors for you anyway, as that's just good manners."

[goingtodorking]

"Sometimes, people don't even notice that I'm there." Karen digs through the pile of dresses two handed. "I'm not very tall."

[sortofaman]

"That," said the Doctor, "is the point when you need to make yourself known to them. First rule in being grown up, I think, at least for me--be special in a good way."