(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

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[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."

[dumbassbastards]

"Hey, princess," says Rollie, pulling a shoe out of the pile for a moment because it looks like it's about his size, but it's got teethmarks in it so he puts it back. "You need a wand to go with that. Or a scepter or something. Unless you're a fairy princess."

[goingtodorking]

"I don't know what I want to be," says Karen, stirring her hands through the pile of dresses. "I wanted to be grown-up, but these are just so pretty, aren't they? hey're all so pretty."

[dumbassbastards]

"You've got the rest of your life to be grown up," says Rollie, rummaging around in the box for some kind of matching outfit or accessory or something. "You don't want to be in any kind of hurry. Being a kid is way more fun."

[goingtodorking]

"But I'm nine," says Karen. She combs her fingers over her hair and studies him for a moment. "Isn't that time to grow up a bit? When do I get to start wearing high heels?"

[callofkaren]

Considering Utica's previous taste for Nick's clothing, Karen wasn't at all surprised that she went straight to Shorhor's side, trying to see what the little horse was eating and if there was any left for her.

Karen simply rolled her eyes and headed to the clothes box, hoping there'd be some last minute costume idea in there for her and Nick. "Hey, this is great," she said, picking a very fluffy, very purple princess dress out of the box. "I think I had one like this for Halloween when I was your age, Karen."

[goingtodorking]

Karen studies it for a moment, both eyebrows raised. She tilts her head for a moment.

"It's...very nice, Karen," she says, politely. "But I think I like the green one better."

[callofkaren]

Well, little Karen had more taste than she'd had at her age, and she counted that a good thing. "The green one does seem better," she agreed, tossing the dress back into the box. "Are you doing a princess costume?"

[goingtodorking]

"I think so," says Karen, trying not to sound too disappointed. "And I found this green one, but I don't know what film it's from, so maybe i ought to find that out, first. Do you think it matters if I don't know which princess I am?"

[other_valentine]

Hester didn't mean to stare at the young girl as she put on the strange, frivolous dress. Hester had hated motherhood, knew herself to be a terrible mother, and did not understand how children could be so childish.

But the girl playing with the dress, so content, woke up memories in her that went beyond Wren. It brought her back to Dunroamin, though she wasn't ready to go back there.

Aware that she was staring, she adjusted her scarf and sunglasses, made to step around the girl and rummage through the clothes box. "Excuse me," she said, gruffly.

[goingtodorking]

Still stirring her fingers through the dresses at her side, Karen barely glances up at the woman, shuffling to one side on her bum.

[other_valentine]

The child didn't ask any questions and got out of her way. Hester appreciated that. So, she smiled to herself as she rummaged through the clothes box and pulled out...

"You have got to be kidding me," she said, before she could stop herself.

It was a tiara. A glittering, silver tiara. She really, really wanted a clean bra, but no, the clothes box had seen fit to give her a tiara. And it was her size.

"You have got to be kidding me," she said again.

[goingtodorking]

Humming to herself, Karen, combs through the pile of clothes beside her. If she's going to be a princess, she's going to be a really pretty one. And she's going to need all the right things.

[giftless]

Edmund hated doing laundry, but between the two of them, he and Charlie generated a lot of dirty clothes and he couldn’t shirk the duty forever. But it was so boring. He hated feeling chained to the machines, waiting for them to tell him what to do next. He had a paperback book stuffed into the pocket of his trousers, but he glanced through the doorway to see Karen sitting at the clothes box and decided she would be more entertaining.

“Oh, your majesty.” Edmund stopped in the doorway and gave Karen a quick but proper bow. “Forgive me for intruding.”

[goingtodorking]

As usual, Karen can find a smile for Edmund when she wouldn't both for almost anyone else. And Edmund was a King, once, she he has to know what a real princess should look like. She grins at him, doing a little bit of preening.

"Do you think I'd make a good Princess?"

[giftless]

His smile only grew brighter as he moved to join her at the side of the box. She was of an age now that she reminded Edmund of Lucy during their early days of Narnia. They weren't the same, of course. No one could ever replace his sister in Edmund's heart. But Karen had her own place alongside that spot.

"I think you'd make an excellent princess," he said, sitting down. "And I know princesses."

[goingtodorking]

"How many Princesses do you know?" asks Karen, rummaging through the pile of dresses, looking for the one that had reminded her of a Narnian one earlier. "Are they all very...um...beautiful and grown-up?"