Over the next week or so, the Doctor did in fact keep his word not to drag them out in the morning again. They also managed not to run into any significant danger in that time. The Doctor took them to a museum in the future and ran around the entire time like a maniac pointing out errors and events he'd had a personal hand in. Lana was fascinated. Annie was bored to tears.
He took them to an alien marketplace that specialized in futuristic gadgets, or as the Doctor explained, actually contemporary for the time zone they landed in. Annie was fascinated. Lana was bored to tears.
He took them to an alien spa where they were given foot baths by a slug-like creature that apparently specialized in the art. Lana and Annie both agreed that, while admittedly a bit weird, it was the most relaxed they had ever felt.
The day after the spa trip, Lana and Annie came into the console room to see what was on the agenda for the day. "I thought I'd take you for a quick look at prehistoric Earth. We can't stay long…the local wildlife tends to get a bit cross. But always worth a peek."
"What in the hell is that thing on your head?" asked Annie.
"What this?" he asked with a dismissive motion at his hat as he flipped levers and entered coordinates. "It's a fez. Sometimes I wear a fez. Fezzes are cool."
"Cool?" said Lana skeptically. "I think you and I have different definitions of that word."
When the TARDIS landed, the three of them exited to look across the prehistoric landscape. They could see a couple of brontosauruses feeding off in the distance. "Wow," Lana and Annie breathed in unison.
"Yes, it really is something, isn't it?" said the Doctor as he clapped a hand on each of their shoulders and bounced on his heels. "Early days of your planet. In a few thousand years, an asteroid will mean the end of these creatures, paving the way for mammals, and eventually…humanity. But right here, right now this planet is theirs."
"And you can see it whenever you want," said Lana wistfully. "I bet you know everything there is to know about them."
"And you don't just know, you experience it," added Annie transfixed.
"Everywhere we've been and everywhere we're going," said Lana.
"It's just amazing," said Annie.
"Yes, well…" the Doctor started to speak, but was cut off when suddenly a pterodactyl swooped down and grabbed the fez off his head, and flew off again.
The pterodactyl was gone as quickly as it had appeared. Lana and Annie had dissolved into peals of laughter. "It looks like no one likes that stupid hat," Annie giggled.
"Except maybe you of course," added Lana through the laughs.
"Well I can buy a new fez," said the Doctor. He turned back toward the TARDIS. "Are you coming?" he said impatiently. "I told you we can't stay long."
"Yeah, we'll be in. Just give us a minute," said Lana.
"Well be quick about it," said the Doctor as he disappeared inside.
"Lay off it, you bow tie wearing buffoon!" Annie called after him, without looking away from the scene.
Lana and Annie now stood alone gazing across their planet's past.
"I don't want to go home," said Lana as she looked upon the scene.
"Me neither," answered Annie wistfully as she too was mesmerized by the landscape before her.
"You know what that means don't you?" said Lana with a sidelong glance at her sister.
"We have to go home," grumbled Annie with a deep, weary sigh.
Lana let out her own resigned sigh to match. "Yep," she said. "Let's go tell him." The two of them turned back to the TARDIS, leaving the magnificent scene behind them.
"Doctor, we want to keep traveling with you," Lana announced when they were back inside.
"That's the idea," said the Doctor absently as he worked the controls. "Had no plans on stopping."
"Well if we're going to do that, then we need to let our mother know we're ok," said Annie.
"I fixed your phones," said the Doctor. "Give your mum a ring if you like. I don't mind."
"No, we need to go in person," said Lana. "Just trust us on this."
"You want me to take you home," said the Doctor, suddenly understanding.
"Yes," said Annie.
"Just for a quick stop," said Lana in the next breath.
"We'll be in and out," Annie assured quickly.
"Then off to planets and history and whatever else you'd like to show us," Lana finished.
"Of course, easy," said the Doctor. "You can take me home to meet your mum. Should be fun. I can buy a new fez while we're stopped."
They directed the Doctor to materialize the TARDIS in the backyard of Lana's house. "When we get there, let us do the talking," Lana said nervously. "It's best if she doesn't know…everything."
"You're going to lie," said the Doctor. "Yes, that's probably best."
"No, I'm going to tell her as much of the truth as she should know," said Lana irritably.
"Can I drive?" asked Annie eagerly.
"No," said Lana, rolling her eyes at her sister. "Blue is my car and I drive her."
"But this car is white," said the Doctor as they all got in.
"Yes, but her name is Blue," said Lana.
"Well that's a stupid name for a white car," said the Doctor bluntly.
"Well the Doctor's a stupid name for a time traveling alien," said Annie just as bluntly.
"Don't you listen to the mean alien man," said Lana as she lovingly patted the dashboard and resolutely ignored the Doctor. She started up the car and some Top 40 dance beat started playing over the radio.
Annie rolled her eyes at the choice of music. "Hey Lana, do you have any glow sticks in your bag? I need them to hang myself with."
"My car, my music," Lana said. "You know that."
They started off down the road at a considerable speed. "What's your hurry?" the Doctor exclaimed, bracing himself. "Don't they have speed limits around here?"
"I like to think of them more as speed suggestions," said Lana calmly as she careened the car around a corner.
"I don't know what your problem is," said Annie irritably. "This isn't that different than when you fly the TARDIS."
"This is completely different," argued the Doctor. "I'm maneuvering a complicated machine through the time vortex and you're just driving down a road. Don't you follow any rules? That was a stop sign! I realize you're American, but that's no excuse to drive like we're in a drag race."
"I slowed down," Lana defended herself. "And I've got no problem with rules that make sense. Speed limits only make sense to me as suggestions."
"Yes, well I'd rather like to meet your mum while still in one piece," said the Doctor. "I happen to like this personality, I'll have you know. You're liable to give someone a heart attack driving at these speeds. It's just lucky for you I have a spare."
"Oh, relax, you bow-tie wearing buffoon," chided Annie. "Lana's a good driver. You'll be fine."
When they arrived to the simple suburban home, the Doctor got out of the car and in a dramatic flourish, dropped down to his knees and kissed the gravel driveway. "We made it! I'm alive!"
Annie gave him a light kick in his ribs. "Quit being such a baby!"
"Right, of course," said the Doctor, jumping back up again in one swift motion. "Meeting the mum. Need to make a good impression," he said as he checked his reflection in the car window, straightening his bow tie. "Not like last time…or the time before that…or that other time. Actually, forget all those times. Brand new me! Geronimo!"
"Ma, we're back!" Annie called out as they entered the house through the front door.
Bonnie came into the room wearing a lavender sweater. Lana and Annie both greeted her with a hug, Bonnie's blonde wavy hair a contrast to both of their darker shade. Then her eyes fell upon the Doctor. "So who's this then?" she asked curiously.
The Doctor stepped forward with a big friendly grin on his face. "Hello, you must be Mrs. Anderson, so lovely to meet you." He leaned in giving air kisses at each cheek. "I'm the Doctor, by the way. I've heard all about you."
"Call me Bonnie," she said looking enamored. "So Lana, you've gone and found yourself a doctor then. It's about time you found yourself a man," she said throwing her a sly wink.
"No, no he's just a friend," Lana quickly and firmly insisted, horrified at what her mother was suggesting.
"Well are you here with Annie then?" said Bonnie suddenly concerned as she turned toward her other daughter. "Sweetheart, I know you must be upset, but this is much too soon."
"Yeah, Ma, you're right, it is too soon," said Annie frustrated. "Which is why he's just a friend…a friend to both of us. Seriously, Ma, you think I'd go for him? He wears bow ties."
"Bow ties are cool," said the Doctor defensively as he straightened it.
"Shut up," said Annie.
"Now, Annie, you don't need to be so rude," Bonnie scolded, then turned her most hospitable smile to the Doctor. "So you're British, you must like tea right?"
"Oh, I'd love a nice cuppa," said the Doctor cheerfully. "You don't have any Jammy Dodgers do you?"
"I'll see what I can do," she said with a smile. "Girls, come help me in the kitchen."
Lana and Annie obediently went to help their mother, leaving the Doctor in the living room alone.
"Well Lana, I realize you're probably just being picky then," said Bonnie, as soon as they were in the kitchen. "A nice handsome man, a doctor, nice to your mother…could do worse."
"Why is this always the first place you go to when we come around with a new friend?" asked Lana.
"I just think it'd be nice if you found someone, sweetheart," said Bonnie.
"Like we said, he's just a friend," Lana said sternly.
"Actually," the Doctor interjected, poking his head in, "your daughters are both quite lovely, but I assure you I have no interest in them beyond friendship. As it turns out, I'm a married man." Just as quickly as he had popped in, he popped right back out again.
"Did you hear that, Ma? He's married," said Annie, seizing on the Doctor's statement.
"Well I don't understand," said Bonnie, confused. "If neither of you are bringing home a new boyfriend, then what is he doing here?"
"Well if you weren't busy jumping to conclusions, we would've told you," said Lana.
"The Doctor here is our new friend we met on vacation," said Annie in a soothing voice.
"And we've decided to go traveling with him for a little while," added Lana, keeping up the calming demeanor.
"Traveling where?" asked Bonnie suspiciously.
"Wherever we end up," said Annie. "We haven't really got a plan in mind."
"Well," said Bonnie, seeming to accept the explanation, "how was Scotland then? Lana, did you find a nice man in a kilt like I told you?"
Lana rolled her eyes at her mother. "Actually I had to run away from a few of them."
"Run away?" said Bonnie confused. "Why on Earth would you do that?"
"Somehow I don't think they were after my sparkling personality," said Lana dryly.
"Really, Lana, you shouldn't be so picky," scolded Bonnie. "It's time you settled down with a nice man and had some children. I'd like to be a grandmother before I die, you know."
"Yes, Ma, I know," said Lana annoyed. "You don't let me forget."
"Really, what was wrong with your last boyfriend? Ricky?" asked Bonnie.
"I told you already, he was clingy," said Lana.
"Well what about Paul?" she continued.
"Unemployed," said Lana curtly.
"Calvin?"
"Felon."
"Enrique?"
"Turned out to be gay."
"And you and Daniel were so good together," added Bonnie.
"Ma, we are not talking about Daniel, do you understand?" said Lana, a dangerous tone creeping into her voice.
"Ok, fine, have it your way," said Bonnie, frustrated. "Now Annie…"
Annie cringed now the attention was turned on her. "Yes Ma?" she said with a false strained sweetness to her voice.
"I need to talk to you about Max," said Bonnie sternly.
"I don't want to talk about Max. Under no circumstances do I want to talk about Max right now," said Annie clenching her teeth.
"But did you have to punch him?" said Bonnie. "I know you were upset, but he's pressing charges. And now I'm certain there's no chance you two will be able to work things out."
"Work things out!?" Annie burst out. "There was never going to be any working things out after that! And I don't care that he's pressing charges. I'll pay a fine or something, so what?"
"Annie, this is serious, I need you to take this seriously," scolded Bonnie.
"I need a cigarette," said Annie, storming out the back door.
"Me, too," added Lana, following behind her sister.
"You don't smoke," Bonnie called after her.
"I know," she answered just before shutting the door.
The Doctor looked around the living room while the three women were talking in the kitchen. They probably thought they were being discreet, but he could hear every word of course. Not their fault, they didn't take into account his superior time lord senses. He did his best to ignore it. He always was a bit uncomfortable around this particular aspect of humanity. Domestic squabbles…he could find the most brilliant humans there ever were to travel with and they were always still so…human.
The room was decorated with family photos and memorabilia, old piano trophies, crafts created and lovingly given as gifts over Christmases, Easters, and Mother's Days, preserved as artifacts of childhood. The Doctor picked up an historical romance from the coffee table and leafed through it. "Well that ended on a bit of a cliffhanger," he muttered to himself. He tapped on the glass of a large aquarium. "Hello," he said to the fish. "Oh, they're always like this?" He heard the back door slam as Lana and Annie stormed out. "That's a yes."
Bonnie let out a deep weary sigh as she looked out the back window to see her daughters disappearing into the tree house. She returned to the living room offering the Doctor a hot cup of tea. "Doctor…I'm sorry I don't think I caught your full name?"
"Just the Doctor," he said.
"Yes, well Doctor," she continued. "I realize that this is the part where I should give you some stern warning about keeping my girls safe or looking after them or interrogating you about just where the hell you come from or telling you to stay away from them or some other protective motherly thing. But if you've known them for even five minutes, then I think you know as well as I do that it won't matter what I say or what you do. If they've decided to go with you, then that's what they'll do. You can try to take care of them if you like, but they'll just take care of each other. And they'll leave their poor old mother behind."
"They have their mobiles," said the Doctor pointedly. "You can talk to them whenever you like."
"They don't want me bothering them," said Bonnie with a resigned sigh and just a hint of motherly guilt. "The only reason I call at all is so they don't slip away entirely."
The Doctor was looking at the family photos on the mantel as he sipped his tea. He noticed a picture of Lana and Annie together with a teenage boy. He was slim and just slightly taller than Annie with dirty blonde hair the same shade as Bonnie's in a mess upon his head. "Who's this?" he asked Bonnie curiously.
"Oh, that's…that's their brother Adam," said Bonnie, her voice faltering slightly.
"Oh, they didn't tell me they had a brother," said the Doctor cheerfully.
"Well, they wouldn't have," said Bonnie hesitantly. "They don't usually talk about him. He died in a car accident a few years ago."
"Oh," said the Doctor, mentally storing away that bit of information. "I'm very sorry."
"Well, Lana and Annie were always close;" said Bonnie sadly, "but that accident took something from them. They cling to each other to hold on to what they lost. But that doesn't leave anything left for me, now that their father's no longer with us…"
The Doctor quietly put a hand on her shoulder, a small comfort while she was lost in contemplation. "Oh, listen to me jabbering on," she said suddenly snapping out of it. She took another glance to the backyard toward the tree house. "It looks like those two are still cooling down. Oh," she added as she glanced toward the next yard over, "it looks like the neighbor's got a new statue."
"Oh that's lovely," said the Doctor coming up beside Bonnie to see. His face fell when he saw the statue, an angel with its hands over its face as if crying. "Er, maybe not. Bonnie, stay here…I'll go out and talk to them." He hoped against hope that Bonnie would listen as he rushed out to the backyard.
