Chapter 4 - Meeting the Husband

David Campbell Sr had had a good day at work. The monthly reconstruction report had indicated that work was progressing faster than predicted, and he had managed to get several important pieces of legislation passed in the Lower House. He was now walking home, looking forward to spending the evening with his wife and three children.

"Hi honey, I'm home," he said as he stepped over the threshold of his house. Susan walked in from the lounge room and gave him a quick kiss.

"Someone's here," she said excitedly, and it was all she could do to stop herself from dragging her husband into the lounge room.

"Who?" asked David, hanging up his coat.

"Someone you haven't seen for twenty years."

Puzzled, David walked into the lounge room to see Barbara, Ian and David Jr laughing at a young man wearing a bow tie.

"So I said to her, 'Susan, daddy's going to regenerate soon, so you might want to say goodbye to him.' Oh, you should've seen her face! She went running around the house, screaming at the top of her voice. Then her dad picked her up and asked her why she was crying. Susan just clung to him and told him not to regenerate! Her dad laughed and said 'I think granddad is having a joke, don't you sweety?' My word, I was in Susan's bad books for at least a year after that!" said the man, clearly relishing all the attention he was getting.

Barbara glanced over at her mother and grinned "Geez mum, I didn't know you were so gullible!"

Susan smiled. "That happened when I was about 5. And grandfather still hasn't left my bad books completely!"

The man looked at his shoes, clearly embarrassed.

David was trying to understand what was going on. "Hang on a minute. Who's he?" he asked pointing at the man, who promptly leapt to his feet.

"David, it's been to long!" he said, giving David air kisses on both cheeks, then shaking him firmly on the hand. "I was just telling the kids some stories about Susan's childhood on Gallifrey. You don't recognise me? No, I suppose not. Anyway, you last saw me when I said goodbye to you after defeating the Dalek Invasion. I'm the Doctor; your wife's grandfather.

"Grandfather?" asked David, looking at Susan for support. "As far as I know, Susan's only got one grandfather, and he was an old bloke who really adored her."

Susan took her husband's hand. "David, that's really him. Remember I told you that I'm a Time Lord? Well, we change our appearances every now and then. That's what the Doctor has done, haven't you, grandfather."

"Yep, ten times since the Dalek Invasion. Mind you, it's hard updating those library cards; new membership every time, the management just doesn't allow for face-changing humanoids."

David was not convinced. "How do I know you're telling the truth?"

"Ok, fine, good question. The last thing I said the two of you was 'Look after her, David, my boy. Be kind, work hard both of you and you'll find that life on Earth can be an adventure too."

David took a step back, shocked. "It is you, it really is!"

The Doctor grinned. "I know!"