Chapter Two; The First Day of School

Jane couldn't wait to get home that afternoon to show her aunt and uncle how grownup she looked now that she had pretty pink stubs inside her ears. She raced into her bedroom to examine them inside the mirror when suddenly Peter got home from school.

"Hullo son, how was your first day back?" I asked him but from the look on his face I could tell that it didn't go well.

"Terrible." He began. "I've got so much homework to do because this kid kept asking me questions when I was in study hall and I couldn't get any of it done. Then besides that we've got a new basketball coach and she's the prettiest girl in our school." He said.

"So? What's wrong with that?" I asked him.

"Because she picks the team members on how cute she thinks they are and because of that I didn't make the team." He told me.

"Well that doesn't seem fair." I said.

"I know, that's because it isn't. Then on top of everything else Maggie and I aren't even in the same classes anymore." He said as he heaved a heavy sad sigh.

"Gee, I'm sorry son." I told him.

"Forget it Dad, there's nothing that you can do. Except maybe have us move to Gallifrey." He said as he slunk back into his bedroom. I felt bad for him but if he really knew and understood what a time lord's life was really like then he'd realize that things could be a lot worse.

A few hours later Nathan and Cassie came through the door. I just secretly hoped and prayed that their day had been. "Hey, you're back." I began as I greeted them with a grin. "How was school?"

"It was great!" Cassie exclaimed excitedly. "I met a new friend named Monica, she can't hear though but we still had a great time at lunch and recess anyway." She began. "This year our teacher said that we're going to be learning how to add and subtract two and three digit numbers and we're even going to learn how to multiply!" she cried.

"That's great munchkin, do you have any homework?" I asked her.

"Yeah we have a little bit. For English we have to write a report on what we did this summer and then for science we have to come up with an idea for an invention. The winner will be able to participate in the school science fair." She explained.

"Well that should be easy for you, you're a little miss scientist." I told her.

"Yeah but so far I don't have any ideas." She told me.

"Well don't worry, I'm sure you'll come up with something. When's it due?" I asked her.

"Next Friday." She replied.

"Well that's perfect that should give you plenty of time. Do you want a snack before you get started on your homework?" I asked her.

"Yes please!" she exclaimed as I grinned down at her.

"Very well then how about I make your favorite, fish sticks dipped in custard." I suggested.

"Daddy that's your favorite snack." She told me.

"Alright then how about green apples and peanut butter?" I questioned.

"Sounds great!" she cried as I gave a little chuckle before I went into kitchen. Cassie ran down the hall and into her bedroom where Jane was sitting at her desk by her laptop.

"Hey." Cassie began as she swung her backpack over her shoulder and onto her bed. Although Jane simply just ignored her so she decided to see what she was looking at on the computer. "Eww! What are all those little bugs?" she asked her.

"They're creepy crawlers." She told her.

"What!?"

"Creepy crawlers, something that was around back when Mum was a kid. They're selling some of them on Ebay." She explained.

"And why on earth or on the planet Gallifrey would you ever want anything like those inside the house?" Cassie wondered with a look of disguist.

"Because Nathan's birthday is coming up and he wanted some of them."

"Eww!" Cassie cried again. "Boys are strange." She said.

"Cassie! Your snacks ready!" I called from the kitchen.

"Alright, I'm coming!" she cried as she quickly rushed back out of the room and sat down at the table next to Nathan who was already enjoying his snack. She dipped one of her apple slices into the bowl of peanut butter and took a bite. "Ouch!" she cried as she rested her hand on the side of her cheek and spat out a tooth inside the palm of her hand along with a tiny trail of blood.

"Hey look at that, you lost another baby tooth." I began. "I guess that means that you'll have to put it under your pillow tonight for the tooth fairy to come and collect it." I told her.

"Daddy I'm eight years old now, I'm old enough to know that there's no such thing as the tooth fairy." She said.

"Oh really? How would you know that?" I questioned her.

"I_ I_ I dunno I just do!" she snapped.

"Well then I guess if she doesn't exist then you won't be getting any money tonight." I told her with a sly grin.

"Well, alright, I guess that I could always try,.." she began. "just in case." She added quickly.

"I figured you might change your mind." I told her with a wink and another little chuckle.

The next morning she woke up to find a pound (one dollar) of cash under her pillow. I promised her that I would pick her up from school and take her to the candy store to spend it if she wanted to. That afternoon I waited in front of the school for her to arrive and as she got into the backseat she handed me a piece of paper.

"What's this?" I asked her out of interest.

"It's a permission form, we're going on a fieldtrip tomorrow to the museum." She explained.

"Wow that sounds interesting." I told her.

"Yeah I know, you just need to sign it. I can't wait, maybe I'll get some ideas for my science project there." She told me.

"You never know." I told her before I pulled away from the curb and drove away.