//------------------------------// // The Turners // Story: Almost Normal // by February Write Off //------------------------------// This is the second story in "The Doctor's Family" The first one is "A Transdimensional Family Trip" Anyway, This is set about… two months after the end of the first story. ********************************************** Almost Normal Chapter 1: The Turners Brigadier Bertram Crichton Haines, RAF walked toward the office of his Scientific Advisors. The sign on the door read "Doctors John Turner and Randall Graves, Scientific Advisors." Even after two months, he still couldn't seem to get used to that. Their office was significantly larger than it once was, now having two occupants, and their assistants. Melody Coleman and Diane Turner, two women from another dimension, were these assistants. Brigadier Haines still had trouble believing that Cole and Ditzy (as they insisted on being called) were as intelligent as they were. It was his own fault, really. It's just that their respective fascinations with toothpaste and muffins, (not to mention Ditzy's happy-go-lucky attitude) they just didn't seem as intelligent as they were. "Well, Cole, It's actually rather simple, and don't you roll your eyes at me!" began Dr. Graves, a well-dressed young-looking man with dark hair and green eyes. Dr. Turner, a rather athletic-looking man in a blue shirt and black vest, was the first to notice the Major's presence. "Oh, shut up, Rags, the Brigadier's here!" said the vested scientist to his counterpart, before turning to face their employer, "Hello, Brigadier! What do you need from us today? Cure for cancer, the Earth under attack from an alien race, analysis of a crime scene and/or wormhole, what?" The Major chuckled at Turner's question, though it seemed that he was the only one who knew why. "Actually, Turner, I need you and Ditzy to do something very important: go home," said Major Gen. Haines, with as straight a face as he could muster. The Doctors (and their assistants) looked at him quizzically, not understanding his statement. Rags was the first to speak. "Brigadier, I'm not sure what you mean. We're doing our best, and I doubt that you'd fire us, so I just don't know why you'd ask us to go home so soon." Unable to contain himself any longer, Brigadier Haines burst out in laughter. The group of scientists (and a dentist) were befuddled by the seemingly inexplicable laughter on the part of their employer. The Brigadier noticed their befuddlement, and regained his composure. "Well, Turner, as I recall you specifically requested today off," began the Major, "Something about an anniversary?" At this, both Turner and Ditzy felt blank looks creep across their faces. The couple then turned to each other, gasped, and simultaneously exclaimed, "Of course!" Then Turner rushed to the corner of the office, took his overcoat off of the coatrack, and bid farewell to Rags. "Ta for now, Rags!" he said, before turning to his wife, "Come along, dear, there's marital bliss to be had!" Wow, thought Ditzy, That was a dramatic thing to say, even for him. I like it. As she was thinking this, Ditzy was in the process of putting her own grey coat on. *** Lucy Turner had only moved to London two months ago, but she already had the highest grade in her class. That was very odd, considering that it was December. Raymond Logan, her science teacher, was amazed at how simple AP Physics was to her, but he really shouldn't be. After all, both of her parents worked in UNIT's Science Division. No, that was a lie; teenagers shouldn't be that good at Physics. "Miss Turner, would you care to pay attention?" asked Raymond, "I know that this isn't the most exciting of classes, but please try." Lucy laughed at this, as did a fees of her classmates. "Mr. Logan, I don't think you understand," began Lucy, "I chose this class for an easy grade. You see, I've been qualified for a doctorate since I was twelve. By the way, I've noticed inaccuracies in your lessons." Being a rational man, Raymond assumed that she was mocking him. At that thought, he got furious. Most of the class thought that it was hilarious to see their teacher getting so bothered, and broke out in laughter. This only got him more angry, which wasn't good for Lucy. "Listen here, missy," began the enraged educator, "I don't care who your parents are, nobody disrupts my class like that. To the headmaster's office with you!" Lucy, realizing that he hadn't believed her, got worried. "But Sir, I was only trying to-" she began, before being cut off by a still-furious Raymond. "Don't give me your excuses, just go to the Headmaster's office!" Lucy sighed before dropping her head, grabbing her things, and leaving the room. She knew very well that the worst part of her day was yet to come. *** Ditzy stared deep into her husband's blue eyes. Today was all about the two of them (The Doctor and Ditzy, not Turner's eyes). Yes, it would be a day of great-- OF ALL THE TIMES TO GET A PHONE CALL!! Well, this romantic moment was clearly ruined. Ditzy pulled out her cell phone (yes, she has a cell phone, shut up and focus on the story!), and pressed the "answer" button. "Mrs. Turner?" came the voice at the other end. "Actually, it's Doctor Turner, but yes, I am she," replied Ditzy, irritated at the interruption. "I'm calling about your daughter, Lucy," began the woman on the other end, "it would seem that she disrupted her Physics class, and--" "Let me guess, she needs to be picked up?" "Well, yes, but--" "No worries, I'm off anyway," said Ditzy. "You have a nice day." "Well tha--" click Turner was puzzled by his wife's anger, since he hadn't heard the conversation, but decided it best that he not ask about it. "Sorry for the interruption, Muffin, but Sparkler got into trouble at school, and we need to pick her up." The Doctor wasn't too surprised that his eldest daughter had gotten into trouble, but he was angry. She had gotten into trouble, knowing that it was their anniversary. If you think that you wouldn't be upset in his situation, you're lying to yourself. Now, scene change, ho! *** Sparkler was terrified. The wait in the headmaster's office had been scary, and the ride home was even worse. Her mother had always been the calmer of her parents, but it seemed that the roles were reversed today, and with good reason. This had been Ditzy's bit of normality, her moment of sacred familiarity, and it had been intruded upon. She had bottled up her negative emotions, not even aware of their presence. When she got that call, they began to release. Being sent into another universe, having to adjust to being a new species, and gaining new family members had all been okay, so long as she had her Doctor. When her most intimate moment with him was interrupted… she lost it. For once, Turner had to be the mature one. He wasn't good at that, never had been. The best he could normally do to calm anyone down was offer them a Jelly Baby (or tell them to shut up), and Ditzy's fury was beyond justified. He just didn't know what to do. Huh, that's a new feeling, he thought, Not used to being the mature one. Well, not as this me, anyway. He then decided to use his go-to solution for such problems. If it didn't work, he'd be relatively stumped. "Ditzy--" "I do not want a Jelly Baby." "Alright, dear," said Turner, slumping back into his chair, defeated. Ditzy's angry gaze refocused on her daughter. Few had ever witnessed such unbridled (ha) rage from Ditzy, and none that had ever wanted to again. For the sake of your sanity, I shall refrain from going into detail about the enraged rant dished out by the wall-eyed blonde. Rather, here's a quote from Tom Baker, the legendary Fourth Doctor: *** "Playing Doctor Who came as a great surprise to me. I had no idea that I would enjoy it so much. All that was required of me was to be able to speak complete gobbledygook with conviction." - Tom Baker *** Well, I'm so glad that I didn't type up what DItzy said. Reality wasn't built to withstand that many caps, enboldments, and exclamation marks. Anyway, as Sparkler cowered in the fetal position (still in a state of shock and terror over her mother's verbal typhoon), Ditzy was crying in her husband's arms. Yes, she was crying. She had released all of her pent-up emotion during the aforementioned typhoon, and was so appalled at her break in character that she was weeping shamelessly. TO BE -- What do you mean, "I forgot about Dinky?" She's still in school. Unlike someone, she was actually good. Happy? Good. Now where was I? Oh, right. The thingamajig. TO BE CONTINUED IN CHAPTER 2: SHRINKY DINK [A/N]- Well, what do you think? It's a bit wackier than Trip, but I think that I managed to pull it off. 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