DOWN ON THE FARM

Chapter Five

As they headed for the entrance, the Doctor drew near to his wife.

"Even if Brother doesn't buy this farm, you have to admit this is very educational for the children," he said softly to her. "They get to see how some of their food is made."

"They'll see even more when we bring the cow home," Rain said.

The Doctor gave her a shocked look and rolled his eyes at the mischievous look on her face.

"You're just as bad as the children sometimes, Latara," he said softly as they went outside.

Zara shut the door when everyone was outside. She beckoned to them and they walked around the back to a hover vehicle. The cab had room for one passenger and there was a flatbed in the back for everyone else. Alan got in the front with Zara while everyone else scrambled into the back and sat down. Zara started up the engine and the truck glided smoothly away from the barn.

"So what do you think so far?" Rain said to Rose while they sat in the back of the truck.

Rose sighed.

"I don't have a problem with him running the farm, I have a problem with moving to the other side of the planet," she said. "I like living in our house and I like being close to everyone else. This is...in the middle of nowhere as far as I'm concerned."

"What if he used his TARDIS and commuted here?" the Doctor said.

"I wouldn't mind that, I just don't want to leave our home," Rose said. "The other concern I have is his attention span. I mean...look," she said, gesturing to the expansive farm around them. "Look at all the cows, this is huge. I mean, this is a big commitment. It's not like owning one little chihuahua. This is not something he can just drop and walk away. And of course, he has to choose Gallifrey Dells, the biggest dairy on the planet, which means even more pressure on him."

"You might be surprised," Tara said. "He might turn out to be terrific at this."

"Yes, besides I doubt Zara is gonna let him do this without proper training," the Doctor said to her. "This is her and her husband's farm, I doubt they're gonna entrust it to someone who couldn't run it properly. As for living here, I'll speak to him about that."

He looked at Hope when she tugged on his sleeve.

"I want that cow and that one and that one and that one," she said, randomly pointing to putong in the field as they passed by.

"Or...she could stay here and run the farm since she's growing quite attached to the bovine population here and we could just all go home and leave her," the Doctor said to his family.

"Good, I wouldn't have to go to school anymore," Hope muttered.

"Then again, maybe that's exactly what she wants," the Doctor said while his family laughed.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

The truck stopped in front of an enormous white dairy barn that was situated between two large fields of putong. Everyone got out and the Doctor walked around the truck to Alan.

"Brother, a word?" he said, intercepting him as he was getting out.

"Yeeees?" Alan said.

The Doctor told him about the conversation and Alan sighed wearily and rolled his eyes. He beckoned to his brother to follow him and they walked over to Rose. Alan tapped her on the shoulder.

"Brother has informed me of the conversation that occurred while I was talking to Zara up front," he said to her. "I don't want to move here and I told Zara that. I want to commute as Brother suggested and Zara is okay with that. As for me not being up to the challenge of running this place..."

Rose raised her eyebrow when he stared at her. The Doctor giggled when he mimed picking his nose and flicking the bogey on her.

"So there," he said to her.

"Oh yeah, that fills me with a lot of confidence. Especially the childish nose picking part of your rebuttal," Rose said, rolling her eyes.

"Besides, if I'm in trouble, I'll give Bro here a toodle-loo on the old blower," Alan said, putting his arm around the Doctor.

"No you won't because he has his own life. If you muck this up, he's not gonna be there to pull you out of it. If you do it, it's on your own head."

"'ear that? It's on me own 'ead, it is," Alan said with a thick Cockney accent.

"Well, she's right, I go other places, I can't be here every day managing your dream," the Doctor said. "You want this farm, better be prepared to make a commitment to it."

"Yes, Mum and Dad," Alan said.

"Just giving you fair warning, Son," Rose said to him.

Hope came up beside Alan.

"I want forty cows for me," she said. "So make note of that."

"You want a swift kick in the bum is what you want," Alan said.

"Ahem, are we going to go on this tour or not?" Tara said as she and her mother stood with Zara near the barn door.

"Yes, yes, we were just putting Rose's fears to rest," Alan said as he took his wife's hand.

Hope walked beside her father while they walked up to the barn door. When everyone was standing beside Zara, she opened the door and showed them inside.

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