I've decided to branch out a bit & try writing lengthier fanfic, with the eventual aim of working my way up to stories longer than a single post. Hope this isn't *too* terrible... ;-) Purple Nays A This Time Round story by Lorrill Buyens This Time Round was having its first Happy Hour, and the noise was deafening. Some sad anorak had brought in a copy of the _Doctor Who Cookbook_ and was busily fixing Sonic Screwdrivers at the bar. Number Six was playing chess with the Seventh Doctor, while in a relatively quiet corner, alt-Jamie was having an intimate discussion with Sam Beckett. "Truthfully, now: don't ye find it a wee bit embarrassin', endin' up in skirts?" Dr. Beckett Leaped before he had the chance to reply. The leapee rubbed his eyes, muttered "What am I doing here? I don't *like* noisy, crowded places," and left. Alt-Jamie shrugged and wandered over to the dartboard, where the two Brigadiers were having five rounds rapid. Father Mulcahey was leading a singalong at the piano when Leela rushed in, Janis thorns in hand. "Doctor," she said, in between pants, "a hideous purple beast is outside, demanding entry. It claims that having been used in a crossover gives it rights of passage, even if that crossover was never posted in this newsgroup." The Fourth Doctor sighed. "Then I suppose we'll have to let it in," he said as he rose to open the door, disregarding the Seventh Doctor's shouts of "Evil! Evil since the dawn of time!" The all-too-familiar figure of Barney pranced into the bar and shouted, "Hu-hi, boys and girls! Isn't it just a super-dee-duper day?" Tegan took one look at it, grumbled "To think I thought *Adric* was the most annoying git in existance," and returned to her conversation with Nyssa. Spotting the piano, Barney shouted, "Let's *sing*, everybody! I love you, you love me..." Several of the regulars ran into the Tardis, while the Second Doctor started playing his recorder in a futile attempt to drown the beast out. After some minutes, the Master said, "I can stand no more!", stepped up to the unsuspecting pseudo-dinosaur, and fired his TCE. Within seconds, all that remained was a tiny purple plushie. "I didn't realize you were capable of compassion," the Fifth Doctor said quietly. "Compassion nothing," the Master growled. "I simply couldn't stand the competition!"