Summary:
Rose Tyler is a single mum who decides save up her money to take her son to an theme park in America. Rose never imagined that she'd find more than just thrill rides and cartoon characters in the most wonderful place on Earth. Dr. Jason Tempest had forgotten all about his promise to his daughter to take her Wonder World until she reminded him just three weeks ago. Although his last minute plans would cost him extra, what he came home with was priceless.
Notes from the Author:
This story was inspired a few months ago while on a family trip to Disney World. The plot begged to be written, so I set aside another story I've been working on to write this one. And then life happened and it didn't get written nearly as fast as I would have liked. The rating is probably more "Teen" than "Mature", but I figured "Mature" would be the safer choice.
As always, I don't own Doctor Who nor do I own Disney. Anything vaguely Disney-like is inspired by it. And this is unbeta'd, so all mistakes are mine. Enjoy!
Chapter 1:
Rose couldn't help but smile with pride and joy as she and her five year old son, Jack, walked along the sidewalk leading up to the front gates of Wonder World. Rose had saved for years to take Jack on this trip. Despite her best efforts and sacrifices, sometimes going without a meal or wearing her shoes until the soles were bare, her young son had grown up with so few luxuries that other kids took for granted. So, when the idea came to her one night while watching telly when Jack was two, Rose knew she could save enough money to take her precious little boy on the trip of a lifetime. Her mum, Jackie, had thought the idea daft. "You're just trying to buy his love," she'd criticized. "You don't need to take him to a theme park in America to prove you love him."
"It's not about proving my love, Mum," Rose had replied. "I just want to take him on a nice trip before he starts school. He's done without a lot of other things kids his age have, not to mention the absence of a father. I just want him to have some happy memories of his childhood to make up for everything I can't give him."
"I'll never stop sayin' it, Rose. Good riddance to bad rubbish. That arsehole may have helped create 'im, but he's no father to Jack – never has been and never will be." Jackie nearly spat at the thought of Jimmy Stone being her grandson's father.
"I know, Mum. His name isn't even on the birth certificate. He's got no rights to Jack," Rose reminded her.
Now, three years later, Jack was bouncing with delight, tugging Rose along faster so as not to miss a moment of the excitement of Wonder World.
"What can I do first, Mummy? Can I meet Rickey Rodent? Or maybe ride a roller coaster? Is there a parade? What time are the fireworks?" The questions and possibilities were endless in Jack's 5-year old mind. It was in that moment when Rose knew that her sacrifices had all been worth it to see the wonder and joy on Jack's face as he approached the entrance gates.
It wasn't that the trip had been a last minute decision. Oh no, Jason had promised little Sarah Jane a trip to Wonder World three years ago. At the time, she had just turned two and he was hoping to bribe Sarah Jane into talking. It was a last ditch effort before finally going to an expert Speech Pathologist for help.
"No, Dr. Tempest, Sarah Jane's delayed speech development is due to a neurological motor-planning disorder known as dyspraxia," the specialist explained. "I see no evidence of physical trauma from the car accident that killed her parents. Any psychological trauma she experienced when her parents died and she came to live with you has nothing to do with her speech development, or lack thereof."
"So, it's nothing I did or didn't do when she came to live with me, then?" Jason may be a pediatrician, but even he didn't understand his adopted daughter's diagnosis. He needed confirmation that he wasn't the reason for his niece's lack of speech skills.
"Absolutely not. Unfortunately, not enough is known about the causes of dyspraxia. But with the right kind of intensive therapy, Sarah Jane will learn to talk eventually. She'll need your support and patience to get there, but I have no doubts that she will find her voice one day."
Jason looked at little Sarah Jane, who had clearly been following the entire conversation with a focus worthy of children twice her age, "Hear that, Sarah Jane?! You're going to learn to talk! And when you do, I'm taking you to Wonder World!"
Jason never imagined that Sarah Jane would remember that promise. After all, he'd forgotten it not long after he'd made it, so why would a two-year-old remember it after three years? But here he was, three years later stepping off the Rickey Railway and heading down the ramp to the gates of Wonder World with Sarah Jane on his shoulders, talking a mile a minute about the day's itinerary. "First, we'll ride the Rickey Railway...check! Then we'll visit the princess castle, take our pictures, have a snack, ride some rides, eat dinner, and then watch the fireworks before bedtime…"
Jason sighed in relief that his travel agent had been able to book the trip at the last minute. Sure, he'd end up spending more money than he would have with better prior planning, but any amount of money was worth it to keep his promise to his niece who had both lost and gained so much in her short five years of life.
-Two Days Later-
The afternoon sun was hot on their sunscreen-laden skin. "Puh-lease, Mummy! I won't ask for anything else the rest of this trip! Puh-lease ride it with me!" Jack begged Rose to take him on the newest thrill ride at Wonder World. The Time Acceleration Risk Demonstration Immersion System, or TARDIS for short, was known to make even the strongest stomachs lurch with its fast spinning and jerky sudden movements. The engineering for the ride was world-famous, as no two ride experiences were the same with the pattern of spins, rolls, and dips determined at random by the advanced computer system, all following the storyline of time and space travel to periods and planets unknown. Some fans even speculated that the ride's computer system was sentient.
"I'm sorry, Jack, but I could barely make it through the High-rise of Horror. I don't think I can stomach the TARDIS." Rose apologized to her son. It was rare that Rose wished for this, but in this moment, she wished Jack had a father to ride the TARDIS with him.
Jack did what 5-year-olds do best – he crossed his arms, made the angriest face he could muster, stuck out his bottom lip and pouted as he took a seat on the low rock wall in front of his mum, hoping he could use his superior puppy-dog eye skills to convince her to risk her lunch over a quick ride.
"Come on, Sarah Jane… just one ride? I promise I won't make you do anything else you don't want to do this trip if you'll just ride the TARDIS with me…" Jason knew he was embarrassing himself by begging a 5-year-old to ride a thrill ride with him, but in this moment, he didn't care.
"No, Daddy, you already made me go on the High-rise of Horror yesterday and you said that was the only one you would make me ride," little Sarah Jane reminded him.
"I know, Sarah Jane, but that was before I saw the preview for the TARDIS on the TV in the loo this morning." Jason had been surprised when he discovered a TV mounted behind the mirror in their hotel suite that morning when he was shaving. He had meant to switch the TV to the Weather Station, but got distracted with the Wonder World channel advertising the mega theme park's latest attractions and improvements.
Sarah Jane spotted a seat along a nearby wall where she could sit in the shade and refine the itinerary for the rest of the day to maximize princess meet-and-greets and sing-along shows. Jason sat down next to her, crossed his arms and stuck out his bottom lip, hoping his sad puppy-dog eyes would win over his 5-year-old traveling companion.
Rose studied the map a bit more and hadn't noticed the man and little girl who had sat down next to Jack on the low wall. When she looked up from the map, she couldn't help but giggle at Jack's expression mirrored in the grown man seated next to him.
"A right pair you two are," she said, glancing back and forth between her son and the stranger. Jack and the man turned to look at each other and then back to Rose. "Are you poutin' 'cause she won't ride the TARDIS either?" Rose asked, gesturing to Sarah Jane.
The stranger's pout faded slightly and his expression turned to one of surprised recognition. "Yeah, actually, I am." He said in his Northern baritone voice.
Sarah Jane rolled her eyes at her daddy before looking up at who he was speaking with. "I'd rather go see the new Chilled sing-along show and meet the princesses than ride that swirling death trap," Sarah Jane replied. She observed this attractive young blonde with a familiar accent and was suddenly struck by a brilliant idea. "I know! Why don't you two boys go off and ride the TARDIS and we ladies can go see the Chilled sing-along show?"
Rose's expression turned suspicious while Jason's face lit up at the idea.
"Brilliant suggestion, Sarah Jane," Jason said.
At the same time, Rose replied, "I don't think so."
"What?!" the two adults said simultaneously.
"You don't trust me with your kid?" Jason asked, a bit insulted.
"Why would you trust me with yours? I don't even know you!" Rose replied. "I can't trust a stranger with my son."
Jason stood up and offered his hand to Rose. Rose reached out tentatively to shake it. "Dr. Jason Tempest, pediatrician. Originally from Manchester, me, but live and work in London now. And this is my daughter, Sarah Jane. She's five but thinks she's 15." Sarah Jane waved at Rose, but stuck her tongue out at her father.
Still shaking hands, Rose replied slowly, "Um…I'm Rose Tyler. I've lived in London my whole life. And this is my son, Jack. He's five too and thinks he can do anything." Jack nodded in agreement. Rose and Jason dropped their hands.
"Well, now that we aren't strangers, how about I take little Jack here on the TARDIS ride while you go subject your auditory senses to the most obnoxious princess soundtrack in recorded history," Jason suggested, grinning ear to ear.
Sarah Jane elbowed him in the thigh and muttered, "We've talked about that daft face, Dad. You can't convince someone to trust you when you look like you're the cat who's about the get the cream."
Rose giggled at Sarah Jane's observation but shook her head, "I don't know…" There was something about this tall, ruggedly handsome stranger that begged her to trust him, despite the logical side of her subconscious shaking its head at the ridiculous thought of entrusting her only child with a stranger in a foreign country.
"Come on, Mum! This is the perfect arrangement! I get to ride the TARDIS and you can go do some girly princess stuff," Jack spoke up.
Rose seemed to be contemplating the idea. "How do I know you're not going to kidnap my son?" she asked, realizing how stupid that sounded after she said it out loud.
"Oi! Not a kidnapper, me. Besides, I could say the same about you," Jason replied, his grin fading to a look of annoyance.
"I'll be fine, Mum," Jack replied. "And if he tries anything, I'll run to the nearest Wonder World staff member."
Rose looked between the three faces now begging her to agree to the suggested arrangement. Three sets of puppy-dog eyes stared back at her and she knew she wouldn't be able to say no. "Okay, fine," Rose acquiesced. "You've got 45 minutes to ride the TARDIS while we go watch the Chilled show. We'll all meet back here, got it?" All three people saluted Rose and then the group split off into their respective pairings.
