Once we picked up Rose from home, I showed her to my room and then left her to explore. I went back to the control room where the Doctor had taken a seat while I was busy with my little sister. I pulled a photograph of my dad and me on my third birthday out of my jacket pocket as I walked over to him.
"Peter Alan Tyler – my dad." I handed him the picture as I went on, "The most wonderful man in the world. Born the fifteen of September 1954." I lean against the console. "That's what mum always told Rose. But he truly was an amazing dad. So could we take Rose to see our dad when he was still alive?" I asked him. He crossed his arms and stared at me with a raise eyebrow.
"Where's this come from, all of a sudden?" he asked.
"If we can't then never mind, let's take Rose back." I got up and started to walk back to my room. The Doctor grabbed my wrist, stopping me. I looked back at him, questioningly.
"No, I can do anything. I'm just more worried about you." He said softly. I bit my lip, torn. One side of me absolutely wanted nothing to do with this while the other was all for it. I sighed, Rose deserved to see him I just wish it wasn't the day he died that she wanted to go to.
"She wants to see him." I whispered, brokenly. He lets go of my wrist with a sigh.
"Your wish is my command. But be careful what you wish for." He starts up Des's engines, leaving me to my thoughts. 'I already regret this wish.' When Des landed, Rose rushed out of the doors, the Doctor hot on her heels to keep her in sight. I slowly walked out and leaned against the doors. I let a small smile grace my lips when I realize that we were at my parents wedding and the day they adopted me.
"I, Peter Alan Tyler, take you, Jacqueline Angela Suzette Prentiss . . ." Dad gulped and looked towards mum.
"I, Peter Alan Tyler, take you, Jacqueline Suzanne . . . Suzette . . . Anita . . ." he stumbled, mum narrowed her eyes slightly. Dad looked at the Registrar for help.
"Oh, just carry on. It's good enough for Lady Di." Mum said. I smirked and shook my head that was so like her to say something like that.
"I thought he'd be taller." Rose whispered. I moved over to her and wrapped my arm around her shoulder in silent comfort.
". . . to be my lawful wedded wife, to love and behold 'til death do us part." A baby's cry sounds out through the registry office. Mum and dad snapped their heads to the right part of the room, I followed their direction. Near the right side of the wall, a woman was lightly bouncing a rusty-brown haired four month old baby girl in her arms. I stared the baby as Rose dragged me back into Des. She looked at me expectedly when we stopped at the console. I raised an eyebrow.
"What?" I asked. She nodded her head to the Doctor and I rolled my eyes, "Your twenty years old, Rose. You tell him." She crossed her arms and glared at me. I glared back, tired of her childish attitude. I turned to the Doctor. "Our dad died alone, so she wants to be there for him."
"November the seventh?" he asked as he moved around the console.
"1987." The Doctor started the engines, Rose and I watched them apprehensively. When they stopped, we looked at the door. We stepped out of Des, it was a normal average day.
"That's so weird. The day our father died . . . I thought it'd be all sort of grim and stormy, it's just an ordinary day." Rose said to me, I bit my lip hard. I really wasn't ready for this. The sudden taste of copper made me release my lip.
"The past is another country. 1987's just the Isle of Wright." The Doctor told her before looking down at me. "Are you sure about this?" he asked. I looked at him, eyes sort of glassy looking but nodded my head that I was fine. We stood on the curb, waiting.
"This is it. Jordan Road. He was late. He'd been to get a wedding present – a vase. Mum always said that stupid vase. Remember Jessa?" I flinched at the reminder. Rose sounded as though she was trying to fight off tears. Dad's car rounds the corner. I moved closer to the Doctor. "He got out of his car." He pulls over. "And crossed the road." I bit on the inside of my cheek to stop myself from yelling at Rose. Dad stops the car. "Oh, God. This is it." Dad, oblivious to what was in store for him, picks up the vase from the passenger's seat before turning his attention to the backseat. I nearly bolted right there and then if it hadn't been for the Doctor gently taking my hand in his, and intertwining our fingers. I sent him a grateful smile. Dad got out of the car, unaware that a car had just rounded the corner and was headed straight towards him. His eyes widen in shock, the driver throws a hand over his eyes. Rose quickly hides her head behind my shoulder. I watched with wide horrified eyes as the car hit my father. I watched as that blasted vase fell to the ground and smashed to pieces. Rose lifts her head to look at our father, who was lying on the road, twitching.
"Go to him. Quick." I heard the Doctor say to us. But I couldn't move, it wasn't over. Rose tried to run away but I held on to her wrist tightly making her see the truth of what happened that day. A banging sound started to come from the car before the door to the backseat opened. A rusty-brown haired five year old girl hopped out of the car, she ran to dad.
"Daddy!" she cried as she shook his shoulder, "Daddy, get up!" I pulled away from the Doctor and Rose and ran into an alley, not able to watch anymore. They ran after me and lean against the opposite wall from me. Rose had tears in her eyes. The ambulance sirens could be heard in the distance.
"It's too late now." The Doctor looks at me, "By the time the ambulance got there, he was dead." My voice falters, choked up with unshed tears. The Doctor looks away in silence. Rose turns to him. He looks at her.
"Can I try again?" she asked him. I could tell from the Doctor's eyes that he thought it would be a bad idea. Even I knew it was.
"Please, Doctor." I said to him. He turned to me and slowly nodded, the look still there in his eyes. This time we stood out of sight around the corner, watching the first set of ourselves standing on the curb.
"Right. That's the first us. It's a very bad idea, two sets of us being here at the same time. Just be careful they don't see us. Wait 'til she runs off and they follow, then go to your dad." The Doctor told Rose. We watched as dad's car draws up again.
"Oh, God. This is it." we heard the first Rose say. Dad picked up the vase and turned his attention to the little girl in the backseat.
"I can't do this." Rose said. I placed a hand on her shoulder. She looked towards me.
"You don't have to do anything you don't want to, but this is the last time we can be here." I told her, she nodded. I pulled my hand back and watched. Rose stared at our father getting out of the car, breathing heavily. Then, she's suddenly running out of the alley. I try to lunge for her but the Doctor held me back. "Rose, no!" I yelled to her. The car rounds the corner. Rose runs past the first set of us, and knocks dad out of the way of the oncoming car. They tumbled onto the floor. The first set of us look bewildered for a few seconds, then disappear. The Doctor and I look on in horror. Rose stares at dad as he gets to his feet.
"I did it! I saved your life!" she exclaimed.
"Blimey, did you see the speed of it? Did you get his number?" dad asked her.
"I really did it. Oh, my God, look at you! You're alive! That car was gonna kill ya!" she stares at him.
"Well, give me some credit, I did see it coming. I wasn't gonna walk under it, was I?" he questioned.
"I'm Rose." She looks at him expectantly. Dad opened his mouth when the banging from the car started and soon the little girl appeared. She ran to dad and hugged his leg.
"Daddy!" she cried. Dad bent down and scoped her up into his arms.
"Jessamine, I'm all right, love." He pecked her cheek, Rose stared at little me in shock. Dad turned back to her. "That's a coincidence. That's my younger daughter's name."
"That's a great name. Good choice, well done." Rose smiled in delight. There was a few seconds of silence as Rose just smiles at him, unable to take her eyes off him. Dad looked as though he doesn't quite know what to say next.
"Right, we'd better shift. We've got a wedding to go to." He said as he moved to the car to buckle younger me. Rose followed them.
"Is that Sarah Clarke's wedding?" She asked.
"Yeah, are you going?" he questioned. I shook my head at her negatively, she bit her lip before slowly nodding to him.
". . . Yeah." I scowled at her, my true green eyes hardening like emeralds.
"You, your boyfriend, and his sister need a ride." I bristled at that, if looks could kill Rose would be six feet under by now. Dad gestured to the Doctor and I, the Doctor was watching them darkly from the corner we were standing by. We pile into the car, the Doctor sat by little me so we wouldn't touch on accident and cause a paradox. Rose sat in the passenger seat, still staring at dad as he drove us to our flat. When dad parks the car in the flat lot, he went to little me side of the car and unbuckled her, swinging her up on his hip. Rose quickly followed his lead while the Doctor and I took our time. Dad enters the flat first, followed by Rose and then the Doctor and I. Dad puts little me down and goes back to the car to get the vase, when he returns he places it by the door. "There we go. Sorry about the mess. If you want a cup of tea, the kitchen just down there, milk's in the fridge . . . well, it would be, wouldn't it? Where else would you put the milk? Mind you, there's always the window sill outside. I always thought if someone invented a window sill with special compartments, you know, one for milk, one fore yogurt . . . make a lot of money out of that." Rose couldn't tear her eyes away from him, she smiled at him in delight as he speaks. The Doctor nods politely behind her, I simply frown crossing my arms and looking away from them.
"Daddy?" little me asked. I slightly turn my eyes to her, she was holding on to his pant leg looking up at him with an adoring look in her green child wide eyes. Dad looked down at her with a loving and tender smile.
"Yes, my little star?" he asked, my breathing hitched in my throat. I haven't heard that pet name in eighteen years.
"You're rambling." She told him, dad let out a few lively chuckles. I saw the Doctor's lip twitch upward for a moment. Dad patted little me head and pushed pasted us, disappearing into mum's room little me following him. Rose looked around the flat.
"All the stuff mum kept. His stuff, Jessa. She kept it all packed away in boxes in the cupboard, she used to show us when she'd had a bit to drink." The Doctor leans against the doorframe, saying nothing but his stare on me. I hunched my shoulders and stared out the window, ignoring them both. "Here it is. On display. Where it SHOULD be." The Doctor was still not talking. He just watched me with his arms folded. I could see his angry look in his reflection on the window. Rose picks up a trophy and shows it to us.
"Third prize at the bowling . . . first two got to go to Didcot." She examines it for a few more seconds, then replaces it. Her eyes were drawn to the large bottles in the corner of the room. The failed health drinks dad try to sale, she bends down to look at it. "Health drinks. Tonics, mum used to call them. He made his money selling this Vitex stuff. He had all sorts of jobs. He's so clever." I closed my eyes in despair at all the lies mum told her for our sake and sanity. The Doctor keeps quiet. "Solar power. Mum said he was gonna do this. Now he can." I turned to finally look at her then through reflections. She looked at us, smiling. We don't smile back.
"Okay, look . . . I'll tell him that he's not my boyfriend." She said to me, I kept silent. She started to fidget under stare and total silence. "Well, say something."
"You complete and total idiot, do you even realise what you've done." Trying to keep my voice void of any emotions. Rose jerks in surprise.
"What are you talking about?" she had the gull to ask. I narrowed my eyes and took a few steps towards her.
"What am I talking about? I'm talking about the fact that you just saved our dad!" I whispered yelled so that dad and little me didn't hear. Rose glared and placed her hands on her hips.
"You should be happy about that! He's alive!" I clenched my fist.
"Rose, you have no idea what this could do! We already made that point vulnerable by having two sets of us there!" we began to get into each other space.
"Oh, so it's alright for you and your alien boyfriend to save the damn world and whoever crosses your path but when it comes to saving someone you've known your whole life it's out of the question!" I let out a petal of disbelief laughter.
"One." I raised my hand up to her face and held up one finger. "He's not my boyfriend. Two." Another finger went up, "I'd died for the world if it meant saving it. And Three." I brought the final finger up. "The Doctor knows what he's doing and I follow his instructions to a tee. So you had absolutely no rights to do what you just did!" I all but scream at her.
"It's not like I changed HISTORY, Jessa. He not's gonna be a leader or anything. Why can't you just be happy that we can grow up with dad now?" I pushed her, Rose stumbled back a bit and looked up at me in shock. I was trembling with fury, I took a half a step towards her when the Doctor suddenly stood in front of me. He placed his hands on my shoulders and pushed me back slightly. I struggled and wiggled to get out of his hold but he just held on tighter. He turned his head, looking over his shoulder to look at Rose.
"What Jessa means is that time is delicate –" I glared up at him.
"Hell no that's not what I mean!" I yelled and tore away from him. I moved back to Rose but this time made sure to stay out of reach. "Because he's alive the whole world is different now, Rose and I hope you can live with the consequences." I spared her one last glare before turning and headed towards the door.
"And where are you going?" I paused in the front way, halfway turning to her.
"You got what you wanted and since you apparently know everything about time travel, you can find your own back." I turned back to the door, motioning at the Doctor to follow.
"That doesn't scare me." We froze at Rose's unconvincing statement. "You'll just hang out by that box waiting for me." I gave her a blank stare then open the door and walked out, the Doctor closing the door behind us. Still fuming, I decide to walk ahead of the Doctor so I wouldn't take my anger out on him. Suddenly a hand was placed on my shoulder startling me, I stopped in place and glanced back connecting my evergreen eyes with the Doctor's stunning baby blues. He slowly turned me around to face him before approaching my space slowly too, acting like I could be spooked at any moment. He cupped my face in his hands, wiping his thumbs under my eyes. I brought a hand up, lightly touching my cheek and pulled my hand back seeing and feeling tears. I had no idea that I was crying until now. I looked back up at the Doctor seeing compassion, pain, sympathise, and understanding in his eyes. I open my mouth to speak, only to close it when nothing came out. I did this a few times before clasping my hands around his wrists, my body shaking to the core as I let all my emotions out into tears. The Doctor placed his forehead to my hairline, murmuring soothing words to me. We stayed in that position for ten minutes when I finally got control over my emotions. Sniffling with light little hiccups coming through every once in a while as I wiped my eyes with the collar of my shirt.
"Why does EVERYONE think we're a couple?" The Doctor let out a few chuckles, I smiled slightly. Finally getting my eyes dry, I take the Doctor's hand and we started to walk back to Des again. As we round the corner of the road where we parked Des, a bird caws. As we approach Des, I faltered in my step and looked up at her. She was quiet, usually she started to talk my . . . ah, brain off? I inwardly shook that thought away for now. The Doctor had kept walking to Des, he took his key out of his pocket and then suddenly looked up at the sky through the bare branches of a tree. I followed his stare trying to figure out what he sensed that felt wrong. He opens the doors to Des, I covered my mouth with my hands in horrified shock. Des was empty on the inside! She was just an ordinary police-box now. The Doctor had stepped inside and felt around her walls frantically, then stopped turning to me with the same horrified shock. We stared at one another before realisation struck us.
"Rose!" we shouted in unison running back in the direction we came from. We quickly stopped at the flat but they weren't there. The Doctor turned towards me.
"You know where they went?" he took hold of my shoulders, I nodded frantically before running to the left towards the church.
"They're at Sarah Clarks wedding!" I yelled to him at he caught up to my pace. Running as fast as we could to the church. As we turn another corner the church finally came into view. I could make out Rose in the distance as well as little me. "Rose!" I screamed. Upon hearing my voice, Rose turns around with a satisfied smile on her face. "Get in the church!" Rose's smile faded as she heard the urgency in my voice. The Doctor and I look to our left, my eyes widen in terror as a black dragon-like thing appears before our eyes. I ran faster hearing Rose scream as the creature flew down towards her. I knock her out of the way just in time, we both fell to the ground and quickly scrambled to our feet. "Get in the church!" The crowd that was outside the church tried to run for the door, but stopped when another one of those things appeared.
"Oh, my God. What are they?" some woman asked. People who were inside the church started coming out. They started to scream.
"Inside!" the Doctor yelled. The things started to bear down on them. The people that just came out tried to come out the door. "Stay in there!" but they just kept ignoring our warnings. The Doctor started to usher everyone in the church. "In!" Two of the creature flew towards the church doors, but he manage to shut them just in time. I flinched at the high pitch scream that came from them.
Once inside, everyone started to panic. The Doctor looked around at the shadows of those creatures outside the window.
"They can't get in. Old windows and doors, okay. The older something is, the stronger it is. What else?" the things screech again. "Go and check the other doors! Move!" he runs and pushes against a wooden door on the side of the church. Mum ran after him.
"What's happening? What are they?" She grabbed his arm, "What ARE they?"
"There's been an accident in time, a wound in time. They're like bacteria, taking advantage." I watched as mum followed him.
"What do you mean, time? What're you jabbering on about, time?" she hound him.
"Oh, I might've known you'd argue. Jackie, I'm sick of you complaining –" I groaned and face planted into my hand. 'Really? Every time they meet, Merlin this is going to be a long day.'
"How d'you know my name?" mum cut across him.
"I haven't got time for this –" he talked over her.
"I've never met you in my life!" she talked over him again. I looked over to the Doctor worried, biting my lower lip. He quickly glanced at me before looking back at mum.
"No, and you never will unless I sort this out. Now, if you don't mind – I've waited a long time to say this – Jackie Tyler, do as I say. Go – and – check – the – doors." He pointed in the direction of the doors, his voice loud and commanding. 'That was kind of sexy.' I felt my cheeks heat up at the thought. Mum stares at him.
"Yes, sir." The Doctor grins, obviously pleased with himself, as mum walked away. He turned to me and winked, making me bit more flustered. "I should've done that ages ago." I rolled my eyes at him but smiled.
"My dad was out there." We turned to the man who spoke behind us.
"You can mourn him later, right now we've got to concentrate on keeping ourselves alive." The Doctor said unkindly.
"My dad had –" the Doctor interrupted him.
"There's NOTHING I can do for him." I gave the man apologetic look for the Doctor's behaviour.
"No. But he had this phone thing. I can't get it to work. I keep getting this voice . . ." he pulled out a chunky mobile out of his pocket. I winced at the sight of the ugly, ancient thing, I made sure mum got rid of hers the moment they started making the mobiles we now use and love. The Doctor dials a number and holds the phone to his ear.
[Watson – come here – we need you. Watson – come here – we need you.] The Doctor raised his eyebrows in surprise.
"That's the very first phone-call, Alexander Graham Bell." He gives the phone back.
"I don't think that's gonna be much use." I told him, as the Doctor makes to run off again to check another door.
"But someone must call the police!" he called after him.
"Police can't help you now. No-one can." Rose and I watch him, along with the other guests. "Nothing in this Universe can harm those things. Time's been damaged and they've come to sterilise the wound." He looked at Rose and me in the eyes. "By consuming everything in sight." I shut my eyes, letting my head hang in shame.
"Is this because . . ." Rose began shakily, I lift my head and looked at her. The anger I held for her was gone and replace with self-hate for giving into Rose. "Is this my fault?" I let out a choked laugh before walking away from her, shaking my head. The Doctor followed soon behind me. We enter the anteroom and found dad checking if the door was secure. The Doctor looked out the window, I stood in the archway staring at my dad as he join the Doctor.
"There's smoke coming up from the city but no sirens. I – I don't think it's just us, I think these things are all over the place. Maybe the whole world." He said urgently. The Doctor wasn't listening to him. I turn to the window at the sound of screeching tires.
"Did I just hear a car?" I asked as I moved over to the window to look out it. The Doctor stopped me by wrapping an arm around my waist, keeping me at his side. I furrowed my brow in confusion, he just sort of stared at me for a moment.
"It's not important. Don't worry about it." he finally spoke before dragging me out of the room. I looked back watching my dad stare out the window. The Doctor let go of me and went to check on some other doors and windows. I looked for Rose before spotting her sitting by herself near the altar. I walked over to her and slowly sat down next to her, looking out the corner of my eye I could tell that she'd been crying. I wrapped an arm around her shoulder and brought her closer to me. She placed her head on my shoulder and held on to me tight. I wrapped my other arm around her, just holding her still staring straight ahead. We both looked over when we heard someone stop beside us.
"This mate of yours . . . what do you mean, this is your fault?" dad asked Rose, his hands in his pockets.
"Dunno . . . just . . . everything." She replied teary.
"I gave you my car keys." We gaze at him, eyes slightly red. "You don't give your keys to a complete stranger." We still watched him as he works it out. "It's . . . it's like I trusted you, both of you. Moment we met, I just did. A wound in time . . ." Rose chews on her lip and I look back ahead of us. "You called me Dad. I can see it . . . my eyes . . . Jackie's attitude . . . you sound like her when you shout . . ." I looked over to him, finding him staring at me. "I heard your hitch of breath when I called my oldest daughter by her pet name . . . you both look exactly the same . . . Jackie's attitude too . . ." he reached out and touched our faces tentatively. Rose closed her eyes while I sniffed softly. He drops his hands, but we took one in ours. Rose held one to her face while I just held the other in my hand. "You are. You are . . . you're my Jessamine and Rose. You're my Jessamine and Rose grown up." He throws his arms around us both. Losing all remaining control, Rose's tears start to flow again with mine not too far behind.
"Daddy . . . Daddy." I whispered over and over, Rose doing the same, as we embrace. We moved to a side room to talk more.
"I'm a dad. I mean, I'm already a dad, but . . . Jessamine and Rose grows up, and they're you. That's wonderful. I suppose I thought that you'd be a bit – useless – what, with my useless genes and all, but . . ." Rose and I laugh slightly. Dad was apparently fascinated by us. "How did you get here?" Rose looked to me.
"Do you really wanna know?" I asked him.
"Yeah!"
"A time machine." I said simply.
"Time machine." He said after a stunned pause.
"Cross our hearts." I smiled and nudge Rose with my elbow, making her smile and giggle.
"What, do they all have time machines where you come from?" Dad was also smiling.
"No, just the Doctor." I shook my head.
"Did you know these things were coming?" he asked, again, I shook my head.
"No." he stared at us incredulous.
"God, I dunno, my head's spinning." Rose looks down. "What's the future like?"
"It's not so different." Rose shrugged.
"What am I like? Have I gone grey?" he laughs. We don't answer, just watched him. His smile fades slightly. "Have I gone bald? Don't tell me I've gone bald." We still don't answer. Dad clears his throat. He turned to me, "So, if this mate of yours isn't your boyfriend – and I have to say, I'm glad because being your dad and all, I think he's a bit old for you . . ." I laughed. "Have you got a bloke?"
"No." I shook my head. There were running footsteps and mum's voice rings out.
"Mickey!" a younger version of Mickey runs up to me and throws his arms around my legs, eyes shut tight.
"Do you know him?" Dad asked.
"Yes, you'll have to let go of me, sweetheart . . ." Mum enters and Mickey goes back to her. "I'm always saying that." I said under my breath to myself.
"He just grabs hold of what's passing and holds on for dear life. God help his poor girlfriend if he ever gets one." She said putting an arm around his shoulders, her other hand holding little me's hand.
"We were just talking . . ." Dad stuttered.
"Oh, yeah? Talking? While the world comes to an end, what do you do? Cling to the youngest blonde and brunette." Rose looked upset and I kept a blank face, making sure that Rose doesn't say anything. "Come on, Mick." She takes his hand and leads the younger versions away. Dad makes to follow, but we grab his arms to stop him.
"You can't tell her." Rose said.
"Why?" he looked at us both.
"I mean . . . we really don't WANT you to tell her." I said.
"What, do you not want people to know?" he asked us.
"Where we come from, Jackie doesn't know how to work the timer on the video recorder." Rose told him. Dad grinned.
"I showed her that last week." We nod, he stopped grinning. "Point taken." I left Rose with dad and went to find the Doctor. He was standing with baby Rose in her carry-tot and little me standing beside him on the bench watching baby Rose. I walked over and stood close behind him.
"Now, Rose . . . you're not gonna bring about the end of the world, are you?" he paused, "Are you?" he said sternly. Baby Rose stares innocently up at him. I move more to the side to make my presence known. He glances at me. "Jackie gave them to me to look after. How times change."
"I better be careful. I think I just imprinted myself on Mickey like a mother chicken." I tried to make light-hearted conversation. Little me reached out trying to take my hand. I jump back while the Doctor grabs her hand quickly and lightly pushes it back.
"No. Don't touch the adult." She looked up at him, pouting slightly. "You're both the same person and that's a paradox, and we don't want a paradox happening. Not with these things outside. Anything new – any disturbance in time makes them stronger. The paradox might let them in." she nodded slowly before looking at me sadly.
"It's okay, everyone makes mistakes evening us." I smiled softly to her which she returned.
"But between you and me, I haven't got a plan. No idea." I look at him intently. "No way out."
"You'll think of something." I said quietly.
"The entire Earth is being sterilised. This, and other place like it, are all that's left of the human race. We might hold out for a while, but nothing can stop those creatures." He looks at the shadows circling the church. "They'll get through in the end. The walls aren't that old. And there's nothing I can do to stop them. There used to be laws stopping this kind of thing from happening – my people would have stopped this. But they're all gone. And now I'm going the same way."
"If I'd realised that she was going to do that, I would never had asked you of this Doctor. Ever since we got here, I haven't see a single name or felt any pain." He looked at me, I meet his eyes.
"Just . . . tell me you're sorry." My gaze doesn't falter, if anything it got stronger.
"I am so sorry, Doctor." I said sincerely. The Doctor reaches out to me, cupping a hand around my face. Then, he grins and pulls me in for a hug. I return the embrace with equal vigour. After a few moments, I pull away, feeling inside the Doctor's jacket pocket. "Have you got something hot?" there's a sizzling sound as I take his TARDIS key out of his pocket. I drop it to the floor. We look at it as it glowed brightly.
"It's a TARDIS key!" he takes his jacket off and uses it to pick up the hot key. "It's telling me it's still connected to the TARDIS!" The Doctor moved to the pulpit, he showed them the key as he addressed the remaining guest. "The inside of my ship was thrown out of a wound but we can use THIS to bring it back. And once I've got my ship back, then I can mend everything. Now, I just need a bit of power. Has anybody got a battery?" Stuart, I know remember his name, jumps up and shows the Doctor that dinosaur phone again.
"This one big enough?" he asked.
"Fantastic." The Doctor hurried to him.
"Good old dad." He hands the phone over, "There you go."
"Just need to do a bit of charging up . . ." he presses his sonic screwdriver to the battery. "And then we can bring everyone back." He glanced around the church as he charges the battery up. I look warily round at the doors, they were shaking as the Reaper throws its weight against it. The TARDIS finally started to materialise, the key in her lock, in the front of the church. The Doctor puts his jacket back on, grinning. He runs back up the steps to the pulpit to speak to us again. "Right, no-one touches that key. Have you got that? Don't touch it. Anyone touches that key, it'll be – well – ZAP. Just leave it be and everything will be fine. We'll get out of here. All of us. Stuart – Sarah – you're gonna get married, just like I said." He grins encouragingly.
Des was materialising slowly but surely. I stood close to her, I felt awkward around the younger version of my family so I decide to stay away for now. The Doctor and Rose sat beside each other on a pew a couple steps away from me, dad was behind them and mum keep casting contemptuous glances over her shoulder at them.
"When time gets sorted out . . ." Rose trailed off for the Doctor to fill in.
"Everybody here forgets what happened. And don't worry – the thing that you changed will stay changed." I walked over to them and leaned against the pew behind me. The Doctor sent me a small smile.
"You mean I'll still be alive." Rose turns around in her chair to face dad while I snap my head up to him. "Though I'm meant to be dead." We just look at him without speaking. He nods. "That's why I haven't done anything with my life. Why I didn't MEAN anything." I bit my lip, eyes watering slightly.
"It doesn't work like that." The Doctor told him for my benefit.
"Rubbish. I'm so useless I couldn't even die properly. Now it's my fault all of this has happened." I reached over suddenly and put a hand on dad's arm.
"This is MY fault." My voice wavered. He cover my hand with his and shook his head.
"No, love. I'm your dad. It's my job for it to be my fault." Mum appeared next to us.
"Her dad? How are you her dad? How old were you, twelve?" the Doctor rolled his eyes and distances himself. "Oh, that's DISGUSTING."
"Jacks – listen. This is Jessamine." Dad stood up, motioning to me and then to Rose, "And that's Rose."
"Jessamine? Rose? How sick is that? You give my daughters second hand names? How many are there? Do you call them ALL Jessamine and Rose?" mum said in a low voice belaying her anger.
"Oh, for God's sake, look! It's the SAME Jessamine and Rose!" Dad takes little me from mum and drops her in my arms. I basically had no choice but to catch her. The Doctor starts, but too late.
"Jessamine! No!" too late, I place little me on the ground back by mum's side. A reaper appears in the middle of the church. The guests scream and leap to their feet. "Everyone! Behind me!" everyone gathers behind the Doctor. The Reaper chirps menacingly and spreads its winds. The Doctor addresses the Reaper. "I'm the oldest thing in here." The Reaper bears down upon him.
"Doctor!" I screamed, terrified. I watched, horrified, as the Reaper consumes him. I clutched at my head when a sudden intense pain shot through, I turn slightly when I heard a little girl scream in pain. Dad and mum were trying to figure out why little me was screaming and crying in pain. I look back to the other screaming guests. The reaper was swooping around the church and then collides with the semi-transparent TARDIS and disappears, TARDIS and all. The key falls to the floor, no longer glowing. There was silence for a few seconds, then I book it down the aisle and pick up the key.
"Cold. He's cold." My voice numb with shock. Dad approaches me cautiously, all the while looking nervously around the church. "Oh, my God, he's dead." Dad reaches out to me, but I shake him off. "It's all my fault . . . all of you . . . both of you . . ." my voice begins to crack as the impact of what's happened hits me. Dad takes me into his arms. ". . . the whole world . . ." the light in the church dims as though a cloud has passed over the sun. All this time of saving the Earth, I'm the one destroying it now. I pulled out of dad's arms and went to sit on my own in the dark church. I was silent and grief stricken. Dad approaches me again, this time carrying his jacket.
"The Doctor really cared about you . . ." I looked up at him. "He didn't want you to go through it again if there was another way. Now there isn't." I stood up.
"What're you talking about?" I asked as he put his jacket on.
"The car that should've killed me, love. It's here. The Doctor worked it out way back, but he, er – he tried to protect me." I stared at him, my eyes filling with tears. "Still – he's not in charge anymore. I am."
"But . . ." my voice cracks horribly. Dad reaches out and strokes my face.
"Who am I, love?" he asked.
"My Daddy." I whispered brokenly. Mum and Rose approaches us. Mum looks at Rose and me, eyes wide.
"Jackie . . . look at them. They're ours." She looks at us, the truth dawning upon her. We look back, tearful.
"Oh, God . . ." mum throws her arms around Rose for a moment, then me, her eyes shut tightly. When she let go, she looked at dad.
"I'm meant to be dead, Jackie. You're gonna get rid of me at last." Mum freezes a bit.
"Don't say that." She held back her tears.
"For once in your life, trust me. It's got be done. You've got to survive, because you've got to bring up our daughters." He gestures to us, then pulls mum in for a last kiss. He turns back to us. "I never read you those bedtime stories. I never took you on those picnics. I was never there for you." He looked at me first and then Rose.
"You would've been." I said, a few tears rolled down my cheeks.
"But I can do this for you. I can be a proper dad to you now."
"But it's not fair." Rose cried. Dad smiled at us.
"I've had all these extra hours. No-one else in the world has ever had that. And on top of that . . . I get to see the both of you." He places a hand on one of our cheeks. "And you're both so beautiful. Rose sobs silently while a few more tears flowed down my cheek again. "How lucky am I, eh? So, come on . . . do as your dad says." Slowly, with tears still flowing, I hand him the vase. "Are you going to be there for me, loves?" we nod, dad moves his hands to our shoulders and looks us in the eyes, "Thanks for saving me." He pulls us and mum into a tight embrace.
Dad runs out of the doors, holding the vase. I tore away from Rose and ran after him. He looked back at me in shock as we stop just outside the gate. He looked up at a Reaper and it begins to bear down upon him. We turn to see the car appear from thin air around the corner. One last glance at me, dad runs straight out in front of it. I stood on the sidewalk, watching his death for the last time.
"Goodbye, love . . ." The wind blew his whispered words to me.
"Goodbye, daddy." A single tear ran down my face. The driver threw a hand over his eyes as the car knocks Dad over. The vase crashed to the ground and breaks. I raced over to dad and kneel down next to him. I took a hold of his hand and lift his head slightly off the ground. Rose joins us soon and takes his other hand in hers. We looked into each other eyes as he takes his last and few breaths. Finally, his eyes close and his head falls back. I lower his head gently to the ground. Rose places a kiss on his forehead and stands up, walking away. I stayed there kneeling for a few more moments. I brushed his hair away from his forehead. I looked up when a small hand tapped my shoulder. Little me was standing beside me with tears pouring from her eyes.
"Why? Why can't we be happy?" my eyes widen, she remember our past. I took a stuttering breath.
"We just weren't made for a normal life." She sniffed and looked away. I looked back at dad before placing a kiss to his forehead and stood up. Little me kneeled down by him and laid her head on his chest. I watched for a moment before turning and saw the Doctor. "But," she looked up at me, I smiled to her and pointed to the Doctor. "He makes us happy and I would never want to give that or him up." I walk over to the Doctor, he nods his head to Rose. I look over to her and sigh.
"Let's get her home." He takes my hand, and we walk slowly back to Des together, Rose behind us. We soon enter Des, she greeted me like she always did and then the Doctor took us back to our home where we dropped Rose off before going on the next adventure.