John sat next to Joan staring at the fob watch. All he had to do was give the watch to the Family and he'd be free. He could spend the rest of his life with Rose. They could grow old together and he could stay with her forever. That was all he wanted. But in his heart, John knew Rose could never accept him over the Doctor. She loved the time traveler from space, not him.
"If I could do this instead of you," Joan's voice sounded so far away from John "Then I would. I'd thought you and Rose… But my thoughts aren't important."
"He won't love her," John tried to convince himself and then turned to Joan. "He won't even care for you as a friend anymore."
"If he's not you, then I wouldn't want to befriend him anyway," Joan tried to give him a smile which came out more as a sad expression. "I watched you with Rose, and it reminded myself of when I was like that with Oliver. It heartened me to see you so happy."
"And it was real, now wasn't it?" John's voice was hoarse. "I really thought…"
Joan nodded to him and then looked to the watch in his hand.
"Let me see," Joan took it from him and weighed the device in her hands. "Blasted thing. Blasted, blasted thing. I can't even hear it, it says nothing to me."
John dropped his gaze and took the watch from her. A small simple device it was. And yet, it held the power to start a war and change who he was. It was still his choice though. Or was it? Did he even get a say? The Doctor had created him, he was just a story. He wasn't real. What he wanted didn't matter—he could never live his life with Rose.
Turning the silver instrument in his palm, he gripped it tight feeling anger and anguish burning through him. His breath caught as his vision faded over to white and a sharp pain hit his head. Images flashed before his eyes showing him a life he could have.
Wedding bells chimed as the town celebrated. Joan wiped a few tears from her eyes and waved to John and Rose Smith. John looked to his bride with happiness covering his features and Rose smiled up at him as he leaned over to capture her lips with his.
John looked down at the small child in his hands. Rose sat with him, her hand on her husband's shoulder as he cradled their first-born child.
Their two oldest children ran ahead filling the air with laughter as John and Rose strolled down the road. The youngest held onto both their hands and the parents pulled her up so that she swung between them. Smiles were on all their faces.
John lay on his deathbed, his hair gray and his body frail. He'd lived a long, wonderful life with Rose, but now it was coming to an end. Rose sat on a chair beside him, her hand laid over his.
"They're all safe aren't they?" he murmured. "The children, the grandchildren… Everyone's safe?"
"Everyone's safe," Rose smiled at him. "And they all send their love, John."
She had aged just like him, but to John, she was still just as beautiful as she had been.
"Well," John could feel his life fading away. "It's time. Thank you."
John took in a final slow breath and his eyes drifted close, sending him into an endless slumber.
John gasped as the vision faded and he turned to Joan.
"Did you see?" he asked shaking slightly and clutching the watch. His friend shook her head slowly.
"He, he showed me what I could have," John choked, staring down at the watch in his hands. "The Doctor showed me. A life with Rose," a tear snaked down John's cheek. "The Time Lord has such adventures. But he could never have a life like that…And yet I could. I could stay with Rose forever."
An explosion shook the cottage, and John had to close his eyes from the bright glare it caused. The firings were so close now.
John was breathing heavily and he held the watch up. It felt heavy in his hand as he stared at it. If he gave the watch to the Family, he'd be free. That's all it took. He could spend his life with Rose, just like the vision had shown him.
"What are you going to do?" Joan said softly beside him. John looked over to her in sadness. He was dived between an impossible choice, but John knew there was only one answer.