New chapter! Uhm... I was rereading some of the first chapters and I realized that my writing now and my writing then changed a lot. I decided that I'm going to try and make the writing now so that it has the best of both worlds, almost. So, I'm going to slow down on production a bit, still doing one a week, but I posted the last chapter really quickly. Anyway, please review! It really helps with morale.
Also, there is a bit of Rose bashing in this chapter, but it's probably going to be the only chapter with Rose bashing.
9, not for the first time, sat silently as his two future regenerations argued about little things in their lives that were slightly different. Well, 10 was arguing with 11 and the older Time Lord was laughing at how his younger regeneration was panicking about the future. Though, 9 could see the underlying fear of 10 from 11. What he was afraid of, he didn't know. It was interesting to see his new personalities. He wondered if he was at all better at communicating with humans...
"What was that?" 10 turned to 9, glasses on face. Most likely from examining something 11 gave him.
9 panicked slightly, had he said something out loud? "I didn't say anything."
11 smiled, it wasn't maniacal like it usually was, but softer. Kinder. "I do that all the time. Accidentally saying things out loud when I don't realize it. And for the record, we get worse at the social interactions. I think I'm going to have it worse, he really messed me up."
"Is that why you're so... Insane now?"
"Insane? I'm not insane." There was a hint of hurt, easily covered by humor.
"Well, not like it's a bad thing. I can't wait to be you, but just asking."
"Oh! Yeah. I forgot I wanted to be crazy so much back then. Trust me, not all that it's cracked out to be. Too many good thought and bad thoughts all jumbled up."
10 huffed, apparently he didn't like being left out of conversations so quickly.
"Oh, don't start. Actually, I remember, you almost went completely and properly mad. It was a thrill, but you were saved before you could really go too deep into that rabbit hole. Can't tell you what it was though. It was really a few different things, but mainly one thing. Well, we'll all find out, won't we?"
"Stop. Shut up. You're just making me curious and then stopping. I need you to stop it with that."
Jack suddenly sat down on the arm of 9's chair. "So, Doctor. Whatcha doin'? Oh, sorry. Doctors. God, there's three of you. You have no idea what's goin' on in my head right now."
11 stood to reprimand him, "Captain Jack Harkness! You need to stop with all the flirting. You only kissed us once, don't go acting like you've done anything special."
"I've kissed each of you once? I thought I only kissed him." Jack pointed at 9, the alien in question groaning in misery.
"Well, no. I said us because I was them, but they haven't been me yet so I guess I couldn't really say that..."
As 11 muttered to himself about referencing himself as his other regenerations, he turned to 10. "So, do you think he was telling the truth about being 910?"
10 pocketed the object he was holding, before taking his glasses off and fiddling with them. After a few more seconds he pocketed them and took a breath. "You know, none of us really know our age. My being 905 is most likely really close to my actual age. He could have been lying, he has just regenerated. Most likely testing out his ability for lying. I'd say he's closer to 907." He smirked slightly. "We have a sort of telepathic link, allowing us to talk in our minds sometimes. I just heard his thoughts, he's talking about how he should refer to himself and us, but he's really listening to this conversation. He was lying, and I wouldn't be too surprised if River Song also knew that."
"River? Why are you al of a sudden focused on her?"
"I can tell you why." 9 glanced at the half Time Lord in question. "She's madly in love with our future regeneration. She made a deal with you, and when that happened, I snuck a peak at his thoughts. Apparently he meets her as my future regeneration. She knew him, but he didn't see her at all for the rest of his life. The rest of us can only assume that my 11th face and River Song get to know each other very well."
"Are you four talking about me behind my back?" River asked, placing a hand on 11's shoulder to stop his ceaseless muttering. "Spoilers. Anyways, it's time to watch your life, Doctors. The life I never got to see. Bye now, Sweetie."
[Memory - Jackie's bedroom]
(A photograph of a laughing man with thinning hair.)
ROSE [OC]: Peter Alan Tyler my dad. The most wonderful man in the world. Born 15th September 1954.
JACKIE: Come here, Rose. Come here
(Jackie has got a photograph album open. Little Rose joins her on the bed.)
JACKIE: Who's that? It's your daddy. You weren't old enough to remember when he died. 1987, 7th of November. Do you remember what I told you? The day that Stuart Hoskins and Sarah Clarke got married. He was always having adventures. Oh, he would have loved to have seen you now.
Rose felt her eyes fill with tears, before smiling softly. "That's what Mum always says about Dad. I want to meet him more than anything."
9's eyes darkened immediately. This was going to end badly. He knew, there was no way Rose wouldn't change something from the past to prevent her father from dying.
[Tardis]
ROSE: That's what Mum always says. So I was thinking, could we, could we go and see my dad when he was still alive?
DOCTOR: Where's this come from, all of a sudden?
ROSE: All right then, if we can't, if it goes against the laws of times or something, then never mind, just leave it.
DOCTOR: No, I can do anything. I'm just more worried about you.
ROSE: I want to see him.
DOCTOR: Your wish is my command. But be careful what you wish for.
10 and 11 chuckled nervously. "Maybe be a little more careful next time."
"Oh, I did something terrible didn't I?" Rose asked, suddenly feeing guilty for asking that. Even if it is the future.
10 grimaced and nodded. "Yeah, but it's all sorted out now."
[Register office]
(The Doctor and Rose attend her parent's wedding.)
REGISTRAR: I, Peter Alan Tyler, take you, Jacqueline Angela Suzette Prentice
PETE: I, Peter Alan Tyler, take you, Jacqueline Suzanne Suzette Anita
JACKIE: Oh, just carry on. It's good enough for Lady Di.
ROSE: I thought he'd be taller.
"First time seeing my father in real life and that's the first thing I say. I can't believe myself."
REGISTRAR: To be my lawful wedded wife, to love and behold till death us do part.
JACKIE [OC]: He died so close to home.
[Memory - Jackie's bedroom]
JACKIE: I wasn't there. Nobody was. It was a hit and run driver. Never found out who. He was dead when the ambulance got there. I only wish there'd been someone there for him.
ROSE [OC]: I want to be that someone, so he doesn't die alone.
[Tardis]
DOCTOR: November the 7th?
ROSE: 1987.
(The time rotor starts up.)
River frowned. The Doctor never did things like this. Why was he doing it now? River thought for a while before realizing that he didn't do things like this because of what's going to happen here.
[Waterley Street]
(The Tardis has parked herself between a telephone junction box and a road sign, by park railings. Never Can Say Goodbye is playing somewhere.)
ROSE: It's so weird. The day my father died. I thought it'd be all sort of grim and stormy. It's just an ordinary day.
DOCTOR: The past is another country. 1987's just the Isle of Wight. Are you sure about this?
ROSE: Yeah.
[Jordan Road]
ROSE: This is it. Jordan Road. He was late. He'd been to get a wedding present, a vase. Mum always said, that stupid vase.
(A green van comes around the corner. D602 PKW)
ROSE: He got out of his car.
(It pulls into the kerb.)
ROSE: And crossed the road.
ROSE: Oh, God. This is it.
(As Pete gets out of the van, the Doctor takes Rose's hand. A beige car comes round the corner - NEH 793W - and straight into Pete. The driver shields his face with his arm and keeps going, leaving Pete and the broken vase in the middle of the road. Pete tries to move.)
Rose gasped. It was brutal. She felt herself begin to sob, and Mickey held her as she turned to him and cried into his jacket.
9 shook his head. It was sick, but he can't interfere with the events that directly relate to his companions. He just hopes that Rose is strong enough to go to him when she needs to.
DOCTOR: Go to him, quick.
(But she can't. Later, round the corner, as sirens approach.)
ROSE: It's too late now. By the time the ambulance got there, he was dead. He can't die on his own. Can I try again?
(The Doctor and Rose look round the corner to see themselves by the kerbside.)
DOCTOR: Right, that's the first you and me. 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 till she runs off and he follows, then go to your dad.
"What am I doing? I wouldn't-I would never do that."
10 smiled at him sadly. "It's cause you care about her. Nothing will change that. Ever."
(Pete parks at the kerb.)
ROSE 1: Oh, God. This is it.
ROSE: I can't do this.
DOCTOR: You don't have to do anything you don't want to, but this is the last time we can be here.
(Rose runs forward as Pete is getting out of the van.)
DOCTOR: Rose! No!
(Rose dashes past her earlier self and pushes her father out of the path of the beige car. The vase rolls away, unbroken. The earlier Doctor and Rose vanish.)
ROSE: I did it. I saved your life.
PETE: Blimey, did you see the speed of it? Did you get his number?
ROSE: I really did it. Oh, my God, look at you. You're alive! That car was going to kill you.
9 clenched his hand, anger rising. 10 put a hand on his shoulder, but he shook it off. He wouldn't be comforted by a future regeneration this time. If he was angry, he got to be angry. He took a breath, trying to keep himself from lashing out and saying something he regretted. The betrayal stung, but he didn't acknowledge it completely. He was too emotional for rational thoughts, all he could think was that Rose had gone with him for time travel. Why can't it ever be about just seeing the universe? Why does it have to be the universe doing something for the stupid apes?
PETE: Give me some credit, I did see it coming. I wasn't going to walk under it, was I.
ROSE: I'm Rose.
PETE: That's a coincidence. That's my daughter's name.
ROSE: That's a great name. Good choice. Well done.
PETE: Right, I'd better shift. I've got a wedding to go to.
ROSE: Is that Sarah Clarke's wedding?
PETE: Yeah, are you going?
ROSE: Yeah.
PETE: You and your boyfriend need a lift?
(Something with blood red eyesight flies over South London.)
Rose swallowed thickly. "That's got something to do with me, hasn't it?"
9 rolled his eyes. "You think?"
"Hey, don't be rude to her. She hasn't done it yet." Mickey defended Rose, hugging her protectively.
"Exactly. Not yet, but she will. I always pick and trust the stupid apes, don't I?"
10 and 11 rubbed their head in sync. They had felt what their regeneration was feeling, and while they forgave Rose, they also felt hurt. Being reminded of her betrayal with such little closure from her death made them so much sadder than they had felt in a long time.
[The Tyler's flat]
PETE: Right, there we go. Sorry about the mess. If you want a cup of tea, the kitchens 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 for yogurt, make a lot of money out of that. Sell it to students and things. I should write that down. Anyway, never mind that, excuse me for a minute. Got to go and change.
(Pete goes to the bedroom.)
ROSE: All the stuff mum kept. His stuff. She kept it all packed away in boxes in the cupboard. She used to show me when she'd had a bit to drink. Here it is, on display. Where it should be. Third prize at the bowling. First two got to go to Didcot. Health drinks. Tonics, mum used to call them. He made his money selling this Vitex stuff. He had all sorts of jobs. He was so clever. Solar power. Mum said he was going to do this. Now he can. Okay, look I'll tell him you're not my boyfriend.
Amy cringed. "You really think that's what's got him so upset?"
"Well, I don't know! It's the future, and my father is alive now, and I just... I shouldn't have done it-well I shouldn't do it in the future." Rose wiped away another tear.
9 scoffed and shook his head. He was just starting to get along with everyone, too.
DOCTOR: When we met, I said travel with me in space. You said no. Then I said time machine.
ROSE: It wasn't some big plan. I just saw it happening and I thought, I can stop it.
DOCTOR: I did it again. I picked another stupid ape. I should've known. It's not about showing you the universe. It never is. It's about the universe doing something for you.
ROSE: So it's okay when you go to other times, and you save people's lives, but not when it's me saving my dad.
DOCTOR: I know what I'm doing, you don't. Two sets of us being there made that a vulnerable point.
ROSE: But he's alive!
DOCTOR: My entire planet died. My whole family. Do you think it never occurred to me to go back and save them?
"I don't think you could've saved them if you tried, Doctor. I'm sorry you have to go through so much heartache, but from what I understand, what you did was better than not doing anything at all." Jack said to the Doctors.
River shook her head. "Don't apologize for him, Harkness. He's already going through his punishment, don't add to it."
Donna tensed. "What's his punishment, then? For murdering his planet."
"Living."
ROSE: But it's not like I've changed history. Not much. I mean he's never going to be a world leader. He's not going to start World War Three or anything.
DOCTOR: Rose, there's a man alive in the world who wasn't alive before. An ordinary man. That's the most important thing in creation. The whole world's different because he's alive.
ROSE: What, would you rather him dead?
DOCTOR: I'm not saying that.
ROSE: No, I get it! For once, you're not the most important man in my life.
DOCTOR: Let's see how you get on without me, then. Give me the key. The Tardis key. If I'm so insignificant, give it me back.
ROSE: All right then, I will.
(Rose hands over the key.)
DOCTOR: You've got what you wanted, so that's goodbye, then.
ROSE: You don't scare me. I know how sad you are. You'll be back in a minute, or you'll hang around outside the Tardis waiting for me. And I'll make you wait a long time!
(The Doctor leaves and Rose slams the door behind him. Pete puts his head round the bedroom door.)
PETE: Boyfriend trouble?
(The red-eyed thing flies over the area, then a man clipping a shrub suddenly disappears with a brief scream, followed by a woman pegging out the washing and a tramp drinking cider. Indoors, Rose is putting peanuts back into their bowl. Pete has changed into his wedding suit.)
PETE: Excuse me, do you mind? What're you tidying up for?
Mickey nudged Rose. "Jackie's still giving you trouble when you're traveling? Talk about overbearing."
She gave a watery laugh and wiped away her tears. "Honestly, I'm 19. She's my mother, but she could lay back a bit."
ROSE: Sorry. Force of habit.
PETE: Listen, don't worry about him. Couples have rows all the time.
ROSE: We're not a couple. Why does everyone think we're a couple? I think he left me.
PETE: What, a pretty girl like you? If I was going out with you
ROSE: Stop right there.
PETE: I was just saying
ROSE: I know what you're saying, and we're not going there. At no point are we going anywhere near there. You aren't even aware that there exists. I don't even want to think about there, and believe me, neither do you. There for you is like, like the Bermuda Triangle.
PETE: Blimey, you know how to flatter a bloke.
ROSE: Right, are we off?
(Rose offers Pete her arm.)
PETE: So, that wouldn't be a mixed signal at all?
ROSE: Absolutely not.
PETE: I'll take you back to the loony bin where you belong. Except I'm sure I've met you somewhere before.
[St Pauls Church]
(The nervous groom is waiting for the bride to turn up. A few guests are scattered in the pews.)
STUART: It's weird.
DAD: What?
STUART: There's so many people missing. Uncle Steven, Auntie Lynn, all the Baxters. Where are they? You don't think something's gone wrong?
"It's the red-eyed creature, isn't it? It's making all the people disappear." Donna whispered in horror.
Rose looked down, and Mickey hugged her again.
"I can't blame Rose but... I can't blame the Doctor's reaction either." Martha murmered back.
Amy looked over at Rose. "All of us need to listen to the Doctor more. I mean, he acts like a goof, but he's a genius."
Rory nodded and folded his arms over his chest.
DAD: Maybe it's a godsend. It gives you time to think. You don't have to go through with it, not these days. Live in sin for a bit.
STUART: Dad
DAD: In ten years time, you'll turn round and say, if only I could turn the clock back. Is it me or did it just get cold?
[Waterley Street]
(The Doctor outside the Tardis when he looks up for a moment. He unlocks the doors and opens them to reveal an empty police telephone box. The Tardis interior is missing.)
DOCTOR: Rose!
9 froze. His TARDIS. His tremendously beautiful TARDIS. Gone. "My baby..."
As his hands began to shake and his breathing became heavier, he tried to calm himself down. He's had enough with his panic attacks, his TARDIS would be fine. Logically, it's the last one and his future faces have a TARDIS. He would solve this and get his TARDIS back.
[Pete's car]
PETE: I met this bloke at the horse's, and he's cutting me in on copyright.
ROSE: But I thought you were a proper businessman and that.
PETE: I wish! Oh, I do a bit of this, a bit of that. I scrape by.
ROSE: Right. So I must've heard wrong. So, really you're a bit of a Del Boy?
PETE: Oh, shoot me down in flames. You're not related to my wife by any chance, are you?
ROSE: Oh, my God. She's going to be at the wedding.
PETE: What, Jackie? Do you know her?
ROSE: Sort of.
PETE: What's she told you about me, then?
ROSE: She said she'd picked the most fantastic man in the world.
PETE: Must be a different Jackie, then. She'd never say that.
"Rose, I don't mean to make you uncomfortable, but this is some straight drama and I'm loving it." Jack smiled excitedly, his last words and actions before dying.
Rory rubbed his temple. "River, please stop. I get it; honestly, but I'd rather not test Jack's ability to come back to life."
River just looked at him innocently. "But Rory, he can't die."
Jack dramatically gasped as he woke up. "Was a cute guy just trying to defend me?"
'Cute?' Rory mouthed to Amy.
She nodded. 'Very.'
(The radio changes to 105.4FM, and rap music comes out. I am reliably informed that it is Don't Mug Yourself, by The Streets.)
PETE: This stuff goes right over my head.
ROSE: That's not out yet.
PETE: It's a good job and all.
ROSE; I'm just going to check my messages.
PETE: How do you mean, messages? Is that a phone?
ROSE: Yeah.
BELL [OC]: Watson, come here. I need you. Watson, come here. I need you. Watson, come here. I need you.
(The car that should have killed Pete is behind them. Pete turns a corner, it drives straight on then vanishes.)
Martha thought for a few seconds. It didn't make sense why the car was there and suddenly disappearing. From what she saw, the driver looked to be covering his face like he had been at the beginning before Rose had saved her father's life. "Why's it done that? I can't think of a possible reason for that to be happening."
9 took a breath to answer without sounding too angry. Martha hadn't done anything to him... Yet. "When I took Rose back in time for the second time, it made the point in time when Pete died vulnerable. Honestly, I'm surprised I'm not able to really sense a bigger paradox from the four of us being there. Anyway-problem is, there's a man alive that died in a weak point of time. When that happens, the point in time will repeat over and over until it's fixed. Meaning that Pete will have to die in order to keep the universe from being completely destroyed before being righted."
She looked slightly shocked at his words, and Rose gasped at hearing that her father would have to die no matter what.
"But-but isn't there a way to keep her dad alive and to not have the whole world implode?" Mickey demanded.
"No. If there was I would know. I just hope that mistake doesn't happen again."
11 awkwardly smiled. "Yeah, no. Never happened again. Definitely not. Ha, yeah. Lucky that we learned from our mistake."
Oh great. 10 internally groaned.
[Outside St Pauls Church]
(Stuart's dad is using a proper mobile phone of the time - the size of a brick. Guests are entering and the bridesmaids are just arriving.)
DAD: Half the guests haven't turned up. You're better off not being here, it's a disaster in the making. No, in this case, knocked her up is a phrase I'd use.
BELL [OC]: Watson, come here. I need you.
DAD: Hello? Who is this?
BELL [OC]: Watson, come here. I ne
(He tries redialing. Stuart comes out of the church.)
STUART: Dad, get inside. We can't see the bride before the wedding. It's bad luck.
DAD: It was bad luck when you met her. I tell you, this day is cursed.
(They go back inside. The bride arrives. Her dress is a mass of Lady Di flounces.)
BEV: Now, that's what I call a meringue.
SUZIE: Listen, Stuart's dad said and go round the block, cos there's people missing.
SARAH: How do you mean, missing?
BEV: There's no Dave, no Sunita, no Bea.
SUZIE: There's no one from the Lamb and Flag.
SARAH: Oh, my train's detached again. I knew I should've used Velcro.
JACKIE: I'm here. Stop your bellyaching. Take Rose a sec, will you?
(Jackie hands over a baby in a carry cot.)
BEV: Oh, ain't she pretty?
JACKIE: She's a little madam, that's what she is. Oh, I need more hands. Where's her useless article of a dad got to?
(Pete drives round the corner.)
Mickey smirked at Rose. "You were an adorable baby."
Rose sighed softly. "Cheeky, are you?"
"Nah, just teasing."
"Better be."
[Pete's car]
(The beige car suddenly appears and drives towards them.)
ROSE: Dad!
(Pete swerves into the kerb, missing a tree.)
PETE: It's that car. Same one as before.
"So... Would everything go back to being fine if he was killed by something other than the car?" Donna faltered after seeing Rose start shaking again.
"Maybe. Time Lords don't change weak and set points in time. Well, I'm sure some of them did, but the Academy tells us not to change them. One of the first things you learn, actually." 10 informed her. She nodded, trying not to feel bad for asking the question in the first place.
[Outside St Pauls Church]
PETE: It was right in front of us. Where's he gone? You called me Dad. What'd you say that for?
JACKIE: Oh, wonderful. Here he is, the accident waiting to happen. You'd be late for your own funeral and it nearly was!
PETE: No damage done.
JACKIE: And who's this? What're you looking at with your mouth open?
ROSE: Your hair.
JACKIE: What?!
ROSE: I've never seen it like. I mean, it's lovely. Your hair's lovely. And that baby you're holding. That would be your baby.
JACKIE: Another one of yours, is she?
PETE: She saved my life!
JACKIE: Oh, that's a new one. What was it last time?
PETE: I didn't even know her. She was a cloakroom attendant. I was helping her look for my ticket. There were three duffel coats all the same. Somehow the rack collapsed. We were under all this stuff.
ROSE: Were you playing around?
JACKIE: What's it got to do with you what he gets up to?
ROSE: What does he get up to?
JACKIE: You'd know.
PETE: Oh, 'cos I'm that stupid. I play around and I bring her to meet the missus. You silly cow.
Rose wiped her eyes. No more crying. My future can keep herself from breaking down, so can I.
JACKIE: But you are that stupid.
PETE: Can we keep this stuff back home just for now?
JACKIE: What, with the rest of the rubbish? You bring home cut-price detergents, tonic water, Betamax tapes and none of it works. I'm drowning in your rubbish. What did he tell you? Did he say he's this big businessman, 'cos he's not. He's a failure. Born failure, that one. Rose needs a proper father, not one who's flannelling about like some big kid.
PETE: Jackie, I'm making a living, it keeps us fed, don't it?
ROSE: Stop it!
ROSE: You're not like this. You love each other.
JACKIE: Oh, Pete. You never used to like them mental. Or I don't know, maybe you did.
PETE: Jackie, wait, just listen.
JACKIE: If you're not careful, there'll be a wedding and a divorce on the same day.
Mickey winced in sympathy. "With the way Jackie talks about Pete, It sounds like the two of them had a perfect relationship. I would never have guessed they would fight like this all the time."
"Sometimes when people die, the ones that fought with them the most are the saddest to see them gone." 11 verified. "I know that all too well."
Mickey stared at him, looking away after a few seconds. He was surprised by this Doctor's sadness. He had only shown anger and happiness the entire time they had been there, it was a shock to see him openly show his true feelings. Mickey felt himself give a new level of respect to the alien.
PETE: Wait here. Give us a couple of minutes with the missus. Tell you what, straighten the car up. Stick it round the corner or something. Don't cause anymore trouble.
(Pete takes the vase and gives Rose his car keys.)
[Playground]
(The red-eyed monster hovers over a playground. A woman is pushing her son on the swing.)
Mickey narrowed his eyes at the screen. "Oh god, that's me."
10 looked a the screen with wide eyes. "Wh-no. No, it-it couldn't be."
"No, that's me, Doctor."
MICKEY: Hey, Jack. Jeff.
(But the boy on the slide and the two on the see-saw have just vanished. Then his mother isn't behind him any more either. Mickey runs.)
[Outside St Pauls Church]
JACKIE: I'm not listening. It's just the duffel coats all over again.
PETE: Jackie, sometimes a duffel coat is just a duffel coat. Things will get better soon, I promise.
JACKIE: I've had enough of all your daft schemes. I never know where the next meal's coming from.
PETE: I'll get it right, love. One day soon, I promise you, I'll get it right. Come on.
(The little boy runs round the corner from Waterley Street.)
MICKEY: Monsters! Going to eat us!
SUZIE: What sort of monsters, sweetheart? Is it aliens?
(Mickey runs straight into the church. The Doctor runs up behind Rose.)
DOCTOR: Rose! Get in the church!
"That's why you were so shocked. Cause I somehow knew to get in the church without you telling me. Not much of an idiot now, am I?"
9 shook his head. "I refuse to believe that."
Mickey laughed mockingly. "I've stumped you, Doctor! I've never been so proud of myself."
(A large thing with bat-like wings appears in the sky. Very devilish. It hisses and starts to swoop. Rose screams. The Doctor pushes her to the pavement just in time to avoid its talons.)
"You're still protecting me?"
10 laughs, though he didn't sound happy. "I can't just let you die. Do you really think that anything you've done to me could make me care for you any less? Humans. So... Humany."
"But because of what I'm going to do, people have died."
10 smiles at her, before turning his head away. She swore she saw a tear fall down his cheek.
DOCTOR: Get in the church!
(Two more appear.)
SUZIE: Oh, my God. What are they? What are they?
DOCTOR: Inside!
STUART: Sarah!
DOCTOR: Stay in there!
(Stuart's dad tries to run away, but he gets pounced on. Another blocks Sarah's path to the church, but when she screams it flies off and pounces on the vicar instead.)
DOCTOR: In!
[St Pauls Church]
(The Doctor gets the bride's party inside and slams the doors on the creatures. They can be seen flying around outside.)
DOCTOR: They can't get in. Old windows and doors. Okay. The older something is, the stronger it is. What else? Go and check the other doors! Move!
JACKIE: What's happening? What are they? What are they?
DOCTOR: There's been an accident in time. A wound in time. They're like bacteria, taking advantage.
JACKIE: What do you mean, time? What're you jabbering on about, time?
DOCTOR: Oh, I might've known you'd argue. Jackie, I'm sick of you complaining.
JACKIE: How do you know my name?
DOCTOR: I haven't got time for this.
JACKIE: I've never met you in my life!
DOCTOR: 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.
JACKIE: Yes, sir.
"Never in my life has someone been able to do that." Rose hesitated. "Am I imagining things?"
"No, unless both of us are." Mickey replied, in the same shocked stupor.
Donna, who realized Jackie was a lot like her mother, smirked. "Maybe I can get him to give my Mum a talking to."
9 scoffed. "No. I don't do that sort of thing."
"But she really needs to lay off me. She's really mean, always nagging me about everything. It's gotten really bad recently, too. After I met the Doctor..."
10 looked worried. He looked over at 11. "Is her mother... Like ours?"
"Which one?"
10 glanced around to see if anyone had heard them. "Don't even try avoiding this, and keep your voice down."
11 adjusted his bowtie, discomforted. "No. Not as bad, but not much better."
They settled back into their chairs, 10 thinking about how his companions all seemed to have familial problems along with him.
DOCTOR: I should have done that ages ago.
STUART: My dad was out there.
DOCTOR: You can mourn him later. Right now we've got to concentrate on keeping ourselves alive.
STUART: My dad had
DOCTOR: There's nothing I can do for him.
STUART: No, but he had this phone thing. I can't get it to work. I keep getting this voice.
BELL [OC]: Watson, come here. I need you. Watson, come here. I need you.
DOCTOR: That's the very first phone call. Alexander Graham Bell. I don't think the telephone's going to be much use.
STUART: But someone must have called the police.
DOCTOR: Police can't help you now. No one can. Nothing in this universe can harm those things. Time's been damaged and they've come to sterilise the wound. By consuming everything inside.
ROSE: Is this because? Is this my fault?
[Outside St Pauls Church]
(The creatures take passers-by.)
WOMAN: No!
(Cars have crashed. A pram is overturned. Bicycle wheels turn then stop. Shoes blow with the autumn leaves.)
[Vestry]
(All laid out for the signing of the register.)
PETE: There's smoke coming up from the city but no sirens. I don't think it's just us. I think these things are all over the place. Maybe the whole world.
(The beige car appears at the corner, turns, the driver covers his face and it disappears again.)
PETE: Was that a car?
DOCTOR: It's not important. Don't worry about it.
9 rolled his eyes. Why should he protect the people responsible for this paradox? Why did it always have to be up to him to save all the stupid apes that roam this stupid planet, thinking they own the universe? Why does he have to defend all these animals who expect others to own up to their own mistakes. He's tried of it. Maybe Rose really does help. Maybe she just fixes him and breaks him all over again. Maybe he should just... Stop with it all.
[St Pauls Church]
(Rose is standing by the altar when Pete comes out of the vestry.)
PETE: This mate of yours. What did he mean, this is your fault?
ROSE: Don't know. Just everything.
PETE: I gave you my car keys. You don't give your keys to a complete stranger. It's, it's like I trusted you. Moment I met you, I just did. wound in time. You called me Dad. I can see it. My eyes, Jackie's attitude. You sound like her when you shout. You are. You are. You're my Rose. You're my Rose grown up.
(They hug, in tears.)
ROSE: Dad. My Dad. My Daddy.
(Meanwhile, a creature is head-butting a side door. The Doctor pulls the curtain aside and gets out his sonic screwdriver.)
STUART: Excuse me, Mister
DOCTOR: Doctor.
STUART: You seem to know what's going on.
DOCTOR: I give that impression, yeah.
STUART: I just wanted to ask
SARAH: Can you save us?
DOCTOR: Who are you two, then?
STUART: Stuart Hoskins.
SARAH: Sarah Clark.
DOCTOR: And one extra. Boy or girl?
SARAH: I don't know. I don't want to know, really.
DOCTOR: How did all this get started?
STUART: Outside the Beatbox Club, two in the morning.
SARAH: Street corner. I'd lost my purse, didn't have money for a taxi.
STUART: I took her home.
DOCTOR: Then what? Asked her for a date?
SARAH: Wrote his number on the back of my hand.
STUART: Never got rid of her since. My dad said.
SARAH: I don't know what this is all about, and I know we're not important.
DOCTOR: Who said you're not important? I've travelled to all sorts of places, done things you couldn't even imagine, but you two. Street corner, two in the morning, getting a taxi home. I've never had a life like that. Yes. I'll try and save you.
River smiled. The Doctor always loved a romance story that sounded as corny as possible.
[Vestry]
PETE: I'm a dad. I mean, I'm already a dad, but Rose grows up and she's you. That's wonderful. I mean, I suppose I thought that you'd be a bit useless, what with my useless genes and all, but. Well, I mean, how did you get here?
Amy scoffed a laugh. "Can we just talk about insults you and then insults himself like he didn't do anything?"
"That happens a lot with patients in psych ward, well only the ones that are struggling after attempting to-uhm-take themselves out of this world." Rory states.
Rose sat up. "Has my dad got depression?"
"I'm just a nurse, I haven't been one for long. Martha would know better than me."
Martha nodded. "It's a possibility, but I don't think he's got depression. Well, not as bad as the Doctor has it, at least."
"Rude." 10 sniffed.
ROSE: Do you really want to know?
PETE: Yeah.
ROSE: A time machine.
PETE: Time machine.
ROSE: Cross my heart.
PETE: What, do you all have time machines where you come from?
ROSE: No, just the Doctor.
PETE: Did you know these things were coming?
ROSE: No.
PETE: God, I don't know, my head's spinning. What's the future like?
ROSE: It's not so different.
PETE: What am I like? Have I gone grey? Have I gone bald? Don't tell me I've gone bald. 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. Have you got a bloke?
"Just a bit older."
ROSE: No, I did have.
JACKIE [OC]: Mickey!
(Little Mickey runs up to Rose and hugs her.)
PETE: Do you know him?
ROSE: I just didn't recognise him in a suit. You have to let go of me, sweetheart. I'm always saying that.
JACKIE: He just grabs hold of what's passing and holds on for dear life. God help his poor girlfriend if he ever gets one.
Rose laughed at Mickey's embarrassment. "It's alright, you've gotten a bit better."
"Only a bit?" Mickey protested.
"Sorry, but you still cling a lot. It's adorable, but really hard to deal with when I need to get things done."
PETE: Me and Rose were just talking.
JACKIE: Oh, yeah? Talking? While the world comes to an end, what do you do? Cling to the youngest blonde. Come on, Mick.
(Jackie and Mickey leave.)
ROSE: You can't tell her.
PETE: Why?
ROSE: I mean, I really don't want you to tell her.
PETE: What, do you don't want people to know?
ROSE: Where I come from, Jackie doesn't know how to work the timer on the video recorder.
PETE: I showed her that last week. Point taken.
[St Pauls Church]
(The Doctor is talking to baby Rose in her carrycot by the choir stalls.)
DOCTOR: Now, Rose you're not going to bring about the end of the world, are you? Are you?
"This is so weird." Rose murmured.
"Yeah, things get weird around me, keep up." 9 responded, trying (and failing) to lighten the mood.
(Rose walks up.)
DOCTOR: Jackie gave her to me to look after. How times change.
ROSE: I'd better be careful. I think I just imprinted myself on Mickey like a mother chicken.
DOCTOR: No. Don't touch the baby. You're both the same person. 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.
"So these things come around when a set point of time is changed?" Jack guessed.
"Sometimes, I really try to keep these things away by avoiding set points in time, but I think that's the first time I've seen them in person. Textbook explanations aren't very clear when you learn about them, you kind of have to live through them multiple times and compare the experiences. They appear sometimes, and other times they don't. That's all that really needs to be known about them." 10 explained.
ROSE: Can't do anything right, can I?
DOCTOR: Since you ask, no. So, don't touch the baby.
ROSE: I'm not stupid.
DOCTOR: You could have fooled me. All right, I'm sorry. I wasn't really going to leave you on your own.
ROSE: I know.
DOCTOR: But between you and me, I haven't got a plan. No idea. No way out.
ROSE: You'll think of something.
DOCTOR: The entire Earth's been 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. 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.
ROSE: If I'd realised.
DOCTOR: Just tell me you're sorry.
ROSE: I am. I'm sorry.
Amy breathed in and out slowly. "Rory, you've got a pen and paper?"
Rory looked at her, bewildered. "Yeah, why?
"Just give it to me."
Rory handed Amy the notebook and his pen, and she opened it to a clean page and wrote: Things the Doctor Needs More than an Apology For. Under it, she wrote: People not listening to him when he warns them about not messing with time.
Rory read it over and smiled softly. "And we'll be adding to this?"
"Of course."
(They hug.)
ROSE: Have you got something hot?
(She reaches into his inside pocket, takes out a key and drops it because it is glowing hot.)
DOCTOR: It's the Tardis key!
(He takes off his jacket to pick it up safely.)
9 tensed slightly at seeing himself without his leather jacket, but he forced himself to calm down when no one commented on him. He shook himself, now was not the time to get insecure about his appearance.
DOCTOR: It's telling me it's still connected to the Tardis.
(He makes an announcement from the pulpit.)
DOCTOR: The inside of my ship was thrown out of the 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 picks up the mobile phone.)
STUART: This one big enough?
DOCTOR: Fantastic.
"It really was a fantastic battery."
"The most fantastic battery ever."
"I thought you two were over that!"
STUART: Good old dad. There you go.
DOCTOR: Just need to do a bit of charging up and then we can bring everyone back.
(He uses the ever-versatile sonic screwdriver while the creatures batter at the doors. Pete and Rose have a quiet chat.)
PETE: You, er, you never said why you came here in the first place. If I had a time machine, I wouldn't have thought 1987 was anything special. Not round here, anyway.
ROSE: We just ended up here.
PETE: Lucky for me, eh? If you hadn't been there to save me.
ROSE: That was just a coincidence. That was just really good luck. It's amazing.
PETE: So, in the future, are me and her indoors still together?
ROSE: Yeah.
PETE: Are you still living with us?
ROSE: Yep.
PETE: Am I a good dad?
ROSE: You, you told me a bedtime story every night when I was small. You were always there. You never missed one. And er, you took us for picnics in the country every Saturday. You never let us down. You were there for us all the time. Someone I could really rely on.
PETE: That's not me.
River gave a soft sigh. "Some of the best people are the ones that realize they aren't good people, but still try and do good things."
"River, I know what you're trying to do, but let me remind you that I am most certainly not a good a person and all the good I try to do does not resolve me of my the bad I've done. Alright? I don't like hearing my name being spoken in such a high manner. Please." 11 admonished quietly, smiling at her nod.
(The Tardis slowly materialises around her key.)
DOCTOR: 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 going to get married, just like I said.
(Outside, the car repeats its brief drive around the corner. Inside, the Tardis is fading in and out.)
ROSE: When time gets sorted out
DOCTOR: Everybody here forgets what happened. And don't worry, the thing that you changed will stay changed.
PETE: You mean I'll still be alive, though I'm meant to be dead. That's why I haven't done anything with my life, why I didn't mean anything.
DOCTOR: It doesn't work like that.
PETE: Rubbish. I'm so useless I couldn't even die properly. Now it's my fault all of this has happened.
ROSE: This is my fault.
PETE: No, love. I'm your dad. It's my job for it to be my fault.
"Oh, well. That's nice." Donna acknowledged.
Martha nodded. "Nothing like my father."
"Why does like, everyone here have familial issues?" Jack wondered aloud.
"That's a good question that I would also like to know the answer to." Rory requested, not to anyone specifically, he just wanted to know the information.
JACKIE: Her dad? How are you her dad? How old were you, twelve? Oh, that's disgusting.
PETE: Jacks, listen. This is Rose.
JACKIE: Rose? How sick is that? You give my daughter a second hand name? How many are there? Do you call them all Rose?
PETE: Oh, for God's sake, look. It's the same Rose!
(Pete takes baby Rose from Jackie and hands her to Rose.)
DOCTOR: Rose! No!
(The Doctor snatches her away too late and gives her back to Jackie. A creature appears inside the Church.)
DOCTOR: Everyone, behind me! I'm the oldest thing in here.
ROSE: Doctor!
(The creature pounces on the Doctor, then flies over to the Tardis. They touch, the Tardis and the creature vanish, and the key falls to the floor. Rose runs to pick it up.)
9 stared at the screen in shock, did he really die just like that. Except, he wouldn't have been able to regenerate and his two regeneration from his future sitting right in front of him.
"I never thought that one of your self sacrificial attempts would actually work." River teased the Doctor.
11 nodded, a serious look on his face. "I was shocked as well."
Amy shushed everyone. "So we aren't going to talk about how you literally just died and you weren't able to do the weird regeneration thing he was explaining to us?"
10 pauses. Others were confused as well, he had thought that it was obvious. "Well I don't die there. I get brought back after a thing happens. And I can't tell you what the thing is, but I'm sure you could guess."
ROSE: It's cold. The key's cold. Oh, my God, he's dead. This is all my fault. Both of you. All of you. The whole world.
BEV: This is it. There's nothing we can do. It's the end.
(As the creatures start scraping at the stonework outside, Pete watches the car drive around the corner again and again from the vestry window. He goes back into the church and over to Rose, who is sitting on her own.)
PETE: The Doctor really cared about you. He didn't want you to go through it again, not if there was another way. Now there isn't.
ROSE: What are you talking about?
PETE: The car that should have killed me, love. It's here. The Doctor worked it out way back, but he, er, he tried to protect me. Still, he's not in charge anymore. I am.
ROSE: But you can't.
PETE: Who am I, love?
ROSE: My daddy.
PETE: Jackie, look at her. She's ours.
JACKIE: Oh, of course.
(Jackie hugs the weeping Rose.)
PETE: I'm meant to be dead, Jackie. You're going to get rid of me at last.
JACKIE: Don't say that.
PETE: 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 daughter. I never read you those bedtime stories. I never took you on those picnics. I was never there for you.
ROSE: You would have been.
PETE: But I can do this for you. I can be a proper dad to you now.
ROSE: But it's not fair.
PETE: I've had all these extra hours. No one else in the world has ever had that. And on top of that, I got to see you. And you're beautiful. How lucky am I, eh? So, come on, do as your dad says. You going to be there for me, love? Thanks for saving me.
"Always the same in every universe, isn't he?" 10 concluded.
"Yeah. I'd like to think so." 11 replied.
River looked sharply at the two of them. She thought the Doctor had told her that nobody could travel to alternate universes anymore because of the Time War. How could he know what Rose's father was like in one of them?
[Outside St Pauls Church]
(Pete runs out of the church, clutching the vase. A creature spots him. He runs to the corner, where the car appears. The driver flings his arm across his face.)
PETE: Goodbye, love.
(Thump! The vase drops and breaks. The creatures vanish.)
[St Pauls Church]
DOCTOR: Go to him. Quick.
[Outside St Pauls Church]
(Rose runs to her dying father. This time, the driver has stopped at the scene. Pete dies gazing into Rose's eyes.)
SARAH: What's that?
(Stuart's dad comes out of the church.)
JACKIE [OC]: The driver was just a kid.
[Memory - Jackie's bedroom]
JACKIE: He stopped, he waited for the police. It wasn't his fault. For some reason, Pete just ran out. People say there was this girl, and she sat with Pete while he was dying. She held his hand. Then she was gone. Never found out who she was.
[Jordan Road]
(Rose kisses Pete farewell then stands up and looks at the Doctor.)
ROSE [OC]: Peter Alan Tyler, my dad. The most wonderful man in the world. Died the 7th of November, 1987.
(The Tardis has relocated to outside the Tandoori across the road. The Doctor and Rose walk away.)
Martha sniffed. "That was sad. Why can't we all just be happy and have good families for once?"
"Cause that would be boring." Amy said, though she did agree to some degree.
Zachariah appeared in the room. "I can probably guess that some of you are getting tired, so I've set up a few rooms for the lot of you to sleep in every 8-10 episodes. Depends on how tired you guys get, especially after the more emotional ones. And there are more emotional ones than this, I warn you." As he said, doors appeared along the room. On one side, 5 door appeared, and on the other only a single door appeared. "Doctors, you three will get the same room, River you get your own. Amy and Rory you two can have your own room as well as Mickey and Rose. Martha and Dona, you two will have the same room. Jack, you get the room that isn't anywhere near the other rooms."
Jack pouted. "That isn't fair."
"I could care less. Doctors, I don't think that the three of you don't need sleep right now, so I just put a few things in there for you guys to do to pass the time. And no, none of them involve the TARDIS. I'm not risking you guys trying to leave."
The three Doctors nodded glumly, not even trying to fight back. It would be a losing battle anyways.
"Get some sleep, and we'll watch the last five episodes before the next season. Have a good night." And just like that, Zachariah disappeared.
Everyone went in their respected rooms, Jack trying to convince the Doctors to let him hang out with them, and then moving on to River, who killed him again. He didn't try again with anyone else, he really hated dying and coming back to life.
Alright, that's done. I've decided that I'm going to do the minisodes in this series, they'll just be really short chapters. It'll be fun. Have a good day/night, everyone!