Father's Day
Peter Alan Tyler, my Dad. The most wonderful man in the world. Born September 15th , 1954. Died November 7th , 1987.
Rose's Flat
1994
An eight-year-old Rose enters Jackie's room, who was sitting on her bed with a photo album. "Come here, Rose." She calls softly. "Come here." She pats the bed beside her, where Rose sits as she peers into the album. "Who's that?" She points to a picture of man with short blonde hair. "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'd have loved to have seen you now. He was meant to be there, your Daddy. I was already there, with you, when you were barely a year old. He died so close to home. I wasn't there, nobody was. The driver was just a kid. He stopped and waited of the police, but Pete was already dead when the ambulance got there. It wasn't his fault. For some reason, Pete just ran out. People say that 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 but…I'm thankful for her because…she didn't let him die on his own. Remember that Rose. Nobody should ever die alone." She says softly, tears prickling her eyes as she embraces Rose in a hug.
TARDIS
The Doctor and Clara exchanged sad looks at Rose's tale. "That's what Mum always says. So…I was thinking…could we?" Rose asks. "Could we go and see my Dad, when he was still alive?"
"Where's this come from, all of a sudden?" The Doctor asks.
Rose's gaze flickered towards Clara, who gave her a sad smile. "Rose, do you really want to do this?" She asks.
"I want to see him. I mean…we don't have to if it's against the laws of time or some such…" She trailed off.
"You have to be sure, Rose." She said, her eyes telling her everything.
Rose nodded. "I want to see him."
"Then your wish is our command. Just be careful what you wish for." The Doctor said with a smile. He then got up with Clara as they piloted the TARDIS.
The three stood with sat with somewhat awkward looks as they watched Peter and Jackie get married. "I, Peter Alan Tyler, take you, Jacqueline Andrea Suzette Prentice." The priest said.
"I, Peter Alan Tyler, take you, Jacqueline…Suzanne, Suzette…Anita…" He stammered, making Jackie roll her eyes at him incredulously.
"Oh, just carry on. It's good enough for Lady Di."
The Doctor and Clara sniggered, while Rose looked on in slight disappointment. "I thought he'd be taller." Rose almost whined.
"How tall did you think he was?" The Doctor asked. Rose stammered, deciding not to answer, making him smirk.
"All are weddings this awkward?" Clara asked him.
"A bit, yeah." They sniggered again, making Rose roll her eyes at them.
"Do other races have different kinds of weddings?"
"Oh yeah, there is. Back on Gallifrey, when two people are getting married, they would be married in private, just them for one night. They would take a bond cloth, which…" He blinked, "Is just a cloth." Clara gave him a 'Seriously?' look. "Anyway, they would take a cloth, wrap it around both of their hands and tell each other their true names. Well, in some parts of Gallifrey. Other parts, people told everyone their names freely."
"And you?"
"Well…I'm the Doctor. But my family, they were the…other part, should we say?" He winked slightly, making her pull an 'Okay' face.
Back in the TARDIS, they piloted it to their new destination. "Alright then, Rose. We will ask this once more: Are you sure?" The Doctor asked.
"Yes. I want to be that someone, so he doesn't die alone."
"November the 7th?"
"1987."
"Alright then. Just letting you know, Rose, follow what we say. Or this could all go wrong very quickly." He warned, making her nod.
London
November 7th, 1987
The three stepped out of the TARDIS onto a quiet street, on a cloudy day. "That's so weird. The day my father died. I thought it'd be all sort of grim and stormy, but it's just an ordinary day." Rose mumbled.
"The past is another country. 1987's just The Isle of Wight. Come on, he should be this way." The Doctor said, leading them down the street to a corner.
"This is it. Jordan Road. He was late. He'd been to get a wedding present, a vase. Mum always said: 'That stupid vase.'" On that, Peter came down the road in a rugged old, green car. "He got out of his car…and crossed the road. Oh god, this is it." Clara took her hand while the Doctor placed his hand on her shoulder. They flinched as Peter stepped out of the car, before being hit face first by another car, this one a dull grey colour, which then sped off down the road as he fell, the vase he carried smashed onto the pavement.
"Go to him. Quick." Clara implored.
Rose blinked as tears came to her eyes, before heading off down the road, making them follow her. They stood by each other, as they heard the ambulance arrive at Peter's body. "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?" She asked, her voice breaking. The Doctor and Clara exchanged an uncomfortable look before nodding slightly.
Arriving back at the corner, they stood hidden as their past selves came to the sidewalk. "Right. That's us, the first time. Now, it's a horrible idea to have two sets of us in the same time. Just be careful that they don't see us. Wait till you run off and we follow, then go to your Dad." The Doctor advised, Rose nodding as he finished.
They saw Peter's car pull up on the sidewalk, the car that would kill him coming down the road. "Oh god, this is it." Rose said.
"I can't do this." Rose mumbled.
"You don't have to do anything you don't want to, but this is the last time we can be here." Rose took a deep breath as Peter stepped out of the car, before sprinting towards him. "No!"
"Rose!" Clara called fruitlessly as Rose sped past their past selves and dove Peter out of the way of the oncoming car, which like their past selves vanished in a golden light.
"I did it." Rose muttered with a smile as she and Peter got to their feet. "I saved your life."
"Blimey, did you see the speed of it? Did you get his number?" Peter said with a shaking voice.
"I really did it. Oh my god, look at you, you're alive. That car was going to kill you!"
"Well, give me some credit. I could see it coming. I wasn't going to walk under it, was I?"
"I'm Rose." She blurted.
"That's a coincidence. That's my daughter's name."
She nodded. "That's a great name. Good choice, well done."
"Right then, I'd better shift. I've got a wedding to go to."
"Is that Sarah Clarke's wedding?"
"Yeah. Are you going?"
"Yeah."
"You and your friends need a lift?" He asked, making Rose turn to the two. The Doctor was staring at her with disappointment while Clara was glaring daggers at her.
"Right, here we go. Sorry about the mess." Peter said as they entered the living room of his cramped flat. "If you want a cup of tea, the kitchen's just down there. Milk's in the fridge." He rolled his eyes. "Well, it would be, wouldn't it? Where else would you put milk?" He paused in thought. "Mind you, there's always the windowsill outside. You know, I always that that if someone invented a windowsill with special compartments, like one for milk and one for yogurt, they could make a lot of money out of that. Sell it to students and things. I should write that down." He blinked a few times. "Oh, never mind that. Ramblings of a mad man." He quipped, making them smirk. "Please excuse me for a minute, I need to go and change." He went into his bedroom, shutting the door behind him. Rose moved into the middle of the living room, not noticing the Doctor placing a hand on Clara's shoulder to calm her.
"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. Yet here it is…on display, where it should be." Noticing their looks, she starts to feel awkward and somewhat guilty, before picking up a trophy. "Third prize at the bowling. First two got to go to Didcot." She puts it down before gaining a childlike smile at the cartons of drinks on the floor. "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." She moves over to a set of blueprints on the table, her awkward anxiety starting to rise at their silence. "Solar power. Mum said he was going to do this. Now he can." She gulps at their looks, knowing that they ignored everything she said.
"When we met, we asked if you wanted to travel the universe with us and you said no. Then I said, "That it also travels in time"." Clara says in an accusing tone.
"It wasn't some big plan. I just…saw it happening and I thought, that I could stop it."
The Doctor scoffed under his breath. "I should've listened to Clara, but I did it again, I picked another stupid ape. It's never about showing you the universe, it's about the universe doing something for you."
"So, it's okay when you two go to other times and you save people's lives but not when it's me saving my Dad."
"We know what we're doing, you don't. Two sets of us being there made that a vulnerable point."
"But he's alive!" She protested.
"Yeah, good job." Clara growled sarcastically.
"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 III or anything."
"Rose, it's a simple as this." Clara interrupted. "There's a man alive in the world who wasn't alive before. The whole world is now different because he's alive."
"What, would you rather have him dead?" She accused.
*Smack*
The Doctor flinched while Rose looked at Clara with wide eyes, her cheek stinging with pain. "Don't ever say that kind of bullshit again." Clara growled, Rose flinching at her tone. "We don't enjoy people dying, but no more than when we can't save them. For god's sake, my own parents died, Rose! My whole family is now dead! Do you think it's never occurred to me to go back and save them?! Of course, it has! But that's not how this works!" Rose blinked, making Clara roll her eyes. "You still don't get it. Alright then, give me the key."
Her jaw dropped slightly. "Wha-"
"The TARDIS key." Clara snapped, making Rose hand it to her with haste. "Since you got what you wanted, it's goodbye." She moved from the flat, the Doctor shooting Rose a slightly apologetic look before leaving.
"You don't scare me!" Rose blurted. "I know how sad you are. You'll be back in a minute or you'll hang around outside the TARDIS-"
"No, we won't. Goodbye Rose." Clara growled, silencing her as they slammed the door behind them.
Peter opened his door slightly, poking his head out to see Rose's shocked and hurt face. "Trouble with friends?" He quips lightly, yet it does nothing to help her mood.
Outside, the Doctor raced to catch up with Clara. "Clara. Clara." He grabbed her hand, but she yanked it out of his grasp.
"For once in your life, Doctor, shut up!" She growled, leaving him silent and rooted for a few minutes as she disappears around the corner.
Rose absentmindedly began cleaning up Peter's table, trying to keep her guilt-ridden thoughts off Clara's words, not even hearing Peter enter the room, now dressed in a suit. "Excuse me, do you mind? What're you cleaning up for?" He asked.
She jumped slightly. "Sorry. Force of habit."
"Listen, don't worry about them. Friends always have rows."
"Look, I know what you mean, but this wasn't one of them." She sat on the couch, slouching her shoulders. "I think they just left me."
"They'll be back. Friends always will be." He reassured.
"Right then, are we off?" Rose jumped up, holding out her arm.
"Uh…yeah." He blinked. "Sorry, but just asking, do you have a boyfriend?"
She breathed. "I don't know. Not really. It's all a little bit complicated."
"What, with a pretty girl like you? If I was going out with you-"
"Stop! Just stop!" She said, disgusted at the reality.
He shrugged. "I'm just saying-"
"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…pfft, it's like the Bermuda Triangle." She ranted.
His jaw dropped before sniggering slightly. "Blimey, you know how to flatter a bloke."
"Like I said, are we off?" She asked, holding her arm out again.
"So, that's not mixed signals at all?"
"Absolutely not."
He sighed before taking her arm to lead her out of the door to his car. "I'll take you back to the loony bin, where you belong." He gazed distantly for a moment. "Still, I'm sure I've met you somewhere before."
Inside the church, the organ was playing while Stuart Hoskins and his father, both dressed in grey suits stood in front of the alter, Stuart glancing back at the small amount of people in the chairs with anxiety. "It's weird."
"What?" His father asked.
"There's so many people missing. Uncle Steven, Auntie Lynn, all the Baxters. I mean, where are they? You don't think something's gone wrong?"
"Maybe it's a godsend. Gives you time to think. You don't have to go through with it, not these days. Live in sin for a bit." His father winked knowingly.
"Dad!" He muttered incredulously.
"I'm warning you, in ten years' time, you'll turn around and say, "If only I could turn the clock back."" A sudden, icy chill passed through, making some shift uncomfortably. "Is it me, or did it just get cold?"
Clara walked back to the TARDIS, the Doctor following close behind with a look of worry. She paused briefly to glance upwards. "Clara? What is it?"
She didn't turn to look at him. "I just… I thought I heard…never mind." She mumbled, taking her key out of her blazer to unlock the TARDIS, their eyes widening as they found it empty. Completely empty, now just a normal police box. The Doctor even stood inside and banged on the walls to be sure before she grabbed his arm. "Rose!" She said, making them rush off.
"I met this bloke at the horses and he's cutting me on copyright." Peter said as he drove her and Rose to the church, the song "Never Gonna Give You Up" playing on the radio.
"But I thought you were like a proper businessman."
"*Scoffs* I wish! Nah, I just do a bit of this, a bit of that, more of a straight bloke."
Rose nodded despite her confusion. "Right. I must've heard wrong. So really, you're a…a bit of a del boy?"
"Oh, shoot me down in flames." He groaned slightly. "You're not related to my wife by any chance, are you?"
Rose paused before dropping her jaw slightly. "Oh my god. She's going to be at the wedding."
"What, Jackie? Do you know her?"
"Sort of." She mumbled.
"What'd she tell you about me then?"
She smiled softly. "She said that she picked the most fantastic man in the world."
He gave her a "Seriously?" look. "Must be a different Jackie, then. She'd never say that." The radio went through sudden static before the song switched to "Don't Mug Yourself". "You know, this stuff goes right over my head."
Rose blinked, her eyebrows furrowing. "But that's not out yet. I'm just going to check my messages." She mumbled, pulling out her phone.
"How'd you mean, "Messages"?" He asked, looking over and blinking in surprise. "Is that a phone?"
"Yeah." She held it up to her ear.
"Watson come here. I need you. Watson come here. I need you. Watson come here. I need you." She gazed up in surprise as they turned a corner, missing the dull grey car pass by, the driver throwing an arm in front of his face and screeching the car tyres before he disappeared in golden light.
The father stood in front of church, holding a black phone to his ear. "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."
"Watson come here. I need you."
"Hello? Who's this?" He blinked.
"Watson come here. I-" He hung up with a shake of his head.
"Dad! Get inside!" Stuart implored. "We can't see the bride before the wedding. It's bad luck."
"*Scoffs* Bad luck when you met her. I tell you; this day is cursed." He said, following his son into the church as a large grey car pulled up in front. Two women, a brunette and a blonde waited as Sarah Clarke stepped out in her wedding dress, as they smiled at her.
"Now, THAT is what I call a meringue." The brunette said with a nod.
"Listen. Stuart's Dad said to go around the block, because there's people missing." The blonde said.
"How'd you mean missing?" Sarah asked.
"There's no Dave, no Sunita, no Bea. There's no one from The Lamb and Flag."
"Oh, my train's detached again! I knew I should've used Velcro." Sarah groaned as the car door closed.
"I'm here. Stop your bellyaching." Jackie said, wearing a pink dress and holding a baby crib with an infant Rose inside. "Take Rose a second, will you?" She asked the brunette.
"Oh, isn't she pretty?" She cooed.
"She's a little madam is what she is. Jesus, I need more hands. Where's her useless article of a Dad got to now?"
Said car came around the corner, before they jumped in shock as the dull, grey car suddenly appeared in front of them. "Dad!" Rose shrieked, Peter brining the Car to a screeching halt on the sidewalk.
"It's that car…the same one as before." He hopped out, looking around for the car. "It was right in front of us. Where's it gone?" He breathed before turning to look at her with an incredulous look. "You called me "Dad". What'd you do that for?"
"Oh, wonderful. Here he is, the accident waiting to happen." Jackie growled. "You'd be later for your own funeral and it nearly was."
"No damage done." He groaned.
"And who's this?" Jackie nodded to Rose, who was staring at her with a distant look. "What're you looking at with your mouth open?"
"Your hair."
"What?"
"I…" She stops herself from blurting out anything else. "It's lovely. Your hair's lovely." She glanced at her younger self, staring with wide eyes at everything around her. "And that baby…" She stops herself again. "Sorry."
"Another one of yours, is she?" Jackie asked.
"She saved my life." Peter defended.
"Oh, that's a new one. What was it last time?"
"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 and the rack just collapsed on top of us."
"Were you playing around?" Rose asked in shock.
"What's it got to do with you what he gets up to?" Jackie interrupted.
"What does he get up to?"
"You'd know."
"Oh, because I'm that stupid to play around and bring her to meet the missus. You silly cow." He groaned.
"But you ARE that stupid."
"Can we keep this stuff for back home, just for now, please?"
"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'd he tell you? Did he say he's this big businessman? Well, he's not. He's a failure! A born failure, that one. Rose needs a proper father. Not one who's playing about like a big kid."
"Jackie, I'm making a living. It keeps us fed, don't it?"
"Stop it!" Rose shrieked, trying to contain her anxiety again. "You're not like this. You love each other."
Jackie rolled her eyes. "Oh, Peter. You never used to like them mental. Or I don't know. Maybe you did."
"Jackie, wait, just listen."
"If you're not careful, there'll be a wedding and a divorce on the same day!" Jackie growled, walking back to the church entrance.
"Wait right here, just give me a couple minutes with the missus." Peter said, handing her his car keys. "Tell you what, straighten the car up or stick it around the corner or something. And don't cause any more trouble." He pleaded as he walked after Jackie. "Jacks, please."
"I'm not listening. It's just the duffel coats all over again." Jackie mumbled, placing Rose's cot down by her feet.
"Jackie, sometimes a duffel coat is just a duffel coat. Things will get better soon, I promise."
"I've had enough of all your daft schemes. I never know where the next meal's coming from."
"I'll get it right, love. One day soon, I promise you, I'll get it right. Come on." Jackie gave him a sad smile before they embraced in a soft hug. Around the corner, a young, dark skinned boy came running with fear in his eyes.
"Monsters! Going to eat us!" He called before sprinting into the church.
"What sort of monsters, sweetheart? Is it aliens?" The blonde asked, before chuckling slightly.
"Rose!" She turned around to see Clara and the Doctor running towards her, unable to contain her grand smile of relief.
"Get in the church!" The Doctor called, making her blink as he pointed upwards. She followed it to see a sudden spectrum of golden light appear, revealing a large, ash black creature like a dragon with bat wings, claws and a scythe-like tail, glaring its ember eyes down upon rose.
*Shriek*
It opened its jaws wide, revealing its sharp teeth as it descended towards Rose. "Aaah!" Rose screamed, being pushed down to the ground by the Doctor and Clara, the creature narrowly missing the three as they scrambled to their feet.
"Get in the church!" Clara commanded, making everyone in front race inside as they gazed at the creature with horror-stricken eyes. More spectrums of golden light appeared in the sky above their heads, revealing more of the same creatures.
"Oh my god. What are they? What are they?!" The blonde shrieked as people within the church stood at the doors to see the commotion.
"Stay inside!" The Doctor yelled.
*Shriek*
Another creature descended upon the large group. "Sarah!" Stuart called, making his father grab his arms and haul him back.
"No, stay inside!" Their commotion made the creature stop and look at them, dashing forward as the father ran away from the door. Using its tail, it swiped at his feet, tripping him and making his head slam onto the concrete ground before descending upon him, using its large jaw to devour him in large bites, the man screaming in agony until all that was left was a heap of bones, skin and blood on the ground. The Doctor gazed around to see more of the bat creatures descending and devouring everyone that stood in the streets.
"Inside! Now!" He ordered, making everyone rush into the church as he slammed and locked the front doors shut behind him, the whole group panicking as they tried to reassure each other.
"Doctor, will we be okay?" Clara asked.
"Yes, they can't get in. The church has old windows and doors. The older something is, the stronger it is."
"Are you telling the truth or trying to reassure me?" She asked softly.
He looked at her sadly. "Why can't it be both?"
"Because it never is." She mumbled.
He sighed. "Go and check the other doors. Move!" He ordered everyone, making them rush around the church, as he went with Clara, Jackie following them.
"What's happening? What are they? What are they?" She freaked.
"There's been an accident in time, a wound in time. They're like bacteria, taking advantage."
"What do you mean, 'Time'?" What are you jabbering on about, 'Time'?"
"Oh, I might've known you'd argue." He groaned, earning a snigger from Clara. "Jackie, I'm sick of you complaining."
"How do you know my name? I've never me you in my life!"
"No, and you never will unless I sort this out. Now, if you don't mind, I have waited a long time to say this." He squared his shoulders. "Jackie Tyler! Do as I say! Go and check the doors!"
"Yes sir." She said weakly, moving off in a haste as Stuart came over.
"I should've done that ages ago." He said smugly to Clara.
"Well, now you know."
"Oi!"
"My Dad was out there." Stuart interrupted.
"You can mourn him later. Right now, we've got to concentrate on keeping ourselves alive."
"My Dad had this-"
"There is nothing that I can do for him."
"No! He had this…phone thing. I can't get it work. I keep getting this voice."
The Doctor took it with a crooked eyebrow, pressing a few buttons and holding it to his ear. "Watson come here. I need you."
He smiled gleefully. "That's the very first phone call. Alexander Graham Bell." He returned to his grim state. "I don't think the telephone's going to be much use."
"But someone must've called the police." Stuart protested.
"The 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 in sight." He said into the silent church.
"Is this because…" Rose muttered weakly, gaining his and Clara's attention. "Is this my fault?"
Clara clenched her jaw before moving away, the Doctor breathing slightly before moving after her. Clara arrived at a window to see outside, the Doctor standing beside her while Peter came up to them. "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."
On the street, the dull grey car appeared again before disappearing just as quickly. The Doctor and Clara exchanged a sad look. "Was that a car?" Peter asked, looking out the window.
The Doctor gulped. "It's not important. Don't worry about it." He and Clara walked off, leaving Peter on his own to contemplate for a few moments.
*Shriek*
Rose jumped as the shadow of a creature appeared at the large window above her, writhing around for a few moments before flying away, making her sigh in relief. Despite this, the events of the day plus Clara's attitude started to bring tears of guilt to her eyes, which she wiped away as Peter entered the room. "These mates of yours, what did they mean that this is your fault?"
"Just…everything." She said, her voice breaking slightly.
"I gave you my car keys." He said bluntly, making her gaze soften even more. "You don't give your keys to a stranger. It's like…I trusted you. From the moment I met you, I-I just did. 'A wound in time'? You called me Dad?" He approached her, her eyes pleading with him to look at her. "I can see it. My eyes and…Jackie's attitude. You sound like her when you shout." He unconsciously caressed her cheek, Rose grabbing his hand to hold it there as the tears returned. His eyes widened in realization. "You are. You're my Rose. You're my Rose, all grown up." He hugged her tightly, her tears turning into small sobs.
"Dad. My Dad." She whispered, her voice shattering. "My Daddy."
Stuart and Sarah walk up to the Doctor and Clara, who were checking on another door. "Excuse me, Mr. and Mrs…"
"Doctor." "Clara." They said without looking.
"You two seem to know what's going on."
"We give that impression, yeah." The Doctor mumbled.
"I just wanted to ask-"
"Can you save us?" Sarah asks, making them stop to look at the two.
"Who are you two then?" Clara asks.
"Stuart Hoskins."
"Sarah Clarke."
"And one extra. Boy or girl?" The Doctor nods towards Sarah's stomach.
She rubs it softly. "I don't know. I don't want to know really. Not yet."
"How did all of this get started?"
Stuart and Sarah exchange a fond smile. "Outside the beat box club, 2:00 in the morning, on a street corner."
"I'd lost my purse and didn't have money for a taxi."
"So…I took her home."
"Then what? Asked her for a date?" The Doctor asked with raising eyebrows.
"Wrote his number on the back of my hand."
"Never got rid of her since. My Dad said…" He trails off in sadness, Sarah rubbing his shoulder reassuringly.
"Look, I don't know what this is all about. And I know we're not important."
"Who said you're not important?" The Doctor says softly, making them look at him with slight surprise. "I've travelled to all sorts of places and done things you couldn't even imagine, but…you two. Street corner, 2:00 in the morning, getting a taxi home. I've never had a life like that. Yes. We'll try and save you."
Stuart and Sarah nodded their thanks, walking off while Jackie rushes up too them with baby Rose in her arms. "I'm so sorry, but can you look after her for a second? I've got to go and find little Rickey." Jackie said, pushing Rose into Clara's arms, missing her shocked expression as she rushed away. Clara saw the Doctor's jaw drop.
"Rickey? Jackie just called him Rickey?" He laughs gleefully, making Clara smile before she went to sit down, missing his concerned look as he followed her. "Clara? What's wrong?" She looked down at Rose, not saying anything yet tears began to prickle her eyes.
"Rose is lucky, you know." She said, her voice breaking.
"Lucky with what?" He asked gently.
"She can say goodbye to her Dad."
The Doctor looked at her sadly. "Clara, you know that it wasn't your fault."
"I know, but I wish I could've said goodbye to them." He sat down beside her, wrapping his right arm around her, putting her head on his shoulder as she cried softly, ignoring the shrieking of the creatures outside as they rattled on the walls and doors.
Rose and Peter sat down in two chairs in silence for a moment. "I'm a Dad. I-I mean, I'm already a Dad but, Rose grows up and…she's you. That's wonderful. I mean, I thought that you'd be a bit useless since you got my genes and all." They chuckled at his jab. "How did you get here then?"
"Do you really want to know?" Rose asked, wiping the drying tears from her face.
"Yeah."
"A time machine."
"Time machine?" He raised his eyebrows.
"Cross my heart."
"What, do you all have time machines where you come from?"
"No. Just the Doctor and Clara."
"Did you know that these things were coming?"
"No."
"God, I don't know. This is making my head spin." Peter sighed.
"That's every moment with those clowns." Rose smiled softly.
"What's the future like?"
"It's not so different."
"What am I like? Have I gone grey? Or have I gone bald?" Rose stares at him in silence, unable to come up with an answer. "Oh, don't tell me I've gotten bald." He groaned. "So, I was wondering that with these mates of yours, I'm glad I'm not Clara's Dad because I've got to say, he's a bit older than her."
"You have no idea." Rose said, making them laugh.
"Mickey!" Jackie said, making them stand as the young boy ran into the room, straight into Rose and hugging her waist as Jackie followed him in.
"Do you know him?" Peter whispered.
"I do. I just didn't recognize him in a suit." She whispered, placing her hands on his arms to remove them off her. "You have to let go of me, sweetheart." She blinked in surprise. "I'm always saying that." She mumbled.
"He just grabs hold of what's passing and holds on for dear life." Jackie groaned, taking Mickey by the hand. "God help his poor girlfriend, if he ever gets one."
"Me and Rose were just talking." Peter said.
"Oh yeah, talking? When the world comes to an end, what do you do? Cling to the youngest blonde." She spat. "Come on, Rick." She said, pulling Mickey out of the room and missing Rose's hurt look. Peter goes to follow, but Rose grabs his arm.
"You can't tell her."
"Why not?"
"I mean, I really don't want you to tell her."
"You don't want people to know?"
"Look, where I come from, Jackie doesn't know how to work the timer on the video recorder."
"*Chuckles* I showed her that last week." Rose raised her eyebrows at him. "Ugh, point taken." He said as they left the room.
Rose found the Doctor and Clara looking after her young self. "Now, Rose, you're not going to bring about the end of the world, are you?" The Doctor asks, baby Rose staring at him with wide eyes as Clara stifles a giggle. "Are you?" Rose stood by them, making them look at her. "Jackie gave her to us to look after. How times change."
"I'd better be careful. I think I just imprinted myself on Mickey like a mother chicken." Rose laughs, making them smirk. She reaches towards her baby self, but Clara grabs her arm.
"No. Don't touch the baby." She said sternly.
"What'll happen?"
"You're both the same person and that's a paradox. 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." The Doctor answers for Clara, earning a look of gratitude from her.
"Can't do anything right, can I?" Rose mumbles.
"Since you ask, no. So, don't touch the baby." Clara repeated.
"I'm not stupid."
"You could've fooled me-" She cut herself off, looking down with a look of guilt. "Alright, I'm sorry. We weren't just going to leave you here."
Rose blinked at her sadly. "For a moment I thought you were."
Clara nodded weakly. "I was afraid that…I actually would've. I wasn't angry with you because you broke a rule, I was angry because I can't do what you did. I can't go back and save my parents, let alone say goodbye to them."
"I didn't mean to do that to you." Rose mumbled.
Clara gave her a sad look. "Between us, Rose, we don't have a plan. No way out."
"I'm sure you'll think of something."
The Doctor shook his head. "The entire earth's being sterilized. This and other places like it are all that's left of humanity. 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, I'm afraid 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've stopped this…" He trailed off sadly at the thought. "But they're all gone. And now…I'm going the same way."
"If I'd realized…" Rose mumbled weakly.
"Just…tell me you're sorry." Clara pleaded.
"I am. I'm sorry." Rose said, her voice breaking. Clara placed her hand on her cheek, Rose flinching slightly as she did.
"I'm sorry for that too." She drew Rose into a hug.
"To be honest, I actually feel sorry for him now."
"How'd you mean?"
"First Mum, now you. Am I next to slap him?" Rose quipped, making her chuckle.
"I heard that." The Doctor protested.
"I know." Rose and he exchanged a small smile before Rose frowned. "Clara? Have you got something hot?"
Clara raised her eyebrows. "I thought you weren't interested in me like that." She teased.
"No, literally, have you got something hot?" Clara looked at her with confusion as Rose searched her blazer pockets, before yelping in pain as she threw out a TARDIS key onto the floor, which was gleaming with golden light.
"It's the TARDIS key!" The Doctor said with a grin, shredding off his jacket as he knelt to pick it up. "It's telling me it's still connected to the TARDIS." He laughed, making them grin as he raced to the front of the room, Rose and Clara sitting down. "Everyone! I have a way to solve this." Everyone looked at him with confusion but still gave him their attention. "The inside of my ship was thrown out of the wound, but we can use this to bring it back. 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?" Everyone checked around them to find nothing before Stuart shot up out of his seat.
"This one big enough?" He asked, running over to the Doctor with a phone battery.
"Fantastic." The Doctor grinned.
"Good old Dad. There you go." He handed it over, making the Doctor take out his sonic.
"It just needs to do a bit of charging up and then we can bring everyone back." As the Doctor went to work, Jackie came over to Rose and Clara.
"Sorry. Just need to take her back now." Jackie said, taking Rose out of their arms.
"It's alright. She was rather quiet." Clara said.
"She'll grow up to be a kind little madam, she'll be." Jackie smiled softly as she walked away, missing Rose's glowing smile at her words. Peter then came over to sit by them, Clara shifting slightly to give them some space.
"You, um…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 around here anyway." Peter said.
"We just ended up here."
"Lucky for me, eh? If you hadn't been there to save me…"
"That was just a coincidence." Rose shrugged nonchalantly. "That was just really good luck, it's amazing."
Peter nodded yet still had a gaze of uncertainty. "So, in the future…um…are me and her still together?"
"Yeah."
"Are you still living with us?"
"Well, I kind of have to. First time I met my friends, they blew up my job to save the world."
"Seriously?" Peter raised his eyebrows.
"The Doctor did." Clara inputted. "Gave him a smack after that."
"Of course, you would." Rose teased.
"Shut up." She blushed slightly, making the pair smirk before shifting into a small silence.
"Rose am I a good Dad?"
Rose looked at him, trying to figure out what to say. "You…you told me a bedtime story every night when I was small. You were always there, you never missed one. And, um…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."
Peter smiled sadly. "That's not me."
The groaning sound of the TARDIS engines made them look to the front of the room, where the ghost of a golden TARDIS appeared, the Doctor look at it with a grin as he put his jacket back on.
"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." The two perked up slightly. "You're going to get married, just like I said. Just give it one hour and everyone will come back." Everyone nodded at him, despite some bewildered looks.
Fifty minutes later, the Doctor beside Clara with an arm around her as everyone murmured amongst themselves, mainly in comforting reassurance. "Doctor?" Clara asked, making him look at her. "If someone or something did touch that, what would happen to them?"
"They would die." He said grimly, making her blink. "And we only get one shot at this, if it did get touched, the connection to the TARDIS would be cut off." She nodded, leaning her head into his embrace.
"When time gets sorted out…" Rose started to ask.
"Everybody here forgets what happened." The Doctor finished. "And don't worry, the thing that you changed will stay changed."
"You mean I'll still be alive." Peter said on a seat behind them, making them look at him. "Though I'm meant to be dead. That's why I haven't done anything with my life, why I didn't mean anything."
"It doesn't work like that-"
"Rubbish." Peter scoffed, cutting the Doctor off. "I'm so useless, I couldn't even die properly. Now it's my fault all of this has happened."
"This is my fault." Rose protested.
"No, love. I'm your Dad. It's my job for it to be my fault."
"Her Dad?" Jackie asked, none of them noticing that she moved over to them. "How are you her Dad? How old were you, 12? Oh, that's disgusting." The Doctor felt Clara groan into him, making him place a hand over her ear, feeling a small smile on her face.
"Jacks, listen. This is Rose." Peter said, standing up beside her.
"Rose? How sick is that? Did you give my daughter a second-hand name? How many are there? Do you call them all Rose?"
"Oh, for god's sake, look! It's the same Rose." Peter said, taking baby Rose out of Jackie's arms and into Rose's.
"Rose, no!" The Doctor yelled, untangling himself from Clara to stop her but too late.
*Shriek*
Everyone screamed as one of the creatures appeared in the room. "Everyone! Behind me!" The Doctor called, making them rush behind him in a huddle, Clara by his side as they all gazed at the creature, who glared down at them hungrily. "I'm the oldest thing in here."
"No, you don't." Clara growled as the creature hinged its jaws, shoving the Doctor over onto the chairs, the creature flying down and devouring her whole.
"Clara!" He screamed as the creature flew upwards, before spinning around and-
*Shriek*
This scream was of agony as it flew into the materialising TARDIS, which along with the creature disappeared, leaving behind the key, now no longer glowing with golden light as the Doctor rushed over to pick it up. "Clara." He mumbled in shock. "Please, no."
Rose and Peter walked slowly over to him. "Doctor?" She asked, her voice in shock at the death of her friend.
"This is your fault." He mumbled.
"I'm sorry?"
"This is your fault!" He roared, making her flinch. "Everything that has happened, it's all your fault!" Rose blinked as she saw tears starting to flow from his eyes. "And…and now she's…she's dead. Not again. Not again." He fell to his knees, struggling to contain his sobs. "She can't be. Not again." Rose knelt beside him and hugged him, as he sobbed into her shoulder. "She can't be, Rose. She can't be." Peter looked at them sadly before moving to look out of the window, seeing the dull grey car appear and disappear again. He looks at it for a moment before realization creeps into him.
Peter, now dressed in his suit again, walks over to the Doctor and Rose, who were loosely hugging each other as the Doctor stared down at the floor, tears still in his eyes. "You love her, don't you?" Peter asked him.
"Clara's just a-"
"Enough with the shit, alright?" Peter snapped. "I'm married, so I know when I see two people in love. And don't get me started on how you look at her, or how she looks at you. Just promise me one thing: Don't let each other go. Not ever."
The Doctor looked at him with slight confusion. "Why do you ask?"
"Tell me I'm wrong, Doctor. That car outside." His eyes softened as Peter's words hit him.
"Dad…what're you talking about?" Rose asked.
"The car that should've killed me, love. It's still here. You figured it out way back, didn't you, Doctor? You and Clara?" He nodded. "Well…I thank you for trying to give me another chance, but I'm afraid my time is up."
"You can't." Rose said, her voice breaking.
"Who am I, love?" Peter asked softly, placing his hands-on Rose's face.
"My Daddy." She said, trying to contain her sobs as Jackie came over.
"Jackie, look at her. She's ours." Jackie then looked at her for a few, long moments before her eyes widened.
"Oh my god." She breathed, wrapping Rose in a hug, before pulling away to look at Peter.
"I'm meant to be dead, Jackie. You're going to get rid of me at last."
"Please don't say that." Jackie said, her voice breaking too.
"For once in your life, trust me. It's got to be done. You've got to survive because you've got to bring up our daughter. Please, Jacks, trust me." He implored, making her nod as they drew into a farewell kiss. "I never read you those bedtime stories and I never took you on those picnics. I was never there for you."
"You would've been." Rose sobbed.
"But I can do this for you. Just for once, I can be a proper Dad."
"But it's not fair."
"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 you…and you're beautiful. How lucky am I, eh? I'm proud of you, Rose. Remember that. So, come on. Do as your Dad say." Rose grabbed the vase and handing it to him. "Are you going to be there for me, love?" She nodded. "Thanks for saving me." He drew her into a hug, before moving to stand in front of the Doctor. "Now, you still have to agree. Don't let go of Clara, okay? Never let go of her."
"Alright then." The Doctor said sadly, before shaking his hand. "You're a good man, Peter. It was a pleasure to meet you."
"It was a pleasure to meet you, too. And say goodbye to Clara for me."
"I will."
"And don't you ever dare let her go, or I will come back for you." He quipped lightly, making the Doctor grin.
"I won't."
Peter opened the front doors before looking at Jackie. "I love you, Jacks."
"I love you too, Pete." She mumbled sadly as he ran out of the building. Looking above him, he saw the creatures stopping their assault on the church, turning their bloodhungry gaze onto him, before he sprinted to the street corner and out onto the road, as the car appeared in front of him.
"Goodbye, love." He closed his eyes and breathed out as the car slammed into him, the sudden impact causing his bones to shatter and bruise. On this, the creatures all let out a shriek in unison as they disappeared, causing everyone who had been killed by them to reappear in the spot they died. The Doctor and Rose exited the church to see Peter's broken body on the road, before Rose felt a small hand on her shoulder, turning to see Clara standing there.
"Go to him." She said softly, her voice making the Doctor look at her with gleaming relief as Rose ran out to her Dad.
"You're okay. You're alive." He mumbled, drawing her into a tight hug.
"Don't worry about me." Instead of a usual, playful retort, the Doctor drew back slightly and cup her face in one hand.
"It was you, wasn't it?"
"What'd you mean?"
"That night, in the barn." Clara looked at him with wide eyes.
"I thought I told you not to look where we'd been."
"I didn't, nor did I have to. It was you." She gave him a sad smile.
"I just saw a little boy who needed help."
He smiled, before drawing her into a hug again. "Don't ever do that again, you hear me?"
Clara chuckled lightly. "Yes boss." She mumbled into his chest. Everyone that had been standing in the church had come out in confusion, before their gaze turned upon Peter's body, whose hand was being held by Rose. The Doctor and Clara walked over to her, as she gazed at him in adoration while he drew his final breaths. Rose then placed a kiss on Peter's forehead, before standing up to see the Doctor and Clara standing before her, giving her a soft, sad look. Clara held out her hand, which Rose took.
"You alright now?" She asked.
"Not sure." Rose mumbled. "You two alright?"
They exchanged a fond smile. "Yeah, we're alright. Come on, let's go." She said, leading them off to the TARDIS in comfortable silence.
AN: Thank you so much for reading and please leave a review if you wish. :)