A/N: Buckle up dear readers, emotions run hot in this chapter. Comment responses in endnotes.

Edited: 1/2/2023

CONTENT WARNING see endnotes for details.

The Doctor leaned back in the console seat, tossing around a rubber ducky as he thought of somewhere to go. "Ayter III is supposed to be nice this time of year."

"What time of year?" Elm questioned with a laugh. "We've got a time machine."

The Doctor winked. "Exactly."

Rose shifted off the coral strut she was leaning against to get closer to her friends. "Actually, I've got a request if that's alright."

"Sure, go right ahead," the Doctor replied, stuffing the duck back into his pocket.

Elm examined her friend from across the console. Rose was biting her lip and fiddling with her fingers, clear signs that she was nervous. The older woman straightened in preparation for what her friend would say.

"I haven't mentioned this before, but my dad died when I was a baby," Rose explained. "My mum always said that he would've loved to see me now so, I was thinking, could we go see him? While he was still alive?"

The Doctor sat up and looked over his youngest companion. "Where'd this come from?"

"If we can't, if it goes against the laws of time or something, then never mind," Rose snapped. She shrunk into herself and crossed her arms. "Forget I even mentioned it."

"I never said that," the Doctor corrected. "I can do anything. I'm just worried about you."

"I want to see him," Rose said, voice wavering.

A look of contemplation crossed over the Doctor's face but was gone within seconds. He smiled. "Your wish is my command. When would you like to go?"

Rose's eyes widened. "Really? I can see him?"

"Sure," the Doctor replied with a shrug. "So long as you don't meet yourself, seeing your parents in the past is fair game. Have you got a date in mind?"

"They got married on September 10th, 1986," Rose said. "It was at the register's office, but I don't know which one-"

"That's fine," the Doctor cut in, already tapping away at the monitor. "I'm sure I can find it myself."

While the Doctor was distracted, Elm approached her friend and placed a hand on her shoulder. "Are you okay?"

"I've just been thinking about him recently. I'm fine," Rose reassured her.

Pulling her in for a quick hug, Elm murmured. "Okay, but if it gets overwhelming, there's no shame in leaving."

Rose nodded. "Thanks, but I've got this."

"We're here," the Doctor interrupted. "Ready to go?"

Gripping Elm's hand tight in her own, Rose followed the Doctor out of the TARDIS. The walk to the register's office was short, though the place was full of people by the time they arrived. They managed to nab three seats near the center of the room, and no one questioned their presence. Two men stood at the front of the room, speaking in low voices.

Everyone quieted when the music began. It wasn't fancy, just someone playing 'Bridal Chorus' on a stereo, but it was enough. Jackie emerged from the back room, dressed in white with her hair done up. She began walking down the aisle. It was then that Elm realized that the young man at the front of the room was Peter Tyler. She had met him once at a family gathering when she was a child, though hardly paid him a passing glance. She was much too busy being tugged around by her Grandmother to do much else.

The register speaking snapped her out of her memories. He was giving a generic marriage speech but was cut off by Jackie.

"Just get to the point," she snapped. "We haven't got all day."

Elm could feel the Doctor shaking with contained laughter beside her. Rose just tightened her grip on her hand.

The registrar cleared his throat. "Very well. Please, repeat after me. 'I Peter Alan Tyler, take you, Jacqueline Angela Suzette Prentice'..."

"I, Peter Alan Tyler, take you," Rose's father paused. "Jacqueline Suzanne, eh, Suzette. Anita?"

"Oh, just carry on," Jackie interrupted. "It's good enough for Lady Di."

The registrar nodded and continued. "'To be my lawful wedded wife, to love and behold 'till death do us part.'"

As the ceremony continued, Rose leaned into her friend. "I thought he'd be taller."

"No one in our family is particularly tall," Elm replied.

The ceremony ended with a kiss, as most do. Everyone in attendance quickly stood to congratulate the new couple, clogging the aisle and the front. Rose looked like she wanted to say something, but Jackie pulled her new husband away before she could get the chance. She sighed.

OoOoOoO

"I didn't even get a chance to talk to him," Rose complained when they re-entered the TARDIS. "In all her stories, Mum didn't mention pulling Dad away for a snog."

"They never do," the Doctor replied. "We could try again, on a different date. Any ideas?"

"Actually, yeah," Rose said, nodding. "My dad, um," she took a fortifying breath. "He was hit by a car. Died by the time the ambulance got there. My mum always wished that someone had been there for him, so he didn't die alone." Elm opened her mouth, though Rose cut her off before she could speak. "I've been thinking about this for a while, so before you ask, I'm sure." She turned to the alien man. "Please, Doctor. He doesn't have to die alone."

The Doctor hummed under his breath. "I can do it."

Rose visibly relaxed. "Thank you."

"Date?"

"November 7th, 1987," Rose answered. "Jordan Road."

OoOoOoO

"It's so weird," Rose remarked as she stepped out of the TARDIS. "Thought it'd be grim and stormy, but it's just an ordinary day."

"Rose, before we do this, can I talk to you for a second?" Elm questioned. After getting a nod in the positive, she pulled her friend to the side. "I know you're sure about this, but you need to know. This sort of thing sticks to you. Are you absolutely, 100%, sure you're ready for that?"

The girl pulled away and crossed her arms. "Look, I know you're just trying to look out for me, but stop. I know what I'm doing. I'm not going to let my Dad die alone just 'cause it might be rough for me."

"Right, fine. Sorry," Elm said in surrender. She took a step back. "Just thought I'd say. You're braver than me."

Rose didn't respond, just nodded and led the way to Jordan Road. Elm followed at a short distance behind her and the Doctor. They were a street away, so it took a minute to get there, but when they did Rose stopped short of the street.

"This is it," she said softly. Reaching out, she took Elm's hand. She spoke to them, though couldn't pull her eyes away from the road. "He was late picking up a wedding present; a vase. Mum always said, that stupid vase."

As she explained, a green van drove around the corner and parked at the curb. "He got out of his car," she narrated. "And crossed the road. Oh god, this is it."

Pete Tyler was only just past his van when a car sped around the corner and hit him. The perpetrator was quick to speed away after that, leaving the man to die with a now broken vase as his only company.

Rose seemed frozen, only able to stare.

Elm put a hand on her friend's shoulder. "Rose?"

Turning on her heel, the young woman ran away from her dying father. Elm and the Doctor exchanged a look before following after. Rose was leaning on a brick wall just around the corner, breathing hard.

"He was so still," she murmured as she stared blankly forward. As she spoke, the sound of sirens approached. "By the time the ambulance got there, he was dead. He's gone." She looked up at the Doctor with misty eyes. "Can I try again?"

OoOoOoO

The second time around, the time travelers approached from a different direction. The Doctor was very careful as he led them to Jordan Road, avoiding the route they took previously. It was clear why when they peeked around the last corner and watched themselves walk up to the curb.

"That's us from the first time," the Doctor explained, pointing at the identical group. "This is a very bad idea, but we should be fine if they don't see us." He turned to Rose. "Wait till they leave, then go to your dad."

While Rose listened intently to the Doctor, Elm stared at their previous selves. Seeing herself from an outsider's point of view was strange and made something twist in her stomach. Some primal part of herself was telling her that this was wrong.

Her attention was drawn away when Pete pulled up to the curb in his van.

Rose visibly shuttered. "I can't do this."

"You don't have to," Elm assured her.

"No, you don't, but this is the last time we can be here," the Doctor advised. "So decide fast."

The time travelers could hear the approaching car as Pete got out of his own. As he did, Rose took a step forward. Elm assumed it was in preparation for the inevitable, but that thought was dashed when the girl ran forward.

"Rose!" the Doctor shouted. "No!"

The girl didn't listen. She ran forward, straight past their previous selves, and into the street. Just as the car was about to hit her dad, she shoved him out of the way. Elm watched wide-eyed as their past selves disappeared, and a shiver wracked her frame.

"Doctor," she questioned in a faltering voice. "What just-"

"A paradox," he answered, voice cold.

She glanced up at him and examined his unreadable face. "Are you okay?"

"Fine," he replied. "Just got a bit of perspective."

"Oi, you two, c'mon!" Rose called from the street. She was now standing and talking to Pete. "He's offered to give us a lift to the wedding!"

The Doctor seemed reluctant to move, so Elm took initiative and approached the car. She could hear the Doctor's following footsteps.

"Hello," she greeted with a slight wave. She was smiling, though knew it looked strained. "Elm Smith, nice to meet you."

"Blimey isn't this a day for coincidences? First Rose, now you," Pete said with a slight laugh. "I've got a niece by that exact name."

Elm chuckled nervously. "Common name, Smith."

"Suppose so," Pete conceded. Turning to their alien companion, he smiled. "And you are?"

"The Doctor," he replied shortly.

Pete's smile dropped slightly. "Doctor who?"

"Just the Doctor."

"Right, don't want to be late for the wedding," Rose cut in.

"The wife would kill me," Pete added with a nervous laugh. "First I've got to change, though. Can't exactly wear this. You can come in while you wait, there's no reason to stand out in the cold. St. Pauls is a five-minute drive, so we won't be late."

Rose smiled. "That'd be lovely, ta."

Pete smiled back and led them up a familiar flight of stairs to the Tyler's flat. It was the same space, the same rooms, and yet it was different. Items were strewn around that Elm couldn't identify, and she figured they must've been Pete's.

"Right, sorry about the clutter," the man apologized as he walked them in. "If you want a cup of tea, the kitchen's just down there. Milk is in the fridge," he laughed to himself. "Where else would you put the milk? Mind you; there's always a window sill," his eyes grew distant as he continued speaking. "I always thought it'd be clever if someone would make a window sill with compartments. You know, one for milk, one for yogurt. Could make a lot of money from that, should write it down." A beat of silence passed as the guests stared at the dazed man. He shook his head. "Anyway, never mind, excuse me." He walked back around them again and entered the bedroom, closing the door behind him.

Rose immediately stepped forward and looked over the mementos. "Mum still has this stuff. His stuff. It's all packed away in boxes. She'd show it to me after a few drinks and here it is, on display. Where it should be," she glanced over at her friends. When she saw the Doctor's cold expression, she was quick to turn around. "Oh! Health drinks! Tonics, mum used to call them. This is how he'd make money, selling this Vitex stuff. He had all sorts of jobs and ideas. And look!" She crossed the room to some blueprints laid out on the table. "Solar power! Mum said he was going to do this. Now he can!" She looked once again at the Doctor. When she didn't see what she wanted, she sighed. "Alright, what is it?"

"When we met," the Doctor began, voice low. "I said you could travel with me in space, and you said no. Then you heard time travel."

Rose scoffed. "It wasn't some big plan. I just saw it and thought, I can stop it."

"I did it again; I picked another stupid ape," he laughed sharply. "It's not about showing you the universe, it never is. It's about the universe doing something for you."

"So it's okay for you to go to the past and save lives, but not me? And not my dad?" she crossed her arms. "Don't think I don't know about the Titanic. It's not fair!"

"I know what I'm doing, you don't," the Doctor snapped back. "Two sets of us being there made it a vulnerable point."

"But he's alive!"

The Doctor sighed. "My entire planet died, my whole family. Do you think it never occurred to me to go back and save them?"

"But I haven't changed history!" Rose exclaimed. "Not much."

"Rose, there's a man alive who wasn't before. An ordinary man, the most important thing in creation. How do you know you haven't changed history?" he questioned. When Rose didn't answer, he nodded. "And that's exactly why you leave the life-saving to me."

Rose glared at him. "Would you rather him dead?"

"Rose. Doc. Stop," Elm finally spoke up. Raising her hands in a placating gesture, she continued. "Arguing isn't going to fix anything."

"I've already fixed it!" Rose exclaimed. "I thought you were on my side. You said you were!"

"I am, I swear, but something needs to be sorted out," Elm said after a breath. "I don't know what, but something does because we're caught in some sort of paradoxical mess."

"Are you calling my dad a mess?" the younger girl shouted. "Really? You can talk."

"Rose-"

"No, stop," Rose interrupted in a cold voice. "You're just jealous I had the guts to stand up and save my dad. Unlike you. You haven't even asked to see yours, let alone help him."

Elm stiffened in shock. "Rose, you-" she cut herself off. Shaking her head, she turned around and left without a word. The hall of the Powell Estate wasn't much better than the apartment, so she was quick to exit the building as well. The chilly November air filled her lungs as she gasped for breath, leaning on her knees for support. She was alone for only a minute or two before a raging Doctor stormed out as well.

"What was that?" he demanded.

Elm turned her head away. "I don't want to talk about it."

The Doctor moved to be in her line of sight. "Frankly, I don't care. First Adam, now Rose. How can I know you won't end up like them? That you aren't planning something?"

"I'm not. What Rose brought up is none of your business, Doctor," Elm snapped back. "She shouldn't have mentioned it in the first place. Drop it."

"You're the one who started all this. You're the one who told her it traveled in time. Seemed so excited too," he ranted. "So now, for once, I'd like to be in the loop."

Elm's eyes narrowed in frustration. "There is no loop. There is no plan. There is no secret!"

"Then I don't see why you're so reluctant to tell me!"

(Content warning.)

"My dad killed himself," Elm finally shouted. Her voice echoed off the nearby buildings, causing the area around them to seem even more empty. Looking away, she quieted her voice and continued. "There's your terrible secret, Doctor. He's dead and it's my fault. He's dead because I was selfish and too wrapped up in my own problems to see he was…" she trailed off.

The Doctor's eyes widened as he listened, his shoulders hunching further and further as Elm continued. "I'm sorry."

"I thought he was fine. He was taking his meds, going to the therapist, as far as I knew," she replied in a soft voice. "It was the day I graduated from college. He said he might not be able to make it, and that he was having a hard time. I said some… not so nice things. I was so young and angry. And when I came home afterward…" Elm shuttered and wrapped her arms around herself. "I really don't like talking about this, can we move on?"

"I'm sorry," the Doctor responded. He reached out a hand but drew it back.

"It's fine. It's been a few years. I've been wanting to tell you, so you know, but there's no easy way to bring it up." Elm finally made eye contact and gave him a slight smile. "You're a good friend, and I'm glad you know now."

(End content warning.)

The Doctor averted his eyes and nodded. This time when he reached out his hand, he patted her head once, an action reminiscent of the day they first met. It dropped to his side after that, though was quickly scooped up by Elm. Sick of the alleyway at that point, she pulled him out to the street.

"You didn't know she'd do that, right?" the Doctor questioned after a beat of silence.

"No," Elm confirmed. "I would've asked about the logistics of it if I had. How's this going to affect things?"

"If I'm being honest, I don't know," the Doctor replied. "I've got a bad feeling."

Elm nodded and was just about to say something else when she halted.

When the Doctor noticed this, he stopped as well. "Elm?"

She ignored him. The hair on the back of her neck stood on end. Spinning around, she pulled her hand free from the Doctor and looked around widely. There was no one, though the feeling was still there. "Doc, there's…"

"What?" he questioned, looking around now as well. "What is it?"

With one last glance around, she shook her head. "Never mind. Just a feeling."

The TARDIS was in their line of sight now, and the Doctor sped ahead to unlock it. It seemed she wasn't the only paranoid one. She was about a foot away when he finally got it open and was able to see the shocked look on his face when he did.

"No."

"What is it?" she demanded, stepping forward to see. Her heart stopped. It was a regular police box. "What the-is this the wrong box?"

The Doctor shook his head. "No," he stepped inside and tested the walls. "This is the TARDIS. Something's wrong. Something's very-" his head snapped around. "Rose!"

"Rose?" Elm questioned, voice growing worried. "What's wrong with Rose? Is this because of what she did?"

"In short, yes. No time to explain. Where did they say they were going?" the Doctor questioned rapidly.

"St. Pauls," she answered immediately. "I've been to a wedding there before; we're close. This way!"

She began running, the Doctor following after. St. Pauls was past the TARDIS and down the street three blocks and a half. They then had to cut a hard right and go another few blocks. It was an easy run, as there were no obstructions on their path. No cars. No people. No birds. London was quiet.

When they reached the church, Elm was breathing hard and red in the face. Rose was standing right in front of the building, right next to Pete's car. Also in front of the church were the bridal party and a horrifying monster. The creature was large with bat-like wings and bony limbs. Its mouth was in the middle of its body, opened wide to reveal a void. It seemed no one saw it, as there was no panic.

"Rose!" Elm called, gaining the blonde's attention. The younger girl smiled at the two of them.

The Doctor's shout wiped that expression off her face. "Get in the church!"

The creature screeched, causing everyone to cover their ears. Swooping down, it almost got Rose, though she ducked out of the way just in time. It instead landed on one of the women in the bridal party, absorbing her whole.

Quick to take charge, the Doctor continued to shout and shove people forward. "Get in the church! Now!"

More monsters appeared as everyone made a mad rush to the building. Elm thought she saw them get another person, but tried not to think about it. A baby was crying. Once everyone was inside, the Doctor slammed the doors shut and scanned the area with his sonic.

"Will they keep those things out?" Elm questioned in a rush. She could hear the creatures screeching outside and their attempts to get in.

"This place is old. The older something is, the stronger it is," the Doctor explained. "They can't get in, but we need to make sure everything's shut tight."

"I'll go counterclockwise around the room, you go clockwise," she said, already heading to the left. The first backroom that she entered was shut tight, and she only had to check the locks before moving on. Upon entering the next area of the church, her eyes immediately zeroed in on an open window. Surging forward, she slammed it shut and locked it for good measure.

Given it was safe now, she peeked through. It was plain glass, unlike most of the windows in the church, so she had a clear view of what was going on outside. There wasn't much to look at, though. No people. No animals. No cars.

"Look at that."

The voice came from behind her, and Elm jumped in surprise. It was Pete, and he was pointing out the window. "What?" she questioned.

"Smoke," he explained, jabbing his finger for emphasis. Elm followed his gesture and saw the dark clouds rising 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."

Elm heard the Doctor's sonic screwdriver before she saw him. He was checking all the openings in the room with it. "Doc?" she began, gaining his attention. "Is what Pete said true? Is this happening all over?"

The Doctor approached the window and looked toward the smoke. "Probably. It's got to do with," he paused and glanced toward Pete, "why we're here. I'll explain later."

As he spoke, Elm spotted something out of the corner of her eye. A car was driving around the corner. She blinked and it was gone.

Before she could conclude she imagined it, Pete spoke up. "Was that a car?"

The Doctor shook his head and pulled the curtains over the window. "Not important. Don't worry about it. Elm, could you come here?"

After giving Pete one last nervous smile, Elm followed after the alien man.

"Doctor, what's going on?" she asked once they were out of earshot. "What are those things?"

"They've got a lot of names, but the most common one is Reapers," he began, voice low. "We made time vulnerable when we crossed our own timeline, so when Rose did what she did it caused a-" he paused as if gathering his thoughts. "A sort of wound. Reapers are bacteria, here to take advantage."

"So how do we heal it?" Elm questioned. "The wound, that is?"

The Doctor stared at her for a long moment. "I don't know. All we can do is sit tight. We should be safe here, for now."

Elm nodded and slumped. "Rose must be feeling horrible."

"She should be," the Doctor snapped. "This is her mess."

"She was in a hard position," Elm defended. "Besides, it's already done. No sense in hanging onto resentment."

Neither agreeing nor disagreeing, the Doctor made a vague gesture. "On another note, have you checked your phone?"

"My phone?" Elm questioned. "Why would I, it's not like it works."

The Doctor's brow lifted. "Have I not fixed it yet? Give it here."

As soon as Elm got it out of her pocket, the alien man snatched it out of her hand. After holding his sonic to it for a moment, he checked something on the screen and handed it back. "Now try making a call."

Shrugging off his odd behavior, Elm dialed Charlie's number and held it to her ear. Instead of her friend's familiar voicemail, she got an odd message. "Watson, come here, I need you. Watson, come here, I need you."

"What's wrong with it?" she questioned after hanging up and trying again. "Did you break it? I don't think messing with it is covered by the warranty."

"No, I upgraded it so I won't forget later. That-" he pointed at the phone that was still repeating the strange message. "Is a consequence of the time wound. It's the very first phone call."

Elm's eyes lit up and she held the phone up to her ear once more. "Really? That's amazing!"

The Doctor gave her a fond look. "Thought you might find it interesting. I've got to go check something out now. Stay out of trouble!"

"Normally I'd argue, but I don't think we'd be able to handle any more of it right now," Elm replied. "Thanks, Doc."

In place of a response, the Doctor gave her a slight grin before walking away.

With nothing left to do, Elm wandered out into the main area. She needed to talk to Rose. When she couldn't spot the blonde or her father, Elm looked for the mother. Jackie Tyler was easy to spot, and she looked furious. Elm approached her cautiously, well aware of her temper. "Excuse me."

"What?" the woman snapped. Elm flinched back on instinct, and Jackie sighed. "Sorry, dear, didn't mean to shout. The husband's chasing another tail and, well, you know how it is."

Elm, in fact, did not. "Uh, yeah," she responded with a nervous laugh. "Sorry to intrude, I was just wondering, have you seen my friend? She's a little younger than me and blonde."

"Have I? She's the young thing my man's been chasing!" Jackie replied angrily. "They're in the back room there, chatting. When you talk to her, could you tell her to back off?"

"Sure," Elm said, wincing at the implication. "Thanks."

Turning before Jackie could respond, Elm sped walked to where Rose was. Rather than chatting with Pete, however, both she and her father were teary-eyed. They both looked startled when she entered.

"Excuse me," she said, taking a step back. "I can go."

"No, no, it's fine," Pete said quickly. "You came with Rose, right?" His eyes widened. "Wait, if Rose is my Rose, then you must be… Elm Smith? Claire's daughter?"

Elm gaped at the man. "You know."

"I told him," Rose explained. "Don't see how it could hurt any, seeing as the world's falling to pieces."

"Blimey, how old are you now? Twenty? Twenty-one?" Pete guessed.

"Twenty-four," Elm corrected.

Pete laughed. "And how's your Mum? She get a Nobel prize yet?" he joked. When she didn't immediately answer, he frowned. "She alright?"

Elm blinked rapidly. "Oh, yeah. Sorry, she's fine. On vacation right now, actually. Off seeing the world."

"Good for her," Pete replied with a grin. "She was always talking about wanting to get a bit of freedom from your nan. No offense to your nan, of course, but she's a bit of a fright."

Elm couldn't help but laugh. "Yeah."

"Anyways, I'd better go talk to the missus, and smooth things over," Pete said. Turning to Rose, he said. "You should do the same with that Doctor bloke. The end of the world's a good time for that sort of thing."

He left the room after that, leaving Rose and Elm in awkward silence.

"I'm glad you got to know him," Elm said in a quiet voice. "Got to talk to him."

"Me too," Rose replied. A moment passed before she continued. "You know, I didn't mean what I said in the flat. I was just-"

"I know," Elm interrupted. "You can't blame me for being hurt by it, though."

Rose gave her a pained look. "I'm sorry."

Hearing her friend say that was a weight off her shoulders, and Elm lunged forward to hug her. "I forgive you. I'm sorry too, for being pushy. I should've been more understanding."

"It's alright," Rose said into Elm's shoulder. She tightened her grip on her friend just slightly before stepping back and sniffling. "That's one down. Now I just need to talk to the Doctor."

"He's really upset about this," Elm warned. "Demanded to know if I'd known anything about it right after we left. Tread carefully."

"Could you," Rose paused. "Could you come with me? For moral support?"

Elm smiled wide and grabbed her friend's hand. "Of course!"

OoOoOoO

The Doctor was sitting by a baby carrier. Within it was a tiny Rose. He was talking to her in a low voice, though kept a smile on his face. He adjusted her baby blanket as they approached. "Jackie gave her to me to look after. Not very talkative, tiny you."

"I saw Mickey," Rose said in a light voice. "I think I imprinted on him like a mother chicken." She reached forward to touch the baby but was quickly blocked by the Doctor.

"No, don't touch, you're the same person," he said in a stern tone. "That's a paradox, and we don't want one of those to happen. It'll just make those things stronger. Might even let them in."

Rose sighed. "I can't do anything right, can I?"

"Since you ask, no. So don't touch the baby," he replied, speaking slowly and with emphasis.

The younger girl glared at him. "I'm not stupid."

"Could've fooled me," the Doctor snapped back. He glared at the girl for a long moment. Then, he sighed. "Alright. Fine. I'm sorry. I wasn't actually going to leave you behind. Well, maybe a bit, but not long."

"Have you got a plan yet, Doc?" Elm questioned. One of the creatures outside screeched, making her flinch instinctively.

"Not this time," he replied honestly.

Rose smiled. "You'll think of something. You always do."

"This isn't localized, it's happening all over the Earth. This and other places like it are all that's left. We won't last long, these walls aren't that old. And once they're in, I can't stop them," he sighed. "My people would've stopped this. There were laws in place to prevent this sort of thing. But they're gone now, and I'm going too."

Rose bit her lip. "I'm sorry. If I'd realized..."

As Rose spoke, Elm felt a warmth on her chest. That warmth soon turned into heat, and she quickly grabbed for what was causing it. It was the TARDIS key, glowing bright and hot. "Doctor!" she gasped. She quickly removed the necklace and held it up by the chain. "Look!"

"The key," the Doctor exclaimed. He took off his jacket to safely hold it. After a quick examination, he smiled wide. "It's still connected to the TARDIS."

OoOoOoO

After gathering everyone in their chairs, Elm and Rose sat down in the back. The Doctor began explaining his plan as soon as the group quieted.

"The inside of my ship disappeared when this all happened, but we can use this," he held up the key. "To get it back. Once I've got my ship, I can mend everything and get it back to normal. Now, I just need a bit of power. Has anyone got a battery?" he questioned.

A man in the front row stood and opened up his phone. "Will this work?"

"Fantastic," the Doctor replied. After accepting the battery, he set the key on top of it. "All I've got to do is a bit of charging," he used his sonic on the battery. "And then we can bring everyone back." He placed the key in midair and, suddenly, the TARDIS appeared. It was transparent, though Elm could recognize the sound of it a mile away. The Doctor faced the crowd once more. "No one touch that key. It's charged, so if you do its ZAP," he made a dramatic gesture. "So long as no one touches it, we'll get out of here. All of us."

Everyone started talking at once, and Elm grinned. She could practically feel the revived hope of the room. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Pete heading back to where she and Rose were, so she quickly stood up. She didn't want to disturb their time together. With her friend occupied, she instead went up to the Doctor and jumped him with a hug.

"I knew you'd figure something out," she said into his jacket. Ending the hug with a quick squeeze, she released him and grinned. "So, how're you going to fix it?"

The startled man took a moment to respond. Shaking his head, he explained. "In addition to the safeguards, my people had ways to fix time just in case. The TARDIS has the features, so it's just a matter of getting it here."

Elm nodded and looked over to where Rose and Pete were. "And Rose's dad? What'll happen to Pete?"

"Everyone will forget all this, and what Rose changed will stay changed," the Doctor replied. "I can't say how it'll change the future. Pete Tyler's got a lot of potentials."

"How do you mean?"

"It's a time lord thing," the Doctor waved her off. "You wouldn't understand."

"Superior biology?" Elm guessed.

"You've got it."

Elm hummed. "You should let Rose know that Pete will be fine. She's probably worried."

"I should let her stew a bit," the Doctor replied.

Elm gave him a mock stern look. "Doc."

"Alright, alright. I'm going," he relented with a tiny smile.

She watched him walk over to Rose just to be sure before turning to give them privacy. Directing her gaze to the TARDIS, she smiled.

"I can't wait till you get back," she said in a small voice. Hopefully, the time ship could hear her.

"Rose! No!"

The shout came from the back of the church. Elm spun around and watched in mute horror as Rose was handed her baby self. As if a switch was flipped, there was a terrifying screech from somewhere above her. Reacting to it, everyone began screaming, though the Doctor's voice rose above the rest. "Get behind me!" he shouted. "I'm the oldest thing in here!" He looked around the room, his eyes widening when they met Elms. "Elm!"

It was too late. Before she could react, Elm felt a weight push her down. It was one of those creatures, its mouth open wide.

OoOoOoO

Regaining consciousness was dizzying, and the Doctor's swift embrace didn't help her nausea. With her face pressed into the man's jacket, she couldn't see much, though she could hear a wedding going on.

"Doc?" she questioned. "What happened?"

The Doctor took a step back, still gripping the sides of her arms. After looking her up and down, he asked. "Are you alright?"

"Yeah?" Elm said hesitantly. "Why? What-" she froze. All at once, her memories came back to her. The wedding, the monsters, the TARDIS. At the forefront of them was the memory of the creature descending on her, mouth wide open. She didn't remember being in pain, but the terror of it was like a fresh wound. Her knees felt weak. "I was eaten."

The Doctor supported her before she could fall over. "A bit. Not anymore. Pete must've..." his gaze went over her shoulder.

"What?" Elm asked. Turning around slowly, she spotted Rose crouching by a man lying in the street. Pete. Next to them was a beige car with a panicking teen driver. "Did he…?"

"Seems so," the Doctor confirmed.

The duo watched as the young blonde kissed the now-dead Pete Tyler on the forehead. As soon as she had her balance back, Elm sped to her friend's side and put an arm around her shoulder. "You did a good thing, Rose."

Rose sniffled and clung to her friend's jacket. "Does it get easier?"

"With time."

OoOoOoO

That 'night' in the TARDIS, Elm woke with a scream caught in her throat. Reapers haunted her mind. In the corners of her room not lit by her night light, the darkness seemed to grow. She quickly flipped on a lamp. Instead of her bedside light turning on, the ceiling ones did at their dimmest setting. Elm sighed in relief.

"Thank you," she muttered.

As if in response, her door clicked open. When no one entered, she stood cautiously, a blanket wrapped around her shoulders. Outside of the room wasn't the hall, but rather a small cozy space reminiscent of a living room. There was a moderately sized TV on one wall, with two couches and an armchair facing it. In the back of the room were pillows and blankets stacked and folded. As soon as she took a step into the room, the TV screen flickered on to some sort of movie streaming service. Delighted at the possibility of a movie, Elm wasted no time curling up on one of the couches. Using the remote, she found and picked her favorite. It was a Princess Bride sort of night.

She was only ten minutes into the movie when the door clicked open. Elm glanced over and was unsurprised to see a bedraggled Rose. The young girl was clutching her blanket around herself, and her eyes widened when she saw Elm.

Elm's response was to simply lift her arm in invitation. Rose took it quickly, curling up into her friend. She passed out within minutes.

Twenty minutes later the door opened again. Looking up in surprise, Elm watched the Doctor enter. He looked oddly unkempt, with his shirt skewed, and jeans swapped for sweats. He stared at her for a long moment before grabbing a blanket out of the pile and sitting heavily in the armchair. Elm continued to stare, flummoxed. When he noticed, the Doctor gave her a challenging look, which made her eyes refocus on the television.

She fell asleep before the movie ended.

CONTENT WARNING: This chapter contains a mention of suicide (aka Elm's dad).

E/N: Thank you so much for reading! This chapter gave me a hard time, as the dialogue was especially challenging. Hopefully you enjoyed, though! Please leave a comment if you have any questions, comments or compliments! Your feedback is always encouraging!

Comment Responses:

Purplestan since you commented on multiple chapters, I'll be responding to each individually.

Purplestan on ch.1: I addressed this in this chapter, but Elm is in her mid-twenties. I'll be explaining in later chapters why she moved through university so quickly, as there is a reason besides 'oh shes just so smart'. I changed the word lecture to 'class'. Hopefully that fixed the issue. Yes, I'm American, and so is Elm.

Purplestan on ch.2: I based the chapter off of what Clive tells Rose. I sort of implied that the TARDIS was having trouble because she had just escaped the time war, which was hard on her. Plus she was low on energy. Sorry if that was vague. As for Elm being convenient, asking questions is a main personality trait of hers. Sorry if you find it Sue-ish, but I'm not changing that. I will, however, strive to make sure that she's enjoyable. Lastly, on your comments about Elm's appearance. I don't like describing characters in one massive paragraph. I've been slowly describing her though tiny hints, such as her hair being curly, or her eyes being green. I'm sorry if you dislike this, but I won't be changing it. It's a stylistic choice.

Purplestan on ch.3: ;)

Purplestan on ch.5: Yep, that's on purpose! I always change up the dialogue and chapters so that they aren't word for word the episode. While I am going to be following the general plot of the show, there will be definite deviations.

Thank you so much for all your comments!