A/N: Welp, you may ormay not finally get that mystery solved about the boy on the bus in Ramble 1...

And note, some of the formatting is being mean and not doing what it's supposed to...I can't format anything in the uploading page anymore! (Cries)

Chapter 27 – A Night To Remember

Rory Sigma-Tyler, Earth, November 2006 AD.

Rory couldn't believe this.

He'd just caught the bus to escapehis past parents and here they were again, sitting directly infront of him. Rassilon, this was just bad luck. He desperately needed to find the TARDIS so he could get back to hisfamily. This was too dangerous to mess with.

But he was still intrigued as to their actions.

His mum was tense; he could feel her fear almost like it was screaming "LOOK AT ME!!! I'M HERE!!!"…but fear for what? What had happened? She had seemed so collective and charismatic but five minutes ago…

He blocked their conversation out for reasons of just not wanting to know. He wasn't entitled to listen in and he didn't particularly want to either. These were his parentsfor crying out loud, if he did anything to interfere with the course of events his whole life might change…

"Promise, promise, promise!" his dad was saying childishly, and somehow Rory couldn't help but stare at his mum, reading her nervous expression. Her jaw was dropped wide open as if wanting to form some words, but unable to shape her mouth.

Then everything about her eyes changed.

They were no longer filled with the dread of doing…whatever she was about to do. They were bright, fearful and shocked – and not only that, but also seemed to be gazing at a point over the Doctor's shoulder through the bus window.

He followed her gaze to the world outside, only just about registering his mum's screamed before his dad yelled for everyone to get down before the lorry smashed into the side of the bus, causing instant blackout.

Rose Sigma-Tyler and family, Earth, March 2007 AD.

The TARDIS obediently took them straight into the flat.

The moment they stepped inside Rose tore it to her bedroom and threw herself onto the bed, head buried in the pillow like a grief-ridden teenager. She silently wept for him, hearing the door open but not even bothering to look up.

She felt a hand reach out to rest on her shoulder supportively – but then she just snapped like a dry twig.

"Don't touch me!" she screamed and threw out her arm to bat away whosever hand it was, flipping over to stare at both Jack and her mother gazing down at her with heavy, guilty eyes. "You let him do it, youknew it and you let him!"

"It's not like we 'ad any choice sweetheart, we tried to stop 'im but 'e wouldn't listen…"

Rose's face was tear-streaked with her eyes narrowed – anger the facial expression of the day.

"Youknow he doesn't listen! You should've knocked him out! Strapped him to the wall or somethin', anythin'!!!"Her eyes suddenly turned immensely dark, alarmingly like the Doctor when he was thinking a sinister thought. "You haven't seen what she can do, mum. You haven't seen what she'll do to the Doctor…what she's probably doin' right now. Sh…she…before…" She swallowed back the onset of further tears, checking Rory was indeed out of the room before she spoke: "…She nailed him to a wall, mum…right in front of me."

"I know," was all she had to say before Jack was finally allowed to touch Rose, drawing her into a supportive hug.

"Rose?"

The voice came from the doorway; it was Mickey holding a white envelope with the word 'Rose' printed on the front in the Doctor's handwriting. Mickey held it out to her, and she tentively took it.

"It was on the kitchen table."

"Thanks," Rose replied, digging her nail in to rip open the flap. She pulled out a DVD-rom, staring at it for a moment before rushing through the doorway and into the sitting room. She slipped the DVD into the disc drive and took a seat infront of the television, Rory beside her whilst Jackie held the baby girl.

It was the Console Room of the TARDIS, a camera recording outwards. There was a brief moment of silence before the Doctor suddenly appeared, sitting down infront of it. Strangely the sight of him made her spring back into helpless tears once more. He tap the screen, as if checking it was working.

"Rose, if you're watching this it means I'm either dead or disappeared or left behind in a dumpster somewhere – basically, I'm gone. Here's hoping you'll never have to watch this DVD, but obviously when you see this you'll kinda have had it happened anyway so that would be irrelevant and umm…" he paused for a moment, frowning, "forget that last bit. Let's skipped straight to the brunt of it. Pre-cautions for you. One: Rose, if you're crying, I want you to stop right now because I can't bear to see you cry."

"But you're not here to see me cry…" Rose pointed out; aware she was talking to a load of pixels on a television screen.

"Don't give me that. You know I'm always there; I'm always with you…Rory and my baby girl, for starters. Couldn't get away from me even if you tried."

Rose gave a small laugh, though it was more out of anguish than actual humour.

"Two, regeneration. If Rory or the as-of-yet unnamed child have to regenerate, he's gonna have a hard time. The first is always the worst. When it happens, take him straight to the Zero Room; the TARDIS'll guide you. He'll need a few hours to recover."

Rose nodded as if he could actually see her.

"Three, the TARDIS. I know I'm the only one who can fly the TARDIS, so you'll be stuck on Earth for a fairly long time unless anyone discovers the TARDIS manual anywhere, I lost it way back. Only Time Lords can fly the TARDIS…" he waved his hand ineffectually. "Long story about manufactured genes, you don't wanna know.

"Umm…where was I?" Rose giggled. "I think four. Is there a fourth? Oh yes. All of you. Every one of you standing there, you've been the family I lost and I'm thanking you for it. So be sure to look after each other.

"Seven…three? No…well, next one anyway: don't give up. Never lose hope. There is always a chance, no matter how slim that I'll get back to you, but I could've changed. So if a strange ginger headed man with dodgy teeth confronts you as the Doctor, then chances are it's probably me. Tragic, I know, but true.

"Move on with your life. Rose, marry Mickey or…if you're that desperate, Jack. Pretend Jack's the father of my kids if you like. If I'm not gonna be there they still need an icon, and I couldn't think of much better than Jack, really.

"And I think that's about it. Is it? I think so. Oh…no…I want Rory and my little girl to be raised right. So Jack, no guns. Or gender confusing. I know what you're like. One of my worst fears is probably regenerating into a homosexual and I don't want kids with gender issues. Got it?" He paused for a few seconds, getting up and pulling away to the side.

Jack was about to switch it off when the Doctor suddenly came back on the screen, as if a thought had just struck him. He looked to the floor for a moment, before looking back up once more into the camera.

"When I'm gone Rose, I don't want you to feel any guilt."

"Doctor…"

"Listen to me. A lot's happened to us over the past year, and there were times when we were both very afraid. But I want you to know that I still think you are the best thing that ever happened to me. You gave my life meaning and joy, and you will be a part of me forever."

And then the screen blacked out to nothing.

Rose felt a small hand rest on her arm, and turned her head to see Rory sitting there, staring up at her with sad brown eyes. She immediately turned, wrapping her arms around her son and enveloping him in a hug. She kissed him lightly on the cheek, blinking back even more tears.

They were on their own now.

Rory Sigma-Tyler, Earth, November 2006 AD.

To say he was disoriented would be an understatement. Rory sure hoped he personally wasn't dead, and that his dad could fix him back up when he finally got back to the planet he was supposed to be on.

He was still here. Here was not a very good place at all, smoky and – as far as he could tell –dead quiet. There was moaning, coughing, but nothing much happening in the way of movement.

He pushed himself up onto both hands, quickly peering around the bus seats for his mum and dad.

Oh no. Please, no.

He moved towards his lifeless mum slowly, trying not to disturb the points on his body where it hurt the most. He took her plainly broken wrist and checked for a pulse – she was still going. Good. A quick scan with his eyes told him from what he could see she hadn't acquired anything desperately serious and life-threatening.

He lifted his head – across the bus he could see his father also unconscious, and seemed to be bleeding heavily with a few limbs in irregular places. It wasn't supposed to happen like this, surely?! He looked dead…

Backing away and getting onto two feet Rory made to get out and call for help, but instead cried out as a slash of pain cut across his ankle. He stumbled backwards and fell onto the ragged and torn bus seat, trying to compose himself.

"Doctor!"

His mum was calling for his dad, desperately. He watched as his dad slowly came to, blinking and staring up at his mum's face groggily. It was hard to decipher words but next thing Rory knew his mum was standing above him, handing out a hand to his.

"C'mon, we're gettin' out of here!" she was saying, and for a moment he just remained paralysed, staring at her slightly cut face. After a few seconds he was able to move and take her hand, whimpering slightly as he tried to avoid his injured foot. She helped him limp over to the vague direction he knew the entrance to the bus was, only to find it blocked by fallen debris. She turned back to his dad, and for the first time Rory could seriously see the damage – and it wasn't in the least bit pretty. It was amazing he was conscious, to be honest.

"Doctor!" his mum was saying, "the entrance is blocked!"

"Hold on!" his dad yelled, moving towards the back of the bus just before the front axles split, almost sending all three of them crashing back down to the floor. His dad cast a glance back towards them before advancing forward to the back window, and plunging a fist straight through it. He turned, and beckoned them.

Minutes later Rory was sat outside helping to tend to some people's wounds, extremely wary of his own. He really should be getting back to the TARDIS right now, if he even knew where to find it. But his dad was still inside the bus, and he didn't want to leave until he was sure he was out.

Then he saw his mum. She was sat on the edge of the pavement staring at the wreckage in a trance. Thinking about the Doctor, obviously.

He moved towards her.

"I'm so sorry," he said from behind her, "he saved everyone's lives. He shouldn't have to die this way."

Then to his complete and utter alarm, she began to cry. He shuffled nervously, unsure.

"There's always a chance…"

"He's dead," she interrupted in a broken voice, "he has to be." She turned towards him and for a moment seemed to stare – did she know?

"What's your name?" she asked. Obviously not.

"Rory," he said with a half-smile. "What's yours?"

"Rose."

"Don't give up on him Rose," he continued, reaching out for her hand. "I'm sure he's alive. You can't give up. I can tell you're not the type to give up."

She paused for a moment as Rory urged his words to be the ones of confidence, smiling as she launched to her feet letting go of his hand to address the crowd – but then the back axles split, and with them Rose's confidence.

She slowly shrunk back to sitting position, but Rory was having this. This was his father;he had to try everything in his power to save him. He reached for Rose's hand again.

"You can do it Rose."

And with that she was on her feet, a new confidence brimming out of nowhere.

"Oi!" she yelled to the crowd to initiate a rescue plan, and, knowing his work was done, Rory slipped away into the night.