A/N: Thank you so much for your reviews. They have given me the encouragement to continue writing. I'm so glad you are enjoying this story. In this chapter I have taken creative license to write about Father Octavian's past. I would love to know what you think. Thanks.
River led Bob to the TARDIS. "This is the TARDIS?" Bob asked, disappointed by the appearance of the spacecraft. "It looks like a blue police box."
River smiled as she unlocked the door to the time machine with the key the Doctor had secretly passed to her in the warehouse. "Believe me when I say there is more to the TARDIS than what you see. Come in and you'll see what I mean."
Bob's eyes grew wide with excitement as he followed River into the TARDIS. Once inside, his mouth dropped open in wonder at the size of the interior of the spacecraft.
"Impressive, isn't it?" River asked, amused with Bob's reaction.
"Yes, ma'am, it is," Bob said, smiling. "How can this be? I thought the interior was going to be small and cramped."
"It's because the TARDIS is dimensionally transcendental, which means its exterior and interior exist in separate dimensions," River said as she went to the console with Bob at her heels. "The TARDIS has a great number of rooms and corridors. It has living quarters, an ancillary power station disguised as an art gallery, a study, a greenhouse, bathrooms, a library with a swimming pool, a medical bay, and several brick-walled storage areas. There's also a secondary control room with ornate wood panels," River stated as she typed quickly into the console computer.
"May I ask what you're doing?" Bob asked.
"I'm sending a message," River said.
"To our ship?"
"No, to the Doctor."
"I don't understand. On the way here you said it was the Doctor we had to rescue," Bob said, confused.
"Bob, do you trust me?" River asked.
"Yes, of course I do."
"Then please do as I say and stand guard outside the TARDIS. I promise I won't be long," River said.
"Yes, ma'am," Bob said, looking around the time machine once more before stepping outside. He then stood beside the TARDIS with his weapon drawn.
River finished typing the message for the Doctor. Satisfied the note would this time get to its intended destination, River headed for the door and stepped out of the TARDIS to wait for the Time Lord.
Bob stood guard beside the TARDIS. "Were you able to send the message, Miss Song?"
"Yes, I did. Bob, I need you to do something else for me. Please go back to the warehouse and get rid of that android we destroyed. It won't be long before it's missed and if they find it, they'll know I escaped and they'll come looking for me. We need to get into the building without their knowledge."
"Yes, ma'am. But, will you be all right? I hate to leave you here by yourself," Bob said with concern.
"Don't worry. I won't be alone for long. Now go," Rive said.
"You won't be alone?" Bob asked, smiling. "You called for reinforcements then?"
"Yes, in a matter of speaking. Now go!" River said, shooing the priest away.
Bob nodded and headed toward the warehouse. Not long after River heard the sound of the TARDIS approaching. River Song smiled, remembering the reason the TARDIS made such a noise; it was because the Doctor left the brakes on. He loved the sound the TARDIS made, which she had to admit she loved as well. Shortly thereafter, the Blue Box began to materialize beside the first TARDIS.
Father Octavian felt as if he was floating within a bubble of light in the vastness of space. In this bubble there was no pain, no conflict, just perfect peace. It was if he was back in his mother's womb where he had been safe and loved.
The bubble suddenly carried him to his hometown of Edinburgh, Scotland, the land of his youth. Octavian hadn't been back home since he had joined the military clerics of the Church almost two decades before. Octavian opened his eyes and found he stood in the center of town. He didn't remember how he had come to be in Edinburgh and didn't understand what he was doing here. Could this mean he was dead?
"Hello."
Octavian whirled around to see Jacklyn Moore - his wife. She looked as beautiful as she had twenty years ago.
"Jackie?" Octavian asked in disbelief.
"You seem surprised to see me," Jacklyn said, smiling.
"How can this be, you're…you're…"
"I'm what?" Jacklyn interjected, her face beaming. She then walked up to Octavian and kissed him lightly on the lips. "Where have you been? I've been waiting for you for over half an hour."
"I don't understand," Octavian said, confused.
"What's the matter with you?" Jacklyn asked, trying not to sound irritated. "Katie and Robbie's recital is about to begin. Where have you been?"
What? No! This couldn't be happening again, Octavian thought. How could he be reliving the worst night of his life. Was it just coincidence or was it divine providence that had sent him back to this fateful night? Was God giving him another chance to change the course of events that had changed his life forever?
"Come," Jacklyn said as she took Octavian by the hand and led him into the school auditorium.
Octavian watched his two children, his twin five-year olds, enact their class play. He looked over at Jacklyn and his heart nearly burst with love for his pretty wife. He smiled and took her hand in his; she snuggled up to him as she watched their adorable children perform. Octavian remembered how happy they had all been that night as they left the auditorium and headed home.
"Daddy, can we stay up for a little longer?" Katie begged her father as they walked in the front door.
Octavian looked to Jacklyn for help. She shook her head no. "It's really late, sweetheart. Go brush your teeth and I'll come and read you a story," Octavian said.
"Okay!" Katie and Robbie said simultaneously and ran upstairs to brush their teeth.
Jacklyn came to him and hugged him from behind. "Our children were magnificent tonight," she said proudly.
"That's because they take after you," Octavian said as he brought he wife around to face him. She placed her arms around his neck as he wrapped his arms around her waist.
"Well, you have talents too," Jacklyn said.
"Really? Name one," Octavian said, teasing.
Jacklyn giggled. "Give me an hour and I'll think of something."
Octavian chuckled and kissed his wife tenderly. "Be sure and write it down before you forget it," Octavian joked as he headed upstairs to the children's room. Twenty minutes later Octavian finished reading to the children from their favorite book and tucked them into bed.
"Good night, my darlings. You were wonderful tonight. I'm so proud of you."
"Good night, Daddy," Katie and Robbie said, their faces beaming.
Octavian kissed his children, turned their lights off and closed the door. On his way downstairs, Octavian suddenly remembered the chain of events that had taken place that tragic night, and this was his chance to change the past.
"JACKIE! Jackie, get out of the house!" Octavian shouted as he ran back upstairs toward the children's room. Regrettably, he couldn't change his destiny; the house exploded around him. The staircase collapsed from under his feet sending him crashing to the floor below into a pile of rubble.
The next thing Octavian remembered was waking up in a hospital. He had been in a coma for three weeks and at that time he learned his family had not survived the explosion. The town of Edinburgh had been one of many cities to be attacked by the Sycorax, an alien species that had tried to conquer earth.
In an instant, Octavian's family had been taken away from him and his life had changed forever. It was then that he made the decision to join the military clerics of the Church. No one in the Church knew of Octavian's past and he wanted to keep it that way. He had been given a new name and a new life, and for the last twenty years he had done everything in his power to save other families from experiencing the horror of alien invasion. But, the happy memories of his family gave Octavian the strength and determination to complete the missions the Church assigned to him and his clerics.
"Father Octavian? Father Octavian…"
Father Octavian's eyes opened slowly and came to rest on Christian's face. The Bishop could tell something was terribly wrong.
"Christian? What's happened?" Father Octavian asked.
"It's David, Sir. There's a bomb attached to his chest. We haven't been able to remove it or disable it. David has agreed to get as far away from here as possible."
"David!" Father Octavian exclaimed. "David!"
"I'm here, Sir," David said, kneeling beside the cot.
"You will not leave! Do you hear me? I will not allow you to go through this alone!"
"Sir, what are you saying?" David asked in disbelief.
"Christian, Angelo, get back to the ship." Father Octavian said sternly. "Tell the Commander what's happened and tell him to send a rescue team, three of our men are still missing."
"Sir, we can't leave you here to die! Why should you give your life for him? He's not even human anymore!" Christian exclaimed angrily.
"He's still the David we know in here," Father Octavian said as he touched Christian's brow. "And in here," the Bishop said as he touched Christian's heart. "I will not leave one of my men to die alone. Now, get back to the ship. That's an order," Father Octavian said gently.
"Yes, Sir," Christian said, tears welling up in his eyes.
"Father Octavian, it has been an honor to serve with you," Angelo said as he clasped hands with the Bishop.
"May God bless your paths," Father Octavian said to the clerics. He smiled and nodded. "Now go."
Christian and Angelo embraced David and left. David knelt beside the Bishop and the two men began to pray as they waited for the bomb to explode.
