Waking up to something or someone shaking me wasn't the best thing ever. I open my eyes and see Rose by my side. "Hey," I whisper tiredly.
"Why didn't you come with us?" she asks me instantly.
"Too tired and Adam creeped me out. Mainly me being tired though," I tell Rose and she nods her head.
"You feeling better?" she asks and I nod my head.
"Much, now leave me alone so I can get dressed please?" I ask Rose and she nods her head.
"Also, quick heads up, we're going to see dad before he died," she tells me and I nod my head.
"Ok. See you in the console room," I tell her and she nods her head, walking out of the room.
Peter Alan 'Pete' Tyler. Died on the 7th of November 1987. Died before Jackie adopted me. Rose was less than a year old. I had never met Pete Tyler but from all of the stories that Jackie had told me, he sounded like the best person in the world. Rose would always talk to me about what if her father didn't die or if he had lived a little longer, would he show her the world and do the best things for her or if she could go back in time and see her dad before he died and things like that but I knew that it wasn't true because it would create a paradox and most likely rip the universe apart but I had never told her that because I didn't have the courage to and because I didn't want to ruin the best image of her dad so I kept quiet.
*********
Walking into the console room, I find Rose and the Doctor stood at the door waiting for me. "Hurry up will you," Rose tells me impatiently. I roll my eyes and jog over to Rose and the Doctor before we walk outside.
*********
The Doctor had brought us to Pete and Jackie's wedding. He, Rose and I are sat in the back, away from all of the guests so that no one would see us. I was between Rose and the Doctor, holding Rose's hand with my left hand and the Doctor's hand entwined with my right.
"I, Peter Alan Tyler, take you, Jacqueline Angela Suzette Prentiss," the registrar says for Pete to repeat.
I, Peter Alan Tyler, take you, Jacqueline Suzanna... Suzette... Anita..." Pete fumbles over Jackie's name which makes me laugh.
Jackie narrows her eyes at Pete while he looks at the registrar for help and she sighs. "Oh. Just carry on," she waves. "It's good enough for Lady Di."
"I thought he'd be taller..." Rose mutters, staring at Pete and I squeeze her hand as she leans on my shoulder.
*********
Rose is leaning against the console with her hand in mine still. "It was a hit and run driver... no one was with him when he died and mum always said she wished someone had been there for him," she whispers. "I want us to be there so he doesn't die alone."
"November the 7th?" the Doctor asks to make sure and Rose nods her head.
"1987," I nod my head and tighten my grip on Rose's hand.
*********
Stepping outside of the TARDIS, it looked like a normal day; people walking around, music playing in the distance, normal London weather.* "That's so weird," Rose beings, walking out of the TARDIS, grabbing onto my hand. "The day our father died-" I cut Rose off.
"Your father died. I never knew him," I cut in.
"The day my father died... I thought it would be all sort of grim and stormy; it's just an ordinary day," Rose says again, correcting herself.
"The past is another country... 1987's just the Isle of Wight," the Doctor retorts. "Are you sure about this?" he asks, looking between Rose and me.
"Yeah," Rose says, nodding her head and gripping my hand.
"Galaxy?" the Doctor asks me.
"...no..." I shake my head, walking off with Rose dragging me.
I wasn't ready for this. I wasn't ready to see the man who would've been my father if he didn't die. I wasn't ready to meet Peter Tyler but I had to. For Rose.
*********
The Doctor, Rose and I are stood on Jordan Road, waiting for the moment when Peter Tyler dies. "This is it: Jordan Road," Rose whispers. "He was late; he'd been to get a wedding present, a vase... mum always said-"
"-that stupid vase," I say with Rose, squeezing her hand when I see Peter's dark green car come around the corner. "He got out of his car... and crossed the road," I whisper, watching him park.
Oh, God... this is it..." Rose whispers, curling into my side and burying her face against my shoulder.
I bite my lip, fighting off tears as the Doctor pulls Rose and me into his arms, holding us close. Pete gets out of his car as a beige car comes speeding over. I flinch, turning my face into Rose's hair when the car hits him. The sound makes my heart ache and my stomach turns unpleasantly. I peek, tears streaming down my face as I look at Pete laying on the ground, his body twitching uselessly with the now broken vase beside him "Oh, my God..." I whisper.
"Go to him, quick," the Doctor murmurs and Rose shakes her head, running off. I look up at the Doctor and we run after Rose.
*********
Rose is leaning against a wall down an alley and I hug her. "It's too late now," Rose tells us. "By the time the ambulance got there he was already dead," she continues and she starts to choke. "He... he can't die on his own..." she looks up at the Doctor. "Can we try again?" she asks and I look up at the Doctor in worry for this wasn't going to go down well and we both knew that.
*********
The Doctor, Rose and I look around the corner to see the first set of us on the curb. "Right... that's the first us," the Doctor sighs. "It's a very bad having idea: two sets of us being here at the same time," he shakes his head. "Just... be careful they don't see us; wait till they run off and he goes after 'em, then go to your dad," he tells us and I watch Pete's car come up on the curb again. "Oh, God... this is it..." earlier Rose whisper. The previous Doctor wraps his arms around the girls, holding them close. "I can't do this," Rose cries out, startling into motion as she ran towards her dad. The Doctor stretches out his hand to reach for Rose but Rose was too far. "Rose. No!" the Doctor yells. Rose dashes past her previous self and pushed her father out of the path of the beige car. The vase rolls underneath the car, unbroken while the previous versions of us disappear. "This was a bad idea, wasn't it?" I ask the Doctor. I should've just stayed in bed. "Yes," the Doctor forces out, glaring at Rose from across the street. Rose bounces back over to them happily, dragging them to her father's car, shoving the two into the backseat without a word.
***********
"Right," Pete spoke up after they enter his flat. The drive had been silent with Galaxy staring out of the window, lost in her thoughts and the Doctor stewing angrily in his seat. "Sorry about the mess. If you want a cup of tea, milk's in the fridge. Well, it would be, wouldn't it? Where else would you put the milk? Mind you, there's always the windowsill outside. I always thought if someone invented a windowsill with special compartments, you know, one for milk, one for yoghurt, make a lot of money out of that. Sell it to students and things." his expression lit up. "I should write that down. Anyways, never mind that, excuse me for a minute. Got to go and change."
As soon as the time travellers were alone, Rose walked around, touching several trinkets with a wistful smile. I touch my head, groaning in pain because I know this isn't good and my head is hurting because of what Rose has done. "All the stuff mum kept. His stuff. She kept it all packed in boxes in the cupboard. She used to show me when she's had a bit to drinks. Here it is, on display. Where it should be." she picked up a small trophy and I look at the Doctor. "Third price at bowling. First two got to go to Didcot." Rose puts it back and looks at the bottles on the ground. "Health drinks. Tonics, mum used to call them. He made his money selling this Vitex stuff. He had all sorts of jobs. He was so clever. Solar power. Mum said he was going to do this. Now he can," Rose says.
"When we met," the Doctor stated darkly. "I said travel with me in space. You said no. Then I said time machine."
"It wasn't some big plan," Rose rolls her eyes in amusement. "I just saw it happening and I thought, I can stop it."
The Doctor stalked forwards towards Rose. "There's a man alive who wouldn't be," he snaps. Rose looks at me pleadingly and I just shake my head, clutching onto it. "Galaxy..."
"Don't bring me into this," I shake my head, avoiding to look at Rose for too long.
The Doctor throws up his hands. "I did it again," he grumbles. "I picked another stupid ape. I should have known. It's not about showing you the universe. It never is. It's about the universe doing something for you."
"That's not fair," Rose cut in. "It's okay for you to go to other times and save people's lives but not when it's me saving my dad?"
"I know what I'm doing," the Doctor exclaims. "You don't. Two sets of us being there made that a vulnerable point."
"But he's alive."
"My entire planet died," he pointed out with forced calm in his voice. "My whole family. Including my wife. Do you think it never occurred to me to go back and save them?"
"Would you rather him dead?" Rose snaps.
The Doctor shakes his head in exasperation. "I'm not saying that."
"No, I get it," Rose smirks. "For once, you're not the most important man in my life."
"Let's see how you get on without me, then," the Doctor murmurs. "Give me the key. The TARDIS key. If I'm so insignificant, give me it back."
Rose slaps the key into the Doctor's open hand. "Alright then, I will"
"You've got what you wanted," the Doctor declares. "So that's goodbye then."
"You don't scare me," Rose points out. "I know how sad you are. You'll be back in a minute or you'll hang around outside the TARDIS waiting for me. And I'll make you wait a long time."
The Doctor turns around, holding his hand out to me and I hesitate for a moment before I slide my hand into his. "You forget that you're not the only person travelling with me."
The two of us walk outside, leaving Rose staring at us in anger. The Doctor turns around and looks down at me. "Are you alright?" he asks me and I shake my head.
"I have a bad feeling about that. I really do," I murmur quietly. "I'm sorry about what she said."
"Don't be," he shook his head. "Rose was out of line. Come on." the Doctor pulls me along, back to where the TARDIS is parked. Once we reach her, he unlocked the doors and opened them, only to reveal an empty police box. The complete interior was missing. "Rose!" he exclaims before running off with me tailing him.