The Historian

Pete Tyler

Fathers Day- Part One

"Peter Alan Tyler my dad. The most wonderful man in the world. Born 15th September 1954.That's what Mum always says. So I was thinking, could we, could we go and see my dad when he was still alive?"

The Doctor frownee slightly over the TARDIS console. "Where's this come from, all of a sudden?"

" All right then, if we can't, if it goes against the laws of times or something, then never mind, just leave it."

The Historian shook her head. "No, Rose, we can go... it's just, you e never really mentioned him before."

"I want to see him." Rose sighed.

The Doctor looked to the Historian, then to Rose. "Your wish is my command. But be careful what you wish for."

****** *****

The three stood in the back of a registry Office, watching a blonde woman and a light haired man getting married. The Registar smiled at them. " I, Peter Alan Tyler, take you, Jacqueline Angela Suzette Prentice"

"I, Peter Alan Tyler, take you, Jacqueline Suzanne Suzette Anita..."

The Historian sniggered slightly as Pete struggled with Jackie's name, only for jackie to say "Oh, just carry on. It's good enough for Lady Di."

Rose leant into the timeless, whispering "I thought he'd be taller."

"They say never meet your heros." The Historian whispered back with a smirk as Rose rolled her eyes and slapped the Historians arm, shushing her.

"To be my lawful wedded wife, to love and behold till death us do part."

***** *****

Waterley Street. 8th November, 1987. The Historian had a strangely bad feeling about the day...

"It's so weird. The day my father died." Rose said to them. " I thought it'd be all sort of grim and stormy. It's just an ordinary day."

" The past is another country. 1987's just the Isle of Wight." The Doctor shrugged.

"Rose. Are you sure about this?" the Historian asked.

" Yeah."

They made their way to Jordan Road, staring out. " This is it. Jordan Road. He was late. He'd been to get a wedding present, a vase. Mum always said, that stupid vase."

The Historian watched as a green van pulled up, and Pete got out. The Historian and Doctor took hold of a hand each and squeezed it. "He got out of his car. And crossed the road... Oh, God. This is it." A beige car can around the corner and smacked into Pete, not stopping. The driver had covered his eyes and sped off down the street.

"Go to him, quick." The Doctor insisted, but rose stayed in place.

It took a little while, but sirens could be heard down the street. "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?"

***** *****

The Historian peered around the corner, seeing the three of them from their first attempt. " Right, that's the first us. It's a very bad idea, two sets of us being here at the same time. Just be careful they don't see us. Wait till she runs off and they follows, then go to your dad."

Rose muttered as the car approached. "I can't do this."

The Doctor frowned at her. "You don't have to do anything you don't want to, but this is the last time we can be here-"

"Rose, no!" The Historian cried as she bolted forwards towards Pete, pushing him out of thr way of the car, which screeched off down the road.

The Historian rubbed the back of her head and looked to the Doctor who had the same look on her face. "Well. Damn." She hissed.

"That's one bloody word for it." He huffed.

***** *****

The Historian peered around the Tyler's flat with Rose and the Doctor. She knew something felt bad that morning. If only she'd said something.... no, they'd probably still be here...

"Right, there we go. Sorry about the mess." Pete said as they walked in. "If you want a cup of tea, the kitchens just down there, 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 window sill outside. I always thought if someone invented a window sill with special compartments, you know, one for milk, one for yogurt, make a lot of money out of that. Sell it to students and things. I should write that down. Anyway, never mind that, excuse me for a minute. Got to go and change."

Rose looked around the room as the Doctor and Historian folded their arms at 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. Here it is, on display. Where it should be. Third prize at the bowling. First two got to go to Didcot. 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 grinned at them and rolled her eyes at the Doctor. " Okay, look I'll tell him you're not my boyfriend."

"When we met, I said travel with me in space. You said no. Then I said time machine." The Doctor glared.

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

The Doctor scoffed. "I did it again. I picked another stupid ape. I should've known. It's not about showing you the universe. It never is. 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."

The Historian glared at her. "We know what we're doing, you don't. Two sets of us being there made that a vulnerable point."

" But he's alive!"

The Doctor shook his head at her. "Our entire planet died. Our families. Do you think it never occurred to us to go back and save them?"

"But 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 Three or anything."

The Historian frowned at her. "Rose, there's a man alive in the world who wasn't alive before. An ordinary man. That's the most important thing in creation. The whole world's different because he's alive."

"What, would you rather him dead?"

"We're not saying that!"

" No, I get it! For once, you're not the most important people in my life-"

The Doccot held his hand out in front of her. "Let's see how you get on without us, then. Give me the key. The Tardis key. If we're so insignificant, give it me back."

"All right then, I will." She huffed as she shoved the key into his hands.

"You got what you wanted, Rose." The Historian glared. "Bye."

"You don't scare me. 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 Historian lead the way back to the TARDIS, the doctor sighing behind her. "Where did it go so wrong?"

"The moment we agreed to let her see her dead dad apparently." she muttered.

He sighed and looked to the TARDIS. "Looks like it's just us." He held out a hand for her, which she took gladly in hers.

"Let's just go." He said.

"Yep. For once, screw humanity. Strange race anyway, humans." She sighed as the Doctor unlocked the TARDIS... revealing an empty, wooden box. His hand went totally dry and his mouth dropped open.

"Wheres the TARDIS!?" He gasped to her.

"This... is a problem." The Historian mumbled, putting her head in her hands...