Homebound (Book 1 of the Starbound Chronicles)

(1)Father's Day

So I updated. I know I said I probably wasnt going to, but I felt bad. From now on I'm going to be writing in parts for each chapter. Also, thanks so much for 300 views! It means a lot to me.

*****

"Peter Alan Tyler, my dad. The most wonderful man in the world. Born 15th of September 1954. Died the 7th of November. 1987. The day that Stuart Hoskins and Sarah Clark got married."

Rose leaned against the console, and The Doctor was sitting comfortably in the captain's chair.

"That's what my mum always says. So, I was thinking . . . could we?" She paused, taking a deep breath. "Could we go and see my dad when he was still alive?"

The Doctor looked at her thoughtfully. "Where's this cominng from, all of a sudden?"

Rose looked down. "All right then, if we can't, if it goes against the laws of time or something, then never mind, we'll just leave it."

The Doctor shook his head. "No, I can do anything. I'm just more worried about you."

"I wanna see him." Rose insisted.

The Doctor rose from his chair. "Your wish is my command. But be careful what you wish for." He pushed a lever on the TARDIS console, firing up the engines.

*****

On a sunny day in 1987, a registrar was guiding a man and woman through their wedding vows. "I Peter Alan Tyler, take you, Jacqueline Angela Suzette Prentiss . . . "

"I, Peter Alan Tyler, take you, Jacqueline . . .  Suzanne . . . Suzette . . . Anita . . . " Pete Tyler attempted to say Jackie's long name, but failed miserably.

Jackie narrowed here eyes slightly, then sighed. "Oh, just carry on. It's good enough for Lady Di."

The Doctor, Rose and Lana sat at the back of a small crowd of people witnessing th marriage of Jackie and Pete Tyler.

The Doctor looked over at Rose and grinned.

"I thought he'd be taller." Rose mumbled absently.

". . . to be my lawful wedded wife, to love and behold 'til death do us apart."

*****

"Mum said it was a hit and run driver." Rose explained when they were back in the TARDIS. "He died so close to home. He was already dead when the ambulance got there. Mum always wished that there had been someone with him when he died. I wanna be that someone. So he doesn't die alone."

The Doctor chewed his lip worries my before sighing. "November the 7th?"

Rose nodded in confirmation. "1987."

The Doctor started up the TARDIS engines, Rose watching him apprehensively.

*****

The Doctor, Rose, and Lana stepped out of the TARDIS into November the 7th, 1987. The day was still and quiet, and someone was playing music in the distance.

Rose looked around with a strange look on her face. "That's so weird. The day my father died . . . I thought it'd be all sort of grim and stormy, it's just and ordinary day."

The Doctor shrugged. "The past is another country. 1987's just the Isle of Wight." He looked down at Rose worriedly. "Are you sure about this?"

"Yeah." Rose said with a determined look on her face.

*****

They stood on the curb of the sidewalk, waiting.

"This is it. Jordan Road. He was late. He'd been to get a wedding present, a vase." Rose said, sounding like she was trying to fight of tears. "Mum always said, that stupid vase."

A car rounded the corner.

"He got out of his car . . ." The car pulled over. ". . . and crossed the road." The car stopped. "Oh, God. This is it." Rose gasped.

Pete got out of the car, and picked up the vase from the passenger seat.

Lana took Rose's hand squeezing it reassuringly.

Pete started to walk across the road, not seeing the car coming straight towards him. He looked up a split second before it hit him, his eyes widening in shock. The driver threw his hands up over his eyes as the car collided with Pete. Rose hid her head behind the Doctor's shoulder. The vase Pete had been holding fell to the ground and shattered. Rose lifted her head to see her father lying in the road, twitching slightly.

"Go to him. Quick." The Doctor said quietly.

Rose just stood watching her father with wide, tear filled eyes.

*****

Rose, The Doctor and Lana stood leaning against the wall. Ambulance sirens sounded in the distance.

"It's too late now." Rose said, tears in her eyes. "By the time the ambulance got there, he was dead." Her voice faltered, choked by tears.

The Doctor looked away silently.

Rose looked up, a determined look on her face. "He can't die on his own."

The Doctor looked back at her.

"Can I try again?" Rose asked.

The Doctor nodded slowly, knowing it was a bad idea.

*****

Rose, The Doctor and Lana stood out of sight, watching their past selves standing on the curb.

"Right." The Doctor nodded, obviously questioning his earlier decision. "That's the first set of 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 'til she runs off and they follow, then got to your dad."

For the second time that day, Rose's father's car drove up.

Rose gulped. "Oh, God. This is it."

Once again, Pete picked up the vase from the passenger seat.

Rose tensed. "I can't do this."

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

Rose stayed silent, breathing heavily, staring at her father getting out of the car. She ran out into the road. Lana lunged to grab her hand.

"Rose! No!" The Doctor yelled jumping out into the street after her.

The car rounded the corner, as Rose ran past the first set of themselves, shoving her father out of the way of the oncoming car. The three of their past selves looked stunned for a second, then disapeared into thin air.