[ WP ] Time travelling tourists from the future are commonplace at significant historical events . You get home and find time travellers watching you for an unknown reason .

They are always there, but we did n't always notice. Watchers, Specs, some other names that I would n't repeat. Time travelers who come to watch important moments in our history. Twenty years ago, one of these travelers broke what we now know is their cardinal rule: Do not interfere. One well-placed leg, that's all it took. In that moment the man who would cause the death of six hundred million people fell off the curb and directly under a bus. The resulting disturbance, from everyone nearby to time itself was very apparent to say the least. The world was never the same after that day. The Watchers involved were detained and questioned, providing quite the insight into our history. You know those people that claim to find watches and gold necklaces in ancient tombs and bits of coal from time to time. Well, they were right. `` Things do get left behind, rarely'' they said. Ever heard of the theory that there was a ship between the Titanic and The Californian that night? There was. `` We can detect temporal anomalies, placing a ship in-between those vessels that night does not affect the outcome. So, we observe from a distance.'' 
 
 After the investigation and subsequent disclosure, fifteen years were spent coming to terms with and dealing with our new found knowledge. We eventually came to a formal understanding with them and we were provided the means of tracking them. That came with the stipulation that no one from the past could go back with them. A few people did attempt to, with gruesome results to say the least. Regardless, from that day on the Watchers were accosted. Their appearances became fewer and the time they spent here much shorter. It also became a concern of both sides that the knowledge someone was watching could alter events. It ’ s been 8 years since any Watchers were detected in a populated area.....Their absence ended tonight. 
 I got home early that night, my wife was still at work. Something I'm sure they researched before making their attempt. It was typical to see people all around our home. Living near a park, shopping center and walking trail naturally attracts people. I unlocked the door and reached for the mail behind me. Like I said, we're used to people around. I was n't expecting to see twelve of them looking in my direction and heading towards me when I turned around though. A flash, a prick and then darkness. 
 
 When I woke up on the couch, they were all eagerly looking at me, surrounding me. As I became more aware, I could see the patio doors were open to the backyard. As far as I could tell, there were another ten people looking in. All waiting for me to make my move. I moved to a sitting position but before I could do much more, a man I assume to be the leader spoke. `` Do not be afraid.'' he said. “ No harm has or will come to you. “ We are only here to ensure our survival. ” `` And what does that have to do with me?'' I asked in the calmest voice I could muster. He spoke again, `` Even though much has changed in the future one thing has not, the need to provide.'' “ Food, shelter, water, quality of life all of these things are vastly important. ” He moved from his position at my feet to my left. I turned, with some effort, to face him and his companions as well. His face began to display a different emotion, sadness? He continued while pacing, `` Twenty years from your perspective and five from mine, an incident occurred that created a.....collision between our times, as I am sure you are aware.'' As he turned and faced me once more I retorted in rage, “ Of course I do! Considering I ’ m the one that got pushed under a bus! ” I paused for a moment, seething “ That woman cost me the use of my legs! ” The man ’ s face still held that same dour expression…. ” An 12 year old boy who…whose life was changed because something he was deemed guilty of 300 years in the future!!! ” His expression remained the same, infuriatingly un-responsive. 
 
 In my rage, I stood and lunged……and almost fainted. I could stand! My anger immediately turned to joy, I laughed, I jumped. Excitedly, I yelled to the man “ How did you do this? Why…never mind I don ’ t care! Thank you! Thank you so much! ” His expression finally changed, this time it was…relief? He smiled faintly “ You are very welcome, our medicine is much more advanced as you can see. ” We did need to refine the method and deduce a way of quickly regenerating atrophied muscle tissue for this procedure. ” “ As a result, and to make sure no further temporal anomalies were generated, we needed to wait until now to administer the treatment to you. ” I was so happy I barely grasped what he said then, I did manage to pose one question however. “ The “ crime ” I was accused of, will it still happen? ” I asked somewhat calmly. For the first time since this man appeared, his expression was un-debateable. He smiled wildly and laughed “ No, the timeline has been altered beyond the point of that incident occurring. ” 
 We exchanged pleasantries and thanks. I watched 10 minutes later as they disappeared in my backyard. It was like watching them disappear in a beautiful mirage. I had no idea how I would explain these events, but who cares! I couldn ’ t wait to pick up my wife and carry her in as I wished I could have 2 years ago! The possibilities we have now, children even…… 
 
 “ Dr. Roscoe, you ’ re back! It worked! ” “ Other than 14 of us, no one has noticed either! ” “ Good…. ” The man from the future spoke as he arrived back in his own time. Five years, five years it took to find a solution. By direct order from the leaders of the Earth Federation, he and his colleagues were tasked with correcting what they had come to call “ The Mistake ” and the man associated with it “ The Source ”. When 500 million people were added back to the population in the mid-2100s it caused ripple effect. Suddenly, Earth and its colonies were faced with another 6 billion people appearing. Thankfully, his father ’ s precaution of issuing the leaders and head scientists of the EF with temporal mitigators, they were unaffected by the change. A change that had created vastly different worlds and caused more wars than he cared to think about. Learning 300 years of alternate history was taxing, but now that knowledge could go with them to their graves. “ Have any major differences appeared as a result of the reversion attempt? ” The man asked the assistant. “ None doctor, it was completely successful! ” “ Even those who were traveling at the time of The Mistake and retained knowledge of the prime timeline will have had their memories altered accordingly by the reversion. ” Wearily the doctor replied, “ Good, good. I ’ m going to rest a bit before the debriefing, fetch me when everyone is ready. ” He patted the woman on the back and retired to his office. 
 
 They had to rebuild all the traveler systems from scratch, advance medicine 50 years ahead of what it had become in the aberrant timeline and make sure the correction would work. As luck would have it, The Mistake only altered the timeline one way. As long as they could restore The Source ’ s ability to procreate, and at the proper time, the reversion would happen immediately. It was not The Source ’ s fault, or anyone ’ s for that matter, for what his great-grandson would beget. A vector a…..what was the name they had for it then…Patient Zero? The carrier and originator of a disease so terrible it set humanity back ten years and just over six-hundred million lives 200 years ago. Their work had restored humanity and all of their lives, but he could not help feeling as though he and those involved had committed some form of…. genocide by proxy. While he would dwell on that in the coming days and years he had something else to assist with. He, his colleagues and those in power now had to tell sixteen billion people that the most popular form of entertainment conceived since the written word was now outlawed. He chuckled as he thought of the headlines…. ” Time Travel is History! ” 

