He wants to steal another moment, just one more moment.

He shouldn't be crossing his own timeline, he knows that, but he can't help it. Sometimes he wonders about his own stupidity for doing it, but he never wonders why he does it, because there she is, the most important woman. All he wants to do is see her again. His Rose.

He's sitting on a stool in a pub, an untouched drink in front of him, watching her and her mate Shareen. She hasn't met leather and ears yet and he has a new face that she wouldn't ever recognise. He could put it to good use, maybe go talk to her, hear her voice again. No, he can't. Instead he just watches her, committing every detail to memory. She's so beautiful, his vibrant Rose.

Her friend leans closer to her to whisper something, and Rose turns her head and locks eyes with him. It only lasts a second before he turns his attention to the drink he's ignored. His face feels heated and he guesses he's blushing, something only Rose can make him do. He risks another glance upward and gods, she's getting up.

What does he always do? He runs. He gets up too and makes a beeline for the door. He wants to turn around, but at the same time, he just wants to run. He makes it outside, and only a few steps before stopping and sagging against a wall. He wishes she would follow him out here, but he also wishes she won't.

"Hey." He freezes. Her voice. Slowly he pushes off the wall and turns around to face her, nerves tingling. He opens his mouth and shuts it again quickly, before he says what he never got to say, because he was a coward. He still is. He takes a moment, and opens it again. "Hey," he replies.

"I like your bow tie," she says, giving him a tongue-touched smile. He can't help but beam back at her, "Bow ties are cool," straightening it a bit, just for the sake of doing so. This earns him a laugh, and gods it is so worth it, being here in spite of all dangers.

"What's your name?" she inquires, and he pauses. Coming to a decision, he extends his hand, "James Noble." another thing she will never recognise, nothing as seemingly fake as John Smith.

She takes it and gives a small shake, "I'm Rose."

Rose, his Rose! "That's a beautiful name." The brief contact between them is sacred, he loves it and craves more.

"You're brilliant Rose. Absolutely fantastic." She's taken aback by this, eyes widening.

"Why'd ya say that? 'Sides, we just met, and I'm nothing special."

He takes a step towards her, "But you are Rose, I can tell, you just are, and you are special, so very special. One day, you're going to reach out for the stars, and you're going to grab hold of them and never let go."

She turns pink at his words, and he smiles. His pink and yellow girl.

He's straining to stay in place, to not reach out and caress her face.

But her can't stay put and he can't hold back any longer, so he moves forward, wraps an arm around her waist, pulls her close, and brings his mouth down on hers. His other hand cups the back of her head. At first it's soft, but it's not enough. His tongue begs entry, and when she opens her mouth, he plunges in, exploring it in a way he never has. Her hands reach up and she buries them in his hair, nails running over his scalp and he moans into her mouth. He snogs her long and hard until his respiratory bypass threatens to kick in and he pulls back, panting.

There once was a time, when he was younger, that he felt so very alive.

He feels it again now, right now, brushing kisses down her jaw, her neck, he can't get enough.

He wants to say it so bad. I love you, but it would mean nothing to her now. She doesn't know about him, who he is, the adventures, what she means to him and it hurts. So he buries his face in her hair and softly runs his hands over her back.

"Rose?" Someone calls from inside the pub, and he quickly pulls back from her as Shareen comes out. "Mickey called and he's coming down to join us."

"Alright Shareen," she turns to her, "I'll be back in a mo."

He looks at her sadly, the moment has come, he has to leave. It's the worst moment, one he cannot change. If he stays now he may never leave.

When she turns back around, he's gone.

A stolen moment, that's all he has. One more stolen moment.