John Smith was a man who was coming undone. The December sky, black and cold, swallowed the forlorn figure as he staggered down the street. Eight thousand dollars was missing. Eight thousand. He'd be in jail by morning; just in time for Christmas. Only moments ago he'd pulled himself from his wrecked car, abandoning the only thing he had left of any monetary value. He was ruined.
His head thumped as he dabbed a bit of blood from his forehead; a result of the accident. His car was still crumpled up into the side of a tree a few blocks away. Snow, wet and cold, leached through the bottom of his patched shoes. He looked up at the street lamp, examining the fat, wet snowflakes falling down from above.
He had nothing- certainly no wife or family to care for him. He'd given up his life for the people of this town, quite literally trying to keep a roof over their heads. It was unfortunate that no one seemed able to help him in return.
What he wanted, what he dreamed of…was travel. John longed to see the world he'd glimpsed at in the National Geographic magazine. The world, from those pages, seemed bright and colorful. It seemed vibrant and alive and…and different. It called to him.
His dreams had gone unfulfilled. In their place had been a life of servitude to the institution his father started. A lifetime of drudgery. No adventure, no culture, and most assuredly, no tropical climates. It may have been noble, but it wasn't what he wanted. And now, instead of exotic destinations and dramatic sunsets, there'd be jail time. This was his thanks for giving up on his dreams; for staying in the crummy little town of Bedford Falls.
Stumbling down the sidewalk, John came to a bridge. He peered over the edge, clutching the worn handrail, watching the angry swirling water below. If he jumped…
He contemplated. It would be over in a moment. The water was cold and John was no swimmer. It might even seem a bit poetic in a way. Perhaps the water would pull him down and away from the town; possibly even out to sea. He looked around, the world in a dream-like haze as he started to hoist himself up over the railing. Drowning would be a relief. He was nearly halfway over when someone spoke just over his shoulder.
Her voice was quiet and succinct. "You mustn't do that."
John froze, his fingers clutching the metal railing. Slowly, with a touch of trepidation, he turned his head. A young woman stood just behind him, her large eyes studying him curiously. The streetlight above gave her a soft, golden glow, almost an ethereal presence.
"It's a bad idea; doesn't matter your reason." She licked her lips. "After all," she said, giving him a soft smile, "it's Christmas."
John glanced back at the angry swirling water, then over to the girl. "You don't understand," he said softly.
She shrugged. "Help me to understand." Stepping forward, she reached out a hand, resting it gently on the back of his overcoat. "I'm Rose. Rose Tyler."
In a curious turn of events, he found himself stepping off the rail and back onto solid ground. "John," he rasped out. "John Smith."
"John," she nodded. "Why not talk with me about it?" She looked up at the sky and then down at her feet, clad in sturdy but worn high heels. "How about we got back to mine for a coffee?" Rose paused. "If that's not too forward."
John's mouth opened and closed silently before he nodded. "Alright."
~OoO~
It took two cups of coffee before he started talking. It all came out eventually; the eight thousand dollars, the missed opportunities, spending his life tied to the Savings and Loan, his brother getting a college education, the chance to travel, and military opportunities.
When she questioned why he hadn't had the chance to serve, he told her about his ear; about saving his brother Harry all those years ago from falling through the ice when they were children. She nodded knowingly.
When he was finally finished, John sunk town at the table, resting his forehead on his hands. "So maybe now you see," he concluded, "why I wouldn't mind at all if I'd never even been born. Seems like everyone's life might have been better."
Rose picked up her cup of coffee and sipped it before nestling it back into the saucer. Her brow furrowed. "But John…you've got it all wrong."
He picked his head up long enough to shoot her a withering glance.
"From where I'm sitting, you're the hero." She bit her lip. "Don't you see?"
Waving a hand at her, John took another sip of coffee. "Harry's the hero. Never me."
"You told me you rescued Harry from drowning."
He shrugged. "We were just kids…"
"If you hadn't been there to rescue him, he would have drowned, John. If he'd drowned, who would have saved all those men from that kamikaze pilot?" She shook her head. "They would have died, John- all the men on that amphibious transport; and all because you weren't there to save your brother. He wouldn't have been there to save them."
John shook his head. "You're not…that's not…that's not right."
Rose raised an eyebrow. "Isn't it? And what about all the people in Bedford Falls? Once your father died, the Savings and Loan would have closed down. The people would have been at the mercy of Mr. Saxon. How many people have a decent home because of you, John?"
"Rose, I know you mean well, but-"
"But nothing," she spoke earnestly. "It's due to your sacrifice, your hard work and your kindness that Saxon hasn't taken over the whole town. Everybody knows he owns everything except the Savings and Loan. John, I don't know exactly how to explain the missing money, but I don't for a minute believe you've done anything wrong. Why…just look around this town. Anyone will tell you you're an upstanding citizen."
"Rose…upstanding citizen or not, eight thousand dollars is missing. I'll be in jail as soon as they find me. Coppers are out there looking for me right now."
She shook her head. "John, this is the first time we've ever met but, I'd heard of you; of your kindness and your generosity. I've heard about your brother and the sacrifices he made to help win the war." She smiled. "And until tonight, I never knew the sacrifices you made to win the war in this town."
"What war?" he asked befuddled.
"Don't you know? The war against Saxon." She paused. "What do you think Bedford Falls would look like without the Savings and Loan?"
He shrugged. "Probably about the same."
"Do you really believe that John? Really and truly? Look at this house; take a good look. It was built five years ago. D'you recognize it?"
John sniffed. "It's in Smith Park."
"It is." Rose rested a hand on his arm, her voice filled with emotion. "D'you know what my life was like before this home? We lived in one of Saxon's rented units. It was cold and drafty, John. I'd wake up in the morning with frost on both sides of the window. It was damp and chill and terrible. The roof leaked but he never fixed it." She smiled bitterly. "He just told us to buy another bucket to catch the water."
He nodded. "Sounds about right."
She sniffed. "The day we moved into this house was a dream come true, John. For me, for my mother, and for my father. If you believe nothing else, believe me when I tell you that you've made a difference." She wiped a tear from the corner of her eye and placed a trembling hand over her mouth. "More people than you realize think the world of you."
A knock sounded on the door, and she smiled apologetically and stood to answer it. When she returned Bert and Ernie, the two local officers, were in tow.
"John…" Bert trailed off. "We need you to come with us."
He smiled sadly. "Thanks for the coffee, Rose."
"Officers," she said stubbornly, "this man is innocent. Don't arrest him! W-we just need a little time to-"
Ernie smiled. "John's not under arrest. Something's happened. C'mon, John. Come with us."
"Wh-what happened?" he asked warily.
Bert grinned. "Just come see."
Rose squeezed his hand. "Would it be alright if I came with you?"
He nodded blankly. What was happening?
~OoO~
The car pulled up just outside the Savings and Loan. His Uncle Wilfred was standing outside, waving his arms around. "John, John! You must come see! Oh, it's wonderful John."
"Calm down, Wilf, what's going on?" John said, taken aback.
"Just come inside," he said, pulling John by the coat collar. Rose ran behind, trying to keep up.
Inside a large crowd of people, the people of Bedford Falls, were gathered around the lobby. A large basket filled with money sat on a table.
"There he is!" shouted out a man towards the back of the room.
Jubilant cheers came up from around the room.
"We wouldn't have a house if it wasn't for you, John!"
"My family would still be in Saxon's death trap if it wasn't for the Savings and Loan!"
"Mine too!" came another cry.
"We're all in debt to you, John!" came the last shout.
With shaking hands, he headed over to the table. "Wilf…what is all this?"
Uncle Wilfred swallowed nervously. "I put out a few calls, John, and…and well, this is the response. People heard you were in trouble and they came to help."
He looked around the room. "You did this? All of you?"
The light glowed with happy faces, smiling and nodding enthusiastically.
"I-I'm humbled." He wiped a tear away from his cheek. "Completely humbled. Thank you."
Rose stepped over and squeezed his shoulder.
Everyone clapped loudly, and a few people started singing Christmas carols.
John held up his arms. "Folks!" He waved a hand, catching everyone's attention. The songs died out and everyone focused on his voice. "Folks- if you don't mind," he said to the crowd, "I think I need to show this young lady a token of my appreciation. You see…" he croaked, his voice thick with emotion, "tonight she helped me to see what I should have known all along. That a man doesn't have to be wealthy to be rich." He squeezed her hand. "D'you know something? She was right."
With that John Smith hugged a blushing Rose Tyler close to him and pulled her in for a long and very passionate kiss.
As the crowd erupted into cheers, he smiled and left a breathless Rose go. "And If I didn't know better," he whispered to her softly, "I'd say that you were my guardian angel."
A/N: Wishing you and yours a very Happy Christmas! Thank you for reading my little AU Classic Movie re-write. :)