John "The Doctor" Smith sat on his tour bus, chewing on the tip of a pen trying to write a new song, his glasses perched precariously at the end of his nose. He sighed and took his glasses off rubbing the bridge of his nose. He looked over to his friend and lead guitarist, Jack Harkness, who was passed out from too much fun the night before, it still surprised the doctor how Jack could drink that much alcohol and not die of poisoning. Shaking his head he tucked his pen behind his ear and went into the kitchen area on the bus and started a strong cup of coffee for the hang-over his friend was sure to have. Sighing he carefully brought the mug with a picture of Captain Jack Sparrow, from Disney's "Pirates of the Caribbean" series that he had originally bought for Jack as a gag gift for his birthday, but apparently Jack enjoyed the comparison. Setting the cup on the table he nudged his friend.
"Jack wake up, we got to get to work," he said. When Jack didn't move John went to his room on the bus and grabbed a plastic screwdriver with sonic the hedgehog's head on the other end, jokingly refers to as the "sonic screwdriver" and came back poking Jack in the rib cage then dragging it down causing him to jump.
"AIIIIEEEE!" yelped Jack as he fell onto the floor in front of John.
"You up yet Jack?" asked John knowing full well the answer.
"Oi, did you run me over with the tour bus last night Doctor?" he asked looking up at his friend.
John rolled his eyes and handed him his coffee, "Drink your breakfast, we'll be stopping in London in a bit so you need to be sober for the press conference."
He sighed. He had grown up in London. He was a lonely kid. His parents had died in a car crash when he was six and he had no other family.
-Flashback-
John looked out the orphanage window to the rain falling down. None of the other kids would approach him, for whatever reason. He thought it was because he rambled on like a walking talking encyclopedia because he didn't know about what kids his own age were into. He read every book in the orphanage by his fifth day there, and often was found with a book under his arm. But today something outside called to him. Hidden in the rain. He stood up from his window seat marked his place in his book and headed to his room and grabbed his blue rain slicker and rain boots. He called to the prefect of his room where he was going and ran out into the rain.
He'd ran two kilometers and stopped. There was a blond girl not much older than him sitting on the sidewalk, obviously trying not to cry, next to her sat a soggy mutt one ear flopped down and the other standing at attention.
"Hello," he said tentatively, catching her attention. She looked up quickly and rubbed her face with the sleeve of her shirt.
"Hello, who are you?" she asked.
"My name is John, what's your name?" he asked.
"Rose," she said scratching the dog behind her ears.
"What's wrong Rose," he asked sitting down next to her.
"My dad is sick my mum is always working and it seems like my family's done for," she said
"At least you still have your family. All I have are the people at Torchwood, and they don't seem to like me much," he said smiling at her.
She smiled briefly then a look of contemplation crossed her face. "Torchwood? Is that the orphanage up there?" she asked pointing the way he had came.
"Yep," he'd said popping his p, causing Rose to giggle.
"You should smile more Miss Rose, lot prettier than a frown and does your name justice," he said with a wink and a grin standing up and offering her his hand. He helped her up. "Does the dog got a name?"
"No, she's a stray I met today, while hiding in the tunnel at the park," she said.
"Hello old girl, c'mon," he coaxed the dog closer. When he had her right in front of him he scratched her ears. "Hello Tardis," he said.
"You're going to call the dog Tardis?" said Rose skeptically looking at John.
"Yeah why not, she likes it," he said. "Hey Rose, we should probably get you home, it'll be late soon and even if you don't think your parents notice I'm sure they will."
He walked her home his hands in his pockets, the rain had stopped. He looked her in the eye and smiled. Her eyes were a light chocolate brown with flecks of green and amber giving them dimension.
"I'll see you Thursday at the park?" she asked.
"Okay," he said smiling. She gave him a hug which after an awkward moment he returned and then headed back to the orphanage
-End flashback-
John looked to Jack. He'd never told him about Rose. He was almost afraid if he did Jack would either try and hit on her, or try to play match maker or both, and Rose was not the kind of girl who could put up with this life, well, as far as he could tell.
But then again the last time he'd seen Rose was on her Sixteenth birthday when he was going over to ask her out and caught her snogging Mickey, or being mauled he wasn't quite sure. He didn't think Mickey knew what he was doing then.
Sighing he headed to his room and grabbed a blue and violet pin-striped suit, a white button up shirt, and a deep indigo tie then proceeded to shower and get dressed. he then went to his sock drawer grabbed a pair of socks and his blue trainers, put them on and headed over to Jack who was now sober thanks to the coffee, and hyper due to the chocolate doughnut that was now almost gone in his hand.
"Hey Doctor we're in London now look!" he said pointing out the window.
"Yeah I see," said John. He walked around his friend and grabbed a banana and walked off the bus which had been parked in front of The Ferris wheel. He opened and ate his banana and walked around it had been five years. He wondered what had happened to his Rose.
Rose Tyler looked at her clock and cursed. He was back in town, John was finally back. Sure everyone called him "the Doctor" but to her he'd always be John. She quickly brushed her hair fixed her make-up and grabbed her purse and keys.
"Mum I'm heading out," called Rose as she slipped on her black trainers and a cute black lace shrug over her union jack tank.
"Okay Rose, be home before midnight you know what happens at midnight!" called Jackie Tyler jokingly.
The door slammed shut behind Rose as she ran. She hadn't gotten to talk to him since Mickey caught her off guard at her sweet sixteen. Mickey was a good bloke and all but he wasn't what she wanted.
She found him standing in front of the London eye looking up at it. His hair was messy, she smiled, knowing he didn't know who it was she took her hands and covered his eyes.
"Jack if this is some kind of joke I'm not amused," said John.
Rose fought back a giggle then forced her hands to make his head shake no.
"Okay if it isn't Jack, is it Sarah-Jane?"
She twisted his head again to no.
"I give up, is it one of those wild fan girls?" he asked in exasperation.
Rose couldn't hold back a laugh then.
"ROSE?" he gasped then pulled her hands away from his eyes and turned to look at her. "ROSE TYLER?"
She laughed, "It's been a while John." She grinned tucking her tongue between her teeth.
He picked her up and gave her a spinning bear hug causing her to squeal in laughter.
"Goodness Rose you've bloomed nicely if you pardon the pun," said John with a smile.
Rose blushed slightly. "You don't look so bad yourself," she joked.
"Oh you wound me, oh how you wound me," he said covering his chest.
"Hey Doctor! Press conference in a few ya -oh hello, Jack Hawkins, and you are?" he asked grabbing Rose's hand to kiss it.
"Not available to be charmed by the likes of you," butted in John glaring at Jack.
"I'm Rose," she said rolling her eyes at John.
"Oh, are you the doctor's girlfriend?" he asked, knowing the answer
"No," she said blushing.
"His little sister?" he asked.
"No, we're just old friends, right John?" she said looking into his rich deep brown eyes.
"Yeah," he said coughing.
"Are you single then?" asked Jack mischief in his eyes.
"Yeah but I don't think you're my type," she laughed.
John felt his heart skip a beat. ROSE TYLER WAS SINGLE! Quite possibly the best idea in the universe. She looked over at him and smiled. "You lot go to your press conference, we'll meet back here and go out for some fish and chips after yeah?"
"Until then Miss Tyler," said Jack with a wink.
She watched the two men leave then headed to where they had set up the seats for the conference.
John glared at Jack as the walked to their positions. "Leave Rose alone Jack, she's not one of the groupies who'll fall under you with no expectations of the future. You touch her and I SWEAR TO GOD I will cut you open and feed your entrails to wild wolves, do you understand?"
Jack grinned. "Got a thing for her don't'cha? She is really nice lookin' isn't she, well shaped bum long legs that look like they'd go on forever," Jack said watching John's anger bubble.
"You're gonna get it when we're through," he growled then plastered a smile on his face as he turned to their seats.