Summary/Prompt: Tatennant AU. "I play the guitar on a street corner sometimes for some extra cash and you usually give me a dollar or two but today you brought a violin and joined in? And we made almost three times what I usually do holy shit you're talented."
Disclaimer: I've held a guitar and a violin, without getting a tune out of either, and that's as far as my ownership goes.
A/N: written for the prompt given by starrgazzer quite a while ago - sorry it's taken so long.
A/N2: as much as I love Iain Glen, Frank just brings out the "clobber with a frying pan" reaction in me, I'm afraid, so anything that gets Doe away from him is good in my book.

Just A Busk At Twilight

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With a deliberate flurry, Dorothy finished the song she was playing on her guitar and then contemplated the collecting hat sat on the corner of the paved area of George's Square in front of her. It contained a few coins but not enough to feed her that night when she got back to her student digs. Yet again she would have to rely on her fiancé, Frank Ratcliffe, to offer some charity; once he had given her another lecture, obviously.

He wasn't a bad man, it's just… There were times when she was sure the main reason he was attracted to her was her father. Frank was in awe of him and his communist talk. Personally, she leant more towards socialism rather than communism; but they never asked for her opinion. And Frank was quite a catch; her mother often told her so. It was easy to see why, because he was handsome, tall, strong, and confident. Any girl would be pleased to gain his attention.

She just wished that he wouldn't gaze upon her with such disapproval at times.

Talking of approval, a familiar face appeared in the crowd. It was a kindly face, topped by a mop of floppy light brown hair, and framed by a pair of glasses. The man wearing it was almost the complete physical opposite of Frank. His features implied a meek, caring personality. But it was his eyes that were particularly different. Warm brown eyes rather than the cold piercing eyes Frank sometimes had.

She had been on the verge of finishing up for the day, but now that he had appeared, her mystery man, she wanted to carry on just to please him. Every time he came, he generously left a handful of coins, so as her best customer he deserved special treatment, didn't he.

Today, with a diminished crowd around her, Darwin felt he was finally able to step closer to the object of his affections. The engagement ring upon her finger placed her out of his league but it also made her safe. She wouldn't automatically reject his friendship, since he wasn't offering more than that. Could never ever hope to.

It was a joy to just stand and listen to her play the guitar and occasionally sing too. Entrancing, in fact.

But today he wanted to bring her joy for a change; a little piece of happiness. And show off a little. He had to admit that to himself. Show that he was equally interested in music, as opposed to that muppet of a fiancé of hers who only ever showed up at the very end of the day's busking, if he did at all, and smuggled her away as if he was ashamed she performed in the street. Busking was an art form, everybody knew that, so why couldn't her lover show his fiancée some appreciation for a change? If he couldn't or wouldn't, Darwin was determined to do so instead; and blow the consequences. It wouldn't be the first time he had been threatened with physical harm but now he had the confidence provided by his police training to cope with it in a positive way.

Gulping to centre himself, Darwin drew out his violin from the case that he carried; experimentally checked that the freshly tuned strings were still okay, and stepped forward. Dorothy looked surprised as the first duet notes hit her mid-song; but her radiant smile encouraged him to continue, and soon they were ably playing together.

The rapturous applause that broke out when they finished astonished them. They'd been too busy gazing at each other to notice the size of the crowd that had grown. The "kerching!" of money being thrown into the hat was an added bonus. After two more songs/tunes, by mutual consent, they called it a day. Darwin felt he hadn't outstayed his welcome by stopping at that point and he could see that Dorothy was tiring after performing for a while.

They shared pleased comments about how well it had gone, not wanting the high to go away just yet. As he put his violin away in its case, she was counting up the money they'd collected.

"We've made more than double the amount thanks to you," she gasped. "Must be almost three times as much. This is your share." She then held out a hand laden with coins towards him.

"No," he insisted, pushing her hand gently away. "I don't need it. You've earned all that. I only wanted the chance to play with you for a while."

"Then let me reward you with a cup of tea or something," she offered.

He had opened his mouth to reply but Frank was suddenly there in the vicinity. "Another time, perhaps," Darwin answered instead as Frank reached forward to claim his property.

"Are you ready, Doe?" Frank asked, eyeing Darwin with a great deal of caution.

"Oh, Frank, this is my new friend," Dorothy began the introduction. "He plays the violin."

"Hello, I'm Simon but my friends call me 'Darwin', he stated, offering a hand for Frank to shake.

As he had expected, Frank made sure it was a very firm handshake. "Hello. Dorothy is very good at making casual friends."

Darwin nodded. "She's very talented."

The smile he aimed in Dorothy's direction obviously riled Frank because she quickly placed a comforting hand on his arm to calm his temper. "Perhaps we ought to go," she suggested. "See you soon, Darwin."

"Yes, bye," he called out after them as Dorothy was escorted away.

He knew her name now and had formed a friendship, as well as a musical alliance. It wasn't much compared to what his heart yearned for, but for now it was enough. Hope sprung within him as he thought of her delighted face as they had played together, and the way she had smiled at him. Who knew what tomorrow could bring? Look at how well today had gone. Tomorrow might be even better.

With that bittersweet zing in his heart, Darwin turned and headed for home, sure in the knowledge that he would try again. If she had seemed happy with her fiancé he would have walked away and never came back; but having seen her, Doe, up close, he knew she was a damsel in distress and he would do everything in his power to rescue her. Mainly because he could, and she was totally worth it.