CHAPTER 1 - END OF THE LINE
Annie woke up and looked around her. It was very early in the morning, a look at her bedside table clock told her that it was 6am. After getting washed and dressed, she opened her bedroom curtains and looked out the window. It was a fairly warm bright day, she decided that she might try and go into town with one of her friends. She made her bed and made herself a bowl of Cheerios for breakfast, she sat herself down in her wheelchair and turned on the TV to see what was on so early in the morning. She flicked through the channels and discovered a repeat of Doctor Who was on, so she settled down to watch it. MMM David Tennant, what a man. thought Annie as she watched David act as the Doctor. I wish a man would rescue me from this world and sweep me off my feet. A man like David, mmm. Oh don't be so silly, David would not even take one look at you. After all your just a fat unattractive normal person. said Annie to herself. After the show, Annie phoned up her mate to see if she wanted to go into town with her. As it turned out, her mate was not well and could not meet up and go into town. Annie threw her mobile phone down then bent her head down and cried. She did not have many friends and only the one best friend who was more like a sister then a friend. After a few minutes Annie got up out of her wheelchair and went to the bathroom, were for the first time in years she looked at herself in the mirror. She felt sick at what she saw. She stared and stared at herself with tears falling down her face, never in all her life had she felt so ugly and unattractive. No wonder my husband left me. I'm disgusting. said Annie to herself. She slowly walked back to her wheelchair, her collapsed and swollen flat feet were killing her, she was out of breath and her back was hurting her. Annie picked up her keys for her flat and wheeled herself out the front door, she went through the town and into the War Memorial Park, where she sat down and thought about her life. She had no friends, no lover or husband, no job, no pets and her family didn't understand how she felt. Even the local town's people stared and laughed at her. It was one reason why she hated Basingstoke, Hampshire and another reason why she hated her life. Annie wheeled herself to one of her old thinking spots, on a bridge that went over a road. She sat and thought of what to do with her life or how to make it better. But she could not think of anything and she hated herself so much. She had tried to lose weight but because of her flat collapsed feet, she could not exercise and due to lack of support and lack of money the only diet that had worked, she could not afford to keep on it. On top of that she had fallen in love with David Tennant even though he was 14 years older then her, she knew that he was the man that she loved. But my love would never be returned as there was no way David Tennant would marry me. said Annie to herself. She looked at the cars going past like she used to when she was a kid. Why does life have to be so cruel? she thought to herself. As she watched the cars she remembered when she was 16 years old and healthy, how she used to walk around and play around with her brother and friends. There is nothing left now, nothing to live for. she said to herself as she stood up and climbed up to the top of the bridge, the wind whistled past her, it was a long way down.
I have to do this, there is nothing left for me here. If I don't do this, I'll be sad for the rest of my life. You can't take back time, I'll jump at the count of three. she said to herself as she braced to jump. 1. 2... "I don't think you want to be doing that." said a voice from behind her. "Huh?" said Annie looking round. There stood behind her was none other then David Tennant! Annie gasped in shock but as she did her foot gave way and she fell! As quick as a flash David caught her hand and started to pull her upwards. "No No No! Let me go, let me die, there is nothing left for me." shouted Annie struggling to free herself of David's grip. "No, I won't let you go." said David as with a mighty heave, he pulled her up over the railings and sat her back in her chair.
"Why did you stop me, Why!" said Annie as tears started to stream down her face. Kneeling down in front of her, David looked deep into her eyes and said "Because no matter how hard life gets, death is not the answer." Annie shook her head and let out a wail of despair, "Yes it is." she cried. David stood up then reaching down he pulled Annie up to her feet and wrapped his arms around her, holding her gently he whispered "Let it out, let it go." Suddenly as if all the pain had been released, Annie cried uncontrollably into his shoulder. David felt the girl's pain through her sobs, the pain causing the girl to shake in his arms. What has this poor girl gone through. he thought to himself. Annie didn't know how long she stood their crying into David's shoulder, she didn't care. Then with a jolt she remembered that this was David Tennant holding her, while she was crying like a little school girl. She pulled away and looked up at him. "Sorry about that, I should not of acted like such a fool crying like that. Forgive me." said Annie "There is nothing to forgive, you should not keep your emotions locked up like that, its not good for you. You were not acting like a fool, you were acting like a normal human being going through a hard time." said David as he studied her face. Annie looked at the ground afraid of what her eyes may give away, the cars continued to go past as if nothing had happened. "Thank You for being such a gentleman and assisting me." said Annie looking back up at him. "Your welcome Annie Kuhn." said David. Annie gasped in shock, "How do you know my name?" she said. "Easy, one you own a pretty big website on me and two by this." said David holding up a letter with an attached picture of herself that Annie had sent him 3 years ago. "Oh my god, you still have my letter and an awful picture of of…" said Annie unable to get the words out "You. Yes I still have it and why on earth do you say an awful picture of you?" said David. Annie looked down at the floor and started to kick the ground with the toe of her shoe. "Its because you have such a low opinion of yourself, is that it? That is why you think this picture is so awful." said David. Annie snapped her head up in total surprise and disbelief, "How did you know that I felt like that?" she whispered. David shrugged then pointed at her, "By the way your acting." he said. Annie nodded then turned away from him as another wave of tears threatened to fall. David grabbed her arm and spun her back around to face him, then holding her at arms length he made her look into his eyes as the tears started to fall. "There is nothing wrong in letting your emotions go, the key to getting over that is to allow someone to see you cry." he said. Annie felt her body start to shake as her strength started to run out, David must of sensed it for he pulled her into his arms and wrapped them around her.
Annie rested her head on his shoulder as the tears started to stop, she smelt the manly smell of him.
Then feeling embarrassed at how she was acting she tried to pull away, but David tightened his hold on her. "Don't." he said as Annie continued to wriggle in his arms "I have to." she said trying even more to break free "Don't be afraid of yourself Annie." said David. Annie stopped trying to break free and stood still allowing David to hug her. God he must think I am well stupid like another one of his fans that go all stupid when they see him thought Annie to herself. After a while David let her go, Annie feeling very weak sat back down in her chair not really know what to say or do. "So what do we do now?" said David looking down at her. "Err…Well…err…I am not sure." said Annie looking up at him. "Would you like to come into town with me? I could show you Basingstoke if you wanted." said Annie instantly feeling stupid by the way she was acting. "Sure, why not. Can't say I've ever been here before." said David as he started to disguise himself as a normal everyday person. Annie could not believe what she was hearing, David was going to come with her. She wheeled herself back to the War Memorial Park with David talking cheerfully by her side. "Whoa Annie, lets stop here a minute. This place is beautiful and I would love to look around." said David grabbing Annie's handle bars to stop her. Annie took David around the Memorial Park, she showed him the band stand, the bird cages and finally the Memorial outside the Council Offices. David looked at the memorial with great interest, Annie could tell he was enjoying himself.
At that moment a group of girls came around the corner, they looked at Annie and started laughing then one of them shouted out "Spastic" while the other one shouted "I want that one, Little Britain." Annie looked at the ground feeling her cheeks grow red and feeling useless, suddenly David pulled her head up. "Oi, if she is such a spastic then how come I am with her." said David "Because you're a spastic too mate." said one of the girls laughing nastily "Oh really, well then a spastic is not afraid to do this." said David pulling off his hat so that the girls recognised him then swooping down he kissed Annie right on the lips. The girls gasped in union then one said "What the hell?" another said "David Tennant is kissing her, is kissing the spastic! Oh David honey I am so much more kissable then that freak, come and kiss me baby." David looked up at the girls, his eyes flashed with anger, "There is no way I would kiss any of you, you all nasty and I hate nasty girls. Your all fake, it was only when you realised who I was that you put on your nice fake little smiles. This girl is by no means a spastic, she is more beautiful then any of you, both inside and out, you know you should really look in the mirror." he said. Annie could not believe what she was hearing or seeing, David was sticking up for her, her a normal girl from Basingstoke. David put his hat back on his head then walked away from the Memorial Park towards the town, Annie quickly caught up with him.
"Er…Thank You for that." she said, David stopped then knelt down in front of her. "Is that what you have to go through everyday? People treating you like that?" he said Annie nodded and said "More or less yeah. That was nothing compared to what I've had said and done to me in the past."
David looked deep into her eyes and said "What have you had done to you?" Annie shook her head, "It does not matter." she said as she went to wheel away.
David put his hands over hers and stopped her in her tracks, "Yes it does matter, what have you had done to you?" Annie looked into his eyes and sighed, "I've had rocks thrown at me, people sneak up behind me and yank my chair down so that my head hits the concrete. Rubbish tipped all over me, food thrown at me etc." she said. David watched her and sighed, he could not believe how cruel people were. "Its ok David, I am used to it. Its alright." said Annie "No Annie, its not alright. I had no idea how much people with disabilities went through everyday." said David throwing his arms around her. Annie hugged him back, she still could not believe that David was here with her. David pulled away and looked deep into her eyes, "There is something that happened to you years ago. For today bought all that pain back into your eyes." he said. Annie's mouth nearly hit the floor, "David, how do you know how I am feeling?" she said. "Easy, I'm an actor and as an actor I have to learn to portray human emotions so that people believe that I am actually feeling that way." he said. Annie nodded and started to wheel towards the town centre, "Well actor or no actor, I can imagine that your hungry the same as me and there is a great little er restaurant that I would love to er take you to." she said shyly. David laughed and gave Annie another little quick hug, "Your cute when your shy, sure take me to this restaurant." he said. Annie noticed that because David looked completely like a normal person that no one recognised him, unless like her you knew it was him because you had seen him put the clothes on. They arrived at Wagamama and because most of the staff knew Annie, they showed them to a real quiet table in the corner. Annie tried not to giggle as not even the staff noticed that David was with her. She picked up the menu and ordered an Amai Udon with a Lime and Apple juice drink while David ordered a Yaki Soba and an Orange juice. "This is one really nice restaurant, I like its style." said David "Yeah I love it here, I used to come here every day for my dinner." said Annie. David looked across the table at her, "Annie what happened to you all them years ago?" Annie looked at him and sighed then she told him all about her school days and how she has been bullied from day one right the way through to the very last year. She told him about how she was beaten up so badly that she was knocked into a coma and nearly died, and at how at one point she just snapped and hit the bully back. David sat and listened to her story, then when she was done he reached for her hand. "Annie you have been through so much, no wonder you are so strong inside. Your amazing!" he said. Annie blushed and smiled, "Nah, I am just little old me there is nothing amazing about me." she said. David studied her face, Why does she put herself down so much? She must have a real hard time admitting to people how she feels. I've got to help her, no I want to help her. thought David to himself. The food arrived and before she even knew what was happening, Annie found herself telling David about her birth, her adoption, her divorce, her whole life. David listened to her, nodding in places and gasping in others. Afterwards Annie realised that she has spoke a lot and David had hardily spoken. "Oh god, I am so sorry. I cannot believe how rude I was, you should of told me to shut up." she said.
David laughed and shook his head, "Now why would I of told one of my fans to shut up? I love learning about other peoples lives. Wow so much you have been through and yet here you are fighting life and still smiling. That is amazing Annie, most people would of caved in under all the things that you have had to go through." he said. Annie just blushed and laughed shyly, she then paid for the meal and wheeled out of Wagamama.
They walked through the town together laughing and talking all the way to the railway station. Annie looked at David still a little surprised that he was here with her. "Its funny how much I spoke to you, I feel so at ease around you. Almost like I've known you my whole life." she said, David knelt down in front of her and took her hands in his. "Have you ever been down to London?" he said, Annie shrugged her shoulders, "I've been down with my ex husband's family in 2004 to see the sights. That was the only time." she said. David looked deep into her eyes and Annie felt her heart speed up, "Would you like to come back to London with me Annie?" he said. Annie gasped in surprise, she looked into David's eyes to see if he was lying, he wasn't. "I…I…I dunno what to say." she said, David smiled and squeezed her hand, "You could always say yes. I'll look after you Annie, I promise you that." he said. Annie felt so alive and happy, a feeling that she had not felt in so long, "Ok David, I would love to come to London with you." she said. David pulled her up into a great big hug, he spun her around in happiness then placed her back into her chair. They went into the railway station, up onto the platform and waited for the train. Annie's mind was racing, she could not believe that she was going to London with the man she loved. Annie looked up at David and smiled, I can't let him find out that I love him, I would not want to ruin this wonderful friendship that we have. she thought to herself. At that moment the train arrived, Annie sat down in the seat by the window while David folded the wheelchair up and put it behind them. He then sat down next to her and gave her hand a little squeeze. The train started to move and Annie felt excitement hit her, in a few hours or minutes. However long it took, she would be in London with David. Then a question hit her, where was she going to stay?