A/N The inspiration for this fic is the Hollies song, "Bus Stop". It has always been one of my favorite songs and ever since I started watching DA, it has reminded me of Anna and John. I apologize for its similarity to the other story titled "Good Men Aren't Like Buses" by the wonderful downtoluver. I really suggest you read that one.

I swore to myself I wouldn't start posting another multi-chapter until I finished FFF but this one was screaming at me to be let out. It was supposed to be a one shot but you know how that goes with me. So if you like it, please let me know.

I don't own...

May 4th, 2013

John Bates stood at the bus stop and looked up at the sky just as the dark black clouds over his head began to disgorge their contents. He had hoped that by going into work 30 minutes early today he could avoid the worst of it, but apparently this was not his lucky day. He sighed as he juggled his cane to his other hand in order to put up his umbrella. The weather matched his mood perfectly. Not only did he spend the bank holiday completely alone, but Vera had called him on Saturday insisting that she get some bit of something that had been overlooked by her lawyer so far in their divorce proceedings.

He was glad to be in London, away from her and away from his old life, but his adjustment wasn't going as smoothly as he had hoped. Most people at Grantham Accounting seemed to feel that he had only gotten his job because he and Rob were old friends. It was in fact true, that is how he had gotten the position, but that didn't mean he wasn't qualified. He just wanted to keep his head down and rebuild some type of life for himself.

Just as he was falling further into the depths of his brooding, he was jostled from his thoughts by a young woman who accidentally bumped into him.

"Oh goodness I'm sorry," she smiled apologetically, "I didn't see you because I was trying to protect myself with this stupid newspaper. As you can see," she continued, indicating her well soaked hair and outfit, "it's not working terribly well. But I am sorry, just the same."

"That's alright," John smiled down at her. She was much smaller and much younger than he, but even in her disheveled state she seemed to radiate a kind of cheeriness and good will. John rustled his things once again, freeing himself enough to hand her his umbrella, "Here take this. It doesn't look like it's going to let up very soon and I seem to have dressed a bit more… appropriately for the weather today." He tried to smile kindly, to take any edge off of his words.

"You're right about that," the young woman grinned, "these shoes are completely ridiculous for the rain and my coat isn't much better, but I couldn't possibly take your umbrella."

"I insist," John reiterated.

The woman took the umbrella and huddled underneath it, running her free hand through her hair and trying to straighten her dress and coat. John stepped back a bit in order to be more in the lee created by the nearby building, but it wasn't enough to keep him out of the rain and he flipped up the collar of his overcoat.

"This is silly. I feel guilty standing here under your umbrella while you're stuck out in the rain. There's plenty of room for both of us under here. We'll just have to stand a little close is all. I don't mind if you don't Mr….?"

"Bates, John Bates." He made no move to join her under the umbrella but he was somewhat surprised to find himself smiling despite the weather and his mood of a few moments ago. Most people in this woman's position would be cranky and ill tempered but she seemed to take her present condition in stride. In fact, she exuded her own bit of sunshine.

Once again she broke into John's thoughts, "I insist you share your own umbrella, Mr. Bates, else I'll close it up and we'll both be soaked. And what's the sense in that?" Her look became stubborn and she placed a hand on her hip for emphasis.

"I believe you would," John chuckled, moving reluctantly under half of the umbrella but keeping as much distance between them as possible.

She thrust her hand in his direction ready for a handshake, "It's nice to meet you Mr. Bates. I'm Anna, Anna Smith."

John fumbled with his cane, suddenly feeling self conscious about it. They shook hands and when John met her eyes, he saw neither the curiosity nor the pity that he usually found when people first recognized his limp or his cane. She just looked happy that he had decided to join her out of the rain.

They stood for a few moments in silence until John said with a smile, "Are you new to London then Miss Smith?"

"Me? Goodness no, I've lived here ever since I graduated from Uni."

"Oh, I just assumed that you weren't used to the weather here in the spring. What with your outfit and no umbrella and all."

Anna laughed, "I wish I had such a good excuse. No, the clothes are because I work in a fashion house and always have to look the part. Though I guess I won't today after all. And the lack of umbrella is all down to the fact that I'm really not a morning person. I'm afraid I overslept this morning and rushed out without grabbing one. I hoped the rain would hold off until I got to work but," she shrugged her shoulders. "Luckily, I met a nice gentleman at the bus stop." She smiled up at him again and John felt the grin spread across his own face. What was it about this woman that made it impossible not to feel better in her presence?

John heard a noise and looked down the road. His bus was approaching the stop.

"There's my bus," he remarked.

"Oh, okay. Here you go," Anna moved to hand him back his umbrella. He was surprised to find that he was disappointed that this wasn't her bus as well.

"You keep it, Miss Smith. As we've discussed, you need it more than I do."

"But I…"

"You can give it back to me next time we run into one another at the stop here," he smiled his widest smile yet and Anna couldn't help but notice how it caused wonderful crinkles to appear on his cheeks and sparkles to dance in his eyes. "That is, if you don't rush out and forget it."

Anna murmured her thanks as John boarded his bus. He watched her wave to him until they could no longer see each other. 'Maybe it is my lucky day after all,' he thought.