He sees her standing at a bus stop. Her body is bathed in yellow light cast by street lamps. Stray pieces of blonde hair cling to her wet face, and her soft brown eyes are squeezed shut. The night sky is crying and so is she. He stands in the shadows so she cannot see him and he watches her. Her body trembles with the chill of the night and the ragged breaths that come with crying so hard. She wipes her eyes on the sleeve of her white knit sweater and succeeds in staining the fabric with mascara.
"Fuck!" she sobs and her body is shaking so much that it looks as if she's going to collapse in on herself. She plops down on the bench and is sheltered from the rain, but that seems to be little comfort. Would he screw their timeline up horribly if he went to talk to her? He decides that right now that doesn't matter. Right now what matters is sixteen-year-old Rose Tyler sitting alone at a bus stop at three in the morning, crying her eyes out. So he stands a little straighter, crosses the street, and sits down next to her. He can't help notice how adorable she is at this age, three years before she meets him, even if she's crying. But here he is, Captain Jack Harkness, her to provide emotional support. That gorgeous blonde head of hers is hanging low, her teardrops moistening the knees of her blue jeans.
"Hey" he says gently in an affable tone. She doesn't look up. She probably doesn't want to talk to a random stranger, but Jack Harkness is only a stranger now; in three years time he will be her best friend. So softly, he nudges her arm.
"Hey, are you alright?" he asks "You seem a bit torn up" Rose seems to realize that he's going to persist in this would-be conversation. She sniffles and raises her head to look at this handsome man from her future.
"Yea, I-I'm fine though" She tries to keep her voice from breaking. Her hands are quivering and she slips them under the crooks of her knees to still them.
"You aren't fine" he says bluntly, trying hard sound trustworthy and kind "You look like you're gonna fall apart"
She stares down at the puddle of rainwater forming beyond the curb.
"Why don't you tell me what's wrong, kid?" Jack continues.
"I don't know you" she replies, her voice edgy "Why would I tell you?"
He shrugs.
"You'll probably never see me again, better to tell someone that you won't have to face again. And I'll listen if you're willing tell me why you're crying"
She exhales deeply, lifts her hand, and runs her fingers through her hair.
"I just left my boyfriend. Jimmy Stone" she says wistfully, staring at the lamp light reflecting off puddles "He's beautiful, and..confusing. I quit school to move in with him"
Jack is slightly surprised because future Rose has never told him about any guys she dated before Mickey. This must be why. He opens his mouth to speak, but she goes on.
"Treated me like shit, he did. And..." she pauses her as if she's having a sort of epiphany "he used me..." she looks into Jack's kind eyes "for sex" Rose says this shamefully, but Jack just gives a reassuring smile and takes her hand.
"Listen kid" he says "I know things seem rough right now, but I promise you they will get better. Just hang in there Rose"
He mentally curses himself for using her name and expects her to cry 'stranger danger' and run off, but she's staring at him as if he's her guardian angel. And in a way, he is. Then there's the sound of brakes screeching to a halt. They look up and the bus is here. Rose stands up but Jack doesn't moves.
"Aren't you comin'?" she asks, looking slightly crestfallen.
He shakes his head.
"Naw, It's not going my way" He smiles his signature Captain Jack Harkness smile.
Rose stands frozen, staring at him sadly, and it breaks his heart. The bus driver asks grumpily if she's getting on 'cos he ain't got all night, sweetheart. She nods and climbs on. As the bus rolls away, she waves at him through the rain-streaked window, but he is already gone.