Fanfic for Martha.

The sky was steadily darkening. The shadows elongating, merging against one another, coating the streets in black. Martha tugged the cuffs of her jumper over her frozen fingers. She was walking back from the station after visiting her mum back in Brighton, and was making her way back to the London apartment she shared with her best friend Eve. Her long blond hair swirled around her face. It was so cold, her breath puffed out in clouds from her mouth. It wasn't too late, but the street was eerily empty. The hairs on the nape of Martha's neck prickled. She heard the irregular slap of shoes on the pavement behind her. She hurried on, trying to ignore her racing heart. Their apartment wasn't in a particularly dangerous neighbourhood, but it definitely wasn't a place a young girl would want to be out in at night alone. Almost running now, Martha saw the familiar glowing sign of a star bucks not far from her, luckily still open. Risking a glance behind her she saw the impending silhouette of a tall figure right behind her. She turned to run but a hand grasped her arm. She screamed and kicked out, her boot slamming into their leg. They grunted in pain, the sound unmistakably male.

"Wait, wait!" he cried.

The voice was somewhat familiar but in her terror, Martha couldn't place it.

"I just wanted to give you this!" He said, letting go of her arm. Taking a step back Martha saw what he was holding out to her. Her purse. She must have dropped it on the way out the station. She looked up at the face of this kind stranger. A shock of floppy brown hair, falling over one dark hazel eye, smooth skin and soft, full lips. She now knew why his voice had sounded so familiar.

"Dan?!" She squeaked. Shock and subsiding fear made her voice annoyingly high. Blushing Martha tried to recover her lost composer.

"You know me?" He asked, his mouth curving up slightly in that incredibly sexy way of his.

"errr, yeah I mean I watch your videos a bit…" oh my god, pull yourself together, you look like a complete idiot! Martha mentally scolded herself, you've sat watching Dan's videos for years now, yet when you finally get to meet the guy you've been hopelessly in love with you can't even TALK properly!

"Ah cool I love meeting a fan! Anyway I'm really sorry I scared you." Dan said, always the gentleman.

"Oh no I'm sorry I kicked you" Martha said, her voice returning to its usual pitch. Then, realizing Dan was still holding out her purse awkwardly, she gently took it and tucked it into her bag. "And thanks for picking up my purse".

"No problem. What are you doing out so late in the dark on your own anyway?"

"Oh I just got back from visiting some family, mine and my friend's apartment is around here."

"How far? It's not safe for you to be out on your own," Said Dan, frowning slightly in concern. "I'll walk you back."

"No you really needn't it's not far, you've already gone out your way to help me."

"Nonsense, I'm a sucker for a damsel in distress." He said, offering her his arm.

Laughing she looped her arm through his. They walked in silence for a moment. She no longer felt cold, her whole body hummed with giddy joy.

"Want to get a coffee with me?" asked Dan shyly, nodding towards the star bucks.

"Um, sure" Martha replied. Is he asking ME OUT?! She thought, no, probably not, he's just being nice, it doesn't mean anything; don't let this get to your head.

They walked along the street together arm in arm, before Dan let her go, almost reluctantly she thought, to push the door to the shop open for her. She ducked under his arm, the smell of rich coffee and sweet cakes filled her head, reminding her of just how hungry she was. Her stomach gave an impatient growl. Dan chuckled darkly behind her, bending close to her ear he whispered what she wanted, his breath tickling he cheek. Blushing Martha blurted out the first thing that popped into her head. As he went up to place t order she weaved her way between the tables to a booth at the side. The shop was almost empty, just an older man in a suit left. Dan returned, with their drinks and food. A mocha and blueberry muffin for Martha and a black coffee chocolate muffin for himself. He sat down next to her instead of opposite. His knee bumped gently against her own. Wrapping her stiff finger around the mug, she took a sip, relaxing as the hot liquid weaved its way through her veins. She sighed and lent back into the booth, glad to be out of the harsh winds. She blushed noticing Dan watching her with an idle smile playing about his lips.

"Oh god, how rude of me," He suddenly exclaimed, "I haven't even asked your name!" he said mildly horrified at his own forgetfulness.

"Oh yeah, I'm Martha" she said giving her hand for him to shake. He took it gently in his, Dan's hand engulfed hers, he was much taller then she had imagined.

"So Martha," she Dan, grinning, she liked the sound of her name on his lips. It sounded more exotic, more meaning behind it. He made her feel special. "Tell me everything about yourself."

So they talked. For hours. The old man left, leaving them alone. They didn't notice the time literally flying past. When she was with Dan, It felt like just the two of them. When they had finally stopped laughing hysterically about the time Dan got his head stuck in a tube door, the coffee was long since cold, and the muffins now just crumbs on a plate. They lent against each other. Martha's head on Dan's shoulder, his arm circling her waist. She no longer felt tense or awkward around him. They told each other everything, from roommates to most embarrassing moments. She now felt like she'd known Dan for years instead of hours. She felt his eyes on her like his fingers were tracing a fiery line against her skin. They trailed from her soft blond hair, following the shape of her cute slightly upturned nose, to her lips where they lingered. Feeling more confident then she thought she'd ever felt before she tilted her face up towards his. He leaned down, one arm gently cradling her neck, the other press against the small of her back. Every one of her nerves were blazing as he bent ever closer, his hot breath against her mouth. She let her eyes close as their lips met. He was so slow and gentle, timid and shy, yet taking command of the situation. She wasn't sure how long they stayed like that before he pulled away slightly, and rested he forehead against her own.

"I really, really like you Martha." He said slightly out of breath.

"I like you too." She whispered back, every so lightly outlining the shape of his lips, slightly swollen from kissing.

He sighed. "I should probably get you home." It sounded like the last thing he wanted to be saying, but knew it was the right thing to do.

They left the shop, after splitting the bill (Martha demanded to be allowed to pay for half, as she had kicked him), his arm draped across her shoulders, he head resting against his, they walked back to the apartment she shared with Eve.

"This is it." She reluctantly pointed to the building.

Detangling herself from his side she turned to walk away, "Thank you for an amazing night." She said.

"Wait!" Dan said, carefully taking her hand. She smiled, thinking how this is just how they had met only hours before.

"Call me, please. I really wanna hang out again." He said hastily scribbling his number down on a scrap of paper before handing it to her.

"I will, I want to see you again too" The fangirl inside Martha was screaming.

"Good" He said smiling; he bent down, planting a goodnight kiss on the tip of her nose. "Sleep well cupcake" He teased.

Martha laughed. And watched as he walking away until he was out of sight, at the end of the road he turned back and waved. She waved back before racing up to the apartment to tell her best friend all about it.

This felt like the start of something really, really amazing.