I carefully waded through the Heathrow airport. I had just arrived back from the States after visiting for Christmas and my plane had been delayed. I was exhausted and tired and hadn't even noticed there was someone in front of me until we collided. I fell to the floor, as did the stranger, and I began apologizing profusely as I moved to pick up the bags that had fallen on the floor. "I am so sorry! I should be watching where I am walking!" I cried. The man just laughed softly as he stood and I gasped softly. It was Tom Hiddleston. "Honestly it's fine…" he began, but I shook my head. "No worries Mr. Hiddleston. Here are your books. I am truly sorry for bumping into you," I said kindly as I handed him his books and collected my bag from the floor. "It was nice meeting you," I said as I began to walk away. "Wait!" He called out and I stopped turning back. "Thank you," He said softly. I nodded in response and then continued walking. In my head I was berating myself for being so stupid. That was Tom Hiddleston. One of the greatest actors to walk this planet and I had an opportunity to talk to him and I didn't take it. But my heart won out. He was also a human being who deserved the same kindness, respect, and privacy that anyone else would want. So I kept walking towards the baggage claim, knowing I would probably never see him again.
When I finally arrived back at my dorms that night I set to work unpacking my stuff and getting ready for the start of term. I had 3 days until my first class and I had only just brushed the surface of my over break homework. That was when it hit me. I was missing some books. I quickly went through my bags and found that my "Meisner Techniques" and my "History of the Stage" were both missing. My mind flashed back to when I bumped into Tom at the airport and I realized that I must have given him some of my books when I handed his back. I swore vehemently. I guess I would need to get new ones. I resigned myself to going to sleep and going to the bookstore in the morning to get new books.
When I awoke the next morning there was a package for me on my doorstep. Inside was my books and a note:
Dear Ellen,
I realized after you left that I had a few of your books. Thankfully you had your name and school written on the inside covers. I hope these reach you in time.
I would love to hear how your schooling is going and which techniques you prefer for acting. Please feel free to write.
Regards,
Tom
I stared down at the paper in front of me. Tom Hiddleston was asking for me to write him. He wanted me to write him a letter and tell him about my studies.
For the next 2 years Tom and I exchanged letters, text messages, phone calls and skype calls whenever we had a chance. We debated the different techniques used for acting and he even helped me rehearse my scenes via skype, but we never saw each other in person. We were both so busy with school and filming schedules that we were never in the same place at the same time. Whenever he was back in England I was either entrenched with finals or in the States or he was busy filming and whenever he was in the States he was filming and I was only there for holidays like Christmas. We had a strange relationship, but I certainly didn't mind it. I had fun watching him on talk shows and such talking about his upcoming films. Whenever they would ask him about having a girlfriend he would just shake his head and give a non answer. It was true. We weren't dating. We were just friends. We didn't end up meeting face to face until my final performance for school almost 2 years after we started talking.
As part of my degree I helped to direct and was starring in Wicked as Elphaba. I had told Tom all about it and explained that I was terrified. While singing for my classes wasn't horrible, singing in front of people that I didn't know terrified me. So he had me start singing to him every time we talked via skype or on the phone and he never told me if there were other people with him or not. So when the show finally came I was at least semi prepared. The show went beautifully and, to my surprise, I didn't have any problems singing. I headed towards my dressing room after curtain call to remove my make up. No one I knew was in the audience for me. My friends and family wouldn't be arriving for another few weeks to see me graduate and none of my friends from around school were able to make it tonight. I didn't mind. It was nice to have a night to myself. As I opened the door to my dressing room I noticed a box on the vanity station that hadn't been there during intermission. I moved towards it and saw a card.
Ellen,
You did fabulously tonight, just as I knew you would. Put this on and meet me outside as soon as you can.
Your SecretFan
I stared at the writing for a minute trying to figure out why it seemed so familiar to me, then I opened the box carefully and found the most beautiful dress. It was a light blue knee length chiffon dress with a sweetheart neckline and rhinestones. It was something I would have picked out for myself. I quickly jumped into the shower to remove all the green body paint from my hands, neck and face and to wash away the sweat. Once I got out I styled my hair loosely, applied some light makeup and slipped the dress on. It fit perfectly as did the shoes that I found in the box with the dress. This person knew me really well. I grabbed my bag and coat and made my way out of the theatre. Once outside I saw a man in a suit holding a small sign with my name on it. "Ms. Rose?" he asked and I nodded. "Come this way. I will be your driver for this evening. Your host has asked that you meet him at the Savoy Grill. He will be meeting you there shortly." I nodded and saw some of my castmates looking towards me. I shrugged, but smiled and waved at them before following the man to a black town car waiting by the curb. He opened the door for me and I slid in.
It took us almost an hour to reach The Savoy and by the time we got there I was starving. The man parked the car and then came around to help me out. He pointed me in the right direction and I made my way into the hotel. Once inside a concierge was there to greet me. "Hello Ms. Rose?" I once again nodded. "Right this way ma'am. Your table and your host are awaiting you," she said pleasantly as she led me to the elevator. We stepped in and she closed the elevator before anyone else could get in. "I apologize folks, this elevator is going to a private party," she said as the door closed. I was intrigued now. Who could be doing this? My question was answered as the elevator doors opened and Tom appeared. His face broke into a large smile when he saw me and i couldn't help but smile back. He looked absolutely dashing in his suit. "Thank you, Maureen. I'll take it from here," he said kindly to the concierge, handing her a tip. She nodded her head. "Thank you Mr. Hiddleston. Please let us know if there is anything else you need." And with that she was gone.
"Hi," I said breathlessly. "Hi," he replied just as softly. I laughed softly at the tension that suddenly surrounded us. "This is silly," I said finally. "We've spent the last two years corresponding in every way imaginable, and now when we are finally face to face we are nervous?" He laughed with me. "It is a bit silly isn't it?" He then stepped forward and pulled me into a tight hug and I couldn't help it. I melted into him, wrapping my arms around him tightly. "Thank you," I said softly. "For what?" he replied in my ear. He held me just as tightly and didn't seem to have any intention of letting me go anytime soon. "For this, for the dress. For everything!" I pulled back enough to smile up at him. We looked into each others eyes for a long moment and then the moment was broken by the sounds of footsteps coming from the dining room. "Your table is ready sir," the maitre'd said. We pulled away slowly, both of us blushing, and followed the young man.
Dinner was a simple affair and the conversation flowed naturally, just as it always seemed to when we talked. Once we finished dessert Tom and I walked back out to the car and were off once again. We arrived back at my apartment, just off campus, just after 1:00 am. "Would you like to come in for some tea?" I asked as he helped me out of the car. He smiled brightly and nodded. "I'd love to." We quickly moved inside to avoid the nippy air. I put the teapot on the stove and grabbed some small madeleine cookies from my counter, placing them on the table. "Sorry about the mess," I said as I moved around trying to clean up. "Ellen, it's fine," he said softly, stopping my movements by grabbing my arms and making me face him. "I honestly don't mind." He looked me in the eyes and I was hypnotized. As we leaned closer he whispered, "Ellen, I'm going to kiss you. If this isn't what you want then tell me now…" I silenced his question by closing the remaining distance between us and pressing my lips gently against his. You know that expression about fireworks when you kiss someone? Well this was so much more. This was world stopping, mind numbing, and knee buckling all at once. This was fireworks and bombs and all sorts of explosions going off. This was pure heaven and I couldn't have stopped the moan that slipped from my throat as his tongue brushed against mine even if I had wanted to. After what could have been minutes, days, or weeks we finally pulled away and he leaned his forehead against mine, both of us breathing hard. "Wow. That was…" I began, unable to find a word to describe what that experience had been like. "Incredible," he whispered and I nodded, looking into his eyes once more. "Incredible," I agreed and then he was leaning in and kissing me again gently. This kiss was softer and shorter as the teapot started screaming at us. I broke away laughing and quickly steeped our tea before handing him a cup and leading him to sit in my living room. We stayed there talking until sunrise when he finally realized he should head home since I had an afternoon class that day.
After that Tom and I began to see each other more often. He would pick me up for nights out to the movies or a play, but it was always done with the greatest secrecy. He didn't want the press in his business and neither of us wanted them to be bothering me in my last few weeks of University. Unfortunately sometimes you can't control the universe and it was on one such night that a paparazzo caught us leaving a movie theatre 4 days before my graduation. We saw him and made a dash for it, but it was too late. They had gotten a picture and, if we didn't do something fast, my picture and tons of false information was going to be splashed across every tabloid in the world. We immediately called Tom's agent, Lauren, and she set up an interview with GQ Magazine for the next afternoon. We spent the night on my couch alternating between making out like foolish teenagers and discussing what we were going to say in the interview.
At 2 pm there was a knock on my apartment door and I quickly moved to answer it for the photographer and journalist. They quickly came in and set up on the couch. They were both incredibly nice and we started off real slow. "So Ellen, Tom, how did you two meet?" he asked, seeming genuinely interested, I looked to Tom and he nodded. "Well, I was on my way through the airport, having just taken a red eye back from California for school when I accidentally bumped into someone. It turned out to be Tom. Some of my school books got mixed up in his books and he mailed them back to me with a quick note. After that we just sort of kept in touch," I replied, trying to get it simple. "She was, well is, studying to be an actress at Kingston University and happened to have written her name and class on the inside cover of her book. The books were really unique for an acting student so I wanted to hear her opinion of the techniques. It just blossomed from there," Tom added, smiling and giving my hand a squeeze. The Journalist nodded. "And you said you're from California?" he said and I nodded. "Yeah, I grew up in Northern California in a small town near San Francisco." He smiled and wrote it down. "Sorry to be asking all these questions of you Miss Rose, but since the public already knows a lot about Tom, we just want to learn a little bit more about you," he explained and I smiled. "It's not a problem, really," I replied. "You're doing great sweetheart," Tom said softly in my ear, giving my cheek a soft kiss. "How long have you two been dating?" the journalist asked and we both shared a look. "Well, it's a bit more complicated than that," Tom began. "We met 2 years ago in the airport and started talking, texting, skyping, etc. but we didn't have our first honest to goodness date until about 4 weeks ago, after one of her final performance in Wicked, at Kingston. So technically it's only been a month, but we feel like it's been much longer." The journalist nodded. "That makes sense. I'll say that you guys have known each other for many years, but only recently took the relationship a step further?" And we both nodded in agreement. "So tell me Ellen, what does your family think about you dating Tom Hiddleston?" I laughed outright. "They don't know. They are flying in tomorrow for my graduation and they are going to meet him at dinner. I haven't told anyone really. We wanted to keep it private for as long as we could, but the paparazzo last night sort of shattered those plans." We all had a good laugh at that one and continued to talking for another hour about this and that and then allowed to photographer to take a few staged shots before we all shook hands and they headed out. "The article will be up by tomorrow morning," the journalist said as they left. "Well, how do you feel after your first dealing with the press?" Tom asked as he wrapped his arms around my waist. "I think that went really well," I said softly and I leaned in to steal a kiss.
The next day, when my entire family flew in, I made sure to keep them completely occupied and away from the magazines. The article had run and many of my friends from school had already called and yelled at me, but I wanted my parents and family to meet Tom before seeing the article. When it was finally time to head out for my graduation I was vibrating with excitement. Tom had sent me a text message wishing me luck and telling me he had a wonderful surprise for me when the ceremony was over. I was so wrapped up in thinking about that, that I didn't notice that we were halfway through the naming. As my name was about to be called the Dean paused. "Actually, we have had a special request for the next student. One of Britains' most famous celebrities and, as it has only just come out, her boyfriend, Mr. Tom Hiddleston, will be presenting Ms. Ellen Rose with her tassels and diploma. I was staring in shock as Tom walked on stage and took the articles from the Dean. My friend Tessa was standing behind me and she quickly pushed me forward. "Go!" she almost screamed and I moved forward to accept my diploma and tassels from my amazing and incredible boyfriend. I could hear my family screaming and yelling happily for me and I smiled at Tom. "What are you doing?" I cried and he smiled. "Giving you a graduation you will never forget!" he replied and, having handed me my diploma, he quickly pulled me to him and dipped me back, bestowing upon my lips the most passionate kiss of our relationship. Then he helped me right myself, took my hand and together we made our way back down the aisle and out of the Rose Theatre with the rest of the students.
Once outside I was bombarded by my family, first my parents and my best friend, Alison, then my aunts and uncles and cousins and then everyone turned to look at me and Tom expectantly. So I sighed and turned to Tom and said, "Tom, my love, this is...everyone. Everyone...I think you all already know Tom…" I said softly before more screaming broke out as Alison began yelling at me for not telling her and my parents and aunts and uncles immediately began introducing themselves. Tom quieted the storm by wrapping his arm around my waist and pulling me close. He then said, "Why don't we continue this down at the Savoy Bar and Grill in London? I have a car reserved that will fit us all and dinner is on me." I stared up at him in wonder. Once again he was amazing me. "You are...the most amazing man I have ever met," I said softly and I noticed Alison nodding in agreement. He laughed and kissed me softly. "Come along everyone. Lets go celebrate!" Dinner was brilliant and Tom got along well with everyone. It was agreed upon then that when Tom went for Comic Con in a month we would leave early and spend some time in Northern California with my family before heading down to Southern California. Things were going well.
The next few years seem to fly by. Tom and I moved in together once we returned from Comic Con in 2011. We found a small house just outside of London that was very secluded and allowed us to have our privacy. We did many more interviews with the press as time wore on. I had gotten a few roles in some British TV Shows, but refused to let Tom talk to anyone. I wanted to achieve success without using his name. It was in this time that I was called in by mine and Tom's manager, Lauren, about a potential role. She didn't want to tell me too much, she just handed me a script and told me, "Slate and read this. Use your american accent. Don't think too much just go with it." I looked at her in confusion, but quickly read through the script and then slated for the video camera and read through the script, keeping the acquired British accent in check and allowing my american accent to flow. Once I was finished I glanced up at Lauren and she nodded in confirmation. "That was good. I will be right back. I just want to forward that to the casting director. Stay here," she said quickly. She grabbed the camera and then quickly ran out of the room. I waited patiently for 20 minutes before the door reopened and Lauren walked in followed by-my brain froze for a moment and I just stared. "Ellen, I would like to introduce you to-" I cut her off and leapt out of my chair. "Mr. Moffat, it's an honor to meet you," I said quickly, offering him my hand, which he quickly shook. "It's an honor to meet you as well Ms. Rose. Please have a seat." I nodded and quickly sat down. "Ellen, we just reviewed your tape and we would like to cast you in a role for the upcoming season of Doctor Who," he began slowly and I felt my jaw drop. "What?!" Steven laughed softly and nodded. "I really liked what you did and I think you would play off of Matt really well. I'd like to bring you in for a screen test with him today if you don't mind?" I nodded quickly. "Of course. I'm sorry if this is rude, but what about Jenna?" I couldn't stop myself from asking. "Jenna has recently become pregnant and has decided to take a break so she can raise her child. Matt has informed us that he wishes to make the upcoming seasons one of his last and while we aren't going to have a woman Doctor as I know many of the fans would like, we wanted to make a big change and bring in an AmericanCompanion. We are trying to broaden the audience integration and since a large portion of our audience is in America, it seemed to fit. So what do you say?" I nodded quickly. "Of course. Happily. Yes!" He laughed again and gestured for the door. "Well then come along. Matt is down the hall in one of the green rooms. Lets get started!" I looked to Lauren who was smiling at me with excitement. "Don't tell Tom," I said softly and she nodded.
The next few hours were a flurry of activity. I had a marvelous screen test with Matt Smith and it became obvious that we would get on very well. Then I was back with Lauren signing contracts and getting all the information that I needed for filming, costumes, etc. I would start in four weeks, which gave me just enough time to find an apartment in Cardiff and get settled. I was then thrust into wardrobe where I was given a choice of costume designs. After looking through them I decided on an outfit that was very much my style. It was a pair of skinny jeans and heeled boots with a tank top, sweatshirt and scarf. Nothing fancy, but very much my style. Just as I was about to leave Steven caught me and handed me a script. "That's your first set. There will probably be some changes, but read through it and let me know what you think. My number and card are attached to the back of this. If there is anything at all I can help with when it comes to getting down to Cardiff just let me know okay?" he said kindly and I nodded. "Thank you sir. I will be in touch if there is anything. You have my cell phone number and that of my agents as well so you know how to get a hold of me!" We shook hands again and I was out the door. This was it. My dream come true. Oh I couldn't wait to tell Tom. I looked at my watch and realized that, if I left now, I could still get home before him and have some form of food ready. I quickly jumped in a cab, gave them the cross street and we were off.
An hour later I was sitting at the table anxiously awaiting Tom's arrival home. He had been at a table read for The Avengers film today and I knew he would be in a good mood. When I heard his key in the lock I almost jumped out of my skin. He walked into the kitchen and smiled. "Hello darling," he said softly as he moved to kiss me gently. "What's the occasion?" he asked as he took in the food on the table and the excited smile on my face. "You might want to sit down, my love," I said softly. He looked at me with a worried expression before sitting down. "So today, I went in to talk with Lauren and she had me do a read. It was for a role on a popular British TV show," I said slowly, passing him the script for him to read the title. His face lit up when it finally clicked. "You're going to be on Doctor Who?!" He cried in excitement. "Jenna is pregnant and they wanted to appeal to their American audience. So you're looking that the first...well technically second if you count John...AmericanCompanion!" Tom leapt up and spun me around. "Congratulations my darling! This calls for a celebration! The Avengers Cast is in town, would you like to invite them over?" he asked and I nodded happily. "Of course!" Tom, without letting go of me, grabbed his phone and called Chris Hemsworth. "Chris, Ellen's got some really big news. Grab the others and come on over!" he said happily. The conversation was quick and within an hour our house was filled with our closest friends. "Well folks, I'd like to introduce to you the first AmericanCompanion on Doctor Who!" Tom said happily once everyone had arrived and had a glass of champagne. Everyone looked at me in surprise and I nodded to confirm it. Then I was engulfed in a hug from Scarlett and Chris. "Oh my god!" Scarlett cried happily and Chris kissed my forehead. "Congratulations my dear," Robert said as he leaned in to wrap his arms around me. Jeremy nodded and squeezed my shoulder. He was a man of few words, but we had become good friends. I knew he was happy for me. Mark and Chris Evans both gave me a quick hug and then we all took a drink of champagne. "Lets party!" Scarlett cried and we partied for the rest of the night.
The next few months found both myself and Tom moving into a small flat we had found in Cardiff near the studio. Tom had insisted that he wanted to go with me and could work from Cardiff rather than our London house and I found it absolutely adorable. I was not allowed to tell my family about the casting yet as they were a part of the American audience and I wanted it to be a surprise. Then I started filming and it was great. Matt and the whole Doctor Who crew were amazing to work with and I felt so blessed to be there. We had a big year coming up since we had the 50th Anniversary in 2013 and also Matt's final episodes. It had been decided that the Christmas Special in 2013 would be Matt's last episode. I was devastated. We had only just begun to work together and now he was going to leave me, but after much discussion between the two of us I understood his reasoning and I fully supported him. He promised we would remain close and I believed him.
For the 2012 Comic Con Tom and I were both going as professionals/special guests and it was exciting. It was the first time I would be truly introduced as my character, Charley Hunter, to the Whovians of America and I was more than a little bit nervous. We travelled to San Francisco and my parents were there to pick us up as had become tradition. Tom and I stayed with my parents for a few nights and saw my family. We went to Pixar Studios with my cousin, who worked there and got to see a few of my old high school friends. Once it had gotten out that I was dating Tom Hiddleston a few people from my past had come back and tried to get in my good graces, but I had no intention of letting them. We were coming up on my 5 year high school reunion and Tom had convinced me that it would be a good idea to go, but I was a little bit iffy on it. I was definitely not the most loved person in high school and I wasn't necessarily sure I wanted to subject Tom to all my old classmates.
After our final night in Northern California we hopped in my old mustang convertible that my parents kept for whenever I came home to visit and made a road trip out of the drive down to San Diego. We made a few pit stops here and there for pictures and gas etc. but for the most part we just drove straight through. Alison was flying in from Hawai'i to explore Comic Con that year. I had told her that Tom had extra passes, but in truth she was coming as my guests, she just didn't know it yet. When we arrived at the convention center we were greeted by fans and paparazzi and spent a good 30 minutes signing autographs and taking pictures. It was our belief that the fans made us popular and so we had to be there for them whenever they were there for us. It was never a hassle to us. Once we made our way into the hotel we got our room and headed up to freshen up. Tonight we were meeting up with The Avengers cast, Matt, and Jenna for dinner before heading in for the preview night and interviews with NerdHQ. It was our last quiet night before the craziness began and we were all looking forward to it.
When we arrived we found that Mark, Chris Evans, Scarlett and Jenna were already there. Jenna was finally beginning to show and she was glowing. We sat down and shortly after that everyone else arrived. We spent the next two hours talking and laughing. There were other tables of Comic Con Panelists nearby and most of the restaurant was kept private so we didn't have to worry too much about being interrupted. Then it was time to head out for our interviews. While the Avengers cast was at NerdHQ to meet with Zach Levi, Jenna, Matt and I were off to IGN to finally let them in on the big secret we had been keeping since the beginning of last year. I gave Tom a quick kiss goodbye and we went our separate ways. As the three of us got our mics set up and attached we chatted about Jenna's fiance and Matt's girlfriend and if anyone had heard anything regarding the casting search for the next Doctor. Finally we were brought out to the sound stage and Matt and Jenna sat down. I was still offstage waiting to be introduced to the American audience. "Welcome you guys," the host, Crystal, said as she shook both Matt and Jenna's hands. Then they sat down and began to chat. Finally it came up to my most anticipated moment. "So Jenna," Crystal began. "We can all see that you are obviously pregnant right?" Jenna nodded. "Yes ma'am. I am almost five months along now," she said happily, placing a hand on her gently rounded stomach. "So that means you are no longer going to be a companion yes?" Crystal continued and Jenna nodded. "Yes, the last episode I filmed was the Christmas Special which will air in December." "Wow, so you're officially done with Doctor Who? Then who is the new companion?" Crystal asked. "Well, I may come back here and there, but yes I am done. As for the new companion. Well, would you like to meet her?" Jenna asked looking at Crystal and then out to the crowd. There was a roar of applause of cheers and Matt stood up. "Well then," he began with a dramatic wave of his hand. "I would like to introduce you all to the first AmericanCompanion, Ms. Ellen Rose!" There was a flourish of applause and I walked out to take Matt's hand, bowing to the audience. Then I turned and shook Crystals hand. "Hello," I said. "It's really nice to finally meet you all!" There was another round of applause and I laughed softly. "Well," Crystal began, smiling. "Ellen. You're name is so familiar to me," she began, trying to think and I just waited, knowing she would come to the conclusion eventually. "Oh! You're Tom Hiddleston's long term girlfriend!" she exclaimed and I laughed. "Yes ma'am that would be what originally brought my name to the tabloids," I replied. "And so now you are acting?" she asked and I heard a tone in her voice that set me on edge. "Actually I was acting before I met Tom. I went to school at Kingston University in London and got my degree from there. Tom and I keep our relationship separate from our work," I replied. She nodded and smiled. "Well that's very cool. So how did you land this role?" I glanced at Matt because I honestly had no clue and he smiled. "Ellen's been doing a lot of work on British TV recently and I happened to catch an episode of MI-5 that she was in one night. I really liked her and I talked to Steven about it because Jenna had just announced her pregnancy. I had no idea, at the time, that Ellen was american, but after talking with Steven and her manager, we decided to audition her anyway and it was just instant chemistry. We did her audition, our screen test together, and the contract signing all in one day. It was rather brilliant," he finished, smiling and patting my hand. "Wow that sounds like a whirlwind adventure. So tell us anything you can about your character, Ellen." I smiled and thought for a moment. "Well, Charley is...a very tenacious young woman. She isn't what the british view an american women as, but neither is she how american's view british women. She's kind of her own category. I really can't say much more for fear of giving things away. But suffice it to say that her and the Doctor make an interesting pair!" The audience laughed and we continued on with the interview. Then there was a moment for the audience to ask questions and we happily answered them. The last one was directed at me. "This question is for Ellen," the administrator said as he handed the microphone to someone I couldn't see. "What I would like to know is WHY DIDN'T YOU TELL ME?!" I heard the familiar voice ask and my jaw dropped as Alison stepped into the aisle. I looked to Crystal, trying to contain my laughter and said, "I apologize, but I have to be a little unprofessional for a moment." She nodded, with a bewildered look on her face and I quickly jumped up and ran up the aisle and threw my arms around Allie. "Oh my God I missed you so much!" I cried out and she laughed and wrapped her arms around me as well. "I missed you too sis. I missed you too," she whispered. We stayed that way for a moment as the audience cheered. Then she handed the mic back and sat back down while I moved back to the stage. "I apologize," I said once I was sitting down. Matt had grabbed my hand and gave it a soft squeeze. "That, everyone, is my sister and best friend, Alison. And to answer your question sweets, I wasn't allowed to tell anyone. Not even mom and dad know yet. This is the big reveal. So you heard it here at Comic Con first, ya'll. My name is Ellen Rose and I am the first AmericanCompanion on Doctor Who!"
That concluded the interview and the audience clapped as our mics were remotely shut off. Allie quickly made her way on to the stage and I wrapped my arms around her again. "What are you doing here!? I thought you weren't getting in until tomorrow?" I asked her as a tech came over and removed my mic. She smiled. "Tom got me in and got me a pass to this show saying there was a surprise for me," she explained and I laughed happily. "Matt, Jenna, I'd like to introduce you to my best friend, Allie," I said quickly as I pulled her over to them. They laughed and shook hands and we all made our way backstage. The rest of the evening continue in a similar fashion until it was almost midnight and Preview Night was over. I walked Allie to her room and then made my way up two floors to the room I was sharing with Tom. When I walked in I found the man himself sitting on the couch watching TV. I immediately walked to him, wrapped my arms around him and placed a long, deep kiss on his lips. "Thank you," I whispered when I finally pulled away. He grinned. "For what, my love?" he asked softly and I grinned in return. "For getting Allie here. I missed her," I responded and he kissed me again. "I know you did, baby," he said softly and then he carried me to bed.
The next three days were filled with panels, interviews, autographs and fans. Tom and I barely got to see each other during the day, but we made up for it every night. It was a fun experience, but we were both very happy to be on the road to Anaheim with just Ali, Scarlett, and Matt Monday morning. We had all agreed that we wanted to hit Disneyland while we were in Southern California and since Matt and I didn't have to be back for another week, it was easily decided that now was the perfect time to do it. We checked into the hotel quietly and thankfully most of the paparazzi were still in San Diego. Once there it was an all out crazy time. We rode every ride possible, signed autographs as we went and just enjoyed the time off. It was great to spend some time with Alison, since we all lived in different places it was rare that we were all together. I was also really happy to see that Scarlett got along well with them. Scarlett and I had become very close since they had started filming The Avengers and so seeing my friends all getting along was great. By the end of the week I was happy, relaxed and ready to return to work.
For the next year it was awards shows, filming, interviews and spending as much together as possible for myself and Tom. His career was taking off due to his success as Loki and with Doctor Who getting bigger all over the world my career was booming. Things were only going to get crazier as the 50th Anniversary episode got closer. Matt and I had just finished filming a scene when Steven showed up with the scripts for the 50th. "So as you know we wanted to bring back some of the previous Doctors. Well, here we go," he said as we read through. My smile grew even bigger. David Tennant and Billie Piper were coming back! I glanced to Matt and he was smiling as well. We were both super excited. Filming would begin in March so we had a month off before we had to be back in Cardiff. I quickly called Tom and we were on the first flight back to London. We visited with his family for a bit and just enjoyed the time we had together.
During that time we also made another trip back to my home town for my High School Reunion. Tom had finally convinced me that I should go and at least be present for an hour. So I had agreed as long as he came with me. Which is how I ended up in the back of a Limo heading into San Francisco with Tom riding next to me. I was shaking. Literally. I was scared out of my mind. High school was not necessarily fun time for me and I was definitely not well liked by my classmates. "Breathe, darling," Tom whispered into my ear as we drove over the Golden Gate Bridge. "Everything is going to be fine," he said softly and I took a few calming deep breaths. "Okay," I said as we pulled up to the Palace of Fine Arts. It was a gorgeous venue and it was obvious that the group had gone all out for their decorations. I noticed all the people entering turn and stare as our Limo pulled up. "Just think of it as a red carpet event my love. Smile and appreciate the people, but don't chat," he said confidently as he straightened his jacket before stepping out of the car. I heard a collective gasp come from the people gathered outside and I shook my head. Then Tom held out his hand and I took is gratefully, stepping carefully out of the car and into his arms. I glanced towards the door and laughed at the crowd that had gathered. "You ready for this?" I asked him softly and he just laughed. "I can't wait to see all the old photos of you darling." I blushed and we headed into the building, passing easily through the speechless crowd by the door. When we reached the sign in table I wasn't surprised to find my old high school friend Lucy manning it. She didn't look up right away. "Names?" she asked looking at her list. "Ellen," I said softly and she gasped, looking up. "Oh my god Ellen! I didn't think you were going to show up!" She cried as she came around and gave me a hug. I laughed and hugged her back. "Tom convinced me that it would be a good idea," I replied, gesturing to the man beside me. She glanced over and nearly fainted. "Oh my-" She cut off and looked at me wide eyed. "So it's true! You are Ellen Rose!" She cried out and I looked at her in confusion. "What are you talking about?" I asked. "Well there was a rumor spread through the high school page on facebook that Ellen Rose wasn't actually you, but someone else," she explained and I frowned. "Why? By who?" I asked and she frowned. "Who do you think? Not everything stays in high school my dear. She still hates you," she said softly and I shook my head. "It's not my fault they broke up. They broke up well before he and I ever even contemplated being more than friends!" I said in exasperation. Tom looked between us in confusion and Lucy quickly explained, "Ellen dated a guy in high school who had a very...obsessed ex girlfriend who basically decided that she had stolen the guy even though they had been broken up for months. The girl still holds a grudge apparently and doesn't want to believe that Ellen's been successful." I sighed and shook my head. "Anyway, lets get this over with. Can we get our ID's?" Lucy nodded and quickly handed us our name tags and we made our way into the auditorium. It was decorated beautifully and there were people everywhere. I slowly made my way towards the far corner where I knew a few of my good friends would be hiding and slipped into a chair. Tom sat next to me and we watched as people arrived and danced and drank. "Do you want something to drink, sweetheart," he asked me softly and I nodded. "If they can make an old fashion with scotch I would be much obliged," I told him softly and he nodded in understanding before leaning in to capture my lips in a sweet kiss and then heading towards the bar.
It was then that I felt the presence of someone nearby. I turned and met with a slap to the face. I gasped in pain and looked up to find Destiny, the girl we had been talking about earlier, standing in front of me. "Hello bitch," she said sneering. "Couldn't crack it out in London so you thought you'd come back home?" she asked and I just laughed. "Actually I'm doing quite well out in London. I only came back for this because my boyfriend thought it would be a good idea," I said as I stood up. The room had gone quiet at the sound of the slap and I could hear Tom making his way back towards me. "Yeah right! We've all heard the rumors that you are on Doctor Who and you're dating Tom Hiddleston, but that's all they are. Rumors! I knew you'd never make it big," she replied taunting. I smiled sweetly. "Actually those aren'trumours my dear," Tom said from behind me and Destiny's face went white. "She actually is on Doctor Who. The first AmericanCompanion no less and she is dating me. It's been what? 3 or 4 years almost?" he asked me and I nodded. "Just about," I replied. "She's doing very well in London and we also have a flat in Cardiff. She really did only come back because I asked her to. I wanted to see where she grew up and went to high school, given she's seen all of my past. But now I can see why she didn't want to come back," he finished softly, wrapping his arms around my waist. The whispers spread through the room as Destiny just stared at me for a long moment before turning on her heel and walking away. I relaxed into Tom's body slightly and looked up at him. "Thank you," I said softly and he just smiled. Then we were mobbed by my former classmates asking for autographs and stories. I laughed slightly and talked with people until my friend Sarina stole us away for dancing.
"I see now why you didn't want to come back. I'm sorry for making you," Tom said softly in my ear as we danced slowly in the middle of the floor. I laughed softly. "Once the confrontation with Ms. Destiny was over with it's gotten better. And it's kind of nice seeing everyone again." He looked down at me and smiled. "I told you it'd be worth it. But we should be going. We have a flight to catch in the morning since you have to be at the London Comic Con on Thursday." I laughed. "Oh yeah I do, don't I?" I had totally forgotten. "Let me just say good bye to a few people and we can leave," I said as we moved towards my small group of friends. We said our goodbyes and were on a flight back to London the next morning. London had now become my home.
Then it was once again time for Comic Con. This time I had my own following of people who would be helping to keep me on track including, of course, Alison, who was acting as Personal Assistant and best friend. She had arrived Wednesday and we had spent most of the night catching up with each other. My panel wasn't until noon and Tom had his panel at 4 pm so I was hoping to get there before his started and surprise him. He had left early Friday morning to prepare for an interview and then his panel. We were used to the schedule by now, but it still sucked to not be able to see him during the day. "Okay, so your panel should be over by 3:30 or so and, if we make a run for it and avoid ALL fans, we should be able to get you to the Thor 2: The Dark World panel before it starts," Ali was saying as Lena, my make up artist, finished with my make up for the day. I smiled thoughtfully and nodded. "That sounds good. Maybe grab Kevin and have him clear the way for us?" I suggested, mentioning my assigned bodyguard. The managers of Comic Con had assigned bodyguards to all the special guests as a precaution since this years convention was so crowded. "Also the Haven panel is at 10 am if you want to go," she said slyly and I couldn't help but laugh. I knew she really wanted to see if Eric Balfour was going to be there. We had both recently become hooked on the TV Show Haven and they were here this year. It was a goal of ours to get to the panel and, hopefully, meet the cast. "Okay. Well we'd better go then," I said as I glanced at my watch. We quickly gathered our stuff and made our way out of the room and towards the convention center entrance.
The press was out in full force as I stepped onto the proverbial red carpet. Ali stuck close as I posed for pictures with her and alone and answered questions. I posed with the cast of Once Upon a Time as we continued down the carpet and had a long talk with Robert and Colin about getting together when we were all back in the UK. They were both very big fans of the show and of Tom as well. We exchanged numbers and then I was whisked away for the Haven panel. We snuck in the back and waited until the cast had left the stage. The first one off was Emily Rose, whom I had already met and we hugged quickly. Ali was staring at me in shock. "Ali, we share a last name. Do you really think I haven't met her yet?" I asked her and she laughed softly and then her jaw dropped as I was picked up and spun around by a tall man. "Well hello there Eric!" I cried as he set me down and gave me a proper hug. "Hey Elle," he said nonchalantly and I could just see Ali's eyes get even bigger. "Remember that friend I told you about? The one who was a really big fan of yours?" I said softly and he nodded. "Well this is Alison," I said, stepping aside to introduce them. Their eyes met and sparks flew. I spun around and hugged Adam and Lucas and we chatted as we all made our way towards the backstage area of the Doctor Who Panel. I saw Matt waiting for me and bade everyone goodbye as we got ready for the panel.
It went well. There were lots of questions regarding the 50th and regarding Matt's imminent departure, but we handled it as best we could. It was now time to book it. Everyone on the panel had been informed that I was leaving as soon as the clock struck 3:30 and book it I did. I raced out of the auditorium and, with Kevin's help, I made it to the Thor panel with minutes to spare. I quietly moved backstage to watch Tom from his dressing room camera and I couldn't help but smile as I watched him come out and command the stage as Loki. It was a brilliant show and I couldn't help but applaud as he exited the stage. His expression when he saw me sitting in his dressing room was priceless and he pulled me into a kiss. "Did you see it?" he asked breathlessly and I nodded. "It was brilliant!" I replied.
Tom quickly changed and, after giving me a brief but passionate kiss, he made a quick exit and headed back to the panel. I watched from the dressing room as they fielded questions and discussions. Then the crowd started asking questions and I couldn't help but laugh as I noticed Alison in the audience. "Next question is for you Tom," the announcer said as he held the microphone up to Alison. "Hey Tom, nice to see you again," she said happily and he laughed softly. "Hello Allie! Glad you were able to make it," He replied and i couldn't help but smile. They got along so well. The rest of the crowd was glaring daggers so Allie got to the point. "Okay this is a little bit off subject, but I have to ask it, as a good sister. When are you going to make an honest woman of Ellen?" I gasped in embarrassment and Tom just smiled back at her. "That's actually a good question," he responded and I stared at the screen. The crowd had gone very quiet and there were hushed whispers of people wondering what was going on. Then Tom looked directly at the camera and smiled his heartbreakingly beautiful smile and stood up. "Ellen, darling, will you please come out and join me?" he asked and I was frozen until Zach and Chris showed up at the door to the dressing room and grabbed me. "Guys, is he serious?" I asked and they just laughed and dragged me out to the stage.
"Tom what are you doing?" I asked softly when I met him centerstage. "Doing something I should have done the moment I met you," he replied into the microphone. "For those of you who don't know. This beautiful woman beside me is Ellen Rose. She is the current companion on Doctor Who and she and I have been dating for the past 4 years and they have been the best years of my life. Now, my love, your sister Allie thinks I need to make an honest woman out of you. What do you think?" he asked softly. I looked up at him and smiled. "I'm happy just to be with you," I replied and cringed as I heard my voice throughout the auditorium. "Well then I hope you wouldn't mind me doing something to make this a little bit more permanent?" he asked as he pulled something out of his pocket and got down on one knee. "Will you, Ellen, do me the greatest honor of becoming my wife?" he asked and I couldn't help but stare at him. "Yes. A thousands times yes!" He wrapped me in his arms and the auditorium exploded into applause and cries. Tom slipped the ring on my finger and kissed me softly. "Well now Future Mrs. Hiddleston. Let's get out of here!" he said and with that we ran off the stage.