The deadline was in less than three days and he was just about finished with the proposal. It had taken John around four months to fully complete. With all the cross outs, proof reading, drafts, approval from supervisors and lack of sleep taking it's full momentum- the last sentence was added.

The TARDIS Corporation held a very competitive grant that took only the best proposals for their historical research projects around the world. It has always been John's dream to travel the world ever since he was a boy. Now, a graduate student at Gallifrey University, he was ready to take the next level. It took years of historical fascination involving a old book, years of looking at his parents travel photos, and a love for all that is history to finally come to what is now his application.

There was a knock on his office door. Next thing he knew, a red headed woman had entered. "Oi, Spaceman, you done with that draft thing yet?"

"Donna, it's not a draft thing. It's my application. Have a little respect."

"I'll have respect when I get to travel with you," she stated, rolling her eyes, hand on hip.

John scoffed. "Who says you are coming?"

He ran his hand through his messy brown hair, scratching it down the side of his cheek. Donna was a force to be reckoned with. He met her in Uni a few years back while he was digging through some books on conspiracy theories of the Adipose movement from about five years ago. There was nothing John loved more than a good ole conspiracy theory. Donna had been investigating as well. Ever since, they've been working together to discover history conspiracies.

"Oh, well then, I guess I shall not be driving you to drop off the application then?" The keys to her buggy hung in her hand, swinging back and forth.

Filing all the papers together that needed to be presented, he got up from the chair and bumped her shoulder. "Allons-y!"

The application center wasn't too crowded. John placed the paper to the small blue box that somehow looked bigger than it was. He was walking out, chatting away with Donna- ok it was really him talking and her just pretending to listen- and a someone ran into him, promptly knocking him on his bum.

"Oh my god, I'm so sorry!" A woman's voice spoke.

Someone sounded like they were in a rush.

He looked up and just stared. The woman in question was blonde. She had honey brown eyes and a wide mouth that seemed to fit her face perfectly. Beautiful. He was mesmerized. That is until he realized he was still on the ground.

"Don't worry about it." He waved, pushing himself up on his trainer clad feet.

She still looked nervous, clutching a folder in her one hand. "Are you sure?"

John smiled. "Yeah. You seem to be in a rush anyway."

"Oh, a bit yeah." She blushed. "Still doesn't excuse me practically knocking you to the ground."

The red in her cheeks was very becoming of her.

"Like I said, no worries!" He rocked on the back of his heels, putting his hands in his pinstriped pockets. "Can you imagine if you didn't apologize? Then I might find it a bit rude but no not you. You seem to be doing just fine in the apologizing department. Kudos to you, honestly. It's like-oof."

Donna elbowed him in the ribs, abruptly stopping his rocking movement. "Sorry, he has quite the gob on him."

The woman giggled. "Oh that is perfectly fine. Though I do really need to get going." Her eyes shifted around.

"Oh! Of course. Sorry. Go right ahead." He stepped aside. She maneuvered around him, smiling.

His insides fluttered just a bit.

When she went through the door, him and Donna continued walking down the walkway. A feeling of loss came over him. That was until he heard someone shouting at him from behind.

When he pivoted his body towards the sound, he saw the woman waving at him. She was yelling something. He walked a little closer to meet in the middle. "What?" he asked.

"What's your name?" Her hand was dangling from the side of the building, a foot one step and a smile gracing her face.

"John. John Smith."

An eyebrow was raised for her confused state. "Seriously?"

He shrugged. "Common but it happens."

"You could say that." A tongue peeked its way out of her teeth. John zeroed in on that little bit of pink poking out. "Well, 'm Rose Tyler."

"Nice to meet you Rose Tyler." Her name rolled around on his tongue, testing it out for taste.

Rose nodded. "Oh absolutely. Anyway, I've got to go. See you around!" Then she left.

If there was a little skip in his step on his way back to Donna, he'll never admit it. "Rose Tyler." He grinned ridiculously.

John didn't see Donna's smirk.

A few months flew by and John was anxiously waiting. He knew these grants could take up to six months but it didn't make him anymore relaxed considering how on edge he was before he even handed the application in. Donna tried calming him a bit by being the best distraction she can be (making him laugh or looking into new history volumes) but it provided futile in the end.

In the meantime, he taught his classes (John was a TA at Gallifrey) but his heart wasn't in it. Luckily, his students hadn't suspected anything and still continued to show up for lectures. Only another reason he deserved this opportunity even if it was only a percentage of the budget. However, Donna would argue that that was not a valid reasoning to his 'entitlement'.

"It's like you think you're some Lord or something."

"Donna, I do not think I'm a Lord."

"Uh huh."

"I'm just brilliant is all."

It was time to take a break. Throwing his wallet back into his pocket that seemed to be endless considering how much junk he's culminated over the years, he was able to always find it.

There was a new historical exhibit at the museum regarding future Earth called "New, New Earth". He was very excited to see it and had bought his ticket online yesterday. It was expected to have all the newest gadgets that would be used to advance the medical profession. Also, apparently, see how the human race would evolve in the year five billion. While John was always suspicious of their claimed research of human history and of the future, he still wished to check it out.

Strolling up to the museum big doors, he bounced inside, presented his ticket and went on his merry way.

The exhibit was amusing. He had to laugh at the cats in nuns wimple's display. Yes, there supposedly will be cat people in the future. He'll never accept that they sort of freaked him out, of course. There was also a giant face named "the Face of Boe" who would have lived billions of years. Last but not least, he came to the skin display of how humans would look. A piece of skin with eyes attached to it and a red mouth was holster up onto metal rods that make it look like a trampoline.

"I hope I never have to come across a being like that in my very short twenty first century years," a very familiar voice stated.

John stumbled and found the source of the voice. He looked over to find the blonde woman standing next to him.

Rose Tyler.

She grinned at him, tongue in teeth, her smile lighting up his insides. He haven't a clue as to why. "Well, nice to see you again Rose Tyler." He smiled.

"Same for you too, John Smith." She bumped his shoulder. "I see you had the same idea as me."

"I must've. History fascinates me."

She nodded. "Same. History major me." She used her thumb to indicate herself.

A look of awe must have passed over his face because she said, "What?" Red tinge making it's way over her lovely cheeks.

"Same here." He bumped her shoulder right back.

"Oh, how convenient."

"I do say so myself. Convenience is just the thing I like to see. Yup, me loving convenience is something I do. Isn't it weird how people just like to do things. If you ever think about it, the whole spectrum of actually doing something indicates movement and passion which is what our brains are telling us to do, therefore stimulating said movement. Fascinating really. In China, they actually-"

"Wow, you really do like to ramble don't you?"

John stopped his carry on sentence to rub the back of his neck. "Well…"

Not embarrassing at all.

Rose didn't seem annoyed at all though, winking at him and adding a small giggle. The flutter happened again. Donna said his oncoming ramble was always tiresome and that girls would never find it appealing and yet here was this very pretty girl giggling at him.

Doesn't mean she likes you, John.

"So care to finish this exhibit with me?" she asked.

He took ahold of her outstretched hand, placing his palm against her warm one. He noted how well they seemed to fit together. He tugged her along.

"Allons-y, Rose Tyler!"

Apparently, there was always trouble following John no matter what. Him and Rose had snuck into the hospital exhibit where they were showing how humans would become guinea pigs in medicinal advancement. Well that would not have done well with them. So he tacked sticky notes all along the exhibit, explaining why this was not a good idea. When Rose commented on how he could fit all those pads in his pocket, he told her they were bigger on the inside.

A security guard had caught them, threatening to report them to higher investigation. John showed his made up badge to him and said he was from the company running the exhibit and just put notes on for changes the exhibitors should probably make. Rose nodded and said she was his colleague 'Lewis'. The guard didn't seem convinced but let them go anyway.

It was an exciting day. John can't remember when's the last time he had so much fun. He felt alive and not so alone.

They ran out of the museum, hand in hand, laughing to themselves. Finally they stopped in front of a chip shop, both panting and trying hard to breathe.

"Oh- oh my god, Did you see his face?" Rose tried to breathe out.

John nodded, knocking into her. "He actually believed us. Who would have thought I was a exhibit inspector of some sort."

"Well, you do wear those pinstripes quite a lot. Could make you look important. Though, the blue is different."

"What's wrong with blue?" He glanced down at his blue suit. Thought he'd change it up this time.

"Nothing. Might prefer the brown better." She winked at him. His face started growing hot and not from the running.

Before he could respond, Rose was already inside the chip shop. He followed her in. "I just ordered us some chips. Hope you don't mind. I'm starving."

"No, no it's okay. I'm quite famished too."

When the order was up, they slid into a dingy booth and he noted how Rose downed hers in vinegar. She took a large bite, moaning. "Oh this is gorgeous."

John tried to stop himself from reaching over and tasting them for himself, right off her lips.

Where'd that come from?

They chatted a little bit. Swapping stories about their love for history. John entertained her with rants on his antics he got up too. Rose was laughing the whole time, clutching her stomach and he felt a surge of pride go through him. She questioned him though about some of his methods and he found himself wishing he could always have her by his side. She always seemed to ask the right questions.

Finally, he asked the question that has been on his mind for a few months now.

"So, I'm curious. What were you doing when you ran into me the first time?"

"Oh I was dropping off an application for this research grant. The TARDIS Corporation is handing out only one this year and this project is going towards travel expenses and cost. I always wanted to travel, thought this was the perfect way."

John dropped his chip.

This could not be happening.

Rose gave him a quizzical brow. "Are you ok?"

"You're applying for the history research grant?" His voice might have raised a bit.

"Yes, I believe I just said that. John, what's wrong?"

He sat back in his seat, slumping down a little. A mix of feelings were overtaking him. Of course it was too good to be true. All he wanted since entering graduate school was this damn grant and here he was seating across from the competition, thinking about her lips. This would happen to him.

"That's my grant," he whispered, not realizing Rose heard him.

"Excuse me? What do you mean it's 'your grant'?"

John looked up at her, locking his gaze with her stand-offish one. Fuel started burning through him. "I mean that this grant is the one I have been working towards for months and haven't slept since handing it in. I wrote a perfect proposal and everything, annoyed Donna about it even."

"And you think I haven't? I grew up with very little income and this is something that will put me over the top. I say we're both rightly in this competition." She crossed her arms.

And there is was, laid out on the table. A competition.

Silence ensued the booth while the chattering around them continued.

Suddenly, Rose stood up from the booth. She grabbed her bag, slinging it over her shoulder and stared at him. "I was having such a nice time but I can not do this right now. Nice to see you again, John."

Then she left.