Rain pelted down on the unsuspecting Londoners who happened to be walking below, each drop heavy enough to be considered a water balloon.
Rose Tyler was one of the unfortunate few who happened to be out in the storm. Her blonde hair hung in shambles across her face, sweater pulled over her head to try and keep some of the water off of her. It was soaked through and her small frame trembled.
She cursed softly under her breath. Of bloody course, she had picked the day of a rainstorm to leave her umbrella at home.
She never would've noticed him if he hadn't tripped. She lifted her gaze to connect with the eyes of a stranger across the street, his green eyes burning into her brown. He was quick to look away and busy himself with trying to dry off.
She couldn't help but feel bad for the bloke in the black raincoat.
Luck was on nobody's side today...
She thought as she quickened her pace. He was the least of her problems.
Or so she thought.
It was the fact that six blocks later, he was still there.
She quickened her step, trying not to make it too obvious that she was trying to get away from him. Her mind raced, every piece of advice from her Mother playing on repeat as she struggled to stay calm.
It had to be some coincidence, right?
Taking another random turn, her heart sank to her shoes as he turned after her.
Crap.
He'd been following her for about eight blocks now and showed no signs of stopping. She couldn't make out any distinguishing features through the downpour, buckets of rain chilling her to the bone, blonde hair completely soaked.
Her phone buzzed in her pocket and she hastily picked it up, not even looking at the name. Anything to distract her from her stalker.
"Hello?"
"Hey!" She calmed at the sound of Clara's voice, pressing the phone closer to her ear.
"I was just calling to tell you I can't meet up tonight, Danny and I-"
"Yeah, yeah, that's fine." She fought to keep a nervous quiver out of her voice. Clara, much to her dismay, picked up on her unease.
"Is everything alright?" She questioned.
"I think I'm being followed." The line was quiet for a moment, then-
"Are you sure?"
"I think I'd know if it was just paranoia." She growled into the mouthpiece.
"Okay," Her friend sounded like she was trying to stay calm, not helping Rose's nerves. "Where are you?" Rose squinted through the falling water to try and see a street name.
"Dunno, can't make it out." Clara sighed in exasperation. Rose bit back a snippy remark. Now wasn't the time to try and be clever.
"What do they look like?" She risked a glance behind her.
"Kind of, tall? Definitely a guy." After a moment of hesitation, she added, "Wearing a black raincoat." She tried not to make eye contact.
"Okay, you should find someone. He'll probably bugger off if he sees you with someone." She looked up the street.
An empty street stared back.
"Nobody's here!" She hissed. She pulled her sweater's hood tighter over her head, tugged the zipper up to her chin, trying to keep her worry at bay. A tight knot of fear formed in her gut as the mystery man crossed to her side of the street. "He just crossed the street!" Her voice was reaching an unusual pitch as fear gripped her.
"Okay, stay calm!" Clara instructed, now in full school teacher mode. "You have to find someone."
"Clara I'm alo-" She stopped mid-sentence as a tall man stepped out from a shop not far up the street. "Scratch that."
"Found someone?" The man turned his back to her, brown coat quickly becoming drenched as he hightailed it up the street.
"Yeah. I'll call you back, promise." With that, she ended the call, hastily starting to walk in his direction, rain dripping down her face and blotting on her eyelashes. She didn't know who he was. To be honest, she didn't care.
She was just a few feet from him now, making a mental note of just how tall he really was compared to her. And his hair.
Really, really great hair...
She closed the gap between them with a few quick strides and wrapped an arm around his shoulders. He stiffened, a surprised 'What?' escaping from his lips. She stood on tip toes to reach his ear.
"I'm really sorry, I think I'm being followed and need you to pretend to know me." The words tumbled out of her mouth in a nervous rush. She pulled away from him quickly, but to her surprise, he wrapped his lanky, pinstripe clad arm around her.
"You're shaking." He observed. She flushed in embarrassment, trying to tear her eyes away from his - quite frankly - gorgeous face. His freckled features painted the very picture of concern, dark brown eyes searching hers for answers, hair adorably wild from the rain. "Are you cold?"
She pulled on the drawstrings of her hoodie. "I'm fine." His arm suddenly left her shoulder and her heart sank.
Don't leave!
She yelped in surprise as something warm and dry was draped over her shoulders. "Here." His voice was gentle, clearly worried for her. She adjusted the caramel coat on her shoulders. It was much too big for her and the end dragged on the ground. She winced as it was pulled through a puddle.
"Sorry 'bout your coat..." She mumbled, dipping her head slightly as the relentless storm pounded down on the pair of them. He smiled softly.
"Don't mention it." He turned his head and gave a quick glance back down the street. "Guy in the black?" She nodded wordlessly. Before she could react, he pulled her closer to his side protectively.
"Is he-"
"Still here." He finished for her, voice coming out as a low growl. She hardly noticed his change in tone, leaning closer to him and just enjoying his warmth. "Anyway, I don't believe we've really met. Properly, I mean."
"No, don't suppose we have." Her heart skipped a beat when he shot her a lopsided grin.
"I'm John, John Smith."
"Rose Tyler." She examined her soaked flats and his cream converse, feeling a tingle of warmth in her chest.
You dolt, he's only saying hello...
A goofy smile stretched across her face as rain poured down. His arm slipped from her shoulder, and she almost protested until his hand found hers, giving it a comforting squeeze. Their joined hands swung between them in an oddly natural fashion that made her insides form a knot of attraction.
She tried to clear her head. After all, he was only helping her get rid of a creepy stalker, and here she was acting like a smitten schoolgirl. A blush crept onto her cheeks as she mentally slapped herself.
He's probably not into you.
Just being nice, that's all.
She found herself wishing that wasn't true.
"So, John, what's your story?" He launched into a long-winded explanation about a degree in astrophysics. Mostly scientific mumbo-jumbo to her, but she didn't stop him, loving how he gestured wildly with his free hand, how his eyes danced in spite of the weather, how his grip would tighten when he needed her attention.
She found herself dreading the sight of her own flat, a sight that she had been praying for moments before John had stumbled into her life. He seemed to notice her hesitance.
"You alright?" She nodded, flashing him a dazzling smile as she tried to convince him that everything was fine. He turned his head slightly and glared down the street. "Oh for the love of-" Rose turned to try and see what had caused the change in expression.
The man was still tailing behind her, stopping every now and again to pretend to look at something, making sure not to lose the pair. John tensed beside her, throwing his arm back around her. She crashed against his side, nervousness flooding off her in waves.
She hoped it wasn't too obvious.
She wondered which of the men was adding to that fact.
"D'ya want me to walk you home?" He asked, almost timidly.
"I don't want him to know where I live." She admitted. He squeezed her shoulder.
"Okay. He won't." John gently started to guide her down the winding streets, rambling absently about this and that, filling the air with the sound of his own voice. Rose found herself coming to realize that she didn't mind.
She didn't resist as he continued pulling her along, still trying to get over the fact that the bloke in the black was still bloody there. He suddenly veered off down an alleyway, urging her to follow with a dorky smile. She hesitated.
"John," She started. His smile faded a little, but he didn't interrupt. "Look, it's nothing on you. You're amazing for wanting to help me, but I don't want to take any more of your day than I already have." He had just opened his mouth to say something when his eyes flashed with alarm.
"Rose, look out!" That was the last thing she heard before everything went black.