TITLE: Not In Chronological Order (1)

AUTHOR: Talepiece

RATING: 12 cert/PG-13

PAIRING: Sarah Jane/River

DISCLAIMER: I own them not. Please sue me not.

River Meets Sarah Jane For The First Time (but not the other way around)

It had started with curiosity. That wasn't unusual; pretty much everything started with curiosity for Sarah Jane Smith. For once, it wasn't her curiosity that got her into trouble.

They were all heading out, ready to cram themselves in to the little Figaro and drive off to some adventure. Rani had forgotten something, her bag. She'd gone back up to the attic to fetch it. The attic where, a couple of hours before, she had stumbled on Sarah Jane wallowing in her past with a little photo album that she didn't usually get out. That she had never even shown Luke, much less Rani or Clyde.

Rani had noticed. Of course she'd noticed, she was proving herself to be a very fine cub reporter. And her curiosity was as easily peeked as Sarah Jane's. So shoving the album under the sofa's cushions in an uncoordinated rush probably hadn't been the best move.

Sarah Jane knew it immediately but she had hoped that the lead the boys had come up with would keep them all distracted. Not so Rani. She'd left her bag upstairs. Conveniently. And gone back up to fetch it on her own. Conveniently.

'That was a very conveniently forgotten bag,' Sarah Jane said from the attic door.

She could sense Rani's grin without the girl turning around. When she did turn, the photo album was held carefully in her hands. Her big, dark eyes darted down to the exposed photograph. Sarah Jane managed to hold back a sigh.

'Did you love her?'

Get right in there and ask the most important question. She'd taught this young woman too well.

'Very much,' Sarah Jane gave a faint shrug, 'For a while.'

'What happened?'

Sarah Jane approached the girl, reaching out for the album. It was open at her favourite picture. The one she had been looking at when Rani interrupted her. Damn, Rani was good, wasn't she? She looked down at it, a smile escaping her attempts to remain expressionless.

'I -'

'Mum!' Luke's voice carried up through the whole house.

Rani's face fell in disappointment and Sarah Jane's grin widened because of it. 'I will tell you,' Sarah Jane said, surprising herself, 'but we do have to go and save the world first.'

Funnily enough, the subject just hadn't come up since. Well, perhaps Sarah Jane had made sure of that but there had been plenty of things going on to keep Rani's curiosity otherwise engaged. Though the girl had been looking at her with a little more intent, Sarah Jane thought, with a newfound respect or perhaps another type of respect.

Eventually Sarah Jane had found a few minutes to herself The world didn't require saving, hadn't done for a whole sixteen hours. There were no aliens en route, no meetings at the paper. Luke was staying over at Clyde's house. She had a blissful afternoon of being by herself in mind and had settled down with a glass of red wine as a prelude.

Then the door bell rang. Sarah Jane allowed herself to ignore it for a moment and sighed when she heard the spare key turning in the lock.

'Sarah Jane! Sarah Jane!'

'In here, Rani.' The living room door flew open, hitting the wall with a loud crack. 'Gentle with the paintwork,' Sarah Jane chided.

'Sorry,' but she didn't sound sorry at all. She sounded genuinely worried. Sarah Jane put down the glass and turned to see Rani's flushed face, 'It's her. Her,' the girl repeated as she waved a newspaper in her hand.

It was a broadsheet and Rani had it folded to a page with a small picture in the corner.

'Who's her?'

'Her. Your her. The her from your photo album. The one you loved very much, for a while. Her.'

Sarah Jane was on her feet now, snatching the paper and studying the picture. She was right. Dear god, it was her. Sarah Jane felt her legs wobble and Rani's hand was on her arm, steadying her until she could sit on the edge of the sofa. Sarah Jane shook herself and focused on the paper. It was a small article, just a few inches with the little photo. Only someone like Rani would even read the thing. But she was right, it was definitely her.

'River,' Sarah Jane breathed.

'You never did tell me about her,' and there was a hint of reproach in the words.

Sarah Jane ignored it and went back to the piece. Arrested for breaking and entering. And resisting arrest. 'I bet she did,' Sarah Jane said on a smile. Her brow wrinkled in thought, 'Why hasn't Jack dealt with this; Torchwood should keep this out of the papers, surely?'

'Torchwood? The ones with the guns? Well, the other ones with the guns - why haven't UNIT got her out?'

'They don't even know about her, I made sure of that. And if Torchwood aren't helping -'

'We should,' Rani interrupted cheerfully.

'I should,' Sarah Jane leaned on the pronoun but she already knew it would do no good. She gave it one more go, just to satisfy herself, 'You should stay here, I'll call in when I'm back, tell you -'

'Not on your life,' Rani's finger was up and wagging, 'Where you go, I go. Besides, you can tell me all about her on the way.'

So she had. All about her.

And Rani had listened intently, that look of not-new-but-different respect on her face, curiosity burning in her eyes.

'And you shagged her?'

Sarah Jane baulked, 'I beg your pardon!'

'I'm sorry,' Rani laughed at the outrage in her voice, 'You made love with her. Mad, passionate -'

'Yes, yes, thank you. That's quite enough of that.'

'Is that what you said to her? I bet it wasn't. I've seen the photos and your River is gorgeous.'

Rani had said it with just a bit too much feeling.

Sarah Jane glanced around, her eyes away from the road a moment too long to take in Rani's unrepentant but still fearful expression.

'I thought you liked Luke.'

'I do - and Clyde. But not like that. What?' Rani laughed suddenly.

'I thought,' Sarah Jane shook her head, 'I have no idea what I thought. But I know I'm too old for all this.'

'You're not too old. You've never been too old or too young; I reckon you've always been the perfect age.'

'You're flirting with me,' Sarah Jane said flatly.

Rani's grin grew wider, 'You're a very attractive woman, Sarah Jane Smith.'

Any more of this and her head was going to explode, Sarah Jane decided, and that would be very inconvenient given that she was racing through building traffic. Dear god, some days things got complicated enough without alien involvement. She was almost looking forward to the next Sontaran assault.

But there was River to deal with first.

It was an old ruse but it was surprising how often it worked. Little local Police Station; tired desk sergeant, too much going on to check anything; a flash of her other Press ID, a joke about trainee reporters and new coppers getting younger every day. Easy as that.

And Sarah Jane was forcing her legs to carry her around the corridor to the cell door. The getting-younger-every-day PC opening the door, saying something that Rani had to respond to because Sarah Jane's voice had deserted her.

The door opened. The young woman stood up from the bed, turning to look at her visitors. Hazel eyes blinking under a mop of curly hair, her face closed. No recognition there.

Sarah Jane felt the blood in her veins slow, her breathing normalising. She pushed down on a wave of disappointment; this River hadn't met her yet. That was the problem with dating someone who travelled in time.

'Hello,' River said, her voice raising a smile on Sarah Jane's face despite herself.

'Wow, you are gorgeous,' Rani blurted out as she turned back from the retreating PC.

'You're not bad yourself, sweetie' the voice had turned playful.

'She's not sixteen yet either,' Sarah Jane said more sharply than she had meant to, 'And I really think we should focus here.'

'Alright,' her eyes were studying Sarah Jane carefully, 'Do we know each other?'

'We will. About twenty years in the past,' she added to the questioning look.

Rani looked from one woman to the other, 'But you know that you know her?' she said to River.

'You get a sense for these things. We knew each other well?'

'Very.'

River's voice was low again, absolutely honest, 'I look forward to it.'

There was a long moment, the two women staring at each other, things being said that no-one was voicing. Rani hated to interrupt it but there was a small matter of getting her out of here.

'Er, so - how do we break someone out of prison?'

'You came to break me out?' River said, 'But you don't have a plan?'

Sarah Jane flushed, 'Well, it all happened rather fast. It was Rani that -' She trailed off. 'I'm sorry,' she held out her hand, 'I'm Sarah Jane Smith and this is Rani.' There was a pause as something clicked in Sarah Jane's head, 'And this is how you knew my name when we first met. You never said.'

'That would be spoilers, wouldn't it?' Rani said.

River chuckled, 'It's a pleasure to meet you both. Your plan?'

'How did you get here? To Earth, I mean,' Sarah Jane asked.

'I' - a moments hesitation, a cheeky grin - 'borrowed a ship.'

What a surprise. 'Where is it?'

'In the multi-storey behind the shopping centre.'

Rani shook her head, 'In the multi-storey...? You just bought a ticket and parked it here?'

'Pretty much.'

The two women shared a smile and Rani could only roll her eyes; there would be a lot of this sort of thing in a situation like this, she just knew it. But, even with the age gap, they did look good together. Twenty years ago, with Sarah Jane that much younger and River a bit older - wow, the photos didn't do them justice.

'Rani? Earth to Rani?'

Sarah Jane's voice forced Rani to shake herself free from the daydream that was starting to take shape. She had to focus, this was no time to get distracted. 'Sorry, what?'

'I need to get in to the storage room and find River's things,' Sarah Jane said.

'Get your car keys?' Rani said.

'Something like that,' River smiled, 'Be careful, please. I can find another way out, if I need to.'

'I think it would be best if we got you out as quickly as possible.'

River studied Sarah Jane for a moment more, 'Yes. Thank you.'

'Right then,' Sarah Jane was all business again, 'Rani, you stay here and make it look like you're interviewing River. I'll just nip out and get your things.'

'Easy as that?'

'Easy as that,' she smiled broadly.

Sarah Jane slipped out of the cell and back down the corridor. Rani watched her go. She turned back to find River still studying the space that had contained Sarah Jane.

Sarah Jane made her way through the Station. Oh, she still had it. Skirting sixty and she could still get the job done when she wanted to. Needed to. She really needed to get River out of here before she could cause real trouble. As dearly as she had loved River - would love her, in the past...so to speak - Sarah Jane knew all too well that there was a wild streak that could cause more than just trouble. She thought with some pride that their relationship had calmed River down, made her think things through a little more. Maybe.

When they had first met. Well, that had almost been a very short, very unpleasant end for Sarah Jane instead of the eight loving years they had had together and an eventful life since. Sarah Jane tried to remember why they had been so sure that it had to end but somehow her mind always slipped over that time. That awful, painful time when it became obvious that River would have to go. Dear god, it still hurt, even twenty years later.

But that wasn't important right now, Sarah Jane reminded herself sternly. She had found her way in to the right part of the Station and she had her sonic lippy out - that made her grin, despite the situation - and the storage room door was just clicking open.

Sarah Jane hurried in, leaving the sonic on a low setting to cause just enough static to foil the security cameras. She checked the labels on the boxes and quickly found the one bearing the name River had given the Police. There wasn't much in there. A battered wallet with some cards that a more alert PC might have questioned; a necklace that Sarah Jane knew had been a gift from River's father; the big old watch, apparently mechanical, that actually contained more technology than the whole Station held.

Sarah Jane slipped the items in to her bag and snatched up her sonic lipstick before hurrying out of the room. She had gone a few paces when a sharp voice stopped her. She turned to see another policeman, this one of some rank, striding towards her.

'What in hell are you doing here woman?'

Woman? Sarah Jane bristled. 'I'm so sorry, Inspector, I'm afraid I'm hopelessly lost.'

He looked doubtful but Sarah Jane gave him a full blast of her charm and waited. He still looked doubtful. Just her luck he was immune. She decided on another route, though only because it was River.

Her hand rose, lipstick held firmly in her fingers. The inspector looked confused. Then stunned. Then unconscious. All before he hit the floor.

Sarah Jane moved quickly, dragging the Inspector in to the storage room before jogging down the corridor, back to River's cell.

'Time to get moving,' she said as she hurried inside, 'So to speak.'

'What did you do?' River said, less accusing than intrigued.

'Oh, you know, just what needed to be done.'

'Sarah Jane?' even Rani looked concerned.

'Let's just say that the Inspector is going to be waking up with a headache in the next ten minutes or so. Hopefully, he won't remember the last few minutes that he was conscious but -'

'We have to get out of here,' Rani finished for her.

Sarah Jane handed River's belongings over with a tense smile.

River slipped on the necklace and watch before stuffing the wallet in to her back pocket. She looked down at the watch, fiddling with the pins. Her face fell and Sarah Jane braced herself; she knew that look and it didn't bode well.

'What is it?'

'The watch, it took a hit, that's why I couldn't get away from the Police.'

'What do you need?' Rani leaned in to look at the watch, fascinated by the idea that it alone could save River. She so wanted to ask more but knew it wasn't the time.

'A kick start,' Sarah Jane said before River could answer. She fished in her bag again and pulled out the lipstick. She offered it to River, 'Here.'

River hesitated, glancing up from the lipstick to check that Sarah Jane wasn't making fun of her. 'I'm not sure it's quite my col-' Sarah Jane opened the lippy, exposing the sonic device. River grinned, 'Now that is clever. I'll have to remember that.'

'Yes, you will,' Sarah Jane said with a smirk.

River took the lipstick and held it over the watch, the buzzing filling the small cell. The watch started to glow faintly, soaking up the energy. 'Give me a few more minutes and I can get us all out of here.'

'No,' Sarah Jane said, 'If we just disappear, we'll definitely look guilty. Besides, I used my other press ID so they don't have my real name. That should make it easier.'

'I could go back -'

'No! Really, that would just cause more problems. You sit tight for a few minutes, then get out of here.'

'Will we meet again?' Rani said.

River smiled at the wistful tone, 'I certainly hope so,' she said, as much to Sarah Jane as to Rani.

'Yes, well. You take care of yourself. And, please, no more resisting arrest. At least, not on this planet.'

River nodded her agreement and watched as they walked out of the cell.

'Wait! What about this?' she nodded towards the lipstick, still aimed at her watch.

Sarah Jane shrugged, 'Oh, you'll return it to me, one day.'

The young PC was just heading towards them. River pocketed the lippy and covered the watch with her hand. Sarah Jane and Rani waited while he closed the cell door with a hard look at River before escorting them to the Station's entrance.

Sarah Jane forced herself not to glance back, though she desperately wanted one more look at River. Rani babbled on, spinning some tale for the PC that got them all the way to the front desk. They were almost there. Almost.

'Bloody hell, Sir, what's happened to you?'

'I have no idea, Sergeant.'

The Inspector. Apparently he was almost immune to the sonic as well. Damn.

'You there, you there, PC Jenkins!'

The PC stopped and turned to his superior. Sarah Jane and Rani exchanged glances as they turned. Sarah Jane made sure to look right in to the Inspector's eyes.

Nothing. No recognition at all. He still looked dazed, his face pale, his eyes small and squinting.

Sarah Jane smiled at the man sympathetically, 'Can we offer assistance?'

'Who the hell are you?'

'Reporters, Sir,' the Desk Sergeant said.

'Damn, well, best you get them out of here, PC Jenkins.'

Sarah Jane and Rani turned quickly. They left the PC at the door and hurried down the steps to the Figaro. Neither spoke until the car was moving.

'Didn't think much of that Inspector,' Rani said.

Sarah Jane harrumphed, 'I wish he'd stayed down until we'd gone; they'd have assumed River had done it. Now, when they find her gone, they'll have to suspect us.'

'Which Press ID did you use?'

Sarah Jane just laughed.