The Lightning Strike: Daybreak
His phone was ringing loudly, and John wondered who would be so cruel as to call at this time when even the sun had yet to rise. River sat on his hand, purring loudly as she watched him struggle to wake, before she was dislodged when he shifted. His now free hand reached out to his side table and found his phone, bringing it to his ear without opening his eyes. He thought he rumbled a greeting, but it may have come out like a whine.
"Morning lover," Rose's voice greeted, and he felt a smile tug at his lips. He hummed happily, yawning as snuggled back into the sheets, wishing she were next to him.
"It's six-ish in the morning," he answered around another wide yawn, and River poked her head near his mouth, causing him to snap it shut. Rose giggled.
"Almost four-ish in the morning," she corrected, and he groaned.
"That means I've only slept two hours." River curled against his side and he ran his fingers through her fur with his free hand. She began purring again.
"We have a wedding to get to," she gently reminded, and he smiled sleepily again.
"Your dress is beautiful." He remembered the way it hugged her curves and seemed to bounce as she walked. "You look beautiful," he amended. He wondered if she blushed at the compliment. She was pretty when she blushed.
"The wedding is at ten," she prompted, and he imagined her beautiful dress in a beautiful pile on a beautiful carpet…
"It's almost four-ish you said. We've got time." …next to a beautiful bed in a beautiful room…
"Lover," he felt a little thrill rush through him when she called him that. "You promised to help me pack up and deliver the cake; the one that is the masterpiece of my career and can only be fully assembled when we get there..." she trailed off and his eyes snapped open.
"Which is why we're leaving at five," he remembered as he shot out of bed. River made a sound of protest and he gave her an apologetic look. "I'll be there in twenty minutes—no, ten. Yes, ten minutes!"
"See you," she was probably smiling as they hung up, and he tossed the phone to his bed. He scrambled around the apartment getting dressed, glad to have left the suit he had to wear to the actual wedding with her. She was much better at being the responsible one in their relationship. River watched him from her perch on the bed, kneading his abandoned pillow.
"Okay River," he looked at her as he put on his fourth favorite bow tie, "I'm trusting you. Keep guard while I'm gone." The cat simple stared at him and he gave her a crooked smile as he grabbed his phone off the bed and watch from the nightstand. He then dashed out of the bedroom towards the kitchen. She quickly followed and he went for the pantry to get her food. Checking her water bowl, he grabbed his keys and ran out the door, pausing only to lock it behind him. He took the stairs two at a time, laughing to himself as he felt a feeling of deja vu wash over him. If this was anything like the last time he was running late, today would turn out to be a good day.
He arrived at the bakery twelve minutes after they hung up, and she greeted him with a sound kiss, her gloved hands held away from their bodies so as not to dirty them.
"Sorry," he apologized sheepishly, and she gave him another quick peck.
"Alright Doctor," she pointed to the boxes the learned against the display case with his favorite tongue-touched smile. "Let's do this!"
When they finally got on the road, she drove her shop van, having brushed off his offer to drive. "You're a bad driver," she had told him. "I don't want the cake all over the interior, and I'd like to get there on time." He had been mock offended, but she gave him a lingering kiss and a bag of specially-made Geronimo biscuits that were shaped like bow ties, and all was forgiven. As daybreak arrived, he enjoyed the way the rising sun seemed to bounce off her, giving her a golden glow. He reached out and grabbed her hand, locking their fingers together, and they settled into a comfortable silence.
After they had arrived at the venue, Rose began putting the finishing touches on the cake tier by tier as John carefully brought the boxes in. Rory popped his head into the kitchen and they both congratulated him before insisting he go get ready, promising him they didn't need any help. After the cake was finally put together and set in its proper location, Rose fetched their bags from the van and handed him the one with his tuxedo.
"Go help Rory love," she hugged him tightly and he returned her embrace, happy for any excuse to have her in his arms. "Thank you." He beamed at her and bent slightly, lips seeking hers. It only lasted a moment before he straightened, popping another quick kiss on her nose, and then left the kitchen to find the anxious groom.
The wedding was perfect, Amy had ecstatically declared. The ceremony had been beautiful, the food fantastic, and the cake was hailed a work of art. Donna Noble, Amy's cousin, caught the bouquet and shortly after, the dancing began. John, or the Drunk Giraffe as he had been recently christened, twirled Rose around and reaffirmed his earlier thoughts that both she and the dress were beautiful. The Ponds knew how to party, and this particular celebration went well into the night. Needing a break from the festivities, Rose led John outside to rest in a nearby gazebo. They stood together, hands intertwined, as the beautiful weather finally gave way to a light rain.
The night was quiet and Rose sighed contentedly, resting her head on his shoulder. She reached out a hand to feel the rain as it fell and he laughed. He was happy. He thought back to barely a year ago when they had first met. She had burst into his life, completely drenched from that horrible rain, and he knew. When he had met the Ponds, the smell of cinnamon and honey had followed him throughout the remainder of the day. He confirmed then that he had never actually stood a chance against her. She turned to face him and he closed the distance, lips meeting for a soft, unhurried kiss. She tasted of cake, champagne, and his utmost favorite: Rose Tyler. They broke apart slowly, her biting her lip, and he moved them to sit on a nearby bench. He wrapped an arm around her shoulders, tucking her comfortably into his side.
This, he inhaled the night air deeply, was a good day.
After a few moments of content silence, the sounds of Rose's soft snores reached his ears and he laughed quietly. A lazy smile spread across his lips as he absentmindedly played with a few strands of her hair. He looked down to her where she was snuggled against him, eyes closed in sleep and drooling a bit on his jacket, and kissed the top of her head.
"Yeah," he whispered to the night, "it's good."
Author's Note: Thank you for reading – I hope it was enjoyable! I'll be adding a small prequel/epilogue from Rose's perspective, for those interested. :)
