Love Like Ours

By: SilverLunarStar

Chapter Four: Taste the Sky


Note: HUGE apologies to my dear, lovely readers. I know I took two weeks off, but life was crazy, Nano took up a lot of my time (but I made a little over 50,000 words!), and then Thanksgiving. They're not excuses, just reasons as to why I took so long. I hope to go back to my regularly scheduled updates of Thursdays. Thank you for being so patient. And thank you Fogs for being such a patient beta.


Since Amy and Rory were almost done with their masters' they'd decided to wait and have a fall wedding. While Rory wanted one in August, Amy preferred sometime in October, so they'd finally settled for mid-September, the second Saturday of the month. Since Amy was always one to be prepared for anything, she wanted to get plans started right away. Enlisting the help of their friends, the couple had a lot less to worry about. They also hoped that the two idiots (in Amy's opinion, though Rory silently agreed) would figure out how wonderful they were for each other.

The holidays were coming up and term finals with them. Instead of studying, as Rose would usually be doing on a Wednesday evening, she was laughing at John's face as he tried the raspberry turnover and resisting the urge to say, "I told you so".

"Okay, so Amelia and Rory want a September wedding, so I'll call the locations they gave me tomorrow, during my lunch break, about prices so we can get one of the major financial consumers out of the way." He looked over his notes after he'd spat out a piece of the turnover on a napkin. They were at one of the two cafes on campus. Sadly enough, this was the one that made the worst banana nut muffins in the history of Earth (according to John), so he'd gone with the raspberry pastry even though she'd warned him that it wasn't much better.

She bit into a salt and vinegar crisp, reached into her bag for one more, and took a sip from her thermal, letting her lemon tea wash it down. "Hate to break it to you, John, but everything in a wedding is a major financial consumer. And Amy would be furious if she heard you calling her that."

"But she's not here to hear, is she? And you wouldn't tell her, would you Rose?"

Rose's heart stuttered at his adorable, pleading expression. She hadn't felt like this for someone in… well, ever really. Sure, she'd had her crushes, puppy love, and a boyfriend or two, dated casually even, but it was never like this. She always fancied herself an independent woman who had learned from the best: her mother.

Jackie may have had several men in her life, but she had never let them dictate her life and Rose had taken that to heart. So, when she was sixteen, and had had that no-good boyfriend of hers, Jimmy Stone, and he'd tried to control her time with her friends, what she ate, how she dressed, she'd dumped his arse faster than a bullet train. He'd tried to get back at her for it by dating an old friend of hers to make her jealous, but she'd simply ignored him. It was hard, there was no doubt about that. She'd thought she was in love, but with the help of Sarah Jane, she'd put her focus on something much more important: herself. She focused on her education and her life. With the funding by her grandfather, she had been given an opportunity that most people from the Estate never got and she was not going to let it go to waste.

Now, she only had about seven months left and she'd receive her bachelor's, with a stipend for a masters within her grasp. Could she really hope to accomplish her goals with a distraction such as John?

Oh, but John wasn't just any distraction. Glancing at him, she noticed his head move quickly down. "No," she finally said, breaking the silence. "No, I wouldn't."

He gave her a quirky smile before continuing to jot down what she was sure were various numbers, as he tried to find the best estimate to keep within their friends' budget.

Rose and John had, of course, volunteered to help Amy and Rory plan the wedding. While the engaged couple worked on the basics of a monetary limitation (which they had given John) and invitations, Rose was in charge of design and wardrobe. At first, Rose had worked on her own, looking for arrangements and decorations, until she realised she wasn't sure where it would be. What if she chose the wrong colour scheme for the locale? She'd fretted for a day or so until she finally worked up the courage to approach John.

"Professor, don't you think it'd be more beneficial if we worked together?" Rose had tried her best to sound as professional as she could, but at his "uhhh" and stuttering, she couldn't help but giggle, her tongue poking out as she smiled at him. "Better with two, yeah?"

At that, he'd enthusiastically agreed. "Yes, but only if you call me John. None of this 'Professor' nonsense. We're almost the same age, after all, and I'm not your professor," he'd finished sternly before breaking out into a smile.

"It's a deal." They shook hands. "John."

"Rose."

"Rose… Rose!"

Rose startled out of her thoughts, shaking her head before turning her attention on him. "I'm sorry, John; spaced out for a while there."

"It's alright, been known to do that myself."

They shared a smile before he frowned.

"I've enjoyed spending time with you immensely, Rose, but I should go. It's quite late already and I have a morning class. Not that I sleep much, but I should let you rest."

"Oh…" She really didn't want him to go, but he was right. She had already spent all day with only a couple of hours of study time for five classes. She should break out the books for at least an hour before heading back to her dorm. "Of course." This time her smile was a bit forced as she watched him back up everything.

"I'm sure by tomorrow I'll have everything in order. You'll let me know if the floral arrangements will be set?"

"Yeah, I will." She hesitated for a few seconds before she finally inquired, "Same time tomorrow?" Working with him made her feel… she didn't want to say 'complete'. It would sound so cheesy, but she felt better around him. Less alone. She didn't want it to end.

Apparently, neither did he. "Yes!" He beamed, as if not working with her had never even occurred to him. "Is my place alright, this time? Only, I have a bit of work to do and I'm not sure if I'll be able to drag it all here. Though I suppose I could…" His brow furrowed in concentration, as if he were calculating the exact weight of everything, adding the five, and carrying the three over. He probably was.

"Your place is fine," she reassured.

"Great! I'll see you then."

"See you."

"Umm… Rose?"

"Yes, Prof- John?"

"Aren't you going to go home as well? It's late, and I don't think I'd feel right unless I knew you were back at your flat, safe and sound." He looked so earnest her heart swelled. Damn this man for making her fall in love with him that little bit more.

"Are you going to walk me home?" She grinned, tongue peeking out.

"What sort of gentleman would I be if I didn't?" With a flourish and bow, he extended an arm which made her laugh out loud. Collecting her things quickly, she looped her arm in his and they made their way across campus.

Once they reached her place, they said their goodnights and Rose locked her door, sighing. She looked around her small, and messy, empty flat. She got ready for bed and dropped down on her bed, burying her face in her pillow and trying to drown out thoughts of him. It didn't work in the slightest. She thought about him well into the night and he starred in the dreams that lingered even when morning came.


The next evening Rose stood outside the door to John's flat, nervously moving her weight from one foot to the other. She didn't know why she was so antsy. It wasn't like she hadn't spent time with the man in the months since she'd met him. She was a mature woman who could control herself. Plus, if she didn't, she would make a fool of herself, which kept her at bay.

Finally, she worked up the courage and knocked. Almost immediately, she heard a shout and a bang, along with some curses, followed by a loud, "Coming!"

A few seconds later, John appeared at the door, rubbing the top of his head. Somehow, she felt more at ease than she'd ever felt with him and she's determined to tell him who she is.

"Hi Rose!"

"Hello!"

They stayed staring at one another for almost a full minute before John's eyes widened. Just as she was going to ask what was wrong, he stuttered out, "Oh! I- uh, co-come in, y-yeah?"

"Right!" She blushed, unable to believe she hadn't even noticed they were simply standing around. "Thanks." Entering, she blinked, surprised when she saw what looked like a mini-banquet set out on a small table.

"Thought you might be hungry after your classes and our bodies must be fed if we hope for them to keep up with us. Not to mention, it helps our thinking process and there's still a lot to get done. I wasn't quite sure what you'd like, but since I've seen what you eat, during the past few months, I took a guess and thought you'd like Chinese. I wasn't a hundred per cent sure what you'd like, though, so I got a little of everything…"

The urge to kiss him assaulted her rapidly and she had to tamper it down just as quickly. He was too much, this was too much. She had to tell him. "John, I-" Rose was cut off when her stomach rumbled loud enough for him to hear it in the small flat.

"Sit! Tea should be done soon." He glanced into the small kitchenette where his electric kettle was still heating away. He took her things and settled them carefully on his desk and beamed at her. He went to get the kettle that was finally whistling its completion. She sat down gingerly and was about to serve them both on separate foam plates when she heard a yelp. Shaking her head in amusement, she went to see what she could do to help

Finally settling down to tuck in after running John's fingers under cold water, the two are silent for quite some time until Rose finally breaks it.

"Did you call the venues Rory and Amy were looking into?"

A muffled "Yes" sounded between bites, before he finally swallowed and apologised for his rude behaviour. "I've narrowed it down to two: Middle Temple and BMA House. Their prices are vastly different, on scale, with Middle Temple being more extravagant, but appropriate for the small number of people they want to invite. Though BMA is larger in size, they're willing to keep their current special if there are a minimum number of people coming. I just need to confirm with them by the end of the week the exact number. Middle Temple's more expensive in venue, but their catering is more affordable, so it's practically balanced, really." He waved his chopsticks in the air for emphasis.

Rose couldn't help but laugh at his rambling. It was quite obvious how excited he was for his friends' upcoming nuptials. "Well, I found a couple of places that we can get flowers from, and Amy asked me to look at some fabrics for her. Depending on which venue they choose, I'll pick a colour scheme of the decorations from there." She showed him some numbers once they were done with their meal.

John and Rose cleared up the table before spreading out the brochures they had each printed from the internet. They ooh-ed and aw-ed at each other's selections and, while they agreed on most things, John pointed out that Amy would probably prefer sunflowers to daisies. Rose suggested that he make an appointment for the couple to look at both venues next week, instead of just looking at the printed pages.

"There's an atmosphere you can only get when you experience something first hand."

Agreeing, he made a note to do so the next day. After tossing each other a few more ideas, they began talking about themselves.

"So why business?" John inquired.

Rose shrugged. "It's what my A-levels pointed to and I know it's the field in which I'll always be able to move up and be financially secure." She then went on to tell him about her time growing up at the Powell Estate with her mum, her father's early demise, her grandfather leaving her the means to attend university, and her brilliant mentor who had so much faith in her.

"I don't I think I'd have been able to accomplish half the things that I have if it weren't for Sarah Jane. She helped me out so much; I'll never be able to repay her for it."

"Being here is payment enough, I should think." He smiled warmly and she returned the gesture.

"I've worked long and hard to be here. I was just lucky enough that my grandfather set his grudge against my dad aside to leave me with something. I've taken every job I could get in order to continue, so I won't have to touch what I've put aside. Thanks to that, I don't have to work and study full-time. Just focus on my final year and apply to internships. There's one I'm really hoping to get that's in New York. Though there's also one in Edinburgh and right here in London. I've already sent my applications; it's just a matter of waiting for their replies. My focus right now is on exams and final projects. Spend the holidays with mum. Maybe take her on a small vacation before I really start the rest of my life."

"Sounds like you have everything planned out," he stated ruefully.

Rose shook her head. "Don't get me wrong, I know nothing ever comes out exactly as you plan, but I do have my goals in mind. I strive to be the best I can and that's all I can do."

"You already are the best, Rose Tyler."

There was no denying the affection in his voice, but instead of blurting out her feelings to him, she changed the subject. "What about you? I mean, Amy told me about Geeky, Young, Boy Genius before we met, but what made you decide teaching?"

He sulked a little before he smiled brightly. "I love teaching! I had so many plans when I was younger, becoming a zookeeper, an astronaut, a scientist, but teaching never crossed my mind until I assisted Professor Higson."

"He was the professor before you, right?"

He nodded. "I didn't know what to say at first, didn't think it was for me, but he told me to try it for a while and it just stuck. All these minds to fill with information, to prepare for the world out there? It's the best feeling in the world. Well," he corrected himself, "second best."

"What's the first?" she asked curiously.

He looked at her for a moment, mumbled something and then looked down at his hands.

Instead of asking him to repeat himself, she touched the back of his fingers gently and brightened when he turned his hand, entwining their digits. Warmth spread throughout her being and her breath stilled. They were a perfect fit, his long, sturdy fingers fitting right between her shorter, slim ones. The tips, she felt on the back of her hand, were calloused, probably from writing relentlessly, grading papers, skimming through textbooks. Hers would be about the same if she didn't moisturise, she thought absent-mindedly, trying to ignore the slow heat that had gathered low in her belly.

"Would you like to see?"

"Sorry?" Rose brought her attention from their connected hands back to his face.

"The best feeling."

"If you're willing to share," she said carefully.

"Come on then!" He tugged her up gently. "And close your eyes," he turned to tell her, sternly.

She opened her mouth to question him, but at his wagging finger, she pressed her lips together and did as she was told. Something told her it would be worth it, though she'd certainly get him back for this. Before she could think of a proper comeback she shivered as she felt cool air on her skin. His free hand came to rub at her arm for a bit before it came up to tilt her head up.

"Alright, open them," he whispered into her ear and she shivered again, for a different reason entirely this time.

"Oh! I love it." She twirled around a little as she gazed up at the night sky. London was an awful place for stargazing, but there were just enough small suns that gleamed through the blanket of black onto the city. 'John's balcony must be the perfect place for this,' she thought dreamily. With a content sigh, she brought her head back to level and caught sight of green eyes staring at her intensely. Heart rate skyrocketing, she was hypnotised by the depth of feelings she could easily read in them.

Oh, this wasn't fair. How was she going to resist? The obvious answer was that she wasn't. She leaned in closer to him, stilling when she realised he wasn't moving. A feeling of dread started creeping in on her until she heard him groan helplessly, his hand letting go of hers to press on her lower back, the other burying itself into her hair. He tilted her head in, what she would swear was the perfect angle. When his lips touched hers, the spark that had begun on Halloween night threatened to consume her. Her hands gripped his shoulders firmly, moving her lips against his and unable to help the whimper that escaped her.

Feeling something hard on her back, she took note in her hazy mind that he must have pressed her against the balcony's railing. Uncaring, she took control of the kiss and swiped her tongue against his thin lips, humming happily at his immediate response to open up to her exploration. Though, her back wasn't the only place she felt something hard. She resisted the urge to rub against him, however, and broke away after a few more sucks and nips.

"Third best, then," he whispered across her lips.

"What's that?" Coherent thought was quite difficult to manage right now, but she wanted to know what he meant.

"Teaching is now the third best feeling in the world."

"What's the second, then?"

"The stars, of course." He lifted a hand up to gesture at the sky.

"I thought they were the first."

"No." He shook his head emphatically. "This is." He pressed his lips against hers one more time, his fingers trailing her sides, before he took a step back. "Well, Miss Tyler, it's gotten quite late again."

"As time is wont to do," she teased.

"Correct. May I walk you home?" Mimicking the same gesture as the night before, he bowed and extended his arm.

"It would be my pleasure to have your company, sir." Rose grinned.

"The pleasure is all mine." He looked at her, eyes burning, and she was aflame under the intensity of his stare.

Exhaling sharply, she gathered her wits, and book bag, before exiting his flat. If she didn't, who knew what she'd be capable of? On their way to hers, with the stars above accompanying them on their walk, she swore she would tell him about Halloween soon. Before anything else happened.