Rose and John wandered aimlessly, hand in hand, looking at the scenery around them and wondering where they should go.
John rarely dated and the way this night sprung upon him the way it did was a mystery, but she agreed to go with him.
"Not a bad night for a walk," Rose commented when she noticed John going silent.
"Yeah it is," he replied and their arms swung between them as they walked. "Although I have no idea where we're going."
"Noticed that, did you," Rose teased, "if you want, we can turn around and head to a more familiar part of town."
John scrunched his nose, "nah, where's your sense of adventure? If you want to make this night memorable, you gotta just throw yourself out there. Get lost if you have to, finding your way back is only half the fun."
"So, what do you suggest," Rose asked while gazing up at him.
John looked around, he had no idea but he didn't want to disappoint her. They approached a strip of pubs and restaurants and any of them would probably be good, but somewhat boring in John' opinion. He wanted to be impressive so he needed to go bigger.
One pub seemed particularly crowded and according to the sign outside, it was closed for a private party. John broke into a devilish grin, "ever crash a party?"
A slow smile crept along Rose's face, "can't say that I have…"
"Just let me do the talking and try to play along," John told her and tugged her to the door.
A man approached them as they entered, "I'm sorry but we are closed for a private event."
"Yeah," John smiled and patted his pockets, "I left the invitation at home, but we we're invited."
The man eyed John suspiciously and when he looked at Rose, she averted his gaze. With a doubtful sigh, the man glanced at the list in his hand, "name?"
"John Smith," John said confidently and noted Rose's quiet chuckle.
Miraculously, it worked. The man grinned tightly, "Ah, Dr. Smith?"
"Yeah," John said surprised.
The man marked something on the clipboard then looked at Rose, "and I assume you are Mrs. Smith?"
Rose felt John's hand tighten around hers and she could tell he went stiff, but he did say to play along and who was she to spoil the evening. Smiling widely at the man, Rose nodded, "yes I am, and I apologize for being late but this one wouldn't behave himself." She poked John in the ribs and he coughed nervously.
"Right…" the man said dryly and guided them inside.
John led Rose through the crowed and they were stopped by a waiter who offered them each a glass of wine. They accepted the drinks then found a nearby table to sit at.
"So," Rose began, "why did you choose to go by John Smith? I know it's common, but don't you think it seems a little suspicious?"
"That's my name," John said and sipped his wine.
"So why did your friend keep calling you Doctor," Rose asked.
John grinned, "because I'm a doctor. The fact that there is a Dr. John Smith on the guest list tonight is just pure luck."
"Along with a Mrs. Smith," Rose added teasingly.
"Uh…well…" John stuttered as his cheeks reddened.
Rose laughed and took his hand to calm him down, "it's alright, I'm just teasing you." She noticed John relax and she smiled, "but still, talk about moving fast on the first date."
John chuckled and glanced down at her, meeting her eyes and somehow, at that moment, John knew that Rose was going to be it for him.
"So, husband," Rose teased again, "exactly what kind of party did we crash?"
"I don't know," John scanned the room, looking for clues. "Let's find out," and held out the crook of his arm for her to take.
Rose set her glass down and wrapped her arm through his, letting him lead the way through crowds of people mingling. Nobody was dressed extravagantly so neither of them raised any suspicion as to why they were there. As they reached a particularly congested area, Rose squeezed closer to John and he shifted his arm and wrapped it around her waist, letting her body mold against his.
They reached a break in the crowd and they saw a buffet table with an array of food items. At the far end was an extravagant cake that resembled a globe engulfed in flames. John kept his hand securely around Rose's waist while she kept her body pressed against his and they walked up to the cake. Across the platform the cake was displayed on were the words, "Welcome to the End of the World."
"Well that's morbid," Rose commented.
"Yeah," John agreed, and he wondered what sort of party he dragged Rose into.
"Still," Rose smiled, "it seems like a nice party." She gazed around the room, taking in the décor and the people attending, "not too posh…" She looked off to the side and her eyes brightened, "there's even dancing."
John looked over to where she was staring and gulped, "uh…yeah." He hadn't danced in years and wasn't sure he even remembered how, but Rose was eager to get out there.
Rose could see the doubt in his eyes, "you don't dance?"
Before John could answer, there was a tap on his shoulder. He turned around to see a man with grey hair and matching beard.
"Dr. Smith," the man inquired and held out his hand.
John grasped his hand and shook it, "yes I am."
"I'm Dr. O'Neal, I put on this party to raise awareness about the destruction of our planet. I recently read your thesis about polar ice caps and climate change."
"Oh," John said as he realized what kind of doctor he was portraying, "…err…how did you like it?"
"Marvelous," the man exclaimed then took in John's appearance, "I must say, you're a lot younger than I imagined."
"I moisturize," John replied, and Rose quietly chuckled beside him.
The man turned his attention to Rose, "my apologies, miss," and he held his hand out to her. Rose placed her hand in his and he placed a gentle kiss to her knuckles.
John instinctively tightened his arm around Rose and pulled her closer, "and this is my wife, Rose."
"Oh," the man said excitedly to Rose, "your husband has been making quite a name for himself, you must be proud."
"I am," Rose said happily, "very proud." She wrapped her arms around his waist, "he's always going on about polar ice caps this and climate change that." She trailed her fingers down his chest while smiling up at him, "sometimes I have to snog him senseless just to get him to stop."
John's face turned three shades redder and the man belted out a huge laugh, patting John proudly on the shoulder, "well, I hope to talk to you some more about it later. Better yet, how would you feel about giving a speech later in the evening."
"Um, I'm not really prepared to make a speech," John answered nervously.
"If your work is any reflection on how you speak, I'm sure you'll do fine," the man grinned. "I'll give you some time to think about it." With that he walked away leaving John a bit bewildered and Rose with an amused smile.
"Do you know anything about polar ice caps?"
"Nope," John told her honestly.
"Do you wanna get out of here," she asked and teasingly pulled her bottom lip between her teeth, letting John know she wasn't opposed to leaving.
John's eyes were fixated on that lip and when Rose released it, John had to fight the urge to dive down and claim that lip with his own.
Shaking the thought away, John looked around at the crowd, seeing the man he just talked to. He was speaking with a very intrigued group and pointing right at him.
"Yeah," John grasped Rose's hand, "I think we should."
Slowly, they inched toward the door and John looked back at the group who was now watching him, except now they didn't look so intrigued, instead they looked enraged and he was fairly certain he knew the reason why.
John stopped immediately, and Rose looked to where his gaze had settled, then noticed a pair of security guards headed their way.
John looked around the room and saw a fire exit not too far away. For the second time that evening, John said to Rose, "run."
With their hands still clasped, they ran through the door leading into a dimly lit alleyway and continued sprinting away. They heard yells coming from behind, but they didn't sound very close. With darkness to mask them, they took cover around a corner.
They stopped and slumped against the brick wall, both gasping for air but their laughter made it difficult.
"Do you think they're still looking for us," Rose asked between breaths.
"Nah," John shook his head, "besides, what are they going to do, arrest us for having fun?"
Rose laughed again, "well, you definitely know how to show a girl a good time."
John beamed happily, he was worried he had spoiled their evening, but Rose appeared to be enjoying herself. He gazed down at her beside him as the moonlight casted down on her, enveloping her in a soft glow that made his heart skip a beat, "I'm so glad I met you." It was a thought he didn't realize he voiced until he heard Rose's breath hitch.
"Me too," she whispered back then her smile lit up her whole face causing him to smile in return.
John took a few steps backward and tugged on her hand, "come on,"
They exited the alley and walked out to a bustling street, full of night goers. They blended into the crowd seamlessly and continued along.
John took in their surroundings and seemed to have a plan in mind and Rose didn't question it, she was curious as to what he had planned next. Their hands remained entwined and John's thumb stroked hers periodically as they walked.
Rose pressed closer into John's side and laid her head on his shoulder. She wasn't sure why, but from the very start, John made her feel safe. She began recounting the earlier days events and thought about their odd meeting, which made her wonder.
"Why didn't you say somethin'," Rose asked, staring up at him curiously. "Earlier tonight, when I mistook you for Mickey and clung onto you. You didn't even try shaking me off."
"You were scared," John answered simply, as if that would answer all of her burning questions.
"Everyone was scared," Rose added, "that was the point, wasn't it?"
"Yeah, but you were scared before we even went inside," John said, "and your friend was nowhere in sight so…"
"Wait," Rose interrupted with a delighted grin, "you noticed me before I attached myself to your arm in that place?"
John averted his gaze, feeling his cheeks flush but thankfully it was too dark to notice. He could feel her eyes on him, waiting for an answer, but he was too much of a coward to answer. Like any coward, he avoided the answer by changing the subject.
"This way," he blurted out, tugging on her hand and breaking into a run.
Rose laughed and followed his lead, but she didn't forget about what they were talking about.
Ten minutes later, Rose was standing on the rooftop of a building, overlooking London.
"It's beautiful," Rose commented as she gazed down at the city. She stared out at the tall buildings in the distance, brightly lit and full of life, and here they were where it seemed so quiet and serene. She looked up and admired the stars that scattered across the sky, "do you come up here often?"
"Not anymore," John told her, "I used to all the time when I was little, but I moved away a long time ago. This is probably the first time I've been up here in years.
There was a hint of sadness and nostalgia in his tone that Rose didn't want to question, she was just getting to know John and she realized he didn't know much about her either.
"I sit on the roof at home sometimes as well," Rose said, "I go up there when I need some quiet, my mum is afraid to go up there."
John chuckled, "I know what you mean, my sister Donna has caused me to run and hide many times. I always said when I grew up I would move far away so I wouldn't have to deal with her, and here I am, still in London living just a few minutes away from her."
"Are you two close now," Rose asked.
"I suppose," he said, "we still butt heads from time to time because we are both stubborn, but she's all I've got…" he stopped abruptly.
Rose stepped closer to him and took his hand, "my dad died when I was a baby. It's just me and my mum now. I don't have any siblings."
"Consider yourself lucky," John said with a chuckle.
"I'm sure it's not that bad," Rose remarked, "sometimes I wish I had someone to grow up with, other than Mickey of course."
"Nah, she's not so bad," John admitted, "just a little bossy, but she means well considering she practically raised me."
"So, she's older than you," Rose asked cautiously.
John nodded and stared out at the city in the distance, "by almost ten years. She was only twenty when our mother died and since our dad left years before she had to take care of me."
"I'm sorry," Rose uttered, unsure of what else to say.
"Don't be," John shook his head, "she worked hard to keep us afloat and pushed me to become the man I am today."
"Did you always want to be a doctor," Rose asked.
"Pretty much, yeah," John nodded. "I always enjoyed science and after my mum got sick I used to sit at her bedside and try to take care for her. I was only a kid, so I thought that if I gave her water and fluffed her pillows just right I could…"
He paused and Rose stared up at him, his eyes glistening as he stared ahead of him recounting the memory. She brought his hand to her lips, gently kissing the back of it, and she could feel his sadness.
John snapped out of his trance once her lips touched his skin and he pulled away, "sorry, I didn't mean to…" he made a confused face, "I don't know why I just told you all of that." He rubbed his hand across his scalp and took a few steps toward the ledge, crossing his arms as he stared up into the sky.
Rose watched him as he began to close himself off and she had a feeling that this is what he's been doing his whole life. She wasn't sure how to approach him, but wanted to do something, and a thought came to mind. She pulled out her phone and began searching, grinning when she found what she was looking for.
John continued staring into the sky, he wasn't sure if he believed in heaven, though he wanted to. He always wondered if his mother was there, watching over him and wondered what she would say to him right now. She probably wouldn't approve of him ignoring his date like he was, but he wasn't sure how he was going to come back from what he just told her.
Part of him was afraid that she had run off while his back was turned and if he looked back she would be gone. He began to get more nervous with each quiet second that passed and the probability that he just mucked it all up became real. Then to his surprise, soft music filled that silence and John cautiously turned around, staring at Rose uncertainly.
Rose stepped closer, extending her arm out to him, "you know, I never got that dance."
A new fear took over, but John found himself walking over to her as if some unknown force was pushing him toward her. His hand took hers as his opposite hand wrapped around her waist and unconsciously, he began to dance.
It may have been years since he's danced, but with Rose it felt as natural as breathing. Their moves synced harmoniously and all his worries washed away. He pulled her closer and Rose rested her head on his chest, listening to his heart beating.
"You know, my mum always said that when something is bothering you, holding in your feelings only makes it worse."
"I just didn't expect to confess everything the way I did," John said as their feet stopped and he looked down at her "I never told anyone about that, not even Jack. We just met a few hours ago and for some reason, with you..." he gulped as he realized he was saying way too much again to this girl he hardly knew.
Rose never took her eyes off his, "I know, me too."
John reached up and stroked her jaw, running his thumb along her lower lip. She stared at him earnestly and he lowered his head, pressing his lips to hers in the softest and sweetest kiss Rose had ever experienced.
John dipped his fingers into her hair and their lips parted slightly in a gentle caress. There was no urgency to it, it was just John and Rose making a memory.
They broke apart and John pressed his forehead to hers, staring back at her. Rose's eyes brightened as she stared back and smiled up at him. Neither of them spoke and only the music in the background filled the silence.
It was a serene moment that was cut short as a light blinded them. A woman bellowed, "oi, spaceman," and John stiffened, taking a step away from Rose.
The redheaded woman approached, and she didn't look pleased.
"I was wondering what all that racket was," she complained and then looked at Rose with bewilderment.
"Sorry," John said and rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly. "Rose," he announced, "this is my sister, Donna. She still lives in the building."
"Me and several others," Donna snapped at him then greeted Rose with a pleasant tone, "it's lovely to meet you Rose. I hope my brother has been behaving himself."
Rose laughed, "yes, he has."
"Well, good," she said back then looked at John sternly, "it's getting late, not all of us have the luxury of sleeping in tomorrow."
"Alright," John told her, but couldn't hold back his smile.
Donna noticed this before saying goodnight and walking away. She didn't know who this girl was, but if she could make John smile like that again, she must be something special.
As John walked Rose home, she checked the time, seeing that it was well past midnight and groaned.
"Problem," John asked.
"My mum doesn't like me staying out so late without calling," Rose put the phone back in her pocket, "I guess I lost track of the time."
"So, what are you going to tell her," John asked as they reached her building.
"I don't know," Rose spoke nonchalantly, "say I ran off with a stranger, crashed a party," she bumped him with her shoulder, "…got married."
John laughed nervously and rubbed the back of his neck, then he followed Rose up the stairs and they stopped at her door.
"I think it would be better to just tell her we hung out with Mickey at the pub," Rose smiled as her tongue peeked out again.
John pulled her close and Rose draped her arms over his shoulders.
She gazed into his eyes, "tonight was amazing, I don't think I've ever had a more perfect date."
John's lips quirked in a small grin, "so, can I take you out again next weekend?"
"I'd be disappointed if you didn't," Rose replied.
"Fantastic," John whispered as his head lowered toward hers.
His breath ghosted her lips, but before he pressed his lips to hers, the door behind her swung open and they pulled apart.
"Well, it's about bloody time," Jackie bellowed with her hands on her hips. "Out all night, no phone call, you had me worried."
Rose ran her hand through her hair, "mum, I'm sorry. We were out and I just sorta lost track of the time."
Jackie's glare switched to John and he never knew such a small woman could make him feel so fearful.
"Who are you then," she snapped.
"Mum, this is John," Rose answered for him. She never felt more embarrassed in her life. "I met him earlier tonight."
"And then what," Jackie remarked, "you just take off with him? Exactly what where you doing all night that you couldn't call?"
"Oh my god, mum," Rose retorted, "we just went for a walk and out to eat."
"Sure you did," Jackie sassed then turned her anger back at John, "is this what you do, pick up young girls, have your way with them, then take them home when you're done?"
"I didn't have my way with her," John responded.
"And you won't," Jackie snapped and surprised them all when she slapped him.
Rose ushered her mum back into their flat, "I'm sorry I forgot to call, but I am an adult and capable of making my own decisions. So, can you please just go to bed and let me apologize for what just happened."
Jackie scowled at Rose and brushed past her into her bedroom.
Rose blew out a breath and brushed her hair back before going back out, hoping John would still be there. Stepping through the door, she found John waiting with his hand still rubbing his sore cheek.
"That hurt," he complained then broke into a smile.
"I'm sorry about that," Rose said.
John laughed, "never been slapped by somebody's mother before."
Although John was laughing, Rose still seemed sheepish, "so, you still want to take me out next weekend?"
"Absolutely," John beamed, "for another night out with you, I'd take a thousand slaps."
Rose grabbed his jacket and pulled him down for a thorough snog, catching him off guard, but he swiftly swept her into his arms and returned the gesture. They broke apart, said goodnight, and John headed home. As he entered his flat, which he shared with Jack, he was still grinning daftly.
Jack, who waited impatiently for John all night just to see how his date went, beamed proudly at his friend. "I take it things went well," he commented.
John nodded, "it was fantastic."