Title: Not Just A Fairytale Romance
Chapter: Five
Pairing: Sarah Jane/(older)Maria
Rating: General
Chapter Summary: a flashback and one more huge revelation for Sarah Jane
Chapter Five
::Flashback::
The excited young woman with the cropped hairstyle and denim motorcycle jacket held a spare helmet out to her friend.
"Come on Sarah Jane, it'll be fun!" The older woman stared at the offensive headgear.
"Those things are bloody dangerous! It's not that I don't trust you, it's everyone else on the road that I'm worried about."
"Come on! We've come face to face with some of the universe's most feared and dangerous aliens, saved the world a hundred times over and you're worried about taking a ride on a motorbike?" Sarah Jane could still hear the faint American lilt to Maria's voice even after eighteen months back in England.
"Yes." She said definitely.
"Put the helmet on. You won't regret it, I promise." Sarah Jane looked at the dazzling expression on the face of her young friend and her heart melted. How could she even think of turning Maria down?
"Alright, but not too far ok?" Maria grinned, and Sarah Jane found it both infectious and cute. She pulled the fitted helmet over her head and fastened the buckle underneath her chin. Maria started up the admittedly comfortable looking bike and waited for her passenger to hop on. When Sarah Jane eventually got her right leg over the vehicle and her backside on the seat, she held herself as stiff as a board and her arms went rigid at her sides. Maria grabbed hold of Sarah Jane's arms and wrapped them tightly around her waist. Finally she was able to set off out of Bannerman Road. Half an hour later they were outside of the M25 and somewhere near Windsor. Maria pulled up in a lay-by beside a large park surrounded by woodland. She cut the engine and indicated for Sarah Jane to get off the bike. Maria kicked down the side stand and stood the bike on its side as she got off herself. Both women unfastened and pulled off their helmets.
"So...what did you think?" Maria anxiously asked her passenger. She looked over at Sarah Jane who seemed to have the biggest grin on her face.
"That was...oh wow! My God, my legs are like jelly." Maria giggled.
"I thought you'd enjoy it. Come and sit down for a while so you can wind down from the adrenaline rush." They sat on the grass together, watching children playing football and dogs chasing balls and sticks around the hilly green space. Maria looked to her friend and beamed one of her secret smiles. Sarah Jane caught her and couldn't help but blush under her gaze.
"What?" She asked her young friend. Maria shook her head
"Nothing." How could Maria tell Sarah Jane that she was thrilled to have been the one to put that rare, genuine smile on her face? To have been the one to show her some fun that had nothing to do with Aliens and danger and running for their lives? How could Maria tell her friend that she was falling deeply and passionately in love with her? Maria leant her head on Sarah Jane's shoulder and sighed.
"Maybe one day." She whispered to herself.
::End Flashback::
Sarah Jane had sent Luke and Clyde to school despite their moaning and groaning. Clyde had been the main instigator, but Luke had obviously been taking lessons from his friend. Sarah Jane hadn't known whether to be angry or just amused. She had had to assure them that they wouldn't miss out on any 'action' and that the future version of their friend was still going to be there when they got home. Maria had still been asleep while they'd had breakfast and Sarah Jane hadn't known whether to wake her or leave her be. It had sounded like a long battle with the Nyladrones so far, and the younger woman had looked exhausted. But by the time Sarah had shooed the boys out of the front door, the shower had been on and she'd heard Maria padding about in the guestroom.
Sarah Jane had a fresh pot of tea, hot buttered toast and several packets of cereal set out on the dining table by the time Maria made it downstairs. She'd never seen such a grateful look on someone's face before.
"You must be starving, you didn't eat anything yesterday and you mustn't forget that the baby needs sustenance too."
"How can I forget? I'm only just getting over the morning sickness stage!" Maria exclaimed wearily.
"Is it that bad?" Sarah Jane was genuinely interested. She'd never experienced pregnancy, had never stuck around in one place long enough to know of someone who had gone through it either. She also had to admit that she felt a little invested in Maria's pregnancy, especially considering that she was the other parent, albeit in a future capacity.
"No, not really. I suppose I've been quite lucky. Then again, I haven't really had time to think about it much. I've just had to get on with it." Sarah Jane watched as Maria devoured the toast and then poured herself a large bowl of cereal. Whilst the younger woman ate her second breakfast, Sarah Jane poured out the tea. She placed one of the mugs in front of her guest and held onto the second for herself.
"Right, well after you've finished your breakfast I think we need to continue our conversation from last night. We've still got a lot to discuss as you haven't given me much information to go on." The compassionate, kindly Sarah Jane was suddenly replaced with the distrusting woman Maria met the previous night. She was business-like and to the point, just like when she dealt with an Alien threat, only Maria felt like she was the threat and not part of the solution. Maria sighed; it looked like she was in for another long day.
"We have time Sarah Jane, not much, but we've still got time."
~*~ ~*~ ~*~
"You're holding something back. If I'm even going to consider doing this I need you to show all your cards – no secrets. You said that there would be consequences relating to the future invasion, for me personally." Even Sarah Jane balked at how accusatory her words sounded. But she needed to mean them; she couldn't afford to make a mistake.
"I can't, it's too much." Maria shook her head and looked as though she was going to break down any moment.
"Considering what you've told me so far, I don't think you can use that line." Maria had told her so much. Sarah Jane couldn't understand how it was possible for her to do that. Hadn't the Doctor always said that you shouldn't contaminate timelines? Now that she knew what her future held, couldn't she now change any number of the outcomes? It was stupid of Maria to think that one more glimpse into the future would damage the original timeline any more than what she had already told her.
"I meant for me! It's too much for me to...oh god! Sarah Jane, you're dead. You died early on in the invasion. That's why I haven't had the chance to tell you...her about the baby. I can't do this without you, I had to come back. I miss you so much." Maria began to cry. The strong and determined woman that Sarah Jane had finally got used to seeing was falling apart in front of her. Sarah Jane was shocked at the truth she was finally getting from her friend, but pulled the younger woman into a hug to comfort her.
"Ssh it's okay Maria. It's going to be alright, I promise. Okay, we'll do this. We'll do this somehow and we'll win." Maria looked up at Sarah Jane through her watery eyes and inched closer. Maria cupped her hand round the back of Sarah Jane's head and pulled her closer. Maria kissed Sarah gently, before kissing her with a desperate force. Despite her internal reservations, Sarah Jane found herself kissing Maria back for a few moments. They parted breathlessly before Sarah backed away sharply.
"I'm sorry, that shouldn't have happened. Even with everything you've told me, you're still my Maria Jackson, the 17 year old girl I spoke to on the phone only a few days ago."
"I'm standing here in front of you from the future, at nearly 40 years of age, pregnant with your daughter and you still think of me as a teenager!?"
"You've got 20 years on me Maria; I'm still trying to get my head around so much." Sarah Jane failed to admit that the kiss had also knocked her for six. She couldn't explain it properly, that it had felt so wrong and yet so right. That it felt like coming home, but like losing something at the same time. She wanted more, but she also wanted to have never met this future version of Maria. They stood at a stalemate, breathlessly staring at the other until the moment was interrupted by the postman shoving letters through the letterbox.