A/N: And chapter three is up! Finally, at least you didn't have to wait as long as you did for chapter two. Also I have revised the last two chapters and added new things and taken others out, so it might be best to refresh your memory before you read this chapter.

Disclaimer: If I told you I did own Doctor Who, you would burst out laughing

Chapter 3

Jack seriously needed to invest in a map. This upset in the universe, whatever it was, had screwed with his memory of where things were; the national bank was where the library used to be, and the dentist seemed to have completely dropped off the side of the Earth. And maybe it had. Needless to say he wanted everything to stop playing the fools and right themselves before he totally lost it.

He had one question, only one: Why was he, of all people chosen?

Then up popped the Doctor, rambling away to his heart's content, to his audience of one, telling Jack that this is why he should never eat and drink certain chemicals, trust cats, or sleep in the rain. He really was starting to lose it wasn't he?

Speaking of the Doctor, boy that man was hot. To be honest, Jack had thought he was attractive back before, when he had been all rugged and icy, but now he was all great hair and bottom lip and... This was a problem. Jack gulped. Especially since the Doc and Rosie looked like they were really getting cozy, but then again, when hadn't they? He'd be better off finding someone else to get hung up on. But all the people from his past probably wouldn't know him now, or were dead as far as he knew.

He was screwed. Well, he could always warm up to that Sarah Jane, but she was more likely to give his a kick to the ass than a friendly hug, especially after what happened with Jenny. But hey, it might be worth a shot.

And so he found himself in the the Riverside Café again pinned, yet again, to the door by a steely glare from the owner. So maybe this hadn't been the best idea.

"What do you want?" Sarah Jane snapped, folding her arms.

"Well, I want a lot of things doll, but I dunno how many of them you can help me with." He shot her an easy smile. She scowled in return, "I'll have a coffee with one cream and a sugar to start."

"Fine." She certainly was a basket of cuddles and kittens, wasn't she? He probably deserved it though, "But don't get too comfy."

"Wouldn't dream of it." He muttered. He should've gone to a pub instead, people were a lot less cold there, but then again, they weren't as... special. Yup, he was screwed. That was going to be his legacy: got a girl pregnant, made the wrong broad mad, and because of that, things went way south.

"Coffee, one sugar, one cream." Sarah hissed and plunked the mug down in front of Jack.

"Hey listen, sorry about yesterday..." He muttered, taking a sip of his coffee. Even if Sarah Jane hated him, she sure did make a good mug of joe.

"Pardon?"

"I said sorry about yesterday. I cared for her, okay? I really did. And to be honest if it were possible, I'd still be with her." Jack stared into his cup, waiting for a thrashing from Sarah, but when nothing came, he continued, "And then of course I saw those two over in the corner and thought I recognized them, but well I guess not. Just that kind of face, huh? She looks like a friend of mine from a while back, Jenny looked like her too. Jenny was better than that friend." Sarah didn't look impress, "Come on, doll, let me make up to you, okay?" He grinned.

"If you're going to get anywhere with that idea, you've got to lose the nickname." She tutted, looking down her nose.

"Yes, ma'am." He sat up straight and saluted her. Okay so maybe it wasn't the worst thing he'd ever done, "Anything else?"

"No shouting, over obscenity, and no smoking in the café. Do you understand?"

"Yes ma'am."

"And stop calling me "ma'am"!" Jack grinned,

"Then what should I call you?" A small smile crossed her neat brow,

"Ms. Smith."

"And you can call me Jack Harkness." He grinned, holding out his hand. She glanced down at it before turning around,

"That's a start, Mr. Harkness." Maybe he would make a friend after all, "And go apologize to my niece, you git."

~oOo~

"He held..." No, no, no, that wasn't right. "He clutched..." Closer. "He grasped..." Perfect. John had been having writers block. He had slammed head first into an infinitely tall, concrete wall of nothingness. It felt great. And Rose certainly didn't help with the dead end. She kept catching his, not on purpose, he was sure, but he couldn't concentrate, not when she had braided her hair for the first time or smelled of freshly baked sweets. She was a wonderful distraction.

"Concentrate. Now, deep breaths, and think, John, think." This is what he'd been muttering to himself for the past hour or so. "Any ideas? Come on brain think, will you? Urgh!" He rubbed his eyes furiously. This process was getting him nowhere. Maybe he should take a short break, yes that should help. He gulped down the rest of his tea and wiped his mouth with his sleeve. He could feels the extra radicals and tannins at work, John just hoped they would have the write effect. He ran his fingers through his hair, scouring his mind for anything. Nope, no, hmm? would that fit, no. He was still stuck behind the towering blockade. Wonderful, just bloody wonderful.

"John? You okay?" He jumped,

"Huh? Oh, yeah, just peachy." He mumbled, smoothing his hair down as Rose plopped down in the seat across from him.

"Come on chin up, what's the matter?" He sank lower in his chair, and pouted. He looked like a petulant child with his arms folded and lower lip jutting out, "What? Did wittle Johnny get stuck?" His lip stuck out further. Rose giggled, "Oh cheer up, you won't stay stuck forever."

"How do you know?" He asked glumly, "How do you know that I'll find something to write about?"

"Cos it happens to everyone you twit." She ruffled his hair, "Now come on, if I give you another cuppa and a muffin will you keep trying?"

He nodded and sat up, ready to stare at the screen for however long it took.

Rose returned moments later with food in tow and all attempts to continue writing were lost for the time being.

~oOo~

The day passed slowly in the Café, a steady, sluggish stream of customers flew in and out of the door. Tea, coffee, and baked goods were made and sold and made again. Tips were normal, if a little on the light side, but everyone seemed happy. Sarah Jane was in a good mood. And now that that Harkness man had said what he'd had to say and left, things had returned to normal.

Tomorrow, Sarah decided, she was going to brainstorm options she could add to the menu. Maybe sandwiches or soup. She had drinks and snack foods, sure, but more and more people were looking for something heartier. Soups and sandwiches it was then. She just had to figure out what flavors, but she had plenty of time. She sighed, she had too much time it seemed. Maybe she should invest in something larger. A puppy. But they were so difficult to train and she didn't want to put newspaper down on every surface. A cat? Too independent, even if they could be cuddly. Definitely not a goldfish, they were dull. She had often wished she had a child, but again they wee so much work, yet her brother seemed incredibly happy to have Jenny. Maybe one day before she got too old.

She sighed and stood up, before stretching her back and carrying on with her job. There was coffee to be made and more batter to be mixed, there always was, and how much more, Sarah Jane did not know.