Chapter 4

Rose's diary.

Entry Date: Monday, 5th February 2018

'It's John's birthday today. Well, his creation day, metacrisis day, appeared-out-of-thin-air day. It still doesn't get any easier to think about his heritage, it's very timey-wimey and wibbly-wobbly.'

'I've booked a table at 'Felene's' in New New York, and a little surprise for him from his past. I hope he likes it, because having to separate my brain out so that he can see my thoughts when we're linked, and yet keep his surprise secret is killing me….'

The Doctor's Diary.

Entry Date: Monday, 5th February, 2018.

'Today is my fourth birthday. It still seems odd to think that I have over 900 years of memories, a body that looks around 40, and a son who is only one year younger than me.'

'Rose is taking us to our favourite restaurant in New New York on New Earth. I don't know what to have for the main course, and to be honest, I'm not that fussed because the banana fritter dessert is to die for. I'm going to wear my dinner suit that makes her weak at the knees, and she's wearing that low cut, silky, burgundy dress that does unmentionable things to my nether regions….'

Torchwood One, London.

Monday 5th February 2018.

John, Rose, Jack and Gwen walked into the Special Operations Unit Standby Room to a round of cheers and applause. They were caked in mud and their white teeth shone through their mud caked faces.

"I can't wait to read the report on this one," Andy said with a laugh.

"Oh it was brilliant!" John said enthusiastically. "The quadruped on the beach was a Doovarian Tusk Hound, a harmless pet. It had decided it wanted to go for a paddle and got away from it's owners."

"They were a bit embarrassed about it," Rose said. "Especially when it got stuck in the low tide mud."

"We managed to lasso it and pull it free but it then bolted back to it's owners ship, taking us with it across the mud," Gwen said with a laugh.

"It could have been worse I suppose, we could have been in a sewer," Jack said with a grin.

"Ugh. Which is where you keep your mind, Jack," Rose said, bumping his shoulder with hers.

"Okay you guys, hit the showers and let me have your report before end of shift," Andy said.

"Aye aye Cap'n," John said in a pirate voice as they headed towards the locker rooms, laughing as they went.

The shower facility.

Female locker room.

Special Operations Unit.

"So, you're off out for a meal tonight to celebrate John's birthday?" Gwen said as the steam in the female showers swirled around them.

"Yeah. I can't think too much about it because I don't want him to pick up any clues that would spoil the surprise," Rose said as she rubbed shower gel into her hair.

"Ooh, that smells nice," Gwen commented.

"Do you want to try some? It's from a herbalist on Shan Shen, it's a fabulous conditioner as well as shampoo."

Gwen held out her hand and Rose squirted a 'dollop' into her palm.

"Y'know, it must be weird having somebody poking about in your head," Gwen said as she rubbed the gel into her scalp.

"Not really," Rose said as a thoughtful look came over her face. "In fact, it's really wonderful. I can feel his love and affection, although it can be difficult not letting things leak out."

"Leak out?" Gwen asked.

"Yeah. We don't go bargin' in and rummage about in each others minds. It's like invitin' someone into your house and showing them to the living room. The other rooms are there, but you don't go into them unless you are invited. Sometimes though, it's like leavin' the bedroom door open and glimpsing someone in their underwear or somethin'."

Gwen giggled as she rinsed herself under the water jet. "It all sounds a bit scary to me."

"It was odd at first, but never scary. I felt so safe with John there, and now I would be devastated if he wasn't there in the background."

"So when did you first find out that you had a telepathic link?"

"Five months after we were separated. He called to me in a dream, but I knew it wasn't a dream. I knew he was there in my mind, trying to talk to me."

"Was that when you went to Norway?"

"Yeah. He knew he could send a projection where we could talk to each other. After that, it was when we were married…. He shared something with me." Rose saw a big grin spread across Gwen's face. "Not that! Well not at that point anyway. It was something from his life on Gallifrey, and it not only allowed me to understand the language, it allowed us to share our minds as well."

"Wow! I bet that was a shock."

"At first I only got hints of it, but then as I got better at it, I was able to feel his emotions, and then his thoughts, and now we can have normal conversations in our heads."

"And is he listening now?"

"No. How can I explain it? It's like the babble of conversation at a party. You know people are talking, but you don't really listen until you hear someone call your name, then you focus on what's being said."

"Oh right," Gwen said smiling. "That makes a lot of sense. I can see how that would work."

"Hang on, I'll show you," Rose said, closing her eyes. She reached out and felt John's consciousness. "He and Jack are chatting in the men's showers. I can feel John's anticipation about tonight. He suspects that I've got something planned but he doesn't know what. All he knows is that we are going to our favourite restaurant."

["Are you peeking into the men's showers Mrs. Smith? Shame on you,"] John thought at her with a mental grin.

"I was just explaining to Gwen how our telepathic link works," she said out loud as she thought back to him.

["Tell her I can see through your eyes and I like what I see. See how much she blushes."]

Rose snorted a laugh. "John says he can see through my eyes and he likes what he sees."

"Ooh the dirty bugger," Gwen said, trying to cover herself with her hands.

Rose burst out laughing. "Crimson," she said. "He's havin' you on Gwen. He can't see anythin' unless I let 'im. C'mon, let's dry off and write those reports."

The shower facility.

Male locker room.

Special Operations Unit.

"So, what have you got planned for tonight then?" Jack asked as he started washing the mud out of his hair.

John felt more comfortable in the showers with Jack since he had promised to stop flirting. When he had first started working there, Pete had been asked to have a word with him when some of the watch members who didn't know what he was like, said that they felt uncomfortable.

"I know she's booked a table at Felene's," John said as he rubbed gel under his armpit.

"Oh, do they still have the Catkind waitresses there?" Jack asked with a far away look in his eyes. "I dated one of them once. Celene, you'd have liked her, she had ginger fur. And when she purred in your ear..." he shivered at the thought of it. "And what she could do with that tail of hers..."

"Jack, is there any species in the galaxy that you haven't tried to get in bed?" John asked him with a laugh.

Jack paused dramatically, apparently thinking about it. "Only two I can think of off the top of my head."

"Really?" John asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Yeah. Cybermen and Daleks," he said with a grin. "But you wait until I get my cybernetic prosthesis, then there'll be some payback I can tell you."

Raucous laughter filled the locker room, the kind that can be heard in any male locker room on any planet in the galaxy.

"Going back to the topic of tonight, I know Rose is planning something. I can feel her anticipation, and a feeling, not smug, more like pleased with herself."

"I envy you your link with Rose. It must be great being so close in your minds," Jack said.

"yeah, it is. I mean I've always enjoyed Rose's company, even from when we first met. But now, it's on a whole new level, particularly when we are... well, you know."

Jack grinned at him. "Wow, what I wouldn't give to have that talent."

"And the universe breathes a sigh of relief that you haven't. All sentient life forms can sleep easy in their beds, safe in that knowledge. And some non sentient ones as well."

More raucous laughter floated out of the showers.

"Ah, talk of the devil. I can sense her consciousness. Are you peeking into the men's showers Mrs. Smith? Shame on you," John said and thought. He smiled as he listened to Rose. "She's explaining to Gwen how our telepathic link works."

Jack was grinning. "Tell her you can see Gwen," he whispered and winked.

"Tell her I can see through your eyes and I like what I see. See how much she blushes." John burst out laughing when he got the reply. "She went crimson."

"Result!" Jack said laughing and punching the air.

Operation's Office.

Special Operations Unit.

The four agents had changed into their 'civvies' after the showers, as it was so close to the end of their shift. They had finished typing up their reports and were waiting to hand over to White Watch at 16:00, when the lights went out.

"What's going on?" John asked. He could see that the lights were on in the Standby Room, so it wasn't a power cut. Then, a source of illumination slowly came around the corner and through the door. It was a food trolley with a flat, blue cake on it with…. he counted 44 candles on it.

'They say life begins at forty', Rose had told him, so it made sense for his life to have started at forty and count up from there.

"Happy birthday to you / Happy birthday to you / Happy birthday dear John (Doctor, Dr. Smith) / Happy birthday to you."

Rose leaned over and kissed him on the cheek. "Happy birthday Love."

Everyone cheered and applauded as he stood and walked over to the cake. Of course, it was a police box, with the candles grouped in the square windows.

"Oh you guys," John said with a smile.

"Blow out the candles Doc," Julia shouted.

John took a deep breath and blew, moving his mouth over the candles until they had all gone out. Another cheer went up.

"Did you make a wish?" Chrissie asked.

John waggled his eyebrows as he looked at Rose. "Oh yes," he said quietly as she handed him the knife to cut the cake.

Felene's Restaurant.

New New York.

New Earth.

John and Rose entered the restaurant and approached the lectern where the maître D stood. John was wearing black tie, and Rose had managed to get his hair into some semblance of order with a dollop of hair gel. She was wearing her copy of the dress that she had worn in Cardiff on their second adventure in the old universe, complete with the shawl and hair style.

The maître D's ears faced forward and his whiskers twitched as he smiled. "Good evening. May I be of service?"

"Er, reservation in the name of Smith," Rose said with a smile.

The maître D looked down the list on his lectern. "Ah yes, the special for table three." He looked up and smiled again. "Happy birthday Dr. Smith."

John looked at Rose and gave her a warm smile, before looking back to the maître D. "Thank you."

"If you would follow me, I will take you to your table." He weaved his way between the tables to where the four piece band were playing soft 'swing' music that matched the low, ambient lighting. Rose was seated first, followed by John. The maître D clicked his fingers and a grey furred waitress approached with two menus.

She was wearing a short black skirt that allowed her tail to swish around her legs, and a white blouse that revealed a little of her furry cleavage. The fur that was visible was in the pattern of a tabby cat.

They took the menus off the waitress, who took out her digital pad. "Would you like a drink while you look through the menu?"

"Ooh, yes please. Can we have a bottle of your best house wine please," Rose said, smiling at John.

He raised his eyebrows. "The best house wine?"

"Only the best for my birthday boy. Now, I'm havin' the home made spicy vegetable soup for starter, followed by that gorgeous nutty flavoured roasted fungus that they do here."

"Well, I don't like to seem like I'm being a copycat Rose, but that sounds delicious." He stopped and then grinned at what he'd said. "Copycat, in a Catkind restaurant. That's a first."

The wine waiter brought over the wine and poured a sample for them to try. When they nodded their approval, he filled their glasses and left. The original waitress came back to take their order.

They held hands across the table and chatted about recent events.

"Do you think we're far enough away in time and space from your mother and the birthday party mess up?" John asked.

Rose giggled. "Oh come on. Everyone understood how the misunderstanding happened, and all the guests thought it was very gallant of you to try and save Mum's birthday from disaster, even Mum herself."

They laughed at events earlier in the day that had seen them plastered in mud. Rose heard a couple on the table next to them trying to decide what to order.

"I really don't know what to order Flax," the female said.

"Well it has such a good reputation that probably anything you order will be delicious," the male replied.

"We can recommend the spicy homemade soup and the roast Kachtka," Rose said.

"Oh, thank you young lady. What do you think Bree?"

"I'll go with that," she grinned. "I'm Breeyana and this is my mate Flaxakata. It's the anniversary of our union."

Rose and John congratulated them on their anniversary. Their faces had the appearance of tapirs, with a trunk like snout, and their ears were a smaller version of elephant ears.

"I'm John and this is my wife, or mate, Rose. We're here to celebrate my birthday."

They started chatting while they waited for their food, and carried on the conversation through the meal. This is what John loved about travelling; meeting people and hearing about their lives. Ordinary people were the most fantastic thing in the universe.

"I think you know what I'm ordering for dessert," John said after finishing the main course, his eyes sparkling with anticipation.

Rose attracted the attention of the waitress who gracefully glided over to their table.

"Can we have one banana fritter and one chocolate ice cream sundae please," she asked.

"Certainly madam. I'll be right back."

A few minutes later they were enjoying their desserts like a couple of children, making all sorts of appreciative noises and giggling at each other. When they had finished, they sat back in their chairs, patting their tummies and making more appreciative noises.

The band finished their latest set and diners who had been dancing stopped and applauded. Rose nodded at the maître D, who went over and spoke to the band. They started playing their next tune and John looked at Rose with a glint in his eye.

"You arranged this didn't you?" he asked her as 'In the mood' started playing.

"Uh-hu," she said with her tongue between her teeth.

He stood and held out his hand. "Come with me if you want to dance." She took his hand, walked onto the dance floor and started to jive.

"So this is what you've been keeping secret then?" John asked as Rose twirled back into him

"I haven't been keepin' secrets," she said as she twirled away, finishing hand in hand at arms length.

She twirled back to him again. "Okay, have it your way, but you've been radiating subterfuge for days."

"You think you are so clever, don't you?" she said.

He waggled his eyebrows. "I'll have you know, I am clever."

The tune finished and they applauded as they made their way back to their table. They sat down and John poured some more wine. The band started playing a gentle rhythm in an unusual arrangement.

John looked at Rose with a frown. "I know this tune."

Rose gave him that smile, the warm, loving smile that lit her face. The band leader took the mike and made an announcement.

"Ladies, gentlemen and other denominations. For one night only we would like to present our alter ego, the Hot Five Take Two."

The diners clapped, while John looked puzzled. "The Hot Five? That was the name of our band on Gallifrey. That tune they're playing, it's one of ours…. and they're a lukewarm four."

"But look on the stage," Rose said. "There's a rhythm guitar that needs a guitarist."

"Please welcome onto the stage, our guest guitarist for tonight, Dr, John Smith."

John looked at the bandleader opened mouthed, and then looked at Rose. She grinned at him and opened the door on her surprise. When EJ was born, he had shared his memories of his early life on Gallifrey.

At college, John used to play a guitar like instrument in a band called 'Hot Five'. Rose remembered the tunes that he had played when playing at Blyledge's party, one of the 'big' names on Gallifrey. She whistled and hummed the tunes in the TARDIS, and the TARDIS transposed the tunes onto staves of a music score.

John stood, leaned over and kissed Rose lovingly on the lips. "Did I ever tell you that you are amazing?"

"I think ya might 'ave mentioned it, yeah. Not so clever now, are ya?" she said teasingly. "Go on, they need a guitarist." She squeezed his hand before he made his way onto the stage.

John shook the hand of the bandleader. "What have we got then guys?" he said looking at the rest of the band.

"Your wife sent us these scores. Fancy a jamming session?"

"I'm a bit rusty," john admitted.

The band leader grinned. "We're flexible with the rules Doc. We can improvise."

John returned the grin and put the guitar strap over his shoulder, taking the plectrum from between the strings. He read the music score and strummed a chord. It was a bit like 'Duelling Banjo's' to start with, but they soon warmed up and the music started to flow.

While other diners danced, Rose sat resting her chin on her hands, elbows resting on the table. With tears in her eyes, she grinned like a love struck groupie. (Which of course she was) She watched her husband relive moments from his youth, and thoroughly enjoy it. John was also overcome with emotion. He could not believe that his wife had planned and organised this surprise for his birthday.

The Hot Five Take Two finished their jamming session to tumultuous applause. Rose put her fingers in her mouth and whistled as John stepped off the stage. As he reached the table they kissed and embraced.

"Ladies, gentlemen and others, please take your partners for the last dance," the band leader announced as 'Moonlight Serenade' started playing.

"Oh Rose, that's perfect," John said as they smooched onto the dance floor. The couple from the adjacent table slowly rotated past them, their snouts dancing around one another's. Catkind were also dancing, their tails rubbing intimate areas of each other's anatomy. John raised his eyebrows as he remembered what Jack had said about those tails.

The music eventually stopped, the house lights slowly increased their brightness. The band leader made a final announcement.

"Ladies, gentlemen and others. Please give it up for Dr. and Mrs. Smith…. Good night and have a safe journey home."

In the middle of the dance floor, John and Rose were lost in the moment of a spectacular snog. The other diners 'ahhh'd' and gently applauded. They separated their lips and blushed when they became aware that they were being watched.

While John visited the toilets, Rose went through the main doors which were being held open by a Catkind doorman. She gave a squeal of surprise when a trio of over sized pepper pots passed close by. They stopped and an eye stalk rotated to look at her.

"Are you in need of assistance? I detect elevated levels of stress hormones," the Dalek said.

"Oh, sorry. No I'm fine. You startled me as I came through the door."

"Apologies…. Accessing Dalek database…. You are Rose Smith, wife of the Doctor, John Smith, from the planet Sol III."

"Er, yes I am," she said with a nervous smile.

"Then we have a question for you…. Would you like to purchase some recreational drugs?"

"Wha'?"