Word Count: 2,163

A/N:This chapter is Rose and the Doctor's first meeting. Again, I know this says bank robbers AU and we will actually get to the bank robbing at some point, Unbeta'd so all mistakes are mine.

Rose ran a hand over her hair as she stepped into a posh London restaurant, straightening the long strands the wind had mussed on her way in. Reflexively she tugged on her dress as well, nervous habits that she'd never quite been able to kick getting the best of her. Jack had called her back this afternoon and told her to be here at 8 to meet the hacker he'd mentioned. After a day spent reviewing the Agency's blueprints and security systems, Rose had slipped on her favorite black dress and red heels and made her way to the restaurant downtown. She let her hips sway a bit more than normal as she approached the maître d' and inquired about the table Jack had booked under one of his aliases.

So she was a bit nervous about taking on the Agency, she would have to be crazy not to be. But this, this playing of people, whether they be the maître d' who had stolen about three peeks down her cleavage in their 45 second interaction or the still unknown hacker, this was definitely in her wheelhouse. She had handled her fair share of computer geeks and if this one Jack had described as "perfect" (that was all he'd tell Rose, refused to give her a name or description of the man she would be working with) was anything like the majority of them, then half her mission would be accomplished as soon as he caught sight of her in this dress. If she was going to work with someone, she was definitely going to be the one in charge. The easiest way to ensure that situation was to establish dominance tonight and Rose was not above using her physical assets to do so. The corners of her lips lifted in a smirk as she let a waiter lead her to the table and she felt eyes following her. It was a rather spectacular dress, if she did say so herself.

The waiter came to a stop at a table in the back corner. Rose could not help the sharp intake of breath at the sight that was waiting for her there. This was not a normal computer geek. Her eyes wandered over the man lounging at the table as she waited for her chair to be pulled out. His face was all sharp angles and prominent features; big ears, big nose, and a pair of piercing blue eyes that were sizing her up. The combination shouldn't be attractive, Rose told herself, but it undeniably was. An inch or so of brown hair graced the top of his head and Rose wondered if it was as soft as it looked. Catching that thought, she shook herself out of her mental wanderings. This was a job, not a date. Clad in a black leather jacket over what appeared to be a maroon t-shirt stretched tight across a broad chest and wearing a pair of black jeans, he did not fit in with the rest of the diners in the restaurant, dressed to the nines, or with her mental image of a hacker

"So you're the one that our mutual friend wants me to break my no-working-with-partners rule for," the man's voice came out in a rough Northern burr and he swept his eyes over her again, an unimpressed look on his face.

Rose fought back a shiver, feeling the gaze like a physical caress. He might be unimpressed with her as a potential partner in crime but there was heat in his gaze. Apparently the dress had achieved its intended effect after all. Letting her earlier smirk creep back on her face, Rose leaned forward and rested an elbow on the table top, providing him with a view down her dress if he chose to take it. "Rose Tyler, at your service," she purred as soon as she saw his eyes flicker downward.

"Can I get you two anything to drink?" The waiter stepped up to the table, oblivious to the tension crackling between the two patrons. Rose picked a red wine off the list at random and ordered a glass and her companion asked for the same. She watched him listen to the waiter rattling off the night's specials before finally leaving and then caught his eye.

She relaxed back in her chair, keeping her eyes locked with his. "So, who are you?"

He mirrored her position, leaning back from the table. She could hear the creak of leather as he crossed his arms across his chest. "John Smith."

"Seriously?" The posh accent Rose had been affecting disappeared and her rougher London accent came through instead in her shock. "Come off it, no one's actually named John Smith."

"Think I know my own name, thanks." John's voice was dripping with condescension.

"I think you think you know lots of things," Rose shot back, annoyed. "If you want to give me an alias that's your choice, just know that if we're going to work together you're gonna have to trust me."

This time it's John who leans forward, propping his elbows on the white tablecloth. "That's where you're mistaken, Rose Tyler," he wrapped his voice around her name deliberately, tasting every syllable. "I don't have to do anything, especially not trust you." He leaned back again and the corners of his mouth turned up the slightest bit, the aura of danger he had been exuding dissipating as quickly as it had appeared. "Don't trust anyone, me."

Rose caught her bottom lip between her teeth as she contemplated her next move. If the last few minutes were any indication, this John Smith was going to give her whiplash with his changing moods. "So how do you know our mutual friend?"

Neither of them was going to risk actually using Jack's name, could never be too careful when the Agency was involved.

John shrugged his shoulders. "How does anyone meet him? I was at a pub drinking and he tried to proposition me."

She couldn't help it, Rose burst out laughing. The few diners at nearby tables turned to look and Rose clapped a hand over her mouth to stifle the noise but her shoulders were still shaking. A glance at John almost set her off again; he looked rather alarmed at her outburst.

"Sorry 'bout that," she said, wiping an errant tear off her face. "God, I needed a laugh today. That's just so him though. I take it you didn't accept his offer?"

"Not my type," John said. "Plus, he didn't even buy me a drink before asking. I've got standards."

Rose continued to giggle and John felt the corners of his lips stretching into a smile in response. This girl was quite the mystery. Jack had refused to tell him anything, just saying that she was an extremely good thief and perfect for the job. John knew Jack did not give out such recommendations lightly so he agreed to give her a shot. She'd walked into the restaurant wrapped in that black dress, just exuding sex; the exact kind of person he'd expect Jack to associate with and one that, while he definitely appreciated the look of, he would not have worked with. But within a few minutes, the act had disappeared and the sophisticated woman had turned into a London girl who teased him about his name and trust with steel in her voice. Just as he thought he'd finally gotten a read on her, she went and threw her head back and laughed without caring that people were staring. John just did not know what to make of her. He couldn't even figure a good estimate on her age. When she'd walked in, he'd pegged her at around 28 but now that she had dropped her mask a bit he was inclined to think she was closer to 24. A puzzle for sure and one he was going to spend some time trying to figure out.

"So how did you meet him?" John asked, curious if she had a similar story to his.

"Lifted his wallet." Rose grinned mischievously at him, tongue perching between her teeth. At his dumbfounded look she continued, "He noticed though and tailed me back to my flat where he asked for it back and then proceeded to try and proposition me."

"Did you take him up on it?" He shot her words back at her.

"Nah, not my type either," she said, raking her eyes over his torso again. Just like that, the tension that had been present when she first sat down at the table was back.

John leaned forward again and opened his mouth but before he could actually speak the waiter appeared again with their wine and an inquiry as to if they were ready to order. He didn't know whether to be relieved or annoyed. He should definitely not be engaging in or encouraging this flirtation or whatever it was. Watching Rose turn her charm on the waiter while she asked what his suggestion for dinner would be, he was acutely aware that she was not just a thief. Jack had mentioned it briefly and seeing her interact like this made it glaringly obvious that she was a grifter in addition to being a thief; someone who could manipulate people as easily as he manipulated computer codes and definitely someone to be wary of.

Rose finished ordering and the waiter looked to him for his order. He picked something he remembered hearing in the spiel about specials earlier and handed over his menu. The waiter disappeared and it was once again just him and Rose.

His guard back up, John redirected the conversation. "Do you understand exactly what taking down this target entails?"

Rose bristled at the condescension in his tone. "I'm not an amateur if that's what you're tryin' to get at. I'm very good at what I do and this job's difficult but do-able with a bit of tech support."

"Is that what I am? Tech support?" On his lips, the last two words sounded like they were the vilest poison.

"Don't like the terminology?" Rose asked, tone sickly sweet.

"Not particularly, no. I'm a bit more than tech support."

"Well if ya don't like being talked down to, don't do it to me." Rose bit out the last few words. "You're not the only one breaking a no partner rule for this job so don't act like you're doin' me some huge favor by being here." Rose put her elbows on the table, leaning closer to John, brown eyes boring into his icy blue ones. "We're here to help our friend and I'll be damned if a hacker with an attitude is going to keep me from doin' that."

"Fine, but don't go thinking you can manipulate me. I've seen your type before; pretty little grifters who think that if they flutter their eyelashes the entire world will fall at their feet," John said, crossing his arms again. "Doesn't work on me and anyone trying usually regrets it."

"Bet that's why Jack couldn't charm ya," Rose muttered under her breath.

John glared at her, not deigning to comment on her aside.

"Okay, let's jus' make an agreement to work on this as equals; no bullshit." Rose said, breaking the stalemate. "We don't have to like each other, we just need to find a rhythm for this job to help Ja-" She paused with her mouth open and gave a sheepish smile before continuing, "our mutual friend. After that we can go back to our separate lives. That work for you?"

"Yeah, sounds fantastic." John said after a moment's consideration. Then he flashed a manic grin that caused Rose to blink a few times in shock as it was unexpected in the tense atmosphere. This whole dinner was just confirming her earlier thought that his moods were going to give her whiplash. She took a sip of her wine and let him guide the conversation into more innocuous waters; the merits and challenges of different kinds of security systems.

Throughout the rest of the meal, they stayed on neutral topics; tricks of the trade and a few mutual acquaintances. Declining desert, they asked the waiter to bring the bill. They both pulled out cash to pay with and Rose started giggling again. This time the giggles were joined by a low chuckle from her dinner partner. When they parted it was with plans to meet the next morning at a neutral, secure location to begin designing their attack on the Agency.

As Rose walked away from the restaurant, using what Jack had taught her to ensure she wasn't being tailed; she had to keep reminding herself that the dinner had in no way been a date. Regardless, she couldn't keep the smile off her face as she unlocked the door to her flat. Tomorrow would include John and planning the theft of a lifetime and it could not come fast enough.