Hey guys. Sorry it's taken so long! I really thought I was gonna start and get on top of things but life had other plans, no time. No computer. No inspiration. It's made this update very late. Sorry! I will strive to do better!"Mum? You 'ere?" she beckoned Smith- John, over the threshold. He walked in with a bemused expression, leaning over to stare intently at the wallpaper.
"Rose? How did it go? Did you sort it?"
"Sort of." She grimaced as Smith rang his tongue over the wall and shuddered at the taste. A middle aged bottled blonde rounded a door into the hallway, a mug clutched in her hands.
"What'd you mean 'sort of'? Whose this then?" she gave Smith a suspicious look, holding her tea closer as if afraid he would try to take it. Smith apparently took this as his cue to start talking and leaped forward exuberantly.
"Hello! I'm John Smith, sometimes. You're Rose's mum I can tell, you use the same hair color. Rose brought me to meet you. It's been lovely, please keep your hands and lips to yourself they make me uncomfortable. Well… they don't at the moment but I think they might. Best to tread lightly. Can you tread lightly? It doesn't look like it. But looks can be deceiving, just look at Romans. You judge them and suddenly they turn into plastic. Pretty girls are like that. Except they don't turn plastic they turn into fish. Except Rose, Rose doesn't turn into anything do you Rose?" He turned to smile serenely at her oblivious to the stricken expression she was sharing with her mother.
"…This is John Smith mum, he was part of that thing I had to sort at work." She bit her lip, fighting inappropriate giggles as her mother gaped. She put a finger to Smith's mouth when he moved to interrupt. Jackie needed time to sort out all the information she'd been given. Her brain finally seemed to catch up with itself and she turned on Rose her expression quickly becoming stormy.
"Rose!"
"Wha'?" she blinked innocently.
"I said. I told you when you first interviewed if you got this job I didn't want you bringing home strays!"
"Mum!"
"What'd you expect to do with 'im Rose? He needs proper treatment!"
"It's only temporary!"
"That's what you said about the cat!"
"You've got a cat?"
"Shu' up Smith! We got rid of the cat."
"No, the cat ran off, and we still get strays."
"I told you to nail it up!"
"You're not pinnin' this on me young lady! That was your cat and this is your problem! Now you march him back to where you found 'im! He needs his own family Rose! And medicine!"
"I can't just take him back!"
"Why not?"
"Cause I can't!"
"Why?"
"Just cause!"
"Rose Marion Tyler you give me one reason why this man cannot go and get proper care!"
"Cause they kicked 'im out!"
Mother and daughter regarded each other in the otherwise empty hallway, neither noticing the sudden lack of a six-foot lunatic. Rose sniffled quietly, not sure why she felt such an influx of emotion for this strange man she'd known for less then a week. Jackie huffed out a breath, her resolve weakening at the sight of her daughter's tears.
"What'd they kick 'im out for?" her voice was noticeably gentler. Rose blushed slightly turning her eyes away from her softening mum. "Well?" Jackie pressed, some of the ire rising in her voice again at the avoidance.
"He… might've… threatenedtoblowupthedinnerladies."
"HE WHAT?!"
"But it wasn't 'is fault! He was just confused! He didn't even have a real bomb just a couple of parts from the radio! He even turned off the freezer!"
"What's the freezer got to do with it?!"
"That's where he put the lunch ladies."
"He put 'um in the freezer?!"
"While it was off! It was nothin'!"
"Rose Tyler if you think I'm goin' to live with a man who would put me in my own freezer you're crazier then he is!-Where is he?"
They stared for half a moment at the empty hallway, before exchanging panicked expressions, for entirely different reasons.
"Did he go outside?" Rose shoved past her mother deeper into the house.
"Nah I didn't hear the door." Jackie followed after her daughter.
"Smith?" She glanced into her mother's room. "Smith!" she was almost frantic as she rounded into the cramped living room and saw him stooped over the stove. "Smith! There you are! What you doing?"
"Rose!" His smile was almost blinding. "And Rose's mum. Have you finished your row? I've just whipped up some eggs, just in case, and a fresh pot of tea." He gestured as he spoke. "There was a man who loved his keys- or was it me? Did he love me? He kept spilling his soda, very messy, over and over- he loved my eggs." He flashed her a proud expression. "Are you hungry Rose?"
"Starved." Rose assured unable to keep from smiling.
"Brilliant! You sit down I'll get the plates, mum as well, I don't want her ruining something, no, just find her a chair!"
Rose ushered her mother to the couch as Smith tore around the kitchen. Her mother had a sort of dazed expression as she sunk into the pillows.
"Why'd he blow up the dinner ladies?"
"He didn't!"
"Yeah, alright, but why'd he want to?"
"I told ya'." Rose sank down next to her mother. "He was confused. He thought someone had stolen me, he was just tryin' to get me back." They were quiet for a moment, watching Smith's limbs flail around.
"What happened to 'im then?" Jackie asked at last, never moving her eyes from his writhing appendages. "Why's he like this?"
"Don't know." Rose leaned into her mother's side with a sigh. "Somethin' bad." She watched as Smith turned about, mouth still grinning and looked up into those strange green eyes, so old and tired and filled with too much of everything. "Something 'orrible."
Jackie Tyler squeezed her daughter's hand and consigned herself to just one more of Rose's strays…
At least this one could cook.
Never done Jackie before hope it was okay, as always R&R what you think, it keeps memotivated!