It was a very cold day in February 1974 when a Doctor I hadn't seen before came into our shop to warm up.

He looked as if he had stepped out from a 19th century period film or portrait. Chin length brown curls that framed his long jaw and high forehead. Light blue almost grey eyes that looked around at the world as if each and every thing was something new and exciting.

I closed my eyes checking my Mind Palace, this was the one known as the 8th Doctor. I reopened my eyes and set upon making the Doctor his tea. He had barely sat at a table before I set a nice steaming cup of Earl Grey in front of him, sliding a banana beside the cup.

"It's on the house. I think you'll like this."

"Do you often serve your customers before they order?"

"Only the special ones." I winked.

Manicured fingers patted smiling lips, "Do I know you?"

"Not yet."

"What's this for?" He pointed to the banana.

"Potassium. Bananas are good."

His fingers touched the banana as if it were some strange new organism before peeling it, "Odd. I remember this." He bit into the banana and talked with his mouth full, "I like this."

I giggled, "Rest here til you go off on your next adventure then."

I went to turn away but a strong hand caught mine.

"I know you, don't I?"

"You will." I smiled before leaving after he let me go.

Dinosaurs roamed the centre of London early March 1974. Mrs Lovett and I sat in our rooftop garden watching as the massive reptiles lumbered along. We shared a tray of biscuits between the two of us as we drank our tea and coffee.

The coffee shop became the stop for the youth in our area of London.

We never hid the truth of alien attacks and often would keep news articles that were reprinted after the effect, we took to framing the most interesting ones on our cafe's walls.

When a heavy cloud descended upon the Earth we encouraged our customers to stay inside until the toxin cleared.

Our regulars calmed down the newbies when the doors to our shop stayed closed not letting anyone in or out until the toxins were cleared outside.

After that we drew a tad bit of attention from Torchwood from our in-the-knowness.

The Torchwood agents were never able to come in because our shop would never let in anyone it didn't trust.

Our shop's sentience was one of the many little discoveries I made over the years despite its efforts to hide its subtle song in my mind.

It had been a little over 5 years since Martha Jones popped in for a visit, when she came back.

I had heard as my sister had arrived down the road.

'Oh how I've missed you!'

'I've missed you too Sexy.'

Martha Jones came into the shop as if it was the first time she'd seen it.

Her eyes travelled across the framed newspaper clippings lining our walls.

I had made up their usual, including the banana, by the time she made it to the register.

I felt Martha's surprised gaze upon me.

"Oh…It's you."

It would seem this was the first time in her timeline she'd been here.

I placed the to-go items in front of Martha.

"I haven't ordered yet."

I smiled, "He'll like it, I promise. How is he?"

"He misses you." Martha frowned, "He'll do this thing where he'll talk out loud to you, and then he'll look over and realise its me."

"I'm sorry that must be awkward." I couldn't summon up much sympathy. I missed him so terribly, it ached. So many years passed by and I had only gotten glimpses of him.

Martha shrugged.

I leaned forward on the counter, "So tell me what was your last adventure like?"

Martha then proceeded to tell of an art exhibit with an ancient Egyptian princess's artefacts, a talking cat, and an agent of the Shadow Proclamation.

"If you want, give him this clue: the Pantheon."

Martha raised her eyebrow, "Why don't you do it yourself?"

"I'm seeing you out of order. I have to wait until its my time in my timeline to see him again." I shrugged, "You know the standard timey wimeyness."

Before I knew it 14 years had passed, I had watched my students grow up. Some even start to have their own children or get married. I got into the practice of wearing my hair longer, framing it around my face to look older. Still I got comments of how well I aged.

Then in December 1977 Jack came back.

"Let's go on a date."

Mrs Lovett broke a dish.

I turned to see Jack come through our doors as fresh as a daisy.

"Where have you been, old friend?"

"Someone turned me into Torchwood."

I looked behind me at Mrs Lovett, "Nan?"

"He touched you without permission. I would have done more but…"

"Your Nan found out the hard way that I was much more durable than an average pet."

I let out a long sigh.

Living with a Time Lord that pretended to be a sweet old grandmother who was a villain in disguise was an interesting life. Especially when that villain had an odd sort of fascination with you. I'd wake up some nights just to see Nan watching me as I slept, it was creepy but they never crossed the line beyond holding my hand as I slept.

Of course there was a reason for that too, one that allowed me to see beyond the creepiness as long as they were not harming people around me.

"Nan, we are going to have a talk about this later."

"I'd do it again." An almost pout came on the older woman's lips, "I don't regret it."

"I doubt you do. Still." I turned my head back to see Jack watching the interactions between Nan and me with a quizzical brow. "So what's the plan for the date?"

"Star Wars premiers tonight. What do you think?"

I could feel my grin widening, "Sounds absolutely fantastic!"

Jack would come and visit off and on through the years.

Nan and him never had a cordial relationship but at least Nan stopped threatening him after I spoke to them both about boundaries.

The long way around was growing increasingly harder and by 1985 I was tired of it.

"Rose?"

I lifted my head to see a familiar face with inquiring blue eyes and big ears.

"Hello My Doctor." I leaned across the bar, "Have you seen me already in the past?"

He nodded.

I let out a sigh of relief, "At least I'm seeing you in order."

I made up his Earl Grey tea with a little bit of honey, sweeter than his next regeneration liked it, before placing it in front of him along with the customary banana.

"I wish you could come with me."

"You will see me soon enough."

The Doctor reached out and held my hand, "What about you?"

I nibbled on the inside of my lip as I fiddled with my apron, "I'm taking the long way back to you."