Closer to Fine
Art by Lady Amarra (LJ | comment) and and attempt-unique (LJ | e-mail | comment)
Chapter 4
Sarah was late again. She dashed out of the train and started dodging people as she headed for the exit. This worked well until she rounded a corner and ran right into someone. They both stayed upright, but Sarah watched awkwardly as the man's stack of books and papers scattered over the floor.
"I'm terribly sorry, please let me help you pick them up." She bent down so he wouldn't see how red her face was. She turned slightly and let out a gasp. "Doctor?" she blurted out before the man turned and she could see that it wasn't him. Feeling even more awkward, she apologised, "Sorry, I thought you were someone I knew." It was the curls and the height that had confused her, but he didn't look like the sort of man who would wander around wearing an insanely long scarf.
"And I think you're someone I'd like to know," was his cheerful reply. "Paul Morley." Thankfully, it wasn't rush hour and they quickly gathered his books up before the next batch of tube riders came through.
"Sarah Jane Smith. Oh, you have my book." It was the last one she picked up, World War Skaro by Sarah Jane Smith, the book proclaimed in bright red lettering, amid a desolate grey alien landscape. She'd been quite pleased with the cover to this one. "You're a science fiction fan."
"Guilty as charged. Are you really the Sarah Jane Smith who wrote this book? It's brilliant. Well, the cover is. I haven't had a chance to read it yet. Too busy marking exams. But I've read the others and they are brilliant." Paul grinned at her. "Perhaps you have time for a cup of tea?"
Sarah considered. She could come up with an excuse as to why she hadn't met Aunt Lavinia, or better yet, tell her the truth. Her aunt was always on her about being too hung up on the Doctor and not giving other men a chance, but providence had thrown one right into her lap and perhaps it was time to just take a chance. "I don't see why not. I just need to make a phone call."
Once she'd reassured Aunt Lavinia that she hadn't been kidnapped by mysterious aliens again, Sarah led Paul to one of her favourite tea shops, and indulging her curiosity by peppering him with questions.
Paul had been in town a week, having taken a position as a science teacher at Coal Hill School. Sarah told him a sanitised version of her work as a journalist. Talk turned to absurdities, to politics, to books and films, to childhood scrapes. Tea turned into a walk and then to dinner at a pub and then Sarah inviting him in for a nightcap afterwards. She wasn't sure who made the first move, but suddenly they were snogging desperately, and she was trying to keep her head long enough to get into the bedroom.
She couldn't remember the last time she'd been so attracted to anyone. Her hands tangled in his curly hair, and she was aware of him fumbling with the buttons on her blouse. He got most of them open before tugging it open in frustration causing the last two buttons to fly off. She'd never liked this blouse anyway.
Sarah woke up beside him the next morning, feeling a little overheated (had it really been that long since she'd slept with another human?), but otherwise content. He cooked her a proper breakfast and made sure she got out the door in time for her interview, but not before exchanging numbers and promising to call.
She didn't actually expect him to call, and in retrospect, she wondered sometimes if it would have bothered her if he hadn't. But he did. Another long conversation over the phone and she'd agreed to see a film with him.
She found the buttons as she was getting ready and she debated sewing them back on herself, but decided that was too domestic and sentimental for her. It might have been the first blouse he'd seen her in, but it was getting a little threadbare. Instead she tucked the blouse in the ragbag and returned to thinking about what to wear on their date.
He picked her up promptly, full of glee as he'd finished World War Skaro whilst she'd been working and had plenty of questions for her about her writing process, and where she came up with such great ideas. She fended off his hinting for spoilers for the next book with an enigmatic smile and finally changed the subject.
Dates followed, a whirlwind courtship ended in a quick marriage ceremony at the Registry Office. They settled into her flat, with Sarah feeling that perhaps, just this once, she'd got a relationship right.