songofsong | AU } Maybe in another life, we wouldn't be alone tonight

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AU } Maybe in another life, we wouldn't be alone tonight

Saturdays were always big days, but today, well, it was even bigger.

The World Museum was open to the trawls of parents and children that flooded in every weekend, a spell of bad weather driving in an even bigger amount than normal. What also helped, was the fact that a new space exhibition had arrived on the science level, one that Melody Pond had been angling for some time, and today was the big opening.

It had taken a lot of hard work and a lot of money, but it was finally here, and Melody was practically bursting with excitement as she zoomed around the museum, making sure everything was going smoothly. She'd heard there might be some special guests making a visit later, the kind of special guest that could possibly see her head hunted. Therefore, everything had to be running perfectly.

Passing one of her colleagues, Melody stopped him with a hand on the arm, requesting in hopefully pleading voice that usually got her her own way.

"Malcolm, would you mind standing by for the 3D showing? Just make sure everything goes to plan? Thank you, sweetie."

He was all too happy to oblige, which was why Melody had asked him in particular, and she watched him go with knowing look, unable to feel much happier than she did in this moment. With her hands by her sides, she did a little spin on the spot before she bounced off to continue with her duties, nothing able to wipe the smile from her face.

Everything was going to plan.

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She sighs as he walks off, looking down at the flowers she holds in her hands. They are lovely, and a thoughtful gesture. She only wishes she'd been able to thank him properly. Taking the flowers into the office, she spends some time arranging them into a vase before she sits back down to try and do some work, all the while distracted by the reminder of the flowers that sit across from her.

When six o'clock rolls round, she's glad to be out of there, if only so she can talk to James again and try and patch things over. She texts him as she leaves the museum, making her way towards the car park.

On my way. x

He loses track of time, sitting there, staring out at the water as he eats his meal deal sandwich he picked up from boots. It's a nice enough spot, at least, somewhere he can try and clear his head a little.

But then he's never been too good at that, has he? Well, other than that once. Cleared it pretty damn well then.

He doesn't realise the time when it rolls around to six, but even if he had, he has no intention of returning to the museum. He doesn't want another repeat of earlier.

When his phone beeps, he pulls it from his pocket, looking at it and taking a few minutes to reply. He notes, he gets a kiss in the text message. More than she could manage in person.

Not there. By the river.

Approaching her car, there's a solid sound of the doors unlocking as she climbs inside, phone still held in her hand. Tossing her bag on the passenger seat, she sighs at his response, taking a moment to reply.

Where are you exactly? I'll come pick you up. x

She determinedly puts another kiss on the end of her text message, even if she notes the painful absence of his.

He sighs at her response. Part of him wants to tell her not to bother, but he doesn't do that. What he does send, however, is rather unhelpful.

No idea. By a pigeon.

The pigeon as it happens, he's named Keith and been chatting to for the last hour. Interestingly, the pigeon stayed around almost like he was listening.

Still, he sends another message, not too long after with a more accurate description of where he is.

Her eyes roll at the annoyingly unhelpful text message, half tempted to throw her phone back in her bag and leave him to it. But a longer text follows through just in time, and she sighs, buckling herself in and setting off towards the river. A few minutes later, and she's prowling along the river bank, coming by the location he'd described to her.

She spots him on a bench, and pulls herself into a bus stop not too far away. With a short tap of the horn, she tries to get his attention. Not that that should be so difficult, considering the car.

Edited 2014-09-22 22:59 (UTC)

The noise of the horn catches his attention. He turns back to look, seeing the car a short way away. Swanky. He doesn't suspect for a moment that it's her. Not at first at least. But then it dawns.

"Oh you've got to be fucking kidding me," he mumbles under his breath, bringing himself to standing and shoving his hands in his pockets as he trundles over to the car, the electric window rolling down as he nears.

"Nice wheels."

When he comes over, the window is lowered so she can talk to him, her head dipping slightly to see him from under the top of the door. His remark is one she would've normally laughed at, but now she doesn't think it'd be quite so appreciated. She does smile though and hopefully takes her bag off the passenger seat.

It takes him a moment or two, as if he's thinking about it, but then he does take the door, pulling it open to step into the car, placing himself down onto the smart leather seat.

"Hi."

She's pleased that he's doing that at least, and when the door closes, she gives him a more sincere smile. "Hello," she replies, her voice a little softer, trying to make amends for the tone she'd use before. "I'm sorry about earlier."

The apology makes him drop his head and heave a heavy sigh.

"Yeah well I did feel like a bit of a twat."

"I'm sorry," she says again, wanting to make that clear. "I shouldn't have reacted like that, it was just a bad moment." She'd worried enough seeing him turn up unannounced, without it happening in front of the board. It didn't take much for a reputation to get damaged when you were that high up in the pecking order, and Melody knows a boyfriend young enough to be her son is just the kind of gossip that could see certain important gazes turn disapproving.

"Are you embarrassed about me?" he asks her, turning his head back towards her. "I have to know. Because if you are, you know, this won't work. You can't want to hide me away or hope I didn't see anybody you know. You get that, don't you?"

"No!" she stresses, adamant that he knows that's not the case. "Of course I'm not." If she was embarrassed, she wouldn't have been doing half the things she had with him. Most likely none at all. "It's just.. everyone else. They won't understand, and at work..."

She fades out, finding it hard to explain this, but she knows he deserves her honesty.

"You know what people are like. They'll make a scandal out of anything."

"Does it matter if they do?" he asks, looking at her with an honest curiosity. "Do your friends care? Wouldn't they just be happy that you're happy? Because you are happy, right, Mel?"

He hopes she is.

"Because if you're not then what's the point, right?"

"Yes, I am happy," she says, trying her best to assure him. "Honestly. But when it comes to work, sometimes people don't care if you're happy or not. It's whether they're happy." She hopes he can see her point, see the position she's in and the responsibility she has. She can't risk that, not so flippantly, not yet.

He looks at her, and while he does understand what her mean, really, he does, it doesn't mean the way she acted doesn't hurt. He can't forget how dismissive she was. She didn't want him there, and that sticks.

"Okay," he says quietly.

"So. Do I get that kiss now?"

Her shoulders slump gently and she breathes a small sigh when he relents. She smiles at his words, and nods her head in complete agreement, wasting no time in leaning over and giving him the kiss he should've had hours ago. Her hand comes up to rest against his cheek, putting a little extra something into it, to make up for everything.

James doesn't want it to be a kiss of passion, not the sort of kiss that's a prelude to removing clothes and heated moans. But rather the kiss you give to your boyfriend to say hello. As it stands, it's somewhere in between.

"That's more like it," he says with a soft smile, looking back at her.

"So."

"So," she echoes softly as she pulls back, giving him a smile. "I know you said you wanted to get something to eat, but I think I just fancy a night in tonight. I can cook for us, if you like?" It's also her way of trying to invite him a little further into her life, into her home.

"Oh I get my own personal chef, do I?" he asks, a twinge of a smile returning to his face. "Sounds good." He leans in to give her one more kiss, as if to just let her know that everything is fine.

"Back to yours then?"

The kiss makes her smile, and it's another small reassurance that hopefully puts today behind them. She nods at his words, sitting back in her seat and starting up the engine once more with a powerful sound. Not too long after that, they're off, heading towards her house. It becomes clear on the drive, if it hasn't already, that they're venturing into a more respectful neighbourhood. The houses become bigger, and further set back from the road, with some so far back, all one can see is a gate.

It's here that Melody pulls into her house, turning up a driveway, bringing the car round to the front of her house with a crunch of gravel. It's big, easily big enough for two, and too big for one, but there's still a sense of homeliness about it, and with the pristine gardens and clean windows, it's clear Melody runs a tight ship.

"Well, here we are!" she says cheerfully, climbing out of the passenger seat.

James sits, glancing out the window as the trees pass them by, as everything gets a little more lavish and expensive. He watches as she pulls up the drive, waits as she parks outside.

"This is your house?" he asks, incredulous as he looks back at her. "I mean, you actually live here?"

She looks back at his questions, giving a small laugh as though he was being intentionally funny. "Of course I do!" she says, shaking her head at him for asking such a strange question, before she locks up the Jag and heads towards the house. She rattles in her bag for the door keys, soon letting them into the house, with a hallway that's probably bigger than his kitchen.

She sighs in content as she slips off her heels, leaving them somewhat haphazardly by the door. It's clear she feels right at home here, and why wouldn't she?

"Coatstand's over there," she says, waving her hand at a corner, bustling into the house and setting her handbag on the console table. "Make yourself at home," she offers, pointing at a door just off to the side. "Living room's just through there. Can I get you a drink?"

James follows her in and looks around in silence. His mouth is almost agape, stood there in shock but trying not to appear that way. The house is like something out of Grand Designs, he thinks. He half expects Kevin McCloud to pop out and start monologuing. Everything looks pristine and in its place; stark in comparison to his flat, the whole thing probably no bigger than her living room.

He looks back to the coatstand as she mentions it. He had one like that, he thinks. But no, that's weird, he's never had a coatstand, has he? In fact his flat is more wherever things fall. Still, he shrugs out of his leather jacket and hangs it up on a spare hook. He turns, ready to walk into a room to look, but stops himself as he sees the carpet, glancing down.

"Oh yeah, yeah that'd be great. Anything you've got. Hey do you want me to take my shoes off?"

Melody glances back when he speaks, then down at the shoes on his feet, that are inches away from a carpet that's probably worth more than his entire month's rent.

"Yes, please," she says, giving him an apologetic smile. She'd only had the carpet fitted a couple of months ago, and it's still in the barely walked on phase. With that, she heads on into the kitchen, deciding to put the kettle on. She feels like a cup of tea is just what they need right now.

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