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

[songofsong]

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.

Comments

[bowtimeandspace]

"No," he says, but he seems distracted, as he glances around. Even her fridge is huge. It's more than a little overwhelming, more than a little unnerving.

The mention of her son has him glancing back again. They don't speak a huge deal about him, but it seems like she does so easier here. Well, that's hardly surprising.

Carefully, he pushes himself from the counter and starts to pad around the room, heading through to the vast lounge. Jesus Christ it's huge. He stops at a mantle, and picks up a photograph, a young man, pretty handsome, smiling back at the camera as he wears a cap and gown, a graduation maybe.

"Is this him?" he calls back, stepping back towards the doorway, frame in hand. "This Toby?"

[songofsong]

Two mugs of tea poured, Melody turns back to see him holding a framed picture of Toby. "Yes," she says, her smile brightening at the sight of it. Such a fond memory.

"I do love that photo," she says happily, which is clearly why it has pride of place on her mantlepiece. "It was the day he graduated from medical school. He got First Class Honours, you know?"

[bowtimeandspace]

It's strange to look at the picture. In ways it's almost like looking into a mirror. He can't help but remember that this guy is older than him. Older and a hundred times more accomplished. Still though, he finds an odd sense of something that almost feels like pride to hear that.

There's a question though. One he could hold back, could pretend doesn't make him curious. But it does. It really does.

"What happened to his dad?'

[songofsong]

She's carrying his mug over to him when he asks that question, and it catches her by such surprise, she stops, the tea sloshing over her hand. She makes a confused yelp of sound, caught between pain and shock before she hurriedly goes to put the mug down on the island, grabbing a tea towel to mop the scalding liquid off her hand.

"Oh, damn it!"

[bowtimeandspace]

James' head snaps back up when he hears her noise, and he heads over quickly, a little concerned. "You okay, Mel?"

[songofsong]

"Yes, yes," she insists quickly, shaking her head at herself as she wipes up the spilt tea. It had caught her off guard, so much more than it should've done. It was like for one moment, everything had stopped.

The questions still resonates with her though, and as she stands there, she's still not sure how to answer. She's really not sure. She almost has to think for a moment, work it out. What did happen to him?

But she just as quickly remembers, and shakes off the moment. She often has to do that.

"He, er.. he died some time ago," she eventually says quietly, looking down at her hand and checking for burns.

[bowtimeandspace]

He's touched a nerve, he thinks, well before she explains. It's hardly surprising though that it might be a difficult topic, and he already regrets asking. It's when she confirms the reason though that he falls a little solemn.

"I'm sorry," he says with a slight frown. Losing people, having them die, it's a pain he doesn't want to imagine. But then James has never lost anybody, has he?

"Were you... were you married?" he asks, not sure if he should be pushing further, but almost finding the need to know.

[songofsong]

"Well, of course we are!" she reacts, turning to look at him with a laughable insistence she can't quite find a reason for. She just as suddenly stops, watching him for a moment, her eyebrows raising in some pained confusion before she looks down at her hand again, flexing the sore skin.

"Of course we were," she tries again, amending her mistake. She keeps her eyes upon her hand for a moment, wondering why she isn't wearing a wedding ring. Why did she never have a wedding ring? Why has that never crossed her mind before?

[bowtimeandspace]

It's all a bit strange. He can't quite pin down why or exactly what. But it's strange. He looks at her, watches her. It's almost like she was talking to him then.

But she looks oddly vacant, empty, shaken. He doesn't know what's done it, but he wishes he could stop it.

"Hey," he says, stepping up and setting the frame down to the side before going to her, a hand to her cheek. "It's okay Mel, I'm here. I'm right here. You okay?"

[songofsong]

There's something more soothing in those words than he realises, and she nods to show she's heard him, taking a great comfort from the touch of his hand to her cheek. It's powerful, the way he seems to calm her, and everything settles once again.

He's right there.

"Yes. Yes, I'm fine," she assures him gently, swallowing down her emotions. "I'm so glad you're here," she then adds before she can help herself, exhaling a soft breath.

[bowtimeandspace]

"I'm always here," he tells her, sure and true and with more conviction than he's ever said anything. "I'm always here, okay? I've got you now, and you've got me." It's almost too serious, and really would be if he stopped to have a think about it. But he doesn't, simply speaks what feels more natural than anything.

"We'll look after each other, won't we?"

[songofsong]

It feels natural to her too, and there's no hesitation or doubt when she nods again, believing everything he told her, despite how not so long ago she had doubted what he wanted from her. Right now, in this moment, it's clearer than it's ever been.

"Always," she promises him, without even thinking it through, without realising that it's the kind of thing a wife says to a husband.

[bowtimeandspace]

There's a twist of her smile, and it brings forth one of his own. His hand strokes gently against her cheek, and for a second it's almost as though a shadow crosses his face, settling in his eyes.

"There you are," he says quietly. "There you are."

[songofsong]

She smiles knowingly at his words, looking up at him, coaxed by the gentle stroke of his hand to her cheek. "Of course I am," she says softly. Because where else would she be but right besides him?

[bowtimeandspace]

There's something much more aware in him now, a flash, a change. He takes a deep breath and presses his head forward against hers.

"Oh I shouldn't be here," he whispers, strained. "How did I get here?' he doesn't really know, doesn't really recall. But then he doesn't really exist, either.

"Anywhere but here."

[songofsong]

Her eyes close the moment his forehead touches hers, and she releases a soft breath as she feels him lean against her. "You shouldn't be here," she agrees softly, barely even thinking about what she's saying, the words simply falling more naturally from her lips than anything she's spoken in the past twenty years.

"Neither of us should be."

[bowtimeandspace]

'Oh you should," he says, closing his eyes tightly. "This is exactly where you should be. Safe. Happy. But not me. Not me. I don't know how I found you."

He sighs, and almost cautiously allows his eyes to crack open, looking towards her.

"And you shouldn't be able to find me. How did you find me?" There should be so little of him left, he knows that. He doesn't know much but he knew what was attacking him. He knew what it would do to him. There shouldn't be a him to find. But yet? She has managed it.

[songofsong]

"Because I always find you," she insists softly, bringing her hand up to hold his cheek, guiding him to look at her. She smiles gently, knowingly, brushing her thumb along his cheekbone. "You can't hide from me, dear. You should know that by now."

[bowtimeandspace]

"I'm not hiding," he tells her, insisting, a slight shake of his head but still keeping his face close to hers. There are near tears in his eyes but they look into hers.

"We have to stop this," he says. "You know we have to."

[songofsong]

"I don't know how," she confesses softly, sadly, shaking her head at him. So often she has all the answers, but not this time. She can't help him remember, because she can't afford to remember. Their very lives were at risk, simply from the truth of their existence.

[bowtimeandspace]

"Neither do I," he sighs. It won't hurt him, of course. The thing that will do that is already inside him. But her? Oh it could hurt her. It could most definitely hurt her.

"Who am I?" he asks, not for his own identity, of course, he knows that, or at least he does in the moment. But the man who walks around with his body, he doesn't know him. He didn't orchestrate that life any more than he's drawn hers for her.

[songofsong]

Her head slowly shakes as she answers, watching him with some sadness. "Just a lost, lonely man," she says softly, tears in her eyes. "But it's okay. He found her, just as you found me."

[bowtimeandspace]

it almost makes him sob, such a comment. Oh this was never supposed to happen. They aren't supposed to be together, not like this, and he shouldn't be able to even think all of this.

But then just as he's about to speak again, everything is shattered. The front door opens and a woman's voice comes blaring along the corridor.

"Melody! I've got that box set you lent me!"

[songofsong]

Before she can say anything else, the front door bursts open, and the moment is gone. Her head snaps aside suddenly, alarmed by not only the sudden arrival, but the fact someone's walking in on, well, this.

It takes a second for realisation to hit her before she moves away from James, heading to the kitchen door. "Laura?" she asks, standing in the doorway and giving a small laugh at the sight of her friend. "Did you like it?" she asks, going over to take the DVDs from her, while very much aware that sooner or later, if she doesn't spot him in the kitchen behind her, she'll clock the shoes and coat besides them.

[bowtimeandspace]

"Yes! Ooh you didn't tell me how hunky the vicar was. I wouldn't mind a bit of--" but Laura's words are cut short as she notices the young man a few feet away in the kitchen.

"Ooh now who's this?" she asks, no preamble as she steps around Melody and heads into the kitchen.

"One of Toby's lot?"