DIARY OF A HALF HUMAN TIME LORD

Chapter Nine

Jonathon finished changing into his outfit. He was wearing black trainers and black trousers with his red shirt and hat. He stood and stared at himself in the mirror with an amused grin on his face. He heard a mewing and saw Boots standing at his feet.

"Now don't you say anything, you cheeky thing, you," he said, picking her up and holding her at eye level. "This is what they want me to wear and as goofy as it looks, I'm gonna wear it."

"Mew," Boots said as she stared at him.

"Now!" he said sternly to her. "Don't go messing up the flat, peeing and pooping all over the place and then leave it for me to clean up. You are the misses of the house so I expect it to be neat and tidy when I return home, you got that?"

"Mew."

Jonathon's heart melted and he snuggled the kitten close to him.

"You are so cute!" he said as Boots purred and kneaded her claws. "You are cute, cutity cute cute. The Doctor was wrong when he said he didn't like cats anymore. Who couldn't like a cutey like you?"

He kissed her head, walked into the living room and set her on the sofa.

"Goodbye, puss puss, gotta go earn a livin'," he said, stroking her back.

He gave her another kiss on top of her head before he headed out the door.

"Hey!" Suzanne said when he came in the back of the pizza shop. "Look, he actually came back to work and didn't run away screaming from us in terror."

"Nah, I had a good time yesterday," Jonathon said, walking over to her.

Claudia raised her eyebrow.

"Had a good time, did Edward come by the pub and slip something in his pint last night?" she said.

"No, honey, he just loves being around us!" George said, coming up to her and putting his arms around her. "We're all just so charming, he can't get enough of us."

Jonathon chuckled at that. Everyone went back to work while Jonathon worked alongside Suzanne. Suzanne watched him closely and was impressed that he didn't need any help.

"You're good. Most people need a second day of training to get this right," she said.

"Well, isn't rocket science, is it?" Jonathon said.

Suzanne snorted.

"Try telling that to some of the idiots that have worked here," she said.

She gave him a worried glance.

"The lady that was in your flat last night, I hope I didn't do something to upset her."

"No, no, that's Rose. She's…my girlfriend."

Suzanne raised her eyebrow.

"Really? That was fast since you said yesterday you didn't have one."

"Well, she's an old friend and we finally decided to become lovers this morning," he said.

They turned their heads when they heard George wail.

"No! Someone beat me to it!" he said to Claudia and Richard as they laughed hysterically.

George grinned and winked at him.

"Only kidding, Pretty Boy. You can have her only if I can have you on the weekends," he said.

"Mmm, I'll think about it, George."

Everyone laughed when George beamed at that.

"Don't encourage him, mate. He'll be bangin' on your door at all hours," Richard said.

"Nah, I'll let Pretty Boy get his sleep. Don't want him coming in to work with bags under his eyes, ew."

They all laughed at that and continued making pizzas as lunchtime customers came in to order.

"Oh God, it feels good to go home and put my feet up," Suzanne said as she and Jonathon stood in the break room. "I get so tired easily nowadays. I s'pose it's the chemo taking a toll on my body."

She chuckled at the worried look on Jonathon's face.

"Don't worry, I'll be fine. You haven't seen the last of me," she said. "So…do you need a lift home?"

"Nah, Rose is coming to pick me up and take me out to eat and maybe we'll see a film."

"Really? She's coming here?"

"Yeah, she wanted to see where I worked and meet all of you," he said.

"Good, I'm glad I didn't scare her away with my shiny bald head," she teased.

Jonathon grinned at that and clocked out of work.

By the time Rose came to pick him up, everyone was waiting by the front door eager to see her. She got out of her car and smiled when she came inside. Jonathon's friends laughed when she gazed at his uniform with barely contained mirth.

"You look good, Jonathon. I'm guessing we'll have to pop round to your flat before we go out to eat then? Unless you wanna wear this?"

"Good ahead and wear it, mate. Free advertising for the pizza shop when you go to the restaurant," Richard said.

Jonathon smiled and introduced Rose to everyone. She shook everyone's hand and smiled warmly when she got to Suzanne.

"It's nice to finally meet you properly," she said.

"Yeah, you too. I'm glad you and him are a couple now."

"Me too."

She looked at Jonathon.

"So…you ready to go, Pizza Boy?"

Jonathon blushed as she put her tongue between her teeth and his co-workers sniggered at that. He and Rose waved and said their goodbyes as they went out the door.

After taking Jonathon home so he could change back into his street clothes, Rose took him out to a fancy restaurant that she knew of. Jonathon was slightly upset when he saw it.

"Rose, we could have just gone out for burgers. You didn't have to bring me here," he said.

"It's alright. I have more than enough money and you deserve something nice," she said, taking his hand. "Don't worry, Jonathon, I'm not going in stook anytime soon. Both Torchwood and my father supply me with more than enough money. Now come on. Just relax and enjoy yourself."

He nodded and followed her inside. The interior was large with white walls and carved Doric columns in the corner of the rooms. The tables were small with white tablecloths. Each one had a lit candle in a red glass vase and on the walls were pictures of hunting and outdoor scenes. The head waiter escorted them to a table near the back and handed them menus.

"This is nice, how'd you find out about this place?" Jonathon said, looking around.

"Dad took me here a few times. He comes here often to discuss business with clients and friends," she said. "Order whatever you like, don't worry about how much it costs."

"Okay, I'll have everything on the menu twice."

"Don't push your luck however," Rose said as he giggled.

The head waiter came back and both of them ordered tea. Jonathon ordered a steak dinner with baked potato and green beans and Rose ordered a chicken dinner with chips. The head waited took the menus and walked away.

"Rose, did your mum say anything to you or have you been home yet?" he said to her.

She rolled her eyes.

"I went home and yes, she had a few things to say but I told her I was an adult and I love you and that's that," she said.

"Yes, but I don't wanna be the cause of a rift between you and…"

Rose held up her hand.

"Jonathon, no. If anyone's gonna cause a rift, it'll be me. I wanna be with you. Mum and Dad might not like it but you know what? Tough. You're the one I wanna be with and they'll just have to accept it. Don't worry about it, Jonathon, let me handle them. Just concentrate on your new life here, yeah?"

The head waiter came back with their tea. They thanked him and he went away. Both of them fixed their cups the way they liked them before continuing with their conversation.

"I like your mates. They're all nice people and I'm glad Suzanne isn't angry that you pulled her away from me last night."

"I'm sorry about that. I mean, I shouldn't have done that…"

Rose held up her hand.

"Water under the bridge. We're sorting that kind of thing out now so don't worry about it," she said. "Like I said, this is our new beginning. It's the beginning of everything. What happened on the Crucible and Bad Wolf Bay is over and done. This…tonight, marks the beginning of our new life together."

Jonathon smiled at that. He reached across the table and Rose took his hand.

"And having said that, I want you to know that I love you as you are. You are Jonathon, not the Doctor and I get that, yeah? So no more fears of not measuring up to him or thinking I'm using you as a substitute for him. I'm concentrating on the here and now and my future is with you."

They squeezed each other's hands.

Jonathon opened the door to his flat and glanced around.

"Well, everything is still in order, I see," he said to Rose. "Bootsy's been behaving herself, nothing chewed or pooped on, that's good."

"I'm still taking her when you're not lookin'" she said to him.

"I don't think so, Tyler," he said while she giggled and winked at him.

She closed the door behind her which gave him pause.

"Staying a bit?" he said.

"I wanna spend the night with you again if that's alright," Rose said. "Mum is still angry and I'm really not in the mood to hear her rant about ya."

She put her hand on his back when his eyes lowered to the floor.

"Don't worry about it, I said. I'll handle her; you just concentrate on yourself, okay?"

He nodded.

"Are you gonna call her though and let her know you're here?" he said.

"Yes, but I'll do it here so I can hang up on her if she gets too loud and abusive."

Jonathon shook his head and she gave him a kiss.

"Relax, I can handle her. I've fought monsters before, haven't I…and don't you say it, Jonathon," she said when he got a mischievous look in his eyes. "I know you're dying to call me mum a monster but I'm asking you not to, okay?"

He nodded and kissed her lips. Rose let out a sigh and hugged him tightly.

"I'll use the toilet and then I'll ring her," she said to him.

He nodded. She gave him another kiss and headed for the bathroom as Jonathon went to check on Boot's food and water.

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