A Beautiful Friendship 1/3
Title: A Beautiful Friendship
Rating: Blue Cortina/PG-13 for violence and a little language
Author: liquorishflame
Spoilers: for LOM 2.06
Summary: Five times Rose Tyler met Gene Hunt.
A/N: Written for catyuy's challenge about the five times Rose and Gene met :) Beta'd by the incomparable sytaxia :)
Who can't stand to see a little girl cry'>
1997
Rose met him for the first time when she was nine. She'd been playing outside in the dirt, just drawing with a stick and dreaming, when two boys she didn't know walked up.
'Hey, kid.' She stood up, brushing off her pink skirt as she looked at them. They were much older then she was. Teens. Nothing but trouble, that's what Mum said.
'What's your name, sweetie?' said the second boy, popping his gum.
'I'm not going to tell you,' she shot back.
The gum-chewer laughed. 'She's got a mouth on her for such a small kid. How old are you? Five?'
'I'm nine. I'm small for my age.' She held the stick in front of her defensively.
'You wanna earn some money? Maybe for some sweeties or a movie?'
She said nothing, just stared at them.
'If you let us touch you, we'll give you a quid. How does that sound?'
'No,' she said firmly, now holding her stick in front of her like a sword.
'Oh, come on,' the gum-chewer said as he stepped closer.
Rose kicked the boy hard between the legs, feeling rather smug as he curled up in a ball on the ground.
'That'll teach you to be such a pervy git,' she said smugly as she stood over him.
'You little bitch!' said the other lad, grabbing for her. She turned to run up the stairs to her flat, but he blocked her way, arms spread. Ducking under them, she ran out of the estate, shouting for help at the top of her lungs.
She was running and running and running, and her lungs were hurting. But she couldn't let them catch her. Suddenly she bumped into someone. Looking up, she saw a tall man wearing sun glasses and a brown leather jacket.
'What's all this, then?' he asked. She looked up at him, wide eyed, and then hid behind him as the two boys came dashing up.
'Oi! You two! What're you chasin' the kiddie for?'
'Oh, we's just...playin. She's our cousin and we're baby-sitting her. Come on, love.' He held out a hand, but Rose hid even further behind the man, grabbing his hand in hers. He looked down at her, and then up at the boys.
'What's your name, kiddo?' he whispered.
'Rose,' she whispered back.
He nodded turning to the boys. 'All right then, she's all yours.' He pushed a cringing Rose in front of him, towards the boys.
'You just run along and take cousin Annie with you.'
The boy smiled nastily as he held out his hand to Rose.
'Yeah, come on, Annie sweetheart.' He was suddenly blocked by the man.
'Sod off, you little bastard. You're not her cousin.'
'Get out of me way, old man,' sneered the kid, pulling out a knife.
Rose looked on in horror as the boy scuttled forward, swinging the knife in the air.
The man moved in a blur, faster then she could see, grabbing the kid’s hand and squeezing it until he dropped his knife.
'Now, I don't know what it is you think you're doing, but I don't take kindly to kiddie fiddlers in my city. In fact, before tea time, you and your mates’ faces will be in every cop house in London. So be a good lad and skip off!' He pushed the kid away, and he and his mate ran off.
He knelt down by Rose. 'You all right?' She threw her arms around his neck, hugging him tightly. After a second, she felt strong warm arms encircle her.
'Ey there, it's all right, it's all right. Hush now.' He picked her up and she snuggled into his shoulder.
'I'll take you home. Where do you live?' She pointed wordlessly back towards Powell Estate and he started walking. It was nice this, like what having a Daddy must feel like.
'I was scared.'
'I know you were, petal.'
She buried her face in his coat.
'Not supposed to be scared. I'm not little kid.'
'Being scared keeps you safe sometimes. If you hadn't been scared, you wouldn't have run. You wouldn't have shouted for help, and I wouldn't have heard you.'
She nodded. 'I guess.'
He pressed a kiss on her forehead and she felt tears pricking her eyes.
'I wish you were my Daddy,' she whispered before she could think. There was a deep chuckle, making her frown.
'I'd make a terrible Dad.' So he wasn't laughing at her. Relaxing, she smiled.
'No, you wouldn't,' she said, pulling back from his shoulder to look at him. 'You'd be super.'
She looked keenly at him. 'Are you blushing?'
'Nah, me? I'm too old for that soft kinda shit.' He blushed again and Rose giggled.
'My Mum'll clean your mouth out with soap if she hears that. You'd like my mum,' she said shrewdly.
'Jesus Christ, a seven year old matchmaker.'
'Nine.' she said, pouting.
'Alright, nine then.'
They were at her door. Rose pointed to it.
'Knock,' she commanded him, grinning.
'Yes yer highnessness,' he muttered cheerfully, doing so.
The door opened and her mum looked out. 'Rose!' She yanked her out of his arms. 'Who do you think you are, walking around with my baby girl like that? Men like you should be locked up, I shouldn't wonder! It's sick, sick and evil what men like you get up to. Well, what are you waiting for, me to call the police?'
'Muuumm!' Rose wailed, nearly dead from embarrassment.
'Actually missus, I am the police.' The man took off his sunglasses and gave Mum a brilliant smile. She looked at him warily.
'Let's see some identification, then.'
Sighing, the man pulled out his warrant card and showed it too both of them.
'See, that's me. Gene Hunt, DCI.'
Mum softened and started to simper, 'Aw, I'm so sorry officer Hunt. You can't be too careful these days. Would you like a biscuit? Cupppa tea? Lemonade? Gin and tonic?'
The man was shaking his head 'no' to all of those, but paused on the last.
'Well...nah, better not. My DI'd have me hide.' He bent down to look Rose in the eye. 'You take care of yourself, Miss Rose. Never know what's around the next corner, right?'
Rose nodded. 'Right.'
He turned and walked away. Her mum sighed wistfully as she watched him go. 'Just look at that arse…' Rose coughed loudly, smiling.
'Oh, sorry, love.'
Rose had nightmares for the next few weeks about the boys chasing her. Her mum was even talking about sending her to see a doctor, but Rose put her foot down. She wasn't going to give the kids at school more reasons to tease her. So she'd picture herself taller, older, wearing black sunglasses and a brown leather coat. 'You're nicked!' she'd say, pointing to the imaginary teens, who took to their heels and ran. The nightmares eventually went away.
1933
The Doctor and she had landed in Manchester for emergency repairs en route to Felabour (apparently, the sixth moon around a purple sun, a thousand, thousand light-years away). She was wandering around by the canal, killing time, when she heard someone crying. She looked around, but couldn't see anyone. Then she got down on her hands and knees, and saw a boy curled up inside a cardboard box.
'Hello,' she said as she looked at him.
He sniffed. 'Hello.'
'What're you doing under there?'
'Hiding.'
'From who?'
He didn't answer her.
'It's okay, you can tell me.'
She reached out a hand to him. He scooted further back into the box, his eyes wide. Sighing, she ran her fingers through her hair.
'My name’s Rose. What's your name?'
He looked at her, his eyes wary.
'I suppose... I could make up a name for you. How about Frank, Frank's a nice name.'
He made a face.
'Well, all right, how about Gerald?'
He giggled. 'Terrible name!'
'Joesephine?'
They both laughed this time. 'You're right queer, you are,' the boy said.
Rose's eyebrows went up, and then she smiled. 'Oh, you mean strange.'
'Yeah, strange.' They giggled again as the boy crawled out of the box.
'My name’s Gene Ethan Arthur Hunt.'
Rose's eyes widened with amazement. 'You're Gene Hunt?'
The boy looked at her. 'Yeah. What's the problem?'
'Oh... Nothing. You just look more like a Frank.' She punched him playfully on the arm, only to draw back her hand as he hissed in pain. Gently, she pushed up his sleeve to reveal a lurid black and purple bruise. She looked at him for a second, and then smiled, standing up and holding out her hand to him. 'Come on, I know where we can get some chips.'
Good thing she remembered this place: Rene's Fish and Chips, est. 1928. They walked inside and sat down at a booth.
'Have a menu.' she held one out to him.
He gave her a disgusted look. 'Can't read yet.'
'Oh, right.' They both leaned over the menu, Rose pointing to various things and helping Gene sound them out. Finally, they decided and Rose waved to the waitress.
'What would you like, dears?' she said, her hands folded in front of her.
'I'll have the chips with cheese, and my friend will have...' She turned to Gene.
'Traditional style fish an' chips.'
The waitress nodded and took their menus.
'So Gene..'
'I fell off me bike,' Gene said quickly.
Rose just looked at him. 'I was gonna ask what you want to be when you grow up.'
Gene shrugged, relaxing. 'Dunno. Maybe a milkman. Or a football player.'
'Or a policeman?'
Gene scowled hunching over. 'No.'
'Well... Why not?'
'Cause... Me dad's a policeman.' Gene looked down at the table, fidgeting. 'I don' wanna be like me dad,' he said softly, not meeting her eyes.
'Oh.' They sat there silently, waiting for their chips.
When they finally came, Gene wolfed his down, barely seeming to chew them.
'Hey there, go slow! They're not going to run away, you know.' Rose smiled at him.
'Da hash show gud!' he mumbled.
'Sorry, can we have that again in English?' she teased.
He swallowed. 'They taste so good!' He smiled at her and she smiled back. On impulse she grabbed his hand and pulled him out of his seat.
'Come on, I'm going to take you to see a friend of mine.'
'Wait!'
Rose stopped.
'You have to pay!'
'Right, right...' She rummaged in her pocket, thankful that she'd made the Doctor get her some money for their layover. Counting it out, she put it on their table and dashed out.
'I'm sorry Rose, but no.' The Doctor stood resolute, crossing his arms, making his leather jacket creak softly.
'But, why! Why can't we bring him with us?'
The Doctor looked at her, his face solemn. 'Time Lords have an innate sense of how time moves, how it lives and breathes. If we take him,' he pointed at Gene, 'away from here,' he pointed to the world outside the door, 'things will change. And not for the better.'
Rose leaned over. 'Doctor, his father beats him.'
The Doctor's face wavered, and then he stood firm again. 'I can't, Rose.'
'But-'
'I can't! I'm sorry,' he said to the boy, who nodded his head jerkily.
'That's all right.' He shrugged. 'If you can't take me with you, you can't. Anyway, I were bein' selfish. Mum needs me, Baby Stu needs me, an... an Dad needs me.'
He walked out of the TARDIS, a lonely little figure, the Doctor gently closing the doors behind him.
TBC
Chapter 2
Rating: Blue Cortina/PG-13 for violence and a little language
Author: liquorishflame
Spoilers: for LOM 2.06
Summary: Five times Rose Tyler met Gene Hunt.
A/N: Written for catyuy's challenge about the five times Rose and Gene met :) Beta'd by the incomparable sytaxia :)
Who can't stand to see a little girl cry'>
1997
Rose met him for the first time when she was nine. She'd been playing outside in the dirt, just drawing with a stick and dreaming, when two boys she didn't know walked up.
'Hey, kid.' She stood up, brushing off her pink skirt as she looked at them. They were much older then she was. Teens. Nothing but trouble, that's what Mum said.
'What's your name, sweetie?' said the second boy, popping his gum.
'I'm not going to tell you,' she shot back.
The gum-chewer laughed. 'She's got a mouth on her for such a small kid. How old are you? Five?'
'I'm nine. I'm small for my age.' She held the stick in front of her defensively.
'You wanna earn some money? Maybe for some sweeties or a movie?'
She said nothing, just stared at them.
'If you let us touch you, we'll give you a quid. How does that sound?'
'No,' she said firmly, now holding her stick in front of her like a sword.
'Oh, come on,' the gum-chewer said as he stepped closer.
Rose kicked the boy hard between the legs, feeling rather smug as he curled up in a ball on the ground.
'That'll teach you to be such a pervy git,' she said smugly as she stood over him.
'You little bitch!' said the other lad, grabbing for her. She turned to run up the stairs to her flat, but he blocked her way, arms spread. Ducking under them, she ran out of the estate, shouting for help at the top of her lungs.
She was running and running and running, and her lungs were hurting. But she couldn't let them catch her. Suddenly she bumped into someone. Looking up, she saw a tall man wearing sun glasses and a brown leather jacket.
'What's all this, then?' he asked. She looked up at him, wide eyed, and then hid behind him as the two boys came dashing up.
'Oi! You two! What're you chasin' the kiddie for?'
'Oh, we's just...playin. She's our cousin and we're baby-sitting her. Come on, love.' He held out a hand, but Rose hid even further behind the man, grabbing his hand in hers. He looked down at her, and then up at the boys.
'What's your name, kiddo?' he whispered.
'Rose,' she whispered back.
He nodded turning to the boys. 'All right then, she's all yours.' He pushed a cringing Rose in front of him, towards the boys.
'You just run along and take cousin Annie with you.'
The boy smiled nastily as he held out his hand to Rose.
'Yeah, come on, Annie sweetheart.' He was suddenly blocked by the man.
'Sod off, you little bastard. You're not her cousin.'
'Get out of me way, old man,' sneered the kid, pulling out a knife.
Rose looked on in horror as the boy scuttled forward, swinging the knife in the air.
The man moved in a blur, faster then she could see, grabbing the kid’s hand and squeezing it until he dropped his knife.
'Now, I don't know what it is you think you're doing, but I don't take kindly to kiddie fiddlers in my city. In fact, before tea time, you and your mates’ faces will be in every cop house in London. So be a good lad and skip off!' He pushed the kid away, and he and his mate ran off.
He knelt down by Rose. 'You all right?' She threw her arms around his neck, hugging him tightly. After a second, she felt strong warm arms encircle her.
'Ey there, it's all right, it's all right. Hush now.' He picked her up and she snuggled into his shoulder.
'I'll take you home. Where do you live?' She pointed wordlessly back towards Powell Estate and he started walking. It was nice this, like what having a Daddy must feel like.
'I was scared.'
'I know you were, petal.'
She buried her face in his coat.
'Not supposed to be scared. I'm not little kid.'
'Being scared keeps you safe sometimes. If you hadn't been scared, you wouldn't have run. You wouldn't have shouted for help, and I wouldn't have heard you.'
She nodded. 'I guess.'
He pressed a kiss on her forehead and she felt tears pricking her eyes.
'I wish you were my Daddy,' she whispered before she could think. There was a deep chuckle, making her frown.
'I'd make a terrible Dad.' So he wasn't laughing at her. Relaxing, she smiled.
'No, you wouldn't,' she said, pulling back from his shoulder to look at him. 'You'd be super.'
She looked keenly at him. 'Are you blushing?'
'Nah, me? I'm too old for that soft kinda shit.' He blushed again and Rose giggled.
'My Mum'll clean your mouth out with soap if she hears that. You'd like my mum,' she said shrewdly.
'Jesus Christ, a seven year old matchmaker.'
'Nine.' she said, pouting.
'Alright, nine then.'
They were at her door. Rose pointed to it.
'Knock,' she commanded him, grinning.
'Yes yer highnessness,' he muttered cheerfully, doing so.
The door opened and her mum looked out. 'Rose!' She yanked her out of his arms. 'Who do you think you are, walking around with my baby girl like that? Men like you should be locked up, I shouldn't wonder! It's sick, sick and evil what men like you get up to. Well, what are you waiting for, me to call the police?'
'Muuumm!' Rose wailed, nearly dead from embarrassment.
'Actually missus, I am the police.' The man took off his sunglasses and gave Mum a brilliant smile. She looked at him warily.
'Let's see some identification, then.'
Sighing, the man pulled out his warrant card and showed it too both of them.
'See, that's me. Gene Hunt, DCI.'
Mum softened and started to simper, 'Aw, I'm so sorry officer Hunt. You can't be too careful these days. Would you like a biscuit? Cupppa tea? Lemonade? Gin and tonic?'
The man was shaking his head 'no' to all of those, but paused on the last.
'Well...nah, better not. My DI'd have me hide.' He bent down to look Rose in the eye. 'You take care of yourself, Miss Rose. Never know what's around the next corner, right?'
Rose nodded. 'Right.'
He turned and walked away. Her mum sighed wistfully as she watched him go. 'Just look at that arse…' Rose coughed loudly, smiling.
'Oh, sorry, love.'
Rose had nightmares for the next few weeks about the boys chasing her. Her mum was even talking about sending her to see a doctor, but Rose put her foot down. She wasn't going to give the kids at school more reasons to tease her. So she'd picture herself taller, older, wearing black sunglasses and a brown leather coat. 'You're nicked!' she'd say, pointing to the imaginary teens, who took to their heels and ran. The nightmares eventually went away.
1933
The Doctor and she had landed in Manchester for emergency repairs en route to Felabour (apparently, the sixth moon around a purple sun, a thousand, thousand light-years away). She was wandering around by the canal, killing time, when she heard someone crying. She looked around, but couldn't see anyone. Then she got down on her hands and knees, and saw a boy curled up inside a cardboard box.
'Hello,' she said as she looked at him.
He sniffed. 'Hello.'
'What're you doing under there?'
'Hiding.'
'From who?'
He didn't answer her.
'It's okay, you can tell me.'
She reached out a hand to him. He scooted further back into the box, his eyes wide. Sighing, she ran her fingers through her hair.
'My name’s Rose. What's your name?'
He looked at her, his eyes wary.
'I suppose... I could make up a name for you. How about Frank, Frank's a nice name.'
He made a face.
'Well, all right, how about Gerald?'
He giggled. 'Terrible name!'
'Joesephine?'
They both laughed this time. 'You're right queer, you are,' the boy said.
Rose's eyebrows went up, and then she smiled. 'Oh, you mean strange.'
'Yeah, strange.' They giggled again as the boy crawled out of the box.
'My name’s Gene Ethan Arthur Hunt.'
Rose's eyes widened with amazement. 'You're Gene Hunt?'
The boy looked at her. 'Yeah. What's the problem?'
'Oh... Nothing. You just look more like a Frank.' She punched him playfully on the arm, only to draw back her hand as he hissed in pain. Gently, she pushed up his sleeve to reveal a lurid black and purple bruise. She looked at him for a second, and then smiled, standing up and holding out her hand to him. 'Come on, I know where we can get some chips.'
Good thing she remembered this place: Rene's Fish and Chips, est. 1928. They walked inside and sat down at a booth.
'Have a menu.' she held one out to him.
He gave her a disgusted look. 'Can't read yet.'
'Oh, right.' They both leaned over the menu, Rose pointing to various things and helping Gene sound them out. Finally, they decided and Rose waved to the waitress.
'What would you like, dears?' she said, her hands folded in front of her.
'I'll have the chips with cheese, and my friend will have...' She turned to Gene.
'Traditional style fish an' chips.'
The waitress nodded and took their menus.
'So Gene..'
'I fell off me bike,' Gene said quickly.
Rose just looked at him. 'I was gonna ask what you want to be when you grow up.'
Gene shrugged, relaxing. 'Dunno. Maybe a milkman. Or a football player.'
'Or a policeman?'
Gene scowled hunching over. 'No.'
'Well... Why not?'
'Cause... Me dad's a policeman.' Gene looked down at the table, fidgeting. 'I don' wanna be like me dad,' he said softly, not meeting her eyes.
'Oh.' They sat there silently, waiting for their chips.
When they finally came, Gene wolfed his down, barely seeming to chew them.
'Hey there, go slow! They're not going to run away, you know.' Rose smiled at him.
'Da hash show gud!' he mumbled.
'Sorry, can we have that again in English?' she teased.
He swallowed. 'They taste so good!' He smiled at her and she smiled back. On impulse she grabbed his hand and pulled him out of his seat.
'Come on, I'm going to take you to see a friend of mine.'
'Wait!'
Rose stopped.
'You have to pay!'
'Right, right...' She rummaged in her pocket, thankful that she'd made the Doctor get her some money for their layover. Counting it out, she put it on their table and dashed out.
'I'm sorry Rose, but no.' The Doctor stood resolute, crossing his arms, making his leather jacket creak softly.
'But, why! Why can't we bring him with us?'
The Doctor looked at her, his face solemn. 'Time Lords have an innate sense of how time moves, how it lives and breathes. If we take him,' he pointed at Gene, 'away from here,' he pointed to the world outside the door, 'things will change. And not for the better.'
Rose leaned over. 'Doctor, his father beats him.'
The Doctor's face wavered, and then he stood firm again. 'I can't, Rose.'
'But-'
'I can't! I'm sorry,' he said to the boy, who nodded his head jerkily.
'That's all right.' He shrugged. 'If you can't take me with you, you can't. Anyway, I were bein' selfish. Mum needs me, Baby Stu needs me, an... an Dad needs me.'
He walked out of the TARDIS, a lonely little figure, the Doctor gently closing the doors behind him.
TBC
Chapter 2