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Jamie Smith and Rose Tyler had started out as friends. In fact, for the majority of their childhood they were quite inseparable. It had been one week since Jamie had moved to her new house. Being the adventurous child that she was she took it upon herself to take the fifteen minute walk to the nearest swing park at the Powell Estate. It had slipped Jamie’s mind to ask her mother’s permission and so it came to be that Jackie Tyler saw a wee little tot scampering around London completely alone. Jackie and her daughter slowly approached the little love. The older Tyler women leant down and gently questioned the unknown child. Her brown locks fell to her waist, her fringe often falling in her eyes as she excitedly animated the conversation with hand movements, the freckles spattered across her nose and cheeks standing out from her flushed skin which was otherwise pale. Jackie soon discovered where it was that Jamie had come from and took it upon herself to walk the six-year-old home. She then also took it upon herself to chastise Jamie’s mother for all that she was worth.
“Lettin’ a little girl run around about London like that! What kinda mother are you? Anyone could’a taken ‘er! You’re bloody well lucky she ran into me and not some kiddie snatcher with a white van, love!”
From then on the two mothers despised one another. The chastising turned into a fifteen minute screaming match. Whilst the mother’s hollered at one another on the Smith’s front lawn little Jamie removed Rose from her buggy and the two began to play, chasing each over around. Jamie took much delight in Rose’s shrieks of laughter filling the air around them which went by completely unnoticed by the two furious mother’s.
Life continued like this for the two girls up until they were in secondary school. Despite the three year age gap Jamie absolutely adored Rose. The two often played together at the park and it was rare for them to be seen not holding hands at playtime, since they went to the same schools. A lot of the children in Jamie’s year group found it odd that she would play with an annoying younger kid, it didn't stop them however. They even made a few other friends, although they never found anyone else that really clicked with them in quite the same way they had. Jamie and Rose just had this amazing chemistry. That was undeniable.
Once Rose was old enough to walk home from school alone they would even hang out at each other’s houses at the end of the day. Their mothers still didn't care for each other much but they couldn't deny that both the girls were incredibly sweet, even if they were the mischievous pair.
It was when Rose turned fifteen that everything went remarkably pear-shaped. Her and Jamie were hauled into the back of a police car, handcuffs intact.
“Well,” Jamie started, “I’ve lived a long enough live I suppose.”
“What’re you on about now?” Rose snapped.
“I’ve done a lot in my eighteen years so I suppose that’s something to consider since both our mothers will be murdering us soon.”
“Oh god! I forgot about our mum’s!”
“Just think, killing us and burying our bodies in my back garden might bring them together. We won't die in vain. Something good could come from it.”
Jamie gave Rose a wide toothy grin, the corners of her eyes crinkling in mirth.
“Shut up! Besides I don't think our mum’s could ever get on, considering.”
“Considering what?” Jamie raised her left eyebrow at her dearest friend.
“Well, ya know… your mum’s just different to mine. Snobbish.”
“Excuse me?”
“What? It’s true!” Rose tried to laugh but stopped in her tracks at the look on Jamie’s face.
And so it came that Rose and Jamie’s friendship ended just as it had begun. In a screaming match. Despite her big mouth Jamie was quite relieved that Rose was in handcuffs for fear of the infamous Tyler slap. Eventually the police had to resort to pulling over. One officer got out and moved into the back to sit between the two girls. That didn't stop them from leaning forward and shouting over the officer though.
Years had passed and neither girl had so much as glanced at the other if they had bumped into one another in the street. Things were said on that night four years ago that couldn't be taken back. In all honestly they probably would have been okay if they weren't so bloody stubborn and embarrassed. Yet they were those things and so the issues at hand had not been resolved.
It had been two months since Henrik’s had gone up in flames and Rose was out of a job. She now found herself working as a runaround for a local newspaper's office. This mostly consisted of getting everyone coffee, taking notes and just being a general outlet for everyone to take their crap out on. Rose was miserable and it had only been a week! The only upside was the lovely receptionist Donna, who had introduced herself as ‘the best temp in Chiswick’. Donna’s feisty personality yet kindhearted nature reminded her quite a bit of Jackie, so naturally they got on like a house on fire.
At the start of Rose’s second week things at Gallifrey Independant got considerably worse. None other than Jamie Smith walked in. Apparently Jamie was the girl everyone had been insisting last week that Rose ‘just had to meet.’ She had been on holiday, now the most beloved member of the office had returned and Rose could just see how all this was going to pan out. Jamie would make her life a living hell.
Week three, Rose typed out in an email to Mickey. Still nothing. It just doesn't feel right. Jamie has something up her sleeve, I just know it!
Rose quickly hit send before going off to fetch Donna, Amy, and Harriet their cups of tea. She returned to her little segment of the office and took a seat, only to fall arse over tit and land on the floor with a nasty bump to her backside.
“Ooof!” all the air left her lungs at once as tears of painful embarrassment tiptoed dangerously on the edge of her waterline.
Sucking in her bottom lip Rose scrambled to her feet. There were a few giggles and one roar of laughter from Harry Saxon as she looked around the room. She finally hung her head in shame and hurriedly made her way to the toilets.
Rose was sat in the end cubical begging herself not to cry even in her privacy. She would not let this defeat her. Rose heard the bathroom door open, her eyes widened in fear.
“Rose, are you okay?”
Rose knew that voice all too well. In that moment the pieces all seemed to click together. She threw the stall door open and stormed out. She backed Jamie against the sinks, wagging her finger in the taller girl's face.
“You!” she screeched, “you did this! What did you do, loosen the screws on my seat? Hmm? Don’tcha think this is hard enough for me? Everyone here is already ten times smarter than I am, what with their fancy pants uni degrees in English and what have ya. But guess what missy, I have nowhere else to go and I bloody need this job so you can jus’ back off! An’ you know what else? Just ‘cause you lot may be intelligent you're not better than me! Jus’ remember that next time you need somethin’ emailed to head office, the next time you ask me to stay late, the next time the ink in the printer needs a top up. You. Are. Not. Better. Than. Me!”
Rose took a deep breath, slumped her shoulders and backed away to give Jamie some room.
“I don't think I’m better than you. I never have. It wasn't me, by the way. It was Saxon. He thought it’d be funny… me and Donna tried to stop him and I don't think the others noticed or else they would have tried stopping him too. He’s a prat. No One else would do that to anyone here, especially not you. We all like you working here.”
“Doesn’t bloody feel like it.”
Jamie looked down at her converse clad feet awkwardly.
“Besides,” Rose continued, “there’s at least one person, well two, here that dont like me.”
“I like you,” Jamie confessed. The utter sincerity in her voice left Rose baffled.
“What?”
“I like you.”
It was in that moment that a horde of women flooded the room. Quickly Jamie was shoved aside as Amy, Martha, Donna, Sarah-Jane and Harriet crowded around Rose. They fussed over her profusely as Rose caught sight of Jamie as she slipped out of the door quietly.
“I can't believe Harry!” Martha cried.
“What a wanker,” Amy stated. “We should so get him back for this.”
After the conversation in the bathroom things between Jamie and Rose were just… odd. Rose didn't know whether she was coming or going. They were civil, yet certainly not friends, despite the fact that Jamie supposedly ‘liked’ her. It was only after a couple of months that Rose managed to get Jamie’s attention at the office christmas party in order to ask her just what the hell was going on.
Rose sauntered into the place like she owned it. Her dress swayed and fluttered a few inches above her knees. The red fabric became more maroon and sequined at her hips, the dress tighter around her midriff, enhancing her curves. Jamie caught sight of her from the other side of the room. Her mouth became dry, her breathing shallow. She was sure her pupils must be dilated.
“Fuck,” she couldn't help the breathy curse that slipped from her lips at the sight of the blonde goddess that was coming towards her.
Not only was Rose gorgeous, she was also somewhat matching Jamie. Jamie was wearing a tight dress which came to her knees and had three-quarter-length sleeves. It was the same sequined and coloured material as the top half on Rose’s dress.
“Hello,” Rose greeted Jamie as she came to a stop in front of her.
“Hello… we dressed quite similar tonight,” Jamie pointed out for lack of anything else to say.
“Great minds think alike,” Rose teased as a bit of tongue came into the corner of her smiling mouth.
“Oh, so you’re being nice to me tonight then?”
“Gotta stay professional, haven't I?”
“I see…”
The two women stood in relative silence, taking the occasional sip of wine and looking around the room for several minutes before Rose broke the silence.
“What did you mean by you ‘like’ me? It’s just I know we have a history. There was that fight… we haven't spoken in so long and then you tell me you like me. I just… I don't understand. I thought we hated each other.”
“You hated me?” Jamie looked at Rose as though she had just kicked a puppy in the face.
“No! I mean… I dunno. We weren’t exactly friends, were we?”
“I dunno.”
Jamie went to run a hand through her hair before remembering the effort it took to get it neat and styled for the party. She thought better of it and instead rubbed her index finger over her eyelid.
“You still do that thing then?”
“What thing?”
“The nervous tic thing. You run your hand through your hair, or rub your eye. God forbid you rub your face, then it must be really bad. Oh! And the ear tug!” Rose began to laugh at the fond memories of her childhood friend.
“You noticed all that?”
“Mmhmm.”
“Can we just agree that we were both idiotic stubborn children that did a stupid thing? Because we work together now and I just want my friend back… and for what it's worth… I could never hate you.”
“Deal. Why don't we leave early and settle it over some chips? You’re buyin’.”
“No pockets, no money,” Jamie sighed then grimaced at the awkwardness of it all.
“What kinda date are you?” Rose teased with a kind smile. “Come on then tightwad, chips are on me.”
The pair linked arms and left the party grinning from ear-to-ear.
The following morning Rose awoke to the sounds of Jamie’s gentle snores. A smile tugged delicately at her lips before she let out a little giggle. She snuggled further into Jamie’s naked form and closed her eyes with a contented sigh. In all her years Rose had never pictured this; waking up from a night of passion with her best friend-turned-enemy-turned-coworker and now her lover. Life was weirdly wonderful sometimes. And, okay, perhaps she had imagined it once or twice (or a few hundred times) as a teenager before that silly fight. Never again would Rose let something so ridiculous come between them… but if it did at least now she knew, from personal experience, it would make for one hell of a make-up shag.