A Perfect Day

"Hi..." he held up a hand by way of a tentative greeting, "I'm sorry to intrude, you look like... I mean I was just wondering if... oh my goodness! Oh sweetheart....!"

As Ali looked up at the dark shape, his voice enveloping her with warm velvety concern, she could only stare.  Then, when the staring was done, she promptly burst into tears.   In her hour of need, all her dreams had seemingly come true.... He was here... Tom Hiddleston was here... and she still had both her arms....

Tom was horrified as the pretty eyes and the sad smiled crumpled. Without needing to ask, but knowing he had to, he wrapped his arms around her. Gathering her into his embrace, he held her firmly but tenderly as she proceeded to break her heart.

"Oh sweetheart... whatever is the matter?" He rumbled softly, "You poor thing... hey hey hey, it's ok, I've got you..." he clasped her head to his chest, his fingers stroking her hair gently.  "Shhhh darling, let it out, Tom's got you..."   They sat, for what felt to him like fleeting but perfect seconds, for her an unbelievable lifetime, just holding each other.  Slowly, Ali calmed and sat back, pulling out of his reach and wiping her eyes on her sleeve.  The perfect gentleman she'd always imagined, he pulled a handkerchief from his pocket and passed it to her.

"Here, better than your sleeve and gentler on those beautiful eyes..." he blurted out, turning a fierce shade of crimson in the process.. "oops..." he winced and squinted at her, head on one side. "Sorry, filter failure.."

Despite the tears, despite the angst of the moment, Ali laughed.  He really was the man they all hoped, wasn't he.  Sweet, charming, handsome by the bucket and yes, absolutely an overgrown golden retriever with the energy of a puppy and the face of a Norse God.

"It's quite ok, I think your entitled to complete absence of filter after me covering you in my tears.." she pressed her fingers to his now slightly soggy jumper and smiled, "and maybe a little snot too..." now it was her turn to wince and Tom to laugh.

"Oh darling, a small price to pay I assure you. Are you sure you're ok though?  You seem in dire need of comfort and I, well.... I just... I know if it was my sister sitting alone breaking her heart..." He smiled and sat down with her on the grass, clasping her hand in his, rubbing the back of it with his thumb.  It took her all her powers of concentration not to just swoon to death there and then.  "Not that I tell my sister she has beautiful eyes you understand.. my friend Luke on the other hand...." He paused and they both let out a laugh.  

"I can quite believe it..." Ali gave a small smile, feeling braver by the second, his calm demeanour and warm concern spreading to her by osmosis through their still joined hands. After a minute she said, "It's Emma, isn't it?"

"Who?"

"Your sister... Emma..." She looked at him, aware that might have sounded a little creepy.  "I mean.... I'm so sorry...." she pulled her hand away and looked down, suddenly overcome with shyness and aware she was on dangerous ground.

"Hey, no apologies love.  I'm flattered you're interested enough to remember. No, please love, look at me..." He could see she was about to descend into another dark episode and had to help her. 

Placing his hand back over hers where she was now picking at the seam on her jeans, playing with a stray thread in an effort to stay in control, he continued. "I'm incredibly flattered you know who I am, in truth?  There's absolutely no reason you should.  I'm just an actor, I do what a hundred other actors do, nothing more nothing less, and you're...  actually darling who are you?"  He winked and she realised although she knew - and he now knew that she knew - exactly who he was, she was still an anonymous damsel in distress.  Or, more accurately a slightly snotty, more than slightly red faced, blubbering excuse for a human in need of a snot proof shoulder.