with a faery hand in hand

Summary: Matt steals the keys to a crewmember’s rental car and takes a drive with Alex through Monument Valley. A prequel of sorts to ‘Such a faithful companion no one could be’ but can be read alone.

Rating: T

A/N – Title from the Death Cab For Cutie song Passenger Seat. Thanks to Charina for the beta!

It’s been building steadily ever since they arrived in Utah, a silent and unspoken thing – Matt has no words to truly describe it because he’s never experienced it before. Ever since he and Alex fell asleep together on that bus ride through the Valley, waking up curled around each other, it’s as if they have silently agreed that there is something going on. They haven’t discussed it, haven’t even hinted at it but he takes her hand when he thinks no one is looking and she doesn’t try to pull away.

 

He has suddenly found himself in the middle of a mute relationship, full of secret glances and clasping fingers, where words are unnecessary and vulgar. He hasn’t even kissed her yet but somehow, he knows he’s going to. There’s a promise in Alex’s eyes whenever she looks at him, like she’s just waiting for the right time.

 

Matt is rather hoping tonight will be the right time.

 

When the cast and crew gather in the bar of their hotel to celebrate another successful day of filming, they leave a pile of car keys and mobile phones on a table, abandoned in favor of drinking and making merry. It isn’t difficult for Matt to edge around the table and snake out a hand, swiping a key chain from the pile without being noticed.

 

With his prize behind his back, he nods to Piers and smiles like he hasn’t just nicked the keys to a jeep right in front of a bar full of people. Piers waves his hand in reply, beckoning him to join them.

 

Matt shakes his head and feigns a yawn, slipping the key into his back pocket before turning to make his escape. He takes the lift up to Alex’s floor, hoping she had begged off a night of drinking because she’d been hoping he would too and not because she was actually tired. Safely inside the lift as it begins to rise, he pulls the key from his back pocket, fidgeting with it nervously.

 

He doesn’t really know what he’s doing, he just knows Alex Kingston is all he can think about all day long and if it doesn’t kiss her soon, he’s going to go mad.

 

The lift doors slide open and he steps out, striding in the direction of Alex’s room while quietly humming to himself to calm his nerves. There might be a very good chance he has been misinterpreting all the signals – highly likely when two people are as flirtatious as they are – and the thought of being wrong about all this makes him a bit ill. But no matter. If he is wrong, then he’ll just start trying his damndest to convince Alex to give him a chance. He can’t just walk away now.

 

It’s funny how outwardly, nothing much has changed between them, and yet he finds himself ensnared anyway. Alex Kingston has him under her spell.

 

He knocks on her door and steps back, waiting for her to answer. He continues to fiddle with the key, almost dropping it due to his sweating palms.

 

The door swings open and Alex stands in front of him, definitely not wearing pajamas or looking sleepy in tight trousers, a sweater and boots. So she had been waiting for him.

 

Matt smiles a little at the thought; suddenly very glad he’d decided to delve into the world of grand theft auto. He’d do it again if he knew she was going to be waiting for him, looking gorgeous and smiling at him like that. “So I am thinking about stealing a car,” he says, holding up the keys and dangling them enticingly. “Want to be my Bonnie?”

 

Alex raises an eyebrow, one hand planted on her cocked hip. “Depends,” she says, looking up at him with twinkling eyes. “What sort of ride are you stealing, Clyde?”

 

He shrugs. “I’m not sure yet – I think it’s the Jeep. I’m just going to hit the unlock button and see which car beeps.”

 

“What an adventurer,” she sighs, dropping her hand from her hip and pretending to swoon against the doorframe.

 

His eyes follow the curves of her body quite without his consent and he hurriedly snaps his gaze back to her face and says with a leer, “Well, that’s just the sort man you’re getting yourself mixed up with, doll.”

 

Alex finally breaks, laughing quietly as she turns to grab her coat from the bed. Matt peers unashamedly into her room as she slips her arms into her jacket, taking in the stack of books on the nightstand, her battered script lying on top, and the pile of clothes at the foot of her bed. For some reason, her room smells like cinnamon and he can’t help but wonder how she gets it to do that – his still smells like cleaning products and hotel detergent.

 

Pulling her hair from the collar of her coat and tossing her curls, she says, “Alright, sir. Take me away from this one-horse town.”

 

Grinning, Matt holds out his arm and Alex slides her own through it as he escorts her to the lift. “Right this way, sugar,” he says, affecting his best Southern accent.

 

“Do I get a cigar?” She asks, holding his arm tightly and looking up at him with a mischievous grin. “Are we going to take saucy photographs and rob banks?”

 

He sighs, unable to hide a smile as he looks down at her in exasperation. “I think I liked it better when you were being quiet.”

 

They step into the lift with their arms still linked. “We haven’t even stolen the car and you’re already tired of me,” she sighs. “Charming.”

 

Matt shakes his head, turning to nudge his nose affectionately into her curls. “You have no idea how charming I can be, Kingston.”

 

She inhales sharply, turning her head to look at him and suddenly their faces are inches apart. Matt stops breathing as their eyes meet, licking his lips and wondering if right now is that right time Alex has been waiting for. The pressure of her arm around his is suddenly not the innocent, fun gesture it was before and only a very warm and insistent reminder of how close she is to him and how long he has been wanting to kiss her.

 

The lift dings, the doors slide open, and they both instantly turn away from each other, the moment broken. As they step from the lift and out into the lobby, Alex removes her arm from his and glances around worriedly.

 

“They’re all at the bar,” he says, pressing a hand to the small of her back and guiding her toward the door. “Getting properly smashed and totally unaware that two of the lead actors are about to commit a terrible crime.”

 

The night air is chilly as they step outside into the parking lot, and Matt briefly wishes he’d thought to bring a jacket. He glances at Alex out of the corner of his eye to see her shiver and wrap her coat tighter around her. Then again, maybe a little extra body heat might be enough to keep him warm.

 

“Ready?” He asks as they come to a stop in the middle of the parking lot.

 

Alex nods, watching him raise the car remote above their heads. “Born ready, dear.”

 

Matt presses the button.

 

Off to the far left, there’s a distinct beep and a brief flash of lights. Grinning, he takes Alex’s hand in his and begins to run toward the sound like the owner of the car might have heard it over the noise of the bar and come rushing out to stop them. Alex laughs delightedly as he pulls her along, weaving in between cars and headed straight for the bright red jeep with the top down parked near the back.

 

He only relinquishes her hand when they reach the jeep, jumping into the driver’s side while Alex hops into the passenger seat. Putting the key in the ignition, he glances at her and wriggles his eyebrows. “Not too late to turn back, you know,” he says. “A life of crime isn’t for everybody.”

 

Alex places her hand over his on the gearshift, grinning, and it feels like she’s agreeing to a lot more than just a joyride down the highway. Matt feels his heart turn over at the implication, warmth spreading through him from his chest down to his toes. “Hit the gas, babyface.”

 

With a whoop that makes Alex burst into laughter, he puts the jeep in reverse and backs out, peeling out of the parking lot and onto the street. She turns to fiddle with the radio as he speeds away from the hotel and as the lights from inside begin to fade and then altogether disappear from his rearview mirror, he says, “We made it, Kingston.”

 

She smiles brightly, hand on the volume knob as she pushes her curls from her face. “Shall we keep going for the border?”

 

He laughs and the urge to kiss her has never been so strong. Flexing his hands around the steering wheel, he finds himself longing for the time when he won’t have to wait, when he can just lean over and snog her whenever he feels like it – whenever she looks at him so adorably, affection written all over her face. “Anywhere with you, Bonnie.”

 

Leaning back in her seat and tilting her face toward the heavens, she smiles serenely, eyes closed. Fighting to keep his eyes on the road and not on her, Matt tightens his hands on the wheel and stares straight ahead, mouth twitching as the road unfolds in front of them.

 

There isn’t a cloud in the sky and the stars are brilliant, unlike anything he’s ever seen in London. He wants to pull over and admire them but parking on the side of the road is just asking for trouble. He knows there are probably still a few fans lurking about, waiting for them to start shooting again in the morning. An idea forming in his mind, Matt sings quietly along to the radio, grinning when Alex joins in.

 

Driving along Route 63 through Monument Valley in the middle of the night with the wind ruffling his hair and chilling his arms, Tom Petty crooning in a low voice on the radio and Alex Kingston sitting beside him, curls blowing wildly in the wind, Matt feels so content he could burst with it. What more could a man possibly need than what he has right now?

 

Spotting the little dirt road he’d seen earlier in the day, he slows the jeep and pulls into the hidden lane, laughing when the ride turns bumpy and Alex reaches out a hand to grab the handle above her to steady herself.

 

“Where are we going?”

 

He shakes his head. “It’s a surprise.”

 

Alex huffs, jolting from side to side as the jeep rambles over rocks and bumps. “Why don’t you just say ‘spoilers’ and be done with it?”

 

He glances away from the road to smile crookedly at her. “Alright. Spoilers, Kingston.”

 

The word tastes foreign on his tongue and he relishes it, finally understanding why Alex smiles whenever she says it. He looks forward to the day when it’s the Doctor’s turn to say it – he could certainly get used to that.

 

They drive for another five minutes, just far enough into the desert that no one will bother them and the glow of streetlights is nothing but a faded memory. Matt slows to a stop not far from a large grouping of rocks silhouetted against the skyline, turning off the engine.

 

The sudden quiet and stillness is breathtaking.

 

There is absolutely nothing but the sound of the wind, and Matt has never felt freer. Glancing at Alex, he sees her already looking back at him, smiling softly. “Come on, Kingston. Out.”

 

He vaults over the car door without bothering to open it, managing to land on his feet by some miracle. Alex climbs out after him, rounding the front of the car to join him. “What now?”

 

Stepping right into her personal space and gratified when Alex doesn’t try to pull away even when her eyes widen at the proximity, he places his hands on her hips. She stares at him, not even blinking, and he knows it would be all too easy to lean down and kiss her. He truly doesn’t think she would stop him.

 

But it still isn’t the right time. Not yet.

 

Lifting her with ease onto the hood of the jeep, smiling when Alex yelps in surprise, he clambers up after her and leans back against the windshield, pulling her down with him. And suddenly, they’re staring up at a sky so full of stars it takes their breath away.

 

Beside him, Alex gasps out quietly, “Oh,” and stares in wonder.

 

He nods, whispering because it feels like the thing to do when faced with the magnificence of the universe, “I know.”

 

“It doesn’t look like this in Los Angeles,” she says, voice still soft.

 

“Nor London,” he points out. “Too much smog.”

 

She sighs and he turns his head to look at her. “It’s so gorgeous it makes me want to cry.”

 

And sure enough, he can see the tears glistening in her eyes even in the dark; the sight is enough to form a lump in his throat. “I know the feeling.”

 

Glancing at him, Alex sees his gaze on her and blushes, glancing away. Dashing a hand under her eyes quickly, she asks, “Do you know your constellations?”

 

Letting her change the subject for the moment, he turns back to the only other beautiful thing out here and nods. “Some of them.” He slides a little closer until there’s only a small space between their bodies and he’s very conscious of the warmth radiating from her. Pointing up, he says softly, “See those three bright stars all in a row there?” She nods, leaning toward his voice and staring where he’s indicating. “That’s Orion’s belt.”

 

She hums thoughtfully and Matt can smell her perfume even through the dry scent of desert dust that seems to cling to them all out here. It’s intoxicating and he closes his eyes to the stars to breathe her in.

 

“What else?” Alex asks, and his eyes shoot open again. “Or is that the only one you know?”

 

He glares at her and she laughs. Without looking, he points to the sky again. “There. Just opposite the Big Dipper. That’s Cassiopeia. The queen so vain Poseidon placed her in the sky upside down as punishment.”

 

Alex turns to the sky searchingly. “Really? Where?”

 

Matt smiles, resting his cheek against his open palm as he watches her fondly. “Looks like a ‘W’,” he says, and grins when her eyes light up.

 

“Oh, I like that one,” she says quietly, and stares in silence for a moment. “I’ll miss this, when we leave.”

 

“Me too,” he says, and he wonders if she knows he isn’t just talking about the stars.

 

She sighs blissfully, hands folded over her stomach. “Y’know some people will never leave the city. The only time they’ll ever see stars like this is on their telly and it’s just not the same. They’ll never understand how grand, how all-encompassing it is to lie under the stars and feel like this.”

 

“Like what?” He breathes, staring into the glittering sky above and feeling like he probably already knows the answer.

 

“So small,” she whispers, and he hears the note of happy tears in her voice. “I feel so small and so important all at the same time.”

 

“It’s terrifying, isn’t it?” He asks softly, shutting his eyes to the world and breathing in the moment because if he has learned anything from the Doctor it’s that you can’t ever really go back, not even with a time machine. He can only experience this moment once and even now, with Alex right next to him, he can feel it slipping like sand through his fingers. He wants stay here with her forever, or at least until sunrise. He wants to hold her while the sky lightens into pinks and blues, a new day dawning right before their eyes.

 

“So…stargazing,” Alex ventures, jarring him from his musings. “Are you trying to woo me, Mr. Smith?”

 

“I might be,” he admits, sliding his gaze over to her hesitantly. “Is it working?”

 

Alex smiles up at the night sky, moving her hand from her stomach to rest in the space between them, and Matt immediately slides his hand into her own, lacing their fingers together. “It might be.”

 

It’s pitch black but for the stars in the sky but they’re so bright and undiluted that he can easily see her face as she lies next to him. Outlined in starlight, honey curls framing her face and a soft smile on her lips, she looks luminescent and Matt knows if he doesn’t kiss her now, he’s going to regret it for the rest of his life.

 

Now is the right time.

 

Propping himself up on one elbow, he reaches out and trails one finger down the side of her face, looking down at Alex and watching her stare right back. She doesn’t move to touch him but her eyes search his face so intently that it feels like her fingers are tracing the path her eyes take, mapping him out and memorizing him as if she too understands that this moment is finite.

 

“Alex,” he whispers, licking his lips.

 

She reaches up, placing her hand over his on her face. “Yes.”

 

Taking it as permission, Matt bends his head and finally, finally, kisses her. Her lips are soft and yielding to his, and the minute he licks at them, her mouth opens for him. He delves inside, brushing his tongue against hers and tasting her eagerly. She tastes like tea and peppermint and starlight, and Matt licks at the roof of her mouth, desperate for more. Alex moans quietly, threading her fingers through his hair and winding the other arm around his neck.

 

Lowering himself on top of her body and delighting in the warmth of her and the way her curves fit so perfectly against him, Matt slides one hand into her hair, burying it in glorious curls. Alex hums appreciatively, hooking her leg around his ankle and arching to press closer to him.

 

Breathless, Matt forces his mouth from hers, breathing hard as he leaves a lingering kiss to the corner of her mouth. Alex smiles – a new smile he’s never seen before, bright and splendid, like he has done something so grand she can’t convey her happiness with him in words. It makes her whole face glow.

 

Speechless, he looks down at her and knows without question that there will never be anyone else. That twinkle in Alex’s eye had been right – there had been a right time for their first kiss, and this was it. Here, under the stars in the middle of the desert. He can’t think of a more perfect place to start the rest of his life and he’s so very glad he’d been patient.

 

Nuzzling into her neck and pressing light, playful kisses there as Alex closes her eyes and runs her hands up and down his back, Matt wants to press her into the hood of this jeep and have his way with her. He wants to see her spread out under the stars for him, he wants to touch her naked skin and hear her moan.

 

But not tonight.

 

Tonight had been about their first kiss, about figuring out what they truly wanted from each other (everything). And it had been all he’d wanted it to be and so, so magical.

 

He won’t spoil it by making it a night of many firsts.

 

Smiling against her skin as Alex begins to hum Twinkle Twinkle Little Star teasingly in his ear, Matt kisses her again, thoroughly and without restraint.

 

Tonight is just the first of many.