You've Only Just Arrived (a Tom Hiddleston fan fiction)

Part 16

What is going on? You are supposed to be meeting Tom at a restaurant during his lunch break – how had that devolved into the chaos you see on the sidewalk? As a result of his full out sprint Tom has already nearly run the length of the building. You are looking past his frantic motions at the crowd that is trying to catch up to him. Really you should be turning to run but you are stuck, taking it all in. This is exactly why large groups make you nervous. The door to the restaurant swings open and the hostess pops out, drawing your attention away from the quickly approaching group. You are grateful that you had thought to check in with the hostess and tell her that you were going to wait on the sidewalk – she is talking hurriedly into her headset while waving her hand to signal that you can seek out shelter in the building.

Tom's sharp bark brings your focus back to him as he slows his pace to close the final steps between the two of you. "Sweetheart. Get. Inside. Now!" You have time to spin to face the building before Tom reaches you, slightly out of breath. "Go – go – go. They'll stop, I hope, at the door."

You nod to the hostess, "Thanks." She smiles and swings the door shut behind the three of you, motioning across the building towards the end of the bar where a woman is waiting. Pausing in the entryway you shift your bag more securely onto your shoulder, "Tom are we staying here or...?" You can probably keep up with Tom, at least for a little while, if he chooses to just dash through the building and keep running. It'll be more difficult with your bag to worry about but you'll figure something out.

The fastest of those in pursuit reach the restaurant's doorway moments after Tom grabs your hand and pulls you towards the manager moving the pair of you along the bar and into the mingling crowd in the restaurant. The first few to reach the door are hesitant as to the next course of action. Will they follow the pair of you inside or lie in wait on the sidewalk? Tom will have to emerge to go back to work at some point, after all. Patrons inside have noticed your grand entrance and pause in their dining to watch the events unfold, a few of them standing to get a better look.

"I suppose that depends on her." Tom nods his head to the woman who is visibly bouncing while she waits for the pair of you to reach her. He has your hand firmly grasped with his so you keep your eyes on the door to watch the group on the sidewalk growing in size. With each additional member the confidence level of the group seems to grow.

You speak up when the first wave of people swing the door wide open only to be met by the hostess and a few of the waiters who have stopped their usual routines to stand in the entryway. "Um... Tom?" You give his hand a squeeze to get his attention.

The woman scowls at the group now pouring in the door. "Ugh. They'd better get appetizers, at least. Hello, Mr. Hiddleston, _______. I'm the manager here."

"Sorry about this. We had intended on a quiet lunch but... Someone should arrive soon to pick us up. I managed to get a call out before all hell broke loose on the way here." Tom is waving his free hand in circles while he talks to the manager. The motion of his arm draws your attention to the sleeve of his shirt which is pulled slightly out of shape. Wasn't he wearing a jacket this morning? Hopefully he had chosen to leave it behind and wasn't relieved of it on the way here. Poor Tom – what exactly had happened to him on the way to meet you?

The restaurant's manager is surveying the efficiency of her staff as they react to the swell of people trying to gain entrance. The few already inside are searching the faces of the patrons closest to them, trying to pick the pair of you out of the crowd. They haven't yet looked down the bar to spot you but if you remain in the unobstructed spot much longer it is inevitable that you'll be discovered. "I'd offer you a table but we need to get things quieted down in here first. Should get you two out of sight. Only door that locks is the office but there's no time to..." You are distracted by the noise level in the restaurant rising and the rest of her sentence is lost to you.