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

Part 9

You are thrilled with the combined results of hair, makeup, and costumes. Emily is finally manifesting someplace other than on paper and in your head. You've signed the paperwork for renting a small place about an hour away from the studio so you are officially – at least temporarily – a resident of Los Angeles! The read through for Jack & Emily won't happen for at least a week which gives you plenty of time to settle in to the new place and ferret out the best routes to and from the studio. Scrolling through your messages you see that Tom has sent you a series of pictures showing you the progression of his day. He looks tired in the last few and you sigh softly, "Don't push yourself too hard, Tom..."

But wait, you have a week, at least a week... Screw getting your new place set up – there will be plenty of time to get it to feel like home. A quick search and you begin to scroll through possible flights to London. You can take advantage of the fact that the promotional period for Touring Sundays only just ended and you've grown accustomed to the wait to get through Customs.

You still have to run it by Mark - redirecting the taxi to the airport isn't practical, you would at least need to grab your bag from your room – once again the benefits of living out of your suitcase make you smile. Maybe you can talk Benedict into being your inside man and finding out where Tom will be when you figure out when you'll be flying in – to surprise Tom – oh! You're liking the idea more and more.

You quickly tap out messages to both Mark and Benedict alerting them to your newly formed plans. Benedict seems game but you can feel Mark's glare as you read the words of his response:

We just went through all that paperwork for your keys to the new apartment and you're talking about going out of the country. You'd better be positive on the time frame for Jack & Emily before you book your ticket. Spur of the moment trip – he hasn't been gone that long – just, send me the details when you know them.

You make a face and talk back to the phone, which makes the taxi driver give you an odd look, "Judge me all you like Mark, I'm going to see him."

You tap out a few more messages to the corresponding members of the production team and everything seems to work out nicely. Yes, there's still a number of things that need to happen before a table read is a go. Looks like you're in the clear for taking four or five days to go to London. You wait, your finger hovering over the link to confirm your plane ticket to fly out later tonight which would put you in London around 3pm their time – Tom has been incredibly busy with filming, is this really a good idea? There is the risk that you will fly there and he won't have any free time to spend with you. If that is the case then you can tour yourself around London for a few days and try to see him when he is available.... Shit, now you've just about doubted your way out of your trip. No. No, you've already set in motion the required parts – follow through.

Now to make sure Tom doesn't suspect anything...

Signed the lease! Keys will be mine on Monday. So excited to have my own place again! Can't wait to start decorating.

You really are very excited about getting to once again have rooms that more accurately reflect your personality. You are going to eventually work on decorating the new place, just after your surprise trip. Hopefully this is a clever misdirect.

You've already talked with the hotel regarding your move so you need to stop back by the reception desk to discuss the possibility of them holding your things until you get back from London. Hell, you really don't have much that won't just squish back into your luggage. Though you really don't need to take fan mail, scripts, and odd assorted collectibles you've been given all the way to London. If they need the room back, maybe the hotel will hold the various items in storage for you?