Disclaimer - I own nothing you recognise.

AN - First ever Broadchurch fic, after binging all three series in a few days. I fell in love with the characters, particularly Alec.

WC - 465

Take A Bullet For You

It's a gun.

It's a crazed look in her ex-husbands eyes.

It's a sentence, "you took my kids away."

And It's a bang.

And then It's just pain.

Hardy came around slowly, groaning aloud when he realised he was once more in a hospital bed. He'd hoped, after having his pacemaker fitted, that he'd seen the back of the clinical white washed walls and the starchy bed sheets.

Looking to his left, he wasn't very surprised to see Miller sitting in the visitor's chair. She was watching him through tear-filled eyes.

"Miller?" He croaked out. "What happened?"

"Joe shot you," she replied in a whisper. "Or, Joe tried to shoot me and you pushed me out of the way and took the bullet yourself."

Alec nodded slowly. "Where did it hit?"

"Brushed your ribs," she replied. "The wound isn't too bad, but the adrenaline come down sent you into shock and your pacemaker wasn't quite up to its job. You're stabilized now. Shouldn't have to stay long."

"You okay?" he asked after an awkward pause.

She shook her head, pressing her lips together.

"Miller?"

"You're an idiot," she hissed, glaring at him. "You're not invincible, dammit. You can't keep putting yourself in danger like this!"

"Rather be lying in a bed yourself, would you?" he asked, raising his eyebrow at her. "Or better yet, leaving Tom and little Fred without a mother, because Joe was aiming straight at your bloody heart, Miller!"

Flashes of what happened were torturing his mind, and he couldn't help but imagine what it would have been like if he hadn't been fast enough.

"Did they arrest him?" he asked, his voice calm once more.

She nodded. "Yes."

Alec offered her a small smile. "At least now we know he'll go to prison. Shooting a copper is frowned upon in court."

"So is killing a kid, and the bastard got away with that."

"Witnesses though, Miller. Quite a few people saw him do it. It'll be alright."

Her hand shook as she reached out to grip his. He allowed the contact, linking their fingers together.

"Alec, stop nearly dying," she begged softly. "I can't take anymore close calls."

He squeezed her hand. "Aye, alright, Miller. I'll do my best."

"You'll do better than that, you arse."

He chuckled. "Guess you'll just have to stick around and keep me out of trouble."

As their eyes met, she realised he was offering much more than a continued work partnership and she returned his smile with one of her own.

It would be slow going, they both knew, but their relationship had already been changing. Hell, he'd thrown himself in front of a bullet for her already, and they hadn't even shared a kiss.

She nodded slowly. "I guess that's what I'll do then."