Eating healthy – BROADCHURCH FICLET
Alec Hardy/Ellie Miller
Set during 2x02
Word Count:~ 800
„You have jeopardised my best chance of success before we even got going."
The phrase is hanging in the air like a threatening sword about to drop down all the way to the harbour. They don't talk. Ellie is still trying to grasp the implications of everything Jocelyn has just accused her of. All this time, she's never even considered the possibility that Joe might get off. Let alone the fact that she was the one to make it possible. No wonder everyone treats her like an outcast. How could she not have seen this coming? Ellie Miller, the brilliant copper. What a joke.
She glances sideways at Hardy walking next to her. His face is unreadable. Surely, he must have seen this coming. After all, it's not exactly his first time dealing with the consequences of police work gone wrong.
They end up on the same bench, backs facing to what used to be her favourite Broadchurch scene until it became the place where Danny was found. The place, which, more than any other, symbolises Joe's betrayal.
Defiance and anger rise up in her. The same overwhelming anger that got the better of her on that horrible day where her life burst into shatters.
"Why didn't you stop me that day?" Her tone is reproachful and she knows it's unfair.
"Oh, it's my fault now?" She's almost thankful for his familiar defensiveness. Annoyance is good, it feels so much more powerful than this endless anger and regret which threatens to overwhelm her whenever she lets her guard down for the shortest bit of time.
"Why did you even let me see him?"
"I felt sorry for ye, didn't expect ye to go all bloody Bruce Lee on him." If this situation wasn't so fucked up, she might have even smiled at the reference which appears so out of place coming from his mouth.
"Everyone will find out now." Beth and Mark and everyone…"Shit! Tom will hear about it, his mom beating up his dad in the police station." Tom. How is she ever going to stop him from blaming her for taking his dad away from him? If only he'd talk to her so that she'd have a chance to explain.
"Oh god, what do I do? Do I run away or hide or immigrate…oh god." She senses that her words make him uncomfortable but it still feels good to say all this aloud to someone other than Fred, whose conversation skills, despite his infallible talent of being the only one now to tempt her into a smile, are rather limited.
"What have you eaten today?" The sudden change of topic takes her by surprise but she is glad for a question she actually knows the answer to.
"A Kit Kat and a Scotch Egg." For a second he seems startled. Then he chuckles.
"Eating healthy, are we?"
She shoots him a look. He gets up and starts walking towards town. Ellie is still frozen in her seat.
"Come on, Miller. Can't have people call you "shitface", too."
She gasps. "You knew they called you that?"
He snorts. "Of course, I bloody knew. People at the station are absolute rubbish at keeping anything secret."
Her mouth curls into an involuntary smile as she struggles to keep up with his long strides. They have almost reached the High Street when a sudden thought pops up in her mind and she halts abruptly.
Hardy stops and looks at her with impatience. "What's the matter now?"
She hesitates, trying to fish for the right words. His features soften imperceptibly.
"It's only…"she falters and hates herself for being so incredibly weak and lost. "Can we not go somewhere with people? 'Cos I don't think I can stand running into anyone just now…" Her voice trails off and she's thankful for his interruption.
"It's alright. We can get something at the store and go to my place."
She nods, although somewhat surprised by his sudden willingness to let her into his private space.
He starts off towards the supermarket and she follows, still focussing on appearing non-existent behind his lanky frame.
When they reach the aisle with the assortment of lunch food and he reaches for a sandwich box and a pack of crisps, she clears her throat and gives him a pointed look.
"Eating healthy, are we?"
His look, a mix of exasperation and disbelief, seems to say "Really?" but he puts the crisps and the sandwich away and makes a show of grabbing not one but two salad boxes instead.
Oh bugger. She pulls a face. Salad is definitely the last thing she wants to eat right now.
A trace of amusement appears on his face and he does a good imitation of her pointed look in his own grubby Scot interpretation.
"Oh suck it up, Miller. If I have to, you have to." And he turns and makes for the till.