Chapter One
Not Beta'ed
The weather was dreary and rainy. "Welcome to Broadchurch." Forbes spoke, for the first time since asking them if they needed the loo an hour back.
Rose glanced out the window. "It's nice." She murmured, taking in the smell of the seaside. Really the small town was picturesque. People were friendly and welcoming. Tony had loved their visit a few weekends back.
Forbes smiled tightly, "it's a beautiful place, crime rates are low, and I have a aunt who lives her." He stated. "Remember what we talked about Rose?"
"Course," she nodded tightly. "I can't thank you enough for doing this."
"You stay away from London, Rose, promise me." Forbes urged, pulling into a nice little drive.
"I will, I promise. Tony - Toby and I we'll settle here, build a life here and I can't thank you enough." She said, "I know Detective Forbes, don't contact any of my old friends, be discreet, never go to London, stay off social media networks. Tony and Rose Tyler no longer exist." She took a deep breath, calming herself. "We're Rose and Toby Smith now, and you're giving us a proper do-over."
He gave her a stern look. "Good." He stepped out of the small inexpensive car, he waited patiently for Rose to unbuckle Toby and lift him out of the backseat. "The neighborhood is good, one of the best we could have hoped for," Forbes stated, motioning to the semi-attached house, "Your neighbor whom you share a back garden with is Detective Sergeant Miller and across the street and down a few houses lives Detective Inspector Hardy."
Rose nodded, "Do they know?" She asked quietly, a worrisome frown stretched across her face. Briefly wondering why the name Detective Inspector Hardy sounded familiar to her.
Forbes shook his head, "nah, not unless we suspect your in imminent danger. Only a handful of people know and we need to be careful, because Rose you took down, Harold Saxon, nailed him to the murder of your father and three others. But we don't know how far his hands reach. Saxon was/is a powerful man."
Her eyes teared up at the reminder of the threats that hung over their heads. "And that's why we had to go through such extremes." She said, cradling her sleeping brother in her arms.
"Let me show you the inside." Forbes said, opening the front door. "It's modestly furnished, three bedroom, nice gardens, completely remodeled." He informed her as she took a look about. The decor and such reminded her of estate agents, and how they'd use cheap furniture as props to show houses. But at least it felt lived in, and not the bland hostel rooms Toby and her had been living in for the past few months.
"S'nice," she smiled placing Ton-Toby down on the soft brown sofa. "Loads safer than the Estates. I mean, I couldn't imagine a better place for Tony to grow up."
"Toby," Forbes corrected, giving her a firm frown.
"Right course, Toby." She smiled weakly. "Tobias Joseph Smith." She recited. "Born to Anna Rose Smith on February 7th 2009. He's no longer my brother, he's my son." She sniffed. She had adopted him, swore she'd raise. They had offered to find him a good foster family, and or adoptive family. She remembered how soft and firm her voice had been when she told the judge, 'I'll raise him.'
"Very good." Forbes stated. "In here is everything that makes you both, Anna Rose Smith and Tobias Joseph Smith. Every documentation you could need, A levels, Birth Certificates, Health and Dental records, Driver's Certificate, Rental Agreement, job recommendations, Bank Accounts, your father's life insurance as been wired into the account and the Cash Reward you were allotted."
Rose chuckled, "I get it, everything I could possibly need, is in there." She paused and frowned a little, "But I don't have my A levels." She stated.
"Well you're certainly smart enough," He gave her a tight smile, "and anyways you've got them now." Forbes said, tapping the envelope. "Now, who is Tobias named after?" He questioned.
"My father, Tobias James Smith who was married to my Mum..." She paused, "Marian Smith former Marian Gallagher."
"And where are your parents now?" Forbes asked, going over her basic profile that she knew by heart after having it drilled into her head. "They've been gone seven months now, murdered by a drunk driver." She answered, Rose frowned, in reality her Mum Jackiehad been gone since Tony's birth, almost five years back.
Forbes gave her a pleased look. "Why did you move?" He continued his line of questioning.
"We needed a change." She stated simply than expanded when Forbes raised his eyebrow. "The decision to move had been spur of the moment, made when we vacationed here. I loved how peaceful it was, how nice everyone is." She paused for effect, "on a whim I applied at Lizzie's Coffees and Cake's, and was accepted on the spot. That was that."
Forbes tossed out his disposable coffee cup, "Rose, I know how lonely and frightening this all seems, but do try and keep your head up." He encouraged.
"I will." She sweared with a soft grin. She acknowledges the stigma and reputation that she's going to have as the townsfolk find out she's a young teenage mother.
"Mum," Toby said setting up and rubbing at his eyes. Rose had been surprised at how easily he accepted his new name. He had been more than a bit trilled about calling Rose, mum. Rose had always been his maternal figure, his caregiver. They're father had been destroyed by their mother's death. So nothing new had really changed in their relationship besides well he now called her.'Mum'
"Hey sport, you're awake." She smiled, watching as he takes in the open living room, kitchen area."We really get to live here, forever?" He asked, turning his question onto the detective who had been watching out for them for months now.
"You really do." Forbes chuckled. "And what's your name?"
"Toby Smith." Tony announced with a grin."And who is that?" Forbes asked pointing to Rose.
"My mum," Toby said, and rolled his little eyes when Forbes raised an eyebrow wanting him to explain more thoroughly. "Rose Smith."
"And you Dad?" Forbes asked, throwing in a trick question he had never asked before.
Toby shrugged and his voice went soft, "he's dead." He said simply yet with a hint of sadness in his voice. "But Mum says, he's finally at peace, and that's good."
Rose gave the detective a tense uncomfortable smile.
"Good, good well that's my car." He said as a horn honked twice, and his partner started unloading the twelve boxes of keepsakes Rose had been allowed to bring from their old lives in London.
He handed the car keys over to Rose. "Take care of yourselves. And for heaven sakes keep my number in your phone and answer the damn thing if I give you a ring."
She nodded seriously, "will do." She said showing him to the door.
They watched Forbes drive off with his partner. Toby waved goodbye until they rounded the corner before heading back inside.
"So Toby, now what? Busy day lots of things to get." She said softly, opening the empty cabinets and cupboards. "Plus we need to go by the school and finish your enrollment."
Toby nodded, "and we needs to buy food."
Rose smiled, somethings didn't change. "And we need to buy food." She chuckled.
O-o-O
"Are we almost done R-Mum?" Toby whined as they stood in the check out line at the super market. "We've been in a kabillion shops today."
"I know just a few more minutes." She said softly trying to remain patient with the tired boy, even though her own patience were wearing thin with the slow cashier.
"But Mum," Rose shot him a look that quieted him for a moment.
"How much longer?" Toby asked rather loudly, drawing some unwanted attention to them.
"Just a few," Toby cut her off, "that's what you said ages ago."
"Toby, that's enough." She snapped. "Be quiet and give me a few more minutes." She looked up catching a fairly handsome older man's gaze. He frowned at her and shook his head, Rose could read the judgment written across his face, so she smiled tightly and paid the cashier and quickly left the store, missing the store manger greet the Detective Inspector.
It only took her a few extra minutes to find the road they now lived on, and a single turn a round before they turned into their driveway.
"Toby, why don't you go put away some of your toys why I carry everything in." Rose instructed, gathering one arm full of bags before leading Toby into the house.
"But Mum, I can help." He whined, lagging behind her.
"Yes you can by putting your toys into your new room." Rose chuckled, opening their front door.
"Mum," he pouted.
"Don't mum me mister. We only have a couple days to get settled, before you start school and I have to start my new job." She reminded the almost five year old.
She carried in everything, as she was making her last last trip her neighbor pulled into the driveway, parking in her assigned spot.
"Hello." She greeted Rose with a kind curious smile, never in the past year that she been renting her house had she had a neighbor in the house attached to hers. A toddler on her hip as her young teenage son stormed past her into their house.
"Hello." Rose smiled, waving with her free hand.
"I'm Ellie Miller." She kindly introduced herself. It was clear the older woman was trying to get a read on Rose.
"Rose Ty-Smith." Rose said, just as Toby through open the front door.
"There you are Mum. I've been looking everywhere for you." He announced oblivious to the Ellie's reaction to his presences. Ellie's eyebrows shot up. Rose could practically hear the words she was thinking. Teen Mom, Slag. Then a frown settled across the older woman's face, as she imagined the choas that would follow having such a clearly irresponsible neighbor.
"Nice meeting you Ellie." Rose murmured, ushering her younger brother into the house.
Author Note
Thanks for reading. Review if you like it. PM if you're b interested in beta`ing or possibly co-writing.
Don't hate on Ellie. Everyone at sometime or another makes a snap judgement about someone they don't know or just met. My bestfriend first impression of me was she thought that I was a bitch. We've been best friends for over a decade.
