Here is the next installation of Broachurch! Takes place right where series two takes off. Let me know what you guys think!

SANDBROOK

CHAPTER ONE

SEVEN MONTHS

She rarely heard the waves of the ocean so clearly when she woke up in her little flat above her little bookstore. Bonnie Irving stretched with a lazy smile in bed. As usual, Alec apparently woke up before her. He was probably dressed already too.

Seven long months had passed since Joe Miller's arrest. And today was the day he was going to plead and be sentenced. Bonnie felt like a human sized bubble waiting to pop. She quickly got up and jumped in the shower, dressing in a purple maxi dress and her father's wool knit sweater over it. She let her sometimes frizzy curls towel dry and dry in the sea air as she wandered through Alec's small new house by the water to see the man himself sitting on the cement steps outside, reading his mail.

She walked up behind him and bent over to hug his shoulders and kiss his cheek, "Good morning my grouchy man."

She beamed when she heard and felt him chuckle, "Good morning." He put away what he was reading and stood, kissing her as he got to his feet. "Did you sleep all right?"

"I'm getting used to the sound of the water out here," she grinned. She was ecstatic when he ultimately decided to stay in town. He even got a small house down the docks, and she spent nearly more than half of her time there. And when she wasn't there, he was with her. Unless he had a late night. She felt some sort of domestic bliss in their life. But Joe Miller was still a shadow.

She was force feeding him toast and pills when his cell rang. "What?... No... What? Is that now?"

She smirked as he walked to his window-door to see Maggie and Olly standing there smugly. Olly had been the one to call him and remind him about the interview they had this morning. "Certainly is."

Alec groaned as he hung up his phone and let Bonnie help him into his coat, "Remind me why I agreed to this again."

"Because they did right by you last time," she reminded him. "And they're our people. And after this, that'll be the end of it." She patted his coat pocket, to remind him that she put more pills there for him. "I'll meet you there, okay? I have to pop 'round the shop and see to Denise."

"Right, she's on her way out," he remembered.

"She's moving," she corrected with a giggle. "And I have to find a new general manager."

"Good luck finding someone as bloody perky as you," he joked, kissing her cheek before he followed Maggie and Olly out.

"DI Hardy, you must be anticipating the relief today's court date'll bring."

"It's the plea and case management hearing," Hardy answered simply, squinting as the wind blew some sand in his face as they stood under the cliffs on the beach.

"But you're pleased you got the right man in the dock?" Olly asked.

"What sort of a question is that? Pleased? Is that how you train him?" Hardy regarded Maggie, to which she simply grinned.

They were cut off by his phone ringing, and he was content to ignore it. But Maggie said, "Take it if you want."

He hit ignore on it and tried to carry on with the interview to get it over with. "Right-" but his phone rang again. Maggie and Olly looked at him and his phone, perturbed. But he ignored it again. "Today's hearing is the result of a thorough investigation by a team of dedicated officers who worked day and night under difficult circumstances."

"And how will you personally feel seeing Joe Miller again?" Maggie asked.

He shook his head, "No. Don't do that. It's not about me."

"He's the husband of your old detective sergeant," she pointed out. "You must want the same as us, Joe Miller sentenced for what he did. As soon as that happens, we can all move on."

"You know I can't comment in advance of today," he told her.

"Are you missing being on active duty as a detective?" Olly asked him.

Alec glared at the boy, "You can probably stop taking the arsehole pills, Oliver."

"I thought you might leave," Olly said. "Now that you don't have any reason to be here."

There was a tense silence, that Maggie was forced to interrupt as casually as she could, "Oh, I wouldn't call our Bonnie nothing. All right... picture. If you just stand there."

"Here? Really?" He looked at them and the cliffs.

"Yeah. That cliff fall's recent. They're getting more frequent," she mentioned.

He spoke under his breath, "Things fall apart."

"It'd help if you look up," Maggie goaded.

"Smile!" Olly grinned.

As she took the photos, his phone rang again. He felt irritation building in him as he looked at the phone again; 'CLAIRE.' Why was she calling? Why was she bothering him today? He hit ignore again and looked at the text messages telling him to pick up. But today was too important to get derailed by her.

"Okay. Perfect," Maggie said, putting her things away.

"How's Tom getting on?" Hardy asked Olly as he prepared to leave.

Olly frowned, somber, "Me and Mum are trying to get him through it, but he still doesn't want to be with Ellie..."

"Have you seen her?" he asked.

Olly shook his head. "You?"

Hardy shook his head as well. He had to go. And maybe he'd see her today.

Bonnie felt weighed down as she waited outside the courthouse. She didn't want to come today. She didn't want to see him, remember how he'd killed Danny, how it felt on her own throat and chest to be strangled to death. It was awful. But she'd come for this one-day process, to hear him admit what he'd done and get sentenced. She'd be there to support Alec, and the Latimers.

She stood when she noticed the family approaching, dodging the cameras in their faces. Just behind them, Alec was walking up. She got to his side and took his hand as his phone was ringing. "Hey, are you ready for this?"

He huffed, "Too bloody right."

His phone rang again, and Bonnie had to ask, "Why are you so popular today?"

He snorted, "I'm never popular, love. Worst cop in Britain, remember?"

"And yet I'm still in love with you," she teased.

He gave her a smirk, "Shame on you."

She tugged on his hand, "Let's go in."

He squeezed her hand as they approached security. "I wish we could sit in the same section."

"I know," she sighed, giving her purse over to be searched. "But I'll sit on the edge of the civilian section and be right in line of sight. After it's all said and done, we can go back to yours or mine and make love."

Whenever she put it out like that just so casually, he always froze or tripped over something. He wasn't used to her brazenness quite yet. And she always giggled at his expense. Right now, was not very different. But they didn't let the amusement linger. Today was serious.

When they met up with the Latimers just by the stairs, Bonnie embraced Beth as tightly as she could around her pregnant belly.

"You didn't have to be here today," Alec told them.

"Oh, we did," Beth said. "I need to hear him say it."

'All parties in Miller to court one. All parties in Miller to court one.'

The group of them quickly walked up the stairs and into the court. Bonnie gave Beth and Chloe a squeeze and Alec a peck on the cheek before she took a seat right at the front corner of the civilian section right inside the doors. Like marching to the gallows, Alec took his seat in his section.

She blanched when she saw Paul walk in with Becca. She didn't think Becca would be disrespectful enough to show up, given her affair with Mark Latimer, Danny's father. Especially given that they'd been having said affair while Danny was being killed. Bonnie kept her eyes straight forward, not sparing them much of a glance. She wanted this to be easy and over.

She started when Ellie rushed in, all flustered. Hardy quickly called her over to the empty seat next to him and she sat down, averting her eyes from everyone staring at her. She needed this quickly done with as well as anyone else.

Bonnie thought that was the end of it, that everyone was in and court would commence soon. But the doors flew open and she heard one of the bailiffs' usher whoever it was away from Hardy's section and towards her. He turned back to see a woman with black hair and light eyes, excited looking, and eyes on Alec. She frowned when it seemed Alec wasn't happy to see her and quickly got up to cart her out of the courtroom, "Out, now, come on."

Alec couldn't believe she had the gall to show up here as he forced her out into the hall, "What are you doing here? You know how important today is."

"Sorry, I was worried you turned your phone off," she justified.

"You cannot be here-" he tried to tell her.

But she kept talking over him, "Sorry, I'm panicking, I didn't know what to do."

"Go," he pointed to the stairs.

"I think he's back and I think he's looking for me," she cut him off.

He paused, "What?" What she was saying, couldn't be true. "No, he's not. He can't be. I'd know. Why do you think that?"

She spoke hushed up, "Nine missed calls on my phone. Number withheld."

"That doesn't mean-"

"It's him," she hissed.

"It's not," he insisted. "You need to calm down. I know where he is. I've had a trace on him. He's not even in the country."

She stared at him, "You'd better be sure, Alec, cos I feel like I can't breathe-"

"Everything is fine. Stay calm," he tried to comfort her with a hand on her shoulder. "Stop worrying. Soon as I'm done here, I'll come over. Now, go home. Please. It's all fine." As he walked back into the courtroom, he told her, "Maybe use the back exit."

As he walked back in, he felt like he was taking a walk of shame. He averted his eyes from Bonnie's searching face and ignored Ellie asking who Claire was just as the judge spoke up.

"All rise. All parties in the case of Joseph Miller."

Bonnie let the official statements around just wash over. She was only waiting for it all to be done and over with.

"Are you Joseph Michael Miller?"

"Yes."

"Joseph Michael Miller, you are charged with murder contrary to common law. The particulars of the offense are that on the 18th day of July 2013, you murdered Daniel Latimer of 4 Spring Close, Broadchurch, Dorset. How do you plead? Guilty or not guilty?"

"Not guilty."

Bonnie looked over at him in horrified shock at his words. He was supposed to plead guilty. He had already confessed. She could vaguely hear Beth gasping, "No. He can't."

Joe's solicitor stood, looking as stunned as everyone else, "Err... Your Honour... Sorry. Erm... Can I just ask for the indictment to be put again?"

Mark suddenly banged out of his chair, smacking the wood, and shouting, "Be a man, Joe! You know what happened!"

"Sit down," the judge ordered. "I said sit down." Nige had to get involved and get Mark back into his seat. The judge looked at the solicitor, "I take it from your reaction, Ms. Thompson, that Queen's Counsel have not been instructed."

Even Joe's representation looked flabbergasted at his plea. "Very much not, Your Honour."

"Could you confirm your plea, Mr. Miller? Not least, it seems for the benefit of your own counsel."

"Not guilty."

Bonnie felt like she was going to be sick. She trailed Alec the moment they were dismissed from the room. Ellie had already stormed off into the ladies' room. "He can't do this. They can't go through a whole damn trial."

"I know," he snapped. He paused when he realized he was taking it out on her and turned to her, "Sorry."

She nodded, understanding, "I know. I just—can't believe he would do this. But I guess nothing is worse than what he's already done."

He took a minute to think about his next moves before he spoke again. "Listen, I'm going to check on Miller. And then I need to go deal with something."

"That woman?" Bonnie asked, remembering the way he'd dragged her out and how long he'd been out before returning to his seat.

He didn't want to lie to her. With a big sigh, he nodded, "Yeah."

"Who is she?"

He swallowed, "It's nothing."

"A woman I've never heard of or seen before marches into court today and you're clearly not happy to see her," she pointed out, trying not to sound like the insecure jealous girlfriend, "and now you're going to see her after Joe just plead not guilty. Tell me it's not what it looks like. Tell me it isn't what any other woman would assume it is."

"It's not," he said without pause after she spoke. "It's not anything like that. That, I can promise you."

She looked into his eyes and saw what she always saw in them. How deeply he really cared but couldn't show most of the time. How he was asking her to believe in him. "All right. I trust you."

He briefly cupped her cheek, "Thank you, love." With a kiss on her head, he departed with a, "See you at home."

Bonnie couldn't help but smile when he said 'home.'

Hardy couldn't hide the contempt on his face as he approached the small house in the middle of nowhere. Claire greeted him outside like a waiting wife. But he had no time for pleasantries as they made their way into her kitchen.

"You shouldn't have come earlier."

"I know. It was stupid," she admitted.

"Yeah, it bloody was," he admonished her. Dealing with people was like dealing with children for him half the time. "Don't do that sort of thing. People don't know you're here, for good reason."

She blanched, "I said I was sorry. It's just I was spooked by those calls and I... I needed you."

He walked over to lean against the sink next to her, "We need to stick to what we agreed."

She looked up at him, quietly desperate, "Promise me I'm safe, Alec."

"I've told you. Everything's okay," he promised.

"So, you're staying?" she asked him insecurely.

He looked away from her, "No, I've got things I need to do."

"I don't like being here by myself," she told him.

"Stop worrying."

"You don't know what he's capable of," she insisted.

"I do. I've got it covered," he told her. It was so much he could do to assure her before he was free to leave.

Bonnie felt like she could chew her fingers off out of nerves. She couldn't concentrate at work. And she had three interviews, two on Skype. And she'd run into a dilemma. She'd found the perfect person to replace Denise. They wanted to work full time hours, practically run the place for her. But they also wanted a convenient place to live with decent rent. They offered to take the flat off her hands.

For a while, the closer they got, Bonnie thought about the prospect of living with Alec. He had never said anything. And she didn't expect him to. She knew that moving along in their relationship would be up to her. She loved him. She wanted to be with him. She thought that somehow, they worked. And living together could work too.

So, perhaps, she could bring it up with him tonight. His mind may be a mine field, but there would never be a good time if they were at trial. Before dark, she was done with the interviews for that day and hopping on her brand-new bike to Alec's. Seeing the sky-blue vintage style bike, she loved, reminded her fondly of her grouchy Scottish man. Because it had been a gift from him to her. He admitted that Denise helped him find the right one. But he wanted her to have a better way of getting around than walking or spending money on cabs back and forth between his place and hers. She needed to speak with him.

Only when she got there, she noticed harsh cracks in the glass of his ajar front door. She pulled out the taser Alec had gotten her a few months back and carefully stepped inside. She was shocked at what she'd seen. The whole place had been tossed over!

Breathing a little heavier in fear, she pulled out her phone and dialed Alec quickly.

"Hi, Bonnie, listen, I'm on my way back-"

"Well, you need to hurry."

He immediately sensed the worry in her tone, "What's wrong? What happened?"

"I'm at your place and it's been ransacked, Alec," she told him quickly, hearing a crunch of glass under her shoe and looking down to see a broken frame with a photo of her and Alec inside. He looked as grumpy as ever, but she was smiling enough for both of them. "No one's here anymore, I've checked. But someone was definitely looking for something, it doesn't look like any simple robbery."

He adopted his cop voice – as she dubbed it – and said, "Okay, I am coming now. I want you to wait outside for me. Don't call the police unless someone other than me shows up."

"Okay, please hurry," she said, stepping out of the house a sitting anxiously on the steps.

"Will do. Love you."

He hung up before she could answer. She waited, worried and wired, before he finally rushed down the walk to the house, instantly gathering her up in his arms. "Are you all right? You said no one was here, right? When you got here?"

"Yeah," she assured him. "I just saw what they've done in there."

He rushed into the house, taking in the damage. She watched him unlock the top drawer in his desk and check whatever it was he kept in there. He seemed angry, yet relieved. When she took a seat on the couch, he sat next to her and put an arm around her.

"What's going on, Alec?"

He didn't answer right away.

She got irritated, "You need to tell me the truth, Alec." She twisted out of his arm to face him, "Because I could have been here. If I decided not to go into work today, like I almost did, I could have been here when whomever came looking for you or whatever they were looking for. And it's not a coincidence that this happened the day that woman popped up at court today."

He sighed. He knew she was right. He just didn't want to own up to what could be a mistake. To what she would almost certainly tell him was a mistake. "It's my last case. Sandbrook."

"I understand that the case is still open ended, but what part does this woman have in it?" Bonnie questioned, trying to keep her tone even and reign in her reaction until he finished.

"She testified against our man, Lee Ashworth," he told her. "Her husband."

"Bloody amazing," she couldn't help but comment.

"When the case fell apart, she feared for her safety, begged me to protect her. Put her in witness protection," he explained.

"That's not possible without a conviction," she guessed.

He nodded, looking unbelievably tired at the end of this shit day. "The reason... I came to Broadchurch, was so I could hide her out here."

Bonnie scooted away from him an inch, "You mean to say she's been living here for the last seven months and you haven't said anything? Forget official police business, why have you never told me?"

"I didn't want to get you involved," he justified. "It's my investigation, it's Sandbrook."

"I understand that you can't tell me official police secrets," she said. "But this isn't your official investigation and you're not a DI anymore. You can't keep me in the dark about these huge things. And what does this-" she gestured to the messed-up house, "have to do with that?"

"I was under the impression that Lee was still in France, and that Claire was safe," he said. "I was told while on my way here that he returned to the country three days ago."

"So, this was him?" she asked, fearful of the fact that she could have been caught out at his place while a free murderer came and intruded.

"I'm almost certain," he answered gravely.

She let out a breath. She couldn't believe this was happening.

Alec leaned closer to her and took her hands in his, hoping to keep her calm and make her see that he wouldn't let anything happen to her. "Listen to me. Look at me." When she looked him in the eyes, he continued, "I will not let anything happen to you."

She furrowed her brow, "Do you think I'm only worried about me?" She huffed, "Alec, what if you had been here? Forget him attacking you, just seeing him could've put enough stress on your heart to kill you. I've told you – that I can't lose you. Whether it's to heart failure, or you burying yourself into this case and forgetting that you have a life outside of the job now."

He stared at her. He was always floored when she so bluntly made it clear that he had a woman like her in his life now. That she wanted some kind of life and future with him of all people. He was a grouchy former detective inspector in his mid-40s, divorced, with a daughter already. She was over a decade his junior, without the baggage of a failed marriage, always understanding and – the only person in the world he believed could communicate with people who had passed on. He never thought that this would be his life, and of all places, in Broadchurch.

"Alec."

Her voice snapped him out of his thoughts. "I'm sorry I've got you caught up in this."

She softened when she saw the vulnerability on his hard face. "Don't be sorry. Just be honest. Just be careful."

"I have to close this case," he told her, holding back on making promises he couldn't keep. It was his nature. No matter what, he'd always be police.

She squeezed his hands, "I know you do. I know you need the closure as much as the family does. Just think about us while you're out there. I don't want to relive Ellie calling me into the hospital because you collapsed chasing a suspect again."

"That won't happen again," he said. He leaned back against the couch, "I got a letter from my medical provider about the operation..."

"The pacemaker?" she asked. After he nodded, she asked slowly, "Are you thinking about doing it?"

He sighed. "I know it's a big risk but-"

"It's a big risk not to do it too," she finished for him. "I'm going to be scared of losing you whether you go through with the procedure or not. But I am going to support whichever decision you make."

"You're not going to lose me," he promised, against his better judgment, cupping her face and pulling it in so he could kiss her.

She always lost her breath when he pulled her in like that. And she always immediately reciprocated. Hitching up the skirt of her dress, she swung her leg over his lap and sat right down, still kissing him. Hands started roaming, she took off his tie, he pulled off her sweater. As she started undoing his shirt and hastily pushing his jacket off of his shoulders, he tried to talk against her lips, "Perhaps we should move into the bedroom – for privacy."

She smirked as she got his jacket off, "No one's coming around here. If they do, let them enjoy the show."

He groaned deep in his throat as she got his shirt undone, reaching up to caress her breasts. She got his pants undone enough to get access to what they needed. When he felt under her dress, up her thigh, he was surprised and completely aroused to feel that she had no undergarments on at all. "Bloody tease."

She giggled and gasped as they stroked each other. And soon, she was slipping onto him and riding him for dear life on top of his living room couch. Sometimes, they'd stare into each other's eyes the whole time. Sometimes, they were so overcome, they couldn't open their eyes. And sometimes, they couldn't pry their lips apart. Like right now. Alec pulled her as close as he possibly could as she moved on top of him.

She gasped loudly when her peak hit her. The way her heart was beating, she would be worried he would have a heart attack if his was beating as quickly. But so far, he had been able to handle her. As her pleasure washed over her, she moved faster, hearing the way his breathing piqued. She was half-surprised when he reached his hand between them and pressed down on the 'button' just as he thrust up with extra force. An explosion of pleasure washed over her again as he reached his climax.

Coming off of the rush, she laid her head in his shoulder, kissing the skin there, with a smile on her face. She felt him smirking against her temple, "Who knew an old man like me could be adventurous."

She laughed breathlessly, "If you'd like to get adventurous, I have some ideas."

His unguarded laugh was music to her ears.

The next morning, Bonnie was surprised to roll over in Alec's bed and see him still asleep next to her. She smiled, leaning over him on her elbows to kiss his face until he woke up.

In his deep Scottish brogue, he said, "Good morning. I think I like waking up like this."

"Then you need to start sleeping in more," she teased him. "What's your next move?"

He let out a huff – it was too early. "Get good help. Even I know that I can't do this alone."

"Guess you're not so stupid after all," she joked, kissing him. "Get official help. I'll help too where I'm able."

"You have your own work," he said. "Have you found a replacement for Denise?"

She ran her fingers through her hair, "I still have a few interviews to get through in the next couple days. But I think I met the right candidate yesterday. Young woman, single, just finished her degree. Wants something full time. Planning on getting her masters online while working and living in Broadchurch. Only thing is, she's expressed interest in taking up the lease of the apartment upstairs too. And I have thought of taking that kind of step back from the shop."

"Why?" he asked curiously, running his fingertips up and down her spine. "What would you do?"

"I'd still own the place and run the tutoring center," she said. "But if I take a step back from the orders and inventory and all that, I could have time to..."

"To what?" he asked when she trailed off.

She blushed, "So, maybe I could study for the exam to become a substitute teacher."

"Why do you sound embarrassed?" he asked her.

She laid her head down on his chest, "It's just... I still feel like I let myself down by coming to Broadchurch when I did. I never finished getting my teachers credentials and I always wanted to be a teacher. I mean, don't get me wrong, I love having the bookstore and running the tutoring center. But it was sort of the closest thing I could get to the thing I really wanted."

"Have you thought about finishing the credentials?" he asked, brushing through her hair with his fingers. "It's not too late."

"I can't see myself being a student again," she said into his shoulder. "It's been nearly nine years since I left that time in my life. But maybe as a sub, I could get closer."

"Whatever you want to do." Soon enough, the conversation teetered off as they prepared for the day, right down to a shared shower.

"Tell Ellie hello from me, yeah?" she asked him with a knowing smirk as they readied to leave.

He gave her a look, "I thought I was the detective?"

"Maybe I just know you?" she poised, slipping on her sweater.

He hummed in agreement, picking up his house keys. "What do you think of moving in here?"

Bonnie had been pouring white tea into a to-go mug for him, and nearly spilled half of it on the counter in shock at his question. "What?"

He hid his smirk, not really looking at her, instead at the paper. "You said you might give up the flat to whoever the new manager will be. Either that or getting a roommate. This way, you can collect more rent from her if she takes the whole place, not half."

"So, that question came from practical reasons?" She wasn't sure how she felt about that.

He looked over at her now, walking closer and accepting the mug of tea. "Partially. You practically live here anyway. I'd rather make it official."

"That's better," she leaned up on her toes to kiss him. "I'll start packing."

Ellie was confused and irritated to walk out of her therapist's office to see Hardy waiting by her car. Even more irritated when he talked her into getting into the car and driving out to the middle of nowhere.

"This needs to stay between us. You need to promise me."

"How long's this gonna take?" she demanded as she drove.

"Promise me," he insisted.

"Am I going to be annoyed by this?"

"Next left." His lack of straight answers was beginning to already annoy her.

When she pulled up to a little house, the women she'd seen in court walked out, "What's going on? Who's this?"

"Miller, Claire," Hardy introduced them shortly.

"Ellie. Hi," she waved.

Claire glared at Hardy, "Why are you bringing someone here?"

"She'll help," he said.

"No-one's supposed to know," she emphasized.

"You're worried. She'll look after you," he promised.

Both women looked at him in surprise, "What?"

"Let's not do this out here. Inside," he ordered, already walking in.

Hardy hadn't gotten around to explanations yet as they settled into the house and exchanged pleasantries, watching little Freddie play with his toys. Claire smiled at the little boy, "He's gorgeous! He's quite sleepy. What is he? Two?"

"Nearly. You got kids?" Ellie asked. Claire got suddenly quiet, averting her eyes to Hardy. Ellie frowned, "Oh. Sorry." Looking to her ex-boss, "Is she your wife?"

Claire snorted, "Him? Please!"

"Not my wife," Hardy said. "Or ex-wife."

"Do you want to tell me what's going on?" Ellie finally demanded.

Claire and Hardy shared a look, him assuring her, "I trust her. She can help."

She considered his sentiment, and nodded her permission, "Go on, then. Tell her. You obviously want to."

Hardy looked at Ellie, "It's sort of witness protection."

"What?" Ellie was already lost. "How can you be running witness protection?"

"I said, sort of, not officially. But she is under my care," he elaborated.

"What do you mean 'not officially'? You've been hiding her here?" Ellie asked.

"No-one knows, and no-one can know," he insisted.

She stared at him like he's lost his mind, "Are you out of your head? Oh, tell me you haven't done this. A witness to what, that you have to be holed up here?"

Claire looked at hardy, "Tell her."

With a great big sigh, he launched into his story, "My last case before I came to Broadchurch. Sandbrook. There were two girls, cousins. Lisa Newbery, 19, was babysitting for her 12-year-old cousin Pippa. Pippa's parents went away for the night to a friend's wedding. When they came back the next day, both girls were gone. The 12-year-old, Pippa, her body was found three days later. The 19-year-old, Lisa... Officially she's still missing. Our main suspect was a man called Lee Ashworth, but he had a solid alibi."

"Which was what?" the former DS asked.

"Me," Claire admitted with shame. "I said I was with Lee all night."

Ellie looked over at her, "Was that true?"

She crossed her arms in front of her, "No. No, I was at a friend's house, but Alec worked out that I was lying, and he promised, if I told the truth, Lee would be convicted. It was a big risk for me."

"Why?" Ellie didn't understand.

Claire sighed, "Lee's my husband."

Ellie's mouth dropped, "Oh, God!" Was she supposed to feel sympathetic for this woman since their husbands were both murderers?

"Yeah," Claire launched into justifications and explanations. "The trial collapsed, and Lee walked a free man and I asked Alec if he would protect me."

Ellie scoffed, "So, that's what this place is all about." She looked at Hardy, not pacified, "You can't just keep her here. There are official channels, procedure."

"Not if you've accused a person who's walked free," Claire insisted, hotly. "There's no witness protection, there's nothing. I'd be abandoned if it wasn't for Alec."

Ellie looked at the other woman, "How long have you been here?"

Claire thought on it, "Seven months or so?"

Ellie frowned, "No. If you've been here seven months..." looking at Hardy.

He averted from her gaze, "When I came to Broadchurch. That's why I came to Broadchurch. I took the job, so I could keep Claire safe here."

She glared at him and yelled, "You wanker!" storming out of the room for the room Fred was resting in.

Hardy walked after her, "No, Miller, don't!" He followed her into the room and shut the door. "That went well."

"Fred, darling, we're going," she told her boy, ignoring Hardy.

"Miller stop!"

She jabbed a finger at him, "You took the job earmarked for me because of her."

"Get over the bloody job!" he shouted.

"Do you not see how stupid you're being? What are you thinking?" she asked him.

"I've got a plan," he insisted, desperate for her to see his side.

She scoffed at him, "Yeah, well, it's shit! Does Bonnie know about any of this?"

He sighed, "I told her everything yesterday." He lowered his voice, "I can solve Sandbrook. Claire's the key."

"What if Lee Ashworth comes looking for her?" she poised for him.

"I want him to," he revealed.

"That's your plan?" she asked him incredulously.

"Just stay a bit longer, get to know Claire. Have dinner, have some drinks, you can all stay the night," he pleaded with her.

"Oh, have a sleepover!" she mocked the absurdity.

"She needs someone like you and you're not overloaded for friends," he pointed out.

"Thanks a lot!"

"There's even room here for..." he gestured towards the baby boy, blanking on his name.

"Fred!" she barked.

"Fred," he repeated, stepping in her path as she tried to leave. "Please, Miller. Please, listen, I need to know I got Sandbrook right in the end. I can't do it on my own."

"Hello love."

Bonnie couldn't stop the disappointed look on her face as she answered Alec's call in between interviews for Denise's replacement. "You're going to be late tonight, aren't you?"

"I'll be staying here – with Ellie," he explained quickly. "I got her to agree to help me protect Claire while I investigate Sandbrook."

She held in her tone. "All right. Well, I was probably going to stay in tonight and start packing anyway. But don't think this gets you out of helping me unpack, mister."

"Wouldn't dream of it." He sounded relieved that she wasn't reading him the riot act. "I love you."

"I love you too," she said before they said goodnight and hung up.

Alec was set up on the couch in Claire's little home, having already said his goodnights to them. Besides the couch being uncomfortable, he felt cold without Bonnie next to him. He always felt like he was ripping up old wounds to open up with her, move forward with her, and let her in more. But he felt he loved her enough and owed her enough for gauging out all her old wounds to tell him all that she already had about herself. He couldn't make the same mistakes with her that he'd made with Tess. He had a second chance at some sort of happiness. He wouldn't risk losing it for anything.

What do you think of Bonnie and Alec's relationship?

Also, just to forewarn people, I haven't gotten even close to finishing the writing up of series three of this show. I will be covering some of what happens in the three months between series two and three so it'll take longer and I won't have that posted as quickly as I've been able to post for these fanfictions so far.

REVIEW!

RegalGirl94