When her sister had called her to tell her her brother in law had just been put in jail, Clara Miller hadn't believed it. It couldn't be true. But her sister wasn't one for joking about the law, so Clara held her tongue in asking if it were true.

"What for?" Clara asked, knowing small talk would get them nowhere, and this really wasn't the time.

"Murder." Clara had to sit to absorb this new information. Joe Miller, a murderer? While she took in what her sister had just told her, Ellie began to speak,

"He killed a little boy." Clara's eye brimmed with tears,

"Oh my God. Is it anybody.. anyone that I know?"

"Danny Latimer." Clara was glad she was sitting, for if she were standing she'd have fallen over. Danny Latimer, dead? He was such a wonderful boy; full of laughter and joy, at least the last time she'd seen him. It'd been years since she'd seen him and since she'd been to Broadchurch. She'd put that town in her rearview mirror a long time ago.

"Oh God, Ellie." The tears came and there was no stopping them. She wasn't sure for whom she was crying for; her sister, Danny, the family, or her brother in law. Maybe all of the above. After pulling herself together, Clara asked,

"When did this happen?"

"Three months ago. I'm sorry I didn't call you Clara, but everything just happened so fast and I-"

"It's okay love. It's okay." After talking about various other topics, Clara realized this was her sign, the sign she'd been waiting for. Out of the blue she said,

"I'm coming home. Don't you worry sister, I'm coming home." That was that. A week later she'd quit her job and began packing up her belongings - which wasn't much. Besides clothes, shoes, toiletries, makeup, and an alarm clock that wakes you up to the sound of Stevie Wonder, Clara owned nothing. Her flatmate, George, was beside himself.

"Clara, what are you doing?"

"I'm leaving," she stated simply, shrugging on a black leather jacket.

"But why?" He asked, following her around the flat as she collected her items from her bedroom and deposited them in her trunk in the sitting room.

"My sister needs me."

"Yes, I understand that bit. What I can't seem to fathom is why you would quit your job."

"Get off my back George," she said over her shoulder as she zoomed back into her bedroom to grab her Stevie Wonder alarm clock. He followed her in and out of the room as she stuffed it in her rucksack and turned back to her bedroom door. She was almost there when he stepped in front of it, blocking her entrance. "Get out of the way George," she said, trying and failing to get past him.

"I will when you explain to me what is going on." Clara sighed and walked into the sitting room. She sat in her favourite chair where George soon followed her.

"I'm moving back to Broadchurch."

"What!?" His voice raised to an octave so high Clara didn't even recognize his voice. "But Clara, you can't just go. What about the Tourist Hut?"

"Oh they'll live without me."

"But Clara, we need you here. I need you here." His voice was becoming embarrassingly desperate.

"George, my sister's husband's been put away for murder."

"Oh." His voice was so soft she could barely hear it. "When?"

"About three months ago."

"Blimey, Clara, I'm sorry. I had no idea."

"I know," she said with a sad smile. "I thought he was a great guy. Apparently not."

"But you used to live there. Did you - did you know the person he killed." Clara looked down at her hands and nodded her head. "Oh Clara." She shook her head fiercely.

"I'm fine, really. But my sister isn't, which is why I need to get to Broadchurch as fast as I can."

"But why didn't you just take a leave of absence? I'm sure Gretta wouldn't have minded."

Clara sighed and looked at anything but her flatmate. "I've been kind of.. looking for a sign, you know? I.. I wanted to move back to Broadchurch, but I knew Nate would never leave his job and come back with me. But then we broke up, and that gave me an out. But I never went and did it. I don't know if it was because I was afraid to, or because I was accustomed to living here in Bristol, or if it were because I didn't want to leave behind all my friends - but I never did it. Now, with my sister and her husband, I feel like it's just.. time. Time to move on. Or move back, rather." She chuckled lightly at her pun, but it was lacking warmth and it didn't reach her eyes. George was beside himself.

"So you were just going to leave? Leave us here without an explanation? What about everyone here that cares about you." At her look of disdain, George corrected himself, "Look, I'm not trying to get you not to go, I'm just saying.. Leaving without telling anyone? That's awful Clara, and extremely selfish."

"I don't l-" but before she could finish, George said - in a disappointed voice,

"Oh I know you're excuse, 'I don't like endings.' Come on Clara! There are people here that love you, and you were just gonna bail? Without saying a thing?" Clara lowered her head in shame. Of course, he was right. She should have at least had the curtesy to tell her friends what was going on. Maybe leave out a few details, but she should have at least told them she was leaving. Forever.

"You're right George, I'm sorry."

"What about Mara?" He asked.

"What?"

"Well you're leaving today right?"

"Yes," Clara said cautiously.

"Well, what about Mara? And Clause, and Stevie, and Hendrik? None of them are going to have a clue about what's going on. You're just going to leave without saying goodbye?"

"I don't like endings." Clara repeated, getting up and resuming her packing. George followed her into her room. She decided moving from one room to another was taking up too much time and brought her suitcases in her room with her and resumed her packing. She grabbed her knickers in two handfuls and shoved them into the closest case.

"Yeah, I've got that bit. You say it often enough." Clara shot him a glare and continued packing the rest of her clothing. George was starting to tick her off. She tuned him out while he continued to speak. Finally, figuring out she was ignoring him, he yelled, "Are you even listening to me!?"

"Jesus Christ George you're driving me spare! Just shut up already!" He turned away from her with a pained expression and she instantly felt guilty. "I'm sorry George," she apologized. "But it's done. I've been planning this for a week, and-"

"Wait - you've been planning on moving to a completely different part of the country for a week and you're telling me the day you're leaving!?"

"I know, I know-"

"No, I don't think you do know Clara," he said, eyes blazing. "Do you have any idea how much the people of this town love you?"

"George, I-"

"No, I get it. Really, I get it. It's right for you to be with your sister. And if you want to stay there forever, it's not my place to stop you."

"Thank you." The room was silent for a long time. Clara, packing, and George, playing with his tie. Finally he asked,

"How are you getting there?"

"By train," she replied.

"And what time is your departure?"

"Twenty past twelve."

"And what's the current time?"

"Half eleven."

"Fuck."

"Yeah.." Her voice trailed off as she emptied the last of her clothing from her drawers. Finally he said,

"You never decorated. Planning for a quick getaway from the beginning?" She laughed.

"No. It just never felt.." she looked him in the eye. "It never felt like home. It never felt like it was the right place to start putting down roots." George nodded and looked around her bedroom, it's already bleak figure looking even more empty.

"How were you planning on getting to the airport? It's two and a half hours away"

"I was going to get a taxi."

"A taxi? No way, I'm driving you."

"Oh George, you don't have to."

"I know," he said, "but I want to do something nice for you. Before you're gone forever."

"Okay, but we're gonna need to make a stop,"

"Where?"

"To the shop. I want some jammy dodgers." George's laugh boomed all through out the flat.

"You and you're candy!"

The DI had just picked up his fork when his phone rang. Cursing, he put the utensil back on his plate of pasta and took the call.

"Hardy," he said, not able to keep the annoyance out of his voice. Of course someone would call him while he was eating lunch before he had gotten to eat it. And when he'd finally had a day off, too.

"Uhm, detective inspector sir, there's a uhm, a uh body here.." The boy's voice trailed off and he felt a pang of guilt. It was that Robinson kid, the new addition to the detective force that Ellie had been working with. Alec coughed loudly into his fist, shoved the plate of pasta into the small fridge he had, and asked,

"Where?"

"At the cliffs sir," the boy said, regaining confidence. "It's an interesting one. Ellie, I mean detective Miller, is here. She asked me to call you." Alec sighed and ran a hand over his newly shaven face. Miller had, rather loudly, complained that his beard was creeping onto his neck and he was starting to look homeless. In the end, he'd shaven it off. She hadn't seen him beardless yet. Grabbing his coat he jogged the short distance to his car and hopped behind the wheel.

"I'll be there shortly," he said in parting.

"Okay sir." The boy hung up and Alec was left alone with his thoughts. The drive would take only about five minutes.

When he approached the cliffs, police cars followed behind him in large numbers. When he spotted Miller's car he pulled in beside her and clambered out of his vehicle.

"Oi! Over here!" Miller called. Alec Hardy spun around and spotted her standing a little ways away next to detective Robinson. Currently, he was scribbling frantically on a notepad he kept with him at all times. He took notes on everything that came out of Ellie Miller's mouth. Alec thought it was annoying. Ellie thought it was smart.

"Have you seen it already?" He asked. Ellie shook her head.

"I just got here."

"Right. Let's get moving." They made their way over to the throng of police officers, who were currently hanging up police tape. Hardy lifted it for him and his partner to climb under and began their trek towards the body.

This was going to be the seventh one this month. A man named Bruce Daggermen, a deranged psychopath, had broken out of the Scotland Yard Prison and had made his way across the country, killing brunette women along the way. Hardy was 90% percent sure that Daggermen was behind the killing of whomever it was lying dead 2 meters in front of him. As he got closer, he realized the deceased was a brunette. 95% sure. When they were right in front of the body, Ellie Miller's breath caught.

"Joan Burgess," she said in a whisper. Alec Hardy leaned down towards the body, looking carefully. He motioned for a pair of gloves and was given a pair by Robinson. He flipped Joan over and checked her neck for marks. Clear as day, a long mark ran across her neck, indicating she'd been strangled. Just the way that Daggermen took his victims.

"Phone the Scotland Yard, tell them we've got a Daggermen kill and it's fresh." The officers blinked. "Now!" There was an uproar of movement as half the staff went to phone the Scotland Yard. A loud ring blared to his right. Alec turned and saw that it was Miller's cell phone. She looked at it and cursed,

"I have to take this." He gave her a disapproving look. "It'll only take a moment." He sighed and nodded.

"Hey Clara, what's up?" She asked, moving away from her colleague.

"Oh nothing really, just wanted to tell you that I board my flight in ten minutes and that I'll be at the station in," there was a silence as if she were calculating the time in her head, "three hours. You still picking me up? You know I can always get a cab." Ellie shook her head in exasperation,

"I'm afraid you're gonna have to take a cab Clara. There's a body."

"Another one?" She exclaimed.

"Yeah. We think it's Bruce Daggermen."

"The Bruce Daggermen? Responsible for killing seventeen brunette women, getting put in jail, then breaking out and killing six more women? That Bruce Daggermen?"

"It's seven now," Ellie replied.

"God Ellie. You be careful, yeah?"

"Alright. Love ya."

"And you big sister." She hung up and resumed her position by the DI's side.

"Who was that? On the phone?" He asked.

"My sister."

"I thought you didn't talk to your sister."

"I have two."

"I see."

They turned and left the body and the police took it to the morgue.

"Do you really think it's Daggermen? One hundred percent?" He didn't answer for a while.

"Yes," he said finally. They continued on in silence, leaving the body behind them. He figured he'd have to go into the office now. What a day off this was.

"Your face looks better."

"What?"

"You face - you shaved. You look like a normal, working person now. Not some gremlin that popped out of a sewer." He smiled but didn't answer her. "You look much better actually."

"Is that your way of telling me I'm attractive?"

"Could be. Loose the attitude and I'd introduce you to my sister." They continued to their cars in silence, which was broken again by Miller. "She's staying over tonight actually, I forgot to tell you. That alright?" After the case with her ex husband had gone through and he was sent away to prison, Ellie Miller was in horrible shape. Alec spent almost all of his free time with her and, as a way to get to know each other better, agreed to have dinner together at Ellie's every Tuesday night.

"Sure, fine," he said. He wasn't really thinking about it until- "Wait, this isn't some weird way of trying to set me up is it?"

"Oh God no, no nothing like that. No, no, no."

"Alright, alright, don't get defensive," he said, a bit disgruntled at the way she phrased it.

"Why, you lookin' for a date?" She bumped shoulders with him as she was accustomed to doing nowadays. It had agitated him at first. Now it brought a small smile to his face.

"No, and I'd like it to stay that way." Normally, Alec Hardy liked to stay out of his business associate's personal lives; but this was Ellie Miller and he had grown quite fond of her. He liked getting to know her personally, which shocked him. "How long's your sister staying with you?"

"She's going to live with me until she can find a place of her own. Funny, she's not even in Broadchurch yet and already she's looking for a home. You on the other hand have been doing the exact opposite. Do you want to live in a hotel the rest of your life?" Oh not this again.

"Look Miller - I'll find a place in my own time, alright? Stop bugging me about it." He picked up the pace and the duo clambered into their separate vehicles. They drove down to the station and began filing reports and yelling at staff - more Hardy than Miller. Some day off that had been.

She'd fallen asleep in the cab and had to be woken up - a bit roughly for her taste - by the driver telling her they were in Broadchurch at the address she'd provided. She'd given him a huge tip since Broadchurch was at least an hour from the airport and the cabbie usually didn't go out this far. Or so he said. Frankly, she wasn't sure if it were true. She whipped out her phone, an old out of date blackberry, and called her sister. She answered on the first ring.

"Hey Clara what's up?"

"Hey I'm at the house, you're not home are you?"

"Nah, I'm at the station. Do you need in?"

"Yeah, where'd you say the key was again?"

"It's wedged between the two display rocks near the door." A pause. "Do you see it?"

"Yup, I'm in. So guest bedroom's where I'll be, yeah?"

"Yep. Upstairs, back the hall, first door on the right."

"Okay. When will I expect you?"

"We'll be there in about two hours. Give or take."

"We?"

"Oh great, I forgot to tell you too. My boss is coming over for dinner tonight."

"Your boss?"

"Yes. His name's Alec Hardy."

"Mmm, Alec. Cute name. Wait - you're not trying to get us together are you?"

"God no, why do you people think that? No, I'd never set you up with him."

"Why? Is he ugly?"

"No, just a bit of a dick." Clara laughed.

"And yet you're inviting him over for dinner?" A pause.

"He really helped me through.. through everything with Joe and.." Knowing this conversation could end in tears, Clara shushed her sister and changed the subject.

"It's okay sweetheart," she said, opening the fridge, "what are we having tonight anyway? Cooking or take away?"

"Ballocks!" she shouted. "I was going to make pasta! I have everything too.." Clara cut her off.

"Oh don't worry love, I can do it. Do you have any garlic bread?" Clara asked, rummaging through the fridge.

"No. Do you mind going and picking some up?" Clara balanced her cell between her ear and shoulder as she reached for a bottle of water in the fridge.

"Not at all. Hey, where are the kids?" Clara asked, holding the phone to her ear in her left hand and the water in her right.

"They're staying over at the Latimer's. They do every Tuesday."

"So you and Beth are still friends?"

"It took her a while, but eventually she came to realize I had no idea about Joe and stopped blaming me." Clara smiled. Well that was good. At least her and Beth were still friends. They'd been friends since they were in school and Clara was pleased that their friendship hadn't ended over something that wasn't even her fault.

"All righty, I'll see you in two hours," Clara said.

"All right. Love you."

"Love you too."

Alec rubbed his hands down his face, a habit he's become accustomed to doing when he was annoyed or stressed. At the moment, he was both. Ellie gave him a look and put the report she'd been writing down. "Are you okay sir?" She asked tentatively.

"I'm fine," he snapped. But he knew he wasn't. He could feel his heart beating irregularly fast and leaned back in his chair, took a deep breath, started counting back from ten. He could feel his college's eyes on him, but he ignored it.

"Done," Ellie said, throwing the report on the table. "All we have to do is give this to Nick and he'll take care of it."

"Nick?"

"Nick Robinson. You all finished?" she asked, looking at his report. He wrote a final sentence and nodded his head, handing it to Miller. She left his office and handed them to Nick, said something to him - to which he nodded - and headed back to Alec's office. She lifted her coat off the back of the chair she'd been sitting in and threw it on. Alec got up and did the same, shrugging his coat on and following her out the door. The two drove separately to her house.

When they arrived, Alec slowed down and allowed Ellie to walk ahead of him. She stepped through the door and squealed.

He stepped inside and instantly felt as if he were hit with a bucket of cold water. Clara Miller was a petite woman, with a gorgeous face and kind eyes. Her hair was dark brown and came a little ways past her shoulders. It was slightly curly, as if she braided it and then took it out, hours later. Her eyes were startlingly blue, and she had a beautiful smile. She wore a dark blue tea dress with flowers on it, a black leather jacket, black tights, and oxford booties with a slight heel to them. Around her neck she wore a necklace with her initial, C, on it. Ellie Miller's sister was beautiful.

"Oh Clara, let me look at you!" Ellie exclaimed, holding her sister at arms length out in front of her to inspect. Clara blushed a slight crimson. Alec couldn't help but smile. "You look absolutely gorgeous, as always." Clara blushed even redder under her sister's adoration.

"And so do you Ellie. A right business woman." Ellie suddenly noticed Alec standing in the doorway and came to her senses.

"Oh Clara, this is my boss Alec Hardy. Alec, this is my sister Clara." Clara turned to look at him and blushed even redder, if that were even possible. He held his hand out to her, which she shook.

"Hi," she said breathlessly, staring into his eyes as a blush began to form across her chest.

"Hello," he said, just as enchanted by her as she was by him. Ellie cleared her throat and the two of them looked over at her.

"So are we just gonna stand here or are we gonna get something to eat? I'm starving."

"Me too," Clara agreed, giving Alec one last, fleeting glance before she returned to the oven. She bent down and pulled the oven open, checking the garlic bread. "Garlic bread needs a few minutes, but I think it'll be good to go in about.. Five? Give or take a few."

"I'll make tea," Ellie suggested. "You two can go sit in the dining room if you'd like." Clara looked at Alec, who shrugged. Clara then looked back to her sister and nodded.

"Sure. Why not." Alec stepped out of the room. Clara lingered and he could hear her talking in a loud whisper to her sister. "You never said he was gorgeous," she muttered, turning on her heel and coming into the dining room. She sat opposite Alec and smiled at him.

"So, Detective Inspector. I don't remember you being here when I lived here. When did you move?" Conversation struck and Alec and Clara began talking. He'd made her laugh on several occasions, a sound he would really like to hear again. Ellie came with tea just as the buzzer for the bread went off. The trio served themselves and talked until late into the night. At ten forty-five, Alec insisted it was time for him to get going. After Alec and Ellie said their goodbyes, Clara followed Alec out to his car.

"Well Detective Inspector," Clara said, making the title sound dirty. Alec gulped, "It was nice to meet you. I hope to run into you sometime."

"I assure you, the feeling is definitely mutual," he said in parting. They looked at each other for a while. Then Clara smiled and kissed him on the cheek.

"Goodnight Alec," she said.

"Goodnight," he replied breathlessly. Then he clamored into his car and pulled out of Ellie's driveway. The whole way to the hotel he was staying at, his flesh where Clara'd pressed her lips tingled pleasantly. It wasn't until he sunk into bed that he realized he might have feelings for this woman.