Disclaimer: Still don't own them. Still wish I did. Still no money...I do take payment in chocolate, crisps, and tea however...
The kids were gone. It had sounded like a great idea at the time. "I'll take them a few weeks El. Let you get stuff sorted. Clean up without Fred underfoot. And for fucks sake get some sleep!"
She had done nothing. Picked at take away for a couple nights, tried to watch tv. Decided she was disgusted with the house, but not enough to do anything about it. She was so tired. So very tired. Sleep just wouldn't come. She'd bought a new bed and rearranged the bedroom first thing when they returned to the house. Burned the mattress, the bed frame, the bedding, in a hole on the beach. It'd made a nice fire, it had been a release of sorts. But still...sleep wouldn't come. She had moved the rocking chair up there even, in hopes of falling asleep in it like she had when Fred was tiny.
She'd carried the last bottle of wine up with her this time. Hadn't even bothered with a glass, bottle was near gone anyways. Yanking the drawer at her bedside open she fumbled around for the bottle of pills she knew was in there. She couldn't very well take them when the kids were home. Someone had to be conscious if Fred woke, or if there was an emergency. Sitting on the bed she took a drink from the wine and eyed the pills wearily.
How many times had Joe left her alone with the children after she had taken one? She didn't take them often really...but the thought was always there now. Nagging her in the back of her mind. Groaning she set the pills down and pinched the bridge of her nose. So tired. Everything was tired. She hadn't slept since that night she had been forced to share a bed with Hardy. Something she most certainly did NOT want to investigate the cause of further. Grabbing the pills again she opened the bottle and shook one out. Damn the 'do not mix with alcohol' warning, at this point her blood type was quite possibly 'red wine'. Tossing the pill into her mouth she swallowed it with the last of the wine, knocking one more pill out and setting it on the nightstand she capped the rest and set them and the now empty wine bottle down before lying in bed, turning off the light, and hoping for the best.
Alec drove as quickly as he could, grabbing his mobile when he entered the town of Broadchurch he sent a message both to Tom's phone and Ellie's. i"I'm in Broadchurch, be there in a moment."/i
Tom jumped as his phone and his mom's phone buzzed at the same time. He let out a relieved sigh as he read it, climbing out of the bed he made his way down to the front door to wait. He could see the car parked outside and knew that there were officers inside keeping an eye out. He watched as another car pulled up and came to a stop. Alec climbed out and barely shut the door before he was taking the front steps, he didn't even have to knock before Tom unlocked the rest of the locks and threw the door open.
Alec was caught off guard when the teenager threw his arms around the man in a hug. It took a stunned moment before he simply returned the gesture and inched them both inside before shutting the door. "S'alright. I'm here now."
Taking a few moments he glanced around the darkened house, he could tell it was a mess from the odd smells. Take-away, garbage, dishes. They were piled up and it wasn't like the Ellie he remembered at all. She may not have been the one to do the bulk of the cleaning before, he honestly didn't know...but he knew she wouldn't want her children living in this.
He kept rubbing Tom's back lightly, "We'll get this sorted mate. I promise, I won't leave 'til it's done."
Tom loosened his grip, stepped back, and looked up at Alec, he was embarrassed but he still met the other man's eyes full on. "I've been trying...trying to help keep things cleaned up. I…"
"You've done well. Do y'think you can sleep? It's late, you go sleep and I'll get things taken care of yea? Of if you want I can call Olly to come pick you back up?"
He heard a snort from the teen, "Olly's probably still terrified of you...I'll sleep here and go back tomorrow first thing yea? Even if mum isn't awake yet…"
"Alright." He gave Tom's shoulder a squeeze, "Which room is your mums then? I'll check in on her first."
He followed Tom up the stairs and down the hall, looking in on Ellie and finding her dead to the world. There wasn't much he could do yet, oh he was going to give her a good bollocking that was for sure. First though he would deal with the house as best he could since he was awake now, may as well make himself useful. Tom had gone to his room and left the door open partway. He could hear soft snores coming from the room already. With a smirk he headed back down stairs and out to his car for his bag and then locked up the front door behind him when he came in. He couldn't set the alarm of course, but it would have to be alright.
With that he dove in. Dishes done, a load of laundry started once he found the soap, garbage gathered. It was a start, she needed food he noted. He'd send Olly on an errand first thing in the morning. Dragging himself back upstairs with his phone in hand he pulled the chair up next to her bed and sat down in it. Waiting for the pills and the wine to wear off.
It was in the early morning sunlight that he noticed the shirt she was wearing. The bloody shirt he'd been looking for for weeks. He thought he had left it in a hotel somewhere, but no she had it still. Must've been the day Fred had knocked her tea over and she'd needed something to wear while they finished the work they were doing on the Sandbrook case. He laughed softly and shook his head. Women were such odd creatures.
Resting his elbows on his knees he leaned forward and let his head hang. He'd text Olly in a few minutes. If he didn't fall asleep himself first anyways.