Alec decided this was getting slightly out of hand and way beyond what he had hoped. Rose was kissing across his bare chest and her hand was on the part she wasn't kissing.

"Rose, I think we should just slow down a little. This is really nice but it's getting late, maybe I should walk you back to your trailer?"

Rose looked up, a bit disappointed. She reached for her bra. "Ok, if that's what you want, fine."

She put her bra on backwards and fastened it, turning it around. Alec could tell this was going to end badly. He had almost promised himself he would have one final fling if he didn't make it through surgery.

Rose was reaching for her dress, getting off the sofa after moving his shirt and it landing on him.

"Or maybe you could stay?" he added hastily, putting it back and laying against the cushion. "I was giving you the option but you took it the wrong way."

He waited to see what she did. She put the dress back. "You could have said that Alec, I thought you wanted me to leave?"

"No, I'd like you to stay, please? Just stay, I won't put any pressure on you, I just want some female company, it's been a while."

That was partly true, sharing a bed in a motel with Miller had not been the highlight of the past two years and was more than uncomfortable under the circumstances with the accusations flying around about them. Maybe if he got through the surgery tomorrow, he would ask Rose out again before she left town and make sure everyone knew he was with her. Then she would come back at some point and if he was still in town, maybe they could get together again but who was he kidding?

Rose reached for his shirt again and put it on, fastening a couple of buttons. Then she got off the sofa again and took his hand. He got up and crossed to the door, making sure it was locked and taking the key out.

"So which is your bedroom Alec?" she asked, standing on her tiptoes to put her arms around his neck. "It's been a while for me too and I'd be more than happy to keep you company. Do you have a t-shirt I can borrow? I don't want to crease your shirt."

He leaned down to kiss her, his own arms now around her waist. Suddenly, he scooped her up and carried her towards the bedroom, stopping by the light switch and Rose moved an arm and turned it out, one arm still around his neck and leaning her head on his shoulder. Her bare legs were supported by his arms and he was enjoying the feeling immensely. She was barely covered by the two buttons of his shirt she was wearing and kicking her legs as he used the light coming from outside to cross into the bedroom where he put her on the bed, glad he had tidied it when he had got back earlier.

He put on the bedside lamp, pulling the wooden blinds over. "I'm not used to entertaining a beautiful woman so you'll have to excuse me."

He went to the dresser and pulled out a white t-shirt and tossed it on the bed. "I'll just be in the bathroom, won't be long."

"Alec, don't you want to claim your shirt back?" she asked, fingering a button.

He could see her bare tummy and the top of her bra. Was she trying to finish him off? He knew he had to go and take his pills soon, there would be plenty of snogging if nothing else.

"Rose, I would love to take off that shirt and reclaim it but I need to go to the bathroom, really. Just wait right there and I'll be right back, don't move."

Rose smiled. "Ok then, I'm not going anywhere but don't be long will you?"

He leaned over and kissed her tummy. "You'll hardly know I was gone."

He retreated to the bathroom, collecting his pills and taking two from the blister pack and just hoped they would be enough for someone like Rose. She was still lying on the bed but had moved and was propped on one of the pillows.

"Come here Alec, I want to ask you something. I'm a show girl, a fairground worker and you're in the police, are you ok with what I do?"

"It doesn't make any difference to me Rose, I'm not working anyway, I'm only here until the court case is over and they find me another job."

He didn't want to say until his fate was decided tomorrow and if by a stroke of luck he survived, he would be on his way after the trial, perhaps to apply for a transfer nearer to his daughter. She had shown signs she wanted contact with him again after they had all been out together but Tess had not wanted a reconciliation.

"How long do you think it will take Alec? Will you stay here until they find you something else?"

He was going to say that depended on two things, his survival and if she was staying in town.

"How long are you here for Rose? You are the brightest thing I've seen so far in this town."

He kneeled on the bed after taking his trousers off and knelt in front of her, Rose ran her finger down his torso, stopping at his navel. Keeping his balance, he unfastened one button, then the other, running his finger and parting the shirt. Then he helped her take it off and she pulled him towards her.

"We leave on Monday Alec so let's not waste any time but if you just want us to get to know each other tonight, I can go for that."

Maybe his luck had changed already. After Rose gave him a snogging within an inch of his life and they had kissed all the places they could reach without taking their remaining items off, they finally fell asleep in each others arms after Rose put the t-shirt on he had left for her and woke to Alec's alarm at seven thirty. Rose scrambled out of bed since there was only one side and went to gather her clothes then find the bathroom. Alec was already dressed in a shirt and unfastened tie and was just coming into the living area when she came out and she stopped as he held out his arms.

"I expected a morning kiss Rose."

"I thought you had to go to court and I wanted to make you some breakfast but we can go back to bed if you like?"

Alec smiled. "Well never mind, come here." He wrapped his arms around her and leaned down to kiss her. "Good morning sweet Rosy."

"Mmm, good morning my fuzzy detective, going for a shave are you?"

"It's not that bad is it? I thought that was what attracted you to me or was in the fact I won you that bear?"

She reached up and kissed him again. "You're far cuter than the bear Alec."

"Thanks, I think. Did you say something about breakfast? I need the bathroom, you'll find what you need in the kitchen, I have tea, no sugar."

Rose went off after fingering his beard then kissing his cheek and finding eggs in the fridge and putting them in a mixing bowl, put the toaster and kettle on. Just as Alec came back, she was just setting some scrambled eggs and toast on the table and went to make the tea.

"Thanks, if you decide to quit your job, you could be a waitress."

Rose smiled. "Only if you came in every morning."

"Maybe I would. When are you coming back Rose?"

"I've not left town yet Alec."

"Well I miss you already, see, I even shaved for you."

His beard looked a lot neater than earlier. Miller was going to get a surprise when he turned up in court, his beard had not been that length since he arrived in Broadchurch last year and maybe it was now a bit less then even back then. All he needed now was a haircut and if he survived this afternoon, maybe he would go get it.

Rose got up from the table and half sat on his lap, fingering his chin. "Looking good Alec, all that for me?"

"For my favourite waitress, maybe I'll just have to coax you away from that fair and employ you myself."

He gave her a kiss, her arms around his neck and his around her waist. He whispered "Rosy" in her ear as she kissed his neck and his almost smooth cheek.

"Your chalet isn't big enough for you justify having a waitress."

"Then I'll just have to move somewhere bigger, won't I? Seriously, when are you coming back?"

Rose kissed his cheek again. "August."

She started to get up but he stopped her. He knew his taxi would be waiting in the pub car park in twenty minutes and he may not be coming back. His solicitor, well his new one he had appointed a few mornings ago at 7am would take care of everything for him and it wasn't fair to burden his new romantic interest with such things.

"Too far away. Can I see you tonight? Come over after you finish but if there are no lights on, I'll be away again. It's this damned old case I'm working on, it keeps me away and it's too far to come back, Miller takes me over after court is dismissed for the day but if I'm not here, I'll be back sometime tomorrow, I'll come and find you. What time does the fair open?" He kissed her as they got up.

"We open at 2pm tomorrow and Sunday. Come and find me and if I see lights on tonight, I'll come over, if not, I understand you have a case to work on, don't worry."

She kissed him again, then quickly cleared the breakfast things while Alec got his holdall and put his jacket and tie on.

"I have to go sweet Rosy, hopefully I'll see you tonight." He leaned down to kiss her again. He hated lying to her.

Rose put her jacket on and picked up her purse, Alec ushering her out of the chalet because he wanted to kiss her goodbye before he crossed the footbridge over to his waiting taxi and hope he would see her again. They stopped as he was about to cross.

"Wish me luck Rose." He couldn't say what for but hoped she thought it was about the trial or the case.

Rose reached up and kissed him. "Good luck Alec, whatever happens."

Alec looked up and saw his taxi pulling in. He let go of her, still holding onto her arms and whispered, "If I'm back later, I'll make up for this morning."

Rose smiled and kissed his cheek. "Don't keep your taxi waiting."

She watched him walk over the footbridge and get into the taxi. Alec turned around and waved as he threw his holdall onto the back seat. Rose thought he was more than likely not coming back tonight, his old case must be taking him away again and she was going to look him up when she got back but not having his surname, it may prove a little difficult. Still, all she really had to do was look up the murder in Broadchurch and there would be the names of the leading detectives and she would get it from there then follow any links to his name.

She waved until the taxi pulled out onto the road, wishing she had walked across the bridge with him. Alec could see her in the passenger rear-view mirror, just hoping he was coming back now he had found someone who was remotely interested in him because he could certainly do worse than attract the attention of the girl from the fairground. He wished now he had got her phone number at least and send her a text before he went for his surgery but what would he say in it?

Would he say, "Hey, I'm just about to get a pacemaker fitted, don't mind me" or more like "I probably won't see you again, I might die on the operating table, last night was more than nice"? It was going to be bad enough sending messages to Miller and Tess, he thought there would be no love lost with either of them, Miller would call him a tosser and Tess wouldn't care as long as he had left everything to their daughter, which he had. At least he had done something right.

Maybe now he had even more reason to make it through, apart from the Sandbrook case, seeing justice for Danny Latimer and his daughter, that was if he could get the mysterious Rose to stay when the fair left town come Monday.

Rose let herself into the trailer she shared to find Jack cooking breakfast. "Want some Rosy?" he offered, turning over the bacon.

"I've already eaten thanks. Mum up yet?"

"Yes I am thanks very much. Where did you get to that you've already eaten madam?" her mother asked, emerging from the tiny bathroom, drying her hair.

"Come on Mum, I'm not a kid and I wasn't that far away. I spent the night with someone, has that become a crime?"

"Don't be cheeky to your mother Rose. Who was he anyway?"

"He's a police detective, well he was. He's testifying at a court hearing over in Exeter then he's waiting for a transfer, he didn't say much else."

"And you didn't ask either did you?" Jack grinned.

He'd done that many a time even since he had shacked up with Jackie Tyler and her daughter, there was nothing romantic about it except for when Jackie had one too many to drink and a bit of snogging then took place, more for her sake than his. His door opened both ways. Rose decided to get out while she could so she picked up the laptop and connected to the internet using the device the fairground now used so everyone could benefit. They all paid a small amount each month.

She typed in 'Murder Broadchurch' and got thousands of results so she filtered it to 'Detective Broadchurch' and the first result came up from the town newspaper – 'Alec Hardy vindicates himself by solving the Broadchurch murder'. Clicking to find out more, she read the interview he had given on the conclusion of the case and was horrified to find out he had battled an illness and that a case had eluded him when the killer got away by evidence going missing.

No wonder he had been so reluctant last night, why hadn't he wanted her to know? Maybe whatever had been wrong with him was now cured and he hadn't wanted to mention it. She didn't search further, she would be gone on Monday and he was obviously very busy, no wonder he had taken another overnight bag with him.

Alec arrived at the court, early as usual, which he did on purpose especially when he wanted to leave an overnight bag and didn't want anyone being nosy but today was different. He knew Miller wouldn't be taking him anywhere and he had a taxi booked to pick him up from in front of the building at two, just after everyone had gone back after the lunch break and he would tell Miller to go ahead, that he had a call to make and she wouldn't question it.

He had decided he would send a message to her and Tess before they took him to the operating theatre then he thought again about the woman he had met yesterday. She was stunning and he wished he had met her before the day his fate was to be decided. He had only made his mind up a few days ago, he had been told he wouldn't have to wait too long since his symptoms had got worse, especially after he had collapsed again the other day. So as the trial began for the day, he had put himself between Miller and her estranged husband to save him from glaring at her and looking slyly at her, which had made her uncomfortable. Before they had gone in though, Ellie had quizzed him about the fair last night.

He could have sworn she had got there early just to ask him.

"So Hardy, where's that Tigger toy then? Didn't manage to win it after all? Good job Fred wasn't taking much notice but he liked the car. Maybe we can go back tonight? Have another go?"

"Not tonight Miller. Besides, it will be cheaper to buy one."

"Don't be such a grump, trying to win one is much more fun and I think that girl fancied you. You've even had a shave, must be love."

"Really? Is that why I didn't win the toy?" He wasn't going to mention he won a bear for her instead and she had named it after him then spent the night in his bed. Miller wouldn't believe him anyway. "She has better things to do than waste her time on me Miller. It's time to go in and don't wait for me later, I have a phone call to make during the break."

"Fine, misery guts."

Just after the break, Alec told Miller to go ahead and save him a seat but he wasn't going back, maybe never. His taxi arrived after he collected his holdall from the reception area and took him off to the hospital. He sent messages to Miller and Tess, to Miller he simply told her he had stopped being a knob and gone to get the pacemaker and if he didn't make it, it had not been nice knowing her because she had made him do it. He didn't want to get all sentimental and to Tess, he said he was sorry he never told her about how ill he was and he had left everything to Daisy and who his solicitor was and told them both if something happened to contact the hospital in Exeter.

Once inside the hospital, he was directed to the ward and was left to get changed into a hospital gown and his vitals were checked, then he was taken down to the theatre after giving instruction to the nurse to get in touch with Jocelyn Knight at the crown court should something happen to him and he didn't make it. The nurse assured him she would pass it on and told him not to worry, they fitted pacemakers all the time. That made him feel better - not.

While Alec was preparing to go under the knife, Ellie was blissfully unaware her ex boss was undergoing treatment at last and his ex had just happened to be on her way to Broadchurch to see him about Claire and Ashworth as some new evidence had come to light and she had just confronted Claire but when she got out of Claire's cottage, she got a message and tried to call her ex-husband back to find his phone was turned off.

Tess swore under her breath at him – that man. Then he wondered why she had sought another man's company and divorced him but he might die and despite her hatred for him, a lot of things had gone unsaid and he didn't deserve to die on his own if that was what was going to happen and she couldn't face Daisy and tell her that her father had died and she wasn't even there. After all, he had taken the wrap for her mistake of leaving evidence in her car and she hadn't asked him to but neither had she set the record straight and if he got through it, she was going to officially re-open the case for him, in his memory if he didn't make it.

Rose was busy setting up the stalls for the evening opening at six. She had spent the afternoon having a look around the harbour area to escape being asked question by her mother and opted not to go to the get-together some of the woman had that entailed catching up with gossip and hoped her mother wouldn't tell the whole camp she had spent the night with a man.

Just after four, Ellie got out of the courtroom and checked her messages and saw one from Hardy, wondering where he had sneaked off to when he hadn't come back in but wanting to hear what was going on since it was about Mark Latimer. Then she read the message and was furious. That man, who did he think he was? Sneaking off to get his pacemaker without telling her after she had nattered him about it non-stop since she found out. If he made it, she would kill him and if he didn't she would gladly dance on his grave. He had kept her going through all this and if he died on her, she would never forgive him.

Alec was laying in the outer room of the operating theatre while they prepared him and as he felt the anaesthetic take hold and things went blurred, his last thoughts were his daughter and Rose, who had comforted him on possibly his last night on this earth.

TBC