A/N: I know nothing about these procedures so don't quote me on anything!
Alec was cagey the next morning, pacing up and down his hotel room. He'd only been in the town a short time and so much had happened, one young boy killed and another seriously ill and he was at the centre of both events whether he liked it or not. A family were depending on him solving their son's murder and a young mother was depending on him saving her young son's life. Then Tess had the cheek to say he'd never make anything of himself after he covered up the fact she'd screwed up, how ungrateful was that?
He had to be at the hospital to meet Rose Tyler and her son at nine so he went down for breakfast to see Becca Fisher smiling at him. Did she already know?
"Morning detective inspector or can I call you Alec?"
"I'd rather you didn't call me anything at all but call me Hardy, if you must."
"Ouch, you are touchy this morning."
"Is it any wonder around here?"
He was annoyed she was having the nerve to be so cheerful at eight in the morning and for having the nerve to act like she'd not just admitted to having an affair with the dead boy's father.
"Isn't it sad about poor John Tyler? I went to the hospital yesterday, they've had that many queuing they had to start making appointments. The chances are pretty slim though, I mean for a match to be found in a small town like this but I heard they might take it down to Dorchester. I also heard Ellie has been rounding those up at the police station. I take it you've already been?"
Alec thought it was none of her business but since he was stuck in the hotel?
"Yes of course I've been, what do you and this town take me for? I may be new around here but I know what's going on. I have to be somewhere so excuse me while I get my breakfast."
Becca shook her head and knew why he was annoyed with her, she'd let Chloe Latimer bribe her into getting her dad out of a cell. Hardy had obviously wanted to charge Mark with something and was disappointed.
Alec called for a cab to take him up to the hospital and caught a glimpse of a blonde with a small boy and another woman plus two men, one he thought he'd seen the other day when he'd gone for the first test. They were all sat in the corner as he went up to the desk – Donna was back.
Funny how her name had stuck out when he couldn't even remember half the names in the station or the name of his DS's husband especially since last night she'd invited him over for dinner next week, what was he supposed to do about that? She might do something stupid like invite her friend Rose Tyler, then he'd really be flustered, he was hopeless around women now but it was Tess who'd made him like that.
"Mr Hardy, have a seat, Doctor Harper won't be long."
Well at least Donna wasn't mistaking him for the king of the Cybermen this time, he just hoped she hadn't really kept his phone number but she was marginally better than the flirty hotel owner he supposed but now the mission to find a matching donor was more or less over, she was probably going home.
He saw Owen come out of his temporary office and greet the group of people opposite, then he turned.
"Ah, Detective Inspector Hardy. Everyone, meet the matching donor for John. Alec, this is Rose Tyler, John's mother," he said, leading Rose towards Alec. "And this is her mother Jackie and her two friends, Mickey Smith and Jake Simmonds."
Then he saw John trying to hide behind Rose. "Don't be shy John, say hello to the detective, he's a policeman."
John had been converted by Tony into being in awe of any police officer, a passion of his slightly younger uncle, which no-one had explained to either of them since they were only just gone three.
Rose held out her hand despite her misgivings of actually meeting him, Ellie talked about him like he was some sort of demon.
"Hi, call me Rose and I just want to say thanks, for what you're doing."
"Think nothing of it, I would have done it if I had been a match with anyone else needing the same. Please, call me Alec. Mrs Tyler, a pleasure to meet you." He shook hands with Mickey and Jake then crouched down to greet John.
"And you young man, you are going to feel much better soon, is he not Doctor Harper?" Alec asked, looking up at Owen.
"Yes, indeed. Sorry, my office is a bit cramped so we'll talk out here. Donna, can you arrange some refreshments for everyone please?"
Donna was about to ask what his last slave had died of but since it was her last day and she was going home tomorrow, she decided against it since she wanted paying extra for coming down here in the first place. Sheesh, everyone thought she'd actually volunteered for the job but someone had backed out at the last minute and now she knew why and she'd heard there was a big fat bonus for anyone who could go at a moment's notice.
As Donna went off after writing down what everyone wanted and to bluff her way into the staff canteen again, Jake and Mickey moved the chairs together. Alec was still trying to get a response from John.
"So young man, I hear you've not been feeling too good? Well if you let Doctor Harper tell you what is going to happen and why we are all here, that may change very soon, am I right?"
Owen nodded and John went to sit on Jackie's lap, he liked having her around when Tony wasn't there.
"Granny, is that right?"
"Yes love, you'll feel all better soon. Rose, do you want me to take him home?"
"No, he can stay for now. So Owen, how does this actually work, now we've got a match? Alec, are you sure about this?"
"Absolutely certain but I hear from Doctor Harper I have a few more tests to do so I need to talk to him in private. I hope it's nothing to be concerned about."
"So do I," Rose mumbled as John decided to crawl across her to sit on Mickey
The refreshments came and everyone got settled then Owen began to explain to everyone what was going to happen but the seeds of doubt had already been sown into Rose's mind, that of the DI was holding something back but so was she. If John blurted out the fact Alec Hardy looked like his dad, he may not be able to get out of the room fast enough.
Just over an hour later, Mickey having to take John out, Owen had left them to talk and told Alec to knock on the office door when he was ready. Jackie though was keeping him talking because if this man was going to save her grandson, she wanted his life story which Alec was trying to dodge telling her. Rose decided the poor man needed rescuing from her mother's questions.
"Sorry about my mum, she gets a bit carried away sometimes," Rose apologised as she led him outside to see where Mickey and John were.
"It's quite understandable since he's her only grandchild, I have a fifteen year old daughter, I used to be the same when Daisy was his age. Well actually I was probably ten times worse since being in the police. So, are you happy with the arrangements? We all meet at the hospital in Dorchester on Monday morning? Do you think your son will be ok until then?"
"He'll be fine or Owen would have insisted on going ahead today. I think we all need some time to let this sink in and you a chance to change your mind. I have this nagging feeling you're holding something back."
"Really?"
"Well yeah, since you want to talk to Owen on your own."
"Don't worry, it's nothing that will stop the transplant, your son will get what he needs, I guarantee it and I know I'm in the middle of a complex murder investigation but I will not let you or your son down. My DS says she's your friend?"
"Yeah, Ellie was the first real friend I made when I got here. She looked after John when I was taking my driving lessons and introduced me to Beth. Alec, you will catch whoever killed Danny, won't you?"
"Yes, I will, it just may take a bit of time, seeing where the evidence is taking us but I'm putting myself into saving your son first, that I can do something about. Rose, if you don't object, I'd like to spend some time with your son?"
"Yeah, you're more than welcome but he's not got so much energy as he should but we were all going out on Sunday, up to the old tramway, you're welcome to join us, my mum hates it but she does it for John."
"I would be more than happy to accept though I don't have any transport."
"Don't worry about that, we can take two cars. Listen, I live just down by the harbour, why don't you come over when you finish work and see him? You can spend a bit of time with him, if you really want?"
"I'd like that. Thank you Rose. Now I have to go see Doctor Harper, why don't I give you my phone number and you can text me your address?"
They exchanged numbers and Rose went off to find Mickey, who was in the small café with John. Jake and Jackie had joined them, Rose not having seen them go past as she'd talked to Alec. Jackie already knew there was going to be trouble, the way Rose had been looking at the inspector was the same way she'd looked at the Doctor all that time ago.
"All sorted Rose?" Mickey asked as John went to her.
"Yeah, come on, let's get you home trouble."
"But Mickey said we can go catch crabs. Can we Mickey?"
"Ok, me and Jake will take you but you can't take them home, you know your gran hates them."
"And so I should, horrible little things crawling all over the place, just you make sure you put them all back Mickey."
"Oh, Alec's coming over after work to spend a bit of time with John and since I don't want to crowd him, can you all disappear for a while?" Rose asked.
Jake decided to tease her since they had been talking about the way she had been looking at the DI.
"We know when to make ourselves scarce Rose. If you want us to disappear, we know you want to be alone with him."
"Stop it Jake, I just don't want him to feel he's under surveillance, I don't want to scare him away."
"Fat chance of that Rose," Mickey commented.
"I've invited him out with us on Sunday, none of you mind do you?"
"I thought you didn't want to scare him off?" Jake laughed, picking John up and wiping his face covered with a chocolate biscuit Mickey had let melt.
"Well not in the house, it's not big enough for everyone. We can all meet over at one of the catering stalls then, I'll send him a message, then if he wants, he can come back with us afterwards. Happy?"
They all agreed and Rose sent Alec a text message. She got the reply of 'I look forward to it, I'm sure I'll find you all, say 5.30?'
Rose seemed quite pleased as they went off, Mickey still teasing her she'd got herself a date with Alec Hardy.
"Huh? Some date sat in full view of everyone and you lot there," she grumbled.
Jake and Mickey grinned to each other, they knew she was already taken with the DI and wished her luck as Mickey stopped to put John on his shoulders to go collect his crab bucket and net from the kitchen. When they had gone back out again, Jackie decided to confront Rose properly.
"So, are ya gonna go on a proper date with him then?"
"Mum, this is not the time to be going on 'dates' with anyone, I have John to think about."
"Rose, you've been on your own all this time love, you have to think about yourself as well you know? If you want to go out tonight, one of us will stay with John, you know that."
"Yeah, I know but I don't think he intends to ask me on a date Mum, well not if he's anything like Ellie described him."
"Well he seems ok so far. Maybe it's because Ellie works with him, yeah?"
"Maybe but I'm not getting my hopes up, especially once the operation is over with, Alec will want to be left alone to find Danny's killer."
"That may be so Rose but maybe he'd be better if someone was on his side?"
When the others had left and Alec had told Rose he would see her and John later, he went back to the side ward and knocked on Owen's door, relieved to find Donna had not returned. Why was he so bothered about her? Rose, yes, he was concerned about her son, no child deserved to go through that and he hoped some good would come out of all the others who had been tested.
Was it just concern? She had just invited him to her house, she said to spend time with the boy so he was going to treat it as such, not that it would deter him from asking her to go for a drink with him later when the boy was in bed and had plenty of people to watch him for a few hours. Would she accept though?
Owen called for Alec to enter the office. He'd just received a message to meet at 5.30 at one of the catering stalls alongside the harbour. Maybe she was already regretting inviting him to her place but it stood to reason her house may get over-crowded with sightseers, mainly her friends and her mother.
Did she want to be alone with him? Maybe not.
"Ah, Alec. So what did you want to talk about then?"
"These other health checks, are they necessary?"
"Worried about something?"
"Should I be? You can get my medical records from the police CMO."
"Yes and I suspect I'll get the unofficial ones. The game's up Alec, I'm the head of medical at Torchwood, you can't hide from me."
"So you are not going to tell my bosses about me or stop me going ahead with the transplant?"
"No, under certain conditions. The transplant is not life-threatening in any way Alec, we have to be sure you're otherwise in reasonably good health but maybe we can help you, in return for what you are doing?"
"If you want to put a pacemaker in me, think again. I was told I had only a slim chance of surviving the surgery."
"Those health service doctors are all the same. Over-worked and underpaid and they have limited time to spend with patients. While you're having the transplant surgery, we can fit the pacemaker at the same time, you'll be in and out in no time, go back to work or whatever. Since you'll be there anyway, you may as well take advantage of our offer."
Alec laughed. "Aye, so you make sure the boy gets what he needed then finish me off? I'm done anyway if my chief finds out."
"We won't put it on your medical record Alec, if that's what you think?"
"It did cross my mind. Do the family have to know about me?"
"Only if you want to tell them but I think Rose should be told, she deserves that much."
"I would be taking a big risk, I have a murder to solve."
"I'm aware of that but you'd solve it much faster if you were 100% fit. You're already off on Monday, I've cleared it with your chief, I made a hero out of you. I said we'd need you the full day and Tuesday if need be, it's mainly preparation on Monday but we need you there in case we go ahead but she won't know that. It will give you Tuesday to have a rest. I can arrange for longer if you need it?"
"I'll manage but I'll go back to work on Tuesday unless you really do need me?"
"That would rather draw her suspicions and besides, John will still be in hospital, you can spend some time with him."
"He'll have enough people around without me."
"Trust me, the Tyler's will insist you stay, you've met the boy's grandmother," Owen grinned.
Alec scowled. "I take your point. So, what do I have to do?"
Owen picked up a folder on his desk.
"Sign these forms. One is for the transplant, one for the pacemaker surgery. We'll just do a pre-op on your arrival on Monday morning, we'll take you for the transplant when John is ready but you may be waiting around a while. Then we'll do the pacemaker fitting, no-one will know about that part unless you agree to tell Rose."
"I may tell her, she invited me to spend some time with the boy, it seems only fair she knows."
He got a cab back to the station, thinking he may ask to borrow a car over the weekend, he was quite optimistic about his impending heart surgery, certainly he had more faith in the Torchwood doctors as they wouldn't waste money if they didn't think it would work. Besides, it had been a while since he was first told he didn't have much of a chance and medical practices changed all the time. What did he have to lose? Maybe only a chance of Rose Tyler actually going out with him.
So as he was driven towards the station, he made his mind up if this was going to be his last weekend, he was going to spend it with Rose and her son, friends or not, he could easily get rid of them and he'd make sure her mother was occupied elsewhere. If the worse happened, Miller would get what she wanted and be promoted and everyone would be happy, well maybe everyone except Daisy. Now was the time to call her.
If he told her he as going to save a young boy's life, she might be suitably impressed enough to forgive him. As he arrived at his destination, Ellie was waiting for him in his office.
"So, how did it go then?"
"Quite well, I met the boy, what else can I tell you Miller? About that invitation to dinner, are you by any chance inviting Rose Tyler?"
"I doubt it, she'll be fussing over John. Oh, I get it, you want to ask her out but you think she'll turn you down and you want me to play cupid?"
"Don't be so daft Miller. Anyway, she invited me out to join them for tea later on and I accepted."
"What? You eating fish and chips out of paper?" Ellie laughed.
"No, out of a carton Miller." He shook his head and got back to work.
Ellie laughed to herself going back to her desk, the great Alec Hardy had been well and truly caught by Rose Tyler.
