The next morning, James had packed after convincing Donna that by staying there, he was not going to convince Rose not to strangle Hardy. Donna however had tried to get him to stay but he had won in the end.

"You're such a soft touch James, you're giving her what she wants, to be left alone with Hardy."

"Donna, you're not here, it's totally creepy looking at the bloke and it's un-nerving, probably for him as well. I'm not staying so say what you want. Rose said she would hire a car for a few days and get the train back. The least I can do is pay for the car hire so I'll tell her to send the bill to you, take it out of my pay. I've failed Donna, she's so hooked up on Hardy, she won't ever get free. I've tried but it's never going to happen."

"Well, if you're sure about this and they won't kill each other, I guess you can come home. Sorry I dropped you in it James, I really thought she might come round."

James said goodbye to Rose over breakfast. "So you text me what time you're coming back on Saturday, ok?"

"Yeah ok. I am sorry, really. I know you wanted a week by the sea."

"Nah, it's ok, got some holiday coming up, I'll find somewhere, Club Med or suchlike. Take my advice Rose and walk away at the end of the week, it won't do you any good."

"I know. He just drives me insane. Walk you to your car?"

James smiled. He went to get his luggage and Rose waited downstairs, noting Hardy had already left. Becca called her over to the desk.

"Your friend leaving then? I thought he was here for the week, he only told me this morning. Thought it was rather creepy that he looked like Hardy, it freaked me out when you arrived."

"Yeah, I know."

"You already knew him didn't you? Hardy I mean."

"Yeah, his last case, our paths crossed."

"Judging by the other night when he came in, I think it was a bit more than that. Were you two involved with each other?"

Rose laughed. "No way! I knew him from his last big case, we hate each other."

"Ouch! Is hate the new word for love?"

Rose was rescued by James emerging with his luggage. As he was putting it in the back of the car, he turned around.

"You'll be ok won't you Rose? I feel bad now about leaving you."

"I'll be fine, don't worry about me. See you Saturday." She gave him a hug.

Rose went back to the hotel to wait for the rental car she had just ordered after she had watched James drive off. She did feel guilty but it wouldn't have been right to lead him on. Everyone had said it, James was turning women down all the time hoping Rose would notice him and go out with him but both Donna and her mother and now James himself had said how obsessed she was with Hardy, it was never going to happen.

Once her shiny blue rental car arrived, one with a built-in satnav, she decided to take a drive up to where the Latimer family lived but there was still a Police car outside so she parked down the street and made some notes. Her first task was to build up confidence of her with the family like she always did, writing nice things about the boy and the rest of the family, that got them interested enough in her to start to let her in.

She sent off another report to Donna and noticed the blonde girl she had seen at the press conference come out of an alleyway between the houses so she got out of her car rather quickly, locking it behind her and caught up with the girl.

"Hi, are you Chloe? I'm Rose, I was at the press conference the other day, do you have a minute?"

The girl stopped. "We don't talk to the press you know, my mum said they're all the same, out to make our lives even more miserable."

Rose smiled. "Well that's not me. I was down at the beach and saw a lot of flowers and gifts down there. If you left anything of sentimental value, I'd go move it if I were you, someone might take it."

"Yeah, thanks for the advice. So who were you again?"

"I'm Rose Tyler, I work for The Herald."

"My gran reads that. I suppose I can trust you then, it's just that my mum said not to talk to anyone."

"Well she was right. Look, I'm not going to pester you and take photos all the time but I've had experience with situations like the one you and your family are in. I understand what's going on and promise I'll leave you alone, unless you want to talk. Can I give you my number?"

Chloe got her phone out. "I suppose so."

"If you want to chat, someone outside your family to listen to you, I won't print anything about you without your permission, ok?"

The girl nodded and walked off. Rose had just begun round two. That was how she preferred to work, ingratiate yourself into the family in a small way and build on it. She just wished she could do the same with Hardy.

While Rose had been waiting to take her first steps into the Latimer household, Hardy and Miller had been hard at work, pulling people in for interviews and just before Rose had arrived in the street, had taken the boy's father in for questioning and Hardy was having a hard time with him. By the end of the afternoon, he left the man to think about why he wouldn't give his whereabouts and went back to the hotel. He saw Rose sat on her own in the dining room and walked past her.

"Care to join me detective?" she called after him. He sat on the next table, just behind her.

"I don't think so Tyler, thanks all the same. Where's your friend, had enough of you?"

"He's gone back to London, couldn't bare to see his reflection all the time."

Hardy smiled. Eliminate the competition then go for the kill. Well maybe, if he managed to actually solve this case and not have Tyler come down on him like a ton of bricks again. If he screwed this one up, she would let him know. Maybe he should risk sitting with her, just this once before she brought her wrath down on him again.

"So if I come round there, do you promise not to bite?"

"Maybe, if I get served any time soon."

The waitress was making her way slowly over to her table as Hardy sat opposite her. They ordered and ate in silence, Rose thought he may as well have stayed where he was, they had talked more before he had moved.

"So Tyler, when are you going to give me some good news that you're leaving town as well?" Hardy asked as he pushed his plate to one side.

"Aw, I'm disappointed detective, I thought you were actually enjoying my company that much you were lost for words."

The waitress came back and Rose ordered some icecream. Hardy shook his head. "I was waiting for you to strike up a conversation that didn't involve this case or my last one."

"What? Wow, are you sure you're still Alec Hardy and didn't do a personality swap with my partner?"

Her strawberry and vanilla icecream arrived and Hardy asked for some as well.

Rose smiled, the detective didn't want to be left out after all. As if by mutual consent, they moved into the bar, much to the amusement of Becca. Talk about luck, Rose Tyler had two identical men chasing after her and she was talking to the grumpy one, not the cute one who had just left.

Hardy bought her a drink and sat opposite, still keeping his distance so she couldn't slap him. He figured he was at a safe enough distance away.

"So, are you just going to stare at me all night and pretend you didn't see me in my bikini yesterday?"

Hardy took a drink of his non-alcoholic lager. "I still should arrest you for wearing it. Do you always dress like that for the beach or were you hoping to lure me there?"

"Don't flatter yourself detective. Were you spying on me?"

Hardy smiled. "No, I just got lucky, I saw you walk down the cliff path and settle on the beach, thought I'd give you a minute, I saw you strip off, you really should be more careful Tyler."

"Perve, you were watching me."

"Just be thankful it was only me, you shouldn't be alone on the beach, there's a killer around."

"You left me there Hardy."

"You put a t-shirt on."

"You turned around, aw, I didn't know you cared. You could have stayed."

"I had better things to do."

"I hate you Hardy."

"Yeah? Good, I'm doing my job. Your room or mine?"

"What?"

"You heard."

"Mine. I'll go up first."

Rose finished her drink in one go, Hardy thought she was used to it. She was wearing slim fitting jeans and a sleeveless t-shirt and he watched her leave the bar. Just what he thought he was going to do when he got to her room, he didn't exactly know. He waited ten minutes and got up, getting a stare from Becca.

"Early night detective?"

"Long day."

He noticed she had just come back in, one of the waitresses was serving behind the bar and he wondered where she had been or if she had just been taking a break. He checked his pocket and took two pills out of the blister pack and swallowed them in the hallway after getting a bottle of water from the bar, telling Becca to put it on his bill. Then he took the stairs and knocked on Rose's door.

"It's open detective."

"You're too trusting Tyler, what have I told you?"

"Well who else would it be? No-one else knows what room I'm in."

She had disposed of her jeans and was wearing her pink silky dressing gown, the t-shirt still underneath and her legs showing. He put the bottle of water on the dresser.

"Long story. So tell me why I'm here again?"

Rose laughed as he took off his jacket and his tie then loosened the top two buttons on his shirt and she walked up to him as he threw the tie on the back of the chair. Rose reached up and unfastened more buttons, putting her finger on his chest as she did so, kissing his exposed skin. She liked men who had hairs on their chest, not too much, just enough.

"You need reminding?"

"Humour me."

He was unfastening the shirt cuffs as Rose had the sleeves over his shoulders, pulling it off as he went to put his arms around her neck and began kissing it.

"Well I might be a bit hazy on some things."

"I'm sure it will come back to you detective."

She put her arms around his waist and up his back as his own arms moved down and his hands began to unfasten her robe, letting it fall behind her. Then he put his hands up the back of her t-shirt, noting she wasn't wearing anything underneath. Then with one swift movement he pulled the t-shirt over her head and his skin touched her skin.

They both let out a low moan. "Whose idea was this Tyler?"

"Yours I believe detective," Rose replied as he kissed her shoulder and neck.

Rose was nestled in the crook of his neck.

"Never had such a worse idea in my life."

Rose glanced up at him. "I'm sure you've had worse detective."

Then he began nibbling her ear, smelling her perfume and he knew he couldn't finish this without ending up in hospital. He had to tell someone and the reporter was the only one he trusted strangely enough.

"I hate you Tyler."

"I hate you too detective."

Rose moved her head and he angled his slightly down. She wasn't as tall as he was and Rose had to reach up on her toes since she was in her bare feet and practically having to let him hold her up. They looked at each other as their lips were so close.

"Why Tyler? Why did you agree to let me come to your room?"

"It seemed like a very good idea at the time and I was just trying to shut you up."

"Really? I don't think so, you were flirting with me."

"Huh? Talk about an ego, you've certainly got a large one."

"Says you, Miss laid on the beach in her bikini trying to distract a Police officer from his duty."

"I told you, you shouldn't have been looking."

"You were very difficult to ignore."

"I wasn't asleep if that's what you were thinking."

"I know, you were trying to ignore me and hoped I would go away."

"You didn't, much to my annoyance. You were in my sun."

"Really? I was saving you from getting burned."

"I had sunscreen on, spoilsport."

"Tyler?"

"What?"

"Shut up."

He leaned a fraction closer and their lips met, just brushing against each other but within seconds, the kiss had deepened. Hardy put his hands lower and pulled her up as Rose put her arms around his neck as he lifted her off the ground.

They parted and Rose was back on her toes as she suddenly felt him lift her up again and carry her to the bed, her arms still around his neck.

"Detective, do you want to talk about this?"

"No, you've talked enough already."

Rose grinned as he placed her on the bed and began unfastening his belt.

"I've talked enough? Thanks a lot."

She sat up and reached for him to help him finish getting undressed down to his boxer shorts.

"I'm going to do something really stupid Tyler and before you say anything, thinking about having sex with you has got to my worst idea ever despite what you think but that's not it."

"Then what is it, besides letting me get to you that you even want to think about having sex with me?"

She had her arms around his neck as he knelt on the bed and she scrambled further up, still on her knees.

"I'm going to trust you."

Rose giggled. "Seriously, you're gonna trust me. What makes you think you can?"

"I have no choice. First though, you tell me a secret that no-one else knows about you, then I know I can actually trust you."

"Well, you've got me there. Ok, I've never admitted to anyone that you turn me on and I wanted you to take me to bed the first time I met you but you were still married."

"That wouldn't have stopped you, would it?"

"Maybe not if I'd know your wife was already having an affair that you didn't know about. When you found out, we already couldn't stand each other and we made each other's lives a misery."

"Mine was already a misery, you made it worse because you always walked away."

"You could have told me you wanted to take me to bed you know."

"And spoil all the fun?"

He pushed her backwards so she was sprawled back against the pillow and he followed on his knees, hovering over her. He was about to lean down to kiss her exposed skin but she held his shoulders.

"Ah, ah, your turn Hardy."

Hardy straightened up and Rose ran her finger down his torso, stopping at his bellybutton.

"I've got a health problem, a serious one. Having sex with you could possible land me in hospital or worse."

Rose looked horrified. "What? You are joking I hope?"

Hardy shook his head. "No Tyler, I'm deadly serious, no-one else knows apart from my own GP, back in Sandbrook. Now you can throw me out if you want."

"You're not just saying that to get out of having sex with me are you Hardy?"

"Don't be stupid Tyler. I want to have sex with you, I just can't risk it."

"Was that what stopped you before?"

"No, I was getting ill, just after I was pulled out of that river. I wouldn't go to hospital when they wanted me to. The ambulance crew treated me at the scene, gave me something to help me breathe and I went back to work. It must have affected me. The next thing I knew a few days later was I was getting chest pains and went to my GP. I need a pacemaker."

Rose looked at him. Joking was now out of the question. All that banter, all that ribbing each other and pretending they hated each other, none of that mattered any more. Rose sat up and put her arms around him but he backed her off.

"I don't want your sympathy Tyler. You have two choices. Throw me out and tell me you never want to see me again or keep on going as we are now because I need this. I need to take my frustrations out on you, you kept me going all this time. Nothing's changed. I'm still not going to make this easy for you and I expect no less from you. You know the truth now but all I ask is that you don't print it until I have the killer behind bars. Agreed? Now do I leave or do I take my shorts off and try my luck?"

Rose already knew the answer. They couldn't live without each other in the background, someone to focus their anger on. Another child had been killed and despite Hardy's best efforts, two killers were still out there. She doubted he could focus if she threw him out and they had kept each other fighting, mainly each other but it had kept them from falling apart.

Rose gave him his answer as she placed her fingers on the waistband of his boxers.

"You're welcome to try detective."

That was all he needed. Keeping the rest of her underwear on, they got under the covers as he slipped his shorts off as Rose giggled when he threw them over the side of the bed.

"I think I'd better go on top detective, I'm not going to be responsible if you collapse on me. I don't fancy having to get your shorts back on you if you need an ambulance ride."

"I'm disappointed Tyler, you had no objection to me taking them off just now but I just took two pills. They're in my jacket pocket if I need more. Don't worry, you won't need any protection, I stopped carrying any a long time ago."

"I take my own precautions thanks, not that I don't trust you."

"Oh. So you've been waiting for me have you Tyler?" he grinned as she settled on him.

"You're so full of it Hardy. Why don't you just admit it? You've been trying to get in my underwear since day one."

He suddenly flipped her over, making her gasp as he lay on her, pining her arms up.

"Now who's full of it Tyler?" He leaned down and kissed her.

She gasped as she felt him moving her underwear to one side and they touched.

"Don't get too excited Tyler, this isn't going anywhere just yet."

"Hardy, just shut up and get on with it, whatever 'it' is."

"Oh. So you're going to start bossing me around are you Tyler?"

Rose never said a word as she was more than enjoying the sensations she was now getting. When she recovered sufficiently, she saw Hardy staring at her.

"Did you enjoy watching that detective?"

Hardy grinned. "Nearly as much as you were, apparently."

Rose freed her arms and pushed him on to his back. "I'm gonna have to change my underwear now, thanks for that."

"My pleasure Tyler, don't let me stop you but you might want to delay that. Who says I've finished with you yet?"

Rose felt another jolt of pleasure rushing through her and lost all coherent thoughts as he repeated what he had just done. When she finally landed back on earth, she moved her hands onto his chest.

"Are you sure you're not joking about your health detective?"

"Well it doesn't take much effort to please you by the look on your face just now does it Tyler? For the record, I can prove I have a health problem should you want to check it out. Now are you going to get changed and let me go or am I staying here all night with you in your damp underwear?"

"I'll get changed if you put your shorts back on and stay. You can sneak out of my room when my alarm goes off. I wouldn't want anyone to get the wrong idea we had spent the night together. I suggest we go to your room next time."

"Oh, so you're that confident there's going to be a next time are you?"

Rose got out of bed.

"Throw me my shorts while you're there Tyler and pass me my phone. I have my alarm set for seven."

"So is mine but I'll put it beside mine, it will make sure we don't sleep in. Why do you get up so early?"

Rose was about to go into the bathroom to freshen up after throwing his shorts to him, which he caught.

"Some of us have to work at getting ready in the morning."

Rose laughed. "Are you kidding? You don't shave, you don't seem to comb your hair, you look like you've slept in your shirt and suit and your tie is always crooked and your top shirt button always undone. Did I miss anything?"

"No, I think that's a more than accurate description of me. If I go missing, I can rely on you to get me found. Anyway, who says I actually get any sleep?"

Rose had disappeared into the bathroom having grabbed a pink cotton vest as well as clean underwear and came out a few minutes later, turning out the bedside lamp.

"I heard what you said detective, about you not sleeping. Do you get nightmares about being in the river?"

"That and other things. It pains me to admit this Tyler but Lisa still being missing, not knowing, that's the worse part. Pippa was bad enough, finding her and I ask myself why it was me that had to find her. Why couldn't it have been someone else? Why did I nearly have to drown in that river getting her out?"

Rose was sat up and put her arms around him and kissed his cheek.

"I'm so sorry Alec, I had no idea how it had affected you."

Hardy looked at her and leaned into her so he was resting his head on her now covered chest. "I told you Tyler, I don't want your sympathy."

"Maybe not but you need a decent nights sleep, you have red eyes most of the time, you constantly look tired and you don't look after yourself properly. What are you trying to do to yourself?"

"Why should you care Tyler? Why am I still here, in your bed? You should have thrown me out while you still had the chance, now you're going to get stuck with me if you're not careful."

"Stuck with you? Are you insinuating I'm not up to the task detective?"

"I don't know, are you? Do you really want to play nursemaid to a sick detective who likes to make your life a misery?"

"You do make my life a misery and I hope I make yours miserable too and I'm not going to go easy on you. You want someone to take everything out on, to listen to you moaning, to make sure you take your medication. Well you've got someone and if you don't like it then tough, get used to it detective. You're the one that's going to get stuck with me."

"Great, just what I need, a bossy reporter of a girlfriend. Just let me die in peace."

"Oh no Mister, you don't get out of it that easily you know. We're gonna fight this. What about this pacemaker? When can you have it fitted?"

"This is not your fight Tyler, it's mine. Don't get involved with me."

"Shut up Hardy. I am involved so get out or get used to it. Don't go feeling sorry for yourself, it won't work on me. Can you get an appointment for the pacemaker fitted? How long have you been waiting?"

"Since I first found out, I'm top of the list if they haven't given up sending me reminders. I have my mail forwarded to the station. Let me up, I'll leave if you want me to."

Rose stayed where she was, holding him firmly. "I told you, you're not getting out of this so easy so go to sleep. I've got you now and if you wake up in a panic, tell me if you need your pills or if you just need holding until it passes. My mum always said it's better with two. I don't care if you wake in a panic at three in the morning, I don't care if you come back at three in the morning and want to take it out on me. I'm here so just accept it and take advantage of it."

"I hate you so much right now Tyler, I can't describe it."

Rose kissed his forehead and he shifted from her chest onto the pillow and turned onto his side away from her.

"Get back here Hardy, you don't get to wallow in your own misery alone you know."

She put her hand on his shoulder and he turned around to face her.

"I hate you too Hardy, for all you put those families through and that you might do the same for this one. I just wanted justice for Lisa and Pippa and you didn't get it for them but just because of that, I'm not going to let you suffer a serious life-threatening illness on your own, that's different. Now come here and let me hold you while you go to sleep. After you've snogged the life out of me to shut me up"

Hardy looked at her. Who the hell did she think she was bossing him around like that? She was ten times worse than his ex wife. Was he going to let her take charge of him? Someone had to so why not let her, she deserved everything he could throw at her and was he going to throw everything at her with both barrels or what? He brushed a strand of her hair behind her ear he could make out from the light coming through the window and leaned forward.

"Oh Tyler, I can shut you up whenever I want. Don't say I never warned you. You want to boss me around?"

Rose nodded as he pressed his lips against her and only stopped when they both got out of breath.

"Well you're going to have your work cut out for you if you think it's going to be easy. I'll argue with you, I'll fight you if you make me do something I don't want to."

"Yeah, whatever you say, tough guy. Just promise me you'll call the appointments office in the morning and get yourself fixed, that way I'll be out of your way. Until then, get some sleep."

"When did you say you were going back to London Tyler?"

"I didn't, so tough. I think I might just ring my editor and persuade her to let me stay and see this thing through, that way I can bug you even more."

"Give me her number, I'll threaten to sue the paper if she lets you stay."

He leaned closer and put his arm across her waist, his fingers straying under her vest top.

"I've got two weeks holiday to come, I can take them where I like. I heard Broadchurch is lovely this time of year."

"You wouldn't dare Tyler, the sooner you're on a train or your broomstick back to London, the better."

"Oh I will be going back detective, to get some more stuff then I'll drive back down and deliver you to the door of that hospital, in handcuffs if I have to because you're not getting out of it."

"Then you wonder why I hate you so much Tyler." His hand was now all the way up the front of her vest, tracing his fingers on her skin.

"Then stop arguing and get some sleep Hardy, you're gonna need it with me looking after you."

"What makes you think you're getting the job?"

"Had any more offers lately?"

He thought about it. "No, not exactly but I haven't advertised for anyone."

"Then there's no need to. Don't worry, once you've had your operation you can fire me."

"Good because I'll have had enough of you by then."

He settled in her arms and went to sleep, Rose holding him tightly.