As far as Alec Hardy was concerned, the hospital staff was a Godsend. They didn't argue when he insisted that Daisy and Ellie share a recovery room. The nurses sat with him while he waited for Daisy to come out of surgery, the cut to her arm was deep and required reconstruction. They didn't fight when he complained that it was taking too long. They reassured him every time he asked after Ellie, who had also been rushed into surgery to repair the three stab wounds and severe internal bleeding from the rape she'd suffered at the hands of Leo Humphries.

Alec wished he could be there to interrogate that monster, or even better, Joe Miller, the sick fuck who had planned the whole ordeal with the boy he'd groomed before anyone knew anything about Daniel Latimer's murder. He wanted to squeeze the life from both of them, watch as their cruel sneers faded and their bodies went lax. As he had said to Ellie so many times, anyone is capable of murder under the right circumstances. These were Alec's, and it relieved him to know that DI Washbourne and his DS, Hartford, were heading up the interrogations. No way Joe would get away with it this time, and the video evidence was enough to put Leo away for good.

So when he heard his name asked in a small voice, so terrified and so feeble, Alec jumped to his feet, facing the young man that Tom Miller had grown into with the countenance of that small boy who just learned he'd never see his father again. Tom's eyes, red rimmed and puffy, studied Alec's face for any sign of his mother's well-being. Alec reached forward and drew the boy into a tight squeeze, and once contact was made, Tom's feigned bravery fell and he drooped into Alec's arms, sobbing like that little boy did so long ago.

"It's alright, Tom, your mum's gonna be alright."

Fred found his way over to them, and hugged Hardy's leg. Alec broke off the embrace with a pat on Tom's back and reached down to pick up the curly-haired five-year-old. "Is my mum sick, Uncle Alec?" Fred clutched his stuffed bear to his chest, as if the gift from his mother was his last lifeline to her.

"She's in the surgery, wee Fred. The doctors are gonna try to fix her up, then we can go see your mum and Daisy."

Alec sat on the hard bench in the family room, freeing Fred to play with the toys. On one side of him, Tom sat down, then his grandfather followed. They waited in virtual silence, with Fred running back to sit on his grandfather's lap, or Hardy's, or back to the toys, for an hour.

Soon a knock on the door startled all of them.

A doctor with floppy blown hair, a big chin, and wearing, of all things, a bow-tie stepped into the room. He had the kind of smile on his face that reminded Alec of Ellie, and he wanted to punch it right off the man's face. At least, that was, until the doctor spoke.

"Mr. Hardy, I'm Doctor Smith, Head Surgeon. Just wanted to update you on your daughter's condition."

Hardy stood and nodded.

"Daisy's arm had a lot of damage to the skin and muscle tissue, but thankfully there was little in the way of nerve damage and no damage at all to the radial artery. With some physical therapy she will recover well. There was no sign of sexual assault that we found, but she's got a sprain on her left wrist and multiple hairline fractures in the bones in her hand. It looks like she fought back. So, she's going to be in two braces for her hands and wrist for the next six weeks. Considering the damage to her arm, we'd like to keep her here a few days for intravenous antibiotics before you take her home."

"Thank you, Doctor," Alec replied, "Have you any news on my partner, Ellie Miller?"

"Well, I'll need to discuss it with her family."

"He is family," Tom injected, coming to stand at Hardy's side. "He's got as much right to know as the rest of us." Alec and Tom shared a look, and Tom gave him a knowing smile.

"Well," continued Doctor Smith, "Mrs. Miller is going to have a long road ahead of her, if she wakes up. We could stop the internal bleeding and thankfully her wounds will heal. The head wound is severe, and she lost a lot of blood. The next 48 hours are critical."

Alec shook the doctor's hand, thanking him. Doctor Smith led Alec, Ellie's boys and her father down a long corridor, and they were shown into a room where Daisy sat in a chair next to Ellie's bed, holding her hand. At the sight of her father, Daisy stood and wrapped her arms around his waist. "She saved my life, Dad."

Ellie's face was bruised and littered with small cuts, a bandage covered the back of her head. She was motionless, on a breathing tube that stuck out of her mouth, the machines beeping along with her heartbeat and helping her breathe. Alec's heart sunk into his stomach, he was half-expecting to be greeted by Ellie's endless, irritatingly beautiful smile. Alec found another chair for Ellie's father and Fred, Tom helped Daisy sit on the edge of her bed and helped himself to sit next to her, that left the chair right next to Ellie for Alec. He sat down, and took her hand. It was so cold.

He knew he was losing his composure, and fought back against the tears threatening to spill. I must stay strong, he told himself, do it for them. They need you to be strong.

Daisy whispered into Tom's ear and he nodded. She reached out to rest her hand on her father's shoulder. "Dad?"

"Yes, Daze?" He wouldn't take his eyes off his hands wrapped around Ellie's.

"Erm, I think Tom and I are going to take Fred down to the canteen for a snack. Want me to bring you anything?"

Daisy could tell her father was trying to keep his voice level, and he only replied, "Thanks, but I'm alright," as he dug into his jacket for a wad of bills and handed it to her. "Get anything you want sweetheart. You deserve it."

Daisy handed off the money to Tom and threw her free arm around her father's shoulders. "I love you, Dad."

He smiled, stood and took her in his arms. "I love you too, darlin, and I'm so happy you're safe."

Ellie's father cleared his throat. "Uhm, I think I'll come along with you, help mind Fred. Could use a coffee."

Tom nodded, took Fred's hand and Daisy's IV cart in the other, and followed her out of the room. Ellie's father followed close behind.

Alec Hardy was alone with his thoughts.

He took his seat in the chair once again and for a few minutes, held Ellie's hand in silence. He leaned onto the edge of the bed, cupping the hand in both of his, pressing his lips against her cool skin. Waves of guilt beat against his heart, threatening to drown him in tears that he found forming behind his eyelid, forcing their way down his pallid cheeks. His breaths shuddered. Soon enough, those tears flowed freely, plentifully, and Alec Hardy was forced to face a fact he always thought he could bury deep down inside.

He loved her.

He loved the way she always seemed cheerful, that obnoxious way she liked to steal his food and even more obnoxiously, argue with him. He loved that she called him names and kept him on his toes. He loved that she could follow him in a line of questioning or on a lead and it was as if she read his thoughts. He loved the tingling sensation that occurred when their skin brushed, even for a second. He loved that they could be in the same space and be completely comfortable in it, even in silence. And if this was going to be his last chance, his last shot to share it with her, Alec Hardy would say it.

He bowed his head, resting his forehead on the tops of Ellie's fingers.

"I know you're probably not going to hear this, but I have to say something. This may be my last chance to tell you… everything." He sighed, "I've loved you since the day you showed up in my hospital room after my heart surgery. I knew it then and I made myself bury it. I wanted to just be happy as your friend. But… I can't. You're the reason Broadchurch is home. I brought Daisy here to start over because I wanted her to find what I found… you. You're a light in the lives of everyone around you. You keep me going and fight with me when I'm being stubborn and stupid and you just never, never give up. God, I wish you'd just tell me I'm being an idiot right now so I can shut up. But I've kept it locked up so long. I just… I love you, Ell."

He felt the sensation of someone moving the hair from his forehead, and Alec glanced up.

Those deep brown eyes, soft and rimmed in red, tears dancing around the edges, watched him carefully. She made a motion, for something to write with, and Alec reached into his jacket for the pen and pad he used to take notes. He put the pen in her hand, held the pad of paper for her, and after a few wavering strokes she turned it around so Alec could read it too.

I love you.