They had a passionate night, Alec finally admitting he was falling in love with her, thinking he was safer than just coming out just saying it and waiting for her to tell him to get out, Rose admitted she was falling for him but there were a lot of unresolved problems with their new relationship, Alec's reluctance at accepting help and Rose's past and until they could get over that, they were both hiding the fact they were hopeless about each other. Alec didn't know if she was ever going to tell him about the man she had lost so he decided he would come out and say what he wanted.

''Rose, you know I'm falling in love with you but I know there's something holding you back from telling me. You can Rose, you can tell me how you felt about him, I won't judge you but your stepfather said he was never coming back so what's that all about? How can he be so certain?''

''It's impossible, that's why, what did Pete tell you?''

''That this man, I believe everyone called him The Doctor, he was the one who tried to stop the Cybermen and he got trapped where they went. Pete said there was no other way of preventing them from coming back so this end had to be sealed off and don't worry, I didn't run at the words 'parallel universe', it's plausible, they had to go somewhere. Did Pete not tell you I learned that much?''

''No but he had to tell you so much to enable me to tell you the rest. Yes, I loved the Doctor but we never got the chance to show each other how we felt, the Cybermen broke out of the factories before we both realised we were more than friends and he went off, not knowing it was the last time we were going to see each other. You want to know why I insisted you stayed with me? It's because he left me and never came back and after that first night we spent together, you were going to do the same. Do you know what it's like Alec? To never tell someone you love them and thinking there will always be another chance to say it and there isn't, it's gone before you know what hit you?''

Alec knew he didn't, how could he have been so stupid to keep repeatedly telling her he'd leave if she tried to help him and she was still here, she was still with him because she couldn't take it again after he had made the advances on her and agreed to stay. If it had been a one night stand, they would both have known it but they both knew it hadn't been, she could have rejected him and forced him to sleep on the sofa bed but she had let him in with her and responded to his touch and she had given him feelings he thought were long gone.

''I'm sorry Rose, for saying I'd leave if you help me. I really don't want your help but I won't get so mad if you try to get me in with Torchwood, ok?''

Rose looked up at him and smiled. He was running his finger across her tummy, still covered with her thin vest top she liked to sleep in, inching his fingers under the material.

''You're young and beautiful Rose, why are you wasting your time with me?''

''You mean you don't know? You, oh great detective, don't know when a girl fancies you like crazy when you turn around and ask them for directions to a hotel. You don't need to ask why I stay with you Alec and I'm falling for you too, this weekend has been great so far, no more question, ok?''

''Ok sweetheart, no more questions and no, I don't know what it's like to have someone taken from you without them knowing how you feel about them and I can't possibly know how that makes you feel, not knowing someone loved you back. I was only saying I was falling for you because I didn't want to scare you away but it's too late Rose, I've already fallen in love with you.''

''You have no idea Alec, what it's like to be sealed off in a world you don't belong in and for the first time since I got left here, I feel like I belong, that there was a reason for it. Did Pete tell you how I got here?''

She wasn't ready to openly admit her mother and her friend were also from out of town, so to speak.

''He told me vaguely, you went to help your friend and almost got trapped there yourself but you mean you come from that parallel universe, don't you?''

''Yeah, do you think I'm crazy?''

''No, I think it's a miracle you survived from what your stepfather told me, you almost got caught between worlds, where would that have left you? If you knew you might not get back, why did you go?''

''I told you Alec, that was my home, Pete brought my mother here and I was willing to go back and risk losing her to be with the Doctor, to tell him I loved him but the Cybermen and something far worse were too fast and I never got the chance. He managed to get a message through a tiny gap that was left and I finally told him but the transmission was lost before he could reply. Do you know how that made me feel?''

''I'm sorry Rose and no, I can't imagine how you felt, not knowing. I've been a complete ass Rose, telling you I'd leave you but I had no idea that happened to you when you were still upset. I'll make it up to you, I promise. Just say you love me.''

''I do love you Alec but how was I supposed to feel when you kept saying you'd move out if I tried to help you?''

Alec smiled at her. ''Well it depends what you try to help me with, I had more than enough help with the chief in Broadchurch who took me on, I hope my new post, I've done it on my own merits. When we go back tomorrow, why don't we call and see your family and your stepfather can tell me if I've been cleared for Torchwood?''

''Ok, I'll call my mum before we leave, we can have Sunday lunch with them.''

''So it's all settled then? I won't mention leaving again, unless you want to throw me out for being a complete ass?''

''You can make it up to me, don't worry, I'll make sure you do. Just why were you stubborn?''

''Like I said Rose, a bitter divorce and a failed case can do that to a person. You'll need to soften me up a bit.''

The next morning, they packed after breakfast and decided to take a detour along the coast and arrived at the Tyler mansion just before two, just in time for lunch. Tony wanted Alec to play with his police cars with him, Rose watching how good he was with her young stepbrother and all was well until Mickey decided to join them as they were all sitting around the dinner table.

Alec stood up as Mickey came in, sitting himself down opposite Rose and at the other side of Tony.

''Uncle Mickey, say hello to Alec, he's Rose's new boyfriend, he's a Policeman.''

''Yeah Tony, I already know, about him being a Policeman. I thought you two were just friends Rose?''

Alec decided he could speak for himself. ''Well Rose and I have just come back from a long weekend, we're not just friends. She told me all about you, in case you were wondering. Mr Tyler, have I been cleared yet over Torchwood?''

Pete looked up. ''Yes, I was going to call you tomorrow. If you're not taking up your new post yet, ask Rose to bring you to meet Jake, he'll need to speak with you first, to give you some idea of the information you can receive and what he says goes, even Rose can't get you any higher clearance so don't ask her.''

''I won't, whatever I'm allowed but I will ask this Jake if at some stage I can get a higher clearance, once I have proved myself.''

''That's up to him but he may ask Rose at some point if she trusts you enough and if she does, I'm sure he'll consider it. Being Rose's boyfriend doesn't give you privileges within Torchwood.''

Alec smiled at Rose and took her hand. ''I should hope not.''

Mickey knew any hopes of getting her to go out with him were well and truly blown, the way she looked at Alec Hardy, he could see the way she used to look at the Doctor like that and wondered if the man had any idea he was her old boyfriend's double but he wasn't going to disturb the hornet's nest on that count or Rose would never forgive him.

They left just after six, Rose calling at the store to get a few things since they had been away and settled down to watch something on TV Rose liked but just before nine, Alec decided he had something to ask her.

''I know we agreed no more talk about you helping me but one thing still bothers me.''

Rose snuggled up closer to him, her legs curled under her and his arm around her back, under her t-shirt, debating if it was worth his while to unfasten her bra strap or if she really wanted to watch the next programme she had just changed the channel for.

''Mmm, what's that then? I said I wouldn't interfere with your new job Alec and I won't, it's all down to you.''

''I hope that does not mean you had anything to do with the selection process, does it?''

''How do you mean Alec?''

He moved his arm from under her t-shirt and sat up. ''The question is, why were so many of the vacant posts in the north, mostly around Sheffield? Then the ones around London, most of them outside the city and not viable to travel to every day, like the one in Brighton.''

''You could have travelled to Brighton, we could have still seen each other.''

''Yes but I didn't know that, at the time, that you'd be maybe willing to move there with me and come to think about it, the posts were meant to attract me back towards London by them saying I'd get a promotion at the end of it. What did you do Rose? Did you get your stepfather to talk to the commissioner? Is that why you asked if he would be there, at the committee hearing? Well is it?''

He got up and looked at her, taking the TV remote and turning it off. Rose would normally be annoyed that her favourite show from the U.S had been interrupted but she just looked at him.

''What are you implying Alec? That I was trying to keep you here?''

''Well were you? You made it plain enough you wanted me to stick around, did you go behind my back and get them to make the offers around London more viable by having the rest in a place I distinctly said I never wanted to go near? Well did you?''

Rose didn't know what to say.

''You did, you made sure I stayed in London, getting offered a promotion though they were clever enough not to tell me until I accepted I suppose but all the same, how many was I not offered Rose? How many in Scotland for starters or other counties? I can't believe you Rose, after what I said, right from the beginning, you went to Pete and got him to steer my selections to London. How could you?''

He walked to the hall stand and picked up his jacket. ''How can I trust you Rose? I'll pick my things up tomorrow and leave the key downstairs, this is too much, you took the one thing I had left, my independence of having a choice after I was forced to leave Sandbrook and then Broadchurch, to choose where I wanted to make a life, maybe even with you.''

With that he opened the door before Rose could get off the sofa. She picked up her phone and tried calling him but got his answerphone. She grabbed her jacket from next to where Alec's had been and the key from the hook and without switching off the lights, let the door lock behind her but there was no sign of him and the lift was on the ground floor so she headed for the stairs, wondering if he would head back to the tube station, it seemed the most likeliest of places he would go since there wasn't much around and he had no idea where any hotels were.

She knew the nearest entrance closed early on Sundays but Alec wouldn't know that, would she even get in that way? She hurried out of the building, still no sign of Alec but he'd had a good few minutes on her. It was raining again, which was just about right she thought, they'd had nice weather in Brighton over the weekend but as she turned the corner and headed for the tube station entrance she just prayed he was looking at the board again. She turned the corner, thankful the shutter was still open and looked to her right and there stood Alec, his hair all wet and plastered back and his thin jacket wet, he'd not even grabbed his overcoat in his haste to leave.

She walked calmly up to him. ''Alec, where are you going at this time of night?''

He turned around at the sound of her voice. ''I have no idea, why would you care?''

''I do care Alec. Come back, even if it's just for tonight, you can't stay here, this entrance will be closing soon.''

''So, it doesn't matter if I go catch a train, does it? Go home Rose, forget about me.''

''I can't and you are so stubborn, Alec Hardy, what is it with you?''

TBC