Rose was balancing two cartons and trying to get her Torchwood ID out in front of the desk sergeant.
"I know who you are Miss Tyler," Bob told her, wishing he'd not agreed to fill in for the regular officer. "What can the Broadchurch police do for you?" he asked, looking at the two cups.
"Yeah, I'm here to see DI Hardy, he's expecting me," Rose grinned at him.
Bob had only just received a cryptic call from the grumpy new DI who had done Ellie Miller out of her promotion.
"Well he said he was expecting a visitor but he never said who. Do you know where his office is?" he asked, still a bit baffled.
"Yeah, I've been before, the other day when I arrived and surprised him. We're old friends."
"If you say so Miss. Can you manage the door with those cartons?" he asked as she went to the stairs.
He needn't have worried since she seemed to be coping and watched her disappear through the door. He picked up the phone and called Ellie Miller.
"DS Miller, you'll never believe who's on her way to Hardy's office?" he asked her as the door closed to on its own.
"If you tell me his girlfriend's on her way up, I think I'll be sick," Ellie told him.
"Yeah, it just seemed strange, she said they were old friends," Bob replied.
"So he keeps telling me but if you'd seen Hardy when she turned up the other day, you'd find it hard to believe."
Rose reached the floor she wanted and was glad the door could be pushed from the stairwell and proceeded to the CID room, turning to her side to push the door open and looking around for Ellie. Ellie saw her and got up, approaching Rose.
"What are you doing here?" Ellie asked her.
"Bringing Alec a decent cuppa, why? Is his office out of bounds?" Rose replied, wondering why she was being asked stupid questions.
Alec thought he heard Rose's voice but didn't fancy getting up quickly though the dizziness was retreating.
"Miller!" he shouted. "Is that Rose out there?"
"Seems he was expecting you then?" Ellie asked her.
"Yeah and you'd better get used to me being around, once he's seen your boss," Rose told her. "Do you have something against Torchwood agents or just me being his girlfriend?"
Ellie stood to one side. "He said he was letting you deal with the psychic," Ellie had to admit.
"It's my speciality DS Miller, it's what we do, deal with the unusual and I'd say at the moment, you don't have much choice, do ya? His drink's going cold, excuse me."
Rose went off to his office and Ellie went back to her desk. If Rose Tyler was going to be keeping the psychic off their backs then good luck to her, it would keep her from the real investigation and maybe give herself some breathing space.
"Hi Alec, sorry, I got a bit delayed out there," Rose smiled at him.
"So I heard," he replied, putting his hands on the desk and pushing his chair back as she put the carton in front of him. "Making friends with the natives?" he asked, taking a sip of the tea, which was a marked improvement to what he'd just tried to make.
He thought he'd have been better making it in the microwave. Rose sat in the chair opposite and took the lid off her coffee.
"Feeling better?" she asked quietly, since the door wasn't closed properly.
"I will do, Rose, don't say anything as to why you came today, Miller is fishing," he warned her.
"I can handle her Alec. So, got anything about this Steve Connelly then?"
"Go ask Miller, she was dealing with it. We should go back to the hotel, there's not much else we can do here today and tomorrow, after briefing the new officers, I'll see the chief about you working on the case. Have you spoken to your stepfather yet about it?"
"No, I was about to when you wanted me to rescue you," she smiled at him. "Let's just go sit outside for a while and I'll call him, then we'll go see about a caravan. Seems a bit convenient it's right on the harbour, someone got the right idea."
They finished their drinks, Rose with her back to Ellie, who was still trying to work out how the two of them had met. Maybe if she invited them both to dinner, they might let their guard down and admit something, it may be worth a try. Once outside, taking it slowly then down in the lift, which got Alec a look from Bob as the two of them emerged, Rose with her arm in his, they went to sit opposite so Alec could get some fresh air.
"Why don't you wait here and I'll go see about a caravan?" Rose offered.
"I can walk down there Rose, just give me a minute eh? What you were saying to me earlier, what did you mean by I can't do things I used to?"
Rose had to think carefully before she answered. "Just you used to rush around all over the place and I'd have to try and keep up with you. You have to slow down a bit," she warned him.
"Rose, if I slow down, everyone will get suspicious, not that Miller doesn't already keep looking at me. You have to help me keep up like you say I used to."
"Well I'll try and cover up for ya, if I'm with ya but if you want me to go after that psychic? You have to promise me you'll be careful Alec, I can't let anything happen to you, not now I've got you back again."
She slipped her arm in his and leaned on his shoulder, just as Ellie had made a drink and had wandered out onto the balcony. Ellie saw them and thought maybe they did know each other before he'd come here to make her life a misery and teach her how to conduct interviews as she saw Rose playing with his fingers and he was resting his chin on her head. Ellie thought enough was enough, watching them and decided if he'd quit for the day then so was she.
They walked down to the caravan park and after some negotiations, Alec persuaded the manager to call the personnel office the next day to get them to pay for the cost and he'd let them know he was moving out of the hotel and get his allowance transferred. When they got out, they went to get some lunch from one of the stalls by the river.
"Aw, look at that cute chalet there," Rose nodded to a blue one that stood out from the rest. "We should have found out about it."
Alec shook his head. "I am not living by the river, you know what happened on that last case."
Rose tried to argue. "Yeah but that was different, I wasn't there was I?"
Alec kissed the top of her head. "I suppose it could make a difference, let's get out of the hotel first eh?"
"Yeah, but you could have let me pay for the caravan though."
"That would have made everyone suspicious Rose, I have to be seen looking after you, not the other way around."
"When everyone will know who I am? I can hardly hide around here, can I? Come on, I'm hungry."
After they had left, Ellie got the information about Steve Connelly through and sent a message to Alec, who showed it to Rose after putting his rimless glasses on.
"They suit you Alec but I used to like your other pair," Rose smiled as they ate.
"I don't remember any others Rose. Miller sent the information you wanted."
Rose looked at it and getting her phone out, copied the number then looked at what else Ellie had sent.
"Seems he's been busy then?" Rose noted as she saw Connelly had been done for fraud and had been declared bankrupt but what interested her the most was that he'd published several books on similar cases in the surrounding area.
This was the first time in this area though and Rose was determined he wasn't going to make a book or a small fortune out of this case - Alec's case. She had to keep the psychic away from Alec at all costs because he could look him up and find out who he really was, unless the Tardis or the other Doctor had done a very good job before he'd been left here.
She passed his phone back. "Well I'll give him a call tomorrow, I'll send this to Jake when I've spoken to him. Want to go back to the hotel?"
"Only if you are going? You should make those calls, then you can chase after Connelly tomorrow. He was looking at what was on the desks yesterday morning, I saw Miller telling the desk owner."
"Then if that's how he gets his information?" Rose pointed out. "He's a fraud Alec, I'll soon sort him out and I don't need any backing from Torchwood. Seems a bit odd he's looking on someone's desk then having the nerve to say he'd been given a message from Danny, don't ya think?"
Alec couldn't agree more as he gathered the trash and got up slowly. They walked back slowly up the High Street and Rose wanted to call in the convenience store for a few things then when they reached the hotel, Alec had to break the news to Becca that they were both leaving.
"Well I can do without that but I've been getting calls from the press and I turned them down but I guess I can call them back? When are you leaving?" Becca asked him.
"We are both leaving so you can let all the press in you like. Rose will come back tomorrow and clear my room when she's done hers. Did she tell you we were friends before I came here?" he asked, hoping it sounded convincing.
"I had gathered that when she was waiting for you the other night. I expect your personnel department will pay up to tomorrow night?" Becca asked him, looking at Rose.
Rose could have sworn she detected a glimmer of jealousy against her, which made her want to flirt with Alec in front of Becca even more. Rose could only guess the hotel owner was out to snare any man she could. Well Alec was off the menu.
"Alec, why don't you start packing, I have to go back to my room to make those calls," Rose suggested as they got their keys.
"Fine, take your time but I do not have a lot of packing to do," he replied as they climbed the stairs, with some effort on his part and Rose propping him up.
Getting involved with a murder investigation now wasn't one of his brightest ideas but the thought of handing it to Miller kept him going. Rose gave him a kiss as he opened his door.
"I won't lock the door, come over when you have made your calls," he told her. "I am going to lie down after I take some more pills."
"Are you sure you're okay Alec?" Rose asked him.
"I will be, I have to be. Rose, I know you can't tell me everything but have you any idea how this makes me feel? You know everything about what happened in the past while I barely remember you, let alone anything else. I could have actually got married and had a daughter and you could be wrong."
"Don't say that Alec. Okay, so it's possible you got married and she already had a teenage daughter who you accepted as your own?"
Alec saw his chance, as long as neither Tess or Daisy actually found out but he could worry about that later.
"You could be right love, anything is possible if I don't remember what we had before. While you are talking to your stepfather, can you ask him if anyone at Torchwood can give me something to get me through this? I have a feeling these pills are not working as well as they should."
"You should have told me before Alec. Can't you call your GP? Who's been looking after you?"
"An old friend has been filling in the paperwork for me. I'll call him and arrange to meet him, before you get Torchwood onto it and if he can't do anything, then I will let you try."
"Okay then, give it a few days for your friend to come down but I want to meet him – right?" Rose asked, kissing his cheek. "Go have a lie down, I won't be long."
Rose watched him go though the door then unlocked her own. She decided to call Pete first.
"So, you escaped your mother's interrogation then?" he asked her.
"Yeah but she wants to come for a visit so can you put her off for a week or two?" Rose begged him.
"I'll try love but you know what she's like if she sets her mind on something eh? She's just as bad as you."
"I got what I wanted Dad and I'm not letting him go this time but he's really ill, I had to go rescue him today and I thought his DS was going to find out."
"Rose, he needs professional help but how did he get like that? Surely he wasn't left here like it?"
"The Doctor wouldn't have done that to him, I know he wouldn't so it had to have happened afterwards but where was he, if he got left here before Sandbrook? Anyway, he's getting his friend to visit but if he can't give Alec anything else, can the medlab help?"
"I'll see what I can find out but they'll want to see him. Can you get him up here?" Pete asked her.
"I don't think so, not with this case. Why don't you and Owen come down next weekend?"
"And leave your mother behind?" Pete laughed. "Maybe we should come down, Owen can follow and come to where you're staying."
"We just got a caravan, we move in tomorrow. Those stairs are doing him no good but can Owen bring anything with him to help Alec get through this case?"
"Does he know what's wrong with him?" Pete asked. "I know there's nothing on his file but if it's being covered up, there won't be."
"I'll ask him, all I know is he seems to be getting worse and we're not even a week into the investigation. He's not gonna last at this rate and he'll get found out. I found him just in time Dad."
"I know love and maybe it was intended that you did? Think about it Rose, Alec found his way to Broadchurch and got your attention, it has to have been planned. Maybe the Doctor did suspect something would go wrong and knew you'd take care of him?"
"Maybe but why not at least tell me Alec was here? Unless neither of them thought I'd take him back?" Rose wondered.
"I don't know love but maybe the Doctor thought you'd take him back when you knew he was ill, even if you'd not forgiven him for leaving you again."
"I'm more mad with the Doctor than with Alec. I can't believe I've already accepted who he is now. So, can I have Torchwood's backing to work on the case with him? He's gonna see his chief tomorrow about it."
"Yes, I know I can't stop you, can I?" Pete laughed. "Whatever you need Rose and I'll take care of it personally with his chief, she'll let you work on the case."
"I have to get some information from Jake, there's this psychic called Steve Connelly who says he's getting messages from the boy who died. I told Alec I'd take care of it and keep the bloke out of his way. Can you keep the press away from us as well?"
"I'll have the PR department on it first thing tomorrow, no-one will bother either of you, unless the local paper are already onto you?"
"We've already met, I can handle them if they take no notice but it's the tabloids I'm worried about, hounding Alec. I don't care if I get on the front page Dad but Alec doesn't need it for the wrong reasons. I'm gonna tell him we need to go public with our relationship otherwise goodness knows what the local paper will print before you can stop them."
Little did Rose know how true that was as Olly had decided to make something out of her being at the hotel with Alec on Friday night. His boss had tried to warn him to back off but he was determined to break the news Rose Tyler was in town and scoop the other papers. He had just pressed the 'Send' button for it to be included in the latest edition when he heard a knock on the door and saw it was his idol – Karen White, whom he'd seen at the media conference on TV sneaking in as the camera had looked around the room.
"Hi, can I help you?" he asked as he unlocked the door.
"You know who I am?" Karen asked him.
"Well yeah, doesn't everyone?" he grinned, letting her in.
"I thought I saw Rose Tyler a while ago, sitting by the harbour with Alec Hardy. When did she arrive?"
Olly thought he might have known the journalist wasn't interested in him.
"I saw her at the hotel opposite on Friday night. Are you only here about her?" he asked, trying not to show his disappointment.
"Have you spoken to her yet?" Karen continued, looking around.
"Not really, Hardy didn't seem in a very good mood but if you're after breaking the news she's in town, you're too late."
"Well you had the advantage then. She's staying opposite? I've not seen her yet. Maybe I should go hang around and wait for her to come back?" Karen smiled. "I don't suppose you have a free desk I can use?"
Olly might have offered her one but he was already risking Maggie's wrath by going ahead with the article he'd just done.
"You'll have to come back tomorrow and see my editor," he told her.
"Yeah, thanks. That would be Maggie Radcliffe then?" Karen replied.
"That's her. I'm just about finished here, fancy a drink opposite? Then we can both look out for the Vitex heiress."
"Excellent idea but maybe we can sit outside then neither of them can accuse us of anything. There's also a side-door so they'd have to pass us to get out."
Olly thought her reputation of being sneaky was well justified.
"I get it, see if they come out together?" he grinned.
Ellie had got home and was sat with her husband as their youngest played with his toys.
"Well at least you made it for lunch," he told her.
"Yeah only because Hardy sneaked out with his new girlfriend. Can you believe he's getting her to work on the case?"
"Really?" Joe asked her. "Doing what?"
Ellie knew she'd just made a big mistake and Hardy would kick her ass for it.
"How do I know, he never tells me. He said something about knowing her before he came here, she just turned up the other night and he acted like he'd never seen her before but you should have seen them earlier, I thought I was going to puke."
Joe put his arm around her. "Never mind Ell, why don't you invite them to dinner and get all the juicy gossip eh? I took the kids to church earlier, there was hardly anyone there apart from Liz and a woman who'd tied her dog up outside, poor thing, Fred wanted to pat its head. I thought Mark and Beth would have been there. Have you seen them today?"
"No, not today but I expect I'll see them at some point tomorrow," she lied, thinking she'd best not say Mark had been interviewed, Hardy would really have her over that. "Oh, my boss wants to talk to Tom tomorrow, can you bring him in? If Hardy's girlfriend is there, she can look after Fred."
"So she's the babysitter?" Joe laughed.
"More like she's babysitting him," Ellie grumbled, burying her head in his neck as young Fred held out his toy police car and started making a noise like a siren.
Rose was talking to Jake again.
"So you want me to find out if the bloke's a fraud or not?" Jake asked her.
"Well anything else you can get on him such as if we've come across him before or if he's at least known to us, that sort of thing," Rose replied. "He's supposed to have written a few book so if he's got anything to say, he'll be taking it from those and using the same tactics. I'd already told Alec Danny must have been transported by boat so it was just a lucky guess. I think tomorrow I'll get Alec to have someone check if any boats are missing, they won't have had time yet."
"Want me to come down?" Jake volunteered.
"Nah, I think Pete's coming down, I want Owen to take a look at Alec. He's not so good Jake, how could he have been left here like that?"
"Rose, he maybe didn't know back then, it's been what, four years? Goodness knows how long he'd been here before that if the Doctor's timing was off again?"
"I know Jake but I can't tell him that, he already probably thinks I'm crazy as it is. You and Pete told me not to give him any clues."
"For a good reason Rose, for if you're wrong about him. Think what damage it could do if you told him he was a Timelord in another world and he was cloned? He really will have a heart attack so yeah, you have to let him discover things on his own, even though you don't like the idea."
"I don't like it Jake but I have to go by it, I hate seeing him like that. Anyway, we've got a caravan tomorrow so that'll cut out on the stairs but he insists on using them at work. He doesn't want to give his DS any clues that he's ill. Let me know what you find out, yeah?"
"Sure Rose, I'll get back to ya tomorrow, I'll get my butt kicked if I work today, I'm supposed to be off duty."