Claire had been 'escorted' to the bus shelter outside the amusement arcade, seeing the bus already there and hoping it wouldn't leave as they approached it but she got on, the two officers making sure she left, she went to the back, not wanting to risk missing her stop and having to walk for miles back along a dark road. She knew to look out for a certain landmark then ring the bell, it was easier though in daylight. She put her feet carefully on the seat opposite since no-one else was there and was still annoyed she'd got moved on and that Alec had the nerve to get someone else to do it.

It had been a bit of a waste of the day, hanging around and looking for any signs of Rose and not seeing any movement until late in the afternoon which meant Rose had been shopping or staying at Alec's place, not that she knew where he lived, he'd been too careful not to tell her.

Alec had persuaded Rose that Claire would be on her way home now and got her to get ready for bed. The next morning, Claire decided she would get in early again and do some more damage but Rose had beaten her to it as Alec had said she would be just as well trying to find out what damage Claire had done on Rose's other day off.

Sarah was going through the day's appointments and talking to Amber when Rose walked in.

"Morning," Rose greeted them, nervously. "Have I missed anything?"

"That depends Rose," Amber told her, trying not to sound too annoyed at being asked.

"Oh, never mind Amber, she'll find out soon enough. Claire's been telling us some interesting things Rose, such as you stealing Alec Hardy from her but we came to the conclusion she may have already dumped him before that. Some things she said just don't add up."

Rose was relieved to hear that. "I never stole him from her, there was no Claire and Alec Hardy, it's all in her head. He told me he helped her once and that was it, she took it the wrong way."

"Then why is she so bothered about it then?" Tiffany asked as she came out of the staff room.

Rose was about to answer when Claire walked in, looking at the four women and thinking she was too late to do any more damage today.

"What?" Claire asked, trying to look innocent.

All except Sarah went back to the staff room and Claire went to hang up her jacket, staring at Rose.

"So, what have you been telling them then?" Claire accused Rose.

"More like what you've been telling them Claire, stop telling lies to them, they don't believe you."

"Oh, is that so then? What do you think girls? Rose comes along to my house then she goes out with me and steals my bloke."

"You seem to forget Claire, it was your idea to pick two blokes up that night when I didn't even want the one I got left with."

"Only because you fancied Alec."

"Because you said there was never anything between you, so Alec confirmed it."

"Very interesting Rose," Maureen called from the door at two minutes to nine. "Can you all get ready to do some work?"

Alec had got to work and Ellie followed him into his office.

"So, how's things with Rose then?" Ellie grinned and sat opposite him.

"Claire was hanging around her apartment again last night, she had called earlier but she never told me until later."

"So what did you do?"

"I sent two uniforms to move Claire on from the shelter."

Ellie burst out laughing. "You never! I bet she was pleased about that."

"I did tell you that was what I would do if I saw her there."

"Are you sure it was her?"

"Come on Miller, who else would have been there watching? The town is hardly over-run with visitors these days."

"What about her old boyfriend, I mean if she split from him, he might be trying to get her back?"

"I can tell the difference Miller, even at that distance. Besides that, he's well out of the picture."

"Are you certain? Rose seems to be having some doubts."

"Only because of Claire making her like that. I'm going to ask her to stay at my place again for the weekend, until we get this thing sorted, let Claire waste her time watching Rose's empty apartment, she will soon get the message."

"Won't Rose think you're crowding her?"

"Why would she? I'm just trying to help her Miller. I hope she does not take it the wrong way, Claire is driving us to this, what do you expect me to do about it?"

Ellie couldn't answer him. This Claire sounded like a real piece of work and her jealousy was only driving Hardy and Rose closer, having the opposite effect. If it was Claire's intentions to split them up, she was going about it in the wrong way. Alec had promised Rose that morning he wouldn't see her until Saturday night unless she got worried and called him but by lunchtime, he was on edge and getting irritable again and it showed that much, he was standing on the balcony just after twelve, waiting to see if Rose walked past to go to the catering stalls opposite.

He could hardly ring her, could he? She would be out of work in twenty minutes or so, he could call to see if she was ok, couldn't he? Yes, he could raise his concern, make certain Claire had not been causing any more trouble. He was still standing there as Ellie came up behind him, wondering what he was doing then thinking he might want to be alone and be moody over his girlfriend. At least he'd admitted to the desk sergeant Rose was his girlfriend.

The desk sergeant had remarked to Ellie as she had walked in before he left that Hardy had disturbed his otherwise quiet evening by getting him to send officers to move someone on who was bothering Hardy's girlfriend. Ellie had to assure him Hardy did indeed have a girlfriend and word had since got around the station the grumpy detective had a life other than police work.

"Everything alright Sir?" Ellie asked him from behind as he got his phone out of his pocket, having convinced himself he should show Rose he cared enough to just check on her.

"What? Oh, I'm fine Miller, I was just worried about Rose. Can you talk to her for me?"

"You should call her yourself, she won't want me interfering. I gave her my number but she's not called me yet."

"Do you think I should call her then?" he asked nervously, thumbing through the numbers in his contacts and meaning to ask someone how to put a shortcut to her number on his front screen.

Ellie actually smiled at him, he was clueless over his love life.

"Call her then, before she has chance to go elsewhere for her lunch."

She went back inside to grab her things to go meet her family and left him to it, it was down to him, no-one could do this for him, he had to be the hero rescuing Rose from the Welsh dragon lady.

Rose was just getting her jacket when her phone rang. She had been a few minutes late after her last client had kept her talking, asking if she had a boyfriend and getting a glare from Claire. Rose smiled when she saw Alec's picture come up, not that he'd been aware she had even taken it last Sunday morning.

"Hi Alec, just a second will you?"

Alec waited nervously while Rose stepped out of the salon, making sure she hadn't been followed by Claire.

"Are you there Rose?" he asked, getting impatient but knowing of her need to ensure she was alone and out of Claire's way.

"Yeah, sorry, I was just going outside. Are you ok?"

"I'm fine love, I just wondered if you were coming down to the harbour today?"

"Miss me already?"

"What kind of question is that? Yes, I miss you already but I'm trying my best to keep my promise to you and you did say we may have the odd lunch together so I'm asking you, will you have lunch with me?"

"How can I refuse an offer like that? Wait across the road for me then."

"Aye, I'm on my way down right now."

He put his phone away, just seeing Ellie about to leave.

"Now everything is ok?" she asked him.

Alec just nodded, went to get his jacket and followed her downstairs, arriving a few minutes before Rose. He got up to greet her and they went to order, then as they sat at a table, he asked how things were.

"Not so bad, she's hardly spoken to me today, just glared at me."

"I was going to suggest that you come to my place for the weekend, if you agree? Maybe go out somewhere on Sunday?"

"Yeah, that would be nice, go off and forget everything. I'll get what I need for the weekend and come over tomorrow night and help you make dinner."

"We could go out Rose."

"We don't have to go out all the time Alec, just have a nice quiet evening in with no-one watching us dancing or making out," she smiled.

"Well, that was the idea, I was worried about you after last night. Is this helping Rose, not seeing each other tonight?"

"I just need some time to think Alec, there's too much going on right now. Without Claire being as she is, I may be able to cope but it's not helping. We had an argument over it this morning but I think the staff now may be realising how much of a liar she is, she's tripping herself up now."

"Good, they will see her for what she is, a liar."

As Rose left to go back to work, he wanted to ask if he could call round later but at least he'd got to see her. After Rose got home that evening, she pulled the curtains over, even though it was still light and if Claire thought she was going to watch all night, she was very much mistaken and was going to be disappointed.

Alec had just arrived home, getting in just before ten after the town's procession to the harbour to remind people of what had happened. Rose had promised she would be there but under the circumstances, he could understand why she wanted to stay away. Ellie had asked him where Rose was as Tom waited for Alec to tell him to get on his skateboard, the boy looking nervously at his mother, then at Alec.

"So, where's Rose then?" Ellie had asked him.

"We said we wouldn't see each other tonight, I think she has either forgotten about this or she's making some sort of point."

"No, I don't believe that, she probably thinks because she's new in town, people will wonder who she is, if people haven't seen her around."

"You may be right, I'll see her tomorrow night anyway, I'm trying to stick to our arrangement but it's hard to keep my promise."

Ellie actually felt sorry for him but this Claire was to blame when all said and done but what was romance without a bit of jealousy, it would only make them either more determined no-one was going to get in their way or split them when they'd only just got started.

Alec nodded to Tom to get on his skateboard and hoped Rose would still go to the hospital with him next week though it was one of her days off.

Just after ten, Rose heard a disturbance outside her apartment and glanced through a slit in the curtains to see two officers across the road and someone in the shelter. She knew she had promised Alec she would go on the memorial walk for Danny but didn't think it was still such a good idea. He'd not said anything at lunchtime, he'd never asked if she was still going with him and thought it would have been more appropriate last night but he'd said they thought it would be better on the Friday night so more people could attend.

Claire had decided to stay since Alec's car wasn't parked there again so he'd stashed it somewhere else, like he'd appeared to have done last night, probably at the police station. She had planned on getting a taxi back, she knew she was getting obsessed with catching the two of them together but Rose had spoiled it earlier by pulling over the curtains.

"You were told last night Miss," the male officer was saying to Claire.

"I'm not doing anything, did Hardy send you again?"

Both officers knew it was Hardy's girlfriend the woman had a beef with.

"Jones, get on the radio and ask the sergeant what Hardy wants to do with this one."

WPC Amanda Jones got on her radio. "Yeah, Sarge, that woman's watching Hardy's girlfriend's place again, what does he want us to do with her?"

"Hold on Jones while I call him, he won't be pleased and if he yells at me, I'll blame you."

Sergeant Peters reluctantly dialled Alec's number at ten past ten.

"DI Hardy, that woman's outside your girlfriend's apartment again, what do you want the officers on the scene to do?"

"What? Doesn't that woman ever learn?" he muttered to himself. Why hadn't Rose called him or had she taken his advice and pulled the curtains over?

"Take her to the station and hold her until morning then you can let her go, no charges, just a warning about sleeping rough."

"Yes Sir but can I ask, do you or your friend know her?"

"Yes, we know her, she's just jealous and is trying to scare my girlfriend. Release her early, she has a job to go to."

"If you say so Sir, no charges then?"

"Just suspicion of stalking then, we can hold her overnight."

"Will do Sir."

Alec hung up and immediately called Rose, who was watching through the window at Claire shouting for the officers to let her go. Rose turned and picked up her phone.

"Rose, are you ok love?"

"I'm fine. Alec, those officers were back again, was that Claire they just walked off with?"

"Aye, they saw her in the shelter again and called me. Do you want me to come over?"

Rose thought about it but she couldn't let Claire get her so spooked she had to run to him every five minutes. She heard the disappointment in his voice as she said no.

"Are you sure? You should be ok for now, they are holding her overnight."

"Just let her go Alec, please, you have no idea what she will say to everyone tomorrow, that I got you to lock her up."

"Oh very well, I'll go down to the station and give her an official warning. Can I call and see you afterwards? Just to assure myself you're ok?"

She could hardly deprive him of that, he was only concerned and trying to protect her and she was turning him away.

"Well ok then, I'll wait for you, just let yourself in."

"Ok sweetheart, I won't be long then."

He didn't feel like walking across the other side of the harbour late at night on his own after the walk from the High Street to the harbour so he got into his car and drove into the underground car park, which was deserted apart from a few marked cars and the transport sergeant, who let him in by raising the grill when Alec sounded his car horn.

"You're back late Sir, is everything ok?"

"Just something that needs my attention, I won't be long."

He'd already decided he was going to leave his car outside Rose's apartment, why should he hide the fact they were seeing each other? He went up the steps and around to the front entrance, since the back was locked at night, surprising the officer on duty outside the front entrance.

"Oh, good evening Sir," he greeted Alec.

Alec nodded and went inside and approached the desk, the two officers who had brought Claire in were just talking with the desk sergeant.

"Where is she then?"

"Downstairs Sir, do you want to see her?"

"Go fetch her and put her in interview room one and one of you stay with her. I want her to know I mean business."

Ten minutes later after Alec got some water and took his pills before he faced who was fast becoming his enemy, he was sitting across the table from Claire, who had her arms crossed indignantly.

"You, stay," he told the WPC. "What are you playing at Claire?"

"Don't know what you mean Alec. Are you recording this then?"

"Should I be? I have a witness, in case you had not noticed."

"You told them I was watching Rose's place again?"

"No, they were told to watch out for you again since they moved you on last night. Why are you even doing this?"

"You're so clever, you work it out. I thought you were my friend Alec?"

"I thought we agreed about this? That I brought you here to keep Lee away from you and then you go and do this?"

Claire just stared at her hands.

"I hope you're not going to waste your money Claire, I took my name off the cottage lease."

"You did not? How can you do this to me? I'll only just manage now, thanks a lot Alec."

"Don't mess with me Claire and leave Rose alone, she's the only reason you are not spending the night in a cell. Now go home because the next time, she won't be able to stop me from charging you."

"How am I expected to get home?"

"You missed the last bus on purpose Claire, how were you going to get home?"

"That was before you told me I had to pay all the rent, plus there's my bus fares and food."

"You work more hours than Rose does, you'll manage."

"Yeah, how come she can afford to live on the seafront and you stick me in a cottage at the end of a lane, miles from anywhere?"

"You wanted somewhere safe, remember? Do you think Lee won't find you on the seafront in Broadchurch?"

Claire thought about it. "How about a ride home Alec?"

"It's late, get a taxi."

"You weren't bothered about going to meet Rose at my place last Saturday night, were you?"

"That was different, she called me because she didn't want to be left on her own, you were going to leave her there."

"She asked me to find her a bloke so I did."

He didn't believe her for a second. "Don't lie Claire, I'm way past being tired of you."

"Not too tired to go see your girlfriend though, are you?"

"None of your business, now leave before I change my mind."

"I can't, I don't have enough for a taxi."

"Then call at the cash machine on your way out of town."

"I meant I can't afford one until payday."

"Then how were you going to get home?"

"Hitch a ride with someone?" she grinned.

Alec was tired and just wanted to see Rose, he was hoping she would take into account it was late and ask him to stay, even just to sleep in the same bed.

"Officer, call a taxi for her and charge it to me."

"Yes Sir," the WPC answered, rather amused at the banter between her boss and this woman, they clearly knew each other, maybe she as his ex and had got jealous of his new girlfriend and this Lee was her ex but it wasn't any of her business though it was more juicy gossip. Hardy would know where it came from though, worse luck.

"Not going to escort me home personally then? You went out late to meet Rose last Saturday night. Was that only so you could shag her?"

Alec knew this would be the talk of the station in the morning, no sense in fuelling the flames any further.

"Just go Claire before I really do charge you with something. Get her out of here," he told the WPC.

"This way Miss, I'll get someone to call a cab for you."

"Off to see her now are you? Is she going to thank you for letting me go eh?"

Alec shook his head, he just wanted to crawl into bed with Rose and forget about it.

"You want to know why she asked me to just let you go? So you would not be spreading even more lies at the salon tomorrow morning. Do you know what you are putting her though?"

"I'm not doing anything Alec, she brought it on herself, making a move on you."

"I can't be bothered arguing with you, go while you still can."

He knew what would happen if this carried on, Rose would be getting worried where he was and end up taking him to the local hospital, if it even had an emergency department, he'd heard rumours it may be closing.

The WPC took Claire by the arm as she got up.

"Get off me, I can walk out on my own."

Alec pointed to the WPC. "I'm holding you responsible for putting her into a cab, tell the driver to send the bill for the fare to personnel under my name."

It would be worth it to get rid of her for the night but he knew she would carry on until Rose ran away altogether. If her device to take her back to the alternate universe suddenly sprung to life, she may use it without even saying goodbye because he had brought this to her, she hadn't asked to get caught up in Claire's illusion there had ever been anything between them, he'd been very careful on that score.

He was left in the interview room when he got a message from Rose. He dare not look, she was probably telling him not to bother now, it was after eleven. He dialled Rose's number and waited.

"Rose, sorry darlin', Claire was not so grateful I was letting her go. I should go back home, I'll see you tomorrow?"

"Oh, well I'm about to go to bed but I would have waited for you, if you still want to come round?"

"Give me five minutes then, I have to move my car."

"Why don't you just leave it there?"

"Maybe because I want people to see it parked in front of your place?" he offered, a smile on his face.

"Just get round here, you can show off another time, DI Hardy. No-one even knows it's your car."

"Well how many more will be parked there overnight with a police sign on the dashboard eh?"

"There could be any number of them."

"Very funny Rose, you are delaying me you know?"

"Can't you walk and talk at the same time?"

"Well I don't want anyone overhearing me, do I?"

Just over five minutes after he hung up, he was climbing the steps to Rose's apartment, trying to remember which key was hers as he had a similar one for his cottage's back door. Rose seemed to know he was there and opened it for him throwing her arms around his neck and going straight for a kiss.

"Hey, steady Rose, can't I leave you for even half a day?"

"No, I just thought I wouldn't see you tonight, that's all."

He closed and locked the door behind him and pulled her for a longer kiss.

"Let's just go to bed Alec but can we just cuddle?"

"Yes Rose, anything you want love because I would have missed you as well tonight."

"I can't believe Claire is getting to me so much, can't you do something about her?"

"I'm trying love, I really am. I told her I was no longer paying towards her cottage but now, she will use that against me. I also told her you had asked me to let her go. How long was she out there, why didn't you call me?"

"I pulled the curtains over when I got home, how was I to know she would follow me again?"

"You should have expected it love, she must have guessed you went to meet me at lunch time, she maybe followed you then?"

Rose thought about it as she went to the bathroom.

Claire had got home and had been furious Alec had the nerve to say Rose was the one who had got her out. She had got something to eat and sat at the end of the pier, out of sight then gone to the shelter to find the curtains already pulled over. Her imagination had run riot, she knew Alec had to be there with her, hiding his car again, like she didn't know what he was up to.