Alright so I was online responding to reviews and I felt a little guilty that I hadn't updated something in a while. I know this story isn't the one needing updating as urgently but this was the story I'd actually written more for. Anyway, I hope you like it. Do feel free to review with any questions. I do respond eventually to questions even though it may seem to take years.
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Alec Hardy smiled down at the woman in front of him. Now that he knew who she was he was pleasantly surprised to find that it didn't change his opinion of her whatsoever. To him she was still the kind and intelligent woman he had met that day on the beach when her dog had bowled him over, except now she was rich and influential as well. Those were two things that really wouldn't be that hard to deal with surely. Of course the paparazzi would be a problem but what did he know, maybe she was used to it? No one seemed to know she was there for the time being at least, so maybe she could relax a little and enjoy herself.
"By the way my answer is yes," he replied before the silence between them could go on any longer.
Rose beamed at him and suddenly became very fascinated with her feet. "Well...thanks then".
"Yeah..." he trailed off awkwardly. 'Come on Hardy, think of something intelligent to say,' he drilled himself.
Luckily Rose saved him. "Anywhere you'd recommend?"
"I'm not sure," he frowned. He'd lived in Broadchurch for over a year and the only places he really knew were the café where Mary worked, the hotel where he used to stay and another pub that he'd stumbled across during the murder investigation. It was thanks to that pub that he made it through more than one of the nights during the investigation.
Rose shrugged. "Doesn't matter. Looks like we'll be going on an adventure, you up for it?"
"Fine by me," he smiled. "Just promise me we won't be going anywhere too dangerous? I have a feeling you have an appetite for trouble?"
"How could you possibly know that?" Rose laughed.
"I'm a detective, it's what I do," he leant down and gave her cheek a quick kiss. "Meet you at your place at six?"
Rose froze on the spot. It took her several moments to realise that Alec was waiting for her to answer. "Uh yeah, yeah see you then," she nodded, starring down at a piece of driftwood on the sand several paces behind Alec.
Satisfied, Alec turned and made it way back up the slope. He could tell that she was watching him and he smiled to himself. What was this girl doing to him? He was excited about a date. How on Earth had that happened? He felt lighter than he had in a very long time. The feeling felt foreign to him and if he didn't know better he'd have called it confidence. She asked him to have dinner with her. She initiated the conversation. But now he had another problem. She hadn't specified even the type of location they might be going to nor the sort of things they'd be doing. Of course, he was probably just going to wear the same clothes he usually did anyway. His suit was guaranteed to get him access to anywhere he might need to go and if it didn't work his police identification would.
It was going to go well. She wanted it so if she then came to regret it then no harm done to his pride or his ego. Something told him that she wouldn't regret it though. Rose Tyler was an heiress who would be waited on hand and foot if she were still living with her parents. Though that wasn't the reason why he believed she wouldn't regret it. No, he knew she wouldn't regret it because Rose was a free spirit and she wouldn't stand for doing anything that gave her displeasure. That didn't mean she was missish and spoilt, it just meant that she spoke her mind and he liked that.
Rose Tyler. So beautiful and so compassionate. He found himself sighing like a love-struck teenager. When had he become such a soppy old man? Rose Tyler was going to be the death of him. He really couldn't see his life without her if she were to leave again, or when she would leave again. He hated to think of her leaving, or even thinking about a time when she wasn't there. She was the air he breathed now. As cheesy as that sounded it was true and it terrified him. Never before had he found himself as attached to other living creature so quickly. The only other person in the world he felt that strongly about was his own daughter and he had known her for years.
As he continued on his way back to his house he decided to mark that day as the first day of the rest of his life. Things were going to change and change for the better. This was his second chance at having a good life and now that both Rose and Jamie were there he could finally feel like it was time. He would start with little things and move into bigger ones. It wasn't as if he was suddenly on top of the world and was going to start greeting everyone he met on the street and forming new friendships every day. No, that wasn't him at all. There were things he could do. Even finally unpacking everything in his new house and shaving every once in while would make a difference. He wondered how Rose would react if he shaved and actually did his hair for once. He'd probably die of shock when she answered the door.
He would start with tidying up his house and unpacking the rest of his belongings. Jamie was there now too so she would be able to help him depending on how long her visit was going to last. Maybe she would stay with him indefinitely? By the sounds of it she and her mother had had quite the fight before she left.
As he turned up the drive to his house the door was flung open and Jamie came running out to greet him, nearly bowling him over in the process. "Whoa there," he wrapped an arm around her back and laughed into her hair.
"How was the rest of your day?" she asked excitedly. "I'm going to Ellie's for dinner if that's alright? You're invited too of course".
He nodded. "Go ahead but don't worry about me tonight. I already have plans". He quickly checked his watch to see it was already a five thirty.
"With Rose?" Jamie asked hopefully.
"None of your business," he stepped around her and started towards the house once more.
"Oh, but it is," Jamie skipped along beside him. "I need to know if I'm going to have a wicked step-mother any time soon".
Alec stopped in his tracks and nearly dropped the jacket that he was carrying. "Jamie! One date doesn't mean we're getting married!"
"Sorry," Jamie shrugged and grinned. "But thanks for confirming my suspicions".
Alec growled in frustration and let himself into the house. It seemed that Jamie had already started with the unpacking. Several boxes had disappeared from the bottom of the stairs and their contents had been added to random areas of the previously bland and boring house.
"I see you've been leaving your mark," he commented with a nod of approval.
"Well, some of the stuff in the boxes was mine too you know? Anyway, how long do you have until you're going to the chopping block?"
Alec shot her and irritated look and made his way into the kitchen to pour himself a glass of water. "I'm picking her up at six and from then on I don't know where we'll be. We're going on an adventure to find dinner it seems".
"Interesting," Jamie frowned thoughtfully. "Maybe you guys are gonna go to some super-secret celebrity location that only a few people in the country know about".
"I doubt it," Alec chuckled. "Rose isn't really that sort of person".
"How do you know?" Jamie asked quickly. "You've only just met her yourself".
Alec sighed. "I don't know I just have a feeling about her. You'll understand when you're older".
Jamie raised an eyebrow at him. "I'm sixteen, not twelve. You're in love, I get it. Just because I haven't felt it it doesn't mean I can't understand the concept".
Alec Hardy looked down at his daughter and smiled proudly. She was so intelligent, just like her mother. Though that wasn't a very smart comparison considering what her mother had done.
"So my little matchmaker, what do you suggest I do within the next half hour to get ready?" he smiled questioningly down at her.
"Well," she clapped her hands together and circled him slowly. "Allow me to help you detective inspector Hardy".
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Get ready for the date! I've already written it so the next chapter is complete, but I'm making myself promise that I cannot upload it without updating my other stories that haven't been updated in over a month and finishing the epilogue for my all-human AU. I will try my best to do those things this coming weekend so that you can have the next part early, because after all, it's not your fault I'm disorganized and a little bit lazy :P
