Rose went to get into bed and was settling down when Alec came in, rooting in a drawer for a t-shirt and the joggers he'd bought. He was about to leave again.
"Where are you going?" Rose asked.
"To get changed."
"Oh. I thought maybe you'd changed your mind and you were going to the spare room?"
"There is no heating on in there. I know this is difficult but I can go in there if you want me to?"
"No, it's fine, I really don't want to be on my own right now. I just miss home, this is different than going on holiday."
"Then think of it as a holiday, while I go get changed."
He was soon back after thinking about what was going on. He'd got changed in the bathroom, since he didn't want to put on another light, it was essential everyone thought they were together and it was getting easier. The kisses had been nice, something he'd thought about since the day he'd arrived. His twin had been a fool, well so had he, for not taking things further but now, there was no guilt to stop him, no regeneration to get in the way. Regeneration was a lottery, you never knew what you were going to get but he had thought he had Rose to thank for this one.
He hung up his shirt and folded his trousers then got into bed, reaching for the light switch. There was some light coming from outside and Rose was watching him. He stretched out his arm and Rose went to lean on his shoulder, Alec kissing her hair.
"You will feel differently in the morning."
"Yeah? How is not being able to go home gonna be better in the morning?"
"Then like I said, relax and enjoy your holiday. Why can't you do that?"
Rose realised what this was probably doing to him, he had gone out of his way to make her feel at home.
"Yvonne knows about you, that's why."
"Rose, she would not dare come after me, what can she do, she can't prove I was there that night because I was in Norway."
"Even back then? How long were you there?"
"It does not matter how long I was there, Yvonne cannot prove otherwise. You should get some sleep."
"We went to Norway, after we got here. There was a tiny gap in the universes, enough for him to get a message through."
"You saw him again?" Alec asked as Rose moved closer.
"A projection, for a few minutes. So, where in Norway we you based?"
"Bergen but we travelled at lot."
"We were near there – Bad Wolf Bay or Darlig Ulv Stranden as the locals call it. We stayed overnight before we drove back."
"You drove all that way?"
"Pete and Mickey did, we had to make a few stops, mum was having Tony. It was about six months after we arrived, mum got away with it, they said it was because they had almost lost each other, that it gave them another chance."
"Then it all turned out for the better?" he asked, convinced she must suspect something now, what were the chances the two of them had been in Norway at the same time?
Rose kissed his cheek and he pulled her almost onto him, Rose letting him. They began kissing then she went to lie on him, resuming as the kisses deepened. It was Alec who stopped.
Rose was concerned. "Is there something wrong with you?"
"What? No, there is nothing wrong, I thought maybe it was too much for you?"
"No, it was nice but maybe I was getting a bit carried away?"
"You need to relax, can you do that?"
He could tell she was still tense though but as they began kissing again, he felt her tension go slightly. He had expected more resistance from her but he was pleased she wasn't fighting him. Maybe she'd had enough of being on her own. Rose fell asleep, snuggling into his side but when she woke up she was on her own. Then she heard a noise in the bathroom but she hoped he wasn't getting dressed. He wasn't as he returned and got back into bed.
"Good morning Rose, how are you feeling today?"
"Better, thanks. I thought you'd sneaked off before I woke up."
"No, I did not want to wake you, there is no hurry today."
"Mm, I thought maybe we could pick up where we left off last night?"
A while later, Rose was watching him get out of bed. He'd lost the joggers he'd worn and Rose's pyjama top was undone by a few more buttons. Alec went to get his shirt from the wardrobe then to get some clean shorts. Rose started to get out of bed.
"You get dressed here, I'll be a while," she told him. "Or maybe I can stay for the show?"
"Very amusing Rose, would you really stay if I said go ahead?"
Rose tried not to blush as she fastened the buttons that had somehow come undone, not remembering who had done so as she had laid on him.
"This need not change anything Rose, if you don't want to get involved with me."
"It's not that Alec, it's just the way things are. Yvonne won't stop until she finds out who was in that video and who was with them. She'll keep trying to prove it was me and even if she realises it's not her cousin, she'll go after me."
Alec went up to her after putting his clothes on the chair.
"Then she has a lot to prove and while she is doing that, she can't actually make any accusations."
"Don't be so sure Alec, Yvonne could make a start, she'll have people working on it."
"Then we will be ready for her, we have our cover stories. We could help each other. Why not take advantage of the story I came up with? That we knew each other before?"
"That doesn't explain anything if she believes that was you that night, if she discovers it wasn't her cousin."
"I was not even in the same country." He stood opposite her, one hand on his hip and one rubbing his beard and very aware he was only in his t-shirt and shorts. "We should just wait until we get word she is coming after us. There is nothing else we can do. If she looks into my past, Pete made sure it was checkable."
"He did with mine too Alec but it doesn't stop me worrying," Rose told him, going to put her arms around his neck.
He put his arms around her waist, going for a kiss.
"Worrying will just make you worse. We should just carry on as we would normally do, until Pete contacts us."
"Yeah, you're probably right and I'm sorry, this isn't fair on you."
"Rose, I would be Yvonne's target even if you had not come here. I will call Pete later to see if there is any news, if that helps?"
Rose nodded and he wished she'd not fastened those few buttons.
Pete was already on his way to Torchwood, ready for what Yvonne might throw at him today. Jake had got there early after Pete had called him and Mickey was trying to do Rose's job then get on with the task Pete had given him, that of seeing who he could find who was on the verge of supporting Yvonne and trying to change their minds.
As soon as he arrived, Pete went through his messages but was disturbed by one of the board members.
"Pete, I just wanted you to hear this first. There are rumours that Yvonne is going to call a meeting of the board, regarding the use of the cannon project."
"Why would she do that?"
"Well none of us were present at her meeting yesterday but my secretary just mentioned about it."
"Well it's probably only the same as Jake told me."
"No Pete, she's friends with one of Yvonne's inner circle, you have no idea what Yvonne's having them do."
"Did she say what that was?"
"Not much, just looking for those two in the photos and videos and also anyone who was at your place that night who might have escaped."
"So that's what she's up to? She's convinced Rose was in those photos."
"I know, remember? I can't take sides Pete, you know that but she is going to bring trouble."
"Thanks for the warning Ian and I appreciate you can't take sides, publicly but what if the other board members are swayed?"
"Then Torchwood itself would be in danger, not to mention you and Rose. If Yvonne becomes more powerful, it won't be the Torchwood we know any longer. It will stir up trouble amongst the aliens who have so far been here peacefully because they will no longer be protected from being exposed. I don't just mean in this country either, she seems to forget they are all over the place."
Pete got back to checking his messages and found some were already disturbed as to the influence Yvonne was gaining but those expressing their concern were the ones who wouldn't commit in public, which Pete thought was a shame, he could really use their support. He picked up his mobile and called Alec, who was trying to get Rose to make a shopping list.
"I don't make shopping lists Alec," she was trying to tell him.
"You have the servants doing it for you?" he asked, clicking the pen annoyingly.
This was why up until landing here, he'd not done domestics.
"Are you insinuating something?" Rose asked, staring at him.
"No. I know where you come from, remember? Pete said you never took to it but I cannot imagine you and your mother going around the supermarket and being recognized."
"We do and we don't get recognized, well I don't, I was hidden away in case you forgot? As for mum, she came back a changed woman, which she goes to great lengths to keep up appearances. If she slips up, she has an excuse."
"What about you?" Alec asked, wondering if he should just abandon this.
"I'm used to hiding things Alec, I spent all that time hiding the fact I was with a time-traveller from my mum. It took her a while to accept that was what I did. She only believed me when a green alien exploded in Mickey's kitchen."
Alec tried not to laugh. He remembered it was one of the Slitheen who had been about to dispose of Mickey and Jackie, he recalled telling them how to deal with the problem.
"Sounds like you did a good job hiding it then. Back to shopping? Are you going to wander up and down the aisles to see what you want?"
"That's what I normally do but I don't go down every single aisle Alec," she grinned.
"Well I will soon find that out for myself. If we bump into anyone I know, let me do the talking."
"Yes, Sir," Rose mock saluted.
He was glad to see that despite her current situation, she was still taking it fairly well. Then his phone rang.
"Pete, how are things back there?" Alec asked him.
"Not too bad yet. How's Rose? Is she settling down?"
"Nothing some shopping will not cure," he smiled as Rose pulled a face at him.
"Tell her to just go easy, you're only in a caravan," Pete laughed. "There's nothing new except Yvonne maybe trying to sway the board to see things her way. All I can do is hope they stick by their promises not to take sides."
After he spoke to Rose for a few minutes, Pete had called Jake and Mickey to his office.
"So you think she's gonna make her move soon?" Jake asked.
"Yes, whether she has any real evidence of a cover-up or not. Let's hope she doesn't go after both of them, though I think Alec can deal with it on his own but as for Rose? She's already very fragile but I don't think she will give in without a fight."
"Let's hope not Pete," Mickey told him. "Did Alec say how she was dealing with being with him?"
"Still jealous?" Jake teased him.
"What's to be jealous about her being with a Doctor look-alike?" Mickey sneered at him.
"She's safe enough with him for now," Pete reminded him. "How are you doing with those who are on Yvonne's side?"
"I caught a few first thing in the canteen," Mickey replied, trying to forget. "I think going after those who have only just decided might be best, those who have been with her a while might be less willing to listen."
"How are you gonna persuade them to turn back?" Jake wondered.
"Remind them that it only took casting doubt on Pete to turn their loyalty to her. Who's to say she will do things any better?"
"I suppose you have a point?" Jake agreed.
While they were having their meeting, Yvonne had summoned her close supporters, who'd been working non-stop since the day before.
"There's no-one we can find who was at Pete Tyler's house that night," one of them told her.
"Well did you get the guest list?" Yvonne asked.
"Sort of, it was all unofficial Yvonne, Mrs Tyler used to like big parties and didn't mind if anyone brought someone with them. We know Steve Roberts senior was there and we've identified some of the others but not been able to contact their families yet. Do you want us to talk to Mrs Roberts?"
"No, Steve already told me what she knows, for now. There's no point in talking to the families, they've been through enough. Are you sure everyone who was there in the photos and videos were all killed? What about the rest of the staff?"
"I'm going through a list of catering companies," one of them offered. "None of them so far have sent any staff to the Tyler house."
That got Yvonne thinking. "You're not going to find them that way," she declared.
"How do you mean?" one of the women asked.
"I mean maybe they were posing as staff to gate-crash for some reason? Or maybe it was Rose and she wanted to meet them, to see how they lived if she came from a council estate? Maybe either her mother or father looked like Pete or Jackie? Find out who her mother was, what she did before she died or went missing that night but why would Rose lie?"
That was a very good question, Yvonne thought, a valid one. She'd been going about this the wrong way. Just supposing the man in question had been the one to suggest going there, to find out if Pete really was involved with Torchwood back then? She'd found out Pete had covertly been giving information about Lumic and had been one of Torchwood's financial backers though he'd also kept that quiet but it would explain what Steve Robert's father had been doing there that night.
"Right, one of you concentrate on finding out about Rose's mother, Jackie Prentiss, it's a coincidence she was another Jackie and find out who Mrs Tyler was before she married Pete. Maybe it was Rose who was looking for something that night?"
She got a chorus of 'Yes Yvonne' from them as they all left.
Steve Roberts was missing Rose already even though he knew she'd gone on a spa break and wishing she'd invited him. He got a message from Yvonne and made his excuses to leave the office, getting some funny looks.
"I tell you, something's going on with Steve," Shelley told them after he'd left.
"Just because he fancies Rose doesn't mean he's up to anything," one of the women told her.
"She's not been here since Wednesday morning," Shelley quipped back. "She just takes time off whenever she feels like it."
"Well she is related to the boss," one of the men told her. "Speaking of bosses, where's ours?"
"Don't know, no-one's said anything," someone else answered.
"Maybe he got on Yvonne's bad side and she fired him, hopefully," Shelley laughed.
On his way to Yvonne's office, Steve had made a decision. He was not going to spy on Rose again and while she was away, he had the perfect excuse but when she came back, Yvonne would try and fire him and the way things were going Pete wouldn't be able to help him. He'd heard that Gwen had got her transfer and wondered how she'd managed it, it wouldn't have been out of the kindness of Yvonne's heart, Pete must have intervened.
He knocked on Yvonne's glass office door after her secretary told him to go in.
"You wanted to see me?" he asked nervously.
"Yes, any idea where Rose went?"
He wondered why she'd not asked him that yesterday.
"She mentioned a spa break, that's all I know. She wouldn't tell me exactly where though, maybe she went with Mrs Tyler?"
"I somehow doubt that, her not being Rose's mother if things are to be believed."
Steve was beginning to wonder himself though the woman had given no indication in front of him that she was Rose's real mother.
Yvonne continued. "See if you can contact Rose, ask how she is and she might be willing to tell you where she's gone."
"Is it important, to find out where she is?" Steve dared to ask.
"Yes, if she isn't really taking a break. Maybe she's just trying to avoid me?"
Steve wouldn't really blame Rose if that was what she was doing.
"About that Yvonne, Rose is really mad at me, I don't think she'll want to speak to me let alone tell me where she is."
"Then tell her you're back on their side," Yvonne suggested.
"I already tried Yvonne, I don't think she believed me. Sorry Yvonne but I'm out of this, I can't do it to her any more."
"You've outlived your usefulness anyway, if you can't get close to her to find out the truth."
"What truth Yvonne? Are you going to fire me because if you are, I quit. I'll go to Pete, he won't let you dismiss me."
"After you turned on him? Don't be so naïve, he used you as much as I did, admit it."
"Maybe he did but Rose made me see it was worth it and now she blames me. I think that's why she went away."
"To avoid you?" Yvonne laughed at the thought. "She's not had a boyfriend since Mickey, so I've been told. What makes you think you had a chance? No, I think it was her at Pete's house that night and she was with that man in the black suit and she lost him. She's either waiting for him to come back for her or she can't accept he was lost. Now thanks to you, I've no way of knowing."
Steve knew she was tying to trick him but if it made Rose talk to him again.
"Okay Yvonne, I'll see if she'll talk to me but this is the last time. I want to know if she was there that night as well, maybe she spoke to my father, maybe she saw the Cybermen kill him or capture him?"
Yvonne knew he was hooked, he'd do anything to get to the truth of his father's death.
"Then we both have the same goal? I won't fire you, for now but you'd better get something for me and since Rose isn't here, you're not really spying on her, are you?"
Steve went off, thinking about the other night when Rose had almost kissed him. Where had she gone? She wasn't with Jake or Mickey, he'd seen them both. Maybe Jackie Tyler was Rose's real mother, what was that to him but why was it so important to Yvonne and what had it all to do with her cousin, apart from her thinking for some reason it was him who was there that night?
Now though, she seemed convinced it was another man entirely but even so, what did this mysterious man have to do with things? If Rose had really been with the man that night and had lost him wouldn't she have also been trying to find him? No wonder she was so reluctant to let anyone get close to her then.
After Steve had left her, Yvonne began to think about what she'd just said. It was a shame Gwen had managed to sneak off but maybe there was someone else Rose had confided in? First things first though, she needed to have positive proof Rose was there that night and she was going to get it, one way or another.
Down in Broadchurch, the shopping was finally finished without any real fuss since the vicar had seen them together but Paul had chosen not to go over and introduce himself to the young blonde who was smiling at Hardy as she put things into the trolley. Alec had seen him and had been thankful he'd kept his distance.
They'd had some lunch and Rose had wanted to go try out the pool, Alec making excuses he'd no swimming shorts since he couldn't find any in the superstore.
"It's the wrong time of year," he'd insisted as she got her swimming costume out of the drawer.
"Well maybe we can go to a sports store tomorrow?"
"Maybe we can? I can come and watch you though darlin'" he whispered in her ear as he put his arms around her waist.
"Yeah, you can look after my towel for me."
"That would be my pleasure," he told her, going to kiss her neck.
Rose was enjoying the closeness of him and still wondering why this was so easy to let herself be drawn to him. Maybe she had been without a boyfriend for too long and what was the harm in at least trying to enjoy herself while she was here?
Alec could sense he was getting to her, which would make things a lot easier for both of them when she found out who he really was.