Alec was anxiously waiting Rose's return from the Latimer house – what if she had been persuaded by Beth Latimer and Miller to keep the baby? The consequences were huge on this, it would affect both of them, Rose was not on her own with this. Yes, she was partly to blame for offering no or very little resistance against Kilgrave, he could have turned really nasty on her and she could have been ordered to jump off the balcony or take her own life and she'd done everything she could to keep others safe.

No, the blame was entirely on Kilgrave, he had no need to treat women like he did, Rose hadn't been the only one to be caught up in his game of using them then throwing them way but was it his fault his parents experimented on him? There was no easy answer to the whole situation Rose had found herself caught up in, she'd done the sensible thing and gone along with it mostly, resisting in her own way and had sacrificed herself to keep Torchwood and others safe.

He heard a car pull up and looked out of the front window, seeing Rose and Ellie just sitting there, wondering what had come of the conversation.

"So, what have you decided?" Ellie was asking Rose as she saw Alec peering out of the window.

Rose averted her eyes away, talking to Beth hadn't made things any easier and maybe she should follow the advice and talk to someone professional about it.

"It's not fair on Alec, he doesn't deserve this."

"Listen Rose, Hardy knows what he's getting into, he knew that day you were found and you latched onto him within minutes of meeting him and what you told Beth, well I'm surprised you didn't tell her the whole thing, you only left out a few minor details and I almost thought it was true. You did what you had to do to get through it and taking up with Hardy was your best option afterwards, he'll do you more good than a dozen experts."

"I know Ellie but it's not fair, I can't win. It's like when I was with the Doctor, he made impossible choices Ellie, ones with far worse consequences than either bringing a possibly evil child into the world or terminating it before it has the chance to become a person. How can I possibly choose?"

"Only you can make that decision Rose, poor Hope never had a choice at all, look what he did to her? How many more women have come forward since we left New York? We don't know how long he'd been doing it, taking women and using them for his sexual gratification. The only good thing about the way he did it, well if you can call it good is that he had them so far under his control they didn't suffer until afterwards."

"That's good?" Rose half smiled. "They're still suffering Ellie, they remember some of it. I can't talk about it any more and I feel so sorry for them but I have myself to think about."

"Yes, you do Rose, do what's best for you, not what other people want. Beth's situation was completely different, she had a husband and it brought them closer after Lizzie was born and they thought they would never be the same again but you and Hardy have a future together and while I'm sure he'll do that stupid thing you mentioned and claim it's his, you'll both know it's a lie and it will tear you apart. You lost your best friend all that time ago, don't let Hardy go."

Rose turned to face her friend. "Thanks Ellie, you're right, I have to go ahead with it and I have to at least tell my stepfather, he'll understand why I'm doing it but I'm not so sure about my mother."

"You need to tell him, if something goes wrong, they'd take it out on your boyfriend. Now get out of my car and go tell that idiot you love him, have you told him yet?"

"No and he's told me he loves me but I can't bring myself to say it back because Kilgrave used to make me say it over and over again and it meant nothing. I have to be sure I love Alec for the right reasons."

"Rubbish Rose, I've seen the two of you and don't you go giving me the 'we were unpacking' crap you came out with earlier."

"Oh, is that what he told you?" Rose smiled wickedly. "We were just fooling around, honestly, we've not got that far yet, I suspected I was pregnant right from the start, I had my first real time with Kilgrave and I'm not proud of it Ellie and I thought Alec would be upset."

"If he loves you Rose and he's prepared to accept what happened, it will make no difference. Don't you go telling him this or pregnant or not, I'll make you suffer."

"Tell him what Ellie?"

"That when we were trying to put Sandbrook to rest, well I got this stupid idea he wanted to make something of it, you know? It was really, really stupid of me then when he got himself fixed, I offered him a place to stay and he took it the wrong way."

Rose couldn't resist laughing. "Yeah, he told me and he told me you awkwardly had to share a motel room. I'm sorry, I shouldn't be laughing and I don't think it was stupid but he told me that working with his ex taught him not to get involved with someone he works with, what with his ex going off with a male DS."

"I know all about that. It was me, I got the wrong end of the stick, I even had him looking after Fred for me. I missed Joe, I was looking for a replacement and I did do something stupid Rose, I had a one-night stand with a bloke I met in a Weymouth bar, when I was trying to get the truth out of Claire Ripley but luckily, nothing came of it. I didn't even fancy him, he wasn't good-looking or anything, I just needed to feel someone wanted me."

"It happens to the best of us Ellie. I should go, Alec's gonna come out any minute wanting to know what I decided, I can't do that to him and I do love him, I'm just afraid to tell him."

"Then go out tonight, somewhere really nice and tell him. If you don't I'll have something to say about it."

Rose gave Ellie an awkward hug as Alec watched Rose get out of the car and wave after her friend and he couldn't resist opening the caravan door for her, helping her up the caravan step.

"I should get them to put a ramp on this caravan," he told her as he closed the door.

"It won't be for long, we're only here until Tuesday was it? Did you miss me?"

She slid her arms around his slim waist and held him close, his arms going around her back. Then she looked up and smiled, indicating she wanted a kiss.

"This is very nice love but what happened at Beth's?" he asked, trying not to sound so impatient, not that she wouldn't have seen him peering through the window.

"It was nice to talk to someone who had been through it but it's still down to me, isn't it?"

"Yes love it is and whatever you decide, I'm here for you. Now, let's go get something to eat or shall I make us something?"

"No, can we just go to the bar or something?"

"Sure, whatever you want, you just don't want to try my cooking."

"You can make me breakfast in bed in the morning?"

"Really? I'm sure I can't go wrong with eggs. You can have a lie-in anyway, nothing special is happening tomorrow and Saturday, Daisy doesn't arrive until around noon, I can get her to go to the supermarket with me, I'm sure her eating habits will have changed since she was twelve."

"Is that how long it's been?"

"That's when things started to go wrong at home, we both knew it wasn't working and I let it go, it was the easiest option, then Sandbrook happened and that was it really, it didn't take Tess long to take advantage of it. We were both working on the case, I never saw it happening but maybe I did and ignored it."

"Can't say I've ever had that happen, unless you count the Doctor totally ignoring my advances on him," Rose mused, leading Alec to the seating.

"Well he was an idiot to not have noticed, especially if you made it clear to him, like you did with me."

Rose giggled. "Don't know whatcha mean."

"Yes you do, don't play the innocent girl in distress routine with me Rose, you saw me and you went straight for me."

"You thought I was under the illusion you were somehow Kilgrave or the Doctor."

"Maybe at first but when you would not let go of me, I began to wonder. It was not easy for me you know, letting you go back home while I came back here. The not knowing if you would say you never wanted to see me again."

"I am sorry for that Alec, I had to be sure and all the time, deep down, I was praying I hadn't got pregnant but I couldn't stop him Alec, I'm not so sure I wanted to."

"He had you under his influence Rose, I can't blame you for what he made you do."

Rose curled up beside him and put her arms around his shoulders, Alec going for her neck.

"I thought you wanted to get something to eat?" he asked, kissing his way around.

"Yeah, I hope I can keep it down, I'd best not have too much, just a snack or something. Ellie said I should at least tell Pete, I'll call him when we get back."

"Do it now then you don't have the excuse you are tired when you get back."

"I'm not ready Alec, what do I say to him?"

"Who is the most understanding of the two of them – your mother or your stepfather? He was there Rose, he's bound to be more understanding than your mother but it's up to you."

He got up and passed her phone, which she'd put on the table when she'd come back in.

Getting through to Pete, she asked if he was on his own.

"Just hang on a second, I will be but why are you being so secretive?"

"Because I don't want my mum overhearing – it's to do with Kilgrave."

"Well in that case, it's just as well, she'd sort him out if she got her hands on him. Go on then, what have you got to tell me? Everything ok with you and Alec?"

"Things are fine between us, I expect mum insinuated to you we were sharing a room at the pub when the reporters were there?"

"She never stopped about it and there will be a statement issued on both your behalves, if that's ok with Alec?"

"He'll go along with anything to get his name out of the papers, it was a waste of time going to the local one. Well, I'd best get it over with but please, don't tell my mum."

"I think I can guess though how your mother missed it is beyond me. Kilgrave got you pregnant, didn't he?"

"Yeah, I found out for certain on Tuesday night, Ellie got me a test and she's got me in a clinic next Tuesday."

"Will they keep your identity confidential?"

"Yeah, Ellie wouldn't give them my name over the phone, just that I had a failed relationship or something like that, she didn't go into too many details. I'm not gonna let them talk me into keeping it."

"I don't expect they could even if they tried, Ellie will take care of you, she'll make sure they don't talk you into keeping it if you don't want to."

"I asked Alec to take me, he knows it may be awkward but I want him to be with me, just in case anything goes wrong. If I have a bad experience, I'd rather he was there."

"Well whatever it costs, just send the bill to the accountants."

"I don't think so Dad, what will they think?" Rose smiled across at Alec, who held his hand out as she was pacing the living area floor.

She sat down beside him. "I don't want to use one of my cards either so I'll get Alec to pay, I'll give him the money back, since he's paying for the caravan."

"You own me for two nights in the pub Rose," Alec informed her.

Rose giggled, holding her hand over the phone. "Don't worry, I'll pay you back, you think I'm not good for it?"

"What's Alec saying?" Pete asked.

"Nothing, it's just when we had to sneak out of the pub this morning. There was no-one around to pay for the room so he got me in Ellie's car and went back to pay."

"You had to use Ellie's car?" Pete asked, amused at the thought of the pair of them trying to avoid the reporters.

"Alec's idea was for Ellie to collect us from the back of the pub, drive us around to his chalet and hope the fuss would die down."

Pete had to let out a laugh. "I bet that was fun but you should have heard your mother going on about you two smooching on his doorstep."

"Don't even go there Dad, I can well imagine and she'll never let me forget it. Are you all still coming down next weekend?"

"Tony's never stopped going on about it, I'll have to make the arrangements."

"We can call at the office tomorrow, if you want a caravan?"

"Why not? Tony won't like being in a hotel and they'll have a kid's club, won't they?"

"I expect so, we're just off to the bar to get something to eat, if I can keep it down."

"I'm surprised your mother didn't suspect something, not much gets past her. Look Rose, I'm not going to pry into how it happened, I know you're sensible and take precautions, even though as far as I know you don't go out with that many men."

"It was my own stupid fault, I missed my appointment for my injection, I was tryin' to finish up work before we went off."

"Well, I'm not judging you for being dedicated to your work Rose. Have you heard from Kate?"

"Alec did, I don't think much is happening, except Hope went back to New York, according to her parents. If Kilgrave finds her again, she'll go back to him, he has a power over people that we don't understand and maybe somehow, it's become stronger? Maybe it never wore off, like it did with me, I was the lucky one."

"Thank goodness you did have some resistance or I'd be under his influence as well, the whole of Torchwood would be under his control and as much as everyone is well trained, he'd have found other ways, like he did with you, threaten friends and families of employees. That's how he does it Rose, he uses people's fears of what will happen to those around them."

"Then Kate needs to find someone who he can't get to, who doesn't have any family or friends to make them fear him. On the other hand, maybe someone from his past, like that Jessica that was mentioned, if she got away from him, she might be able to resist him and stop him."

"I'll give Kate a call, see what she thinks. Have you heard from Detective Carver?"

"I've not, Alec, have you heard from Emmett?"

Alec shook his head, certain he'd already told her that. "Why would he be calling me?" he asked, putting his arm around her.

"We'll let you know if we do. We'll see you next weekend, I'll send you details, about a caravan."

"Best not get us one next to yours," Pete joked.

"Yeah, we'll be back in the chalet by then."

"Will we?" Alec asked, surprised at the suggestion. "I told you Rose, it's not practical for us."

"Why not? You lived there," Rose protested. "Bye Dad, I'll talk to you soon and I'll let you know what happens at the clinic and don't worry, I'll be fine with Alec there."

Pete said goodbye and went off to find Jackie.

"Oh, where did you get to Pete? Tony said you got a call, was it from Rose?"

No, Jackie didn't miss much but she'd come unstuck over her daughter being pregnant.

"She was calling to say she'll find out about a caravan for when we go down next weekend. How long are we staying?"

While Rose and Alec walked down to the bar, over in Gracepoint, Emmett had found some interesting facts about Kilgrave, including a certain Jessica Jones. He picked up his desk phone and called Kate.

"Detective Carver," Kate greeted him. "I'm surprised to hear from you. Got any news for me?"

"Actually, I have plenty. I'm sending you what I dug up on a Jessica Jones, she's a private eye now."

"We know, Castle's trying to find her, we don't know where her office is."

Emmett thought it was nice of her to keep him informed but he wasn't finished. "Well I can help you there, I have the address."

Pleased with himself, he forwarded the files he'd accumulated and sat back in his chair, looking smugly at Ellie Miller. She had repeatedly called him out for pursuing what had happened in New York, threatening to go to the chief if he didn't quit spending all his spare time on it. He had argued it was in a lot of people's interest, including his own and Alec Hardy's, to get to the bottom of it but he was mainly doing it for Rose, because she deserved to know why she had been taken and held against her will and Kilgrave was still getting away with it.

Kate had sent him a report that Hope was back in the city though she hadn't yet been spotted by the NYPD and Emmett suspected Kilgrave had already got to her. The young woman obviously had no resistance to the man who'd held her before he'd got to Rose. Ellie spotted he was looking pleased and tapped on his door.

"You look like the cat who got the cream," she remarked, sitting opposite him.

He was going to say he would be, if the report had been true about being seen in New York with Rose Tyler but that was never going to happen, Hardy was the lucky one there. He'd seen the news headlines when he'd switched on his computer that Rose was holed up in some pub in the Dorset coastal town and the pictures of her kissing Hardy. The reporters had not been idle while waiting for the two of them to make an appearance, they had got straight onto their papers' social media accounts, taking photos of the pub and then later, someone had spotted Alec's chalet but it was all closed down and the curtains and blinds pulled over.

One lucky reporter though had been seeking refreshments and seen Rose sneaking around to the front of the chalet but there had been no Alec, he'd been around the back at the time, talking with Ellie. Emmett shook his head, the world was a far smaller place than it was before the wonders of modern technology and a lot more private with it.

Back in Broadchurch, Rose and Alec were talking over their meals, Alec despairing at Rose eating potato wedges with cheese and beans while he'd opted for something more substantial but she seemed to be enjoying it. He thought he may as well have gone across to the takeaway and they'd eaten in the caravan but Rose wanted to find out if there was a club for the kids.

"I am not going in there Rose, it's full of screaming kids," Alec had insisted, as Rose had wanted to go to the bar in the entertainment centre instead of the main bar.

"Then we'll go back later, at least Tony will make some friends while he's here."

"How long are they staying?" Alec asked, trying not to stare as she picked up the potato wedges with her fingers and dipped them into the 'mess' as he had called it of beans stuck together with cheese.

Rose smiled back at him and put the two wedges into her mouth, seeing the look on his face.

"What? Old habits die hard you know, me and Mickey used to do this all the time back home."

"I never said anything, did I?" Alec asked, eating his own meal, more dignified than Rose was about it.

"Don't tell me you never ate chips out of a packet or anything and dipped them in beans or gravy."

He shuddered at the thought of what he and his few friends had done when he was in his teens. "Maybe," he admitted. "Anyway, I was asking how long your family were going to stay? If we are asking about getting them a caravan, maybe we should keep the one we are in for another week or so?"

"You really don't want me in the chalet do you? Why Not?"

"You really want to know?"

Rose nodded, taking the last two wedges and swirling them in the remainder of the cheese and beans. Alec thought if she wasn't going to be sick all night, it would be a miracle. He was glad he'd had the sense to pick up an indigestion remedy that could be taken during pregnancy while he'd been at the supermarket earlier, she was going to need it by the look of it.

Rose was still waiting for an answer. "Is it because of what you told me, about collapsing there?"

"Yes and no. You're very vulnerable right now and being next to the river, it scares me love, if things get you down, you could go rushing out and slip into the water and I can't go in after you. Well I could but I can't get over my nightmares Rose, I don't think I ever will, not by jumping in a river after you. Maybe a swimming pool but not in a river. You have to see it from my point of view, I promised to look after you and I can't do that if I am constantly worried about what you may or may not do, if things start to go wrong."

Rose felt really sorry for him. "I understand that Alec, really I do but there's no need to worry about me, I'm fine about it."

"You say that now, what about afterwards eh? When you get back after being at the clinic and things have not gone so good? I can't risk it. I know we spent a few hours there but I've been with you and I will always be worried about going off and leaving you, when I have to go back to work. As much as I would love to stay off while you are here, I can't, I will have to resume my job at some point."

"Then come and work with us," Rose suggested.

"I can't do that Rose, it's not me, I'm a detective, pure and simple and I can't change that. I'm not into being diplomatic or chasing the unexplained."

"That's not all we do," she smiled back at him.

"Ok, maybe not but live in London?"

"We could set up here, keep an eye of the south coast."

"Maybe in another lifetime Rose but I have to decline. Who else would keep Miller in line?"

They made their way out and Rose wanted to cross over and sit by the harbour for a while. Being dark and he couldn't really see the water, he allowed her to lead him to the circular seating area.

"I really like it here Alec and you're right, living in London isn't all it's cracked up to be. You wanted to know why I couldn't say something to you."

"Yes, I did but take your time, I can wait."

"I don't think you can because if I don't get it out of the way, I can't move on and I want to, I really do. You heard about how I got here?"

Alec nodded. "Well, did Pete tell you about us going to Norway, so I could say goodbye to the Doctor?"

Alec put his arm around her and she leaned on his shoulder. "Yes, he did, so what has that to do with you not being able to tell me?"

"Because he never said it back to me Alec, I told him, I waited until the last possible moment to tell him and he faded away and then, Kilgrave got hold of me, looking exactly like the man I had loved and he made me tell him I loved him when I didn't. You have to understand Alec, I had to be sure."

"And are you?"

"Yeah, I'm sure because you've proved you love me by standing by me when I told you what Kilgrave did to me and you're still here. I love you Alec."