A/N: Many thanks to ShadowedHand for the review earlier this very evening. Your encouragement made me go back and finish this chapter to upload. I appreciate your thoughts. I'm unsure how this one will continue, but I hope you enjoy a bit of an update.

"You want me to relax—but I'm not used to relaxing," Hardy said with a frown as he and Alana sat in his car outside Ellie's house.

"Baby steps, Alec. Just take a few tiny baby steps."

"Like what?"

"Well, you already left the tie at home, that's a significant step. And you're bringing me with you. Another big step. And we're here. So, we'll just go with that for now. We'll go in, and I'll chat, and you can stand there by my side and not say anything if you like. Shall we go in, now?"

He nodded and they both got out of the car simultaneously. Once they joined each other to walk in, he stopped and turned to her. "Should I hold your hand?"

She smiled "Do you want to?"

He glanced down at the space between their hands, barely a few inches. "Yes, I do."

"Then yes, you should."

She held in her right hand the dessert they'd chosen at the store to bring along, and he took her left hand in his own.

They approached the door, and just before arriving close enough for Alec to ring the doorbell, the door opened.

"Hi! You're here!" Ellie smiled.

"Miller, this is Alana Reynolds."

"Hi Ellie, it's nice to meet you. I hope it's okay that I call you by your first name."

Ellie Miller smiled. "Of course it is!" She then turned her attention to Hardy. "I like her already, Hardy!"

Hardy groaned. "Miller!"

"What? I can at least say I like her! Come on in! The boys will be happy to see you, Hardy."

As they entered, Alec was first to notice how quiet it was. "Where is everyone?"

"Oh!" Ellie responded as she went into the kitchen and stuck her head into the fridge to look for something before finishing, "I think there must be something going around. Everyone bailed at the last minute."

"You mean it's just us?" Alec said.

"Yeah, sorry about that," Ellie said as she pulled a tray of appetizers out of the fridge.

"Thats… okay," Hardy mumbled. A small smile peaked from the corner of Alana's mouth.

"Boys!" Ellie yelled out. "Hardy and Alana are here!"

"Alec!" they heard a young boy's voice call out. "Come up and see my Lego fort!"

Alana was delighted to see a smile come across Alec Hardy's face.

"Well, I suppose that's my cue. Would you like to come up and see young Fred's fort?" he asked Alana.

"That's alright, I'll stay down here and help Ellie get everything ready."

Soon, the two women were at the grill on the back patio. They'd been mostly quiet, with a little light conversation, but after a few minutes, Alana decided to take a chance. "You're a good friend, Ellie, to arrange things this way for Alec."

"What do you mean?"

"Everyone suddenly up and getting sick? Having to cancel out on coming to the party? Seems awfully convenient for the man upstairs with your boys who is terrified of social gatherings," she said with a smile as she looked at the woman who was focused on the grill.

Ellie broke out in a grin. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"Of course not. Well, don't worry about me. Mum's the word," Alana said as she looked around the huge lawn area that made up something like a park in the middle of all the houses.

"You know, I didn't think Hardy could surprise me anymore. But then he called me and told me he was bringing you."

'It's been a pretty interesting few days for the two of us."

"Must have been. I can't imagine what you've done to soften him up. But, I'm glad for it. I'm glad to see him grasping for happiness. He deserve it. As do you, from the sound of it."

"We've both quite a bit of healing left to do from old hurts—as has been evident the past few days. I think we're both painfully aware that it could go either way for us—we could be great for each other, help each other heal and grow. Or it could go terribly and we're just both too raw and cynical to meet in the middle."

"Seems like it's going the right direction, so far."

"We're a bit back and forth on the pendulum still. Taking things a bit moment by moment, if I'm honest. This is a good moment, I think."

"Living in the moment has it's advantages. And as rough as you've both had it—I say again, it seems reasonable to do so."

"Thanks, Ellie. I appreciate the vote of confidence from his closest friend."

Ellie chuckled. "Oof, that I am, aren't I? Who would have thought that a few years ago. You should have seen how we were when he first came to Broadchurch. At each other's throats. Still drive each other bonkers, but I like to think it keeps us both on our toes."

"I think if he didn't deeply admire and respect you we wouldn't be here tonight. You know that right?"

"I do."

Just then the door slid open and Alec stepped out. "Everything going well out here?"

"Sure is. Do I get to meet the boys soon?" Alana glanced behind to see if the boys were anywhere behind him.

"They're cleaning up, we peeked out from upstairs and saw that dinner was almost ready."

Later that evening, Alec pulled into the parking area just outside Alana's cottage and shut the car off.

"Well, I think that was a success, don't you?"

"It wasn't terrible, no."

"Oh, be careful, Alec. You almost sounded like you enjoyed it."

"It was made significantly easier by the fact that everyone but Ellie and the boys came down with some pretend illness at the last minute."

Alana grinned. "You figured it out."

"Of course I figured it out. I'd be a rubbish detective if I couldn't figure that out." He paused and considered the evening. "Miller is too nice to me sometimes."

"I'm going to do you a favor and not tell her you said that. You'd never live it down. But really, are you complaining about the lack of social interaction tonight?"

"No, no. You, she, and the boys were quite adequate, thank you." He said with a shake of his head, but a small smile.

"I had a great time getting to know Ellie a bit more. I see why you respect her, and consider her a friend."

"I'm glad you came. I… enjoyed it."

She smiled wider at his admission. "On that note, I'm going to say good evening, Alec. Sleep well tonight. I'll be in touch." She leaned over and quickly placed a kiss on his cheek.

He smiled. "Good evening, Alana."

With that she exited the vehicle. He started his car but waited till she was safely inside before pulling away.