Bring back memories

Alec knew he had to be content that Rose was willing to get engaged once she could safely return to Paisley and he knew she was content that he was willing to do it now. Maybe she'd change her mind before that, if he was lucky?

Both Alec and John were tired so once they'd eaten a few hours later, Rose and Alec went to her room and Jackie said she'd go to hers, to let John get some sleep.

"Do ya think those two are gonna get engaged then?" Jackie asked John.

He thought she'd asked him that a dozen times before, or did it only seem like a dozen times?

"I don't know Jackie, he never talks about it much. I know he wants to but Rose is being stubborn about it, I don't know why. Tell you what though, earlier, she was clinging hold of him like he was going to vanish into thin air!" he laughed.

"Tell me about it," Jackie laughed back. "I know now they're a bit older that Alec seems to think he's responsible for her now."

"Yeah, it seems so," John had to agree. "Jackie, why don't you come with us, on holiday?"

She let out a laugh.

"Rose wants to spend time with you lot, not me."

"Don't say that, I bet she'd love you to come with us. There's still time, there's plenty of room, I can sleep in the lounge," he offered.

"Don't you get enough of sleeping in the lounge when ya come here?"

"Well, I suppose so but I wouldn't really mind. Why don't you sleep on it eh? I bet Rose will encourage you."

"Ya think so?" she asked. "I'd have to cancel all my appointments."

"You can do it before we have to leave, we can wait for you," he suggested.

Rose and Alec were snuggling up in her single bed.

"I wonder what they're talking about?" Rose smiled as she made a pattern on Alec's bare chest.

"Whatever it is, it's making her laugh. She might be planning on coming with us tomorrow?" he suggested.

"What would your dad say?" Rose wondered.

"I can't see him objecting? There'll be plenty of room I suppose?"

"Yeah, I do feel a bit guilty this year, going without her," she admitted. "It was different last year, we'd only just got this flat. Do ya think John's already asked her?"

"Knowing him, he will have done," Alec replied, trying to get her underneath him. "Forget it for now, I missed you Rose."

"I missed you too Alec. Geez, how have I even survived this long?" she sighed as he dived down under the covers and pulled at her underwear, placing a kiss just where she liked it as he moved her legs.

"Shush Rose, don't have your mother knocking on the door," he warned her as she began to giggle. "No making a noise in the caravan either or my dad will change his mind about letting us share."

He needn't have worried as Rose went quiet, she was enjoying the feeling he was now giving her as she ruffled his hair and made more room for him.

"Rose, I missed doing this to you," he whispered as he pulled at his shorts, Rose trying to help him.

"Well, make the most of it, we're banned all next week. Just as well really, I'll be a bit off it towards the end of the week anyway," she told him.

"I lost track Rose," he admitted as he fumbled at getting his shorts off. "We'll just have to get used to the same as when you lived near me." Rose didn't reply, she was too lost in what she had missed so much. As Alec shuffled around to let her lie on him afterwards, she kissed his neck and settled in his shoulder.

"You should save up to get a bigger bed Rose," he suggested.

"Nah, it won't be as much fun. Just think, we'll have a double bed all next week."

"Yes, just when we can't use it for what we'd like to," Alec complained.

Rose let out a giggle and snuggled closer. They both fell asleep, contented for now that they were back together again. Jackie had let John call Alec's dad to see what he thought of her going with them.

"Well, I can tell the holiday park when we get there and add her to the booking," he told John.

"She's not agreed yet but I think she deserves a holiday," John told him. "It can't have been easy for her in the past, to be left to go on holiday with Bob."

"I know John. Yes, I agree she needs a holiday, it can't have been easy for her this last year? I have to set off early but you might get there before me. I was thinking of just getting the train down to Exeter, I was going to decide in the morning."

"Well we can get there early and I can come and pick you up from the station," John suggested. "Have you checked the train times?"

"Yes, there's a regular service from Glasgow. I think I might give the driving a rest but what about going places?" he asked.

"Well I'm sure Rose and Alec won't object to squeezing up to make room for her mother," John laughed.

Alec's dad gave him the train arrival time and made his mind up he'd give driving a rest but they would have to bring the extras or buy them once they got to the caravan site. John hadn't liked the idea of his uncle driving all that way on his own. Now, he supposed Alec's dad wasn't really his uncle but didn't know what to class him as.

He could be his step dad though, he'd not really thought about it. John knew he'd have plenty of time to drop everyone by the caravan park then drive to Exeter so in the morning, if Jackie was going with them, he hoped Rose hadn't packed as much as she usually did. If she had, she'd have to lose some of it.

He knew the reason she'd packed so much last year though, she had thought she was going back with them. He remembered how upset she'd been and Alec trying to comfort her. The next morning, Alec was trying to persuade Rose she didn't need as much luggage as she'd packed.

"Then tell me where we're going then," she objected.

"Somewhere on the south coast," he grinned as she swatted his arm.

"Fat lot of good that is," she complained as Alec leaned back on her pillow. "Well come on then, it smells like my mum's cooking."

Rose was surprised her mother was up so early, let alone cooking.

"What's going on Mum?"

"Can't I make sure ya get something to eat before ya go?" Jackie wanted to know. "Anyway, we've got something to tell ya," she nodded at John, who was sat at the kitchen table. "Don't look at me like that Rose," she added as Rose put her hands over her mouth.

Had her mother finally lost her senses and wanted to date John?

"You as well Alec," John tried to sound serious. "It's two things actually. Alec, your dad decided to take the train instead of driving, so I'll be picking him up from the nearest station to where we're staying. Jackie, you tell them your news."

Rose tried not to look disappointed. She knew it meant John would have to do all the driving.

"Well Mum, what is it?"

"Well, John suggested I went on holiday with ya," Jackie replied. "What do ya think? I'll have to make some quick calls to cancel my Monday appointments though."

"That's great Mum," Rose smiled, accepting two breakfast plates and thinking it was a wonder Alec was so skinny when her mother always insisted on fattening him up when he was there. "Did Alec's dad agree?"

"I called him last night, that's when he told me he was getting the train," John replied. "You'll all have to squash in the back of my car when we go anywhere."

"Well Alec can sit in the middle," Rose objected. "It's easier for him."

"Thanks Rose."

Jackie hurriedly packed what she needed as Rose got an extra bag packed with some clean towels and drying cloths and anything else she could cram in the bag. They finally went down to the car, John scratching his head trying to fit everything in, ending up putting a few things between Rose and Alec, which didn't really please them.

John had looked at the road map and headed in the right direction, Rose still trying to guess where they were going. A while later, she was seeing signs for various resorts and John was passing them, which got her thinking.

"Alec, are we going to that place you went to with your mother?"

"That took you a while to figure out," John laughed.

"Well no-one told me where we're going," Jackie huffed.

Rose tried to give Alec a nudge. They may have been separated by several items but John had noticed they still held hands.

"You got us Rose," Alec smiled. "Dad thought you'd like it."

"Yeah, I wanted to go there but won't it bring back memories?"

"Only the pleasant ones," Alec replied.

"Don't worry Rose, you two will be creating your own," John told them as he saw a fast food restaurant ahead and decided they needed a break.

A few hours later, they had turned off to follow the road down to the harbour of their destination Broadchurch. Rose had been happy that was where they were spending the next week, leaning over to whisper to Alec that she hoped he remembered his way around.

"I remember Rose, how could I forget? I hope you're going to like it here?" he asked as John reached a turn and they could see all the boats.

John drove along the harbour, seeing the caravan park just ahead and pulled in, stopping just by the entrance. He'd got the booking confirmation from Alec's dad before they'd left and everyone went into the reception. Jackie was hurriedly added to their booking and since the price went on the caravan, John didn't have to pay anything.

They got a map of where they were going and John drove them to the second roadway and pulled in behind their caravan,

"Right, I'd better get off to Exeter," John told them. "Coming with me Alec?"

Alec was wondering how he was going to escape Rose and her mother organising everything.

"Do you mind Rose?" Alec asked her.

"There's a shop just through the entrance and up a bit," John told them as he looked at the little map. "You two can go get what we need for now."

"Yeah, good idea," Jackie agreed, thinking Alec was dying to escape.

John and Alec set off for Exeter so John decided to joke with his younger brother.

"Hey, maybe I should start calling your dad 'Dad'?" he wondered.

"You need to talk to him," Alec replied. "I don't know why not. You never say how you feel about it all."

"I still treat your uncle as my dad," John admitted. "It's not been easy adjusting. As for your aunt, she still seems to be in denial."

"Rose called her yesterday, when I didn't answer the phone," Alec smiled.

"Trust her," John laughed.

They found the railway station and waited for Alec's dad's train to arrive, greeting him then making the journey back.

"Have Rose and her mother taken charge then?" Alec's dad joked.

"Better get used to it," John laughed back. "Poor Alec has to put up with them for the rest of the holidays."

Alec tried to manage a smile. No matter how much he loved Rose, she came with her mother and he'd had to get used to it.

"She's not so bad," he managed to say. "She's a lot happier since she left Bob. I was really hoping to have some good news for Rose."

"We know," his dad told him. "Your aunt told me Rose had called her yesterday. We need a resolution to Rose's situation."

Alec thought he already knew that. When they got back to the caravan, Alec thinking Rose would get a kick out of putting his shorts away, they all went to the entertainment centre after Alec and John went to the takeaway just outside the caravan park but Rose and Alec wanted to go off for a while.

They walked back across the harbour and walked right to the end of the pier, then sitting on a wooden bench in a black shelter.

"I've been looking forward to this a long time Alec. I mean coming where you last had a holiday with your mum. I wish I could have met her," she told him as she rested her head on his shoulder, his arm around her.

"So do I Rose, she would have loved having you around. Bob wouldn't have stood a chance against her."

"I would have loved to have seen that," Rose laughed. "I can imagine her marching up to him and asking what his game was."

"She would have done, just ask my dad. We should be getting back, it'll be dark soon."

"Just a while longer? How did your dad even know about this place the last time you were here?"

"It was my mum, she saw a poster for it. Did I not tell you before?"

"Mmm, you might have done? Alec, you should talk about her more ya know?"

"I don't like to, it brings back too many memories of when she was ill," he admitted.

"You can share them with me, no matter how bad they are, you know that?" she asked him.

"I know Rose but I didn't want to bother you with them," he admitted.

She turned to look at him as he stared at the ground.

"You know me better than that Alec. Tell me about the last time you were here. Where did ya go and what did ya do?"

He started to tell her but it was getting late and the others wondered where they'd got to.

"I'll go look for them," John offered.

"I know where Alec might have taken Rose," Alec's dad told him. "There's a shelter on the pier, he and his mum used to sit there."

"I'll find it. Mind you, they've not seen each other for a long time, I might interrupt something," John grinned.

"They'd better only be snogging in there," Jackie warned him.

"Yeah, I expect that's all," John agreed. "Best go look then?"

He set off out of the camp and along the harbour, only a few cars passing him and he could see the pier all lit up with white string lights and the shelter situated halfway along. He crossed the road and walked across the car park, a block of apartments just in front of him and he could make out two people in the shelter.

He stopped for a moment, just as Alec had turned to Rose and they had begun kissing. He didn't really want to disturb them but if he didn't, he thought they'd be there all night, unless a policeman moved them on. He tried to keep to the pier edge so they'd hopefully see him approaching, then stood opposite them.

Alec saw him out of the corner of his eye as Rose backed away slightly.

"Rose, we have company," he indicated towards John.

"You two are cute," John laughed. "You're lucky it's only me and not the police."

"Sorry, I was telling Rose about my mum," Alec admitted.

"About time as well," John told him as Alec helped Rose up.

"I've been trying to get him to for ages," Rose told him. "I've told him he has to tell me about when he was here before."

"Mum was getting ill, she and my dad were arguing all the time so I used to go sit under the cliffs," Alec told her as they walked behind John. "He said after she died that had he known, he never would have."

"He couldn't have known Alec and neither could you. Neither of ya should be feeling guilty about it. Don't ya see?" Alec shook his head. "Maybe your dad suggested coming here to finally come to terms with it?"

Now Alec knew why he loved her so much.

"Rose is right," John suddenly stopped and turned. "You can start by telling Rose everything but you and your dad need to talk about your mum more, you've both bottled it up."

As they walked the rest of the way, Alec knew John was right, it was time to let it go. This was probably the last time he would visit the place, unless Rose ever wanted to come back but neither of them could tell the future, unlike in the stories he used to write.

To give John a rest the next day, they all decided to get the bus up to the next town, where Jackie found plenty of shops to keep her amused, John and Alec's dad keeping an eye on her while Rose and Alec went to the beach and walked across the other side of what was locally known as 'The Cobb' so it looked across at the beach.

Rose was amused to see some boats had just docked and laughed as some crabs tried to escape being captured and hoping they'd get away. They sat down at the end, finishing their ice creams.

"Did you put that towel in your beach bag?" Alec wanted to know.

"Yeah, good thing mum packed some extra ones then? Why is this place so busy when Broadchurch is quiet?"

"I don't know but I think we came here before, with my mum," he told her.

Rose nudged him. "See, now ya gettin' it Alec, you're starting to mention her," she smiled.

Alec really didn't know what it was about her. They all met up for a late lunch, sitting outside a pub overlooking the beach.

"Rose, ya should go look around the shops," her mother told her.

Alec thought that was a good idea, as long as she didn't want him to go with her.

"You and your mum should go," he suggested.

Alec's dad and John were just relieved Rose wasn't dragging Alec with them, they'd be going around looking at engagement rings not that Alec could afford much. John didn't think Rose would go for anything too expensive but it was too soon for them to think about getting engaged.

Alec had brought up the subject a few times on their way home from school but with them getting ready to go to college, he'd told Alec to think carefully about it. Alec though hadn't wanted to admit he thought they were old enough. John wanted them to be happy, he never thought Alec would be after he lost his mother.

They got back to Broadchurch so Alec and Rose went off again while the others went into the entertainment centre, Jackie being delighted there was bingo every night. They had made plans for the next few days and decided on the Friday to go up into the town itself, leaving Rose and Alec time to relax on the beach.

They went down to Weymouth the next day, Rose rushing to the fairground ride in the small nearby park. John took Alec's camera, catching him kissing Rose's cheek as he got on the horse behind her and Rose laughing. It was the first time Jackie had really seen them together when they were out, since she'd only had one day out with them on Alec's last visit.

"Just look at 'em," she nudged John as he hoped he'd got a good shot of them.

"Yeah, tell me about it," John laughed.

"You see them together more than anyone," Alec's dad agreed.

"Ain't it a shame they spend so much time apart?" Jackie asked him as they passed by and waved.

"We're doing our best to resolve that," he told her.

"I know and it's all down to me now," Jackie replied sadly.

"Jackie, we understand your reluctance," John tried to assure her.

"No but it is. I don't want to get into trouble and I don't want Rose to leave. I told her not to tell that to Alec."

"He already knows Jackie," John replied, trying to take another photo.

"He does? I should have known really but does Rose know he does?"

John just shrugged his shoulders and found his Converse shoes interesting.

"I don't think so Jackie," Alec's dad replied, dropping calling her Mrs Tyler. "He'll tell her but don't blame yourself for keeping them apart."

"I do blame myself, I should have never followed that man in the first place. What the hell was I thinking?" Jackie wanted to know.

John put his hand on her shoulder.

"I know Jackie but those two would never have met and do you know what? I think they were meant to, they formed a bond very quickly. They could have just given up when you moved back but they didn't," he reminded her.

"Well maybe something good came out of it then?" Jackie wondered as Alec got off the horse first and helped Rose off.

"It did," John grinned as Alec went down the step first and turned around to take Rose's hand.

Alec knew they were being talked about, now he had a decision to make before the end of the holidays. Did he start really saving before his next visit and buy Rose a diamond ring or did he do as she asked and wait? Could he risk waiting any longer, now he was going to college?

John had told him he had a very good chance of just spending a few years at his chosen college then finish his education at the police college and he now wondered when Alec was going to tell Rose.

They all went off and walked along the sea front, Rose and Alec walking behind.

"I think we were being talked about earlier," Alec told her.

"Yeah, I know. I hope my mum's not gonna keep blaming herself for us being apart though."

"I think she still does Rose. I don't know what we can do to convince her to stop. Maybe she'll be happy when we're finally old enough to get engaged?"

"Yeah, maybe Alec but we've got to get through college first. If we can do that, then we can."

"Is that a promise?" he smiled.

Rose nudged him, letting out a giggle.

Alec pulled her over onto the grass and sat down on a bench, taking her hand.

"Rose, I might be lucky and get in the police college early, if I get good exam results."

"Really? That's great," Rose smiled, seeing John turn around to see where they were and Alec seeing Jackie head towards a little caf a few hundred metres away.

"Are you two joining us?" John shouted back.

"We'll catch up," Alec replied, seeing John go join the other two. "Rose, if everything goes well and I do get in, I can get trained earlier. I want to get in the detectives program as soon as I can."

"So, ya stopped thinking of getting in down here then?" Rose asked him.

"I would, if you asked me. You know I would Rose."

"I wouldn't ask ya Alec, as much as I want us to be together. Let's make a decision, that once I can return, we'll get engaged and hopefully, you'll be in the detectives programme by then and we'll be able to afford a place of our own?"

"If that's what you want? Then that's what we'll do Rose but if you change your mind, I won't object, I'll stop what I'm doing and try to continue in London. Maybe by then, being Scottish won't go against me?"

John saw them talking and smiled to himself. He wondered how much longer they would deny they were already engaged.

They got back to Broadchurch, deciding what they were going to do on the last day. Alec wanted to show Rose where he and him mum and dad had camped on their last visit and walk up the side of the steep cliff.

So the next morning, after breakfast, Alec tried to remember on top of which cliff they had been in a caravan and they sat at the top.

"Are ya feeling better about remembering your mum?" Rose wanted to know.

"I think so. I think she'd be happy that I showed you and shared things with you. I think she'll also be happy when we get older and get engaged. Rose, we'll keep on trying to find a way for you to come back, you know we'll never give up. I've probably told you that dozens of times."

"Yeah, ya might have done," Rose smiled. "I promise as soon as ya do, I won't mess about, I'll be there as fast as I can."

"What about your mum though? What will she say?" he asked her.

"She knows I'll take any chance Alec. She wants to make up for what happened but she doesn't know how, without dragging everything up again. I love you Alec and she knows if that means me leaving home, then that's how it'll be."

They spent their last night in the shelter on the pier again and Alec asked if she'd want to come back.

"Yeah, it's nice here, I'd come back. Hey, maybe they'll build a police station and you can come and work here?" she teased him, pointing to some spare land across the harbour.

"You mean just on that corner?" Alec pointed, holding her hand out with his.

"Yeah, maybe we can rent a cottage on the beach?"

"Not the one pink one," Alec laughed, which was just behind them.

All too soon, they went back to the caravan to pack. John was leaving early in the morning to take Alec's dad to the train station, then if he wasn't back in time, the others would hand the caravan key in and go wait in the bar. Rose couldn't get to sleep and Alec asked what was wrong.

"We have five more weeks Rose," he reminded her.

"I know Alec but it won't be enough, will it?"

He couldn't answer her. He knew she was right, however much time they had would never be enough.