Growing fast

Rose was so relieved when he finally knocked on the door she almost knocked him over.

"I bet that was a nightmare," Rose was telling him as she put his clothes away for him and he lay on the bed. "Go back on the train Alec, please. I'll give ya the extra money towards it. How much more is it anyway?"

"I'll have to see. I can also give in and ask John to come down?"

"Yeah, I suppose so? It just doesn't seem fair. I always think we're taking advantage though."

"So do I," Alec agreed, holding his arms out for her to join him. "What am I supposed to do about it when he keeps offering?"

"Maybe he's nothing else to do though and it passes some of the time, especially when he stays. Alec, he might look forward to it and we're stopping him. Give him a call and let him know you arrived anyway and if he offers, pretend to think about it and let him talk ya into it, yeah?"

Alec had to smile as she leaned down to kiss him.

"You think of everything Rose. Maybe he does look forward to it? We never thought of that I suppose? I thought he may have other things to do but that was when he used to be away all the time though. I don't know why he doesn't take up his travel writing again during the holidays."

"Well maybe he gave up because he did have something else to do, the same as you stopped writing your stories," Rose replied.

"What was that then?" he teased her, Rose nudging him. "Oh you mean I had something else to do?"

"I hope so," Rose giggled. "It's a shame he never took up with the gym teacher. Do ya think he held off because he wanted to help us though?"

"Maybe? I think we've just been feeling guilty about it. Let me up Rose, I'll call him but if he asks, I pretend we're both thinking about it. Shall I get him to come down a few days early, then we can go off somewhere?"

That agreed, he dialled his aunt's number.

"Oh hello Alec, did you get to London okay?" his aunt wanted to know.

"Yes, I did. Is John there?" Alec asked, knowing John had probably tried to beat her to answer the phone.

"Have you only just got there?" John laughed. "Ha, that's what you get for taking the coach! Want me to come and get you little bro?"

Alec wished he'd stop calling him that.

"I'll talk to Rose about it then?" Alec suggested.

John knew he was bluffing and they would have already talked about it. He missed travelling around and writing about it but he'd made the decision to try and support Alec when his mother had died. He'd just been delayed by finishing teacher training college in order to start the new term and crossed his fingers.

He had watched the two of them over the past few years, from teasing Alec about the girl in the library to Rose not talking to anyone except Alec and their teen romance had blossomed nicely. He supposed Rose was the little sister he'd never had.

He heard Rose laughing in the background and knew they'd already given in.

"Don't think too hard about it," he laughed.

"Rose wants to know why you stayed at our old school," Alec told him.

John was wondering that himself but he thought it would have looked odd if he'd asked to be moved to Alec's new college.

John won in the end and drove down the following Monday so they could have a few days away, going to visit a castle Rose had always wanted to go to and another new theme park. Then the day before they were leaving, John had told them both firmly that he was bringing Alec back for Christmas and New Year and they'd had to agree.

"You'll both miss being with your family again," Rose had told them the day they were leaving.

John decided to leave Alec to explain.

"You can't be with us Rose, so we'll be with you," he told her as they said goodbye.

"It doesn't mean John has to be dragged away," Rose replied, leaning into his shoulder.

"He wants to Rose, especially since he found out about being adopted. It doesn't mean he loves his parents less though but they understand. Hey, be careful they don't all come down here," he joked.

"Mum would probably insist we have a big party," Rose laughed, trying not to feel sad he was leaving yet again.

Something was going to give and soon.

"We'd best hope the weather doesn't worsen before we come back," John told Alec as they drove off.

"Don't tempt fate," Alec replied, trying not to show he didn't want to leave.

"Okay, what's wrong?" he was asked.

"How long can I keep leaving her?" Alec wanted to know.

John shook his head.

"I don't know that Alec. You could go against her and try and get in a police college down here but it won't be easy. You'll stick out to start with," John smiled.

"I know that and I could probably take it but I'd still have to travel a lot so would it be worth it, except to see Rose every night?"

"Well, you'd be a lot nearer I suppose? Then Rose would want to leave college and get a job and maybe move closer to where you are? If you two can't work it out, sorry but I can't decide for you. You'll have to decide before you get accepted for the one in Glasgow you know?"

"I know that. Rose thinks it's great but it would be better if I was going home to her every night."

John knew Alec was torn between the two options but as much as he wanted to, he knew he couldn't interfere. Once back at college, Rose remained a loner and was coming up with all kinds of ideas to get back to Alec. Her mother despaired at her trying.

"You're gonna have to give in ya know?" Jackie told her one evening as they were decorating the flat for Christmas and just two days before John and Alec were due to arrive.

"Alec keeps asking me to Mum. He says it's me that's keeping us apart but I want to do things properly Mum. It's important to me he finishes college up there, that police training college is the best and he's lucky to get offered a place."

"Doesn't it go on his exam results?" her mother asked her.

"Well yeah but he aces it," Rose smiled. "He doesn't have me to tutor for a start."

Jackie stopped what she was doing and dropped the garland she was holding.

"Listen here Rose Tyler, that boy helped you because he loved you, not because he had to," she reminded her.

"I know that Mum, sorry. It just seemed that way. It just seemed I was holding him back."

"You're wrong Rose. He loved you and wanted to bring out the best in ya. Can't ya see that?"

Rose could see it, that was the problem. He was still willing to give everything up for her and she still couldn't let him.

Alec had been saving like mad, he wanted to surprise Rose by booking a holiday on their own next year, when he turned eighteen and was old enough. He knew it would have to be somewhere they could get to on the coach or train so he had been in the travel agencies and got some brochures and was thinking about a holiday park in Clacton or Southend at the end of August because it was cheaper then.

He'd already mentioned it to his dad, who had known the day was coming when Alec would want to take Rose off on his own. John thought it was a great idea but he'd only just started going with them.

"You should surprise her," John was telling him.

"She'll get it out of me," Alec admitted as they got ready to travel to London.

"So, I don't suppose I'm invited then?" John grinned. He saw Alec's face. "Guess not?"

All through the holidays, he was denying they would be going away next year, saying they should just go on some days out if John came down the last week, Rose saying they'd have to settle for that.

"I wish we could go back to Broadchurch again," Rose was saying as they watched the snow falling. "I really loved it there."

John was throwing Alec a glance. Alec thought maybe he should book a week there then, that would make it easy. He decided he'd wait until he was eighteen and hope there were some vacancies for the date he wanted. Rose had been disappointed Easter was early and Alec had to go back the day after his birthday.

To save money, he used the excuse the weather was bad and didn't go down to see her the next holiday. Rose spent most of her time helping her mother but hated going in and out of people's flats, getting warm then being cold again but by the time the Easter holiday came around, the weather was more pleasant.

Alec was waiting to be taken early into the training college and every night when he got home, he hoped to see the acceptance letter. He was hoping he'd get it before he went to see Rose, otherwise he'd be calling his dad every night and if it arrived, getting him to see what it said.

When he and John finally arrived on the Saturday morning, Rose had to blink twice as he'd already changed again, plus yet another hair style he was trying out. John had teased him all the way there about it.

"Wow, you look so different," Rose told him when they were alone in her room.

"Is that good different or bad different?" Alec joked as she ruffled his hair.

"Definitely good," she teased him.

Rose had already begun to think once he left college, the girls would be chasing him, if they already hadn't started and he was fending them off.

John was talking to Jackie.

"They're both growing up fast," Jackie told him.

"Alec already thinks Rose is wondering how he keeps the girls away," John joked.

"Why am I not surprised?" Jackie replied. "She's not really mentioned it though. Aren't ya all going away this year then?"

"Alec wants to surprise her Jackie. He's wanting to book a week on their own, where we all went last year. Don't tell her, will you?"

"No, of course I won't. She'll be really surprised then if he manages. I can't believe they're both gonna be eighteen and it's nearly five years since I dragged her up to Scotland," Jackie admitted. "It's a shame Rose doesn't feel safe going back there yet."

"We've tried our best Jackie, we can't even be certain she won't be safe. My dad's source seems to have dried up, he must have broken up with that secretary. How can she have given him information and not thought it strange he was asking her? That must be why they broke up I suppose?"

When John thought about it, he supposed that was exactly what had happened, maybe the woman had just quit her job though?

They all went on some days out then for Alec's birthday, they all went off to Clacton for the day, going on the rides at the end of the pier and Alec winning a teddy bear for her on the shooting gallery. John said he'd have no problem qualifying on the shooting range at the police college.

The letter hadn't yet arrived and they were all dying to know the outcome but when they got back from their day out and Alec rang his dad, they all stared at Alec as his dad opened the letter for him. He knew if he wasn't accepted this year, he'd have to stay where he was and wait another year. If he had qualified though, everything was going to change.

He'd already told Rose to expect him to not come down as often, he'd be given the chance to take some advanced classes to help him through. He'd been surprised she'd accepted it. Now, they were all waiting for Alec to put the phone down. When he did, he wanted to talk to Rose alone and led her to her bedroom.

Rose thought it was bad news and he wanted to tell her first. He sat her on the bed and stood in front of her, Rose realising just how much taller he'd got She got up to face him, taking his hands.

"Well? What did he say Alec?" she wanted to know.

"Rose. I got in," he replied solemnly.

"What? Geez Alec, I thought it was bad news. That's great. So, when do ya start?"

"A week after normal college starts, in September. I could spend that extra week here, if you want?" he asked her.

"Do ya have to get ready for it though? I mean registration and such?" Rose wondered.

"I'll get time off my current college to do all that," he replied, making her sit down again then joining her. "Huh Rose, I did it."

Rose threw her arms around him, holding him close.

"Yeah, see. I told ya that ya could do it Alec. So, are ya not coming down the next holiday then?"

"Well yes, I'm coming down but once I get in there, I may have to miss some but I'll come back for my birthday, even if I can't come for yours. Let's go tell your mum and John?"

All the way back home, John was grinning that who was now his younger brother was finally getting a chance to follow his dream.

"Your mum would be so proud of you," John told him as they made a stop.

"Yes, she would. Thanks for helping me get in though, you were a big help."

"Think nothing of it, I was just acting as your teacher. You never said how Rose took the news."

Alec made a face.

"You mean when she stopped kissing me?" he joked.

When they got home, Alec thought he'd have to change the date he wanted to take Rose on their first holiday but the extra week would give him a few more days with Rose after it so he filled the form in and used his lunch hour the following Saturday to go in the travel agents and pay the deposit.

He got a funny look from the woman sat at the next available desk, who had seen him acting nervous.

"So, it's just you and a Miss Rose Tyler?" the woman wanted to make sure before she rang it through to him.

Then he had an idea as she was about to give him a lecture and that it was a family holiday park.

"We've been there before," he told her. "Last year."

"On your own?" she asked him, Alec giving up all hope of getting a quick bite to eat when he got back and he'd have to grab something during his afternoon break.

"Well, I'll see what they say when I give the names," the woman told him, taking pity on him that he was taking his girlfriend on their first holiday.

He listened while she called the booking line and held his breath. If they turned him down, he'd have to take Rose somewhere else.

"Well Mr Hardy," the woman addressed him, Alec trying to get used to being classed as an adult. "They never asked your ages so, they took the booking, they'll send your confirmation then you need to come in and pay the balance two weeks before you go. We'll see you then."

Alec could hardly believe his luck he was taking Rose on their first holiday together to the place that had become special to them. He had no idea just how special Broadchurch was going to become to them in the future.