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Now, it was approaching Rose and Alec's 25th birthdays. Jackie had Alec's card signed, his present wrapped and ready to post. She'd given up having Rose take part in the choosing, Rose had made no attempt the year before, despite talking to Alec on the previous Christmas. Since then, Alec had only called occasionally, always asking how Rose was before she could say anything herself.

"Rose, you could have at least signed his card," Donna was telling her a few days before his birthday.

"How can I Donna? I said I'd think about going up there, on my 25th and now it's almost time," Rose replied.

"Then do something about it," Donna suggested. "Ya mean you left him thinking you'd think about it and ya've done nothing since, more like."

"What else could I have done Donna? Let him remind me that going up there wouldn't have done any good if I'd been found out? So, I could have got married but Bob got Alec's name."

"You are talking rubbish," Donna told her bluntly. "Tell me where it's written you could have been taken away from Alec if you'd married him?"

"Donna, we don't know what Bob put in that agreement he tricked my mother into signing," Rose reminded her friend.

"Ya mean to say Alec would have stood by and let the police drag you back to that bloke?" Donna wanted to know.

"He wouldn't have had any choice Donna," Rose replied sadly. "So, are ya ready to have your cousin back full time?"

"Stop changing the subject," Donna let out a laugh. "He says he's stopping travelling around but I can't see him staying around for too long. Mum's agreed to let him stay for a while, mainly for when dad's in and out of hospital. She wanted granddad Wilf to come and stay with us but he likes his little flat, well more like the neighbours."

"Why, are they all women?" Rose smiled.

"You don't know the half of it," Donna laughed. "Anyway, James says he's gonna get a proper job, instead of writing for that travel magazine. I can see that happening."

"Ah, give him a chance Donna. Not everyone knows what they want to do," Rose replied.

"Yeah, not like your Alec, always wanting to be in the police," Donna reminded her. "Bet he's hoping ya call him on his birthday," she dared to add.

"Stop it Donna. It's not easy ya know? I bet mum will ring him though," Rose admitted.

Sure enough, on Alec's birthday, Jackie took a chance and called where Alec was staying, only to be told he wasn't there.

"Oh well, I'll call back later then," Jackie replied cheerfully.

"No Mrs Tyler, I mean he's not here, he went back to Paisley. I gave him the package that arrived, just before he left.

Alec had been surprised the day before that, when he'd been summoned to see the chief.

"Well done Alec, you are now a fully-fledged detective constable. Now you just have to wait to see if you pass the sergeant's exam this time around."

Alec didn't like being reminded he'd failed but he had to admit maybe he'd taken it a little too early, plus, he'd spoken to Rose that Christmas and she'd not actually promised she would join him. That had laid on his mind and he'd made some mistakes during the written test, not long after.

That had put him back on getting full status as a detective constable but the sergeant he worked with had told him not to let it put him off trying again. So he had done, a month ago and was waiting for the results to be published.

"When do I leave Sir?" Alec asked eagerly. "I mean where am I going?"

"Back home laddie, that is where you wanted to go?" the chief smiled. "I can arrange somewhere like a small island up in the Outer Hebrides, if your girlfriend wants? I know you've had a tough time Alec but contact her, see if she'll be more likely to return? You should at least try."

So Alec had thanked his chief, said goodbye to the few he talked to and after the sergeant patting him on his back and telling him he'd be a fool not to take a few more days off and go down and see Rose, then bring her back with him, he'd gone to pack, getting the package Jackie had sent.

He'd taken it to his room, unwrapped it and put it on the bed. Jackie had carefully wrapped a framed picture of the two of them on Alec's last visit and it brought a tear to his eye. He knew Jackie had meant well, she'd done everything she could to try to get Rose to go back to him but he knew the next few weeks would be make or break.

He got ready to leave the next day, there was no point in setting off if he had to stop somewhere overnight. He thought about calling Jackie but decided he'd wait until he got back so after he'd eaten, he'd called his dad to ask if he could stay until he found a place of his own.

"Are you going to tell Rose you're moving back?" his dad had asked him.

"I'm going to call her mother, Rose never even comes to the phone now," he admitted. "I've really tried Dad."

"I know you have Alec. Let's hope it's enough."

Then he'd called John, his aunt answering.

"That's great news," she'd told him. "So, when is Rose joining you?"

"I've not told her yet Aunt Mary. I hope it works, I miss her so much, even though I've not spoken to her for a long time."

"I wish I could do something," his aunt replied, feeling sorry for him.

"I know, thanks. Can you get John?" he asked.

"Do you want me to call her?" John offered.

"No, I'll get there first. Are you still thinking of getting another place to live?" Alec asked him.

"Why, won't the police pay for something?" John laughed. "Oh, you want somewhere in case Rose says yes?"

"Well, that was the idea. I mean I know she can stay there for now but if she still wants to get married?" Alec asked hopefully.

"Alec, you'll find somewhere," John tried to assure him. Won't your dad let you both stay there?"

"I don't know, I never asked," Alec admitted. "I'll ask him when I get there, it will take me most of the day to get there but I may call in to see my aunt if I get there early."

So, he set off the next day, hoping as he got closer that Rose would finally believe he wanted to make a home for them in a few weeks, when she would be finally free of Bob. Maybe she'd been free of him for years though and the threat had been enough to keep her away but what the hell had Jackie signed? Personally, he compared it with threats he'd helped deal with back in Aberdeen and this one came out tops, this was the creepiest because of the uncertainty.

Both his dad and John had thought there had been no real threat for a few years but he doubted Rose would have believed it. He made good time and parked behind John's car in his aunt's driveway, his aunt being all over him when he was let inside.

"It's so good to see you," she was telling him as she made him have something to eat. "All we need now is for Rose to come back."

He wished everyone would stop saying that. He was just about to eat when the phone rang, John joking it would be Jackie as she had sixth sense and would have figured out where Alec had gone, had she been told already that he'd left Aberdeen.

"Is Alec there yet?" Jackie asked him before he'd said hello.

John had to laugh.

"Hold on, I'll get him, he's just getting something to eat though," he told her, Alec holding his hand out for the phone and wishing his aunt would give in and get a microwave.

He wouldn't get away with a short conversation either, he already knew that as Jackie was already talking away.

"Thanks for the present," he told her when she'd finished asking him when he was going to call her and tell her he'd got his transfer.

"Well I never know what to get ya. It's great news, if this doesn't get Rose to go up there on her birthday, then nothing will. When did ya get to know?" Jackie wanted to know.

"Just the day before yesterday. Do you think it will make a difference to Rose?" he asked nervously.

"What? Yeah, 'course it will, what ya think?" Jackie sounded surprised. "Ring back later, I've not got your dad's number, I just rang John, I didn't even know if ya'd be back yet."

"I left early this morning," Alec admitted. "Will you tell Rose I still want her to come back?"

"As if I wouldn't," Jackie laughed.

Alec finished his almost warm food, thanked his aunt and made sure the room he'd used to have would still be okay for Rose to stay in.

"Of course she's still welcome to stay," his aunt had assured him before he'd left.

He got home, his dad welcoming him back then went to unpack, placing the photo Jackie had sent in front of the others he already had. His dad was watching him from the doorway.

"Did your aunt say Rose could still stay with them?" his dad asked him.

"Yes but we'll be making plans to get married so she won't be there long Dad. I need to start looking for a place, right away," he replied.

"Well, there's money, for you and Rose to put down a deposit on something," he was reminded.

Alec remembered he'd once said he wouldn't need it. Now, there was a glimmer of hope that he would.

"After I turned it down?" Alec asked cautiously.

"Alec, I meant it. It's for you and Rose, I didn't need the house, once you'd left and I thought about staying there and you and Rose could live there maybe but then, I thought you'd want to start on your own."

"Thanks Dad, I'm sorry I said I wouldn't use it," Alec apologised as his dad wandered up to the dresser and looked at the photo he'd been sent.

"Was that when you'd just got engaged?" his dad asked him.

"Yes. I wanted to ask her, properly and she was so happy about it," he recalled. "Then she got this phobia about going back and I swear I don't know where she got it from. I hope she didn't get it from that friend of hers, Donna."

"Well in a few weeks, she'll no longer be afraid of coming back," his dad reminded him. "Maybe though if you'd stayed here, she would have come back sooner?"

"I don't know about that Dad, maybe that would have made her worse? Jackie said she can't wait to tell Rose when she gets home. She said Rose will be all excited and start packing."

Well he hoped Rose would start packing right away and be on the first train on the morning of her birthday.

Jackie was driving herself crazy, waiting for Rose to get home and Rose wondered what was wrong when she was greeted by an excited Jackie.

"Guess what?" Jackie pulled Rose into one of her famous hugs.

"Mum, what's wrong with ya?" Rose eyed her mother suspiciously. "Did ya sneak into the store and buy a cordless phone or a microwave? I told ya to claim discount if ya did."

Rose tried to get out of her mother's grip.

"Nah, it's nothing like that. Go on then, guess?"

"Mum, it's been a busy day, just tell me. Oh, is it that ya sent Alec a card and present?" Rose tried to guess.

"Ya know what day it is Rose, don't pretend ya don't," her mother replied. "A few more weeks Rose, then ya can go join him."

"He won't want me Mum, I never even kept on telling him I'd think about it. How can I go back now and to Aberdeen?"

"Rose, he won't have given up, I know he won't," Jackie replied.

Rose let out a laugh. "Go on, how do ya know that?"

"I called him, where he was staying and he was gone," Jackie started to tell her.

"Well that's it then, isn't it?" Rose tried not to sound disappointed.

While he'd been in Aberdeen, it had seemed she daren't go back for fear if she did, she'd be picked up and returned to Bob and she'd never see Alec again. Then she'd got nearer her birthday and been surprised Alec hadn't been begging her to risk to get there a few weeks earlier and be there for his birthday, something they'd been doing every year until the last few.

"Rose, ya don't get it, do ya? He's back in Paisley," her mother spluttered. "He got home today, he got his transfer and he's now a qualified detective constable. He's going for the sergeant's exam again, he didn't pass the last one. No doubt he failed it because he was pre-occupied, with you."

Rose thought trust her mother to blame her for it.

"He's staying there or on his way somewhere else?" she asked.

Jackie had forgotten to ask that.

"Oh, he didn't say but maybe he got an assignment there?" Jackie wondered.

"He should be that lucky Mum. Didn't ya say something about Inverness a while back?" Rose reminded her mother.

"Well he wouldn't go home, he'd go straight to where he'd got a transfer to, wouldn't he?" Jackie replied. "I thought ya'd be happy?"

"He's maybe only home for a while Mum, what have I got to be happy about?" Rose asked.

"Well call him and ask him why don't ya?" Jackie suggested. "All he's done since he joined the police was tried to get qualified and get sent back to work in Paisley. He's been doin' it for you Rose. Ya could at least wish him happy birthday."

"I don't have his dad's new number," Rose used the excuse, Jackie having told her his dad had moved.

"It's written on the pad," Jackie replied, being ready for the excuse. "Well go on then and find out if he's staying."

"I can't ask him that Mum, I can't take it if he's moving again," Rose replied.

"For goodness sake Rose, just wish him happy birthday then," Jackie told her, picking the phone and dialling the number.

Alec answered on the second ring, praying it was Rose.

"Rose?" he asked cautiously.

Jackie had shoved the phone in Rose's hands and gone off.

"Hi Alec, happy birthday. Mum says you're back home?"

"Yes, I am and I wanted to know if you'd considered coming back? Please Rose."

"Are ya staying there?" Rose wanted to be sure before saying anything.

"Well nothing's certain but I got a transfer here. I have to re-take my sergeant's exam when I get settled. It turned out a few police forces got extra funding and could take on more officers. My chief put my name forward."

"Alec, I have to be sure ya not gettin' transferred somewhere else," she told him.

"Rose, I can't promise that love but they wouldn't send me here if I wasn't staying," he replied, hearing the doubt in her voice. "I thought you would be pleased love."

"I don't know Alec. I mean I'm pleased you're a full detective constable now, ya've worked hard for it. It's just the thought ya might not actually get to stay there."

"Rose, in the police, nothing's ever certain but some officers get to stay. Once I get promoted, then I'll know better but I'll get a choice. If there's extra funding here, I should be able to stay. Please Rose, at least come and visit, on your birthday, everyone misses you."

"I worked on my birthday last year," Rose recalled. "I'll have to see if I can get a few days off."

"I thought you were friends with the personnel officer?" Alec joked. "I had hoped you'd be coming up to stay though."

"Alec, I'm not sure," Rose hesitated.

"Then I'll come down, for your birthday, I'll get more leave now and I won't have to take extra time studying. Then if you want, you can come back with me," he suggested, hoping that might work.

"Please don't come down Alec, I'd have to give notice at work and you might not want to wait."

"You know I'd wait," Alec replied, wondering why she was so hesitant. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing Alec. Anyway, what did mum send you, for your birthday?"

"Don't change the subject Rose. She sent a framed photo of us from that Christmas we got engaged properly. That's just it Rose, we got engaged, properly and I thought that would make all the difference? It's not, has it? I'll call you, on your birthday, see how you feel about it then."

Rose couldn't answer, then she heard the line go dead. Jackie had heard Rose had gone quiet.

"What's wrong?" she wanted to know as Rose put the phone down. "What's happened?"

She saw that Rose had tears on her face.

"Alec, about when we got engaged," she managed to say. "He thinks it should have made me want to go up there."

"Well he's right, what ya still doing down here?" Jackie wanted to know.

Rose got out of her mother's grasp and ran to her room but Jackie stopped her.

"Ya have to face him Rose. If you want to break off your engagement?"

"I don't know Mum, really I don't," Rose replied tearfully.

"Then at least talk to him," Jackie told her. "Ya can't leave him wondering."

Alec didn't know what to make of it. Was she breaking off their engagement? He decided he'd give her until her birthday, to see if she'd come up and stay with him then if not, he'd have to assume she no longer wanted to come up and get married.

"What happened?" his dad wanted to know.

"Honestly? I don't know," he had to reply. "I think she wants to break it off so I need to give her more time to think."

"Alec, she's had time to think," his dad reminded him. "Maybe she's had too long? If you have some time off, then go see her. When do you report to your new assignment?"

"I only have a few days Dad. I can get more off, if I ask, I'm due some more leave but I don't want to take too much. I can ask the personnel department to help me find somewhere to live but do I get a place for just myself or with Rose?"

His dad felt sorry for him, after all this time. He remembered the shy thirteen year old girl who had come into their lives when she been brought up here against her will and now, the same circumstances that had forced her and her mother back to London were still haunting her.

"Do you want my advice?" he asked Alec. "Get a bigger place then go down and get her. There's nothing to stop her coming back, except herself. She's unsure after all this time you've been apart Alec, go down and show her you love her."

He decided to call Jackie back, the next day and see if she thought the same.

"I don't know, about ya coming down Alec, Rose was upset last night."

"I know she was and I can't help her while she won't talk to me Jackie," he replied. "What do I do then?"

"I know ya love her Alec and I don't think she ever stopped loving you but something's in the back of her mind, whether it's going back to the same town or not," Jackie told him.

"She wanted to come back here," Alec recalled.

"I know she did Alec, I'm sorry," Jackie felt sorry for him. "I'll try to talk to her, call her back, on her birthday, promise me you won't give up on her."

Alec was sure he'd been asked that before.

"No, I won't give up, not while there's a chance she'll come back," he promised, another lump in his throat.