Disclaimer: I do not own these characters, locations, storylines, or anything else from the show Broadchurch. If I did, I would not be sitting around writing fanfiction, and I certainly wouldn't have such a strong desire to meet David Tennant, because I already would have.

Summary: A collection of one-shots about Alec and Ellie simply being there for each other. Chapter 2: "I'm Always Here, Sir" is an AU about the episode in season 2 where Hardy and Ellie have to share a bed when they visit Sandbrook. Hardy wakes up screaming from one of his Sandbrook nightmares and Ellie comforts him. Rated T for mild language and mentions of murder/rape and suicide throughout the collection.

A/N: Yes, I stole a line from BBC Sherlock, I started writing the scene and couldn't help myself! I obviously don't own anything involved in Sherlock, though I wish I did. If you haven't watched it, I highly recommend!

….

I'm Always Here, Sir

….

DI Alec Hardy would have given anything not to have to go back to Sandbrook ever again. The case never left him, but he never wanted to see that town again, never wanted to step anywhere near the river where…

As Ellie drove the pair of them closer and closer to the town that had broken him, physically and mentally, Hardy got more and more anxious about the whole thing. Of course, he needed to go, but the thought of being back there made Hardy sick. And he knew he was going to have one of his nightmares again tonight.

….

As Hardy and Ellie walked into their hotel room in Sandbrook, they noticed a glaring problem.

"There's only one bed." Hardy said, a bit dumbfounded.

"No kidding, Captain Obvious." Ellie exclaimed from behind him.

"Right, well, I can find accommodations for the floor…" Hardy started to say.

"Oh, don't be ridiculous, sir. We can share the bed. I can sleep under the covers and you can sleep on top of them." Ellie argued, walking over to the corner of the room and dropping her bag.

"People will talk." Hardy argued.

"People do little else. Besides, who's going to know?" Ellie countered.

"Alright, Miller."

….

The night went smoothly enough for the pair of them. Ellie climbed under the covers and Hardy laid down on top of them, and they settled in for a night that Hardy was sure was going to be eventful for the both of them. And not in a good way.

Hardy pulled a blanket over himself and rolled onto his side. "Well, goodnight, Miller." He muttered.

"Goodnight, sir."

Hardy felt like he should warn his partner about his upcoming nightmare, the one he was sure he was going to have now that he was back in Sandbrook, but he thought better of it. On the off chance that he wouldn't get the nightmare, he didn't want to spook Ellie. If he woke up screaming in the middle of the night, she would find out. But otherwise, Hardy felt no need to spook her. He drifted off into a restless sleep, awaiting the nightmare he knew was coming.

….

It happened. Hardy knew he was thrashing around on the bed, wrapping his blanket around his legs and making him more panicked than he already was, but he couldn't seem to wake up from his dream.

That is, until he let out a bloodcurdling scream and sat up in bed drenched in sweat. He prayed that he hadn't woken Ellie, even though he knew there was no way she could sleep through a scream like that. As he thought about the nightmare he had just experienced, he rolled over and began to cry silently.

He hated that nightmare. He hated reliving finding Pippa's body in the river. He hated remembering carrying her out, drenched and crying, as it rained down on them.

As his silent tears started to fall, Hardy felt a hand on his shoulder.

"Sir, you scared the hell out of me. Did you have a nightmare?" Ellie sat up in bed with the sudden realization that Hardy's shoulders were shaking slightly. "Sir, are you alright?" she asked quietly. She was hoping that no one else had heard Hardy's scream, because she did not feel like dealing with security at this time, and when Hardy was obviously hurting.

Hardy sniffed and hastily wiped at his face. "I'm fine, Miller. You can go back to sleep." He replied.

"You don't seem alright. Do you want to talk about it?" Ellie questioned.

"Not particularly." Hardy muttered. "Go to sleep, Miller. You shouldn't stay up at this ungodly hour on my account."

"I just want to make sure you're okay. You were there for me the night that Joe was arrested." She paused. "I know how much Sandbrook has affected you. Is that why you had a nightmare?"

"Honestly, Miller, I'm alright. I have that nightmare all the time, it's nothing to worry about." Hardy argued.

"I want to help if I can." She pressed.

"Nobody can help me, Miller. If I can't solve this case…" Hardy's voice cracked and he struggled to hold in his tears.

"You will. I know you will solve this, sir." Ellie grasped Hardy's shoulder tightly as he started to shake with renewed tears. "What is the nightmare about?"

"I just… I relive when I… when I found Pippa's body and carried her out of the river. I…" Hardy paused as a sob escaped his lips. "I almost died that day, Miller." He gasped between sobs. "Honestly, this… this isn't something that you should worry about."

"Sir, please just trust me." Ellie responded.

"I do trust you, Miller. But I don't want to concern you…"

Ellie cut him off. "I want to know. I want to help."

Hardy sighed. "I almost drowned that day. When I saw her… I thought somehow that she was still alive, so I rushed in during a storm and got pulled under by a riptide. I… I barely survived to carry her body out of the water and onto shore." He sobbed again. "She was the same age as my daughter." Hardy could no longer hold back his tears. He let them run down his face as he struggled to take in breath after breath.

"I'm so sorry." Ellie grasped his shoulder tightly, wishing she could hug him but knowing that he probably wouldn't want that.

"So… am… I…" Hardy cried.

Ellie refused to fall back asleep as Hardy cried, knowing that her presence could comfort him. What surprised her, though, was when Hardy rolled over and sat up against the headboard, curling up in a ball and burying his face in his arms.

"Sir…" Ellie touched Hardy's knee, trying to gauge where his head was at. That just seemed to make him cry harder.

"I'm… sorry… for this… Miller." Hardy sobbed.

"There's no need to be sorry, sir. You were there for me, I can be there for you. I care about you, no matter how much of an arsehole you can be sometimes. I want to help you like you helped me." Ellie replied.

As Hardy slowly calmed down, Ellie reached a hand around him and started rubbing circles into his back, hoping that would help him. She was good at comforting her boys and anyone else who needed it, but Hardy was a different case. She was never sure what was right and what was wrong with that man.

He finished crying, hastily wiping the tear tracks off his face. He stretched out his long legs, sighing deeply. "I'm sorry you had to see that, Miller." He muttered.

"I already told you that it isn't a problem. I'm glad you trust me enough to let out your emotions in front of me." Ellie replied.

"Well, to be fair, I didn't have much of a choice. We're sharing a bed." Hardy countered. "But, yes, I trust you. Of course I trust you, Miller."

"I'm glad you think that, sir. I didn't think you trusted anyone."

"I haven't since Tess cheated on me. I felt like I could trust no one. I took the blame to spare my daughter and even she turned her back on me. I didn't think I would ever trust another person again until I met you, Miller." Hardy explained.

"Thank you. It means a lot to me that you trust me, despite everything with Joe…"

"I trust you because of everything with Joe. You stayed strong for your boys throughout everything that happened, everything that's still happening…" Hardy interrupted. "I know you didn't know, Miller. I know that you couldn't have gone on the way you did throughout the investigation if they did. Screw what everyone thinks, I know the truth." Hardy paused. "You're a good cop. You're a good person. Don't let anyone tell you differently." He wiped at more of the tear tracks on his face. Ellie reached up with her thumb to wipe off the biggest one.

"Thank you. I'm glad someone still trusts me. It means a lot to me to know that you don't think I knew about Joe and Danny. Everyone else seems to think I knew, everyone except for you. And I think you should know…" Ellie paused.

"Sir I think you should know that you can trust me with anything. You're my friend before you're my boss, so anything you need…" she paused again. "I'll always be there, sir."

Hardy smiled at Ellie before lying back down, pulling his blanket back over him.

"Goodnight, Miller."

"Goodnight, sir."