Chapter 6 – Post-Trauma Day Two

*12:00pm*

At precisely twelve o'clock P.M., the beginning of visiting hours, Alec Hardy came up to and was buzzed into the doors of the ICU ward, washing and sanitizing his hands before approaching Liv's room. He knew there would be very little change in the sixteen hours since he had walked away from Olivia MacDonald's bedside, but he was still itching to get back to her. There she still lay, in a coma, face beaten, right arm in a cast and wrapped close to her body to prevent her shoulder from moving when nurses shifted her body for examination.

After a restless night of his own, in which he hadn't fallen asleep till the early morning hours, Alec awoke thinking for a moment he thought perhaps this whole incident had just been a nightmare. That he'd wake up and reach over to take his phone off the bedside table and find a 'good morning' text from Liv. Instead, there was a text from Ellie related to the case, giving him a quick reminder that indeed, this nightmare was a reality.

Now, a few hours later, he was here to spend the rest of the day. He walked around to the opposite side of the hospital bed, moved the chair as close as possible to the bed, and sat down. He had it turned so that he faced the head of the bed. As he took a long moment to look over her face, and the outline of her blanket-covered body, Alec tried hard to see changes in Liv's condition, but really there were none. He tried to remind himself that this was only the second day. But he found it hard to not be impatient. Sitting in the hospital room, in the quiet, hearing the beeping of the machines Liv was attached to, and the occasional hustle and bustle outside the room, it was all starting to get to Alec. As Alec looked over her broken body, he thought to himself that Olivia MacDonald had been beaten and bruised too many times in life. He determined he'd do everything he could to be sure it never happened again, and to be sure whoever had done it this time would live to regret it.

*Flashback – Month 2 of Alec and Liv*

Liv MacDonald sat back in a deck chair on the patio of Ellie Miller's house, the stem of a glass of wine fitted between two fingers. Alec Hardy sat next to her in another chair, a glass of beer in hand. Mark Latimer was working over the grill while Ellie and Beth played with their youngest children in the field. Chloe, Tom, and Daisy were playing video games in Tom's room until dinnertime.

"So, has Ellie told you all about my childhood yet, then?" Liv asked as she looked to Hardy.

Alec looked over at the red-headed Scot. It was rare that he could say he 'enjoyed' someone's company, but he found himself thinking that more and more about Liv. She seemed to know when to push him into conversation, and when to allow silence. Something, he thought, her best friend hadn't quite gotten the knack of. He appreciated Ellie Miller, his work relationship and friendship with her, but she seemed to not quite know when to stop nagging. He thought for a moment about the question. Now that he thought about it, it was interesting that Ellie hadn't given more information to Alec about Liv. "No, she hasn't. I suppose she feels that it's your story to tell." Alec paused and waited, but Liv merely nodded and sipped on her wine. "Well, go ahead, if you want. I already spewed forth my own sad tale weeks ago."

"Even the short version of the story feels long. But I'll try to be brief. I too had an alcoholic father. Mine had several mental disorders—and refused to take medication the doctors said would have helped. Why? Because if he drank and took the medication it could kill him. So, he chose alcohol over sanity. My mam sent me here to my Granny's every summer – to get me away from him. When I was ten, my mam came with me for the summer. She had finally had enough herself, I s'pose. It started out as such a delightful summer, then he came after us. He came all the way to Broadchurch in a mad fit, came right into my grandmother's house and started beating both of us. The cops were called. He was put in an asylum without choice where he lived out the rest of his short life. The beating he gave my mother caused irreparable brain damage that changed the rest of her life. We took her back home, to Scotland and my Nana there, she helped me take care of her. Mum died when I was 14 and I lived with my Nana until I was almost done with secondary school. She died and I was sent down here to live with my Granny. She passed the summer after I finished my A-levels and I was on my own."

Alec sat quietly a minute, taking in all she had said. He felt anger stirring in him over the thought of Liv, of any woman, being beaten by their father. A thought passed through his mind and he decided to see if she'd continue to share. "And—your ex?"

Liv took a deep breath and another heavy sip of wine. "When I was twenty-four I met a man who made me think I could rule the world if I wanted to. When we got married he insisted that we move to a town a few miles away. Wasn't till later I realized he was separating me from my friends. Of course, he didn't tell me that his version of me 'ruling the world' was working my arse off while he sat at home—drinking—and beating me when I didn't bring home the right kind of beer." She paused a moment and took another sip of wine, then let a single chuckle escape her chest. "I had fallen into the same damn trap my own mother had. I spent almost six years letting that man control me. But—on my thirtieth birthday, against his wishes, I came back to Broadchurch to celebrate with Ellie and Beth. It was that night I decided I wasn't going back home."

"Jim Wright is a dirtbag!" Mark Latimer spoke up from where he stood at the barbecue across the patio.

"Aye, he is. And if I had let you, you'd have had him in the bin with the rest of the rubbish." Liv smiled back towards Mark, then turned back to Alec. "Not the first time Mark Latimer has been a hero. All those years ago when we were younger – Mark and Nigel were just teenage boys, they were walking past my granny's house and heard my father having a go at Mum and I. They came barreling into the house and pulled him off her. They held him down till the police got there."

*Present Day*

*1:30pm*

Alec sighed and stood, going to the bag his daughter had made him bring along. He smirked as he saw Liv's book at the bottom of several bottled drinks, packaged snacks, and an iPod. It was the book copy Liv had gifted him with months before, upon finding out that he had yet to read it. He still hadn't. He pulled out the book and took it with him back to his chair.

"Alright, Liv, you've finally managed to get me to sit still. 'Spose I might as well read this now." He was mid-way into opening the book when he froze. In that moment he had somehow half-expected her to respond with the normal wit and banter the two of them had with each other. He sighed a moment then opened the cover fully and was stopped again, this time by the sight of familiar handwriting on the inside of the cover.

There's no mystery as great as the one that brought us together. Love is the greatest of mysteries. ~Liv

He quickly wiped away the tears that had found their way halfway down his cheeks. And just in time, as Ellie walked in to visit, and to update him on the case. She explained that the cook had said he went straight home and had his head buried half in the toilet emptying his stomach's contents at the time of the robbery. However, Ellie, being the suspicious person she had become since working with Alec, had followed with neighbors at the cook's apartment building and one neighbor said he could pinpoint that the man didn't come home till much later, closer to midnight.

Alec growled, "Liv was already in surgery by midnight."

Ellie nodded and handed him a folder that held information about the cook's identity and criminal history—or lack thereof. "We've got him under surveillance. He was in on it, we're certain of that, but I don't think he's capable of doing everything that was done—" She nodded towards Liv. "—on his own. And from what I saw there were no visible scratches, bruises, no signs of a struggle."

Alec nodded. "So we were right, more than one of them. Good job, Miller." He handed her the folder and looked back down at the book in his lap, a thought crossing his mind. "Has anyone notified her publisher? I know she's been working on a new book and talks to them almost every day." Ellie shook her head and he continued, "See if you can pull their number from her phone, and I'll call. I was thinking I could come by the station for a few hours in the mornings and help out with paperwork, phone calls..."

"Alright—" She sighed and nodded. "I'll see what I can find for you to do. How's Daisy?"

"Mad I won't let her come visit. I just want to give it a few days. Surely in a few days she'll—" He stopped himself, closing his eyes and taking a deep breath.

"You said it to me, Alec—she'll get through this." Ellie looked at the man with sad eyes, he could tell she was trying to convince herself as much as him.

*Flashback – Month 2 of Alec and Liv*

In the second month of knowing each other, things continued slowly for Alec and Liv. They saw each other several times at get-togethers at Ellie's, and of course, for Roast Beef Sandwich days. To his own disappointment, he hadn't made it back for several weeks to see her perform on a Wednesday night. Alec sat in his office one Wednesday evening filling out paperwork when Ellie Miller walked in.

"I shouldn't be surprised that you're still here," she said as she sat down in the chair opposite his desk.

He glanced up at the clock then went back to squinting at the computer screen. It was almost seven o'clock. "I am surprised you're still here."

"Just heading home now, finished the CCTV footage report for the case." He nodded but continued working, so she decided to continue, "I'm surprised you haven't asked her out yet."

Alec's hand stopped in mid-click on the computer mouse and his eyes moved to her, staring. "Excuse me?"

"Liv. I'm surprised you haven't asked her out yet. It's been two months, you two seem to be friendly. Even you can't be that socially inept? Why haven't you asked her out yet?"

Alec looked between Miller and the door, and back. "Do we have to discuss this? Here?"

Ellie grinned. He hadn't argued with her, or insisted it was out of the question, which was a good sign. She stood up and started to walk out, turning back at the doorway. "It's Wednesday night, you could still catch her last set if you finished up and left now." With that she smiled one last time and walked out the door.

Alec sighed and looked back up at the clock.

*Present Day*

*3:38pm*

"You look like hell," the male voice called out from the doorway.

Alec looked up from the book to see Ellie's father standing there. "I'm fine."

"Hmm," the older man's response was half chuckle half growl. "No. You aren't." David's eyes grew sad as he looked at the man sitting beside his pseudo-daughter. He had sat next to the bed of his dying wife for months. He knew the fear of leaving the side of your loved-one; the fear something would happen while you were gone. As Hardy's relationship with Liv had grown, he had spent more time at his daughter's house for get-togethers and David was surprised at the changes he had seen in the man who had once been only the cold, grumpy man who had taken his daughter's job. He stepped closer, and spoke quietly. "If you'll let me, I'd love to sit with her a while. Why don't you go stretch your legs, get us a couple cups of coffee—or tea—your preference. I'll be right here with her. I won't leave."

Alec looked up at the man, his sad eyes matching the older man's. If you had told him a year before that he'd be getting kindness and sympathy from Ellie Miller's father, he'd have choked. But things had changed. So much had changed in Alec Hardy's life. It had started before Liv ever walked into it, when Ellie had helped him solve Sandbrook, when he got the pacemaker, when Daisy came to live with him. And then Liv. It was as if his heart had been healing itself for the ultimate goal, finding love again. He sighed and nodded at the man as he stood. "Okay."

David Barrett nodded and gripped the man's shoulder. "I'll take good care of her, son. You take a few minutes for yourself."

Alec's eyes went to the other man's. He hadn't been called 'son' in many years, and the last time it was by a man with whom he held great bitterness. But when he looked at David Barrett, he saw deep concern for his well-being. Something he didn't think he had ever seen from his own father. He slowly nodded and went to the doorway, taking one last glance at the hospital bed, and at the man who had slipped into his chair and now held Liv's hand, speaking quietly to her. He went down stairs and before heading to the food court to get coffee, stepped outside and called to check on Daisy.

*Flashback – Month 2 of Alec and Liv*

Liv MacDonald sat next to Alec Hardy on the bench by the beach, each with paper-wrapped fish and chips. Styrofoam cups sat on either side of them, holding their beverages.

"You're sure this is okay?" Alec looked over at her with concern.

She popped a chip in her mouth, then grinned and put one hand up to cover her mouth as she spoke while chewing, "Are you kidding me? This is brilliant. I haven't had a chance to come down here for fish and chips since I made it back home. One more thing off the checklist of feeling at home again."

A smirk twitched at the corner of Alec's mouth, as he found her answer satisfactory. Besides, he was pretty sure she couldn't fake this kind of excitement over something as simple as fish and chips. "Ellie's the one who suggested it. Said I couldn't go wrong with fish and chips. I hoped she wasn't having me on as a practical joke."

Liv had finished chewing and smiled again. "I'd say that Ellie wouldn't do something like that, but having known her most of my life, and having had just a few of my own practical jokes against her, it wouldn't have surprised me for her to do something like that. But no, this is not a joke. I take my fish and chips very seriously. Sort of like you and your roast beef sandwich." She grinned again and winked at him when he glanced at her as he took a bite.

*Present Day*

Alec slipped back into the room with two cups of coffee and stood at the end of the bed, quietly watching Liv's chest move up and down, until the man at her side spoke up, "You know, Ellie and Olivia have a lot of differences, but there are several similarities that have kept them such close friends, almost sisters, over the years. One of those is their strength. We both know how strong my daughter is, she's come through hell in her life and made a phenomenal career for herself. Olivia has been through a lot in her own life, it started with her parents when she was young, and then that damned ex-husband of hers. Now this. But just like Ellie, she's going to come through. She's strong, she's a survivor." Alec watched the older man get up from the chair and turn to him. He approached and shook the man's hand. "Thank you for giving me some time to sit with her."

"Of course," Alec said quietly.

"Just—don't forget to take care of yourself. You're no good to her if you don't." The man looked between Alec and Olivia one last time before leaving quietly.