"You look gorgeous, Liv," Alec as he smiled over at his new wife from their seat in the back of the vintage car that had been picked to drive them to their reception at Axehampton House.

The idea of a big reception had been mostly Liv's idea, of course. Alec would have been just as happy to leave the ceremony and hop in a car and head for their honeymoon. But he knew better than to expect Liv to go along with that. She was a much more social creature than he, even though she was starting to wear off on him just a wee bit. And she adored any opportunity to have live music and dancing.

"If I hadn't already been told the same by several men on this very day, I'd say you were a wee bit biased, Alec," she grinned and he smiled. Something about all the Scottish tradition they been observing on this day had her slipping into an even heavier brogue than normal, and he found it equally as gorgeous as the rest of her.

His eyebrow rose up and he smirked playfully. "Oh, other men have been commenting on your attractiveness? Please point them out to me when we arrive and I shall have a word."

She giggled, outright and without reservation. The endorphins pumping through her system were already making her feel a bit giddy, and she hadn't more than a sip of communion wine today. "Oh, now don't you go bullying wee Fred and dear Dad," she said, referring to Ellie's father, the closest thing she had to a dad.

"Ah," Alec said as he nodded slowly and continued, "I see, well, I shall let it pass then." They grinned together and chuckled before he leaned over and captured her mouth in a deep kiss. After a few moments they came up for air and he took in the view of her face for a few moments before speaking, "Is everything as you'd hoped it would be?"

"Aye, and better," she confirmed and gently squeezed his hand. "You?" she asked in return.

"Mhhmmm," he hummed in confirmation. "I haven't felt this happy since—" He thought a moment. "Since Daisy was born. Although, it seems to have been building up every day that I've been with you. Since that day I first met you."

Liv smiled and remembered that day too. She glanced out the window to see the countryside spreading out before them. She let out a small chuckle as she remembered that evening in the pub. "I don't remember you seeming particularly happy to meet me."

"Well, please do remember I had been dragged into a bar by my partner. And when she practically squealed in my ear over seeing you again, I began planning possibly escape routes. But—," he paused and smiled, recalling vividly the moment he turned and saw Liv.

"But?" she asked, wishing him to continue.

"But, when I turned and saw you—" He stopped to take a deep breath and considered his next words. "You were absolutely stunning—are absolutely stunning."

She grinned. "You were just drawn in by the sound of another Scot. But still, you didn't seem very thrilled."

"I'm rather good at hiding reactions, comes from all the years in the police," he explained.

"That, and I don't think you had smiled in quite a few years. You'd probably gotten out of practice," she said playfully.

He raised his eyebrows and nodded in agreement, allowing a smile to now cross his face. "Aye, very true. But I seem to have found plenty to smile about now." He leaned in again, getting very close and whispering, "I'm looking forward to even more to smile about."

They both looked out the windows as they felt the car slow and turn down the gravel road that would lead them to Axehampton House. Their guests were already there, as they had been held back for a few photos at the church. The wedding party, made up of the Millers and Latimer's, were only a few minutes ahead of them.

*Months Earlier*

Alec and Ellie sat at the table with brochures and papers scattered in front of them. They glanced at each other, a bit overwhelmed by all the information they could tell they were going to be barraged with. A moment later Liv walked in carrying two mugs of tea, made just the way each of them liked.

"Alright, dearly beloved, we come together today to choose a reception hall," she said with a bit of jest in her voice. "We're not walking out of here till it's done, so start looking. What you have before you are my top five favorites. I've mixed them up so you can't tell, because I want your honest opinions."

Alec's eyes glanced around the table quickly. He couldn't really care less about where they had a reception. He couldn't care less if they even had a reception. But it was what Liv wanted and he would go along with whatever she wanted. "I told you, Liv, I'm fine with what—wait a minute, is that Axehampton House?"

Ellie smirked. "What was that you were saying, Alec? Fine with what-?"

"You can't seriously want to have it there can you? I mean, I know you weren't back home yet when everything happened there, but—" Alec began to argue and Liv raised an eyebrow.

"Alec. Is it on the table?" she asked slowly.

"Yes, but—" he started to argue.

"And what did I say I had put on the table?" she questioned again, her voice short and tight.

He sighed. "Your top five choices. But Liv, you do remember what happened there, right?"

Liv's jaw tightened, and she stood up out of the chair she had only moments before sat down in. "If we examined the history of every location in the country I am sure at least one crime has occurred at each place! I'm sorry about what happened at Axehampton, but hundreds of events happened there before, and hundreds will happen after, none with a hint of criminal activity, Alec." By the time she made it to his name, her teeth were clenched.

She marched out of the room, he and Ellie staring after her a moment before looking at each other across the table. He sighed again, Ellie smirked. He leaned over, elbows on the table, and rubbed his face before leaning his chin onto his knuckles. They heard a clanking, then both cringed as they heard the refrigerator door slam, then again when the main door slammed.

"She's gotten the bottle of wine. And gone up to the rooftop. You. Are. Screwed."

He nodded and another sigh escaped. "Yup."

"How the bloody hell are you two going to not kill each other with that Scottish temper you both have?" He shook his head, but said nothing, looking down at pamphlets on the table again. Ellie spoke again as she pushed one across the table closer towards him. "I could be wrong, but I think this might be her favorite."

Another deep breath and he picked up the pamphlet for Axehampton House. "Of all the places—"

"But she's right, you know. And it's not as if Trish Winterman is at the top of your guest list. She isn't even on your guest list," Ellie responded.

Another sigh from the Scotsman. "I'm going to have to go apologize now, aren't I?"

Ellie nodded. "Yes, I'd say so. I'd take two wine glasses with you, then at least she might share the wine with you instead of drinking it straight from the bottle like she does when she's pissed off." Alec nodded and stood up, but she handed him the brochure. "Don't forget this, too. I'll see myself out. Thank Liv for dinner."

Alec held two wine glasses by the stems in one hand, the brochure was in his shirt pocket, and he grabbed the flat key in his other hand before walking out. Once in the hall he stepped across to the oppose side of the hall and went up the stairs that led to the rooftop. Once there he saw his fiancée sitting in a lounge chair, the wine bottle swinging slowly back and forth in the hand that hung over the one armrest. From here one could see right over the rooftops of much of the town of Broadchurch and just see the cliffs and the ocean beyond.

Alec quietly approached and set the two glasses down on the table by her side. He bypassed the empty chair on the other side of the small table and came around to stand in front of her, temporarily blocking her view. A bold move with her mood as it was, but he was feeling daring. "Have you calmed down a wee bit?" he asked gently.

She raised her eyebrow and motioned him to move out of the way. "Have you got a death wish?"

He raised an eyebrow as well, but instead of moving to the side, he knelt down in front of her. "Not anymore. I've found a few things worth living for."

"Still don't think before you speak, though," she grumbled, but showed signs of promise, he thought, as she poured wine into the two glasses and set the bottle down.

He took the opportunity to take her hands while they were free, rubbing his thumbs over her knuckles as he held them. He let out a slow breath and spoke. "I am sorry. As usual, the cop in me comes out and I forgot to think about your feelings first."

She shrugged a bit and leaned forward in her seat to come closer to him. "I should have warned you that it was on the list. Did you look over the choices and pick one?"

"I didn't need to look. This is the one we're going with." He pulled the brochure out of his shirt pocket and handed it to her.

She glanced down, then back at him. "But you hate it."

He shook his head. "I don't hate it. It's a beautiful location, a perfect size, and it was your first choice."

Her eyebrow raised. "How do you know that?"

"Because you wouldn't have gotten so defensive over choices two to five. You've obviously thought long and hard about it for my thoughtless words to have hurt you so much." He reached a hand up and gently stroked her cheek. "I really am sorry. It will be perfect because it will be a celebration of my marriage to you. Let's book it tomorrow."

She allowed a smile to creep onto her face. "Really?"

He nodded and smiled back. "Really."