He'd had no idea how she'd been helping him in small ways that he'd never noticed and she intended to keep it that way, well unless he got involved with her and now, it was looking like he wanted to get involved with her. She'd made her mind up she was going to let him do all the asking, she couldn't tell him he was the real reason she was here.
The other two came back in, a little later than they normally did and had been talking on the way up.
"So, what do you think then, about Hardy chatting up Rose?" Denise had asked.
"It won't last," was the reply as Darren checked his fingernails.
"She was pretty mad at him the other week when she collided with him though."
"Trust me Denise, they'll shag a couple of times and it'll all end in tears and if it does, she's not crying on my shoulder."
"What do you know about us women?" Denise laughed as they got out of the lift. "Didn't you see him waiting across the road? I bet she goes over to meet him. Bet you a fiver."
"You're on, easy money she won't go for it."
"I'm off out," Rose announced as they got back.
"Going to be long?" Denise laughed. "Hardy was practically trying to get his tongue down your throat when we left."
"Shut up Denise, no he wasn't," Rose scoffed back.
"He's a waste of time Rose, you know he's ill."
"Doesn't mean to say I can't let him buy me lunch, does it?"
"Well he buys you lunch, he's going to expect something in return. You were complaining about him the other week," Darren butted in.
"Well that's not maybe how it happened, it might have been my fault."
"Now you say," Denise laughed.
Taking no notice, Rose made her way downstairs and checked the road before crossing, not that it was a busy road since it didn't actually lead anywhere except to the other car park, the holiday chalets and the parking bays. Alec was sending a message to his daughter, asking her to call him when she had time, not that he expected her to but he wanted to tell her himself he was considering having the surgery after his last episode.
Rose saw him and waved, Alec just looking up and waving back.
"Sorry, they took their time coming back," Rose apologized as he got up.
"What can get for you?"
"Whatever you're having? Do you have to be careful what you eat?"
"As long as I eat nothing fancy, I'm fine. Tea or coffee?"
As he went off, Rose's phone rang and she saw it was her mother.
"Mum, can I call you back, I'm just getting my lunch."
"Well excuse me for not knowing Madam. Call me back then but how are you getting on down there?"
"I'm fine, stop worrying."
"Well you just go off looking for some Doctor look-alike, how can I not worry?"
"I gotta go Mum, love you."
Jackie just shook her head and went back to watching a TV programme. She had worried when Rose had just taken off suddenly to find this Alec Hardy and was surprised Rose had kept her distance so far but considering the man had revealed recently he was ill, she thought Rose would have already taken him under her wing.
Alec saw her putting her phone away. "Boyfriend?"
"No, worse my mum," Rose grinned. "I don't have a boyfriend, not for a while."
"Because you moved down here? Why are you here Rose?"
"It's as good a place as any to keep out of the media, they're all too busy with Danny's family to go after me. You're the only person apart from the chief who knows who I am. Even your DS never recognized me."
"She never said anything."
Their lunch arrived and Alec tried to keep up the conversation, since he was somewhat out of practice chatting up young, blonde heiresses.
"I have to get back now," Rose told him, now wishing Denise was right but not wanting to say anything since he'd so far not asked to see her again.
"You said for me to go back to your office tomorrow."
"Yeah, I'll have everything ready for you, just go ahead and find somewhere."
"I have seen a place, I will go back and express my interest. So, where did you say you live?"
"Just past the amusement arcade, in those apartments but I don't like it much, apart from the view of the harbour."
"Well since I have to be out of the hotel by Friday morning, I had better go pay the agency a visit. Thank you for having lunch with me, I will see you tomorrow? Unless?"
"Unless what?" Rose had to ask, getting up.
"Nothing, I will see you tomorrow." They walked away from the tables and Alec stopped her. "Would you maybe have a drink with me later?"
"Are you allowed to drink?"
"In moderation. Is that a yes?"
"Are you tired of hotel food?"
"My DS asked me that a while ago."
"I just wondered if you'd like a home cooked meal? Nothing fancy."
Alec thought his luck was beginning to change and maybe he would get into her underwear at some point. Not wanting to sound so keen, he pretended to think about it.
"Well, I do know the menu by now and Monday night is not the best. You did mean tonight?"
She hadn't but was now considering it. "Yeah, okay, how about seven thirty? Bring some white wine."
"White wine it is though I may bring something non-alcoholic for myself. You had best give me your apartment number.
"Oh, it's number 30, third floor but there's a lift in the middle, just use the buzzer and I'll let you in."
Going back to work, Rose smiled to herself at getting a date after all this time of watching over him. Now she would have to rush up to the main supermarket after she finished at five and hope she could find something quick to make before he arrived. Then while she put dinner on, she'd grab a quick shower and get changed and find something low-cut to wear.
The rest of the afternoon she spent going over other personnel problems but she wasn't very interested and Denise noticed though she kept quiet and silently wished her work rival good luck at managing to keep Hardy out of hospital if they even attempted to have sex.
Alec took a walk back up to the rental agency in the hope the chalet he'd had his eye on was vacant only to be told it wouldn't be free for another week or so.
"Can you let me know when it's vacant?" he asked the woman in charge.
"Well it will be free after next Thursday until the end of March, we don't normally get any bookings for it so you can have it until then but if you want it beyond that, you'd have to say."
"Six months will be enough, I have to stay around here for work and a possible court case. Can you send the details to the personnel office at the station?"
That sorted, he walked down to the other supermarket at the end of the High Street to get some drinks then back to the florists to buy some suitable flowers for a first date. If he was really lucky, he might get to at least kiss her and maybe see what kind of underwear she liked, hopefully the skimpier the better and that he wouldn't set himself up for another attack. He thought though it may be worth it if he managed to get her bra off.
At least she knew about his condition beforehand, he thought as he walked into the hotel. Becca noticed the white carrier bag and the flowers were a dead giveaway he had a date.
"Going somewhere later?" Becca asked him.
He thought about asking her if she had considered taking up a career in the police.
"What gave me away?" he asked as she handed him his key, which he'd left since it was cleaning day.
"Well since Ellie Miller seems to have left town, I'd say you had a date."
"What do you mean by that remark?" he asked.
"Oh come on, you lock her husband up and on the same night, she comes to visit you in your room."
"What? How would you know that, don't you take any time off?"
"It's on CCTV, you let her in the side door but she was seen and I know what time she left."
"Spying on me? Well you saw her leaving, why are you telling me?"
"She was in your room a good while."
"Meaning? What are you getting at?"
"I'm saying nothing, what you two did is non of my business, as long as she didn't stay all night."
"We did not do anything Becca, what do you think was going on? You know about my heart condition."
"Well why else would she stay that long?"
"She wanted to make some sense out of what had happened, that's all and for your information, yes, I do have a date tonight and I'm leaving on Friday, I have found a place to rent."
"Well it seemed a bit odd that Joe gets locked up and Ellie's here visiting you late at night. I heard she left without Tom."
"I would not know about that, I've not even seen her since the night of Danny's funeral. Now if you have finished with the accusations?"
"Well it seems odd to me she chooses to visit you late at night."
Alec shook his head, grateful he would be out of the hotel in a few days. Now, with Becca being one of the town's gossips, he wondered how long it would be before she spread the rumour or worse still the information got to be used in any defense Joe Miller was going to offer. He got to his room and put the flowers on the dressing table then went to smarten himself up a bit for his date and wondered if Rose actually thought of it as a date.
Just before leaving time, Rose was daydreaming as the other two got up to leave.
"Thought you'd be in a hurry to leave Rose?" Denise asked her. "Did you get a date with Hardy?"
"None of your business who I have a date with, if I have one."
"That means she has," Darren joined in. "I wouldn't brag about it though, it won't last."
"Says you."
"We'll know about it in the morning when she has a big smirk on her face and that 'just been shagged' look," Denise laughed.
After they'd left, she got Alec's form ready for him the next day and had put it with the details she'd received from the agency. She was surprised he'd put in for that blue chalet by the river she passed twice a day, they would be practically neighbours. She'd quite liked it herself but it was fully booked when she'd asked about it. Alec must have got lucky but she'd noticed he wasn't able to move in until next week so she was going to try to extend his stay at the hotel, should he ask about it.
She wasn't going to say anything to him about it though, not unless he brought up the subject and she very much doubted he'd accepted her dinner invitation to discuss his living arrangements. Well she hoped not anyway. She'd not had a proper boyfriend in a long while apart from when she'd been desperate and gone home with someone after a party and that had been the last she'd seen of whoever she'd fancied at the time. She doubted the men had even noticed who she was at the time, since she'd not seen any 'I slept with Rose Tyler' stories in the gossip columns of any tabloids.
Alec was about to leave for his date with Rose when there was a knock on his door. He opened it to find Becca standing there.
"Hey, sorry about earlier, I know you're going out but I was wondering, do you really have to move out? I mean the reporters are leaving town now after Danny's funeral."
"I have already got somewhere to go and you making insinuations earlier has not helped your cause in getting me to stay."
"I said I was sorry but now the press are leaving, I really need the rooms filling. I was going to call your personnel department and make them an offer to carry on charging them half the rate."
"I really need my own space, now if you will excuse me, I have a dinner date."
Becca really needed him to stay but she could see he'd made his mind up. Now she just hoped the rooms would be filled by those who wanted to see the crime scene so she would have to talk to Paul about how she could manage until then. Alec gave her a few minutes to go back downstairs before going down to the side door so he could avoid her. She was obviously desperate for him to stay but doing so now would ruin any chances he actually had with Rose because he really needed his own place to invite her back to, since the hotel owner watched all the CCTV footage.
He couldn't believe Miller had been caught entering and leaving the hotel and dreaded to think if it was kept, the recording could be used against them. Still, that wasn't the problem just yet, it would be months before the hearing, plenty of time to explain his DS's visit. He decided to walk down the side of the hotel onto the seafront, since he was still a bit early as he didn't want to seem too keen even though he was.
If he played his cards right, he could get her to have a few drinks, get her relaxed and make his move and if it got beyond the kissing stage, well at least she knew what she was up against and he would tell her about his medication. He was fairly sure she would understand his situation better than anyone else so as he passed the police station and continued to cross the harbour, Rose was putting the finishing touches to the meal she had prepared and had put some candles on the table for later and they would get lit at some point if Alec wanted to stay.
As he pressed the intercom for her apartment, he thought he'd be nervous but having some fun and relaxation was long overdue but he hoped Rose didn't know Becca Fisher and she'd revealed he'd asked her to spend some time with him to which she had flatly refused. Rose heard the buzzer and went to answer.
"Is that you Alec?" she asked, hoping Mickey wasn't paying a surprise visit.
"You were expecting someone else?" he asked jokingly.
"No, it could have been someone trying to sell me something, you'd be surprised even in a block of holiday apartments. Come on up."
Rose went to open the door and a few minutes later saw him coming out of the lift and waved to him.
"Hi, you're right on time," she greeted him as he followed her inside.
"For you, I hope you like them," he told her, handing her the flowers.
Rose held them close to smell the mixed bunch. "They're lovely, thanks. Do you want to open the wine, dinner's just about ready. Hope you like chicken and rice?"
"I am sure it will be fine. You want me to light the candles?" he asked as he saw them on the table by the window.
"Well if you want to pull the curtains over? I don't think anyone would be looking up though."
"What would they see?" he smiled, seeing that she was grinning at him and holding out the lighter she'd picked up.
"Well that would depend, wouldn't it? I'll go put these flowers in a vase then I'll serve dinner. Did you walk down?"
"Yes, I thought I would get some exercise and some fresh air. Do you need any help?" he called after her as he opened the bottle and poured more in one glass than the other and sat down.
"No, I have everything ready thanks. I hope I didn't seem too forward earlier, inviting you round? I didn't think you'd accept, let alone come around tonight."
"You expected me to be as grumpy as everyone says I am? I put on a gruff exterior to stop people trying to make friends with me. I learned my lesson where I worked before."
"Well you were a bit grumpy with me but that didn't last long," Rose smiled as she carried out the vase and put it on the coffee table.
"I did not mean to appear grumpy but I never realised you were the personnel officer. I have been somewhat distracted from meeting anyone other than those in the squad room. So have you made any friends while you have been here?" he asked as she put the plates on the table.
"No, not really, I think everyone was scared of welcoming newcomers to the town in view of what had happened."
"Then why come here Rose?"
"Honestly? I wanted to help, in some small way so I got my stepfather to pull a few strings and get me a job here."
"As a personnel officer?" he smiled, tasting the food.
"That was all I could get, I had enough of working in a shop before I became his stepdaughter and besides, I did a similar job before."
"For Vitex?" he smiled.
"No, for Torchwood but don't tell anyone."
"So you did earn your keep rather than attending parties and getting you name in the gossip columns?"
"Yeah, don't believe everything you read in the papers Alec, you should know that?"
"Ouch! You read it?" he smiled, taking a sip of the wine that he knew he shouldn't be drinking and wishing he'd brought the other bottle with him.
"Yeah, she was a bit of a bitch writing that, what did you do to upset her?"
"Just be in the same town as another murder victim, she held a grudge over Sandbrook."
"Oh, I never realised, sorry. Maybe everyone's forgotten about it?"
"Aye, they had until she brought it up again. Forget it Rose, I had."
"Sorry, I didn't mean to bring up bad memories. It's over now anyway, at least until the hearing."
They finished their meal and Alec offered to help clear the table but Rose objected.
"You're meant to be taking things easy," she told him.
"I can still be useful Rose, don't shut me out, please? If the chief can get me that other job at least I will feel like I am doing something and not sitting around feeling sorry for myself. After it was all over, I thought about leaving here but where would I go? My daughter won't have anything to do with me even after all this time and the case, well it gave me a purpose to prove I could still catch a killer."
"Maybe you should look at your old case again? I could help you?"
"No, I am not going to let that get to me again and I don't want you getting involved, it ruined too many lives. Neither of the girls' parent want anything to be dragged up, it would re-open old wounds. As for the main suspect, he left the country."
"Torchwood have a lot of resources you could use?"
"No, it's over Rose, that's the end of it. There was only the suspect's wife and she went into hiding, my ex won't reopen the case anyway, not unless Lee Ashworth comes back, I have someone watching out for him."
How could he tell her he had stashed Claire away? If Claire decided she was tired of hiding away, wouldn't he be better warning Rose she may come looking for him? He hoped he'd given Claire a warning and that she would stay away but if she bothered him again, he'd have to reconsider.
He picked up the wine glasses and followed Rose into the kitchen as she put the dishes in the sink. He picked up a drying cloth from the holder and leaned back on the counter.
"Just leave them to dry Alec," Rose told him.
"I insist on helping, the meal was enjoyable but now I am going to be leaving the hotel, I will have to learn to fend for myself and I will have to watch what I eat."
"So, do you have medication you need to take?"
"No, I took it earlier but I can take more if I really need to."
After they had finished, Rose went to choose some music to play as Alec lit the candles.
Before either of them knew it, they were dancing closely and Rose's hand wandered to his shirt buttons and he reached under her pink top she was wearing that he had been trying to look down and slid his fingers under her bra fastener.
"Am I moving to fast for you?" he asked as she unfastened another button.
"No, am I?" she asked as she revealed his bare chest and put a finger on his belly and ran it across slowly, making him smile.
He continued to run his finger under the strap and at the same time, leaned down to try to kiss her. Rose put her other arm around his neck, under his loose shirt, a tingling feeling coming over her. She was way past having some fun. He moved the hand that was on his chest to get her to put her other arm around his neck then whispered in her ear.
"Care to take this to the sofa?" he asked her.
Rose managed a 'Mmm' as he led her over to it and sat her down, leaning her against the cushion and like he'd just suddenly remembered how to unfasten the offending article that was getting between him and her cleavage, he fumbled around the back and unclasped it in one movement, putting his other hand up the front of her pink top and pulling the bra down.
Rose was trying to get the shirt off his shoulders but the cuffs were still fastened so she had to be content with rubbing his bare shoulders while admiring the hairs on his chest as he leaned over her now exposed breasts, having pulled the bra away. He let out a low whistle, touching her left breast gently.
"This isn't too much is it?" Rose asked him, touching his chest with her index finger.
"Not yet but you know I am somewhat limited?"
"Why's that?" Rose smiled at him. "Are you gonna let a little thing like a heart problem get in the way or are you going to relax?"
"You don't mind there is something wrong with me?" he asked, leaning down to kiss her right breast while still touching the other, Rose supporting his shoulders
"Alec, it makes no difference to me if there's something wrong with you, don't let it worry you. Tell me what to do if you get over-excited."
"Just get some water and my pills, they are in my top pocket. Are you planning on getting me over-excited then?"
"I hope so, I fancied you when I first saw you on TV."
"Is that the reason you came here?"
Rose knew she still had to be careful she didn't reveal the real reason, that of finding out if he was the Timelord she'd missed so much.
"Well, maybe a little?" she admitted, to throw him off the subject. "I just wanted to help in some small way."
"You could have come down here as a Torchwood agent."
Rose smiled at him. "My stepfather wouldn't let me. When I heard you were given DS Miller's job, I thought it was just as well I didn't come as a Torchwood agent."
"Well we would have got to meet sooner," he smiled, after kissing her exposed cleavage and going to the other side.