Rose got up and made Alec move over, taking his hand.
"You have to fight it Alec, you can't just give in."
He squeezed her hand. "I don't intend to, not any more. I had given in to the inevitable Rose but not now. If I choose not to have the surgery I may have a few months but I will get worse. I have an appointment on Monday to see the consultant, he or she will probably have already scheduled me in so either way, I lose on the operating table or hang on for a few more months. I have to see Danny's killer get justice."
"You will. Can you tell me who it was?"
Alec nodded and started to get up, slowly. He wasn't going to risk being outside and telling her.
"It was a man called Joe Miller, he was the husband of my DS."
"Chloe mentioned someone called Ellie, she was her mum's best friend."
"I know but she knew nothing about it, she worked hard on that case and she was devastated when she found out. Her eldest son took it hard, he was Danny's best friend."
"I think Chloe mentioned it. Alec, whatever you need, just say, I can help you."
"With what Rose? You really want to help me?"
"Yes Alec, if you have to wait, I can help you get seen quicker, get you the best surgeon."
"I'll be fine Rose, they won't make me wait, I've had two attacks since I've been here."
"That's terrible, you should stay at home Alec, not go back to work."
"I would not call going into your shop every morning 'work' exactly and I just go sit at my old desk for an hour or so, if anything happens, I will send someone else out first. I can't stay off Rose, that's not me."
"Well, you be careful, promise me?"
"I will, don't worry."
They had sat on the sofa, a brightly coloured blanket over the back, Alec leaning back against the cushions. Rose moved up to him and he held his arms out.
"If you want to help me, just be my friend eh?"
"I can do that but maybe you could flirt with me a bit?"
"I may not have the time to spend flirting with you."
She took the hint and let him put his arms around her shoulders, leaning on his. He kissed her forehead and Rose tried to look at him.
"Then stop wasting time Alec, you're gonna get through it, I already lost someone I cared about, I'm not losing anyone else."
"Is that what your project was, to find them?"
"Yeah but it's over, it was shut down because we almost lost someone else. My mum was worried I'd go and not come back."
"How would that happen?"
"It's complicated and like you said, you may not have the time."
She managed to move and judged if she should go to kiss him or not but Alec sensed what she had in mind.
"Then I will make the time. I know you are still hiding something Rose, why can't you tell me? Were you involved with Torchwood, when they were fighting Lumic?"
"Not then, no but afterwards, that's how I met Pete, then I met him again a few years later, just as the Cybermen disappeared, he then met my Mum and he couldn't believe how she looked like his first wife. The rest is public knowledge. Are we gonna talk about me the rest of the evening?"
"If we have to. Is that everything? Who did you lose?"
"A very good friend, he went after the Cybermen with a team and never came back, it took me years to get the project started to go find him."
There, that was all he was getting, there was no way she would tell him the rest, even if he survived.
"Then why was it closed?"
"We thought he'd gone to another dimension, a parallel world but we couldn't find out which one. The gap was still open, after the Cybermen left but it closed before he and the team could get back. We were sort of trying to reopen it and it finally started to work, then it stopped suddenly and Pete declared it unstable and no one was allowed to attempt to re-start it. You can see why I was upset with Mickey, he was all for it closing down."
"He was maybe worried you would also go missing, you can't really blame him."
"I suppose not but still, he didn't have to make it so obvious, he could have been more sympathetic, Jake was."
"Is Jake blonde by any chance?" Alec smiled, brushing her hair back and kissing her cheek.
"Yeah, why? Did you see him while we were getting the shop sorted?"
"I believe I saw him driving off last Sunday evening, if you live behind those apartments?"
"Yeah. Let's go get something to eat then you can walk me back later?"
Before he let her go though, Alec put his finger on her chin and angled his head to go for a kiss, which was short but sweet at first, then as Rose responded, it intensified, making Rose's heart beat faster.
"Mmm, that was nice. I can go for more of those."
"Then I will see you get the chance. Maybe now I have another reason to fight my condition?"
"Yeah but let's not hide, ok?"
"By no means do I intend to hide the fact, did I give you any indication I objected to your flirting?"
"No but you didn't exactly encourage me but I know why now. Alec, don't you go hiding anything from me either, if you have pills to take or you have to be careful with things, just say. Just carry on being yourself, yeah?"
"I can do that and it is a relief I don't have to hide anything. I should take my pills soon, I took some extra earlier after moving, I fell asleep."
"That's why you didn't come to meet me?"
He leaned down to kiss her again, smiling afterwards.
"Yes, I woke up to see you watching out for me, you came looking for me."
Rose let him up and after putting his jacket on, they walked around to the takeaway, which was open and Alec told her he couldn't eat anything too heavy so they got some chicken and rice to share and Rose went into the harbour stores to get some fizzy flavoured water, the owner asking if she was going to the funeral tomorrow, since his wife had noticed a sign on the shutter.
After they'd eaten. Alec lay on the sofa while Rose insisted she cleared up, then she joined him, Alec moving his legs to let her lie down with him, his arm around her. It wasn't long before nature took its course and they began kissing, they both had questions but it seemed they could wait and the kissing couldn't. Rose got bold and began unfastening his shirt buttons, pulling it off at the shoulders and Alec decided he wasn't going to be outdone and went for the zip on her top, pulling it down and pulling the top off her shoulders.
It was after eight and getting darker outside, neither of them realising what the time was, Alec had already pulled the blinds closed and the curtain across the door and by this time, Alec's shirt was off and how he'd not got her bra off was anyone's guess. The straps were down over her arms, her having lost the top at some point, which was on the back of the sofa with his shirt and Alec could tell there wasn't that much to the offending article, he could still feel her softness on his chest.
He'd managed to unzip her black trousers but not made a move to go any further, he didn't really know how far they were going to take this, since Rose had told him to just be himself and lately, he'd not been wanting to take any unnecessary risks at setting himself up for another attack. His last one had been his final warning, he'd already been told they would more than likely not be able to revive him next time and now, here was Rose assuring him it would be well worth heeding the warning.
"Alec, is everything ok, I can tell you're struggling a bit."
"Maybe a rest is order then?"
"Yeah, 'course, you should have said before, I won't be offended."
"I know that. I don't deserve your attention."
"You do, you're worth taking it easy. Maybe you can walk me home and come in for a while unless you want me to stay here?"
"Ah, the rental agreement is only for one person though how they would know?"
Rose giggled as her boobs almost slipped out of her bra and he noticed.
"Oops, that's what I get for letting you pull the straps down, I'm surprised I'm still in possession of it."
"So am I, the way you were pressing into me and moving around. I will give you fair warning though, next time, it comes off."
"I'll consider myself warned then? Let's just both of us be ourselves? If you want, bring some things over for tomorrow, do you have a black tie?"
"My DS lent me one last time, I'll have to wear my dark grey one. I can come back in the morning and change, I'll need a clean shirt. You intend for me to stay then?"
"I'd be worried about you, being on your own. Why did you pick this place, you said you'd had two attacks? Was that chase the second one?"
"Yes, I collapsed in the hotel just after I arrived here, the hotel owner found me and got me to hospital and thankfully, she's not told anyone."
"Well maybe staying here was not one of your best ideas? How long have you rented it for?"
"I just need to give one day's notice, why? I need my independence Rose, that's why I moved from the hotel," he told her, fastening his shirt before she offered to help him.
"I'll give you my spare key, you can come and stay with me, I'm out all day, remember? Is that independent enough for you?"
"I could stay here until you finish work, then meet you."
"Ok, for now but you stay with me overnight, there are two bedrooms, if you want?"
"Let's see what happens, you might not want to share, I tend to wake up suddenly and I may scare you."
"I doubt it. You need someone Alec, someone to take care of you."
"You are volunteering?"
"That was the idea. So, do I get the job?"
"For now, let's see what comes of my appointment on Monday?"
"I can call my stepfather, Torchwood might have something that can help you, if the surgery's delayed."
"No need Rose, it won't be. I won't have long to wait. Hold on, I will put a few things in a holdall, if you have room for me to hang up a shirt?"
Rose laughed. "Yeah, I think I can squeeze it in my wardrobe. I'll clear a drawer for you and think about moving out of here?"
"I just moved in today Rose. Like I said, you may not like being woken by me when I feel like I'm drowning."
"What happened Alec? Beside you collapsing those times?"
"The case before I came here – Sandbrook."
"I heard about that – the other girl was never found, was she?"
"No and if I survive my surgery, I am going to find her and find out who killed her cousin."
"Her killer got off, didn't he? I read you admitted it wasn't you who got him off. Why did you do it?"
"So my daughter would not find out it was her mother, what else could I have done eh?"
She went up to him, putting her arms around his neck.
"It could have killed you Alec and you still took the blame."
"I could still die before I get it resolved. You really want to help me?"
Rose nodded, leaning into his shoulder. "Anything, you just have to say."
"Then promise me you will contact my ex and get her to reopen the case. I will give you her number before I go for my surgery, I have arranged to see a solicitor on Tuesday so Tess can make all the arrangements. I will have to put her down on the hospital consent form."
"Let me go with you Alec, I can take care of things."
"Why would you want to do that?"
"Because you need someone who's on your side, someone who won't argue over things, will your ex wife do it without any fuss?"
He supposed not, knowing Tess.
"We will discuss it when I have been to the hospital but as for you going, you have a coffee shop to run."
"I was debating if I should close on Mondays, it would be a good time to start. I'd rather not close mid-week."
"Then I would be glad to have you come with me, thank you. Let me get what I need eh, then we can go and on Saturday, I will consider moving out."
"Yeah, ok, I'll wait."
Alec locked up and they walked back over the bridge and along the harbour, passing the coffee shop and Rose led him behind the apartment block.
"So this where you hide away?"
"I'm not hiding Alec, come and take a look."
She led him through the kitchen, her car parked outside and Alec admiring the sporty four-wheel drive metallic blue car that he thought looked far too much for her to handle. He didn't know what pains Jake had gone to in order to teach her to drive when Pete had presented her with a provisional driving licence. He had bought her a similar car when she passed her test the second time, having failed on not putting the car into reverse whilst letting someone pass and she'd just let the car roll back. She claimed later that's what everyone did anyway but Jake had laughed saying maybe, just not on your driving test.
She had now got a newer model of the same car with her personalised number plate and she had seen Alec admiring it.
"Are you allowed to drive?"
"Well since I never declared my illness, I suppose I could. That car looks a bit much for you."
"I manage, I like the height and the room, plus the leather seats. It's automatic, I might let you drive it."
"Best not, until I get sorted eh?"
He crossed to the window, looking out at the sea. Trust her to live almost on the beach. There was wooden decking outside and Rose opened the door and went to sit at the table. It was dark now but light reflected off the sea and the nearby cliffs and Alec realised they were next door to that pink house that no-one could miss and wondered why she had gone the way she had instead of the other way but then maybe when she had moved there, the quayside might have been busy with boats unloading though it would be safe enough in a car.
Alec sat across from her and reached for her hand.
"So you like it here?"
"Yeah, it reminds me of something."
"The friend you lost?"
"He's not dead."
"You don't know that, if he never got back. Where is he Rose?"
"I told ya, he followed the Cybermen."
"Then why don't I believe you? This other dimension, you mean a parallel world, almost identical to this one?"
"You watch to much TV Alec."
"I used to make up stories when I was a wee boy back home. Then there were rumours, within the police when it all happened. Lumic was supposed to have invented the Cybermen but I reckon he had some help and maybe they went back to where they came from?"
"Wow, you've got some imagination Alec. I got this project started, it measured timelines in other dimensions only no-one had got it working before and I don't know if it was my determination or not but suddenly, it did. I was one of the first to go, I couldn't sit back and hope he'd find his own way back but I never found the right one."
"Then how do you know that?"
"He would stand out, well that was the theory, his lifesigns would be different, not detectable by anyone where he is though, he would have just blended in and kept out of trouble, hopefully."
Rose almost said the chance would be a fine thing, the Doctor staying out of trouble but that was the story Pete and Jake had agreed on, if she had to explain why she missed him. Alec had almost believed her but he let it go for now. Rose got up, holding her hand out to him and they went back inside, Rose going to make a drink.
After their drinks they laid on the sofa until just after ten, Rose already hanging his clean shirt up for him and stuffing the contents of one drawer into another, placed his t-shirt, some clean shorts and socks in it.
"Do you want the bathroom first, I tend to take my time."
"In that case, I had better go. Where did you put my things?"
"In my bedroom, still in your holdall, I didn't want to take them out."
"It's fine Rose, I have nothing to hide from you."
Rose was just turning down the bedclothes when he came into the bedroom. She kissed his cheek then left him to get into bed. While she was gone, Alec went to get his t-shirt after he'd asked which was his drawer, assuming even though she'd got his shirt off earlier, she may object to him taking liberties and waiting in her bed without it. If she wanted to take it off though, he wouldn't object, since he was way past having some fun in that department.
Rose was faster than usual, she'd taken a nightdress in with her, not sure she should be getting undressed in front of him though he may not object, since she'd almost come out of her bra earlier and she had been laid on his chest. She knew she had to be careful with him, he was so close to getting something done about his heart, she didn't want him collapsing but she had some idea what to do, due to her Torchwood health and safety training and basic first-aid.
She hoped she wouldn't have to though, he'd seemed well enough early, getting very close to taking her bra off and having her move around so it might as well have been but it had felt good and now, wearing just a flimsy nightdress with only her skimpy red matching knickers, he wouldn't wonder if he should have just unfastened it or not. Her nerve was running out though as she closed the bathroom door after her, the bedroom door open and the bedside lamp on.
Alec had got into bed, propped up on the pillows, his hands behind his head, he was also getting nervous. It was one thing to ask the hotel owner, Becca Fisher to relax with him and another to have someone like Rose Tyler inviting him back for a sleepover. What would she expect of him? She knew he couldn't do much but maybe he should make the effort and find out exactly how far he could go instead of holding back and thinking he couldn't do anything at all. Even if it was the last thing he ever did, he was going to attempt to have sex with her.