When Alec left the shop, neither of them knew exactly what had transpired. He stood on the corner of the street, debating whether to walk up the hill back home or take the longer flatter way. He had recovered sufficiently from his operation, was even starting to take some exercise but he hated that hill, it seemed to get steeper every day and was just there to annoy him. He always got a lift home from the Station from one of the Officers. He still didn't have his own car yet. Didn't really need one he supposed, he didn't really go anywhere.
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Rose locked the shop, gathered her things and left to walk to her car. She had just got to the corner when she saw Alec standing there. She debated whether to stop or not as she was waiting to turn. She let down the passenger window and he turned as she called his name.
"Need a lift Detective Inspector?" she asked.
Alec just stared at her, opened the door and got in without answering. "I'll take that as a yes then," she continued. She waited for him to put his seatbelt on and drove off. The journey was completed in silence until she pulled up outside her house to let him out. She wasn't sure whether to say anything or not but as Alec opened the door, he managed a faint 'Thank You' as he walked off. "Charming," thought Rose as she got out and locked her door. "Accepts a lift then doesn't want to be seen with me, I can see this is going to be difficult."
Jake was waiting for her when she got inside. He'd seen her from the window.
"Are you getting friendly with the neighbours then?'' he laughed but then suddenly realised who it was. "Rose, I don't believe you did that, giving him a lift," he continued. "Does he live in this street then?"
"Yes, he lives next door. So I offered him a lift. What's wrong with that?" she asked innocently.
"Oh, you know, just that he comes in the shop and freaks you out then you give him a lift in your car. What were you thinking Rose? I told you all about him and you never even let it bother you."
"He came in the shop just before I closed, to apologise Jake."
"So you just asked him if he wanted a lift home then?" Jake was getting annoyed now. He didn't want her getting involved with anyone yet, especially him.
"No, he was standing on the street corner when I was leaving. It seemed only polite to ask him since I was coming this way. He told me he lived in this street."
"And why would he tell you that Rose? What were you talking about in the shop?"
"Just that he'd seen us sitting at the window the other night when he was walking past. He thinks you're my boyfriend and I didn't correct him," she smiled. "I accidentally let out your name though."
"Thanks a bunch Rose, just what I needed."
They ate their dinner in silence, Rose seemed further away than normal but Jake was used to it. Jake was thinking that perhaps the attention from the Police Detective wasn't such a bad thing after all, it would give him the reason he was looking for to leave. So he told her he'd decided to go back to London the following day. Rose was disappointed.
"I thought you'd be staying longer, what if I need you?"
"But you don't Rose, you're getting on and it seems you've made a new friend in the local Police department in the process."
"Jake, I just met him," she blushed but knew he had hit a raw nerve. "I don't want you to go just because of that Jake, I didn't mean to let out your name or let him think you were my boyfriend."
"I'm not, I miss home and I can't stay forever. I'm sure the Inspector will keep a close eye on you when I'm out of the way," he chuckled. "You didn't exactly discourage him even though he thought I was your boyfriend and he wasn't exactly discouraged by the thought of you having one either. I'm not blind Rose."
Rose blushed again "Don't know what you mean Jake," was all she managed but she knew what he meant and was worried he may be right. She hadn't done anything to discourage him but there again, she wasn't ready to admit it. Maybe she should tell Alec that Jake wasn't her boyfriend but he was the Detective, let him work it out.
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Alec let himself in and couldn't put his finger on what was bothering him. What was he doing? He had found himself intrigued by this blonde young woman who had a boyfriend (possibly) and now he was accepting lifts from her and not even thanked her properly. He may have done that when he first arrived in Broadchurch but he'd changed, Ellie had said for the better. He wasn't being called DI Grumpy anymore or at least he never heard anyone now. How was she making him think about her? He'd gone to apologise to her and now felt even more puzzled as to her behaviour. Did she have a boyfriend or not? He was no nearer the answer. He tried not to dwell on it but wasn't having much luck. By the time he'd eaten he decided to do a bit of homework on Miss Rose Tyler but would have to wait until Monday.
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Jake had decided to go home early Sunday morning after assuring Rose his decision was nothing to do with her befriending a certain Police Detective to which she protested she had not 'befriended' him. He made an early start to catch the train, having come down with Rose and Pete so he'd no car. He phoned for a taxi and as it arrived, he noticed the Inspector passing the house in what looked like running gear. He'd said goodbye to Rose inside and got into the taxi, leaving her at the door.
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Rose was rather gutted her friend was leaving but if she was going to make a go of this she had to get used to being on her own. Jake was only a phone call away if she needed him back. Just as Jake's taxi was just pulling away, she saw the Inspector passing by in what she was thinking he looked kind of cute in. Wanting to make up for not being able to offer him a drink the day before, she quickly covered the short distance of the drive and called after him.
She invited him for coffee and he agreed. She needed cheering up and the Inspector was after all the only person she had sort of made friends with since she'd been there. She hadn't met her other neighbour yet but had seen a woman going out with two boys sometimes, one of them only looked a few years old. She went back inside and put the kettle on and waited for her visitor. Her first one, she thought.
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Alec had decided to get up early and go for a run on the cliff top path to make room for the rather big Sunday lunch Ellie usually made. He set off as normal and on his way back he passed Rose's house. The blonde man had just come out of the door as a taxi pulled up, the man had a couple of bags and a shoulder bag and Rose was standing silently at the door. Alec turned into his small driveway and as he did, the taxi pulled off, neither Rose nor the man had spoken to each other, not even a goodbye. Had they said their farewells inside? Had they fallen out? Just as he was out of sight of Rose's house he heard a voice behind him.
"Inspector?"
He spun round and Rose was standing there. "Miss Tyler," he replied, they were back to playing the name game again, something he was beginning to enjoy.
"I was wondering?" she stopped, then continued. "If you're not busy, would you like a coffee or something to make up for not offering you one yesterday?"
"Crikey," thought Alec, "the man's just left and she's inviting me in for coffee. She doesn't waste any time." "Miss Tyler, give me 10 minutes while I get changed," he said. He was in his running gear, shorts and a yellow running vest and he could see Rose was eyeing him. "She really doesn't waste any time."
Rose was indeed eyeing him, thinking he looked really cute in his running gear and she'd obviously caught him off guard. "Great, see you then" and she turned round and went back inside. Then to herself she thought how she wished he would have come round without getting changed first but she was getting just a bit ahead of herself.
Ten minutes later, there was a knock at the kitchen door. Alec didn't want to be seen knocking on the front door with someone just leaving. What would people think? Did he really care what they were thinking? Possibly not and after all, she had offered him a drink yesterday despite not having anything in the shop.
Rose opened the door and greeted him with "Inspector" and let him in.
"Please, either call me Alec or don't use a name at all. I hate being called Alec but I hate being called Inspector even more."
"Right then, until I think of a suitable name, Alec it is. Unless of course I have reason to get annoyed with you, then it's back to Inspector again. Those are the rules," she laughed.
"Right," thought Alec, "we'll see who wins this game." He nodded and said "OK, your rules – for now until the game changes that is."
"Oh, we're playing games are we?" she teased him.
Alec gave up, he was getting nowhere.
She made coffee and they sat at the kitchen counter. She wasn't letting him in her living room just yet, not while she'd sized him up. Neither of them were letting on about the man who had just left. Alec didn't want to push the subject and Rose didn't want to give any information. They drank in relative silence, Alec asking only more general questions about the shop and how she was settling in. Rose was determined not to give him too much information about herself but deep down inside, she knew this man was starting to get to her and there was nothing she could do to stop it.
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After he finished his drink, he made his excuses and left. He needed time to think about Miss Tyler and was still puzzled as to why she'd asked him round. They kept meeting only for brief periods of time and had hardly spoken more than a dozen sentences and yet there she was, inviting him for coffee and like a fool, he kept leaving even though he had wanted to find out about her status, he never hung around long enough to ask her. That was it, he was going to get Miss Rose Tyler out of his head one way or another – at least until he could get some information on her. He didn't say anything to Ellie when he went round to her house later. Rose Tyler was indeed starting to get to him.
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After Alec left her house, she was left wondering why he kept leaving in rather a hurry. Was he uncomfortable around her or just with women? He'd not said a word when she had given him a lift home the day before so when she'd seen him pass by as Jake was leaving, she thought she would try to find out why. She got no nearer finding out as he made his excuses yet again and left. Was there something wrong with her or with him? Maybe he was married or had a girlfriend and was just trying to be a friendly neighbour. Then again, if he had a girlfriend, why was he prepared to come into her house and have coffee? "He's a strange one," she thought to herself "and just as bad as the Doctor when it comes to women – clueless."
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Regretting now he'd never got round to having the internet at home, he got to work early the following day. He began his search by typing her name. Nothing. He tried again, this time all he got was a link which when he clicked on it got 'Classified' and the name 'Torchwood'
"What the….?" he said out loud just as Ellie opened the door to which he snapped down the lid on his laptop.
"You talking to yourself – Sir?" she said sharply, remembering they were on duty.
"Nothing, just thinking out loud."
Ellie told him why she was there and then went out to do some detective work. Alec returned to what he'd been doing. He couldn't get past this Torchwood. So that was that, was it? It made him more determined than ever, to find out just who she was. He decided to take the direct approach after all and picked up his jacket to go pay her a visit. He stood outside her shop, seeing she had customers. He didn't want it to look like an official visit. He waited until they'd left and went in.
"Detective Inspector Hardy, how nice to see you again."
He could tell she was being sarcastic. "Miss Tyler," he nodded.
"And what can I do for you this time, need another lift home or a cup of coffee?" she teased.
Little did Alec know that when he'd done a search for her, Torchwood had been alerted as to where the enquiry had come from and Rose had been told. She was a bit annoyed he'd had the cheek to look her up but Jake had done it to him and she knew all about Alec Hardy and but wasn't going to let on. It seemed unfair in a way, to have an advantage. It was only right to answer some of his questions should he ask them but she wasn't going to make it easy.
Alec couldn't just come out with all the questions he had. He'd said nothing the day before when he'd been in her house. That would alert her to the fact he'd been checking up on her when he'd already told her he wasn't investigating her. He'd have to tip-toe around and try a more subtle approach.
"Miss Tyler, will you answer something for me?" He stopped, thought, and then continued. "I admit I was playing detective on Saturday and I know you're not married. This Jake you mentioned was he the one who I saw leaving yesterday and would that he be your brother, cousin or your boyfriend?"
"Straight to the point, Inspector," said Rose, although she was enjoying this, this teasing and Alec knew she was either playing or getting annoyed. "For what reason do you ask, I thought you weren't investigating me? You never mentioned anything yesterday when we were having coffee."
They were back to formal names again. She was playing games with him and he knew it. Right, she wanted straight to the point and that's what she'd get. "Miss Tyler, the reason I'm asking you is because I would like to invite you out to dinner and wanted to know whether you would be coming alone?" Now he wondered where this was taking him.
He hadn't planned it, it just came out, his curiosity was getting more than the better of him and it took him by surprise when she accepted and told him she would be alone. Maybe he actually stood a chance of getting information out her or was she still just teasing him?