"Please Mum, don't try and put him off. I've never found anyone I actually want to have my name linked to for a long time."
Jackie knew that, she had been trying to get Rose to go out properly since their arrival in this world.
Rose was back downstairs just before seven, having wrapped all her presents, bringing them downstairs and writing a card for Alec. She had been standing at her window, watching for Alec's bedroom curtains to open when she saw the light going on. At least he was getting ready by the look of it. She just hoped he wouldn't take any notice of what her mother had said.
Pete had managed to get a spare key from the rental agency and Rose took it with her just in case Alec wouldn't come back with her later. They walked across to the pub and Alec ordered drinks while they waited for their table. Rose didn't know what to say, so she apologised for her mother.
"I'm really sorry about earlier Alec, it's just she's so used to seeing my name everywhere I think she finds it hard to believe I'm actually going out on a date with someone."
Alec smiled and took her hand over the table. He'd had worse from his ex mother-in-law.
"Don't worry about it Rose. She was just concerned about you and I know she doesn't like seeing you in the papers all the time. Like I said, I know you're here if they say you've been seen out in London with a nobody. Forget about it because you're out with me on Christmas Eve and this time last year, I was on my own feeling sorry for myself. Now your family have offered to let me spend Christmas with them. I'd like it if you came with me on Boxing Day, to meet my friend Ellie Miller. Would you come with me?"
Rose smiled.
"Yeah, ok, I'm sure I can slip away if you want to show me off to her."
Alec blushed slightly. He supposed he was trying to prove to Miller he could get himself a girlfriend if he really tried. He went back to eating his meal.
Rose smiled, she knew she had got him on that point. When they finished their meal and went to finish their drinks in a small corner of the pub, Alec put his arm around the back of the seat and took her hand.
"I didn't intend to make the visit to see my friend into a case of showing you off you know."
Rose squeezed his hand.
"I was only teasing Alec. I was getting you back for earlier when you said you could probably still pick a woman up if you tried. You can still do it, I'm out with you, aren't I? Or do you think I'm just trying to get myself in the papers for real this time?"
Alec dropped her hand.
"Rose, I think nothing of the kind, I'm rather hurt by that remark."
Rose couldn't tell if he was serious or not. She picked up her drink to finish it.
"Shall we go have a drink with my parents or are you just going to walk me home?"
Alec finished his drink, he was still on non-alcoholic apart from the odd occasion and he was saving that.
"Yes, I'll still come and have that drink like I promised and you promised to come back and have a drink with me." He saw the look of doubt on her face. "Come on Rose, I was just teasing you back."
Rose nudged him with her elbow.
"Ow! What was that for?"
"For making me think you were serious. It's not funny Alec, don't you think I get tired of it all? As fast as Pete gets his legal team onto dis-associating my name from some pretender, another pops up linked to my name. We've tried all sorts of stuff."
"Well maybe you should really think about giving them something to talk about?"
"I would but every time I get remotely interested in someone, my name crops up with last years winner of dancing on ice or something equally gross."
Alec burst out laughing. Hell, if he was going to want to continue to see her while she was here, he knew what he was letting himself in for at least and knew what he was up against. He wasn't going into this blind.
"What's so funny?" Rose asked as he helped her on with her coat.
"Well just maybe being linked with the winner of the worst cop in Britain award may keep them busy for a while."
They were laughing about it all the way back to where Rose was staying, passing by Alec's house.
"Are you sure you don't just want to come in now?" he asked.
"You promised. Come on, just one drink and non of that stuff you were drinking in the pub dad will insist."
"I know but I still can't drink that much, I have to be careful even now."
"Well as long as you have one, he won't complain but watch out for my mother, she might keep trying to fill your glass so keep it fairly full. She didn't mean to be rude earlier but it bothers her."
"Stop apologising Rose, it's fine, really. I know what I'm getting myself into, I've dealt with the press. So do you think I'm the worse cop in Britain and do you still want to be seen with me?"
They had reached the side of the pink cottage and Rose stopped on the wooden walkway outside the house.
"Yes Alec, I still want to be seen with you. At least you are somebody, not like those waste of space hopefuls."
"Well I'm glad we've decided I'm not a waste of space."
Rose looked at him. "You could never be that Alec."
She leaned into him and kissed him.
Then she took his hand and said, "One drink, then I promise we'll go back to your place."
She let them in, making a noise just in case they were interrupting something but Pete and Jackie were dancing to a lively tune, Jackie telling them to take their coats off and join in.
Alec was at a bit of a loss, he wasn't used to dancing but he made the best of it just as the pace slowed a bit and he could keep up. Rose poured two drinks and whispered that he should remember what she had said. It was almost eleven before they managed to get away, Jackie putting a piece of Christmas cake on Alec's plate and insisting he didn't leave until he had finished it and bringing some tea in since eating the cake with a glass of wine didn't go down very well.
Rose went to get her coat and handed Alec his.
"I'm just going round to Alec's for a while. I won't stay out late and I'll be up when Tony wants to open his presents in the morning. Alec got something for Tony so he'll bring it around tomorrow."
Jackie had still not apologised to Alec for earlier and Rose wasn't going to let her get away with it but not now, she was keen to sample some more of Alec's snogging skills. She didn't have to say anything though as Rose was about to open the door.
"Alec, I'm sorry for what I said earlier, I didn't mean it. It's just Rose has her name linked to men all the time and none of it is true, that's the life she leads now. It usually puts men off."
"Well Mrs Tyler, I can assure you it's not putting me off. We may well just have to set the record straight. Goodnight, I'll see you for Christmas dinner tomorrow, I'm looking forward to it."
Jackie could tell this man was different.
"Oh come here, call me Jackie." She put her arms around his neck and kissed his cheek. "You're more than welcome tomorrow. Just make sure you treat her right."
"I will Jackie, thanks."
She gave Rose one of her 'Don't you stay out all night looks' but she knew Rose wouldn't take any notice. Rose seemed happier this Christmas than she had done since being here and certainly since the Doctor spent that one Christmas with them. It was just a shame that Alec happened to remind Rose of him.
Alec let them into his rented house, glad to be finally alone with her and took her coat then opened a bottle of wine he had bought just for the purpose since he knew he'd invited her around for a drink. He'd bought white wine and a bottle of lemonade since that was what she had been drinking the night before, being careful not to put too much lemonade in hers and plenty in his, not that he was planning on taking advantage of her. Well not tonight anyway, he would see how things went if she wanted to spend some time with him the following night. He put some music on, one of the few CD's he'd picked up though he didn't know why and selected a slow song and asked Rose to dance.
It turned out to be more of a smooch as they got closer, Alec leaning into her neck, breathing in her perfume and her shampoo. "
You smell really nice, just like real roses," he whispered.
Rose smiled and thought if anyone else had said it she would have slapped them.
"Thanks Alec. I really shouldn't stay too late, Tony is always downstairs before eight and he waits for us all. Why don't you come around early and join in. I got you a present and mum did too."
"You didn't have to Rose, really. I was quite happy to get a present for Tony and I got one for you as well. I didn't forget your mum and dad either, hope your dad likes scotch."
Rose smiled as she leaned into his shoulder, moving slowly to the music.
"I was on my own last year, no-one to bother about. I managed to drop a present off for my daughter but that was it."
"So you were going to visit your friend so you wouldn't be alone?"
They had stopped dancing and were just standing, Rose with her arms around his waist and halfway up his back.
"That was my second idea. My first was going to try to see my daughter, Daisy."
It was the first time he had really mentioned her.
Rose looked up at him and they kissed again, more deeply than the few stolen kisses they had shared outside and Rose melted into him. She tried to pull away but he took the opportunity to seek her tongue with his own and she could feel her own tip of her tongue grazing his. When they finally parted, Alec led her to the sofa and lay her back against the cushions, stopping to take his shoes off and taking hers off.
Before either of them knew it, they were back kissing again, Rose up against the back of the sofa, Alec stretched out beside her, pulling the zip of her dress down and Rose taking off his tie and unbuttoning his shirt. He pulled the dress away from her shoulders, revealing her black lacy bra and moved to kiss along the top of it. Rose fumbled to unfasten his shirt cuffs and rolled the shirt off his shoulders and Alec wriggled around to get under her, trying not to fall off the sofa while throwing his white shirt over the back. Then, pulling her dress down so it was around her waist, he unfastened the strap of her bra, pulling it away until he could feel her skin on his chest.
Rose let out a muffled sigh as they touched skin to skin, Alec trying the get under the hem of her dress to reach her underwear and pulling the dress up so it was all around her middle and now off her shoulders. Rose was just glad the material wasn't the sort that creased easily or she would have some explaining to do when she got back. Once Alec had pulled the dress up, he gently ran his hand on her inner thigh, his thumb grazing under the thin material of her underwear.
Rose could feel the pressure building up, it had been years since she had let a man touch her in this manner and even then it had been hurried and clumsy and Alec seemed like he wanted to take his time. So did she. If this was going to be a holiday romance, she wanted it to be one she could remember. She flinched as his finger joined his thumb at the top of her leg, right where she was most vulnerable and began to kiss his chest, running her fingers through the smattering of hair.
"Alec, please, go further?" she whispered.
She had longed to be touched again but properly, not by a boy or someone immature but by someone just like Alec.
He whispered her name as she felt his fingers graze along the top of her thigh and moved her underwear out of the way. Before too long, Rose was getting lost in his delicate touch, he had somehow managed to get her underneath him and Rose knew she was about to explode into a thousand pieces if he kept this up.
"Rose, let me take you to the bedroom?"
Rose managed to nod but didn't think she would get that far but he moved slightly and she allowed him to pull her off the sofa, gathering their clothes and getting upstairs to Alec's bedroom as fast as they could. Alec closed the bedroom door and Rose let her dress drop to the floor as he pushed her towards the bed.
She could feel the heat searing through her, all that time she had held back, trying to get on with her new life. She fumbled at his trousers, both of them tugging them down, leaving him with his boxer shorts, then Alec fumbling with the waistband of her lacy underwear until they both could resist no longer and Rose moved as he lay on her.
They both came apart at each other's touch, Rose releasing all her pent up emotions and Alec not having been with a woman since before his nasty divorce, Rose felt something give, something she had never felt before, a new sensation as she gave her all to the man she was with. Both gasping for breath, Rose was still lost in the sensations she had felt. At some point she thought Alec had mentioned 'protection' and she had managed to reply it was okay. She might not have a boyfriend but she was sensible enough to take precautions.
As they both lay together afterwards, Rose still trembling from what had happened to her, Alec's arms were around her and he was nestling his head in her neck.
"Rose, are you okay?"
Rose nodded. She managed to move her head and looked at him, smiling.
"Alec, that was amazing. I've never felt like that before, I thought I was going to explode."
He knew what she meant, he had exploded, he'd been on his own far too long. He realised why she was still trembling.
"Rose, that was your first time, wasn't it?"
Rose was surprised he knew.
"Yeah, I've never met anyone like you before. I didn't know what was happening to me but it was good."
It still did feel good as the sensations lingered.
Alec smiled.
"You should have said, we could have taken this slowly."
"I guess I got carried away by it all, I've not even been with a man for a long time then it was nothing like this. I mean I used to have a boyfriend but it was nothing serious, I was only nineteen and he was older but he wasn't ready for that sort of commitment so I left him, before my mum remarried. Then I met someone else but we were just friends, I wasn't ready for anything more."
It was part true, she knew the Doctor could never make that sort of commitment as much as she had loved him.
"Well I haven't been with a woman since my illness, mainly because I didn't think I was able. I guess we both needed it. Are you going home?"
Rose moved to look at him.
"Do you want me to?"
Alec just tightened his arms around her.
"You'll have to get away first. I have to make sure you don't forget me this time."
Rose eventually fell asleep, curled up in Alec's arms after getting up to get cleaned up and putting their underwear back on. Rose felt happy as she drifted off and all the loneliness of the time she had spent was finally gone. Alec had set his alarm and when they woke up on Christmas morning, they kissed for a while and got dressed. Alec gathered the presents he had wrapped up and they were back in the Tyler cottage just before eight, Rose saying her mother would be making breakfast. Sure enough, they were greeted by the smell of cooking coming from the kitchen as Rose hung up her coat by the door.
Jackie knew Rose hadn't been home. She had knocked on her door and her room was empty. Well at least she hadn't let Alec stay over, goodness knew what Tony would be like if he had caught them together, he'd been bad enough going to bed saying Rose and Alec had been getting all kissy and soppy while they had been out and had been pulling faces and pretending to kiss.
"Well you two, at least you got back in time, Tony will be down any minute, your dad's keeping him amused while I make breakfast. Have you two eaten?"
Rose shook her head and looked at the food and trying to take some toast got her hand slapped.
"Go call your dad and Tony. Oh Alec, put those under the tree will you? You really shouldn't have bothered."
"Well you were good enough to invite me, it would have been remiss of me not to say thank you properly."
"Come on. I'll show you which are Tony's." Rose said.
Pointing him in the right direction, Rose kissed his cheek and said she was going to get changed so Alec sat on the sofa. Tony was soon down, throwing wrapping paper all over the floor and Rose emerged in a pale blue sweater and black trousers. Alec retrieved the present he had got for her and they exchanged gifts.
After spending the morning playing partly with Tony's new police car and a game he had got, they all sat down for dinner, Alec really feeling like he belonged to a family again. Rose and Alec helped to clear up then they went back to Alec's house after Tony went to bed, Rose going to get a few things for the morning. Jackie supposed they weren't going to be seeing much of Rose for the remainder of the holidays.
When they got to his house, he poured them some drinks and they lay on the sofa kissing and removing some of their clothing like her sweater and Alec's shirt and Rose spotted the scar from his operation, being careful to avoid it but he said it didn't really hurt. The next day, Alec made them some breakfast and they drove down to Weymouth to see Ellie and the boys, Ellie greeting Rose and asking how she put up with him.
"Seriously Rose, he used to be a real pain before he had his operation, I don't know how I ever worked with him," Ellie laughed over Boxing Day dinner.
"Yeah, mum used to come home in a right mood after work," Tom laughed.
Alec was squirming, remembering what he used to be like when he was ill.
"Well I did something about it, didn't I?" he asked, trying not to call her Miller in front of everyone.
"Oh, only after you collapsed on me during a chase and almost died on me, then he had the nerve to check himself out of hospital."
She was going to say "And then caught the killer" but everyone remained silent, no words were needed. Rose had read the story, she didn't need it re-telling. After saying goodbye, Ellie asking Rose if she was going to stick around after she told her she was only there on holiday, Rose saying she didn't know yet, they drove back to Broadchurch and it was Alec's turn to ask her.
"Now Miller brought the subject up, what's going to happen Rose? Is this just a holiday romance for you?"
Rose felt offended he could think such a thing.
"You don't get it do you Alec? I'm tired of having my name all over the place in media invented relationships that are non-existent. Can't you accept that? I wasn't looking for a holiday romance but I found you, you're much more than that but you know the kind of life I lead, always in the limelight. You told me before you knew what you were getting in to. Do you still want that?"
Alec remained silent. Yes he did know and he had been in the papers and knew they never left you alone and if he got involved with her, his name would be in the press alongside hers but this time, it would be a good thing and it would be true but was she doing this because she was tired of all the rumours or was she genuinely interested in him? He guessed there was only one way to find out.
"Yes Rose, I know what I'm getting myself in to and I still want to keep on seeing you until you have to go but I'm asking you now Rose, think about maybe staying?"
"I go back on the 2nd of January Alec, we have plenty of time to talk about it. Do you have to go back to work tomorrow?"
Unfortunately he did.
"Yes but I only work six hours a day, that's all I'm allowed, I finish at four. I have the weekend off though, we could go somewhere if you like?"
"Yeah, that would be nice."
They drove the rest of the way back in silence, except for Rose singing to some songs on the car radio.
So the following day, Alec went back to work and Rose was taking her brother to the sports centre to go swimming but was back when Alec returned home and they went down to Poole for the weekend. On the Saturday night, after they had made love again, Alec asked if she had decided to stay.
"I don't know Alec, it's a big decision to make. I'll let you know, on New Years Eve. Just give me some time to think about it."
"Alright, that's all I ask Rose. I know it's not an easy decision to make and I don't expect an answer right away."
"I have to persuade my dad I can work from anywhere and there are things we need to talk about if you want me to stay and if you still do after I've told you, then I will."
"Anything Rose, I don't want us to have any secrets from each other unless you tell me you're from another planet of something."
He didn't realise just how close he had come.
"Not exactly but I'll tell you before I leave."
"You mean you've already made your mind up you're leaving?" he asked disappointedly.
"No, I've not made up my mind but if I do stay, I will have to go get the rest of my things."
"Well if you decide to stay, do you have to go back with your family? I mean I could take you back up on Saturday, you have enough things with you for now. I don't know if I can let you go."
He leaned closer and settled his head in the side of her neck. "Please Rose, please think about it."
"I will Alec I promise but what I have to tell you may not be easy for you to accept."
NEW YEARS EVE
They had decided to go out for a drink then celebrate the new year with Jackie and Pete. Rose had told her dad she was considering staying and they agreed she could more or less work from anywhere and Jake would set up a secure connection between her laptop and Torchwood when she got back, if she decided not to go back with them. Explaining it to Tony had not been easy but before he went to bed that night, Alec sat the boy down and tried to explain that Rose was going to live with him.
"Tony, I'm not trying to take your sister away from you. Rose is just going to stay with me for a while and we'll see you on Saturday then we'll see you all the time, we're not far away and you can come down and see us when we get a new house. When we get settled you come down, I'll see if I can get you a ride in a real police car, how's that?"
The boy nodded and clung hold of Alec. Rose sat watching them, smiling. If it hadn't been for Tony, they never would have met. Now it was crunch time - to tell Alec the truth about where she came from so Pete wanted to explain it to him, thinking it might be better coming from him but Rose insisted she should tell him. They walked back round to Alec's house, Rose had not yet brought all her things round, just in case things didn't work out as she planned.
"Alec, you know you joked about me being from another planet?"
Alec's eyes widened.
"That was just a joke Rose, wasn't it? I mean I know there are other worlds out there but surely none of them support human life. I know there are unexplained things going on all the time, I know about Torchwood, we were all briefed about it but it got disbanded after the Cyberman attack and they all escaped but did they get far? Some say they are still here or they were all destroyed?"
"No, they got away Alec, all of them but they were sort of destroyed. They're trapped between dimensions, what's known as The Void, the space in-between worlds and Torchwood still exists."
"And how would you know that unless ?"
He stopped in realization at what she was telling him.
"Oh, you had something to do with it? But that was years ago Rose, when they first took over then three years later when they reportedly all disappeared and how old are you? You must have been very young but how were you even involved in it?"
"Because when they disappeared from here, they tried to invade my world. Pete came to warn us and between us, we stopped them."
Rose then told him about her first visit, getting here by accident though avoiding the words 'Time-Travel and Tardis' and Alec listened as she told him how they fought the metal menaces, resulting in her and her mother getting here, being brought to safety and how someone stayed behind to seal the gap.
Alec considered himself an intelligent man and so he listened to what Rose had to say. No wonder she had gone to great lengths to avoid publicity but he knew he was already falling in love with her and it didn't matter that she was from a parallel world, she was as real as he was.
After she had finished, Rose got up from the sofa and paced the room, deciding if she should go get her things she had left from Alec's bedroom. Alec never said a word, he just watched her face and knew she had been in turmoil telling him all this.
"So you actually work for Torchwood, Pete is the head and you're his assistant? I suppose you just tell the cover story to unsuspecting police detectives you meet that you think you can't trust with the truth?"
"Alec, that's not it and you know that. I'm telling you now because you asked me to stay and if I stay, I'm through hiding who I am. Dad's willing to let me work from here, either from the house or I can rent a small office somewhere, it doesn't matter and he doesn't let me just tell anyone. I didn't say anything because it wouldn't have mattered if you hadn't asked me to stay. Now if you believe me, ask me again."
It was Alec's turn to pace the room. He didn't know what to make of it. She was being honest with him at least and he knew there was something more to her, why they were going to great lengths to protect her. No wonder if anyone got hold of the fact she was from another world, she would get locked up, even Torchwood couldn't protect her from that and he could see her point of not trusting even him up to now.
All he knew was that he was falling deeply for her and wanted her in his life. So he asked her. He walked up to her and held his arms out.
"Come here Rose. It's okay, I understand why you couldn't even trust me before. I know you have to protect yourself until you're sure about someone. Are you sure about me?"
Rose nodded and clung to him.
"I wouldn't have told you otherwise, would I?"
"I suppose not." He held her away from him and looked into her hazel eyes. "Then Rose Tyler, will you stay with me?"
"Yes, Alec, I'll stay with you."
"You've no more secrets you want to tell me have you? Just making sure."
He smiled and held her close again. When she didn't answer, he assumed that was it but Rose knew she had to keep just one thing from him - how he resembled the man she had left behind and when the time came for him to meet Mickey and Jake, they would have to keep her secret too.
"Then Rose Tyler, I have one thing to tell you the truth about Sandbrook that wasn't in the newspapers."
When they went to bed in the early hours of the new year, everything was out of the way, Alec believing there were no more secrets between them. Rose mentioned the name of the man who had stayed behind, a Dr John Smith who had been a good friend but nothing romantic, which was true, although Rose had loved him dearly, the real reason why up until Alec, she had never dated anyone since being here.
MAY five months after meeting
Rose was going home for her birthday, she and Alec were going up for a long weekend. They had found a house, on the cliff facing the sea, Rose had fallen in love with the house, their bedroom facing the sea which Alec never complained about and Pete had bought them the house, mainly because Rose had made her mind up she was staying and it had space for an office which she shared reluctantly with Alec. Alec had his furniture and other belongings sent down and they got settled in. They had celebrated Alec's birthday by going to Torquay for the weekend though Alec said why Rose wanted to go there when they lived by the sea, he didn't know but had gone along with it.
When it came to the night of Rose's birthday party, Alec took the floor and announced he wanted to make an honest woman out of her and asked her to make their relationship official. Rose had accepted although it had been a complete surprise.
Pete had just proposed a toast to the birthday girl when Alec decided now was the time.
"Rose, you don't know how happy you made me when I met you but now, I'd like to make it official by asking if you'll marry me."
Rose threw her hands to her face as he got a ring box out of his pocket and placed the single diamond ring on her finger.
Jackie was over the moon, already planning a big wedding and asked when it was going to be, Alec looking at Rose, who was beaming.
Alec was the one to answer Jackie's question.
"Oh I think maybe Christmas Eve, the night we had our first date last Christmas in Broadchurch."
The End!
