A/N: Aha. You know what, maybe I want to continue this. Okay, bye bye. I just want Alec and Ellie to happen please. I'll just keep it under complete because I think it can stand on its own.
Disclaimer: There we go.
The town was quiet and Alec actually appreciated the peace and calm as he parked his car in front of the coffee house he had his lunch the day before. Stepping out of his car, he observed himself at the reflection of his car window.
Bloody hell.
He touched his couldn't remember the last time he actually looked so kempt. His face was clean shaven, his hair was neatly combed back, a brown leather jacket over a black t-shirt. He could barely recognize himself.
Alec sighed again. Locked his car and walked in.
He headed straight for the corner by the window and Daniel quickly approached him with a friendly smile and a glass of warm water, "Nice to see you again, sir."
"Thank you, lad." Alec actually appreciated the water, cursing himself for not getting any at the gas station earlier on.
"How's Gracestone so far, sir?"
"Hmm," Alec groaned, his accent thickened, "'Tis fine. A bit too small a town for too many people. But 'tis alright."
"Yeah? Sorry 'bout that but last month a family of three just moved in and brought up the stats." Daniel couldn't help but to smirk at how Alec winced when he mentioned it, "Anyway, tea for you, sir?"
"Caesar salad, please. And an Earl Grey."
"Alright. Be right back."
Alec sighed as the waiter walked away. He rubbed his temples, still adjusting himself to the time of day. He fished out his phone out of his jacket pocket, his initial intention was to call Daisy and apologise for the calls he never returned. Hell, he just wanted to let himself rest but he himself couldn't justify why he purposely missed her calls.
But now, with what had happened the night before, he realised maybe it's time to repair the ties that he head with people who meant everything to him. He realised Daisy had always been the reason why he strive to live every day other than to make right to the Gillespies. Of all, the previous night made him realise how much he had missed having people in his life so much.
Daisy may have been so distant from him since he took the blame for Tess and he had yet to assure himself that he could ever repair the ties with her knowing that she still thinks he was the marriage wrecker. Maybe that's why he never felt the need to get back to her although he still wants her to be spoiled by himself but he wanted his daughter as much.
Then, there's Ellie Miller.
The thought of her made his chest felt heavy.
Ellie Miller.
The only person he had when he had nothing. The only person who stuck by him despite all the shit he threw at her. The only person who stood by him through an almost dead-end case that he dragged her into. The only person who sat beside him when he was dying.
Alec would never admit it out loud but he had cared for Ellie more than he had cared for anyone else when things changed in her life. When the whole town turned their backs to her, he realised it wasn't him that she needed.
He realised that it was he himself who needed her.
When things went down in Sandbrook, he had nothing and no one to hold onto. He was merely drowning in the accusations, the betrayal and the lies. But in Broadchurch, Ellie had been truthful and loyal despite getting on his nerves every 5 minutes. Technically, she was the one taking care of him even way before her world fell apart.
Over time, he had become dependent on her when she wouldn't let him finish the Sandbrook case alone, when she was still willing to drive him around, when she became the first person to be by his side after his surgery. He knew that one way or another; she would never want him to be alone.
Alec smiled to himself, remembering her rejection at his offer of a comforting hug.
And then he sighed again, after comparing his life when he had Ellie's company then.
"Sir? Your salad." Daniel placed the food in front of him.
"Thanks."
He quietly poked into his salad and eat it He had been so used to the diet he actually began to love the food. As he ate silently and watched the town through the window, his mind began to claim peace and undo all his thinking he thought about.
Alec had had a lot of peace of late, having spent his time with only himself for a company. He chewed on the greens quietly when suddenly someone came through the door and made him glance.
Shit.
Alec quickly looked away out the window, trying to pretend he never saw anything, hoping that person didn't notice him.
Plan A failed horribly.
The lady walked straight right up to his table, "Hey. How was your first night in Gracestone?"
Alec winced before he turned to face her with an attempt to smile.
Thank goodness there wasn't any bright orange jacket on her.
She offered a hand, "I'm Ellie."
Oh, she's wearing a suit.
Alec took her hand, remembering so vividly their horrible first meeting, "I know."
Ellie raised an eyebrow, "Wow. Someone is quick in socializing."
Alec faced her and forced a small smile, offering the seat in front of him.
How the hell is he supposed to introduce himself?
"Danny," Ellie raised her hand for the waiter, "could I get some chips, please? And an iced tea as well, please."
Alec looked over at Daniel who was across the coffee house who had his thumb up, acknowledging the request.
"So," Ellie continued, "you here alone?"
Alec grunted and rubbed his eyes.
"What? Am I making you uncomfortable?"
This is it.
"Miller," He saw her eyes widened, "it's me."
There was silence for a moment.
But that was a very short moment because the next second Ellie leaned back in her seat, "JESUS CHRIST."
Alec groaned.
She stood up.
"Calm down, Miller."
She crossed her arms.
He groaned again.
She placed her hands on her hips.
He thanked god there was only two other people in the coffee house.
"Unbelievable."
"Aye," Alec covered his face with his palms, "sit down, Miller."
"Bloody hell."
"Miller, please."
"For god's sake, Hardy. It's not Miller!"
Their banter died when Daniel walked in between with a tray and an iced tea on top of it, "Sorry, Ms Knight."
"Ms Knight?" Alec raised an eyebrow.
"Shut up." Ellie sat back down.
Daniel placed her drink down and quickly walked away.
"Jesus," Ellie buried her face in her palms.
"Shut up, Miller."
"Knight," Ellie corrected him, "knob."
"Aye." He continued poking into his salad again.
He continued to eat in silence, looking away from her. But as his vision was focused on a local out the window, his attention was on his former partner who was still staring at him in disbelief.
"Did you fucking stalk me?"
Daniel slowly slipped her basket of chips in front of her, wanting to escape whatever it was between them.
"No," Alec hadn't used his annoyed tone in months.
"Whatever happened to your face?"
"Eat your food, Miller."
"It's not Miller anymore, you wanker."
Alec was more amazed than anything else that Ellie could actually keep her mouth shut throughout their meal. And they didn't even exchange a single word between them even when he was billing out. He simply groaned when Ellie was about to make the payment, stood up before she did, handing over the money to the waiter and walked out leaving her behind.
But as soon as he reached his car, Ellie came up from behind him, yelling, "Bloody hell, Hardy!"
"What now, Miller?" He barked back at her as he turned.
"You come out of nowhere and you don't even have the decency to express basic courtesy to the person you haven't met in a long time!"
"What should I say? Oh, Miller. It's so nice to see you again? How are you?" His Scottish accent thickened by the anger.
"Yeah? At the very least? That's what people do, Hardy! You went off, not telling me where you were headed, didn't even give me a call! I was worried about you!"
"Then what? Ask you out for a reunion dinner? If you worry about me so much, why didn't you call me?" Alec waved his phone in her face.
Suddenly, both of them silenced, realizing there were people watching them through the window of the coffee house.
There were only three people, really – the two other locals and Daniel.
And a few others across the street who apparently stopped in their tracks.
Alec rolled his eyes and unlocked his car, opened and slid into the driver seat.
"What? Now you're going to leave me here?"
He groaned.
"Are you ignoring me now?"
Alec rolled his eyes again, "Bloody hell, Miller. Do you want the whole town to watch our reunion?"
With that, he slammed his car door shut and drove off.
Ellie felt her cheeks blush, realizing that they were arguing in front of locals in the town they both were new in.
Wanker.
Alec groaned when he heard rapping on the door. He placed the pans down and simply shoved his day's groceries to the side of the kitchen counter, "Who is it?"
"Hardy, open up the bloody door!"
He grunted, "It's open."
He heard little footsteps running, but he didn't manage to turn around before a small child charged at him and hid behind his legs, clutching onto his jeans with his tiny hands.
"Aw, Fred. Have you missed Uncle Alec?" Ellie came in leaned against the kitchen island.
"Uncle Alec?" The little boy looked up to the tall man.
"Uncle Alec?" The tall man glared at the curly-haired woman.
Ellie rolled her eyes. But before she could get any closer to the two, Alec had bent down to pick the little boy up and settle him on his hip, pushing a wild curl off his face, "Look at ya now, lad. Runnin' around in my house just like before."
The moment stopped. For Ellie, at least. Never had she seen Alec be so gentle, his voice so calming. If she hadn't been leaning on the island, she swore she could have just fell to the floor as the sudden warmth in her heart started to melt her. She observed as he placed Fred to sit on the counter, having a conversation with the boy. She couldn't here anything at all but his murmuring to the little boy was soothing.
When the boy held out his hand to be carried down, Ellie walked up to get her son, "I'm sorry."
"Hmm." Alec reached out for his groceries.
"I meant, I'm sorry about what happened just now at the coffee house." She picked up her son.
Alec sighed and dropped his groceries again, turning around to face her, folding his arms across his chest.
"So…" Ellie looked away from him and examined the interiors of his house instead, "how are you, Hardy?"
"'M fine. Thanks. You?"
"I'm alright, I guess."
And they stood there in silence, Ellie fidgeting on the spot.
"Tom moved with you, I assume?"
"Yeah," She looked up to him, "he's at school now. Football training."
"Right." He looked at his watch, "It's almost 6.30. Have you prepared dinner?"
Ellie shook her head.
"Go home and clean yourself up. I'll meet you up front."
"Where are we going?"
"Reunion dinner. Showing basic courtesy."
"Unbelievable."
She wouldn't say it out loud but she felt a sense of huge relief to know that every awkwardness is gone now that the sense of familiarity overwhelmed them with him ordering her about and she was forced to obey.
10 pm.
He pulled the pillow over his face.
He rolled on his side.
He turned and laid on his belly, burying his face into his bed.
He laid on his back again.
He pulled the blanket over his face.
He threw it aside.
He groaned.
Alec thought he could sleep better that night but as wrong as he was, at least he felt better.
He sat up straight and leaned against the headboard.
The dinner was smooth, to sum it up. Ellie had driven them to an Italian eatery and had picked up Tom along the way. The boy was friendly, jumping into the car greeting him politely, "You must be the neighbour mum talked about yesterday."
"Uh…. Tom." His mum wanted to clarify but there was no need for that when he leaned forward to shake the man's hands that he recognised him instantly.
"Mr Hardy."
Alec took his hand in.
"Tom."
Their ride was silent but he was glad the dinner was not. Alec was well aware of the boy's wariness as he was well aware that he himself was the man who arrested his father. Dinner started off tensed, with Tom being cautious and afraid of him at the same time. But slowly with the aid of Ellie, they talked about his school and he began to open up, sharing about the friends he made, the funny tales of classes.
Throughout dinner, they spoke, mainly Ellie and Tom that is as Fred was in a corner having spaghetti sauce all over his face. Alec listened intently, asking every now and then to show that he was paying attention.
At the end of the evening, both Hardy and Ellie and the boys were in terms like they were before, as if Hardy leaving three months ago never happened.
Alec sighed at the recollection of the evening and got to the edge of the bed where he grabbed his phone and put on a jumper before heading into the hallway. He looked for the switch that Ellie told him about for the rooftop light and he found it. He made his way up, shoving his phone into his pocket together with both his hands.
He went all the way across and perched his elbows on the parapet.
It's all going too fast, reuniting with Ellie, he thought.
And that made him too uncomfortable he kept forgetting he had a pacemaker put in because his chest tightened a little too much.
As much as they were back to familiar terms, he still felt awkward.
Was it because of his months of solitary?
Was it because he realised the disaster he had brought upon her family when he finally figured out it was Joe?
Was it because he still couldn't believe that they're back in his life?
Was it because he never thought he could ever find them again?