Daisy had gotten herself a train down to Gracestone but instead of her father, she was greeted by Ellie and Fred instead, "Where's dad?"
"He's at home, napping. Working night shift tonight."
"He didn't tell me anything."
"I'm sorry to break it to you, Daisy. But your father is quite problematic at sharing with others about his whereabouts and well-being," Fred had wriggled himself free from his mother's arms and launched himself to hug Daisy's legs, "That being said, actually he was supposed to fetch you but I had tried waking him up. Didn't work. So, here I am."
Daisy ruffled Fred's curly hair, "Better that way."
Alec jolted up to Daisy by his bedroom door, knocking at it with a ladle she got from the kitchen as she yelled, "MR ALEC HARDY! TIME TO WAKE UP! YOU FORGOT TO FETCH YOUR DAUGHTER FROM THE TRAIN STATION!"
But he buried himself back under the blankets, "Shut up, Daisy."
His daughter ran and jumped on his bed instead. After two bounces, she let herself fall and laid down beside him, gasping for air, "So... Dad, anything you want to share with me?"
"Let me sleep, Daise," he grumbled from under the layer of sheet.
"Why does Miller have keys to your house?" She kept on teasing, poking on the sheet, trying to find her father.
"I have night shift today, darlin'."
"What? You have night shift, she keep your keys?"
He growled and pulled a pillow over his head, "How did you get here?"
Daisy sighed and rolled out of bed, "Miller fetched me. You told her which train I was taking?"
He grumbled in confirmation, "I asked her to come along. But then I couldn't wake up. Good thing she took initiative. I hope she won't be nagging at me later."
Daisy grabbed a pillow and hit her father, "That's for leaving me to wait by myself at the station."
He woke up two hours later and as Alec walked down the stairs while knotting his tie, he shouted for his daughter. And she yelled back in response from the kitchen.
Alec walked into the living room to see Fred asleep in the couch. When he reached the kitchen, Ellie was washing up the dishes and Daisy gobbling on her sandwich.
"Ellie packed for you some, if you're wondering where's yours," Daisy mumbled with a mouthful from the dining table.
Alec walked himself across the kitchen to the countertops, glaring at his daughter with wide eyes - which is his way of telling her not to talk with a mouthful. But of course, she didn't mind her father's silent scolding even her bit. Still, Daisy whispered a soft apology to her father. As Alec waited for the kettle to boil, a container of sandwich was slid from the other end of the countertop to in front of him, "Trust me. That will be very helpful when you get hungry at night."
"I have done night shifts before, Miller."
"You know, a little gratitude will do me good." Ellie walked away and sat beside the teenage girl at the the table.
Daisy shook her head as she took another bite off her meal, "He's not really good at that."
Ellie nodded her head in agreement and mouthed an "I know."
Alec just sighed, missing his solitary days where he doesn't have to deal with people who are constantly around him.
His daughter has somehow managed to convince him into bringing her to work,"It's not like I never did before."
"I'm not DI anymore, Daise. I don't have an office of my own. Where are you going to sit yourself?" He argued.
Ellie just had to support his daughter, "But I am. She can sleep in my office if she wants."
Alec only agreed in the end because he was outnumbered and still very cranky from sleep. He made it a condition that Daisy could only follow if she didn't mind riding the bike, supporting his argument that it is the only way to prevent her from falling asleep to motion sickness.
Security clearance wasn't much of an issue for her but Alec knows that she wasn't really fond of his colleagues' friendliness. She gets along with them, yes. But he can see her faint struggles to be polite and sociable. Alec had always known that Daisy only keeps a small circle of people who she talks to and two to three close friends and probably a rock. She keeps mostly to herself but she opens up to those close to her. Her small social circle gave her strong relationships and that's why when Alec took the blame for Tess' mess, he knew that he wouldn't be able to get back at her to the relationship they had before.
Alec may have lost two over years he could have had with her but she came back into his life as if nothing really happened. He was more than just glad - he was grateful that Daisy made it seem as if their relationship didn't change. He knows however that it did because he feels it too as he is trying to learn on how to communicate with her properly again. He thought he had lost her for good and had came to the point that he didn't mean to make amends with her anymore. He gave up, to say the least because he realised then that she had given up on him.
But the tables have turned and now not only Daisy is back in his life, Ellie is there as well. Alec wouldn't say it out loud but it scares him to suddenly have one of the most important people in his life to be back only for him to realise that he found someone who is as important as well. And the thing that scares him more is the idea of having to keep them there - he's too afraid of being lonely again.
But for now, he let his relationships where it is as he tries to figure things out and wonder how it is all happening so fast.
For now, he let Daisy's chattering in the background keep him awake through the night.
Moments later, his daughter joined him in the pantry, where he was preparing tea, with the container of sandwiches she had prepared for him and headed straight for the microwave oven, "Oh my goodness. These people are so friendly."
Alec kept silent in agreement.
"I am surprised you managed to hang on this far," she continued as she tossed the sandwiches into the oven.
"Three months that I spent alone made me realise that I actually like being around people." He replied dryly as he sipped his tea.
"What bloody nonsense."
Alec shrugged his shoulders.
The microwave went ding and Daisy took the sandwiches out, placing it in front of her father, "Have some. You are not exactly tolerable when you're hungry."
The night dragged on and Alec decided to get on with a little reading of the old cases in Gracestone. Petrie and Seiner was out on patrol while another Detective Bill - or was it Dalton? He's still not quite sure which is which. - had been reciprocating between the pantry and the bullpen all night. As he was reading about a child being kidnapped by his desperate father, his phone went off and he picked it up, "Miller."
"How are you holding up?" The voice on the other line was as loud and chirpy as always that he had to pull his phone away from his ear.
"At two in the morning, I think I'm alright," He took off his reading glasses and rubbed an eye, "Why the hell are you still up at this time?"
He can hear the rustling of her bed sheets, "Can't sleep."
"Count sheep. Goodnight, Miller."
"OI," Alec could feel his eardrum nearly exploding, "Don't be rude."
The man kept silent and rubbed a hand up his cheeks, feeling the stubble he had been keeping the past few days.
"It's not as if you have things to do, anyway. Do you?"
He opened up the folder in front of him, "I'm reading up some old case."
"How's Daisy?"
"She's asleep in your office," Alec wasn't quite sure about that. He just made it up. But just so that he could prove himself right, he stood up and left the archive room and headed for her office.
"She's alright?"
"She's holding up better than I do."
"How are you?" Her voice was gentle. And he hadn't heard a single gentle tone in so long that he could feel his heart did a funny thing that he had to stop at her office door, holding onto the knob, barely having the energy to turn it.
"I'm fine," He managed to find his balance and went through, surprised to find Daisy laid out on the couch, the light from her phone shining dimly on her face in the dark room. The girl averted her focus to her father and sat straight up. He pulled the door behind to get out of the room as quickly as possible but then she mouthed a fierce "STAY" as she patted the sitting space beside her and he widened his eyes in protest. Daisy proceeded to cross her arms and look vexed - which seem to always work on him.
"Miller, could you probably call me later? I got something going on." He tried not to stutter.
"You alright?"
"Aye," Alec swallowed his saliva, "It's nothing much really."
"Alright, then. Take care of it. And take care you."
"Yeah," He sat down beside Daisy unwillingly, facing away from her, "Sleep well, Miller. I will see you tomorrow."
"Hardy?" She managed before he ended the call.
"Yeah, Miller?"
"Goodnight."
Alec tried his best to hide his smile away from his daughter, "Goodnight, Miller."
When he finally tucked his phone away into the inner pocket of his suit jacket, Daisy was grinning away as she stood up to turn on the lights of the office, "Wow. Late night calls with Miller. Is there something you're not telling me?"
He growled and stretched out his legs, leaning his head to the back of the couch, "She can't sleep. That's all."
"It's not as if I don't know what's going on between the two of you." She mumbled as she went to slump herself back down on the couch beside her father, "Tom told me things, you know."
He didn't even flinch. It wasn't surprising to him that she had exchanged numbers with Tom or the fact that the latter had been updating his daughter about their parents' relationship. But he couldn't deny that he was curios, "What did he tell you?"
She sighed, pulling her jacket tighter around herself, "That you've been taking turns making dinner and driving to work. That you've been helping him with Math."
"Hmm."
"And that you taught Fred how to say 'Daddy.'"
His took a sharp breath in, "I didn't mean to."
"Dad," Daisy held his hand, "I've lost a lot of time I could have had with you. But you know what it had told me about you?"
He kept silent.
"That you punish yourself for whatever you've done that may have hurt the people you care about although it is not your fault," The teenager continued as she laid her head on her father's lap and brought her legs out on the couch.
Alec couldn't disagree much to what his daughter had said but he has justifications of his own he could try to reason with. Instead, he stroked her hair and let her resume so that he could listen to how his daughter sees him, "You took the blame for mum because you thought you hadn't been a husband good enough for her that she went off with Dave."
"How did you know it was Dave?"
"He moved in two months after you're gone. Just fit the pieces together after what Olly told me. I'm a copper's child, anyway."
"Fair enough."
"I know you're trying to get back at the Millers for what you've taken away from them. But the truth is that, Joe fucked it up. You were just doing your job. Do you have any idea how pissed I am at you right now?"
He could have nagged at her about her cuss usage, but he let it go. Alec understood that she was angry and was trying not to let her temper show.
He stopped stroking her hair as his daughter tilted her head up to look at him in the eye, "I thought I was pissed that you cheated on mum when it's the other way around. But when I found out, I was more furious that you were on the verge of dying and not even close to being guilty."
"You needed your mum, Daise. And she needs you."
"And what? You don't need anyone?"
Alec removed himself from the couch gently and stood up, taking out his phone and transferring it into his pants' pocket and took off his suit jacket before folding it and let it cushion his daughter's head.
"Seiner and Petrie told me how you and Miller had been spending a lot of time together. Held hands even. She looking out for you?"
He didn't respond.
"Dad, I saw how you kissed her goodbye just now."
"It was just on the forehead, Daisy. That's what friends do."
"I don't want to hear that. I just want to know, is she looking out for you?"
He knelt down by her side, "Aye."
"Good."
"Sleep tight, Daise." He kissed her temple.
"Dad," she managed to grab hold of his wrist, "I know I wasn't as close to you. And I know with what happened it changed so many things between us. But I never loved you any lesser than I did."
He felt his eyes getting wet, "Goodnight, darlin'."
She sighed and rolled over on her side away from him, "Goodnight, dad."
Alec was afraid that there wasn't much that his daughter could do in Gracestone but he was glad that she had taken the liberty to take a stroll around town with Tom and Fred as her guides. She even took on the big sister role for them very well that Ellie didn't have to worry about sending Fred to the child-minders and that both Alec and Ellie could sleep in for another half an hour. With the only two of that has to go out for work, Alec initiated that they should just ride his bike - which, surprisingly for him, Ellie agreed to straight away.
"I've never ridden on a bike before."
"There's a first time for everything."
Alec liked the feeling of her grabbing onto him so tightly as he accelerated, her fear being entertainment to him. That aside, he didn't quite like how she's wearing the horrendous orange jacket. But its comeback is really something that lets him be at peace - because that way it reminds him of her presence.
His forehead kisses for her had been more recurring and when she's all stressed up after a long day, they'll talk it out on his bench swing at night. All that not around their children, of course. When all five of them headed out for grocery shopping that weekend, they went about to a motorbike store as well, Alec planning to get a child-sized helmet for Fred, "You have no idea how much he cries begging me to get him on it."
Ellie pestered him on getting himself a new leather jacket, telling him how his current looks a little worn out although it's nice, "I like that one. The slightly orangey-brown one."
"Orange doesn't suit me, Miller."
"I didn't say it suited you. I'm just saying it's nice."
"What's with you and orange jackets?"
And they bickered on as the children walked on to get back on their initial plan which was getting Fred a suitable safety head gear.
That night, Tom wanted to sleepover at his place, bringing his X-Box and setting it up to the telly in Alec's living room, putting in FIFA for both him and Daisy to play. But as he sat in between the two teenagers, Tom suddenly blurted a question at him, "You really don't know, huh?"
"I've been out of a school for long time. So, there are probably a lot of things I don't know." He responded flatly, his accent more prominent than ever. Daisy didn't seem to be bothered.
"Next Saturday."
"June 19. I know that date. I read her file once."
"What's on?" Daisy pause the game and got herself engage in the conversation.
"Miller, it's going to be her birthday soon." Alec sighed.
"Have we got plans?"
Both the men shrugged.
They didn't exactly plan how they were going to celebrate it. Reason being, Alec is never one who likes celebrating anything at all. Another is because Tom has absolutely no clue on how to make his mother happy (like we all do). Daisy, on the other hand is the only one with an idea. Just one idea, that's it. But the men agreed that it's better than nothing.
That whole week, Alec and Ellie rode to work as usual and their routine is pretty much the same. They got to work, had lunch with the rest, went back home for dinner and on one day they went out to have dinner at the Italian restaurant. Lucky for both of them, they hadn't had any night shifts.
Saturday came along and they spent the whole day just hanging out in Ellie's living room watching Disney movies. Tom and Daisy were sprawled out on the floor, Alec and Ellie shared the couch with the latter snuggling up to skinny man, her arm around his waist, his around her back, drawing patterns on her shoulder. Fred had been taking turns snuggling in between the adults and handing trucks over to the teenagers to invite them into playing with him. They had called in for pizza for lunch and that was all they had for a meal for the day.
Well, at least until dinner. Hardy had prepared their evening meal with the help of both teenagers whereas Ellie had to entertain and clean Fred up before they meet up again at Alec's place. It was a small and intimate celebration. They had a small cake, as both Alec and Daisy weren't so much into the sweet stuff. When the wishes were made, the candle was blown and the cake was cut and consumed – although mostly were just being painted by Fred onto his own face. Alec and his daughter had a little piece for each of themselves although they weren't quite fond of it. Ellie and Tom had no issues finishing it. And while they were at it, Tom started with the gift exchange. He sat on his mother's lap, with a box in hand, "It's nothing much really."
"Whatever it is, love, today was already enough for me." She kissed his son's forehead. Tearing open the wrapping paper and opening up the box, she held up the content, "A photo frame?"
"I know that," His voice started to crack and his eyes started to get red, "you cut dad out of every picture that we had. I knew you threw all your pictures with dad away. I just thought- I hope now that we're starting all over again, you can frame new ones. I know you won't be able to forget what happened because I can't. But if you found someone, or even if it's just us – you, me and Fred – I want you to hold onto that if it makes you happy. Even if it is a picture, I want that something to remind you of the things or people that makes you happy. I have seen you cried enough. I don't want to see it anymore."
Obviously, that didn't work. His speech just made his mother tear up at a rapid rate that she couldn't say a thing but to pull him into a tight hug. Daisy wiped a tear but Alec still managed to keep himself composed. Tom got off his mother's lap and Daisy pushed an envelope across the table, "I'm sorry. I really have no idea it's going to be your birthday."
Ellie laughed, grabbing a tissue from the box near her and the reaching out for the envelope at the same time. When she took the content out, she laughed a little louder, "A spa voucher?"
"Oh, come on. Take some time off. It's going to be nice."
"Well, I've never been to one. I suppose it'll be nice," She placed the voucher back into the envelope. As Ellie pushed it aside, she leaned back in her chair and crossed her arms, "What have you got for me then, Hardy?"
He grumbled, grabbing the package from under his chair. As he walked over to her with the package in hand, he apologized, "I'm not entirely sure on what people like and don't like."
Ellie took it in her hand as he knelt down by her side, waiting for her to tear it open. He looked away from her as she did so, scratching the back of his head. When she held it up, the leather jacket that she had pointed out to him the other day, "Well. At least you took the hint I threw at you. Good job, Hardy."
"Yeah?" He looked up to her, glad of her approval.
"If I needed to look more like a DI, I'd say the orange windbreaker I have is not going to make it work. Still, this wouldn't get me away from wearing that jacket though. I love that shit."
"Thought so," He managed a smile. Alec leaned in and responded to her hint for a hug, kissing her cheek and whispered into her ears, "You're a year older now, Miller."
"Oi, don't be rude." She slapped his back. Both of them pulled back and Ellie's voice blared, "Alright, then. Thanks, all of you, for being sweet. To you too, also Hardy. This is so rare of you, to be nice. Thomas, you take my stuff back home and get yourself cleaned up. Then, you can do whatever you want. Daisy, I don't know what your father has to say but Thomas, you go. I'll stay behind and clean up all this mess with Hardy, alright?"
Alec stopped her right there, "No, no. You go home get rested. I'll get Daisy to help me out."
"Oh, shut up. I'm in a good mood right now. I'll help you out. You've done quite a lot for me since you've been around, anyway." Ellie held his hand on her lap, the children oblivious to the action.
Alec gave her hand a squeeze, "Alright, then. Daise, you go get cleaned up. If you want to join Tom on the X-Box, go ahead, alright? Just let me know where you're sleeping tonight, aye?"
Daisy nodded.
The dishes were a trouble as they have to scrape away the cheese from the baked pasta Alec had made for them. Also, the cream of the cake made the plates a little oily and that was another burden for Alec to wash it clean. When they were finally done, Ellie climbed and sat herself on the counter top and swung her legs, "I had a nice day, today."
Alec grabbed a towel and started wiping his hand, "We didn't do much today."
"Still," She fiddled with her fingers, "it was nice. I have Tom and Fred. And Daisy. And you."
The man shrugged.
"I am very happy today, Hardy."
Alec walked closer and stopped in front of her, "It's time for you to be."
"Thank you." She murmured softly, looking at her hands on her laps.
And the two remained in that position. Alec placed the towel aside. He had to do it now. It's now or never. His heart was beating fast and he felt like bending keeling over and clutching it, clearly uncomfortable and his vision starting to spin as he could feel the blood rushing to his head.
"Hardy," Feeling her hand on his shoulder obviously made it worse but he stood tall, "Jesus, are you alright?"
Alec tried to blink away the dizziness, "I uh- I was thinking..."
She looked up and gazed right into his eyes, waiting for him to continue.
"I talked to Tom. And I just- I just want you to know that I care for you very much. And I like having you with me."
"Get on it, Hardy."
"Would you like to go on a date with me?"
That apparently got out a little too quickly for her to catch. But she processed it straight away, "Bloody hell. Are you serious?"
He growled and walked away, "It's alright. I understand-,"
But she gripped his wrist before he was out of her reach, "Yes. Bloody hell, yes. Yes. I was wondering when you'd ask that. Lucy had been putting me on with terrible dates, I swear."
"Well, uh," Alec never thought he was going to stutter again, "I'll see you tomorrow, then."
"Tomorrow? That's quick."
Alec shrugged, rubbing the back of his neck nervously. He thought so too but it wasn't really his idea. To be truthful, he wasn't really feeling well then. Alec was still in shock himself from asking her out. His heart was beating so fast and he could hear it beating it in his earsand he would really appreciate it if she could turn him down and ask for another day. Part of him wanted to curse at Daisy who had pushed him into doing so but the other part of him was grateful she did. If it weren't because of her insistence, he'll never had the courage anyway.
"Alright. I'll see you tomorrow." Alec never looked up so quickly before upon hearing her answer. He opened his mouth and closed it again, not knowing what to say and before could process anything, Ellie already pulled him to her by his collar and pressed her lips against his. It was awkward at first, both of them were like joined together stuck at the mouth but he was quick to catch on and raised a hand up to cup her cheek, bringing himself closer and in between her legs, his other hand to her hip deepening the kiss.
He didn't know what to make of it. Was it sweet? Was it desperate? But he knows that both of them had wanted this as he felt one of her hand got up to the back of his neck and she ran her fingers through his hair. It was unbelievable, the whole situation. If a month before they could barely see eye to eye, not even a hug to be exchanged between the two of them. Now here they are in his kitchen snogging away; Ellie on his countertop with her legs wrapped around him to bring him closer to her, his hands up her back not wanting to let go. When they pulled apart gasping, Alec smiled, "Was that the reason why you wanted to help me out so bad with the dishes?"