Daisy sends her mum a text on the last day of her visit to Dad's. Dad is driving me home. You don't have to fetch me. See you this afternoon.
Okay, so maybe she shouldn't tell her mum this when she doesn't know yet if her dad will drive her, but she can't bear to sit for three hours next to her mother with no possibility of escape.
So, she'll just hope that Dad says yes. Otherwise, she'll have to find a new way home. "Hey, Dad?" she asks, poking her head out of her room.
"Mm?" Hardy glances up at her with a smile, putting aside the work he's been doing while waiting for her to wake up.
"Er, I know it's a long way, but... do you think you could drive me home today?" Daisy fiddles with her phone as she talks, nervous.
He blinks at her for a moment before nodding. "Oh, um. Yeah. Yeah, sure I could. Have you spoken to...?"
"No. No, I thought I'd wait til I got home. Doesn't seem like the sort of talk to have on my mobile."
"Right. No, not at all, but - maybe let her know I'll be driving? I'd be happy to do that. Any time today."
"Yeah, yeah, I'll let her know," Daisy agrees, trying not to sound guilty. "I guess it should be soon, because I do have school tomorrow… but I don't want to leave."
Hardy can't stop a faint half-smile from rising to his lips because he never thought he'd hear that from her. It's just a flicker, though, and he nods, knowing this is hard for her. "Well… I'm so glad you came, Daisy. Thank you."
"Me, too. Is it okay if I come visit again soon?"
He rises from behind the piles of cases, sticking his hands in his pockets. "Yes. An'time. Like i said... you've got a place here, if you want."
"It's not just that I want to avoid Mum... I like spending time with you. Missed it more than I remembered."
He's wearing this pained sort of smile, has been all weekend.
She gives him a small smile. "Careful there, mate. Might find yourself with a new roommate."
The half smile grows a bit. "Dunno if I could handle it," he murmurs, clearly joking… and wishing desperately that they could live together again. "Missed you too, you know. It had been a while."
Daisy forces the smile off of her face and has to fight not to let it creep back. "I think I'm just about old enough for my own place, so maybe you'll just have to come visit me, if it's too much for you." She tries not to let the guilt bubble up in her chest, because it's her fault that it's been a while. She's been the one pushing him away.
Her dad laughs a little. "I'll bring fruit cake and we'll not talk about how awful it is." He catches himself daydreaming about the future a little, just watching Daisy affectionately. He's looking forward to it, and that's such a nice change.
"Oh, you're coming for Christmas then?" She gives up and lets the grin bloom on her cheeks.
"Every year," he confirms, grinning back.
"You're only invited if you bring expensive presents and help decorate. Deal?"
"You mean like peonies in winter? It's a deal."
This feels like a second chance and Daisy's determined to make use of it. She may be going home by necessity, but she won't let this newfound relationship die. She's decided. "Suppose I'll set you a place at the table then, detective."
Glancing back at the room she's just emerged from, she sighs and her smile wavers then falls. "Guess I'm going to go pack, then."
This is a second chance, indeed, Hardy thinks. But it's always going to be in the balance. He's clinging to every moment like it's going to be the last - he's hopeful it won't be, confident, even - but things have been so unpredictable that he's not letting a moment go by unappreciated. She's here. She's here and she wants to be, and she'll probably be coming back. Again and again, more often... she wants to come back and see him. It's a gift, even if it comes at a steep price.
He smiles about that and nods, neutral again. "Need a hand, or all set?"
"I think I've got it. Be out in a mo'."
"A'righ'." He gets ready to go himself, set for whenever Daisy wants to go. He'd set aside most of the weekend for her, just working on loose ends in the Sandbrook case in odd moments.
Daisy, meanwhile, trudges back to the bedroom and repacks her bag. It doesn't take very long- she didn't bring much- and within a few minutes she's standing in the main part of the cottage again. "Alright. Ready?" she asks, trying and failing not to sound glum.
Hardy takes a deep breath and nods, gives her another little smile. "Off we go, Cap'n." He throws on his coat, snatches up his keys.
Daisy hitches her bag higher on her shoulder and follows. Time to face the music.
"Right..." He locks up the house behind them and settles in the car.
Daisy slides into the passenger seat and glances up at the little blue house one last time. "Bye, Broadchurch," she mumbles, unintentionally thinking out loud.
Then they're off... long, empty, winding roads along the coast for a while. There's a silence- maybe a little heavy as they both think about Tess, but it's a companionable silence all the same.
Finally, Daisy speaks up. "When we get there, don't come in, okay? I'd rather talk to her with you not around."
Hardy nods quickly- "Mm." He's relieved; things with Tess are always a bit tense, and they're sure to be more so after she and Daisy talk. "I'd prefer that too, quite frankly..." he says, grim, and glances at her. "I don't think it'd go well for us to meet, right now."
"Yeah, maybe not. Thanks." She's quieter than usual, too. "I'll call you afterward to tell you how it went. And- well, knowing Mum, she'll probably call you, too, to chew you out. Not that you need the warning, probably, but..."
"Well… I'll leave that up to you, darling. Don't feel - obligated to report back, but..." He's a little uncomfortable, unsure of how much of a role she wants him to play.
"Think I might need someone to talk to about it anyway." She's mumbling, soft and sad, looking out the window instead of at him. "If that's okay."
He swallows, hating the pain in her voice. "Yes." Glances at her again. "Of course. Please do. If you - if it'll help." He just doesn't want to push anything.
"I think it will. I- everything's upside down now, isn't it? But you're here, too. And I'm afraid that at Mum's house, especially after I talk to her... I'm afraid that I'll feel-" She can't articulate how she's feeling. Alone. She doesn't want to feel alone.
He nods quickly. "Yes. Call anytime; really. I'll always pick it up. And if I can't, I'll call you right back."
"Thanks, Dad." She means it.
"Of course, darling." He's changing lanes or he'd look at her again.
She falls quiet and pulls her knees up to her chest. Doesn't want to do this. She stays like that, silent and scrunched up, until they're nearly there.
Hardy's quiet, too, following her lead… he doesn't know what to say anyway. He feels like he should talk her through this, but what is there to say? Tess isn't going to be happy and they both know that. He just feels achey for her and he's anxious for her to go ahead and talk with her mum.
Daisy feels dread gathering in the pit of her stomach when they turn onto her street... same house she's lived in since she was born. Dad used to live there, too.
He pulls to a stop in front of the house, and looks at it for a good minute, giving Daisy a little privacy to collect herself without being watched. "Here we are…"
"Thanks for this weekend," she says quietly.
He nods, his heart in his throat.
She reaches across the console to give him a tight hug, gathering strength as much as showing affection.
"Good luck..." he says softly, returning her hug and savouring it. "You can do this..." One more tight squeeze.
"Thank you. I- thank you." She's not so sure she can.
Hardy takes a deep breath and kisses the side of her face. "You're strong."
"Am I?" She's not. She feels so young.
"I think so. Should I call you later?" he murmurs with a half smile.
"Oh, please do."
He nods. It's decided. She pulls away, taking a deep breath.
"I'll do that, then."
"Talk to you in a while, then," she agrees. "I love you. A lot."
Dad squeezes her shoulder a little, just looking at her, and nods. "Love you too, Daisy..."
He forces himself to smile more. "'Bye. Talk to you then."
Trembling slightly, Daisy nods and climbs out of the car. She gives him a last little wave and a sad half-smile before going up the garden and letting herself into the house.
Hardy waves, too, his expression much the same as hers... and drives off.
So: Ellie's not sure which to bring, red? white? dry? sweet? Bordeaux or the champagne? It's a wine night, so she brings a few to sample and share. Old things she and... she and Joe got as gifts over the years. Well, to hell with it, time to crack them all open. She's surprised to find she's a little nervous - but it's the good kind. The excited kind. She's been invited for a quiet girls' night at Laurel's.
It's been ages since she's been over to anyone's house (aside from Hardy's - but he hardly counts), and years since she's schmoozed without Joe around. It makes her feel like she's in her twenties again, and it's a little refreshing. Nicely enough, everything's so close by - so it's only an 8 minute walk with the stuff tucked under her arm.
She doesn't even have the bitter luck of running into anyone she'd rather not run into, right now.
It's a sign. She knocks on the door, "Hellooooo!"
Laurel has just finished decorating a cheese plate when she hears Ellie knock. She grins and does a little hop-skip motion to get to the door. She's been excited for this ever since they first talked about it... Maybe she needed a friend more than she thought.
At any rate, she's thrilled to have Ellie over, and she knows this'll be exactly the thing to relax them both. "Hi, Ellie!" she says happily, opening the door to let her in. "Oh, what have you got there?" She's already got several varieties decanting herself. No way they'll drink all of this tonight, but she hopes that if it goes well they'll be able to do it again later.
"Hiiii, Laurel!" Ellie beams, and steps in. "Oh-! Just a thing or two," she shrugs. "Couldn't decide what to bring over, so I brought them all." Whoops? Overprepared. "Shall I put these somewhere?"
"Oh, here, let me take some." Laurel grins and holds her hands out; Ellie happily hands a few of the bottles over. "That sounds like the perfect idea, honestly, can't wait to try everything! I've got a bunch, too."
"Bit of everything, really. Figured we couldn't go wrong." Ellie grins. "What've you got?"
Laurel leads the way toward her kitchen- the nicest part of her house by far- and puts the bottles of white in the fridge. She shows her small collection off to Ellie. "A bit of everything, just like you!" She laughs when she gets to the reds. "Mm, we even have the same bottle of Pinot noir."
Elloe follows, kind of gawking. Laurel's house is lovely, all cosy and tastefully decorated… not a thing out of place. "Fine place you've got here- oh, wow!" she says, beaming. "It's so clean and nice...!"
"Oh, thank you!" Laurel's been working on the house on her off days since she moved in, and she hasn't had a single person over since then. "You're so kind. It's really lovely to have you over!" She beams back.
"Aw, well... I'm so glad to be here!"
"Ready for a glass of something?"
"Yes, thank you, I am so ready." It's been a long day.
"Ah, me, as well!" Laurel's grin turns the slightest bit mischievous. "Actually, before we start pouring, though... I got you a bit of a present."
Ellie's eyebrows go up. "Really? You did? Why on earth would you think that's a good idea?" She's already a touch giggly, high on the feeling of being relaxed and kid-free for a night.
Laurel, meanwhile, turns to dig in her cabinets, looking for- aha! A painted wineglass, decorated with lines corresponding to "easy day," "rough day," and "don't even ask." She saw it at a market the other day and it immediately made her think of tonight. She hopes Ellie gets as much of a kick out of it as she does.
"Here you are!" She presents it with a flourish.
"Oh my god!" Ellie laughs as she holds it up to the light like it's a chalice. "This. is. wicked, oh my god. Where did you find it?"
"Oh, I went to that Saturday market a few towns over! Heard some great things about it and decided to check it out this weekend. I saw this and couldn't stop myself." Her grin turns slightly smirky. "Don't think Mr. Hardy is too good at subtle signs, so maybe if he has something to read he'll stay under control a bit."
"D'you think he can /read/ that? I don't know…" She snorts gracelessly, definitely amused.
Laurel giggles. "Mmm, maybe not."
"Anyway, how'd you like the market- the one in Weymouth, right? I love that one! It's got all of the little colourful booth shades!"
"That's the one! Couldn't remember the town til you said it."
"Yes, Weymouth! See - - it's the best one 'round, you just can't get better than that one around here, although..." Ellie lowers her voice as if divulging a great secret. "There're some good hidden ones, too, I must say."
Laurel quirks an eyebrow and leans in, feeling conspiratorial. "Oh, really? I can't wait to find them!"
"Yes, bit of a treasure hunt!"
Laurel turns around and starts lining up options. "Well, what would you like to try for your inaugural drink in your new glass?"
"Mm..." Ellie watches, carefully considering all available choices, sliding along the counter with her chin in her palm and tapping her fingers.
Laurel chuckles, watching her. "Tough choice, I know. Think I'll try that pinot noir. If we both got a bottle of it, it's got to be a sign."
Ellie arches her brows as if this is a very serious decision. "That's true… Can't tempt fate." She slides her glass forward and puts on a posh accent. "Might I trouble you...?"
Laurel wrinkles her nose in an excited little grin. "Right. Let's try it, then." She grabs a normal glass from the cabinet and sets it down next to the one she bought for Ellie, pouring them both a generous sample. "Of course, Madame," she replies genially in the same posh accent. She picks up her own glass, wondering if they should toast to something.
"Ah... looks like a Rough Day..." wistful sigh. "Shan't say anything more until it's gone." She makes a face and samples it.
Laurel takes a sip, following suit, and immediately pulls a face, her eyes watering. "Oh, dear," she gasps, then snorts in sudden laughter. "Okay, maybe this isn't my kind of wine." Her taste buds are burning.
Ellie gently sets hers down, too, with a watery look. "...that is strong. That - is strong. Yes." She puts on a stoic face, trying not to gag. "Mmhm."
Laurel laughs a little louder. "Strong... Yes, that's a kind word for it. I was going to go for awful."
Ellie spins the bottle around. "Who made this? Honestly?" Snorting, she squints at the label. "Oh, the Germans are no good at wine. Mm."
"I love that you bought the same kind that I did. We both have poor taste, apparently." Laurel's delighted.
Laughing, Ellie shakes her head. "I'll be honest, I got it for the label. It's so deceptively nice..." She lets out a sigh.
"Ellie Miller, do you know the proper procedure to follow when presented with a less-than-preferable wine?"
Her friend quirks an eyebrow. "Suffer on through it? Or mix it with cola?"
Laurel winks. "Drink it really fast and move on to the next one. If my mother taught me one thing, it'd be that."
"I'm not opposed," Ellie agrees, laughing. "Oh, I love your mother."
"If I can pull her away from Bournemouth for a weekend, I'll be sure to introduce you. Her solution isn't classy, maybe, but it's economical! No use in wasting wine." Laurel takes a larger sip and cringes but swallows it down.
"Honestly, I'd be delighted," Ellie says with a warm smile.
"On the bright side, if this kills all of our taste buds, we won't think it's that bad anymore."
"And we won't have to worry about any others' potential flaws, either!"
"I'll drink to that!" Laurel announces, holding up her glass. Ellie clinks it, taking as big of a swallow as she can stomach, determined to finish the glass.
The wine is already making Laurel's cheeks pink and rendering her pleasantly warm. "Sorry, I'm being rude here. Would you like to go sit?" She gestures to the adjoining sitting room.
Ellie nods quickly. "Think I had better, if you don't mind."
Laurel leads the way to the sofas and sits down, primly at first and then more comfortably after a second of thought. She doesn't think Ellie will mind a bit of familiarity. Then she swallows a mouth full of wine, spluttering slightly. "This reminds me of being twenty and choking down terrible mixed drinks."
Ellie sinks into sofa next to her; it's so good to not think about anything serious for once. "Oh god, doesn't it! Only now I've gotten more tolerant, I must say, if a bit stupider about it all," she adds, taking another sip.
Laurel can already feel the affects starting to hit her- Ellie's right, this one is strong. She's not complaining about that at all. "Have you? 'M terribly afraid that I haven't," Laurel admits with a snort.
"Oh, yeah; there's no way I'd've gotten through this 10 years ago. Mind - maybe not even... hm. Well."
"Do you drink much that's not wine these days? As far as alcohol goes, I mean."
"Mm, not really? Sometimes. Dunno, I just like wine, I think. You?"
Laurel shakes her head. "Want to know a secret?"
Ellie shifts a little to see her better, cradling her glass. "That's why I came here, if I'm honest." She throws in a sly little wink.
Laurel throws her head back and laughs, surprised. "Well, I'm not sure if this is the juicy info you seem to be after, but it's a secret nonetheless… It's best for everyone if I stick to wine. If I drink anything stronger, or even something like beer… I turn into a terrible grump. Very serious. It's embarrassing."
"No...! Really, you're kidding, you?" Ellie laughs. "I can't even imagine."
Laurel holds her wine glass up to the light and stares contemplatively at the color. "To be, or not to be," she says gravely as if she's Hamlet and the glass is a skull… It's the wrong soliloquy, but she doesn't mind much. "It's terrible! My father once handed me a glass of brandy and said 'Laurel, you're much too cheerful and I've got a headache.' Then he just walked away!"
Ellie can't help snorting at that one, and she shakes her head. "Unbelievable! Your own father…" She definitely wants to meet Laurel's family, if they're anything like Laurel's stories about them.
Laurel laughs. "Yep, he's not above drugging me."
"I'll be sure only to ever bring wine.
This brings out a snort in Laurel, too. "Probably for the best. I think you get enough grumpiness from a certain other friend of yours."
"Is it fair if I say I'm still a bigger fan of your mother?"
"Ha, she'd love that! She and Dad are in constant competition. That's how my youngest sister was born. Did I tell you that there are seven of us?"
Ellie chokes a little on her wine at this information.
"Three boys, four girls. They were tied and had to have one more to see who won."
"What?"
Laurel shakes her head slightly. It's ridiculous even to her, but she loves her baby sister to death.
"Your family sounds-" she's got to laugh.
"They're... they're something else."
"They sound lovely. Are any of them near, aside from your mother?" Ellie asks, curious.
"Ah, thanks! They all live in Bournemouth, actually! I did, too, until six months ago."
"Aw, lovely! Close enough for visits, then."
"Oh, definitely. I've been back to visit a few times. It's an easy drive. What about you? Siblings around here? Parents?"
"Well… One sister - she's in town. Parents in Cardiff. Visit often enough, though."
"I wonder if I've met your sister! Not a big town, Broadchurch."
"Might've... we don't look very much alike, in my opinion. If a red-headed woman asked you for a smoke, it might've been her." Ellie's got an odd relationship with Lucy. "What brought you here, then? Six months?"
"It was the hospital! They had an opening, and it was time for a change. Broadchurch was separate but not too far, and when I interviewed, I liked the small town feel."
"Ah! That's as good a reason as any! It's a beautiful place… And how are you finding it?" Despite everything that's happened, Ellie has a lot of pride in her hometown.
"I love it here, honestly. It's so quiet. Definitely just as pretty as Bournemouth, and with half the cost of living! How long've you lived here?"
"Oh, grew up around here! Parents moved away for their health, other things. Just needed more attention. Too remote, here."
"Oh, I'm sorry to hear that! You really are a local, though." Laurel's a little extra curious because it seems like most of the people here have been here for generations.
"Aw, well." Ellie grins. "Yeah!"
"May need you to show me around a bit sometimes. I still get lost," Laurel admits.
"Oh, I'd love to. Adore this place, really..."
"My parents couldn't figure out why I wanted to come, but then again, they haven't actually visited." Laurel thinks her parents might honestly be a little frustrated with her for moving away… she's the only one of her siblings to have actually permanently left Bournemouth. They're a tight-knit family.
"Oh, they'll have to come out, then. We've got spare rooms at my place, if you need them," Ellie offers with a smile.
"That's so sweet of you to offer! If I can convince them, I might take you up on it."
"Well! You've moved straight into the heart of a tourist destination, you know!" Ellie reminds her, beaming. "You've got the water, the sand... and the hikes."
"Right you are." Laurel finishes her glass and stands up as she talks. "I'm going to try something white this time. Ready for something new yourself?"
Ellie drains the last of her glass and follows suit. "Yes. A white's a good idea, now." She makes a slight face at the awful taste of the last gulp of pinot noir.
Laurel holds her hand out for the glass. "Preferences?"
"Mm... this one, yeah? '72? ...Apparently?" Ellie's pointing out one of the bottles she brought.
"Oh, you've brought a vintage! I feel inadequate now. Everything I've bought was from the Asda this week." In other company, that might bother her. Not now, though.
Ellie laughs. "You know, we - uh, I got this a while back..." She doesn't want to talk about Joe. "It's been sitting there for ages." Flatly. "It needs to go."
Laurel wriggles her eyebrows, not commenting on the implication that Ellie seems to be trying to avoid anyway. "You can admit it, Ellie. You were waiting til you had an attractive blonde to impress." She's feeling increasingly carefree and pleasantly lightheaded and it's making her a bit silly.
Ellie twists a coy expression onto her face. "Oh, how did you know…?" she asks, giggling a little and placing her palm on the side of her face in an "oh dear" type expression..
Laurel laughs and pours the wine again. "Alright, here's to hoping this one's better than the last." She holds her glass up and offers Ellie's back to her.
"Cheers. You know, it's a good thing you're pourin'-" Ellie remarks, watching the stream. "I once tried it and got it all over my friends' shoe… I mean - I've done it loads, but half the time it ends up somewhere it shouldn't. Haven't got a very good aim, I guess- that, or I suppose I'm easily distracted."
The image makes Laurel laugh. "My mum is quite the wine enthusiast. She made she I was properly versed in things like this."
"More things I love 'bout your mum."
"Easily distracted makes sense when you've got 1,000 things pulling you in different directions all at once."
Ellie shrugs a little- not denying this- and takes a sip.
"Cheers!" Laurel takes a sip, too, and closes her eyes in appreciation. "This is amazing."
"Okay, much better, must say," Ellie agrees.
"Best Chardonnay I've ever had. Hands down."
"It's not bad, is it?"
"My taste buds may yet forgive me. I'd thought that was a lost cause." Laurel leads the way back to the sitting room again.
Ellie laughs and follows- it saves her from frowning in thought. Still remembering the night she and Joe bought the bottle. "Glad we can salvage them." She settles back in, getting cozy again.
"The important question here, Ellie, is what do we do with the bottle and a half of Pinot noir? Is there anyone that annoys you enough to gift the awful wine to?"
"Oh, just give it to Hardy," Ellie suggests, snickering. "It'll take him three years to finish."
Laurel thinks she can just picture him drinking it. "Maybe that's for the best. Red wine's actually pretty good for the heart, but this sort might kill him if he drank it too quickly."
"He's sharp onto the fact. Won't eat a bloody thing I ever bring him."
"You know, speaking of him..." Laurel pauses, feels just tipsy enough to keep going. "Can you keep another secret?"
"Hold on..." Ellie takes another good drink. "After that last...? I don't know..."
Laurel giggles. "Don't make fun of my issues, Ellie."
"That was quite the shocker, grumpy you." She laughs and settles back. "Alright, I'm braced now."
"Oh, just you wait. I'll come over with rum sometime and show you."
"Rum, oh god."
"Alright... Well, see, here's the thing. My brain's a little turned off to certain things when I'm at the hospital working. It's totally automatic, I don't even notice it."
Ellie traces the edges of her glass a little, listening.
"But taking care of Mr. Hardy at his house is the first time I've ever cared for a patient in a home health type job. And... well... apparently... the rules don't apply as much."
"You've done very well," Ellie compliments. "Not that I'm a nurse in any way."
Laurel pauses to beam. "Oh, thank you!"
Ellie has to laugh at the nurse's expression. "Of course! Saved him from his bloody self, didn't you?"
Laurel's a little distracted, already back to her earlier train of thought. "I may, sort of, a little bit, find myself thinking that he's slightly kind of fit." She feels her face flush and she takes a drink to cover it.
Ellie chokes on her drink and has to take a minute to recover.
"He might just die if he heard me say that, though." Watching Ellie react, Laurel's got to take another sip. Or a gulp. Either way.
"-do you?!" Ellie's chortling, trying to swallow her wine without inhaling it.
"Oh, don't laugh at me!"
Ellie barely remembers to breathe, and Laurel picks up a throw pillow to hide her face.
"I might die, too, you know!" Ellie teases.
Laurel's grinning just a little, mortified but giddy.
"Oh, come on, stop that!" Ellie protests, still laughing and setting her glass down.
"Oi! It's not that funny!" Laurel's face is positively flaming now. She was expecting a reaction, but not this much amusement from her friend. "Why's it so hard to believe?"
"No- no, I think that's brilliant!" Is Ellie crying a little? Yes, she's crying a little.
Laurel tentatively emerges from behind the pillow to peek out at her friend, and finds Ellie grinning at her. "Do you?" She shakes her head, but lets a small smile emerge.
Ellie gives her a look, finally calming some. "I do. I know for a fact he's half-human somewhere in there; he's a good person, Laurel."
Laurel needs another sip of wine.
"And he's a right lucky bastard if you find him not half baked." Ellie grins at her again, looking over and resting her chin in a hand against the couch.
The smile turns softer, less amused and more earnest. "I know he is. I've spent a bit of time talking to him over the last week. He's kinder than he likes to let on. You think, though?" This intrigues her. "Does he get much interest around here?"
Ellie quirks an eyebrow. "Ha, no. No, the nicknames he's earned around here are not particularly pleasant."
Laurel shifts her position, takes another drink, settles in.
"But he doesn't deserve them. Well - on some days, he does, seein' as I gave him half of those nicknames. This includes a smirk.
Laurel giggles. "He's grumpy, but- ha! Well, I can understand that."
Ellie's quieting a little. "He came to this town unwelcome… so it wasn't exactly the easiest for him to set out on the right foot. It was not a good time to come."
"But he cares a lot- that's such a beautiful thing to see in a person." Laurel interjects softly.
"It is... it's rare," Ellie muses in agreement. "Rarer than I realised."
Laurel nods. "I've gathered that this whole town has had it rough, not excluding him."
"Mm. He stole my job, actually. Not intentionally, but… Well. He did get it."
The topic is turning more maudlin, and that's not what Laurel wants. "So no wee crush on him yourself, then?" She's completely teasing. "No office romances for Ellie Miller?"
Ellie snorts. "No." Shakes her head. "No, I couldn't. It's just…" She sighs. "No, but - it's been accused." Awkward little laugh about that.
"Really!? Oh, wow. Well, it's pretty clear watching the two of you interact that you care about each other in a decidedly non-romantic way. Rude and grumpy probably isn't your type."
Ellie's got to laugh at Laurel's wording. "Not really, no. I - have a great affection for him, but I... no. Nope. He's too straggly for me, quite frankly."
Laurel chuckles. "That's what I thought when I saw him in the hospital gown, but then out in the real world..."
"Hah. S'pose he is slightly better with clothes on."
"Most people are!" Laurel shakes her head and smirks a bit. "I quite like him in glasses, Ell."
"Okay, well. The glasses aren't bad. Admittedly."
Laurel giggles in triumph. "Aha!"
"But he never wears them! Always looks like he's just rolled out of bed! Don't you think? You know, once, he left the hospital early and came straight to the office. Dead-looking thing... like a rat." Her tone is very flat, exasperated at the mere memory. "Thought he was gonna pass out on me."
"I think that look somehow suits him. He has bigger things to worry about and everything about the way he looks and acts says that." Laurel grins. "'Dead-looking thing like a rat' is my new favorite description, by the way. Mm, yeah, stubborn, though, I can certainly see that."
"Mmm, sexy." Ellie quickly drains her wine because apparently that's where she's talking from now.
Laurel has to cover her mouth to muffle the volume of the laugh that's ripped from her at that very dry comment. "Maybe I'm into that. Don't judge."
Ellie puts her hands up- guilty, guilty- after setting her glass down again. "Oi, I'm all support."
"You know this is just a childish crush, right? He's not to hear about it!"
"Is it?" Ellie teases, wiggling her eyebrows. "Oh, never? I dunno, you might have to bribe me..."
Since Ellie is no longer holding a glass, Laurel sees no issue with chucking a pillow at her.
"Hey-oi!"
"Ellie!"
Ellie gives her a smirky look, crossing her arms over the pillow. "I have blackmail material now, you know."
Laurel laughs and shakes her head. "Just a crush," she repeats. "Harmless. Give it a week and it will fade. Besides, I think that's illegal, Miller."
"Shush shush, details… Darvill."
"That's what I'm going to say if you ever pull me over for speeding."
Ellie snorts. "Still going to ticket you."
"See, that would just be unfair. You can't ticket me! The speed limit is just a detail and those don't bother you!" She nudges Ellie with her toe, grinning.
Ellie, cracking up, picks up her glass to drink more of her wine- only to remember that she emptied it.
"Oh, I forgot, I made a cheese plate! Let me grab it. This is the sort of serious discussion that needs cheese." She hops to her feet to fetch it, grabbing Ellie's glass as she goes to refill it.
"Oh, good. Yes." Ellie wipes away a small tear of mirth.
Laurel brings back the cheese and sets it on the coffee table, swiping a chunk and eating it happily as she hands Ellie her glass back. "Anyway, better you than Hardy. He wouldn't let me off, that's for sure. I'd be in trouble if he pulled me over!"
Ellie downs a bit of cheese, too. "Ha! Can you even imagine?"
"I saved your life, sir, don't I get a pass?" Laurel sticks out her bottom lip, imagining the conversation.
"Okay, I am wondering a little whether he wouldn't let you off for that, then."
"He'd better," Laurel mock-grumbles.
"Tell him he's just a detail if he doesn't!"
She laughs. "Shall I tell him that comes from you?"
Ellie's only response is to whack her a little.
"I'm guessing that's a yes."
"Not if you want a chance of me letting you off!"
"Special message from Ellie Miller, sir. You are just a detail. Good day, sir."
Ellie snorts. "On second thought, please do that."
She giggles. "It'll be my pleasure."
"You can drive off and leave him to figure it out."
"I think that's illegal, too." Of course, she won't. She'll meekly hand over her license and registration and berate herself silently for speeding.
"...more details. Clearly it's a good thing I don't drink at work."
Laurel chuckles harder and downs the rest of her glass. "On the contrary, you'd be a lot of fun, I bet. Nicest cop in Britain."
Ellie laughs, shaking her head in denial.
"Not that you'd have much competition from here, I think. Hardy's not going to win that prize."
"You know… Ha, you might be right. You know he actually got 'worst cop in'? Now that was a good day."
"Did he really?" All teasing aside, this actually surprises Laurel. "How on earth did that happen?"
Ellie gives her a flat look- "You really don't want to see his reputation," she says with a sigh.
Laurel shakes her head. "You're probably right."
"He's not exactly well-liked. Seriously… It's because he doesn't give up."
"I've noticed that, but I don't understand it. I like him a lot. Why isn't that seen as a good quality?"
Ellie half smiles. "Circumstances... politics, really. Oh, things nobody can control. Christ, and wouldn't want to, to be honest."
Laurel pulls a face. "That sort of thing goes on in hospitals, too. I can't stand it."
"Oh?" Ellie's eager to get away from the topic of cases.
"Oh, yeah, the politics are mad. It's so much more dramatic than the patients ever see."
Ellie sighs hard. "I imagine so… Oh, Laurel, I'm so tired of this... so tired."
Laurel smiles gently. "I know. I don't know everything you're going through, but... That's the kind of tired I feel in my bones, too." She lays a hand on Ellie's arm. "Whatever you need, if there's anything I can do to help, even if it's just an occasional night of drinking too much wine, I'll do it. No question."
That wins her a little Ellie Miller smile and a weak laugh. She puts her hand on Laurel's, quiet. "Thanks, Laurel." She pats once and sighs. "Likewise... I can't imagine the sort of thing you've got to see every day..."
Laurel's still pondering. "Honestly, while there are things that make me sad at the hospital, it's always been a bit of a haven for me. It's easy to lose myself in the work. I can't imagine doing your job, though."
Her friend nods. "Oh… You know, mostly it's all right… but that's just it. Ever since the - well, it's such a quiet town, most I'd ever had to deal with was speeding tickets… Now it's all gone out the window."
"I bet." She's quiet, contemplative, wishes she knew what to say. "That sort of thing just tears a town up. I've never experienced it from a police officer's perspective, but... I've been in the position of the victim's family before. It's horrific."
"Oh, Laurel... I'm so sorry."
Laurel curls her hands around her knees and nods. "Thank you. It was a long time ago."
Ellie's watching her carefully… just from interacting with Laurel, she'd have had no idea. She hugs herself loosely, thinking.
Laurel puts on a soft smile and shrugs. "Sorry, that was darker than the sort of thing I meant to talk about tonight."
Ellie shakes head a little with a sad smile. "...Dunno how much of a choice we have in it, really. It has to come out some time."
Laurel shakes her head and laughs a bit. "You know, a year ago I would've said you were wrong because I haven't willingly talked about it in years, but this is twice in a week that I've talked about it now."
Ellie laughs weakly, too. "Something in the water. Curse of meeting us, probably. Bleeding hearts all over."
"Must be." She snorts. "I think that's alright. You lot seem worth it, though." She puts a hand on Ellie's arm again and squeezes. "You're so lovely. You deserve the whole world."
There's a watery smile on Ellie's face. "The same, dear. The same. I'm glad you called, the other night."
"Oh, it's one of the best decisions I've made lately! I hope you don't mind me saying this, but you are turning out to be exactly the kind of friend I need."
Oh, that very much so makes her smile. "So are you! Honestly!" Little laugh. "It's so lucky!"
Laurel's heart feels warm despite the seriousness weaving its way through their conversation. It's so nice to have a friend.
Ellie's shaking her head. "And we've only known you- how long? A week? Two weeks? Not long, for sure."
"Seems hard to believe! I definitely have more distinct memories of the last few weeks than the rest of the six months I've been in Broadchurch. Haven't really connected with anyone else, to be honest."
Ellie frowns a little… somehow that makes her sad. "I'm sorry to hear that... you know, had you been here a few years ago, you'd've been welcomed right in, I'm sure." Smiles a bit. "It really is a warm place."
"Oh, this isn't a fault of the town, I promise. I just... don't make friends easily. Usually pretty content with my own company, so that's okay. It was the same in Bournemouth."
"Mm..." Ellie's doubtful but she nods a little; Laurel seems super friendly, if a little shy. "I'm surprised… You're absolutely easy to be around. I mean..." She shrugs. "I don't know what it is."
Laurel smiles. "I appreciate that. Genuinely. But I don't make real connections easily."
Ellie nods. These days, she can identify with that.
"I can be friendly with a whole city and still be friendless."
Ellie considers this. "...you know, a while back, I might've said I had very deep friendships here, and I did! But..." She shakes her head. It's Laurel's turn to listen, and she rests her cheek on the back of the couch as she shifts to do so. "Things've changed. Some are even deeper now than I realised could be, others..." Ellie shrugs. "It's like- like they were never there."
Laurel nods. "That happened to me as well. It's hard, isn't it?" She knows that's the understatement of the year, but...
"Think I was lonelier than I realised. Not that it's any better now, I've mostly got Hardy." She sighs. "It is hard…"
Laurel smiles a bit. "I'm glad you have each other. He seems lonely, too. And I know no one can understand what you're going through except him and vise versa."
"I am grateful for him, don't get me wrong... But he really is so lonely. Almost insists on it, I think."
"Mhm. Maybe that's why I've found it so easy to get along with you two. I'm lonely, as well."
Ellie's finding herself a little heavy-hearted again. "Definitely need more wine," she murmurs. "Can I attempt to get you some?".
"Oh, I'd love that!" The smile widens some at the reference to their earlier conversation.
Ellie manages a grin, too, and scoops up both glasses. "That could be!" she agrees, continuing the talk as she heads for the kitchen, her smile warming. "I know we're both glad to have met someone as open..." She disappears briefly but comes back with the whole bottle they've been working on.
Plopping back down on the sofa, she pours a generous amount in both glasses, luckily not spilling anything too badly.
Laurel grins briefly at the fairly successful wine pouring and nods. "It's not the easiest thing in the world to get close to people who have never really been through anything. That sounds terrible, I know everyone has struggles, but..."
Ellie sighs. "Oh, god, it's true, though, isn't it? I really despise it, too. Didn't realise it was going to be a club, or I might not've signed up." She offers Laurel her own glass back.
"Ah, thanks!" This brings a snort. "You and me both, love."
There's a toast and another round of "cheers."
"Three might be it for me, I think… Got to walk home, you know."
"Me as well, probably. Don't have to walk home, but I do have to manage to get up the stairs, and I have to work tomorrow."
Ell groans. "And tomorrow is going to be exceptionally tedious, too!"
"Because of the wine? Or because of something else?"
"Aha, paperwork. Least favourite, of course. Nothing special, though; I'm grateful for that."
Laurel echoes Ellie's groan. "That's a struggle I know all too well. 90% of nursing right there."
"Ha! Love the excitement." Laurel's managed to coax a new grin out of Ellie.
"I spend all of my time charting," the nurse agrees wryly. "I even dream about it some nights."
Ellie snorts. "Do you really?"
"As if I don't do enough of it awake!"
She shakes her head with a laugh. "I dream about poking holes in people's tires."
Laurel laughs. "You've got a vindictive streak, do you?"
Ellie's a tad smug. "A bit, really." She's wearing a half-guilty grin. "Mostly those are daydreams, though. Or wishful thinking."
"I think most people've got a streak like that, honestly." Laurel finds it quite funny, if she's being honest. Ellie comes across as such a sweetheart until she says something like this.
"Oh, probably more than will admit it," she laughs.
"I try not to, but sometimes I do, too," Laurel confesses. "I'd be surprised to find someone who never has felt that urge."
"Oh, for sure! Think it's human nature, deep down. Really wish it weren't tho," she adds, muttering into her wine and taking a sip.
Laurel's sort of reminiscing on her end of the sofa. "I don't think I'd ever actually hurt anyone, but… There was this doctor at the hospital I worked in in Bournemouth that was awful to everyone… And I just got fed up with it."
Ellie finds that she's got to extend the length of the drink as they get on this topic.
"Ran into him in the lounge one day," Laurel continues. "He yelled at me for something that came across as vaguely sexist while he made his coffee. He got called away for something just as he finished making it, and I dumped his coffee down the sink… He got so angry, thinking someone drank it."
"No…!" Ellie's a mixture of horrified and amused, waiting to see how this story turns out.
"From there on out, I dumped his coffee every time he left it unattended for thirty seconds. Must have happened a dozen times. He never cottoned on that it as me." She's just the tiniest bit smug about that fact.
"Oh you're brilliant!" Ellie's chortling… she's got a newfound respect for the mousy nurse.
Laurel laughs. "And petty and childish, but thank you."
"No, I love it!"
"I'm a little ashamed of myself but also a little proud. What does that say about me as a person?" Laurel grins and sips her wine.
"Says you've got some healthy self-respect, in my opinion," Ellie diagnoses slyly. "And an excellent sense of justice."
Laurel laughs. "Knew I liked you for a reason. Is that your professional opinion as a law enforcement officer?"
Ellie straightens her spine. "Yes, oh yes. I can see now that you represent the common good."
"We make quite a pair…" Laurel teases. "The nurse who recommends alcohol and the cop who recommends petty revenge!"
"Don't we just? Someone out to give us a raise. Seriously."
"A big one! So we can afford more wine!"
Ellie pours a bit of the last of that wine bottle- "Speaking of which- a top-off? We've almost made it through this whole one…"
"Oh, why not? Thanks!" This is more to drink than Laurel's had in ages and she's winding down, but it's been so nice that she doesn't want the evening to end.
Likewise; Ellie's forgetting to worry, and it's a wonderful relief. Sleepy, though- always did make her chattier and then sleepy again, everyone always said. But being at Laurel's! She'd have thought the notion of this happening would've been ridiculous just a week ago.
And maybe it's not exactly the thing she should be doing, right now- but there's no hearing tomorrow to sit in on- a break is a break.
There's not much more than drops left for Ellie to pour- they really plowed through this bottle. Laurel can't at all bring herself to regret it.
"This has been really just a brilliant evening. Thanks so much for coming, love," she says softly.
"Laurel, thank you. I… I'm very fortunate we met." She grins. "It was my pleasure to come by."
"Likewise. I hope you know that you're welcome here any time."
Ellie nods... it means a lot, another open door. Another friend, when so many have abandoned her. "The same, you know. And ask your family about visiting! We'll do a tour then, if they want. Maybe one before then, too, so you're not lost anymore."
"Oh, that'd be so much fun!" Laurel gives a sheepish grin. "You'd think I wouldn't be by now, but…"
Ellie laughs. "If you haven't got a reason to go to some parts of it, I can see not getting there."
Laurel drains the last of the top-off and sets aside her empty glass. "You're very kind, but the problem is mostly that I have a terrible sense of direction."
"Do you really?! Well, that's a fair reason as any, don't you think?"
"Yes! It's a hazard, honestly. I'm a danger to myself!"
"Just use the horizon, the cliffs and the water as a marker. Can't miss 'em."
Laurel laughs. "You know, Bournemouth is coastal, too, but somehow I never even got that down."
Ellie grins. "S'pose you don't see the cliffs unless you're under them… but don't make me give you a ticket for directional endangerment."
"If you do that, I'll just call you every time I need to go somewhere and ask for a ride. You'll regret that ticket pretty quickly," Laurel teases.
Her friend snorts. "I'll be a chauffeur again! Hardy used to need that."
"Again? -oh! I imagine that driving wouldn't go so well before the pacemaker," she muses.
"It was - ridiculous. All hours, you wouldn't believe."
"And I'm sure that was very exciting and fulfilling for you," Laurel guesses, snorting.
"Mmm, not so much."
Laurel chuckles, imagining the arguments that surely arose, and Ellie can easily read her thought process. "Oh, you've got the right idea. Ne'er even gave me tips…" She finishes up her wine, too.
"You ought to make him drive you around now that he's cleared to drive again!" Laurel suggests.
Ellie laughs, delighted at the idea. "There's your vindictive streak coming out again! Oh, he'd love that."
"You've caught me." Laurel's grinning. "Not sure it would be much different from normal, anyway. He seems to wear that grumpy expression 95% of the time!"
"You're not wrong," Ellie says, shaking her head. "Hardly a loss to be counted."
"If a man grumbles in a forest and no one is around to hear, is he still named Alec Hardy?"
"Those poor trees….."
Laurel chuckles. "He'd probably stunt their growth." Since the wine is gone now, she stands up and stretches with a light groan, feeling tired and content.
"They'd all grow scraggly little leaves and sigh in the breeze." Ellie runs a hand along her own jaw, demonstrating a beard.
"The real reason for global warming…"
Ellie stretches out, too, snorting and setting her glass down.
"Don't forget to keep my secrets secret, yeah?" Laurel reminds her. "Don't want any trees falling on me, since Hardy surely commands them."
Ellie stands, slightly wobbly in a very pleasant way. "Hah. I'm sure you'll blend right in, you and your grumpy whiskey." She's definitely smirking now.
"Oh, I don't think the world can take Hardy and grumpy Darvill in the same place at the same time."
"I have a feeling he'd be too shocked to be grumpy anymore."
"Oi, is it really that surprising?" Laurel asks, laughing. "Everyone's grumpy sometimes, right? Even me."
"Impossible," Ellie protests, shaking her head.
"I guess you'll just have to see it to believe it. We can make that happen someday… If I recover from tonight, that is! I'm such a lightweight, three glasses does me in."
Ellie snorts. "Ugh, likewise."
Laurel takes both glasses back to the kitchen and quickly rinses them, drying them off and returning Ellie's new one back to her. "Hope you get some use out of that," she says with a grin.
Ellie's collecting herself and her things. "Oh-! Hah, I'm sure that I will!" she murmurs fondly, looking it over. "This really was all too kind of you."
"It was my pleasure. It's really fun to see someone so excited over such a small gift." She spontaneously gives Ellie a hug, happy as could be after a great evening.
Ellie laughs happily and returns the hug. "Small? This entire evening?" She gives her new friend a warm grin. "See you around."
"Oh, it was so lovely for me, I should be begging you to come back!" Laurel leads the way to the door and opens it with a fond smile. "I sure hope so. Have a good night, love."
"And you. Night, dear."
Laurel watches her leave, waves, and closes the door behind her, still feeling pleasantly buzzed as she gets ready for bed.
A/N: The views and opinions expressed in this fic (particularly by Ellie Miller) in no way represent the views and opinions of the authors. The authors, in fact, love German wine!