Alec came round slowly, opening his eyes to the immediate sight of Ellie looking worried at his side. She was absolutely exhausted having been there most of the day waiting and it was easily now racing on for the early hours of morning. Ellie had abused her authority as a police officer to make sure she could stay with him but felt terrible for doing so and leaving her children with her sister all day. She knew Alec had no one else though and after her recent discovery of his past and medical condition did not want to leave him alone.

Back at the hotel Tom had been quiet all day, not that anyone had noticed. After seeing what he had that morning he hadn't wanted to leave the place and had dared not really leave the room. When he had first met Susan Wright that day in the arcade and petted her dog he hadn't thought her so bad but now he was thinking differently. He thought it odd she had been out so late. Now tucked up back in his bed, aware of his Aunt on the phone yet again to his mother demanding she come back and look after her own children, he trembled and was finding it difficult to settle.

Everytime he closed his eyes he seemed to see a merge of faces, Danny's, his father's, Susan's and one he knew he had seen before but was struggling to place. It was certainly familiar but not one he could put a name to. Focusing hard he tried to work out where he had seen the man before and why but the harder he tried the more it just seemed to bring on the nagging pain of a headache he was getting. As he lay quietly, still listening to his Aunt who was leaving another voicemail he began to cry some silent tears as he remembered Danny and how sad he felt that they had fallen out before he died. Never would he have the chance to correct it or have his best friend back.

"What you doing here Miller?" croaked Alec as he looked in her direction with a frown.

"I wanted to make sure you were ok" she answered simply and innocently with tears forming in her eyes.

Still frowning Alec stared at her before rolling his eyes, typical overemotional Miller he thought as he shimmied up in his bed and rested against the pillow. At first her emotional attachment to things had really wound him up because it was unprofessional and had no place within his team or work ethic. Grunting he watched her as she bowed her own head and tried to brush away her tears and paint on a fake smile. Given her change in circumstances it was not fair to harass her about it, he had to admit after everything she had been through recently he now had a soft spot for her and her reactions were harmless and to be expected.

Reaching out his hand best he could he grabbed for hers. The gesture surprised Ellie and shocked she looked up as his bony cold hand wrapped around hers. He didn't smile, although he did try and he glared at her intently, his tone serious as he spoke.

"Don't cry over me Ellie, I am not worth those tears"

Ellie was shocked, he hadn't really ever called her Ellie, he had always called her Miller. She smiled up at him and sniffed smiling and giggling as she looked at him. She knew he had a kind streak in him and she was sure she'd always been able to see it even though he preferred to keep that side of his personality hidden. His hand gave one last reassuring squeeze of hers before normality was restored and he pulled away.

"Now, you get back to your kids and stop worring about me" Alec coughed but sternly ordered her to.

Nodding, still upset for many reasons Ellie got up and began to make her way from the ward. She headed outside, smiling at the nurses as she passed many of them strolling the corridors of the local hospital. Taking a deep breath she went to reception and left her number, again abusing the authority her badge held, so that they could contact her in case of emergency for Alec. She knew he would never appreciate the gesture but she wouldn't forgive herself if she walked away and abandoned him after all they were still going through.

As she stepped outside she shuddered. The night air was unusually cold and the winds were stronger than normal to. She kept her head down and hurried down the few steps to the street to start heading home. Very little street lighting lined the route from the hospital back to the town centre and as Ellie made her way back she felt it was more scary than normal. Trees and bushes ruffled noisily in the wind and made her shudder every time. All she wanted now was to get back in the safe and warm quickly.

She turned the corner and began to head down into the town when she suddenly had the feeling she was not alone. Stopping she quickly glanced behind her and to either side to see if anyone was there but all that surrounded her was the blackest of night. She pressed on, now extremely eager to get back when suddenly a figure stepped out from the bushes at the side of the road and stood in front of her making her scream. Her heart was beating fast as she stopped again and looked at the silhouette. It wasn't tall nor was it of slim build. Gingerly and with caution Ellie allowed herself to approach, her whole body trembling with fear of the unknown.

The closer she got the more she could note the outline of some basic features and there she noted something at their side.

"Hello Detective Miller" came the voice sounding a little on the sinister side.

"Who's there?" shouted Ellie as she stopped again not far from the person.

From the shadows the silhouette moved closer and eventually came close enough for Ellie to see who it was. Not suspicious at all it was Susan, out again walking her dog. Ellie gasped and released the breath she hadn't realised she had been holding in her anxious state. Her hand made a grab to her chest as she slowly caught her breath and greeted the stranger. There was no real threat to her if Susan was alone, the woman knew she was already under their suspicions so to now do something to a Detective would be a silly move. Ellie smiled bowed her head back down and tried to continue on with her journey. As she passed Susan she heard her distinctly warn.

"I'd be careful out here at night if I were you"

Ellie wasn't sure if it was a threat or a genuine warning but she did not fear the sleepy little town of Broadchurch. She was well known enough to not encounter any danger without suspicion being raised by her disappearance she hoped. Enough people knew now that her and Alec were sticking around a bit longer. Pulling her hood up in an attempt to shelter her face more now from the harsh winds that seemed to be developing she quickened her pace, carefully letting the glowing street lamps of the down below guide her back.

She wasn't to know and there was no way she would have known that not all was well up in the hills and cliffs above the town. From behind her Nigel crept alongside the road as he had been since he'd spotted her leaving the hospital earlier. Jumping out behind her when he was just level with her back he grabbed her and wrapped his gloved hand over her mouth to muffle any screams. Ellie tried to struggle as he dragged her away into the vast shrubby that lined the route but was so frozen from the cold that her body failed her in fight.