Rose was glad the ambulance driver didn't put the siren on as they headed to the same hospital Alec had been to. She was holding her side as the female attendant cleaned her head wound and put a bandage on it.

"Rose, can you answer a few questions for me?"

"Yeah, my side really hurts."

"Let's get you to the hospital and they'll sort you out. Can you tell me what happened?"

"Yeah, someone I work with, she's been trying to split me and my boyfriend up and to cut a long story short, she got jealous and told me loads of lies about him but when she saw a pregnancy testing kit in my bathroom, she flipped and attacked me."

"So she threw something at you?"

"Yeah, the kit and while I was holding my hand to my forehead, she was about to leave when she grabbed me by my hair and punched me, twice in my side."

The attendant touched where Rose indicated, carefully when she pulled a face.

"Well luckily, if you are pregnant, your friend was a rotten shot, she missed anything vital, she may have caught a rib though, the hospital will have to do an x-ray but they'll have to determine if you are pregnant or not first. You should call the police and report it."

"My boyfriend is the police, I should let him know."

The ambulance driver was backing up to the emergency admissions entrance and got out to open the doors.

"Can you walk Rose?" the female attendant asked, helping her carefully off the stretcher.

"I don't know, the pain's getting worse."

"We'll get you a chair then. Let's get you booked in."

Rose managed to thank them both for their help as a nurse came to attend to her even though there were a few people waiting, the attendants had said Rose may be pregnant and they needed to make sure.

"I'm just going to give you a blood test and can you just lay back for me while I check you out?"

"Can I have something for the pain? I feel sick as well, since Tuesday night."

"We need to know what we can give you first, I won't take long. Is there someone you should contact?"

"My boyfriend, what's the time?"

"Just a little before four. Lie still Rose, I need to just take some blood then the doctor will come in and examine you."

"Can I get my phone?"

"You won't get a signal in here, it's a bad reception area. I'll see if I can get someone to call your boyfriend."

Suddenly Rose let out a yelp as she moved and almost passed out from the pain. When Alec got to find out, he would go crazy and launch a full-scale hunt for Claire, she wouldn't be able to hide anywhere. What the hell had come over her? Had she been that jealous or was it the fact she thought Rose was pregnant? As she laid on the examination couch an hour later, Alec and Ellie had just got back to the station and the desk sergeant was handing him a pile of messages.

"Sir, you really should get yourselves organised up there."

Ellie gave the sergeant a scowl, as if Hardy wasn't already in a bad mood as it was. She hoped she wasn't going to have to work overtime again, her youngest son would soon be forgetting what she looked like. As they waited for the lift, she was going to find out.

"Are you seeing Rose tonight then?" she asked as quietly as she could, just in case he wanted to keep his personal life out of the station.

"Yes, she's no longer keeping to our agreement and it is Thursday, her day off. I should call her, see if she has got to my place. I asked her to move in with me."

"Really?" Ellie asked as they got into the lift, wondering why Hardy didn't want to take the stairs but they had been out for a while, she was feeling lazy herself.

"No more trouble from Claire then?"

"Not so far but she will be lurking around somewhere. Rose seemed a little better earlier but I think I will insist she still goes to the health centre tomorrow, just to make sure."

"So is she going back to work tomorrow?"

"She said she was, I'll see how she is tonight. Finish your paperwork then go see your boys. I need to speak with Tom, he should have another adult with him."

"What? Why do you want to see Tom?"

"He was Danny's friend, it's time to have a him talk about it. So, when's Jack Marshall's funeral?"

"I've not heard yet why? Are you going?"

"Rose may want to go, I'll go if she does."

"Wow, she's really turned you around hasn't she?"

"She may have done me some good, aye. I should call her and tell her I won't be late home, she may not feel like eating much yet, she just about managed her lunch."

Ellie went to her desk, wondering why for a detective, Hardy had not yet surmised what was wrong with his girlfriend but it was a bit quick wasn't it? That meant they'd got together the night he went to collect her when Rose and Claire had their first falling out which to her mind had been the start of Claire's jealousy. She wasn't going to let on though, see how good he really was and see if he could work it out for himself but Rose may not know yet, it was a bit early to do a test, they were very inaccurate at such an early stage, even the expensive ones. If Claire was to find out Rose may be pregnant, goodness knew how she would react and she just hoped Hardy was there when and if Claire did find out.

As he watched Ellie gather her things, Alec thought about Rose, hoping she was feeling better than she'd looked earlier but she'd seemed to be able to keep her lunch down so that was a good sign. He may get away with having the following afternoon off by saying he was taking her to find out what was causing her to feel ill. He wondered if she'd managed to call her boss or if she was waiting until she knew for certain if she would be going in to work just for the morning.

Back at the hospital, the nurse had come back and said it was too early to tell if Rose was pregnant or not but they would proceed with caution over the x-ray and medication until it was ruled out.

"We're going to keep you in overnight Rose, we'll send you for a scan in the morning and we need to monitor you but you'll get something for the pain once you're on the ward."

Rose was in no state to argue with the nurse as she waited for a porter to come with a chair, since she didn't want to be wheeled on a bed.

"Can someone call my boyfriend when I get to the ward?"

"I'm sure they will Rose, don't worry, they'll sort you out."

"So this scan, what is it?"

"Just to make sure you have no internal injuries and it was only your ribs, you may have pulled a rib muscle as you were hit. The doctor didn't find any indication they were broken, luckily."

"Will you come to the ward with me?"

"Sorry, I have other patients here but you'll be fine, they'll look after you."

The female porter arrived and smiled at Rose, getting her charts from the nurse.

"Hello Rose, where are you going then?"

Rose just smiled back saying for her to ask the nurse. As they got in the patient only lift, Rose remained quiet, she was feeling sick again and hoped she would get something for it once she'd got settled. She had to wait by the desk but was soon wheeled to a side ward with six beds, three were occupied by older woman, one a woman around her own age and two empty ones Rose as she was taken to the far corner near the window, which suited her just fine.

She'd already got undressed in the emergency room, wearing a gown that just tied at the back and another one over it so she was covered and if someone would finally call Alec, he could bring her own for her. As she got settled into bed, being careful as she got in and her things were put into the locker next to her, she asked for her shoulder bag.

"Can you get me something for the pain now?"

"Yes, let's get you settled first then I'll come back. Have you eaten?"

"No but I feel sick, can I just have a cup of tea?"

"After your medication. Do you want us to call anyone?"

Rose thought at last. "Will my mobile work here?" she asked, looking out at the gardens, being relieved she wasn't facing a wall or another building.

"Sometimes, it depends who you're with but if you give me a number, I can let someone know where you are, your mother perhaps?"

"My mum's away at my cousin's, I need to let my boyfriend know, I'll give you the number."

Having recited Alec's number, the nurse went off and she wondered if her phone network was one that would work as she carefully reached for her shoulder bag and got her mobile out but seeing 'No Service' on the screen when she pressed for it to light up, seeing Alec's picture on it and smiling.

The two women opposite were watching her. Just let them try nicking her mobile during the night, they had no idea who her boyfriend was.

"Hello, what's your name then?" the woman opposite her asked.

"I'm Rose, hi. Guess my mobile won't work here, fat lot of good that is, I won't be able to talk to my boyfriend all night but that's probably why they cut off the signal."

She thought she may as well have a bit of fun with them while she was there, Alec didn't look much like a detective and she could get him to keep quiet about it, depending how long they kept her in.

"Well, I'm Ivy and this is Carol."

Rose noticed the other woman had disappeared and the younger woman in the next bed but one had her earphones in.

"Visiting isn't until seven dear," Ivy informed her as she looked at her phone again.

The nurse came back in with some painkillers. It was after six and Rose knew Alec would be wondering where she was.

"Here you are Rose, you can take two of these now but they may knock you out. The orderly will bring you some tea in a minute, would you like to try to eat something, if I can find you a sandwich?"

"Well maybe if you have a tuna one?"

The nurse smiled as Rose took the two tablets and the water from her.

"I'll see what I can do, Nurse Daniels is just calling your boyfriend."

"Thanks but if these knock me out, I may not know he's here."

Alec had left just after six, pulling up in the street but having noted Claire's absence, maybe she'd finally got the message. As he locked the car and walked to his cottage he was now hoping would become Rose's home as well, he opened the door and called her name.

"Rose, sweetheart, I'm back."

He saw immediately she wasn't downstairs and wondered if she'd gone to lie down when she'd got there. He went up to their bedroom but it was empty and the bathroom door was open so he got out his phone but there was no answer, it just rang and he knew she'd not put an answerphone on, she preferred missed calls so she would see when he'd called her while she was at work.

He went back downstairs and thought she may just have stayed at her place and decided he'd take a walk down, he didn't really need his car and he would tell Rose in case he didn't make it tomorrow to make sure someone collected it. He had to think positive now, he had Rose to think about and wondered if he was right, about her feeling sick but it was a bit soon, it wasn't even two weeks. If she was, he had to get through his surgery tomorrow, she had no-one else in the whole world, quite literally.

He let himself into Rose's apartment and he knew right away she wasn't there but there were signs something was wrong, the bag by the door that looked like it had been kicked out of the way and when he looked on the floor, a plastic tube that he knew straight off what it was, she had either got it and used it or thrown it on the floor and run away and maybe now, he'd lost her. He knew better than to pick it up without using gloves, just in case something untoward had happened but maybe she had seen the results, found her device working and used it.

He felt sick himself at the thought of losing her, he needed her as much as she needed him, she wouldn't just go without saying anything, would she? Was she so upset she'd just take off after they'd just resolved things? A million things were running through his mind as he stumbled into the kitchen to get some water to take his pills, he could feel the tightening in his chest already and he had to calm himself down or it would be all over and he'd never find out if she had gone or not. He took the two pills and pulled a chair out before he fell down.

Five minutes later, he felt a bit more calm and got his phone out to call Ellie, just in case Rose had rung her to leave a message for him if she couldn't face doing it herself. He squinted at the screen, Rose's smiling face looking back at him – he loved her and he might never see her again and he couldn't bear to think about getting through the surgery and her not being there. Would she go back to James?

As he was running his fingers through his hair and thinking he liked it better when Rose did it to him, he jumped as his phone rang with an unknown number.

"Hardy."

"Is that Alec Hardy?" Nurse Daniels asked as her colleague was asking if she was calling Rose Tyler's boyfriend.

"Yes, who is this?"

"Nurse Daniels from Dorchester hospital, I was asked to call you."

"Don't tell me, you've been given the job of cancelling my surgery tomorrow, I knew it was too good to be true, getting in so early."

"Sorry, no, nothing about surgery. I'm calling from ward 12, I believe you know a Rose Tyler?"

"What?" he asked, panicking again when he just been calming himself down. "Rose, is she ok?"

"She was admitted just over an hour ago with some injuries, she can't use her mobile, we don't get very good reception here. I'm just calling to tell you we're keeping her overnight, you can come and see her, visiting is seven until eight.

"Ward 12 you say? What ward is that?"

"The general women's ward, she's in bed 12, just ask at the desk. She mentioned when she was admitted you're in the police?"

"Yes, I am why?"

"She was assaulted from the report I received, she was asked if she wanted to report it but she said no."

Alec knew right away who had assaulted her, it could only be Claire. That was it, he was locking her up and throwing away the key because she had just made a very big mistake.

"How is she?" he managed to ask.

"We're keeping her under observation overnight, we'll send her for a scan in the morning but we can discuss that, if you're coming to visit?"

It was almost six thirty but he could be there in half an hour but he was in no fit state to drive.

"Tell her I'm on my way will you? Should I bring her anything?"

"No, she was just anxious we called you, I'm sure she just wants to see you."

Alec hung up, relieved she was at least ok and communicating. He called for a cab to pick him up in five minutes and called Ellie, who frowned when she saw his name.

"I'm not coming back to work so forget it – Sir. I thought you'd gone home to your girlfriend?"

"I need you to do something for me."

"No Sir, I need time with my family," she told him, wiping the tomato sauce from her youngest son's face.

"Not even for Rose?"

"What? Is there something serious?"

"Claire attacked her, she's in the hospital, in Dorchester. I want a warrant out for Claire Ripley, for assault and I want her locking up until morning, Rose won't get her out this time."

"I'll get right on it, are you going to see Rose?"

"My taxi just pulled up, I left my car at home and I need to get there right away."

"Why didn't she report it?"

"I expect she just thought about getting help and the hospital just called me, there's no mobile signal down there."

He'd never noticed when he'd been there, he'd been outside when he'd called for a cab to take him home, he must have been in a good spot to get a signal.

"I'll call Frank to get units out, give me Claire's address."

He had just reached the bottom step and waved through the gap under the stairs to the driver before he drove off.

"I'll text it to you but I doubt she'll be there, she will know Rose will have called me."

He hung up as he got into the cab, telling the driver which ward he wanted at the hospital, hoping he wouldn't be kept in himself as he knew the medication he'd just taken wouldn't be enough, he just hoped he would calm down by the time he got there or he'd be taken to see her on a stretcher.

He could see the driver eyeing him through the mirror as they drove down the A35 towards Dorchester and approached the roundabout, Alec having been that way the day before. He could feel himself settling down so hopefully, if he walked in, he'd make it under his own steam. He paid the driver and went though the same door as yesterday, looking at the signs and spotting ward 12, spying the lift even though it was the next floor.

He got out with several other people, all going in the same direction and looking out of the window, noticed that despite going up one level there was a path and a garden out there, he followed the others, who all went off to different side wards and he stopped at the desk.

"I'm looking for Rose Tyler?"

"Yes, second room on the left, the bed near the window, she has the curtain round, I think she fell asleep."

Alec nodded and went off where he was directed, passing the first ward then going into the next and seeing a curtain pulled over, walked towards it, getting him a look from another young woman talking to a man and three other woman talking to their visitors.

While Rose had been waiting for Alec, she'd drunk her tea and eaten half her sandwich and laying back on the pillow, had falling asleep fifteen minutes ago. He pulled the curtain from the side nearest the window, let himself through and pulled it all the way round, getting a stare from the three women opposite, not that he cared. He pulled the chair around so he was facing her, getting as close as he could and touched her cheek. Rose stirred slightly as he then kissed her lightly on the lips.

"Hey Sweetheart."

"Alec? Where have you been?"

She tried to sit up but cringed and lay back on the pillows, Alec's arm now supporting her. He saw the bandage on her forehead.

"Did Claire do this to you?"

"Yeah, she forced her way in Alec, I couldn't stop her."

"Why did she attack you? Did you start it?" he smiled as Rose touched his tie.

"Very funny Alec, you told me not to, remember? She said if I didn't let her in, she would go to the local paper and tell them how you abandoned her when she was, you know what."

"She tried that again? Then what happened?"

She quickly told him up until Claire went into the bathroom.

"So, what did she do then? She threw something at you?"

"Yeah and while I was holding my hand to my forehead, I thought she was leaving but she turned and grabbed me by my hair and dragged me into the living room, then she punched me, twice in my side. I slumped to the floor and I heard the door slam. I managed to reach my phone on the coffee table and called an ambulance, I didn't know what else to do, my side hurt."

"It's ok love, I have officers out looking for her, I put Miller in charge. So, what did she throw at you eh? It wasn't something small and plastic was it?"

Rose blushed at the thought where the testing kit had landed, she'd not been taking much notice.

"Did you use it?" he asked, taking her hand and rubbing the back of it as she held it to her side.

"No. I looked at it but the instructions said from two weeks."

"I hate to ask you this love, really I do but is it possible it was from when you were with James?"

"No, it's months ago now and I was getting injections back then, you're the only one I've been with Alec, I told you, I never expected to meet anyone when I got to Broadchurch."

"I'm sorry Rose, I had to ask you. Did they not do a test here? Did you tell them?"

"Yes but it was inconclusive. They're treating me as if I were though, just in case but the painkillers knocked me out. Will I have to give a statement to Ellie?"

"I'll get her down here in the morning, it concerns me so it's best she conducts the investigation."

"You both have enough to do without me bothering you."

"Don't think that Rose, you are just as important. We are not the only ones on the Latimer case. Can you sit up?"

He moved to sit on the edge of the bed and she moved forward until he was holding her.

"I'm sorry it went this far love but you were the one who said for me to let her go," he smiled, kissing where there was no bandage.

"She said some horrible things Alec, she said she'd been to the clinic when she was off last Saturday but it was a lie, she couldn't have known that quickly when I didn't, she threatened to tell the papers. When she saw the testing kit, she lost it and said I didn't get to have that with you so I knew it was all lies."

"Shush, everything will be taken care of, we'll find her and now I've got her for assault, I had nothing on her before, thanks to you I have now. I would have preferred her not to have hurt you though but you have to press charges against her."

"I know but you didn't need this, not now."

"Well at least I have a reason to be here tomorrow," he grinned as she looked up at him.

They were interrupted a while later by someone trying to get past the curtain as they kissed, stopping just in time but Alec still sitting on the bed, which got them a frown from the staff nurse.

"You got hold of your boyfriend then?"

Alec thought that was rather obvious but moved back to the chair.

"How are you feeling now Rose? We've arranged for a CT scan in the morning to make sure you have no internal injuries since you shouldn't have a x-ray until we rule out pregnancy. Once we get the results, we'll give you some medication and you'll be able to go home. You should report the incident."

"She already has, I have my DS working on it, I'm DI Hardy from Broadchurch Police. We'll need to come back in the morning and get a formal statement and we'll need a report of her injuries," Alec told her.

"Of course, we'll co-operate fully with you. Visiting is over in ten minutes, if you want to stay, it will have to be in an official capacity but not for too long, it disrupts the others and it is a female ward."

"It's ok, I'll walk out with him, I'm gonna need the bathroom."

The nurse left and Alec resume his place on the bed.

"I'll be back first thing with Miller, then I'll tell her I'm staying until you get released, which could take most of the day, don't you think?"

"Yeah, it could take a while. Help me out of bed will ya?"

"Take it easy love."

He helped her sit on the edge. "You could have brought me a few things, where were you when they called you?"

"At your place, I was wondering where you could be. I thought you'd left."

"Left for where?" she asked, looking at him. "Oh, you mean as in not just left Broadchurch?"

Alec avoid her stare. "The thought did cross my mind when I saw the test."

"Alec, I'd never do that to you, I wouldn't just go without saying goodbye. Did you panic?"

"I may have done but when I got the call, I was more angry with Claire, I knew it could have only been her that put you in here and she will regret it, trust me. She had better hope Miller finds her before I do. Come on then you can walk me out, slowly."

He helped her up and then kissed her, the curtain not quite pulled around so the woman opposite caught a glimpse as she'd been seeing her own visitors out. Alec pulled the curtain further back, Rose holding onto his arm.

"Take your time Rose, don't rush," he told her, for his benefit as well as hers, the other women staring.

Rose was going to get some stick when she returned. He'd eaten the remainder of her tuna sandwich but he was still hungry and he had to keep all his strength for tomorrow.

"I'll call the salon in the morning, tell them you won't be back until Monday, don't even think about working on Saturday."

"Claire will have left town, she had a bag with her."

"I suspected that, I told Miller she would have left the cottage. Saturday, no arguments, you move in with me if it all goes well tomorrow."

"It has to, I need you Alec."

They had reached the corridor, some seats just opposite the ward and Alec sat her down.

"We needed to talk tonight love but never mind, you know I love you, I'll do everything I can to get through tomorrow. I have to call Tess, she'll want to come but I'll try and keep her away"

"Let her come Alec, we need to meet, I can handle her, she can't be half as bad as Claire."

"Don't bet on that love. I'm happy you could finally tell me, if I don't make it, we've had this time together, it was more than I hoped for when I met you that day."

"We'll have plenty of time. Just keep calm tonight, promise?"

"Aye, I'll try my best but you promised to look after me."

"I will, when you get out but I don't know if they'll discharge me before you go for your surgery. Someone will just have to take me down 'cos I'm gonna be there when you wake up."

They were about to kiss when the ward door swung open and the staff nurse had her arms folded,

"You should get back to your bed Rose," she informed the two of them.

Rose just smiled and kissed Alec's cheek.

"Gotta go, come and rescue me tomorrow."

"I will love, as soon as I can get Miller to bring me."

The staff nurse went back inside and Alec kissed Rose properly.

"Bye love, don't worry about me, I got a taxi here, I'd left my car at home and I'd walked to your apartment. We have some serious talking to do before I go for my surgery. I've left all my benefits to you, the police will take care of everything."

"They'll be no need of that for a long time. You thought I'd gone back home but I promise you Alec, I'm never going back without you. I love you."

"I love you too sweetheart, now back to your bed before they think I've aided you in escaping eh?"