"Is that all you're having this morning Rose? You'll need more than that until lunchtime. How did things go then? Did you two 'talk'?"
Rose blushed, they hadn't exactly done much 'talking', mainly kissing and Alec tormenting her with his tongue without actually totally undressing her, just reaching parts that were uncovered but she had managed to get her own back eventually and had made him moan her name as she kissed across his chest after swapping positions with him.
"Yes, he told me all about his wife up in Glasgow, he's getting a divorce. I promised not to tell anyone the details, he didn't want to say much else. He just realised she had been using him for the last two years and now he's decided to do something about it. Don't worry, he'll keep me out of it, if that's what you're worried about." She grabbed another piece of toast.
"Well, just don't tell your mother until you decide what you're going to do and for goodness sake, don't even think about telling her who he looks like, she's bad enough as it is. She half scared me to death last night, I thought she was going into labour early. I didn't know what was wrong with her, she was getting pretty annoyed about something, it took me ten minutes to find out she only had indigestion."
Rose smiled. That was just typical of her mother.
"Well, I'll probably stay out again tonight, since the conference finishes today and Alec may have to move out of his hotel, it seems a bit expensive since the Police have been paying for it. I was going to ask him about it later. I don't suppose he could stay here for a few days, could he?"
"I'm not sure that's a good idea, I don't want your mother slapping him, not in her state." Pete laughed.
"It's just he's not going to be able to afford a central London hotel, he has to pay for a solicitor plus find himself somewhere to live when he gets back. Ok then, I'll book into a hotel for three nights and he can stay with me." Rose was determined that wasn't going to spoil things, she was prepared to do anything.
Pete didn't like that idea. "Ok, since you're obviously attached to him, your mother will have to meet him sooner or later. Bring him around in the morning and if he doesn't arrest your mother for slapping him, he can stay in one of the guest rooms and I mean it Rose, no sharing until I check him out personally."
Rose crossed over to him and hugged him. She had learned very early on he could hardly say no to her but didn't usually take advantage of it except in exceptional circumstances and this was one of them. Now she had to persuade Alec to go along with it. Maybe he would refuse, it wasn't an ideal situation but she was determined to have him stick around until Sunday and even then she intended helping him out. What good was there being the Vitex heiress if you couldn't flaunt your status? She had a generous allowance from Pete, no bills to pay and spent her money wisely. She had money in her bank account and an almost zero balance on her credit card plus once she reached 21, her allowance would increase and she would be paid by Torchwood once she passed her exams.
That thought brought her back down to earth. Bother, she had exams next week and she had totally forgotten about them getting engrossed with Alec. She was going to have to tell him tonight but he would know most of it by then anyway, he would just get to know a bit more than the rest of the conference delegates would, after he had made use of his tongue on her exposed skin again he wasn't going to get any further than that just yet, she was enjoying it.
Rose was more light hearted on the way into town to finish the conference although they arrived a bit later than the previous morning with Rose delaying their departure. Alec was already there, sitting in his seat at the table and scribbling in his file again. He really should see if he could get another copy or he would be out of a job as well as a home when he got back. He saw one of the conference attendants and cheekily asked for another copy, pretending he had spoiled his copy and was quite pleased when brought one. He had managed to get there early on and so after getting his new copy, he made notes in the back on the blank pages and hoped he'd remembered everything, intending to get more out of Rose later after he had finished licking her to death, which she seemed to have enjoyed last night despite her keeping her underwear on. He was going to have to remedy that part, she had been adamant nothing else was going to be taken off and he didn't want to force her and scare her away.
His heart skipped a beat when he saw her walk in. She was beautiful and was wearing black trousers and a beige see-through blouse with a white top underneath, her hair was swept back and he just wanted to kiss her there and then but instead smiled as she took her place. He had been hoping she would be early again but he'd dropped her off late after keeping her in bed longer than he should have done but she hadn't exactly protested when he did. Rose smiled back at him as she sat down and Alec knew then things were going to work out between them, he cared about her and he could tell she cared about him.
Then the moment came when Rose was in the spotlight. This was her day and she had not been looking forward to it. This was the day she told the conference delegates where the Cybermen had gone after escaping the sealed factories and how she knew because she was there when they arrived. She was concentrating on what she was saying, Pete had told her to tell the truth, these were all senior Police Officers and could be trusted and had assured her there would be no repercussions and she, her mother and Mickey were protected and had warned her not to keep looking at Alec all the time, to address the whole conference, not just him. She had to reveal that once they were sure the threat had been neutralised here, she had gone back to where she had come from another universe.
Everyone in the room gasped, including Alec who had spent two evening with her, one of them sharing a bed with her and was falling in love with her but to find out his love interest was from another universe, in front of dozens of other Police officers and senior officials was something he had not been expecting and he thought she would react badly to him being married, that was nothing compared to this. So this was her secret, a well kept secret. At this point, people were mumbling to themselves and Pete stood up.
"May I remind you all this is in the strictest confidence and this does not leave the room. When you report back, this revelation will be omitted and you will all be handed a full statement that has been prepared with the official version, including all the information from the last two days of the conference."
Alec frowned, he needn't have just wasted twenty minutes racking his brain to remember what had been said, he could have been making plans about Rose but did he want to now? Was she any different from last night when he had been kissing and licking her all over and wanted to do more? Was she the same Rose who had made him want out of his failed marriage to be with her? He didn't know the answer, it had come as a complete shock.
Pete continued. "What you are about to be told now is also classified. The statements you will be handed will contain two versions, one for your benefit only as you have been chosen to hear first hand and one version to be shared with your fellow officers on a need to know basis. No-one below your grade is to learn about even the shared version. There is no-one in this room below the rank of Detective Inspector. Now Miss Tyler will proceed with her version of what happened when the Cybermen made it through to her world as no-one from here knows exactly what took place when they got there except for her and three other people, two of which are here in this world and protected, along with her and then I will address you and relate how we knew the Cybermen were starting to disappear and made it through to the world she comes from and how we went across to help."
Rose began to relate the events leading up to them discovering what they thought were just ghosts and then seeing them materialise as Cybermen. She left nothing out except that The Doctor was not from earth and was a time traveller. She finished just as lunchtime arrived and Pete declared he would speak after lunch.
Rose remained in her seat, staring at the folder in front of her, not daring to look Alec in the eye. What had she been thinking of, getting involved with him and having him find out in front of all these people she was virtually an alien? She might just as well have been, she wasn't from this world. It would have been much simpler if she hadn't spent the last two nights with him and getting more intimate with him last night. She should have known better. This was why The Doctor had probably not wanted to get involved with her, he was afraid he would put her in danger and he would be exposed and maybe imprisoned or worse still studied and dissected and Rose also locked up for helping him.
Pete pulled her out of her daydream by asking if she was going for lunch. She shook her head. She couldn't face Alec now. She wasn't even aware everyone except her and Alec had left the room.
Alec had remained in his seat until everyone had left then he got up and closed the door. He could do without lunch, he had lost his appetite. He looked at Rose who was now resting her head on her hands on the table and couldn't decide whether to talk to her or leave the room, even walk out of the conference. He stood with his back to the door, one foot behind him on the door and his hands behind his head, moving it back and forth, debating what to do next. Rose was still not looking at him.
"You could have told me Rose," was all he could manage.
There was no reply.
"You knew you were going to say all this today, why couldn't you have told me last night? Why did I have to find this all out in front of all these people Rose, why?" He remained where he was and closed his eyes.
"I'm sorry Alec," she said in a low voice he could only just hear.
"You're sorry? Well that makes everything ok then doesn't it?" He felt angry and betrayed again, as if being betrayed by his own wife hadn't been enough, now he finds out the woman he was considering getting a divorce for was from another universe. Hell, did that make her an alien?
Rose looked up, tears were streaming down her face, Alec could just see. She had meant it, she was sorry. He moved away from the door and crossed over and stood in front of her. She didn't look up at him. He walked around behind her chair and leaned down, putting his arms around her shoulders.
"I'm sorry too Rose, I thought we had something special, you and I, like we needed each other. Maybe I was wrong to be angry with you but it was a shock, finding out like that. You didn't trust me enough to tell me when we were on our own last night."
Rose was still crying, she had blown it and ruined any chance of staying with him now. She'd had two choices just like Pete had said, to be happy or miserable during her time here and she had unwittingly chosen to be miserable and not only that, ruin Alec's life as well.
He leaned down and brushed her cheek with his finger. "Look at me Rose, please," he pleaded, trying to get her to turn around.
Rose shrugged him away, laying her head on her hands again, wanting the table to swallow her. Alec was persistent, putting his hands on her shoulders again.
"Rose, look me in the eye and tell me everything that happened between us last night meant something to you because it meant something to me."
Rose looked up to see his face peering over her shoulder, almost resting his chin on it. He whispered in her ear. "Rose, I love you, please, tell me this makes no difference to how we feel about each other. You made a difference in my life, made me realise I didn't have to take what had been thrown in my face and that I could do something about it. You gave my life back to me." He kissed her cheek and moved away, standing behind her.
When she didn't respond or say anything, he knew he should just leave. He didn't need to hear the rest, he would just get a copy of the statements and leave, pack his bags and drive back up to Glasgow and get there sometime in the evening and forget about the divorce, what would be the point? He was only going to do it to be with Rose. She had made him feel loved and wanted again, a breath of fresh air after his stale marriage. He didn't want his wife back, he wanted Rose but she didn't want him.
Rose had heard what he had said. He did mean something to her and now he had said he loved her. No-one had actually said those three words to her, not even Mickey, all he'd ever come out with was 'luv you babe' and then only occasionally, mostly after his football team had just won a match. She knew he'd moved a step back. She raised her head, her cheeks still wet with her tears. She heard his footsteps behind her, he was leaving.
"Alec?"
He stopped.
"Last night, it did mean something to me and I thought too that we had something special but how can you say you love me when I'm not even from this universe?" She had loved The Doctor, he wasn't even from the same planet but not how she felt about Alec.
Alec stayed where he was. Rose continued. "It makes no difference to me Alec, I know I have two choices now I'm here, in this universe. To be happy or miserable and I was miserable until I met you."
She got up and stepped towards him. He held his arms out and she fell into them. "I love you too Alec," she whispered.
He gathered her in his arms. "Rose, we can work this out, it makes no difference to me either. Just tell me your not from Mars or somewhere," he smiled into her neck.
Rose looked up and smiled back. "No, not the last time I checked anyway, I'm just an earth girl but I know a man who was from another planet."
Alec laughed. "I just bet you do Rose Tyler, that wouldn't surprise me in the least. Now we still have time to grab some quick lunch if you want?" Rose looked up and her lips met his.
They walked towards the door hand in hand, opened it and saw some surprised looks on the faces of the people nearest the door as they put in an appearance, Pete being one of them. He glanced knowingly at Rose, suspecting something had happened when Alec had found out that Rose had not been from around here, here being this universe. He was glad they seemed to have worked it out.
Alec led them to an empty table and they got served and hurriedly ate their lunch, not even bothering about everyone around them, smiling at each other and Rose giggling when Alec made a joke about he hoped since Rose was from another universe that they were 'compatible' to which she told him he was getting too far ahead of himself and they both laughed, causing people at the next table to turn and stare at them.