Alec was looking at her, forgetting they were meant to be fooling the press into thinking they were leaving.

''What exactly are you getting at Rose? That you were just having some fun at my expense?''

''No, ok, at first, I thought it would be fun and it was, seeing you squirm and do you know why? You were just too easy to get to go along with it and yes, I know you tried to protest but you were the one who took me to the local newspaper and just now, suggested we break up in front of them but James was just too enthusiastic and went along with what I wanted but you didn't. Don't you get it now? I don't want a big wedding, I want to sneak off somewhere and do it quietly but I've no chance and you were doing everything you could to get out of it.''

''I'm not with you Rose but we should go now, get it over with then you can go home and I can go back to being an out on medical leave detective.''

''Do you want your old job back, not teaching recruits?''

''Don't be daft Rose, I won't get it back and I have that hearing next week and now you're making me go see about that operation. Now I know why your boyfriend went away.''

''Stop going on about him. Are we going or what?''

''After you but before we go, tell me one thing. Do you still love him?''

''Who, James?''

''Him and the other one.''

''I told you, I'd stop thinking about him until you dragged it all up again, why Alec, why do you keep going on about them?''

''And you said some detective I was. Isn't it plain to you? Hell Rose, I'm attracted to you, I thought I'd made that clear earlier?''

Rose laughed. ''You daft detective, that's what I've been trying to tell you but you know it's complicated and it's about to get worse once we go over there and face the press. James will see us together so we have to tell them the bare minimum, that we've done here and moving on then you lie low for a bit, grow your beard back and like you said, go back to being you. Anyway, James can prove he's been over there all along. I have to get him to come back at the weekend and talk to him, tell him the wedding's off, I can't tell him by phone.''

''Maybe we should just tell them the truth? Tell them you got me to go along with the charade and he's never been here?''

''Not just yet, I have to talk to James first, I can't just call him or let him see it in the papers, that's not fair.''

''Ok, if that's what you want? I'll even go to the hospital tomorrow without you dragging me there.''

''Wow, you soon changed your tune.''

''Maybe I have an incentive now? Have I? Now I know you're not really using me as a decoy but this is the last interview we give, with me posing as him, right?''

''Right.''

They walked across the bridge together, arm in arm as they approached the side door of the hotel and were spotted almost right away, cameras clicking and microphones shoved in front of them. Rose took the lead.

''Right you lot, I have a statement for you.''

After giving them what they wanted and a few photos, Alec not happy about it, they went inside and then came back down with Rose's luggage, Alec saying there probably wasn't enough for two people but Rose had told the reporters James had only come for the weekend and was leaving later that day and Rose was also leaving town. That saved having to explain anything else. Rose drove them over to the café and over a proper breakfast, Rose said they should go shopping then she would find another hotel.

''Do you really need to? You can stay with me, if you want and lie low for a while. Anyway, if you're taking me to the hospital tomorrow, you may as well. What are you going to tell James tonight?''

''I don't know Alec, maybe I should just tell him we did another interview and I told them he was leaving town and see what he says. If we cancel that interview tomorrow and keep quiet, everyone will believe we both left town, well those that know you anyway.''

Alec had to agree to let Rose sort it all out but now, he had declared he would get himself fixed and told her what he'd been determined not to, that he was actually falling for her. After the supermarket and putting everything away, Rose making sure she got the luxuries she wanted much to Alec's amusement, they drove out of town and discovered a wedding fayre not that far away and Rose dropped a few hints they may be interested and after a late lunch in a country pub, made their way back to Alec's chalet and he showed her how to get to the back of it.

They were just taking the last of Rose's things she had left in her car when Alec heard the gate behind him and turned around. Standing there was Lee Ashworth himself and Alec had to try to pretend he didn't know who the man was.

''I've been waiting for you to come back Hardy, who's your little blonde girlfriend then?''

Alec remembered that James had a slightly different accent than he had. ''Excuse me? Rose, can you come out here honey, for a minute please?''

Rose came back out and suspected who the visitor was when she saw Alec was not alone.

''What's wrong Jamie? Oh, who's your friend? Not another reporter, I thought we got rid of them earlier, how did he find us? If I find out that rental agency told the press, there's gonna be some trouble, who do they think they are?''

Ashworth was watching the pair of them as Rose stood behind Alec and put her arms around his neck, kissing his cheek and sneakily pinching his bum, Alec trying not to flinch.

''Oh very good Hardy but who do you think you're trying to fool? Where is she Hardy, where's Claire?''

Rose glared at him. ''Sorry, who are you and who's this Claire? We rented this chalet to get some privacy after the press were hounding us, just watch out for the papers tomorrow if you don't believe me. I'm Rose Tyler, this is my fiancé James Smith, the actor and this...'' She held out her ring finger with the exquisite diamond ring James had bought that Alec was beginning to hate and never even hope to buy any woman, let alone the Vitex heiress one coming anything close, making sure Ashworth got a good look. ''This is my engagement ring, where have you been hiding?''

''I've just come back into the country. So you're the famous Rose Tyler eh? Why are you wasting your time with him?''

''Hey, who are you talking about? Get out of here before we call the police, the station is about a minute away, we checked earlier. Like she said, who's this Claire and why would we know where she is and more importantly, who's this Hardy? Rose, I hope you've not been cheating on me while I was away honey, were you?''

''No Jamie baby, why would I do that? I know you're going away again but you more than make up for it when you come back, don't you cookie?''

She kissed his cheek again then gave his bum another squeeze that Alec thought if she didn't stop, he would forget about being ill, drag her inside and shag her on the sofa or the floor, depending on if he made it as far as the sofa.

''You can bet on that. Now are you going to leave, whoever you are? Only Rose and I have got some important business to get down to since I'm leaving again, haven't we kitten?''

Ashworth looked like he was going to be sick watching as Alec slipped his arm around her waist and kissed the side of her mouth. He could never see Hardy messing around with a blonde, let alone her of all people.

''Then don't let me stop you but I may be back, once you leave. When are you leaving?''

Rose didn't fancy getting a visit from this man if she were to be alone as she had just declared.

''Another week or so and James isn't really leaving just yet, we just said that to get the press to back off, that's why we're hiding here. The rental agency said a man left in a hurry, we only got the keys late yesterday afternoon, we've just come back from looking around wedding venues. It's nice down here, I think we're gonna settle for somewhere around here, aren't we Jamie?''

Alec was relieved when Ashworth, without even an apology for busting in on them turned and closed the gate behind him, Rose dragging him inside before she burst out laughing.

''You are such a liar Rose Tyler,'' he managed, extracting her arms from his neck that she had just placed there. ''If you keep pinching my ass, you're going to get payback, 'honey'.''

''Well what was I supposed to say? That you were leaving later then he'd come back and pay me a visit? I don't think so, he's a creep, I don't like him. What did that Claire ever see in him?''

''Each to their own Rose and for the record, if you pinch me one more time, I'll have you on that sofa before your feet even touch the ground.''

Rose smiled. ''Really? Why didn't you say so?''

As they lay on the sofa in the late afternoon, the only light now coming from across the river, Rose was laid with her head on Alec's chest as he tried to calm himself down, Rose had wanted him to take his pills but he said he would be ok. They had just about had sex, coming as close as Alec dared with Rose on top and she couldn't bring herself to go all the way anyway, not until the problem of her still officially been engaged to another man was solved.

''Alec, are you sure you're ok? Do you want me to move?''

''No, it's fine and if I was going to go, this is the way I want it to happen, you lying on me. You do know my chances are slim of getting through the surgery, even if you were to pay so let's just see what happens tomorrow eh? I'll call the hospital in the morning, you never know, they might get me in quicker without using your name.''

''Well I suppose we can try. What are you going to do if Ashworth comes back or if that Claire calls you again? Do you have to go and see her?''

''Don't worry about him and I have a plan, to get rid of Claire but it will have to wait until after the hearing. Do you still want to look through that case?''

Rose looked up at him. She was just wearing her t-shirt and knickers and Alec just his unbuttoned shirt and shorts, a throwover covering them since the curtains were not fully pulled over.

''Yes but let's get you sorted first yeah? Get that hearing over with, I'll come with you if you want?''

''Not a good idea Rose, the press will be all over you.''

''Well by then, it will have hit the headlines James and I have split up and I'll tell the press what I was going to tell the local paper, that I was trying to put them off the scent, I'll go back and tell that editor to put it off for a week, let her break the news. My mum is going to be so annoyed over this and I'm more worried about her than James. If he won't come over this weekend, I'll have to wait until he does come back, I can't let him find out from my mum.''

''So I have to hide away? How are you going to explain about coming to the hospital with me then?''

''We can be friends can't we? Besides, it will all become clear when I reveal how I've fooled the press, they might never believe anything I tell them again.''

He pulled her down for a kiss. ''You are just too devious.''

''Yeah well, I'm gonna have to be more than devious when James calls me. I'm sorry Alec, I wish I had the courage to tell him over the phone but if I ask him to come back, he'll know there's something wrong and maybe he'll guess. How did this happen Alec?''

Alec smiled. ''You're asking me?''

After making something to eat, Rose went into the other bedroom. She had left all her things in there, debating if they should actually share a room and had both decided to see what happened. The time came for James to call and for the first time, Rose was not looking forward to it. Alec had to let her take the call on her own, hoping it would be the last one for a while if she told him they had to talk. He hadn't intended to fall for her, he had tried to stay away but it had just happened when she was sitting there in the morning. She had been infuriating, dragging him around and making him pass as her boyfriend, what had he been thinking? Was he ready to have a relationship with a famous woman with a famous boyfriend and most of all, how would her mother and stepfather react?

If he thought life giving lectures was bad enough, Tyler had the power to keep him on medical leave the rest of his days, maybe even be out altogether then what would he do? He just hoped Rose knew what she was doing. He heard her phone ringing and went into the bathroom before she came out, he knew she may be upset when she had finished her conversation.

He was right as she ended the call, it had not gone well and she came out and sought him, lying on the sofa watching the late news. He sat up and opened his arms as Rose sat down.

''I take it that did not go well?''

''No, he's coming over on Saturday, I told him we needed to talk and I told him I was moving out of the apartment, then he asked me why.''

''So what did you tell him?''

''That I can't keep going on with him disappearing all the time for weeks on end. He said this was only the second time but he also said he didn't like it any more than I did although he admitted, if that film is a success, he may get asked to make more films over there so I asked him where that left us.''

''Rose, I'm sorry but what did he say?''

''He said he didn't know, where did it leave us?''

TBC