Rose would certainly give Tess a run for her money, that was for certain. They drove back to the caravan, Rose had given her key in much to the receptionist's amusement after their conversation about staying in each other's caravans and thought it would be worth a mention to her new boyfriend, one Olly Stevens, who had decided not to accept a job at The Daily Herald and had decided that Maggie could still teach him far more than Karen White's boss ever could do.
They decided to stay in that night after Rose made dinner and Alec daring to have a drink of the wine they had not yet opened from Saturday, following his most recent collapse, him having to admit to a rather saddened Rose that it had happened on several other occasions.
"You're lucky you're still here at all Alec, do you know that?"
"So I've already been told, don't fuss Rose, I am still here and maybe there is a reason, I'm not done yet, am I?"
"So you keep saying but you've just been punishing yourself and you know it so it's time you stopped."
"Yes, you made me see that Rose, I still can't get over losing that other case, maybe when I get well, you'll help me with it? What do you say love?"
"Yeah, I'll help you, if I ever finish my training course. You do know tomorrow we'll have to act like there's nothing going on between us? Just until we get you sorted then you'll be out of there so it won't matter."
"Are you going to finish the training?"
"Yeah, I have to though I don't know now if I'm going back to re-join Torchwood, unless I can get Pete to set me up down here."
"Why don't you want to go back Rose? That's where your family are."
"You don't want me to stay then?"
"I never said that but that's what you do Rose, you work for Torchwood."
"We have other branches too, I told you there was one in Cardiff, there's no reason why we can't have one here on the south coast. Pete will just assign a team and I can run it from here just as well as I can from London."
"Is there any reason to open a branch of Torchwood here then?"
Rose stopped what she was doing and went to sit beside him, taking his arm.
"Don't be daft Alec, you know why I want to stay and open a branch here."
"I do? Oh, so you can keep an eye on me and make sure I go for my surgery? Well I go on Thursday, after that, well?"
"You think I'm gonna leave after your operation? What do you take me for Alec?"
"Oh, so you want to stick around and make sure your investment was worth it?"
Rose didn't know if he was actually being serious or not. "Seriously Alec?"
"Relax Rose, I was just seeing your reaction. I still can't understand why you're doing it though."
"Come on Alec, you know why I'm doing it, do you think I'd let you join a four month waiting list, really?"
"Is that the only reason Rose?"
"No you plum, I care about you."
"I know you do but you might be spending your money with no return on your investment."
"No, that's not gonna happen, I know it will be ok and you should too. I can get Pete to call a few favours and have one of the best heart surgeons brought in, they only fitted you in on Thursday because whoever is performing the surgery will be claiming overtime and they'll have to pay for the theatre staff, it won't make any difference to them who's actually doing it."
"So your stepfather knows a lot of heart surgeons does he?" Alec asked, putting his arm around her and pulling her closer.
"You'd be surprised."
She pushed him back against the cushion and began unbuttoning his blue shirt, a smile on her face. Alec thought nothing could surprise him any more.
They set off for the training college the next morning, having got a lot closer during the night and them delaying getting out of bed that Alec thought they were going to be late. He wasn't so keen on getting out of Rose's car outside the building so she dropped him off around the corner, him just kissing her cheek and telling her to behave in his class as if she was going to take any notice of him, he'd told her to act like there was nothing going on between them.
The superintendent was keen to see how the tutor and trainee were going to behave around each other and had approached one of the cadets to report back to her if Miss Tyler showed signs she and Hardy were already involved and orders or not, she wouldn't have any of her classes disrupted. So Alec went to collect his folders with the day's lectures and made his way to the classroom, hoping Rose wouldn't give the game away.
While he was waiting, Rose was having a coffee since they had still got there early despite trying to keep Alec in bed longer than necessary and smiled to herself, wondering what she could do to keep anyone from guessing they were already more than just sleeping together after coming close last night, Alec's condition the only thing keeping them from going the whole way. She hoped once his surgery was out of the way, they would share more. Did he think she was too young for him though?
Rose gathered her things and walked to the classroom just behind a group of male recruits who suddenly turned around having been talking about her in the hallway.
"So are you going to flirt with the tutor again?" one of them sniggered, blocking Rose's way.
"What's it to do with you what I do?" Rose replied, trying to get past so she could find a seat and keep out of Alec's line of sight and not distract him.
"Come on, you were showing off last week, why don't you flirt with one of us instead?"
"Why would I want to do that with a bunch of schoolboys? Grow up first."
They wiped the smiles off their faces as she tried again to get past them, thinking she may have to resort to kneeing one of them.
"Think you're too good for us then do you? Maybe we can all meet after class and get to know you better?" the ringleader tried, reaching for her arm but Rose grabbed it and twisted it, making him pull a face.
"I don't think so, do you? My boyfriend wouldn't like it if you didn't invite him as well and I wasn't flirting with the tutor, I was just bored, I really don't want to be here but my stepfather wants me to be. Now are you gonna move or do I have to break your arm? I know several different ways of doing it, care to try me?"
She let go and the young man rubbed his arm. "This isn't over Tyler."
"I think it is, get over it."
Inside the classroom, Alec noticed Rose still hadn't entered and neither had four other students and he was waiting to begin, wondering what had happened to delay her. He couldn't see through the narrow glass pane as Rose was just to the side of the door as were the young men but then he caught sight of the top of Rose's head and walked forwards towards the door. Opening it, he saw the young man rubbing his arm and a smirk on Rose's face.
"So, what's going on out here then? Why aren't you lot in my classroom? Tyler, not you again?"
"Ask them, they tried to stop me going in."
"Yes, it looks like it, you are not the one rubbing an arm. In the classroom, now, all of you and Tyler, see me after class."
"But Sir, I didn't start anything, they were trying to get me into trouble."
"You seem to be able to do that on your own Tyler. Do you want me to report you?"
"No Sir but I didn't start it."
"I seriously doubt you are wholly innocent in all this Tyler."
Alec gestured for the four men and Rose to go in front of him, Rose pulling a face as she passed him.
"I saw that Tyler, you can volunteer your services to do a little demonstration with me."
Rose put her things down and followed Alec to the front of the classroom, wondering what he was going to 'demonstrate'.
The lecture passed quickly, Rose getting into more bother when she failed to impress him, well so everyone else thought and the four young men soon changed their minds Rose had been flirting with Alec as he told her as much a few times. Rose was looking forward to the next lesson, booking. She would get her revenge on him.
The bell went and the rest of the class filed out, Rose gathered her things.
"Not you Tyler," Alec called after her.
"But Sir, it's break time."
"Not for you, I want an explanation what was going on outside, think of it as an exercise in reporting."
Rose wanted to call him a smart ass but thought better of it until everyone had left. Alec steered her away from the window and from anyone who happened to be looking through the glass in the door and leaned down to whisper in her ear.
"Trouble Rose?"
"Nothing I couldn't handle, you came out and spoiled my fun."
"I bet I did. You are supposed to stay out of trouble, I heard something when I was picking up this morning's lecture."
"Do tell, I hope it's good?"
"I believe the superintendent is sending someone to spy on my classes to see if we are getting up to something."
"Well we wouldn't want to disappoint them, would we?"
"I think you already put on a good show Rose, when I hauled your ass in here after what was going on outside. What did they want?"
"To get me to go out with one of them. Really? As if I'd get involved with those little creeps, they're barely out of high school."
"Well stay out of trouble, you may be being watched, don't give any cause to get yourself hauled into the office, even if your stepfather knows the chief constable."
"Relax Alec, I only have to make a phone call."
"I know but don't make a big deal out of it and consider yourself told off, Tyler."
He leaned down and kissed her. "Don't let me catch you again."
"Don't worry, you won't. Can I go now, Sir?"
"Don't be so cheeky Tyler. Go on, get out of here. I'll see you in the canteen, you can ignore me if you like?"
"No, come and sit with me and tell me off again."
"Don't tempt me darlin'. Go on, you still have time for a break."
Rose let go of him and kissed his cheek. "See ya then."
Alec decided to bypass his girlfriend when he entered the canteen, opting to get a mug of tea and went to sit with his back to her. Rose thought he was fooling no-one with his gruff disposition. There were only twenty minutes before the next class so Rose got up and made a point of sitting opposite him.
"Can't stay away Tyler? Are you looking forward to being booked again?"
"I thought I could maybe do the booking this time?"
"Then be my guest, let's see what you've got."
When they got to the classroom, Alec didn't know what he was letting himself in for as he called her out and told her to choose a suspect. She had to call out the young man who had confronted her in the hallway. Alec took the seat next to Rose, handing her a notepad. Rose smiled as it said, 'make it look good'.
Rose got up and went around the back of the young man's chair.
"So, you are accused of harassment of a young woman. What do you have to say for yourself then?"
"What? What harassment?"
"That of a young woman you cornered in a college hallway and suggested she 'got to know you'?"
"I was only having some fun with her."
"Oh, you think it's 'fun' to suggest a woman goes out with you and that you'll see her later and tell her as I quote, 'this isn't over'?"
Alec was trying not to smile. This wasn't meant to be the interrogation class but who was he to spoil her little game?
"I didn't mean anything by it, really."
"The harm may already have been done, what do you have to say to that?"
"She had been flirting, I didn't think it was fair she wasn't flirting with me."
"So a woman's not entitled to just flirt with one man then?"
"It depends on who she's flirting with."
"You were jealous then?"
"Yes, I thought I would ask her to join me after class, I didn't want to take no for an answer."
"That's harassment."
Alec decided this was enough, she had given him a clear picture of what had happened earlier in the hallway and he meant to do something about it.
"Very good Tyler. You, however, are fortunate I don't report you to the superintendent. If I hear of any more incidents concerning you and Miss Tyler, I'll haul you in myself, got it?"
The young man was about to get up, Rose glaring at him.
"Yes Sir."
"Now apologise to Miss Tyler."
"Sorry."
The lesson ended and Alec held back as Rose gathered her things. When everyone had gone, Alec approached her.
"I don't think you'll have any more trouble there Miss Tyler, if you do, let me know," Alec said loudly as the door was still open.
"Thank you Sir but I don't think I will, do you?"
"I doubt it Tyler, is it against your personal rules for me to join you for lunch, as I made you miss part of your break?"
"Fine but I have to be somewhere later, don't make me late, will you?"
"Would I do that Miss Tyler?" he asked, doing the eyebrow thing again that made Rose want to throw the rulebook out of the window and snog him senseless in the doorway for all to see.
The snoop that the superintendent had sent to Alec's class had nothing much to report to the disappointed head of the college, she told him to try better next time and didn't let him off the hook as he told of the scuffle he had got caught up with inadvertently outside the lecture room earlier and that Miss Tyler could hold her own. The superintendent didn't doubt for a minute that she could, she had heard that Miss Tyler may be more than she was letting on and there was a reason she was a trainee. She was determined to find out if the woman was indeed a spy to see if she could handle the newest tutor, Alec Hardy.
She watched with interest as the man handed in his folders and headed off for the canteen, eager to see if he made contact with Rose Tyler. He did, as she saw him take his tray to the same table and the woman smiled at him.
"Ready for our trip Rose?" he asked, taking a bite of his sandwich.
They had decided they should have lunch before they set off, Rose had booked a motel just off the motorway for the night since she had told Alec after their introduction of her to Tess and Daisy, Alec should go have dinner out somewhere with them on his own. He hadn't been so keen but Rose had insisted and she would drop him off and collect him again. Alec got up to clear his tray since Rose was taking her time but he was approached by the superintendent.
"Alec, a word please? In my office."
"Now? I have to be somewhere."
"It won't take long unless you would rather do it here?"
"Fine but I don't have a lot of time."
He followed her out and across the hallway to her office next to the general one, Rose seeing him and hoping it wasn't about them and they wouldn't be late for their meeting at the coffee shop since she had no idea how long it would take them to get there and book into the motel, they may have to do that later.
"You seem to be getting rather personal with one of your trainees Alec, do I have to remind you of the college rules?"
"No and I am not getting personal with one of the trainees, she just likes to show off, I was trying to make her see the error of her ways. Did you know one of the other trainees tried to cause trouble with her earlier?"
"Yes, it was brought to my attention."
"Well that was outside the lecture room, I'm hardly responsible for what takes place in the hallway, am I?"
"Even so Alec, I have it on good authority you allowed her to 'interview' the trainee who caused some of the trouble, is that right?"
"Yes and why not? Miss Tyler had the right to know why she was confronted for no reason other than the trainee's ego. Apparently he was trying to get a date with her but he had a strange way of doing so if you ask me. Was there anything else, I'm going to be late for an appointment."
"No, for now at least but just in case you need reminding of the college rules, don't get involved with the trainees. Your career is already in serious doubt pending your surgery, have you actually done anything about it yet?"
"Yes. I'm now on the hospital waiting list, it's rather long, I have to wait unless there's a cancellation or it's an emergency and I don't want to be dying before I get to have it. Now if you will excuse me, I have to be somewhere."
Alec got up and looked across to the canteen but Rose was no longer there so he figured she was waiting in the car for him and sent her a message asking where she was. She had got tired of waiting and didn't want to make it obvious she was waiting for him coming out of the office. Alec went off to find her further up the road from the training college and got in, reaching over to kiss her cheek.
"Got a lecture about college rules did you?" Rose asked as she drove off.
"Yes, you'll get me fired Rose, your little set-to outside the lecture room did not go unnoticed."
"Well that's hardly my fault is it? Tell that creep who had a funny way of trying to chat me up. You could have warned him off."
"I tried, in a round about way, I could hardly tell him to back off and that you're my girlfriend could I now?"
"No, I don't suppose so. Anyway, it won't be for much longer, hopefully Thursday will be your last day there, you can go back to your old job next week, I've just spoken with Pete, he'll speak to the chief constable and all you have to do is apply. You'll need to take a medical and you may have to go on light duties for a few weeks but it's better than what you're doing now."
"You mean keeping you from disrupting my classes?"
Rose smiled. Alec put his hand on her leg and smiled back.
Tess Henchard was preparing to leave for the day having told her daughter she would collect her from school as her father wanted to meet with them. Daisy was wondering what he could possibly want on a Tuesday afternoon as to travel all that distance from where he had been living, Broadchurch, she had learned since he had been in the news recently and her mother had said he'd gone to work in the police training college, why, she didn't know but assumed the high profile case of the murdered schoolboy had been too similar the case he'd had near home and it had been too much for him.
Still, Daisy was determined to at least get a free meal and some cash out of him for a new phone she wanted that her mother said was too expensive and it would take her ages to save her allowance he sent her every month. Tess had been tempted to mention her ex husband had a new girlfriend but wanted to wait and see if it was actually true or he was just making it up to sound good.
Rose found the motel just outside of the town and they still had time to check in and take their overnight luggage to their room, Rose huffed it had twin beds when she had asked for a double and Alec telling her not to fuss, they could both squeeze into a single bed if they tried.
"It's standard in motels Rose, trust me, we'll manage love. Come here, we have half an hour before we go meet with Tess and Daisy."
Alec puts his arms around her and leaned down to kiss her.
"Alec, I'll just say hello then leave you to talk shall I?"
"No, there's no need, they'll just have to get used to you being around and I want you to have dinner with us as well."
"I thought we'd agreed you'd go on your own? I don't want to seem like I'm stopping you being with your daughter Alec."
"You won't be, she'll get over it. She hardly talks to me as it is unless she wants something."
"We can all be like that, I used to do the same with Pete when I first got here. I suppose it's because my own dad wasn't around."
"Yes, well that's only to be expected since you lost him, Daisy has not lost me, she just took her mother's side in things."
"Well maybe she had no choice Alec, could you have coped with a teenage daughter while you were ill?"
"No, maybe not but she could make the effort, she still thinks I'm the bad guy in it all."
"Well now you have the chance to put that right. Surely Tess has admitted her part in the lost evidence by now? Won't Daisy be aware she has a boyfriend?"
"Yes, I expect so. Come on then, let's get this over with."
Rose found somewhere to park near the coffee shop, Tess and Daisy were already seated when they walked in, hand in hand, Rose making a point of being seen with him, there was no need to keep it a secret she'd told him as they got out of the car. Tess was sat with her back to the entrance, Daisy was playing with her phone that she was hoping to replace if she could con her dad out of a new one while he was in town for an unexpected visit as Rose and Alec stood looking around, Alec spying his daughter and nudging Rose then pulling her forward with him.
Daisy looked up, saw her father then saw he was holding someone's hand. "Mum, there's dad and he has someone with him."
Tess turned around as Alec approached them.
"Tess, Daisy, meet my girlfriend, Rose Tyler. Say hello Rose."
Daisy stared open-mouthed. There was no way Rose Tyler was his girlfriend, this had to be a wind-up.