Alec awoke with a groan, his eyes fluttering open and immediately squinting against the sunlight that streamed in through the cracks in the closed blinds.

"Alec? Can you hear me?"

A familiar voice called to him and Alec followed it dazedly. His vision swirled and finally came into focus and Alec blinked to find Emma peering at him worriedly from beside his bed.

"What are you doing here?" He asked drowsily and she sighed.

"Oh, thank God." Relief coloured her tone as she explained, "You passed out so suddenly and you took a hard blow to your head when you hit the pavement."

"Where am I?" He asked as he realized he was not in his hotel bed. He already had a very good idea of where he might be as his eyes moved around now that his vision was cleared but Emma provided the answer anyway.

"Hospital."

"What? Why?" Alec demanded with a groan to punctuate his words. Emma frowned at him.

"A bloody thank you is probably in order first!" She snapped. "You really scared me. I thought you were going to die."

"I can't be here." Alec mumbled as he tried to sit up. She pushed him back down.

"Shut up, you need rest, maybe something stronger." She stared at him with anxious brown eyes that looked a lot lighter in the sunlight than he'd ever noticed. "They told me you have some kind of problem in your heart."

"They can't tell you that." He groaned.

She ignored that as she gestured at him vaguely. "You shouldn't be doing this kind of work."

"It's fine."

He tried to wave her away but she pointed out indignantly, "It's clearly not fine if you're passing out on the street! And don't try to blame the wine, they told me it was what made it worse but that it was your illness. What if you'd been alone when it happened?"

"You're just angry with me because I found out about your past without your permission." He muttered but she heard him.

"Right, that's what this is." She stood up crossly. "It has nothing to do with the fact that I just saw you collapse right in front of me and start bleeding out of your head. Sorry for caring. Stay here and rot then, for all I care."

"No, wait, wait." Alec reached out, grabbing her arm to stop her as he hauled himself upright in his bed with a pained grimace. "You mustn't tell anyone about this."

"You can't tell me what to do." Emma snapped but Alec said urgently, "If they find out I'm sick, they'll take me off the case."

"I don't think you should be on it, you almost died last night." Emma shot back. Alec shook his head.

"I don't want to come off this case, I need to finish this case." He insisted and Emma shook her head at him incredulously.

"Did you not hear me? You could die." She stressed. "They said you might actually die if you keep this up."

"I could die in the next hour, hit by a truck or a bus or a falling airplane." He argued. "Please, Emma, this is my career. This is my life."

They stared at each for a long moment, locked in a silent battle. Alec was pleading and Emma was clearly unhappy as she pursed her lips tightly while she examined him. But finally, she let out a breath in a sharp exhale and nodded.

"Fine, I won't tell anyone." She agreed reluctantly. "But you should at least get proper medical attention."

"I'm coming with you." Alec answered as he pushed off the bedcovers.

Emma quickly held out her hands as though preparing to steady him if he collapsed, and she demanded, "Do you just not listen when people talk?"

He ignored her as he started to shove himself painfully onto his feet and she protested more insistently, "No, get back down, they want to keep you in."

"I don't care." He groaned through gritted teeth when he stopped as he saw the morning paper Emma had put down on the bed when she realized he was awake. "What's this?"

He stopped trying to stand as he flipped open the front page where Beth's picture stared back at him and the headline screamed, 'My Danny'.

"Oh, right." Emma said uncomfortably as Alec flipped through the Herald quickly to check the extent of the article. And potential damage. "I'm sorry, I didn't know they were doing this. I know they shouldn't have, but I think they just want to do something."

"You're the one that knows very well why they shouldn't have, though." Alec answered grimly.

Emma went silent while Alec paused as his own words caught up to him. He grimaced to himself and looked back up at her apologetically.

"Look, about that-"

"I'm glad you're awake, I'm just going." Emma said abruptly as she started to turn away again but Alec grabbed her arm once more.

"No, listen, Emma." Alec pleaded as he gently tugged her to turn back to face him. She didn't meet his eyes.

"I'm sorry. I am." Alec dropped her arm and he admitted tiredly, "I swear, we only did digging to make sure background checks were done but we couldn't find an Emma Symons of your description prior to 1997. So we did a records check and discovered your name change. Your old name's too famous, especially in our field of work, for us not to recognize it."

And it was true. The moment Ellie had told him what Emma's name had been before she changed it, Alec had known instantly what had been bothering him about Emma. All the small clues he'd been suspicious of before were suddenly cleared and he had needed no explanation from Ellie for that to happen.

"Yes, well, you only know the basic case outline and maybe what was printed in the press." Emma snapped a little sharply.

"I know."

Emma went quiet at Alec's soft answer. He studied her and he observed, "You really don't like reporters. How do you stand Oliver?"

"Because I know Maggie and she's not like the rest of them, the ones I saw." Emma muttered, her shoulders slumping slightly in defeat. "And Olly's a twit but I know him too. He grew up around here."

Alec reached out to tug on her wrist to get her attention. She glanced at him and he looked at her seriously as he said, "You don't have to tell me. But you should know, I don't judge you or think of you differently."

"Of course you do." She scoffed. "How could you not? Now, whenever you see me, you'll associate me with my parents. That's just how it is."

"No, it's not. Not for me." Alec answered seriously and she rolled her eyes.

"And you're special?" She asked sarcastically but he surprised her.

"I understand."

He let go of her hand and stood up with a groan. She looked torn between walking away and pushing him back down but he drew her attention away from his own sorry state as he placed a heavy hand on her shoulder and looked at her in the eye with grim sympathy.

"I know what it's like to have parts of your life put out to the world, to have people talk but only you know what really went on." He explained and Emma realized it wasn't just sympathy in his eyes. There was also empathy.

Karen White's words came back to her and Emma exhaled sharply as she realized Alec probably did have some understanding of how she felt.

"Thank you." She muttered at last, meeting his eyes properly although she felt extremely exposed as she stood in front of this man who now knew her intimately in a way no one else at Broadchurch did. "For apologising… and for saying that."

Alec nodded but as they stood there, something shifted between them. Emma was still looking up at him with a vulnerable expression in her chocolate brown eyes, but there was something else there too the longer she stared back at him. Something stirred that had been growing between them over the past few days that they had actually gotten to know each other. Alec felt a tug in the pit of his stomach, a strange urge that he hadn't felt in years but that had seemed to lately awaken when he saw Emma.

Alec followed the feeling and he was leaning down closer to her before he even fully realized what he was doing. And he swore she moved closer to him as well, both drawn to each other; and then, she was pulling back.

"Sorry, um." Emma's face had gone pink with embarrassment while Alec felt an unusually strong sense of disappointment. "You're probably knocked up on drugs."

"Right." Alec cleared his throat although he did watch Emma curiously as she fidgeted awkwardly with the sleeve of her shirt.

Changing the topic, or rather reverting it back to their earlier conversation, he asked quickly, "Have you called Beth yet?"

"I haven't." Emma answered, looking and sounding relieved as she looked back at Alec although she still didn't quite meet his eye. "I didn't want to sound like I blamed her which is probably how I would have come across."

"Don't blame her." Alec advised and Emma nodded.

"I know. And a large part of me doesn't." She paused before admitting softly, "I know how helpless and frustrated and afraid she feels, and that she just wanted to do something that felt useful. But I also know what she's brought down on herself."

Emma hesitated again before she asked in a tone that was borderline pleading, "Tell me honestly, will this help your investigation even in the smallest bit? I need to know, because I know police tell the grieving family it might help after the fact but I need to know if it really does before I can bring myself to let go of the part of me that blames Beth."

Alec thought about it carefully before he responded. It was true that he would have advised against going to the press as the Latimers had. Not only was it extremely difficult on the family once the press started pounding on the door, from a work perspective, it started tainting the case. Detectives were human after all, and the more popular opinions were published in headlines and theories declared for the world to see, the more muddied their view tended to get. It was hard not to be swayed as it became more difficult to really tell facts apart from so-called media 'sources'. And the more coverage a case got, the more the pressure built as people grew even more restless with the headlines and started looking for fast solutions. But...

"It might help jog people's memories." Alec answered slowly. "Bring Danny back to the forefront of people's minds, maybe trigger something useful. Other stations might also notice similarities to old cases and wire it over to us to look at in case we haven't already."

Emma listened quietly and when Alec finished, she nodded. It was obvious she knew he wasn't telling her the full truth but she already knew part of the consequences of publicity of a case. And that hadn't been what she had asked. She just needed to know there was some good that would balance out the negative.

"Thank you. For telling me."

Emma had just finished showering and getting ready when her phone rang.

"Ellie?" She asked as she answered after checking the caller ID.

"Hey, Em. How are you doing?" Ellie asked and Emma shrugged as she started towel-drying her hair.

"Oh, as well as I can be, I guess. How about you?"

"Could be better, although I did have a bit of fun last night. Hardy came over for dinner with me and Joe." Ellie revealed and Emma paused. She'd spent all morning after getting back to her flat trying not to think about Alec but she realized Ellie had no idea what had happened after he'd left her house. And Emma couldn't exactly tell her unless she explained the hospital.

She blushed again as she remembered the near kiss while Ellie chuckled obliviously into the phone, "Joe took a shining to him, actually, but I was still 'Miller' by the end of the night to him. Can you believe it?"

"I can actually." Emma answered as lightly as she could.

"Yeah, guess it is just like him." Ellie agreed before she paused. With a slight sigh, she got into the real reason for her call and explained softly, "Look, Beth and the family are thinking of going to mass this morning, will you come too? I don't know if you saw the Herald yet but Beth's on the front page and I just think the more of us, the better. Just to support her."

"Oh, I don't know, El." Emma hedged and not just because she had been avoiding reaching out to Beth until she was sure she wouldn't get cross with her. "I'm not religious."

"Neither are we." Ellie pointed out, which was true; Paul hadn't been worried about the lack of parishioners for nothing. Emma couldn't remember the last time Beth had even gone to mass, let alone Ellie. "But I really think Beth might need the extra support today."

Emma glanced at the morning paper she'd thrown on her kitchen table.

"Yeah, I suppose you're right." She agreed. "Okay, I'll be there. What time is it?"

About half an hour later, Emma was at the church and a part of her was glad she'd come after all. As she'd suspected would happen, reporters had descended on the town like flies on dung as soon as they could and they flocked around Beth and the Latimers as soon as they saw the family coming up the lane.

"Beth! Beth!" They shouted as they snapped photos, flashes popping.

Emma grimaced momentarily as flashes from her past crossed her mind but she pushed them aside; Beth needed her now, as did the rest of the family.

"Come on, sweetheart." Emma quickly helped cover Beth and Chloe, shielding them from the reporters and the cameras. Nige and Mark hurried over to them as well, throwing out their arms to protect the women while Ellie marched quickly up from where she'd been walking further behind the group with her family.

"Away now, or I'll have you all arrested!" She shouted as she stopped the reporters at the gate to the church grounds, holding out her police badge threateningly. "Oi!"

"We're not breaking the law!" One of them protested but Ellie was not having it as she barked at them, "Have a bit of bloody decency. Lenses down or I will kick you all in the balls."

Chloe peeked out from around Emma while Tom stopped to look back at his mother in amusement. Ellie caught them looking and she hastily added, "You didn't hear me say that."

But she turned back to the reporters and growled threateningly, "I promise you I will."

"Your mum is awesome." Chloe told Tom, smiling properly for the first time Emma had seen since Danny's death. It made her smile a little too, glad to see Chloe at least seemed to be on the path of healing while Tom grinned back at the older girl.

"I know."

The group crowded into the church, which Emma was a little bit surprised and unsurprised to find was completely packed. She didn't think she'd ever seen the church this full although to be fair she had only been inside for any kind of ceremony twice in all ten years she'd been at Broadchurch: once for when Patricia's son, John, was christened and the second when Fred was.

Emma followed the two families into some pews near the middle of the church and she slid in beside Ellie behind the Latimers and Nige. Beth glanced back at them and she whispered quickly, "Come for lunch today."

"What?" Emma and Ellie chorused in confusion and Beth explained, "Nige is cooking."

Nige smiled at them, obviously trying to be his normal self despite how the morning article was clearly weighing on everyone. But then again, they were all guilty of that. Mark also turned around and he added with forced levity, "Like we always do."

He smiled at them while Emma's smile faltered just slightly. It was so strange to her. Two days ago, he was her grieving friend, someone she'd known for a decade. But now, it was hard to see him and not think of Becca Fisher. And she just couldn't understand why he would do it. Why he'd risked everything. Would he have gone with her if Danny were still around? She tried to shut it off, but it was hard. She just smiled and nodded back at the Latimers while the Millers smiled a little bit more naturally back.

Mark and Beth both turned forwards just as Patricia slipped in behind Emma with her family. The raven-haired woman leant forward as far as her pregnant stomach would allow to whisper, "Didn't expect to see you here, sweetie."

"Hey, Patty, Andy. John" Emma murmured back, turning in her seat to chat quickly. Patricia's husband and son chorused soft greetings back. "Yeah, I never thought I'd ever come in here for a service."

"First time for everything, eh?" Patricia agreed before nodding at Ellie and her family. "Ellie, Joe, Tom."

They whispered their hellos, before Patricia refocused on Emma.

"Are you okay? You look tired." Patricia observed worriedly and Emma shook her head.

"I was kept up last night, but nothing to worry about." She promised. "How are you doing?"

"Ugh, just hoping they catch who did it soon. No pressure, Ellie." Patricia added and Ellie just nodded. "Saw the papers though; let Beth know we're all thinking of her and to holler if she needs anything, all right?"

"Of course." Emma nodded as Paul walked in at the front of the chapel. "Talk later, maybe grab dinner sometime before Saturday brunch?"

Patricia nodded, leaning back in her seat just as Alec walked into the church from the back. His eyes, which had been about to roam around the church in cursory observation, landed on her almost instantly. Emma darted her eyes away quickly and she turned forward hastily in her seat. She could feel her face growing warm and she mentally scolded herself; she was no teenage girl dealing with her first crush. She just hoped no one had noticed…

"Why's your face all red?" Ellie whispered and Emma cringed internally.

"Just… feeling a bit warm." She muttered, when Joe glanced back around the church. He did a double-take when he saw Alec.

"Didn't know he was religious." He muttered to his wife and Ellie followed his line of sight to see Alec sliding into the back pew. She noticed he'd been looking in their general direction although his eyes had moved to her and he gave her a short nod to show he'd seen her. A thought popped into her head and Ellie glanced between Alec and Emma; but she wisely kept her mouth shut as Paul started mass.