*A/N Potential trigger warning. Read at your own discretion.

It was late morning by the time Alec took Emma home.

By that point, she had fallen into a fairly numb state after she'd stopped crying for over an hour after they'd taken Jack's body away. Alec had called in sick for her at work despite Emma's weak protests and Ellie stayed with her friend as Emma slowly wore herself out with tears well after the sun had risen. Alec had been tied up taking care of the aftermath of Jack's shocking death, but he returned once he was done. And finally, Emma went home.

However, it was not the same home she'd left last night. The usually light flat suddenly looked gloomy and shadows seemed to creep toward her from everywhere. Especially once she was alone. Alec stayed with her as long as he could but he still had a job to do. And even though she pushed him out the door when he showed reluctance at leaving her by herself, Emma couldn't deny that she wasn't sure if she felt worse sending him off without a wink of sleep or being left alone with her thoughts.

Not since the early months following her father's death had Emma felt anywhere near as close to falling as she had then. It was strange: for all that she had known Jack, Emma hadn't been connected to him like she had with Danny. And yet, where she had held strong for Danny, Emma now found herself falling to pieces. Perhaps it was because she knew how he'd felt: surrounded but completely alone. Perhaps that was why he'd brought it all back for her. But regardless of the reason, Emma ended up spending almost the entire day in her bed as she caught herself picturing standing on the edge of the cliff by the beach and just letting it all go. Like Jack had.

She was eventually saved from her own imagination when Alec came by hours later, long after the sun had set. He was clearly exhausted, but that became secondary when he saw the dark circles under Emma's red-rimmed eyes.

"Have you eaten anything today?" Alec asked as he sat down on the edge of her bed where Emma had sat up after Alec had let himself in using the spare key he'd borrowed from her that morning.

With a start, Emma realized she hadn't even got out of bed the whole day, let alone eaten.

"Oh..." She mumbled as her stomach chose that moment to squeeze itself tightly as though to remind her of its existence.

Shaking his head at her, Alec moved into her kitchen and started making her toast. Emma watched him as she slowly got up. Padding across her flat, she settled in just behind Alec as he busied himself with her teapot before he cracked some eggs onto a frying pan. Alec paused however in the middle of reaching for the spatula when he felt Emma lean her head against his back.

For a moment, they stood there in silence, Emma gathering herself and Alec allowing her. Then finally, she spoke.

"It happened all the time back then."

Alec didn't interrupt her as he quietly cooked her eggs, just listening to her as Emma finally put her emotions into words.

"At first, it was me and my mum that was the target. It was all very sympathetic, they didn't want to paint us badly but it wasn't like it helped. My face was on the front page of every local newspaper, just like Beth's was. Except I'd never given them permission to use my face. And I was apparently this strong daughter supporting her grieving mother because I never cried in front of the cameras. No one knew I smashed a cup the day I read that in the papers."

Emma paused for a second, as if recalling the moment vividly, before she continued.

"But then, as the days went by and no progress was reported, everyone started to get antsy. Police wouldn't release details because they couldn't be certain. People were getting restless and the media was aching for something, anything to wet the appetite of their readers and preferably something only they had ahead of their competition. Suddenly all this unrelated news that they tried to make sound relevant to my dad's case started appearing. I believed it at first. I was young and naive; and I was horrified. Suddenly, it didn't matter how the media had hounded me when my dad had first died. All I wanted was for my dad's killer to be found and for justice to prevail like the news was calling for."

"Except it wasn't justice."

Emma rested her forehead on Alec's back again and he had to strain to hear her voice as she continued against the fabric of his jacket.

"I started to see that with Harry's help. He'd call often although he didn't come in person. My mum was very clear she didn't want him around. Said it was because she never liked him, which was also true I suppose. But even if he didn't dare come lest he anger my mum, Harry would call me to check on me. And he was the one that stopped me picking at the news stories. Pointing out all the missing details, indicating the cues to manipulate me with their writing. Same as they had when they reported on me and my mum. Except now they weren't being sympathetic, they were being cruel. Like mad dogs after a bone, they chased their latest targets."

Emma paused and her tone dipped lower, her voice growing darker.

"But I'll never, ever, forget the hounding after it was revealed it was my mum."

Alec heard the way her voice quivered near the end.

"If they were like mad dogs before, it was like they'd gone rabid now. And I was some juicy bit of meat for them to rip apart. And it wasn't just the press. I'd never even had a boyfriend but suddenly there was an ex on the news saying how he'd totally seen it coming. And there were other parasites, less obvious but just as cruel."

Emma paused, took a shuddering breath, and then whispered her last few words.

"And then they moved on. But we stayed. And we had to keep on living in the hell they created."

Finally, Alec turned. Setting aside the pan so the eggs wouldn't burn or catch fire, he wrapped his arms around Emma. She leant into his embrace, placing her own hands on the edges of his jacket. Her shoulders shook a little as she gave a small, dry sob and Alec's arms tightened around her.

"It always gets better." He told her quietly.

She nodded but added sadly, "But it's never good again."

Alec couldn't deny that. One was never quite as innocent anymore after the first tragedy and life had a way of continuously throwing lemons. But the first was always the bitterest to swallow. And while you couldn't go back to the time when you'd never tasted life's bitterness, it got easier and easier to swallow. And it got easier and easier to smile between the lemons.

Over the next few days, Alec was a regular visitor at Emma's flat. Ellie swung by sometimes during the day but she had a family of her own to return to at the end of the long day. Besides, she had no intention of encroaching on the precious few moments in the day when Emma could have Alec to herself. Especially as she continued to need him.

It took a few more days for Emma to drop dreaming of the cliff and a few days before she had the courage to step into her kitchen and grasp a kitchen knife to make lunch. It had been a long time since she'd eyed the knife in an unhealthy way, a long time since Harry had stopped supervising her after he'd caught her fiddling with one shortly after her mother's sentencing. Harry had been there every moment of the way to help her stay strong and he'd been the only reason she had no physical scars. But Alec couldn't be there all the time and it was two days before Emma trusted herself to not give into weak temptation.

It was worth the courage when Alec came over that night and his eyes shone with visible relief to see her finally moving about in the kitchen. A mere day later, the nightmares stopped; and by the fourth day, Emma had gathered her nerves again to do something she'd never imagined doing just three months ago.

"Here."

Emma stopped Alec as he picked up his jacket to leave on yet another night. He turned toward her, his curiosity only increasing when she handed him a key.

"It's an extra set of my keys."

Alec's brow rose rapidly and he looked up from the key to Emma searchingly. She shrugged awkwardly, feeling a bit embarrassed under his stare.

"You may as well have them, you've been coming often enough."

"Thank you." Alec said slowly. His hand curled around the key but there was a question in his eyes that he hesitated to voice aloud. Emma noticed and she answered it anyway.

"They were Harry's." She explained softly.

Alec's face softened at her admission, revealing a man he seldom showed to the world. The full weight of her trust had sunk in at her admission and Alec dropped his jacket as he instead reached over to draw her against him. Emma went into his arms willingly, even tilting her head back for him when he bent down slowly. His lips met hers tentatively at first, before he gained confidence as she answered him. Over the last few days, Alec had been careful and mindful about any physical contact with Emma as she mourned. But it was like the lack of contact had caused withdrawal symptoms as their kiss quickly became passionate.

But there was no time. Alec reluctantly pulled away from Emma's soft touch although he couldn't quite bring himself to go far. Instead, he pressed his forehead against hers as he opened his eyes to stare into her eyes. Emma gazed right back at him, but a strange apprehension had entered her expression. Alec frowned.

"What is it?" He asked.

Emma swallowed before she whispered, "I think… Alec, I think I like you a lot."

Alec blinked rapidly, taken aback by her confession. It shouldn't have surprised him, they'd already pretty much affirmed their feelings for each other long before now. But it had been such a long time since he'd heard anything remotely similar that Alec found himself initially tongue-tied.

"I..." Alec cleared his throat as his voice croaked and tried again. "I… care about you too."

It took him some effort to say the words aloud. He couldn't even remember how many years it had been since he had said those words to anyone other than his daughter. And he didn't even say it that often to Daisy, even though he knew he should. And to say them now to Emma…

Emma clearly heard how difficult it was for him to say the words and she smiled a little wryly.

"Despite your best efforts?" She teased, recalling their first few interactions.

"A wee bit." Alec confessed, making her grin again. "But not just because of what you think. Yeah, I thought you were a potential suspect at one time but after that… Well, I'm a divorced man with a teenage daughter and I'm quite a bit older than you."

She made a noise like a scoff so he stressed, "I am."

"And I don't care." Emma answered. "I've dated men my age, men younger than me and men older than me. None of them compare to you."

"What kind of men have you been seeing?" Alec asked skeptically. Emma chuckled.

"Don't put yourself down so much. Yeah, you're not perfect… but you're perfect to me." Emma went a little bit pink as she said the words, feeling a bit embarrassed by how mushy they were.

Alec also wrinkled his nose but he couldn't quite hold back a smile as he kissed her again before he finally drew away.

"I really have to head back to the station." He sighed, picking up his jacket again from where he'd dropped it earlier.

She nodded, her face growing grim once again as she remembered what the morning would bring.

"See you tomorrow?"

Alec nodded. "Tomorrow."

Alec came by early the next morning to find Emma sneering at the papers on her kitchen table. The headline seemed to leap out at him as they screamed: 'Worst Cop in Britain?'. Alongside the bold words was a rather unflattering photo of Alec as he frowned like his usual self.

"Think they're right?" Alec asked casually from the doorway and Emma looked up. Tossing the paper aside, she walked across to meet him as he closed the door behind him.

"I really hate them. They hounded him, chased him to no end, and now they're throwing you under the bus instead." Emma answered crossly as she kissed his cheek in greeting.

"You didn't answer my question." He observed. "Does that mean you agree with them?"

"Oh, shut up." Emma answered fondly, giving Alec a small smile. "I've decided to discontinue my subscription to the Herald and throw them out of my life, but I'm keeping you around, aren't I?"

"Oh, you're keeping me, are you?" Alec asked with a raised brow and she nodded.

"I am. You're my worst cop." She smiled before she fingered his tie. "No black tie?"

Alec shrugged one shoulder. "I don't have one; Miller said she'd bring one for me."

Emma paused, her finger still hovering over his chest from where she'd been smoothing out his navy tie.

"I never did properly thank you for the last couple days." She started, and Alec cut her off.

"You don't need to thank me."

"I do." Emma tilted her head back to look up at him properly, her gaze thoughtful. "Seeing Jack go through what he did… losing him to it. It brought things back but it would have been much worse if you hadn't been here. So thank you."

Alec shrugged uncomfortably. But seeing how much it meant to Emma for her to convey her gratitude, he muttered gruffly, "You're welcome."

Emma paused before she added in a much stronger and much crosser voice, "Still wish I could do something to get those dogs back. Especially since they've apparently decided to make you their new target."

Emma scowled before a teasing light entered her eyes and she glanced at Alec again.

"Is it a crime to throw a brick through their office windows and burn the building to the ground?"

Alec smiled faintly at the teasing but answered seriously, "Yeah, just a wee bit."

"Even if I make sure no one's inside first?" Emma asked cheekily and Alec's smile became more genuine.

"Still illegal." He answered. Emma went quiet for a few seconds.

"What if I skip throwing the brick through the window?"

He laughed before hugging her tightly.

"I'm glad you're doing better." Alec murmured, able to convey his honest feelings with his face buried in her hair.

She hugged him back, just as tightly, and she leaned her head against his shoulder. "I don't know how I'll get through the rest of it though, to be honest. It's so much easier when it's just you with me in here."

"You'll be able to do it." He kissed the top of her head. "You're strong."

She looked up at him as he looked down at her. Without saying anything, she leaned up and Alec closed the distance for her as they kissed slowly. It was a new kind of kiss, soft and comforting, and Emma sighed when it ended as someone knocked on her door.

"Do you need a ride?"

Alec's lips quirked. "You're offering your friend's car for a ride?"

"Yeah. So?" Emma gave him a small smile and Alec shook his head.

"I need to stop by the station first. You go on ahead with..." He trailed off and Emma rolled her eyes.

"Patricia." She supplied before she shook her head. "I swear you do it on purpose, you remember everyone else's names."

Alec just shrugged unapologetically.

"I'll see you later." He promised before he walked with her to the door.

Patricia's brows shot up and she waggled them suggestively at Emma. Emma sighed while Alec's frown deepened at the exaggerated leers Patricia gave them. But instead of saying anything, he just nodded at Patricia, gave Emma a pat on the back in farewell and then strode off down the hallway. Emma watched him go, if anything just to avoid Patricia's teasing looks.

But she was surprised when Patricia, after a beat of silence, commented seriously, "Okay, I know this isn't exactly appropriate right now, but I really hope he will be as good to you as I've seen so far, Emma."

Arriving at the church, Emma left Patricia and her family as she made a beeline for where Alec and Ellie stood on the outskirts, watching the arriving crowd.

"Hey." Ellie greeted her friend, hugging Emma. "How're you holding up?"

"Been better, but doing okay." Emma answered warmly. Alec just gave her a nod, his eyes still scanning the mourners. Ellie's attention returned to the crowd as well and Emma absently joined them… before she stiffened as she saw familiar black hair.

"Oh God, why's she here?" Emma hissed and Alec glanced at her before gently pulling her so she couldn't see Karen White anymore.

"Just ignore her. This time is to remember Jack."

Emma took a deep breath and let it out unsteadily but more calmly. Alec patted her shoulder.

"You should head on inside."

Emma nodded but she asked quietly, "Can you come sit with me inside? I'll sit at the back so you can observe people; I don't care about God anyway, I'm just here for Jack. But I don't think I can keep myself from throttling that woman otherwise."

"Of course." Alec nodded.

Emma gave him a smile in thanks and she squeezed Ellie's hand one more time before heading inside the church. People were starting to gather as Emma settled into the back pew, not expecting to need to save a seat for Alec since most people tended to congregate toward the middle and then the front pews. But she was surprised when Patricia joined her with her family, and the Latimers came over as well.

"Emma." Mark nodded at her as Nigel joined him as well.

"Hey, Mark." Emma answered while giving Beth a hug. Her friend looked weary, and Emma didn't blame her. All the days dragging on without any further news about Danny and then to be here mourning Jack when she hadn't even properly said goodbye to Danny…

Emma's arms tightened around Beth. Beth felt it and she squeezed Emma a little bit harder as well, taking the silent comfort her friend gave. It was nice, not having to share empty words that meant nothing. Beth let Emma go as Paul entered the chapel just as Ellie and Alec slipped inside as well. Ellie headed toward the middle pews where Joe sat with Fred while Alec paused for a second before he joined Emma. He seemed surprised by the crowd around her but he said nothing as he sat in the seat Patricia had left open for him beside Emma as Paul began the ceremony.

"We're assembled here today to share our grief and to celebrate the life of Jack Gerald Marshall. Jack Marshall was a good man. As has been made clear since his death, an innocent man. The local newsagent and Sea Brigade Master, who kept children secure on land and safe at sea."

Alec noticed movement from the Sea Brigade boys standing to the side of Jack's coffin and he examined Tom for a moment before looking back at Paul as the man continued.

"So how are we here? We let him be smeared and intimidated. We weren't there when he needed us."

Alec saw Ollie tilt his head back as he clearly fought back regretful tears. Beside him, Emma squeezed his hand tightly and she leant her head against his shoulder.

"So today, in celebrating Jack, we also have to admit that some of us failed him."

Paul's eyes strayed to the back of the church and Alec would chop his arm off if it was a coincidence.

"Just as we failed Danny Latimer."

Beside Emma, Beth inhaled sharply before letting the air out in a shuddering breath as Paul closed the ceremony.

"The second commandment tells us, 'Love thy neighbour as thyself'. In this, the darkest of times, we have to be better. If we're not a community of neighbours, then we are nothing."