"What was that all about with Tess earlier?" Jo wanted to know.
"Don't ask me," Trish laughed as she sat on the corner of Kate's desk.
"Well she was upset about something," Kate agreed. "Well when is she never upset these days?"
"I think that's my fault," Rose admitted. "Sorry I got ya all into bother with her."
"You have nothing to be sorry for," Jo assured her. "It's Tess's problem, not yours."
"Yeah Rose, you were only trying to do us a favour. If you still want our help?" Trish told her.
"Well yeah, I was told I could have some help but I'd best go see DI Hardy first, I'm not gonna give Tess the satisfaction of asking her who I can chose," Rose replied.
"Too right," Jo agreed. "Why should you? Tess thinks you're trying to undermine her authority but technically, her husband's in charge, he just lets her get on with it."
"Yeah but only 'cos she thinks he's getting too friendly with the female officers," Trish reminded them. "Can't say I blame him for wanting to avoid conflicts."
"Well they still argue," Rose told them. "Sorry, I can't tell ya much but from what I can tell, the chief split them up for arguing didn't he?"
She knew she had to be careful what she said, Alec had told her things in confidence and she didn't want to betray the trust he'd placed in her.
"Yeah, we know Rose," Kate told her. "Wonder where she disappeared to? She used to stay here for the afternoon break."
"She probably got tired of seeing us talking about her," Trish laughed. "Ladies room anyone?"
"Better be careful, Tess might be in there," Jo laughed as she got up.
Rose was dying to tell them what had happened the day before but then, she'd really have some explaining to do. To start with, why Tess was acting that way and did Tess have something to worry about? As far as she was concerned, the woman was paranoid long before her arrival. Hadn't Alec already told her that?
When it came to home time, Rose was waiting in Alec's office doorway for him. Tess had been watching as she gathered her own things. Tess had thought she would delay her departure a few minutes to see what went on after she usually left. If Alec thought he could ignore her and walk past like he had done the week before, he could think again.
She was going to get him to go down to the parking garage with her, not his little blonde DC and if he didn't, there was going to be trouble.
"Sorry Rose," Alec apologised as he got his jacket from the back of the chair. "Come in and close the door."
Rose looked around nervously, she knew Tess was delaying on purpose.
"What's wrong?" he wanted to know as Rose sat down. "I know there's something, you were working on your own. Do your friends not want to help you?"
"No, it's not that. While you were seeing the chief, well I went to ask them who volunteered but Tess came over and told me to go back to my desk, well more or less. She didn't want to know that you'd said I could get someone to help me."
"She did, did she?" Alec raised his eyebrows as he leaned on the desk. "What exactly did she say?"
"That there were other DCs in the office and I should have asked her first," Rose told him.
Why should she cover up for Tess, Rose wondered. Tess never did her any favours, she went out of her way to cause trouble.
"She what?" Alec replied. "Not when I say for you to ask one of your friends to help you don't. You work with me, not her."
With that, he got up and went to the door, seeing Tess going off. Should he call her back or not? He didn't want Rose getting caught up in what would surely turn into an argument and none of it would be Rose's fault.
"Sir, I don't want to cause any trouble," Rose insisted.
"Rose, forget it, it's not any of your fault," he assured her as she got up.
"Ya know she'll be waiting down in the garage?" Rose replied.
"Then let her," Alec told her as he let her go first. "Apparently, she got a message from one of her friends earlier," he then smiled.
"Crumbs, now we're in trouble," Rose laughed. "I've had trouble not tellin' my friends what happened yesterday. If I did tell them, I can't promise ya it won't go any further."
"Don't worry," Alec assured her as they went through the double doors and he pressed the button for the lift.
As predicted, Tess was delaying getting into her car down in the garage. She wished she could park next to the car Alec used, then he'd have no escape. She had just unlocked her car with the remote when the traffic sergeant saw her and was making his way towards her, Tess too busy watching for the doors opening and Alec first followed by Tyler.
"Hello there Tess," the sergeant grinned at her, making her turn around.
"You gave me a fright then," Tess complained, not wanting to miss her husband and have him sneak off through the parked cars to avoid her.
"Watching for your husband then?" the sergeant grinned at her.
"How did you guess?" Tess replied sarcastically.
The sergeant ignored the remark. She seemed in a bad mood anyway, so now was the perfect time to stir up trouble.
"How come you never leave together these day?" he asked her as she resumed her watch. "He always leaves with that young blonde officer."
He waited to see if she would take the bait.
"Don't talk to me about her," Tess complained. "The chief made her Alec's DC and now she thinks she has to drive him to and from home as well as for work purposes."
"Poor Tess," the sergeant tried not to laugh. "So it was her idea to bring him to work and take him home then?"
"Well I'm sure the chief didn't suggest it," Tess replied, jumping when the doors opened but it was someone else.
What was delaying them, Tess wondered. She knew Alec had called Tyler into his office on purpose so he didn't have to leave at the same time.
"I'm sure he didn't," the sergeant agreed. "So, your husband lets her then?"
"Not for much longer," Tess told him. "I'll soon put a stop to it. I mean I don't know what the neighbours think of it, us going in separate cars and him having a female driver. It took some explaining to our daughter."
"I can imagine," the sergeant replied. "I used to think it strange when you both came in your own cars sometimes. Was that Dave Harris I saw you talking to the other night?" he asked, not wanting to say he'd seen them both at lunchtime.
"What do you mean by that?" Tess wanted to know.
"Just that I noticed the other night, they walked past you and they were chatting away," the sergeant replied.
"Well he's not getting away with that tonight," Tess told him.
They both heard the doors opening and heard voices. The sergeant disappeared before he could be seen otherwise his fun would be spoiled by the DI.
"Tess will wonder where we got to," Rose was telling Alec as they waited for the lift.
"Do not worry about it," Alec told her as he pressed the button again, making Rose smile at his impatience.
"Fine for you to say," Rose muttered under her breath but Alec heard her and smiled back.
"Rose, you worry too much," he then told her. "I will deal with Tess. Tomorrow morning, find out which one of your friends is to help you, never mind what Tess tells you, you are acting on my orders. Oh and if you see Tess in the morning watching you when you pick me up, just ignore her. Maybe we will give her something to complain about?"
He gave a little smile as he raised his eyebrows just as the bell rang for the lift.
"About time," he complained as they stepped inside, three others already in the lift.
It was only a small lift and Rose had wondered how they managed but a lot of the people who worked there took the stairs if they were going out of the front entrance or the other staircase if they were parked outside around the back. There wasn't a lot of room so Rose had to stand quite close to Alec but he didn't seem to notice. Rose did though and wondered how he was ignoring the fact.
As they got out and opened the doors to the parking garage, Rose was about to ask him if he thought Tess would be waiting for them but she saw her as Alec held the doors open.
"Now to face the music," Rose said in a low voice as others behind her were talking, which is what Tess heard as she waited not so patiently.
Alec heard her though and agreed with her. Well it would be Tess that started it, not them he thought.
"Alec," Tess called as they approached, the other three going off in different directions.
"What Tess? Are you not setting off to get Daisy?" he wanted to know as he stopped, Rose almost bumping into him.
"I'll go to the car," Rose decided, not wanting to be caught up as it seemed Tess was looking for an argument.
She felt sorry for their daughter having to put up with them squabbling all the time. She bet it was Tess who always started first. Having met Daisy, Rose had found it easy to like the almost teenager. The girl had tried to get Tess to back down the day before and had been able to warn Alec and her mother as to what was going on in the ladies room.
"Not so fast Tyler," Tess stopped her.
"Excuse me, it's Rose," Rose turned around to tell her. "You can't keep me here, it's after working hours."
Alec folded his arms and saw the look on Rose's face. Good, she was standing up for herself, he thought and let her get on with it.
"Alec, are you coming home with me or with her?" Tess wanted to know.
"Rose is my driver and my partner," Alec reminded Tess. "It's part of her job to drive me around, including driving me to and from work."
"Not every night, surely?" Tess replied, still watching Rose didn't get away so easily.
"You have Daisy to collect, you are always late for her, try to be on time just this once," Alec told her. "I ended up having to get her on Friday evening, because you say you were out with your friends."
Rose was sure she shouldn't be hearing this.
"I was," Tess insisted, daring him to say anything else in front of his DC.
Alec knew she was baiting him so he looked at Rose.
"Go start the car," he suggested to her. "I will be a few minutes."
Tess wasn't going to let him get away with that. She waited until Rose walked off before saying anything else.
"Really Alec, why do you always take her side?" Tess wanted to know.
"Really Tess? When you question why she was asking for help with something I gave her to do? Why did you not listen to her explanation eh?"
"Oh, she would go crying to you Alec," Tess scoffed. "You're forgetting there's more than her friends in the division, aren't you?"
"She knows them and besides, I have learned her friends and others in the office have held back from asking to be considered for a promotion. I hope that has nothing to do with you?" Alec replied.
He knew it was, Rose had been told but he was waiting to see what Tess had to say about it.
"That's not my fault Alec, maybe they're not ready?' Tess replied.
"If I remember correctly Tess, you never gave any of them the chance to try, did you? You objected to anyone working with me since the time the chief no longer allowed us to work together. You do know that sergeants can also take on the training of anyone who applies to take an exam?"
"Thanks for that Alec, yes, I do know so why did the chief put Tyler with you then?" Tess argued.
"Oh, as opposed to putting her with you?" Alec replied. "I have not seen any of the DCs rise above their existing rank, I wonder why? I know other divisions do the necessary training and while we are on the subject, Rose is the only DC who has joined us recently."
"Just as I said Alec, you keep defending her. Have your way then, let her take one of her friends to help her but if I need them back, they come back," Tess told him.
Alec shook his head.
"Only if there is any real need to take whoever it is back Tess. Now, I am making Rose late home and her mother will be worried about her," Alec told her.
"Her mother's still in town then?" Tess almost laughed.
"I give up Tess. I do not know what your problem is with Rose or her mother but I suggest you get over it. I know you are doing your best to put Rose off so back away and stop trying to order her around when she is not working or do I have to go to the chief to say you're harassing her?" Alec warned her.
"You wouldn't Alec," Tess replied.
"Wouldn't I?" Alec challenged her.
He left her to think about it and went to where Rose was sat in the car.
"I'm causing trouble again," Rose told him as he got in and fastened the seatbelt.
"No, you are not, you were standing up for yourself," Alec assured her. "Don't let her treat you like that, either in work or out."
They set off but just before Rose turned into Alec's street, he told her to stop the car.
"I can walk from here," he offered.
"Why?" Rose wondered. "Will she have got home already?"
"She may have said something to the neighbours," Alec warned her. "I would not like you to be gossiped about Rose."
"Seriously?" Rose laughed. "What has she got to tell them then?"
"I do not know, honestly," Alec admitted. "I don't seem to know her anymore and before you go blaming yourself, it started before you got here."
"Maybe but I've made it worse, haven't I?" Rose replied.
"No, don't think that," Alec insisted.
This was his problem, not hers.
"Yeah but things might have got better for ya," Rose suggested.
Would they, Alec wondered. The way things were going, he doubted it.
"Well should I drive the rest of the way?" Rose wanted to know. "I mean I wouldn't want to spread any more gossip," she smiled.
How could she possibly make things any worse, Alec thought.
"If you insist," he agreed as she started the car again.
"I saw Tess standing there watching us drive off this morning," Rose admitted.
"I noticed, don't let it worry you Rose," he replied as they drove around the corner.
"See ya in the morning then?" Rose told him as they stopped outside his house.
"Yes but maybe be ready for a quick getaway?" Alec joked. "Seriously though, maybe I should just drive myself in future unless anything urgent comes up and I need to go somewhere?"
"If that's what ya want? You're the boss," Rose tried to sound serious.
Alec managed a smile as he got out of the car.
"Well maybe pick me up in the morning? We can't have Tess thinking she won too easily, can we?" he replied.
He waved as Rose prepared to drive off, Rose setting the satnav for home. When she got there, her mother was preparing their tea.
"Hello sweetheart, had a good day?" Jackie asked cheerfully.
She noticed the look on Rose's face as she sat at the kitchen table.
"Boss givin' ya a hard time?" Jackie asked her as Rose put her head in her hands. "He seemed quite a charmer yesterday," she then laughed.
"Tess thinks I'm after him," Rose looked up for a moment.
"Oh," was all her mother could say. "Ya'd best be careful Rose."
Rose already knew that and was sure she'd said something to her mother before but maybe not?
"Mum, I just work with him, nothing else," Rose replied. "It's her, she's crazy."
"Maybe so sweetheart but that makes her even more dangerous. She could ruin ya career if she wanted."
"He promised me he'd take care of it but he might not be able to," Rose admitted. "I feel awful about it, she even objects to me driving him home or picking him up. She was staring after us this morning and then tonight, she was waiting in the parking garage and wanted him to go home with her. He had to remind her she had to pick up their daughter."
"Well maybe she feels threatened?" Jackie mused.
"She feels threatened?" Rose looked up again. "She's been holding everyone up in the office from going for a promotion just 'cos she doesn't want anyone else working with him."
"Why would she do that?" Jackie wondered.
"Even he doesn't know that Mum," Rose replied. "What's for tea then Mum? Something smells nice."
"Well, I've been looking around the local shops and there's a nice bakery and a mini market. I got some nice cream cakes as well."
Trust her mother to evade the question, Rose smiled at the thought.
"What do I do Mum? Do I stick it out or do I move again?" Rose then asked her.
"Ya stick it out sweetheart, ya can't let her think she's won. I thought she seemed stuck-up when I first talked to her yesterday," Jackie admitted. "Her daughter seemed nice though, when I saw her the second time."
"Yeah, she does Mum," Rose agreed. "Did she tell ya Tess started on me?"
Tess had gone to get Daisy and on the way back, Daisy wanted to know what was going on.
"Why are you and dad falling out over Rose?" she asked Tess.
"Keep out of it Daisy," Tess warned the girl.
"How can I Mum?" Daisy replied. "Rose seemed really nice and her mum did as well. What have you got against her?"
"Really?" Tess asked her. "The chief stopped me working with your father and every time I objected to someone else working with me he told me to stop complaining. Then what does he do?"
"I guess he took Rose on?" Daisy guessed. "She's from London though, what's she doing here then?"
That was a very good question, Tess thought as they reached home and Alec's car was there. What had brought Rose Tyler to Sandbrook and more importantly, what had the chief been thinking when he partnered her with Alec?