A/N: Here it is, the final chapter! I can't really believe it.

This has been an incredible experience for me. I have never finished something like this before, and I certainly never expected for it to get the response that it has. You have all encouraged me with your amazing words, you've been so kind, and I could not have kept writing without that support, so thank you! I love you all, I really do! And now that you know how much I love you, I really must apologize…because…

Just a warning: you guys are going to hate me when you get to the end of this chapter. To quote a certain Doctor, I am so, so sorry. BUT there will be more coming very soon, I promise.

Enjoy the final chapter of Convalescence, and I hope that you guys will keep on reading as I kick off the sequel. I'm excited because Alec Hardy is much healthier now, so my options are wide open. Okay, no more teasing! See you at the end!

TRIGGER WARNING: Stalking behavior

Chapter 18.

The morning of the verdict is not nearly so peaceful as waking up beside Alec had been. By the time he arrives to ride with her to the Crown Court, Ellie is in a full-blown battle with Tom about whether or not he'll accompany them to the courtroom for the closing arguments and possible verdict.

"Why do you want to go?"

"He's my father! And Danny was my friend!" Tom's arms are crossed over his chest. "I want to know what happens."

Ellie is close to the breaking point. Her motherly instincts are unanimously against allowing Tom to come to the court for what will no doubt be a dramatic end to the legal battle. But he's right: it was his father and his best friend, and she isn't sure Tom is going to take no for an answer this time. She also doesn't have a lot of time to talk him out of it: they'll have to leave for the courthouse soon if they're going to make it on time.

She resists the urge to gauge Alec's reaction to Tom's request. As Tom's mother, the final decision is up to her.

She sucks in a deep breath, and, with a heavy heart, nods. "Alright, Tom. But don't talk to anyone that isn't from town, all right?"

He nods and heads to the car. Ellie scoops up Fred – she'll have to drop him off quickly if they're going to make it to court on time. Alec gives her shoulder a gentle squeeze before heading to the passenger side of the car, and she lets out a grateful breath for that small comfort as they head out. Her thoughts drift as she drives.

She isn't sure what to call the two of them, or if she even wants to have a label for them at all. It is enough for her that he's here, that he wants to be here. It helps her put one foot in front of the other today, when otherwise she might not have been able to face it.

After the briefest stop at the child minder's, the three of them are on their way to the Crown Court. The press is in a feeding frenzy outside of the doors, and Ellie's face sets into a grim mask when she sees them.

"Stick close," she tells Tom. She nods to Alec and he goes first, striding ahead of them into the press of bodies and cameras. Close behind him, Ellie also wades through. She keeps her chin up and her eyes forward, but she's tucked Tom into her side. After a few very claustrophobic moments, they're through. Then it's right up the steps to the courtroom with only a couple of minutes to spare.

As the three of them take their seats, Ellie sees that Beth and Mark Latimer are already here. They are sitting side by side, but stiffly, and Chloe sits beside them, pale and resolute. Ellie turns her face away before they can turn and stare at her. Just as he had the day of the hearing, Alec places himself between her and the dock.

The rest of the town files into the room and settles into their seats. Nervous conversation fills the room, but Alec, Ellie and Tom are all silent. They observe the barristers and their juniors and exchange thoughts with a glance. Ellie has a sense of foreboding that makes her want to squirm in her seat, but she tamps it down.

Maggie and Olly are there, sitting on the other side of the glass box. Olly glances over and his eyes widen at the sight of Tom. Lucy is behind them and Ellie doesn't meet her gaze. She isn't sure if Lucy can look her in the eye, either, but she isn't keen to take the chance. She slips her arm around Tom's shoulders and gives him a quick squeeze. He looks up at her with anxious eyes, and she wishes she could find some comforting words to say…but she can't think of anything. She just gives him a sad smile, wishing she'd put her foot down about letting him come.

They all stand as the judge enters. The sudden hush in the room is almost eerie, and the tension is a tangible thing. Before long they're in the midst of closing arguments. Ellie is waiting for the ace up Jocelyn's sleeve, but it never comes. She does her best, she argues as best she can, but Sharon has punched too many holes in their credibility, she's exposed too many cracks in the town. Ellie admires her for her fight, for sticking up for Danny and condemning Joe right to the end. But she can tell that it isn't enough.

Sharon's closing arguments make Tom uncomfortable. He keeps looking to her and Alec as though searching for answers to the questions Sharon is raising all over again. She knows that deep down, Tom doesn't want his dad to be guilty, and Sharon is at her best, passionate and sharp as razor. Ellie grasps her son's hand and gives it a squeeze.

Her heart is heavy as the Court Manager indicates that the closing arguments are finished and that it's time for the jury to deliberate. Court is recessed while they enter a private room to discuss the case. Everyone else moves into the reception area or else onto the patio with the coffee cart.

Ellie wants to keep her distance, but that's hard in such a small space. She's feeling like a lioness protecting her cub, because if anyone makes a scene while Tom is here she'll happily give them a piece of her mind or maybe a kick to the balls.

Oliver is the first one to make his way over, although the Latimers are watching her and Tom closely.

"Aunt El—"

"Oliver, if the next words out of your mouth aren't 'I'm sorry,' I wouldn't even bother," Ellie tells him. "I don't have anything to say to you or to Lucy."

His mouth clicks shut. Lucy approaches from behind him.

"Oi, is that really necessary?" she asks.

"Lucy, I really don't think you should be near me right now." Ellie's blood pressure is rising, and she balls her hands into fists without really realizing she's doing so.

Alec steps in. "Get away," he says. Oliver opens his mouth to protest, and Alec's eyes snap to him. "The pair of you, back off now, I mean it. This is your last warning."

"You're not a copper anymore," Oliver reminds him.

"Only means there are less rules to follow," Alec snaps, and Oliver takes his mother's arm and pulls her away.

As soon as Oliver and Lucy are out of earshot, he turns his attention to Ellie. His jaw is tight.

"I may need to leave today after court," he tells her.

Her mouth drops open. "What, tonight?"

He drags a hand through his hair, avoiding her eyes. "Yes, tonight." There's tension in his voice, and it makes the hairs on the back of her neck rise. She knows this tone: something isn't right, and he is going to do his best to keep it to himself.

"You can't be serious, not with how today might go—"

"I don't think I have a choice."

"Is it Sandbrook?"

"Maybe." He hesitates. "I have a strong suspicion that it might be, yes."

"Christ, Alec—!"

"If I do have to go, you need to go right back to your house. Promise me, Ellie. Go home and lock the doors. I'll be back as soon as I can, I just need to check on someone."

"Has something happened?" she demands. Tom is watching them argue, clearly confused, and Alec glances at him before looking back at her.

"I got a text from a friend. There's a woman I've been…well, a woman I helped hide. I need to make sure Lee hasn't gone near her."

"Don't you know where he is? Didn't you have a tail on him?"

"Yes, but he's clever. This is important, Ellie. And I promise I'll tell you the whole story when I get back."

"Yeah you bloody will," she replies, glaring up at him. "You keep far too much of this to yourself. I can help you, you know. I'm a pretty good detective."

His eyes soften. "I know," he agrees.

Oh Christ, those eyes are going to be her undoing. And he is far too bloody aware of that fact. She doesn't get a chance to shake it off, however, because Beth has finally come over. She moves quickly, those years of running making her light on her feet.

"You've destroyed this case," Beth says, the fury in her eyes mixed with heartbreak. "What are we going to do if he goes free, huh? Just walks out of here like it never happened, like Danny doesn't matter!"

Her voice is getting louder quickly. Ellie knows better than to touch her when she's in this state, but she glances at Alec and he shifts in Beth's direction, ready to act if he needs to. He's beginning to reveal rather cat-like reflexes of his own as his recovery carries on, and considering how furious Beth is, those reflexes might come in very handy.

"Joe is going to be punished, Beth, I promise you. Even if—" Ellie's throat closes around the words and they come out strangled—"Even if the verdict isn't what…isn't what we want. I will not stop until he goes to prison for what he's done. I promise you."

Alec's eyes meet hers over Beth's head, and she knows what she's done. She's made the same vow to Beth as he had to Pippa and Lisa's families. She wonders if he wants to warn her off of it, if he thinks this is too much to promise, or if he's the only one that understands.

Broadchurch is her Sandbrook, but it isn't just the case. It's also her home, these are still her people, and this is not a vow she makes lightly. He gives her a small nod: he's still with her. If Joe walks free today, he'll be there to help her fulfill her promise to Beth.

Mark and Chloe come over and take Beth's arms. They pull her away, but Beth's eyes hold Ellie's for a few more long, scornful moments.

Ellie holds her gaze, and when Beth finally turns away, she realizes that her hands are trembling. She means every word: no matter what the outcome of the day is, Ellie will make sure that Danny gets to rest in peace knowing that Joe is suffering the consequences of his fatal selfishness.

Alec touches her back, watching her closely. She meets his gaze.

"I'm alright," she tells him. He gives her a slightly disbelieving look, and she swats at him gently. "Oh, fine—I will be alright, is that better?"

He nods and turns to Tom. "I think it's time for some tea," he says, and Tom nods vigorously. He leads the way, leaving the adults behind quickly as he makes his way to the coffee cart. Ellie wonders if Alec is aware of just how much Tom has come to care for him.

They all order tea and find a place to sit, hands wrapped around cups.

"You think Dad's going to go free, don't you?" Tom asks Ellie. She hesitates and glances at Alec.

"I think there's a good chance of that, yes," she says. Beside her, Alec's hand comes up to rub at his eyes, his nose scrunching up a bit. Ellie knows him well enough to know he's worried and tired. The added pressure of whatever it is that is going on with Lee Ashworth isn't helping.

"If that happens, Tom, you're not to let him near you. I know he's your dad, but he's signed over his rights as a guardian to your mum. Don't talk to him alone, don't go with him anywhere unless your mum or I are with you," Alec tells him. Tom nods, staring down at the paper cup in his hands.

"I promise," he says, and Alec ruffles his hair a bit.

"Good lad. We've been missing out on football practice. We'll have to fix that soon, eh?"

Tom nods and Ellie sees him smile for the first time today. She lets out a relieved breath and gives Alec a grateful smile of her own.

Forty-five more minutes pass slowly, and then they're paged back into the courtroom. The jury has come to a consensus: it's time for a verdict.

On unstable legs, Ellie walks with Alec and her son back to the courtroom. Her eyes slip over everyone else, and their eyes move over her too. Many of them are whispering their pet theories, and Ellie hears a lot of people trying to guess what the jury's decision is. She keeps her mouth shut and her eyes forward as everyone takes their places in the courtroom.

Everyone is watching the jury as they file in, everyone but Beth. Her eyes are locked on Ellie, and Ellie sighs. She wishes she could go put her arms around her friend, but Beth was like a wildcat at the moment, ready to slash at anyone who drew within reach. That goes double for Ellie.

The Court Manager addresses the jury, asks if they've reached a decision.

They have.

Everyone in the courtroom is silent. They're all looking at the jury, or else at Joe in his glass box. Ellie can see that everyone is tense and expectant.

Joe stares at the jurors, his face open and innocent, and Ellie wants to spit on it. Beth is staring at them too, but she looks as though she's in agony. Her eyes are pleading with them; she wants them to end this pain for her, to close this chapter of loss and give Danny his justice at last.

Her silent begging falls on deaf ears.

"We find the defendant not guilty."

Ellie sucks in a breath because, even though she'd been expecting it, it is still a blow to hear the words spoken out loud. Her hand finds Tom's and she grips it tightly. He turns to look at her with huge eyes while Beth dissolves in front of everyone. Mark reaches over to comfort her. She twitches away at first and then lets him offer her that comfort, and there are tears in his eyes too. Beside her, Alec is sitting up very straight in his chair. He is staring at Joe, and Joe is staring at Ellie.

Everyone is speaking at once, and she knows that even though the verdict has gone his way, Joe is in real physical danger now. She can hear it in the voices of all the people around her: it's just as it had been with Jack Marshall, only this time they've got the truly guilty party. Nige in particular is vocal in his outrage, but Ellie knows it's only a matter of time before Mark joins him. She's feels a chill, because before Danny's death she had never known them this way, never known any of them to be dangerous. Now she knows they all are.

The judge's eyes pass over all of them. She looks at Joe last.

"Mr. Miller, you have been found not guilty, you are free to leave the dock," she says.

"Thank you, My Lady," Joe replies.

Ellie can't breathe in this room. She knows that Joe will be discharged next, his acquittal noted down in the records. And then he'll be free. Completely free. The words ring over and over again in her mind as the judge addresses the jurors. As soon as she can, while the judge is still addressing the jury, she slips out of the room, tugging Tom with her. She glances back, but Alec motions for them to keep going. As everyone starts to move, he heads for the Latimers to have a private word. He's stalling them, giving her time to get out with Tom. She knows he'll follow when he can.

The press jump at her as soon as they see her, but she rushes through them. She ignores them all, she's getting better at that, and makes a beeline for her car. She shields Tom's face from the cameras as best she can and doesn't say a word though they are all yelling questions at her. A couple of them follow her, hoping to find out what had happened in the courtroom, but she makes it to her car and locks herself in and Tom in.

"Mum…what's going to happen now?" Tom asks. He sounds scared, younger than his thirteen years, and she reaches for his hand.

"I don't know, darling. I really don't."

They sit there in silence, holding onto one another, until at last Alec knocks on the window. She unlocks the car and lets him in, and as soon as the door is closed again she starts the engine. Alec touches her hand.

"You okay?"

She shakes her head, and when she looks at him there are tears shimmering in her eyes.

"Better let me drive," he says, and they circle the car to switch places. As she straps herself into the passenger side, he reaches over and places his hand on her knee. It rests there the whole drive home, except for the brief moments he needs to change gears. She's glad of the contact, it's an anchor.

"We'll find more evidence," Alec says at last. "We'll take him back to court."

It sounds like a promise, but she can't see how it can be done.

"Where do we even start?" she asks, hating the defeated note in her voice. Alec glances at her, and there's a small twitch in his cheek.

"With you taking the DI job," he tells her. "And me getting back into the bullpen, even if all I'm cleared for is desk duty."

There are problems with his scenario, but before she can point them out, he parks the car at her house and the three of them head inside. Alec offers to pick up Fred while Ellie and Tom sit down and talk about what it means for Joe to be free. Her head is spinning and all she really manages to tell him is that she loves him and that Joe has no legal rights as a parent. She promises to keep him safe.

He nods and disappears to his room, and Ellie wonders what he's doing up there, how he's coping with it. She almost hopes he's playing video games; at least that will zone him out to this new uncertainty in their lives.

She collapses on the couch. She wonders how long it will take Joe to find her in her new little place. She wonders if he really believes she had an affair with Alec. She regrets not leaving Broadchurch far behind now, but it's done. They can only move forward from this point.

Alec comes back with Fred. He settles down on the chair across from the couch and holds the boy in his lap, bouncing him lightly without really thinking about it. Ellie sits up.

"Please don't go tonight," she says. "Not tonight. Tomorrow we'll both go. You can see this person you need to see and I'll take Tom and Fred out for lunch, get them out of Broadchurch."

He hesitates, she can see the war in him. Then his eyes meet hers and he nods. "Tomorrow, then," he agrees, and she could cry with relief. He moves over to sit with her on the couch, and Fred stretches himself out between them while Alec's arm settles around her shoulders.

"Do you think he'll come tonight?"

"I think he'll go to the house in town first," she replies. He nods, deep in thought. They sit like that for a while, quiet, absorbing the shocks of the day. Eventually he brushes a hand through Fred's curls and then stands.

"I'll make us some tea," he says, "unless you want something stronger?"

"Tea for now. Once the boys are asleep…well, there's a bottle of gin around here somewhere."

He nods and disappears into the kitchen. She hears him fill the kettle while she stands and takes Fred over to his toys. She clears her mind, or tries to, of everything except for the sight of her youngest son playing with his toys. She focuses on his beautiful smile and those wild curls that are undeniably hers. If she focuses on Fred and not anything else, she can smile too. Just for a second.

After tea, Alec insists on heading into town to keep an eye out for Joe. Ellie doesn't want him to go, but she doesn't argue because she also desperately wants to know that Joe won't come here. Alec would definitely stop him if he tried, so she doesn't argue.

She walks him to the door and he tells her he'll keep her updated via text. He'll be back in the morning. She nods through all of this, and then he pulls her into his chest and kisses her. There's a hard edge to his kiss, she can taste his desperate need to protect her and her sons, and she clutches at his jacket to keep herself on her feet.

"You'll be safe, I promise," he tells her.

She tries to say thank you, but her throat is swelling with emotion. His forehead rests against hers for a moment, a surprisingly sweet gesture, and then he kisses her cheek and heads out into the night. Ellie locks the doors behind him and gathers Tom and Fred for a movie marathon. It does a terrible job of distracting her, but at least it entertains Fred. After a while, both of her sons are asleep on the couch. She knows she should wake them and put them to bed, but she doesn't. She stays there with them, one of her hands on each of their backs, and waits to hear from Alec.

He shoots her a text message in the very small hours of the morning. She has finally gotten the boys to bed and is sitting in her kitchen with a glass of wine when her phone buzzes.

Joe won't be coming near you.

Ellie is stunned. How did you pull that off? she replies.

Community persuasion. I'll explain tomorrow?

Alright, see you in a few hours, she texts back. She finishes her wine and then drags herself up to bed. She doesn't truly sleep, but she does manage to doze off every once in a while. She forces herself back out of bed at 5:30am to shower and put on some clothes before Alec arrives. He turns up at half past six and it doesn't look as though he's slept, either. They move into her sitting room and he settles next to her on the sofa.

"Tell me what happened," she says. He drags a hand over his face.

"I wasn't the only one looking for Joe." He looks at her. "Half the town was waiting outside of your old house. But I was the one that found him."

"Where was he?" She thinks she knows and disgust is a cold drop in her stomach.

"He was at the clifftop hut," he tells her, confirming her unspoken theory. He reaches over for her hand and laces their fingers. "He was angry with me. He said he knew you weren't at your house and he knew about…us. I told him he needed to get out of Broadchurch for his own safety, and he refused."

Her hand tightens in his, and he draws a soothing pattern against her skin with his thumb. "I told him that Nige Carter was at the head of a posse and they weren't going to stop until they'd found him. I reminded him that no one on the police force would be in a big rush to help him either, they're all too loyal to you."

This brings the ghost of a smile to her lips. She has dearly missed her coworkers in CID, though she doesn't let herself think of it often.

"I also told him that if he tried to get near you or the boys, he'd have me to deal with."

Her eyes come up to meet his. He is fatally serious.

"Did that work?"

"No. But then the Mark and the rest of the men from town showed up. Nige didn't think of the cottage, but Mark had. He told Joe that if he ever saw him in Broadchurch again, he'd kill him. He didn't care about going to prison. After that, Joe turned tail. I made sure he left town. Everyone will be watching for him. If he ever gets near here again, we'll know."

He sighs, drags a hand over his face. "It's not a perfect solution, but my instinct tells me that he's a coward. I don't think he'll be back, at least not for a while."

She nods. He's right, it isn't perfect, but she feels a lot more comfortable with the situation than she had the night before. She knows that the men of Broadchurch aren't kidding about keeping a watch for him. She also knows that Mark wasn't kidding about killing Joe if he ever saw him again.

There will be some safety here, for a while. Alec sits with her quietly, her fingers still tangled with his. Then he gets up.

"I'll make you some coffee," he says, and heads to the kitchen. Ellie closes her eyes and lets Alec's story sink in. The people of Broadchurch might not like her very much right now, but if she stays, she can keep her boys safe from Joe, and that's what she wants more than anything. She pictures Tom playing football in the sunshine and Fred waving his teddy bear around in wild delight, and their images bring her a sense of serenity.

Her momentary peace is fractured a second later. She hears a mug shatter on the floor of the kitchen.

"Alec?"

She dashes into the kitchen to find out what happened. When she finally sees Alec, he's holding onto her counter like he's going to pass out. His phone is clutched in his other hand, and his face is as pale as she's ever seen it.

"What is it?" she asks, trying not to panic. She's been trained to stay calm in stressful situations, but seeing the normally unshakable Alec like this is definitely putting her training to the test. She comes to his side, touches his arm in an effort to comfort him.

His mouth moves, but no sounds comes out at first, and now she's really scared.

"Alec, tell me what's happened," she says, forcing her voice to be clipped and professional.

He looks at her and now the shock is being replaced by white-hot rage, a sort of animal ferocity she is only barely aware that he is capable of. His eyes are dark pits in his face, though the blood is coming back to flush his cheeks now.

"Those calls to Daisy. The blocked number."

Ellie nods. She remembers Tess' phone call.

"It's him. It's Lee Ashworth." He spits the name out like it's poison in his mouth.

"How do you know?"

He hands her his phone. There's a text message open and it's a picture of Daisy arriving at school with her friends. The girl is laughing, completely unaware that she's being surveilled, and Ellie's blood turns to ice in her veins.

Under it is a brief message: I showed you yours. You show me mine.

"What does this mean? Alec—what is he talking about?" Fear has sharpened her voice.

"He's looking for his wife. He knows I've hidden her away. And if I don't tell him where she is…" He can't say it, he can't say what Lee will do to his daughter. Ellie thinks back to what little she knows of the Sandbrook case…the body of a young girl, left in a river for days. Alec doesn't have to say what he thinks Lee will do to Daisy if he doesn't cooperate.

She knows. It's the same thing he may have done to Pippa Gillespie.

-FIN-

A/N: I know, I know, and I'M SORRY TO END IT ON A CLIFFHANGER! Well, kind of sorry, because I'm evil like that. But I felt like this was the perfect time, the perfect situation to use in order to start a Sandbrook-centric sequel from Hardy's POV. Will Joe come back? I left that door open on purpose, too. So yes, even though Conva is done, the story isn't really over yet. Tess should be an interesting element to add too. I have lots of exciting things planned and I can't wait to hear your thoughts!

Thank you again for everything! I wish I could do something special for each and every one of you!