Rose had been pacing the corridor, her mother trying to get her to stop and sit down.

"It won't do either of them any good you know, making a trench in the floor. Have some more tea."

"Yeah, like tea's the answer to everything Mum."

Jackie wanted to hit back with the remark that a flask of her tea once save the world by reviving the Doctor but seeing Alec's ex wife staring at her decided she'd better not bring up the matter. Jackie's phone rang, it was Pete to say he'd just made a stop halfway and would be with them soon.

"Pete will be here soon. Mickey, why don't you get him to take you to Rose's place and get her a few things, you can show him the room I've been staying in, they're expecting him. Take my key, you've got Rose's."

"Not any more, I gave it to Alec last night."

Jackie raised her eyebrows as only she could.

"Oh, you did, did you? I might have known."

"Not now Mum, please. Yeah Mickey, thanks, just throw a few things for me and Alec in a bag and bring him a clean shirt from the wardrobe will ya?"

"So he did move in did he?" Jackie asked, seeing his ex wife pull a face at the thought.

"Really? Alec's moved in with you?" Tess asked Rose.

"Yeah, is it so incomprehensible your ex husband wants to move on?"

"Not now Rose, what did you just tell me?" her mother asked. "I hate waiting in hospitals, it brings out the worst in everyone."

Mickey was rather enjoying himself, Rose and Alec's ex, claws at fifty paces. He almost wished Jake was there. Relief from the tension came in the form of Jake himself.

"How's things going? How long will they be in there?"

"We don't know Jake," Rose replied, eyeing Tess and wondering why the woman was even bothering, it was obvious she didn't want Alec back or did she, now Alec was showing some signs of putting his life back together again with someone else.

One of Alec's last thoughts when they began to put him under was moving in with Rose, properly as last night had been rushed, getting his things from the hotel and hurriedly hanging them in the wardrobe and Rose making him space in one of the drawers. As he was losing his thoughts, his last one was that he was really falling in love with her and willed himself to come back and tell her, not in the hospital like he just had done but after a perfect family day out.

John had never come round, Owen had thought it best to save confusing the poor boy as to why everyone was gathered around his bed smiling at him, especially his grandmother, who seemed to make more fuss of him than Rose herself did but he expected Rose was just worried and grateful someone else was there.

What seemed like hours passed for those waiting, Alec's part in John's procedure was soon over and done with and he was taken into the recovery room to await the pacemaker surgery and Rose was allowed in but they didn't wake him up. As soon as she was permitted to enter when they got Alec settled, Rose was by his side, holding his hand and willing him to get through the rest of it. Pete had arrived and was taking Mickey to Rose's cottage, Rose telling him she wanted the key back and Pete wondering what all that was about, Mickey having had the key since the day Rose moved in.

Jackie of course had been only too happy to explain it to her husband, introducing Tess to him and Tess wondering what Alec had got himself tangled up in, it was totally out of character for him to be made a fuss of and get involved with a big family, he'd barely survived his own she thought. When Pete had left, Jackie went to find Rose, seeing her facing Alec, holding his hand and with her eyes closed.

"How are you doing love?" Jackie asked her, putting her hand gently on Rose's shoulder.

"Me? I'm fine and Alec's holding his own for now, they'll be ready for him soon."

"Mickey and Pete have gone to get your things and Alec's."

"Is Tess still there? She must be feeling a bit left out."

"I've tried talking to her, she wants to be left alone. I expect it's a bit much for her but she won't leave until Alec comes around. She must have loved him at some point."

"I expect so, he hasn't talked much about her, he wasn't even gonna tell her until I said he should let her know."

"It must have all ended badly then. Pete will be back soon, why don't you take a break?"

"No, I'm fine. I know Alec won't come around just yet, there was no sense in waking him up for an hour or so, they'll be ready for him soon enough."

As if on cue, a nurse and an orderly came in.

"They're almost ready for him, we have to take him now."

Rose got up and leaned forward, kissing him lightly on the lips.

"Come back to me Alec, I need you."

She turned to her mother, who put her arms around her, remembering not that long ago Rose being upset when the Doctor had been laid in bed, unconscious that Christmas and again when she'd had to say goodbye on that beach in Norway.

"He'll come back to you Rose, not everyone leaves you."

"Yeah, I hope you're right Mum. Any word about John?"

"These things take time Rose, he might be out by the time Alec comes back, I've no idea, it depends on what they're doing. We'll know soon enough. Are you coming back outside?"

"Yeah, I'd better though I don't fancy facing Tess if Alec doesn't make it, she'll just go blaming me for getting him into this."

"It's not your fault he volunteered when he was found to be a match so forget taking the blame Rose. He chose to have his pacemaker done at the same time, you didn't force him to do both."

"I know that but he did it for me and John, you should have seen him Mum, he just accepted everything and he was excited to be part of a family again. I don't know what Tess did to him but she didn't deserve him and he didn't deserve for her to treat him like that, leaving him for someone else when he was so ill."

"Well maybe she never knew just how bad he was, if he didn't say?"

"Surely she should have spotted the changes in him? He told me he refused medical treatment after the incident in the river. Wouldn't she have known about that?"

"Don't get involved in it Rose, it's over love and he's gonna be fine. For yours and John's sakes, he has to be. Now are you gonna tell me how you two got involved so fast and him moving in with you?"

Rose smiled and began to explain, claiming nothing had actually happened between them, they had just sort of cuddled in bed.

"So he knows about the Doctor, have you told him he looks like him?"

"I sort of touched on the subject, that John may start to ask him questions and want to start calling him that. Alec was very good about it, he may get it on his own without me actually saying anything to him. I know he'll take it well, if it does come to him finding out."

Well at least she hoped he would. There was nothing from either of the two operating theatres until she saw a surgeon come out of the one John was in.

"Miss Tyler? We're just about finished with your son, he'll be taken to the recovery room you requested shortly but we're going to keep him sedated until we're satisfied it's all gone correctly."

"Thank you. Did everything go well?"

"Yes, as well as can be expected in someone so young, we got to him just in time, any longer, he could have been deprived of oxygen, have you any idea how long he'd been like that?"

"No, my boyfriend found him this morning when he went to get John up. Can you go in the other theatre and see how he's doing?"

"I'll just finish up with your son then I'll find out for you."

She didn't have to wait that long, someone came out followed by the bed Alec was laid on. Rose let out the breath she wasn't aware she'd been holding in and it seemed like a great weight had been lifted, the awful feeling of dread she'd had since they took him in draining away. She got up and followed, anxious to get to him but was asked to wait outside while they hooked him up to the monitors and machines.

Once she was allowed back inside, the nurse explained he was on painkillers and that the anaesthetic would keep him out for a good while and he may not wake up until the following morning but he, along with John would be monitored constantly. She was though allowed to pull the curtain around to have some privacy and pulling the chair closer, was almost on the bed with him, resting in his side away from the machines. John was brought in a little while later, Jackie following but when she pulled the curtain back slightly, Rose was asleep at Alec's side and Jackie didn't have it in her to wake her daughter. So Jackie sat by John's bedside, holding his little hand and waited for him to wake up. Then she wondered what Rose would make of it all, having a son who was normal again and a new boyfriend who was well and if Rose would be able to cope with the two of them.

It was just after six when Rose was aware her mother was trying to shake her.

"Come and get something to eat Rose, you've hardly had anything all day. They'll both be ok until you get back, Mickey's coming in to sit with John. Are you staying here tonight then?"

"Yeah, I'll just sit between them, how can I go and leave them?"

"I expected that, I'll have Mickey bring your overnight bag in then."

Rose reluctantly went off with her mother and Pete while Mickey took over for a while, promising he'd come out and get her if either of them woke up. Rose smiled at the thought of Alec waking up and complaining Mickey was there by his bedside instead of her. Pete wanted all the details about Alec but Rose wasn't in the mood, Jackie silently telling him to back off. Tess had gone home once Alec was in the recovery room, leaving her number with Jackie, who'd tried her best to get on with the woman.

In the café, she was telling Rose.

"She's not easy to get on with, is she? Alec's ex."

"I tried to tell you that Mum."

"Yeah, well you didn't have to wait with her and see her face when you followed him into the recovery room. She looked like all the fight had gone out of her."

Rose hadn't had much sympathy for Alec's ex wife and despite her promise to him she wouldn't fight, had the worse happened, she may not have been able to keep her cool had Tess started arguing who was actually going to take charge even though Alec had signed to say Rose was to. Jackie stayed until just after eight, Jake saying he was going to stay with Rose for the night. Rose had been brought some tea, made a visit to the ladies room and was just settling down when Jake came in.

"How are they doing Rosie?"

"The nurse said they'd probably both wake up in the morning but Alec might still have some pain where they gave him that injection to do the extraction."

"Yeah, well I expect that will be the least of his problems. You ready to watch both of them when you get home?"

"Very funny Jake. Alec will be wanting to get back to work, do you know if my mum's spoken to Ellie?"

"Yeah, she called her again to say they were both in the recovery room."

"I hope she never said anything about Alec's other operation?"

"Mickey said earlier she'd almost said something but stopped just in time. Why doesn't he want anyone to know? Did his new boss know?"

"Not until this morning when he said he may be off for a while. Are you staying?"

"Yeah, you're stuck with me for the night but I'm just gonna go check everything first."

"What are you expecting Jake?" Rose laughed.

"You never know, do you?"

Jake couldn't settle, he was watching Rose as she'd put her feet up on a stool that the nurse had brought in, half covered with a blue blanket and trying to hold both Alec's and John's hands as best she could since Alec had a tube going into his and she didn't want to ask the nurse to swap them around. It was just after six the next morning, Jake had tried to close his eyes in his chair at the other side of John's bed when Rose felt someone touch her arm.

Alec had woken up, seen the dim lights and was aware someone was holding two of his fingers. He slipped them out of her grip and tried to move onto his side, touching her arm. Rose was awake in a flash.

"Hey, you're back in the land of the living then?"

"You could say that. How's John?"

"Holding his own now. Do you have any pain?"

"A little, it's nothing, I take it that's why I have these tubes in me?"

Jake appeared at the end of Alec's bed.

"I'll leave you two then, call me if you need me."

"Yeah, thanks Jake."

When he'd left, Rose leaned over as Alec took the breathing tube out of his nose.

"How about a kiss love?"

"How can I refuse you? I'm glad you came back to me and now, there really are things we need to talk about."

"I never expected any less Rose, now we have plenty of time."

The nurse had been out to let Owen know Alec was awake.

"Doctor Harper's on his way back in. Would you like to try and drink something Alec?"

It wasn't long before Owen came to join them, Alec now sitting up and wanting to get out of bed and generally making a fuss. Rose was smiling at him after Owen left.

"What?" Alec asked innocently as she held his hand, still trying to hold John's.

"Nothing. Why don't you rest a bit longer then when mum comes back they might let you up and give you some painkillers to take when you need them?"

"I'm not staying in here any longer than I need to Rose but that trip to the bathroom, well I felt light-headed."

"Only because you've not eaten Alec. The nurse will bring you some toast, then you can try getting up again."

"How long will John be out?"

"I'm not sure, they may start to wake him up soon, he'll still be a bit drowsy though."

"Then don't let him get of bed in such a hurry as I was, will you?" he managed to smile back. "I'm glad it was you who was here when I woke up and not Tess."

"Mum doesn't like her very much."

"What about you?"

"I can take her or leave her, preferable the latter. She left when they brought you in here yesterday."

"She would have done, she was just making sure I survived."

The nurse came in to bring Alec some breakfast and Owen came back to start the process of waking John. He opened his eyes and called for Rose.

"Hey you, how do you feel?"

"Was I asleep a long time?"

"Well yeah but you're all better now."

"Where's Alec?"

Alec had pulled the curtain around and was getting dressed and heard John asking about him.

"I'm here John."

"Alec! Can we still go to the tramway?"

Rose smiled to herself.

"Yeah, we can still go but maybe next weekend now, you have to stay here for a while longer, until Doctor Harper says you can go home. Grandma will be here soon and granddad came to see you while you were asleep."

"Did Mickey and Jake come too?"

"Yeah, Jake stayed all night with me, he was at the other side of you. So, when we get home, how would you like it if Alec stays with us?"

"Really? Will he be my uncle?"

"No, do you want him to be?"

John sat up and looked at Alec. John knew what he wanted him to be and didn't think it would ever happen. What he really wanted was to see his dad for real and not in the few photos his mum had and cried every time she showed them to him and talked to his grandma about him. When he thought really hard about it, Alec did look a bit like him, without the hair on his face, which there looked to be more of today.

He scrambled over to Rose, who was sitting on the end of his bed as Alec came from behind he curtain, now also wearing the shirt Mickey had brought for him.

"John, you don't have to call me uncle if you don't want to."

Soon, everyone else had arrived and Alec took Rose outside into the corridor as Mickey was acting around and making John laugh.

"He seems a lot better Rose."

"Yeah, thanks to you. How can I ever thank you Alec?"

He leaned down to kiss her. "By telling me more, about his father."

"I told you about him already."

"There's more Rose, I know there is. The way everyone keeps looking at me. Tell me the truth Rose, do I look like his father?"

Rose couldn't answer, she had no need to.

"Alec, I was going to tell you."

"When Rose? When he started calling me his dad? I need time to think about this."

"You're not supposed to go home on your own Alec."

"I'll get your friend Jake to take me back to the hotel, I'll be fine. I was only too glad to help your son but I can't deal with this right now."

"I'm sorry Alec."

Alec left her in the corridor and went to pick up the small bag Mickey had brought for him.

"Where are you going?" Jackie asked him.

"Back to Broadchurch, I'll see you all later. I'm glad you feel better John."

"Are you going home?" John asked him.

"I have some things to do first. Bye John."

Rose was talking to Jake.

"You knew he'd find out sooner or later Rose, how long did you think it would be?" Jake asked her.

"I don't know, maybe John would have said something eventually, I tried to tell him, I just didn't want to drive him away."

"Well you did," Jake nudged her as Alec came back out.

"I'll call you Rose. Jake, can you take me back to Broadchurch?"

"Sure, did you get your medication?"

"Yes, I'll collect my things from Rose's then you can take me back to the hotel."

"Alec, I'll be here a few more days, stay there until we come back. You need to rest," Rose insisted.

"Right then, for now until you come back, then we'll talk. You don't need me here, I should go back to work."

"So soon?"

"I'll take the rest of the day off, I'll take it easy. Bye Rose."

"Alec, I want you to know, you are completely different to John's father, in lots of ways."

"I just need time Rose, it's a lot to take on and maybe you would have told me but this has all been rushed, we just need to take a step back."

With that, he leaned down and kissed her cheek.

"Let's go Jake."

Jackie chose that moment to come back out, seeing Alec and Jake walk down the corridor and through the double doors.

"What's with him? He comes in, takes his stuff and says goodbye to John. Rose?"

"Just leave it Mum, he found out he looks like the Doctor."

"I thought he knew about him?"

"He does, just not that he looks like him. He's gone Mum, I lost him after all."

When Jake dropped Alec at Rose's cottage, handing him the key he'd got back from Mickey, Jake had a few words to say.

"Listen Alec, Rose thinks a lot of you, if you feel the same, don't let it get in the way."

"Did you know him then?"

"Yes, I met him twice and Rose loved him, I saw the way they looked at each other, it's the same way she looks at you."

"She's just seeing him."

"If that's what you think Alec but you're wrong. Think about it mate."

Alec decided he needed to rest and went up to the bedroom he'd shared with Rose, laying down on the bed and touching the pillow Rose had been laid on the previous morning and decided he'd move back to the hotel tomorrow, he didn't want to be here when she got back.

Two days later, John was getting ready to go home.

"Will Alec be there?"

"I don't know sweetheart, he's really busy."

"But Mummy, I wanted him to be my new dad."

"I know sweetheart, come on, granddad's waiting to take us home."

When they got back, Rose found the note to say Alec had given the key to her friend. When he'd tried to give the key to Ellie the day before, she'd had a few words of her own to say.

"Oh, so you moved in with her and when it's all over, you move out again?"

"Leave it Miller, it's none of your concern. Just make sure she gets her key back will you?"

"You're an idiot," was all she said as she took the key from him and walked out of his office.

Maybe he was. Did it really matter that much? The boy was all that mattered, he'd never known his father and never would either and Rose had warned him John may want to call him dad and he'd more or less said he'd welcome it. He'd been prepared over the weekend to take on the role that was about to be thrust on him in a short period of time. Was it any different now? He shook his head and went back to work, taking two more painkillers for the pain in his side and being grateful he no longer had to take his heart medication.

No-one had bothered him since he more or less locked himself in the office that morning. He'd packed his stuff, got a taxi back to the hotel and avoided Becca's questions. He'd still not called Rose so after Ellie left, he got his phone out.

"Hello Rose, how's John?"

"He's wide awake, Mickey's keeping him amused. How are you?"

"Fine. I gave your key to Miller, I left you a note, just in case."

"I'll be home tomorrow Alec, can we at least talk?"

"Call me when you get back then."

So as Rose found his note the following day on her return, she called Ellie.

"Hi Ellie, have you got my spare key?"

"Yes, Hardy gave it to me, what's going on?"

"I'll explain later but will you do something for me?"

"Sure, what is it?"

"Give him it back and tell him he has to give it to me himself."

"If you two fell out, I'm not getting caught up in the middle of it Rose so forget it. You owe me an explanation."

"Never mind then. You'll get one when I've sorted it all out."

Ellie decided to take a chance and walked into his office and put the key on his desk.

"What's this Miller?"

"Rose's key, you should return it to her yourself – Sir."

"You're her friend Miller, do as I ask and give it to her."

"No, you should go see her and whatever's going on between you two, you should sort it out."

With that, she walked out and left him to think about it. He was looking at the key on the desk when Rose called him.

"We're back Alec, I'd like to talk to you. Can you meet us?"

"You and John?"

"Yeah, can you meet us at the end of the Esplanade, say around four?"

"Right, ok then. I have your key, your friend gave it back to me, told me I should be the one to return it to you."

"You don't have to Alec. I have some things I want to say to you and I'm sorry I never told you, about John's father, I thought it would make you run and it did."

"I don't like secrets Rose, I had enough with Tess so if you are honest with me, we'll talk it out. I'll see you at four."

Rose turned around to see the smug look on Jake's face and stuck her tongue out at him.

"What did you say to Alec when you brought him back?"

"Nothing Rose, just gave him a bit of friendly advice that's all."

"Yeah, I know you too well."

John came away from the table where he and Mickey had been drawing a picture of two adults and a boy.

"What's this sweetheart?"

"It's me, you and Alec. Are we going to see him?"

"Yeah, when he gets out of work, then we'll have some tea."

"Can I ask him?"

"Ask him what?"

"If he'll be my daddy?"

"I don't know John, I really don't know what he'll say."

"Can I ask him though?"

"You can try sweetheart but I don't want you to get upset if he says no."

Pete and Jackie were packing, ready to leave the next morning, Jackie had wanted to stay but she'd been away from Tony for too long.

"I don't like leaving them Pete, not with things between Rose and Alec being as they are."

"They'll work it out love. When she was here that time with the Doctor, I knew those two belonged together and now she belongs with him, she has that same look about her, they'll get it right."

"I hope so, John's never stopped talking about him."

Jake and Mickey left just as Rose was about to go out.

"Are you sure you want to do this on your own Rose?" Jake asked her as she locked the door and John was wanting to set off.

"Yeah, I have to. I'll see you before you go in the morning."

"Don't you want a babysitter tonight then?" Mickey smirked.

"No, I don't think so. Things may not work out."

"I'm sure they will, see you in the morning then."

Rose and John walked across the harbour, John seeming to be a lot better but it was the first time he'd been out since his return that morning. They walked past the police station and on to the seafront and down to the end of the road that turned into just a footpath. Alec was already there just ahead, sitting on a bench. He saw them approaching and walked back to meet them, John letting go of Rose's hand and running to him.

"Alec! I missed you," John said as Alec bent down so the boy could hug him.

That made Alec think exactly what he was throwing away.

"Can we go onto the beach Mummy?" John asked.

Alec led the way to the gap, helping John down first but Rose told Alec she wanted to just sit on the edge.

"You go and play John, get some more shells and things."

"Ok Mummy, then can I ask Alec?"

"We'll see."

"Ask me what John?"

"It's ok, it will wait. You wanted to know if you look like John's father. Yes Alec, a bit and John drew a picture of his dad and Ellie thought it was you."

"So even she saw the resemblance? Ok, tell me more."

Rose told him how the Doctor had changed, right in front of her, into the most gorgeous man she'd ever seen in her life and how it had taken all that time for them to realise they loved each other.

"So you see Alec, when I met you, I didn't want to see him in you but I never intended to hurt you by not telling you."

"It's ok Rose, I understand, I was too hasty. Maybe I was still recovering from being knocked out and the medication eh?"

He had just leaned forward to kiss her when they were interrupted by a small voice.

"Mummy? Can I ask him now?"

"Ask whatever you want young man," Alec replied, ruffling John's hair.

John made his way on to Alec and he sat the boy in his lap. John smiled and touched Alec's beard, which had been trimmed back to how it had been but only because Ellie had told him to smarten himself up.

"Alec, are you coming back to live with us?"

"I think you should ask your mum that."

"Can he Mummy?"

"Do you want to Alec?"

"Yes, Becca keeps giving me funny looks and your friend keeps asking me to tell her what's going on. I have your key."

"Then keep it Alec. Go get your things after we've eaten, you can borrow my car or get a lift from Jake."

"I don't think I'm ready to drive yet love, maybe in a few days time eh?"

"Yeah, I'll get you on my car insurance. John, that wasn't what you wanted to ask Alec, was it now?"

John pretended to be shy and tried to get to Rose but Alec held him firmly, trying to ignore his still aching side.

"You may as well ask me John, if I'm coming to live with you."

John settled down again, reaching for Rose's hand. She looped her arm in Alec's and leaned on his other shoulder and took John's hand, Alec putting his arm around her and trying not to wince. Rose realised and moved slightly.

"Alec, will you be my daddy?" John managed after a few moments of silence.

Alec looked at Rose, who just nodded.

"Aye, if that's ok with your mum? We'll have a few ground rules though. First, your mum is the boss, what she says goes, right?"

John nodded and pulled his hand from Rose's and fingered Alec's beard.

"My real daddy didn't have a beard, are you keeping it?"

"Ask your mum. Am I keeping it Rose?"

"Yeah but don't let it get any thicker, will you?"

"Just for you. So, who wants fish and chips then?"

John struggled so he could get close to both of them and they all hugged, Alec in the middle as Rose got closer and whispered, "I love you Alec."

Alec turned to her and kissed her. "I love you too Rose. Come on then, let's go get those fish and chips."

"Can we get icecream?"

"Sure, no need to ask your mum for things like that eh?"

So they walked back across the harbour to the stall they'd all met at less than a week ago, John not being tired as he was back then and fidgeting in his chair as he shared his mum's and his new dad's meals. Jackie was looking out of her hotel room window as she saw them walking back to Rose's cottage and called Pete.

"See, I told you it would all work out," Pete said to his wife, putting a hand on her shoulder. "Rose has got her Doctor look-alike and John's got his dad. Just as it should be."

Jackie smiled.

After Alec had put John to bed when he got back from collecting his things, leaving a confused Becca, they curled up on the sofa and spent the rest of the evening just kissing and talking.

"So, you've nothing else to tell me then?" Alec asked her.

"No, that's it, so is it all sorted?"

"Yes Rose, it's sorted."

He lay on the side that didn't hurt, Rose up against the back of the sofa, kissing his neck after she'd unfastened most of his shirt buttons.

"I love you Alec. You are so different, don't ever try to compare yourself with John's real dad, you're his dad now."

"Aye and it's going to take some explaining, especially to my daughter. She'll have to get used to having a three year old stepbrother, eventually."

"So you plan on sticking around then?"

"That I do, any objections?"

"None from me and mum seems to like you."

"Well at least I've got that over with, meeting your mother."

Rose smiled and looked up from making a red mark on his neck.

"I'm going to get you back if you've left a mark Rose."

All Rose could think of replying was, "I hope so."

The End!