"Well, bet ya can't top this for a Christmas present," Rose giggled when their lips parted.
"You mean you coming back or the fact you brought my son to see me?"
"Bringing your son to see you. Something just made me pack up and get down here. I thought you'd already left town, I'd have got Jake to do another search though the police database needs an upgrade. I also thought I'd already lost you when I was asked if I was Claire."
"Sorry, I dared not hope it was you waiting there. I had given up any hope of ever meeting you again, let alone you'd come back with my son," he replied, going to kiss her again. "Just how well have you recovered?"
He found out after he got back from checking on Ryan, Rose thinking it was rather sweet of him to do so. As they fell asleep after gently making love, Rose still a bit sore but not letting on as she insisted she was on top, Alec's arms were around her, holding her like she was going to disappear on him again.
The next day, after calling Pete, who told Alec to leave it with him and he'd find a nearby clinic willing to do the surgery, they walked around for a while, going around the harbour and past the police station and looking for any houses that had 'To Let' signs outside, now Alec was determined to find somewhere.
Alec called Daisy and said he was going to visit the next morning and for her to make sure she was at home. He'd decided to save the torment of wondering if she'd accept Rose and her baby half-brother and Tess may as well know, even if it meant they drifted further apart.
Rose contacted Jake, who agreed to take a detour and warned him they'd be bringing presents back with them and hoped there would be room for them.
"So, he took it well then?" Jake joked.
"Yeah, Alec's hardly put Ryan down all day," Rose laughed, smiling as Alec lay on the hotel bed playing with Ryan's toes as the baby, after he'd been fed had stayed awake.
There was a pile of presents by the wardrobe that Alec had insisted on getting for Ryan and Rose's family and he'd sneaked off to get something for Rose after settling them in his cottage for a while when they'd got back from the supermarket.
"Well, that's a good sign," Jake told her. "Rose, I'm sorry I never found out he was ill."
"It's okay Jake, he'd not made it known even when he got forced out of his job. He'll get better, I know he will."
"Yeah, he has you two now," Jake agreed. "See ya tomorrow and give Ryan a big kiss from me."
After trying to get to know each other a little better that night, Jake arrived earlier than planned, taking the stroller and the presents down to his SUV type car and only letting Alec carry Ryan downstairs while Rose took the baby bag and a present for Daisy, if she agreed to see her.
They made good time to Sandbrook, Alec directing Jake to where Tess and Daisy still lived, Alec having called Daisy after they'd set off.
"Daisy, I'm coming to the house, wait there for me," he'd told her just after nine.
"Geez Dad, like I'm going anywhere at this time?" Daisy had replied. "Why aren't you staying anyway?"
"Because, well you'll find out when I get there but I have something to tell you and your mum, well two things," he admitted.
Once outside the house, Alec turned to Rose.
"Let me go in first and tell them I'm having the surgery, then I'll come out for you, if they take the news well about you and Ryan. Jake, are you coming in with them, it's best they meet you as well, since you brought me here," Alec offered.
"Nah, I'll maybe go back down the road and get a coffee, Rose can call me when you're both ready to leave," Jake replied.
Alec thought if Tess threw him out before he'd got to tell them about Rose, Jake wouldn't be going anywhere and if Rose and Ryan were let in, they wouldn't be staying long but as he got out, with Daisy's present, it could go either way as Rose opened the passenger window.
"Well, good luck with your daughter," Rose smiled at him.
Alec put his free hand on the car roof and leaned down, giving her a quick kiss and seeing Ryan was stirring, now the car had stopped. He had a feeling where Tess was concerned, he needed all the luck he could get. He tucked the present of the gadget Rose thought was suitable for a teenager under his arm and rang the doorbell. It was just his luck Tess answered it. She looked at him as she opened the door, Alec being glad Jake had parked out of sight.
"Well, come in then," Tess told him, Alec not daring to look back where Rose was. "Daisy, your father is here."
Daisy came out of the kitchen, looking at the present under his arm.
"Thanks Dad," Daisy grinned as he held it out to her.
"Daisy said you had something to tell us?" Tess reminded him. "How did you get here so early?"
"Shall we go into the living room?" he suggested. He waited until they'd sat down. "I was taken off active duty, after the Latimer case. I have a heart problem."
"What?" both Tess and Daisy asked together. "Some news that is Alec," Tess continued.
"Yes but there is also good news. I need a pacemaker and after Christmas, I'm having it done. I'm going private to save waiting."
"Let me get this right. All this time, through that last case, you were ill? What about before you left here?" Tess asked him.
"I was getting ill, I didn't want you and Daisy to know so I left. Anyway, I'm getting something done about it before it's too late because I have another reason for not waiting."
"Well, have you got more than your police medical insurance or was that cancelled for not telling them you were ill?" Tess wanted to know.
"You could say that. I'm having it done in London, it's been arranged for me. Tess, Daisy, I met someone, before I left here to go to Broadchurch and we met up again a few days ago," he admitted.
Tess was trying not to laugh at the idea. "So, who is she and why are you telling us?" she wanted to know.
Alec saw it was amusing his ex wife and Daisy was trying not to laugh.
"Her name is Rose and she came to find me in Broadchurch, the day before yesterday. That's not all though. She came to find me to tell me I have a six week old baby son."
There, he'd admitted it and was waiting for Tess to erupt.
"Tell me you're not serious?" Tess finally asked, Alec hoping Jake had kept the heating on in the car for the baby.
He was already concerned even though he'd only met the baby two days ago.
"Yes, they are outside, in a friend's car. That's how I got here so early. We are on our way back to London so I can meet her family. Her stepfather is arranging the surgery for me," he replied.
Daisy burst out laughing. "So, I've got a half-brother? Really? Can I meet him?"
"Daisy, I thought you'd want nothing to do with him," Alec told her. "I can bring them in, if you want?"
Tess didn't look happy. "Well I don't want to meet them, I'll not stop Daisy though. Go get them, I'll be in the kitchen."
"Oh come off it Tess, it's not like you never used to act all innocent with Dave when I was around," Alec told her, getting up. "Please yourself."
"So does this Rose have a last name?" Tess wondered.
"Yes, she does, thought you weren't interested?" Alec replied, going to the door.
"Hang on, her stepfather's paying for it? So he's well-off then?" Tess asked.
"Dad, tell me it's not Rose Tyler?" Daisy stopped him leaving. "She dropped out of sight a while ago. There were all kinds of rumours."
"How would you know?" her mother asked. "I told you about reading the gossip columns and social media. If she's on there, it's just a fake account."
Alec hadn't discussed if it really was Rose or not but somehow doubted it was her. There were probably a hundred variations of her name, all pretending to be her.
"I'll go get her and you can ask. Want to come and help get the baby out of the car?" he asked Daisy.
"Yeah, let me get my jacket. So, what's his name?" Daisy asked, going to the coat hooks.
"He's called Ryan," Alec replied, opening the door.
Daisy followed him out, seeing Jake's car.
"Rose, looks like everything went well," Jake nodded as Daisy and Alec approached.
Rose began to unfasten the baby seat as Alec went round to that side of the car, Jake getting out.
"Daisy, this is Rose's friend Jake," Alec told her.
Daisy smiled, Alec knowing she was barking up the wrong tree.
"Yeah, hi Jake. So get the baby out Dad," she reminded him as he had his hand on the door handle, Rose leaning over to release Ryan as Alec finally opened the door.
"Aw, he's so cute," Daisy declared as Alec got him out carefully, since Ryan had fallen asleep again with the car still being warm.
"We should get him inside, coming Rose?" Alec asked her.
"I'll wait down the road then?" Jake asked, seeing the way Alec's teenage daughter was staring at him. "Gimme a call when you want to leave."
Alec carried his son inside and passed him to Daisy when she'd sat down, Rose going to take his outer suit off and revealing a blue and white thinner one with animals on.
"I'll warm his bottle for him," Alec told Rose and Daisy, who was too busy to take notice.
"Whoa, he's cute," Daisy repeated as Ryan was taking notice now Alec had woken him up. "So, dad kept you quiet," she grinned as Ryan moved around. "Does he need changing?"
"He's fine for now, I use the better nappies. Sorry, your dad didn't know about him until the other day. I was gonna tell him, eventually but then I just made my mind up to go find him, my mum kept nagging me and saying it was the right thing to do. I'm not after your dad's money or anything, I just wanted him to know he had a son. Daisy, I'll be honest with you, I only stayed one night with your dad, it wasn't meant to be anything else."
"Then how do you manage?" Daisy asked.
Rose took off her coat and went into the baby bag to get a clean bib and a towel.
"Do you wanna feed him?" Rose asked her. Daisy nodded.
"I wasn't sure but when he said your name was Rose, you're her, aren't you, the Vitex heiress?" Daisy dared to ask as Rose showed her how to hold Ryan for his feed. "Then I believe you, why would you want money from my dad? So, where were you going or did you just come to see me?"
"Back home, well for now. I only went to find your dad, I didn't even know he'd accept this, me turning up with a baby. You can see why I was reluctant?" Rose asked.
She had no idea if the girl knew her dad had been ill or not.
"Yeah, I get it. So, are you keeping this a secret?" Daisy wanted to know. "I bet mum's steaming by now," she grinned.
"Yeah, I can imagine," Rose grinned back.
Tess had looked up when Alec had entered the kitchen, as if to ask how he had the nerve to show up with a new girlfriend and a baby, not to mention putting the baby bottle in the microwave for the time Rose had told him after putting water in the kettle and getting two white mugs out of the cupboard.
"So, you had to go and show me up?" Tess asked him.
"What? Is that what you think? I came to see Daisy, you should be thankful I didn't forget about her and drive past the town," he replied, trying not to get worked up, since there was still a long way to go.
He didn't fancy spending Christmas Day in hospital in the town but Jake would look after Rose and the baby.
"I'm not hiding either of them Tess, just because you never chose to have any more. If you must know, it was just an accident, I helped her out once and she stayed with me one night. Neither of us thought we would ever meet again," he admitted.
Tess let out a laugh as he made some drinks and retrieved the bottle of milk.
"I can't imagine you going for a one night stand Alec. Was that after our divorce?" she scoffed.
"Work it out Tess. We were done, why should I answer to you? Excuse me, Ryan will be getting hungry," he replied.
"So are you staying with them?" Tess wanted to know. "What about Daisy?"
"Is that what this is about? That I'll forget about her? I'm going to spend the holidays with my son, Rose and her family."
"Why should I care?" Tess replied.
"Well you maybe should, seeing the day after Boxing Day, I'm going for surgery. I told you I need a pacemaker Tess, I'm having it done while I'm in London. Rose's stepfather has arranged it."
Alec saw Daisy sitting with her baby half-brother and smiled to himself. He passed the bottle after putting the mugs down and Rose showed Daisy how to hold it. Alec got his phone out and took a photo of her.
"Can you send that to my phone?" Daisy grinned. "My friends will never believe me."
After Ryan was fed and changed, Rose called Jake, who was on his second coffee and had got a pastry to go with it and asked him to come back for them.
"So, who's your cute friend?" Daisy grinned as she held Ryan again. "Will I be able to come and see you?"
"Yes, when we find a proper place to live," Alec replied. "As for Rose's friend, you're too young."
"Geez Dad, I'm old enough to know about boys," Daisy protested.
"Not Jake you're not," Rose laughed. "Sorry, he's spoken for, I don't think his boyfriend would be pleased."
Alec almost wished Rose hadn't burst the girl's bubble.
Jake gave Rose a missed call to say he was outside and Daisy helped Alec put Ryan's outer suit on. They walked out to the car, Jake opening the door for Daisy, who had insisted on carrying Ryan.
Alec took Ryan back and placed him in the baby seat, Rose taking over while Alec said goodbye to his daughter.
"So when can I visit?" Daisy asked him.
"When we get settled, things are a bit strange at the moment. Daisy, you need to know that I have to face some serious surgery soon, your mother doesn't seem to believe me but ask Rose."
Rose had turned around, since Jake had climbed in the other side to take over fastening the baby in his seat.
"It's true Daisy, I only just found out but my stepfather's arranging for it. Do you want to be there? Jake will come down for you."
"No, I can't, things are bad enough with mum as it is, she'd never agree. Will you call me?" she asked Rose.
"Yeah but call your dad if you change your mind," Rose replied.
Once they got to the Tyler residence, Jackie greeted Alec with suspicion. They had got Tony's part-time nanny to agree to have the baby monitor for the next few nights though Alec had expected him to be in what Rose said was now their room as she went to unpack, having left Ryan with her mother.
"It's just for a few nights, don't worry," Rose smiled at him now they were completely alone. "Well, get unpacked, the party starts at seven and Tony's allowed to stay up a bit later. You can meet Mickey and Martha and also Jake's boyfriend. Sorry to spoil Daisy's illusion."
"She would have found out," Alec replied. "So, Christmas party eh? Just how many people will be there?"
"Just some friends, Tony gets to light the tree. So, you telling Daisy you were having the surgery, you're going ahead then?" Rose asked him.
"Yes, I want the chance to see Ryan growing up and I won't have that if I leave the pacemaker too long. You made me realise Rose and I am pleased you finally told me. I do have one question though," he smiled as he went to kiss her.
"Oh, what's that then?"
"Well you gave me the best Christmas present any man could ever want. How are you going to beat that next year?"
"Oh, I'll think of something but maybe not another baby though?" Rose smiled back.
"Then what about the year after that, since you seem to think I'll still be around then?" he asked.
"Well maybe. Oh, just a warning, don't mind if Mickey stares at ya, you look like someone we used to know."
"Really? Well he'd better not stare too hard. I wish I was this person you used to know, then I wouldn't have missed you for the last nine months, would I?" he replied.
"I missed you too Alec, I was always looking you up, you disappeared after that murder in Broadchurch but Jake kept an eye on you though he messed up, you not working at the police station. Will you get your job back?"
"Yes, I'm sure I will. So, when does this party start then?" he asked, going for another kiss.
"Maybe you should go rescue your son from my mother playing pass the parcel with him?" Rose grinned.
"Rose, I'm serious, he's the best present I could ever have received but maybe next year, if things go well for us, well maybe we can make it official, I mean if he has my name?"
"We just got back together Alec but yeah, let's see how things go over the next year, yeah?"
"Agreed." Alec replied, thinking how had he watched her drive off, over nine months ago and never made any attempt to contact her?
Well he wasn't going to let her get away again, that was for certain. What more could any man want for Christmas but a gorgeous girlfriend and a new baby son?
The End!