AN: No matter how many time passes, at some point I always end up going back to this story. I have at least 1 chapter in two bits. No further promises as I'm extremely bad at keeping them.

He was running through the fields. It was cold and grey clouds hung over the village. The grass beneath his feet was wet and slippery and he had difficulties to retain his balance. The string of yellow glowing street lights lit the main road, which was where he was heading to. On the other side, still far away, stood a figure in an orange raincoat. He shouted, slipped and almost fell. Almost. He ran faster and faster until his feet hit the road and he crossed it without taking his eyes off the stranger in orange.

The truck came out of nowhere. It crashed into him, the impact sending him flying sideways. His body connected with the asphalt and rolled another few meters. He couldn't move. He couldn't breathe.

He heard footsteps hurry his way and a blurry figure appeared above him. He blinked, but couldn't make out who it was. The person smiled down at him and someone screamed.

'Alec!'

Someone shook his shoulder.

He clawed weakly at the alien arm, pushing it away, needing the space, the air.

HIs heart hammered erratically against his ribs.

He needed to breathe.

He still couldn't breathe.

'Come on, wake up!'

The screaming stopped and he took an enormous gulp of air.

And another

It felt like he was being pulled out of a dark puddle of water. Slowly he drifted into consciousness, leaving the dream for what it was. Just a dream.

He moved his hand to his chest. To his relief the beating beneath his palm was rapid but steady. He breathed in deeply a few times and the residual fear from the nightmare slowly subsided.

'Finally…'

The hand that he hadn't realised was still gripping his shoulder, was pulled away. He blinked against the light and a familiar face surrounded by wild brown curls came into focus.

'What are you doing here?' he slurred, accent thick in his half asleep state.

'Making sure you're not dying on me again.' Ellie replied sharply, but the worry in her tone was evident. 'Bloody hell, you can scream. The whole place must have heard you.'

He looked around disoriented. He was lying on a couch in an unfamiliar room, his coat draped over his body functioning as a blanket. It took a minute before he realised that he was in Miller's hotel room. He tried to sit up and the world started spinning around him. Groaning he gripped his head and with the other arm steadied himself on the back of the couch. Miller grabbed his coat before it could fall on the floor and moved back to give him some space.

He waited until the stars before his eyes had flickered out before turning and placing his bare feet on the ground. He groaned again as he stretched his sore back. Then the events of the previous night came rushing back to him.

Oliver. Davis.

Davis.

For a moment the fear returned, full force, washing over him and he shuddered. Then he pushed it away and it retreated, lingering in the back of his mind.

'Alright?'

'M fine.' he mumbled.

'Liar.' Miller was still looking at him worriedly. She looked as tired as he felt, with dark circles around her eyes and hair sticking out in weird places, like she'd been running a hand trough it too many times. Hardy noticed that unlike himself she was still fully dressed in her clothes from the day before.

'Didn't you go to bed?' he asked, despite already knowing the answer.

'No.' she said, but didn't elaborate.

'Any news?'

'No.' she shook her head.

He stifled a yawn. He felt terrible. Terrible and exhausted. He couldn't have slept more than a few hours. A quick glance at his watch confirmed this. It was nearly nine in the morning. Only a few hours ago they had been at the hospital. He must have fallen asleep in the car, because he didn't remember walking the stairs. He briefly wondered how Miller had managed to get him up here.

'Mum?'

Tom was standing in the doorway leading to the bedroom. He was carrying his little brother on his hip and stiffened a yawn with his free hand.

'What's going on? I heard screaming.'

'It's nothing.' Ellie raised from the couch and turned her attention to her youngest son who was crying silently. 'Oh, come here, Fred. Did it scare you?'

Tom gladly handed Fred to his mother, obviously not completely at ease with the crying toddler. Then his eyes fell on Hardy and he immediately turned hostile.

'What is he doing here?' he demanded, raising his voice.

'Tom, sweetheart, please sit down.'

'No.' he shook his head and crossed his arms. 'Mum, why is he here? I don't want him in our house.'

'Tom.' She warned. 'Stop yelling. You're upsetting your brother.'

'I mean it mom. I don't want to see him.'

'Tom, I think it's better if you sit down and listen to your mother.' Hardy immediately he regretted mingling in the conversation as the boy turned and sent him a furious look.

'I'm not listening to you!'

He raised his hands in a defensive matter. 'Suit yourself.'

He had no idea that MIller's son was feeling such strong resentment towards him. They had never exactly been on friendly terms, but this

reaction was unexpected.

'Tom, listen.' Ellie stepped between them before things would escalate further. 'Oliver is in the hospital.'

'What?' Hatred for Alec Hardy momentarily forgotten, Tom stared at his mother wide-eyed. 'Is he okay? What happened?'

'They think he was hit by a car. The doctors are keeping him asleep for now.' Ellie bit her lip hesitantly before adding. 'Aunt Lucy called me and we went to the hospital. He looked pretty beaten up.'

Tom stumbled backwards and sat down on one of the chairs. He shook his head. 'No.'

Ellie sat down next to him and rubbed his shoulder with her free hand until the boy finally looked up at her with watery eyes.

'Can I see him?'

'Maybe later.' She promised. 'I'll ask Lucy.'

Tom nodded. 'Okay.'

Then he redirected his focus back to Hardy. 'Is he staying here now too?'

'No.' he replied the same moment that Ellie said 'Oh God, no.'

A moment of silence passed before Hardy cleared his throat.

'I'd better go then.'

'Don't be silly.' He was already reaching for his shoes when Ellie stopped him 'You're staying for breakfast.