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Bill has just finished up for the day when he gets a call from Ellie.
“Bill, I’m so sorry to call you on such short notice.” Ellie says, and Bill's heart thumps in his chest, wondering if he’s about to get bad news. “It’s Alec.”
“What’s happened? Is he hurt?” Bill asks, trying to keep his voice steady.
“Oh no, no he’s not hurt,” Ellie says, voice sounding apologetic, and the relief Bill feels is palpable. “Sorry, he’s sick, I think it’s the flu, but we can not get him to stop and rest.”
“Oh thank god.”
“He won’t listen to anyone here, so you think you could come down, he’s running himself into the ground, I’m worried.”
“Yeah, yeah, I’ll be there soon as I can.”
Bill takes care of the office, passes on a few things, makes a few calls and ties up a few lose ends. Prepared to be gone for at least the week.
He’s on a train to Broadchurch by 3, and is walk-in into the police station by 5. He makes eye contact with Ellie at her desk, and she smiles gratefully giving him a thumbs up.
He finds Alec in his office, pouring over files spread across his entire desk.
Tissues piled all around.
“Alec,” Bill says, concern coloring his face. To say that Alec looked terrible was an understatement Ellie did not fully impress upon him on the phone.
“Bill?” Alec says, eyes widening in surprise. He’s hoarse, voice sounding like he’s been perhaps gargling glass.
“It thought we talked about how you needed to take better care of yourself? “Why aren’t you home, resting?” Bill asks, leaning against the desk next to Alec.
“Can’t.” Alex leans into the touch, humming at the feel of bills cool hands. “S’important, this case.”
“You're feverish.”He gently turns his head by the chin, pressing his other hand to his forehead then to his cheek. “ “Ellie can handle it while you focus on getting better.” Bill says. “You won’t be able to help anyone if you pass out on your desk.”
“I’m fine, don’t make this a big deal, Bill.” Alec snaps, waving Bill’s hands away. “Who called you anyway?”
“Who do you think? She's worried. I’m worried. Why didn’t you say you were sick?” Bill asks.
“Because I’m fine, I’m an adult and I can take care of myself.” Alec says, although everything Bill has seen so far points to the exact opposite. “I don’t need you to put your whole life on hold for me.”
“But I want to,” Bill says, hoping it comes out empathetic, he doesn’t want to be misconstrued for pity. “You don’t have to do things alone anymore.”
Alec spitefully ignores Bill, turning his full attention back to the case file on his desk.
“Alec, please, let me take you home.” Bill says. “Let me take care of you.”
“Go home, sir.” Miller says, leaning against the door frame. “We can handle the case, promise.”
“Fine, whatever” Alec relents, slamming his files closed. “But if you have any problems you are to call me immediately.”
“‘Course we will, sir.” Ellie says, leaving the two alone.
Alec stands slowly, leaning against his desk. He purposely doesn’t take Bill's offered hand, instead getting his coat by himself. Then trying and failing to be subtle about having to lean on the wall to keep his balance.
“You’re such a stubborn bastard, you know?” Bill says, sliding his arm around Alec’s waist anyway.
Alec rolls his eyes, but doesn’t shrug off the support, but he does make a show of not needing it until they’re outside the station, away from the prying eyes of his officers.
“You know you don't have to act like you don’t need help.”
“Can’t show them any weakness.” Alec says, leaning most of his weight on Bill. “That’s the last thing I need.”
“You’re human, Alec.” Bill says. “You're allowed to be sick sometimes.”
“Not me.” Alec scoffs. “If I’m sick, then suddenly I’m dying. If I so much as sneeze, the next day there's an article in the paper saying I'm on death's door.”
Bill purses his lips, he knew what Alec said was true. The town of Broadchurch and it’s residents did seem to have it out for him. They always looked to throw him under any bus thy could, no matter how hard he worked for them.
It wasn’t fair.
“Let's just get you home,” Bill says, settling Alec into the passenger seat. “Can i have your keys please?”
—————
By the time they pull up to Alec’s small house, the detective is snoring in the passenger seat.
Bill gets out of the car, rounding to the passenger side and opening the door.
“Alec.” Bill says, kneeling down and placing his hand on the other man's knee, “Time to wake up.”
“Hmmm?”
“We’re home,” Bill says, taking Alec’s hands in his, helping him out of the car. “Let’s go inside.”
“Think you can shower on your own?” Bill asks.
“Yeah, yeah, think I can manage that much.”
“Ok you go get yourself cleaned up.” Bill says, letting Alec get himself to the bathroom. “I’ll be out here if you need anything.”
Ten minutes later, when Alec is still in the shower, Bill pokes his head in, just to check on him.
He finds the man sitting on the floor.
“You look like you could use some help.”
“Masters, I’m not invalid.”
“Says the man sitting down in the shower.” Bill says, a small laugh on his breath. “You can ask for help you know. I’d think you’d have learned that by now.”
“I don’t need help,” Alec says, leaning his head back on the wall to look up at Bill. “I’m done.”
Bill rolls up his shirt sleeves, reaching into the shower to turn the tap off. He then grabs a towel and kneels next to the tub and dries Alec’s hair for him.
“You’re going to bed.” Bill says, in a tone that means there is not going to be any negotiations about it.
Alec, seemingly all out of fight for at least the night, goes quietly, allowing Bill to help him to bed. He doesn’t even protest when Bill makes him drink cough syrup.
“You don’t keep much edible here.” Bill says, having just gone through the kitchen, not finding much in the way of healthy food. “Will you be fine here while I go to the store? Just, lay in bed and don’t get into trouble?”
“I will make an attempt.” Alec says, rolling over and getting comfortable.
That was a lie of course. As soon as Alec heard the crunch of gravel under his car's tires as Bill drives away, he drags himself out of bed.
He got a laptop with full access to his files at the department. Just because he as forced home doesn’t mean he has to stop working.
—————
Bill comes back, carrying several bags of groceries, to find Alec slumped in front of his laptop at the kitchen table. He’s squinting at the bright screen
“Alec, I swear…” Bill curses, dropping the bags on the ground. “How are you even still conscious after that medication?”
“I’m only jus’ barely,” Alec says slowly, waving his hand. His accent has grown deeper, his words slurring together a little.
Bill can tell that he is clearly fighting hard to stay awake.
“You don’ have to stay,” Alec sighs, resting his head on his arms and letting his eyes slip closed. “Know yer busy.”
Bill would get angry, at Alec’s continued insistence that he doesn’t have to be here, taking care of his sick boyfriend. Bill can not understand why this man just doesn’t believe he wants to be here for him.
He’s about to have words with Alec, but he chooses that moment to fall asleep, sitting at the kitchen table, a soft snore permeating the room.
—————
Much to Bill’s relief, a night of actual rest in a bed, being appropriately medicated, and having a real meal forced on him does wonders for Alec’s condition.
They spend the morning cuddled in bed, Alec laying in Bill’s arms while he runs his fingers through Alec’s hair, finally giving up and just resting.
“Alec, i’ve been thinking,” Bill starts, “I know we’ve mentioned it before, in passing, but how would you feel about moving to London with me?”
Alec tenses up, the topic had been brought up a few times before, but Alec wouldn’t say they’ve spoken about it. In fact, he tries to avoid it, changing the subject as soon as he can.
“I feel like you can’t just ask me to drop my whole life here.” Alec says. He had no problems going to London, even spending a week there with Bill. But the idea of moving there, making it permanent, it scared him.
“I’m… i’m not?!” Bill exclaims, pushing himself up on one elbow. “I just worry, you over work yourself for these people, and they don’t care, not really.”
“Miller does.” Alec counters.
“Yes, she may, but I’m pretty sure she’s the only one.” Bill says. “But it doesn’t change the fact that you feel the need to work yourself into the ground for these people, they don’t allow you to take a break. Broadchurch is not good for your health.”
There was an irony in that statement, wasn’t there. Alec almost wanted to laugh. Broadchurch was undoubtedly bad for his health, but he could hide here. Maybe not from anyone who lived here, but he could hide from his own fears.
“Neither is this conversation.” Alec says, rolling out of bed, throwing on his robe and walking out of the room.
“Hey, don’t run away from me.” Bill says, trying to keep his temper down. “I’m worried about you!”
Alec stalks to the kitchen, slamming the cabinets and filling a glass of water.
“Do you not want to live with me?” Bill asks, following him into the living room. “Is that it? It thought you wanted this to be serious.”
Alec takes a deep breath, how is he supposed to answer that question. He does want to, he wants to lean into this relationship fully.
“What do you want me to say!?” Alec yells, collapsing onto the couch. “I’m scared!”
His heart hammers in his chest at the confession, he sits forward, holding his head in his hands. He feels like crying, emotions always running away from his control when he feels sick.
“Look, the moment you have no choice but to spend that much time around me,” Alec sniffles, staring at the floor. “You’ll get sick of me, move on to someone new, someone less broken.”
The couch dips next to him and he still refuses to meet Bill’s eyes.
“Alec…” Bill says softly, cautiously laying an arm over Alec’s shoulders, ready to pull back if he shrugs him off. “I love you, I love you so much.”
“No one ever stays after they see how I really am.”
“I will.” Bill says, cutting Alec off before he could go down the self depreciating road any further. “I know, Alec, I know how you feel, I’ve been there.”
And at that, Alec looks up, misty eyes finally meeting Bills.
“I can’t say that it’ll be perfect,” Bill says, gently stroking Alec’s cheek, the detective leaning into the touch. “But I want to have a life with you, together, not several hundred miles between.”
Alec leans into Bill’s chest, wrapping his arms around the doctor, burying his face in his shoulder.
“Put in a leave of absence, take a vacation, I don’t know.” Bill rambles, rubbing Alec’s back with steady up and down motions. “Just, come stay with me for a little while, and if you hate it you can come back.”
Even now, Alec’s not sure why he’s so hesitant. He loves Bill, he truly does, and he honestly hated living in Broadchurch.
“I can… probably take a couple weeks.” Alec mutters, feeling so nervous, yet safe at the same time in Bill’s arms. His boss would be happy to be rid of him for a little while, the whole precinct will probably throw a party.
“You won’t regret it,” Bill places a kiss on the top of Alec’s head, squeezing him tightly. “I promise.”