Rose Tyler's New Life

Chapter 17

When Mickey got back to his hotel after realising he'd not eaten all day, he lay on his hotel bed thinking of how many ways he could dig up the dirt on one Detective Inspector Alec Hardy. He cursed himself because in his haste he'd neglected to bring his laptop with him not thinking he'd have cause to need it. How wrong he'd been. It would have been the perfect weapon to dig up dirt on this 'Pretty Boy' Alec Hardy. He had resented meeting him, he looked far too much alike to a certain alien that he thought Rose had finally got rid of after being stranded here.

The light had been shining at the end of the tunnel bringing hope that there was still half a chance he could win her back but no, she had been adamant she wasn't interested, spending all her time pining for her Doctor. He should have given up, anyone else would but he was Mickey Smith and he didn't give up that easily, no sir. He'd had a rough couple of years trying to forget Rose when he'd chosen to stay and watch her fly off yet again with another man, knowing she only had eyes for the Timelord.

He'd looked after his old Gran, making her comfortable in her last years, something he'd not been able to do before and he'd told Jake in no uncertain terms he was definitely not Ricky so after that they had become best mates. Until Rose was in trouble in the other universe and he'd gone back like the idiot he was to save her, only to be shunned again when it was over. Well, not this time sunshine, no way, he was not giving up after seeing her with Hardy, that had been the final straw and he'd all but snapped right there and then in Rose's house. He had fought to keep his cool, making his excuses to leave after nearly feeling sick just watching them together. This was far more serious than it had been with the Doctor, Rose was in it too deep. He saw what they were like, she had never demonstrated any affection in front of him with another man before. He hoped he was not too late to be able to change her mind but just how could he do it that wouldn't leave her hating him for it. To make her come running back to him even after all this time.

It would have to wait until Monday, he'd find an Internet Café or the local library and access Alec Hardy's Police files and do a search on him and if that didn't work, he'd use his Torchwood access to do it. He planned on ringing his London office on Monday to say he was taking a few days leave, they owed him months actually. He slept as best he could, going over it in his mind, sleep was often the time he had his best ideas. He had planned to go meet them for lunch on Sunday but thought he might bring it all back up and choke on it if he did. He'd wait until a decent hour and tell Rose he wasn't going to be able to make it. He'd put the time to better use and seek out places to get internet access for Monday.

He wandered around his room on Sunday morning, wondering where he could get breakfast, it was still early in the season and the hotel didn't seem to be offering food. He walked out of the hotel at around 0800 and spied a café across the street that was open. He sat and ordered breakfast. He'd just finished when his phone rang to the sound of the Tardis, his ringtone for Rose which now seemed a bit cheesy. "Hi, Rose," he answered, trying to sound like nothing was wrong. Something was very wrong, it was not her voice. It was Hardy's. He listened in silence, letting the man speak. He was being told in no uncertain terms to get out of town before Hardy ran him out, permanently. He sat listening, not even able to utter a word and the man hung up saying something about protecting Rose. He just sat there staring at his empty plate, got up and walked out. He walked further down the street and crossed over to sit on a bench by the sea wall.

He got his phone out, to ring back and changed his mind. He knew Hardy wouldn't let him speak to Rose, not even read a text message. He'd not come up against this before with her. Somehow, the Doctor always allowed him to have some sort of friendship with her, even if it wasn't a close one but at least he still got to see her, the Doctor not appearing to be jealous or possessive. Unlike this Hardy bloke was turning out to be. If he was trying to scare him off, he had another thing coming. He didn't care if he was the Police or not, Hardy was not running him out of town and it was only going to make him more determined than ever to get Rose away from this borderline possessive Police Inspector. He got up and wandered further up into the town itself, seeking out somewhere he could find a computer. He had all day now, lunch being cancelled which he was glad about. At least he didn't have to watch them in front of him again, it made him sick thinking about it. Had they thought he'd not seen them the previous day? He might be an idiot but he wasn't blind. Having no luck of finding anywhere to put his plan into action, he trod back to his hotel, stopping at his car to get out a map. He'd have to go to a neighbouring town the next day.