The Babysitter (Broadchurch Fanfiction)

Chapter 3

Fred was a wonderful boy, really. Full of joy and curiosity and imagination. And full of energy. Too much energy. He never ever stopped. At this point, Hardy thought that the only way for him to get some rest was for his heart to fail him. He wasn't complaining, no, he did say 'yes' after all. And even if the boy always wanted to play, he was actually a delight and seemed to genuinely like him. Like really. Always smiling bright at him and squealing and giving him his favorite toys to play with.

He looked so much like his mother when he smiles it almost infuriated him. A mini-Miller, that's what he was. And it was too much for Alec to handle. Every time the boy would babble an "Uncle Alec" he could feel his heart get warmer. Precious, that's it. Fred Miller was precious, and tireless.

When did my life become this? Alec wondered one more time. Him, the feared Scottish DI who could break the most dangerous criminals by a single look was now sitting cross-legged on his colleague's carpet, building a castle in wooden cube and besieging it with big plastic dinosaurs. A strong debate was on between the man and the four-year-old boy to know which of the brachiosaur and the parasaurolophus was actually the best dinosaur. He knew it was the last one, but Fred gave him some fair points about the brachiosaur (his neck could be a very good ladder to get over the castle's wall after all) and it was his favorite, so the detective decided not to upset him.

He let the kid talk with all his amazement about the long-neck dinosaur, letting out some "aaah?" or "ooh!" once in a while to prove him he was still listening. He wasn't, but Fred was happy, and it was enough.

After an hour and a half, the castle was conquered and Fred still wasn't tired enough. Alec convinced him to put all of his toys back in the box and the boy obeyed, as his mother asked him to when she left in the morning. He stood in front of the box, lost in his thoughts, only his brachiosaur still in his hands.

"Something wrong, wee Fred?" Alec asked.

Fred looked at him and tilted his head. He walked to Alec who bend down to be at his height. The boy shoved the dinosaur in his hands and said:

"For you."

"What? No, it's your dinosaur, Fred."

"It's for you. It's a gift."

Alec didn't move and didn't reply. No one ever made him gifts out of Tess and Daisy, moreover children. He didn't know exactly what to do. Should he keep it? What if Fred finally decided that he wanted his dinosaur back? He didn't want to cause a tantrum.

"I can't accept it, Fred, it's important to you."

"It's a gift," the boy repeated. "You keep gifts."

"But-"

"This is my favorite dinosaur and you are my favorite Alec."

He probably was his only Alec, the DI thought with a smile.

"Also, it could help to catch the bad guys."

"Oh," Alec chuckled. "Yes it will, I promise."

The child grinned broadly.

"And it will protect Mum?"

"It will!"

"And you!"

"And me." Alec nodded.

"Cross your heart?"

"And hope to die," he answered, drawing a cross on his heart with his thumb.

Fred stayed silent a few seconds and put his hand on Hardy's heart, feeling the bump of his pacemaker under his shirt.

"I don't want you to die, Uncle Alec."