Where Waves crash and Journeys end (Doctor Who/Broadchurch)

6

For the first time, Alec left his office with a smile. The people he passed on the street on this yet fateful, but normal evening, shot him surprised looks. Some were just talking behind his back, maybe about what had happened on the beach. Some remained silent. He ignored it, as usual, sauntering through the dark streets. 

Bloody Humans!, he thought while making his way back to the hotel, his mind still spinning around from seeing the corpse. When they would finally get it? It was clearly to see he wasn't made for it. 

His heart couldn't deal with it. 

Otherwise, he had something to do. Tomorrow, he would give an interview for the news and in a couple of hours, him and Ellie would get the results of the forensics on Dannys body. And the press would even show up, asking random questions what exactly happened the night before. 

Altough, he didn't even know either. 

As he reached the Traders', Alec went straight to his room. It was already 10 pm., but he couldn't get a single amount of sleep now. Letting out a sigh of relief, the DI dropped down on the chair in the corner of the room, ruffling his hair. His heart was beating normally, four beats in 0,01 seconds. His pulse was too. Everything was all right. 

So much had happened today. First the call, then the dead boy on the beach...and the meeting with Ellie Miller. The new DS. His new colleague. 

His very first colleague. 

Altough, she hadn't talked yet when seeing him, he had known at first sight. He had a sixth sense for that, the ability to see through people. What they were thinking. 

About him. Their family. Whatever. 

He didn't know where it came from, he didn't know how it came to be. 

He just knew things others didn't. Couldn't even. 

Outside, Alec Hardy seemed like the hard working, grumpy police inspector, always busy. Inside, he was much more than that. He could do so much more. 

So much more...

There it was again. The small, deep voice in his head.

Whispering. Pulling him. 

His chest burned, his heart began to race again. Alec gritted his teeth, trying to ignore the pain flowing through his body. It grew only stronger. 

The DI swayed, reaching one hand out to his pills. His vision was about to blur, but he was still conscious. His body trembled and finally, he felt the little box in his fingers. 

Too late, he noticed it was empty. 

Heck, why he hadn't refilled...

That was his last thought before collapsing on the floor, his damaged heart passing out slowly. But his mind was still on, the voices in his head whispering strange things. 

Till mixing to one. One word. One single word, so strange and odd. 

And yet predictive. 

Gallifrey.