Broadchurch Alec Hardy and Emma Jones

Chapter One The New Girl

Hardy groaned as he saw the new Detective Sargent that was added to the team. She was waiting in a chair by his office as he walked closer. He noticed that instead of staring at a phone, she was genuinely reading a book, and a very thick one at that. He raised an eyebrow. She only looked up once he started talking.

"Pretty thick read you've got there," Hardy said as her blue eyes met his. She smiled nervously as she shut her book and stood up.
"It doesn't seem thick while reading Tolkien," she said as he glanced at the spine.
"And not all who wonder are lost, but here you are first day," he said as he held his hand out. She took it in her free right hand.
"DI Hardy, though I'm sure you know that by now," he said.
"DS Emma Jones. And I don't always judge a book by its cover," she said as his hand lingered for a moment. He let go as he heard Miller behind him.
"Yes well, I'll be your boss, but Miller here will show you the ropes. I'm afraid we don't have any exciting cases at the moment besides drunk drivers," Hardy said as Emma shook hands with Miller.
"A slow day is still a good day," Emma muttered as Miller showed her to her desk.   Alec tried not to stare as he walked into his office.
"Right, here's your work station. Like he said, we don't have anything too exciting right now except for paperwork," Miller said as she handed Emma some files.
"Right," Emma mumbled as she took them. Miller lingered at her desk for a moment.
"Look, people talk about me and Hardy, but he's a decent person behind the grumpy face he wears," Miller said defensively as Emma looked at her. Emma gave a smile.
"I'm sure you both are. I don't always listen to the gossip," Emma said as Miller returned the smile.
"That's a relief," she said.

Miller's desk wasn't too far away from Emma, so she didn't have to go far if she had a question about something.

Alec occasionally looked up from his own paperwork to see how things were going. He saw that Jones had made Ellie smile, and that had been a hard thing to do lately, given the Latimer case. Alec had even occasionally had dinner with Ellie's family, to help out and make sure they were okay. People spread rumors about them, but Alec didn't feel that way with Ellie. He felt terrible for having to arrest her husband and all they had to go through, and little Fred without his dad. Tom had even started calling him Uncle Alec.

It was late and Alec noticed that Jones was still at her desk. Usually it was just him and Miller that stayed late unless she had to get the kids. Miller popped into Alec's office as she pulled him out of a daze.
"You okay?" Miller asked as he snapped out of it.
"Yeah," he mumbled as he took his glasses off and rubbed his eyes.
"New girl seems alright," she added as she crossed her arms.
"Yeah. I think new girl's good. I mean, she'll be fine," Alec stuttered as Ellie grinned.
"Do you like her?"
"Miller!" He accidentally squeaked.
"Right, what if I invite her over for tomorrow night like we usually do? Add one more to the old detective club?" Ellie suggested.
"Fine, but don't overdo it," he grumbled but was secretly happy about it. Ellie grinned.
"Dinner's at 7. My place. Chocolates might help," Ellie smiled as she left. Hardy face palmed himself as he thought about the next day.

Ellie left his office and headed to said new girl's desk where she was fixing the stack of papers. Emma looked up when she saw Ellie.
"Working late," she said.
"Well, stuff to do you know," Emma replied as she finished stacking. Ellie leaned against he desk.
"Look, Hardy and I have dinner at my place, and no, not like that, just friends. Dinner's at seven tomorrow if you want to join," Ellie said with a grin.
"Oh, um alright then. Where do you live?" Emma asked as Ellie gave her the information. They exchanged phone numbers.
"Right thanks. Oh and by the way," Ellie said as she glanced back to Hardy's office.
"You might have an admirer," she said with a wink as she left smiling. Emma just sat there rather confused. Was she just set up on a date?
Emma finished up the last of her things and gathered her purse as she started to head out to her car. She almost jumped as she heard a voice behind her.
"Late worker too?" Hardy said.
"Oh, yes. I'm a night owl," she replied as they started walking out. Hardy smiled as he held the door open for her.
"Right, so do you have plans for tomorrow night?" He asked as she looked for her car.
"Well, Ellie did invite me to dinner and she said you come around too," she rattled off.  Hardy grinned.
"Yes I'll be there. She does have two kids as well," he told her as she fumbled with her keys.
"Oh that's fine. I've got nephews," Emma said with a smile.
"Really? Well I'll have to hear more about that tomorrow then," Hardy said.
"Alright. I'll see you tomorrow then," Emma said with a smile.
***Emma POV
What just happened today? I was just working and then get sort of invited to dinner at a coworker's house where my boss hangs out.
After I made it home, I pulled out my phone and immediately googled Alec Hardy. There was some not so nice things about him and Miller. Out of curiosity, I looked up their social media, but couldn't find much except for Miller's son Tom. I knew they seemed familiar, but didn't connect them with the Latimer case. My boss, the famous detective, and my coworker, who's husband is a murderer... this will be a great dinner....