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It was a cold breeze.
A freezing breeze....
But somehow it wasn't uncomfortable. It was fitting, it worked cohesively with the waves below her to create this natural beauty. Somehow it all worked, made thing seems slightly normal after what can only be described as a tragedy.
The orange coat.... That one she always wore, made Ellie look like a candle in an abandoned, dark hell. She was almost like a piece of light, in this dark and gloomy mood amongst a town filled with reporters and false hope.
It was silent. Literal silence. Yet, there was the waves, the cars driving below, and Ellie's breathing. Deep gasps in and teary breaths out, filled this empty atmosphere.
She never heard him approach, never turned around to see who it was. But when he spoke, it cursed through the air and her heart.
"Thought I'd find you up here..." Spoke the Scottish voice she was so familiar with. She felt the cliffs almost rumble at his presence, she thought to herself, if cliffs could talk, it would most definitely tell him to leave.
"Suppose you think your clever now, DI Hardy, Britain's worst cop turned into people finder." It was a harsh comment, one that bought back memories for both of them.
She could hear him walking closer to her and suddenly she considered all the different outcomes. Would he talk her out of it? Make her think of all the things she would lose if she jumped. Or would he give her the final push? Maybe pushing her to her death would make the court case easier, more secure.
Alec wasn't like that though, he cared. Stupidly, he cared.
"Just come away..." He said it as more of a plea rather than an instruction. "None of this was your fault, Ellie."
'Ellie' he only ever used that, when things were bad... It was always 'Millah," or 'DS Miller," in particularly formal situations.
"That's the thing, it's all my fault." She tried to hold back the tears, but it wouldn't work... NOTHING WAS WORKING. "I should have known, I am a detective, it's what I do."
She took another step closer, she could see the sand now. It looked like little crystals next to a beautiful ocean.
"You can't do this." He was getting scared now, and suddenly honesty was the only option to stop her.
"Can't. It's such a funny word because nothing is impossible." Ellie was crying now, screeching on the vowels she used and struggling to articulate the consonants.
"What about your kids?" He was playing at the heart strings now, trying to list the people who love this woman. "What about Lucy, Olly..... What about me?"
It made Ellie spin round, she never took a step but she did turn and face him. What exactly was her boss saying... What was happening.
"What about you?" Ellie suddenly felt anger, for once she needed to forget about work. "This isn't about work, it's about Danny. It's about my murdering husband. It's about the people who no longer love me."
"AND WHAT ABOUT THE PEOPLE WHO DO LOVE YOU?" He was screaming now, almost louder than Ellie. It was a desperate scream to stop the angel in front of him jumping.
Ellie reflected on that, he maybe the worst cop in Britain but he could talk. Probably too much.
"Who? Because as far as I'm aware Alec, they have all gone."
"Me." He realised what he has said after he had vocalised it. This burning love he had was now out in the open. It needed justification, he tried to find the words. "I... Love... You.... I have since.... Since the day I moved to this shitty town. You looked at me with that smile and I was gone. I can't lose that smile.. Ellie I can't lose you."
Suddenly it all stopped, almost like the world had stopped, allowing Ellie to process those words. The breeze was what bought her back to reality, like a resuscitation. She walked away from the cliff slowly, and stood directly in front of him, as he exhaled.
"If your just saying this to stop me.... Tell me now before I continue to fall." She was warning him. Warning him to be honest. She wasn't falling physically, she was falling in love... She had been for a while. "I stopped myself falling for you, because of Joe. Don't say those words if they are false."
"Those words are almost as pure as you, every part of me wants you... Please Ellie."
She felt his hand, he felt hers. She saw him lean in and he watched her pull him closer. Their lips met and not even the ice cold breeze could break their kiss. She was cold, Alec ran his tongue over her lips and they felt like ice, yet it was perfect.
She broke the kiss, to ask him something, something that would eventually save her from ever being hurt again.
"Please... Take me back to yours, Will you just love me?"
She thought it sounded desperate but he thought it was perfect.
"It would be my pleasure, because I already love you, more than life itself."
"And I love you." She replied softly as they left the cliffs of Broadchurch for the comfort and familiarity of Alec's hotel room.