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"Please don't do this," Hardy murmured, trying to remain calm in the face of Ellie's fury.
"I wish I'd killed the son of a bitch in the nick, when I had him cornered. He'll never leave us alone, he'll never pay for what he did to Danny. It's down to me. I can make him pay." Her eyes were wild. She reminded Hardy of a trapped feral animal.
He put his hands on her shoulders but she wouldn't meet his eyes. "Ellie. You could make him pay. I know it. I know that right now, you could kill Joe with your bare hands..."
"And I will if I have to," she vowed.
"But you are not going after him, you are not doing this premeditated. I won't let you ruin your life, and upset the boys' lives over that piece of shit."
"I wouldn't be ruinin' it, it'd be me keepin' them safe! He can't come back here whenever he wants and try to snatch Fred from the child minder or stalk Tom. He won't get away with it again. He won't." Her lower lip trembled at the thought of what almost happened that day if Joe hadn't been stopped. He sat in the Broadchurch nick once again.
"Ellie, what if he hurts you? What if he gets his hands around your neck and chokes the life out of you? Your children would be without a mother. I couldn't bear...."
"What?" she spoke sharply. "What couldn't you bear?"
"I couldn't bear it if something happened to you." She stared at him incredulously. "I love you, Ellie Miller. And I am not letting anything happen to you." Her eyes widened and he didn't know if she'd bolt or if she'd let him comfort her. He hesitantly reached for her and he was surprised and relieved when she stepped into his arms.
Alec embraced her tightly and she lay her head on his shoulder, the tears flowing freely now. He didn't expect her to say it back.
But she did. "I love you," she murmured.
"Well, there's that sorted," he said. "Then we'll get through this." He felt her nod. Hardy wasn't sure of what the future would bring, they'd face it, together. "I don't want to do this alone anymore," Ellie sighed. "You don't ever have to," Alec reassured her.