The day Alec has been somewhat anticipating and somewhat dreading for the past few weeks has finally arrived.

He's been chosen as a chaperone for one of Daisy's school field trips, and today is the day he will need to shepherd around a pack of overly hormonal, probably whiny teenagers who know next to nothing about him.

On the bright side, he gets to spend more time with Daisy, which is what he'd always wanted.

He sighs. It's a hiking trip in Sandbrook. He's surprised that they'd pick him to chaperone, given his history with the place, but it's possible they just didn't know.

Oh, and 'casual attire' is required. So after much complaining and arguing, Daisy has convinced him he'll be arriving in a t-shirt and jeans and black trainers she had to practically force him to purchase.

Hardy looks at himself in the mirror, rubbing his clean-shaven chin. Anything for Daisy.

…..

Ellie rubs her face in her hands, pondering the offer CS Jenkinson has just given her.

She's decided that she wouldn't be able to promote Ellie to DI in Broadchurch. She says it would make the department come under scrutiny by the public eye, which they've had enough of in the past few months. She's hurt. She's very hurt. After everything she's done, the amount of work she's put in. But she also understands. If Joe had been convicted, things might have been different.

But apparently, someone else is willing to give her a job, CS Jenkinson had also pointed out.

She'd had a thorough discussion with a CS of another police department. She'd convinced them that Ellie, despite her now tainted backstory, really was an amazing addition to the police force and would work well somewhere where she wouldn't be constantly judged for actions she had nothing to do with.

Of course, it's the police department of Oakston.

So now she has a choice. Go make a fresh start in a town where she knows one person, a perpetually annoyed now-author, and leave behind everything she has ever known, or stay here and never be able to reach new heights, pushed down by her husband's mistakes, with the small benefit of a select few friends and family.

She doesn't have to decide right away, Jenkinson had reassured her. And she's thankful for that. Because it's not just her leaving. It's Tom, too. He's never known anything besides the sandy beaches of Broadchurch, the pleasant bustle of the small town. He doesn't have friends anywhere else. And Fred, too, though she's sure he'd be happy anywhere his "Uncle Alec" is within easy reach.

Maybe the only way for them to move on is to fully let go.

...

A/N: I'm so, so sorry this chapter has been so short! I will hopefully have a few new chapters along w/some new stories out soon! I'm currently extremely busy with school & seeking out freelance writing opportunities. Thanks everyone for the support even though I can't publish work on nearly as much as I'd like to.