A/N: Hello folks! Welcome back! This is the sequel to "Moving On" My first long Ashes fic. Firstly I'd like to thank everyone for reading Moving On, I really enjoyed writing it- and for the first time I didn't want to give up in the middle of it, which was mainly down to the lovely feedback everyone gave me.

Secondly I'd like to say that to be perfectly honest I'm not even 100% certain what the outcome of this story will be, I may even have to write two endings.

Finally, I go back to school on 8th September, though I'm hoping I'll have the final chapters written by then, to be uploaded regularly. I hope I'll be able to upload at least every other day, if not please bear with me.

Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I do not own Ashes to Ashes nor the characters in the series. This is purely a story for other people's enjoyment.

***

The glint in a crazed man's eye. The fear on the slender brunette's face. The BANG of the gun as a bullet entered his chest…

Gene Hunt woke up sweating. His heart was racing, his thoughts were messy and events were disorganised in his mind. Despite his dream (or nightmare) and the slideshow of images looping continuously in his brain, it took Gene a moment to figure out where he was. The pale blue curtains and crisp bed sheets may have been a giveaway to most people, but the anaesthetic was making Gene feel nauseous.

Gene was about to run his hands over his face to wipe away the tiredness- as he did his arm brushed against a bandage across his chest.

Bandage. Gunshot. Shipman. Bolly.

Where was Bolly? Was she all right? Did she-

As far as Gene was concerned, there were four possible outcomes.

He was in heaven.

No, all right, make that three.

He was in Hell.

Possible, but the lack of a weird looking bloke with a pointy staff ready to shove up Gene's arse made it look less likely.

Bols was-

No, he didn't even want to put that one into thoughts.

She was fine.

All in all there was around a 30% chance everything would be absolutely fine. It didn't look great.

Option Two was wiped out fairly quickly, as Gene noticed a nurse walking past.

"Excuse me, lady?" Gene called groggily. His tongue felt numb in his mouth- how strong had the painkillers been?

The nurse came to his side. "Ah, Mr Hunt," she said warmly, "you're awake."

Well I'd figured that one out, ta, love, Gene wanted to reply. Instead he cleared his throat. "Er...yeah, could you tell me the date?"

"14th September," She replied, still smiling. "Now, we need to run some basic tests…"

Gene switched off. Now, maybe he was wrong, but he was sure it was the 13th when Shaz and Chris got marries- which would make it the early hours of the 14th when…

"Er, sorry love," Gene interrupted the nurse. "is Alex Drake in 'ere?"

The nurse frowned. "She's on the Hyde ward, why?"

It was Gene's turn to frown. "Wasn't I brought in with 'er?"

The nurse spluttered. "No, dear, you were brought in after an out of hand pub brawl."

Gene's jaw dropped- it hadn't exactly been out of hand; it wasn't exactly his fault a complete nutter came after him with a gun!

"And Alex-,"

"-was brought in two months ago." The nurse finished for him. "Now, if you'll excuse me-,"

"'ang about, lady!" Gene burst out. Bolly couldn't have been brought in two months ago- she was with him last night!

Unless…

How long had he been unconscious for?! A year, two years?! What had Alex done in the meantime to get brought in for? She was a magnet for trouble.

"'ow long did you say I've been in 'ere?"

The nurse sighed, and then put on a patronising nursey smile.

"Around twelve hours, Mr Hunt."

"But Bols…"

This wasn't making any sense to Gene. None at all. How had Alex…?

"Yes?" the nurse questioned.

Gene had no reply. Whatever was going on scared him.

"C-Can I see her? Alex Drake, can I see her?"

"Why on earth would you want to-,"

"-friends." Gene croaked his throat dry. "We're close friends."

The nurse tutted. "I'm afraid it's only family allowed at the moment-,"

"Please." Gene pleased.

***

As Gene sat by Alex's bed listening to the bleeping of (strangely very high-tech) machines, he became lost in his own thoughts.

Where were his friends? The only flowers by Alex's bed (thought there were many bouquets) were from…Molly. Of course, Alex's little girl.

But no one had been to visit Gene- why? Of course, he'd only been in hospital for a few hours, and fair enough, Shaz and Chris were off on their honeymoon that morning, but Ray? Surely Ray should have been in to see him…

And what about Luigi? Was he all right? Had Shipman got away, or did he actually call for help for Alex?

And why did Alex have a bandage around her head, though no sign of bulk underneath her hospital gown?

Gene sighed, nothing seemed to make sense.

A different nurse came in to take Alex's readings.

"Excuse me, love, any chance of a paper?"

The nurse nodded and scurried back in five minutes with a copy of one of the broadsheets.

Gene Hunt wasn't a glory seeker, but maybe some recognition from a paper would make him feel better- oh hang about, of course, the event happened after the papers went to print. That would be the reason why there was no mention of it on the front page.

"Gordon seeks 2012 Glory".

Gordon? Who the bloody hell was Gordon?!

The main picture was a man with some kids- swimmers, Gene thought. They had medals round their necks, which were awarded by the bloke who was presumably "Gordon". Gene frowned- news belonged in newspapers not nonces handing out pretty coloured ribbons to kiddies. Gene glanced at the top of the page and burst out laughing. The noise was so loud; the nurse came back in to find out what the commotion was. She stared at Gene until his peals subsided.

"Ha, very funny, love. Now, erm, today's paper?"

He smiled expectantly, still chuckling, though the nurse looked both slightly afraid and confused. Gene tapped the date.

"2008? I mean, you could 'ave been a bit more creative- no spacemen?"

The nurse's frown deepened.

"Sir that is today's papers." She pointed at the television screen on a bracket on the far wall- for some reason Gene hadn't noticed it playing when he came into Alex's room. The colours were bright, the presenters were smiling- had the Beeb had a revamp or something?

But.

There.

The bottom of the screen.

14th September.

2008.

Gene gasped, suddenly he felt sick. The room was spinning; lights were dancing in front of his eyes. His throat was dry; he was gagging though nothing was coming up.

"Are you all right, Mr Hunt?"

Gene was vaguely aware of the nurse tapping his shoulder, then trying to steady him. He was grasping at the wall to stop himself falling- if he fell now, who knew what would happen…

Two hours later Gene was back by Alex's bed. He was still shaking, things made no more sense, but he'd had to pull himself together to avoid questioning from the nurse who was now keeping a very close eye on him following his panic attack earlier. Although part of him wanted to run, to keep running- or to find the nearest bar and plunge himself into an alcohol induced coma- although that was what every inch of his body craved, Gene needed answers. He needed answers now.

"Please, Bols." Gene muttered under his breath. "Just wake up."

This wasn't like the last time- not at all. At least last time he was real, in a real place, a place he knew and a place he believed. But in the same way as last time, he needed her. He needed her to wake up and help.

Gene wasn't one for fairy tales- and he certainly didn't see himself as a handsome prince, but if in some strange, skewered depth of reality a kiss could wake a sleeping beauty…maybe it was worth a try?

Breath short, Gene leaned in and kissed the lips he'd grown so fond of. The hug knot in his stomach untwisted slightly, but the tension was still there. Though he felt a little better for the comforting peck, Gene wasn't much calmer. If there was one thing he couldn't stand it was being out of control. It was safe to say there wasn't much here, in this strange…place…that he could control.

Twenty minutes later, she awoke.

Gene had shut his eyes with the intention of thinking better that way- though he was exhausted, and accidentally nodded off. He'd vaguely heard the nurses discussing asking him to leave- Alex's family had arrive, but he was determined he was going nowhere. Alex had a lot to answer for, be it days, weeks, months later.

He heard a familiar gasp and his eyes snapped open…straight into the gaze of the brown eyes he'd been prepared to give his own life for. Gene leaned forward.

"How many times can a girl wake up in 1982?" Alex asked, sighing. Her voice shook a little.

"Thing is, Bolly…this isn't 1982." He was talking gruffly; barely able to form the words that had been running through his mind like the breaking news banner on the bloody channel that had shown him where he really was.

Suddenly the door opened, and a girl with blondey brown hair ran in, flinging her arms around Alex.

"Mum!" She exclaimed.

So that's Molly, Gene thought.

Alex's face filled with shock as she looked over Molly's shoulder at Gene.

She had a lot of explaining to do.