"Gene? Gene!" The voice whispered sharply. "Are you lonely, Gene?" A bright light came into focus from the distance, highlighting the body of an all too familiar friend. Gene reached out to touch it, but his hand passed through it like mist. The light grew brighter, blinding him almost, floating upwards into the nothingness. "I'm almost home. Not long now." Gene held up his hands to cover his eyes, as the light burned furiously into his retinas, he tried to protest and question but no sound came from his mouth. "Keep focused. Don't lose sight of what's important." The gentle voice turned into a delicate singing sound as the body rose faster and faster, finally plunging Gene into the empty darkness.
CID looked anxiously at one another as they became aware of the fact that their boss was temporarily muttering and fighting against something in his sleep. He jumped awake as DI Harrison Murphy pushed open the door aggressively and stormed over to his desk.
"Very funny, Hunt" He spat slamming a heavy cardboard box down. "Do I look like a woman? It seems I am stuck here for the foreseeable future, so I expect to be treated with some respect."
"What the hell are you talking about, Murphy?" Asked Gene, his voice raised slightly, stepping out of his office.
"This!" Murphy scowled, pulling a white leather jacket out of the box and flinging it in Gene's direction, who caught it a fast as he could. Murphy began pulling out more bits of clothing from the box, throwing it carelessly onto the floor "You find it amusing to bully the new boy, but I've had enough. This is gone on for weeks, and now here you are, shoving women's clothing in my new locker? That's low, even for you, Hunt"
Murphy looked at Gene in confusion as he waited for an insulting response, which didn't come. Instead, he was stood there, holding the jacket delicately in his hands, as if it was a rare piece of art, pushing out the creases in the fabric and folding it neatly.
The rest of CID held their breath as they all gradually realised what Murphy had done. It was an unstated rule that they must never touch any belonging of Alex's now she had seemingly disappeared, and they respected this rule as if it was the law. Her desk was to remain as it always was, and her locker was to be left well alone, until Gene found it within himself to come to terms with what had happened.
Gene slowly backed into his office, and placed the jacket down carefully on his chair. He then turned back towards Murphy and casually strode up to him, displaying no emotion on his face.
"What now, Hunt?" Murphy asked disinterestedly, rolling his eyes and sighing.
Gene grabbed him by his collar, pulling him upwards to his level and threw him into the wall. Gene stood against him dangerously, breathing heavily onto his face in pure anger. He dropped one of his arms from Murphy's neck, but tensed it and drove it into his stomach instead. Murphy yelped and doubled up in pain, gasping for breath.
"If you ever" Gene warned, pulling him back up again "Touch ANY of Alex's stuff again, I will KILL you!" He bellowed, the whole of CID appearing to rattle with the loudness of his voice. He let Murphy go, who slip down the wall and began to breathe in deeply.
Gene stared at Alex's name plaque that he had placed on his own desk. It was perfect, still shiny as though it was brand new, not mucky and tarnished like his own. She had asked him once if he ever got lonely. Now he felt it more than ever. He'd lost everything that was important to him. He should have let her stay with him, not let her walk sadly away into The Railway Arms.
He missed his friends. Ray and Chris. There were times when he thought they'd make him go crazy, but the truth was they had always been there. Through his divorce, the loss of Sam. They should be here now to help him get over Alex. He'd give anything to see them again. Even Shaz. Although she came across as the usual 'couldn't-give-a-monkey's' WPC, she was so bright and such a good officer. It was thanks to Alex he was able to see that.
Alex. He wished so much she would leave his mind, but he was grabbing hold of her memory with a tight grasp. He knew she wasn't dead, that instead she would be having the time of her life getting pissed and having a laugh. He just couldn't forget the things she used to do. The way she spoke, full of intelligence and sophistication, yet at the same time was up for a laugh and could drink bottle after bottle of wine.
Gene had asked for a transfer, he wanted so much to join the others in the pub. But, they had knocked him back. Told him his job wasn't done. He would have to wait until his retirement. He considered going into retirement early, quitting the force was so much better than being alone, but that, apparently, was against the rules, and would have to stay until he reached sixty five. That was too many more years he was willing to cope with. He knew in a few weeks he would forget about The Railway Arms, and DCI Jim Keats and Nelson. He would wake up one morning and have no recollection of what happened to his team and his Bolly, just a faded memory of jewellery blag and a mysterious pub placed where Luigi's should have been.
"Has he calmed down yet?" Murphy asked, to no one in particular
"I don't think so" Replied Kaitlin Banks, a young WPC who was good friends with Shaz, as she walked past him and dumped a pile of files on his desk.
"What did I say?" He wondered aloud, frowning
"You moved DI. Drake's belongings out of her locker, sir." She explained "He doesn't like anybody touching them"
"Why?" He laughed, half out of shock
"Sorry, sir" She apologised "I shouldn't really talk about it. If he hears us he'll get really mad and upset"
"Upset? Hunt?" He scoffed "That's not one way I'd use to describe Gene Hunt's emotions"
"If you want, I'll explain properly in the canteen" She offered, as a small smile crept across Murphy's face
"Yes, thanks, WPC Banks" He decided instantly, walking off towards the kitchen, flicking a quick dark look towards Gene in his office, "Anything to use against Hunt will suit me just fine" He mumbled quietly.