I wrote this after watching episode 4 of series 2 of Ashes To Ashes, but only just got rpund to publishing it.
Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters featured in this story, all ownership is by Kudos and the BBC.
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While everyone else had gone to Luigi's, Alex had chosen to get an early night. Each day made her feel more and more exhausted and she hoped she could avoid another encounter with 'the milk tray man' as Gene had quipped him.
He chilled her to the bone, the roses, the anonymous calls and the day he'd kidnapped her scared the hell out of her, even more than the clown, or rather, her father had. What could he possibly want?
"I know you don't belong in this world Alex."
She shivered as she checked the room for roses before climbing into bed and pulling the duvet around her, she pinched her nose, suppressing a wave of nausea. All she needed was a good night's sleep.
"Just you and me Alex."
Her eyelids fluttered as her head hit the pillow, falling into an uneasy sleep. She tossed and turned, unable to rid her mind of visions of crimson roses, a deep cackling could be heard as she fought the bonds tying her to a hospital bed as Doctor Death stood over her, peering over his surgical mask, she could hear the bleeping and whirring of hospital equipment, faint voices echoing around, there was a cracking sound and the bullet slowed as it came towards her, she could see her own reflection in that bullet, but it slowly morphed into a little girl, a little girl she only just recognised, her brain was screaming at her, cold sweat ran down her forehead and spine, causing her to shiver.
Alex found her self in a long, dark corridor. It was freezing cold and pitch black, she shivered again, and turned round in circles, trying to adjust to her new surroundings, at least she wasn't caught in an endless nightmarish cycle anymore.
"Alex" A familiar voice echoed behind her she, making her jump and almost scream. She spun round to see where the voice had come from. The corridor was starting to light up from the very end, getting brighter as it moved along, she squinted and could just make out the silhouette of a man walking towards her as the light moved closer and closer. The man eventually stopped just short of her, face to face and Alex gasped as she recognised who it was.
"Sam Tyler?"
He gave her a warm smile, his blue eyes twinkling at her, it somehow comforted her as they stood in this black and white divide.
"You're dead" She stated matter of factly, causing Sam's smile to downturn slightly.
"That really depends on your point of view." He frowned, before brightening up.
"I've never felt so alive!" He grinned, closing his eyes and spreading his arms out.
Alex ran a shaky hand through her permed hair, she was starting to feel uneasy. Why was the unconscious subconscious of her unconscious subconscious dreaming of a dead man?
Sam cocked his head to one side as he watched her.
"Do you know why you're here?" he asked, suddenly serious.
Alex stared at him, why was her mind doing this to her?
"The 'real world' you are fighting so hard to get back to has no place for you anymore Alex, you have to let go." the words were spoken gently but Alex felt as though they were a threat.
She took a minute to process this information. Sam had said he'd felt out of place after he'd woken up, that was why he'd jumped, he desperately wanted to get back to this world.
"You need to take the final step, stop fighting." He held out his hand.
Alex backed away, staring at his outstretched hand, this was starting to scare her now.
"No, you're wrong, I don't belong here, someone needs me back home." She told him defiantly.
Sam smiled again and shook his head.
"I've brought someone to see you."
A smaller figure came running towards her from the light, Alex's eyes widened as the figure came level with Sam, stopping just short of the divide.
"Molly?"
"Mum!"
The little girl beamed up at her, Alex couldn't quite believe it, she hadn't been able to see her properly for ages.
Sam grinned and put his arm around Molly's shoulders.
"She's been waiting for you."
"Molly, come here." Alex pleaded, holding her arms open, she desperately wanted her to take those last few steps into her embrace.
Molly looked sad. "I can't." she mumbled, looking away and started to fumble with the corner of her cardigan.
Alex felt her heart sink. "Please Molls." She begged, tears pricking at the backs of her eyes.
"Don't you see Alex? It's the only way you can be together again, just make the last step."
His words chilled her to the bone, there was something sinister to this whole situation.
"No…" she whispered, the realisation slammed into her, like that bullet was being driven into her skull again, this couldn't be true. Hot, salty tears streamed down her cheeks as her little girl stared forlornly at her, her blue-grey orbs pleading with her.
"I can't." Alex's voice wavered, she refused to believe this was true, the gunshot from her last day back in 2008 rang in her ears, the scenes unfolding in her head again. She closed her eyes.
"NO!" she shouted, dropping to her knees. She stared up at Sam and Molly, Sam gave her a sad smile and Molly looked crestfallen.
Alex was completely torn, she wasn't going to cross that divide, she wasn't going to give in. She told herself her mind was playing tricks on her, back in 2008, she knew that her Molly was safe and sound, waiting for her wake up.
Sam took Molly's hand.
"Don't worry, your mum will join us soon." They both turned to walk away, the white light stared to retreat with them back up the corridor.
"No, don't leave me!" Shouted Alex, she didn't know what to do, she just wanted her little girl back.
A third figure stood waiting for the pair as they walked away, Molly ran into their arms, the figure lifted her up and turned to face Alex, fear shot through her as she saw who it was.
"Dad."
Her father smiled coldly at her. "Join us Alex, we've been waiting."
Alex froze, panic bubbled inside her, threatening to burst out of her chest. All three of them walked away from her, the light dissipating as they went.
"No!" She shouted as they faded away, "Molly! Come back!" She ran after them, but they only got further and further away.
"MOLLY!" She screamed as the light became a tiny speck in the distance.
"Watch out for the man with the roses." echoed Sam's voice, as the light vanished completely, plunging her, once more into darkness. Something brushed against her face, she looked up, crimson rose petals were cascading around her, like drops of blood.
The bullet sped out of the barrel of the gun, except it wasn't coming towards her, it was speeding towards Molly, and all she could do was stand, frozen to the spot, as her daughter crumpled to the ground.
"NOOOOOOOOOO!"
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Gene had been steeling himself outside Alex's flat for at least ten minutes now. After another evening of Luigi hounding him, he had decided to go up her flat, now standing outside the door, he had no idea what he was there to do or say. He cursed under his breath, maybe he should just go home, but he couldn't turn back now. He rubbed his face with his hands, he hated the way that posh mouthy tart made him feel.
Her scream snapped him out of his brooding, cutting through his thoughts, a small wave of panic rose in his chest and deciding not to waste another minute, he barged through the door.
He found her sitting bolt upright in bed, white as sheet, shaking with tears streaming down her face. The sight tugged at his heart strings, he hated seeing her in this kind of state.
"Jesus Bolls, what's wrong?" He gave way to the need to comfort her and swooped over to the side of her bed, perching himself on the edge. Cautiously, he wrapped a comforting arm around her heaving shoulders. Alex buried her face into his warm chest and sobbed uncontrollably.
"Shhh." Gene cooed gently, rubbing her back. "Just breathe, it's ok."
He wondered what an earth could have happened to put in such a state.
He cradled her shaking form in his arms until she had been crying for so long and so hard, she no longer had the energy do cry anymore. She hiccupped, taking great, ragged, gasping breaths, finding comfort in the rise and fall of his chest under her head. She listened to his steady rhythmic heart beat, she was so exhausted that it almost sent her sleep again, then and there.
Gene laid his hands on her shoulders and stared into her heavy lidded, red rimmed eyes, the grief and fear he found reflected in them was so intense he wished he could free her from whatever it was that did this to her, she looked so lost and inconsolable.
"What the hell 'appened?" he asked, in a gruff voice, unable to mask the concern
Alex sniffed, wiping the tear tracks from her soft cheeks, she paused, wondering whether or not tell him that she'd dreamt about Sam.
She gazed up at him, the look of concern in his eyes was overwhelming and she blurted it out.
"I had a dream about Sam." She said in a small, hoarse voice. She felt Gene stiffen at the mention of Sam, she nervously looked at him again, and almost wished she hadn't told him, the look in his grey eyes was a mixture of deep sadness, regret and anger, he didn't look at her, but stared blankly at the wall.
Alex dropped her head and nervously continued, "And he was with my daughter," her voice wavered as she held back more tears.
"He said the only way I could see her again was to take 'the final step and join them'…and then I watched her get shot" She looked at him, glassy eyed and whispered "It's been so long since I saw her, I've almost forgotten, what if…what if she's dead?"
And with that, she almost broke down again, she slumped against Gene again, shivering breathing heavily.
Gene stared at her, slowly processing what she'd just gabbled at him. He didn't know if she was going crazy or if it was just brought on from lack of sleep. He was completely speechless. He gazed at her sadly, and wondered why she was separated from her daughter, she had mentioned her more than once and this dream had clearly distressed her. But why Sam? She reminded him of Sam sometimes, the stupid ponce, he missed him deeply. Was there something more to the two of them? He shook the thoughts from his head.
"Come on Bolls, you're exhausted, when was the last time you got a proper night's sleep? It was just a bad dream, you need some rest."
Alex gave him a sad smile, she hadn't expected him to understand, no one could. She wanted to ask him to stay, she felt safe in his presence and wasn't sure if she'd get any sleep after that. She pulled away from him and put a hand out behind her to steady herself when she felt something beneath it. Bringing her shaking hand up, it revealed a slightly crushed rose. She gapped in shock and dropped it like it was a bomb, the scarlet petals scattered across the bed like in her dream. Gene stared from the rose to Alex, the fear was evident in her eyes.
"That wasn't there when I went to bed." She whispered, a rising panic in her voice.
"How did it get there?"
Gene encircled his arms around her again and pulled her into a warm embrace.
"C'mon" he whispered, softly. "I'm not leaving you alone tonight."