Chrysanthemums, Not Roses by Astralpilgrim

Disclaimer: I do not own Gene, Alex, Ashes to Ashes or any recognisable characters. They all belong to the BBC, Kudos, Monastic.. and God alone knows who else. Just having a bit of fun while my ashesMuse seems to be on a roll....

Rating: K, I think. Let me know if you think differently, and I'll change it

Pairing: Galex - what else?! (but only slightly).

Timeline: A few weeks after the Prices' car bomb, at the end of Series 1.

My first fic on FF, and first A2A fic! Hope it's well received - feel free to tell me what you think.

The Quattro drew to a halt outside the cemetery, but its' two occupants made no move to get out. Gene watched as Alex looked out of her window towards the gravestones visible within the railings.

For Alex, this was a familiar journey. Of course, she'd come to this cemetery millions of times before, but it just felt right to be here now. It was about six weeks after she'd witnessed her parents' deaths again. She hadn't attended the funeral though - had thought about it, and ultimately decided that it would be too weird - and too emotionally draining.

"Alex." His voice cut through her thoughts. "Explain to me why we're here again?"

Sighing inwardly, she couldn't bring herself to face him to reply. "I told you. Caroline became a friend. I just want to pay my respects, that's all."

"Could've done that at the funeral."

"Didn't want to go to the funeral."

"Maybe you're right," conceded Gene. "I mean, I know the world an' his wife all wanted a piece of the Prices, but it was a family thing. Tough on little Alex, I thought."

Alex's heart clenched at his words. Biting her lip, she turned, and leant over to the back seat to lift the small bunch of flowers she'd brought with her. However, Gene had longer arms - and his reach was easier.

"Let me," he urged - and lifted them from the back seat. Alex looked at them as she accepted them from him. Chrysanthemums - not her flower of choice. However, the roses that she usually laid would have provoked too many questions.

"Thank you," she told him, quietly. A small nod was his response.

Taking a deep breath, she exited the car - stopping to look when she realised he was getting out too.

"Where are you going?" she asked. Please don't intrude on my grief.

"In there," he gestured towards the gravestones. "With you." They stared at each other for what must have been about a minute. Alex wasn't used to this - any time she'd come here before, it was alone. Always alone. Finally, she gave in.

"Okay," she said, simply - and turned to go in the gate.

"One problem, though," he went on, catching her up. "As neither of us were at the funeral, we don't know where the grave is."

"I know where the grave is," she informed him - still walking - still looking straight ahead.

"You do?"

"Yes."

"How?"

There were so many reasons that Alex wanted to give him, including the truth. But, she finally settled on:

"Womens' intuition, Gene."

He rolled his eyes at that, and realised it was the best answer he was going to get - so he didn't ask again.

Gene watched as Alex expertly walked through the rows of gravestones - a well worn path for her, if he did but know it. After all, she'd been taking the same path for twenty-seven years. All of a sudden, his eyes alighted on a freshly-dug grave. Well, fresh enough that the ground hadn't begun to settle on it yet.

Just as he'd expected, the names on the gravestone were Timothy Price and Caroline Price - beloved parents of Alexandra Price. He couldn't possibly know, but that same Alexandra Price stood in front of said gravestone now, and stared. Just... stared.

"It looks.... new," she blurted out. She didn't remember it this new. For the first couple of years, Evan hadn't thought it a good idea for her to be here. She'd been nearly eleven years old before she'd been here again. As she'd went into her teenage years though - and able to make her own decisions - she'd come as often as she could. Each time bringing with her two red roses.

Suddenly, Gene felt a little uncomfortable - as if he was intruding on something private.

"I'll, er..." he gestured along the row a bit - to a bench that, no doubt, commemorated some other poor soul's passing. Un-noticed, he took himself off to it, and sat down heavily.

Somehow, Alex knew he was now out of earshot - and began to speak.

"I can't believe I'm here," she whispered. "And I can't begin to come to terms with what I now know. But..." She swallowed. "I still love you. Both of you. I'm a parent now, Dad - and I'll never understand what made you think you could kill your own daughter - your own family. In some, sad, warped way though... I'm glad I found out. I wanted to know. And Mum - I'm glad you finally realised who I am. I so wanted to tell you - for weeks I wanted to tell you. To hear you say you love me was the most wonderful thing in the world!"

From his vantage point on the bench, Gene watched Alex - a curious expression on his face. Caroline Price could have been no more than a friend to Alex - after all, they'd only known each other a few months. And not in the best of circumstances. Yet, here was his DI - to all intents and purposes - pouring her heart out. She was nutty as hell, at times... but he'd grown to love her. And he wasn't without instinct himself. He knew the sight of someone grieving when he saw it. Would he ever figure it all out? Sighing, he reached in his pocket for a cigarette - then stopped... suddenly realising it might be deemed bad taste to sit smoking in a cemetery. Changing his mind, he reached in his other pocket - and brought out his hip flask instead.

"I don't know if I'll ever get home to Molly," Alex went on. "But I don't think I'll be here again. Would mean too many questions." And Alex knew just who would be asking them. "I just wanted to tell you that... I love you both.... and I'll never stop."

Alex stepped forward to set her flowers in the small vase at the base of the stone - just like she'd done so many times before. When she was satisfied that they were sitting as they should, her gaze was drawn to the lettering on the stone. Reaching up, she traced the first few letters of her Mum's name - and yes, the stone felt the same below her fingers. Just the same. Momentarily, Alex closed her eyes - and felt she could be anywhere between 1981 and 2008 at this moment. Eventually, a shuffle of feet behind her broke the spell.

Gene had watched her until he couldn't take it anymore. Getting to his feet, he deposited his hip flask safely back in his pocket - then went to her.

"Alex." Just a word, just her name - but it brought her crashing back to 1981.

Holding onto the stone for support, she got to her feet. Gene watched as she drew her fingers almost lovingly across it before she let go and turned to him.

"Let's go, she told him. He nodded, and started to walk away. She followed, and took one last glance back towards the grave.

"'Bye...." she managed, quietly - and then hurried to catch up with Gene.

As she drew level with him, he spoke.

"You know, Alex... I like to think I'm not just your DCI. I'd like to think that I'm your friend, too."

"Yes, Gene."

"Anything you wanna talk about?" Alex stopped walking, and looked at him. He'd stopped too, and they stood on the path, near the gate - gazing into one another's eyes.

"Maybe," she told him. "But not today." He drew back a little.

"Understood," he responded - but she could see he'd been a little hurt by her rejection. On impulse, she felt for his hand, and gripped it tightly.

"Thanks, though," she said - her mouth turning up a little at the corners. Another small nod from him, and they walked all the way back to the Quattro hand in hand.

Well - what d'ya think? All reviews welcome!! ~ Astralpilgrim