Life on Mars and Ashes to Ashes Original Characters, Fenchurch East Police Station, the Railway Arms, Luigi's and Alex's flat are owned by Kudos Film and Television, Monastic Productions and the BBC. Everything else (including the new characters) are owned by me.
Chapter One
The Railway Arms was heaving, the sound of laugher and good cheer filled the air. Alex sat at the small table by herself, nursing a large glass of red wine. She could hear Ray and Chris laughing across the other side of the pub, she smiled to herself. Those two would never change. That was something she would always be thankful for, they were always happy, looking at the brighter side of everything.
"You okay, Ma'am?".
Alex looked up from her musings, Shaz was standing over her smiling.
"Yes Shaz, just thinking".
"He'll be fine, he's the Guv", Shaz desperately wanted to make Alex feel better. They had all watched Alex stare at the door. At moments like that, she was no longer the posh bird, she was vulnerable and pining for her lost love, and they pitied her.
"Shaz, it's your round", Ray called across the throng.
Shaz threw her eyes up to heaven, "in a minute Ray, we ain't goin anywhere", she shouted back. A rumble of laughter rang through the crowd.
"Bloody Plonks", Ray groused good naturedly. A busty blonde caught his eye and he whistled at her. She turned around and smiled at him. Ray's blue eyes sparkled and winking at her, he strolled over to her. He loved this place, he thought to himself as he casually put his arm around the blonde's shoulder.
"What's your name love?".
Chris appeared beside Shaz, even now he followed her everywhere. Alex blinked away tears from her eyes, the sight of Chris and Shaz together reminded her of she had left behind. Gene, she thought to herself, are you okay, do you even remember me?
In the background the jukebox played Life on Mars. Alex took a sip from her glass of wine, if Nelson did not change that song on the juke box soon, she might end up strangling him. Alex smiled to herself, completely forgetting that Chris and Shaz were watching her. They looked at each other, the same thought passing between them without either of them having to utter a word. We have to get the Guv. Shaz sat down beside Alex and Chris took his cue to leave.
Chris knew what he had to do, he had to talk to Sam. Sam and his girlfriend Annie had come to the Railway Arms three years before the Fenchurch East CID team did, they were all still new to how things worked and Sam had always been a stickler for the rules and the right way of going about things. Chris scanned the pub, he was always amazed that in this crowd he could always find his friends, it did not matter how packed the pub was. There they were, Sam and Annie were sitting in an alcove holding hands and whispering to each other. Even after ten years together they still acted like love struck teenagers. Chris hated having to disturb them but he knew they all had to do something to help Alex, every single hour was spent watching the door. It was heart breaking to watch the hope on her face when the pub door would open, it was never the Guv, just another copper who had made it through Cop Limbo as Ray liked to call it.
When you thought of heaven, you always assumed that it was a place of great joy and for most part it was, but sometimes you would remember what it was like before and your heart would give a funny twist. Chris could understand how Alex was feeling. He missed the Guv too, obviously not in the same way but he knew they would always have a piece missing from the group until the Guv decided to join them.
Chris sat down facing Sam and Annie, he sat there smiling waiting for them to notice him. Chris did not mind being ignored, he knew they would realise he was there. Annie was the first to notice that Chris had joined them.
"Chris why didn't you say something?", Annie asked half laughing, even now Chris reminded her of her daft younger brother.
Chris just shrugged "You both looked so cosy, I didn't have the heart to interrupt".
Sam took a sup of from his pint "aah that's good stuff", he set down his glass "So Chris, what's up?".
Christ did not waste any time getting to the point "It's Alex".
"What about her?", Sam asked, looking at Annie and Chris.
Annie threw her eyes up to heaven "Sam, isn't it obvious, she misses the Guv?".
Sam looked bewildered, "We all miss him but he had work to do", he was forever a pragmatist.
"No Sam, it's different for Alex, her and the Guv; they had something", Chris stumbled to find the right words.
Sam was shocked, "Romantically?", he had thought Gene would be too low brow for posh totty like Alex.
"Saaaaam", Annie was exasperated, "of course romantically she has been staring at the door since she arrived".
"Has she?", Sam's detective skills had become somewhat lax since he came back to the Railway Arms.
"We need to do something, she's heartbroken", Chris felt the need to plead Alex's case.
Sam snorted into his pint, Annie slapped his arm and Chris looked at them dumbfounded.
"Sorry, sorry, sorry mate", Sam tried to choke back a laugh, "it's just, I never thought I would see the day when someone was mooning over the Gene Genie".
"I think it's lovely", Annie said dreamily "the Guv needs a strong woman who won't take any flack from him".
Sam looked at Chris and shook his head.
Women!, it was written on both of their faces and Chris smiled conspiratorially.