Another new fic? haha I know, I'm still working on Rage of Fire, Love of Daughter, don't worry, I hope to update that by Tuesday! But for now... enjoy? Thanks to Blue-Jackal for giving me the inspiration for this fic, and helping me create the plot!

Chapter 1: Onyx

He hated her. He knew he shouldn't, but he did. She was the reason he was in this place. She had taken the side of those wrongdoers when all he was trying to do was save them! They were impure, they were unclean. The Lord did not like the unclean. He stared at the opposite side of his cell. She had committed herself to save the unclean. She had sinned. She needed to repent. He had to make sure she'd repent. Only scarlet could avenge sable. She had to bleed to free herself of her sins. And he'd help her. He'd make her see. He'd make the whole station see what they needed to do. By the time he was finished, Fenchurch East would be the purest station in the Met.

~(*)~

Three months Later

She stared listlessly at the wall, completely bored. The fear had diminished overnight, she had been alone since he had first appeared, explaining that he was purifying her. She didn't understand what he meant, but she knew something was going on. If she got out of this, she'd report it straight away.

Strangely she didn't fear for her life too much. She had been happy most of her life, and she knew it was all about quality, rather than years. In quality she had lived a very long life, and maybe it was her time to go.

Her stomach rumbled and she wished she had something to drink. More than that, she wanted something to drink She had had nothing since yesterday noon. He had emerged out of nowhere around three in the afternoon, and she had been tied up ever since.

The man emerged from the shadows. "You are starving like the Lord our God starved for you. He did it for your sins. And yet you still live carelessly, unworried by the price he paid. This is your punishment."

He grinned happily, and she swallowed nervously. He was a nutter. And dealing with nutters usually ended up badly.

~(*)~

Alex sighed loudly as Gene threw them around yet another corner.

"Shut up," he said, as he squealed the tyres in a handbrake turn.

Alex looked at him, amused. "I didn't say anything."

"Yes," he responded slowly, as if talking to an idiot. "But you were thinking it."

"So now you know what I'm thinking?" Alex questioned, slightly intrigued.

Gene smirked and tapped his temple. "Instinct Bolly. I'm all knowing when it comes to women."

"All knowing?" she implored sarcastically. "Should I bow down now and call you God?"

"A simple 'Your Majesty' would suffice, thank you."

"Right," she replied dryly, staring at him. "I'll remember that if I ever suddenly become delusional."

"What are you talking about Bolly? You are delusional." His smirk grew into a grin as she gave him one of her most piercing looks.

"Already delusional? How is that?" Her voice was sheer ice, which made Gene's smile grow even wider.

"You try to convince yourself that you're completely immune to my charms. I know that I'm irresistible to all women."

"Talk about delusional," Alex muttered.

"Oi! You told me yourself. How did you put it? 'A sizeable rump of women'" he said, trying and failing miserably to mimic Alex's cut glass tones.

"A sizeable rump of women doesn't mean every woman on the bloody planet, Gene. It means compared to how Sam described you and how you actually are, there are some women on this planet mad enough to fall for you."

"Oh, and how did Sam describe me?"

"Overweight, over-the-hill, nicotine stained, borderline alcoholic homophobe, I think it was."

"He always knew how to compliment someone," Gene muttered without menace. Screeching the Quattro to a halt in front of the station, he looked at her. "So, Bolly, what do you think? Was Sam right? Am I an overweight, over the hill, nicotine stained, borderline alcoholic homophobe?"

Alex stared at him in disbelief. Was he actually asking her this? Would he care what she responded? She knew that getting into his emotional side was rare, and it was almost as if he had opened himself up to her in asking that question. She looked into his bright silver blue eyes, and saw a question in them. Was he afraid of what her answer would be? She knew how she wanted to respond. She wanted to tell him no, that he wasn't overweight, and he definitely wasn't over the hill, but could she? She had never put down her barriers enough to tell him what she really thought about him.

Alex opened her mouth. "I think..."

"Guv." The radio crackled to life, and Alex exhaled the rest of her sentence wordlessly. A flash of annoyance crossed Gene's face before he answered.

"What is it Christopher?"

"There's been a body found Guv. Throgmorton Avenue."

"Right. We've just pulled up outside the station. Get the div you call a partner and get out here now."

"Roger that."

Alex sighed in relief as Gene got out of the car and the topic seemed to be forgotten. Chris and Ray came out of the station only a few moments later and scrambled into the backseat.

"Right," Gene said, looking directly at her. "Anymore whinging about my driving and you can take a bus. Got it Whiny Knickers?"

Alex just rolled her eyes, and looked out the window.

"I asked if I was understood, Inspector," Gene's voice said levelly. Alex looked at him in exasperation. She could see the faint traces of amusement on his face. He loved to assert his authority in any way possible and she knew he was loving this interchange right now.

"Understood."

"Good." Gene turned the keys and started the car, tyres squealing as he barrelled down to the end of Christopher Street.

"Erm, Guv?" Chris said timidly.

"What?" Gene snapped.

"Erm...it's just...Shaz didn't turn up for work today."

"She didn't?" Gene asked.

"No. And she didn't phone in."

"Did you try to ring her?"

"Well, er, no. She and I...well...I dunno if she'd want me ringing her..."

Gene sighed heavily. "First, you try phoning, and then if there's no answer, we go and break her door down, got it Christopher?"

Chris nodded. "Yes, Guv."

"Good. Now we've got a dead body to look at."

The Quattro raced through the streets of London until it finally reached its destination of Throgmorton Avenue. Plod was already on the scene, blocking off civilians who were trying to look on to the scene. A body was covered up in the middle, and CID headed straight over to the form.

Gene ripped the sheet of the person's head quickly, causing several innocents to scream. "If you don't want to look at this shit, then bugger off!" Gene yelled irritatedly. "Bloody civilians," he muttered. "Always wanting to know what's going on."

"Relax, Gene," said Alex calmly. "It's human nature."

"Thank you, Psycho Knickers. How bout you put that posh little brain of yours to trying to figure out the cause of death?"

Alex looked at the man. A bullet had entered just above his left eye. She had a horrible sinking feeling in her stomach as she answered Gene.

"It looks like a bullet to the head, Guv."

"Right in one! See, I knew there was a reason we had a psychiatrist among us! Now tell us why Bolly."

"You want me to tell you a killer's motive simply by looking at a gunshot wound?" Alex exclaimed. "There's much more that goes into it, Guv. First you have to look at..."

"Yeah, right don't care. What I want, Bolly, is your gut instinct. Christ. What is it with my DI's? Sam was all nitpicky about his gay boy science, and you're the same way. What happened to feelings?"

"Are you calling me a gay boy?" Alex asked, trying not to let amusement show in her voice.

"Well, you do believe in their science."

"Just because I believe in having evidence to back up a crime..." Alex started.

"Guv!" Ray's voice shouted, interrupting her.

"What is it Ray?" asked Gene looking relieved.

"Look. He's got a note."

Gene walked over to the body, and pulled a slip of paper out of Ray's hand.

"Well that solves it. Suicide."

"Guv, this isn't suicide!"

"Bolly! Look at the note. He said he was sick of this world, and he wanted to move on. How is that not?!"

"But look at the angle of the wound! It's not suicide, Guv."

"Go whine to the pathologist! You're getting on me last nerve today Bolly. One more word out of you, and you're walking back to the station!"

"But..."

"That's it! Chris, Ray, into the car."

Alex stared in disbelief as Gene drove off, leaving her at the scene of the murder. She grinned to herself. If he was going to be that way, then fine. She'd just go back to her flat. She deserved the day off anyway. She had worked with those Neanderthals for two months straight with hardly a day off. Every day she had scheduled one, Gene had ended up calling her in. No, she was going to go home, take a nice hot bath, and relax the rest of the day with a glass of wine...or at least until Gene came knocking. Of course, if she went shopping, Gene wouldn't find her. Alex nodded to the plod guarding the scene and walked off serenely. Today was going to be just what she needed.

~(*)~

"Guv, Shaz isn't answering."

"Right. Chris, Ray, you go to Shaz's flat. I'll go find our wandering DI. I wouldn't be surprised if she decided to skulk in her flat for the rest of the day."

Ray and Chris nodded. Gene strode out of CID, his coat billowing behind him. Chris and Ray followed, stopping at the front desk to get the keys to one of the patrol cars. Gene walked out to the Quattro. He started it up, and pulled down Christopher Street, making his way to Throgmorton Avenue much slower than he had driven earlier, searching for Alex on the way. She was nowhere to be seen. He finally pulled up to where the plod had been earlier, and were now getting to ready to leave.

"Drake. Where'd she go?" he barked at the uniformed man.

"Err, I dunno sir. She went off in the direction of the station. We haven't seen her since."

"Right. Thanks." Gene walked off, muttering to himself angrily. He got back into the Quattro to hear the radio squawking angrily.

"Guv! Guv!"

"What is it Ray?"

"Shaz," Ray's voice said. She's no there. It looks like her flat has been broken into."

"Shit," Gene swore. He held the radio up to his mouth. "How's Chris."

"Not good, Guv."

"Get him to the station, Ray. Get forensics to Shaz's flat. Got it?"

"Yes Guv."

"Alpha One to Control."

"Yes Alpha One?" Skip's voice came on over the radio.

"Ring Drake's flat. Tell her to get her arse over back to the station."

"Yes Guv."

Gene threw the radio on the passenger seat, only to grab it a moment later.

"Control to Alpha One."

"What is it Skip?"

"Drake's not responding."

"Right. I'm gonna go get her from her flat. I'll be back in a moment."

Gene screeched the car to a halt in front of Luigi's, not caring how loud he was. He marched straight up to her flat knocked loudly on the door.

"Bolly! Open up now!" he roared. There was no answer. Gene felt himself growing angrier. He crashed into the door, forcing it open.

"Bolly!" he yelled. There was still no answer. He looked into her small kitchen. There was a bottle of wine sitting on the counter with the cork still out. He checked her living room. She wasn't in there, so he walked into her bedroom. Her work clothes lay in a heap on the floor. Gene called out her name again. There was still no answer. Swallowing hard, he went in to the room he had never entered as long as she had lived here.

Things registered in pieces. One: the tub was full. Two: Wine was spilt all over the floor. Three: A wine glass was shattered on the floor as well. Four: There was no blood.

Gene knelt down and dipped his fingers in the wine on the floor. He put them up to his mouth, and tasted the wine. He didn't know why, he was working on gut instinct. Gene was glad he didn't go with all of Sam's namby pamby science nonsense and still worked on his instincts as soon as he tasted the wine. It was clearly laced with sedatives. If Gene knew Alex, she had probably thrown back an entire glass, not even noticing the odd taste before pouring another and running a bath. He knew one thing for certain however. Two officers were missing, and both had disappeared without a trace.

to be continued...