As I've been busy finishing the last fanfic chapter of Love At Christmas, I'd decided to create another fanfic, I thought I'd do one where it shows the true meaning of love and friendship as friends get together for Christmas Day.

Merry Christmas Gene Hunt - Chapter 1

Gene had busied himself before the onrushing Christmas season commenced, arresting uncharitable suspects who had been caught robbing from the homeless on the streets of Fenchurch, this was one thing which annoyed him. He simply never enjoyed all the present giving outs nor getting persuaded for a kiss and cuddle under the mistletoe that never actually left anyone out at all the Fenchurch Christmas Office Party. He wasn't enthusiastic about spending Christmas Day with his humble friends from Fenchurch East, in matter of fact it soon became problematic to explain to Alex. Whatever she kept recommending this certainly made him feel rather uneasy, she was busily suggesting he ought to contribute by joining in with the Christmas Carols whenever they were played at Ray's house. Gene hadn't told her that he wasn't keen on singing nor the fact that he was a rubbish singer when it came to singing along to the latest songs in the pop charts nowadays.

Alex felt frustrated by his unhelpful and tongue-tied feelings, very much so to the point where she distinctly told him exactly what she believed he was trying to do "Gene it's the most wonderful time of the year and you're acting so low key and so stubborn that it makes me wonder whether you're slowly turning into a modern day Scrooge." she slammed her hands slap bang on the desk, expressively feeling that it felt as if she was talking to a brick wall, nothing certainly was getting through to him.

"Is this your way of cheering me up cos its not gonna work. " Gene grumbled, wondering why she was bothering with him, when nothing she could say would work "Look Bolly Christmas isn't my favourite time of the year, its constantly freezing, so much so that it always nearly bloody freezes my balls every year." Gene sighed whilst staring at her, feeling aggravated.

"Come on Gene, there'll be party games getting us into a festive cheer and high spirits galore, look Ray's promised us all a night we'd never forget, there's going to be so entertainment to look forward to" Alex leaned forward, pressing her body halfway across Gene's desk, he sat back, allowing his eyes to avert and slowly drift down to her unbuttoned two blouse red buttons.

Gene glanced upright at her, noting the dissatisfied reaction across her immaculate eyes "Christ Bolls he says that every year, all we end up doing is sitting around the television watching the Morecambe and Wise Christmas special" Gene argued his case, enveloping his arms together, sighing breathlessly.

"Maybe it'll be different this year, maybe you'll be left surprised, you know for once Gene #bloody' Hunt just stop being so reserved and aloof cos then you'll come to realize that Christmas isn't as bad as you thought it would be, then maybe you'll know in your heart you've misjudged it altogether" Alex raised her fingers, waggling them in front of Gene's eyes to prove a valuable point. She stormed off from his office in a quite huff. Gene watched her leaving the office, thoughtfully in his mind she certainly had made quite an remarkable statement to him, maybe he ought to consider what Christmas truly meant to him.

Certain previous Christmasses had entangled bad memories for him; his former wife annoucing she never loved him anymore and leaving him on Christmas Day 1979, a year later he'd drunkly stumbled home after a rowdy night at Luigis and almost punched a concerned Viv for getting in the way. Honestly he never wanted to remember those bad moments in life ever again and always tried to look more forward to future and what it could bring for him, a passionate snog with Alex when she might hopefully admit her feelings for him, a promotion for them both.

xxxx

Ray sat comfortably perched at his desk, vigilantly watching for any signs of possible movement from Gene's office, he couldn't help worrying when he saw that the blinds had been closed for over two hours, he suspected perhaps Gene was up to something terrible or perhaps it was his way of requesting for some peace and quiet that Thursday afternoon. He'd known that his experienced and respected friend found Christmas to be more depressing and boring.

"Do you think I should knock, you know see if he's feeling alright, its not normally like shutting himself away all of a sudden" Ray said as he went to stand, biting his bottom lip anxiously.

"Ray has your mind you been elsewhere, presumably your eyes have been eyeing up the new WPC, anyway you haven't noticed the Guv's done this for the last two weeks, sheltering himself within his office" Chris said.

"No Ray, he's been horrible to me and Ma'am all week about the build up to the 25th, told me that women are always relied upon to sort out the Christmas Dinner and the pudding when the men get a chance to look lazy, I said I didn't find his sarcastic comment funny" Shaz said, presuming at that moment in time, he should be left alone for now.

"I'd leave it mate, he'll only tell you to bugger off, best giving him another hour or so, he might have calmed down by then" Chris clarified, as he and Ray both looked towards the noiseless office. As they both felt determined to carry on with paperwork, Gene's voice echoed out. "Bastard, don't you fall down on me, come on, stay where you are" he shouted angrily, as the sound of desk belongings scattered loudly on the floor, one of the belongings sounded very much like the computer and the keyboard.

Chris and Ray heard the commotion and immediately sprinted from their desks and both banged heavily on the office door. "Guv you alright, we heard ya screaming, you haven't hurt yourself have you?"

"No I haven't, go and get on with some proper policing work you nonces" Gene eventually answered, not saying too much nor being unconcerned about their sudden worry about him being enclosed alone within his office with no one to share a conversation with, as nobody in the office could see whatever was going on, they next heard the clicking hard sound of a stapler being clicked against either the wall or across Gene's desk.

"What is he doing in there, you don't think he's decorating the office is he, mightbe his sensitive way of showing us he's had a sudden change of heart" Chris eagerly suggested, uncertain whether his thought was right or not.

xxxx

All things considered, as the team finally left one by one after 6pm that cold Thursday evening, beginning their journeys as they began heading towards Luigis for well deserved Christmas drinks, an scant hour ago Gene had opened his office door and informed Alex, Chris, Shaz, Ray and Viv to stay behind, as he had something surprising in store for them to see.

Whilst standing around and feeling absolutely frozen stiff as the unwanted cold draft creeped through the CID doors. Ray wondered what he could have possibly meant "You don't think he's gonna reveal a personalized Christmas tattoo is he, rebelliously saying up yours Santa"

Shaz and Alex both looked at one another shaking their heads frustratingly after both expressing their unimpressed looks after hearing Ray's rude quip.

"Oh Shaz I really hope he's taken everything what I told him earlier on board and to heart because when I saw that obvious hidden look in his eyes he suddenly gave me the impression that this time of year holds personal unpleasant memories for him, I even told him he's turning into a contemporary Scrooge and all he did was respond by grumbling at me" Alex whispered to her young friend.

Gene half-finished the blinds as he soon revealed what he'd been planning all afternoon, everyone beguilingly anticipated what this would be. "Right you bunch of fairies, pencil pushers and posh totty women, let's see all your face be dropped in amazement" he called out, feeling and sounding more or less jubliant. He wound the blinds up further and soon revealed his very own dazzling Winter Wonderland before their stunned eyes.

Numerous Christmas lights were noticeably attached and wrapped around the double edged office window, Four huge A4 hand made Christmas trees were decorated across the table, a hand-made house and a hand-made Christmas Crackers. Gene had amazed everyone, Shaz and Chris picked up a Christmas made a goldened glitter ornament made from an old stationery Pencil holder flask, four unwrapped Christmas presents which he had previously hidden away for three consecutive years, he wasn't quite sure what presents were inside. As he looked towards Alex he wondered whether to give her the larger present.

"Wow Guv you really did this, all on your own, I'm really impressed" Chris looked flabbergasted, his eyebrow flinching whilst he picked up other Christmas related belongings.

"No Christopher I had plenty of help of 12 flying dwarf elfs that all looked like you and fairy goggle eyes over there" Gene referred to Ray by this nickname , " said I'd pay them a tenner each for the help"

"Really" Chris instantly fell hook, line and sinker for Gene's obvious lie, everyone knew straight away, that this wasn't the case, they had known Gene all too well over the past few years they had thankfully known him for.

"No you daft dimwit, of course I did it on my own. Wanted to say after the kind and grateful advice DI Drake gave me, I considered what I genuinely thought about Christmas and used some creative skills and lastly I came up with all of this." Gene chuckled, finding this all too hilarious.

"I must admit Gene I'm grateful you listened to me" Alex said, smiling delightedly at him, she felt a tempting feeling to flirt with him, once everyone left the office.

"Well Bolls everything you say I know it always never rings out instantly but when you constantly nag and nag and nag, it appreciatively sets off alarm bells in my brain cells, makes me see the error of my ways in the end and I know now I've got you to thank for that" Gene winks an eyelid, smirking like a cat that the cream.

"You thanking me Mr Hunt, thought I'd never see this day coming, wearing your heart on your sleeve" Alex found herself just doing what she thought to leave till later, she smiled shyly when she spotted the delighted glance across his lips when he responded to her kindhearted yet flirtatious words.

"Christ Mrs Know-It-All, Miss Sarky Knickers" he said whilst squinting his eyes " you may have the brains of a female tiger but I know one things for sure you've got a decent good heart that I quite admire, you must believe I've lost manly character by admitting this " Gene said shying away nervously, his words took her ultimately by surprise, she was tempted to grab some mistletoe that she knew Chris had stored away within his desk drawer and give Gene a deserving passionate snog under it.

"I love this honest and truthful side of you, why can't you be this way all year along, less argumentative, less confrontational and less sarcastic" Alex whispered to him, she'd acknowledged that everyone was preoccupied by the Christmas Crackers he'd impressively made for them. She couldn't help respecting this surprising side to him, all the effort, time and skill he'd displayed genuinely left her feeling spellbound and fascinated. As she looked towards him, she wondered perhaps if she was admiring him too much as if she was blatantly ignoring all the ways she felt about him, the times they'd fallen out spectacularly when Keats tried to drive a wedge between them. and the time he believed she was as crazier than an annoying hula hoop.

"If I'd toned down my swagger side Bolls everyone would think I've gone soft and as fluffy than a pillowcase" Gene admitted, feeling he ought to follow this way she suggested to him, however this was challenging to agree upon, dropping his ways of life, the ways he'd adapted to since joining the force. He presumed he couldn't drop his bad attitude and manly, bravado just to make a promise to someone who he deeply cared about.

"Guess you've still got one more matter to decide upon, please surprise me Gene on Christmas Day, as Ray said it'll be a fantastic get together for all of us, make it magnificient for me" Alex murmured as she stood alongside him.

End of Chapter

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