Title : RED
Author : Skywise
Rating : Green Cortina
Pairing : Gene/Alex/Other
Word Count : God Knows - around 1500 I think
Disclaimer : Not mine -it all belongs to Kudos/BBC
Spoilers : None specifically.
A/N : This is unbetaed for which my apologies are sincere. The prompt was "RED" but for the life of me I can't remember whose the prompt was. I am a bad person hangs head in shame
--o0o--
Alex couldn't take her eyes of it.
It hung there all day, taunting her.
It caught the light whenever he moved, shimmering in the sun's rays, waving merriily at her when the breeze caught it.
One single, solitary bright red hair.
To be fair, it wasn't exactly bright red, not what you'd call letter-box red, it was more auburn actually, but it was long and soft and glossy with the sort of sheen that only comes from extensive use of very expensive conditioner and frequent visits to the salon, and it sat on the charcoal grey shoulder of Gene's jacket as if it had a God-given right to be there.
Alex tried glaring at it but it only shone brighter as if in retaliation, wrapping itself in a glorious haze of golden sunflakes just to spite her.
She loathed that hair with all her might. She hated everything it was and everything it stood for because she knew exactly what sort of person would have hair like that.
Someone thin and beautiful, oh, and young, don't forget young, with a vivacious personality which would captivate him. The head that hair came from wouldn't have a shred of grey in it - had never seen the dye bottle. There would be a full head of soft, red hairs all of which were just waiting for their chance to leap onto Gene's jacket and claim ownership of him.
How many times had that head rested against his shoulder, she wondered fretfully. Did its owner snuggle into him, his arms wrapping around her, holding her close and safe. Did the bimbo's hair brush against his skin as she moved across his body; covering him in kisses as they made slow, gentle love before falling asleep in each other's arms?
Alex snarled to herself as she gazed at the offending strand and a small, hard knot formed in her stomach as she visualised Gene and Red Hair Girl together. Every time he came near her that day her fingers itched to pick it off him - rip the usurper's mark from him and replace it. He should never have red hairs on him. the only hairs on his jackets should be dark and curly, not straight and red.
Gene was hers. HERS!! She knew this as surely as she knew the sun would rise in the mornings and that Ray Carling was a Neanderthal.
Alright, so maybe she hadn't actually got around to telling Gene that he belonged to her yet but that was a small point in the grand scheme of things. They'd been dancing around each other since she'd arrived in this godawful time zone. Alex was only too aware of the desire she'd seen in his eyes when he looked at her and she knew exactly what she wanted to do to him, given half a chance. She'd been enjoying the chase though, the frisson of tension whenever they were around each other. She'd wanted to take things slowly, had thought that was what he wanted too. She'd spent many happy hours fantasising about the day the chase would end and she would allow him to catch her
And now this! He'd ruined everything. All her carefully prepared daydreams shattered around her and Alex fumed silently, forcing her eyes back down to her paperwork.
--o0o--
"Beer o'clock!"
Bang on 5 pm the familier shout thundered through CID. Everyone immediately leapt to their feet, grabbed their coats and hurried out of the station. Beer o'clock meant that all roads led to Luigi's and no-one wanted to waste a moment of their valuable drinking time. No-one, that is, except Alex who quietly carried on reading and sorting statements, ignoring the rush for the door.
A shadow fell across her desk and she looked up into a pair of soft blue/grey eyes, the colour of the sea after a storm. As usual, Alex felt herself fall into his gaze and, as usual, he grinned, knowing the effect that he had on her.
"Not coming Bolly?"
Shaking her head slightly to break the spell, she gathered her dignity around her like a cloak and rose to her feet.
"No." She was quite proud of the way her voice remained steady. "I don't think so. Not tonight."
His eyes narrowed with sudden suspicion.
"Got other plans 'ave yer?"
"As a matter of fact, yes." She replied haughtily and swept out of the room taking great care not to look back, which was a shame because, if she had, she would have seen him standing, alone and crushed, looking after her with mournful eyes.
Alex swept through Luigi's pausing only to grab three bottles of wine from behind the bar.
"Put it on my tab." She called to Luigi as she disappeared up the stairs leaving Ray, Chris and Shaz looking at each other with raised eyebrows.
--o0o--
Alex drank the first glass of wine in one draught.
"Bastard!"
The second glass went the way of the first, only slightly quicker.
"Dickhead!"
One glass of wine followed another, each punctuated by a different expression of her current affection for her DCI until she was sat on the sofa eyeing at the half bottle of wine that she had left. That wasn't going to be enough - not nearly enough. She knew she was on the edge of a bender of epic proportions and would need a damn sight more alcohol than she currently had in her possession and now was probably the best time to go and get it - before she became incapable of navigating the stairs.
Just about managing to keep her balance, she finally made it to the bar. Luigi look at her with a worried expression.
"Senora? You are alright?" He asked.
"More wine please. Another three bottles should do it."
"Si, Senora."
Shaking his head, Luigi reached for bottles of her usual wine but she stopped him with a shriek.
"NO!! Not red! White! I never want to see anything red again."
Shrugging his shoulders at the vaguaries of women, Luigi complied and handed over three bottles of white wine.
Alex was just reaching out to take them when a well-known and, up until today, well-loved voice rasped in her ear
"'Aven't you 'ad enough tonight Bolly?"
Alex paused and drew herself up to her full height before turning around to face Gene nose to nose.
"You," she told him in a very firm, although somewhat slurred voice, "are a complete, total and utter bastard and I never want to lay eyes on you again."
Gene stared at her in shock, his mind searching for something, anything, he might have done to incur her wrath, but came up blank.
She stared at him owlishly, obviously waiting for a response from him but the only thing he could think of to say was "Why?"
He flinched slightly as she reached out towards him, but her hand didn't fly towards his face, as he'd expected, but went towards his shoulder. She pulled her hand back with something pinched between her thumb and forefinger. In the dimness of the bar it looked as if she wasn't holding anything. Seeing his puzzled expression she laid the whatever-it-was onto a white napkin lying on the bar. Looking down he saw, glinting in the light of the bar lights, a single red hair.
"You tosser!" Alex spat as she pushed past him and made her way carefully up the stairs.
Gene stared at the red hair on the white napkin, a wide grin spreading across his face as comprehension dawned. He looked up at Luigi, who had been watching proceedings avidly whilst pretending to polish glasses.
"Luigi, she loves me!" Gene announced.
" I do not understand Senor Hunt."
"You may not, my old son, but I bloody well do." And with that Gene hurried out of the restaurant and disappeared into the night.
--o0o--
An hour later Alex was on the verge of a crying jag.
Tears poured down her face as she finally admitted to herself that she'd lost him. And that she'd never really had him. And that she'd never get home and would be stuck here forever pining over a man who obviously didn't give a damn about her. She sobbed loudly and wiped her eyes with the heels of her hands then reached for yet another glass of wine.
A sudden knock at the door made her jump and she spilt the cold wine down the front of her shirt. Her misery now complete she surrendered herself completely to her self-pity and bawled.
The knock came again. "Alex. You dozy Plonk!. Open the bloody door!"
"Why don't you just sod off, Gene." She shouted back.
"Last chance, Alex, open the sodding door!"
"No!"
There was the sound of footsteps retreating and then returning and with a crash the door flew open and, somewhere, a dog barked.
Alex sat on the sofa as Gene advanced through the now open doorway. He held her gaze with his as he walked up to her. Her face was red and blotchy, eye make-up smudged all over her cheeks and her top was soaked with wine and God knew what else. He thought she'd never looked so beautiful.
"Alex." His voice was softer now.
"I'd like you to meet someone."
He turned back to the doorway and whistled through his teeth.
Alex stared in astonishment as a half grown Red Setter puppy bounded through the door, heading straight for Gene, wrapping itself around his leg and gazing up at him adoringly.
Smiling, Gene turned back to Alex.
"This is Sophie. I've been looking after her for my neighbours while they're away. Sophie, say hello to Auntie Alex."
fin