Hi! This is a sequel to my other Ashes to Ashes story "A 24 Hour Bug." It's not entirely necessary to read it first- but I would appreciate the reviews :)

Thank you to EVERYONE who reviewed my last one-shot. It meant so much to me :)

I'd say it's set after series 2 but it pretty much completely ignores series 3!

I hope I captured the characters OK- I imagine if Gene did get sick he would not be the easiest person in the world to deal with, and Alex would get frustrated with him.

Disclaimer: I own nothing except an over active imagination and a lot of spare time. And series one and two on DVD.

Gene Hunt did not get sick. In fact, the last time he really remembered being ill was when he was a child and his mother had made him have the day off school. His father had not believed he was sick, and had kicked ten rounds of shit out of him for supposedly lying. Since then he had obviously had the odd cold- but he did not kick up a fuss about it. He was the Manc Lion, and a stupid little cold was not going to stop him running his kingdom. No, Gene Hunt did not get sick. Not until he was with Alex Drake. Four days ago she had managed to catch a bug off Viv at work and had been very ill for twenty-four hours. Now, four days later Gene found himself with a very similar relationship with the toilet in her flat. He groaned and looked at the clock, it was 7am. She would be awake soon and notice he was ill, and would probably reprimand him for not waking her when he was first sick about three hours previously. For someone who complained he was a heavy sleeper, she sure slept through a lot. He looked at her lying next to him- dead to the world. He rolled his eyes as he did every time he saw that bloody eye-mask she sometimes insisted on wearing to bed. It was like a bloody cock-blocker. As soon as he saw her pull it out of the drawer he knew he wasn't going to be getting any. Well, that and the fact she had no qualms in telling him the night before that the decorators were in. Not that he hadn't noticed anyway- she had been in a foul mood for a couple of days. It had not been a good week.

Not that Gene could really complain about his sex life. Apart from when it was that time of the month Alex was pretty much insatiable. At first he had tried to tell himself it was just about the sex, but he knew it was never just about that with her. When he was alone with Alex he felt things for her he hadn't felt since the early days of his marriage. Even then it had not felt quite like this. He knew he loved her. When she wasn't around he did not feel relaxed until she was back again. Gene hated himself for it. She was turning him into a right poof. He hadn't told her that he loved her yet. She had told him- once when she was quite drunk. He couldn't remember his reply but it must have been quite inadequate because she had not said it again since, he was under no false pretence that she did not remember. Gene Hunt was a lucky bastard and he knew it.

He shifted attempting to make his aching body more comfortable. He groaned as the alarm went off. He felt her stir beside him. Here we go...

The alarm tore through her sleep and abruptly woke her up. She groaned and hit the button on top of the alarm clock. She slowly pulled her eye-mask off and let her eyes adjust to the morning light that had trickled into the room. Alex felt Gene shift in the bed next to her, and she smiled before moving slightly closer to him. She moved her arm under the covers so her hand landed on his chest. She frowned to herself, his skin was clammy and hot. Then she realised despite how warm his skin was he was completely under the duvet- which was rare for him- and he was shivering slightly.

"Gene?" she asked with her voice full of concern, "Are you ok?" She sat up and tried to look at him, but the light in the room was still too dim. She leaned over him and turned on the bedside lamp. She gasped when she saw how pale and tired he looked. "Oh my god Gene- you look awful!"

"Thanks Bolls- I'll have you know you don't look amazin' first thing in the mornin' either!" His throat sounded rough and dry, but that didn't stop her from glaring at him for his comment. "I'm fine Bolls. I just didn't sleep well."

"Hmm. Why is it I don't quite believe you?" She said as she put her hand on his forehead. "Gene- you're burning up." He slapped her hand away.

"I'm fine woman. Just hung-over, that's all."

"We didn't go to Luigi's last night."

"Fine then, its food poisoning."

"We ate the same thing last night."

"Must you question everything I say?" He asked exasperated.

"Well when you are obviously avoiding the truth- yes." He groaned at her response.

"You know Bolls, sometimes you are more trouble-" he stopped talking. He suddenly looked paler.

"Gene," she looked worried, "Are you ok?" Before he could come up with a smart answer he moved faster than she had ever seen him move and was in the bathroom. Alex followed him and tried to get in, he had locked the door. She knocked on the door, with one hand still on the handle. "Gene? What's going on?" She didn't even bother trying to mask the worry in her voice. She listened for his reply but he didn't answer her, instead she heard a strange noise. "Gene, answer me!" She was frustrated now, he was just doing this to wind her up...then she heard a very familiar sound. "Are you being sick?" She asked, with a little more patience to her voice. Still no reply. He really was a bloody difficult bastard sometimes. "Gene. Just let me in!" After a moment she went to knock on the door again, but stopped when she heard the toilet flush. A few seconds later she heard the door unlock and open. They stood facing each other in silence briefly, before he spoke.

"Better get ready for work." He murmured, and moved past her. She stood in shock for a moment, before turning around quickly and grabbing his arm.

"I don't think so!" She stood right in front of him and took in his appearance. "You are sick- you can't go to work."

"I think you'll find Bolly that I am your superior officer and-"

"I think you'll find this isn't the office Gene and you aren't superior here." She held his wrist slightly tighter and narrowed her eyes at him. A look that he returned to her.

"What do you mean by that Bo-"

"You know exactly what I mean by that."

"Stop bloody interrupting me woman!" He pulled his arm away from her. He knew he was pushing it, she was in a bad enough mood before her morning coffee everyday- let alone when she was on her period too.

"Then stop being so pigheaded!" She all but growled at him. "You are obviously sick! You must have caught what I had the other day." She said, trying to be sympathetic.

"I don't get sick." He replied, with an edge of petulance to his voice. She raised her eyebrow at him and leaned in slightly.

"Oh yeah?" She asked in a seductive whisper.

"Of course Bolls." He attempted to wrap his arms around her waist. She stood back before he could.

"Well- the smell of vomit on your breath disagrees with you." She smirked as she saw the look on his face. "You are not going to work, get back into bed." She turned back towards the bedroom, but turned to look at him again briefly. "But brush your teeth first." She sauntered back into the bedroom to figure out her outfit for the day.

"Damn woman."

"Gene- I'm going to work." She said to the bathroom door, he had gone in a good half an hour before, and of course- the door was locked. He hadn't let her in there at all, it infuriated her because she knew it was only because he didn't like to be seen vulnerable. Even by her. Trust a man to think vomiting is vulnerable. "I'll come back to check on you at lunch." Before she could say anymore the door opened. Gene was standing there- still looking pale- but in a suit. His shirt was slightly crumpled and his tie has hanging looser than usual. The only upside Alex could see was that he had in fact, brushed his teeth this time. "What are you doing?" she asked with severe irritation clear in her voice.

"Goin' to work."

"Oh for God's sake." She grabbed his wrist and dragged him to the bedroom, the fact he did not resist was evidence enough for the fact he was sick. "You are staying here. You are resting. You are not coming to work." She punctuated each word with a poke in his chest.

"Alex- I'm fine."

"Bullshit!" She half shouted. "You've thrown up 4 times since I woke up, and God knows how many times before that. Now you are staying here- or so help me I will tie you down." She turned to leave, and before he could even open his mouth with a smutty retort she turned back to him and glared. "And before you bloody ask no- that is not a promise."

Alex sighed to herself as she completed paperwork that Gene was supposed to be doing. Not that she would ever kid herself that if he was in he would be doing it anyway. She looked around the office, everyone else seemed to be enjoying the slow day and the fact the Guv was not in. Ray, for example, had his feet on the desk in front of him and had been making smutty comments about her sex life since she had told the team Gene would not be in today. It had been a slow two hours. She picked up the paper work she had finished and walked into Gene's office to put it on his desk. It felt strange being in there without Gene around, the smell of smoke was stale and it seemed almost absurdly quiet.

As she went to leave the office she saw something sticking out of his drawer. She pulled out what turned out to be a torn folded piece of paper, and she unfolded it. Her eyebrows shot up as she set her eyes upon a crudely drawn pornographic picture of her and Gene. She laughed to herself and kept one eyebrow raised. So this is what he does when he should be doing paperwork then. She folded the piece of paper up and slipped it into the back pocket of her jeans. She smirked to herself and left the office, as she did she heard Ray talking about her again- obviously unaware she had re-entered the room.

"I bet you anythin' that the Guv is fine, and she's got him handcuffed to the bloody bed. She may be a posh tart but she-" Ray finally noticed that Chris was making signs at him and turned around to face Alex, who was looking at him with a look of thunder on her face.

"Well you got the first bit right Raymondo." Everyone in the room looked up and saw Gene standing at the door. "Unfortunately, no such luck on the second part." He looked towards Alex, who was still standing in the doorway of his office looking just as angry. "Right, Bolly- my office." She quickly turned and entered the room, followed by him. As soon as he closed the door the unavoidable tirade began.

"What the hell are you doing here?" He didn't reply but sat in his chair. "Get back to my flat- now!"

"You know Bolls, that sort of demanding talk will only help the lads believe Carling's theory that you are a dirty tart." The look of anger on her face stopped her from going any further.

"You are sick, Gene. You look sick." She moved and sat on the desk in front of him, slapping away his wondering hands as she spoke again. "You need to go back home." Their eyes briefly locked as the fact she referred to her flat as home was not lost on either of them.

"I don't need to do anything except work, Bolly." He tapped her on the knee. "Now off you go- you don't get paid to sit around looking pretty all day." The attempt at a joke failed and she stood up and rolled her eyes at him.

"You are worse than a bloody child Gene Hunt!"

Not too long after Alex sat back at her desk Gene left his office abruptly, muttering something about needing to go on a call. Alone. She sighed and waited for a couple of minutes, before coming up with an excuse to leave the office. She walked quickly towards the male toilets, where she waited impatiently just outside the door for several minutes. Then Gene walked out, proving her theory right.

"Well well Guv, feeling better are we?" She asked with a teasing tone to her voice.

"Not now Bolly." He moved to walk past her but she also moved so she was still in his way.

"Go home. You are not well." She covered his mouth with her right index finger to stop him from talking again. "Do I look like I am in the mood to be argued with anymore?" He looked slightly angry at her, but had seemingly relented. He grabbed her hand and pulled it away from his lips.

"How does it feel to be so bloody right all the time?"

"You get used to it." She kissed his cheek gently, before pulling away completely. "Now go, I'll be home when work ends. And if we really can't do anything without you around-I'll call you." He walked past her without saying goodbye, but she did hear him mutter under his breath.

"Bloody know it all."

It was about 5pm when she walked through the flat door. It had just been one of those days, being stuck in CID with what felt like all the testosterone in the world in the room was not Alex's idea of a good time. The team certainly acted up when the Manc Lion wasn't around to keep them in check. She almost tripped over his boots, which had been left in the middle of the floor near the front door. She clenched her fists briefly and took a deep breath, this man- this wonderful man- really did take the bloody piss sometimes. She took off her own shoes and walked into the living room to find him lying on the sofa watching TV. He looked up at her when she entered the room.

"What you cooking for dinner Bolls?" She gave him a look that said 'you'd better be bloody joking you bastard' and he grabbed her hand- pulling her down to lie on top of him. She did not take any persuading and easily settled into his embrace.

"Feeling better than?" she asked quietly, he looked down at her and she had her eyes closed. She moved her head so it was tucked under his chin.

"Much. Some daft bint at work, who has a really problem with insubordination, made me come home. Turns out she may have been right." He felt her smile into his chest. She looked up at him with a glint of playfulness in her eyes.

"Sounds like she's smart."

"Oh she's very clever, but she bloody well knows it. And never lets me forget it." She hit him in the chest gently before leaning forward and kissing him. When she pulled away she suddenly remembered something.

"Oh," she pulled something out of her back pocket. "Look what I found in my bosses office! He's a right perv' you know!" He saw what was in her hand and tried to grab it, whilst she tried to keep it out of his grasp as long as possible. During this struggle their position on the sofa changed, he was now lying on top of her and her arm was flung back over the sofa's arm- keeping the scrap of paper out of reach.

"Cheeky mare."

"Well we might just have to test it out someday." She whispered before kissing him again. They laid their for a while, his head resting on her chest but he had most of his body on the sofa beside her out of fear of crushing her. She was playing with his hair watching the TV, not really taking any of it in. "I love you, Gene." She said gently- thinking he was asleep.

"Love you too Bolls." She froze slightly; he looked up at her and smiled at the look on her face. He kissed her quickly before standing up and pulling her with him. "Come on then- if you ain't cooking lets go downstairs. I'm bloody starving'." He left the room to put his boots on leaving Alex standing in the lounge still in shock. She smiled to herself. As she walked to join him she thought about telling him eating Italian food would not help his stomach after being ill all day, but knew it would just fall on deaf ears.

"You bloody impossible man." She said quietly and fondly.

"Say something Bolly?" He asked as he opened the door.

"No Gene. Nothing." She stood right next to him and kissed him. "Say it again."

"Say what?"

"You know what."

"What are you talking about?"

"Gene." She said warningly, knowing he was teasing her but definitely not being in the mood for it. He sighed.

"I love ya Bolls." He said pulling her into his arms, kissing her passionately. When the need for air became too much she pulled away and rested her forehead against his.

"I love you too." She whispered back. "Now," she started, playing with the lapels of his jacket, "there was a promise of food?"

So, what did you guys think?

I really didn't mean for it to get quite so fluffy, but it sort of just happened this way!

I have ideas for a multi-chapter story, so if you guys want more from me let me know!

Anyway, please please review :)

Fifteen Minutes Old

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