Disclaimer: I do not own Ashes to Ashes. I am merely toying with the characters and epic storyline that the creators Matthew Graham and Ashley Pharaoh created.

Chapter 1

Gene Hunt

It had been many a year since DI Alex Drake had left CID, Gene remembered her clearly, her sprayed on skinny leg jeans, interesting choice of tops; ones to make Gene want to rip them off, and heels which made her even taller, and held her arse in perfectness. Her scent lingered in his nostrils if he imagined it hard enough. He could remember every detail of her perfect body, every curve; everything that he had longed to touch, but not having time to do so. His most vivid memory of her, was in her final day, the day she realised the truth. "My baby" she'd said, he'd wanted to put his arms around her and take the pain away. Then when he kissed her for the first time, he remembered the taste of her lips, he never wanted the moment between them end, but within seconds of it starting, it was over. She had to leave.

.

He remembered every body that he had helped in some way, shape or form; whether it was to comfort them as they died in his arms, guiding their souls over to Nelsons or taking them to Nelson himself. He'd taken many more, DI's, DS's, and DC's to The Railway Arms, to Nelson. Every time he went, he felt closer to Alex, he wondered if she was still there, or if she had passed over to another place.

He'd got back from Nelsons that night, sitting in his office; flat screen PC on his desk, mobile phone next to the keyboard, he'd gotten used to the technology, the more police that came to him; the more collective memory of technology increased, and Gene knew that, still didn't mean that he had to like it.

Daniel had been the one to realise the truth, or rather, get the truth from digging up old files from storage; files about the previous residents of the Genieverse. He'd kept a private secure vault containing hundreds of files; each one a named dead copper that had found the truth. It was Keats, who had started Gene keeping a systematic way of keeping check on all of those that he'd helped. After Alex, Ray, Chris and Shaz had left and some loon from 2010 arrived, Gene had to sort Keats' office out, the files that he'd claimed to be the past three years of case files, were actually files on each and every person that had come to him since his arrival in 1953. He couldn't keep them in his office, more and more cops like Sam and Alex would arrive; they couldn't know that the world they were living in wasn't real, not until they were ready. He'd kept them.

He still loved Alex, it had been 25 years since he'd last seen her. Sometimes he'd see her come through the doors of CID, but it was just another plonk. After she left, he went back to CID and introduced himself to the Loon; learning the loon's name to be Iain Doherty, he claimed he was a DCI, Gene put him in his place. That night at Luigi's, he took himself up to Alex's flat, it had only been two days since he was there, dancing to Spandau Ballet, almost spending the night. He packed her flat up within days of starting; going back each night, and spending it in her bed, smelling her sweet hair on the pillows, the strands of hair the only physical evidence of her existence. Gene would wake up in the middle of the night, imagining that the bed had dipped next to him, and an arm; Alex's arm would reach over to his, as she kissed his head. But when he turned, she was gone, he'd imagined it. He took the boxes to his lock up; just for safe keeping. Keeping Alex's warrant card picture behind his, it was still there 25 years later.

No longer aloud to keep whisky in his office, Gene took himself from his desk and to the CID kitchen; making tea, with five sugars. The cupboard stocked his favourite; pink wafers and garibaldis.

Morning came for CID, he was always the first in, he had to be these days; had to do paperwork on even the bloody tea fund.

He was getting another one today, he could feel it. He looked around his kingdom; his office. His team had a desk each, flat screen computer and files stacked high on each desk, apart from Daniel's, Gene had moved his belongings and filed important things- police badge, desk tag, the paper trail.

Who ever was replacing Daniel, their future wasn't set – by now the desk tag had arrived – that arrived when someone had 'put in for it' as in; as soon as they were in a dead end situation.

Morning past, CID filled with ringing phones; all working on tip off that there was going to be armed raid in London, somewhere. Special Branch hadn't been too helpful' they were taking charge, but wanted CID to provide a more information on the situation; how they were to do that he had no idea.

Height of summer, Gene put his sunglasses on and took his jacket from his office chair; taking it with him just in case. "I'll be back later" He called to CID as he left. He drove around London, looking for anything out of the ordinary; seeing nothing. June 2008, so bloody hot, never this hot in the 1990s or 80s for that matter. Gene returned to CID, "Told you I'd be back." Gene said as he burst through mid afternoon, looking around he could see much of his department had gone to a meeting with the specials to give their report. Bugger, should be at that meeting, to late now anyway. He looked around again, looking at the desk which belonged to no-one – he saw the name D.I. GRANT behind that, a woman – early/mid thirties, long brown hair up in a high ponytail. Her dark almond eyes, framed by a thin line of eyeliner and coated with mascara. Her shirt was unbuttoned and low cut, and beyond that he couldn't see. Certainly looked familiar.

"My office" he said as he walked past her. DI Grant followed him through.

"Why am I here?"

"You put in for it"

"Sir, I haven't a clue why I would leave my department; I was on DCI training. And, I work with specialist equipment; your department has 15" screen, electricity eating dinosaur tech – just where is the touch screen wall? Where am I? And who are you?"

"DCI Gene Hunt. Its June 2008, now if you don't mind we have a lunatic running around London threatening to kill people."

"2008? June 2008?"

"Problem?"

"Do you know who this madman is?"

"No, got the rest of CID speaking to special branch now, could be a while. What's your name?"

"Molly. Molly Grant."

I was inspired by the ending of Ashes to Ashes to write a little extra for it - as I think Alex should have got something; either wake up and be with Mols, or stay with Gene.

Thank-you for reading

to be continued

Nell