Little Price Takes Gene's Advice
Gene sat in his office after yet another pointlessly busy day, the whiskey bottle sat on his desk getting slowly emptied. Even now and then he found himself glancing over to DI Drakes desk as though expecting her to be there. Each time he had to scold himself. Of course she wasn't there; she was at Luigi's celebrating Chris's birthday. He should be there too but he liked the quiet sanctuary of the office.
He sighed, checking his watch. He could wait another few minutes before heading out. At least here he could hear himself think. The team knew that he stayed at work later than anyone else, but they didn't know why yet. When it was quiet he had time to reflect and even to grieve, a liberty that he hadn't been allowed when Sam had died.
Sam. His deputy, his best mate, the only one who had believed him when he'd been framed for murder. The only one he had ever found who had respected him and loved him for who he was. The one who had been stubborn enough to leave him without a body to mourn over.
When it came to it Sam was the reason he'd moved away. He couldn't cope without him, seeing his ghost at every corner. He'd even caught himself talking aloud to thin air on several occasions. But he'd promised himself that he hadn't been going mad and moved on.
Then Alex. Another completely crazy DI who reckoned that they weren't real and that she had to 'get home'. Yet she stood up for herself and, like Sam, she was more right than wrong most of the time. So why had he fallen so hard for her? Why her? Why the posh bird who didn't believe he was real?
He checked the time again. Time to get going. He stood, reaching out to take his coat from the rack when he heard someone clearing their throat. He looked around at the doorway. Little Alex Price was stood there looking rather lost.
"You said I could come if I needed help." Little Alex muttered sheepishly.
"I did." he replied, crouching down in front of her, "What's wrong?"
"I miss mum and dad." she answered. Gene sighed and led her into his office, lifting her up onto the desk. He had known this would come but he found himself as unprepared as always. He gazed at her for a moment, noticing that she was damp and shivering.
"Did you walk here?" he asked the little girl. She nodded in reply and he reached under his desk, picking up the blanket he kept there and wrapped it around her.
"Why do you have a blanket under your desk?" Little Alex asked, holding it tightly around herself.
"In case I get tired." he said, trying to not give anything away, "So, do you want to talk about them?" Little Alex looking away, talking in the office, luckily the posters from Lord Scarman's visit still covered up anything rude.
"Have you caught the people that did it?" she asked after a long and uncomfortable silence. He could lie, or he could tell the truth.
"Yes sweetheart." Lie. "They can't hurt you now." Truth. "I'll make sure they can't." Truth.
"Promise?" Little Alex asked meekly.
"Promise." Gene replied. Little Alex managed a half smile, her eyes watery with tears. She tried to hold back but failed as the sobs escaped her. Gene stood up, wrapped his arms around her, only slightly surprised when she hugged him back, burying her head in his shirt. Oh well, he was sure they wouldn't mind if he was late at Luigi's.
He let her cry herself out before letting go, only realising then that he had been rubbing circles on her back once he stopped.
"Sorry." Little Alex whispered, wiping her eyes.
"It's alright, you needed that I think." Little Alex nodded at she sat herself up again. Gene made a quick decision. He rummaged in his draw.
"What are you looking for?" she asked. Gene began to wonder if all kids were this inquisitive.
"Do you like pink wafers?" Her face lit up quicker than the Christmas lights in a house with several excited children. Little Alex nodded enthusiastically as he produced a half empty packet, handing a few to her. They vanished very quickly.
He sat back down in his chair. Watching her as she finished off her third biscuit. He noticed that she was getting tired and got up again, picking up his coat.
"Let's get you home." he told her, helping her down.
"I'm not tired." Little Alex retorted, her statement was quickly contradicted by a rather long yawn.
"Really?" he muttered sarcastically. He grabbed his car keys and led Little Alex out of the station, not caring that she still had his blanket wrapped around her. The Quattro was still parked exactly where he had left it.
"Is that really your car?" Little Alex asked, her eyes running over every aspect of the motor.
"Yep." Gene replied, slotting the key in the lock and turning it. The lights flashed briefly to show that the car had been unlocked.
"Whoa." Little Alex said, still admiring the Quattro as Gene lifted her into the seat, helping her with her seatbelt.
"Does it go fast?" Little Alex asked, excitement overpowering the drowsiness. Gene chuckled as he pulled his door shut and turned the key.
"Very." Little Alex practically jumped up and down in her seat, "Tell you what, we'll go round the block and show you how fast it can go, but you tell no one ok?"
"Ok, promise." Little Alex said, still bouncing gently.
The car screeched to a halt outside Evan White's house a good fifteen minutes later. Little Alex reached down and undid her seatbelt.
"That was fun!" she exclaimed as Gene opened her door and let her out. The door was open before they had even reached the steps.
"Thank god! Alex I was so worried!" Evan scolded but as he looked from Alex's happy face to Gene, who had an arm round her shoulders, he stopped. Alex turned around and thanked Gene before running to Evan, giving him a hug and running inside. Gene watched with a smile before turning away to leave.
"Wait!" Evan called, he stopped and turned around.
"Yes?"
"Thank you for bringing her home safely." Gene nodded in reply and got into the Quattro, he had to get to Luigi's before somebody started worrying.
Alex was very drunk by the time he entered, Chris and Ray were joking with Luigi and Shaz was laughing at them. In three words, it was chaos. Alex looked up as he came over, her depressed expression lifting.
"Where the hell have you been?" she demanded as the wine bottle mysteriously appeared in front of him.
"Just helping out a little lady." Gene replied cryptically. The rest of the evening passed as a blur of Alex grilling him with questions and Chris and Ray annoying Luigi within an inch of his life. He was considering leaving when Alex grabbed hold of his wrist.
"Stay." she begged and for the smallest of moments she looked just like Little Alex, begging him go faster, to push the Quattro to the limits. He gave in very quickly. Alex let the subject slide as they headed up to her flat.
Fin.