AN: first Ashes fic. Please review. I wrote this for a tumblr prompt I was sent. Thanks for reading xx

XxX

Alex sat in the railway arms, she was unaware on how long she'd been sat there, nursing the same glass of wine. It didn't taste right to her anyway. Nothing was right anymore. Going for a drink at the end of the day wasn't the same.

There was Ray, Chris and Shaz sat at a table in the corner. The young couple laughing at Ray as he tried to explain a joke to them. They were still here.

Nelson was pulling pints as always. He looked across at her for a moment to see if she was alright, on seeing she probably wasn't he walked over to her.

"You're troubled Alex?"

"Just a bit Nelson." She swallowed hard wondering what she was going to say to him. Sometimes you spend everyday hoping someone will ask if you're okay, but then you also hope they don't because you're too tired to explain.

"What wrong?" He stopped himself. "Is it Mister Hunt?"

She laughed slightly feeling a lump form in her throat. "You know when I first met him he was the most annoying infuriating person I had ever met...and now..."

"You miss him?"

"Is that strange?"

"Not at all. All of us do." He smiled for a moment before leaning against the bar. "You're waiting for him?"

"But he won't come. Not whilst there is still work to be done." She sighed. "And I can't go back to him..."

"Who's says you can't?"

"Huh?"

"A door once opened can be stepped through in either direction."

She furrowed her eyebrows in a confused expression.

"You've always been able to go back Alex, you and the others."

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"You don't need to be there anymore, but I can tell you want to be. And I'm sure Mister Hunt would want you there too."

"Do those three know?"

She looked over her shoulder at Chris, Ray and Shaz.

"Yeah. I told em."

"Then why haven't they mentioned it?"

"You've barely spoken to them Alex. They won't go without you and they won't stay if you don't. It's your choice."

"Do I go and find him? Do I go back? What do I do Nelson?"

"You can either spend your days in here as you have no desire to move on or you can go and see Hunt."

Alex ran a hand through her hair. She could go back? When she was shot and first woke up in 1981 she hated the place. Honestly she did. But now she'd do anything to go back.

She missed the way things were. She missed being driven around at high speeds and not being aloud to wear a seat belt. She missed trying to convince Gene she was right.

She missed being DI Drake.

She came to her decision, she had to go and see Gene. Even if he told her to go away because she needed to move on. She didn't care. He couldn't push her away. Not anymore.

She picked up her coat off the back of her chair. "Thanks Nelson."

She smiled before walking towards the door.

"Going somewhere Drake?"

Ray asked making her stop and turn.

"I'm going home." She told him.

"Oh yeah?" He raised an eyebrow. "He's told you then? That we could go back anytime?"

She nodded. "You guys don't have to come with me..."

"On contrary Ma'am... Alex... boss..." Chris stuttered never really knowing what to call Alex. "We want to come with ya."

She smiled. "I need to talk to him though first though."

They all nodded in unison. "We'll wait, Drake." Ray said. "Give you some time. But we're coming...when I've finished my drink."

She laughed slightly. "Thank you."

She turned back, putting her hand on the door handle taking a deep breath.