Unfortunately I do not own any of the places or characters written in this one shot. I just enjoy writing about them because…well who doesn't! Enjoy… x
Nursing a rather large glass of scotch Alex looked around the room. It was a warm, comforting space, filled with those she recognised as well as those she didn't. She had seen her colleagues sat at the bar as she came in but their reassuring smiles and condolences didn't make her feel any better. She wasn't sad, she wasn't heartbroken, she wasn't even a little disappointed. But she wasn't happy either. Instead her whole body and mind was filled with a cold numbness, one even the warmest fire couldn't heat.
She could see his eyes, had felt them burning into the back of her as she walked to the doors, her eyes strewn with tears. Was her walking away a sign that Keats had won? She had turned back, desperately wanting to call him to her, for one final embrace, to pull him inside with her or to walk away from the doors and return to his warm grip. His eyes were steely, a sign of bravery and courage, even now still being the strong figure she had met on day one.
Before entering the railway arms Alex had been in tears, her whole body broken at the thought of never seeing her daughter or her Guv again. He had told her that one day, one day he would join them in the railway arms but today was not that day. Once or twice the door had opened and she had turned, filled with hope only to be torn down when someone else walked in, somebody she didn't recognise. It wasn't him. It was never him.
Every so often she heard Ray, Shaz and Chris mumbling about trying something, anything to make her feel happy again or to at least join in their conversation rather than sitting alone in the corner. It was a similar situation to back at home, sitting in Luigi's the team together and Alex and Gene to the side, deep in their own conversation, whether it was arguing, flirting or discussing a case.
Her friends also missed him though, she had heard them all saying at least once that they didn't feel right without him breathing down their necks and shouting at them to make some coffee or bring in a suspect or do something other than make jokes and read magazines all day. Even Sam Tyler, who Alex recognised from the newspaper clippings and her studying his case file was sat in the Railway Arms with a girl she could only assume was Annie talking about how life in the pub was weird without the Guv.
"Alex?" She was pulled away from her drink and looked up to see the young brunette, Annie. She motioned to sit in the chair and Alex nodded, sitting a little more upright to face her companion.
"It gets better. I know this is probably the last thing you wanna hear right now but it does I promise. Everything seems horrible now but you've got to remember, he's out there somewhere, and he doesn't want to think of you sitting in here sad. From what I've heard from the others he really seemed to love you and he probably still does. But like he said, it's not his time yet. But when it is he'll want you to be ready. He'll want to see you happy." Annie explained, looking at Alex.
"How long have I been here Annie? How long have I been waiting for him to come? What if it doesn't work like that for everyone, what if his job is to channel souls from one step to the next but its different when it comes to him? Who says that he's going to come? Whose to say he was telling the truth to me? He knows that by encouraging someone something is going to happen they are more likely to do it, what if he has no desire, no plans to come here?" Alex asked
."Wow, that's a lot of questions. Chris and the others said you liked stripping everything down to the bone. Look I'm not gonna pretend to be an expert at all this, none of us are but I don't think Gene would lie to you. I think that if he says he's coming here then he will eventually. It's probably not easy, I mean he forgot all about this before didn't he. Maybe he's just waiting for someone to remind him again. As to the question of how long you've been here? No idea, no idea for any of us. Nelson might, he kinda runs this whole thing but apart from that its just a guess I'm afraid. Look why don't you come and join us at the bar? Ask Nelson and just sit and talk. It'll make you feel better." Annie looked at her, an expression of honesty on her face. After a couple of minutes Alex nodded and leaving the drink came to join the others at the bar.
"He'll be on his way soon." Nelson told her as he cleaned a glass and put it back on the shelf with a smile. Alex attempted a smile back but it was half hearted at its best. The door opened behind them and she turned expectantly but once more it was someone she didn't recognise. Giving up, she tried to join in the conversation with her friends tried to laugh alongside them but it just made her want to curl up and cry the tears she had yet to shed. The door opened behind them again but this time she ignored it, hating the feeling of disappointment she got everytime she turned and didn't see him.
"A large scotch if you will Nelson and none of tha' watered down shit, I wan' a proper drink." Alex didn't even need to turn around to know who it was. She saw the glint of surprise and happiness in the others eyes and heard it in the tone of his voice. She could feel the heat grow as he came to join them at the bar but her mind was racing a thousand miles per hour as she tried to work out just how she'd react when she finally turned to face him. After all this time. Reunited.
Well I thought I'd throw a one shot in because they deserve it and I hope you enjoyed reading it. How do you think she'd react when she turned to face him? Thought I'd keep it open for you readers. Hope you enjoyed, please read & review. xx